Going to the beach with Mind Flayer Monika!

Your eyes peel open as a loud romping burrows its way into your ears, bashing on your eardrums. You scramble out of bed, snatching a pair of shorts and pulling them up your legs as you head to the door.
You undo the bolt on the door, then unlock the lock on the doorknob, pulling the door open with a slow, dull creak.
“Hello?” you murmur through the crack on the door, the blinding sun scarring your freshly woken eyes.
“Hi! You must be Mister…” The woman, dressed in all black from her tights to her hair, adjusts her sunglasses and looks down at the dark clipboard in her hands. “Dan! Yes, Dan, it’s nice to meet you. Good news! You’ve been accepted for the monster girl exchange program!”
The woman steps aside, and as your eyes adjust to the light, you see a humanoid figure.
The figure was obviously female, the sun outlining her curves as she stood in it’s glare. As you look up, you notice her incredibly thick hair. Tendril-like waves curl down the top of her head, all the way down to her back.
Her emerald green eyes shine in the light, their gaze entrancing you, preventing you from looking away.
The girl steps forward, and a wide smile spreads across her face. As she steps closer into view, what had appeared to be her hair were large, coiling tentacles protruding from the top of her scalp, a smaller tentacle forming “bangs” on her forehead.
You rub your eyes, your brain not fully awake to process the unfamiliar duo standing in front of your door.
The tentacular girl outstretches her hand to you, her purple skin shimmering in the afternoon sunshine.
“Hi! It’s nice to meet you, my name is Monika! I’ve heard you need help with some research?”
You look to the duo stunned, cautiously moving your hand to meet Monika’s.
“Who’s Dan? My name’s Anon, I think you have the wrong house…”
“What do you mean? Isn’t this the right address?” The woman looks through her clipboard once more, flipping through papers. Her eyes dart back and forth between some file and the numbers on the side of your door.
“No, this has to be right!”
“Um, Ms. Smith, I think he may be right-“
Monika is interrupted with a shove to her back, pushing her into you.
“Come on, don’t be so nervous! He seems like a good guy, I’m sure you’ll have a great time!”
The force of Monika’s body crashing into you sends you both to the ground, Monika’s tentacles gripping your body tight. The woman, apparently whose name was Smith, walked over the two of you and invited herself into your home, inspecting the area.
“Wow! I know I had told you to clean up for the girl, but I wasn’t expecting the place to be so pristine. Though, it doesn’t exactly look like a…” Mrs. Smith looks to her notes again “…’reality transfer lab’ as you call it.”
Mrs. Smith furrows her brow for a second, then shrugs and heads out the door, dropping a slip of paper on the ground by your head.
“I’ll be back tomorrow to check up on you guys, there’s some basic instructions for living together, take good care of her!~”
“Mrs. Smith, I’m not a pet!” Monika calls back to an empty walkway, then sighs. She unravels her tentacles from you, and rolls off you, sitting in front of the door with her knees pulled up to her chest.
You sit up next to her, sitting cross legged as you two look out the door into the open green.
“Sorry that I’m not the guy you were looking for.”
“It’s not your fault. Sorry that we bothered you with all of this.”
“Hey, it’s fine, I should be getting up soon anyway.”
The two of you sit in silence, the stagnant air choking you.
“You think I’m horrifying, don’t you…”
You look to her, only to see her looking to the floor, away from you.
You pick up the note Mrs. Smith left you. “So, you’re a mind flayer, huh? Says here you’re mostly carnivorous, but you can also feed on thoughts, memories and dreams. It says you prefer dreams and have a strong preference towards nightmares. That’s good, because I tend to have a lot of those.”
Monika looks up at you, wiping a single tear that was shed with her delicate hands.
“Let’s see here… There’s a facility down the street in case you get sick, and your doctor is Dr. Richard P. Leaky…”
“What are you doing…?” Monika’s tentacles wiggle as her curiosity peaks. You stand up, heading towards the kitchen.
“You must be starving, it’s almost dinner time. Why don’t you come over here and tell me what you want for dinner?”
Monika hops up and trots over to you as you open the fridge.
“Oh, it says here that your favorite meal is squid, surprisingly. I don’t think I bought any squid, so why don’t we head to the local fish restaurant down by the shore?”
You look to her and smile. “Sorry I wasn’t who you were looking for, but if you’re going to be staying here, I might as well make it a good home for you, even if it’s only for a day.”
You grab your coat and head into your room, shutting the door behind you. “And my grandma always told me a good home starts with the belly!” You chuckle through the door as you put some fresher clothes on.
You come out, and Monika is standing on the other side of the door, her hands clasped together and her face wearing a wide smile.
“Ready to head out?” You look her over, and glance at what she’s wearing. She sports a black tank top and a dark black and purple skirt, the dark tones seeming to pop-out when up against the purple canvas of her skin.
Her green eyes sparkle in the afternoon sunlight. The sun, just beginning to set, casts a light through the window in the door frame, illuminating the room in a warm yellow glow.
“Yeah, let’s get going.”
You open the door, and beckon Monika to come outside. She lets out a short giggle, and skips outside the door frame, twirling her skirt as she spins around to you. She offers her arm, and you wrap yours around it, linking her to you.
You walk down the streets of the bustling city. The familiar buzz of people and the groaning of cars and lights transformed into a bustling, sparkling aura with Monika by your side. As you watch the chattering of couples walking by the old riverside pier, you look to Monika, who’s whipping her heard around starstruck.
“Enjoying yourself?” You nudge her side with your elbow, feeling the cool thickness of her skin.
“Anon, you live here? This place is so cool!” Monika’s eyes catch a cotton candy machine and she rushes over to it, grabbing your hand and pulling you along.
“Anon, Anon, what’s this?” Monika looks back and forth between you and the cushiony mounds of woven sugar hanging from the concession stand.
You chuckle at her excitement. “Two please.” You tell the man, and he grabs two big clouds of cotton candy, and hands one to each of you.
As you two walk, Monika watches you take apart the cotton candy. She looks back to her own and carefully tears a puff from her own and takes a bite. Her eyes widen for a second before her face morphs into a look of absolute bliss, her hand reaching to caress her own cheek.
“Sho good…”
“What, did you not have cotton candy where you grew up?”
“No, I’d never heard of it until you got me some.”
Anon raised his eyebrows. “I’m surprised, where did you come from?”
“That’s a secret, ahaha~”
You shrug, and continue to walk towards the old restaurant, the salty smell of ocean shore fills your nostrils as its waves crash against the stony walls of the ancient rocky beach.
Once your cotton candies are finished, you toss out the sticks and walk inside the shaggy wooden building.
“Anon, are you sure this place is, you know…”
You chuckle. “To an outsider, this place may look rundown, but it’s one of the best local fish-fries in town. Come on in, this place is nice.”
As soon as Anon opens the door, a rotund man in a greasy apron and an undersized, sweaty white t-shirt bounces over to anon, every step causing little shakes in the building.
“Eheheh, Anon!” The man roars in a thick, deep, and brutish Scottish accent as he lumbers over to him. “How ya’ been? I ’aven’t seen ye’ ‘round here since last year! Where ye’ been?”
“School’s rough old man.” You smile, and the chef sticks out his hand. You grip it, and you two shake hands with the force of a thousand sailors.
“Ah, who’s the pretty lass?” The jubilant chef fixes his hat and looks to Monika, who quickly shakes out of her shock.
“Hi! I’m Monika, it’s nice to meet you.” Monika curtsies and dips her head, and the chef roars in another billowing laugh.
“Ah, what a polite young miss! I’m Ralph, but everyone calls me Pops.” The chef takes off his tall hat and bends over in a half-bow, revealing a bald, greasy patch of scalp loosely covered by a combover.
“So, you two hungry? What’ll it be?”
“We’ll take the Calamari smorgasbord. Deep fried, with olive oil on the side please.”
“Ah, feelin’ bold, are we?” The Scotsman sneers and steps back into his kitchen. “Coming right up!”
The sound of clattering dishes and plates can be heard in the back of the restaurant as you and Monika take your seats by the windows overlooking the shore.
“Wow, Anon, this is such a nice view…” Monika stares outside at the sun reflecting over the water: the pinks and purples of the setting sun dance over the water, the dazzling gleam of the sky as the stars start to come out of hiding, lighting up the ever-growing dark of the night.
“I’m having a really great time, thanks for showing me around.”
“Of course. I figured you were feeling so down, a little trip around couldn’t hurt, right?”
Monika stays silent, staring at the gentle crashing of the purple ocean, watching the seagulls flock about in the skies, looking for their dinner.
“…yeah, you’re right.” She looks to you and smiles, her emerald eyes shining through the evening twilight, the view of the solemn ocean forever stained in their glassy reflection.
“Order for two, comin’ right up!” Pops slams down a massive plate of calamari, decorated in red peppers and towering over the two of them. Rings of squid rolls down the mountain, eventually landing on the bottom of the plate.
Monika’s jaw hangs agape as she studies the pillar of squid in front of her.
“A-Anon! How much did this all cost?”
“Don’t worry about that now, just go ahead and eat. I hope you’re hungry.” You pop a piece of fried squid into your mouth, chewing on it.
Monika and you dig in, and hours later the plate is cleared, Monika having done most of the work. She leans back and pats her belly, trying to make room for the mountain of squid resting inside of her.
“Holy god Anon, that was good…” Monika sighs, and lets a tiny belch slip past her defenses. Her purple cheeks flare red, and she covers her lips with her hands.
Resisting the urge to laugh, you wave your hand at her. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”
Monika inches forward, sitting up as she feels her insides digest.
“Why don’t you head towards the front, I’ll stay back here and catch the check.”
“W-Wait Anon, I have money, you don’t have to-“
You cut her off with another wave of your hands. “It’s fine, I promise. Just meet me outside, alright? I gotta talk to Pops anyway.”
“Well, alright. But I’m not happy about it.” Monika heads toward the door, and Pops heads over to the table.
“Here’s yer check, Lad.”
You look over the check and find that the check had been completely cleared.
“Pops, are you sure? I can cover this, it’s a bit out of the way but nothing I can-“
“It’s fine Lad.” He gives you a hearty pat on the back as you stand. “Go treat that young lass to somethin’ nice, away from this rusty ol’ shack.”
You look to Pops and smile. “Thanks Pops, you’re the best.”
“Ah it’s nothin’…” Pops scratches the back of his head and looks away. “We had a buncha’ customers come in today, so it won’t cut too much out of the paycheck. Now get outta here, yer lass’s waitin for ye’.”
You walk back up to Monika, waving back at Pops on your way out. “Hey, ready to go home?”
Monika looks up to you. “O-Oh! Yeah, just…” Monika looks away, her hands folded behind her back.
You look down at her, grabbing her hand. “Anon, what are you-“
You drag her along down to the shore, trudging through the sand, and along the path. “I want to show you something.”
“Where are we going?” Monika stumbles as you quicken your pace to a jog, and she runs with you.
Eventually you slow down, walking towards a large rock formation.
“Anon, what’s this?”
“This was an old spot I found when I was a kid. Not many people come around here, and it’s got a nice view at the top. Come on, I’ll show you.”
You and Monika climb to the top of the rock, just as the last bit of sunlight sets across the stretch of ocean. Monika looks around in awe at not only the shimmering glow of the ocean, but at the sparkling, dazzling city around her. She looks around, lost in a world of color and brightly shining lights, the city a blur as the bustling citizens and tourists whirr and speed around the streets and sidewalks. She looks behind her, and sees a shining lighthouse, anointed with a colorful paint job representing the laidback nature of the city.
As the waves recede and crash into the shoreline, Monika and you sit down on the rocks together. She walks her hand over to yours, and their fingers intertwine.
“Thank you so much for today…” Monika’s voice softens, and she places her head on your shoulder.
“Hey, it’s no problem. Figured I should get to know you a bit better, you know? And I didn’t want you feeling like you weren’t welcome.”
Monika nods, her eyes closing, listening to the roaring of the ocean, and the voices of the man next to her.
“It’s just, it’s really hard being what I am…” Monika’s arms wrap around your own, and she nestles deeper into your shoulder, your shirt brushing against the long tentacles coming from her forehead.
“Everyone’s so afraid of me… they think I’m some mindless killer, like I’ll eat their brains and attack every single human in sight.”
Monika sniffles a little, then looks up at you, solemn tears forming in the corner of her eyes. “But you went and showed me an awesome time, and completely changed my view on humans. I can’t thank you enough for that.”
Her eyes meet yours, her sparkling emerald gaze twinkling brighter than any star in the night sky. You both close your eyes, and lean closer, letting your hearts guide the way to each other’s lips.