After receiving birthday presents from his parents and sister, Stare turned his attention to his friend who was still standing by the side.
Doush immediately feigned ignorance, trying to avoid Stare's intense gaze. However, Stare's unwavering stare persisted, unrelenting and resolute.
With a sigh of resignation, Doush finally approached Stare. He hesitated, then spoke up. "You wouldn't want something as simple as a gift from me, would you? Material things can't possibly define the bond we share."
"We've faced life-and-death situations together…literally," Doush added, giving Stare a playful nudge on the shoulder. Yet, Stare's gaze remained unyielding.
"Fine, I forgot to wrap a gift. Happy now?" Doush admitted, yet Stare's intense look stayed fixed, accompanied by a sly grin.
Watching his friend's grin broaden, Doush couldn't suppress a shiver.
"Wait a second, you wouldn't."
Stare's subtle nod immediately confirmed Doush's suspicion.
Reluctantly, shoulders slumped, Doush retrieved the Dragon Fist Arcana Battle card once again and began to hand it over to Stare.
The battle card hovered momentarily in Stare's hand, only to be pulled back as Stare gave Doush a somewhat bitter look.
"Just let me enjoy a few more moments with her before you snatch her away," Doush admitted with a resigned sigh.
Stare contemplated for a moment before agreeing with a nod.
The atmosphere shifted, and the room filled with joy as they celebrated Stare's birthday.
As the celebration drew to a close, the small gathering dispersed. The attendee count had been modest, a testament to Stare's choice to keep his circle small.
Growing up, he'd held back from making many friends, a lingering result of his wariness toward the Oracle and the Cycle of Evolution. He believed that fewer connections meant fewer lives affected.
In fact, even his friendship with Doush hadn't been in his plans initially, but the kid was just too stubborn. He kept pestering him on something relating to being his disciple after rescuing him from some bullies when they were at middle school and from there they grew close.
Doush eventually left, citing a curfew at home, leaving Aila, Stare's younger sister who was already fast asleep, holding on tightly to her brother's arm.
Stare's father had retired to bed earlier, complaining of dizziness. His mother followed suit after settling Aila. He understood they were most likely very tired from the party planning and setup.
Alone in the living room, Stare cleaned up after the party, ensuring no remnants of the celebration remained. He then headed solemnly to his room.
The room's minimalistic furniture gleamed under the built-in LED lighting, which could be customized to change colors.
Reaching his hovering bed, Stare collapsed onto it, the shirt still clutched in his hand, his exasperation evident.
Thoughts of his parents, his sister's innocent smile, Doush, and 'her' filled his mind. The memories of the party brought a fleeting smile, but soon his mind turned to the determination his parents had shown in saving the tuition for him to easily get into a Hero Academy. It seemed ironic considering he intended to avoid the public testing altogether.
He knew he shouldn't relent, this might have been the fail-safe plan the Oracle prepared to make him reluctant to avoid its set part but at the same he couldn't just bring himself to directly reject the public testing.
Running away seemed tempting, an easier path. But as he considered his parents and sister, especially Aila, who looked up to him, he hesitated.
Lying on the bed, conflicted, Stare's phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Checking the message from an unknown number, he read the first message.
[What's good, alien?]
The familiarity at which the sender communicated with struck Stare as someone he should know, but he couldn't recall sharing his number recently.
Before he could inquire, another message arrived.
[Stop wondering who I am... There's no one else who'd text you, except me... and your parents.]
Instantly, a name popped into Stare's mind—Doush that brat.
But why would Doush text from an unfamiliar number?
As Stare prepared to ask, yet another message came through.
[...Turns out I lost my phone when those Zod raiders held us hostage. I'll be using this phone for now.]
Understanding the situation, Stare almost closed the chat, yet a thought struck him.
He brought the phone closer, fingers typing away.
[Doush, what if your parents want you to go for the public testing, but you don't want to, and you don't want to tell them directly?]
No immediate reply came, but eventually, a message appeared.
[I wouldn't want to miss the public testing.]
Stare sighed and was about to switch off his phone when another message arrived.
[...But if, for some strange reason, I wanted to miss the testing without alerting my parents, I'd probably use the T.M.I.A Theory.]
[T.M.I.A Theory?] Stare typed, puzzled.
[Yeah, Teens Missing In Action Theory. It states that teens from the age 14 to 19 have a higher tendency of suddenly disappearing and reappearing, 85% of the time and without any valid reason for that].]
[...I'd most likely disappear and then reappear after the testing is done. My parents might not be pleased, but they won't be shocked either. After a few days at most, they'll likely forget I ever vanished. It's what they expect from us anyway, so why be surprised?]
Stare's lips curved into a smile, reading Doush's message.
An idea formed.
If he could manage to avoid the testing the day after tomorrow, he'd most likely thwart the initial steps to the Oracle's Path and without the initial step of the Oracle's path being fulfilled the whole path would be jeopardized and cease to exist.
With determination, Stare typed again.
[Doush, meet up at Just John's classic relics shop tomorrow, 9:00 AM sharp.]