Flannery's POV
The next week we had to go back to school so Aquanette and I took the time off to plan Griffon and Kari's party.
"Okay so now that we know the younger twins are party animals…" I said tapping a pencil against my temple.
"Not as big as us though" Aqua said.
"Oh of course not we're the party princesses" I said giving her a high five. "So since we're throwing a costume party Griffon and Kari can pick what they want to go as but what about us?" I said. It may have been the younger twins' birthday but Aqua and I had to coordinate.
"Hmm…Skittles!" Aqua said."Skittles?" I said confused.
"Yea! We get a pink T-shirt for you and light blue T-shirt for me we dye our hair and paint 's' on the shirts." Aqua explained.
"It's genius! It's so simple yet it's not!" I said getting excited. Then Daddy walked downstairs walked downstairs with little man.
"Hey girls is your mother back yet?" Daddy asked.
"No she's still out running errands" I said.
"Hey Daddy can we turn the baby into a gumdrop?" Aqua asked.
"Why?" Daddy said confused.
"Because we want to throw Griff and K a costume party and Flannery and I are going as candy" Aqua said.
"You're going as candy?" Daddy said still confused.
"Yea I'm going as a strawberry skittle and Aqua's going as a blue raspberry skittle" I said with a shrug.
"Okay but to answer your question the baby isn't going to the party" Daddy said.
"Oh c'mon Daddy how he is going to be the prince of party if he's being babysat all the time?" Aqua said.
"Yea he should be like his role models" I said.
"His role models?" Daddy said.
"Us duh" We said.
"My mind's made up girls" Daddy said before walking back upstairs.
"He is such a party pooper" Aqua said shaking her head.
"Don't worry he'll come around they all do" I said.
A few weeks later we had to pass out invitations but we didn't want to do it front of Griffon and Kari so as Thatch and Simon walked by we pulled them aside.
"Yo twins what's the deal?" Thatch said.
"Go in there and pull Griff and K out so we can pass out these invites" Aqua said holding up the box.
"Fine" Simon said. The boys walked into cafeteria and gave us the signal to walk in. We climbed onto the table and caught everyone's attention.
"Yo! Listen up! There is going to be a big party at club paradise for Griffon and Kari Mustang and you all better be there!" Aqua said. "It's a costume party so you better come up with something good and bring a present!" Aqua said.
"Now come and get your invites!" I said holding up a couple of invites. This was going to be the best party ever.
The night of the younger twins' birthday Aqua and I were doing our make up. I had dyed my hair pale pink and Aqua dyed her hair pale blue our shirts, eye-shadow, lip gloss, bracelets, and matched our hair.
"Alright sis the finish touch" Aqua said handing me a bow made out of skittle wrappers. Mine were pink and I put them on the ties of my ponytails and Aqua put hers on her side ponytail. We walked downstairs and Daddy was dressed a king and Mommy was his queen
"Okay then girls we're going to go drop Roy Jr. off at my grandfather's house and then we'll meet you at paradise" Mommy said before they walked out.
"Alright then let's call on the birthday girls" Aqua said.
"Griffon, Kari, Megan let's go before Aqua drives your car!" I said.
Aqua shot me a look "Must you hurt my pride?"
"It's okay Aqua I know you can drive" I said.
"Thanks I guess" Aqua said with a shrug.
"Okay we're here" Griffon said as they walked downstairs. Griffon was a rainbow fairy princess, Kari was a jester, and Megan was a genie like Jasmine from Aladdin
"I'm so glad Aria's dad made the celebration of his club a costume party" Kari said.
"Yea I know I love costume parties!" Griffon said. "What're you suppose to be?"
"We are skittles" I said wrapping my arms around Aqua's shoulders.
"We are tasting the rainbow" Aqua said.
"And it taste very good" I said.
"Wow you guys concern me" Griffon said rubbing her temples
"Let's go we can't be late" Aqua said.
I held my breath as we walked through the doors & the young twins were greeted with happy birthdays.
"Flannery!" Griffon growled.
"Aquanette!" Kari hissed.
"We said we wanted…"
"A small, simple party."
"Not some big thing." They scolded together. "Can't you listen to what people tell you?"
Thatch & Simon came to our rescue, walking up to greet their girlfriends. "Hey, don't you look beautiful." Thatch commented.
"You two were in on this?" Griffon asked.
"Of course we were. We had to in order to make sure Aqua didn't mess anything up." Simon kidded.
"Well, I must say, you guys do a good job." Kari said with an approving grin.
"But we will get you for this later." Griffon continued.
"Oh definitely!" Kari agreed. She turned to the DJ balcony. "What do we have to do to get some music in here?" She called up to Aria.
"On it Kari!" Aria called back. She turned on the music & everyone began to talk & move around to get to people they wanted to talk to.
The Tolberts, Abby & her little sister Ally, were the first to pop up in front of us. Abby hopped up & down in her Siamese cat costume. "Oh my goodness. Have you seen your sister & Aria's brother?"
"They are so adorable." Ally squealed.
"Is it just me, or do all of you have costumes that go together in a way?" Abby asked.
I looked around. Griffon had confessed she was dressed as Lita from Megan's book & Thatch said earlier that he was planning on dressing up as Lance, which he was. Kari was a jester & Simon was a magician. They did have similar costumes.
"Well, I know we didn't plan it." Kari shrugged. "I guess it's just a coincidence."
"Well, Ozzie is dressed like Aladdin with a real monkey! Can you believe the chances?" Ally cooed. "It's so adorable."
I leaned closer to the others. "Imagine what Isaac is going to say."
"Where are Alex & Marth?" Aqua asked when the Tolberts were gone.
Simon pulled his phone out of his hat & sent someone a text. "Hold on!"
"Alex & Marth Bennet to your girlfriends. Alex & Marth Bennet to your girlfriends." Aria announced into the microphone. "Thank you."
Kari & Griffon giggled at the announcement. "Nice going Simon!"
In about a minute flat, Alex & Marth were standing with us in their costumes.
Griffon's POV
No matter how mad I was at them, I had to admit they do a good job of setting things up. "Well, I guess they did a pretty neat job."
"Are you kidding?" Kari asked. "We have the best sisters in the world."
"They're-" I began.
"Not officially our sisters…" Kari interrupted. "Yet, Sister dearest. They will be by the end of the night."
"You didn't seem to mind before now." Thatch noted. "What's up?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Just the usual nagging conscience. Are you guys sure we should have those papers signed?"
"Of course." The twins & Kari yelled.
I shrugged & walked off. "I'll be right back." I looked around for something to drink.
"I'm Travis. I don't think I saw you at the New Years party." I heard a voice say.
I turned around to see who he was talking to.
"I'm Mystic." The girl replied. "I was helping with refreshments & didn't have a lot of time to talk to people while I was there."
'Father Time' & 'Mother Nature' were over by a table of food. Travis was talking to one of the best girls for him. How sweet.
I walked over & whispered loudly. "Looks like the last single guy in our group won't be that way for long."
Travis turned around. "Hey, Griffon. Do you like the set-up?"
I pulled his fake beard off & tossed it in a trashcan. "Now I do. Sorry Travie, but you plus beard equals totally messed up!" I said with a shudder.
"So good to hear." Travis sighed.
"Hey, G!" Mystic called, popping up from behind Travis.
I smiled at her. "Hey, Mist. Hook yourself a fish?" I asked.
"A keeper." She answered with a wink. "You wanna dance with me, Travis?"
Travis nodded. "Sure."
Mystic giggled as he walked her over to the rest of the costumed characters. "See ya later, Griffon."
"This ought to be good." I smirked & picked up some chips from the table.
A snake boy popped up in front of me. "Enjoying the food?"
"Hey Zach, where's Pepper?" I asked. "Nice Evra costume."
"She's fixing her hair. She looks amazing though." Zach groaned. "If you like this, wait 'til you see Zane."
I nodded. "Can't wait."
"So, what about the food? Courtesy of Delawder Catering." Zach announced.
"It's great." I answered. "I think Zane's Seafood Nachos are still the best."
"Well, catering & the club are on the house." Zach winked. "Part of your present from the Delawder-Brahler bunch."
He walked away to go find Pepper & to leave me to my peace. I pointed out the craziest costumes & thought about who could actually win a costume contest. I pulled Thatch away from everyone else.
"Why are we not with everyone else?" He asked.
I shushed him. "I'll be right back. If anyone asks where I am, lie. Do not fall into the twins' glares."
"What? Where are you going?" He asked. "I have to have a reason before I can let you ditch your own party."
"I said I'll be back." I told him, running for the back exit. "Don't worry."
I walked out & down the street to this cool shop I had found. I walked in, bought some plastic trophies.
When I came back in through the back, I walked by Kari, pulled her along with me, & climbed up the stairs to the balcony.
"Hey guys. Need the mic?" Aria asked, turning to face us.
"Yeah. It might take a while Wolfie." I told her.
Aria moved to the doorway. "Go ahead. Aria 'Were'wolfe needs to get some soda."
I shook my head & waited while Kari turned the music off & everyone turned to see what the deal was. I stepped up to the sound system & took the microphone.
"Okay, as a thank you to all the people who put a lot of effort into your costumes…" I pulled out a trophy & set it down where everyone to see. Then I took my wallet & put a fifty inside it. "My sister, Kari, & I are going to hold a contest for those of you who really deserve it. If I call your name, come get your trophy after all the awards."
There were some cheers. Kari picked up a special remote that controlled the spotlights.
"Our first award is for one that can only go to the little kids here." I announced. "It's for cutest costume & goes to Frida Briers for her Rainbow Brite costume."
Kari adjusted the spotlight & wrote down her name before taking the mic from me. "Really, people, who could say no to that face?"
"Next is the best couple costume." I said. I set the microphone to where both me & Kari could talk into it. "It goes to none other than the adorable Jasmine & Aladdin couple, if you don't count the monkey, Ozzie Wolfe & Megan Mustang."
"Congrats you two." Kari cheered, adjusting the spotlight. She wrote down their names. "Don't they go together perfectly?"
I sighed & held up another trophy. "This goes to both Flannery & Aquanette Mustang for 'Most Original.'
"Who else would dress up like Skittles?" Kari turned on a second spotlight so she could pick them both out of the crowd.
"Spookiest person here is definitely Pepper Macquarie & her Shark Attack victim costume, which gives me the creeps even now."
I whispered the next one to Kari so she could say it. "Next goes to the news crew of C.J. Maynard, Jesse Meyers, Seth Vicks, Taylor Wilcox, & Andrew Childers for the best group costume."
"Most Detailed costume goes to Zane Delawder for going all out on his Nightcrawler costume."
"Ally Tolbert gets the award for Simplest Costume, considering all all the clothes she got for her hippie costume were just randomly picked from her older sister's closet."
The crowd laughed, even if they were from a different school. I smiled & held up another trophy.
"Funniest Costume is for Daley Andrews's Deviled Egg costume." I groaned. It deserved an award, even if the person I hated was wearing it. White clothes with a yellow circle on her stomach, red horns, a red pointed tail, & a pitchfork.
"That must hurt your pride." Kari said, out of the microphone's range.
I nodded & picked up the last trophy. "Oh, so much. So badly."
Kari took it from me & passed me the spotlight remote. "Our final award, for the classicalist costume? Most classical? However you say it, it goes to Officer Bennet. I think every year, I see about twenty police officers now. More often than vampires & werewolves & Frankenstein's Monsters. So Marth Bennet, you are our winner."
"Not yet." I grabbed the final trophy, also the biggest, & held it up. "I want all of you to come up here & vote on who has the best overall costume that you've seen here tonight. It will be announced before we leave at the end of the night."
"Why did you do that?" Kari asked.
I shrugged & started down the stairs. "I got bored & this is the only thing I could think of. Did you get all the names?"
"Is it okay if I left Daley off?" Kari wondered.
I sighed, passing a trophy to Frida. "Unfortunately, no."
Kari took some trophies to pass out & walked away.
Kari's POV
"Here you go guys." I called as I passed out the trophies to Taylor & his friends.
They all patted my back & shoulders. "You new twins are really cool. Who else would give things out on their own birthday?" Seth asked.
"It's no problem. Griffon's the one who came up with the idea. Thank her if you get the chance." I told them.
"We will." They called.
I walked up to Daley & forced a smile. "Hey, Daley. Here's your award."
"Thanks." She said. "It'll be even better once I get what I really want."
I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You know? Once I get Thatch with me, of course." She answered with an evil smirk. "He'll be mine by the end of this party."
I picked the fifty dollar bill out of the trophy. "I'd like to see you try."
"It's a deal. I know for a fact that I will make Griffon & Thatch's relationship over." She told me. "She won't have a chance at getting him back when I'm through."
I walked away from her, tipping my feathered hat. "Like I said, I'd like to see you try."
After a few more dances, I walked over to the food table & picked up a piece of cherry chip cake. Next thing I knew, people were staring at the girl walking out of the bathroom dressed as Jessica Rabbit. "Daley Andrews, you little…ugh!" I growled.
"I know just who to call" I said pulling out my cell phone. I texted the older twins a quick message and they quickly ran over to me.
"Is there a problem here Daley?" Flannery said.
"Oh no, no problem at all it'll be good once Thatch becomes my boyfriend and if that doesn't work I can always go for Alexander or Marth" Daley said.
"There's one little problem about that all three of them are taken by us and Griffon" Flannery said.
"And they plan to stay that way and until you get one of these" Aqua said as the twins displayed their promise rings. "Then you can step to us"
"Oh I won't have to worry about that because one of those rings will be on my right ring finger and then it will move to my left ring finger" Daley said. "Now why are you girls hassling me? Security!" Daley said.
"Oh look Aqua she wants security" Flannery said.
"Well Flannery let's get them for her" Aqua said.
"Lets" Flannery said. The twins reached into their pockets and pulled out name tags but instead of their names on them it had the word 'security' "Now Ms. Daley is there a problem?"
"Uh no" Daley said slightly embarrassed.
"No I do believe there is, Flannery do you remember giving Daley an invite to this party?" Aqua said.
"No of course not if Daley would have asked for one we would have said no" Flannery said.
"Oh we wouldn't have just said no we would have said hell no! Now Daley may we see your invite?" Aqua said.
"Fine but I don't see what the big deal is" Daley said handing the invite to Aqua.
"Uh-huh just as I thought" Aqua said. "It's a fake"
"Fake?" Daley said getting nervous "Whatever do you mean?"
"Well Aqua and I made the invitations so it's our handwriting" Flannery said.
"But to make sure someone we didn't want to get into the second-most exclusive party of the year we put a pink dot on all of the invites and it just so happens that yours does not have a pink dot on them meaning yours is a fact" Aqua said.
"Now it is your choice you can either be arrested for trespassing or you can walk out of her with a little of your pride" Flannery said.
"…Fine! But this isn't over!" Daley said before storming out. Flannery walked up to the door.
"And by the way where'd you get that dress? I've seen better rags at the circus" Flannery said before closing the door.
"You just had to do it didn't you?" Aqua said.
"Yea kinda" Flannery said with a shrug.
Thus, one threat is eliminated. Now to face another. "Thanks you two. And there is nothing wrong with circus clothes."
"Of course there's not." Flannery patted my shoulder.
I sighed. "And you're only saying that because I'm dressed as a jester."
"Oh yeah." Aqua agreed. "But we love you anyway."
"Just great." I rolled my eyes. "Have you guys seen Griffon?"
"Below the balcony with Thatch to collect votes." Aqua answered with a shrug.
I nodded & walked away to go check with her.
Roy's POV
I walked up the stairs to the balcony. "Aria, it's nearing the end of the night."
"Way ahead of you King Ronald." Aria said, turning around to face me. "And yes, I'm only kidding."
"Okay, let's see the music." I looked over her shoulder at the playlist.
Aria plugged a few cords in & handed me a pair of headphones. "The songs are based on what Mr. & Mrs. Heights liked. Ulysses was a country fan, but I bet you knew that already. Take a listen."
I listened to the songs as they came. "Let me see. 'I Loved Her First' by Heartland, 'My Wish' by Rascal Flatts, & 'Stealing Cinderella' by Chuck Wicks."
"Yeah. I talked to Freddie & he said those were the songs that Ulysses would've liked." Arai smiled & turned down the music. "The papers have been signed, right?" I nodded. Aria pressed a button & spoke into the microphone. "Attention all party-goers: Kari, Griffon, & Megan are officially Mustangs!"The kids below cheered as Aria maneuvered the spotlights to shine on the girls.
"The winner of the costume contest is…uh." She bent over the edge of the balcony & dropped the microphone into Thatch's waiting hand.
"The winner is Aria 'Were'wolfe." Thatch cheered. "Way to go." He tossed the mic back up to her.
"Really?" She asked. "Sweet. Thank a bunch, dudes & dudettes. Finally, as the night comes to a close, it's time for you to clear the floor for the young twins, their parents, & their boyfriends."
I walked back down to the floor & held my hand out to Griffon. "Shall we?"
Griffon, who was in front of the other twins, paused. Aqua gave her a push & she walked the rest of the way. "Sure." We started to dance to the first song. "So, I guess you're my papa now, huh?"
I chuckled. "In a way. But, you don't have to call me that, you know."
"I want to." Griffon assured me with a smile. "It helps me remember my real papa."
The song ended & Kari danced with me next until finally, I walked her & Griffon over to where Thatch & Simon were waiting. "Take care of them." I told the boys before walking out of the open area with Riza.
Megan's POV
"Are you sure, Ozzie?" I asked, holding Griffon & Kari's present carefully.
Ozzie linked his arm with mine. "Of course, after what you went through to get them, I'm sure the new twins will love them."
We walked over to Griffon & Kari, who were carrying some presents out to Griffon's car. "Hey, Meggie. What's that?" Kari asked.
"Why haven't you opened any presents?" Ozzie asked.
I shrugged. "It's a family thing. We don't exactly like to open the presents at the party."
"That's a little strange, but cool at the same time." Ozzie commented.
"Anyway, we would really appreciate it if you could open our present while Ozzie is still here." I explained, holding the covered box out to them.
Griffon set down her boxes & took the cage, pulling off the sheet that covered it. "Aw, they're so cute." She gasped.
"Field mice?" Kari asked, bending down to eye level with the one closest to the side. "I love field mice."
"So you like them?" Ozzie & I wondered.
Griffon & Kari opened the door & one of the mice crawled out onto Griffon's hand & the other one ran onto Kari's. "Of course. I remember, we used to try & catch field mice before we got sick."
"What'd I tell you?" Ozzie gloated.
I crossed my arms. "Oh, go play with your monkey."
"Thanks Oz." The new twins said. They each gave him a hug & his on the cheek. They walked back over to me. "You too, Meggie."
After that, they put the mice back in the cage & went back to carrying things out. I went up to bunica & stood beside her while she watched them. "Aren't you going to give them the books?" I asked, pointing at the four books in her hands.
"Later Megan. Things do not always have to happen quickly." Bunica told me.
I nodded. "I know that. I just get impatient."