*points* noob!

stop sign (part 2)

"what?" lolly stepped back in shock. "where are our suitcases?" her eyes darted around.

flower looked up at her in concern. "they must've fallen out when we drove over that stop sign back in yoyle city."

lollipop's face clouded over, and she shook her head. "now what? just drive back? it's so late, and you just said you were so tired-"

"hey," flower said softly, putting her hand on her friend's shoulder. "i'll be okay. it'll be okay. we can head back tonight, okay?"

lolly looked up at her, her eyes suddenly lined with stress. she sighed. 

"hey, pal, come on," flower led her back to the front of the van. "i'll drive. you just relax, don't you worry."

"do you know how to drive the van?"

"shshhsh, just relax. don't you worry," flower put her finger to lolly's lips and pushed her into shotgun.

lollipop conceded, sighing. she smiled tiredly at her friend. 

"okay, so this thing starts the van?" flower asked, blinking.

"are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"oh put a sock in it. it'll be a-okay."

and with that flower started the super van - she put the pedal to the metal, pushing down on the gas and swerving the van around. "and we're off!" she yelled, as lolly death-gripped her seat in terror.

"why are you going so fast?" lollipop asked, exasperated. "that's illegal!"

"screw the law!" flower grinned triumphantly. "the only rules this flower follows are her own!"

something about her daring and confidence was comforting to lollipop. she looked up at her fondly.

flower briefly met her gaze, then abruptly turned to face the road again, blushing. "or, y'know, we'll just slow down if we see any other cars here..."

they drove on past midnight, the void of sky now glittering with stars and planets. not a cloud could be seen, not that much else could - despite the stars' ethereal glow, not much was lighting up the way. the van's speed was still much too fast, but slower than before.

the gentle bumps in the road seemed to rock lollipop in the van, and soon she nodded off. flower looked down at her and smiled, patting her head. 

as the night trudged on, flower soon started talking to herself. "i can't believe i'm on a road trip with lollipop. me. lollipop! i can't believe it."

the highway led further into the depths of night, and flower followed it avidly. every so often her gaze would linger on her sleeping friend. it was strange for flower to be the one in charge; usually lollipop took that role, whether of her siblings or just in general. and here she was, asleep in the van as flower drove on.

"i hope you're having sweet dreams, pal," flower said softly. "we're almost at yoyle city."

as buildings started appearing at the side of the van, flower slowed the van to a stop. she opened the door and came out to look for that blasted stop sign and the luggage it rid them of so abruptly.

the light of the stars above glittered off of the many windows surrounding her, flashing like headlights in the dark streets. flower wandered around, trying to trace her way back to the road they took before. as she turned, she noticed a spot of red, and rushed over to find the felled stop sign.

her gaze lifted to see... all of the suitcases open, and some people nestled in two of them. she approached hesitantly, not sure of who they were in the darkness. 

"...hello?" she mumbled, tiptoeing towards the luggage. as she neared, she noticed spots of green and blue, and jumped back in surprise. "gelatin? teardrop? what on goiky?"

her loud exclamation woke up td, but not their brother; he remained sound asleep. teardrop looked up at flower with a tired and annoyed expression on her face, blinking away fatigue.

after a moment, td motioned to the stop sign, swept their arms up in the air, then gestured to the scattered suitcases. 

"yeah, well, i already knew that," flower tapped her face. "i just came back here to get them. what i don't know is why you two are here."

teardrop rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. they pointed to the luggage and then went to go lie beside one of the suitcases.

"you were with the suitcases in the back of the van?" flower widened her eyes. "man, it's a good thing we went back to get them, otherwise you guys'd be left here!"

td shrugged.

"wait a second-" flower gasped. "why are you two wearing our fancy clothes? put that tuxedo back, teeds!" she reached out to grab the little droplet. teardrop swiftly snatched a t-shirt from the suitcase she had been sleeping in and threw it in flower's face, blinding her momentarily.

by the time she got the darned thing off, flower saw gelatin as well as teardrop standing in front of her. "hey flower," he yawned, waving slowly. he was wearing an orange dress.

"hey!" flower put her hands on her hips. "that doesn't fit you and it's trailing on the ground! now it's - ugh - dirty."

gelatin spun around and smiled up at her innocently. "oops."

flower sighed, then smiled. lollipop must be a great big sister to get these two in line. 

"sorry about that," gelatin chuckled. "we were just left here, and these were just left here, so we decided 'hey, why not wear them just because'?"

flower picked up the two of them. "you two are quite the handful. well then, i better bring the suitcases - and you - back to the super van. why don't you help me close them all again?"

both siblings gave her a thumbs up and jumped down, starting to zip up the suitcases. once that was done, it was time to move them.

"man," flower scratched her head. "i wonder how i'll bring back all of mine..."

the answer was promptly given to her when teardrop walked by her, all of the glittery pink suitcases in their hands.

"you really do have quite the arm strength."

gelatin followed with the purple suitcase and smiled up at flower.

the two siblings, led by flower, made their way to the van. flower opened up the back and teardrop fiddled with stuffing them back in again. they smiled triumphantly when all was said and done. 

"huh? what was that?" the noise of the suitcases woke up lollipop, who promptly got out of the van whilst rubbing her eyes groggily. she saw flower standing behind the van, then saw two other, shorter figures beside her.

"teardrop? gelatin?" lolly cried, rushing towards them. "how ever did you get here? are you two okay?"

td and gelatin hugged her as she crouched down. "we're good!" gelatin replied. "we were hiding in the back of the van, and-"

flower glared at him. she did not want lollipop to be concerned for no reason.

"-and we came out just now to help with the luggage! that fell out! of the van!"

lolly sighed tiredly. "i'm just glad the two of you are okay. the suitcases were left here all night, i'm afraid... wait, is that my tuxedo?"

the four of them soon went back into the van; flower insisted that lolly take shotgun again, while gelatin and teardrop jumped into the back seat. 

"it's so late," lolly glanced at flower. "will we ever make it back to the inn before the sun comes up?"

"'fraid not, my friend," flower shook her head and smiled. "not unless i break a couple laws..."

teardrop's eyes widened and she grinned at the prospect. gelatin clapped excitedly.

"no stop signs on the highway, my darling," lolly closed her eyes. "break as many as you want."