***Alastair***
Maggie smiled. "Seems that the trip did you some good. You look happier now."
Star grinned back. "Yeah, I got to see my sister!"
"The waffle-making one?" Cyan asked.
"Yep!"
Ame folded her arms. "That reminds me, you need to be more watchful with his diet. No more Pi- I mean Kezzla."
Maggie sighed. "That explains why Star looked upset, it must've made him feel gross."
Alastair smiled at his Gatekeeper.
"Let us know if something bothers your stomach," Maggie said. "That way, we can make you something else to eat."
"Something will come in for you a bit later," Ame said. "Anyway, I have to go. I still have to finish Allie's dress."
As excited as he was, he was worried about the ball, too. This would be his first dance without Hannah or the others.
Ame came by in the afternoon. "Sorry for not coming earlier, I had to deal with some stuff.
She pulled a white box out of her pockets of everything and handed it to him. "I have something for you."
"What is it?" He pulled off the red ribbon and found a note inside the box. The front of it said, "to my little redhead". When he flipped it over, the other side said, "I love you and have fun tomorrow."
A warmth bubbled up inside of him. Even a world away, Alastair could feel Hannah giving him a tight squeeze. It felt nice, but it made him homesick, too.
He turned back to the box. "No way! Is this...?"
"I wouldn't have heard the end of it if I hadn't gotten that for you." Ame shoved her hands in her pockets. "Hannah might be a world away, but she's still doing what she can to take care of you." She set an elliptical box on the bench at the foot of his bed. "She also gave me this."
His suit for special occasions was in the big box. What could be in the other box, he wondered. He reached for the box and pulled off the lid. His eyes twinkled at the white fedora with a red band around it.
He gazed at the fedora. "Hannah continues to amaze me. She knows exactly what we like." "Does everyone wear hats or was it her idea?"
"She wanted to give you a choice since boys don't usually wear hats."
He put the hat on. "I'm a snazzy cat!" He put on brown boots.
Ame shook her head but otherwise said nothing.
Honey yawned, having woken from her afternoon nap. She wanted to know when Ame got there.
"When is this dance, anyway?" Alastair put his hand behind his head. "Neither of you told me."
"It'll be at six tomorrow." She gazed into his eyes. "Do you have a date already?"
"Maggie asked me to go with her."
Ame smiled before her eyes drifted off. "Oh, and she asked me to give you this, too."
Alastair clutched the silver heart to his chest. The heart was cool to the touch, but it was warm, too. It was still warm with Vi's loving touch. He would always treasure the last gift she gave him before she went to work. She still sent him gifts, but it wasn't the same when she didn't get to watch him open them.
"What is that, anyway?" Ame asked with furrowed brows.
He shot her a glare. "A present from my big sis."
Ame put her hands up in surrender. "I give!" She sighed and turned her back to him. "I'll leave you to rest. I know you have a big day tomorrow."
***
A couple hours before the dance, a weird screen appeared in the living room.
Cyan's ears perked up, but she otherwise seemed to barely notice it. Was that normal in this world?
A man who looked like he had a skunk on top of his head appeared on the weird screen. "People of Nachima. I bring you an address from King Edonis. May the ball be a night of celebration."
Who was that? His gold belt buckle had G.R. engraved on it, but the rest of his clothes had greys and reds on it. Something about that seemed off for a government person.
The man who appeared on the screen looked like Alastair's dad if he dressed like a king. Except he had red hair like his son and this person's hair had more brown in it.
He had a deep and commanding voice. "I offer my thanks to Ethan, Ryan, and their families for giving us this wonderful ball and tradition in a time before the reign of the house of Kessler."
House of Kessler? Nachima was governed by a monarchy? Alastair was surprised since it seemed to be more advanced than Earth. The British monarchy could still survive after the queen dies.
"Enjoy yourselves tonight. This is a day of rest. Non-essential work can be saved for tomorrow."
The strange screen disappeared.
"Who was that?"
"The king," Cy replied.
***
Cyan knocked on Alastair's door.
"I made soup, so we can eat before the ball. I dunno if Ame told you or not, but there isn't a lot of food there."
"I need to make sure Honey's taken care of before we go."
He found two bowls of soup waiting at the kitchen table when he came in from taking care of Honey. They smelled good.
"I have something to show you, too."
He tilted his head.
She lifted up a light blue mask that reminded him of a bandit mask, except prettier and shiny.
"Can I wear a mask too?"
"That mask you have should work."
He smiled.
***
Cyan had changed into a blue dress with a pink ribbon at the waist and shimmery flats. The dress was magenta with ruffles on the dress weren't symmetrical while a belt cinched her waist. With how often he helped Hannah with the Lys twins, Alastair probably knew or cared more about girls' clothes than he probably should have. Well, he would also spend time in Vi's room, playing while Betty and she talked about such stuff too. Some of that girlie talk must've rubbed off on him.
As for Alastair himself, he'd changed into the dress clothes Hannah sent him. He also pinned a white clover onto the lapel of his suit, and even though the bandages hid the birthmark, he still wanted to wear gloves. Since the band on the fedora was red, he put on red gloves.
"Ready to go?" Maggie asked.
The boy nodded and offered her his arm.
The trio then teleported to a large building.
Ame was waiting for them when they got into the building. She was wearing a form-fitting lilac dress.
She gave him a smile. "Hannah could be a fashion consultant to die for if she really wanted to."
Alastair groaned and rolled his eyes. She should've just said that his outfit looked nice. He stared at her outfit. Ame looked like she massacred a flock of birds to get that gaudy scarf of hers.
He stared at her outfit again. Star tilted his head as it hit him, she looked like she came out of a history textbook with her roaring twenties outfit, hat included.
He gave Cyan a goofy grin. "Enjoy your date!"
"Dance the night away!" Ame's eyes shone but it sort of looked like she wasn't actually looking at them.
Maggie sighed. "Look at her, all happy because she gets to dance with that prince charming of hers. I would've liked to have found a real date."
He narrowed his eyes at her. She should've, that way I wouldn't have had to come.
Star's 'date' turned to look at his Protector. "Say, who is your date, Amethyst?"
Ame raised her fan to her face, blushing. "Oh, you'll see."
"Mom!" a voice yelled. Kai ran over to them.
"Oh, he's handsome!" Maggie mumbled.
And taken!
"Wait, did he say Mom?" Maggie asked, gawking.
Kai laughed. "Yeah, she's my old lady."
"Kai, be more respectful to your mother," Violet said.
"Vi!" Star yelled, running over to hug her.
"Hmm, this new girl seems more like a mom than Ame."
"W-what?" Vi said, turning deep red.
Kai rubbed her back. "I think that's supposed to be a compliment."
After doing what reminded him of the square dance, the crowd shifted to doing what felt like a salsa. It was a good thing that his cartoon movie and Hannah taught him how to do it.
Alastair umped when someone set off a Foghorn even though his headphones muffled it.
Everyone turned their attention to a man in a bowtie and a cowboy hat. "Alright, ladies and gents! It's time for the annual square dance!"
Everyone wearing jackets tossed them aside and the women in heels kicked them off.
Star panted as the music came to a halt.
"You okay, Collin?" Maggie asked. "Need a glass of water?"
Alastair absent-mindedly made the sign for bathroom.
It was important to know where one was. It could be helpful when one needed a break.