Best Friends Forever

Best Friends Forever

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It was the year 6034. It had been 17 years. 17 years since the end of everything. The world had changed so much, for everyone - but not in bad ways. No, things were so much better now... so very much better. Of course, things weren't perfect, but that was okay. Everyone had settled down now. They still had jobs and all, but now they had families too. And a certain quadrio had a family as well.

7 whole kids. In order of age respectively - Marco, Sly, Ally, Eve, Frosty, Cream, Chem. Not to mention all their nearsiblings from other parents. It was... A lot, but there were a lot of parents to watch after these kids, so it wasn't so bad. They were a handful! But so very loved.

Today was the day before Ally's first day of kindergarten. Barry was really nervous, and he knew his wife, Uni, was too, but he was doing his best to hold it together for her. They were sitting at the kitchen table together, and Barry was looking at Uni with concern. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked her gently.

Uni was tapping her fingers quickly on the table, looking around, sweating nervously, wondering if she was forgetting anything. She had made a lunchbox for Ally with a lot of different snacks and treats for Ally to enjoy, she’d packed her bag with paper and pencils and crayons, she’d gotten kit dressed and breakfast and stuff, and she was about to walk her out to the car and yet she still felt like there was something she was forgetting. “B-Barry, am I forgetting something? I know we’ve practiced this in our heads so many times but I don’t know if Al is ready or if he has all the stuff he needs or if he's gonna like school and uuuughhh...” Uni cried out before putting their head on the table, not sure what to do. The likely case though was they had probably already finished everything - she was just worried about Ally so much.

Barry reached out and held her hand that was sitting on the table, rubbing her thumb with his own. "It's gonna be okay. I know it's scary, but it's gonna be fine. He's only gonna be gone for a little while, then we'll pick him up!" Barry gave a soft smile, but really he was trying to convince himself too with his words. Ally would be okay! "The teacher knows what she's doing! We already met with her, remember? She's gonna take good care of Al, and he's gonna make friends!" he assured.

“I-I I... O-okay, okay. You’re right. I think we have everything ready anyways, so, we should get going now. Are you ready there, Al-Pal?” Uni asked, getting up and walking over to the couch that Ally was sitting on.

Ally looked up at her mother with big glittery eyes. She was wearing purple overalls and a striped lavender and white shirt. Her favorite color was purple - just like Uni!!! "Yes momma!!! I'm ready!!!" she yawned a big kitty yawn. "It's so early... but I'm ready!!!"

“Okay sweetie!! Just grab your backpack and lunch, then we’ll go!” Uni smiled, trying to continue smiling sweetly at her. After Ally was ready, the three of them went outside and got in their car together, Uni getting in the driver’s seat while Barry buckled Ally in. After they were all situated, Uni began driving back towards Ally’s new school, while the rest of the adults were waking up with the other kids. “Are you excited?” they asked, looking in the mirror at Ally.

Ally smiled a big grin. "I AM!!! I'm very excited!" She had never been in a place like this before around kids besides her many siblings.

"You're gonna make lots of friends!" Barry said to her, looking back at Ally as well in the backseat. "We'll walk in with you and introduce you to your teacher, so you won't be alone at first," he added. Ally nodded briskly.

After a few more minutes of driving, Uni pulled up to the front of the school, parked, and they all got out together, walking to the front door. They went ahead and checked in at the office, and then walked around to try and find Ally’s classroom again, but...

“Uh, Barry?... I don’t remember where it was...” Uni uttered awkwardly. She felt embarrassed for forgetting something so important, but still... she needed help.

Barry laughed at this. "It's okay, I remember where it is. Come on Al!" Barry took his daughter's hand and Uni did the same with her other hand - and then the three of them all walked together in search of Ally's classroom. They found it because Barry remembered. Her teacher's name was Ms. Tea, which was on the door in those paper bubble letters you string together and tape up. The door was also open. They walked inside, and they were greeted by a room of people, adults with their children. The teacher was at a desk in the corner front of the room - and all the tables were four-seaters with tiny chairs. At the front of the room was also a big rug with colorful squares, probably for all the kids to sit on. Ally was suddenly nervous and gripped her mother and father's hands, pulling them both closer. A lot of people...

Ally wasn’t the only nervous one there though - there was also a small, nervous boy there, curled up in a corner away from everyone. That small boy... was Howie! But... his parents weren’t anywhere in sight. His big eyes looked around the room nervously, but he didn’t really want to talk to anyone... he didn’t know how to. There were two open spaces next to him in the circle, but nobody was coming close to him - friends who already knew each other were grouping up, and he felt alone.

Meanwhile, Barry and Uni were finishing up getting Ally situated, and were getting ready to leave themselves. “Okay Al, I hope you have a good day today! Tell us all about it when we come get you!” Uni said, smiling nervously. I hope he'll be okay... she thought to herself.

Ally kissed and waved goodbye to kits parents when she felt better and then decided to walk over and sit where everyone else was. She noticed most of the spots were taken, spare two spots surrounding a blue dog on the rug. She saw he seemed nervous and decided to walk over and sit down beside this kid. When she did, kit gave a little nudge to pup. "Hiiii!!!" she greeted. "What's your name? My name is Al!!!"

“H-h-howie... hewwo... (╯︵╰,)” he stammered, still shifting awkwardly in his spot. “Um.... nice to... um.... meet you... (ノ_<。)” he quivered, before curling up again. He really didn’t know how to talk to new people... he’s never really had a childhood friend before.

"Nice to meet you!!! What kinds of stuff do you like?" Ally asked. "I like outer space and aliens and the stars!!!" Ally's interest in aliens was something that was hard for Uni to deal with sometimes, but she tried her best for her daughter,

“O-oh! That’s ebic... ( ; ω ; ) um... I like cogs... and cute stuff... ･ﾟ･(｡>ω<｡)･ﾟ･” Howie said, looking around shyly. Why is he talking to me? Does he really wanna be my friend? (｡•́︿•̀｡) Howie thought to himself.

"Cogs are really cute!!! Do you have one?" Ally was really interested in this kid. She figured there would be other people to talk to, but for now she just wanted to talk to pup.

“O-oh! I wanba get one but I-I’m too small... s-see... (｡╯︵╰｡)” Howie mumbled, before gesturing to himself and then to Ally. Howie was actually shorter than her at the time... he hadn’t sprouted into a big bean yet! “I coulbn't watch one good... ( ╥ω╥ ) ” Howie said, "but I wike dem a wot! I wanba get one one day... ｡ﾟ(｡ﾉωヽ｡)ﾟ｡” He scratched his head, blushing awkwardly.

Ally couldn't help but notice the funny way he was talking. He sounded like her younger siblings... How old was he? "How old are you? You don't sound as old as me... Are you supposed to be here?" ALLY!!! That's rude!!! Oh well, she didn't know any better, she's just a little kid.

“O-oh.... um.... I just wike to tawk wike dis, s-sowwy... (╥﹏╥)” Howie sputtered, looking away. Great, now he won't like you...

"Oh, no, it's okay!!! I was just wondering why you were talking like that is all!" After a bit, the teacher introduced herself and told the kids the classroom rules and such. Then it was time to choose their seats and make their name tags! Ally took Howie's hand and led him over to a table and had him sit in the chair next to her. They were given little printed papers with lines to write their names on in crayon. "What color are you gonna use?" she asked him.

Howie was startled at first when Ally grabbed his hand, but followed shyly to the table and sat beside them. “U-um... I wike purble!” Howie grinned, before picking up a purple crayon. Wow! Ally liked purple too! Did they share a favorite color? “H....o..... w..... e... - n-no! T-teacher!! I need a new name tag...! (´Ｏ`)” Howie spoke sadly. She brought him another slip of paper, and Howie redid his work, making sure to add the “I” this time. “O-okay! Maybe I can dwaw some cogs...” Howie decided, scribbling some circles on his label. “H-how awe you Al? (个_个)”

Ally took out her slip and started writing, but... Her name was so short. Just "AL". She stared at her name and then looked over at Howie's name. His was so big and fit the whole thing... She didn't want hers to be tiny. So she thought. She thought and thought and thought. What if she gave herself a new name? "I think I'm gonna change my name," Ally announced, and started writing. Soon, her name tag said it all, in capital letters:

ALLY

She looked over at Howie and nudged him. "Do you like my name?"

“I think dat's cute!!! ( ´ ▽ ` )” Howie encouraged, smiling. He liked words that ended in y. Silly, smiley, happy... good words, like her name!! “It’s good for you! ヽ(o＾▽＾o)ノ” Howie added.

The kid across from her saw this and looked at Ally with raised eyebrows. "Isn't Ally a girl name?" they asked, and Ally stared at them. She then looked down at her paper and stared at her name. Ally was a girl name?... Does that mean she's a girl now?

"...I... I guess I'm a girl then!" Ally smiled brightly. The kid said Woah! with awe, as if amazed that she could just say that and it be true.

“You’re a cool girl Awwy!!! ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆” Howie told her, smiling. Even if she had acted funny at first, he liked talking to her. He wanted to be her friend! “Can we be fwiends fow weal? ٩(◕‿◕｡)۶” Howie asked hopefully.

"We can be friends!!!" Ally reached out and held his hand again. "Let's be friends forever and ever Howie!!!"

“YAAAYY!!! I mean, um... y-yay!!! I’ve nevaw had a weal fwiend before... you’re so nice!!! (⌒ω⌒)” Howie beamed, shaking her hand.

"Then I'll be your first! We can be best friends! Best friends forever!" The kittycorn beamed.

Later that afternoon, walked out of the school front gates in search of her parents. Kit wasn't going to take the bus just yet like Sly and Marco did, so she was just waiting for them by the gate with the school's sign, which read Colora Primary School. After a few minutes of waiting patiently, she saw Barry and Uni walking down the sidewalk from the parking lot and she raced up to them. "Hi Daddy! Hi Momma!!!" the little girl greeted, hugging them both tightly. Uni had an enormous look of relief on her face.

"Hey, Al-pal, how was your first day? Tell us all about it!" Uni smiled, and after hugging their daughter for a moment, they started to lead Ally back to the car. She started talking.

"Well, it was really fun! I made a friend, his name is Howie - but I had something else I wanted to tell you first!" Ally began, prepping herself for her big, grand announcement. "My name is Ally now, and I'm a girl!!!"

Barry and Uni both halted in the middle of the sidewalk, and they looked down at Ally, and then at each other and smiled really big grins. Uni knelt down to the ground and pulled Ally into an even tighter, closer hug, tears welling up behind her glasses. Her heart felt so full and fluttery and her emotions were exploding out and she sobbed quietly as she held Ally in her arms. "M-momma...? Why are you crying? Are you sad?"

Uni shook her head and pulled back, showing Ally she was smiling even though she was emotional. "I-I'm not sad! I'm- I'm so happy! I'm so happy for you Ally...!! If you wanna be a girl that's wonderful! I'm so, so, so proud of you!!!" she laughed through tears, pulling Ally back into a hug. Ally smiled too and hugged kits mother back.

"I'm so proud of you too, Ally. We both are!" Barry expressed. He related to kit a lot because he also came out to his parents around this age, but he knew that it had a lot more of an impact to Uni because she hadn't been able to come out until she was almost 30. He knew it meant a lot to his wife that their daughter wouldn't have to be closeted for so long... like sparing kit some pain that she knew too well. And it was true. Uni was holding Ally in her arms feeling overjoyed and emotional in a positive way. She was so happy for her. So, so, so happy.

The End