Verdamona sat in the sterile brightness of the temporary investigation office in a police station in New York. The chaos of the explosion was reduced to a distant hum beyond reinforced glass. The smell of scorched debris still faintly clung to her dress. Beside her, Xaessia was comfortably devouring a donut with powdered sugar smudged on her pale cheek as if nothing had just occurred.
"Fluxers make good coffee," Xaessia muttered between bites, kicking one booted leg lazily.
Verdamona exhaled through her nose, sipping her own cup. Her mind wasn't here. It was back at the crater where Heart's Boutique once stood. Norphie was in the other room, giving her statement to the detectives. The incident was being treated as terrorism. Also, it took her a moment to realize that Xaessia was a Human and not a Fluxer, hence her wordplay of saying 'Fluxers.'
She leaned back on the bench. Her fingers tapped rhythmically on her coffee cup, her eyes flicking toward the muted television replaying the live explosion footage in a continuous loop.
"Verdamona? You're scowling again."
"I'm thinking."
"That's what I said."
Hee phone buzzed. Her screen flickered alive. Despite the soot and debris earlier, the device was intact and barely scratched. It glowed faintly blue. Xaessia leaned in curiously.
"Ooh. Who's calling you at a time like this?"
Verdamona didn't answer. She slid her finger across the screen, and Phaser's face appeared. It was slightly pixelated. He had a different look but it was him based on his silver eyes. He had a faint bruise on his cheek.
"Phaser, you look different. Is that a disguise? I almost couldn't recognize you."
"I made my eye color visible for you to recognize me. You okay?"
"I assume you've seen the news."
"Yeah. That was… not something I expected to see in a boutique."
Before she could respond, Xaessia leaned forward into the frame, half a donut still in her mouth.
"Hey Phaser," she said with her voice muffled through pastry.
"Xaessia? You're... wait, what are you doing in New York?"
"What, no 'I'm glad you're alive'? You wound me, brother dearest."
Phaser sighed. "You're strong. An explosion like that wouldn't even singe your hair."
"Fair. But you could still pretend to care."
Verdamona's gaze flicked to Xaessia briefly, catching that faint flicker of hurt beneath her grin.
"We are fine. We came to New York to visit Norphie. She was going to design some new outfits for your sister. But then… that happened."
Phaser exhaled softly. "And Norphie's okay?"
"Yes. Minor injuries. She's inside giving her statement now."
He nodded, but his expression was far away. Probably processing all the same contradictions she was.
"You and Xaessia are friends?"
Verdamona's tone softened slightly. "We made up this morning. We used to fight today morning was supposed to be a reconciliation."
Xaessia smirked. "We had a heart-to-heart before we got here. She said she wanted to be friends."
Verdamona glared at her. "Not the time."
Phaser chuckled, running a hand through his hair.
"Morning, huh? It's afternoon here."
"Time difference, huh?, Eight hours apart. You're still in Africa, right?"
"Kenya, actually."
Xaessia tilted her head, munching another donut.
"Why are you even there? I thought you were in Egypt to train with the House of Rameses."
Before Phaser could respond, a new face peeked from behind him on the screen. A woman with an auburn wig, wearing a casual hat and round glasses, smiled curiously. Verdamona's brows furrowed.
"Who's that?"
Phaser turned slightly. "Ah, this is Princess Radellei."
Xaessia froze mid-bite. Powdered sugar fell onto her lap as her eyes widened.
"Wait, Radellei Rameses? One of the Rameses sisters?"
"Yeah. That's her."
Radellei waved shyly at the camera. "It's an honor to meet you both, especially the twin of Phaser. I've heard a lot about you."
Xaessia let out a low whistle. "Shocking. Royal company, huh? I am amazed you two are together, but why are you in a boutique store of all places?"
Phaser started to answer, but Radellei beat him to it, her grin absolutely mischievous.
"We're on a date."
Verdamona's expression went utterly still. Phaser immediately turned red.
"No, we're not. She's joking."
"Oh, come on," Radellei teased, elbowing him slightly off-screen. "We're having lunch together, that's basically a date. Don't tell me you didn't figure it out."
Xaessia started howling. Her laughter practically shook the camera feed.
"Phaser? Dating? And an Egyptian princess, no less? Oh, this is shocking."
Verdamona didn't laugh. She didn't say anything at all. Her eyes stayed locked on the screen, but something made her fingers curl slightly around her coffee cup.
Phaser noticed instantly. "Verdamona—"
"You're dating a Rameses?"
"It's not like that. She's helping me train. We're working on our duo matches. That's all."
Radellei grinned like someone who very much enjoyed watching him squirm.
"He's blushing though."
Xaessia laughed even harder. "This is the best thing I've seen since I came to the university."
Verdamona's eyes flickered, her voice lowering an octave. "I see."
Xaessia elbowed her lightly. "Oh come on, do not give him that look. He's just making friends."
"Friends," Verdamona echoed faintly.
Phaser groaned. "You're all weird."
Xaessia said cheerfully, waving the last of her donut before finishing it in one bite.
"Anyway, you're looking well. Still alive and not bleeding? I'll take it."
"You sound disappointed."
"You broke your curse. I want to fight you soon."
Verdamona exhaled, finally leaning back against the wall. Her posture was relaxed but her eyes were distant again.
"Stay safe, Phaser. If something like this happens again, call me first. Don't wait to read about it."
"Deal. And… I'm glad you're okay, Verda."
That earned him a faint, rare smile. "It takes more than a explosion to kill me you know. And I didn't play hero this time."
Phaser was laughing now. "Still the same, huh?"
"Always," she said, and for a second, there was that familiar warmth beneath her icy tone.
Then the call ended. The screen went blank. The noise of the precinct returned with police chatter, shuffling papers, clacking keyboards. Xaessia leaned back, stretching.
"You were jealous," she sang under her breath.
Verdamona didn't answer. She just stared at her darkened phone screen, her reflection faintly visible.
"No. Just… curious."
------
I didn't expect to see my sister on the call while she's literally sitting in a New York police department sipping coffee. It still messes with me how surreal this all feels.
"Does this look like a good disguise?"
Radellei asked, raising an eyebrow at me with that kind of confidence only a Rameses could have.
"Yeah. It's perfect. You actually look normal."
"Normal? Mr Phaser, do you have any idea how rare it is for someone to tell a Rameses they look normal? You should feel honored to speak such blasphemy."
I laughed under my breath. "Then consider me blessed."
She tossed a pair of sunglasses at me. "Put these on. You are too recognizable without the mask. Even if it turns invisible, who knows what might happen."
I caught them mid-air, sliding them on. "You sure this isn't overkill? You're the one who's famous, not me."
"Famous people need wingmen who look like trouble. It distracts the cameras."
"Wow. So I'm your decoy."
She started walking toward the exit, waving one hand behind her.
"Not just a decoy. My date."
"Hold up, what? You weren't kidding?"
"Obviously not. It's a practice date. I am going to be engaged eventually, so might as well rehearse with someone safe."
"Safe? You do realize I'm literally the last person people would call safe, right?"
"You're safe enough for me, Lone Nomad."
I sighed, shoving my hands in my coat pockets as I followed her out.
"You realize this sounds like a setup for an awkward date, right?"
"Oh please," she said, holding the door open for me as we stepped out into the bustling city. "If this was a romantic movie, there would be soft lighting, spilled coffeeand slow motion eye contact. We are just two exhausted duelists trying to eat good food and not get recognized. That's all."
We walked through the crowded avenue, the city humming with heat and color. Cars buzzed by, food vendors shouted in Swahili and digital billboards flickered between local brands and global headlines about the Manhattan explosion. Even though we were miles away, the world still trembled from it.
Radellei adjusted her sunglasses and nudged me lightly.
"You have been quiet since that call. Thinking about your sister and friend?"
"Yeah. Verdamona's fine, but it's weird. She and Xaessiarerich being together? That's not supposed to happen. Not in the lore at least."
"Lore? You talk like this world is a simulation."
"I wish it was, actually."
Verdamona and Xaessiarerich are supposed to be on opposite ends of fate as the protagonist and antagonist, light and dark. If they're friends now, if they've found some twisted alliance, then everything the Outers planned has gone off-script. And that's exactly what I need.
If the story bends, I can bend it further. If it breaks, I can make sure it collapses on them first. Because right now, I'm done being a pawn of the two. I want the board flipped.
But still…
I glanced at Radellei walking next to me. Her hat fluttered slightly in the wind. Her face was calm despite the flashing news screens and chaos of the world. Maybe that's why I liked being around her because she's so free.
"So, what's next, Mr Phaser?"
"Lunch, apparently. You said food?"
"Yeah. If I don't eat something spicy soon, I'll pass out. Egyptian food's great, don't get me wrong, but East African seasoning? That's a whole art form."
"Agreed. Though I think your disguise might not hold up once you order in fluent Swahili."
"Guess you will have to distract them with your mysterious look then."
"You're enjoying this too much."
She grinned, brushing past me to cross the street.
"Of course I am. This is a practice date, remember? I need to make it feel authentic."
I followed her with the city sun flaring off the towers around us.
"Authentic? What's next, you want me to pay for the food too?"
"Obviously. That is part of the simulation. Men pay for food in dates, do you not?"
"You are a leech."
"If we were back home, you would have been beheaded for saying that."
"Then I'll say it again when I have the chance to."
Someone somewhere, was rewriting the story just like I was and maybe I was supposed to stop them. But not now.
Right now, I had to play my role as a friend and a fake date pretending to be normal in a world that was unraveling. Also, when would I ever enjoy a date with an Egyptian princess?