*Note: sorry for not upload chapter yesterday but I didn't feel well. I went to the doctor and it seems that I have the flu and I'm not recovered yet, sorry.
Well, now I feel a little better so here you have the chapter, enjoy it.
Have a good day and happy new year :)
...
The atmosphere in the living room was thick enough to be cut with a knife. While the afternoon sun filtered through the windows, creating a cozy scene, the social dynamic was anything but relaxed. We were all gathered around the low table: Lala, Momo, and Dita seemed genuinely curious about our guest, but the air chilled considerably whenever the gaze of Nana or Yami fell upon Run.
Run sat precisely on the edge of the cushions, her posture impeccable but her hands slightly trembling in her lap. She felt like an intruder in a well-oiled machine, a foreign element in a sanctuary.
"I... I think I haven't properly introduced myself to everyone yet," Run began, her voice small but clear. She took a deep breath, looking at each of us. "My name is Run Elsie Jewelria. I am Ren's twin sister... and currently, I'm the one inhabiting this body."
Before I could say anything to put her at ease, Momo leaned forward with a knowing smile, her eyes sparkling with that intellectual curiosity she always displayed when discussing alien biology.
"Run is a Memorzian," Momo explained, looking at me and then at the other girls. "It's a very rare race where twins are always born—a boy and a girl—but they share the same physical vessel. They exist in a state of biological alternation. Usually, a physical stimulus like a sneeze is what triggers the cellular reconfiguration to swap one twin for the other."
I nodded, though I already knew the theory. "Thanks for the technical breakdown, Momo."
"It's true," Run added quickly, looking directly at me with those deep burgundy eyes. "But please, don't worry. I've spent years training to control my reflexes. I won't sneeze unexpectedly. Also..." she paused, a look of determination crossing her face, "I've 'blocked' Ren. He's currently relegated to a subconscious layer where he can't see or hear anything that's happening right now. He's been complaining loudly in the back of my mind, but I've ignored him completely."
A collective sigh of relief, though some more subtle than others, rippled through the room. The idea of Ren "watching" through Run's eyes while we were in the privacy of our home was a disturbing thought for everyone.
"Good," Nana snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against the sofa. "Because other than Akira, OUR FIANCÉ, no other man is allowed to set foot—or eye—in this house."
Nana's emphasis on "our fiancé" was like a warning shot fired across the bow. She was marking her territory, making it clear to Run that even if she was a beautiful girl, she was entering a space where the "slots" were already fiercely defended.
"Nana! Don't be so rude to a guest," Momo scolded, though her tone lacked any real bite. She seemed more amused by her sister's protectiveness than anything else.
"Hmph!" Nana huffed, turning her head away.
"It's alright, really," Run said hurriedly, waving her hands in a dismissive gesture. "It's perfectly normal that you don't trust a stranger who just walked through your door. I don't blame her at all."
Despite the friction, the conversation eventually began to flow. Lala, Momo, and Dita were naturally social, and they began asking Run about her home planet, her life in Jewelria, and her first impressions of Earth. Run proved to be a charming conversationalist—polite, well-spoken, and far more refined than her hot-headed brother.
However, Nana and Yami's interest didn't last long. Finding the polite chatter boring, they eventually migrated to the large sofa, turning on the television to catch one of their favorite rituals: the afternoon broadcast of Magical Girl Kyouko.
From the corner of her eye, Run watched the screen with growing fascination. "What kind of program is that? The outfits they wear... they're so intricate and beautiful," she whispered, enchanted.
Lala beamed, happy to share one of her favorite Earth discoveries. "That's Magical Girl Kyouko! It's the most popular 'Mahou Shoujo' show in all of Japan—maybe the whole world! Kyouko is the protagonist; she's a magical girl who fights against various villains who want to conquer Earth. It might sound like a simple story, but the execution is wonderful!"
"Yeah, the premise is a total cliché, but the production value is surprisingly high," I added, glancing at the screen.
The show wasn't an anime, but a high-budget live-action tokusatsu-style series. For aliens who had seen advanced technology and galactic special effects, Earth's television could often seem primitive, but Kyouko was an exception. The choreography was crisp, the costumes were designer-quality, and as the show had gained popularity, the writing had evolved from simple "monster of the week" episodes into a surprisingly complex narrative about sacrifice and duty.
(I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I knew way too much about the plot. Not because I was a secret fan, of course, but because the girls had bought every DVD, manga adaptation, and limited edition Blu-ray with director's commentary. My knowledge was purely environmental. Or so I told myself).
"Shhh! Look! She's about to announce something!" Nana cried out, leaning forward.
On the screen, Kyouko—the actress dressed in her iconic pink and white battle outfit—flashed a dazzling smile that seemed to radiate through the glass.
"Attention to all my dear fans! Today I bring you a very special announcement! 'Magical Girl Kyouko' is expanding its horizons, and we are officially holding a nationwide casting for the series' new major villain! This will be a character never seen before, with a deep and tragic backstory. If you want to join our cast and work alongside me, just send a video audition and your contact details to the email on our social media! Don't miss your chance to be part of the magic! See you soon!"
"A casting for the new villain?!" Nana stood up, her eyes wide with excitement. "I'm definitely applying! Can you imagine working on set with her? It would be incredible!"
"Nana, calm down," Momo intervened, her voice becoming serious. "Have you forgotten Father's warning?"
She was referring to King Gid Lucione Deviluke. After my duel with the Prince of Andromeda, Gid had sent a very clear message: his daughters were to maintain a relatively low profile on Earth. He didn't want the princesses of the most powerful empire in the galaxy becoming tabloid fodder or international celebrities.
With their otherworldly beauty, any of them could have become supermodels or movie stars overnight, but Gid had strictly forbidden them from seeking that kind of public attention. The girls usually ignored their father's whims, but on this point, Momo seemed to agree. Their life with me—the daily cohabitating, the training, the growing intimacy—was more than enough for them. They didn't need the validation of fame.
"Tch, fine. I wasn't really going to do it anyway," Nana muttered, sitting back down with a pout.
Yami watched the screen in silence. She probably would have made a terrifyingly effective villain, but her quiet nature would never allow her to endure the chaos of a film set. For her, the peace of this living room was worth more than any role.
As the show went to commercial, the conversation turned back to the house. Run looked around at the girls, then at me. "Akira... you seem so happy here. Is this what life on Earth is always like?"
I leaned back, thinking about the question. "Not for everyone. Before Lala arrived, my life was... different. It was quieter, perhaps a bit more focused on survival and growth. But since she crashed into my life, everything changed. Every day is a new adventure, sometimes a bit chaotic, but always meaningful. I wouldn't trade this life for anything in the galaxy."
"That's... beautiful," Run said softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize how much you valued this peace until now."
"It's fine, Run. You're part of that new adventure now," I said with a smile.
"And we're friends too! Remember, call me Lala!" Lala chirped, while Dita nodded in agreement.
The two of them began setting out snacks and tea, the domesticity of the moment settling over us like a warm blanket. But just as I reached for a cup of tea, a sharp, rhythmic beep echoed through the room.
My heart skipped a beat. I looked down at my wrist. The Omnitrix, which had been in its dormant, inactive state, had suddenly flared to life. The green dial popped up on its own, and a beam of emerald light shot out, sweeping over Run's entire body from head to toe.
"What is that? What's happening?" Run asked, frozen in place as the light scanned her.
Is it scanning her DNA to unlock the Memorzian transformation? I wondered. But that didn't make sense. The watch hadn't done that with Lala, Momo, or Nana when I first met them. It usually required a dangerous situation to adquire a new alien form. It's aliso strange that the Omnitrix don't scan the new races I met like in the original series of Ben 10.
Suddenly, a computerized voice—cold and clinical—emanated from the watch.
[ATTENTION: GENETIC ANOMALY DETECTED. DNA DEFICIENCY IDENTIFIED IN SUBJECT OF MEMORZIAN ORIGIN. INITIATING ANALYSIS...]
The room went dead silent.