Melody sighed contently, leaving back in her chair. Before her sat an empty bowl that once contained a salad made from seaweed and various other typical vegetables. Some of the people in the kitchen at the time gave her odd stares as she had prepared it. "What?" she had said, tossing some almonds into the dish of greens, "I know seaweed's mostly used for sushi-making, but who's to say it does not make a good salad?" They had said nothing in response as she added the other ingredients to her meal. Though she had uttered not a word more, internally, she was rolling with laughter.
She stood and carried her dish to the sink, where she washed it and set it aside to dry. Her clothes were still a little damp from her going on a swim to retrieve a rock for Larri, but other than that, her spirit was soaring. As she wiped her hands off on a nearby towel, she decided that it was time to search for a room in the mansion that she could call her very own. After giving the kitchen one last glance, she marched off towards the girl's wing.
Though many rooms were already occupied, there were still quite a few left for exploration. Melody walked into a room that had been labeled as "vacant", but found that the sharp and modern design was not suited for her tastes. She tried out another unclaimed area and ended up with the same result. She looked at another. And another. None of the ones that were open for occupation held not one of her interests. Just when she was about to give up, she saw one last alcove at the end of the hallway. Might as well see what this one has to offer, she sighed. She turned the doorknob and walked through, expecting disappointment.
The first thing she noticed about the niche was its aqua-green walls. Thin, wispy, silver lines were painted here and there, giving the effect of sunlight reflecting off of the surface of the ocean. A small nautical chart was pinned onto one wall. There was a plush-looking bed to one side, with an antique mahogany dresser positioned beside it. The ceiling was a rich shade of electric blue, and a mini-chandelier with icy-looking crystals provided lighting. A door on the left wall led to the bathroom; Melody could only imagine what it looked like. The place was absolutely perfect. The young Mudkip sat down on the edge of her bed and took some time to memorize her new room.
After she was positive she knew the place like the back of her hand, she figured she should visit the front lounge to see what other people were doing. Though I could stay in here forever, I think it would be best to try and socialize, she thought. She pushed herself off of her comfortable bed and headed for the door.
When she reached her destination, she found it vacant except for about two or three people who looked perfectly content with minding their own business. Melody was about to turn right around and go back to her room, when a brightly-colored paper attached to the wall caught her attention. She strolled over to it to bet a better look. The notice was a pale pink and was outlined with intricate lace. Does anyone realize how disgustingly girlish and mushy that thing looks? Melody asked herself, feeling slight disdain. Nevertheless, she read the words printed onto the note:
Valentine’s Ball!
Located in the North wing ball room.
Ladies wear dresses and Men dress casual.
Will have food, drinks (if you know what I mean), entertainment, contests and much more! :]
Don’t be late.
"You're kidding me," she said aloud, wrinkling her nose. She had never quite liked Valentine's Day in the first place; she saw it as a useless holiday where drooling, lovestruck dimwits gave roses, chocolates, and other corny gifts to each other. No one's asked me to be their date, so that's sort of a good sign... Though I think that the dance might turn out to be a fun experience. Eh, I'll just go to taste the refreshments and watch everyone embarrass themselves, Melody decided.
She was brought out of her thoughts when someone bumped into her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mea-" A familiar masculine voice began. She glanced over to see Hon looking at her. After a moment, she realized he was staring at her still-waterlogged dress. She felt a slight heat rush up to her cheeks, and she said quickly, "Don't ask." He nodded, and stood still for a few moments before opening his mouth. When no sound came out, he shut it for a second and tried again. "M-Melody, w-wi-will you g-give me th-the honor of t-taking you t-t-to the b-b-ball?" he managed to stutter.
Eh?! Melody's mind screamed. Did he just ask me... to be his date for the Valentine's Dance...? But... what does this mean? Is he just being a polite friend, or does he actually... like me? Ah, this is too much! She let out a foreign noise, buried her face in her hands, and retreated all to willingly up the stairs. She did not stop running until she had reached her bedroom door and slammed it shut behind her.
"I need a nice shower to clear my thoughts!" she exclaimed rather loudly, trotting over to the bathroom. Inside, the walls were a lighter shade of the color of her bedroom's. There was a sink with a rather large mirror on one side, and a white, old-style bathtub with a shower head surrounded by a curtain designed to look like seaweed. She strolled over and turned on the tap without hesitation.
The steaming water was refreshing, making her temporarily forget her worries. The feeling of molecules of aqua running over her skin made her joyful beyond measure. She was born to live with the water, born to love it. She hummed a lullaby her mother had sung to her when she was but a newborn lightly, becoming wrapped up in the simple yet haunting tune. Even after washing away the grime with soap and shampoo, Melody remained in the shower until the water ran cold.
When she finally stepped out of the tub, she dressed herself, combed her hair, and reentered her bedroom. Instantly, the earlier experience with Hon sprang into her mind again. She heaved a sigh and flopped down on her bed. Should I accept his offer? she asked herself, unsure. I wonder if he asked out of courtesy, or if there are emotional motives behind it... I should ask him if I am more than a friend to him. But... what if he, for some strange reason, says yes, that he holds affections for me? Do I actually like him in return? The final question hung in the air. She paused for a moment, and then continued debating. Well, he's a very kind and sincere person, albeit being a bit rowdy and trouble-making sometimes. I seem to blush in his presence often, but then again, I've always been a little easily flustered. I don't know... I'll think about it later. "What I should focus on instead," she said aloud, "is what I should wear to the party."
As if on cue, there was a light knock at her door. She gave the okay for the person standing outside to enter, and in came a cheerful Andreas, his arms full of articles of clothing. "Hello, dearest Melody!" he exclaimed. "I had read that flier about the Valentine's dance, and I realized that if you went, you would have nothing to wear besides that dress you're in now. So, I was able to get a hold of some of your older articles of clothing. Here you go!" He set the stack down on her bed.
Melody moved beside the pile and looked through it slowly. She recognized the first outfit immediately. "It's my battle outfit!" she cried, taking the familiar suit into her arms. "Oh, I loved this thing! Even though the Bounty Hunters assigned it to me, it fit me so well!" She felt Andreas looking at her with pride in his eyes. She blushed lightly, set her battle outfit aside, and pulled out other articles of clothing. She rediscovered her old blue jeans, her orange and yellow striped babydoll, and other apparel she fondly recalled. However, she could not wear any of them to the dance, for they were too casual. When she reached the bottom of the stack, though, she found a new outfit waiting for her.
It was an elegant dress that was a pale turquoise in color. It had a slight flare at the hip and would come down to the middle of Melody's shin, and had rich electric blue ribbons that acted as straps. The bottom of the dress had barely noticeable lace trim, and there was a blue ribbon that hung slightly loose at the dress's midsection, also lightly framed with lace. "Andreas," Melody whispered, awed by the beauty of the gown. "You shouldn't have..."
"Now, now, don't be that way, dear! I needed to spend some money," Andreas stated cheerily. "Here," he added, reaching into his pocket, "I got these too. There was a lovely ribbon that you could use as a bracelet, and a simplistically-designed turquoise necklace to compliment the dress's color." He placed the items in her hands, smiling. "I'm not sure if you wanted to attend the ball with a partner or not, but I got this just in case you decided to go just to have a nice time and flaunt your gorgeous looks," he winked.
Melody felt her face heat up. "Well," she admitted in a small voice, "Hon asked me to go with him just a little while ago."
"Oh." Andreas' grin dissipated. "I see." He turned away from her and stared at the floor for a minute in silence. "I get it," he stated quietly, standing. He looked at her with a pained expression. "Hope you two have fun." With that, he headed straight for the door without giving her a second glance.
"Wait, Andreas! I never answered his question!" Melody called after him, but he was already gone. I hurt him, she said to herself. He thinks I don't like him anymore... She let out a shriek of frustration and buried her face in the nearby pillow. I hate this feeling. It is as if I'm being ripped in two opposite directions. I want to make Hon happy by accepting his offer, but I don't want to cause Andreas pain. It would hurt me to see their spirits crushed. What do I do? What do I do?
The door creaked open as someone entered the room.
Continue?
Melody.
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Too lazy to check for typos, sorry. DX
