Chapter Text
"Hey Sunday, I forgot to ask, why did the general of the Yuque call for you earlier." Danheng asked as he, March, and Sunday stood on the sideline, watching Welt and Himeko discuss the situation regarding Stelle.
"Mr Ashveil is a very remarkable and trustworthy detective. We should just wait for his update." Himeko assured the worried man.
Welt grumbled, distressing himself about the youngster's safety. "Can we really not do anything on the matter?"
Right beside Danheng, Sunday shrugged his shoulders then answered his companion's question. "Lady Yaoguang said that there were no particular explanation. But I suspect..."
"She's trying to become unpredictable." Danheng butted in when he remembered the stuffs Sunday once shared with him regarding the general, including her divined death.
Sunday nodded, not surprised by the dragon's speed on uptake. "But I believe I unknowingly thwarted her plans when I didn't refuse Ms Stelle's summon."
"Aww... That's all?" March interrupted, seemingly annoyed at something specific. "I thought there were something more to that meeting!"
The two gentlemen looked at her with looks of wonder. Even in front of March, even the naturally clever Danheng had no choice but to kneel. Not because she excels in intelligence, but because she lack it the sense normal people normally possess. Truly a genius' worst nightmare.
"What were you expecting March? As far as I know, the general's action isn't at all baseless." Danheng posed, still trying to figure her out.
Sunday agreed with a soft inhale. "That's right. For someone trapped in a conundrum such as lady Yaoguang's, even the most nonsensical whims are inside of logic."
March scoffed at the two's incompetence. Sure they may be exceptionally intelligent in their own rights, but it seems that their inexperience in love and gossips aren't all that marvelous. March replayed her conversation with Stelle right after Sunday stepped out of the cafe to get some 'fresh air':
-----×
Stelle immediately stood up and sat on Sunday's chair, closing her proximity to March. With no actual reason, she lowered her voice into a gentle breeze then whispered to March's ear. "Do you think Sunday's going out with general Yaoguang?"
March stopped after hearing the raccoon's words, thinking that it was absurd. She just can't bring herself to imagine that the former philosophical villain they once faced can feel love?? Wait, he CAN feel love but it's only about Robin... Let's rephrase that... She just can't bring herself to imagine that the former philosophical villain they once faced can feel romantic love??? And towards a righteous leader like a General of the Xianzhou?!
But all her bias aside, March actually thought about it. First off, the two looked fabulous with each other. One is sophisticated in all manners, while the other, like every generals March had met, is full of confidence and wouldn't care being unsightly since they are certain they'd have the final laugh at the end... Second was their personalities. Sunday is always serious and professional in what he do, while Yaoguang acts upon her every whim. Not to interject, but March had always fancied romance novels where the relationship of the characters contradicts one another which is basically the common ingredient for an exquisite pairing chemistry!
-----×
"You still don't get it you two?" March was facing them both now, like a teacher tutoring her students. "I am saying that Yaoguang might've planned to take Sunday on a date!"
The answer shook Danheng like how flabbergasted Louis Flemming was during his retirement speech when Fuli descended and revealed the three prophecies of Finality. The scion's mouth was wide open, disbelief on how he never even thought of the possibility. His head slowly turned to Sunday to witness his reaction.
But to everyone's surprise, Sunday's face didn't change much from his usual. "A date? But the general didn't specify beforehand if..."
Danheng cleared his throat when he noticed what Sunday was about to say. “March is implying romantic intent Sunday.”
"Nevertheless, we've just became aquainted yesterday. I don't believe fixations such as what you've claimed to be enough to have been cultivated into romance in that short amount time." He reasoned out as if he was participating in a debate.
Knowing Sunday thus far, March knew that only first hand experience would be able to convince him, so she shook her head to delete the essay she was just writing in her mind.
"Mr Sunday, let's have a bet!"
And with that, the reason regarding as to why Sunday visited Yaoguang's place, as the sun was setting, came to be.
-----×
The Halovian jolted as he heard the call for his name by the gaudy lady. He looked at where Yaoguang sat, immediately averting her gaze for some reason.
"Uh... My apologies. What were you saying just now?" Sunday asked, still uncertain of what to make off of what he heard in the general's mind earlier.
Yaoguang raised a brow as she gazed upon Sunday's evasive eyes. She's now sitting with her legs crossed, carressing Tue's head who was resting at the center of her lap. "Huh? What did I say?"
"What you were saying just before you called me."
She looked down to the bird, hoping to get answers, only to get a head shake as a response. "Before just now? I was just asking why you've come here. Then you started staring at the wall like some ghost was about to phase through it."
Yaoguang didn't bring it up but her mind had started to investigate what happened just now, based on Sunday's reaction. She thought that something like Sunday's senses had picked up an enemy attack, or he started feeling ill of a sudden, or.... 'Did he accidentally used tuning on me?' She thought as she looked down again at the bird she was carressing for some time now.
Her eye twitched in self-embarassment, but she told herself that it would be on her best interest not to bring it up, since it would just confirm her suspicion that Sunday really did see her thoughts, and she wouldn't want that. 'He cant know....'
"So?" Yaoguang collected herself with much effort, then raised Tue with both her hands then released him. The bird gently glided across the room, leaving two or three feathers along the way until it reached the the wooden bonsai by the window.
Sunday winced at the mess left by his manifestation, offered a sigh, then answered. "Earlier today, I believe our bond-forming was cut short as I had to tend to the call of a friend. So the thought I came up with to compensate for the wasted plan you must've organized beforesaid..."
Before he could even finish what he intended to speak, he felt his entire body tense up. Cold numbness creeped from his every limbs, and his veins felt ever the more present in his hands. His heart started beating faster which began to obscure his hearing. Words of doubt and rejection occupied the back part of his mind as he rehearsed his next words again and again. Nevertheless, he bit down on his molars as he gathered his courage and controlled his breathing, and finally—
"Mmm...Guang..., might you accompany me? for a stroll this evening?”
Sunday didn't even know that his eyes were closed through the whole ordeal, but he payed his pathetic state no heed, after all, something else snatched his attention. When he didn't hear a single sound, let alone a response, from the general, he slowly turned his head.
Where YaoGuang was just sitting mere seconds ago was now an empty seat, save for the weight marked on the soft couch which started reverting to its initial state.
Sunday jumped into his feet, quickly searching where the woman could've gone, or hidden herself(?).
"La— Guang?" He called out, still shifting his eyes around the room.
His gaze landed on the bird near the window. Sunday wasted no time and began resonating with Tue, only to receive its response that Yaoguang was currently out of range.
'Did she... get randomly teleported again?'
-----×
REGIONAL IPC BASE in Planarcadia
Pearl had just crossed out another company name from the long list resting on her desk. The neat line of ink through the letters felt oddly satisfying, like the final stroke of a painter completing a careful detail. One more organization secured, another ally willing to stand behind the IPC during the Phantasmoon Game. Progress, however incremental, was still progress.
Outside her tall office windows, the city lights below the happy moon shimmered against the velvet curtain of the night. It was well past a reasonable working hour, the hour when most office floors fell silent and even the elevators appeared to operate more quietly, as though reluctant to disturb the darkness. Yet Pearl remained seated behind her desk. Her posture was consistently elegant and composed, enhanced by the soft glow of the desk lamp outlining the smooth contours of her physical frame. A cup of coffee rested in her hand.
Pearl lifted it slightly, allowing the faint steam to curl upward in lazy spirals. Technically speaking, an Intellitron had no biological need for coffee. There were no nerves for caffeine to stimulate, no sleepy brain to awaken, and no metabolism to accelerate. And yet… she found the taste pleasant. The subtle bitterness, the warmth spreading through the chassis of her body, the comforting ritual of holding a cup while contemplating complicated negotiations sigh it was an experience she had grown fond of.
As for how her mechanical body tolerated liquids without short-circuiting several expensive internal systems… well. That explanation could remain a mystery for another day.
Pearl took another small sip, her eyes drifted back toward the papers spread across her desk. Negotiations had been exhausting, filled with cautious corporate smiles and veiled threats disguised as polite business language. Still, Pearl had navigated them all with magnificent precision.
She reached for her pen again, scanning the next name on the list. And just as she was about to begin reviewing the details—
BANG.
The office door burst open with a force that slammed it against the wall. Pearl’s hand paused midmovement, hovering the pen calmly above the paper.
Standing in the doorway was her executive secretary. Or rather… a somewhat disheveled version of her executive secretary.
Her normally immaculate hair was haggard and uneven, several strands escaped whatever heroic attempt had been made to keep them in place earlier that evening. Her breathing came in short bursts like she had sprinted through half the building to arrive here, and the expression on her face hovered somewhere between panic and disbelief.
Waiting for the other woman to catch her breath, Pearl took another delicate sip of coffee. Only after placing the cup neatly onto its saucer did she lift her gaze toward the frazzled woman at the door.
“…Good evening,” Pearl said smoothly. Her tone carried the same polite composure she used during billion-credit negotiations.
"M-Madam Pearl..." The secretary heaved. "General... of Yuque..."
The Stoneheart raised a curious brow. "Lady Yaoguang?"
The woman inhaled, then finally found herself composed. "Yes. The Xianzhou General. She suddenly popped out of the Phantasmoon Courtyard..."