The atmosphere at Aethelgard Academy completely changed as the Festival organized by Dr. Aris drew near.
Colorful banners hung everywhere, food stalls were being built, and the most anticipated event of all was announced—The Popular Pilot Contest.
"THIS IS THE PERFECT CHANCE TO TEST YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS!"
Dr. Aris's voice boomed through the loudspeakers, though his eyes were clearly aimed at Kaelan.
In the hangar, Kaelan stood frozen, staring at five different outfits laid out in front of him—each offered by one of his teammates.
> "Just wear your standard pilot uniform," Sofia suggested practically. "We need to look professional."
Riko shook her head, tablet in hand. "Festival data over the past five years shows that themed costumes get 73% more votes. I already calculated the optimal design."
Lena smirked, holding up a sleek, formal suit. "As a representative of the oil district, I say go for something… mature."
Kora shyly offered a bunny-themed hoodie. "This one's… comfy and cute…"
Marcus interrupted loudly. "ARMOR! That's the only outfit worthy of a pilot!"
Yena's voice came from Rustbucket's speaker. "Analysis: All suggestions incompatible. Yena recommends combining all elements."
The result?
Kaelan ended up looking like a clown — a pilot uniform, a formal jacket, bunny ears, and shoulder armor.
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The Dance contest
Each pilot had to perform a dance with their partner… and Kaelan had to change partners every round.
Round 1 – Sofia:
Rustbucket and Stormdancer moved gracefully—until Kaelan stepped on Sofia's foot.
> "Sorry! Rustbucket's pressure sensors aren't built for this!"
Sofia smiled painfully. "It's okay… I'm pretty sure my foot isn't broken… maybe."
Round 2 – Riko:
Riko tried following her own movement calculations, but it turned into chaos.
> "Turn left 45 degrees, then rotate 3.14 radians!"
"I CAN'T CALCULATE PI WHILE DANCING!"
Round 3 – Lena:
Confident and a little too flirty, Lena's moves made Rustbucket crash into a food stand.
> "Easy there, hotshot," she teased. "Didn't know you liked close combat this much."
Round 4 – Kora:
Surprisingly, their movements were perfectly in sync. Rustbucket and Kora's Echo danced beautifully, glowing in harmony.
> "We're… kind of in tune," Kora whispered, cheeks red.
From the sidelines, Marcus shouted, "FAKE! THEY DEFINITELY PRACTICED THAT!"
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The Cooking Contest
Each pilot ran their own food booth, trying to impress Kaelan.
Sofia made a fancy French dish that immediately caught fire. "It's supposed to look flambéed!"
Riko created an "optimized meal" that tasted like cardboard.
Lena served luxury steak… that could double as a metal plate.
Kora baked a simple cake — and surprisingly, it was actually delicious.
Then came Marcus, who somehow caused a fire alarm to go off.
> "IT'S ON FIRE—BUT WITH FLAVOR!" someone yelled.
Kaelan managed to put out the fire with Rustbucket, ending up covered in soot and smelling like onions.
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The Campfire Night
As the night settled, everyone gathered around the bonfire — and each tried to get alone time with Kaelan.
Sofia "accidentally" sat too close and leaned on him.
Riko presented "optimal seating data," conveniently placing Kaelan right beside her.
Lena "got lost" and "accidentally" found him alone.
Kora quietly left her scarf beside him, pretending she forgot it.
But soon, all of them ran into Kaelan at the same time in a small forest near the fire.
> "Kaelan, I wanted to—"
"I was hoping we could—"
"I've got something to—"
"Can you—"
All talking at once. Awkward silence filled the air until—
> Rustbucket's speaker crackled.
"RECOMMENDED DATING DISTANCE: 1.5 METERS. EYE CONTACT: 3.2 SECONDS. SMILE AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE—"
"YENA, SHUT UP!" everyone yelled in unison.
Kaelan blushed furiously. "She's… just trying to help."
---
The Result
As the festival ended, the results shocked everyone.
> "The winner of the Most Popular Pilot Contest is… Kaelan McLaki-Laki!"
Not because of his dancing or cooking — but for his "genuine personality and ability to bring the team together."
The prize?
One full day with the partner of his choice.
All eyes turned to him — Sofia, Riko, Lena, Kora… even Marcus crossed his arms.
> "Choose wisely, kid," Marcus muttered.
Kaelan looked around, sighed, then smiled.
> "I choose… to spend the day with EVERYONE!!!!!."
Silence. Then—
> "CHEATER!"
"COWARD!"
"SMART MOVE!"
"CUTE!"
Dr. Aris chuckled from afar. "He's learning faster than I expected."
---
But as the laughter faded and the festival came to an end, a shadowy figure watched from the distance, snapping a photo of Kaelan and the others.
> "Target confirmed. Proceed with Phase Two."
The festival might be over… but the real game had just begun.
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