If there's one thing Aries likes to do, it's sleep. Especially now with a Hypnos boon making them drowsy 24/7. So when the loud sound of their ringtone rudely awoke them, they groaned and lazily picked up the call.

"What?" They said, unimpressed.

It was Zagreus on the other end, who was already awake and ready for the day.

"Look outside" he said.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it"

Aries sat up and opened the curtains to find the whole sky covered by a thick layer of storm clouds. Strange for being the middle of summer.

"What the- when did that happen?" They muttered.

"Every five or so years, pointbreak gets hit with a hurricane. Looks like it's not far away" Zagreus explained.

"Damn, guess we're putting the search on hold for a while"

"Guess so. Dads sending me out to get rope so we can tie down our stuff. I'm gonna pass your house, wanna come?"

Aries got up, still half asleep and shoved their slippers on.

"Yeah I suppose I should get stuff to prep as well" They yawned.

"Sick, see you in 10" Zag replied.

They hung up the call, and Aries took another look outside. The clouds were dark, the air was humid and the whole area was covered in a layer of gloom.

"Guess I better bring the ferrets inside... it's the middle of summer what the fuck?" They muttered, off to get ready for the day.

Getting dressed, grabbing their shoes and bag they met Zagreus outside their house right on time as usual. Locking up they began to walk up to the shops by the docks. The air was humid as hell, the two wore tank tops and shorts to combat the sticky humidity and get as much air as possible, that humidity told them the hurricane was closer than they thought.

"This happens every five years?" Aries asked.

"Usually. Sometimes it'll skip a year but it's always around the same time. They've been getting worse, it's all over the news" Zagreus replied.

"Your mum will be panicking about her hydrangeas"

"Oh she is, I haven't heard the end of it. Basically tie down anything that could blow away, bring the animals in and stock up on food for a week or so, the streets will probably get flash floods again"

Aries hadn't been in pointbreak long enough to know about the half-decade hurricanes, this was all news to them. But it was slightly alarming that a weather event involving so much water was going to hit any day now. They walked past the docks, and noticed Pandora by her dads boat.

"Hey it's Pan" Aries pointed out.

"Her dads probably freaking out over the boat" Zagreus replied.

They walked down the docks to say hi, and Pandora quickly noticed them approaching. She put the ropes down and walked over. She looked worn out from all the hard work of the morning, climbing all over the boat to make sure everything was tied down and secure. Her button up covered a bikini top, and a denim pleated skirt stuck to her with the sweat of all the psychical exercise.

"Hey, getting lockdown stuff?" She asked.

"Yep, apparently this one's gonna be worse than last time" Zagreus replied.

"Yeah my dads freaking out about the boat. Last time half the docks ended up broken and underwater so it's best to tie the boat down as study as possible"

"If it bashes against the docks that'll be thousands in damages huh?" Aries asked.

"Oh yeah, money we don't have to spare. You better bring your ferrets in, and Zag you better bring your pot pants in"

"Mums already on it, she's freaking out about her plants" Zagreus replied.

Their conversation was cut by the sounds of thunder in the distance. Turning to look up at the sky they all got worried looks.

"I don't like the sounds of that" Zagreus said.

"The weather said no rain until Sunday so we got two days to prepare. It came outta nowhere this year" Pandora replied.

"Wanna come with us and get supplies?" Aries asked.

"Yeah my dad was just about to send me out anyway, lemme grab my bag"

She grabbed her bag from the boat and waved her dad off before the three continued to head up to the shopping strip, every so often thunder would clap and they'd all look to the sky anxiously. Around them people were doing the exact same as them, shopping, tying things down, putting out sand bags. The whole bay was on lockdown.

"We should call Haru and tell him the search is on hold while we wait this out, way too dangerous to swim in a hurricane" Aries suggested as they entered the shops.

"We should, no point in him checking up on us if we can't even go outside" Pandora replied.

"Bet the weather in Izroulia as perfect as usual, Styxx is lucky" Zagreus added.

Aries and Pandora exchanged glances, finding it amusing how often Zagreus bought up Styxx. The boy was so in love.

"Oh shit the whole gangs here" Pandora said, pointing out Icarus standing by the cereal isle.

"Icarus!" Zagreus called out.

She looked up and smiled upon seeing her fiends, waving them over. Even while the bay was frantically prepping for a hurricane she was still taking her sweet time enjoying shopping. Walking over the three couldn't help but notice two new lipglosses in the basket of hurricane supplies. And hanging out the side of the basket was also a new beach dress.

"Is lipgloss a survival tool now?" Aries joked.

"Shut up they're the newest flavours. Plus I'm getting everything else we need, guess you're all here because of the hurricane too?" Icarus replied.

"Yep, search is on hold while everyone on the bay gets belted by rain" Zagreus said.

"I've never seen the bay so busy before" Pandora added.

The shops were indeed very packed, sleeves slowly starting to become sparse as people stocked up on supplies to wait out the hurricane. The gang walked around the shops getting the things they needed as they talked.

"What's the bet the power goes out?" Icarus said.

"Probably, you and Zag live at the bottom of the hill. What's the bet it'll flood there?" Pandora replied.

"That's why all the houses in the area are raised. It floods every damn time" Zagreus added.

Aries was quiet, thinking about the hurricane and the search that has to be put off because of it. They wondered if the hurricane would toss up the sand and reveal any new clues, or if the spirit pool will flood.

"Aries? You good?" Icarus asked.

"Hm? Oh yeah. Just thinking" they replied.

"About?"

"The damage the coast will probably get. I wonder if the pool will flood..."

"Oh yeah, the coast will be wrecked. I wonder if all the tossed up sand will reveal anything that'd been buried and we totally missed" Pandora replied.

"I just hope the spirit pool isn't damaged in all this" Zagreus added.

Once the group had done with their shopping, they walked back to each others houses together and agreed to keep in close contact as the hurricane drew closer. With each passing day the sky got darker, the winds got stronger and the thunder got louder. Just as quickly as the streets filled people people preparing, they were empty by the Saturday before the hurricane was set to hit.

In the dead of night as everyone slept, Sunday approached and so did the hurricane. Aries was as usual, asleep and enjoying the effects of their Hypnos boon when they were awoken with a fright by the loudest thunder they'd ever heard.

Getting up startled, they took a moment to realise was was happening as rain came down hard against the window. Looking outside, it was like a disaster movie. The trees were practically sideways with the wind, the sky was only lit up by lighting flashing and the water was pelting any and all small plants left outside.

"Fucking hell..." they muttered.

Moments later the phone rang, and they picked it up while watching the hurricane rage outside.

"Hey" Aries greeted.

"Hey, just checking" Pandora replied.

"Not surprised you're up at this hour with your Nyx boon having ass"

"No leaks? No broken windows?"

"Nope I'm good. Ferrets are somehow still knocked out. Never going to get back to sleep with all this noise though" Aries sighed.

"I just called Icarus, there's a fallen tree in her driveway" Pandora said.

"Shit, that was fast"

"Those winds are stronger than they look. Be safe, I'm calling zag"

"I'll be fine, you be careful too" Aries replied.

"I will, goodnight"

"Night"

Hanging up Aries flopped back into the pillows, not expecting to fall asleep again. They groaned and smacked a pillow up to their face.

"Damnit I wanna go back to sleep" Aries sighed.

Just as they said that, they heard a bang outside and the power suddenly went out. Now laying in darkness, they just sighed.

"Fuck"