"Hello, welcome to Kori's Ice Cream Parlor. How many?" A female greeter politely asked as the group walked in.
"Six. And do you have any booster seats?" Trunks calmly answered and then asked.
"Uh… Seven, please. I'm sure Nami will show up because the jail is just around the corner." Jasper spoke up.
"Of course. And yes, we have booster seats. Regular or squishy?" The greeter replied before asking.
"Squishy, pease!" Momo happily answered.
"Right this way, please." The greeter instructed, leading the way.
"Wait for me! I'm coming!" Nami called, running in.
"Here you go. I'll go find you a booster seat." The greeter found them a spot in a back corner.
"Thank you, Cordelia." Emiko thanked the greeter.
"No problem." The greeter, Cordelia, replied with a smile.
"You've been here a few times, I see." Jasper stated.
"Yep." Emiko answered, annoyed.
"Knickers: I want you on this side, by the wall with Momo next to you. Emiko, I want you to sit next to Momo. Dad—never mind; I'll sit next to Emiko. Nami: I want you by the wall with Jasper between you and Dad." Trunks instructed, watching everyone after Cordelia brought a booster seat.
"Thank you." Trunks thanked Cordelia.
"Of course. Someone will be by with our ice cream menus." Cordelia replied before heading back to her post.
"Why not put the girl by the wall?" Vegeta asked as everyone sat down.
"Because Emiko can phase through walls. She did it earlier in order to get past her brother. I'm hoping she won't phase through people." Trunks answered, leaving out details because he didn't want Knickers or Momo knowing.
"I wan pet Yucky." Momo spoke, trying to reach Yuki, but she kept dodging her.
"I'm sorry, but it's impossible for you to pet Yuki." Emiko softly spoke.
"Why is that?" Knickers and Nami asked, confused.
"Yuki doesn't like kids." Jasper answered, sitting there with his arms folded across his chest.
"It's not that Yuki doesn't like kids per se. Umm… Before I was given her, a bunch of kids threw rocks and other hard objects at her, so she's afraid of kids." Emiko corrected Jasper.
"I sowee, Yucky." Momo sadly apologized as Yuki curled around Emiko's neck.
"Thank you, Ms. Momo." Emiko thanked Momo on her and Yuki's behalf, making Momo giggle a little.
"Welcome to Kori's Ice Cream Parlor. Here are your menus and I will be back after a little bit." A waiter quickly explained, handing them menus before just as quickly leaving.
"What'd you do to him?" Jasper asked, looking directly at Emiko.
"Why are you asking and looking at me?" Emiko asked, offended at being accused.
"Why indeed? He couldn't get out of here fast enough. There are two cops here along with people who I don't think have been here enough times to know anyone. So, what did you do?" Jasper explained before asking again.
"Also, he wouldn't even look at you." Nami pointed out.
"Fine. I gave him crabs." Emiko answered just like that, causing Vegeta to choke on an ice cube
"Excuse me?" Jasper asked, watching his sister, knowing there was something to this.
"He wouldn't stop hitting on me, and I didn't know what to do. This was before I started using magic to get back at people or whatever. Anyway: I heard other girls saying they wish he'd get crabs, so the next time he followed me to the beach, I used a little magic and put three large king crabs down his shorts. He's left me alone ever since." Emiko explained, annoyed, causing Vegeta to burst out laughing.
"Dad." Trunks sighed, frustrated. However, he couldn't lie: he thought it was hilarious as well; he just knew how to behave in public.
"I don't understand." Emiko replied, confused, looking at Yuki.
"It's nothing to discuss in a family place." Jasper replied, sighing a little, looking through the menu.
"Sorry about that. My name is Fay, and I'll be taking your order; Ty isn't feeling very well right now. What can I get you?" A different waitress walked over to take over.
"Thank you. What would you two like?" Trunks replied before asking Knickers and Momo.
"Can I get a bowl of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream?" Knickers asked, looking through the menu.
"One, two, or three scoops?" Fay asked, watching Trunks and Knickers.
"What do you want?" Trunks asked, watching Knickers.
"Three, please." Knickers replied.
"Ok. And the little girl?" Fay asked, watching Momo.
"Strawberry Nanner Butter?" Momo asked, looking at Trunks.
"She would like the Strawberry Banana Peanut butter shake." Trunks clarified for Fay.
"Oh, of course. Small, medium, large, or extra-large?" Fay asked, watching Trunks.
"Medium, please." Trunks replied.
"Ok… And the rest of you?" Fay asked.
"I'll just have a double-scoop chocolate ice cream cone." Trunks answered.
"Can I get the hot fudge sundae with peanuts and a small bowl with a single scoop of vanilla ice cream?" Emiko asked, leaning back.
"Of course." Fay happily answered.
"I'd like a bowl with three scoops of Neapolitan, please." Nami spoke up.
"Ok. And for you two?" Fay replied, writing down their orders.
"Can I just get an iced coffee?" Jasper asked, watching Emiko.
"Of course." Fay answered.
"You have that here?" Vegeta asked, stunned.
"Yes, Sir." Fay answered with a smile.
"I'll just have one of those then—please and thank you." Vegeta replied, doing his best in front of Momo.
By now, Knickers knew how Vegeta was, and it barely phased him; he knew how to use his manners.
"I'll be right back with your orders." Fay informed everyone before leaving.
"So…" Nami started, unsure of what was going on.
"Trunks made us come to the ice cream parlor with them because he wants Emiko and me to talk." Jasper explained to Nami.
"Oh. That's a great idea!" Nami happily exclaimed.
"I thought so as well." Jasper agreed.
"Of course you would." Emiko mumbled.
"What do you want from me, Emiko? I'm sorry for what happened when you were six. I'm sorry I didn't care enough to hang out with my baby sister and sent you away. I'm sorry you were kidnapped because of that. I'm sorry I didn't believe you about your autism and other issues because I didn't understand any of them." Jasper went off, apologizing to Emiko. He was annoyed but also sincerely sorry.
"I know you didn't understand any of it. I tried explaining it to you once, but you wouldn't listen; you didn't want to hear about it. You told me it was all fake and just in my head; you called me crazy. You didn't want to hear or learn about it." Emiko replied, pissed off. She, however, was trying to stay calm.
"Jasper—you didn't?" Nami asked, horrified.
"I did. But that was before I started kind of understanding it." Jasper replied.
"Because of her. No offence because I know you're his fiancé or whatever. But I'm your sister. I was crying out for you to hear and understand me. But nooo. All you cared about was doing what dad and Halley asked you." Emiko cried.
"Ok. I have… Is everything ok here? Em, if you need, I can take care of whoever." Fay spoke, noticing how upset Emiko was.
"No, thank you, Fay; it's fine. You know Officer Jasper and Officer Nami, yes?" Emiko replied.
"Yeah. Of course." Fay calmly answered.
"He's my older brother and she's his fiancé. We don't get along so well—my brother and me because of past personal family issue. Mr. Briefs, here, is making us talk. It's not going well because I don't believe anything Jasper has to say." Emiko replied.
"Oh. Ok. Well, Jasper is a good guy; you should talk to him. I don't know your family business—and it's none of my business. But if he's the only sibling you have; it's best not to lose him. Anything he may have done in the past is in the past. But I have two large, iced coffees, a bowl of Mint Chocolate Chip, a bowl of Neapolitan, a medium Strawberry Banana peanut butter shake, a Double Scoop Chocolate ice cream cone, a hot fudge sundae with peanuts, and a single scoop of vanilla ice cream." Fay gave her two cents and then passed everyone their orders.
"My stepmom had me kidnapped when I was six. Because he wouldn't let me hang out with him—or at least in the same area, her planned worked." Emiko angrily replied, setting the vanilla ice cream down for Yuki.
"Oh, well… You're quite a few years apart in age, yes?" Fay asked, looking between Jasper and Emiko.
"Thirteen years. We have the same father but different mothers." Jasper answered.
"Ok. Emiko, I'm sorry, but you can't blame Jasper for that—not completely anyway. Emiko, he's thirteen years older than you; there's no way that he's going to want to spend time with his baby sibling unless he has to babysit. From what I understand, that wasn't the case. I'm sure had he been watching you; he would've kept you protected. You claim your stepmom is the one who was trying to have you kidnapped." "That one's true. I recently found that one out. And she has Dad wrapped around her finger that he's under her complete control." Jasper interrupted Fay.
"Oh. Well—ok then. Then to me, it seems like she's the only one you have to blame. Emiko, it's time to move on and grow up. But that's all for me. Enjoy your ice cream." Fay replied before walking away.
"Emiko?" Nami asked, concerned.
"She's shutting down." Jasper stated, watching his sister. He saw a look in her eyes that read "processing."
"Can I go now?" Emiko distantly asked.
"What about your ice cream?" Knickers asked, concerned.
"It'll be fine." Emiko softly answered before using a small spell. Then her and Yuki's ice cream went into her bag.
"Trunks, just let her out." Jasper told Trunks.
"Thanks. I'll see you later." Emiko thanked Trunks before leaving. But not before putting $10 for her and Yuki's ice cream.
"Emi?" Momo asked, confused.
"Emiko's upset, Momo. I'm sure she'll be ok by the next time we see her." Trunks explained, sitting back down.
"It may not be your fault she was kidnapped, but you could've at least listened to her when she told about her issues." Nami scolded Jasper.
"Yes, I know… I don't know how many times I have to apologize to her for her to understand I truly am." Jasper replied.
"She's hurting." Nami stated.
"And from what it seems, she's been on her own for a long time." Trunks added with a sigh.
"Yes, I know. Are you done with your ice cream?" Jasper replied before asking Nami.
"Yes." Nami replied, finishing the last of her ice cream.
"We have to get back to work. This is for her ice cream and my coffee. And this is a tip for Fay. Thanks to her, Emiko is finally starting to think about it all. I could see the wheels turning in her eyes. Hopefully she'll fully grasp it soon enough." Jasper explained, placing a $10 and a $5 on the table before he and Nami left.
"That'd be great. I'd like Emiko to be part of our family." Trunks heard Nami happily say before they walked out.
"Don't even start, Knickers: Emiko isn't mad at you. If anything, she's going to be upset with me. I just hope she realizes one day that this was necessary. Just eat your ice cream." Trunks told Knickers before he could panic.
"She won't be mad at you." Vegeta stated, folding his arms across his chest.
"How do you know?" Knickers asked, confused.
"Emiko and your father are meant to be. You'll see Emiko a lot." Vegeta proudly stated.
"Dad…" Trunks huffed, annoyed.
"Daddy…" Emiko whined before Trunks could say anything.
"What is it, Baby?" Trunks asked, watching Momo. Although, he knew; she was tired and falling asleep.
"I wish there was a way to keep your ice cream frozen. This will be melted by time we get home." Trunks sighed, pulling Momo out of the booster seat.
"What in the world?" Vegeta asked when blue sparks surrounded Momo's shake. Once the sparks were gone, the shake was in a different cup.
"That's one of Emiko's spells. The little girl's shake will stay frozen until you get it home. By then, you need to get it in the freezer." Fay stated, walking over with the bill.
"You know Emiko's a witch?" Knickers asked, shocked.
"Of course. I'm a witch as well. Well, I suppose I was. That damn witch hunter out there stole all my powers. Once a witch loses their powers, they can never get them back. Thanks to Emiko, my powers, and any other witches powers he may have stolen were released into the earth. The powers helped the plants grow. Now, that hunter has made it his duty to get Emiko's powers. However, I don't think she's a regular witch; she's stronger than any of us here. I've never met a witch like her. But here's your bill. Oh, and this is from Emiko; she asked me to give it to Mr. Briefs." Fay explained, handing Trunks the bill and a note.
"Thank you." Trunks replied, taking the papers before Fay left.
The bill was $25.
"That's how much they left." Vegeta stated.
"Dad, no. They can put down $10 and we'll put down the other fifteen." Trunks stated, taking a $10 and putting down $15. He then opened Emiko's note.
Mr. Briefs,
I'm sorry for my behavior.
I guess I just didn't know how to react to everything.
Give me a week or two & we'll make a date to meet
& discuss the buddy thing.
Also, I could tell Momo would fall asleep
before she finished her ice cream, so I put a spell on it.
Fay should've explained that to you.
Again, I'm sorry.
See you soon.
Emiko & Yuki
"That was nice of her." Trunks stated after reading the note.
"What'd it say?" Knickers asked, concerned.
"It was an apology for a little bit ago. She also mentioned putting a small spell on Emiko's ice cream to make it last. And she also mentioned setting up a date to meet and discuss your buddy thing. So, relax; she's not quitting on you." Trunks told Knickers, patting his head.
"Are you ready?" Vegeta asked, watching Trunks and Knickers.
"Almost." Trunks replied, standing up and walked to the counter while Knickers finished his ice cream.
"Can I help you?" Someone behind the counter asked.
"Yes. Do you sell ice cream cake?" Trunks asked, shifting a sleeping Momo and her teddy.
"Yes, we do. We have vanilla, chocolate, cholate chip, peanut butter, mint chocolate, and oreo." The person explained.
"Can I get a medium oreo ice cream cake, please?" Trunks asked, watching the person.
"Of course. Is that all?" The person asked, watching Trunks.
"Yes." Trunks replied as Vegeta and Knickers walked over.
"That'll be $17.34." The person told Trunks.
"Of course." Trunks replied, going to dig out his wallet.
"Give me Momo so you don't drop her." Vegeta insisted, holding his arms out.
"Thanks." Trunks replied, handing Vegeta Momo before getting his wallet and paying for the cake…