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Camilla and Amber had forgotten about the agreement to search the secret room with Fabian and Nina. The two girls were tucked up in Amber's bed, with green face masks on and the end of the last harry potter playing on Amber's laptop when Nina excitedly burst into the room talking about a secret door she had found in the room. Though her excitement diminished when Camilla asked how they got through to the room. Clearly, that hadn't been figured out just yet. At least they had a small victory of finding the tunnels, it would get Nina to stop moaning about how impossible everything was – they weren't looking for cup pieces they were literally trying to outsmart Thee top Egyptologist of all time - Robert Frobisher Smyth. The man had hidden the mask for a reason it wasn't going to be easy to get it back.
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Breakfast the next day they ran over everything as Sibuna, "So we found our hidden tunnel system," Nina started the moment it was just the four of them, "it's behind the bookshelf."
"So, we knock down the bookshelf and storm ahead!" Camilla sarcastically commented through a mouthful of toast.
"I'm sure there is a more subtle way Cam," Fabian disapprovingly told her causing her to pull a face at him which he was more than happy to copy, causing smiles on Nina and Amber's faces. "we need to find a way to trigger its opening," Fabian spoke after a few seconds of pulling a face at his sister, "so I was thinking we go back down there later tonight?"
The girls nodded just as the rest of their house came sleepily into the dining room.
"Woah!" Jerome laughed as he took in the sight of the breakfast table. Trudy had gone all out due to the fact it was Mick's last day, everything the boy had even mentioned loving was on the table. "Trudy? How many people are actually leaving?!" he asked jokingly as he slipped into what was now his seat next to Camilla. With the whole Amfie thing he and Alfie seemed to have swapped though neither were complaining much about it. Alfie got to sit next to his hot girlfriend and Jerome... well, he wasn't going to complain about sitting next to Camilla. Even if it came with a notebook on how to make her the perfect cup of tea – something Alfie had presented to him on their first day back.
Trudy smiled sadly at the boy as she wandered from the kitchen with yet another pile of toast – Camilla had eaten most of the stuff on the table already – "well..." she said as she looked around at them all, "Mick isn't the only one..." this caused all the Anubis housemates to stop what they were doing and look at her. "I've been offered a job," she told them all, "Assistant curator at the exhibition!" Camilla could hear the excitement in her voice and unlike some people (Alfie who did a spit take and the look on Amber's face telling the girl she wasn't happy) Camilla couldn't be more excited for Trudy. If she was working at the exhibition then it wasn't like they were never going to see her again, they could all still go seek her out for advice or hugs when they needed her, but the woman was having an adventure of her own.
"That's amazing Trudy!" Camilla smiled at the woman.
"Congratulations!" Nina smiled at her too.
"First Mick now you..." Amber bitterly said, "since when did everyone get so selfish." They all knew Amber didn't mean those words but the girl just couldn't quite say what she wanted to say about how upset she was Trudy wasn't going to be in the house anymore. Last year Trudy's leaving hit Amber hardest and clearly the thought of going through that again was not something Amber wanted to do. "I need you, Trudy!" Amber told the woman honestly.
"What if we get someone who doesn't think it's funny to pull spaghetti out your nose!" Alfie asked this being a genuine horrible idea for him, causing Camilla and Jerome to instantly burst out laughing.
"You'll always have Camilla and Jerome who'll laugh at that disgusting habit." Fabian sarcastically reassured the boy across the table.
"Don't... please!" Trudy begged them all, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at them all, her Anubis chicks. "I'm missing you all already." She told them all honestly.
At this moment Mick wandered into the room, his eyes on Mara who the moment she saw him because awfully busy handing out bowls to everyone – Camilla had no clue what Mick had done the two where adorably in love up until a few weeks ago. She'd assume Mara would at least smile at him on his last day but whatever it is he had done it was bad enough that she was still giving him the cold shoulder. What bothered her was the look Jerome was giving Mara, she knew he was worried because clearly the girl was very upset and Camilla didn't blame him at all for being worried about her in that respect but there was something else too, a slight hopefulness as if he now stood a shot. What disturbed Camilla the most was she didn't understand why she didn't like that look on his face as he looked to Mara.
Trudy, along with the rest of the house, noticed the interaction and decided to break the tension, "so Mick? One more day and its..." Trudy put on a fake accent, "G'day Australia!" Mick along with the rest of the house laughed at the woman's break in the tension.
"ready for boot camp?" Fabian asked his roommate with a smile.
Mick sent them all a grimace, "really not." He answered good-naturedly. "I guess I need to get back down to my PB? Right Mara?" he asked the girl causing her to finally look at him. Mara, however, didn't say anything at all, all she did was turn and walk into the kitchen clearly to get more food for Trudy.
Trudy pointed Mick to the table but he waved her off with a shrug, before wandering out the room too. Clearly, he had given up trying when it came to Mara.
The moment he was out the room Trudy turned to them all with her game face on, she was determined to make this the best day of Mick's life. "Alright come on! What are we going to do for his send-off?" she asked them all. "I've got enough food in there to feed a Mick..."
"I'm thinking..." Joy spoke up from the bottom of the table, "operation make it seem like we don't care and then we jump out and tell him we love him?!" she asked.
Camilla and Alfie nodding but giving each other the same look – the operation name was way too long. It had to be zingy like Operation G'day or something, but neither were going to counter Joy at that moment.
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Magic class that day didn't go well at all. Victor seemed to be in his own little world wandering around The Lab mumbling away to himself about some book coming, which got on Camilla's nerves to the point she actually shouted, "Vicky, I don't speak mumble..." causing the man to look up startled for a second as if he had forgotten Camilla was even in the room with him. Of course, he went back to his mumbling seconds later causing the girl to groan and grab the book she had been reading and her book bag. She'd have more luck working in the school than with the Victor at that moment. Though the moment she walked to the front doors of the school, Amber, Nina and Fabian were all walking out of the school. Amber grabbed the girl's arm with the sing-song call of "Sibuna!" to inform her they were going to try to see if they could get past the hidden door.
"Trudy will be in the library so we can..." Nina told them as they wandered into the living room to see Trudy wasn't in the library starting her new job, nope she was in the kitchen baking even more things for Mick's surprise party. "Oh..."
"Of course!" Fabian gasped as he realised the same thing Camilla did, clearly, they had all forgotten about the plans made that morning, "Mick's leaving party! We'll never get past."
"Shame..." Amber said not sounding at all like she hated the fact they couldn't go down to the creepy hidden room under the house to look for the entrance of a creepy tunnel. "Let's go choose what to wear!" she said causing Camilla to instantly find a way to go to the creepy tunnels. She loved Amber she did, but her outfit choosing sessions could take hours and Camilla didn't have the will power for that.
"Or," Nina spoke up with a smile turning to Camilla, "Camilla can borrow the cellar key from Victor's office?"
Camilla looked at Nina her eyes widening, "why am I borrowing the key?"
"Because for some reason this term he is letting you away with loads," Nina shrugged causing Fabian and Amber to shuffle nervously until the realised the other had done those movements and looked in shock to one another. Least now Amber and Fabian knew the other knew of the Magic classes.
"Fine!" Camilla groaned, turning and walking out of the room and up the stairs. Nina on her heels laughing at the girl's begrudging response ignoring Amber hissing something to Fabian before the two were roped into helping Trudy set up for Mick's party.
Victor's office was empty so Nina decided to push her luck too, the American running to the case to steal with cellar key whilst Camilla tickled Corbierre under his chin with a smile watching her. Nina expertly navigated her way towards where Victor kept his keys, grabbing a bobby pin to use on the lock. However, it was all way to easy, and in Anubis house, nothing was ever that easy.
Camilla turned as she heard shouts from the hallway and ran to the window looking down to see Victor on the stairs and Fabian running after him. Camilla hissed at Nina to crouch down and she could only hope the girl could escape if Fabian gave him enough of a distraction. Of course, they had moved things around in Victor's office – chairs and Papers (Cos Camilla is nosey) so she had too take one for the team and be found in the office. Dumping the book, she had been reading in their magic class onto Victor's desk she was hoping she could pretend to have been using his office as a study space.
"Victor!" Fabian screamed causing the man to stop at the top of the stairs, Nina opening Victor's door, her play was to crawl along the landing, leaving the door open in hope's it made Camilla's story more realistic.
"Yes!" Victor demanded, "is it an emergency?!"
"Mick? Mick?" Fabian said looking down as the boy had his things and was leaving. "what are you doing? You're not going, are you?"
Mick glanced from Fabian to Victor, "Yeah... I thought I'd get an earlier train. I hate goodbyes."
"Well, I must prepare for the exhibition!" Victor yelled at Fabian, "so if you have nothing of any consequence to say...."
Fabian couldn't see Nina out the door yet, "WAIT!" He screamed as he raced up the stairs, seeing Victor glance towards his office where Camilla was sat, her legs on his desk, book open and for a second a smile appeared on his face before a scowl appeared as he turned to deal with her twin brother. "Victor its party time!" Fabian screamed causing the two girls in Victor's office to look at each other with smiles. "FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW!" Fabian started to sing to Mick loudly, thankfully this seemed to annoy Victor enough he moved towards Fabian and gave Nina enough time to crawl along the landing and around him.
"I did not authorise any party!" Victor said menacingly.
"eh, bit early Fabian!" Trudy called up to the boy as Nina got to her feet behind him. "We're not ready yet."
"Surprise!" they all called out to Mick causing him to look around at them all happily, Nina and Fabian glancing at Camilla with a smile. That was a close call.
Victor came into the room muttering about ridiculous children and wasting his time causing Camilla too look up at him over her book. "More mumbling Victor? I escaped the lab because of that."
"Did you know about the party?" Victor asked the girl as he sat down.
"Well, I wouldn't call it a party, more lots of junk food and us all chatting in the living room before Mick leaves." Camilla shrugged. She took in the man and let out a sigh, "want a cup of tea?"
"I'd love one." Was all he said, watching Camilla close her book, grab her school bag and leave his office.
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Amber insisted the girls needed to get ready the moment Camilla got downstairs again, but Camilla said she needed a cuppa and she'd meet them in their room. After dropping off a cup to Victor she rushed – as fast as one can with a boiling cup of tea – to her room to see Amber had raided her wardrobe and an outfit was on her bed waiting for her. High wasted cream trousers with a blue and red striped pattern going down the legs, matched with the Gucci belt her mother got her last Christmas, and a white cropped jumper was waiting for her, matched with her now normal heeled boots. Camilla raced to get out her uniform and into the outfit, admiring Amber's handy work once she was done the girl was a fashion queen. They didn't have too long to admire themselves though because they had to be downstairs for the party. The three girls raced into the dining room as Fabian led Mick down to the living room doors the boy's eyes shut.
After pushing open the living room door's Mick opened his eyes to the entirety of his housemates, well all but one, screaming, "SURPRISE!"
"Aww, guys!" Mick grinned at them all, "thanks so much... this is amazing!"
"Come and get some food!" Amber smiled at him, "Trudy's made a cake with your face on it!" Trudy proudly revealed the masterpiece of the cake with Mick's face on it too the boy.
"I'll be there in one sec," with that comment from the boy they all mulled around the table to start helping themselves to snacks. Missing the exchange between Fabian and Mick.
Camilla turned to Alfie and the two started up their usual game at these kinds of things; can they beat their record of 112 Jelly baby's caught by Alfie in a row.
"111," Jerome counted, "112..."
Alfie prepared himself as Camilla grabbed another jelly baby, this could be it. The girl threw it just as Joy and Patricia came back into the room – after talking to Mara – announcing they needed to take photos causing Amber to scream about fixing her makeup and the Alfie missed the Jelly baby! "NOOO!" Camilla and Alfie shouted together in defeat causing Fabian and Jerome to burst out laughing.
Once Amber had given the A-Okay a photoshoot started using their mobiles, all of them laughing and enjoying the last normality of them all being under the same roof. They had all (bar Nina) been living together since they were 11 years old. They had all practically grown up together, yes it was great to see Mick go off to do what he loves but it was a bittersweet kind of thing.
The photoshoot was ended as Trudy came into the living room, "Mick... that's your taxi here." They all looked to one another as the realisation that one of them was leaving washed over them all. Fabian instantly reached out to Camilla who reached out to him at the same time, both of them clinging to the other's hand tightly.
Mick let out a deep breath and looked around at them all, all the faces with wide smiles but tears in their eyes. This was his family for as long as he could remember and clearly, they were finding saying goodbye as hard as he was. Mick turned to Fabian first, unsurprised to see Camilla by his side, "Bye mate..." he whispered to his roommate, who let go of Camilla just to hug his friend. Mick then turned to Camilla, who's eyes where watering but they both knew the tears wouldn't fall, she wasn't going to let them, "keep him in check, make sure he doesn't get too serious when I'm gone Cam," Camilla chuckled and gave him a wink. She promised she'd look after Fabian.
Amber stepped forward next, "Bye mick," she whispered as the two hugged, before holding out the bracelet that had caused soo much trouble the year before, the one he had given an identical one to Mara "I hope you'll be okay, I wanted to give you this. I know it didn't exactly bring us much luck, but I bet things will be different in Australia."
"Thanks, Ambs..." Mick smiled at her. Camilla held a hand out to Amber who instantly took it, leaning her head to Camilla's as she took comfort from the girl. "No Mara?" Mick asked looking at them all, Patricia and Joy shaking their heads regretfully, "I guess, eh, I better be going then." With that, he led the group out towards where his taxi was waiting outside. Leaving the four Sibuna's in the living room.
Nina took in the picture of Fabian and Camilla, both of whom looked sad but if you didn't see their clenched hands you wouldn't think they were so affected by one of their house leaving, to Amber who's eyes were shut as she turned her head into Camilla's shoulder, the younger protector rubbing the blondes arm up and down for support. "You guys okay?" she asked softly, knowing the question was stupid because clearly they weren't but sometimes people didn't want sympathy to get over something they needed to do it in their own time.
"Yeah..." Fabian said weakly, his voice breaking a little.
"Let's do something to distract ourselves," Camilla offered.
"Victor's made himself scarce soo..." Fabian finished for Camilla.
Amber laughed as she wiped at her eyes, "I never thought I'd say this, but bring on the cellar." This caused the other three to let out laughs too and they all turned and ran to the kitchen. It was time they found how to open the hidden door.
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Robert Frobisher-Smyth's creepy office secret room was almost comforting as the four Sibuna's entered it. It was a welcome distraction to them all from the sad leaving party upstairs.
Nina went straight over to the bookcase and looked it over, "there's no hidden catch... but there this symbol of a bird on the top shelf, here..." Nina turned around to them.
Fabian glanced up and look in what Nina was saying, "I've seen that somewhere..." Nina raced over to them as Fabian started to look through the Amulets.
Camilla wandered over to the bookcase and take a look at what Nina was saying, "Fabby doesn't this remind you of..."
"The Ibis..." the twins spoke as one, Camilla turning around to see Fabian holding one of the amulets up.
"it's the symbol of Thoth," Camilla explained to Amber who looked confused.
"he is the god of wisdom and learning," Fabian added smiling at Camilla.
"He sounds awesome..." the sarcasm was heard in Amber's voice causing Camilla to laugh, Amber turned to her with realisation in her eyes. "I've seen that symbol before! On one of these books", she told them all, before she raced over to Camilla and searched the bookcase.
She found it and smiled at Camilla who rolled her eyes and leant against the bookcase, "yep here he is, our great crazy fun time god of mouldy old books!" as she spoke she pulled down on the book and they both heard the same mechanism sound. Before either of them could say anything, the book cause had swung around. Amber and Camilla where now in the tunnels.
"I take it back! Books are awesome! GUYS!" Amber called out, grabbing Camilla's hand as the two looked around.
There was a flashing light, and it seemed to scan them, from bottom up. Camilla flinched as it reached her but it flashed off her pendent of Isis and stopped, however, the beam didn't stop for Amber. As it hit the girl's eyes, she let out a scream and clutched onto Camilla.
"I can't see! Camilla, I can't see anything!" she screamed.
"GUYS!" Camilla bashed onto the bookcase trying to get Fabian and Nina's attention, along with comforting Amber who was hysterical, "GUYS!!!!"
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Sarah xxx