Bubblegum Crisis Fan Fiction / Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 Fan Fiction ❯ A Song in Your Heart ❯ The Juke Box ( Chapter 1 )

A Song in Your Heart

A Bubblegum Crisis Fic

by Umi-chan

Genre(s): Drama/Angst

Summary: A look into Priss's past. This fic takes place when Priss is a young child and explains why she loves and relies on music in her life so much...and a few other things.

A trip into the childhood of the most mysterious of the Knight Sabers.

A/N: Ah Priss…the mysterious Knight Saber we all have a love/hate relationship with. When reading this keep in mind when the series took place (2032) and the OVA (2040). Priss is six in this fic, so do the math and you'll find this takes place in the not-so-distant future of where we are now. Things aren't quite as technical as maybe in the series and OVA, but we really won't be getting too into all that. Just keep the time in mind as we get close to the end.

This was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but as I was writing I saw there was more to the story than a one-shot would allow. I got the extra push to make this a multi-chapter fic by my pre-reader iamfanboy. I'm not exactly sure how long it will be, but I could go on for a lot of chapters. This is sort of the biography of Priss Asagiri. Not sure if I want that biography to end before her teen years, but if "A Song in Your Heart" does end there, you can be sure I'll bang out a sequel with Priss in her turbulent teen years.

Chapter 1 - The Juke Box

Priss was awoken earlier than usual that day by her mother, shaken awake just as she always was: with a hug, followed by a single kiss on the cheek.

When her caramel eyes finally opened she found the familiar morning sight of her mother, svelte and tall like the rest of Priss's family, searching the dresser drawers for Priss's outfit of the day. She brought out a black t-shirt and a pair of worn-out jeans.

Priss smiled. It was her favorite outfit. But that didn't just mean Priss would be feeling especially stylish that day, it also meant something was going on. Priss's mom had bought that outfit for Priss for her sixth birthday and it had a sentimental value for her more than any of Priss's other clothes. Mrs. Asagiri always had Priss wear it whenever something interesting would be happening that day.

"What's going on today Mommy?" she asked, stretching her short arms outward.

Her mom turned around and smiled, flicking a strand of hair out of her face. She had beautiful, long, brown hair. "We're going to Daddy's club," she said, smiling still.

Priss giggled. "That's great!" Normally she wasn't allowed to go her Dad's club as it was a "grown-up place." She could barely contain her excitement at the very idea.

She finally got fully out of bed and walked over to her vanity. She took out a brush and smiled at herself in the mirror. She climbed onto the stool, which was made for an adult, not a six-year-old child. Priss examined her bust vaguely, she wasn't all that vain.

She began fussing with her hair, combing her coif harshly. , Unlike her mother, Priss had short hair that came to about her shoulder. She liked it much better that way, as it saved time when combing or drying it. But this day the hair she normally loved was being frustratingly uncooperative wit her comb.

Priss's mom laughed silently, watching the show her daughter put on as she made Priss's bed. "Need some help?" she asked.

Priss nodded, looking disappointed that she couldn't do it herself.

Her mother came over, took the comb out of Priss's hand, and gently worked the hair until it was how Priss liked it: totally straight.

When Priss was satisfied, she climbed off the stool and ran to her mother, who had left the vanity and was low laying the shirt and jeans on the bed.

She hugged her mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Oh Mommy, I'm so excited to go to Daddy's club," Priss said, smiling broadly.

Her mom smiled back. "Yes, but first you have to get dressed and brush your teeth," she said. "What do you want for breakfast?"

Priss bit her lip in thought. "Eggs," she said finally.

"Okay, it'll be ready in a few minutes," her mom said, walking out of the room.

Priss quickly got dressed and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She looked and smiled. It really was a day for smiling. She didn't get to go to her dad's club everyday, after all.

Her dad owned one of Tokyo's most popular night clubs, The Pit. And yes, with a name like The Pit, it wasn't the best place for young girls. But today she'd be going, and probably see her Dad sing! Her Dad was a great singer.

She finished brushing her teeth and proceeded into the kitchen. Her mom was serving scrambled eggs onto two plates.

"Oh, those eggs look delicious!" Priss exclaimed, climbing onto a seat and beginning to eat heartily.

Her mom did the same and it was only a few minutes later when both Asagiris were done.

"When are we going to the club, Mommy?" Priss asked, now downing a glass of milk.

"Actually," her mom began, looking at her watch. "We should be going soon. Your father wants us there before he opens."

Priss nodded, finishing her milk. "Why are we going anyway?"

"Well," her mom answered. "It's the first anniversary of The Pit's opening. Your father wants us there."

It surprised Priss that it had already been a year since it had opened. She remembered like it was yesterday (which is saying something for a six year old) when her mother and father had to save their money in order to have enough to open the club.. She hadn't gotten many toys back then and both always looked tired and worried.

But, she thought, maybe it had been a year. After all, everything had changed so much since then, a lot of time must have passed. They had moved out of the apartment in what her mother called a "bad neighborhood" and into their new apartment in the ritziest area of downtown Tokyo. A modern apartment with all sorts of new things the old one never had. Priss always heard her mom talking to her friends over coffee about these things, but Priss never seemed to notice them. All she cared about was that the family was happy.

Her mom was sipping her coffee when the phone rang. She got up to get it, answering in a sweet, welcoming tone.

But what was on the other end must not have been so sweet. She frowned significantly, but didn't talk for very long.

"Alright then," she said. "I'll see you later. Bye," and she hung up the phone.

"What is it Mommy," Priss asked.

"It was your father," she said bitterly. "His opening act can't make it. I'll have to sing."

"Oh, that's great Mommy!" Priss exclaimed. "But why do you look sad?"

"It's just…nothing honey. I'm just a bit nervous. Mommy hasn't sung in awhile." Her mom still looked very worried.

"But, Mommy, you sing to me all the time," Priss said.

"Yes, but this time it will be in front of a lot more people," she said.

"Don't worry. Just pretend you're only singing to me," Priss suggested.

Mrs. Asagiri shook herself slightly. "I'm fine, really. Just let me grab something out of my closet and we'll be off."

She left the kitchen, leaving Priss alone. It confused Priss why her mother didn't want to sing that night. Priss loved her mom's singing voice. She always sang to her at night before Priss had to go to bed. She had a beautiful singing voice, like an angel Priss always thought.

It was only a few minutes before she returned, with a beautiful, glittery dress, which shone through the clear plastic covering.

"Oh, it's beautiful Mommy!" Priss exclaimed.

"This is the dress I always performed in," she explained, looking at it dreamily. "Your father saw me for the first time when I was wearing this dress."

"It really is beautiful!"

"Yes, it is," she agreed. "But we should really get going."

"Alright," Priss said, getting out of the chair. She grabbed her mom by the shirt and was led out to the garage.

Her mom unlocked the door to their sedan and put Priss in. Priss didn't really like the sedan. Her dad didn't let them drive the cool cars. She didn't know what to call them other than that. All she knew was they went a lot faster than any sedan.

It wasn't a long drive to get to the club because they lived in downtown Tokyo and the club was located only streets away. But in Tokyo, streets away meant leaving their nice, clean part of Tokyo, to a more noticeably seedy area. Priss always wondered why her father even wanted a club in such an area. After all, where they lived was a lot prettier.

They pulled up to the neon sign reading "The Pit" and the accompanying building, a behemoth of steel and windows, with spray paint here and there. Priss didn't like the spray paint. It made the building look ugly.

Her mom led her through the front doors to the inside of the club. It was covered with neon signs, in the shape of women mostly. This was the reason Priss really wasn't allowed here. Well, that and the clientele of drunks and other types of people her mom didn't approve of. Her mother shielded her from the smutty neon shapes to see that her father was coming.

Mr. Asagiri was a tall man, like his wife with deep brown hair and the same caramel eyes as Priss had.

"Daddy!" she said, running toward him.

"Hi Priss," he said sweetly, kneeling to her level.

"Daddy I'm so glad to be here!" Priss exclaimed.

"I'm glad you're here too Priss," he said. "Are you ready, honey?" he asked his wife.

She merely nodded. "I think I'll go get ready now."

She walked past them, heading for the dressing rooms across the club.

"Priss, you're certainly in for a treat," her father said.

"Where is everyone Daddy?" Priss asked, now noticing all the tables and chairs were empty.

"Well, we haven't opened yet, It'll fill up."

Priss nodded. "Why'd we come so early, then?"

"I want to show you something, Priss," he said. He got back to full height and took Priss's hand and led her behind the bar that flanked them.

There was a door that read "Authorized Personnel Only" which he opened and walked into.

Inside there were scattered mops and large bottle of cleaning solutions, but on the far wall there was something Priss had never seen before.

It was strange looking. It looked like a square that was round on the top. There was a plastic shield on the side, with orange light emitting out. But Priss, being as short as he was, couldn't see much else.

"What is this Daddy?" she asked.

"It's a jukebox," he answered simply. "Rather outdated. It was my grandmother's."

"What does it do?"

"Well, you just pick a song from the list here," he said, pointing to the book. "And then it plays it for you."

"I can't see the top, Daddy," Priss said.

He smiled and picked her up by the waist, taking her up to the top of the juke box. Priss could now see a pane of glass that concealed a book near the top. Inside the book were names of singers and songs, none of which Priss had ever heard of.

"Why are you showing me this Daddy?"

He thought for a moment, putting his daughter back on the ground. "Priss, I just wanted you to know that this is yours. It's my gift to you here and now. I want you to have it."

"Why are you giving it to me?"

"Well, you know music is a big part of your mother's life and mine. I want it to be a big part of your life too," he said, looking at Priss intensely. "This is how I learned to sing, listening to these old songs."

Priss wasn't quite sure what to say. "Th-thank you Daddy," she finally decided upon.

He suddenly became very serious. "I want you to take care of this when I'm gone. I want you to remember me by it."

"Daddy is something wrong?"

"No honey," he said with a glazed over look in his eyes. "I should get some things together before we open. Don't stray away from this room or the floor out there."

Mr. Asagiri left the room, leaving the door open. Priss decided that exploring the juke box was more inviting than venturing out into the mass of tables and chairs.

She turned back to the orange glow of the juke box. She tried figuring out how the thing actually worked, but couldn't come up with any way. There were certainly no buttons to press that looked like a start button.

Becoming slightly frustrated, Priss kicked the juke box. Which was probably not the best thing to do, as, on contact, her foot immediately throbbed in pan. She grabbed the said foot and began jumping around on her other foot and screaming in pain. Priss did not have a high pain tolerance.

Her mother rushed in, in sparkly dress and all. "What's the matter Priss?" she asked, already examining the foot Priss was holding.

"I kicked that juke box," Priss explained. "It wouldn't turn on."

Mrs. Asagiri smiled. "I think you'll be alright then."

There were salty tears trickling down Priss's cheek, which her mother wiped away with her hand. "But I want to hear the music," Priss pouted.

Her mom smiled. "I haven't used this thing in a long time," she looked upon the box with nostalgia.

"You know how to turn it on, though, right?" Priss asked.

"We'll have to see," she answered, standing up.

She began examining it. It didn't seem like she was looking just for how to start it up, but remembering things about it she had, most likely, long forgotten.

"Find it?" Priss asked.

Her mother shook her had slightly, as if just being brought back to reality. "Ah, here it is," she said, now finding a metal slot located on the front of the machine.

"How does that work?"

"You put a coin in," she explained. She took her change purse, made of the same glittery fabric as her dress, and began rummaging through for a coin. She took one out and handed it to Priss. "Here, you put it in."

Priss took the coin as if it was foreign to her, though it certainly wasn't. She shoved the coin into the slot and looked back at her mother. "Now what?"

"You choose a song," she answered.

"You choose it Mommy," Priss said.

Her mother smiled again. "Alright," she began looking through the booklet. "This one used to be one of my favorites back when I was your age," she explained, pressing a button.

A scratchy noise emitted from the box before finally letting the song through. Priss didn't recognize the lady singing, but she decided she liked it still the same.

In my heart

You'll find nothing but love

For you, for you

In my head

You'll find nothing but a song for you

The lyrics may have been a bit cheesy, but the sweet melody took Priss in. It was like being hypnotized by sound.

When her mother shook her slightly, Priss felt like she had that morning when her mom shook her awake. It was like a sleep state.

"Priss, are you okay?" her mom asked, looking at her daughter with slight concern.

When Priss finally regained consciousness (essentially), she realized the song was over. "The song's over already…"

"Yes. When it ended I looked down at you and you looked like you were hypnotized or something." Her mom looked at her young daughters, concern etched noticeably on her face.

"I think I was Mommy," Priss answered simply.

****

A/N: That's Chapter 1. Pretty long by Umi-chan standards. I had a lot fun writing this and doing the research. I actually have to delve into some more BGC pages to find out a little more about our young Priss. If any of this doesn't comply with your own BGC knowledge, I'm sorry. This is more so how I view Priss then what the series may have said, or not said. I would especially like to thank iamfanboy for pre-reading this and picking every sentence apart. I really needed that with this particular fic.

As far as future chapters, I really do need to do some research before I continue too much further. I also have a few other fics I am working on, and a few other ideas I'd like to write as well.

I've worked on this Chapter 1 for two months, off and on. I don't think I've put as much work into any chapter for any other fic as I have here. I'd really appreciate any feedback you may have.

And, if you feel Priss is OOC, keep in mind she is six. She's not bitter…yet.

Oh, and those song lyrics…they're mine. I don't think any true songwriter could write such cheesy lyrics. Oh well, I think it fits all the same.