Chapitre 81: Two Is Better Than One
[Day: Wednesday]
[Time: Noon]
[Location: Home - Destiny Central]
"Hey, Shiro! Can we go out for ice cream today?" Lustie asked, floating around me happily.
I glanced at Lustie, giving her a smile as I stood up from making my bed. "Ice cream? Yeah, we can go out for ice cream."
"Yay!~" Lustie giggled, her ears wiggling and tail wagging with excitement.
I chuckled softly, continuing to clean my room. As I straightened the sheets, my phone rang, catching my attention. I picked it up from the nightstand, seeing Gloria's name on the screen.
"Hey, what's up?" I answered, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Hey, babe!~ Me and the girls are going out and we wanted to see if you wanted to join us," Gloria's tone was sweet and hopeful.
I smiled, a soft chuckle escaping my lips. "Yeah, I'll join you. Did you want me to pick you all up?"
"Please? My mom is at work and Krystal is across town with Habilee, and we don't want to spend $35 on an Uber," Gloria explained.
"Alright, I'll come pick you up. Just send me your location and I'll be there soon," I said, standing up and looking for my keys.
"Thank you!~ I'll send you our location. Love you," Gloria said happily, a soft giggle following.
"I love you too," I replied, ending the call. I grabbed my keys and turned to Lustie. "Alright, Red, let's—"
"Wait!"
Lustie and I looked back to see Romancia hovering toward us, her gaze shy and reserved. We exchanged glances before looking back at her.
"Can I join? I want to know how a slice of life feels… I-I can even offer you a more romantic energy… if you want," Romancia said, her expression hopeful.
I smiled, shrugging my shoulders. "C'mon, Roma..~ There's always room for you as well."
Romancia's face lit up with a smile. "Thank you! I promise I won't impose on your date."
"It's fine, you don't have to worry so much," I said, gently taking her hand and pulling her toward me. "Whatever you went through with The Syndicates, it won't happen here. You can be yourself. I promise."
[Love EXP +5000]
Romancia blushed at our closeness, her body heating up slightly. "O-Okay…~ I trust you.."
Lustie whistled playfully. "Oh yeah, Roma definitely has the hots for you, babe."
Romancia blushed even more at Lustie's tease, covering her face. "I-It's just I'm not used to someone treating me with such care still. I feel like my heart's gonna explode..!"
Lustie smiled at Romancia before shifting into her tiny demon form. "Let's go before we're late~"
Romancia nodded, shifting into her tiny spirit form. "Okay~"
With that, the three of us made our way out of my room and down the stairs. We left the house, heading into the garage. I started the car, with Lust-E registering Gloria's location. As I drove off to pick up Gloria, Whitney, and Amber, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment and excitement within me as I thought about hanging out with the girls.
[Day: Wednesday]
[Time: Early Afternoon]
[Location: Aoi Residency]
As I arrived at the location Gloria sent, I spotted her, Whitney, and Amber waiting on the porch of her mother's house. Gloria waved enthusiastically as I pulled up, a bright smile on her face. Whitney and Amber mirrored her excitement, chatting animatedly.
I rolled down the window, grinning. "Hey, ladies! Ready for some fun?"
"Absolutely! Thanks for picking us up," Gloria said, opening the door and sliding into the front seat.
Whitney and Amber climbed into the back, greeting Lustie and Romancia with friendly smiles.
"No problem at all," I replied, glancing at the rearview mirror. "Everyone buckled up? Let's get going."
As we drove, the car was filled with light-hearted chatter and laughter. Whitney and Amber shared stories from their day, while Lustie and Romancia listened with interest.
"So, where to first?" I asked, looking at Gloria.
"There's this new café downtown that has amazing desserts. We thought we could start there and then maybe hit up a park or something," Gloria suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Sounds like a plan," I agreed, turning the car toward downtown.
"So Shiro, how is Mariana and Dante doing in Sanctuary City? I heard about the big win you all had up there against The Syndicates," Amber wondered, leaning forward and smiling at me.
I glanced at her through the rearview mirror, returning her smile. My gaze returned to the road ahead. "They are doing pretty good. Did you know Dante has a girlfriend up there?"
Amber gasped, covering her mouth. "Really?! Gosh, I never thought he would ever be able to find love with how hard his attitude is toward women. He actually found someone to keep up with him! I need to tell Chelsey this."
I chuckled softly. "I probably would say too much to her about it. Apparently her father doesn't even know that she's dating Dante, so their relationship is pretty low-key."
"I'm curious...Can I at least know her name?" Amber asked, sitting back in her seat, looking at her phone.
"Calista I believe," I answered.
Amber nodded her head, smiling as she texted Chelsey about Dante. "Got it. This is actually pretty great. Now I can finally say my cousin has officially found love."
"Speaking about The Syndicates, whatever happened to Axel and his crew?" Whitney asked, her tone full of curiosity.
"They are still alive. There's been too much happening up there for me to really deal with Axel and his main crew...however I was able to beat one of his main members for Romancia. However, their strongest members have temporarily retreated for a while so when I get back to the city, I'll be able to deal with Axel a lot easier," I answered, glancing at Whitney through the rearview mirror.
Whitney nodded, her eyes a bit apprehensive. "I see...you promise to take them down for good?"
I gave Whitney a reassuring smile, nodding my head. "I promise, Wynn. It's one of my main goals after all.."
Whitney smiled at my reassurance, her spirits lifting. "I trust you, Shiji..~"
I continued to drive to downtown, the conversations shifting to a lighter tone. The rest of the way there was pleasant, with everyone in high spirits.
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[Day: Wednesday]
[Time: Afternoon]
[Location: Destiny City]
We arrived at the café, a charming little place with a cozy atmosphere. The sign above the door read "Sweet Delights Café," and the inviting aroma of freshly baked goods greeted us as we entered.
Inside, the café was bustling with activity. We found a table near the window, where we could enjoy the view of the bustling street outside. A friendly waiter handed us menus, and we quickly decided on an assortment of treats: ice cream sundaes, cupcakes, and milkshakes.
As we waited for our order, the conversation flowed easily. Gloria leaned in closer to me, her hand resting on mine. "It's really nice to have a day like this again," she said softly.
I squeezed her hand gently. "It is. We should do this more often in the future."
Our desserts arrived, and the table was soon filled with colorful, delicious-looking treats. Lustie and Romancia's eyes widened with delight as they dug into their sundaes. The sight of everyone enjoying themselves brought a warm feeling to my chest.
After we finished at the café, we decided to take a walk in the nearby park. The afternoon sun was warm, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. Children played on the playground, their laughter mingling with the sounds of birds chirping.
We found a shaded spot under a large oak tree and sat down, enjoying the peaceful surroundings. Gloria leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder. Whitney and Amber were engaged in a spirited conversation with Lustie and Romancia, the four of them laughing together.
"This is perfect," Gloria murmured, her voice content.
I nodded, feeling the same way. "It really is."
As the afternoon turned into evening, we reluctantly decided it was time to head back. We walked back to the car, the setting sun casting a golden glow over the park.
[*BEEP BEEP BEEP*]
I paused in my tracks, my gaze shifting to my watch. I looked around, seeing no one but I felt a strong presence nearby. I looked at the girls and gave them a smile. "Hey, how about we spend another hour here?"
"Really?" Whitney asked, her eyes shimmering with hope.
I nodded, chuckling softly then handed her my keys and gave each of them some money to spend. "There's a fast food joint nearby, you all can take my car and get something."
Whitney looked at my keys and smiled, walking toward me and kissing my cheek. "Thank you~ We'll bring your car back in one peace."
"You don't have to worry about the condition of the car, Whitney. It automatically fixes itself if ever damaged," Lust-E said, hovering beside me.
Whitney nodded and smiled at Lust-E before turning to Gloria and Amber. "Let's grab a bite to eat~"
The three made their way to my car and got it, driving off to the restaurant nearby. I watched as Whitney carefully drove my car down the street then walked off, looking at my watch.
"The presence you're feeling is a Love Demon, but it's not one that's registered in my Systems. It's an entirely new one," Lust-E said, hovering beside me.
"A new Love Demon? Impossible. I understand time moves faster in Esoria than it does on Earth, but what race and trait would she even be and have?" Lustie asked, crossing her arms as she hovered behind us.
"I don't think it's a new race per se...My theory is that it could be the Love Demon of Ambition," Lust-E said. "This energy is very powerful..."
"Ambitia?! But how?! Who could've helped her cross into the Milky Way Galaxy?" Lustie asked, her tone full of surprise and nervousness.
Romancia began to gently bite her nail, feeling the same nervousness as Lustie. "This news...is pretty bad if it is Ambitia. She's the closest to Auntie Ardor...what if she comes to kill Shiro?"
All three women began to think, trying to think of the best possible scenario, but they were all too nervous to think of any positives about potentially running into Ambitia. I was more on the curious side, wanting to know who exactly was Ambitia.
We entered the forest area of the park, following the map Lust-E displayed for us. We continued searching around, finding no one until we heard a giggle behind us. I stopped walking and turned around, seeing a woman behind us.
She had a graceful and serene presence. She had light, almost silver hair that fell in soft waves around her face and shoulders, adorned with a dark flower accessory on one side. She had pointed ears and delicate features, wore a simple yet stylish outfit consisting of a black turtleneck, tight black pants, and dangling diamond earrings. Her expressions ranged from gentle and contemplative to cheerful and slightly mischievous, her eyes locked on to me.
"Ambitia!" Lustie pointed, glaring at her. "I knew it was you!"
"Dear sister..~ We meet after long last. How have you—"
Lustie launched her bladed tail at Ambitia, but Ambitia swiftly dodged the attack, looking directly in Lustie's eyes. "Hmph! There's only one reason for you to be here! To hurt Shiro!"
"What? How can you come to this conclusion just from seeing me?!" Ambitia asked, dodging and evading each of Lustie's attacks.
Lustie bellowed as she ran forward and landed a aerial spinning kick, disorienting Ambitia for a few moments. She swept her off her feet with a kick then launched her in the air with her tail. Ambitia knew she wouldn't get through to Lustie with just words, so she got serious.
Ambitia let out a a battle cry, coming down with a powerful axe kick, countering Lustie's next move. Lustie groaned as she hit the ground, a small cloud of smoke and debris forming around her. Ambitia got into her battle stance, her black flower faintly glowing on her head.
As Ambitia went for the next attack, I grabbed her wrist and stared at her. She looked at me and grunted softly. "Shiro.."
I let her go, separating the two of them. "Both of you, that's enough."
Lustie got up, looking up at me and held the back of her head, wincing slightly. "Damn you hit hard now, Ambrosia..."
Ambitia crossed her arms and smiled at Lustie. "I didn't want to hurt you, Lusella. I didn't mean to frighten you all either. I just wanted to be in a secluded place where no one would see me."
Romancia let out a sigh, relieved that I stopped the fighting before it got too bad. "At least we're not fighting anymore for zero reason. I hate needless fighting.."
Ambitia looker at Romancia then giggled softly. "I forgot you're a lover and not a fighter. It's funny how Sensitia is more of a fighter than you are."
Romancia blushed at Ambitia's tease and looked away, her arms expression a mix of embarrassment and fluster. "M-Mmph..."
"I'm only teasing, Roma..~" Ambitia giggled, finally turning her head toward me.
"Ambitia. You must be the Love Demon of Ambition that Lustie was mentioning before," I said, walking toward her.
Ambitia nodded, watching me walk toward her. She smiled at me and held her hands together in front of her. "I am. Aunt Ardor summoned me here to assist you in taking down The Syndicates."
"What? Geez that woman is so confusing. She's working with Feleti but constantly assissts Shiro? Like pick a side!" Lustie said, standing up.
"Your confusion is warranted since I am also confused. However, she assured me that she's on your side for now while the The Syndicates are still active. She also left me with this to give you Shiro," Ambitia said, summoning a new System and a new Body for Lust-E.
Lustie's eyes widened as she looked at the Systems, her mouth agape. "Is that Esoria's Platinum System?! And that Divine Familiar, is that Suru?!"
Ambitia nodded. "This is St. Kieran's Platinum System and his guide, A.I. Suru. This system comes equipped with every important ability from the Nine Goddesses, but they need to be unlocked. The only one that's unlocked right now is the Monarch Index."
I watched as Ambitia handed me the new system and Lust-E floated to her new body. I turned it on and noticed the welcome screen.
[Hello, Master Achilles.]
"Achilles? The Trojan Hero?" I asked, looking at Ambitia.
"Mhm. Kieran is an Achilles Family member in Esoria. But your Achilles is different from ours. Our Achilles was truly immortal unless his weakness was exposed. Your Achilles had vulnerabilities," Ambitia said.
Lust-E looked at Suru, refusing to enter. "I can't enter her body. It'll rewrite my entire OS...and I'll become Suru. She's too special for me to enter."
Ambitia looked at Lust-E and smiled at her. "I had a feeling you would say that taken your body is able to transform into different forms, so I removed her Deactivation Seal just in case."
We watched as Suru activated, her body taking her form and appearance. She had a cute and innocent appearance, with a soft and gentle aura. She had long, white hair that fell freely, with a side braid tied with a red band and a bunny-ear-like ribbon on her head. Her eyes were large and expressive, with a slight blush on her cheeks adding to her sweet demeanor. She was wearing an oversized white garment, giving her a delicate and vulnerable look, and had a pink halo floating over her head.
Suru looked around, levitating out of Ambitia's hand. She looked at me, her vision becoming slightly static as her memories flashed in her head. "Kieran..?"
"No, Suru. This isn't Kieran...but his Earthly Successor, Shiro Moji," Ambitia said, her tone gentle and warm.
"Where is Kieran..?" Suru asked. "Where am I?"
"Kieran has long ascended, Suru. He became Esoria's Savior and fell in battle a long time ago. He left you behind for his Successor that never appeared in Esoria, but on Earth," Ambitia said.
Suru looked at me, floating toward me then gently grabbed my arm and rose my sleeve. She noticed my six Love Demon Crests shining on my arm, her eyes widening. "You..are his Successor. But how..? How are you able to wield these Crests without your body overflowing with energy? It doesn't make sense for an Earthling to have such power.."
I smiled at Suru and looked at my Crests again. "I wish I had that answer or I wish I could come up with an answer that makes sense, but I can't. It's just the wheel of fate that turns in my favor I guess.."
"Lust, Charm, Talent, Passion, Romance, and Luck. You only need three more to become a Savior. Right now you're The Liberator Rank. This is amazing...such a discovery needs to be recorded," Suru said, scanning my entire body.
{Suru: Wielder Shiro Moji has been acknowledged as new Master.}
{Suru: Data Recorded!}
"So now I have two systems?" I asked, my gaze returning to Ambitia.
"Well it was only supposed to be one, but Lust-E doesn't feel worthy enough of taking over her predecessor. I guess enjoy your two Systems~" Ambitia chuckled softly, holding her arms.
I watched as Suru and Lust-E floated around me, slipping my hands into my pockets with a smile. Suddenly, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I took it out and looked at the screen.
"We should head back, Whitney is calling me." I said, smiling at everyone around me.
"Right! Ambrosia, you're gonna love Shiro's first set of Girlfriends! He has some really fine babes!" Lustie chuckled, floating ahead.
Ambitia smiled at Lustie and followed behind her. "I hope you're right. Your taste in men and women have always been absurd."
I watched my Love Demons float ahead, feeling a new warm feeling within me. With Ambitia on my side now, I knew The Syndicates wouldn't stand a chance when I get back to Sanctuary City. But one thing rested in the back of my mind: What is Ardor planning? Where does her loyalties truly lie. Those two questions ran in the back of my mind, but I knew in due time I would figure everything out. I just needed to be prepared for it.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone