Chapter 8 is finally up! For my readers, I write the messages like these before I write the chapters.

I feel that if I do this then the chapters flow better.

Now this chapter is going to be a little... crazy?

Not sure how to describe it, but the newest character I'm introducing is not normal, even by TAWoG standards.

I hope you enjoy the story and my Ocs.

Well... Enjoy!

"Well then little kitty," the rouge colored fox said, "Aren't you a weird one." The slight scratchy sound of his voice had me feeling as if I wasn't going to see daylight again.

'I'm gonna die'

This guy looked at me as if he was eying a hoagie. His canines sharp and ready to dine. I was on the verge of tears when..

Slap!

"Gah!" I yelped as I felt a slight stinging pain on my back. I turned to see Eddy rubbing his palm. He was looking at me with the look that said, "Why so scared?"

I then heard a light-hearted chuckle coming from the fox. When I looked at him there was a different feel coming from him. He gave off a friendly, nonthreatening vibe now. His eyes were warm and accepting. His smile was less menacing and more welcoming. It was as if he became a completely different person.

"Man," he said with a mellow voice, the scratchiness was gone, "You looked like you were about to have an accident!"

'Did the slap to my back mess with my mind?'

I just stood there looking at him while rubbing my back. He looked back at me as if he was waiting for something. His face then scrunched up with annoyance.

"Well," he said, "introductions are a must when you meet someone new, right?"

"Uhh... I-I'm Rick," I managed to say through my embarrassment.

"Ok. Rick, I'm Bryce Willex, but please call me Ikol." He said that with one of the most serious, yet relaxed faces I have ever seen.

'Is he serious?'

"Uh... Can I ask why?" I asked him.

"Yea... You can," he said and just looked at me, waiting. I, myself, was waiting for him to tell me why. For a good 30 seconds we were just standing there with only silence going back and forth. I then felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to Eddy.

"He's waiting for you to ask him why, you know." he whispered into my ear.

"I had just asked him why," I responded.

"Actually," said Bryce, "you asked if you could ask me why."

I just stood there a little dumbfounded.

'He couldn't be that literal. Could he?'

"Why do you wanna be called Ikol?

"Cause it's Loki backwards!" he said beaming. I stood there with more questions running through my mind, but didn't know how to go on.

'I-I uh... wha...'

My mind basically broke.

"Uh Bryce?" Eddy said, "I don't think Rick can keep up with your "nonsense" like you want him to." Bryce had a slightly defeated look on his face as looked from Eddy to me. His head slumped forward and he sighed.

"Fine. You can just call me Bryce," he said before he mumbled, "there goes my chance to have a weird nickname of my choice."

"Your last name's weird enough," said Eddy smugly.

"Come on, man," Bryce whined, "You know I have a complex about that."

"No you don't," shot Eddy, "you make fun of it yourself."

"Yea I know," Bryce said happily. The way he quickly changes his reactions and emotions were throwing me off. I was sitting there listening to their conversation as it went from Bryce's name, to "Alligators on a Train," to perfume smells, their theories why banana flavored anything doesn't taste like bananas. I was standing there for a good 15 minutes just bewildered.

'I thought Gumball and Darwin were the only "random" people in Elmore. I was wrong.'

Then, as if he just remembered I was there, Eddy turned to me.

"Oh man, I'm sorry," he said with an embarrassed look on his face, "I had forgotten to include you in this."

"Yea, sorry dude," followed Bryce, "You know what? I'mma make it up to you. We're gonna get lunch, my treat. Where do you wanna go? Just nothing fancy."

"Cool..." that's all I say. Then we set off towards a burger place that was good, but out-of-the-way of anyone I knew of. I couldn't believe how they pulled me into their pace without me even interacting with at length. I'm surprised that I'm going along with them. Not because they're random or anything, but because they're not Gumball and Darwin. These two give off a different feel then them, but it is undeniable that there are similarities between their actions.

"Hey," Bryce said turning to me while walking backwards, "I saw this Watterson kid, blue cat, at EJH who looks a lot like you. Are you guys related? Are you a Watterson?"

"No, I don't think so," I answered quickly. Bryce's eyes then went from warm to cold and analytical.

'Does he know something? Nah, there's no way. No one knows I exists so there shouldn't be any suspicion.'

No matter how I tried to calm myself, the look from his eyes were unnerving. He had turned around and continued his friendly way of talking, but my nerves were still shaken.

We arrived at the burger place, Angus' Burgers, and made our orders. While we waited we found a booth to the side and sat down.

"Be right back," Eddy said, "gotta use it." He then got up went off towards the bathroom. Now it was just me and Bryce sitting in the booth and once Eddy disappeared from sight Bryce's eyes changed again.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked. His eyes looked at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve. I felt so nervous from his look that my voice was cracking when I replied.

"G-Go ahead..."

"Well," he started, "Why did you lie when I asked if you were related to the Wattersons?"

"I didn..."

"Look, I can tell when you lie to me. Not from tells or anything like that, but from how your eyes are when they respond or talk about stuff. And... your eyes... showed a little fear when I asked and it didn't go away when you answered. Heck, it still there."

"I... don't want people to know, ok?"

"Why not? I mean, it's not like they're truly hated or anything."

"It's not that. Let me put it this way, the parents don't have that many siblings living in Elmore and don't have uh... nieces or nephews."

"So, what? You got put up for adoption?"

"N-No... I didn't exist until Sunday night."

"Ok... I don't follow."

"That family has three kids, a small bunny girl, an adopted fish, and the blue cat you saw. They were there before I was alive. I know them, but they don't know me. I wasn't alive at all until the cat's accident Sunday."

"I know I said some weird things earlier, but this is weirder than anything I said. Are telling me that they have a spontaneous extension to their family?"

"Actually... That's basically it."

He just looked at me his face calm and calculating, but softer than at the beginning of this conversation. "Well, they do have weird things happening to them almost every week."

"Why did you want to know?" I asked him. He didn't seem surprised that this was the next thing out my mouth. He closed his eyes as if thinking about the right way to answer.

"You met Eddy yesterday and when he asked you for your name he thought that you were lying to him. However, when you told me your name... you were telling the truth. I wondered why that the answer you gave one day, which was a lie, can be the truth the next day.

"Then when I noted the similarity between you and the Watterson kid you got scared. Why would you be scared by just hearing the name Watterson? They don't try to harm people, commit crimes, or anything with malice intended. That got me curious about you and if it's alright for Eddy to hang around you."

"Why do you care who Eddy hangs with?" I ask before inserting, "not to be disrespectful."

"I've known Eddy for two years. He is like a younger brother to me. He doesn't have many friends at school, mostly because he sees his classmates as superficial and stupid. And since I'm gonna be in High school next year, yeah I'm 14, I wanted him to at least make one friend that can hang with him at and after school. Just don't them leading him astray."

"I'm not sure if I can be that friend, but don't want to go down the wrong path either," I tell him. He looks at me and smirks a bit. At that I felt a little better letting that out.

"Well maybe he'll be in good hands," Bryce said.

"Who'll be in good hands?" said Eddy as he sat down after coming back with our food.

"I hope you washed your hands," Bryce said.

"Nah, I just stuck my hands in the toilet and swished them around."

I chuckled and took my portion.

'Bryce is smart. And a better listener than I expected. It feels better letting it out.'

For a good hour or so we were in that booth talking and debating things like the audience of "Daisy the Donkey" being older than anticipated or our favorite weather; Bryce believes sunny days are misleading, "It's like 'Oh! It's such a nice day nothing can hap...' hit by a car!"

I didn't want the day to end, but Eddy said he had to get home soon.

"Puntualidad is one of my mom's main principles, so I gotta go. See you guys later."

"Yea, see ya," I responded.

"Peace, Perros," Bryce said. We saw him run off and when he was gone I looked to Bryce.

"I guess I'll get going," I said not wanting to keep him from getting home late. As I walked away he called out to me.

"Hey! If you need anything I'll be in front of the theater at 3 everyday after tomorrow. Also, be careful tomorrow, it's gonna rain."

"Alright, thanks for the warning." We went our separate ways when I noticed that the time was 4:55.

'Not much I should be able to do after five. A 12-year-old kid out that late is just asking for trouble. But should get some batteries for the CD player'

After getting a big pack of batteries I walked back to Broken Dreams Boulevard. Upon reaching the apartment I stopped and listened at the afternoon sound around here. It was quiet, no footsteps, no ticks of a clock, nothing but my breathing. I entered and went to my small cove, what I call the room now, and listened to the CD I got today.

There was one song that I kept listening to over and over. So much so that I began reciting it's hook.

"~I wanna devise
a virus
To bring dire straits to your environment
Crush your corporations with a mild touch
Trash your whole computer system and revert you to papyrus

I wanna devise
a virus
to bring dire straits to your environment
crush your corporations with a mild touch
trash your whole computer system and revert you to papyrus

I wanna devise a virus
to bring dire straits to your environment
crush your corporations with a mild touch
trash your whole computer system and revert you to papyrus

I wanna devise a virus
to bring dire straits to your environment
crush your corporations with a mild touch
trash your whole computer system and revert you to papyrus ~"

I listened to the CD til I felt tired. Before I laid down for bed I closed and locked the window in the room and brushed my teeth. Taking off the goggles, backpack, pants and t-shirt. I finally laid down upon the bed and instantly fell asleep.

Thanks for sticking with the story so far.

The hook is from "Virus" by Del the Funky Homosapien, Kid koala, and Dan Nakamura; aka Deltron 3030.

This will influence the dream sequence in the next chapter.

Also would like to say that some other people will learn his secret next chapter.

Some days will go by quick, but will be long enough to give you more of Rick's thoughts.

Feel free to review or message me if you have critiques or advice as I'm still getting into the grove of writing these stories.

Another story is on the way, but not a TAWoG story. Sorry