Core Four Fun | Location : Earth | TMC |

|14| production central

Alex was awake very, very early in the morning.

Too early to be sane, but for some reason Kaid and Dec claimed them could only come through her doorway at three-twelve Freyan time. She was flopped on the armchair in room 269's small living area holding a cup of coffee she'd made on autopilot from the kitchenette. Alex wasn't as in love with caffeine as Dix was, however, she needed a kick and something to keep her from falling asleep and leaving Kaiden and Declan on the wrong parallel world.

Her phone began vibrating like crazy when the alarm went off. Alex shut it off quickly, yawning before putting her mug down to free her hands.

A door, please, Alex spoke to nothing in her mind. As always for Freyan-Medoran travel using her own powers, the door was gray with a black handle. Opening it, Alex was met with the grinning faces of her boyfriend and one of his best friends.

"Right on time, Queenie," Dec remarked with a smirk, stepping through the door with a luggage bag in his hands. "Huh, so these are Freyan hotels."

Alex didn't hear the last part though, her chest buried in Kaiden's chest. It felt a bit silly, but she hadn't seen him in months after diplomatic missions and school that had kept them apart. Messages and video calls did not do justice for their relationship, so she was just happy that he was here. Really here.

"Nice to see you too," Kaiden smiled down from above her, blue eyes flashing. "Also nice of you to wake up so early for us."

"Yeah, Kaid, why'd we have to leave four hours before you said we did?" Dec was already making himself comfortable until Alex pointed him to the next, empty middle room.

"Just wanted to get here faster," Kaiden shrugged casually, but Alex picked up on the slight tension in his shoulders, and how fast he changed the subject. "Where am I sleeping?"

Something was up that concerned Medora, maybe the Academy.

"The empty room for tonight, then Dec's with Bear, Dix is with Jordan and you'll, uh, be with me I guess."

"Woow, my girlfriend really hates me that much she doesn't want to share a room with me." Kaiden shook his head in mock sadness and disappointment. Alex kicked his leg and he smothered a laugh that wasn't quite as hearty or as reassuring as usual. Oh, she definitely had questions. Whatever he was hiding better have a great excuse.

"Go and sleep, you'll need it. Dix has a packed day for us tomorrow—well, today." Alex shooed them towards the connecting door. "Go, go."

Alex crept back to her bed and slept soundly until morning, when Dix yanked open the curtains in their room to let the bright sun stab her eyeballs and wake Alex. Dix really was the best friend she could ask for - she'd unpacked the rest of the things Alex hadn't after dinner last night, laid out her toiliterites and clothes and her backpack for the day. There was even a Milo (oh, had Alex missed Milo in Medora) on the white, wooden nightstand next to her.

"I love you Dix," she called sleepily, yawning as she trudged into the bathroom.

"I know!" Dix yelled back happily, her voice followed by loud squawking in Bear and Jordan's room.

Alex walked out with wet hair feeling much more awake, drinking her Milo and eating a granola bar to quench pre-breakfast hunger. Kaiden was sitting in his room reading the park guide, whilst Bear and Declan were have a reunion moment in Bear's room. Jordan was already dragging his stuff to the middle room and trying to boot Kaid over to Alex's.

"Oh my gosh, I can't take care of four of you now, two was hard enough." Dix groaned.

"You'll be fine, mom friend." Alex patted her on the back sympathetically. They went down for breakfast in their tower, grabbing loads of carbs and energising foods so they could stay awake for as long as possible. Kaiden and Declan poked at some of the more Freyan food that they didn't have on Medora (Dec discovered the wonder of Twisties in a vending machine in the lobby on their way out and nearly bought the hotel out).