The evening sun on Sela cast a tender, golden light across Gil Nothos's private garden. Dorian found the old maestro sitting on a terrace in a luxurious robe, sipping a Teebu, looking as if he hadn't just orchestrated the single biggest cultural event of the decade.
"Are you not drunk from last night?" Dorian asked, his own head still feeling a little fuzzy.
Gil chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "I have been to too many of those galas, child. It is cute to see newcomers stumble upon their first one. You provided some very good entertainment for us oldies last night."
"Ha ha," Dorian said dryly. "Thanks for not holding me back."
"A baby should stumble for it to learn how to walk," Gil said, taking a sip of his tea. "If not, it will try to run when it is not ready."
A Compadre silently served Dorian his own cup of Teebu. He took it, the warm, fragrant steam a welcome comfort. "So," he asked, "am I ready to run, or to fly?"
Gil looked at him, his silver eyes sharp and analytical. "That depends. What are your plans, now that you have the galaxy's attention?"
Dorian thought, System. The panel, visible only to him, shimmered into existence. The Resonance count was staggering, well into the tens of millions. 'I really need to fix that decimal format,' he thought with a flash of annoyance. But the number was not the problem. The problem was the Banners tab. He had a fortune in Resonance, but only one Gacha banner to spend it on. He needed more games. And to make more games, and more music and movie to fund them, he needed to expand.
"I want to branch out," Dorian said, his voice firm.
Gil stopped, his cup halfway to his lips. "To other genres?" he mused. "I think it is possible. With a mind like yours, I have no doubt you will create your own genre."
"No," Dorian said, setting his cup down. "Not just songs. I am going to create movies. And all sorts of entertainments."
Gil's hand froze. He slowly lowered his cup, his relaxed, retired demeanor vanishing, replaced by the sharp focus of a businessman. "What do you mean?"
Dorian looked Gil squarely in the eyes. "I need a recommendation, Maestro. A right hand. Someone who knows how the industry works. The real industry. The media conglomerates, the advertising laws, the distribution networks. I can compile data from the net and feed it to my Compadre, but we both know that is not the same as a real brain's input."
Gil was silent for a long moment, staring at the young man. He had seen this look before. He thought this boy was just learning to run. He was wrong. He was ready to fly.
"I guess I was wrong," Gil said softly, mostly to himself. He took a sip of his Teebu. "Take Ratik with you."
Dorian was stunned. "What?"
"She is a good kid," Gil said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "She has the insight. She has the connections. She was supposed to be my children's manager, but they all decided to go outside of the industries I am in." He sighed. "She will be more fulfilled going with you on this... new venture... than she ever would be planning my retirement party."
"Shouldn't we ask Ratik about this?" Dorian said, his mind reeling from the suddenness of it all.
"That is not a problem," Gil said. He tapped a small, discreet button on the arm of his chair. "Roy, call Ratik over."
"Yes sir," his Compadre's voice replied from a hidden speaker.
A few seconds later, Ratik walked onto the terrace, her posture as perfect and professional as ever.
"Tell the Composer," Gil said, not looking at her, "what you said to me yesterday."
Ratik was taken aback for only a fraction of a second, her professional mask slipping in a rare flicker of surprise. She quickly regained her composure, turned to Dorian, and bowed her head slightly.
"I wish to tender my resignation as Maestro Gil's assistant," she stated, her voice clear and firm. "And I would like to formally ask you, Composer Percival, for a job."
Gil just sipped his Teebu, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. He looked at Dorian.
"So, Dorian, aka Maestro Percival," he said, the amusement clear in his voice. "What is your answer?"
…
Ratik sat beside Dorian in the plush, quiet cabin of the hover car, her posture as perfect and unreadable as ever.
"Are you sure?" Dorian asked, breaking the silence as they glided over the sculpted landscapes of Sela. "You really want to follow me? My plans are... unconventional."
"I am, sir," Ratik replied simply.
"Just call me Dorian," he said. "And Percival, when we are on a 'composing gig'."
Ratik was silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. "It seems you still do not trust me."
"Well," Dorian admitted, "we are still at the first stage of our real relationship. It is hard to trust."
"I do not have such a bond with Maestro Gil that I would give him your secrets, if that is what you mean," Ratik said, as if reading his mind, her voice a calm, professional monotone. "My loyalty is to my contract. And my contract is now with you."
Dorian nodded, a new, profound sense of relief washing over him. This was the person he needed. "Well, let's see... First task." He thought for a moment. "I will be transferring you a significant percentage of my earnings. I want you to find a new place for my family to live. It needs to be secret. Completely off the Accord's main grid. I want no one to know where we have gone. Can you do that?"
Ratik did not even blink. "That is impossible on Sela," she stated. "You are a public figure here now, even masked. You would be swarmed by artists and media. This planet is the capital of entertainment."
"So where, then?"
"Would you mind the edge of the Mid-Rim?" she countered. "It will be close to the Outer Rim, but that makes it far easier to be untraceable. Fewer BSO patrols, more local autonomy."
"The farther away we are from Ardota Prime and Nexus, the better," Dorian said, the memory of the Legion troopers in his hallway still fresh in his mind.
"I will begin compiling a list of potential properties immediately," Ratik said, her tone as if she were arranging a simple dinner reservation.
"I look forward to your results," Dorian replied. The hover car hummed as it glided through the beautiful city, the evening sun now dipping low, painting the sky in shades of orange and violet. Dorian, feeling a little of his old playful self returning, decided to push his luck.
"So, about that percentage..." he began, a small smile on his face. "Will you reduce your payment, now that you know I am such a reasonable boss?"
Ratik turned her head, a tiny, almost imperceptible smile on her lips. "No, Dorian."
…
Meanwhile, on the Moon Academy of Aethelgard...
A commotion was brewing in the Solar majors wing. Juno Park, who had already been notable, was now a full-blown celebrity. As she walked to the training hall, the chatter followed her.
"Did you see?" a group of freshmen whispered as she passed. "That is her! Juno Park!"
"The one who sang with Maestro Gil?"
"Yeah, and she is a Nullbreaker. And her dad is the Apex Guild Master. Some people get all the luck, man."
Further down the hall, two sophomores were watching her with a mix of awe and jealousy. "I heard she is not even a music major. She just... did it. My aunt is a professional vocalist, and she could not even get tickets to that concert."
But in the midst of this new, swirling fame, Juno was not basking in the attention. She was in the training hall, her face a mask of pure focus, her breathing ragged, her knuckles wrapped.
Her opponent for the sparring drill, Cassian Rhee, lunged. As a Striker, his fists glowed with raw, solar energy, a powerful, direct attack.
Juno did not dodge. She stepped into the attack. At the last possible second, her hand flashed out, not to block, but to simply touch his forearm. The glowing energy on Cassian's fists sputtered and died instantly. Her other foot swept his legs out from under him. He crashed to the mat, hard.
"Damn it, Park!" he groaned, the wind knocked out of him. "That hurt. And I am a Striker! My shields were up!"
Juno, breathing heavily, offered him a hand. "I nullified your energy defense," she said, pulling him to his feet. "Pretty handy, huh?"
"Not handy for me," Cassian grumbled, rubbing his chest. "I did not even get a chance to retaliate."
Juno chuckled, grabbing her towel to wipe the sweat from her face. "You will be a great Solar, Cass. But that will only happen when you take this seriously."
"I do take this seriously!" he said, offended.
Juno shook her head, her expression turning hard and focused. "Then don't stop training when your muscles are breaking. Start training as if it is your last day in the universe."
Cassian stood there, breathless and silent, stunned by her sudden, cold intensity.
"A bit of advice," Juno said, grabbing her bag. "Cut those two yes-men out of your life. You will see the difference when we spar next time."
She turned and left, walking towards the female showers, leaving a winded and deeply thoughtful Cassian Rhee alone on the mat.
…
At the Aethelgard starliner station, four girls stood out like a sore thumb. Their light blue Astra Nova Academy uniforms were a glaring, cool-toned anomaly in the sea of Aethelgard's bright red. Mala, Maree, Narissa, and Orra all waited impatiently by the terminal.
"Are you sure this is where Juno Park uses the starliners?" Orra asked, looking around nervously.
"Yes," Maree insisted, her eyes glued to the arrival schedule. "The fan forums all say she takes this 16:00 starliner to her home on Rodia IV. It is the only one."
"Wow, a humble celeb," Narissa commented, impressed. "I have never seen one take public transport before."
"She is just keeping her image, that is all," Mala said with a cynical huff. "But it is good for us. We can finally ask her for Percival's autograph."
"Is that not a bit much?" Narissa asked, fidgeting. "To demand something like that?"
"Nonsense," Maree said, her voice full of a true fan's conviction. "She would not even be famous if it was not for Percival. It is the least she can do for us... Percivalians."
"Percivalians?" Orra repeated, her eyebrow raised. "Is that what you are calling yourselves now?"
"Hey, that is the starliner!" Mala hissed, pointing. "Let's get on first. That way, when she comes in, it will be more natural."
The four of them moved towards the boarding ramp, but were immediately blocked by a group of Aethelgard boys in their red uniforms.
"Whoa, look what we got here," one of them said, a smug grin on his face. "Our neighbors from across the moon. The Astra Nova girls."
"Are you lost?" another chimed in.
"Ugh," Maree said, rolling her eyes. "We are just visiting friends. We were about to go back. Now, out of the way."
The boy held his ground. "Not so fast. This is the Aethelgard starliner. It is reserved only for the students of Aethelgard."
"What?" Narissa said, shocked. "That is not Accord law-"
"Out of the way."
The voice was cool, clear, and dripping with a newfound authority. The boys turned, and their smug expressions instantly vanished. "Juno," one of them stammered.
They saw her, then looked at the starliner's destination plaque: RODIA 4. They realized this was her transport. Sheepishly, they stepped to the side to let her pass. Maree and Mala's group immediately seized the opportunity and filed on right behind her.
The starliner hummed to life. The four girls sat in a row, across from where Juno had taken a seat by the window.
"Thanks," Maree said quietly.
Juno, who was already scrolling through her heliopad, looked up and just nodded. "No problem."
A long, awkward silence filled the cabin. Maree nudged Mala, her eyes wide, silently screaming 'Ask her!' Mala nudged her right back. 'No, you ask her!'
Orra let out an almost inaudible sigh at her friends' cowardice. She decided to just start the conversation. "I like your keychain," she said, nodding towards Juno's bag.
Juno looked up, surprised that they were still talking to her. "Oh," she said, looking at the small, pixelated parsnip charm hanging from her bag. "Thanks. It is a souvenir I got when I visited Nexus Prime."
"The canyon planet?" Narissa asked, her curiosity piqued. "How is it? I heard there is a lot of overpopulation over there."
"It is not that bad," Juno said, her expression guarding a private memory. "I was there to visit a friend, to be honest. So I just went to their home and came back."
The gate was open. Mala, seeing her chance, stood up slightly and held out her hand in a formal, polite gesture. "Mala Brimen. It is an honor to meet you."
Juno, surprised by the sudden formality, put her heliopad away and shook her hand. "Juno Park."
…
Two days passed in a blur of luxurious comfort. It was time for the Kepler family to return to Nexus Prime. Marcus was not happy, pouting in the grand foyer about having to go back to school. Lyra, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with a new, confident energy. She was ready for her graduation exams. In the few weeks they had been on Sela, Gil had, as promised, called in a private tutor for her. The intensive, high-level instruction had advanced her studies by light-years. She felt ready for anything.
In the hangar, Leo was already packing the last of their bags onto the ship, working in a surprisingly efficient, silent tandem with the tall, skeletal droid, Roy.
Dorian went to say his goodbyes to Gil, whom he found in the garden. "Thanks, Maestro. For everything."
Gil waved a dismissive hand, a warm smile on his face. "Come back once in a while. The Stradus waits for another piece."
"Why not just give it to me?" Dorian teased.
"Stop your greed," Gil scoffed. "If I gave it to you, you would have no reason to come back and visit these old man."
"Wow," Dorian said, laughing. "So the Stradus is just a lure for me, huh?"
"Take care of each other," Gil said, his expression softening as he looked at the rest of the family.
Lyra stepped forward and gave a deep, formal bow. "Thank you for the tutor, Mister."
"Of course, child," Gil smiled.
Marcus, still looking reluctant to leave, earned a warm chuckle from the maestro. "You can come back anytime," Gil said, crouching slightly. "Just urge your brother to visit more often."
"Okay..." Dorian said, catching the manipulation. "Now you are telling my brother to make me visit? Wow."
Gil just laughed. Ratik, in her crisp, new suit, emerged from the ship. "Everything is ready."
Dorian nodded. "See you next time, Maestro." The butlers who had been assigned to Lyra and Marcus waved goodbye. Gil waved back.
On the ship, Ratik gave her orders. "Lio, help Marcus with his seatbelt."
"I know," Leo replied, its voice coming from the ship's internal comm. "You do not have to tell me."
Ratik, strapping herself into the co-pilot's chair, sighed. "I have never once met such a sassy Compadre."
"Well, you have met me now," Leo said smugly.
Ratik looked over at Dorian. "I am starting to regret this decision."
Dorian just laughed, settling into his own plush seat. "The ink has dried, Ratik."
"Alright," she said, her professionalism snapping back into place. "To Nexus Prime. We are taking off in 3... 2... 1..."
The private ship ascended powerfully into the sky.
While in the quiet cruise of hyperspace, Dorian pulled out his notebook. It was time to plan. The market was saturated with action and shooting games, so a first-person shooter was out of the table.
He could make God of War, but the thought of the Profile system gave him pause. If he equipped a Kratos profile, would he be consumed by uncontrollable, divine rage all the time? He could make Hades, a fast-paced rogue-like with a pantheon of gods this universe had never seen before. That was a strong contender.
He looked at his System panel. The Resonance count was staggering, in the millions. But he was famous now. He needed to be more careful. He looked at the Stardew Valley banner. He still had so many items left to unlock. He might as well max it out.
He focused on the panel. [100 Gacha Pulls: 1000 Resonance]. He tapped it. And again. And again. He spent the next hour in a repetitive, almost meditative state, burning through his Resonance, his eyes scanning the loot feed for one thing: skill books.
Ratik's voice came over the intercom, pulling him from his trance. "Going out of hyperspace in 3... 2... 1..."
The ship shuddered slightly as it dropped back into real space. The familiar, smog-veiled orb of Nexus Prime filled the viewport.
"Ready your belongings," Ratik announced. "We will arrive at your home station in five minutes."
At that exact moment, on Dorian's panel, a [Fishing Skill Book] icon appeared. He had it. The final one. He absorbed it, and a new, triumphant message flashed on his screen.
[Congratulations! All Skills have reached LVL 10!] [Mastery Unlocked!]
Dorian smiled, a feeling of deep, satisfying completion washing over him. He tapped Next.
A follow-up message appeared.
{Following Stardew Valley game mechanics, the Mastery Cave has now been materialized somewhere in the universe.}
The message ended with a final, cheerful line.
{Happy Adventures!}
Dorian's smile vanished. His eyes twitched. He stared at the words, his blood running cold as the implications hit him with the force of a physical blow. A cave. Not a virtual item. A physical location in the real universe.
He shouted a single, terrified, and profoundly furious word that echoed through the entire, luxurious cabin.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
**A/N**
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**A/N**