A Festival Night

Diwali in Dibrugarh

The city of Dibrugarh was alive.

Lights adorned every house, the streets glittered with decorations, and the sky was already starting to fill with bursts of golden fireworks. The air smelled of burning incense, sweets, and the faint scent of firecrackers.

For one night, the tension of war, the fear of what was coming, had to be forgotten.

Tonight was Diwali—the festival of lights.

And even with the upcoming battle against Zero, Mri and his gang had decided that they wouldn't let fear steal this night from them.

But this year, Diwali felt different for Mri.

Because of Jasmine.

---

Mri's Apartment – Preparing for the Celebration

Inside Mri's apartment, everyone was getting ready. The atmosphere was warm, filled with excitement. Laughter echoed through the rooms as they finished decorating.

Kai adjusted the fairy lights on the balcony. "Oi, Ishu! Stop being lazy and help me!"

Ishu, lying on the couch with a cigarette between his lips, smirked. "Why would I do that when I can just watch you struggle?"

Tanuja rolled her eyes. "Ugh, typical Ishu." She threw a cushion at him.

Ishu barely dodged, chuckling. "Fine, fine. I'll help… after one more smoke."

Mri walked out of his room, dressed in a black kurta, a rare sight since he was usually in casual streetwear. He clapped his hands. "Alright, let's get moving. We're going to the Diwali festival in the city center after this."

Konica lit up a few diyas (oil lamps) and placed them by the windows. "Done! Now, let's get the rangoli started."

Priyanka kneeled on the floor, carefully pouring colored powders to form an intricate pattern. "Tanuja, pass me the orange color."

Tanuja handed her the packet. "This is going to look amazing."

Meanwhile, Aamon stood by the window, silent. He was still adjusting to being back in the gang after everything.

Dipankar, noticing his silence, nudged him. "You good, bro?"

Aamon blinked and nodded. "Yeah… just not used to this."

Zaolot grinned. "Well, get used to it. Because tonight, we celebrate!"

Adonish clapped his hands. "Alright, enough talking. Let's light some firecrackers!"

---

Jasmine and Mri – A Quiet Moment

Jasmine stood in the kitchen, placing sweets onto a tray. Mri leaned against the doorway, watching her.

"You look beautiful," he said.

Jasmine turned, surprised. She was wearing a deep blue salwar kameez, her hair left open, a small diya reflecting in her eyes.

A faint blush crept onto her face. "You're not bad yourself, Mri."

Mri smirked. "Didn't expect me to clean up, huh?"

She chuckled. "Not really."

For a moment, they just stood there, the air between them charged.

Then Mri spoke, his voice softer. "I'm glad you're here."

Jasmine met his gaze. "Me too."

Before either of them could say more, Kai burst in. "Oi, lovebirds! Let's go!"

Jasmine laughed while Mri groaned. "Can't you ever knock?"

Kai grinned. "Where's the fun in that?"

---

Dibrugarh City Center – The Diwali Festival

By the time they reached the festival grounds, the city was glowing.

People filled the streets, their faces illuminated by the countless diyas and colorful lights. Stalls lined the roads, selling sweets, snacks, and traditional Diwali gifts.

Mri's gang spread out, taking in the festive energy.

Kai bought a handful of phuljharis (sparklers) and handed them out. "Let's start small before we go big."

Priyanka waved hers around, laughing. "I feel like a kid again!"

Tanuja twirled hers, watching the sparks dance. "It's beautiful."

Jasmine stood beside Mri, lighting her sparkler. "This is my first Diwali here."

Mri looked at her. "And?"

She smiled. "It's… perfect."

Meanwhile, Ishu, as always, had to be different. Instead of sparklers, he grabbed a chocolate bomb (a loud firecracker). He turned to Mri with a smirk. "Wanna do something reckless?"

Mri raised an eyebrow. "Depends. What are you planning?"

Ishu placed the chocolate bomb under an empty tin can, lit the fuse, and took a step back.

BOOM!

The can flew into the air, landing on a stall roof. The shopkeeper screamed. "OI! WHO DID THAT?!"

Ishu and Kai ran off laughing while the rest facepalmed.

Aamon, watching all this, shook his head with a smile. "Some things never change."

---

Food and Conversations

After an hour of fireworks, they sat down at a roadside dhaba to eat.

The table was filled with samosas, jalebis, rasgullas, and chai.

Zaolot bit into a samosa. "Damn, this is good."

Dipankar poured himself more chai. "Enjoy it while we can."

Mri, sensing the shift in mood, spoke up. "That's exactly why we're here."

Everyone looked at him.

"We don't know what's coming. We don't know how strong Zero has become. But tonight, we're still together." His eyes moved across the group. "No matter what happens, we fight together."

Aamon met his gaze. "And we win together."

Konica smirked. "Damn right."

Jasmine, sitting beside Mri, placed her hand over his. "We'll get through this."

Mri looked at her, warmth in his eyes. "Yeah. We will."

---

Final Fireworks – The Symbol of Hope

As midnight approached, the grand fireworks show began.

They stood at the edge of the river, watching the sky explode in colors.

Kelly sighed. "This… this moment right here. I don't want to forget it."

Kai nodded. "We won't. No matter what happens, we'll remember this night."

Aamon, standing beside Mri, whispered, "Tomorrow, the real war begins."

Mri clenched his fists. "Let them come."

As the fireworks burst above them, one thought burned in their minds—