Chapter 23 - Time to Celebrate!

They had all seen something they wished they hadn't. Mr.Hugo and Trista had discovered the hidden laboratory conducting atrocities. Flo had watched a Lost Being being deliberately transformed into a weapon.

Raphael had learned that what happened to him might not have been an isolated incident.

And somehow, in the middle of all of it, they had ended up with even more questions than before.

[Next Morning]

Everyone gathered around the main table in stunned silence.

Flo finally broke it.

"So..."

She looked around the room.

"We're all in agreement that tonight was completely insane, right?"

Trista slowly raised her hand.

"Extremely."

Raphael nodded.

"Definitely."

Mr.Hugo sighed.

"Unfortunately."

Puff meowed from Raphael's lap.

Flo pointed at him.

"Even Puff agrees."

"S-She doesn't know what happened," Trista said.

Puff yawned.

Trista's expression became serious again.

"The worst part was that they weren't even pretending the Lost Beings were dangerous."

Flo nodded.

"I saw it happen. It was completely passive before they used NightGlow."

She looked down at the table, remembering the Lost Being floating helplessly above the platform.

"It was confused. That's all. It didn't attack anyone. It wasn't even trying to escape."

Raphael's expression darkened.

"And then they turned it into that."

"Yes."

Mr.Hugo placed the stolen documents on the table.

"We know how they're doing it now."

Flo looked at the papers.

"But not why."

"Not yet."

"Or who."

"Not yet."

Trista leaned back in her chair.

"So basically, we discovered an entire secret operation and somehow know less than we did yesterday." Flo sighed.

"That's usually how investigations work." Mr.Hugo said.

"I hate investigations." Raphael exclaimed.

"You picked the wrong friend group."

Raphael gave a quiet laugh.

Then his expression became thoughtful.

"They're selecting people who are easy to overlook."

Everyone went silent.

Raphael looked down at his hands.

"People who are lonely. People nobody is looking for. People who can disappear without anyone immediately asking where they went."

Flo's fingers curled slightly against the table.

"That's what connects them."

She looked at the documents again.

"Maybe that's why nobody noticed the Lost Beings before."

Trista nodded slowly.

"And why they were able to keep doing this."

Mr.Hugo tapped the list of locations.

"We still don't know how they choose the targets."

"Or where they take the people before they become Lost Beings," Flo added.

"Or who gives the orders," Trista said.

"Or how many of them there are," Raphael added.

Everyone looked at one another.

There was a long silence.

Then Flo leaned back in her chair and let out a tired groan.

"My brain hurts."

Trista nodded. "Same."

"I think we should stop for tonight."

Mr.Hugo looked at her. "You?"

Flo pointed at herself. "Yes, me. I know. Shocking."

Raphael smiled faintly. "Probably a good idea."

Flo glanced at the documents one last time. "We'll figure it out tomorrow."

Mr.Hugo nodded. "Agreed."

Nobody wanted to look at the papers anymore. Not tonight. They had seen enough.

BANG!

The front door flew open.

"GUYS!"

Everyone jumped.

Amelia stood in the doorway, practically glowing.

Her hair was slightly messy, her cheeks were flushed and she was clutching a crisp piece of paper in both hands.

Nobody had ever seen her look so happy.

She lifted the paper high above her head.

"I GOT IN!"

Everyone stared at her. For approximately three seconds, nobody reacted. Then the Observatory exploded.

"WHAT?!"

"YOU GOT IN?!"

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

"MON AMII!"

Raphael nearly dropped his cup.

Trista immediately jumped out of her chair and ran towards her.

Flo practically launched herself across the room.

"YOU DID IT!"

"I DID!"

"You actually did it!"

"I KNOW!"

They hugged so tightly that Amelia nearly lost her balance.

Mr.Hugo smiled warmly from his chair. "Congratulations, Amelia."

Amelia beamed. "Thank you, Mr.Hugo! Thank you everyone"

She looked around the room. At Flo. Trista. Mr.Hugo.

Then finally at Puff, who was sitting on the main table and looking completely unimpressed by her lifetime achievement.

"...Even you, Puff."

Puff blinked slowly.

"Meow."

"Thank you."

Flo was already wiping her eyes.

Amelia turned towards her.

"You're crying again?"

"I'm happy!"

"You've been crying for five minutes!"

"Because I'm happy!"

Amelia laughed.

"You're ridiculous."

"I know."

Then Flo suddenly pointed at Amelia with an authoritative finger.

"We're celebrating."

Amelia's eyes lit up.

"YES."

Mr.Hugo raised an eyebrow.

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

Trista smiled.

"I think we need it."

Raphael nodded.

"Definitely."

Flo cast one last glance towards the dark documents lying on the table.

They could deal with them tomorrow. Tonight belonged to Amelia.

"Nobody talks about the investigation tonight."

Mr.Hugo nodded.

"Agreed."

Amelia raised both hands in victory.

"THEN LET'S GO!"

[1 hour later]

They were nowhere near the Observatory or the Academy.

The group had ended up in an old, bustling night market tucked into the riverside district on the other side of the city.

It was nothing like the quiet mountain where they spent most of their time.

Strings of warm, golden lights hung between old brick buildings. Small food stalls lined the cobbled streets and tiny shops sold everything from handmade jewellery to ridiculous stuffed animals.

Music drifted through the night air. Children ran between the stalls. Someone was playing a badly tuned flute somewhere nearby. It was loud, crowded and wonderfully normal.

Flo looked around with wide, bright eyes. "I've never been here before."

"Of course you haven't," Amelia teased. "You spend all your time underground."

"We have a very nice underground!"

"You have a laboratory."

"We have snacks."

"That doesn't make it better."

"It does to me."

Puff meowed from inside Flo's arms.

Flo immediately hugged him tighter.

"See? Puff agrees." Puff did not look particularly convinced.

Perry suddenly appeared from behind a row of stalls, carrying a large paper bag.

Everyone turned.

Perry raised the bag proudly.

"Special Peri Peri Fries."

Amelia's face lit up instantly.

"YOU BROUGHT THEM?!"

"Obviously."

He opened the bag.

The mouth-watering, spicy aroma immediately filled the air.

Flo exclaimed, "Oh my god."

Trista leaned closer.

"Those smell amazing."

Raphael looked suspiciously at Perry.

"Why are they called special?"

Perry looked deeply offended.

"Because I made them special."

"How?"

"More peri peri."

Raphael stared at him.

"That's not a special technique."

"It is if you have enough courage."

Amelia immediately reached into the bag and grabbed a handful. She popped one into her mouth. Her eyes instantly watered. "OH."

Flo looked concerned. "Too spicy?"

Amelia shook her head violently. "No." She grabbed another. "PERFECT."

Perry nodded proudly. "I know they are."

The evening passed far more easily than anyone had expected.

They wandered through the winding market, tried strange street foods, played ridiculous carnival games and argued endlessly over who was allowed to choose the next stall.

At one tiny craft booth, Flo suddenly stopped.

"Cae."

Caecilius was at one of the booths.

Caecilius looked over.

"What are you doing here?"

“My little cousin brother loves the candies from here. I am buying some for him.”

“Hey Caecilius, what’s up? Why dont you join us? My treat, I got in The Defense Squad!”

“Congratulations,” Caecilius smiled.

And so, he joined the party.

While walking Flo pointed towards a shelf at one of the booths.

"Look."

Caecilius followed her gaze.

A tiny white stuffed creature sat among the other handmade toys.

It had enormous ears and a completely ridiculous expression.

Flo picked it up.

"Isn't it cute?"

"It's... small."

"That's not an answer."

"It is objectively small."

"Cae."

He looked down at her.

She was holding the stuffed animal against her chest, smiling at it as though she had just discovered the greatest scientific breakthrough in human history.

He sighed softly.

"Yes. It's cute."

Flo smiled radiantly.

"I knew you'd agree."

She grinned and turned back towards the stall.

Caecilius watched her for a moment.

Then, quietly, he reached for his wallet.

Flo turned around.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

The stall owner handed Caecilius the little bag.

He held it out to Flo.

She stared at him.

"You bought it?"

"You wanted it."

"But..."

"You've been looking at it for five minutes."

Flo's cheeks warmed.

"I wasn't looking at it for five minutes."

"Seven."

She stared at him.

"You counted?"

He immediately looked away. "No."

Flo smiled. "You're weird."

"So are you."

She hugged the little stuffed animal to her chest. "Thank you."

Caecilius gave a quiet nod. "You're welcome."

Neither of them noticed Amelia watching from several metres away. Amelia slowly turned towards Trista. Trista looked at her. Amelia looked at Trista. Trista looked back at Flo and Caecilius. Then back at Amelia. Neither girl said a word. They didn't need to.

Later that evening, the group found a quiet spot near the river.

They sat together on the wooden steps leading down towards the water, sharing whatever food they had collected throughout the night.

The city lights reflected across the dark, rippling surface.

Flo sat beside Amelia.

Raphael was on the other side of Trista.

Mr.Hugo sat slightly behind them on a higher step.

Perry was still happily munching on his Peri Peri Fries.

And Caecilius sat directly beside Flo.

For once, nobody was discussing Lost Beings.

Nobody was discussing the Authority.

Nobody was discussing the missing people or the strange, dark incidents looming over their city.

They were simply there.

Together.

Bathed in the warm glow of the night market.

Amelia pulled out the acceptance letter again, looking down at the official seal.

"I still can't believe it."

Flo smiled softly.

"You worked so hard for this."

"I know."

"You've been training for months."

"I know."

"You nearly broke your arm twice."

"Okay, I don't need that part brought up!"

Everyone laughed.

Amelia looked around at her friends.

Her competitive smile softened into something deeply sincere.

"I couldn't have done it without you guys."

Flo immediately shook her head.

"Nope."

"What?"

"You did it."

Amelia looked at her.

"You did the work."

Amelia smiled.

"You're really annoying when you're sincere."

A few minutes later, everyone shifted around on the wooden steps to make space for the scattered wrappers and drinks. Flo moved over slightly, still cradling her little stuffed animal beneath her arm, when Caecilius quietly sat down right beside her.

Flo looked over at him, blinking in surprise. "There's plenty of space over there," she said, pointing toward the wide, open spot on the far side of the group.

"I know."

"Then why are you sitting here?"

Caecilius glanced out toward the dark, reflecting river. "Because there's space here too."

Flo looked at the small gap between them, then back up at his face. "Oh." She quickly turned back toward the water, her cheeks warming just a bit as she settled into the step.

Caecilius glanced down at the tiny stuffed animal tucked snugly under her arm. "You're still carrying that?"

Flo looked down at it protectively. "Of course."

"I thought you'd put it in your bag by now."

"Why would I do that?" She hugged the plushie slightly tighter against her chest. "It's cute."

Caecilius looked at her for a lingering moment, his dark eyes soft. "I suppose it is."

Flo's eyes narrowed slightly as she caught his gaze. "You're talking about the plushie, right?"

"What else would I be talking about?"

Flo stared at him for a second, her breath catching, before quickly looking away toward the city lights. "Nothing."

Caecilius smiled faintly, leaning back on his hands. "Good."

He glanced back at her sideways, taking in the faint tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. "Are you going to cry again?"

Flo immediately looked offended, whipping her head back around. "No!"

"You were crying five minutes ago."

"That was different!"

"How?"

"You're making things up."

Caecilius gave a small, rare smile. "Maybe."

Flo narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "You're annoying."

"I've been told."

He quieted down, his expression turning softer as he watched her fuss with the plushie's oversized ears. "You're good at that, you know."

Flo blinked, catching the sudden shift in his tone. "At what?"

"Making people feel like they did something worth being proud of," Caecilius said softly, his voice almost lost to the gentle sound of the river below. "With Amelia tonight. With everyone."

Flo stared at him, caught completely off guard.

She looked down at the little white plushie resting in her lap, her thumb tracing its soft fabric. The noise of the market and their friends' laughter seemed to fade into the background for a quiet second.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome."

Flo smiled quietly to herself, hugging the stuffed animal just a little closer as they sat side by side in the night air.

Their shoulders were almost touching.

Neither moved away.

Neither seemed particularly interested in acknowledging the lack of space between them.

A few quiet seconds passed.

Then Flo shifted slightly.

Her arm brushed against his.

Caecilius went still for half a second.

Flo noticed and looked up at him.

He looked back down at her.

Neither said anything.

Then,

"WHO TOOK MY FRIES?!"

Perry's voice echoed through the entire riverside.

Everyone jumped.

The moment instantly shattered.

Flo burst out laughing.

Caecilius let out a long sigh.

Amelia immediately pointed towards Raphael.

"He did it!"

Raphael's eyes widened.

"I DID NOT!"

Trista joined in.

"You were sitting closest to them!"

"I was sitting right here the entire time!"

Perry looked utterly betrayed.

"My special Peri Peri Fries..."

A small rustling sound came from beside him.

Everyone went silent.

Puff was sitting beside the open bag.

Flo slowly looked down.

"Puff."

Puff looked at her.

Then at the fries.

Then back at her.

"No."

Puff meowed.

"Absolutely not."

Puff reached out a paw towards one.

Flo quickly snatched the bag away.

"No spicy fries for you!"

Puff made the cutest sad face ever
“Okay fine, have them all.”

“Why do you pamper that devil so much,” Mr.Hugo snarled at the cat.

"I can't help it!! She's too cute, I'm gonna cryyy!"

"Not again, Flo!"

And here come the rivers.

Amelia started laughing so hard she nearly fell off the step.

Soon everyone else joined in.

The night continued like that.

Messy.

Loud.

Ridiculous.

Warm.

For one night, they were not researchers, Defence Squad members, ability users or GPS investigators chasing a dark mystery that grew larger by the day.

They were simply friends celebrating one of their own.

And perhaps, after everything they had seen, that was exactly what they needed.

Caecilius glanced towards Flo again.

She was laughing with Amelia, the tiny white stuffed animal still tucked safely under one arm.

A faint smile touched his lips.

Flo caught him looking.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You smiled."

"I did not."

"You did!"

He looked away towards the dark water.

"You're imagining things."

Flo narrowed her eyes playfully.

Then she smiled.

"Maybe."