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The good news is I am finally back to writing! It's been quite a while, eh?
The bad news is that I can't guarantee when the next episode will be uploaded in full, but I'm working on it now! My main goal is to get this next episode out ASAP, but in the meantime my goals are:
1) To update the site with small changes and upgrades I planned (medium priority, none of these will be huge so it's unlikely to take away too much focus from my main goal)
2) To lightly edit a bit of the art from past episodes to add details I forgot/didn't originally add (low priority, only doing it so long as it doesn't take my attention away from making the next episode)
3) To overall promote this series more, because I have a bad habit of not doing much to get eyes on my stuff and then going "why does no one care about my stuff?" (high priority, i need to get better at this and i want this series to succeed)
While I am still dealing with hospital visits and other real life issues and responsibilities, I am determined to get back to this. I wanted to wait until I was "feeling better", but there is a large chance I will not be feeling better any time soon, or possibly ever again if these hospital visits are anything to go by. So I'm gonna try my best to just keep going with this, and hopefully get some episodes in the backlog for future moments like this.
Still busy and in and out of the hospital so not been able to get the next episode out yet but I was considering a very slight design change for Caramella
Still busy and in and out of the hospital so not been able to get the next episode out yet but I was considering a very slight design change for Caramella
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Still busy and in and out of the hospital so not been able to get the next episode out yet but I was considering a very slight design change for Caramella
Hey everybody, sorry to push the next episode back again, but unfortunately I am experiencing some pretty bad health issues and have been in and out of the clinic often, so haven't had much time to write or draw.
Really sorry, I hate to leave you all without a solid date for the next episode, but I can't guarantee anything until this is dealt with.
I might need to change the release schedule to be three weeks at a time instead of biweekly... I'm finding it so hard to keep up with the biweekly format.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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[You used to be someone I gave everything up for.]
The amber glow of a flickering streetlamp buzzed softly above, casting shifting shadows on the empty road below. Anna stood beneath it, her shoulders hunched slightly as she waited at the crosswalk. Her uniform was smeared with Ghoul ichor - dried streaks of dark shimmer tracing the folds of her skirt - and her short hair, pulled up into two cute puffs of twin tails, clung damply to her face, tousled by wind and sweat. She looked young, her face still round with traces of adolescence, her eyes wide and unsteady in the low light.
It was quiet, the kind of quiet that rang in her ears after a fight. Her breathing slowed. She hugged herself.
Then - light footsteps.
Before Anna could fully turn, Bella appeared beside her in a burst of motion. Her long blonde hair seemed to catch the light in golden ribbons, framing a face lit up with excitement and relief.
"You okay?" Bella asked, already reaching for Anna's hand.
Anna didn't answer at first. Just seeing Bella - safe, smiling, real - seemed to undo something tight in her chest. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and gripped Bella's hand like an anchor.
"Yeah," Anna said at last, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Now I am."
—
The apartment had settled into something resembling routine. Morning light pooled across the mismatched furniture, casting soft shapes across the worn hardwood floor. Anna sat at the kitchen table with a mug of tea, gently swirling it, lost in thought.
On the beanbag chair in the corner - its fabric sagging with love and overuse - Jack lounged with his legs kicked up, flipping through a glossy magazine about alien sightings. The cover read "Alien Love Languages: What the Government Doesn't Want You to Know."
Sabine, half-draped across the couch, stared at the TV, only half-engaged. The sounds of clashing swords and judges yelling about quenches and grain structure suggested Forged in Fire.
In the sunlit window, Caramella lay curled like a cat, snoring faintly, her tail twitching every few seconds.
It was a rare moment of peace.
That is, until Chocola burst into the room with all the fanfare of a prize announcement, a thick folder clutched under her tiny arm.
"Congratulations, team!" she declared, beaming. "We have now officially been cleared for our very first mission!"
Even Caramella stirred at that, lifting her head sleepily and blinking at Chocola.
Anna set down her mug gently. "What kind of Ghoul did they give us?"
Chocola opened the folder with a flourish. "It seems to be classified currently as an Overwhelmer and a Stressor."
Sabine nodded immediately, her expression unreadable. "Should be easy."
Jack sat up, the magazine sliding from his lap. "Uh... So I definitely paid attention to the Ghoul classification thingie during training, obviously, but uhm..." He scratched his neck. "Let's say hypothetically, someone didn't."
Sabine groaned, already rubbing her forehead. "Oh god."
Jack pressed on. "So... what would you say to that hypothetical guy so he can understand what that means?"
Anna stifled a laugh behind her hand. Chocola, ever gracious, smiled sweetly at Jack and explained:
"An Overwhelmer is a Ghoul made from sensations that are... well, too much. Too loud, too colourful, too chaotic. Like walking into a store with twenty TVs all playing different things."
Jack nodded seriously.
"A Stressor," Chocola continued, "is made from unpredictable emotional stress. Things like arguments, panic attacks, work anxiety. Very messy, very sharp."
Jack gave a thumbs-up and a cartoonishly bright smile. "Got it! Sensory overload plus breakdown vibes."
"Exactly," Chocola said, clearly pleased. She turned back to her papers. "Now then. The Ghoul has been located at a family entertainment center near Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27."
Sabine groaned audibly this time. "Oh no. A kid's place."
Anna, quieter, looked down. "Do you think it might be... emotional residue from both children and adults?"
Sabine's frown deepened. "Probably." Then, muttering under her breath, "Those are the worst."
"And we'll have to figure out how to get there," Anna added.
"What? No we don't!" Jack said, almost offended by the implication.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Sabine raised an eyebrow. "What, you got a car?"
Jack grinned like a game show contestant. "Yuppers!"
A long, pregnant pause followed.
Sabine narrowed her eyes. "You serious?"
Jack placed a hand on his chest, mock-wounded. "You never believe me, Sabs! I'm telling you, I've got us covered."
Anna hesitated. "Uhm... I don't mean to sound rude, but... is it... at least a nice car?"
Jack beamed. "Oh, she's the best car you'll ever see!"
With that, he practically launched himself out of his beanbag chair, heading straight for the door. He barely even closed it behind him, earning a tired sigh from Chocola.
The group scattered briefly to prepare - grabbing their weapons, re-checking the paperwork, and transforming - just to get it out of the way.
Anna lingered at the table, staring at the folder Chocola left behind. Her fingers hovered over the folder. Names and codes, symptoms and summaries - but none of it ever said how to make things stay okay.
Sabine passed by, wiping her spear down as she walked. "You good?"
"Yeah." Anna stood straighter, brushing her skirt flat. "I'm good."
Jack popped his head back in from the hall. "Car's ready! And she's magnificent, just so you all know."
"God help us," Sabine muttered as they all moved to follow him out.
—
The group emerged from the back of the apartment complex into the modest parking lot, sunlight reflecting off windshields and metal bumpers in pale glints. Jack led the way with the confidence of a man on a mission. Sabine followed close behind, eyeing each vehicle with a growing sense of suspicion, clearly trying to guess which one belonged to him. Anna trailed behind them, visibly self-conscious in her transformed outfit - still not used to the idea of walking around like that in broad daylight again.
Beneath their feet, Chocola darted ahead efficiently, always avoiding ankles and trailing laces with practiced care. Caramella, on the other hand, zigzagged like a child on too much sugar, deliberately colliding into shins and heels like an overexcited pinball and laughing maniacally as she did so.
They passed sleek sedans, shiny electric cars, even a luxury coupe with tinted windows.
Then Jack stopped.
"Here she is!" he declared triumphantly.
The car was, in a word, catastrophic. Once, long ago, it might have been an early 2000s Dodge Grand Caravan. Now it looked like it had been through a demolition derby, a hurricane, and a low-budget science experiment - possibly in that order. Dents, scratches, and weather-beaten patches covered nearly every inch of its body. Whole sections of purple paint had peeled away to reveal the dull gray metal underneath. The front bumper sagged pitifully, held in place by multiple strips of duct tape.
Jack beamed with pride, extending his arms like a showman before a grand reveal.
"Presenting to you, my dear associates, my most beloved and loyal steed - " He gave the battered hood a theatrical slap. "Lady Balthazette the Twice-Crushed!"
There was a moment of perfect silence.
Then Caramella burst out laughing. It was a full-bodied, wheezing sort of laugh - the kind that forced her to sit down, tail curling with glee. Anna clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to hold it in, but she cracked anyway, a quiet giggle building into full-on laughter.
Sabine, however, looked like she'd just watched a car crash happen in slow motion.
Even Chocola blinked once, long and slow, her expression unreadable.
Caramella wiped her eyes. "Oh my god, I might be in love with you. That's the best shit I've heard in years!"
Without missing a beat, Chocola leaned in toward her, suddenly very serious. "Don't say that kind of thing out loud, Caramella." Then, with her usual gentle cadence: "But yes, she has quite the... personality, I see."
Anna was still chuckling as she asked, "So - so is that... your usual naming style?"
Jack nodded proudly. "Absolutely! Only the finest for those under my care."
He leaned forward conspiratorially, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. "But beware... for when the sun goes down..." He raised a hand, eyes wide with faux dread, "Lady Balthazette reveals her cursed evil form - Queen Gristle, The Coffin Maiden!"
That was it. Anna broke into loud laughter, clutching her stomach. Caramella howled beside her, nearly falling over from the force of it. Chocola gave the barest of amused huffs, and Sabine - stoic as she was - rubbed her forehead like she was preparing for a very long day.
They piled into the van.
Jack slid into the driver's seat with practiced ease. Sabine begrudgingly took the front passenger seat, grimacing as the door creaked ominously on its hinges. Anna climbed into the back, settling in beside Chocola and Caramella.
Inside, the van was no less chaotic. Paper stars hung from the ceiling, suspended by curling strings that had been taped up at odd angles. The stars twirled slowly with every bump and jostle.
Sabine, tall and perpetually annoyed, kept bumping them with her head. Her glare deepened with each tap. Anna, overwhelmed by the strange clutter and sudden closeness, stared out the window to ground herself. Chocola had already pulled out her paperwork again, diligently scanning the mission brief and completely ignoring the quirky interior.
Caramella, meanwhile, swatted lazily at the stars above, giggling softly like she was trying to catch snowflakes.
And with that, Lady Balthazette the Twice-Crushed sputtered to life with a grumble and a wheeze, carrying the team off to their very first proper mission.
—
The van groaned to a stop in the parking lot of a garish children's entertainment center. The building loomed like a candy-colored monstrosity: loud signage, cartoon mascots, and over-bright window decals plastered over every inch of the facade. Outside, clusters of nervous onlookers lingered at a cautious distance. Parents clutched their children. Teenagers loitered uncertainly near bikes and scooters. A tension hung in the air - something palpable, like the smell before a lightning storm.
The doors to Lady Balthazette swung open, and the team stepped out into the hot pavement.
Almost immediately, a woman jogged over from the crowd. "Oh! Are you the backup team?"
Sabine froze mid-step. "...Backup team?" Her brow furrowed, then her expression darkened as the realization struck. "Oh, goddamn it."
Without another word, she broke into a run toward the building.
"Wait - why are we rushing?" Jack shouted as he scrambled to catch up, nearly tripping over his own feet.
The restaurant-playplace hybrid was clearly meant to be joyful: plastic slides snaked overhead, garish murals lined the walls, and an arcade of blinking machines screamed and bleeped at irregular intervals. But the air was wrong. The light was wrong. Everything was just slightly off - too bright, too loud, like a dream slowly becoming a nightmare. The colors, originally cheerful reds, greens, and blues, had all been warped and dulled by the radiating pressure of the Ghoul.
Not that the Ghoul needed to be found.
It towered above everything else, grotesquely wearing the architecture of the building itself. A massive avian creature, vaguely goose-like in silhouette, stood where the play structure met the ceiling. Its body was made of warped materials: its wings and tail were formed from the same translucent plastic partitions used in play tunnels, curved and jagged like knives. Drapes of mesh netting hung off its back like decaying feathers. Its feet were massive and reptilian, crashing against the tiled floor with every shift of weight.
And its head - its awful, lopsided head - was made of interlocking plastic panels. A "bill" snapped open and shut, and from it emerged the sound of hell: a thousand children shrieking in overstimulated joy, layered beneath the sharp, grating voices of adults shouting over one another. A single roar from the creature sent that sound crashing into them like a tidal wave.
Jack and Anna both staggered back. Chocola winced. Caramella even shrieked, covering her ears and curling up into a ball. Sabine, however, gritted her teeth and forced herself upright.
Her grip tightened around her spear.
She charged.
But before she could land a blow, a sharp, deafening crack echoed through the building.
A gunshot.
The Ghoul recoiled, staggering away from her. Its long neck snapped toward the opposite end of the room.
Sabine skidded to a halt, eyes narrowing.
Jack and Anna rushed in behind her, both poised to join the fray.
Chocola trailed behind, trying to get Caramella back up and ready for the fight.
But Anna stopped dead in her tracks.
Her breath hitched.
She looked toward the direction of the gunshot - and saw a figure illuminated in the shafts of dusty sunlight that cut through the dirty windows.
A magical girl stood across the room, dressed head-to-toe in perfect Bureau regulation pink. Her dress was decorated in polka dots, strikingly similar in cut to Anna's own. Long, golden-blonde hair shimmered in the light as she raised a sparkling pink pistol, leveling it at the monster with steady, practiced hands.
The glint in her eyes hadn't changed.
Anna's voice escaped her in a breath, barely audible.
"Bella...!"
—
[Song: Turn the Lights Off by Tally Hall]
Bella didn't waste time. The moment her pistol gleamed in the light, she fired again. The crack of the bullet rang out, and the Ghoul bellowed in fury. The screeching sound from its plastic "bill" was pure cacophony - children's laughter and the sound of intense fighting twisted into something sharp and wrong.
A long pink ribbon fluttered out behind Bella's back, trailing like a streamer in the wind. Anna's breath caught in her throat.
Espresso. He was here too - Bella's Keeper. Of course he was. Close. Always close.
The ribbon pulled taut. Bella leapt backward just in time, her movement fluid as the Ghoul slammed its monstrous head down into the space she'd just vacated.
From the side, Sabine struck.
With a war cry and swift motion, she hurled her chains around the Ghoul's serpentine neck. They caught with a clank, yanking tight. The Ghoul screeched in surprise, stumbling. Jack followed close behind, his red cape flaring as he twirled his scepter like a baton.
With a flourish and a burst of red light, a perfect copy of Sabine flickered into existence just beside her.
The Ghoul, eyes too big and too colourful, tried to track them both. Its head swiveled, disoriented. Both Sabines sprinted toward it in unison.
Jack grinned wildly. "Alright, let's try this now!"
He spun his scepter again. The jewel at the top lit up, and a cascade of flashing, animated hearts surrounded the creature's head in a chaotic ring. The Ghoul howled again, flailing.
Sabine didn't waste the opportunity. Her spear sliced across its plastic-mesh body, cutting deep, ichor spilling from the gash. From the other side, Bella's glitter-pink bullets ripped through its torso in sharp succession.
Back at the edge of the room, Anna stood frozen.
She wasn't even sure if she was breathing.
Jack's laughter echoed like an arcade cabinet glitching out - but when he turned and caught sight of Anna, his face faltered.
"...You good?"
Anna startled. "Huh? OH!"
Snapping back to the present, she lurched forward, drawing her cutlass and rushing in awkwardly. She gave the Ghoul's tail a pitiful slash - barely a graze, but enough to draw attention.
The tail whipped back.
It smashed into Anna like a truck.
She flew, crashing into the base of one of the children's slides with a sickening thud. Her cutlass clattered to the floor.
Jack was too startled to keep his illusion up - the bright hearts surrounding the Ghoul vanished in an instant.
Anna's ears rang. The lights overhead swam. She blinked - once, twice - and saw the Ghoul rear back, tail rising again, this time to swing at the others.
"Anna!" Sabine spun around - the real one, the illusory clone still running its fake route, dodging the Ghouls attacks but focused only on it. "Are you alright, kid?"
Anna gritted her teeth as she tried to sit up. "That one hurt."
The Ghoul reared back, realizing the illusion was a bluff. With one massive foot, it stomped the clone out of existence, and its horrible gaze turned to Anna and Sabine.
The room filled with noise again.
That sound. That warped tidal wave of screaming children and bickering parents - distorted through the Ghoul's plastic throat and amplified a hundredfold. It hit them like a bomb.
Sabine pushed forward, desperate to shield Anna -
But then:
A web of pink ribbons surged overhead, criss-crossing the ceiling like scaffolding.
Bella stood atop the latticework, perfectly poised, ribbons fluttering from her back like wings. Her pistol gleamed again in her outstretched hand.
She jumped.
For a brief moment, she hung in the air, framed by cheap party lights and the wild eyes of the beast below her.
The Ghoul looked up, startled, just as she aimed her weapon directly down its throat.
BLAM.
Iridescent purple ichor erupted from its mouth and sprayed down like rain. The sound of the Ghoul's screech warped, mangled mid-roar. Bella didn't fall - her ribbons snapped taut behind her, catching her descent and lowering her gently to the ground like she was on wires.
She landed in a crouch.
With a sharp twist of her arm, the ribbons around her flared outward - and then snapped inward around the Ghoul. Dozens of them wrapped the creature like a thousand nooses, grabbing every inch of its wretched body. There was a sickening crunch as the magic cut through the Ghoul's frame. It writhed and screamed, flailing in agony.
Chunks of the creature's body began to fall.
Caramella, finally joining the action, darted forward with a cheerful little squeal, catching the pieces like a raccoon at a buffet.
Bella's expression soured.
"This is our kill!" she said coldly. She walked over and raised one pointed boot -
And kicked at Caramella like she was swatting a pest.
Caramella leapt back before the boot could connect, her voice rising indignantly. "Hey!"
For a split second, no one moved. The kick hadn't landed - but it had hit something else.
Anna inhaled sharply. Sabine's scowl darkened. Jack flinched forward, a hand half-lifting as if to stop her - but Sabine's arm shot out, barring his path. Even Chocola, normally placid and unreadable, looked murderously still.
Bella's glare was withering. "Only my Eater can clean it. We're the ones who killed it."
From the other side of the battlefield, another Eater emerged.
He was larger than Caramella, with glossy pastel-blue fur and a collar adorned with a dull pink bell, which lightly jingled as he moved. His movements were graceful and polished - practiced, like someone used to being watched.
Vanillin didn't say anything. He didn't even look at her. He simply moved to the remains and began to eat, mechanical and efficient.
Caramella watched him with wide, angry eyes, her claws twitching uselessly at her sides.
She didn’t say anything else. But the way she stood - tail stiff, hackles just barely raised - said enough.
—
The silence that followed was loud.
The Ghoul was gone, devoured piece by piece - but the weight in the room lingered like the greasy air of the restaurant. No one moved. No one spoke. Both teams stared across the ruined battlefield of plastic slides and ichor-slick foam mats.
On one end stood Anna, still slumped against the dented slide, her shoulders tight and her eyes downcast. Jack and Sabine flanked her like an improvised barrier, scuffed and bruised but upright.
Caramella hung back, her posture unusually small, standing just behind Jack's cape. Her fingers tapped the floor in quick, agitated beats.
On the other end of the room stood Bella.
The pink of her polka-dot dress sparkled under the flickering lights. Her glittery pistol was still clutched in her hand - not relaxed, not holstered, but held, like she wasn't done using it. Her expression was nothing like the cheerful promotional art of her plastered on Bureau posters.
No dazzling smile. No sparkling wink.
Only cold, sharpened eyes.
Flanking her were her companions.
Espresso was a sleek, soft-brown furred Keeper with downturned ears and a crisp blue scarf. He stood still, face unreadable, voice unspoken - but it was clear he was watching everything.
And then there was Vanillin.
He was pastel and plush in every way - blue and pink fur fluffed like cotton candy, beige horns gently curved. The pink bell on his collar jingled faintly. He didn't meet anyone's gaze. His eyes stayed fixed on the floor like he might disappear if he held still enough.
Then Bella took a step forward.
Her lips curled into something like a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Well, well." Her tone was bitter, full of contempt. "Look who finally came crawling back to the Bureau."
Anna flinched as if struck. Her head turned to the side, away from Bella's gaze.
Bella's smile twisted - growing bitter, warped. Like she'd been hoping for that exact reaction.
"What, can't look your former best friend in the eye anymore?"
Sabine stepped between them, slow and deliberate, her glare a solid wall of steel.
"Why did you steal our kill?"
Bella's eyes flicked toward her. The false cheer dropped from her face like a mask falling away.
"Your response window was exceeded. Standard protocol authorizes higher-tier intervention. We can't wait in these situations."
A brief, cutting glance toward Anna. Then back to Sabine.
"Unlike some of you, I'm not a coward willing to let bystanders get hurt."
Jack stepped forward like a fuse had finally reached the powder keg.
"Hey, what's your problem? We were doing pretty good!" He pointed toward Anna. "And she did great! Why are you being so rude to her?"
A beat. "And treating Caramella like that, too?! Was that called for???"
Bella scoffed, the sound sharp and bright like a coin flipping.
"Great?" She laughed, once. "That's what she calls great now? And that little rabid rat of yours should know when to leave a Ghoul feast to the professionals."
Caramella growled, her fur bristling. "You wanna say that to my face, you low-budget, knockoff, whorehouse Barbie?!"
She bared her claws - but before she could pounce, Chocola stepped forward, calm but fierce.
"Please. Let's not make a scene here." Her tone was level, collected - but her eyes never left Bella's. There was fire behind them.
Espresso, quiet until now, moved up beside Bella. His voice broke through like a soft foghorn.
"As much as I hate to admit it... she's right." His tone was flat and weary - like every word cost him. But it carried that signature, Keeper-deep hum: calm, gentle, soothing by nature. Even now, it soothed like static before a storm.
"We're going to get nowhere if we butt heads here. We can sort it out when we report to HQ."
Chocola nodded tightly.
Around her, the tension remained. Jack's fists were clenched. Sabine's mouth was drawn tight like a wound. Anna still didn't look up.
Caramella hovered behind Jack and Sabine, unwilling to be anywhere near Bella. The fire hadn't left her eyes.
Bella rolled hers, sighing dramatically - but took a step back.
Then, surprisingly -
A soft voice spoke up from behind her.
"Uhm... we may want to hurry. If we linger in this environment it may affect our emotional well-being." He spoke like a breeze: hesitant, barely above a whisper. Nothing like Caramella's scratchy, volatile tone. He didn't lift his gaze. His fur was still dusted with shimmering Ghoul gore.
Espresso nodded, something almost like fondness in his eyes. "Good call. Let's go, then. Everyone."
One by one, Bella's team began to move - avoiding eye contact, shoulders stiff, posture elegant but distant.
Chocola sternly watched as they left, like a mother making sure her child marched straight to their room.
Jack watched them leave, eyes blazing.
Sabine didn't turn her back until they were out of reach.
Caramella muttered something too quiet to hear.
Anna... didn't move at all.
And as both teams exited the garish ruins of the children's restaurant, the gap between them felt far wider than the neon-lit hallways that stretched ahead.
—
Somehow, the tension hadn't left.
Hours had passed. The team was home now - out of uniform, out of that horrible restaurant, paperwork turned in, wounds treated. And still, it lingered. The silence wasn't comfortable. It was brittle.
Anna sat curled on the couch, shoulders folded inward, eyes still avoiding everyone else in the room.
Sabine was at the table, head resting against her intertwined fingers, her leg bouncing rapidly under her chair like a loose wire about to snap.
Jack sat in his beanbag, quietly working on some sort of paper craft - cutting and folding strips of colored paper with an intense focus. No jokes. No grins. His smile was gone.
And Caramella was on the windowsill, fur ruffled, eating a bag of Cheetos like she wanted to fight them.
Then, finally, Chocola entered the room.
She looked uncharacteristically guilty, her tail low, ears slightly back as she moved to sit at the table. "I'm sorry today's mission didn't work out, everyone."
Sabine's leg stopped bouncing. Her hands dropped from her face. And then -
"I can't fucking believe this."
She twisted around in her chair, fury sharp and direct. "WHY didn't you say anything about having an old teammate with a GRUDGE? We could have prepared for a kill steal instead of just getting there and being humiliated!"
Chocola spoke up gently, trying to keep the peace. "Sabine, please, this isn't the time - "
"WHY not? I thought this team could at least do our JOBS. But instead, we have to deal with a stupid, useless feud - "
Anna spoke now, barely above a whisper. "...I'm sorry, that was my fault."
The words hit the air like a thread snapping. Quiet. Raw.
Sabine hesitated.
Anna still didn't lift her eyes. Tears shimmered beneath her lashes. She didn't blink them away.
"You SHOULD be sorry..."
But there was less fire in it now. She sounded less like a scolding mother and more like someone trying to convince herself she was still angry enough to yell.
"If it weren't for you, we would have gotten the credit. We wouldn't be sitting here like failures. We would be - "
"Sabine, please."
Sabine froze. Jack wasn't looking at her, but his voice carried a kind of softness he rarely used. It completely disarmed her instantly.
"Can we not fight, please? We've had enough today."
Sabine's mouth opened - and then closed. Her anger fizzled into something smaller. She shook her head and sat back down, exhausted.
Chocola exhaled slowly. No one said anything.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then, without a word, Caramella reached into her Cheeto bag and pulled one out. She handed it to Jack.
Jack looked at her, blinked once, and took it. He gave her a small nod.
Then, in a quiet flurry of movement, Caramella jumped onto the couch behind Anna. She leaned forward and held out a Cheeto like a peace offering.
Anna looked at it. Then at Caramella. Then took it with a sniffle.
Caramella jumped again, this time landing square on the table. She placed one Cheeto each in front of Chocola and Sabine.
Chocola smiled warmly. Sabine stared at hers like it was both a challenge and a joke - but she took it.
Caramella stood up tall on the table, puffed out her little chest, dramatically thrust her remaining Cheeto in the air and with great pride declared:
"FOOD FIXES EVERYTHING!"
The moment froze for half a second.
Then -
The tension cracked.
Not in a big, explosive way. There was no wild laughter or tears of joy. Just soft chuckles. The kind that bubble up once the anger starts to cool and everyone realizes they've survived the worst of it.
Anna wiped her eyes.
Sabine let her shoulders drop.
Jack smiled again.
Chocola leaned against the table, calm returning to her posture.
Caramella beamed, her fingers still dusted with bright orange powder.
And for the first time that day, the room didn't feel like it was about to explode.
[You used to be someone I gave everything up for.]
The amber glow of a flickering streetlamp buzzed softly above, casting shifting shadows on the empty road below. Anna stood beneath it, her shoulders hunched slightly as she waited at the crosswalk. Her uniform was smeared with Ghoul ichor - dried streaks of dark shimmer tracing the folds of her skirt - and her short hair, pulled up into two cute puffs of twin tails, clung damply to her face, tousled by wind and sweat. She looked young, her face still round with traces of adolescence, her eyes wide and unsteady in the low light.
It was quiet, the kind of quiet that rang in her ears after a fight. Her breathing slowed. She hugged herself.
Then - light footsteps.
Before Anna could fully turn, Bella appeared beside her in a burst of motion. Her long blonde hair seemed to catch the light in golden ribbons, framing a face lit up with excitement and relief.
"You okay?" Bella asked, already reaching for Anna's hand.
Anna didn't answer at first. Just seeing Bella - safe, smiling, real - seemed to undo something tight in her chest. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and gripped Bella's hand like an anchor.
"Yeah," Anna said at last, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Now I am."
—
The apartment had settled into something resembling routine. Morning light pooled across the mismatched furniture, casting soft shapes across the worn hardwood floor. Anna sat at the kitchen table with a mug of tea, gently swirling it, lost in thought.
On the beanbag chair in the corner - its fabric sagging with love and overuse - Jack lounged with his legs kicked up, flipping through a glossy magazine about alien sightings. The cover read "Alien Love Languages: What the Government Doesn't Want You to Know."
Sabine, half-draped across the couch, stared at the TV, only half-engaged. The sounds of clashing swords and judges yelling about quenches and grain structure suggested Forged in Fire.
In the sunlit window, Caramella lay curled like a cat, snoring faintly, her tail twitching every few seconds.
It was a rare moment of peace.
That is, until Chocola burst into the room with all the fanfare of a prize announcement, a thick folder clutched under her tiny arm.
"Congratulations, team!" she declared, beaming. "We have now officially been cleared for our very first mission!"
Even Caramella stirred at that, lifting her head sleepily and blinking at Chocola.
Anna set down her mug gently. "What kind of Ghoul did they give us?"
Chocola opened the folder with a flourish. "It seems to be classified currently as an Overwhelmer and a Stressor."
Sabine nodded immediately, her expression unreadable. "Should be easy."
Jack sat up, the magazine sliding from his lap. "Uh... So I definitely paid attention to the Ghoul classification thingie during training, obviously, but uhm..." He scratched his neck. "Let's say hypothetically, someone didn't."
Sabine groaned, already rubbing her forehead. "Oh god."
Jack pressed on. "So... what would you say to that hypothetical guy so he can understand what that means?"
Anna stifled a laugh behind her hand. Chocola, ever gracious, smiled sweetly at Jack and explained:
"An Overwhelmer is a Ghoul made from sensations that are... well, too much. Too loud, too colourful, too chaotic. Like walking into a store with twenty TVs all playing different things."
Jack nodded seriously.
"A Stressor," Chocola continued, "is made from unpredictable emotional stress. Things like arguments, panic attacks, work anxiety. Very messy, very sharp."
Jack gave a thumbs-up and a cartoonishly bright smile. "Got it! Sensory overload plus breakdown vibes."
"Exactly," Chocola said, clearly pleased. She turned back to her papers. "Now then. The Ghoul has been located at a family entertainment center near Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27."
Sabine groaned audibly this time. "Oh no. A kid's place."
Anna, quieter, looked down. "Do you think it might be... emotional residue from both children and adults?"
Sabine's frown deepened. "Probably." Then, muttering under her breath, "Those are the worst."
"And we'll have to figure out how to get there," Anna added.
"What? No we don't!" Jack said, almost offended by the implication.
Everyone turned to look at him.
Sabine raised an eyebrow. "What, you got a car?"
Jack grinned like a game show contestant. "Yuppers!"
A long, pregnant pause followed.
Sabine narrowed her eyes. "You serious?"
Jack placed a hand on his chest, mock-wounded. "You never believe me, Sabs! I'm telling you, I've got us covered."
Anna hesitated. "Uhm... I don't mean to sound rude, but... is it... at least a nice car?"
Jack beamed. "Oh, she's the best car you'll ever see!"
With that, he practically launched himself out of his beanbag chair, heading straight for the door. He barely even closed it behind him, earning a tired sigh from Chocola.
The group scattered briefly to prepare - grabbing their weapons, re-checking the paperwork, and transforming - just to get it out of the way.
Anna lingered at the table, staring at the folder Chocola left behind. Her fingers hovered over the folder. Names and codes, symptoms and summaries - but none of it ever said how to make things stay okay.
Sabine passed by, wiping her spear down as she walked. "You good?"
"Yeah." Anna stood straighter, brushing her skirt flat. "I'm good."
Jack popped his head back in from the hall. "Car's ready! And she's magnificent, just so you all know."
"God help us," Sabine muttered as they all moved to follow him out.
—
The group emerged from the back of the apartment complex into the modest parking lot, sunlight reflecting off windshields and metal bumpers in pale glints. Jack led the way with the confidence of a man on a mission. Sabine followed close behind, eyeing each vehicle with a growing sense of suspicion, clearly trying to guess which one belonged to him. Anna trailed behind them, visibly self-conscious in her transformed outfit - still not used to the idea of walking around like that in broad daylight again.
Beneath their feet, Chocola darted ahead efficiently, always avoiding ankles and trailing laces with practiced care. Caramella, on the other hand, zigzagged like a child on too much sugar, deliberately colliding into shins and heels like an overexcited pinball and laughing maniacally as she did so.
They passed sleek sedans, shiny electric cars, even a luxury coupe with tinted windows.
Then Jack stopped.
"Here she is!" he declared triumphantly.
The car was, in a word, catastrophic. Once, long ago, it might have been an early 2000s Dodge Grand Caravan. Now it looked like it had been through a demolition derby, a hurricane, and a low-budget science experiment - possibly in that order. Dents, scratches, and weather-beaten patches covered nearly every inch of its body. Whole sections of purple paint had peeled away to reveal the dull gray metal underneath. The front bumper sagged pitifully, held in place by multiple strips of duct tape.
Jack beamed with pride, extending his arms like a showman before a grand reveal.
"Presenting to you, my dear associates, my most beloved and loyal steed - " He gave the battered hood a theatrical slap. "Lady Balthazette the Twice-Crushed!"
There was a moment of perfect silence.
Then Caramella burst out laughing. It was a full-bodied, wheezing sort of laugh - the kind that forced her to sit down, tail curling with glee. Anna clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to hold it in, but she cracked anyway, a quiet giggle building into full-on laughter.
Sabine, however, looked like she'd just watched a car crash happen in slow motion.
Even Chocola blinked once, long and slow, her expression unreadable.
Caramella wiped her eyes. "Oh my god, I might be in love with you. That's the best shit I've heard in years!"
Without missing a beat, Chocola leaned in toward her, suddenly very serious. "Don't say that kind of thing out loud, Caramella." Then, with her usual gentle cadence: "But yes, she has quite the... personality, I see."
Anna was still chuckling as she asked, "So - so is that... your usual naming style?"
Jack nodded proudly. "Absolutely! Only the finest for those under my care."
He leaned forward conspiratorially, his voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. "But beware... for when the sun goes down..." He raised a hand, eyes wide with faux dread, "Lady Balthazette reveals her cursed evil form - Queen Gristle, The Coffin Maiden!"
That was it. Anna broke into loud laughter, clutching her stomach. Caramella howled beside her, nearly falling over from the force of it. Chocola gave the barest of amused huffs, and Sabine - stoic as she was - rubbed her forehead like she was preparing for a very long day.
They piled into the van.
Jack slid into the driver's seat with practiced ease. Sabine begrudgingly took the front passenger seat, grimacing as the door creaked ominously on its hinges. Anna climbed into the back, settling in beside Chocola and Caramella.
Inside, the van was no less chaotic. Paper stars hung from the ceiling, suspended by curling strings that had been taped up at odd angles. The stars twirled slowly with every bump and jostle.
Sabine, tall and perpetually annoyed, kept bumping them with her head. Her glare deepened with each tap. Anna, overwhelmed by the strange clutter and sudden closeness, stared out the window to ground herself. Chocola had already pulled out her paperwork again, diligently scanning the mission brief and completely ignoring the quirky interior.
Caramella, meanwhile, swatted lazily at the stars above, giggling softly like she was trying to catch snowflakes.
And with that, Lady Balthazette the Twice-Crushed sputtered to life with a grumble and a wheeze, carrying the team off to their very first proper mission.
—
The van groaned to a stop in the parking lot of a garish children's entertainment center. The building loomed like a candy-colored monstrosity: loud signage, cartoon mascots, and over-bright window decals plastered over every inch of the facade. Outside, clusters of nervous onlookers lingered at a cautious distance. Parents clutched their children. Teenagers loitered uncertainly near bikes and scooters. A tension hung in the air - something palpable, like the smell before a lightning storm.
The doors to Lady Balthazette swung open, and the team stepped out into the hot pavement.
Almost immediately, a woman jogged over from the crowd. "Oh! Are you the backup team?"
Sabine froze mid-step. "...Backup team?" Her brow furrowed, then her expression darkened as the realization struck. "Oh, goddamn it."
Without another word, she broke into a run toward the building.
"Wait - why are we rushing?" Jack shouted as he scrambled to catch up, nearly tripping over his own feet.
The restaurant-playplace hybrid was clearly meant to be joyful: plastic slides snaked overhead, garish murals lined the walls, and an arcade of blinking machines screamed and bleeped at irregular intervals. But the air was wrong. The light was wrong. Everything was just slightly off - too bright, too loud, like a dream slowly becoming a nightmare. The colors, originally cheerful reds, greens, and blues, had all been warped and dulled by the radiating pressure of the Ghoul.
Not that the Ghoul needed to be found.
It towered above everything else, grotesquely wearing the architecture of the building itself. A massive avian creature, vaguely goose-like in silhouette, stood where the play structure met the ceiling. Its body was made of warped materials: its wings and tail were formed from the same translucent plastic partitions used in play tunnels, curved and jagged like knives. Drapes of mesh netting hung off its back like decaying feathers. Its feet were massive and reptilian, crashing against the tiled floor with every shift of weight.
And its head - its awful, lopsided head - was made of interlocking plastic panels. A "bill" snapped open and shut, and from it emerged the sound of hell: a thousand children shrieking in overstimulated joy, layered beneath the sharp, grating voices of adults shouting over one another. A single roar from the creature sent that sound crashing into them like a tidal wave.
Jack and Anna both staggered back. Chocola winced. Caramella even shrieked, covering her ears and curling up into a ball. Sabine, however, gritted her teeth and forced herself upright.
Her grip tightened around her spear.
She charged.
But before she could land a blow, a sharp, deafening crack echoed through the building.
A gunshot.
The Ghoul recoiled, staggering away from her. Its long neck snapped toward the opposite end of the room.
Sabine skidded to a halt, eyes narrowing.
Jack and Anna rushed in behind her, both poised to join the fray.
Chocola trailed behind, trying to get Caramella back up and ready for the fight.
But Anna stopped dead in her tracks.
Her breath hitched.
She looked toward the direction of the gunshot - and saw a figure illuminated in the shafts of dusty sunlight that cut through the dirty windows.
A magical girl stood across the room, dressed head-to-toe in perfect Bureau regulation pink. Her dress was decorated in polka dots, strikingly similar in cut to Anna's own. Long, golden-blonde hair shimmered in the light as she raised a sparkling pink pistol, leveling it at the monster with steady, practiced hands.
The glint in her eyes hadn't changed.
Anna's voice escaped her in a breath, barely audible.
"Bella...!"
—
[Song: Turn the Lights Off by Tally Hall]
Bella didn't waste time. The moment her pistol gleamed in the light, she fired again. The crack of the bullet rang out, and the Ghoul bellowed in fury. The screeching sound from its plastic "bill" was pure cacophony - children's laughter and the sound of intense fighting twisted into something sharp and wrong.
A long pink ribbon fluttered out behind Bella's back, trailing like a streamer in the wind. Anna's breath caught in her throat.
Espresso. He was here too - Bella's Keeper. Of course he was. Close. Always close.
The ribbon pulled taut. Bella leapt backward just in time, her movement fluid as the Ghoul slammed its monstrous head down into the space she'd just vacated.
From the side, Sabine struck.
With a war cry and swift motion, she hurled her chains around the Ghoul's serpentine neck. They caught with a clank, yanking tight. The Ghoul screeched in surprise, stumbling. Jack followed close behind, his red cape flaring as he twirled his scepter like a baton.
With a flourish and a burst of red light, a perfect copy of Sabine flickered into existence just beside her.
The Ghoul, eyes too big and too colourful, tried to track them both. Its head swiveled, disoriented. Both Sabines sprinted toward it in unison.
Jack grinned wildly. "Alright, let's try this now!"
He spun his scepter again. The jewel at the top lit up, and a cascade of flashing, animated hearts surrounded the creature's head in a chaotic ring. The Ghoul howled again, flailing.
Sabine didn't waste the opportunity. Her spear sliced across its plastic-mesh body, cutting deep, ichor spilling from the gash. From the other side, Bella's glitter-pink bullets ripped through its torso in sharp succession.
Back at the edge of the room, Anna stood frozen.
She wasn't even sure if she was breathing.
Jack's laughter echoed like an arcade cabinet glitching out - but when he turned and caught sight of Anna, his face faltered.
"...You good?"
Anna startled. "Huh? OH!"
Snapping back to the present, she lurched forward, drawing her cutlass and rushing in awkwardly. She gave the Ghoul's tail a pitiful slash - barely a graze, but enough to draw attention.
The tail whipped back.
It smashed into Anna like a truck.
She flew, crashing into the base of one of the children's slides with a sickening thud. Her cutlass clattered to the floor.
Jack was too startled to keep his illusion up - the bright hearts surrounding the Ghoul vanished in an instant.
Anna's ears rang. The lights overhead swam. She blinked - once, twice - and saw the Ghoul rear back, tail rising again, this time to swing at the others.
"Anna!" Sabine spun around - the real one, the illusory clone still running its fake route, dodging the Ghouls attacks but focused only on it. "Are you alright, kid?"
Anna gritted her teeth as she tried to sit up. "That one hurt."
The Ghoul reared back, realizing the illusion was a bluff. With one massive foot, it stomped the clone out of existence, and its horrible gaze turned to Anna and Sabine.
The room filled with noise again.
That sound. That warped tidal wave of screaming children and bickering parents - distorted through the Ghoul's plastic throat and amplified a hundredfold. It hit them like a bomb.
Sabine pushed forward, desperate to shield Anna -
But then:
A web of pink ribbons surged overhead, criss-crossing the ceiling like scaffolding.
Bella stood atop the latticework, perfectly poised, ribbons fluttering from her back like wings. Her pistol gleamed again in her outstretched hand.
She jumped.
For a brief moment, she hung in the air, framed by cheap party lights and the wild eyes of the beast below her.
The Ghoul looked up, startled, just as she aimed her weapon directly down its throat.
BLAM.
Iridescent purple ichor erupted from its mouth and sprayed down like rain. The sound of the Ghoul's screech warped, mangled mid-roar. Bella didn't fall - her ribbons snapped taut behind her, catching her descent and lowering her gently to the ground like she was on wires.
She landed in a crouch.
With a sharp twist of her arm, the ribbons around her flared outward - and then snapped inward around the Ghoul. Dozens of them wrapped the creature like a thousand nooses, grabbing every inch of its wretched body. There was a sickening crunch as the magic cut through the Ghoul's frame. It writhed and screamed, flailing in agony.
Chunks of the creature's body began to fall.
Caramella, finally joining the action, darted forward with a cheerful little squeal, catching the pieces like a raccoon at a buffet.
Bella's expression soured.
"This is our kill!" she said coldly. She walked over and raised one pointed boot -
And kicked at Caramella like she was swatting a pest.
Caramella leapt back before the boot could connect, her voice rising indignantly. "Hey!"
For a split second, no one moved. The kick hadn't landed - but it had hit something else.
Anna inhaled sharply. Sabine's scowl darkened. Jack flinched forward, a hand half-lifting as if to stop her - but Sabine's arm shot out, barring his path. Even Chocola, normally placid and unreadable, looked murderously still.
Bella's glare was withering. "Only my Eater can clean it. We're the ones who killed it."
From the other side of the battlefield, another Eater emerged.
He was larger than Caramella, with glossy pastel-blue fur and a collar adorned with a dull pink bell, which lightly jingled as he moved. His movements were graceful and polished - practiced, like someone used to being watched.
Vanillin didn't say anything. He didn't even look at her. He simply moved to the remains and began to eat, mechanical and efficient.
Caramella watched him with wide, angry eyes, her claws twitching uselessly at her sides.
She didn’t say anything else. But the way she stood - tail stiff, hackles just barely raised - said enough.
—
The silence that followed was loud.
The Ghoul was gone, devoured piece by piece - but the weight in the room lingered like the greasy air of the restaurant. No one moved. No one spoke. Both teams stared across the ruined battlefield of plastic slides and ichor-slick foam mats.
On one end stood Anna, still slumped against the dented slide, her shoulders tight and her eyes downcast. Jack and Sabine flanked her like an improvised barrier, scuffed and bruised but upright.
Caramella hung back, her posture unusually small, standing just behind Jack's cape. Her fingers tapped the floor in quick, agitated beats.
On the other end of the room stood Bella.
The pink of her polka-dot dress sparkled under the flickering lights. Her glittery pistol was still clutched in her hand - not relaxed, not holstered, but held, like she wasn't done using it. Her expression was nothing like the cheerful promotional art of her plastered on Bureau posters.
No dazzling smile. No sparkling wink.
Only cold, sharpened eyes.
Flanking her were her companions.
Espresso was a sleek, soft-brown furred Keeper with downturned ears and a crisp blue scarf. He stood still, face unreadable, voice unspoken - but it was clear he was watching everything.
And then there was Vanillin.
He was pastel and plush in every way - blue and pink fur fluffed like cotton candy, beige horns gently curved. The pink bell on his collar jingled faintly. He didn't meet anyone's gaze. His eyes stayed fixed on the floor like he might disappear if he held still enough.
Then Bella took a step forward.
Her lips curled into something like a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Well, well." Her tone was bitter, full of contempt. "Look who finally came crawling back to the Bureau."
Anna flinched as if struck. Her head turned to the side, away from Bella's gaze.
Bella's smile twisted - growing bitter, warped. Like she'd been hoping for that exact reaction.
"What, can't look your former best friend in the eye anymore?"
Sabine stepped between them, slow and deliberate, her glare a solid wall of steel.
"Why did you steal our kill?"
Bella's eyes flicked toward her. The false cheer dropped from her face like a mask falling away.
"Your response window was exceeded. Standard protocol authorizes higher-tier intervention. We can't wait in these situations."
A brief, cutting glance toward Anna. Then back to Sabine.
"Unlike some of you, I'm not a coward willing to let bystanders get hurt."
Jack stepped forward like a fuse had finally reached the powder keg.
"Hey, what's your problem? We were doing pretty good!" He pointed toward Anna. "And she did great! Why are you being so rude to her?"
A beat. "And treating Caramella like that, too?! Was that called for???"
Bella scoffed, the sound sharp and bright like a coin flipping.
"Great?" She laughed, once. "That's what she calls great now? And that little rabid rat of yours should know when to leave a Ghoul feast to the professionals."
Caramella growled, her fur bristling. "You wanna say that to my face, you low-budget, knockoff, whorehouse Barbie?!"
She bared her claws - but before she could pounce, Chocola stepped forward, calm but fierce.
"Please. Let's not make a scene here." Her tone was level, collected - but her eyes never left Bella's. There was fire behind them.
Espresso, quiet until now, moved up beside Bella. His voice broke through like a soft foghorn.
"As much as I hate to admit it... she's right." His tone was flat and weary - like every word cost him. But it carried that signature, Keeper-deep hum: calm, gentle, soothing by nature. Even now, it soothed like static before a storm.
"We're going to get nowhere if we butt heads here. We can sort it out when we report to HQ."
Chocola nodded tightly.
Around her, the tension remained. Jack's fists were clenched. Sabine's mouth was drawn tight like a wound. Anna still didn't look up.
Caramella hovered behind Jack and Sabine, unwilling to be anywhere near Bella. The fire hadn't left her eyes.
Bella rolled hers, sighing dramatically - but took a step back.
Then, surprisingly -
A soft voice spoke up from behind her.
"Uhm... we may want to hurry. If we linger in this environment it may affect our emotional well-being." He spoke like a breeze: hesitant, barely above a whisper. Nothing like Caramella's scratchy, volatile tone. He didn't lift his gaze. His fur was still dusted with shimmering Ghoul gore.
Espresso nodded, something almost like fondness in his eyes. "Good call. Let's go, then. Everyone."
One by one, Bella's team began to move - avoiding eye contact, shoulders stiff, posture elegant but distant.
Chocola sternly watched as they left, like a mother making sure her child marched straight to their room.
Jack watched them leave, eyes blazing.
Sabine didn't turn her back until they were out of reach.
Caramella muttered something too quiet to hear.
Anna... didn't move at all.
And as both teams exited the garish ruins of the children's restaurant, the gap between them felt far wider than the neon-lit hallways that stretched ahead.
—
Somehow, the tension hadn't left.
Hours had passed. The team was home now - out of uniform, out of that horrible restaurant, paperwork turned in, wounds treated. And still, it lingered. The silence wasn't comfortable. It was brittle.
Anna sat curled on the couch, shoulders folded inward, eyes still avoiding everyone else in the room.
Sabine was at the table, head resting against her intertwined fingers, her leg bouncing rapidly under her chair like a loose wire about to snap.
Jack sat in his beanbag, quietly working on some sort of paper craft - cutting and folding strips of colored paper with an intense focus. No jokes. No grins. His smile was gone.
And Caramella was on the windowsill, fur ruffled, eating a bag of Cheetos like she wanted to fight them.
Then, finally, Chocola entered the room.
She looked uncharacteristically guilty, her tail low, ears slightly back as she moved to sit at the table. "I'm sorry today's mission didn't work out, everyone."
Sabine's leg stopped bouncing. Her hands dropped from her face. And then -
"I can't fucking believe this."
She twisted around in her chair, fury sharp and direct. "WHY didn't you say anything about having an old teammate with a GRUDGE? We could have prepared for a kill steal instead of just getting there and being humiliated!"
Chocola spoke up gently, trying to keep the peace. "Sabine, please, this isn't the time - "
"WHY not? I thought this team could at least do our JOBS. But instead, we have to deal with a stupid, useless feud - "
Anna spoke now, barely above a whisper. "...I'm sorry, that was my fault."
The words hit the air like a thread snapping. Quiet. Raw.
Sabine hesitated.
Anna still didn't lift her eyes. Tears shimmered beneath her lashes. She didn't blink them away.
"You SHOULD be sorry..."
But there was less fire in it now. She sounded less like a scolding mother and more like someone trying to convince herself she was still angry enough to yell.
"If it weren't for you, we would have gotten the credit. We wouldn't be sitting here like failures. We would be - "
"Sabine, please."
Sabine froze. Jack wasn't looking at her, but his voice carried a kind of softness he rarely used. It completely disarmed her instantly.
"Can we not fight, please? We've had enough today."
Sabine's mouth opened - and then closed. Her anger fizzled into something smaller. She shook her head and sat back down, exhausted.
Chocola exhaled slowly. No one said anything.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then, without a word, Caramella reached into her Cheeto bag and pulled one out. She handed it to Jack.
Jack looked at her, blinked once, and took it. He gave her a small nod.
Then, in a quiet flurry of movement, Caramella jumped onto the couch behind Anna. She leaned forward and held out a Cheeto like a peace offering.
Anna looked at it. Then at Caramella. Then took it with a sniffle.
Caramella jumped again, this time landing square on the table. She placed one Cheeto each in front of Chocola and Sabine.
Chocola smiled warmly. Sabine stared at hers like it was both a challenge and a joke - but she took it.
Caramella stood up tall on the table, puffed out her little chest, dramatically thrust her remaining Cheeto in the air and with great pride declared:
"FOOD FIXES EVERYTHING!"
The moment froze for half a second.
Then -
The tension cracked.
Not in a big, explosive way. There was no wild laughter or tears of joy. Just soft chuckles. The kind that bubble up once the anger starts to cool and everyone realizes they've survived the worst of it.
Anna wiped her eyes.
Sabine let her shoulders drop.
Jack smiled again.
Chocola leaned against the table, calm returning to her posture.
Caramella beamed, her fingers still dusted with bright orange powder.
And for the first time that day, the room didn't feel like it was about to explode.
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