The Reaper's Token

Squid Boy Takes His Revenge

I picked up the orange juice that I had left on top of one of Violet's Latin books and wondered where she could have Teleported to in her alpaca pants and kitty slippers. I sipped it as I walked down the dimly lit hall. The sizzle and aroma of bacon wafted towards me from the kitchen.

"Glad you're up," Alice said. "I was just about to come and wake you." She was prodding bacon with her spatula in a bright, pink, fuzzy robe.

"Have you seen Violet?" I asked, downing the rest of last night's O.J.

"No. I only woke up a moment ago. Why?" Alice said.

"No reason," I answered.

As I was finishing my breakfast, Violet came thudding into the kitchen from the living room. She placed her army boots on the back of my chair and angrily laced them up. She was now dressed in a green and cream-colored jacket and blue jeans. She swiped a piece of toast and began chewing forcibly.

"Now, Violet, today's a big day, and I want you to stick with him all day," Alice warned. "Be polite!"

"Why exactly is today big?" I yawned. I was feeling pretty chill.

My eyes widened as Violet grabbed a fist full of my shirt and pulled me out of my chair and toward the apartment door.

"Be safe! We'll be watching!" Alice trilled as I staggered and clutched the door handle. Violet gave me a sharp jerk, and I closed the door with a slam.

"What was that!?" I asked, wrenching myself away from Violet.

"Today is our 'First Day.' It's required by L&D. The day after registration; we have to patrol certain marked areas within our border around the city... together," Violet said, complete with a frown and hand quotation marks.

"Patrol for what?" I asked. I pulled on the jacket Violet tossed at me.

"Lots of people like to get in a few good licks when partners first link." Violet gave me an accusatory glare like it was my fault that we were connected. It's not like I had done that on purpose. "They will be testing us to see where we rank on the future scoreboard in the cafeteria," she finished.

"And by people, you mean the dead ones?" I asked.

Violet sighed.

"Who else is going to want to watch us screw up while eating junk food from a comfortable distance?" Violet asked.

"America's Funniest Home Videos crowd?" I suggested.

"Ha! Ha!" Violet said sarcastically as she proceeded toward the staircase.

I noticed dark rings under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her fatigued appearance suddenly made me feel like drifting off and curling up to take a nap. Now that I noticed it, my body seemed to ache in more places, too.

"What had Violet done, and where had she gone after she exploded yesterday at the food court?" I wondered. My mind thumbed through the possibilities, but I drew a big fat blank.

Violet was carrying her staff with her for the patrol. It was a bit annoying because it kept nearly hitting my nose whenever I got too close to her on the steps. A blast of cold air whipped around us as we darted out onto the street. It was a drizzly cold sky - grey like ash.

"Shouldn't I have a fancy stick to hit people with?" I asked Violet. She stopped and looked at me, "I mean, if we're going to have a run-in with the other people from L&D?"

"Not until Keith fills out the paperwork on the Armament and Weapons Agreement Act," she paused. "By the way, it's not a stick. It's a staff, and if you ever call it that again... I will hit you over the head with my big fancy 'stick.' Got it?" She asked with a wicked grin which was almost playful for Violet.