Chapter one-
(This is a sequel to my other story Regular times. If you haven't read it I would suggest that you read it before reading this one. This story starts out a little slow but by the end of this chapter I promise it will be more exciting!)
Juliet woke up in her new bed. She had been working at the park for a month, and two days ago she had finally gotten her own room and her own bed. Since it the room was new, she hadn't had time to put in posters or furniture. The fox sat up and stretched out her arms. Sunlight streamed in through the window and into her eyes forcing her out of the bed. It felt strange; to have a room that was her own. A room that no one could barge into and yell at her or beat her. Even if it was small, it was hers.
A sudden knock on her door interrupted her thoughts. "Jules! You awake yet?" It was Mordicai; he gave her the nickname Jules a couple weeks ago. "Yeah dude! I'm up!" She called sleepily. The blue avian opened up the door and walked in. "Jules! Why aren't you dressed yet!?" He yelled. "I just woke up! Don't judge me!" She yelled back. "Well hurry up! Benson just gave me a list of jobs to do." Juliet groaned.
"Ugh… Fine. Turn around." She told him.
"What?" He asked confused.
"Just turn around!"
"Fine!" Mordicai grumbled. "Some ones cranky."
"Oh shut up." She mumbled. "So what do we have to do today?"
"Umm… Pick up the new apple tree from the plant nursery, plant the new tree, clean the carts, clean up all the leaves and cover up the pipes." He read off. Juliet had almost forgotten that fall would be ending soon and winter would come. It had already started to get cold outside, that's why they had to cover up the pipes.
"That's all? We usually have like at least ten." She said, pulling a shirt over her head.
"Yeah but Benson said it was a half day or something. Can I turn around now?" He asked already turning around.
"No!" Juliet yelled and threw a shoe at him.
"Ow!" Mordicai cried and held a hand, or wing, to his head. He opened his eyes to find Juliet fully dressed. "What the heck! You're already dressed, why'd you throw a shoe at me!?" He yelled. Juliet giggled. "Because I wanted to." She said smiling.
"So where is Rigby?" Juliet asked. "He better not be ditching us with all the work again!" She said as they walked down the stairs.
"No he's in the kitchen making breakfast."
"Oh don't tell me he's trying to make pancakes again!"
"Ha ha. I don't know. Yo, I bet I'll beat you at strong johns!"
"Pshhh you wish!" And with that they ran into the living room and played the video game. A few seconds later Rigby came in the living room and handed them each a piece of burnt toast. "Thanks dude." The two said without looking away from their game.
After ten minutes there was a knock on the door. "Huh?" Juliet looked away for one second and when she looked back her game character was dead. "Aw what!?" She yelled. Mordicai jumped up. "OOOOOH!" He yelled. "What a cheap shot…" She mumbled before getting up and stomping angrily to the door then opening it.
"Oh hey Margaret." Juliet greeted the red avian. "Hey Juliet. Is Mordicai here?" She asked. "Yeah one sec." Juliet told her and then walked off to the living room. "Mordecai! Margaret's here!" She yelled. Heavy footsteps were heard before Mordecai appeared at the door.
"Oh hey Margaret, what are you doing here?" He asked. "Oh, I was just wondering if you wanted to go see a movie with me, tonight." She told him a little nervously. "Oh yeah! Sure!" Mordecai said enthusiastically. Margaret laughed. "You don't even know what movie!" She accused. "Oh then what movie?" "Robot zombies 2." Mordecai looked astounded. "Dude, how did you get tickets for that?! It's been sold out for weeks!" Mordecai cried out in surprise. Margaret laughed. "So you'll go?" She asked. "Yeah I'll go!" He said excitedly. "Great see you at seven." She told him before walking to her car and driving off.
Mordecai walked back into the living room to find Juliet trying to pry Rigby off her face. "Get off me you little twerp!" She yelled as they wrestled. "Admit that you cheated!" Rigby yelled back at her. Mordecai pulled the raccoon off the fox's face. "What happened this time?" Mordecai asked. This had become a normal thing; they fought all the time. "She cheated at strong johns!" Rigby yelled and pointed accusingly at Juliet. The fox scoffed. "He's just mad because I beat him." She said with a smirk that made Rigby even angrier "Shut up!" He yelled. Mordecai and Juliet laughed.
All of a sudden Benson appeared in the living room. "You three slackers better get to work or you're fired!" He yelled before stomping off. Juliet winced. Lately Benson had been forgetting that yelling brought back bad memories for the fox girl. Images of her aunt and uncle flashed through her head.
'You good for nothing little bitch!' WHOP The sting of leather hit her back and left a red mark on her skin. Salty tears ran down her face and into the open cuts on her cheeks. 'How dare you try to run from us!' WHOP another hit on her back. Juliet held in a cry of pain, she wouldn't give them pleasure of hearing her cry. 'You're nothing but a waste of space!' She could recognize the gravelly voice of her uncle. WHOP one more hit. 'You can never do anything right!'
"Juliet! Juliet!" She opened up her eyes. Mordicai was shaking her shoulder and Rigby was shouting her name. Juliet shakily sat up. Why was she on the ground? "What happened?" She asked. Mordicai helped her up then guided her to the couch. "Dude are you ok?" Rigby asked. Juliet nodded. "What happened?" She asked again. "As soon as Benson left you fell on the floor, curled up and started shaking." Rigby answered. Juliet frowned. "Sorry about that. Let's just get to work." She said and walked to the door. "You guys coming?" She asked and looked at the two. Rigby and Mordicai walked over to the door. The blue jay wanted to ask her more about the little episode Juliet just had but felt now wasn't the right time.
On the way to the carts Mordicai suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to tell his friends about his date with Margaret. "Hey, guess who finally got a date with Margaret!"
"Woahhhhhhh!" The trio shouted and climbed into the cart. Rigby got in the back and Mordicai got into the driver's seat but Juliet pushed him over and sat in his spot. "It's my turn to drive, remember?" She told him. "Do you even know where the plant nursery is?" The bird asked her. "…No." Juliet sighed and walked around to the passenger's seat. Mordicai scooted over and started up the cart and the three set off for the plant nursery.
As they were on their way back to the house, with the apple tree hooked on to the roof, Rigby and Juliet began to shiver as the cold autumn (soon to be winter) air blew in their faces from the open areas of the cart. "H-hey Mordicai, c-can we stop b-by the c-coffee shop? I need a hot drink." Mordicai nodded. "You two are c-covered in f-fur how do you think I f-feel?" He asked them as he pulled over to the coffee shop.
The little bell rang as the coffee shop door opened. The three walked in and sat at their usual table. It wasn't long before Margaret came over. "Hey guys. Come in to get out of the cold?" Juliet nodded. "So what can I get you guys?" The red bird asked. "Got any hot apple cider?" Juliet asked. She had only had the drink a few times in her life and it had always been her favorite, it reminded her of when her parents were still alive, of Christmas, of times before the crash. But when she had gone to stay with her aunt and uncle she hadn't been allowed to drink it anymore.
Margaret nodded. "Coming right up, and what about you two?" Mordicai looked over at Juliet who was looking at the table and seemed to be deep in thought. "I think I'll try some of that apple cider too." He told Margaret. "Make that three!" Rigby piped up. The tall red bird nodded and walked off. "What? You guys have never had apple cider before?" The two shook their heads. Juliet grinned "You guys are gonna love it!" She told them excitedly. A few moments later Margaret came back with their drinks. Mordicai and Rigby looked each took a sip. "So how is it?" Juliet asked eagerly after taking a big gulp of her own. "It's great!" They both said and downed the rest of the drink. Juliet laughed and did the same.
"I'll go get us some more." Rigby told them and walked off to the counter. "My mom used to make the best apple cider." The fox girl smiled as she remembered her mother. Mordicai nodded. "Hey I've been meaning to ask you, where are you parents? You never talk about your family or anyone that you knew before you came to the park." He asked her. Juliet looked away.
"My parents died when I was little. I lived with my aunt and uncle. And let's just say they weren't exactly excited with the idea of me living with them." She told him. The blue bird frowned. He didn't understand how someone with such a bad background could be so fun, awesome and nice. He rested a hand, or rather wing, on her shoulder and Juliet looked at him. "Well you're with the park family now and, as cheesy as this sounds, we'll never leave you." Juliet smiled and hugged Mordicai, he was a little surprised but hugged her back. "You're right, that was cheesy." She whispered.
Behind the counter Rigby was talking to Ilene and Margaret was getting the three a second round of apple cider. When the red bird turned around she saw Juliet and Mordicai hugging. Margaret knew that they weren't in any sort of romantic relationship but she still felt a bit of jealousy tugging at her.
The walky-talky at Mordicai's side suddenly came to life. "Are you three back yet?" The sweet sound of their boss's voice came through the small device. "Um- not yet Benson. But we're on our way!" Mordicai said quickly and put the walky-talky back on his side. "Better make those ciders to go." Mordicai called. Rigby and Margaret walked over. Margaret handed them all their drinks. They all said goodbye, hurried back to the cart and continued on heading to the park.
When they arrived at the house they found Benson waiting for them. "Where have you three been?" He yelled causing Juliet to wince. Mordicai noticed it and made a mental note to ask her about it later. "Sorry Benson, there was traffic." Mordicai lied. "Just hurry up and get that tree planted." Benson growled. "I want you guys to put it over there in the garden. When you're done I want you to cover up the pipes before you do anything else, it's getting closer quicker than I thought it would." He commanded before walking off.
Juliet and Mordicai unhooked the tree and carried it over to the garden while Rigby ran ahead of them to start digging the whole for the tree. By the time Juliet and Mordicai had carried the tree over to the garden Rigby had already dug a big enough hole for the young tree.
After planting the tree and covering up the pipes the three went inside to find some jackets before washing the carts. Rigby dug through the pile of clothes on his trampoline. "Found some." He said happily and put on a light grey jacket. "Happen to find any that would fit us?" Mordicai asked as he looked through the closet. "Oh was I supposed to be looking for you too?" Rigby asked blankly. Mordicai groaned and threw a boot at Rigby, smiling to himself when he heard a cry of pain. Juliet walked into the room. "I found mine." She said and spun around to show off her light yellow jacket. "And found mine." The blue bird said as he put on a blue jacket. The trio went outside to wash the carts. "We better hurry." Mordicai told them. "We need to be done by six thirty so I have time to get ready with my date with Margaret." Juliet laughed. "You sound worse than a girl." She teased.
The group wasn't even half done when Rigby started to complain. "Ugh this is taking forever." He groaned as he lazily dragged a washrag across the hood of a cart. "Oh shut up." Juliet, who was cleaning a separate cart, told him. "All we have to do is dry these two carts and then clean two more and we will be done." She said. Rigby smiled. It was the kind of smile that Juliet and Mordicai had come to fear, because whenever Rigby smiled like they were sure to get into some type of trouble.
Mordicai and Rigby cheered as they flew down the rocky hill. "Hurry up, dude, she's gaining on us!" Rigby yelled at Mordicai. The blue bird stole a quick glance behind him, and sure enough Juliet wasn't far behind. "You might as well give up now boys!" The fox girl yelled at the two. Pebbles and dust flew up everywhere as the golf carts sped and skid down the hill. Juliet stepped on the gas and carefully drove around boulders and old tree stumps and before long she was ahead of the boys. "Ha!" She teased. "See you at the bottom!" And with that she sped out of view.
"Dude! She's ahead of us now!" Rigby cried. "I see that!" Mordicai yelled back and tried to speed forward but the rocks on the path made the cart skid and almost lose its balance. "Good thing I had a backup plan." Rigby said proudly and crawled to the back of the cart. "What backup plan?" Mordicai asked the raccoon without looking away from the hill ahead of them. "Just a little reassurance of our victory." Rigby said and pulled out a bundle of fireworks from a sealed compartment. He strapped the fireworks on the cart and pulled put some matches. "Rigby what the heck is that?" Mordicai yelled behind him. "Leftover fireworks!" Rigby answered and lit half of them without hesitation.
Almost immediately the golf cart accelerated at a powerful speed and within seconds they had caught up to Juliet. Rigby would have loved to laugh in her face and force the fox girl to admit defeat; he was too busy screaming in fear to say anything except, "HELP ME!" Mordicai was screaming and stepping on the breaks to no avail. "Rigby what did you!?" She yelled. The only answer she got was, "We can't stop!" Juliet frowned and, quickly and as carefully as she could, jumped onto their golf cart. They all watched as the cart Juliet had been on crashed into a rock.
Juliet took the wheel from Mordicai. "Mordicai go get the fireworks." She commanded. (She had seen the fireworks while jumping onto their cart) Mordicai fought his way to the back of the cart, avoiding stepping on the screaming Rigby, and tried to pull off the fireworks but it was hard because Juliet kept yanking the steering wheel this way and that in attempt at keeping the cart from flipping or running into anything. "Could you stop moving the cart?" The blue bird yelled. "Well I'm sorry; I'm trying to save us!" Juliet yelled back. "I don't wanna die!" Rigby yelled.
Mordicai gave up on trying to get off the fireworks and instead tried to blow out the fire that fueled them. "Rigby help me!" He called to his friend. The raccoon protested but quickly stopped and climbed back next to Mordicai to help him blow out the fireworks. But instead of blowing them out, the two accidently lit some of the other more powerful fireworks. "Oh no!" The blue bird yelled and tried to blow out the fuses to no avail. In a few seconds the other fireworks were lit and now they were speeding even faster. "Ahhhhhhh!" The three yelled. They had reached the bottom of the hill and were now speeding through the rest of the park. "Um, guys?" Juliet said, forcing the two to open their eyes. None of them liked what they saw. The golf cart was heading for the house and none of them could stop it.