Boreas POV
I stood in the living room of the house Henry and I had rented for tonight, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling inside me. Everything was set up perfectly, the tables were arranged, the decorations hung just right, and the delicious smell of the catered food filled the air. Henry was pacing near the kitchen, checking his phone every few minutes. Theo and Laurel joined me since they had nothing to do anyway, and so if it goes well, they just want to learn more about the people of this world.
"Hey," I said, trying to sound casual as I leaned against the doorway, I didn't want him to pick up on it, "You think they're almost here?"
"Yeah, they should be rolling in an hour or two. Don't worry, everything's going to be great."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach. These were people I hadn't seen in years.
"Do you think they'll remember all the stuff we did?" I asked.
"Probably some things better than others, but I'm sure they'll be happy to see you."
"Yeah, maybe. What if they don’t believe me? I mean, it’s not every day someone says, 'Hey, I was reincarnated and found my way back from another world.' It sounds... insane."
"You shouldn’t be that nervous. Just be yourself...or whoever you were before all this." Mari chimed in, "Besides if you could handle everything you’ve faced so far, what’s a little reunion with old friends?"
3rd Person POV
Back at the empire of Lightfall, in the redlight district, Sasha Lightfoot(the informant from chapter 17) made her way through the narrow, dimly lit streets of the red-light district, usually she didn't leave her base, however, today was different as she needed to be somewhere. She approached a particular bar that stood out from the rest. Its sign was subtle, almost too subtle for the area, but Sasha knew it well.
She slipped inside, the scent of smoke and alcohol immediately hitting her. The dim lighting cast shadows across the room, making it difficult to see clearly, but Sasha’s eyes were trained to pick up on the smallest details. There, in a corner booth, George had a glass of beer in his hand. He looked relaxed, at ease, as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
George Lightfoot, known to a few as the Velvet Falcon, was her elder brother. There, in a corner booth, George had a glass of something amber-colored in his hand. He looked relaxed, at ease, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Sasha approached the booth. George looked up, a smirk forming on his lips as he saw her.
"Well, well, if it isn’t my dear sister, what brings you to my humble abode?" he greeted her
Cut the crap, brother,” Sasha said, her voice firm. “We don’t have time for your games.”
"Always so serious, aren’t you? Why can't I receive the friendly treatment like the others...Fine, let’s skip the pleasantries. What do you want?"
"I want to know what you’re doing here and don’t give me the runaround. We both know you’re not here for fun."
"You always were too smart for your own good," he muttered before placing his drink down, "Alright, then. I’m here on business. The boss has called for us. It’s going to start."
"And what about your progress? Are we ready?"
"I keep forgetting that you also got promoted...visit the base a bit more."
"Why should I? Only you and the boss are there."
"Everything’s in place. We’ve been working on this for years, and now it’s all coming together. The boss has big plans, and we’re going to be right in the middle of it. Jared returned alone though, the guys he brought with him all died spectacularly."
"Oh, so the heroes were there?"
"Yeah, you met one of them before...Boreas."
"Didn't you recruit him?"
"I know, but that's on the boss' orders, I can't trust a hero like that."
Good. But remember, we can’t afford any mistakes. Not now.”
"Don’t worry, sister. We’re too far along to mess this up now. You just keep doing your part, and we’ll be unstoppable...Come on. The boss is waiting."
Boreas POV
I'm currently hiding in a room, looking at Henry and Sister Francine talking with everyone and greeting them while hinting about a surprise.
From where I was, I could see Henry mingling with the group, his easy smile putting everyone at ease. They had no idea what was about to happen, no clue that the surprise Henry had been hinting at all evening was me. It was strange, really, standing here like some sort of ghost from the past, about to walk back into their lives. I could hear snippets of their conversation...old jokes, laughter, stories about what had happened over the years.
"I don't know why you're so nervous." Isabella said, "Be yourself and you'll be fine."
Just gotta walk in there and say, ‘Hey, guys, remember me? The one who used to drag you into all sorts of trouble? Yeah, I’m back, and by the way, I’ve got a few things to explain.’ No big deal, right? But even as I said it, I couldn’t shake the nerves. It was one thing to plan it out in my head, and another to actually step into that room and see their faces when they realized who I was.
"If you can do this, I'll help you go on a date with the headmaster." Isabella offered
"Uh, hello, there's a thing I possess called consent." Laurel interjected
"And I'm the queen?"
"Tch...you can't just force me on a date."
"Yes, I can."
"Damn."
"Who said I'd want her for the date." I chimed in, "I'd prefer you or Mari."
"Oh, I'm so going to strangle you after this." Laurel retorted
"Sorry, but I'm not into that kind of stuff, but if it brings you joy, I'll entertain you."
"Boreas, your turn, you're about to be introduced." Sister Francine said as she got into the room
"Alright, thank you."
Okay, let's do this.
