MvA - Bad Reputation

    There was a large, nearly exaggerated gasp “Look! It’s that two-timing jerk Derek! HEY, DEREK! YOU STINK! AND JELLO’S MUCH PRETTIER THAN YOU!”

    “Bob, that’s not Derek. That’s just a hobo.” I said, unable to suppress a slight grin at Bob’s misplaced anger.

    Bob blinked his one gigantic ruby eye slowly, seeming to consider this deeply before asking “Is a hobo one of those flute thingamajigs?”

    “What you are thinking of is an oboe Bob. She meant the man is a homeless person.” Dr. C said patiently.

    “Yeah, as in he’s a bum. Are you sure that’s not Derek?” Link asked wryly and I snickered, it turning into a choked noise of surprise when our ‘ride’ suddenly jerked to a halt and nearly sent us all flying off.

    “Easy, easy, what’s the holdup Butterflyasaurus?” Link smoothly slid down to perch on the gigantic creature’s nose so he could at least attempt to look her in the eye. She emitted one of her usual strident cries and Link blinked, grimaced then answered “Alright, alright, just let us down and you can go take care of business.”

    Butterflyasaurus veered, heading for a patch  of open field and gliding to hover close to the ground while Bob babbled “Woah, Butterflyasaurus has a business?! Does she make cheesecake?”

    “I believe by ‘business’, Link meant she needs to attend the lavatory.” Doc replied while, moving with unnatural speed, he scurried down the gigantic beast’s tail and dropped to the ground.

    “Wait, I thought you were the mad scientist with the laboratory. Man was I confused.” Bob emitted one of his hiccupping deep laughs as he simply blobbed off the top of Butterflyasaurus’ head onto the ground.

    While Doc explained himself further, Link picked me up and put me on his large, muscled shoulder with a smirk “Allow me. I’ll get ya down safe and sound, you little fragile human you.”

    I rolled my eyes and flicked him on the fin, not that it did much but the meaning was clear “Thank you Link, whatever would I do without you?”

    He was unaffected by my sarcasm, holding me securely in place with a large hand before leaping off of Butterflyasaurus and doing several intricate twists and flips to show off. But as usual, his showing off went awry when his tail got in the way and turned a mid-air summersault into a flailing mass of yelling limbs that crashed gracelessly to the ground. I went bouncing off Link and landed about a foot away on my back, wincing then groaning and the world tilted about slightly. Someone’s face entered the topsy turvy world, consisting of huge hazel eyes, two antennae, and a slim mustache over a small mouth. One of the antennae twitched slightly and Doc’s face slowly swam back into focus and his familiar, accented tone inquired “Are you alright, my dear?”

    I blinked a few times to rid myself of the dizziness, before answering uncertainly “I think so, now that there’s just one of you.”

    Doc leaned down and took my hand to gently tug me to my unsteady feet while Bob sounded aghast from near-by where Link was grumbling and picking himself up off the ground “There’s more than one of you Doc? How come I don’t get clones? I want a brother too! I’d name him Ken.”

    “There’s only one of me Bob, she simply was dazed from hitting her head.” Doc answered, an arm around my shoulder to keep me steady as I wobbled while searching for balance. His antennae flicked in an irritated fashion as he gave Link a pointed look “Which wouldn’t have happened if someone did not feel the insatiable need to show off.”

    “At least I have something to show off. Rather than just using Legos to blow myself up every day.” Link retorted caustically while brushing himself off.

    “Aw snap.” Bob crowed, proving that he and I had been spending far too much time together and he was picking up some of my odd phrases.

    Now that I was secure on my footing, Doc let go of me to take a few steps toward Link, glowering slightly at him “Oh yes yes, we’ve all seen how helpful you and your bragging are in a fight.”

    “Better than being a giant bug that laughs uncontrollably for no reason.” Link shot back, also stepping forward until the two were having a stare-down.

    “Guys, guys!” I shoved my way between the two much bigger males, doing my best to push them apart “Everyone’s a little edgy from the screaming and freaking out episode earlier so let’s just drop it, alright?”

    “Yes, yes, I suppose you’re right.” Doc said more calmly, stepping back and straightening his lab coat slightly. Link didn’t seem quite as eager to back down but I gave him a warning look and he grudgingly let it go.

    “Wait, there was screaming?” Bob asked in confusion, his easily distracted mind having already forgot about the whole ordeal.

    “Come on Bob, ya forgot already? You ate a popcorn stand, including the seller and everyone started doing what they usually do when they see us. Running, screaming, throwing things. Calling the police.” Link raised an amphibious eyebrow.

    “Oh yeah… hey, I didn’t eat him! I spit him back out! So it doesn’t count.” Bob crossed his arms and stuck out his gooey blue tongue.

    “Either way, it was a rather disagreeable end to our day.” Doc mused quietly, hazel eyes watching the sky as it slowly turned a pleasant shade of purple to indicate the oncoming darkness.

    “Yeah, we may be free but that doesn’t mean squat to humans.” Link grumbled then cast me a glance “No offense short stuff.”

    Used to the nickname, I simply took it in stride, as snapping at Link about some silly nickname wasn’t going to do anything about the dismal expressions on both he and Doc’s faces. Bob frowned slightly then tilted his head while looking at me “How come the other humans don’t like us? Is it ‘cause I ate all of their popcorn?”

    “No Bob, it’s got nothing to do with you.” I assured him, patting him on his squishy shoulder “And it’s not that they don’t like you, it’s just that for some reason people tend to be afraid of things they don’t understand. It’s stupid really, just because something’s different doesn’t mean they should be afraid of it.”

    “You’re not afraid of us, right? ‘Cause we’re you’re friends.” Bob inquired hopefully, reminding me of an eager puppy.

    “Of course I’m not afraid of you guys.” I laughed, tickling Bob on his side and he did his usual odd laugh which made me grin, as it was nearly impossible not to when you heard it. He gave me a bear hug, nearly enveloping me before he realized what he was doing and let go. I was a little slimy, but I didn’t mind all that much.

    Suddenly the air picked up around us and we looked up to find that Butterflyasaurus had returned, her brightly colored wings causing a small whirlwind that buffeted about my hair and Doc’s antennae. She emitted a cry as she landed with a thump that shook the ground and Link easily vaulted up onto her nose “Hey, she says Alex’s home.”

    “YAAAAAAY, ALEX’S HOME!” Bob cheered while slithering up one of Butterflyasaurus’ legs and up onto her head where Link joined him. “Wait… she’s not the invisible one, right?” I chuckled while Doc got onto Butterflyasaurus’ tail then offered me a hand up. We climbed up her back to take our places with the other two and as soon as we were secure she beat her gigantic wings forcefully and we took off into the air. Link produced a set of cards and he and Bob began playing, though Bob kept accidently letting go of the cards and they’d disappear into the wind, leaving him quite confused and Link quite annoyed.

    Still wet from Bob’s messy hug, the wind felt cold as ice water and I began shivering slightly, hugging myself to try and stay warm. Doc looked at me before shrugging out of his lab coat and draping it about my shoulders, despite my mild protests. “Think of it as repayment for having your day ruined.” He said with a nearly melancholy smile.

    “What are you talking about? I had an awesome time with you guys.” I cocked my head slightly at him in confusion as his bright hazel eyes dropped down in an awkward fashion.

    “I may be a mad scientist, but even I know how impossible it is to change the minds of people, once they are set on a certain idea. We are and will always be monsters to them. You can’t want to spend your time with a brainless blue blob, an amphibious ape, and an oversized cockroach and be out casted by your own kind for doing so.” Doc answered softly.

    “You may be a genius, but for once you’re wrong.” I chuckled and he blinked and looked at me in vague surprise “I was an outcast before I started hanging out with you guys, trust me. I may not be a sweet, lovable blob of Benzoate Ostylezene Bicarbonate, a cocky but good-hearted scientific miracle, or a brilliant mad scientist, but I’d rather be any of those then stop hanging out with my friends just because they’re not the same as the rest of the crowd.”

    Doc’s brow furrowed slightly before he smiled and said “You are most unusual my dear, but I suppose that’s what you meant.”

    I grinned slightly up at him while pulling his coat a little tighter around myself, thinking about how it smelled just like him. Chemicals and the odd sterility of a lab. I thought about his experiments, his cackle as he executed them. I loved it when he did that.

    “Hey guys? Can we stop for hotdogs?” Bob inquired at the last of his cards were snatched up by the wind and I couldn’t help but laugh.