Chapter 21 – Secrets of the Endless Summer
Amitie's POV
"*pant* *pant* W-We're done…"
"F-Finally done…"
"Ja-ja-ja-jaan…"
As of right now, Ayumi, Jarne, and I were laying down on the floor of the employee break room too weak and exhausted to move. Moving all those boxes in this weird heat nearly killed us.
"Oh come on, guys. It wasn't that bad." Yu said to us.
"Y-You're only saying that because you're a ghost, Yu." Jarne complained.
"Hmm…maybe I am. Another reason to hate being alive, huh? *giggle*"
"Wh-When I regain all my energy, I am going to punch you."
"Can't really do that since I'm a ghost, Jarne."
"Grr…"
"You three do know that there are chairs right, KUMA!" Akuma asked as he entered the room as saw us on the floor.
"Yeah…but we were too tired to actually sit down. So we collapsed on the floor." I said.
"G-Geez, Gramps." Ayumi said. "You really are brutal when it comes to work. How did Mom go through this?"
"Well, for starters…she didn't call me Gramps, MA KUMA!"
"Not seeing the fun in that…"
"Hey, Akuma." I jumped in after regaining my breath. "Before Ayumi says something she'll regret later…"
"Hey!" Ayumi got insulted.
"…What did you find out about my hat?"
"Ah, yes. The hat. I did figure out what happened, but I must have everyone here first before I can reveal the cause."
"Everyone?" We all asked.
"Is it that bad?"
"I rather not say. At least not now. Gather everyone first, then I shall reveal the truth behind this strange heat, MA, KUMA, KUMAAAA!"
I honestly had a bad feeling about this. Could this Rainbow Puyo Hat be the cause of this strange heatwave? And why does Akuma want to wait until everyone is here?
I guess I have no choice but to do what Akuma asked.
"Alright. We'll start calling everyone." I said as I brought out my phone.
"Meet me in my office when you're done. And tell the others the same thing, KUMA!"
After Ayumi and I had made the phone calls and texts, I decided I would wait near the entrance for everyone to show up (I was NOT about to go outside again). And by "everyone", I mean the only people we had in our contacts. Meaning…
Raffina
Lidelle
Ally
Rafisol
Arle
Peruvis
Mom
…and that's about it.
I don't have either Sig or Klug's number (not because I'm a lesbian). And I'm pretty sure Feli will be with either Raffina or Rafisol. And no doubt Chu will be with Sig.
"Hey, Ami." Raffina said as she entered inside the museum.
"Hey, Raffi." I replied with a smile. We looked around to make sure no one was near us, then we quickly kissed each other on the lips. We were still a little scared from what Schezo said a few days ago. So we were learning to keep our affection under control. In public, I mean. Inside one of our houses is a whole different story.
"So what did Akuma want for us to come here so suddenly?"
"Well…it's about the Rainbow Puyo Hat."
"*sigh* Again? What did it do this time?"
"Well…"
"Hey, guys."
Right when I was about to explain to Raffina, the other's showed up. Lidelle and Ally first showed up. With Harpy and Seriri, for some reason. Lidelle said that Amira brought them over there to escape the heat. Which made Raffina understand why she was over there.
Right behind them were Arle, Sig, Chu, Peruvis, and…Chetta? I guess she spent the night with Chu or something. The two of them seem to be great friends.
And then bringing up the rear were Feli and Rafisol. Like with Chu and Chetta, I've noticed that they've become great friends too. I think this is the first time Rafisol's made a friend on her own. I think. I don't really remember.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, everyone." I said. "It's just that there may be a cause for this sudden heatwave. Akuma believes that it's because of the Rainbow Puyo Hat."
"What? You're saying your hat is the reason why it's so damn hot outside?" Peruvis asked.
"Well…we don't know that. Akuma wanted everyone here first before explaining anything."
"Wait. What a Rainbow Puyo Hat?" Sig asked. He, Chu, Chetta, Harpy, and Seriri looked confused.
"Right. You guys don't know about it."
"It's a really long story." Arle said. "Let's just leave it at that."
"I guess." The siblings answered.
"Meow…"
"Akaineko? What's with you?" Chetta asked her 2-dimensional red cat.
"Meow…MEOW!"
"Huh? You sense something? But I don't feel anything."
"Maybe it's just the hat." Ally suggested. "Or maybe Phoenix."
"Meow…"
"He said it's neither of those. He doesn't know what the hat is, and Phoenix has a different power surge from whatever this is."
"Meow meow…"
"He says that it's stronger than him too."
"What?! Stronger than me?! That's a load of crap!" Phoenix yelled as he came out of Peruvis' back.
"Ooh. Someone's jealous." Peruvis teased.
"Shut it, you!"
"Do you feel it, Feli? You can sense other-worldly stuff with those sticks, can't you?" Raffina asked her cousin.
"Okay, first off…they're dowsing rods! Not sticks! And second, I, uh…don't feel anything."
"Really? Then it's probably something only the cat can sense."
"Meow! Meow!"
"D-Don't say that, Akaineko!" Chetta yelled with a blushed face.
"What did he say?" Raffina asked, looking a little upset.
"N-Nothing! H-He didn't say anything!"
"Just let it go, Raffi." I said while calming her down.
"Hey, Amitie." I heard Jarne call out my name as I turned around to face her. "Akuma's asking what's taking so long."
"S-Sorry. We're heading there now."
"Jarne!" Harpy cheered.
"H-Hi, Jarne." Seriri stuttered.
"Harpy and Seriri?! You guys are here, too?!"
"Yep! We came out of a weird mirror thingy!" Harpy said.
"Weird mirror thingy?"
"Another long story." I said to her.
"I see."
"Anyway, let's head over to Akuma's office. He's waiting there."
"Uh, hold on. Where's the bathroom? I gotta go." Feli asked.
"Oh. It's down that hall over there."
"Onee-chan. I gotta go, too." Rafisol said to her sister.
"Really, Sis?"
Rafisol's only response was a simple nod.
"Well when you both are done, head over to the library and then head for the far back. That's where we'll be." I said.
"Okay, thanks."
The rest of us left Feli and Rafisol behind as we went to the library side of the building to get to Akuma's office. I wasn't sure if my hat really caused this heatwave. Or any of the other stuff that happened. But I was about to find out, whether I like it or not.
Feli's POV
"Are they gone?"
"Hmm…yep. They're gone."
"*sigh* Good. You can come out now.
"Whew. That was a close one. Almost got discovered by a cat of all things." Ecolo said as he appeared next to us.
"Why'd you even come back here, anyway?" I asked him.
"What do you think? After seeing what that hat did last night, I had to use it again for myself. The amount of fun I could have with that much power. It'll be endless! *giggle*"
"You were just going to use it for pranks?"
"Well, my material is getting stale, you know."
"I don't. And I don't care, either."
"Wow. Mean."
"Look, guys. We are in serious trouble. There's no doubt in my mind that we caused this heatwave. Why else did the hat flew to the sky last night?"
"How did we managed to change the weather like this?" Rafisol asked me.
"I'm not sure, Rafisol. I guess the love charm that I cast must've had a different reaction on the hat. What I do know is…we might have to come clean."
…
…
"Feli."
"Yeah, Rafisol?"
"Are you happy?"
"Huh?"
"We took the hat because you wanted to be happy like me. But we ended up doing something completely different and bad. I feel like it's my fault for making you unhappy around me. Maybe then, this wouldn't be happening." I saw Rafisol starting to tear up like she was about to cry. I didn't know that she could even feel guilty. But I knew that I had to stop her from crying.
Or else I would cry, too.
I grabbed hold of Rafisol and embraced her in a tight hug. Not long after I started to float. But I didn't care. My friendship with Rafisol was way more important than being a few feet off the ground.
"Rafisol…" I said after a few seconds of silence. "This isn't any of your fault. I know I sad that I was jealous of your happiness, but that was a mistake. I didn't want you to think that you're the reason I feel this way. It's not."
I then started hugging her tighter than before. More like how she hugged me last night in her bed.
"I just…I just want something good to happen to me. That's all. Why can't that happen to me? What am I doing wrong?"
I said that I wasn't going to cry…but I ended up crying anyway. I think this was the first time I've ever revealed something so personal about myself. But I'm glad that the first person I told was Rafisol. If I can trust someone to say something like that, it'll be her.
"Feli." Rafisol said. I looked up at her to see that she had a serious look on her face. Which was a rare sight for me.
"Feli. I promise."
"H-Huh? Promise what?"
"I promise…I promise that I'll make you happy somehow. You're my best friend. And I don't like it when my best friends are unhappy. I don't know how right now, but I'll make you happy again. I promise."
What Rafisol just said…it blew my mind. I didn't expect anything like that to come out of her mouth. But…it was sweet and touching. I felt my heart skip a few beats while trying to comprehend the words that I just heard from her.
I started hugging her even tighter than ever. Extremely grateful of the kind promise she made to me.
"Thank you…Rafisol." I whispered to her.
When we finally broke off from the hug and after whipping off the tears from my face…
"Uh…where's Ecolo?" I asked.
"Ow! Okay, okay! I won't take the hat for myself! Just let me go!"
"That sounds like his voice."
"Sounds like it came from the entrance. Come on, let's go."
"Okay, Feli."
When we got back to the entrance, we saw Ecolo…but he was being arm twisted by a red-haired angel girl wearing a colorful sundress. Come to think of it, she looks really familiar.
"Ecolo." Rafisol called out.
"G-Guys! H-Help me out here! Floré's gone total rage mode!"
"The only reason I keep going "total rage mode" is because you keep causing mischief! I bet you're the reason why it's so hot outside!"
"It's. Not. Just. Me! Ow!"
"Hey, wait. Aren't you the Student Council President?" I asked the angel girl.
"Yeah, that's me." She answered. "Oh, hey. It's you two girls. From the first day of school incident. You two are seriously friends with Ecolo now?"
"Yeah."
"More or less."
"See?! I was with them! Now let me go, Floré!" Ecolo complained.
"*sigh* Fine."
The angel let Ecolo's arm free and he flew over to our side rubbing his arm in pain.
"I remember seeing you girls twice during that day, but I don't think we've formally met. I'm Floré Hoshino."
"I'm Feli Kuromi." I said.
"Rafisol Kaneshiro."
"Nice to meet you both. This went a WHOLE lot better than that day I met that spoiled rich girl. God, I can't stand her."
"Uh…that "spoiled rich girl" is my cousin."
"Y-Your cousin?! You seriously put up with her?!"
"She just has a bit of a temper. Other than that, she's a good person."
"A "bit" is an overstatement." Floré said while gaining annoyed look. I guess just thinking of her makes her pissed off.
From one rival to the next. That's my cousin for ya.
"So what are you doing here anyway, Floré?" I asked.
"Well…I figured that this strange heat was caused by Amitie's Rainbow Puyo Hat. So I came here to see if she knows anything. Thing is, I've…never been to Primp before. So I was asking for directions when I stumbled across this place. That's when I found Ecolo here."
"Yeah. And gave me a painful greeting." Ecolo added.
"You deserved it."
"Geez. Why are you so mean, Floré?"
"Come to think of it, what did you mean when you said that it wasn't just you?"
"So you're going to ignore my question?"
"Yes. Now answer mine."
"*ugh*"
"Fine. Don't. I bet you lying, anyway."
"A-Actually, Floré…h-he's right." I said.
"Huh?"
"Th-The three of us took Amitie's hat last night and I used a charm on it for my own personal goals. But something else happened. As in, it started glowing and it flew to the sky. Then after a short while, it exploded like fireworks."
"Like fireworks?"
"More like a single giant one." Rafisol added.
"I see. And you believe that what you did caused the heatwave?"
"No doubt about it." I said. "And now, we have to tell Amitie and the others. Not sure how they'll take it, though."
"I see…" Floré said as she started putting all the information together in her thoughts.
"Are you going to be okay, Feli?" Rafisol asked me.
"To be honest, Rafisol…no. I'm kinda scared of telling everyone. I didn't tell you this, but I had a bad reputation back in my hometown. Now I feel like I'm going to have one here, too."
"Geez, what you do? Blow up a building?" Ecolo asked.
"N-No! M-More like…nearly destroying my house. Th-Thirty-six times."
"What the hell? what were you trying to do?"
"Th-That's personal girl stuff! You wouldn't understand."
"Fine. Be that way. I can just read your mind and find out myself."
"You better not!"
*POW*
"Ow!"
"Knock it off." Floré said after hitting Ecolo in the head.
"Sheesh. So many killjoys in this town."
"Anyway…Feli, you don't have to tell them."
"Huh? W-Wait, what?" I was confused and shocked.
"That Rainbow Puyo Hat…I doubt even Amitie herself knows its true power. Whatever that is. Sure, what you did was irresponsible. But that hat has powers unknown to the entire world."
"Woah…" Rafisol sounded amazed.
"Basically what I'm trying to say is…no one's going to suspect that someone took it for their own use. And if someone does, your secrets safe with me."
"R-Really?!" I shouted. "W-Wow! Thanks a bunch, Floré!"
"No problem. Just don't tell anyone we had this chat. Especially not your…cousin."
"You reallydon't like her, do you?"
"I know I'm the Student Council President and all. And I HAVE to like and respect everyone. But I just can't with that girl. She's such a pain in the ass."
"Two other people thought the same thing. But they ended up being her friends in the end."
"Huh. Well, I don't feel like that will happen with me anytime soon."
"This is why you have no friends, Floré.*giggle*" Ecolo teased.
"Sh-Shut up, Ecolo!"
"Yo! Feli! You and Rafisol still out here?"
"They must be done with the meeting." I said.
"Welp, this was fun. I'm outta here. See ya later, girls. *giggle*" Ecolo said before disappearing from us."
"H-Hey, Wait! Get back here!" Floré yelled.
"Bye, Ecolo." Rafisol said.
"You're not really helping, Rafisol." I said to her.
"Geez, there you guys are. You missed everything." Amitie said as her and the others came up to us.
"Yeah, sorry. We really had to go. Right, Rafisol?"
Rafisol gave a simple nod. Agreeing to the lie I made.
"I see."
"Wait a minute! Why the hell are you here, you angelic nuisance?!" Raffina yelled.
"I don't have to tell you a damn thing, rich ass! What I do on my own time is none of your business!"
"Well, you can take your "business" and get lost! Unless you wanna go the hard way!"
"You?! Threatening me?! You have no respect for authority figures, do you?! Someone oughta teach you some manners!"
"Grr…"
"Grr…"
Woah. So intense.
"Guys! Knock it off! If any of you break anything, it's coming out of my pay!" Amitie shouted at both girls.
"*sigh* Fine, Ami."
"Now I supposed that you came all the way here because of the Rainbow Puyo Hat right, Floré?"
"Yeah, I did." Floré answered. "This heatwave has been affecting all of Suzuran City as well. I figured that the hat did this."
"*sigh* Yeah. It caused it. Along with the other stuff as well."
"Woah, it's in Suzuran, too?! Just how big is this heatwave anyway?!" Ayumi asked.
"Really big. It looks like the entire country is affected from what I saw on the news this morning."
"Th-The entire country?!" I shouted in a panicked state of fear and guilt.
"Feli, you okay? you reacted pretty hard there?" Raffina asked.
"U-Uh…y-yeah. J-Just fine. It's just…shocking that a hat did this."
"I swear, my life keeps getting screwed over by hats. I think they have a grudge against me or something." Amitie said.
"Oh, come on, Ami. at least it's nothing like what the red one did." Ally said.
"The red one?" Floré asked.
"That's none of your business." Raffina said. "Only people who don't piss off others can know about it."
"Why you little…"
*SOUND OF A RINGTONE*
"*sigh* Now what?" Floré asked as she got her phone from her pocket. "Hello?"
"Floré-senpai!"
"Gah! Geez, Roco! I told you not to yell when on the phone!"
"Sorry, Floré-senpai. But I can't find Yoko anywhere. I'm lost and hungry. And I didn't bring any sandwiches, either."
"Wait, what? When did you get here?"
"I followed you."
"Roco!"
"Sorry. But I really wanted to see Yoko."
"Roco!" Harpy cheered as she flew over to Floré.
"Yoko! I'm lost! Where are you?!"
"I'm inside this weird building thingy. Why are you in this square box?"
"Square box? I'm not in a square box. Am I?"
"It looks square to me. That's probably why you can't find me."
"Oh, no! Yoko! Get me out of this square box!"
"Don't worry, Roco! I'll get you out of there!" Harpy yelled in a panicked state.
Then, without any warning to anyone, she smashed Floré's phone onto the floor. Causing it to break into a bunch of tiny pieces.
"Roco? Roco?! Are you here?! I still can't see you!" Harpy said as she started rummaging through the pieces of the broken phone.
"H-Harpy! You just broke my phone!" Floré shouted. Clearly upset.
…
…
"What's a phone?"
"*Depressed sigh*" Floré got onto the floor on both knees staring at her now destroyed phone. Her angel wings were down flat on the ground and her halo was slowly going dim.
I could hear Raffina giggling to herself. Clearly enjoying Floré's sorrow. But her enjoyment didn't last long. Because Amitie had elbowed her in the side. Causing her to wince in pain from her injuries.
Then I heard Rafisol giggle next to me. Her monotone makes it sound creepy, but I have the same problem. So I've gotten used to it.
"You find this funny?" I asked her.
"Yeah. Don't you?"
"Well…yeah, it's kinda funny."
"Feli. You're smiling."
"Huh?" I felt my face and realized that I was in fact smiling. "Wow. I am smiling."
"So you're happy now?"
I looked at Rafisol for a second, then looked away. But not before I grabbed her hand and held it tight. I felt her hand return the same grip I was giving her. Which gave me a warm and relaxed feeling inside me.
"Yeah, Rafisol. I'm happy now."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It finally returns! The continuation is now a go. I still going with my 50 chapter endpoint. But if I'm not satisfied with it by then…then I'm willing to write a 4th entry in the series.
Again, that's IF I feel like the story's not finished by chapter 50.
Feel free to review, favorite, and/or follow the story. Thanks for reading. Later.