Sig's New Interest

By TheBlackKid

-Prologue-

Sig sat in front of the TV at his home, carelessly flipping through the channels, as he would do with…pretty much anything that doesn't involve bugs. While scrolling though the channels, he got hungry and decided to go to the kitchen to grab some snacks, leaving the TV on some random channel. When he got back, he noticed that the channel he left the TV on was showing a romance movie that had just started.

"Eh, nothing else to watch." Sig said as he sat down on the living room floor with a bowl of popcorn in hand.

Near the end of the movie, Sig was dead focused on a particular scene where the two lovers would confess their love for each other. He didn't think he'll get so invested in the movie, since it has nothing to do with bugs. But after watching the first 20 minutes of it, he couldn't stop. The movie ended with the lovers being held in each other's arms while saying the three words that would change their lives forever:

I love you.

As the credits began to roll, Sig moved his red claw-like hand over his chest and felt his heart racing. This feeling was new to him. He was always known to be carefree about everything, if that even was a feeling. But after watching the movie, this new feeling occupied his mind, which is normally filled with bug fact and whatnot.

"Love, huh? What is that, exactly?" Sig asked himself.

Sig then looked at the clock and noticed that it was a quarter to 1 in the morning.

"It's late. Better get to bed." He said.

Sig heads for his room and gets into bed, hoping he could sleep off this new weird feeling of his.

Chapter 1 – VS. Amitie

Sig stood in front of the magic school, spaced out as he would normally do. This time, however, he wasn't thinking of what type of bugs to look for. He was thinking of the movie he watched last night. It bothered him all throughout the night and was still in his mind. It sparked a new interest in that carefree mind of his.

"That couple…they sure were happy when they told each other how they felt. Is that love?" Sig asked himself.

"Hiya, Sig. Whatcha doing?" Sig broke out of his trance to see Amitie standing in front of him, waving her arm in front of his eyes.

"Oh. Hey, Amitie. I was just thinking."

"About bugs?"

"No."

"I see…WAIT, WHAT?!"

"Is it that shocking?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, you're Sig! You're always thinking about bugs!"

"Not today."

Amitie grew a concerned look on her face.

"Sig…are you feeling okay?"

"Well, my heart's beating really fast…"

"OH, NO! SIG'S HURTING! WHAT TO DO?! UH…I KNOW! A PUYO MATCH SHOULD SAVE YOU!"

"Uh…Amitie?"

"NO, SIG! SAVE YOUR STRENGH! YOU NEED AS MUCH OF IT AS POSSIBLE! SO, LET'S…"

"Puyo Battle?"

*ONE PUYO MATCH LATER…*

"*whew* That was fun. Glad to know you're okay, Sig."

"…" Sig was lost in his owns thoughts again. Not only was he thinking about the weird feeling he's been having since last night, but now he was also thinking of how completely unnecessary that Puyo battle was.

"Hey, Sig. What is it that you're thinking about? Maybe I can help."

Sig came back into reality and tried to think of a way to explain his problem.

"Amitie…how would you describe love?"

"Love? Well, I love my mommy and dad."

"No, I mean true love. Like with a lover."

"O-Oh. I-I see now." Amitie started blushing after being asked that kind of question out of nowhere.

"W-Well, I…can't really answer that, but maybe Ringo can."

"Ringo? Who's that?"

"Don't tell me you forgot?! She's the girl with the red hair and always has that apple with her."

"Oh yeah."

"Geez, Sig. Anyway, I know where she is. I can take you to her. Come on!"

"Okay."

With that, Sig went with Amitie to talk with this Ringo girl. He hopes that she would know an answer to his question.

Chapter 2 – VS. Ringo

Sig and Amitie were able to find Ringo in the plaza, singing to herself as usual.

" I am bored! Oh so bored!

I a-m! B-O-R-E-D!

I am completely bored~! "

"*sigh*…I really need to stop doing that."

"I don't see why, Ringo. Your singing sounds amazing!"

"GAH! A-Amitie!? H-How long were standing there?!"

"Since you started singing."

Ringo started turning as red as her apple from embarrassment.

"A-Anyway, I see you brought Sig with you. Do you guys want to do something?"

"Actually, Ringo, Sig wants to…ask you something." Amitie then started blushing again from remembering what the question was.

"Okay…shoot."

Sig cleared his throat and began preparing to ask his question from earlier.

"How would you describe love? As in true love…with a lover."

"True love, huh? Well, I can't really give an example, since I've never had that kind of experience before."

"Huh? What about that Maguro guy you're always with? Don't you love him?"

At this point, Ringo's face was so red it could easily blend in with her hair.

"S-Sig! How can you ask a question like that so nonchalantly?!" Amitie shouted, her face just as red as Ringo's

"Huh?" Sig didn't know how to react to this, mainly because he had never reacted to anything unless one of his bug friends were in danger.

"S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-S-Sig!" Ringo finally spoke after being frozen in shock.

"Yeah?"

"P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-P-Pu…Pu…Pu…"

"I think she's challenging you to a Puyo battle." Amitie said.

"Is that it? Okay. Puyo Battle!"

*ONE PUYO MATCH LATER…*

"Hey, Ringo? You okay now?" Amitie asked.

"Uh…yeah. I'm better now. Thanks for calming me down. Anyway Sig, about your question, the first one, I mean. I know someone who could give a somewhat good answer. I can take you to him, if you're still interested."

"Yeah, sure." Sig said.

"Wait up, I'm coming with you." Amitie said. The group of three then set out to where Ringo's friend was. Sig was hoping that this person wouldn't react the way the two girls did earlier.

Chapter 3 – VS. Risukuma

The trio had made their way to that path with the multiple signs scattered all over the place. It was where Risukuma had set up his Advice Booth, a place where people could ask him for advice to any sort of problem.

"Hey, Ris." Ringo greeted him.

"Aw, Ringo. So nice of you to drop by. Business has been rather slow today."

"Well, you're in luck, Ris! Sig here wants to ask you something."

"Ho, Ho! You brought me a customer, Ringo? How thoughtful of you. Okay, ask away, young Sig."

Sig wasn't all that familiar with the squirrel bear, but he has seen him around town. Plus, he's heard that Risukuma gives the best advice in Primp. So maybe he could get an answer to his question.

"How would you describe true love with a lover?" Sig asked.

"Hm…I didn't think someone so young would be interested in this kind of stuff, but very well, I shall tell you my hypothesis…"

"Yay."

"…If you beat me in a Puyo match."

"What?"

"Come now. You didn't think you'd get your answer so easily, did you? You have to work for it. Such is the rule of thumb."

Sig knew that this 'rule of thumb' didn't apply to getting advice on something, but he didn't want to ruin his chance of finally understanding what these weird feelings were. So he gave in to the squirrel bear's requirement.

"Alright, let's do this. Let's…"

"Puyo Battle!"

*ONE PUYO MATCH LATER…*

"Well, a deal's a deal. I'll explain it to you in full detail." Risukuma said admitting defeat.

"Finally." Sig said.

"You see, when two people develop special feelings for each, no matter if they're the same gender or not, that is called love."

"I see."

"Then, when said two people want to be together for all eternity, that is called true love."

"Interesting."

"One way these true lovers would express their true love to each other is by performing a sacred ritual that's normally done in a bed of some sorts. The lovers would take off random articles of clothing, then…"

"R-R-R-RIS! TH-TH-THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU SHOULD BE EXPLAINING!" Ringo interrupted Risukuma's explanation with a fully blushed red face.

"Hm? But you asked for a full explanation, so I'm explaining it in full detail."

"N-N-N-NOT THAT FULL! WE'RE STILL YOUNG! WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT YET!" Amitie shouted with the same blushed red face as Ringo.

"sigh" Sig did a huge sigh of annoyance and then walked off without the other three noticing. He figured that it would be best to figure out these weird feelings on his own.

Chapter 4 – VS. Ocean Prince

Sig ended up sitting on the beach alone, thinking about these weird feelings, now being called true love, that are still swarming around his mind like a group of bees.

'True love, huh? It sounds…rather nice. I wonder who mine would be?' Sig thought to himself.

"Sig! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Sig broke out of his trance to see Ocean Prince running towards him.

"Oh. Hey, Ocean Prince." Sig greeted his former master.

"Otomo is after me again! Quick, you must hide me!"

"sigh. Sure. Whatever."

It didn't take long for Ocean Prince to noticed that something was wrong with his former servant. Normally he would put himself before all others when it came to problems, but Sig was different. He did free him from a "life of confinement" as he would call it.

"Hey, Sig. You look a bit off. Something the matter?" The fish asked the boy.

"I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Hm. Well you know what clears up the mind?"

"Let me guess…a game of Puyo?"

"Ack! How'd you know?!"

"It's all we ever do in this town. It's starting to become meaningless to me."

"…Let's…"

"sigh. Puyo Battle." 'He's not even going to ask why I said that.'

*ONE…EH, YOU GET THE POINT…*

"So, feeling any better now?" The prince asked.

"No." Sig answered.

"Still? Normally Puyo fixes everything. What's got you so down then?"

Sig thought that Ocean Prince was finally willing to listen to his problems…

"Well, you see…" …but just as he was about to explain everything…

"PRINCE! PRINCE! WHERE ARE YOU?! PLEASE COME BACK!"

"GAH! Otomo! I must flee!" Ocean Prince yelled as he ran off.

"Why did I think that wouldn't happen?" Sig asked himself as he sat back down on the sand.

Chapter 5 – VS. Feli

Sig continued to sit on the beach thinking about this "true love" feeling of his. He eventually started starring at the blue ocean in front of him. For some reason, it reminded him of someone…a girl, to be exact. He didn't know why, but Sig couldn't stop thinking of her.

"Suspicious. Very suspicious indeed." Sig turned around to see Feli standing behind him.

"Huh? Feli? How long have you been standing there?" Sig asked the occult girl.

"Never mind that! I sense something truly odd about you…something not normal…something suspicious."

Sig didn't know how to respond to that accusation. He knew that Feli was a bit…out there, but he's never had her gone crazy because of him. At least that's what he believes.

"I CAN SEE IT! THE DEMON THAT LIVES INSIDE YOU!" Feli randomly shouted.

"Demon? Feli, I'm just…"

"SILENCE, YOU FOOL! I SHALL NOW PERFORM THE MOST DIVINE OF MY CHARMS TO EXPEL THE DEMON! YOU MAY SUFFER SOME INTERNAL INJURIES, BUT SUCH…IS…FATE!"

Again, Sig didn't know how to respond to that.

*ONE VERY CONFUSING PUYO MATCH LATER…*

"NO! BUT HOW?! HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO DEFY FATE LIKE THAT?! THAT DEMON INSIDE YOU IS MORE POWERFUL THAN I THOUGHT!" Feli yelled as she started pouting.

"Goodbye, Feli." Sig, after not knowing how to respond to Feli's nonsense for the third time in just 20 minutes, decided to just find another spot on the beach to sit at, leaving Feli to wallow in…whatever she was talking about.

Chapter 6 – VS. Rulue

Sig managed to find a nearby pier on the beach he could sit at. It was right above the ocean, which Sig was still starring at while continuing to think about that girl.

"She's still in my mind…even after that mess with Feli." Sig said to himself. He began to close his eyes and inhaled for really long sigh. As he was about to exhale, however…

*BONK*

"Ow! What the…"

Sig looked around for whatever that just hit him in the head and eventually found a Nuisance Puyo starring at him.

"Where did this Nuisance Puyo come from?" Sig asked as he picked the hard, gray blob-like rock up.

"Hey! You there!" Sig looked away from the puyo to see a woman with long blue hair walking towards him.

"Hey, that's my nuisance puyo you're holding. I must have punched it too hard and it flew off. You don't have a head injury or something, do you?" The woman asked.

"No. I'm fine, uh…Rulue, was it?"

"Huh. I'm surprised you remembered my name."

"I'm just not in the mood to be punched in the stomach today."

"Normally, you should never be in the mood for that."

"sigh."

"What's with you, anyway? You're usually doing that weird hobby of yours, but you're sitting here moping like an emo kid."

Sig didn't know Rulue all that much besides beating her in the Puyo tournament, but he has seen her and Raffina practicing fighting techniques together in the woods. Plus, Rulue's a full-grown woman, so she may know the meaning of this "true love" thing.

"What does true love mean to you?" Sig asked Rulue.

"Th-That's some question to ask right out of the blue.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm actually surprised that it's you of all people who's interested in this kind of stuff."

"I said the exact same thing this morning."

Rulue gave it a good thought before giving an answer.

"Well, in my opinion, true love is when you get to be with the one person you've fallen in love with for all eternity. You never want to leave their side and want to make them happy." She said.

"W-Wow. That's deep." Sig replied.

"Those are my true feelings for it."

"So, why doesn't that Satan guy notice it?"

Rulue didn't say anything. Sig noticed that she was clenching her fist, which could only mean one thing…

"D-Did I strike a nerve?" He asked.

"Yes, you did."

"Are we about to Puyo battle now?"

"Yes, we are."

"Sigh. Fine. Let's…"

"PUYO BATTLE!"

*INSERT TIME STAMP HERE*

"Look, just give what I said some thought and think of your own meaning of it. That last match got me tired and I want to go home." Rulue said after accepting her loss.

"Um…okay. Thanks a lot, Rulue." Sig said.

Rulue gained a sense of accomplishment as she turned around and headed home.

"…You live in the forest?" Sig asked.

"Don't push it."

"Right. Sorry."

Chapter 7 – VS. Ecolo

Sig decided to leave the beach and head home. On the way there, he was thinking of what Rulue said earlier.

"I think I finally understand what true love is, but…I still don't know why I have this feeling. Does it mean that I know who my true love is? If so, then who would that be?"

"YOU STILL HAVEN'T FIGURE IT OUT?! GEEZ, YOU REALLY ARE THE SLOW ONE!"

"Huh?" Sig looked around to see who said that. When he felt a light tap on his shoulder, he jumped up a little as he turned around to see Ecolo, the space-time traveler, floating next to him.

"I honestly didn't think that it would take you this long to get it though that spacey head of yours, but you surprised me, blue boy." Ecolo said.

"Wait, have you been following me all day?" Sig asked.

"Sure have!"

"Why?"

"Because…I was the one who made you watch that romance movie last night!"

"What?!" Sig was shocked after hearing that, although you wouldn't be able to tell from his face.

"I was bored so I went space-time traveling and found something interesting."

"What was it?"

"It was you, romantically cuddling with a girl that looked exactly like Arle!"

"H-Huh?! L-Like Arle?!"

"I know right? I was so fascinated that I wanted to recreate that in this universe. But with Arle living in the forest, I had to make you realize this 'true love' thing you kept talking about. Didn't think it would take all day."

Sig didn't know what to think anymore. Based on what Amitie had told him when they came back from Ringo's world, Ecolo was a master of manipulation, so what he's telling him could be one of his tricks. But then why would he upset that he hasn't figured out who was his true love? Let alone it being Arle the whole time.

"Ecolo." Sig said.

"Hm?"

"Let's…"

"PUYO BATTLE!"

*A MIND-BLOWING PUYO BATTLE HAPPENDS HERE*

"Ah, that was fun! Well, I'm outta here! Later, blue boy!" Ecolo said. Then he disappeared into the semi-night sky leaving Sig behind.

"H-Hey! Wait! Get back here!" Sig yelled.

But it was too late. Ecolo was already long gone.

"sigh. Now what?" Sig asked himself.

Chapter 8 – VS. Arle

Sig was walking up the block where his house was, still wondering if what Ecolo told him was true.

'If Arle really is my true love, how am I supposed to tell her that? We hang out sometimes, but not so much that I can tell her something like that.'

Sig was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn't realize that was near his house. It took a surprise voice to snap him back to reality. It was the voice of a girl he didn't expect to see this late at night.

"Sig?"

"Huh? Arle? What are you doing here?"

"I got worried. Amitie and Ringo said you've disappeared earlier."

"I was dealing with a problem, and they weren't much help."

"Yeah, so I've heard. I'm just glad you're safe."

"Th-Thanks, Arle."

After that, there was an awkward silence between the two of them. They both started blushing and looked away from each other.

"H-Hey, Sig. How about we play a quick round of puyo? Y-Y'know, to clear our minds." Arle said after a few minutes of silence.

"Y-Yeah. S-Sure." Sig answered.

*AN AWKWARD PUYO BATTLE HAPPENS HERE*

"W-Well, that was…fun, right?" Sig asked.

"Y-Yeah. S-Sure was." Arle answered.

There was another awkward silence between them.

"W-Well, I should be going now. Carby's probably wondering where I am."

"R-Right. H-Hey, do you wanna…do something…tomorrow?" Sig asked nervously.

"Uh…s-sure. W-We can do that." Arle replied just as nervously.

"O-Okay. S-See you tomorrow then."

"Can't wait."

After that, Sig went inside his house and Arle started walking towards the forest. At one point, Arle turned back and was still able to see Sig's house from afar. She moved her hand over her chest as she let out a huge sigh.

"Someday…I'll be able to tell him…how I truly feel." Arle said. She then continued her walk home.

"Oh, you'll be able to do that, Arle. In an alternate universe, I mean." With that said, Ecolo, who was spying on them the whole time, disappeared though space-time to…who knows where.

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