24th Invasion

[moemoetentacles]

[Action; in and around 452 Stone Street]

[For anyone living on, hanging out near, or walking down Stone Street today - there is something happening on at 452 Stone Street that you may wish to investigate.  The windows to the house are open, and the sound of a small explosion rings through the air, followed by the surprised and panicked scream of a certain little squid-child.  There is now black smoke billowing out of the living room window, and the sound of coughing.  After a few seconds, Squid Girl's head pops out of the window as she tries to get some fresh air into her lungs.]

Aaaaaahhhhh... what's wrong with that stupid thing!

Comments

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[There's a look of recognition on Gat's face, as if he can see what Squid Girl's getting at.]

There are, yeah, on pretty much all of th' planets I've been to. But I ain't ever heard of a human-like species called "squids."

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

I'm not human-like! Take it back!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Gat's looking completely dumbfounded by that reaction. No a phone did not materialize in his hand.]

Why's that offend you? Hell, I can't distinguish you from any of th' humans here.

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Stop saying stuff like that! I'm nothing like them!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[... Ooookay. Gat just idly rubs the back of his neck while looking extremely confused. She's acting the same way many CASTs would if they were treated as mere machines, but he really can't figure out what Squid Girl's deal is in this case.]

You're gonna have to show me what makes you so different, girl. Aside from you sayin' you live in th' ocean, I ain't seein' it.

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

[In response, Squid Girl starts menacingly waving her tentacles around. Not attacking or anything, but just posturing and trying to look scary.]

There! See!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Gat does take a step back as Squid Girl puts her tentacles on display—and by watching his face, it's pretty clear that this is definitely not something he was expecting.]

... Prehensile hair. Yeah, that's a good one. There anything else different about your biology?

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Yeah! Try this on for size!

[Squid Girl takes a deep breath and then spits some ink out onto the grass in front of Gat.]

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Gat steps back again, if only so that the ink doesn't splatter all over his clothes. He looks mildly impressed, though.]

Alright, I reckon that proves it enough.

Uh—I take what I said back.

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Good! I'm far superior to humans, so I don't like being compared to them.

Plus, they're jerks.

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[And now he's casting a skeptical frown at Squid Girl once more. Great, more racial tensions. As if he didn't see enough of that in Gurhal as it is.]

An' why do you say that, if'n ya don't mind my askin'?

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Because they totally messed up the ocean with their garbage!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Okay, depending on those circumstances, she may have some justification in disliking humans—but Gat's skeptical frown doesn't leave his face.]

An' th' part about considerin' yourself superior?

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

It's because I am!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Still frowning over here.]

An' what reasons d'you have for considerin' youtself superior to them?

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Because the ocean is way better than living on land!

*can finally tag back now!*

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

...

[The expression on Gat's face changes into something both critical and incredulous.]

That's all?

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

...I just don't like them, okay!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Gat sighs and rubs one of his temples with a hand. He doesn't sound too happy with Squid Girl.]

Alright, alright.

I reckon if this kinda thing can happen in Gurhal, it can happen anywhere.

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Yeah, people are jerks no matter where you go.

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[If he were any other person, Gat would have the urge to tell Squid Girl to look in the mirror. Instead, he just chuckles dryly at the irony.]

I'm talkin' about race relations. One race thinkin' they're superior an' treatin' th' others poorly.

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

Well they started it! We sea creatures were just swimming around minding our own business! It's humans that dumped their garbage in our home!

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Gat raises an eyebrow at this.]

Have your people tried negotiatin' with whatever government's in charge of human society?

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

They wouldn't listen.

[nanocerancowboy.livejournal.com]

[Gat shakes his head. There's a sort of grim frown on his face; in his mind, he's thinking that Squid Girl is just a young example of an entire race of sea-dwelling humanoids, and that the human nations of her world refused to listen to them.]

[A situation like that, combined with Squid Girl's attitude, is way too much like the racial tensions that have plagued Gurhal for centuries.]

So it's goin' both ways, then.