Sink or Float?

Day 1: To the Beach

"MORRO!" A piercing shriek rang through car, startling everyone inside it.

"Yes, Rumi?" Morro asked fearfully, slowly turning around to face his girlfriend. Lloyd winced, though it wasn't because an extremely angry girl had screamed in his ear.

The name "Rumi" was... well, it was complicated. It was a name that was unofficially reserved for Lloyd. It came back to him in impotent daydreams and frantic nightmares, fading in and out of his thoughts throughout the day. It evoked a kind of nostalgia that differed from any other feeling Lloyd had ever felt. Well, except for the feeling he got when he heard his former nemesis was not only on a first name basis with his ex-girlfriend but also dating her.

"YOU IDIOT! THIS IS A CHICKEN-CARE-KIT, NOT MY MAKEUP BAG!" 

Morro peered into the vanity bag Harumi was holding. There was no lipstick or mascara to be seen. Just a comb, a small bottle of poultry shampoo, a few rolls of bandages, a chicken vitamin bottle, and a lightning proof umbrella. 

"Oops," Morro mumbled, trying to figure out how to calm Harumi down before she exploded.

"Wu's got a chicken," Nya explained from the passenger seat. "Jay takes him very seriously. He named him Jay Junior."

"Cole gave me the idea," Jay said proudly, turning left onto Loft Road. "You know, since he named Wu "Cole Junior". Too bad Wu had to grow up in the First Realm. I really wish we hadn't been sent there. Those were dark dark days." 

Lloyd and Harumi tensed. The former princess looked down at her manicured nails as Lloyd turned to face the window. Nya kicked Jay in the shin and cleared her throat.

"So, Akita, um, how's the, uh, Never-Realm? Has your brother been doing okay?" 

"She's napping," Lloyd said quietly, reaching behind him to stroke the Formling's thick dark hair. Akita hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. She'd been too busy trying to murder Rumi in her sleep. Lloyd had to take away all her daggers and force her to take a walk outside with him. 

It'd been beautiful that night. Lloyd remembered seeing the cotton candy clouds drift away as the moon arced towards the endless sky above. The stars had sparkled brilliantly in the darkness. They were almost as lively as the twinkle in Akita's eyes. 

Akita. Lloyd began blushing as soon as he thought of her. They'd kissed yesterday, right under a streetlamp. The light had illuminated the sidewalk, and Lloyd remembered thinking how it seemed like a lighthouse, guiding people away from the darkness that threatened to engulf them. 

"Morro. You have two choices. One, you can get your butt back to my room and get my makeup." Harumi shoved the Chicken-Care-Kit into Morro's hands and gave him a deadly glare.

"Now?" Morro gulped and looked to Jay for help.

"Right now." Harumi smiled in a way that sent chills down Lloyd's spine. He shuddered and glanced out the window again. 

"What's the second option?" Jay asked, winking at the former ghost through the rearview mirror. 

"I get a kiss," Harumi said sweetly.

"That's easy," Morro said, chuckling. He leaned backwards towards his girlfriend, who slapped him in the face.

"Not from you. From one of them." Harumi smiled evilly as she pointed one long nail at Jay and another at Lloyd.

"NO!" Lloyd shouted, fire in his eyes. He slammed his fist down, and unfortunately, it hit Morro in a place that made the two boys scream.

"YOU- YOU LITTLE- YOU DISGUSTING LITTLE ," Nya shrieked, unable to get a full sentence out.