A/N: YES! FINAL CHAPTER HAS ARRIVED! IT TOOK MONTHS BUT I FINALLY FINISHED IT! I AM SOOO HAPPY! ...umm...okay...Well, not much to say except, uh...ENJOY!
"Ughhh…." Cierra groaned groggily the next morning. She slowly blinked her eyes open as sun poured in through her bedroom window. She groaned, let out a huge yawn, sat up in bed and stretched. "Ohh, my head," she said still half asleep, "What happened last night?" She looked around her room for any sort of clues and her half-lidded eyes became fully awake as she noticed her dress was missing.
Her shock became frustration as she immediately realized who was responsible.
"Kobi…." she growled.
Meanwhile, Kobi stood beside Butters as he placed the finishing touch on their project.
"Well….It took the entire night," Kobi said sleepily, "...but it's…." she gave a huge yawn, "...absolutely gorgeous."
"Mm-hmm…." Butters nodded sleepily.
"Now, then," Kobi said slightly more alert, "all we need to do now is-"
At that, they heard a loud pounding at the front door and frantic doorbell ringing.
"Kobi!" Cierra said in a loud, firm voice.
Kobi was now completely awake.
"Well, that was easy," she said quickly. "Hurry, Butters!" she turned towards him, "Put the sheet over it!"
Butters grabbed a large white sheet and did as he was told. Kobi lifted the sheet up just enough to show the hemline of the dress before snatching Butters' hand and leading him to behind the couch.
"You sure she'll like it?" whispered Butters,
"Certainly!" Kobi whispered back, "and if not...I have a backup plan." she added with a wink.
As they hid, Cierra came into the den with a very unhappy look on her face.
"Kobi!" she called, "Where are you?! I know you took my dress!"
Kobi put finger to her lips to signal to Butters to be quiet. He nodded to her in agreement.
"Kobi!" Cierra called again. She came face to face with something under a large white sheet. She then looked closer and saw the bottom of her dress sticking out. She rounded on it immediately and threw the sheet off. As her dress came into view, Cierra's frustrated frown became an awestruck gape. Her dress was finished, decked out with both gold and silver in its decorative features. The neckline was thick ribbons of gold on the outside and silver bodice was sporting a gold and silver floral applique and the waistline was a shining ribbon of gold fabric. Stylized silver stars were scattered above the skirt's bottom and the bottom hem matched the neckline but with gold above it and silver lining the bottom.
Kobi smiled as she peeked at Cierra from her hiding place and took Butters' hand once again.
They both jumped from behind the couch and yelled, "SURPRISE!"
Cierra turned sharply to face them.
"Kobi? Butters?"
"Hi, Cierra," Butters waved nervously.
"How do like the finished product?" asked Kobi with a big smile.
"Wait….You….? You did this?" asked Cierra.
They both nodded.
"Together?" she asked in disbelief.
"We said we were going to do this together," said Kobi, "and I think it came out splendidly, don't you?"
Cierra blinked still confused.
Butters nudged Kobi and she rubbed her arm gently, "I know, I know," she said softly to him. She faced Cierra again. "Cierra-chan…I-" she took Butters hand and led him forward, "-we want to apologize."
"Yeah," said Butters, "we both wanted to help with the dress and all, but we were too busy being all shitty to each other."
"Indeed," said Kobi, "Our behavior was completely shitty." She looked to Butters again. "But to be fair," Kobi placed a hand on his chest, "I'm mostly to blame for any hostile behavior exhibited."
"Huh?" Cierra raised an eyebrow.
Kobi looked away nervously but Butters gave her an encouraging look. She took a deep breath and came closer to Cierra. "Cierra-chan….I haven't been completely honest with you."
"What'dya mean, Kobi?" asked Cierra.
"The reason I came in the first place…." said Kobi, "...wasn't just for a visit…"
"Uh-huh…." said Cierra.
"I….might've intended slightly more nefarious plans for this visit…." Kobi said in a strained tone.
"Like….?" said Cierra raising an eyebrow.
Kobi winced a little and struggled to get the next few words out. "Maybe….purposefully drive a wedge between you and Butters?" she said quickly with a nervous laugh.
"Kobi…." Cierra shook her head.
"I know! I know! It was a terrible thing to do!" Kobi wailed. "I just couldn't help myself, Cierra-chan! I was just-" Kobi hesitated.
"Just what?" Cierra asked. "Jealous? After all the years we've been friends?"
"No! No, no, no, no, no!" Kobi insisted but backpedaled, "Well...yes, but NO! That's not why!"
"Then why?" asked Cierra.
Kobi held herself sadly and Cierra saw a few tears escape her eyes.
"I had nothing against Butters, personally, it's just…..things haven't exactly been ideal since you left New York, darling," Kobi began. "After you left, many of our old friends, Connie, Talia….they abandoned me."
"Abandoned you?" said Cierra, her face showing a concerned look.
"Yes….You know I've always been the life of the party," she forced a laugh for emphasis but still sounded tearful, "well….it's been a rather daunting task smiling everyday at school…." a few more tears began to stream down her face, "...only to cry once I'm home."
Cierra gasped softly and looked even more concerned.
"And well... apparently no one liked sad Kobi," she laughed tearfully again.
"Oh…" Cierra said softly.
"And….and when you began telling me about Butters, at first I was glad you'd made a friend so soon after leaving," said Kobi "but….I guess I was just afraid that..." she tensed up and continued sadly. "I didn't want the two of you to not be friends. I just….didn't want you to abandon me too."
"Kobi…." Cierra whispered.
"Everyone just wants me to cheer up….get over the fact that you've moved away but….I just can't help missing you all the time," she said woefully.
"But….why didn't you tell me?" asked Cierra.
"I knew you had to leave for your own safety," said Kobi, "I didn't want you to feel guilty." Kobi confessed. She looked down at the floor sadly. "You've already cried so much, Cierra-chan….I didn't want you to cry over me."
Butters looked to Kobi and put a hand on her back. Kobi looked up at him and he pointed to Cierra, who now looked at her friend with tearful eyes.
"Oh, Kobi…." said Cierra. She quickly came to Kobi and threw her arms around her in a huge hug. She pulled away and finished her thought. "...What kind of friend would I be if I didn't cry for you?"
As the tears in Cierra's eyes gently fell, Kobi's eyes soon produced new tears and she smiled and sobbed happily as Cierra and she held each other. Butters looked on with a smile and started to leave the two girls alone but he felt a tug on his sleeve and Kobi pulled him into the hug with her and Cierra. They all shared a group hug for a while until Cierra finally broke it.
"I meant what I said, though," said Kobi, "I do love making new friends. And well….you'll be happy to know, Cierra-chan, that I've made a new friend….Butters!" she squealed happily.
"Really, Kobi?" asked Cierra.
"Oh, yes," she nodded proudly, "After what happened yesterday, I'm sure the two of us will be inseparable...Right?" she asked while turning towards Butters.
"Mmmm….maybe," said Butters nonchalantly.
"Huh?" Kobi asked worriedly, "But-But Butters, I thought-"she began until she saw Butters' mischievous smirk. Kobi returned the smirk, playfully shoved him and said, "Why, you….!"
And they all began to laugh until Cierra chimed in with, "W-wait a minute...what did happen yesterday?"
Butters and Kobi quickly looked to each other and said, "Nothing!" in unison.
"Guys…." Cierra said accusingly while folding her arms.
"Don't worry about it, Cierra," said Butters suddenly letting out a huge yawn. "Trust me, it's all okay now."
"Yes," said Kobi with a matching yawn, "everything is just...fine," she said sleepily.
"Are you guys okay?" asked Cierra.
"Oh….just a bit tired," Kobi admitted. "We were, after all, working on the dress all night."
"All night?!" said Cierra, "you two must be exhausted!"
"No sweat," Butters said groggily, "It was a…." he let out a another yawn, "...labor of love."
"Well," said Kobi as she rubbed her hands together and walked towards the dress, "What do you say about packing up this masterpiece and sending in?! The deadline is tomorrow!"
"Yeah!" said Cierra lifting the dress off the mannequin. "If we hurry, we can beat the rush at the post office for supplies." Cierra put the dress on a hanger and into a plastic dry cleaner bag and began heading for the door. "Then, I think maybe you guys should come back and take a nap," she turned back to her friends, "I bet you're really-" but before she could finish her thought, Cierra's eyes went wide in surprise, before her face settled into a gentle smile as she witnessed her two friends sleeping on the floor side by side. As they slept, Cierra silently snuck from the room with the dress in hand and as she left the suite, whispered, "Go ahead and rest, guys. You deserve it." Sam opened the door for her and they both left the suite to ship off the dress.
The next day, Butters and Cierra both gripped a suitcase tightly and heaved it into the back of Kobi's limousine. They both breathed heavily and wiped the sweat from their brows as Sam closed the trunk down.
"I'm gonna miss you, Sam," Cierra said sweetly.
Sam gave her an affectionate pat on the head at which Cierra chuckled.
The sound of doors opening was heard followed by a voice.
"You know you didn't have to do that," said Kobi. She came through the hotel's doors with Princeton clutched gently in her arms.
"'S no trouble, Kobi," said Butters.
Princeton meowed and leapt to the ground. He purred and cuddled up to Cierra's leg. Cierra smiled and stroked him from head to tail.
"Well….I suppose that's it then," said Kobi with her hands behind her back. "That was the last piece of luggage," she added sadly.
"Do ya really gotta go, Kobi?" asked Butters.
"Alas!" Kobi said dramatically draping her arm over her face. "I'm afraid so, Butters, dear." She peaked one eye under her arm and smiled. "But don't worry," she came closer to him and held him close. Butters hesitated but soon returned the gentle hug. "I'll be back," she said over his shoulder before pulling back into Butters' view. "As if I'd pass up an opportunity to visit my best friend," she gestured to Cierra, "and my…." she stopped and turned to look to Butters sweetly before finishing her thought. "...new friend," she said with a smile.
Butters returned the smile but got thrown for a loop when Kobi gave him a well-placed peck on the cheek.
"Mmmuah!"
As Kobi broke the kiss, she couldn't help but giggle as Butters' held the cheek she kissed and his entire face turned bright red.
"That's for….you know," she whispered to him.
Cierra giggled too. "Kobi always was the affectionate type," she said with another giggle.
"Guilty!" Kobi chimed. As Kobi rounded on Cierra, Princeton approached Butters and put his front paws on his knees, his big amber eyes looking up at him. Butters pet his head and he purred appreciatively.
"We're gonna miss you, Kobi," said Cierra.
"And you know I'll miss you!" Kobi cooed. The two girls hugged each other tightly and Kobi pulled away slightly to give Cierra a kiss on both cheeks and her forehead with a loud, smooch sound accompanying each one.
Cierra giggled at her friend, "Kobi…."
Butters looked on with wide, surprised eyes.
They both let out a happy "Mmm….." as they embraced one last time. Once they broke hug, Cierra and Butters followed behind her to her limoscene. Princeton hopped into the back seat and Kobi joined him. Sam closed the door behind her and headed to the driver's seat in front. As the limousine's engine turned over, Kobi peeked her head through her back window. She reached out her hands and took Cierra's in one and Butters' in the other. "Weep not for me, my darlings," she said in a dramatic, upper-class voice, "for we will meet again….Sayonara!" she chimed as she zipped back into the car and waved goodbye as the limo began to pull away from the hotel.
"Bye, Kobi!" Butters and Cierra cried as they waved goodbye to her.
A bit further down the road, when Cierra and Butters were out of sight, Kobi pulled her head back into the limo and pushed a button to close it. She gave a wistful but happy sigh and turned to a stack of papers beside her. She pressed a button on her intercom to Sam.
"Are these..?" she asked.
"Yes," Sam said dryly, "You're scheduled to begin after the holidays, Miss."
"Mmm!" she squealed, happily hugging the papers then releasing them to begin the task ahead of her.
"Name of student:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _" She saw printed at the top…...
A/N: Well, now that this story's done, what did you guys think?! Do you want to see Kobi come back? What was your favorite part or parts? Least favorite part or parts? Anything you wanted to see that didn't happen? What is next for Butters and Cierra's friendship? Who knows? All I know is...I need a break! If I don't start another story before then, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year! Thanks for reading and let me know how you like the story with a review! Bye! :)