Lightning Strike (1)

"Wow! Thank you so much!" Leo yelled while locking his hands together. He was enamored with a tin of blackberry cobbler, warm and sweet mush that would melt on the tongue. Nearly drooling, he summoned a fork to devour it.

***

Several minutes earlier, Sinclair dropped their chariot in the board room again, fortunately parking it somewhere on the periphery rather than smack-dab in the middle of the table. We hadn't seen them for around a month, figuring they were overwhelmed with deliveries for displaced families. Inei gave them leeway, and he was especially kind after not getting his desk damaged again.

When Sinclair landed, I noticed a shimmering gray box accompanied the usual bags and stacks of letters. It had a sad piece of red ribbon tied around it, and the container was opaque. It was odd; Sinclair rarely, if ever, brought packages with them, but that one was probably for Inei or Akiyoshi.

Under the sour smell of afternoon lemonade, there was something vaguely sweet, a fruity perfume trying to pervade the area. I sniffed a few times, but nobody else reacted.

*Eh, maybe it's all in my head.*

Sinclair began their usual speech about the happenings they were asked to report, to whom the letters were addressed, and whatever else they decided to speak about. Their voice was deep and full but not necessarily low or high, so it was fairly soothing to the ear. I didn't have the intention of disrespecting them, but my brain was already weary from hours of droning. Consequently, I ignored most of what they had to say unless they turned to me—which ended up not happening.

Instead, my attention was caught by the loud sound of the door hitting the wall. Jisoo moved the stopper during the morning, saying she needed the rock for her office. She either forgot to return it or still needed it, but neither mattered as Leo stomped in.

"Why are you here?" Inei asked him, halting Sinclair.

The messenger nodded their head and shoved a paper back in their pocket before they turned around and spotted an angry Leo.

"I wanted to go to the hot tub, but some idiot brought outsiders in! I had to run to the nearest room and hide. It was a broom closet!" he complained with a towel swung over his shoulder, fully clothed. "The stupid stick stabbed me in the ribs, so I made a run for here."

*For once, you didn't use me as your entry vehicle.*

Inei muttered, "It's the middle of—"

"Perhaps I have something to cheer you up," Sinclair said, unknowingly cutting off King Inei. They reached for the gift box in their chariot, untangling the ribbon to remove the top. Instantly, Leo's bad mood dissipated.

***

Sinclair laughed at Leo—as did I—after watching him start to shovel the dessert into his mouth.

"I'm glad you like it," they said.

"Mm," Leo hummed, unable to get a word out through the food.

"Your face has purple all over it," I told him.

He stuck out his tongue to lick what he could, giving us a dentist's view of his mouth. "Better?"

I shook my head.

He rolled his eyes. "I'll get it in a minute!"

Sinclair snapped their fingers, and Leo's yellow-brown skin was visible again. "There."

Leo was in the process of bringing his arm to his face as Sinclair did that. He moved it down. "Thank you again," he mumbled while he took another bite.

Sinclair smiled at him again before turning back to Inei. "Your Highness, I apologize about that. I had that ready for him because he gave me those sweets the other day."

"Do you want to share this while I hide in the courtyard, Sinclair? I don't think I'm wanted here."

They looked over at Leo, opening their mouth.

"Would you stop disturbing the meeting, Leo?" Inei yelled. "Sinclair, just hand me the paper so that I can read it. You can go with him if you want." He pointed his hand in the direction of the door as he reached towards Sinclair with the other one.

They grabbed the note from their pocket and passed it to Inei. "Thank you, Your Highness. I wanted to ask. I need a break from flying around, and it feels like the stream of letters might finally be slowing down."

"Sure, sure."

Sinclair bowed while their horses slept away from the chaos. They walked out, following a grinning Leo to descend some irrational number of floors.

"So," Inei said and spun his chair as he skimmed the memo from Sinclair, "anyone here know about that farmhouse with all the chickens in it exploding?"

"Is that why the chickens crossed the road on my way up here this morning?" Jisoo asked, somehow entirely serious, and I laughed.

*Sometimes* the most bizarre shit was said. It sort of made everything worth it.