Chapter 8 Squid Kid

Val shook his head at the giggling Projectra and rose from the table. "I've got this next one since you guys are busy," he sneered.

He turned and approached the newest applicant, a young man who practically sprinted into the courtyard. Val stared at the youngster's choice of costume. He appeared to be wearing a live cephalopod on his head and shoulders, the creature's tentacles hung down like fringe. Upon closer inspection Val determined the creature, which he identified as a squid, was just a life-like headdress.

"Hi," the boy's very high pitched voice squeaked in his excitement. "I'm Dodd Quirrelle from right here on Earth. I call myself Squid Kid."

"Well that explains the ….ummmm, interesting choice of headgear," Val commented sardonically. "How did you come to have superpowers Dodd?"

"My dad was studying cephalopods, specifically squids, and I was his research assistant." He grinned and blushed. "Ummmmmm, I got drunk one night and,…..umm…and I accidentally….." hegulped and continued, "I don't really drink, you know, but it was my girlfriend's birthday," he paused.

"And," prompted Val.

Dodd giggled nervously. "Oh,…yeah, I uh, drank some, uh..liquid my dad had extracted from this glowing squid, quite by accident,…the drinking I mean, Dad meant to …anyway, I passed out and then woke up with powers."

Hart and Projectra remained with their heads together, whispering. Val's attention was divided between Dodd and the couple, and it was a few moments before he realized Dodd had stopped talking.

"So," a distracted Val commented, "you ended up with squid powers, huh? Like can you breath underwater?" He tried to catch Andrew's eye and glanced pointedly at Hart.

"Yeah," Dodd squeaked, "I mean, no. That would have been cool though, right?"

"So, you have extra arms that you can grab things with, like a squid's tentacles?" Val asked absent-mindedly.

Dodd frowned and looked at his two arms and frowned disappointedly. "Oh man I wish."

"Well what can you do," Val snapped his eyes on Hart and Projectra.

Dodd began backing away. "Let me demonstrate." He began bouncing from foot to foot, shaking his hands and arms to get loose. The movement caused his headdress to sway dangerously from side to side and Val worried that it would crash to the ground taking Dodd with it. "OK, attack me when I say ok, ok?" the young boy squeaked.

Dodd continued to warm up for a short time and Val watched Hart move on Projectra. Then Dodd spun to face Val and squeaked, "OK!"

Though Val appeared distracted, at the word he exploded into motion closing the distance between he and Dodd faster than the boy could have expected and expertly leg-swept Squid Kid sending him crashing to the pavement. Too late Dodd tried to raise his hands and a viscous black substance blasted from his palms and struck Val in the chest.

"What the grief?" Val exclaimed in disgust as his hands rose to drag his fingers through the thick, gooey substance staining the front of his uniform.

Dodd lay on the ground trying to draw oxygen back into his lungs and looking very much like a fish, or more appropriately, a squid, out of water.

Val's exclamation and the sound of Dodd striking the pavement got the attention of the remaining three Legionaires who rushed to Dodd's side and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright Dodd?" Hart asked.

Projectra whirled on Val. "What are you doing? Do you even think at all?" she barked as Dodd rose unsteadily to his feet.

"Nass, what is this stuff?" Val pawed at the sticky substance that covered his chest, making the mess worse. He turned on Projectra, "He said attack, I attacked."

Hart and Andrew supported Dodd between them and the youngster was shaking his head to try and clear the dizziness he felt.

Projectra glared at Val, infuriated. "You struck a citizen!"

Val shook his head, "He wants to be a Legionaire, he's gonna get hit. I didn't hurt him." He held out his hands. "Look at this muck. Grife!"

Projectra sneered. "You want to be a Legionaire, you're gonna get hit," she retorted.

Val shot her a look of disgust, and then turned to Dodd. "Hey pal, what is this stuff?" He held out his muck covered hands for the youngster to see.

Dodd focused on Val and pushed away from Hart and Andrew still a bit unsteady. "Ewwww, that's gross." He shook his head. "It works different underwater, you know? Like a squid's ink, or whatever you call it. Underwater it spreads like a cloud."

"You never tried it out of the water?" Projectra asked.

Dodd blushed and blinked rapidly. "Ummmmm…no, I guess not." He reached out toward the goop on Val's chest but stopped short of touching it. "That's nasty dude," he mumbled apologetically, "sorry about that."

"My uniform is ruined," Val complained.

Projectra snapped, "Oh be quiet, you big baby. You should have been ready for anything, you're a Legionnaire aren't you? You were distracted and paid the price."

Val leaned in close to he, almost touching noses. "And maybe if you hadn't been playing kissy-face with Hart I wouldn't have been distracted," he barked angrily.

The sound of her hand striking his cheek surprised everyone in the courtyard. Projectra blushed deeply at the realization of what she had done. "Val, I'm…."

Vaal spun toward the clubhouse. "I'm out of her guys. I need a shower and a new uniform." He turned and began stomping away toward the clubhouse. Over his shoulder he called, "Rejected"

"sorry." Projectra finished.

Hart turned to Dodd. I'm afraid he's right Dodd. A power that only works underwater is too limiting."

Dodd slumped dejectedly. "I understand, darn it." He turned slowly and began to move away, and then stopped and turned back. "Maybe I can figure out a way to make it work on land?" he asked hopefully.

Projectra smiled as hart and Andrew turned back to the table. "Come back and see us if you do, Dodd."

She turned and beckoned the next applicant forward.