To Be One

Chapter 2: Daniel

Chapter 2: Daniel

It's been three days since that unnatural day occurred. No signs of Noctis and Yujin since then. Both Jade and Pearl are worried sick because they haven't received any replies from all the text they sent.

So, they decided to go back to the park...

"Do you think this will work?" Jade is standing right beside Pearl, looking around as if she's afraid. Pearl admit, they don't know anything about how and why they got to that ghost town version of their city. It just occurred in that spur of a moment.

"I don't know. But it might somehow." Pearl sighed in frustration as they walked around the usual crowded park. They halted to the same spot where they got transported to the other dimension or whatever that place was, trying to figure out how to get back there.

"But what if it doesn't work? We have no idea how in the world we even got into that place." Jade made a defeated sigh, slumping on the ground while tracing the concrete with her index finger.

‘Yes, it's exactly as I thought. But I know, if we went there once, there can always be a next time. Could it be that it was only activated when Noctis and Yujin are there? But what makes them so different from us?’ Pearl debated herself.

A sudden vibration was felt in her skirt pocket which made her instantly grab my phone. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw the name of the caller.

‘Bae <3- I mean NOCTIS!’

She immediately answered the call and called for his name. "Noctis?! Hello?! Where are you guys?!" She frantically asked but, as soon as she looked up at the sky, it was that same dark sky we saw the other day.

"Pearl!" Jade called, "Everyone's gone again! Does that mean we're in?"

Her eyes scanned at her surroundings. And as Jade has mentioned, everyone was gone again. The tree that has been struck by the lightning is broken as expected. ‘Just what is this place?!’

"Pearl... L..." Noctis' voice came across the line but it was too static to be heard.

"Hello?! Noctis! Where are you guys?!"

"We... Fine... GO-" The call ended with those words from him. Thunder roared across the sky and clouds cried rain, making both Pearl and Jade drenched in rain.

"Ah! Seriously! We didn't even bring an umbrella!" Jade complained, as they both started to run for shelter.

'Go' that word lingered in Pearl’s mind.

‘Noctis' voice sounded scared when he mentioned that. But what was he afraid of? And where are we supposed to go?’

Jade stopped and so did Pearl, noticing a person in black cloak standing a few feet away from them. Their hearts pounded heavily as they gaze at the mysterious entity in front of them.

'Could it be, this is what Noctis warned us about?' Pearl clenched her fist and took a deep breath before she called out for it.

"Hey! Hello! Hello?! Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?!" she shouted.

"Are you crazy?! What if that person is dangerous?!" Jade shouted in a whisper at her, smacking her head for acting stupid.

"I know. But what if this stranger knows something about this dimension? I'm going to talk to him," As Pearl was about to leave, Jade grabbed her by the arm, making her to face her.

"Stop! You're getting yourself in trouble! Let's leave already!" It was as if she was begging Pearl not to go and she know why she's like this. Pearl tend to do troublesome stuff most of the time, but this time, she have to take the risk. That person might know something about all of this or at least know anything about their friend's whereabouts.

"I have to do this. That person might know where Noctis and Yujin are. Look, Just... Stay here. I'll deal with this." Pearl pried her hand off her and immediately walked towards the person, ignoring Jade's call for my name.

"Hey, umm... I was wondering if you could-" As soon as she stood next to the person, she immediately noticed the weird outfit he's wearing. It had metal plates all over his body, like that of a knight. She also noticed a sword hilt on his side, hidden under his cloak.

"Woah..." Was the only word that came out of her mouth. She was star struck by the person's looks. It was immaculate. A slick back blonde hair with fallen locks framing his sharp face. Piercing ocean eye color, fair skin, tall proud nose and reddish lips tuck into a firm line. His brows were furrowed, gazing at a distance in silence.

Pearl held her breath at how breathtaking the male was, drenched in the rain but she almost jumped as soon as his eyes snapped to meet hers. It was very mysterious and ominous to gaze at the same time, very hypnotic. Those blue-colored eyes seducing you when you stared longer. Her own body mindlessly moved towards him, almost leaning close to their body together and she swear she could see his perfect brows furrow even more and kissable lips twitch in annoyance. She snapped when fog suddenly appeared out of nowhere, making her move away from him.

'What was that? Why did I suddenly move towards him?' Pearl wondered as she glanced at him sideways, but the fog suddenly grew thicker which finally brought her back to reality alarmed.

"Fog?!" She mentioned. ‘No way could a fog appear in this city. Why is there a fog in the first place? But then again, everything about this place is already weird enough to even comprehend.’

"You reek." He spoke in a smooth, silky baritone of voice.

‘Wait… Did he just say I smell?!’ Pearl reacted angrily.

"Excuse me?!" Pearl looked at him in disbelief, offended by his words.

"You reek of impurities. A foreign blood diluted in different races. I suggest you get the hell away from me before I cut your pretty little neck off your small body." He unsheathes his sword and points it at Pearl, making her freeze on the spot in fear. If he's cosplaying, using a real sword in a convention is illegal. But she don't think he's even cosplaying at this rate.

"Pearl!!!" Jade shouted in panic.

"W-Who are you?" Pearl stammered, swallowing her saliva, body trembling in cold and fingers pruning for being wet.

"DANIEL!" A familiar voice rumbled along with the thunder in the sky. Pearl slowly looked into the owner of the voice, and as soon as she saw a glimpse of him despite the heavy fog, she sighed in relief.

'Noctis'

"Ah, well if it isn't the traitor. It's been a while, old friend." Daniel mused, smirk making its way into his pretty lips as he took off his hood. When Pearl said he was immaculate before, he's drop-dead gorgeous. An Adonis in the midst of this confusing world. It makes her wonder if there are more of them wherever they came from.

‘Snap out of it Pearl! How could be a hoe now when the man of your life is drenched in rain... his body... shaping through his clothes... those delicious muscle-’

Pearl slapped herself to regain her senses, making all of them look at her in surprise.

"I'm fine... Please don't mind me." She said quietly, shrinking from the embarrassment. 'Kill me now! I beg of you, sir handsome with a sword.'

"What are you doing here?" Noctis asked, his eyes gazing sharply at the man named Daniel.

"What am I doing here? Good question. Let's see," Daniel placed a finger on his chin, looking up and walking around as if he's wondering. "Well, I decided to go on a vacation while decked in my armor and thought that Earth is the best choice among the Milky Way Galaxy. Don't you agree, my friend?"

"Just answer my goddamn question, Daniel. What's your purpose here?" Noctis gritted his teeth, seething in anger while glaring at the other male.

"How can you be so rude? You're not going to greet me? Don't you miss me? How disappointing," Daniel answered, sighing wistfully, pretending to feel hurt by Noctis' words.

"You're no i***t, Noctis. You know why I'm here and you know it better than anyone." The blonde male drew his sword towards Noctis while the ravenette only continued to glare at him.

Pearl was trembling, she should do something in this situation but, she don't know what. She held her breath and stood in between the two, shielding Noctis from the sword. She could feel Noctis glaring holes behind her back for jumping into a dangerous situation but, she know she need to stop these two from fighting.

"Move." Daniel commanded, but Pearl remained still and refused to move. "I said move, you stupid b***h!-"

"NO!" Pearl yelled, making Daniel even more furious than before.

"I'll kill you if you don't move. So move while I'm asking nicely." He threatened. Gripping his sword tightly, ready to lunge at her anytime.

"Pearl, move. This isn't your business." Noctis finally spoke. "I said move!" He yelled, finally getting mad at her. Pearl froze, gazing at him in shock.

‘He... yelled at me.’ She whispered in the back of her mind, shocked.

Noctis walked past her while she was gazing into nothingness, still surprised from being yelled at. Jade finally pulled Pearl towards her, taking her away somewhere far from the two.

"What were you thinking, jumping in the middle of danger?! Do you have a death wish?!" She groaned in frustration at Pearl, before pulling her to a tight hug. Pearl almost teared up, but she stopped and hugged her back. "I'm just glad you're okay. Please, for the last time, Pearl, don't do something dangerous."

"I only wanted to help," she answered softly.

"You already did so much to help. But I don't think Noctis will need your help in this situation." Jade sighed, patting her head in reassurance before turning towards Daniel and Noctis' direction. "If you want to help him, the best way to do that is to stay out of trouble. That way, it will keep his mind at ease."

Pearl let out a deep sigh and decided to stay put, leaning towards Jade.

‘Somehow this is starting to get more confusing. Daniel mentioned that he travelled to Earth. Does that mean they're actually from a different planet?’

"Goddamn it, this fog. I swear to the gods if I were given a chance to destroy something on this planet, it's this fog!" Another familiar voice was behind the two. The crunching of shoes on the floor gets louder and louder until a familiar red hair appears in sight.

"Yujin?" Jade called, making the lad gaze in their direction.

"Jade!" He called, the sound of his voice was full of relief, she could feel him about to drop on his knees at the sight of Jade being safe and unharmed. His eyes shifted towards Pearl, making him beam. "Pearl! You're alright too!"

"My~ Yujin. It's so nice to see you again." Daniel spoke once again, making Yujin freeze on the spot before his shock turned into anger.

"Daniel." He said with a low threatening voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Why of course, We're here to take you back." Daniel let out his sly smirk at the red-head, which only made Yujin bite his lower lip.

'We?'

"We're not leaving this planet," The red-head announced, clenching his fist in anger.

"You seriously choose this trash planet over our own? This is nothing compared to our home," Daniel scoffed, gazing at Yujin in disbelief.

"This isn't a trash planet, you asshole. Take that back." Noctis growled angrily at the blonde male.

"You know nothing about this planet, Daniel. One day, you will eat those words you speak once you start living here as well. It may be different from our home planet, but at least this world has what you call freedom." Yujin said firmly. It was the first time the girls saw Yujin with such serious and angry expression that you could almost see his amber-red eyes flaming.

"Wait, what do you mean other planets? Are you guys not from our world?" Pearl couldn't stop herself from asking. It's been bothering her for a while now since they keep comparing Earth from their planet.

The three fell silent. It was as if a secret that never should have been revealed. Yet, it has already been spilled.

"We... are not from around here, Pearl." Noctis started slowly, breaking the silence between them.

"We're from a planet called Planet 101. Me, Noctis and Edward are not from around here." Yujin added.

So this is why they were acting strange back then when we first met them? They're not from around here. Does that mean I've been in love with an alien all along?

'Aliens?'

Pearl almost fell on the ground after hearing such unbelievable truth. They're not humans all along. But how are they so human-like?!

"Stop joking around, Yujin. Are you saying you guys are aliens?!" Jade frowned deeply at Yujin which made the red-head sighed in frustration, unable to answer Jade's question.

"I don't think we can joke at this very moment, Jade." Noctis answered with firmness in his words.

"We're not aliens but somehow like humans as well... Look, it's hard to explain." Yujin managed, gazing at Jade with sadness in his eyes, guilty of lying.

"This is getting boring." Daniel complained and suddenly disappeared in a blink of an eye, only to appear in front of Noctis with a wicked smile on his face before landing a hard punch on the chin. The ravenette lost his balance after getting hit off guard which only gave the blonde male an opening to hit Noctis' solar plexus with his knees. It made the ravenette cough, finally landing on the ground only to get kicked by Daniel on the face, knocking him out cold. They all gasped in shock to see Noctis barely conscious on the floor, grunting in pain. It brought tears in Pearl’s eyes as she saw him all beaten up. All b****y faces.

"Noctis!" I yelled.

"Daniel! You dirty little bastard!" Yujin barked angrily before trying to lunge at Daniel.

"Stay right there." He commanded, pointing his sword at Yujin before squatting over Noctis.

"See how pitiful you are at the moment? You've grown weak, Noctis. Because you stayed here and repeated the same process as back then, falling in love with a foreigner. You've grown weaker and it's pitiful." Daniel said mockingly, grabbing Noctis' chin hard as if trying to examine his face and drop him back on the ground.

'Noctis has a lover before?' a strange sensation filled Pearl’s chest, making it almost harder to breathe. Pain was felt as her heart felt as if it was being squeezed.

'Of course, he would... considering he's this handsome. I bet hundreds of them would die just to be with him.' She clenched her fist against her chest. 'But why am I jealous over something so trivial?'

As soon as the fog got thicker, Pearl panicked, calling out for Noctis' name and running towards his direction. Everyone got separated. And that's when everything starts getting worse.