"Hey bro, what's happening in the land of flowers?" Quentin grinned widely and sat down next to Lili, Milka, Crystal, and Phoebe, all of whom sighed.
Two years had passed since they met, but time had been kind to the psychic children. They were still all harnessing their powers, still chillin' out at Whispering Rock for two weeks every summer, and Quentin and Phoebe were still rocking out day and night in the Main Lodge. The only differences were that this year, Clem wasn't here, having been shipped off to church camp, and Raz wasn't here, having become a 'early Psychonaut of Awesome', in Quentin's words.
In the absence of Clem and Raz, Lili and Crystal had become friends, and as Milka was now the one who did special effects for The Flying Fires, Phoebe and Milka could often be found hanging out together. Quentin liked how the group dynamics worked; he was the weird hippy who knew all of them and held them together as one of the most messed up groups on the planet.
Lili dully poked at her hamburger. "Why do you even say that, stupid? Milka and Phoebe aren't flower names."
"But, see, check it," Quentin smiled at Milka. "She's all golden and awesome, so she's like a sunflower, and she can go invisible, so she's like those really awesome flowers that bloom once in a full moon. And Phoebe's like a rose, 'cause fire is red like flames, and roses are widely known, as our band will one day be!"
"True that!" Phoebe high fived him.
Crystal grinned. "Oh, yay! Flower power, woo hoo! I think your flower metaphors are awesome, Quentin! Lili's just mad because she and Raz broke up."
"WE DID NOT BREAK UP, dumbass." Lili growled. "It's just a little argument."
"Hey, cool it," Quentin said, patting her hand. "I know you guys have something special. You'll just take a week off or something and get back together. Hopefully you won't do it as often as Elka and Nils, but…"
Lili bit her lip. "Um, actually, I've been thinking… Maybe it's time Raz and I saw other people."
Phoebe choked on her milk. Milka raised an eyebrow but, being the reserved person she was, kept her opinion of this development to herself.
"No way!" Quentin stood up. "Look, you and Raz are both really weird, super freaky people with a lot of issues-"
"Gee, thanks."
"-But that's why you two are so awesome together. You're insanely cynical, but he's insanely positive, and together you're superbly neutral! And you're all 'everything's boring' and he's all 'everything's fun' and you balance, see? It's like my cocoa and Phoebe's milk, you're just not complete without each other! You have to mix ingredients!"
Quentin froze, fist in the air, and his face twisted into one of wonder.
"Oh my God," Phoebe muttered, "This will not be good."
"That's it! You two need to mix ingredients!" Quentin shouted. "It's so obvious! This is when circus kids hit puberty and he's just waiting for the joining of his hot dog to your bun!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Lili said slowly, golden eyes narrowing dangerously. "Are you saying…?"
"Raz needs to get laid?" Crystal put in helpfully. Milka bit her lip hard to keep from laughing. "Oh, yay! True love! Soon they'll be married and have babies and go into debt to get their kids through college and-"
"Whoa, whoa," Quentin waved his arms for order. "You gotta walk before you can run, Crystal Flowers. First we gotta get the hot dog and bun on talking terms with each other, and I have just the plan!"
Phoebe stared at him. "Excuse me, bro, but what do we even have that induces ingredient mixing?"
"All we need: Mood music, a cabin at the bottom of the lake, a mattress, and a lava lamp!"
Phoebe cringed. "I repeat, this will not be good…"
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Author's Note: I have issues. snort Ingredient mixing…