A Replacment

Strangers like me

Kiki watched the movie, dreading what she might find out. This world was so cool at first, weird little boxes that talk back to you, super cute clothes and a really cool new friend. But after watching the beginning of the movie and finding that poster with her on it, she's kind of wishing she never left.

So she watched, not taking her eyes off the screen. If she did, she might've seen Nikki gaze dreamily at the TV, at one character in particular, but we'll get to that later. She watched as Lela fell into Tanners arms and then get pulled away from him by her brother as the bikers and surfers have a dance war. If she wasn't so focused on the movie, she might've just heard Nikki sigh dreamily as they did so.

During the whole movie, there were scenes where she could get a glimpse of herself, but they were so brief that if she blinked, she would miss them. At the end of the movie, when the bikers and surfers sing Best Summer Ever, Kiki noticed that she could barely see herself. It's like she wasn't even in there.

When the movie ended Nikki turned nervously to Kiki, since she was too scared to look at her when the movie was playing, well that and she was too busy looking at him to notice anything else around her.

Kiki had a far-off look, like she was looking at something that wasn't there.

"Wow," she said slowly. "So... I'm basically just a character in a movie, and a background character at that. No hopes, no dreams, nothing. I just do the same thing over and over again." She turned to Nikki. "Isn't that right? "

Nikki looked around and then back at her.

"Well, when you put it that way, it sounds kinda...depressing."

She meant for that to sound like a joke, but instead she saw Kiki get tears in her eyes. Nikki waved her hands around. "Nonononono, what I meant to say was, that, to you it may seem kinda boring, b-but to me it seems like the best life ever, I-I mean like, no stress, no unhappiness, you just get to sing and dance and surf." Nikki started panting because of how quickly she said all of that.

Kiki patted the poor girls arm to reassure her that she was fine.

"I know Nikki. But this life seems so much better, you get to be whatever you want here. I can't be what I want in a movie." Kiki looked down sadly and let out a small sigh.

Nikkis POV

Oh, poor Kiki. I can't send her back to her world if she's going to be unhappy. I suddenly found myself speaking before I even knew what I was saying.

"Why don't you just stay here with me...forever?" Wait. Did I really just say that? Ugh! I really need to think before I talk. I begin to tell her that what I said was a mistake, but after seeing her face immediately brighten, I knew I couldn't possibly say no to her.

"Really," she says.

"Really," this time I know exactly what I'm saying. I can't just force Kiki go back to her world, not if she'll be so sad about it. I'll find a way to make it work, I'll just hide her whenever people are around.

Kiki jumps into my arms happily.

"Thank you, Nikki, thank you so much...for everything."

I smile at her. "You're welcome Kiki, but, if you're going to live in this world, you're going to have to act like people from this time."

"I will, I promise. I want to be just like you." Kiki lets out a small sigh. "Teach me Nikki."

Suddenly music comes out of nowhere. As I look around, Kiki starts singing. Okay, I'm probably going to have to tell her about that...later, right now I wanna hear the song.

Whatever you do, I'll do it too

Show me everything and tell me how

It all means something

And yet nothing to me

I can see there's so much to learn

Its all so close and yet so far

I see myself as people see me

Oh, I just know there's something bigger out there

I wanna know, can you show me

I wanna know about these strangers like me

Tell me more, please show me

Something's familiar about these strangers like me

Every gesture, every move that she makes

Makes me feel like never before

Why do I have

This growing need to be just like her

Ooh, these emotions I never knew

Of some other world far beyond this place

Beyond the trees, above the clouds

I see before me a new horizon

I wanna know, can you show me

I wanna know about these strangers like me

Tell me more, please show me

Something's familiar about these strangers like me.

I wanna know, can you show me

I wanna know about these strangers like me

Tell me more, please show me

Something's familiar about these strangers like me

I wanna know, can you show me

I wanna know about these strangers like me

Tell me more, please show me

Something's familiar about these strangers like me

...I wanna know

Wow, Kikis got an awesome voice. She turns to me and smiles expectantly. I just nod my head.

"Okay."

I hope someone out there can relate to cringing at their old writing. Though hopefully there's also someone who somehow enjoys this story.

The song Kiki sings is Strangers Like Me by Phil Collins from the Tarzan movie