FLH Ch3
The Only Way to Be Saved: Saved By Cake and a Hunk
Kim's POV:
And now a poem:
Twas the party for Pucca and all through the restaurant—
Every man, woman and child was trying to get out before Pucca exploded!
So I'm not Shakespeare. Sue me. But I can't just do poetry on the run from Pucca's wrath. That's impossible.
I watched in mystified horror as Tobey tried to take on Pucca. And swiftly got the freaking snot beat out of him—seriously, she broke his nose, arms and his left leg, I think. I've never seen an arm go into such a jagged alignment.
And that was only because he'd caused a cut on her cheek with his shuriken, while she was mourning the loss of her dress's chic look.
"So… Today's the day the world ends…" Abyo commented, holding Ching's hands. "Hey, Ching, I want you to know I've always…"
"Abyo, the world isn't ending—wait, what did you want to tell me? You know, before the world ends." Ching emphasized.
"Can anyone stop this blizzard of chaos?" Ring-Ring screeched. "Dada!"
Just then, a handsome guy in all black stepped into the Goh-Rong. "Okay, I've got a seven layer cake in the truck for a… Kim Ping. Anyone know who he is?" the teen called out.
Was he brain-dead; or simply oblivious to the deadly aura spiraling around and causing mass terror? His pale, yet strikingly green eyes scanned the crowd then landed on Pucca. "No way; Princess Pucca!" he bored expression significantly cleared.
I raised a brow. "Princess? I knew she was special but…princess is a stretch?"
The teen took the steps two at a time, and strolled over to an enraged Pucca, who was trying to find Tobey again to throttle him no doubt. He put and hand on her shoulder, drawing Pucca's attention to it. Slowly, recognition took root in Pucca's chocolate eyes. "Oh… Xavier!"
I blinked at the total 180 her mood had taken. Apparently Garu's pretty-boy face wasn't the only one Pucca liked.
Xavier hugged Pucca close. "It's been ages!"
Pucca smiled into his face. "Way too long; and I'm not a Princess anymore. I quit the show."
What show? I wanted to know.
"What show?" Garu asked.
"The Powered up Princess show. I couldn't believe it when the producers put it on hiatus."
"It was great being away from the glitz and glamour. But I missed you, X…"
"I missed you, too, P." Xavier murmured. "And here I was about to go drop off the cake and go exploring my new digs."
"You mean you live here now?" Pucca's eyes were light LED lights on steroids. Too bright!
"Yep. Listen, I gotta get the cake situated and then return the van to my mom's shop. She'll flip when she hears her favorite child star is here." He released her from his embrace and backed away. "Catch you later, P."
Pucca wrung the bottom of her dress sheepishly and wiggled her fingers in a silent salute.
Ching and I moved in on that exact moment. "It's time for some girl talk; upstairs." We each grabbed an arm and dragged her upstairs.
Once upstairs in Pucca's room, Ching and I set to work picking out a new outfit and wrestling her hair back into submission.
I started the questions. "Who was the hunk?"
Pucca blushed pink. "His name is Xavier Hue. He's an old friend of mine… We lost touch after my parents sent me to live at the Goh-Rong. It was sudden and he was shooting on location in Canada."
"So if he was an actor-"
Pucca shook her head, loosening chunks of it from captivity in her hair band. "He's wasn't an actor. His brother was but he was a cool guy. He was always someone to talk to when his brother, Marc, got annoying. This was often…"
Ching fired her round. "So, he's really close to you?"
"He knew me better than all the other people on set." Pucca smiled.
"No, that one isn't amazing enough." Ching was on outfit duty. "So, is he the one who gave you that blue handkerchief?"
"How did you know?"
"Guessing, but I saw him this morning and he was all black-and-blue."
"Yeah, he did. Before he left with his brother for the shoot, he gave it to me and told me to watch it for him."
"And now he's back." I concluded. "So, do you love him?"
Pucca's face reddened. "I used to… But now I love Garu."
Normal POV:
Pucca returned to the party in a red silk china dress, with a gold rising dragon pattern coiled around her. The black tights Kim had added to "protect the image of innocence" she projected.
Xavier instantly appeared by the stairs, hand extended. "You look amazing," he complimented as Pucca took it.
He'd changed too. He now wore a pair of black Converse, black jeans with a deep blue belt slanted on his hips, and a black t-shirt with a deep blue ninja star on the front over a deep blue long sleeve shirt. His bluish-black hair was messily styled and his green eyes were full of delight.
"You don't look so bad yourself." Kim smirked, passing them by to go man the snack bar.
Xavier watched her go then turned back to Pucca and Ching. "Would either of you ladies like to dance?"
Ching giggled. "No thanks, but Pucca would love to."
Pucca blushed and nodded. "It would be nice…"
Xavier flashed a knee-melting smile that had both girls turning scarlet, and led Pucca out onto the dance floor. As they swayed to the singer's crooning about love and one last night, Pucca sighed happily.
Just as the song ended, Uncle Dumpling took the mike. "Now it's time for presents!"
Pucca extracted herself from Xavier's arms and walked toward the makeshift stage. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Garu slip away. Inside her chest, she felt her heart erode itself slowly. Not even on my birthday will he stay near me…
Garu dashed to the sewage pipes and retrieved his present, reflecting on how the day had been a rollercoaster with more downs than ups.
Up—he had kept his surprise from Pucca.
Down—he'd hurt her feelings and incurred the wrath of Ching and Kim.
Up—he had gotten rid of Tobey.
Down—Pucca's first party dress had been ruined.
Down—she'd reunited with an old guy friend who had all the girls, even Ching who was stubbornly loyal to Abyo, wagging their tongues with glee.
Down—he was most likely going to lose Pucca to that old guy friend.
Down—his knowledge of Pucca seemed inferior to that same old guy friend's knowledge, even though they hadn't seen each other in years.
Down—he had once again incurred Kim and Ching's wrath.
Yeah, the day was far from spectacular for the ninja. He just hoped his present would make up for it all.
When he arrived back at the Goh-Rong, everything was quiet. When he peered inside, he saw why. That old guy friend of Pucca's was serenading her in Korean! And he was amazing. Even Garu had to admit he was good. And Pucca was staring moon-eyed at the guy, something close to adoration shining in her eyes.
Pucca clapped wildly along with her assembled friends when Xavier finished his song. He had sung to her one of her favorite songs by Taeyang, her favorite Korean singer. 'I'll be There' never sounded so beautiful…
"Have a terrific birthday, P." Xavier smiled. He then relinquished the mike to Ho.
"That was spectacular! Now, for the rest of the presents." Ho declared.
A precession of gifts came then.:
Ring-Ring gave her a platinum-framed picture of her (Ring-Ring's) debut CD album cover, autographed. Ching gave her a set of ninja stars. Chang gave her a ninja sword. Abyo gave her a jumpsuit "perfect for ripping off". Master Su gave her three free hall passes good until she graduated. The Vagabonds gave her a head band. Dada gave her a vibrating pillow for the long rides on the bus. Santa gave her a magic sack full of peppermint candy that would give her some whenever she wanted. Destiny gave her a new bass guitar. And so on.
Heck even Doga had given her something (cursed bracelets that made whoever wore them have extremely strong hands and crush whatever they touched).
Then Garu gave her his present. It was a silver imprint of her face. She gasped and beamed. "Thanks, Garu." She leaped and hugged him.
He groaned and extracted himself from her arms. "Not again…" he frowned down at her, though his words didn't carry as much annoyance as before.
Pucca beamed all the same. Now she had her best guy friend back and Garu was back to acting politely divided from her. The world was great again.
Pucca went to bed on top of the world. But when she awoke the next morning, and got to school, she fell—hard.
AnimeKitty: What happened to our perky heroine? Is Garu gonna stay in her good graces for long? Will Xavier really endeavor to steal Pucca from Garu? Can I update fast enough? Find out!