{Author's Note: If you guys get the references in their conversation... You guys are awesome.}
Salvador | 2 Days After the Chronus'Gaze | 2501
Currently, our young man with a beautiful natural jewel on his forehead was walking through a residential neighborhood, stopping in front of a door with a bag in his hands.
Sirius rang the doorbell three times, waiting for someone to answer. As soon as he heard footsteps, he mentally prepared for an act that people in this century weren't so accustomed to: door-to-door sales.
Of course, the young man's goal wasn't actually to sell anything but rather to stall the woman as long as possible to prevent her from noticing her house being searched.
Over the past few days, the Brazilian and Hirofumi had stalked the automated cleaning manager to figure out where she kept the access key. It had been difficult, but they discovered that she kept the key in her mouth, inside a bioplastic bag, and placed it in a safe in the kitchen when she got home. Finding the exact location of the safe would be tricky, so they needed distractions to keep her occupied for a significant amount of time.
While Sirius distracted Marriah at the door, Hirofumi would quietly enter the house and search for the safe, using a gadget to open it quickly. The young Brazilian felt a bit guilty for having hacked into a theme park's network and giving a "promotion" to an adult and two kids—a retrospectively specific move.
The house's design helped a bit, as the front door led directly to the main room, which had a dividing wall with the kitchen, blocking the view of anyone in the kitchen. It was perfect for their plan.
"Hello, ma'am. Have you heard of the new Al-hius product? It's an amazing product that just arrived in our solar system a few weeks ago." Sirius was dying inside as he pretended to be a door-to-door salesman, but he had to contain himself so the blood wouldn't rush to his cheeks and give him away.
While the young man was socially dying at the woman's doorstep, on the other side of the house, Naobito opened a window to sneak in. Walking as quietly as he could, he scanned the area with his eyes, looking for places where a safe might be hidden.
(Not the microwave, not the stove, not the dishwasher, not the shelves...) Looking around, he noticed a large painting on the dividing wall. (You wouldn't, would you?) A small bead of sweat rolled down his face as the Japanese man touched the painting, which disappeared to reveal only a smooth wall.
Struggling to find a good place to hide something so important, he realized it might be in the floor. Examining the floor, he noticed a single tile that looked different, but since it seemed too obvious, he touched the spot beside it and gave it a small tap to feel the vibration.
(It's hollow!) Knowing he'd found it, he pulled out a small rectangular device with a tiny metal rod.
When the Asian turned on the device, the rod turned green and emitted a small pulse that disabled the camouflage and unlocked the safe. Without hesitation, Naobito retrieved something resembling a flash drive. Hearing the woman close the door, he quickly reactivated the camouflage and left the house unnoticed.
"I'm not interested; beat it!" she said, almost closing the door but was interrupted by Sirius placing his hand in the way.
"Ow!" The boy let out a rather feminine cry.
(Damn!) Given the urgency, the Japanese fly moved quickly toward the exit but doubted he'd make it in time. His mind began to race with solutions, considering the conditions of his power. He activated a technique he'd been working on for some time: semi-transmutation.
His eyes became a blend of red and green, with some veins thickening across his body.
He could only maintain this for five seconds.
And if he snapped his fingers, it would make a sound.
(To jump through time, I need a snapping sound. But does it have to be from my hand? Snap!) Suddenly, he found himself outside the house, a step away from the window. However, an excruciating pain shot through his arms.
Looking at them, he saw massive cracks glowing blue and had to suppress a scream of pain. With difficulty, he closed the window and fled the area.
When he reached an isolated street, he vomited a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground, hyperventilating.
(Guess I can't do that too often…)
A Few Minutes Later
Sirius and Hirofumi were now carrying out the easiest part of the plan: breaking into the CEO's office and preparing an escape route.
What was the route? The plasma trash incinerator system, which Sirius would deactivate before their escape through a quick hack into the building's systems.
(Who was the idiot who thought of this? Plasma for incinerating trash?! The electricity bill for this place must be bigger than a T-Rex's poop!) Sirius thought, indignantly.
When they both reached the CEO's office and accessed the files, they were extremely unsettled by what they found.
A project funded by Betelgeuse involved genetic alterations on a subatomic level.
The evidence of the entire experiment was in their hands, but since the company's owner remained unknown, there was no information about them here.
The experiment itself?
It was essentially a compound that could be added to any medication or treatment, using a person's weaknesses and illnesses to create powers. Depending on the dose, these powers could either turn them into brainwashed super-soldiers or simply Kaijins.
The plan was to include this compound in all the company's medications, and when the drugs were distributed worldwide, the compound would be activated at the press of a button, triggering a global transformation.
Ordinary people, including children and the elderly, would become nothing more than soulless, mindless slaves to a mega-corporation.
Finding nothing else useful aside from other drug projects, Sirius transferred everything to his Dermadata, along with some company projects that caught his interest.
They left unnoticed, sliding down the trash incinerator and escaping through a hole Hirofumi had made.
One thing was certain: they had to expose this as soon as possible, and Naobito had already sent their findings to his adoptive father.
The days of the two companies were numbered.
Jair Lulonaro's Pastel Shop | Hours Later | Gaze of Cronus
They both tried their respective snacks. Honestly? Pastels were one of their favorite foods. Sirius, as usual, was drinking a Hawk Soda, and Hirofumi? A whey shake flavored with truffle mint chocolate made from the milk of an artificial elemental cow that had existed in nature for a century—specifically, the kind whose milk was naturally chocolaty thanks to the cocoa inside it.
"Incredible... The only change to the plan is me not collecting extreme personal info? Seriously?" Sirius asked, irritated, his mouth full of pastry.
"Sokayo, yes! You want to be a hero, right?" Naobito replied, sipping his mint whey milkshake.
"Of course, dammit!" Sirius shouted, his mouth full of Hawk Soda and pastel bits, loving the taste as he mixed food and drink.
(Hawk Soda, feel alive, Ride the wave, take the dive! Hawk Soda, rock your day! Tamarind power, it's the only way!) Sirius had memorized the drink's jingle, even falling asleep to it.
"Then don't act like a villain from The Fat Chinese: Double Dose. It makes you seem like you're planning an assassination. And that's not even the best series in the franchise!" Naobito
"We've talked about this. Double Dose captures the essence way better than Chinese Gluttony!" Sirius
"With that art style?" Naobito
"Not an excuse!" Sirius
"That lost media episode's okay, but the whole series? Get outta here!" Naobito
"Man, the real trash is The Fat Chinese and Micro Wolf: New Adventures! That thing's awful." Sirius
"Hah! Agreed. Nighttime episodes don't make a show mature." Naobito
"At least it's unanimous the third season improves the series a lot?" Sirius
"Yes." Naobito
They smiled and did their handshake, clapping their palms together, bumping fists, and mimicking finger-gun shooting.
"Thanks a lot for the help you've been giving me. First the academy, now the invas—heroic info gathering."
"Call it a privacy invasion; that's what it is," he said playfully, finishing his pastry and shake.
"Hah. Thought you'd be like, 'It's not a privacy invasion if the door's open,' like in those cheesy movies." Sirius said, relieved.
"Where'd you see that? Fat Chinese: Gluttonolution?" Naobito asked, raising an eyebrow.
"First of all, trash movie, and second, yes. Taco del Chile Rojo says that in the movie."
"Never got why they only gave her one red streak." Hirofumi looked frustrated about wasting money on such garbage—his childhood waifu deserved better!
"Or the blond Micro Wolf!" Sirius said, pointing.
"Especially that. Seeing they were in a desert with familiar dubbing almost made me leave the theater!" he said, finishing his shake.
After some silence, Sirius became reflective and asked Hirofumi a question.
"Cereal... you give your all for your dream, don't you?"
"Without a doubt! Once I got out of inertia, I work every day to be my best self because I know you don't get anywhere without effort. It's not like some miracle process will happen when I get the chance I've always wanted."
Renovas, in a moment of clarity, finally understood where he'd gone wrong with what he'd said to his best friend.
(That's it—I was waiting for a chance to start instead of putting in effort before it. At that moment, I basically said that if the academy rejected me, I'd become a complete slacker…) Sirius realized the error of his ways.
Hirofumi seemed to grasp why Sirius asked.
"Honestly, I'm an idiot. I've never done anything important; I've always been too caught up in my own pain and only worked hard enough to stay lazy... I don't deserve your attention or—" He was interrupted by a smack on the back of the head.
Hirofumi grabbed him by the shoulder, pressing a finger to his chest, right over his heart.
"You're none of that," the Japanese boy said with a radiant smile as Sirius looked on. "You're my friend!"
Sirius' eyes widened... surely, Hirofumi must be an angel, a new messiah sent to Earth by the Father.
"We… just met recently. Why would you—?"
"Friend's a friend! Screw the time!" Naobito replied with a bright smile.
"Huh?! You can't just… I mean, like! That's confu—!" He got another smack.
"Don't reject my friendship. I've decided you're my friend, end of story!" He crossed his arms and smiled even wider.
At that moment, Sirius felt he had found something beyond mere friendship. He had found the man who, for the rest of his life, would be the one he most admired and the inspiration to become much more than he had ever imagined.
{CA/N: Did he find love? Oh, wait, not that kind of story… Forget it! FORGET IT! FORGE-}
After that day, Sirius and Hirofumi made this a weekly routine.
And these moments would be remembered with much deeper affection than they should in the future.
.- --. --- .-. .- / / -.-. --- -- / ...- --- -.-. /
To be continued…
{Author's Note: No, they won't become a gay couple -_-'}