CTS TIME RE250.09.04 — 09:15 AM
CENTRAL CITY — MECHATOPIA
The city pulsed around them like a living circuit. Infinite skyscrapers vanished into the stratosphere, their sides covered in shifting holographic ads—idols singing, android models selling chrome jewelry, neon text flowing like waterfalls. Drone-taxis zipped between layers of transparent sky-bridges. The air itself shimmered faintly with data currents, streams of coded light humming like fireflies across the urban expanse.
And amidst it all—two figures, walking side by side.
Their biomechanical layering gave them away if someone stared long enough. Under Luna's soft lavender blouse, faint wiring patterns glowed pink, like delicate veins of light. Her lilac eyes pulsed gently, in sync with her reactor, which was glowing bright pink. Every heartbeat betrayed her.
Valerian was different. His long coat covered most of his layering, but faint stormy-blue wiring still pulsed at the seams. His eyes glowed dimly, a cold lightning glow, while his chest reactor flickered—not stable, constantly shifting between green and red.
Luna stole glances at him. He didn't look nervous. He never did.
Valerian's voice cut through the humming city.
"We have Flame's image," he said flatly, tone almost merciless. "But he is a human child. If we ask directly, someone will suspect. So…" His eyes sharpened, reflecting the neon lights. "We build trust first. With androids. Humanoid robots. Detroits. Anyone who looks useful. Earn their confidence. And then…"
He lowered his tone, colder.
"At the end, when we're done… I'll tell them we're humans. And then I'll kill them."
Luna's steps faltered. She looked at him, eyes wide.
So merciless… he didn't even flinch saying it.
Her lips parted, but no words came. Her heart thumped, reactor glowing hotter, like it wanted to protest but couldn't.
She placed her hand over her life reactor, pressing against the faint hum. Even through the three-layer biomechanical suit, she could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat. Her cheeks flushed. She reached out—her fingers trembling—trying to catch his hand, to anchor herself in something real.
But Valerian moved ahead, not noticing, his coat brushing her fingertips as he stepped forward.
"Let's find a place to rest," he said coldly. "We need to discuss something."
What will he discuss…? Dating? Couples? Or just the mission…? Luna's mind spiraled, pink reactor glowing brighter.
They walked until they found a public park—a wide dome-shaped space where the steel jungle softened. Artificial trees swayed gently, their leaves glowing bioluminescent blue. Robot pets padded across the grass, leaping and barking in synthesized tones. Couples strolled along glowing pathways, hands intertwined. Some sat on benches, laughing softly, their life reactors pulsing together in rhythm.
It was too much for Luna's heart.
They sat on a bench, shoulders brushing. Valerian didn't look at her, but the faint contact made Luna's reactor flare—pink glow spilling faintly through her clothes. She tilted her head slightly, her cheeks crimson, but he remained like a statue.
"This is our second day here," Valerian said calmly, scanning the crowd with soldier's eyes. "For the next five or six days we behave normally. Like couples do. Dating. Visiting couples' zones. Blending in." His gaze narrowed. "But we gather information secretly. We don't ask about Flame directly. Not yet."
His words were clinical, devoid of softness.
Luna hesitated, her voice fragile. "Understood…"
Her mind spiraled out of control. Dating… couples… does that mean… kissing? Or holding hands? His forehead against mine…? Her face turned crimson, reactor glowing so bright she instinctively pressed her hands over it, trying to hide.
Just then, an android waiter approached, its chrome body polished to a mirror sheen. It held a tray with two metallic cans, condensation dripping from their sides. Its voice was melodic, like a music box.
"Complimentary nutrient juice," it chimed.
Luna's eyes widened. "N-no, we can't—"
But Valerian shook his head slightly. "Take it."
He picked one can without hesitation. His eyes flicked at her, sharp and commanding.
Luna hesitated before taking hers. The cold metal tingled in her palm, alien and dangerous. She knew they couldn't drink it. But pretending was survival.
"Let's move," Valerian said after a moment, standing with soldier's precision. "Hold the juice. It makes us blend in. Couples often walk with drinks. If we refuse, it'll stand out."
He said it like it was nothing. But for Luna, walking beside him, holding the can, her heart raced faster than ever. Couples… like dating. Like real.
They left the park. Around them, the Synthwave shifted—Memory Reboot bleeding into Interlink Combined Version. Heavenly, smooth, pulsing in time with the heartbeat of the entire city. Its notes wrapped around Luna's chest like a confession she couldn't voice.
Her reactor glowed so bright it hurt.
And yet, Valerian's stayed the same. A storm of green and red—half alive, half dead.
The metropolis roared around them, louder than before. Towering holo-billboards flickered with shifting ads—android celebrities in glittering chrome gowns, neon slogans selling "new firmware for better love," and massive rotating 3D projections of idols singing Synthwave ballads. Traffic streamed above their heads—glowing lines of hovercars darting in precision lanes, their sound drowned out by the pulse of city-core basslines.
The crowd grew denser. Androids with skin indistinguishable from humans. Detroit's with visible chrome plating walking alongside families of humanoid robots. Some of them carried pets—metallic cats with glowing tails or winged drones shaped like birds.
Luna gripped the can tightly. The condensation dripped onto her fingers, and she whispered, voice trembling
"W-what do I even do with this drink…?"
Valerian, his stormy-blue eyes reflecting the crowd, didn't even glance at her. His voice was calm, clinical:
"We'll throw it. Not now. Somewhere no one's watching."
His eyes tracked every movement around them, calculating paths, scanning. He continued:
"This case… it's like human trafficking. That's my first read. Human organs are rare here. Valuable. If Flame is alive, someone might be trying to harvest him or sell him."
Luna flinched at his tone—so merciless, like a machine. But part of her admired it. His sharpness. His ability to see angles she couldn't.
He thinks I fake my reactor glow… he never acknowledges me… When this mission ends, our paths will split. He'll walk away without looking back. So I'll just… stay beside him as long as possible. Even if it's fake for him, it's real for me.
Her heart thudded painfully, her reactor pulsing bright pink beneath her blouse.
They entered a dimmed sector—no glowing trees, no soothing Memory Reboot Synthwave. The music of the city dulled here, like the speakers were broken or intentionally muted. Neon signs were cracked, some flickering in and out. The smell was sharper, metallic.
Valerian discreetly tossed his can into a trash chute that swallowed it with a hiss. He kept walking forward, cold and precise.
Luna, still lost in thought, wasn't watching. She bumped into an android—his coat long, his face handsome but uncanny, eyes glowing green. Her can slipped, spilling liquid onto his clothing.
The android stopped talking to his companion. Both turned, their synthetic irises zooming on her.
Luna panicked, bowed her head slightly. "S-sorry!"
Valerian had already stepped ahead, scouting. He didn't notice at first.
One android smirked. His voice was smooth, artificial but layered with charm.
"Ah… a pretty one. You look lost. Haven't seen you in this sector before."
Luna swallowed, clutching her wristwatch. "I-I… I should go." She tried to step back.
But the second android grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer. His grip was firm—measured not to break, but strong enough to trap. Luna felt no pain, but her breath caught.
The second android's eyes scanned her instantly—red beams flickered over her body.
"Mk 1…? Interesting. That smooth purple tone. You look like one of the expensive ones… rich, delicate."
The first one leaned in, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. Mk 1… but in the wrong district. What's she doing here?"
Then his gaze flicked downward. The faint glow beneath her blouse. His voice darkened.
"Wait. Look at that… pink reactor. She's already taken. Belongs to someone."
The second android smirked, pulling her closer, hand inching toward her chest. "Doesn't matter. Let's exchange reactors anyway. Just one pull—"
Her reactor…! Luna's heart stopped. She froze, panic rising, unable to move.
Then a shadow fell over them. A hand clamped down on the android's wrist.
The android's synthetic joints creaked—his face twisted in sudden alarm. The grip tightened until sparks spat from his arm.
Valerian.
His stormy-blue eyes burned like lightning. His voice was low, cold, cutting:
"Stay. Away."
The android stumbled back, clutching his damaged arm. The other one stiffened, stepping between, scanning Valerian.
"So… you're her boyfriend." His tone was mocking, but there was fear in his systems. "Fine. Then you come with us. Both of you. Our club. Otherwise…"
His voice dropped, sharp. "You don't leave this street."
Valerian's jaw tightened. He glanced at Luna—her reactor glowing painfully bright pink, her eyes wide and trembling.
In his mind, he calculated: If they're connected to the underworld, this could lead us closer to Flame. Risky, but useful.
He looked back at the androids, face unreadable.
"…Fine."
Luna gasped softly. Why… why is he agreeing?
Valerian's hand slid into hers—not gently, but firmly, like an anchor. His grip was cold, steady.
Her breath hitched. Even through the layering… I feel it.
The android with the cracked arm smirked faintly as his servos repaired themselves. "Good. Follow."
They turned, leading the way into a narrow neon-lit alley, glowing graffiti of codes shifting on the walls.