Earlier that day:
Bloom sat up in her bed, turning to make sure she didn't accidentally wake up Alex. She got ready for the day and made her way towards the cafeteria to get some coffee.
"Hey! Just the person I was looking for!" Jason was surprisingly ecstatic for a six AM coffee trip.
"Hey!" Bloom tried to hide the fact that she had just woken up as she grabbed her coffee and sat down with Jason.
"What did you wanna talk about?" Bloom poured sugar into her black coffee, stirring it while Jason started to speak.
"It's about the missions." Jason's words immediately changed Bloom's expression. A hint of worry resided under her polite smile as Jason continued.
"I know the kids would love to join the team. They practically live to have the chance to be a part of the rebellion. Especially with what happened to Alex's sister and the infiltration-" Jason was interrupted.
"Please." Bloom sipped her coffee, trying to get the image of Milo's mutilated corpse out of her mind.
Jason could see the coffee shaking inside Bloom's mug.
"Uh, sorry… Anyways, I feel like they should try it out. I was thinking we could host organized sparring matches today to gauge how far along the kids are when it comes to combat, what do you think?" Jason shrugged, awaiting an answer.
Bloom looked down at her reflection in the coffee.
"I just want the kids to be happy. But the path they want to go down might end early. Sierra, if you were here, what would you do?" Bloom tried to subconsciously call upon Mrs. Frewin's strong-willed moral compass to no avail.
"I don't know, maybe. I just wouldn't be able to witness it. I couldn't sit and watch after all they've been through." Bloom stared down at her coffee as she spoke.
"Then we'll just take a day off." Alex put a hand on Bloom's shoulder and smiled.
Jason jumped at the idea.
"That's perfect! Me and Molly can give you a list of some of our favorite local spots. By the time you guys get back, it'll be finished up! What'd ya say, Bloom?" Jason looked to Bloom just as Alex did.
"Alright. I guess." Bloom still sounded uncertain, but the other two were determined to make her worry disappear.
Thirty minutes later, the couple were dressed and ready to go. Bloom walked up to the gates of the compound, where Alex was already waiting by the van.
"You ready for our date?" Alex smiled and held her hand out.
Bloom chuckled as she took Alex's hand.
The two got situated in the black van, starting it up as Alex took a folded piece of paper out of her pocket.
"Alright, let's see where they recommended first." Alex scanned the paper for an interesting location.
"Do you think Amora will be okay? She's never had to go one on one before." Bloom messed with her straight black hair.
"Yeah, she'll be fine."
"What about Hendrix? It feels like every time he fights it gets out of hand-" Bloom's rambling was interrupted.
"Babe, it'll be fine." Alex smiled as she grabbed Bloom's hand.
Bloom took a deep breath out and nodded. "So where does it say we should go first?"
"Hm, good question. Oh, I recognize this place! We gotta go!" Alex shifted into drive as the two excitedly made their way to their first destination.
After a ten minute drive, the black van pulled up to what seemed like a 'hole in the wall' type of establishment. The paper billboard above the door read "3024's Sushi".
"Don't you remember this place?!" Alex excitedly asked her passenger.
"Um… I don't think so." Bloom tried to conjure up some hidden memory, staring at the paper sign.
The two entered the establishment, being welcomed by a young woman sitting at the bar along with a man who peeked out from the kitchen.
"Welcome to 3024's Sushi!" They both said in unison.
"You two can follow me!" The young woman excitedly grabbed two menus and gestured to the couple to follow her.
The inside of the restaurant was quaint, just how Alex remembered it.
Most everything in sight was made of furnished wood, seemingly handmade. It gave a homestyle feel to the small establishment.
There were a few older couples sitting at the various tables lining the room, just as much as you would expect at seven AM.
The two were seated right by a window that looked over a small lake. The sun was now in full shape over the sky, shining through the window.
"Alright, I'll get you two some water. Let me know if you have any questions!" The young woman was about to leave but stopped when she heard Alex hesitate.
"Uh, where's 3024?" Alex asked politely. The young woman's smile faded slightly before she started to speak.
"My father… He was taken away a while ago. He was charged with heresy. We haven't seen him since." The young woman gave a polite yet somber smile to Alex.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I just remember him from the last time I was here." Alex nodded apologetically.
"It's fine. I'm glad my father's food made you come back. I hope my service and my brother's cooking can live up to his." The waiter walked into the back room as Alex looked out the window.
Bloom noticed the shine of a tear on Alex's face which was quickly wiped away. The sun illuminated every detail in Alex's pale face and green hair.
Alex recovered herself quickly, picking up the menu and looking through it intensely.
"It's finally getting to her too, isn't it." Bloom thought.
"I still don't remember this place." Bloom chuckled, trying to get Alex's excitement.
"Really? This is where Manny told us he was going to be leading the Tokyo compound. It was you, me, Manny, Maybelle, Jaden, and Sierra." Alex waited for Bloom to remember even the tiniest bit.
"I mean… I remember saying our goodbyes when we left. But…." Bloom tapped her chin.
Alex's eyes widened as she remembered something.
"Oh! That's right! You were blackout drunk!"
"What?!" Bloom burst into a fit of laughter.
"Yeah! I remember we all wanted you to drink with us because it would be our last time going out with Manny. You couldn't handle your liquor at all!" Alex joined in on the laughter, the both of them trying to talk through their cackling.
"Here are your waters, have you guys decided on what you'd like to order?" The young woman asked.
Bloom realized she hadn't taken the slightest peek at the menu the whole time.
"We'll both have the futomaki. Thank you!" Alex handed the menus to the waiter.
"Trust me on this one." Alex smiled.
The two reminisced about their last visit to 3024's Sushi right up to the moment their food met their table.
"Here you go, enjoy!" the young woman smiled and walked into the back room.
The sushi was placed on a wooden board in a neat manner, just enough to make it look tastier than it already was.
They both dug in, taking their first bites at the same time.
"Wow, you're right. This really is delicious-" Bloom looked at her partner.
Alex was clearly crying as she chewed on her first bite of sushi.
"What's wrong?" Bloom put a napkin to Alex's cheek.
Alex held Bloom's hand as she smiled at her.
"I finally know what you mean. We really are the only ones left. Maybelle died, then Sierra and Jaden, then Manny. Those kids have already lost enough. I hope they never feel this type of pain." Alex took a deep breath.
Bloom slowly realized something about this moment.
"This is the most emotion she's shown me since we were teenagers." Bloom realized how much Alex must be shouldering.
"Well… I guess I know how they feel… They just want to fight for the people who died for them." Bloom felt like she was being slowly persuaded.
"I'm not entirely confident in these mission ideas, but Jason will be watching over them for the first few, so I say let them give it a go." Alex smirked as Bloom rolled her eyes.
"Alright, babe. You've persuaded me." Bloom chuckled.
The two finished up their food, paying with the money Jason gave them from the compound's savings.
"Where to next?" Bloom asked as she got into the passenger's seat.
"Hm, wanna go see a movie?" Alex asked, Bloom nodding in excitement.
The two drove to a small, dimly lit local theater.
"I bet you Chase would hate this." Bloom chuckled as they walked into the theater.
"Why's that?" Alex asked.
"Everything here goes through the state. He's watched way too many classics to be satisfied with this." Bloom chuckled as Alex joined her.
The two watched a rom-com about two lovers who lived in different countries.
The propaganda was obvious to the two women. The 'if only we were all united' message was very 'on the nose'.
The two came out of the movie in tears of laughter.
"That actor looked so uncomfortable with his last line!" Alex cackled, Bloom nodding as she continued to laugh.
Alex looked at the laughing Bloom, smiling all the while.
"Sorry, babe. I forgot. I forgot how much I loved being around you." Alex thought to herself.
They had been out for around five hours now. It was almost noon and they had hoped to talk to the kids about what their thoughts were on missions before the day was done.
"Let's get back. It's been a great date. Love you." Bloom grabbed Alex's chin, pulling her in for a kiss.
"Love you too." Alex spoke after the kiss.
Alex started up the car and turned towards the direction of the compound.
"How do you think the kids did?" Bloom turned to Alex.
"They probably did fine. Hendrix might have given everyone a little jumpscare, though." Alex chuckled.
Bloom chuckled as well, but stopped short as she realized the very real possibility that something might have happened.
"The last time Hendrix fought was with the Advisor. Does he know how to restrain himself?" Bloom asked herself.
The black van pulled into the compound. The two women joked about the day's events as they entered the compound.
They heard indiscernible commotion coming from the gymnasium, catching their attention immediately.
"Looks like they're still going, let's check it out." Alex grabbed Bloom's hand.
Bloom grabbed the door knob.
"What's going on-" Bloom entered the gymnasium with a smile that quickly faded. Alex entered after her, quickly donning the same expression.