Koby and Te arrived at the party, stepping out of the car and taking in the scene before them. The air was filled with laughter, excitement, and the unmistakable sounds of children having fun. A colorful tent stood at the center of the large backyard, surrounded by food stands offering everything from cotton candy to popcorn. Clowns in bright costumes juggled and performed tricks, while kids ran around, chasing balloons and playing games.
Te raised an eyebrow, his expression one of mild discomfort. "This... is what normal kids do?"
Koby, equally out of his element, gave a small shrug. "Guess so. Looks... chaotic."
As they walked further in, a group of kids ran past them, giggling as they tossed water balloons at each other. The sight made Te instinctively tense, but Koby nudged him lightly. "Relax. We're here to socialize, remember? Just… try to blend in."
Te sighed but nodded. "Blend in. Got it."
They approached a food stand, where the smell of freshly made popcorn wafted through the air. The line of kids in front of the stand eyed them curiously, whispering to each other, but Koby and Te ignored it, trying to look as casual as possible.
A clown nearby noticed them and waved enthusiastically. "Hey there, boys! Want to see a trick?"
Te blinked, staring at the clown as if it had spoken an alien language. "Uh… no thanks."
The clown chuckled, clearly used to kids' reactions. "No worries! Enjoy the party!" He bounced away to entertain a group of younger kids nearby.
Koby turned to Te with a smirk. "So, having fun yet?"
"Not even close," Te muttered under his breath. But then, he spotted a table where some kids were gathered around playing a card game. "Maybe we should start there. That looks more our speed."
Koby followed his gaze, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. Let's see if we can fit in without looking too awkward."
The two brothers made their way toward the table.
As Koby and Te approached the table, the kids sitting there noticed them and immediately quieted down, their curious eyes following the two newcomers. It was clear they weren't used to strangers just walking up.
"Hey, you guys playing cards?" Koby asked, doing his best to sound casual, though it came out a bit too stiff.
One of the kids, a boy with messy brown hair, nodded. "Yeah, it's a game called 'Pirate King.' You ever played before?"
Te glanced at Koby, then back at the boy. "No, but we can learn."
The kid grinned. "Cool. It's easy. You just try to collect the most treasure cards without getting hit by the pirate attack cards. Want to join?"
Koby and Te exchanged a quick glance, both feeling slightly out of place but determined to make the most of it. "Sure," Koby said, pulling up a chair and motioning for Te to do the same.
As the boys settled in, they couldn't help but notice how different this was from their usual world of intense training, inventions, and combat simulations. The atmosphere here was light, carefree—something they hadn't experienced in a long time.
The game started, and despite their initial awkwardness, Koby and Te quickly picked up the rules. They were skilled at strategy, so it didn't take long before they were both winning rounds, much to the surprise of the other kids.
"Whoa! You guys are good at this!" said the brown-haired boy, looking impressed as Te swept another pile of treasure cards into his hand.
Te smirked. "Guess we're fast learners."
Just as they were starting to feel more comfortable, a loud horn blared from across the yard. The sound drew everyone's attention toward the main tent, where a stage had been set up. The clown from earlier was now on stage with a giant cake being rolled out beside him.
The kids at the table scrambled to their feet, their excitement evident. "Cake time!" one of the girls shouted, rushing toward the stage.
Koby and Te stood up more slowly, watching the chaos unfold. "Guess we should go too," Koby said with a shrug.
"Yeah, let's not stand out by being the only ones not excited about cake," Te muttered.
They followed the crowd, standing at the edge of the group as the birthday girl—dressed in a bright pink dress—was brought up on stage. She beamed as everyone gathered around, clapping and cheering as the candles on the cake were lit.
As the birthday song echoed through the yard, Koby and Te stood there, trying to blend into the sea of excited children. Despite their discomfort, they couldn't help but smile at the infectious energy around them.
"This is... different," Te said quietly, glancing at his brother.
Koby nodded. "Yeah, but maybe that's not such a bad thing."
Just as they were starting to feel more at ease, the clown called out, "Alright, kids! After the cake, we've got a special surprise—a scavenger hunt!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, and Koby raised an eyebrow. "A scavenger hunt?"
Te sighed, already feeling the weight of his social obligation. "Looks like we're in for more fun…"
But despite his grumbling, there was a part of both of them that was starting to appreciate this bizarre new experience. Sure, it wasn't their world of battle and invention, but maybe—just maybe—there was something to be gained from stepping outside their comfort zone.
As the crowd dispersed after the cake-cutting, kids hurriedly formed small groups for the scavenger hunt. Koby and Te were standing off to the side, watching the excitement unfold around them when they noticed the birthday girl approaching.
She had a confident bounce in her step, her bright pink dress swaying with each move. Her brown hair was tied in pigtails, and she had a big smile on her face, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Hi!" she greeted, stopping in front of them. "I'm Lila. You two are new, right? I haven't seen you around before."
Koby and Te exchanged quick glances before Koby spoke up. "Yeah, we're new to... this kind of thing."
"Parties?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Or scavenger hunts?"
"Both," Te muttered under his breath, earning a quick elbow jab from Koby.
Lila giggled. "Well, you're lucky, 'cause scavenger hunts are the best part of my parties! We get to run all over the place and find cool stuff." She paused, looking between them with a thoughtful expression. "Hey, do you guys want to team up with me? I'm really good at this, and you look like you could use a partner."
Te blinked, surprised by her directness. "You want to join us?"
"Yeah!" Lila said, her excitement palpable. "You two seem cool, and I know all the best hiding spots. Plus, it's my birthday, so if you're on my team, we're definitely going to win."
Koby chuckled at her confidence. "You're pretty sure of yourself, huh?"
Lila grinned. "I mean, I haven't lost a scavenger hunt at my own party in, like, ever. So what do you say? Let's win this thing together."
Te looked at Koby, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "What do you think? Should we team up with the birthday girl?"
Koby shrugged, a small smile on his face. "Why not? She seems like she knows what she's doing."
Lila beamed at their agreement, clapping her hands together. "Awesome! You guys are gonna have so much fun, trust me."
She quickly explained the scavenger hunt rules, her enthusiasm making it impossible not to get swept up in the energy of the moment. Despite their initial reluctance, Koby and Te found themselves looking forward to the challenge.
As they made their way to the starting point with Lila leading the way, Te couldn't help but grin. "This is definitely not what I expected from today."
Koby smirked. "Yeah, but it's better than being stuck in the lab, right?"
Lila looked back at them with a playful gleam in her eye. "Just wait. This is gonna be the best scavenger hunt you've ever had."