Vamps in Chaos

Chapter Sixteen: Daylight (Mis)Adventures

The morning sun filtered through the blinds as Babe stretched, savoring the rare peace of a quiet loft. But the silence didn't last long.

"Hey, Babe?" Ollie's voice broke through the calm, his tone a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Can we... go somewhere today? Like... outside?"

Babe raised an eyebrow, glancing at the window. "Outside? During the day?"

Ollie grinned sheepishly. "Yeah! I've been cooped up here so much lately. I thought maybe... we could do something, like a... 'family outing.'"

Babe chuckled, exchanging a glance with Billy, who looked both intrigued and mildly wary at the idea of braving daylight. "Family outing during the day, huh? Well, let's give it a shot."

After a quick consultation on sun protection-sunscreen, enchanted umbrellas, and advice from the witches-the three set off, Babe leading them to a nearby park bustling with families, joggers, and ice cream trucks.

They strolled through the park, trying to blend in. When they reached the fountain, Ollie noticed a group of kids tossing coins in and tilted his head in confusion. "Why are they throwing money in there?" he asked.

"It's a wishing fountain," Babe explained with a grin. "People throw in a coin and make a wish."

Ollie's face lit up. "Can I try?"

"Sure, kid." Babe fished out a coin, pausing before handing it over. "Just... try to keep the magic to a minimum, okay?"

"I'll be super careful!" Ollie promised, clutching the coin with both hands, squeezing his eyes shut in concentration.

Billy leaned over to Babe and whispered, "Perhaps we should have specified what 'minimum' entails."

Ollie tossed the coin with dramatic flair, and the moment it hit the water, things took an unexpected turn. Every coin in the fountain shot up, sparkling in the sunlight like tiny fireworks, and then-defying gravity-organized themselves into floating columns by year, spinning gently like numismatic tornadoes.

"Oh no," Ollie squeaked, hands clasped over his mouth. "I just wanted to wish for pizza for dinner!"

A small crowd of kids gathered, cheering as the coins spun. One particularly observant kid shouted, "Look, the quarters are doing the macarena!"

"They most certainly are not," Billy muttered, though he tilted his head thoughtfully. "Although I must admit, their choreography is rather... impressive."

Babe pinched the bridge of his nose, suppressing laughter. "Ollie, buddy, maybe... un-wish it?"

"I'm trying!" Ollie's face scrunched up in concentration, and instead of dispersing, the coins formed themselves into a remarkably accurate replica of the Eiffel Tower.

An elderly woman paused to admire the display, adjusting her glasses. "My, I didn't realize the fountain had such international flair!"

With impeccable formality, Billy stepped forward and gave the fountain a deep bow. "Most distinguished water feature, we humbly apologize for any disruption. Would you kindly return to your regular operations?"

To everyone's surprise, the fountain seemed to consider this. The coins hovered in the air a moment longer, then drifted back down in a perfect spiral, splashing quietly into the water.

"Did... did the fountain just accept Billy's apology?" Babe asked incredulously.

"Of course it did." Billy straightened his jacket. "Proper etiquette is universal, even among architectural water features."

As they walked away from the fountain, Ollie looked sheepish. "Guess I need to work on my control..."

"Yeah," Babe chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "But at least it made for a great show."