Chapter 32

The Next Morning…

I slowly woke up.

My head hurt a little…

I got up to notice someone put a blanket on me.

"Mornin' birthday boy!" Sheryl was the first to greet me. She was making breakfast.

"Hey." I greeted her back. "…Where're George and Carol?

"They're out getting groceries." She told me. "We didn't see you after we were done. You guys leave early?"

"Yeah…" I confirmed. "Sylvia had a headache and I drank some bad punch and felt woozy."

"Tim!" She got frustrated. "What'd I tell you?"

"I-I asked about it!" I told her. "It was the only drink at the table and I asked about it! I only had one cup though…"

"Well, at least you asked…" Sheryl sighed. "Wait, you could eat a whole wasabi stick in 20 seconds, but you couldn't handle one cup of spiked punch?"

I shrugged.

"Eh, whatever…" She wanted to change the subject. "So, whatcha got planned for today?"

"Not sure." I had no plan.

I then noticed I had some texts.

Goodguy: Hey Tim! Sorry we haven't hung out in a while. We were busy with stuff.

Goodguy: Heard it was your birthday! We should hang out later!

Yeah…we should!

"I'll hang out with Sarah and Guyver later!" That's my plan.

"Cool!" Sheryl liked that idea. "But for now, you want some breakfast?

"Sure!" I liked that idea. "What's on the menu?"

"Made some eggs and hash browns!" She just made a plate. "Have some."

"Alright!" I got excited. "You're the best!"

"Aw, you're so sweet!" She remarked as she handed me the food. "I'm definitely showing you my other birthmarks in 3-4 years."

O-kaaaay…

1 Hour Later…

Alright! Wide-awake, washed up, and ready for the day!

MusiclovR: So what time's good?

Goodguy: Sarah needs to wake up still. I'd say an hour? Maybe? Do whatever until then.

MusiclovR: K.

I should check on Sylvia…wait…where was her apartment again?

…I can't remember…

Hm…maybe I'll say hi to Octavio.

20 Minutes Later…

I entered the old Ammo Knights training room and removed my goggles.

"Hey, DJ!" I waved.

"Hm?" Octavio noticed me. "Ah, you're here."

"Yeah, I-" I then noticed something. "Is that Sylvia?"

Sure enough, Sylvia was lying on the ground with a blanket draped over her.

"Oh, she came by yesterday to help some more." He told me.

"With the headaches she's been having?" I was surprised. "That's…dedication, I guess…"

"Uh-yeah, dedication." Octavio replied. "She should really tone down the committed soldier stuff for her health...she'll be fine when she wakes up. She just needs some rest."

Yeah…maybe…

"So, Happy Birthday." He remembered.

"Thanks!" I replied. "So what'd you get me?"

"Get'n greedy, huh?" He raised an eyebrow. "Kidd'n…I've gotten carried away too. Don't worry though; I've got somethin' for ya…somethin' I gave yo daddy."

My…dad?

"W-what is it?" I wanted to know.

"Over here…" He urged me to follow.

I followed him over to the upper portion where there was a basketball hoop. I could see Ivan sitting in a chair, reading a magazine. Across from him was a table next to a furnace and a large bucket of water.

"Alright…" Octavio said as he led me over. "I've decided that yer ready for this gift. Then again, it wasn't really a competition between anyone else. But now's the time you get what's yours."

"Woah, uh…DJ?" Ivan walked over. "You sure about this?

"I've never been surer of anything in my life!" Octavio told him. "I'm tellin' ya he's ready!"

Their gazes turned to me.

"Now, hold your left hand on the table." Octavio told me.

I was a bit confused, but did so anyway. He hasn't wronged me yet, so…

"Palm down." He specified.

I put my palm down.

"Good…" He held my hand down and reached for something in the furnace. "Just like that…"

"Ummmm…" I'm starting to have second-

"AAAAAAAHHHH!" I screamed as he slammed something burning hot on my forearm. The pain was unbearable! Why would he do that?!

A few seconds passed before he released me.

"Now put it in the ice water!" He told me. "Quickly!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" I quickly shoved my arm in the bucket and felt quick relief. "Haaaahhh…What is wrong with you, you lunatic?!"

"It's fine, the pain goes away quickly." He assured me. "Trust me, I know. Heck, you ain't even crying. Yer daddy bawled like a baby!"

"That's what you gave my dad?!" I was shocked to hear. "Why?!"

"Tim!" Sylvia yelled as she ran up. "I heard screaming! What happened?!"

"All will be revealed in due time." Octavio didn't explain as he crossed his arms. "For now, let's just say now he's got style! He'll thank me for it. Wait and see…"

"It's all black and red…" I said as I looked at it.

"It'll green out soon." He assured me. "You got those wraps I wanted?"

"Here." Ivan gave him a roll of bandages.

"I'll wrap that up!" Sylvia said as she took the roll and started wrapping my arm.

"Best people don't see it…yet…" Octavio nodded. "Oh, I've got one more thing for you."

"Please tell me you aren't going to take out one of my eyes…" I hoped.

"What? Naw!" He shook his head. "I meant this!"

He handed me a disk.

"Made it m'self!" He said. "Don't play it until later in life, though. Got it?"

"Why?" I was confused again.

"Let's say on it is a powerful song." He sort of explained. "It'll be very useful for ya in the future."

"I mean, looking out for his future is nice, but…" Sylvia was just as confused as I was.

"It'll be fine." Octavio assured her. "Boy, to be honest, yer kind of a ditz."

"Oh…" Well that's good to know…

"But you've grown on me." He continued. "I wouldn't have done what I just did for anyone else. Only you, Junior."

Thanks?

Wait…

"Is this permanent?" I asked. "Mom will kill me if it is."

"She'll get over it." Octavio shrugged. "Now why don't you hang with yer friends?"

"Yeah, I'll do that." I agreed. "Um…bye…"

"Good luck, Junior." Octavio waved me goodbye.

"Later!" Ivan waved as he went back to reading his magazine. "Oh, here! Take this!"

He threw something at me and I caught it.

"…A Fishing Lure?" I was confused.

"Figured you're at the age where you could use that." Ivan told me. "Wear it on your hip!"

I attached it to a lower left side of my jacket.

"Oh my…" Sylvia started snickering.

"What?" I was confused.

"I…don't wanna say…" Sylvia said, looking a bit embarrassed now. "L-let's just go…"

As I followed her out, I could see Octavio glaring at Ivan

We walked out of the training room and I put my goggles on.

"So he…burned you?" Sylvia was confused and worried. "Why?"

"I don't know." I told her. "I don't know why he burned me or why he gave me this disk."

"Maybe Octarians just get weird when they get older." She guessed.

"I guess…" I felt my arm.

I then got a text.

"Oh, great timing!" I told Sylvia. "Sarah and Otis wanna hang out and Sarah's finally up!"

"Finally!" Sylvia crossed her arms. "I get they're secret agents, but at least call your fellow soldiers every now and then."

"I'm sure they had their reasons." I shrugged. "Now let's meet them at the Plaza. I…need to process what Octavio did…"

"And if he tries something like that again, he'll have to deal with the Sergeant who whipped you into shape!" She boasted.

"If by 'whipped me into shape' you mean 'worked to death,' then you'd be right." I quipped. "I haven't forgotten Musselforge Fitness!"

"It did you wonders!" She rolled her eyes. "Now let's meet them at the Square already!"

We then hurried to the Square. Well, the rest of the day can only get better from here!

...

Author's Note: Happy New Year! Sorry this chapter took a while, but I wanted to get my other story caught up as well. Hopefully these chapters will be worth the wait. It's Tim's birthday and he's already gotten some gifts. Can you guess what the Fishing Lure is all about?