"-tensions continue to mount. The self-procliamed Snowmad Territories have so far refused to communicate with ambassadors of the United States or related territories, and all military presence has been forcibly repelled. With Inkopolis still under occupation, the question arises as to what, exactly, these invaders are-"
Click.
Robbie blinked, staring at the now-blank television screen. Then he cast his blind eyes down to the outstretched white tentacle, still clutching the remote control.
"I was watching that," he complained, morosely.
"Only because there wasn't anything else on," came the retort - a female voice, and with an odd, bubbly quality, as though the speaker was under water.
"There was Shinobiman." It wasn't really so much as whine as it was a cajouling wheedle, an attempt to reverse the situation without coming off as needy or demanding.
"On repeat." Something beneath the blond boy's clothes rippled in an irritated manner. "Which it has been for the past month."
Robbie was about to reply, something about the other speaker not really caring, when the phone rang. Forgetting the argument, the adopted son of Carol, Cauren and Sine stood up and wandered over to where the device was kept on the coffee table, just next to the sofa-bed. From the way he moved, it was almost impossible to believe that this was the same child who, escaped from the nightmare that was Rutledge Asylum, had to use a cane and psychic scrying in order to find his way about the world. Yet here he was, walking as though he'd done it his entire life and found nothing odd about it.
"I've got this." Another tentacle, longer and thicker than the first, emerged from the sleeve of his t-shirt and snatched up the reciever. The tip depressed the recieve button with an audible click, before lifting the device up to Robbie's ear, which was immediately barraged by the sound of raucous partying, making both him and his unseen companion wince.
"Hello?", he asked, once he'd recovered.
"Hey, Robbie!" came the familiar voice of Carol from the other end - a little too loud. "You alright in there?"
Robbie rolled his eyes, needing no other information as to what was going on. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Great! And Charm? Is that coolant device I made working out?"
The boy's t-shit shifted in response to that, giving a glimpse of something like a form-fitting white undershirt or cycling suit underneath it. Another tendril emerged and poked at the silvery, belt-like apparatus that was hooked around Robbie's middle, the design of which would have made a Doctor Who prop maker double-take.
"I'm just great, Miss Carol!" trilled Charm the Symbiote. "This thing works like a- er, treat!"
"You were going to say Charm," deadpanned Robbie.
"No, I wasn't!"
"Stop it, you two," laughed Carol, sounding more tipsy than before. "Now, listen - Cauren and I are gonna be out for the weekend, and we're not coming back to the hotel until Monday afternoon. And whilst I'd normally hire a babysitter or get Aunt Sine over, I think the both of you are sensible enough to look after yourselves. But I'm trusting you to stay out of trouble until I get back, alright?"
Charm seemed to light up a little at this. "You hear that, Robbie? You're finally getting to wear the trousers around here!" Too late, she realised what she'd said, and mentally cursed herself as Robbie's forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"...but I already wear trousers," he protested.
"She means you're getting some independance," Carol translated. "Now, I just want to set down some rules before I hang up, so you know what's going on. The dinners are all in the fridge, and I've left a list on the kitchen table, so you can see what's to be eaten on what day. Don't touch any of the bottles on the top shelf - they're mine, and they might make you or Charm sick."
Charm muttered something about "vintage, my tendrils", but went unheard.
The rest of that exchange was mostly the usual conversation that they would have at this time. Carol would run through the checklist to make sure he was doing everything he was supposed to be doing - brushing his teeth, taking showers, doing what homework he had and so on. But with her being gone for the weekend, there were extra instructions - don't stay out too late, make sure you take your keys if you go out, ask a member of staff if you get lost... Robbie was less concerned about remembering all of this himself, and more surprised that his foster mother could remember any of it at all, considering how much she sounded like she'd had.
"Alright, look after yourselves!" the technopath cooed at last. "Love you~"
"And you," was the usual response.
"Byeeeeee~! Hey, Cauren, pass the-"
No sooner had the receiver been hung up, however, then Charm went right back to her previous demeanour.
"Man, I am seriously bored!" protested the Symbiote. "We come all this way to Kuwahawi, Tropical Holiday Capital of the World, and there's nothing to do!"
"That's because I'm not old enough to do all the stuff you want to do," came Robbie's retort. "I can't go drinking or clubbing, or stay up as late as most of these other people do. And I don't want to get into trouble with Carol or Aunt Cauren for trying!"
He felt a ripple across his body - Charm's equivalent of rolling her eyes. "Fair enough, but there's only so many times you can go swimming or to the arcade."
There was a pause as the duo considered the conundrum before them.
And then Charm seemed to hit upon an idea.
"Why not go and see the Kobbers?"
Robbie blinked. "What?"
"Come on, man! Your moms used to be among them, right? And Carol always talks about how awesome they were, doesn't she, after she's had a bottle or two? Why don't we go to the lounge where they're staying and pay them a visit or something? I'm pretty sure they'd be happy enough to see someone from the old days show up again, and see how you've changed!"
The boy hesitated, as he often did when the Symbiote suggested anything. "I don't know..."
"Look," Charm butted in, "what are you afraid of? You've got your psychic powers, right? And you've got me, too - that's more superpowers than anyone should rightly have! And even if you don't want to get involved with their adventures, it'd better than being cooped up in this boring ol' hotel where you can't even do half of the cool stuff! Pleeeaaase~?" she whined, in the best wheedling voice she could manage.
In most other circumstances, Robbie would have refused. As much as he relied on Charm in order to see, and how much easier she made life for him in general, he also considered himself the anchor of the duo. And he had lived with the Symbiote long enough to recognize when she was getting one of her crazy ideas, and do everything he could to reign her in. But on this occasion, he had to admit that she was right - something was clearly wrong with their vacation if the both of them were bored out of their minds.
In the end, his kinder nature won over. As much as Charm could annoy him, she was, for all intents and purposes, his best friend. And he hated to disappoint his friends.
"All right," he said, at last, "I'll go. But no eating people, promise me. You know what happened last time."
Something akin to a snort. "Please, if it's food I'm after, I'd want characters more fleshed out than half the people there!"
But Robbie still had his doubts, even as he grabbed his bag and made his way to the door.
"And I was hoping this vacation would be a quiet one..."
INTRODUING
Robert Watson Pathan and "Charm"
