World

The small wooden room smelled, well, of candy. Small glass jars filled to the brim with delicious sweets decorated the desks and shelves, along with magazines and recipes sprawled out across the floor. The Alexander household was just above the shop, consisting of several small bedrooms, and two guest rooms. As for a kitchen, they just used the one they had downstairs.

Murmuring incomprehensible words into her soft memory foam pillow, Nell stretched out across her bed and rolled herself off and on to the cold floor. Usually she would've gotten right back up from the chill, but today she was downright exhausted. After struggling all of last night with a simple chocolate recipe, she finally had to give up and dragged herself to bed before collapsing. Everyday she spent in the kitchen meant another day of cleaning and scraping exploded candy dishes off of the floors and walls. She let out a long sigh and stared at the blank wood-paneled ceiling, grimacing at the smell of morning breathe and reminding herself that she had better started getting ready. With all of her work clothes on from the previous day, she was all set after some brushing and a bit of washing up.

"Kukukuku!! Ku!! Have you gotten ready yet? I'll meet you downstairs in the shop!"

The shop was closed on Saturdays, which made the perfect opportunity for everyone to get to know each other before Monday swung around the corner. After the huge spat between the previous workers, teamwork was Nell's current priority. After her continuously failing chocolate dish, she had decided the previous night that together with the new workers, they would make chocolate! She already had all the ingredients set up on the kitchen table from yesterday, so they were all set.

"Onii chaaaaan, waaaake up!"

Jun mumbled something about it being way to early "Mari go back to bed", a smooth deep voice said in the still dark room.

Soon the room was illuminated with sound of the blinds of the bedroom window being pulled to the very top of the window valence.

"Waaaa Mari!", Jun over turned in his bed and landed with a thud in a pile of blankets on the floor, the giggle of a young girl following the thud.

"You're such a grump in the morning Jun, but you start work today so I made breakfast for you", Mari said.

As Jun eyes began to clear and grow accustomed to the light now spilling into the room, he gave a half hearted smile to his little sister smiling down at him. Mariko was five years younger than him but small for most girl her age. This however was because she spent so much of her time sick, from birth she had severe breathing problems and a weakened immune system. Jun loved his sister dearly and worried for her, that was his reason for such an early awakening and having to get this job. He had grown used to being out at night and doing things from petty theft to ruffing up tourists for money. The last time however had resulted in Jun being brought home by the police.

He was so embarrassed and ashamed, the look on Mariko's face hadn't helped when she came to the door and the cop had pushed him in still handcuffed. That was when he confessed to his little sister that he didn't have an evening job quite like he had told her and their mother. Mariko promised she wouldn't say anything to their mother who already worked three jobs just to get by about what he was doing as long as he promised to quit committing crimes for her account. He had never been able to deny Mari anything even when they were little he would not start now. So when he found out about the job just down the road from their apartment at the old candy shop he figured it was worth a try.

He came into the small cramped kitchen/dining room/living room to see Mariko buttering toast.

"Aww Mariko you didn't have to do all this... you're just gonna make yourself tired for the rest of the day" he said with a worried look.

Mariko just laughed a little and set the toast on a plate next to a sunny side up egg, "Then you'll be super worried when I show you this" she went over to the kitchen counter then turned around to him "Taaa daaa!".

In her hands was a very tasty looking bento and a big smile splashed across her face. Jun sighed she was so proud of her work how could he deny her simple things as this.

"That looks great Mari.... thank you", he walked over kissed her on the forehead the sat down at the small table and began to eat his breakfast. Mari went along her way getting ready for her day, Jun could hear her humming all around the apartment... then the coughing started. He shot up from his chair and hurried to her room.

"Mari-chan.... have you taken your medicine today?" he asked with a worried look.

She sighed and shook her head no, "Mari you can't do this you promised me that if I did get a legit job you would take care of yourself when I'm not here." he walked over and started to set up her breathing machine.

He then lead her to her bed, she sat down with a frustrated look on her face, Jun put the mask over her face and flipped the switch the, machine began the air pump pushing the smokey medicine into the mask. Mari leaned back on a pile of pillows and propped her feet up on the bed.

Jun tucked her blanket in around her "Okay I'm gonna head out I'll see you as soon as I get back after my shift is done", he said with a smile then kissed her on the forehead again.

"Have a good day at your job onii-chan and don't forget your lunch.", the medicine began to make her tired and her eyes soon closed and she fell asleep. Jun switched the machine from the medicine to oxygen and closed her bedroom door behind him.

After dressing in his uniform and grabbing his lunch he made his way down the street to the Heavenly Taste Candy Shop, he stood in front, the feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

"Well here goes..." he knocked on the door and waited to be let inside for his first day of proper work.

Diana:

""a knocking 'DIANA! COME QUICK! He's hurt real bad.' I get up and rush to the door. My legs are lead, my body's slow. I reach the door and the beat of my heart resounds in my ears. over and over. It stops.
In the moment of silence i see his body lying there. My brother, my friend.""

I shoot up from the dream, heart pounding. THe haunting thumps still ring in my hears until I realize it's the door. "COMING!" I yell at the impatient visitor. I pull over my robe and rush to the door. I open it and it's the landlord.
"ms.Misato your rent is due!" he snaps at me. He was a tall black man with a receding gray hairline and a fuzzy beard. His shirt had grease stains on it and he was sweating in the summer heat. He invited himself in. "Look at this place! It's a pigsty!"
"SURE COME RIGHT IN!" I snap at him. "I'm still moving in jackass." I head into my room to grab what little money I had. It wasn't enough to pay rent, but hopefully he would let me go this time since it was the first month. "Here's part of it... I go to work today and I can get you the rest of it-"
'THIS IS ONLY HALF!" He yelled.
"AS I WAS SAYING!" I cut him off. "I can get you the rest of it soon." I cross my arms.
"I'm going to charge intrest." He says flatly. He storms toward the door. "I WANT MY MONEY BY NEXT WEEK!" He screams before he exits, slamming the door.
"Well, Damn. Just Damn..." I went to go get dressed, and soon after headed out to work.

It's funny just how dark alleys were, even in broad daylight. Even more ironic for a person like Neon to be in a place like this, deep down the corridor outside lies a tiny shack only made inhabitable by one seventeen year old who refuses to grow up. He was inside, sleeping within the confines of the rusted square shack. The door hinges were...like bendy straws or something and nothing was above ground, everything was right on top of it, including Neon. The only thing that was visible was his blue teddy bear right next to him along with his tanned skin, freckled face, a snot bubble on his nose that grew and shrunk every single time he inhaled or exhaled. He shuffled under the dusty sleeping bag as suddenly a drop of water from a broken pipe had landed on his forehead. That was his alarm clock since it only did that when the people who worked next door in a fish store had started washing their hands. He swiveled and shot up now, dust flying into the air as he scrunched his face up.

"Ah...ah...AHCHOO!" He yells and sniffles, rubbing under his nostrils.

"Wow what a sneeze...hey Zen guess what!" He took the teddy bear apparently named Zen from his side. "I get to go to work today....well of course you can come with me, I can't just leave you here in this ratty old place....we'll get breakfast there we spent our last money on that soda last night remember? Ok on the pants you go!" He hooked him by a retractable string on his waist as he got up and fixed his messy brown hair, strapping his goggles over the jungle follicles. He opened the shack door in his pajamas, a white t shirt and....a-are those lucky star pj bottoms? He walked around to the back of the fish market and turned a faucet now as warm water sprayed out of a loose pipe all over him. "AH I FORGOT TO TAKE MY PJ'S OFF!" He screamed into the air while the water hit him and he danced around frantically.

"Ugh now I have to blow on my pants when I get back." His hair sagged in front of his face but he managed to get it back up. He went to his shack again, shaking like a dog while he changed into some distressed jeans. He pulled his long sleeve black shirt on and a bright green short sleeve button up over that while adjusting his goggle lenses. "Onward!"

His sneakers made a squeaking sound while he hopped up with Zen on his side, vaulting over building to building

What a groggy morning it was, it being a Saturday for pete-sakes! It wasn't like the same old weekdays but it sure did feel like one. Thank god it wasn't another week of horrid school, the week seeming to drudge slowly onward which only slowed more when in a lecture or a college prep test. But there wasn't any time for such idle chit-chat! Rosemarie wasn't going to be tardy! Prepping herself, hurriedly, in her silver designer dorm room and drinking an energy drink all the while, Rosemarie rushed as much as she could, putting on only a pair of tight-fitting dark blue jeans, a white snug fit tee and cream white Dockers.

For her ivory white long hair, Rosemarie just slicked it back in a bun, her bangs being slicked back too. Spraying only a light vanilla perfume and smearing clear gloss on her lips, Rosemarie checked herself back and forth in the large mirror that stood behind her vanity trying her hardest to look halfway decent when she went to her first job interview. Thank goodness she took a shower last night for she hadn't anytime to waste, knowing she was almost late. Normally, Rosemarie would dress way nicer then what she was pulling off now, the best designer clothes, shoes and accessories that any girl could ever want.

It did help that she was from a wealthy background, her parents taking care of her financial situation while she was away in boarding school. On the outside, it seemed that her parent's cared wholeheartedly for her but that was highly the case.... Money could make you happy but for so long until reality sets in, harsh cold truths rearing it's ugly menacing head. Therefore, money could never buy love or affection readily on hand. Besides, Rosemarie was way past that phase with trying to please her parents and getting their "undivided" attention, she moving on and speaking little to them, as a result. In all actuality though, Rosemarie really didn't want to think or really want talk about it....

It was time to become more independent and Rosemarie was happily to take on that role! And the first step to independence, in Rosemarie's book, was to apply for a job. At first it was hard trying to find a job available, she having a natural picky selectiveness to positions that were available, it not being her type. One was to be a "maid" waitress at a café shop that was a mile or two away from her school. Rosemarie wasn't going to walk a great distance to her job and go through all that knowing it paid low wages to it's employees. And to make it worse, it was the type of job that degraded young women!

Rosemarie would put up with but so much until she had enough, that job "breaking the camels back" for her. Who would work in a setting where women were viewed as nothing but sexual objects to men who would treat them like crap while they were on the job?!?! Rosemarie really didn't want to answer that question, quickly dropping the crappy job position on her job hunting list. The other position that was available for her was working as a dog catcher.... Alright, how did that job position popped up on her list? Was she that desperate?... Here's the answer. The reason why was because it paid good money....

She really didn't know what a dog catcher was and took it like it was a job position at a pet shop. Little did she knew was that it was a position at an animal pound where the workers had to catch dogs who were dangerous on the streets. When she was interviewed for the job, she automatically was told what the job was about. It was good pay but Rosemarie wasn't going to chase dogs all day! She did not want to come from a job at the end of the day littered with dog bites and scratches on her porcelain pale skin and truly smelling like dog poo....

Ugh! All that job hunting and turning up empty-handed again and again.... That was until she started frequenting at a nearby candy shop, Heavenly Taste, after school.... It was a quaint little candy shop just two blocks over from her academy. At first, she saw it as just a good place to get away from school and take a break but not soon after she started to taste their selection of candies. When she tasted her first candy piece she was immediately sent....to heaven. How divine were their confectionery of chocolates, which she loved to eat the most, they automatically melting deliciously in her mouth.

But let us not get side tracked here! Rosemarie quickly looked up about the candy shop and was amazed to see that it entered shop competitions but what confounded her was the fact that their shop lost every time in the candy tournaments. To top the icing on the cake, all of it's employees suddenly just...quit. The shop had the best candy to offer and their customer service was above par so why did bad luck befallen the shop so much? Well that was what Rosemarie wanted to find out, wanting to ask for a job position that was available since most of it's employees were gone.

After grabbing a quick breakfast at the academy's cafeteria, Rosemarie clutched her silver tote bag and headed over to the candy shop. It didn't take long to get there and not soon after she was in front of the place. Immediately Rosemarie saw a young man standing in front of the door, it seeming that he was talking to himself, "Well here goes....", he whispered knocking on the door. He appeared nervous and apprehensive...but Rosemarie wasn't quick to jump to conclusions about the guy on first appearances.

She walked up slowly to his side, gazing with light lavender eyes at the door curiously, "Are they open yet? I hope so...", she asked plainly, her British smooth accent light and airy, folding her arms nonchalantly.

Diana:

I rushed up to the shop. "Am I late?" Two people stood outside the shop. The shop's sign said closed. "Oh thankgod..." I said all in one word. I leaned up against the doorway trying to catch my breath. "So- Are you guys customers or what?" I looked at the dude, he wasn't half bad. " You're kinda cute I said flat out to him." My gaze shifted over to the girl. I smiled smugly. She looked like she belonged in the sweet shop. She looked like a cupcake.

Neon hopped from building to building almost like a squirrel, trying to memorize exactly where the candy shop as. At some point he forgot and just kept building hopping like a deranged ninja boy. "Hmmm..mmm.m.m.mm.m.mmmm~!" He hummed the tune to 'Do You Like Waffles?' as he jumped. Eventually he found the sign that read Heavenly Taste Candy Shop and he was able to sigh with some form of relief.

He started climbing down the roof but found that footgrip space was limited. "Wha~!" he found himself hanging by the window of the upstairs living arrangements. "THIS ISN'T A VERY GOOD PREDICAMENT!" He yells as his feet dangle until his left sneaker (He never did learn how to fully tie his shoes) came right off. It plummeted down and landed right on Diana's head.

Diana: "OWWWWWWWW!" I groan. "Who threw their shoe at me. I look to the left, the right. I spun sround. "What the helll...." My voice faded to an awed whisper. There was a dude right above my head. "You might have dropped this." I mumbled "RIGHT ON MY HEAD! GET DOWN HERE!" I fussed at him. I jumped for his ankles but missed by a hair. Finally I threw his shoe at him, but it bounced back and hit me in the face. "DAMMIT!" I grip my nose. "I am going to kill you squirt." I angrily glare at him. My nose hurt. It throbbed. "How the hell did you get there?" I say to him, a bit calmed down but rather annoyed.

He waved his legs all around ow and whimpered as he stared down. "For your information I'm seventeen!" He says in response to being called squirt. "Uhm...I was just roof hopping and well...I slipped! Why isn't there more grooves or footing and...ice am on this place?" he asked as suddenly the bar he hung upon had creaked and slid down causing him to fall. He screamed with his arms flailing as he landed upon her.

Diana:

He landed straight on top of me. "I'm gonna kill you squirt!"I yell at him. I struggle underneath him and try to push him off. Finaly I lift my hips a bit and shove and he rolls right off. "Are you outta your mind!" I grab his shirt front and lift him up underneath my arm. I mess up his hair and give him a couple noogies.

He landed with a hard thud while his eyes were covered with swirls, the fall knocking him for a loop. "OOF! Nnnnnn..." he shook his head before he was yanked up by the girl. "Ah! Hey! that's my favorite shirt!" He retorted and yelped while she brought him under her arm in a headlock. The noogies bringing back nostalgic and dark memories of past bullying experiences. "OW! HEY! OOF! I WAS JUST..AH!" His already messy hair just getting the worst of it while she grated her knuckle into the top of his head, his legs trying to find footing once again behind him to escape the grasp but alas, he didn't have enough muscle to do so.

Diana:
I let him go without further pummeling. "Only cuz you're cute..." I mumble to him. I ran my fingers a bit through his hair to fix it. I had messed it up pretty bad. "What's your name squirt?" I asked him. I was taller than him by about two inches. I started fixing his clothes, brushed a smudge of dirt off his face. I was acting like a mom, so I stopped. He reminded me- of.... No. They looked nothing alike. "You'll have to teach me how to get up on the roofs sometime. I smile a bit at him.

He rolled his eyes now and crossed his arms with a slight blush across his cheeks. "Neondrick Sato....but you can call me Neon. Nobody really pronounces it right anyways." He says pulling at his own strands of hair that were previously smothered. "Heh, it's actually pretty easy...all you do is position yourself right and then...." He jump sideways to the wall now and ran up 4 steps before jumping upward the rest of the way and pounced on the balcony. "DO THAT!" He yells from back up on the roof. He took one step before front flipping back down, luckily the roof wasn't too high and he landed right to be able to break the shock. "Tada..."