Sorry for not updating sooner, but not having a computer had a lot to do with it. I meant to update this earlier.

Anyway, what's your opinion on the title of this chapter? Pretty interesting, eh? Just as the title suggests, trouble begins amongst the four friends, as an argument breaks out amongst them. The argument is pretty lame, in my opinion, and won't really get explained or elaborated on until later chapters. As you all may recall, this story is mainly supposed to be about Roderick and his new friend (whom of which appears in chapter 6) and is going to help him reconcile the four friends (Otto and Twister mostly). I just hope you enjoy it and can hold out until I get there.

Now, as always, I do not own anything dealing with the Rocket Power series or franchise. Klasky-Csupo has (had?) that honor, and as a reminder, here are the ages of the characters once again:

Oswald "Otto" Rocket: 16
Regina "Reggie" Rocket: 17
Maurice "Twister" Rodriguez: 16
Sammy "Stonewall" Dullard: 16
Lars "Whompinator" Rodriguez: 19
Roderick "Rod" Vandenack: 13

Chapter 04: "Ottoman, please, don't!" And the Trouble Begins...

"Woo! This is awesome!" Roderick cheered as he kicked out of the closing wave to avoid being tubed.

Sam was right behind him, but he wasn't as fortunate as the wave closed up on the blonde, causing him to wipe out. He surfaced and grabbed his board, spitting out the salty seawater. "Even Roderick surfs better than I do," the boy complained as he climbed back onto his board.

"Once a Squid, always a Squid," Otto laughed, paddling up beside the two.

"That's harsh, O-man. Sam's a good surfer."

"Yeah, but he'll always be a Squid in my book."

Sam, who was moving some of his wet matted hair from out of his face, shot Otto a look.

"The good kind of Squid, of course," Otto added somewhat hastily, "since you're one of my best bros."

"Hey, where's Twister?" Roderick scanned the ocean to see only other tourists and a few locals.

"Reggie's gone too," Sam noted. "I don't see them on the beach."

"Who cares," Otto answered coldly. 'They probably ditched us to make out,' he inwardly murmured sarcastically. "Let's just surf already." Before either boy could respond, Otto had paddled back out. Surfing often cleared his mind and helped to ease his annoyances, and he definitely needed it at the moment.

Roderick stared after Otto, and then turned to the husky blonde beside him. "Sam, how come Otto seems kind of...upset?"

He could only shrug at the young boy's question. "I wish I knew."

"Whoo, O-man!" Roderick rooted. Otto had nailed a perfect 360. "Way to go!"

He remained standing on the board as he cruised back to the area Sam and Roderick were in, bowing, "Thank you, thank you. You're all too kind," he said as he sat down on his board. Both clapped for him – as did a few shoobies who had seen him – and laughed at how no matter what, Otto would always look cool.

"Why don't we go look for Twist and Reg now?" the younger boy asked meekly. He wasn't sure how Otto was going to react since he had seemed to be a bit rude when it came to those two.

"Why should we?" he retorted indignantly. "They're the ones who left us!"

"Well, um, they could've gone to the Shore Shack for something."

"Sam! They didn't do anything to work up an appetite, unless splashing is considered a sport now, and Raymundo gave us all the week off."

Sam trembled some over the tone in Otto's voice. He sounded as if he was about to blow due to his high annoyance level and mild anger. "Otto...you're scaring me."

"Otto, please, let's go find them."

He grumbled a few things before finally saying, "Okay." Roderick cheered, Otto muttered, "Whatever," while paddling back to shore.

"I bet she and Twister are at the Shore Shack," Sam insisted as they walked up the ramp, surfboards in hand, "drinking a couple of shakes, downing Shack fries, scarfing down a Hula Burger-"

"-skating towards home...holding hands," Roderick finished simply. 'I guess they left their surfboards at the Shore Shack.'

Otto rolled his eyes. 'Lame-os.'

"I guess, um, Twister needed another video for his camera," Sam answered timidly.

Otto scoffed. "Another video? Yeah right!" With that, he tossed down his prized board, and marched down the road, more temperamental than he'd ever been in his entire life. Twister and Reggie had only gotten as far as the Pier sign. "Hey, Reggie! Traitor Rodriguez!"

"Otto, no! Don't bother them," Sam pleaded in undertone. The last thing he wanted was a lot of attention drawn to him, and of course, that's what was going to happen if an argument broke out, but Otto just ignored him and continued on. "Come on," Sam sighed to Roderick as they caught up to the dread-haired boy.

"Reggie, Twister!"

The two finally heard the boy's bellowing and turned to face him, their hands now unclasped. Nearby, people stared at them, curious as to what the the commotion was about.

"Wow, um, O-man, may-"

"Running off, were you," Otto interrupted Roderick. "WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SURFING!" He turned his back to them, but sneered at the two, Twister in particular. "But no, you felt like leaving with Maurice!"

"Otto," Sam groaned while holding his head. He felt eyes on the five of them, most of them being from Madtown customers and nearby shoobies. He was just grateful that neither Raymundo nor Tito had heard them. There was so much going on at the Shore Shack, they probably couldn't hear Otto's shouts that far off.

"What's your deal!"

"You are!" Otto answered the girl as he faced the two once again. He then pointed an accusatory finger at the tall redhead. "What good are you, hanging with my sis all the time!"

"And what is wrong with that?" Reggie angrily retorted.

"I'm sick of you!"

"The feeling is mutual!" Reggie shot back hotly. "I'm sick of your whack attitude!"

Twister stepped up to Otto, which was an interesting sight, especially since the redhead looked much bigger than him, as he was wearing his blades, and Otto wasn't. "You've been wiggin' on me for weeks now, and I'm sick of it!"

"Maybe if you weren't such a traitorous mug," he growled, his eyes narrowed, "I wouldn't wig!"

Twister's teeth were grit, and looked as if he was trying to hold back his temper. "Maybe...if...you...would...tell...me...what's wrong instead of keeping...things to yourself, you wouldn't have a reason to wig!"

Otto scoffed, and muttered, "A mug like you wouldn't understand."

Both boys' fists were now clenched, ready to swing, staring daggers at one another, which drew even more attention from the bystanders, but Roderick wouldn't stand for it.

"Otto, Twist!" He stood in between them, trying his best to hold the two taller boys back. "You guys are best bros, don't fight!"

"Roderick, stay out of this!" Otto snapped as he lightly pushed him aside.

"Don't yell at him!"

"Why don't you just bug off, Regina!"

"C'mon, Otto, let's just all chill..."

"Tell Otto here to quit acting like a lame-o, Sam, and I will!"

"Who are you calling a lame-o, Maurice!" spat Otto heatedly.

"It's quite obvious that he was referring to you," Sam stated simply.

"Who the hell asked you to butt in, Sam!"

He cowered some. "I was just-"

"Leave Sammy and Twist alone, Otto!" Reggie ordered authoritatively.

Roderick sighed as he stared at the four friends: Otto and Twister were on the verge of pounding each other, Sam looked as if he were fearfully trying to keep the peace, and all of them were yelling, faces red. The usually cheery boy just headed over to the nearby bike rack, unlocked his bike, strapped his surfboard to the back of it, and rode off sullenly. The four were so wrapped up in themselves, that they didn't even notice the young boy had slink off...