"So, what's all this about?"
Aurora Stapleton, or 'Topaz' as she was better known to Jewel's fans tied the cord of her dressing gown around her waist, taking a seat in the main salon of the Starlight Mansion and eying her bandmate expectantly. "What's this idea of yours, Copper?"
"I'm waiting for Nancy and Syl...then we'll tell you." Copper replied. "What kinda mood is Syl in, by the way? I haven't spoken to her today."
"'Bout the same as last night." Topaz frowned. "Listless, quiet, not wanting to talk. It's bad, Copper. She didn't even come down to watch her favourite soap with me this afternoon...or ogle the lead male like she usually does. I'm worried about her."
"Me too." Copper admitted. "That's kinda why Sammi and I have been scheming. We're hoping we've found something to get her interest back in things."
"I hope you have." Topaz replied. "But it's gonna have to be good."
"Well?"
At that moment Sylva herself, long curls in a lazy ponytail entered the living room, folding her arms. "What's so important? Nancy made it sound like life and death."
"Not quite." Copper sent her housemate a grin, as Nancy too rejoined the group. "Right, now we're all here...we have a plan."
"What kind of plan?" Nancy was curious. Slowly Copper outlined the idea.
"Ooh!" Topaz's blue eyes lit up. "For real? A reunion show would get big crowds...can you imagine how many sleeping Hologram and Misfit fans there are out there? Even from our generation...I went to school with people who still played Hologram and Misfit CDs and every single dance we had, Universal Appeal and Beat This came on over the loudspeaker...more, everyone knew them by heart! Oh, we gotta do it!"
"For sure." Nancy nodded. "It'd be the best thing in the world to play the same show as Mom and Aunt Phyl and Aunt Roxy...I'm game."
"Syl?" Copper eyed the final Jewel anxiously. The synth player was very quiet for a moment, as if thinking it over. Then,
"All of the Misfits...Mom too?" She asked.
"Sure. We haven't asked her yet, but Sammi and I both figured that since music is so important to us all, it'd be cool to bridge the generation gap and prove that the big groups of the eighties still got what it takes to pull a crowd." The redhead agreed. "Syl, we can't do it unless you're behind it too...what do you say?"
A tiny smile touched the corner of Sylva's mouth.
"Guess with a crowd like that there's bound to be some cute guys watching." She said slowly.
"Does that mean you're in?" Topaz asked eagerly. Sylva shrugged.
"I guess it does." She admitted. "Truth to tell, I need something...anything...to take my mind off things. I know I've been a drag for you guys and I hate it...it ain't me at all. But this is such a big thing, my family falling apart like this...Oh, I hope Mom wants to do it. She's pretty down still, too, and...and I wouldn't feel so bad about wanting to pursue music if..."
"Your love of performing had nothing to do with Aunt Mary's divorce." Sammi said softly. "Dad's always said your father controlled her too much and tried to suppress her creative side, beyond her writing. You know as well as I do that the Misfits split up when you were born, because your mother was ill and your father wanted to go back to DC. If you ask me the reason your folks split up was far more a difference in opinion than it was anything to do with you...I think your Dad was always afraid to lose her, so he put too much pressure on her. That's all."
"Maybe." Sylva agreed slowly. "I dunno. I'm still mad at Dad, but I guess it'll fade. I don't hate him, I'm just...mad he made Mom cry."
"I don't think it was easy on either of them." Copper said diplomatically. "Listen, Syl...if we do this, well, with any luck, Anna will be in LA by the time the show goes on, and she can see both you and your mother perform in all your glory. I know she's dying to, and after things in DC, she never got a chance to. But your hand is better now."
"I'm a bit out of practice...haven't touched my keys since we came home." Sylva admitted.
"Well, no time like the present." Topaz reasoned.
"I had the idea that we could...and should...play a few Hologram and Misfit numbers ourselves, as well as our songs." Copper agreed. "Just to get into the feel of things, you know? Nancy, you're the song-writer...do you reckon you could re-arrange the music, if we got hold of the scores, and give them a Jewel touch?"
"Nothing easier." Nancy agreed.
"Mom has all the old Misfit scores." Sylva remembered. "I mean, Misfits Music might have them too, but I know Mom kept a handwritten copy of them all...she loved being a Misfit."
"I wonder if Kimber has copies of the Hologram scripts, or if they're all at Starlight Music still." Sammi pondered.
"We can but find out." Copper replied. "Syl, you'd be okay if Sammi and her group played this as well, wouldn't you?"
"Sammi's family." Sylva said simply. "And I guess I never appreciated family enough before."
"Thanks, Sylvie." Sammi dimpled. "I never wanted to fight with you anyway...I never knew why you hated me so badly."
"I...hated you being close to Mom." Sylva looked uncomfortable. "You look kinda like her, you can write like she can, and she was always bothered in furthering your musical ability with Aunt Aja. Guess...I thought she liked you better."
"Oh, don't be silly!" Sammi exclaimed. "You should've seen her reaction when you ran away, Sylvie...she was frantic. You and Anna are her world, and that's that. She's said it to me many times, how much she loves you both and wants you both happy and successful. You don't have to look like her or act like her for her to care about you...what matters is that you're her children."
"I guess I know that now." Sylva admitted.
"Hang on a moment, Syl, you ran away?" Nancy fixed her bandmate with a curious look. "When was this?"
"None of your business." Sylva said curtly. "It was a misunderstanding, that's all."
"Oops, did I put my foot in it?" Sammi looked anxious.
"Yes, beautifully." Sylva grimaced at her cousin, but there was none of the usual malice in her look.
"C'mon, Syl, what happened?" Topaz looked interested.
"I was young and naive, I wanted a recording contract and I came to LA looking for one, under my own steam." Sylva said finally. "It didn't work out, and I wound up at Haven House...that's where I met that Flame girl who's always bitching me out. She likes to make fun of me, but she doesn't know a thing about anything."
"Mum went to America with Aunt Mary, and helped find her." Sammi put in. "I think Roxy was involved, too."
"She was." Sylva pulled another face. "It wasn't a fun trip home. I wanna forget it...okay?"
"Aww, you want me to forget such perfect ammunition?" Nancy put her hands on her hips.
"C'mon, Nance, Syl's been through it in the last few weeks." Copper reasoned. "Let this one alone, okay? We all do dumb things sometimes."
"Okay, okay." Nancy sighed. "I'll be good."
"Well, I'm gonna get going, to talk to my bandmates and Steevi." Sammi got to her feet. "I'll phone you when I know what the deal is there, Copper...okay?"
"Sure. Thanks, Sammi." Copper grinned. "You've been great input."
"Your cousin ain't so bad." Topaz remarked once the Teenangel had gone.
"No...I guess not." Sylva admitted. "This whole divorce has turned my ideas on family upside-down, but I'm glad in a way we're not fighting. I don't need it at the moment."
"You sound...a bit more like yourself." Copper decided. "You're really game to do this show?"
"Sure." Sylva nodded. "And tomorrow I'll go and talk to Mom and Aunt Roxy, see what they think about it. I hope they say yes. I'll also ask her about scores when I'm there, too."
"Cool." Nancy grinned. "If you can do that, I'll tackle turning them into Jewel-playable tracks."
"Then it looks like full steam ahead." Copper settled herself back in her chair. "I can't wait!"