Chronicles Of The Seeker

The two stared at each other, caught between relief and unease.

"Do you know him, Sis?" Lucas's voice broke the silence, snapping them both back to reality.

The young woman hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No... actually, I don't think I do," she said, her voice carefully measured, trying to dispel her brother's suspicions and ease the tension hanging in the air.

Aquarius, who had been lost in thought, flinched at the question. "No, never met her before, I think" he responded quickly, inwardly berating himself. ' And I was most definitely not staring at her face '.

' The aren't even sure '. Lucas thought.

The young woman suddenly clapped her hands together and beamed at them both. "Someone told me you were being bullied, so I ran over here," she said warmly before pulling Lucas into a gentle embrace. "I'm really glad you're okay."

Lucas, caught off guard, flushed in embarrassment and wriggled slightly. "Alright, I got it, so can you let me go now?"

"Just one more minute," she teased.

Aquarius, still overwhelmed by the sudden shift in emotion, cleared his throat loudly enough for the siblings to hear. The young woman finally let go of her brother and straightened her posture, acknowledging Aquarius for the first time.

"So, you're the one who saved my brother," she said, bowing slightly. "I sincerely thank you for that."

"I don't think there's any need to thank me," Aquarius replied "I did it because I hate bullies. But if you really want to repay me, how about treating me to lunch? I do enjoy keeping up with recent events."

' Oh, he's telling me we should find somewhere private to talk about the incident ', she thought, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. She smiled gently trying to hide the dread she still felt then nodded.

Lucas, still watching them with suspicion, crossed his arms. "Wait... are you asking my sister out right now?"

Both Aquarius and the young woman turned to him and laughed.

"Little one, you wouldn't understand grown-up conversations," Aquarius said, ruffling Lucas's hair with an amused smirk.

The boy scowled, swatting his hand away.

*******************

Cling.

The soft chime of a brass bell signaled the arrival of a young man as he stepped into an upscale café. Dressed in a pleated-front shirt with a stiff, upright collar and tailored trousers, he exuded effortless elegance. His lilac-colored hair and dark, contemplative eyes gave him an almost otherworldly presence.

Inside, the café was a world of refined luxury. The polished mahogany counter stretched along one side, where baristas fitted in waistcoats and lace-trimmed dresses operated grand, steam-powered espresso machines. Velvet-lined armchairs and crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over mahogany tables. The scent of rich coffee, spiced tea, and freshly baked pastries filled the air, mingling with the faint trace of polished brass and aged wood.

The young man scanned the café until he spotted a familiar figure. A young woman waved him over, signaling her location.

Seated at the table with other two striking individuals. One was a young man with pale skin and jet-black hair tied into a small ponytail, his moonlit eyes carrying an inscrutable depth. He was dressed in an intricate high-collared waistcoat beneath a dark blue tailcoat, his slim-fit black trousers and polished leather boots completing an air of nobility and quiet dominance.

Beside him sat a young woman with golden eyes and lashes matching her blonde hair, her plain white shirt tucked into well-fitted black trousers, a simple yet a striking contrast to her naturally elegant beauty.

The three of them, seated side by side, were a sight to behold.

"So, who's the new guy? One of us?" Aquarius finally broke the silence with a carefree remark.

The young woman smirked. "Did you want it to be just the two of us? What exactly were you planning to do to me?" she teased in a mock-scared tone.

The lilac-haired young man chuckled, his voice warm and inviting—one that could effortlessly draw people in. Unlike Aquarius, whose voice carried the sharp undertone of a seasoned trickster, this young man had a voice that exuded the presence of a protagonist.

Aquarius, however, was fixated on something else entirely. ' He looks familiar… but why? '.

The young man blinked in confusion. "What? You keep staring at me. Is there something on my face?"

Aquarius didn't flinch. "No… It's just… you seem strangely familiar."

Both the young woman and the newcomer exchanged a glance.

' Did I say something wrong? ' Aquarius thought. Before he could clarify, the young woman spoke.

"What do you mean by 'strangely familiar'? This is Mikey, the famous actor and idol, ' Mikey '.

Aquarius frowned still in deep thought. "Wait... Mikey"

Mikey flashed a charming smile and waved casually.

" Who exactly is that "

The both looked at him at with both doubt and astonishment.

" What do you mean who is that, he is like in almost every social media and the hot top of the week, like Mikey from the famous movie about Dracula's son ' Alucard ' ".

Aquarius took a slow sip of his steaming coffee. "Oh. My sister mentioned a Mikey guy once… and the taxi driver too… I guess that's you." He set his cup down. "Well, nice to know. Maybe I should get your autograph to take back—"

His expression shifted slightly, and he immediately corrected himself. "Or… never mind."

The other two stared at him intensely.

"What?" Aquarius muttered.

The young woman shook her head, amused. "It's just… I never thought someone our age wouldn't know anything about the entertainment industry. Don't your classmates talk about it?"

Aquarius gave her a look of sheer disbelief. "Classmates? I've never been to school before."

A synchronized "What?!" erupted from both of them.

Mikey leaned forward, intrigued. "Wait—then how do you know how to speak, walk, and write?"

Aquarius furrowed his brows. "Wait… you mean normal kids don't know how to speak or walk until they go to school? If that's the case, normal kids really are stupid. Looks like my dad was right."

"That's not the point!" Mikey huffed. "And what do you mean by 'normal kids'? Are you saying you're abnormal?"

"Obviously. I'm a genius."

Mikey snorted. "I never knew someone could declare themselves a genius."

"Well, now you do. And I can vouch for my intelligent, even without school."

Mikey raised an eyebrow. "So… does that mean you have no friends?"

Aquarius shrugged. "Nope. No friends. I have a phone but only my parents' number are on it. But who needs friends anyways."

Mikey's expression softened slightly. "That's… kinda sad. I thought all good-looking guys had tons of friends."

Aquarius clicked his tongue. "Tch. I don't think people are that necessary." Then, narrowing his eyes, he added, "Also, dude, calling another guy pretty is weird."

Mikey tilted his head. "Is it?"

Before Aquarius could respond, a soft voice interrupted them.

"Wow…"

Both young men turned to see the blonde woman watching them with an excited expression.

"I've never seen you talk this much at once before, Mikey."

Mikey faltered, as if realizing something. 'Damn. She's right. I got too caught up talking to a normal guy my age that I completely forgot my reason for coming here '. Aqua thought recalling his initial purpose

Aquarius calmly lifted his teacup, took a slow sip, and then set it back down on its saucer. His moonlit eyes flickered with quiet calculation as he finally addressed them both.

"I have a question before we begin. Do you two know anything about Chronicles?" Aqua wasn't exactly sure what they were either.

They only words he could vividly remember from the ship were Chronicles, Rifters and something about sequence and expert but something in him knew from their calm behavior they knew more than he did.

' It's better to use this to first test the waters and make them say as much information as possible, than acting confused and getting played '. 

This has been how aqua thought since he knew himself and what had kept him alive.

Both Mikey and the young woman immediately nodded.

Aquarius hid his smirk. Perfect.

Leaning back slightly, he spoke with an effortless air of confidence, his mind already moving several steps ahead.

"That makes things easier. I really hate giving out information without something in return… but since we all have knowledge of it, what do you think we should do next?"

'Number one rule of fraud never directly bring up the main point give a backwater idea and let the people create the idea, even though it's something you want, letting the people think that it was theirs gives them a sense of freedom of choice '.

The young woman exchanged a glance with Mikey before finally speaking.

"Let's compare what we know first. But before that, how about a proper introduction?" She smiled. "I know Mikey's name, but I don't know yours. I think that's a good place to start."

Aquarius raised an eyebrow. "Fair enough."

Mikey nodded. "Alright, let's do that."