Forever Bat (The final story to my Bat Trilogy)

Chapter 6: Movie Date

...

The nearest town we go to has a small movie theatre. It's surrounded by little green bushes and a few cacti. The theater is red and white with some neon lights around it.

Link parks his car in two parking places because his car is that big. Thankfully he has a special placard that says he's allowed to park in two parking spaces. We both get out and walk up to the ticket booth.

Immediately I stop and realize I don't have a disguise on. I start hiding my ears under my hoodie and tuck my wings as close as I can to my back. Link turns and notices what I'm doing.

"You don't need to hide yourself, Bat. It's ok. They know us," he told me. I hesitated where I stood, shuffling my feet. Link came back over. Gently he lowers my hoodie, making my ears spring up from them. He places his arm at the small of my back and gently pushes me forward.

"No ones going to scream...You are ok to show yourself here," he gently told me. He walks in front of me to the one small ticket booth.

"Two tickets for Shape of Water, please," says Link as he slides a credit card under the small window. The guy at the ticket booth smiles up at Link. "Hey, bro! Long time no see! How you doing?" I peek from behind Link to see this person who is talking to Link like an old friend. The guy is named Jawn with light brown hair and hazel eyes, possibly a few years younger than me. Jawn looks over at me and his smile gets bigger. "Ah. Got a girlfriend now I see."

Link's face turns bright red, his tail swishes a few times behind him. "Erm...n-no! no. She...she's just a friend...a girl...who's a friend."

The guy's smile doesn't leave his face. "Sure. Whatever you say, bro." He hands us our tickets. "You two have a nice date," he says, winking at me.

Link accepts the tickets and his credit card back, his broad shoulders raised up to his finned ears. I follow alongside him, feeling the heat burn my cheeks as well.

Link and I enter the lobby and head over to the snack area. "You good with popcorn?" he asks me. I nod. "Yeah. I love popcorn," I responded. He buys us one large popcorn and two drinks. We find our theatre number and walk inside.

The inside of the room was small and dark with about 40 seats. We decide to sit in the way back. It has been a very long time since I had sat in a movie theater. I felt a piece of popcorn gently hit my left ear. I turned my head to Link who sat to my left. He stared at the screen, eating a handful of popcorn. He notices me looking. "What?"

I couldn't help but smile. "You threw popcorn at me," I said. He looks at me with fake surprise. "Me? Whaaat?"

I grabbed a small handful of popcorn and threw it at him. We kept throwing popcorn pieces at each other till the trailers started.

A small behind the scenes snippet came on before the movie. Guillermo Del Toro, the director, described how he wanted to create his own Creature from the Black Lagoon movie, and to give his water monster a happy ending. My bat ears perked up from that tidbit. Monsters in movies having happy endings. It's what we always wanted. It brought a smile to my face.

Link's heart suddenly started to beat a little faster next to me. Without turning my head, I flicked my eyes over to him. He was looking over at me with a soft smile on his face.

After the behind the scenes, The Shape of Water played. It was a beautiful movie. I found myself tearing up towards the end. Link stayed quiet during the whole thing. His eyes never left the screen. He seemed so absorbed into the movie. Not asking questions, or pointing at anything.

I blushed when The creature and the girl kissed at the end. Making me think of me and Link kissing. I looked over at him and found him turning his head to me. I quickly turned away, feeling like a stupid blushing teen again.

After the movie was over, we got up and left the theater. We didn't say anything to each other till we were heading down the steps towards the parking lot.

"That was a good movie," Link started. I nodded. "Yeah. I'm glad they gave the creature a happy ending," I added. Link agreed. "Yeah...did a good job on the creature too...they should have asked me to play as him. I'm the real deal," he said. I smiled and gave a small laugh.

Link continued, "It was cool that they gave him powers," he said with a smile on his face. "Makes me wonder if I have any powers," he said as he placed one of his huge hands on the top of my head. I felt a laugh escape me as I pulled his hand off me. "I have enough hair, you on the other hand..." I teased as I pointed to the top of his hairless head. Link laughed and gave me a weak shove.

Link unlocked his Jeep when we got closer to it. I sat in the passenger seat right as he slid in to the driver's seat. He put the key into the ignition and the Jeep roared to life.

"So what was your favorite part of the movie?" he asked me. I told him in my artistic perspective how much I loved their use of teal and the way they told a story with each article of clothing and everyone's rooms. I stopped when I realized that I was rambling when Link was just staring at me. He didn't understand my art talk. I blushed and mumbled: "...I liked when they kissed."

He smirked. "Oh, are we a romantic?"

The comment made me pause and think back to our first alien capture in Distant Land; back when I was sixteen (...Huh...its been that long...) when I put on Elvis Presley's Falling in Love with You. It's been so long since that day-

"Wise men say...only fools rush in..."

I turned my head so fast when I suddenly heard that song playing, almost assuming I had somehow magically started making it play in Link's car. Instead, Link had turned on his car and the radio was on. Feeling my face burning so much, that I swear it was going to catch on fire, I reached for the knob to turn it off. Link's hand apparently was thinking of reaching for it too. Our hands touched, Link's on top of mine.

We both quickly pulled away as if we touched a hot stove...which I guess in Link's case he did. I wouldn't have been surprised if my temperature was around 150 degrees I was blushing so much. I pretended to be distracted by the stars above us, but I was really trying to stop blushing so hard. Good thing it was a cool night. My face was very hot and a deep shade of pink, easily seen even in the dark parking lot. I could hear Link's heart beating rapidly near me.

"Erm...this was fun" he said, trying to break the awkward silence, and change the subject. He started the car and began pulling out of the parking lot. It was late so there weren't a lot of cars out on the main road. Link turned right and began driving us out of the town and back down the long lonely road to the Base.

"We should do this again sometime," Link spoke again. My ears perked up at that. He was really trying to break away from the awkwardness but for me it was so thick, I could almost taste it in my mouth. We should do this again sometime...didn't I say that to him? When I wanted us to watch the Creature from the Black Lagoon trilogy? It's been forever since...since Link and I had hung out...

My heart sank deep from that thought. It's been nine years...

"Bat?"

Lifting my head slowly up, I finally brought up the courage to look over at Link. "Yeah?" I asked. He glanced over at me from the road. "Are you ok? You haven't said anything."

I hesitated on how to answer him. Should I just tell him I was just tired? Or tell him the truth? Would that make things more awkward? Why was I in this situation? I didn't know how to answer him. How would he react to whatever answer I give him?

"I'm just...thinking," I slowly replied. Link's finned ear closest to me flicked up. "About?" he inquired. I adjusted my glasses on my face. "About...how much I missed out...not being here with you guys..." I was surprised by my own response, and it was the truth. Link slowed the car and stopped it near a desert bush on the side of the road. He turned to give me his full attention.

"Your decision was what you felt was right in that moment. Don't regret not being with us, we were still here if you wanted to reach out to us..." I saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes. I never did. I never tried calling or visiting. I could tell that it hurt him. Disappearing for so long, possibly never coming back again...and then suddenly coming back. I lowered my head.

"I'm sorry," I said.

I heard the click from his seatbelt, then his long arms wrapping around me into a hug. "You don't need to be sorry, Bat...you needed that time to heal..." Tears came to my eyes. I squeezed them shut and wrapped my arms around his neck. I didn't care if I was this close to him, this is what I needed right now.

"You are still part of the team, Bat...our friend," he said.

Link and I were silent for a long time. Too long for comfort, still hugging. It felt so nice being in his arms, but my brain kept overthinking the situation in the moment. Is this too long of a hug for friends? Is this ok? Is this what friends do?

Gradually, I pulled away, so Link knew I was done hugging. He loosened his arms around me and stared down at me. "You feel better?" I nodded my head. "Thank you," I said. Link smiled a soft, caring smile. "Of course." He lifted his hand up, then stopped right above my head, in between my bat ears. I realized that he was going to ruffle my hair like he used to when I was sixteen, but realized that I wasn't a little kid anymore. Instead he cupped the side of my face in an endearing way, before tucking a loose piece of hair behind one of my bat ears. He chuckled in embarrassment.

"Sorry. Habit. It's still a shock to me that you are older now...a lady."

The corners of my mouth turn upwards into a smile, my fangs showing. "But still the same monster." Link shakes his head. "You've changed so much...into a stronger person. You've come a long way, Bat," he said. I smiled up at him.

Link didn't turn his car back on and I didn't ask him to. We seemed to both want to stay in this moment for a little longer. We sat in silence in the Jeep for a while, staring out at the desert landscape in front of us. The silver sands rippling from the winds. The desert plants casting long black shadows. The moon a silver coin in the vast midnight blue sky.

"It's so beautiful...it reminds me of the bottom of the ocean floor," I find myself saying out loud. Link nodded his head. "Though it's lacking fish," he points out. I couldn't help but to laugh. "That is true...I think some of those yellow tang fish would be a nice contrast to all the blues in this scene," I say, slipping back into the artist talk.

Link's finned ears perk up as he turns his large head to me. "Oh yeah? That would be really pretty to see. I'd love to add it to my collection of painti-" He caught himself mid sentence, but I had already heard what he had said. Turning my head to him right as he was turning away.

"Wait...what did you say? Collection of paintings?" I asked.

Link cursed under his breath and turned back to face me. His ears flicked back and his soft brown eyes staring down at me. He sighs heavily. "Yeah...I...I have your paintings...I bought all your beach paintings." My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. "Wait...wait! what?! You're FloridaMan64?!" I asked, my voice raising. Link's heart beat fast in his chest as he turned his head away in embarrassment. "I...Erm..." he stumbled over his words. Then he took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah...it was me." So many questions came tumbling out of my mouth.

"How? Why? What?" I couldn't believe it! Link was the mysterious guy who commissioned me all those paintings! That's what I saw hanging on his walls instead of those bikini girl posters. It was my own art!

Link's face turned a bright red. He stumbled over his words for a moment before forming sentences.

"I...I remembered always seeing you drawing and doodling, mentioning you always wanted to be an artist...a couple years after you left, I wanted to see how you were doing... I eventually found your art account and wanted to say something. I was...afraid that knowing it was me would remind you of the incident with John. I knew that day really messed you up. All your drawings from that day were dark and depressing...So, I decided to be someone else. Eventually I found out you and your family were going through difficult times and I wanted to help. Monger told us that we were being paid from all our times we saved the world from alien invasions. I had a lot saved up, so I decided to give you the money to help..."

I didn't realize my jaw was still hanging. I almost ate a bug. I couldn't believe it. Never in a million years I would never have figured it out. Now finding out that it was Link and what he had done for me... I wanted to kiss him so bad. I mean...yeah I had wanted to kiss him before...but this time, the kiss would have more meaning behind it.

I realize that both Link and I are staring at each other, our heads a foot away. I couldn't seem to pull away from his eyes. His head leaned in closer, slowly closing the gap between us. My eyes widen a little. Oh my god. Was it really happening? The moment I've been fantasizing for ten years? Was I really going to kiss him? I leaned in a few inches towards him, I could feel his hot breath on my face. Our hearts pounding in their own cages, wanting to burst out. We were very close. I closed my eyes first, waiting for his lips to touch mine-

Something grabbed my right arm, its sharp nails sinking deep into my skin, and pulling me violently out the side of the Jeep, the seat belt ripping. I opened my eyes and found myself being lifted up into the air away from Link and the Jeep and into the sky. I look up and see my evil dark twin, the same creature that attacked me and my family at my house. It looks down at me with its glaring eyes and bared its sharp fangs. Its whole body is dipped in shadow, it reminds me of the Dark version of that character from that one game I can't remember, except it's me.

"Bat!" I hear Link scream from below.

I react by trying to use my free hand to pry the talons out of my arm, but its too strong. Finally I decide to scream at it, which I know wasn't a smart choice but the only one I had. The dark creature shrieked and let go, causing me to unfurl my wings and twist in mid air. My wings began flapping, so I wouldn't crash on top of Link's Jeep. The creature lunged at me. I flapped my bat wings up, dodging the attack, and coming down right on top of it. It cried out and screamed, but the scream was not like my sonic scream. Besides being a literal dark version of me, it doesn't have my sonic scream ability, which is a plus for me.

I grab hold of the creature as it starts spastically flying everywhere, trying to kick me off. I flap my wings to keep balance on the thing, while gripping its shoulders. We wrestle in the air for a while till we both land back down on the ground, thankfully me on top. The creature had landed on its right side into the desert ground. It wildly lashed its arms out, scratching my face in the process, then tried limping away. I land on it again and try pinning the wings down, but its a little difficult with only one arm.

I hear Link rushing over to me. Right as he was grabbing for the creature, it slashed him across the face with its sharp nails. Link cried out, grabbing his cheek. In my state of shock, the creature used that moment to escape. The thing rose above us, causing our hair and fins to move from its gusts of winds and disappear into the inky night.

Both Link and I are breathing heavily. My wound is hurting so bad, I feel like throwing up. I clench my teeth together and breathe out. I see Link pressing his hand against the side of his face. He walks over to me. He winces at my gashes. That doesn't look good," he mutters. I look up at him. The side of his face is red and getting a little puffy.

"Are you ok?" I ask him. He nods. "Just a scratch..." He offers me his free hand. I take it with my uninjured hand and get up. Both of us are bleeding pretty badly. We both walk back to the Jeep and get inside. Link puts his seatbelt back on, I just hold on to one of the handles. Link offers to wrap my arm in something, but he realizes he doesn't have anything in his Jeep. I say I'm fine and just keep my arm pressed against my stomach. The cold wind helps.

We drive back to The Base in silence...

...

Once we get back to the Base, Link and I are immediately rushed to the Base's Emergency Room. There, we are immediately taken care of by professional doctors and nurses. They treated my gashes and Link's scratch; wrapping them in bandages and packs of ice. Once we were ok to leave, we found Doc, Susan and B.O.B. waiting for us in the waiting room. They rushed over and surrounded us, their faces filled with concern. Link explained what happened from his point of view and then I explained from my point of view.

"You should tell B. that you are ok, Link. She has been screeching ever since you came back. She says she can sense that something bad happened," B.O.B. told Link. Guilt washed over Link's face as he quickly left the waiting room on all fours towards his best friend's room.

I am still talking to my three remaining friends. They asked me if I knew how the creature knew where I was. I told them I had no idea. John must have trained the damn thing to smell me out or something. Just then Monger came in to the waiting room and approached us. His heartbeat was slow, not quick like everyone else's.

"Heard you got attacked by John's creature. You ok?" he asked. I lifted up my bandaged arm. "The thing grabbed me by its talons and lifted me up into the air," I told him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Into the air? Were you outside?" he asked. The tips of my ears grew hot like little flames. "Me and Link were in town...hanging out," I confessed. Monger shook his head in disappointment. "I told you that thing is dangerous and looking for you. You need to stay here until we figure out how to capture it."

I narrowed my eyes. "Since when was I suddenly under lockdown here? I am an adult," I pointed out.

Monger narrowed his eyes. "Since you started acting like a teenager and going out to egg your ex boyfriend's house."

Susan, Doc and B.O.B. gasped in surprise. Link and I didn't add that detail in our story. We made a silent agreement not to tell anyone about it...how did Monger know about it?

"It was just his motorcycle...how did you know about it?" I asked, my eyes narrowing even more into a glare.

There was a slight hesitation to Monger's face before responding. "This place has thousands of cameras. You don't think I'm watching you?" With that, he turned on his heel and marched out of the room.

I could hear Susan and Doc asking me something, but I wasn't listening to them. Just watching Monger walk away. Specifically how he was walking...

Monger was limping. He was limping on his right side...