The Blue-striped Bluru flicked its tail and circled the bubble once, then puckered its fish mouth and eased in again. Mistblade stopped mid-swim as she drifted by. She had turned into a Keef Angel Fish, pure white body with a pair of transparent wings. She silently watched the Bluru nuzzle the bubble with an exaggerated O-shaped mouth, smooch after smooch. Yes, she needed to hurry and find that photo skill. Rita knew someone was watching her, but there was no helping it. She was a favorite to win. Being stared at by fish came with the territory. She had already teased the bubble to the very tip of the hook. Once it slipped completely free, she could gulp it in one bite. It looked simple, but it was not. The only annoying part was the random passersby who would casually body-check her as they swam past. Finally, the bait was pushed off the hook. Yet the instant it came completely free, the bubble dissolved into the water. Rita blinked. That explained it. She had wondered why it seemed so easy. So there was a hidden trick. If the bait left the hook, it disappeared on the spot. She had to swallow it while it was still hooked. My schoolbag, no. She had saved several years’ worth of seasonal spell reagents. Worst of all, in order to craft Scratch Cards during solo to pull weapons, she had not taken her coins out. Lightchaser was right. Spend the money fast, or it will find a way to leave you. The Blue-striped Bluru started flopping and rolling in place, like a market fish that had leapt out of the tank and hit the floor. At that moment plenty of fish seemed to catch a sudden mysterious ailment, just like a current had been switched on in the sea. Barista made a small sound, reeled in her line, and, yes, the bait was gone. A moment later a dead fish floated up. Blue-striped Bluru. It lay limp as if all hope had been wrung from it, drifting on the waves. Understanding dawned across Barista’s face, and she let out a low laugh. Drummer said, curious, "Blue-striped Bluru died?" Barista picked up another Rita lure, hooked it, and her voice still held a smile. "More or less." Thinking of the pit the Divine Game had dug for students, Drummer could guess what had happened. "What was the bait?" "A schoolbag. With thirty thousand gold." She paused. "And a heap of trash." She cast again. The hook plopped down right in front of the Bluru’s nose. Rita saw something drift down. The fish floating belly-up suddenly snapped to, dove like a dart, and vanished under the surface. Barista set down her coffee, gripped the rod with both hands, and stared at the water. Barista frowned. "Hm?" She lifted the rod. The hook was bare. Drummer said, "Lost it, or it got eaten." Barista checked the replay. She huffed a laugh. "Eaten." This lure mattered far more than the schoolbag, but Rita did not bother with extra caution this time. Because this bait had been tossed in for her and her alone. That was exactly why the longer the hook stayed in the water, the more focused the angler became. The first few seconds after the cast were always the loosest. Attention would dip again later, but there was no telling when. She could not afford to wait that out on a single lure. There were too many of her own to reclaim. Better to strike during those earliest seconds. When the hook touched down, she glanced up several times to watch Barista. The instant Barista’s right hand shifted to set down her cup, Rita lunged for the hook. Blue-striped Bluru. In a blink, her near-transparent body seemed to melt, vanishing into the sea. Merged with the water, only she could feel the outline of her body as she wrapped the bubble, flicked her tail, and rode the line’s angle to slide the bait straight off the hook. Success. Wrathful Moon was back. Newest update provided by N0v3l.Fiɾe.net Rita retreated from the line, then did not leave. She rose just enough to peek, two glossy fish eyes breaking the surface as she watched the barista. They even made eye contact a few times. Barista definitely knew she was still there. After a short wait, Barista finally scowled and tied on another lure, then cast again. Unknown, forbidden to eat. No more of her lures here? She had been about to leave when she remembered her lost schoolbag and thirty thousand coins. She surfaced near Barista, lifted her head, puckered her mouth, and made an exaggerated smacking sound. When Barista looked over, Rita imitated a small whale spouting at the sky, then stuck her tongue and blew raspberries, then tried a whistle, which came out more like a hiss. The taunt did not bring back her bag, but it eased the knot in her chest. Rita slipped back under, content, and swam off to find the next lure. Boiling Orange set a big tub of iced drinks down between Foolishness and Deceitful Bloom. Boiling Orange was a literal burning orange, a little shorter than the bear and much bigger than the orchid mantis. Once the choices were made, Boiling Orange said, "I have news." Foolishness had a foot braced on the rod while poking a straw through a lid. "What news?" "Barista is paying top price for Rita’s lures." Deceitful Bloom and Foolishness both stopped what they were doing. Deceitful Bloom asked, "What did she do to Barista?" Foolishness asked, "Why is Barista targeting her?" Silence dropped like a veil. Not only Deceitful Bloom and Boiling Orange turned to stare at Foolishness, but several nearby demons also looked over with bright, teasing eyes. And you still say you are not a fan? Foolishness refused to yield. He looked steadily at Deceitful Bloom. "Fine, I admit I don’t know her. You truly understand her." They glared for a few seconds, then let it go and urged Boiling Orange to get to the point. Boiling Orange smacked his lips, then recounted what he had heard, complete with demonstration. He puckered up, smacked the air, puffed water sounds, raspberried, and hissed. He spread his hands. "That is the gist." Not only Deceitful Bloom and Foolishness fell silent. Several demons nearby who had watched the entire reenactment also went quiet. Boiling Orange ventured, "Is Rita, I do not know, hitting her rebellious phase?" Deceitful Bloom and Foolishness thought the same thing. She had not improved much after growing up, she had only learned to hide it a little better.