5:00 IST, Nineteenth Day, Eighth Month, 3079 PV | Vilen System / Itak Orbit / Sycos Battleship / Hangar

  We exit the shuttle, finally back on the Sycos after a bit of R&R with the Quartet. You can bet lots of headrubs were engaged in. We also saw some pretty cool wildlife and beautiful vistas.

  Oh, I guess we also talked about some political and business stuff too. But, meh, that's all super boring. After all, why would I talk about boring meetings when I could mention my super duper ultra omega cute girlfriend Ray instead?

  “Attention passengers, welcome back. I hope you had a good excursion down on Itak. I hear they have some nice amenities. On another note, I have a request.

  If the officers would please head to the bridge, we are currently receiving a priority 5 communication from the IEC.”

  “Oooooo, Ko, what do you think this could be about?”

  “Well, given the time of year, and last year's precedent, I can warrant a fairly good guess.”

  We head to the bridge and the communication is received. There appears, none other than the Gamekeeper themselves.

  “Greetings, Contestants Kovon and Rayleigh, and many friends I see.

  Now, straight to business, I'm a busy person after all. I'm sure you folk are as well.

  I am contacting you to invite you to the 4,907,369th New Years Celebration Gala. It shall take place at precisely 12:00 IST on the fifth day of the first month, 3090 PV. After last year's event, I'm sure you two won't hesitate to come visit. Of course, you are welcome to bring as many guests as you desire.

  The entire universe has its eyes on you, Moonlight Duo. I do hope you will continue dazzling them for many years to come.

  May the stars be ever in your favor.”

  With that fairly brief message the communication cuts out.

  “Ko!”

  “Ray!”

  “It seems like they require our moonlight once more.”

  “Well then, darling. We have no choice but to overwhelm them with our brilliant moonlight.”

  11:00 IST, Fifth Day, First Month, 3080 PV | Opedi System / Opedi / Arkan-human embassy complex / Antechamber

  “Ko, are ya ready? It's been a fair bit since we've got to dazzle such an audience.” Ray says, eager to get out onto the dance floor. I'm excited too. We've got a hopefully interesting routine planned for today.

  After the invitation, we rushed over to Opedi, the planet of the Arkan-human embassy and the site of this year's new years celebration. Throughout the entire journey, we have been plotting.

  Ray is looking mighty stunning in her dress by the way. It's a pretty simple silver dress all things considered. But somehow, it perfectly accentuates all of her curves in just the right spots. Of course, our emblem is displayed nice and large on her shoulder this time. Her earring is also very energetic on this fine day.

  I'm actually the fancy one today. I've got a purple blazer on, with frills around the wrists for some reason. My pants are also more baggy than normal. I don't know why Ray decided upon such a design, but it somehow just works. Though, it does contrast a bit against my earring.

  Also, we've got our capes on of course. They've had some pretty significant improvements, now the effect should be far greater, but not quite as hard on the eyes.

  Of course, Ray is far more beautiful than I ever could hope to be. I'm honestly not sure I should even be allowed next to her. Like, I'm just an eyesore in comparison to her overwhelming charm.

  “Oi, Ko, snap out of that. I can see the self-deprecating thoughts all over your face.”

  “But, you're just so cute.”

  “You're cute too, so don't let me see those thoughts again, you hear me? Or I'll have to deal with you later.” Ray says, as she leans in close and looks up at me. Somehow very intimidating, I think I feel a bit of fear, or perhaps anticipation?

  “Hmm, at an idea like that, my mind seems to have refocused on a completely different field of thought. Now, whatdya say we go out onto that dance floor and absolutely stun everyone?”

  “Sure thing, darling.” She garnishes this statement with a quick kiss to my cheek. Then she grabs my hands and drags me through the doors into the grand gala hall.

  By the way, my girlfriend is super duper cute. If ya didnt know.

  We exit out into the gala hall to a mix of cheers and applause. I'd hoped it would be a bit louder, but what can you do? Politicians are all, ‘must remain in perfect composure’ and all. I hear it's a very hard crowd to work, even for Ray.

  Still though, Ray turns on her dazzling smile and entraps everyone in the room. Even I feel a pull to just do whatever she says. Oh wait, I always feel that desire.

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  As we walk into the room, everyone is watching us. I guess this is what it feels like to be famous.

  I mean, the two of us are just casually destroying the entire nature of reality every five seconds. First we blow up in popularity. Then we found a city that not only skyrockets our popularity, but also that of others. Oh don't forget that time we were attacked and ended up late to a celebration. Or that time someone got kidnapped and it ended up in a cool fight with a super powerful enemy. Or that time we uncovered the remnants of a long dead race. Oh, or the fact that we were semi-directly related to the secrets of inae spreading out into the universe.

  I'm honestly surprised there isn't a bigger audience here just to glimpse us.

  You know, when the people said that any apprentice of Initae’s was bound to do many things and be widely known. I didn't immediately believe them. But I now realize, it's not her training that necessarily causes it. But rather, she has a knack for only training interesting people.

  We step onto the dance floor, only to be greeted by none other than the Gamekeeper themselves. Their voice booms around the mostly quiet hall.

  “My, my my, what do we have here. You do know this is a celebration? We can't have just two people outshining everyone else, now can we?

  What's everyone waiting for? Let the 4,907,369th New Years Celebration Gala begin!”

  With that, the festivities kick into full gear. Many groups enter onto the dance floor. Of course, they begin dancing, what else would they do?

  Ray and I hang back to chat with a few people. We find Emil, Rigar and Lina together making conversation with a group of very important looking people.

  I haven't spotted initae, but I feel like she is here and hiding in some dark shadow. Ready to pop out and give us a scare in retaliation for our antics.

  The entire time, Ray holds on tightly to my arm or waist. Almost as if she is scared ill be sucked into the crowd and never return. Honestly, I don't think that worry is entirely unfounded. The crowd seems quite vicious outside of Ray’s bubble of protection.

  Man, am I lucky to have such a cute girlfriend, or am I lucky to have such a cute girlfriend? By the way, it's not just me that thinks so. At least 60% of the people we interact with say something similar.

  I give up remembering names after about five seconds. Instead I choose to hold on tightly to Ray and allow her to navigate all the complicated inter-galactic politics.

  At long last, Ray declares its time for us to take the center stage.

  Within a few minutes of us stepping onto the dance floor, it seems everyone else has vacated it. Probably too afraid to be outshone by us.

  It's a shame, dancing is more fun with others, I hear.

  Oh well, I've got Ray, who is super duper cute.

  “My beloved darling Ray, may I, the oh so worthless NEET have this dance?”

  “Certianly, beloved darling Ko. How could one refuse such a proposition?”

  I take a glove out of my pocket and place it on her hand. I also put on a similar glove. You'll see why shortly.

  I grab her ungloved hand with my own and draw her into a very simple dance. Perfectly falling in time with the music. We don't need inae-based assistance for this, we've been practicing our coordination.

  Granted, it was mostly for combat training, but surprisingly, combat ain't that much different than dancing. Except, your partner has a pointy stick and wants to put it through your gut.

  I take a look at the crowd, they seem enraptured with our simple dance. But some definitely seem a bit disappointed.

  Well, time to give them a real show I suppose. I motion to Ray and we actually begin.

  We take out a few ball-like objects and then scatter them through the air.

  This is the point where I really gotta focus hard. This is going to put a massive strain on my wielding abilities. Heck, even just my general ability to process information is gonna be strained.

  I project a field of raw inae, shifter inae and skier aura across the dance floor.

  I then, after a few seconds of intense concentration, manage to concentrate bits around the few dozen balls we threw out earlier. I then solidify it into pure inae.

  The crowd lets out a few ooohs and ahhs. But, they ain’t seen nothing yet.

  It is now that Ray and I activate our gloves that had so much development time put into them. With a complicated series of hand gestures, we gain control over the balls, which are now covered in a thin shell of pure inae.

  We glide the balls through the air in some pretty shapes, which gets some applause from the audience.

  The balls work through some stuff. They are the first true invention from the Branch of humanity’s R&D department. They combine normal control technology, with a small-scale engine prototype that uses concentrated inae from the surroundings (an inae field) to maneuver through space itself. Humans sure are quite creative. I can only imagine the uses for this device, let alone any others that humans develop.

  But, that's only the start of these cool devices.

  But, the next part is going to require even more concentration.

  For this, I must sit down on the floor.

  Now, you might be wondering, what crazy person sits down in the middle of the dance floor, when they are supposed to be dancing?

  Well, for one, Ray and I are not normal people. Also, we never said our performance was going to be a dance. Or a tleast, not that we will be dancing.

  Many in the crowd seem confused about why we just sat down on the floor. But they are soon enraptured with the display I start to produce.

  Using every ounce of brain juice I have, I start to enhance the pure inae in a very specific pattern. With a lot of mental calculations, wielding and practice, I manage to do something truly spectacular.

  The balls, which are orbiting in three circles around the dance floor, begin to glow. With that super bright white light that is characteristic of pure inae.

  However, after a few seconds, on the floor below them, appears a set of holograms.

  Each hologram consists of a pair of Ray and I. Which are basically being complexly controlled by the gloves on either of our hands, respectively.

  The real us is of course still sitting down in the center of the dance floor. But the three copies begin to perform some pretty advanced dances. Replicas of some of our previous performances for the most part.

  Of course, this is ridiculously difficult for me to control, and there are definitely some hitches and glitches. But, despite that, the crowd cheers loudly. Even some of the previously stone-faced diplomats are joining in.

  The effect is overwhelming. Our moonlight projectors, as they have been named, are clearly a big hit.

  As the three clones of us continue to dance about the floor, I start to feel dizzy.

  “Hey Ray, I don't feel so well.”

  Those are my last words, before I collapse into Ray. Though, my last conscious moments are very soft at least.

  I guess this is what happens when you try to overextend yourself to such a degree. But, I think it's safe to say that our moonlight overwhelmed the crowd, and it also overwhelmed me as a bonus.

  Oh well, I'm sure that no matter what comes next, Ray and I shall overcome it, together. So, bring it on.

  End of Chapter 78

  Next: Chapter 79 | Devil Incarnate