We move inside a dark room, with no light except for the glow of several large monitors on the walls. The dim illumination reveals metallic walls, screws haphazardly placed, and blinking lights in various colors. It resembles a mechanical chamber of sorts.
At the back of the room, someone is seated: a man whose silhouette is visible, perched on what looks like a throne, leaning on his fist.
In front of him stands Bredgy, bowing her head. She appears nervous.
"So, you failed to steal Geal's Crystal?" the man asks, his voice deep and dry.
"I'm sorry, sir. She's… very stubborn," Bredgy replies, avoiding eye contact, her embarrassment evident.
The man rises and steps out of the shadows slowly. A spotlight gradually illuminates him from his chest to his face, revealing none other than Dubh, the CEO of Curie Industries. Hands clasped behind his back and brows furrowed, he scolds Bredgy.
"You know the consequences of failing a mission, don't you? If you were like the others, I'd have killed you already…" he clarifies.
Unsure how to respond, Bredgy remains silent for a few seconds, guilt written all over her face.
"A-Am I going to be punished, sir?" she eventually asks, her voice trembling.
"No. I've devised a new plan for you."
"A new plan?" Bredgy looks up, relieved it isn't something harsher. The screens around the room display footage of the battle between Geal and Bredgy.
"I saw your fight with her. In the end, she pitied you and spared your life. She has a big heart; we'll take advantage of that…" Dubh murmurs, his eyes fixed on a monitor.
"Huh? How?" Bredgy asks, confused.
"Go to her again. Befriend her, earn her trust, and help her if necessary. Then, when she lets her guard down, you'll steal her Crystal for me," he orders, his eyes eerily unsettling in the dim light.
Bredgy lowers her gaze, visibly uncomfortable with the plan, but she knows she has no choice but to obey.
Unexpectedly, Dubh steps closer and gently strokes her head. Bredgy freezes at first, but the touch inexplicably soothes her, calming her nerves.
"You are the most important member of this organization, Bredgy. It would be a shame to have to discard you," Dubh says in a tone more sinister than comforting. "The future of the Land of the Gem depends on this. I only ask for your help with this mission. Will you do it for me?"
"Y-Yes, sir," Bredgy agrees.
"I'm glad you understand." He forces a smile. "Now, go to her. Apologize for attacking her and accompany her on her journey. Remember, she mustn't suspect your true intentions. Is that clear?"
"Understood, sir."
The young woman leaves the room through the only door. The CEO's gaze shifts back to the monitors surrounding him. His expression is unreadable; he simply sits there.
"Bredgy failed the first mission, but she's still useful. Given her youth and innocence, this plan suits her perfectly. No matter the method, I'll get what I want," he muses, smiling darkly this time. "Soon, the world will tremble when it learns who the R.M. are!"
*
Back in the bustling streets of the capital, now alive with activity under the daylight, Geal walks amidst the crowd, stretching and yawning. She looks refreshed and energetic once more, with a few bandages covering her wounds. Uruta sits perched on her head as usual.
"Ahhh… That was such a good sleep! I feel like new," she says with a satisfied smile, massaging her shoulder.
"We slept in that alley for an entire day! We're lucky the cops didn't kick us out or that some thug didn't rob us," Uruta grumbles, clearly having slept poorly.
"Look on the bright side. Now we have energy to head to Paintbrush Village, don't we? How about we go now?" she suggests.
"You're so impatient! I need to clean my wings first," Uruta snaps, shaking his head. "You should take a bath too."
Geal puffs out her right cheek in protest. Eighteen years old, and she's still unconvinced of the need to bathe daily.
As our heroes make their way through the bustling crowd, Bredgy is following them. She hides behind a post, peeking cautiously without exposing herself too much. She weaves through the throng, doing her best to remain unseen.
Slipping into the mouth of an alley, she watches Geal pass by. She wants to approach her but doesn't know how. Nervously, she fidgets with her fingers, staring at the ground, deep in thought. This is all new to her.
"I told Mr. Dubh I could handle this mission, but…" she blushes, her lips curling slightly. "I've never made friends before. How do I even start? What do I say?"
Bredgy closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly to calm herself. Confidence washes over her face as she clenches her fists, though she still trembles and sweats.
"Okay! The future of the R.M. depends on this mission! I'll talk to her…"
While cleaning his wings with his beak, Uruta spots Bredgy's three horns peeking from the alley. He jumps slightly and alerts Geal.
"Wait, Geal, the punk girl is following us!"
"Are you sure…?" Geal asks, turning immediately.
Our heroine spins around at once. Bredgy, realizing she's been spotted, ducks back into hiding. But it's too late; they've already seen her.
"She's back for revenge! I told you, I told you!" Uruta exclaims nervously.
Geal stops deliberately, her gaze fixed on Bredgy in the alley. She raises an eyebrow.
"Hello?" Geal calls out.
Knowing she's been discovered, Bredgy steps out of hiding. Her movements are robotic, her entire body trembling and drenched in sweat. She stands stiffly, her face bright red.
For nearly a minute, she remains frozen, unable to speak from nerves. Geal watches silently, then whispers to Uruta.
"She doesn't seem like she wants to attack us. What should we do?"
"Ignore her. I want nothing to do with that weirdo. Let's leave before she tries something," Uruta suggests.
Unconvinced, Geal decides to ask directly.
"Do you need something?"
Bredgy jolts, clasping her hands near her chest and glancing around as if seeking help.
"Sh-She spoke to me… What do I do?" she thinks.
Somehow, Bredgy gathers the strength to calm herself. She fidgets shyly, her gothic appearance momentarily giving way to a sweet demeanor.
"I-I… um…" she murmurs, flustered.
"What do you want, punk girl? Do you want us to beat you up again?" Uruta snaps with his usual fire.
"No! I don't want to fight… I…" she lowers her voice, realizing she raised it. "I want to know if… I can travel with you."
Geal and Uruta exchange confused looks before turning back to Bredgy, stunned.
"What?" they say in unison.
"I-I want to travel with you…" Bredgy repeats, struggling to get the words out.
Geal and Uruta whisper to each other again.
"Do you think the hit I gave her yesterday scrambled her brain? She doesn't seem like herself," Uruta murmurs.
"I don't know, but I want to see what she's up to…"
Placing her hands on her hips, Geal fixes Bredgy with a stern gaze. The punk girl avoids eye contact, and our heroine tries to act tough.
"Why do you want to come with us?"
Unsure how to respond, Bredgy stays silent for a moment before finally mustering the courage to meet Geal's eyes.
"I-I want to be a Chosen One like you, Geal!" she says, feigning confidence.
Geal is taken aback. She lowers her guard, listening carefully.
"You want to be a Chosen One…? You?" Uruta scoffs, unconvinced.
"I know what I said before was cruel, but I was just following orders," Bredgy admits, her gaze dropping again. "I didn't really mean it. I said it to make you afraid of me."
She grows animated, speaking sincerely.
"But fighting you gave me the courage to leave my criminal life behind and chase my dream," she says, still avoiding eye contact but continuing her heartfelt tale. "I don't have to follow Mr. Du— I mean, a criminal leader's orders anymore. I can finally be myself."
Blushing again, Bredgy leans forward awkwardly, her body stiff with embarrassment. She extends a trembling hand toward Geal, summoning all her courage.
"W-W-Would you be my friend…?"
Geal remains silent for a moment.
"Bredgy, are you serious about what you're saying?" Geal asks.
The punk girl nods, still avoiding her gaze.
"Huh? Don't be ridiculous! Yesterday, you went on and on about how dreams are stupid, blah blah blah… You nearly killed Geal and me," Uruta asserts, fluttering into the air and showing his claws. "Go back where you came from, you psycho! We're not traveling with you."
"Wait, Uruta..." Geal steps in front of the bird, raising her hands. "She doesn't seem to be lying. I know what happened yesterday, but listening to what she says, maybe..."
"Don't be foolish, Geal! It could be a trap! Are you seriously thinking about becoming her friend?"
She doesn't know how to respond for a moment, but compassion quickly takes over.
"Well, I can't hate someone who wants the same thing I do. If Bredgy says she's finally free to pursue her dream, then I'll help her become a Chosen One like me!" Geal says, breaking into a smile. "You're traveling with me because you have a dream you want to achieve too, aren't you?"
Uruta knows he can't argue anymore. When Geal gets stubborn about something, it's useless to try and change her mind. Resigned, he flies up and perches on Geal's head again, wearing a look of supreme annoyance as he 'crosses' his wings.
"Fine! But if she tries anything crazy, I'll toss her off my back without a second thought," he warns.
"So… can I come with you?" Bredgy murmurs, still nervous but now more motivated.
"Of course you can!" Geal exclaims.
Geal quickly lunges at Bredgy, wrapping her in a tight hug. The punk girl stiffens like a board, paralyzed by embarrassment. She's not used to receiving hugs, after all.
"You're my first friend! Can I call you 'Gy-Gy'?" Geal says, genuinely happy.
"Ugh…!!!" Bredgy stammers, trying her best to squirm out of the hug. Too much affection makes her feel like she's melting.
And so, though it was a bit awkward at first, the plan worked perfectly. The friendship between Geal and Bredgy has officially begun on the right foot… or maybe the left? Who knows? Either way, it's an odd pairing.
*
Meanwhile, through a tiny drone equipped with a camera, Dubh watches the entire scene being transmitted to one of his monitors. Seated on his throne, his cheek resting on his fist, he allows a faint smile to cross his lips.
"Perfect. That was much easier than I thought. That Geal really is naive. Bredgy turned out to be quite effective for this mission," he says, his tone cold and sinister. "It will be interesting to see how my plan unfolds."