When they come across an intersection on Blue Wall Street where their friend Jackies grandfathers bakery/apartment complex, Ace remembers about his little cake order and stops his pace while also Tj and Peggy's.
Uhh Ace why are we stopping at the bakery, did you forget where we live or you want more of those samples of that mooncake? Peggy rolled her eyes, knowing something food related must be on Ace's mind.
Nope I just need to pick up my order, just stay and wait for me."
"Mhmm alright, just don't take too long." Ace nodded and began to climb up the short staircases
to the entrance where a stone dragon statue could be seen on the roof as the piglet and tiger stood there waiting. Not even a second later and Peggys floppy ears rose when hearing his footsteps coming back down with a cake box covering in his hands.
Dang that was a quick Ace, was she even at the door?
No but she left my order on their doorstep with a note saying, He pick up the yellow sticky note I gotta run some errands for a little bit and I would be back until later, but here your order Ace and see you guys soon love Jackie.
Mhmm that strange usually she will be here this time of day, but I digress. Let's just continue walking before those angry storm clouds soak us.She suggested, noticing the dark clouds in the sky.
Why is it because you pigs hate getting a little wet? Tj joked.
No idiot, I am just concerned about Mimi's cake getting messed up if we don't hurry our butts up."
Ok. Tj glanced from left to right with a growing devious grin on his face as they walked down the street to the old brown bridge they would cross over to get over the pond that was populated with orange and white koi fish and sometimes turtles. Peggy and Tj were the first ones to cross as Ace stood behind to look at the fish. As Peggy stepped foot off the end of the brown wooden plank, she felt some cold water splashed in hair.
"OH MY HAIR TJ!" She exclaimed, glaring at the confused tiger like he did nothing.
"What? I didn't do anything, it was the turtle honestly!" His little lie failed as there was a half full water bottle in his hand when he pointed to the pond.
"Uhh bye." Tj dashed off the bridge like a cheetah to give himself a head start before the pissed off pig beat the living hell out of him.
"AM GOING TO KILL YOU ASSHOLE!!" Meanwhile Ace just noticed that his friends just ran home without him and groaned while carefully walking over the bridge to the other side and followed them,but at a slower pace since he didn't want the cake to be ruined. As hed venture down the most filled with cracked concrete sidewalk he saw how the sky became dark with clouds to the point of not seeing the setting sun,nor the east and rising moon on the west near the snowy mountains that plays like a security guard in the country. He can also smell the precipitation in the air that his black sensitive nose can detect and determine that he has a few minutes, or else he needs to blow dry his drench fur.
Oh crap, I need to pick up the pace before the storm starts. The winds started picking up, blowing leaves off of brushes in a small twisting funnels before falling on the ground as he speed walk to decrease his few minute walk to a minute, wondering if Peggy and Tj already made home, which probably a yes as they unintentionally abandoned him to stated a fight that he hopes did not ended with Tj with a desolate leg or worse his dick is no longer on his body. He thought about his grandmother and hoped she must be feeling a little better when he got home by this odd flavored cake she graciously asked for and her favorite lily flowers he picked from the pond that smelled like vanilla, a favorable type of smell that she loves to sniff especially on her sick d
ays. For instance he was getting close to Minka from the white cinder block fence surrounding it but no sign of his friends. They could be inside already and having a snack while watching tv he thought, shrugging his shoulders and walking down to the gates of his home, which apparently slightly cracked open and prove his point that they beat him to it. He turned his back to it while backing up into the red wooden doors before instantly closing. All he expected when he turn his himself around was the home he grew as a small cub in a woolen basket made from the strong fibers of sheep, wrapped white silky cotton coverings that kept his younger self warm during those few hours on the poach, as the weather drop drastically with white fluffy snow falling down gracefully.
Once he turned around, the gifts of healing in his hands fell on the ground when he lay upon the almost filled with ashes home where pieces of burned wood scattered across the yard and the sight of a large puff of dark smoke could be seen escaping the openings. Peggy and Tj stood a couple meters not noticing his presents, with looks of despair and pain when witnessing the house suddenly collapse from the intensive weight of falling planks on the only two poles the support of the upper flooring made a loud creaking sound and broke in two like a love one who on the road to death.
No.
As the smoke cleared and it was safe to approach it without the fear of being buried alive in the rubble, the children hesitantly went over to inspect their falling home with lifting up pieces of house to scavenge speared possessions or anything that wasn't destroyed by the flames. The emerald green eyes tiger found his game console, the first ever game he got from his parents on seventh birthday, combusted into tiny pieces as he cradled it.
He released a sorrowful moan and picked himself up and walked over to his pig friend who held her single poster of Dr.Hog that she just bought a few months back, now burned to a pile of ashes. He placed a hand on her shoulder to reciprocate her feelings. She smiled at him temporarily as they both looked at their bear friend a few meters away at another section of the site, on his knees in front of what they could tell is his disappeared grandmothers room, they none of them once saw her escaping the house as it was about to collapsed, nor the lifeless body that once was hers.
Ace held the only references of the woman who he claimed was his mother were the old firm bamboo candle and the photo of that fond moment he had with his friends. He didn't cry physically but deep down in his heart he wanted to, but not the right time to grieve and pick up her cell phone from her pocket to hopefully call their parents, but unfortunately her phone has died.
Oh that just great, Tj..as much I hate saying this but we need to leave Jackie place because the storm is about happen, and we need shelter fast.
Ok.
Ace already heard their conversation, so there was no need to explain to him. He took a deep breath and dropped the cane then left the photo in his pocket before turning toward them on his feet.
We can't leave yet.. Not if there chance if Mimi is still alive.
There is no way she could survive that, we both know that so… Peggy tried to grab his hand but he instantly removed it, looking up to her with his blue eyes shimmering with distress.
How do you know Peggy? She could have left before the fire got worse and now in someone home if we looked.. She can't be dead!.. Tj do you believe me?..do you buddy? Ace pleaded to tiger pal, who wanted to believe him dearly, just shocked his head and stood beside Peggy to show what side he was on.
What is the matter with you guys? What happens to no one gets left behind no matter what?
Ace! That is different when it comes to these situations. She said annoyedly as he did not begin reasonably, rather ignorant about his grandmother then them. They continued arguing at each other like there's no tomorrow as low rumbles of thunder could be heard from the distance and some tiny droplet of cold rain fell from the dark shy. Peggy who was more aggressive with her passive aggressive attitude when pointing her claim out to Ace who wanted more than anything to have support from them to help search for Mimi, because he knows deep down she has not left the earth, even though she doesn't mean it. Tj on the other hand was shocked to witness them fighting as it was extremely rare like finding 90000 yen on the ground.
Fine! Don't help me find the woman who bother to rise me than my own damn parents who probably wish I would die.
Fine then Ace am not risking my life over your grandmother's life ANYWAY!She screamed as Tj looked at her in utter shock like someone like her would ever say such a thing, or even when she got upset. She realized what she had said as she saw the liquid tears formed in his eyes that fell into two drops down his cheek before looking away.
Ace..I d-didn't mean it like that..I-
Yea you two go to Jackie's without me I… need to find my grandmother since you don't want to. Without hearing anymore from them he runned out of there without looking back as both Peggy and Tj tried to come after him, however it started raining heavier and repetitive that may Peggy slipped on the ground hurting her arm in the possessive.
Peggy! Are you okay? Tj asked worriedly which she didn't answer rightway as tears went down her cheeks as the pooh bear had disappeared from her sight.
As the storm continued it show of what nature could bring after developing its power over large bodies of water not like a typhoon since it was rare occurrences in their continent and hoping it will never happen the 16 year old snow leopard hoped, carrying two large bags full of groceries she brought from the store as her grandfather request for special project hed been working on in the kitchen. She predicted that it would be something she'd have to clean when he was done and not look for it anytime soon. She was near the stairwells that glided her to her apartment when she heard familiar voices coming close to her direction, but thanks to this damn weather she couldn't picture until they called her name a few times.
Hey guys and.. Are you okay? and where is Ace? She asked concernedly as they came to a complete stop in front of her and took a few gasps of breath for Tj to explain everything.
Our house got burned up from the fire and Mimi is gone somewhere leading to Peggy and Ace having a massive row with themself causing him to leave and….we don't know where he at. Peggy remained silent during the whole time, remembering saying she didn't care about Aces grandmother in other words she didn't care about his existence repeated in that big brain of hers and wishes she could apologize to him.
Oh.. Well you've come to the right place.. Come on lets get you guys inside and grandpa will put the kettle while I call your parents. They both nodded graciously and followed her to the door with a snake looking dragon stone statue staring down at them on the roof as the red wooden doors slid open when Jackie put their keys through the hole and welcomed her younger unexpecting guests to her crib.
You guys can take off your shoes there and sit on the sofa while I tell grandpa you here okay? She didn't have to tell Tj twice as the 12 year old jumped onto the coach with the remote in his hand to declare dids and kicked off his shoes to put his stinky feet on the ottoman to relax. Jackie shocked her head unsurprisingly and encouraged Peggy to follow his example as she went to the stairs where she used her phone to call their parents. As the young piglet sat on the comfy cushion of the coach a little down from Tj, she set her backpack that was her back on the ground and scattered through it for a roll of bandage and alcohol wipe to patch her bleeding wound she sensed as her long sleeve hidden it. She gently pulled up her sleeve to revise a mild scape with some running blood she predicted. When she tended to her wound an older, familiar bulky leopard entered the room, carrying a blue tray of mooncakes and two cups of hot steaming tea on the coffee table.
Well I wasn't expecting you kids this evening haha, but help yourself to jasmine tea with ginger root and bean paste lychee mooncakes fresh from the oven.
Dont mind if I do Mr.Wong! He chuckled as he saw Tj was first one to snatch a few with his poseable tail and flipped the sweet snack in his mouth as he flipped through a couple of videos on youtube before sectioning one on a video where people post memes on their generation.
Oh.. thanks..I am not really hungry. Peggy said gloomily that Mr.Wong gave her a confused but concerned glance, not her normal attitude towards eating his cakes.
Ok.. What's wrong with her Tj? He leaned toward the tiger boy who had licked the crumbles from his mouth.
She and Ace had a huge fight about our house got freaking burned down from god know what, and she said kinda say she didn't care about Mimi that was the cause of we don't know where he is so..yea. The fifty old shocked his head unsurprised, not because their home began to destroy, but the fact she would say something that heinous, but he digressed since they'd been in a very stressful situation and inevitably these words will be said.
Well if you want any they are here, so I will be downstairs if you need anything. With saying he left them to the stairs as the room filled with the sound of teenages doing the floss Tictoks on the flat screen for a few minutes until they both heard footsteps climbing up the stairs that sound like multiply people are coming up, as Peggy finished patch herself when she'd recognized one of voices from his thick southern accent and the clinking sound his boots makes as he and a middle aged female tiger entered the room where they both sigh in relief seeing their son and daughter are safe.
Oh thank the spirits in shy, yall are safe! The children didn't have much of a say as they were embraced tightly from Peggys father's enormous muscular arms that wrapped around their small bodies since he was double their size at six foot and four inches. Two inches taller than Aces grandmother who is six foot two inches in half.
Uhh Mr.P youre breaking my my very fragile bones!
Whoops! my pardon Tj. He sat them down gently on the couch with Tj gasping for air which made his mother chuckle and Peggy who used to begin hugging tightly by her father rolled her eyes as she thought he was exaggerating.
So dad, how did you guys know we were at Jackie's? My phone died before I could send a message.
Well you can say our parental instinct kicked in, or there is a tracking device on your phone Peggy, but that is not important. Ace is gone somewhere we dont know, so your father is already out there searching while I am here with my Tiggie!Ying said babish voice while pinching his cheek which he blushed in embarrassment.
Mom..really. Albert and Jackie snickered at the show of motherly affection for a moment before turning his direction to Peggy, who has something bothering her that he doesn't know of.
Peggy is there something eating ya?
I.I am a terrible friend dad and don't deserve his ..forgiveness.She tilted her head down to let the flow of tears come down her cheeks which confused her father and everyone around except Tj who already knew who decided to remain silent to let her explain this time. Albert sighs and kneels down to her level with his stetson hat in one hand and the other on her shoulder.
Are you referring to Ace? If so, what in tarnation could you say to make you think you are?
Sigh .we had a fight and I was so mean to him when I told him I'm not risking my life for Mimi's when I tried to convince him to come here, before it started raining and now he searching for her out there alone and possibly hurt because of me. Her father pulled out his handkerchief to allow her to wipe her face as he tenderly stroked her cheek.
I see, but pumpkin, that does not disregard you horrible for making a mistake haha people have said worse and don't give a damn about how it will affect others.
Really? She sniffed as he nodded sincerely.
Youve got a good heart like the rest of y'all that would care if you or the boys have confrontations and fix it before it's worse. What am trying to say is yes what you say was unnecessarily harsh, however if you willing to apologize to him and fixed it then, I reckon hed forgive you you know that boy can't hold a grudge especially to you and Tj.
She giggled knowing it was true that her best buddy can't have any negative feelings towards anyone especially if they hurt him, but part of her thinks he probably wont.
I guess so thanks dad.
Ay what type of father am I to not give mah offspring good advice; and guidance. I am joining Mr.Mao in the search , so you and Tj stay here until we bring Ace alright?
Okay. Her father smiled and gave her a small smooch on her hair before putting on his hat and left to the stairwell along with Tj mother who told them shed be right back after she can call her husband in private.