Chapter Text
In their apartment, Zoe is at her drawing desk. The glowy screen and the bright lamp bulb are perfectly set up. The grin on her face is that of a master, who has always built off of the greatest narratives known to monsterkind. She sets her appendages ready for her first draft, and- BAM! She faceplants onto her keyboard.
“Is something the matter, Zoe?” Liam chimes from across the door holding a laundry basket.
“Liam…” Her voice rises weakly. “I’m finished, it has finally happened.”
“What exactly?” He squints.
“I can’t write anymore…” Zoe turns to him and slowly sludges her way out from her chair. “What am I supposed to do? I’ve already written as much as I can, and seen what other people have done… I’m worried, has everything exciting already been written?!”
Liam rolls his eyes, but ponders on the idea. “Well, that is an interesting thought. A similar idea came from that if I can recall. Something about ‘everything that can be invented has been invented’.”
Zoe stares at him point-blank.
“Ahh, right.” Liam relents.
“I'm telling you Liam! Aren't you like, 400 years old or so by now?”
“Thank you for not overexaggerating my age.”
“Yeah that joke has gotten as old as you are, but that's not the point.” Zoe moves up and confronts Liam. “You are the only one who can relate with me on this, maybe you have some advice?”
“Hmm,” Liam drops the laundry basket and mulls it over. “Reality is often stranger than fiction. So, why not take inspiration out there? Perhaps, your didactic ending will get your writing back.”
Zoe’s face scrunches up. “Outside?”
‘I mean it has been a while.’ She muses, balancing a pen on her upper lip. ‘And I haven’t gotten any new material, and staying cooped up in here isn’t helping.’ It takes a solid minute, but she pounds her tentacle on her palm, running out right under Liam. “Thanks Liam! I’m going out on an adventure!”
“When you get back, can you get that fabric softener I like?” SLAM! “Or, not.”
At a burger joint, she’s gathered her party who will storm the world and free the boredom that stagnates Zoe’s soul. A good four-man job, the roster: Vicky, reliable and the first one who got back to Zoe. Brian, was promised free fries. Amira was also promised free food. Oz was just happy to come.
“That is why I have brought all of you here.” Zoe huffed.
“Whatch due we do exzactly?” Amira spoke, with her gob full of fries.
“Amira is right,” Vicky explained. “As much as we’d love to help brainstorm, we aren’t exactly the most interesting people to take inspiration from.”
“Yeah, it’s not like our lives would end up as a TV show.” Brian reached for the soda in his periphery.
“I-I mean, our Senior Year was pretty hectic.” Oz reasoned.
“That was an alternate universe.” Zoe muttered. “Not sure how you remember that.”
“What?” Oz tilted his head.
“Anyway! We are getting off track. Okay, I just want to see some casual flow between all of you. Dialogue is important, so I’d like to imitate some of that. Just pretend I’m not here.” Zoe puts up a fourth wall and brings out her pencil and notebook.
…
“Well, if this isn’t the most awkward we’ve been, I don’t think there has been any other time.” Brian commented.
“Well, she did put us on the spot, impromptu is not my strong suit.” Oz shrugged.
“I feel you there Oz, not sure how people can just put themselves out with zero preparation.” Vicky sighed.
Everyone at the table turns to Amira, sipping her cup. “First off, fuck all of you.” They all laugh about it - except for Zoe.
Zoe clicks her tongue, murmuring her thoughts as she peers over her notebook. “Hmm, a little bit too slice-of-life for my liking. Not that fluff isn’t good too, but something is missing.”
She taps her pencil against her head. “Mmm… Ah-ha! Here we go!”
“Did you say something Zoe?” Brian noticed.
A group of five gruff and tough biker monsters enter the place. Their leader picks their teeth with a sharpened bone and crushes it beneath their heel when they’re finished.
“Always wanted to do that!” He boasted to the rest of his gang.
“Shit! It’s the Exotic Equines!” Amira ducks under the table.
“Oh right, the lucky few you and Damien brawled with.” Brian chuckled.
“Relax, they aren’t gonna see us. No way they are still petty about that up until now.” Vicky waved her hand in reassurance as a finger tapped at her shoulder. “Oh, we aren’t going to order anything else but thank you-...”
…
It was the Exotic Equines. “...server.”
The leader neighed (they are a unicorn) in front of their table. “Well, well, well, if it ain’t the Color Squad. Funny seeing your mugs in our territory.”
“Um, no one owns this burger joint.” Oz comments.
“No! This is OUR territory, have you seen our photo on the wall!?” He points to a wide frame of the Exotic Equines as kids wearing their oversized leather jackets and trying their best to act tough. Underneath they have a placard with their gang name under it.
“Aww, that’s actually pretty adorable.” Brian compared the small kids to who they were now.
“In any case,” The leader pulls Brian up by the collar of his parka. “We don’t just let people come barging into our territory. Especially if they owe us.”
“And, what do we owe you guys exactly?” Vicky eyes them cautiously.
“You owe us a beating, or two,” He looks over to the flames that flare from Amira’s side of the table. “And by my name, Well-bred Whiskey, what do you have to say for your sorry selves?”
“Oooh, a chase!” Zoe keeps running with the others through the streets of Monstropolis. “This keeps getting better!”
“Is now really the time, Zoe?!” Oz blurts out, trying to keep pace.
“Yeah, when we are running for our lives from a pissed off stampede!?” Amira shouted in front.
“This chip in my horn ain’t gonna fill itself in!” Whisky bellows out as his crew spreads out in a tight formation.
Following a long alley, our crew find themselves faced with some cops on standby.
“Officers, thank goodness!” Vicky yells from afar. “We are being chased by a group of problematic individuals!”
The cops nod to each other and let the squad pass, prepping themselves. As the Exotic Equines come rolling through, the cops yell orders. “Stop your roll!”
But, Whisky pulls out a badge, and flashes it to the cops. “Monstropolis Police Department.”
Cops stand down and the chase begins again. “I can’t believe those guys are cops, too!” Vicky had her hands on her head.
“Over here everyone.” Brian beelines straight for a random store and the rest follow suit. Whisky and the Exotic Equines pop out of the alley, casing the street for any traces of their targets.
Amira spies behind closed blinds, and as soon as they leave - ticked off, she sighs. “Oh, thank God.”
The team is panting profusely. Zoe is the only one who still seems upbeat and cheery after that ordeal however.
“How about that?” Zoe puts down her pencil. “That was pretty exciting, right?”
“I think I might throw up.” Oz’s black void skin starts to hue green.
“Zoe, don’t ask me any questions.” Amira blinks at her. “I can’t afford to think.”
“Better question is, where are we?” Vicky shakes her head, gauging their surroundings.
“A place where they wouldn’t sell us out to the police.” Brian rubs his stick neck. “My old job.”
The lobby is bright with colors and wavy rainbow lettering. It reminds them of 90’s disco with their booming music and glittering atmosphere. “Raveyard Studious.”