~Saint home Orphanage~

The older kids were becoming tired. After a while of play time, sleepy time was soon to follow. The babies were already fast asleep hours ago, so there was no need to worry about their being.

Ding!

A loud ring sounded from the walls, starting everyone to stop in place.

“Mom! Someone’s at the door!”

Other kids began to enter a frenzy, and ran around home.

“Tia dear, can you check who’s here.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Tia ran off to check the tiny peeping hole near the bottom corner of the door. A rumor once spread the hole was originally an accidental bump from police long ago, but we just use it to check if any bad people show up.

“Aha, can’t forget mister tinger!”

And if there were every bad people, then we would have to use mister tinger to make them go away. Although...there wasn’t much information given on how to use him, just press and hold.

Mister tinger came from Frael, who was a very smart girl. But though she was smart, she always stayed locked up in her own room.

Other kids thought having a seperate room was unfair, but mother made it very strict not to say anything else about it. She said though Frael was a smart girl, she was consequently very sick, which was also why she had to sit out on our daily warm ups.

“Gale, dear?”

“Y-yes ma’am?!”

Mother interrupted his thinking, but it wasn’t unusual. Gale gave a timid response, waiting for mother's answer.

“Frael and Effryn sure have been quiet. May you go and offer them beverages.”

Hmm? Gale wondered if mother knew Effryn left. Usually, she was on top of everything happening in the house, but to hear this…

“Effryn has left mother.”

“He wha…?”

Mothers look was also unusually different from the others. Instead of taking a few seconds to think about something, she skipped the hesitation entirely. Instead, she wore a worried expression. And Gale could tell this wasn’t like her usual mask when talking to other kids. This was genuine.

Oh...what has big brother Effryn done?

Gale grew slightly interested in everything going on, but kept his face that of a plain child.

“And what of Frale?”

“Sorry, but I don’t know.” Gale expressed a downy face while slouching over.

Mother held her hand over her mouth. Gale clearly saw she was deeply thinking about something. What she was thinking intrigued him.

But before anything happened, Tia called out.

“Mom, police men are here!”

“Ah, coming dear.”

Mother gently smiled at Gale, and walked away to greet the visitors.

Police...what could they be here for? Nothing interesting happened here. Except for…

“...Effryn.”

Ever since Effryn returned home, things have grown more interesting at an alarming rate. But Gale thought of it as a gift, since the house held the same boring routine every day.

“Oh right, Gale? May you check up on Frael for a second!” Mother's head peeked from the corner.

“O-oh, right!”

Having been pulled from his thoughts once again, Gale picked himself up and followed the path to Fraels room.

This was a pretty usual quest mother gave Gale, so it didn’t bother him. It was refreshing to talk to her, especially with how smart she was. No other kid in the house could compare to Frael’s smarts. Gale would always come to a close second, but she always reigned above all.

Even since Effryn went missing, Frael had been seemingly more and more lonely. Kids in the house tried a few times to cheer her up, but each time she gave them an empty smile, and further burrowed herself in her room. Her lying face was enough to fool the rest of the kids, but not him. He was sure mother knew as well, because after seeing Frael disappear in her room, mother made me visit her to give her company.

Now, ever since Effryn left, Gale went to visit Frael and help her with whatever crazy thing she was making now.

She really is amazing...oh!

Standing before him was the towing door leading to Fraels room. He pressed his ear against the door, wondering if it was alright to come in.

She’s not crying, so…

“Excuse me, Frael! It’s me, Gale!”

Hearing no response, Gale pulled out a small item of cheating for these types of situations-a spare key he was able to make from a mold.

Forgive me Frael, but I was told to look after you.

The door easily unlocked, and Gale opened full force.

‘Frael?”

Gale asked the question hoping Frael would be directly behind the door, but only pure darkness welcomed him.

“Holy scary...Frale? Are you in here?”

Entering the room, Gale saw Frael covering herself lying down in the middle of the room. He tried looking around, but everything was too dark to see. The only thing noticeable was some burnt out candle in the corner.

“Frael?”

Gale asked, slowly approaching the downed girl. With the atmosphere being still as dark, he could hear small whimpers.

He tried seeing her face by moving closer, but he realized her face was implanted in the ground.

“Geh, really Frael? Mother was right to be worried about you, but for you to be crying while burying your face...that's a rare sight.”

To Gale, he’d actually never seen her like this. Sure, she was quiet and reclusive, but she always forced a smile through it all.

Even when he was by her side, she never fully opened up to him. For this to happen, there must be a cause.

“Gale...why is Effy a dwummy?”

Gale set himself next to Frael, and lit a spare candle to dim the room. It wasn’t much light, but he had a clearer picture of Frael now.

“I'm not sure myself, but for whatever reason, I think he needs to be punished!”

“He has no where else to go, so why would he leave?”

Gale thought about her words. Why no where else? I thought he had an apartment with Evvryn?”

“Hey now, don’t let the sadness get you! I’m sure Effryn has some things he needs before he can come back.”

“Uuu… I know, your right.”

Gale didn’t know exactly what Effryn was doing, and it annoyed him. His entire being was causing a scary aura in the house, or at least with the brainer people.

He knew he wasn’t exactly the next brain king, but he could mostly see the difference between what people were saying, and what they were doing. Evvryn held military lessons some time back, explaining how it was important to understand your enemies plan and their adaptability to their plan, then how to form a plan based on that information. While everyone else ignored her words, Gale took them to heart, even living by those words.

Still… Gale thought, I feel like there’s something more to everything. Like only mother and father knows.

“Hey Frael...what happened to Effryn?”

Gale probed, wondering if Frael had any information. He judged based on Effryn stroming out with the look of utter emptiness, and the last place he visited was Frael, some information had to flow.

“No-uu.”

Eh… Frael made a short but audible sound afterwards. Is she...pouting?

Taking a deep breath, Gale had a feeling Frael wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“I’m sorry for bothering you Frael. I’ll take my leave and let mother know you seem fine-”

“-wait-uu.”

Did she pout again?!

But before he could move, a nudge held him back. Looking down, it was Frael’s fingers lightly grasping his sleeve.

“Please...don’t.”

Gale grabbed her hand, only to feel a slight tremble as she closed her palm.

“Frael?”

“Stay with Frael...”

“B-but are you sure? I thought you-”

Gale felt pressure building up on his hand. At first he thought Frael might have been trying to tickle him, but now it felt more like a crushing hug.

“Stay with Frael!”

“Fine! I give! Just please, stop!”

Giving in to his year older peer, Gale found himself being led by a newly made cheerful girl to the corner. There, she lit an old candle, and lit the entire area around, revealing some papers with scribblings and a glasses thingy. Gale had never seen anything like it, but it seemed pretty cool, so it interested him

“What is that?”

The object was purely black, with a cover for the full face, and strap to the back. It surely had to black magic.

“Frael has no idea what it was supposed to be used for, so she decided to make something new out of it!”

“And how did you get this?”

“Well, Uuu…” She looked at the ground for a moment, and smiled with a fiery passion. “Effy won this!”

“Oh?”

Gale remembered something about Effryn taking Frael to some thingy, but that was also the last day everyone saw him. If that is so, then how did Frael…

“His friend Eizer was kind enough to let Frael hold onto this for Effy.”

Oh, makes sense.

“But, Effy took a long while to return, and Frael was really worried about Effy.”

Gale had always seen Frael smiling to the other kids, but he knew she was often in deep thought about something.

“So Frael decided to test this thingy Effy won to see if its safe.”

“Safe?”

“Uuu, you know, in case Effy were to be tricked into wearing an evil mask!”

I feel like Evvryn would actually want that just so they could lawsuit.

In the past, Evvryn had always said “Never let your enemies hurt you, unless a lawsuit is in your favor.” Not really knowing what a lawsuit is, Gale decided to store that information until there comes a need.

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“Frael, I don’t think that’s-”

“Frael is sure of that reason! That’s why she outfited this trap before it can fully harm Effy!”

Gale had a feeling he would get nowhere in explaining to Frael, so he thought he should go along with it.

Frael raises the black thingy, and turns it around at every angle. It looks nothing more than an overly sized visor, but maybe it had some importance?

“So, does outfitted mean you changed? What did you do?”

“Hehe…” Frael turned around with a grin, hiding the object from his sight. “Just a little magic, factored in with tons of science, making it more fun for Effy.”

“You reworked it?!”

“Yay, right!”

Amazing. Not knowing what the original purpose was damaged points, but to make it do what she wants, now that adds a lot. That’s Frael for you.

“So what’s it do?”

As if she were waiting for him to ask, Frael spinned around in a shining motion, although not too fast, to unveil the object.

“It is a thingy made to connect the feelings of others!”

Huh?

“Huh?”

Huh?

She put the thing over her head, and worked her hands across the air.

“This new thingy will be able to connect the minds and parts of everybody, so we can all feel what another is feeling!”

“I uh...so how does it work?”

With no idea of what thingy was, Gale just asked how it works. But soon after asking, Frael began stumbling on her words and expressions.

“Y-yeah, uuu, about that, uuu…”

Her storming energy just died!

“Frael hasn’t finished it-uu!”

“Why pout about that?! Never mind. If it troubles you then finish it.”

She looked down at the thingy, turning it around at every angle. Gale moved to get a closer look, but she just turned away from him.

“Hey!”

He tried getting a view again, which she blocked him again.

What is she…?

He moved again in the same direction, and waited for Frael to move exactly as last time.

I’ll act like I’m going left, then…

Right! Gale instantly side stepped right, thinking if he tricked her to block left, then he could go right and see everything!

Hah! I guess the smartest one here is...back.

Back. His eyes took in straight back. Or, the back of Frael.

“H-how did you…” With his mouth agasp, he wondered how she saw through his genius plan.

“Frael figured you would try something different-uu!”

“Gahhh!”

It drove him crazy on why she wouldn’t just tell him what it is. He knew Frael was smart, but it couldn’t be that life changing. An eleven year old can only do so much.

-So, Gale thought about how he could help, even without knowing what it was.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Hmm…”

Placing a finger on her cheek, she hmm to herself for some time. Time passed. Ok, quite a bit of time.

“Anything?!”

“Not really, but why do you want me to finish this? It’s not like its for you. This is for someone dear whos golden part is slowly growing bad.”

Ouchie. Come on, your supposed to be someone I look up to, not my bully. And what does that even mean?!

“Because I want to see you smile again.”

“Eh?! Aah-uuuuu…” she squealed, squirming around into a small ball to cover herself up.

Gale blankly stared at the shell of Frael. He thought through his words, and nothing seemed improper about them. So then why did she have such a reaction?

“Um, Frael?”

“Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! Young, dumb boy!”

“Wha… I just want to help!”

Frael threw a mini tantrum in front of him. Someone who was older, and someone who he looked up to, was acting to the root of their age.

“But…” she stopped mid floor slamming, and looked in Gales eyes. Gale could see his watery reflection through her flowing arctic iris. “Thank you.”

“I uh… It was nothing.”

Gale was frozen, stuck in his brain trying to think of what to do next. But no formula came. Only the capturing look in his seniors eye.

“Gale, dear! Some officers want to ask you a couple questions!”

Eh!

Hearing the call of mother, Gale sank back into reality, clapping his cheeks together to get his mind back on track.

“Right!”

“See you later Gale. And thanks for coming by!”

“No problem. Just don’t give up on whatever your doing, okay?”

There was a muffled cough in return.

Gale was satisfied with how everything went. Even if he never got to see the project, or know what it does, at least he could be a stepping stone for Fraels projects.

“Hello young man, I’m detective Knox and I’m here to ask a few questions, if that's alright with you.”

That was the first thing Gale heard when walking around the corner to find mother. He found her, calmly standing as usual, but with two older looking men beside her in uniform. One looked as if he were only a little older than Effryn, but the man asking questions looked as old as father.

What could the police need from home?

Gale glanced at mother before answering the older man, to which she nodded.

“Ah, don’t worry about me sport. I’m just a friendly police officer here to ask some questions.” the detective said, taking his cap off.

He got the greenlight from mother, so he could answer some questions. There was nothing wrong that he or anyone he knew did, and even if there was, he didn’t know about it, so there should be nothing to worry about.

“The names detective Knox, and this here is my little friend Watt. We came because we were worried about your friend Effryn.”

Effryn? So he connects?

“Have you heard from him in a while?”

Shoot. If this were connected to Effryn, then not knowing could cause problems if he were to say something wrong.

Calm down, Gale. Like Effryn would always tell Evvryn, ‘think logically, not stupidly.’

“Hmm, sorry but I haven’t seen big brother here in some time now!” he said, making sure to sound as kiddish as possible. He even added a finger on his lip to make it look as if he was thinking.

“Oh, is that so? From what I heard, you were the last to see him.”

Eh?

Shocked at the counter of information, Gale felt a nudge on lower shirt. He looked, and saw a few of the younger kids shly hiding behind him.

“The policeman said Effryn was in trouble, so we told him what we knew. Sorry if it's not enough to help.”

“Haha, don’t worry kids. Every bit you tell us outta help in a way.”

Crap, he’s using the kids to get information out of me and fact check.

Knowing the detective had used the smaller kids to gain information, Gale had a way to counteract this blockade. Luckily, he still had the ultimate trump card.

“Hmm, sorry, but commander Evvryn told me not to leak any info to commies!”

The detective looked shocked, while his younger friend quietly laughed to himself. It's a good thing Evvryn always said out of the blue things like those, even if they were complete useless and random.

Immediately after saying so, the kids behind Gale cheered on for their missing commander.

“All hail commander!

“We shall salute as we wait, sir!”

“Commander will come home soon, I know it!”

Gale calmly studied the detectives expressions, and saw he was mainly weirded out by their poor military talk. But as he lifted his hand into his pockets, his expression changed.

“Evvryn huh? That brings up an interesting topic…”

“Detective, I beg your pardon, but that is something I chose not to reveal to the children.”

The detective had a new found look of discovery, while mother was mildly glaring at him from behind. But the detective pressed on, ignoring the mother.

“Do you happen to know where she is?”

“Detective!” mother raised her voice. Gale rarely saw mother angry, if not ever.

“Evvryn? Mother told me she got sick.”

“Yeah, she got hurt or something.”

“Hmm, I miss Evvryn…”

Kids rallied behind Gale, each making their own wish to see Evvryn. But Gale had an unpleasant feeling about everything. Nothing made sense to him. Why did Effryn come back, but not Evvryn? Why was Frael crying after Effryn left. Why did police come to home, of all places?

Gale could only think of two possibilities. One of them he despised, but a chance is never zero. So then why…

“Why?”

Eh?!

The detective pressed his face near Gale, staring straight in his eyes. No, it was more like he was seeing right into Gale’s building blocks.

“Detective!!”

“Sir, your being to bashful!”

But the detective only leaned in, to the point where Gale could understand his whispers.

“Don’t worry, he didn’t kill Evvryn. But what he might have done afterword might be a little naughty.”

Kill...Evvryn? Wait, so is she…?

“You don’t have any useful information, but at least you confirmed he was actually here.”

“Detective, what are you thinking?!”

The younger officer pulled the man away, but Gale wasn’t focused on that. His mind was trapped on Evvryn.

“I’ll admit, you're alright at observing others, but your still an amatuer. If you want to read people, you need to look at more than their faces. Their pulses, twitches, heart beats, breathing pattern, eye coordination-everything matters.”

“I...uh…”

A bombshell of information erupted in Gale. The death of Evvryn, being outsmarted by this weirdo man-it was a bit to take in, but he was mainly angry with himself. He should've seen it sooner. There were signs practically spelling it out, but to just now see it...

“Please leave this house at once!”

The house shook as mothers voice bounced from wall to wall. The smaller kids lowered their heads, and slowly started to their rooms.

“Fine. We got everything we needed anyways.”

The detective pulled a long stick thingy from his pocket, along with a small metal container. He flicked a metal trigger, and a small flame birthed from inside.

“Chief, we should take our leave.” the younger officer said, pulling at the detective. “I’m sorry for causing any trouble, and you young man, what’s your name?”

“M-my name-its, uh…”

Gale was still caught in the mental tightrope from the detective, trying to struggle his way to understand everything. He pricked his brain for a response, but before any came, an angry, short, squeak erupted from behind…

“Frael thinks you two are meanies for picking on Gale! Please leave our home!”

“Frael…?”

Frael stood as menacingly as a short girl could get. Gale could see she was angrily pouting at the two officers.

“Your a tiny little girl, aren’t you? Well, we’re on our way out, so excuse us.”

“I-I’m sorry ma’am!”

I don’t think the smaller officer met any harm, Gale thought, as he saw the younger officer prostrate himself towards mother.

The detective tipped his hat, and left with his companion. Mother peered out to see them off, while Frael dashed over to Gale.

“Gale, did they hurt you?”

“Eh, if they did, they wouldn’t have jobs anymore. But no, I’m fine-Hey?!”

While looking back at the door, Frael had rushed to his side, capturing him in a hug.

“H-hey now, Frael?!”

“Poor Gale. I’m sorry for what they did.”

What they did? They did nothing to him, and even if they did, they could sue the living heck out of cops. Or so Evvryn would always say.

Wait, Evvryn…

Not fully realizing earlier what that fully meant, a truck full of reality drove full force into him.

“She’s...I mean Evvryn, is she really...gone?”

That was the possibility he wanted not to be true. The reason for Effryn coming alone, and with his expression, it should've spelled it out for him. Yet, Gale ignored those, and wished on everything that she was still alive.

-The truth was, she’s gone.

“Gale, dear, come here.” mothers warm voice sounded through Gale. He felt a comforting hand rest on his shoulder. “I planned on telling you kids when everyone grew up, but now I think that would be slightly difficult.”

“Mother, I-”

“Hush now child. Express yourself as you wish for Evvryn, but we must keep moving. For her.”

Evvryn, their commander in training, was someone every kid in the house looked up to. Gale positively knew explaining it to them would be beyond difficult, but a necessary action.

But through all this, Gale had one pressuring thought.

“How is Effryn dealing with this?”

From what he heard, those two were practically inseparable, as if they were glued together by some unknown bounds of nature.

“Dear Effryn must be taking it the hardest. But for now, we should help each other out.”

“Yeah, please don’t hurt your golden part Gale, ‘cause Frael plans to make Effy a gift to surpass all others!

“Hmm...your amazing Frael.” suppressing his feelings inside, Gale managed a smile. He peered at the glass leading outside on the top door, and thought. I don’t think you killed her Effryn, but whatever's going on, be careful.

“Now then, Frael shall finish her work for whenever Effy returns!” she proudly announced her next plan as she used her little legs to stumble back to her room.

Picking himself up, Gale wondered what to do next. He was tempted to follow Frael and see her in work, but he thought she would just kick him out the instant he entered, so he counted that option out.

“Hmm…”

As he thought, a hand rested on his head, fluffing thought his hair.

“Don’t stress yourself, dear. Go get some rest along the other children.”

It was mother, reassuring him as she always had.

“Thank you mom, I will!” he flashed a genuine smile as he sheepishly rushed to his bedroll. The thought of Evvryn was still on his mind, but if everyone came together, then they could properly send her and her wonderful person off to the next life. And the more he thought about it, he should probably make something to cheer up Effryn.

Yeah...like a commander badge, or something?

And the more he brainstormed for Effryn in hoping to gift him, the more he drifted off to sleep...

***

“Chief, that was a bit uncalled for, even for you.”

Watt knew his superior and how he operated, but even that approach was a bit much. That went against protocol for countless things, so why would he do something like that to a kid?

“I may have not gotten much of anything, but I at least know he was there.”

“Still, it wasn’t necessary.” Watt doubted the chief in his methods, but Knox only looked back at him with a grin.

“You still have a lot of things to learn rookie. From that encounter, I at least know he’s in the city.” Watt felt a rough push on his back as the chief laughed out loud. “Now come, let’s follow his trail.”

“Sir!”

~Somewhere in the city of Heeth~

The air was cold as he inhaled the heavy sins of the city. The cold breath was visible, and left a trail wherever it went.

“P-please, I don’t know anything about a gang! I’m just the messenger boy, I swear!”

The boy in front of him pleaded, but his words went through the man like anti-matter. The air grew colder, as did his breath.

He stepped closer, with a sharp object on standby.

“H-hey, you know what, I have a clue for you! Y-yeah, I heard a rumor of there not only being a boss, but a few generals, or something like that!”

“Generals, you say?”

The messenger vigorously nodded. Tears were streaming down his face, as his eyes pleaded for mercy. No doubt, they were frozen fears.

“I applaud your cooperation in this, but I fear my distaste in the fellow people of ruining me my career won’t dissipate.”

He raised his hand, unveiling the long edge of a syringe.

“N-n-no! Please, don’t! I swear, I won’t talk! I swea-”

-Pfft

“Argg...! Y-you bastard... I s-swear, I-...I…-”

The messenger, before filled with fear, then filled with anger, was now filled with emptiness, and his corpse lay foaming fluids.

“Sleep now, my experiment, for I shall reap my revenge. On your little mischief gang…” he paused, savouring the coldness on his lips, and enveloped an insanical smile while raising his body whole. “And to my beloved child, who is cared for by the gods!”

He moved away from the area, looking to lure in his next gang member.

Don’t worry my dear Effryn! Soon, I shall test every poison known to chemistry on you, and defy the power of the gods themselves!