Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates

In a dimly lit room, Syn sat before a holo-screen, its faint blue glow casting jagged shadows across his sharp features.

Syn's hazel eyes were focused, his jaw set, as he leaned toward the screen, where Vera's image flickered into view.

Her purple hair swayed gently, her violet eyes warm but searching, she wore her work attire, navy-colored captain's outfit .

"Vera," Syn greeted, his voice low but warm, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You holding up okay out there?"

Vera's lips curved into a playful smirk, her head tilting as she leaned forward, her elbows resting on the console.

"Me? I'm supposed to be asking you that, Syn. You're the one playing spy in the Kingdom, dancing with danger, even now." Her tone was teasing, but her eyes searched his, worry flickering beneath her bravado.

Syn chuckled, a low, easy sound, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm fine, Vera. Really. Mia's got my back, covering every angle. I linked up with the pirates you sent. Kaizer, Mara, Tila, Ryk. We're working to infiltrate the palace, sniff out that secret prison where they're holding the shapeshifters. It's risky, but we're making progress."

Vera's smirk softened, her gaze sharpening with pride. "Kaizer had already filled me in. Said you're promising, high praise from him and the others, good start. But... I just needed to see you, make sure you're fine." She leaned closer, her voice dropping, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. "Did you eat anything? You're already looking thin... and weak."

Syn rolled his eyes, his grin boyish despite the shadows under his eyes. "I ate, Vera. Stop fussing. I'm tougher than I look."

She sighed, her expression softening, an uncommon vulnerability breaking through. "I miss you, Syn. It's not the same without you. This morning, I woke up reaching for you, and all I got was an empty bed."

Her voice cracked slightly, her fingers brushing the edge of the console. "Just… come back soon, okay? Don't take stupid risks."

Syn's grin faded, his voice gentle but firm. "I'll be back, Vera. I promise. And I'm keeping my head down, don't worry. I am always cautious."

Vera's eyes glistened, but she forced a smile. "You better. I'm holding you to that."

The screen flickered, and Aster burst into view, her blonde hair a wild cascade, her blue eyes wide with excitement as she practically shoved Vera aside.

"Syn!" she gasped, as if she'd sprinted to the console, her cheeks flushed. "Oh my stars, you're alive! I was so worried! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Tell me everything!"

Syn laughed, the sound easing the tension in his shoulders. "Hey, Aster. I'm good, I swear. No injuries, look, I am as good as new. Anyway, how are you doing, all good?"

Aster pouted, crossing her arms, her voice a mix of relief and indignation. "Barely! My mind's a chaos without you, Syn. You gotta come back before I lose my mind." Her eyes softened, her tone earnest. "Seriously, though, you're eating, right? Sleeping? You look… tired."

Syn groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Not you too, Aster. I'm fine. Mia's making sure I don't starve. You two need to stop mothering me."

Before Aster could retort, the screen jostled, and Pako elbowed her way in, her cropped black hair and slutty frame unmistakable in her loose tank top.

"Move it, Aster," she snapped, leaning so close her face filled the frame, her dark eyes glinting with mischief. "Syn, you dumbass, you better not be getting yourself killed out there. Also, what's this I hear about you cozying up to Prince Oze's army?"

Syn's grin flickered, sharp and dry. "Nice to see you too, Pako. Let me guess—Mia spilled everything. I'm not cozying up to anyone. Oze's army is just my ticket in. I'm playing the grieving soldier, mourning Princess Elara, vowing to crush the pirates. It's a cover to slip into the palace and move freely."

Pako's smirk was razor-edged, her eyes glinting as she leaned closer. "Revenge on us? Bold, Syn. Don't forget who you're really with." Her voice dipped, teasing and low. "You miss me, don't you? I'm thinking of you—mornings, in bed, in the shower…"

Syn rolled his eyes, but his grin betrayed him. "Miss you? Pako, I miss the silence before you open your mouth."

Aster giggled, nudging Pako's shoulder. "Come on, Syn, just admit it—you love me most. It's obvious."

Vera slid in, her smile sly and warm. "Dream on, Aster. Everyone knows I'm the favorite. First friend, first kiss…" She winked, her voice dripping with nostalgia. "Right, Syn?"

Syn chuckled, shaking his head as the three women circled him like playful sharks, their teasing relentless. "Alright, alright, I love you all—happy? Aster, yes, I'm eating. Pako, no, I'm not switching sides. Vera, you were my first friend, and I'm sorry for stealing that kiss… maybe your heart, too."

Vera's gaze softened, lingering on him. "You didn't steal it, Syn. I gave it to you—still do. Got plenty more firsts for you, too."

Pako leaned in, her whisper bold and sultry. "Wait till you see what I've got planned, Syn. Tricks that'll make you forget your own name."

Aster gasped, swatting Pako's arm. "Pako! Behave! He's on a mission, not a date!"

Vera's laugh was low, wicked. "Let her try. Syn can handle the heat—can't you?" Her brow arched, daring him.

Syn's cheeks warmed, but his voice stayed cool. "You three are a menace. I'm trying to save the shapeshifters, and you're plotting my demise."

The conversation spiraled, a chaotic blend of concern and teasing.

Each woman vying for his attention in her own way. Syn fielded their words with ease, his grin genuine despite the weight of his mission, their voices a lifeline to the rebellion he fought for.

Finally, he leaned back, his tone softening. "Alright, ladies, I gotta cut this short. It's almost time and I have to go meet Prince Oze. I have my fingers crossed that I wouldn't have to face the commander."

Pako's eyes flashed with mischief as she saw Syn's hand coming forward to turn off the stream, and before anyone could stop her, she lifted her tank top, flashing her chest, bare breasts at the screen with a wicked grin.

"Something to keep you motivated, and for your showers, Syn," she purred, her laugh echoing as Vera and Aster gasped, half-laughing, half-scolding.

"Pako!" Vera snapped, shoving her out of frame, but the screen went dark, Syn's chuckle cut off as the call ended.

Syn sighed, a mix of relief and amusement, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back in the chair.

The room's dim light flickered, and his body shimmered, scales rippling across his skin like liquid starlight.

His form melted into that of Mia, her long white hair cascading down her back, her pale white eyes sharp and focused.

Now in casual clothes—a loose shirt and jeans—she cracked her knuckles and turned to the keyboard, her fingers poised over the controls.

The holo-screen hummed, its feeds cycling through the Kingdom's surveillance network.

Mia's heart raced, the weight of Syn's absence a constant pressure.

She'd scoured the alley where he'd vanished, searching for his scent, but found nothing—no trace, no clue.

The Kingdom's cameras, her countless eyes, had failed her, their feeds either blind or tampered with.

Syn was a ghost, and the fear that he might be lost forever gnawed at her, her shapeshifter scales flickering with her anxiety.

But Mia was relentless.

She'd devised a plan: track every camera that flickered abnormally, even for a second, and search for a pattern.

A glitch could be a sign—someone, likely a royal, covering their tracks.

If the flicker was nearby, she'd rush to the site, sniffing for Syn's trail. If it was distant, she'd follow the trail of glitches across the network, piecing together a path to pinpoint his location. It was a desperate gamble, but it was all she had.

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, screens flashing with feeds from across the Biomes.

A flicker in the Manufacturing sector, another near the Scenery Biome's edge, few more at every metro station—random, but she logged each one, her mind racing to connect the dots.

The Kingdom's systems were vast, but Mia was a shadow in its code, her shapeshifter instincts honed for the hunt.

She also had to maintain her dual roles, a juggling act that pushed her to the brink.

As Mia, she kept in touch with Kaizer, Tila, Ryk, and Mara, feeding them updates, ensuring their trust.

As Syn, she sent coded messages, mimicking his voice, his mannerisms, to keep the pirates unaware of his absence.

If even one of them, even as much as caught a whiff of the truth and told about it to Vera, things will get real messy very fast, sparking chaos that could doom their rebellion.

Mia's scales pulsed with stress, her heart pounding at the thought. She had to find Syn fast, praying he was still alive.

Her fingers typed faster, screens flickering, her pale eyes narrowed with determination scanning through every screen before it changed.

"Stay alive, Syn," she whispered, her voice a vow. "I'll find you, no matter where you all. Just be alive. No prison, no cage, will keep you from me."