Chapter Text
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The sound of shouting and screaming of aliens echoed throughout the whole stage. After Mizi changed the missile’ direction it hit exactly into the Alien Stage. Engulfing it into flames.
Luka just stood there, staring at Hyuna's body that was getting increasingly cold by the second, for once, he stayed silent, grieving at the only thing that had him feeling human.
She should've listened to him, she should've stayed with him. He would have protected her, right? He would do anything to keep her alive, but now…. He can do nothing. All he could do was stare at that cold body.
The flames became wild, with a scary precision, it lashed onto him, making him go unconscious. The last thing he felt was floating somewhere in space, no oxygen, no movement. Just void.
Before suddenly, a voice echoed throughout his ears. He was unconscious, his body limp, so he couldn't move. And the voice was one of someone he had never heard before. Was it another Segyein?
“Let the experiment begin!” The voice said, and a small rift appeared in space, his thin body slid seamlessly through the rift, oxygen rushing back to his almost dead body, as he finally could open his eyes slowly, the whole place was red, the rift slowly closing.
His body once again moved on its own to leave the red space, falling into blue sky. He fell from between the clouds, landing squarely into the ocean.
He can still breathe, weird… he looked around, seeing different kinds of colorful sea creatures around, and a young person dressed in grey and black, wearing the sole sort of helmet.
The young person seemed to have noticed Luka and dove right to his side, pulling the limp body out of the water. Once outside, Luka finally took a deep breath, coughing some water he swallowed by accident.
His face was very beaten up, and the young person who saved him removed the helmet. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and some freckles over his nose. The young person helped Luka sit up.
“A-are you alright? I saw you sinking down… I… don't think you're a diver?” The boy said, a bit of shyness in his tone.
Luka stayed silent. He doesn't know what to say, what to think, where he was, and who this is. “You…. Are…?” He managed to ask
The boy quickly cleared his throat “o-oh! My name is Freminet! A diver from the house of the Hearth! You are..?” The boy was certainly quite shy.
Luka assumed that this house of Hearth is another signing school for pets, so he titled his head just slightly “I see. My name is Luka. From… Anakt Garden” he said slowly.
Freminet looked mildly confused “oh I never heard of that. Is it an orphanage from another region…? Oh! There's no need to answer… sorry….” He felt embarrassed asking these questions. “Anyways… you're soaked wet, and these clothes… ahem… aren't helping, you might catch a cold.”
Luka blinked “oh, okay.” He nodded. Freminet walked through the shore, making sure Luka was following. Luka looked around, surprised at this view. Did he end up in another Aliens territory? His owner is gonna get mad.. he instinctively bit the tip of his shirt sleeve.
Freminet lead him through the highs of Mont Esus East toward the Court of Fontaine Region. He kept adjusting the helmet under his arm. Trying to think of a conversation he can start with this strange kid.
“Uhm… well, Luka. You were drowning there, is there a reason you ended up there? Where is your guardian….?” His face heated slightly, embarrassed.
“I don't know. I don't remember. And my Owner… I don't know where he is.” Luka said, his purple fingertips holding into his sleeves.
Freminet notices Luka's visible ribs, his name slightly visible on his skin as if tattooed there, some scars of medical surgeries? More importantly, the boy had purple fingertips and kept biting his sleeve, a clear sign of hunger.
Freminet didn’t ask any more questions as they walked in silence, until they reached the Fontaine court, buzzing with activity, something Luka wasn't used to. Freminet noticed that and pulled the guy closer.
As they walked through Vasari Passage, they finally reached the Hotel Bouffes d'ete, and Freminet entered quietly. This was the main base of The House Of Hearth in Fontaine, so Father should be here.
Soon enough, they meet Arlechino who eyes Luka suspiciously “oh? And who is this kid beside you, Freminet?”
Freminet set his helmet down “I found him drowning in the shores near Fontaine Court.”
Arlechino raised a brow and glanced at Luka again, he was wearing some… questionable looking white clothes that revealed most of his upper body, what she focused on was how malnourished the kid was.
“What is your name, child?” She asked, not harshly, nor coldly, but firmly. Her voice cut through the air.
“Luka… from Anakt Garden” he answered, not looking her in the eye. Was she some kind of alien? No… she looked human in that black and white suit, but her strange eyes were threatening.
“Hmm, I never heard of an organization like that. Nonetheless. You may stay here for a while. Freminet, why don't you clean up our guest and feed him. I'll be having some work to do”
“Alright, Father.” Freminet nodded as Arlechino left.
Freminet let out a small breath he didn't realize he was holding once Arlecchino walked out of the parlor. He turned to Luka, offering a small, encouraging smile. "Father is... very busy, but she is fair. Come on, let's get you cleaned up. The bath is down this hall.”
Luka followed silently, his bare feet making faint pattering sounds against the polished wooden floor. His eyes darted to the tall windows, watching the unfamiliar Fontaine architecture outside. Everything was too bright. Too clean. No flashing stage lights, no heavy metal doors closing him in. It made his stomach twist with an anxious, hollow feeling
In the washroom, Freminet quickly set out a pile of clean, folded clothes and a large towel. "I'll leave these here. They might be a little big, but they're warm. Just... knock when you're done, okay?”
Luka didn't answer. He just stood there until the door clicked shut. Looking at the steaming water in the tub, he hesitated before slowly peeling off his ruined, waterlogged white top and tattered pants.
He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror—the dark bruise on his cheek from where Mizi beat him, the stark grey metal of his name etched into his skin, and the faint, pale lines of surgical scars along his torso. He rubbed his thumb over the name 'Luka' on his left hip, wondering if his owner would still be able to find him here.
After debating with himself, he lowered his body slowly into the warm water in the bathtub, the water easing the tension in his shoulders. He let out a soft sigh he never let out before, Hyuna…. Oh Hyuna…. I just want to see you….
After a while in the tub, he slowly rose, water sliding from his blonde hair to his foot. He grabbed the towel and slowly dried his hair, in a perfect motion, he was raised to be perfect, hadn't he….?
He slipped on the simple clothes Freminet had left him. It was just a loose, off-white linen shirt, a pair of dark, drawstring trousers and soft cloth slippers. He pulled these clothes on, before pulling on an extra coat Freminet kept him. The climate in this strange place was really cold after all.
He met Freminet in the hallway, who smiled warmly “you look wonderfully! Ahem…” he quickly looked away. That was awkward.
“Thank… you.” Luka managed to say as they walked down.
“Lyney and Lynette are here, they heard about you from Father— oh! Lyney and Lynette are twins, and… my older siblings you can say.” He clarified.
Oh… sibling? Like Hyuna and Hyunwoo…. Luka thoughts.
As they reached a big hall, it was full of children chatting, their clothes similar to what Luka was wearing right now, sitting at long tables and eating dinner happily. It looked like the dining halls in Anaket Garden, except instead of the white padded rooms it was a bit more colorful, with brown accents.
He sat down on one of the tables where Freminet told him to sit. A voice was heard behind him.
“Oh! This must be the new kid, not lying, he's not exactly what I expected.”
“Please lower your voice, brother”
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