32 Productions Presents…
A HIVE Team StoryThe HIVE Team In…
"Pet Care"
Chapter One
Pet Store
Obviously this is taking place right after the "Philosopher Stone" story. You know, where Krystal and Jinx ran off to get a pet? Blackfire soon caught up with them, hoping to dissuade them from getting a cat. She wanted a puppy dog, damn it… Krystal bounced around excitedly from cage to cage.
Krystal: Oh! A bunny! Look it, look it! It's got its ears all folded back and it's cute!
Jinx: Take it easy, Krystal. You said you wanted a cat.
Krystal: Oh right…but doesn't it look cute?
Blackfire shook her head.
Blackfire: Rabbits can't do tricks. Come on, let's get a dog.
Jinx: And we'd walk it where? On the rocks outside the tower?
Oh great, now it was debate time. Okay…okay, counterpoint…
Blackfire: Dogs can be paper trained. They're man's best friend.
Jinx: …do I look like a man?
Krystal: From a long distance and if I squint.
Jinx turned to Krystal.
Jinx: Hey, I'm on your side!
Krystal: Yeah, that's what they all say. They all say "hey". Ooo, a parrot!
Krystal's grinning mug moved close to the cage. The parrot tilted its head, utterly confused by the bizarre girl.
Krystal: Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape. Duct tape.
This lasted for about five minutes straight. Her friends were, as usual, stupefied at her behavior. Finally Blackfire forced herself to speak.
Blackfire: Krystal, what are you…?
Krystal held up her hand, silencing Blackfire.
Krystal: Du-ct ta-pe.
Parrot: Duct tape.
Both Jinx and Blackfire groaned as Krystal and the parrot repeated it over and over. Jinx turned to Blackfire, then gestured to Krystal with a questioning expression.
Blackfire: It's CUTE, okay?
Jinx: If you say so.
Blackfire: And I do!
Krystal: Duct. Tape.
Parrot: Duct. Tape.
Krystal: Tape. Duct.
Parrot: Tape. Duct.
Krystal giggled and moved on. Blackfire walked up to the parrot. She looked around hesitantly.
Blackfire: (muttering) Duct tape.
Parrot: Duct tape.
Jinx: Don't you start.
Blackfire: Sorry, I couldn't resist. Don't lose track of her, she might try to release the animals like she did at the zoo.
Krystal: Release the animals?! Great idea! Be free my…
Both girls grabbed her before she could reach the first cage door.
Both: No!
Krystal: Oh fine. Be supporters of detaining against one's will. Oooo…ferrets!
Again, she was grabbed.
Both: No!
Jinx: Ferrets smell god awful!
Krystal: No they…oh my GAWD! How did I not notice that with my severely superior sniffer?!
They let her go and sighed. Krystal rocked back and forth on her feet for a moment before jumping back into action. She went up to a cage full of young kittens. They all looked up at her and began to meow. Krystal squealed.
Krystal: They're all so cute! I want'em all!
Jinx: She said ONE pet, Krystal.
Krystal: I said I want them all, not that I'd get them all. Pay attention. Oh…help me pick, Jinx. I can't.
Blackfire: Do we have to get a cat?
Jinx: I'm partial to cats, myself.
Blackfire scoffed.
Blackfire: Because your eyes match theirs.
Jinx: So?
Blackfire: Well, if there was a boa constrictor with purple eyes, I wouldn't buy it!
Jinx shook her head and knelt with Krystal. Black one…white and black one…white one…orange one…oh!
Jinx: Pick that one. The orange one with black stripes.
Krystal: Ooo…like Garfield. I'll feed him lots of pasta…
Jinx: No, you can't feed them pasta! That might do…bad things. Look, it has one blue eye and one green eye.
Krystal "oooh"ed again and went to fetch the store manager (who really should have been watching her). It was decided. The HIVE had a new friend.
:CUE THEME:
HIVE Tower: Main Room
Krystal giggled, her new pet cat Hikari laying on her head. Surprisingly, it took to Krystal quickly. Surprising because Krystal was descended from canines. Also surprisingly, it didn't care for Blackfire, who was of feline ancestry. Upon realizing this, Krystal promptly named the kitten "Hikari the Dyslexic Tac", since it was wary of cats and okay around dogs. Red X looked at the cat and sighed.
Red X: Happy now?
Krystal: Much. Isn't she cute? I call her Hikari the Dyslexic Tac…but Hikari works for short, I guess.
Red X: Alright…but she's your responsibility, you hear me? You keep her fed, clean the litter box…
Blackfire cleared her throat.
Blackfire: Litter boxes. The tower's too big for just one.
Red X: …oookay. Well, if we have one in here, keep it away from the kitchen and keep it clean.
Krystal: Aye, aye Captain. Come on Hikari, let's go show you off.
Krystal left with the cat still on her head.
Red X: …how'd she get it to do that?
Jinx: Who knows? Krystal just placed the cat on her head and it laid down. It was a rather lazy cat.
Shaking her head, Red X leaned against the counter as Blackfire emptied the bag of stuff they bought for the cat.
Red X: I swear, sometimes I feel more like a mother then a leader of superheroes.
Jinx: You get used to it. …um…Red, can I talk to you for a minute…in private?
Nodding, Red X followed Jinx out of the room. The pale girl looked nervous, fidgeting with her hands. She was even sweating a little. Red X held up her hand.
Red X: Okay, calm down. Whatever you're going to ask, it can't be worth getting so worked up over.
Jinx: It's just…I…Red…Rose…could you…could you keep the leader position? I mean, permanently?
Gaping, Red X moved her mouth, but nothing came out. Jinx winced, turning away.
Jinx: I knew it. I knew I was being selfish, but I asked anyway. It was stupid.
Red X: …no, Jinx. It wasn't. I accept…on one condition.
Jinx: What's that?
Red X: You're my second. I think one of the things you did wrong was to try and handle it all by yourself. I'll be the leader, first and foremost, but you're the second in command. We'll work together, okay?
Jinx smiled and nodded. It was a good idea.
Jinx: Okay. Thanks, Red.
Red X: Just curious…but why the sudden request?
Sighing, Jinx rubbed her arm. She felt like a quitter…oh well.
Jinx: …it was never easy for me. And I was always getting so worked up over it. I mean, you saw how I would act when the Titans got away. I threw fits.
Red X: I can't blame you for that. The bastards seem to always outsmart us in the end…but we save lives and that's what matters. If we didn't do something, this city would be theirs by now.
Jinx: Yeah, I know…
There was a period of awkward silence. Finally Red X spoke again.
Red X: I got to go. I'm going out for a while.
A sly look spread across Jinx's face. It was the exact look Red X was hoping WOULDN'T appear on her face. Here it comes.
Jinx: Knife-play, huh?
Red X: Ugh…why can't you people just let it drop? We're just friends!
Jinx: Let's test it. Just say that you love him. If you don't suddenly realize it's true, then it's not.
Red X rolled her eyes.
Red X: I see how this works. I say that and you tell everyone I admitted it. Well it ain't happening, Jinx! It ain't happening!
Jinx: Gah! What happened to your grammar?!
Red X: Sorry, I got excited. Look, Jinx…I'm not going to say that.
Jinx smirked and crossed her arms.
Jinx: Because you're afraid it's true.
Red X: Right, because I…NO! That's not why! It's STUPID, that's why! I don't have time for this.
Red X stomped off, annoyed. In love with him indeed! Ha! Ha she says, ha! …so…uh…yeah. Ha.
Workshop
Inertia scratched his head. He had no idea what he was looking at…and he was from the future.
Inertia: So…what's this do again?
Groaning, Gizmo crossed his arms.
Gizmo: Okay…I'll explain ONE more time. This is going to be our new back-up generator.
Inertia: I got that part. …why does it have a treadmill on it?
Gizmo: So you can power it, genius. That's why it's a BACK-UP generator!
Inertia winced. Man, he was a cranky little guy. He shrugged.
Inertia: Okay, okay. You really need to relax.
Gizmo: It's not easy to relax here. You never know when something unexpected will…
PLOP. Gizmo jumped as something landed on his head. Something furry…and alive.
Krystal: SAY HI!
Gizmo: GAAAH! Get it off, get it off!
Krystal snatched Hikari off his head. Inertia tried not to bust out laughing.
Krystal: Hey, you scared her…
Gizmo: What the hell is that?!
Krystal: My new kitty, Hikari the Dyslexic Tac.
Inertia and Gizmo glanced at each other. Gizmo shrugged.
Gizmo: Alright, I'll bite. Why is it named Hikari the Dyslexic Tac?
Krystal: Hikari means light, see? So it makes sense to name my pet cat "Hikari". The rest is because she's affectionate toward me, the one who is dog-like, and doesn't care for Blackie, who is cattish.
Gizmo: Since when was Blackfire "cattish"?
Krystal: Duh. That's what Tamaranian's are.
The two looked at each other again. Well, that was news to them.
Inertia: Oookay. Well, it's um…
Krystal: Mind numbingly adorable to the point of causing physical pain?
Inertia: …uh…sure.
Krystal: Really? Damn, what's wrong with you? Hurt by cuteness? How can you stand to look at me then? Welp, I'm going to show Mammoth now.
She placed the cat on her head again.
Krystal: Later guys.
Gizmo: Uh huh. Get running, man.
Inertia: Right, right. Bye, Krystal.
Waving good bye, Krystal skipped down the hall. What a bizarrely well behaved cat…or just lazy.
Movie Theater
Red X sat in the back next to Knife-play (who was more then a little upset about having to leave his knives at home), eating popcorn. She wasn't sure what the hell was going on in this movie. This was mostly due to the fact she was thinking about something else.
Red X: (mumbling) Stupid Jinx. Me? That's just stupid. It's not true. Not even a little. Stupid Jinx.
Knife-play: (whisper) Um…Red? Even I'm not talking during the movie. That should tell you something.
Red X went silent. Damn it…why was she letting it get to her? Why did she always let it get to her? Every time her friends teased, she would just…get so upset about it. Why? It frustrated her so much. The movie soon ended and they got up to leave as the lights came back on.
Knife-play: Are you okay?
Red X: Why?
He pointed to her (thankfully) empty cup. It was crushed. You could almost see where her hand was.
Red X: I'm just a little stressed out, I guess.
Knife-play: Yeah, what about? C'mon talk to me. I'm an excellent listener…and I'm not wearing any underwear.
Red X dropped her cup in shock.
Red X: Wh…what?!
Knife-play: It's an Mystery Science Theater 3000 riff, slightly altered, and based on the movie "Rain Man".
Red X: …so…you ARE wearing underwear?
Knife-play paused.
Knife-play: You know, I shouldn't have to answer that. If I asked you, you'd slap me so hard my eyes would be looking at my brain.
Red X laughed, shaking her head.
Red X: Not without a magnifying glass.
Knife-play: Ouch! Sudden right hook out of nowhere.
They both chuckled as they exited the theater. Knife-play sighed.
Knife-play: Well, what was on your mind? Why did you kill that innocent cup?
Red X: It's my friends. They keep bugging me about being friends with you.
Knife-play: Yeah? What's the problem? The knives?
She couldn't tell him why…that would be…uncomfortable. Red X just shrugged.
Red X: I don't know. Maybe they just don't like you. You DO have a tendency to annoy.
Knife-play: Oh. Yeah, I guess I do.
He sighed. Red X shook her head. And now she felt guilty. Damn it, what was with her today? Stupid Jinx putting thoughts in her head…
Red X: Yeah, but I don't. I think you're a funny guy…in a good way.
Knife-play: Yeah, thanks. …so…you want to do something else today?
She really shouldn't…the longer she stayed out with him, the more they'd mock her when she got home.
Red X: I would, but I can't. In a bout of temporary insanity, I allowed Krystal to buy a cat. I should make sure she hasn't tried to put tiny clothes on it or something.
Knife-play: If she does, don't let her take pictures. People get pissed at that sort of crap.
Red X bid him good bye and headed for her motorcycle. There. No harm, no foul. …so why didn't she feel good about what just happened?
END PART ONE