During lunch time at school, Shawn, Cory, Zoey and Ellis, a classmate, sat together at a table in the cafeteria. Zoey leaned back in her chair, enjoying her sandwich.

"Say you could pick any superhero to be your dad, who would you choose?" Cory asked.

"Batman, no questions." Ellis declared quickly. "Live in a cool cave and borrow the batmobile."

"I'm guessing Ellis is going with Batman." Zoey muttered with a slight smirk.

"He lets Robin hang out with him and play with all his stuff. And Robin isn't his real kid. He's his ward." Shawn explained.

"How do you get to be a ward?" Ellis asked.

"Batman!" Cory repeated, raising his eyebrows and glancing between the boys. "Is he faster than a speeding bullet? I don't think so. Is he more powerful than a locomotive? Uh-huh, I want Superman."

Shawn shook his head. "See through walls, you can't get away with anything."

"Because I'd make somebody a very cool ward." Ellis continued, answering his own question.

"I would love to have Superman for a Dad." Cory stated.

Zoey huffed. "Well, if my dad hadn't left, I'd want him to be Superman too."

Shawn, Cory and Ellis turned to her and gave her a questioning look.

"See boys, this is why she's our best friend." Cory said.

"Hey, there's Minkus." Shawn called.

Stuart Minkus was essentially a nerd with dirty blond, bowl cut hair, and he always wore a pair of glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

Zoey observed Shawn reaching into his bag and pulling out a water gun. He aimed it at the back of Minkus' head and squeezed the trigger, shooting water at him.

"Ow." Minkus muttered as he continued reading his book.

"Whoa." Cory gaped at Shawn's water gun. "The 2000-C Hydro-Saturator."

"Careful." Shawn warned. "If Feeny sees this baby on school grounds, he'll shag it and I'll have to sit out the water wars."

"Lady and Gentlemen, meet the Hydro-Sat 3000-Z Blow your head clean off." Ellis said, proudly displaying his larger water gun to his friends.

"The 3000? That's not even supposed to come out till Christmas." Cory said, eyeing the water gun.

"I know a guy." Ellis replied before squirting water at the back of Minkus' head.

"You really shouldn't do that." Minkus warned as he got up from his seat.

Shawn chuckled. "What, are you going to melt?"

"No." Minkus declared as he pulled out a large instrument case. He then turned to them, brandishing an even larger water gun. "I'm going to retaliate." Shawn, Cory and Zoey's eyes widened as they looked at the water gun. Ellis pointed his water gun at Minkus. "Go ahead... make me wet." Shawn, Cory and Zoey turned to Ellis, who hesitated for a moment before lowering the water gun. "Wise choice."

"Ah, who needs one of those?" Cory wondered as he walked to the water drinking fountain. "For your information, a well-placed water balloon can give you just as much splash for your cash. Like everyone's gonna have a humongous water gun."

Shawn and Zoey retrieved their water guns from under the table and pointed them at Cory. As soon as he finished filling his water balloon, he turned around to find the entire cafeteria aiming their water guns at him.

"How are ya?" Cory asked nervously.

Zoey smiled innocently. "We're doing great, Cory."

Everyone, including Shawn and Zoey, started shooting and spraying Cory with their water guns. Cory winced as he was getting drenched by the water.

"Agh! I'll get one, I promise!" Cory shouted as everyone kept spraying him with water. "Stop!"

When Mr. Feeny entered the cafeteria, everyone quickly put away their water guns. Zoey discreetly placed her water gun on her lap and pretended to be innocent, while Cory stood by the drinking fountain, completely soaked.

Mr. Feeny set his tray of food on a table and walked over to him.

"Mr. Matthews, the drinking fountain is not a toy." Mr. Feeny told him. After taking a quick drink, he grabbed his tray of food and walked out of the cafeteria.

••••

While at home, Zoey was preparing for the water war about to start with her friends. She changed into a pair of baggy jeans and a simple black top. She was thrilled to participate in the water war.

"Zoey, your friends are here." Lucy called out.

Zoey hurried down the stairs towards the front door where she found Shawn, Minkus in his bright yellow raincoat and Ellis waiting outside.

"You ready for war, Francis?" Shawn asked with a sly grin.

Zoey grinned as she raised her water gun. "Locked and loaded."

Then the four of them made their way to Cory's house.

It wasn't long before they finally arrived at Cory's backyard. It was on the smaller side, with a lounge chair just outside the kitchen near the door and a tree house that extended up to the second story of the house.

As they strolled around the back, they spotted Cory painting his fence, which was white with green stripes.

"Water war time, Cor." Shawn informed.

"War!" Minkus shouted.

Shawn smirked and placed an arm around Minkus' shoulders. "War brings out the beast in Minkus."

"You kids and your water wars. I'd love to join you but I'm having way too much fun here." Cory said, gesturing towards the fence.

Zoey furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you really bailing on the water, Cor?"

"To paint a fence?" Ellis questioned.

"You say paint a fence. I say party." Cory informed the group. "And, by the way, even if you wanted to... I wouldn't cut you in on this action."

"Why not?" Shawn inquired, his expression showing a hint of disappointment. "I thought we were your friends."

"Yeah, how come you're cutting us out?" Ellis asked.

"People, people." Minkus started. "Am I the only one who read the summer reading list?" No one answered. "Tom Sawyer? He's sucking you into do the work for him."

"Guys, who are you gonna listen to, me or the banana?" Cory asked, pointing to Minkus' outfit.

They paused for a moment. Zoey glanced back and forth between Minkus and Cory.

"Well, let's see. The banana says play. You say work. We're gonna hang with the big yellow guy." Shawn said and Zoey nodded in agreement.

"Okay, look, I got seven bucks left after buying my Hydro-Sat and it's yours if you help me paint the fence." Cory said, pulling out money from the front pocket of his shirt.

"I say we hold out for lunch." Minkus told Shawn, Zoey and Ellis. He then pointed his water gun at Cory. "And it's Mr. Banana to you, bud."

"Well, I say think we should help him." Zoey chimed in.

"Fine. But only for an hour." Shawn declared firmly.

"Cool, thank you guys, so much!" Cory exclaimed.

Shawn extended his hand, and Cory placed the seven dollars in it. The four of them set down their water guns, picked up paint brushes, and began repainting the fence white.

Zoey sighed in annoyance. As much as she liked Cory and wanted to help him, she could be having a water war right now.

"We could be having the water war right now." Shawn complained.

Zoey sighed. "Shawn, shut up. We're doing this to help our friend."

"You're right." Shawn said, before approaching Cory. "Could we have some ice cream because it's hot out here."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll get it." Cory replied, rushing inside his house through the back door.

The four of them waited for Cory. When he walked outside with ice creams in his hands, they all approached him.

"What flavor did you bring us?" Zoey asked.

"Vanilla." Cory said, handing an ice cream to Minkus. "They're vanilla with chocolate on the outside like they've been for a thousand years!"

"I really prefer a Heath Bar Crunch." Minkus muttered.

"You do?" Cory questioned. He grabbed the ice cream, placed it in the dirt and handed it back. "Here you go, Minkus. Crunch on this."

"Is it just me or is he copping an attitude?" Minkus questioned, crossing his arms over his stomach.

"I'm beginning to feel unwelcome here." Shawn said.

"Water war?" Ellis asked, looking at Shawn, Minkus and Zoey.

"Water war." Zoey agreed.

The four of them dropped their paint brushes, grabbed the water guns and started to leave Cory's backyard.

"Hey, come on, come on! I paid you. I brought you sandwiches. I brought you ice cream." Cory complained.

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so?"

"So, I'm gonna sue the both of you!" Cory shouted angrily

"Fine. Have your lawyer call my mum." Shawn shot back as he walked out of the backyard.

Zoey frowned at her best friend. "Sorry, Cor."

The four of them had a blast engaging in a water war at the park. Some school students showed up and joined in, leading to a huge battle on the ground.

Zoey was quite surprised when Cory showed up at the park with his new water gun. He also apologized to everyone, and they forgave him before resuming the water war.

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PUBLISHED: 28.10.17

A/N: I hoped you liked this chapter!

Votes and comments are very much appreciated!