Haunted || Leo Valdez

82 - We Eat M.C. Donald's For Linner

They got McDonald's on the way back. The cashier in the drive-through seemed to think Leo looked a little young to be driving, but Anne used the Mist to cover their backs, and the cashier didn't say another word about it.

"Why do we call it 'McDonald's' instead of 'M.C. Donald's?' " Anne wondered as she ate her McNuggets.

"Because it would sound like a stupid rapper's name," Rebecca said. She popped a fry into Leo's mouth. Henry insisted Leo keep both hands on the steering wheel, but Anne was almost positive he thought this was cute as well as safe.

Cleves let out a snort. "Like, 'Eyo, it's ya boy M.C. Donald's!' "

Leo loudly imitated an airhorn while honking the actual horn. "M.C. Donald's in da house!"

"Oh gods," Rebecca said, laughing.

There was much celebrating when the team arrived back at the house. Anne still couldn't believe Leo had been able to find it and grab it while the crabby professor was busy getting them kicked out of the chapel. Anne decided she was going to have to keep an eye on her stuff from now on.

They all agreed to read the prophecy later at dinner and swarmed around the kitchen table. Anne decided it was time for what she called "entertaining arguments."

Anne started it. "Ducks are better than rabbits."

"What?" Henry exclaimed. "Rabbits are adorable. Have you ever been in a fight with a duck? Ducks are jerks."

"Have you ever been in a fight with a duck?" Leo asked.

"No, but when I was four, I got chased by one... Or was that a goose? Geese are jerks, too. All large birds are jerks."

"Duck is delicious!" Howard said. "Rabbit is all gamey."

"We're not talking about flavor, Howard," Aragon snapped.

"Flavor counts!" Cleves said.

"Who carries around a duck's foot for good luck?" Rebecca asked. "Anyone?"

"You wrap yourself in a comforter stuffed with rabbit hair," Aragon said. "I'll wrap myself in a comforter stuffed with duck feathers! Who's cozier?"

"Okay, but- "

"NO, NO, NO, NO. WHO'S COZIER?"

"Then why don't we take a rabbit, a duck, stick 'em in a cardboard box and let them fight it out!" Leo suggested.

"Because it's illegal, Leo!" Rebecca exasperated.

"Only if we bet on it, Rebecca!"

Anne could only stare at the chaos she'd created.

"Okay!" Cleves interrupted. "Next discussion! It's about ovens!"

Howard immediately perked up. "Ovens? I like ovens!"

"Go ahead, Cleves," said Parr, who'd just been watching the discussion play out.

"Why is it called an oven... when you of in the cold food... and of out hot eat the food?"

There was a long, confused pause.

"What?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I didn't understand it either," Cleves said, shrugging. "Found it on Reddit... you know how that goes."

Anne had never been on Reddit, so she in fact did not know how it went, but she decided she would take a look at it as soon as she got the chance.

"It was kind of stupid, you know, how long I spent laughing at it," Cleves continued. "Woke up poor Howard..."