I was trying to see if I could get a system where I update every three days, but that attempt has epically failed. FAILED! :P
Anyway…
A word for what I've noticed about this chapter: I italicize to put thoughts (not used in this chapter) accented words (like when Hekiashi says the 'Just get the hell off me' line) and singing. Yes, people, they DO sing in this chapter! While I'm talking about that, the song is a slightly edited 'One Short Day' from Wicked, thank you.
And, I hope I don't have to but I will for this one anyway, but the other main character in this story (Hekiashi) unfortunately does not belong to me. He belongs to my awesomely awesome friend EternalShiningPikmin. Who, apparently, is watching my every move with this story like a hawk. O_O By the way, nu-uh.
I should have put this up yesterday, but I am today, and, I'll see if I can get back to the three-day system by seeing if I can post a chapter on Monday. I've got the next three chapters planned out pretty good.
Enough with the stupid (but important) A/N. On with the chapter.
Chapter Three
One Short Day
Oh, no, it wasn't bad enough that he was forced to go on this – he forced himself to think the painful word – date with that girl anyway. It wasn't bad enough that he lost the five–dollar bet with her too, and get humilated by her the rest of the day. It wasn't bad enough that he was going to spend the whole day with her, no doubt at the insane amusement of all the other Legendaries.
Oh, no. It had to get worse.
Ugh.
And so, the Prince of Nightmares found himself lying on his back after slamming into the ground, with a hyper human-girl giggling on top of him. His whole body never ached like it did now, and, of course, his eternally irritating counterpart strolled toward him, hiding her smile behind the back of her hand like always. Thankfully, she didn't have a camera on her, as she so often did. Only good thing about today so far.
The girl on top of him shook the silvery-blonde bangs out of her eyes, revealing eyes a stunning sky blue, oddly similar to his own. "Hi!" She said cheerfully, beaming and showing off her sparkling smile. "My name is Crystal!"
"I don't care what your fu-"
"Hekiashi." Luna sighed warningly as she came to stand beside them.
"-cking name is! Just get the hell off me, thank you!"
With a roll of her eyes at her companion, Luna helped the strange girl off of him and pulled her up to a standing position. As such, both Luna and Hekiashi could get a full view of her. Crystal, the girl, had on a light pink halter top. Beneath the sequined silver belt she wore in addition, was an (abnormally short, if that's possible) hot pink miniskirt, complete with matching platform shoes. The garish-colored Crystal was the complete opposite of the delicate person beside her.
"What's your name?" The odd girl asked, punctuating it with a giggle.
"Luna-"
"Looney Luna!" Crystal interrupted her again, gasping and giggling like mad as she hugged her. "We're going to be great friends!"
Luna paused. "Excuse me," She asked politely, as Hekiashi got up from the floor, grumbling. "Should you really be running around while you're under the influence?"
"Don't be ridiculous, you silly-billy! I don't drink!" Crystal giggled, grabbing the crook of Luna's elbow and attempting to drag her in the opposite direction. "I'm just excited! My mother is the owner of this mall. I come here every day of my life. I know nearly everybody, but you two are new faces!"
"Well, uh," Luna began with a confused expression. "I'm Luna, and this is my colleague Hekiashi, and we're…I don't know…foreign?"
"You're foreign?" Crystal repeated with another happy gasp. "That's awesome! And you've never been here before?" She turned to the direction of the escalator descending to the next sublevel. "I'll show you around, Luna! See, sweetie, I told you we were gonna be friends!"
One short day in the Hearthome Mall…
Luna shrugged and gave her a small smile. "Well, I guess I've always wanted to see Hearthome Mall."
One short day in the Hearthome Mall…
Crystal got a firmer hold on Luna's arm and they both started into the direction of the escalator. The two girls were looking at each other with grins that could only come from being about to burst into song.
"Uh…" Hekiashi said quizzically. "Was I the only one to hear the background music start?"
"One short day
In the Hearthome Mall,
One short day
Full of so much to do!" Crystal started singing, leading Luna down the escalator.
"Every way that you look at this mall..." Luna joined in, as they stepped out onto the bottom floor.
Several of Crystal's friends, waiting on that floor, saw the singing girls and rushed over to them, eager to join in. It wasn't every day there was a new girl like them here! "There's something exquisite," They added joyfully:
You'll want to visit
Before the day's through!"
Crystal tucked her pale arm into Luna's and started to point out places with the other hand. "That's the restaurant area," She said knowledgably. "And on the opposite side, that's the general food court. Those are the toy stores to the left of that, and the jewelry store in right there, and-"
"This is a building as tall as a redwood tree…" Luna commented in amazement.
"There are dress salons…" Crystal let go of her newfound friend, spread out her arms and spun around, giggling.
"And those look like libraries…" Luna said, glancing to her right.
"It's like a palace, or a museum!" Crystal sighed dramatically.
"A hundred strong!" added Crystal's friends as more and more people joined their little 'chorus'. "There are wonders like you've never seen!"
"It's all grand…" Luna sang.
"That's clearly seen!" Crystal said, beaming at her. "I think we've found the place where we belong!"
"We wanna be in this hoi polloi…" The chorus containing of the random mallgoers sang. More of them were coming down the stairs, rushing to join in.
"So I'll be back for good someday…" Crystal sang loudly. "To make my life and make my way…"
"But for today," Luna joined in, and the crowd followed suit. "We'll wander and enjoy!"
"One short day
In the Hearthome Mall,
One short day
To have a lifetime of fun," The insane amount of people was all singing together.
One short day-"
"And we're warning the Mall," Luna and Crystal interrupted, singing together. Luna's soprano and Crystal's alto sounded perfect together.
Now that we're in here,
You'll know we've been here before we are done!"
Yes. It must have been masses of people singing and dancing for no reason on the bottom floor of the mall right then. It was one of those crazy moments you don't really know what happened, or that appears in a really weird musical.
"One short day
In the Hearthome Mall!" Everyone was singing at the top of their lungs.
One short day
To have a lifetime of fun
What a way to be seeing the Mall..."
And, at the crowd's heart, were the two new friends.
"Where so many roam to…" Luna laughed, looking around her.
"I'll call it home, too…" Crystal sighed, starry-eyed. The two looked at each other.
"And then, just like now,
We can say:
We're just two friends…"
The crowd came back in, singing and dancing loud and proud:
"Sharing one wonderful,
one short-"
Hekiashi pushed through the crowd, rolling his eyes.
"And everyone wonders why I hate High School Musical."
"Day!" Everyone sang together in conclusion, spinning each other around or heading back to where they came from.
Several hours later, our story finds its heroine in the middle of a shoe boutique as her newly acquired 'best friend' purchasing yet another item from stores in the mall. After the operatic Crystal had led her around in that general tour (complete with singing), shop after shop had the hyperactive girl dragged Luna into. Hekiashi, annoyed after having followed the two into too many dress shops, and detesting Crystal in general, had decided to go off on his own for a bit.
Crystal handed a pair of knee-height black boots to the cashier and began to dig around in her spangled pink purse for her spangled pink wallet. With a tone that was almost casual, she finally got to the subject she'd been wondering about since meeting them.
"So, Lu-Lu…Hekiashi, huh?"
Luna flinched at the derogatory nickname, but honored the question with an answer.
"He's not anything like that, Crystal."
"Are you sure?" Crystal said, flashing a dazzling smile as she exchanged with the cashier her money for the black boots. "Or, at least, you don't want him to be your boyfriend, do you? Because, abiding by the girl code, you CAN get him first."
Luna laughed. She was so NOT used to this question. The others at the Hall of Origin would have never asked, for fear of death. "Hekiashi? My boyfriend? Please. Get real."
Crystal shrugged. "If you don't want him, I'll take him, cute white hair and all." She concluded seriously. "You think he'll like these? Anyway," She added, tucking the shoes into her oversparkly purse. "I think you're crazy. Any of my friends in this mall right now would, seriously, like, die to go out with him."
Luna cracked another smile. "You like him?"
"Psh- yeah!" Crystal said enthusiastically. "He's the freaking hottest guy I've seen in the mall all day! Rawr!"
Luna's expression changed.
"You talk about guys like they're party favors, Crys."
Crystal giggled delightedly. "Sister, you've got a lot to learn, and I can teach you. Luna, in this mall, boys are party favors. You just have to get the right ones." She thanked the cashier with another smile and strolled out the store.
Luna followed her, the thoughtful expression lingering on her face.
H/P