Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Before I knew it, I was nearly four – a whopping three years and six months old! Age was just a number to me, though, and I couldn't wait to show the world just how amazing I was.

Take my newfound walking skills, for example. My first steps were a wobbly dance across the living room floor, a triumph celebrated with squeals and claps. Gone were the days of crawling – now I could explore every corner of the house with newfound independence.

Speaking of independence, I was practically a pro at taking care of... well, some bathroom business. Okay, maybe 40%. But hey, progress! Let's not dwell on the occasional accident.

The real star of the show, though, was my ability to finally dress myself. Shirts, skirts, bandanas – you name it, I could conquer it (with a little more time than when Mama did it, of course). Still, I was pretty proud of how far I'd climbed the mountain of self-sufficiency. Just wait till they hear about my next achievement!

This physical feat I'd been waiting for what felt like forever was the mastery of my tongue. It finally felt swift and light! I kept this little milestone a secret from my parents, though. So, one sunny Sunday, I marched over on my own two feet and stood beside them. With a mischievous glint in my eye, I flipped down the screen of Alphonse's laptop (who knew he was so engrossed in that thing?) and snatched Maria's phone right out of her hand – you should've seen how fast she was scrolling!

I had their full attention now, even if they looked a tad bewildered by my sudden tech raid. No matter. I cleared my throat delicately (with a very cute, fist-over-mouth "ahem") and then, with the utmost seriousness, declared, "Mother, Father! There is something I want to say!"

My pronunciation still needed some work, certain sounds were a bit trickier than others. But their jaws dropped the moment the words tumbled out. Oh, what a glorious feeling! "Good job, me!" I whispered to myself, a silent celebration for a victory hard-won.

Alphonse's eyes widened like saucers, a choked laugh escaping his lips. Maria gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. They kept glancing at me, their expressions a mix of wonder and disbelief.

"Since when were you able to speak like this, Lily?" Father said, his voice thick with emotion as he took his protective glasses off. Amazement was still etched on his face. "Yesterday you were only able to say 20 words a day, at most! And now you're into such hard phrases?"

I giggled, a high-pitched sound that tickled my own ears. Sticking my tongue out playfully, I added, "See? Big words for a little me!" My voice, though clear, held a formality that felt ridiculous coming from my tiny frame. "That does not necessitate further explanation, dear Father!" I declared, puffing out my chest with mock importance.

"There was something I wanted to check with you, to be honest! Is it really true that there is no Flow in the atmosphere?"

Alphonse rubbed his eyes, clearly stunned. “You do know we can't feel Flow, right?” He paused, then continued, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. “But I remember Romeo telling me that Flow doesn't exist in air and atmosphere, so yeah... that's the general understanding.”

Alphonse carefully placed his laptop on the table, his surprise etched on his face. Then, with a gentle smile, he opened his arms for a hug. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Mama tons! But there's just something about being scooped up by Papa, maybe because he's, well, Papa! (Maybe it also has something to do with him being a whole different gender, but that's a thought for another day.)

Nestling comfortably in his lap, I felt his warm hand stroking my hair. "That's strange," I mumbled, my mouth half-full of a delicious sable cookie Mama had placed nearby. "If there's no Flow in the air, then how come I can see it?"

I finished the cookie, but my question hung heavy in the air. Seeing no response, I tilted my head back, my big, curious eyes meeting theirs. Their jaws, already slack from my earlier vocabulary explosion, seemed to drop even further. For a moment, they were speechless, exchanging wide-eyed glances before turning back to me in unison.

"Excuse me?" they both said in perfect harmony, their voices a mixture of astonishment and something else – maybe a hint of surprise?

I understood the reason for their shock, honestly. According to Romeo, awakening Flow wasn't just about gaining a cool power. It came with a package deal of weirdness. First, the pendants on my necklace were supposed to light up with a certain color, revealing... well, Romeo hadn't exactly elaborated on that part. But, one day, I thrust the necklace under their noses, practically shoving it in their faces. "Look!" I exclaimed, pointing at the pendants. "They're glowing white! Can't you see it?"

Alphonse squinted at the pendants, brow furrowed. "Lily," he said patiently, "I see the necklace, honey, but the pendants are still clear. Just like they always have been." Maria also echoed his words, her gaze flitting from me to the necklace and back again.

A knot of frustration tightened in my stomach. How could they not see it? It was so brightly white, a stark contrast to the usual transparent stones. Were they messing with me? "But they are white!" I insisted, my voice trembling slightly. "They're full of white light! You have to see it!"

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Second, I'd become hyperaware of the Flow, not just in myself but in everything around me. And that he was right about. A tingling sensation bloomed across my skin, a constant hum filling the air. It was the Flow, whispering secrets about the world around me. I could feel it thrumming within the furniture, pulsing faintly in the food on my plate, even dancing erratically within the bodies of some animals and people. It was like the world had gained a hidden dimension, a layer of subtle energy I was only just beginning to perceive.

The wooden table beneath me felt strangely alive, a faint warmth radiating from its surface. Even the discarded toy car on the floor seemed to hold a hidden energy, a whisper of the Flow within it. The Flow imbued even the most mundane objects with a presence, a connection to something larger than themselves.

There was one final piece to the puzzle, though. Something unusual had to happen to me, some physical manifestation of the awakening. The exact form it would take remained a mystery. It could be a sudden surge of power bursting from within, a foreign Flow integrating with my own, or perhaps even a bizarre physical transformation mirroring the Flow I absorbed. All I knew was my body craved a connection, a merging with the ever-present energy field that surrounded me. The wait for the final sign was both exhilarating and terrifying.

I was only two of three when it came to the signs of awakening Flow, according to Romeo. But the one I did manage unexpectedly, seeing Flow in the atmosphere, was enough to send my cool uncle scrambling to our house in a worried frenzy. The doorbell's frantic jingle shattered the afternoon's calm. It was Uncle Romeo, his usually easygoing face etched with worry. Apparently, the news of my newfound ability to speak had reached him faster than I thought. Or was it really that news?

"There is no Flow in the air, atmosphere, gazes, electricity..." Those were their words, clear and certain. But for me, the world was different. When someone can wield Flow, they could see a flicker of something, a dancing colored aura that changes intensity depending on the owner. It generally had a white color the moment you awaken, but the more unique it was, the color changes. Then the color should change after training, experience, and stuff… to finally result in your Flow signature.

At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks. It began subtly, a barely-there shimmer in the air, like heat rising off the pavement on a scorching day. I blinked, thinking my eyes were playing tricks, but the shimmer remained. It wasn't quite mist, not quite fog, but a strange, luminescent haze that seemed to dance everywhere around.

Romeo bombarded me with questions, his gaze flitting across my face and body with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. Was he searching for some physical anomaly, some outward sign of the impossible thing I was claiming? He kept nudging me to describe with precise details how I saw the atmosphere, a strange urgency simmering beneath his usual easygoing demeanor.

As soon as Romeo dropped to his knees, his eyes bored into mine with a weight that pinned me in place. For a moment, I thought he might see right through me, his gaze searching for something hidden deep within. Then, he simply opened his mouth, his head shaking gently.

Romeo's jaw slackened, his entire body seeming to vibrate with a barely contained energy. He shook his head slowly, a disbelieving laugh escaping his lips. "I... I don't believe it. How can this be?"

My parents exchanged a worried glance, their faces etched with concern as they watched Romeo's bizarre behavior. He turned his head to them, his voice trembling slightly. "The pendants were supposed to gain the color of the first thing that the Young lady would absorb its Flow. And the more vivid the color, the higher her ability of Flow mastery. As you can see, the pendants aren't colored, but they are full of Flow, an invisible Flow, a Flow that only the gifted can see..."

“And, there is something else that I need to cover. The Flow within new awakeners is typically a pure white, tinged with a faint gray for the gifted!”

“Lina however, has a pitch-black obsidian Flow surrounding her – Her Flow signature already manifested – It is so intense and suffocating…”

A collective gasp ripped through the room. Maria's face paled, her eyes darting between me and Romeo with a mix of fear and confusion. Alphonse gripped the arms of his chair, his knuckles turning white as he stared at me, his expression unreadable.

The white in the pendants... that was the Flow in the air? It clicked into place, a sudden understanding washing over me. No wonder I reacted to it first. But black? My Flow... black? A cold dread settled in my stomach, prickling my skin.

Romeo stood abruptly, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. He paced a few steps, a whirlwind of nervous energy swirling around him. "The pendants… They are practically full of Flow, but still colorless," he continued.

"Hey!" I shrieked, jumping and planting myself between Romeo and my parents. "Wait a minute, Uncle Romeo! We're in this together, remember?" A sliver of fear flickered in my eyes, but my voice held a surprising amount of determination.

"It is so weird though," Romeo muttered again, more to himself than anyone else. "How can I feel the Flow inside the pendant yet not see their color? That is so weird…" He brushed his beard as he spoke, then raised his head to his brother and Maria. "Can I test something on Lina? I want to see if she could absorb the Flow of something else, is that okay?"

Maria's arms crossed defensively, her voice laced with worry. "Isn't this too soon, Romeo? Awakening early is one thing, but attempting Flow exchange feels like handing a toddler a loaded weapon! She barely understands the basics."

Romeo's jaw clenched. "The Flow within her is a raging storm, Maria! It's like a dam about to burst. We need to see if she can channel it, or it could make things even more complicated! Besides," he added, his voice softening slightly, "her Flow signature is off the charts. It rivals mine or even the sponsors. She's a prodigy, a gift from the Flow itself! Think about it, with my guidance, I can ensure her safety. As a Harmonizer, keeping her circuits in check is literally my job."

A suffocating silence descended upon the room. Maria chewed her lip, her gaze flickering between me and Romeo. My father remained silent, his hand resting gently on my head, his expression a mask of worry and protectiveness.

Unable to bear the suffocating tension any longer, I scooted closer to Maria and placed my small hands on her thigh. "It'll be okay, Mother!" I pleaded, my voice laced with a hint of childish charm. “With Uncle Romeo teaching me, I know I can do it!" Ugh, using the cuteness card again? Not my proudest moment, but sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

A faint smile tugged at Maria's lips, momentarily breaking the tension. My parents exchanged a helpless glance, their usually stoic expressions morphing into a mix of concern and amusement. If only they could channel that focus into their work, maybe we'd be living in a castle by now! Although, this mansion isn't exactly shabby either...

Anyway, time for my first real Flow test! Woohoo!