"After all those years on the streets, I finally feel like I'm home"
"You're lying" Leo didn't even have to look up, he knew her better than anyone.
"You're right, I was always at home with you"
In which there's an unlikely friendship (... and ma...
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The four had told Festus to leave them and fly wherever he wanted while they checked out where the storm spirits had gone.
According to the plaque, it was called Crown Fountain. All the water had emptied out except for a few patches that were starting to freeze. It didn't seem right to Alex that the fountain would have water in it in the winter anyway. Then again, those big monitors had flashed the face of their mysterious enemy Dirt Woman. Nothing about this place was right
They stepped to the center of the pool. No spirits tried to stop them. The giant monitor walls stayed dark. The drain hole was easily big enough for a person, and a maintenance ladder led down into the gloom.
Jason went first. Then Piper, Alex and at last- Leo. As she climbed, she braced herself for horrible sewer smells, but it wasn't that bad. The ladder dropped into a brickwork tunnel running north to south. The air was warm and dry, with only a trickle of water on the floor.
"Are all sewers this nice?" Piper wondered out loud.
"No, Trust me" Alex answered and Leo added, "Yeah, this is one of the good ones"
Jason frowned. "How do you know-"
"Hey, man, we've ran away six times. We've slept in some weird places, okay? Now, which way do we go?"
Jason tilted his head, listening, then pointed south. "That way."
"How can you be sure?" Piper asked.
"There's a draft blowing south," Jason said. "Maybe the venti went with the flow."
It wasn't much of a lead, but nobody offered anything better.
Unfortunately, as soon as they started walking, Piper stumbled. Jason had to catch her.
"Stupid ankle," she cursed.
"Let's rest," Jason decided. "We could all use it. We've been going nonstop for over a day. Leo, can you pull any food from that tool belt besides breath mints?"
"Thought you'd never ask. Chef Leo is on it!"
Piper, Alex and Jason sat on a brick ledge while Leo shuffled through his pack. Alex felt like a third wheel with them so she decided to help Leo.
Alex felt her stomach rumble as the smell of food washed over her, she tried to remember when she had last eaten something.
"You okay?" Leo asked her.
"Yeah I'm fine" Alex lied, the truth was she had a feeling that all her friends were going to leave her.
As if reading her mind, Leo held up his right fist with his pinky sticking out, "I don't think promises expire but- Promise me, we'll stay friends forever"
