She ground her teeth together, speed walking as fast as her body would allow. Thus, it would be safe to say the hurried woman looked like a deranged animal of some sort as she moved across the terminal floor. A kid ran by, and knocked something out of her cluttered grasp. She looked around on the floor, but figured it was probably just some lipstick or something. The crowded area served purpose for things to be lost, mostly measly items, so it was to be expected.
Suddenly the overhead speaker blared, "FLIGHTS 136 DELAYED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE"
"Do I really deserve this? UGH!" She exclaimed to herself, as her eyes found the flight board. Of all days, of all of the millions of times she flew, never once had her flight been delayed. But yet there it was, the tiny electronic characters flashing red, leaving every other one green.
After standing desperately for a moment trying to think of a plan, she decided to talk to the stewardess closing the passage way to the plane. Her tone came out annoyed and hurried, causing the other woman to take a defensive step back. "Why was this flight delayed?"
She cleared her throat and readjusted her name plate. Shoko. "Ma'am, though I do not know the exact reasons for the delay, I can assure you when it will be put back into order. It-"
"How can you not know? What the heck?!" Her voice rose as she interrupted the girl, who in turn shrank back a few steps. She nervously toyed with the many split ends in her dark hair.
"Ma'am, I am just the new trainee. I have to-"
"Oh, so that explains it huh?" Shoko swallowed nervously and spit out quickly what she was trying to say before she was interrupted again.
"The general idea is that flight will be back in about a week, and your ticket as everyone else's will be reconstituted for then. The exact reasons, I've already said, I don't know, so don't ask me!" She inhaled and finished quietly, "Thank you." The agent's eye twitched for a second before she stomped away to sit down eloquently in the plastic benches provided. She retained her regal stature for a few moments, but then her notifier in her wrist watch clicked.
She dug through her items and bags for her purse in a frenzy but in the end, desperately slumped down, hands holding her face. She lost it most likely when that kid bumped into her. Her anger sizzled down to a dull annoyance, finally ending with depression itself. "Crap." She cursed under her breath, eyes scouring the floor under the thousands of pair of feet trampling over. Her brain had already calculated the chances of finding it.
"1 out of 100,000 chance. I am such an idiot." Everyone lost their stuff at the airport. But this was her life line. Her bountiful amount of credit cards, much needed phone, tablet, keys to almost everything, and other personal items. The time changed from 12 am to almost 1:30 pm, but she continued to sit and inwardly kill herself for being so oblivious.
A musical voice broke her inner battle, and she had to pause to make sure she wasn't hearing things. For a moment it was nothing but the constant chatter of hundreds of conversations around her, but then it came again. Deeper than hers but definitely feminine. The words floated in the air nonchalantly, and the desperate travel agent brought them together to reform the sentence in her mind.
Hey, miss? Is this yours? The moment it became legible, her hopes soared and she peeked from behind her manicured, pink fingernails. Glimpses of a crooked smile, pitch black hair and a pale complexion. Cool hands pulled her hands away from her face and a shiver went down her spine from the touch.
Blue eyes found their target and looked the other woman up and down briefly. "Uh…" She had a very pale complexion, and like she saw before, wavy black hair that fell in long tresses around her shoulders and back. Her red plaid shirt was rolled up to the elbows, and left the top few buttons undone, exposing a black tank top. Her eyes drifted downwards and she picked up a silver belt with a red skull for a buckle, tight black jeans and... Loud red boots.
"Hey, you okay? You seem kinda out of it." The cool fingers released their grip and shoved themselves in back pockets, forcing her to look up. She was beautiful, no doubt, with high cheekbones, impeccable facial structure. Could easily be a model. "Yes…" The word lengthened as in turn the other woman took off her pilot shades and folded them neatly into on her exposed tank top. Her eyes were bright green, with traces of oranges and browns hidden among the swirls, like a deep forest.
"I think this is yours, am I correct?" The words smoothly glided around in the air as she held up a familiar hot pink bag. The agent clutched it to her chest immediately and looked up at her gratefully. "Oh my glob, thank you! I thought I had lost it forever!" The other woman shrugged easily and yank over a little shy little girl with a video game in her hand and a picture of a joystick on an aqua cap over her messy black curls.
"Nah it was nothing. BMO here though has something she'd like to say." She nudged the girl in the back and she bit her lip, glancing upwards with eyes a mixture of blue and green, the same tinge as her hat. "Sorry I ran into you and knocked you purse out of your hand. I wasn't looking were I was going and probably made you worry."
Something about the whole situation brought a smile to the earlier distressed woman's face. She leaned down, resting her elbows on her knees and looked into her eyes. "It's fine! I'm sure it was an accident." She cocked her head to the side, a strand of chocolaty brown hair spilling out of her bun and over her forehead. "Hey, is your name really BMO?"
The girl lit up, a smile breaking out over her face and exposing a couple of gaps where baby teeth had been. Pretty adorable. "Yeah! It's short for Beatrix Mary-Olstomn!" The words came out in a slight lisp which only made the woman smile wider.
The stranger reached down with one hand and that same crooked smile, the other awkwardly rubbing her neck. "Hey, I'm Marceline Abadeer. Sorry for all the hassle though. We spent forever trying to find you again." Blue eyes stared at the outstretched hand curiously before taking it. It was slightly larger than hers and had a rougher feel, tough with calluses on the fingertips. Her mind whizzed, as usual. A musician possibly then?
"I'm Bonnibel Beddingham." Bonnibel's British accent tinted out for a moment with the pronunciation of her last name. Marceline smiled and shook it.
"British origins, I see? Should be Bubblegum, with all the pink you wear. " She added, leaning closer and voice dropping to a low whisper. " But hey, it's cute anyway" Bonnibel smiled wider despite herself and pulled her hand back slowly.
Their fingertips brushed briefly and a jolt went through Bonnibel's arm. She threw the blame to the poor carpeting near the area, thinking nothing odd about it. BMO tugged on Marceline's arm and her eye's lingered for moment on hers before turning to the smaller girl. "You said we could get some food! I'm hungry!"
While the two argued, Bonnibel noticed the subtle similarities between the two: Same hair, though BMO's was curlier, same facial structure...etc." The only other thing out would be the fact that Marceline was pale and BMO more of a light mocha for skin tone. Looks like her child, she thought and felt a twinge of disappointment, deep down. It could be; she's old enough. Wait- How old is she anyway? Bonnibel stopped the questions appearing in her mind and pushed the feeling away.
Marceline finally stopped the argument, and faced her. "Wanna go with us to lunch? I'll pay." Bonnibel just stared as she processed the information. "No, no, I'm fine. It's enough thanks for returning my lifeline, and I don't want to-"
The older woman (or who appeared to be, How old is she?!) gained a mischievous glint in her eye for a second, grasped her hand and said, "Please, just let me make it up to you. " The younger woman tensed up at the touch and bit the inside of her cheek. Right, just free lunch. Easy. She thought and nodded in return. BMO tugged her off the chair by her sleeve, leaving only enough time to slide on her purse and designer laptop bag.
Bonnibel looked quickly back at her things to see Marceline heft up the other half of her bags in one arm, dragging the pink luggage behind her. She nudged her forward and the agent let herself be dragged away with a nonchalant grin, leaving behind her stress and responsibilities for once in a long time. And it felt GOOD.
Marceline noticed her free smiled and asked, "What? Never went outside before?" Bonnibel stiffened. Marceline continued. "Or are just so high strung that you've never had fun before? You look like the type."
The made it out the large glass door and to the valet to wait. Bonnibel faced her. "No, I have fun... occasionally, when it doesn't interlude with my work. I just don't really care for the carefree attitude about this city; and I have to stay here for a week! Ugh! Marceline set her luggage upright and leaned on it. "New Ooo is pretty amazing when you look around. The culture, people, places... you really need to see it and loosen up a bit!" She finished, elbowing her playfully. Bonnibel crossed her arms and blew a stray lock of hair out of her eyes.
"I don't know... I don't know anyone here... and-" "And you know me and BMO! I bet could show the city to you, Ms. Bonnibel Beddingham, and you will fall in love. Heck, it'll change you life." The other woman looked up at the faintly cloudy sky and sighed. She felt a sense of optimism fill her and stuck out her hand formally. "Fine then. Marceline Abadeer, you have one week to change my life. Can you back up what you say?"
Marceline smiled and shot a glance at BMO, who gave a curt nod. She brought green eyes back to blue and slid her hand hers in a firm shake. "You bet I will." A short beep sounded from the street and the valet man got out from a dangerous looking, red convertible. BMO ran up gleefully and climbed into the back, in her car-seat. No doors. Marceline chucked her bags int he trunk quickly, to run over to the driver side and hop in smoothly.
The engine purred to life and she winked at her new companion. "Gonna live up to your end, bubblegum? All you gotta do is hop in." Bonnibel stared at the week ahead of her blindly, and without thinking, climbed over the door of the passenger seat clumsily. After settling herself o the white leather, Marceline added, "First matter of business after lunch: You're gonna need some new clothes." Bonnibel opened her mouth... then shut it. A pale hand rested on the clutch. "You ready?"
It was then the woman wondered hesitantly, "What did I get myself into?"But then, it led her to ask again with a glance at the grinning people in the car with her: "What did I get myself into?" At that moment Bonnibel Beddingham made a decision. And GLOB did she hope it was the right one.
"Yeah. Let's Go."