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You had a fairly bad day today. You woke up late, the café you frequent ran out of your favorite pastry, and you kept losing the practice sparring with your teammates. Needless to say, you were overwhelmed.
A little bit into your teammates' practice matches, you told them you'd be going on a walk. You needed to clear your head and calm down, lest you snapped and caused a fight or stormed out.
Your teammates were understanding, and you appreciated that. The team as a whole was tense, as you were all training for an upcoming tournament. You wanted to prepare to take on the X Tower, and entering tournaments was a fine way of doing that.
However, today was not the day to train, apparently. Your mind was clouded with frustration and worry, and the walk will at least wear down some of the nervous energy.
You ambled through the city streets a bit, getting a little lost as you admired the scenery. It took a while before you completely came to, and you found yourself in a less-populated area. Xenon City was a fairly safe place, but it's not without its shadowy underside.
You were about to turn around and head back when you heard something like someone wheezing. You stiffen, searching for the source of the sound. Eventually, the source made itself known as a figure slinks out of the shadow.
"Oh, my! Looks like we have a clueless Blader in the midst..."
The figure was a man cloaked in black and purple, with an unnerving smile on his face. He seemed joyful, but his vibe was sinister. You took a step back, startled.
He tilted his head, taking you in despite his eyes being closed. However, he then opened one eye, golden and almost serpentine, and you were also enraptured. He cooed at you.
"Awww, how cute!~ You're like a little bunny that accidentally hopped into the wolf's den! Tell me, are you lost? Or looking for trouble?~"
Ohhh, no.
He had red flags all over him. He was likely a thug. You should not be charmed by how intimidating and predatory he was-
"Who are you?" you timidly asked.
The man made the sound again. It was a weird wheeze-laugh, kind of unsettling and goofy in the same vein.
"Ohh, you're a funny one! Call me Byte. And you, little bunny?"
You hesitate, not sure if you should give Byte your name. However, he knows you're a Blader, so he likely keeps up with the scene. Besides, would you encounter each other again? Your heart thumps at the possibility.
You give your name, and Byte repeats it slowly, like he's savoring a food. Then, he giggled again.
"What a wonderful name! And a pleasure to meet you~" He gives a full smile, bearing his sharp teeth.
"I'd challenge you to a battle, but I believe that you are not ready. And you seem burdened with worry. So, I shall leave you alone."
You expect Byte to slink off, but he unexpectedly comes closer. He isn't posed aggressively, but you were still nervous. You hoped that the warming of your cheeks weren't apparent.
"But I hope that we can meet again, cute bunny~"
He then put his hood up, and slipped away. You were left in a flustered state, confused and hopeful that his farewell was a promise.
Your mood did certainly lift, though. You spent the walk back daydreaming of golden eyes and wheezy laughs, and of possibilities of getting closer to that mysterious man.
When you came back to the meeting spot, your teammates immediately noticed your mood-change, and questioned you about it. They asked if you met someone cute on your walk. You wanted to keep your newfound crush a secret, so you stammered a vague confirmation.
They picked up on you hesitating, so they left the topic alone and moved on to chatting about the sparring. As they talked about new moves and strategies, you smile to yourself. Who knew that a cooldown walk would lead to such a strange encounter?