The Dark Entity

Chapter 7: Golly

"Mizu? You up yet?" Ariston asked, peaking his head into their large tent.

Mizu mumbled something and rolled over to snuggle himself further into the blankets.

"Come on, lazy bum," the other boy urged, entering the tent and then sitting by Mizu.

He shook Mizu in attempt to get him up and out of his slumber. The sleepy boy blinked his eyes open and glared at Ariston, making a point that he didn't like being woken up like that.

"Oh, finally- good morning!" Aristion greeted with a friendly smile. "Come join me and the other fellows outside, we're eating breakfast."

"Why?" Mizu asked, tiredly looking at him.

"Oh, uh, because... breakfast- yum?"

He rolled his eyes, "No, I mean like- why aren't you just eating inside?"

"Oh! Because it's really nice outside," Ariston answered, jerking his thumb towards the open tent flap. "You should definitely come," he added, nodding as he tried to persuade the other boy.

Mizu groaned, "Fine, fine. I'll eat outside," he told him, raising his hands in self-defense.

Ariston grinned and stood up, "Great- I knew I could convince you, I have a way with words."

Mizu up looked at him with his sleepy gaze, watching him leave the tent, "Yeah, yeah- whatever, lion boy," he muttered, yawning.

• • •

"You are so full of energy- what's up with that?"  Iggy asked the boy, who was practically skipping along the trail.

They had finished breakfast- juice boxes with some healthy grain crackers things, or whatever they were- and begun to continue on their walk. None of them really knew where they were going, but they trusted in the Imperium Necklace to guide them.

"Um, because electricity? That's energy, right?" Ariston questioned. He nudged Astrid's side, just to get someone's attention, "Duh."

"Well, obviously," Ignacia responded, rolling her eyes. "But don't you ever get just the least bit tired?"

He thought for a moment, "Not really," he answered. "I suppose being a descendant of a very powerful and amazing and extremely attractive God does have its perks."

Ignacia snorted, "That doesn't make you any of those things, lion boy. That's one thing I've learned about you," she replied.

An offended look took its place on Ariston's face, "Well, well- no," he argued back, very poorly.

"No?" Iggy repeated, raising an eyebrow in question and looking amused.

"Yeah," he confirmed. "No. You did not learn that about me because it's not even true."

They bickered back and forth, their conversation going in circles many times. The others silently walked behind them, not involving themselves in the two's petty and pointless argument. Mizu looked bored, impatient, very uninterested, and every other feeling that could describe being so done with Ignacia and Ariston at the moment. The only time he'd involved himself in their conversation was when a few strands of Iggy's hair burst on fire out of frustration and he'd casually flicked his hand to put them out with his powers. Clover and Astrid didn't seem to mind the bickering, having found entertainment in watching Osiris- Aristion's pet cat, who was sizzling with electricity- trot along side them.

"- so cute and energetic and adorable- look, Astrid! He found a leaf, aww," Clover cooed, tugging at Astrid's sleeve.

"He's so playful," they said, cooing along with their friend. "Aren't you, Osiris? You're such a fuzzy ball of lightning and happiness."