BEEP.
The casual talking didn't stop immediately. Billy paused mid-sentence and his robotic head tilting slightly.
"Uh, did someone set an alarm?"
"Is the pizza delivery here?"
Nicole mumbled from the sofa, still clutching her stomach like someone who had severely overestimated her limits.
BEEP...
BEEP...
BEEP...
The sound wasn't coming from a phone. It was coming from Wise's desk, growing more insistent with every passing second.
The light from the incubator was no longer steady. It was pulsing rapidly, throwing ripples of sea-green and cyan illumination across the exposed brick wall.
The game was forgotten. The bickering died down as everyone slowly turned their heads toward the glowing corner of the room.
Belle leaned forward, her eyes wide with nervous curiosity, the neon light reflecting in her pupils.
"Cedric? What is that?"
Wise set down the empty paper cups she was holding. A quiet line formed between her brows as she looked at the flashing lights.
"Is it supposed to be doing that?" Wise asked.
"It's never pulsed like that before."
Cedric sat up slowly, pushing through the haze of the cider as his attention settled on the desk.
'System? What is it?'
[Incubation period complete.]
[The Water-type egg is preparing to hatch.]
Cedric didn't even think before the words slipped out.
"It's hatching."
The reaction was immediate. The relaxed comfort of the room vanished.
"Blinds!" Wise said, her tone instantly turning serious.
"On it."
Belle scrambled up from the floor, dashing toward the window.
CLACK!
She pulled the horizontal blinds shut, blocking out the streetlights and leaving the room bathed entirely in the pulsing cyan light of the incubator.
Billy looked around, his eyes widening with confusion.
"Uh... guys? Why are we going into lockdown mode?!"
Nicole paused, holding a half-eaten cracker frozen near her face.
"Yeah, seriously, what is going on?"
Anby stepped back from the table, her hand resting near her waist out of habit.
"I am prepared for combat if necessary."
Ellen just sat quietly in her armchair, her long shark tail swishing once behind her as she raised a single skeptical eyebrow.
Wise looked at the members of the Cunning Hares and Ellen.
"Nobody is fighting. But there's a reason we need to close the blinds."
Belle walked back from the window.
"We trust you guys. But what's about to happen... we really need to keep it a secret. It stays in this room. Absolute confidentiality."
Nicole lowered her cracker, eyeing the glowing desk suspiciously.
"That sentence usually precedes someone asking me to hide a body, a pile of stolen cash, or a very illegal item."
"It's nothing bad," Cedric said. His voice was steady, if a little slower than usual.
"Just... something private."
Nicole gave him a suspicious look.
"You're drunk."
Cedric blinked at her.
"Its tipsy."
"That's just drunk with better branding."
Cedric considered that for a second.
"...Fair enough."
Wise shook her head, though the corner of her mouth lifted.
"Just don't fall over before we get this thing ready."
Cedric glanced down at himself, then back at Wise.
"I'm fine."
He immediately took half a step sideways to steady himself.
Wise raised an eyebrow.
"Very convincing."
Cedric frowned at her for a moment, then gave a small, lopsided smile.
"Still standing."
Ellen crossed her arms, leaning back against the cushions.
"I don't really care what you're hiding. I can keep my mouth shut."
Anby nodded once.
"Client confidentiality is a core principle of the Cunning Hares. Even off the clock."
Billy saluted sharply.
"My lips are sealed! Literally, I don't have lips, but you know what I mean in my heart!"
Nicole let out a long sigh, but she started pushing the card game and snacks out of the center of the rug anyway.
"Fine. But if this blows up the building, I'm billing you for mental damage."
They quickly cleared the table and pushed the chairs back, leaving a wide space on the carpet.
Cedric walked over to the desk and carefully picked up the incubator.
He carried it to the middle of the carpet, right where they had been playing, and set it down.
Then he reached around the back, finding a small, hidden compartment and popped the cover open.
Inside were two small buttons: one red, and one blue.
He pressed the red button.
Vwoooom.
The incubator hummed and rapidly enlarged. It seamlessly scaled up in size with a series of mechanical clicks until it became a large, full-sized incubator standing in the middle of the room.
Billy's eyes widened.
"Whoa... that is so cool! I want one!"
Nicole just stared.
"Okay, where do you even buy something like that? Because a technology like this would be worth a fortune on the black market."
Anby watched the transformation with quiet interest.
"Fascinating."
Ellen blinked, looking completely taken aback for the first time all night.
"...Okay, that's genuinely new."
The light inside the egg flared brighter, casting dancing, water-like reflections across the ceiling.
[Cedric, you should prepare a large basin of water. Quickly.]
Cedric blinked.
'Water? Why?'
[I do not know exactly what specific species of Pokémon is inside. However, we already know it is a Water-type, and the probability of Water-type Pokémon being entirely aquatic is very high. If it hatches and finds itself completely dry, it might panic. It is best to prepare a body of water for it to hatch into, just in case.]
Cedric turned to Wise, his dark eyes clear but heavy-lidded.
"It needs water. A large basin. Just in case."
Wise didn't waste time with questions.
"The bathroom is right next to my room. There's a large plastic washbasin under the sink."
Billy was already moving.
"I've got it!"
Cedric followed him out. They reached the bathroom, hauled out the wide plastic tub, and carried it back into the room, setting it down on the carpet.
THUMP.
Belle and Anby were already there with two large pitchers of water, pouring them in until the basin was comfortably half-full.
Splash-splash-splash.
Cedric knelt beside the tub. He reached into the expanded machine and lifted the glowing egg. The shell felt warm against his palms, vibrating with restless energy.
Then, he gently lowered it into the water.
Plop.
The egg settled into the pool, floating slightly and sending illuminated ripples across the surface.
Gible squeezed between Cedric's knees, resting its snout on the plastic rim of the tub. Its large eyes reflected the cyan light.
"Gii..."
Everyone gathered in a tight circle around the basin. The room was quiet save for the hum of the computers and the faint sloshing of the water.
Tap.
A hairline crack appeared near the crown of the shell.
Crack...
Cedric rested his fingertips gently on the rim of the basin.
He shifted slightly on his knees before catching himself.
Wise noticed.
"You sure you're good?"
Cedric nodded.
"I'm fine."
A beat passed.
"Probably."
Wise sighed.
"Hahhh. Alright, alright, but remember to let me know if you start feeling weird."
Cedric looked back at the egg, resting his palm against the edge of the basin.
"You're safe," Cedric murmured to the glowing shell. His voice was calm, with a slight softness from the cider.
"Come on out."
CRACK!
A bright flash of aquamarine light filled the room.
With a final snap, the thick shell broke apart entirely. The jagged pieces fell away, sinking to the bottom of the basin.
And there, floating in the center of the tub, sat a small, sleek creature.
It had a rounded, deep-blue body with two large front flippers and two smaller hind flippers. Its long, snow-white snout ended in a bright, rounded pink nose, with short black markings along either side. Small, rounded earflaps sat on either side of its head, while a pale blue ruff spread out around its neck and shoulders.
The little creature blinked its large, dark eyes.
Once.
Twice.
Then, it looked around.
It saw several people gathered around, all staring at it with varying degrees of curiosity. One of them even leaning over the basin while the others watched from nearby.
Unfamiliar shapes. The scent of strange food and city air.
The little pup's body stiffened in panic.
"Pop...?"
Right at that exact millisecond, Cedric felt a sharp, cold spike in his chest.
It was its Aura—a sudden wave of unfiltered terror radiating straight from the tiny creature.
Cedric leaned forward, realizing instantly what was about to happen.
"Wai—"
"POPLIOOO!"
FWOOOOOOOOOSH!!!
A thick ring of pure water materialized out of thin air, swirling rapidly around the tiny pup.
For a brief moment, everyone simply stared.
The ring didn't look dangerous.
Then it started expanding.
Belle's eyes widened.
"Oh..."
Billy tilted his head, his eyes tracking the growing sphere.
"Whoa. It's getting bigger."
Nicole slowly backed away from the basin.
"Uh... is it supposed to do that?"
Anby's eyes followed the water as it continued to swell.
"The volume is increasing at an abnormal rate."
Wise's expression changed almost immediately.
"Wait."
She took one step backward.
"That's getting way too big."
Ellen, who had been watching from the back, quietly lowered her arms.
"...Yeah. That's not good."
Billy looked from the expanding sphere to Wise.
"How big is 'too big'?"
Wise didn't answer.
The sphere kept growing.
Its surface trembled violently, throwing warped reflections of the room across its watery surface. It had already expanded far beyond the size of the original basin, pushing outward with a faint, ominous wobble.
Nicole's face went pale.
"Okay. Okay, that's definitely too big."
Belle instinctively raised both hands in front of herself.
"Should we... move?"
"Probably," Ellen said.
Cedric finally realized just how much water had accumulated.
His eyes widened.
"...Oh."
The sphere expanded one last time.
Now it was enormous, trembling directly in front of them, occupying a huge section of the room.
For one silent second, nobody moved.
Then Wise's eyes narrowed.
"Everyone—"
POP.
The giant water balloon burst.
SHLAAAAAAASH!
A massive wave of water splashed across the room.
Billy yelled as the wave caught him in the chest, pushing him back against the workbench.
"Whoa!"
Nicole shrieked, ducking frantically as the water splashed heavily onto the sofa cushions, soaking her.
"Hey! My shoes are ruined!" Belle ducking behind Wise, who shielded her face as the water rained down on them.
SPLOOSH!
Gible took a splash directly to the face, let out a startled squeak, and slipped backward on the wet carpet.
"GIIIBLEEE!"
In a matter of seconds, the center of Wise's room was completely flooded. A layer of water pooled across the hardwood, dripping steadily from the edges of the sofa.
Drip... drip... drip...
In the basin, the small sea lion was trembling violently, its front flippers tucked tight against its chest, terrified of the mess it had just caused.
"Pop... lio..."
Cedric was drenched. His dark hair was plastered flat against his forehead, and water dripped steadily from the tip of his nose.
He sat there in the puddle for a moment, blinking water out of his eyes.
Then, slowly, a soft sound escaped his chest.
"Haha.'
The laugh came more easily than it normally would have, the cider leaving him less guarded than usual.
Nicole stared at him from the soaked sofa.
"You're actually laughing?"
Cedric looked over at her, water dripping from his hair.
"Well... I didn't expect that."
He gestured vaguely toward the trembling Popplio.
"It was probably terrified."
He looked at the water still dripping from the ceiling.
"I didn't know it could do that."
Wise covered her face with one hand.
"Can you do something?"
Cedric gave her a faint smile.
"Yeah."
He then slid both hands into the cool water of the basin, keeping his palms open and completely still.
"Pop?"
The creature flinched, shrinking back against the plastic wall.
"Hey, hey..." Cedric whispered.
His voice was calm and low.
"It's okay. Look at you... nobody's gonna hurt you. You're alright."
The little pup stared at him, its eyes wide.
Cedric didn't move. He simply stayed there, letting his calm presence fill the space between them.
Slowly, the little sea lion's pink nose twitched.
It recognized the heartbeat, and the gentle voice that had spoken to it through the incubator glass for the past week.
Tentatively, paddling its small rear flippers, the creature drifted forward. It pressed the soft tip of its white muzzle against Cedric's wet palm.
"Pop..."
Cedric gave a small, reassuring smile.
"Yeah. I'm here. You're okay."
Gently, he scooped the pup out of the water, lifting it against his chest.
The little creature gave a soft breath, wrapping its small flippers securely around his shirt collar and pressing its wet face into his neck.
"Popplio..."
It trilled softly, its rapid heartbeat gradually slowing down.
'System.'
[Name: Popplio]
[Species: Popplio]
[Ability: Liquid Voice]
[Classification: Sea Lion Pokémon]
[Type: Water]
[Height: 0.4 m]
[Weight: 7.5 kg]
[Sex: Female]
[Description: A small semi-aquatic Pokémon resembling a young sea lion. While fully capable of adapting to dry land and living comfortably out of water, it still thrives in moisture environments. It must be allowed to regularly play and frolic in water to maintain its physical health; otherwise, it is highly prone to experiencing severe mental stress. Popplio can produce and control elastic balloons of water from its nose. It is naturally playful and social, but unfamiliar surroundings and sudden attention can make it nervous. Once it forms a bond, Popplio tends to grow strongly attached to those it trusts.]
[Learned Moves:]
[Water Gun] — Water-type
Popplio fires a concentrated stream of water from its mouth toward its target. The attack is simple but reliable, allowing it to strike targets from a short distance and knock them back with enough force.
[Disarming Voice] — Fairy-type
Popplio releases a gentle yet powerful cry infused with Fairy-type energy. The sound can reach targets without relying on physical contact and can still strike even when the target attempts to avoid a direct attack.
[Aqua Ring] — Water-type
Popplio surrounds its body with a thin ring of flowing water that continuously restores a small amount of vitality over time. The ring remains around its body while the Move is active, providing steady recovery rather than an immediate burst of healing.
[Life Dew] — Water-type
Popplio creates numerous tiny droplets of water and releases them around its body. The droplets fall gently over its skin and allies, helping maintain moisture while providing a mild restorative effect that replenishes vitality and helps ease minor physical wounds. In addition, it leaves the skin refreshed, supple, and noticeably smoother.
Cedric read through the text, the glowing letters blurring slightly at the edges.
'System... Why did the room just turn into a pool?'
[That was most likely a panic-induced activation of Aqua Ring,]
[Because she was just born and has not yet learned how to properly control her inner energy, she accidentally manifested an unstable form of Aqua Ring when startled. The protective ring expanded far beyond its normal limits and simply burst, washing over the entire room.]
'Right... makes sense.'
He let out a soft breath, looking down at the pup currently trying to chew on his wet shirt button.
"Popplio, huh?"
"Pop..."
She looked up, rubbing her wet muzzle against his cheek.
"And she's a girl," Cedric murmured, gently scratching behind her rounded earflap.
"We got a little princess."
[By the way, this Popplio is quite special. She was perfectly bred, just like Gible. However, her egg also underwent a process of genetic mutation.]
[Because of this, she was born already knowing Water Gun and Disarming Voice—Moves she normally wouldn't be able to learn until much later. She will also have the capacity to learn other Moves faster.]
Behind them, the room was quiet, except for the sound of dripping water.
Billy wiped a hand across his wet face and stared at the flooded floor.
"Okay, but where did all that water come from?"
Nicole pushed wet strands of pink hair out of her eyes.
"Seriously. How can something that small produce that much water?"
Anby looked down at the puddles, then back at the small creature in Cedric's arms.
"More importantly, there doesn't appear to be any source for it."
Belle blinked.
"Wait... if it looks like a sea lion, why did it hatch from an egg?"
Nicole turned toward Cedric.
"Yeah. Since when do sea lions come out of eggs?"
Wise frowned slightly.
"And how did it do all of that the moment it was born?"
Cedric looked down at Popplio, then back at them.
"I don't know."
Anby considered that for a moment.
"That explains very little."
Cedric shrugged slightly.
"It's still the best answer I've got."
Nicole glanced at Popplio again.
"So if that little thing can shoot water..."
Her eyes shifted toward Gible.
"Can he do something like that too?"
Gible looked at Nicole.
"Gib!"
Then he nodded eagerly, his enthusiasm immediately showing.
Nicole's expression changed.
"Wait. Really?"
Gible then took a small breath.
"Gible!"
PFFFT!
A burst of sand shot straight into Nicole's face.
"ARGHH!!!"
Nicole stumbled backward, waving both hands frantically as she tried to wipe the sand from her face.
"WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME?!"
Belle covered her mouth, barely holding back a laugh.
"Pfft."
Wise sighed.
"Nicole, you asked."
"I WASN'T ASKING TO GET BLINDED!"
The sudden shouting made Popplio flinch. Her body tensed against Cedric's chest, and she let out a frightened little whimper.
"Pop..."
Cedric immediately looked down at her.
"Hey. Easy."
He adjusted his hold, keeping one arm securely around her.
"It's okay. She's just loud."
Nicole stopped mid-wipe.
"Hey!"
Cedric glanced up at her.
"Not helping."
Nicole finally managed to brush the last grains of sand from her face and hair.
Sensing that the tension was gone, Gible suddenly perked up.
He glanced toward the hallway.
Then toward Cedric.
Then back toward the hallway.
"Gyu."
Before anyone could stop him, the little land shark waddled out of the room and disappeared down the stairs.
A moment later, faint scraping noises drifted up from below.
Belle tilted her head.
"What's he doing?"
No one answered.
The sound gradually grew louder.
Pat.
Pat.
Pat.
Nicole glanced toward the hallway.
"What the hell is he doing?"
Everyone went quiet.
CRASH!
Belle blinked.
"Did he… just fall?"
Then Gible appeared at the room with a small food container.
It was almost comically awkward. The box was big enough that it blocked most of his view, forcing him to tilt his head around it just to see where he was going.
"Gyu..."
Cedric looked down at the box, then at Gible.
"You carried that all the way up here?"
Gible puffed out his chest.
"Gible!"
Belle suddenly froze.
"Wait."
She crouched beside the box and recognized it immediately.
"That's my snack box."
She looked at Gible, then back at the container.
"I keep that in the Staff Room."
Gible gave a proud little chirp, as though he'd just completed an important mission.
Belle stared at him for a second before letting out a helpless laugh.
"Hah, how did you find out where it is?"
Gible proudly placed the container down and opened it himself. Then, he rummaged through it for a moment before picking out a small cracker with his little hand.
Popplio's pink nose twitched. She lifted her head from Cedric's shoulder, peering curiously at the tiny land shark.
"Popplio...?"
Gible waddled over and dropped the cracker in front of Popplio.
Cedric chuckled. He gently pried Popplio from his neck and settled her comfortably into his lap.
"He's sharing. That means he likes you."
Belle blinked.
"Ehhh... technically, that's mine, not Gible's."
But no one responded.
"…Whatever."
Popplio then sniffed the cracker tentatively. After a moment, she opened her mouth and happily nibbled it down.
"Pop pop!"
She clapped her front flippers together, her whole body wiggling with delight.
"Gyu!"
Gible chirped proudly, clearly pleased with himself.
Belle took a hesitant step forward.
"Can I... can I pet it?"
Cedric looked up at Belle, giving a slow nod.
"Yeah... just, go slow. It's just a baby."
Belle knelt down in the puddle and slowly extended her hand.
When her fingers lightly brushed the soft, pale blue ruff around Popplio's neck, the pup let out a trill of pleasure and leaned into the touch.
"Oh my gosh, she's so soft," Belle whispered.
She smiled at the little pup.
"I'm Belle, by the way."
Popplio tilted her head.
"Pop...?"
Belle giggled.
"I'll take that as a hello."
Wise stepped a little closer, a small smile forming on her face.
"I'm Wise. Nice to meet you too."
Popplio looked toward her, blinking curiously.
"Pop!"
Wise smiled.
"That's a pretty good introduction."
Anby gave a small nod.
"I'm Anby."
Popplio stared at her for a second.
"Pop."
Anby nodded back.
"Pleasure to meet you."
Encouraged by the attention, Popplio inhaled deeply, her pink nose twitching, and blew out a small, perfectly round bubble of water.
It didn't burst. It floated upward, shimmering in the dim light.
Wise stepped closer and gently poked the bubble. Instead of popping, it bounced softly off her fingertip before floating toward Anby.
Anby tilted her head.
"Fascinating control of fluid dynamics."
She poked it too, a flicker of genuine wonder on her face when it bounced back.
Nicole leaned in, grumbling under her breath.
"Yeah, yeah, it's a magic water trick, but who's gonna pay for my—"
Bloop.
The bubble drifted onto Nicole's nose and popped, splashing a tiny sprinkle of water over her face.
Nicole blinked in surprise. When she looked down, Popplio was clapping her flippers again, looking proud of her little prank.
Nicole let out a defeated sigh, unable to hide a small smile.
"Alright, fine. You're cute. But you still owe me my boots."
"Popplio!"
Popplio gave a soft, cheerful trill.
A moment later, a few tiny droplets of water appeared above Nicole.
Plip. Plip.
The droplets fell gently onto her skin.
Nicole paused and looked up.
"...What are you doing?"
More droplets landed against her face and arms, cool and almost weightless.
Nicole frowned, wiping one from her cheek.
"Why are you doing that?"
Belle suddenly pointed at her.
"Nicole…"
Nicole glanced at her.
"What?"
Wise was looking at Nicole's face with growing surprise.
"Your skin."
Anby stepped closer, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"It appears noticeably smoother."
Nicole froze.
"Wait. What?"
She quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small mirror.
Nicole stared at her reflection.
Her expression shifted from confusion to disbelief.
"...Huh?"
The roughness left by the day's exhaustion seemed to have vanished. Her skin looked noticeably smoother and more radiant, with a soft, healthy glow that made it appear almost polished.
Fine dryness and signs of fatigue had faded, leaving her complexion looking fresh, supple, and remarkably well cared for.
It was the kind of improvement that made her look as though she had just finished an expensive skincare treatment.
Nicole slowly lowered the mirror.
Then she turned toward Popplio.
"...You did this?"
Popplio bounced excitedly in Cedric's arms.
"Pop! Popplio!"
Nicole's entire expression softened.
"Oh, you're amazing."
She immediately began fussing over Popplio, gently rubbing her head and ruff.
"Who's a good little girl?"
She paused, then smiled.
"I'm Nicole, by the way."
Popplio chirped happily, leaning into the attention.
"Pop!"
Belle, Wise, and Ellen exchanged a glance.
Their expressions had changed completely. The earlier curiosity was gone, replaced by unmistakable interest.
They had just watched Popplio restore Nicole's skin in a matter of seconds. Whatever questions they still had about the strange creature, that little demonstration had made them far more curious about what else she could do.
Ellen's eyes lingered on Popplio for a moment longer.
"Okay..."
Cedric watched the scene for a moment before asking inwardly.
'System, what was that?'
[That was Life Dew. It is a restorative technique that releases droplets of water capable of revitalizing a living target. In this instance, its restorative effect also noticeably improved the condition of Nicole's skin.]
Cedric glanced at Nicole, who was still happily pampering Popplio.
'...That's going to be a problem.'
Ellen approached from the back, her hands still stuffed in her pockets, her tail swishing lazily behind her.
"I'm Ellen."
Popplio noticed the movement almost immediately.
She turned her head, watching the long shark tail sway back and forth.
Curious, she slowly reached out one of her front flippers and touched it.
Ellen stopped.
She looked down at the tiny flipper resting against her tail, then at Popplio staring back at her.
"...You're curious about everything, aren't you?"
Popplio gave a cheerful little chirp.
"Pop!"
Ellen sighed softly, but she didn't pull her tail away.
"Fine. Go ahead."
Popplio happily patted the tail again, apparently satisfied with her new discovery.
Ellen watched her for another moment before the corner of her mouth lifted slightly.
"...How cute."
Then, Billy stepped forward, throwing his metallic arms wide open.
"And I'm Billy!!! Welcome to the squad, little one!"
His loud voice echoed off the brick walls, his metal joints giving a loud clank.
Popplio froze. Her eyes welled up with immediate tears.
Letting out a pitiful whimper, she scrambled frantically up Cedric's chest, burying her face into his neck again.
"P-Pop..."
Cedric wrapped his arms around the pup protectively. He shot Billy a heavy, half-lidded glare.
"Billy..." Cedric sighed.
"You scared the baby."
Billy's arms dropped.
"I didn't mean to! I was just being friendly!"
He immediately crouched down, whispering loudly.
"Is this better? Am I whispering now? I'm sorry, little buddy!"
Cedric chuckled again, gently rubbing the back of Popplio's head.
"Come here. Just... slow down."
Billy tiptoed forward with exaggerated caution until he was kneeling in front of them.
Popplio peeked out from behind Cedric's collar. She eyed the metal man nervously. Then, she inhaled, twitched her pink nose, and blew a tiny water balloon directly at Billy's face.
Splash.
It hit his face, leaving a wet mark.
Billy dramatically clutched his chest, falling backward onto the wet carpet.
"Ack! I've been hit! The cuteness is over 9000!"
Popplio clapped her flippers happily.
"Pop-pop!"
Cedric watched the exchange, sitting completely soaked in the puddle, resting his chin on his hand.
"Good job," he murmured, smiling lazily at the little sea lion in his lap.
Billy sat up from his fake death, throwing his arms in the air.
"So now we have a land shark, and a seal that shoots water!"
But for a moment, nobody answered him.
The distraction of the hatching wore off. In its place, an awkward silence settled over the room as reality came crashing back down.
Drip... plop...
Water dripped steadily from the ceiling lamp, splashing into the puddles below.
Nicole slowly lowered her gaze. Her favorite boots were completely submerged. The edges of Wise's rug were floating on the floor.
Billy blinked.
"Uh... is the floor supposed to be making that squishing sound?"
Anby knelt down, pressing a finger against the soaked floor.
"The structural integrity of the second floor is currently under threat of water damage. The liquid is spreading rapidly."
Belle gasped, noticing the puddle creeping toward the back of the room.
"Wait, your bed! It's completely soaked, and the blankets are all wet too!"
Wise stood frozen, looking at the soaked carpet, then at her bed.
Finally, she looked at Cedric, who was still sitting happily in the puddle with his new companion.
Cedric looked around at the ruined room, then down at Popplio.
"...We may have a problem."
Nicole stared at him.
"May?"
Cedric slowly nodded.
"We are having a problem."
Wise ran a hand through her hair, letting out a helpless sigh.
"So..." Wise started, sounding tired but amused as she looked around at the dripping group.
"Do you guys mind... helping me clean this up?"
Nicole let out a groan, dragging herself up from the wet sofa.
"I guess we have to, before the water seeps through the floor and ruins the video store below…"
Belle rolled up her wet sleeves with a resigned smile.
"Sure thing! I'll get the mops!"
"Let's go!" Billy cheered, grabbing a nearby towel.
Even Ellen let out a quiet sigh from her dry corner, shaking her head as she stood up to help.