“Praise the Hatchling, for he will open our wings," the crowd continued chanting. The ones the group attempted to convert were quieter, but still seemingly lost.

“It's not working, guys," Wolf said to his friends.

“I was afraid of this," Scarlet admitted. “Mother's influence is too powerful. It would take more than just the four of us to wake them up."

“Don't worry, guys. I'm on that," Webs assured them. “Minerva's been cutting off all communications with network-blockers installed throughout the city. They don't affect anything above the surface, but down here, there's no data or wi-fi to make or receive calls."

“I could've heard from Monique this whole time?" Shark exclaimed quietly.

“Calm down, Sharkie," Webs said. “Piranha, have you disabled the intercoms yet? We need these guys to have nothing to listen to."

“I have a better idea," Piranha replied with a smirk as he climbed back up the air ducts and into the Muse chamber, where he found a tape recorder on playback in front of a tiny microphone next to a desk lamp.

Elsewhere Minerva, with a wing wrapped around Gabi, climbed up a pedestal behind a microphone. She tapped on it with her claw to get the crowd's attention.

“My dear Flock," she said warmly. “In just a few minutes, the Blood Moon shall reach totality and the Hatchling shall rise. It'll be the end of the Oppressors, we shall all be set free, and a new, far greater era will dawn with morning's first light. Before we begin, I think it would be fitting for my bride, our precious Aura, to lead the Hymn of Promise."

As Minerva gave her speech, Piranha ripped the tape out of the recorder and after a few vocal warm-ups, prepared his big idea.

“I don't know about this," Gabi whispered, attempting to buy some time, as Minerva ushered her in front of the mic.

“They won't care that you have a weak singing voice," Minerva assured her. “Any voice that uplifts the Flock will be strong in their ears."

“But, uh–"

“Sing. Now."

Gabi shivered once again as she heard his voice.

“This'll be bad," Snake whispered to Wolf. “We all know Gabi can't sing."

“That's what you're worried about?" Wolf asked in disbelief.

Having no control over the situation, Gabi took a deep breath, but just before she could let out a single note...

Am I angry?

Tell me, am I angry

At the picture in my head?

On what's ahead?

Everyone looked around in confusion as they heard Piranha's powerful voice over the intercom. With Minerva being the most perplexed of all.

I'm trying to have patience

But my heart keeps on breaking

'Cause I trust you to protect

But you tell these lies instead

Too many times we let you get away with murder

How are we to explain this insanity to our future?

“Disregard that voice, my Flock!" Minerva said, attempting to remain calm. “Aura, try to out-sing him."

“No one can do that," Gabi insisted with a proud smile.

You can call it what you want

But I'm watching what you do

And I'm calling you out

And I'm calling you out

Going with the song, Gabi removed her robe to reveal bruises on her upper arms and red marks on her neck. The crowd gasped in shock.

“Oh, Gabi," Webs sighed as she saw her through a surveillance video.

If we pretend like we don't know

We won't mend and we won't grow

So I'm calling you out

And I'm reaching out

To make our way back to common ground

Let's make our way back to common ground

“It doesn't have to be this way!" Wolf called out to the audience. “We don't need to fight the humans. Instead, we should give them the chance to listen to us."

“Maybe they will, maybe they won't," Snake added. “But if we let the Hatchling kill them all, we'll be making the same mistakes they've been making."

“And we need to prove that we're better than that," Shark insisted.

“Janus, what do you think you're doing?!" Minerva shouted. Shark ripped off his disguise in response, with Wolf and Snake following suit.

“I prefer Shark, thank you."

Busting through the vent, Piranha jumped down onto the pedestal and grabbed the microphone.

“You!" Minerva snarled.

You had them thinking they were perfect

And nothing wrong

But now, they'll see they've been deceived

The cracks have shown

Couldn't believe it

They perceived it was built on truth

Uncover the facts, damn

Let's see what else you got hidin'

As Piranha kept singing, everyone got notifications on their phones about old texts and many missed calls.

“I was accepted into Yale!" a meerkat exclaimed. Zyon tearfully read a month-old text from their mom.

“I love you. And I'm sorry."

“Hey, guys! I'm in the troupe!" Shark told his friends.

“Congratulations, buddy!" Wolf said happily as they went in for a group hug.

“What the hell is happening?!" Minerva screamed.

“Whoo-pam!" Webs cheered to herself, and continued working on everything else.

“This goes out to you, hermosa!" Piranha called out to Gabi, who teared up as she looked into his gleaming yellow eyes.

I can't move forward without you

Ain't about to leave our legacy to wither away

There's too much at stake

I know we can make our way...

“Ismene, do something!" Minerva hollered to Scarlet. “Get that sardine away from my–"

“No. It's over," she replied in a cool voice, removing her robe. “All of it."

Too many times we let you get away with murder

I refuse to explain this insanity to our future

So call it what you want

But I'm watching what you do

And I'm calling you out

And I'm calling you out

Don't pretend like we don't know

We won't mend and we won't grow

So I'm calling you out

And I'm reaching out

To make our way back to common ground

Let's make our way back to common ground

“No, no!" Minerva shouted as everyone walked away. “You can't leave! The eclipse has reached totality!"

“Uh, guys? Something's wrong."

“What is it, Webs?" Wolf asked.

“Apart from surveillance footage, I can't find anything on the Hatchling in here. Including how Minerva regulates its behavior."

“Aura, come back!" Minerva shouted as Gabi walked away with Piranha's fin in hers. “Or I'll... I'll..."

🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶

“The end."

“What?" exclaimed one of the guppies. “That can't be the end!"

“Sorry, Elena," Piranha apologized, “but I don't want your mother getting mad at me for giving nightmares to the ones still awake."

“Please tell the rest, Daddy," Sofia pleaded. “I wanna hear it. I won't sleep if I don't."

Sighing in defeat, Piranha said, “Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you."

In case you couldn't tell, something big is gonna happen in the next couple chapters.

Until next time. 🌈