Chapter Seventy-Two: The Romance of Chuckles and Giggles
“And THAT, my good
fellows, is how Sir Lionheart conquered the heart of the fair
Sidewinder and got himself a pretty decent new girlfriend.” Daniel
bragged as the Noble Knights of the Last Order played a game of
cricket by the creek (I think we all know where this is going).
“After we talked about me being a Noble Knight and her being a
Mobster, she agreed to at least not work against us. I think I'm a
genius.”
fellows, is how Sir Lionheart conquered the heart of the fair
Sidewinder and got himself a pretty decent new girlfriend.” Daniel
bragged as the Noble Knights of the Last Order played a game of
cricket by the creek (I think we all know where this is going).
“After we talked about me being a Noble Knight and her being a
Mobster, she agreed to at least not work against us. I think I'm a
genius.”
“I'm happy for you.
Now will you bowl please?! I don't want us to get done for slow over
rate!” Sammy groaned.
Now will you bowl please?! I don't want us to get done for slow over
rate!” Sammy groaned.
“You're already two
overs behind.” Petunia deadpanned.
overs behind.” Petunia deadpanned.
Annoyed, Daniel bowled,
nearly taking off Tammys head.
nearly taking off Tammys head.
“WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!”
Sammy was ready to strangle Daniel.
Sammy was ready to strangle Daniel.
“Are you okay Tammy?”
Sunny rushed to her friends side.
Sunny rushed to her friends side.
“Guys, break it up!”
Patrick tried to stop Sammy and Daniel from destroying each other as
Melody laughed. “Seriously, you're as bad as Belle and Charlie!”
Patrick tried to stop Sammy and Daniel from destroying each other as
Melody laughed. “Seriously, you're as bad as Belle and Charlie!”
“Don't compare us to
those two lovebirds!” Sammy jumped back.
those two lovebirds!” Sammy jumped back.
“Well, stop
squabbling.” Patrick said firmly.
squabbling.” Patrick said firmly.
“Are they even a
thing yet?” TJ asked. “I mean, it's fairly obvious they're into
each other.”
thing yet?” TJ asked. “I mean, it's fairly obvious they're into
each other.”
“They're 'best
friends', remember?” Sunny said, the slightest suggestion of
jealousy in her voice. She picked up Melody and hugged her.
friends', remember?” Sunny said, the slightest suggestion of
jealousy in her voice. She picked up Melody and hugged her.
“They awfully close
for 'best friends' though.” Daniel sat down. “Have you ever
noticed how affectionate they are with each other?”
for 'best friends' though.” Daniel sat down. “Have you ever
noticed how affectionate they are with each other?”
“They've always been
like that.” Tammy pointed out. “They're both from naturally
affectionate familes.”
like that.” Tammy pointed out. “They're both from naturally
affectionate familes.”
“True, I mean, have
you ever known Belle to turn down a hug? Or Charlie for that matter?”
TJ mused. “But still, they're extremely close.”
you ever known Belle to turn down a hug? Or Charlie for that matter?”
TJ mused. “But still, they're extremely close.”
“Maybe all they need
is a little push. It WOULD be lovely if they were together.”
Petunia smiled.
is a little push. It WOULD be lovely if they were together.”
Petunia smiled.
“Maybe…” TJ
agreed. “After all, didn't we need one?”
agreed. “After all, didn't we need one?”
“You two needed to be
glued together before you got it.” Sunny said dryly, earning dirty
looks.
glued together before you got it.” Sunny said dryly, earning dirty
looks.
—
Belle had her nose
firmly planted in a book while her pumpkin soup cooled off. Across
the table, Sunny, Tammy and Petunia watched her.
firmly planted in a book while her pumpkin soup cooled off. Across
the table, Sunny, Tammy and Petunia watched her.
It was a beautiful
sunny day in Pleasantville, and they could have been outside, except
that Belle wanted to read. So they were at Bills Resturant, and the
girls were trying to figure out how to broach the subject of Charlie
to Belle.
sunny day in Pleasantville, and they could have been outside, except
that Belle wanted to read. So they were at Bills Resturant, and the
girls were trying to figure out how to broach the subject of Charlie
to Belle.
“So, read anything
interesting?” Tammy started. Sunny and Petunia looked horrified.
interesting?” Tammy started. Sunny and Petunia looked horrified.
Belle slowly lifted her
head from the book, and looked suspiciously at Tammy.
head from the book, and looked suspiciously at Tammy.
“I mean, surely
you've come across something that WON'T put us to sleep, right?”
Tammy tried to dig herself out of the hole she'd gotten herself in.
you've come across something that WON'T put us to sleep, right?”
Tammy tried to dig herself out of the hole she'd gotten herself in.
Sunny groaned. Petunia
rolled her eyes.
rolled her eyes.
Belle returned to her
book.
book.
“Seriously
Belle-Belle, can't you get your nose out of that long enough to
acknowledge our existences?!” Sunny groaned.
Belle-Belle, can't you get your nose out of that long enough to
acknowledge our existences?!” Sunny groaned.
“We spent the last
hour gossiping!” Belle fired back, exasperated. “And before THAT
we spent two hours shopping, with a brief scuffle with the Crusaders
to make things fun.”
hour gossiping!” Belle fired back, exasperated. “And before THAT
we spent two hours shopping, with a brief scuffle with the Crusaders
to make things fun.”
(Seriously, don't try
and destroy a shopping mall when there's a 50% storewide sale on. You
will lose.)
and destroy a shopping mall when there's a 50% storewide sale on. You
will lose.)
“It's just that we
feel like we don't spend enough time together, us girls.” Petunia
said, trying to get the conversation back on track.
feel like we don't spend enough time together, us girls.” Petunia
said, trying to get the conversation back on track.
“We see each other
literally every day.” Belle narrowed her eyes again.
literally every day.” Belle narrowed her eyes again.
“Yeah, but even when
you're with us most of your attention is on Charlie.” Tammy
muttered.
you're with us most of your attention is on Charlie.” Tammy
muttered.
“We've been best
friends since we were little, we're next door neighbours AND our
fathers are best friends, AND his sister works for my uncle.” Belle
rolled her eyes, putting the book down and testing the temprature of
her soup. “Oooh, yummy.”
friends since we were little, we're next door neighbours AND our
fathers are best friends, AND his sister works for my uncle.” Belle
rolled her eyes, putting the book down and testing the temprature of
her soup. “Oooh, yummy.”
“You ARE pretty
close.” Sunny said wistfully.
close.” Sunny said wistfully.
Belle glared at her.
Tammy and Petunia tensed up. Not this argument again!
Tammy and Petunia tensed up. Not this argument again!
—
Meanwhile, the boys
were also out and about. They were still shopping.
were also out and about. They were still shopping.
“Tammy LOVES this
Chocolate River colour, and Lizzy often goes for Strawberry Wishes.”
Sammy held up two containers of lip gloss.
Chocolate River colour, and Lizzy often goes for Strawberry Wishes.”
Sammy held up two containers of lip gloss.
“'Tuney loves
Blueberry Passion. Goes with her rotating hair colours.” TJ held up
a lip gloss that looked purple and blue.
Blueberry Passion. Goes with her rotating hair colours.” TJ held up
a lip gloss that looked purple and blue.
“Do you know what
Belle wears Charlie?” Daniel asked innocently, looking at some
eyeshadows for Judith.
Belle wears Charlie?” Daniel asked innocently, looking at some
eyeshadows for Judith.
“No idea. I don't
know why she wears makeup anyway, her face is always buried in a book
or paperwork.” Charlie laughed.
know why she wears makeup anyway, her face is always buried in a book
or paperwork.” Charlie laughed.
“Don't you wish she'd
get out of those books sometimes?” Sammy asked.
get out of those books sometimes?” Sammy asked.
“Nope.” Charlie
shook his head. “Even though I roast her about it, I know that the
knowledge she's getting from those books is going to save
Pleasantville one day. Count on it.”
shook his head. “Even though I roast her about it, I know that the
knowledge she's getting from those books is going to save
Pleasantville one day. Count on it.”
Charlie went back to
looking at shoes while the others looked at each other, defeated. How
on earth were they going to get Charlie to talk about his feelings
for Belle?
looking at shoes while the others looked at each other, defeated. How
on earth were they going to get Charlie to talk about his feelings
for Belle?
“I guess you'd know
better than any of us, you two spend a lot of time together.”
Daniel decided to go a more direct approach.
better than any of us, you two spend a lot of time together.”
Daniel decided to go a more direct approach.
“Well we ARE best
friends. We also live next door to each other. Our fathers are best
friends, plus Lizzy works for her uncle.” Charlie pointed out. He
looked at a pair of high heels. “How Marion can be a competent
swordswoman in these things I'll never know.”
friends. We also live next door to each other. Our fathers are best
friends, plus Lizzy works for her uncle.” Charlie pointed out. He
looked at a pair of high heels. “How Marion can be a competent
swordswoman in these things I'll never know.”
Daniel looked at TJ and
Sammy. Sammy shook his head and TJ shrugged.
Sammy. Sammy shook his head and TJ shrugged.
It was IMPOSSIBLE!
—
“Well, we had
absolutely no hope with Charlie, how about you guys?” Sammy flopped
down on the sofa in Sunnys house.
absolutely no hope with Charlie, how about you guys?” Sammy flopped
down on the sofa in Sunnys house.
“Belle had her nose
in a book.” Petunia sighed. “And Sunny nearly started a fight.”
in a book.” Petunia sighed. “And Sunny nearly started a fight.”
“REALLY Sunny?”
Daniel groaned.
Daniel groaned.
“I didn't mean too!”
Sunny sighed. “It's just that I still get a smidge jealous
sometimes and even though I try to hide it, it still leaks out a
little bit.”
Sunny sighed. “It's just that I still get a smidge jealous
sometimes and even though I try to hide it, it still leaks out a
little bit.”
“It's okay.” Tammy
put an arm around her. “But we're still at square one when it comes
to the romance of Chuckles and Giggles.”
put an arm around her. “But we're still at square one when it comes
to the romance of Chuckles and Giggles.”
“They're just
impossible!” Petunia groaned. “They're so smart when it comes to
fighting crime, but bloody thick when it comes to their own love!”
impossible!” Petunia groaned. “They're so smart when it comes to
fighting crime, but bloody thick when it comes to their own love!”
“What are we going to
do?” TJ sighed.
do?” TJ sighed.
“Maybe we need to
switch things up a bit.” Daniel suddenly had an idea. “I mean,
Sunny and Belle have history, and Sammy is dating Charlie's little
sister. Maybe we can swap teams for the next assault.”
switch things up a bit.” Daniel suddenly had an idea. “I mean,
Sunny and Belle have history, and Sammy is dating Charlie's little
sister. Maybe we can swap teams for the next assault.”
“Or, y'know, we could
let things take their natural course.” Tammy pointed out.
let things take their natural course.” Tammy pointed out.
There was a brief
silence.
silence.
“Nah.”
Suddenly Daniel got a
message on his phone. “Guys, problem, apparently the city has been
brought to a standstill by weirdly dressed guys standing in the
middle of the street.” He flicked through the message. “Multiple
streets even.”
message on his phone. “Guys, problem, apparently the city has been
brought to a standstill by weirdly dressed guys standing in the
middle of the street.” He flicked through the message. “Multiple
streets even.”
“Who NOW?” TJ
groaned.
groaned.
“Nevermind who, let's
go Knights!” Daniel commanded.
go Knights!” Daniel commanded.
The Noble Knights of
the Last Order headed to the tip, suited up, and headed to face
Pleasantvilles newest threat.
the Last Order headed to the tip, suited up, and headed to face
Pleasantvilles newest threat.