I embraced the boy with both my arms. I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my face.
*I should probably let go of him. This is bad for my image. But... just a bit longer.*
I kept latched onto him. He was my only companion. I was so glad not to be alone. But then something happened.
The disk on the side of his head turned a light red. Not the disk but rather a ring that went was engraved into the disk. As if it was telling me that I should let go. I wasn't welcome to touch him.
I didn't want to but something told me I had to or someone, maybe something was going to come after me. I finally had to let go.
"Ah..."
"Huuuuhhhh"
*What is he doing?*
The boy was in front of me. It seemed like he tried to speak to me but the words didn't come out. No. Almost like they couldn't come out. Like he just learned a language and was attempting to figure out all the sounds.
"Are you okay? Can you speak?" I asked him.
He gave me a determined look. I wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking.
*Maybe he didn't understand me?*
"Yuuueeesuuuu"
*Scratch that I think he did understand me but he may not be able to speak*
I gave a deep sigh in my head
*This is going to be tough*
"Boy? Can you speak?"
*If he can't speak I'm going to have to teach him how to speak because a communication barrier like this will be the end of me one day. Even if I do have people with me.*
My face gave off a bit of disappointment. It really hit me that I wouldn't be able to have a proper conversation with anyone since the boy couldn't speak. It really sucked. I hate being alone.
"Ssssssssss-"
"Sssss-?
The boy began to make sounds again. I repeated after him to push him along. My hope for conversation was reignited. If he could speak then I would be able to actually have a conversation, and maybe learn who he is. Actually, I really wanted to know who he is. A kid this cute couldn't have stayed hidden for so long. He would've naturally been picked up by an agency that would make him a star. But that was secondary to keeping him alive. It doesn't matter who someone was if they're dead.
"Sssssssss- ¡Si yo hablo! ¡Hablo muy bien! Soy como ... ¡el mejor en hablar!"
My face turns to immediate confusion.
"Uuuuuuuuummmmmmmm..."
*Oh my goodness! What did he just say! I didn't understand a word! I'm so confused right now. I picked up a kid on the street who happens to be the only person alive withing miles and he speaks a language that makes no sense. I don't get it. Why...*
My expression became one of confusion and slight despair.
Then his expression turns to one of confusion. I look back at him thinking, *Maybe he's also confused on why I don't speak his language. I'll ask him one more question and see if he really doesn't understand me.*
"Kid. What language are you speaking? I've never heard it before. Do you happen to speak common?"
His face became even more confused.
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*Okay. He reacted to my words so I'm sure he can hear me. But can he understand me? It seems like when I said common he became more confused*
I look at the boy once intently this time examining his facial expression and well as that little disk on his forehead. That thing was a mystery to me. I had never seen anything like it before, anywhere. It didn't seem decorative since it gave off a glow when I was hugg- embracing him.
*Wait. Why is he frozen?*
The boy seemed to have stopped moving. His eyes still open, his expression still confused. He was like a statue. I waved my hands in front of him with no reaction. I did the chicken dance, no reaction. I ran towards him and stopped before I hit him, no reaction.
*What is wrong with this kid? First, he doesn't speak 'common' and then he freezes?*
I stayed in front of him. Lowering my head to look at his face.
He really was a cute kid. I wouldn't mind having him as a brother. Maybe even when he was older... I banished such thoughts from my mind. They would only corrupt my view of this innocent child.
I examined his face intently. Out of boredom looking at his outstanding features. His midnight blue hair, beautiful brown skin, his eyes-
My thoughts were interrupted by the boy's sudden movement. He seemed to out of his trance.
"Hey, are you okay?"
He fell back as soon as he saw me. Perhaps staying that close to his face wasn't such a good idea.
"Woah there bud. You okay?"
He was silent for a moment
"Y-yeah... I'm fine..."
*His voice is so cute! How have I never heard of this boy before?!*
My face changed to match my emotions, his adorable levels were off the charts at this point and anyone who couldn't smile was not human. But that was just my opinion.
"Oh my god! You're so damn cute! Even your voice is adorable!"
He looked flustered. However, it didn't seem like he understood his emotions. He was so pure! I had to protect him. He was my only companion and beyond adorable too, what else could someone ask for?
"I don't know what you're saying whose cute?"
He turned away from me with an annoyed expression.
*Awwwww. He's shy. But I can't let that distract me. No matter how cute he is I have to know what's going on. And who he is. And what the hell the disk thing on his head is cause it sure as hell wasn't normal. And where I can visit him when I'm lonely after we get back to civilization.*
"Awwwww. Don't be like that bud. I gotta ask you questions anyway~"
My tone of voice clearly that of an adult speaking to a child. He didn't move. He still seemed mad that I called him cute. So I decided that I had to talk seriously with this kid. I sighed.
"Fine bud. Let the questions begin. For starters. What is that disk looking thing on your head?"
I decided that I should start with the seemingly least important question. But his reaction was unexpected. His face had an expression of confusion on it. Almost as if he didn't know that there was something on his head as well.
He looked at me for a second and then lifted his hand toward his head placing it on the object attached to his head. He moved his hand around feeling it. As though it was something foreign that he had never known about before. Then he suddenly jumped back for seemingly no reason whatsoever.
I wasn't going to have a potential injury happen to my only companion as soon I met him either. I used my gift.
I felt the energy of the world flow through me. The wind encouraging me to move forward as I lunged to save the boy. It all happened in an instant. I slight green glow came off my body and then it went back to normal.
"Bud, you okay? Can't go dying on me the moment I meet you now"
"Yeah..."
His cuteness just made me smile again. He seemed uncomfortable with my expression so he simply looked away and answered my question.
"It's The Drive"
*What.*
I had entered a state of confusion. A Drive is something that a person can't get unless they belong to Hill Grove.
*That's completely impossible. If this kid really has a drive then he could destroy me in an instant. It doesn't seem like he remembers anything though.*
Disrespecting a person from Hill Grove was the same as disrespecting the government.
"Oh. So you must be from that place?"
My tone changed from an adult talking to a child to a subordinate talking to a superior.
However, it didn't seem like he understood my question. Perhaps he really did have memory loss?
*If he really does have memory loss then he also probably doesn't remember how to properly use a drive. If he uses that thing then he could topple whatever's left of Millenial City right here, right now. But he acts like a child now.*
My confusion had reached a peak. What was a person of Hill Grove doing in the street and was he with me in a ruined Millenial City? These were the kind of thoughts filling my head.
I looked at the boy again his face towards me curious about my expression.
*I gotta be a good role model. Even if he is from Hill Grove he's only a kid right now. I have to be responsible*
I cast my best smile to comfort him and myself.
"Nevermind. Don't worry your little head about it. Big sis'll keep you safe."
His face showed trust in me now. I could see it in his eyes. He truly believed that I would keep him safe. That I would be with him the whole time. That I would be his big sister.
I shouldn't have said that. That may have been my biggest mistake. The amount of pain that I had to go through for those words. The amount of pain that we would have to go through for those words. Throughout my entire existence, those were the few words that changed the course of my life and all of Vikasit's along with it. The entire universe's fate had changed, just because I saved a boy lying on the street and said a few words.
But even looking back at all that happened because of that indirect promise. I regret nothing.