Chapter 8

Two days later…

Deep Fryer was on the fritz today, so Sean told me to take the rest of the day off. So far it's been okay. I managed to avoid Andrea going for my goggles and I haven't seen that stranger since the other day, but I was still a little on edge. I avoided creepy-looking alleyways, I stayed in areas with plenty of people around, and I usually came back to the apartment before dark.

I made sure to call my mom and tell her things were going okay. I told her I made some friends who were in a band and she was happy for me. I would also go down to the canals and listen to them play. Afterwards I would usually browse music shops, hoping I could find someone to teach me music, but to no avail. I haven't given up though…

Snapper Canal…

"So what's on your mind, little man?" George asked. "You seem a bit uneasy."

"Uh, well, I'm just…" How do I say this? "I think I saw some sketchy people around and I'm a little on edge…"

"Maybe you could try some Ink Battles." He suggested. "Get some combat experience. Heck, there's a tournament coming up. Maybe you could join a team."

"My mom doesn't want me to." I told him. "I mean, I'd like to try, but they televise tournaments and I don't wanna risk that."

"Maybe you can wear a helmet." He suggested. "I've got a Power Mask Mk I that can probably fit you."

"I mean, it could work…" I agreed. "But I don't know…"

"That's okay," He assured me. "Just something to think about."

"Well, I'll get back to my apartment now." I said.

I waved them goodbye and headed back to the apartment. I entered to find Lisa alone on the couch.

"Hey Lisa." I waved. "What's wrong?"

"Benny's taking Ink Battles way too seriously." She said. "I mean, he's spending all day trying to beat this one team and he's barely paying any attention to me. I swear he lets his anger get the best of him."

"That, uh…sucks." I wouldn't really know.

"I mean, I tell him to let it go and watch a movie with me, but then someone taunts him once and he needs to beat them." She complained. "It doesn't help that one of the teams he's trying to beat is all girls. I need to get his mind off of battling."

"Okay…" I felt like possibly should be offering help, but wasn't sure how.

"Wait…" She turned to me. "You wanna help me?"

"How?" I tilted my head.

"We could spend some time together and make Benny jealous!" She told me. "It's genius!"

"Actually that sounds like a very dangerous idea that could end badly for me." I stated.

"Glad you like it!" She completely ignored what I said. "Now he's been grinding for abilities a lot and visiting Murch. We hang out, say, at one of the tables near the Crust Bucket and he'll notice us and get his mind off of battling and back to me!"

"I'm not sure I want to do this…" I told her.

"What do you want in return?" She asked me. "If you help me I'll return the favor, so what do you want?"

I had to think about this.

"Well, I want to be a DJ someday…" I told her.

"Fine, I'll get you one of whatever those disk scratching things are called." She told me.

"Turntables." I told her.

"Alright, deal?" She held her hand out.

"…I guess." I reluctantly agreed.

"Great!" She said. "Now follow me."

She took me down to the Square and we sat at one of the tables. She got on her phone and I put on my headphones. She soon motioned me to listen.

"Alright, now Ben should be coming here soon to eat his dinner." She told me. "Act like we're having a great time together. Oh wait, we should get some food too!"

"Well you won't get it from the Crust Bucket." I told her. "Fryer's on the fritz."

"…You think Benny knows that?" She asked.

"Well, he's coming out of the tower right now." I noticed.

Ben walked over to the Crust Bucket only to find it closed for the day. He then turned around and noticed us. He then walked over.

"Hey, what's up with the Crust Bucket?" He asked us.

"Fryer's on the fritz." I told him. "Sean's getting it fixed."

"Oh." He said. "So Lisa, you're hanging out with Goggles Boy now?"

"Yeah." She said. "He's surprisingly good for conversation."

"That's cool." Ben said. "Now where can I get a bite to eat?"

He immediately left, leaving Lisa speechless. She then dropped her head onto the table with a loud 'thud.'

"Benny…you…dunce." She groaned.

"Well, that didn't work." Another squid came over. He had a dark tan and light blue hair.

"And you are?" I asked.

"One of the squids he's mad at." He smirked. "And you…I don't know you. And I know just about everything about everyone."

"I just moved here." I told him.

"Ah…" He said. "So what're you in the big city for?"

"Well, I'd like to get into music." I told him. "I'd like to become a DJ, but I can't find any to teach me."

"I know a few music places that might have some." He told me. "Wanna see?"

"Okay." I got up. "Oh right, I'm gonna head out with this guy, Lisa."

She didn't raise her head. She just gave me a thumbs up.

"So this isn't a trap to mug or kill me, is it?" I asked to be sure.

"Kid, I stalk, harass, taunt, tease, and creep on people, but murder is where I draw the line." He told me.

"Oh…Okay." I was a little weirded out.

"Nice Octoleet Goggles, by the way." He complimented.

"Oh, uh…thanks." I said. "How'd you know what they're called?"

"Grizzco handed a lot out recently." He told me.

Oh...

"So why help me?" I asked.

"Work's a little slow right now and I know Octolings got a thing for DJs." He told me.

"You know I'm an Octoling?" I was surprised.

"Some people do." He told me. "And let me tell you, finding out who is and isn't, is a big surprise."

"Huh…" Was all I could say.

"I can tell you're the timid type." He noticed.

"A-a bit…" I admitted. "I've gotten a bit better at talking to people, but if someone puts me in an awkward or terrifying situation…"

"Hey, take these." He gave me some cans. "These were banned, but they can get you and/or someone else out of a bad situation."

They were Special cans, but they had pictures of giant squids on them. Wait…

"These are banned…and you just have these on you?" I narrowed my eyes.

"I mean, yeah, but people use banned stuff all the time at the Plaza." He told me. "Those battles can get crazy."

"Can I see?" I was actually curious to see.

"Sure." He agreed. "Follow me."

...

...

"Alright troops, plan's simple. We're to meet on Mount Nantai and set up a small encampment to make communications."

"Will they even talk to us?"

"We hope they will. I'm willing to make offers to convince them if sympathy isn't enough."

"So if they have no hearts, appeal to greed."

"I'm sure they have hearts, Amphia. They can't all be bad."

"R-right..."

"Now ready up troops! We move out tonight!"

"No!" I shouted.

No one was there...

"...Every night... Why every night...?"