Kook's Valentine

There was a slight hint of love in the air that Splatalot morning, it was a romantic time of year, the fourteenth of february, valentines day, everyone was at least expecting something in the post, Shaiden came running over to Ballista that sunny morning.

"Ballista, you've got a valentines day card." she said, waving the envelope in the air before handing it over. "I think you've got an admirer."

Rather excited, Ballista tore the envelope open and pulled out a bright red card, decorated with a number of red and pink hearts, there was a small poem inside, all of it handwritten, she read each word carefully.

"Dear Ballista, I love your hair, I love your eyes, you're so beautiful and it's no surprise, trust me I can make you shine, if you'll be my valentine. Love Gildar X." it said.

"Gildar." Ballista whispered.

"What?" Shaiden replied with surprise.

"It's from Gildar."

"You two look excited, what's the situation?" Kook asked walking over.

"Ballista's just got a valentines card from Gildar." Shaiden explained.

"Gildar? Wow, I didn't know he had it in him." There was a slight pause. "Was there anything for me in the post?"

"No."

"Typical." Kook mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing."

Kook walked away, his head hanging low and his hands in his pockets. "Every year, same old thing." he thought to himself.

"What's up with him?" Ballista asked.

"Maybe, he's expecting something."

"I bet that he's expecting a valentine...maybe if you..."

"You mean I should..."

"He has a crush on you."

"I couldn't...could I?" Shaiden thought, looking over at the purple and green bird walking away from them.

Later that day, Kook was still in a miserable mood, he was stood at the battlements all by himself looking down into the moat, he sighed as a small singular tear ran down his cheek, dripping into the moat.

"Kook, are you okay?" Shaiden asked, standing next to him.

"Oh, hey Shaiden. No, I'm not okay."

"You seemed rather upset back there with Ballista's card, is there something bothering you?"

"Yeah, there is actually."

"What is it?"

"Nothing important."

"But if it's bothering you, you need to tell someone."

"Really, it's nothing important."

"Come on Kook, you can tell a friend."

"Just stop it! I have something on my mind, and I don't want to tell you, just leave it at that!"

Kook quickly stormed off, that is very rare for someone like Kook, Shaiden stood exactly where she was and watched Kook walk away.

That evening, Shaiden was still incredibly worried about Kook, his behaviour hadn't really changed, he was staying out of everyone's way, some of the others noticed this strange behaviour, not in Kook, in Shaiden.

"Are you okay Shaiden? You look concerned." Faetal asked.

"Yeah, I've just been thinking about Kook."

Faetal looked at Shaiden, with that sort of supicious look.

"No, I don't mean it like that, it's just that Kook's been acting really weird today."

"Weirder than usual, this is Kookaburra we're talking about."

"I know, but he's normally cheerful and he's always laughing and messing around. But today he's the complete opposite."

"Just ask him about it."

"I've already tried, but he just yelled at me."

"Okay, I'll admit it, this is not like him."

Shaiden thought for a moment, she had to get to the bottom of this. "I'm going to go and take a walk, I need to think." she said.

"Okay."

As Shaiden walked away she continued to think, what could have Kook so frustrated? Shaiden was so deep into her thoughts, she wasn't keeping an eye on where she was going, and bumped into an also distracted Kookaburra.

"Oh, sorry Kook. I didn't see you there." said Shaiden.

"It's alright, I was just going for a walk." Kook replied.

"Oh, me too. Maybe we can walk together."

"Yeah, I've just got something to think about, it gets on my nerves every year."

"I've got a bit of thinking to do too."

"What's up?

"I'm worried about something, there's something not quite right going on and I just want to get to the bottom of it. What about you?"

"Nothing important, this happens to me every year and I just need a bit to time to think.

"What is it?"

"Like I said, it's nothing."

"But if there's something bothering you, maybe we can help you.

"It only happens once a year, so it's not worht worrying about."

Kook sat down on a nearby bench by the pond in the castle gardens and lowered his head.

"Is this something about Valentines Day?" Shaiden asked.

Kook didn't reply, Shaiden could see that this was really upsetting Kook, she walked over and slowly sat down on the bench next to him.

"You can tell me Kook."

Kook sighed. "Every year on Valentine's Day when I was growing up in Australia, I never got sent one Valentine's Day card." he explained.

"Not even from your girlfriend?"

"No, plus that was the day when we broke up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Kook, I never knew."

"I know."

"You shouldn't really let something like this get you down."

"I know, but it's been bothering me for so long."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, it's just that.

"Okay. Just remember Kook, I'm always here for you."

"Thanks Shaiden."

Later on that evening when everyone else had gone out, Shaiden, Thorne and Kook were the only ones left in the castle.

"Okay, we're going out, see you later." said Ballista.

"Have a good time." Shaiden replied.

"Yeah, good luck." Kook mumbled.

"Come on Kook, cheer up." said Thorne.

"Sorry, I just don't feel myself today."

"Let's just watch some TV, that'll take our minds off things." Shaiden suggested. "I think that they're just playing Romeo and Juliet on the movie channel."

Kook sighed. "I guess that'll do."

"Yeah, alright." Thorne agreed.

After thirty minutes into the movie it as the scene of the Capulet's party, Romeo has just seen Juliet and they're already in a relationship. Kook sighed again.

"They should put a bit more realism into this." he said.

"Like what?" Shaiden asked.

"Well when they get together, after they've just met, Romeo should have at least asked Juliet on a date." Kook's eyes started to shine with tears. "Then when he arrives at their arranged meeting place, he waits and waits for her, but she never shows up, then she blames him for all this and ends up dumping him after just a couple of months."

Shaiden looked up at Kook. "Wait, Kook are you referring to something that's happened to you?"

Kook lowered his head, and a small tear slowly rolled down his cheek, Shaiden reached over and held his hand.

"Kook, I was wondering, how about you and me go out for the night, just as friends." Shaiden suggested.

"Just friends?"

"Yeah."

Kook thought for a moment. "...Yeah, okay."