Chapter Text
7:03 AM
Wemmbu woke up to sunlight.
That was already suspicious.
He stared at the ceiling of his rented apartment for several seconds before remembering what day it was.
Babysitting.
He groaned, rolled out of bed, and checked his schedule.
7:30 AM: Parrot
He had barely gotten dressed before his phone buzzed.
A message from Parrot's parents.
He's waiting for you.
Wemmbu stared at it.
"...Of course he is."
7:29 AM
Wemmbu arrived exactly one minute early.
He knocked.
The door opened almost immediately.
Parrot stood there.
Seven years old.
Already holding a book.
"You're early."
"Yep."
Parrot nodded approvingly.
"Good."
He grabbed Wemmbu's hand and pulled him inside.
"Come on."
"Good morning to you too."
"We have things to do."
"Such as?"
"Reading."
"Of course."
8:17 AM
They read.
Then they talked.
Then Parrot asked Wemmbu approximately thirty-seven questions about things ranging from physics to Minecraft to why certain materials behaved differently under pressure.
Wemmbu answered all of them.
Sometimes Parrot corrected him.
Sometimes Wemmbu corrected Parrot.
Sometimes they ended up arguing over something neither of them could immediately prove.
It was peaceful.
Almost suspiciously peaceful.
Eventually Parrot climbed onto the couch beside him.
"What did you do yesterday?"
"Babysat."
"I know."
"Then why ask?"
"I want to know what happened."
Wemmbu laughed.
"I babysat Minute."
Parrot's eyes narrowed.
"MinuteTech?"
"Yeah."
"What did you do?"
"Experiments."
"What kind?"
"Nothing dangerous."
Parrot looked disappointed.
Wemmbu laughed.
"You're both terrifying."
"I am not terrifying."
"You threw a book at me yesterday."
"You were late."
"Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds."
"Still late."
Wemmbu shook his head.
"Fair enough."
Parrot smiled.
Then leaned against him.
Wemmbu didn't think much of it.
9:06 AM
Wemmbu fell asleep.
It wasn't intentional.
He'd been awake since far too early, had spent the last hour reading something that was probably intended for university students, and the couch was unfortunately comfortable.
His eyes closed.
He didn't notice Parrot watching him.
Didn't notice the book Parrot had picked up.
Didn't notice the seven-year-old studying a particular page.
And he definitely didn't notice Parrot disappear into another room.
9:31 AM
Wemmbu woke up.
He tried to move.
Nothing.
He blinked.
"...What?"
He tried again.
His wrists were tied.
His ankles were tied.
He was sitting upright on the couch.
Parrot was sitting beside him.
Reading.
Wemmbu stared.
"Parrot."
"Hm?"
"Untie me."
"No."
Wemmbu looked down at the knots.
Then back at Parrot.
"Where did you learn this?"
Parrot turned a page.
"A book."
"Of course."
"You said books were useful."
"Not for this!"
Parrot continued reading.
Wemmbu tugged at the restraints.
"Parrot."
"No."
"I have somewhere to be."
"I know."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Wemmbu stared at him.
"You tied me up while I was sleeping."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Parrot didn't even look up.
"Because you keep leaving."
Wemmbu sighed.
"I'm not leaving you forever."
"You're leaving today."
"I have another child to babysit."
"No."
"That's not how jobs work."
"No."
"Parrot."
"No."
Wemmbu took a breath.
"Okay."
He tried a different approach.
"How about this? You untie me, and we spend another thirty minutes reading."
"No."
"An hour?"
"No."
"Two?"
"No."
"Three?"
Parrot finally looked at him.
"You would still leave."
"...Eventually."
"Then no."
Wemmbu stared at the ceiling.
"I have created a monster."
Parrot calmly returned to his book.
9:44 AM
Wemmbu tried calling for help.
"PARROT'S PARENTS!"
Parrot looked up.
"Don't."
"I need assistance."
"They're busy."
"I don't care."
Wemmbu called louder.
"HELP!"
Footsteps approached.
The door opened.
Both parents stopped.
They stared.
Wemmbu was tied to the couch.
Parrot was sitting beside him.
One arm was wrapped firmly around Wemmbu.
The other hand was holding a book.
He was calmly reading.
Silence.
One parent slowly blinked.
"...Parrot."
Parrot looked up.
"Yes?"
"Why is Wemmbu tied up?"
"He's trying to leave."
The parents looked at Wemmbu.
Wemmbu stared back.
"Please."
One parent covered his mouth.
The other looked like he was fighting a smile.
"Parrot, untie him."
"No."
"Parrot."
"No."
"You can't keep your babysitter hostage."
Parrot's eyes narrowed.
"I can."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
He looked directly at them.
"Leave."
The parents froze.
Wemmbu stared.
He had heard Parrot angry before.
This was different.
Parrot was still completely calm.
No shouting.
No tantrum.
Just a tiny seven-year-old staring at his parents with an expression that somehow made the entire room uncomfortable.
"Leave."
One parent raised both hands.
"Okay."
"Wait."
The other parent looked at Wemmbu.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
"Do you need us to—"
"YES."
Parrot's arm tightened around him.
"No."
Wemmbu sighed.
"Parrot."
"What?"
"I need to leave."
Parrot looked genuinely offended.
"Why?"
"I have another job."
"Cancel it."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because I can't just bring you with me."
Parrot went still.
The parents went still too.
Wemmbu realized, approximately three seconds too late, that he'd said something stupid.
Parrot looked at his parents.
"...Why can't I go?"
Wemmbu blinked.
"Because..."
Parrot's parents exchanged a glance.
One of them slowly asked:
"Who is the next child?"
Wemmbu looked at them.
"Spoke."
Both parents immediately recognized the name.
"BadBoyHalo and Skeppy?"
"Yeah."
The parents looked at each other.
Then one pulled out his phone.
Wemmbu stared.
"Wait."
He started untying one of the knots himself.
"No, no, no. You don't have to call them."
The parent was already dialing.
"Hello?"
A voice answered.
"Hey, bro. How have you been?"
Pause.
"About Wemmbu."
Wemmbu closed his eyes.
This cannot be happening.
The parent continued.
"Would you mind if Parrot accompanied him today?"
Wemmbu's eyes snapped open.
He stared at Parrot.
Parrot stared back.
The other parent was already smiling.
A few seconds passed.
Then:
"Perfect."
The call ended.
Wemmbu stared.
"...You actually asked."
Parrot smiled.
"I can go."
"Apparently."
He finally got his hands free.
Parrot immediately grabbed his arm again.
Wemmbu sighed.
"You're still holding me."
"Yes."
"And we're leaving."
"Yes."
"Together."
"Yes."
Wemmbu looked toward the ceiling.
"...I need better contract terms."
Parrot smiled.
His parents were laughing.
Wemmbu stood and finally freed his ankles.
Parrot immediately reached for his hand.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"To Spoke."
Wemmbu looked at him.
"You realize Spoke is going to lose his mind when he sees you, right?"
Parrot smiled.
"I know."
Wemmbu paused.
"...You're enjoying this."
"Yes."
Of course he was.
Wemmbu grabbed his bag.
And walked toward the door with one genius seven-year-old attached to his arm.
9:58 AM.
Spoke was about to discover that his babysitter had brought competition.
10:04 AM
Wemmbu walked down the driveway with Parrot attached to his arm.
Parrot was carrying a book.
Of course he was.
Wemmbu had barely made it to the sidewalk when—
HONK.
He stopped.
Parrot stopped.
They both turned.
A car was pulling away from the curb.
BadBoyHalo was in the driver's seat.
Skeppy was in the passenger seat.
Both were waving.
Skeppy gave Wemmbu an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
BadBoy did the same.
Wemmbu stared.
"...What."
The car drove away.
Parrot looked up at him.
"They seem nice."
Wemmbu's eye twitched.
"They're laughing at me."
"Probably."
"They know what happened."
"Probably."
Wemmbu looked toward the retreating car.
"Traitors."
Parrot smiled.
"Can we go inside now?"
Wemmbu sighed.
"Yeah."
They reached the front door.
Wemmbu opened it.
And immediately heard something.
A tiny mechanical whir.
He froze.
"...Spoke?"
A voice came from somewhere upstairs.
"WE MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM!"
Wemmbu's eyes widened.
"Parrot, get behind me."
"What?"
"NOW."
Parrot immediately ducked behind him.
Wemmbu took one step forward.
Two seconds.
That's all he had.
The ceiling opened.
A machine fired.
POOF.
The hallway exploded into glitter.
Wemmbu threw his arms around Parrot and shielded him.
Sparkles hit his back.
His hair.
His clothes.
His face.
Everywhere.
Silence.
A single glittering particle drifted past Wemmbu's nose.
He slowly lifted his head.
"..."
Parrot peeked out from behind him.
"...You're shiny."
Wemmbu stared forward.
"I know."
A child came sprinting down the stairs.
Spoke.
He launched himself directly at Wemmbu.
"WEMMBU!"
Wemmbu barely caught him.
Spoke laughed.
"I GOT YOU!"
"You did."
"Did you see the glitter?"
"I felt the glitter."
Spoke laughed harder.
Then he noticed someone standing behind Wemmbu.
Parrot.
Spoke stopped.
Parrot stared back.
A beat passed.
Then another.
"You."
"You."
Wemmbu looked between them.
"You two know each other?"
"Our parents know each other," Parrot said.
Spoke nodded.
"Yeah."
Then both children looked at Wemmbu.
And immediately grabbed him.
Spoke wrapped both arms around his waist.
Parrot grabbed his arm.
Wemmbu looked down.
"...Seriously?"
Spoke tightened his grip.
"He's mine."
Parrot's expression hardened.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Wemmbu closed his eyes.
It wasn't even lunch.
He had already been kidnapped.
Glitter-bombed.
And now he was apparently the prize in a custody dispute between two billionaires' children.
"Let go."
Neither did.
"Guys."
Nothing.
Wemmbu's voice became firmer.
"Let. Go."
Spoke whined.
"But—"
"No."
Parrot immediately responded.
"If you make me leave, I will assign you one hundred poems."
Wemmbu stared at him.
"That isn't a threat anymore."
"It is."
Spoke looked offended.
"Why does he get to threaten you?"
"He doesn't."
"I heard him."
"I know."
Wemmbu took a deep breath.
Then pointed toward the living room.
"Both of you."
Neither moved.
"Living room."
Spoke frowned.
"But—"
"Now."
Parrot narrowed his eyes.
"You're angry."
"Yes."
"At us?"
"Yes."
Spoke immediately looked guilty.
Parrot considered this.
Then both slowly walked toward the living room.
Wemmbu followed until they were inside.
"Sit."
They sat.
"Stay."
Spoke raised his hand.
"What if—"
"No."
"What if I—"
"No."
"What if Parrot—"
"No."
Parrot raised his hand.
"I have a question."
"No."
He lowered it.
Wemmbu pointed at them.
"Stay here."
Then he walked away.
Behind him, he heard Spoke whisper:
"He's really mad."
Parrot whispered back:
"Yes."
"Should we apologize?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I'm thinking."
Wemmbu stopped.
"...I can hear you."
Silence.
He continued walking.
10:16 AM
Wemmbu stood in front of the bathroom mirror.
He stared at himself.
There was glitter in his hair.
Glitter on his shirt.
Glitter on his sleeves.
Glitter somehow inside his collar.
He wiped his cheek.
More glitter.
"...How."
He washed his face.
More glitter.
He changed his shirt.
Still glitter.
He ran a hand through his hair.
A small shower of sparkles fell onto the sink.
Wemmbu stared at them.
"I hate this universe."
From the living room:
"WEMMBU!"
"What?!"
"CAN WE COME OUT?"
"No!"
"But we're bored!"
"Good!"
Parrot's voice followed.
"I have finished my book."
"Congratulations!"
"I require another."
"Read it again!"
"I don't want to."
"Then sit quietly!"
Silence.
Wemmbu sighed.
He grabbed a towel.
He was going to get every last piece of glitter off himself.
He was going to have lunch.
He was going to survive the rest of the day.
And, most importantly, he was going to make sure neither child touched anything dangerous.
He had absolutely no idea that while he was cleaning himself...
Spoke was staring at Parrot.
Parrot was staring at Spoke.
And both were looking at the exact same thought.
How do we get Wemmbu to ourselves?
The babysitter had accidentally created a competition.
And neither child intended to lose.
10:31 AM
Wemmbu had no idea what was happening in the living room.
Which was probably for the best.
He was too busy trying to remove glitter from his hair.
He had already washed his face twice.
It hadn't helped.
There was still glitter.
Somehow, it had multiplied.
Wemmbu stared into the mirror.
"How did he even build that machine?"
A tiny voice answered from behind him.
"Engineering."
Wemmbu nearly jumped.
He turned.
Parrot was standing there.
Very close.
"...How long have you been there?"
"Thirty seconds."
"Why?"
"I wanted to see what you were doing."
"Watching me wash glitter out of my hair?"
"Yes."
Wemmbu sighed.
"Go back to the living room."
Parrot didn't move.
Instead, he stepped forward and wrapped both arms around Wemmbu.
Wemmbu blinked.
"...What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"You are hugging me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Spoke was hugging you."
Wemmbu stared.
Then slowly looked toward the doorway.
Spoke was standing there.
Watching.
His expression had changed.
"Oh."
Spoke walked over.
"Move."
Parrot didn't.
"No."
"I want Wemmbu."
"I am already here."
"Move."
"No."
Spoke narrowed his eyes.
"You can have him after I'm done."
Parrot's eyes narrowed back.
"No."
Wemmbu looked between them.
"...What is happening?"
Neither answered.
Spoke grabbed Wemmbu's other arm.
Parrot tightened his grip.
Wemmbu sighed.
"Guys."
Nothing.
"Guys."
Still nothing.
"I have glitter in my ear."
Both children looked up.
Spoke immediately released him.
Parrot did too.
Wemmbu rubbed his ear.
"Thank you."
The two children exchanged a look.
Spoke whispered:
"Temporary ceasefire."
Parrot nodded.
"Agreed."
Wemmbu frowned.
"Why do I feel like I just negotiated a treaty?"
11:02 AM
Lunch was strange.
Wemmbu sat at the head of the table.
Spoke sat on one side.
Parrot sat on the other.
And neither child seemed particularly interested in eating.
They were too busy competing.
Spoke pushed Wemmbu's plate slightly closer to himself.
Parrot moved it back.
Spoke gave him a look.
Parrot returned it.
Spoke reached for Wemmbu's drink.
Parrot moved it away.
"Hey."
"What?"
"That's his."
"I know."
"Then why'd you move it?"
"Because you were going to take it."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
Wemmbu put his fork down.
"Can we please eat lunch normally?"
Both children nodded.
Three seconds later, Spoke stole a piece of food from Parrot's plate.
Parrot stared at him.
"Why?"
"I was hungry."
"You have your own."
"I wanted yours."
Parrot calmly moved his entire plate away.
Spoke stared.
"That's rude."
"You stole from me."
Wemmbu sighed.
"This is why we can't have nice things."
11:27 AM
Wemmbu finally had an idea.
"Okay."
Both children looked at him.
"No more competing."
Spoke frowned.
"We weren't."
"You absolutely were."
Parrot looked innocent.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Wemmbu pointed at him.
"You threatened me with one hundred poems."
"That was unrelated."
"And you," Wemmbu said, pointing at Spoke, "hid my shoes."
Spoke smiled.
"...Maybe."
"So."
Wemmbu stood.
"We're playing teamwork games."
Both children stared.
"Teamwork?"
"Yep."
Spoke looked suspicious.
"With him?"
Parrot looked equally suspicious.
"With him?"
"Yes."
Neither seemed thrilled.
Wemmbu grinned.
"Unless you two want me to go home early."
Instant silence.
Spoke sat up.
"No."
Parrot shook his head.
"Fine."
"Excellent."
Game One: The Tower
Wemmbu gave them building blocks.
"The tallest tower wins."
Spoke immediately started stacking.
Parrot stopped him.
"You're doing it wrong."
"It's a tower."
"It's unstable."
"It's fast."
"It will fall."
"It won't."
It fell.
Spoke stared at the pile.
Parrot stared at Spoke.
Wemmbu covered his mouth to hide a laugh.
"Okay."
Parrot began rebuilding.
Spoke watched.
"Can I help?"
Parrot hesitated.
"...Fine."
They worked together.
Spoke handed him pieces.
Parrot placed them carefully.
Wemmbu occasionally offered suggestions.
Slowly, the tower grew.
Higher.
Higher.
Higher.
Spoke looked delighted.
"Look!"
Parrot smiled.
"We did it."
Then the tower wobbled.
Both children froze.
Wemmbu whispered:
"Don't move."
Nobody moved.
The tower steadied.
Spoke whispered:
"We're geniuses."
Parrot nodded solemnly.
"Yes."
Wemmbu smiled.
"Teamwork."
Game Two: Treasure Hunt
Wemmbu hid several objects around the room.
"You have to find them together."
Spoke immediately ran in one direction.
Parrot grabbed his shirt.
"Wait."
"What?"
"We need a strategy."
Spoke frowned.
"Fine."
They whispered together.
Then split up.
Spoke searched underneath furniture.
Parrot checked shelves.
They called clues to each other.
"FOUND ONE!"
"WHERE?"
"BEHIND THE CHAIR!"
"WAIT FOR ME!"
They ran back together.
Wemmbu watched from the couch.
He couldn't help smiling.
They weren't arguing.
They weren't competing.
They were actually helping each other.
Spoke found something.
Parrot figured out where it belonged.
Parrot found something.
Spoke carried it back.
At the end, they stood beside their pile of treasures.
"We won!"
"Together," Parrot corrected.
Spoke grinned.
"Together."
Wemmbu smiled.
"See?"
Neither child answered.
But they were both smiling.
Game Three: The Blanket Fort
This one was a mistake.
A glorious mistake.
Within fifteen minutes, the living room had been transformed into an enormous blanket fort.
Spoke crawled through one entrance.
Parrot had designed the internal layout.
Wemmbu was responsible for holding up half the structure.
"This is actually pretty good."
Spoke grinned.
"It's our castle."
Parrot nodded.
"We need a library."
"Why?"
"Every castle needs a library."
Spoke thought.
"Fine."
Wemmbu laughed.
"Of course it does."
Eventually, both children ended up lying inside the fort.
Spoke rested against Wemmbu's side.
Parrot lay on the other side.
For once, neither was trying to steal him.
They were just tired.
Peaceful.
Quiet.
Wemmbu looked between them.
"You two actually work pretty well together."
Spoke smiled sleepily.
"Don't tell anyone."
Parrot closed his eyes.
"It's a secret."
1:08 PM
Wemmbu had barely sat down before both children decided he was now furniture.
Spoke climbed onto one side.
Parrot climbed onto the other.
Wemmbu stared at the ceiling.
"...Really?"
"Yes."
"You two have beds."
"We want you."
"I am not a pillow."
Spoke yawned.
"You're comfortable."
Parrot nodded.
"Statistically."
Wemmbu laughed.
"Statistically?"
"Your body temperature is appropriate."
"Thank you, Parrot."
"You're welcome."
Wemmbu leaned back.
"Fine."
Spoke smiled.
"Story."
"What kind?"
"Anything."
Wemmbu thought.
Then started telling them about an adventure.
Nothing too specific.
Just enough to keep them interested.
Spoke interrupted constantly.
Parrot asked questions every thirty seconds.
Wemmbu answered all of them.
Eventually, the interruptions became fewer.
Then quieter.
Then stopped.
Wemmbu looked down.
Both children were asleep.
He smiled.
"...Finally."
2:03 PM
The front door opened.
BadBoyHalo and Skeppy walked inside.
Skeppy stopped.
He looked at the blanket fort.
Then at the two children asleep inside it.
Then at Wemmbu, who was lying awkwardly between them.
His grin widened.
"Wow."
Wemmbu glared at him.
"Don't."
Skeppy immediately started laughing.
BadBoy smiled.
"Looks like they had fun."
"They did."
Wemmbu carefully tried to move.
Spoke immediately grabbed his shirt.
"No."
Wemmbu sighed.
"I have to go."
"No."
Parrot opened one eye.
"You have another child."
"Yes."
"Then I am coming."
Wemmbu blinked.
"No."
Parrot sat up.
"Why?"
"Because you're not scheduled."
Parrot stared at him.
Then at Spoke.
Then back at Wemmbu.
"I don't care."
Wemmbu rubbed his face.
"Parrot."
"I am going."
"You can't just follow me everywhere."
"Why not?"
"Because..."
Wemmbu paused.
He couldn't exactly explain that babysitting multiple children from different families wasn't normally supposed to involve transporting them between billionaires' houses like they were pieces in some extremely expensive board game.
Parrot crossed his arms.
"You said we were going to spend the day together."
"I said I'd babysit you."
"And now you're going somewhere else."
"Yes."
"So I'm coming."
Wemmbu stared at him.
Parrot stared back.
Neither blinked.
Skeppy whispered to BadBoy:
"He's winning."
"I know."
Wemmbu sighed.
"Fine."
Parrot immediately smiled.
"But you're staying with me."
"Obviously."
"And you're not wandering off."
"I won't."
"And you listen."
"I always listen."
Wemmbu raised an eyebrow.
Parrot looked away.
"...Usually."
Spoke suddenly sat up.
"I'm coming too!"
Wemmbu looked at him.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you're not my responsibility after this shift."
Spoke immediately ran toward his parents.
"PLEASE."
BadBoy blinked.
"Please what?"
"LET ME GO WITH WEMMBU!"
Skeppy looked at Wemmbu.
Wemmbu raised both hands.
"Don't ask me."
Skeppy laughed.
"Where's he going?"
"Mane and Flame."
BadBoy nodded.
"Dream's kids?"
"Yeah."
Skeppy pulled out his phone.
"Let me call him."
Wemmbu stared.
"Wait, you're actually going to ask?"
"Why not?"
The call connected.
Dream answered from what sounded like the middle of a meeting.
Skeppy explained the situation.
There was a pause.
Then Dream apparently gave permission.
Skeppy hung up.
"You're good."
Wemmbu stared.
"...I can't believe that worked."
BadBoy laughed.
"Neither can I."
Spoke cheered.
"YES!"
He ran back to Wemmbu.
Parrot immediately grabbed Wemmbu's other hand.
Spoke noticed.
"Hey."
Parrot looked at him.
"What?"
"That's my side."
"You don't own a side."
"I do now."
"No."
Wemmbu closed his eyes.
"Please don't start."
Both children went quiet.
For approximately four seconds.
Then Spoke whispered:
"I call right side."
Parrot whispered back:
"I was already on it."
Wemmbu sighed.
"Whatever."
He grabbed his bag.
"Let's go."
They made it approximately three steps.
Wemmbu stopped.
He looked down.
"...Where are my shoes?"
Silence.
Spoke became extremely interested in the ceiling.
Wemmbu slowly turned.
"Spoke."
"What?"
"My shoes."
"I don't know."
"You know."
"No."
"Spoke."
"I genuinely don't."
Wemmbu stared at him.
Skeppy started laughing.
BadBoy covered his mouth.
Wemmbu searched underneath the couch.
Nothing.
Behind the door.
Nothing.
Under the table.
Nothing.
He checked the hallway.
Nothing.
"Spoke."
"Yes?"
"Where are my shoes?"
Spoke smiled innocently.
"I forgot."
"You forgot where my shoes are?"
"Yes."
"You hid them."
"No."
"You absolutely hid them."
Spoke's smile widened.
"...Maybe."
Wemmbu sighed.
He had seen this before.
Spoke had a system.
If he hid someone's shoes well enough, they couldn't leave.
And apparently, he had decided that Wemmbu leaving with another child was unacceptable.
Wemmbu crouched down.
"Okay."
Spoke watched him.
"What?"
"I'm going to find them."
"Good luck."
Wemmbu searched.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Nothing.
Spoke was becoming increasingly smug.
Parrot watched the entire thing.
Then suddenly disappeared upstairs.
Wemmbu didn't notice.
He was too busy looking under furniture.
Finally, footsteps came down the stairs.
Parrot appeared.
Holding Wemmbu's shoes.
He walked over.
"Here."
Wemmbu stared.
His shoes.
Clean.
Untouched.
Apparently completely unharmed.
He slowly took them.
"...Where did you find these?"
"Bathroom."
Wemmbu blinked.
"The bathroom?"
Parrot nodded.
"Behind the shower."
Wemmbu turned toward Spoke.
Spoke immediately pointed at Parrot.
"TRAITOR."
Parrot looked confused.
"I found them."
"They were hidden!"
"Yes."
"You're supposed to help me!"
"I was."
"You weren't!"
Parrot smiled.
"I helped Wemmbu."
Wemmbu couldn't help laughing.
Spoke crossed his arms.
"That's cheating."
Parrot shrugged.
"It's called being useful."
Skeppy was nearly on the floor laughing.
BadBoy was laughing too.
Wemmbu put his shoes on.
Then looked at both children.
"Ready?"
Spoke grabbed his hand.
Parrot grabbed his other.
"Ready."
Wemmbu stared at them.
One child on each side.
His bag over his shoulder.
His hair still faintly glittering.
And absolutely no idea how he had ended up in this situation.
"...Let's go."
They walked toward the door.
Behind them, Skeppy called:
"Good luck!"
Wemmbu looked back.
"I hate all of you."
Skeppy laughed.
BadBoy waved.
The door closed.
And Wemmbu walked down the driveway with two children from two completely different families attached to him.
His next stop:
Mane and Flame.
And considering how badly the morning had already gone...
He had a feeling the day was nowhere near finished.