⭐️Chapter 6: Party
And of course, no nightmares again.
Rider actually intentionally slept in, texting the others he'd be late for said reason.
Flip meanwhile, was the one who couldn't sleep this time. At least they knew now that they could see the shadowlings coming beforehand. But even so, they were so QUICK in the dark that it would be like trying to outrun a swimming squid.
The group had met up in the square again, sitting down in the chairs by Crusty Sean's truck. They noticed Flip.
"So, did it go well?" Emperor asked.
"Way." She mumbled, while trying to keep her eyelids from drooping, "Way too well."
This was even worse that what she thought.
"So you found something?!" Gloves said.
"Mmmhmmm...." She knew how Rider, Gloves and Goggles must've felt.
"WHAT?!" The whole group practically yelled at her all at once, and that got her up.
"GAH!"
"Tell us more!" Gloves said, leaning in eagerly.
"Well...I know what's causing the strange markings and bodies dropping...?" She said, still shaken from the yells.
"What is it?!" Hachi said in a worried, 'this is serious' voice.
Flip gulped. How was she supposed to explain....THAT? What happened in front of her?
"I...I can only describe it as possession for now...the shadowlings...possess citizens...and then just leave them."
"Like that?" Prince asked, almost in a whisper.
"Yeah, but it's so odd. You'd figure maybe they'd want to manipulate people or something, but no?" Flip shrugged.
"Wait Hachi, you said they were weakened, right? The ones affected?" Emperor turned to him.
"Yes, why?"
"Do you think maybe..." He looked at everyone.
"They couldn't be..." Nana made the connections.
"They're trying to weaken us?!" Goggles shouted.
"Well, we have raised awareness about it so I don't really know why they're still going." Nana sighed, shrugging.
'I should've yelled at the one I saw...' Flip thought, regretting her choices. Then again, it wasn't entirely her fault, she didn't know what was going to happen.
"You know what we need?" Gloves perked up.
"What?" Goggles turned to look at him, unsure if he should be happy or...
"A party, to cheer people up."
"Didn't Aloha have that idea?" Prince asked, initially to Emperor, but loud enough for everyone else to hear.
"He did? Huh." Gloves thought.
"Well it wouldn't hurt to try I guess." Rider said.
"Yeah, I agree." Goggles smiled.
"We can ask the other squidbeak to help." Hachi said.
"Right." Gloves nodded.
"By the way, Rider." Emperor turned to him.
"Hmm?"
"Has your sleep returned normal as well?"
"I think it has...and I don't know what that's supposed to mean..."
Indeed, Rider wasn't sure if he should be glad about it or not. Maybe it was a going to be a sucker punch and the nightmares would return? Maybe they had only stopped for NOW? Maybe they were completely over? To be fair, he had already been through some crazy squit in his life, and it was understandable for him to be paranoid about this.
"Odd..." Emperor turned away.
"Maybe the shadowlings got so involved in this possession stuff, they forgot to give ye nightmares!" Goggles half-joked.
"Maybe..." Rider murmured.
That was a possibility too.
"Now, it's time to plan a party!" Gloves continued.
"But what kind? A big, flashy kind to make people excited?" Flip asked.
"You know what? Why not!" Gloves was HYPED to get this thing started.
"Alriiight!" Goggles was also ready for parties. Anytime, to be honest.
"When should we have it?" Rider asked.
"Maybe the day after tomorrow? Night?" Nana suggested.
"Uh, are we sure we want it to be night time?" Gloves asked.
"Yeah, so the lights will show" Flip turned to look at him.
"Oh. Right."
Rider suddenly thought about the possibility of shadowlings showing up and wrecking the party.
Prince took out his notepad and began writing down ideas for the party.
"Someone has to get Off the Hook" Gloves said suddenly, turning to the group.
"Why do they need to be involved?" Rider didn't see the need for them, the party could go on without them.
"Because this shadowling issue has been going on for a while, and it'd be great for others to know that they care about it"
Gloves turned back to the list.
"Right..."
They had already spread awareness about it, but now they were going to do this? What if the shadowlings noticed? To be honest, Rider didn't think that was a good idea.
Meanwhile, Prince wrote down the standard things needed for a party.
'Food, tables, dance space, lights(?), music...'
The rest of the day was spent planning the party.
Inklings and Octolings would watch them with curiosity and mild interest, some chatting amongst themselves, others whispering.
"Do we even have the budget for this?" Rider groaned. Sometimes, these ideas were just a little too much.
"That's where Off the Hook comes in!" Gloves smiled. He knew what he was doing. At least, he thought so.
"Oh" Rider thought. "Ho boy."
"Why? Is there a problem?" Gloves asked.
"Just...I'm concerned. What if the shadowlings see we're having a party and decide to invade and wreck it?" Rider wasn't sure about creating a literal beacon to their location.
"Well it least we'll know their intentions."
"GLOVES!" Rider yelled.
"What? I'm not wrong, right?" Gloves went back to checking the list.
"You remember what happened with the SKYLINGS, don't you?"
Rider was really close to Gloves now, as if he was going to punch him the second he said something stupid.
"Yeah, so?"
"Gloves, the same thing could happen again, but WORSE."
"Hey, don't look at me, Flip and Nana suggested the night thing!"
I mean. That was true.
"I still don't like the idea of it..." Rider backed off some.
"Hey Flip, you're positive about the lights thing? Nana, Nighttime?" Gloves turned to her.
"Yeah, with all the lights blaring, we'll be able to see any shadowlings hiding!" Flip seemed awfully sure.
"Agreed!" Nana added.
"I'm not so sure about tha-"
"Don't worry Rider, it'll be fine!" Gloves turned back to Rider.
"Ugh, if you say so..."
And so operation party began.