"King Glum was the only Frowling with a sense of a Joyling—more sophisticated and smarter than average hungry Frowling. And he was also the strongest one among them, bearing powers beyond a mere Frowling."
"Many years ago, Joyling lived in peace in a Happy Home town with love, happiness, and justice. A hill of serenity, creativity and wonder a child could ever imagine."
"Until one day, a race of malevolent being known as Frowlings rise from the low lands of the Eclipisian, clawing through the borders of out town and terrorize our kinds for long."
"Led by one cruel Frowling known as King Glum, the Frowlings were a tyranny during his days. Joylings were revolting back. But under King Glum's might, no resistance is worth fighting."
"He has been here longer than me. I was a new Joyling, so I didn't know much about him. But I heard he was terrifying..."
"He murdered everything that isn't Frowling or impressing him. However, he is still restrained by Sebastian. But that doesn't stop him from doing what he wanted to do."
"One day, he did something terrible—something out of the script."
"That was a terrible day for us. The day we will never forget. The Great Frown Outbreak event. Dozens of Frowlings came out of the darkness to attack everything that it finds too joyous. Humans, animals, Joylings—not one was spared under King Glum's command."
"Weirdly, being the one that led this whole massacre in the studio, he was also the one who disappeared the fastest. Not even his denizens knew where he was."
"That whole show was a moment of glory that soon turned into a cliffhanger for everyone. Frowlings went mad. And without a leader, strived a new path in their society to thrive with whatever they can find in the studio."
"Rumours about his disappearance soon take notice among the Joylings. Some says he died, some said he was taken out by the humans, and some say he had escaped the studio during that moment."
"Since then, his name became a scary story to tell among Joylings. Some had feared that someday or somewhere, he might return."
The story I have for this Frowling was quite harsh to remember. As the main spotlight of this show with the big four, King Glum was my biggest enemy. He has been an adversary through many episodes—26 for me. Though I was only a year before his disappearance, we've got a lot of unlikely encounters and violent outbursts. I've had a better look than before.
"So, you're telling me we've been visited by something on a class five-level threat? A level five Frowling?" Adele mumbled.
"Don't you find it strange that he just found you here? Sounds ridiculous..." Daniel nodded upwards senselessly. Though his point was right.
"Well, he could be deceptive and clever. He a smart Frowling, after all." I thought.
"And you expect us to catch someone like him alone? Without a help?"
"Yeah, what about the human girl, anyway? Aren't you going to do something about it?"
"I think I can pass with that. What else would I lost here, anyway?"
Hard to think clearly when there's so much gap in your heart. I feel odd that I'm no longer someone in the spotlight, and my looks were never more of a show again. I wanted to have that feeling of being important on the stage. Like now, I feel somewhat fueled with love for the old king Frowlings.
I feel like a star now. A star of a mystery. I think I could go with that—with Starglaze as my companion. We could have solved this problem together and wandered into the satisfying climax of this episode when we unveil King Glum's identity. It felt like today, the spot was on me.
Still, I could not push myself away from this emptiness. For a moment, I felt the echo of the abyss in my ears. So many thoughts about sadness happening today, and none of them are easily solved like they used to be on the roll. First, there was a misguided human and now an arch-enemy seeking vengeance or mischief.
"Don't say that. You have a lot to lose here because you've gained a lot now as a human." Adele comforts me—kind of.
"To be honest, I think you look so much better with a white crown than that boring yellow one, too. Your parents gave you the best kind of garments than Sebastian did."
"Terrible choice of garments. Even you don't know of that before, didn't you?"
"I know. I'm okay with that..." I mumbled.
"I knew you'll understand. We're here for you, Pearl. Just tell us if you need anything. We'll be waiting here and watch every moments...in silence..."
—————————————————————————————————
[Kitchen]
There was no time to waste talking with these humans. The droplets are still hanging wet, and the wind is making them dry. Starglaze and I went into the kitchen as soon as we could to check for the crime scene. Our first take started from the kitchen, where it all began for me.
"Well, ought we go, shall we? I see a scenery that's not worth looking today..." Starglaze was wearing his favourite cop hat on me. It's not common for him to wear this since his cancelled episode. But he looks so happy now that he has a purpose of using it. To make him less lonely, I had to borrow my father's blue hat from the bedroom.
"Looks like someone didn't like striped green for a mood, too. Starglaze, please set the perimeter."
"Got it!"
My partner rolls a yellow line into the kitchen, covering the doors and windows with his dust-made police lines. Nobody can intervene with us on this investigation while we gather for some clues. We had taken this place for an investigation, and the citizens of Starstuhm didn't seem to like it.
"Christine, are you there? Do you know where all the toilet paper is—"
"Father, don't move any further. This is a crime scene! Step off."
"C-Christine, what is this? Why are you using all the toilet paper on the wall?"
"We're making a scene here. Some of us had to improvise with the yellow line..." I mumbled on my way to grab a cake.
My human parents were on the other side of the room, barricaded by this yellow line at the doorway. I had to keep them from passing while my luminous partner was taking evidence through his star-shutter. I find this job much better than being exposed to that thing, which took some of us with a little struggle here.
*Flash* *Flash* *Flash*
"Lots of fighting happening here, Pearl. Are you sure you didn't get hurt?" Starglaze mumbled.
"Nope. I'm crystal clear. Except for some bruises on the floor..."
"That does sound like a valid resistance to me. I need to make sure I get a picture, too." He was aiming that flash at my elbow where the scratch last night was.
*Flash*
"Hey! No! Who told you to flash me??"
The screen shutter sounds icks me, as if someone is trying to shoot me behind my head. It's not that I feel like I would die from it. It's just that Pearl can't stop hearing that thing screeching faintly like crazy. Every screen shutter made this annoying noise when they flashed out, and then she was blind.
"Pearl, I think you're overreacting with your...imaginary friend."
"It's enemy, mother. And I...don't like sleeping around with him on my thoughts..."
"Oh, you and your child mind. A little game about solving mystery in a mansion? What else are you going to do next? Catch a murder? Interrogation? Oh, what a game..." My father criticizes me. He was such a tough audience, but that improved this scene for me.
"It's not a game! It's a case! A rare case. I'm trying to help here, father..."
"Yeah, keep up with your game. Just don't tore out the kitchen while we're gone, okay? We're going to buy some supplies outside..."
"Please don't ruin the house while we're out!"
The humans couldn't cooperate much with the scene here. They left the mansion for these two Joylings to handle—the responsibility I find challenging alone. But I'm not alone, for Starglaze was on my shoulder. And with Starglaze on my shoulder, I have no responsibility.
"Got anything? I'm on a dead end here..." Starglaze was raising his star-shutter.
"So many wet walls here, but I'm losing polaroids. We need a piece of new evidence before this thing goes off."
"How about this plate of cake I'm holding? It had Glum's touch on it last night."
*Flash* "Got it!"
"Aww, friend. Such a shame we had to do this for the humans. My new crown and necklace start to get loose with this job..." I sat on the table, munching on the remnants of the cake while it is cold as ice. I love when it was cold.
"Yeah, I hate this job, too. Pay me less and gave me too much to handle. But at least we're not doing those stupid therapies anymore."
"Starglaze, I've been thinking for a moment. I knew we both promised not to be involved in trouble with humans, but I thought maybe we should re-think of it?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know...maybe we could, well...find a human friend for ourselves?"
Starglaze's tone shifted drastically when he heard me begging for that answer. His head turned around with a face I couldn't say happy to see, and he even showed much disappointment before I could finish what I was about to say.
"Why?" He asked in a tone that I knew clearly he didn't like.
"Because the world is big! Think of it! What else can we do here than just waiting for doctors to tell us what to do? Can't imagine that, right?"
"No, no...I get what you're saying. The thing is, I get WHAT you're saying. That's my issue...why?"
"Oh, uh..."
He read my lips so well. But I didn't think this far when he asked me back. It seems he was about to be angry if I told him because he knew what I was about to say. It's hard to say I could last as a friend to him, but even I wanted him not to feel like I was a terrible friend.
"Pearl, I can't believe you're trying to replace me!"
"I'm not trying to replace you! I'm—I just need some...'enlightenment' from the humans! You know? Trying to help myself, too!"
"Then why don't we go for together?"
"Well, because I'm not going to let you feel bored
"Why would I feel bored with you? Did you feel bored with me?"
"N-no, I—"
"I knew it...I knew it! Ugh, you don't like me at all? Friend, what's wrong with me?"
The star has finally burst in his anger. He couldn't understand my choice with the humans was for the good of us—a Joyling that could've been a human long ago. Now, he's trying to make me guilty, but I cannot let him weep at this very moment. I tried to reason, explaining to him that I was trying to help. But what answer does he take?
"Nothing! It's not you who's wrong...it's just I needed the two of us to be more human. Like, I can't let you just roam around with me and have only the comfort of being a star in a world of human!"
"Why not? Isn't that lovely? Aren't you lovely with yourself, you pristine?" He's throwing a tantrum—and his shutter down the floor.
"I don't want to be distant like yesterday before. I don't want the humans to hate me! I just needed time to understand! You should, too!"
"I don't need anyone to understand me but you! You're the only one who need to understand that!"
"But, friend...I only need to feel a human in me...just a little." I wailed in hope and desperation. But for what?
"You don't need to feel anything! You're a human already. But I'm not, and that's why I'm not finding a human friend. So as you."
Starglaze didn't like it. I thought maybe a little share from my empty heart would make him sympathize with me a little bit. But a stubborn star would never be more than a stubborn star. Sebastian always said the highest star had never seen the weakest humans.
"Come on, Starglaze. Just think of it for once!" I begged for him, Even leaving a few slices from yesterday for him.
"No! You're being too weird lately with this human. Also, what happen with our promise about tight friendship? Since when did you care about a human?"
"Well, we didn't put that promise with Doorwell?"
"Doorwell gets a pass because I like her. That human? No. You didn't even know her. Why are you insisting to let her?"
"Because if she was my friend, maybe I shouldn't forget about her!"
"Maybe you should. Maybe she should've learn that friendship is more than just one-side of a friend. If she can't love you as a Joyling, maybe she shouldn't deserve you as a human."
"You can't do this to me. I just wanted to have a new friend, too. I can't just stay here in this manor and pretend I'm happy with all of this."
"Pretending? I thought you were happy with it."
"No, I want more."
"Well maybe you should ask yourself less. You're a family of a star! What else would you need now? You have everything!"
"I...have not much friend..." I bravely utters.
He pauses, "Wow, you're one greedy pearl."
We both returned to the scene with a silent gaze. A temporary warmth in our friendship immediately ceases in darkness as I begin to talk about humans in his ears. I think he didn't like me being close to people he didn't know. But he clearly didn't know the feeling of needing a human friend.
"Ugh, Starglaze...stupid Starglaze..." I wander around searching for a clue. He was as busy as he had never been.
"Greedy pearl? I'll show you who's greedy here..."
"Once I'm done with—Ouch!"
As I was alone doing my job without my friend, I cut my finger after sweeping a shard of glass from a broken cup I was about to investigate. One wound already makes me bleed a Joyus twice a day, and now I have a terrible thought lingering in my head.
"You're alright there, partner? I hear pain!" He's calling me in a taunting tone.
"Yeah. I'll excuse myself to the bathroom, then. I believe you have no issue with that. Aren't you?"
"I would if you stay too long in the bathroom. Be quick, my dearest friend!"
—————————————————————————————————
[Bathroom]
I can't believe Starglaze would call me greedy because I wanted to have a new friend. A star like him didn't know anything about friendship. He only knows about cake and fame, which he never even shared with me. He was the one greedy here with all his greedy voice. This insult was not necessary.
"Stupid Starglaze...look what did you do to me...now Pearl has to wipe out the mess you did..."
"I couldn't look like this. It really hurts...like...like a bite of a...I don't know..."
"I can't think...Ugh, why did he have to be so dismissive about this! Why did he ruin this for me?"
"Starglaze. So ignorant...so terrible...so..."
"Whole?"
"Whole! Yeah! Wait..."
Out of nowhere, there was a voice calling for me with a vague answer. I tried looking around the room, but I couldn't find the one speaking. It sounded oddly familiar—misshapen but similar to a voice. It echoes again, and that's when I realized its presence was in my head.