Sloth: Hey guys! Sorry about the late chapter. I lost my internet the past week. So I had no computer access for a whole week. I mean, I had my phone, but I really can't upload a story from my phone ya know? Anyways, thanks Angelina for being worried about me, that was very kind of you. And thank you everyone else who reviewed.
Yes, I see everyone is excited for Spike, and honestly, I wanted him to come up this chapter too. However, while rereading the chapter, I was hit with inspiration. So the chapter ended differently than how I wanted to originally. I think those extra days helped give me a better ending for this chapter, so I hope you like it too. I hope this gives you more insight on our Lab Rats and their little family.
Disclaimer: I don't own Lab Rats
We Will Rock You
It was finally the day of the talent show. In less than nine hours, a troop of kids would put themselves in front of a crowd of patronizing adults and cranky grandparents. No child in their right mind would ever truly want to be part of a talent show, forced to put on a fake smile and please all the happy parents and Perry. Of course, in truth, the teens taking part in the talent show were just doing it for a 50 dollar gift card and the after party.
Well, everyone except for Chase, who was practicing very loudly in his room. Scratch that, he was practicing very loudly in his AND Marcus's joint room. Marcus had a pillow over his ears, his cheeks flushed red from rage. He was trying so hard to remain calm. He needed to remain calm, because the last thing he wanted was another meltdown like the day before.
It had been a complete accident. He had been downstairs, getting another check up on his chip. At the same time, the Lab Rats were going through training. And Adam seemed to find joy in bouncing a ball against the back of Marcus's head. Why? Lord only knows, it's Adam for crying out loud. He had begged and even tried to use his super-pout on him. But sadly, not even his pleading pouts worked on Adam and after a ball him in square in the face, he finally exploded.
"What is your problem!?" He screamed, getting everyone's attention. "I asked you to stop, so why won't you –" BOOM
Another spark of electricity flew from the back of his neck and vaporized Leo's desk. The room was silent. All eyes were on him. He shot out of the room faster than Bree, bionic or not. He couldn't believe he had glitched again. He was supposed to be a fearsome bionic teen. He could never recall a time where he had glitched and now that he didn't have his powers, he was glitching left and right. Worse of all, after the incident, Davenport has told him he wasn't allowed to go to the talent show or the party.
He could understand the reasoning. His glitches were dangerous. They caused explosions and someone could get hurt. However, he was a teenager and he wanted to go. He was finally making his own friends. No one was telling him who to befriend and he didn't live with them. It made him feel normal, and as weird as that feeling was, he was enjoying it. So he really wanted to go and hang out with everyone.
He did everything he could to twist Davenport's arm. He pleaded. He offered to let the billionaire experiment on him. And when all hope was lost, he went to Tasha. Out of the two adults, he could understand why all the kids went to Tasha for help with social stuff. Sure, the woman had her weird "let me be the cool mom" moments, but Tasha was still friendly and helpful. He definitely liked her more than Davenport that was sure.
Tasha managed to convince Davenport to give him one last chance. He was getting a chance to be a teenager and hang out with kids his age that didn't have bionic powers. The catch? He couldn't glitch. Just one glitch and there went his Friday night. That brings him back to his current situation; trying very hard not to get mad at Chase. He knew his glitches seemed to go off whenever he was mad. Chase apparently figured it out too from the way the boy kept practicing. However, he couldn't let the other boy get to him. He couldn't get mad at Chase, even though the bionic nerd was practicing on a guitar, playing a song Marcus had written for the talent show.
"You're doing this on purpose aren't you?" Marcus growled through gritted teeth. Chase gave him a cockeyed look.
"I've no idea what you're talking about," Chase answered with a smirk. Marcus glared. He could feel the electrical tingle in the back of his neck. Oh how he wished he could give Chase a piece of his mind. Or at least give him a nice, big electrical hug. But sadly, if he did that he'd miss out on the party. He wasn't going to let Chase ruin his night. Even if Chase's playing was really, really starting to grind his gears.
"You know what? I'm going to get something to eat," Marcus finally declared before marching out of their room. The music was still blasting as he walked into the living room, strolling past Bree, Owen, Adam, and a giant butter bust of Principal Perry.
Wait, what?
"What's that?" Marcus asked as he looked at the giant bust.
"It's Butter Perry," Bree answered. The tone of her voice told him that Bree was far less impressed than the two boys who were grinning like they had just created the Mona Lisa. She sounded down right horrified. And with good reason. It was terrifyingly accurate.
"I just rubbed a piece of toast on her face," Adam added proudly.
"You did," Marcus nodded. This was weirder than the time he came home early and saw Davenport in the lap practicing Tea Kwon Do. He still wasn't able to get the image out of his mind. "Why did you guys make a butter bust of Principal Perry?"
"Because this is a protest," Owen started. "Perry is butter. She beats the milky smooth freedom that is talent until it because the artery clogging substance known as butter."
"Okay then," Marcus nodded. He didn't get it, but whatever. Adam and Owen ran out of the room, talking about making a giant pair of glasses. He turned to Bree, brow raised in the usual creepy manner. "What was that?"
"I don't know!" Bree answered, arms thrown up as she let out an exasperated sigh. "All I wanted was to spend some time with Owen and now he and Adam have made Butter Perry!"
"I know how that feels like," Marcus muttered, eyes glancing towards Butter Perry and, much to his disgust, found himself getting hungry. Just as he was about to grab some bread and spread some of Perry's hair onto it, he found Bree staring at him. "What?"
"You're still hung up about Chase stealing your talent aren't you?" she asked, a small smile pulling at her lips.
"What? No," he lied, avoiding Bree's knowing gaze. He tried to look away, but Bree just kept staring at him. Her arms were crossed, her brow raised, mouth twisted into a smirk. She took a step towards him and he couldn't help but pout. "Stop that. It's like you're trying to look into my soul. It's creepy."
"I grew up with two brothers and spent the last year with Leo added into the mix," she told him with a proud smile. "I've perfected the art of soul-gazing glares. Now fess up, you're still mad at him."
Marcus started to wonder when his life became such an open book. He never had to deal with this before. No one ever paid attention to him. He was just another face in the crowd, someone people overlooked. He was fine with it. It was lonely, but it was his life. Now he had to deal with people trying to analyze him and it was kind of annoying.
"Yeah, whatever," he answered before going to the fridge and started a hunt for some yogurt. He could feel Bree come up behind him. "What?" he asked exasperated. What was it with this family and being so nosy?
"Look, Marcus, if Chase is getting on your nerves, just do what we do."
"Let me guess, talk to him?" he snarked. He didn't need to talk to Chase. He wanted to do punch the nerd in the face repeatedly.
"Actually I was going to say you should brank him." Marcus paused, pulling his head out from the fridge and gave Bree a raised-brow look. "Adam and I always used to pull pranks on him. I mean, we love him, he's out little brother. But like any baby brother, he gets really, really annoying. I mean I stopped, but Adam still does it."
"Yeah, but I can't chuck Chase across a room. I don't have bionics anymore, remember?" Marcus said as he pointed up at his inhibitor.
"I didn't say you had to physically throw him. Just do something that'll annoy him. Like…dye his underwear pink. Post him trying to dance online. Cut his hair." She kept listing different ways to embarrass Chase, but Marcus wasn't listening. He was 1) impressed that Bree could be so devious, and 2) already thinking of a plan. It might not be as harmless as she wanted it to be, but oh did he have a plan.
"Thanks Bree. I think I have an idea," he smiled. Bree gave him a smile in return before turning around at Butter Perry.
"No problem…now any idea how to get rid of this?"
"Popcorn?"
….
…
..
Leo was humming a jaunty tune as he walked into the lab. He was making his way pass Big D's little work table when a remote control hit him upside the head. Safe to say, he said a word he heard his mom use every time she lost a new report. He turned, trying to find his aggressor. There, crouched in front of the desk was Marcus. The raven haired bionic-teen was rummaging through the various gadgets that were hidden within the lower shelf.
He watched as Marcus examined another gadget before unceremoniously tossing it behind his shoulder as if it was a piece of trash. Leo decided to intervene before his head became another target. "Uh, what are you doing?" he asked after avoiding a head injury with a gyro ball.
Marcus shot up, his head banging loudly against the desk. He let out a curse that he had obviously gotten from some R-rated movies. The bionic-teen turned around, a frown crossing his face as he rubbed the back of his head. "Ow. Could you not sneak up on me?"
"Well, it would have been easier if you weren't throwing things at my head," Leo snarked. "What are you doing?"
"Eddie said there was a device stashed here that would block Chase's chip," Marcus replied. "Ha! Found it!"
Leo blinked before he eyed the device. "I thought that was a cat shaver."
"Yeah, apparently it does both. Davenport's such a weirdo."
"Right. So why were you looking for a device to mess with Chase's chip?" Leo asked as he took a step towards the taller boy. Marcus raised an eyebrow at the question. Then he looked at the device and then back at Leo.
"Oh! No, it's not what you think. I'm just going to mess with Chase."
"That's not exactly helping your case."
Marcus let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, I'm just sick and tired of him trying to mess with me," he said. He looked at Leo, trying to persuade the youth to agree with him. However, he knew Leo was going to be a hard less. Though he'll never admit it, Leo was a smart kid. He was able to figure out Marcus was a bad guy. He was able to solve problems like gas leaks and was a decent mission controls specialist, or what it was called. He could estimate that given a few years, Leo could be a brilliant inventor or businessman. Again, he'll never admit it to Leo's face, because despite all the praise, Leo was a fourteen year old boy with an ego that rivaled both Davenport and Chase.
"So you're going to use a chip disruptor on Chase?"
"Yup. It should disrupt Chase's chip just long enough for him to forget how to play," Marcus explained with a devious smile. The smile quickly vanished when he saw the look on Leo's face. "Why is everyone taking my eyebrow bit? That's my thing."
"Well at least you know how creepy it is," Leo told the older boy. "Look, Marcus, I'm all for the Chase pranks, but don't you think this is a bit much?"
"I'm just going turn it on and off while he's playing the guitar," Marcus told him. "Look, you can even supervise me. You go on right after him."
"I don't know," Leo started. Marcus thought the boy was going to try to convince him not to do it. However, for the second time that afternoon, Marcus was surprised by the deviousness of his new housemates. Instead of giving him some speech about being nice and kind, Leo just walked right up to him and held out his hand.
"Leo, if you're looking for someone to hold your hand while you potty-train, go ask someone else."
"Hey, if you want me to get involved, I'm just getting my piece of the cut," the mischievous little rat smiled.
"Leo, I'm not trying to rob a bank."
"Or I could just go to my mom or Big D and tell them what you're up to."
Marcus frowned. He couldn't get caught, otherwise he would be able to go with Jack and Kim to the party. Leo would probably rat him out now that there wasn't a reason to keep quiet. He couldn't use the excuse of telling people about Adam, Bree, and Chase's bionics. He'd be out of a home. And while Chase would be gone, he wouldn't have anyone to watch TV with. He sighed in defeat. "You're doing this to get back at me for messing with you, aren't you?"
"And to buy Pokemon X and Y," the boy admitted.
Hanging his head, Marcus pulled out his wallet and fished out a twenty. Leo pocketed the cash and smiled.
"Enjoy messing with Chase."
"Oh trust me, I will." Marcus smiled as he looked at the device. He almost felt like laughed maniacally, if he only could get it right.
….
…
..
It was talent show time. The whole gym/cafeteria/theater was packed with everyone who was eager to see the kids perform. Owen, Adam, and Bree were missing though. Apparently Bree had turned up the heat and melted Perry's bust. Owen had walked out, furious. There was no "I'm going to draw my feelings" or quiet walking. Owen had just walked straight out and slammed the doors so loud that he actually knocked a picture frame off its hook.
Adam was also hurt and decided to stay behind, wiping up the melted butter on a piece of toast and snacking his sorrows away. Bree no longer felt like going to either the talent show or party. Marcus kind of felt bad and for a brief moment, he wanted to stay behind and cheer her up. But then Chase came down, asking if everyone was ready to "Rock & Roll" and his pride took over.
So here he was, backstage with Leo, chip-disruptor in hand and smirking as Chase walked up on stage. He was going to humiliate the boy. Chase wanted the whole school to recognize him, see him. Well, Chase was going to get his wish. However, instead of being recognized as an awesome guitarist, he was going to be known as the boy who utterly failed and humiliated himself in front of everyone. He could almost see the look on Chase's face and oh would he enjoy it.
He waited for the right moment. He waited just as Chase started to play. The spotlight hit Chase and Marcus held up the chip disruptor. Chase started to strum and Marcus took aim. The music filled the air, a slow melodic tune filling the air before transitioning into a harder, faster pop tune. This wasn't the song Chase had been practicing obnoxiously for the past week. This was different. Marcus had spent a week writing the song Chase had stolen, he'd recognize it anywhere. This wasn't that song.
"That's not my song," Marcus noted as Chase started to sing the first vocals to Smooth Criminal.
…
..
Earlier that evening, while Marcus was sneaking off to find something to mess with Chase, Chase was in his room. He was practicing on his guitar when he heard a knocking. "Knock, knock," came Tasha's fluttering voice.
"Come in," the boy said as he stopped playing. Tasha came in, a smile on her face. However, Chase was smart enough to know that this wasn't a conjugal visit. She only used that tone of voice when she wanted to have a word with them. The last time he heard it, Tasha was trying to run for president of the PTA.
"So, how's the rooming."
So that's what she wanted. She wanted to know if he was enjoying his new roommate. Too bad for her, her idea wasn't going so well. Chase sighed and sat down. "Oh you know. Good. Marcus and I bonded over our love of bullies and wedgies."
"Well that's good."
"I was being sarcastic," Chase deadpanned. Tasha smiled sadly before walking over to Chase. He didn't move, just gave her a cross-eyed look as she sat down next to him. He felt like a lecture was going to happen.
"Chase, look."
Yup, definitely a lecture.
"I know you and Marcus don't exactly see eye to eye."
"He tried to capture Adam, Bree, and me for his mad scientist dad," Chase deadpanned. Tasha paused. He knew he had her there. However, Tasha was as stubborn as her son.
"And I'm sure he's very, very sorry." Chase just stared at her. "Look, Chase, I know you're mad at Marcus, but are you sure it's because he tried to capture you?"
This time, Chase turned his eyes away. He stared at the guitar, finding it a lot more interesting that Tasha. He tried to play it cool, but she just kept pressing.
"Chase, I know you're upset, but I think Marcus is even more upset that you took his talent."
"What are you talking about?" he asked her. "He's fine."
"Oh really? Well how would you feel if you had the chance to make friends and someone took that away from you?"
"I'm not following."
"Chase, before you guys, Marcus didn't have any other friends," Tasha told him, trying to suede him. Chase wanted to ignore it. Marcus wasn't there friend. He was an evil, manipulative jerk who only befriended him just to get close and take away everything. "I think he really wanted to get a new start."
"Well what do you want me to do?" Chase asked, rolling his eyes. "Let Marcus go on stage instead of me? He's not the only one trying to get noticed."
"I know, Chase." She ran a hand through his hair and it actually comforting. Better than an Adam-death-hug. "I know you really want this, but you have to consider other people's feelings too. How would you like it if Leo or Adam took your spot in the talent show?"
"Kind of bad I guess," he answered slowly. "I guess I'd try to get even."
"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that. We don't want a repeat of Adam's broken arm do we?" Chase shook his head. "Chase, I'm not going to ask for you to drop out of the talent show, but could you at least be a little nicer to Marcus? Maybe not use the song he worked really hard on?"
Chase looked at Tasha, then the guitar. He sighed. "Fine. I'll play something else."
"There you go, Chase. I'm proud of you," she smiled before pulling him into a hug. He didn't understand why Tasha felt the need to be so cuddly, but it felt nice. He never had a mother. All he remembered was Adam, Bree, and Mr. Davenport. Tasha's kind, gentle touch made it almost feel worth it. "All right, so do you need me to help you pick a new song?"
"No, that's fine. I've got something." He told her as he went back to looking at his guitar, various songs going through his head. Tasha smiled and gave him a gentle peck on the head. "Ew! Tasha, you're embarrassing me!"
…
..
The crowd was cheering and Chase…He looked happy. Genuinely happy. He hadn't seen that look on Chase's face since…since they first time Chase played a guitar. The day they met. A strange feeling washed over Marcus. It felt like being a horrible tugging at his chest. He felt awkward now, standing there with the one thing that could ruin Chase's one moment of joy. He sighed.
"I can't do this," he sighed before walking away, tossing the device down on the prop table.
Leo looked up at Marcus, a smile gracing his face. "Marcus, I'm proud of you."
"Yeah well don't get used to it. I'm still going to dye his underwear pink."
"Can't, I already did that last week."
"Damn."
Marcus shook his head in defeat and walked away, Chase's music filling his ear. It was good. Maybe he'll give Chase an actual complement when he's done. Maybe. Marcus suddenly remembered the chip-disruptor and turned around to retrieve it. His eyes fell on the table and he paused.
"Where's the chip-disruptor?" he asked.
The music suddenly stopped and the boys heard a loud, angry grunt.
"Hey! You want to hear some real music?!"
Leo's eyes widened as he turned around. "I hope he's doing an impression, because that sounded like Spike."
"Who's Spike?" Marcus asked as he looked over Leo's head in time to see Chase smash the guitar over his head and tossed the remains over in their direction. They both let out unmanly cries as the shrapnel flew over their heads. They looked up to see Chase flexing and grunting.
"Yup, that's Spike."
Sloth: And that's how the chapter ends. The original ending had Marcus messing with Chase and inadvertedly unleashing Spike. While Spike still gets to come out and play, I decided to let both boys have their moments and not be complete jerks to each other. Now trust me, this won't be the end of Marcus vs Chase. I love writing the two of them arguing and trying to one-up each other. This just lets them be a little more human and forgiving.
If you're curious about what Marcus song was, it will be brought up later. However, with my unoriginality, it'll most likely be a song from Glee that's been edited to act like Marcus wrote it.
PS, yes, I did shamelessly put a plug in for Pokemon X and Y. I can't wait to play it!
Anyways, until next week. This time, at it's regular reading time of Wednesdays xD
