A strange, unreadable emotion flickered in her gaze—something deep, something he couldn't quite place.
Jasper, still catching his breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "How long have you been standing there?"
Sienna tilted her head slightly, her white-silver hair flowing in the artificial breeze. "Long enough."
Jasper exhaled, sheathing Dragonis and rolling his shoulders. "You could've said something, you know."
Sienna's lips curled into a small, knowing smile. "And interrupt your 'storm of destruction' training? No way."
Jasper smirked, though a hint of embarrassment crept into his expression. "Tch. You make it sound dramatic."
Sienna stepped forward, stopping a few feet away from him.
Her gaze lingered on his sweat-covered skin, the tension in his muscles, the quiet frustration in his stance.
"Jasper," she said softly, "why do you push yourself so hard?"
Jasper hesitated.
He could've given her a simple answer. He could've made a joke.
But something about the way she was looking at him made it impossible to lie.
"...Because I have to," he muttered, looking away.
Sienna frowned slightly. "Have to? Or feel like you need to?"
Jasper sighed, gripping the hilt of Dragonis. "...Both."
The silence stretched between them.
Finally, Sienna nodded. "Then… I'll just keep watching."
Jasper blinked. "What?"
She smiled. "If you're going to push yourself this hard, at least let someone see it. Let someone acknowledge it."
Jasper stared at her, feeling a strange tightness in his chest again.
It wasn't uncomfortable.
But it was definitely unfamiliar.
"...Suit yourself," he muttered, turning back to the railing, trying to act as if his heart wasn't beating faster.
Sienna chuckled softly, stepping beside him.
And for the first time, they simply stood together, watching the endless stars.
The Silverstar drifted silently through deep space, a lone silver vessel cutting through the cosmic abyss. The rooftop training deck remained bathed in the faint glow of starlight, the reinforced energy field keeping in breathable air while allowing a perfect, uninterrupted view of the galaxy.
Jasper stood at the edge of the deck, gripping Dragonis loosely in one hand, his body still damp with sweat from his relentless training. Beside him, Sienna stood calmly, her silver-white hair glistening under the artificial wind currents that swept across the deck.
She stretched her arms, then turned to Jasper with a confident smirk.
"You know, for someone who trains so hard, your hand-to-hand combat is kinda… lacking."
Jasper scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "Tch. I don't need fancy martial arts when I have this." He lifted Dragonis slightly, the blade glowing faintly with blue energy.
Sienna chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. But what happens when you don't have your sword? When you're disarmed?"
Jasper raised an eyebrow. "Then I just… I don't know. Punch them really hard?"
Sienna sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Wow. What an amazing strategy. Truly groundbreaking."
Jasper smirked. "I thought so."
Sienna rolled her eyes. "Alright, come on. I'll teach you something useful."
Before Jasper could respond, Sienna suddenly dropped into a perfect combat stance—her movements fluid, precise, and completely natural.
Jasper frowned. "Wait, when did you learn all this?"
Sienna grinned. "I'm a pro-hero, remember? We don't just fight with weapons. We have to be skilled in all kinds of combat."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "You up for a spar?"
Jasper grinned. "Alright, let's see what you got."
Jasper cracked his knuckles, stepping forward with lazy confidence. "Alright, I'll go easy on you since this isn't your specialty."
Sienna smirked. "Oh, that's cute. You think you have a chance."
Before Jasper could even register her words, she moved.
Fast.
Her body blurred as she dashed forward, twisting slightly as she effortlessly dodged his first swing.
Before he could react, her foot swept under his legs—and the next thing Jasper knew, he was flat on his back.
The impact wasn't even painful—just instant.
Like she had taken him out before he even had a chance to fight back.
Jasper blinked up at the sky, completely stunned. "…What the hell just happened?"
Sienna leaned over him, grinning. "I won."
Jasper groaned. "I blinked, and I was already dead."
Sienna laughed, reaching down to help him up. "You rely too much on your sword. You need better balance, better instincts. Want to try again?"
Jasper sighed, rubbing his back. "Yeah, no. I think my pride just got permanently damaged."
Sienna smirked. "Don't worry, it wasn't that impressive to begin with."
Jasper stared at her. "Wow. Ruthless."
After recovering from his embarrassing defeat, Jasper turned the tables.
"Alright, since you just destroyed me, it's your turn to learn something," he said, holding up Dragonis.
Sienna raised an eyebrow. "You want me to train with your sword?"
Jasper shrugged. "You showed me your style. Now I'll show you mine."
Sienna hesitated for a moment before reaching out, gripping Dragonis by the hilt.
The moment her fingers wrapped around it—her entire body tensed.
The sword was heavy.
Not just in weight, but in presence—as if something within it resisted her touch, unwilling to be wielded by anyone other than Jasper.
She frowned, adjusting her grip. "Damn… this thing is heavier than it looks."
Jasper nodded. "Dragonis isn't just a normal blade. It carries energy—a connection to me. If you're not used to it, it'll feel like you're trying to swing a ton of bricks."
Sienna tried to lift it properly, but the weight threw off her movements. Her first slash was clumsy, awkward.
Jasper chuckled. "Alright, let me help you."
Without thinking much of it, he stepped behind her, reaching over her shoulder to adjust her grip.
Sienna froze slightly as Jasper's hands covered hers, guiding her movements.
"Relax your arms," he said, completely focused on the sword. "You're too tense. Let the blade do the work."
Sienna exhaled, trying to ignore the way his voice sounded closer than usual.
Jasper didn't seem remotely fazed by their proximity—his mind purely focused on teaching.
But Sienna?
Her heartbeat had picked up just a little.
She adjusted her stance as Jasper guided her through a basic sword form, helping her align her strikes properly.
After a few moments, she found a rhythm—still clumsy, but improving.
Jasper grinned. "See? You're getting it."
Sienna glanced up at him, her silver eyes flickering with amusement. "And here I thought you were a bad teacher."
Jasper scoffed. "Hey, I may not know hand-to-hand combat, but when it comes to swords? I'm the best."
Sienna smirked. "Well, you're a little less dumb than I thought."
Jasper laughed. "That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."
Unbeknownst to them, the rooftop door had slid open minutes ago.
Serena leaned against the frame, arms crossed, watching everything unfold.
She hadn't planned to wake up early, but the shockwaves from earlier had been impossible to sleep through. She came up expecting to find Jasper training alone—not guiding Sienna's hands, helping her swing his sword like some kind of romance novel protagonist.
Serena smirked.
"Oh, this is too good."
She waited a little longer, watching Jasper completely oblivious to how close he was standing to Sienna.
Finally, she cleared her throat.
"Well, well. What do we have here?"
Jasper instantly stepped back from Sienna, almost tripping over himself in the process. "Tch—Serena?! What are you doing here?"
Serena grinned. "Oh, just enjoying the show."
Sienna, far calmer, simply turned to face her. "Morning, Serena."
Serena smirked. "Morning. Looks like you two are having a nice little moment. Should I come back later?"
Jasper groaned. "It's not like that!"
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You sure? Because from here, it looks like you're having a classic romantic training session."
Jasper rubbed his temples. "I hate you."
Serena shrugged. "I prefer 'greatest wingwoman of all time.'"
Sienna chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Well, since you're here, maybe you want to train too?"
Serena smirked. "Tempting. But honestly? I think I'd rather just watch Jasper suffer."
Jasper sighed. "Of course you would."
Serena winked. "Hey, somebody has to make sure you don't fall in love by accident."
The rooftop still hummed with the energy of training, but now a new battle was about to begin.
Serena rolled her shoulders, stretching her arms as she stepped forward onto the open deck. The faint glow of starlight above made her crimson hair shimmer, and a familiar smirk crossed her lips.
She pointed at Jasper. "Alright, enough lessons. I want a match."
Jasper blinked, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Oh? You actually think you can beat me?"
Serena grinned. "What? Scared?"
Jasper scoffed, cracking his neck as he gripped Dragonis tightly. "Tch. I like this."
Sienna sighed, stepping back. "Of course you do."
She knew this was about to turn into a spectacle.
She just didn't realize how intense it would be.
Jasper and Serena both stepped into their stances, their eyes locked.
Serena gripped Infernum, its crimson energy crackling along the blade. Her battle aura flared, surrounding her in waves of fiery red.
Jasper smirked as Dragonis pulsed with radiant blue energy, his own aura surging to life. The sheer contrast of their powers—fire and water, red and blue—made the air crackle with tension.
Sienna, watching from the sidelines, instinctively braced herself. "This… is gonna be big."
Then, in the blink of an eye—
They moved.
The first clash shook the rooftop.
Infernum and Dragonis met with an explosive impact, sending out a shockwave so powerful that the air itself seemed to tremble.
Sienna instinctively raised a hand to shield her face, the sheer force making her struggle to keep her balance.
Jasper and Serena barely registered the disturbance.
They moved faster.
Each strike came with brutal precision, their blades clashing again and again, leaving sparks and arcs of energy in their wake.
Left. Right. Parry. Counterattack.
Jasper ducked under a horizontal slash, twisting his body as he swung upward—only for Serena to block at the last second, pushing him back with a sudden burst of crimson force.
Jasper skidded, but he was grinning. "Not bad. But you'll have to do better."
Serena smirked. "Gladly."
They clashed again.
And again.
And again.
Each impact sent crimson and blue streaks of energy across the rooftop, forming rippling shockwaves that threatened to throw Sienna off balance.
The fight had become a blur of motion, a symphony of steel and energy.
But Jasper had been watching.
He knew Serena's rhythm, the way she moved, the way she shifted weight before attacking.
And finally—he saw the opening.
Serena lunged, aiming a downward diagonal slash straight at him.
But Jasper moved faster.
He sidestepped at the last moment, twisting his body just enough to avoid the strike.
Before Serena could recover, Jasper pivoted, swinging Dragonis with controlled force—knocking Infernum clean out of her hands.
The crimson blade spun through the air—
And landed with a metallic clang on the ground.
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then—
Jasper exhaled, stepping back, his sword still glowing with blue energy. "Looks like I win."
Serena stood frozen for a second, staring at her disarmed sword.
Then, slowly, she let out a soft chuckle.
"Guess you got me."
Sienna, still catching her breath from all the shockwaves, sighed in relief. "Finally. I thought you two were about to destroy the whole ship."
Jasper smirked, lowering Dragonis. "Please. If I wanted to destroy the ship, I'd have won faster."
Serena picked up Infernum, spinning it once before sheathing it. "Don't get cocky. Next time, I'm taking you down."
Jasper shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. Keep dreaming."
Sienna just shook her head, watching them bicker like children after nearly blowing up the rooftop.
After an intense morning of training, the three of them finally returned to the living quarters for breakfast.
The Silverstar's AI kitchen unit had already prepared their meals—an assortment of protein-enhanced breakfast dishes, nutrient-dense fruits from intergalactic farms, and energy-infused beverages designed to replenish stamina after heavy exertion.
Jasper plopped onto the soft, memory-adjusting sofa, groaning dramatically as he stretched. "Ugh. That fight took more out of me than I thought."
Serena, still drying her damp crimson hair with a towel, smirked as she sat down beside him. "Oh, don't act like you're exhausted. You had plenty of energy this morning—swinging your sword, getting all sweaty, showing off your 'technique.'"
Jasper, mid-drink, nearly choked. "Excuse me?"
Sienna, who had just sat across from them, calmly sipped her hydro-stabilized berry juice, her expression unbothered. "Serena, if you're referring to the match, I believe that's a rather misleading way to phrase it."
Serena shrugged, her golden-red eyes glinting mischievously. "Oh? Misleading? I thought it was perfectly accurate. I mean, Jasper was really… going hard out there."
Jasper froze mid-bite, his entire face slowly turning red.
"...Can you not say it like that?" he muttered, glaring at her.
Serena smirked, leaning forward slightly. "What? I'm just admiring your stamina."
Jasper groaned, slamming his forehead against the table. "Serena. Please."
Sienna set her glass down, completely composed. "She's clearly attempting to imply something inappropriate, but I fail to see how it's relevant to our conversation."
Serena leaned back, feigning innocence. "Oh, I don't know, Sienna. Maybe I'm just wondering if Jasper has the endurance to keep up with you too."
Jasper dropped his fork.
Sienna blinked. "...Keep up with me in what?"
Serena smirked wider. "Oh, you know. Training. Maybe some... intense sparring."
Jasper wanted to die.
Sienna, however, remained perfectly neutral. "I don't believe our training schedules require such concern. However, I would be interested in further sparring exercises to analyze Jasper's combat progress."
Serena grinned. "Mmm, yes. Very analytical."
Jasper covered his face with both hands. "I hate this ship."
Serena, enjoying herself far too much, continued her verbal onslaught.
"You know, Jasper, I gotta say, watching you handle your sword this morning was truly impressive. The way you gripped it firmly, moved so smoothly…"
Jasper lifted his head slowly, his expression dead inside. "...Serena."
Serena leaned closer, lowering her voice into a whisper. "So controlled. So… precise."
Jasper's soul left his body.
Sienna, meanwhile, calmly took a bite of her food. "He has trained for years to achieve such skill. It's expected that his swordsmanship would display a degree of proficiency."
Serena chuckled, resting her chin on her hand. "Oh, I bet he's been practicing for a long time. Gotta have good hands for that kind of work, right?"
Jasper actually choked this time, slamming his fist against his chest as he coughed violently.
Sienna tilted her head slightly, still unfazed. "Swordplay requires fine motor control and reflexive coordination. Are you implying that Jasper's manual dexterity is noteworthy?"
Serena grinned. "Oh, I think we both know the answer to that."
Jasper, recovering from his near-death experience, slammed his hands against the table. "I swear to every star in the multiverse, if you don't shut up—"
Serena winked. "Or what? You gonna punish me?"
Jasper collapsed onto the table, face-first.
Sienna observed the exchange for a moment before nodding to herself. "It appears Jasper has become unresponsive."
Serena laughed. "Oh, don't worry. I'll bring him back."
Jasper groaned into the table. "Please don't."
Finally regaining some level of sanity, Jasper shoveled food into his mouth aggressively, avoiding all eye contact.
Sienna, having finished her meal, returned to her holographic panel, typing reports with effortless focus.
Jasper watched her for a moment, his thoughts drifting back to last night's realization.
"She's 21."
"I'm 17."
"Four years."
"She's mature, intelligent, a pro-hero, and studying advanced sciences… and I'm just… me."
He sighed internally.
"What the hell am I even doing?"
He stole another glance at her, watching the way she analyzed data with precision, occasionally pausing to take handwritten notes in a sleek digital pad.
She wasn't just a fighter.
She was a scholar, a strategist, a visionary.
And then there was him.
A blader with a dumb sense of humor, a reckless fighter who relied on instinct rather than intelligence.
"She's out of my league, isn't she?"
That thought bothered him more than he expected.
And for the first time, Jasper wondered—
"Why does that matter to me?"