Johnny
Johnny is surprised that he didn't think of this sooner. All day yesterday and most of the night which he spent tossing and turning because his brain wouldn't want to shut up. He kept thinking about rehearsals and his favorite songs and the youth center he wants to build the garage into, and only at around dawn it hit him.
A charity concert!
He tried to get some sleep after that, but was way too excited. He almost called Mr. Moon right away, but then he remembered that just because he's awake doesn't mean everyone else is, too.
So he spent the time until he could dare to show up at the Moon Theater making notes on what the charity concert would be like, of the artists he wants to ask to join - to be precise, the same group that did the concert in the ruins of the old theater, because, to be honest, it's a great group - and what he wants the youth center to be like in case anyone asks.
In the end he spent more time on this than he intended because now that he's finally on his way to the theater, it's almost noon.
But he couldn't care less. He has an idea and he just needs to talk to Mr. Moon about it. With his help, Johnny is sure the charity concert is going to be a success.
He meets Ms. Crawly on his way up the stairs. That's a bit unusual. She usually doesn't leave the theater before office hours ends.
"Hello, Ms. Crawly!" he greets her. "Is everything okay?"
"Oh, hello, Johnny!" She smiles at him. "Of course it is!"
"Then why are you leaving?"
"Mr. Moon is so happy with my work he made a reservation at a restaurant for me for lunch."
"Oh, that's nice of him. So he's in?"
"Yes, in his office, as always."
"Well, then have a nice lunch, Ms. Crawly!"
"Thank you! And Johnny," - she gestures for him to lean down so she can whisper in his ear - "if you want some hot chocolate, I hide the good chocolate mix in the third drawer of my desk. It's just for you. Don't tell the others!"
"I won't!" he says with a smile. "Thank you, Ms. Crawly!"
"Anytime, Johnny! See you!"
He gently shakes his head on his way up the stairs.
He rushes into Ms. Crawly's office, planning on just running over to the door of Mr. Moon's office so he can talk to him as soon as possible, but his shoulder bumps into something, and there's a small yelp that somehow confuses him.
He just met Ms. Crawly on the stairs. So who else could be in here?
Johnny quickly looks around and realizes he bumped into a small step ladder and on top of it stands a snow leopard girl, holding on to the ladder as if it were for dear life.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" he says quickly, grabbing the ladder to stabilize it. "Are you okay?"
"Y-yes," the girl says, but her eyes are squeezed shut, so he isn't quite convinced.
Also, she mumbles something that sounds like "Shouldn't have looked down".
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
He would have asked again, but this moment, the door of Mr. Moon's office is opened.
"Hello, Johnny! I thought I heard your voice!" The koala looks up at the snow leopard and frowns. "Cia, what are you doing up there?"
"Ms. Crawly said the documents in these binders need to be organized alphabetically," the girl replies, her eyes still closed and with some hitch in her voice.
"But those are the binders for accounting!" Mr. Moon says a little too loudly. "Organizing them alphabetically doesn't make any sense!"
"I know!"
The koala sighs. "Cia, get down that ladder. I need you to get a hold on Eddie. I have something to talk to him about. He should be backstage somewhere."
"But Ms. Crawly said…"
"I'll deal with Ms. Crawly, okay?"
"O-okay."
And then the snow leopard climbs down the ladder so slowly, setting each foot carefully that for a moment, Johnny thinks Ms. Crawly would have been faster about it.
When he bumped into the ladder he must have scared her to death. It makes him feel guilty, so he remains standing at the ladder and holding it steady until the girl is down.
He can hear her sigh when her feet finally meet the floor, and she opens her eyes, too. Must have been difficult to climb down a ladder with your eyes squeezed shut. But yet again, he was the one who bumped into the ladder, so who is he to judge?
"Johnny, this is Cia," Buster Moon introduces the girl to him. "Cia, this is Johnny!"
Cia looks at him. "Hi," she says with a little wave of her hand.
"Hi!" he replies with a smile.
"Cia is helping Ms. Crawly with the office work," Mr. Moon explains.
"I'll try to find Eddie now, and if Ms. Crawly comes back …," Cia starts, but Mr. Moon interrupts her. "I'll tell her you had to run an errand for me. Don't worry."
"Okay, thank you, Mr. Moon! Bye, Johnny!"
"Bye, Cia!" Johnny replies and then Cia is out of the office on her way to find Eddie.
"Sooooooo," Mr. Moon drawls. "I get it there's something you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh, oh yes, there is!" Johnny says quickly and rushes over to join Mr. Moon in his office.
"I think a charity concert is a great idea," Mr. Moon says with an approving nod. "Any ideas how what exactly to do?"
"Plenty," Johnny replies.
"Artists?"
"The same group back from our first concert. We seem to do well together."
The koala nods again. "Agreed."
"So you think it's doable?"
"Positive. I mean it can boost the theater and all your careers while in the same time it can get you money for your youth center. Do you want it to take place at the garage? This could add some special touch to it."
"That's an awesome idea, Mr. Moon! I didn't think of that!"
"I could come over tomorrow so we can think of a way how it would work best."
"That'd be great!"
"No fees for the artists, am I right?"
"Correct."
"Mike isn't going to like this."
"No, he isn't."
Then Mr. Moon shrugs and they both laugh.
On his way home Johnny couldn't be any happier. He found a way to make the youth center become reality. And he is going to work hard to make it happen. For sure, he is!