Fate Is In Our Hands

6

Rook pov

I followed Max and Verdona as they led us into Squid World. "This place is pretty old-looking," Gwen said, dragging her finger across a counter, collecting dust. "It is quite old," I said.

Max stopped and turned to us, "It is old, but it's a big part of me and Verdona's past." he said. Verdona nodded with a smile, "We want to share it with you kids before they tear it down." she said. "Aww!" me and Gwen cooed, it was both sweet and sad.

"Hey, where is Jen?" Max asked. We all looked around and spotted Jen standing at the entrance starting at the sign. "Star Drop, earth to Star Drop!" Verdona called, trying to break Jen from whatever trance she was in. Jen turned and hurried to us, "Tentacles, tentacles everywhere." Jen muttered, her voice much higher the usual. I raised a brow and moved beside Jen.

"C'mon, it's time for the best part, ice cream squid world style," Max said. "I like ice cream, but what's squid world style?" Jen asked, gripping at the side of her pants, her stray hair bouncing. Her stray hair always intrigued me, I poked at it, seeing if it would do anything. "it's black ice cream made with squid ink." "What!?" the stray hair stood straight up breaking me from my little trance. "Yup, made with squid ink, it's delicious," Verdona said. "Not hungry!" Jen said and flew away.

"I got it," Gwen said and followed Jen, I did the same. Jen was hiding in a game booth, buried under stuffed toys. "Jen, C'mon," Gwen said, reaching into the pile of stuffed toys to pull Jen out. "No, no, nonononono!" Jen gripped the counter making it harder for Gwen to pull her way. "Jen, what are you afraid of?" I asked.

Jen grimaced, "Tentachles." she said and Gwen pulled her away from the counter. "Ah!" "Ouch!" Gwen was on her stomach and Jen was on her back. Jen jumped up and back into the pile of stuffed toys. I looked into the pile, "Tentacles?" I asked, Jen nodded. "I had a bad experience when I was younger," she said, moving a stuffed bear to block her face. "I see," I said, turning to lean against the counter.

"I can't believe it." Max and Verdina walked over, both looking disappointed. "What is wrong?" I asked, they both sighed, "They're out of squid ink ice cream." Verdona said. I could hear Jen sigh in relief. "I just don't understand why anyone would wanna change the past, the past is great," Max said.

Something then exploded, "I couldn't agree more, my good sir." a man's voice said. "Something not squid-related!" Jen cheered and ran toward the source of the explosion. I followed people ran out of the smoke screaming, and it slowly cleared. "The future is such an annoying thing, I shall ensure it never comes to destroy the past." a robotic octopus climbed onto the dock. I slowly trailed my eyes over to Jen, she was stiff, her eyes wide in fear.

I looked back at the robotic octopus. "Bye." I grabbed the hood of Jen's jacket and ran, dragging her with me. "Rook!?" Verdona called, "We will be back shortly!" I called and dragged Jen to an empty game booth. We crouched down and Jen looked terrified.

Jen pov

I hugged my knees to my chest, my heart beating so hard it hurt. "Jen, snap out of it!" Rook shook me. I snapped out of it and shook my head, "S-Sorry." I stuttered. Rook frowned, "Was what happened to you that bad?" he asked.

I sighed and brushed my hair aside revealing a scar on the left side of my face. The scar extended from my temple down to beneath my ear. Rook's eye widened a little.

"I was 6, my parents got together with some of their friends and planned a trip to the beach. They had two kids around my age, Cash and J. T., they hated me with a passion, and they still do. Anyway, we were playing in a cove, and Cash found a squid and threw it on me. It wrapped its tentacles around my face and tried to bite me. I was so scared I tripped and gashed my head on a rock."

I shivered at the memory, moving my hair back to cover the scar. Rook pushed my hair back, he smiled softly at me. "I can see why you would be scared, but that was a long time ago. If you hold onto the past too tightly, it will hold you back," he said, gently brushing the scar with his finger.

"He's right, Jen!" Grandpa called, dodging tentacles. I shivered and cowered again. Rook gently pet my head, "It is okay, I shall protect you." Rook jumped from the booth and ran toward the octopus. I turned my back to the fight and pulled my knees to my chest.

Gwen pov

"This is so unfair." I pouted, watching Rook and Grandpa fight. "As I told you, my dear, a gentleman does not attack or hurt a lady. And I Steam Smyth, am a gentleman." Steam Smyth said. "Big whoop!" I said and transformed, I became Techno, I pounced and upgraded his octopus.

"Hey, no fair!' he shouted. I released Rook and Grandpa and began toying with the octopus. I began spinning us round and round, we eventually began spinning like a top. "Oh...oh no!" I jumped off and hunched over, "That was a bad idea." I groaned, trying to keep my lunch down. "You brat!" I was suddenly hit in the back and sent flying. I crashed into the booth Jen was hiding in, and I groaned in pain.

I felt gentle hands on me and Jen cast a spell, healing me. After I was healed Jen stood up and walked away, toward the fight. I groaned and opened my eyes, Jen was standing in front of Steam Smyth's octopus, I could see the light from Jen's eyes even though her back was turned. Jen threw her arms out, two giant mana fists forming. Jen punched the sides of the octopus, crushing it. She then lifted it and slammed it down, breaking it more. "You shouldn't have done that!" Jen screamed and ripped the tentacles of the octopus.

"No!" Steam Smyth cried before Jen pulled him from his steam-powered creation. Jen gripped Steam Smyth tightly before sending him over to me, "Apologize." Jen looked over her shoulder, the look she had even scared me. "I'm sorry." Steam Smyth said, his voice becoming high. He was then thrown, flying far out into the ocean.

"Jen!" I snapped, Jen looked over at me confused, "What?" she asked. I crossed my arms and gave her a "Really?" look. Jen groaned, "Fine, I'll go get him." she said and flew after Steam Smyth.

~~~~~~~~~

"Where the heck is he?" I asked when Jen returned empty-handed. "He said he'd rather drown than be saved by me, then a price of driftwood floated up and he decided that would help him get back to shore," she said, landing beside me. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at me worried. I sighed, "I'm fine." I said. Jen smiled and nodded.

"So, are you still afraid of tentacles?" Rook asked, walking up with three ice creams, normal ice creams. "No, No I'm not," Jen said, taking one of the ice creams. "Kids, look what we found, marinated squid tentachles." Grandpa held out a tray that had squid tentacles in hotdog buns with suction cups on the side. "Ehh...!" Jen dropped her ice cream, "I take it back, they still freak me out," she shouted and ran away.

We all laughed and followed Jen. She ran to the RV and stuck her tongue out at us before slamming the door.