Finally a reunion (Part 2) (Rewritten March 25)

Finally away from prying eyes, Astrid ordered her flying mount to land atop the clock tower Alan had seen hours ago. The colossal structure towered above every other building in the city, making Alan wonder if its real-world counterpart was just as imposing.

"I come here sometimes when I want to be alone," Astrid said, grinning. "We can talk all we want."

As she gazed at the sprawling city before them, the wind caught her hair, making it flow like a golden cape. Alan stared at her, mesmerized. Last time they met, Astrid had worn a short bob that barely reached her earlobes. When the wind died down, her hair fell softly to her waist.

Is this what three Novus years look like? Her face hasn't changed though. She looks exactly like the last time I saw her.

Hair length aside, Alan could not spot any other differences, which led his gaze to take in her stunning figure. She wore a skinsuit similar to Marissa Laflamme's, but navy blue, and Alan could not help but notice the contrasts between the two women. 

Astrid had a slender waist—the same one he had wrapped his arms around minutes ago. 

Wider hips that defined her hourglass figure. 

And most notably, a more ample chest that Alan could not believe had been hiding beneath her old plain clothes all this time.

She caught him staring and giggled. "Like my outfit? Pretty tight business, huh? Let me slip into something more casual." With swift fingers, she navigated her User Interface, scrolling up and down through options for half a minute. "J-Just hold on—There!"

Astrid's body blurred for a moment as the system changed her clothes automatically. When it cleared, Alan caught glimpses of a top beneath a glossy jacket. Her exposed midriff ended at latex shorts, followed by knee-high heeled boots, and a long ponytail completed her blue 'city girl' outfit.

"So!" she exclaimed, swiftly sitting at the tower's edge. "We have a lot to catch up on, huh?"

Alan peeked down and instantly regretted it. Swallowing his vertigo, he carefully sat beside her. "Yeah..."

"It's been three years," she began, making Alan clench his fists. She noticed immediately. "B-But it's okay!" She waved her hands. "We don't have to talk about that right now! How about I tell you what I've been up to?"

And she talked.

Alan watched her beaming face as she told her story. She told him about her solo adventure through the Beginner's Area, and how, stubborn as she was, tried challenging her first dungeon alone.

"Remember 'Dylak's Mansion'? It was supposed to be our next quest..." Astrid then told him about meeting her first friend in The Novus besides Alan, a girl named Helen Reed. "She's one of the snarkiest people I've ever met and loves pranking me, but honestly, I wouldn't have made it through that first month without her. Those were dark days because... Well." She smiled at him. "You know why. Because you were gone."

Was Astrid always this direct? Alan saved that question for another time and focused on her every word.

As an hour passed, Astrid's timeline had jumped ahead a year, sending a wave of sorrow through Alan's chest.

I missed all of it... I wasn't there for these important moments because I took Isabella's request—But I couldn't just ignore the ship's problems! It was my responsibility. We're all on this space vessel together!

I signed up as a technician, I knew what it meant. Missing three years in this virtual paradise shouldn't bother me, so why does my throat feel like it's closing up? Why do my fingertips feel like ice?!

"Alan, are you okay? You're pale!"

"Don't mind me! It's just... Nothing." He looked away, making her frown.

"Let's grab a snack. I know a place, open 24/7."

This time, her winged mount carried them to eastern Londorus, landing atop a three-story apartment building. She really likes high places.

As she promised to return in a minute, Alan turned his attention to a giant screen on a nearby skyscraper. It showed a fierce competition between high-skilled Users. A repeat of today's tournament from the Dragon's Belly. Ground-cracking punches, metal-melting fire magic, and high-speed moves that needed slow-motion replays for viewers to follow. It all reminded him of what Marco Souza had shown earlier.

"Is this what ultimate power looks like?" he muttered as Astrid reappeared.

"Sorry for the wait. Here you go! Best fish and chips in the city."

Alan stared deep at the fried fish and the bottle of fizzy purple liquid. Having both in his hands felt nostalgic. This is the first thing I ate in New London.

His tutor's face flashed in his mind.

When Aslan asked her, 'What the hell is dandelion and burdock drink?' she just sighed heavily while lighting a cigarette.

'Finish that quickly so we can go,' she replied, looking bored. 'And stop babbling. Show some respect, kid. That food is a national treasure, got it?'

"Don't you like it?" Astrid asked, noticing his distant look. "N-No problem! I brought flapjacks, pork pies, and scotch eggs too!"

"Thanks Astrid. Can't remember the last time I had this." He proved it with a large bite. "So good!"

When she smiled and sat beside him, Alan glanced down. Did she just make a 40-foot jump from the street like it was nothing?

"What do you think?" Astrid asked, pointing at the screen. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Oh, Astrid. You too?

"Yeah. It's amazing what Users can do now. Remember how we struggled to beat a single boss? These guys could probably one-shot it." He took a sip, and when he turned around, Astrid's face was inches from his. 

"You don't sound too impressed though."

Those long eyelashes... and those crystal-blue eyes up close!

"Y-You want the truth?"

"Always!"

"It's not that impressive when they're just fighting each other."

"Huh? Fighting people is way harder! They can think, strategize, and adapt mid-battle."

"True, but it doesn't feel... heroic?"

Astrid studied his face. "You'd rather watch them fight evil monsters?"

"Maybe? I mean, this is still a simulation, right? Unless something changed while I was gone, you're all fighting programmed mobs and bosses, right? There's no real evil here. Just fake glory and pretend justice."

"Oh… That's how you see it," Astrid whispered, turning back to the screen. The digital light framed her oval face, giving her an almost angelic glow.

That's when Alan realized what he had said.

Crap! I really stuck my foot in it! Marco showed me that the guild regularly competes in these tournaments, so I basically called their achievements hollow and meaningless. Astrid's whole life here revolves around these kinds of battles, you moron! Quick, take it back and…

"I missed talking with you," she blurted out. "You always think outside the box, even before we entered the Novus. Not just to be different, I mean, you're always sincere about everything. I missed that."

He felt his face heat up. "That's how you see me?"

But something in the atmosphere had shifted. She sat there hugging her legs, watching the screen with a gleam in her eyes.

Alan, you idiot.

He cleared his throat. "Still… the dedication it takes to reach that level is incredible. They wouldn't broadcast these matches if just anyone could do it, right?"

She turned to him, eyes bright. "True."

"Maybe you could explain something then." Alan crossed his arms, trying to look serious. "I watched a match earlier and got lost in all the terms they were throwing around. 'Special Talent', 'Super-duper', and 'Ultimate-something'. What's all that about?"

She burst out laughing. "You mean Unique Talent, Ultimate Move, and Super Form? Don't worry, I got you covered!"

Astrid's face lit up as she shared her knowledge, using the action on screen as reference. Half of it went over Alan's head as he found himself distracted by her wide smile and infectious enthusiasm. Even though he barely followed the strategies she was breaking down, watching her talk about it was mesmerizing.

"You're quite the expert."

"Of course!" She raised her chin proudly. "Years of combat experience right here!"

"That reminds me, are you still a fire user? Because that outfit earlier doesn't exactly scream 'mage.'"

"Oh, I don't fit any stereotype, trust me! And yeah, I've mastered every fire spell in this simulation, and then some."

"I see, I see. So... how strong are you?"

Astrid raised her eyebrows before looking away. "W-What do you mean?"

Through Alan's eyes flashed a scene from earlier, when Marco had shown him a video of another pyromancer, Amelia, carbonizing their enemies. I could bet everything I have that Astrid is better than that gal.

"Well, compared to others? You're the leader of a 100-strong guild. Are you not only at the top of the chain of command, but also the biggest powerhouse?"

Astrid seemed to be struggling internally. She was biting her lower lip before replying. "I'm seventh..."

"Seventh? You mean you're the seventh strongest in the guild?" Alan asked, and she shook her head, pursing her lips. "Whoa. You mean, the seventh strongest in all Londorus? That's amazing! Congratulations, Astrid."

"Y-Yeah, let's leave it like that..." she muttered before getting to her feet and offering a hand to him. "It's getting late, and you must be tired. Why don't we call it a night? You're not going anywhere again, right?"

Alan thought of his current mission for a fraction of a second before dismissing it and smiling. "I won't."

The flight back was slow and quieter, as if Astrid was stretching out that moment so it would last forever, but they eventually reached the guild headquarters. she then told an NPC servant that she would escort Alan personally to his room, even though Alan said it was not necessary. Maybe she thinks I'll just wink out of existence if she blinks.

Finally, in front of the door, they remained quiet for long seconds.

"See you tomorrow then," she said quietly, gazing down.

"Can we have breakfast together?"

She looked up, smiling. "Oh, I'd love that. Till tomorrow."

"Good night."

After waving goodbye, Astrid crossed the corridor at a slow pace, followed by Alan's gaze, who refused to enter his room until he lost sight of her. 

Maybe I'm the one too afraid of not seeing her ever again if I blink.

Suddenly, Astrid turned around and marched toward Alan while forming fists with a determined expression. She then held Alan's face, kissed his right cheek and said, "'Common occurrence', am I right?" before finally disappearing out of sight at a rapid pace.

Alan would spend an entire hour trying to figure out why she said that until finally falling asleep.