Chapter 3: The Eldritch Club

Zoe would be harder pressed to talk to Tristo alone than she thought, as Scott and Tristo weren't the only two she was contending with in detention. Amira and Damien had set fire to the gymnasium, Polly had stolen a teacher's prescription medication, and the Wolfpack attacked Mr. Bones. I don't think I need to explain what happened there. As Tristo entered the room, Zoe gave him a soft smile. It was an attempt to be inviting, and it would have been successful, had Scott not inserted himself between the two already. Zoe gritted her teeth and the eye in the center turned from its normal green to an agitated red.

Ugh I know it isn't Scott's fault, but this is just getting crazy today. I need to be brave and say something. If I just explain that I need to talk to Tristo, surely Scott will move for a bit.

Scott sat between Zoe and Tristo, who gave her what appeared to be an apologetic look from the other side of Scott. The fun-loving werewolf was already chatting up a storm about how lucky Tristo is he's going to be living with Vera. Zoe takes a breath and reverts to her normal state. She slumps down onto her desk, when she suddenly feels a tap on her shoulder. Tristo had swapped seats with Scott, who was chatting with one of the Wolfpack next to him.

"Hey…"

"Hey Zoe."

"You made that look easy."

"Well Scott is very manageable when you know his-" Tristo starts, and then stops. "He's um, very easily distracted."

"I wanted to ask you… do you remember being in the totem with me?"

"Yeah, but you didn't look like you."

Zoe hangs her head, slumping down into her desk even more.

"I wasn't me."

"Sorry if I freaked out. I was just really surprised to be in my room one minute and face to face with eldritch horrors the next."

"No, it was totally justified. I was kind of a doomer then."

"And now?"

"Now I want to live life, and experience everything I can."

Tristo smiles, and holds his hand out to her.

"It's nice to meet you properly this time."

"Same here." Zoe said, reaching forward and grabbing his hand excitedly. His skin was very warm, and hers incredibly soft. Tristo had expected her hand to be squishy, but it was very firm, albeit a bit slimy. He pushed through the strange feeling giving one solid shake before they released one another. Zoe wanted to ask him more, and just as she began to speak, Ms. Feratu walked in with a mound of paper. She began to pass around a series of essay questions on different subjects in Spooky Academy.

As Ms. Feratu left them with the work, it didn't take long to recognize that no one in detention was actually going to do it. Amira and Damien had already begun making flaming spitballs to shoot at each other. One thing led to another, and a brawl was certainly brewing. Zoe and Tristo ran and ducked behind the cover of the teacher's desk at the front of the room. Right now Polly and Scott had rallied half of the detention space under the Prank Masterz banner, and were at war with the Firebirds. Tristo gave Zoe a nervous smile.

"I guess things must get crazy like this all the time."

"More or less. By the time they clean up the mess here, they'll probably have forgotten who all were even in detention." Zoe said, letting out a small giggle. It was then that she noticed one of the small fiery spitballs making their way over to the desk. Before she could even think, she acted. Her tentacle sprang from her hoodie sleeve, wrapping around Tristo and pulling him out of the trajectory of the flaming missile. The two slammed into one another and tumbled to the floor, her tentacle wrapped tight around Tristo's waist. Where Tristo stood, the flaming mass splattered across the floor before petering out. The two locked eyes with one another.

"Thanks Zoe."

"No problemo man."

"You're um… squeezing me a bit tightly."

"Oh!"

The two darted their eyes away from one another as she slowly relinquished her grip, her tentacle sliding back into her hoodie sleeve. Tristo drew in a breath as he was freed. He now realized just how incredibly unsafe this room was becoming. Tristo grabbed the wheeled chair at the desk, and turned to Zoe.

"You wanna get out of here?" Tristo asked, a mix of nervousness and excitement plain in his voice. Zoe looked him up and down and with a confident look, placed her hand on the chair.

"Let's do this!" Zoe said, upbeat and readying herself for the push to the classroom door. The two leapt forward, using the chair as a moving barricade from the barrage being thrown from either side of the classroom. The two crashed through to the other side, and Zoe shot her tentacle forward to throw the door open. Other than a few bruises from their tumble, the two made it through relatively unharmed. Tristo sighed with relief. "We made it."

"Yeah, we did. That was quick thinking with the chair."

"I've prepared seven escape scenarios since entering the room, so I'm just glad it worked." He replies with an anxious grin.

"Are all humans crafty like you where you're from?"

"Oh I don't know…"

"It was a compliment."

"Ah I see."

In that calm, Tristo realized something. He was talking to Zoe as if she were any other person. Right now she wasn't an eldritch tentacled monster girl. Just, a girl he was talking to. Of course she was still very much an eldritch creature. She was also until recently just a character in a video game. Except, even when Tristo played Monster Prom, she often didn't feel like just a character. Zoe and Tristo had been through a similar experience, maybe not in terms of gender, but Tristo knew what it was like to be ridiculed for who you were. If Tristo ran into Leonard Kovacs, they would be having some choice words. In fact that's probably the only monster Tristo wouldn't run from, but towards with a fury.

"We should probably get out of here before Ms. Feratu spots us though." Zoe said, brushing herself off and foregoing the small awkward moment. Tristo nods, silently following behind as the roar of the classroom brawl behind them echoes. As they get outside of the school, they begin to head into the city of Monstropolis proper. Zoe turns to Tristo as they walk. The tentacles on her head bounce as all her eyes train on him.

"So… do you know how you got here? To this world?"

"Not really I was just…"

I cannot tell this girl that I was dreaming about her and then woke up in her void.

"I was in my room one moment, and then falling through the void the next."

"Wow. You've been there a long time then. It's been a year since I was freed from my totem, and that was when I remember seeing you."

"Really? Didn't feel that long for me."

"The Void is a very funky place, both itself, and the pocket within the totem."

"I guess so."

"Do you miss home?" Zoe asked, as it seemed Tristo was becoming a bit more dejected as the conversation went on.

"Mine was a lot less supernatural, or at least openly supernatural. I'm just trying to get accustomed."

"And how was your first week here?"

"I spent most of it hiding in the school's bathrooms. Scott and Liam were kind enough to bring me what I needed to survive." Tristo explained, and Zoe gave him a look.

He's so incredibly standoffish, but it is unfortunately kind of endearing.

"Well you seem to be acclimating better today at least."

"Yeah, I even have a place to stay now."

"Oh yeah, I think I heard Scott mention."

"It was nice of Vera to offer me to stay, even if I did have to sign a contract. I think Scott is right when he says she's nicer than she may first appear."

"I think so too… hey listen. I know it's been a tough week, but I do want to help. I feel somewhat responsible for you having ended up here."

"Zoe, I don't think it's your fault. If anything I geeked out too much about monsters, and now I'm here."

"If you say so. But still I have an idea on how we might be able to get you back. If that's what you want."

Tristo thought for a moment on this.

I would be much safer back home, but this is a once in a lifetime adventure! If this is even real to begin with. I could be in a coma, or dead. Hell if it's possible, then it's worth looking into. Plus I'll get to spend more time with Zoe. Oh I do want to spend more time with her don't I…

"It's worth a shot."

"Then tomorrow we'll visit the Coven at lunch, they may be able to help us. I'll see you then!" Zoe said, turning to run off into the city. Tristo yelled after her. Zoe looked back with a surprised and bashful expression as he did.

"Wa-wait! Zoe!"

"Yeah Tristo?"

"I um… I don't know how to get to Vera's house."

Her expectant look faded into an understanding smile.

"Right, I'll walk you there then."

"Only if you don't mind. I could just look for it, you're already helping me plenty."

"I don't. But to repay me, I could use some feedback on my new fanfic I'm writing."

"I'd be happy to listen."

The two continued on into the city, Tristo laughing as Zoe regaled him with the wonders of her favorite ship. It was sort of inspiring to Tristo to hear her talk about it, as he always wanted to write fanfiction of his own. It just felt too silly, and he worried he wasn't a good enough writer. But, so long as one person enjoys it, it's worth it. And right now, he really enjoyed listening to Zoe talk about hers. Though he had heard her talk about it before when he played the game, it was like listening to a friend repeat a story they love telling. Though this time, she was actually telling it to him.