"Come on guys!" Storm E. whispered, throwing a large brick at a window, glass shattering with a faint tinkling sound. The small group of Lalas climbed through the broken window carefully. Once inside, Ace flicked on a flashlight, shining it on a wall. "Got the spray paint?" She asked, casting a glance at Forest, who nodded, taking off the backpack, unzipping it, and pulling out a purple spray paint can. He handed it to Storm E, who took it, and promptly began painting the wall behind Ace, spraying a doodle of a storm cloud. She handed it to Forest, who sprayed a doodle of an evergreen tree. Forest then handed the spray paint can to Ace, who hesitated. "Come on Ace," She hissed, shooting him an irritated glare. "Don't back out now! Just-!" The trio froze as they heard loud footsteps approaching. "That's Vigil Lante Guard, it has to be!'' Storm E whispered. "If he catches us, it's over!"
The trio broke into a sprint, leaving the building through the broken window. They ran until they approached the barbwire fence that enclosed the entire perimeter of the building. "Alright Forest, gimme a boost!" Storm E said, as Forest boosted her over the fence, and climbing over the fence himself. Ace was last to climb over, scrambling over the fence. He sat on the fence, looking at the skyline of LALA District. "Ace!" Storm E shouted, causing Ace to slip and fall off of the fence, the barbed wire slicing up his face and arms. Forest and Storm E helped him to his feet, and the trio began to run again. They split up, Forest and Storm E going one way, to their home, and Ace going another way, to the apartment he shared with Spot. He tripped over a rock, pain searing through his ankle. He stood up shakily and trudged home, pain lancing through his ankle with each step.
"Alright Zebra, hand me the blue paint!" Spot said, putting red paint on her palette. Zebra trotted over to Spot, a bottle of blue paint in her mouth. She mixed the paints, about to put the paint on the canvas, when she heard a knock on the door. "Coming!" She walked over to the door, opening it, her eyes widening at what she saw. It was Ace, his face, and arms covered in cuts, blood, fresh and dried, on the cuts. She aside as he hobbled past her, his face twisted into a grimace of pain. "W-What happened?" She asked frantically, gently grabbing his hand and leading him into the bathroom. Ace caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror and winced. Spot grabbed the first-aid from under the bathroom sink, about to patch Ace up, but paused. Ace gave her a puzzled look. "What's the matter?" Spot put the first-aid kit back, and, motioning him to follow her. "Those wounds need to be attended to by a medical professional." She explained, hopping into the driver's seat of the car. Ace eased into the passenger seat. Spot drove to Rosy's apartment, which doubled as her office.
Rosy inspected Ace's ankle and frowned. "His ankle is sprained." She concluded, grabbing an ankle brace and putting it on his ankle. Spot gave her a worried look. "Will he be okay?" Rosy nodded, handing Spot a pair of crutches. "He'll be alright, he just needs to be on crutches for a few weeks." Spot blinked. "A few weeks...meaning...?" Rosy smiled. "Five weeks. In crutches."
"Alright, gang," Storm E started, looking at each of the members in the room of the Torn Stitches' hideout. "Any news?" She asked, to which Dot stood up. "We have a new gang member!" She walked out of the room, returning with Dragon. "This is my Dragon, he's my friend." Dragon waved to the other gang members. "Alright," Storm E spoke, standing up, gesturing to the map on the table. "Back to the topic of our territory..."
"Hey Jewel!" Jewel turned to see Spot, her friend, and Vice President of the LALA District Watch, keeping the area safe from gangs and crime. "What is it Spot?" She asked as Spot handed her a newspaper. Jewel scanned the headline. "Torn Stitches' gang expands territory, destroys rival gang." She read and scowled. "You see Spot, this is exactly why we need a District Watch." She said, handing the newspaper back to Spot. Spot shrugged. "I think the Torn Stitches' are cool," She replied, spotting Ace across the walkway, who waved at her, who hobbled over towards' the girls on his crutches. "Hey, Jewelry Box, Bay Brush," He grinned. "What're you guys talking about?" Spot smiled. "The gang the Torn Stitches'. " Something flickered in Ace's eyes. "How does she about them...?" He thought nervously. "The Torn Stitches'?" He asked, feigning nonchalance. "Never heard of them." He lied, feeling guilt as soon as the words left his mouth. "I can't give anything away," He thought, panicking silently, his face neutral. "I can't Spot find out I'm a member of the Torn Stitches'. She's a part of the District Watch. If I told her...what would she think of me...?"
"Come on Cat, we're closing." Jewel said, flipping the sign of her boutique from "Open" to "Closed". As she walked to her home, she heard many pairs of footsteps behind her. "Whoa!" She yelped as a person bumped into her, causing her to drop her things. From her place on the ground, she watched five people, dressed in various colored hoodies, jeans, and hightops run past her, whooping and hollering excitedly. One of the people walked back to her, helping her to her feet, and picking up her things. The stranger wore a mask and his hood was drawn up, but there was no mistaking the tousled red hair that poked out from under the hood. Jewel gaped at him. "Ace-" He shushed her, pulling down his mask. "Jewel." He scowled. "You never saw me here. Alright?" She nodded. "It's alright Ace." She gave him a thumbs up. "Your secret's safe with me!" She grinned. "GREASE MONKEY!!" Someone shouted up ahead. Ace looked ahead in the distance. "I've gotta go," He ran to catch up with the rest of the Torn Stitches. He waved to Jewel as he ran. Jewel waved back.
"Hey Jewel!" Spot waved to her. Jewel smiled. "You'll never guess who I saw last night." Spot blinked, intrigued. "Who?" Jewel remembered the promise she made to Ace. "I saw the Torn Stitches." She said. It was technically the truth. She did see the Torn Stitches. Spot gasped. "Really?! What was it like? Was the gang vicious, like in the newspaper? Are they a really big gang?" Jewel shook her head, thinking back to how the gang was quite small, and they whooped and hollered excitedly. "No the gang was quite nice," She replied. "They were also small."
Dot watched Ace tinker. "What's that you're making?" She asked, inspecting all sides. Ace grabbed a wrench, put it down, and grabbed a screwdriver. "I'm just tinkering, I'm not making anything." He replied. Dot nodded. "Could...I have it?" Ace shot her a confused glance. "What do you want with scrap metal?" Dot shrugged. "I just want something of yours." She answered. "I have something of everyones. Storm E gave me an old guitar pick, Dragon gave me a coin, Forest gave me a little wooden carving..." She continued. Ace shrugged, handing her the little scrap metal sculpture. "Here you go, I guess." Dot took it and grinned. "Thanks!"
The sounds of fighting woke Spot from a deep sleep. Grabbing a flashlight, she walked downstairs, opening the door. There were two groups of people, a small group and a large one. There was someone on the ground, bleeding. Another person was holding the unconscious person. "You won't get away with this Starry!" The person, shouted, whose voice Spot recognizes as Storm E. Starry smirked, crouching and leaning forward until he and Storm E's faces were touching. "I believe I already have." He stood up, and walked away, the rest of his gang following him. "I'd your friend...What was his name again? Oh yeah, Grease Monkey..." He chuckled, turning back to look at the Torn Stitches. "I'd get your friend some medical help. He's lost a lot of blood..." Starry and the rest of his gang, the Polished Buttons, left the area, leaving the Torn Stitches in the aftermath. Dot instantly started giving out orders. "Forest, call Rosy. Storm E, use your hoodie to staunch the bleeding. And, Dragon," She gave him a determined look."Go follow the Polished Buttons. Don't yourself be caught." Everyone nodded, following Dot's orders. Storm E took off her hoodie, tying it around Ace's waist, cinching it. "Rosy? We have an emergency..."
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Spot, Storm E, Forest, and Dot sat in the waiting room, anxiously waiting for news of Ace. Rosy stepped out of the hospital room, wearing long, bloody gloves. Spot stood up, hope shining in her gaze. "Is he...alright?" Rosy nodded. "I had to stitch up the wound, and I'm about to give him some painkillers and a sleeping pill. You can go in and see him." She explained, with a small smile. "Although, he may be in a bit of pain." She turned to look at Spot, who had already gone inside the room.
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"Hey, Ace..." Spot said softly. Ace turned to look in the direction of the voice, giving her a pained smile. "Hey, Bay Brush..." He chuckled, wincing at the pain of his bruised ribs. Spot sat in one of the chairs, scooting closer to Ace's bed. "I didn't know you were in the Torn Stitches," Spot started, taking Ace's hands in hers, wincing internally at the bandages they were wrapped in. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked. He sighed, looking away from her. "I didn't want to tell you...because I didn't want you to think I was a..." He trailed off, searching for the right word. "Bad person?" Spot suggested, and Ace nodded. Rosy entered the room, holding a syringe and a pill. She stuck Ace with the syringe, and he got a faraway look in his eyes as the painkillers took effect. "And the sleeping pill." She handed Spot the sleeping pill and a glass of water. "I'll just...leave you two..." Rosy said, leaving the room. Spot handed Ace the pill and the glass of water, and he took it. Ace sank back against the pillow with a sigh. "Y'know, I really like you Spot..." She blushed at this. "...I really like you too Ace..." She replied, but Ace was already asleep.
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