Okay I have a lot of fuel to my fire today because my girlfriend got me Raz's bag for my birthday and I fucking love it and I just can't get my happiness over this game and everything off my mind lol

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

I swallowed hard as I passed under the big wooden sign for the camp. My family's last few goodbyes to me before letting me go on my own rang through my head as I followed the small path toward the heart of the camp.

"You got this, Pootie."

"Just don't fuck up." A hard smack was given to Dion as Frazie gave him a hard glare at the same time. "I mean, you got this?"

"Better."

I smiled to myself a little as Mirtala's soft goodbye was within my mind at the same time.

"Will you be back soon?"

"In a month and a half."

"Not soon enough." I chuckled at her as Queepie stayed silent beside her. His ever-so-silent demeanor still screamed volumes as he placed a hand on his slightly older sister's shoulder.

"I'll be back. It's just the first step for my goals here though."

"Kick those goals in the butt!" Mirtala gave me a determined smile as Queepie nodded in agreement.

"I promise I will, Mirtala." I smiled a little to myself as I continued on my path. "I promise." I adjusted my bag so the strap was resting across my chest as I looked over the scenery around me.

For such a big name camp for psychics, it's rather small.

I switched what hand was carrying my other luggage bag into the other as I looked over toward where I could tell it was a lake in the distance.

I can feel the small tides of the water from here. Its gentle and calm nature causes this fuzzy little feeling in the back of my brain. Its energy is soothing and beautiful and I could feel it grow with each step I took.

I felt my smile widen as I followed the sign that pointed in the direction of the main campground.

When all else fails, I'll have the tide to calm me down. Hopefully, I won't have to rely on it, but I also doubt this adventure of mine will be anything but smooth.

"Who in the hell are you?" I flinched at the rather harsh voice as the sound of footsteps came up behind me.

And speaking of not being smooth, here's my first bump in the road.

I turned my attention toward the figure that had called out toward me, but I was welcomed by two different kids instead. They looked about my age, but rather rough. The one had teeth that reminded me of a piranha, while the other looked like his puffer fish friend. The one with jaded teeth gave me a snarl as he took a step closer.

"Are you dumb or something? I asked you a question." The red-haired boy crossed his arms as his silent friend just nodded beside him. I quickly grew annoyed with him as I tried my best to remain calm on the surface.

"Sorry, just took me a moment to register that my first 5 minutes here was met with someone yelling at me." I adjusted the strap of my bag once more as I looked over the other two boys. "My name's Raz."

"Fresh meat, huh?" The redhead smirked as he extended his arm to poke his index finger at my chest. "You better understand one major thing here, newbie."

"And what's that incredibly powerful overseer?" Sarcasm dripped over my words as I was honestly already done with him.

"Hey! Don't you try and be smart with me! I'm the big boss out here!"

"Last I knew that was Sasha Nein and Milla Vodello," I smirked as it was obvious I was annoying him just as much. "If you think you can make me fear you though, you can think again." I slapped his hand away from me as I gave him a serious look. "I've been threatened with much worse."

"I'll make your life a living hell here, kid!" I rolled my eyes at the comment as I leaned my weight onto my left leg.

"Again, been threatened with worse." The other kid reached out and grabbed the collar of my undershirt, but the notion didn't cause me to flinch in the slightest.

"Quit fucking with me, asshole! I'm Bobby fucking Zilch! I run this joint!" I smirked at his anger as a dark chuckle released itself from my chest.

"And I'm Razputin A-."

"What in the bloody hell is going on over here?" I snapped my attention over toward a girl that wasn't far from the three of us. Her dark red hair was put in little pigtails and she wore a thigh-length dress, but she oozed an aura of confidence. Her leather jacket, fingerless gloves, and combat boots only proved she was not your typical ten-year-old girl. I felt myself swallow hard as her dark brown eyes looked between me and Bobby, who was still holding me by my shirt collar.

"Stay out of this Zanotto!" I looked at the girl with wide eyes as the weight of her last name was monumental in the history of the Psychonauts.

Zanotto? Like... The Zanottos? As in Grand Head of the Psychonauts Zanotto? It couldn't be. Why would someone like that be at a summer camp like this? Wouldn't she be personally trained and all?

"Well, from the fact that you're holding what looks to be the only new kid we had here in years by the neck, I don't think I will." The girl gave him a smirk as she slowly made her way closer to us. "So how about you drop the new kid and walk off as if nothing happened?"

"Or what?" The girl gave him a smooth smirk as she tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Or would you like some personal training hours with Nein again? I'll gladly tell him you volunteered." Almost instantly, Bobby let go of my collar with a growl. He turned his attention toward me once more with a hard poke to my chest.

"This isn't over, Freshy." With that, Bobby and the unnamed boy took their leave. I groaned as I watched the two boys leaving while a small curse was muttered under my breath.

"Mudak." I grumbled a little as I straightened out my shirt. It wasn't the most impressive shirt and had some holes, but it was still one of the few Nona was able to keep in one piece for me.

"I don't need to know what language that was in to agree wholeheartedly that Bobby deserves it." I snapped my attention toward the girl once more as she walked up to take up the space in front of me. "What language was that anyway?"

"Russian."

"Ah, no wonder it sounded angry." I couldn't help but smile a little at the girl's comment as she put her hands in her jacket's pockets. "Sorry about that though. Bobby likes to play King of the Camp so whenever there's a new kid, he tries to make them submit rather quickly."

"Sorry for him, I was raised to do the opposite." The girl gave an approving hum for a moment as she gave me a curious look.

"You're different." I quirked up an eyebrow in response.

"Yeah?" She gave a small smile before pulling out her right hand from her jacket.

"I like it." She extended out her hand toward me with a lopsided grin that caused this swirling feeling in my stomach. "I'm Lili. Lili Zanotto. Nice to meet ya."

"I'm Razputin." I extended my open hand out to take hers before shaking it once.

"Razputin what?" She gave me a confused look as I swallowed dryly in reply.

"Um," I pulled my hand out from hers before trying to clear my throat. "Well, I don't want you regretting your decision to help me out there." I reached up with my free hand and scratched the back of my neck nervously. "I know my family history wasn't all too," I hesitated for a moment as I dropped my hand to my side. "Kind to yours." Lili just gave me a curious look as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"So you think your last name would make me regret putting Bobby in his place? I'll do that shit for free."

"My last name makes a lot of people regret knowing me." I felt a dark look take over my face as I looked her in the eyes. "I know my family caused yours to lose something dear to them and I know quite a lot of people that hold those things against my family still. Even after two generations."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm an Aquato. Razputin Aquato." I waited for a moment as silence rang out between us. Her eyes just looked into mine as an emotion swirled within her eyes that I couldn't pinpoint.

It's not anger. I've seen much of that thrown in my direction over the years. Disgust is out of the question, too. Fear looks nothing like that as well. Could it be horror? Or regret? Or-?

"I knew you were interesting."

Wait, what?

"I said, I knew you were interesting." I swallowed hard and grew quite embarrassed by not realizing that I spoke my last thought there out loud. "I could tell there was something about you, but I wasn't expecting that bombshell." She gave a small chuckle as the lopsided grin reappeared. "Sorry for me looking like a deer in headlights for a moment. I'm used to big names rolling through but I never thought I would ever hear Aquato."

"You're not-? I mean-?" I gave Lili a confused look as I tried my best to construct somewhat of a sentence, but I was failing at every turn.

"What? You think I would want to drown you in the lake for something you did to my uncle?" Lili giggled a little at the thought, but I just gave her quite a serious look in reply. "Oh, shit people have actually wanted to do that, huh?"

"You'll be surprised."

"Good god, what the hell?"

"People think that my family is responsible for the pains of their past." I gave her a small shrug as I adjusted my back once more. "They fear we'll lead to another Maligula. That we'll cause more pain to others."

"And they think treating your family and yourself like shit is gonna stop that?" I shrugged once more as I let out a sigh.

"Your guess is just as good as mine. But it's why I'm here."

"What do you mean?" She gave me a curious look as I continued.

"I want to prove the world wrong about us." I felt my determined gleam take over my face as I spoke. "I want to prove that all because we're tied to Maligula, doesn't mean that we're all evil. I want to prove that the Aquato name can bring good." I put a lot of emphasis on the word as I gave Lili a proud smile. "And I'm going to. I want to become a Psychonaut. The best one the world has ever seen. I'll prove them wrong about my family. I'll show them that I'm so much more than Maligula's blood. That I can save the world just as easily as she caused destruction to it." For a moment, Lili just stared at me. It was as if she wanted to say something, but she decided to keep it to herself for the most part.

"Well, I can say this will teach ya at least the basics of putting that into motion." I shrugged as I gave her a small cheeky smile.

"Honestly didn't know where else to begin anyway." She nodded in agreement before shaking herself out of whatever mindset was causing her to go rather distant mentally.

"Well hey! How about I show you the cabins? I think I know someone who wouldn't mind bunking with ya in the boy's cabin."

"Really? Even with the whole Aquato idea?"

"Trust me, he's too scattered-minded to really give a fuck." She shrugged at that as I gave her a confused look.

"Zanotto said what now?" Without even answering me, the girl started making her way toward the cabins with a wide smile.

"Come on, Raz! We got a whole new world to show ya!" I swallowed hard as I hurried along with my things to follow Lili without much hesitation.

This girl is going to bring quite a fire into my life, huh?