A Very Azokka ThanksgivingPercy sighed contentedly, leaning back into the warm water jets.
"Do you do this sort of thing a lot?"
"Oh yeah!" Evan replied enthusiastically. "I mean, Ilene Azokka is the best boss
ever. On Tuesday we were in China and Ilene found out that an ancient healing artifact had been stolen, so she had me use my scientific equipment to analyze a broken-off piece and find the unique matching component."
"Really? How--"
"It was in an old tomb, so we went down there and were totally roughing it--I mean, Mikayla dealt with all the fire, but I got to explore side-passages! Anyway, once we hit the end a mummy came out at us! Mikayla fought it off while I threw rocks and Ilene snuck past it to retrieve the artifact! It was a great time! Have you ever done anything like that?"
Percy thought about it for a minute. On Monday he, Thana, and Zykara had stolen an ancient healing artifact and concealed it in a mummy tomb. He had carried the tent and the food and Thana's teddy bear.
"Yeah, all the time."
"
I get to steer next," Zykara grumbled.
"Good luck with that, alien."
After a few hours of hotlaxing, Evan convinced Percy to take a dip in the ocean, much to the latter's terror.
"Aren't you a werewolf now, cuz?"
"Thana doesn't like for me to shed on things on secial occasions," Percy explained as he violently splashed Evan.
Meanwhile, trying to embrace the pre-holiday spirit, the two little girls had been playing on the edge of Isla Paradiso ever since they had arrived.
They had a forcedly blissful day swimming, basking in the sunlight, playing board games, and finally sharing a delicious meal at the isle's most exclusive bistro. This seemingly routine day was a wonderful achievement: the Azokkas rarely met for any length of time without engaging in a battle of epic proportions. The Elysi's were nothing more than an attempt to teach Thana a lesson--which pretty much failed in that respect.
At the end of the day everyone was sent to their respective bedrooms to rest up for the exciting next morning. Thana and Azokka shared one room . . .
. . . while everyone else was placed in the other.
At last, the next morning--
"
Why do we have to do this now instead of on actual Thanksgiving?"
"Mikayla and Evan want to spend time with their families; I'm sure Zykara and Percy feel the same way."
"No. I don't think so."
"Percy doesn't get the day off--look at our meal!"
"Let's just try to enjoy our time together, Thana," Ilene replied soothingly. "Who cares that we're eating . . . tomatoes and lettuce?"
They ate together under the warm sun of the picturesque isle, albeit standing up and without utensils.
Finally, the awful holiday was over and all that was left was to take a family photo.
But then . . .
"Hey! I love this song!"
"What are you trying to accomplish here butterfly kid?"
"Come on, cuz, loosen up! Did you do
anything back in Moonlight Falls?"
"Composting is a lot of fun!"
"Follow me to Bridgeport sometime. We set
fires, and have parties, and sometimes have
bonfire parties!"
"See? Aren't we having a good time, Thana?"
The blue girl shrugged. "Whatever. I'm missing a party at the Underground Grind for this. Do you
know how hardcore it gets down there? Speaking of which, we should talk about an idea I have."
"Later, sure."
So the two girls danced the night away . . .
. . . and so did everyone else, on the roof of a houseboat in the middle of the ocean under the soft pink clouds.
