Snowbird/Fairgame Oneshots (But mostly Fairgame)

Fair Game: Sundrop pt.3

"You shy, sweetheart?" Joanna asked.

"A little...mostly around adults." Punzie replied.

"She's a total ball of energy and a ray of sunshine once you get to know her, trust me." Clover said draping his arm across Punzie's shoulders.

"Clover, show her to the guest room so she can get settled in." Trevor told his son.

"Okay. Come on, Punz." Clover said.

Clover takes Punzie to the guest bedroom that was across from his room. He tells her that if she ever needed something that she could just ask him, his mom, or his dad. Two days later, Punzie was helping with the dishes when she accidentally dropped a couple plates and broke them.

"Oh no! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Punzie apologized all nervous and panicky.

"Sweetheart, it's okay." Joanna said reaching out to give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

As Joanna's hand neared her, Punzie involuntarily flinches and shrinks away, shielding her face and head with her hands. Then she gets embarrassed and red-faced.

"Sorry, I, uh...didn't mean to do that...I'm sorry." Punzie said before running off to the room she was staying in.

She's curled up in a ball on the bed, completely hidden under the covers. A few minutes later there's a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Punzie asked, not coming out from under the covers.

"It's Trevor, dear." Trevor said.

"May I come in?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." replied Punzie.

From under the covers, Punzie hears the door opening and footsteps approach the bed. Then she feels the bed dip a little next to her.

"Is it your mom or your dad?" Trevor asked.

"Hmm?" Punzie replied uncovering her head.

"The one that hits you, is it your mom or your dad?" Trevor asked her.

"My mom...I don't have a dad." Punzie answered.

"How'd you know?" she asked, sitting up and wrapping the blanket around herself.

"It kinda takes an abused child to recognize an abused child." Trevor said.

"I want you to know that you're safe here. No one's going to hurt you." he said putting his hand on her knee.

"Thank you. You guys are so nice...I guess I'm just not quite used to that. When I was with my mom, she would get mad and punish me whenever I messed up." Punzie said.

"You alright, Punzie?" Clover asked poking his head into the room.

"Yeah, I'm okay now." Punzie replied.

"Good. I was a bit worried about you for a sec." Clover said sitting on the bed next to Punzie, who immediately clings to him.

Clover hugs Punzie and rests his chin on the top of her head. After that day, Punzie became a little more comfortable around Clover's parents and was able to be herself. All during the holiday break, Punzie did all sorts of family-type activities with Clover and his parents. They put up holiday decorations, played holiday themed games, made holiday treats, watched holiday movies, and many more things. One thing Punzie really liked was when Joanna would brush and braid her hair, she found it very relaxing. Punzie loved it at the Ebi household, she finally felt...at home.

Second semester, the Vytal Festival in Mistral....

Team CPPR was on the fair grounds at the Vytal Festival in Mistral. Punzie was quite excited because it was her first time seeing this part of Mistral. She wandered off away from her team looking at various booths and stuff. Suddenly, she bumps into a woman.

"I'm sorry, ma'--." Punzie said, then froze when she realized who the woman was.

"M-mother?" she said her voice trembling with fear.

"Oh, hello....you ungrateful, selfish little girl!" Ms. Gothel replied in a hateful tone.

Punzie's whole body starts to tremble and shake while staring at her feet.

"How dare you abandon your mother! I've done nothing but provide you! I fed you, clothed you, and put a roof over your head; and this is how you repay me?! By stealing my lien and running off to gods know where for a year!?!" Ms. Gothel yelled.

"I...I-I..." Punzie replied, on the verge of crying.

"Punzie? Punzie, where are you?" Punzie heard Clover call out.

She looks over her shoulder and sees her partner and team. Faster than she ever thought possible, Punzie ran up to Clover, clinging tightly to him and burying her face into his chest, crying.

"Punzie?! What's wrong?" Clover asked her.

"M-m-my mother....over there." Punzie replied pointing to her mother.

"Get back here, you worthless brat! I'm not done talking to you!" Ms. Gothel said walking towards team CPPR.

Clover holds Punzie closer to him, and Phillip and Rose block her mother's path.

"Don't come any closer to her, b**ch!" Rose threatened.

"Yeah! Get lost!" Phillip added.

"How dare you speak to me that way! Don't you have any respect for your elders?" Ms. Gothel said placing her hands on her hips.

"You don't deserve respect! Not after everything you've done to Punzie! How could you be so cruel to your own daughter?!" Clover shouted at the woman.

"Cruel?! What do you mean, cruel!?!" asked Ms. Gothel.

"Umm, let's see. Keeping her in isolation against her will!" replied Rose.

"Emotionally and mentally abusing her!" Phillip said.

"And not to mention, all the physical abuse! People like you make me sick!" Clover added.

"Punzie left so that she could prove to herself that she's the opposite of everything you ever told her she was." he said.

"I don't know...it seems pretty weak and pathetic of her to hide behind you three instead of defending herself." Ms. Gothel replied smugly.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Punzie yelled breaking away from Clover's hold and pushing past Phillip and Rose.

"They're not protecting me because I'm weak, they're protecting me because they care about me! Something you never did! You've done nothing but treat me like garbage my whole life! I hate you and I want nothing to do with you! You will no longer be a burden on my life...or my mother, you don't deserve that title!" she told her.

Ms. Gothel glares angrily at Punzie then tries to hit her; but Punzie catches her wrist and grips it tight.

"Don't make me have to fight you!" Punzie growled.

She shoves her ex-mother away and then the vile woman turns and runs away like the coward she is. Once she was out of sight, Punzie sighs deeply and lets her shoulders sag.

"Punz, that was very brave of you to stand up to her like that." Rose said.

"I agree. Most people would never have the strength to confront their abusers." Phillip said.

"That just proves how incredibly strong you are." Clover said hugging her.

Next, Rose and Phillip also hug Punzie.

"Thanks, you guys. You're the best family anyone could ever ask for." Punzie cried, happily this time.

After standing up to her ex-mother, it felt like an incredible weight had been lifted off of Punzie's shoulders. Now she could live her life a much happier person with the love and support of her real family.