Elizabeth in Ooo

A morning with muffins, showers, and a load of mystery on a platter

Birds chirped from outside, chasing one another. Candy citizens barreled on the chocolate cobble stone streets. The sun shined down on the kingdom, and into my bedroom window, streaming into my eyes.

I snuggled down into my many blankets, hiding from the sunlight. I could hear my aunt in the kitchen, cooking up a storm, and singing softly to herself. Maybe she wouldn't notice I wasn't up and forget about me until tonight when it was too late to force me to go outside.

I softly moved away my blanket, reaching up to shut the blinds. I could see my old book shelf through the disappearing darkness, and the dozens of journals on it. I was pretty sure I had every published journal in Ooo, and had read them all. Sometimes I'd pick one up and reread it and usually it would one of Queen Bubblegum's countless stories of love and sacrifice. I smiled softly, remembering when I turned each page for the first time I was more excited than my aunt when she got another cool book.

And man, did she get excited.

My door knob twirled open, and in the doorway was my aunt. Her curly purple hair was up in a bun, and around her waist was a dusty apron. She had a pie in her hands. "Wake up, buttercup!"
She spun around my room, opening the blinds and going into my closet.

"Aunt Linda!" I whined, rubbing my eyes. Despite being about a million years old, she looked like a twenty-six year old woman raising her dead sister's child. Which, I guess, she was.

"You're gonna get up, get dress, and get out into the kitchen for breakfast." Aunt Linda commanded, breaking a piece of pie off and shoving it in my mouth.

"Why can't I just stay in bed?" I asked, my mouth full and crumbs spilling on my pajamas. Aunt Linda insisted on buying me a new pair of pajamas every month, and this month was a pink shirt and soft pants the exact same color. Anything she bought me was soft and cozy, perfect for this time of year.

"Elizabeth, you can't stay in bed forever! Go out, met some kids your age!" Aunt Linda smiled, her hand on the door knob.

"I'm a teenager, not a child," I laughed, swallowing down the piece of blueberry pie.

"Fine, but you're still going out," she smiled, rolling her eyes, and closing the door.

I swung my feet over the side of my bed, the carpet soft under my toes. I walked over to my closet, tearing from hanger to hanger. I had jeans from The Nightosphere boutique, shirts from their too, sweaters Aunt Linda knitted me, and tons of other clothes. Absolutely nothing to wear.

"AUNT LINDA!" I called from my door way. "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!"

She emerged from the bathroom, annoyed, a towel around her. I could hear the shower water running against the tub. "Elizabeth, you have plenty of clothes. Just pick something warm."

"Something warm?"

"Cozy. Something good for this time of year." She paused, peaking into the bathroom to check on the water. "Now I have to get in the shower before the water kingdom calls." And then she closed the door behind her.

Groaning, I walked back into my room and sat on my bed. I could see citizens outside, talking to each other about the latest news. The banana guards patrolled around, and Mr. and Mrs. Pig shopped for pie ingredients.

Behind one of the many trees was a boy about my age. His light hair fell into his dark eyes and in his fingers was a piece of string. He kept on folding it and making different shapes. I leaned closer, trying to see if I knew him.

A monster appeared far behind him. It had strawberry red skin and large eyes. Whatever it was, it ran for the boy. Straight for him.

"Watch out!" I screamed and afterward I wish I hadn't.

The boy met my eyes then, with a spark of light, vanished. He looked scared, almost shocked. The monster was gone too.

I heard the bathroom door bang open and out ran Aunt Linda with soap bubbles in her hair and her robe around her. "Are you alright?" She gasped.

"Y-yeah," I gulped, scoffing. She huffed, mumbling about teenagers, and went back into the shower.

As she left, I looked back outside to see if the boy or monster had reappeared. But it was still the regular old candy creatures.

I took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I fell back onto my bed and rubbed my eyes.

"It-it was nothing," I whispered to myself, massaging my cheeks. "A superstition."

I thought of what I had done last night to see if I was going crazy.

I'd woken up at eight, ate breakfast, and went to the market. I came home, put everything away, and sat on our couch. I watched a few episodes of The Real Housewives of Lumpy Space and helped Aunt Linda cook dinner. After I showered, I put on my pajamas, and went to bed.

So either Aunt Linda's chicken legs and fries were radioactive or I really saw what I thought I did.

The thought of that made me frantic and I decided the only way to deal with it was to watch more of The Housewives of Lumpy Space and The Secret life of an Oooian Princess.

I walked over to my closet and grabbed a pair of patched jeans from a hanger, my brown laced boots, and the blue sweater with a pocket that Aunt Linda had made me.

She was out of the shower and dressed by the time I got in the kitchen. One of the purple pots on our pink burners bubbled, and the yellow counters with white swirls were filled with delicious food. Our banana colored fridge was wide open, and my aunt was chopping away at a cucumber.

On the table at the window seat where I sat was a plate with a blueberry muffin and class of milk. "Busy, Aunt Linda?"

"Oh, hello dear," she glanced over her shoulder, still chopping up vegetables. "Ye-yes, I am quite busy."

"Are we having company?" I asked through a mouthful of warm muffin.

Aunt Linda chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."

"Uh oh," I grimaced. "Who exactly are we having over?"

"It's more or me having people over," she dumped whatever she was chopping up into the bubbling pot, slamming down the kid before it could bubble over. Aunt Linda turned around whipping off her forehead that was layered with sweat, and leaving a smear of flour. She smiled, crossing her arms.

"What do you mean?" I honestly was scared for her answer.

From her apron she pulled a pink folded paper. She handed it to me.

Hesitantly, I took it and smoothed it out onto the table. It was a flier:

DEAR Miss Linda Anne Meredith,

YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN INVITED TO A FORMAL MASQUERADE PARTY IN HONOR OF THE QUEEN'S OLD FRIEND FINN THE HUMAN

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

I had to read it again before I could actually believe it, and even then I didn't.

"You want me to go to a ball?" I asked her with wide eyes.

"It's a royal party, Elizabeth. And yes, I do." She look amused, almost happy.

"No," I said immediately. "No, no, no."

"Yes. Yes, yes, yes." Aunt Linda corrected, checking all of the burners and oven.

She took off her apron and I could see she wore a knee length white dress, that had lace on the torso. On her feet were high heels, and Aunt Linda's purple hair was hoisted into a high ponytail. She seemed to radiate, her lavender skin buzzing.

"You're coming with?" If Aunt Linda came, it would help. Other kids my age would think that's embarrassing, but she was my best friend.

"Oh, sweetie, no," she managed a weak smile, and as I stood she hugged me, kissing the top of my head. Her hands were on my shoulders as we let go. "We're going dress shopping."