The morning in Veura was supposed to be calm. After the chaos of pancakes and the surprise return of Zirak, Kaion, Raya, and Grin had decided to enjoy a day of peace. But of course, nothing in their lives stayed peaceful for long.
Kaion was sitting outside the inn, munching on an apple, when Grin stormed in, waving what looked like a piece of paper. "You won't believe this! The mayor has summoned us."
"Summoned?" Kaion said, raising an eyebrow. "Do they want more pancakes?"
Grin threw the paper down on the table. "No, it's worse. Someone stole the mayor's collection of rare nose whistles."
Raya, walking in at just the right moment, froze mid-step. "Wait. Nose whistles? That's a thing?"
Grin nodded gravely. "Apparently, they were priceless. The mayor even had one shaped like a unicorn. This is serious business."
Kaion burst out laughing. "Who steals nose whistles? What are they going to do, start a nasal orchestra?"
"They might," Grin replied. "Weirder things have happened."
The Investigation Begins
The trio headed to the mayor's office, where they were greeted by a very distressed mayor, still holding his now-empty display case.
"They're gone! All of them!" he cried, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief. "Even my golden whistle of harmony! Do you know how rare that is?"
Kaion tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably. "I'm sorry for your loss, sir. Truly. But… why nose whistles?"
The mayor glared at him. "Because they are the instruments of the soul! And now my soul is empty."
Raya whispered to Grin, "This guy needs a hobby. A normal one."
The mayor handed them a clue—a single feather found at the scene of the crime. "This was left behind. Do you think it's a bird thief?"
Grin inspected the feather. "Hmm, this is no ordinary bird feather. It's… glittery?"
Kaion gasped dramatically. "The Glittering Goose Gang!"
Raya rolled her eyes. "You just made that up."
"No, it's a real thing! I heard about them once. They're a group of rogue geese who've gone feral and—"
"Kaion," Grin interrupted, "please stop."
The Glittering Trail
Armed with the feather, the trio decided to investigate the forest on the outskirts of Veura, a place notorious for strange happenings. It wasn't long before they found their first clue: a pile of sparkly feathers leading deeper into the woods.
"This feels like a trap," Raya said, stepping carefully over a twig.
"Trap or not, we're following the trail," Kaion said confidently. "I refuse to let some geese outsmart us."
As they ventured further, the sound of faint whistling filled the air. It was haunting, like a symphony being played entirely through… noses.
"Is it just me," Grin said, "or is this the creepiest thing we've ever done?"
"Definitely creepy," Raya agreed. "Also, definitely hilarious."
Kaion held up a hand to silence them. "Shh! I see something up ahead."
They peeked through the bushes and gasped. In a clearing, a flock of geese—each with a nose whistle strapped to their beaks—was performing a synchronized dance. Leading them was the biggest goose they'd ever seen, wearing the mayor's golden whistle around its neck like a trophy.
"I told you!" Kaion whispered triumphantly. "The Glittering Goose Gang is real!"
Operation Goose Heist
The trio quickly formulated a plan. Raya would distract the geese with food, Grin would sneak around to grab the whistles, and Kaion would… well, Kaion would do Kaion things.
Raya threw a handful of bread into the clearing. The geese immediately broke formation, honking and flapping as they scrambled for the crumbs. Grin darted in, expertly snatching whistles off their beaks like a pro.
"Almost got the golden one!" Grin whispered, reaching for the leader goose. But the goose was faster. It honked loudly, summoning the rest of the flock.
The clearing erupted into chaos. Geese were everywhere, honking, flapping, and pecking. Kaion, seeing his chance, charged into the fray wielding a stick like a sword. "For the mayor's nose whistles!"
He swung wildly, managing to trip over a log and land face-first in the mud. The leader goose let out a triumphant honk and flapped its wings, glitter flying everywhere.
"Kaion, you're supposed to help, not perform slapstick!" Raya shouted, throwing another piece of bread to distract the geese.
"I'm multitasking!" Kaion replied, wiping mud off his face.
Grin finally grabbed the golden whistle and yelled, "I got it! Let's go!"
The trio ran as fast as they could, dodging furious geese as they made their escape. By the time they reached the edge of the forest, they were out of breath and covered in feathers, glitter, and bruises.
Victory and Celebration
Back in the village, the mayor was overjoyed to have his collection returned. "You've done it! Veura is safe once more!"
"Safe from what?" Kaion asked. "Slightly aggressive geese?"
The mayor ignored him and held up the golden whistle. "To celebrate, I will now play the Song of Harmony!"
Kaion groaned. "Please don't—"
But it was too late. The mayor began to play, producing a sound so high-pitched and shrill that the trio had to cover their ears.
As they stumbled out of the office, Grin muttered, "Next time, remind me not to take cases involving whistles."
Kaion grinned. "Oh, come on. Admit it. This was hilarious."
Raya sighed. "Hilarious? Yes. Worth it? Debatable."