The Cobra King's Return

September. Back in School again

The next day, September 1st, Peti woke up to the gentle warmth of Poci, his mother cat, and her kittens still nestled around him. Their soft purring filled the room, a comforting start to the day after the emotional turbulence he had experienced. Peti smiled, feeling a little lighter as he stretched and got out of bed.

Later, at lunch, Peti walked into the dining area and spotted Lily with her partner, casually chatting over a meal. With his usual mischievous grin, Peti couldn't resist poking a bit of fun.

"Hey, Lily!" he called out, drawing her attention. "You look worse than before."

Lily glanced up, recognizing the familiar teasing tone in his voice. She smirked, not missing a beat. "And you, Peti, still have the same terrible fashion sense. That's how I know you didn't lose your way over the summer."

They both laughed, the banter light and familiar, a testament to their long-standing friendship.

Peti took a seat at the table with them, feeling a sense of normalcy return as they exchanged friendly jabs. Despite the sadness of recent events, this playful interaction reminded him of the strong bonds he had with the people around him.

"So," Lily said, her tone shifting to a more genuine curiosity, "how was your summer? Aside from tormenting everyone, I mean."

Peti shrugged, his grin softening into a thoughtful smile. "It was... interesting. I learned a lot, and maybe I didn't torment everyone *too* much."

Lily raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical but amused. "Well, that's a first. Maybe there's hope for you yet, Peti."

Peti chuckled, enjoying the back-and-forth. "Don't get too used to it. I'm still me, after all."

Peti, who always enjoyed teasing his favorite victim, couldn't resist continuing to mock Lily as they sat together. "You know, Lily," he began with a smirk, "if you keep frowning like that, your face might actually stay that way."

Lily rolled her eyes but smirked right back. "And you, Peti, if you keep dressing like you're stuck in the 90s, people might start thinking you're a time traveler."

They exchanged a few more playful jabs, the banter as sharp as ever. It was a familiar routine, one that kept their friendship lively and fun.

After a few more rounds of teasing, Peti leaned back in his chair, his curiosity piqued. "So, what's the mission this time? Please tell me it's not another boring stakeout."

Lily's expression turned a bit more serious as she replied, "Actually, it's a bit different. We've been assigned to a school for two weeks. We're supposed to pose as teachers, or maybe students. The boss thinks there might be a terrorist threat targeting the school."

Peti couldn't help but laugh, the absurdity of the situation hitting him. "Teachers? Us? Can you imagine me trying to teach a bunch of kids?" He paused, then added with a mischievous grin, "Or maybe they think the terrorists are just bad students who need a good detention. Who knew the classroom was the new battlefield?"

Lily chuckled, shaking her head at his reaction. "Yeah, I can't really picture it either, but orders are orders. And hey, maybe we'll get some nice school lunches out of it."

Peti, still amused, leaned in closer and lowered his voice, making a slightly off-color joke. "I guess they think the terrorists are hiding out in math class. That's one way to make algebra even more terrifying."

Lily groaned, half-laughing, half-cringing at his joke. "You're terrible, you know that? But, terrible jokes aside, we need to take this seriously. The boss wouldn't have assigned us if it wasn't important."