Endless Evolution: Last Star

The fifth duo had formed, and there were no more men left in the room. Adam was the last, and he chose Silvana to lead his first-ever dance.

The others moved an equal distance away from them, continuing to dance but slowing their pace considerably.

"Well, well, looks like someone is finally realizing how to behave around women." Edir smirked. In fact, he was sure that Adam had learned something from him, though Adam had very different reasons for acting this way.

"Tsk. You're just lucky to have me. No girl would put up with an arrogant guy like you." Crita snorted unhappily, looking away.

Edir shrugged.

"I'm just saying about him acting confident." Edir glanced at Adam and Silvana.

Adam couldn't dance, but since he was a Phantom, it wasn't hard for him to adapt, thanks to his speed, strength, and reflexes. Moreover, his Power Gene - allows him to learn anything at a faster rate.

"He holds her back confidently, doesn't go any lower, but shows that she's completely his." Edir commented, watching them with evident interest.

"Hah, maybe you're the one who should learn from him how to behave with women? He has more manners than you." Crita grinned.

Whoooooooosh.

Before Crita could say anything, Edir abruptly turned her around, and as soon as she stopped, she saw a massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Edir was holding her up with two hands to keep her from falling, and one of his hands was below her back, well, not that it was surprising in his case.

"What do you say now? Should I be elegant or stay as I am?" Edir smirked, glancing at Crita with a predatory look.

Crita blushed, realizing what Edir was about to do.

"Fuck it. Just... just kiss me already!"

"As you wish, my princess." Edir smiled.

...

Adam and Silvana had become the center of everyone's attention, but Adam didn't realize it at all. Then, in his view, there was only Silvana and nothing else.

He felt utterly strange, he had no loving or lustful feelings for Silvana. Her cleavage was open, but he only wanted to look into her eyes, not at her bosom, just as he didn't have the urge to grope Silvana as Edir did towards Crita since they were lovers.

Silvana's emotions were unknown, her face was calm as always, but her gaze was completely different.

She didn't understand, she was in the same situation as Adam.

They both couldn't describe what exactly they were feeling. They couldn't even understand it, but one thing they were sure of - this felt right because they wanted to continue.

"What's going on... Why do I feel like they are somewhere else even though they are a few meters away from us..." Kayla muttered, stopping.

Louis smirked.

"Someday, you will achieve with your Operator what Adam did with Silvana. You just need time to understand that." Louis said calmly, walking off the stage.

Kayla looked at him, puzzled, then quickly followed.

"Wait! You... Have you and Alexia been through this before?" Kayla asked in a trembling voice.

Louis glanced over at Alexia, who was with her feet propped up on the table, emptying a bottle of wine, and nodded slightly. It was more than usual for her, and Louis liked it.

"A few months ago. Alexia and I may be different, but to the Phantom and the Operator, such trivialities don't matter. None of that is important before death, life, and power." Louis spoke as if he was revealing the greatest secret to Kayla.

"How... How do I do the same with my Operator...? I... I want to do that too..." Kayla bit her lip with an embarrassed face.

Louis waved his hand.

"Everything is brilliantly simple - how about you just talk to him first and then do what you truly want. I'm sure he's ready for it by now."

"You really think so...? He won't turn me down...?" Kayla was clearly unsure of herself, almost to a critical level.

Louis smiled bitterly.

"Before I get back to Alexia, let me share a secret with you that only the Operators know about."

Kayla's eyes sparkled brightly, she felt like this was going to work for her, for sure!

Tap.

Louis poked Kayla in the chest with a hard stare.

"The Operators have significantly more time to think about you, the Phantoms, and our relationship with you. Let me give you something trivial as an example - while you lie dormant for days after a dangerous battle, we eat ourselves up from the inside out with our worries. Every moment like that only adds to your value to us."

Then, Louis turned around and, with a serious look, went to Alexia.

Kayla remained standing still, just staring into the void. Today had been an essential day for her, because not only had she become more confident and made friends, but she had a better understanding of her role as a Phantom.

At this time, Adam and Silvana finished dancing. With one last movement, they came close to each other.

Most in their place would have kissed, but... neither Adam nor Silvana even cast a glance at their partner's lips. Only their eyes were important to them.

"What's next...?" Silvana asked uncertainly, "Shall we dance again...?"

Adam shook his head.

"We need to rest. This dance... has exhausted me more than an hours-long fight." Adam pronounced. He wasn't lying.

Sure, physically, Adam was hardly tired, but mentally he was drained.

Silvana nodded silently. They both needed a pause.

For the next ten minutes, Adam just walked around the hall, not knowing what to do, his mind occupied with various thoughts.

Then, he spotted the balcony and immediately headed there.

Strangely enough, he was greeted by a cloud of cigarette smoke, but it had a nice cherry smell that was an unusual one.

"What... I didn't know you smoked." Adam muttered with a dazed expression, looking at Louis.

Louis smirked, flicking the ash.

"Yeah, I don't smoke in general, only on very rare occasions. Usually, I don't need more than ten cigarettes a month, but this is my third." Louis shook his hand, pointing to the cigarette clutched between his fingers.

Adam smiled bitterly. He hadn't heard Louis and Kayla's conversation, but he realized that Louis was mentally reliving some important moment from his life. Naturally, it had to do with Alexia.

Adam stared at the blue moon for a while and at the dozens of skyscrapers of the First Ring. Compared to the slums where he'd lived all his life, it was like another world with technology a thousand years ahead of its time.

"Louis... I was going to ask you something a few days ago, but I changed my mind, I didn't want to bother you. But... I'm afraid I can't contain my interest now. I got an answer from Silvana, but I want to hear it from you."

Louis shrugged silently, blowing out a club of smoke.

"Alexia Naturalborn Phantom, so... would you want to be like her? Would you want to be strong, kill monsters, and have your own Operator?"

"Never." Louis replied before Adam could finish his sentence.

"The first time we met, Alexia completely changed my worldview. From a pathetic trickster, I became a wise man."

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