Psssst, before we get started, just wanted to say thank you for the favorites and the nice comments! I really appreciate them!
Anyways... onwards, hehehe!
"Heave-ho…! …Haaah…"
Vivian let out a tired sigh and panted as she finally finished pulling the last of her luggage in through the narrow doorway, sliding it along the tarp-covered floor and over into a corner. After a long morning, she was almost done setting up – she'd been busily unpacking each moving box as Crump had hauled them along and set them by her doorstep. Thankfully, it was a warm and sunny day outside, so there was no chance of any rainwater seeping through the cardboard and ruining the contents.
When Crump had stated that the X-Nauts had a place she could stay, she probably should've asked a few more questions. But… despite her new residence technically being little more than an abandoned shed on the edge of the X-Naut organization's property, it was certainly better than nothing. At the very least, the parrot seemed happy to be out of the twilight – currently, he was sitting outside, chirping gleefully while perched atop the metal roof.
Really, she couldn't help but be more than a little excited. For the first time ever, she had her very own space - she didn't have to share it with anyone other than the bird, and even he had been invited by her own will. For the moment, at least, it was hers.
Opening her last moving box, she pulled out a beautiful, handmade patchwork quilt and gave it a loving squeeze. She couldn't help but smile as she spread it across her futon. …It was absolutely perfect.
Plus, much to her delight, all her treasures that she'd been storing in the Creepy Steeple's basement were present at her bedside, where she could look at them anytime. She'd also hung strings of lights from the ceiling, spread out a cute little rug, set up a small table, purchased a corkboard… Just outside, Crump and another X-Naut were nailing together a dresser for her. They'd even installed basic electricity!
Having finally finished her tasks, Vivian stopped to admire it all, her eyes drifting across her chosen décor as her heart swelled with barely contained joy.
Before she'd gathered her stuff, she'd stopped to say goodbye to the mayor and each one of the Twilight Town residents along her regular mail route, thanking them for their hospitality over the last several months. She was surprised that they seemed honestly sad to see her leave – they hadn't given her any reason to think they disliked her, but she didn't realize how much they'd truly cared. One of them had gifted her the quilt on her way out.
It was a shame she hadn't gotten that same reception at her own house.
While Marilyn had seemed a bit glum and had helped to pack up and move Vivian's things, carrying boxes out through the Twilight Town pipe and over to the Poshley Heights one, Beldam had barely reacted at all. "Well, isn't that something…" she'd grumbled as Vivian had timidly explained that she'd been hired at a new job and was moving locations, effective immediately. The eldest shadow had then promptly returned to her rocking chair and resumed her stitching, ignoring her younger sister entirely.
Vivian hated leaving things like that. She hated it, but…
"Knock-knock, got a delivery!" a voice called from beyond the shabby, wooden door, pulling the shadow's thoughts back into the present.
"Come on in!"
As Vivian opened it, Crump and a second X-Naut waddled while clutching a barebones-but-functional dresser between the two of them. They hoisted it over to the far wall and set it down with a light thud. The smell of freshly cut wood wafted in after them, accenting the cozy atmosphere.
"Aaaaand there we go. You got some prime real estate here, buh huh huh!" Crump blustered, placing his hands on his hips as he turned to face her. "Holler if you need anything else! I think you should be all good to go, though."
"Thank you! There is one other thing, actually…" Vivian peered up at the ceiling dubiously. "About the roof…"
Whenever she'd floated in, she'd noticed it looked a little… questionable… in quality. Whenever the first rain came, was it going to…?
"…Yeaaaah, it might leak a little bit. We patched it up whenever we were moving our things out, so it should be okay-ish? To be real, you're probably doing better than some of the dudes on the top floor over there." The smaller of the two X-Nauts motioned over towards the main dormitory building with his head. "It leaks super bad up there sometimes. Maybe pick up some buckets the next time you go into town?"
She nodded. Really, she was at least thankful she wasn't staying over there with them, where she'd undoubtedly be crammed into a rundown dorm room like a sardine. …Even if Crump had let slip it was because her presence made most of the X-Nauts incredibly uncomfortable.
"Alrighty, well, she's all yours. You know where to find us if you need to. And with that… pow, we're gone!" Crump waved as he shut the door behind him.
Exhaling, Vivian took a moment to flop down on her futon and close her eyes. She curled up, pulling her quilt in close as she inhaled its clean, freshly washed scent and lost herself within its gentle embrace. She could take a short nap – though she'd have to wake up soon and get a head-start on the homework that Bow had assigned her.
The Boo woman had left her with all sorts of books and guides after telling her in no uncertain terms that she was to finish up to a certain chapter by the time they met up the next morning. From what she understood, Crump and a few of the other X-Nauts had received similar instructions and were planning to start rehearsing in a couple of hours, but…
Maybe she'd join them some other day. Really, she'd rather spend at least one night just settling in.
She rolled over on her side as she considered her schedule. Despite Vivian accepting Bow's proposal, Flurrie had still offered to have her come over and occasionally receive tutoring there – at least, on days when Flurrie wasn't traveling with her own troupe. Maybe she'd plan to go over there one night a week…? Though, there was one thing that bothered her. Flurrie had also mentioned that she'd "be in touch" with Bow for… something. Yet, the wind spirit had only smiled playfully when Vivian requested more info, eventually changing the subject to jewelry and perfumes.
Vivian didn't want to rely on Flurrie's kindness too much, but she did have to wonder what in the world she had planned. …And why she wasn't telling her anything.
With those thoughts lingering in her mind, the shadow began to drift off to sleep.
The next morning, poor Vivian awoke to someone raising hell directly outside her front door.
RAP, RAP! CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG, CLANG!
Just after smacking their fist hard enough against the flimsy, wooden door to shake it upon its hinges, the interloper started slamming what sounded like two pot lids against each other with enough force to leave dents in the metal.
"GET UP, GET OUT, GET MOVING! BREAKFAST IS READY!"
A gruff-voiced man called out with an irritated tone that mercilessly pierced through the thin walls, then quickly turned back towards the mansion and marched off while still banging his makeshift cymbals. The cacophony of noise continued as he moved further and further away into the distance, his unbridled rampage ushering in a reign of terror upon the unsuspecting outside world.
"Ghhh… mmmppph…" Vivian groaned as she shifted her weight, slowly edging over towards the end of the bed. The digits "7:00" shone upon the face of her battery-powered digital clock. …Her alarm wasn't set to go off for an entire thirty minutes still, seeing as how they hadn't been ordered to meet up until 8:30 AM, but…
"S-sqraaawk… That was horrible," the bird grumbled from afar. His feathers were a ruffled mess, and his normally half-lidded eyes had increased to a weighty three-fourths. Yet, he still stretched, then hopped down from his perch and positioned himself half-heartedly above his feeder.
Watching the parrot as he began to peck at his mix of sunflower seeds and pellets, Vivian sat up and sleepily pondered what she should have for her own breakfast. Crump had mentioned that she could get a serving of food from the kitchen if she wanted. Vivian hadn't been expecting to partake of it, but since they'd woken her up for it anyways…
She might as well take a look.
The shadow brushed her hair and hummed softly as she went about her morning routine. Seeing as how the only semi-functioning bathrooms were inside the mansion and were apparently constantly occupied, she instead chose to sit just outside her home and give herself a quick scrub with water she'd drawn from the communal well. Some dry shampoo would work well enough for the moment – she had an oil drum that she could use for a proper bath later, though that would take some time to set up. The parrot sat nearby and preened, mimicking her as she worked.
After finishing her preparations and bidding him farewell, Vivian slung a bag over her shoulder and set out towards the dormitory. Thankfully, the trek between her shed and the main building only took a couple of minutes – though she still lived within the X-Naut compound, her residence was situated further towards the back, next to a wildly overgrown patch of greenery that appeared to have once been a field. …Really, traversing the overall area had turned out to be easier than expected. About ten minutes away from the dormitory, a bit further within Riverside Valley itself, there was even a warp pipe that led closer to Poshley Heights.
Vivian had been a bit surprised to hear about that, considering that Crump had walked the entire distance between the valley and Poshley Heights just the other day, but… from how he described it, he'd been so desperate to catch up to Bow that he hadn't even thought to warp ahead and meet them at the town entrance. …She giggled just thinking about it. Despite his wretched actions in the past, he'd always been such a silly man. Some things never changed.
The X-Naut dormitory was lightly abuzz with activity when Vivian arrived, though she could feel a lethargic haze weighing down its residents. Several men were sitting about outside with cups in their hands – they lounged in the grass, on planks of wood, under the trees, basically anywhere they could find. Many of them chatted quietly as they pulled down their collars and sipped slowly at their drinks.
A couple of curious-looking soldiers peered over at her as she approached, so she greeted them with a small, friendly wave. However, they quickly dodged her gaze, acting as though there were suddenly something very, very interesting buried at the bottoms of their cups that they absolutely couldn't tear their attention away from.
Vivian frowned, though she decided not to let it get to her. Instead, she opened the front door and made her way through the foyer, following the heavy scent of potatoes and simmering broth.
As she rounded the corner, she nearly bumped into one of the red-suited men.
"Oh, sorry!" She waved her hands in front of her as a hot blush spread through her cheeks. She hadn't expected the room to be quite so packed - two dense lines of soldiers filled the space, both leading up to a table where a pair of workers were steadily serving soup into cups.
The man remained quiet despite her apology. Instead, he raised a hand in acknowledgement, giving her a slight wave as if to say "don't worry about it," then continued to face forward as he waited for his turn.
It wasn't long before Vivian approached the front of the line.
"ID, please."
She heard the clerk request as such from the man in front of her. He pulled out a key card, which the clerk then scanned before handing over a half-filled cup of steaming soup. She caught a glimpse of the soldier sliding his identification back into his pocket as he trundled past her and out the door.
"Um…" She paused as she reached the counter and awkwardly rubbed her hands together. "I… don't have an ID. Is that okay? Can I still-"
Cutting her off, the X-Naut held out a hand to shush her, then slid a cup of soup over. "No need. We know," he groaned at her.
"T-thank you." She nodded as she took it into her grasp. Yet, he had already turned away and was filling up another cup with a practiced hand.
Feeling more than a little bit out of place, Vivian exited the building and found a spot on the front lawn, away from all the others, where she began to sip quietly on her soup… only to find that it tasted more like potato water than like anything that possibly deserved to be referred to as "soup."
She couldn't help but think that she should probably just make her own breakfast next time.
"Ugh." Despite her best attempts to mind her manners, the shadow winced as she took another drink. Wasting food was no good, so she'd definitely finish it, but… Still, her lips curled with each swallow of putrid liquid. The minutes passed by far too slowly as Vivian arduously worked at consuming her cardboard-flavored beverage.
Finally, after a difficult struggle, what was arguably one of the worst culinary experiences of Vivian's life drew to a much-desired end. It didn't take long after that for a certain mint-green apparition to appear within the compound's gateway and announce her presence with the strength and personality of a runaway freight train.
"THOSE OF YOU IN MY EMPLOY!" Lady Bow called out, drawing the baffled attention of residents both inside and outside the building, "I have arrived! Come here, now!"
Vivian sat up with a grimace and moved to place her emptied cup within a collection bin that was set up just outside the mansion's front door. As she did, she could hear heavy movements from within, promptly followed by one of the requested inhabitants appearing within the doorway and plodding out into the yard. Lord Crump yawned and scratched at the back of his head with a spacey look about him as he, too, deposited an empty cup into the receptacle.
"Man… yeah, I got it, I'm here. Reporting in, boss," he groaned as he stopped just before the ghost. He held a brand-new clipboard and pen within his hands. "We got a few others coming. They're grabbing their stuff real quick, but they'll be out in a jiffy."
Just a few moments later, a handful of other X-Nauts wearing a mix of red and blue jumpsuits emerged from the doorway, their hands full of lighting and camera equipment. They took up their positions behind Crump, exchanging hushed whispers to the effect of "uuuuh… this is the lady we're working for?" or "what's she gonna make us do?" as they set their load down on the grass.
Bow took a deep whiff of the outside air as she grinned with glee. "Ah, yes, I do so love the atmosphere of this place. It's nothing compared to my mansion, of course, but nonetheless…" She looked up toward the rickety roof and inspected it with a sparkle in her eye. "How wonderful! It truly is the perfect place for our little rehearsals."
"I agree, my lady," her butler let loose his compliments as he bowed to her side. "You have impeccable taste, as always."
The X-Nauts exchanged looks. Crump gave a cough, seemingly a small reminder to the men that they were to mind their manners no matter what kind of nonsense their gracious patron decided to spout. Despite exchanging a meaningful series of looks amongst themselves, the men did remain mostly silent, keeping any further communications between them non-verbal.
"Well, then…" Lady Bow gestured widely to the hesitant audience gathered before her, "It's time for our very first staff meeting! We don't have an office yet, but out here will do just fine. So!" She looked to her servant. "Bootler! Give them the details."
The aged ghost nodded, his mustache twitching as he directly addressed their new employees. "Before anything else, my lady first wishes to clarify our current direction. As we begin our work, we would do well to start establishing partnerships wherever possible. Connections are everything in the world of entertainment. Interpersonal relationships, charisma, appeal to the masses, and other such things are of the utmost importance…"
"…And, right now, the lot of you are horribly lacking in appeal!" Bow chided, pointing at each of the X-Nauts with the tip of her fan. "As you likely already realize, our current staff is rather paltry. In total, our company's personnel only consists of you goons, Vivian, and the sanctum Boos… and while the Boos are wonderful, they're quite flighty and get bored far too easily. Due to that, they won't be joining us for a while and almost certainly won't be working as actors. And I will be the director, clearly, so that leaves us with only one even semi-promising performer!"
Vivian swallowed as Bow looked in her direction.
"So, unfortunately…" the ghost sighed as she continued her speech, "We must grow our resources quickly if we're to really take off. For now, I'll be paying you regardless, but even I'm not capable of sinking endless money into a failing venture. Consider this to be a trial run."
"Roger that, boss," Crump gulped.
"With this all in mind, you X-Things will oversee procuring and modifying our equipment. My lady has decided to entrust that budget to you – do not disappoint her," Bootler spoke up.
The X-Naut general bobbed his head. "Yeah. We got all this stuff prepared last night, just like you asked for. We've got guys that're down to manufacture props too, so no problems there."
Bow nodded. "Very well, I suppose. …Now then, moving on to the part I'm certain you're all waiting for… Let's talk about our projects! We've already got something in mind, but only a complete fool puts all their eggs in one basket. Flurrie's already quite aware of us, but… Vivian? You've traveled this land extensively, from what I've heard – is there anyone else you know of who might be of… say, interest?"
"Mmmmm…" Vivian tilted her head, pressing a finger against her bottom lip. The different locations she'd visited with Mario drifted through her mind – Keelhaul Key, the Palace of Shadow, Rogueport, Petalburg, the Great Tree… She'd been to quite a few places, but who exactly did she know who might be interested in getting wrapped up in the Poshley Heights business scene?
A few people did come to mind, but… Well, most weren't exactly the types she was terribly interested in working with. Though a certain plume-topped merchant's image emerged, and though she heavily suspected that the Rogueport mafia would love a chance to extend their tendrils into Poshley Heights while also bringing the troublesome X-Nauts under their thumb, those ideas were maybe best left unsaid. …At least, as long as there were other options available.
After some consideration, she instead brought voice to the idea that appeared least likely to lead to a horrific disaster. "How about the Glitz Pit? I've spoken to Jolene a few times. She's really stern, but she also has a hidden sweet side! So, um, if I talk to her, maybe we could…?"
"Hmmmmm? Now that's interesting…" Bow mused. "While I can't say I'm the greatest fan of that place's barbaric atmosphere, the fights are quite popular, aren't they?"
"…Oh, yeah! Actually, that reminds me of something," Crump piped up, smacking a fist into his other palm, "Grodus used to have a contract with some dude over there. He didn't ever talk about it much, but I guess I could ask him about it. Something about sending some of our boys for training or something? Can't say we really put much thought into picking that back up since our guys always returned to base looking like they'd been hit by a car, but…"
Vivian frowned. A contract with who to do what…? Yet, Bow gave a little laugh.
"Oho? Now, I can't say I expected that. …Well, even better! Go ask that napping tin can of yours about it. Go on, go on, get going!"
Though he gave a bit of a glare at her choice of words, Crump turned back with an obedient nod and hobbled into the building. As he went about his newly assigned mission, Bow continued speaking.
"Not just one, but two connections to the place… It sure is sounding like getting in on the Glitz Pit is our next best bet, then! …Bootler! You'll be handling the negotiations on that front while I take care of business in Poshley Heights. Vivian, prepare a letter of recommendation for Jolene when you have time. I'll have Bootler deliver it. We'll send some of the less bumbling X-Freaks along, too."
"Um, yes! I should be able to do that," Vivian affirmed with a smile, feeling glad that she'd already found a way to be useful.
"Not should. Will," Bow commanded. "This is highly important – getting in good with them could net us all kinds of opportunities! Documentaries, TV interviews, exclusive coverage… The possibilities are nigh endless!" The Boo woman raised her voice as she smirked, stars and dollar signs practically lighting up within her eyes.
Vivian watched on with wonderment. It really did sound like an awfully big deal…
"…Well, that aside, I think that's enough planning for now." The ghostly director nodded with satisfaction. "Make certain you have that letter prepared by tomorrow morning! Once the big one gets back, let's get started with some acting drills. I'll whip you lot into shape with a speed unmatched by any other! Hear me – by the time I'm done with you, you'll be ready to properly shine upon any stage!"
The X-Nauts whispered amongst each other with a dubious air about them. And yet, Bow cut their voices off with a single swipe of her fan – "And that includes you all! Don't look at me like that, you ugly things – I expect you to work hard! Prepare yourselves!"
And whip them all into shape she did.
Though Bow never once struck any of them, her words stung with a force and sharpness far beyond anything that ever could've possibly emerged from Flurrie's mouth. Vivian froze, again and again, as Bow scolded her before the newly-formed troupe and brutally picked her performances apart.
"Now! Voice it again – this time, imagine yourself as a single mother who's moved into a new town, all alone," the ghost commanded as she pointed at the shadow, using her fan like a stick. "You're lost and confused! You don't know anyone, and you're horribly pressed to fit in! Suddenly, on top of all that, there's some old lady being passive-aggressive about your dress… Now, show me! How do you respond?"
Vivian looked down at the line again as she tried to switch away from the mindset of a sassy teen – her previous assigned character – and into the new one. "Um… Sorry, madam, but is there a problem?" she read with fear in her voice, pressing her fingers together tentatively as she gave the ghostly director a meek expression.
"No – wrong! You look like a child that's being scolded by her keeper! That's not the feel you're going for, not at all! Now – do it again!"
Their fast-paced practice continued well into the evening. Crump and the X-Nauts fared no better than Vivian – rather, their scoldings were significantly more severe, eventually leading at least one of the men into such a deep rage that he had to leave and jog a few laps around the compound.
By the end of it all, Vivian was, once again, completely and utterly exhausted.
"Aaaand that's enough!" Bow called out. With those words, it was like a string had been cut – the thick fog of tension that had been holding the staff hostage dissipated and left behind a field of drained, barely-functioning bodies.
"Buh… urgh," was all that came out of Crump's mouth as he heaved himself to his feet from the performer's chair. He stumbled over to the rest of his soldiers, standing before them as they waited to receive the last of their boss's instructions for the night.
"Meet up here at 6:00 AM tomorrow! If all goes well, I'll have an announcement for you then. Expect a field trip. That'll be all. Dismissed!" Bow yelled as she snapped her fan shut for the last time that evening.
Vivian could hear the X-Nauts mumbling words like "slave driver" and "demon" as they waddled back into their home with lead-filled steps. Not that she was feeling much better... but, she'd already made arrangements for that night. She couldn't go back and collapse into bed just yet. She needed to write a few letters, study a few things, and then…
She'd promised Flurrie a visit.
Crump was tired.
Very, very tired. His head hurt. His voice was going hoarse. He was all sweaty and smelly. And, from what he could hear, he wasn't the only one that was struggling…
"Whaaaattttt the heeeeeck…"
The X-Naut general listened to the irritated voice of his subordinate, Johnson, as he whined loudly from the next bed over. The soldier was slamming each of his four limbs against the mattress, throwing what amounted to a very small-scale hissy fit.
After all that nonsense from Bow, every man on the team apparently needed a minute to just sink into their sheets and seethe in frustration. Not even the call of dinner had been enough to get them back on their feet.
"What a raging BITCH! Rrrrggghggghhh! Urrrghghgh, URRRGHGHGHHGHHH! WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE EVEN IIIIIIS!?"
The X-Naut commander peered over at the smaller man as he let loose a sudden explosion of profanity. Not that Crump didn't understand the feeling - somewhat apologetically, he gave his underling a sidelong glance. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But, like, did you see how much she's paying us? It's a lot, so… I dunno, go nurse those feelings with an ice cream sandwich later or something? I'll give you a little extra cash, if it helps."
"I knoooooow, buuuuuuut..." The soldier continued to grumble as his limbs flopped to his sides and stopped moving, his face buried firmly into a pillow. "Rrrrgggghhhh. Just… rrrrrrghhhhhRRRRGHGHGH!"
One of their other roommates – their X-Naut PhD buddy, named Xaido – sighed as he lethargically poked at another one of his and Johnson's capsule projects. "She really was more than a little rude. I don't think anyone's ever talked to me quite that way before. I'd heard Boos could be a bit difficult to deal with, but… gracious."
Even then, Crump still got the impression that she was a little more abrasive than most Boos. Her butler sure seemed to like her, given how he only barely seemed to notice anyone that wasn't her, but…
Grumbling, the bulky X-Naut sat up and moved to the corner of the room, where he crouched down before the resident dog bed. …His own leader wasn't exactly well-known for being polite either, but… well, Crump was certainly more fond of him than he was of Bow.
And, at that moment, Crump really wanted to talk to him.
"Yeah, uh… so, as I guess you probably heard, today was a bit rough. But, anyways…" Crump started to speak, his eyes locked onto the mechanized head that was seated upon the plush cushioning, "Sounds like me and these guys'll probably be out and about for most of tomorrow. I'd say it's going good overall, but it's too early to tell for sure. Either way, seems like that Boo chick's gonna keep paying us lots of dough. Even if it all falls through in the end, we should still be able to milk quite a bit of cash out of her."
"…I see. And?"
Crump gave a start as his mechanical boss actually responded. Given, it wasn't the first time they'd spoken that day - Crump had been persistent in waking Grodus up earlier that morning to ask about the Glitz Pit and their past contract, where he'd learned that it'd apparently been with some guy named Rawk Hawk… but…
Even though they'd talked then, Crump had assumed that his boss would go straight back to doing what he always did. Grodus was almost always sleeping. Despite that, Crump still made a habit of reporting to him, though it was more as a comfort to himself than because it was something Grodus had told him to do. Grodus's version of "sleep" wasn't exactly the same as a normal person's, after all, so he could still be listening in. …Even if Crump didn't entirely expect him to.
This time, Grodus was fully awake. The mechanized head turned to his subordinate and growled out his next words, his expression dark.
"…Well? Just why do you always insist on telling me about all of this? I believe I made it very clear to you earlier – just do what you want."
"B-buh… but, I…" Crump babbled as he looked to his feet.
When Crump had spoken to Grodus earlier, he'd made a point to question him on what he thought of everything that was going on. Did he approve of the original Glitz Pit contract? Did he have any opinions on whether they should start it back up again as a side venture? And, most importantly, what did he think of their gig with Bow?
But, Grodus…
"Crump? Just shut up. I don't care. I really, truly don't. Stop bothering me."
With that command, Grodus turned around and faced the wall, making it clear that he had no intent of carrying on with the conversation.
"S-sorry about that, sir. I'll, uh, let you be."
A bit crestfallen, Crump struggled to his feet and wandered back over to his own bed, where he sat down with a plop. Johnson and Xaido had moved to where they were perched between their mattresses, having busied themselves with their little side project once more. The X-Naut lord watched absentmindedly as Johnson finished up putting the final scribbles on another one of his weird little "advertisement" sheets.
"Aaaaand done… There we go!" Johnson exclaimed as he folded over his newest note and crammed it into the capsule.
With an affirmative nod, Xaido retrieved a small box from his pocket and released its inhabitant – a single Mini-Yux – into the pod, then closed the door. After fiddling with a panel on the back and sealing it up tight, he searched for a button on the front, pressed down upon it, and waited.
As the indicator lamp's color flashed from green to red, the air around the device began to activate. Dramatically, it glitched against the fabric of reality and, with a sudden swirl and a tear, vanished to a place completely unknown.
"You're still sending those things? Seriously?" Crump raised an eyebrow beneath his goggles as he watched the absurd display take place. Like, he could sort of understand the reasoning for it, but… well, he couldn't help but feel like it was all a little silly. They were putting in so much effort, yet so far they'd gotten a whole lot of nothing in return.
"I mean, yeah," Johnson snarled at the question as he rested his head on his arm. "This whole thing with that Boo's bound to fall apart pretty quick, right? So, I mean, maybe, just maybe, if we could juuuuust get this into the right hands…"
Crump frowned. He sure hoped that wasn't true. He really wanted – no, needed – for their contract with Bow to be a success. What he really, truly desired was for them to grow into a huge, well-respected TV studio, to always have plenty of food to fill their bellies with, and to find their footing in a world that had already made it more than a little clear that they had to change their way of doing things or perish horribly, but…
He really hoped he was finally on his way to doing something right.
"Darling… while I do understand, I do still wish that you would have spoken to me in private before making such a rash decision. If it ever gets to be too difficult, make sure that you let me know, all right? I'm certain we can work something out."
Vivian smiled bashfully as Flurrie gently scolded her, shrinking back just a bit as she gripped her cup of blueberry honey tea. The wondrous gift in front of her – a slice of vanilla strawberry cake topped with whipped cream – smelled absolutely heavenly, the traces of fresh fruit and the sweet aroma of the buttermilk frosting tickling her senses. Flurrie and her two other rather diminutive houseguests sat nearby with their own appropriately sized servings… along with a certain Duplighost, who was already digging into his own dessert while lazily spread out atop one of the cozy pink armchairs.
Bless Flurrie and her kind heart.
The shadow took her fork in hand and cut off a small piece of cake, then popped it into her mouth. "Mmm! So good…!" she exclaimed, taking a moment to savor it properly before diving back into their conversation. "And, uh, I… I know. I know, there's plenty of reason to be careful, but… still! I really do think this will be good for me. You, Mario, and everyone else have been so very, very nice to me, but…"
Vivian was already aware – Flurrie was constantly busy with her own business. Between training Doopliss and all the traveling that she did for performances, did she really have time to take on and teach another full-time, fresh-faced rookie? The woman needed to slow down and focus on herself at some point, before she burned out and ended up needing to take another extended break…
That, and Vivian was tired of always being a burden on people.
"So, will you get to be in a moo-vie? Huh? Huh? When can we watch it? Can I come see the set? Do you get to wear makeup and pretty dresses? I want to go, too! It sounds so FUN!"
"Ssssh, Petuni! They're busy talking about something important, let them finish…!"
"Nuh-uh! Look, Vivian's eating the cake, it's fine! She's not that busy!"
The two tiny slug-like creatures quarreled at the other end of the table, where they were perched atop a couple of small, velvety mats. The little sister – Petuni – and her older brother, Punio, were apparently rather frequent visitors at Flurrie's residence. They looked perfectly at-ease as they sipped steadily from their petite bowls of tea and nibbled at their cake between bouts of quibbling.
"Hmm hmm hmm… I'm not sure! But, I hope I'll be in one someday," Vivian giggled while enjoying another bite of her own tasty treat.
"Oooh, I getcha! So, maybe not yet, but… yeah! When you do, I'm sure you'll do great! Yeah! Yeah, yeah!" Petuni squeaked, the pink bulb atop her antenna bobbing as she spoke, "I mean, even stinky Doopliss got in, so!"
"Hey. What'd you just say?" A voice from beyond interjected, a hint of grouchiness clear in its inflection.
And yet, Petuni didn't pay it the least bit of mind. "SO! I'm sure you can do it!"
"Yes! I'll do my best," Vivian nodded, grinning. "It sounds like we might already be getting started on a brand new project tomorrow. Bow didn't say what it was, but…"
"Yuk yuk yuk yuk! Yeah? Nothing, huh? Didn't even drop a teeny-weeny little hint, did she?" Doopliss turned, peering over his shoulder at the shadow. "Wow, this'll be a real surprise party, won't it? Yuk yuk yuk yuk!"
"H-hmmmm…?" Vivian cocked her head. "What...?"
"Nothing, nothing! Yuk yuk yuk! Just you wait and see! Your jaw's gonna hit the floor!"
"Doopliss, my dear…" Flurrie hummed as she busied herself with her own slice of cake. "Might you go pour me a bit more tea? Be a darling!"
"Yeah, yeah…" he grumbled, obediently hopping up to go grab the kettle. "I've got it…"
"As always, I do appreciate it. Now, then," Flurrie continued, not acknowledging Vivian's confused expression, "Punio, darling, do tell… how has your leadership training under the Elder been going?"
As the night continued and the five of them bantered while trading stories, Vivian could feel her eyelids growing heavy. The atmosphere was wonderfully comfortable, what with the soft cushions, the lovely scents of tea and candles, and the warm sense of familiarity between them all… Even Doopliss, despite his troublesome personality, appeared entirely at home. He took to bickering with Petuni, messing with her as he told her all sorts of fibs and half-truths about the world outside, only to be corrected by either Flurrie or a skeptical Punio. Their exchanged jabs of "nuh-uuuuuh!" and "uh-huuuuh!" filled the air with a lighthearted goofiness.
"There's no waaaay! Turtley Leaves do not come from Koopas!" Petuni hollered and stomped her squishy little feet as she argued.
"Uh, yeaaaaah they sure do, yuk yuk yuk! I've seen it! Have you ever been around an old Koopa before? Like, in person? So, whenever Koopas get reaaaally, really old, they go into their shells and then they start to sprout…"
Vivian giggled as she sank further into her seat. …As she grew ever sleepier in her comfort, and as her eyes began to drift fully shut, she couldn't help but wonder…
Was… was this, maybe, what families were supposed to feel like…?
"Oh, my," Flurrie peered over at Vivian, "Someone's looking quite tired, I must say. Would you like to go home soon, darling? Don't worry about it if you need to rest!"
"Mmmmm… I mean, I am sleepy, but I think I'd like to stay for a bit longer. It really is so very nice here…" Vivian sat up as she took another relaxed sip from her cup.
"…Though… that isn't a bad idea. I'm getting pretty sleepy, too…" Punio yawned, then hopped down from his spot. "I think it's time we head on out, don't you figure, Petuni?"
"Noooo, not yet! I'm just getting started, big brother!" she gave a little yell, still wrapped up her argument with the sheet-wrapped prankster.
"But, it really is getting late…" he sighed.
Flurrie shrugged. "I suppose if our darling Petuni wishes it, I could have Doopliss over here walk her back home in a bit."
"Wait, what? Again!? Just how many times do you plan to make me do that…!? You are SUCH a pain, kid!"
And thus, despite Punio's early departure, the night continued. Though Vivian tried her hardest to stay awake, even pulling a few materials out of her bag to try to study, it wasn't too much longer before she felt her eyelids grow heavy once again…
"…Vivian? Vivian, darling, it's time to wake up…"
Vivian stirred softly, the gentle embrace of the couch inviting her to continue her sleep. And yet, the voice continued to call from above as it slowly pulled her back into the waking world…
"…Mmm… mmm!?"
With a start, she jolted up, realizing where she was.
"…Ah! Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd actually end up falling asleep!" The shadow waved her arms in front of her as she apologized profusely to the home's owner. Yet, Flurrie only smiled gently.
"Oh, don't worry about it, darling. It's only just ten o'clock – Doopliss returned a bit ago from taking Petuni home. Honestly, I was hesitant to even wake you… You seemed so very comfortable!"
Vivian looked around – the table had been cleared, the candles put out, and the tea put away… Had Flurrie cleaned up all on her own? If only she'd woken Vivian up just a bit earlier, she would've been happy to help…
"Mmmm… this is kind of embarrassing…" Vivian blushed, "But, I mean… a-anyways, thank you so much for your hospitality! Next time, I'll bring a treat from Poshley Heights to share."
"Take care, darling! Don't be a stranger!" Flurrie gave the shadow a quick hug as she showed her to the door.
Having already stayed out significantly past the time she'd intended, Vivian hurriedly made her way out of Flurrie's home, through the pipe system, and back into the vicinity of Poshley Heights. However, just before exiting the town, she decided to make one more stop…
A postbox.
Halting just before it, she reached into her bag and pulled out a thick packet. One after the other, she slipped out a variety of letters, diligently checking over the addresses on the front before sliding each into the receptacle.
One for Goombella. One for Ms. Mowz. One for Chili… or, rather, for "Gonzales Jr." One for Koops, one for Bobbery…
One for Mario. And then, one for…
She stared at the last one for just a bit. Then, with a resolute nod, she slid that one in too.
One for Beldam.
They weren't much – just a few short little messages wishing them all well and informing them of her new address. But, to her, those letters were important. She needed all of her loved ones to know exactly how to reach her, after all. …Just in case they had any fun messages to send, any souvenirs to gift, any memories to share…
Or, in one recipient's case, for if they wanted to have a proper talk.
With her last task completed, Vivian was finally free to head back home and get some well-earned rest. Stars above, she certainly needed it – she barely had enough energy left to drag her tired body forth at all. On top of that, she had a sneaking suspicion that the next day was to be no better.
But… if all this hard work was what it really took for her to finally prove herself to Beldam…
It would be more than worth it.
Chapter image: www tumblr com/thegroduschronicles/758290149890260992