Chapter Text
It’s freezing at the bus stop, and Ignignokt bites back a shiver. He wants to light a cigarette so bad, but fights the urge. The bus driver is a bitchass snitch, and Ignignokt decides it isn’t worth it. He’s one strike from getting suspended, and while he doesn’t give a quarter of a shit whether or not that happens, he really doesn’t want to go hungry. He knows he’s not going to college either way, but school is the only place that feeds him. That made it worth going to, that alone.
“Hey, man!”
A distraction. Up comes Ignignokt’s only friend and way-too-happy-for-his-own-good Plutonian, Oglethorpe. He stands a bit too close to Ig, and Ig takes one single step in the other direction.
“Sorry I’m late again, I’m like, so hungover.”
Ignignokt clocks this as a lie before it even leaves Oglethorpe’s mouth. The latter frequently made up stories to try to impress Ignignokt, and Ignignokt didn’t care enough to call him on it. He’d listen and he’d nod, but he knew there was nothing to gain from calling him on it. Good job, you’re smarter than an idiot.
“Oglethorpe, it’s Wednesday.”
“What, you don’t do shots on Tuesdays?” Oglethorpe asks, sounding more incredulous than he has any right to be. “You’re just P.O.’ed zat I didn’t invite you.”
“I’ll have you know I do do shots on Tuesdays, but I’m not bragging about it.”
Ignignokt doesn’t realize the two of them weren’t alone at the bus stop until he hears the unmistakable sound of someone thudding to the ground and yelping in terror.
He doesn’t turn to look, because that’ll mean he has to help. It isn't any of his business. There’s probably two sides to this, right? He shifts his attention to Oglethorpe, who’s trying just as hard to ignore what’s going on.
“Not gonna fight back?” A voice asks. “What a little bitch.”
Ignignokt tightens his fists into balls. Oglethorpe notices, and whispers at Ig not to get involved.
The former ignores his companion, and finally takes the time to survey the situation: There’s two people before him. One is a tall alien from a planet he doesn’t care about. He’s faced away from the duo.
The other is a Mooninite. A short, fuschia Mooninite.
He’s on the ground, held up by his little blue arms with a tight scowl on his face. From the way he’s glancing around Ig guesses he isn’t prepared for a fight like this.
The taller alien either doesn’t care that he has an audience or doesn’t realize they’re there, but when Ig hears the distinct shnk sound of cold metal being unsheathed and the sparkle of said metal under the dawn sun, he moves. Oglethorpe nearly calls out to Ig again not to get involved, which alerts the stranger to their presence and he turns on a heel. In his hands he holds a pocket knife, and seeing it is all it takes for Ig to reach into his pocket for his own. You don’t fuck with the Mooninites.
“And who the hell do you think you are?” He scoffs. “Look, let me have fun with my little buddy here,” He kicks the little Mooninite when he says that, “And we can all be civilized, yknow, civilized gentlemen about this whole deal.”
“Sorry, you must repeat that, I was too busy admiring your audacity,” Ig brandishes a knife of his own and glances back at Oglethorpe, who has moved several yards in the opposite direction. Ig blinks. Forgetting his pussy of a best friend and deciding it doesn’t matter, he takes a step closer to him while holding his knife at a respectable distance. “For deciding to screw with a Mooninite.”
The other Mooninite stands, realizing he’s off the hook and that he’s no longer of interest. “HAHA! SUCK ON THAT, BITCH!” He calls out, and Ignignokt can’t help but feel a burst of pride-- what a funny little guy.
But Ig can’t revel for long before the other Alien is lunging at him, and Ig dodges it by merely a hair. The former stumbles, and Ig uses this moment of weakness to his advantage and shoves the taller alien to the cold, winter sidewalk. He can hear the other Mooninite move towards them, the little beep sounds signalling his footsteps.
When he falls the knife in his hand clink clink clinks out of his hand into the street and away from where he could possibly cause harm with it. He shoots a glance in that direction as Ig slams a foot on his chest and presses his knife to his neck. He kicks his feet as he wrestles with Ignignokt’s leg, exclaiming ”Hey man, what’s your damn problem!?”
Ig smirks when the smaller Mooninite slips past him and spits on the alien. He bounces away when a hand flies blindly in his direction, cackling like a damn hyena.
“Grab that knife,” Ig barks at him, gesturing towards the knife in the street.
He throws his arms up. “I ain’t running into the damn street!”
“Then you can… get cut up,” Ig returns his focus to his prey, who’s still pushing on his body to get him to move. “I don’t care.”
“Damn, man, okay,” He jumps into the road, retrieves the knife, and returns before he’s in any danger. Once the knife is in his hands he’s handing it to Ignignokt, who shoves it into his pocket.
“G-Get your shit off’a me, man!” The alien bleats. “I’ll leave, I promise!”
Ig removes his limb from him, the alien fumbling to his feet and taking off. He runs right past Oglethorpe, who is already approaching both Mooninites.
“DUDE!” He exclaims. “Zat was AWESOME!”
“You fuckin’ saved my ass back there!” The other Mooninite whoops. Ig is surprised at this one’s recovery time. “Who even are you?”
“I am Ignignokt,” Ig introduces himself, shifting his gaze when he notices the sparkle in the other Mooninite’s eye. He doesn’t want to be admired. “Don’t you know that? I’m surprised you don’t, given your… Heritage.”
“Man, I don’t know shit!” The pink one says, brushing himself off of any dirt he missed. “I’m Err, though. That’s m’name, don’t wear it out! Ha-HA!”
Oglethorpe has decided to insert himself into the conversation. “Yeah, my buddy here’s badass,” He grins. “He learned it all from me!”
Err shares a knowing glance with Ignignokt.
“Shoot, uh…” Err begins. “Thanks for, uh… y’know. Saving my ass.”
Ignignokt nods. He never knows how to reply to being thanked. “Mooninites should look out for one another,” He says. “Should they not?”
“Man, you’re fuckin’ weird,” Err laughs. “You doin’ anything this Friday?”
“I…” Ig starts. “I suppose I’m free.”
“You and me, man!” Err points at himself and then at Ignignokt, taking off the opposite way. “Let’s fuck shit up!”
Ig blinks. What a weird guy...
“...Don’t we have plans on Friday?” Oglethorpe asks.
”Doesn’t the bus still need to come?” Ig replies after Err leaves his sight.