The next day, bright morning sunlight poured over the still-vibrant North Capital city, reflecting off the towering glass buildings and streets bustling with people.
Within the massive shopping district, a large, luxurious clothing shop functioned efficiently. Among its few, high-profile shoppers, a strange squeal drew their attention to a strange group of young travelers.
"I can seriously have anything I want?" Lucy asked, spinning around joyfully, her elegant blue sleeveless vest and dark pants flaring slightly as she twirled.
Leaning against a pillar, Dom smirked at her. "Yeah," He said, holding up a golden card. "Ivan said it's all free until we leave next tomorrow. So don't hold back."
Giggling, Lucy raced through the shop, her eyes immediately locking onto a set of trendy jackets.
"I'm still surprised they're letting strangers like us enjoy such benefits," Dae remarked as he walked up to Dom, his hands tucked into his pockets.
Dom shrugged casually. "That's what you get when you have an awesome Captain."
Dae narrowed his eyes at Dom's cocky grin. "And what exactly did you discuss with him?" He asked, curious.
Dom waved a hand dismissively. "Just some boring science stuff." He replied as he moved toward a large display case, lined with neatly organized sneakers.
Dae's suspicion deepened. "You discussed science stuff?" He asked, his tone almost mocking.
Dom smirked, leaning closer to inspect a sneaker. "I'm full of surprises. You should know that by now." He said, taking note of their various designs.
Dae's eyes lingered on Dom's back, his mind drifting to the moment before they separated yesterday. "So… what about the Silva thing that Dr. Ivan mentioned?" He asked bluntly.
Dom's hand twitched slightly on the glass display, a gesture which Dae caught. He glanced over at Roy, who was several feet away examining some fur coats, then turned back to Dae with an innocent smile.
"It's nothing important. Don't worry about it. Hey…" Dom said as he flagged down a shop worker. "…can I get three of these in black, blue, and red? I'm a size 45." He pointed to a specific sneaker.
"Of course, sir," The worker replied and went to retrieve them.
Dae continued staring, suspicion simmering. Having spent so much time with Dom, he could tell when Dom was hiding something.
Dom met Dae's gaze with a smirk. "What are you, my mum? I said it's nothing." He said as he playfully punched Dae's shoulder. "Just get yourself another boring shirt or something." He wandered to another section of the shop, clearly eager to get some space.
Dae sighed, still curious but respecting of Dom's intentions. He moved on to inspect intricately designed formal wear with a worker professionally advertising its unique design for him.
Once Dae's attention shifted, Dom's grin faded slightly as his mind flashed back to last night's conversation.
Sorry, guys… He thought as he reached for a particularly cool shirt. It's for your own good.
Even as the shirt's soft fabric tempted him, his somber expression remained.
"Hey, Dom!"
Dom blinked, returning to the present, as Lucy dumped a large pile of clothes in front of him.
"Is this too much?" She asked.
Two workers hurried to pick up the expensive garments from the floor.
Dom grinned at the heap. "Not enough." He said.
Lucy beamed, practically glowing with excitement, and dashed off for more with a worker struggling to follow her while Dom returned to inspecting the shirt, forcing his dark thoughts aside to focus on the shopping.
Throughout the day, the four mages continued exploring the city—taking rides in flying cars, sampling exotic foods, interacting with new technologies, and acquiring countless items… all free of charge.
Even Roy, skeptical at first, found himself smiling as he watched Lucy, Dae, and Dom enjoy themselves after the grueling missions they'd endured.
The next day, their final day in the city, the team paused for lunch at a fancy restaurant.
After indulging in an assortment of expensive dishes--much to the bitter jealousy of nearby patrons--Dom excused himself to use the bathroom.
As he exited, a hand suddenly grabbed his wrist and yanked him into a nearby corner.
Quickly recognizing his attacker, Dom exhaled sharply, hand on his chest. "You scared the hell out of me." He sighed.
Lucy laughed at his flustered expression.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, composing himself.
Her hand tightened around his wrist. "Let's go have fun. Just the two of us." She replied.
"Why?" Dom asked as she tugged him down the hallway.
"Come on. We've all been together for days," Lucy pouted. "I just want to have you for myself for a little while. Please say yes."
Dom tried to resist, but Lucy's pleading eyes broke through his resolve. "Fine," He sighed. "Let's at least tell Mr. Roy." He pointed toward the tables, but Lucy pulled him the other way.
"We'll be fine. If he needs anything, he can call us," She said confidently.
Dom glanced back toward the tables, conflicted at being separated without a heads-up. But Lucy's hopeful smile melted his doubts. "Okay," He said.
Lucy let out a triumphant cheer and led them out the service door, back into the bustling city streets.
Minutes later, they walked among the locals. The sounds of numerous chatter, music from display screens, and the revving of fast-moving cars filled the air around them.
Lucy giggled, tail swishing excitedly, arms wrapped tightly around Dom's left arm. "Our first date," She murmured, dreamily.
Dom raised a brow. "A date?"
Lucy looked at him, now confused. "But I heard when a human man and woman go out together like this, it's called a date." She said as he tightened her grip, pulling him close.
"I mean… you're not wrong… but…" Dom's blush deepened as his eyes caught sight of her tempting cleavage in her shirt. He quickly looked away with a fake cough. "Wh-where did you even learn that?"
"From Big Sis." She answered.
Dom frowned, his eyes darkening menacingly. "Zoe." He grumbled.
"Yeah. She said it's what she used for—"
"I've heard enough," Dom interrupted, scowling in mock disgust.
Lucy blinked, confused once she remembered Dae acting the same way before.
His expression softened as he thought to himself. "A date, huh? Never been on one before." He muttered.
Lucy's eyes widened with excitement. "Then let's enjoy our first time together!" She tugged him forward, nearly colliding with a passerby.
Dom hesitated, but seeing Lucy's happiness made him reconsider.
After some time, Lucy suddenly pulled him into a clean but shadowy alleyway.
"Where exactly are we going?" Dom asked, confused by the change of scenery.
"Remember when I explored by myself yesterday?" Lucy continued leading them away from the crowd.
"You mean when you got lost, and we found you barking at an old lady half an hour later?" Dom chuckled.
Lucy scoffed at the memory. "She didn't believe me when I said you'd let me have anything I wanted." She grumbled, then shook it off with another smile. "Anyway, I found a really good cake shop. A perfect start for our date."
Dom smiled, trusting her superior senses.
As he imagined the soft, delicious treats, Lucy suddenly froze, silver eyes glowing menacingly.
Dom recognized her behaviour and looked around, his expression now serious. "What's up?" He asked, scanning their surroundings.
Lucy sniffed the air, then let go of his hand and faced the direction they had come from. "Who's there?!" She shouted, her voice echoing through the isolated alley.
Dom searched the alley but sensed nothing--until soft laughter echoed off the walls.
"That's an A-class beast mage for ya. Your senses are sharp," The mysterious voice said.
Lucy growled.
"I don't know what you're trying to pull here," Dom said as he stood back-to-back with Lucy, his blue glowing eyes still failing to locate the stranger. "… but I don't think you should mess with us, bro,"
"Oh, I know," The voice said, the air warping like a mirage until it revealed a dark figure in the distance.
Lucy drew her sharp, black claws, pupils dilated with feral intensity, while Dom inspected the figure carefully.
Fair-skinned and about their age, clad in a black, skin-tight suit with green stripes and black boots. He had short black hair, face masked from nose down, with a slim but fit physique.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Dom asked.
The stranger laughed, bright green eyes gleaming, pulling down his mask to reveal a scar on his left upper lip.
"The name's Andre. I'm a secret agent," He declared boldly.
Dom raised a brow. "I don't think secret agents are supposed to say they're secret agents…" He commented.
Andre smirked. "That's because I'm no ordinary secret agent."
Dom frowned at the man's strange words while Lucy glared, clearly unamused.
"Why are you following us?" Lucy demanded.
Andre touched his chin, thoughtfully. "For my mission, obviously. And it's not just now…" He paused, his smirk widening. "… I've actually been tracking you since the day you arrived,"
Both Dom and Lucy flinched, realizing that they had been monitored for so long, completely undetected.
"From a distance, of course…" Andre added, teasingly. "… couldn't risk tipping that nose of ya off…" He gestured to Lucy. "You only caught me now because I allowed it."
Lucy gritted her sharp teeth, her pride wounded, while Dom narrowed his eyes as Andre raised his right hand, one of the only two parts of his body not covered by his suit besides his head.
"I'm a Chameleon Beast Mage," Andre said, channeling green mana into his hand. Green mist enveloped his fingers, darkening his skin with lizard-like scales while his nails stretched into short claws.
"Which allows me to camouflage," He said as his hand distorted, then vanished, his arm appearing like it had been severed at his wrist. "That's how I was able to follow you guys this far."
Dom's brows furrowed.
From his training and experience, he was taught that the secrets of a mage's magic were the key to victory or defeat.
Thus, every mage fight boiled down to figuring out the opponent's technique and striking them down before they figured out how to counter yours. That was the basics of mage combat.
And yet, this stranger had just openly revealed his magic and trick.
"Should you really be explaining your magic to us?" Dom asked, cautiously.
Andre grinned as his hand reverted to its normal state. "That's because my powers are awesome to describe. You're the same, right?…" He paused, his lizard-like eyes fixed on Dom. "Silva."
Dom's eyes widened. His mind instantly recalled his conversation with Ivan--the existence of his ancestors--and the world's intense drive to eradicate them.
He quickly reached for his comms.
"Don't bother," Andre scoffed, boldly.
As if to emphasize, no matter what Dom pressed, the device didn't respond. He then glared at Andre. "What did you do?" He demanded, hostile.
Andre causally pulled a pen-like device from his white utility belt. "A jamming gun." He said, shaking it teasingly. "As long as you're in range, you can't call for help, and they can't reach you."
Dom gritted his teeth, realizing that he was trapped before noticing a shadow behind Andre.
Andre instinctively weaved, narrowly evading Lucy's claw strike, which cleaved through the air audibly. She then followed up with another slash, tearing a thick pipe and releasing a jet of cold water.
"Whoa. Scary," Andre chuckled, unscathed as he landed on a fire escape above.
"I don't know what you're talking about…" Lucy said, her silver eyes cold and intense as she looked up at him. "…but I'll kill anyone who wants to hurt Dom."
She leaped, closing the gap in an instant.
Andre grinned as he evaded her strike. Her black claws sliced through a railing, sending thick bars of metal clattering to the ground, then she kicked off the support, which launched her at his form still mid-air.
He twisted, narrowly avoiding her claws. "Not bad." He muttered just as a long, green scaly tail sprouted from Andre, wrapping around her torso.
Lucy gasped as the muscular appendage promptly flung her to the ground with an explosive crash.
Andre scoffed, then flinched once he turned to meet a mana-infused fist mere inches from his face in the air.
His jaw snapped open, releasing hot flames that collided with Dom's wind-powered strike. The resulting explosion shattered nearby windows and sent a shockwave through the alley, propelling the two mages away from each other.
"Since when can chameleons breathe fire?!" Dom exclaimed as he skidded across the ground, digging his fingers into the concrete to stop his momentum. Then looked up, eyes widening as he realized Andre had vanished once again.
"Curious?" Andre's voice echoed from somewhere unseen.
Dom spun around, frustration tightening his features, but he couldn't locate his attacker.
"If you want to know, you just have to come with us."
Dom stiffened. Us? He thought, his mind racing with questions until realization finally dawned like a cold slap across his face.
Suddenly, Lucy darted past him, her body unharmed by Andre's attack, save for a few scrapes on her once-pristine clothes.
"Lucy! Stop! We need to go, now!" Dom shouted.
"He's weak! We can beat him!" She said, slashing through the air. Her attack seemed aimless… until Dom caught a brief glimpse of Andre's camouflaged figure, narrowly evading her strike before disappearing again.
"He's not trying to beat us!" Dom yelled.
Lucy froze, confusion crossing her face as she turned to Dom.
"He's just buying time!" Dom shouted, urgency lacing his voice.
Her eyes widened as comprehension hit, while Andre chuckled softly, reappearing a short distance away.
"That's a famous captain for ya. He's right." He said, tugging at his suit, which had been cut by Lucy's claws. "Against two A-class mages, a B-class like me doesn't stand a chance."
Lucy gritted her teeth, lunging to attack him again--but Dom grabbed her wrist, yanking her away.
Andre didn't pursue. Instead, his grin widened as he recognized his objective had been achieved. "Too late," He murmured.
On cue, a shadowy blur blitzed past him, aimed at the now-fleeing mages.
They sensed it instantly, but Dom was the first to react by shoving Lucy aside just as a kick slammed into his side. Even reinforced with mana, he spat blood and saliva before crashing against a nearby wall with a harsh thud.
"Dom!" Lucy shouted, instinctively leaping away to avoid the next rapid kick.
She skidded back a few steps, eyes falling on the stain spreading across her shirt from the brief brush of the newcomer's attack.
Groaning, Dom pushed himself upright, back pressed against the crushed concrete. His hand gripped his aching side, and a thought raced through his mind:
Even with my guard, it got through…almost like…
Memories of his fight with Xavier flashed-- that single, overwhelming blow mirrored in the force he now felt.
He turned his gaze to the new attacker, a figure standing quietly at an angle.
She had fair skin and long, silky black hair tied in a high ponytail. Standing 5'9", she wore the same tight-fitting uniform as Andre, highlighting her hourglass figure, wide hips, toned legs, and athletic build.
Andre let out a proud laugh as he approached her. She turned her small, upturned eyes toward him, staring almost lifelessly.
"You're supposed to call before engaging the target," She said, voice cool and measured.
"Don't sweat it, babe. It all worked out in the end, right?" Andre asked, reaching toward her--but she swatted his hand away without hesitation.
Dom pushed himself off the wall, eyes locked on the girl.
Once, she turned fully toward him, two features immediately stuck out.
First, unlike any mage he had ever seen, her eyes were heterochromatic: her right iris glowed canary yellow, while her left mirrored Dom's own navy-blue glow.
Second, and even more shocking, her short bob-styled hair on the left side of her head and her left eyebrow were completely snow-white, identical to his own.
Dom froze, a shiver running down his spine once he realized what that meant.