Chapter 38: — “Beach Chaos Chronicles: Part 3”

Mika squealed with excitement, hopping from one foot to the other as she held up her prize. “LOOK WHAT I FOUND!”

The jellyfish glimmered in the shallow sunlight, its translucent blue body shimmering with delicate patterns. It bobbed gently in the water as if waving hello, and Mika’s grin stretched from ear to ear.

Riku, Akari, and Kenji all turned toward her, eyebrows raised.

“Uh… Mika,” Riku said cautiously, stepping back, “what is that exactly?”

“This,” Mika announced dramatically, holding the jellyfish as though it were a trophy, “is COOKIES! My newest best friend!” She beamed. “And you guys are going to meet it… in person.”

Kenji tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly, trying to hide his amusement. “Cookies? That’s… an interesting name for a jellyfish.”

Sakura and Miyuki, who were a few steps behind, giggled quietly, whispering to each other. “Of course she’d name it something sweet,” Miyuki said.

Akari, crossing her arms and wrinkling her nose, took a hesitant step closer. “Mika… why exactly did you pick up a jellyfish? They’re slimy… and kind of gross,” she muttered, shivering slightly.

Mika glared at her sister. “Gross? GROSS?! Akari, you haven’t even touched it yet! You’re going to love it once you meet Cookies!”

Riku pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling in disbelief. “Mika, please… just put it back in the water. You don’t want to hurt it... or yourself.”

Mika tilted her head, giving him a look that could only be described as pure defiance. “NO! I am not putting Cookies back! This is a DEMONSTRATION! You’re going to touch it… all of you!”

Kenji raised an eyebrow, trying to stay calm. “I think I’ll pass. No offense, Mika, but I value my hands staying… normal.”

Akari groaned. “Yeah, no. I’m definitely not touching that slime blob.”

Mika’s eyes blazed with determination. “TOUCH IT! Feel the jelly… the sliminess… the magic!” She waved the jellyfish closer to them.

Riku stepped back instinctively. “Mika, seriously. I’m not doing that. You can’t just—”

“STOP TALKING AND TOUCH IT!” Mika shouted, holding the jellyfish toward him. Her cheeks flushed red, eyes shining with sheer determination.

Riku froze, glancing at Akari and Kenji. Both had the same reaction: frozen in place, unsure how to deal with Mika’s overwhelming energy.

Sakura and Miyuki, still giggling, whispered, “She’s serious…”

Mika, sensing their hesitation, stomped her foot in the sand. “I SAID TOUCH IT! COOKIES WILL LOVE YOU, I PROMISE!”

Kenji finally broke into a reluctant chuckle. “You’re really intense about this.”

Riku groaned, rubbing his temples. “Fine… but only for a second. Just… touch it with one finger.” He extended a trembling hand toward the jellyfish.

Mika’s face lit up like the sun. “YES! That’s the spirit, Riku!” She pushed his hand gently so it grazed the jellyfish. Riku jerked back instantly, his finger still wet and slightly slimy.

“GAAH! It’s so… slimy!” Riku yelled, wiping his finger on his shorts, flinching.

Akari, still hesitant, muttered, “I can’t… I just… no, I really can’t…”

“Come on, Akari! I know you’re curious! Just one finger! Feel the magic!” Mika pleaded, holding the jellyfish even closer.

Akari took a deep breath and, reluctantly, extended a single finger. The moment it brushed the jellyfish’s smooth, gelatinous surface, she recoiled slightly, her face twisted in both disgust and awe. “Ugh… it’s… slimey… but weirdly cool…”

Kenji leaned back, smirking at their reactions. “I’ll pass, honestly. I’ve seen enough slime in my life.”

Mika huffed, not entirely pleased with the response. “You guys are such cowards! Cookies is adorable!” She pressed the jellyfish closer to Kenji, who quickly dodged.

“Careful!” Riku shouted, stepping in. “Don’t poke him with it. You’ll hurt it!”

Mika, completely ignoring him, giggled. “I AM PROTECTING COOKIES!” She danced in the shallow water, holding her jellyfish high like a champion.

Sakura and Miyuki laughed uncontrollably. “She’s absolutely obsessed,” Sakura whispered.

Mika then twirled toward Riku and Akari, holding the jellyfish up. “Okay, okay! Now everyone, ONCE MORE! TOUCH COOKIES!”

Riku groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose again. “Mika… enough! You’re going to make everyone wet and sticky.”

Akari muttered under her breath, a blush creeping onto her cheeks, “I can’t believe I’m letting her do this…”

Mika, completely ignoring their protests, placed the jellyfish gently on Akari’s hand. Akari froze. The jellyfish’s body quivered slightly as if sensing her hesitation.

“Ahhh… it’s so… slippery…” Akari whispered, wide-eyed.

“SEE? I told you! It’s amazing!” Mika squealed, clapping her hands. “Cookies is the best jellyfish in the world!”

Riku, still flinching, muttered, “I swear… she’s having more fun than anyone I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Kenji, pretending to be stern, said, “Alright, I think the demonstration’s done. I can’t handle this level of chaos.”

Mika, ignoring him, held the jellyfish triumphantly. “Not until you all accept Cookies as a friend!”

Akari sighed, rolling her eyes but smiling slightly. “Fine… Cookies is… cute, I guess.”

Mika’s grin could have lit up the entire beach. “YES! You guys finally understand! COOKIES IS FAMILY!”

Riku muttered under his breath, half amused, half exasperated, “Family I didn’t sign up for…”

Sakura and Miyuki giggled in agreement, watching the chaos unfold.

Mika carefully set the jellyfish down in the shallow water, letting it bob gently on the surface. “Alright, Cookies… stay safe. We’ll come back and play later!”

Riku shook his head, smiling faintly despite himself. “I don’t know how you manage to turn even a jellyfish into an adventure.”

Akari added, “And somehow, you make everyone get involved.”

Mika, jumping up and down, squealed, “That’s because COOKIES deserves the attention it’s worth!”

Kenji just shook his head with a small grin, muttering, “I can’t compete with a jellyfish.”

As the sun glinted off the waves and the group settled back on the bench, Mika’s laughter echoed across the small private beach, mixing with the gentle lapping of the water and the occasional giggles of her friends.

Even Riku had to admit, just a little, that this beach day had taken a turn for the unforgettable.

—

The sun had begun its slow descent, painting the sky with soft hues of orange and pink. The group had spent the entire day laughing, splashing, and causing minor chaos on the empty beach. Now, the time had come to pack up and head back. Towels, bags, and beach gear were being gathered in a pile near the edge of the sand, the rhythmic sound of waves filling the quiet moments between chatter.

Mika, of course, had one final mission: saying goodbye to her beloved jellyfish, Cookies.

“Riku! Wait!” she called, holding the tiny container in her hands, a perfectly fake pout plastered across her face.

“What now?” Riku groaned, tossing his towel onto his bag.

“You can’t just let me leave without saying goodbye to Cookies!” Mika whined, her eyes wide and watery, clearly faking a tear for dramatic effect.

Riku sighed, shaking his head, leaning back on his hands. “Mika… release it. It’s a jellyfish, not a stuffed toy. Let it go.”

Mika clutched the container to her chest, dramatically sniffing. “Nooo! I can’t! Cookies and I… we’re bonded forever!”

Riku rolled his eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck. “You’re pathetic, you know that, right?”

Mika feigned a sob, dramatically letting the container tilt just enough so Cookies bobbed gently in the water. “Goodbye, Cookies… promise you’ll take care of the beach while I’m gone!”

Riku groaned again, muttering under his breath, “I can’t believe I spent an entire day babysitting a jellyfish and a human at the same time…”

Sakura and Miyuki giggled quietly, exchanging looks of amusement as Mika blew a kiss toward the water, releasing Cookies to float freely back into the ocean.

Akari folded her arms, hiding a small smile. “She’s going to regret this as soon as she steps out of the water.”

Kenji just shook his head. “I swear… only Mika could make a jellyfish the highlight of the day.”

As the group began gathering their belongings and zipping up bags, a subtle shift in the air made Riku freeze.

“Do you guys feel that?” he asked, frowning.

“What?” Mika asked, distracted by trying to shove sand out of her sandals.

Riku’s eyes narrowed, scanning the horizon. “The sand… the water… something’s off.”

The moment he spoke, the wind picked up slightly, carrying with it a chill that didn’t belong to a warm evening beach. The sand rippled unnaturally, forming small, weird formal waves as though something below was moving it from underneath.

Mika tilted her head, frowning. “Uh… is that… normal?”

Akari’s hand went to her chest, a sense of unease washing over her. “No. That’s not normal.”

Riku took a step forward, fists clenching. “That’s not normal at all. Everyone… back up!”

Before anyone could react further, the water’s surface rippled violently. Tiny tendrils of shadow rose from the waves, writhing and crawling toward the shore with a hunger that made the hair on their arms stand on end.

The sand joined the movement, dark shapes forming that slithered and surged forward like snakes, leaving faint black trails in their wake.

“Wha—what the hell is that?!” Mika screamed, stumbling backward. Sakura and Miyuki shrieked in unison, clutching each other in fear.

Akari’s eyes widened, the color draining from her face. “Shadows… it’s him. He’s summoned them.”

Kenji’s hand went to his sword instinctively, eyes scanning the encroaching darkness. “This isn’t just a small attack. This is deliberate.”

Riku’s jaw clenched tightly, his fists balling at his sides. His voice rang out over the chaos, laced with anger and frustration. “DAMN IT! THE DEMON! HE SUMMONS SHADOWS HERE, OF ALL DAYS? RIGHT AFTER WE FINALLY GOT TO HAVE FUN?!”

Mika’s voice cracked as she tried to keep herself steady. “R-Riku… what do we... what do we do?!”

Akari crouched slightly, grabbing a handful of sand and muttering a spell under her breath. “We fight. We survive. Stay close!”

Kenji nodded grimly, stepping beside Riku. “We’ll handle this. But… we need to move fast.”

The shadows surged closer, rising higher, some already clawing toward them like living ink spilling from the earth and the sea. The waves licked at their feet, but these weren’t normal waves—these were extensions of the creeping darkness, reaching with sinister intent.

Mika shrieked again, tears brimming in her eyes. “Stay back! DON’T TOUCH US!”

Riku’s gaze hardened. “Mika, Sakura, Miyuki, behind us! Now!”

The three girls stumbled back, huddling together as Riku, Akari, and Kenji squared off against the emerging shadows.

Riku’s voice was sharp, laced with fury. “You picked the worst possible timing, demon! You ruined the only fun day we had!”

Akari muttered a spell, a glowing glyph appearing in her hand. “We’ll see about that…”

The shadows paused momentarily as if sensing the magic, then surged forward again, faster, more determined.

Mika, Sakura, and Miyuki screamed in unison as the first tendrils of darkness clawed at the sand near their feet.

Riku slammed his hands onto the sand, forming a defensive barrier. “I SWEAR… if you think you’re going to ruin today, demon… you’re about to find out just how wrong you are!”

Kenji readied himself beside him, while Akari’s eyes glimmered with determination, despite her lack of a proper fighting outfit.

The waves of shadow stretched further, tendrils rising higher and twisting, almost mocking them, and the sand continued to shift unnaturally beneath their feet.

Mika’s sobs turned into desperate cries. “RIKU! AKARI! KENJI! DON’T LET THEM GET US!”

Riku gritted his teeth. “We won’t! I swear… I’ll make you regret even thinking about attacking us on a beach day!”

And there, standing against the growing tide of darkness, the trio prepared for what could be the most dangerous battle of their lives, as the last rays of sunlight vanished behind a gray, stormy horizon.

The shadows surged forward, and the chapter ended on a tense cliffhanger, the calm beach day shattered into chaos, leaving the girls screaming and the boys ready to fight.