Aru Shah and the Soul Trident

Spill the Tea...or Lava

Rudy thumped his chest and gave a smug grin. "Of course, cuz! I am a prince, you know! I've obviously had training!" Aiden looked like he didn't believe him, but didn't press on.

"What about the SSS?" Aru asked. "You said that we could borrow it."

"Ah, about that," Agni said, crossing his arms. "I don't exactly have it in the armory. Rather, I have given it to the Vamana for safe-keeping."

The who? Aru asked through the mind-link. Her sisters, however, didn't respond. Well, that was just rude.

"Where do we find them?" Brynne asked, sounding a bit irritated.

"Patience," soothed Agni. "They are not far away. After you get your weapons from here, the Vamanas' abode will soon open up to you," he said mysteriously.

Then, after receiving reluctant nods from the Potatoes, he clapped his hands together and announced, "Well, Pandavas," and after receiving glares from Aiden and Rudy, he added, "And Pandava-adjacents, I will leave you to it. Oh, and by the way," he said, pointing at the lava running down the walls. "The armory's floors need to be bathed in lava in about ten minutes. So I suggest you better get to it quickly." Then, without another word, he burst into flames and disappeared.

The Potatoes were stunned into silence.

"TEN MINUTES?!!" Mini shrieked. "If the lava even touches any of us, it could melt off our skin and bones, and then we could-"

"Die?" The rest of the Potatoes finished.

"Well, let's start looking then," Brynne said with a huge sigh. She wandered off into the maces aisle, while Rudy dragged Aiden to the arrows and bows aisle to help him find a good bow.

Aru stuck with Mini and followed her into the swords and spears section.

"You know," Aru said, "This reminds me of Home Depot."

Mini nodded, but she didn't seem to be listening to Aru.

"Mini?"

"Hm?" She asked in surprise. Aru noticed that Mini's ears were strangely red.

Aru frowned. "Mini, are you feeling okay?"

"Yup," she squeaked. "I was just thinking of something..." Mini's eyes wandered off to the section that Aiden and Rudy were at. Aru followed her gaze, then smirking, she asked, "Or someone?"

She was spot on. Mini's face flushed red, and Aru didn't think it was because of the high temperature inside.

A strong hand whacked Aru's shoulder and nearly sent her tumbling to the floor.

"Did you two find your weapons? I got mine already." Brynne whirled her new ruby-studded mace in the air and showed it off to them with a smug smile on her face.

"Brynne!" Aru complained, rubbing her shoulder. "Watch it!"

Brynne shrugged, then saw Mini's slightly embarrassed expression.

"What's up, Mini? Why do you look constipated?"

"I'm not constipated!" Mini exclaimed. "I- I just..."

"Have made a little progress with your crush?" Aru filled in, waggling her eyebrows at her red-faced sister.

"Ooh, really?" Brynne asked eagerly. "Spill the tea!"

Mini averted her eyes. After a couple of seconds, in a near-whisper she said, "I may have-um- hugged him-"

"YOU WHAT?!" Aru and Brynne exclaimed at the same time.