The moon dimly illuminated the camp when Alex finally arrived, his suit torn and his body covered in dirt. He collapsed by the extinguished campfire, trying to catch his breath. He could still hear the roar of the pink lion echoing in his ears, and the flashes of the explosions he had unleashed during the mission burned behind his eyelids.
Hearing footsteps approaching, he knew the peace was over. EMI and Aria were returning to camp, both carrying bags and with smiles on their faces. EMI was the first to notice his condition.
"What happened to you?!" she exclaimed, dropping her things and rushing over.
Aria, more calmly, observed him with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
"It seems someone decided not to follow our advice," she said, crossing her arms.
Alex raised a hand, trying to downplay it.
"It's nothing. I just got a little distracted… I had an unexpected adventure."
As Alex tried to change his clothes, Aria stopped him, looking at him with interest.
"Wait, that outfit…" she said, stepping closer with a playful smile. "You look incredible in it. Did you know? It enhances your… presence."
She moved even closer, smoothing the fabric over his shoulder, her hand sliding toward the top of his chest. Alex tensed at the contact.
"You should wear it more often," Aria continued, giving him a flirtatious look and winking. "It makes you look like a mysterious hero."
Before Alex could respond, EMI, who had been silently observing, stepped forward with her arms crossed. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she maintained a firm expression.
"Well… I guess you look alright," she murmured, averting her gaze. Then, as if gathering courage, she added, "I mean… you look… handsome, I guess."
Alex felt something stir inside him at EMI's compliment. He wasn't used to her seeing him that way.
"Thanks… I guess," he said, scratching the back of his neck and trying to hide his discomfort.
Aria watched the interaction with a sly smile.
"Well, it seems EMI has good taste after all."
"D-don't talk nonsense!" retorted EMI, blushing even more.
Later, while Alex was changing, EMI found a strand of pink hair on his clothes. She picked it up, narrowing her eyes.
"Where did this come from?" she asked, showing it to Alex.
Alex sighed, knowing he couldn't keep evading the truth. He told them about his encounter with the giant lion, though he omitted details like the food exchange and the giant pillow. EMI listened incredulously, while Aria seemed fascinated by the creature's description.
"A giant pink lion… with scales. And it could talk?" Aria repeated, as if confirming something she already suspected.
"Yes. It talked. And luckily, it didn't eat me," Alex replied sarcastically.
--
The night had turned cool, and the fire now crackled under Aria's care. EMI sat next to Alex, watching the embers with a thoughtful expression.
"You know, Alex…" she said, breaking the silence. "Even if you don't want to admit it, today you did more than anyone expected of you. You went out alone, took on a mission… and even dealt with a legendary beast."
Alex looked at the fire, his expression inscrutable in the dancing light.
"It wasn't like I had another choice. Boredom is a bad advisor."
"Boredom?" Aria interrupted from the other side of the fire with a cunning smile. "It seemed more like you wanted to prove yourself. Or perhaps… impress someone."
EMI quickly glanced at her, but Aria just smiled, enjoying the moment.
"I wasn't trying to impress anyone," Alex refuted dryly. "I just wanted to see if those runes were good for anything more than warming your hands."
"And apparently they are," said EMI, softening her tone. "But still, it was reckless. You could have gotten hurt… or worse."
"Like being devoured by a cotton candy-colored feline," Aria added with feigned solemnity, provoking an involuntary snort from Alex.
"It wasn't that pink," he retorted, almost smiling. "And it had more dignity than certain people I know."
Aria laughed, a clear sound that cut through the night's tension. For a moment, the atmosphere was light. But the peace was fragile.
"That creature…" Aria murmured suddenly, her tone now serious. "It's not normal for a beast like that to be lurking so close to villages. And even less for it to be… intelligent."
EMI nodded.
"I heard rumors at the castle. They talk about a group of mercenaries or something, who use exotic beasts. Do you think that lion might be with them?"
The question hung in the air, heavy. Alex remembered the calculating gaze of the lion, its tired but lucid voice.
"I don't know. It didn't seem to have an owner. It just seemed… annoyed at having been woken up."
"Well," said EMI, standing up and stretching, "tomorrow we can investigate more. But for now, you" —she pointed a finger at Alex— "need to rest. And promise you won't sneak off alone again."
"It wasn't sneaking off," Alex grumbled, but he nodded. "Alright. 'Side character' promise."
"I should hope so," replied EMI, and for a moment, her gaze lingered on his with an intensity that made Alex look away.
---
That night, while trying to sleep, Alex felt a strange presence near the camp. An abnormal stillness, as if the forest were holding its breath. He carefully got up, looking into the thicket.
He saw nothing, only shadows woven by the trees. But the feeling of being watched was tangible, a pressure on the nape of his neck. A large shape, barely distinguishable, seemed to move among the trunks, and for a second, a golden glint shone in the darkness.
His heart raced. Was it the lion? Had it followed him?
"Maybe I should have stayed home," he murmured, frowning as he returned to his sleeping bag.
But sleep didn't come. His mind replayed the day's events: the weight of the rune in his hand, the terror and then the strange camaraderie with the beast, the concentrated fury of the battle. And then the compliments, the loaded looks… Aria, direct and challenging; EMI, clumsy but sincere.
He turned over, uncomfortable. For the first time, this world didn't feel like just an accident, a forced setting. There were choices here, consequences. There were people—and beasts—who, somehow, against all odds, were intertwining with his destiny.
On the other side of the camp, EMI was also awake, lying on her back and gazing at the stars. The image of Alex in that suit, wounded but standing tall, wouldn't leave her mind. A confused feeling, warm yet terrifying, was taking root in her chest.
A few meters away, Aria smiled in the darkness, her eyes open and alert. Everything was turning out better than planned.
The chapter closed with three hearts beating in the night, each to the rhythm of a different secret, while a massive pink silhouette slipped silently away among the trees, carrying with it the scent of cooked food and the promise of a future encounter.