Champange

In a tiny school in Beach City, trouble was brewing. The lunch hall buzzed with excitement as students gathered around a table, each with their own thoughts.

"No way he can win!" a kid shouted.

"He can do it, just believe!" cried another, his hand trembling.

"He'll win, I'm sure," said a thin girl with pale skin and black eyes, dressed in all brown. She stood behind a boy with a permanently closed left eye, who was in his 20th arm wrestle with the school's strongest kid.

"Sure, you'd say that, you're always with him, oddball Pearl," sneered a boy.

"Yeah, she's always with Champagne," laughed a girl.

The boys laughed too but stopped when they heard the boy's voice.

"Quiet, you two! Can't you see I'm busy?!" shouted the boy, wrestling with his rival. He had a dark, wild Afro, and his right eye was a mix of brown and yellow.

"I'm fed up with everyone saying 'Champagne's the strongest' and all that," grumbled Lance, struggling against Champange.

"Jeez, you don't stop talking, do you?" Champagne chuckled, sweat trickling down his forehead. "How is that anyway? Random kid found in the sand with no mommy or daddy, must be so sad." Lance's laughter caused the crowd to join in.

Champagne went silent, causing a smirk to form on Lance's face. "Now I can beat him," Lance thought, applying more force. "Wait, what's going on?" He looked at Champagne's arm and noticed it wasn't budging.

"So, you got parents, right? I guess you'll have someone to comfort you through this," Champagne said in a low tone and slammed Lance's arm through the table. "AHHH!" Lance yelled in agony.

Moments later, in the principal's office:

"Okay, what is it this time?" The principal rubbed his temples, clearly exasperated.

Champagne sat on the other end of the principal's desk with his legs on the table, leaning back with his arms crossed and an annoyed expression. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"He dislocated a boy's arm out of anger," Pearl stated, raising her finger.

"When I said I don't wanna talk about it, I meant I don't want anyone to talk about it," Champagne nudged Pearl.

"Champagne, this is serious!" The principal's voice echoed in the room, his face stern. "You can't just go around hurting other students."

Champagne rolled his eyes, "He started it."

"That doesn't justify your actions, Champagne." The principal sighed, rubbing his temples again. "You're suspended for a week."

"Pfft, what else is new?" Champagne shrugged, looking at his fingernails. "And you have to apologize," the principal finished with a slam of his desk.

Champagne scoffed, "Apologize? To him? No way."

Pearl, finally speaking up, said, "Champagne, you should apologize. It's the right thing to do."

"No," Champagne said, biting his fingernails.

"Also, Pearl! Why do you keep following him around? Can't you see he's bad?" the principal shouted.

"He's not bad, he's just misunderstood. We grew up together in the same orphanage; it's fate," Pearl explained with a slight blush.

The principal sighed and put his head down. "Fine, but keep him out of trouble at least. And Champagne, make an apology letter by next week. Until then, you're suspended."

"Ugh, fine." Champagne stood up and grabbed his jacket from Pearl, who wore it. "Let's go, Pearl."

As they walked out of the principal's office, the school's hallways were eerily quiet. The news of Champagne's suspension had spread like wildfire, and students watched them from the corners of their eyes, whispering among themselves.

Champagne, seemingly unaffected by the stares and whispers, walked with a nonchalant air. Pearl, on the other hand, was visibly uncomfortable. She clutched the edges of her skirt, her eyes darting around nervously.

"Champagne," she started, her voice barely above a whisper, "Do you think… Do you think you could actually write that apology letter?"

Champagne stopped in his tracks, turning to look at Pearl. His eye softened, "Pearl, you know I can't write."

Pearl nodded, "I know. That's why… That's why I'll help you."

Champagne looked at her, surprised. "You'd do that?"

Pearl smiled, "Of course. We're friends, aren't we?"

Champagne grinned, "Yeah, we are."

And so, they spent the rest of the day together at a beach with a small cabin nearby where they lived, Pearl teaching Champagne how to write an apology letter.

"'Blah blah blah… sincerely, Champagne'. How's that?" he asked.

"Perfect!" Pearl answered with a smile.

"Really? It looks pretty bad," Champagne replied, scratching the back of his head.

Suddenly, they felt a ripple in the water. "What's that?" Pearl asked, but was suddenly hit by a huge, long snake-like creature. "PEARL!" Champagne yelled and ran toward her. "What is that?" Pearl coughed and clutched her body in pain.

"No idea. But it doesn't matter. I won't let it hurt you." Champagne's eyes filled with determination. He picked up a large piece of driftwood and charged at the creature.

The creature hissed and lunged at Champagne, but he dodged and swung the driftwood, hitting it squarely on its head. The creature recoiled, hissing in pain.

Champagne didn't let up. He kept swinging, driving the creature back into the water. Once it was far enough, he threw the driftwood at it, hitting it one last time. The creature let out a final hiss before disappearing into the depths of the ocean.

Champagne rushed back to Pearl, who was still clutching her side. "Are you okay?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.

Pearl nodded, "I think so. That was… That was scary."

Champagne helped her up, "Let's get you inside. You need to rest."

"Champagne, watch out!" Pearl yelled as she watched him get dragged away by one of the creature's tentacles and slammed into the sand. "Ack!" he yelled as blood trickled down his mouth. The creature then examined Champagne and scanned his face.

"ENOUGH!" he shouted, causing the monster to scream in unbearable agony and drop Champagne, who floated in the air. His left eye finally opened, revealing a champagne-colored diamond.

"Champagne?" Pearl said in a confused tone but groaned and clutched her body. Champagne turned his head to Pearl and back at the monster, which launched one of its tentacles at him. In a flash, the tentacle exploded, causing the creature to cry loudly.

Champagne then did a couple of swipes with his finger and pulled the creature into a small diamond.

Champagne then fell out of the sky and into the sand. "CHAMPAGNE!" Pearl yelled and ran to his body. "What happened? I thought I lost you!" She cried and put her hand on his cheek. Her hand began glowing, and a pearl formed on her palm. She gently placed the pearl on Champagne's chest, and a soft glow enveloped his body.

Champange eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at Pearl with a weak smile. "Pearl?"

Pearl sighed in relief, tears streaming down her face. "I couldn't lose you, Champagne. You're my best friend. What's happened to us?" She said while looking at her palm and his eye. "I-I don't know," he replied with a concerned look but leaned into Pearl's touch.