Although there was still a faint chill in the January air, the sun broke through the grey clouds to cast a golden hue over Stephanie and Porsha as they walked their way down towards the school. While Porsha had been attending during her mother's absence - normally with Rosita dropping her off - this was Stephanie's first visit to the school since Jimmy's appearance on Hot News, and despite her triumph at the custody proceedings a week prior, Stephanie still felt a slight sense of dread at the thought of finally seeing the other parents again.

The reception seemed to be casual enough once they reached the parking lot, and Stephanie exchanged some silent smiles and waves with a few of the other earlier arrivals. She was still hesitant to loosen the tight but gentle grip that she was holding onto her seven-year-old's hand with, but after the ordeal they'd been going through for the last few months, Porsha clearly wasn't in that much of a hurry to be separated from her mother again any time soon.

"Meena!" Porsha finally let go of Stephanie's hand as she ran over to the gate, her momentum nearly knocking the elephant over when she ran into her arms.

Although her daughter had made more friends and acquaintances than she could count in their past few years living in Calatonia, Stephanie could tell that Meena was Porsha's absolute favourite. No matter how long it had been since the two last saw each other, whether they'd spent a week, a day or even an hour apart, every time they reunited Porsha always seemed to run to her friend's arms as if returning home for the first time in decades. Which was especially amusing, given the fact that neither she or Meena were even a decade old yet.

"Oh... uh, Stephanie...?"

"Huh...?" Stephanie snapped out of her thoughts and quickly shook her head, turning to face the older elephant that was stood beside her. "Oh... L-Leslie, hi!"

"Y-yeah... hi, Steph, I um..." Leslie cleared her throat, keeping a smile while she and Stephanie watched both their daughters heading towards their class, though it dropped to a more regretful frown as she let out a sigh. "Look, I just... I'm really sorry."

"Sorry...?" Stephanie raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment before it finally clicked. "Oh yeah, ya mean the uh... the whole cold shoulder thing you guys were doin' with me, right?"

"Yeah, that..." Leslie started wringing her hands together. "I just... well, we... me and everybody else, we just... we really weren't being fair to you. When Mr. Crystal was on that show, telling all those stories, it just... I guess it was just really convincing."

"Hmm... yeah, that's Jimmy for ya..." Stephanie put her hands on her hips, letting out a playful scoff. "I mean, to be honest... when you guys first started ignorin' me, I kinda figured you were mad cause of that Wonder Woman outfit I was wearin' last Halloween!"

"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about that!" Leslie went wide-eyed as they both laughed. "Yeah, that... that really wasn't good timing for you at all, was it?"

"Nah, it was fine... all water under the bridge, I guess..." Stephanie shrugged, keeping a warm smile as she patted Leslie on the shoulder. "I really appreciate the apology, though. Ooh!"

Stephanie was taken slightly off-guard when Leslie suddenly pulled her into a hug, though after a moment of overcoming her surprise she quickly returned it.

"I just can't believe you and Porsha had to go through all that..." Leslie was going misty-eyed as she pulled out of the embrace, still keeping a grip on Stephanie's hand. "And... and you almost lost her too! If someone tried to take Meena away from me, I just... I can't even begin to think what I'd do..."

"Hey... no power on Earth that can match a mother's love, right...?" Stephanie gently cupped Leslie's chin, prompting the elephant to nod, before they looked over to the window of the school and saw their daughters inside. "The only thing that matters now is that they're safe."

"Yeah..." Leslie sniffled a bit as she wiped her face, though she still had a sympathetic expression as she looked back to the wolf. "Oh, and um... I'm really sorry to hear about the Prairie too... we all know you had your heart set on that, Steph..."

"The Prairie? Oh... oh, yeah..." Stephanie winced a little as some more negative feelings finally started fighting their way back to the surface, though she forced a reassuring smile back onto her face. "I guess there actually is something else that matters right now..."

Once there was a way
To get back homeward

Once there was a way
To get back home

Sleep, pretty darling
Do not cry

And I will sing a lullaby

As incensed as Stephanie had been about this unfolding of events - the thought of having to refer to the formerly named Prairie by its new name still made her blood boil - she couldn't deny that the Theatre looked truly magnificent in its newly-refurbished state, even more so than she had always imagined it would.

Since it was still mid-morning, and the company didn't have any shows to prepare yet, the lobby was completely empty, and the sound of Stephanie's footsteps on the marble floor echoed slightly as the wolf made her way inside. A scent of somewhat fresh paint still lingered in the air of the room and mingled with faint remnants of nostalgia for the Prairie's glory days, which only grew more enticing as Stephanie walked onto the spotless, red velvet carpet that led straight towards the auditorium. And upon opening the doors, the sight of the theatre's main stage in all its glory was far from a disappointment.

"Whoa..."

As she made her way down through the centre, Stephanie carefully traced her fingers among the red leather seats when she passed them by, while looking upwards at the vast space all around her. Upon squinting a little, she noticed a few cracks and loose beams hanging from the ceiling, and while the sight of building equipment in the corner did put her a little more at ease, the thought of the theatre still needing further renovations after they'd already had its big public reopening was still somewhat concerning.

The old, splinter-covered wood that had covered the stage on her previous visits had now been completely replaced with new, finely-sanded pine panels, though there was still a slight creak as Stephanie pulled herself up onto it and sat on the edge to have a better look at her surroundings. The wolf felt a small, wistful smile tugging at her lips as she gazed out into the empty auditorium, and she gently closed her eyes as her mind replayed a few vivid memories of the full crowds she used to perform to in her younger years.

But yet, as wonderful as it was to see her treasured venue given new life after all those years, deep down she couldn't help feeling a sense of emptiness from the missed opportunity of restoring it herself.

"This was it. The moment it all began. The moment an ordinary little guy fell in love with the Theatre."

Stephanie tensed up a little at the sound of the voice that seemed to echo throughout the entire building, though she quickly calmed down when she realised it wasn't speaking to her directly. After recognising it as the voice of the theatre's new owner, as she'd heard on the news broadcast a few days prior, the wolf's twitching ears drew her back towards the staircase in the front lobby, and she began to ascend it as the voice grew louder.

"Everything about it. The lights, the way the scenery moved, even the smell. He was only six years old, but his plans to become the first koala bear in space were suddenly... toast!"

After manoeuvring her way through the various floors and hallways - most of which were still only half constructed with building equipment set aside for it - Stephanie finally reached what appeared to be the main office on the top level. There was a desk at the very end of the room, right in front of the window, besides which there stood a rotating fan, a large printer, and an old, wooden piano. And to its left was another, closed door, where Stephanie could hear the slightly muffled voice still speaking on the other side.

"Some folks may have said he grew up to be the greatest showman the city has ever seen. Some called him a visionary. A maverick."

Upon opening the door and peeking her head inside, Stephanie immediately noticed the large, stylised artwork of Nana Noodleman's Epiphany that was hung in the centre of the wall, surrounded by various other posters and photographs from the Prairie Theatre's heyday.

"Sure, some folks said he was as crazy as he was stubborn, but I say wonder and magic don't come easy, pal."

Though he was facing away from her in his tall swivel chair, Stephanie saw the large, circular ears of the theatre's new owner sticking out from either side as he looked up proudly at his wall display, while he continued repeating what appeared to be a well-rehearsed pep talk to himself.

"And oh, there would never be any doubt. The name Buster Moon would go down in entertainment history..."

The koala finally swivelled around, flashing a charismatic grin towards his imaginary audience.

"And I should know... because I... am Buster -"

"Moon...?" Stephanie finally cut in, prompting the diminutive marsupial to shoot up in his seat. "Um... y-you're Buster Moon, right...?"

"Oh yeah... I mean yes, that's me..." Buster cleared his throat and sat slightly straighter, clearly trying to look more professional. "B-but yes, I'm Buster Moon, the uh... well, the one and only, as far as I know."

"Uh-huh, yeah, terrific, um..." Stephanie shuffled her way into the room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind her while she flattened her skirt down. "I um... I was really hopin' to talk to ya. If you've got the time, that is."

"Oh... uh... y-yeah, okay..." He bit his bottom lip, still seeming unsure as he eyed his visitor. "So how did, um... wait, did Ms. Crawly let you in...?"

"Huh...? Ooh!"

Stephanie suddenly jolted up as she felt someone walking into the back of her, turning around to see a short, elderly lizard standing there. The dead-looking glare in the reptile's right eye sent a slight shiver through Stephanie, though she was put somewhat more at ease when she realised it was only a glass prosthetic, and the little old lady otherwise looked quite friendly.

"Good morning, Mr. Moon..." She said shakily.

"Top of the morning to you too, Ms. Crawly!"

"Oh, and I was just checking your schedule, Mr. Moon..." Ms. Crawly took out her clipboard, pointing her pencil to one of the items on her checklist. "You and Mr. Noodleman still have your lunch meeting at Les Calmers booked for noon, sir."

"Wait..." Stephanie froze up briefly. "Noodleman...?!"

"Ah, of course... knew I was forgetting something..." Buster then gestured towards the wolf that was still stood in the doorway. "Yeah, I was just speaking to Miss, um... oh... I'm sorry, Ma'am, I don't think I got your name..."

"What? Oh... w-well, uh..." Stephanie reached a hand over for Buster to shake. "It's Stephanie... Stephanie Frangipane."

"Ah, well it's lovely to meet you, Stephanie..." Buster sat back, more relaxed and casual. "Can we interest you in a tea, or a coffee, or something?"

"Uh, no... n-no thanks, I'm fine, thank you." Stephanie exchanged a cordial smile with Ms. Crawly as the lizard headed back to her own desk, then glanced over to the empty seat opposite the koala. "Anyways, like I said, I uh... I was actually wondering if I could just have a quick word with you, Mr. Moon."

"Ah, well then by all means take a seat, Miss Frangipane." Buster straightened back up while Stephanie sat down opposite his desk. "From what I've heard about businesses, I think you're supposed to make appointments before you come into places. But hey, nobody's done that here yet, so I dunno what the heck to believe!"

Stephanie chuckled, mainly to give the koala a sense of comfort to improve her negotiating chances, but she couldn't help but find some genuine amusement from his remark.

"Believe me, Mr. Moon. Handling appointments can be a real pain in the tail when you're in charge."

"Oh yeah, I'll bet..." Buster then went silent for a moment, cupping his chin while he studied Stephanie's face. "Hmm... y'know, I just... I can't help feeling like I know you from somewhere..."

"Hoo boy..." Stephanie winced with a frustrated exhale. She'd been lucky enough that most of the friends she'd made over the last few years weren't that familiar with the Crystal Empire prior to her custody battle, but she figured it was only a matter of time before someone recognised the ex-wife of Redshore City's recently humiliated mogul. "Yeah, I used to be married to -"

"Ah-ha, that's it!" Buster suddenly snapped his fingers. "You used to perform here, didn't you?!"

"Wait, what...?" Stephanie pursed her lips, slightly taken off-guard while Buster dug through his desk drawer. "I mean, um... y-yes, actually, I did."

"Ah-ha, here it is!" Buster suddenly fished out an old frame, containing a picture of Nana and her last troupe in front of the Prairie Theatre. "That's you there, isn't it? Right behind Florence Fletcher."

"Ah.." Stephanie let out a small, relieved sigh. "So it is..."

"Well, this is even more exciting. Speaking to a veteran of the proud Prairie Legacy..." Buster chuckled, then leaned a little closer. "So, what we can do for you, Ma'am?"

"Well, um... this is pretty awkward, but uh..." Stephanie hesitated for a moment or two, pinching the bridge of her nose, then finally came out with it. "I wanna buy this place from you."

"Wait, what?!" Buster's eyes bulged to their widest point. "B-but... but I've only had it for, like, a week..."

"Yeah, I know, but the thing is..." Stephanie struggled to find her words, not helped by the rather hurt expression on the koala's face, then took another deep breath. "Look, I appreciate that ya probably spent a lotta money on this, Mr. Moon, but I've been trying to get this theatre for a long time, and... and I literally just got the money I needed, like, two days ago, and.. and frankly, it's a little insane for ya to just pop up outta nowhere and take it from under me, y'know?"

"Oh..." Buster winced. "Yeah, that does seem a little unfair to you, doesn't it?"

"I'm glad to hear ya think so..." Stephanie leaned forward a little. "I'll fully reimburse ya, though, so... y'know, it's not like you're gonna lose anything outta this... right?"

"Well yeah, but I... I just... um..." Buster pursed his lips, thinking for a moment while he awkwardly drummed his fingers on the desk, before he finally let out a soft exhale. "Respectfully, Miss Frangipane, I... I'm gonna have to turn you down."

"What?!" Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Look, if it's about the money, I got more than enough to pay back what ya spent, but I -"

"No no, just... just hold on a second, Ma'am..." Buster raised his hand and cleared his throat, prompting Stephanie to sit a little straighter so she could hear him out. "It's not about money, really, it's just... well, this old theatre, it... it really means a lot to me..."

Stephanie bit her bottom lip, sensing from the koala's tone and body language that he was about to give her some kind of sob story.

"Okay, but um... you see that bucket there...?" Buster pointed to the shelf behind him, allowing Stephanie to notice a small but rather shiny pitcher displayed on a wooden pedestal. "Do you wanna know why I have that there...?"

"Is it cause the roof is leaking...?" Stephanie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Wait, what? Oh right! Uh, no..." Buster chuckled, before gesturing towards a near-identical bucket placed only a few away from the first, collecting the water while it gently dripped down from the slightly contorted pipe on the ceiling. "That's the bucket for the leak."

He then grabbed the first bucket and swivelled it around, letting Stephanie see the Moon Car Wash logo proudly emblazoned on the front. "I actually keep this one because it belongs to my father, Baxter."

"Oh..." Stephanie's eyes narrowed a little.

"He spent nearly every day for the last thirty years, washing cars and helping me raise money just so I could buy this place..." Buster explained, letting out a nostalgic sigh while he held the bucket close to his chest. "Hmm... dream big dreams. That's what he's always said to me."

"Damn... well, thirty years certainly beats two and a half... wait, did ya said his name's Baxter…?" Stephanie raised an eyebrow when Buster nodded, and after taking a moment to ponder this - while also studying the koala's somewhat familiar features - her eyes widened as it finally clicked. "Oh my God, you're Bernie's kid!"

"B-Bernie...?" Buster's ears drooped a little, and Stephanie could see his grey fur almost going ghost-white. "You know my Mom...?"

"Yeah, I do part-time at the Perkins Home!" Stephanie laughed, finally lounging back a little in her chair. "God, it all makes so much sense now... you're the one she always complains about!"

"Complains...?!"

"Well, maybe complains is a little harsh, but um... but yeah, she's usually got a lot to say about ya..." Stephanie let out an awkward chuckle as she rubbed the back of her neck, before lowering her head a little. "Y'know, now that I think about it, she uh... she's always said me and you got a lot in common. Just had to be this, didn't it...?"

"She said that...?" Buster pursed his lips when Stephanie nodded, seeming pleasantly surprised. "Hmm... well, if you're as passionate about this theatre as I am, Miss Frangipane, I guess I'm not that crazy after all!"

"Either that or we're both totally nuts!" Stephanie clapped back as they both laughed.

Stephanie then noticed the koala lounging back as he cupped his chin, thinking to himself for another moment or two, before he finally spoke up again. "Are you hungry, Stephanie?"

"Hungry...? W-well, uh..." Stephanie held a hand to her midsection, while Buster grabbed the leather satchel that was draped on the shelf behind him. "Well yeah, I... I guess I could eat. Why...?"

"I'm gonna be meeting my pal to discuss some of my show ideas..." Buster clambered down off his seat and came out from behind the desk, now wearing a blue suit jacket over his white shirt while he adjusted his red bow-tie. "I just figure, if you're not too busy, perhaps you'd like to join us...?"

"Oh, um... y-yeah, okay, I guess I could do that..." Stephanie stood up and grabbed her purse, tilting her head a little when she noticed the koala heading over to the couch at the other end of the room. "Uh... the door's this way, ain't it...?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I don't normally use that..." Buster whistled to himself while he got up on the couch, titling the large portrait hung on the wall to reveal a massive, gaping hole behind it. "I've made myself a little network of shortcuts."