Shadowwolf64: *hides in shame*

Chase: This is just sad.

Shadowwolf64: I know! I'm sooooo sorry. I'm a terrible author.

Akari: Enough self-pity, on with the story!

Shadowwolf64: *hits head against desk* bad, bad, bad.

Wizard: … Here's chapter 8.

Shawowolf64: By the way, I started using Akari instead of Angela. *Returns to hitting head against desk* Stupid, stupid, stupid. How could I let this happen?

Disclaimer: I only own a copy of Animal Parade but I hardly think that counts, so it's not mine.

Chapter 8: Date Under the Stars

Akari looked over at Chase as he sat next to her. Both turned to look at Kathy who was eying the plate of sludge in front of her.

"You sure this is food?" she asked, skeptical.

"Yup, watched Maya cook it herself," Akari responded with a shudder. "Not sure how you can mess up something as simple as cookies but," she shrugged.

"Maya always manages to make something other than what she tries to make, and it's usually not edible," Chase supplied as he leaned back in his chair. Akari smiled and tilted Chase's chair further back, nearly causing his to end up on the floor but he managed to grab onto the edge of the table to prevent a laughable display.

"What did you do that for?" he demanded as he turned to look at Akari.

"Do what?" she asked as she looked at him, feigning innocence.

"Don't you pull that innocent act," Chase growled and Akari grinned at him.

"Aw Chase knows me too well," she said as she turned to look back at Kathy. "So you gonna eat it or chicken out?"

"I'll eat it; just give me a minute to write out my will."

"We warned you," Chase smirked as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Yeah I know, don't rub it in," Kathy grumbled as she poked the thing with a fork.

"Hurry up Kathy, poking it isn't going to magically change it into carrot cake," Akari whined.

"Alright, alright," Kathy sighed as she got a spoonful of the goo. "You guys want any?" Both Chase and Akari backed away and shook their heads.

"No thanks, I'd rather not get sick again," Akari replied as she ducked behind a menu. "Now stop stalling." Kathy quickly took a bite of the stuff and swallowed, not wanting the flavor to actually register. She gagged as the taste still managed to spread in her mouth and Chase held up a stopwatch.

"Five minutes," Akari sang as she smirked at her friend. Kathy threw a glare at her but otherwise nodded. "So, now we wait until she croaks, spits the stuff back out or manages to keep the stuff down."

"Can we at least get rid of the plate?" Kathy asked as she avoided looking at the offending dinnerware.

"Fine," Akari said as she took the plate and quickly tossed it in the trash. "There, now watch it crawl back towards the surface and take its revenge."

"Enough of your antics," Chase said as he pulled her back into the chair and Akari pouted as she looked over at Chase.

"Stop it."

"Make me," she replied with a smirk.

"Guys, hello, remember me?" Kathy asked, amused.

"Right, back to the one with the poison in her system," Akari said as she turned in her chair.

"Three minutes, wow Kathy, that's longer than I would have last and longer that Akari did," Chase said as he looked down at the watch. Akari started muttering to herself as she fixed her gaze on the wall. "Oh stop your grumbling."

"Easy for you to say, you haven't eaten any of the stuff."

"And Kathy wins," Chase said as he grinned at Akari.

"What? No way!" Akari exclaimed as she grabbed the stopwatch and looked at the time. "Damn it."

"Looks like we have some help at the bar tomorrow night," Kathy said as she smirked at the rancher. Chase snickered as Akari slumped down in her chair and refused to look at either of them.

"This is gonna be fun," she grumbled and Kathy sat in the chair next to her and put her arm around her shoulder.

"Aw it isn't going be that bad," she said as she grinned at her friend. Akari threw her a look and Kathy giggled. "Alright I might torture you a little but it won't be too bad."

"Uh huh, sure."

"Stop your whining, I'll make sure she doesn't do anything too bad," Chase said as he rolled his eyes.

"What make you think I trust you more than her?"

"Because I'm actually trustworthy," he replied as he smirked at her.

"This coming from the most sarcastic person I know," Akari muttered. "Anyway seeing as our little bet is over and done with and the winner has been declared, I'm going to head out. I'll see you both later." She ran out the door before either could stop her and both sighed.

"You know it would be a good time to tell her," Kathy said as she looked over at the chef.

"Don't start with that again," Chase complained as he pushed his chair back.

"You better act soon Chase."

"What I do is none of your business."

"It is when it involves my best friend."

"Drop it Kathy."

"Fine but I will get you to admit it to her one way or another."

"Stay out of it Kathy, I'm warning you." Kathy just grinned over at him before heading outside and Chase sighed in annoyance. This could turn into a real mess.

Akari made her way towards Wizard's house and peered in through the window, curious. He was reading a book at his desk and she heard Finn snicker.

"What's so funny," she demanded as she moved away from the window to look at the harvest sprite.

"Nothing, just now you've started to spy on him." Akari flushed and looked away.

"No I'm not, I was just wondering what he was doing," she replied, refusing to look at him.

"Sure. You do know that's the makings of a stalker."

"Finn I will lock you in the tool box again."

"Alright I'll stop!" Akari grinned and quietly opened the door to find Wizard looking over at her.

"You heard that didn't you?"

"Not really…" Akari sighed in relief and smiled over at him.

"Anyways, I brought this for you," she said as she handed him a Fugue mushroom.

"Akari I was wondering… Do you want to go see the ocean and the sky… Together?" he asked as he blushed and rubbed the back of his head. Doing what she did when he asked her to the Firefly Festival she looked at him and smiled.

"I would love to," she said blushing slightly and he smiled.

"Meet me at the Church Grounds at 4:00."

"I'll be there," she said as he looked up at her. Once outside Akari made her way towards the bridge and sat on the railing, looking at the water below.

"You're nervous," Finn sang as he flew circles around her.

"Who wouldn't be?" she asked as she watched the harvest sprite in amusement.

"You were fine when he came by that one time."

"A present is one thing, a date is another."

"You went to the Firefly Festival with him though and that was a date."

"There were other people around then. It'll just be the two of us this time."

"You worry too much. You like him and from the look of things he likes you too so everything should work out."

"Yeah guess you're right. Wait a minute!" Finn laughed at her reaction and took off towards the ranch with Akari chasing after him.

"Evil little sprite," she grumbled as she sat on the grass outside the barn and watched as Shadow dozed under the coffee bean trees. She got to her feet and stretched and looked around the area to see if she could find Finn before she headed off. When she saw no sign of the harvest sprite she headed back towards Harmonica town. She sat on the wall that face the ocean outside the church and gazed at the ocean when she heard footsteps behind her. She looked over her shoulder and smiled over at Wizard as he walked over and she climbed off the wall.

"… Did you wait long?" Akari shook her head and Wizard rubbed the back of his head and led her towards the wall she had been sitting on earlier.

"You can see stars here at night. Lots," Wizard said as he looked over at Akari with a small smile. "Akari do you like stars?"

"I love them," Akari replied as she looked to the sky. "You can't really see them in the city and when I moved here it kinda surprised me how clearly you could see them."

"It's easier to see the stars… where there's less light pollution," Wizard said as he watched the sun set over the ocean.

"It's one of the reasons I love it here. I loved stars as a kid and moving to the city made it harder to see them. When I met Finn and he told me about this place, I took the chance. Not just because of the stars but because I guess I was looking for something."

"I hope you find it," Wizard said as he looked over at her and she smiled.

"Thanks, you'll be the first to know when I find it." They talked for a while longer and watched as the stars lit up the night sky, Wizard pointing out a few constellations to her. Wizard eventually pointed out that it was getting late and Akari nodded in agreement though somewhat reluctantly.

"Thank you for accompanying me tonight," he said as they stopped near his house.

"Thanks for asking me," Akari replied and she thought for a minute before she quickly kissed him on the cheek and smiled at him. "I'll see you tomorrow," she called as she headed towards the bridge. Wizard watched as she left and flushed as he walked home.

Shadowwolf64: Why did that take so long to write? Why brain? I demand answers!

Chase: Yelling at yourself isn't going to help.

Shadowwolf64: I'm not yelling at myself, I'm yelling at the pink blob that calls my skull its home.

Akari: I think she finally went off the deep end…

Chase: It's not that surprising.

Shadowwolf64: You're lucky I like you… Anyway I'm really sorry for the delay guys. I'm so ashamed. *shame corner*

Akari: We'll get her out of her misery soon enough. Hey Wizard maybe you should hug her.

Wizard: … Until next time…