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Chapter Text

Now Playing : Secrets of the Night Sky [Love and Deepspace]

??? ??? ?? ????

The cosmos had yet to wake. 

However… something had stirred. 

In the hushed void, they stood. 

Light challenged the darkness. Explosions shattered the silence. Greed tore through the peace. 

Birth had become prevalent. 

From defiance, a universe was born. It had opened its eyes.

But only one truth echoed.

Nothing lasts forever. 

---

SATURDAY June 7th 2025

A pulsing pain enveloped Aurora as she slammed onto the harsh ground.

Her empty stomach was long forgotten. She no longer felt its retaliation towards her choice of not having breakfast. Hunger had faded into something colder.

The crunch of gravel beneath passing tires of cars, rumbled in her ears. 

Aurora’s lips parted to speak – then stilled.

Her groceries, scattered on the asphalt, began to blur and bend into smears of colour.

“Hey, are you okay?! Can you hear me?!” 

She could hear but she couldn’t respond.

The voice felt far away.

She could barely register a hand cradling her back, and the other under her legs. 

The touch had gone numb.

---

??? ??? ?? ????

Aurora abruptly opened her eyes. 

It was just a dream. 

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. 

“That was, in fact, NOT a dream.” A deep voice echoed.

Her surroundings unblurred. 

Marble statues lined the off-white walls. The plush maroon carpet sunk under her feet, holding them tenderly.

Her eyes fell onto the man sitting in front of her. 

He tilted his head inquisitively. His murky, green hair shifted with the motion, brushing his cheekbones. A leg crossed over the other, and a wine glass balanced in his left hand, catching the light. 

Sharp features adorned his face – elegant and severe. His bright green eyes pierced through her, unwavering.

She flinched.

“Are you awake now?” 

“Yes.” Aurora squeaked. What was happening? Why am I here? Why the hell is there a handsome man looking at me like that?

He smirked and took a sip of the shimmering white liquid. “Ah, good. Your senses have returned. Yes, I am a handsome man-” 

She blinked slowly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. 

“After all, I am the Thanatos… God of Death.” He gestured grandly towards himself, brushing his hair back with his hand like he practiced the move in a mirror.

What role play did I get kidnapped into?  

Wait. Did he read my mind?!

“Yes, I did read your mind. And no, this is NOT a roleplay.” He huffed. “Mortals and their stupid ideas I swear- ANYWAYS, let’s cut this short.” Sip. “You died. On Earth. It was an accident, mind you- Some idiotic servant of mine messed up your fate. You were not supposed to die-”

“Huh?!” 

The memory crashed into her. The street. The truck. The groceries.

I was hit even after I checked either side of the road twice. I didn’t even have breakfast yet. Aurora laid a hand on her tummy, pouting. 

Wait. What about my family? My mum? My dad? My friends? They are going to panic!-

“I wasn’t supposed to DIE?!” Aurora’s eyes widened, voice shooting up an octave.

“That’s what I said…” Thanatos groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Now I have to take responsibility for that little shit.” 

She forced a polite smile, hands clasped together. “Okay…? Just send me back.” 

“No.”

She blinked. “No?” 

“No.”

Hello? “Excuse me!?”

He let out a dramatic sigh, placing his unoccupied hand on his forehead. “Look. Time moves differently here. Even though the journey of your soul here seems fast, your mortal body? It’s already past rigor mortis. You’re entered decomposition. In fact, you are already buried in the ground.” 

Her eye twitched at his matter-of-fact tone. “Buried in the ground?! And what do you mean by ‘Here’? Where am I?”

“You seem to enjoy repeating my words for confirmation. I meant ‘Here’ as in the Underworld.” 

”So I died prematurely ? And I can’t go back? That doesn’t sound fair…”

“Yes… I know …” His throne creaked as he slumped lazily into it.

Fantastic. 

He perked up. “I’ll compensate you though.”

“Yeah? How so exactly, Thanatos?” 

He twitched. The way she said his name, so casually, grated on him. “I don’t know…? I could… send you to another planet or universe? Fictional. Real. Made-up. Doesn’t matter. I could also just toss you somewhere random, but that’s not as exciting..”

A word caught Aurora’s breath. Any fictional one I can think of?  

“Yes, mortal. Anywhere.” He leaned forward with his chin on his hand. “You have one minute to come up with a place.”

A minute? What the hell?! “Wait! What?!”

“Fifty-nine… Fifty-eight…” Thanatos smirked like this was all one big game.

“Okay! Okay!” 

Love and Deepspace- Wait, I should at least think a bit (or pretend to). 

Her mind scrambled. Hmm…Where to? Where to? The worlds which I have read will get me killed as soon as I step into them. Demons. Vampires. War. Apocalypse. Political drama. Misogyny. 

LaDS popped back up like a stubborn little dream. Okay, sure there are evolvers and chaos, but there are also hunters. The civilians without evols survive all the time… right?

Maybe I could even see the characters and know them personally. (Totally not the reason. Not at all.)

“Ten! Nine! Eight!” Thanatos sang, counting faster.

“I GOT IT! I GOT IT!” Aurora gasped. 

He’s out for me. Disgusting, smirking, handsome, ass. Wait, he can read my thoughts-

The corner of his mouth rose. “Good. Where to?”

“I want to enter Love and Deepspace- NOT as the MC though, okay?- I just want-”

“Wish granted.” 

His voice echoed across the marble wall sealing her fate.

“WAIT!- I haven’t finished speaking!” 

A blinding light engulfed her vision.

End of Chapter 1

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Chapter Text

Now Playing: Deepspace Echo [Love and Deepspace]

TUESDAY June 25th 2047
Aurora abruptly opens her eyes (pt. 2). 

What a fucked dream. Who dreams in a dream?

She sinks and snuggles deeper into the blankets…which are way too comfy-

Wait.  

She jolts out of the bed immediately, eyes darting across the room — her heart now racing.

The ceiling- is too pristine. The wall- since when was it this burnt orange?!

“What the hell. What the hell! WHAT THE HELL?!” 

She scrambles, limbs flailing. Her panic only manages to wrap herself tighter in the sheets. 

Thud!

“Owww. Shit!”

Tangled in fluffy betrayal, she lays like a toppled caterpillar on the floor.

WHERE AM I?

Wriggling out of the cocoon, she dumps the blankets back on the bed with zero grace. Aurora exits the unfamiliar, but cozy, bedroom, bare foot and adrenaline-fueled, stumbling to a marble top kitchen that greets her on the right. 

Blue light materialises on top of it. Floating and blinking.

Is that a hologram?!

“What the fu-”

She takes a slow and cautious step closer.

The translucent interface lights up, as if sensing her presence.

Good Morning, Aurora. 

displayed in a glowing gold text.

Whaaa. This is creepy… It knows my name? Did I somehow sleep for a few decades?

A living area, with a long grey couch, basks in the sunlight filtered from the ceiling-to-floor windows. The balcony displays a magnificent view of towers that seemed like they were lined with mirrors. A skyscraper adorns massive green gardens on balconies-

Shit. 

I’ve seen that tower.

In one of the scenes in LaDS.

That wasn’t a dream?! I’m in Love and Deepspace?!

NO WAY!

That Thanatos guy took me here without letting me complete my sentence!

Ringgggg.

Aurora whips her head towards the sound echoing from the bedroom and tiptoes towards it, skeptical.

The surface of the slick device flashes rhythmically. She picks it up, eyebrows furrowed.

It's her generic wallpaper.

The screen unlocks instantly with her face ID.

Her jaw drops.

YO THIS IS MY PHONE FROM EARTH. But I didn’t have this model? 

She turns it over in her hands.

Ping.

A message pops up on the screen.

Your wish has been granted! 
Welcome to Linkon City! 
I have provided you an apartment and completed some extra stuff so you won’t be starting from scratch. However, these resources are limited so you have to find your own source of income soon. 
Have fun – or whatever you mortals say.

Aurora stares at the message in disbelief. Then she pinches herself. 

A dull pain follows.

Okay so... this is real. Not an isekai dream. Not a simulation. Actually real.

Her racing thoughts were then interrupted by a rumble. 

She has a much more important priority. 

She‘s hungry.

Aurora steps towards the kitchen and yanks the fridge open with a huff to find… 

Nothing. 

Wow. Okay. 

She squinted at the nothingness.

Makes sense though. Can’t be both isekaied and well-fed from the get-go.

She then notices the documents stacked neatly on the kitchen shelf. Sitting, she flips through the pages.

Lease agreement…bank account…

Her eyes widens. Oh wow. 

If I split the money, and save some as emergency funds, it’ll last a while but definitely not for more than a month…

Biometric data already done… PIN code for the apartment set…alright alright.

Everything’s prepped already. Thanatos did a good job.

She then tucks the documents away safely in her bedside drawer, under some books.

So I need a job and I need food. How the hell am I supposed to know where the shops are? 

Aurora turns back to open her phone, only to catch her reflection in the black glass. 

Shiny black hair. Deep brown eyes. 

Usually people look different in isekai stories, but I look the same…? 

She shrugged. Welp. Not really an issue. 

Aurora navigates the screen for the maps, recognising some apps. 

Oo, the moments app! 

Her lips curve into a smile. That had always been her favourite function. 

I’ll create an account later. 

A destination only 300m away from the apartment blinks at her and she locks it in. 

She inhales deeply and grabs a few empty cloth bags. 

Let’s go, I guess. Grocery shopping round two! 

Let’s hope truck-kun leaves me alone this time.

---

So this is Linkon City…

Cylindrical, bat-looking robots zoom over citizens. Ottos... 

Green seemed to fill-in every empty spot between the metal prisms looming over her. 

Roads are wide and accommodates cars well. 

It’s pretty much the same back on Earth (isn’t this still Earth though…um whatever). 

Everything just looks much sleeker and neater. 

Aurora finally reaches her destination and steps through the front doors of the shop. 

Seems like it’s family-owned. But it has everything. 

She gathers the essentials. Bread. Milk. Vegetables. Fruits. Etc.

Hmmm…maybe I should bake something for the neighbours. The document did say I moved in yesterday. It’ll be a good way to integrate myself into the community.

After buying some extra ingredients for some simple lemon cupcakes, she fumbles with the self-pay register.

“Please don’t embarrass me in front of your advanced society, please…” She mumbles to the holographic machine.

---

Aurora finds herself at the door of the apartment right next to hers. Three lemon cupcakes sit on the paper plate in her hand, each topped with a swirl of frosting and a single sugared zest curl.

“Hi! I’m Aurora, your new neighbour. I just moved in yesterday. I hope we can become friends!” She whispers, rehearsing with a smile she hopes doesn’t look too stiff. 

Behind her, footsteps echo. 

A tall man passes by, his black-hair brushing just above a sleek black mask. He eyes her suspiciously. 

She stiffens under his gaze and forces a sheepish smile. A friendly greeting.

I should’ve rehearsed back at my apartment instead of talking to a door like a psycho.

Whatever… its now or nothing. 

She turns back to the door and rubs her sweaty palm on her floral pastel-purple dress. She presses a finger on the doorbell.

End of Chapter 2

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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Now Playing : Heartstring Symphony [Love and Deepspace] 

WEDNESDAY June 26th 2047

Aurora finds herself weaving through the bustling streets of Linkon once again.

Her eyes drift skyward, squinting against the brightness of the sun. White fluffy clouds floated lazily across her vision.

Strange…the Linkon news said it was going to rain later today, but I don’t see how. Maybe in another area of the city?

She sighs and lowers her gaze, only to catch sight of a small storefront, tucked between two sleek, mirrored buildings. 

Oh this is…

“Destiny Cafe. Currently hiring.”

Perfect. 

Jingle.

The little silver bell above the door chimes gently as she steps inside.

Hello, new guest. Welcome to destiny cafe.

An otto announces.

A waft of coffee and caramel envelops her. 

Warm amber lighting spills through tall windows, casting soft golden glows across the wooden floorboards. The gentle hum of low jazz music fills the air, along with the soft clatter of cups and the occasional laugh of someone on a date. 

Her eyes scan for an employee. 

“Hello. I want to apply here.” Aurora lets out a polite smile.

The barista – mid-shift and mid-latte – glances up with a nod. “Yep. Let me just get the manager for you.”

Aurora takes a moment to breathe it all in. 

Damn. My mum would love to come here. 

A soft ache curls in her chest. Her fingers fiddle with the hem of her sleeve.

I hope my family and friends are okay. I’ll be missing them a lot. I can’t believe truck-kun really isekaied me into Love and Deepspace.

The absurdity of the situation hit her again. 

Promptly shattering her thoughts, a brown-haired man fills her vision. He holds a friendly smile and a slight slouch. His name tag read ‘Steve’ in blocky letters.

“Hello there. I’m Steve, the manager here.” His raspy voice greets as he holds out his hand.

“I’m Aurora. It’s nice to meet you.”

---

Hell yeah. Job secured.

Aurora practically skips out of the cafe, her heart light and her steps lighter.

She wanders into a nearby park. 

Trees shimmer with bioluminescent leaves. There are floating platforms where couples sit midair. Interactive fountains shift as children step on metal plates on the ground, dancing to the rhythm of their feet.

A cold drop rushes down the side of her face.

She touches the clear liquid and looks up towards the angry, grey sky.

Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap.

It really is raining! 

People have already begun to vanish from the park, umbrellas opening like dull-coloured flowers across the streets.

I don’t have an umbrella. Where can I take cover???

Her eyes dart around. 

An alleyway where the roof of a building shelters it partly. 

She bolts towards it, her hands doing little to shield her head from the rain.

Drenched and breathless, she crouches against the brick wall of the building as she observes others rushing by.

It started pouring really hard. Yet, it didn’t stop anything. 

“Everyone is so busy. The world is still fast-paced in the future too, huh?” Aurora pulls her legs in tighter, hugging them as she rests her cheek against her bare knee.

Meow.

A small, distressed purr sounds out.

“Hello?” She calls softly, eyes scanning the shadows.

Meow.

It comes again… from the box beside her.

Aurora lifts the soggy cardboard flap.

Curled up against the concrete, lies a snow-white cat.

Soaking. Shivering. Tiny.

It lets out another faint mewl, eyes half-lidded.

Aurora gasps. “Oh my god. Are you okay?” 

She reaches for it, voice getting tender and hush. “You tiny little thing.”

Aiming to place the cat in the box for warmth, she soon freezes.

A blotch of maroon bleeds from the cat’s leg. 

Her heart sinks.

“You’re hurt.” She whispers. “You need a vet.”

Slipping out her phone, Aurora fumbles with the interface, fingers slick with rainwater.

Nearest vet: 100m away.

“Let’s get you going, kitty.” Cradling the box close to her chest. She fast-walks through the downpour, shoes splashing against the wet pavement.

---

The door of the vet clicks open. The smell of clinical alcohol and detergent floods her senses.

Luckily it’s empty.

“Excuse me.”

A woman at the reception desk looks up. A brunette in pale green scrubs, ‘Sarah’ stitched neatly on the top right of her chest. 

“Oh my. You’re drenched,” Sarah says, already rising from her seat. “Let me get you a towel.” 

“That’s okay.” Aurora cuts in gently. “But can you please help this kitten? She’s bleeding from her leg.”

Sarah’s eyes widen. “Oh- of course. Follow me.” 

She guides Aurora into a back room, gesturing to the metal table. “Place her here.”

As Aurora sets the box down, Sarah hands her a towel. With practiced ease, she lifts the trembling cat out, beginning to examine her. 

“Is she yours?”

“Thank you. No,” Aurora pats her face and wraps the towel around herself. “I was sheltering from the rain in an alley and then found her on the side.” 

Sarah frowns, inspecting the leg carefully. “It looks really bad. I’ll need to do an x-ray. Umm…”

“It’s alright.” Aurora shakes her head. “I’ll pay for it. And the treatment.”

The vet blinks in surprise. “Okay. That’s very kind of you. We have spare scrubs… You can change into them in the bathroom.”

Relief swept over her. “Really? Thank you so much!”

---

“She’s got a broken leg.” Sarah states gently. “She’s also a bit malnourished.”

Aurora slouches against the waiting chair, now dry in fresh, borrowed scrubs. “I see…”

The lying ball of white shifts her head to glance at Aurora, eyes glistening.

Stepping towards the kitty, she brushes her hand through her damp fur, it coming to rest over her injured leg.

“Poor thing. How much is the treatment?”

A strange warmth travels down Aurora’s arms to her fingers. Tingling and gentle.

“Well, probably around…”

A golden shimmer leaves the tips of her fingers like a mist. 

She retracts her hand immediately, gasping.

The golden hue wraps around the cat's injured leg, spinning and dancing. It tightens around the injury like a golden bandage, pulsing and turning. 

She stumbles back, eyes widening. “Wha- what’s happening?”

End of Chapter 4

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Chapter Text

Now Playing : Everyday With You [Love and Deepspace] 

The clinician instinctively steps back from the table as Aurora frantically tries to fan the golden fog away with her hands, panic flashing in her eyes.

The dark yellow mist slowly stops swirling around the kitten’s leg—then vanishes into thin air, dissolving like it was never there at all.

Mew.

The little cat gives a quiet, contented noise.

Sarah frowns.

“Wait a second…”

She leans in, inspecting the leg with new urgency. A beat later, she rushes across the room to pull over the X-ray machine, hands already working on the interface.

Aurora takes a few uncertain steps back, staring down at her hands.

They were trembling slightly. 

She brings them close to her chest.

It felt so… warm.

But also foreign. Strange. Like something ancient had brushed through her.

“It’s been fixed!”

Aurora’s head shoots up.

“What?”

Sarah spins the desktop monitor around with wide eyes. On-screen were two scans: one from before, with the fracture clearly visible, and one just taken—clean, flawless.

“Her leg’s no longer broken!” she says, voice filled with disbelief and awe. “Do you have some kind of healing Evol? I’ve never seen anything like that.”

Aurora stares.

“…Neither have I,” she whispers.

I can’t have an Evol… can I?

What’s happening to me?

“Well, that’s pretty cool,” Sarah added, still staring at the screen like it might explain itself. “That kind of ability would be insanely helpful in the healthcare field.”

Aurora didn’t respond.

Her eyes drift down to the cat again—now fully relaxed, curled up on the blanket like nothing had happened.

And in her chest, that same warmth lingered… but it didn’t feel like hers.

Not entirely.

---

Aurora didn’t sleep.

All night, she sat on her bed with her computer lighting up the darkness, screen after screen of fruitless searches.

Self-healing Evols. Golden Evol mist. Unknown Evol abilities.

Nothing. No records. Not even old wiki forums or archived posts.

Just silence.

By morning, she gave up trying.

---

THURSDAY June 27th 2047

The bell jingles as she steps into the vet again.

Sarah perks up. “You came to check on Ruby?”

They had decided to name the little kitty Ruby, after her crimson eyes.

Aurora gives a tired smile. “Yeah. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.”

“She’s in the back. Come on.”

The kitten curled up in a crate, cleaned, warm, and halfway through her breakfast.

Aurora drops to her knees in front of her. “Hey, you…”

Ruby looks up and lets out a soft, healthy mew.

Sarah leans against the doorframe. “She’s doing a lot better, you know. You could adopt her.”

“I want to,” Aurora admits softly, brushing a knuckle over the side of Ruby’s ear. “I really do…”

“…But I can’t afford to. I don’t even know how to take care of a cat. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

Before Sarah could respond, the bell over the clinic’s front door rings again.

“Hello—how can I help you?” she calls from the hallway.

A moment passed, and then a calm, composed voice replies.

“I’m here for Mephisto’s monthly routine checkup.”

Aurora didn’t turn.

Mephisto?

Oh hell no. What can Sylus be doing here in Linkon???

Tall, broad-shouldered, and silver-white hair brushed neatly to the side, stands in her peripherals. A black coat hangs effortlessly off him. His presence alone made the space feel smaller. Cooler. More controlled.

When his eyes met hers—crimson, unreadable—Aurora forgets how to breathe.

This guy can kill anyone with the flick of his wrist. I need to calm down before he thinks I’ve recognised him.

He gives the crate a brief glance.

“Are you taking her home?” he asks, voice level.

Aurora blinks, caught off guard. “I… I want to, but I can’t afford it. And I don’t really know how to look after a cat. I don’t want to mess up.”

Why is he showing interest in what I’m doing? I’m just a civilian.

Sarah smiles from behind him. “This is Skye. He’s the one who sponsors the clinic. That’s how we were able to keep Ruby overnight and give her proper care.”

Aurora turns sharply toward him. “You… you sponsor this place?”

The man— Skye —nods. “Yes.”

Why?

Her fingers trembles slightly on Ruby’s fur.

Why would a man like that fund a clinic like this?

His eyes moved back to Ruby, then to her again. 

“Take her home,” he says calmly. “I’ll cover everything.”

Whaa?

Her heart slams against her chest. “Wait- seriously?”

“Anything she needs. Medical. Food. Long-term care.”

What?! Why?

“It’s not just the cost! I don’t even know if I can handle it properly-”

“I’ll fund everything for as long as she’s alive.”

Aurora’s mouth opens. No sound comes out.

Who says that?

“You don’t even know me,” she breathes.

“I don’t have to.” Skye tilted his head slightly. “She’s alive because of you. You seem like you’ll take good care of her.”

Her eyes lit up.

Is he serious?

“I—what? You—thank you. Seriously—I’ll take such good care of her—I promise—thank you so much—!”

He raises a hand, silencing her flurry of gratitude. “You don’t need to thank me.”

Caw.

The sudden crackle of feathers snaps the moment in two. Aurora’s head whips around just in time to see a large shadow sweep across the clinic’s ceiling before landing with eerie precision atop a nearby cabinet.

A crow. 

Its feathers, midnight-black, glisten under the sterile clinic lights. Slender, mechanical plating line the joints of its wings—fluid yet metallic. Thin veins of glowing red pulses faintly along its sides, alive and artificial all at once.

It tilts its head at her. Staring.

Aurora straightens. He was far too deliberate in its movements.

"Someone’s impatient," Skye murmurs, voice smooth as obsidian.

He didn’t flinch. Of course he didn’t. It was as though the bird was simply another extension of him—sharp-edged, silent, and unbothered by the weight of attention.

Sarah emerges from the back with a towel draped over one arm. She pauses only briefly at the sight. "Ah. Mephisto’s here."

The crow ruffles his feathers again, letting out a guttural croak in response.

Sarah laughs, tapping the metal examination table with a gloved hand. "Come on then, drama king. Let’s get your check-up started."

Mephisto hops down with surprising grace, talons clicking against the surface. His wings fan once before folding, mechanical joints humming softly as they settle.

Aurora couldn’t help but stare. The way the tech and biology intertwined—it wasn’t just augmentation. It was integration. Seamless.

"He’s huge," she murmurs, half to herself.

Aurora turned her gaze back to him, half-expecting a smirk.

"Is he yours?" she asks. 

I know he’s his. I gotta keep the act up. 

"Yes."

No elaboration. No warmth.

Mephisto let out a softer croak this time, then stilled as Sarah began her inspection.

Aurora watches as fingers gloved in latex check the wings, the joints, and the feathers—every motion clinical and practiced.

"He’s got tech in his wings," she whispered. "That’s… not from a pet store."

Should I be saying this?

"Modified for aerial recon," Skye replies, gaze focused on the crow.

She blinked. "Recon?"

A beat.

Nahhh. Did he just say that in broad daylight?

He glances at her. "I didn’t say that."

Her lips parts. "But you just-"

He turns away.

Aurora shuts her mouth.

What the f- 

Alright then. Cool. Totally normal.

She lowers her eyes to the crate in her arms. Ruby sleeps soundly, unaware of the strange tension around her. Aurora gently stroked behind the kitten’s ear.

"...Thank you again," she whispers, even if he didn’t acknowledge it. “I’ll be taking my leave now, Sarah.”

“Okay. Bye. Come back tomorrow for the essentials.” Sarah doesn’t lift her eyes from Mephisto.

End of Chapter 5

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Chapter Text

Now Playing : Deepspace Echo [Love and Deepspace]

FRIDAY June 28th, 2047

The next morning, Aurora returns to the vet clinic to pick up some essentials for Ruby—food, supplements, and a few care items Sarah had kindly set aside. The lobby was quiet, save for the occasional beeping of machines and the lazy hum of morning air.

"Hey, before I go," Aurora calls out to Sarah. She appears from the back, stepping out with a metal cart, "I’ve been thinking… do you mind if I trying that healing thing again? Just—on something else?"

Sarah blinks. "I guess so."

Sarah hesitates, and then disappears into the back again. When she returns, she carries a small cage with a trembling hedgehog inside. Its hind leg was bandaged and slightly swollen.

"She got her foot caught in fencing last week," Sarah explained. "We’ve done what we can, but she’s still in pain."

Aurora approaches slowly. Her breath calms. Shoulders down, her fingers hovers just above the tiny, injured creature. It was shaking, scared. Her expression softens.

She crouches and murmurs, "You’re okay. I promise."

Gently, she cups the hedgehog’s leg. For a moment—nothing.

A warmth surges from her chest, towards her finger tips. Deep, steady, gentle.

Gold fog swirls softly from her fingertips, slow and smooth like breath on a winter morning. 

Aurora’s breath hitches.

This is really happening.

The shimmer wraps around the hedgehog’s limb, flickering once—twice—and then vanishes.

The little creature blinks up at her and takes a cautious step. Then another.

No limp.

Sarah’s eyes went wide. "Wow! It’s impressive."

Aurora exhales shakily, rising to her feet. "It only works on living things. I tried yesterday on a cracked display screen at home—nothing. It’s like it knows."

Sarah nods, stunned. "You should really go to a hospital," she said again. "Like, Akso Hospital. That kind of ability—it’d change lives. But more importantly, you need to tell the Evol Registry. If you’re undocumented, that puts you at risk."

Aurora's chest tightens.

“I know…” but I don’t think I can.

She brings her hand close to her chest. 

With a power or Evol like this. I’ll be a walking target. Who knows what would happen if the wrong people get their hands on me?

I’d be stalked. Kidnapped. 

Maybe even experimented on.

She shivers at the thought. EVER…

Aurora looks back over her shoulder at the window Mephisto had come from.

Why was Sylus here? Is this place perhaps something else disguised as a vet? 

"Hey... that guy. Skye . Who is he, really?"

Sarah tilts her head, puzzled. "I’m not sure what you mean exactly… He just started donating every now and then, mostly anonymously. He never sticks around. I asked once and he said it was his ‘good deed for the day.’"

Right…

Aurora narrows her eyes. "That’s so vague. Don’t you think it’s weird?"

Sarah shrugs. "Maybe. But with how stretched everything is—especially with the government prioritising defence against Wanderers, hospitals, and that huge research branch, EVER—it’s been a blessing. He doesn’t ask for anything in return. Just drops the funds and disappears."

Aurora leans against the counter, troubled. 

“I see.”

---

Sylus.

Not Skye. Sylus.

He is one of the most dangerous figures—enigmatic, cold, untouchable. A man who operates from the shadows and pulls strings with precision.

The Leader of Onychinus. The ruler of the N109 zone.

And she spoke to him. Thanked him. Stood there like an idiot in front of a man who could erase people with a flick of his fingers.

He isn’t someone who did things randomly. So why would he sponsor a vet? Why would he sponsor my pet?

---

Later that night, curled up on her couch with Ruby nuzzled beside her, Aurora taps open her phone.

She types in: Akso Hospital.

A polished site loads up immediately. Departments. Articles. Names.

She began scrolling lazily.

And then she saw him.

A profile photo. Jet-black hair. Golden green eyes.

Rising cardiologist.

Zayne Li.

Aurora sits up straight.

“Wow. It’s him.”

She taps on his name, and it takes her to his profile. 

Doesn’t seem like he’s the Chief cardiologist yet. Maybe he gets promoted later.

She keeps scrolling. 

So many achievements and qualifications. When does the page end?

She curls her fingers in her palm, tight into a fist, and then releases it again.

Sarah isn’t wrong. This healing power would help a lot in the hospital.

Aurora types in an email to the hospital, keeping it brief.

“Subject: Requesting an appointment. Email: Hello Sir, My name is Aurora Doran…”

---

SATURDAY JUNE 29th 2047

The scent of roasted coffee beans and vanilla syrup wraps around Aurora like a hug as she steps behind the counter, tying her apron with a neat little bow. Morning sunlight spills across the wooden floorboards, bouncing off the glass cake domes and catching in the golden flecks of the café’s signature caramel lattes.

Her second day on the job, and yet it felt like she’d been here longer. Maybe it was the way the café hummed with lazy conversation and gentle jazz, or the way the regulars always nodded politely as they walked in.

She slides a tray of warm pastries into the display case, humming under her breath

.

“Morning, Aurora,” Steve calls from the espresso machine, sleeves rolled up and already halfway through a rush of orders. “You’re on the floor today. Think you can charm our customers?”

She shoots him a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

Moments later, she was balancing a tray in one hand and a notebook in the other, weaving through the soft clink of spoons and murmur of couples sharing bites of cinnamon scrolls. A woman waves her over, requesting extra honey in her chamomile tea. Another table asks for a refill of their milk tea frappés. Aurora moves smoothly between them, her smile genuine, her words warm.

For the first time since waking up in this strange world, she felt… at peace.

Ruby was safe. She hadn’t triggered any glowing hands in public. And she could finally do something. Something normal.

The café bell jingles again, but Aurora doesn’t glance up immediately—too focused on wiping a tiny splatter of chocolate off a menu.

Then she heard a woman’s voice, smooth and composed. “Could we have one of the window tables, please?”

Aurora turns toward the sound, plastering on her usual polite smile.

“Yes, of course-”

Her voice caught in her throat.

The woman was beautiful—strikingly so. Long dark curls fell over her shoulders like a river of ink, and her black coat was tailored like it belonged in a fashion editorial. But it wasn’t her that stole Aurora’s breath.

It was the man beside her.

His presence was quiet but intense. Brown hair, subtle piercing on one ear, and violet eyes that flicker around the café like he was scanning for something beneath the surface. He was calm—but in the way still water hides the sharpest rocks.

Aurora’s heart skipped.

Caleb .

And he was looking right at her.

End of Chapter 6

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Chapter Text

🎵Now Playing: Destined Wish [Love and Deepspace] 🎵

Aurora breaks her gaze with Caleb and shifts it to the girl.

This must be the MC…

Aurora’s throat feels tight, but she forces her empty tray steady before stepping toward them.

“Right this way,” she says, her voice softer than usual.

She leads them to a corner table by the wide glass window, sunlight spilling across the polished wood. The woman thanks her with a smile that’s as disarming as it is kind, and something about it makes Aurora’s chest loosen.

When Aurora sets down the menus, the woman tilts her head. “You’re new here, aren’t you?”

Aurora blinks. “…Yeah. Just started yesterday.”

“Well, you’re doing wonderfully already,” the woman replies, tone smooth but warm, like she actually means it. “I’m Marceline. You can just call me MC though.” 

Aurora lets out a playful scoff which could be mistaken for a nervous huff, deadpanning. 

She is quite literally MC, huh.

Aurora swallows, daring a small smile. “My name is Aurora. It’s nice to meet you two.”

The man beside her—Caleb—finally speaks, his voice low and even. “Aurora. Fitting name.” His gaze is sharp, but there’s no malice in it. It’s the kind of look that weighs, measures… and, oddly, approves.

Heat prickles at her ears. She shifts on her feet. “Can I get you both started with drinks?”

The woman nods, rattling off an order with ease, while Caleb just murmurs, “The same.” His attention lingers on Aurora a second longer than necessary, like he’s cataloguing details he won’t forget.

Aurora scribbles down the order, but her fingers tremble slightly against the page. It’s not fear—it’s something else. Like being seen through.

---

SUNDAY June 30th, 2047

Aurora re-reads the email on her phone for the twelfth time.

Akso Hospital.

Board-level meeting.

Sunday. 9:30 AM.

Special case review.

Her stomach twists itself into an anxious pretzel.

“Yep,” she mutters under her breath. “This is the building.”

The towering hospital looms above her. An elegant monolith of glass, white alloy, and sharp geometric architecture. The morning sun reflects off its crystalline panels, scattering light across the plaza like fractured starbursts. Drones hum overhead. Holographic banners ripple with rotating medical announcements. Everything feels too advanced, too clean, too intimidating.

She takes a breath and steps inside.

The lobby is cavernous and bright, filled with the low buzz of staff and the gentle hum of hovering machines disinfecting the floors. The ceiling arches high enough to hold a small planetarium. Pale blue light pulses along the edges of transparent screens displaying patient wait times.

Aurora approaches the receptionist, palms clammy.

“Hi. My name is Aurora Doran. I have a meeting with the board?”

The receptionist scans her face with a practiced smile. “Yes, Miss Doran. You’re expected. Please follow me.”

Aurora tries not to trip as she trails behind the woman through a series of sleek corridors.

The door slides open with a soft chime.

A long table curves through the center of the room. Eight people and their titles sit spaced evenly along it.

Heads of departments, senior clinicians, administrative leads.

And one familiar man in a white coat with dark hair, golden-green eyes, and a composed presence that borders on intimidating.

Zayne Li.

Aurora internally screams.

Fantastic.

Cold, stoic, and sexy. 

She forces a smile as she steps inside.

“Miss Doran,” the Chairwoman greets. “Thank you for coming. Please, have a seat.”

Aurora bows slightly. “Thank you for having me.”

She goes around the table, shaking hands one by one.

Firm hands. Sharp eyes.

Professional smiles that feel more like assessments.

When she reaches Zayne, he offers his hand with polite neutrality, but there’s a flicker of curiosity in his gaze.

“Dr. Zayne Li,” he introduces.

“I- I know,” she blurts, then wants to fling herself out the nearest window. “I mean—nice to meet you.”

Aurora takes her seat, setting her phone face down to keep her hands from shaking.

Explain my case. Demonstrate. Impress. Then LEAVE.

One of the board members clears his throat.

“In your email, you mentioned you possess a… special Evol. One you could not describe digitally. Please elaborate.”

Aurora nods, inhaling deeply.

“I believe I have a healing-type Evol,” she begins. “It activated accidentally- twice. I didn’t want to risk writing details electronically in case it was intercepted or flagged.”

Several members exchange interested glances.

“What precisely happened?”

Aurora explains everything.

Finding the injured kitten.

The golden mist.

The leg healing fully.

The second test at the vet clinic.

When she finishes, the room goes silent.

Not disbelief.

But… calculation.

Finally a woman leans back. “Miss Doran… that’s a substantial claim. Can you demonstrate it?”

Aurora swallows. “I can try.”

“Bring in a low-priority ED case,” another member instructs. “Someone stable. Non-critical.”

A nurse steps out.

Aurora’s pulse hammers.

Minutes later, the nurse wheels in a patient—mid-thirties, pale, restless, gripping his abdomen. 

His chart indicates:

Severe kidney stone pain.

Stable, but in acute discomfort.

He groans softly, clutching his side.

“A stone stuck in the ureter,” the nurse explains. “Pain management is ongoing, but we can pause medication to allow demonstration.”

Aurora steps forward, heart pounding.

She hovers her hands over him.

…

…

…

Nothing.

No warmth.

No glow.

No mist.

Aurora stiffens.

One member raises an eyebrow.

Another scribbles something.

Zayne watches quietly—but with focus sharpened like a blade.

Aurora’s palms sweat. “I swear- it usually works- ”

One man sighs, sitting back down. “Miss Doran, you were informed that misuse of departmental time comes with financial penalties. The entire board is present today. I hope you understand the gravity-”

The rest of the words blur out. Her heart thumps in her ears.

His tone is cold.

Clinical.

Borderline accusatory.

They all walk towards their seats.

Aurora’s chest tightens painfully.

Why isn’t it working?

Why now of all times-?

She lifts her eyes just in time to see the patient wince, his face contorted in agony. His breath stutters. Sweat beads along his temple.

“Sir?” Aurora whispers, stepping closer. “Please… look at me.”

He lifts his head weakly. Their eyes meet.

A sharp, stabbing pain tears through her own lower abdomen, fast and brutal.

She gasps quietly.

The board barely notices—they’re watching the patient, not her.

Her heart stutters.

Her breath shakes.

The pain keeps pulsing.

Matching his.

Perfectly.

Her hand trembles and heat blooms in her chest.

A spark.

A glow.

A golden warmth rising like a held breath finally released.

Light crawls down her arms.

And then—the mist pours out.

Chairs hover backwards as the members scamper out of their seats.

Soft, golden, effervescent light swirls from her hands, weaving itself around the patient’s abdomen. The fog thickens, glows brighter, and begins sinking gently into his skin.

The room goes silent.

The board watches in stunned disbelief.

The patient’s breathing slows. His heart rate and blood pressure stabilises. His muscles relax.

He exhales shakily, eyes widening as the pain dissolves from his face.

But Aurora is still hurting.

The pain doesn’t leave her.

In fact, it gets worse as the healing finishes, stabbing hot and relentless through her abdomen.

She bites her lip, forcing her expression still.

One minute.

Four deep breaths.

Hold. Don’t react. Don’t expose anything.

Slowly and mercifully,

the pain fades.

The ache melts away.

The moment it disappears, the golden mist dissipates.

Aurora sags forward slightly, dizzy but composed.

Zayne’s eyes narrow ever so slightly.

“Miss Doran?” he asks quietly.

“Yes?” She stumbles out.

He raises an eyebrow. 

“I’m fine.” she lies.

The Chairwoman steps toward the patient. “Sir? How do you feel?”

He sits up cautiously.

His eyes widen.

“…The pain is gone.”

“Gone?”

“Completely.”

A murmur of astonished voices fills the room.

“A regenerative Evol?”

“Advanced healing—never documented at this level.”

“Incredible…”

Zayne remains silent, assessing Aurora.

Studying the faint tremor still in her hands.

She forces them still.

“This could revolutionize—”

Zayne’s voice cuts through cleanly. “Miss Doran, please sit.” He pushes the glass of water towards her as he, along with the other members of the board, moves to his seat.

She collapses into her chair, trembling.

A board member leans forward.

“Miss Doran… with an ability like that, why would you want it hidden?”

Aurora lifts her eyes, voice small but steady.

“Because people get kidnapped for powers like this,” she says. “Weaponised. Forced into military branches. Tracked. Hunted. I don’t want to be a target. I don’t want to be used.”

Another voice says, gentler, “We understand. And confidentiality is… negotiable, especially since hiding something like this from the Evol Department…is risky.”

“Althought, there is no doubt you would be joining us. But we require formal testing.”

A holographic machine is wheeled forward.

“Please place your hand on the sensor.”

Aurora nods shakily.

The board watches.

Zayne watches closer.

She places her hand on the glowing panel.

It lights.

Flashes.

Her chest squeezes sharply.

Her vision tunnels.

“…W- wait…”

“Miss Doran?”

She hears Zayne’s voice, too far away.

The world thins.

Light engulfs her.

Everything goes black.

---

??? ??? ?? ????

Aurora abruptly opened her eyes. 

If this was all just a dream, I might jump.

“Why hello again… Aurora.” The owner of the deep voice swishes the shimmering, white liquid around his wine glass.

What-

End of Chapter 7

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