I Am Totally a Real-Life Wizard (Not Clickbait, I Swear!)

Spoiler

Soon, I think.

"Yay!" Otto gestured for them to set the food down. Amy returned to her previous seat. Cody was still on Khalil's lap, tucked against xer chest.

"Anything happen while we were gone?" Valeri asked.

Wormy shrugged, adjusting her veil.

Dawn hovered by the table. "How are Cody and Khalil doing? Ready to confront Joe?"

Khalil nodded. “I’m always ready.”

Cody squeezed xer shoulder. “Same here.”

Valeri took a deep breath. "Then we're just waiting on Joe." They pushed the sandwiches and drinks towards the center of the table. "Well, you all might as well eat for now..."

Vendetta checked the time. “Does Jo have a preferred chaos hour? A bedtime?”

Amy sighed. “Seven to nine are his scheming hours.”

Vendetta blinked. “I was not expecting an answer.”

"Wow. And I suppose nine to eleven are his scheme-execution hours?" Valeri looked mildly concerned.

"Well, according to Joe, being a great wizard means exerting one's control over time and schedules as well."

Valeri looked even more concerned. "I--"

Suddenly, a sparkle floated onto the table, and Valeri stopped. Her eyes widened. "You think...?"

Vendetta swallowed. “I’m not sure. But get ready.”

Dusk floated to rest against them as Dawn hovered by Valeri’s shoulder.

Khalil gave Cody one last kiss. “It’ll all be over soon, my love.”

Otto slouched in his chair and Wormy adjusted her veil.

Slowly, more sparkles started to flutter down around them. Valeri sneezed as one nearly flew up her nose. "Couldn't Joe summon us in a cleaner way?"

Suddenly, Vendetta felt like they were falling. For a lot longer than a trip caused by breaking their chair. It was almost as if the floor had opened and swallowed them into a never-ending throat tunnel.

Sparkles obscured Valeri's vision as their stomach rose, as if they were on the Drop Tower. "Vendetta? Dawn?" she called out. But Valeri immediately regretted opening her mouth, because a couple of sparkles had flown in. They went into a coughing fit as they kept falling.

Vendetta suddenly hit the floor. It wasn't painful, thankfully, but it was jarring. They looked around. "Valeri? Valeri!"

Valeri coughed and spat as she tried to catch her breath while cleansing her mouth of the remaining sparkles. "V-Vendetta!" Thankfully, they were only a few feet away. Valeri crawled over to their sibling. "Is this..." Valeri glanced up. "...the Washington Monument?"

Vendetta cringed. "Are we surprised?"

There was a sharp, ear-shattering scream, and Dawn clattered on the ground. "Oh my! I see the light! It's the end! It's the end! Sob, sob!"

Valeri couldn't help but huff out a half-laugh. "Not the end for us yet, Dawn. But perhaps for Joe." They stood up and brushed some leftover sparkles off their pants. A passerby gawked at her for a moment, but soon enough, his attention returned to the Washington Monument, where a crowd was gathered.

Vendetta sighed. "How much do you want to bet that Joe's behind that crowd?"

Soon enough, Dusk fell too, but they managed to catch itself right before hitting the floor.