The morning sunlight flash through the thin curtains.
The air was still and warm.
Arthur woke first.
Gracie lay against his chest, her hair scattered across the pillow.
For a while, he didn't move due to his hangover. He pulled open a drawer, took two tablet and place them on top of his drawer.
He got up and left to the kitchen and filled two glass with water then returned back to bedroom.
He brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "Morning," he whispered before taking sip of water with one of the pain relief tablets.
Her eyes fluttered open. "Bonjour mon amour?" rubbing her forehead slightly.
Arthur smiled. "Before you get sick," he hold her glass with one pain reliever tablet, "Here you go."
She stretched, before taking a glass and tablet then swallowing it. "Merci, I'm going back to bed now." she dropped back on the bed and try to go back to bed.
Arthur place both of their glasses on the drawer and gentle wrap his arms around her stomach.
---
The sound of running water filled the small bathroom.
Steam curled up from the tub as Arthur sat at one end, his knees drawn slightly in, while Gracie leaned back against his chest. She traced small circles in the water, humming the same French melody they had played yesterday.
"You know," Arthur said, "I was thinking that I should message my father to see if he is okay."
Gracie turned to face him. "Are you sure? Is it from what I said yesterday?"
"Partly," he said. "I'm curious whatever my mom didn't push him over the edge."
"I see." She started smiling. "Whatever happens, I'm here for you mon amour."
He smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm glade that I have you."
Steam fogged up the mirror as they finished bathing. They brushed their teeth side by side. Gracie swaying her hips lightly to the beat of her own hum while Arthur begun using his mouthwash.
Then came dressing.
Arthur pulled on his usual black pants, a loose long black shirt, and his brown boots. He tied his brown hair into a man bun.
Gracie, however, opted for something more playful: a white tank top tucked into blue mini shorts, paired with sleek black shoes. Her hair was still slightly damp, curling at the ends as she adjusted her necklace.
---
The living room was quiet except for the soft hum of the TV.
The morning news replayed footage of the plane wreck — reporters circling the same few details, experts speculating endlessly.
Arthur sipped coffee, sitting cross-legged on the couch, while Gracie sat beside him nibbling toast.
> "Authorities continue to investigate the crash of Tim Venice's private jet," the anchor said. "Debris and valuables have been recovered along the coastline, though the billionaire himself remains missing…"
A new face appeared on the screen — a woman in a black dress with chestnut curls, her expression perfectly composed despite the tension around her.
> "We now go live to Vola Venice, wife of the late Tim Venice."
Gracie tilted her head. "That's his wife? She looks so young and gorgeous."
Arthur nodded slowly. "Yeah, they look thirty to forty years apart."
Vola stood at a podium surrounded by cameras. Her voice was smooth, elegant yet she seemed like she wasn't mourning his death.
> "My husband," she began, "was a man who believed in dreams. His dream was to make two worlds coexist with technology discovery and creation."
Arthur frowned. "What technology did he create. I thought he was a ceo of a cafe that he started in 1955. What was he doing?"
> "So to honor his legacy, I think it's time for us to reveal the next new era," she left her right hand from underneath the table and in her hand was black cube with a red lines and a red gem on it, "Come forth, Serenity." The gem glowed brightly as a blue projection shot upwards.
Gracie whispered, "En cours."
What appeared out of the light was a white wolf like animal with glowing blue eyes with a soft expression on it face. Serenity released a soft roar before freezing half of the table with his paw.
Everyone was speechless including Arthur and Gracie.
Vola's gaze shifted directly to the camera. Her smile grew as she leaned forward and placed her right hand on the unfrozen part of the table then immediately she froze the unfrozen part.
> "Ladies and gentlemen," she said softly, "this is the legacy the Venice family will leave behind, the discovery of a new lifeform that we call Ycracuse." her eyes glowed slightly brightly, "For those who already have the entrance. Let me tell you this. Take me to a world filled with adventure."
The mere moment she utter those words, a bright red light begun to flash.
The painting hanging on the wall suddenly glowed. The reds deepened. The entire room was bathed in scarlet light.
"Arthur?" Gracie's voice trembled.
Arthur stood up quickly. "Don't touch it—"
Too late.
The air split open with a sound like tearing fabric. A wind erupted from the painting, swirling around them, pulling everything into its center — papers, cups, curtains — all drawn toward the scarlet glow. The TV flickered violently, then burst into static.
Gracie grabbed his arm. "Arthur!"
He held her tight. "Hold on—!"
The floor beneath them seemed to vanish. Their bodies lifted, weightless, pulled forward as if gravity itself had reversed.
The world bent, colors stretching, red and white blending into endless motion.
Their screams were lost in the storm of light.
Then...silence.
---
A cold drop of water hit Arthur's cheek.
He groaned softly, his body aching. The smell of damp stone filled his nose. When he opened his eyes, he saw a dark ceiling of rough rock glistening with moisture.
Gracie was lying beside him, unconscious but breathing. The floor was hard, uneven, covered in dust and small stones. A faint blue glow flickered somewhere deeper within the cave.
Arthur pushed himself up slowly, head pounding. "Gracie… hey, wake up."
She stirred, then blinked awake. "Arthur? What happened…?"
He helped her sit up. "We're… not home anymore."
She looked around confusion and paranoia. "This can't be real," she whispered. "We were just— watching TV. And she..."
Arthur rubbed his arm. "And now we're in a cave. What the hell is going—"
He stopped talking as he heard something. The faint sound of movement echoed from deeper within.
He stood, scanning the shadows. "Stay close to me."
Gracie nodded, clutching his sleeve.
They took a few cautious steps forward, their shoes crunching softly over stone.
The cave opened into a small hollow where light from glowing moss illuminated the walls. Strange markings decorated on different rock.
Arthur knelt, touching one. "What is this place…" he murmured.
Before Gracie could answer, something darted from the darkness.
A blur of blue and white.
Arthur barely had time to react before a small creature slammed into his chest, knocking him flying before skipping of the ground.
"ARTHUR!" Gracie shouted.
He coughed, looking up, and froze.
Standing before him was a small, fox-like creature with three tails, its fur glimmering like liquid ice. Water rippled across its body, constantly flowing, and its eyes glowed a deep cerulean blue.
The creature crouched low, baring tiny fangs.
Arthur stared, stunned. "What the hell is that…?"
The creature's tails flared out, spreading mist across the ground. It opened its mouth, and growled.
> "Everfox."
Arthur's heartbeat quickened.
Gracie covered her mouth, eyes wide. "Did… did it just talk?"
The creature took a cautious step closer, still growling faintly, water swirling at its paws.
Arthur swallowed hard, pushing himself up from the ground. "Hey… easy there. We don't want trouble."
But the fox's eyes glowed brighter.
The mist thickened. The cave grew colder, frost creeping over the rocks.
Then a giant ice wall separated both Everfox and Arthur from Gracie.
Gracie ran towards the wall trying to break it open, "ARRÊTE ÇA, ESPÈCE DE RENARD STUPIDE." she shouted.
Evertail conjured a ball of water and blast a steam of water at Arthur that sent him back first against the wall causing him to fell unconscious.