Secret talent? Well, Claude didn't think it was as impressive as Anise's ability to turn that doll into a giant, but his face glowed a little from his friends' praise regardless. "It wasn't a problem," he said with a lopsided grin and a scratch of his cheek. He was just glad no one had gotten hurt.

It was still a reminder that they couldn't afford to waste anymore time, though. He took his bracelet from Anise with a grateful nod, but refrained from putting it on until they'd agreed on how to handle this. Guy's suggestion actually sounded pretty good, since it meant that, whatever happened, they'd all be in it together.

"Yeah, you may be right," he agreed, growing more serious now. "How about on the count of three?"