A Mansion Full of Performers

[Home?]

"Ugh, I never felt happier eating 'custards' since now..." Pearl rubs her stomach.

"Told ya!" Starglaze rubs his.

"Although, I'm not sure I enjoy going out like that again. So many new things for me..."

"Thanks for letting me eat three more cups, Mother. I feel comfortable with that..."

"Aww, that's the sweetest thing you ever said, Christine..." Donna awes.

"Although, I don't expect you to eat that much. Did you not eat well in the Institute...?"

"I do. It's just—" Before Pearl can reason, the carriage stops.

It is home at last. Pearl didn't expect it to be dusk when she went from dawn with her family. It was a long way home on a rail to a hill, where a mansion lay separated from the city below. Whoever lives at such height must have a standard above other humans.

"Hold it right there, sweetie. We've got a family to meet here..."

"A family? This isn't all of us...?" Pearl froze.

"Well, we wouldn't be able to bring all Starstuhm into one carriage, right? Beside..." The mother pointed out at the side of the mansion.

Four carriages are parked beside the mansion, with a small post guarding the garage and one human wearing a uniform. Pearl never thought her house could fit so many things outside, especially when they lived on a hill. But the outside looks clearly colourful for a glum world.

"Woah..."

"I know, right? I couldn't even tell if this is a human home or Pearl's bedroom," Starglaze teases.

"Well, why don't you look out and find out?" The father left the carriage.

Pearl was distracted by the view. She forgot about her other family waiting as the white pillars and ponds at the entrance took her by surprise. If there's one thing Pearl adores in life, it's either the sea or the sky afar. Two things where she stands between.

"It looks...dazzling." Pearl's eyes shimmer as her pupil turns into a four-edged star.

What Pearl sees through the open door is the darkness surrounding the room. No lights, no sounds, not even a move from the wind to break the silence. But darkness has never been her enemy nor her fear, as its void draws comfort for her ever-shimmering presence.

"Huh...I didn't know my house was this dark." Pearl stands in the doorway while her families are still outside.

"Gee, I guess I know where that dark-seeking need of yours comes from. But I won't mind some lights here!"

*Click* Someone turns off the switch.

And there, something that Pearl didn't expect from the darkness. A flash of light burst through her eyes and nearly blinded her. Pearl didn't expect the room to be so bright, precisely as enormous as the Institute she was once.

"SURPRISE!! Welcome back, Christine!"

"And Pearl...!" A boy uttered.

"Oh, I can't believe it! You were alive all this time!"

"Where have you been? You've been putting me and your grandfather in a heart attack!"

"If you had a sister, imagine how traumatized she would have been!"

"Hope you don't mind feeding on pineapple cake! I know you didn't like pineapple, which is why we have velvet cake for a desert."

With a flick of a switch, the room turns bright, revealing dozens of people waiting for Pearl by the entrance with balloons. A party or a hunt? One could only tell whether the humans were after or calling her. But before she could find out, she had herself a little rest on the floor to find out.

"Wohoho! I can't believe it! A surprise party? For the two of us?" Starglaze was stunned.

"A balloon? A cake? And a bowl of paper?? I wonder what will it be!" He peeked.

"This is the best day of our life!! Woo! Don't you agree, P?"

"Pearl? Pearl, are you okay?"

"Oh..." Starglaze finds out.

So many humans in this house than space for Pearl to think and rest. She had so many surprises, gasps, and shocks that she would've fallen ill the next time she was startled again. The family had nothing but balloons hanging and a sad face, as Pearl didn't take their cake lightly.

"Uhm..." The whole family pauses.

"Is she okay?" A boy calls.

"Don't worry, she's breathing! She's just tired after a long day in the dorm..." Starglaze excuses, putting relief on all the family members.

"Oh, Christine? Why are you sleeping, dear? The party's here!" Donna finds her at the door.

The family had no choice but to delay what they were about to prepare for her. Their faces were shocked as they opened the straw hat and found a face nothing like Christine's. Some were horrified, and some were silenced. But they swear they heard Christine behind that hat.

"W-what is that...? Is that really..."

"Is that a human? Why does she look like that?"

"That couldn't be Christine...it just couldn't be..."

"You still think she was a human when there's a literal talking star with us?"

"Hey, I heard that!" Starglaze floats above.

She laid on the sofa, for her mind was at ease and dreams soothing. Hazy, Pearl felt her surroundings ready to embrace her wake. With her eyes opened, she found a figure who glared back at her with an uncomforting and curious smile—a girl that reminded her of another Joyling with such a face.

"Mhm...?" She opens her eyes.

"Hi there! You clearly are not a human!" A girl called.

"I...I don't want to scream right now..." She looks in horror.

"Where's my hat? Where's my...oh..."

More than a dozen people are waiting with their hats and feelings up for Pearl on their chairs. Their eyes were in disbelief when they saw her, but hearing the voice of a girl named Christine inside that pearly skin was enough to prove her right there.

Pearl sat as followed, with her straw hat open and her eyes wide for the family. Her family still cannot believe what they are seeing, but they know it was foretold by another human. She looks confused, trying to break the silence with her voice.

"You really have her voice...it couldn't be denied anymore..." A woman eats a cake beside her.

"And they said I was a lunatic for believing second life? Screw them..."

"So, Christine—ready for the party?"

———————————————————————————————————————————

[Dining Table]

Pearl couldn't resist the party. The family had made those preparations long and big for her, and Pearl had nothing but her presence to give. Clearly, she was on the wrong side to deny such a treat. The rest of the family prepares her with a greeting for an early dinner.

Those delicious snacks on the table—all made with the finest chef the way she sees it. Even after a custard, Pearl could fill for another. The party began when she willingly accepted the invitation, and a glass of green-looking substance with lime was lifted among the eldest.

"Can I have a piece?"

"Sure! Have as much as you can! You deserve it more...!"

Now Pearl is hungry. The pineapple cake was the first thing she saw on the dining table, along with cupcakes and turkey. It feels more than a party, but who's Pearl to deny such a feast? She could even eat as much as she could.

"Woah, look at that..."

"Christine, did you use a different makeup before you leave?"

"Sounds like someone dabbling on glitter before they come home..."

"Do you have gills, Christine? I see a fish ear, you know?"

Her family watches her from the table with such awe. Nothing about her resembles Christine, yet she stands with a beauty that debates their doubt. With her pink face, her dark yet glimmering eyes, and the cheek of a toy, it feels unreal to be alive in a world of such black and white.

"Mhm...pineapple. It's...sour..." Pearl frowns.

"C-Christine, your ears!" The woman said.

But before they knew it, her ears dripped with salt water as the pineapple took effect. She swore it felt more sour than a lemon, but she never tasted a lemon in her life before. Pearl was suffocating with the taste of acid down her tongue.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't realize how sour this cake was!" She apologizes.

"She can do that?" A boy pauses his chicken.

"Yeah, sometimes when Pearl tastes something too strong, she had to sweat out so she didn't dry herself...." Starglaze forked a banana.

"Ooh..."

"Like a snail...?" A young girl ask.

Pearl was embarrassed to find the shoulder of her dress wetten by her ears' water. The drip only stops when both her shoulders are darker than the rest. Yet she still sweats from the sour taste under her tonsil, which makes her stop.

"I ruined my clothes..." She frowns and pardons.

"*Sobs* I'm sorry..."

"Oh, dear. It's okay! It's okay! Hey..." The woman gently wipes her ears with a tissue.

The tone of the family shifts when they hear Pearl begging. Perhaps it was for pity, but they don't seem pitiful for a cry. Their mouth is slightly open, but there are no words within. Something tells Pearl that something isn't right within their stares.

She wipes her ears with a tissue, but the tears of shame have already gone down. But instead of her family looking down as she feared, they continued sharing more about the family's life with her—something that rolls Pearl into one question.

"C-can I know your name...? I still don't know who are you..." Pearl finishes.

"*Gasp* Oh, why didn't we?? Ugh...I'm sorry! I'll go first...!" The woman said.

"Christine, my name's Barbara. I'm your aunt and your father's sister..."

"These are my children and also your cousins..." She rounded up her children.

Right before her eyes stands three young humans who look nothing like Pearl or her family. Of course, they were David's family, but they had something Pearl didn't—something odd from how they stood. The young boy and his sister appear smug and proud, as if they were trying to intimidate Pearl.

"This is Cain, my second child. Cain is a brave boy, and he likes adventure..." Barbara leans for a middle boy.

"Hello, cousin Christine. Or should I call you...Pearl? Want to make sure I didn't put your name wrong when we sailed around!"

"Hi. Uhm, you can call me Christine...but I don't mind if you call me Pearl! I feel more...appreciated with that..." Pearl replies.

"This is Charlie. We know it's sounds like a boy name, but Charlie is a girl."

"Uhm...that's sweet...I don't judge that name..." Barbara leans for the taller girl.

"Really? You used to." Charlie looks down on her.

"Then I'm sorry for that past...maybe I was too...free?" She excuses.

"I'm just kidding. You're much easier to be pranked now, Christine." She jokes.

"Oh...haha...I see. F-funny joke! Haha!"

"Hey, don't hurt her ego like that! She didn't went into the stage just to be a laughing stock!" Starglaze mumbled.

"And lastly, this is Celine. Not only she's the youngest, but she was on the audition for the Starstuhm's poet model."

"Sweet...d-do you have a poet for me?" Pearl looks at her innocent face.

But the sweet-looking and innocent Celine was different. As before she knows it, Celine pulls out her paper, revealing her long citation of poetry in a roll of paper as a welcoming greet. As the spotlight shone away from Pearl's eyes, the youngest child began to recite what seemed to be a masterpiece. However, everything went down just as she opened her mouth.

"Up above, my princess shimmer...Like two birds singing for a duet...While I'm here standing with my paper...I think I forgot to bring my actual poet..." Celine recites.

"Hey, that's not bad. I've heard worse from Graham...but that's great for your age!" Pearl claps happily for her.

"Meh, I'll give it 5/10," Starglaze replies.

The next to introduce was the third family. A woman with only her husband and her father stands in a wheelchair eating a porridge-like cereal. Pearl finds it hard to connect with them, especially since adults are not in her expertise. But like Joyling, they had a colorful presence.

"Christine, my name is Amelia. I'm also your aunt...and this is my husband, Edward Starstuhm. He's also your father's brother who is expert in backstage management."

"Just keeping the stage coordinated so we don't have slackers and daydreamers on the stage. Are you confident to be on the stage sooner like us, Christy?" The man points out with his wrinkled finger.

"*Gulp* Y-yeah! Definitely!" Pearl looks away.

"I would like to. But Pearl and just had a retirement on the stage. I don't know how to say about going for a sequel." Starglaze supports.

"Tch, you can't retire on a young age! You have a lot of potential to show..."

"At least give her ninety days. The Institute said she can't go around with that look...not until another child is out." David intervenes.

Barbara has a dress like a painting that Pearl could recognize from the exhibit of grievance—a horrible place for Joyling to end up. Edward has a businessman's look—but not a boring one like Frowling. Lastly, the old man sat with a deer mask, seemingly a man not to be messed with.

"Lastly, this is my father—your grandfather. Jolliet Starstuhm."

"H-hi...? You look...well..." Pearl greets in fear.

"Well, you look malnourished to me, dear. Here, have some ribs I've got from a hunt..." The man offered. But that meat looks raw and bloody.

"I made it specifically for my sweetest and favourite child."

"What?? Hey!" His children yelled.

"Hunt?" Pearl pauses.

"Jolliet was a good hunter before he entered the life of a star. He just hunts one deer for you!" Barbara explains.

"D-deer? Wait, does that mean what's on your face is..."

"Haha! You know it! That deer was a long fight for me. Does his face look good on me?" The man stabs the table with his hunting knife. That stood alone as a reason for Pearl.

"Tell me! Does he smile? I know he did for me before I pulled that gun off his face!" The old man continues joking.

"*Gulp* Kind of. But I'll stick with pineapple cake." Pearl pushes the ribs away and munchs another pineapple.

River ran down her ears again as she tasted that sour, sweet toppings.

"Or maybe I can try the velvet ones."

Alas, everyone in this family has been introduced to Pearl. Perhaps there's more, but perhaps it shouldn't. But as Pearl listens to their stories with her stomach full, she has no more fear but rather gratitude on the table. However, the party hasn't yet to end.

"T-thank you, guys! I enjoy this dinner so much..." Pearl bows.

"To be honest, I don't think I've eaten anything sweet since yesterday..."

"Well, now that we've shared ours. Why don't you share yours on the table?" Donna replies.

"Yeah! We need to know what happened there when you're gone! Are there something crazy happening? You can't leave us hanging, can you?" Cain stands curious.

"I heard the studio has so many like you! How did they make that? Did they use magic?" Charlie mumbled.

"They definitely used magic! There's no way they could make our Christine this beautiful with only a makeup! There has to be something malicious there!" Barbara argues.

"Tell us, Pearl! What happened there?" David mumbled.

All eyes are on her again. With Pearl being the only one silenced, it was for the family to hear her voice. But Pearl stays quiet, knowing she is about to take this in the end either way.

"I guess humans are not that different..." Pearl replies to herself.