Chapter 5

The twin suns over Minamo's northern district gleam off crystalline towers, casting pink-and-aqua refractions across the café windows. Somewhere near the city’s canal ring, laughter drifts from a quiet table beside a fountain that sings in fluent elemental tongues.

Lily sips at her taro bubble tea, swirling the pastel pearls lazily with the straw. Her glasses are fogged a little from the temperature difference outside.

Lily:
Okay, okay—but you didn’t have to trip that guy with your shadows. He was just trying to flirt.

Sanguinella, across from her, shrugs innocently. Her crimson eyes sparkle with mischief behind her half-masked bangs.

Sanguinella:
He called you "Queen Darkness."
And winked.
That’s a crime in three districts.

Lily:
He was clearly a theatre kid trying to be edgy!

Sanguinella
All the more reason to prevent a tragedy.

They both burst into laughter. A waitress, slightly nervous at serving royalty and the heir of a Captain, gives them their mochi plate and hurries off.

Lily picks up a small pink rice cake and chews quietly for a moment, then leans forward.

Lily
You know... it’s kinda weird.
I don’t think I’ve ever really hung out like this before. Like, just... like normal people.

Sanguinella
You mean without celestial rituals, arcane trials, or Primordial fragments involved?

Lily
Exactly.

Sanguinella leans her head on one hand, looking across the square where kids chase floating koi-spirits between tiles.

Sanguinella
It’s nice.
Feels... slower than I expected.
In a good way.

Lily smiles faintly, then checks the time on her phone.

Lily
We’ve still got a few hours before curfew. Wanna hit the arcade?

Sanguinella
Only if we duel in FATE FIGHTERS IX: RANSEN’S RISING. I’ve been practicing.

Lily
You’re going down, little blood fang.

Sanguinella
That’s "Crimson Princess of Parry" to you.

They pay their tab and head off toward the arcade district, walking side-by-side. Every now and then, someone turns to wave or gasp, but the girls ignore it. Today, they’re not titles. Not the Universal Princess. Not the heir of the Blood Guard.

Just Lily and Sanguinella.

As they approach the game plaza, Sanguinella glances over, serious for just a moment.

Sanguinella
Hey...
Thanks for inviting me again.
I’m usually not allowed to just... be a teen.

Lily
Yeah. Same.
It’s hard being the strongest girl in the universe when all you wanna do is eat sweet things and drive badly.

Sanguinella
You do drive badly.

Lily
I passed!

Sanguinella
Barely.

Lily
A pass is a pass!

They laugh again, vanishing into the glowing arcade entrance as battle music and digital koi lights swirl around them.