Lyrica PoV
I waved at my grandson as he went on his way. Deros was still as adorable as whennI last saw him. Although he probably needed to eat a lot more. Maybe I should've invited him to a meal.
Taking a deep breath, I contacted the rest of the Golden Hearts. The other members of our group were scattered across tthe universe, each one deeply entrenched in their own missions and responsibilities. Still, they would want to know about the sudden appearance of my grandson and the potential threat that was looming over us.
"Iridium to Golden Hearts," I said into my communicator, keeping my voice steady. "I have some important updates. Please respond."
One by one, the familiar voices of my comrades crackled through the device.
"What's the issue, Iridium?" the first voice said, all sing-songy. It was my husband, Kael, Codename Rhodium.
I smiled. "I saw Deros."
"That's great! But why contact everyone?" He laughed. "Don't tell me you're gonna gloat about our grandson to the whole group."
My face reddened.
"Ugh, how conceited," a voice said over the comms. This time it was Palladium.
I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, Rhodium, it's more than just a family reunion. There's a threat we need to address."
"Go on, Iridium," another voice said, this one calm and composed. It was Platinum, one of the wisest amongst the Golden Hearts. "What kind of threat are we dealing with?"
"Deros is here on Quadra investigating a dangerous individual named Yusan. He's described as a muscular red-haired man in a black suit. Yusan has the capability to jam communications and cause significant chaos. We need to be on high alert," I explained.
"Yusan, you say?" Palladium's tone shifted to one of concern. "That's not a name I recognize. Do we have any intel on his origins or motives?"
"Not much," I admitted. "But if Deros is involved, it means this is serious. We need to keep an eye out and be ready to support him if needed."
"Understood," Platinum replied. "We'll mobilize our resources and keep our ears to the ground. Anything else we should know?"
"Just that we need to avoid engaging Yusan alone," I added. "He's dangerous and we don't want to take any unnecessary risks."
"Got it," another voice chimed in. It was Gold, our tech specialist. "I'll start working on boosting our communication systems to counteract any jamming attempts."
"Thank you, Gold," I said, feeling a sense of relief. "Everyone, stay vigilant. Let's make sure Quadra remains safe."
As the communication ended, I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation. The Ten Golden Hearts had faced countless challenges before, and I had no doubt we could handle this one too. But the fact that Deros was involved added an extra layer of urgency.
I made my way through the bustling streets, my mind racing with plans and strategies. Arriving at a secure location, I met with Kael, who was already deep in thought.
"Hey there," he greeted me with a warm smile. "Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us."
I nodded, feeling a mix of determination and concern. "Yes, but we can handle it. We always do."
Kael placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "We'll keep Deros safe, Lyrica. And we'll stop this Yusan guy our grandson mentioned before he can cause any harm."
"Thank you," I said, feeling a surge of affection for my husband.
I turned and gasped as I saw a pair who looked similar to us walking through the town. Were they the duo Deros had mentioned? Our look alike.
Kael blinked and cleaned his sunglasses. "Am I seeing things? Are there teen versions of us walking past just now?"
I chuckled. "I think those two might be some of Deros's new friends."
Kael leaned back on his chair and chuckled. "I see. Interesting. Wait, what exactly has that boy been up to?"
I raised a finger to my mouth. "He didn't really elaborate much."
He glanced at our alternate universe selves. "Think they might know?"
I blinked. "Eh? You want to talk to them? You sure that's a good idea?"
He snickered. "Sure! Why not?"
I sighed. "Won't that cause issues? I mean, isn't meeting a parallel world self some big event?"
He hummed. "Is it?"
I sighed, shaking my head at Kael's nonchalant attitude. "Well, it might be."
My husband smirkrd. "We won't know for sure unless we try, right? Let's approach them carefully."
We both stood up and started walking towards the pair. As we got closer, I could see the striking resemblance. They really did look like younger versions of us. The boy had Kael's blond hair and confident posture, while the girl had my eyes and a similar aura of determination.
"Excuse me," I called out gently, not wanting to startle them. "Hello there."
The two teens stopped and turned to face us, their expressions curious but cautious. The boy's eyes widened.
"Eh? Who cloned us!" he yelled, jumping back.
The alternate me sighed. "I think these two might be Deros's grandparents, Arare," she said.
"Oh. I knew that!"
I chuckled, amused by their reaction. "Yes, we're Deros's grandparents. I'm Lyrica, and this is Kael. It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Arare composed himself, a sheepish grin replacing his surprise. "Nice to meet you. I'm Arare, and this is my friend, Lia."
Lia gave a polite nod, her gaze curious. "Deros mentioned you both. He spoke very fondly of you."
I smiled warmly. "We feel the same about him. He's grown into quite the remarkable young man. We're grateful to have such capable friends like you helping him."
Arare puffed up a bit, clearly pleased with the compliment. "Well, we try our best. Deros is a good friend. We're all in this together."
"So, how exactly did you meet Deros?" I asked.
"He crash landed on my planet with Varia and Vyran. He was brought into the underground town I call home."
Lia crossed her arms. "Underground town? No wonder we failed to find your rebels."
Arare turned to look at her and gulped.
Were the two originally enemies?
"I met Deros at the Space Force Academy," a black-haired boy called out.
"Who might you be?" I asked.
"I'm Vyran. A friend of your grandson. I can tell you about the situation on your home world if you would like."
I smiled at him. "Thanks, that would be greatly appreciated. The more we can understand the situation, the better."