Monster tricks (sightseeing)

"So, this guy just showed up here looking for something to skate" Tana asked, resting her chin in her hand as she sat across from her friend.

"yes" she replied calmly as she straightened the hem of her skirt for the hundredth time, "and then I ran into them when they got the empty pools, they were nice"

"Sure, but nice is something that can be easily faked. They could have been dangerous"

"Then why did you ask him to show us around town? He could be dangerous to you"

At that comment Tana simply placed a nearby apple into the crook of her elbow and flexed, obliterating the fruit in the process.

"don't think three humans are going to be able to do much to anyone near me, let alone one human who didn't sound particularly tough"

"I see" Elmia replied as she pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and offered it to Tana. "You have juice running down your arm"

"shit" she exclaimed as she grabbed the small piece of fabric and started wiping down her forearm and bicep. "That seem so much cooler in my head" she glumly grumbled to herself.

Elmia couldn't help but snort in laughter at her friend's comments before quickly covering her mouth. "I'm so sorry"

"why" Tana asked, "I did some stupid and made an ass of myself, that's comedy 101"

"Well, it was rude and improper and, and unladylike"

At that, Tana responded with a snort of her own which quickly morphed into a full belly laugh. "Seriously, unladylike, that's what your worried about".

"Well, yes" Elmia replied somewhat irritated, "I was taught to value etiquette and mind my manners"

Tana finished laughing and smiled at Elmia, "okay, I get that. Sorry for hassling you about it"

Elmia sighed as she went back to fiddling with her clothes, smoothing down a crease that had been fixed a hundred times over. She just didn't understand how? How can the people she has met in the last few days be so casual, so relaxed?

"Apology accepted" she replied with a smile as she pushed those thoughts deep into her subconscious.

"Are you sure?" Tana asked. "Your allowed to tell me off for touching a nerve"

"I'm sure"

"okay" Tana responded cautiously. The two sat in an awkward silence for a few moments, neither really knowing what to say.

"So why did you laugh?" Elmia eventually asked, "you must have known it would be rude"

"Well yeah but we're friends so I thought we we're just messing around"

"You think of me as a friend?" the mermaid asked in surprise.

"I'd like too" she replied in a small voice.

Tana felt like shrinking into herself after saying that, like curling up into a corner and not coming back out. Why the hell had she said that.

"I'd like that as well"

"What did you say?"

Elmia looked the young minotaur in the eye and gave her a warm smile. "I said I'd like to be your friend as well".

Tana could only stare for a few moments before her self awareness kicked back in and she looked the other way, blushing slightly and clearing her throat.

"Right then, I guess were friends then"

"I guess we are" Elmia replied, laughing.

Quickly, Tana joined in. both of their laughter filling the foyer.

"I'm starting to think I'm going to like it here" Elmia said as she wiped her eyes.

"glad to here it" Tana exclaimed with a grin. "And speaking of friends, I think your buddy from yesterday may have arrived.

At that Elmia turned to look where Tana was pointing and saw a familiar looking face at the check in desk.


"So, where do you want to start?" Asked Rat as he pushed Elmia along in her chair.

"Hmm, I'm afraid I'm not really sure" she replied and turned to look at her friend.

"Don't look at me" Tana Answered with a shrug. "I know about as much of this town as you do"

"Well then I guess I'll let you pick Horace"

Rat Cringed at hearing that name but tried his best to hide it. "Thanks' but everyone tends to just call me Rat"

"Why?" she replied.

"Just always have" he stated nonchalantly.

"Nah, I ain't buying that" Tana stated. "no one get's a nickname for no reason"

Rat simply shrugged as a response. "anyway" he continued, "I messaged Spike and asked if she wanted to join us, figured we could meet her near her job and work our way from there".

"Oh, that sounds lovely" Elmia replied, clasping her hands together.

"Good a plan as any" added Tana, absentmindedly.

"Sweet, I'll point out the lack of sights as we go" Rat joked as he turned down the street that led to Backwell's shopping area.

From there the trio made their way across town, crossing through the old concrete streets and discussing whatever shop or place Rat would point out.

"And here we have Walt's, the best stop for a burger in town" he said as the passed the faded red building in question.

"Can we please not go in their" Tana asked in a strained voice.

"Sure, why"

"it's just beef and, you know" she said, trailing off while pointing to her horns with a trembling finger.

"Oh God, I am so sorry. I completely understand. I didn't mean to upset you or"

"Nah" She replied grinning. "I'm just fucking with ya"

Elmia couldn't help but smile as Rat's jaw dropped, causing Tana Grin to erupt into one of her belly laughs (a sound she was growing increasingly fond of). As she leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes, she smelled the sea air that seemed to permeate the entire town. It reminded her of home.

"Anywhere catch your eye Elmia?"

"Hmmm, I suppose there looks interesting" she replied pointing to an old looking shop with various items in the window.

"That would be the thrift store" Rat explained. "Mrs. Marowski run's it, we can look through it some time if you like"

"That would be wonderful" she replied, clasping her fingers together and smiling up at him.

"Yeah, it's no problem, none at all, no problemo"

"Hey, Rick Blaine, I think she get's the message"

Rat looked up to see Spike leaning against a nearby street light. His face going Red, unnoticed by Elmia who simply smiled and waved.

"Hello Spike" she exclaimed.

"Hey El's, enjoying your tour?"

"Yes, you have such a lovely town. There is so much I've never seen before" she gushed.

"So, Rat's been doing a good job then?"

"Yes, he's been a very good guide"

Rat's already pink cheeks flushed a darker red again, earning an elbow nudge from the Minotaur next to him.

"Oh, but where are my manner's, Spike this is Tana".

"Nice to meet you" she said, offering out her hand.

"Pleasure is all mine." Tana replied, gripping her hand while neither woman broke eye contact.

"So where are we headed too next?" Spike asked, still staring down the large form in front of her.

"I was thinking the Beach" Rat offered.

"Sounds good" she replied as a vein pressed against the side of her hand.

"Same here" Tana added. "After you"

With that, Spike let go and began to head down the street.

"I like her" Tana stated with a grin as she followed, leaving the last two members of this outing somewhat gob smacked.

"Did you have any idea what that was about".

"The only thing I got from that is, spike might have just met her match".

"you guys coming?" Spike shouted from the next street.

"Yeah, wait up"


It was late in the afternoon by the time the sightseeing ended and the four were hanging outside a convenience store (or to be more accurate, the girls were)

"How long is he going to take?" Tana asked impatiently as she pointed her thumb to the store.

Spike turned to see the familiar sight of her friend staring at the different slushy machines, his eyes darting between the different colours of sugar and ice swirling away.

"we've probably got another ten minutes before he decides. So, mind if I asked you two some questions?"

The two liminals looked at each other before Tana shrugged. "Go ahead"

Spike smiled as she leaned back against a wall and then cleared her throat. "Firstly, where are you both from?"

"Greece, grew up in a little village just shy of where Sparta use to be"

Elmia squirmed a little in her seat before answering quickly, "the Atlantean capital".

"Nice, so what do you guys like to do for fun?"

As spike and Tana continued talking Elmia looked down at her lap as she fidgeted with her skirt. "Why am I so nervous" she thought to herself, "they both already know a little about how I was raised".

"But that's all they know" a little voice in her head replied, "a little scrap of info that isn't enough for them to figure you out and they'll still talk to you"

"hey" a voice broke Elmia out of her inner discussion. She looked up to see Rat smiling at her and holding out a bright red substance in a plastic cup.

"don't know if they have slushies' back home or not but I figured I'd grab you guys some to toast our first outing"

Quietly she took the cup from him and examined it while he handed other cups of various colours to Tana and spike before settling down on a nearby rail with his own pale pink concoction.

The cup was chilled to the touch with strange logos and characters printed on the outside of the clear material it was made out of. The semi frozen liquid inside having a bright, artificial look to it.

Tentatively, she raised the straw to her lips and took a sip. Her eyes went wide as the sugary flavour coated the inside of her mouth.

"didn't know what flavour you'd like so I got you both strawberry"

"The hell is in this stuff?" Tana muttered to herself peering at the drink in her hand before taking another sip.

Spike smirked before she held the bright orange beverage aloft. "Either way, a toast to you guys and your first day about town"

"Here, here" Rat added.

Tana chuckled a bit before holding her own drink up. "Elmia, you joining in?"

The three turned to look at the young Mermaid who was cheerfully slurping away at her beverage.

"Guess I picked the right flavour" Rat said with a smile. "Just be careful not to drink to fast or you'll"

Suddenly Elmia stopped drinking and clutched at the side of her head.

"Get a brain freeze".

"Ow, ow, ow" she moaned, nursing the sides of her forehead.

"Sorry, should have warned you about those" Rat responded bashfully.

"it's okay, so where are we going next?"

"Well, we should probably go home" Tana answered. "we've been out all day and the exchange's probably getting antsy"

"wait" Spike interjected, "got one more thing to show elmia."

"What is it?"

"Just come with me" she replied with a smile like the Cheshire cat. "your going to get a kick out of this.


Josh felt like he would have given anything to be able to go back in time to this morning and call-in sick today.

Thanks to the other guy they had hired for the part time work not showing up, his manager had gotten him to cover their shift as well. A whole day wasted in front of a deep fat fryer in the most asinine uniform ever conceived.

He sighed, lifting the little metal basket out of the hot oil and letting the fries inside rest and turned to look out at the mostly empty "restaurant".

"Wonder if dad would be cool about quitting this job if the other guy's a no show all summer" he thought to himself as he rested his elbows on the counter top

"Hey kid"

Josh turned to see his boss Mr. Feltman coming out of his office. He was a short, stocky man with hands like shovels and a big moustache that reminded Josh of Wilford Brimley.

"Call it a day, you've done more than enough"

"Thanks' sir" Josh replied in a monotone voice while gathering his things, his dad had kept telling him to be respectful to his boss but frankly he was starting to run out of patience to do so.

"Hey and I'll make sure some of that no show's paycheck goes to you as well" he added.

"Seriously!" Josh exclaimed as his head spun round to face him in shock.

"Kid, you put up with extra shit when didn't have to. That equals earning a bonus in my book"

"Sweet, thanks man. I mean, thank you sir"

Feltman smiled a bit before putting his jacket on. "Just chuck that bag of trash into the garbage outside before you leave, okay"

"You got it"

With that Josh quickly grabbed the black plastic bag of discarded wrappers and packaging and walked outside, tossing it into the industrial sized can with a swing of his arms.

"Maybe this job won't be so bad" Josh muttered to himself.

"Hey Josh," said a familiar voice.

Josh turned to see his two oldest friends staring at him alongside Elmia and a large horned woman.

"Fancy seeing you here" Spike continued before she broke into a laughing fit, Rat tried to be a bit more courteous to his buddy but a few stray giggles escaped.

"Hello Josh" said Elmia who thankfully seemed to not be fully aware of how stupid he looked. "How are you?"

"I can probably guess the answer to that" the Horned woman stated causing another caucus of laughter from Spike who was now bent over and clutching her sides.

No he was right the first time, this job is going to suck.