THE BIG BEACH PARTY
"Are we there yet?"
"Almost, I think this is the last turn."
"Quick, I want to get there before the sun sets!"
"We all do, now can you please sit down so I can focus on the road?"
The bus wobbled as the smooth asphalt it had been cruising on gradually gave way to rougher sand roads. The tall towers of the city had been left behind twenty minutes ago, and the few modern buildings the bus had passed since had become increasingly sparse. Ahead the evening sky stretched out uninterrupted, save for a few lazy clouds.
Little by little, in the place of metal and brick rose wooden beach houses and huts, with arrays of palm trees and bushes peppering the space between them.
"That's it, there's the sign! Look, look!"
"I see it, Bloo. This must be the way in." Frankie craned her neck to read the signpost approaching them before making a turn onto a path going slightly uphill. As they drove up the noise of loud music overlaid with crowds of people increased in volume. The scent of sea salt permeated the air – you could almost taste it.
"I see lights! Wait, is that a Ferris wheel? Did they get a Ferris wheel, Frankie?"
"I don't know, Mac. Guess we'll just have to find out."
The path eventually merged into a flat open area just as the ground levelled out. From the rows of vehicles, this looked to be the car park. Frankie pulled into a spot beside the other buses and opened the door to let everyone off. "Okay everyone, you all know where the bus is parked. I want you to stick with your buddies and remember if you're lost, this is the meeting point. Everyone back here by 10, okay?"
The imaginary friends whooped in acknowledgement and dashed off towards the beach. Frankie checked the bus, then tugged her jacket tighter around her shoulders and made her way over to the beach after them. As she approached she could see the place was already busy. People were sitting on towels or strolling through the assortment of stalls taking up one side, sipping on drinks and nibbling on snacks, most engaged in deep conversation. Mac was right about the Ferris wheel, after all. If it weren't for the weapons and various uniforms, it would have been like any other big beach party.
Frankie paused to watch a group of people flocked around one of the stalls. A familiar voice could be heard loudly and rapidly challenging individuals in the audience to step forward and make their best guess. She moved closer to see a comically oversized jar filled with what looked like jawbreakers… and either side of it, those two boys Ed and Eddy waving pointer sticks. She rolled her eyes and turned away, moving aside to allow a trio of Monkey Minions behind her to take her place and join the queue of people falling for the scam.
At the other side of the beach was the concert stage, where most of the crowd had gathered. She checked her watch: only a few minutes left until the show started. She walked over to join the crowd and recognised a blue dress and familiar head of blonde hair above it. She smiled and made her way over to say hi to Bubbles and her family.
Drawing near, she could hear the girls excitedly pointing out people and things around them to their father. The Professor oohed and aahed appropriately, enough to show enthusiasm but not so much that they'd be clued in that he really had no idea who or what half the things they mentioned were. Frankie tapped on Bubble's shoulder just as she was pointing out one of her friends from her wildlife conservation club. "Hey Bubbles."
Bubbles gasped. "Frankie! It's so good to see you! I'm so glad you made it! Professor, this is Frankie!"
"Frankie Foster? I've heard so much about you; it's a pleasure to finally be able to put a name to a face."
"Hey Frankie, how're you doing?"
Warm greetings were exchanged between Bubbles, Frankie, the Professor, and Blossom. The conversation bloomed, with Bubbles and Frankie catching up and the Professor and Blossom finally getting to know Frankie in person for the first time.
"So who's performing tonight?"
"I'm not sure about the name, but-"
Blossom's sentence was interrupted by the crowd erupting in cheer and applause. They turned to look up at the stage in time to see Ben Tennyson himself walking out to greet them. He was sporting his signature green jacket, something the public hadn't seen him wear in a while and hyped them up even further when he turned his back to make a show of it. The noise subsided when he took a hold of the mic.
"Hello everyone. It's great to see so many of you out here tonight. Especially you."
The last bit was said to nobody in particular, and the crowd ate it up.
"Today's an important day. One that I, uh, almost forgot about until Gwen reminded me."
Chuckles echoed through the crowd. Ben allowed himself a small smile before continuing.
"Today's the first day of summer. Our first summer since the war began. I want to thank each and every one of you. These past couple of months have been… well let's just say rough is an understatement.
This invasion has cost us a lot. Many of us have lost precious, personal things. Some of us have lost our homes, our jobs. And some of us have lost contact with friends. With family."
The noises in the crowd died down. Ben paused a moment, seemingly reflecting on his own experiences.
"I am thankful I can say that every day I receive reports of loved ones being reconnected, but I know that for those of us who are still waiting it is one of the worst feelings."
A tension started to fill the air.
"Like I said, rough is an understatement. But you know what? We're still here. Despite everything that's happened so far, we're still here. All of us united regardless of our differences, of what history some of us might have. We've made friends - many that have surprised us. We've got heroes coming forward all the time in all shapes and sizes. We are working together, and it doesn't matter how many poor imitations the bad guys can make because they are nothing compared to the real thing. The war is far, far from over, and when it ends it'll be on our terms. It's just a matter of time before we show them who's boss."
The tension began to lift. Murmurs of agreement spread. Some individuals called out in support.
"This is our world; it's ours to protect, and if that stupid planet thinks it's got the best of us, then it's our job to show it why it is very wrong. We are here, and we're not going anywhere!"
People were now beginning to cheer. Ben grinned.
"We've got a great night set out for you guys, courtesy of our friends at Dexlabs. For now, the fight can wait. Let's all have a good time because it's the first day of summer, and we are going to celebrate!"
He pumped his fist in the air as the crowd erupted once again. This moment of triumphant uproar, of energetic movement, was a much-needed catharsis that none of them had quite realised they desired until now. Ben basked in the moment with practiced ease; enough time for the first band of students and their teacher to move into position onstage. He walked away while waving to allow the musicians to take over and do their thing.
His phone rang just as he stepped backstage. It was Dexter.
"That was a good speech. We all needed that."
"You watched it via Computress, I'm guessing? You should have come, man. You need a break more than any of us."
"You know I can't leave my work, Ben. Go on, enjoy the fun with everyone. I expect the couple of seconds you've spent picking up have already been too long and you're itching to get back into the centre of attention." Ben didn't need to see Dexter to know the last bit was said with a smirk.
"Very funny. Alright, suit yourself, I know there's no use arguing with you. Let me know if anything comes up. I'll see you soon."
He hung up then paused a moment to contemplate the phone in his hand, before putting it back in his pocket and turning to join the others waiting for him backstage. They made their way down the stairs and around to the front just as the band reached the chorus. Ben released the breath he didn't realise he was holding and stepped into the crowd to enjoy the show.
The music played as the sun set, and for the next few hours, everyone forgot about what they were going through. The first day of summer drew to a close, and along the beach everyone celebrated.
END