I OWN NOTHING BUT MY CHARACTERS!
~Riley's P.O.V~
"So which one should I get? The blue one or the pink one?" Rachel asked me showing a picture of a blue stuffed bunny with a top hat and suit, and then a pink stuffed bear in a ballgown on her phone.
I thought for a moment as we walked towards the entrance of the school.
"Why not both? So that way the other wont be lonely."
"Squee! Thats perfect!"
I laughed at Rachel's excitement while maneuvering through the crowd of students.
Until someone walked into me from behind, making me stumble forward a bit.
"Hey watch it!"
"Gah! Sorry!"
Turing around, I see an apologetic Randy behind me with Howard beside him, my annoyance simmered down a bit.
"Oh hey Randy, Howard. Whats up?"
"Hey guys!" Rachel greeted with a smile.
The boys returned our greetings until a girl roughly pushed by Howard.
"Watch out kid!"
'Rude much' I thought giving the girl's retreating back a look.
"See I told you they loved me here! That's why they call me 'The watch out kid!'." Howard told Randy as another student brushed past him saying 'watch out kid!'.
Randy, Rachel, and I shared a quick look.
"Uh Howard ,You're not 'The watch out kid'..." Rachel started trying to be gentle as Randy finished for her.
"They're saying 'Watch out kid'."
Howard eyes went wide a in realization. "Ooohh. Then yeah we're hundred percent faceless."
I rolled my eyes at bit. "Dude were freshman. We're all faceless unless, A- you have a quirk that separates you from the rest. B- you have a lot of friends/ friends in high places, Or C- you do something really stupid."
Randy then spoke up as we walked down the hall were there was a long line of students.
"Well we need to do something that separates us from the rest of these clowns." Juggo the clown unicycled passed by us. "And baton twirlers," Theresa twirling her baton walked by with accordion Dave. "...And accordion players? Did we miss an e-blast or something?"
Our attention was then brought to a Tv that was signaling Heidi's, Howard's older sister, show.
"Hey peeps! Its your best BFF, Heidi." Heidi's face showed up on the screen. "Status update: Due to the fact that my judges have decided to try out the talent show instead of judging it like they promised-"
"Yes!" Bash cheered. "We broke a promise! Yeah!" He then fist-bumped his friend, Mick/judge number 2.
"-Auditions are postponed indefinitely..." Heidi said sadly.
Everyone sighed sadly at the news.
Steven played his trombone sadly as everyone walked away with their heads down, frowning.
"Well that sucks.." I said with sympathy watching everyone be bummed out.
"Yeah, its really sad." Rachel agreed frowning, not liking seeing so many sad faces.
"That's it!"
The two of us looked at Randy with Howard at his sudden shout.
"Howard and I can judge the talent show!"
That's... not a bad idea.
Though Howard didn't seem to agree. "Judging's stupid. I give that idea a 1 out of 10."
"Come on, everyone know that judges are the real stars!" Randy persisted as Rachel and I watched awkwardly with some amusement. "If we our judge on proper, everybody will know our names!"
Bash and Mick then walked through, Bash shoved Howard into a locker and Mick punched Randy away with Bash saying. "Watch out kid!"
When the two came closer to me and Rachel, I stepped in front of her and glared them down.
Bash meet my gaze for a minute before scoffing and walked past us while shoving my shoulder. When they left, I breathed out a sigh before we helped the boys.
Grabbing Randy's arm, I helped him up as he dusted himself off.
"You two okay?" Rachel asked as she helped Howard.
"Yeah were good." Randy replied.
"And I am in on the plan!" Howard said while making a thumbs up.
Me and Rachel shared a look before shaking our heads in amusement.
"Well while you two go be famous judges, me and Rach are gonna head off to class. Good luck you two." I said with playfulness while nudging Randy with a smile and a wink.
"Bye boys! See ya at the auditions!" Rachel said while joining me to class.
If either of us had looked back, we would have seen Howard giving a deadpan look towards a dopey looking Randy.
~Randy's P.O.V~
My arm continued to tingle as I watched dark chili red hair disappear around a corner with a smile and heated cheeks.
'She winked at me.'
"-ham! Cunningham!"
I was pulled out of my daydreaming by Howard suddenly shaking me.
"Wwwwwhhhhyyy arrree yyooouu ssshhhaaaakking meee!" I asked starting to feel dizzy when he stopped.
He crossed his arms while rolling his eyes. "I was trying to get you out Riley land."
Feeling my face go beet red, I started waving him off. "Wha-ppfft, R-riley land! I don't know w-what your- W-who is this Riley?"
Howard didn't look like he bought it. "You know Riley. The girl you had a crush on since kindergarten!"
I quickly shushed him looking around hoping no one heard him. No one spared us a glance.
"Say it a louder next time, why don't you?"
Rolling his eyes again, he said. "Dude, you need to get a grip and ask her out all ready!"
"I cant just ask her out! I need to plan it out just right."
Howard's look went even flatter before he walked away. "Whatever you say Cunningham. Now lets go find my sister about this judging thig."
Following after him glad that the conversation was over, I tried to not let my mind wander back to warm light brown eyes and freckled cheeks.
Howard and I sat at the judge's table in the gym.
Looking behind me, I could see that the whole school was present. It didn't take long for me to zone in on a familiar pony tail of red hair a few rows back.
Riley was having a conversation with Rachel that was making her smile a beautiful smile that made me sigh.
I quickly snapped out of it when she looked up, noticed me, and gave me a small wave.
Returning the wave, though robotically, I turned back around to see Howard wiggling his eyebrows.
"Need a minute Cunningham?"
"Shut it."
He laughed, much to my annoyance, as Heidi walked over and started her webcast.
"Sup," Heidi greeted. "Its your girl Heidi. Me-casting live from the auditorium with my super sweet little brother and his best friend Andy-"
I stared at her blankly. "Randy. Names Randy. Known you my whole life."
"-Have agreed to judge the talent show auditions, yay!" She leaned to Howard while covering her camera. "Wonk this up, and I will webcast that video of you two taking a bath together."
"We were 3!"
"Not. That. Video."
"Oh..."
"Ha,Yes! Judges! This is so Bruce!" I said as Howard and I did our handshake. "I'm thinkin' we run the old Nice judge, Mean Judge."
"I'm listening."
"No no no. That's it. I'm the nice judge, your the mean judge."
"Why cant I be the nice judge?"
There was beat of silence before we bust out laughing.
"Ha ha, oh I thought you were serious for a second." I laughed while hold my gut.
"Ah, I am such a jerk." Howard said jokingly as he wiped away a tear.
~Third Person P.O.V~
First up was Bash's group.
And no one was impressed.
The whole time it was Bash saying, 'Who my Bros yo!?'. With his posse replying, 'We your Bros yo!' over and over until Bash dropped the mic and crushed it causing to make a high frequency ringing that made everyone cover their ears in pain.
Rachel was holding her red haired friend back so she wouldn't throw a book at the stage.
"Babbling, incoherent..." Randy started while ignoring the left over ringing in his ears, "I loved it! What do you think, Howard?"
"Loved it." Howard answered. "Yo Bros...Yo in the talent show!"
Bash and his group left the stage as the audience gave a small applause.
Randy turned to his friend while covering the microphone. "Uh Howard, a word."
The two leaned in close. "What are you doing? I'm the nice judge. Your the mean judge."
"I was just being honest. I liked them."
"If people are gonna remember us, we have to stick to our characters. I pretend to like them no matter what and..."
"I mean it up?"
"Way up."
"You got it jerk face."
Riley watched as Juggo roll up on stage in slight boredom.
"Why did we come here again?" She asked Rachel.
"To watch the auditions and to support Randy and Howard, silly." Was her answer.
Riley looked back towards the stage as Howard screamed, "Off. My. Stage!" at Juggo who sadly rode away on his unicycle as the audience laughed.
"WHO'S NEXT!?" Howard called out, keeping up his mean judge act.
Riley stood up, told Rachel she was going to the bathroom, and walked out of the gym.
~Riley's P.O.V~
"Well that was boring." I said to myself as I walked towards the restrooms at a steady pace.
*Honk!* *Honk!*
Pausing in step, I looked out a window towards the sound only to gasp at the sight of a monster on a unicycle juggling a car, a bicycle, and a dumpster.
"Is that.. Juggo?!"
Without another thought, I cut through a near by empty classroom and threw on my mask and hopped out the window.
Pulling out a Tessen, I threw it at Juggo knocking the bicycle out of his grasp.
Catching my weapon, I pulled out its twin and fell into fighting stance as Juggo's attention came on to me and drew closer.
-Bam!-
Looking behind me, I see Ninja burst through the school's entrance in fighting stance.
"Ninja, nice of you to join us."
"Well you know how it is. Every hero gotta make an entrance."
"Right... Well my grand entrance was ceasing this clowns juggling."
"Well lets see how he juggles my... Ninja Rings!"
And with that, he threw three Ninja rings at Juggo. Only for them to be caught by the monster who then proceeded to juggle them.
"Uh, Now your just showing off Juggo." Ninja said annoyed.
"Snrk...!"
"Hush you.."
"I didn't say anything..." I said holding my hands up while trying not to laugh. Calming down, I threw both my Tessen at Juggo's wrist, making him drop the Ninja rings and flinch back.
I caught my Tessens as Juggo proceeded to pull out some bowling pins and began juggling them.
"Ninja Knife-sickles!" Ninja brought out the weapon and we both charged at Juggo as he charged at us.
Juggo threw his bowling pins at us so we jumped over while slicing the pins to pieces.
Landing behind Juggo, my eyes widen in confusion as a still Stanked Juggo turned around to charge at us again.
"What the juice!? We trashed your pins!" Ninja exclaimed before we both jumped up and harshly kicked Juggo's head making him fall to the ground.
We landed a little aways from him.
"Where's the d'stankin'?" Ninja asked.
"Its gotta be something else on him." I said as I study Juggo, who began walking on his arms with his feet still peddling his unicycle in the air, trying to find the stanked item.
"Unicycle, match." Ninja said drawing my attention to it.
"I'm on it."
I dashed forward and flipped kicked the unicycle into the air before throwing my Tessen at the tire, popping it, and releasing green mist into the air and turning Juggo back to normal.
Ninja and I crouched down and helped him up.
"You okay, Juggo?" Ninja asked.
"Actually Ninja, Kunoichi... My days' been kinda up and down." He replied before laying back down with a honk.
"Well just rest a bit and go to the nurse later, if you need to." I said just as a green monster twirling batons suddenly broke through the walls.
"We should probably... you know.. get that." Ninja said as I ushered Juggo away. The both of us then jumped, landing in front of the monster.
"Judging by your amazing twirling sticks, I take it you're Theresa- GUHH!" I ducked quickly as Theresa swung her baton and knocked the Ninja away into some trash.
"You okay Ninja?!" I called out getting a groan in reply.
"Not cool, Fowler..."
"Hey Fowler! Fight someone your own gender!" I challenged, causing Theresa to roar in response.
Shooting forward, I punched her in the gut make her stagger back before she swiped her baton at me. To focused on dodging, I didn't see her bring down both her batons until I was pined down.
I was able to just use my Tessens to soften the blow in time, and began struggling to push her back.
With the batons so close to my face, I was able to see the faint green glow on one of them.
With a burst of strength, I kicked Teresa in the stomach and then threw her baton into the air.
"Heads up Ninja!"
"Ninja Rings!"
In a swift moment, the baton sliced in half and the green mist left Teresa.
Sighing in relief and tiredness, I looked at the sudden hand in my face from my partner.
"Need a hand?"
Mumbling a 'thank you', I let him help me up to my feet.
We both then turned to a dazed Theresa.
"Theresa your gonna be ok-"
A roar interrupted him, making us look behind us to see another monster with accordion like arms.
I couldn't help but groan in frustration. "Oh come on! Really!"
The Ninja shared my irritation by grabbing his nose. "This is getting ridiculous..."
"Agreed."
"Oh that'll work." Huh?
Looking at my partner, I see him eyeing a piece of the baton he broke.
Not even telling me, I threw a couple of flash balls at the monster's face, momentarily blinding it.
"Ninja baton kick." Ninja kicked up a piece before kicking it at the monster.
It cuts the monster's arm letting green mist flow out.
The monster turned back into Dave as the green mist circled us, making me tense and confused.
"What's with all the stank?" Ninja asked at the mist began to enter the school.
"Quick! Follow it!"
I ran ahead after it with Ninja tailing behind me.
We ran after in the halls.
"Where do you think your going-" Ninja stared just as the mist disappeared into the vent making us stop in front of it. "Oh, a vent. I wasn't expecting that."
"Well, we at least know how the stank travels. But the question is, where's the main source of it and how do we stop it?" I asked placing a hand to my chin in thought.
"No idea. How about we ask our Nomicons" Ninja suggested while bringing out said book.
"Sound like a plan." I said pulling out my own.
Looking around, I pointed towards the janitor's closet.
"Lets do it in there."
Ninja agreed and we walked inside closing the door behind us.
We both sat down next to each other against a wall.
"Come on Nomicons, help us out. We cant stop the stank if we don't know where it comes from." Our books glowed and pages began flipping simultaneously before stopping on a page that showed a creepy skeleton head with long sickly green hair.
I couldn't help but lean a on my partner a little for comfort at the sinister sight. Feeling some weight back, I guess he felt the same.
"Oh, I just got the shivs..."
"Arwoooh!"
~Inside the Kunoichi/ Ninja Nomicon~
-Centuries ago, a great war was waged between good and evil, between the Ninja, Kunoichi and Sorcerer, too powerful to destroy. The Dark One was locked deep underground, his prison sealed with a sacred stone. In the darkness he waits, wreaking havoc, possessing the vulnerable using that which they hold most dear, amassing power from chaos. Once he gains enough power, he will escape and darkness will reign. Preventing this is the sacred duty of the Ninja and Kunoichi.-
~Back outside~
Gasping, I sat up quickly making me take notice of the little space between my partner and I.
We were practically cuddling...
Separating quickly from him with hot cheeks, that I'm THANKFULL he couldn't see through the mask, we both stood and straitened ourselves out.
"The Sorcerer is stanking vulnerable students ..." Ninja said worried.
"Students who've all auditioned for the talent show..." I pointed out, starting to connect the dots.
"That've been crushed by the mean judge!" Ninja shouted in alarm.
"Howard!"
"We have to stop him!" I said as we bust out of the closet and into the hallway.
"Lets go!" Ninja said as we raced through the hallways until I started faltering in my steps remembering the original reason for leaving the gym earlier.
Crud
"Hey! Whats the hold up?" Ninja asked slowing down a bit.
"Uh... just remembered I have to do something important that cant wait, yougoonaheadI'llcatchup!" I rushed out before dashing down a different hallway towards a nearby bathroom.
'Why did I think having two cups of fruit juice for lunch today was a good idea is beyond me.'
~Third Person P.O.V~
Ninja watched in bewilderment as his partner went around a corner and out of sight.
'What the juice was that about?' He asked himself before dashing the thought away. Gotta stop Howard.
Making it to the front of the gym entrance, he pulled of his mask and walked in.
"Off my stage!" Howard and the audience shouted.
Randy quickly ran up towards the stage in panic when he saw 5 of the members of the Dancing Fish group start to cry.
Morgan sent a stern look towards her group. "Get it together, ladies." She then glared at Howard. "There's no crying in Dance."
No one noticed green mist surrounding the girls.
"Howard, you have to stop." Randy said trying to get through to his friend. "Every time you reject somebody, they get stanked."
Howard didn't listen. "Forget it Cunningham. Listen."
Howard motioned to the crowd that was chanting his name. Randy's feeling of dread started growing at the sound.
"Your planed worked!" Howard said giving his friend a small side hug. "Were not faceless freshman anymore."
Guilt started mixing with the dread in Randy's chest.
Howard then let his friend go. "Well I'm not. You've got some catching up to do. Especially if you want Riley to throw some interest your way."
Randy ignored the jab, he'll get him back later, and began to realize the situation. "I've created a monster..."
Howard continued to smile cockily as the crowd continued to chant and cheer. All unaware of the dangerous situation.
"Who creates monsters!"
A series of roars made everyone look towards the 5 dancers, who all transformed into monster fish.
"Woah...that's not part of the routine." Morgan commented.
She then groaned as a monster roared in her face, sending her away in the process.
"SMOKEBOMB!"
Blue smoke that smelled like blueberries appeared on stage and standing in the middle stood the Kunoichi staring determinedly at the group of monsters.
She threw a glance over her shoulder at the crowd and spoke in a direct tone. "Everyone needs to evacuate, NOW!"
They didn't need to be told twice.
"Uh... Cunningham- AAHH!" Howard screamed as a monster grabbed him. "I'm not saying you were right... but HELLP!" The monster picked him up and roared in his face.
Randy watched in shock until somebody started dragging him away broke him out of it.
"You need to go, now." Kunoichi order while giving him a final nudge towards the exit.
Randy was about to protest until he got another look at his friend who was now dangling from a rope and getting smacked around.
Kunoichi saw him look back and put a comforting hand on his shoulder making him look at her.
"Don't worry, We'll get your friend safe. But you have to go."
He nodded and ran out the door while pulling out his mask.
Kunoichi turned back to the stage just to wince at the sight of Howard being electrocuted from near by spotlights.
"What're you doin'?" Howard asked aloud. "Everybody loves mean judge!"
"Not when your on the receiving end!" Kunoichi called out while jumping over to knock a monster away.
"SMOKEBOMB!"
"And where were you?" Kunoichi asked, jumping/ dodging towards the Ninja and away from an incoming attack.
Before he could give an answer, he was slapped to the side by one of the monsters.
"Ninja you got served...in the face!" Howard laughed.
The comment made Kunoichi stop for a second. 'Would it be wrong to leave him up there at the end of this?'
"Dance fight!" A monster yelled.
All of the monsters started dancing and getting closer to the Ninja and Kunoichi who began to back away startled.
"Sweet ninja...Its a Grump attack!" Ninja said as he stood up next to Kunoichi who got confused at what he said.
'A what?'
Back to the fight, the partners were unable to land any firm attacks to the monsters as they blocked each one. A monster was able to block/attack Ninja to where he landed roughly on the stage, cracking the wood, and leaving an imprint of himself on it.
Kunoichi wasn't doing much better as she was grabbed then thrown into a wall face first.
She groaned a bit from the pain as she slowly got back up. Shaking away the dizziness, she reacted in time to grab an incoming monster arm and flip it over her shoulder into some of the other nearby monsters. At the same time the Ninja kicked two monster legs out from under them causing all the monster to fall on top of each other.
Recovering quickly, all the monsters attacked as the red and blue duo fought them off.
During this, Heidi was interviewing Morgan.
"Morgan, can you give us the deets on this sitch?" Heidi asked Morgan as the ninja team were back to back, punching and kicking monsters away.
"What does that mean?" Ninja asked while preforming a back flip kick at a monster as Kunoichi side kicked another.
"Tell us what's happening..." Heidi repeated in a duller tone.
"Pft. Right now the girls are setting up for a backside dirty Filbert." Morgan answered.
Ninja stood there confused and looked towards his partner. "Do those words even go together?"
About to answer, Kunoichi was interrupted by blocking another punch so Morgan answered instead.
"If your a dancer, they do! It's what they hold most dear."
The monster group stopped fighting and huddled together as green smoke suddenly surrounded them, all the while they seem to get bigger.
"Oh boy." Ninja said with wide eyes.
"Okay, now that's just unfair." Kunoichi commented eyes also wide at the sight of the monster fusing into one with 5 heads.
Ninja then narrowed his eyes with an idea. "Thing you hold most dear eh..."
The two heros jumped away to avoid getting stomped on.
"Hey Kunoichi!"
Looking over at her partner, she sees him holdong a couple of silver balls.
"Thinking what I'm thinking?"
Smirking under her mask, she nodded.
Ninja turned his attention back to the monster. "Sorry girls, looks like your winning move cost you the show! Ninja Tripping Balls!"
He threw the balls at the monsters feet, causing them to stumble around trying to regain balance.
When they drew closer, Kunoichi stretched her scarf out in front of them causing it to fall.
The moment the monster hit the ground, green mist emerged from them as they shrunk and separated.
"Now that's talent!" Howard said. "I give it a 6 out of 10 each."
Kunoichi shot him a look while Ninja just looked annoyed. " A 6!?"
"Now its a 5 for you Ninja. Wanna keep goin'?"
Ninja grumbled. "I'll give you a 5...SMOKEBOMB!"
Kunoichi rolled her eyes a bit at her partner as she grabbed her own smokebomb.
"Hey wait! Aren't you gonna get me down!?" Howard asked her still dangling from the ceiling.
Kunoichi looked at him with flat look before drooping her own smokebomb without a word.
"Oh,Come on!"
"Sup, t's H-dub, hitting you live from the N-ville High T-show!" Heidi said staring her web cast.
"Do we really have to do this?" Howard asked embarrassed from behind some curtains.
Heidi frowned as she pointed her camera at Bash and his friends, who were on stage, doing their act.
And if one looked into the crowd close enough, they could see a red head trying to resist the urge to bash her head into the nearest wall.
Heidi continued, annoyed. "You booked the stage for four hours. Bash and The Yo Bros are the only act you let in. Now get out there."
The curtain open to reveal Howard dressed up as a clown with a baton and Randy in the school's mascot costume holding an accordion. Both looked wishing to be any where but here.
"This is all your fault." Howard said. "We were totally unqualified to be judges."
Randy shot him a look before he started playing. Howard began to spin the baton until it suddenly flew out of his hand. Randy just avoided it but stopped playing in the process.
The crowed began to boo at them.
"Hey Howard." Morgan called out. "Off. My. Stage."
"Me?!" Howards questioned before motioning to Randy. "What about Randy?"
Juggo yelled from below the stage. "You too, 'Randy'!"
Everyone began to laugh. But instead of frowning in embarrassment, they smiled.
"Shweet!" Randy cheered. "They know both our names! Plan worked! 10 out of 10!"
The two bros started to do their handshake as the audience started throwing food at them.
Once they stopped, Randy got hit in the face by something brown.
"Aww.." He groaned out as Howard swiped some with his finger and licked it.
"Hmm, chocolate."
"Ha ha! Go Randy! Go Howard!"
The two looked towards the noise to see Riley and Rachel laughing and cheering with big smiles.
A goofy smile spread on Randy's face seeing his crush having a good time and cheering for him.
He barley felt the teasing nudge from Howard and just barley heard his words.
"Yeah, plan definitely worked."
