The End of Summer Festival

The air is warm with a slightly cooler breeze flowing through the streets. All the food, game and merchandise stalls are themes from the past. The lights are old lamps, lanterns and candles from all over the world. The streets are dimly lit to hide the city around the few streets participating in the festivities. The scent of fried food, sugary sweets, fresh baked breads, a hint of smoke from bbqs, broths from rich soups and so many more scents wafer through the streets. The sound of tribal drums can be hear in the distance from the stage. 

Stacy, Lizzy, Hitohito, Stephen, Tate and Dragon are walking the streets together. All dressed in kimonos. Lizzy has on a white with lots of green designs of flowers and leaves. Stacy's is many shades of blue with a few orange and white designs that really pop. The boys all picked out black kimonos to wear. Even the Soleils have little hats on. Kiki has on a tiara and the boy's have top hats on and are floating around speaking in a British accent. Karen fought long and hard against wearing anything. In the end she put on a white triangle shaped headband. She told everyone they are responsible for her dignity's death.

They are walking the streets together pointing out stalls they want to visit. Stacy and Lizzy are amazed at how many different food stalls there are. Nearly every ethnicity was represented in some way or form. 

"Wow the streets are packed tonight!" Tate says excitedly looking around. The streets are heavily sprinkled with people. Some spots busier yet you can walk side by side or in this group's case three in a row.

"I hate to say this but the fair we use to go to was busier than this." Lizzy comments.

"I think you're right." Stacy adds looking around. "What's the population here?"

"There are 5,638 people in this city. It's a medium sized city. The biggest city in the world currently is 20,739 people." Kiki explains.

"Are you sure that's right?" Asks Stacy.

"Yes my numbers are right." Kiki insists.

"Then what's the world population?" Asks Lizzy.

"150,485 roughly. There are 55 cities in total spread out all over the world. Population varies from 1,000 to 3,000 for most. There are smaller settlements that refuse technology and want to live as one with the earth but that number is very low." Kiki explains further.

"That's such a difference from our time period." Stacy is a little shocked.

"How about we play this ring toss game?" Hitohito says hoping to distract everyone and bring the mood up. And he succeeded in doing that since his goal tonight is relying on the mood.

They happily try their hand at many different games and lost pretty much all of them. Til Lizzy found an arm wrestling game. The robot running it only had data for girls that didn't pick up 50-100 pound animals daily. So Lizzy won the giant green stuffed animal frog and gifted it to Stacy. They continue to walk through the festival.

"I have to go to the bathroom. Can someone hold my frog?" Stacy asks.

"Sure no problem." Hitohito says taking the frog. 

Lizzy and Stacy head off to the bathroom. Their Soleil's wait for them outside the building. Stacy touches up her make up along with Lizzy's.

"So, is this your favorite memory of summer?" Stacy asks.

"Yea, I believe today is my favorite so far." Lizzy smiles.

"That explains why you have been in high spirits tonight." Stacy comments with a smile.

"Yea I have been staying positive and rolling with the punches of life. They aren't kind but I found out a long time ago I'm not fragile." Lizzy's corner of her mouth is pulled up.

"You know it's alright to be weak sometimes right? And if you do need to, you will come to me alright?" Stacy asks gently.

"Yea I will." Lizzy tries smiling back knowing she is partially lying to her friend. She can't express her feelings for her. 

"Let's get back to the boys. It's been awhile." Stacy says grabbing her bag. 

The two take off to find the boys. Hitohito is the only one standing there when they make it back. He still has the giant frog in his arms.

"Where is everyone?" Asks Stacy.

"They took off that way." He points. "Lizzy could you go find them? We can stay here incase they come back."

"You know us Soleil's have location sensors so we can find each other right? Thats if both parties agree to being found." Kiki tries helping.

"What's the fun in that? Right Lizzy?" Hitohito's smile is a little strained.

"R-right. I will go find them." Lizzy says picking up on his hint. She takes off in a very awkward jog thanks to the kimono.

"Don't bite them!" Stacy yells to her.

"Only if they try running!" Lizzy yells back.

"She won't bite them. Would she?" Asks Hitohito.

Stacy sighs. "So in kindergarten....."

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Lizzy slows to a walk not far from where she left the two. She is scanning the crowd. She wants to find the guys fast. She doesn't want Hitohito to ask Stacy to be his girlfriend but she also knows they could be very happy together. He seems like a nice guy. Lizzy is lost in thought til she is grabbed and dragged into an ally.

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"Stacy. I have something to ask you." Hitohito asks nervously.

She looks up at with a "hm?"

"Um... I... I would be honored if you would be my girlfriend." He blurts out and bows deeply. His heart is racing hoping for a yes.

"Umm." Stacy says glancing around at the onlooking bystanders. She grabs his arm. "Let's go over here."

They are standing on the side of the road.

"I'm sorry to say this. I have a crush on someone else." She looks down. She feels awful for breaking his heart.

"Ah. Alright. That's fine." He reassures her.

She feels awkward and upset. "I hope we can still be friends. I'm going to go for a short walk to clear my head." She dives into the crowd to escape before he could reply. She leaves him still hugging the frog.

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Lizzy's three assailants groan as they look up at her from the ground. Her hair is a mess, her fists raised, kimono slipping loose and a fire in her eyes.

"Ow! You hit me!" Tate cries. Holding his arm.

"Lucky you! I got head butted in the nose." Dragon says tears in his eyes and trying to keep blood off his costume.

Stephen is groaning while holding his stomach where she punched him.

"What! The freak! Were you thinking?!" Lizzy says loudly catching her breath from the adrenaline rush. "You should know better than to drag people into an ally!" She tries straightening the kimono.

"I'm sorry we didn't think it through." says Tate. 

"She taught you three a lesson now didn't she?" Karen comments while examining them. Dragons Soleil is off trying to find a napkin or gauze.

"We understand the lesson." Says Stephen trying to get up.

"Well none of you are seriously injured but someone might be once Stacy sees Lizzy's hair." Karen comments.

"It's not that bad is it?" Lizzy asks. Trying to feel her hair over.

Karen makes her screen a mirror to show her.

"Nothing I can do but take it down and put it in a ponytail. She spent a whole hour working on my hair to make it look nice." Lizzy is a bit upset that Stacy's hard work was wasted.

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Stacy is walking through the crowd avoiding people. She feels bad but if she didn't shoot him down hard then he will keep trying and it will just be more awkward later. Today was supposed to be a happy birthday for her. Stacy knows adult hood is difficult but does it have to start on day one of being an adult?

Smack! Stacy looks up dazed at the person she just collided with. He is in an old Asian style of tan work clothes and a hat they would wear working in paddy fields. She sees a tuff of red hair and the dim light barely let's her see his green eyes.

"Sorry miss." He says trying to duck away. His tall walking stick clicking on the ground.

"Alex?" Stacy calls after him.

"And I'm caught." He says slumping in defeat. He he straightens up and turns to face her.

"I thought you weren't going to be here." Stacy asks looking up to him.

"Grams asked for some Indian curry." He says holding up a cloth bag. 

"That's really kind of you. But why are you dressed up?" She asks.

"So I don't stand out as much. Plus with this red hair the costume shop and merchants around here will beg for me to be in a kilt."

Stacy giggles at the thought.

"Well what about you? You're dressed up and don't even have your Soleil?" Alex questions her.

"Oh." Her expression gets concerned and she looks around for Kiki. "Oh no. I... I took off to clear my head and I must have lost her in the crowd."

"Don't worry she will show up soon now that you have stopped moving."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea Soleils can track down people pretty well. She probably sent out a mass message to the city for them to look for you."

"But they don't seem interested in anyone else but their owners." Stacy looks at the Soleils floating around watching over and conversing with others.

"Stacy! I finally found you!" Kiki collides softly into Stacy's torso. Stacy wraps her in a hug.

"I'm sorry for taking off like that." Stacy apologizes.

"You were upset so I understand. I'm just happy I found you." Kiki nuzzles in the fabric.

"Well I should take off now that Kiki is here. See ya. Oh happy birthday by the way." He turns and starts walking away.

"Alex wait!" Stacy's courage to tell him how she feels starts to fade when his gaze falls on her. "Thank you for the birthday wish. And I.... I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" He asks.

"Well now that I'm an adult, I was hoping. Maybe... The truth is I really like you." She finally blurts out the truth. Stacy has never been one to confess. She always waits for the other one then she can still play hard to get or can choose to turn them down. 

"Oh. This is... no one's ever told me this. I'm sorry I'm not sure what to say." He scratches the back of his head. His heart is a little flustered but his mind is on another girl.

"Well if you like or find me attractive most would say they would like to go on dates and be in a relationship." Stacy informs him.

"That's the thing. Yes you are really pretty and I can say that now since you're an adult. Yet I think I might have fallen for someone else though." 

"Might have? What's that mean? To my knowledge you don't see anyone outside me and Lizzy... Wait. You don't mean you like her do you?"

Alex's ears, cheeks and back of his neck start to burn. He tilts his head down so his hat hides his face. His heart is now racing. He is scared and embarrassed.

"You're scared you could end up like your father." Stacy pieces the puzzle together. "So you fell for her sometime since coming here. Most likely before summer since almost every time she asks if you could help us you agreed to, while if any of us ask we go ignored or you tell us no."

"Please don't tell anyone." Alex begs. His head still hung low hiding his face. 

Stacy sighs. "I'm not that mean of a person that will twist your words and make you go to jail or anything."

"How about this." Stacy says takeing a step closer to Alex. He looks up just enough to see her face. "What if you and I pretend to date?"

"What?" Alex steps back. Stacy takes another step forward.

"We pretend to date. I get someone to watch the fireworks with tonight and title of girlfriend. You get a reason to be around Lizzy without having to worry someone or something. Sorry Kiki. Will go to the authorities. We can keep the charades up til she turns eighteen, you get over the fear of judgement/authorities or one of us finds someone else that is a better suitor. What are your thoughts on that?" Stacy doesn't even try hiding the little smug look on her face.

"But that would mean I would have to be seen in public with you. Like on dates. Right?"

"Those we can limit to once a month. On days I don't work I can swing by your office to keep Gramps busy if you wish to talk to Lizzy."

"Why would you do that?" Alex is curious on why she would distract Gramps for him.

"Lizzy is my best friend and she has a big heart and bigger biceps. All the guys were scared of her at our last school. She wanted a boyfriend badly but the two she did manage to snag ran off after one day of bailing hay."

"Bailing hay?" Alex only knows of machines that bale the large bales that are the size of a vehicle and they use other machines to move them. And even when they have to be ran manually no one really complains outside of its time consuming.

"Yes when a farmer cuts hay they can put them in rectangle shaped blocks using string. Similar shape as a suitcase. But what they got upset over was she could throw the 80-100 pound bales farther than them. And while they were drowning in sweat, she was only breaking a sweat because the hay mow was 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with the air quality was poor."

"So she subjected them to heavy manual labor and poor working conditions. You make Lizzy out like she is some kind of monster."

"Farmers are a different breed of human all together. To her baling hay is easy and she forgets that others are not physically able to keep up. She isn't even upset if they can't keep up but she words things wrong and they get upset. Anyways I have been looking for someone stronger than her or someone that's weak and is alright with that."

"Did you just call me-"

"Now what's your answer? Since the fireworks should be starting soon and I need to find the group I came here with." Stacy smiles now that she has gained her confidence back.

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Lizzy and the three boys find their way back to Hitohito. Who is alone, sad and hugging a large green frog. 

"She turned you down didn't she?" Lizzy asks point blank. She hides the fact she is a little happy to keep Stacy for herself. While munching on some fries one of the boys bribed her with to not say she took them all out in a fight.

"Yea. She did." He says. "She said she has a crush on someone else." He uses the frog to hide part of his face.

"Who could it be? Do you know Lizzy?" Asks Tate.

Lizzy is confused herself. "I thought she would say yes to you. Unless.." Lizzy's heart sinks when she remembers Stacy did think Alex was cute at the beginning of summer but she was keeping her distance from him. Wasn't she?

"Unless? Don't leave us hanging!" Dragon snaps.

"Hey everyone! Sorry to keep you all waiting!" Stacy's voice rings out. Everyone looks over at her dragging Alex to them. She hangs off his left arm. "Look who I found!"

"Yo man! I didn't think we would see you here!" Tate is excited. "But wait. Why are you two holding hands?"

"We are together!" Stacy cuts off Alex before he could say anything. 

"Yea." Alex is a little hesitant. His smile was a little forced.

"Did not see that one coming." Stephen comments.

"Oh my goodness! What happened to you Lizzy?!" Stacy just now realized how messed up Lizzy's kimono is and her hair is in a low ponytail and not a bun. Then she sees the boys were a little roughed up. Some black was developing under Dragons eyes. "And you guys don't look good either!"

"I was grabbed and dragged into an ally." Lizzy looks down at her fries. "These guys saved me." She tilts her head in their direction.

"I'm so sorry!" Stacy grabs Lizzy into a hug. "I'm so happy you're safe. Thank you guys for saving her!" Stacy chokes back tears.

"Have authorities been notified?" Asks Alex.

"Already done." Karen looks at the three. Who begin agreeing with her.

Fireworks start popping off in the distance. Stacy is standing between Alex and Lizzy holding onto both of them. While the boys comfort Hitohito with ice cream over his broken heart.

Stacy is happy to have both Alex and Lizzy with her. While Lizzy wishes to only be with Stacy. Alex is squashing his feelings yet wishes one day he could be with the little spit fire that's on the other side of his pretend girlfriend.