Monsterhearts:What Friends Are For

Thursday August 14th, 6:40 AM
Wildomar Liam's House
**Liam is standing in front of the full-length mirror in his room, his hair is messy and he's still dressed in his faded and worn pajamas. The shadowy figure of Avarada stands in place of his reflection, peering back at him. The thoughts of Shane's advances and implications have been creeping at the back of his mind. Both seductive and unsettling, Liam can't stand thinking that he turned him into some kind of creeping rapist, when he was one of the few guys that was nice to him before. Using his power to turn him into something he's not has made him feel sick to his stomach.**

**Liam**: I want Shane to go back to normal. **Though Avarada's appearance unsettles him, he says it like a command, though a weak one.**

**Avarada**: **A deep humming fills Liam's small room, following by Avarada's sickeningly soft and monotone voice.** ...You wanted him. You can take him. He desires you above all others.

**Liam**: I don't want him to want me anymore! I want him to go back to the way he was. **He's obviously nervous, asking the creature in the mirror to undo what he asked to be done. More afraid that it can't be undone, than of Avarada.**

**Avarada**: **The mirror blurs as it vibrates when he speaks.** I gave you what you asked for.

**Liam**: And I'm asking you to change it! You turned him into a creep that keeps staring at me all the time, and he talks... Like... Some pervert.

**Avarada**: **There's a load groan as the entire mobile home seems to shift very slowly, as if a great weight were pressing down on it suddenly.** ...What is it that you want?

**Liam**: **He looks around the trailer's interior as he feels it move.** Change Shane back to the way he was, and make him forget he acted the way he was. I want to be able to get him to like me on my own! **He glares back at the dark spirit with as much resolve as he can muster.** *You do what I say*, remember? So do it!

**Avarada**: **The mobile home shifts again, one of Liam's posters falls off the wall. A long sigh trembles through the whole house, the air around Liam turns cold and he can feel it run over his clothing and skin.** It is done. He will operate as he normally would. **Despite him still speaking in monotone there's a low rumble in his voice, and the mirror seems to almost ripple like water. It's obvious that he's displeased with Liam's choice.**

**Liam**: **He looks relieved, and breaths out a long quiet sigh. He puts his hand to his head, and then pushes it back through his messy hair.** Good... **He drops his hand to his side and looks back at the mirror, seeing Avarada wearing his old tattered Pajamas, he then looks down at himself, looking himself over.** You know what? I want some new clothes...

**Avarada**: **The trailer home shifts again, sounding almost like something very heavy is walking around on the roof.** All the power is in your hands. **The mirror cracks suddenly, a long thin fissure running diagonally up its length through Liam's reflection.** ...Liam.

***Later that day, during Lunch...***

**The bustle of students at lunch period has overtaken the school. Odie is sitting at his table already, eating a bag of baked chips with a mountain dew, as Liam and Chris sit down with their lunches. Dustin is no where to be seen, Odie is sitting alone.**

**Odie**: **He looks at the two of them as they take a seat.** Liam, you weren't here this morning. **He grabs his backpack and opens it up, looking through it.**

**Liam**: **He's wearing noticeably nicer clothing than he was yesterday, a brand new hoodie that's black, with the interior of it and the zipper being dark red, and a black shirt with "The Adams Family" written on it. He's also in a new pair of black jeans.** I was- **He thinks of an excuse for a moment.** -buying new clothes.

**Odie**: Yeah? Anyway. **He pulls out a stack of cash wrapped in brown paper and tosses it onto the table. "Liam" is written on it in black marker.** Your winnings from the fight. Sixty bucks. **He looks at Chris.** Kentucky here is already the talk of the town.

**Chris**: ...Wait, I won that fight? **He looks confused as he starts to unwrap his hamburger.**

**Liam**: **He quickly snatches up the sixty dollars and rips open the edge of the paper to reveal the money within. He almost gasps in awe, like it's more money than he's ever seen in his life.**

**Odie**: Was a draw from what Dustin said, *but*, Blake called in sick today and you didn't, which means you won. **He grabs a chip and eats it before rummaging through his pack.** By the way, your winnings. **He pulls out three bundles of cash wrapped in brown paper and throws it onto the table, "Kentucky" is written on each of the stacks.** Two-hundred greenbacks.

**Chris**: **He stares at the a brown wrapped stacks of money as he finishes unwrapping his hamburger.** Keep it. **He takes a bite from his hamburger as he looks to Odie.**

**Odie**: **He looks at Chris in surprise.** What?

**Liam**: **He's staring at the three brown stacks silently, in awe at that much money.**

**Chris**: **He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand out of habit, even though it isn't messy.** Don't want it, give it to charity or something.

**Odie**: That's two-hundred dollars, and you're just gonna pass it up? **He tilts his head in confusion.**

**Chris**: **He sighs and puts his hamburger down. He puts his hands on the stacks and slides them over to Liam.** You take it.

**Liam**: **His eyes go wide.** What, R-really?! **He looks at Chris and gulps.**

**Chris**: I don't like carrying around cash, especially that much. **He goes back to eating his hamburger.**

**Shane**: **He sits down at the table suddenly, next to Odie.** Chris is part of Wildomar's wealthy elite, bet two-hundred bills is chump change to him.

**Odie**: **He looks at Shane as he speaks and then looks at Chris with a bit of surprise, not expecting him to be rich, as he wears pretty normal clothing.** Really?

**Shane**: I drove him home yesterday, his house is bigger than this school. **He rips open his box of breadsticks and then pulls a Dr. Pepper out of his coat, putting it on the table.**

**Liam**: Yeah he lives in this gated area with all these mansions! It's incredible, I didn't even know it was over there!

**Chris**: **He glances at Liam, suddenly looking a bit uncomfortable.**

**Odie**: I've been back there before, some of the seniors from last year lived there. I have no idea why they were in public school. **He doesn't seem as enthralled by Chris's wealth as Shane and Liam are.**

**Shane**: Mandy Lane lived there didn't she? Before she moved out with that Clark guy.

**Odie**: She lived with Isaac, the Abraham kid that lived across the street from the school, Clark was way out of her league. I've heard that guy only dated models.

**Shane**: What? Why would she move in with that guy? ...I guess they sat together at Lunch a lot. **He glances back at the table Mandy and Isaac sat at with a few of the other popular kids, Shane sat with them sometimes. As he looks he sees Lilith sitting on the edge of the table, laughing with one of the other girls. He looks back at Chris.**

**Odie**: Anyway, a lot of rich kids go to this school. **He pulls a chip out and eats it with a loud crunch. He then speaks with his mouth full.** I don't know why.

**Chris**: **He looks relieved that Odie doesn't suddenly act like he's a celebrity, or royalty.** I was in private schools until High School. They're shit. **He takes another bite of his hamburger and swallows his food before he keeps talking.** Full of preppy snobs and people that think they're better than everyone else. I can't stand people that act that way... Blake included.

**Liam**: **He smiles as he looks down at his foot. Chris's comment on other rich people acting like snobs making him feel less intimidated by him being so rich.**

**Odie**: **He looks at Shane.** So why are you sitting with us all the sudden? Shouldn't you be with all the other Jocks?

**Shane**: **He looks at Odie with a little confusion.** What, I'm not allowed to sit here?

**Odie**: You can sit wherever you want, I'm just wondering why you're hanging around all the sudden, and not with the Swim Team.

**Shane**: Chris and Liam are gonna join the Swim Team, and like you said, I hang out with the Swim Team. **He looks at Chris and Liam and shrugs.** Plus I get cool points for being around the guy that dented the hood of Blake's car with Blake's head.

**Odie**: **He looks at Liam.** *You're* trying out for Swim Team?

**Liam**: **He nods wordlessly as he eats. He's glad that Shane doesn't seem so rape-y anymore.**

**Odie**: This is going to be a weird year... **He eats another chip.**

**Chris**: So what do people do around here for fun anyway? Going straight home after school is boring, there must be a place to hang out.

**Shane**: There's this place called the Trevi Zone, it's like a mini-mall, a bowling alley, and an arcade. I haven't been there too many times, but since you've made me a few stacks of cash with that fight of your yesterday, I can totally afford to go.

**Liam**: **He eats quietly as they speak. He's only been to that arcade once before, and he ended up leaving after less than an hour because he only had a few dollars.**

**Chris**: Why don't we head there then, after school? **He finishes the last bite of his hamburger and then opens his soda.**

**Shane**: Yeah, I'm not doing anything, so I'll drive us. **He looks at Liam for a moment, not in a creepy way, more in a way like he hopes Liam will be going with them.**

**Odie**: **He pauses in thought for a moment,** I have to check in with my work after school first.

**Liam**: Where do you work? **He looks at Odie.**

**Odie**: Detective's place off of mission trail. It's on the way. **He looks at Shane.** You don't mind if we stop there real quick, huh?

**Shane**: **He has a serious expression on his face.** Well, you're not trying out for the swim team, why would I bother giving you a ride anywhere?

**Odie**: **He just stares at Shane for a moment with his strangely bright green eyes.**

**Shane**: **He laughs.** Yeah I don't give a fuck. Always wanted to go into that detective's place.

**Chris**: So are you a detective in training or something? **He takes a drink from his soda.**

**Odie**: Junior detective... Is the proper term I guess. **He obviously doesn't like the name.**

**Liam**: That's cool... How'd you get that job? **He seems to actually think the job is really cool, mostly because he's imagining Odie in place of various movie detectives.**

**Odie**: I walked in the door and asked for it. **He shrugs.**

**Liam**: Do they have any other openings? Like, could I get a job there?

**Odie**: Uhh... Probably not... **He looks unsure. Liam doesn't seem like the type that his boss would hire.**

**Liam**: **He sighs quietly in disappointment.** Oh well... **A thought seems to don on him suddenly, and his disappointment quickly fades.**

**Chris**: We all have fourth period together, right? We can just leave right after Mr. Hammer's class and head out together.

**Liam**: **He nods, happy to have friends to do things with after school.**

**Shane**: Yeah, sounds good to me. **The lunch bell rings, he grabs his last bread stick and picks up the box, tossing it into a nearby trashcan.**

***About a half hour later, during Swim Class...***

**Swim Class is less laid-back today and more like an actual PE class, the pool has been cut down the middle with half of it being for basic swimming and free-style, and the other half being for Swim Team Tryouts. Shane is standing at the edge of the pool watching Liam swim. He has a dark blue swimming cap on today and a pair of black goggles are hanging around his neck. Next to him the team captain, Kyle Young. He has striking red hair and bright brown eyes that reflects the light with a red-orange hue, he stands slightly taller than Shane and is more muscular but more lithe at the same time, with broaders shoulders but a slimmer waist. He has the ideal swimmer's build, with very lightly tanned skin that's almost pale. He's the only guy that's wearing speedo briefs, they're a bright red as are the goggles around his neck. There's been rumors going around that Kyle has been modelling for some local magazine.**

**As Shane and Kyle watch Liam, he's struggling to make time on each lap, and is missing a few marks. He's not a very strong swimmer, and it's really obvious that he isn't athletic.**

**Kyle**: **He watches Liam swimming, and crosses his arms over his chest.** So *why* is he trying out for swim team? **Kyle is one of the nicer guys that go to school, willing to give people a chance. He's also the guy that stands between the football team's bullies and his swim team, being one of the few people that's stood up to Blake and actually put him in his place. Even so, he doesn't see much potential in Liam as he stands next to Shane watching the small boy do laps.**

**Chris has just finished, and gets out of the pool. He isn't wearing a different pair of swim jammers, having brought his own today. They're green and black lightning-like jagged lines running up the side. He's on the far side of the pool as he gets out and walks over getting his towel to dry off.**

**Shane**: He said he wanted to try out, I offered to train him. **He looks to the side a little and rubs the edge of his beard.**

**Kyle**: **He sighs.** Saw you practically trying to stare him right out of his swimsuit yesterday. You've got a thing for him. **Kyle is one of the few people that knows for certain that Shane is gay.**

**Shane**: **He rolls his eyes and sighs.** Yeah, ok. **He says it sarcastically, but Kyle sees through it easily.**

**Liam doesn't swim in a straight line and nearly bumps into one the guy in the next lane over, he turns back into his lane and tries to swim faster to make up for lost time. It's obvious that he's really giving this his all, though his all isn't very much to give.**

**Kyle**: **He glances at Shane, before looking back at Liam and shaking his head slowly, after a moment he looks to Chris as he's drying off.** That's the guy that beat the shit out of Blake yesterday right? He's pretty good.

**Shane**: He said he was team captain at his old school. He's really fast. **He looks back to the pool, most of the other boys trying out are still swimming, even some from last year's team.**

**Kyle**: Why can't you try for a guy like that? **He nudges Shane.** He actually knows how to swim.

**Chris**: **He sees Shane and Kyle at the far side of the pool as he finishes drying his hair, and starts to make his way over to them to hear if he's qualified for the team, which he's sure he has as he sees a few of last year's members still swimming.**

**Shane**: Well I don't think he'd be in my league... Nor has he... You know. Shown any signs of interest. **He looks a bit uncomfortable.**

**Kyle**: So you're settling for the smelly kid. **He watches Liam struggle to finish up his laps.**

**Shane**: He's not smelly, well not anymore. He smelled nice yesterday. **He almost seems to turn slightly red with embarrassment.**

**Kyle**: Alright, alright... **He rubs the back of his neck, the hot sun causing it to itch.** If he can make fifty tomorrow I'll put him on the team, but he'll probably be benched most of the time anyway. I don't see him doing well in water polo, he looks like he weighs less than my grandma...

**Chris**: **He walks up to the two of them, his towel over his shoulder.** So how'd I do?

**Kyle**: **He looks away from Liam to Chris.** Very well, with a time like that you don't even need to try out tomorrow. Shane here tells me you were team captain at your last school.

**Chris**: Yeah, co-captain. **He looks back and forth from Kyle to Shane.** We had a really big swim team because we didn't have a football team. **He reflexively bites the inside of his lower lip.**

**Kyle**: **He looks back out at the pool.** What do you think of Liam, you guys are friends right?

**Liam's getting out of the pool. He walks over to the benches and gets his towel, instead of drying off he just falls onto the bench, laying down as he's exhausted and winded. This was the more exercise he's ever had.**

**Chris**: Uhh... **He looks at Shane, unsure of what to say.** He's a terrible swimmer, but it looks like he really wants to put in the effort? **He looks back at Kyle.**

**Kyle**: **He watches Liam laying on the bench.** You must've been a good captain if you can show objectivity like that. **He looks at Chris.**

**Chris**: ...Yeah, I guess. I mean, that's what I see, he doesn't look like he has good times, and he's not in shape, but umm... Well he gave it his all. I don't think he knows how to swim very well.

**Shane**: He'll improve. I'll train him myself. **He nods quickly. Despite being normally confident, he feels inferior to Kyle and Chris as they're both acting like team captains that he needs to convince.**

**Kyle**: We'll see what time he gets tomorrow.

**Chris**: You could always put him on the team and just bench him until his times are better. I did that for a few of my friends back home. **He looks at Shane, waiting to see if Kyle buys his suggestion.**

**Kyle**: Yeah... I think that's what will likely happen. **He tilts his head, looking to the others as they dry off next to the pool and start talking.** You'll be doing water polo with us right... **He pauses quickly to remember Chris's name as he looks at him.** ...Chris?

**Chris**: Definitely. **He smirks, looking forward to playing water polo again.**

***Later that day, after school...***

**They're all in Shane's run down truck, Odie is sitting in the front seat, Chris and Liam are sitting in the back. The seats are small as there's not much room, especially from Chris now that Liams back there with him today.**

**Shane**: So it's right here, right? **He turns off the main road.**

**Odie**: Yeah, right there. **Shane pulls up in front of a brick building, the window has "J. Murdoc & Associates - Paranormal Private Investigation Agency" written across it in classy cursive calligraphy. The sign looks very new, as does the window. Odie gets out of the car as it stops.** You guys can come in, or wait out here. **He closes the door to the truck and walks towards the front door. Shane gets out afterwards, making it obvious that he intends to go inside.**

**Chris**: **He immediately opens the door to get out and stretch his legs, the back being too cramped for him. He looks at Liam and then follows Shane.**

**Liam**: **He hops out of the truck and straightens his new clothes for a second before he turns and runs after Chris and Shane and into the office.**

**The interior looks old, very vintage, but clean. It's nice and air conditioned inside, and there's a strong smell of cigars hanging in the air. There's a desk off to the left, but no one is sitting behind it. Directly ahead of the entrance is a short hallway that has several doors leading off of it to other rooms.**

**Odie**: **He shouts down the hall.** Hey boss man, you here?

**Murdoc**: **An older, slightly overweight man with a long brown coat steps out into the hall, he's smoking a cigar.** Was just about to step out to get somethin to eat. **He looks exactly like some guy you'd see in an old detective film from the 50's. His voice is a bit rough and abrasive, it's obvious that he smokes too much. He walks down the hall rather quickly.** Who are these guys? **He looks at Liam, Chris, and Shane.**

**Odie**: Few guys from school. Was wondering if you needed me in the office today.

**Murdoc**: Eh... **He puts on his hat and straightens it a bit.** ...Nah, I got Ricky come'n in at four, take the day off. **He looks at each of the boys as he passes them, as he heads out he stops and looks back at Odie.** Oh, almost forgot to tell ya. Something came up and I have to head outta town this weekend. Need you to watch the shop tomorrow night. Don't bring the Twins this time. Your new pals can stay here if they want. Just need you to watch the place a few hours after school, Karen said she'd be dropping off that, uh, "delivery". Alright?

**Odie**: You got it boss man. **He waves at Murdoc as he walks out, Murdoc waves at them and turns, letting the door close behind him.**

**Liam**: That guy's just like one of those detectives from one of those old movies... **He sounds impressed.**

**Chris**: **He silently wonders if the old man is talking about the same Karen as the one he had dinner with last night.** What'd he mean by staying here tomorrow night? **He looks from the front door to Odie.**

**Odie**: Sometimes people try to break in or steal things when Murdoc isn't here, so when he's outta town he asks me, or the other guy who works here, to stay the night for some overtime. You guys wanna stay the night here with me? **He looks at them hopefully.** I mean, if you don't want to you don't have to.

**Chris**: Yeah I'll stay over. I'll rent us some movies. **He shrugs. He acts like it's not a big deal, but really anything is better than saying home, doing homework and staring at the ceiling.**

**Liam**: **Hearing Chris agree to stay make him immediately want to stay over too.** Yeah, I'll stay too.

**Shane**: **He looks at Liam for a second as he agrees to stay. It's obvious he wants to stay the night tomorrow night as well, but he can't say for certain.** I'll have to ask my parents.

**Odie**: It's alright, you don't have to come if you don't want to. Let's get to the arcade, we're wasting daylight.

***About an hour later, at the Trevi Arcade...***

**The "Trevi Zone" is apparently very popular among the teen crowd, it's situated right next to a movie theatre, and across the street from another mini-mall that has a grocery store, and various other shops. The interior of the Trevi Zone is divided up into several sections, the largest of which is a food court, which connects the bowling alley to the arcade.**

**In the last half-hour Odie and Shane seemed to have become fast friends, or at least arch-rivals. Game after game they continue to challenge one another at various fighting games, they're currently playing Killer Instinct II, Shane's TJ Combo keeps beating Odie's Glacius.**

**Odie**: Gah! **He fishes into his pockets and pulls out more quarters.** Alright, alright. I got you this time. **He flips the quarters into the machine.**

**Shane**: How many quarters did you bring man? Jesus. **Odie's probably spend almost thirty bucks since they've gotten here, at this point he's paying for Shane too, just to beat him.**

**Chris**: **He's sitting at a small table watching Odie and Shane duke it out, seemingly without end. He sips from an almost empty soda and grabs a large wavey french fry from a small basket, they're drenched in ketchup.** So is Odie rich? **He looks at Liam as he eats the fry, wondering due to Odie seeming to have an endless supply of quarters.**

**Liam**: I don't think so... **He moves a bit closer to Chris.** ...Odie sells a lot of illicit materials to... Everyone. Like everybody. **He looks to the side for a beat and then looks back at Chris.** Ever. **He leans back and grabs the small box of skittles he has, pouring some into his hand and then eating them one by one.**

**Chris**: So he's connected then. **He looks at Odie.** I think there's more going on in this small town than the whole city I came from.

**Liam**: I dunno, nothing interesting really happens here. **He almost seems like he's lying.**

**Chris**: So what do you do for fun?

**Liam**: **He looks nervous suddenly.** Uhh... I don't really do anything. Really. **He looks away and then back to Chris.**

**Chris**: Come on, everyone does something. Do you just go home and stare at the wall?

**Liam**: **He sighs.** I dunno, you'd probably think I'm weird, like everyone else does. **He looks away from Chris and seems to sulk suddenly.**

**Chris**: If you met my mother you'd think different. **He takes a drink from his soda.** Nothing is more bizarre than my family.

**There's sudden shouting from over where Odie and Shane are, which interrupts Chris and Liam's conversation. About seven young guys, each dressed in typical skater garb with baggy shorts, sneakers, and hats or beanies, are pushing Odie and Shane around. Their leader is a really skinny kid in a beanie and a t-shirt.**

**Lead Skater**: Those fake IDs you gave us didn't pass for shit! **The largest of their group, who looks strong but isn't really as tall as Odie or Chris, pushes Odie against the Arcade. It's obvious that Odie's way too skinny to have enough physical strength to stand up to these guys.**

**Odie**: **He holds his hand up to keep Shane from starting a fight.** Those IDs were top-shelf, if you got caught it's not my fault.

**Lead Skater**: Bullshit! **He motions to the guy holding Odie and the guy pulls Odie from the machine.** Let's settle this in the alleyway. **The guy is carrying Odie towards a size exit door at the back of the arcade. He does it quickly, before Chris or Liam can really leap into action. Shane tries to get them to stop but two of the other Skaters grab him and a third punches Shane in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. They quickly carry him out after Odie. The Lead Skater looks around for a moment, it doesn't seem like he saw Liam and Chris. He turns, following the others out.**

**Chris**: **He immediately stands up and follows after them as quickly as he can, running towards the exit door.**

**Liam**: **He watches Chris leave and then hops out of his seat to follow him.**

**As Chris and Liam run outside, Chris is immediately slammed in the stomach with a skate board as soon as he steps outside, because his stomach is still so sore from yesterday, it immediately causes him to double over in pain. The Leader is the one that hit him, having seen Chris watching them, and figuring he'd be storming out into the alleyway. Shane is pinned against the wall by two other guys, and Odie is slowly backing away down the alley, having apparently gotten free.**

**Lead Skater**: Well well. **Two of the other skaters grab Chris before he can recover and push him against the wall, pinning him there as Liam runs out afterwards.** Big damn heroes. **He looks at Liam and holds his skate board ready.** This pipsqueak isn't even worth a hit. The hell do you think you're even gonna do, huh? **He smirks at Liam. Raising his skateboard to slam it into Liam the same way he did to Chris.**

**Liam**: **He looks at Chris, Shane, and Odie. This is probably the most dangerous situation he's been in. He's been beaten up before, but this is a lot of guys, and they're using their boards as weapons. His moment of hesitation quickly fades however.** Let them go! Or... **He looks resolved, despite the fact that they're outnumbered and he's never won a fight.**

**Lead Skater**: **He immediately swings his skateboard at Liam. Since he's against the door there's no room for him to move, and the board slams into him, knocking Liam against the wall, it hits him hard, but not enough to cause** Harm**.** Or what, huh? Fuck'n retard.

**Chris**: **He struggles against his captors.** Leave him alone!

**One of the guys holding him immediately punches him in the stomach.**

**Lead Skater**: Let tiny here fight his own fuck'n battles. **He looks from Chris back to Liam.** We were here for Odie, but the three of you want to nose your way into something that's none of your fuck'n business. Now we're going to have to beat the shit out of all four of you. **He raises his skateboard up to hit Liam with it again. This time it looks like he has a much stronger stance, and it's going to hit Liam a lot harder.**

**Liam**: **He pushes off the wall and rushes the lead skater.**

**Illiadius**: **(Rolling to** ***Lash out Physically*** **against the Lead Skater. Using** **The Power flows Through Me** **to increase the roll by two. 6 + 6 + 2 + 1** **Volatile** **is 15!** **Marking experience.)**

**Liam**: **He slams into the lead skater as a pulse of supernatural strength ripples through his thin frame. He launches the kid across the alleyway and crashing into the opposite wall so hard that he practically bounces off of it and then falls forwards onto his face, Liam runs up and flips the kid's board up into his hands and slams it into the kid's back.**

**The lead skater looks like he's immediately down and out after that, but the other two that aren't holding down Chris and Shane turn and run towards Liam to beat the shit out of him.**

**Liam**: **He turns and looks at the other two, his confidence taking a huge boost after the massive ass kicking his just gave their leader. He raises the skateboard up, ready to try and take one of them out.**

**Illiadius**: **(Rolling to** ***Gaze into the Abyss*** **to see how to deal with the two guys running at Liam. 3 + 6 + 1** **Dark** **is 10.** **Marking experience.)**

**A vision of Liam throwing the skateboard under one of the skaters flashes before his eyes, the skater slips on it and falls, grabbing the other kid and forcing him down with him, leaving them both open for Liam to attack.**

**Liam**: **He drops the skateboard and slides it forwards, the kid slips on it and grabs onto the other one just like in his vision.**

**Illiadius**: **(Rolling to** ***Lash out Physically*** **against the two skater kids. 6 + 5 + 1 + 1** **Volatile** **is 13!!)**

**Liam**: **He rushes forwards and slams his foot down into one of the kid's backs, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys, balling them up into his fist so that the stick out between his fingers, as he punches down into the other kid's face as he turns to get up. He then picks up the skateboard with his other hand and turns to look at the other four holding Shane and Chris.**

**Odie**: **As they're distracted watching the beat down Liam is giving their friends, Odie manages to pull one of the skaters off of Shane, and Shane immediately punches the other guy straight in the face. The skater spins almost like he's a cartoon and falls down, knocked out instantly.**

**One of the guys holding Chris lets go of him to go attack Shane.**

**Chris**: **He immediately pulls free of the guy that's hold him and then attacks him.**

**Taylor**: **(Rolling to** ***Lash out Physically*** **against the skater kid that was holding Chris. 4 + 4 - 1** **Volatile** **is 7.)**

**Chris**: **He immediately punches the kid in the stomach twice and then attempts to push him away.**

**The skater takes 1** **Harm**, **but grabs Chris as he pushes him away and drags him with him, they both fall to the ground and the skater punches Chris in the face, busting his lip open again. Before the kid can do anything else to Chris, Shane runs up and pulls the kid off him, along with Odie the two of them punch the shit out of him twice each, before Shane throws him against the wall.**

**Odie**: **He looks around, seven guys are doubled over in pain or out cold, and the four of them are still standing somehow. He's breathing heavily, the adrenaline making him jittery.** We should... Probably go... **He nods and looks at Shane and then Liam.**

***About Ten Minutes Later...***

**Shane is driving them home. He got beat up pretty bad, but he'll recover by tomorrow, he has no discernible injuries. Odie fared much better than everyone else, none of the skater kids put even a single finger on him, ironic, as he's the one they were there to beat up in the first place.**

**Shane**: You guys see Liam launch that smart ass against the wall and knock him out cold? How the hell did you do that Liam? **He looks up in the rear-view mirror at Liam, his clear grey eyes showing obvious excitment.**

**Liam**: I don't know, I think it was like, an Adrenaline surge or something! **He looks very happy with himself.**

**Odie**: Yeah, an adrenaline surge. **He seems to have noticed something about Liam in that moment, when he launched that lead skater guy a good eight feet into a wall with nothing but a push. Even though the kid wasn't exactly a tank, he was obviously taller, tougher, and heavier than Liam should be able to handle.** Makes sense. **He says it like he's agreeing with Liam.**

**Chris**: **His voice is tired and labored, much like it was yesterday.** I didn't know you guys were so good in a fight. **He's obviously in a lot of pain as he clutches his aching stomach, and his lip is bloodied.** Never seen someone cold cock two guys like that Shane.

**Shane**: I can take care of myself. **He watches the road and turns up the road that passes the school.** My dad taught me how to box, I'm not really very good at it, but good enough I guess, heh.

**Odie**: You guys kicked the shit out of them. I thought I was dead meat. I'm still in awe that Liam single-handedly took out *three* of them. **He laughs to himself and shakes his head.**

**Liam**: Dumb luck, mostly, I think. **He nods, and then looks out the window.**

**Chris**: **He puts his hand on Liam's shoulder.** Well you didn't run, stood up to guys that were a lot bigger than you, and you saved the three of us from an ass-kicking. That's the definition of a good friend in my book. **He smiles at Liam.**

**Shane**: Here here! **He turns down another road.** Way to go Liam!

**Liam**: **He looks away from them and out the window. He feels to happy he almost wants to cry.**

**Odie**: After today, I'm bringing *ALL* the beer tomorrow night. **He lets out a long sigh. Similar to Chris and Liam, he's glad he's made a strong group of friends to hang out with for the rest of the year.**