The morning started with Kristina already standing on the couch like she owned the world. "Kris! Wake up!" she shouted, waving a stick she called her "magic scepter."
I groaned, burying my face in the pillow. "It's too early," I mumbled.
"Too early?" Kristina's eyes narrowed. "Do you even know what time it is? It's adventure o'clock!"
"Adventure o'clock?" I repeated, sitting up slowly. "Who made that a thing?"
"I did," she said proudly, pointing the stick at me like it was a sword. "And now you must obey the rules of adventure o'clock!"
Before I could argue, Grandma appeared in the doorway. "Adventure o'clock? What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, frowning.
Kristina twirled dramatically. "It means we save the world today. Or at least part of it."
Grandma squinted at me. "And you, Kris, you're helping?"
"Yes, ma'am," I said, sitting up straighter. "I'm the sidekick."
Grandma shook her head. "Sidekick, huh? Well, don't break anything. And don't trip."
I muttered, "Why do I get the rules every time?"
Kristina ignored me and jumped down from the couch. "Come on! Today, we're finding the secret treasure in the backyard. But first, we need disguises."
I blinked. "Disguises?"
"Absolutely! Don't you know anything about adventure? Disguises are essential." She ran to her room and came back with two mismatched socks, a scarf tied around her head, and a pair of sunglasses so big they nearly covered her whole face. "You, Kris, will wear the scarf."
I stared at it. "I look like a crazy raccoon."
Kristina clapped her hands. "Exactly! Perfect for sneaking past the dragon!"
I groaned, but I put it on anyway. Adventure rules were rules.
We tiptoed into the backyard, crouching behind plants like professional spies. Kristina pointed at a flower pot. "Look! The first clue!"
I peered at it. "It's just… a flower."
Kristina gasped. "Aha! But not just any flower. This one guards the first treasure."
Before I could respond, Grandma appeared at the back door. "Why are you creeping around like that?"
Kristina froze. "It's… uh… ninja training!"
Grandma raised an eyebrow. "Ninja training? At eight in the morning?"
"Yes, ma'am. Very dangerous ninja training," Kristina said, pointing the stick at me for dramatic effect.
Grandma shook her head. "I need to start charging for supervision. Someone could get hurt."
Mom appeared then, carrying a plate of toast. "What are you two doing now?"
"Ninja training for treasure hunting," Kristina said.
Mom laughed. "Alright, just don't break anything. Or each other."
We continued our mission, crawling behind bushes and "sneaking past guards" (which were really just Grandma's flower pots). At one point, I tripped over a hose and landed face-first in the dirt.
Kristina's head popped up. "You're supposed to be sneaky!"
"I am sneaky!" I said, spitting dirt out. "Just… stealth fail."
She rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I like you."
Then she spotted a stick shaped like a letter "Y." "Perfect! This is the magic wand we need for the next challenge!"
I picked it up. "Magic wand? You mean… a stick?"
"Yes, Kris, a magic wand," she said, waving it dramatically. "Now, speak the spell!"
"What spell?"
"You make it up!" she said, glaring at me like a teacher who just caught a student daydreaming.
I muttered, "I don't know any spells."
Kristina grinned. "That's fine! Improvisation is part of adventure!"
So I waved the stick randomly and shouted, "Ziggity zaggity zap!"
Kristina gasped. "It worked! You summoned the guardian!"
I looked around. "Guardian?"
A squirrel was staring at us from the fence.
"That's… close enough," Kristina said, bowing dramatically.
Grandma appeared again, holding a broom. "What did you summon?"
"Nothing," Kristina said quickly. "Totally imaginary."
Grandma shook her head. "Imaginary or not, stop throwing sticks. Someone's going to get hurt."
We laughed and continued "our quest" until lunchtime. Kristina claimed we needed "magical energy" to proceed, so Mom made sandwiches. I tried to sneak a bite of Kristina's peanut butter and jelly.
"Hey!" she shouted. "That's mine!"
"I just… tasted it," I said innocently.
"Not tasting, stealing!" Kristina shouted. "Sidekick, behave!"
"I'm the sidekick, not the criminal!"
Kristina rolled her eyes and shoved half the sandwich in my face. "Fine! You can have it. But don't choke on the magic energy!"
Grandma peeked into the kitchen. "Magic energy? Did anyone drink water first?"
"Yes," Kristina said. "Hydration is part of the quest."
Grandma huffed. "I need a nap just watching you two."
After lunch, we returned to the backyard for the final stage of the treasure hunt. Kristina had hidden "treasures" all over: a shiny rock, a bottle cap, and a rubber band she claimed was enchanted. I had to find them all while avoiding "lava traps" and "poison swamps."
Somehow, I tripped in nearly every "trap," got tangled in a hose, and almost fell in the birdbath twice. Kristina laughed so hard she fell over herself.
Finally, I reached the last treasure—a tiny toy soldier Kristina had buried earlier. I held it up proudly.
Kristina gasped. "You did it! The quest is complete!"
I held out my hand. "High-five?"
She slapped my hand. "Sidekick, you survived!"
Grandma appeared again with her hands on her hips. "Survived? You call that surviving?"
Mom laughed from the kitchen. "You two are ridiculous."
Kristina bowed. "Ridiculous but victorious!"
I collapsed on the grass, exhausted but happy. Adventure o'clock had been a success, chaos included.
As the sun dipped, Kristina nudged me. "Tomorrow, we make a new quest. Bigger, funnier, and with more danger."
I groaned. "Does it involve lava again?"
She grinned. "Probably."
And I couldn't help but laugh.
Because with Kristina, with Mom, with Grandma… even the simplest day became legendary.