SUN SHORT #1 - Seeing You More Often

As the homecoming is coming to an end, Mesto and Ivory are walking out of the building, both holding each other’s hand.

“I’ll see you around more often y’know,” Ivory says.

“I figured since we’re now dating and everything,” Mesto replies.

“I didn’t mean just that,” Ivory remarks, “Did Garcia not tell you?”

“Not tell me what?” Mesto questions.

“I got a job at Burrito Bistro as a delivery driver,” Ivory explains before she kisses Mesto on the cheek, “I’ll see you tomorrow hon’!”

As Ivory walks away, Mesto stands there stunned for a second before he begins to blush some more.

SUN SHORT #2 - Cleaning Up The Homecoming

Late in the evening, the homecoming dance has finally come to an end with the once-packed banquet hall now being almost empty. The only people left in there are Aken Amnestor, who got the short end of the stick when it came to which faculty would close up the place, and two people that Amnestor hired to help clean up.

“Sorry that you guys had to come over here on such short notice,” Amnestor explains.

“It’s no problem, Mister Amnestor!” One of the cleaners remarks, “Whether it’s cleaning up after a bunch of reckless teens without notice, walking your pets, or even writing up a cover letter for you that nobody will read! There’s nothing we won’t do as long as you pay us, that’s our motto!”

The person who shouted at that sales pitch is a member of the group ‘The Three Ts’, Timothy McGee. Tim has blonde hair split down the middle, blue eyes, freckles, and white skin. He’s also wearing a green janitor uniform.

The other cleaner there is the second member of ‘The Three Ts’, Thomas Dolby. Tom has dark skin, a poofy black afro, a tall muscular body, and blue eyes with round glasses over them. He’s also wearing a similar green janitor uniform.

“Kinda weird to see a homecoming dance though,” Tom admits, “Never really had a chance to go to one of these.”

Hearing that Amnestor says, “You know there’s actually another reason why I called you guys to help.”

“Oh really and what’s that?” Tim grins.

“You need help with talking to the Misses?” Tom jokes.

“I was chatting with Griffon the other day and he told me you guys knew something about this guy or something,” Amnestor begins to say.

“Oh really, and who would that be?” Tom laughs.

“Someone going by the alias of ‘The Phantom’,” Amnestor answers, “I know it sounds like a silly name but he said you heard about them-”

Amnestor falls silent as he sees the expressions on the other two’s faces. What just a few seconds ago were jovial and smiling faces were now something different. They were cold. Their eyes piercing through Amnestor’s very soul causing him to break out into a cold sweat.

“The Phantom, huh?” Tim hisses.

“Haven’t heard that name in a long time,” Tom sighs, “And I wished it remained that way.”

Tim looks around the room for a second to make sure nobody is there as he tells Amnestor, “Listen Amnestor, nothing good ever comes from digging up skeletons out of closets.”

“You’re glad Tim-Tom was busy today too,” Tom remarks, “I don’t know how he’d handle hearing that name on the anniversary.”

“The anniversary?” Amnestor questions.

Tim and Tom look at each other realizing they said too much.

“Listen Amnestor, what we say right now stays in this room, okay?” Tom says.

Amnestor nods, unsure of what he should do.

“Okay then,” Tim begins.

As both Tim & Tom begin to describe what went down that fateful day, Amnestor finally discovers the truth that was hidden from him by the faculty at Starlight High who were there on that day. Though in doing so, Amnestor has now stared into the belly of a horrid beast.

And it stared back at him.

SUN SHORT #3 - Anniversary

At the Starlight City Correctional Center, two people sit in a visiting room separated by a glass wall. A father and a son.

On one end is Tim-Tom Pitt, leader and final member of The Three Ts. He’s got black hair, gray eyes, white skin, a piercing by his mouth, tattoos on his arm, and a round scar on the center of his right hand. He’s wearing a black long-sleeve t-shirt, orange camo pants, an orange camo jacket tied around his waist, and beige high tops.

On the other end is Jerry Pitt, a former member of the Moon Shadow Alliance and former CEO of Club Azure. He’s a middle-aged man with white skin, a bald head, gray eyes, a black bushy beard, and a muscular build.

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“So pops, how's life been behind bars?” Tim-Tom questions as he sits on a chair.

“It’s been just fine,” Jerry remarks.

“Good Good.”

“Though I’m curious as to why it’s taken you so long to visit me?”

“Well, I’m still pretty ticked off that your subordinate wedged a corkscrew through my hand,” TIm-Tom answers, “and we both know the only reason I’m seeing you is because of her.”

The room falls silent at the reminder.

“Has it really been three years?” Jerry asks.

“Yeah,” Tim-Tom remarks, “not a day goes by that I don’t miss her you know.”

“Same here, your sister really was the best of us, huh?”

“There you go again showing who’s the favorite child,” Tim-Tom groans.

“Tammy wouldn’t be doing what you’re planning to do.”

“Yeah well, I’m sure Tammy would despise you if she ever learned the kind of man you really are like I did,” Tim-Tom remarks as he stands up.

As he walks to the door, Tim-Tom proceeds to flip off his father. Though just as he places his hand on the door handle, Jerry calls out to him.

“You can stop this son” Jerry pleads, “I don’t want you turning out like me.”

Tim-Tom pauses as he contemplates everything for a moment.

He turns around to look his dad in the eyes and he tells him, “C’mon Jerry, you know I’ve got quite the rebellious streak going on. But if it's worth anything, once I find out who that murderer is, I’ll make sure to mail you The Phantom’s heart. You got that?”

And with those final words, Tim-Tom leaves the room.

SUN SHORT #4 - Respect The Gains

At the Dawnbreak Fitness & Health Center, Christopher is chatting with Alex & Ronnie by one of the water coolers.

“So yeah, Mister Aromdee’s been a real help, I’ve learned so much from him!” Christopher states proudly.

“I hoped that was the case considering he’s a Muay Thai instructor n all,” Ronnie groans.

“That’s good bro,” Alex replies, “Though maybe now you can stop shoving protein powder into all of your foo– wait is that who I think it is?”

Ronnie and Christopher look to see that walking up to them is Blanko Deck and Vanessa Deli. Vanessa has her hair up in a ponytail and is wearing black baggy sweatpants, a black t-shirt underneath a zipped up white-purple windbreaker jacket, white fingerless gloves, and gray high tops.

“Woah Vanessa nice outfit,” Ronnie remarks.

“Th-Thanks, I’m just here because Blanko kept on saying I should go to the gym,” Vanessa remarks.

Hearing those words, Alex, Ronnie, and Christopher look at Blanko. A smug grin emerges from Blanko’s lips as the group all decide they should have a bit of fun.

“This is your first time?” Alex asks.

“Yeah so don’t judge me too much if I don’t get things right,” Vanessa says.

“Don’t worry we won’t do such a thing,” Ronnie playfully remarks.

“Okay if you say so,” Vanessa sighs with slight hesitation.

The first station they go to is one with a bench press. Vanessa sits down as Christopher spots her. Vanessa wraps her hand around the bar and begins to do some sitting pull-ups. Ronnie, Alex, and Blanko try to hide their laughter while Christopher explains how to properly do the bench press.

After a few reps and cleaning off the station, they go to a bicycle machine. Vanessa has both feet on one step and after a rotation jumps to the other step. As she does this even Christopher can’t help but laugh at it. Embarrassed, Vanessa steps off the machine and begins to walk away.

“This is pointless! I’m not gonna come back,” Vanessa groans as she exits the gym.

______________________

The next day Christopher, Ronnie, Alex, and Blanko look amused as they see Vanessa enter the gym once more.

“You forgot that you paid for a whole gym membership didn’t you?” Blanko asks.

“Yep,” Vanessa sighs, “Though this time you guys better show me how to do these all properly okay?”

Though as she walks over to one of the machines, Vanessa can’t help but crack a smile at her own foolishness the other day.

SUN SHORT #5 - An Adorable Little Stalker

Selina and Marcus are making their way home from the dance when they spot Mister Fluffykins on the sidewalk ahead of them.

“A stray cat?” Selina questions.

‘Oh no, that’s just Mister Fluffykins,” Marcus remarks as he pets Mister Fluffykins, “How did he even get here?”

After getting petted, Mister Fluffykins walks away.

“What an adorable little guy he is,” Marcus remarks.

What the two weren’t aware of though, was that this would be the start of seeing Mister Fluffykins everywhere they went.

When they were at a club meeting, they’d spot Mister Fluffykins through the window.

When Selina had a shift at the bookstore, she’d see Mister Fluffykins sitting atop one of the many bookshelves.

When Marcus went to eat at Burrito Bistro, he’d see Mister Fluffykins there at the register.

When the two would get home they’d see Mister Fluffykins.

When trying to brush their teeth? Mister Fluffykins would be eating their toothpaste.

When trying to sleep? Mister Fluffykins would stare at them through a window.

When waking up? Mister Fluffykins would be the first sight they see.

Eventually, they’d stop seeing Mister Fluffykins everywhere they went. Whether he got bored and left them alone or he just got better at hiding they didn’t know.

And they never will.

SUN SHORT #6 - Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue…

“You should buy some spider lilies,” Gabriel Griffon insists, “I think they’d suit you.”

He’s telling this to a customer at his own store, the Griffon Botany Shop. Next to him on the front counter is his pet rat, Limon. The person he’s talking to is a 19-year-old Hispanic lady with long black hair and gray eyes. She’s wearing an oversized grunge black t-shirt with black & red stripes, tight jeans, a rhinestone belt, and black boots. Her name? Marcy Murphy.

“That’s a nice joke, Griffon,” Marcy remarks.

“I wasn’t joking,” Griffon says with a charming smile on his face, “But hey listen, I take it you didn’t come all this way just because you missed me.”

“You’d be right.” Marcy sighs, “Got news from one of the messengers that The Massachusetts Boys are going to be expanding their territory more and more soon.”

“Is that so?” Griffon questions as he feeds Limon some cheese crumbles, “And you’re telling me this why?”

“We’re just concerned what would happen to you if they thought about taking over your place and you were none the wiser,” Marcy insists as she begins to leave.

“I wouldn’t be so worried Miss Murphy,” Gabriel Griffon says as he looks at his wall of sharp gardening tools, “If anything, I’d be happy if they decided to come and give me a visit."

"Oh yeah, and why is that?" Marcy questions.

"I’ve been running low on some good fertilizer," Gabriel answers.

SUN SHORT #7 - It Should Be An Easy Task, Right?

In a busy parking lot, people of all ages are walking toward Starlight City’s Central Mall. Whether it’s to get groceries, go shopping for clothes, try out the food court, play at the arcade, or even just walk around -- the mall has a little something for everyone. Though not everyone is extremely enthused to walk into the mall since standing by the entrance of the mall is a weary Elizabeth Moore.

Elizabeth is wearing a green tracksuit jacket that’s barely zipped over a gray tank top, a black baseball cap, aviator sunglasses she got from the east side, green tracksuit pants, and black high tops. She’s currently on the phone with her parents.

“I told you it’s okay,” Elizabeth says through the phone, “I can pick up some of the stuff at the mall, you guys just focus on picking up Hai & Nhung from school….okay, bye love you.”

As she hangs up though she can’t help but sigh since the last time she was here was during the holiday season…the same holiday season that she got kicked out of the mall.

“Guess I gotta keep a low profile,” Elizabeth murmurs to herself as she enters the mall, “Should be easy…right?”

Little did she know that keeping a low profile on that day would in fact not be easy.

See You Next Chapter!~