Ruby Gloom
City of Panic
The gang felt completely out of the place here.
There they were,sitting at a corner table with gleaming cutlery on clean tablecloths and a silver candle casted its flickering light on them.
A fountain played in the corner.
They had starched napkins on their laps and were dressed at their best,considering this is a five-star restaurant with waiters in crisp black uniforms cruising between tables and fussing over the elagantly dressed diners.
The judge watched Ruby like a hawk as she sat next to his son who is the prince of the flowers.
Ruby was wearing a halter-neck black dress created by Jealousy.
Jealousy knew it would flatter Ruby's fair complexion.
In truth,Ruby felt that she wouldn't wearing the dress if it was to impress Skull Boy.
And if she remembered correctly,she was supposed to be a friend to his son,not his date.
But it was the only way to prevent Peter from going into writers' jail.
And Ruby would do whatever it takes to help her future friends made up her world.
Even with a golden crown adorned with delicate daisies,he was as tall as Ruby's thumb.
"So do you like your vanila ice-cream with rose petals,my fair lady?"he asked into a golden microphone so that Ruby could hear him.
"I'm so jealous!None of my dates ever brought me here!"Jealousy huffed as she attacked her pasta.
"You're not the only who is jealous!"Peter said as he glanced at Skull Boy who was glaring at the prince.
If looks could kill,the prince would have died on the spot.
Peter let out a long sigh and stopped plunging his spoon into his small mountain of chocolate ice-cream before preceding to what he wanted to say.
"This is all my fault,if I didn't criticize Guy De Maupassant,Ruby would not be dating the prince of flowers,
Skull Boy would not have broken 3144 spoons,
Misery would not be burning her ravioli with lightning bolts,
Iris would stop complaining to the restaurant manager about boring this place is
and Frank and Len would stop pigging out at the salad bar!"
He did not realize he was increasingly infuriating Skull Boy with each sentence.
"THIS IS THE LAST STRAW!"he said.
This caused a lot of people who were eating or conversing with their friends to stare at him with their jaws dropped.
Some of them even gave him black looks.
"Ermm...this a very private conversation."Skull Boy said as his cheeks turned pink.
The people still continued to stare at him.
"A VERY private conversation...?".
No change.
With his arms akimbo he yelled,"Can you PLEASE turn around and ignore us?".
After what seemed like an eternity they did but not without moaning.
One of them even said to her husband,"Gee,I hope when we have kids,they don't turn up like him...!".
Not hearing her,he gave a tongue-lashing to the judge.
"Peter is completely innocent and did not mean to offend Guy De Maupassant so there is no need for Ruby to go on a date with your son!Besides,I thought he is already engaged to Thumbelina?"
"It was broken after I tried to change her name to Maia...!"the prince said.
Seeing his crumpled face,Ruby felt sorry for him.
Now she understood why his father wanted her to date though she was 14 and he was,in human years,1200 years old.
"I agree with Skull Boy!"Iris said.
She stood up and placed her hands
"Me too!"Misery declare,pushing awather burnt ravioli.
"Count us in!"Frank said.
"YEAH!"By then the entire gang stood up.
"Fine,but Peter needs a lawyer who is at least 18 years old before he is judged!"
He knew he had hit them below the belt when he saw Peter's jaw dropped.
Again,Peter let out a long sigh.
"I guess I have no choice!Frank and Len will have to be my lawyer!"He admitted.
"WHAT?"Frank and Len exclaimed.
"We are doomed!"Jealousy said as she slapped herself on the forehead.
Ruby put her hand on her shoulder and said,
"We have to have faith in all,if you think they can,there will lots of great surprises!"
"That's what my great,great,great aunt said before getting hit by a car."Misery recalled.
"I hope you're right...!Iris said.
"Peter is innocent because..."Frank began scratching his ear he tried to think of an answer.
"...because he is innocent?"Len finished the sentence
Skull Boy nearly banged his skull against the table.
They looked at Ruby for support.
Sensing their discomfort,Ruby gave them a thumbs-up sign.
Now brimming with confidence,Frank continued,"Actually sir,one look at Peter and you can tell that he is a well-mannered would he need to say negative things about Guy De Maupassant?"
"Yeah!He said many people think that he is sloppy,rude and other bad was just saying what other people that he really meant it!"Len added.
The judge looked like a deer caught in the headlight.
He muttered angrily,"Peter is...innocent."