CTS TIME: RE250.08.29 – 12:45 PM
The restaurant's sliding doors hissed open, and immediately, the air shifted. A small group of Hyperion Defenders (HD) walked in, their combat-grade uniforms sleek and reinforced with adaptive plating. The golden HD emblem on their chests glowed faintly, a mark of their elite status in the Interstellar Space Agency (ISA).
As the defenders stepped forward, one of them locked eyes with Sienna, an amused smirk spreading across his face.
Lance – Tall, slightly cocky, with a confident energy that screamed "troublemaker." His short silver hair and cybernetic arm marked him as a veteran of intense battles.
Blade – Charming, smooth-talker, with an annoyingly romantic personality. His black-and-red armor had custom insignias—showing he was a warrior who cared about style as much as skill.
Lance let out an exaggerated gasp. "Oh. My. Stars. Am I dreaming? Sienna, you actually did it?!"
Blade raised an eyebrow, glancing at Jasper before extending his hand. "Lance, control yourself. Introductions first." He turned back to Jasper, offering a handshake. "I'm Blade. Nice to meet you. Also, I'm a huge fan of yours, Jasper Tyros."
Jasper grinned, shaking his hand. "Ah, finally, someone who recognizes greatness. See, Serena? I have fans."
Serena rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You're practically a galactic treasure."
Blade then turned to Serena, his expression shifting into pure admiration.
"Ahh, the Crimson Princess herself! It's an honor. I'm also a huge fan of your blade, Infernum!"
For a split second, Serena's heart skipped a beat.
Did he just say "I am Blaze"?
She blinked. No… he said Blade. Just an illusion of her thoughts.
She pushed the feeling aside, giving him a small nod before turning back to her meal.
A few minutes later, everyone was sitting at one large table, laughing and enjoying the futuristic breakfast—a mix of stellar omelets infused with energy-rich plasma extracts, floating coffee spheres that never spilled, and exotic fruits that shimmered under artificial light.
Lance, already on his second drink, turned to Jasper with a smirk. "You have no idea, dude. Sienna is absolutely dumb when it comes to love."
Blade grinned. "It's like a dream seeing her finally confess. I never thought she'd overcome her fear."
Jasper leaned back in his chair, resting his arms behind his head. "Alright, alright. Spill the details. Just how crazy was she about me?"
Lance laughed. "Oh, bro. She was dying for you. She watched your semifinals match at least 200 times."
Blade nodded, grinning. "And she paused every frame where you looked handsome… then replayed it again."
Sienna turned redder than a collapsing star, burying her face in her hands.
Jasper's grin widened. "Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me she was out here studying my face like it was some lost ancient artifact? Damn, I should start charging royalties."
Serena, sipping her drink, smirked. "Well, at least someone finds him attractive. I was starting to think his fanbase was just a myth."
Lance, getting a bit serious, chuckled. "But honestly, she didn't give up. She kept saying that after the Grand Finals, she'd confess to you."
Serena leaned back, observing Sienna carefully. She's just like Blaze… refusing to give up, no matter what.
Blade grinned. "Yeah, and she even hand-made that present for you."
Jasper, still twirling the locket between his fingers, nodded. "Yeah, I actually like it."
Lance then leaned forward, his tone turning playful again. "But last night, she knew you'd leave Exohorizon today… so she tried many times to confess."
Jasper blinked. "Wait. 'Many times'?"
Blade sighed, shaking his head dramatically. "Yep. Over and over. She kept practicing in front of the mirror, but she kept chickening out."
Lance smirked. "Honestly, I was betting against her ever saying it."
Blade then suddenly turned his gaze toward Serena, his expression shifting into full romantic mode.
Blade placed a hand over his chest, his eyes shining like a man seeing destiny itself.
"Oh, Crimson Princess, the day of your battle with Blaze, the barriers themselves couldn't contain your power! When the battlefield shattered, I—alongside Lance and Scarlet—had to intervene to save the people. But in that moment… I saw something more powerful than any blade…"
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Oh no… here we go."
Blade (dramatically) "I saw the beauty of your untied crimson hair, flowing in the cosmic winds! I knew at that moment… fate had delivered me a vision of true perfection! So now, here in this moment… please, oh divine warrior—accept my proposal!"
Serena laughed out loud. "No."
Blade froze. His heart shattered into microscopic pieces.
"Y-You didn't even hesitate…"
Serena smirked. "Nope. That was the fastest rejection in history."
Jasper, who was waiting for this moment, leaned forward, grinning like a madman.
"Dude, you never had a chance. She's not single anymore. She's Blaze's property."
Blade's jaw dropped so hard, it almost hit the floor.
"BRO—WHAT?! PROPERTY?!"
Jasper (laughing) "Listen, man. Blaze marked his territory a long time ago. You? You're just an NPC in her storyline. A background extra. That's tough, bro."
Lance wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Damn. Rest in peace, Blade."
Serena rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You guys are idiots."
Blade, still holding his chest like he was stabbed, sighed dramatically. "Why does fate play such cruel games with my heart?"
Jasper patted his shoulder. "There, there. At least you got rejected quickly. Less suffering that way."
Blade and Lance stood near the street corner, adjusting their wrist interfaces, their Hyperion Defenders emblems glowing faintly under the neon lights of Exohorizon's skyline. The once-bustling streets had grown quieter after the Grand Finals, with most travelers and spectators having already departed.
Lance smirked as he glanced at Sienna, who was still sitting beside Jasper, her hands nervously gripping the edges of the table. "Well, looks like you're finally getting what you wanted, Sienna," he teased. "Spending the day with your Jasper Tyros."
Blade nudged him, grinning. "Yeah, don't mess this up. You finally managed to confess, after all."
Sienna flushed red. "It's not like that," she muttered, averting her gaze.
Jasper chuckled, stretching his arms behind his head. "Hey, I mean, not yet, at least."
Serena rolled her eyes, already growing impatient. "Enough jokes. We have to move if we want to catch Blaze before he gets too far ahead."
Jasper was about to stand, ready to leave, but Sienna hesitated. "Wait," she said quickly. "I can help. If there's anything you need, just tell me."
Serena stiffened at that. She had no intention of spreading this information beyond their group. But before she could stop him, Jasper leaned forward, tapping the table.
"Actually, yeah," he said casually. "I need records of all spacecraft that left Exohorizon last night."
Sienna frowned slightly. "That's easy enough for me, but why?"
Jasper gave a lazy shrug. "A friend of mine left something behind. I need to track him down."
Sienna studied him for a moment, then nodded. "If that's all, then come with me to HQ. I can access the records from there.