Agami collapses on his bed, exhausted from his final day of training before they assault the Sand De Royale hotel. He is getting used to the Sharpshooter but isn't ready to use it as a sword.

  As soon as his eyes close, the sun is already peeking through his room.

  “Ugh–” He sits up, groggy. “Did I fall asleep?” He sniffs himself; the salty stench of yesterday's training is still on him. He washes himself and returns to sitting on his bed, unsure what to do next.

  He leaves his room and wanders around the house. As he walks through the hallway, most of the household has left. He stops in the lounge and finds Stella, one of Ken's friends, sitting upside down on the couch, watching television. But, from her expression, she is dying from boredom

  Looking through the sliding door, Gearfried is leaning over the balcony wall, smoking while watching the city. Looking around the room, they're alone. The twins' toys are neatly organised in a corner. The dining table is clean and the kitchen is empty.

  As he surveys the room, he meets the girl’s eyes by accident. A slow, mischievous smile forms on her face, sending chills down his spine. She looks similar to a cat that has found its prey. She slowly sits upright, her gaze not breaking with his. Frozen in confusion, Agami doesn't move, unsure how to respond. She gently taps the seat next to her, inviting him.

  This is weird, right?

  “Extremely,” Tenmei replies in his mind.

  I was just looking for something to do.

  “Maybe you can take this opportunity to make new friends,” Tenmei suggests.

  Yeah–but this?

  Before Tenmei can speak, Stella giggles, “I don't bite~” Patiently waiting for him.

  Agami cautiously approaches her, looking for any surprises. He slowly takes a seat next to her, worried about what she is planning to do. This is the first time he gets a good look at her.

  “She sits with a posture that is both relaxed and energised, confusing the man. Her short pink hair does not match her behaviour, creating an intriguing contradiction. Her pale skin full of life, the fragrant smell of Winderly flowers complementing it. Her voice is mature, yet her manner of speaking is entirely childlike. She wears loose clothing–sufficiently modest, yet still revealing a slender figure. Yes, this is the moment when he begins to–”

  “What are you doing?” Agami interrupts Stella’s sudden narration.

  Stella stops mid-sentence to address him, “I'm narrating. Isn’t it obvious?” She crosses her legs and turns to him. “So I heard a bit about you from Olya. Tell me, are you interested in her?”

  He is caught off guard by her directness, unprepared to answer the question. He blushes and weakly answers, “Uhmm–Well, she is pretty, so it's only–”

  “Lame~” she interrupts. Agami feels a pang of fear in that moment. “How cliché is it that you're only interested because of looks? Tell me, what else is there? She's kind, sweet, helpful, etc, etc.”

  Agami is frozen again; something about her is throwing him off.

  “What is her aim here?” Tenmei asks, “You should keep your distance, Agami. She is intentionally attempting to get in your head.”

  “But you know, maybe we shouldn't begin with your love life.” She takes her finger and pokes his chest gently. ”Let's begin with you, Agami. The son of the strongest people on the planet. Tell me about yourself.”

  Agami thinks for a moment before answering, scratching the back of his head. “Well, where do I begin? I was raised by servants in the Stilmur household. I thought the Stilmurs were my real parents, but it turns out that was a lie.”

  She leans back and stares at the ceiling, “Interesting. A servant raised in an aristocracy. But let me guess, the Stilmurs neglected you, and you ran away?”

  “I'm…not sure. My memories are still returning,” Agami says dishearteningly.

  “Agami, I think it is best to end the conversation here. I do not like this line of questioning. Something is strange,” Tenmei advises.

  Heeding his instructions, Agami tries to stand up and leave, but Stella grabs his arm to stop him. She says with a grin, “I didn't mean to touch a sore spot.”

  Agami pulls his arm away, “It’s no problem.”

  “But who are you exactly?” She asks again.

  His confusion is only growing; he answers, “I'm Agami Yamamoto.”

  “I know that,” she answers, “But what else? I have listened to some of your conversations and seen how you act for the past two days. I can already read you.” She leans her head on the couch, watching his reaction.

  “What do you mean?” Agami asks. Curious by her answer, he returns to his seat.

  “Agami, leave now. I am warning you that this conversation will not have a good outcome,” Tenmei warns, but he ignores it, intrigued by her words.

  A smile grows on her face, and she answers, “You are going up against the big bad, but here you are, wanting to run with the pack. First, you look for quick answers, regardless of how it impacts you, but it's not possible. Then you try to change your outlook, best foot forward, confident that it will get you somewhere. But even if you’re getting stronger, there is a tiny voice gnawing at you– growing on your fear. Will you get strong enough in time, or will you just be a witness and not a participant?”

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “How do you-” before he can answer, she interrupts.

  “--I know? When you keep having your own adventures without risk, you start to watch others. The patterns and behaviours reveal themselves and eventually, you notice a trend.” She looks back at him, her gaze feels sharper.

  Agami is unsure why, but a strange, indescribable feeling slowly washes over him. He can feel his chest tighten; he wants more of whatever this is, but he knows it's bad–and that only makes it more enticing.

  “There is nothing wrong with being average or predictable,” he awkwardly retorts.

  “True, there isn't,” she sighs, “But there is nothing fun about it either.”

  “But why do you care if I'm predictable or not? This may be how I live, and I am satisfied with it.”

  “You know, for someone like me, the days just seem to be the same thing with just a different name attached.” She stretches slightly, “But I'm looking for something to make me feel alive again.”

  “Why–” Agami is interrupted again.

  “Why not do something exciting like shooting giant guns or flying in the air. I have, but they aren't giving me that kick.” Her smile disappears, and she gives him a cold stare, “I want to just feel again and not be bored. Boredom is worse than death, because at least you don't feel it.”

  “Boredom,” Agami repeats, “Is it that bad?”

  “Yep. When you can do and get nearly anything you wish, you lose some part of yourself and want something…more. ”

  She pauses for a moment and looks at him again, “How about this?” She leans in and smiles, “How about we make this our adventure? You help me and I help you.” Agami becomes flustered, not used to having so close, let alone a woman, to his face. Her black– no, violet–eyes are fixed on his.

  Sensing the escalation, Tenmei’s voice rings out, “You need to say no–”

  “Deal,” Agami interrupts, something strange drawing him to her.

  A satisfied smile appears on her face as she sits back.

  “I hope you know what you are doing,” Tenmei's voice rings.

  “I hope so too,” Agami blurts out loud, earning him a confused look from Stella.

  “Hm?” She says, unsure of what he means.

  “Don't worry about that. So what's the first step?”

  She leans back and places her finger on her chin. “Hmmm, you need to gain new experiences. Step out of your comfort zone.” A sly grin appears on her face, “Let’s sneak out.”

  “Out of the question,” Gearfried says as he enters. “It’s too dangerous right now.”

  Stella whines, “Ehhh, why? This is the best time to go out right now.”

  “No means no. If you’re bored, you should have gone with Ken and the others. Don't drag Agami into this, ” Gearfried reprimands Stella.

  Stella looks away, annoyed, muttering something quietly. Noticing their absence, Agami asks, “Oh, yeah. Why didn’t you go with them?”

  Stella gives a surprised look and answers, “I have my reasons.”

  Gearfried walks to his computer and begins working on it, remaining vigilant of Stella and Agami.

  Tenmei appears out of the right armament and asks worriedly, “Agami, why did you agree to Stella’s proposition?”

  “I–” before Agami answers, he notices Stella’s curious stare and Gearfried's indifference to it. Right.

  He walks to his room and closes the door before continuing, “As I was saying, I don’t know why, but I feel like there is something there. Something that I am missing.”

  “Agami, I have told you several times that things will come naturally as time progresses. I have warned you previously about taking shortcuts; this is no different.” Tenmei pauses for a moment, “There is something wrong with her. Something great and terrifying within her.”

  Agami sits on his bed and stares at the flickering flame, “Like what? A benefactor?”

  “No. Something worse. Something unstable about her,” Tenmei says, his tone becoming somber. “Apologies, Agami, but for your sake, stay away from her, or else I will be forced to intervene.”

  Before Agami can argue back, Tenmei disappears, bringing their conversation to an end. He feels a sense of guilt for having to break his deal with Stella before they even start.

  The conversation replays in his mind for a few moments, unable to shake off this strange feeling. Tenmei is right about one thing: there is something about her.

  Her eyes, a deep violet texture. Her words, something about them. They are honest yet scathing. It was intoxicating. His lungs feel the vacuum that she leaves.

  As he stares at the ceiling, contemplating the interaction, Stella peeks over.

  “Whu- How-” he sits up and looks at the door. It is closed. “You snuck in?”

  She grins and gives a mischievous wink, “Yep. And now we are going to do the opposite and sneak out!”

  He sits up and gives her a blank look, “But Gearfried said no. Besides, he is watching us.”

  “I know,” she walks to his window and opens it–strong winds forcing their way in with a sudden gust.“But we are going to escape through here!”

  Agami remembers the last time he tried climbing out that window. “Wait, wait, wait, wa–”

  “I heard about your little escapade from Olya.” She turns around to face him, one eyebrow raised, “It is true, right?”

  “Well– I mean, I did jump, and the landing wasn't the best. Had to have my–” she grabs his hand and drags him to the window.

  Stella climbs atop the windowsill and holds Agami's hand tightly, waiting for him to join her. He hesitantly climbs up and stands on the windowsill. The strong winds greet him as he stands. He looks at the balcony expecting Gearfried to be there, but to his surprise, he is nowhere in sight.

  “Where's Gearfried?” He asks.

  She leans in and whispers, “Let's just say he won't be a problem for a while.”

  Agami's heart sinks as he imagines the worst, “Don't tell me–”

  “Whoa, whoa, I just distracted him,” Stella says worriedly, “I'm not a psychopath!”

  He feels a wave of relief wash over him upon hearing her. Returning to the issue at hand, he looks down; it feels higher than last time. He can hear the echoes of passing cars and pedestrians, reminding him of how high he is. They look like ants.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asks, hoping she will change her mind.

  She nods her head excitedly. Preparing himself, Agami activates the vents on his arm. It's easier compared to the first time he tried it. Stella watches in silence, intrigued by it. He focuses on the vent, and a sharp jet stream shoots out before quickly becoming steady.

  Tenmei appears from his arm and quickly says, “What are you doing?! Have you lost your–”

  “You ready?!” Stella shouts, and the wind becomes stronger.

  “Maybe we shouldn't–” He is interrupted by the disgruntled expression on Stella’s face. Without a word, she grabs his arm and jumps, pulling him along.