*[Mia breathes heavily, wipes her face, and opens the door slightly. Her face is pale, eyes puffy.]*
*Mother (softly):*
"What happened?"
*Mia:*
"Nothing. I'm fine." *[But her voice cracks.]*
*Grandma reaches out but Mia shuts the door gently but firmly.*
*[The two women stand quietly at the door.]*
*Mother (whispering):*
"She's hurting... badly."
*Grandma (sighing):*
"Then let her feel it. That's how we know it's real."*[Mia breathes heavily, wipes her face, and opens the door slightly. Her face is pale, eyes puffy.]*
*Mother (softly):*
"What happened?"
*Mia:*
"Nothing. I'm fine." *[But her voice cracks.]*
*Grandma reaches out but Mia shuts the door gently but firmly.*
*[The two women stand quietly at the door.]*
*Mother (whispering):*
"She's hurting... badly."
*Grandma (sighing):*
"Then let her feel it. That's how we know it's real."
*Scene: Tavern – Midday*
*[INT – Rustic Tavern, lively but dim-lit]*
Modeus sits across from *Mira*, calm but mildly unreadable. The bartender wipes a glass, glancing curiously.
*Bartender (to another patron):*
"Not the fiery one today, huh?"
*Patron:*
"Shame. Was hopin' for some drama."
*[Background whispers and disappointed murmurs trail off as Mira smiles, dabbing her lips with a napkin.]*
*Mira:*
"Well, we've eaten. Shall we begin the day?"
*Modeus (with a small smirk):*
"Lead the way."
*[They both rise. Mira clasps her hands behind her, walking elegantly ahead. Modeus follows, still curious. His steps are slow, calculated—sensing something.]*
*[EXT – Tavern Front]*
The townsfolk casually glance over. A few seem visibly puzzled. Others, mildly disappointed.
*Bartender (calling after them):*
"Try not to keep it *too* peaceful out there, eh?"
*[Modeus gives a lazy wave without turning.]*
*[They disappear down the street, the camera pulling back slowly as the tavern returns to its usual bustle.]*
*Scene: Mia's Bedroom – Late Afternoon*
*Heavy silence. Curtains half-drawn. Dust particles hang lazily in the dim sunlight. Mia lies sprawled across her massive bed like a wilted flower in a dramatic painting. Her hair is undone, eyes distant, surrounded by crumpled pillows, tossed weapons, and the wreckage of a once-fluffy teddy bear.*
*[SFX: *Knock Knock Knock*]*
*Lyon (from behind the door):*
"Hellooo? Ice Queen of the Apocalypse? If you're dead, blink twice."
*Mia (muffled):*
"Lyon, I swear on everything sacred and profane—go. away."
*Lyon (mock gasp):*
"She's alive... and grumpy. Good sign."
*[SFX: *Click* — forged key unlocks the door.]*
*Mia (sitting up sharply):*
"Don't you dare—!"
*[Door opens. Lyon enters casually, one hand in his pocket, munching an apple like a nosy sitcom neighbor.]*
*Lyon:*
"You're lucky I'm your favorite sibling or this would be breaking and entering. Possibly a war crime."
*[Mia hurls five knives rapid-fire. He matrix-dodges the first four and catches the last one by the blade's edge.]*
*Lyon (grinning):*
"Still sharp. In both ways."
*Mia (groaning, flopping back down):*
"Ugh. Why do you exist?"
*Lyon (looking around the luxurious room):*
*Scene: Tavern – Midday*
*[INT – Rustic Tavern, lively but dim-lit]*
Modeus sits across from *Mira*, calm but mildly unreadable. The bartender wipes a glass, glancing curiously.
*Bartender (to another patron):*
"Not the fiery one today, huh?"
*Patron:*
"Shame. Was hopin' for some drama."
*[Background whispers and disappointed murmurs trail off as Mira smiles, dabbing her lips with a napkin.]*
*Mira:*
"Well, we've eaten. Shall we begin the day?"
*Modeus (with a small smirk):*
"Lead the way."
*[They both rise. Mira clasps her hands behind her, walking elegantly ahead. Modeus follows, still curious. His steps are slow, calculated—sensing something.]*
*[EXT – Tavern Front]*
The townsfolk casually glance over. A few seem visibly puzzled. Others, mildly disappointed.
*Bartender (calling after them):*
"Try not to keep it *too* peaceful out there, eh?"
*[Modeus gives a lazy wave without turning.]*
*[They disappear down the street, the camera pulling back slowly as the tavern returns to its usual bustle.]*
*Scene: Mia's Bedroom – Late Afternoon*
*Heavy silence. Curtains half-drawn. Dust particles hang lazily in the dim sunlight. Mia lies sprawled across her massive bed like a wilted flower in a dramatic painting. Her hair is undone, eyes distant, surrounded by crumpled pillows, tossed weapons, and the wreckage of a once-fluffy teddy bear.*
*[SFX: *Knock Knock Knock*]*
*Lyon (from behind the door):*
"Hellooo? Ice Queen of the Apocalypse? If you're dead, blink twice."
*Mia (muffled):*
"Lyon, I swear on everything sacred and profane—go. away."
*Lyon (mock gasp):*
"She's alive... and grumpy. Good sign."
*[SFX: *Click* — forged key unlocks the door.]*
*Mia (sitting up sharply):*
"Don't you dare—!"
*[Door opens. Lyon enters casually, one hand in his pocket, munching an apple like a nosy sitcom neighbor.]*
*Lyon:*
"You're lucky I'm your favorite sibling or this would be breaking and entering. Possibly a war crime."
*[Mia hurls five knives rapid-fire. He matrix-dodges the first four and catches the last one by the blade's edge.]*
*Lyon (grinning):*
"Still sharp. In both ways."
*Mia (groaning, flopping back down):*
"Ugh. Why do you exist?"
*Lyon (looking around the luxurious room)
"Why does your room look like a crime scene in a sad romance novel? Wait, is that mirror bleeding?"
*[He picks up a scorched pillow and sniffs it.]*
*Lyon:*
"You tried to explode something, didn't you? I swear, if you fireballed a picture of him, I'm telling Grandma."
*[Mia gives a long, soul-deep sigh into her pillow.]*
*Lyon (sitting on the bed, poking her shoulder):*
"Okay seriously, what happened? Did the brooding mystery man insult your eyeliner? Or worse—call you average?"
*Mia (without looking at him):*
"I hate you."
*Lyon:*
"That's fair. But this feels less like hate and more like... heartbreak. And trust me, heartbreak is worse than daggers. It's like emotional food poisoning."
*[Mia doesn't respond. Just stares off.]*
*Lyon (grabbing her brush and brushing the air dramatically):*
"So... do we cry together or do I go find Mr. Universe and 'talk' to him with my fists and a flamethrower?"
*Mia (quietly):*
"He didn't do anything wrong…"
*Lyon (blinking):*
"Then why does your room look like an exorcism failed in here?"
*[Mia rolls away, hugging a pillow.]*
*Lyon (standing):*
"Okay. You need space. Cool. I get it. But just so you know… I've watched enough soap operas to know that when a girl trashes her room over a guy, it's not 'nothing'."
*[He walks to the door.]*
*Lyon (to himself, muttering):*
"Alright, Mission 'Talk to Tall-Dark-and-Mysterious' is a go. Best case: I figure him out. Worst case: I die a poetic death, Mia cries a little, and I become the tragic subplot."
*[He pauses.]*
*Lyon:*
"...Wait. Who's gonna water my cactus?"
*[Cut to black as he dashes dramatically down the hallway like a man on a quest for answers — or probable doom.]*