Mulder smelled bacon and eggs.
He opened his eyes slowly. The sitting room was still mostly dark – way too early for someone to be cooking. It felt like the middle of the night. He could hear voices coming from the kitchen. Scully. And someone else.
He got up instantly.
There she was, sitting at the counter, smiling at none other than Shura – yes, that Shura – who was at the stove. The young man turned to Mulder.
"Good morning, Agent Mulder. Didn't know you were such an early riser."
And he wasn't. He wanted to curse them both. He'd only woken up because of the voices... and the smell of bacon and scrambled eggs.
"He's really not," Scully joked, still smiling. "Mulder, why don't you go back to bed for a while? You were up so late last night…"
"Hmpf…" Mulder glanced from Scully to Shura, then to the delicious contents of the frying pan. "What about you two? Why are you up this early?"
"I've always been a morning person, Mulder…" Scully said as she accepted a plate of toast and eggs that Shura handed to her.
"I have to head down soon for free training," Shura added, now serving another plate.
Mulder's eyes lit up.
"Free training?" he asked, instantly intrigued. "Do you think we could–"
"Of course. The arena has a viewing gallery – you can watch safely from there." Shura handed him the second plate.
Scully chose that moment to switch seats, moving to the lower bench by the small kitchen door. That's when Mulder noticed what she was wearing.
Cream-colored pants, fitted, the hem falling just below her knees. A delicate flat sandal with tiny golden details stood out against her pale skin. Mulder realized he'd been letting his gaze wander down her legs and feet – and quickly looked up. Bad idea. Her blouse left her shoulders bare. Since when were exposed shoulders this distracting? He must really be losing it…
"Mulder?" Scully called – for the third time.
"What?" He decided to focus on his plate. Much safer.
"Shura was asking how long you'll take to get ready. He brought you new clothes too – they're in the bedroom."
Shura was munching on a piece of toast, clearly amused. Scully raised an eyebrow, waiting for Mulder to answer.
"Fifteen minutes," he said, pulling himself together. "Will that work?"
"Of course," Shura replied with a final bite. "We'll wait, right Agent Scully?"
Scully smiled. Mulder resisted the urge to curse again, nodded, finished his toast, and headed to the room to get ready.
His fifteen minutes turned into ten. He rushed through a record-speed shower and change, driven by a childish fear of being left behind. When he returned, his partner and the Spanish knight were chatting on the couch where he'd slept. He noticed Scully had a massive book in her lap.
"I'm ready," he announced. He felt a bit awkward in his new outfit: light, comfortable clothes that didn't feel like his at all. Khaki cargo pants, a snug white T-shirt that seemed a size too small in the arms and chest – but thankfully long enough. On his feet, sandals that were absurdly comfortable.
"Vamos entonces!" Shura said, standing and offering a hand to Scully, who took it naturally.
The walk from the lodge out of the temple felt longer than Mulder remembered. Everything looked the same – endless identical columns lining the wide hallway. It felt like they were walking in circles. He broke the silence.
"So this free training… do you do it every day?"
"No, no… only on Sundays," Shura replied. "During the week we train soldiers and apprentices. Some of us also assist Athena with administrative duties."
"Apprentices?" Scully turned to him, curious.
"Sí… we have many knight hopefuls. And the soldiers – they're our first line of defense, keeping this place hidden. We must stay sharp at all times." Shura nodded at someone waiting near the temple entrance. "Constant vigilance."
At the entrance, a young man was already waiting for them. Scully was caught off guard by the sight. Mulder had already anticipated her reaction – he'd gone through the same thing the night before.
"Agent Scully," Aphrodite greeted her, gently taking her hand, "I am Aphrodite, Golden Saint of Pisces. It's a pleasure to meet you."
– Oh my God… Scully recovered as quickly as she could "Er… likewise, uh…"
Aphrodite smiled kindly. He was used to that kind of reaction – from men and women alike. It was one of his most effective weapons. But he wasn't here to use weapons – not against these people. He sensed their sincerity the moment he laid eyes on them. The man had a steadfast spirit – someone who would bleed for what was right. And the woman radiated compassion, fierce loyalty, and strength rooted in the need to protect. From what he'd heard and now confirmed, those two would kill or die for each other – but they were both as stubborn as mules.
"Um… sorry if this is a dumb question, but… is the arena far from here?" Mulder asked, concerned. "I think I saw it last night when I was heading back with you, Shura. Looked really far–"
"Good morning…"
Mu appeared – this time without much fuss.
"Oh, hey Mu!" Aphrodite greeted him. "We were waiting."
"Then let's go!"
And just like that, the five of them vanished.
TO BE CONTINUED...