Monster Tricks
Chapter 1 (new spot in town).
"So, what exactly are we going to do now?"
Josh Hernandez sighed as his friend posed that question for the 7th time this week. Summer break had just started and the 18-year-old was still racking his brain for an answer, there had to be one.
"We could try and do a hill bomb down union street."
"can't" replied the bored teenage girl to his right as she halfheartedly tried to skim stones across the ocean. "Too much traffic since they started that construction project in the town centre".
"Crap, I forgot about that. Finish building the half pipe?"
"With what? We're flat fucking broke."
"Sorry Spike, I've officially run out of ideas."
Spike groaned and turned to face her friend. She was tall with chestnut coloured hair tied back in a pony tail and pale skin. She wore a dark green t shirt with short sleeves (showing off her two spiked bracelets and the two or three tattoo's she had acquired so far in her life) along with some light blue jeans and a pair of Emerica skate shoes.
"I guess its another day of hanging around the docks." She said dejectedly.
"Come on Spike." replied josh as he got up from his bench and went to join her by the edge of the dock. "This is going to be a great summer; I can feel it."
She smiled and mockingly ruffled Josh's spiky, neon blue hair. "Alright. Enough with the cutesy, wide eyed little brother shtick. Let's look for something fun".
"Hey I'm only a year younger than you." Josh grumbled as he handed her Board over.
"GUYS, WAIT UP!"
The pair stopped and turned to face the source of this sudden yelling. Unsurprised to see the wool knit hat and manic smile of the final member of their trio.
"Hey Rat." Spike said as she offered out her closed fist. "Found something good?"
"And then some." he exclaimed and happily fist bumped her. "Come on, I'll tell you about it on the way.
With that he rolled off on his skateboard. Popping a celebratory tail slide on a nearby rail on the way.
"You said you wanted something to do" Josh stated as he rolled after him.
"Yeah, I know" she yelled as she started pushing along on her board. "Just hope that this isn't one of Rat's dumber ideas".
The trio quickly made their way out of the docks and back onto the streets of Blackwell, Maryland. Zipping past the odd pedestrian as they made their way to Rat's surprise.
"So, what you find anyway?" Asked Josh as he caught up next to his friend.
At that question. Rat's face burst out into a big smile as he started to explain. "Right, so listen to this. I was scrounging round some of the abandoned cannery buildings on the east side of town. Trying to find some stuff I could rig together for tricks, maybe even find some more wooden panels to finish the half pipe and next thing I know. I found out half of the buildings had been torn down and some folks were putting up a giant new one in their place."
"What kind of building?"
"Not sure but I think it might be like a sports centre or something because they built a whole bunch of pools. The sweet part is they haven't filled them yet and they look awesome to skate. Figured we could be the first people to."
"Are you serious?" Josh yelled excitedly "we might be the only people who get to skate. We definitely have to record some footage of it man."
"Hell, yeah, we do man. You want first shot at it?"
"Thanks man."
"I hate to interrupt your "man" fest over here" Spike interjected as she caught up to her two best friends. "But I think I should point out three things. One, we could get busted for trespassing if this spot turns out to be private property which it almost certainly will be. Two, how are we supposed to get passed anyone working there to actually skate and three, if we are able to skate it. I'm definitely getting the first crack at it".
"In your dreams." replied Josh as he pushed ahead and heel flipped over a bench.
"And you don't got to worry about people being there, Spike" Rat Answered. "I scoped it out and there wasn't a soul in sight."
"Lets hope so". She thought as Rat started excitedly telling her what crazy ideas he had for stunts he could pull and this spot. "I don't need another awkward visit to mom's workplace".
"Guys, check this out".
The group stopped and stared at the strange flyer Josh was holding. It showed a stereotypical American family in front of a house in a typical family photo arrangement. In the centre of them was a smaller girl with orange hair that matched the orangey feathered wings that her arms became at the elbow, her legs ending in clawed talons. Next to her, a pink haired girl who had two rabbit ears popping out of the top of her head. At the bottom was the statement "JOIN THE EXCHANGE, HELP US GROW".
"you guys really think monsters will start showing up here?" josh asked.
"Dude, the correct term is liminals." Rat corrected, earning an eye roll from his friend.
"Well then do you think liminals will start moving out here?"
"Doubt it" was Spike's response as she scoffed at the smiling faces in the flyer. "What the hell does Blackwell have to offer?"
"we're by the coast" rat suggested as he absentmindedly pulled at one of the ear-flaps on his hat.
"so is LA bud." She countered "and their beach doesn't have piles of old fishing equipment dumped on it".
"Or reeks of fish guts" Josh added.
"still" Rat stated as the pushed off to their destination. "It's pretty cool that a whole bunch of other intelligent species exist".
On that Josh and Spike could agree. The day after the news had first broke, they had gotten together and talked about the crazy stuff this would mean. Centaurs, cat folk, insect people and God knows what else. Said talk ended in an hour and a half debate over which of these new species would be the most interesting to see on a bike or a skateboard but it had been two months since then and the trio hadn't even seen an extra species person in the flesh. Only saw them on TV, online or heard about the ones their mate Nash had met but he lived up in Baltimore so fat chance of any of them coming down to their little fishing town.
Eventually the trio made it the mystery spot Rat had promised and it honestly surprised the excited skater's friends just how new the building looked. Almost every place in Blackwell had been built six generations back so to see a structure that didn't have an old-fashioned design or patched-up walls and ceilings was genuinely rare.
"So, this is the place" Josh asked with his hands in his hoody's pockets. Awesome."
"gotta admit. It does look interesting" Spike added with a smile.
"I know right" exclaimed Rat as he gestured to a nearby drainage pipe, bolted to the wall. "And here's where we sneak in".
Elmia sighed as she finished packing up the last of her things and looked around the large hotel room, she had been staying in while her new home was being built. when she signed up for the exchange, the main goal she had was to see life from a different perspective. Experience something more down to earth as the humans say but her mother had disapproved of every host she had considered and the less said about the overly wealthy alternatives she had suggested to Elmia, the better (who needs to spend that much money on a chandelier).
Eventually she found something that was acceptable to her mother. An experimental housing idea that the cultural exchange was looking for volunteers to test out. one big building that was meant to host many different liminals under one roof with all the necessary additions pre built instead of having to remodel a host's house.
To be honest, it still felt a bit hollow compared to what she wanted but it was better than nothing.
"at least I can see a bit more of the world this way" she thought as she looked herself over in the mirror. Her webbed hand brushing a few strands of hair away from her face and straightening her long skirt over the lavender-coloured scales of her tail.
Just as she was wrapping up, a voice from behind her room's door said "miss Aquaria, are you ready to leave?"
"Yes, coming", she replied as she wheeled herself over to the door with her bag on her lap. She still hadn't gotten used to ridding around in a wheelchair, just felt so limited compared to swimming.
Slowly, she opened the door of her room to a smiling young man with blonde hair in a black suit.
"My name is Agent Whitman, miss Aquaria" he said as he offered his hand out to her. "I'm here to take you to your new living arrangements".
"I See" Elmia replied as she wheeled her way out of her hotel room.
The two made their way to the elevator in a somewhat awkward silence. Elmia didn't really know what to do. Was she supposed to start a conversation? Chat about the weather? Back home, most of her family's associates didn't really pay much attention to her and that let her fade into the background.
"No" she thought to herself. "Elmia Hildegard Aquaria, you are here to experience something new. Just try and talk to him".
"So, what is this place I'm staying at like?" she asked as drummed her webbed fingers on her lap.
"From what I heard it's meant to be fairly impressive and there's supposed to be plenty of space for aquatic species to swim".
"that's good" she thought as they got into the elevator. "Can finally stretch my fins".
"Only weird thing is the town they set it up in."
"What do you mean?"
She watched the agent's mind try to find the right words as he led her through the slightly ostentatious lobby of the hotel and to a jet-black people carrier parked outside the building.
"You see", he began as Elmia and her wheelchair were loaded into the back. "When they first planned the housing facility, the government offered tax breaks to any small town that would let them build there. It was seen as a win-win, the exchange gets some cheap land to test out a new idea and whatever towns agreed got some extra cash and a bunch of "exotic" new residents". That last part said as the agent made air quotes with his fingers.
Elmia paused a bit a that statement. Was she going to be paraded around or something? Not likely, Mother wouldn't allow that, she'd probably sue the daylights out of the exchange and this town if they even thought of trying.
"anyway" he continued as he turned on the ignition and began to pull into the path that led to the main road. "If you don't mind me asking, why were you staying at such a fancy hotel room. There's no way the exchange paid for you stay at that place while they finishing up".
At that question, Elmia paled. "W-well, you see" she began trying to hide her nerves with a fake laugh. "My family has a bit of money, so I guess they wanted to make sure I was somewhere nice".
"wow" the agent replied with a chuckle as he pulled onto the highway. "Sounds like you got to enjoy yourself."
"Ha-ha-ha, I certainly did" she replied while mentally screaming for the conversation to change to any topic.
Eventually, the topic of conversation did change and Elmia was able to relax as the car made its way through the American countryside and then along the coast.
"We should be there soon miss" said agent Whitman as he examined the side of the road for a turn off point.
"Thank you, sir".
"Sir? Jeez, you make me sound more important than I am".
"Not at all. You've been nothing but helpful to me, treated me with kindness and you gave me more information on my new home than you had to. That proves your worth respecting."
Elmia couldn't help but smile as she saw the blush creep in on the agent's cheeks.
"well, thank you for the compliment ma'am." He replied as they finally made there way to her new home.
Authors notes: Hope you enjoyed reading this. It's my first time uploading any sort of fan fiction and any feedback would be appreciated.
Not sure how often I will be able to update but I will try to work on the next chapter at some point.
Lastly, this series will be kept to a T rating (I know what the source material can contain but I'm just not comfortable writing smut. hope you can all understand).
