Filling in the Blanks- A Berry Rainbowcy [Gen.1 Ch. 1- A Slap to the Face]

Hello Loyal readers! Welcome to chapter one! Yay! This chapter will be longer and (hopefully) more fun to read than the Prolouge. Yay! Feedback and Critique is encouraged and welcomed.
Read on my friends!

Mornings suck.

I got out of bed one fateful morning feeling the urge to do nothing particularly productive.

You know that feeling you sometimes get when something important and life-changing was about to happen? Well, I didn't get that feeling. Strange, because I never forgot that day afterwards.

I headed downstairs, faced the stove and frowned.

"Not today." I grumbled to myself and grabbed a bowl of cereal.

I scarfed down my cereal which had once stale before I dumped milk on it. While eating, I contemplated what to do that day. I thought sitting around and watching the Berry Bowl play-offs sounded slightly appealing, but when I looked out the window and saw what a beautiful day it was, I decided.
A trip to the beach it was!

Peppermint Pier's stretch of perfect sugar white sands and roaring waves made it a popular spot for both locals of Sugar Valley and tourists.
I loved the place dearly, I had nearly grown up here and often begged my mother to take me every weekend of the summer when I was younger. Now, I see it as inspiration. I just had to paint now!

So, paint I did. Using my blue colors, she attempted to capture the wild beauty of the water. Maybe this time the painting would sell better than my past pieces.

While I painted an angry man walked up behind her. I recognized him as Goji, a prominent editor in Sugar Valley. I would give anything to have a book edited by him. Peering over my shoulder, I decided not to get involved when she saw another man stalking up, looking just as peeved.

Of course, it was hard to ignore the loud arguing.

"I cannot believe you turned down my novel! It's a classic-to-be, I tell you!" The green man shouted.



Goji shook his head. "'The' is spelled t-h-e Mr. Apple! I refuse to publish a book with such foolish spelling and grammar! Did you skip school a lot?"

Mr. Apple made a growling sound. "FINE! You are making a mistake, SIR."

Goji smirked. "Good day. SIR."

I watched Goji stalk away, muttering to himself. Thinking fast, I scurried into the building after him, visions of me cheering him up and he being so greatful that he would edit a book for me.

"Mr. Goji, sir? Are you alright? I heard the argu-" I started.

"ENOUGH." Goji snapped. "I assume you're just another wannabe author, hoping for my talents to make your worthless pieces of fig a good read. Well, then I say, good say!"

"But, sir, my name is Cream Puff Sprinkles and I-"

Goji glared at me and did the last thing she expected. He slapped me, right in the face. Then he spun on his heel and left.

Maybe things weren't going to get better.

As night fell, I decided she might as well head home. Disappointment had crushed my motivation to continue the painting, so I scrapped it and walked out. The disappointment, however, was replaced by terror when I realized there were no taxis whatsoever on the road this late. Great, now I had to walk home in the dark.
Swallowing my fear I began to walk.

But after awhile, I got tired. Now, I was tired, scared, and was that hunger nibbling at my stomach too? Not knowing what else to do, I walked into the first place she saw that would have friendly people- the fire station.

"Ahh...." I said awkwardly.
I had walked in, and, seeing no one around, I headed upstairs to where the bedrooms were.

I had woken up a man who was obviously a firefighter.

"Ugnh. Uh, who are you?" the man said in confusion.

"I'm so sorry!" I replied, not answering his question in the least bit. "I was looking for a ride home."

He raised an Eyebrow. "A ride home? Well, I'm on duty right now, so.... Why can't you call a taxi?"

"I can call a taxi?" I clarified.

"Yep."

"Oh, can I have the number please? I've lived in Sugar Valley all my life, but I haven't been on my own for very long. I'm so sorry for bothering you."

The man smiled. "It's no problem. I should probably be awake anyway, in case there's an emergency." he walked to the other room for a second and came back with a slip of paper. "There's the number for the Taxi company, and there," He pointed to a number underneath "Is the Fire Station's Number. Just in case."

"In case?" I asked.

"You'd be surprised."

Suddenly a bell resounded through the building.

"I gotta go. Remember, if you ever need a firefighter, call that bottom number."
He ran off.

I stood there in awe for a second and, peering at the slip of paper, I headed outside, called the taxi, and went home. But something in my thought about him the whole way back. What the worst thing was?

I didn't even know his name.
~

"I-I'm looking for a man.... a red man? I need to talk to him."

No, that sounded stupid.

"Um, my name is Cream Puff Sprinkles and I have a serious... Ah, who am I kidding." Cream slumped in front of her great grandmother's mirror. "I'll never find him."

My cell phone rang and I jumped.

I answered. "Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Cream Puff Sprinkles?"

"Yes, this is Cream Puff. May I ask who's calling?"

"You may be familiar with me. I'm Goji."

"Ah, OH! M-Mr. Goji! I'm so sorry for yesterday-"

"No. I'm sorry. I took my anger out on an innocent person. But that isn't the point. I'm calling to tell you that I am ready and willing to edit any novel of yours for no cost in payment to my... innapropriate behavior."

"....Really?"

"Really. I've seen your writings in the Berry Times. You have potential. I have skill and experience. We'd be a perfect team."

"OMB! This is- This is amazing!"

"It's the least I can do. In fact, is there anything else you need?"

"Anything else.... well.... is it possible for you to get me the address of a...friend for me?"

"Friend? Ah well, what is the name of this friend?"

"I honestly don't know. But I do know he's a firefighter and he's...red."

"Hm....Firefighter.... Red? Well, I do know one man who works with me who is brothers with a firefighter. Their family is very red. His name is Licorice Candy."

"Great! Do you know if his brother lives with him?"

"No idea, but I'll look into it and call you back."

"Thank you so much!"

So that is how I found myself in a taxi two nights later, with butterflies in my stomach thinking of if I'd find my Prince Char- er- Friend where she was going. I knew it was crazy and a bit strange, but I wanted to meet him again. Maybe I could finally make a friend in this big city.

A man answered the door at the house. I asked him if a Peppermint Candy lived here.

"Yep, he's just upstairs."

"Um, hello?" I asked timidly.

"Oh, hi. You're the girl who woke me up! I saw you got home safely." He grinned.

"You did?"

"Well, you weren't there when I got back to the Station. I realized I never caught your name."

"It's Cream Puff Sprinkles."

"Peppermint Candy."

We talked well into the morning, learning about each other, sharing jokes and finding they had quite a bit in common.

Eventually he had to go or else he would miss work, but he thanked me for a nice evening and left.

I couldn't help but wonder, Was this love?

It felt like it.