The scent of grilled meat and spiced wine drifted through the evening air as Juno stepped into the bustling restaurant, its neon lights casting long shadows across the marble floor. The clatter of cutlery, the hum of idle chatter, and the occasional pop of champagne corks gave life to the extravagant setting. He was drawn by hunger, but also curiosity curiosity about this new Earth, a world that had changed far too much in fourteen years.
He looked different now. Tall, elegant, with deep blue eyes that sparkled unnaturally and hair streaked with midnight black and vibrant sapphire a blend too perfect to be natural. He no longer resembled the broken man in the photograph held hours earlier by three discreet investigators just streets away. The Juno Mayflower of the past was a memory. This was someone else entirely.
Sliding between crowded tables, he brushed past a young woman in an emerald dress just as a waiter placed a hot dish in front of her. The plate wobbled. Some of the thick stew splashed onto the white tablecloth and over the edge into her food.
"Aaah! What the hell?!" the woman shrieked, flinging her cutlery down.
Juno turned slightly, brows raised, before the man next to her stood up, puffing his chest. "You just ruined her meal, man. What's wrong with you?"
Juno glanced at the food calmly, then back at the woman. "Looks fine to me."
"You touched it! You put something in it!" she accused, eyes narrow and dramatic. "You want to prove you didn't? Then eat it!"
The restaurant had quieted down. All eyes turned. Juno smirked.
"Alright," he said coolly. "But let's make it fun. If nothing happens to me after I eat it, you pay my bill. Every last cent."
"You must be mad," the boyfriend scoffed.
But the lady, confident and arrogant, leaned forward. "Fine. Eat it. Let's see."
Myles picked up the fork and took a bite, then another. He sat and finished the plate calmly while sipping a glass of water. Fifteen minutes passed. Nothing happened.
"No allergies, no stomach issues, no curse," he said, licking his teeth. "Tasted like disappointment though."
The lady stood with her hands folded tightly, eyes wide. "It's... it's not about the food..."
He stood and smiled. "Well?"