Outside of a single pane of glass was a chilly field with the expected gray skies and dreary weather that was common in this part of the world. Specks of rain splattered against the window and beaded off due to the speed at which the train was moving along its tracks. Every so often, the clunking of the train’s movement along its path would be accompanied by a faint jostling of the car Mana sat in. She sat back in her red leather seat with her arm leaning on the window sill, and her cheek nestled in her upturned palm. Long, messy black hair fell around her head as her bronze-tinged golden eyes looked solemnly at the passing fields outside, just as they had done for the last couple of hours.
She watched hamlets and cities alike come and go through this window, but all the while, she didn’t really pay them much mind. Her focus was on something entirely different. September had finally come, and while it was still too early in the month, it was still close enough to feel the common effect it had on her. September was a time of recollection, of acceptance, of regret… September encompassed many things for Mana, and it was doubtful that this would ever change. She still remembered that day, despite nearly twelve whole years passing since then. In a panicked, desperate attempt, she managed to slip out of her containment room, and somehow had the luck to make it past the outer perimeter of the facility she was held in. Finally set loose in London’s streets, she had the good fortune of running into an old, graying hound that had a fortunate sense of justice and a regret all his own that needed rectifying.
It was raining that day, just as it was now, and just like back then, she had heavily conflicting feelings revolving around the events that inevitably changed her life. Joy, sadness… understanding. Actually, maybe that last one was a bit of a stretch. That old hound, Cross Key, had a life that, at the time, far surpassed what the five year old Mana could comprehend. She felt some of that pain, having abandoned her only friends, the only family she had ever really possessed, all for the slim hope of freedom. Cross, however, had his own demons, his own decisions that led to the moment of their meeting. Mana didn’t like to think about them though, since as stated before, they were his demons, not her own. Cross was like that, and since he had helped to raise her since that rainy, complicated day, she too had become rather similar. A man or woman battled what was theirs. It wasn’t wrong to help friends, or to seek help from them, but… Cross’ mentality was that if it was personal enough, if it was truly your fight, then it was meant to be yours alone.
Cross let her participate during this time of year in his battle, but he would never let her shoulder it completely. As she grew older, and as she spent many years with that man, she found there to be a sort of hypocrisy that was forced upon her. Cross talked about fighting his own battles, but as a child, he had taken her fight on as his own. Those people that had created her, as well as her four childhood friends, were her problem, yet Cross had taken full responsibility for it.
“You should at least let me repay you for that much, old man.” Mana quietly grumbled, which resulted in a subtle sigh afterwards.
She finally peeled her eyes away from the passing scenery to look at the bench across from her in the train car. Slouched in the seat, her head resting against the glass as she snored away, was her partner from school. She had short, honestly boyish hair, which had a similar palette to a juicy apple. It had a dark, crisp red shade all throughout it, and to tell the truth, Mana still had no idea if it was natural or if it was dyed. She never bothered to ask. This girl, when her eyes were open, also had the most beautiful shade of red in her irises. Fitting in with the apple theme, they sort of reminded Mana of a candy apple that Cross had gotten her during some fair in Hyde Park a long time ago. She had some freckles as well, just over her nose, and her face was as smooth as silk. Like Mana was currently, she was wearing the uniform that belonged to Titania Academy, the wielder school that she had enrolled in just before the school year started in January.
It was a sapphire coat with gold buttons and matching threads that acted as accenting trim pieces. The black button-up shirts they wore had a golden crown sewn into the collars, and all of the gold buttons on both pieces of clothing shared this image. The navy blue skirt was similar to the one Mana had worn back at Olirian Academy the previous year, but that could be said about a lot of their uniform. Mana smiled at her sleeping companion, who was also near the same size as her, which was about average for their age, though Mana had grown out a bit thicker in a few places in recent months. It was quite bizarre for her when she remembered how small she’d been as a child, but that was one of the many wonders of growing up, she supposed. You never knew what you would be like once you got older.
Mana smiled warmly at her sleeping companion, feeling eternally grateful to have some pleasant company for her trip back home. Of course, her partner was not the only person she felt this way towards. Some of that gratitude had to go to Dean Amanda Russel, who ran the academy, and who gave her special permission to take a short break from her studies. Mana was a bit nervous asking this of her, especially after dealing with the comparably easy going headmaster of Olirian, as well as the special circumstances of her position there. This time, she was just a normal student, and because of this, she was concerned about whether her request would be granted. Now, looking back, Mana felt stupid for being so pessimistic.
“Chloe.” Mana muttered, causing the girl across from her to stir.
“What?” the girl murmured back, her tone raspy and dry thanks to the several hours of sleep she’d just experienced.
“We’ll be there soon.” Mana said.
Both girls had a slight English accent to them, though Mana’s was by far the faintest. She didn’t know why it never came in as thick, even after being raised around Cross for so long, but it wasn’t like she really minded. It was still there, and because of its lightness, her foreign friends back in the Sakura Nation were able to understand her better. She’d come across more than a few people in her time that had such a heavy accent, even a native of the Crown Nation, like herself, would be unable to understand them. Chloe sighed as she opened one cherry-hued eye.
“You could have waited until we actually got there, love. I was getting some much needed beauty sleep.”
“Sorry.” Mana said quietly. “Mana is just a bit… impatient.” she added.
“And you wanted somebody to talk to.” Chloe muttered. She closed her one open eye again, seemingly trying to fall back asleep, but when her partner let out an exasperated breath, Mana knew she was all ears. “Go on.”
“Mana was wondering something,” said Mana. “Why did you want to come to London with me?”
“I’ve never been before.” Chloe answered. “I lived in Liverpool most my life. I wanted to see what the great city of London has in store.”
“That’s all?” asked Mana, sounding disappointed.
Chloe opened an eye again and smirked. “No, dummy. You seemed down so I wanted to come with and keep you peppy. Besides, this might be the only chance I have of meeting your dad.”
“What’s that have to do with anything?” asked Mana.
“Oh, nothing. Don’t you mind.”
“I think I might.” Mana sighed, though she quickly grinned after. “Thank you.”
“Of course, love. I’d go anywhere with you.”
Mana, feeling incredibly indebted to her friend, returned her focus to the world beyond her carriage. It was easy to grow lost in the countryside, but soon, that expansive bit of land was replaced by the city. They would be arriving at their station soon, and when they did, they would have a bit of a walk to a place that Mana had not seen in much too long. She didn’t expect to run into her father there, but there was somebody just as important in her eyes that she was dying to see again. A short time later, as Mana and Chloe were departing the now stopped train, Mana took in the familiar scene of her home. At almost all hours of the day, all of the capital could be quite busy. Of course, even with it being roughly nine in the morning, it was no different. There were people aplenty, and all of them had their own destinations in mind. With any luck, however, the street they would be heading towards wouldn’t be so cramped by the time they arrived.
During the morning hours, there wasn’t any real reason to visit such a place anyhow. Chloe and Mana talked some during their walk, though she kept their heading a secret for the time being. Chloe wheeled her case behind her while taking in the unfamiliar sights, and Mana, clinging excitedly to her own brown leather bag’s strap, focused on their trajectory. Within the hour, the small tour that Mana had started up during their trek came to an end when they found themselves in front of a small wooden establishment that was unceremoniously crammed between two much larger structures. The streetside front of the building had cross-paned windows. Through the slightly stained panels of glass, a dim lighting could be seen within, and even the faint silhouette of a dark figure working behind the counter was visible, though Mana had to press her face to it to see this.
“We going in, love? Isn’t this a pub?”
“Yep.” Mana said excitedly, hurrying towards the wooden, paneled door that pulled outwards after she yanked on the golden handle. Just as the door opened, the nostalgic scent of the interior struck her nose. It had a woody, nature-esque sort of spice to it, but it wasn’t a bad aroma. It sort of reminded her of autumn in a way… An autumn where she might’ve been out camping in the woods and there was some cinnamon infused meal roasting over a fire. “After you.” she added, gesturing for Chloe to precede her inside. Once her friend took those first steps through the door, Mana joyfully followed suit.
Chloe was taken aback by the scene, meaning she probably didn’t spend nearly as much time in a pub as Mana did growing up, which actually made a fair bit of sense when she thought about it. The flooring was a warm colored hardwood that was mostly clean, though there were a few old stains that couldn’t be wiped away. The furniture was as it always had been; round tables and four wooden chairs for each one. Along the wall by the roadside window was a long counter, and behind that were shelves of various drinks, as well as individual taps. There were also some stools in front of the counter, and stuffed in one of the corners of the room was an antique jukebox that was full of old CDs and vinyls from many, many years ago. The owner of this establishment had a fondness for ancient music, and due to her relations to not only this man, but to Cross as well, Mana shared that fondness with them.
As for the large figure that ran the pub, he was an old friend of Cross’ that had grown plump in his older age. He had a head of mostly gray hair now, which was actually a lot like how he looked when she first met him all those years ago. His white, long-sleeved shirt had a couple of old holes and a few stubborn stains, and his brown trousers weren't really in much better condition. As for his features, he had dull brown eyes and a light beard of gray strands, matching his hair perfectly. Though most of them were currently hidden, Mana knew that he possessed a good number of scars too, which she assumed to be from his more ‘enthusiastic’ days as a troublesome, bar-hopping youth. When he saw the two girls enter, his old, wrinkled face lit up as if he’d just received a visit from a long lost friend. In a way, she supposed that this was as close as he could get to that scenario, seeing as most of his other friends were also frequent patrons of his bar.
“Mana?!” he shouted loudly, using his thick Crown accent. “My god, I didn’t expect to see you again until December.” he added, walking around the counter. With arms wide open, he laughed as Mana broke into a jog. She dropped her bag and leapt into his waiting arms, letting him pull her into a tight embrace that felt like home.
“I came back early.” she said softly, and as she pulled away from him, the look she saw on his face told her that she didn’t need to elaborate why.
“It is that time of year again, ain’t it?” he said in a somber, downtrodden tone. Mana and Cross were not the only ones that grieved this time of year. For as close as this man and Mana were, he was equally as close to Cross’ old family before they… passed. He scratched the back of his neck and looked towards the ground. “Aye, I suppose it’s only natural you’d be back here. Didn’t expect you to skip school though. Oh,” he said, looking past Mana to see Chloe standing beside one of his tables. She had her bag parked in front of her and both of her hands were gripping the black handle that protruded from the top of it tightly. “You brought a friend this time.”
“Yes.” Mana said happily, taking a step towards her partner. “Mackie, this is my partner from school. Chloe, this is my Uncle Mackie.”
“A pleasure.” said Chloe. “My name is Chloe Primrose.”
“Fancy name you got there, girlie.” said Mackie, in his gruff, sort of brutish way of speaking. “Primrose, eh? I feel like I’ve heard the name before.”
“You probably have, Uncle.” said Mana, catching his attention. She then laughed. “Primrose Hill isn’t too far from here.”
“Ah, right. I’m assuming your family doesn’t…” he started, looking towards Chloe, who shook her head.
“I was born in Manchester but lived in Liverpool most of my life. As far as I know, we’re completely unrelated to that place. We’ve just so happened to be given this ‘fancy’ name.” she said, though she sounded bored while speaking. This was mainly because her family name was a constant topic for people when meeting her for the first time. Mana didn’t know exactly whether it was a common name or not, but Chloe was the only Primrose she met, so she thought it was safe to presume not many others have met many Primroses either. “Anyway, happy you like it.”
“You’re a tad cheeky, ain’t ya? I enjoy that.” said Mackie, before pulling out a stool and falling onto it. He put a hand in his lap and smiled. “So, Mana, how long you staying?”
“A week. It’s all Mana could get off. Mana lives a busy school life now, you know?” she answered, clasping her hands behind her back.
“Still talking all funny-like, eh? Here I thought you’d grow out of that. Ah, nothing to be done ‘bout it. Speaking of school life, how’s it treating ya? Obviously, you’re making friends. How are the classes? They doing ya kindly?”
“Well enough.” Mana said. “I sort of miss it here though. I was gone all of last year and then I left for my new school not too long after getting back. I’m a bit homesick.”
“Ahhh, don’t be!” Mackie bellowed before laughing merrily. His large belly jiggled with the action, and it did so again as he leaned forward on his stool. “Look, kiddo, here’s a word of wisdom from your wise uncle. Every chick has to leave the nest. You’re doing good out there, and even if you’re away from home, it’ll always be back here waiting for ya. Just remember that, and all that homesickness will go right away.” He then looked over at Chloe, who was still standing awkwardly behind Mana. “That's what friends are for too. They’re meant to help pick you up when you’re down, ya know? Ahh, but you’re too much like your father. Stubborn and solitary, the whole pair of ya.” Mackie rose to his feet and waved a hand impatiently. “Take a seat already, girls, it’s making me nervous. You’re here, so ya might as well sit and drink a little before running along.”
“Sir, we’re not of age yet.” Chloe pointed out, though Mana suspected this reminder was not done as a moral deterrent, but something she said in hopes of it being ignored. Chloe most likely did this because it was her legal obligation, but really, she really did probably want a drink.
“I know that.” said Mackie as he went around the counter. He bent down and opened a fridge before returning with a pair of glass bottles in his hands. “Some pop for the two of ya. Besides, it’s not drinking hours yet. I don’t have any issues with serving ya a drink, but not this early in the morning.”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Good to know you have priorities.” Chloe muttered, walking over to a stool at the counter to sit beside Mana, who had found her own seat. Both of them took the offered beverages and thanked the man for his kindness.
Mana didn’t take a sip from it, even when Chloe had nearly finished her whole bottle. Instead, she set it down and gave her uncle a serious expression, causing him to grimace in response.
“How is Cross?” she asked him. “He hasn’t talked to me in a while so I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Yeah, I know.” said Mackie, scratching at another spot on his cheek. “He said something about letting you be for the year. I reckon he wants you to enjoy your first normal year in high school, given how last year went.”
“So he’s been keeping me in the dark?”
“I told him it was a bad idea, Mana. I knew you wouldn’t take it well. It’s not just that though, you know that. This time of year, he throws himself into his work… practically drowns himself in it. But, I guess that’s better than drowning in the bottle, yeah? Ya know, there was a time before meeting ya that he would drink from dusk to dawn. Wouldn’t even be able to stand from that stool. Right mess, he was.”
“So, he’s taking on more work than he can handle?” asked Mana.
“Not exactly. He can handle it, just… Well, you know… He can, he just can’t do much else besides. He’ll ease up once he knows you’re here though. It’s a surprise, yeah?”
“Yep.” Mana said, leaning forward on the counter. She kicked her feet back and forth like a bored child lost in thought.
“I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you. Are you heading home after this?”
“That’s the plan.” Mana replied.
“Good. The place might be a bit of a mess so be sure to clean it up if you can. Poor sod, he’s always so neglectful this month.”
“For good reason.” said Mana, before smiling. “I’ll get it back in top shape. Can’t have my best friend sleeping in a pig’s pen anyway, can I?”
“I would hope not, love.” said Chloe, giving her a sideways glance. “I’ll also have you know, I’m not sleeping on the floor. I love you and all, but if I don’t have a bed, I’m finding a hotel.”
“Mana understands completely.” said Mana, grinning. “I’ll be sure you’re well accommodated.” She then turned her attention back to Mackie. “Sorry for the short visit, but I should probably get home to get things ready. Happy to see you again, Uncle.”
“It’s always a joy, kiddo.” He then looked over at a picture hanging on the wall nearby. It showed Mana during her sixth birthday party, one that Mackie had thrown for her. In the photo, she was sitting on a stool with the largest smile she’d ever worn on her face. Cross was sitting beside her with a mug in his hand and a slightly concealed grin. “You’re really a blessing for us all, you know that, Mana?”
“Ah, don’t put all that on Mana, Uncle.” she said with a wave of her hand. She too glanced at the photo, remembering the day they took it perfectly. The entire pub was decorated with party streamers and there was a giant cake that Mackie tried to make, though it came out a bit flat and slanted. She still liked it though, and ate almost the entire thing that night. “Crazy to think all of that was so long ago.” Mana muttered. Chloe looked over at the nostalgic expression on her partner’s face before turning to see the photo too.
“Aye, all of that.” Mackie murmured quietly.
“What is ‘all of that’?” Chloe asked. “I feel like I’m being left out.”
“I’ll tell you eventually.” Mana said. “That’s a promise, love.” she said, mimicking her friend’s favorite name for her.
“It still doesn’t sound right coming from your mouth, love.” said Chloe before poking her on the nose. “Don’t expect me to forget about that promise, I’ll hold you to it.”
“I hope so.” said Mana, before rising from her seat. “I’ll be sure to stop by before I leave again, Uncle. I’ll probably be back in a few days or so.”
“Counting on it, kiddo.”
Mana and Chloe left the pub and started walking the streets of Islington, one of them taking in the sights much more excitedly than the other. As they continued on, however, Chloe seemed pretty disappointed and some of her enthusiasm for the sightseeing had diminished quite a bit. Mana couldn’t help but laugh at the pouting expression her partner adopted.
“Not what you expected?” she asked.
“It’s just another city.” Chloe murmured.
“Obviously. There’s a few smaller things around here of note, but if you want something special, you have to go to the right places. Just because London is the capital doesn’t mean it’s something all that unique.”
“Yeah, I guess so. It’s boring here.”
“It’s the middle of the day. Not exactly the time for partying and whatnot. Besides, we’re not really here for fun.”
“I know, but… I don’t know… I was just expecting something more. I mean, if you name something as the capital, you expect bombastic, or… or… explosive. Like, boom! You know?”
“Not really.” Mana said, laughing. “I’ve had enough excitement for the time being anyway. I like the quiet nature here. We used to live in Mayfair when I was younger but after…” Mana stopped for a second and looked sadly at the ground. “Anyway, we wanted somewhere more private to live after everything.” Mana then looked at her partner and grinned. “I know you don't know much of what I’m talking about, but I ask that you put up with it for a bit. You’ll probably know most of everything before this trip is through, but for now, I don’t really want to explain it.”
“I get it, love. Come on, I can’t wait to see your room. Are we closeby?”
“Yeah, right around this corner.” said Mana, thanking whatever god that blessed her with such an understanding partner.
The flat Mana lived in now was a ten story building made of bricks, with red tiles on the roof and white trim wherever there was some to be painted. The wooden doors were as old fashioned as most of the surrounding area was, and they even creaked a bit when she pulled one open to let Chloe in first. The lobby was a simple one, with wooden floors, some fake plants, and some ceiling lights. There wasn’t a front desk here, just some doors. She didn’t know where most of them went, but one went to the office of the person that ran the building. Mana had only met him a few times, but he seemed kind enough from their limited interactions. The elevator rattled a bit, which made Chloe shiver as they rode it up. She had a thing with elevators after apparently getting lost in one as a child.
On the eighth floor, Mana got off and walked about halfway down, where she stopped and pulled out a wallet from her bag, which then produced a thin card that she swiped over a sensor above the door handle. A beep sang out, the door unlocked, and Mana opened it for her partner. Mana wasn’t surprised to see no mess when she followed suit and closed the door behind her. Despite what Mackie had thought Cross’ place would look like, Mana knew otherwise. Cross was all about space and cleanliness, even if the way he dressed didn’t always reflect that.
His home never got dirty, somewhat in part to the fact that he just wasn’t around, but then there was also the fact that he hired a maid service to come and clean every other week. It was something he’d done since they lived in Cross’ two-story home a long time ago. That home, however, was meant for Cross’ old family. This place, outside of just being an escape from everything that went down, was also downsizing, since it was just the pair of them now. The clean white tiles of the floor were as pristine as always, and the furniture looked as if they hadn’t been used since she left for school months ago. As she flicked on some of the lights from the switches beside the door, she assumed that this was a likely scenario.
“Where’s your dad?” asked Chloe, looking around as she parked her bag beside a wooden counter just outside the entryway.
“Working, most likely.” Mana answered, kicking off her boots and stepping past her friend. “My room is this way.”
“Now, hold on a minute.” Chloe said, stopping as they passed a photo hanging on the wall.
Mana sighed as she saw the one Chloe picked out. There were a few of them there, some of the very few decorations Cross allowed. One was of a time where Mana went to the aquarium with him during a summer off from school. Another was of his time in the military, when he was much younger, and when he was obliged to wear his formal uniform while receiving a medal for his courageous service. The final picture was one that Mana forced him to hang, but she doubted he ever really looked at it.
“Who are these people?” Chloe asked, taking note of the strangers in the photograph.
There were three people in the picture. One was a young woman with straight blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She was beautiful in every way, a true angel really. She was wearing a white sundress and had a blue ribbon tied around her left wrist. Cross was standing beside her, wearing his usual attire of jeans, some random old shirt, and the ancient leather jacket that he probably had since he was a kid. The final person displayed was a small girl, maybe seven or eight, and she had a mixture of both of their features. Her mother’s flawless blonde hair and blue eyes, and her face had a lot of resemblance to her father.
“That’s my dad.” said Mana, walking over to the hanging decor. She pointed at Cross. “Cross,” Her finger moved to the woman next. “His wife, Deliah, and then the small girl is their daughter, Mira.”
“Ohhh…” Chloe said softly. “Oh, I should’ve known, huh? You told me why we were coming here. When I saw the picture, I should've guessed who they were. Sorry, I didn’t–”
“It’s fine.” Mana said, cutting her short. “They were killed in a wielder attack seventeen years ago. Cross found me the day he went to pay his respects, five years after the incident. That was when he took me in as his daughter. Really, it was a kindness I couldn’t have expected, and it’s something I can never repay him for.” Mana ran her fingers along the frame for a second before turning towards a nearby hallway. “My room, remember? This way, love.”
“You just gonna take that now?” Chloe asked, grabbing her bag and wheeling it behind as she followed Mana. Mana didn’t respond, but she did giggle a bit. As she opened her bedroom door, Chloe saw the blandness within and sighed while shaking her head. “I should’ve expected this of you after seeing your room at the dorm. No taste whatsoever.”
“I just don’t see a point in decorating.” Mana said, taking in the sight of her bedroom.
It was true, what she said. Her old room, which was once Mira’s room, was an astounding bit of interior design. The whole bedroom had the motif of a forest, to the point where birds were perched on painted branches on the walls and others were flying among the blue skies that the ceiling resembled. Her current room was nothing in comparison. Gray walls, gray carpeting, gray sheets on her bed. Growing up, Mana really had taken too much after her father, but there were a few things she still insisted on having. She had a bunch of pictures all over the place. Most of them were from places she’d gone with Cross whenever he had some time off work. Carnivals, festivals, amusement parks. She went anywhere she could convince him to go, and all of them were extremely treasured memories of hers. She also had some old newspaper articles resting on a desk inside the room, mostly because she never found the need to put them away.
Chloe seemed drawn to them at once, and Mana made no move to stop her once she started reaching for them. There was no need to hide what happened, and besides, they didn’t explicitly say everything that really did occur twelve years ago. It was all just what the press knew, and that was how the government had wanted it at the time. The truth of everything that happened was never to be known by the public, and really, they probably even wanted Mana and Cross to forget about it as well.
“What is all of this here for?” Chloe asked.
“I forgot those were there.” Mana said, walking over. “You wanted to know what I’ve been talking about, right? This will give you a good enough explanation.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Chloe, flipping through the pages from every news article that came out at the time. “I read about these, I think. There was that big explosion in Mayfair, and that new science facility was the cause of it, right? Even some of Hyde Park got damaged. This is what you’ve been talking about? How does this all relate to you?”
“I’m not supposed to go into too much detail. It’s sort of… classified, but… There were some really bad people, and I helped Cross take them down. Really, I was only five. I didn’t do much. Cross did most of the work. If you want, you can look through those and see if you can guess the rest for yourself.”
Chloe stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry. “Why are you so mean to me? You could just tell me everything and then I won’t have to work it out for myself.”
“Yeah, I could, but then where’s the fun in th…” Mana stopped at once as she turned her head towards her open bedroom door.
“What?” asked Chloe, trying to peek around her.
“Shh. I heard the door.”
“I didn’t hear anything. Besides, wouldn’t it just be you–”
“Shut it.” Mana murmured angrily, holding up a hand to silence her friend. Mana’s other hand began to glow with a purplish light as her eyes took on an illuminated effect. “I’m going to take a look.”
“That won’t be necessary, Mana.” came a boy’s voice from down the hall.
The footsteps of this person started growing closer and as Mana backed up towards her bed, where Chloe was, the boy stepped into the doorway. He was wearing a black hoodie, unzipped, and a pair of jeans. A black t-shirt was on underneath the jacket, and for his hair, it was spiky on the top while faded on the sides. There was a light stubble on his face and just peeking out from the collar of his shirt was what looked like a burn scar on his neck. Mana’s other hand began to glow similarly as she lowered herself into an attacking position. Chloe started to rise from the bed too, but the boy clicked his tongue.
“Why don’t you both just calm down, yeah? I just want to talk to you, that’s all.”
“Why is that? Who are you?” demanded Mana.
“You don’t recognize me? Ah, of course. Sorry, my bad.” He held up his left arm and lowered the sleeve of his jacket down, revealing a black tattoo on the underside of his wrist. Inside the rectangular shaped border were some letters and numbers that spelled out ‘EXP:002-Codename: Ty’ in bold black characters.
“Tyler?” Mana asked, lowering her guard a bit.
“You know him?” asked Chloe.
“I’m an old friend of hers, Chloe Primrose. In fact, you could say I’m her older brother.” His attention turned to Mana again, his dark brown eyes focusing on her with a dangerous gleam behind them.
“That’s impossible.” Mana muttered. “You were dead. I thought all of you were dead. I saw bodies. Your tokens, I…”
“You found them?” he asked, finishing her sentence. “Yes, I figured somebody might’ve. Some of the bodies you found were those of other children, some of the next batch of artificials. However, three of them were us. Only two of us survived, outside of yourself. Couldn’t be helped though, could it? You ran. You ran away like a coward, leaving us to die in that place. Then, if that wasn't enough, you brought that cop around. You were smart, Mana, yet you never once thought that bringing attention there would cause them to torch the place? If not for Mariette’s quick thinking, we all would’ve died. All except you, of course. Anyway, the past is in the past, and I’m here to look forward.”
“Who else is alive?” asked Mana.
“You don’t need to know that yet. All you need to know is that I’m here, and that I’m here for you. I’ve come to bring you back home.”
“Why would I do that?” asked Mana. “I left. I’m living my own life.”
“What about us? Has it really been that long that we don’t matter anymore?” asked Tyler, holding out his arms after stepping through the doorway. He then let them drop, taking note of the fearful and serious expression Mana wore. “Unfortunate. You know, things really are better now. All of those old prats are dead and gone. It’s just a few of us now, though we do have some allies in some very powerful people. No? You’re still not convinced?”
“Leave, Tyler.” Mana said fiercely, taking on her offensive posture again. “That part of my life is gone, and I’m done with it. Leave me alone. Whatever you’re doing, I don’t want any part of it.”
“Shame, really. That means that you’re an enemy. I’m sorry to do this so suddenly after reuniting with you, but… it is what it is. That old cop is still alive, and now you have connections with the schools. I told them it would be a risk coming here, but there you have it. Proven right again. Well, sorry, sis.”
Mana’s eyes went wide as she saw Tyler’s fingers moving closer, as if he was going to snap them. She quickly swept upward with her hand as she turned towards Chloe, who was still sitting on the bed. Instantly, there was a blast of heat. A wave that was hotter than anything Mana had ever experienced before. Flames engulfed the barrier she made around them, making it their only sight before the wall behind them caved outward. The explosion caused them to fly through the wall of bricks and plaster and wooden framing. As they fell, Mana managed to create a couple of more minuscule barriers that slowed their descent as they crashed into them. After the three poorly created slopes caught them, the pair rolled in the road, separating from each other. Panting, Mana looked up and saw Tyler’s silhouette outlined in the inferno that engulfed her entire room. It only took a second for it to vanish, and she knew her time was limited, about just as much as her options were.
Chloe stared from the flames to Mana and then back again. “What the hell was that?” she asked hastily.
“We need to move.” Mana said sharply, rising to her feet and grabbing Chloe by the arm.
“I need to know what’s go– Ah!” she yelped as Mana tugged her hard and began running down the street. “Mana?!” Chloe yanked hard, stopping them both. “Mana! Talk to me! What was that? Who was that?”
Mana sighed as she took on a much more cold, murderous expression than was normal for her. After all, this was a side of her that she never wanted to expose again. “I’ll explain it all, but we need to get somewhere safe.” Her eyes darted up towards the inferno, just as the eyes of every person in the vicinity were doing. “We need to go.” Chloe nodded and at once, they were going in a new direction, one that would lead them somewhere that should be safe, for the time being.