If there was one force that worked in mysterious ways, woven into the very fabric of nature, that was probability. It decided the position of a tiny particle of light—an event that no one could predict with certainty. Now, out of the wave of possible states Dea could be in right now, she had collapsed into this one by the roll of the cosmic dice.

She gawped like a grouper fish while a rainbow of emotions lit up her face. "What?"

"What was that, dear? I think you forgot to type it out in that little phone you've got hidden in your bag." Shiromi chuckled, her chest heaving with the motion. "Yes, it's exciting that we have a distinguished guest coming in today."

Breaking out of inertia, her fingers pecked an up-tempo beat on the ogi screen. "When is your guest arriving?"

Before the woman could respond, a gaggle of young girls rushed downstairs. The staircase groaned under the volley of patters, betraying its age behind a cheerful veneer.

"Ma'am, we were wondering," one started to say, but faltered at the sight of Dea. "Who is she?"

"This is Dea," Shiromi said with her ever-present smile. "She's a foreigner. She'll be staying with us today."

Dea barely had time to react before the girls flocked around her, followed by a barrage of alien words. They introduced themselves and admired the Cypod as if it were a shiny toy. They're not so different from the kids at school!

Shiromi shook her head with a wheezy laugh and ambled off. One of the girls trotted after her, asking something the ogi couldn't decipher.

Time flew by while Dea dodged some questions while answering others.

"Where are you from?"

"What app are you using? It sounds so weird."

"Why are you hiding your phone?"

"Your hair's so pink! Can I know what dye you're using?"

She flashed a smile and decided to answer the last question. "It's not dye."

Their exclamations tinkled in the air, and a tiny girl called Mihiri blurted out, "How?"

"It's from a pigment called astaxanthin."

"But that's not possible!"

Oh, wait, humans only come in a select few hair colors! Dea's smile broadened. "It's a rare genetic condition."

A buzz of bemusement greeted her statement.

Before the conversation could continue, she held up a hand. "Now it's my turn."

They fell quiet and watched expectantly as Dea composed her question, "When is Dilip coming?"

Mihiri scrutinized the clock hanging on the wall. "Two hours and ten minutes."

"Two hours?" Dea croaked before remembering that she had to type it out.

The revelation dragged her down like three Earths worth of gravity. Right when she thought the stars aligned to bless her momentous reunion with Dilip, they now mocked her with this nerve-wracking dilemma. It was as if she sank right back into the abyssal realm.

Setting aside time for the return journey, she only had half an hour left.

"Oh, you like him too?" a chubby girl asked with a grin and turned to her friend. "So he's popular everywhere then."

"He's got a lot of followers, Jee."

"Where is he?" Dea interrupted. "I need to meet him now."

The kids appeared taken aback by the urgency she exhibited.

"He's probably doing...whatever it is ministers do," Jee mumbled, elfin features scrunched up in thought. "You'd have to wait."

"Yeah, plus the philanthropy," Mihiri chimed in, drawing out the word importantly. "Why are you in a hurry?"

Dea shook her head while a cyclone brewed within. The tantalizing prospect of meeting Dilip glared her in the face. It was outrageous to let the opportunity slip away from under her nose—not after the quest of a lifetime through the vast unknown and the many challenges that fate sprung at her. Yet, choosing to throw caution to the winds now brought with it fearsome consequences, the enormity of which made her mind stagger.

"Dea, what's wrong?" Jee asked, peering at her.

"Nothing." She stifled a laugh that verged on hysteria. Well, we're gonna have to put the brine pool jerk to the test when I take off with this.

Two dozen children crowded the lobby, saturating the air with anticipation that was almost palpable. Their chatter rippled across the space as they waited for their honored guest.

On one side of the room, Dea stationed the Cypod next to the pastel yellow wall, her view almost obscured by the human girls. Her ears tuned into the conversation that took place in the direction of the dining room, where the half-open door revealed a sliver of a police uniform. Merlingo struggled to translate—the distance and noise garbled the sounds too much for effective detection.

"Iyo, she hasn't said anything so far, officer. Pow. I'm wondering if we should send her to—"

The short policeman's baritone reached her, though she had to fill in missing gaps to infer the meaning. "Try to get her full name and nationality. If not, we'd go with biometrics and—"

Peals of laughter drowned out the rest of the sentence. Dea let out an exhale as annoyance stirred inside. Not long after, the two officers left.

As Dilip's arrival drew near, collective excitement reached a crescendo, almost crackling in the air. When he finally came in, her heart leaped.

It was as if a celebrity arrived on the doorstep. The noise buzzed higher and transformed into a chorus of greetings. Everyone's expressions underwent a transformation that reminded her of otter pups.

She leaned forward and craned her neck for a better look.

The world seemed to blur as her eyes focused on the human, who commanded the attention of everyone present. He was larger than life, radiating an aura that one would indeed associate with a movie star. The chic beige-white outfit that encased his figure enhanced the effect to a whole other level. He breezed in as if in slow-motion, styled hair ruffling in a gust of wind. Dea was spellbound by the vitality before her—engraved on her mind was only the "lifeless log" version of him.

He paused to survey the crowd. As his arresting smile broadened to its full brilliance, Dilip Goonewardane could have stepped right out of The Sleeping Beau, Dea's favorite fairy tale. It occurred to her that her face probably resembled that of the human girls.

"We are so very honored you could join us today, Mr. Goonewardane." Shiromi beamed, flapping her hands vigorously as she spoke.

Dea marveled at the correct pronunciation of his name while the excited humans jostled her. A man with a camera stepped in to photograph the occasion. Like paparazzi.

Dilip's silky voice spoke the language like flowing water, "Oh, the honor is all mine."

He exchanged words with the teens standing next to him, eliciting laughs and giggles. Dea watched in statuesque stillness—as if the faintest motion would dissipate the vision to nothingness.

"Well," Shiromi announced, gesturing at two men in suits, who carried in boxes and cartons. "Mr. Goonewardane has brought everyone goodies and presents. Shall we go to the dining room?"

An enthusiastic river of girls swept Dea along as they followed behind.

A minute later, she secured a spot in a corner of the dining room, which looked no different with its yellow-painted walls. Her low vantage point barely allowed her a view of Dilip. She grew increasingly worried about how she was going to attract his attention, let alone talk to him.

"I can't stay long, I'm afraid," Dilip told Shiromi with an apologetic smile as he assumed his seat at the head of the table.

What! No! I can't go on a wild penguin chase to meet you again! Dea wondered how long she could stay before Anuk and his cronies got wind of her plan and came after her. Then she had the human policemen to worry about. She almost wanted to scream to get Dilip to look at her. No, you silly gull! You don't wanna freak him out, do you?

"Of course, you must be so busy!" Shiromi flapped a hand and plopped down in a manner that brought to mind the mangrove pelicans. "Jee, dear, do you want to recite the poem you and your friends wrote?"

An immediate response fired out, "Yes, please!"

If the circumstances were less dire, Dea would've loved to hear human poetry. Now, while Jee's squeaky voice assaulted everyone's eardrums, she just slumped back in the Cypod.

Then it was time for the presents to be opened, which turned out to be candy and school supplies. Many children gave Dilip gifts in return—artwork, embroidery and handicraft. He didn't even glance her way as he posed with the girls for one photo after another while the cameraman snapped away like his life depended on it.

"So, does anyone else have something to show Mr. Goonewardane before he takes his leave?" Shiromi asked brightly. "Songs, artwork?"

Giggles broke out as everyone started talking. Dea's hands dived into her backpack.

"Come now, children. He's a busy young man." The matron turned to their guest. "I think that's it. Thank you so much for—"

"I do," the Merlingo voice stated, the words ringing out in the cramped space at full volume. "I have something to show."

All noise ebbed away as heads turned in Dea's direction.

Shiromi's surprised eyes landed on her, making the girls move aside. "How sweet of you, dear—maybe you want to come closer then?"

Dea watched silently as the sea of humans parted, affording her a clear view of Dilip in all his princely splendor. Her peduncle felt weak.

She eased the Cypod forward, and their eyes met. A jolt swam down her spine.

This was the moment of her dreams. It was as if she was transported into the climax of The Sleeping Beau, when the heroine finally made eye contact with the awakened prince.

Dilip's forehead furrowed, and long eyelashes fluttered. He definitely remembers me!

"Dea?" Shiromi's honking utterance cut in, bringing her back to her senses. "Do you want to recite a poem too? We'd love to hear one in your language."

She inhaled deeply and surveyed the wooden table, on top of which stood a jug of fruit juice surrounded by paper cups. A basket sat nearby, brimming with unknown fruits in vibrant colors.

"I can do a magic trick," she announced.

"Sha, harima shok ne!" Shiromi let out a laugh that drowned out the many hushed voices. "Mr. Goonewardane, you wouldn't want to miss a magic trick, would you?"

"Oh, I'd very much like to see it, certainly," he said, his pearly smile in full force. "May I ask who you are? You're using a phone to speak?"

Before Dea could type out a response, the matron hastened to explain, "Dea is a foreigner. She's only with us temporarily."

"I see."

"What things do you need to do your trick, dear?" Shiromi asked. "We don't exactly have magic props."

Dea beamed. "I have everything I need right here."

A flurry of activity broke out as the humans helped Dea to set up the table for the trick.

Jee reached for the fruit basket and picked up an olive, its skin a striking blue. "This would do?"

"That's so pretty," Dea murmured and proceeded to write the reply. "Yes, that's perfect. Just hide it in one of the cups, and I'll guess which one."

"How many cups do you want?" Mihiri asked enthusiastically.

She experienced a bout of breathlessness under everyone's scrutiny—especially that of "Prince Dilip", who watched on with interest. "All the cups."

Amazement washed over the entire room. Dilip raised his eyebrows.

"All the cups?" Mihiri blurted out.

"All of them."

Jaws dropped open, and everyone set about arranging the items with renewed vigor.

When the children were ready to hide the fruit, Dea wheeled around and closed her eyes. Seconds ticked by while taps and rustles disturbed the stillness.

"Done," Jee announced.

When she faced the table again, a total of thirteen cups waited for her to pick the correct one.

No one spoke. All eyes followed her every move.

"I don't understand how you could possibly guess which cup it is," Shiromi wondered out loud.

Dea threw a glance at Dilip, who kept observing her with fascination.

Giddy with joy, she suppressed the cackle that threatened to surface. Then she leaned over the upturned cups and fired ultrasonic clicks too high for the humans to hear.

It took only a split second for the aural image to gain definition, reinforced by the many bouncing echoes. It clearly showed her where the olive was hidden. Even the birds outside seemed to hold their breath, their incessant song dipping like a beat drop.

In one dramatic gesture, she lifted the cup at the center.

Silence reigned. Many eyeballs bored into the bright blue fruit she had uncovered. Audible gasps swept across the air.

An instant later, the dining room erupted in claps and exclamations.

"This is truly magic!" Shiromi trilled.

Dilip's eyes never left her. "Impossible."

A grin strained against her warm cheeks as Dea basked under his stupefied gaze. The first hints of sunset tinged the light that streamed in and bathed the place in an aureate glow.

One of the men leaned towards Dilip and broke the magical moment. "It's time, sir."

He slowly straightened up. "Well, I have to leave now. Thank you for the warm welcome and the gifts."

Wait, you can't leave yet! Dea's elation dimmed. Shiromi and the children immediately showered him with thank-yous and smiles.

Her hand jumped into her bag in her hurry to write a message. She almost jabbed at the icon when his brown eyes turned to her. She froze.

"There's a banquet at my residence later tonight." He smiled. "Quite a few dignitaries will be attending. I'd be delighted if you could come."

Location: Mangrove Forest

https://youtu.be/YAuMCIdWjHE