"Emerald Scholar' cruise ship, huh?" Zola drawled
Flint responded. "Yep. They're using it for a field trip tomorrow. With trust funds fatter than a Kardashian's pout."
Bruiser cracked his knuckles. "Easy pickings then. Bunch of pampered brats won't stand a chance."
"And plus preppy teenagers with more Instagram followers than common sense won't put up much of a fight."
Zola let out a sardonic laugh.
"Don't underestimate the entitled. Spoiled kids can be surprisingly resourceful when their manicures are threatened."
"Besides, the real challenge is the damn ship itself."
"But the thought of hijacking a luxurious cruise ship filled with wealthy brats does have a certain... appeal, wouldn't you guys say?" Zola added.
"This is going to be one hell of a party."
Flint chuckled. "Exactly, it's not every day we get to play pirate in the middle of the ocean, right?"
Zola raised a glass of amber liquid.
"To claiming what is rightfully ours."
Flint and Bruiser clinked their glasses against hers with a faint metallic sound
Meanwhile,
Max, sprawled on his bed, scrolled through his phone with a bored expression.
Aiden nervously tapped his pen against a textbook.
"Hey Max," Aiden mumbled
"Do you think everything will be alright tomorrow?"
Max glanced up
"Alright? Dude, tomorrow's gonna be epic. Why wouldn't it be? Free trip overseas, hanging out with a bunch of brainiacs...sounds pretty sweet."
Aiden chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. It's just...well, it all feels a little too perfect, you know? Like there has to be a catch."
"I just don't want anything to ruin it, you know?"
Max replied. "Relax, dude. Besides, who'd mess with a bunch of overachievers on a school trip? It's not like we're carrying gold bars in our backpacks."
"Think of it as a chance to meet some other nerds, share some crazy ideas. Maybe even impress a cute scholarship student with your, uh..."
He paused, searching for the right word,
"...astounding knowledge of, uh..."
Aiden rolled his eyes "...theoretical physics? Astrobiology? Come on, Max, you can do better than that."
Max laughed. "Shut up, I tried. The point is, relax, man. This is a good thing. Go get some sleep, we'll conquer Europe real soon."
With a shared grin, Aiden and Max settle back into their beds.
Meanwhile, In her apartment, Luna zipped up her suitcase.
Tomorrow, she would be setting sail on a luxurious cruise ship for a week-long educational expedition. A perfect opportunity to blend in, observe, and keep a watchful eye on Aiden, the boy radiating an energy signature unlike anything she'd encountered before.
"Prism," Luna started
"Remember what I said? The school trip is not for you. It'll be crowded, noisy, and frankly, dangerous for someone with your abilities."
Luna pinched the bridge of his nose,
"Stay. Here. Please. If you get lonely, try reaching out to the others. Maybe Rylan or Seraphina would be up for some…indoor activities."
Prism's lower lip trembled
"But Lunaaaa…." he whined, his voice stretched into a pathetic plea.
"you know this field trip isn't exactly...safe for you. Remember what Lord Aeon told us?"
"Just...promise me you won't overdo your abilities, okay? And try not to break anything important while I'm gone."
Prism's pout deepened, the ice cream sundae dissolving into a cloud of purple glitter. "Fine," he mumbled, kicking his bare feet against the floor.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in her mind.
"Wait." she called out
Luna held up a hand, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Here's a better idea. How about you use your abilities to bring someone else here? "
"Listen," she said, lowering her voice, "since you're stuck here, how about a little fun? Instead of teleporting yourself somewhere random, why not bring someone here? Someone to play with, I mean."
Luna urged gently. "Someone strong, someone who could keep you entertained, but also someone discreet."
Prism raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Bring someone here? Like who?"
Luna leaned in closer, a playful grin mirroring his.
"How about Lance? Think of all the games you could play. Tag, hide-and-seek...maybe even a friendly race."
With a mischievous cackle, Prism closed his eyes and concentrated.
Lance popped out from thin air.
"What the…" Lance started, his eyes darting between Luna and the grinning Prism.
Luna chuckled "Well, prism. Seems you have a new playmate for the week."
Lance chuckled sarcastically "Me? Babysit? And plus are we seriously doing this whole 'teleportation taxi' routine again? My ankles haven't forgiven me for the last time you yanked me halfway across the city to chase a rogue sock puppet."
Prism puffed out his chest "Hey, that sock puppet was wielding a plastic spork of doom! It was a daring rescue mission, and you know it!"
Lance rolled his eyes. "Right, a spork of doom. More like a five-year-old's discarded toy. Besides, teleporting me messes with my internal compass. Now I have a feeling north is somewhere over by the toaster."
Luna interjected. "Enough, you two"
"Seriously though, where were you before Prism yoinked you here?"
Lance rubbed his temples dramatically. "Oh, you know, the usual. Tracking down Eos what else?"
Luna said with a placating smile. "Anyways, I know babysitting isn't exactly your forte, but Prism can't exactly come on the field trip with me. Think of it as… advanced recon."
Prism bounced on the balls of his feet. "Yeah! We could play hide-and-seek! But you have to promise not to use your super speed to cheat!"
Lance raised an eyebrow. "Super speed? Is that what we're calling it these days? Because last time I checked, it was called having a healthy respect for the laws of physics."
Luna sighed. "Look," she said, trying a different approach. "Remember Eos? Finding him is still our top priority. While I'm stuck on this field trip, you two could be out there, tracking him down too."
Luna's voice suddenly became firm. "Let's not get carried away. Prism just needs some company while I'm gone."
Lance's dramatic sigh echoed through the apartment.
"So, babysitting duty and now infiltrating a random university field trip? What exactly did you sign up for."
"Not exactly," Luna countered.
"But there's one student on that ship who's caught my attention. He seems… different."
"Different?" Lance asked
"I don't know yet," Luna admitted
"But the energy signature is unlike anything I've ever felt. It's… pure, powerful, and strangely familiar."
Lance tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Familiar, huh?"
Luna shook her head. "I don't know. Eos' must be … chaotic and unpredictable. But this energy… it feels calm, almost controlled."
"So, you're going undercover as a chaperone to spy on this kid? Isn't that a little… stalkerish?"
Luna shook her head. "Not spying. Protecting. If Aiden is somehow connected to Eos, then he's in danger. And if he does awaken his powers, we need to be there to guide him."
"I'll keep my eye on him."
Lance interjected with a smirk. "Just try not to get seasick on that fancy cruise ship of yours. That University needs its brain, even if she does have a questionable taste in field trip destinations."
She hit him with a playful jab.
Luna took a deep breath. "Promise me you'll keep an eye on Prism, make sure he doesn't… overdo his abilities."
"They're incredibly dangerous, and if not controlled, the consequences could be catastrophic. While I'm gone, you need to keep him safe."
"I know," he said, his voice low and serious.
"Prism may be a pain sometimes, but I'll make sure he stays out of trouble. You focus on your mystery student and whatever weird energy he's radiating."
Luna squeezed his shoulder in gratitude. " I know I can count on you."
"Just… try not to eat all the gummy bears yourself, alright?"
Lance rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that."