The rain hadn't stopped all night.
By morning, the streets were flooded—water pooling up to the sidewalks, cars half-submerged, the news playing quietly downstairs saying the same thing everyone already knew:
School closed. Again.
Emma woke up, stared at the ceiling, and exhaled.
"…Of course."
She sat up, glanced at the window.
No water balloon.
No screaming.
No Diana.
She waited.
Five minutes.
Ten.
"…Strange."
Emma crossed her arms, staring at the door. "She's late."
Too late.
That's when—
"BOO."
A head popped up from inside her bed.
Emma looked down.
Diana.
Under the blanket.
Hair messy.
Eyes wide.
Grinning like a goblin.
"…How long have you been there," Emma asked calmly.
"Since 5 a.m."
"…Why."
"I broke in during the night," Diana said proudly. "Your mom gave me breakfast."
Emma paused. "…She WHAT."
Diana nodded. "She said, 'Oh sweetheart, you must be cold,' and tucked me in."
Emma slowly lay back down. "…This is my life now."
Diana popped fully out of the blanket and flopped beside her. "Good morning!"
"You are violating several boundaries."
"And yet," Diana said, stretching, "you expected me."
Emma didn't deny it.
Downstairs, Asuka's voice echoed:
"Emma! Diana! Breakfast is ready!"
Diana shot up instantly. "SEE. INVITED."
Emma sighed, staring at the ceiling.
Flooded school.
Unexpected ambush.
Another day ruined—
or saved.
"…Get out of my bed," Emma said.
Diana grinned. "After breakfast."
A very normal morning.
Somehow.
----
They came downstairs together.
The kitchen was warm, bright, and smelled like fresh food. Rainwater dripped faintly from outside, but inside everything felt calm.
Diana sat at the table immediately and started yapping.
"…AND THEN the water was like this high," she said, holding her hands up dramatically, "and I was like 'nah, I'm not missing breakfast,' so I just walked through it—"
Asuka leaned forward, completely invested. "Oh my goodness, Diana, that's dangerous!"
"I KNOW," Diana said proudly. "But I survived."
Ethan nodded seriously. "Brave. Stupid, but brave."
Diana pointed at him. "SEE? He gets me."
Asuka poured tea while listening closely. "Did you at least wear boots?"
"…Socks."
Asuka gasped. "SOCKS?!"
Emma, meanwhile, sat quietly, eating.
One bite.
Chew.
Swallow.
Diana kept going.
"And THEN I somehow ended up in Emma's bed—don't ask how—"
Asuka smiled fondly. "You're always welcome here."
Emma paused mid-bite. "…Mother."
Asuka waved it off. "Eat, eat."
Ethan sipped his tea, watching Diana talk like a machine that couldn't turn off.
"She's energetic," he said.
"She doesn't stop," Emma replied.
Diana leaned across the table. "You love me."
Emma took another bite. "…I tolerate you."
Diana grinned. "That's basically love."
Rain tapped the windows.
Breakfast continued—
Diana yapping,
Asuka reacting,
Ethan observing,
Emma eating.
A full table.
A normal morning.
-----
The zoo was quiet—mist still hanging in the air, paths damp, animals just waking up. The kind of calm that feels unreal.
Of course, it was Diana's idea.
"Best time to see animals," she said, hands behind her head. "They're either sleepy or angry."
"…That doesn't reassure me," Emma replied.
They walked past enclosures—birds calling, big cats stretching lazily, elephants swaying. Diana kept commenting loudly. Emma kept observing silently.
Then they reached the gorilla enclosure.
Massive.
Dark fur.
Muscles like carved stone.
The gorilla watched them.
Still.
Too still.
Diana stepped closer to the glass.
"…He's big," she said, impressed.
Emma frowned slightly. "…Diana, step back."
Too late.
The gorilla suddenly slammed against the cage, roaring, beating its chest, charging the glass with terrifying force.
People nearby screamed.
A kid cried.
A guard shouted.
Diana didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't blink.
She stood there.
Straight.
Her eyes—normally playful—darkened.
She has that rare red eye colour.
She stared straight back at the gorilla.
And spoke, low and firm.
"Know your place."
The gorilla froze.
For a split second—just one—it hesitated.
Emma's heart dropped.
"Diana—"
She didn't wait.
Emma grabbed Diana's arm and yanked her back hard, pulling her away from the enclosure.
Not because she feared Diana would be hurt.
But because she knew—
If Diana took one more step forward,
she wouldn't stop.
"What are you doing?" Diana protested, turning toward her.
Emma's grip was tight. Her voice wasn't loud—but it was urgent.
"…You don't challenge things that can't understand mercy."
Diana looked back at the enclosure.
The gorilla had stepped away now, breathing heavily.
People stared at them. Guards rushed over.
Diana clicked her tongue. "It started it."
Emma released her arm slowly. "…You were about to finish it."
Diana glanced at Emma.
Really looked at her.
Then smiled faintly. "You worry too much."
Emma didn't smile back. "…And you don't worry enough."
They walked away, the noise fading behind them.
The zoo returned to calm.
But Emma's hand stayed clenched for a while longer.
They kept walking, the tension slowly draining away as the zoo paths opened up again.
Bird calls echoed through the trees. The morning sun filtered through leaves. Everything felt… normal again.
Then Diana stopped dead.
Her eyes locked onto a bird strutting confidently across the grass.
Black feathers.
And absolutely massive feet.
A pūkeko.
Diana's jaw dropped.
"…DAYUMMMMM."
Emma followed her gaze.
"…It's a bird," she said.
Diana crouched slightly, squinting. "NAH. LOOK AT THE FEET. BRO WALKING LIKE HE OWNS THE PLACE."
The pūkeko took another exaggerated step, toes splayed dramatically.
Diana nodded with deep respect. "Those are authority feet."
Emma sighed. "…You're impressed by feet now."
"I'm impressed by confidence," Diana corrected. "Look at him. No fear. No hesitation. Just vibes."
The bird paused, stared back at them, then continued walking like it was late to a meeting.
Emma watched it for a moment.
"…It does walk like you."
Diana gasped. "THAT'S THE NICEST THING YOU'VE EVER SAID TO ME."
They stood there a bit longer, watching the bird strut away.
Danger gone.
Chaos reduced.
A bird with big feet restoring balance to the universe.
A very normal zoo visit.
Somehow.
Chapter end