Mel smirked, adding with a tone that carried both levity and an undercurrent of warning, “And if I hear that again, I’ll sic my kraken on you.”
The threat was ridiculous, almost childish, but the seriousness in his voice left no room for argument. The group scattered, muttering apologies as Mel went back to webbing his fliers like nothing had happened.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about them,” Mel said, his voice steady as he continued putting up fliers, unfazed by the whispers.
Anita stood silently behind him, clutching her clipboard as she fought back the tears welling in her eyes. "He’s always helping me," she thought, overwhelmed by his unshaken support.
Without thinking, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a sudden hug from behind. Mel stiffened, startled by the unexpected gesture, his hands freezing mid-motion.
“I’ll come to your ball,” she murmured softly, her voice tinged with gratitude.
Mel turned his head toward her, his expression lighting up in an instant. “Yes!” he exclaimed, his usual exuberance breaking through, a wide grin spreading across his face.
Anita couldn’t help but smile faintly, her tears retreating as his contagious excitement filled the air.
Mel's eyes drifted to Anita's hair, his expression thoughtful. “Oh yeah,” he said suddenly, “Henry ripped out the webbed flower I gave you, didn’t he?”
Anita blinked, the memory surfacing. “Yeah… Why?” she asked curiously.
Without answering immediately, Mel reached out and gently touched her hair. With a flick of his fingers, he wove three delicate strands of shimmering white webs into her locks, the threads glinting softly like spun silver.
“There,” he said with a small smile, stepping back to admire his handiwork. “This way, it won’t fall out.”
Anita’s eyes widened in surprise as she ran her fingers through the silken strands. She turned to a nearby mirror and gasped softly. “It’s like the threads Elowen has in her hair,” she marveled, a delighted grin spreading across her face. “It’s so cute!”
Her excitement was contagious, and Mel chuckled quietly, glad to see her smile again. “Glad you like it,” he said, his tone warm and sincere.
“I have flowers that make people able to breathe underwater and not be wet or crushed by the pressure. Arid, being mother nature’s son, can create them. I also know where I’ll set the ball!” He said enthusiastically.
Moments later, Mel, Anita, Arid, Rue, and Elowen stood at the edge of the dock that served as the gateway to Atlantis, the ocean stretching endlessly before them. Beyond the horizon, the soft hum of waves melded with the faint scent of salt and seaweed. “Nobody lives in this area,” Mel explained, his voice carrying an edge of excitement.
Arid waved a hand, summoning blooming flowers from the air around him. They glistened with dew as they drifted down. He picked one, plucked a petal, and popped it into his mouth with a satisfied grin. Anita, Rue, and Elowen followed suit, savoring the strange sweetness of the petals. Mel, however, waved them off impatiently, already pulling his hair back into a quick tie.
“Come on!” he called out, breaking into a run and diving headfirst into the water without hesitation. The others exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed. The cool embrace of the ocean enveloped them as they dove in unison, gliding through the water with ease. The light from above faded as they sank deeper, replaced by a faint, enchanting glow that grew stronger with each passing moment.
Finally, they floated down into the Pearl Lagoon—a stunning, bioluminescent wonder hidden beneath the waves. The entire expanse shimmered in ethereal hues of blues, greens, and purples, as if the stars had fallen into the sea and taken root. Coral formations arched gracefully around the lagoon, their tips glowing faintly as schools of glittering fish wove through the crevices. Soft tendrils of light curled from clusters of sea anemones, swaying gently in the water’s current like enchanted lanterns.
The lagoon itself was vast, with a floor of smooth, pearlescent sand that reflected the ambient glow. Tiny orbs of light drifted lazily through the water, casting a warm and almost magical luminescence that illuminated everything in a serene brilliance.
“This is insane,” Anita whispered, spinning slowly as she took in the breathtaking view.
“And nobody lives here?” Rue asked, her voice full of disbelief as she reached out to touch one of the glowing anemones, which playfully retracted its tendrils.
“Nope,” Mel said with a wide grin, floating effortlessly in the center of the lagoon. “This place is completely untouched. Perfect for the ball.”
Elowen turned her gaze upward, where the water’s surface reflected the glowing lagoon like a mirror, making it feel as though they were suspended between two shimmering skies. “I have to admit,” she said, her tone soft with awe, “you couldn’t have picked a better place.”
Mel floated in the lagoon, deep in thought, his brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. “Alright,” he mused aloud, his voice slightly muffled by the water but still carrying an air of determination, “I need a theme that fits the magic of this place, a way to keep the food from getting soggy, and some kind of system to play music underwater.” His gaze drifted to the glowing coral around him, as if seeking inspiration from the lagoon’s natural beauty.
“What if the guests could just swim up to the edge, grab their food, and then dive back down? I could even ask my father to hire a caterer,” Rue suggested, her green eyes glinting with excitement.
Mel’s face lit up with a wide grin. “That’s an amazing idea, Rue!”
Just as he was about to brainstorm further, everyone’s magical cards buzzed simultaneously. The group paused, pulling out their cards to read the incoming message. Anita squinted at the glowing text and read it aloud:
“‘Our ball will be hosted in the stunning town of Thorncairn—and not in a body of water, like some.’”
Mel’s jaw clenched, his eyebrows knitting together in frustration. “Did they just throw shade at me?!” His voice rose with indignation. Without waiting for an answer, he shot out of the water like a rocket, his webbed threads trailing behind him.
Mel spotted Laurel, Emrys, and Kali seated at a booth, cheerfully handing out flyers.
“Make sure to come to our ball,” Kali announced with a giggle, passing a flyer to a passing student. “It’ll be dry, glamorous, and completely free of any fishy odors.”
Mel stormed up to them, his frustration bubbling over. “What are you doing?!” he demanded, glaring at the trio.
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Emrys lazily twirled her lollipop in her mouth. “Oh, just raising money for the school fundraiser,” she said with mock innocence.
“Well, stop!” Mel blurted, his voice firm.
Kali raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. “Stop raising money? Do you hate the school or something? You’re such a menace, Mel.”
Mel pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled sharply. “Listen, we can all be mature about this—”
“Yeah, mature,” Laurel interrupted, shoving him aside with a smirk. “Mature enough to get off our selling block.”
Mel clenched his fists and took a deep breath. He forced a thin smile and muttered, “You know what? Fine. I can have my ball, and you can have yours.”
He turned on his heel and walked away, his jaw tight.
Moments later, Mel was sitting in Lance’s room with Lance and Clyde, spooning s’mores ice cream into his mouth with exaggerated motions. “Those women!” he fumed between bites. “They think they can just exclude me, insult Atlantis, and walk away unscathed? Oh, we’ll see about that.” He chuckled darkly, digging into his ice cream again.
Lance, sprawled across his bed, looked over with mild concern. “Mel, you’re ranting into ice cream. Is this the plan?”
Before Mel could respond, a loud knock thundered through the room. Mel froze mid-bite, his spoon hovering in the air. “I’ll get it,” he said, standing up and walking to the door.
When he opened it, his eyes widened in surprise. Terrence, the towering, burly senior, stood there, his presence filling the doorway like a storm cloud.
“Melanthius,” Terrence said, his voice rumbling like distant thunder. He stepped forward, forcing Mel to back up into the room. “I wanted to talk to you about... let’s see—a dating situation between you and me.”
Mel blinked, caught off guard, before his expression hardened. He turned his head slightly and whispered over his shoulder, “Lance. Weapons #8. Now.”
“Oh, no, no! That’s not necessary,” Terrence said quickly, stepping aside to reveal a freshman girl peeking out nervously from behind him. “I meant for my little sister.”
“H-hello,” she stammered, giving a timid wave toward Clyde.
Clyde’s face turned bright red. His gaze darted to the floor before he managed a small, awkward wave in return.
“This is Clarice,” Terrence introduced, gesturing toward her. “She wants to attend the masquerade with you, Clyde. But she was too shy to ask, so I thought I’d help her out.”
Clarice shyly looked down, fidgeting with her fingers.
Lance and Mel exchanged a glance, then leaned forward with matching grins. “Go, Clyde!” they cheered in unison, ruffling his hair enthusiastically.
Clyde groaned, trying to swat their hands away, but the blush on his cheeks betrayed his flustered excitement. “Guys, cut it out!” he muttered, but his smile was impossible to hide.
“I wanted to have a word with you, Melanthius,” Terrence began, his tone heavy with self-importance. “Clyde is like your little brother, and Clarice is my little sister. That makes us family now—and in the Penam Kingdom, we take family very seriously.”
He crossed his arms and leaned slightly forward, speaking as though he were the head of a mob family, his voice carrying an air of dramatic gravitas.
“I know we’ve had our differences, but that doesn’t mean our siblings should bear the burden of it. I’ll let you think about that,” Terrence said, his voice cool and measured. With that, he gestured to Clarice, and the two left the house.
The door clicked shut, and the room was silent for a beat before Lance turned to Clyde, raising an eyebrow. “Wait... do you have a crush on someone?”
Clyde hesitated but eventually nodded. “Yeah... she’s a black card. I finally worked up the courage to talk to her,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
Mel’s eyes lit up as he sprang to his feet. “Alright! I’ll be your wingman!” he announced, already striding toward the door with determination.
Clyde panicked and shot up, grabbing Mel’s arm. “No, no, it’s okay!” he said quickly, holding Mel back.
Mel frowned, genuinely confused. “What’s wrong? I’ll just talk to her, set the stage a little,” he offered.
Clyde shook his head, looking down. “It’s just... you’ve got this charm that I don’t. Girls tend to like you... you make it look so easy, you know?” His voice was honest, even a little vulnerable.
Mel softened, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding. “Clyde...” he began, his voice gentler now.
“Hold on a second—does that mean you’re going to the masquerade instead of Mel’s ball?” Lance asked, narrowing his eyes at Clyde.
Clyde froze, realization dawned on him. “Shoot, I need to figure that out too,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.
Mel, surprisingly calm, let out a deep sigh. He glanced at the fliers in his hand, then tore them up without hesitation. “You know what? Just go to the masquerade,” he said, his tone surprisingly mellow.
Both Lance and Clyde stared at him, stunned. “Wait... what?” Clyde asked, completely taken aback.
“The ball was just my selfish attempt at getting back at the seniors,” Mel admitted with a bittersweet smile. “But now that you’ve got a date, and she probably wants to go to the masquerade, who am I to stand in the way of that?” He gave Clyde’s shoulder a firm, supportive pat, his expression a mix of pride and resignation.
Later, on the outskirts, Mel and Lucy sparred in the fading light. Lucy launched a punch, and Mel ducked smoothly under her swing. “Calling off your ball was the right thing to do,” she admitted, circling him. “But, honestly? It was kind of a dumb move.”
Mel darted forward, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind in an attempt to pin her. “Why’s that?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.
Lucy sighed, shifting her weight effortlessly as she drove an elbow into his stomach, flipping him onto the ground with a solid thud. She straddled his lap, pinning him down. “Because,” she said, smirking down at him, “you can always host your ball on a different day.”
She stood up, brushing the dust from her hands as Mel lay sprawled on the ground, his eyes widening with sudden realization. “Why didn’t I think of that?” he muttered, staring up at the fading sky.
“Because you don’t think—you just do,” Lucy teased, folding her arms as Mel sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. She turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder at him.
“I’ve only known you for a little while, Captain,” she began, her tone shifting to something more reflective, “but I’ve noticed you do a lot of things for... validation, you know? When you ran off for a bit and then came back, I could see you’d changed—gotten a little more unapologetically you. But even now, it’s like there’s still this part of you chasing approval, trying to make people like you.”
She tilted her head, her smirk softening into something almost contemplative. “Me? I couldn’t care less who’s watching. I’ll always be that cold person who loves to fight. That’s just who I am.”
“I’m trying to find a balance,” Mel said, his voice tinged with both determination and vulnerability. “I want to be who I used to be—fearless, unapologetic—but mix that with who I’ve become now. I guess... I’ve grown too nice to go all the way back to that person. But I don’t want to leave my past self behind either.” He stared at his hand, flexing his fingers like he was trying to grasp something intangible.
Lucy watched him quietly for a moment before sitting down beside him. “You don’t have to leave him behind,” she said, her voice surprisingly gentle. “The parts of you that mattered—the strength, the drive, the grit—they’re still there. You just carry them differently now. Maybe that’s not a bad thing.”
Mel sighed, lowering his hand. “It’s just... complicated. I don’t want to lose the edge that got me this far, but I also don’t want to hurt people like I used to. Back then, I didn’t care about anyone’s feelings. Now it’s like... I can’t stop caring.”
Lucy smirked, nudging him with her elbow. “That’s what happens when you grow up, Captain. You realize people aren’t just obstacles to bulldoze through. But don’t mistake kindness for weakness. You can still be sharp without cutting everyone around you.”
Mel chuckled faintly, letting her words sink in. “So, you’re saying I should just be... a nicer version of my old self?”
Lucy stood, brushing off her pants. “I’m saying you should stop overthinking it and just be. You’re already doing it—you just don’t see it yet.” She offered him a hand. “Now, are we done with the existential crisis, or do I need to knock some more sense into you?”
Mel grabbed her hand, pulling himself up with a small grin. “I think I’ve had enough bruises for one day. But thanks... for real.”