The living room felt weirdly quiet after everything that had happened over the past week. I was sprawled across the couch, finally letting myself relax for the first time in what felt like forever, while Yoruichi had claimed her usual spot on the armrest. Valerie was sitting cross-legged on the floor, organizing some books she'd been reading, while Asia and Xenovia occupied the other couch.
"So," Valerie said, looking up from her stack of books, "what exactly happened at that workshop? You've been pretty quiet about the whole thing."
I exchanged a quick glance with Yoruichi, who just flicked her tail in amusement. "Nothing too exciting. Just a lot of magical theory and forge work."
"That's remarkably vague," Xenovia observed, setting down the sword maintenance kit she'd been using. "Usually you're more detailed about your projects."
*Yeah, because usually my projects don't involve accidentally affecting three women with divine allure and nearly creating the most awkward situation in supernatural history.*
"Some things are better left as boring technical details," I said, which wasn't entirely a lie.
Asia looked up from the tea she'd been preparing. "You look tired though. Was the crafting really that exhausting?"
"Divine weapon forging isn't exactly easy," I replied, stretching out muscles that were still protesting from the whole ordeal. "Had to sacrifice my right eye for the final enchantments."
"You did what?" Valerie's voice shot up an octave.
"It grew back," I said quickly, pointing to my perfectly normal eye. "Viltrumite healing factor, remember?"
"That doesn't make it less insane," she said, shaking her head. "You really need to stop using your own body parts as crafting materials."
Yoruichi made a sound that might have been agreement or amusement. "He's got a point though. The sword turned out pretty impressive."
"Can we see it?" Asia asked with genuine curiosity.
I pulled the weapon from storage, and immediately the room's temperature seemed to shift. The divine metal gleamed with its own inner light, and the engravings pulsed with contained power.
"It's beautiful," Asia breathed.
Xenovia's eyes went wide with professional appreciation. "The balance looks perfect. And those engravings... I've never seen anything like them."
"Custom work," I said, storing it again before the energy signature started affecting the house's wards. "Anyway, enough about magical weapons. What have you all been up to while I was gone?"
"Boredom," Valerie said with an obvious look of disappointment.
"Training," Xenovia added. "Though it's been frustrating without proper opponents."
"Sounds like everyone's been having a relaxing week," I said.
"Relaxing is one way to put it," Valerie replied. "Boring is another. Honestly, after all the excitement with the Hero Faction and everything, going back to normal routine feels weird."
"What we need," Yoruichi said, stretching in that way cats do when they want attention, "is something fun but normal. No magic, no divine weapons, no political intrigue."
"Like what?" I asked.
"When's the last time any of you went to an amusement park?" she asked.
The question caught everyone off guard. We all looked at each other, realizing none of us had done anything that normal in months.
"I don't think I've ever been to one," Asia admitted quietly.
"Same here," Valerie said. "Always seemed like something for normal people with normal problems."
Xenovia nodded in agreement. "Church training didn't exactly include recreational activities."
*When did our lives become so focused on supernatural drama that we forgot about normal teenager stuff?*
"That settles it then," I said, sitting up with sudden determination. "We're going to an amusement park. This weekend. No magical anything, no weapons, no life-or-death situations. Just normal people doing normal things."
"Are you sure that's wise?" Asia asked. "What if something happens while we're out?"
"Then we'll deal with it," I said. "But we can't spend our entire lives waiting for the next crisis. Sometimes you need to just be teenagers."
Valerie's face lit up with genuine excitement. "You know what? That sounds amazing. When's the last time we did something just because it was fun?"
"Never, for most of us," Yoruichi pointed out dryly.
"Then it's definitely time," I said. "Saturday morning, we hit the biggest amusement park in the area. Rides, games, overpriced food, the whole experience."
"I'll research the best locations," Asia said, already looking more animated than I'd seen her in weeks.
"I'll check what kind of security concerns we might face," Xenovia added, then paused. "Wait, no. Normal people don't think about security at amusement parks."
"Exactly," I said with a grin. "For one day, we're going to be completely, utterly normal."
*Famous last words, probably, but it sounds good in theory.*
. . .
The amusement park was everything I'd expected and more—crowds of people, the smell of cotton candy and fried food, cheerful music playing from speakers hidden throughout the grounds, and rides that seemed designed to test the limits of human engineering and sanity.
"This place is huge," Valerie said, staring at the map we'd picked up at the entrance. "How do people even decide where to start?"
"With something simple," Asia suggested, pointing toward a section of gentler rides. "Maybe the carousel?"
"Or," Xenovia said, her eyes fixed on a massive roller coaster that seemed to twist and loop through impossible configurations, "we could go for the most challenging ride first."
I followed her gaze to the steel monstrosity and felt something uncomfortable twist in my stomach. The thing had to be at least two hundred feet tall, with drops that looked like they could give you whiplash just watching them.
*Nope. Absolutely not.*
"Maybe we should work our way up to that one," I said, trying to sound casual. "Get warmed up first."
Yoruichi, who was somehow managing to blend in despite being a supernatural cat by wearing a small disguise charm, gave me a knowing look. "Scared of heights, Akira?"
"I'm not scared of heights," I said quickly. "I just think it's smart to start with smaller rides and work our way up."
"Right," she said, not bothering to hide her amusement. "Because the guy who regularly flies using electromagnetic manipulation is worried about safety protocols."
*Shut up, Yoruichi.*
"Flying under my own power is different," I muttered. "At least then I'm in control."
Valerie was studying my face with obvious interest. "You are scared of roller coasters."
"I'm not scared—"
"He totally is," Yoruichi interrupted. "Look at how he's avoiding looking directly at it."
All three of them turned to stare at me, and I realized I'd been unconsciously angling myself away from the massive ride.
*Well, this is embarrassing.*
"It's not fear," I said, crossing my arms defensively. "It's just... reasonable caution about strapping yourself to a metal contraption that hurls you through the air at dangerous speeds."
"But you fight dragons," Asia pointed out gently.
"Dragons I can hit back," I replied. "Roller coasters are just physics and prayer."
Xenovia looked genuinely puzzled. "You're afraid of something that's designed to be safe?"
"It's not the safety I'm worried about," I said, then realized that didn't help my case at all.
Valerie's expression softened with understanding. "It's the lack of control, isn't it?"
*Trust her to figure it out.*
"Maybe," I admitted grudgingly. "I'm used to being able to do something if a situation goes bad. Being strapped into a seat and completely at the mercy of mechanical systems..."
"Makes you feel helpless," Yoruichi finished. "Which you hate more than anything."
*Why does everyone know me so well?*
"We don't have to do the big rides," Asia said kindly. "There are plenty of other things here."
"No," I said, looking back at the roller coaster with determination I didn't entirely feel. "We came here to do normal teenager things. Normal teenagers ride roller coasters."
"Normal teenagers also admit when they're nervous about something," Valerie pointed out.
"Fine. I'm nervous about roller coasters. Happy?"
"Ecstatic," Yoruichi said dryly. "Now can we go get some food? All this emotional revelation is making me hungry."
We spent the next few hours working our way through the park, starting with the gentler rides. The carousel was actually kind of relaxing, even if Xenovia looked confused about the point of riding painted horses in circles. The bumper cars were more entertaining, especially watching Asia apologize every time she accidentally hit someone.
But eventually, we found ourselves back in front of the massive roller coaster, and all eyes turned to me.
"Well?" Valerie asked.
I stared up at the towering structure, watching as a car full of screaming people plummeted down a near-vertical drop. My stomach did something unpleasant just watching it.
*You've fought gods. You've forged divine weapons. You can handle a stupid roller coaster.*
"Let's do this," I said, trying to project more confidence than I felt.
The wait in line was torture. Every few minutes, another car would come screaming past, filled with people who looked like they were either having the time of their lives or questioning every decision that had led them to this point.
"You know," Asia said as we moved closer to the front, "your hands are shaking."
I looked down and realized she was right. "Just adrenaline."
"It's okay to be nervous," she said gently. "I'm nervous too."
"Really?"
"Really. But sometimes the best experiences come from doing things that scare you a little."
When we finally reached the front of the line and climbed into the car, I found myself gripping the safety harness harder than was probably necessary. Valerie was in the seat next to me, looking excited but understanding. Asia and Xenovia were in the row behind us, with Yoruichi somehow managing to secure herself in despite being a cat.
"Last chance to back out," Valerie said quietly.
"Not happening," I replied, though my voice came out tighter than intended.
The ride started with a slow climb up that first impossible hill. Click, click, click went the chain pulling us higher and higher, until the entire park spread out below us like a miniature model.
"Oh god," I muttered as we reached the peak and paused for just a moment.
"It's beautiful up here," Asia said from behind me.
And then we dropped.
The world became a blur of speed and wind and g-forces that seemed determined to rearrange my internal organs. I heard myself yelling—not screaming, definitely not screaming—as we plunged down that first drop and immediately shot into a loop that turned the world upside down.
Somewhere in the middle of it all, something shifted. The fear was still there, but it mixed with something else—exhilaration, maybe, or just the sheer ridiculousness of being terrified by something so completely harmless.
By the time we hit the final curve and rolled back into the station, I was laughing.
"That," I said as the safety harness released, "was completely insane."
"You loved it," Valerie said with a grin.
"I did not love it," I protested, though I was still smiling. "I survived it. There's a difference."
"Same thing," Yoruichi said, looking slightly disheveled but pleased. "So, ready for the next one?"
I looked over at the even larger roller coaster on the other side of the park, and surprisingly, the idea didn't fill me with dread anymore.
"You know what?" I said. "Yeah. Let's do the next one."
As we walked toward the next ride, the sun starting to set and painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, I realized this was exactly what we'd all needed. No magic, no politics, no life-threatening situations. Just friends being stupid and having fun.
It was probably the most normal I'd felt in months, and I was surprised by how good that felt.
. . .
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