Princess spent the week training in combat with Dom Louis in her spare time. If she was going to get this close to the game, as innocent as she was playing, she needed to brush up on her skills. A friend could turn foe in a moment with the world she lived in. The final list will be posted on Friday. Leslie dropped out when BC caught him out on patrol, roughing up a bunch of petty thieves. She promised not to rat him out if he joined her band. Should Princess be surprised BC got what she wanted? Absolutely not. The Final Five were Antwon, Opal, Adriana, Zara, and Charlie. Everything was falling into place… as long as no one double-crossed her.

She had stayed true to her promise, texting BC on Saturday about how things were going with the band and if they were planning on trying anything new. The communication was business professional, and they were making strides in branding and influence. Around the school and online, they were quickly generating a fanbase. BC and Princess were becoming akin to the unspoken suspicion of Pete Wentz and Mikey Way. OK was meeting Princess and BC on the track to pair the rest of the members with their Little. Princess drummed her fingers against her desk, waiting for the bell to chime.

BC and Princess walked side by side to the yard. It was the first in-person interaction they were alone for since last week. She could feel the bubble begin to engulf the two of them, but there was something else in the air.

BC cleared her throat pulling Princess out of her thoughts. "Are you free tomorrow?"

Princess's heart skipped a beat and her breath hitched slightly. BC powered on.

"I've uh, got this thing at this little dive at 8 pm, and I could use your help with it…" She fiddled with her bag strap. "Trying something different to see how a crowd might feel about it."

Oh good, Business. Princess let out a small sigh of relief and shoved the minute feeling of disappointment to the back of her mind. "That's dope, what does the band think?"

"Not the band," she clarified. "Just me."

"Solo?" Princess was shocked.

"Solo. Gonna try something with a different pace. See if we can give your new dancers something to work with." She grumbled.

Solo. The words echoed through her mind at the thought. She could do solo with Buttercup. "What dive? What part of town?"

"Raven's Sunshine, on the Southside. Ever heard of it?" It wasn't a hot spot. People tend to leave G'ma Raven's dive alone. Everyone on the South Side knew to respect their elders. She should be safe at Raven's.

"Yeah, I know the place. I can meet you there?"

"Yeah, just…" BC quickly glanced down at her tweed Chanel ensemble. "Wear something more, you." Then she pinched her nose and pulled, promptly pulling Princess's hidden septum down.

"Ah, Pete and Mikey, you're finally here!" Mitch mused.

Princess promptly rolled her eyes, and BC forcefully fought back a look of pride. "An icon duo? Yes, we are," she acquiesced.

The final five saw the post early in the day, so all that was left was pairing and pictures. Mitch couldn't wait to get out of the sun.

"Great! Now we would've taken six members, but SOMEBODY," Mitch swiveled his head in BC's direction, where she promptly gave him the bird. "Poached a member for her band. So give a nice round of applause to Leslie, the new guitarist for Rotten Flowers!"

Light claps filled the open air as Leslie bounced and twitched his way to BC. Though the kid was sandy blonde and brown-eyed, he had all the essence of Butch. BC was going to have her hands full.

"The rest of you stand with your maker!"

"Zara and Kaleb!" That'll be interesting. Kaleb has a sweet soul. If Zara is on a rampage now, he might be able to reel her back in.

"Antwon and Rebecca!" Similar dynamic as the others but Rebecca doesn't back down from a fight.

"Opal and Kamari!" Dom said Opal could stand a bit of gentle humbling only Kamari's nature could offer.

"Adriana and Princess!" The Mahones' are our oldest ally. Keep her close and safe.

"Charlie and Yours Truly!" Mitch finished putting an imaginary crown on his head as his kindred spirit stood with him. "BC, you mind snapping the pic?"

Photos were taken and, socials were posted, the team dispersed with all the necessary information. Be active in the group chat; practice starts on Tuesday, so do not hesitate to reach out to your big for any reason.

"We're here to build a culture in this school. A kingdom that will shake the status quo and create a space for those who have felt othered. Think of it like Glee Club but with more clout!" Princess joked. "You're here to uphold a legacy, I expect nothing but the best!"

Princess climbed into the suburban with Kamari in tow. "Can I sleep over tonight?"

Kamari snorted. "Is that not what's happening?"

*.*.*.*

The girls are tucked in together in Mari's bed, and Princess can't find sleep. It was a good night. Ma made stew, and the boys didn't manage to make a colossal mess at the dinner table. They gathered back upstairs, where she gave Kamari the rundown on her little. Opal is nice. She's very honest, but she can be very snobbish. It was imperative that the two stay on each other's good side. She didn't want Kamari to kiss her ass, though. OK was a place for everyone to have a say, no matter who the hell "daddy" was. Adriana was softer, but no one stayed soft forever. Plus, she was two years younger than the girls and, as Princess's little, was most likely to rule the company. It could be anyone's game, but she had a feeling about the long, dark, wavy-haired girl.

Then there was BC's thing tomorrow. Her solo thing. The solo thing that she only invited Princess to. That wasn't a date. It was research for their partnership. She wondered what she would be doing. She was the writer for all of Rotten Flower's songs, and they had a wild, crazy story-telling theme. This year, BC was full of change. Who was the green puff who everyone swore they knew so well? Princess was sure she didn't know her at all.

Princess let out another loud sigh. "For the love of fuck, Princess, what's on your mind?" Kamari grumbled.

Princess took a sharp inhale. Well here goes nothing. "BC and I have a solo thing tomorrow."

Kamari shot upright in bed and yanked off her eye mask. "Be fucking for real? Like a date?"

"No, not like a date." Princess scrunched her eyes and shook her head. "She's trying a different sound on a crowd, and she wants my opinion on the pace for OK."

Kamari blinked slowly in the darkness. "Anddddd the whole band or Mitch and I couldn't be involved because…"

"I honestly don't know," Princess finally sat up in the dark. "I have no clue what she'll be doing, but she wanted me to dress like me."

"Okay, well, that's not shocking, you have great style." She could feel Mari's eye roll in the dark. "Where is it?"

"Raven's Sunshine on the Southside. It's a nice place, a bit of an older crowd, though."

"Don't they do an open mic once a month on Saturdays?" Mari questioned. "Heard it's total speakeasy vibes, very sexy."

The words sexy and solo jumped around in her head as she thought about Buttercup. Her on-stage, bass in hand, old-fashioned mic in front of her as she lulled the room to her will on her energy alone. Then she thought of her piercing eyes finding her in the crowd setting her on fire in the worst w—

"Hello? Earth to Princess?" Mari snapped her fingers. Princess was lucky she couldn't see the blush on her face.

"Sorry," she rubbed her hands on her face. "I'm still trying to think of an outfit."

"You still hiding that houndstooth bodysuit in my closet?" Mari offered.

*.*.*.*

BC had texted her early that morning that she had to be on stage by eight but would like for them to be there at six. The two-two-hour down had launched Mari into full-blown bestie mode, using the moment after breakfast to begin their hunt for the best ensemble.

Hours later, with the makeup look decided and hair wrangled, Princess was in her deep v-neck zip-up black and dark grey houndstooth bodysuit with black leather pants and stiletto pumps. She let a rhinestone belt hang off her waist and adorned her wrists with icy silver and black jewelry. Her tennis necklace had a simple crown pendant, and on her head was a black leather beret. She slicked her hair into a side-swoop low bun and matching black and silver hoop earrings. Her gold septum was replaced with a silver one with mini diamonds. She popped some black liner in her water line and smoked a wing out with some shadow, giving her a feline look. She lined her lips and deepened the color with a splash of black honey.

"Looks like a date to me," Mari said from the bathroom door.

"I'm dressed for the atmosphere," Princess said popping her lips in the mirror.

She loved the dress-up. The alter ego comes alive when she gets to dress herself out of that tub in Kamari's closet. Sometimes, it doesn't even feel like an alter ego. When she becomes this girl in the mirror, it feels like she slipped the mask off and stepped into her real skin. This is the Princess Morbucks people should know.

"Princess," her voice stopped her from giving herself bedroom eyes in the mirror. "It's 5:45."

"Fuck!" Princess quickly nabbed her cropped black denim jacket and matching denim Telfar bag off the bed and lumbered down the stairs.

"I still wish you had gone with leather!" Kamari hollered after her down the stairs.

"Too much monotony! Denim pulls out the dark grey in the houndstooth, byeee!" Her voice carried her all the way from the black suburban.

Ma poked her head out from the kitchen. "Mari, where da hell is Prin goin lookin' like that?"

"She's got a solo thing."

"Tuh!" Ma bobbed her head in disbelief. "She sure ain't leavin' solo!"

*.*.*.*

Princess pulled up in front of Raven's Sunshine in just the knick of time when she felt her phone vibrate in her purse.

BC: I'm inside already, head down to the cellar. The password is moonlight.

Princess blinked a handful of times but pushed the confusion and anxiety to the back of her mind. She was Princess Royalty Morbucks, dammit. Upstairs, it appeared to be business as usual. Patrons in casual dress enjoyed their coffee and cocktails as light music played through the speakers. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a dapper black figure headed down the hall. The cellar. Following them, she was met with a very, very big man, arms crossed, suit and tie, and glasses with 5% tint. You would've thought he was looking for aliens in Hawaii.

"Password." His voice thundered.

"Moonlight," her voice more silk-like than she felt.

"Welcome to the night."

He stepped aside and opened the doors for her, revealing a candle-lit cellar with the occasional blue light along the wall adding to the moonlit atmosphere. The small room was filled with circle tables and a full bar on the back wall. The people dressed modern with a touch of vintage charm to keep the event current. Smooth jazz played through the speakers, and at the front of the room was a slightly elevated stage with only a stool and an old microphone adorning it. It was Princess's kind of party. Not a date, though.

"There you are!" BC caught her just before her near trip on the last step. She was busy taking it all in. "Damn, Princess…" her eyes roamed her body hungrily. "You know how to make an entrance."

She fought down the flush of color that was spreading to her exposed chest under her gaze. If Princess looked good, Buttercup looked absolutely fuckable. Her shag haircut was effortlessly perfect and messy, and her eyes were dark in the piercing way she did them at The Basement. She contoured her facial features just right to make them sharper, and the center of her lips had just enough color to make them appear more kissable. And if her face wasn't enough, then what she was wearing would drive her mad. Her smooth black button-down was mostly unbuttoned except for the last three, exposing her lace bralette underneath. She also did black leather pants that bunched on the bottom with black denim trim down the sides. She finished the look with simple silver jewelry and shiny black platform Dr. Martens. Righting herself with Buttercup's help she fought the urge to inhale her scent deeply. She could survive the fucking vibe tonight because it. Was not. A date.

"I got us a table in the middle," She said, guiding them to their seat, glasses waiting on them. "They ID for drinks, but I got us their signature mocktail of the night. Stars Dark Stream, they call it."

Princess took a sip. The drink was bubbly, tasting of butterfly tea, black currant, and a simple syrup. Not too shabby. "Do you want a real drink?"

BC looked confused and then remembered who she was sitting with. "Nothing like the pull of a Morbucks. I'm going to need one if I'm gonna get up there." She pointed at the stage.

Princess got up from her seat and stood at the bar, instantly catching the waiter's attention. "A long pour cabernet and another glass of the signature drink with the real stuff in it."

"ID, Miss…"

"Morbucks," Princess made no motion to give her ID.

"No ID, no drink." The waiter smugly smirked.

"Smarter to just give it to her," Dom Louis' voice carried from the other side of the bar. "You're standing in an establishment her father funded." He pointed to the picture framed on the wall of a young Basilio Morbucks and G'ma Raven. The likeness between him and Princess was uncanny.

The ignorant waiter paled and nervously launched into action. "Coming right up, Miss Morbucks. I apologize for the delay."

She took pity on him. "No harm, you're just doing your job." She hastily made her way over to her tail. "What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed.

"Helping you get a drink, apparently," He smirked into his glass. "I know everything you do, remember? Nice date."

"It's not a date," she grumbled.

"Looks like a date."

"It's a solo thing! Which is exactly why you need to leave." She lightly pinched his exposed wrist.

"Ow!" Dom put his empty glass at the edge of the bar. "I hate when you do that. Listen, as low as this place is, it's still pretty hot for someone like you. I needed to check the vibe, but I won't be staying."

"Really?" Princess almost didn't believe him. It was like him to say he was leaving and then hide in the shadows.

"Yeah, got something to handle." He sniffed. "I'll let you enjoy your… solo thing."

It wasn't like him to back away. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing yet, but Adriana's tail is tailing me, so I ain't sticking around to give them shit on you." His business glower settled on his face.

"Why is he tailing you?" She didn't want her cousin in danger because of her, even if it was his job.

"The little girls are playing," he said as if it were obvious. "Mommy and Daddy want to know if who they're playing with is playing safe. It's just business. Everyone has an image to uphold, and y'all are the future of that image. An ally can become a foe in a generation."

"She wanted in Oaks Kingdom."

"Everyone wants to be close to a Morbucks. I'm pretty sure this little game is just protocol, but they're firepower. Lock in on who you can trust, fast."

Dom watched Princess's eyes dance around the room. The ice in BC's forgotten drink was accumulating condensation on the glass. He put a hand on her shoulder "It's nothing for you to worry about, Prin. I've got it handled. This place is already airtight, so enjoy your night with your not date." He gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead and then headed up the stairs.

Princess snatched the glasses off the counter and hurried back to her table.

"Did you get lost up there?" BC questioned. She must've been gone a while.

"Yeah, new townie didn't know who I was, so someone had to fill him in on the Morbucks ID card." She sat her drink in front of her.

BC snorted. "Was he scared shitless, after?"

"I was wondering what that smell was!" She teased back. She pushed the disgust she felt down as she lied to her so effortlessly.

The two chatted, and Princess got a few more glasses in to help loosen up from Dom Louis's warning. She had that light feeling, and it was becoming harder not to bask in the glory that was Buttercup Utonium. If only it was a date. By 7:30, people were beginning to take the stage and take turns captivating the audience. Some singers, some poets, but none had left her particularly moved. 8pm was rapidly approaching.

"You doin an original?" Princess asked.

"Nah, a cover, actually." She chuckled. "Playing with pace and melody, remember?"

"A cover? So what does OK have to do with it?" Confusion drawing on her face.

"Next on stage is the lead singer from Rotten Flowers, BC," the announcer's smooth voice came through the microphone.

"You can stay right here," she said, rising from her seat, keeping her eyes on Princess. "But if you feel it; when and if you're called to, dance for me." And with her bass guitar in hand, she sat on the stool and adjusted the mic.

The lights on the stage dimmed to the moonlight blue, and BC plugged up the amp and gave the bass a light strum as she tilted her head back, inhaling the air with her eyes closed. She licked her perfect lips tilted her head into the mic and stuck a haunted chord.

I remember when,

I remember, I remember when I lost my mind

Buttercup's tantalizing, raspy voice carried through the cellar, and a chill ran deep through Princess's body and planted itself at the base of her core. Goosebumps broke out on her skin, and the air was suddenly almost too heavy to breathe. Her mouth watered for her, and her lips seemed to reach for her though they were unmoving on her face. Just agape and in awe of the sight before her. A moonlit Raven, indeed.

Does that make me crazy?

Like a snake charmer, she moved smoothly out of her seat, and the few who had their consciousness in the hypnotic turned to watch the sudden movement. She glided across the floor, shedding the jacket to the floor, forgotten. She ran her fingers across the backs and shoulders of patrons as she weaved her way through the tables, eyes locked on green the whole time.

You really think you're in control?

She got to the front of BC playing and instantly dropped to her knees. Her face instantly gravitated to Princess's as she rolled her neck back in a lull before she placed her hands on her knees and stood with a bend. She spun around her and let her hand drop to her shoulder as she shook out another haunted chord. The other trailed up her chest to her neck as she grasped her in a delicate mock choke. Their faces ear to ear as BC sang into the mic and Princess gave the crowd love-drunk stares while swaying her hips.

I think you're crazy!

God, if Buttercup wasn't playing right now, she'd be in her lap. She settled for running a hand through her hair before she continued to glide her body to the beat. Rolling, floorwork, eye contact. She even managed to work back into the sea of tables, feeling free to bunch the tablecloths and tease the patrons with her collarbones and cleavage. If she wasn't so entranced, she'd give another thought to how amazingly flexible her pants are. But dancing for Buttercup… it was like performing for her was her lifeline. She'd transform the stage into whatever she designed. Simply because the green-eyed beauty asked.

And I can die when I'm done

She had returned to Buttercup on stage, to dance behind her, working backward to the beginning.

But maybe I'm crazy

Her hand on BC's neck.

Maybe you're crazy

The bend to the floor. Her head rolled back

Maybe we're crazy

Her forgotten denim jacket was back on her shoulders.

Probably.

Princess sitting primly in her seat as if she had never stood to dance in the first place.

BC shook out the last note and dropped her head back just as she had started the song.

The lights drew brighter, and the crowd erupted in cheers, snaps, and claps. The two stars locked eyes from across the room with crackling tension. Their bubble got a lot broader, their vibe a lot stronger, and this solo thing was much more like a duo thing. The chill was replaced with a burning sensation at the base of Princess's stomach. If that was her reaction to a cover, how the hell could she control herself with the original Buttercup undoubtedly had up her sleeve?

Suddenly she was aware of her drenched panties and the way she was still panting at the sight of Buttercup on stage. She had never had a crush. This was not professional, this was not a silly little vibe, and it definitely wasn't a friendship.

Princess had it bad for her business partner, and she was completely and utterly fucked.

Thanks for reading! Tell a friend!

*Song inspo "Crazy" covered by Alexa Melo and Nothing But Thieves