Act 1 – St. Sugar

“Hot pink? Baby Blue? Hot Pink? Baby Blue?”

This Sleeping Beauty had awakened hours ago. She packed her bags for school, did her morning bathroom routine, and was dressed in her pastel beige school uniform. But hours later, Eureka Dennis was stuck figuring out which color hair bow to tie in her curls. Since Eureka was going for a fresh-face and nude look through her make-up and nails, she needed a hair accessory to give her that shimmer. Time was ticking, as Eureka stood in front of her full-length mirror, holding the hair bows in her hands. Will it be Hot Pink or Baby Blue? Eureka kept thinking to herself. Please give me a sign, anything, because I cannot choose!

“Eureka! Can you hurry up?”

Shouted a commanding voice. Without another thought on the matter, Eureka tossed the Baby Blue hair bow on her bed, quickly grabbed her crêpe pink school bag, and left her room to head downstairs. She didn’t want to keep that commanding voice waiting for her any longer. The voice came from Dezire Staples, or as she likes to call her bestie, “Dez”.

Swabbing the last piece of French toast on her syrupy plate, Dez smacked her lips, savoring the final bite of French toast Eureka’s mother made that morning.

“Aunty Chanel,” Dez said in a state of bliss, “your breakfast is the bomb dot com!”

Mrs. Dennis smiled as she packed her daughter’s breakfast in a container labeled “Princess”. Although Dez is not related to her, Mrs. Dennis considers Dez as her own daughter, and Eureka’s big sister, despite them being the same age. If Dez wasn’t around, Eureka would probably be late for school every day due to her wasting time on makeup and accessorizing. Furthermore, Dez driving Eureka to school every day saves Mrs. Dennis money on gas and buying Eureka a car.

“It’s the least I can do to get you both prepared for school!” Mrs. Dennis responded as she finished packing Eureka’s breakfast. Eureka skipped down the stairs, applying the Hot Pink bow to her curls.

“‘Reka, girl, you missed out on a hot breakfast! I was grubbin’ just now!” declared Dez, as she licked syrup off her fingers.

“I can tell,” said Eureka, “you have crumbs sticking to your braids”.

Dez noticed what her best friend was referring to, and proceeded to rub the crumbs out of her hair with a damp paper towel.

“It’s almost 8:30,” said Mrs. Dennis,

“Eureka, I packed your breakfast in this container. You’ll have to eat it on your way!”

Eureka grabbed the container and silverware, and the two friends left for school.

Eureka tries to maintain a princess-like air from her looks to how she carries herself. That ceases when food is in front of her. She eats as if it’s her last supper. Before reaching the first red light, Eureka scarfed down two French toasts, and three strips of bacon, and was halfway done with the scrambled eggs. As the car stopped at the light, Dez took one hand off the wheel, her eyes staring at the road, to reach for one of Eureka’s sausage links. Before Dez’s fingers could even reach the passenger’s side, Eureka pointed her fork inches close to Dez’s face.

“Hands on the wheel and away from my meal!” Eureka told her in a stern, yet soft voice.

Dez obliged and kept both hands on the wheel. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Not you telling me what to do in my car!”

“Well someone has to, green light!”

Dez proceeded to drive. Dez glanced at Eureka every now and then while driving. Not for her food, which Eureka finished, but at the Hot Pink bow in her hair.

“Now I know you wasn’t wasting all that time in your room over a bow!” Dez said. Eureka smiled nervously and faced the window beside her. She didn’t want Dez to know she was spot-on about why she missed breakfast with her bestie. Then, she remembered something that could be used as a valid excuse.

“Actually, I was wrapping up Skyler’s present!” Eureka protested.

Skyler is Dez’s girlfriend. Eureka actually wrapped Skyler’s gift the night before, but Dez didn’t need to know that.

“Skyler’s present for what?” Dez asked with concern. Eureka was shocked.

“Today’s her birthday?” Eureka said, confused.

“Oh shit!” Dez shouted and pulled over to a parking lot a block away from the school.

“I’ma have to drop you off here!”

“But we’re almost at school!”

“I’m not going again! I have some things I need to buy. Don’t tell Skyler you saw me, okay?”

Eureka got out of the car a bit annoyed, and Dez speedily drove off.

She really left me in a parking lot. Eureka thought. Granted, the lot was just a block away from the school, but she preferred to reach her final destination seated in her best friend’s comfy car.

“Might as well walk this breakfast off!” Eureka said as she strutted out of the parking lot.

As soon as she approached the sidewalk, a silver Honda Accord approached her.

“Hey Eureka, want a ride?” said a deep, soulful voice.

Once Eureka recognized the voice, her shimmer intensified. The voice belonged to Bryheme Rivers, the unofficial Prince of Reverie Academy. Bryheme is the most awarded student-athlete among the high school students in Montgomery County, Maryland, and has been in talks about going to the pros once he graduates. The most popular guy in Reverie Academy offering a ride to Eureka just helped the shimmer princess move one step closer to her biggest wish: to find her lovely, Prince Charming. Now, Bryheme offered merely out of kindness, due to the two of them being in homeroom together. However, Eureka took this gesture as an advance for romance. She didn’t even give him an answer, but just walked to the other side of his car, threw her bag in the backseat, and sat in the front. Once she buckled her seatbelt, Bryheme accelerated to the academy. Eureka’s shimmer blinded her throughout the entire car ride. At some point, she believed she was riding on a white horse to her castle with Bryheme, laying her head on his upper back. As the horse trotted into the town, Eureka heard the commoners yell “Prince Bryheme! Princess Eureka!” Eureka smiled and gave a pageant-like wave to the crowd. Just a few more steps to the gate of the castle, the horse stopped and looked at Eureka, asking her “Excuse me?” Eureka’s shimmer simmered.

That wasn’t a horse who spoke to her. That was the horse-faced, head cheerleader Kendra Willis asking with a glare. They were now in homeroom class. Eureka and Bryheme were right at the door, while the other students looked at them from their seats. Eureka headed to her table in embarrassment, as Bryheme headed to the seat next to Kendra. Kendra moved her belongings from the chair the Prince of Reverie Academy would sit on and placed it on her side of the table. She left her seat to handle some business. Since Dez was not around, Kendra decided to sit in the seat next to Eureka.

“What were you doing with my property?” Kendra asked.

Eureka was befuddled.

“Property?”

“Yes! I know you live in fiction, but it’s time for you to migrate over to some facts: I’m a cheer and poms captain. Bryheme’s the academy’s GOAT. We go together, so back off!”

Eureka rolled her eyes. This broad lives in more of a fictional land than I do. She said to herself. Eureka really wanted to channel the spirit of her bestie and slap Kendra out of Dez’s seat. However, she had some shimmer up her sleeve.

“If only you were there when he offered me a ride this morning,” she said in a subtle tone.

“He what!?” yelled Kendra, “you’re bluffing!”

Just then, Bryheme walked to the table with tension and placed a princess container in front of Eureka.

“I believe this dropped out of your bag while in my car,” he said, “I carried it for you, and didn’t want to forget, so–”

“Thank you kindly,” Eureka said with a smile on her face.

Kendra started to ball her fists. The water levels in her eyes began rising. Her mouth attempted to form words to respond to what she witnessed. However, she prevented her mouth from opening, knowing that a shaky sound would release. Kendra has never been within 10 feet of Bryheme’s car, let alone inside it. Yet Eureka had the honor of riding with him. Kendra decided to conjure up a fake smile and retreat to her seat.

Eureka turned around satisfied, then saw Skyler with a basket of balloons and goodies. She immediately went through her bag and took out the gift she purchased for Skyler.

“Happy Birthday, pretty!”

Eureka cheered, and gave Skyler a hug and her gift.

“Thank you, ‘Reka” said Skyler, “is Dez not here today?”

“I’m not sure. I didn’t talk to her this morning” Eureka fibbed, then felt a vibration from her skirt pocket.

She took out her phone and saw that Dez was calling her. She left the classroom to answer the call.

“Hello, Dez. I was just speaking with Skyler when you called. I told her I haven’t heard from you!” Eureka assured.

“Good,” Dez said, “now if you could do me a favor”.

“What would that be?”

“See, I’m all the way in Hagerstown buying Skyler’s gift, and won’t be back for a minute.”

“Hagerstown?”

“Girl, don’t ask! I need you to hit up a bakery when you’re free and tell them to bake a lemon custard cake. I’ll send you the money and other details for the cake in a few. Meet me at Bethesda Row with the cake afterward.”

Eureka sighed. The things I do for this girl.

“Okay,” Eureka said, and the call ended shortly after, for the bell was about to ring.

After school, Eureka took the bus to Bethesda Row and immediately went searching for bakeries. Every bakery she’d find, to her disappointment, had massive lines. Many shops later, Eureka finally found a bakery with no lines named JuuJuu Bakes. The many times she frequented this shopping district, Eureka never noticed this bakery on Bethesda Row. Looking at the outside, she wondered how she could’ve missed this place. The bakery had a vivid, rainbow aesthetic, from the name on the front of the building, the assortment of balloons and flowers, to the various statues and plushies of animals, clowns, and fairies. It looks more like an art museum than a bakery, Eureka thought to herself. For the sake of time, Eureka walked to the front door, hoping she made the right decision.

Eureka entered JuuJuu Bakes, and was surprised to see the interior set up like an actual bakery. Guess one can’t judge a book by its cover, huh? She thought. She began browsing the delicious desserts and baked treats sitting splendidly in the displays. She saw cakes, tarts, cookies, candies, crêpes, chocolates, cobblers, donuts, bagels, brioche bread, and many more mouthwatering foods that almost caused Eureka to make a puddle of saliva on the floor. Eureka also noticed a rainbow cake in the center of the display counter. It had three lit candles on it; the center candle was pink, on its right a blue candle, and on its left a green. Then, a rainbow-haired lady approached the checkout counter.

“Welcome to JuuJuu Bakes. My name is Juubilee. How may I treat you today?” The lady said with a radiant smile.

Eureka was amazed at how stunning Juubilee was for a brief moment, then quickly remembered her task.

“Hello, Ms. Juubilee. I would like to place an order for a customized, lemon custard cake. My friend sent me the details in this text.”

Eureka showed her phone to Juubilee.

“Okay,” said Juubilee after one glance,

“I’ll have it done in 15 minutes!”

Juubilee started preparing everything for the cake when she spotted Eureka eyeing the pink sugar cookie cupcakes on the display.

“I can give you a baker’s dozen. On the house!” Juubilee said.

“Really?” asked Eureka, “That’s so kind of you!” Eureka was ecstatic.

“You’re my first customer. Take this as a token of my appreciation.” Said Juubilee.

As fast as a baker could say “bon appétit”, Juubilee finished baking the lemon custard cake, which Eureka applauded at how beautifully crafted the cake was.

“Thank you again,” said Eureka, “I’m all filled with shimmer from these cakes!”

“Shimmer?” Juubilee was intrigued.

“I’ll tell everyone about your store! The locals need to know how fantastic you are!” Eureka stated, then paid for the cake and exited the bakery.

As soon as the front door closed, Juubilee looked at the rainbow cake, smiled, and headed to the back of the bakery. The center, pink candle’s flame had gone out.

It was happy hour on Bethesda Row. Bars were filled with gleefully belligerent people chugging and clinking drinks with their fellow patrons. Simultaneously, a humanoid alien with burgundy skin, a black catsuit, and scarlet hair appeared at one of the bars. The alien’s name was Crasha. As a member of Dyvo’s Dysciples, Crasha was prepared to turn this hour into an unhappy one.

“I want the good times to keep on rolling” declared one of the drunken patrons. Crasha analyzed the room. She noticed a tall, glass of untouched beer sitting on the counter. With a snap of her fingers, darkness entered the glass, fusing into a ghoulish, black monster known as a Zalahy. With the spirit of beer in the Zalahy, the monster used its arms as a hose and sprayed beer on the patrons and workers in the bar. After soaking everyone, the Zalahy turned the camaraderie into chaos.

Eureka was strolling down the shopping district, eating the pink sugar cookie cupcakes. She was halfway finished with the box, ready to devour her 7th cupcake when she stopped and considered saving a few for Dez. The consideration would cease, as she heard a loud, window crack, and watched two people fly out of the broken window. Then, she watched as many people jumped out of the window, trampling one another, while others were violently chased out the bar entrance.

“A bar brawl in Bethesda?” Eureka couldn’t believe what she was seeing on Bethesda Row, of all places. The Zalahy broke through the roof of the bar and stood on the remaining parts as if it was a superhero. Eureka shuddered while reaching for her phone to record what she was witnessing. But before Eureka could press the record button, the Zalahy caught her and proceeded to shoot beer at her. Eureka successfully avoided being shot at by frantically running into an alley behind the bar.

“What do I do?” Eureka questioned as she caught her breath. She couldn’t tell her friend, her mother, or law enforcement what was happening without proof, for fear she’d be perceived as a mental case. She knew she had to do something, or the Bethesda she loved would be demolished. She looked at the cupcake in her hand sulking.

“I wish there was something I could do to save the day,” Eureka said before going for a bite of the cupcake. At that moment, the cupcake began to glow and sparkle. At first, Eureka thought it was her shimmer; but the cupcake escaped out of her hands and landed on her wrist, not as a smushed cupcake, but as a pink smartwatch with pink angel wings on the side.

“Pardon me?” Eureka said, looking at the watch.

In a blink of an eye, Juubilee appeared on the screen.

“Congratulations! You’re a Party Angel!” Juubilee said in excitement.

“Juubilee?”

Eureka didn’t expect to see Juubilee again that day, let alone in this chaotic situation.

“You made a wish wanting to save everyone, and I’m here to help you accomplish that!”

Eureka looked at the screen puzzled. How the devil did Juubilee overhear her wish? Was there a microphone or camera in that particular cupcake? Who is this monster to Juubilee? Eureka heard more people screaming and decided to put her questions on hold.

“Please tell me what I need to do.” Eureka insisted.

Juubilee was pleased with her response.

“Press the cupcake icon on your Angelwatch, then shout ‘RSVP, Let’s Party!'”

Without a second thought, Eureka pressed the cupcake icon, and shouted,

“RSVP, Let’s Party!”

In a pink flash, Eureka changed into a pleated, cream-colored, ruffle blouse with a cotton candy pink corset over it. Her petticoat skirt was taffy pink, accompanied by a cream belt with a pink cupcake, similar to the one she ate, as a belt buckle. Her gloves and thigh-high boots were vanilla bean colored. Her makeup complimented the pink and cream palette of her outfit, and her eye color was now a bubblegum pink instead of coffee brown. Eureka’s curly hair was now put into two, slick hair buns, which looked like chocolate bonbons on her head. Eureka was no longer Eureka, but a Party Angel, ready for combat!

Crasha enjoyed hearing the havoc the Zalahy she summoned caused. Soon, she would hear another sound, but this one was not as pleasant to her liking.

“Not so fast!” The pink, Party Angel shouted. Crasha and the Zalahy focused on the pink character that made such a statement.

“I am the sweetest Party Angel, St. Sugar! Make a wish, and I will protect!”

Eureka could not believe the words that left her mouth. It was as though she wasn’t herself at that moment—and she wasn’t—she was St. Sugar.

“Don’t just stand there” yelled Crasha to the Zalahy, “attack her!”

The Zalahy shot beer at St. Sugar, but not a drop would land on the pink Party Angel. St. Sugar jumped high into the air, impressing herself while doing so. A tall building was beside Sugar, as she looked at the girl she saw, staring straight back at her, and gasped.

“This is me,” Sugar said in amazement, “I look so adorable!”

“This is not the time!” Juubilee shouted through the Angelwatch, “You need to weaken the Zalahy!”

St. Sugar understood, and charged at the monster. The Zalahy shot beer at Sugar numerous times, failing to hit her each time until it was all out of the cold brew. Now it was Sugar’s chance. Sugar gave the Zalahy a right hook to the gut, which was all she needed to do for the Zalahy to fall down to the ground, shattering its insides from the impact.

“Wow, that was a fragile one.” Sugar said.

“Yep,” Juubilee replied, “after all, it was made from glass.”

“So is it over now?”

“No! You now have to purify the Zalahy. Press the wand icon on your Angelwatch to perform your finishing move!”

St. Sugar pressed the wand icon, and a pink, glow wand emerged from the Angelwatch. When it landed in her hand, Sugar twirled it like a baton, pointed it at the Zalahy, then announced her finishing move.

“St. Sugar Rush!”

Once Sugar yelled it out, an assortment of pink hearts, cupcakes, and frosted sugar cookies came out of the wand and showered the Zalahy until the monster faded away. “Igo’s not gonna like this!” Crasha angrily said and vanished from the scene.

Bethesda Row was back to normal as if Crasha and the Zalahy never appeared. St. Sugar changed back to Eureka. Eureka wanted to believe she was in one of her shimmer dreams just now, but when she saw the Angelwatch on her wrist, she realized that she was now a magical girl, specifically, a Party Angel! Eureka was eager to ask Juubilee right then and there about her role and who those bad guys were, but she remembered that she had to meet up with Dez, and quickly scurried to Dez’s location.

“It took you long enough!” Dez said as soon as she saw Eureka.

Eureka wanted to tell Dez everything that occurred in the last hour, but she knew the day was about Skyler. Therefore, she simply handed the lemon custard cake to Dez, and promised to text her later. Skyler arrived not long after Eureka’s leave and was so excited to see her loving girlfriend.

“I got your text to meet you here,” said Skyler, “I missed your face in homeroom today.”

“Well, ya girl is here” Dez laughed, “but first, I wanna give you this.”

Dez pulled out a golden, cloud amulet necklace, one that she saw Skyler ogle over during their date in Hagerstown the month prior.

“Aww, babe! You remembered?”

Skyler knew Dez wasn’t that great at remembering things. But when Dez pulls something as simple as this from her memory vault, Skyler can’t help but smile.

“I also bought you a cake.”

Dez proceeded to open the cake for Skyler to see: a lemon custard cake with buttercream frosting, and a message in blue icing that read “Happy Birthday, my Skylie~Pooh!” with a blue heart at the end of the message.

“You’re such a softie, I swear!” Skyler laughed and smooched her girlfriend on the cheek multiple times.

“Okay, okay,” said Dez, “now let’s go get some grub! How do you feel about Thai?”

The two lovebirds went on to enjoy the rest of the birthday celebration. Little did the two of them know, the shimmer princess was watching the entire exchange behind some bushes.

“That was so beautiful!” Eureka proclaimed, with tears in her eyes.

She was so happy to see her friends in love. She took the last cupcake she had from JuuJuu Bakes, and ate it to stop the flowing tears. What a day. Eureka thought. First, she took a ride in Bryheme’s car. Then, she became a wish-protecting, magical girl. What more shimmery things await her? Eureka was excited to find out, as she skipped down the streets of Bethesda!

To be continued…

Next Act