Act I: The Heady Feeling of Freedom

"Take me down to the Paradise City where the grass is green and the girls are pretty~Oh won't you please take me home~"

Enterprise glanced at Saratoga on the passenger seat. She was rocking her body and singing along to the old number blasting from the radio, her cutesy voice a marked contrast with Axl Rose's gravelly one.

The ride had been horrendously bumpy even when the road was perfectly flat and the asphalt pristine. Enterprise was damned sure the car must have a broken suspension somewhere, yet despite that and the frequent sputtering, the Chevrolet Malibu—a vehicle straight out of the seventies—had lasted longer than it had the right to be. The Commander wasn't lying when he lent them the car and guaranteed it was more robust than its dingy appearance would suggest. He even encouraged her to go fast if she wanted to—though she's yet to do that so far.

That said, the Malibu was the very definition of a lemon, and she'd always hate lemons—whether the fruit or dodgy rides.

But as Saratoga had told her, at least it wasn't the Commander's El Camino. She had never seen that particular car, but she really didn't want to imagine something way worse than the one they were in right now.

"Hey, I'm bored. Enty, say something."

Enterprise, only briefly, turned to the asker before focusing her attention on the road again. Saratoga had turned the radio off and was now looking at the scenery—or lack thereof.

"...Hmm. Say what?"

"I dunno. Anything. Unless you want me to start, and we both know I'm just going to tease you. Especially your driving."

Looking at Saratoga again, Enterprise could see that she was grinning. Cheeky girl, she couldn't help but feel amused. That grin had again put her at ease.

And that was the reason why she could put up with Saratoga's teasing. She had made it more bearable to endure hours of driving past long stretches with nothing but the desert and under a blue sky so large she couldn't help but feel small—and the fact there was no functioning air conditioner.

In a way, Enterprise envied her, too—Saratoga had been able to remain sunny despite all that. Maybe she had always been the stronger one. Axl Rose boasted of being a hard case that's tough to beat in the song she parroted, which was oddly appropriate. After all, she did manage to persuade her to go, even if it amounted to simply throwing a backpack her way and telling her to pack up.

"Well, I can't do anything about it, okay? I think something's wrong with this…thing," Enterprise groaned as she narrowly avoided hitting her head on the ceiling after another bump. Worse yet, she could hear Saratoga giggling.

"Is that why you drive so slowly even though there's only us here in the middle of nowhere~?"

"Yes…" Enterprise replied, her voice sinking a little.

"Eh, that's just so you, Enty. Cautious and all. It's not a bad thing, though at this rate, getting to our destination will take forever, but…"

There was a pause as Saratoga slowly turned to Enterprise. Something in her smile had her staring back longer than she had intended.

"...hey, I'm with you, so I don't mind~" Saratoga chirped.

"Um, I'm glad you're here too," Enterprise admitted. Much to her dismay, Saratoga's typical grin had returned, replacing that fleeting, gentle smile. But she smiled back, knowing she won't forget that smile anytime soon; she figured that was why she could say those words.

As her cheeks turned as pink as her hair, Saratoga leaned on the worn leather seat.

"Congrats, you got me flustered. No prize, though."

"I didn't mean to," Enterprise continued. She rather enjoyed, unexpectedly, that expression Saratoga was making.

"Eh, whatever. Now, I wonder what odd roadside attractions we're going to see next~think we're going to see a dinosaur this time?"

"No idea, but I don't mind another chicken place."

"Oh yeah, that giant chicken made of God-knows-what. The honey mustard fried chicken there was good, eh? I could still recall you finishing the whole bucket," Saratoga laughed. This time it was Enterprise's turn to blush.

"It…it was, and I was hungry…" Enterprise groaned, resisting the urge to crash her forehead on the steering wheel.

"... I'm happy to see you eating something normal for a change, though."

Hearing the remark, a warm smile sneaked across Enterprise's lips, even if she was red still.

"Thank you."

"Oh, you can thank me by letting me dress you up again," Saratoga snickered, wondering if Enterprise could get any redder than that. Still, her smile only faltered a little.

"...Anything but that," Enterprise muttered. A glance at her top brought her back to their stop at that folksy roadside motel, which doubled as a kitschy souvenir shop. Saratoga had too much fun getting her to try one tacky t-shirt after another before finally settling on one decorated with eagles, guns, and the Star-Spangled Banner. For our biggest patriot, she recalled her saying.

To Saratoga's credit, she bought the same thing, which she wore proudly—that way, the whole thing felt less like mere mischief on her part.

In the end, as they left the place wearing the same ridiculous outfit, Enterprise had to admit that she didn't mind it at all.

"...And man, the museum was something, eh?" Saratoga changed the subject again. Enterprise was glad that one was less embarrassing to talk about.

"It was," she replied. Their latest stop so far away behind, an offbeat museum showing curiosities, had a nice air of nostalgia to it. She relished the signs and sights of the bygone eras—from the old guns to the pieces of Americana—so much that she thought she must've taken a million pictures.

"But the mummy is obviously fake, though," Saratoga grimaced as she recalled the display, ostensibly from Egypt—but as far as she was concerned, it looked just as phony as the one at Mississippi State Capitol.

"Maybe…I don't know," replied Enterprise. It was the only exhibit she only had a remote interest in, in contrast to her friend.

"Oh well, whatever the case, that place was fun, too," Saratoga shrugged. She noticed Enterprise nodding in agreement.

She wished Enterprise could keep showing that beautiful, earnest smile even after this.

But for now, that was enough. She had accomplished what she sought to do.

Keep that up, girl, she whispered.

"...Only now did I realize I needed this," Enterprise spoke after a comfortable silence that seemed to last forever, eyes still on the road. That took Saratoga, who was about to doze off, by surprise. She blinked. Enterprise opening up? Were her efforts more fruitful than she thought?

"Yes, you do, Captain America~"

"Captain America? I think I have enough monikers already," Enterprise chuckled, with Saratoga following suit.

"Did you know my favorite part of Paradise City? Captain America's been torn apart and now is just a court jester with a broken heart, you see?" Saratoga winked at Enterprise, who let out another chuckle.

"I don't know how to feel about being likened to a court jester with a broken heart."

"That's just some dumb figure of speech, I know…." Saratoga paused and became solemn as if she was looking for words, which Enterprise found jarring. But she nodded to let her continue.

"...but you know what, Enty? There is peace now, so you better remember and embrace that. When you see 'them' again—and you will—you could show this smile of yours."

Enterprise nodded again. She had been smiling then and now, wasn't she? She only had Saratoga to thank for that.

"So…is this why you invited me to this trip?"

"Yeah, to show you that, you know. Figured you should see it with your own eyes—whoa?"

Enterprise abruptly stopping the car had Saratoga nearly fumbling forward. She thought Enterprise was avoiding something, but she was proven wrong when Enterprise leaned in to embrace her.

"Thank you…thank you very much."

"Aww, c'mon, I'm not good with sentimental stuff," Saratoga said as she returned the hug anyway and gave Enterprise a pat on the back. Such a troublesome junior, she thought—not that she's one to talk.

"Yes, but you've always understood me the most," Enterprise remarked as she pulled away.

"Congrats, you got Sister Sara flustered, again," Saratoga pretended to grumble. "But really, you have done the same for me, so yeah."

"Do I get a prize this time?" Enterprise, probably for the first time in her new life, joked.

"No."

"I see," Enterprise stepped on the pedal, and the car soon cruised through the road again. The ride was still bumpy, but she no longer cared. Everything felt so alright.

"Take you down to Paradise City, huh…I wonder if I should floor it then? It's far away, after all," Enterprise soon declared. Saratoga faked an incredulous look at that.

"That's random, Enty, but I ain't gonna stop you," she whistled. "Bet you would only go fast a few hundred meters before slowing down in fear over this car falling apart, though."

"If I don't?"

"Dinner's on me. You lose, dinner's on you."

"Deal."

The Malibu continued along the road. Soon Saratoga found out she would have to pay for dinner that night.

Act II: Hanging by a Moment

Despite winning their so-called bet, Enterprise ended up telling her friend that paying for their dinner wouldn't be necessary after all.

The words fell on deaf ears—Saratoga insisted that she had never reneged on a deal before, nor would she ever; prankster or not, she's a woman of her words, or so she said. She did spend a good part of the meal grumbling, but as she assured her concerned friend, it was not because she'd walked out of that rustic grill joint with a lighter purse.

"Seriously, though, how could anyone eat this…How could you eat this?" Saratoga grimaced into her plate. There were pieces of barbecued brisket on it, smothered in every sauce she could get her hands on.

"Well, they aren't so bad," said Enterprise as she took another bite. She will not deny the meat's a bit dry, but it's far from horrifically terrible like Saratoga would have her believe. It was the first time she had a barbecued brisket, so it would be the best she ever had, by default.

"That so? You can have these then. Can't let them go to waste, can we?" Saratoga pushed her plate towards Enterprise, who merely stared at it, then at Saratoga, who smiled as if to assure her it was really alright.

"...Uh, what are you going to eat, then?" She questioned. The thought of eating more than Saratoga didn't sit well with her at all—especially because she's the one paying.

"Eh, I'll just have the sides. Too bad you ain't eating them, 'cause they are honestly great," Saratoga laughed the concern off and began digging into the bowl of greens and beans while Enterprise looked on with unstated distaste. She could never understand the appeal of vegetables. As far as she's concerned, they're only fit for rabbits and nothing else. Not even when paired with that seemingly sumptuous dressing.

"Uh, they aren't my cup of tea," Enterprise shrugged and resumed eating.

"Oh, I know. But I won't force you to eat them 'cause I ain't Vestal," Saratoga took another big forkful of the salad. "Your loss, though," she added amid the crunching and munching.

"Uh...Thank you for your consideration, then," Enterprise mumbled with just a hint of relief and continued eating. Saratoga's portion certainly didn't taste any better than hers, if only because everything she had put on it in her attempt to make the dish palatable had left an oddly garish flavor.

Still, she found herself liking them all the same. They were gone in no time.

"Well, all in all, this is a rather enjoyable place, huh? And a nice town, too," Saratoga commented, having finished her salad and was now enjoying the gravy-soaked mash.

Enterprise couldn't agree more, if only because the smoky—from the grills and cigarettes—place, in a little town nestled in a little corner of America, evoked some kind of simplicity that she would find unimaginable before but now would immensely appreciate. At that time, for everyone there—an eclectic bunch of truckers, cowboys, bikers, and the occasional odd tourists like them—life seemed easy, and they could afford to be carefree—to laugh to their hearts' content.

"Yes, yes it is," she said.

"Man, don't you wish we could stay a bit longer here?"

"It's up to you. Personally, I don't mind."

"Oh well, we'll see," Saratoga replied just as the burly waitress arrived at their table with a tray of desserts.

"Well, here's your order, lady," she placed the plate with two slices of key lime pie before an astonished Enterprise. "And here's your banana split with extra nuts and whipped cream, young girl," she put the dessert before Saratoga, who seemingly held back a laugh over the sight of it.

"Everything's alright?" the waitress inquired when she noticed the reactions.

"Yeah, thanks a lot, miss," Saratoga said before Enterprise could.

"Oh, good to hear; excuse me then, got lotsa orders to fill. Enjoy," the waitress excused herself.

"…Key lime pies…?" Enterprise eyed the plate with apprehension. They weren't made of lemon, that was certain—but as far as she was concerned, there was no real difference between the two, and the pies simply looked revolting when she thought about it. That they were yellow didn't help.

And more importantly, it wasn't even her order.

She quickly turned to Saratoga, seemingly about to dig into the banana split. Her banana split.

Saratoga noticed Enterprise's alarmed, almost-pleading look and burst into a laughing fit for real this time.

"Just kidding," she slid the bowl towards Enterprise and took the pies, much to the latter's relief and slight annoyance.

"That wasn't nice."

"Sorry. But you know, it's funny that the waitress mistook our orders. Next time we'll need to order separately, eh?"

"Well, you do look…eh, young, so I guess she simply assumed you ordered this," Enterprise said as she began eating the dessert, starting with the strawberry ice cream. She relished in the cold, creamy sweetness—until it hit her.

"…Uh, am I childish for ordering this…?"

"I won't say you are, but it's cute you're getting troubled about that," Saratoga replied. She never shared Enterprise's concern about being seen as childish. Many who don't know her indeed would treat her like she's much younger than she is—she guessed it must be her penchant for jokes and generally freewheeling attitude towards life—but in the end, she simply rolled with it and sometimes would even work that to her advantage. Seeing the faces of those who underestimated her after she proved them wrong was always satisfying.

"…Cu-cute…?" Enterprise quirked a brow. A blush had begun creeping up her cheeks.

"Yes, cute. Adorable. Charming," Saratoga confirmed. Most didn't know, but getting a rise out of the mighty Enterprise was always easy. At least, it was easy for her. So easy, it felt like a privilege—one that she really enjoyed. That's why she never told anyone. It will be hers and hers alone.

"Oh, st-stop that, it's embarrassing," Enterprise was now squirming in her seat as Saratoga continued to show her flippant grin. Depending on the circumstance, the same grin could cheer or fluster someone. Right now, it was the latter.

"And see, that's really cute. But at least you're not childish, you know?"

"…Thanks for that, at least. But seriously, don't call me cute," Enterprise downed her glass of sweet tea.

"Weeeeellll~okay. After all, I'm cuter than you," Saratoga chirped.

"I'm not going to deny that," Enterprise chuckled at the chipper boast. She decided to resume eating before her dessert melted, and Saratoga soon had hers. A few bites and some small talk later, she paused and looked around. More and more people had arrived. A group of performers had taken to the small makeshift stage in the back that she had overlooked before, and a crowd had started gathering around it.

"Seems like it's going to be very lively soon," Saratoga said. She was proven right when the people cheered as the group started playing a jolly bluegrass number. Some patrons soon began dancing to it, their boots tapping against the wooden floor, the noise mingling with the beat. Those who stayed at their table tapped their feet and clapped their hands as well, leaving their food forgotten.

Saratoga was never one to stay idle when merrymakers were around, and she rose to her feet. Her eyes were sparkling, and it was clear to Enterprise what she intended to do. When she turned to her, Enterprise already knew what she was about to say.

"Hey, Enty, let's join these guys, shall we?"

"Sorry, but I don't feel like it," Enterprise laughed. "And besides, I can't leave this ice cream just like that, can I?"

"Aw, that's too bad. Oh well, I hope you change your mind later. What do you have to lose anyway?" Saratoga stuck a tongue out and skipped toward the stage.

Enterprise quietly finished her dessert and watched the crowd. They didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Despite her small stature, Saratoga managed to stand out—if not because of her pink hair, then because of her gusto. But even then, she was still one of them—those who simply lived for the moment.

Enterprise thought of Saratoga's words earlier. She had spoken the same thing many years ago—but under less pleasant circumstances.

There was a time when she felt so lost, desperately trying to find something to hold onto and not get carried away by the conflict.

And then she came along, a hand reached out to her.

"Come on, Enty. Stop thinking about what happened or will happen for now, and just fight 'em back. What do you and I have to lose anyway?"

She had never regretted taking the hand that day.

Whether sailing through calm seas or facing the skies lit ablaze by cannon salvos, she was no longer alone. In a way, they had both become sisters, regaining what they had lost. At that moment, she had nothing else to look for.

Enterprise smiled despite her eyes suddenly misting over as she watched Saratoga move about. Her simplicity was endearing, and right now, she had never been fonder of her.

When their gaze eventually met, Enterprise found Saratoga's inviting hand reaching out to her, just like that day.

And just like that day, she took it. She allowed Saratoga to lead her along, to be swept away in the moment.

Once again, they had nothing left to lose—and nothing else to find.

Act III: Paradise Road

"I knew it," Saratoga moaned as she pressed her nose against the road map. "We did take the wrong turn."

"Yeah, it seems so," Enterprise stared into the road ahead as the old Malibu came to a complete halt. According to Saratoga's instructions, they should've seen...something at this point. Some kind of landmark, perhaps. She couldn't exactly remember what, but given what sprawled before her was another long stretch of road, seemingly off the beaten path, they were definitely lost. Just when the dusk had started to settle in, no less.

"Gah! We should've taken a left—"

"Don't say it—"

"The left turn at Albuquerque! Now we're in the middle of nowhere!"

Saratoga tore herself away from the map when she heard Enterprise's muffled laugh. Her friend was leaning on the steering wheel, quaking.

"Seriously, Albuquerque must be a thousand miles away from here," Enterprise remarked, and Saratoga shrugged before turning her attention to the map again.

"No kidding—but I've always wanted to say that during a road trip at least once," she said, chuckling. "More importantly, who made this thing? This reads more like Einstein's science paper than a friggin' road map! I might be cute, but I ain't no genius!"

Enterprise had a peek at the map. Though Saratoga's rant was amusing, she had to admit that, at first glance, it did appear daunting and esoteric to look at, filled with so many turns and intersections and little symbols to figure out—and that if they could find where they were on it in the first place. Even reading sea charts would be easier—if only because they were more familiar with it.

"Do you need me to help you?" Enterprise eventually offered, noticing Saratoga was still busy mumbling to herself as she struggled to find the directions, but she brushed it aside.

"Eh, you've been driving for hours now. 'Sides, it's my fault for getting us lost," Saratoga said, opening the door and stepping outside, to Enterprise's curiosity.

"By the way, it's going to take some time until I figure this thing out, so you might as well take your time and catch a breath," she said before Enterprise could ask.

Enterprise nodded. To set her legs free for a while from the confines of the car, especially after so many hours, indeed felt tempting—so she turned off the engine, opened the door, and stretched her legs out. It was hugely relieving.

She stayed that way for a while before exiting the car into the hot summer night. Looking around, it did seem like the middle of nowhere, unmarked and empty. Saratoga was absorbed in studying the map she had spread on the hood, occasionally humming or grumbling. Enterprise noted that it was cute in its own way to have her being all serious like that.

"Rats. Sorry, Enty. This might take a liiitle longer than I thought. I don't want us to somehow end up in Tijuana...or worse, Brazil—so I'm not taking chances here," Saratoga said after a while, without looking away from the map. Not even when Enterprise laughed at her jest. But she smiled at that.

"It's fine," Enterprise leaned on the Malibu. Despite the strain they had put it through, it was still robust, and she had warmed up to it despite initially finding it to be little more than a rolling junk.

Having grown tired rather quickly looking at the dullness of their surroundings, Enterprise figured she would watch the sky instead—and came across the radiance of a million stars, their shine lighting the road.

She remembered what Saratoga had promised when she invited her to their trip. A place of lights, smiles, and laughter. A carefree place. A paradise.

But even when they had yet to reach that promised place—and heavens know when they will—she had seen lights along the way.

She had smiled.

She had laughed.

She had been carefree.

Even if they're not quite sure where to go.

And to be with someone she cares about and cares about her in return throughout it all—it was a paradise of its own.