Chapter 2 - Abhi

Abhi had a rare gift for getting into fights with creatures of less intelligence. His parents even wondered if he might have fallen onto his head when he was little.

Seeing the couple right now in the field made out a comic appearance where Abhi would punch Brownie on the back, and then Brownie would retaliate by kicking Abhi in the gut.

Dev couldn’t help but sigh at this sight. Holding his head, he mumbled to himself, “Why is it always the same thing with these guys?”

He stood up and shouted while marching towards his family members, “For Clock’s sake, you two, what is it this time?”

Abhi was wincing in pain while holding his stomach when he saw Dev approaching him, “Ah, Big Bro, thank Clock, you’re finally here,” said Abhi while rejoicing and rearranging his dark orange hair. “I have been telling this idiot not to deviate from the path while plowing, but this fused brain still loses its way every other round.”

Dev glanced at the rice field before he brought his attention to Brownie.

“Neigh… neigh… neighhh!” Brownie continuously rotated his neck while hot air left his nostrils. Witnessing the horse’s strange reaction, any passerby would think that the horse had gone senile, but strangely, Brownie was just trying to illustrate the whole situation to Dev in its own way.

Abhi smiled triumphly while watching the stupid horse’s behavior. For him, there was no way anyone could understand what Brownie was trying to tell.

Yet, Dev just kept listening to Brownie, even nodding occasionally. Miraculously, he could comprehend what Brownie meant, even with its weird speech and actions. Maybe it was possible because the chocolatey horse had spent most of his life with Dev.

As time went by, Abhi’s mouth opened wider and wider in surprise, ‘Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait… Is Big Bro really able to understand what this moronic horse is trying to say? What kind of communication is this?’

From Brownie’s actions, Dev inferred that it was difficult for Brownie to get the hang of the straight line while plowing on its own, so he occasionally strayed from his way. But Abhi did nothing to help or guide him during this process. He only spent his time munching on the rice balls, focusing on them entirely, and then complaining to Brownie when the plowing went wrong.

Dev immediately looked at Abhi with flames dancing in his dark eyes. As an ominous feeling gripped Abhi’s heart, his muscular body shivered while all of his hair stood up in fear.

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Generally, Abhi had a fearless personality. He could fight even the Devil himself for his family and friends, but in front of his big brother, who was about to be 15 years old in a couple of months, Abhi was still like a scaredy-cat. Not that his big brother was that fearsome or scary.

Instead, Dev had a decent personality and would always talk nicely with others. It was just that sometimes he had to become strict when with Abhi. Otherwise, Abhi would act too unruly and wild. It was not an exaggeration to say that it was only Dev in the entire Crystal World who could keep Abhi in control.

Also, it wasn’t like Abhi feared his big brother; he did a little indeed. But much more than that, he adored him, respected him, and revered him as an invincible being. For Abhi, there was nothing in the world Dev couldn’t do.

In fact, it wasn’t just Abhi but everyone in the Ruby town whom Dev had enticed with his decorum and polite personality. One could even say that Dev was everyone’s favorite child in Ruby town. He and, of course, Ellyse. However, to Abhi, Ellyse was evil, an epitome of darkness and mischief, so naturally, she wouldn’t count.

Anyway, it was an awe-inspiring thing for Abhi to witness, to get appreciation and love from everyone in the town like a Protector, and Abhi worshipped that about Dev. So, he never talked back to Dev or misbehaved in front of him. In fact, he tried his best to impress him.

Still, impressing Dev by diligently working in the field was not Abhi’s strong forte.

“No… no, Big Bro. It’s not my fault this time, I swear,” Abhi excused while making such a sorry face that would force anyone to forgive him even for the gravest of punishments. Regretfully, it had no effect on Dev as he was already used to seeing such a scene of fake apology once in every other day.

Dev stared at him for a while and sighed, saying, “What on, Crystal, it’s gonna take you guys to work together in harmony. Forget what happened and shake hands with each other!” Dev declared sternly.

“With this evil fiend, never!” retorted Abhi.

“Neighhhh!” Brownie also refused furiously. If he could talk, then it was like he said, “Not in a thousand years.”

Dev just pulled up his sleeves, which brought a chill to Abhi’s tall and Brownie’s athletic body. It felt to Abhi and Brownie that the death itself was looking at them. And the next moment, both a horse and a human were shaking hands with each other, or to say precisely, were shaking a hand and a leg with each other, plastering forced smiles on their faces.

“That’s more like it,” said Dev.

“That was scary!” Abhi whispered to the side while easing up. To which the chocolatey horse also showed its affirmation by silently nodding.

“Did you say something, my dear brother?” a voice came from behind Abhi and Brownie, hearing which both of them shivered and felt like their soul had left their bodies.

“Absolutely not,Big Bro. It was just the wind whistling,” Abhi made an excuse while being all smiles and whistling to the side, not meeting Dev’s gaze.

Dev helplessly let it slide and announced, “Let’s just finish the work and head back home as soon as possible.”

“Aye,” Abhi replied.

“Neigh,” Brownie nodded.

And all three of them got serious with the work.