The sun begins to rise as Rachel's alarm starts to blare and she slowly wakes up and shut off the alarm.

Rachel: mmm...

She sits up and stretches for a bit until getting off the bed to take a shower. Once she was finished, she changes into her casual clothing and makes her way to the kitchen

Rachel: It's finally my break day, I'll do some shopping later but first I gotta make some pancakes for Cassie

She arrives at the kitchen where she finds Chum still sleeping on the couch upside down which she chuckles and pets his stomach which Chum wakes up and gets scared and falls off the couch

Rachel: Oh Jeez, you alright?

Chum: *Looks in tired confusion*

Rachel: I'm sorry you can go back to sleep

She makes her way to the kitchen and starts to the stove so she can start making breakfast. Chum stretches for a second and starts to crawl down the hall and notices Cassie's door slightly open which he peaks through and sees Cassie, who is wake and sitting in her bed, staring at a stuffed rabbit

Cassie: ...

Chum then starts to notice her face turning bright red which he hops onto her bed and crawls up close slowly

Cassie: *turns beside her*

Chum:

Cassie: GAH!

She immediately gets scared which causes her to fall off the bed and Chum crawls over and peaks down to where she fell

Cassie: Ow... I'm fine, how long were you there

Chum: ...

Cassie: What am I saying you're a shark you can't talk

Chum: -_-

Cassie: Oh don't give me that look!

She gets back on her feet while Chum looks at the stuffed rabbit Cassie was looking at which he sniffs it and realizes where it was from

Cassie: Hey! Don't you dare think about keeping it as a toy!

Chum: *wags tails*

Cassie: No! This one is... special... he gave it to me

Chum: ?

Rachel: Cassie! Breakfast is ready!

Cassie: Coming!

She quickly puts the stuffed rabbit away and runs out of the room as Chun follows her where she sees Rachel setting her plate of pancakes

Cassie: Ah hell yeah! Thanks, Rachel!

Rachel: No problem

Cassie immediately sits down and starts munching on the food around her while Rachel sets down a bowl of sardine which Chum gobbles down and she calmly eats her food

Rachel: So... how are you feeling?

Cassie: Great! Especially since you made pancakes!

Rachel: That's good to hear...

Cassie: Hey listen I already moved on from the Tooth incident knowing he's in prison, rotting in hell!

Rachel: I know, I just want to make sure

Cassie: It's all in the past but thanks for your concern!

Rachel: Mhm... So you got any plans today?

Cassie: *munch* Not really? *narf* Why you got something in mind?

Rachel: I'm planning on doing that shopping thing we're supposed to do

Cassie: Shopping?

Rachel: Remember we were invited to that big party

Cassie: Oh yeah! That Royalty party that is going to happen in 3 months!

Rachel: Yeah that one, well we still gotta go and find a dress for that event

Cassie: I mean we don't have to do it now, we still got plenty of time until that day happens

Rachel: Yeah I know but I figured to just get it over with it and besides I feel like going out today

Cassie: I guess... I hope I can see BeatBox in full person at that party!

Rachel: Didn't we in the Colosseum?

Cassie: I mean up close and chat with him! I wanna know how he does it when it comes to music! Wait... I could've just asked Yoshi, he apparently knows him

Rachel: But seeing how Tadayoshi is with him, I don't think he'll do it

Cassie: I guess but maybe he can, he's starting to put a lot of trust in us!

Rachel: Or maybe it's because he's hoping to get paid extra

Cassie: Are you putting doubt on him?

Rachel: No, it just knowing him, that reasoning fits him

Cassie: I guess but if he want, he could've asked me... and I could give him a raise

Rachel: True but he probably doesn't know he could've asked, he barely talks unless you get him to

Cassie: Really?

Rachel: Do you ever notice he only talks if something catches his attention?

Cassie: ... Oh yeah... like how I almost burnt down his kitchen

Rachel: You what?

Cassie: Anyways! How do you know he's like that?

Rachel: I have him come over and chat with me whenever you're not here. It gets boring when you're not here, sure Chum is here but you know

Chum: *slowly looks up in disappointment*

Cassie: ... You... invite him over?

Rachel: Yeah

Cassie: And he's fine with it?!

Rachel: Mhm, honestly he either does it because again payment raises or cause I'm his boss! He listens to his higher-ups very well

Cassie: ... What do you think of him?

Rachel: He's just an edgy man that just keeps his distance. *non* but he's a really good coworker and an actual normal guy I can chat with without him fainting or screaming for my existence. But we just chat and drink some different teas

Cassie: Oh... ok...

Rachel: ... Has there... been something going between you and Tadayoshi?

Cassie: What?! N-No I was just... curious...

Rachel: ... Uh-huh

Cassie: Look! He's just my challenge! He's the first guy who hasn't gotten flustered! And I wanna try to get him cause I wanna see a funny reaction from him! Sure he's really nice to me and treated me like a good friend when I'm around him like making breakfast, getting me ice cream, and has picked on me in sarcasm, but he was probably like that because of the whole ordeal that happened last week! Nothing else!

Rachel: ... Right but as much as I would keep asking, I'll just leave it to that since you don't look comfortable talking about it

Cassie: Y-Yeah thanks...

Rachel: Though I'll be keeping an eye on you and your... "challenge?"

Cassie: S-Shut up

Cassie quickly gobbles down her food as Rachel finishes hers which they quickly throw their plates in the sink

Rachel get yourself ready, we'll be leaving soon

Cassie: Got it!

Cassie runs to her room while Rachel walks over to the doorway and put on her sandals and she notices Chum beside her, wagging his tail

Rachel: Yes you can come as well

Chum: *hops around in happiness*

Rachel stands up and turns behind to see Cassie putting on her sweater and slides on her sneakers

Rachel: You good?

Cassie: Yep!

Rachel: Then come on

They exit out of the apartment as Chum runs up head in excitement while Cassie and Rachel walk slowly behind him

Cassie: Say did you hear about this new game that came out today?

Rachel: I heard, I'm guessing you planning on getting it?

Cassie: Of course I am!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rachel: oh that reminds me what did you do about that fake news about you and Tadayoshi dating?

Cassie: Oh the media pretty much forgot about it

Rachel: ... Seriously?

Cassie: Yeah surprisingly guess that topic was that big for people to care long enough

Rachel: True but I feel like they're some people out there who still remember that topic and getting all pissy about it

Cassie: My fan club...

Rachel: True... Oh, I almost forgot! You got to start locking your bedroom doors from now on!

Cassie: Why?

Rachel: Apparently the Regicide killer just murdered another Royalty and it's close to our city

Cassie: Oh shit... yeah I'll do that!

Rachel: Good

Cassie: I hope they catch that killer

Rachel: Trust me... I hope so too

They arrive at a clothing store where they enter inside and are greeted by a clerk

Clerk: Hello and welcome! Would you ladies like some assistance in finding anything

Rachel: Not yet we're just gonna look first

Clerk: Very well

They begin to walk around as they try to find a dress that fits them while Chum runs through the spiral rackets and peeks in and out

Rachel: What do you plan on wearing?

Cassie: Something simple obviously and definitely not getting any high heels! I hate those things!

Rachel: True... Hey, these look good!

Cassie: That?

Rachel: Oh definitely give these a try!

Cassie: mmmm... fine

She takes the clothing that Rachel recommends and makes her way to the changing room. As Cassie was gone, Rachel continues to look around which she finds herself struggling to find a dress

Rachel: Why are most of these dresses have poofy skirts

Clerk: Are you finding what you need ma'am?

Rachel: Not really, most of these dresses are-

Clerk: Well don't you worry! I have something perfect for you!

Rachel: What?

The clerk quickly run into the back and bring a dress which she hands to Rachel

Clerk: I've been saving this one of you miss!

Rachel: Uhh ok thanks?...

Clerk: Go give it a try!

Rachel: Sure...

Before she could enter the changing room, Cassie exits out with her dress, which was a black chiffon with yellow ruffles off-the-shoulder mini dress

Cassie: Huh... it's not that bad! I can move around and I'm not that restricted! This may be the one! What do you think Chum?

Chum peaks out of the racket and looks at Cassie who he stares at in confusion and then slowly backs into the rackets, disappearing within the clothes

Rachel: It does look nice on you, now let me test this dress

Cassie: You found one?

Rachel: I mean the clerk did for some reason she been saving this one for me

Cassie: Oh?

Rachel: I know

She enters the changing room and quickly changes into the dress which she exits once she was finished. The dress Rachel wore was a navy blue strappy back satin ballgown which Rachel look around herself in surprise

Rachel: Huh... neat

Cassie: Damn you look fine in that

Rachel: Mmm I don't know

Chum: *clap clap clap clap*

They turn their attention to Chum who was clapping his fin in cheer which Rachel couldn't help but smile

Rachel: Yeah... I'll get this

They quickly change back into their normal clothing and make their way to the cashier to buy their new dress

Clerk: That'll be 32000!

Cassie: Jesus for two dresses?!

Rachel: Trust me, clothing is expensive...

Rachel pays for the dress and they make their way out of the store and start to walk around Coltopia while Chum continues to run up ahead, sniffing everything he sees

Cassie: So that's that?

Rachel: That's that

Cassie: Well since we have plenty of time today, wanna do some shopping spree? There's a new game I wanna get

Rachel: Go for it, I was planning on grocery shopping

Cassie: Mall?

Rachel: Mall-

Cassie: and then get some donuts?

Chum: *turn intensely

Rachel: *chuckles* and then get some donuts!

Cassie: Fuck yeah!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This story is interrupted by a chibi Chum getting a belly rub from Rachel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rachel exits the grocery store with a large bag of food while she quickly checks her list to see if she got everything

Rachel: That's about everything... now where are those two

Rachel starts to walk around the mall until passing by a gaming store where she sees through the window of Cassie recording her phone of Chum wearing a VR headset

Cassie: *Chuckles* Where are the other sharks' Chum?

Chum: *looks around in confusion*

Rachel: Cassie what are you doing?

Cassie: Oh hey Rachel! I had Chum try on the headset and I'm glad I thought of that

Chum continues to look around in confusion until slipping and falls over as the headset falls off of him and he sits up and looks around in more confusion

Rachel: Well have you finished with your shopping?

Cassie: Oh yeah! I got the new game that came out today!

Rachel: Oh?

Cassie: Yeah I play as this sea creature and it's like call of duty but kid's version!

Rachel: Uh-huh, well do you still want to get those donuts?

Cassie: Do I have to answer

Rachel: Nope...

They walk out of the gaming store where they make their way to the donut shop. Once they arrive, Cassie immediately runs up to the counter and points at the menu of all the donuts they have

Cassie:

Cashier: ... What?

Rachel: *cough* Sorry about her, I'll take 2 Boston cream donuts and a cruller donut!

Cassie: ... *Breathes in*

Rachel: You can only get 3 donuts

Cassie: ...

Rachel: *sigh* fine you can have 4

Cassie *fist pump* I'll take a powder donut, a glazed devil food, an apple cider, and a glazed donut!

Cashier: Ok... anything else?

Rachel: Oh that reminds me, also 1 plain donut for the shark

The cashier looks down as he sees a shark looking up in happiness with his tail wagging in excitement

Cashier: Alright coming right up...

The cashier disappears in the back of the store for a few minutes as Cassie and Chum were waiting impatiently. Soon the cashier returns with a large bag and hands it to Rachel, who pays for the donuts

Cashier: Here you go madam

Rachel: Thank you

Cassie: *reaches over*

Rachel: Hang on let me give the shark his donut

Cassie: ... *reaches away*

Rachel goes through the bag and pulls out the plain donut which Chum starts to wag his tail happily

Rachel: Here you go little sardine

She throws the donut at him and Chum tries to leap up and eat it in the air but the donut bounced off of his face and land on his dorsal fins which Chum starts to look around for the donut in confusion

Rachel: *giggle*

Cassie: No don't take it *giggle* let's see how long until he finds it

Both Cassie and Rachel sit down at a table where they continue to watch Chum trying to find his donut as Cassie pulls out her apple cider donut and munches on it

Cassie: Mmmm... apple cider is the best- wait are you eating a donut with a fork and knife?

Rachel: Yeah

Cassie: ... That's the most curse thing I've ever seen

Rachel: I have manners you know

Cassie: I know but... ehhhhhh

Rachel: Moving off topic what do you have planned for the dance

Cassie: What do you mean?

Rachel: Like are you gonna bring someone with you or?

Cassie: You can bring someone with you?

Rachel: Yeah the invitation says you can bring one person with you

Cassie: One person to bring...

Suddenly the first thing that comes to her mind was Tadayoshi which she blushes a bit and shakes her head

Cassie: "Why did he come to my head?! He's my challenge! Nothing special! Why is my mind thinking that way!? I-"

Rachel: Cassie?

Cassie: Huh?! What?! Sorry, I don't know, what about you?

Rachel: Tadayoshi

Cassie: Oh I- Wait what?!

Rachel: I said Tadayoshi

Cassie: I know but... When?!

Rachel: A few days ago

A few days ago:

At the apartment, Rachel bring over a plate of tea to the balcony as Tadayoshi was just sitting down looking at the view

Rachel: This is another tea that was homemade in New Africa I believe

Tadayoshi: *Sip* ... Hmm not bad

Suddenly Tadayoshi notices a piece of paper beside him which he grabs and takes a look at it

Tadayoshi: The hell is this?

Rachel: Oh it's an invitation me and Cassie got to go to this party

Tadayoshi: Party?

Rachel: Yeah apparently there are going to be a lot of Royalties there

Tadayoshi: Hmmm...

Rachel: But since you remind me of that, do you wanna come with me?

Tadayoshi: Why?

Rachel: The invitation said we could bring one person to the party so I figure eh you've been doing great with your job, why don't you come

Tadayoshi: I'll pass

Rachel: Not a fan of party

Tadayoshi: Of course not

Rachel: Eh I figured you say that, but I also just asked cause I need a dance partner

Tadayoshi: You? A dance partner?

Rachel: Yeah, Yeah I know, but I don't want to feel awkward doing nothing at the party and I don't want a bunch of people asking me for a dance

Tadayoshi: hmm...

Rachel: So I'll pay you to come and just be my dance partner

Tadayoshi: Done

Rachel: You are so easy to convince when it comes to money

Tadayoshi: I take it as a job...

Rachel: Well then the party will start in 3 months so you have plenty of time but just be prepared and wear something nice!

Tadayoshi: I hear you...

Present time:

Cassie: You... paid him to come

Rachel: Look I don't want a bunch of Royalty weirdos on my ass at the party, so he around me should keep their distance from us

Cassie: Oh...

Rachel: ...

Cassie: What?

Rachel: Is something wrong *munch*

Cassie: No no it's just... I didn't think you'd ask Tadayoshi already...

Rachel: ... Now what?

Cassie: Shhh! *points*

Rachel turns at what Cassie is pointing at which was Chum getting frustrated for not finding his donut which he begins hopping around angrily until he accidentally slips and rolls over, causing the donut to fall off of him. Soon he notices the donut and immediately gets up in happiness and starts munching on it

Cassie: *giggle* He finally found his donut!

Rachel: ... "What happened between you and Tadayoshi?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rachel and Cassie arrive back home as Chum runs in and leaps on the couch while Cassie makes her way to her room. Rachel sets the grocery on the table and starts to make dinner

Rachel: We're gonna have pork roast tonight!

Cassie: Ok!

Cassie enters her room and places her stuff beside the bed and swan dives onto her bed

Cassie: Ahhhh... sweet comfy bed...

She then looks up to see the stuffed rabbit in front of her and she sits up and grabs it and stares at it for a few minutes which causes her to blush a bit

Cassie: ... What did you do to me...

In the kitchen Rachel finishes putting away groceries and sets herself up to cook, she notices Chum with a remote in his mouth which he sets down on the couch and slaps it with his fin, turning on the tv

News: And that's all we got about the Regicide killer story, on other news there have been witnesses of multiple people on fire throughout the eastern region of the world, causing multiple casualties, especially one nearly burning a town! Police have said they don't know what has been causing them but the public has told them these people were lit out of nowhere and different victims had different colors of fire!

Rachel: What has been going on this month?

A few minutes go by and Rachel finishes cooking and setting the table up in the dining room

Rachel: Cassie! Dinner is done!

...

Rachel: Cassie!?

...

Rachel: The hell

She walks down the hall and goes to Cassie's room but she notices the door was open and she sees Cassie looking at the stuffed rabbit again and her face all embarrassed

Rachel: "She's at it again?"

Cassie: ... *breathes in* So Tadayoshi... there is a party me and Rachel got invited to... and I was wondering if... you wanna come and dance with me...

Stuff rabbit: ...

Cassie: I know Rachel asked you but... I'm just wondering if ... you wanna dance with me as well...

Rachel: Cassie?

Cassie: Gah?! What the hell Rachel?!

Rachel: I called you so many times and you didn't answer me so I had to come here to let you know

Cassie: O-Oh... sorry what did you say?

Rachel: I said dinner is ready

Cassie: Oh sweet!

She quickly gets up and exits out of her bedroom and passes by Rachel who looks back at her room and sees the stuffed rabbit Cassie was talking too

Rachel: ...

Cassie sits down at the dining room table as Rachel returns and sits down as well which she notices Cassie with a nervous look on her face

Cassie: Did... you hear what I said

Rachel: What do you mean?

Cassie: I mean... when you came to my room and... you know

Rachel: No I did not fully... other than seeing you with that stuffed rabbit

Cassie: *blushes in embarrassment*

Rachel: ... You know if you want Tadayoshi to be your dance partner you can

Cassie: You said you didn't hear me!

Rachel: It's not my fault you didn't listen to me calling you

Cassie: *puffs her cheeks*

Rachel: And besides even if I didn't hear you, we've been talking about Tadayoshi all day for some reason and you're the start of it... I didn't think he'd be very interesting to you

Cassie: I-I told you! He's just a challenge!

Rachel: I know I know... but again you can have him be your dance partner

Cassie: Are... you sure?

Rachel: I don't care really, I just need his for whatever

Cassie: Oh thank you!

Rachel: Mhm... but make sure you bring someone else so things don't get weird

Cassie: I will!

Rachel: ... Hey

Cassie: ?

Rachel: I know this is random but... It's good to talk to you again

Cassie: *smiles* Yeah... I'm glad as well... I've missed your moody self "all thanks to you Tadayoshi"

Somewhere else:

Tadayoshi: *Achoo* *sniff*

Landlord: And stay the fuck out

Tadayoshi: I know! I just came to get something back!

Tadayoshi makes his way back home with something wrapped under his arm as he leaves his old apartment that he got kicked out of a few weeks ago

Tadayoshi: I can't believe that landlord didn't find it... it's good she didn't... now to bury this somewhere...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arts:

Made by Fireghost647

Made by @strqbeary