Vaelion smiled inside Rei's mind.
"Just relax… and let me drive."
A grey system window opened in Rei's vision.
THE COVENANT
Ethereal Steps - Activated
Due to the user's failure to manifest, Vaelion has assumed control.
A movement based spatial ability that temporarily shifts the user into a half intangible state, allowing them to phase through solid matter.
Rei's eyes ignited with a faint blue glow.
The world tilted, then suddenly gravity betrayed him.
Rei screamed as the floor lost meaning, his body slipped through. The ground dissolved beneath him, replaced by the eerie sensation of weightless free fall. His limbs felt half present and half forgotten.
The air felt wrong, thin and hollow. Like he was falling through a memory instead of reality.
A few seconds later, Satsuki knocked on his door.
"Rei, if you're still awake, wanna grab a bite?"
When she opened it, Rei was nowhere to be found.
Satsuki sighed.
"Oh come on, Rei. Really?"
Tapping her watch, a holographic interface flickered to life, projecting a full schematic of the house's five floors.
A green dot, Rei, was rapidly descending through them.
Her brow twitched.
"What are you doing, kid…?"
She tapped a command button.
Lockdown - Engaged.
Rei burst out of the ceiling on the first floor and slammed face first into the ground hard.
THUD.
He groaned, lifting his head just enough to see the familiar glow of vending machines.
"...Oh. Yay."
He let his head drop again with a dramatic smack.
"I think this was worth it."
Vaelion laughed in his mind.
"Suck it up. You once fell through an entire underground base. What's different this time?"
Rei groaned, pushing himself upright.
"Shut up, Vaelion… you're not helping."
He staggered toward the vending machines, eyes scanning the snacks and drinks. For a moment the chaos and pain faded.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Moments later, the machine hummed and clattered.
Bread. Cakes. Candy. Chips. Cold sodas.
Rei exhaled in relief.
"Ahhh. Survival essentials."
The vending machine rattled. One by one, items dropped into the tray.
Rei crouched and scooped them up.
A soft vanilla sponge cake, lightly dusted with sugar.
A chocolate filled roll, sweet and slightly sticky at the edges.
A honey glazed cupcake, the frosting soft enough to melt on his tongue.
A warm, soft sweet potato bun, tender and fluffy, with a caramelized sweetness that smelled comforting.
And a cold can of cola.
He twisted the tab open.
Tsssk.
The sharp fizz cut through the silence.
Rei took a long drink, the cold sweetness flooding his mouth, washing away the lingering dizziness from the fall. He bit into the sweet potato bun next, soft and warm. The kind of flavor that felt nostalgic even if he didn't know why.
For a brief moment.
Everything felt normal.
DING.
Elsewhere in the building, an elevator moved downward.
Satsuki stood inside, arms crossed, foot tapping against the floor in growing irritation. The digital display counted down floors, each passing second worsening her mood.
Her reflection stared back at her from the mirrored wall.
Unamused and annoyed.
"A midnight stroll… seriously?"
She muttered under her breath.
The hummed to a stop.
DING.
The doors slid open.
Satsuki stepped out with purpose, already spotting Rei in the distance, sitting there like nothing had happened, snacks in hand.
Her eye twitched.
"You're so grounded."
She muttered.
Rei took another sip of soda, blissfully unaware of the incoming storm.
The cold fizz popped against his tongue.
And for now. He let himself enjoy it.
Rei happily eating his snacks with a smile forgot about the world for a second.
Satsuki's voice drifted from behind him.
"You should really try the coffee jelly. It's pretty tasty."
Rei nodded casually, still chewing.
"Nice. I'll try tha…"
He froze.
Slowly, he turned his head.
Satsuki stood directly behind him. Arms crossed, expression flat, and eyes glowing faintly red under the lights.
Rei's brain froze.
"...Oh."
Before he could react, Satsuki grabbed his shoulder. Firmly enough that resistance would be pointless.
Rei jolted upright, snacks clutched in his arms.
"Ma'am… I can explain."
"Can you?"
Her voice calm.
She leaned slightly closer.
"Who gave you permission to take a walk, hm?"
Rei's mouth opened, then closed.
"...No one?"
Satsuki's eye twitched. Then she grabbed him by the ear.
Rei yelped.
"OW… OW OW WAIT WAIT!"
"How much sugar did you eat?"
"I was mentally compromised!"
"That's not a medical condition. It's 2 AM and you're wandering around!"
She dragged him toward the elevator while he struggled to keep his snacks from falling.
The doors opened and she pulled him inside.
Rei stood there in defeated silence, clutching his snacks and half finished soda.
Satsuki pressed the button for the fifth floor. The elevator hummed upward.
Rei glanced at her nervously. She didn't look at him.
Her arms crossed and foot tapping lightly.
"You phased through five floors."
She said flatly.
"In my home."
Rei winced.
"...Technically four and a half."
She slowly turned her head, eyes blazing.
Rei looked away.
The elevator dinged. The doors opened.
Back inside Satsuki's living area, Rei was kneeling on the floor.
A compact metal training weight placed across the back of his legs, pinning him down.
His face was bright red, from the weight and embarrassment.
Satsuki stood in front of him, hands on her hips.
"You're under direct supervision."
"Yes ma'am."
"You're on restricted movement."
"Yes ma'am."
"You're not to wander unsupervised."
"Yes ma'am…"
She narrowed her eyes.
"And yet you decided to go on a midnight snack run."
Rei stared at the floor.
"...I was hungry."
"That's what kitchens are for. It's right over there."
"I didn't know where yours was."
"There's a call button by your bed."
Rei blinked.
"...There is?"
"Yes."
"How was I supposed to know that? Ma'am."
Silence.
Vaelion's laughter echoed faintly in Rei's mind.
"This is degrading. It's hilarious."
"Shut up."
Rei muttered under his breath.
Satsuki's eyebrow twitched.
"Are you talking to me?"
"No Ma'am!"
"...Good."
She crouched down slightly so she was eye level with him.
Rei tensed up.
"You activated your powers with permission."
"You triggered lockdown protocols."
"Three patrol drones rerouted to search for your location."
"The security AI flagged you as a breach."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Do you understand how dangerous that is?"
Rei's expression softened slightly, with quiet acknowledgment.
"...Yeah."
Satsuki studied him for a moment.
Then sighed.
"You could have told me you were hungry."
Rei hesitated.
"I didn't want to bother you."
That made her pause, for just a second. The weight of his answer hung in the air.
Vaelion went quiet.
Satsuki straightened.
"...You're a monitored asset."
She said, tone shifting back to neutral.
"But that doesn't mean you're forbidden from basic needs."
She turned and walked towards the kitchen area.
"Stay here."
"I physically cannot move."
"Good."
Rei stared at the floor while she disappeared into the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returned.
She placed a tray on the low table in front of him.
A proper meal.
Steamed rice. Grilled fish. Miso soup. And a small bowl of sliced fruit.
Rei blinked.
"You… made this?"
"I reheated it."
She removed the weight from his legs.
Rei exhaled in relief and shifted forward carefully.
"Eat properly."
She sat down across from him.
Rei picked up the chopsticks slowly. The first bite of warm rice hit his tongue.
He closed his eyes briefly.
"...This is better than vending machine bread."
"I'm aware."
He ate quietly.
After a moment, Satsuki spoke again.
"You can't move around freely after curfew."
Rei swallowed.
"I know."
"Your cognitive stability is fluctuating."
Rei froze.
"...You can see that?"
She tapped her watch.
"Your vitals. Your brain activity spikes every time you manifest."
Her gaze held his.
"You're burning yourself out."
Rei looked down at his bowl.
Vaelion smirked lightly.
"She's not wrong."
Satsuki leaned back slightly.
"If you want something, you ask."
She paused.
"Running around like a feral cat at night is unacceptable."
Rei faintly smiled.
"...So am I in trouble?"
"Oh, you're grounded until further notice."
She took a sip of tea.
"Maybe forever."
Rei choked.
"Forever!?"
"You phased through my house and triggered security."
She stood after a moment.
"Finish eating. Then try to sleep."
She walked towards the hallway. Stopping briefly, she turned.
"Next time you're hungry. Knock."
Rei stared at her back.
"...Ma'am"
She disappeared into her room.
Rei looked down at his meal. Blue flames flickered faintly in his reflection in the spoon.
Vaelion murmured quietly.
"She's nice."
Rei chewed slowly.
"...I know."
For the first time since arriving at the base, he didn't feel like a prisoner.
He was just watched, and maybe. Just maybe, a little cared for.