Back in the Armand Region – Armand Estate, Courtyard.
The sun was gentle, casting warm light over the long wooden table set beneath a flowering archway. Birds chirped in the distance.
"Achoo!!"
Mimi sneezed hard, nearly knocking over her cup of juice.
Across the table, Delya tilted her head.
"What's wrong?"
Mimi rubbed her nose with a pout.
"Don't know nya~ Maybe someone's talking behind my back."
Delya stared a bit longer, then shrugged. "Serves you right."
Just a few steps away, Liana and Gloria knelt beside their Pekko birds, offering them fruit slices from a basket.
Liana gently patted the head of her graceful silver-feathered Pekko.
"Pikko, chew slowly."
Gloria smiled as her own Pekko, a chubby fluffball with speckled wings named Peanut, carefully swallowed a berry.
"Good boy, Peanut."
Mimi and Delya, still seated, were surrounded by several wild Pekko that had been brought in for inspection. None of them were tamed yet.
