[center]
[img]http://txt-dynamic.cdn.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjcyLjc1OThiOC5UR1YwSUVsMElFRnNiQ0JQZFhRLC4x/grinched.regular.png[/img]

[img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/d7acc0455f7fdff1c4052cc9754ecf12/tumblr_inline_obau0i0n2z1txmes7_250.gif[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/b2nqtyp.gif[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/GFQ3rqG.gif[/img]

[sub][i]A Collaboration Between: [@Bee] and [@Silver Carrot]
Featuring: [color=maroon]Kazue Suzuki[/color], [color=fef929]Charity Spencer[/color], and [color=7A7690]Gary Reynolds[/color][/i][/sub][/center]
[hr][hr]


Kazue had arrived just a few days ago to Beverly Hills High School after months on months of incessantly begging her parents to finally let her go somewhere that wasn’t in Japan. Japan was cool and all, but being around the same people and the same places all day was just too much for Kaz to kandle. She wanted a different environment, and here she was on a boat in god-knows-where.

The dance floor was a little too touchy-feely for Kaz’s tastes, so she was somewhere toward the front of the boat where it was much more quiet and where Kaz was much more comfortable. Poor girl didn’t know what she was doing, nor did she really find anyone she knew ([i]not like she knew anyone, anyway[/i]). Right now she was seated on a nearby bench, sipping on a glass of coke she somehow managed to order from the bartender.

She wasn’t alone on the open deck. Leaning on the railing nearby, there was a blonde girl in quite a showy dress, and a nicely done face of makeup, holding a glass of water and looking out over the ocean. Charity had given up on trying to talk to Trixie for now. Possibly even for the whole night. And she was too scared to go anywhere near the dancefloor lest she get dragged into it by a boy. Charity wasn’t here to get drunk, or do drugs, or have sex, or even dance. She was here to observe. They hadn’t set off yet, and the party hadn’t started yet. Until then, she felt like she was just wasting her time. This wasn’t her world, and she didn’t belong here. Right at that moment, she saw a fish jump, arc through the air, and re-submerge itself.  Her mouth twitched a brief smile. [color=fef929][i]’A fish out of water, huh? Me too.’[/i][/color]

She looked over and recognized another lost soul. Another sheep without a flock. Charity watched Kazue out the corner of her eye for a while, before mentally shrugging and starting to walk towards the bench, smiling. [color=fef929][b]”Hi, there. I’m not really big on dancing either. Mind if I sit there?”[/b][/color]

Kaz looked like a deer caught in headlights the pretty blonde lady came up to her and asked to sit next to her. She only nodded and scooted over a bit. This girl did look a bit familiar. Like she was from some movie or whatever. But what movie was it? She was thinking for a bit, and guessing on how scrunched her face was, she was thinking hard about it. Eventually she finally came to the conclusion and determined who she was reminded of.

[color=maroon][b]”Super Eight!”[/b][/color] She blurted, [color=maroon][b]”You look like Super Eight![/b][/color]

Charity drew a complete blank, and look slightly nonplussed at the outburst. [color=fef929][b]”I don’t know who Super Eight is, I’m afraid, but I get mistaken for other people a lot. My name’s Charity. Charity Spencer. What’s yours?”[/b][/color]

Feeling a little embarrassed and ashamed, Kazue turned a shade of red. [color=maroon][b]”Movie. You look like movie.”[/b][/color] Kaz looked down before Charity had introduced herself. Charity? Why would someone be named after something like that? Charities weren’t really that hot in Japan, so it was bizarre that someone was named after one. Regardless, she still had to reply and introduce herself. [color=maroon][b]”Kazue. Call me Kaz. Very nice to meet you, Charity.[/b][/color]

Charity sat down, taking a lack of refusal to be a sign of welcome. [color=fef929][b]”Alright, Kaz. So, what are you doing at this party, pardon my asking? You don’t seem like you want to dance, or drink.”[/b][/color] Charity was genuinely curious why she was here. They were the only two girls Charity had seen so far who seemed like they didn’t want to be here. For Charity, it was work, but Charity doubted that was Kaz’s reason.

That was a good question. Why was Kaz here? She had only been here a week or so and she was already invited to a party. Looking at Charity, she shrugged. [color=maroon][b]”I got invited. Next thing you know, I walk here. But I don’t like alcohol. Too nasty.”[/b][/color] Kaz shook her head before looking at Charity, [color=maroon][b]”How about you? Why are you here?”[/b][/color]

Charity had to stifle a pitying laugh. This asian student with a beginner’s grasp on English, and West Coast culture, must have seen the flyers spread around the school, and deduced she had personally been invited to the party, and it would therefore be rude to refuse. And now she was here against her will, with no desire to partake in anything the party is offering. At least Charity felt she had a choice. She could have dug her heels in at the spa and refused to be part of this, demanding an explanation. But she still felt that this was God’s plan. She was supposed to be here to observe.

[color=fef929][b]”Oh, I got dragged here by my Newspaper Club’s president. I thought it would be a good opportunity to see the party first hand so I could write about it for the paper, but I tried to watch things from below deck and got hit on by at least ten boys, so I’m just going to stay up here and listen out for rumors or commotion.”[/b][/color]

[color=maroon][b]”Newspaper? You have newspaper here?[/b][/color] Kaz’s eyes widened in amazement, since newspapers were relics of the past where she was from, [color=maroon][b]”Really? That is so cool!”[/b][/color] She had never seen a newspaper in person. Everyone had gotten their news on the television or the internet. It was a part of Japan’s increasing efforts to be environmentally healthy, and it was working.

[color=maroon][b]”What else you have here? I want to know!”[/b][/color] Kaz’s eyes were glowing like a star in the night sky. America was intriguing, and the key to unlocking whatever it contained was in this Charity lady. 

That was a new one. Charity had never heard anybody describe the school newspaper as cool before. The Weekend Warrior got praise for biased, sensationalist gossip-mongering, but the Newspaper Club were taken for granted. It was nice for any kind of recognition in that area. As for Kaz’s question. What else they had in America? Well they had a lot of things. Too many to count, and much of that, they shared with Japan. Still, she wanted to know…

[color=fef929][b]”What else do we have here in Beverly Hills? Well, we have Starbucks,  tacos, hot dogs on a stick, tipping the waitresses, free refills, safe spaces and very small dogs.”[/b][/color] Charity answered, using her very safe and inoffensive style of humor that she had cultivated and sharpened by writing her articles. [color=fef929][b]”If you want to ask about any field specifically, i’ll be happy to give you a better answer, though. America’s a big and complicated place.”[/b][/color]

Well, they did have Starbucks in Japan so Kaz didn’t figure it was something that special. But tacos? Hot dogs on a stick? Tips? And most importantly, [i]free refills[/i]? No wonder Americans were so fat. They had it so good. Back home tipping wasn’t even a thing, let alone getting your drink refilled for free. That was honestly some dope stuff that Kaz had just heard. [color=maroon][b]”Too much for me to know![/b][/color] She slapped her own forehead, trying to process the information that she had just taken in. [color=fef929][b]”It’s too much for me to tell!”[/b][/color] Charity replied, laughing. 

Gary Reynolds, or ‘pup’ as he had been titled during his dancing with Aces, made his way up to the deck and lit up a cigarette as he looked around. There weren’t many people up here at this stage of the party, as they were still docked, and all the dancers had energy to spare and were comparatively sober compared to how they were going to end up in a few hours time. He did, however, spot two pretty girls, dressed up to party yet sitting it out. This struck Gary as unusual behaviour, and he approached them, lit cigarette still in his mouth.

[color=7A7690][b]”Are you two okay? The party hasn’t even started yet and you’re up here with soft drinks. You’re not sick, are you?”[/b][/color] he asked, slightly concerned. Though, now he was closer to them, he was really starting to notice how cute they both looked.

Cigarette? Kaz waved the smoke away from her nose as she breathed in the very toxic smoke. Guess cigarettes were still a thing here somehow. [color=maroon][b]”We’re not sick until you started smoking.[/b][/color] She plugged her nose with her hand, showing her disdain for the smoke, [color=maroon][b]”Please no smoke.”[/b][/color]

[color=7A7690][b]”Oh, shit, Sorry!”[/b][/color] Gary flustered apologetically, putting the cigarette out under his boot, and facing away from them to clear his lungs of smoke, before turning back to the two. He noticed that Charity was also already done with him, and in his drunken state he resolved to change they minds.  [color=7A7690][b]”Sure you don’t want to go dance, or go to the game room. Or something? I don’t think this party would be much fun sitting up here.”[/b][/color]

Game room had intrigued the Japanese girl. She’d never seen an American arcade before, even though they had nothing on Japanese arcades. Did this boat have one? It would’ve  been really dope if they did have one. [color=maroon][b]”Game room? We have one here?[/b][/color] Kaz asked curiously, leaning forward to hear what this guy had to say. Charity ordinarily wouldn’t have been interested in a game room, but she needed [i]something[/i] to keep her entertained until something report-worthy happened at this damned party. This party of the damned. So she too listened interested as Gary started to talk.

[color=7A7690][b]”Yeah, dudes, It’s got a pool table, air hockey, table football, and there’s Rock Band hooked up to the plasma. I checked it out earlier, but I was gonna go back later on in the night when the dancing had died down. Want me to take you there?”[/b][/color]

Kaz stood straight up like an arrow at the thought of video games. Finally, something to do here. [color=maroon][b]”Yes. Please take me![/b][/color] Gary happily led them both towards the game room. 

On the way there, Charity stopped. [color=fef929][b]”Sorry, I need to go powder my nose. I’ll meet you both in there,”[/b][/color] she said to the two, before heading to one of the girl’s bathrooms on this boat.

Kazue and Gary had finally arrived at the game room. For whatever reason, Gary was hesitating so Kaz had decided to take the initiative and open the door to the game room. However, what was inside was something that Kaz definitely had not expected to see, as shown by her eyes widening and her cheeks reddening. [color=maroon][b]”Uh…”[/b][/color]