When Ari went downstairs this morning to work in the cafe, she was surprised to see the coffee machine was broken.
"What happened?" she pointed to the broken machine, Ari could've sworn it was functioning fine yesterday, if not a little slow on making coffee.
"Coffee machine broke," Mikan was the one to answer, the biotech major was having her usual blueberry scone in the cafe. "You missed it, a piece of the machine went flying everywhere and Baymax had to catch it, and he also got eggs on him and it looked hilarious, I filmed it if you want to see."
"Maybe later," Ari had to work, but she noticed that the robot wasn't in the cafe, "Where is Baymax? And Hiro?"
"Oh him and his friends rushed to Fred's something about an emergency," Mikan explains, "I asked in group chat and they said it was his 'Bro-Tillion' or something."
"Bro-Tillion?" Ari gasps, she's heard of that term before. "Fred mentioned it to me once, called it his least favorite kind of party because it was full of stuffy rich people."
"Isn't Fred a stuffy rich person?" Mikan raises an eyebrow.
"No, he's got lots of compassion for someone with his level of money." Ari argues, "You know this phone I'm using right now? Fred was the one who bought it."
Mikan gives a sharp whistle, "Wow, that was kind of him."
"Yeah, I said he didn't have to but he did anyways, I wish there was a way I could repay Fred for his kindness." Ari hummed, "Want another scone?" she noticed that Mikan was halfway done hers.
"Yep, I'm also getting one extra for my dad." Mikan finishes the rest of her scone in one bite, "he's the reason I enjoy blueberry scones too much, it's our favorite pastry."
Ari chuckles, she goes to the pastry counter and grabs Mikan her order. As she does that, she notices that Cass gets a phone call, curious, Ari walks over to hear what the conversation is.
"Hey Hiro!" Cass spoke on the phone, "Really? That's great!"
"What? What is it?" Ari questions, Cass gets off the phone for a moment to answer her.
"Hiro says I'm gonna be able to afford a new espresso machine," Cass tells her, a large smile was on the woman's face.
"That's great!" Ari cheers, Cass gets back on the phone.
"Yes I've done catering before, what date?...Saturday? Hmm," Cass looked hesitant.
"Ask him what the catering job is for," Ari asks, she's curious what was going on Saturday.
"Can you tell me what the catering job is for?" Cass indeed asks Hiro the question, when she gets an answer Cass gets off the phone to answer her.
"He says it's for Fred's 'Bro-Tillion', not sure what that is." Cass answers, Ari gives a gasp.
"You should accept the catering job!" Ari exclaims, "Fred could use all the help he can get for that party! Please?" she attempts her puppy eye trick to persuade Cass, she just chuckles.
"Of course I'll accept," Cass gets back on the phone, "Bye Hiro, I love you." she ends the call, then texts Hiro a message on his phone, "Guess wishes are coming true today."
"I know right!" Ari was happy she'd be able to help Fred just as much as the comic fan helped her, "What can I do for the catering? Can I help in the kitchen?"
"Aww that's sweet of you to help," Cass chuckled, "However I'll be fine, you should get a chance to enjoy the party."
"What? I wanna help!" Ari huffs.
"And you've been helping me plenty in the cafe, you're still a kid Ari, you deserve some fun." Cass gives her a pat on the head, then goes to refill a customer's drink.
Ari sighs, "She's right…" At least I can give Fred some emotional support at the party..that's all, nothing should go wrong with Cass being the caterer…
Ferns and Nerds group chat:
Sara Ferns: Hey Fred! How is dance practice?
Fredilicous24: Awful! XP
Sara Ferns: Oof
TheLittleMermaid: I believe in you Fred! : D
Fredilicous24: Thanks Ari! : D
TheLittleMermaid: : D
Honey Lemon: Ahhhh so pure!
Hiro Hamada: Hey Ari you excited for the party?
TheLittleMermaid: Yep! Though I'm annoyed Cass banned me from helping her cater :C
Wasabi: Aw don't worry, you don't have to help serve appetizers like the rest of us
TheLittleMermaid: But I want to help Fred!
Fredilicous24: You being at my Bro-Tillion is enough help for me : D
TheLittleMermaid: : D
Ari chuckled, putting away the group chat, "Fred's a good person."
"Yes, yes he is." she hears David behind her, "It was nice of him to give us invitations." It was Tuesday, and her friends were busy helping Fred prepare for his Bro-Tillion.
"Well he could use all the emotional support." Ari nods, "Can't believe this 'Binky Mole' lady doesn't think Fred is impressive enough."
"I can't believe his mom thinks she has to impress her." David adds, "If someone is that snobby, stuck-up and rude, don't waste time and effort trying to impress them."
"Hmm, I wonder if I should bring a plus one with me to the party." Ari hums, she refills David's cup of tea.
"Thank you, who would you bring along?" David takes a sip from his tea.
"Not sure, I guess Karmi?" David almost spits out his tea from her statement, but he manages to swallow it down. Ari looks at him in confusion, "What?"
"Nothing!" David replies, "I didn't expect that answer from you."
"Well who do you think I'd bring along?" Ari puts a hand on her hip.
"You still have a crush on Juniper don't you?" David questions, that got her all flustered, "wouldn't you bring her to the Bro-Tillion if you could?"
"Wh-wha?! Keep your voice low!" Ari stammers.
"Guess that answers my question," David takes a sip from his tea, "there's nothing to be embarrassed about, it's just a crush."
"On a crime dancer…" She sighed, "I still can't get her out of my head, why do I like her?"
"I know how you feel Ari," David pats her on the shoulder. "My birth mother is not a good person, but I still love her."
Ari looks at him in shock, she had never heard him talk about his blood family before, she assumed that David was an orphan.
"Guess nobody told you judging by the silence," David noted, taking a casual sip of his tea like he didn't drop that bombshell, "it's a long story, but to make it short my mom couldn't keep me safe so she gave me to the Fern family, I found her again about a year ago and we talk."
"Do you resent your mother for giving you away?" Ari questions.
David shook his head, "No, she wanted to protect me. It was hard on her and I don't resent her, because she loves me."
Ari ponders his words, a faint feeling of deja vu in her bones. As if someone told this to her long ago..
Saturday night and Fred's Bro-Tillion looked amazing! Hiro and his friends were helping Cass cater by serving appetizers, even Baymax was serving! The robot had a little black bow tie around his neck, it looked adorable.
"If Binky Mole isn't impressed, then there's something wrong with her," Mikan states, she was wearing a black and white tuxedo suit. Her brother David and Steven were also wearing tuxedos. Sally and Sara opted to wear matching cherry pink dresses.
"You guys look great!" Ari claps at how fancy the Fern family looked, she herself was wearing a turquoise green dress that went down to her knees, dark blue pumps, and light blue leggings underneath.
"You look pretty yourself," David chuckles, Ari blushes at the compliment.
"You can't even see her dress," Sara pointed out.
"I know but it's common courtesy," David smirked, "hey Dad can Ari and us get food?"
"Sure, have fun kids." Steven tells them, and Ari feels herself dragged by Mikan over to the buffet table.
"Fred was not kidding when he claimed stuffy people attended this party," Ari looks at the crowd, most of the partygoers looked like the typical snobby rich person.
"I know," Sara takes a bite out of her food, "Must every rich person flex their wealth in stupid ways?"
"Not all, look who attended!" Mikan pointed to a group of three, a couple and their daughter.
"Who is it?" David asks Sara.
"Detective Rosemary and his family!" She answers, Ari's ears perk up at the surname, since it's the same as hers.
"I've never heard of them," Ari stares at the group, "Can you tell me more?"
"Sure I can!" Sara nods, she points to the man, he has dark green eyes, spiky light brown hair, and pale skin, there was a bit of hair under his chin and was wearing a tuxedo like the other guests.
"That's Detective Elio Rosemary, he's very good at his job. Crime went down a lot when he moved here last year!" She points to the woman next, she has dark brown eyes, long fluffy dark hair, and coco brown skin, she was wearing a crimson red dress and pumps.
"That's his wife Sarah Rosemary, we share the same name! Except hers has an 'H' in it, she's a teacher at Bridgeton high school." Sara points to the daughter, who looked to be around Ari's age, if not younger. She had bright emerald green eyes, familiar fluffy brown hair, and skin a darker shade than her father, she was wearing a dark green dress with black flats and a white rosemary accessory on her ear. There were faint scars on her forehead and arm, that was slightly covered with concealer.
"And that's their only child, Rachel Rosemary. She's pretty chill on social media, I've met her once! She's a very kind person and super mature for her age."
"I recognize her, she's a regular at the Lucky Cat." Ari notes, "Tends to get an order of milk and some type of pasty, usually a donut."
"Huh," Sara hums, "Hey, isn't your last name Rosemary?"
"Yeah, that's a funny coincidence." Ari chuckles, "None of them look familiar, so I don't know them on a personal level." But it was a funny coincidence to her! She wondered if she should go talk to them.
"Hey guys." Hiro walked over, holding a tray of animal shaped horderves, they thanked him as they all grabbed one.
"Hi Hiro!" Ari waves, eating the appetizer in one gulp, "Wow this is good!"
"Glad you're enjoying the party," Hiro chuckles, "Hope Fred is as well."
"I don't think he would," David frowns, "This is nice, but it's not Fred's style."
"Yeah but not like any of us can convince his mom." Mikan notes, "Plus he really wanted to help her impress Binky this year, let's just hope karma treats him well."
They hear the sound of a microphone and turn around, Mrs. Fredrickson is speaking to the guests. "Good evening all, thank you for coming." she speaks through the microphone, "It is with great pride that I introduce the bro of the hour, my son Frederick." as Fred walks forward the crowd claps. Fred is wearing a tuxedo, with his beanie on his head. Ari notices at how nervous Fred is, she hoped that he wasn't going to be uncomfortable for the entire party.
Fred however, notices someone he feared, "Binky!" He grabs Baymax and rushes back, "Baymax help! I forgot all the steps! What do I do?!"
Baymax scans the panicking Fred, "Your systems indicate acute anxiety, I recommend deep calming breaths."
Fred starts to breath heavy, but it's not calming. "Oh no, now you are hyperventilating. Breathe into this." Baymax gives him his hand and Fred breathes into it like a paper bag. Ari felt so bad for poor Fred, he was so freaked out! But then, the room started to shake.
What on earth?! Ari looks around as the rumbling continues.
"It's not working! It feels like the whole room is shaking!" Fred exclaims, he stops breathing into Baymax's arm.
"Why is everything rumbling?" David questions, the noise was getting louder.
"I have no idea," Mikan looks around, "It better not be an earthquake!"
"I'm pretty sure there wasn't an earthquake warning in the forecast today," Sara points out, "This is not a natural disaster."
The rumbling reaches its peak as a ginormous drill bursts from the floorboards, the partygoers run away from the drill in panic.
"Oh god giant drill!" Sara exclaims, "It's the mole men!"
The drill latch opens and it was not a "mole man" that came out, but instead it was an elder man with a lanky build that was part metallic, his right arm and eye replaced by prosthetic parts and he also had grey facial hair.
"Greetings, San Fransokyo, it is I, Baron Von Steamer!" he declares to the audience.
"Great another supervillain," Ari groans, "Why are they coming out of the woodworks like ants?" Next to her, David just shrugged.
The partygoers just stare at Steamer, "I was a pretty well known villain in my day..no? Steam? Steamer?" he releases steam from the steam machine on his arm, the dampness frizzles Ari's hair and several other partygoers, including Binky.
"Nobody remembers?! Uhg, well I guess there's no room in your fancy pocket vest telephones for history!"
"Nobody cares grandpa!" Mikan yells at the villain, Sara punches her in the shoulder.
"Don't anger the villain!" Sara glares.
Mrs. Fredrickson is annoyed, she taps the microphone, "This is a private affair sir, and you did not RSVP." she informs.
"I did not RSVP, and I didn't bring a guess. But I am taking one.." Steamer points to the stage where Fred, Wasabi, and Baymax are, "Frederick Fredrickson the Fourth!"
"Wait what?!" Fred exclaims, "Does this mean I don't have to dance?"
AN: If you guys know me, or at least check out my DA..you might know the Rosemary family, Sarah (with an h), Elio, and Rachel (though her other half has not been mentioned/shown...yet)...they'll get speaking lines eventually
I love them, so much. This chapter was mostly OC-centric, I just love writing Ari's interactions with the Fern kids..and you guys get some fun facts about them, some of them might be plot relevant so take notes!
Question of the week: How do you feel about the Rosemary's?