AN: Due to its long word count, I have to separate this one-shot in two chapters. It's a double upload today! Make sure to read both Part 1 (the previous chapter before this one) and Part 2 on Mr. Piranha's own special one-shot moment.
Special Short #4 - Mr. Piranha, Part 2
Afternoon dragged on since everybody was trying to get clean.
Petrol took too long to find the soap and there were too many dishes.
Piranha and Piwi needed time to cool down and nearly forgot they were supposed to deliver the toiletries to Hornet.
Fortunately, Perrito let Hornet have a towel wrapped around himself for the time being.
By the time they were all done, it was already four o'clock. Piranha and Hornet had already packed their bags in the former's room. Hornet thought they would rest here for the day until dinner time. He actually got something arranged to do. He meant to share early as a surprise, but Piranha mysteriously left.
Hornet waited, lying on Piranha's old bed.
He heard footsteps near the main door.
Followed by another pair of footsteps.
A third.
A fourth.
He heard the main door closing.
"I see you've made yourself comfortable," said Paulina, entering the bedroom. "Did Pepe give you the tour here?"
Seeing Paulina's sweet smile, Hornet sat back up. "He only left his bags here, told me not to move and didn't come back…"
When he trailed off, Paulina came closer and petted Hornet on the head. "Don't worry. They're out for some, um, groceries. Out of stock. The supermarket is just nearby!"
Humming softly, Hornet directed his eye to the wall to distract himself.
And he was surprised that it did. Despite being told, he always wondered what Piranha kept in his room as a child. A closer look into his childhood home provided insight into his past interests. While some of the drawings, posters, and books were wrinkly, they were clear for him to see.
This wall was littered with posters of soccer stars he couldn't identify. Piranha, a fanboy, had two walls coated in pictures of his idols. One poster showed a hunky guy kicking a ball, wearing a yellow shirt. To Hornet's surprise, there was a poster presenting children having fun playing near a soccer goal, even during the rain.
There was even a framed painting within these posters! A soccer ball bouncing around in the mud. Hornet found the painting odd at first sight. However, closer look, he imagined himself kicking the ball, even when it was raining. Outside on the streets when it was too wet to walk around. Just keeping cool and having reckless fun like in football. Fitting for Piranha's kind of sport.
"Never knew he was a soccer pro," said Hornet.
"He's one of the soccer fanboys," said Paulina, shrugging. "Para's even obsessed with the sport. No, scratch that. It shouldn't be called a sport. It's RELIGION for many of Bolivia."
Hornet whistled in surprise. It was also an understatement. Some sports were interconnected with culture, such as American Football or Australian Cricket or Japanese Sumo Wrestling.
"Thinking about it, I've never seen Piranha playing soccer before," commented Hornet.
"Why's that?" asked Paulina, coming over to him. "Wait, he's into wrestling?"
"If you count him screaming at the top of his lungs while wearing a luchador cape," giggled Hornet. "Us Bad Guys settle for sports that aren't too exhausting and fitted for the beach. Some couldn't kick a human-sized ball around. And Wolf gets picky with grass stuck in his shoes, but he doesn't see the difference with having toenails filled with sand after surfing or beachball."
Paulina nodded, intrigued. "Sounds cool! I should thank you and the dapper wolf, Hornet. If you haven't convinced Pepe to try other sports, he might sneak out in the rain."
"Oh, really?"
"Yep! He and his brothers did that once, wanting to play soccer in the rain. They ended up missing two weeks of school due to catching a cold."
Hornet placed a hand over his mouth, emitting an adorable laugh. "They would make a ruthless soccer team! They can weaponize each other's craziness for sure!"
But seriously, Hornet would like to see that. Piranha must be a pro in soccer! Bubbling in admiration, Hornet looked around at the many other passions here.
He turned to what appeared to be Piranha's former working station.
A colossal bookshelf that reached the ceiling. The books stored there weren't familiar to Hornet. Half of them had Spanish titles. The others were in languages he still didn't know. And, of course, Piranha had these golden plastic trophies from party games.
The wooden desk was of an older model but kept clean from any dust. It was still standing. However, it was battered with mini scratches around the legs. Biting episodes, assumed Hornet. He squinted his eyes to see the details of the drawings above the table.
Hundreds of drawings decorated the wall above the wooden desk, drawn by the younger Piranha. Seemed to be mainly through crayons, given the rough and thick texture of the colorful lines. Each picture was of himself, his brothers and his parents on many adventures.
Walking down the streets of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Relaxing at a beach.
Riding a pirate ship.
Standing at the Hollywood sign.
All told a story of Piranha's imagination. Hornet was glad Piranha still carried the childlike nature to today. Without it, he wouldn't see the beauty in his innocence and optimism towards everything.
Paulina smiled wistfully as she stared at these pictures. A memory came to mind of her little boy showing her and Para his drawings. He loved being creative.
Whether to visualize those aspiring lyrics he made up or dream of doing great things with the family, she remembered her sweet laughter and Para enthusiastically shaking Piranha on someday accomplishing the adventures in these drawings. These were some of their happiest memories. And now, Piranha grew up with another family…
Paulina was slowly becoming still, lost in nostalgia. Hornet turned to her, worried she had caught something in her throat. But she appeared alright. Her misty eyes were scanning memory lane.
"My little boy isn't little anymore." Her voice was calm, dissonant to her crestfallen look. "I can't believe he has a spouse now. He got what he wanted, hermano. Never knew it took him THIS far."
Hornet shouldn't feel too surprised by this. They came to see what else Piranha had missed. Despite only knowing them for a day, Hornet could see that his family was still loving. Piranha probably just left the household for a life that taught him the dangers of this world. Hornet knew he couldn't imagine the hell Piranha's family went through, but he could see how relieved Paulina was for her son growing strong and independent.
Before Hornet could dwell on how they thought of Piranha as a true rebel, Paulina slowly turned with him with a croak coming out from her opened mouth.
It became easy to picture Piranha acting like a frog.
Hornet blinked shyly. What Paulina wanted to say could be good or bad. "Yes?"
Paulina then tried laughing it off, blushing. "I was gonna say something weird."
"No, no, no, I like weird things."
The truth was, he didn't like weird things too much. However, seeing how loving Paulina was towards Piranha, he was more than happy to have a private conversation. He could trust her.
"You don't mind being weirded out?" asked Paulina, raising an eyebrow.
Hornet chuckled nonchalantly. "I've seen weird things every day. I'm weird myself."
"Maybe it's best if you ask and then I answer…" She adjusted her hat, trying to cover her trembling eyes with the brim. "I don't know where to start."
The little bug was about to protest, but come to think of it, that would be more merciful. If anything was said unintentionally and needed to be corrected. Hornet hopped onto Paulina's arm up to her left shoulder, wanting to hear her closely.
"Well, if I may ask…" He trailed off, looking back at the soccer posters. "What was Piranha-no, Pepe like? I know he had a home, but I didn't expect him to have it all. If you get what I mean?"
The first thing to mind for Paulina was that Hornet didn't seem to have the books and beds she and Para provided for the boys. She remembered Hornet's timid stance when introduced to each of the family. Uncertain of how they would react towards him.
Then, the fridge horror settled; did Hornet have a good blood family?
"Was it rough for you?" asked Paulina worriedly.
Hornet swallowed the hollow feeling. "I managed to get by. It's not like I'm broken."
It should be true. Hornet didn't appear broken, especially after his time with the Bad Guys. And seeing his healthy state, Paulina remembered what Piranha was like before.
"Pepe's pretty young," she said, her smile widening in wholesome nostalgia. "Adventurous. Inherited my recklessness and his father's craziness. We wanted to teach him everything like we did for his brothers, but we didn't expect him to be a quick learner. After seeing Percy chopping onions, he did the same on the first try. Full, clean slices with no blood!"
No blood? But Piranha could have cut himself.
Paulina's wide grin told otherwise, reassuring Hornet that Piranha didn't hurt himself. He didn't know the little fish knew how to spin knives around at three years old.
Damn, his father's craziness made him thick-skinned!
"Did he have any friends?" asked Hornet. It would be a typical, random question, but it was one of pure interest.
Paulina frowned sadly. "He had trouble with the other kids. And sometimes, you can't shake off revenge, which explains his hot temper. His older brothers were like his only friends. They rely on one another, even if they don't understand each other."
Hornet was starting to see that. While each brother varied in sentiment towards Piranha, they all shared the same energy and clumsiness. None of them even picked up serious fights with one another. Piranha was the little flower they chose to nurture and spare, just like Hornet and Webs as the youngest of the Bad Guys.
However, it didn't explain further why Piranha became a criminal. He had a happy family, even if there were nagging and differences. This was about the past, not today.
If Piranha had no childhood friends, did that mean he experienced severe prejudice here? Were people scared of him?
The little bug looked down sadly. As Piranha's boyfriend, he would want to help him. Piranha knew him. Something didn't add up with knowing Piranha. People couldn't go out being reckless without gathering things from their previous life. It might not be pretty despite the colorful flags in town and the family Piranha got.
"Sorry if this gets too personal. But is there…" Hornet bit his lip, mustering up the anticipation of what would come. "Anything he might not have told me? Is there something I should be concerned about? I mean, Piranha is crazy and Para seems like so. But I don't know how to be sensible towards something that might have haunted him for a long time as a kid."
Paulina quickly shook her head as if snapping out of her daydream. "Wait, what? I thought you were told."
"Us Bad Guys don't share our history," admitted Hornet. "Webs is probably the most open about her family. I…I'm worried something happened that convinced Piranha to run away."
Paulina hesitated. However, she knew Piranha would be engaged with this little guy for life. And there was no stopping that. But she knew a good part of Piranha well. She knew he would go through the same unresolved problems. She knew his heart would cry from the same struggles.
She gently offered a finger for Hornet to rest on and he graciously accepted. After placing him gently on the nearby bed table, she rested on the bed and faced the concerned bug.
"I wish it would be easier to share anything bothering everyone," said Paulina, whispery.
She hesitated once more, her mind pausing. She wasn't a gossiper. Would this be a good idea? She reminded herself again that she wouldn't be there for Piranha. She couldn't hide forever like him. She truly likes the polite Hornet.
"When Pepe barely showed any tears after getting into a fight with the bullies, I knew something was up. We don't like being reminded of what we are. But I can say none of us had the right words to help one another, I'm sorry…"
Hornet was confused. It couldn't be her and Para's fault for Piranha's behavior, right? "And why are you sorry?"
Paulina's eyes were half-lidden, melancholic. "Pepe can be hyperactive and forgetful, but that's like anyone. And then, he began stressing out more. We didn't notice since we thought it was usual anxiety, but it became worrying when Pepe was halfway through high school."
"Like…getting into fights and stuff?" he asked.
Paulina nodded with a 'so-so' motion with her hand.
"Well, but they're only half of the reports. I lost count of his…tantrums. There were reports of him…throwing things when freaking out, hiding in a corner, hyperventilating in the middle of conversations, walking away whenever someone tried being nice to him. The list could go on. His students even said he looked close to snapping when he got a decent score, muttering 'it's not perfect'. It's like he's triggered. Not just by others but…" Her eyes welled up in tears, close to crying. "...by something so simple as a small mistake."
Hornet's expression grew into a shocked concern.
Was that about tantrums? Or triggers?
What was this about Piranha having these episodes of breakdowns?
Hornet never saw Piranha hyperventilate. Thinking about it, Piranha would immediately switch to being calm whenever Hornet panicked. Aside from that, Piranha was rambunctious and carefree. And the only way of showing his stress was an annoying fart.
Paulina looked like she wanted to stop, protect her son's secret, but continued. "Perrito even found out that it happened outside school. Pepe refused to talk with other kids who weren't mean. He would sometimes stare, yell at them or run away. It's like he was scared of them, no longer trying to talk with anyone."
Hornet wanted to ask why, but it was already understood. How that was translated through Piranha was surprising. Piranha might have caused trouble in the streets, but him being a nervous wreck was hard to believe.
"And now it's too late," mourned Paulina. "Me and Para did want to help, but he was acting difficult. He TRIED acting difficult. He kept saying he didn't need our help. And since he's a quick learner, we thought he knew better and let him off."
Hornet bristled a little. "Well, nobody's perfect. And everyone sees the worst in people. That's life. Everyone grew up."
"I think we overestimate his potential. Para wanted to find him when he left until we heard the news. We knew his anxiety problems might grow worse. Seeing him this cheerful as a crook was a shock to us."
All the Bad Guys were good at repressing their emotions in public. Even internally, Hornet never saw any of them open up easily. Not even the sharp-tongued Wolf or the mean-spirited Snake. Piranha did so well to hide his likely constant anxiety or forget about it after having fun. Still, Hornet felt awful that he didn't know Piranha was still hurting on the inside at the start.
When Hornet was about to finish the conversation before Paulina could weep, her frown turned into a sad smile.
"Once again, I should thank you and the dapper wolf," she said. "Piranha might pick up various other things, but he isn't psycho-crazy. He's like his father whenever he deals with the stress. Just…wanting to be carefree to deal with how uncomfortable things are."
Hornet's antennas only drooped. "Paulina, you shouldn't thank me yet. And I didn't recognize the signs. I'm so sorry I didn't ask Piranha what he went through."
"It's all good. Was it easy for you to open up to him?"
"Yes, but…"
"He'll talk to you when ready," reassured Paulina. "Even if I just told you this. We trust you. He's a quick learner."
Hornet tried to smile. It wasn't really genuine since the reveal saddened him. But he was grateful that he was told so that he could help Piranha later on.
Out of the blue, Perrito popped his head through the door frame.
"Wassup, Mama!" barked Perrito.
"Eep!" squeaked Paulina, jumping upwards. "Perrito?"
The sunny Perrito didn't look exactly OK. His normally unwrinkled singlet and fins were disheveled. "Sorry, guys! We were on our way home, but there's a favor I had to do for my club manager after wasting the pantry!"
"What?!" said Paulina, incredulous.
"It's a family task! I promised him more hands! Everyone needs to come!"
Hornet raised an eyebrow. "Everyone?"
Two hours later…
The traumatized Hornet already had dull bags underneath his eyes.
Getting used to the smell of salty, wet potatoes was one thing. Well, he, Piranha, Para and Paulina were forced to chop at least six pyramids of potatoes. The sports club Perrito volunteered at was notorious for its excessive curly fries to award the kids. Potatoes might be a regular food on the menu, but it was like the ideal treat for this specific club.
The bad thing for Hornet was that he couldn't find any bug-sized utilities. It would usually be the human-sized chefs who cook the potatoes. But for some reason, Perrito already had the four chop these potatoes since the evening shift cooks were late. So, no one prepared him to carry a heavy, giant knife.
Hornet was stubborn enough to try to carry his knife on his own. Emphasis on 'try' since most of his chopping was lifting it and dropping it onto the pre-boiled potatoes. Sometimes, he had to fly back down and slam into the vegetable with the knife's weight. Imagine it like carrying a heavy pot and trying to smash it and it was starting to strain his back like hell.
Piranha was fine. Surprisingly, he got through two pyramids during the last two hours. His parents were there to see their son chop potatoes at the rate of knots. Paulina smiled when she saw this and tried mimicking him, though it was often rusty due to her wariness of the knife.
Speaking of which, Paulina looked mostly confused during this sudden task. But she took it more slowly, cutting the potatoes finely.
Meanwhile, Para didn't look too impressed, grumpy-cat frowning away as he worked. Hornet could relate to the sweat and glare towards the stupid pyramids.
The worst thing was that a loud jumble of static noises howled from somewhere every now and then. The windows were tinted, so seeing what was playing on the stage was hard. But they were treated by intense flashing lights somehow shining through the window, doing them no good.
For the first few times, Hornet screamed a bit too loudly, sometimes accidentally throwing the knife into the ceiling. But after chopping those potatoes for as long as he could remember, his immediate response to the gibberish outside was a frustrated grunt and a twitch of his antennas.
Piranha did look up whenever the noise played and the lights blind him, but he didn't seem too concerned.
Paulina opted to duck under the table, not wanting to her vision to be impaired by the lights.
Para hated loud noises and kept putting his hands against his invisible ears. He also had to close his eyes. The first time the lights hit his eyes, he nearly lost his grip of his knife.
There was an awful guitar riff and a flash of yellow and pink from the window.
The sun was in their eyes, burning them.
Hornet growled once more, his hands jelly. He might have taken a few breaks to recover, but nobody was allowed to go outside.
Hornet only finished three-quarters of his pyramid. Piranha was onto his third. Paulina was taking her time slowly on her first pyramid while Para resorted to not checking what kind of pieces he made on his second.
The little bug tried carrying his moist knife again, but it messily slipped out of his grip. He fell back onto the table, his forehead pressed against it in exhaustion.
"Ugh, how many more?" he groaned.
Piranha was right next to him. As he chopped through his batch of potatoes, he overlooked the amount of unchopped potatoes.
"Not done yet!" he called. "Should be like…a few more minutes to go!"
"Cutting through the quarter of a spud would take forty-five damn minutes…" grumbled Para, slamming his knife harshly into the chopping board.
"Hey, it's not that bad!" chirped Piranha, lifting his knife victoriously. "We might have a buffet of pique a lo macho!"
It wasn't a triumphant outcome for Para, who slowly turned to him with a scowl. In his mind, he wasn't really in the mood for more french fries.
When Piranha saw it, it was a definite glare for making such a stupid, empty promise.
The little fish looked down, sheepish. "S-Sorry. I'm just trying to…make things better."
Para sighed, waving his hand in reassurance. "It's OK, Pepe. I'm just really mad that Perrito dumped us to handle his homework. When we should be eating dinner now, we're making wet bricks of disgusting carbs." He slammed his hands to the table, eyes directed to the window where his others sons might be watching them from. "Damn it, boys!"
"Calm down," Paulina said, patting the panting Para on the head. "I'm sure they didn't mean to. M-Maybe they're also having trouble with their-!"
Another jumble of sound. This one was a catastrophe of a classical orchestra going through a trainwreck.
Once again, everybody had to shut their eyes and close their ears. One could wonder why their heads weren't bleeding from all this noise.
Once it was over, Hornet growled and tried lifting the large knife again. It just slipped out of his grasp and landed on the floor.
"Seriously!" the little bug exclaimed, flapping his sweaty arms. "Who's playing with the lights?!"
Nobody had the answer to that and Piranha and Paulina decided not to respond.
However, Para had a different response. His eyebrow was raised after noting the numerous struggles Hornet had with carrying such a 'big' knife. No longer feeling too angry, Para thought of providing some good advice to his son's fiance.
Unfortunately, still buzzing from their task, Para minced his words. "Just pick up that sword like a real man, Hornet."
"Say something more positive!" exclaimed Hornet.
"Um, don't worry, hun!" To lift Hornet's spirits, Piranha picked a few potatoes that were already chopped. "You made this really cool shape! Like this one as well! Up in the fry! And…oh."
His smile dropped when he realized he was holding a potato with only a few chops to look like a LEGO PIECE out of all shapes.
Hornet glared at the unfinished potato. "Give me that, please."
Fortunately, it was the last potato. When all four announced that they had finished chopping all of them, Perrito arrived right as the door opened and a brief flash of light came through. He immediately shut it before Hornet and Piranha could see.
"So sorry!" said Perrito, profusely sweating and his mouth wet. "I promise that I got a good explanation. Now…" When everyone saw his wet lips, he quickly wiped away the saliva. "Did you guys finish chopping the potatoes?"
Hornet groaned, slamming his knife on the table. "Yes. We all chopped all 40 pounds of your starchy potatoes, alright? See?! Now you have enough potatoes to feed the entire highlands!"
Perrito bit his bottom lip. The little bug looked like he could kill him. It didn't help that he wasn't relaxed: bloodshot eyes with bags underneath them. Perrito knew that he could be too clumsy and his manager could be pretty excessive in his wants. And then, he got his family involved. Poor Hornet looked like he needed a paycheck.
"Can we go, Perrito?" growled Para, wiping his forehead. "Papa needs a smoke."
Perrito was about to say 'yes', but he noticed a glaring object poking out from the piles of sliced rectangles. Waddling over, he picked it up.
"Oh, um, you forgot to chop this potato," he pointed out awkwardly. "This potato is still unchopped."
That became the last straw for Hornet. No seconds were wasted when he snatched that potato, pinned it against the chopping board and retrieved his huge knife. All piranhas watched in shock as the ruthless bug repeatedly stabbed the potato countless times. The anger must have given birth to this newfound muscle strength, allowing Hornet to easily pick up the giant knife.
In the end, there was nothing but little hash brown shreds. Hornet dropped the knife, exhausted. He whipped towards the gaping Perrito with a crazy look.
"Now it's all done!" yelled Hornet. "See?! Happy!"
Para was understandably taken aback, but he could sense Hornet's inner insanity, impressed. "I thought you would be the kind to say, 'pick on someone your own size', but damn, I could see that as a warning rather than a plea."
Piranha sighed before gently scooping Piranha up in his soft hands. The little bug finally crumpled and laid back, moaning as he wiped his face. This nightmare was finally over! And Piranha had to let Perrito know that, giving his older brother a mild glare.
Perrito could only grin sheepishly.
That grin was wiped away when everything went black.
"Great, our funding fees at work," he grumbled.
Hornet wouldn't mind the dark. He could use this as an excuse to sleep. He was already feeling lightheaded from all that peeling and chopping. But before he got comfortable, Piranha jolted and his hands suddenly grabbed Hornet.
"Now, we can get down to the main event!" declared Piranha.
"What?" said Para.
"C'mon!" chirped Perrito.
Hornet's eyes widened. This day was becoming busier and busier. He could hear Para and Paulina asking what was happening, only to receive hushes from Perrito. Was this another fancy dinner party Petrol wanted to treat them to?
But both Piranha and Perrito knew where this was going.
Despite having glowing yellow eyes, they couldn't see in the club's thick darkness. They still needed to keep this a surprise and guiding Hornet through the hallway was no easy feat.
Piranha felt his face smashing into a knight-armor statue. He immediately jerked his hands away and cursed.
"What was that?" asked Hornet, still safe in his palms.
"...nothing!" squeaked Piranha. "Thought I accidentally squished you."
Perrito questioned why this club needed a hallway between the dining room and the kitchen. This wasn't exactly a restaurant. Fortunately, there were no more bumps except for when they opened the doors. Thank goodness that there was SOME light coming from the dining room.
The two brothers planted Hornet, Para and Paulina on a table before they rushed off.
Hornet was quick to take a look at his surroundings. For some reason, it looked more like a comedy stage show. except it was huge. At that moment, the lights were dimmed to give a blacklight-like effect. The pure white tablecloths were glowing a bright light-blue color. Turning to the stage, Hornet spotted the blue and purple spotlights coming from above.
It was all hush in this club. Those who came over for supper were quiet.
The first thought that came to mind was a strip club.
"Perrito," he muttered. "What life choices were you making?"
If the flashes of lights in the kitchen weren't enough, every spotlight in the room turned on and pointed directly at Hornet, Para and Paulina, forcing them to shield their eyes.
Thankfully, the spotlights dimmed a little to let them see. Hornet opened his eyes and realized that the spotlights were on HIM.
And Perrito was on stage waving a microphone stand in his hand.
"HELLO, EVERYONE!" he yelled in a high-pitch. "WHO'S READY TO HONOR THE MOST IMPORTANT ABEJORRO TONIGHT?!"
The sudden shift in sound degree caught the customers' attention. Half of them were surprised by Mr. Hornet's presence. Some looked more annoyed, given that they hadn't been told about a show.
Hornet, Para and Paulina felt exposed, embarrassed. Moreso with Hornet, who buried his flustered face in his hands.
"God, please stop," he begged. "And I'm NOT a bee…"
Paulina gritted her teeth. "Perrito? What's the meaning of this?"
Para was about to ask until he spotted the rest of the boys hiding in the stage curtains. "Wait a minute. Is this actually for…?"
"Yep!" confirmed Perrito. "So give it up for the one and only, my little brother, PEPE!"
Right at the curtains, Piranha was brushing off his new leather vest, trying to remove the pesky dust on top. Right in the middle of a desperate and nervous Percy begging.
"I'm telling you, this song WON'T work!" the older brother protested.
Piranha rolled his eyes cheerfully. "You're such a worrywart. I'm sure this will work!"
"Well, but…isn't this song…" Percy was choked up. He knew it. And after an earful from Paulina, he immediately knew the song his brother picked wouldn't do him good. "...you know. Irrelevant?"
"It's a bop! Pop music is always irrelevant!"
"But don't you have the slightest feeling-?"
"Look, I know your music tastes lie in fancy experiments, but I'm sure my voice will swoon Hornet. Wolf would want me to sing this one for him!"
Piranha's mind was on making the perfect performance for Hornet. He couldn't wait to see his reaction. While leading him into the club backfired due to Perrito's manager, at least they got him here to relax and watch. The little fish began hopping up and down to the center of the stage. He was already feeling the power to spark that love from Hornet.
His lovestruck mindset forgot about the concerned look on Percy. He had heard of this song before and the lyrics suddenly became clearer about what it would say about Piranha.
The things Percy believed he purposefully did to the family.
And singing that in front of his BOYFRIEND, Percy feared the thought of Piranha exposing a deeper wound publicly.
He was about to run off when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Let it go," whispered Piwi firmly.
The two older brothers stared at each other. To Percy, it was a sign they could figure this out later. To Piwi, it was a sign that he understood Percy's concerns, but Piranha already knew the song by heart and had no struggle. Piwi wasn't going to let what Percy said go, but he could see the switch in Percy's demeanor.
With the misaimed reassurance, Percy rolled his shoulders and waddled forward. Petrol followed behind him, wearing a similar leather jacket. Meanwhile, the gloomy Piwi disappeared into the curtains.
Hornet couldn't believe what he was seeing. Piranha snatched the microphone stand and Petrol and Percy kept their hands behind their backs like dancers.
Was this gonna be a performance?
The lights dimmed before it all went to dark.
- Grown Two Heads -
When the lights turned back on, the spotlights of yellow and blue flashed rhythmically to the slow and steady guitar riff in E Minor playing from the background. The Spanish kind, the one that invited a sensual pleasure.
Standing on the stage, Piranha, Percy and Petrol kept one hand behind their backs and one finger over their mouths. Their faces were kept in the dark, hiding their starting performance anxiety.
Hornet's eyes widened when he heard music.
Piranha was going to sing for him.
Before Hornet could think of which song for the night, there was a sudden percussion snap at a rapid pace. Piranha's quick twirl matched the sudden beats, grabbing the microphone stand.
The lights finally shone over his face as he sang softly yet quickly in the silence.
"Maybe I came from the wrong shop
I dragged myself to the rich spot
You took a bite, it's sweet then sour
Turn kind minutes to a dull hour…"
He kept it smooth in his harmony, but not smug smooth. He sounded like a natural. His eyes had a soft look with a hint of childlike glee and that look matched the gentle tropical synths coming in.
The percussions acted up again and Petrol and Percy reacted with a quick step. There wasn't any beat yet aside from the synths. They still kept, not the right moment for the flair.
"For one moment, I'm a proud king
Then my tears create a loud stream
From alone to wanting somebody
Talking clean then my mouth's all cloggy."
While Para and Paulina just smiled and watched, the little bug stood up on his legs with enough strength. He wanted to absorb all the sound from the stage. He wanted to know what Piranha was saying to him. This song was surprisingly poetic, something unlike Piranha.
But then, the melody became something like him when trap-esque beats were included. And Percy and Petrol finally moved, keeping their palms close to their heads. The snapping thumbs and hands around their heads motioned flickers around their heads.
These movements interested Hornet. They told more than just a spectacle. He gazed at Piarnha's lovely yellow eyes and with a blush, Hornet sat back to sink deep into this song.
"Uno! Should have seen the warning signs when I say that I am just fine
Dos! Hear the construction trucks arrive when the cracks appear on time."
During this pre-chorus, Percy and Petrol had already gotten into some footwork, needing to lift and kick one heel at a time. As Hornet's ears listened on, his eyes were on their dance. They weren't acting flirty or looking flirty. They kept a neutral look. Their movements were professional and gentle.
"Tres, you should step back away when my talons are pushing the line
'Cause everyone somehow knows that's when I decli-i-ine!"
The quick percussion played and all three piranhas nodded their heads quickly before sliding for the flow of the chorus.
A snappy bassline, a choir of triumphant trumpets, a couple of smooth guitar riffs. This mix suddenly reached a climatic crescendo, kicking the party into full gear. To match the kick, the lights became red in intensity and Percy and Petrol nearly slammed the floor literally to kickstart a ferocious dance.
The spotlight remained on Piranha leading the song.
"Just look right here, but not right there
Don't speak to him, speak right at me
Don't mind the horns grown in my hair
Let me show you what you should see."
When he closed his eyes and clenched his fist, his high notes hit something different than his previous performances.
"I'm growing sick from the two heads
That direct me to who I am
Just implant the code to rewire
Myself from the way I'm programmed."
Hornet nearly felt faint. That high harmony was really good. And Piranha seemed to have a really good time! After singing that last line, the little fish grinned before jumping up and down to the lively electro breakdown. His arms waved around to the rhythm, feeling the crisp tropical synths. And as Hornet watched, he realized it wasn't a general romantic song.
Hornet couldn't guess what the song was about from the fast pace. But it was emotional, one that allowed Piranha's heart to carry the night. But if Piranha was enjoying himself, still smiling, then Hornet could enjoy as well. Right on time, Piranha held his hands out for his brothers to grab each hand like he was a bridge, just in time for Verse 2.
"Living myself as a brat
Go from passive to attack."
Like a seesaw, Piranha was pulled to each side by Percy and Petrol, careful in how he tilted. One remained heavy and one remained light.
"There's no mess that I can arrange
No rehearsals can make me change."
When the percussion returned, Percy and Petrol split off and Piranha wobbled around. He picked up the microphone stand, already grooving.
"We have been living on our tongues
They say, just scream it out of your lungs
But let me give you a little warning
I'm the gifted one, I'm the crazy one."
Nobody could see Percy casting a concerned glance at his brother. Why wouldn't they? Papa and Mama would know he didn't exactly love Pepe. And his youngest brother was deep in that falsetto and anxiety to make it look like he wasn't being fake with his singing. Just thinking of that made Percy feel guilty.
He didn't know why he suddenly felt this way, but he tended to take everything as his problem. With the earlier argument fresh in mind, this song choice was Piranha's decision to be honest. That was what Mama would want. But Piranha might be bleeding from venting through THIS song about regret. Just to make people, even his boyfriend and parents, happy.
Did he actually feel bad about what he thought?
Percy was upset that he suddenly made himself distant from knowing, but like always, that emotion was hidden by his dance.
"Uno! Should have seen the warning signs when I say that I am just fine
Dos! Hear the construction trucks arrive when the cracks appear on time
Tres! You should step back away when my talons are pushing the line
'Cause everyone somehow knows that's when I decli-i-ine!"
Piranha was already following his brothers in the way they jumped around. In contrast to their coordinated moves, he was just jumping up and down for no reason, just getting into the mood and swing. Everyone in this club was already clapping, loving the passion he put into his singing.
"But just look right here, but not right there
Don't speak to him, speak right at me
Don't mind the horns growing in my hair
Let me show you what you should see."
He turned his gaze to Hornet with a loving look. While Piranha might not be too coy, Hornet could see the beauty of the little fish. In response, Piranha released the angel in him through words he could relate to; voices that found hope in their rough journeys.
"I'm growing sick from the two heads
That direct me to who I am
Just implant the code to rewire
Myself from the way I'm programmed."
The crisp tropical synths returned and a few drunk patrons stood up to dance to the beat drop. Para and Paulina swayed around; while not in the mood for a dance, they knew a good song when they would hear one. Seeing the infectious mood, Hornet started swaying his arms around.
Seeing Hornet adorably waving his hands like they were candles nearly got Piranha to squeal in his vocalizing. His cheeks turned red before he closed his eyes to focus. Let his lungs give out from all that singing. Percy and Petrol danced around him in a circle as he did so. Their movements were sharp, fierce and focused. There was no attempt to make it funny or seductive.
Percy's stoic expression added to the serious side of the joyful song.
Everything nearly went quiet except for the lonely guitar and the lights became a calm turquoise green. The bridge was quite dramatic, as Percy and Petrol pretended to drop to the floor on one knee, looking tired.
Piranha's voice was surprisingly quiet.
"Tu sonrisa es lo que quiero ver [Your smile is what I want to see]
Dices que me importa un carajo [You say that I don't give a damn]
Gritándose el uno al otro [Shouting at one another]
Pero al final todo está tranquilo." [But it's all calm in the end]
Hornet watched on, his eyes only on Piranha singing this ballad-like bridge, his voice progressing to be stronger.
"Your smile is all I ever want to see
But you say that I don't give a damn
And now we're all shouting at each other
Gritándose el uno al otro!"
For the last chorus, it took a sudden left turn. The percussion buildup was invisible, leaving it to a new lonely piano playing. A thoughtful melody. Piranha provided greater emphasis when he hopped from the stage to the table where Hornet, Para, and Paulina were sitting.
"Uno, should have seen the warning signs when I say that I am just fine
Dos, hear the construction trucks arrive when the cracks appear on time…"
Percy felt choked up hearing Piranha's singing so raw. Not filtered. Not autotuned. Just him sounding raw. Imagine him CRYING those words. Seeing Piranha gently approaching his loved ones got Percy to stop dancing. Watch. Really see that Piranha cared about those around him.
"Tres, you should step back away when my talons are pushing the line
'Cause everyone somehow knows that's when I decli-i-ine…"
All went silent as the last piano key was played. Piranha's kind yellow eyes were right at his love. His parents. Those who built his life.
For Para and Paulina, it reminded them again of their son's capability. Despite feeling bittersweet that they weren't there to guide him morally, they were proud of the strength he found to survive. Find another way to battle the dark times and be himself without self-loathing. Just being the best of himself.
For Hornet, seeing those two pools of sunshine made him feel safe and protected. Piranha's lovely vocals sounded like an angel, promising a better tomorrow. Knowing their strengthened bond reminded the little bug of the safe and loving place they had created. He knew he could trust Piranha, even when the world would try to break them.
And as if to prove that, Piranha released a long note as the last chorus exploded into action. All the spotlights turned golden, no longer leaving the rest of the world in the night. The backing vocals filled the final chorus, allowing Piranha to belt whatever he wanted. During this, he picked Hornet gently so he could sit on his microphone. His world.
There was no need for dance; just a song and a heart to share. Hornet continued to watch on, seeing more of Piranha's true person.
"I'm growing sick, I'm growing sick
Of the direction of who I am!"
As Piranha came to the last two lines, his face came close to the microphone and Hornet. They shared the same heartwarming gaze, a shared understanding.
"Just implant the code to rewire
Myself from the way I'm programmed…"
- End of Song -
The instrumental faded out on those last lines, allowing Piranha and Hornet to rest their foreheads onto each other. It was not too much of a satisfying nuzzle, but it was enough for them. Piranha was nearly out of breath and Hornet was whimsical from drinking into this song.
The rest of the club burst into tremendous applause.
Para whooped loudly, swinging his hat around.
Piwi and Perrito poked their heads out from behind the curtains, careful not to drop the headphones they wore to handle the backstage sound. They were cheering as well, ruffling the curtains.
Paulina, Percy and Petrol settled for clapping, happy with the lovely performance.
The rest was peaceful melody.
Piranha and Hornet finally got a moment to themselves. After a long day with new surprises and shocks, they decided not to have that much dinner and let the rest enjoy themselves at the club. The best thing was that Perrito's club sat on a hill with a sturdy rock balcony, providing them a view of the city below.
The night was still young and free from the thriving shops and the people wanting to stroll in the sacred dark. Even without the sunlight, both Bad Guys could see the humble outdoor markets and shops and the neon orange and purple from the stunning skyscrapers. A reminder of Bolivia's mixed cultural identity and community.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra contrasted differently from the affluent streets of LA. While not different in the light show, the city looked a little older with a more flexible blend of ancient and new. Piranha could see different people resting at the top of the world or finding everything they needed on the ground, the two sides free for all.
Hornet was staring at the outdoor markets from the small buildings and streets. They didn't need fancy lights to present their fresh produce. Even at a distance, Hornet could imagine the fruits and vegetables on display, the steam from dinner cooking and the feel of every fuzzy woven art available to pick up from the stalls. Just only what was on sale that drew him in.
He expected to feel a Latino feel. A tropical summer vibe. But there was something else. Hornet did know that the country came from a variety of different cultures. Even without that knowledge, he could feel it. Like there was nothing tying them down to a certain spot. Like he couldn't tell which part of the world they traveled to.
Sitting on the balcony fence, Hornet slowly crept to Piranha. They glanced at each other before observing the sky. This was one good thing about not being tied down to a particular spot: A closer look at the stars. The billions of white stars passed by the dark blue and purple sky. A reminder that this land only became harmonious thanks to the millions of people.
Piranha noticed how close Hornet was. In turn, he moved his hand closer to the little bug. At least something for him to hold on to. And without saying, Hornet rested his hand against Piranha's hand. The touch reminded him that, at the end of the day, things were going to be alright when with the people he loved.
Then, at this feeling, Piranha suddenly felt anxious. Not the usual kind whenever he was called out for a prank or fart. For some reason, he had been having this feeling increasingly today.
First, after hearing from his parents and Percy. And now, there was something that bugged him a little.
Piranha tried to maintain his sweet smile. "What do you think of the song?"
Hornet just smiled, pleased. Maybe a little bashful, blushing from the surprise. "You brought the thunder to the cloud!" The little bug giggled a little, overjoyed for those high notes. "It's beautiful. Thank you!"
Piranha sighed in relief. "I'm so glad you like it. But, I'm…oh man!" He rested his head on the balcony fence, rueful. "I'm so sorry we had you and Papa and Mama chopping those potatoes. We had a better distraction and then Perrito's boss got mad at Petrol for…"
Hornet thought his eyes might twitch at the mention, but he didn't feel insane, thankfully. "It's OK. Please, next time, don't hand in a task that requires two hours of chopping the same ingredient. My shirt now smells like a tolerable potato, but don't make it too long."
The little fish nodded. "OK. OK…"
"One thing," wondered Hornet. "How about you? Been doing alright so far?"
"W-What?" stuttered Piranha. "No! I'm alright. You? Did I do something wrong?"
Hornet stared at Piranha for a while. It was rare for him to say that. He usually showed his concern in his own way, but not direct like this.
The little bug had a theory, but he wasn't sure what Paulina told him was ongoing. "No. You didn't do anything wrong. I had a great time on this trip! Well, never thought it could be this stressful meeting your family, but they're good people. It's just…"
Should he address Piranha's 'anxiety issues'? Did he know about them? Would Piranha even be comfortable talking about them? But to talk about it on their first day in Santa Cruz would be awkward. It was terrible timing since Piranha had only revisited his family.
Let him process all of this. Find a better day when everything was calm, which…might be hard to find.
But Hornet was determined to find the right day to talk to Piranha about this. He knew the blissful piranha wasn't that open about himself. The little bug still wanted to watch over Piranha in case anything would happen in the future.
Eventually, he swung his hands around each other to motion the sudden rush for today. "A lot?"
Piranha was none the wiser, but hearing how stressful it was seeing his family again didn't make him feel better, not in the same way Hornet felt. For Piranha, it felt like an ongoing climb, something he might never achieve to serve his family better.
"A-A lot," said Piranha, trying to conquer any hesitation in his voice. "I get it. It'll pass by."
Yeah, something was going on. Hornet glanced at Piranha in concern. It wouldn't be easy to pass by. But neither of them indicated anything else.
Deciding that they should at least enjoy this night, Hornet cleared his throat and straightened himself.
When Piranha glanced back at him, he noticed how Hornet was trying to look…professional. His little chest was puffed out, making Hornet look adorable when trying to be tough. The little bug was showing things Piranha couldn't understand. What now?
Eventually, Hornet found the words to continue. Even if the sight of Piranha made him timorous, he told himself to acknowledge the warm feeling when looking at him. He knew what to say, but saying it to his love made him feel paranoid about the outcome.
Damn this. Let it out already, scolded Hornet internally.
"This reminds me of something," he started quietly. "I did plan this in front of your parents, but it's just us now…" After a few more seconds of silence, Hornet turned his attention on Piranha's eyes.
Look. Feel.
And remember the golden, warm glow of the sun. The lovely glow that got Hornet glowing as well.
"Your performance tonight is really sweet. It reminds me of why I love you. Strong voice, strong heart."
Piranha smirked humbly. "My heart isn't too strong."
"It is for me. The same goes for your family and our friends. And without it, I might end up being lost…I might end up dead."
The thought of so got Hornet emotional. He nearly remembered the bad memories, which gave him another look at the good ones. He remembered that night when he was in Piranha's arms, crying yet safe. The time when he thought everything would crumble upon being reminded of who he was. A good-for-nothing hornet who eventually found purpose from the people who saved him.
Hornet chuckled sheepishly, wiping some tears away. "Your heart found the best…in me."
Piranha was touched. "Aww. N-Now I want to cry."
Hornet grinned affectionately. He nearly forgot to say the other admirable thing about Piranha. The little fish never let shame put him down. Even if it came from him or anyone, he continued to smile and find the best in life.
The little bug placed his little hand on Piranha's. "Piranha, listen, you have been my best friend since I met you and you have cared for me throughout the years. And I have never been more grateful. I never thought we would go forward in our relationship. I never thought we would be more than friends. And all the times we went through together, we're still standing here together and I was thinking…"
The thought of it got him blushing again, nearly overwhelmed by emotion. Based on his faint blush, Piranha was starting to know where this was going.
"...maybe we can maintain this relationship much more."
Those bright yellow eyes couldn't glow brighter when Hornet slowly pulled out a golden ring from underneath his shirt.
Piranha slowly lifted his hand to let Hornet slide the ring onto his thumb.
His breath could be taken away, staggered and hearts forming in his eyes. Not only was the ring a true beauty to marvel at, but also a cherished present Hornet wanted to give.
"This engagement ring is a gift for our love," stated Hornet confidently. "And I want to be a really good part of your life."
Piranha's mind was racing. This was earlier than he thought. But after the time they spent together, the stars aligned. He could have a thousand thoughts but he was lost in this overwhelming feeling of love. The sudden happiness washed over him and his words from the little bug by his side. The one who carried the wit and determination to survive.
One who knew the best intentions for everyone.
And Piranha was there as Hornet grew from shy and reserved to open and hopeful. Piranha never knew Hornet would confess to him first.
Any worries of Piranha were nearly gone, but like Hornet, he wanted to check. "F-For real?"
Hornet nodded and pulled out the tiny engagement ring meant for himself to wear. "No second thoughts."
And just seeing Hornet committing the rings they would share together, Piranha's bubbly self came back to life and he squealed in joy. He couldn't stop himself from hopping up and down.
He even needed to hold still when calling to place the ring on Hornet to return the favor. Though, Piranha gingerly wrapped the ring around Hornet's good long antenna.
The little bug was dazzled by the idea, blinking a few times. He chuckled, finding it a little humorous but endearing. And to demonstrate his fondness of the idea, Hornet immediately flew up and kissed Piranha's lips, the tiny golden ring clinking his forehead.
Piranha began hopping madly, cheering away. Hornet joined along, sharing this impromptu dance. The two Bad Guys danced the night away while the stars drifted in space.
There was no telling when this endless vacation would leave its mark in the long run.
While he couldn't keep his eyes off Hornet, Piranha couldn't hide his smile either. When looking at his fiance, he saw his future with him.
That kind of imagination couldn't make Piranha hold being giddy. "I just can't wait to marry you!"
Hornet felt the same glee as Piranha. Telling Piranha that he wanted their relationship to be much more was what made him admit he felt the same.
"Me too!" he chirped.
"You know, we can marry now, like… right away!" Piranha exclaimed.
Hornet's eyes widened before bursting out into a giggle. "You are crazy!" Piranha laughed and Hornet exhaled deeply to confess. "And I am, too, because I couldn't wait any longer,"
A single tear of joy rolled down Hornet's face. He didn't mind the slight wet feeling on his cheek as nothing could quake him as imagining his future with Piranha. Probably, and hopefully, a very happy future.
"We'll get there very soon!" promised Piranha, leaning to let Hornet have a hug on his face.
AN: Thanks to all for reading through this two-parter special! And appropriately, Happy La Paz Day! The holiday that celebrates the commemorates the uprising against the Spanish in La Paz city and the inspiration for independence during the Bolivian war. It feels fitting for this two-parter special's themes and characters.
Working on this special one-shot took the longest for me and Rally, regarding the drama, the character study and the worldbuilding.
Significantly, today's worldbuilding has been cut down by a lot. I originally had a scene showing the world of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, but unfortunately, that won't see the light of day. If familiar, you'll see subtle influences of Bolivian tradition from Piranha's family. But for what it's worth, I enjoyed the experience and hope that I'll be able to use the opportunity to explore different places properly without overwriting.
While not much isn't fully seen from my version of Piranha's family, it's fun to depict what they could be like. And yes, I cut down Piranha's 900,543 siblings to four brothers, one mother and one father, all named. While it feels similar to BroZone of Trolls Band Together, I enjoyed writing about their quirks and personalities. I like the eldest brother Piwi and Mama Paulina the most.
As for who might voice each of them, I'm thinking Alanna Ubach for Paulina, Bernardo Peña as Para, Josh Keaton as Piwi, Jason Hightower as Percy, Jorge Diaz as Perrito and Jake T. Austin as Petrol.
Though, you can see that not all the brothers are happy to see Piranha. But whether it is due to how Piranha's reputation affected the family is up to you. Percy is the most upset about it, as seen in his argument with Paulina based on a scene in Arcane.
Rally actually gave me the idea of chopping potatoes from a chopping squid scene in Victorious! Let that be a reminder that Hornet is as savage as the piranhas.
And now, we have our first original song included! 'Grown Two Heads' was first written in mind for Molly Johnson in my Sonic story 'as hard as an obsidian rock', but I thought it would be fitting for Piranha in this context. The song's sound is heavily influenced by 'Ciao Adios' by Anne Marie, though other inspirations come from dancehall songs such as 'Foundations' by Sapphire and 'Sorry' by Justin Bieber.
You know the drill. Favorite or follow if you like, review and stay tuned for the next act. Let me know what you think as I'll need heavy constructive criticism on this one. And let me know which is your favorite character out of Piranha's brothers. Until then, keep on rocking!