And we pick up at the most exciting part of the story, where Milo and his friends are at the wastewater treatment plant ready to be pushed in. I want to thank Cody the Pikachu and Shadow of Darkness 78 for their reviews, and I promise you this chapter is going to be a wild ride!
Before I continue, I have to give a couple of dedications right here. Last month, Canada was subject to two terrorist attacks, one in Montreal and another in Ottawa. Two brave soldiers, Patrice Vincent and Nathan Cirillo, were killed protecting us from these extremist wackos. I thank these two gentlemen for their brave and loyal service, and with Remembrance Day coming up, I will ensure your efforts will never be forgotten. As for the terrorists threatening our country, let me tell you this: don't count Canada out. You think you may have struck a blow against us, but we will never give in. While you think you can threaten us with violence, hatred, and fear, we will stay true to our Canadian values of peace, compassion, and courage. We Canadians will never sacrifice our values, not for anything in the world!
Nintendo owns Super Smash Bros. I own Milo Sullivan, his parents, his friends, and all other OC's in this story.
Milo and the former orphans faced the stare-down of a lifetime when the varsity captains closed in on them. They glanced backwards at the wastewater tank, with its rancid smell and great depth weakening their bodies and minds. "This isn't looking good," Scott muttered.
Milo's eyes darted left and right, hoping to make a dash for it by slipping through the side. There were varsity athletes lined up on the side where the exit was, while the other side only led further into the wastewater treatment plant. Neither option was good, given they were blocked on one end by unfriendly forces while the other end only lead to more dangerous scenarios. Unless one threat was neutralized, Milo doubted they could get out intact.
Yet glancing at the scared junior varsity athletes, all of whom probably had their phones confiscated as well, Milo tried to appeal to them once more. "You guys, this isn't worth it. You can't become more popular by letting this stupid tradition go on. If anything, you should try to end this once and for all," he called to them, hoping at least a few would step forward to stop the varsity captains, "Someone will get hurt, and if the police find out then you will get in trouble."
Mark, sensing that Milo wanted to turn the tides, added in his two cents as well. "Think of what it'll be like when you're in the same situation a couple of years down the line. You all claim this is crazy and stupid, but will you force the junior varsity people from two years into the future do this? What will happen to you if those junior varsity people call the cops on you for hazing them? Is it worth it in the end?" he challenged the group.
"You just don't know when to shut up, do you, Kerry?" Ralph growled, cracking his knuckles and leaning his head dangerously close to the oldest orphan, "We thought we could beat you silent, but looks like more drastic measures might be required."
Mark narrowed his eyes at Ralph. The soccer captain's leering face was inches away from Mark, but even though he was inches from falling into the stinky abyss, Mark maintained an emotionless face. "I may not be the most social guy, but at least I tried to make some people's lives somewhat better," Mark retorted, referring to his volunteering and the subsequent concert at the orphanage, "Think back to when you were a junior varsity athlete. If the only way you'll become popular is to let others bully you, do you think a bully like you is who you want as a role model? What have you done to for the current junior varsity athletes to gain their respect? If you get arrested, then you're just a joke who will get what he deserves!"
"You really want to take a dip tonight, don't you, Kerry? Well, I hope you brought your swimsuit, because you're going in the tank first." With that, Ralph planted a two-handed shove right on Mark's chest. With Mark reeling back, everyone around him could only gasp in horror.
Mark's feet teetered dangerously close to the edge, his arms flailing helplessly as he tried desperately to keep his balance. Milo and Scott, positioned on Mark's either side, reached out to try to keep Mark balanced, but had to approach hesitantly due to Mark's struggles. By the time they got a hold of Mark's arms, Milo and Scott realized that they themselves were close to taking a dip in the tank. "You okay, Mark?" Scott asked with wavering eyes.
While Mark tried to catch his breath, the jocks only cackled at the result. "Did the big tough street kid wet his pants? Do we have to call his mommy to see if she has a new pair for him?" Mick taunted, pointing and laughing at Mark's shaking body.
More cruel laughter echoed through the night, accentuating the emotional beat-down of epic proportions. "Normally we'd say that you'll be fine by the time the initiation is over, but somehow I want to see them end up not fine," Ralph declared, stretching his arms nonchalantly, "These six are trash, and by pushing them in we're just confirming it."
"And none of you better raise as big a fuss about this as this lot," Greg snarled at the junior varsity athletes, "If you can't do this, then you don't deserve to be part of the group. You won't get any respect from us or the school, and we'll label you as trash, just like these guys."
"You're the people who should be labelled as trash!" Haley yelled, waving a sword-like finger at the faces of the varsity captains, "I already have a lawsuit ready, and if the police get called, none of you can escape punishment! If we survive, then you'll be charged with hazing and assault. If we don't, that's manslaughter. Be prepared to go to jail for the next decade!"
That got every varsity captain turning back to the group. However, instead of looks of worry on their face, they seemed downright irritated. "I think I've had enough hearing the loudmouth over there speak," Mick pointed out, gesturing at the lone female of the group, "Face it, Palmer. You'll never be as good-looking, popular, and likeable as the cheerleaders, and don't even get me started on your social justice club. You want to get some varsity guys to join your group of rejects. Well, we're about to show you rejects what you'll get for messing with us!"
All the former orphans plus Richie and Willis braced themselves. They already saw what happened with Mark, where Milo and Scott nearly went in as well just to drag him back up. Now, with the varsity captains lining up against them like an execution shooting squad, there was nowhere to go but down into the sewage. Beads of sweat lined their foreheads, while their bodies shook uncontrollably. They could not see if there were any safety measures they could use to save themselves. Maybe they could try grabbing the sweeping arms, and have the whole group climb onto those for safety? If the arms would not skim the oil off the liquid right now, they should have a safe haven until they could figure out what to do next.
Just before final impact could be made, a voice from the side interrupted the action. "Nobody is pushing anybody into the tanks!" Everyone's eyes turned to the source of the voice, coming in from the deeper parts of the treatment station. To the former orphans' surprise, a whole host of characters, both humanoid and non-humanoid, stood waiting and watching the scene. "We're going to end this madness and take everybody home," the voice now identified as Yoshi stated, "So back off and let these six off the ledge."
"We've already called the police, and Sergeant Jack Riley is already at the treatment station," Kirby added, his high-pitched voice filled to the brim with authority, "A bunch more officers are already here surrounding this whole place. If you don't want to be arrested and sent to jail, then I suggest you leave Milo and his friends alone."
The varsity captains clenched and unclenched their fists, teeth gnashing in frustration at the presence of the best fighters across many worlds. The former orphans reacted in the opposite, letting out sighs and smiles of relief at the arrival of reinforcements. "Mario and Luigi went inside with Jack and Sean to tell the staff to stop the machines," Samus reported, assuring the group that their ordeal would end soon, "You'll all be safe now, trust me."
The Smashers then turned their dark looks at the varsity captains once more. One small Smasher already made the first move, plodding several steps forward with electric sparks slashing out his cheeks. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you don't back off, I won't hesitate in paralyzing you," Pikachu warned, hissing at the jocks while pawing at the ground, "Step away from Milo and his friends right now, and I won't sent any electricity your way."
There was clear confusion from the varsity captains as well as many of the varsity athletes. Should they continue with the hazing tradition and teach the former orphans a lesson in the process, but risked going up against these all-world fighters? Some Smashers already slipped to the back, approaching the junior varsity athletes and convincing them to leave this area. Milo could see Pit, Marth, Ike, Rosalina, Greninja, and Diddy Kong all shuffle people out from where they originally sneaked in from. At least some of those people would be safe, Milo thought.
That train of thought was soon broken when the ringleader of this hazing scheme stepped up against the Smashers in defiance. Ralph strolled away from the group and straight up to the Smashers, his chest proud and his nose pointing diagonally upward. "We're not afraid of you, and you have no business telling us what our school traditions should be," he spat, "I bet Milo over there is only hiding behind you guys because you think you're tougher than us."
"Milo's not hiding behind us. Instead, we're standing behind him," Fox called, his eyes tilting to make sure his fellow former orphan was alright, "We're showing you power in numbers right now, and when enough people say no to your idiotic rituals, it's time you call it quits." The Smashers took steps forward, matching Ralph's challenge and refusing to back down.
Then, without warning, Ralph reached out and grabbed Richie. "You want to show off how good you are? Well, let's see how well you guys can swim in sewage!" With that, Ralph hauled the smaller, struggling Richie over the tank. Everything went in slow motion when the Hong Kong-born teen sailed through the air, screaming at the top of his lungs before being engulfed by the darkness. The only sound that followed was a sickening splash from below.
Richie's screams of terror were muffled when he sailed through the air, heading straight for the sewage below. If Mario's predictions were correct, there was no chance Richie could float for long, sinking straight to the bottom thanks to the nature of the primary treatment. With a sickening splash echoing through the night, it was like the apocalypse began.
"No, we can't let him drown!" a voice yelled. Every set of eyes tilted in the direction of the Smashers, where a pointy-eared hero pushed his way to the front. Then, before anyone else could act, Link took a running start and dove straight into the tank. "You guys focus on stopping them. I'll pull him out," Link called before sinking to the bottom.
"Link, are you crazy?" Scott shouted, his own body wobbling as a result of leaning over to catch a glimpse of the Hylian hero. It even confused the varsity athletes, some of whom glanced over into the tank. "Great, now we have two bodies to fish out?"
"I think Link had on the Zora Tunic. It looks just like his usual tunic, except it is blue instead of green," Milo assured Scott, despite his own heart threatening to split his sternum, "That tunic lets him breathe and swim underwater, and I think it still works in sewage water."
That comment incensed Ralph and the other varsity captains. "None of you will be fine after we're through with you," the soccer captain roared. With that, he turned to the other junior varsity soccer player. Willis tried getting into a wider stance and held out his arms defensively. Haley tried to wrestle Ralph away from Willis, but she was too grabbed by a couple more captains. Mark and Scott could only look on, fearing they might inadvertently push Haley and Willis into the water. With Richie and Link already in, they did not want another person to drop.
Unfortunately, the battle was all for naught. In the midst of the struggle, Haley and Willis stepped too close to the edge and fell in together. Mark, Scott, and Milo watched in horror as two flailing bodies went over the edge, heading straight to the water below. Inside, they could only hope that Link was fast enough to pull those two plus Richie out.
Just then, two flashes zipped across the top of the tank and grabbed them before they landed. Milo and friends did a double take, watching Fox and Falco grab Willis and Haley by the armpits. Apparently, Fox used his Fox Illusion and Falco used his Falco Phantasm to zip past the top of the tank, gripping onto Haley and Willis in midair. Mark, Scott, and Milo shook uncontrollably while both Smashers used Fire Fox and Fire Bird to blast themselves back to safety. "I don't know if they can make it," Milo murmured, wiping his mouth nervously.
Luckily, two royals got in on the action themselves. Peach leaped into the air, opening her umbrella to allow her to float above them. She grabbed Willis by his left arm, allowing Falco to shift to just the right arm. With the parasol operating at full, Falco used Fire Bird again to send them higher into the air. Then, using the parasol, they floated the junior varsity soccer player to the other side of the tank in safety. Even though the shadows blocked parts of their faces, the orphans knew Willis must be breathing a huge sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Zelda held Haley with Fox. "We have to do this together, Fire Fox and Farore's Wind," the Hylian ruler stated. Shifting their bodies so they each grabbed one of Haley's arms, Zelda glanced at Haley and reassured her. "Trust us on this, okay?"
Haley nodded nervously, her fear completely wiping out her usual defiant tone. With her feet barely above the water, Haley felt Fox flaming while a strange aura surround Zelda. Taking a deep breath, Haley felt herself shoot straight into the air, with Fox blasting fire to her right while Zelda doing a teleportation spell to her left. Haley was jerked upward, moving diagonally rather than vertically down. Sailing closer to the same area Willis landed on just seconds ago, Haley finally felt the ground beneath her feet, closely followed by feeling in the rest of her body.
"You guys, I got Richie," Link called from below. The remaining orphans glanced into the abyss, barely seeing a couple of silhouettes move towards the edge of the tank. Assuming Link had Richie and they were now moving to a ladder, the former orphans felt like the tide of the battle was turning. There was no way the varsity captains could harm them any longer.
"This is the police," a loud voice blared from the exterior of the treatment plant, "We have the perimeter surrounding, and we're coming in. We know you're holding people in there against their will. Release the hostages and surrender immediately, and no one will be harmed!"
The former orphans could only chuckle in relief at that comment. Even the stoic Mark managed to break out into a small grin. "The cops are here and we can finally go home," Scott whooped, pumping his arms in victory. Glancing at the varsity captains before him, Scott taunted them with a sneer, "Guess you'll find out what charges they hit you with, huh?"
That only incensed the varsity captains, who now rounded on Scott. From the corner of Scott's eye, he could see the Smashers make their way towards the orphans, with only a few varsity athletes blocking them. But if these current varsity captains standing before him did not back off, Scott was still threatened. "There won't be anything to report if you're down in the tank," the basketball captain growled, "That's why you're still going in!"
A two-handed push sent Scott reeling over the edge, the usually cheerful teen now flailing his arms and screaming in fear. "He's not going in, not today!" Samus yelled. Luckily, she was in her more mobile Zero Suit, allowing her to dash pass the jocks blocking her. The bounty hunter leaped into the air, using her boost kick to propel herself forward, before sending out her plasma whip in hopes to snatch Scott before he landed.
Luckily, the beam latched onto the back of Scott's jacket, allowing Samus to reel him in under her arm. "Hang on, Scott," Samus called, shifting her body around to accommodate the teen's weight, "We'll get you out of here." Kicking her legs once more, Samus boosted again, this time shooting to the other side of the tank where there was dry land. For the Smashers, as long as they could get people to safety, it would stall enough for the police to do the rest.
"You have ten seconds to release everyone and come out with your hands up! If you don't, then we're coming in there to arrest you all!" the police called from the outside again. That got some varsity athletes worrying, frantically searching the area for exits and escape routes. If the police would see what was happening, then there would be jail time for sure.
"Let's get out of here," Mick shouted, waving at all the varsity captains and athletes. Turning to Milo and Mark, he signalled Ralph over and faced their nemeses. "Let's see what your Smashers can do when you both hit the water!" he roared. Ralph and Mick then shoved Mark and Milo respectively, sending them both over the edge. "It's them or us, Smashers! Save them or try capturing us!" Mick taunted at the Smashers.
Luckily, the Smashers were ready, especially the three smaller Smashers who happened to be best friends with each other. They raced towards the tank the exact moment Milo and Mark got pushed. "Pikachu, get the captains. Use a Thunder Wave to paralyze them or something," Yoshi called to the electric rodent, "Kirby and I will do the rest."
As Pikachu and others pursued the jocks, Kirby whipped out his Warp Star and hopped on. Yoshi followed suit, hanging on for dear life as they headed into the tank. The Warp Star floated above the tank before descending towards the sewage. Both Mark and Milo already landed in the water, with their limbs barely visible in the night. "Grab the bars and start climbing yourself out, Richie," Link could be heard instructing the junior varsity soccer player.
Kirby tilted the star so it was almost diagonal, threatening to spill him and Yoshi into the tank. Reaching out, he managed to contact Mark's hand, holding onto it tightly before making the Warp Star go back. Mark was slowly dragged out of the water, all the while Yoshi kept his eyes peeled for his cousin. "Please tell me you're okay, Milo," Yoshi whispered.
Just then, Link resurfaced with a choking Milo, who probably was overcome by the rancid smell and toxicity of the sewage. "Take him up, Yoshi," Link called, "I'll come join you after I get Richie out. I know the police are here, but what about an ambulance?"
Taking a deep breath, Yoshi stuck out his tongue and swallowed Milo, encasing his cousin in an egg before signalling Kirby to go up. It was easier to manage an egg rather than a struggling body, even though the raw sewage left a disgusting taste in his mouth. "It's all worth it if Milo's okay," he informed Kirby and Link, "Just hang tough for a little longer, okay Milo?"
As Kirby adjusted the Warp Star with Mark hanging from the side, Yoshi balanced the egg on the back, waiting patiently for the Star Warrior to edge the ride upwards. The dinosaur could see Link assist Richie out of the tank, making sure the Chinese teen was alright. "We can do this," Yoshi stated with determination, "Now let's bring the rest of those guys to justice."
The varsity captains and their teammates raced across the darkness, hoping to escape the Smashers now chasing them. While it was true that Mark and Milo were the greatest enemies of Ralph and Mick respectively, the more pressing reason for throwing them into the tank was to stall for time. If enough Smashers were focused on getting them out of the tank, then there were fewer Smashers chasing the varsity athletes, which would allow them to escape the police.
"Come on, we can't let that electric rat get us," Mick called, heading for the fence where they brought the junior varsity people in from earlier. They had no idea how the junior varsity people escaped before they did, but they were sure the Smashers had something to do with it. Anger at Milo and the former orphans was now replaced by fear and concern, with the Smashers having called the police and stopping their whole hazing plan. Right now, their only goal was to get out of the wastewater treatment plant without any police spotting them.
Just then, a large barrel wheeled towards them, nearly knocking several of them over. The front people had to dive for cover just to avoid being turned into pancakes. "None of you are going anywhere," a voice announced. The varsity people looked up when the barrel passed by them, revealing a large gorilla wearing a red necktie. "Don't think you can escape after what you did," Donkey Kong declared, "We're taking you straight to the police."
The varsity people all paused, none of them daring to take on a gigantic gorilla. Several glanced around nervously, hoping to find a way out before Donkey Kong could attack. "Split up," Ralph suggested, "There's no way that big monkey can get all of us that way."
Just when one group was about to split for the left side, a spinning pink puffball rolled before them. It knocked some members down and stopping several others in their tracks. The pink ball of destruction spun out from its pose and revealed itself, a puffy creature with large dark eyes and a set of pointy ears. "Didn't we say you're not going anywhere?" Jigglypuff taunted, "Maybe I should put you to sleep with my song!"
From the jocks' other side, another Pokemon blocked their path. Lucario thrust a paw in their direction, a dark aura surrounding it while he threatened them in a low voice, "Don't make me use this on you. I'd rather you do the honourable and just thing and admit your mistakes. Turn yourselves in now, and maybe your punishment won't be as severe."
Sensing that they were surrounded, the varsity athletes attempted to convince their captains to surrender. "It's not worth it, guys," a senior wrestler pointed out, "I don't want to spend the next decade in jail, so can we just cut our losses and give in?"
"Not all of us are that into hazing junior varsity people anyway," a varsity volleyball player chimed in, confronting the captains by marching straight up to them, "Some of us just got caught up in the excitement. We really didn't want anyone to get hurt. But now people are pushed into the tank and we have to own up to our actions. Maybe we can promise the police we won't haze anyone anymore, and hope they don't charge us."
"Now you guys are wimping out too?" Ralph yelled incredulously, wheeling around to face all the traitors, "We're in this together, so no one's getting out until we take down all these Smashers!" With that, Ralph charged at Jigglypuff, who he deemed the weakest of the bunch. If he could knock the balloon-like Pokemon to the side, then an escape was still possible. Rearing his fist back, Ralph prepared to pummel Jigglypuff to the ground.
Yet Jigglypuff floated out of the way before Ralph could hit her. Using her light nature, she puffed to Ralph's side and rammed him with her body. That knocked Ralph into a handful of varsity athletes before Jigglypuff unleashed her Pound attack. Ralph and several others were thrown about by Jigglypuff's attack, almost like ragdolls in a hurricane. In his mind, Ralph knew it was the underestimation of a lifetime to see Jigglypuff as a weakling.
On the other side, Lucario was having his way with several varsity athletes. Focusing his energy on Mick, Lucario pulled his paws back and charged up an Aura Sphere. The large ball of energy sizzled with power, enough to light up the darkness around them. In the midst of their fear and the surrounding confusion, several jocks tried to escape, only to face Jigglypuff from their other side and Donkey Kong's Spinning Kong attack from the front. For such a large creature, Donkey Kong moved with fluidity and grace, his long arms spinning through the air and sending several athletes tumbling backwards.
"I'm sorry I have to do this," Lucario murmured, thrusting his arms forward and aiming the Aura Sphere straight for the ground before the surrounded jocks. The Aura Sphere slashed through the air and slamming into the concrete, cracking it and sending tremors throughout the area. Whatever remaining varsity athlete that had not be neutralized were pretty much done for, the shockwaves so hard they were sent tumbling to the ground. Sensing that most of them took falls on broken pieces of concrete and asphalt, Lucario could only hope they were not injured.
"Give it up, you have nowhere to go," Pikachu called the fourth and final direction. Right now, four Smashers surrounded the varsity athletes and their captains, leading to no escape in any way possible. "Just surrender yourselves to police before you get hurt even more."
Many varsity athletes waved their hands in surrender, while others pleaded with their captains to end the madness. It was pathetic and pitiful to see the big people on campus grovel for mercy. If it wasn't for the life-threatening hazing activities that they just committed, the Smashers actually felt sorry for them. They were outmatched and outsmarted, not to mention humiliated by the very people they were targeting. "You guys are way out of your league if you think you can challenge us," Donkey Kong mocked them, crossing his arms with a grin.
Ralph, Mick, and a couple other captains were still defiant. They stood apart from the athletes, insisting that they were not losing like this. Jigglypuff could only look on incredulously while Lucario palmed his face. Sensing a chance to end it all, Pikachu signalled to the other Smashers to stand down. The electric mouse then took a running start before leaping into the air, sailing over all the athletes before landing in front of the captains. With all paws on the ground, Pikachu then did a breakdance move, sending electricity all over the place and sparking at the feet of those captains. Before long, the captains were paralyzed by the Electric Flower attack.
"Is everyone okay?" a voice called from the back. Everyone turned to see Jack rush up with the Mario brothers and Sean. "We turned off the machines, and we just checked up on those who were pushed in," the police sergeant reported, "I think it's best to give them a medical checkup. What happened over here? Do they need medical attention?"
Mario quickly whipped out his cellphone and dialled for a familiar number, while Luigi and Sean gingerly stepped forward. Behind them, Yoshi and other Smashers slowly eased Milo and his friends over, some of whom were dripping well and reeked to the heavens. "It seemed like they're just paralyzed, but not hurt. Is this your doing, Pikachu?" the green plumber asked.
Pikachu nodded just as Mario stepped up to them. "I just called my medical counterpart, Dr. Mario," he announced, pocketing his cellphone, "He's outside with some of the parents, checking up on the junior varsity athletes for injuries. They'll be in here in a minute."
Sean plodded up to the captains, especially Mick. He used to be afraid of Mick due to the latter's popularity, but now the tables have turned. "Looks like Pikachu and the others can really sock it to you. Get it? Sock it and socket, as in electric socket?" Sean exclaimed with a chuckle.
What was supposed to be an area that had little to no visitors now teemed with people, as medical services, police officers, and even concerned parents gathered at the scene. Brendan and Ashley, upon calling Dr. Mario for help, also contacted local emergency services, and now there were ambulances and other medical personnel waiting at the fence. Dr. Mario managed to deal with most junior varsity athletes who escaped with the Smashers' help, and now he turned his attention to assisting local paramedics with the varsity athletes who were incapacitated by Pikachu. "Once you give us the green light, we're taking them in," Jack informed the physician.
Dr. Mario nodded before turning to Peach with further instructions. The Mushroom Kingdom princess immediately changed into her nurse's uniform and assisted the paramedics with the evaluations, especially when one paramedic was extra concerned about the wellbeing of her daughter. Mrs. Palmer was called to the scene and was expectedly furious with what Haley had to go through. Had it not been for several of her colleagues and Peach, Mrs. Palmer had wanted to give the varsity people the tongue-lashing of a lifetime. "I know you're upset, but you have a job to do right now. You can do your lawsuit later, okay?" Peach informed Mrs. Palmer.
Fortunately for everyone, none of the varsity athletes suffered any injuries, other than the temporary paralysis coming from Pikachu. Mrs. Palmer also kept calm enough to not cause any further injuries to them, opting to send them straight to Jack, who apprehended them and sent them straight for the station downtown. "We're looking at charges for all of these guys, but especially the captains," Jack explained to the group, "My officers will be getting testimonies from everyone involved, so please tell them your account of tonight's events."
Indeed, officers wandered the area, speaking with scared students, some of whom were embracing their parents or other loved ones. The tense scene was replicated by Milo and his parents, where two large dinosaurs held him close and refused to let go. Even with his sewage-soaked clothing, Brendan and Ashley were not letting Milo out of their grasps. "You were very brave out there, Milo," Ashley whispered into the boy's ear, "I'm just glad you're okay."
"You had no idea that they were doing this, did you?" Brendan queried, wrapping his arm around Milo's shoulder, "You knew they were hazing, but you never had confirmation of it?"
Milo shook his head. "When they grabbed us after we left the orphanage, that's when we first knew they wanted to haze us," Milo described, shivering in his wet clothes, "They took our cellphones, so there's no way we can contact you. I really don't know how you guys figured out where we were, so we were really scared until you and the Smashers got here."
"Well, the main person you thank is Jack," Brendan replied, waving his long-time friend and former baseball teammate over, "He was talking about cyberbullying and Haley's attempt to book a meeting with him. He started looking at pages your varsity captains set up on social media, and that gave him a clue as to where you guys were."
The police sergeant smiled at Milo. "I'm glad you guys are okay, but I shouldn't get all the credit," he pointed out. With that, he brought over another freshman at Milo's school. "It was Sean who first reported this incident to me. He said he saw the varsity guys take you in the alley, and he told me enough about what's going on at school. I just pieced together the rest of the puzzle, and that's how I found you. So if you have to thank someone, please thank Sean."
The ball boy glanced sheepishly at Milo's parents. He still remembered the story of how Brendan and Ashley basically threatened the school's athletics directors when they found out that the varsity baseball players were purposely throwing at Milo during batting practice. Back then, Sean was in the same boat as Milo, a socially awkward reject that yearned for the respect and attention of the varsity athletes. Now, seeing what Milo had to go through tonight, Sean knew that Brendan and Ashley were only showing parental love, a force so great that nothing in the world could counter it. He understood why Brendan and Ashley went off on the school, and he was glad he could help Milo and his friends out by reporting this to the police.
"Sean, thank you so much," Ashley's soft voice snapped Sean's attention back to the present. The ball boy could see the dinosaur's soft and gentle expression, her tone gracious and grateful. "You did the right thing, and several people's lives were saved because of you."
Sean managed a weak smile of his own. "I always wanted to do something to prove that I'm not always riding Cassandra's coattails, and it looks like I did that tonight," Sean murmured.
Just then, Yoshi plodded up to Jack and gestured to the other former orphans. "We have a bunch of soaking wet people who really don't want to catch a cold here. That, and they're also carrying a variety of not-too-pleasant smells," he reported, pointing at the people who actually landed in the treatment tank, "Do you still want to take their testimony, or can they go home to get changed first? I think they should get a quick shower and a medical checkup after that."
Jack took a gander at the people Yoshi pointed out. Richie was being attended to by his parents, both of whom trying to console the still emotional boy. Willis was also with his parents, although he was in the best condition out of the bunch, displaying a calm demeanor and still managing to speak without stuttering. Scott buzzed around his brother and their parents, the anxious waving of his arms betraying the excitement in his voice. Mark, on the other hand, was emotionless and silent, refusing to say much to anyone around. The final wet person was Link, who spoke nervously with his fiancée Zelda. Even though Link's Zora Tunic kept him in fairly good shape, both Hylians were seen nervously wringing their hands as they spoke.
Hissing through his teeth, Jack glanced around for any available officers. There were a few speaking with the Smashers, and Jack hoped to get those done soon. "How about we have officers go with those people to their homes and collect their wet clothes as evidence," he stated, scribbling furiously in his notebook, "Does that sound okay with them?"
Yoshi waved everyone forward so Jack could give his instructions. "If you're going home to shower, drop your wet clothes outside the bathroom door, and the accompanying officer will collect that as evidence," Jack proposed, "Milo, Mark, and Richie will give us all the clothes on their backs, while Haley will give us just her shoes and socks. Link also jumped in, so his clothes are fair game as well. Once you're all cleaned up, give us your testimonies for tonight's event."
As everyone filed off, Jack signalled for Yoshi to come with him. "I'll take care of Milo's testimony, but since you and a few Smashers haven't given them yet, I can take those as well," he suggested, "So why don't we have Link get cleaned up at Milo's, and then I can get his testimony along with whoever that's joining us? Do you want to do that?"
"Is Sergeant Riley still downstairs, Yoshi?" Milo asked as he trotted back into his room. Per Jack's request, Milo stepped into the bathroom and removed all his clothing, leaving them outside the door for Jack to collect as evidence. It gave him a chance to take a long shower, scrubbing long and hard just to get rid of the disgusting sewage and odour. Now, wearing his light brown stripped pyjama pants and buttoning his matching pyjama top, Milo looked a lot fresher and more relaxed than he was half an hour ago.
"Yes, and he's currently getting testimonies from Uncle Brendan and Aunt Ashley," the young dinosaur replied, shifting over on the bed to allow Milo to sit next to him, "He'll probably talk to you next, if he doesn't ask Zelda and I to go first."
Yoshi nodded to Milo's desk, where Zelda was seated on Milo's chair. She had it turned around so she could face them, and despite her serene expression there were still signs of stress and concern. "Link hasn't left the shower yet, but Jack already took Link's clothes for evidence," Zelda explained, "Even after saving that boy, he's still shaken up, so I know how you felt."
Milo pursed his lips, his face void of any emotion. Part of him felt he should have feared the situation more, given he was seconds away from drowning to death. Yet another side of him felt it was no different than when he was living in the sewers, where every move he made was for his survival. He should have felt angry that the varsity captains tried to threaten his life, not to mention disappointment at the junior varsity people for failing to stand up against that. But on the other hand, he felt relieved that the jocks were about to face punishment, and no other junior varsity athletes would be subject to hazing, now that the police brought down the law. So far, it was a mixed bag of feelings for Milo, and he wasn't even sure what he felt right now.
"Everything will be fine, Milo," Yoshi stated. Milo tiled his head to his left, getting a glimpse of his cousin's tense but gentle face, "The nightmare is over, and all you have to do is tell Jack everything that happened. Based on the evidence here, I think we're looking at some criminal charges, not to mention Haley's lawsuit proceeding on even stronger grounds."
"Those jocks made their beds, and now they have to sleep in them," Milo trailed off, his eyes staring out the window at the dark sky, "The social workers who monitor my progress will probably ask about this, and this time I'll have no problems telling them the whole story."
Before anyone could add on, a silhouette blasted into the room. "Milo, do you happen to have any clothes that suit my size?" the new voice asked. That got everyone glancing at the now standing figure, who only had a not-so-large towel tied around his waist. With the exception of said towel, the person's body was completely bare. "Well, does anyone have a new change of clothes for me?" Link exclaimed, fists clenching the top edge of the towel.
Yoshi and Zelda stared at each other, each believing the other was getting a new set of Link's clothes from the Smash Mansion. The stuttering between them plus Link's indignation melted away all of Milo's tenseness, the former orphan now palming his face in an attempt to hide his own chortling. Thanks to their similar histories of being orphans, Milo and Link got along very well, and occasional teasing between them was common. "Why is it that you always find a way to appear in front of me with minimal clothing on?" Milo snickered.
Link glanced at Milo before blushing uncontrollably. He still remembered Milo's last visit to Smash Mansion, where Milo caught Link in his underwear changing his belly piercing. "And how appropriate is it that I'm once again cleaning up the punctured areas," Link pointed out. He held out three objects from his palm, two blue loops that formed his earrings, and a Triforce pendant that dangled from his belly button. "These will be sterilized by Dr. Mario back at the Smash Mansion before I'm putting them back on my body," he insisted.
"Since you want these sterilized first, I'll go get your clothes from your room," Yoshi offered. He took the items from Link and headed out the door, hoping Dr. Mario could take care of these at the Smash Mansion. "Although I think one set of eyes here may not be that averse to seeing you wearing only a towel," Yoshi added with a wink before heading out completely.
Zelda blushed crimson at Yoshi's remark. While neither she nor Link minded when pointed out their public display of affection, it was somewhat different when Link came out of a wastewater treatment tank. Now Link leaned his muscular body closer to the seated Hylian ruler, putting his six-pack abs on full display for his fiancée. "When we get married, you can finally access what's underneath this towel," Link teased, doing a hero pose for Zelda.
Her face still flushing hard, Zelda leaned into Link's body. Both Link and Zelda agreed to stay true to their vow of no sexual activity before marriage. However, it did not stop them from embracing each other tight in their arms. "Without your Zora Tunic on, you won't be here for me to snuggle and comment on how clean your favourite body part is," Zelda murmured.
Link pushed Zelda back slightly and grinned at the mention of the depression on his gut. "Nothing more important than our first birthmark," Link agreed, dipping a finger into the round hole-like object, "My belly button is pretty large and deep, but I always make sure to clean it."
Zelda rubbed her hands over Link's abs while Link continued wiggling his navel. Both were in absolute bliss before the remaining member in the room interrupted. Loudly clearing his throat, Milo got up from his bed. "You two are giving me the oogies, and I wonder if most Hylians get the oogies watching you two go at it all day," he commented, heading straight for the door, "Speaking of Hylians, how did you make it so that a ruler can marry a commoner? I thought most medieval societies like Hyrule have rules against that type of marriage."
Zelda pushed her head sideways, looking across Link's body at Milo with a smile. "Oh, Hyrule's people are more open-minded than what most so-called medieval places are like," she described with a twinkle in her eye, "Besides, when I was updating Hyrule's laws, I got rid of a few outdated ones and added some new ones. One such new law makes forced marriages illegal, meaning everyone, including me, can marry whoever they want. And with no one objecting to my changes, Link and I can marry whenever we like. It worked out pretty well, don't you think?"
As Link buried his face in Zelda's hair, Milo could only shake his head. "I'm getting oogied out here," he muttered with a tilted grin, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I'm giving Sergeant Riley my testimony. When you're done cuddling, you should talk to him as well."
Milo slipped out of the room, leaving the two Hylians gaping in their wake. Link and Zelda glanced at each other once more, happy that Milo was finally getting some of his mojo back. "I'm proud of him. I think he did the right thing, and he figured it out his way," Zelda observed, watching Link restart swirling his finger in his navel, "Now, since you're still mostly naked, do you want me to talk to Jack first while you wait for Yoshi to bring you your clothes?"
The reactions Milo and his friends got from the student body on their first day back to school were nothing short of unpredictable. Police officers filled the halls, pulling in each and every varsity athlete for interviews regarding the hazing scheme. Even though Milo only passed him by in the halls, Jack informed Milo that some athletics directors might be questioned as well. As the group gathered at the cafeteria for lunch, they could still see officers moving back and forth past the aisles. "This is pretty heavy stuff," Milo commented.
When the former orphans sat down at their usual table, they could see an unusual scene before them. The middle tables, usually occupied by the jocks, were completely void of activity. They knew the varsity captains and alternate captains all got arrested, but even now there were few varsity athletes around. "I heard some gossip about what's going on," Mark explained, gesturing to the scene, "Some students hate the jocks because the jocks ruined the school's reputation, while others hate the jocks because they don't want to be associated with criminals. Some have always hated the jocks, but it's only now that they dare to show their hate that openly. Either way, the jocks just went from the most popular kids to the most hated."
"Not to mention they also lost out on the privileges that came with their positions," Haley added. She described that when the hazing made the news, some college officials withdrew any athletic scholarship offers made to the school's graduating athletes. "So for those relying solely on these scholarships to go to college, their luck just ran out. Remember when I got up that day and claimed the jocks don't deserve those scholarships? I think we should label me a psychic!"
"Things are also looking good for our concert. Sean told me that Athletics Appreciation Night just turned into Public Apology Night," Scott added, taking a swig of water, "Instead of letting those jocks have an evening of hooting and hollering like animals, the school wants all varsity captains, alternate captains, and anyone involved in the hazing scheme to give public apologies to all victims of their hazing. The cheerleaders also have to publicly apologize for their cyberbullying, against both Haley and anyone else they smeared. The band no longer has to play that night, so that frees them up to play at our concert. Better to perform for a bunch of orphans in need than a group of snotty meat-headed bozos, am I right?"
"Our concert isn't on the same day as that night, so you can't really say they got freed up for us. But I agree that it gives the band more time to prepare for our thing instead of the jocks' thing," Milo pointed out, taking a quick bite of his lunch. Washing down the food with his water, Milo turned to Haley and asked, "Is it true some varsity guys are in the social justice club now?"
Haley nodded. "Some think it'll let them score points with the police, which will allow them to avoid the more serious charges," she explained, flipping through her notes to show them all the parties claiming to join, "I warned them to contribute positively or they're out. I told them just because they're in the club, it doesn't mean I'll forgive them for what they did to us, and I won't feel sorry if they serve jail time. It also won't stop me from proceeding with my lawsuit."
"Which we're all now a part of, if I may add," Mark chimed in. After the hazing incident, Haley's parents called a meeting with all the victims involved and their parents the very next day. Most of them, including Milo, Richie, Willis, Mark, and Scott, decided to join in, turning it into a class action lawsuit. "This time we're targeting the school, and our claim is negligence. The school admin didn't recognize hazing when they ought to have known about it, and if they knew about it they failed to prevent it. They better be ready to cough up some dough."
"And I told Sean that we won't sue him or his sister. Instead, we're focusing just on the admin people and the athletics directors," Scott stated, his cheerfulness replaced with sombre reality, "We'll just let Sergeant Riley and the police deal with the varsity morons."
Milo pursed his lips and mulled over those words. He was in doubt before over if he was doing the right thing by reporting the jocks to the authorities, which could ruin their futures. He even believed that some only did hazing because they got caught up in the excitement, never wanting anyone to get hurt. But when the dust settled, Milo realized this was for the best. If the jocks were that intent on hazing, then they deserved all the punishment sent their way. And if what Haley said was true, that some jocks were only now helping the student body in order to stay out of jail, then Milo doubted their sincerity. How sickeningly hypocritical it was that they finally showed acceptance when they spent all this time showing ostracization.
Still, there was one issue that bothered Milo. "From what I heard, they're cancelling all the athletics programs in the school for next year. It's something about not allowing them to proceed until a more robust anti-hazing policy is formed. While I'm happy they'll finally deal with the problem, it just stinks that I don't get to play baseball," he complained.
The other three former orphans all glanced at Milo, all relieved that Milo began his normalization after the traumatic event. All of them were told by their parents that social services would make an emergency visit sometime this week to discuss this event with them. While all four former orphans were adamant that it wouldn't change the way they related to their families or friends, they also believed it was a good way to spread the anti-bullying message. "Just wait until they see what plans we have for the orphanage, now that the band and other school clubs are involved," Scott piped up, enthusiastically rubbing his hands together.
"Hey, I got an idea. How about the four of us do a song individually, meaning each of us must perform once on our own? And then we'll also do a song together, just the four of us?" Haley proposed, "Maybe we'll find a song that fits our own situations best, just to show what we think our goals of this concert are, and what we're doing or will do for others in the future?"
The three boys all nodded in agreement, excited murmurs already rising out of them. Scott had the advantage of being in band, meaning he could use their help with music. Mark was his usual unanimated self, but was agreeable to the idea. But for Milo, he already had a song in mind, and knew exactly who would perform with him. "I request that my song be the last one for the night, and I'm not telling anyone anything about it until then," he declared with pride.
And we can't forget my list of inspirations, now can we:
1.) Milo does not seem as traumatized after the event, even though he almost drowned to death. Part of this is because he spent years in the sewers fighting for his life, to the point where he can come to terms with life-or-death situations easier. But it is also because Milo has a very good support system, both with his family and friends, and also his social worker. Given that orphans meet with social workers to ensure they fit in with family okay, I figure Milo has a good enough relation with his social worker, to the point where he'll talk more freely.
2.) This leads to the lawsuit Haley currently has against several people. Because the remedy for the situation is there, all of the former orphans are more at ease with the events, even though their lives were threatened. By joining together with several others in one lawsuit, this is called a class-action lawsuit. Several plaintiffs with similar goals and targets will get together to sue common defendants (for this case, the school admin) to get a remedy from those defendants. These lawsuits are very large in scale, and can take a long time to resolve, so due to time constraints all you'll have to know is that Haley will press ahead and sue the school for not preventing hazing when it was known to have happened.
3.) This chapter also refers back to "What We Saw From the Outside" by Wavebreeze. The nice way of putting it is that the execution of that story's version of the jocks being reported to the authorities and the aftermath is less than stellar. The protagonist "resents [the jocks] a bit" for failing to turn themselves in, was originally going to forgive them for what they've done, and for the longest time Wave didn't want the victim to sue. Let's just say human nature doesn't work that way, and I changed a number of things here. There is no forgiveness (as pointed out by Haley), the punishment is much wider (including withholding grad diplomas and withdrawing college scholarships), and the lawsuit goes on (this time in a class action suit). I feel this is a much more realistic and complete view of the remedies than what was offered there.
4.) Mark telling the jocks that no one respects them and that they're jokes who will get what they deserve is from Mako chewing out Prince Wu after his coronation went awry. Pikachu telling the jocks they have nowhere to go is from a similar line from Mako before he electrocutes Ming-Hua (and coincidentally Pikachu also used an electric attack here). Sean making a "sock it" pun is from a similar line when Bolin stuffed a sock in Zaheer's mouth to stop him from talking. Scott called the jocks a bunch of snotty bozos is from Bolin's description of Prince Wu. And Milo claiming Link and Zelda being lovey-dovey giving him the oogies, I'll let you guess where that's from!
Okay, I hope you enjoyed that action-packed chapter. We have one more chapter of the orphanage concert, and then we'll see Milo's surprise song. See you next time, readers!