Half a Moon: 14 Days of Celebrating Women

Title: Livin' in the City
Cream sat on a large marble bench, recording footage of a band of street performers playing across from her, while Cheese hovered over her shoulder, munching through a miniature chocolate cupcake at a rate that shouldn't have been possible for a small animal. Crumbs rained down on her head, then the rabbit had to snatch the paper cup from her pet Chao before he tried to eat that as well. He immediately screwed up his eyes, pulled a sour face and made obnoxious little grumbling noises. Cream sighed; her friend could stand to be more grateful for the treat, which had cost her three times as much as a regular cupcake cost back home, and was half the size.

She'd heard the song 'livin' in the city, where everything is free' and now had to assume that its composers were being sarcastic. They couldn't have meant 'free as in freedom', either, because this was the most noisy, crowded place full of people rushing around with important business to attend to, that she'd ever seen in her life. She was still enjoying it, though. Everything was so much bigger and more exciting, with more going on, and music everywhere! She'd seen at least ten hats she wanted to buy for herself and five for Cheese - she'd never found so many hats with large enough ear holes for her or tiny hats with space for a Chao pom-pom! Unfortunately, they were also overpriced and Cheese refused to wear any of his hats.

While wondering what she should do next and did she have enough money for two ice creams, she noticed that the pink hedgehog now sat on the same bench as her was also not rushing around. She hummed an upbeat pop song as she also recorded the musicians.

"Um... excuse me..." Cream blushed, aware that she was using her soft voice that everyone said they couldn't hear. The hedgehog girl turned around anyway, flashing her a broad smile, "Are... are you just visiting here as well?"

"Me?" she laughed, "Oh, no, I live a few streets away. These guys are new, though, so I'm excited to see them for the first time. There's always something new going on around here, you know, so even locals don't get bored!"

Cream gasped, eliciting another gentle laugh, "Hey, you look too touristy, gawping like that. Someone might try and pull a prank on you. I tell you what: I'll show you around town. I know where all the cool stuff is that won't be on the travel guides. Somewhere not too pricey to eat as well!"

Cheese heard 'eat' and whistled approvingly, bobbing along behind his favourite rabbit girl and her new friend as the hedgehog led her through the crowds, talking non-stop about shopping and amusement parks and other hedgehogs and how cute the pet Chao was. The shy girl often found it hard to make new friends and if they were honest in their friendship, the chao was also happy.