#coatfloat

“Mystic Maya?” Pearl asked, peeking her head around the corner.

“Heya, Pearly! What’s up?” Maya answered. She stood from where she was sitting and dusted herself off, “And you can drop the ‘mystic’, you’re family, that’s too formal.”

“Alright. Um, I was asked to drop off these papers,” she said.

Maya groaned and fell back in her chair. “I don’t see how Nick can put up with doing paperwork. This stuff is rotting my brain.”

Pearl carefully navigated the distance between the door and Maya’s desk. She mentally reminded herself to remind Maya to clean it later. However, she seemed bust, that could wait a bit. Her train of thought was cut as she slipped on something on the floor and the papers went scattering.

“Aw jeez, sorry, Pearly! ” Maya said, helping Pearl pick up the papers, “You ok?”

Pearl nodded.  As both of the cousins finished and were standing, a stray elbow knocked into Maya’s side and sent her into a fit of giggles.

“Mystic Maya, what…?”

Maya covered her sides. “Uh-uh, don’t pull that one on me! I know that you know that we’re both ticklish right there. Example A:” Maya proceeded to tickle Pearl where had been elbowed, sending Pearl also into a series of giggles.

Thus began the most extreme tickle fight the Fey manor had ever seen.

This tickle fight didn’t last, a few minutes or even a few hours, oh no. This fight went on for weeks, both cousins getting in jabs where they could.

Pearl would get one in before Maya had to go into a conference with the elders, causing her already somewhat messy hair to look completely bedraggled.

Maya would get Pearl in front of a class, causing large amounts giggling from both Pearl and the small spirit mediums in training.

And so on and so on. This went on until some time before christmas.

“Nick and Truce are coming up for Christmas,” Maya announced one night over dinner.

“I know. Trucy’s been talking my ear off about it,” Pearl responded, “I suppose then, we should cut out this tickle war we’ve been having. We wouldn’t want it to get in the way of Mr. Nick and Trucy’s time up here.”

Maya hummed in response, “I agree. I think that we should just agree that I’m the winner and this whole thing will be done!”

Pearl looked borderline offended, “Mystic Maya! That’s not fair! I’m in the lead right now!”

“Wha-? Nu-uh! There wasn’t a counter going on!”

“Then how can you say that you’re the winner?!”

Both cousins sat in silence for a silence for a period of time, thinking.

The silence was broken when Maya nearly flew from her seat, her face lit up,“Pearly, I have the best idea! Ok, so, this war isn’t going to solve isn’t going to work itself out and we need a conclusion!” Maya lightly banged her hands on the table with those final words.

Pearl looked surprised, “Mystic Maya, where are you going with-?”

“I vote that we take tickling efforts and take put them towards Nick!”

Pearl’s surprise turned to confusion, “Why?”

“If we let this, this “war” could go on for, like, ever. We’re not going to reach a winner by letting it go on, not in this family. We should tickle Nick because A) It’s fun to see him get riled up. B) It’s been too long since he’s been properly tickled and C) He squeals like a little girl if you tickle him under the armpits.”

Pearl laughed, “Okay, your reasons seem valid,”

Maya smiled, “Alright, here the plan…”

  “Nick! Trucy!” Maya called, waving a hand in the air to catch their attention.

“Aunt Maya!” Trucy yelled back, running over and giving both Maya and Pearl big hugs. Phoenix lugged up the road after her, carrying both his and Trucy’s bags.

“C’mon, Nick!” Maya said, taking one of the bags from him, “We’ve got a lot planned for the next few days and we can’t start it with waiting for you to hurry up!” She subtly winked at Pearl and Pearl hid her giggles as a cough. Trucy raised her eyebrows.

Maya and Pearl each helped one of the Wrights unpack and went their separate ways. Pearl and Trucy decided to hang out in Pearl’s room and catch up (despite the fact that they texted almost daily) and Maya and Phoenix (mostly Maya) took it upon themselves to make dinner for the four of them.

The night wound down with the four of them on the couch watching Steel Samurai (the Christmas specials as to be festive). Trucy and Pearl occupied one half of the couch and Maya and Phoenix the other, with Phoenix nestled in between Pearl and Maya.

“Maya, I thought you said you had a lot planned for the next few days,” Phoenix said in between specials.

“I did and I do. This just happens to be apart of it,” Maya responded.

“How many specials have we watched so far?”

“About three out of 12.”

Phoenix sighed.

“It’s part of the plan, Nick, part of the plan.”

“Does this plan also include food popcorn for the next couple of specials?” Trucy piped.

“Hmm,” Maya pretended to give her answer some thought, “Yes, but only if Nick goes and gets it,” Maya said.

“Really?” Phoenix said.

“Yeah, really. You wouldn’t want your precious baby girl to starve while watching Steel Samurai, would you?” Maya responded gesturing to Trucy. Trucy gave a big set of puppy eyes in return.

“Fine,” he said, getting up, “Does anyone else want anything else while I’m gone?”

Pearl and Maya both shook their heads. As Phoenix left the room, the cousins gave each other knowing looks.

Nick came back with the promised popcorn and handed it Trucy. Everyone got comfortable again and Maya resumed the show.