Prompt: Spitting Fire

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All characters owned by Tutty The Fruity

This is a commissioned prompt for PT Piranha for the month of September 2020. If you would like your own commission, consider subscribing to my Patreon; custom commission prompts start at 25$ a month, and you get instant access to all the other stories I've published on Patreon.

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Spitting Fire

Squaresteed University was a storied university with a long, historic tradition of greatness, particularly in its economics and business programs. It attracted students from near and far that wanted a leg up in the industry, to make connections with enterprising entrepreneurs and carry those connections for the rest of their lives. It was a place where someone could make their mark and truly find themselves. It was a place where unforgettable memories could be forged...

"You did what!?" 

"I can tell from that sparkle in your eye that you're just as excited for this as I am! Believe me!~"

"I-I can't do a rap competition! You didn't even ask me before signing me up!"

"Ahhh, don't knock it 'til you try it!~" 

...Some memories forged in high academia would perhaps be better forgotten. At least that's what Grace Middleton believed in that precise moment. Two students were having something of a disagreement in the quad. 

Grace Middleton, the more distraught one of the pair, had a meek, tired look about him. They anxiously fiddled with their ponytail, tied back in a ponytail. Grace had a lot on his plate, and it showed visibly with the bags under his eyes. University had been a time of discovery, and Grace was always fond of being "one of the guys". This manifested in some exploration of gender identity, though his footing was unsure. Up to this point in life, he was raised as a girl, but with new concepts and ideas came new, exciting possibilities. So he was in the middle of some personal discovery...

...At least until his friend, Song Mei Qiang (she opted for just Mei with all her friends/families/colleagues/acquaintances), dropped the latest bombshell on him. Mei had a decidedly gung-ho approach to life, involving herself in anything and everything university had to offer; name a club, she was involved. She was always bubbling in energy; her short 4'8 frame could barely contain her enthusiasm. 

"S-Seriously, this is... this is a bad idea, I can't even begin to... awawa..." Grace clutched his head, pacing back and forth. 

"Awww, you're always goin' on and on about 'ohhhh, maybe I should get more involved, ohhhhhhh I don't have enough to do', 'OHHHHHHH I'm wasting my life away..." Mei did her best Grace impression, even brushing an imaginary ponytail with her hands.

"I don't talk like that..." Grace shook his head with a grimace. "N-not with that, that 'ohhhh' face."

"I dunno what you're worried about, Grace." Mei cocked her head to the side. "I'm heard your mixtape. You're, as the kids would say, 'wickety wack!'" Mei clapped her hands together. 

"...I-I dunno if the kids say that anymore." Grace's mouth flattened in response. 

"And you know there's a prize pool, right? You're gonna make phat stacks with your tubular lyrics!" Mei nodded enthusiastically. 

"Nobody says that either- wait a sec." Grace's eyes narrowed. "How'd you know about-"

"I got your mixtape!" Mei brandished her smartphone. She had brought up her smartphone; Grace's pale face seemed to drain of yet more colour. 

"M-mixtape? You got my... h-how the hell did you- nO!"

Grace was too late to stop Mei's menacing hovering finger from pressing the play button: 

...I stake my claim, knockin' on wood, rockin' the suit,

Talkin' fast, clockin' fast, face down the cockin' muzzle

Y'all can't keep up, y'all just balkin', mockin',

Noddin' off like you just been sleepwalkin' all lockstep,

Hawkin' my goods? Bitch step off, I oughta sock ya,

And you can lick the sweat off my-

"OH MY GOD TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF!" Grace was blushing furiously, throwing himself onto Mei to get the racket shut off before another living soul could hear him pop off, on the record.

Mei staggered back, a finger flailing to put the track on pause. Grace took a sharp breath of relief.

"W-where'd you even find that anyway??" Grace blustered.

"Oh that! You connected your soundcloud to your facebook!" Mei grinned. "I was curious!"

"...oh my goddddd..." Grace groaned, rubbing his cheeks. "That track is like, years old, I haven't thought about it in years, I thought it was the coolest thing and now it's guhhhh." Grace cringed sharply. 

"Listen, you're gonna be great! Cuz I'm gonna be your manager!~" Mei bounced up to pat Grace on the shoulders; an earnest attempt at that, considering Grace had almost a foot on Mei. 

"How can you say that with any degree of confidence!?" Grace exclaimed. "A-and what do you mean """manager"""? I-I didn't sign any contracts..."

Grace paused, a look of realization flashing across his face. His eyebrows lowered, glancing at Mei with a decidedly unimpressed look. 

"...is this about that cash pool you mentioned." Grace sighed. 

"Noooooooo! Nooo, nonononono!~" Mei insisted with a decidedly insincere cadence to her voice. "I would never- I'm a woman of principle! Money has no effect on me, I'm, y'know, ambivalent and stuff!~"

"...I saw you eat someone's Taco Bell they left behind because you were too cheap to order a meal from the cafeteria." Grace clarified with a pointed look. 

"...I-It was still good... i-it'd be an environmental waste to, like, leave perfectly good food behind!" Mei defended herself with an uneasy laugh. Grace rolled his eyes. 

"Unbelievable... m-maybe if I talk to someone at the office they'll let me explain that my signature was forged." Grace folded his arms, shaking his head. 

"Awww, c'mon! We got a week to get you back into ship-shape!" Mei nodded. "You were having a lot of fun with it! You just gotta tap into your inner child again! When everything you did was uncompromisingly cool!~" 

"I-I dunno, I... I'm the whitest kid I know." Grace grimaced. "I-I mean, it might be... it might end up being a little fun, but... I dunno if I could live down the embarrassment."

"Ah please, I know the crowd that goes to this school." Mei smirked. "Buncha rich kids suckin' on silver spoons like pacifiers. You got this in the bag!" 

Grace was always suspicious of others when it came to encouragement, but Mei had a long and glorious history of cheerleading for her friends, pushing them into more and more reckless, scatterbrained ideas. And Grace had the sinking feeling that Mei gravitated towards him, with clear intent to make him into one of her personal projects. 

"...I... I guess I can give it a shot." Grace conceded with a weak smile. "I-it won't be so bad. I think. I hope." 

"Yeah!" Mei pumped her fist. "We can hit the gym of words and passion and win this tournament!"

"Are you gonna sign up too??" Grace's eyes lit up.

"Ehhhhhh. I'll think about it. Rapping isn't as cool as it used to be, y'know?" Mei shrugged.

Grace could only stare back with an astonished, beleaguered look. Had he really been played like a fool? Well... it was too late now.