"Huh?" The dark-haired man looked at his hand and his eyes widened a bit. He had earlier seen himself wearing the Storm uniform but he now had a black trouser and a red hoodie on.
He dropped his hands and looked around, he stood in front of a building but couldn't make out whatever was behind him or by his sides, the only thing his senses were picking up were the clothes he had on, the ground he was standing on, and the unfamiliar building in front of him.
Having no other option, he moved forward and the door slid open for him to walk through. He found himself entering a diner that had a rectangular floating table in the middle of the room and some occupied chairs around the table. The atmosphere was nice and soothing, it was also designed with the joyful laughter of the people sitting around the table.
"Ehh, you made it."
Rohan turned to see Rory waving at him with a bright smile. She hummed and tapped the empty seat next to her. "Sit next to me."
The dark-haired man looked at the others in the room, it took a moment before he could make out their faces: Jesselyn, Sox, Ada, Hailey, and Ishary who was seated at the head of the table. She sent a smile his way as their eyes met.
Hailey pointed at Ada. "She was the one who compelled us to start without you."
"Oh… I'm not gonna apologize for starting without you," the red-haired lady stated.
He smiled and slowly moved to sit next to Rory. "It's fine... I did arrive late."
Jesselyn got up and walked out of the room, a few minutes later, she returned with a tray of food in her hand. "Here…" she said. "I made it specially for you." She dropped the tray in front of him before moving to her seat.
The dark-haired man gasped. "Yo--- you cooked?"
"Specially for you," she revealed.
Sox placed her hand over her mouth and giggled. "She volunteered to cook for everyone but changed her mind after Ada belittled her cooking, so it fell on you alone."
"I'm noh tacing bac waht I said," the red-haired Earthling said with her mouth full. She swallowed it down and turned to the dark-haired man. "I entered the kitchen and boy was it a battlefield in there, one would say she was fighting with the ingredients."
Rohan's brows moved closer as he listened to her talk.
"Don't listen to her, Rohan." Jesselyn shoots Ada a frown. She turned back to the dark-haired man and smiled. "I promise it's not that bad."
"Come on, Andy, she took her time to cook for you, have some at least," Hailey chipped.
"You don't have to worry about dying, you have super healing, hehe," Ada laughed.
The dark-haired man pulled the plate to himself and picked up the spoon. He hesitated for a moment before scooping a piece and moving it to his mouth. He shut his eyes as he slowly moved the spoon to his mouth, ready to accept whatever the aftermath came with. His eyes opened as he pulled the spoon from his mouth.
"So?" Jesselyn asked.
"You can spit it out."
Rohan smiled and took another spoon to his mouth. Ada looked at him confused as she had thought he was going to spit out the food.
"You're definitely faking it, it's terrible isn't it?" Ada probed.
"You'll never know," he replied. "But if you are that curious, you can have some too." He pushed the plate in her direction.
Ishary got up from her seat and started towards a door. She held her hands behind her back and tilted her head to look at the others. "Come on guys, we should head to the beach now, I want to watch the sunset."
"Alright." They all got up and rushed after the arctic blue-haired lady.
The dark-haired man stood up to follow after the girls but stopped as Rory turned to face him. She stood straight and only held his stare without saying a word. The dark-haired man couldn't bring himself to say anything to her and they stayed that way for a long while before she finally spoke.
"Should you be here?"
"W-what?"
"This is not your place to be. You still have a lot to do… for me, and everyone else." She smiled and veered around, also walking out of the place. "Come on, let's join the others."
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.
.
"Ha ha ha ha," Damiano threw his head back as he laughed. "Just a few hours ago I was worried about what will happen to me after my years run out..."
"But Miss Havishma herself secured your future."
The caramel-haired man nodded. "Though I feel it is suspicious, I am grateful to her…"
The Prime and owner of the Quantum Realm Corp stopped and turned his whole body to face Galliard. "So, did you send those men to take care of her?"
Galliard took a sip of his tea and dropped it back on the small table between himself and the caramel-haired man. "You can trust I did. I sent expertise that'll make sure she doesn't return to this planet."
Just as he spewed out the last words, a man pushed open the door and joined the two on the balcony. He crashed on the ground in front of the two trying to catch his breath. "I have terrible news, sir."
Damiano leaned forward. "What is it?"
"M--Miss Havishma…" he stuttered but managed to add to his former words. "We've just received news that Miss Havishma and her crew just arrived at Department H."
The owner of Q.R.C. shockingly turned to the man sitting next to him. "What is this?" He asked, his eyes almost falling out of its socket. "Did you lie to me? Are you trying to deceive me?"
The member of the People was just as confused as Damiano was as he looked between the man who had just brought the news and the man he was conversing with. "I--- I have--- I swear I sent out the men immediately after I left the meeting."
Damiano got up on his feet and fixed his jacket as he tried to contain himself. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't make out any word. He held Galliard's stare for a moment before storming out of the place.
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Department H.
Miss Havishma took off her oversuit and hung it on a rack before sitting on the couch in her pad. She leaned back and sighed, relaxing and letting herself sink into the foam.
She closed her eyes but opened it as she got interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," she said before sitting up straight.
The door opened and Scarlett walked in with Commander Ringworm following behind her. The sky blue-haired woman couldn't stop grinning as she sat on an empty seat.
"Miss Havishma, I…" she paused as she tried to contain her smile. "I received the task from Commander Ringworm, and... the Prime and People have agreed to increase the years a Prime should spend to eleven years."
The pale-skinned woman shifted her eyes to Steve who was still standing before leveling her gaze at Scarlett. "You did great." She filled up two cups on the table between them and pushed one to the sky-blue-haired lady.
"But there's still much more we have to do."
....
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