Chapter 305: What’s Next?
It took a while to coax Penny out of the idea of tracking down Gerard and personally rearranging his face, but after ten or so minutes and a few calming words from Luna and Aria, the group finally settled down.
The chaos of emotional confessions had finally given way to a quieter, more thoughtful silence. Everyone looked a little lighter now, like the weight of their secrets had finally been lifted. But with the quiet came a question that had been looming ever since the dungeon had ended.
What to do next?
They sat scattered across the mat-covered floor, leaning back against the walls, wings tucked in, tails curled, and nerves settling. The question hung in the air, unspoken but fully present, like a new storm on the horizon.
It was Penny who broke the silence, flopping onto her back with a dramatic groan.
"I don’t know about you guys, but I am starving."
Adam didn’t even look up from where he was leaning against the wall. "You’re always starving."
Penny didn’t miss a beat. "I’m still growing."
Adam gave her a sidelong glance. "Where."
The silence that followed was immediate. And dangerous.
All the girls turned their heads at once. Rachel, Aria, Luna, and Lily all locked their eyes on him with the kind of synchronized fury that made even the air feel tense. The silence was louder than shouting. Rachel tilted her head ever so slightly. Aria narrowed her eyes. Luna’s expression was unreadable. Penny slowly sat up, staring at Adam with a small smile that was all teeth and no warmth.
Adam raised his hands halfway and cleared his throat. "I meant like... personality. She’s growing emotionally."
Greg, wisely deciding to jump in, clapped his hands once. "Okay. So food. Definitely food."
"Yes. Food," Adam agreed quickly. "Where should we go?"
Leo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We should probably pick somewhere that won’t ask too many questions. Something quiet."
"Somewhere that still lets in mutants and freaks?" Rachel said with a teasing grin, nudging Leo with her tail.
Luna nodded. "There’s that little café two blocks from here. The one with the pancakes the size of Lily’s face."
"The blueberry lemon ones?" Lily perked up slightly. "Yes. That. Exactly that."
"How...When could you possibly have gone there before?" Luna asked perplexed. She had never taken Lily to this place before.
"If there is sugary sweetness to be had, I will be there!" Lily placed her hands on her hip and puffed up her chest as if that was something to be proud of.
"That sounds soooo good. I could probably eat five stacks by myself," Penny said with a groan as she practically leapt to her feet. "Extra syrup."
"You always say that and then fall asleep halfway through the third," Adam sighed.
"I was resting," She retorted in her defense.
"Well," Crystal said as she stood and brushed off her pants, "I’m not letting anyone fall asleep at the table today. We all need to eat something that isn’t stress and regret."
Adam let out a breath and stood too. "Breakfast it is then."
"Finally," Penny muttered. "See? I have good ideas."
"No one’s arguing that," Aria said gently, giving her a small smile.
Greg stretched his arms overhead and let out a yawn. "So... are we driving there or walking?"
"I say we drive," Penny began, already reaching for her hoodie. "I don’t know about you guys, but I’d like to—"
"Walk!" Rachel blurted out.
"Definitely walk," Leo added quickly.
"Walking sounds great," Adam agreed, a little too fast.
Penny blinked. "Wait, what? Why?"
Rachel stepped in front of her, arms casually crossed behind her head. "Just feels good to move the legs, you know? Stretch the limbs. Get some fresh air."
"Yeah," Leo nodded. "And the café’s not far. Plus it’s a nice morning. Brisk. Invigorating."
Penny narrowed her eyes. "You three are hiding something."
Crystal leaned over to whisper to Adam. "Are you worried about her driving again?"
Adam didn’t answer, but his silence said everything.
Penny pouted, crossing her arms. "You all suck."
Crysyal smiled wryly as she draped an arm around her shoulder. "They do. But walking’s not so bad, right? We get pancakes at the end."
"Pancakes do soften the betrayal," Penny mumbled as she allowed herself to be guided along.
Luna had already taken the lead, chatting quietly with Lily as they walked side by side down the sidewalk. Lily’s excitement bounced with every step, her hair practically glowing in the morning light, while Luna maintained a calm, steady pace beside her.
Behind them, the others fell into step. Aria and Penny trailed close together. Rachel meandered on one side, occasionally kicking a rock down the street. Leo kept glancing up at the sky like he was making sure nothing unexpected was waiting overhead. Greg and Adam brought up the rear, their conversation low and half-muttered, more like two old soldiers decompressing after battle than teenagers on a breakfast run.
The bell above the café door gave a cheerful chime as the group stepped inside, the warmth and smell of fresh baked goods washing over them instantly. The scent of maple syrup, frying bacon, and freshly ground coffee seemed to wrap around them like a comforting blanket. Inside, the little café was cozy and quaint, with checkered tablecloths, old photographs on the walls, and a cheerful hum of early morning chatter.
The hostess looked up from the counter, blinking at the sight of the large group, especially considering a few of them had tails or wings. However, to her credit she didn’t flinch as she assumed there was a cosplay convention or something happening somewhere nearby. Instead, she just offered a polite smile and gestured to a large round table in the corner.
"Give us a moment to set it up," she said, disappearing into the back.
Lily had barely taken two steps into the café when her entire body stiffened. Her nose twitched. Her brows furrowed. Her green eyes narrowed.
"Oh no," she muttered.
"Lily?" Luna asked.
Too late.
From the far end of the café, Morgan turned from the register, a takeout bag in hand, and immediately froze mid-step. His posture tensed the second he spotted them. His expression was a strange mix of guilt, embarrassment, and that awkward panic that came with unexpectedly seeing people you weren’t ready to face again.
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, then gave a small wave, like a deer trying to distract a predator.
"Hey," Morgan said cautiously. "Didn’t think I’d see you guys here..."
No one answered at first. The air in the café seemed to drop a few degrees.
"I, uh... I’m just picking up breakfast," he added quickly, holding up the bag like it was proof he didn’t mean trouble. "For my sibling. They love this place. I wasn’t following you or anything, I swear."
His eyes darted to Lily, who was standing just behind Luna. Her glare was there, but it wasn’t quite the lethal weapon it had been back at the gym. It was more of a warning now. Less immediate kill, more cautious distrust.
Morgan noticed. And though his shoulders remained tight, his gaze lingered on Lily for just a moment longer. There was something quietly puzzled in his eyes, like he couldn’t quite figure out what had changed, but knew something had.
"I’m sorry... for the trouble I caused earlier," he said quietly, voice barely above a whisper.
He didn’t wait for a response.
With a slight nod, he turned and made his way toward the door, slipping past the incoming server and stepping back out into the morning sun.
The door closed behind him with another soft chime.
Penny looked over at Lily. "Are you going to forgive him?"
Lily didn’t answer. She just turned away from the door and headed for the table that was now set up in utter silence.
"I guess not," Luna said quietly. "At least for now."