Midnight Storm
Chapter 1
It was the afternoon of Primp Town's first big storm in several weeks. All of the weather warlocks had come to the same conclusion: It was going to be huge, it was going to last through the night, and they advised everyone to stay in their homes and to stay safe.
The students at Primp's Magic Academy had heard about Lidelle's feat with the weather a few days ago and had immediately checked in to Draco Centauros' springs to get away from the heat. But now, everyone was inside, awaiting for the rain to awash the dry ground and hopefully bring the plants and the wildlife back from hiding.
All except for Amitie. She HATED just sitting around, waiting for life to happen. She wanted to do something for once! This awful heat had dried up everything outside, even the trees were wilting, so she had spent too much time indoors. And she was getting antsy, fast.
Amitie stared at the clock…. Ten minutes before school was out for the weekend… she sighed loudly. Ms Accord was up front teaching the history of the old Ta-Toon-Da Castle, not that Amitie was very interested. She wished she was. But history… eh, what does it really matter if it happened before she was born?
Bored bored bored bored… The blond girl subconsciously grabbed a pencil and started to scribble bored multiple times on her worksheet, in as many fonts as she could conjure up.
Boooooorred.
She glanced up at the clock again. Five minutes to go.
Hey, I wonder what everyone else will be doing tonight. Probably nothing, because they can't go outside, she couldn't help but think. Maybe we could all hang out?
"That's it!" Amitie exclaimed, her face lighting up. Ms. Accord turned around with the other students at the disruption. Amitie's face heated up fast and she curled up in her seat.
"S-sorry Ms. Accord."
Ms. Accord smiled at her. "That's quite all right, Amitie. But did you hear my question?"
Amitie blinked, her heart dropping in her chest. "Uh, haha… no?"
"Hm. I suppose I assumed you knew the answer, you seemed so eager to share." Ms. Accord let out a light sigh. "Oh well. Klug, help Miss Amitie out, please."
Amitie felt her face grow even more red and she pulled her hat down as Klug stood up with a smirk. "With pleasure, Ms. Accord. The castle is in fact the birth place of Primp Town's first big puyo battle, exiling the lord who lived there and ending the war that spread beyond the Pitto Sand Dunes."
"Alright, alright, very good, take a seat." Ms. Accord waved him off. "Next time, Amitie, perhaps raise your hand, yes?"
The students of the class giggled and Amitie responded with a meek. "Yes, teacher."
Stupid Klug, embarrassing me like that… but Amitie still considered him a friend, sorta. Perhaps the guy just doesn't know how to have friends without making some snarky comment about them? Maybe that was his way of showing he cared?
Pretty sure you are overthinking again, Ami.
At that moment the bell rang, and Amitie sprang out of her seat, shaking off the embarrassment. It was now or never! "Klug, gotta ask you something, come here!" she grabbed his sleeve.
"Ow, what the? Amitie, you know you ought to pay better attention in class, like me-"
"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it! Anyways, come on, slowpoke, we need everyone."
"Well you shouldn't just drag people around like that, it's rude and further more I don't think you quite understand how important it is to-" Klug rambled like an old man the entire time Amitie dragged him, out the door and to the other classroom. Amitie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Why does she even bother? All he ever does is complain.
There's got to be a reason why, though, she reminded herself.
"Wait here!" Amitie told him, and as he was about to open his mouth- "I'll be right back!"
Amitie ran back to her classroom and sprinted up to a small girl with imp ears. "Lidelle, can you come with me for a sec? Great thanks!"
Lidelle stuttered as Amitie led her out of the room. "Ami, b-but I need my things… what's g-going on?"
"I'll explain when we get there!" She internally felt bad for the girl who always hid her horns in big hair buns, but she needed to catch everyone before they left, so she needed to hurry.
Amitie led her back into the classroom, where she left a very annoyed Klug.
"Amitie, you better have a good explanation, shoving both me and Lidelle over here, poor girl, and taking away from our time."
Yeah, yeah, I'm getting there! Hold on a sec, would you? Amitie kept that thought to herself.
"I do! I have a totally great explanation! The best." Amitie promised, looking around the classroom, trying to pick out her friends in a crowd of people leaving to go home. "Just gotta find… OH! There! Hey, Raf, Sig! And Taru! Could you all come over here for a sec?"
The aforementioned people looked up from their desks in the back. Well, except for Sig, he was kind of staring off into the distance. Amitie giggled and waved them over.
Raffina was a tall young woman with long pink hair and a permanent scoff on her face. She rolled her eyes and walked with a purpose over to Amitie, who's smile grew wider and brighter.
Man, Raffina and I have gotten so far from where we were at the beginning, Amitie recalled, she used to hate my guts after I spilled that potion all over her. But they managed to make up after a long day, and even so Raffina semi-avoided Amitie when it was possible. Recently, she was starting to open up to her as a real friend, though! Amitie could hardly believe it.
Raffina folded her arms and sighed, breaking the blondie from her thoughts.
"What on earth is it, Amitie?"
TaruTaru lumbered behind her. The guy was easily 9 to 10 feet tall and he towered over everyone. When he stood up, he had to lean down so he didn't hit the ceiling of the classroom. Amitie became fast friends with him in the beginning, he was a gentle soul, just like Lidelle. Ami wondered if he still had a crush on Raffi, though. She hoped for his sake he didn't, it was really, really obvious that the pink-haired lady wasn't interested in him.
Poor guy.
His deep voice rumbled in Amitie's ears. "We were just about to help with class chores."
"You were." Raffina snapped sharply. "I was about to head home, thank you very much. I do not want to be caught in tonight's storm."
"That's exactly what I wanted to ask!" Amitie said brightly, glancing at Klug and Lidelle. "Do you guys want to hang out tonight?"
Lidelle rubbed her sleeves together nervously. "Hang o-out?"
Amitie grinned. "Yeah! A sleepover, or a party at my place, to wait out the storm. There will be food, and… and games… and food! What do you guys think?"
Klug and TaruTaru gave doubtful glances at each other. The blond girl was starting to grow nervous. She didn't think it'd be so hard to convince them, have they never had a real get together before?
"It'll be a long night indoors, might as well have some fun, right?" Amitie pleaded with them, "Come on, guys, it'll be a blast! When was the last time we've all gotten together?"
Klug was the first to answer that particular question. "All of us? Practically never. Sorry Amitie, but in case you haven't noticed, not all of us get along." He looked pointedly at Raffina.
"Right, like you are such an angel yourself, Four-Eyes." Raffina snarked. "And Ami, really, your home? It barely houses you and your father, don't expect all of us to be crammed in your space."
"Aw, well you don't have to be mean about it!" Amitie pouted. That was a touchy subject for her. It wasn't her fault her house was so small! Amitie supposed it wasn't fair not to expect Raffina to object, she's always lived in such a huge mansion anyways, it's not her fault. Maybe the others would be more understanding. She turned to Lidelle and Tarutaru. "What about you guys? You up for it?"
Lidelle nodded quickly. "I have n-nothing to do tonight. That sounds lovely, Ami."
Tarutaru patted Lidelle's head carefully with his huge giant hands. "I will join you as well, if Miss Raffina will go."
"As if!" Raffina scoffed.
Amitie beamed at them. What a relief, thank you Lidelle and Taru! "Wicked, you two are the greatest! And… uh, Sig?"
Sig hadn't moved from his spot on the desk. Amitie curiously stepped over to the blue-haired boy. He was staring off into the distance with his odd multi-colored eyes and didn't seem to acknowledge Amitie waving a hand over his face. "Oh, he's asleep," Amitie presumed. She smiled at him, he was so… peacefully odd when he slept with his eyes open. Like he was somewhere far away.
This was a problem though... should she wake him up? Or-
Klug snapped his fingers in front of Sig's face. "Wake up, you sloth!"
Sig jumped and blinked. "...I'm awake?" he blurted out.
"Clearly you weren't, Sigmund." Klug replied snidely. "I can't believe he slept through class again. Why would you lot allow that to happen?" he glanced accusingly at Raffina and Tarutaru.
"Oh, please, who cares?" Raffina looked up to the ceiling, like, why me?
Amitie giggled at her friends. They were always so tense, geez, can't they lighten up a little bit? "You guys are crazy." she pointed out to them before facing Sig, who was trying to understand the situation.
Sig was a mystery to Amitie. She had so many QUESTIONS for him! Why was he so tired all of the time? What was up with his red, scaly arm? And his red eye, the pupil was always changing, kinda like a lizard. What was with that?
Where was he from? He kind of just… appeared in Primp Town. Well, not appeared, but, he sure wasn't raised here. In fact, Amitie had never heard of his home life before.
She never had the courage to ask him, though… It wasn't her place to. All she could do was be his friend until he felt comfortable enough to talk to her.
It took Amitie a moment to realize that she was staring. She glanced away, her face flaming, when he noticed.
"Ami." Sig yawned and stretched his arms. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing!" Amitie replied with forced cheerfulness. "W-Well, something… sorta? I mean-"...What? What was she saying?!
"Uh! Oh, fiddlesticks, sorry, what I'm trying to… to ask is-"
Her tongue seemed to have filled up her mouth. Sig was gazing at her, curiously, with those odd, sleepy, kinda beautiful... eyes. She held her breath, surprised at herself. Why was she having such a hard time asking him? It was just a sleepover! She was just fine with everyone else!
"Amitie wants to know if you're free for a group hang out tonight." Raffina finally spoke up, "Because for SOME REASON she can't ask you herself."
Darn!
"R-raf!" Amitie sputtered, her face growing increasingly red. "I was getting there!"
"No, you weren't."
"A hang-out?" Sig scratched at his red arm subconsciously. "Like, a sleepover?"
"Uh-um!" Amitie spun to face him. "O-only if you want to, yeah?"
Sig shrugged, with hardly a spark of emotion. "Sure. Why not?"
Just that confirmation lifted Amitie's spirits up high. She liked hearing his voice, he didn't speak very often, and just recently, it had started to change. It was getting lower than before, which she found interesting, so she tries to get him to talk whenever she could just to hear his voice again.
Which might be a bit weird to some people? But Amitie didn't care. And it was then that the girl realized that she zoning out about Sig again, so she coughed loudly to draw the non-existent attention away from her.
"Coolio!" Amitie clapped her hands together awkwardly, silently chiding herself for being so nervous for no reason. "I guess we could all leave right now, if you want..."
Raffina folded her arms. "Count me out. I do not want to sit in your stuffy room for a whole night with all of you."
Was it just her, or did Amitie see Lidelle's face fall? Klug, however nodded with agreement.
"I have studies and actual work to take care of, unlike some people. I'm sorry, Amitie, but tonight is not a good night for me either." Klug said, glancing at a notebook in his arms. Amitie couldn't believe it. There was no school tomorrow, why would he study tonight?
Amitie felt her own smile fall. These two such downers! "Oh, well. Maybe next time?"
"On the contrary..." A voice broke in. "I believe you two do have reason to go to Amitie's for the night."
Everyone turned and looked to see Ms. Accord sitting on the teacher's desk with a serene smile on her face. Amitie gave her a confused look.
How long was she sitting there?!
Raffina's eyes narrowed. "No offense, Ms. Accord, but why on earth would you think that?"
"Because I have just assigned both you and Klug a special project, which will be extra credit." Ms. Accord pet her cat puppet Popoi gently. "If you'll take it, that is."
"Oh, anything, Ms. Accord!" Klug's face brightened immediately. Everyone gave him the look. Amitie could practically hear them think, "teacher's pet".
Raffina squinted at the teacher. "And what is the project, pray tell?"
"You and Klug need to learrrrrrn to get along, meow!" Popoi spat. "You are always at meowther's thrrroats! What would your parents say?"
Uh oh. Amitie knew that Raffina's parents was a subject that had to be avoided. She glanced up nervously at Raffina. A mix of emotions was on her face: fear, outrage, and uncertainty. She opened her mouth, but after a moment of thinking, closed it again.
"Oohh. Cat got your tongue?" Klug teased, which Popoi seemed to take personal offense at.
"Don't think yourrr off the hook either, Mister!"
"That's enough, Popoi." Ms. Accord smiled at Klug and Raffina. "The project is simple. Go to the sleepover tonight. Treat each other as equals, and try to learn more about each other. Argue once, and you fail. One night is all we're asking of you. Deal?"
Amitie couldn't help but wonder what Ms. Accord was trying to do here. She can't really expect Klug and Raffina to start getting along after one night, right? That's crazy!
"B-but Ms. Accord." Raffina gasped. "A whole night? And at Amitie's sad excuse for a house? I'll go positively insane!"
"Hey!" Amitie blurted out, hurt.
Klug rolled his eyes. "Have it be at your magnificently sublime mansion, then. I will surely regret taking the extra credit if it means I have to listen to your whining."
Ms. Accord nodded at Klug. "That's a wonderful idea! Raffina can host the sleepover at her place."
Klug puffed out his chest with pride, and Raffina growled. "This is not… okay… well, I suppose if it must be done..."
Amitie squealed and gave Raffina a hug. She was actually going to see Raffi's mansion! She'd only heard long endless stories about it, she couldn't believe that she would ever actually be invited there. "Raf! You're amazing, oh my gosh, I can't believe we're going to your house!"
"Oh, eck, get off!" Raffina pushed her off with a grimace. "It's hardly a house, Amitie, get it right."
Amitie giggled with glee. "Still! Can you see us hanging out there? Eating little, I dunno, chocolates, daintily and, and, and walking through enormous hallways with paintings of angry looking men on the walls, and, and a GIANT bed that could fit a hundred people! And-"
Raffina put a finger to her lips. "Please, save the stereotypes until after you see it." she said airily.
"I can't wait!" Amitie spun around happily and cupped Lidelle's cheeks. "Lid! We're going to a real live MANSION!"
Lidelle's face was already flushed with excitement. "I-I've never been to Miss Raffina's house before… I hardly b-believe it myself."
Taru kneeled to their levels. "I finally get to see the wonderful life she lives."
"Oh yeah, talk about me like I'm not here! That's fine!" Raffina yelled at them.
"You three are way too excited about this." Klug criticized.
Amitie clasped Sig's odd hand in hers and gave him a big smile. "This is even better than what I had planned!"
Sig gave her a rather disappointed look. "I kinda wanted to see your house..."
"Aw, that's sweet, but its really nothing to sneeze at." Amitie waved off his concern. "It's old, its rickety, it's small. But a mansion! A mansion, Sig!"
Sig shrugged. "As long as you're happy."
Amitie could feel her face growing hot again. Gah, what was it with Sig that made her feel so awkward and weird? "Oh, yeah, haha, well, um, thanks?"
"Ugh…" Raffina rubbed her face with her hands. "This is bound to end badly. But alright, Ms. Accord, I accept."
Ms. Accord nodded vibrantly. "Wonderful! You kiddies have fun now, Popoi will be watching you."
"WHAT?" Raffina and Klug exclaimed. They looked down at the sock puppet. If sock cats could look smug, Popoi took the cake.
"Meiss Accord is having a, what do you say, a girl's night in. That means we are cerrrrrrtainly NOT invited!" they explained.
Lidelle nodded. "And so you will b-be… spectating with us?"
Everyone in the room groaned as they replied, "Well, someowne has to watch with a cat's eye and makes sure no shenanigans go on!"
"Great. A chaperon." Raffina grumbled. "There goes my chance to-"
"To what, Miss Raffina? Lie about the whole night to me? I don't think so." Ms. Accord tsk-tsked. "This project will be watched by Popoi. They will tell me if anything goes awry. So be on your best behavior!"
"Ugh. Fine."
Lidelle raised her sleeve. "I'll take P-Popoi, Ms. Accord."
"Very well, Miss Lidelle. Oh see, I can rhyme." Ms. Accord chuckled lightly at herself. "Here you go. Off you six pop!"
She handed the puppet to Lidelle, who wrapped them with her sleeves. Amitie let out a squee again. "Let's get going! Come on, Raf, lead the way!"
What a perfect opportunity! I get a chance to get to know my friends even more now! Amitie thought. She couldn't believe how well this worked out.
"Alright, everyone. Let's move. We don't want to be caught in the rain." Raffina grabbed her backpack and headed out the door. Klug groaned, and he and Lidelle ran back into their own classrooms to follow suite. TaruTaru stepped lightly ahead to catch up to Raffina, and Amitie hung back with Sig, who was busy stuffing a notebook in his waist-bag.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Ami asks, leaning to look up at him. "You seemed kinda bummed about the change in plans."
Sig glanced at her, before glancing away. Was it just her, or did he seem… shy about the question? "...Sure I am. There you are." He picked up a ladybug that was sleeping on his coat. "I have to bring her… she gets fidgety when I'm not around."
"Hey, no you aren't, silly!" Amitie blinked. "Sorry, I meant about how you felt. Although the ladybug is very important too!" she kneeled on the floor and smiled at the bug, which twitched and crawled up Sig's red arm. "She's pretty cute, I hafta admit."
"She's real pretty. Uh-huh." Sig's low voice grew soft whenever he spoke about his bugs, and he had a serene, small hint of a smile on his face. Amitie really liked his smile. It was so rare, and seeing it always made her feel like-
Oh no. It was happening again! Dang it!
Amitie stood up, her face growing red. "Well, if you're sure you're fine, then let's get moving! Everyone's leaving!" she said quickly with a smile, to hide the blush. What was happening to her?! Why now?
"Okay. Coming." Sig stood up and started to walk out the door.
Wow, he's fast. Wait I should be moving why am I not moving. Amitie panicked and ran after him. Great job, Amitie, A+ at paying attention!
They walked in silence through the halls. Amitie couldn't help but notice that Sig was easily a head taller than her. That was so WEIRD. A few years ago they were the same height. What changed?
Sig was bobbing his head back in forth as if he was listening to music. Amitie once again wondered what went on in the boy's head. He was puzzling.
The two caught up to the rest of the group, standing impatiently by the gates of the school.
"Well, you took your sweet time!" Raffina snapped at them. "You're lucky that my chauffeur isn't here yet."
"Sorry, Raf! Sig needed to find his ladybug." Amitie explained, then covered her mouth. Oh shoot, why did I say that?! Raffina would never let bugs inside her mansion! She glanced up at Sig in alarm. "Sorry! I didn't mean-"
"Sig, sweetie, you better not be planning on bringing your disgusting bugs in that bag, are you?" Raffina asked dangerously. Amitie face-palmed. Oooh, Sig is going to hate me now! Why did I have to go and open my big mouth?
"Nope." Sig said. "Couldn't find her. She isn't in my bag."
Amitie stared at Sig in alarm. Did he just… lie?!
Raffina raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Hm. Alright…"
Amitie tugged Sig's sleeve. "Uh, Sig… did you just lie to her?" she whispered when Raffina turned her back.
Sig blinked at Amitie. "No. I said my ladybug wasn't in my bag."
Amitie opened her mouth, and found she was still confused.
"She's right here." Sig explained, pulling up his sleeve to reveal his ladybug clinging to his red arm.
"Oh. OH I GOTCHA." the lightbulb finally went off in Amitie's head. She grinned mischievously and tapped her head. "Smart."
The moment was interrupted when Raffina looked out and said, "Oh look, our ride is here."
The group of six turned to see a white… thing roll around the bend. It was long, and it seemed to run by magic. Amitie's jaw dropped. She had never seen anything like it, she had only ever seen a carts like that back in Ringo's world! No one had ever thought of using something so… SLEEK. And FANCY here in Primp, or anywhere in the known region. They have always gotten along just fine with magic and horse carts! So where did the-
"Raffina, what in Puyo is that thing?" Klug gaped at the shiny vehicle.
"Oh this?" Raffina slid a hand over the handle of the door haughtily. "It's only the most classic model of the Chryslers. The Chrysler 300. A limousine. A limo for short. Apparently its making a comeback in a place called the United States. Not that any of you would know, but it's from that handsome boy Maguro's world. I had one paid for immediately."
"It's so b-big and shiny." Lidelle gasped, backing away. "Are you sure its safe to ride?"
"Lidelle, hon! When have I ever let you down?" Raffina winked at her. "Of course it's safe! I drive in it all of the time."
Lidelle turned a light green and covered her face in her sleeves. "Oh O-o-o-of course!"
"B-but how?! How did you move this from their world?" Klug spluttered. "It… it would require the biggest dimensional rift! Ecolo themselves would have a hard time getting this thing here!"
"Who cares Klug?" Amitie giggled. "Its so totally awesome! I want the front!"
"I get the front actually." Raffina beat her to the front door, and climbed inside. "Come on, we don't have all day."
"Um." TaruTaru peered inside. "I have a few concerns."
"Oh yes, of course. You get the back row. Magically expanded to your convenience. La-ti-ta and all that." Raffina waved a hand. "Courtesy of our chauffeur. He's a coat."
Amitie grinned. Raffina was in a better mood, now that she could show off her riches. But wait, a coat? "Whoah, what? A coat?"
"Miss Raffina is most kind." Taru rumbled happily and made his way to the back, which had the appearance of a leather couch, the ceiling slanted up to make room for his giant size. From the outside of the limo, it seemed that nothing has changed.
"Yes, yes. Amitie, of course a coat. What else would our driver be?" Raffina explained from inside the cart.
Amitie, still confused, grabbed the handle of the cart and made her way inside. The seats were made of soft leather and they went in a circle, like a pair of couches. Everything was smooth and even the wood felt like plastic underneath her fingers. Ami kicked off her boots and felt the floor, which was like a soft rug. Raffina snapped her fingers to get her attention and Amitie glanced at the person in the front seat, behind a… wheel? The person waved a sleeve at her and Amitie grinned.
"Nice to meet you, Mister Coat!"
The supposed person turned around and Amitie gasped. There was no one there, just the garment! He really was a coat! Like, a magical floating coat! "Oh my gosh! Raffi, you were right! That is so cool!"
Raffina rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm right. My... parental guardians…" she hissed in her teeth. "… thought that it would save money to enchant a trench coat to drive the vehicles."
"Interesting." Klug's voice came from the outside before he pulled his way in. "How does the vehicle move? Magic? Science? Both?"
The coat driver waved a sleeve at Klug, who looked slightly perturbed. "Raffina, your driver is a coat?"
"You just missed the entire conversation Four-Ey-" Raffina stopped midsentence after looking at Popoi. "-Klug."
"Hm." Klug narrowed his eyes and sat down across from Amitie. Pulling a strap from the side, he peered at it. "What is the purpose of this strange material?"
Raffina sighed loudly. "Oh, do I have to explain everything to you? It's called a seat belt. Wear it if you don't want to fly through the window."
Klug squeaked and immediately put it on. "How fast does this thing go if I could fly through the window?!"
"Faster than your tiny brain could imagine, apparently." Raffina grumbled, but after a look from Popoi, laughed haughtily. "Ohohoho, you shall see!"
Lidelle and Sig soon followed in. Lidelle opted to sit in the row in front of Taru, to reassure him in case he didn't feel safe. "He g-gets anxious trying new things. And I d-don't know how safe I feel on this… strange… c-cart, so he may need me..."
Amitie smiled at her. "Hold my hand if you get nervous too, okay, Lidelle?"
"I will, th-thank you Ami."
Popoi huffed in his spot in Lidelle's lap. "This, Miss Raffina, is the strangest thing we've seen in our nine lives! Do you have a perrrrrmit to harbor such a… contraption?!"
"Oh, relax, cat, the permit's all taken care of." Raffina said, then mumbled to herself. "People can get away with a lot of things when they have money."
Sig shut the door and sat in the seat next to Klug, since it was the only spot left. Everyone else had the seat belt thingie on, but with his huge red claw, Sig was having some trouble clicking it in.
"Do you need some help, Sig?" Amitie asked.
"Um… I got it. I think..."
"Oh, you are so incompetent. Here." Klug took the strap and snapped it in. "You're welcome."
Sig raised an eyebrow at him, evidently not sure how to take that. "...Thanks?"
"Alright, people, hang on to your hats." Raffina said, causing Amitie, Klug, and Taru to grab their hats. Klug, embarrassed, put his hand down. "Let's go! Forward, coat!"
The coat revved the… what did he rev? and suddenly they were moving forward. The sudden jerk made everyone cling to their seats with surprise.
"Let's crank it up a notch." Raffina murmured. "Go 60, coat."
"60?! What's 60? What does that mean?! Klug shrieked.
"La-ti-ta! Look out your windows!" Raffina exclaimed, excitement in her voice.
The cart was moving faster than Amitie had ever dreamed. Countryside rolled past her with a blink of an eye, and she barely felt the gravel roads under her like she would have on a horse and carriage. Lidelle gasped loudly.
"Wow w-we are going s-so fast!" she seemed more curious than scared, however. Raffina looked back at her and smiled.
"This is not okay!" Klug cried out. "I have my rights, you know! I could jump out of this cart!"
"Then do it, and save a whole lot of trouble-" Popoi gave Raffina a look. "I mean, give us a whole lot of trouble finding your corpse. Don't jump out the window, Klug, that's suicide."
Amitie laughed and patted Klug's leg. "Aw, lighten up, you big baby! This is a one-in-a-life-time chance to ride in a limo! Don't waste it!"
Sig was transfixed about the outside. "I feel like my ladybug."
Amitie blinked and laughed at the idea. "How so?"
"My ladybug watches as I walk around the country all of the time. She must think I'm so fast. Now I'm watching in her stead." he explained thoughtfully.
Amitie thought about that. "Wow, I never even considered how a bug would feel riding on a human. That's real smart of you."
Was it just her, or did Sig's antennae twitched suddenly? He didn't respond, but it almost seemed as if he was smiling.
"Oorgh." Taru's voice rumbled. "I don't feel so good."
"Ah." Raffina facepalmed. "Car-sickness. I've heard of that. Can someone open the window for him?"
Amitie wasn't sure she heard her right. "Open the window? How?"
"There's a button, Amitie. Press and hold it."
Amitie began to panic as she looked around the vehicle. "A button? Where?"
"Urghhgh..." Taru groaned. Lidelle patted his hand.
"Ami, n-now would be a good time to-"
"I'm trying! Oh, fiddlesticks, where is the darn-"
Fwshhhhhhhh.
Sig was holding down the button over by the door. The window open and the wind howled inside, cooling the cart instantly.
Taru leaned in on Sig's side of the car. "Ooh. That feels nice."
Klug clapped sarcastically. "Way to save us from certain disaster, Sigmund."
Sig shrugged and gave Amitie an apologetic look. "Sorry, Ami."
Amitie flushed. "N-no problem! Problem's solved, that's all that matters." But she couldn't help but feel foolish. The button was right in plain sight the whole time! She had freaked out again and was too panicked to notice.
"Oh, has it cooled down a ton." Raffina noticed. "Just a day ago it was scorchingly hot. About time, too. The heat has not been healthy for the ground nor my hair."
"I hate to admit, but I agree." Klug said. "The heat was terrible. I burn easily."
Everyone giggled, even Taru, and Klug looked at them indignantly. "I do! What's so funny?"
"We know. Remember that one time when you came to school red from head to toe? You had burn lines around your glasses and your shirt. You looked like a strip of bacon." Amitie giggled.
"Oh, well, laugh it up MISS AMITIE, because I'm sure you DON'T have embarrassing stories to share either!" Klug sneered, very much embarrassed himself.
"I-I have one." Lidelle meekly raised her sleeve. "That is. If Ami is o-okay with it."
"Sure! It's only fair." Amitie shrugged. How bad could Lidelle's story be anyways? Amitie knew she was clumsy, she had come to terms with that long ago.
"Uh-um, well." Lidelle swallowed. "There was that one t-time where Amitie walked into school on our d-day off. She said she stayed all d-day because she thought that was the invisibility day spell for our c-class and everyone was p-playing an elaborate prank on her."
"Lidelle!" Amitie gasped, but everyone was already enraptured in the story.
"Klug remembers this, but the n-next day, everyone came t-to school, yeah? Except Amitie tried t-to prank us b-back. She tried to "expose" the invisible with a b-bucket of paint. She hung it over the d-door."
"Lid, please-" Amitie's face started to turn red
"And the s-students were waiting in the hall, for someone to unlock the d-door..."
"Oh my gosh." Amitie grabbed her hat and pulled it over her ears.
"And g-guess who came and unlocked the door first?" Lidelle smiled mischievously.
"No." gasped Raffina, who was just hearing this now.
Klug grinned deviously too. "I remember this."
"By the time Amitie had reached the d-door to unveil the p-prank, it was too late. The bucket fell, right on top. Of Ms. Accord."
Amitie moaned loudly as everyone gasped and starting laughing. "I SAID I WAS SORRY OKAY?" she exclaimed, her face hot.
"And so. And s-so." Lidelle couldn't help but giggle too. "Amitie was forbidden from t-touching the paints again. The end."
Everyone started busting out laughing again. Raffina wheezed loudly. "Oh, man, remind me to never have Amitie in my art class."
"Rest in peace, Ami." Sig was grinning too.
"I wish I was there to see it myself." Taru's deep chuckle overtook everyone's.
"I WAS there." Klug was clapping. "That never fails to make me laugh. How could you be so clueless as to think we were pranking you with invisibility the ENTIRE day?"
"I don't know!" Amitie was feeling both a mix of exasperated and embarrassed. "I was young and stupid! That's just the way it works when you're eleven!"
Her head was spinning. She couldn't believe Lidelle even remembered that!
"Aw, Lid, I thought you were going to share something less… dumb!" Amitie pouted in her seat.
Lidelle scooted closer and cupped her hands with her sleeves. "I-I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, Ami! It was the f-first thing that came to my m-mind."
"I GUESS." Amitie mumbled.
"You gotta admit. That was pretty funny." Raffina pointed out.
Amitie blinked at her with surprise. Did she just say that something Amitie did was… funny? She didn't think anything was funny, unless it had to do with torturing Klug!
Holy Puyo, I think I'm finally getting somewhere with both of them! She realized. She sat up and smiled at them.
"Yeah, it was. Thank Lid, though. She does a good job telling stories." Amitie patted Lidelle's back.
The statement got an agreement with everyone, a chorus of yeahs and good job Lidelle arose in the cart. Lidelle flushed green and hid in her sleeves, disturbing a certain cat puppet.
"Hey, watch the goods, Miss Lidelle! We were busy taking a cat nap over here, meow!" Popoi complained. Amitie peered at the puppet.
"How in the heck did you sleep through all of that?" she asked curiously.
"We're the species of the cat, child, cats can sleep anywhere, at anytime."
"Oh!"
"Sorry to interrupt." Raffina overtook them. "But we're here."
Amitie's eyes brightened and she rolled down the window like Sig did before. In front of the vehicle was a large gate, and as the cart rolled to a halt, the gate opened.
The mansion was huge.
It was made of tan and red bricks and stretched out all the way to a forest nearby. A fountain was currently not running water, but sat in the center of the yard like a centerpiece. The cart, or the limo, rolled around the fountain and into a… room which a door as big as the wall opened up. Inside, the smell was musty and of detergent.
The cart stopped and beeped, and Amitie could barely contain her excitement. They were finally at Raffina's mansion, they could finally hold the sleepover!