Pulling up in a parking lot nearby a secluded part of Experiment Labs on the outskirts of Cesa arrived Honch.
*
"I'm back," Honch announced, walking into the laboratory.
"Welcome home, master!" two voices cried out.
Stepping out from the shadows came two young adults. One was a young woman appearing to be in her early twenties: the other, a man appearing to be in his mid-twenties.
"Say, did you buy any good sweets while you were in town?!" The woman exclaimed.
"Did you buy rose petal chips for me, master?!" The man cried eagerly.
"No, and no," Honch grumbled as he walked past the two.
"Tell me, where is Sev?" He questioned.
"What do you need her for?" The woman frowned.
"I have a question regarding the spirit regenerator, seeing as she is the only one willing to help me out with it," Honch said, narrowing his eyes.
The pair whistled awkwardly.
"I'm right here, master Honch," a voice calle
As he lay his head on his pillow, Alastair let out a sigh of relief. "Finally..." He muttered. "Alastair?" Rachael called out. Oh, for the love of... "What's the matter, Rachael?" Alastair groaned as he sat up. "I had a nightmare..." She whispered. Alastair raised a brow. "A nightmare about what?" He questioned. "U-um..." Rachael stammered. "Well, I can't help chase the nightmares away if you won't tell me what they were, Rach," Alastair said with a sigh. "Y-you..." She began choking up. "You died...!" She cried out. Alastair's eyes widened. "R-Rachael..." He muttered. "You went kaboom!" She exclaimed. "Aw, come on, Rach, you know I'm not going to die, so don't worry!" He reassured, stroking her head. "Hmph!" Rachael pouted tearfully, crossing her arms. "Look, Rachael," Alastair began, taking her face in his hands. He took a deep br
As the following morning came, Alastair was busy looking through paperwork at his desk."Alastair?" A voice called out."What's up, Rachael?" He asked, not looking up from his work."C-can we go to that cafe again?" She questioned."Maybe later," Alastair said, quickly brushing her off."But...!" Rachael whined."I put in some of the work too, yes?" She grumbled, puffing her cheeks.Alastair suddenly looked up.The girl had a point; she had put her safety on the line quite a bit; the least Alastair could do was treat her with some of the money she, too, had rightfully earned."Alright, fine, point made, let's get going then, you haven't eaten breakfast yet," Alastair said as he rose from his seat, stretching his back."Yay!" Rachael cheered, running eagerly towards the door.Alastair couldn't help but smile, seeing her so excited.*As they pulled up to the cafe, Alastair parked his car.<
After finishing up his meal, Alastair let out a satisfied sigh. He then glanced over to Rachael, who was still busy munching away on her last crepe. "Yeesh," Alastair began. "Mm?" Rachael looked up in confusion. "Heh, nothing, it's just..." Alastair reached his hand across the counter, petting Rachael's head. "You're kind of cute sometimes!" He grinned. Rachael suddenly began choking. "R-Rachael, hey...!" Alastair cried out, quickly jumping up from the booth and running over to her. As he patted her back, she coughed. "Man, sorry I said anything..." Alastair grumbled. "You aren't one to give sudden compliments, you know..." Rachael mumbled. Alastair smirked. "I guess not, huh?" He said with a laugh. "Right, well," Alastair began, standing up. "Hurry and finish so we can go do our job at the arena," he instructed. "Mm..." Rachael mumbled, plopping the last piece of crepe in
As they made their way to the concert hall, Rachael let out a yawn from the back seat."Are we almost there yet?" She questioned with a hint of impatience."Almost," Alastair replied.Suddenly, a car cut in front of Alastair on the road, causing him to brake quickly."What the hell was that?!" He cried out in frustration, beeping his horn angrily.He then quickly turned his attention to the girl in the back of the vehicle."You okay, Rachael?" He asked, his tone softening instantaneously."M-mm..." Rachael nodded, looking down steadily."Yeesh..." Alastair exhaled."Looks like we'll have to be careful when you learn one day..." He muttered.Rachael quickly looked up."Say, Alastair," Rachael began."Ah, we're here!" Alastair announced, pulling into the parking lot of the concert hall.He then turned to Rachael."What's up? You wanted to ask me something?" He questioned."N-no, ne
After Alastair calmed Rachael down, the pair headed towards the main stage, where the band was waiting.Upon entering the stadium, Alastair looked around in awe."Ah!" A voice cried out."Hey, sis, they're here!" A woman exclaimed.Alastair quickly turned his head, met by the lead guitarist of the band, Kas."Say, Narine," the woman began, studying Alastair."Are you sure this is the guy Riki has a crush on...?" She questioned, biting her lip.She has a what on me...?! Alastair thought to himself in complete shock."Yeah, yeah, that's our man of the hour," another voice called out.Jumping down from the stage was Narine, who appeared to be in her early twenties; she was the drummer of the band and younger sister of Kas."How's it going there, Mr. Spirit Force?" She smirked, extending a hand.Is this real life...? Am I really meeting my favorite band? Does Riki actually have a crush on me...?!
As they were preparing to leave Slam's dressing room, Alastair walked over to Rachael. "Hey," he began as he bent. "Hm?" Rachael turned to him. "Why don't you stay here with Slam's little sister, Raven? Who knows, you might even make a new friend!" He beamed. "B-but Alastair...!" Rachael protested. "Shall we get going, Mr. Spirit Force?" Slam called out. "Ah, coming!" Alastair replied. "Just stay here; I've got this case, okay?" He reassured, patting her head. "F-fine..." Rachael said, giving in. * On their way back to the main hall, Alastair suddenly stopped. "What's up?" Slam asked. "Do you feel a spooky presence, Mr. Spirit Force?" Kas asked. "Yeah, but it's not paranormal..." Alastair frowned. "Eh?" Narine cocked her head. "What do you mea-" Suddenly a high-pitched scream came from inside Slam's dressing room. Alastair's eyes widened.
Footsteps could be heard frantically running down the hallway. Suddenly the door to Alastair's apartment slammed open. "Alastair!" Aya exclaimed, hurrying in. "This better be some sick joke!" She cried angrily. Alastair, seated at his desk, with his chair turned to the window, didn't respond. "Alastair...!" Aya exclaimed. "Paige has a shoot right now. but she's freaking out; we're all freaking out, so tell me what happened!" She demanded. "I told you already," Alastair began, his chair slowly turning. "She got kidnapped," He said as he blew smoke from his cigarette. Aya's eyes widened. "You told me you quit..." She whispered. "I did quit," he replied. "But now that she's gone, I can-" Suddenly Aya's hand flew across the desk, slapping Alastair hard across the face. Alastair kept his gaze fixed steadily on the desk. "You've been deserving that for years," she said w
Back at the secluded part of Experiment Labs, a car pulled up to the lot. "Master!" A voice called out. "Hey, Master!" The voice chimed again. Honch, sitting at the control panel of the spirit regenerator, turned his head. "What is it, Cya?" He questioned as if he could care less. "I did it!" She cried out eagerly. "Did what, exactly?" Honch asked, turning his attention back to the spirit regenerator. "Well, you know how Mr. Eon asked to borrow me, right?" She asked. "Mhm," Honch nodded, only half paying attention. "Well," she continued. "My assignment was to kidnap some brat, and I pulled it off!" She beamed. Honch turned his head. "Right... there was some child the labs were after for quite a bit, wasn't there?" He questioned. "Mhm, mhm!" Cya nodded her head vigorously. "However," Honch began. "Eon is on vacation, isn't he?" He frowned. "Well," Cya began.