The neon glow of the arcade reflected off the glossy surface of the racing cabinet, casting a faint shimmer over Lila's hands as she gripped the steering wheel. Her car, a sleek red model with aggressive curves, tore down the digital highway, engine roaring.
Rowan's car, a deep midnight blue, loomed just behind her—not passing, not falling back, just pacing.
Lila knew what she was doing. Rowan could have overtaken her three corners ago if she wanted. She wasn't playing to win. She was giving Lila a handicap.
Lila narrowed her eyes, refusing to let it bother her. If Rowan wanted to play nice, then she'd make her regret it.
She drifted into the next turn, tires screeching in protest as she cut the curve as tight as possible—
Too tight.
The rear end of her car clipped the inside wall, momentum twisting her into an uncontrollable spin. The screen flashed CRITICAL DAMAGE in bold red letters as her car slammed into the guardrail with an explosion of sparks.
"Goddamn it," Lila muttered, gripping the wheel tighter as she watched Rowan's car glide past, untouched.
Rowan barely reacted, her voice light, amused. "You keep slamming the brakes like that, and you're gonna get yourself killed."
Lila exhaled sharply, twisting the wheel back and forth as if she could will her car back onto the road faster. "Yeah? Maybe you should eat asphalt," she shot back, angling her front bumper just in time to ram into Rowan's side.
Rowan's car skidded, but the traction held. She recovered almost instantly, letting out a soft laugh. "Wow. Adorable."
Lila clicked her tongue in annoyance, tapping the gas pedal frantically to regain speed. She was losing time.
Rowan, still effortlessly ahead, leaned her elbow against the side of the cabinet like this was the easiest thing in the world.
"You always drive like this?" Rowan mused. "All heart, no patience?"
Lila didn't answer—not because Rowan was wrong, but because Aiden's voice was still ringing in her head.
---
"I feel like I'm slipping," Aiden had said.
Lila's fingers had curled tightly around the phone. She had never heard him sound so—
Not afraid. Not lost.
Resigned.
"You're not," she had told him, her voice steady, despite the way her chest ached.
But he hadn't argued with her. Not the way he used to.
That's what scared her.
"Lila… if I lose myself—"
"You won't."
There was silence on the other end. She could hear Garrison in the background, pacing, barking orders.
"Aiden!" Garrison's voice cut through the static. "We don't have time for this—get your ass back here."
Aiden had let out a slow breath. Then, quietly, almost as if saying it out loud would make it untrue—
"You always know what to say, don't you?"
Lila swallowed past the knot in her throat. "I'll see you soon."
Aiden's voice had softened. "Yeah. An hour."
---
The race timer blared as Lila's car swerved again—too late.
Her car slammed into a concrete barrier, causing her screen to go black with a brutal GAME OVER.
Rowan's car crossed the finish line three seconds later, the screen flashing NEW RECORD.
Lila blinked, dazed.
"Where'd you go just now?" Rowan's voice was softer now, no teasing edge.
Lila's fingers twitched against the wheel. She hadn't even realized she'd zoned out.
Rowan studied her for a second, then casually checked her watch.
"Time's up." She tapped the screen. "They'll be here soon."
Lila let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
Then, without another word, she pushed off the cabinet and followed Rowan toward the exit.
The shadow cat purred, its small, inky form curled against Marisol's side. Its tail flicked in slow, rhythmic motions, a silent lullaby, as if trying to coax her back into sleep.
But Marisol was already awake.
She had been for a while now—listening.
From across the room, voices clashed—Mephisto and Eri.
"I told you already," Eri's voice was sharp, frustration threading through each word. "This timeline isn't the place for that."
A pause. Then, colder— "You are testing my patience."
Mephisto chuckled. "Am I?"
"Making more servants, sending them out like this is the Otherworld—how do you even know you have them under control here?"
Mephisto's voice was lazy, amused. "I don't."
A brittle silence filled the space.
The wooden beams groaned as roots twisted through them, tightening like a vice.
Eri's voice dropped into something quieter, more lethal. "If you would take this seriously, we wouldn't be in this mess."
A longer pause.
Then, Mephisto's voice came, smooth, deliberate.
"Remind me, dear—how many days before Aiden dies?"
The air stilled.
Marisol's mind flashed to the kind man at dinner—her stepfather's friend. Aiden. The one who smiled at her like she mattered. What did they mean, two nights?
"…Two nights," Eri admitted, the words heavy, final.
Silence.
Mephisto exhaled. "Right. Two nights. Then after that… what? How long before our dear Marisol comes into her full power? Two, three years?"
Marisol held her breath.
Two nights.
Mephisto continued, mocking, amused. "And in that time, she's going to need food. She's going to need protection. And tell me, how do you expect to blend into this world when you stand out like a sore thumb?"
A sharp creak cut through the tension—the wooden floorboards strained beneath Eri's power.
"Watch your tone, Enforcer," she warned.
Mephisto hummed, unfazed. "I mean no offense." He tilted his head, almost grinning. "But perhaps you should be thanking me. Your loyal subject, no? I'm simply putting my talents to good use."
A long, tense silence.
Then—Eri exhaled. "You've done well."
Mephisto's smile widened, but Eri's voice turned sharp once more, cold and absolute.
"But let's be clear." Her eyes darkened. "If anything stands in Marisol's way— I will be the one to remove it. No matter who it is."
A beat of silence.
Then—a sound.
A small shift.
Marisol realized, too late, that her leg had moved ever so slightly.
The faint rustle of rocks and loose debris had caught both of their attention.
Eri's head snapped toward her.
Marisol forced herself to stay relaxed. Then—she opened her eyes slowly, stretching as if she had just stirred. The shadow cat bumped its head against her arm, a silent warning.
She ignored it.
Eri's gaze pierced into her. "How much did you hear?"
Marisol sat up, scooping the cat into her arms. The small creature rumbled softly, purring again as she stroked its fur.
"Everything."
Mephisto chuckled. "Honest, isn't she?"
Marisol met his gaze, unreadable. "Yeah. And I'm hungry."
A beat of silence.
Then—Eri turned to Mephisto. "Put your servant to good use."
Mephisto sighed dramatically. "You heard her."
He snapped his fingers, and his servant—rose from his seat and wordlessly walked toward the door.
Mephisto gestured lazily. "Consider it done, my queen."
Eri didn't respond.
She was still watching Marisol.
Waiting for something.
Marisol just petted the cat, pretending she didn't feel the weight of their expectations.
The Mazda MR2 came to life, headlights streaking across the pavement. The morning rain had stopped, leaving the roads covered in water.
Mephisto's humble servant—reduced to a delivery driver.
The driver thumbed the radio dial. A burst of static—then, a melody. Low, hazy, sinking into the still-waking city.
"My ship went down in a sea of sound, When I woke up alone, I had everything
A handful of moments, I wished I could change
And a tongue like a nightmare that cut like a blade…"
(All Time Low – Therapy)
The driver smirked.
How fitting.
As the Mazda pulled out of the lot, two figures waited outside the arcade.
Lila sat on a patch of dry curb, unwrapping a pack of sour gummies, popping one into her mouth before offering the bag to Rowan.
Rowan took one, but her eyes were locked on the road.
The streetlights had flickered off an hour ago, but the sky still clung to the gray remains of the storm.
A pigeon flapped into a puddle, shaking rain from its feathers.
Then—headlights appeared.
A car approaching.
Rowan let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "There."
Lila pulled herself up, brushing her hands off on her jeans.
Her heart wasn't racing, but something in her gut felt off.
Aiden was finally here.
But something told her—things wouldn't feel right again after tonight.