"Wow," Sam started off before adjusting his glasses, whatever that thing is, it can't be good, we gotta stop these monsters here now." He quickly stated as he ran back to the Platform and leaped up into the sky again with the help of the launcher sending him over 100 feet in the air, where he lands infront of everyone else.
After landing right behind the group face first into the mud, Sam sighs as Twister and Reggie helps him back up. "I gotta work on my landings, this is ridiculous." Sam stated as he wiped the mud off of his face.
"Whats up Squid? what ya find?" Twister immediately asked, as Sam was too amazed to say anything, but gathered the courage and strength he had to shrug it off and explain what he saw in the fortress like structure that he had just entered.
"You guys are not going to believe this, but I see something of what looks to be a giant robotic like arm in the muck on the other side of the gate," The other kids are looking quite shocked at this, as they really were not expecting something this advanced to be in Bogie Swamp. "It is that piece of equipment, that the Air Ship up their is trying to lift up." He then added as he pointed back up the Dirigible, above.
"This is getting even weirder and weirder." Twister couldn't help but admit as he face palmed himself. "Are you serious?" Otto couldn't help but say as he saw the honesty in Sam's eyes, "Your telling us, that those monsters are trying to lift up a giant robotic arm?" Reggie was really astounded by this, "This is just too incredible."
"That's right," Sam continued on as his eyes scanned every one of his friends. "There is no telling what will happen if they break that thing out, we gotta find those last 2 tethers now!" Sam suggested as he slammed his fist in his hand like a hammer.
Twister didn't know what to believe, but he some how knew that Sam has never lied before, and couldn't help but say "Otto man if Squid is telling the truth, then we're going to have to hurry." Twister suggested as he pointed to Sam just in time to see his light blue glow vanish as his power ran out. "Alright, I have a plan.' Otto suggested as everyone looked closely to find out what kind of plan Otto had in mind this time.
"We have only 2 tethers left right, so I suggest we split up to cover more ground, Sam you and I will head over to the right, Reg you and Twist head left. Once we find the boulders we will take care of them in one shot." Reggie automatically didn't like this plan as she thought it would be best for everyone to stick together, as they now knew all of the dangers that plague Bogie Swamp, along with that giant monster that just attacked them not long ago while attempting to cross the Tar Lake. Snapping from her thoughts she quickly declined it in a heart beat.
"No Otto" She said getting everyone's attention. as Otto just looked at her in confusion and said. "Why not?" Reggie approached her brother and spoke while placing a hand on his shoulder, "We have to stick together Rocket Boy, we all saw what is after us, and what knows we are here" Sam and Twister looked at one another as Reggie continued "We're in this together Otto, I strongly suggest we continue to stay together during this Tether run." Otto did some thinking but knew that even though Reggie was right about the monster following, she knew that if they stayed together the Airship would complete its job by the time they found the other two Tethers, he had to decline even though he knew this would go to a bad turn.
"We can't Reg," Otto started off as Reggie sighed knowing that her brother once again wouldn't listen to her. "If we do things your way we won't get those tethers in time, we gotta split up." Otto then finished off as he waved a hand revealing Twister and Sam in the background. Reggie quickly tried to change Otto's mind, "Otto you don't understand, we all know what is after us, it almost killed Sam! We have to stay together, that way we can find out parents together, and we can deal with this threat like we dealt with all the situations we did before this, together." Otto was starting to get annoyed now, as Reggie finished off her sentence, "Besides your the only one who can destroy those boulders keeping the lines in place, if we split up we won't be able to do it."
Otto did some thinking and said, "Forget it Rocket Girl, by the time we find the two tethers that thing will be long gone by then. I say we split up." He declared with a snap as he glared into his older sisters eyes with an extreme look of annoyance, as he was often tired of Reggie always denying his plans. Reggie disgusted by Otto's sudden change of attitude quickly stood up and with hands to her hips snapped "And I say we don't!" as her eyes glowed red, as she was on the verge of losing her temper.
"Ugh Otto, I'm with Reggie, I suggest staying together, because we are stronger more together then we are separated." Sam suggested siding with Reggie's idea hopping to cool her down a bit, which fortunately it was working as she just smiled and says "Thanks Sam."
However Otto was quick to decline it again, and said, "Forget it Squid," he said looking at him. "Trust me its a bad idea it will only slow us down, and we might even lose track of our parents as well" Reggie just looked down at her brother, "We won't!" She yelled only for Otto to just look at her and say through a calm voice "And if we do?" Reggie opened her mouth in an attempt to protest, but was immediately cut off by Otto again. "As soon as our parent's kidnappers find out we're coming for them together, they will immediately hide them somewhere else, at least if we are split up we can cut them off before they leave this wretched place," He stated much to Sam's annoyance as he crossed his arms. "I agree Otto, we should split up we can cover more ground that way." Twister then agreed stepping froward as Otto smile and smirked to Reggie saying, "That's two on two Regina."
Reggie just glared and snapped, "This isn't a game Otto, Darn you! With dad gone, I'm the only one you have right now until we find him! For once, just once could you just listen to me!" Reggie barked sick and tired of her brother always ignoring her ideas, or refusing to listen to her just because she is the older sister. "I'm getting really tired of that mouth of yours Rocket Girl," Otto stated not phased one bit by her outburst as he just approached her and looked her dead into her red eyes. "Year older or not we can make our own decisions, this isn't your personal army Reggie, this is real life, and we are on a mission. A mission to save our dad and the rest of our parents." Reggie just got in his face and said "I know that!" Otto just rolled his eyes away from her, "Oh really?" he says while crossing his arms crossed over his chest "Your not acting like it."
Sam quickly got in the middle and said "Guys lets just relax here, maybe there is a way we can work this out, there is no time to Argue." Reggie and Otto both glared at Sam as if they are saying to stay out of it, but Otto spoke up and said in agreement, "Squid is right, we're on a mission, their is no time to argue right now." Reggie attempted once again to speak only to be cut off by Otto once again.
"You know Reggie Just cause your a year older, doesn't make you the parental figure here." Otto stated with an annoyed tone, as he finished off by saying. "Your just a sister Reggie, your not dad, your not mom, your nothing more to me," He snapped as he poked her multiple times in the chest "But Otto." Reggie said through a soft voice in hopes of getting him to change his ways, only to once again be cut off by Otto's constant ranting at her, "Do your self a favor and get that through your thick skull Rocket Girl!" Otto then snapped through his teeth as he stormed off and said, "Come on Twister."
Twister just looked at Otto in horror at what he just said before he followed behind. "Dude you were a little harsh on her man," He said a little disappointing with him, just for Otto to just brush off what he said and just replied, "She'll get over it." as he continued to walking as Twister followed close behind.
Reggie just stood there watching in sadness, but soon gathered courage once again, and instead decided to use her older sister ways to get Otto to listen to her. She glared as the red glow in her eyes began to filter around her, much to Sam's horror. "Uh Oh." Sam stated as he looked in Otto and Twister's direction, Reggie soon turned to Sam and placed a hand on his shoulder with a smiled "Don't worry Sam this always works on Otto." Sam felt a little relieved but at the same time worried on his friend mostly due to the fact of her still not being able to control the red Goo inside her.
After putting Sam at ease Reggie cleared her throat clenched her fist tightly and stomped forward a bit. "OTTO!" She screamed loudly enough to get his attention, but he kept walking ignoring her. Reggie was surprised, he always stopped when she called his name, but she didn't let this bother her as she cried out "Otto! Don't do this to me your really making me angry!" Once again Otto ignored her.
Reggie couldn't believe it, was her brother really that stubborn not to listen to her? She was getting really angry now and finally had enough she pointed to her brother in the distance and finally said. "Otto you better get back here right now! Or I swear your going to be sorry!"
Otto stopped in his tracks Reggie did a big smile thinking in her head that her older sister instincts would finally work on him, but as soon as she saw him turn around glaring at her smile faded to shock.
Otto having to be increasingly annoyed with his sisters constant parental ways was getting sick of the whole subject, and decided to give his older sister a real piece of his mind. Twister just stood there horrified, "Oh man I don't like this." he stated in a bit of horror, as he knew something bad was about to happen at any moment.
Completely turning to her Otto's body was now facing directly at Reggie with his fists clenched as well, He then crossed arms over his chest, and said, "Or you'll what?!" He challenged, "Tell Daddy on me, like you always due," he barked as he started to approach her, "You'll nag me again like you did months ago, when I told off Squid?!" he also added on as Reggie was a little surprise that he was getting closer then she had wanted, she couldn't believe it, Otto had gotten worst.
"Get me grounded, like you do when your having some of your episodes, like that day you ditched Twists and I, when we had fun with the Ice Cream and we took all the heat, while you got away Scott free?!" He then stopped about 5 inches away from her, and thought for a moment, "Or better yet" He then added pointing at her chest this time even harder then, which made Reggie cringe a bit from a bit of pain as she was almost pushed backwards.
"Try to Womp me, like you have been doing in the last couple of years, which you could never do, cause you didn't have the guts." He then barked as Reggie soon lost her footing from Otto's constant pushing causing her to fall into the mud her helmet and glasses snapping off her head and falling to her left in right, as she is coated, much to Sam and Twister's Horror. Otto just laughed as Reggie glared at him. "That's not funny Otto!" Reggie growled through her teeth only to be brushed off by Otto once again "You are never going to womp me Rocket Girl, cause you know why? The way your acting now, your not even a big sister, you know why? cause you, are nothing more then a big Lamo." Otto declared as he forced a loser sign on his forehead. As Reggie just looked in horror.
"We're even." Otto snapped throwing it at her aggressively. "Your Pathetic and here I was actually fearing for my life, when you got mad. now I know I was wrong because even with that Red gooey stuff inside you, you couldn't womp me even if you wanted to." Otto barked out of rage as Reggie got back up to her feet, her hair now lose and messy without her helmet and glasses to keep it leveled.
"Well here's a news flash for ya Regina, I don't need any help from a Lamo nor a person who keeps pretending to be a parent, when it is really getting on my nerves. So stop trying to act like a parental figure stop trying to act like you know what your doing!" Otto started off pointed a finger directly to her nose multiple times, as Reggie could not help but just stare in shock, she could not believe Otto her own brother is willing to go that far just to not let her look after him. "Nothing to say?" Otto then stated with a smirk on his face before he began to laugh a bit before coming to his senses and saying "Good now. Now that we have this sorted out, do your self a favor and stop pretending to be the mom of this group its not fooling anyone, Twist and I are going with my plan so GET OVER IT!" These words shocked everyone, except Otto, Sam looked as Reggie was deeply broken at what Otto had just said to her, her angry Goo starting to fade. "FINE!" She screamed back angrily as Otto turned his back, and continued on towards the direction he went, leaving Twister and Sam speechless not knowing what to do.
Twister quickly went out to try and catch Otto, leaving Sam now alone with Reggie, He turned as Reggie stormed in the opposite direction, angrier then ever before. "Reggie wait!" Sam yelled as he ran after her hoping to catch up.
As Reggie walked through the trees tears forming in her eyes as she began to cry, she soon stopped and allowed Sam to catch up to her, by now her Rage Power had depleted, but she was severely scared on the inside, on what Otto had just said. It was bad enough not listening to her, but refusing to accept the fact that he didn't wanna a sister in his life anymore, really killed her.
"Reggie!" Sam called again as she slowly turned to see Sam trying to follow her, through the muddy terrain, which to him was not easy at all to do. "Reggie, I-" Sam was silenced by Reggie's hand as if she was saying. "I don't wanna talk about it." Sam just sighed in despair as he couldn't believe he was too late to save a crumbling brother and sister relationship, if only he had gotten involved in the confrontation, he could have prevented this, but instead he froze and watched like both an idiot and a nobody.
Sam couldn't help but almost tear when he saw Reggie slowly look down crying silently as she covered her face with her hands, he attempted to speak again, but this time Reggie spoke first before he had a chance to get a word out through tears. "Sam, I appreciate what your trying to do, but if you really wanna help me, you'll accompany me for a little bit." She said placing a hand on his shoulder, as she wiped tears off of her face. "I really need a true friend right now." She then added as she pulled Sam into a hug as the 11 year old genius smiled and said "You got it Reggie," as he followed her through the trees.
As he was following her Sam received multiple flashbacks on the events that happened last month, when Otto called him a lamo and he shunned him, to temporarily become Rogue Sam, something that he still regrets to this very day, as he not only conducted a lot of dangerous stunts without his glasses, but also refused to listen to any of his friend's apologies when they tried to give it to him.
His thoughts were soon interrupted when Reggie soon stopped and sat on a tree, to collect her thoughts and figure out what to do, as now that Otto may have shunned her from his life forever, she didn't know what to do anymore. Sam sat close to her and looked at her, as she was constantly staring at a nearby Tar river stream about 50 yards off, at the bottom of the hill in the clearer parts of Bogie Swamp.
Sam wanted to talk, but he thought that it would be best to allow Reggie to have some piece and quite, so she could calm down a bit, and maybe find ways to heal her crumbling sibling relationship with her Otto, but every time Sam looked at the sad 12 year old rocket girl, it reminded him dearly of him, and how he shunned Reggie when he was trying to talk to him a month ago.