The Next Day, at Brian's House...

Georgie sits on the carpet in a well-furnished basement. There's a couch, where Brian is laying down, a TV, and snacks on the table. Georgie and Brian are both holding Gamepal handhelds.

Brian
Say it.

Georgie
No.

Brian
(Insistent.) Say it!

Georgie
(Calmly defiant.) No!

Brian
Say I'm the sheriff now.

Georgie
Never!

Brian
(Mopey.) But I beat you at Gotchimon.

George puts his GamePal down to grab some food. With each hand, he takes a handful from each of the two bowls: one popcorn, one cheese-twists. He shoves them both in his mouth at the same time, and the two snacks compete for space. Somehow, he manages them both, and chomps down the massive lump of cheese and carbs. He grabs his slush, and puts both straws in his mouth, and sips them at the same time. One is dark purple, the other is lemony yellow.

Georgie
I've beaten a real-life zombie, y'know.

Brian
No you haven't! That was just a guy in a costume, in a haunted house.

Georgie
I remember punching his rotten face in... it was bloody, and glorious.

Brian
You punched his squib-pack, and they made us leave because of it. Besides, if you're so good at killing zombies, how come you suck at Bloodshot Dies?

Georgie
Is that a challenge?

Brian
You bet your ass it is.

Brian gets up, and turns on the TV and grabs one controller. He's sluggish, but comfy as he crawls back onto the couch.

George
Get me one?

Brian
(Sigh.) Brian gets up again, looking exhausted, and comes back with another controller. By the time the game is started, Brian is asleep. He looks a bit paler than he did a minute ago.

Georgie
Hey, buddy? You okay?

Brian
(Snoozing.) Sgnsufdh.fgh....

George
(Annoyed.) Whatever, I have to pee. But I'm waking you up when I get back!

The boy shoots straight up like an arrow, and limberly strides to the bathroom. The door slams with a SHUT.

Meanwhile, at Ibram's House...

Padgen
Do you ever feel like you care too much?

Ibram
Oh, all the time. Hey, are you done with that pizza?

Padgen
I can't... eat pizza. It backs me up.

Ibram
What, like... 'back up, back up?'

Padgen
What?

Ibram
Like at a rave, when you grind-

Padgen
(Irritated.) No! It makes me sick, alright? I don't do meat, or any bread with gluten in it.

Ibram
I know, we've been friends for two years. I was just joking.

Padgen
I'm surprised you still eat it, cause it kind of looks like it does the same things to you as it does to me.

Padge looks at Ibram's developing pizza-gut, which hangs out the bottom of his shirt.

Ibram
Yeah, like making me swole. Y'know, I feel kind of bad for you. Here I am getting stronger, on all this glorious pizza, which by the way is technically a superfood-

Padge
(Seamlessly.) No, it's not.

Ibram
...and you're all the way over there...

He points to the other end of the couch, which is barely a meter apart.

Ibram
...wasting away. Do you know how thin you look to me?

Padgen
What, like bones?

Ibram
(Spook-toned.) Like a GHOST.

Padgen
No "ghost" stuff today, dude. I'm tired. I didn't get any sleep last night.

Ibram
What, were you fighting crime?

Last Night...

Padgen covers his face with a pillow, as the bed directly behind the couch she's on shakes back and forth.

Back at Ibram's...

Padgen
Yeah, some crimes occurred. I might need a lawyer, and a therapist.

Ibram
That's the cost of being a hero.

Padgen
I guess so.

An awkward silence passes.

Ibram
(Hesitant.) Hey... do you wanna make out?

Silence. Padgen stares at Ibram, like he's eerie.

Padgen
Uh... you know I like Brilly, right?

Ibram
Sure, but you two haven't started dating yet and it's been months since the Spring Dance. I don't think she's even into girls, so if you are one, then you're out of luck. Meanwhile, I'm here, I'm ready, you're here, and you look pretty ready to me.

Padgen
(Blushing.) Wh- but Lector is here!

Ibram
Yeah, in the kitchen, getting popcorn.

Padgen
You know what I mean! I thought we were just friends!

Ibram
Well, Lector is bisexual, and because we're all friends, we were thinking...

Padgen
What...

Ibram
Y'know, like a three-way makeout? Lector said he was gonna try it with Rosie, but then that drama came up.

Padgen
What drama?

Ibram
They broke up. I'm not supposed to talk about it. So, are you in or are you out?

Padgen
(Flustered.) I, uh...

Lector
I got the chips! Did she say yes, yet?

Lector flops onto the couch. Padgen looks at the chips, then at Lector's dilated pupils, heavy breathing, accelerated pulse on his neck, and red flushing. Lector plays it off well, but Padgen can feel the salt in his sweat, bursting forth into the air. Ibram is warm and snuggly in his hoodie and cargo shorts, crossing his legs with a dull, pleased smile, blinking once every three seconds. Worse yet, he's actually kind of warm now, as warm as Lector. Both of them are getting squirmy, and restless, and leaning on one another. The cuddle pile approaches slowly, and Padgen feels like it's going to swallow him whole and leave nothing left.
Without thinking, he stands up, wondering almost out loud why they can't control themselves. It dawns on him: they're choosing not to.

Padgen
(Making a problem out of it.) Those chips are jalapéno and cheese.

Lector
So? Can't you just break your diet? Take a cheat day!

Padgen
(Muttering.) (Every day of your life is a cheat day.)

Lector
What did you say?

Padgen
(Out loud.) I'm getting the ketchup ones.

Lector
(Lazily.) Suit yourself, babe.

A tick erupts into a flash of indignation inside Padgen.

Padgen
(Facetiously.) HAHAHA! I'll be right back, baaaaayyyyyeeeeeiiih-BHEEEEE.

The last syllable, a puckered punch of air. Padgen creeps away, eyes narrowed with flame, as Lector and Ibram exchange a look, shrug, and flip open a porn magazine. As Padgen grabs her backpack, she catches the first few seconds of a corny, poorly rendered porn-slop, of a hot blonde with six fingers smoking a pack of cigarettes in a coffee shop. It really was a pack – she had one fewer cigarettes every single shot. It looks like the program is counting its own mistakes, as changes that need tracking. Next page: two guys, one girl, and a spilled cup of joe on her blouse. The guys fuse into a single entity, then diverge again, as identical twins, who diverge into completely random men; different from how they were at the start, and yet no more meaningful to the plot as when the video began. The few seconds after that: you can guess. While somewhat curious in the way the woman's cleavage pops in hyper-detailed smoothity, even as it impredictably changes into a pair of peaches and back (the kind of mental aberration you learn to expect from slopvids), Padgen is in no way interested in what he's seeing.

Padgen
(To himself.)

Whatever, man. Real TV is always better. Even porn doesn't deserve this.

Padgen silently stuffs the ketchup chips, the plain nachos, and three cans of Caramel Spritz into her bag, and creeps out the back door without making a sound. As she disappears into the forest, she waits to see one of them in the kitchen window, looking for her. But she doesn't.

The Forest

Padgen wanders alone in the forest trails, trying to walk off the stress of what just happened. There's houses behind the trees, but enough cover to consider it private.

Padgen
(Spoken aloud.) What's the point of making friends if you only end up losing them? If they always end up going down a path you can't follow?

Girl
Wow, that's deep, dude. You want a puff?

Padgen
Who- no, I don't smoke.

Amina
I'm Amina. And it's just a vape. You vape?

The cool-looking girl, curly brown hair with a nosy dark face, is dressed in a sport jacket, jeans, and sunglasses. She has a vape, and puffs on it every five seconds or so. She looks casual, but like she's planning something.

Amina
Are you studying me?

Padgen
Sorry.

Amina
(She laughs coolly.) I'm sorry too. This is one test you're not qualified to take.

Padgen
It's summer?

Amina
I meant, I already have a boyfriend.

Padgen
Yeah, no. That's fine. Have a nice day.

Padgen tries to walk away.

Amina
What, you're leaving?

Padgen
Yeah, I gotta be at places.

Amina
(Curt.) No, you don't.

Padgen pauses mid-step.

Padgen
Yeah, no I don't.

Amina
You wanna come to my house? All my friends hang out there, it sounds like you could use some.

Padgen
Are you sure?

Amina
They'll love you!

Padgen
I'd prefer it if they didn't.

Laughing, the girl elbow's Padgen's arm, and walks him down the path.

Meanwhile, at Boxer's Dojo...

Sujay
Thanks, Boxer! Catch ya later!

The bell rings as Sujay exists, and again as Brilly enters. She's in a tropical tank, a denim skirt, and sandals. She expects that the boy she just passed knows that as well, from the way he studied her. She blushes, uncertain if she should welcome it.

Brilly
Who was that? A new student?

Boxer
Sujay, new student. He's almost as good as you.

Brilly
Well, I get my lessons for free.

Boxer
Don't get changed yet, Brilly.

Brilly
Why not?

Boxer
You're going with Uncle Hampton-

Brilly
Who isn't actually related to us, but was secretly your gay lover this whole time. For all fifteen years of my entire life.

Boxer
Good recall! That's the guy. The one who once brought you a pair of pants when you drank too much water at your Grade Six graduation-

Brilly
Okay, I get it. I'm going with Uncle Hampton to do what?

Boxer
You'll be fishing in Lake Starleaf, we've got a reservation there and a spot at the farmer's market where you'll sell them.

Brilly
Wh- we're just gonna sell, like, entire fish?

Boxer
No, you'll need to skin them and strip the meat. Hampton will show you how.

Brilly
But I'm allergic. I eat strictly vegetarian.

Boxer
Maybe, or maybe your body is just picky. Have you tried freshwater fish? Or has it all been store-bought, canned, frozen and breaded?

Brilly
I don't think-

Boxer
Just help out the family, you don't have to eat any of it. We'll make more if you don't, anyway.

Brilly
(Sigh.) Fine.

Boxer
That's my girl. Go have fun! If you're anything like your old man, you'll be a natural.

Honk, honk! Hampton's white truck rolls up outside.

Brilly
I guess I'll see you la-

Ring-a-ling! A blonde girl, tall and muscular with a ponytail and a dress shirt and khakis, walks in. It's Boxer's daughter, and Brilly's cousin, Tamara.

Girl
Is this the new dojo?

Boxer
Tamara!

Tamara
Dad! How goes the biz?

Boxer
Badly, you're the only one here. Brilly here's going fishing, but she'll be here tomorrow.

Brilly and Tamara share a hug.

Tamara
Have fun, catch some fish for me.

Brilly
Yeah, I'll try.

Tamara is older by a bit, and seems somewhat fake. Like underneath her smile is a well of rage. Brilly leaves, ring-a-ling, and hops in Hampton's truck.

Hampton
You ready to get this show on the roa-

Brilly
(Blunt.) So how long have you been sleeping with my uncle?

Hampton
(Sweating.) Is this an interrogation?

Later, at Lodubai Plaza...

Padgen
This is your house?

Amina
It's the MAYOR's house.

Padgen
It's huge!

The house before them is a mansion, with stone siding, aluminum roofing, stained windows next to ornate, larger ones, and a huge front yard full of garden gnomes, surrounding a billowing fountain.

Padgen
Are you sure it's okay for me to go in there? I've met the Mayor twice and she didn't seem to like me much.

Amina
I'll protect you from the big, bad witch.

WHAM! The front door bursts open, as Mayor Adelaide Thompson storms out, yelling loudly at someone on the phone. Possibly, Amina's dad.

Adelaide
(Enraged.) YOU BETTA GET YO ASS IN CHECK, MY MAN, CAUSE I AM COMIN' DOWN WHETHA YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!!

Adelaide bursts through the garage door, and the shutter door starts slowly rising. A bright orange hummer roars to life, and Adelaide peels out of the driveway, narrowly missing Padgen and Amina with a SCREEECH!!

Padgen
More like the raging bull!

Amina
Sweet! No supervision.