The sky continued to darken until the city lights took over, replacing the twilight with a kaleidoscope of neon colors. Tonight, the sky of D-Dance City looked exactly like the one from Aya's home world. Despite the city's eccentric flair, it felt strangely familiar.
Aya stood beneath a yellow lantern hanging from a small, modest grocery shop made of light brown wood. Its small glow was the only light in the quiet corner.
"Where are you going?"
Ignoring the question, Aya walked away from Yuda. As the night deepened, her fear was replaced by a sharp, searing pain in her shoulder—exactly where her slave brand was located.
"There's no mistake... this has to be Ficky!" she cried out, her heart racing with anticipation.
She ran, clutching her aching shoulder. Yuda didn't chase her; he just stood in the distance with an annoyed expression, though a dark smirk still played on his lips. He seemed convinced that it wouldn't be long before Aya sought him out again.
Guided by the pain, Aya rushed toward a building still under construction. She recklessly scrambled up the flights of stairs, desperate to find the source of the bond.
"Eh? Where is he?"
To her dismay, the rooftop was empty. It was a dangerous height, yet she refused to leave, convinced that Ficky would appear at any moment. The silence was absolute, and the lack of light was almost comforting compared to the chaotic crowds below. She leaned over the edge, gazing at the glittering city lights—a beautiful, silent sea of neon.
Suddenly, her foot slipped. Her balance vanished, and she began to fall.
"ARE YOU CRAZY!?"
Aya had been remarkably calm in that split second, almost as if she had accepted her fate. But then, a familiar voice cut through the air. A strong hand yanked her back onto the solid floor of the rooftop.
Aya looked up, and the moment she saw him, the floodgates opened.
"Huwaaaah!" she wailed, sobbing uncontrollably as she clung to the man's legs with all her might.
"Hey! What are you doing? Stand up! And stop crying!" he barked.
It was him. Her bodyguard, Ficky. It felt like a lifetime since they had been separated, and the sight of him made her heart ache with relief. She cried until her body and tail shook with the force of her sobs, releasing all the terror and exhaustion she had bottled up.
They both momentarily flashed back to the time she had nearly fallen into a ravine, only for him to catch her. It was exactly like that. If she hadn't been so relieved, the shock of the near-death fall might have sent them both over the edge.
"Thank goodness... thank goodness, Ficky! I finally found you. I was so scared, Ficky!"
She whimpered like a child, recounting the hardships she had faced. Ficky sighed, lifting her light frame as if she weighed nothing.
"Stop crying. I only came here because you were heading straight into a dangerous spot!" he scolded.
Aya could only respond with more muffled sobs.
"Fine. If you keep crying, I'm throwing you off this building," Ficky threatened, holding her toward the edge.
Her crying stopped instantly. Satisfied, Ficky pulled her back to safety.
"Now tell me, what were you doing coming up here?"
"I came because I thought you were here."
"Why would you think that? I've been following you the whole time."
"Eh? That's impossible. My slave brand started hurting, so I thought you were in the direction of the pain," she explained, rubbing her shoulder.
"You've got it wrong. I wasn't here. It's because I commanded you not to approach anything dangerous. That's what triggered it."
Ficky realized the truth. "The brand caused you pain because you were unknowingly resisting a command I made. I was far away, and when I saw you entering a dangerous area, I screamed in my mind for you to stay away."
Aya went quiet, remembering Dr. Gano's warning: a slave should never resist their master's commands.
"How could I forget? I'm so sorry. I only came here because of my own foolishness," she said, feeling a wave of guilt.
As her master, Ficky could feel her unease through their magical bond. They shared a connection deeper and more visceral than that of most lovers.
"Don't overthink it. I'm here now," Ficky said, his tone turning serious. "Tell me about that man you were with. I'm asking for your safety—he's dangerous."
"He's nobody. I have some business with him, and soon I'll be going back to take a coin from him," Aya said, turning her face away in annoyance.
"A coin? You managed to get a 'Coin of Hope' on your own?" Ficky asked, surprised.
Suddenly energized, Aya beamed and showed him ten coins engraved with a sorceress and bubbles. "I got these for successfully protecting Princess Fiu. Not only that, she's a powerful Queen now!"
Ficky stared at her, baffled by how quickly her mood had swung from hysterical crying to radiant joy.
Is she under some kind of spell? he wondered.
"Hey, Ficky! What about you? Did you get any coins while we were apart?"
"Unfortunately, I struggled. I'm not good at talking to people, and I ended up walking into someone's trap," Ficky admitted, quickly changing the subject. "Where is the missing coin now?"
Aya's expression darkened instantly. Ficky got a sinking feeling in his gut.
"Someone else has it. And I am going to take it back by force!"
Ficky stood in silence, watching Aya's back as she began to walk away. He was left in the shadows, his mind clouded with a sudden, unshakeable dread.