While Adam and William had just entered the apartment (a few hours ago)…
Silver was drinking a couple of drinks next to Anne-Marie. There was that sweet and familiar burning in her throat that made her feel… free.
Around them, the red walls of the casino were lightened up with yellow and pink lights.
Gamblers all around were groaning, frustrated because of their losses.
Silver smiled around the dozens of glasses surrounding her.
Leyla stared at her, quite concerned.
It was the first time she had seen someone drinking so much.
''Ma'am,'' she whispered. ''Maybe you should calm down with the drinks…''
Silver raised an eyebrow at her. Her lips pressing in a thin line.
''What do you mean? I'm just starting~!''
She laughs and keeps going, finishing glass after glass like it was water in a hot desert.
Then, suddenly, the main lights in the casino turned off.
Silver, Anne-Marie, Coco and Leyla looked around curiously.
A spotlight turned on at Coco's chair.
He was suddenly really aware of his surroundings as his gaze drifted around.
Then, at the main scene, another spotlight lit up.
A man there was wearing a purple suit, a black bow was so big it covered his chest and shoulders. He had a light grin on his face as he took off his purple hat and placed on his left shoulder to bow politely to the public.
When he put back on his hat, and straightened up, he gazed at Coco with a knowing look.
''Hello there, dear, my dear public!''
The audience cheers.
Applause rip through the room.
People throw flowers at him as he chuckles softly into the mic.
''For those of you who don't know me…''
Silver's elbow roasts on the table as she pinches the bridge of her nose.
''I am Rico! I work at one of Funnyland's best circuses!''
People applause in the public.
Leyla tilts her head to the side next to Silver and stares at Rico.
'''Funny' what, now?
-Funnyland!'' Anne-Marie answers enthusiastically next to her. ''The place where all known clowns have been formed!''
Silver snorts.
''It was also Pottam's old name…'' she whispers.
Her expression hardens when the corner of her eye catches a suspicious silhouette in the shadows.
She quietly stands up and decides to follow it while Anne-Marie kept speaking.
''Yeah! Pottam actually used to be called 'Funnyland'! But mafias, criminals, gangsters and other creepy guys started invading it… the old Funnyland was a pretty fun land…''
Leyla stares at her and shrugs.
''I mean… it makes sense…''
''That criminals started invading?!'' She asks enthusiastically again, as if Leyla was the smartest person she met in a long time…
Leyla blinks at her.
Once.
Twice.
A third time for good measure.
Then whispers.
''That Funnyland was a 'fun land'…''
The stars in Anne-Marie's eyes instantly faded at those words.
She looked away awkwardly, quite embarrassed…
Rico, still on the scene was talking about something before pointing at Coco.
''And I hope that those who know me remember my friend Coco over there!!!''
They all cheer at Coco as he shape shifts into a dove to fly his way next to Rico.
Coco makes his way into Rico's hat and, with a flick of his wrist and a swirling feather, the dove was gone.
People in the crowd barely clapped their hands.
A pitying couple applauded, trying to encourage them.
Most people knew how to use magic. It wasn't as impressive as Rico's other tricks…
With a sigh, he turned around, his breathing ragged.
People leaned in, thinking he was about to cry.
Then with a small grin, he snapped his fingers and balloons appeared all around.
''Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the show of your lives! I am no magician…'' Coco reappears next to him in his human form.
His outfit was the same as Rico's except from the red color replacing it.
''We are Coco and Rico!'' They both said at the same time.
''And we are the funniest clowns on this side of the planet!'' Coco added.
A fresh round of applause filled the room.
When the cheers died down, Rico smiled and spoke into the mic.
''Our dear public, today is a special day! It is indeed my birthday…!''
Oh, how Coco's smile instantly dropped…
He didn't forget that detail at all...…
…
A sweat rolled down his temple.
''And for such a special day, you know the rules!''
Rico handed the microphone to the crowd without actually giving it to them.
''Coco must pressent a sketch!!'' The crowd exclaimed.
Coco cleared his throat.
Then Rico brought the mic to his mouth.
''Come on, Coco, don't be shy! I know it's been a while, but you can do it!''
Coco laughed nervously and stared at Rico as if he had just committed murderer.
Meanwhile, Silver was in the backstage, still following the figure.
She searched behind boxes and instruments but couldn't find anything.
With a click of her tongue, she stood straight and was about to head back to their table until she heard a voice:
''The master has been defeated by William.''
She paused in her tracks and turned to it.
''What…?''
The person stepped out of the shadows.
It was a young man. Not quite an adult, but not quite a teenager either.
He wore a dark suit that matched his dark hair, and his eyes were intense.
''The master has been defeated by William.'' He repeated. ''But we both know it's just a bluff.''
Silver's eyes were wide open, which, in her case, are quite a normal's person's usual eyes. She was so tired lately… and this whole situation didn't help.
She crossed her arms, her gloved fingers digging into her red sweater's sleeves.
''And what does it have to do with me?'' She raises an eyebrow.
''Simple,'' The man answered. ''I have sensed another God's presence in his uncle's castle…'' he trailed off.
Silver looked… confused.
She nodded towards him as if to say 'continue'.
The man cleared his throat and sat on a box.
''Let me begin from the start…''
———
Silver listened intently to his explanation, trying to connect the dots.
So, William and Adam were fighting in the ruins of the castle? For hours? While they had left them for thirty minutes at most…
''That…'' she muttered. ''Doesn't make sense…''
The man leaned back, crossing his legs.
''That's where you come in.''
A pause.
''Or more precisely… the Time Goddess.''
Silver's eyes widen, now very awake.
''Blue Berry…?''
Her gaze drops to the ground.
How…? She hadn't felt any turbulence.
She didn't even know she was awake…
Or…
She hadn't sensed it.
She regains her composure and clears her throat.
''So, Blue Berry is back,'' Then, quieter: ''Even though I thought she wanted to stay asleep…''
The man nodded and stood up.
''Most certainly, but there's also more…''
She raised an eyebrow, silently telling him to keep going.
''Blue Berry possessed William.''
She froze.
Did she hear that right?
Silver stares into a mirror nearby.
''That's not like her at all…''
The man nodded.
''The master felt it, and as his personal butler, he told me to ask you everything you know about it. He's also suspecting that you're behind all this.''
She raises an eyebrow.
''And how would I be?'' She mocks. ''Unlike Capricorn or Blue, I am not a Goddess.'' She scoffs. ''I only am the fragment of one.''
The man nodded.
''Yes, but our master thinks you are much stronger than you pretend to be.''
She rolls her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose.
''Whatever…'' she mumbles. ''Just give me some time, I'll learn what happened and tell you what I'll learn.''
The man nods.
''Then so be it.'' He steps back. ''By the way, the young master will be here in a few minutes…''
''What.''
Silver's voice was suddenly groggy and annoyed for no reason.
''You heard me.'' The man smirked and turned to leave.
''Oh, and one last thing…'' he paused in his tracks and stared at her over his shoulder. ''He also told me he wanted to spend teatime with you.''
Her eye twitched.
Of course he'd want that…
The man left, leaving an annoyed Silver in a backstage, where she could burn all the wires.
But she wouldn't.
…
Yeah, she could never.
———
People were cheering for Coco as he spoke up.
''One day, I was with Capricorn…'' he started.
People leaned in.
''We were eating in an Italian restaurant.''
The room felt smaller, as if the walls were leaning in too to listen intently.
''Then…''
The crowd held its breath.
''When we had to pay the meal, Capricorn left by saying 'I gotta pizza ma spaghetti!', and I had to pay for her meal too.''
He clears his throat.
''Later she said it was the rule six or seven to become a real gentleman: paying for everything a woman wants.''
He turns to Rico.
''So, I assume I'll have to pay for you too next time, Rico.''
The silence in the room was deafening.
''I'm not a woman…'' Rico coughed out.
Coco's eyes shoot out in response.
''WHAT—?!''