Transmission 14: Rippling Waves
"Your planet's Decommissioning was necessary, Numbuh Ventus. It was overrun with the Adulthood disease."
"Shut up…"
"Oh how the mighty have fallen. To think you were one of the best. Now you're nothing but a foolish rebel fighting an unwinnable battle."
"No…"
"You were sold out, you know? It was Numbuh _ who found your rebellion's hideout."
"Dammit…"
"But don't worry, the GKND has the perfect punishment for someone like you. You'll love it."
"No…you can't…"
"Soon, you'll be nothing but a_"
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"Gah!" *pant*…*pant*…Grr…not again…" Waking up from his nightmare, Corvus shakes his head and looks around the GKND shuttle's cockpit, which he turned into a makeshift room. It has been two days since the battle at the Ninja Hideout and what Corvus saw there has left him conflicted. While he doesn't fully trust the Teens Next Door, he does understand their current situation.
"Corvus?" Libra's mechanical voice is heard from the small corridor that connect the cockpit with passenger deck.
"Hmph, what do you want?"
"The TND's Supreme Commander has come to meet us. We know you didn't show interest about joining their operations, but you should at least lend your ear to them." Corvus frowns as he looks out of the cockpit window and sees Eliza, flanked by Chad and Maurice, talking with Kieran, Scorpius and Numbuh Vine.
"…fine. I'll be there." Corvus replies coldly and floats down into the passenger deck but then, he notices a squinting Virgo from the corner of his eye. "What's with you?"
"Oh nothing. I was just wondering why we're wasting our time hiding here."
"You've got a better plan?"
"These humans aren't going to last a nano cycle against the GKND, you and I both know that. So why not just leave?"
"…we can't. You of all people should know that you can't run away from the GKND if you're not an adult. I thought a Teen Villain like yourself was aware of that." Corvus' jab angers Virgo, who rolls her eyes before heading to the other end of the passenger deck. "Thought so." Corvus glares and heads down the hangar floor, where Eliza, Chad, Maurice, Libra and Numbuh Vine have gathered around Scorpius' computer terminal. Next to it is the case containing the remaining O.L. Rings.
"So, have you guys made any progress with that disc?"
"Well Numbuh Sigma, we haven't completely deciphered it, but we're starting to understand what kind of encryption Numbuh Gamma used. Once we figure that out, we'll be halfway done." Kieran replies while Scorpius nods.
"Indeed. However, do not expect it to happen any time soon. This encryption is comnplicated, even by GKND standards."
"Don't worry, we believe in you guys." Eliza says with a confident smile just as Corvus joins the others. "Ah, nice of you to drop by." Corvus does not reply to her comment while Libra points at the shuttle.
"Did you see Virgo?"
"She's not interested." Corvus mutters while the other O.M.E.G.A. Numbers exchange looks.
"Hmph, typical Cyrenian. They always think they're better than anyone else." Leo huffs but his comment angers Cygnus.
"Leo, that is uncalled for. She has her reasons."
"Reasons? She's a ex-Teen Villain who just cares about herself." Leo retorts but Libra steps in before Cygnus can continue the argument.
"That is enough, both of you. We did not come here to argue." Libra says sternly before looking at Eliza. "We appreciate you coming here. There is something we wish to discuss."
"It's about us helping with your operations against the Teen Ninjas." Scorpius gestures with his pincers before pointing them at Corvus. "Despite the fact Corvus did sneak out to keep an eye on Numbuh Delta, his description of your foes has piqued our interest."
"That so? Well, I can't say we don't need the help. Ever since those Ninjas started using S.I.N., they've been putting up a tough fight again." Maurice says while eyeing Eliza, who nods.
"Yeah, they're spreading that poison across the globe and use it to recruit more members by getting them addicted to it."
"So, you'll allow us to help?" Cygnus asks enthusiastically.
"I've already mentioned this to the Chiefs, and they were open to it, so yes. But your existence is still a secret, so we'll have you operate with a single Sector, as equals of course." Eliza explains while eyeing Corvus, who crosses his arms and looks away.
"We agree with that plan. Then perhaps only a few of us should assist in the field. Scorpius and we must still work on the disc." Libra points at the computer terminal and the teenagers nod all at once.
"Sounds like a deal then. Supreme Commander, I'd say Cleve Sector fits the bill."
"I agree, since Numbuh Delta is there too." Eliza then nudges Chad. "You don't have a problem with them joining your Sector?"
"No." Chad replies sternly. "We're planning on taking the fight to the Ninjas and we need all the help we can get now."
"Excellent. Cygnus, Leo, you two should go with Numbuh Delta to Earth. The rest of us will stay here." Libra points to Cygnus and Leo, who become excited.
"But of course! It would be an honor to help you in the field of battle." Cygnus gestures theatrically with her wings while Leo cracks his knuckles.
"Heh-heh, just don't complain about collateral damage, because I ain't gonna hold back."
"I'm going too." Corvus says suddenly, much to the others surprise.
"Huh? I thought ya didn't wanna."
"Leo has a point. You merely huffed and shook your head when we first talked about this." Cygnus eyes Corvus, who instead turns his gaze on Chad.
"I'm not doing this because I want to. It's because you have my O.L. Ring and I don't want to meet an early grave if you get killed." Corvus remarks coldly while pointing at Chad's wrist.
"What do you mean by that?" Eliza glares at the bird-like alien but Libra joins the conversation.
"Ah, we will explain what Corvus meant." Libra's words leave the teenagers stunned and Chad grips his right wrist.
"What the heck? You're telling me if I die, Corvus dies too?"
"Correct. The O.L. Ring is a link between the O.M.E.G.A. Number and it's partner. That is why Corvus followed you to Earth." Libra replies as Eliza eyes Corvus playfully.
"Oh, I see. You were worried about him, weren't you?" her comment causes Corvus to stutter while Leo breaks out into laughter and it quickly spreads to the others.
"Hah-hah-hah-haa, oh my, that's one way of saying it." Cygnus says while covering her beak behind her wings but Corvus isn't amused one bit.
"Gah, shut up! This isn't funny, you idiots! I said stop laughing!" A blushing Corvus rails at the teenagers and his fellow O.M.E.G.A. Numbers, who, except Scorpius who can't express emotions, are laughing wildly.
"Corvus, dear, you should learn to lighten up once in a while. Being angry and brooding all the time won't do you any good."
"'Lighten up'? This isn't the time to lighten up! I refuse to lose my life because of that blond-haired idiot!" Corvus shouts while pointing at Chad, who stops laughing and his expression becomes serious.
"You think I like having this thing in my wrist, huh? It wouldn't be permanently stuck in my arm if you hadn't ordered me to pick it up!"
"Well, if you had taken better care of the case, it wouldn't have fallen out!" Corvus yells back and Chad immediately walks up him, their faces only a few centimeters aways from each other.
"Oh, so it's my fault? You were the one who didn't do a good enough job holding back Numbuh Tera!"
"What did you say?" Corvus covers his left hand in electricity while Chad prepares to turn on his B.R.A. but then, they are subjected to freezing temperatures by Libra.
"Stop it. Fighting amongst ourselves is not going to help one bit."
"Brrrr…damn you and your temperature control." Corvus hisses at Libra as his beak and claws are covered in frost while Chad backs off, his arms and face pale from the cold.
"*pant* Gah…so cold…" he says while blowing into his hands as Eliza steps between them.
"Okay you two, why don't you kiss and make up so we can get back to business?."
"Shut up, human." Corvus huffs and turns his back on the others, but Cygnus comes to his side.
"Corvus, this isn't the time and place to start making enemies. Whether you like it or not, Numbuh Delta and you are connected now, so learn to live with it."
"Bah, easy for you to say. I'm the only one who has to deal with this problem."
"For now. Who knows, maybe the rest of us will one day meet matching partners as well." Cygnus pats Corvus' back with her left wing but Corvus brushes it aside and continues to pout.
"You better not back out now, Corvus." Leo's remark cause Corvus to glare at everyone over his shoulder.
"I'm not backing out of anything, but don't expect me to bail you humans out of trouble down there."
"Who said anything about you bailing us out? We can handle ourselves, right?" Eliza says to Maurice and Chad, who nod confidently.
"Heh, that's how it's always been." Maurice smirks while slamming Chad in the back. "You and Corvus aren't so different after all, Mister 'I'm The Best There Is."
"Argh, stop saying that. It doesn't apply to me anymore." Chad replies sheepishly and Eliza realizes who he is referring to.
"If only you were here to see this…" she thinks but quickly regains her composure. "Anyway, since you three will be joining the Cleve Sector, I'll send word to Numbuh Epsilon about this. Numbuh Delta, Numbuh Sigma, take Leo, Corvus and Cygnus with you as soon you're ready." Eliza says and starts walking away.
"And where are you going then?" Chad asks and Eliza replies with a mischievous wink.
"I've got a date." she replies over her shoulder and leaves the hangar, causing Maurice to chuckle.
"Hah, let's hope you-know-who hasn't already fled the Moonbase by now. He didn't like last summer's frontline inspection trip one bit." Maurice says to Chad and then gestures towards the three O.M.E.G.A. Numbers. "Alright, you guys comin'?"
"Most certainly." Cygnus replies as she, Leo and Corvus follow the two teenagers out of the hangar. Then, Kieran, who has kept his focus on the disc, sighs.
"Let's hope they find more Ninja Hideouts and get a working portal generator with them."
"Hmm? Do these Teen Ninjas also use portals?" a curious Scorpius asks and Kieran nods.
"That's right. But theirs can only transport inorganic matter." Then, Numbuh Vine, who has also kept quiet up until now, puts up one her tentacles and points at Libra and Scorpius.
"But aren't you guys inorganic?" her question silences the trio for a few seconds before Libra snaps their fingers.
"Yes, in a way we are. And that means…"
"You can go through those portals!" Kieran jumps up and immediately contacts TND Communications Command. "This is Numbuh Omicron, get me a line to the Cleve Base right now!"
…
Back on Earth, the students of McClintock high school are still dealing with the aftermath of the Sports Festival. While Wally is on his last week of suspension, his friends have noticed how the Football Team has all but disappeared from the public eye. With over half of the freshmen, sophomore and junior members serving suspensions, they have lost their position as the top club in the school. However, Nigel and the others have a much more important thing to worry about: the upcoming to trip to Hydro World.
The girl has a dream: She is lying on her stomach in a burning room. Before her is a massive, dark chasm and hanging on a broken plank, is a person. She can't tell who the person is, but a sense of dread and urgency fills her heart. She tries to reach for the person's hand, but they are too far apart. She hears screaming from the other side of the chasm, as another person is also reaching down. She faintly recognizes the voice, then, the person she is trying to help talks to her: …Never give up…" The plank breaks and the person vanishes into the swirling abyss, causing her to scream in anguish. Then, someone pulls her from behind, and everything turns black.
"HAAAAA!" Abby sits up in her bed, her body covered in sweat and her heart beating frantically. She looks around and then, notices that her eyes and her pillow are wet from tears. Abby's screaming has also alerted her parents, who were eating breakfast in the dining room. She can hear their footsteps as they quickly walk up the stairs and open her door.
"Abigail, mon cher, is everything alright?" Mrs. Lincoln says with a French accent and sits down on her daughter's bedside.
"I…I musta had a nightmare or somethin'…"
"Well, it musta been a real doozy of a nightmare if ya screamed like that." Dr. Lincoln walks to Abby's bedside and checks her temperature.
"I'm okay Daddy. I ain't feelin' sick or anythin'."
"But it never hurts to check, Abigail. Nightmares always have a reason behind them, with the stress and the poor sleepin' and the…" Then, Abby's mother notices the framed picture on Abby's nightstand.
"Oh, this is a lovely picture. You looked so adorable when you were ten. Where did you get this?"
"Uhm…One of my friends gave it to Nigel for his birthday. I had to ask a copy for it."
"C'est tre bon, mon cher, you should value your childhood. Say, mi amour, doesn't this tree look familiar?" Mrs. Lincoln shows the picture to Dr. Lincoln, who recognizes the tree.
"Well, I'll be. This must that treehouse you used to go to all the time when ya were in elementary school."
"Treehouse?! Wha…what do ya mean, Daddy?" The mentioning of the treehouse alarms Abby, surprising her parents.
"Huh? Abigail, how'd you forget? It was uhm…oh where was it again…"
"At the Uno residence, mi amour."
"That's it. Yeah, the Uno house. Ya spent so much time there with your friends playing that uhm…Kids on the block or something, we hardly saw ya at home, heh-heh." Dr. Lincoln laughs but Abby is puzzled.
"But Daddy, there ain't no treehouse at Nigel's home."
"Well, that's because it was struck by lightning a year ago, with the storm and the wind and the fire and the…"
"You and your friends were trying to fix it but it fell apart, mon cher. Oh, it was terrible, it happened at the same time when Cree ran away from home and Maurice went missing for three weeks."
"WHAT?! Wait wait, hold up, what do ya mean Cree ran away?"
"Don't ya remember? She broke up with Maurice a month before, so I think it had something to with it. Hmm? Hey, Abigail, what's the matter?" The things her parents have told her cause Abby to have a stinging headache.
"Urgh…what the heck…why…"
"Mon cher?" Abby's mother puts her hand on Abby's shoulder as Dr. Lincoln crosses his arms.
"She's got a burnout…Abigail, ya need to get some rest. Your old man's gonna call the school and tell 'em you're not feelin' well. You've got that trip with your friends tomorrow, remember?"
"But I gotta attend! If I don't it'll affect my…" The pain causes Abby to almost faint and her mother helps her to lay on the bed.
"Nonsense, mon cher. Your health is more important. We can't have you drive to school in that condition."
"Mama…"
"Now, you stay here, Mama will bring you some medicine."
"And I'll make that phone call, with the dialing and the greeting and the…" Dr. Lincoln's rambling causes Abby to chuckle weakly as her parents leave her room.
"None of this is makin' any sense…"
…
Finally, Saturday morning arrives. Abby spent the rest of Friday morning in bed but recovered quickly from the headache. Now, she wakes up without any problems and gets out of her bed. She takes a set of clothes she had prepared the evening before and heads to the bathroom for a shower. After braiding her hair and putting on a blue and white sweater over her blue top, jeans, white socks and her hat, Abby walks downstairs, where her parents are eating breakfast.
"Ah, good morning, Abigail, are ya feelin' better?"
"I'm fine Daddy. Ya were right about stayin' home yesterday. Abby was just stressed about school or somethin'."
"I had a hunch it was about that. Now, listen Abigail; ya don't have to overwork yoself over school. Your mother and I are very proud that you're doin' so well in school but ya gotta take care of yoself too, with the sleeping rhythm and the healthy diet and the exercise and the…"
"I know that Daddy, don't worry. Abby's got it under control."
"That's good, mon cher. Now, eat well, you have a long drive ahead."
"It's just a one and half hour drive. Abby can deal with that." Abby sits down and her mother gives her a cup of coffee. She then starts eating her breakfast, while Dr. Lincoln is reading a book on the history of clowns as Mrs. Lincoln sits down next to her daughter.
"Did you pack everything, mon cher?"
"Yup, everything's ready."
"I envy you kids, ya get to go to a big hotel with the room service and the jacuzzi and the…"
"Reminds me of our honeymoon, mi amour. Say, how are things going with Hoagie, mon cher?"
The question makes Abby nearly choke on her coffee. "Huh? Wha…what do ya mean, Mama?"
"Well, you two spend a lot of time together so I thought that you were…"
"NO! Mama, I told ya, he's just a friend. Besides, Abby don't have time for a boyfriend! I gotta concentrate on my studies."
"But ya know, I didn't become a doctor before I met your mother."
"Ohoh, mi amour, when we met, you were still working as a clown."
"Heh, I was! Abigail, havin' someone important by your side makes everything easier ya know? You get to share both the good times and the tough times."
"Daddy! Will ya give it a rest?! Hoagie ain't…He ain't…" Abby's face turns red, and she hides it under her cap.
"Just remember mon cher, when the time comes, be honest about your feelings, no matter who they're meant for."
"…" Abby doesn't reply and leaves the kitchen without saying a word.
"She's still so innocent."
"You said it, when Cree was her age, she was datin' Maurice and was the captain of the karate team and…"
"But I'm glad she hasn't grown up the same way. She works so hard, because Cree has always been ahead of her."
"Don't worry dear, she's gonna grow to be fine young lady, you just watch."
"Of course, I know that mi amour, she's my daughter after all." her parents share a hearty laugh as Abby picks her luggage bag from her room, her face still red.
"If only it was so easy, Daddy…"
…
Across town, a visibly frustrated Rachel is standing in-front of her house. She was planning to decline Nigel's offer to come with them but first Patton and then Eliza had talked her over. "I know I'm the head observer but still…we're planning a huge operation and they're forcing me to go to a water park…" she thinks while adjusting her turquoise beanie. She is also wearing a bright dark orange jacket, red gloves, jeans and large dark red boots. Then, she hears the familiar sound of Patton's SUV as he stops next to the sidewalk.
"Morning, you need a lift?" Patton says cheerfully as Rachel throws her large gym bag into the trunk before climbing into the SUV's front seat. "Hey, this is just a one-night trip. Loosen up."
"I can't loosen up, Patton. I've got a million things to worry about and you're dragging me away from my Sector right before an important mission."
"Oh come on, it's just one night. Numbuh Psi can handle our Sector, she's the previous KND Supreme Leader for crying out loud."
"I know that but…"
"Is this about Chad?"
"No! This has nothing to do with him…" Rachel crosses her arms and stares angrily out of the window while Patton sighs.
"When are you gonna let go of your grudge against him? He confessed to everything, and you still don't trust him."
"I told you; this isn't about him!" Rachel shouts angrily but her expression tells otherwise.
"Hey, how long do you think we've been working together? I know what that face means." Patton's sharp glare causes Rachel to lower her head and hide her eyes under her bangs. "Chad's one of us now. If you keep rejecting him, you'll just sound like a hypocrite. You forgave Nigel and the others so why can't you do the same to Chad?" Patton's words strike home and Rachel clenches her fists.
"I…I just…" then, Patton gently pats Rachel's shoulder with his right hand.
"Say it to Chad. I don't like seeing you act like this all the time, you know? Now cheer up, we've got a hotel trip to enjoy." Patton then slams his hand against Rachel's back as he stops in-front of Fanny's house, where they notice her dad, Mr. Fulbright staring from the living room window. "Man, that guy is way too possessive of Fanny."
"…you're right…You're right, Patton. I have to move on…"
"That's the spirit." Patton smirks as a frowning Fanny hops in the backseat. "So, what's up with you?"
"Dad kept being a pest about the trip. Said to call him if anything happens or if any guys try to hit on me…"
"Hah-hah-hah, well, I wouldn't worry too much about you getting hit on! Ouch!" for his comment, Patton receives a swift kick to his seat's backrest while Rachel gives him a dead arm. "Gah, hey, not you too."
"You've been spending too much time with Hoagie, because that joke was dumb." Rachel says but Patton notices the faint smirk on her face.
"Hah-hah, there's that smile I was looking for." he chuckles and then, Rachel starts giggling as well, much to Fanny's confusion.
"Oi, what are ya loons laughing about?"
"Hah-hah. it's nothing, Fanny. Alright, let's get pumped, ladies! This is gonna be a blast!" Patton shouts as he flamboyantly drives away from the Fulbright residence, under the watchful eye of Fanny's dad.
An hour later, at 10 am in the morning. Wally is standing in a lonely bus stop near the highway leading towards the west as the cold Halloween breeze hits his face with full force, angering him.
"Why the crud did Dad have to bring me here so early…" he pulls up his jacket collar and pulls down his light blue beanie. Then, he notices a blue car approach the bus stop and it stops in front of him and the person getting off the front seat, is none other than Hoagie, wearing his long beige wind-proof coat and woolly gloves.
"Wow, you're here early."
"Dad brought me here at 9…"
"Dude, that's like an hour too early."
"He had some things to do or something, so he dropped me off here…said it'd do good for me to get some fresh air…" Wally mutters, his hands buried in his pockets.
"Yeesh…" Hoagie then takes a gym bag from the back seat and waves at his mom.
"Have fun Hoagie." his mother, Betty Gilligan waves back.
"Oh, don't worry mom, I will." Hoagie winks at Wally.
"And behave yourself! I don't want to get any phone calls from the hotel staff, got it?!" Betty gives her son a furious glare, causing him to stutter.
"Of course, I will, mom…haha…what do you take me for…" Betty looks at her son one more time and drives off.
"Man, does she think I'm some sort of a hooligan or something…"
"From the way you've been ravin' about Hydro World, I can't blame her…"
"HEY!" Wally chuckles but then the cold breeze hits his face again.
"Stupid cruddy wind…"
"So uhm…did ya pack a lot?"
"Just what I needed." Wally shows Hoagie his backpack.
"Did you get a clean shirt or something? The girls wanted us to wear something fancy for the buffet."
"I got a shirt and an extra hoodie."
"Dude, this is a chance to impress the girls you know. You gotta wear something better than that."
"I don't care. I'm there to relax, not get judged by my clothes."
"Yeah, I kinda guessed. Man, just thinking about the buffet makes me hungry…"
Meanwhile, high above Cleve, Cygnus is flying over the town, followed by a bored Leo. They had been given permission to explore the area if they kept out of sight but so far, they have only been able to view city from the sky. "Booooring! How long are ya gonna drag me along in this dumb sightseeing trip?"
"Oh don't be like that, Leo. Learning about ones surroundings is essential, especially when you're on an alien planet. My, this is so intriguing." a wide-eyed Cygnus replies while watching Cleve in with interest.
"Well, not for me. All I've done since we came to this dumb planet is sat around doing nothing! When are we gonna get some action?"
"Patience, Leo. Numbuh Delta said we shall participate in their next mission."
"Yeah, but when is it?" Huh? Hey, what the heck are you spacing out for?" Leo notices that Cygnus seems out of it and her Omega symbol of blinking. "Did ya hear me?"
"Hm? Oh, sorry, I don't know what came over me. I just…felt something unusual…" she replies but then, Leo starts sniffing the air while his Omega symbol also starts blinking. "Leo?"
"*sniff* What the heck is this smell? It's…familiar…"
"Maybe we should return to the base and contact Libra and Scorpius. I hope this isn't anything serious…"
"Yeah, whatever." But as the two aliens fly back towards the Cleve base, up in the Moonbase, unknown to the occupants of the No. 10 hangar, two of the O.L. Rings inside their case start flashing for a brief moment.
Back on the ground, Wally and Hoagie's conversation is stopped by the appearance of a red sedan and even from a distance, the boys can hear loud music booming from its radio. Sitting in the passenger's seat is Nigel, having an irritated expression on his face.
"Heh, you seeing that? His dad must be playing tuba music in the car again." The car stops a short distance away from the bus stop and the moment Nigel opens the door, the music becomes deafening, sending both Wally and Hoagie wild with laughter. Nigel slams his door shut and takes his luggage bag from the trunk.
"Enjoy your outing, son!"
"Yes Dad…" Nigel waves back at his father, who swiftly turns the car around and drives away. He then joins his friends, who are both holding their stomachs from the laughing so loud. "Good morning…"
"Hah-hah, morning Nigel…"
"What the crud was that all about? Ya weren't kidding about your dad being crazy about the tuba!"
"It's a sousaphone, NOT a tuba…"
"Sorry Nigel, it's just…every time your dad brings you anywhere, he blasts that music, no matter where you are! I bet you could hear that all the way to the suburbs, hah-hah-hah!" Hoagie almost falls on his back.
"Yes, it's very funny…" Nigel says, not amused by his friend's antics. After calming down, the boys huddle together.
"So, are you excited about this, Nigel?"
"Not as excited as you are Hoagie, but I admit I am looking forward to this."
"This is gonna be epic. I can't wait to see what kind of a place that penthouse is. Can you imagine, us, high schoolers in a penthouse suite?"
"It is rather hard to believe. I'll have to send Eliza a proper Christmas present this year…"
"Yeah, but can ya really top this?" Before Nigel can answer, they hear the sound of a car and look behind them. They see the familiar blue color of Abby's convertible approaching them and sitting in the front with her is Kuki, whom she picked up along the way. Abby parks the car as the boys pick up their luggage but when they go to open the trunk, they discover something.
"Uhm…how are we going to fit our luggage in there?" Nigel says as the boys look at each other. The trunk already has both Kuki's and Abby's luggage but barely any room for anything else.
"Hey Abby, we can't fit our stuff in here!"
"What do ya mean, Hoagie? We left some room for ya."
"What room? There isn't any room to speak of!" Hoagie shouts and Abby gets out of the car.
"Just push 'em aside and…oh…" Abby realizes the problem and crosses her arms. "I get your point…"
"Mine ain't big, I can carry it on my lap."
"Well, Wally, that's a start…hey, if we give your bag to Kuki, we could probably fit the rest into the trunk."
"Hoagie has a point, Abby." Nigel says while removing his red beanie.
"Okay, do it. We're gonna be late if we don't get a move on." Abby takes her bag and hands it over to Kuki, who holds it on her lap. Nigel and Hoagie then manage to fit theirs into the trunk and walk over to the passenger doors but immediately, they run into another problem.
"Uhm…"
"What now?" Frustration begins to build up as Abby looks over her shoulder.
"How are we going to fit in there?" Hoagie points at the backseat, which, while designed for three, is still very tightly spaced.
"Quit complainin'! We all agreed that we'd use my car, since it's the only one that can fit five people."
"Four and a half maybe but not five."
"JUST SHUT UP AND GET IN!" Abby's furious scream startles the boys.
"Okay, okay…uhm, Nigel, you sit on the right, I'll be in the middle and Wally on the left, okay?"
"Sure, whatever…" Wally replies while Nigel nods, and the boys squeeze themselves inside. Nigel is pressed against the right-side door while Hoagie must lean forward due to his height and Wally's broad shoulders force him to pull them up, causing discomfort. They just barely manage to put their seatbelts on as Abby starts driving towards the highway, that leads to the west.
"Wally, can you move a bit? Your shoulder's digging into my side." Hoagie complains as Nigel struggles next to him.
"I can't move at all! Hoagie, can you please move your legs a bit?"
"Are you guys okay?" Kuki looks back at the boys, who are finding the backseat very uncomfortable.
"Does it look like we're okay? Now I know what sardines must feel like…" Wally mutters.
"My neck is killing me…"
"And my face if going to leave an impression on this window…"
"Just deal with it. This is gonna be a long drive if ya complain the whole time." Abby huffs as they take the exit ramp from the highway.
"I wish I'd taken my van instead…" Hoagie laments, which only angers Abby further.
"That thing only fits 3 AND there was no way Abby was gonna get in that rust bucket."
"Hey, Betsy 3 is NOT a rust bucket! I always keep her in pristine condition, thank you very much. Besides, we boys could've used it anyway…"
"I swear, if I hear another word outta ya, I'm gonna kick you guys out and you can walk to Hydro World!" Abby's words put a stop to the boy's complaints while Kuki watches on with a slightly sad expression.
"Hey, let's not fight, okay? This was supposed to be a fun trip." The others reflect on their actions and calm down.
"Yeah, you're right. Sorry Abby. Being in the back is a small price to pay for A PENTHOUSE SUITE, FREE TICKETS TO THE WATER PARK AND AN ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET!" Hoagie shouts as Abby nods back.
"And the spa! Abby's lookin' forward for some rest and relaxation."
"I wonder if they have a masseuse, my neck muscles have been very stiff lately." Nigel says, his face half pressed against the window.
"Heh, I bet they've got more than that." Hoagie smirks while Kuki joins the conversation.
"I wanna see if they have a karaoke machine. In Japan, we always sing karaoke during trips." she explains enthusiastically.
"Heh, girl, the way ya sing, ya don't need karaoke to do it."
"Yeah, you've got the best singing voice I've ever heard."
"Oh, you guys…I'm not that good." Kuki blushes slightly at Abby and Hoagie's compliments while Wally nudges Hoagie in the side.
"Is that true?" he whispers, but Hoagie starts grinning instantly.
"Oh man, you haven't heard her sing, haven't you? She's got the voice of an angel I tell ya."
"Stop Hoagie, you're embarrassing me…"
"Heheh, are ya blushing because of his compliment or is it because Wally asked?" Abby nudges Kuki with her right elbow.
"HEY!"
"Hah-hah-hah-hah!" Hoagie, Abby and Nigel laugh at Kuki, who sinks into her seat, clutching her necklace in embarrassment while Wally huffs and turns his gaze at the scenery passing by him.
The journey to Hydro World feels like an eternity, at least for the boys. While the girls listen to the radio, the boy's extremities start getting numb due to the tight backseat. Eventually, the silhouette of the resort appears behind a small forest, drawing their attention. "There it is! Oh man, this is gonna be so cool...ouch." Hoagie says but in his excitement, hits his head against the roof.
"And we can finally get outta this cruddy thing, I can't feel my legs."
"You said it, Wally, my butt is numb."
"Dude, no wonder it's so tight in here, your ass is taking all the space! Hah-hah-hah!"
Nigel rolls his eyes as Wally and Hoagie crack up instantly. "Argh, walked right into that one…" he mutters as Abby steers the car into the parking lot, showing the parking voucher Nigel got from the hotel, allowing them to pass the entrance gates. Then Kuki notices a familiar car parked not far from the gates.
"Hey look, it's Patton's SUV."
"Man, it would've been nice to go in his car instead of this…" Hoagie's comment angers Abby but she remains silent as she parks the car next to the SUV while Rachel, Fanny and Patton are standing in front of its trunk. The moment the car stops, the boys scramble to undo their seatbelts and after opening the doors, all three crawl out of the convertible. "*gasp* Freedom!" Hoagie straightens himself up and stretches.
"That was cruddy torture…" Wally says while sitting on the cold pavement, trying to get the blood flowing into his legs.
"Well, it was an experience, that's for sure…Ouch, that did not do any favors for my shoulders…"
"Hey guys! Looks like you made it just in time." Rachel says as she, Fanny and Patton approach their friends.
"We got here an hour ago, what took ya?" Fanny asks, causing Abby to glare at the boys.
"Roadwork…" she mutters, still irked about the boy's complaining about her car.
"What's up with you three?" Patton asks as Wally and Nigel stand up.
"Oh boy, I am never complaining about tight spaces, not after that." Nigel replies as he stretches his stiff shoulder.
"Wait, you guys didn't use your van? I was sure you'd come here with that instead." Patton asks as Hoagie points at the convertible.
"We figured that out only after we'd gotten into that tin can…" Then, Abby hits Hoagie with her hat, though with much more force than usual.
"THEN YOU SHOULD'VE CALLED A DAMN TAXI!" she shouts and stomps away, towards the hotel entrance doors, startling the others.
"I think your complaining went too far there…" Nigel gives Hoagie a serious look.
"Tell me about it…" Hoagie holds the back of his head as the others unpack the cars.
"Hey, Abby left her keys in the ignition." Rachel says as they close Abby's car's trunk.
"Uhm...I'll take care of it…" Hoagie replies and takes the keys and locks the car, before picking both his and Abby's luggage and joins the others.
"Not the best way to start this trip…"
"Don't worry Nigel, I'm sure they'll make up. You know how Abby is, right?"
"Yes, of course, Rachel…" The teens go through the doors and enter the main hall: To their left is the reception desk and opposite to it, to their right is door that connects the hotel to the water park and spa. Directly in front of the group is both the restaurant entrance and the stairs and elevators that lead to the upper floors and the entire hall is painted white with a mahogany floor.
"Whoa…" Everyone is speechless at the sight before them as Nigel hands his luggage to Rachel.
"Watch these, please. I'll do the check in."
"Oh, I'll come with you." Rachel replies and hands Nigel's luggage over to the others before walking over to the reception desk with him.
"Where's Abby…?" Hoagie looks around as Kuki becomes worried.
"I hope she's not too angry…"
"Ya really pissed her off this time." Wally eyes a cautious Hoagie, who frowns.
"Don't remind me…hey, there she is!" Hoagie notices Abby leaving the ladies bathroom on their right and waves at her. She however doesn't respond but walks over to them regardless and forcefully takes her luggage from Hoagie, ignoring his attempt to speak to her.
"Man, she's furious…" Wally whispers to Hoagie, who steels his nerve.
"Yeah…I've gotta fix this somehow…" Hoagie mutters as Nigel and Rachel return.
"Alright, here you go." He hands everyone their room key cards, all of them having the same number but the boy's keys have the letter B, and the girls have A.
"They were really kind, they even let us use the karaoke machine." Rachel says while eyeing Kuki, who's face lights up immediately.
"REALLY?!"
"Heh, Nigel let it slip that one of us really likes karaoke, so they said they'll have it brought over later today." Kuki's reaction makes Rachel smile as well
"Yay!"
"Then what are we waiting for, let's go already!" Fanny shouts and the group walks over to the elevators, splitting into two smaller groups and board two elevators. They are then taken to the 10th floor from where they walk to the end of the hallway and arrive at a door that says: "20DX"
"This is it…" Nigel puts his card into the reader and the lock opens with a click. Nigel then enters the room, followed by the others. A unified gasp is heard when they see what kind of a room they've entered: The penthouse consists of a large open-concept central room with two doors on the left and right-side walls. At the center are three large divan-styled sofas, four armchairs and a plasma screen TV.
Behind it is a long window that runs across the width of the room and two glass doors that leads to the balcony. To the left of the room, next to the door closer to the window is a snack and drinks bar with a phone meant for room service. To the right, between the two doors is a stereo system, surrounded by beanbags. "Duuuude…!" Hoagie's jaw drops wide opens as everyone is stunned by what they see.
"This is…incredible…" Nigel mutters as they walk further in, but before the others can do anything, Wally kicks off his shoes, takes off his jacket and beanie and jumps on the sofa.
"What are ya guys standing around there for?" he says as the others snap out from their trance.
"WHOOOOO!" Hoagie shouts and also takes off his jacket and shoes and jumps on the other sofa. "Man, this is awesome! I wish I had a sofa like this." he stretches his legs and arms, loosening up in the process.
"Come on, let's go see the view!" Kuki takes Abby's hand and pulls her towards the balcony. She then opens the glass door and goes outside, with Abby in tow. "OH MY GOSH! Guys, come here!" She shouts and Nigel, Rachel and Fanny come to the balcony. "Look!"
"Is that a…hot tub?" Rachel notices the black tarp covering a white structure. She then peeks under it and to her surprise, it is indeed a hot tub.
"It's huge. Definitely bigger than ours…" Patton also peeks under the tarp.
"You have a hot tub?" Nigel asks and Patton nods back.
"Just a small one. Helps me recover from fatigue after exercising."
"Too bad it's out of order. The receptionist said the previous guests broke it." Nigel says, causing Kuki and Fanny to sigh in dissapointment.
"Aw..."
"Argh, that's just stupid..."
"Don't worry, the spa has hot baths, so it's not a total loss." Rachel says as Nigel walks back inside and sees the same letter in his keycard as the on the left-side door.
"Hmm…this must be the bedroom…" He mutters and opens the door. Inside is a slightly smaller room with four beds, one in each corner. "Hey guys, bring your luggage to the bedroom so they won't be in the way."
"Hold on…" Wally takes his backpack and throws it across the room, barely missing Nigel's head. It then hits the bedroom wall and gently lands on the bed in the north-west corner of room. "Done." he says nonchalantly and continues to lounge.
"At least warn me next time!" Nigel huffs and puts his luggage on the bed in the south-east corner. The girls meanwhile also open their bedroom door and put their luggage on the beds.
Then, Hoagie stands up and after putting his luggage away, walks over to the snack bar and opens the fridge. "Oh man, they've got this thing stuffed with goodies. Nigel, is it okay if I take something?"
"Yes, they said we were free to eat and call if we needed a refill."
"Woohoo! Wally, you want something? There's club sandwiches and subway's in here."
"Subway." Wally waves from the sofa and Hoagie nods.
"Catch!" He throws a subway to Wally's direction, who catches it from mid-air. "Hah, nice catch!" Hoagie himself opens a bag of pretzels and returns to the sofa.
"Why don't we all relax for bit? We can go the water park a bit later."
"I second that!" Kuki shouts.
"Me too!" Fanny agrees and sits down on an armchair. Wally gives Nigel a thumbs up while Hoagie nods. Patton sits down on another armchair and turns on the TV while Fanny and Rachel go on the third sofa.
Abby meanwhile takes her headphones and plugs them into the stereo and connects her phone to it as well. As she silently listens to music next to the girl's bedroom, Nigel looks at Hoagie. "Hoagie, are you going to clear things up with Abby?"
"I uhm…of course I will, I just need the right moment for that…" Hoagie stutters under Nigel's sharp gaze.
"Just don't let it hang over too long." Hoagie nods as Nigel sits on the only free spot, the corner of the last sofa where Rachel and Fanny are sitting.
"You mind if I sit here?"
"Of course not." Rachel replies and scoots over, leaving Kuki the only one without a place to sit, so she jumps on the sofa where Wally lounging and lands on top of him.
"OW! WHAT THE CRUD!" The others laugh as Kuki moves to the other end of Wally's sofa.
"I have to sit somewhere. Besides, this has the best view!" Kuki points at window on her right while Wally mutters and gives her room. Then, the teens start watching TV, though with some arguments about what to watch.
For the next hour, they relax in the lounge until the clock hits 12:30. "Hey Nigel, can we go to the water park now?"
"Hmm…let's check the time, Hoagie…All right, sure. Are you guys okay with it?"
"Let's do it." Rachel puts her hand up while Fanny nods intensely.
"I wanna go!"
"Whatever." a slightly pained Wally mutters while Hoagie jumps up from his sofa.
"Alright!" The only one who doesn't reply is Abby, who has kept her headphones on the whole time. The others immediately look at Hoagie who grimaces slightly. "Uhm…"
"Well? Ya gonna apologize or what?"
"I uhm…Okay, okay, I'll do it, Fanny. Just…"
Nigel and other realize what Hoagie means, prompting Kuki to walking over to Abby as the others get up and retrieve their towels and swimsuits. "Abby?" Kuki nudges her friend who removes her headphones.
"What's up?"
"Let's go, we're going to the water park."
"Oh, right…"
"Yeah, so come on, get up." Kuki pulls Abby up and they walk over to the girl's bedroom to pick up their things. When they return, Nigel is standing next to the main door.
"Abby. Hoagie is still getting his things together, so can you wait for him while we go ahead?"
"Huh?! Why do I gotta…" Kuki shuts down Abby's complaints with a short glare. "…Argh, fine…" Abby mutters and Kuki puts her hand on her shoulder before she and Nigel walk out, leaving Abby by herself. She leans against the wall next to the door and looks around. "Stupid Hoagie…" Then, the boy's room door opens and a flustered Hoagie carrying his towel and other things in a small plastic bag, walks out.
"Uhm…sorry about the wait."
"Whatever…" Abby mutters and is about to leave when Hoagie grabs her arm. "Hey, what's the big idea?!"
"I'M SORRY!" Hoagie bows his head, surprising. "I went too far with my complaining!"
"Hmph, at least ya realize that."
"Can you forgive me?"
"…I dunno…Ya mocked my car and embarrassed me in front of the others…"
"Please! I don't want you to pout the whole time!"
"Well…okay, Abby forgives ya."
"Really?!" Hoagies lifts his head and has a relieved smile on his face.
"BUT! You make sure ya behave from now on, got it? You make a fool outta me again, and yer gonna regret it, got it?" Abby crosses her arms and stares intensely at Hoagie, who stutters.
"Oh…uhm…absolutely! I'll be on my best behavior!" Hoagie straightens his back and gives Abby military salute, which somehow feels nostalgic to her. She then smiles and grabs Hoagie's arm.
"Okay, let's get goin'. The others are waitin'."
"Yeah, right!" Abby pulls Hoagie out of the room but the moment she walks out, and catch up to the others at the elevators.
"So, did you make up?" Nigel asks, prompting Abby to gently elbow Hoagie.
"Goggle Boy promised to behave." her layed back reply amuses the the others and even Abby manages to smile a bit. The group then laugh together before they board the elevator. It takes them to the first floor, and they walk over to the reception desk, where they are given the keys to the water park's lockers, before they split up and head to the locker rooms.
In the men's shower, as they guys are changing to their swimming trunks, Hoagie, Nigel and Patton notice that Wally's back is riddled with burn scars that run from the back of his neck down to the middle of his back. The scars are also present on his shoulders and upper arms down to the elbows. "Wow, that's a lot of scars…" Hoagie comments as he adjusts his blue swimming trunks. He has also replaced his pilot goggles with yellow lensed swimming goggles.
"Hey, will ya stop staring?! It' bad enough I have to go there without a shirt…" Wally snaps, wearing his orange and light blue trunks.
"Did those really come from a charcoal grill?" Nigel, wearing red trunks, crosses his arms.
"I don't know! That's just what dad said…" Wally replies but Patton, who has remained silent, looks at the scars sternly. "And I ain't the only one here with scars! What's the deal with that?" Wally points at the scar on Hoagie's left shoulder.
"Oh this…I don't know really…I've had it for a while now, no idea how I got it though. Mom said there's a titanium plate right under that scar. It's pretty epic though." Hoagie says sheepishly as Nigel inspects it.
"Hmm…this isn't a burn mark like Wally's…this must've been made by a sharp object that hit you straight on."
"Wow really? I had no idea…"
"Can we stop looking at those and go already? The girls are gonna yell at us if we're late." A frustrated Patton says as he stands up, wearing his green, camo patterned trunks.
"Oh right, of course." Nigel picks up his towel and heads to the pools, followed by the others. They walk along a corridor that leads to the water park. As they step out into the open, they are awestruck. "Damn…" Patton mutters while Nigel can't believe his eyes.
"It's way bigger than I imagined…"
"Oh boy…" Hoagie grins as the they walk further. Before them is a massive indoor water park, with 3 large pools, two of them connected by a lazy stream going back and forth. The third one is a standard pool meant for exercise. Between it and the middle pool is a deep pool with three diving boards, each higher than the other. A water tunnel connects the middle pool to a heated outdoor pool and separate from the others is a wave pool. Snaking around the park are 6 massive waterslides, two leading to the pool in front of the boys while other four have their own exits. "This is the coolest water park ever!" Hoagie shouts victoriously as the boys walk closer towards the pool nearest to them.
"Yup, this place is awesome. Eliza really got you a great gift." Patton says to Nigel, who crosses his arms.
"Maybe even too great…uhm…Wally, are you okay?" Nigel notices Wally freezing he when looks at the water.
"I uhm…"
"Don't tell me you can't swim?" Hoagie comes to his side and looks down to the water's edge.
"Of course, I can! It's just…I don't like being in water…"
"So, you can't swim." Hoagie says bluntly but Wally protests.
"I CAN! I just…don't swim a lot, that's all…*gulp*" Wally swallows and looks at his reflection.
"Ah you'll get used it. You can't NOT swim in an awesome water park like this."
"I know but…"
"Is it about your injury?" Nigel points at the surgery mark in the left side of Wally's stomach, where he was hit by Ernest.
"I went to the doctor this week and he said I could swim but nothin' crazy."
"So, no slides for you…you have my pity." Hoagie jokingly puts his hand on Wally's shoulder, angering him slightly.
"Hey, the girls are coming." Patton points over his shoulder as the girls walk out the women's shower. Abby and Fanny are wearing blue and green bikinis respectably while Rachel and Kuki are wearing turquoise and light purple one-piece swimsuits and Kuki also has a purple swimming cap. Their appearance makes the boys feel flustered.
"Oh man, being young is great…" Hoagie mutters, his eyes glued to Abby.
"Stop talkin' like that. Ya sound like an old man!" Wally snaps at Hoagie but, his eyes are drawn to Kuki, causing his face to turn red and he looks away.
"Hey guys! You got here before us." Rachel greets the boys as they regroup.
"Uhm…yes, looks like it…" Nigel stutters, equally mesmerized by Rachel.
Kuki then notices Wally looking away, towards the pool. "Wally? Is something wrong?" She walks over to him, but Wally can't bear to look, his face glowing red.
"Nnnnno…I'm fine…" The other notice's Wally's poor attempts at hiding his face and they take a step back.
"Are you sure? You're not sick are you?" Kuki leans forwards, causing Wally to feel even more uncomfortable.
"I said I'm fine!" Wally covers his mouth as his face is red a stop sign. "Crud…why is she so close…and in her swimsuit!"
Hoagie looks at the others and sneaks closer and then, pushes Wally into the water, startling both him and Kuki. "WHAT THE CRU…!" Wally flies headfirst into the pool with a huge splash. While Hoagie, Fanny and Abby are laughing, Kuki kneels down next to the pool and tries to see if Wally surfaces. For a few seconds, nothing happens.
"Uhm…" Hoagie also peeks over the edge as Nigel and Patton join him.
"Hoagie, are you sure he wasn't lying when he said he could swim?" Nigel eyes a sweating Hoagie while Kuki panics.
"HE CAN'T SWIM?!" Kuki screams and is about to jump into the pool when Wally rises up, his face red with anger.
"He's fine, come on, you guys worry too much." But then, Hoagie sees Wally's furious expression. "Ehm…"
"So that's how ya wanna play, HUH?!" Wally wades closer to the poolside as Hoagie takes a step back and goes behind Nigel.
"Hey, it was just a joke, honest!"
"A joke huh…JUST A JOKE?!" Wally reaches forward with his hands but instead of grabbing Hoagie's foot, he grabs both Patton's and Nigel's feet.
"Wally, what are you…WAAAAAHHHH!" Wally drags both boys into the pool in an instant, shocking the girls.
"Damn, no wonder he nearly gave Ernest brain damage…" Abby mutters as Hoagie is about to run away when Wally climbs out of the pool and manages to take hold of Hoagie.
"Come on Wally, can't you take a joOOOOOAAAAHHH!" Wally throws Hoagie into the pool and he skips twice like a skipping stone before doing a summersault and splashing into the water.
"*pant*…*pant*…how do ya like that…" Wally stands on the poolside but he doesn't realize that his back is turned towards the girls, who notice the scars on his back.
"Aw man, that's nasty…" Abby mutters as Fanny squints to get a better look
"I've never seen so many scars!"
"…" Kuki stares in shock as Wally overhears them.
"AW CRUD!" he shouts and jumps into the pool in a panic while the Nigel, Patton and Hoagie surface.
"Well, that's one way to enter a pool…" Nigel says while Patton's ears are filled with water.
"I forgot he was so strong…" he mutters while a disoriented Hoagie tries to stay afloat.
"What…what happened…"
"Hah-hah, serves ya right Hoagie." Abby chuckles as she and the girls also enter the pool. They then form a circle, but Wally only has his head on the surface, making sure no one sees his back.
"Cruddy water…stupid…"
"Heheh, you boys always like to make a scene, don't ya?" Fanny chuckles along with Abby.
"Yeah, he threw ya like a skipping stone. Man, Abby shoulda brought her phone."
"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want…" Hoagie mutters but then, with a glint in his eye, he takes a deep breath and goes underwater. He then pulls Wally underwater as well. Before he can react, he sees Hoagie pointing at the girls while nodding and giving him the thumbs up. Wally's eyes are drawn to the same direction Hoagie is pointing but before either can do anything else, a hand reaches down and grabs Hoagie by his hair, causing Wally to bring his head up too. "OWOWOW!"
"Just what were ya doin' down there, huh?" Abby has pulled Hoagie to surface but continues to hold on this auburn hair.
"What? I was just testing how long I could hold my breaaaaaaOUCH! Stop pulling my hair!"
"Uh-huh? Didn't ya say wanted to go to those water slides? Then let's go, Goggle Boy!" Abby glares at Hoagie and starts pulling him away by his hair.
"Okay, okay, you don't have pull my hair, come on!"
"I wanna go to the wave pool!" Fanny points at the near empty wave pool.
"Then let's go there. Abby will take care of Hoagie. You coming, Nigel?"
"Oh uhm, sure." Nigel nods as Rachel, Patton and Fanny start leaving the pool. Kuki is also about to follow them, but then she sees Wally pouting in the corner of the pool, his head only visible.
"Kuki?"
"Uhm…you guys go on ahead…" Nigel realizes what she means and simply nods. As he joins the others, Kuki swims to Wally, who glares furiously at the water. "Wally, are you okay? It wasn't very nice of Hoagie to do that…"
"Whatever…"
"Do you…like swimming?" her inqiusitive expression causes Wally to look away.
"No…I hate the water…"
"Why do you hate it?" Kuki moves closer while Wally keeps his gaze away from her.
"…I can't cruddy swim…" his face turns red, and he blows bubbles into the water.
"You can't swim? Why didn't you tell us before?"
"Cuz it's embarrassing. I'm fine if my feet hit the bottom but anythin' deeper than that and I sink like a rock…" Wally mutters while a sincere smile appears on Kuki's face.
"Okay, then I'll teach you!"
"What?!"
"Yeah, let's go!" Kuki grabs Wally's hand and pulls him along as she gets out of the pool and leads him to the exercise pool.
"Hey, where the crud are ya…oh no…nononono!" Wally pleads as Kuki drags him to the edge.
"Okay Wally, in you go."
"Are ya kidding? There's no way I'm going to the deep pool! Couldn't ya at least let me practice in the other one?!"
"Because it would be too easy! Now…get…in!" Kuki gently pushes Wally, just enough that he loses his balance.
"HEY STOP, STOOOPPP…!" Wally falls headfirst into the deeper pool while Kuki jumps after him. "GAAAHHHH OH GREAT! I'M GONNA END UP DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU…!" Wally shouts and frantically tries to stay on the surface. Kuki floats beside him, takes his hand and places it on the edge of the pool. "*cough* *pant* Grr…" Wally pants and leans against the edge while Kuki giggles. "What the crud's so funny? You almost killed me!"
"Don't be like that, Wally. Sometimes you need a little push to get going. Okay, let's start your swimming lesson. Don't worry, I'll have you swimming like a fishy in no time." Kuki smiles as she swims to Wally's side and then offers her hands to him. "Now, just hold on to my arms and I'll start pulling you while you kick with your legs."
"Aw come on…you're makin' it sounds like I'm a kid or something…"
"Less talking back and more swimming mister! I really want to help you, you know." Kuki's sincerity makes Wally blush and he reluctantly does what he's told. Then, Kuki begins to gently pull Wally along the 25m long pool while he kicks, as other swimmers watch, much to Wally's discomfort.
"They're all cruddy lookin' at us…"
"So what? They're strangers." Kuki says calmly and just pulls Wally along, ignoring the weird looks and snickering. Wally then sees the scars in her wrists and suddenly realizes the amount of courage Kuki has had to muster to even be at the pool, making his problem seem insignificant compared to hers.
"What the crud am I doin'…if she can be here like its nothin', then I'm gonna cruddy learn how to swim, dammit!"
A sense of determination grows within him, and Wally starts putting more force into his kicking, surprising Kuki. "Oh, look at you, you're starting to get it." A few seconds later, they're already at the other end of the pool.
"…what next?" Wally pants slightly as Kuki gets out of the pool and brings him a kick board.
"Okay, take this and go back."
"The crud is this?"
"It'll keep you afloat silly. I'll swim with you so let's go!" Kuki jumps back into the pool and gestures Wally to her follow. He nods back and starts swimming towards the other end but as he moves forward, a faint smile appears on his face, and this is quickly picked up by Kuki. "Aww, look at you, you're having fun."
"Huh?! No, I'm not!"
"I saw it! You like swimming, don't you?!" Kuki playfully pokes Wally's left cheek.
"Wha…I don't know what you're talkin' about!" Wally shouts and starts kicking faster, pulling away from Kuki, who giggles and swims after him.
…
As Kuki continues to vigorously teach Wally how to swim in the big exercise pool, elsewhere in water park, standing in the stairs leading to the longest and tallest waterslide, Abby has been keeping an eye on her friends and nudges Hoagie. "Yo, look at those two."
"Woah, I'm kinda jealous…OW!"
"Boy, watch yo mouth." Abby glares at Hoagie as they go another step upwards.
"Yeah, yeah…you don't have to hit me every time I speak…"
"Abby's doin' that cuz ya say stupid things. Anyway, how long do ya think those two are gonna stay as 'just friends'? I mean, look at 'em! They look like they're goin' out already!"
"Heh, that's because Kuki's so patient with him, and Wally's got no experience with girls."
"For real? Did he say that?"
"Yup. None whatsoever."
"Huh…well, that does make sense. Maybe they were like that too back when we were kids."
"Yeah…have you ever thought that…you want those memories back?" Hoagie asks and Abby looks out into the distance.
"All the time. But Abby don't think there's any way we'll get 'em back though…"
"Well, you can always hope. I wanna know if I had a girlfriend back then. Man, imagine if you dated someone and you both lose your memories of each other." a starry eye Hoagie says but Abby quickly shoots down his suggestion.
"Sounds like a plot to a cheesy romcom movie. Besides, Abby doubts ya had any luck with girls back then."
"Wha…you don't know that!"
"Heh, let's just say Abby's got this gut feelin'." Abby smirks as the line moves again. As Hoagie looks down towards the vast water park below, Abby notices the scar in his left shoulder and starts feeling uncomfortable for some reason. "Did he always have that thing? Abby feels like she's seen it before…" she thinks but then, she realizes that Hoagie saw her looking at it.
"Ooh, I see you looking. Pretty rad huh? I got no idea where I got it form but mom said I had to go to surgery because of it. Look, there's even a titanium plate in there." Hoagie presses against the scar and sure enough, there is something embedded in the bone. Abby, however, is not amused.
"Gah, that's just nasty. Don't do that!"
"But I saw you stare at it!"
"Ah…Abby wasn't. You're just too self-conscious!" Abby brushes him off.
"…no, you were looking at it…" Hoagie mutters and looks back down, while Abby hides her own embarrassment from him.
"Like heck was Abby gonna admit that…dummy…"
Soon, the line moves forward, and they reach the top. Abby grabs the railing and leans forwards, waiting for the green light while Hoagie stands behind her. He takes a look at Abby in her swimsuit, causing his heart to skip a beat. "Aw man…she's too cute in that…" Then, the light turns green and Abby hops into the slide, leaving Hoagie alone. "Too bad I've got zero chance…" he sighs and waits until the light turns green again and he slides down. At the same time, Abby is waiting for him at the bottom of the huge slide, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Why does he always have to blurt out those things…" Then, Abby's snapped back to reality when she hears noise coming from the slide.
"Oh man…whoa…WHAAAAA!" Immediately peeking into the tube-like slide's exit, Abby sees Hoagie coming down fast. Somewhere along the way, he has somehow managed spin 180 degrees and is sliding down headfirst. "I can't see! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" he shouts as he reaches the end of the slide, creating a huge splash in the process. Abby, who peeked into the slide, gets a face full of water as well. She then sees Hoagie lying on his back at the very end of the runoff area and as their eyes meet, both teens burst into hysterical laughter.
"BHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Abby holds her stomach while Hoagie struggles to get up. "Boy, how did manage to do that?!" Abby walks over to him and helps him up.
"I dunno. My speed must've been so high that I hit a corner too fast and spun or something." Hoagie stands up and climbs out of the runoff area.
"You're really a master of awkward…whoa!" As Abby takes a step back to give Hoagie room, her foot slips on the wet floor and she falls backwards.
"Look out!" Hoagie manages to put his left arm around Abby's back, stopping her from falling. This however brings their faces very close, and they stare awkwardly at each other for a split second before Hoagie lets go and Abby regains her balance.
"Uhm…thanks…"
"Yeah…uh…no problem…" Hoagie stutters and turns his back on Abby who looks away, her face bright red. "Let's uh…let's go test another one! Come on!" Hoagie says and starts walking back towards the stairs but Abby remains still, her heart beating like crazy.
"What the heck was that…why's my face all red?! It's just Hoagie…"
"Hey, you coming?!" Hoagie waves and Abby regains her composure.
"Comin'!" Abby waves back and goes after Hoagie but in her head, a million thoughts are running around in her mind. She is then reminded what her parents talked about in the morning.
"Pull yo self together girl…it's just Hoagie…he's your friend…nothin' else…that's right…nothin' else…"
End of Transmission 14
Note: This chapter went through heavy rewriting, and everything before Abby's nightmare was added October 2022 when I started rewriting this story. We are closing in on the end of the first arc and I can promise that the second arc is going be a doozy.