Dinner with Sarah

After a very enjoyable soak in the bathtub of my suite, I relaxed on the balcony as I watched the boats in the bay and sipped my wine. Far in the distance, from the top of a building, Overdrive was keeping an eye on me while participating in the heated debate going on in Morgan's apartment through the comm system in his suit. Celeste was ready to fly over to the hotel and beat me into the ground, unconcerned about the collateral damage that the city would undoubtedly take, but Morgan was and still had enough sway with his ex-wife that she listened to him instead of attacking solely out of spite. I did not care about their argument or the watchful eyes on me; why worry about what the bugs thought of me? 

Mesmer, or Rae Lexington, though, had some potential after I glanced through her memories. Her telekinesis was on par with her mother as she had taught her how to wield it properly from a young age, but her gifts truly were in the Mind Arts. She had no teacher for her telepathy, which was why it was so out of control as she subconsciously read everyone's mind within reach of her. The shields that she could put around other people's minds were originally developed by her childhood self to protect her own mind from the constant assault of other people's thoughts. Such a powerful gift gave her the potential to reach godhood if she was guided properly, but whether she was worth the time and effort, along with her desire to advance, was something I would figure out later.

After receiving a silent call from Selviana, asking for breakfast for the people that I had rescued, I vanished from the rooftop terrace, which I was sure would worry the Superhero family to no end. Hanoharu had already swept the island for useful plants and, unsurprisingly, found nothing of medical or nutritional value, so I decided that I would get some seeds for the island while I was out getting breakfast. Thankfully, Morgan knew the city better than most people, so I did as well after our conversation and quickly teleported between a couple of stores, discreetly using the alleyways to hide the jumps from the average person, though the security cameras would undoubtedly pick me up. I did not stay in any place long enough for Overdrive to catch up to me, if he was even chasing after me, then vanished from the city entirely when I had everything that I needed.

The women and kids were still hiding in the basement, but the youngest, a girl around the age of three, had crawled to Selviana during the night when the wolf had come down to heal their upset stomachs as the food had been too rich for them. Selv, being the softy that she was, had scooped up the child and snuggled her after a quick, magical wash for the entire night. The toddler's happy laughter had been enough to draw in the other children throughout the night, and all seven were clean and laying against the big wolf when I brought them the food. There was less fear in everyone's eyes as I came down with the food, especially from the children, which was a good sign.

After leaving the food for them and dropping off the seeds to Hanoharu, I teleported myself back to Silverbrook, specifically, Victor's apartment. He was already awake and yelling at his lawyer over the phone to follow his orders. The poor lawyer was just trying to talk him out of giving control of his company to his distant cousin (me) and agreeing to the plea deal to testify against the various Villain gangs that he worked with before. Without me as his guardian angel, it was basically a suicide attempt, but I would make sure that he served his twenty-five years peacefully enough and let him retire somewhere comfortable once he was out.

"Asynia! I'm sorry. I didn't hear you come in," he apologized politely.

"It's fine. You were busy," I replied as I walked across his personal office and sat down on the couch where I had been last night.

"Can I get you anything? A drink? Breakfast?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I chuckled, amused by the change in his behavior towards me.

Like many bullies, Victor had grown up in a household without love and little kindness. His father had been a mid-level thug in a gang before he died in a car accident, that he caused fleeing from the police, so his mother took to working the streets after that. The few men that his mother brought home were abusive, and it did not take long before he joined a gang to protect himself. Eventually, his intelligence caught the attention of the Super running the gang, and he gave him the chance to build his shipping company with a big loan.

Aside from a small handful of times, the fake memories that I had created to give us a 'familial' connection were some of his happiest moments, so he cherished me. The sheer fact that I was willing to come and help him manage his company after being such a disappointment had made him desperate to please me. I might have felt bad if he was not such a piece of self-service crap, but I just accepted it with suppressed annoyance and reminded myself that he was going to prison once I had a house that I liked.

"I've started the process of transferring my assets to you, but as you may have overheard, my lawyer is not convinced that I'm in my right mind at the moment, so it could delay the transfer for the day, but I'll meet with him personally this evening if he hasn't made the transfer by then," he explained.

"Good. If he is causing you problems, I'm sure that your Board of Directors will be next. Schedule a meeting with them all tomorrow morning, and I will handle them personally," I said.

"Of course," he agreed. "About your request for a house, I still need to get with a proper real estate agent, but my initial search doesn't show any available homes near here with waterfront. Are there any other features that you would find acceptable?"

"Hmm..." I mused. "If you can't find any waterfront properties in Silverbrook, get me an apartment in the building next to your company and find me a house up in the mountains, preferably one with a natural hot spring."

"Understood. I'll have the realtor prepare a presentation of options for you as quickly as he can," he agreed.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"Anything for you, cousin," he replied.

"I was hoping that you could help me get a phone," I said.

"Sure, I have several unused prepaid phones that you can choose from, or I can add you to my contract and get you a permanent phone," he offered.

"The prepaid phones will be fine for now. I'll set up my own account with a company once I have a proper address," I responded.

"Alright," he agreed and opened a drawer in his desk. 

He pulled out four phones and brought them over to the coffee table in front of me where he spread them out. They were all the same model and were either black, white, or gray, so I just picked the closest.

"Call my number and I will save yours, so I can call you directly with any developments," he suggested.

"Fine," I agreed with a nod and called his phone.

After he saved my number, we spoke for another minute or two before I excused myself from his apartment. I did not teleport out of his apartment directly as I did not want to leave him with any memories of my powers. Telepaths were rare, but just because Mesmer was one of the strongest did not mean that she was the only one, nor were they all members of the Hero Alliance.

I returned to my penthouse suite and dropped off my number at the front desk, unsurprised that Mister Lexington had already called to inquire about me. I spent the rest of the day lounging about my suite, soaking up the sun and enjoying the small private pool.

When the next morning came, I met with the assholes that called themselves the Board of Directors. I really should not have been surprised that the people overseeing a business that was more a front for illegal activities than a real business were scum; there were even two Super Villains in the group, including Victor's former boss. Since I did not detect any trace of Divinity on them, I did not bother being polite or reserved and simply shoved a mental command to submit to my orders in their minds.

Thankfully, I escaped from them fairly early, so I had plenty of time to relax before my date. Perhaps I should have dressed up, or changed the look of my clothes at least, but I never cared too much about my appearance or how my raiment looked. Dirt and grime would not stay on my body unless I was truly drained of energy, so as long as I was comfortable, other people's opinions were not my concern. I left my hotel a little early and walked casually to the restaurant.

Thalassa's Flame was a hidden gem nestled along the bay, where the gentle lull of the waves met the rich, aromatic spices of Shi-Tonnu cuisine. The restaurant's cozy wooden exterior, adorned with soft lantern light, blended seamlessly with its surroundings, creating an inviting retreat from the outside world. Large windows framed the breathtaking view of the water, offering diners a serene backdrop as they enjoyed their meals. Inside, the warm glow of candlelight flickers against rich teakwood walls, and the air is filled with the soothing hum of soft Shi-Tonnu melodies even outside of the building.

I did not have to wait long before I saw Sarah walking in my direction. She was in a beautiful emerald green cocktail dress that matched her eyes, and a pair of black heels that nearly brought her up to my eye level. Her eyes lit up when she saw me waiting and she smiled.

"You look stunning," I complimented.

"Thanks," she replied with a faint blush. "You look great too."

I chuckled softly at her nervousness before opening the door for her. She walked in with me right behind, and we waited a few moments for someone to approach us. We were shown to our seats, and I glanced around the dining space before looking at the menu.

The ambiance was intimate, designed for quiet conversations and unforgettable dining experiences. Private tables were tucked away in alcoves, each adorned with intricate silk drapes and delicate floral arrangements, offering a sense of seclusion and romance. The menu celebrates the essence of Shi-Tonnu flavors, with an emphasis on fresh seafood; steamed lemongrass mussels, coconut curry lobster, and crispy tamarind-glazed snapper to name a few. Each dish was a harmonious blend of spice, sweetness, and the natural saltiness of the sea, perfectly paired with handcrafted cocktails infused with Shi-Tonnu herbs. 

"So, what have you been working on?" I asked while we waited for our waiter.

"My thesis project. It eats up most of my time these days," she replied, brushing her hair behind an ear.

"That's right; you mentioned that you were working on your doctorate in bio-engineering. May I ask a little about it?"

"Sure, um... I'm working on a new type of cybernetics that would be able to run off the natural electrical impulses in the human body instead of batteries, which would be life changing for children as they would rarely need to replace the device, saving them from numerous surgeries," she explained with a soft, passionate smile.

"That's some impressive work that you're doing," I praised.

"Thanks... So, what about you? What do you do?" she asked.

"Well, I'm currently in the process of taking over my cousin's shipping company, and before that, I was studying abroad, which is a fancy way of saying that I was traveling around the world and wasting my family's money," I said with a chuckle.

"I'm sure that you've seen some amazing things," she replied.

"More than you'd believe," I agreed with a smirk.

Our waiter walked up, so we ordered our meal and chatted lightly until the food came out. Again, I was happily impressed with the food and drinks, making me realize just how much I had missed modern cuisine. By the time that we finished the food and paid our bill, we had several drinks, and our conversation had turned more personal.

"So, do you have any more plans for the evening?" I asked.

"Yeah, I've got another date after this," Sarah chuckled.

"Too bad. I was going to invite you back to my suite for a bottle of wine and to enjoy my private pool and the view," I retorted with a smirk.

"'Private pool' you say? I guess I could skip those plans; my workshop will still be there tomorrow," she commented. "But I don't have a swimsuit."

"That's fine. I don't have one either."

She laughed, sounding like soft bells, and agreed, "Alright, it doesn't sound too bad."

I stood up and offered a hand as I asked, "Shall we then?"

She chuckled and took my hand before she slid off the booth. I wrapped her arm around my own then led us out of the restaurant and into the cool night air. We did not really talk on the walk back to my hotel, but it was nice as she kept her arm with mine and leaned against me lightly.

We rode the elevator up to the top floor, but it was clear that she thought I had just been bragging about my suite with how she gasped lightly when the doors opened. I smirked and strolled in while she was absorbed by the luxury of the suite and the amazing view of the city. Stopping in the kitchen, I pulled out a bottle of wine from the fridge and two glasses for us. She was not so captivated that she did not notice my actions or that I was heading towards the terrace, so she followed me outside.

While I poured us both drinks, she strolled to the railing, looking out at the bay and the twinkling lights of the boats still on the water, and remarked, "Wow, I've lived in Brightton for nearly ten years and I've never seen such an amazing view."

"Really? Do you not look in a mirror?" I complimented softly as I approached her from behind, lightly pressing my body against her back while I presented a glass in front of her.

"Silver-tongued devil," she chuckled as she leaned back against my chest and took the glass.

"I've been called worse," I breathed into her ear, my arm wrapping around her waist protectively.

Her heartbeat raced and her cheeks flushed at my teasing, but she did not resist. I leaned down slightly and gently kissed her neck, making her sigh in pleasure. She turned around in my arms and looked up expectantly. Smiling, I used my empty hand to lift her chin up and kissed her passionately. She could not help but get swept up in my momentum as my fingers found their way to her hair, pulling it lightly, which she liked.

"Oh, wow..." she gasped, breathless, when I finally released her lips.

I chuckled softly, making her blush, and teased, "That was just the appetizer, but we can move onto the main course and then dessert, if you're ready."