Sparkle On

“Mochi Moon! Mochi Moon! Mochi MOOOOOONNNN!” Excited, and shrill, yelling filled the back of the brothel as Miami bounced down the halls. Her tail swished excitedly behind her as she peeked around the corner. A huge grin on her face as she noticed Amarillo cringe ever so slightly as he focused on just cleaning glasses. A clear attempt at trying to ignore Miami’s presence. Miami wouldn’t let such a slight go unpunished.

The brothel worker smiled as she slowly made her way over to Amarillo. Miami could see the way the barman’s shoulders tensed ever so slightly as she strolled closer to him. Taking a deep inhale, Miami grinned as she screamed right next to Amarillo’s ear. “MOCHI MOON!” The sound of glass shattering soon filled the room as Amarillo yelled in pain. His hands just dropped everything to protect his ears. Miami cackled loudly as she grinned at the unkempt bun and the mess she had caused. “Amarillo, do you know what time it is?!” Miami grinned maliciously as the bartender turned to glare at her.

“Let me guess, is it Mochi Moon time?” Amarillo’s voice was weary as he moved to start cleaning up the broken glass around his feet. The purple haired bun tensed as Miami grabbed him by his shoulders and started to shake him. “G-Gah?!”

“No!” Miami sang as she shook some sense into Amarillo. “It’s fireworks time!” The woman grinned as she stopped and let go of her co-worker's shoulder’s. Amarillo’s vision was still spinning as Miami went on. “The fireworks and sparklers are the best part of Mochi Moon! The bright colours and the sounds! Ah, it’s just the best time of the year!”

Amarillo scowled as he looked at the pink haired woman. The scrawny man rolled his shoulders a little as he huffed. “It’s the first festival of the new year. How can you say it’s the best time of the year when it’s just the start?” He regretted even trying to question Miami when he heard her loud, dramatic gasp of shock. A tired sigh leaving his lips as he just swept up the broken glass shards and let the woman monologue at him.

“Because the first festival is always going to be an indicator on how the rest of them are going to go!” Miami is just grinning as she talks excitedly. “A good Mochi Moon means a good year, but a great Mochi Moon means a great year! The better the festivities the better the new year will be! It’s just common sense!” Miami put her hands on her hips as Amarillo finished cleaning. The bartender glared up at the woman.

“Sounds like a load of Mamoo shit.” Amarillo rolled his eyes as Miami yelled at him. “Any time a bunch of idiots get drunk is a good enough time for me. Makes it easier to cheat against them.” The man mumbled the last part as Miami scowled at him. “Besides, who can stand all that loud noise when your rip roaring drunk anyway? It just sounds like a way to exacerbate a hangover.”

Miami fumed as she stomped her foot. “It’s about having fun with your friends! Not stealing some drunk idiot’s carats!” Amarillo stared blankly at the woman. “You all get drunk, let the world spin and spin around you, and then you look up to the cavern ceiling and watch all the exploding colours! It’s fun!” 

“Maybe for you.” Amarillo scoffed as he tried to just focus on finishing clearing the glassware. “Just sounds like another excuse for you to go out, get drunk and go down on some rando.” Mami yelled as Amarillo rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you go out already? You know Cass is fine with you ‘celebrating’.”

Miami frowned a little at the question as she sheepishly looked away from Amarillo and looked down at her feet. “Well… I don’t have anybody to go bar hopping with. Daddy is busy with Tei and Cinnamon is spending the holiday with Wilde this year.” Amarillo slowly turned to gawk at Miami. Already preparing himself for what she was about to suggest. “Sooo, I was thinking that maybe you could join me!”

“No. No way in all the hells am I going out.” Amarillo was quick to respond as he set the last shot glass down.

“C’mon! PLEASE!” Miami pleaded as she grabbed Amarillo’s hand. “You’re the last person I can ask to go out with me!”

“What about your boyfriend, Rizz? Why the hell can’t he take you out?!” Amarillo gawked at Miami as he tried to pull his arm away.

Miami frowned as she looked at her co-worker. “He can’t! He got tied up at work and can’t make it!” Fake tears started to collect in the corners of Miami’s eyes as she stared up at Amarillo. The pink haired woman pushed out her lower lip a little, her eyes went big as she put on her best Impup eyes. “Please! I know you don’t like drinking, but will you at least come with me to see the fireworks! I’d look like such a loser if I went to see them alone!”

Amarillo did his best to hold out. Refusing to open his mouth in case he accidentally said yes to Miami’s begging. Though, he eventually caved in as Miami choked out a sob. “Fine, Fine! I’ll take you to go see the damn fireworks. But, no drinking and we come right back here after the show, got it?” Miami’s squeal of joy had Amarillo flinching. He was already regretting agreeing to Miami’s demands.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise I won’t drink!” Miami was just bouncing with joy as she looked at the dishevelled man. “Ah, this will be great! I promise, we’ll go see the fireworks, maybe even get some sparklers! Have some mochi and just watch the show!” Miami was grinning as she feverishly told Amarillo all of the exciting things would be doing at the fireworks show. The pink bun was already dragging her surly co-worker by the hand out of the bar and into the busy Burrowgatory streets.

Amarillo silently looked around at the crowd of buns around him and Miami. All of them were smiling and laughing with one another as they drank and ate. Most of them held sparklers in their hands as they went from one street vendor to another. When Miami finally stopped dragging him she spun around to face Amarillo. A pair of sparklers in one hand and two dango sticks in the other. “Here! One for each of us!” Miami beamed as she shoved a sparkler and dango into Amarillo’s hands.

“Oh, thanks.” Amarillo awkwardly took the items as he looked at Miami for a moment before looking around at the busy streets. “So when does the show start?” The pink haired bun gave an exasperated sigh as she deflated a little.

“In a few minutes! I promise we’ll go back to the bar right after, don’t worry! Just try relaxing for once, please.” Miami offered a genuine smile as she looked at Amarillo. Moving to light their sparklers. Leaning a bit close to get Amarillo’s sparkler going as she looked up at the scrawny debt riddled bun.

Amarillo could feel his cheeks heating up as he looked away from Miami. The man just stubbornly refused to let his heart skip a beat as he nodded. “Fine. Let’s find a place to sit and watch them then. I don’t want to have my knees lock up waiting for them to start.”

Miami grinned as she grabbed Amarillo’s hand once more and pulled him along. The purple haired man stared down at their hands… His cheeks turned pink as he looked away. Maybe this new year will be a good one.