Chapter 40: Emotional and Timid
The young inkling sat in his hideout just staring at the the sky. He did not know how to feel.
"Monty?" Adstrum's voice called from the bottom of the tree.
The midnight blue inkling jolted and quickly changed back to magenta. He looked down at Adstrum.
"Hey, Monty. How ya doing?" He gave him a friendly smile.
"G-good…"
"May I come in and talk?"
"Um… Uh… Sure?" He squeaked.
"Dude, take a breath and calm down. Something wrong?" He climbed up into the treehouse.
"N-no. I'm fine."
"Okay. Well, again, I was told you are interested in weapons, right?"
"Yes sir. But I'm not allowed to make them anymore sir."
"Oh, something happen?" Adstrum raised an eyebrow. "And no need for 'sir.' Just call me Adstrum."
"Yes, the bigger kids told the police that I made a weapon without a license and, well, if they find my notebook or my pen I'll go to juvy."
"Oh, I see. Well, what weapon did you make? I'm kind of curious." Adstrum saw something that made him smile. Monty kept a well taken care of Callie plush beside himself, in which he tried to hide it behind himself. "I saw that."
"...No, you didn't…" His face turn pink.
Adstrum nodded. "Yes, I did. But we don't have to talk about that if you don't want to. Anything you want to talk about?"
"No sir…" Monty rubbed his tentacles.
"Okay. Well, I would like to talk about stuff. Weapons, for one thing. You seem to know who I am."
"Well… googling Acrilic also showed your name. In crazy ink weaponry."
"Really?" Adstrum raised an eyebrow. "That's interesting."
"I had a hacker help me look at blueprints. They were really cool!"
"You want a closer look at them? I still have them." He reached into his jacket.
"I shouldn't. I don't wanna go to juvy…"
"Who's going to report you? I won't. And I don't see anyone else here. Besides, let me tell you something about myself. I technically don't have a weapon license either."
"Well the word "crazy" was used in the keywords."
"Were they for the weapons or the person? Because the only time I truly go crazy is when my anger peaks. And that only happens if anything related to Splatfests comes up. Or if someone I care about is in trouble. You got nothing to worry about, Monty." He gave the young inkling a reassuring smile.
"Oh, you are talking about… Callie right?" He seemed a bit sad.
"Yep. Mostly her, but I also mean anyone else I care about. Something wrong, buddy?"
"Why did she leave?"
"Well...that's slightly Marie's fault, slightly Callie's, and the fault of a Splatfest."
"Everyone kept telling me she died. Everyone acted like she died, too."
"Oh. Jeez. Well, that wasn't what happened, buddy. Callie got fed up with Marie's attitude after the final Splatfest and quit. But admittedly, Callie should have tried talking to her cousin instead of running away. She admits she didn't really take the time to think." Adstrum sighed.
"That's nice. At least she has a happy ending."
"Callie and Marie made up, though."
"At least she's happy" He took the pen from his head and started sketching in his torn up notebook.
"Callie's happy her and Marie are hanging out again, and I'm happy to see that too. But I think Callie's guilty about something else now." He noticed Monty sketching. "Inspiration strike?"
"It's beyond me. I'm just an outsider" His hand quivered a bit.
"She feels guilty about her actions toward her family, Monty. She told me you and her used to be very close."
"She's not wrong… we 'used' to be close. Before everyone tells you your best friend died, only to find she just left without warning."
"Well, she obviously wants to make up for it. She feels bad and wants to spend time with you before she has to leave for Inkopolis. Is there anything she can do?"
"Just forget it" He stopped and put the pen back on his head.
"She just wants to try and be friends with her brother again, Monty. You can't at least give her a chance to start over or something?"
"We aren't even related…"
"And how does that make a difference?" Adstrum gave a serious look. "I don't see a difference between siblings and adopted siblings."
"People stare when we aren't the same…" He changed back into his dark blue color, "I can't hold my color very long. It's mentally exhausting."
"You do realize Callie has black tentacles, right?"
"I'm blue… not black… nor violet…" He sighed.
"So? What difference does it make? You and her are family. She cares a lot about you and feels guilty for not staying in contact. She wants to apologize and make up for it."
"I'll believe it when I see it…" Monty took his stuff and jumped down from his treehouse.
"Maybe you'd see it if you gave her a chance!" Adstrum rolled his eyes and jumped down as well.
Monty walked into their woodsy backyard.
Adstrum walked back inside the house, passing my Melody and Harvey.
"Adstrum? You look rather upset dear" Melody seemed concerned.
"Has Monty always been this stubborn?"
"He's actually quite timid. He does act this way when he lies though. He acts tough and then cries in the pond in the back."
"I really can't stand people like that. But I do want to help him." Adstrum sighed. "Callie wants to talk to him, but if he acts that way then how?" He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What did he say? Maybe I can translate what he is saying."
"Uh...I know it ended with me telling him that Callie wants to make it up to him and he just said 'I'll believe it when I see it.' Well, how can he see it if he refuses to let it happen?"
"Oh, he is waiting for her at their usual spot then."
"Usual spot? Well, Callie would hopefully know where that is. Aaand, she's hanging out with Marie at the moment. Dammit…"
"It's still at the pond. It's a nice flowery spot. Pretty romantic, too. Monty keeps it clean and blooming. You can maybe find it since Monty cuts the bamboo so it doesn't get too long. You will see slash marks where he misses" Melody giggled.
"Well, that's nice to hear." Adstrum smiled. "And while I would like to go see the pond, I don't want to go bother him right now. Mainly because I don't want to deal with him right now." He sighed again and took a breath.
"Very well. I'll get him before he catches a cold waiting too long outside" Melody got up and started walking outside.
"Hold on...Maybe I can go let Callie know to go talk to him...Or… will he be back at the pond later this week?" He asked.
"Since you told him that, he'll probably be there every day from dawn to dusk if I don't stop him."
"Good to know. I'll let Callie know and maybe she can go talk to him tomorrow."
"Alright, see you later" Melody waved at him.
"Okay. I'll go wait for Callie in her room." Adstrum shrugged and walked upstairs.
After while Melody came back carrying a sobbing squid.
"Oh Monty. It was just a doll. There are a lot of them." Melody tried comforting him
Monty's sobs could not be understood.
"Why did you go there then? You would have gotten into trouble if you attacked them. To bed with you. We will talk in the morning."
The front door opened and Callie and Marie came inside at that moment and noticed Monty. Callie gasped and ran up to her mother. "What happened? Is he hurt? Monty?" She looked at him with concerned eyes as Melody put him down.
Monty seemed to be an almost black color from how sad he became as he walked into his room.
"No, sweetpea. The bigger kids picked on him and apparently ripped his doll up. I'm just glad he didn't attack them."
"What!? The one I signed?" She sighed and grabbed a pillow from the couch before screaming into it. "What the hell!? What is their problem!?"
"They think boy shouldn't be so girly… I think that's what he said…"
"Why don't they just mind their own business and leave Monty alone!" Callie yelled again, her face slightly red from anger.
"I'm not really sure what he said... He was a mess when I got there" Melody looked at Monty's door.
"Where's the plush?"
"Um, I didn't see it so I'm not sure. Maybe somewhere near the pond?"
Callie sighed and quickly ran toward the back door.
"Hey! Wait for me!" Marie ran after her.
Author's Note: Hey guys. Here's the new chapter. Hope you like it. Sorry that it's late, but homework has put a pin in my plans...
Thank you The Bowser Monster, Devil Dude 42, and Guest for leaving reviews. Thank you guys so much.
Yeah, that was cute. You can thank Apikachua for adding that, Devil Dude.
Yes, Adstrum did enjoy slapping Marie, guest. Probably won't happen again, though.
Well, guys, next chapter might take longer. Finals are here and I will be very busy with a final project until Wednesday. Hopefully I will have the next chapter next weekend, but don't count on it. I will see you all next time. Have a wonderful week!
