Chapter 28
That night across campus Lilia appeared in front of the Ramshackle dorm. Inside his coat pocket was the elegant invitation from Malleus to Odette. 'My I didn't except this turn of events. How interesting.' Lilia thought as he bound up the front porch.
He knocked the on door and waited. He knocked again and listened to inside the dorm. He hear nothing, he felt nothing. "Where could she be? It isn't that late. She should be asleep yet." Lilia muttered. He left the porch and floated up to the second floor. He peered into her open window to see the bed was still made.
Below him a ruckus began. "Where is that street rat?" Lilia heard a tall Scarabia dorm snapped.
"They have to be here somewhere." Another one stated.
"There's no way they stayed with those fish mafia wannabes." The first said as he tried the front door.
Suddenly Lilia heard screaming and saw the Scarabia students running away. "GHOST!" They screamed at the top of their lungs.
Lilia floated down upside down to see the residents ghost turned back into their normal selves. "How dare they try to break in." Ghost A muttered.
"Excuse me but I'm looking for Odette." Lilia said as he landed on the ground.
"She's been gone for a few days. She and Grim went to feed the fire fairies and haven't come back. We've been worried so we went looking for them." Ghost A explained.
"The fairies said she went off with the Scarabia bunch. But if they're looking for her maybe she didn't. We hope she comes home soon. It's so quiet with her and Grim gone." Ghost B sniffled.
"That is interesting." Lilia muttered as he looked in the directions the students had run off in.
"We can't go to Scarabia to check on her but I hope she's okay." Ghost A said they disappeared back into the dorm.
"I hope so too. They didn't look friendly." Lilia muttered. 'They mentioned fish mafia. Could she be tangled up with Octavinelle again? And Scarabia? What has she gotten herself into this time?' He wondered as he made his way back to his dorm.
"The others are going to be so disappointed." He sighed.
"Wait, we're sleeping here tonight!" Grim exclaimed back in the Octavinelle dorm.
"Yes, of course you're wanted criminals going home is the last thing you want to do." Jade chuckled as he followed Azul.
"Don't worry the night's stay will be added to Scarabia's bill." Azul called over his shoulder.
"That's not I was worried about." Odette muttered as Floyd's put a hand on her shoulder.
"Come with me. I'll show you where the bathroom is cause you look like you could use a bath or two."Floyd said gently pushing the back of the lounge. He lead them out the back door and into the dorm proper. "I'll go see what I can do for pjs for ya but don't expect nothing fancy." Floyd said once they arrived at a set of double doors.
"We weren't whatever you have is fine as long as it's something." She sighed.
"The bathroom is through these doors. There should be clean towels folded on the shelves in there. Don't worry we won't peek on you. I'll leave the pjs here outside the door. Once you're finish come and get me from the lounge." Floyd said as he flipped his hand around from the door then back towards the lounge.
"Alright. Thanks again." Odette said then heading into the bathroom.
"Jeez this thing is huge it's at least four times our bathroom." Grim exclaimed looking around.
There was a row of sinks with a large mirror over the counter. There was a large tub that could hold at least ten people in the back of the room. Beside the sink was a cupboard where they found wash clothes and towels.
"As much as I want to savor a hot bath I just want to go to bed." Odette said as she went over to the row of shower head and turned one to let it warm up.
"Yeah." Grim sighed.
Odette and Grim scrubbed down under the shower but couldn't resist soaking for a bit once they were in the tub.
"They're being awful nice. They're up to something." Odette said as they soaked in the tub.
"Most likely." Grim sighed.
"I hope this doesn't come back to bit us." She muttered.
"If it does I'll take it." He replied as he closed his eyes and sank down to his chin. "Earlier, were you really that scared of the guards taking us back?"
"A little, but it was more I was still shaking from that disastrous carpet ride." She confessed quietly.
"Ah, I think they might have a soft spot for you." Grim confessed.
"Maybe, they're all so hard to read." Odette sighed.
Once they were done Odette poked her head outside to the hall and a found sets of long sleeve purple pjs on a stool beside the door.
Once she was dressed they went back to the lounge to find all the whole Octa-trio sitting at a table. "Ah there you are. Have some tea." Floyd said giving a small wave.
"Tea? This late?" Odette asked as they say down.
"It's just part of our nightly routine, helps us unwind." Floyd explained as he gently pushed cups towards them.
"Thank you." She said taking the cup and sipping it.
"Once you're done, we'll show you to a room." Jade said as he sipped his drinks.
Once they finished the Ramshackle duo followed the Oct-Trio to a room. "See you in the morning." Azul said giving them a smile and a head nod.
"Sleep well." Jade said doing the same.
"Don't let the sea bugs bit." Floyd chuckled.
"Thank again." Odette said smiling back at them then they went into the room.
"I don't think I'll ever get use to those three." Grim sighed as he collapsed into the bed.
"Me neither." She sighed laying down taking the side of the bed against the wall. "We'll probably pay for this later but right now I don't care." They had left the door ajar. They were both out within minutes and never heard Floyd, Jade or Azul checking in on them during the night or in the morning.
The Octa-trio let them sleep well into the morning.
The next morning Grim woke up feeling refreshed. 'Where am I?' He thought as she stretched and yawned then last night dawned on him. He quickly looked around the room and called out for her. "Odette?" There was no answer. He saw the door to the hallway was still ajar. He threw off the blankets and went out to the hall.
"Odette?" He called out again looking down each way down the hall. 'Maybe she's in the bathroom?' Grim thought.
He quickly made her way back to the bathroom they used last night but found it empty. He then dashed to the lounge where he found Odette sitting at a table with Azul and Jade.
"There you are!" Grim called out.
"Good morning Grim." Odette smiled over her tea cup. "You okay? You look flush."
"I couldn't find you." Grim gasped out plopping next to her.
"I didn't mean to scare you. I just got bored laying there." Odette said as she poured him a cup of tea and added three sugars.
"You've been up for an hour haven't you?" Grim sighed as she took the cup from her.
"Of course. Did you not see the pjs I left on the bed?" She asked motioning towards her outfit.
He looked over to see she had indeed changed back to the Scarabia gym uniform. "No, I was too busy worrying about to you." He griped.
"Yes, unfortunately, Azul has made a good point we do still have the carpet and we need to return it otherwise we are thieves." She said pointing over to the now still carpet.
"Fine, but I don't like it." Grim grumbled.
"Me neither!" She shrugged.
"Yeah Shrimpy is still here!" Floyd called out as he hugged her from behind wrapping his arms around her shoulders scaring her making her jump.
After breakfast they got ready then the group headed over to the Scarabia dorm.
There were two guards outside the entrance to the dorm. "Halt! Why are you here!" A guard asked a tremble in his voice.
"I'm here to return Kalim's carpet and I've brought the thieves back who took it. "Azul said jestering towards the carpet Floyd was carrying. "I apologize for getting involved last night and the damage Jade and Floyd may have done to your students but put yourself ion my shoes any gentleman would have assumed the innocence of the Prefect." He continued.
'He's laying it on thick here.' Odette thought as her face betrayed her angry at being accused of being a thief again.
"You two hurry up before you miss,...why are you three here?" Jamil asked as he walked up to the group.
"Hello Jamil I was just explaining to your guards why we're here. We have Kalim's carpet." Azul said keeping this explanation short.
"Then please give it to me. I'll make sure he get it." Jamil said holding out his hands.
"Nonsense, we've come all this way. I want to assure he gets it personal. We've also brought a gift as an apology for last night." Azul said breezing past Jamil and the guards.
"Stick close you two." Floyd whispered as they made their way towards the lounge.
"You don't have to tell me twice." Odette whispered back. "I don't think we would have come back if you weren't here too."
Once they entered the lounge they were greeted by a smiling Kalim. "Good morning! What brings you here?"
'He's back to normal?' Odette and Grim thought feeling a bit dumbfounded.
"We have your flying carpet." Jade said as Floyd placed the carpet in front of Kalim.
The carpet unrolled itself out then waved at Kalim.
"Oh you naughty thing, going off by yourself again. Thank you so much for returning it." Kalim said as the carpet floated away.
"We've heard you're running a winter break training camp." Azul said as he sat beside Kalim.
"We are, we didn't do so hot during the Spell Drive Tournament or during finals." Kalim explained with a sigh.
"My, what dedication to your dorm. It's admirable. I think we could learn from your dedication." Azul sighed as the tweels sat beside him.
"Why don't you join us then?" Kalim said with his normal grin.
"That's a wonderful idea!" Azul said smiling back but his was his normal businessman smile.
"I don't believe Octavinelle needs anymore training." Jamil grumbles as he sat beside Kalim.
"Nonsense, everyone could always use more training." Azul said.
"We're going to let them join us? They're enemies from other dorms. They'll just use our ideas for themselves." Jamil protested.
"That's a little harsh. We're all fellow classmates after all. Besides we've already had the Ramshackle dorm with us all week." Kalim pointed out. "I think inter-dorm workout is a great idea. Come join us now. We're just about to start." Kalim over ruling Jamil clearing annoying him.
"Please go easy on us." Azul said.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I was finally able to work Diasomnia back into the story. I thought the scene wasn't half bad. I know I let my favoritism show a bit with this one but I just couldn't resist a cute Octavinelle scene. It was also nice to break up the story line a bit. But we'll get to it in the next chapter. I hope you stick around the Scarabia Arc is almost over.