Mysterious Duo - 1

Perched on the edge of a cliff, a boy with hair purple hair and eyes that resembled swirling, iridescent galaxies gazed into the distance. Each iris held a mesmerizing blend of colors, akin to celestial nebulae, slowly seeming to swirl around.

"You didn't bring it,"

He sighed with exasperation, as if the weight of the universe rested on his shoulders.

Beside him stood a girl with vivid blue locks and eyes that held the mysteries of the cosmos. She peered down at the vibrant jungle below the cliff, a colorful landscape reminiscent of an alien world, though it was unmistakably Earth.

"Frustrating, isn't it? Where are we even supposed to find that thing?"

The boy lamented dramatically, collapsing onto the ground like an ocean diva in despair. He closed his eyes, as if hoping to awaken from this nightmare.

"Haha… we really are in a tight spot, huh?"

The girl, whose name was Nova Clon, plopped down beside him, giving Deen a bemused look.

"Come on, Deen, you're supposed to be our motivation... Well, never mind, then."

Deen, who seemed eternally stuck in a perpetual state of confusion, stretched and cracked his bones with a heavy sigh.

"Can't we continue the search tomorrow? We've explored three quarters of Earth, after all."

Nova shot him a dissatisfied glance but extended her hand, surprising him. Deen hesitated but took it, and Nova pulled him into the air. Soon, they were soaring towards Rome, Deen's expression a mix of cosmic annoyance and confusion.

"Tch, why did you throw me? Do you even know where to look?"

Deen grumbled.

Nova, now flying at a brisk pace, responded with urgency,

"Just focus, Deen! If any do-gooders catch us, we're toast! And don't bring up our Cosmic Energy Circuits, alright? We messed up big time, and it's on us to fix this."

"I never said anything about that."

Their argument continued as they flew, and after what felt like ages (but was probably just a few minutes), they arrived above the city of Rome. It was the 29th century, yet the city lacked towering skyscrapers, and its population seemed smaller than the guest list at a cocktail party, probably 100 thousand at most.

The duo descended, entering the city unnoticed in the cover of night. Nova, the navigational guru, led the way, her path full of unexpected twists that left Deen bewildered.

"So, Nova, where are we even going?" Deen asked, his tone oozing confusion.

"We need a place to crash for the night; we can't sleep under the stars," Nova explained, making a sharp turn for reasons known only to her.

"I knew you were just wandering…."

"I said shush!" Nova interrupted with determination. "Besides, Rome might have ancient artifacts to help us recharge."

Deen gave her a look but surrendered with a shrug and continued following her. They eventually located a hotel, negotiated a room, and with some money in their bank account, they didn't need to worry about finances.

Later in their room, Deen counted the gridlines on the ceiling as if solving a puzzle.

"213… 213,"

He mumbled, while Nova, fresh from a shower, dressed without caring about his presence. The clock on the wall pointed to around 10 in the evening, and the view of Rome from the small second-floor apartment was surprisingly unobstructed, thanks to the city's lack of towering skyscrapers.

Nova gazed at the city lights below, seemingly appreciating Rome's charm. She turned to find Deen snoring like a cosmic symphony of snores. She shook her head, amused by the absurdity of it all, and continued to enjoy the view. The two weren't actual humans, not yet anymore. Their bodies didn't require sleep.

Memories from their past flashed momentarily in her mind. Dark and unpleasant memories. Memories she'd rather never recall or never had happened.

In the memories, her face was drenched in furry and Deen floated beside her his expression bereft of emotions. Around them were total chaos, they were surrounded by planets and stars disintegrating into cosmic dust, others popping like balloons.

In her memory, Deen looked at Nova with a face full of despair.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't choose what was best," he said.

Just as they were about to be engulfed by the chaos, a brilliant light bathed them.

Nova snapped back to reality, a bead of sweat falling from her cheek.

"I'm sorry too,"

she whispered to the slumbering Deen, feeling like they were characters in a comedy where the universe had a bad sense of humor. She made an suggestive smile and walked back to the bed.

Slowing she slid under the shits and slowly closed her purply eyes and went to sleep.

And so, the day finally came to a close, leaving the night with unsatisfied.