Chapter 123 - Am I In?

"Gem! Von! Time to sleep!" Venedette called the two stubborn kids playing VR.

"Wait, can't we just finish this level first?" Von said, putting Gem's helmet back when she tried to remove it and begged for Venedette to let them finish the game.

"Okay, don't dare ask for another round, okay?"

"Okay, yes! Thank you!" Von celebrated and put his attention back to the game.

"I guess the other two are now sleeping…" Venedette said and checked the steering wheels for any problem. 

But instead of checking out for problems, Venedette couldn't help but adore the city lights below them just now.

"I haven't got the time to appreciate this view because I was always flying on my own, but now that I look at it, the city lights actually resemble the stars from up here," Venedette muttered to herself.

"Alright! Nice work!" Von cheered after clearing the last level they could reach today in one session.

"Yaay," Gem cheered timidly while being shy for being too serious about the game.

As much as Gem didn't like Von, she couldn't deny that Von has a knack for these things and his senses were actually put to good use during the virtual battles. 

'If only Von was as cool as that during real fights…' Gem thought wishfully before bidding goodnight to Venedette and Von who were the only people left in the living room.

"Ahhh, my room." Von contemplated while passing by Gem's room and giving it a regretful glance before proceeding to the last room on the second floor's narrow open hallway with railings made of glass just like the one-way screen in front of them.

The next morning, Petunia was the first one to come out of her room due to the fact that she couldn't sleep at all.

"Good morning, Pet," Lei said casually from the second floor while peeking over to the kitchen where Petunia was preparing her breakfast.

"I'm not Pet." Petunia said snobbishly while rolling her big eyes even though Lei couldn't really see it since he's facing her back.

"I want to help make your flight potion," Lei said after sneaking down from the stairs to the kitchen which Petunia, even with her keen senses, didn't even notice until she turned around and saw Lei leaning comfortably to the marble table.

"Aaack, there you go again, trying to make people die from a heart attack!" Petunia exclaimed and pushed her cat version cereal away from Lei.

"Sorry, habits," Lei said while following after Petunia's place immediately.

"Can you stop following me? I couldn't sleep a wink last night due to my excitement but everything seemed more complicated the more I pondered about them so back off, I want to rest." Petunia said, using the least energy that she could spare for this useless interaction.

"Do you want me to take care of you? I'll do anything just let me in on the potion making." Lei offered, still stubborn about it.

"Why are you so obsessed? I'll still share it to everyone with a contribution or no once I'm so you don't need to worry-"

"I just don't have anything to do, okay?" Lei spilled his other reason.

"Hmm, I'll think about it." Petunia said and moved away from Lei again.

"Woahhh! Good Morning!!!" Gem exclaimed enthusiastically after opening the door and being welcomed by the slightly warm but very bright sunlight from the huge glass at the front of Levi-yacht which serves as the windshield but also a big interactive screen with a deceptive image of solid rock on the outside.

"How could the sunlight reach here? Isn't that insane! And what's even weirder is that its heat could even pass through the glass!"

"You should enjoy it while you can," Lei said before taking a bite from the freshly washed apple he took from the basket on the table.

"Why is that? And what's that?" Gem asked while pointing at what he's eating.

"It's an apple, haven't you seen one before?"

"An apple? Aren't those the cute little bunny-like sweet fruit we get served as a dessert back in the castle?" Gem asked innocently.

"Yup, same apple but less decorated and more of just a normal apple," Lei said before taking another bite.

"Me too, I also want a bite, aaahh~" Gem said while bunny hopping towards Lei which took him aback and accidentally blocked her face.

"G-Get your own," Lei said and moved away from Gem while pointing at the basket full of different fruits on the table.

"Mmmm," Gem complained in silence before taking an apple from the basket and biting it immediately.

"You should wash it first…" Lei said awkwardly at Gem who was now looking innocently at him. "There, wash it."

"Oh!" Gem said and spilled out the big bite she took from the apple after finally understanding what Lei was trying to say.

"It actually tastes better like this." Gem said after she was done washing it and took another big bite from the other side.

"Of course," Lei only said and smiled while silently watching the sun fill all the clouds in its bright-toned color.

"We'll be reaching the winter zone soon. I wonder if this place could keep us warm." Lei wondered by himself while Gem has now finished off her apple by taking one last big bite and throwing just the seeds away from it.

"I wonder where's Venedette," Gem suddenly said while taking interest in the games once again.

"I think she went outside since the yacht's just floating in this area," Lei said after noticing the stable floating of the Levi-yacht.

"Can you wash the dishes for me?" Petunia said to Lei.

"Okay, does this mean I'm in?" Lei asked casually which Petunia nodded to.

"In on what?" Gem asked and looked back at them, but unfortunately for Gem, Petunia was too tired to even respond to her question.

So even though Petunia knew she would upset Gem by ignoring her, she just flopped down on her Gummy cloud and let it cradle her to sleep on the way to her chemistry room.

"Is she mad at me?" Gem asked Lei in an alarmed tone which Lei immediately shook his head to.

"She's just tired," he said, but Gem was not convinced.

"I don't think so…"