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Third Person P.O.V

Meena sits and licks at an ice cream in her hand as a woman measures along the dress, a needle between her teeth.

"Girl, that is your fourth today!" the woman points out with amusement, looping the measuring tape around her neck and taking the needle from her teeth as she starts working on the dress.

"I know, I know," Meena sighs deeply, staring outside with a lovesick look on her face. "But I can't stop! It... It's cause I really want to talk to him."

Alfonso was serving ice cream to people outside, a warm smile on his face.

"But... when I get close, I get nervous, so... so I just buy another ice cream," Meena shakes her head, recalling the amount of times she's gone up to him before turning away and walking over to the ice cream truck.

Unknown to her, Alfonso had noticed her each time, a hopeful look on his face that she would walk over to him.

The woman looks at Meena with a knowing look, chuckling softly as she continues her work.

...

..

Birds chirp in the distance outside Clay Calloway's house, the man hammering down a sign on his lawn that read BEWARE ELECTRIC FENCE.

"Uh, honestly! This is-- This is gonna be the greatest show (Y/N) and I have ever made!" Buster continues, trying to convince the man to join their show.

Clay intentionally throws the hammer to his side, just barely missing Buster as he squeals in alarm.

"... And when you see the sets," Buster continues, not losing heart as he grins. "And the--"

"Turn on that tap for me," Clay gruffly instructs, picking up his hose and nodding towards the tap.

"The tap? Oh! Sure," Buster nods quickly, rushing towards the tap. "So, anyway--"

Buster turns the tap on, noticing too late that Clay was aiming the hose directly at him. He shrieks as a blast of cold water sends him back, making him lose his footing and fall and roll backwards down the small hill and into the pond.

Clay lets out a hearty laugh, Ash watching with wide eyes as she carries two mugs in her hands.

"Oopsie-daisy," Clay sighs in amusement, shrugging as adjusts the nozzle on the hose.

"Moon!" Ash calls, waiting for a response. "You okay?!"

"I'm okay!" Buster calls back, water splashing around.

Ash sighs in relief, turning to Clay and slowly holding one of the mugs out to him. He glares at her suspiciously, a scowl on his face.

"It's tea," Ash awkwardly speaks, frowning. "You drink it."

Clay lowly grumbles, taking the mug from her.

Buster runs back over, sopping wet as he pants heavily. "I promise! This is going to be the most wonderful, I mean, fantastic show ever!"

Clay silently sips at the tea, recoiling a bit as his brows furrow at the flavor. "Did you put honey in this?"

"And the ending?" Buster continues, laughing breathlessly. "Oh, boy! I mean, it-- it's gonna end with you, and your song--"

Clay glares down at Buster, making him cut himself off as his smile drops.

"... You don't want to do the show," he quietly mutters, sighing and pushing his wet hair from his face.

"Besides, lost my singing voice," Clay bitterly replies, shaking his head. "So..."

Ash scoffs, dipping her tea bag into her mug, "your voice sounds fine to me."

Clay doesn't reply, turning and walking away a few feet to water his flower bushes.

"This..." Ash hesitates for a moment, sighing softly with a sadness. "This is... all because you lost your wife, isn't it?"

"Okay, girlie," Clay lowly speaks, his tone a warning one. "We're not talking about my Ruby."

Ash's face hardens with determination as she walks forward. "Look, I know she inspired so many of your songs--"

"All of my songs!" he cuts her off, giving her a side glare.

"Right," Ash sighs, kicking around a small rock at her feet. "I... I can't imagine what it must be like to lose someone so special."

Clay stares at the flower bushes, breathing heavily as he shakes his head.

"But... do you think this is what Ruby would've wanted for you?"

His eyes shut as a soft breath leaves him, his hand trembling around the hose a bit.

"I mean, you out here on your own, and... never singing again?" Ash sadly continues, looking down at her feet.

"No, you... you don't understand," Clay murmurs quietly, "there's-- there's no rock star living here anymore."

Ash frowns as she looks up, "Clay, you just need to play again. Your songs will bring you back."

He doesn't reply, his expression becoming more and more angry by the second.

"You can!" she encourages softly, smiling. "You can reconnect with--"

Clay swiftly turns to her, making her jump as he shouts, "no, I can't! I haven't even heard one of my songs in over fifteen years! And for good reason!"

His hand shakes violently as he drops the hose, scowling as he turns to walk away before pausing.

"Ruby was everything," he whispers in heartache, his expression hardening as he slowly pours the tea onto the floor. "And I don't like honey in my tea."

He drops the mug, turning and marching off. Ash reaches for him as he walks away, watching him with sympathy as she breathes out her mouth softly.

Buster sighs, shaking his head as he walks over to Ash. "He's not gonna change his mind."

"He will," Ash confidently replies, her eyes narrowing with resolve. "But you should go back."

"Me?" Buster blinks quickly in surprise, rubbing his bandaged hand lightly. "What about you?"

"I just... need time with him," she quietly replies, watching Clay as he makes his way back to his house. "I can't just leave him like this."

She bends down, picking up the mug from the grass.

...

..

Buster enters the building, getting Miss Crawly's attention.

"Ten-hut!"

He was caught off guard as Miss Crawly and the other workers all stand straight to attention, Miss Crawly saluting him.

"Welcome back, Mr. Moon, sir!

"Uh," Buster chuckles and shakes his head in amusement. "Thank you, Miss Crawly. Oh! And I have something for you."

He reaches into his bag, pulling out her glass eye and handing it to her.

"Thank you, Mr. Moon, sir!" Miss Crawly stares up as she holds her glass eye, saluting him once more.

"All right, you can ease off the attitude now," Buster reassures, smiling down at her with a raised brow.

"Oh! Oh, yes, yes," Miss Crawly sighs in relief, relaxing with a smile.

"Soooo? Any luck with Clay Calloway?" Gunter questions cheerfully as he walks over, waving to Buster as he does a happy dance.

Buster quickly shushes him, looking around. "Not yet. But if anyone can convince him, it's Ash, so..."

He clears his throat as he steps forward, addressing the workers in a loud voice. "All right, folks! Tomorrow we have our first run-through, so let's get this show in shipshape shape!"

...

The lights above turn on, shining down on the workers as they work on building the spaceship. Workers polish the light blue crystals for the final act, others sweeping the floors.

...

Gunter and Buster work for hours on the ending of the show, eventually coming to one they both agree on.

...

Buster tests the background effects, the lights off and the room lighting up as a galaxy projects on the screen.

...

The costume designers work on all the outfits for the shows, their faces hardened in concentration.

...

The man with the colorful hat lines up the finished staffs, shining (Y/N)'s sword for her part with a nod.

...

The workers continue to work on the spaceship, Miss Crawly checking over her check list and placing a checkmark when everything was complete.

...

Buster looks up with a smile as the finished planets hang above them, the lights casting down on them and the galaxy in the background.

...

(Y/N) stands on the Planet of Devotion, a bright Milky Way shining behind her and the area around her lit up by gold stars hanging above, a thin layer of fog beneath her feet. She looks over her costume in awe, a small smile on her face.

...

Johnny stands on the Planet of War, the other dancers standing on both sides of him and Merlin to his right with their combat costumes on and face paint.

...

Meena wore a dark blue dress, the hood pulled up as she and Darius practice together. Darius wore a sparkling white outfit, a short cape behind him.

...

Rosita bounces upward wearing the green alien costume, the planet around her dangerous looking with volcanos.

...

The spaceship, now complete, moves overhead, the space pod exiting through the bottom and slowly moving around with the help of silver ropes above. Porsha was inside, wearing the astronaut costume and the helmet.

The workers all breathe out in awe as the space pod lands, the top opening as Porsha starts to step out.

"And... cue Porsha!" Buster points, nodding.

Porsha looks around warily, posing while holding a small device in her hand.

"Captain's log," she loudly speaks, her tone flat and emotionless. "I. Must take care! For... I have. Landed, on... The Planet, of... War!"

Buster winces and shakes his head, sighing. "Okay, let's just hold it right there, folks. Uh. Everyone, take five!"

The bell above rings, the workers dispersing. (Y/N) steps off her planet, walking over to Buster and staring up at Porsha in disbelief.

"You're... kidding? Buster, we need Rosita back," (Y/N) whispers, shaking her head as she turns to him.

Buster breathes out deeply as he rises from his seat, nodding firmly. "I know."

"What the heck is a captain's log, anyway?" Porsha questions in confusion, scowling.

"Um," Buster lowers his mic, "Porsha, can I have a word?"

...

"Porsha, you know I truly believe that this show, it--" Buster chuckles weakly, pacing in front of Porsha as she sips on a drink. "It's close to being fantastic. Maybe even perfect."

"Thank you," she cockily thanks with a musing smile, taking her phone out and swiping her thumb along it.

Buster cringes, rubbing the back of his neck. "Y--You, yeah, but, you see, to make it the best it can be..." he takes a deep breath, "well, I gotta make some changes."

Porsha's smile doesn't waver, "uh-huh?"

"Like..." Buster wheezes, tugging at his bow tie as he whimpers. "Uh. I have to give the lead role back to Rosita."

Her eyes snap up, her phone slipping from her hand. "What?!"

Buster quickly holds his hands up in surrender, "I'm just offering you the opportunity to switch roles with--"

"You're firing me?!" she shrieks in disbelief, snatching her phone off the ground with wide eyes.

"No!" Buster quickly shakes his head, "I'm not firing you!"

Porsha's eyes fill with tears as she turns, storming off. "Oh, wait till my dad hears that you fired me!"

"But I'm not firing you! Please, wait!"

Buster frantically chases after her as she slams the door to the office open, stepping out and looking around as the workers look up at her from the sound.

"Oh, my gosh," she tearfully laughs, angrily wiping at her eyes before hugging the helmet to her chest. "You all hate me, don't you?!"

"No, no, no!" Buster honestly shouts as she rushes down the stairs, him following. "We don't hate you! We all think you're terrific!"

Porsha ignores him, "I don't care if you hate me!"

"Please, stop!"

"You and your stupid, stupid sky-fi show can go to heck!"

Porsha glares tearfully at the others, turning and crying as she runs out of the building.

"Porsha, stop! Wait!" Buster desperately screams, the door slamming on him as he tries to follow. "Oh, I am one dead man," he groans, face pale as he slumps to his knees and buries his face in his hands.

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