Kingsley

Chapter 7

Song Day Date

By the time Moon turned sixteen, she was seen as a more model figure for queen. To the public's eye she was 'Perfect Princess Moon', a reformed rebel who had transformed into a lovely young girl. She was as intelligent and well-mannered, as Toffee had made her up to be. However, Moon was still not as regal as she appeared. Only the princess's most intimate associates knew of her pair of dimensional scissors. By nightfall, Moon was able to sneak away. She could race dragon-cycles with Heckapoo across the plains of her dimension, or party with her friends at the Bounce Lounge. Just as long as she was back by morning and her parents remained oblivious, Moon could live how she wanted to. It was not an ideal situation, but she seemed content with how things were going for the moment. She was still the princess everyone expected her to be and got to live the life of adventure she'd always wanted for herself.

However, there was one major downside to this new life of escapades and danger that she'd not been expecting. Her best friend was hardly in it...

"Call Toffee."

Moon paced in front of her mirror a little, before stopping to tap her foot, impatiently. Where was he? After knowing Toffee for two years now, she knew he was never late. If he wasn't there by now, he was blowing her off again. It was undoubtedly more paperwork that could not be pushed aside, even when called upon by the crown princess. Toffee's labor with Moon was finally being acknowledged, as she was re-introduced to the kingdom as a fine lady. The king and queen were using him as a good example of a beneficial relationship between Mewmans and Monsters, which Toffee was fine with. It made the kingdom see more of the non-threating side to Monsters and would ultimately lead in his main goal of fairness and equality for all. He was so popular and celebrated that he'd even been offered to run a new reform school for other wayward princesses such as Moon. Thankfully, she was able to convince him to turn it down. Not only would he be way too busy, but she'd never get to see him again, without getting herself thrown into what sounded like a glorified version of jail. In return for his loyalty, her parents gave him an even higher position in their court and more responsibility over Mewni. Unfortunately, that still meant he was busier than ever.

Toffee appeared in the mirror about three anxious dial tones later. His amber eyes were drooped and his neat hair was a little scruffy. He would've only looked this disheveled in front of Moon. He knew better than to ignore her calls.

"Moon, I told you yesterday. I'm swamped with work."

"I know mom put you in charge of the 'Avarius Swamp Restoration Project', but I haven't seen you in forever and you promised we'd hangout today." Moon pouted.

"I'm sorry, Moon. I'll make it up to you." Toffee sighed. Moon frowned, knowing how carefully he'd chosen his words. He could easily worm out of it because it was technically not a promise. It was a trick that might've worked one her when she was younger and his vague word was all she needed. But, she was older and wiser now. Toffee could see it in her expression this would no longer work as a sufficient excuse. "When's the next royal function? I'm more likely to be able to make it to one of those."

"Well, today is my Song Day. But, if you're not free now, I doubt you'll be free by tonight."

"Isn't Song Day supposed to be sometime when you're fourteen?"

"Yeah, they kept pushing back the date because the stupid songstrel couldn't find anything to rhyme 'Moon' with other then 'loon'." she replied, coldly. Toffee cracked a small smile. "It's going to be awful. Please come save me, Toffee! I'm begging you."

"I'm sorry—"

"Ugh, fine! Some bestie you are…" Moon fumed, before he even got the chance to apologize again. She hung up the mirror, not wanting to hear any more of his excuses. When Heckapoo first gave her a pair of dimensional scissors, Moon thought Toffee would be included in this new life adventure. She thought they'd be traveling different dimensions every week, together. However, it felt like she saw even less of him than before. It was great that he was gaining such positive recognition for his achievements, but she didn't want him completely abandoning her for his job.

Moon was given a moment of screaming into a pillow, thinking on how much of a stupid butthead Toffee was, before the mirror suddenly started ringing.

"Lucifer calling."

Moon rushed to look like she hadn't just tried smothering her face to death and answered the call. Lucifer lit up with a crooked, but handsome, fanged grin, as he appeared in her mirror and she appeared in his.

"Hey, Moon. You're here! I've been trying to get through for ages."

"Luci-baby, I'm so glad to see you. Please tell me you're here to drag me to hell!" Moon groaned, dramatically, only half kidding. She desperately needed something to take her mind off Toffee and going to the Underworld seemed a lot better than getting ready for Song Day.

"I can, if you really want me to, but I'd rather you come willingly." Lucifer joked, playfully. He eventually noticed her sour expression that refused to go away and sighed, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I going to need to call my sister?"

"Don't tell Heckapoo!" Moon exclaimed, hastily. "I complained about River the other day and she stranded him in Dimension 46."

"Is he okay?"

"Probably."

"So, what's the matter?" he inquired, again.

"I was supposed to meet Toffee today, but he flaked out on me." she replied.

"That's what you get for befriending an old lizard man." Lucifer added, bitterly and unremorseful.

"Toffee isn't that old."

"Right, the bizarre Septarin life cycle and humorless attitude only makes him seem wretchedly old."

"Regardless, we're still besties." Moon claimed, pushing aside all Lucifer's negative comments on Toffee. She was mad, but still refused to listen to Lucifer badmouth him. "I just wish he'd make time for me."

"I have time for you. Why don't you go out with me instead?" Lucifer reckoned, mostly out of the blue. "I'll even be your date for Song Day. We can sneak in tomatoes to toss at the songstrel."

"Like a friend date, or like a date-date."

"Date-date."

"Oh, I didn't know you felt like that." Moon mumbled, suddenly very nervous.

"Really? I could've sworn it was painfully obvious from the moment I rushed over to talk to you at your first ball." Lucifer laughed. Moon blushed even more feverishly. That was nearly two years ago. She'd never once suspected he felt this way. Her experience with romance was so limited. "So, what do you say?"

"Alright." she agreed, quietly.

"Excellent. I'll meet you by the hill at noon." he grinned. Lucifer bid her farewell and hung up. It took Moon a couple minutes to sink in what had just happened and realize her mistake. Although, Lucifer was a good friend, she was certain she did not like him in that way. Without anger clouding her judgement, she quickly realized the only reason why she had said yes. Toffee's inevitable jealousy.

"Oh geez. What have I done?"

The mirror started ringing again and his name flashed on the screen.

"Toffee calling."

"No, no, no! Call denied." Moon gasped, quickly. Out of all the people she really didn't want to talk to right now, Toffee was the first and only person on her list. Although, after savagely hanging up on him, she really should've expected it. The ringing thankfully stopped at Moon's command and she sighed in grateful relief. "Crisis adverted."

The ringing returned, somehow with an angrier, violent pitch to it than before.

"Toffee calling."

"I don't want to talk to him." she shrieked. The ringing stopped again. However, it was an even briefer silence before it started up again.

"Toffee calling."

You know he's just going to keep calling back.

"Fine! I'll accept the call!" Moon shouted. She mentally braced herself as Toffee reappeared in the small frame of the mirror. It was no surprise he was angry after being clearly ignored.

"Moon! Stop sending me to voicemail." he yelled.

"What do you want now?" she groaned.

"The queen just called to invite me to your Song Day celebration." Toffee explained.

"And?"

"I'm setting aside some work and am going to be there for you. If you'd like, I could come down a little earlier—"

"Sorry, no can do, Toffee. I have a date with Lucifer." Moon replied, with a cruel smugness in her tone. Now that she knew Toffee's intent, she was secretly reveling in the fact he'd come back and she got to tell him this. He tried to remain impassive, but his expression couldn't help but go shocked and blank at the news.

"I beg your pardon."

"Yeah, he just called me and asked me out. I figured, since he's my future husband, I should probably say yes." she chimed, with a taunt grin of payback and satisfaction.

"What idiot told you that?" he snapped, immediately.

"You did, you idiot! Remember right after I met him you basically said marry him or go to war." Moon retorted back, dryly.

"That was before—" Toffee stopped himself immediately from nearly saying something he ought not to have and Moon frowned even harder than she already was. She knew exactly what he wanted to say to her and she wish he'd just admit it already. It was clear they're friendship was on the tracks to something more for some time now and she was growing extremely tired of feigning innocent to that fact. "Moon, I know there's a lot of pressure to marry Lucifer someday, but that doesn't mean you have to."

"It's one date, Toffee. Get a grip." Moon abruptly hung up on him again, before he could say another word. She didn't have any more time to argue with him, when she had a date to get ready for.

It was about an hour later when Moon heard an unexpected knock on her door. She gave the okay to enter and her maid quickly shuffled into the room.

"Princess, the king and queen would like a word with you."

"Now? But, I'm about to leave." Moon replied, knowing her maid was not about to tattle on her for leaving the castle.

"They know." Sandra admitted, flatly. In an instant Moon knew exactly what she really meant. They didn't just know Moon was heading out without permission, they knew about the date, and there was only one person who could've told them.

"That son of a—"

"Ah, there's my little girl." King Juniper grinned, warmheartedly, upon Moon's arrival.

When Moon entered the entrance hall, she found Toffee was standing beside her mother and father, in a close circle. Moon gave them a quick curtsy, keeping her head down, in what they would assume was to atone for her misbehavior. However, in reality, she was trying not glare daggers at Toffee's fake innocent smile.

"Look who's here, dear. Toffee has come by specially for your Song Day celebration this evening. Isn't that nice?" Queen Willow gushed, expecting her daughter to be excited at Toffee's sudden appearance. She blatantly ignored Moon's displeased expression upon seeing him. "He has also told us all about your upcoming date with Lucifer, which we had no idea was even happening."

"I apologize. It was a sudden arrangement."

"Don't fret, Moon. We couldn't be more thrilled!"

"Thank you for your approval." Moon added. Although, frankly, she did not care whether they approved or not. "Well, we're meeting up in ten minutes, so I'd better be off now. Thank you for any impending offers, but I won't be needing a chaperone today."

"Unchaperoned? What a preposterous idea, Moon! You need a chaperone to go out. Especially, if it's on a date." Queen Willow argued. "Luckily, Toffee has offered up some of his valuable free time to help you out."

Moon internally screamed when Toffee joined her side. She wanted nothing more than to strangle him.

"Come now, princess. We'd better be off."

"You are literally the worst." Moon muttered, in a hushed whisper.

"I know." Toffee smiled, proudly.

They left the castle and walked over to the hill, where Lucifer was already waiting. He should've been unhappier to see Toffee, considering their history, but he was really more surprised.

"What in the world—"

"Lucifer, I believe you've met my chaperone. Old, lizard man, Toffee of Septarsis." Moon chided, cruelly, presenting him. Ignoring her cold stinging insults, Toffee gave Lucifer a simple nod of acknowledgment.

"Chaperone? What era are we in?"

"Evidently a dated one. Let's just get going..."

Toffee palpably complicated things, which Moon suspected was his plan from the beginning. She knew all of this would now be reported back to the king and queen, so they could not leave the dimension, or talk very freely, under his judging eye. He made everything more strained and awkward than a first date already was.

"Sorry, there's not many romantic places to go in Mewni." Lucifer added, probably sensing Moon had wanted to go somewhere outside of their dimension. They had arrived unexpectedly on the murky shores of Garbage Beach. It was not the best place they could've ended up, but Moon was hoping the wretched odor would trigger Toffee's superior sense of smell and he'd leave them alone.

"Don't worry. It was probably this, or the Forest of Unlikely Spider Bites." Moon reasoned. What sounded like a muffled cough had chosen to come out just as she said this. At first, she thought Toffee couldn't take the smell and her plan had succeeded already. However, upon turning around to look at him, she noticed a rare look and knew it was something else. "What are you laughing about?"

"I'm not laughing."

"Yes, you are. Don't think I don't know that look. In your mind, you're having a right laugh about this mess, aren't you?" she accused, bluntly.

"I am not." he repeated.

"We'd be able to run off to the Bounce Lounge, or somewhere else fun, if it weren't for you. Why are you here?" Moon argued.

"Do you believe everything would be going fine, if I weren't here? You are sorely mistaken, Moon." Toffee snapped, an agitated tone arising ever-so-slightly from his normal muted one. "This date would still be going horribly, whether I was here or not."

"Well, I wouldn't be on this date at all, if it weren't for you!"

"Why is that, princess?"

"Maybe because, despite how much you try to hide it, I know how you feel about me! You don't need to be so jealous, Toffee," Moon shouted back. He was about to dispute her claims, but she wasn't done yet. "If you had just asked me out in the first place, I would've said yes because I love you, you idiot—!"

Moon slammed her hands over her mouth. She'd gone too far. Unlike Toffee, she'd been unable to hold herself back from saying it out loud. Although, she was almost certain he felt the same, he still said nothing. Toffee just stared at her, with an unreadable expression, and Moon was suddenly convinced she was wrong. He didn't feel the same. His jealousy at other men and the stolen glances of utter endearment must've been deluded figments of her imagination. Of course, how did she expect someone who didn't know love to reciprocate her feelings?

"I've got to go…" she mumbled, in utter embarrassment. Moon quickly removed her wand and, in one poof, conjured a cloud for her to jet away on. He called after her, but she did not look back. Moon landed back at the castle several minutes later and ran for her room at once. Her door closed with a slam and no one chased after her.

"Moon? It's time for your song, are you ready?"

It was a few hours later when Queen Willow decided to check on her daughter, not knowing for sure whether Moon had come home at all.

"I'll be over in a minute." Moon called, through the door. She had just managed to get her hair just right and make eyes to appear un-puffy. It was imperative that she looked unbothered by what had happened earlier. She didn't have the time to be heartbroken. The event would officially present her as the next queen of Mewni and the whole kingdom would be watching her.

She quickly glided down the hallway towards the viewing balcony, feeling mostly fine. However, the content mood she had worked so hard on achieving was instantly shattered upon arrival to her seat.

"Oh no…"

"Good evening, princess."

There on the balcony were her parents, the Magic High Commission, and, to her unfortunate dismay, Toffee. He was sitting nonchalantly, talking to her mother, in a brazened in a midnight frock coat. It was bad enough he was here in the first place, but did he also have to look so handsome?

"Don't stand on ceremony, Moon. We're just about to start!" Queen Willow exclaimed, patting the velvet chair between her and Toffee. Moon rushed to her seat, trying desperately not to look at Toffee. She knew he wouldn't dare bring up what happened in such a public setting, but being this close to him was pure agony. The lights thankfully dimmed and she was spared from catching his eye.

The curtains were drawn and the songstrel appeared on stage with his lute. The crowd clapped, as he bowed, and the announcer made the necessary introductions. A puppet of Moon was suddenly lowered down from the rafters and the songstrel began to sing:

Perfect Princess Moon, she's great in every way.

Everything she says and does is absolutely right.

Her hair is silky soft.

Her favorite color's pink.

She flosses every day,

And she never needs to sleep.

The Perfect Princess Moon,

She's nice in every way.

Always in a sunny mood,

Even on a cloudy day.

Her sugar-coated heart of gold will make everything fine.

She plays with puppies and kisses kitty cats, eats her vegetables, and smells like lavender.

Perfect Princess Moon, she's a fan of smiles.

Perfect Princess Moon will be our queen!

Everyone whistled and cheered, while Moon sunk deeper into her chair in embarrassment. It had been just as horrendous as she thought it'd be. She wanted nothing more than to complain about it with her best friend, until she remembered they would need to have a different conversation before they'd ever be able to get back to that point of familiarity. She turned towards Toffee, but found he was no longer sitting next to her. Moon swiftly rushed up and ran back inside, hoping she was not too late to catch him. However, she found him not to far away, hunched in the shadows. At first, she thought he was sick. His hand was over his mouth and his arm was clutching his stomach. However, catching a glimpse of his face in the low torchlight, Moon saw it was something else.

Unable to hold back any longer, Toffee let out a wholehearted cackle. It was surprising nobody else was rushing in at the sound. He had such little time to get out twenty years' worth of laughter. It wouldn't stop. Moon wanted to laugh with him, but didn't feel like she deserved to. However, she still smiled at finally seeing him keeled over laughing at something.

"I take it you enjoyed my Princess Song?" Moon inquired, with a mischievous air.

"It was so wrong! Utterly wrong." Toffee laughed, still unable to contain himself. He finally stopped after another moment, realizing he was alone with Moon for the first time since she admitted she loved him.

"It wasn't all wrong! Look how soft my hair is." she huffed, forgetting what was supposed to be a difficult conversation. Moon grabbed his hand and made him feel a section in proof.

"Huh, lavender…" he remarked, suddenly. Her shampoo smelled like lavender. Moon had never been this close before, at least not for this long. The comment was a distraction for himself not to tell her she looked enchanting in the moonlight.

Toffee put his hand behind her head. Suddenly, he'd pulled her even closer and there was no longer a barrier between them. He'd given up any sort of reason he was holding onto about why he shouldn't be in love with her and pressed his lips against hers. Electricity sparked between them and Toffee felt his cold blood instantly warmed. For Moon, it was a more of a cold feeling, but intoxicating regardless. When Toffee pulled away, she was burning. However, when she gazed into his eyes, Moon couldn't tell what he was feeling. Any sort of affection she'd seen him exhibit right before he kissed her had been immediately drained away. Other voices from outside grew closer and they immediately put a good five feet between them. The king and queen peeked their heads through the balcony entrance and beckoned Moon to return to the celebration. She turned to address them for just a second.

But, of course, when she turned back Toffee had disappeared into the night.

11