(Takes place during "Last One Out of Beach City"; the day after "Future Boy Zoltron"; two days after "Mindful Education")
BRRRRRNNNNG!
Golden light spilled across a well-organized bedroom as the incessant noise continued.
Baritone grumbling and yawns followed as Kurtis bopped the clock on his bedstand into silence and semi-reluctantly got up, stretching his muscled arms with a satisfied groan. Yesterday had seen more customers than usual for the shop, a side effect of the late summer tourist peak before autumn kicked in, intense enough that even Lapis who had been only visiting at the time wound up helping out.
Ugh, sometimes Kurtis cursed his need for schedules. It was Saturday and all his final exams for this semester were done and awaiting grading at this point. Maybe sleeping in late just this once wouldn't hurt.
He shook his head at the thought. Forcing himself back into sleep had never been among his strong suits. 'Hard to wake up, hard to conk out,' his papá would always say.
Hmph, maybe I can sneak in a quick nap after breakfast. Yeah, I could probably get away with that.
A quick successful hunt for a shirt and pajama pants later, he went downstairs to the kitchen to discover someone already set out today's breakfast: scrambled eggs with orange slices and sliced bread (for toast) along with jelly and peanut butter to the side. Classic. Covering another yawn, Kurtis strolled towards the refrigerator for the strawberry kiwi juice, passing by Uma having tea with Ronaldo at the center table.
It took until he got the carton out and reached for the nearby cabinet for a glass that his brain fully registered.
Face blank and brows furrowed, Kurtis looked back at the table with suspended disbelief, to which Ronaldo gave a happy wave as if same old, same old.
One would think Kurtis would have detested his grandmother allowing a surprise intrusion, but then again, the elder woman constantly let in a space rock that could flood their entire home (and town) with a snap of her fingers, so any demands for an explanation in this case were moot by default. Besides, as far as unannounced guests went, Ronaldo was far from the most unwelcome.
If anything, Kurtis felt more along the lines of surprised curiosity.
Uma noticed her grandson's need for answers. "Did you forget, nuxwis? You promised your little friend here you'd scope out the cliffs for suspicious activity today!"
"I even got here early so as to minimize potential disruption to your schedule!" Ronaldo boisterously added, "Uma graciously allowed me entry after I debriefed her on the situation of course!"
Oh...right. A dark blush lit up Kurtis' face upon realizing he'd forgotten to tell Uma the exact same yesterday. He and Ronaldo had been hanging out up in the lighthouse after a long workday for both of them when the blogger had decided, for some random-ass reason, to initiate a food fight. A food fight Kurtis won, by the way.
He averted his eyes in embarrassment, about ready to apologize when Uma waved an assuring hand.
"Oh, it's alright, sweetheart. Now come, come, get some food, sit down! There's still plenty to go around!"
He finished up gathering what he wanted and joined the others at the table, taking a seat next to the Ronaldo so the blonde wouldn't feel the need to shout across the table at him.
It mildly worked.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Ronaldo burst out in the middle of a 'well-thought' plan for exploration. "You and I are going to a concert with the Cool Kids tonight!"
They were? Kurtis eyed Ronaldo in surprise and slight skepticism, unsure if the theorist might have heard wrong.
Ronaldo didn't take long to notice. "Jenny told me yesterday at Fish Stew Pizza and asked me to tell you. Can't blame her since you and I have been hanging out so much. She wasn't sure if you were done with your semester finals yet since you're so – and I quote – 'fussy about being timely and stuff'."
Okay nope, Ronaldo heard fine. Kurtis narrowed his eyes in soft accusation. "Then why wait until now to tell me this?"
Ronaldo paused in mid-bite and blinked. "You didn't see my texts?" he asked in genuine confusion through a mouthful of orange.
Kurtis blinked back as he realized no, no he hadn't, taken back at his own oversight and blushing again. Damnit, he'd been slipping lately.
"Eh, it's cool, senpai! There's sorta been a lull in unusual activity around here anyway, so it's okay for us to take a break from paranormal investigations, especially since sensei's been preoccupied with all that business with the other Ambers lately."
That last bit made Kurtis question if Amber should have told Ronaldo about that development – the blonde had a propensity for blabbing after all – let alone calling that 'emergency meeting' at the lighthouse tower two days ago after coming home from the Temple. Then again, Ronaldo kissed the ground Amber walked on so perhaps it had been the right call in the long run.
Either way, better safe than sorry, hence why Kurtis regarded Ronaldo with a stern look.
"I didn't post it to my blog or any social media, don't worry," the blonde replied in an easy tone. When Kurtis didn't let up, Ronaldo threw his shoulders and head back with a groan. "You heard me even promise sensei right there in the lighthouse. I physically can't be any more serious."
At Uma's cross look out of his peripherals, Kurtis sighed in defeat and frowned somewhat abashed. That had been a notable lack of faith he'd just demonstrated in his friend. "Sorry."
Thankfully, Ronaldo took the apology in stride. "Eh, no hard feelings, buddy." He forked a piece of egg from his plate and playfully wagged it. "I can always trust ya to keep the important stuff in mind and make sure I do the same."
Trust. Kurtis tried his best to ignore the heat in his cheeks. He'd improved in taking Ronaldo's compliments, but the extent of the blogger's admiration and respect for him could still prove disarming at times. As someone reputed (and rightly so) for being reliable, Kurtis was no stranger to someone trusting him– yet something about Ronaldo's felt different. Nicer.
The darker male shook his head to wave off these sappy thoughts. What was up with him today? Better change the subject. "So, when are they picking us up?"
"I think around 6. It's a little far out where the concert is, so it might take us a little while to get there."
Plenty of time to get ready after the 'expedition' then. Kurtis nodded before lounging back in his chair and popping the last piece of buttered toast into his mouth. Once they emptied their plates and stuffed them in the sink for Uma, Kurtis headed upstairs to change clothes while Ronaldo tailed close behind, chatting away about the latest episode of an anime the two boys had been following.
In a few minutes, they were out the door and down the sidewalk after a quick goodbye to Uma, Ronaldo still talking at his usual jubilant pace as his arms swung in time with his words. At this point, Kurtis tuned Ronaldo out like usual - not out of rudeness (unlike when their 'arrangement' first started) but more so because he'd acclimated to treating the other's voice like background music, something to keep him and his thoughts grounded throughout the walk.
Once at their destination, Ronaldo pulled a camera out of his pants' pocket before perusing the rock walls. Kurtis contented himself with watching his friend, hands in his jacket's pockets as he leaned against the wall. At one point, though, he noticed Ronaldo stalling in between movements and shots, his head turning in an aborted fashion as if to look back only to rethink.
"Need more space?" Kurtis asked with raised brows, head leaned to the side. "I can back up if you do."
The chubbier boy faced him with a surprised expression. "N-No, no! I'm cool!" He broke eye-contact for a hot second. "I'm just, uh..." Under his friend's patient gaze, the theorist knew there'd be no point in fibbing. He whined in defeat as his arms sagged, camera bouncing against his stomach. "I... sort of lied earlier. Sorry."
Oh boy. Kurtis crossed his arms, eyes hard and demanding answers.
"I-I wasn't lying about scouting the cliffs, but I also needed to talk to you about tonight." When Kurtis's countenance softened at the meek tone he adopted, Ronaldo forged ahead. "When Jenny asked me to tell you about their invitation the other day, I think she and the others only meant to invite you."
Huh? Kurtis leaned his head forward in confusion and a twinge of concern. "What makes you so sure of that?"
"Well, it's just that the Cool Kids are all cool and stuff. And like you-cool!" Ron gestured a palm to Kurtis and then to himself. "And I'm all...me and stuff. N-Not that I don't know how amazing I am, it's just that sometimes other folks don't see that and yeah I've learned how to not let that bother me, especially since I'm used to having non-believers, and don't get me started on—"
"Ronaldo." When his friend faced him, Kurtis offered a firm but not unkind look. "Breathe."
The blonde complied, even though he misconstrued 'breathe' for gratuitous inhaling and exhaling. Close enough. Once he could tell his friend seemed okay enough to answer, Kurtis tried again. "Now. What are you trying to tell me?"
"Is it okay that I asked Jenny if I could come with you guys yesterday?"
More the vulnerability in that question rather than the question itself took Kurtis by surprise. His eyes narrowed. "Of course, you're my friend."
"Y-Yeah, heh. I guess I'm just a little nervous about annoying you guys by being all loud and mouthing off about stuff they might not be interested in."
Kurtis blinked in surprise, taken back. Something about the lack of sunny boisterousness in Ronaldo gave him pause, disquieted him. "We've been around them before." Like back at the underground circuit, for example. "What's so different about now?"
Despite the mood, Ron managed a weak smile. "Are you asking in a 'cheer up' way or 'you're worrying the heck out of me' way?"
"Latter."
Ronaldo looked away with a shrug. "It didn't matter in the past because we always could keep to our little cliques if we wanted, the three of them and me and you. This'll be all five of us taking a road trip together, scrunched up in the same car." And they both knew how much Ronaldo sucked at staying still for long. "I don't wanna embarrass you."
"Hey." Kurtis waited for Ronnie to redirect attention to him before continuing. "I hang around you because I can be myself around you. I don't have pretend to be cool or bigger than life for you." Wow, this felt unusually emotional of him yet Kurtis looked away with a half-grin, unable to stop. "You make me feel like I'm enough."
A sniffle caught his attention.
Before Kurtis could look back and ask what's wrong, Ronaldo grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him into a tight ferocious and teary bear hug, the chubby blonde's body shaking against Kurtis from sheer emotion as his wet face echoed sniffles into the other boy's neck. Kurtis found himself at a loss for a moment, taken back by this intense affection, but slowly become pliant and wrapped his arms around Ronaldo in return, one hand running through those soft golden curls while the other stroked circles into Ronnie's back.
After a moment that felt like a comfortable eternity, Ronaldo released Kurtis and stepped back to wipe off his tears, a wobbly smile in place. Sensing an uplift in the mood, Kurtis smiled back and draped an arm around Ronaldo's back. His friend did the same in return around his waist and the two friends spent the rest of the morning like that, comfortable and happy in each other's presence.
XXX
Amber and Pearl wished they could feel the same.
As of now, all the Corrupted Gems brought in a few days ago had since been all bubbled and stowed away in the Burning Room.
The only partial exception was the lime-green Amber who brought them here, stored in the Burning Room until earlier this morning. Garnet stated her intentions to stash her away in a forest outside the Delmarva region so she could reform without danger because the fusion was A) among the few with significant electrical resistance in the event the Amber infighting crossed her path and B) lacked any personal guilt complex concerning the current situation.
Amber and Pearl didn't take the latter reason well since the speed and ease at which they seemed to be wrapping up this development (at least on their end) didn't sit well with them, as if they missed an important detail along the way. However, since changing Garnet's mind would be futile and neither Pearl nor Amber felt like doing combat practice in the Arena today after that last eventful session with Stevonnie, Pearl got out the 2000-piece puzzle (yes those exist) since she figured they might as well do something to spend the day.
Steven came back in the early afternoon alongside Amethyst from their usual antics at the Big Donut and pitched in. The purple Gem in contrast took one look at the puzzle and opted instead for the sanctity of her room, a quick request to call her in case Greg ever shows up. The fusion meanwhile had retrieved their 'guest' from the Burning Room and departed via warp with a succinct peace sign.
Two hours later, the puzzle was three-fourths of the way done and the two organic Gems still felt antsy, something Steven noticed. Before the boy could ask what's wrong, Amber surprised everyone when she hopped off the couch with an irate huff and ripped out her notebook from her backpack. I'm going out.
The declaration earned a furrowed brow from Pearl. "Out for...?"
A walk, a snack, a dip in the nearest vat of arsenic: anything's better than just sitting around.
"Amber, we have to stay until we hear from Garnet that the other Amber reformed and left so we can confirm there's nothing left on our part to worry over." Although Pearl could not deny how long their leader had been gone, her concern manifesting in a pensive frown and sidled eyes. "Still, Ambers have some of the quickest regeneration rates among Gems. Surely this one had to have reformed by now."
Exactly. Even corrupted, I always came back after a few minutes. About twenty at worst. Even if she's still there, Garnet promised to keep a close eye to make sure none of the wildlife got too close to where she hid her, and she never explicitly told us to stay here as we wait, did she?
Pearl opened her mouth to protest when the swish of the Temple Door interrupted.
"Eh, gotta side with her there, Pierogi," answered Amethyst who just happened to overhear as she stepped out of her room for a quick bite. "If G-Squad saw any future where she'd need help, she'd have told us before she left – and since she hasn't, we're in the clear!"
The violet Quartz snatched something out of the fridge and hopped up onto the kitchen counter. "Besides, this is like the first run in with other Gems we've had that's legit gone without a hitch since Sparky there. Nothin' even got broke this time. I don't know about ya'll, but that sounds like a win-win to me!"
Once again, Pearl opened her mouth to argue a counterpoint, only for Steven jump in. "Amber and Amethyst are right. Garnet always , uh, almost always knows what to do! I even asked before she left if she'd need help and she said something about having a good feeling about this. This seems the perfect chance to go out and celebrate!"
One slow blink signified Pearl's lack of suspended disbelief. "Over the fact that nothing's happened?"
"Exactly!"
Pearl and Amber shared a counseling look before the molehog shrugged with a 'why the hell not' smile.
Not like I have anything better planned. Kurtis, Uma, and Marcus all have separate plans for tonight, so it'll just be me at home.
The leaner rock cupped her own chin. While her strategic self still believed this sentiment premature, she could relate to her companions' need for fun. "Well I suppose a break is in order. Still, we should at least wait for Garnet to get back."
As if on cue, a buzzing emanated from Amber's backpack. The golden Gem pulled out her cellphone and answered. Garnet's voice responded.
"Could you put me on speaker please?"
Amber did so and held her phone out so everyone could hear.
"Garnet?" Pearl asked. "Where are you? Did the other Amber reform yet?"
"She did, and I made sure to stay out of sight as she left. Took her a while to leave though. " Before her slimmer teammate could ask, Garnet beat her to the punch. "Nothing else happened."
At this news, Pearl perked. "Oh, so you're coming back then!"
An indulgent hum passed. "Actually, now would be a good chance for us to take a break. Everyone's been too tense, even by my standards."
Garnet too, huh? Pearl sighed with a knowing smirk. "You're not the first to think that. I suppose you have a point but...what can we even do with ourselves?"
A moment of silence passed before Garnet's reply. "Ask Amethyst. She'll know."
What? Pearl looked to her shorter teammate in question, who to her own credit seemed to genuinely consider something despite her current munching, before redirecting her attention back to the phone. "W-Well, what about you?"
"We'll be fine where we are. Besides, it's been a while since Ruby and Sapphire got to share a nature hike. See ya."
Pearl pinched her eyes in defeat as the call ended. Well, if any consolation existed, at least now this waiting time equated to something more definite, even if said something remained to be seen. To her sanity's great fortune, she and the others didn't need to wait long before a wide-smiling Greg burst in through the front door, one hand behind his back. "Hey, ya'll!"
Like a puppy greeting her owner, Amethyst leapt off the stool and dashed up right to Greg with an intense happy gleam in her eyes. "Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg! Ya got 'em right?!" When the ex-rocker revealed his hand and produced some tickets, she pumped both fists into the air with a whoop! "Oh yeah, you and Mark ready to throw down in the pit?!"
The excitement on Greg's face shifted into a more sheepish and apologetic mien. "About that: Barb called me, him, Uma, and Vidalia over for cards tonight at the flower shop." He shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry."
Amethyst rolled her eyes in exaggeration. "Ugh, cards?! What, are you guys gonna have bingo at the retirement home too?"
"Yeah, Barb threated to hold our mail if we didn't." He turned his head away in thought for a moment. "Although I wouldn't be surprised if she agreed to let Marcus bring a whole bunch of weird costumes for me to wear whenever I lose to tide him over. He's pulled stunts like that on me before."
As much as that last bit tempted Amethyst into tagging along, the call of rock proved stronger. Eh, she could ask Vidalia for the photos later. Besides, the chubby lithomorph could see this development for the opportunity it was.
"Welp!" she chirped with a full throwback of her hair as she shot a triumphant grin at the others. "Incoming questions get incoming answers! I ain't so keen on goin' show-lo, so what you dorks say to a little musical awesomeness tonight?"
Steven jumped to his feet with a cheery 'heck yeah' while Pearl and Amber posed doubtful expressions, albeit for different reasons. In fact, the golden molehog pointedly gestured to her spiky self.
"Oh PFFT!" Amethyst waved a dismissive hand. "You've hung around plenty of humans before!"
Yes. In disguise. With my face covered.
That begged the question on Greg and Steven's end how she pulled that off while attending college classes. The two Universes shared a look that swore they'd get the answer to that question later.
Meanwhile back to Amethyst: "So just whip on some pants and a T-shirt! Half of rock n' roll's about looking wild and out there; a little work and you'll fit right in!"
"She's got a point," Greg added.
Amber pressed her lips, thoughtful. I've never attended a rock concert before. They always look so crowded to me. A sea of legs did not constitute a fun time for someone her size after all.
Greg held his hands up. "No worries! It's one of those open-spaced shows where everybody's got room to move! It's even in one of those semi-rural neighborhoods where the great outdoors are, well, right next door!"
Amber cocked her head then eyes. I do enjoy the great outdoors. After a moment of deliberation, she smiled before flipping to and writing on a new page. You know what? I'm sold.
The sound of cushions shifting drew everyone's attention to Pearl who chose that moment to stand up. Her face shone with nothing short of absolute determination. "Me too!"
No galaxy could compare to the ones in Steven's astounded eyes. "REALLY?!"
"Really?" Amethyst asked in a far more sedate and unsure tone, although an edge of genuine intrigue colored it as well.
As much as Pearl had loosened up and let go of certain inhibitions lately, she hadn't lost her typical fussiness and daintiness. At the same time, though, hints of that infamous Renegade had started popping up on missions more often. Who could blame Amethyst for wanting to egg that side of her friend out more?
For that reason, the purple Gem walked to Pearl's side. "Cuz there's gonna be lots of loud music and people pushing each other." She playfully elbowed her in the waist to prove her point.
Even Amber could not help but join in. And lots of crazy, unconventional fashion choices.
Pearl huffed in faux affront. "In case you've forgotten, Amber, I've done my fair share of pushing and being crazy and unconventional!" Amethyst and Amber made a show of backing away from her with both hands in the air, the former even throwing in a faux spooked 'oh ho ho' for effect. "In fact, it's high time you see why Homeworld considered me the rebel to end all rebels alongside your mother, Steven!"
Cue Steven's second double fist-pump. "Yeah!"
"In that case," Greg spoke up, "since Barb and Vidalia and Marcus are coming to pick me up, you guys can take the Dondai!"
At that moment, Amethyst held her hands out in a time-out gesture. "Whoop! Hold the phone, ya'll! Pearl, this is human stuff, not a Gem war! If you and Amber are gonna blend in and rock out, you're gonna need some serious dregs first!"
XXX
"Yeah, no you don't."
For once, Kurtis found himself on the end of this sentence – and by Ronaldo of all people. Not only that, said blonde had the audacity to stand in his way as if he were the one being irrational. Seriously, what was up with today?
Then again, the fact that the Fryman heir started this whole argument over a pair of glasses should not have surprised Kurtis in the least. For this reason, the dark-haired male rolled his eyes before shoving past the blogger to reach for the Lennon spectacles on his bedstand.
Except Ronaldo, who clearly had a death wish, snatched them up and went so far as to raise them high and out of reach. "Senpai, c'mon! I know the whole Stoic archetype is your thing, but this is a concert, a place where the future of this country can break free of the trappings of mainstream and relish in musical ingenuity!"
And now cue awkward silence. Kurtis arched a brow in wryness. "How long were you waiting to say that?"
"Since this argument started." The blonde threw his hand up in dramatic flair. "C'mon, Senpai! You're like the coolest guy I know, and these glasses are the kind you wear when you wanna keep a distance from everyone."
Isn't that the whole point?
When Kurtis craned his head in a challenging manner, Ronaldo rolled his eyes. "Including me and the Cool Kids, the same people you're going to hang out with! Aren't you worried they'll be put off and think you want nothing to do with them by wearing these?"
For a moment, Kurtis opened his mouth to launch a sarcastic quip...only for it to die on his tongue once the logic in Ronaldo's words started to sink in. Against his will, his face sunk the more he wondered if these glasses had this exact effect on people who'd wanted to genuinely befriend him in the past.
Smelling victory, Ronaldo lowered the hand holding the glasses. "We're all your friends here, Senpai, even if we don't hang out all that much." Let alone altogether but the blogger knew better than to digress. He set his hands behind his back and sidled up to his peer, batting his eyelashes. Kurtis caught onto what he was doing and looked away stubbornly, arms crossed. "Please, Kurt?"
Damnit, not that tone of voice again. After another moment of struggle Kurtis sighed in defeat. "If I say yes, will you knock off the cutesy stuff?" Ronaldo promptly did so, leaning back with a smug grin Kurtis would have loved to remove without physical harm. Right then, the sound of a car horn blared outside, and boys looked out the window to see the familiar Pizza jeep out in the parking lot, carrying none other than the Cool Kids.
"Yo!" Jenny chirped in between honks. "You guys ready?"
Kurtis tossed a cursory glance at Ronaldo, who continued to keep the Lennon glasses beyond his reach the moment he noticed the other boy looking at them again. The dark-haired boy grunted in reluctant defeat. Okay, maybe one time without the spectacles wouldn't hurt.
A few minutes later, after Kurtis gathered everything that he needed and locked every including the house itself, he and Ronaldo hopped into the back seat alongside Sour Cream, who gladly scooted to the side to make room. Faster than lightning, the jeep shoved off onto the boardwalk and soon onto the main road out of Beach City.
It took thirty seconds for Ronaldo to start running his mouth, and to the blonde's surprise, Buck not only took his gibbering in stride but joined in. Kurtis resisted the urge to toss his friend a 'told you so' smirk.
"So Ronaldo," Jenny asked during a break in the boys' mild debate over the disconnect between school and the job market, "you into grunge, huh? No offense but you never struck me as the musical type. You listen to it between investigations?"
Ronaldo rubbed his chin like one of those smarmy anime protagonists, chuckling. "Though my tastes lean more towards the world of electronica, I like to keep an open mind towards other genre. Prevent creative stagnation within thyself."
Sour Cream nodded. "Respect, man." To Kurtis' surprise, he addressed him next. "What about you? We've seen you around Fish and Stew plenty times and I don't think we ever hanged out much."
Really? Kurtis never stopped to notice in all honesty. Now that Sour Cream brought the point up, though, he found it hard to ignore. Like someone put a spotlight on a mural Kurtis had passed by every day and now he was noticing details he hadn't before. Against his better judgement, he rubbed his left hand up and down his left bicep, feeling oddly self-conscious. "I...like my privacy, I guess."
Much to his relief, Jenny accepted his answer with a shrug. "Fair. Still, it kinda sucks how you're always busy with school and work. You're aiming to be an astronaut, right? You've definitely got the build for it cuz those training programs from what I heard do not play!"
Kurtis shrugged. He knew well the ramifications of his goals and the sacrifices required. Nothing he couldn't handle. Still, the switch in topic felt a bit abrupt in his opinion. Was Jenny getting at something?
Turn out she was.
"I don't know much about being a space person but I'm pretty sure it involves dealing with people so your whole lone wolf thing likely won't do ya much good when you get in." Kurtis bit back a smirk at the use of 'when' in place of 'if.' "I'm just saying even introverts socialize sometimes. There was this cute guy checking you out the other day at my place and you never looked up to notice!"
Wait, really? Kurtis stood up straighter in his seat, face and blink reflecting his surprise well.
Jenny's smirk in the rearview mirror could not have been more obvious. "Oh yeah, scrawny guy about Buck's height. I wager Latino like you since I'm pretty sure me and Kiki heard him spouting Spanish at one point. Dresses like a greaser but in an ironically cool way."
For a moment, Ronaldo shifted his eyes to Kurtis with a curious hum. "Ya think he's into him?"
Once again Jenny shrugged. Anything was possible. The blogger hummed again and turned to Kurtis, curious to hear his answer. "What do you think, Senpai? Senpai?"
The repeat in address and shift into a concerned tone occurred due to the strange position Kurtis had now adopted: arms crossed, head turned away, hunched over. What was wrong?
An answer came after Jenny's frustrated sigh. "Look, you and Sadie got past that, alright? Plus, you're a different person than back then."
At Ronaldo's look of confusion, Buck rotated in his seat, one arm draped over the headrest of his seat. A brief look then nod passed between him and Kurtis. "They dated for a bit before Kurtis and his family moved to Empire City. Could've ended better, could've ended worse."
Banked more on the former part if you asked Kurtis. His bitter chuckle confirmed that opinion. "She was smart to break things off when she did. My addled brain would have thought staying together would be doing her a favor." He started when two familiar thick arms and a plushy body tackled him from behind into a bear hug that pinioned his arms, a mess of fry-locks nestled against his cheek. Despite half-thoughts of prying the other boy off, a shaky breath emerged instead.
"Hey now," Jenny gently chided, "no talking down on your own brain."
"Never joke about a person's mental health," Buck added in sage tone, "especially your own. Cuz it sounds like it's more than just dating again that's bugging you. Wanna talk about it?"
"You're in a judgment free zone, man," Sour Cream gently affirmed when Kurtis tried to give a weak protest to the idea. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but if you do you can load off whatever's eating you on us."
A heavy sigh sifted into the air before Kurtis nodded. He tried not to sag when Ronaldo disengaged his hug, although the other boy remained close to his side just in case. Maybe, maybe some venting wouldn't be so bad. Kurtis twiddled his thumbs for a moment, letting his thoughts center.
"Responsibility sucks. You remember teacher's pets, right?"
Jenny smacked her gums. "Oh to-ta-ly! Most of 'em couldn't help it—teaches tend ta like the kids that do well—but some of 'em could be such snobs about it! Why ya ask?"
Kurtis rubbed his nape. "Cuz it's easy to latch onto that kind of attention. Then when you finally get out in the world, you realize how average you are compared to everyone else," he grasped his hands even tighter. "It can be a real shock to the system, especially when you realize how easily you can mess up. Not just in work, but in life in general. It gets even harder when you hear horror stories of people who made similar mistakes as you but worse." Eyelids narrowed. "Thinking about it's enough to make you feel like an oven ready to combust."
Clawed hands balled into fists, trembling from fury. "Sometimes it gets too much, when your brain wants to gravitate towards bad thoughts, stuff that gets you upset. I gotta stomp my feet when I walk or hit extra hard during practice or snip off the wilted flowers harder, just so I feel like I'm getting release so that it won't blow up into something worse later. And it helps…a little bit anyway."
"But then some days," the fists loosened and covered his face, leaving only darkness visible, "nothing's enough. I feel like a kid, a big selfish kid that doesn't know how good he has it, and I think about how so many folks would kill to be in my position. And here I am, acting like my problems matter. Do I get like this because deep down I'm a brat who still hasn't learned? Or...maybe there's something legitimate to my complaints and I'm just too naïve to realize it."
He dared a glance to Ronaldo, who stared back in wide-eyed shock. "That's why Sadie broke things off. I could never bring myself to relax enough for her."
Then silence, save for the roar of the jeep and Kurtis's faint breathing.
"Bro...," Sour Cream murmured in hushed shock with wide eyes on the darker boy.
Same with Buck, who shook his head empathetically. "Your Pops is right. You do need to chill out on yourself."
Though all these words held only understanding, Kurtis blushed and avoided eye contact by focusing on the passing scenery. Jenny's voice broke through the self-loathing haze of his thoughts.
"Hey, how's about we make a quick pitstop at that Akidi's over there? All this heavy talk's got me starving!"
Akidi's? Why did that name sound familiar? Kurtis frowned as the girl switched lanes towards a small shopping mart, the large blocky orange letters spelling out the store's name. Right then, it suddenly clicked for him: Ronaldo mentioned going here in a text once, hadn't he? But wait, Jenny didn't mean to go on a grocery spree, did she?
Like the world's smarmiest mind reader, she waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry, I checked the travel time and weather report. We've got plenty of time!" She pulled over into the adjacent parking lot before Kurtis could even think to retort.
Well too late to object now. As the group left the car and proceeded to approach the facility, Kurtis took the time to mull over everyone else's words. True, he constantly tried hard to be the mature and responsible one, let alone the sane one, but only because he feared that others would think less of him, stop depending on him to be there for them.
I'm scared of people losing faith in me. An adamant shake of his head followed. God, I'm so bad at chilling out around people.
Thankfully, getting inside took little time and the compactness and orderliness of the place went a long way in calming his mood. That and (to his surprise) the shelves full of various foods and drinks originating from East, South, Southeast, and Central Asia - pockies, custard cakes, yakisoba, dried squid, lemongrass powder, gochugaru, naan bread, ginger, borscht, bok choy, egg coffee, chantaboon, bubble tea, you name it – along with the classic fruits, vegetables, meats, and other familiar commodities.
In short, wow. How had he not visited this place before? A tap on the shoulder snapped Kurtis out of his awe and directed his attention to Ronaldo, who sported a giddy smile at his reaction to the store but for once managing to contain his own excitement. The others were nowhere to be seen, presumably familiar enough with the layout to go off on their own and leave Kurtis and Ronaldo on their lonesome.
Yeah, thanks guys.
"Now you know where I get all our movie snacks!" The blonde clasped his hands together and leaned closer with a gushy smile. "So...what do ya think?"
"I...think we might be a little over our heads here." Kurtis panned his head around at the selection. How did Jenny expect them to make up their minds on such short notice?
That answer came in the form of (surprise, surprise) Ronaldo taking him by the hand and eagerly dragging him down an aisle filled with snacks and candies. The blonde paused before a section and skimmed his eyes across the choices, leaving a prime chance for his friend to take in the cheery bobblehead characters and cutesy animal mascots amidst bright colorful backgrounds.
"I'm feeling in the mood for something sweet. What about you, senpai?"
"Sweet's fine." Kurtis shyly sidled his eyes. "Maybe something cold, too?"
Sweet and cold, eh? Ronaldo snapped his fingers. "I got it!"
Before Kurtis knew it, the blogger brought them before a line of freezer chests in front of the stands preceding the cash registers, the contents visible beneath framed glass seals. A closer look revealed an array of ice cream bars and cones, each sealed up in crinkly wrap. Ronaldo slid a chest open and skimmed the selection.
"Oh, oh, how about some Melona bars straight from South Korea? They're fruity, delicious, and trans-fat free! May I recommend the honeydew?"
Visually picking out the flavored bar didn't amount to difficult, and to be fair it did look pretty tasty. Kurtis looked back to Ronaldo and nodded. The chubbier male beamed in approval and quickly picked out a bar for each of them. A brief stop and payment to the register later, the two boys sat out on a bench right outside the entrance, munching on their treats (every bit as delicious as advertised) in hand as they waited on the others to finish.
Ronaldo, true to form, wasted no time in rambling about all the weird things he'd came across on his free time the other day; Kurtis found himself content to munch and listen.
"Like how else would all those fish be so picked clean? Maybe Sensei might know something about it, I mean after all she's gotta have heard something about..." Hearing him trail off, Kurtis looked to his friend in wonder, eyes asking what's wrong. The wonder only increased when Ronaldo put two fingers to his own ear. "Do you hear that?"
Indeed when Kurtis stopped to listen his ears caught the combined sound of sirens and screeching tires and his brow scrunched in confusion.
The two boys craned their heads towards where the noise came from just in time to notice a car – one that looked suspiciously like Mr. Universe's Dondai – tearing down the street past them, swerving and swaying to throw off the wailing police car not far behind. The pursued pulled off a sharp turn, one sudden enough to make the police car skid to a stop, before pulling a full donut on the police car and careening towards a nearby hill to go flying off it like a ramp.
In that airborne moment, Kurtis swore there'd been a flash of white hair in the front seat inside, not to mention heard shouting that sounded like...Steven? The car landed a perfect landing and proceeded to tear through the sands, leaving copious sand clouds in its wake. Not for lack of trying from the police car, which followed its target into the sizable dust cloud.
Once the mobile performance disappeared into the night, Ronnie and Kurt shared a look of stunned befuddlement.
"HOLY SHIT, TELL ME YOU GOT THAT!" shouted a screechy voice that for once did not come from the blogger.
A droll female-sounding voice responded. "Do I look like I keep my camera out for every felony we happen to witness?"
"Got one," chipped a deeper monotone masculine one.
"LEMME SEE, LEMME SEE!"
The pair shifted their attention to the right-hand side of the parking lot where there stood a blue jeep with silver linings along the sides. Three people were currently stationed around the vehicle, chatting amongst themselves.
A slim manic-looking light-brown skinned guy dressed in punk biker attire, sporting short slicked-back black hair decorated with golden streaks and slight sideburns, appeared to be the smallest of the group, and sat precariously atop the jeep, kicking his legs one after another like a little kid.
Leaning against the vehicle was a taller deadpan medium-brown skinned woman decked in black (combat boots, jacket, and jeans) and blue (miniskirt and tank top), her black hair in an undercut and left side-braid, face decorated by matching blue lipstick and eye shadow, her arms crossed.
And an even taller and chubby chill-looking man with sepia brown skin, prominent nose, and dark wavy shortly cropped hair, his attire a white dress shirt, long-sleeved deep green sweater that matched the frames of his round glasses, black flat cap and dress shoes and slacks, and red bowtie, one hand in his pants' pocket while the other held a pink cellphone.
Flat Cap held the phone up so his perched friend could grab it and get a good look. The little guy giggled instantly – until he caught Kurtis and Ronaldo staring.
The former cussed under his breath and directed all focus onto his half-eaten ice cream bar, although the fierce warmth of his blushing cheeks betrayed his attempt. Didn't that guy fit the description of the person Jenny mentioned?
No, no there are plenty of people out there in the world who dress like that; no reason to assume, Kurtis. Chances are that guy will shrug you off and get back to his friends.
"Hey, I know you, cute guy from that pizza place, how ya doin'!"
...Crap. With deepest dread, Kurtis turned his head to face the music, only to start at finding the source's face up close and personal in his own, disarmingly wide smile included. Kurtis shot a desperate glance to Ronaldo, who gave only an encouraging gesturing nod in return. Biting back a grumble, he managed an awkward half-smile in return. "Doing...well? I'm Kurtis."
"Bert!" the smaller guy more so barks not unlike a peppy puppy, once again startling the longer-haired boy. "I wanted to talk to ya back then but that one chick told us you could be really standoffish and I wasn't sure if approaching you out of nowhere like I wanted would be weird and then I thought going after ya as you left would look weird too, so I figured I'd just man up and sit down in front of ya but by the time I decided that, you were already leaving and we were already gonna leave too, so I let it go but now you're here and I'm here and I'm kinda up in the air over what to say now."
He paused and blinked once, smile still in place, before pointing to the ice pop in the two boys' hands. "Are those Melona? Nice choice, dudes!"
Uh. Kurtis blinked twice as he allowed for his brain to fully process the infodump before answering. "Yes, and thank you?"
Flat Cap Guy chuckled. "Sorry about that. Roberto gets excitable when he meets someone new that he likes. I'm Lan by the way." He stuck a hand out, which Ronaldo eagerly and Kurtis shyly took.
"Ronaldo Fryman! Paranormal investigator at your service! Don't take my good pal's reactions the wrong way; he's just a little shy!" Kurtis didn't bother hiding his eye-roll. "We're headed for a concert and made a pit stop here; right now we're waiting for our friends to come out 'fore we get back on the road."
"Same here," Undercut Girl confirmed with a nod, "name's Alice, the other half of sanity and reason in this group." The added quip earned a slight snort on Kurtis' end, leaving it Ron's turn to eye-roll now. "We got done stocking up on drinks and snacks ourselves and were about to head out too before...that spectacle came by." She thumbed in the direction the car chase had gone. "In fact, if we're bothering you – and by you I mainly mean Bert here - we can make ourselves scarce and head on our way."
For some reason, Kurtis found himself not falling back on his usual inclination to reject the company of more people. Perhaps a side effect of that earlier heart-to-heart or Ronaldo's usual influence – either way he shrugged his shoulders without thinking too much. "We don't mind."
After all, what could hurt from letting this night be a little more eventful?
XXX
Well then...this has been an eventful night.
A soft good-natured huff left Amber at this thought, the molehog rubbing her eyes as Amethyst led their group through the nighttime brush, their ride left hidden well out of sight of passerby police by a billboard, the purple Gem pulling down the front of her shirt enough that her gemstone could fully illuminate the countryside before them.
Things had started out tame enough for the gang's night out at first: Pearl had donned a simple black leather jacket and blue jeans while Amber did likewise save for the addition of a black beanie and sleeveless gloves and huge sunglasses; the former bungled all attempts to woo a huge pink-haired human lady who resembled Rose a little too much for Amber's comfort; the latter had to have the others drag her out when a random rude tourist bumped into her and caused her sunglasses to fall off, causing a one-man scream fest that not only mercifully ended thanks to a well-timed jab to the neck by Pearl but also did not attract undue attention due to the boardwalk being empty at the time.
One would think things would be smooth sailing after Amethyst posed the tourist against a nearby trash can with an empty beer bottle in hand so the man would pass off as drunk.
Such was not the case: not only on the road did Pearl once again lose her chance to converse with Not-Rose when the opportunity literally came riding up to her on a motorcycle thanks to an ill-timed red light, her attempts to catch up attracted the police's attention, leading to a prolonged chase that took the Dondai through both asphalt and shrubbery alike before Pearl managed to give the cops the slip by ducking the car behind the aforementioned billboard.
So yeah, eventful.
If any silver lining existed, at least Pearl got to have her moment of assurance from Steven and Amethyst back at the billboard when she'd flat out shed her cool outfit in frustration over how this trip had gone so far.
"I'm sorry tonight didn't go well for you either." Amber started at being addressed and looked up at Pearl in surprise. The lean Gem ducked her head with a cyan blush. "Amethyst and Steven wanted both of us to enjoy ourselves but so far I more or less made it all about me with my shenanigans."
Eh, it's not the worst series of mishaps I've experienced. Stars know I've had crazier ventures on my own. Besides, I've got no qualms against being in the background just as long as I get a taste of the adventure.
"Like having a front seat to my social blunders?" Pearl quipped with a skyward tilt of her eyes. The taller Gem took a moment to relish in Amber's nervous cough and shuffle before hunching her shoulders with a snort. "It's alright. To be honest with you, I figured tonight would be a total disaster...but if it's any consolation, it proved an interesting disaster. Very quick thinking on your part to suggest that donut maneuver by the way."
Not my first time in a police chase but definitely my first in company. And without me posing as a common street dog. I didn't even think that trick would translate well for a car. Kudos on proving me wrong. Hell, even Amethyst was impressed with that one!
Pearl chuckled at that last bit. After how far she and Amethyst had developed both separately and together in recent times, the swordfighter could recognize the high compliment in these words.
Before she could answer back, though, the sound of music reached everyone's ears.
"Yo, ya'll hear that?" Amethyst spoke up.
Steven cupped his hands and fingers around his eyes in a binocular fashion and peered in the distance. He undid the gesture a second later with an excited grin and pointed. "Guys, over there!
Amethyst, Pearl, and Amber took note of the distant halo of light emanating from behind and below the line of hills and dip in the road the group had been approaching. The moment they cleared the top, a small neighborhood nestled among hills and sparse trees, the lights of a nearby city further out near the distant mountains. The closest street encompassed a sizable group of people, some decked out in rock fan attire, scattered around with a stage set up as a focal point.
Destination reached! Steven and Amethyst shared a high-five and even Pearl and Amber shared a triumphant smile. Looks like this night will turn in their favor after all. The group wasted no time sliding down the hill and making their way to the crowd.
"Yo, Steven!" called a voice a moment after they got in range of the neighborhood lights. A quick pan-around revealed Jenny waving her hand from beside her Pizza Jeep, the other Cool Kids lounging against the trunk.
"Guys!" Steven called back before running over, Amethyst not close behind (though the hybrid never noticed the violet Gem linger back for a moment to notice her and Amber nudge Pearl in a certain direction). The young hybrid shared a quick hug with Jenny and high-fives with Sour Cream and Buck. Pleasant surprise flashed onto his face once he not only noticed Amber walking in the background but also walking towards Ronaldo and Kurtis, the boys chatting with a trio of twenty-something year-olds Steven never met.
Buck's voice brought back his attention to the Cool Kids. "Big fans of Mike Krol, too, huh?"
"Actually, I only just heard of him thanks to Amethyst and Dad! Dad even got tickets," Steven grew a sheepish grin and rubbed his nape, "'cept he got roped into other stuff at the last minute, so his ticket had to go to somebody else."
Statements of 'bummer' and similar met this statement, the lost opportunity to hear a musical veteran's opinion on today's entertainment lost on no one. Amethyst waved an assuring hand. "It's cool, though. Thanks to good ol' Greggory, we had room to bring Pearl along so she could hang with some humans" – her dark eyes flicked in another direction and inspired a satisfied smirk – "and I think it's safe ta say 'mission accomplished."
When both Steven and the Cool Kids all shot a perplexed look at her, the violet Quartz thumbed over her shoulder, guiding all attention to the front of a nearby house where the lean Gem in question could be seen in conversation with the same tall beefy woman from before – and enjoying herself no less! Steven's happy gasp and sparkly eyes could shine any brighter.
"Dude," Buck smiled and gave a thumbs-up, "good on her."
Amethyst arched a brow in amusement. "And I see you dudes are making new friends of yer own."
Hearing this observation, Sour Cream looked over his shoulder at the other important social breakthrough taking place tonight. "Oh yeah, me and Buck and Jen met those guys back at Fish Stew Pizza the other day. Kurt and Ronaldo ran into them back at Akidi's, and it looks like they're all really hitting it off. Kurtis especially."
A good-natured snort burst from Jenny. "Pretty sure he's got Ronaldo to thank for that one. Course having his cousin around doesn't hurt either." When Steven and Amethyst blinked at her in confusion, she pointed to (they realized) Amber. "Over there next to Kurtis in the biker getup."
Lest anyone thought she was mocking them, Amethyst had to hold in an amused chuckle at this fabricated detail. It only made sense after all considering the connections people would have made from seeing the disguised Gem and Kurtis interacting so much.
"O-Oh, that's right! His, uh, cousin," Steven stammered with a blush. He did his best to keep a straight face in the meantime to avoid only arousing suspicion so he in turn wouldn't need to lie, a skill he could never master. Fortunately, the three older kids seemed too invested in discussing musical preferences with Amethyst to take note.
In fact, now might be a prime chance to make some new friends. Besides, it'd be nice to catch up with Kurtis and Ronaldo since the younger boy hadn't hung out with either of them for a while. Without further ado, Steven started to trot over to the five young adults so he could give a hearty hello.
Or at least he would have if something...weird hadn't come over him. At first, he'd been walking forward as planned and then for a moment, the boy felt as though something had 'skipped' for lack of a better word, like he were in a movie that'd fast-forwarded a scene without warning. By the time he snapped out of it, the trio had already departed, leaving Kurtis and Ronaldo and Amber to talk amongst themselves.
But...I just saw them talking. How...?
"Steven?" The curly-haired boy jolted a little at Buck's voice and shifted around to find the taller male standing beside him. "You OK, man? You were just standing there."
"O-Oh! No, I'm fine! Just thought...it'd be polite to let them finish their talk first!" There, that sounded believable.
Buck nodded, thinking none the wiser of his friend's excuse. "Whatever ya say, man."
Phew, Steven sighed in his head. Awkwardness averted.
However, as Buck turned away, the younger boy shifted his gaze back to the three youths walking away. He swore right before that strange sensation started that the tall guy in the flat cap glanced his way, right when Kurtis and Ronaldo and Amber had been focused on the other two.
Did...did that guy's eyes glow green?