SCHELVIA CITY (2126)'BURRIED TECHNOLOGIES IN CENTURIES BLOOM'

10:09 AM - 23rd August 2026 (2126)

Schelvia City • City's Heart • ASTERICK.UNITY.EDUCATION (A.U.E) • First Floor • Emergency Stairs

"HAH! Found you!"

Yoshi leaped to the side of the corner, pointing dramatically at the emergency door at the far end of the hallway. His exclamation echoed through the violet-tinted hallway, the sound almost defiant.

Straightening up with an exaggerated motion, he approached the door. His gaze instinctively darted to the top of the double doors.

EMERGENCY STAIRS

The pixelated screen displayed the words in a stark red, their warning illumination pulsating faintly.

Yoshi's eyes lingered on the glowing letters longer than he intended. There was something unsettling about their mechanical stillness. He scoffed, shaking off the fleeting tension, and redirected his focus to the heavy doors themselves.

He paused, standing just a foot away from the doors, his head tilting back to glance at the hallway behind him. The violet hue of the corridor seemed unnervingly quiet.

"...No one really searching for me... Guess it's my life now."

His voice was a mutter, as if speaking aloud might break the fragile quiet around him. His gaze faltered slightly, and a pang of loneliness pierced his chest-a feeling all too familiar since his separation from his best friend two years ago.

But he quickly shook his head, forcing the memory away. His frustration boiled over, and he let out a groan before refocusing on the task at hand. Reaching for the door handle, yoshi pressed it down with determination.

It didn't budge.

"AWWHH!!! COME ON!!! THEY SAID 'USE EMERGENCY STAIRS,' AND NOW I'M HERE, YOU'RE JUST GONNA LOCK ME UP?! SERIOUSLY?!"

His voice was loud enough to rattle the empty hallway. He jiggled the handle multiple times with increasing desperation before slumping back in defeat. He fell to the floor with a groan, sitting cross-legged as he glared at the immovable doors.

"Owh, come on now! I'm fully trapped in here!"

Yoshi glared up at the doors towering over him as though they were mocking his failure.

He sighed deeply, dragging his hand down his face. Embarrassment replaced frustration. "Stupid outburst," he mumbled to himself. With a shake of his head, yoshi pushed himself back to his feet, his resolve hardening.

"Well... guess I'm going to another 'necessary break' then," he muttered, a determined smirk tugging at his lips.

He sprinted at the door with reckless abandon, slamming into it with full force. The doors flew open as he burst into the stairwell, immediately descending at an almost reckless pace. His movements grew more erratic, skipping steps and occasionally leaping whole flights of stairs.

"Out of my way, out of my way!" he shouted gleefully, his voice echoing.

The loud thuds of his footsteps reverberated through the stairwell. Yoshi's Ring Mech activated, its violet energy pulsing around him, illuminating the dark space as it propelled him forward. Faint trails of glowing purple lingered in the air behind him.

"No f$cking stopping me now, huh?! Messing with my day and all!" he growled, blaming his misfortune as he bolted toward the final door on the ground floor.

Without hesitation, he kicked the emergency door, sending it flying off its hinges and crashing against the wall in the hallway beyond. Yoshi didn't stop, dashing down the corridor with a manic grin.

The Ring Mech's glow intensified, its energy making his movement effortless, his speed leaving faint trails of light behind him.

"You gonna stop me too, huh? Aren't you?"

He scowled at the entrance doors in the distance, taunting them as he raced toward his goal.

As he neared, yoshi delivered another powerful kick to the metal doors. They burst open, the force sending one door hurtling into the bushes outside.

"I'M FREE!!!" he roared triumphantly, his voice filled with exhilaration as he stumbled into the open air.

The freedom was short-lived. A cold wind stabbed against his skin, causing him to shudder. Rubbing his arms, yoshi's adrenaline rush faded, and reality set back in. Slowly, he descended the entranceway stairs, his eyes scanning for any signs of movement.

"...You really broke Artoria's promise again, didn't you?"

The low, stern voice came from behind him, halting yoshi in his tracks. He spun around, his hand instinctively reaching for his Vitreous pendant.

His sharp gaze softened slightly as recognition set in.

Leaning casually against the splintered frame of the broken entrance door was Lucian Kallen, his golden glasses catching the light. The Vitreous badge pinned to his chest gleamed faintly as he twirled a keycard strap lazily around his finger. His cold, gray eyes narrowed at yoshi.

"...Huh. Never thought someone would come to A.U.E. during a lockdown. What'd you get there, Lucian?" yoshi's tone was laced with sarcasm as he shoved his hands into his pockets, feigning nonchalance.

Lucian Kallen - Rank 4, Tech and Robotics Overseer

Nickname: The Machinist

Despite the reputation Lucian carried as a tech genius, yoshi wasn't impressed.

"Don't call me by my first name, Noir. I prefer 'Kallen.' " Lucian's tone was sharp as he pushed himself off the frame. "I'm here at Wêrïn's request to open the door and find you. Apparently, she was worried you'd do something stupid... but it seems she was right. Gorilla breaking out and all."

Yoshi rolled his eyes. "Professional as ever," he muttered under his breath.

Lucian adjusted his glasses and crossed his arms, his expression critical. "You've caused enough trouble. Last month's patrol at the south gate? Destroying facilities with HËQÅ? Completely unnecessary. And now you've broken Artoria's promise?"

Yoshi's glare faltered as Lucian walked past him, descending the stairs. The metal door yoshi had kicked earlier lay embedded in the garden, but Lucian stepped over it without so much as a glance.

"...So," yoshi started, breaking the silence, "what's going on here? Pretty sure drills don't last this long." His breath misted in the chilly air as he rubbed his hands against the fabric of his pockets.

"This isn't a drill anymore," Lucian said firmly. "A real threat slipped past the east gate radar and into the Mirage District. From what we've gathered, it's heading straight for the city's heart-here."

Yoshi's brow furrowed. "Slipped under the radar? It can't be a ZESTROPEDIAN or a corrupted robot, right? Not even a DERØXIRIZED could...slip under our radar…"

Yoshi murmurs thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the back of Lucian's head as he follows closely behind.

Silence lingers.

"Hey, Kallen, what do you think—"

Lucian cut him off sharply. "We'll discuss this at HQ. Artoria's summoned the top 9 to present for a meeting."

Yoshi sighed but didn't argue further. He followed in silence, his mind racing.

'Why is he hiding something from me?'