Veronica & Betty Set Sail Part 2

Down in the lower bowels of the ship, a place where one can find true privacy while concocting certain...experiments, Sabrina hovers over her empty pot going over a recipe book making certain she has everything she needs for whatever formula she's presently working on.

“Let's see...canis root, mandrake flower, leaves from the silent princess...what's this?” Sabrina looks closer at the book. “Fluids of a virgin woman? First off, what the hell does that mean and second where the hell am I going to find one of those here?”

Sabrina places the book down and ponders.

“I suppose I could...no, that one stupid mistake I made. Summoned that lust demon instead of a lesser one. Last time I incant with a swollen tongue. Still...” She sighs and rests back on her hands before shrugging. “Welp, not going to find one down here.”

In their cabin, both Betty and Veronica are up on the bed in a kneeling position gently kissing each other. Veronica's hair strokes slowly through Betty's blond hair as Betty seems to find a little trouble in where to put hers. Due to this constant distraction, she sighs pressing a hand to Veronica's sternum nudging her back a little.

“Something wrong?” Veronica asks bringing her hands down to her lap wondering if it could have been the touching. “Was I touching too much?”

Betty shakes her head. “No, it's not that. It's...I don't know.”

Veronica nods getting a picture as she parks her butt against her heels trying to think up a means of cheering her friend up.

“There's plenty of time left to figure things out.” She says hoping it assures Betty, running a thumb along her friends cheek. “Because remember what I said, if you aren't comfortable with the way things are by the first port...we'll go home. Okay?”

Betty nods her head smiling a little as she's reminded of that fact. She trusts Veronica will honor that agreement should things come to that but, as it stands now, she's still on the fence about her feelings. Pleased to see her friend in a brighter mood, Veronica leans in kissing her forehead before coming back down matching gazes with her eyes.

“I'll go get us something to drink, okay?”

Betty nods and Veronica strokes the side of her head once before coming up from the bed and heads out. When alone, Betty hugs herself and looks away to their bags wondering what she should be doing as Veronica stands out in the hall sighing. There's nothing she can do now so she turns to go down the hall but freezes up when she sees the familiar redhead looking back at her in Cheryl Blossom.

“Lodge...I would never have guessed you'd stay down here in coach.” Cheryl says with a wicked little smile on her face.

“So did you fine tune everything for the show?” Josie asks as she and Valerie make their way down the hall. Valerie nods in response.

“Things are set. Shame we couldn't bring any of our special effects equipment. Might be a little dull now for everyone to watch.”

“Hopefully the music will get them to forget we look like a garage band performing at some school dance.” Josie giggles as Valerie gives her a firm swat on the ass making the redhead both squeak and jump before seething.

“Hey, it's still sore from last night.”

“I know.” Valerie winks as Josie notices Sabrina coming down the hall waving her over.

“Hey! Hey, Sabrina! Can we borrow ya for a sec?”

“Sure.” Sabrina says coming over to the two noticing that...it is indeed just the two. “Where's Melody?”

Valerie sighs folding her arms. “Out with Cheryl. It hasn't totally been affecting her band performance but slowly and surely that girl is taking up more and more of her time.”

“Nothing you can do until then.” Sabrina says as Valerie admits with a nod. “So what's up?”

“Do you think you can cook us up a little something for our performance later today?” Josie asks to which Sabrina cocks up a brow.

“Cook WHAT up exactly?”

“Just a little smoke. Maybe a light show or something.” Josie says with a shrug.

“I can give you smoke but I don't know how you expect me to give you lights.”

“Fair enough.” Valerie says. “We'll pay you, of course.”

“Nah,” Sabrina says waving her hand. “You're already paying me in experience. Speaking of, I'm still working on that ointment for you.”

“Shoot.” Josie says rubbing her butt.

“Just don't dance around so much.” Valerie says.

“Or show off your butt.” Sabrina laughs as Valerie giggles into her hand as Josie pouts at the two of them.

Cheryl hums a light tune to herself as she sits up on a chair in her first class cottage with one leg crossed over the other. Every now and then she glances down to admire the sight of her rival wearing a maids uniform being as thorough as she can in polishing up her boots.

“When you've finished with my boots, Lodge, you can begin work on polishing the silverware. They thought a simple wash would suffice for me.”

“Yes, Miss. Blossom...” Veronica groans as she keeps up the polish knowing if she doesn't, Cheryl will just release the photo she has.

Soon, Veronica finishes with Cheryl's boots and comes up to her feet to go over and use a fresh clothe along the silverware as instructed.

“Hm...I wonder though and I'm interested in hearing your opinion, Lodge. If I do decide to release the photo, which section front page of the paper do you think they'll print it on? Personal? Business? Hm-hm...maybe sports. The two of you were rather engaging in that little game of tonsil hockey.”

“Just...don't release it. Please.” Veronica pleads still facing the utensils. “You got what you wanted from this cruise, just...don't upset Betty any.”

“What I wanted?” Cheryl bursts out laughing startling her fellow socialite. “Lodge, you think I came all the way out here for a chance at having you at my beck and call again? No, no, no.” She says wagging a finger. “You're just the frosting on the rather delicious chocolate cake I'm here for. Oh! Speaking of which, bake a cake when you're done.”

“There's no kitchen in the room, Che-Miss. Blossom.”

“Imbecile!” Cheryl says standing up to her feet actually frightening Veronica some as she comes toward her. “Go to the kitchen of the ship and bake it there! Really now, it's moments like these I should be laughing at my own self for ever thinking you could be a rival down the road.” Cheryl turns away smiling. “Chances are that with you at the helm you'd have no choice but to sell your company to me anyway. Hm...that actually isn't a bad idea.”

Veronica is about to protest when the door opens prompting her to swiftly turn around especially when she notices it's Melody coming in. For a brief bit she's not certain why she would be here but then she hears the two kiss and figures it out.

“Are you ready for the show?” Melody sings before noticing Veronica. “Who's that?”

“Oh, don't mind her, dearie, she's nobody. Just one of the maids I called for to make our trip so much more special.” Cheryl replies wrapping her arms tightly around Melody's waist giving her an eskimo kiss. “I just need to get my shoes on and I'll be ready.”

Cheryl kicks the recently polished shoes off her feet knocking them against the wall before getting a new pair. When she has those on, she grabs up her purse and heads for the door with Melody before looking back clearing her throat.

“Are you coming? Someone has to hold my drink for me and it certainly won't be me.”

Veronica does her best to not sigh and turns keeping her head lowered and tries speaking with a higher tone than usual so even Melody can't tell it's her.

“Yes, Miss. Blossom.”

Betty makes her way down the hall hugging herself with one arm rubbing her hand along her other arm as she has a worried look about herself. It's been an hour now and Veronica had yet to return to their cabin. At first Betty thought that she had just run into some old acquaintance here but now...now she's concerned for her friends well being. Had they found out about their age? Was Veronica in some rowboat having been kicked off back toward land? No, that couldn't be happening. But it is a thought that crosses Betty's mind as she comes around a corner narrowly bumping into Valerie who's just as startled.

“Whoa! Hey! Hi, Betty.” Valerie says with a smile as Betty's eyes widen and that's when the dam breaks. The fear of being spotted, the fact that she's been spotted, the worry for Veronica, the concern of what they've been doing. It all comes gushing out as Valerie takes her friend in close hugging and stroking her hair. “Hey, hey. Shh, it's okay. What's wrong?”

“I don't know!” Betty cries out pressing her face against Valerie's shoulder. “I don't know why I'm here, what I'm doing, where Ronnie is.”

“Wait,” Valerie brings Betty back some so she can see her face. “Veronica's here? And she's missing?”

Betty nods rubbing at her eyes.

“She left a bit ago to get us something...and she hasn't been back yet. I don't know what to do.”

Valerie gives her friend a look of concern but knows she's on the clock herself. It's important for her to know her friends are safe though that also means adhering to her previously made commitments. After all, if she didn't then the job security of her bandmates would be in jeopardy. Though, luckily for them, their location plays it up safe for them a little.

“Well...why don't we go to the ballroom? We got a performance to do and-”

“What?” Betty asks a little surprised with Valerie.

“I'm just saying that if something did happen to Veronica, if someone kidnapped her or something,” Valerie pauses when Betty covers her mouth with both hands. “I'm just saying if that were the case they couldn't do anything with her now anyway. We're on a boat, after all.”

“What if their intention was...was to...to...hurt her?” Betty asks back not even wanting to think that as Valerie has to accept that possibility as Melody comes racing up to them all smiles and songs.

“There you are! C'mon, Josie says we gotta go on soon. Oh, hi, Betty! You know,” Melody says turning toward her fellow blond pointing out at her. “You would LOVE Cheryl's new maid. She looks and sounds just like Veronica!”

Betty and Valerie just stare at her in silence over that as Melody looks between the two having not lost her smile.

“Also, Josie says her butt hurts.”

“Oh, honey!” Valerie sings as she's soon joined by Josie.

“Sugar, sugar!”

For the rest of the chorus the crowd joins in shouting it out loud as women all over the ballroom are either dancing, hugging, lightly making out, or just holding one another as, behind the stage, Sabrina continues to work her magic keeping the fog on stage at a steady density. Just enough to cover up the bands feet. Everyone, even Cheryl, appears to be having a good time except for Betty who watches the redhead bounce around in place as she maintains eye contact with the bands drummer.

Up on the stage, Valerie notices Betty's reaction to seeing Veronica standing by just in behind Cheryl keeping hold of her drink unaware of the blond watching her with hesitance to move toward her. After the song is over and the crowd has applauded, Valerie steps back up close to the mic signaling for Josie to begin a slow riff off her guitar.

“We're gonna slow things down here for a bit,” Valerie starts as she looks over throughout the crowd seeing a fair deal of the couples already swaying in each others arms. “So if you've got that someone special close by, be sure to let her know exactly how you feel. Don't let the magic of this evening be wasted.”

She steps back a bit and begins to sing softly as Betty gets the message knowing that if Cheryl manages to leave with Veronica like this, she may never get a chance to be with her again. But her feet won't come up to where her heart wishes her to go. She hesitates and even grabs her thigh trying to kick it up off the ground. Though when she notices Veronica's face in the mild lighting, seeing the moistness around her eyes, she knows she can't let Cheryl take her and all the assurance comes to her as she powers through her confusion and uneasiness approaching Veronica. When she gets there, she plants a hand on her shoulder and turns her around.

“B-Betty!” Veronica gasps about to explain herself when Betty leans in kissing her passionately, her hands running down to her lower back. It doesn't take long until Veronica's own hands find their way up in behind Betty's shoulders as she holds her friend close.

“What are you doing?” Cheryl demands finally taking notice and turning with a huff. “So Betty's really in on it too then? Fine, I'll topple you both down.”

“Go ahead, Cheryl.” Betty says keeping her arms locked around Veronica's waist. “Because so long as I have Ronnie, I know I'll be strong enough to break through whatever levels of ridicule you THINK you can conjure up.”

Betty smiles as Cheryl pouts and then turns storming off out of the ballroom while Veronica gets her friends attention again moments before they share another kiss, their bodies slowly swaying to the music as Valerie watches with a smile but knows she needs to keep her composure.

Back outside along the port side of the boat, Cheryl lights herself another cigarette as Melody catches sight of her girlfriend and hurries up to her.

“Cheryl, is everything al-”

“Oh, shut up, you stupid ditz!” Cheryl shouts back at Melody halting the bubbly blond in her place. “Life isn't all smile and sunshine and you should get to know that!”

Cheryl turns away gripping her cigarette tightly as Melody stands there in silence not certain what to do but gets the feeling she shouldn't be there. So, with Cheryl looking down at her phone, she turns and takes a few steps away.

“Wait.” Cheryl says flicking her cigarette away remembering something. Melody turns back and sees the redhead smile offering out a hand. “I'm sorry. Just...that maid didn't turn out so I had to fire her. Just a little stressed is all.”

Melody gets a feeling she shouldn't trust Cheryl at this...but she is her girlfriend so why would she be lying? Therefore, Melody smiles again and steps into Cheryl's reach letting her put an arm around her slapping a hand down over her ass taking firm hold of it as she kisses her.

“You were great out there.” Cheryl says playing a little with Melody's hair as the drummer gasps out.

“Really?”

Cheryl nods. “Really.” She whispers leaning in kissing Melody's lips a little more making the blond squeak when she feels the redheads tongue enter her mouth. Cheryl then draws away leaving a trail of saliva to linger between their lips cutting it off when she licks hers. “You're coming back to my room tonight, right?”

Melody, still a little dazed, nods her head.

“Good girl. Run along back to your band and play, sweetie.”

Again Melody nods, still at a complete loss for words as she takes a few steps back and turns returning to the ballroom as Cheryl watches. She may not have gotten to fully lick the frosting, but she can still have her cake.