You know the truth... nothing left to face Who: Kat, Otter and Oz + Mrs. Snow (NPC) Where: River by Snow home When: Reeeaaaally late, like 11:40 p.m. What: Runaway pengu-girl needs a place to crash, even if they do rat her out. Mothers *shakes head*
Kat wasn't a happy chica. When she'd realized that Roxy was gone and found out why Roxy was gone she'd had one of those screaming matches with her mother that had ended with her being grounded to her room. By her father though because Linda wasn't anywhere near in a state to manage that. Thankfully Audrey had been there to drag Kat up to the room because she so wasn't done and the idea of changing into a penguin and pecking her mom bloody had appealed to her. How dare she kick out her own daughter because she was gay? Really?! Kat was so mad that she couldn't even bring herself to rant about it online. And that was pretty bad, her cell was going off constantly with messages from people wondering where she was and what was wrong and why she wasn't responding. But the only people she was responding to was Adelle and Roxy until it lost her attention and she curled up in Roxy's bed, sniffling and curled up in a ball, ignoring Audrey's half-hearted attempts to soothe her.
She couldn't just stay cooped up in her room. She needed to get out, needed to do something. Then the whole conversation with Adelle came back to mind and she sat up. Audrey'd left the room and was off talking with someone, tired of her moping so she wouldn't see... it only took fifteen minutes for Kat to throw some clothes, her laptop, camera, blades and such into a duffel bag and sneak right out the window. Oh my god this heat! the girl lamented as she snuck down to the road and paused to pull on her blades. It was a ways to where she was going but she'd get there quicker if she bladed than just walked. Even if it was way too hot for nighttime. She set up an easy pace, ignoring the cars that went whizzing by, pulling out her cell after she had been going for about twenty minutes to fire off a text to Otter.
coming over to ur place. meet me down by the river in 15?
Sighing, Otter brushed his bangs out of his face and glared over at Oz. He wasn't sure when his brother had gotten home, all he knew was that Oz had taken over the TV. And he had been watching that Planet Earth special, amazed at how good it was, before it had been changed to football. It wasn't even football season, just a bunch of repeats! "You really don't need to watch that," Otter muttered as he sunk further into the couch. "You already know who wins and-" His voice cut off when he heard his cell going off and reached for his pocket. But it wasn't there. Frowning he lifted his head up to spot it on the side table on the other side of Oz. "Toss me my cell and I'll stop whining at you about your lame taste in what you watch." Otter wasn't all that big on whining as it was, thinking it was pointless and he just didn't want to. It had been a good day! He had a secondary job now that his mother didn't even know about and it dealt with plants. Exactly what he wanted.
"I always need to watch football," Oz corrected his little brother. Sometimes it was hard to believe that him and Otter were really from the same family with all of the differences. Otter and earth elemental; physically active and too asthmatic to run long... yeah, Oz had asked question about that once and just gotten a look from his mother that said not to talk like that. Brothers were brothers even if they had nothing in common. At least they did not have to share a room anymore. Just a television when they were both in the same room, something that Oz always won at since he was the bigger one. Blinking over at Otter's cell, Oz plucked it off the table and flipped it open. "Kat Diaz?" he asked as he hit the 'view' option. "Dude, the Diaz's are in town? When were you going to tell me?!" The Diaz's were some of his favorite people but he had thought they were only there during the... oh. That paramedic from the other day when that woman had been shot flashed into his mind and Oz felt himself facepalming. That was so totally Roxy Diaz, how had he not known that?
"Don't-" Otter made a frustrated noise when Oz opened his text. He hated when people did that, invaded the little privacy he had, and it was even worse when it was someone like Kat. Because okay, the girl was kinda cute and the last thing he needed was for Oz to start teasing him about that too. Not like he liked her or anything, and if he did that was totally his own business, not Oz's. "Give me that." Otter came out of his seat and reached over his tree of a brother to snatch his cell and look at the message. Oh, so she was coming at at... eleven at night. Alright - is something up? Should I bring anything? Otter typed back as he started for the door, forgetting that he had even said anything to Oz or that his brother had seen it.
"Oh whoa hold on!" Oz said as Otter started off, sitting up to reach out and catch hold of his brother's arm. Was not all that hard for him to keep his grip either. Otter was not really built like him, probably that whole asthma thing or his inability to keep out of the garden for long enough to really exercise. "Where do you think you're going this late? Mom would pitch a total fit if I told her I didn't know what you were up to." Given a few minutes Oz would have connected what he had read with Otter leaving, but it was late and he had done a lot that day so his mind was going a little slower than normal. once he realized that he was going to be teasing Otter for possible eternity. Sneaking out of the house to meet up with a girl? Yeah, like that was ever innocent.
Otter came to a stop because there wasn't really much of a choice when Oz was the one with a hold on him. "I'm going to see Kat," Otter informed him, lifting his phone up and giving a little wave. "She texted me, she's coming over, going to go see her... see why she's out this late. You know, being a good friend?" Made total sense to him and he was not seeing why Oz needed to have it spelled out for him. Oh right, his brother wasn't all that bright. Jock. "And mom's not even awake so she's not going to come asking and if she does then, well, you know how to lie."
"Human ears," Oz scoffed, reaching up to flick one of Otter's. "Mom's working on the pay roll or something in the back room. Here is between that and her room and - ohhhhh, I get it." It finally flicked in his brain and he released Otter's arm with a chuckle. "Kat's kinda cute, I'll give you that. Try to behave yourself though, know you got those hormones rocking but she's a penguin and they're like us. You get in any trouble with her and I'm pretty sure our dad and hers will tear you limb from limb." Might be kind of funny to see that happen. Oz's grin widened. "Should I come along to make sure that my little bro doesn't get himself in any trouble?"
Otter felt himself flushing, though it took longer to show than it did for most people thanks to the color of his skin. He was a very calm person by nature, hard to press, but this was one of those things that he was starting to think might hit all the wrong buttons. Not that he'd had a whole lot of experience with it, but damnit he wasn't going to let Oz leer at him like that. Especially not about Kat! She was a sweetheart and Oz so didn't need to be even putting her in that category. Only way he could have been worse was if he had said something like that about Piper. "It's not like that Oz, we're just friends. And no I don't need you to come along and hold my hand, totally capable of taking care of it myself. Lie to mom for me if she comes by." Without waiting, Otter was out the door, letting it bang behind him as he walked down to the river, tripping over a few sticks on the way and cursing every one of them. Calm down, he told himself as he settled down, legs dangling over the bank as he waited.
It was hard for Kat to keep going on her own. Not because she was scared exactly... okay yeah she totally was, but that was because she was alone! Penguins were notoriously bad on their own and she was no exception. Not that much longer, she told herself as she crossed the bridge over the water. Sighing with relief she undid her blades and slung them over her shoulder to start walking along the shore. Thankfully it wasn't far from the full moon so it was still easy to see and soon enough she spotted a lanky form sitting on the shore. "Otter!" she declared happily, running right up to him before plopping down to hug him. Relief at being around someone again was so much better than the misery she had been feeling at being alone. "You have like, absolutely no idea how happy I am to see you! This has been the day from complete and total hell I am so not even kidding."
Being hugged was a bit of a surprise, Otter totally wasn't expecting that but he wasn't going to push her away or anything. Otter let one arm slip around her shoulder to pat Kat a little awkwardly on the back. "Total hell?" he asked, a little worried. Kat was supposed to be an upbeat little thing, not upset about something. "That kind of explains why you're out so late and... with a duffel bag. Ummm, you running away or something?" It was said jokingly, giving her a little nudge. Penguins didn't run away from home.
Kat sniffled and leaned into Otter, an easy feat since she was so small. "How'd you guess?" she asked, not catching the joke at all. Because it was true. She'd told Adi she was going to but she didn't think that the older girl had believed her. Well, Kat had meant it and here she was, about to ask Otter if he though his mom would let her stay over. Sure she was a girl but there were more girl Snow's than boys last time she checked. Maybe if she begged and did that cute thing or turned into a penguin and wiggled her tail around... "But yes, hell! Totally hell! Roxy is gone and the room's so empty because she took stuff with her and said she can't come back and I miss her and it's, it's, it's," her voice broke and she buried her face in his shoulder. It wasn't fair, that was what she wanted to say, it wasn't fair!
Whoa. Was she crying? No, not quite, but she seemed pretty close and Otter cleared his throat while he tried to shift through what Kat had said. It seemed like a lot. Roxy was her big sister, the same one Otter hadn't recognized the other day, so why would she be gone? Like he'd thought earlier, penguins didn't just up and leave their colonies, they were as stuck on staying together as packs. "Roxy's gone and can't come back," Otter repeated. "That's a pretty big deal. Um, why'd she leave?"
"Because mom and dad are stuck in the past," Kat growled through her sniffles. "What's it matter if she's gay? Charlene's awesome! I think. She's pretty." Kat actually knew next to nothing about the mermaid, hadn't even talked to her, but Roxy was totally head over heels for her so that's what counted right? That was what she'd always been told and it totally wasn't fair that Roxy was being punished for being who she was. "It's not fair that they'd kick her out!"
"Wait, what?" Otter blinked and turned to look down at Kat, totally caught off guard. Roxy was gay? Wait, again, Charlene? What the hell? Guess... okay, that explains why... okay. Charlene was that mermaid he had helped the other day and Roxy had known her name and... what? "Okay... umm... Roxy's gay, totally didn't see that coming. And she's dating a mermaid? And kicked out of your house? That's sorta what you're telling me right now, yeah? Just to make sure that I've got this all down. It's a lot." And he wasn't even sure he was right because he had to piece it together.
Kat sniffled again and nodded, rubbing at her eyes because she knew she was about to cry and totally didn't want to do that in front of Otter. She wasn't as much of a tough girl as Roxy by even half but she liked to pretend to be like her big sister. "Yes, yes and yes again. Three for three, you get a prize!" It was an attempt at being more like herself that failed totally and she made a face down at her lap. "Yeah, that's what happened and like, I'm so mad at them! How could they do that to their own kid? Seriously not right! And then I got grounded because I tried to tell them how stupid it was and we started yelling at each other and... it's not fair. At all. I don't even want to be with them when they're this idiotic!"
Every time Kat opened her mouth things got a little more twisted and messed up. Otter was glad that his family wasn't like that, all drama-loaded and way too hard to handle. "Wow, Kat... that's terrible. But you can't just run away, you know? Cops get called on runaways all the time and it'd be even worse for you if you got taken home in the back of a cop car." He knew his mom would flip a lid over that. And then possibly the entire house and then there'd be groundings and screaming and it'd just be bad. "Maybe you should come call them... let them know you're alright. Bet they'll be worried sick." Otter wasn't that much older than Kat, true, but he was also a lot more grounded than her. That was the earth elemental in him making sure that he kept his head down out of the clouds. Someone had to be the voice of reason right?
Kat pulled away and started sulking. "You're not supposed to tell me to call home," she informed Otter, her bottom lip poking out in a sulk. "I mean, that's totally your mom's job!" She totally expected it from Kara Snow, would've had her head all the way in the clouds had she even though anything else. Okay, maybe for a second she had, but she wasn't near as level-headed as, say, Otter. "Tell you what, I'll come back to your house. Talk to your mom. See if she makes me call." Maybe she'd call for me! Because that would totally be the most awesome thing ever. Mrs. Snow verus my spaz of a mom, go! She would put almost all of her money down on not her mother.
"Sure." Talking to Otter's mom was one of those things that Otter himself didn't always like to do but hey, if Kat wanted to then more power to her. Girls could be weird like that. "And if you end up going home I'll drive you back so that you don't have to walk and skate." Standing, Otter stretched out. "Would've come and got you had I known that you were walking." He could be a bit of a gentleman sometimes. Most times.
"Awww, aren't you so sweet," Kat said, smiling as she bounced to her feet along with Otter, picking up her duffel bag. Otter really was a gentleman, and kind of cute if she did think so herself. For being a little gangly. Kat was actually about to remark on it when they reached the house and went in. And there, sprawled out on the couch, was Oz. In just a pair of running shorts. Kat stopped in her tracks and tilted her head, eyes huge as she stared for a minute. Then she gave her head a shake and chirped, "Hi Oz! Great to see you again." She'd almost completely forgotten about the whole reason she was there when she walked over and dropped into a chair that gave her the best view, propping her elbows on her knees and chin on her hands. "Still working out? Because you look awesome." She'd have to take a new pic to show to Adi, let her drool over that.
Otter felt something tighten in his chest when he saw how big Kat's eyes went at the sigh of his brother. See, that was why he kept trying to bulk up a bit! Girls definitely stared at the sort of thing and Kat was a breathing example. Least her sister wouldn't be drooling herself a pool, Otter thought sullenly. "I'm going to get mom," he informed Kat, his voice level as he turned for the back room. Wasn't like he liked her or anything, she was just cute and nice and his age and totally digging on his brother. Damn. "Hey mom," Otter said as he pushed the door leading into his parents study open. "Umm... Kat's here. Kat Diaz; she ran away from the Diaz's house here in Scarlet Oak and wants to talk with you. This is what's going on..." And he launched into the quickest description that he could.
"Always working out," Oz replied, flicking a grin over at Kat before turning his attention back on the television. Her hair was as crazy as always, all sorts of colors and was that a piercing on her nose? Nice! He would never have imagined Linda Diaz letting her youngest daughter get one of those. "So what're you doing here?" He was not really expecting an answer because that was when Otter returned with their mother in tow. And Kara did not look all that impressed. No surprise there.
"Running away from home isn't the answer, Katherine," Kara said firmly as she walked over to settle down in front of the small girl, eyes stern. "Your parents are probably worried sick about-"
Mrs. Snow walking into the room reminded Kat that yes, there were more important things than drooling over the eye candy. "No they aren't," Kat interrupted, her voice a little miserable at the thought of no one noticing her missing. "They probably don't even know I'm like, gone. They grounded me because I don't agree with hat they did to Roxy. And Mrs. Snow! What they did was totally terrible!" Kat felt tears welling up in her eyes just thinking about how empty her room must feel now that she and Roxy were both gone. Poor Audrey. "They kicked Roxy right out because she was-"
"Gay, I know," Kara cut it off with a little motion of her hand that Otter thought he needed to learn how to do. Maybe if he could get that look down then Sitala would start listening to him when he tried telling her to do something. Maybe. "Otter told me what happened." He felt himself flush a little when his mom nodded back at him. He didn't want Kat to think that he'd gone and shared a secret that belonged to her family. Though really, how long could something with the Diaz's remain a secret? They were all penguins!
Seeing the look in Kat's eyes tugged at his heartstrings though and Otter found himself stepping in on her behalf. "Can't we just let her stay for one night, mom? I wouldn't want to go back either if I was her." Not that he thought something like that would ever go and happen in his family.
Kara Snow thought it over for a moment before nodding. "But I'm calling your mother. Letting her know where you are because otherwise she might call the police and that is a mess that I don't need." Giving all three of them a look, Kara turned to go into the next room and pick up the phone. Otter could hear the sound of her punching out the numbers as he stepped closer to Kat, laying a hand he hoped felt reassuring on her shoulder. "Gonna hold up okay?"
Roxy was gay? Well damn! Though when Oz thought about it that made a ton more sense than thinking she was straight. Like it totally explained why she had turned down his attempts at flirting back when they were just kids and shoved him into that snowbank. Learned something new every day. Not a bad mental image either... wonder who she's dating? "She'll be fine," Oz said almost dismissively as he stood, football game over, and stretched out. His palms brushed up against the ceiling easily and he winked down at Kat. "Let your sister know that I think that's awesome and she still owes me a race or something." He reached out to ruffle Otter's hair before taking his leave, going up the stairs three at a time. Definitely needed some sleep after the long day despite his nap on the football field earlier.
"I'll be fine," Kat muttered, looking down at the ground as her face flushed a brilliant shade of red. She hadn't thought that she'd actually be putting anyone through trouble, but her slightly enhanced hearing could pick up Kara Snow's voice in the next room. It wasn't mean or anything but it wasn't exactly impressed. Seemed that Otter's mom didn't agree with Kat's when it came to how to raise their children. Great, now she'd started a problem between the two families. Ugh, maybe I need to try thinking next time before I run off. Only she had thought and this had seemed like the best solution to her problem. She wanted her parents to know how upset she was and having another mother toss support her and Roxy's way just made it all that much better. It really, truly did. Even if she was going to get in oh-so much trouble when she finally made her way home.
Otter nodded, not really knowing what else to say. So he just waited until his mom returned, an irritated look on her face that would've normally had him skittering for the door or his room. Luckily it wasn't meant for him. "Your mom said you can stay the night, but she wants you back first thing in the morning. Since Otter's the one who brought you he'll be taking you back... here, come with me and I'll take you to Liseli's room, she had a pull-out bed." Kara gave Otter a look and nodded towards the stairs. "She'll be here in the morning when you get up. Go on, Bimisi."
Ugh, she used that name and Otter felt his mouth turning down as he nodded. "Alright, I'll see you in the morning, Kat. Sleep well."
Kat was immensely grateful that she was staying and showed it in the bright smile she flashed for Otter's mom. "Thanks, Mrs. Snow." Then, seeing that Otter was about to leave, she stood up and gave him a quick hug. "Thanks a lot Otter, for coming and bringing me back here. Totally means a lot to me! See you in the morning!" Giving him another smile, Kat turned and went with his mom towards Liseli's room, accepting the arm around her shoulder. It was nice to know that not all mom's were as spaztacular as her own. "You don't hate Roxy 'cause of what she is, do you Mrs. Snow?"
Kara Snow shook her head as she stopped walking and turned to face Kat. "Of course not... she's still the same Roxy. Your parents are just a little... touchy on the matter." She thought there was more to it and she definitely didn't approve of what had been done, but she wasn't about to go trying to influence their own daughter against them. "But let's not talk about it okay? It's late and you've had a really long day. Let's just get you to sleep." Still, Kara hugged the small girl tightly before taking her to her own youngest daughter's room.