“Don’t mind him, he likes to help, but refuses to let go of his whole rebellious cool guy attitude.” Iancu gives Tetra a scowl when he says this. “But getting back to answering you, Basileia was originally the place that was used to produce the machines for creating crystals, but an accident occurred there where a bunch of machines went haywire and exploded creating the crystal mine, though lucky for us Elpída had the last working one.”
“I see, but I now have a follow-up question, why can’t you just build more of them.”
“Because we don’t have designs for it anymore, it was one of the many things the genius Inventor Magnolia took with him when he disappeared.”
Wait, Magnolia, as in the founder of Maples village. Dammit, that means the blueprints are gone, why did that idiot have to burn something so useful. “But wait, why would Magnolia have something so instrumental to this country, your nation is built on the use of such machines so wouldn’t the blueprints be in you guy’s possession.”
“Well, you see, everything on Elpída was designed and made by Magnolia and his mentor, our first queen Basileia, over two thousand years ago.”
Shocked by this I say, “Everything here is over two thousand years old, haven’t you made anything new since then.”
Iancu says, “No we haven’t, despite how futuristic all it might seem, none of the idiots of this generation has even managed to decipher two percent of how it was made, that is why Elpída is called the city of the future from the past.
This city was built to show the future potential of humanity, but even two thousand years later, the entire world is still centuries from coming close to figuring it out, we're all just a bunch of failures who parade our great city but fail to live up to its meaning.”
Letting out a huge laugh, Tetra says, “Iancu is spot on, but I still take pride in protecting this wonderous piece of history.”
I smile at his words, as Tetra turns his head to Suzuka, and asks, “Are you ok? You seem like you want to say something.”
“Sorry sir, my friend here can only speak the saviour's song, she isn’t well versed in the others, so she hasn’t been speaking to anyone.”
“Oh, I see.” Then in the saviour's song he says, “Would you please tell me what’s bothering you miss?”
Perking up Suzuka says, “I have trouble fully reading your thoughts, but your head is nice old man.”
Giving Suzuka a smack on the head, I say, “Don’t just admit you can read minds.”
“I don’t plan on telling anyone, but young lady, you should follow his advice, human trafficking is a big problem we have been dealing with in Elpída in recent years, so I would suggest you try and make yourself look as normal as possible, well I guess that’s hard, but as long as you don’t go picking fights like Iancu you will be fine.”
“I don’t even want to be here old man, so don’t go handing me any backhanded slaps. Hurry up and let me out.”
“Do you realize the trouble you have caused me recently? It is going to be a big headache to throw all of this under the rug. People are really wondering why you aren’t getting charged with anything for messing with the gravity field.”
“I didn’t mess with the gravity field, that was the gang members.”
“Listen here, no one is going to believe you kids were able to deal with those people, especially if they were using a gravity tool, so I had to twist the story, and say you were the ones using the tool.”
“I don’t give a shit what people believe, just tell them the truth.”
“So what, you want it to become public knowledge that you’re a legacy and be subject to the constant fear of kidnapping.”
Oh, this is getting spicy.
“Let them come, I will send their asses right into the sea.”
“If you think you can just brute force your way through everything you’re an utter fool.”
“What did you just say to me you mentally regressed fossil.”
“Look here, I don’t have to look out for you, but I do as a favour to your mother, so could you please meet me halfway, and stop doing things that will send you over to her side.”
“Listen here you handicapped prehistoric cunt, I have two things to tell you: first never bring my mother into any argument ever again, or I will crush your face in, and second I have never, nor ever will, ask you to do me any favours, so go fuck off for eternity.”
Suzuka cuts into their conversation and says, “YOU CAN’T JUST SAY THAT TO PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU.”
“I don’t remember asking for your opinion so fuck off.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Suzuka looks like she is about to cry at his words then she puts on her mask and says, “Are you so idiotic that you can only accept opinions that you ask for but what else would I expect from a milksop like you.”
“What did you just say to me.”
“Did I fucking stutter or wait no maybe the words I used were too big for you so let me dumb this down for you YOU’RE A FUCKING LOUD-MOUTHED MIDGET WHO ONLY HAS THE REMARKABLE TRAIT OF BEING MEAN TO EVERYONE.”
“That’s it why don’t you back up all those words.”
“I would be glad too.”
As they both try to fight each other over my body I holed them back and say, “Come down both of you this is nothing to fight over.”
“No Orb after I decimate this little shit we will see if he will retain that attitude.”
“Let's see you try hooker.”
“DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL MIDGET.”
“NO ASKED HIM TO LOOK OUT FOR ME, I AM FINE BY MYSELF.”
As they both spin insults back at each other, while trying to fight, I get a good close look at Iancu's mouth, and I notice something strange; he has fanged teeth.
“Both of you just stop it!”
Walking in someone says to Tetra, “Sir, his father has come to get him.”
“Good, it seems I can finally get back to work.”
Iancu stopping his fight with Suzuka looks over at Tetra, and says, “You bastard did you really call my dad.”
“Hey, I am not supposed to be looking out for you anymore, so I had to follow protocol and get your dad in.”
Iancu's face fills with dread, as we are all let out of the cell and are brought to the lobby of the station. As we are brought out, I see a slender dark-skinned man with silver her looking at us. Walking up to us slowly he glares at Iancu, then when he gets close enough, he bashes his fist into Iancu's head and says in the Saviours song, “I told you to stop hanging around Ichnaea, but you don’t seem to want to listen.” I guess he spoke the saviours song, since most people around here wouldn’t be able to understand what he is saying.
“I have a reason.”
Hitting him on the head again, he says, “I don’t give two shits about your reason, I don’t want to see you running around such a dangerous area ever again.”
“But.”
“SHUT UP!” His father screams which causes Iancu to cower a bit. “I am going to need you to use your brain smartass, and listen to what I tell you, for God shake do you just like attracting trouble?”
As Iancu looks dispirited Tetra says, “Despite his actions, he was just trying to-.”
“Oh, I know what he was trying to do, so you don’t need to fill me in. But that doesn’t matter, what I need right now is for this little idiot to fall to command.”
As they walk away, Tetra says, “Go easy on him, Gloria's blood runs through his veins, so I doubt he could help himself.”
“Then it is my job to that side of him, one death was enough in our family.”
“Have a good day Avram.”
“You too Tetra,” Avram says waving goodbye.
Wait did he say his name was Avram, then wouldn’t he be, I got to make sure. Looking over at Tetra I say, “Thank you for looking after us, square-shaped man.” After saying this I grab Suzuka's hand and run at full speed.
Φ “Did that boy just say I was square-shaped?”
As the Chief Tetra says this, everyone else at the station has one thought; he didn’t notice!
Φ After catching up to Iancu and Avram I say, “STOP!”
Turning around Avram says, “It’s the kids from the station.”
“Tetra said your name was Avram, but would your last name happen to be Bogdan?”
“Yes, it is, but how would you know that? My son has no friends so it couldn’t be him.”
“Hey,” Iancu says.
But Avram knocks him on the head and says, “I don’t want to hear you speak for the rest of the day.”
After Iancu quiets down I say, “I know you since you’re the one who made Draga’s vase and Capti's clothes for Fimbulwinter.”
“How would you know about that, the only person who should know would be Captivant.”
“Well, it is sort of a long story.”
After looking at his watch he says, “I can spare a bit of time, so just tell me a short concise version.”
I tell Avram of my experience with Capti on Fimbulwinter, though a short version, I also throw in the fact I am a legacy to help explain my resistance.
“I see, so he got to bury his wife after all,” Avram says with a smile.
“You look relieved.”
“Well of course I do, I was worried sick for the last few years that I didn’t make his gear good enough, but it seems to of accomplished it's goal with no issue. I guess that ink-brained idiot managed to pull off something amazing right before he died. Thank you Orb for helping.”
“It is no big issue, but I have something for you hear,” I say rummaging around my belongings.
Giving him a letter, he asks, “What is this?”
“It is a letter of introduction, Capti wrote them for me, and this one is addressed to you.”
“Have you just been carrying these around?”
“Well, I planned to give Suzuka the one for her parents while we were walking around, but I sort of didn’t want to go through each letter, so I just grabbed a bunch and stuffed them into my pockets.”
“Really your friend Capti knew my parents.”
“Well, I am not sure about that it just said for Mr and Ms Gozen it didn’t have a name on it.”
“Wait, are you the child of the Gozens,” Avram asks.
“Yes, she happens to be.”
“How would you know about my family,” Suzuka says hiding behind me.
“You see Capti wrote a book about Yoko and Osaki Gozen, decades years ago it was one of his more popular stories. He did change their names though, so the only reason I know who it is actually about is because he told me the actual story personally.”
Considering it was decades ago it couldn’t be about Suzuka’s parents, then it must have been about her grandparents. Looking over at her I hear her say “Grandma's name is Osaki,” with a smile.
“Wait, which story would that be?”
“I don’t exactly remember the title but it was a romance story.”
I good romance story then it could only be; against destiny, but there is no way the female protagonist could be based off of that old lady, they have exactly opposite personalities.
Φ While Orb is lost in thought, I Open the letter Captivant left me, it reads: Hey gearhead, I hope you and your family are doing well, is Iancu still fiddling with machinery, I hope that he is; the boy has a real eye for it. I also hope Gloria is still as hot-headed as ever, even motherhood could slow her down, you better be treating these two right.”
As I start glaring at the next part of his letter, I say out loud, “But enough about that, what I wanted to talk to you about was my bratty little friend Orb. This lonely, strange, little child happens to be very immature. I have caught him making entire roleplays with snow sculptures, and then acting it all out with all his heart, he really puts effort into the voices. But whenever I see him do it, he starts to cry out of embarrassment.” As I read this Orbs face starts to get embarrassed as his hair turns dark blue.
“So please Avaram, do me a favour and look out for this little child for me, I won’t be worried in the afterlife if you're there for him.” Annoying old fart still bothering me from beyond the grave.