"Your gate ability… is to steal other gate abilities?"
I scratched my forehead. "More like copy, after I take an ability I can only use it once and then it's gone."
"I'm also sure that I can only hold one ability at a time."
Grampa Yaha tilted his head. "So, how many gates have you opened?"
How many?
"Hmm."
I was able to copy Dahlia's heal from back then so I had to be gate 3 minimum.
It's been about 6 months since then…
"I'm not sure."
Grampa Yaha stepped forward.
My body tensed.
He reached out his hand, dusting the shoulder of my cape.
"Let's get you some new clothes, outs—"
Grinning to himself he placed his hand on my shoulder.
"Outsider wasn't very respectable of us now was it?"
"Tell me, what is your name?"
I glanced at his boney white hand.
"It's Simon."
Grampa Yaha smiled ear to ear.
"Simon, huh… it's a beautiful name."
My face grew hot, shooing Grampa Yaha away.
"O-Okay, get your hand off me!"
He stood straight. "You're taller than the average boy so we'll have to custom tailor your suit."
I lowered my head. "Why do I have to change anyway?"
He smirked, turning to leave. "You want to demand respect when you step into a room, young Simon."
Young Simon?
"We didn't label you an outsider solely because you're not from here."
"Look at yourself… a man's outfit means everything, it determines what people think of you which determines how they treat you."
"A cape made of Hydralox fur, beaten black pants, your toes are nearly popping from your boots."
A slight frown tugged at my lips.
"And do I seriously have to mention no shirt?"
I opened my mouth, then paused.
Grampa Yaha stood quiet for a moment, almost waiting for a response.
I didn't give him one—I couldn't.
No reason for being snippy when the old man is right.
Turning, Grampa Yaha smiled once more. "But that all changes now, young Simon."
"During our little talk I gathered your measurements, please patiently wait down the hall."
With that he left.
I waited for his footsteps to fade before using the wall to help myself up.
As I opened the cell's door Sy stood in the hall, back to me as his arms were crossed.
"You sure like old people."
I bonked my fist on his head. "Yeah well, I can't help it."
"I just don't think mean old people exist, they're always so jolly."
Sy ran ahead down the hall. "Whatever man, just keep your weird fetishes away from me!"
"Oh you're dead!" I shouted, sprinting to catch up.
I stopped at the base of a staircase as Sy stood at the top, sun outlining his silhouette.
I raced up the stairs, quickly reaching the top steps as my eyes widened.
A brown skinned girl stood atop the staircase.
The first thing I noticed were her eyes.
They… were beautiful.
A deep purple with what looked like a glimmer in them.
Her hair was long, deep black, braided into a messy bun.
Her lips…
Are too close!
I crashed into the girl, falling to the ground as she groaned from the fall.
I couldn't take my eyes off of her… or her chest.
She stared back at me.
"GET OFF OF ME YOU PERVERTED VIRGIN ASSHOLE!!!"
. . .
Huh?
I stared dumbfounded.
"I-I uh."
"DAMNIT I SAID MOVE!"
She rammed her leg into my crotch.
The wind left my lungs.
I gripped my private parts, falling to the side as sounds I didn't know I was capable of making leaked from my mouth.
She kicked my legs aside, standing up as she gripped at her stomach.
The girl quickly walked off, a voodoo doll jiggling in her back pocket.
I melted into the ground.
What have I done…
Am I…
A cheater!?
B-But we didn't do anything! All that happened was—
The look of her face flashed through my mind.
Her pink lips slightly opened, her chest resting in her shirt.
I grabbed at my head.
I'M A WORTHLESS CHEATER AREN'T I?
The clicks of footsteps caught my attention.
Familiar footsteps.
I turned, speaking with a sniffle. "Grampa is that you?"
Grampa Yaha grinned. "Already memorized my footsteps?
Smirking, he covered his mouth, swinging his body side to side. "And grampa already? You haven't even taken me on a date yet!"
My face went stoned.
I rested my head back into the grass.
"Grampa, who was that girl just now?"
He squinted his eyes, staring down the street.
Looking at me with a grin he caressed his beard.
"Oh?"
"That's the Master's only daughter, why do you ask?"
I could feel my insides crumble and wither away—my soul escaping right through my mouth.
"Y-You're not serious." I mumbled, face in the grass.
Grampa Yaha placed his hands behind his back.
"Yes, her name is Angela."
I couldn't hide my goofy grin.
"Angela? What a beautiful name."
"And she's the Master's most prized possession!"
My body turned to dust, fading away before burning in the sunlight.
Raising my hands I slammed them down on my cheeks.
I-I have Runi!
Who cares about her! Her stupid… gorgeous… busty…
NO!
Runi is all I need!
Grampa Yaha stared in confusion as I grumbled to myself.
"Young Simon?"
I shot up from the ground.
"Y-Yeah gramps?"
Stepping to the side he pointed into the distance.
"Welcome…"
"To Empryeon!"
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
I don't think I have the words.
Tree houses stretched across grassy fields, houses separated by stairs and bridges.
Larger trees held up to two or even three houses by themselves.
I lowered my gaze.
Fine gravel lined the streets as people with bikes flew down the road.
"Are those… bikes?"
"I've never seen one in person before, they're faster than I thought!"
Grampa Yaha glanced up at me. "And they say we're primitive, you've never seen a bike?"
He shook his head. "Anyways, you should explore the city."
Giving me a pat on the back he stuck a finger and thumb in his mouth, whistling so loud I was forced to cover my ears.
A Hydralox bolted down the street.
My hand moved on its own, grabbing my paintbrush.
Grampa Yaha turned, giving me a light smile.
The Hydralox skid to a stop, licking his old frail body before bending over.
As Grampa Yaha raised his leg the spikes on the Hydralox's back retracted inside.
With a stupid grin he waved as the Hydralox scurried off.
"See you soon Simon, make sure to explore!"
I sighed.
He's gone.
Sticking my hands in my pockets I stood at the edge of the street.
Explore huh, I don't even know where to start.
I dropped my shoulders, dragging my hands down my face.
Ever since I started thinking about Runi she won't leave my mind.
I slapped my cheeks, dropping to a kneel.
Runi…
I wish you were here.
I never got to tell you that—
"Quit blushing and squirming over there idiot, you're making me uncomfortable."
Shooting up I snatched Sy's collar. "I wasn't blushing you stupid soul!"
Sy crossed his arms. "I know you are but what am I?"
We bickered on the side of the road as bikers passed by in confusion.
A voice called from behind me as we both turned.
"Who are you talking to?"
It's Lawrence.
"Oh um, don't mind me."
Look at him, now he thinks I'm weird!
I stuck my hand out. "Lawrence, right? Sorry about the other day."
He dismissed my hand. "Don't mention it, ya good? I did knock ya pretty hard."
I grinned, giving a thumbs up. "Luckily I'm alright!" I dropped my hand. "Maybe we can have a rematch sometime."
He turned, motioning me to follow. "I'll think about it."
"Let me show you around, outsider."
I paused. "Oh, it's Simon by the way."
He continued walking. "Duh."
"W-Whats that supposed to mean!"
He snickered. "You seem fun Simon."
Slightly turning his head he pointed to the treehouses. "Those are where the Hunters live by the way."
"The Hunters?"
Lawrence briefly paused. "Oh yeah, you have no idea what hunters are huh?"
"Hunters are exactly what they sound like, they get paid by the higher ups to hunt Hydralox and other monsters that live deeper in Zytra."
"Higher ups?" I questioned.
Lawrence continued. "Thats just what I call them, The Supreme Command I mean."
"They're a small group of elites who work directly under my fa—"
"The Chief."
I sped up to walk by his side. "And elites are?"
He looked at me with annoyance. "Ya sure do ask a lot of questions Simon."
"Elites are what we poor people call the rich."
I glanced down at him as we walked, Lawrence looking back to me.
His eyes narrowed. "What? You got something to say about me being poor?"
I slightly raised my hands, shaking my head in disagreement. "No way, I lived with my grandma so I don't really know the difference between poor and rich."
Lawrence sighed, locking his hands behind his head similar to Sy.
"So the rumors were true."
Rumors?
"You really do come from a different part of Zytra."
I raised my head. "Yeah, me… my grandma and siblings."
Lawrence turned. "Where are they now?"
A pulse of nervousness spread throughout my body.
Lawrence's holler snapped my trance.
"Hey sis is that you!?"
My body twitched, turning as he stared down a side street.
A voice yelled back. "Seeing your ugly mug just pissed me off even more!"
That voice…
Lawrence slammed a foot forward. "WE LOOK THE SAME YOU BIG IDIOT, YOUR EMBARRASSING ME IN FRONT OF COMPANY!"
I turned the corner, staring past bushes as the road decayed further down the old street.
I knew it.
She raised her finger. "IT'S THAT PERV!"
I stuttered. "P-PERV!?"
Lawrence looked at me with confusion. "You two know each other?"
Angela stepped forward, placing a hand on her hip as another pointed at me, inches away from my nose.
"This perv ran into me earlier." She mumbled beneath her breath. "It was probably on purpose too."
IT WAS NOT!
I stepped back. "I-It was a complete accident!"
She crossed her arms. "Sure, sure, was staring and ogling at my chest an accident too!?"
Lawrence physically cringed. "Ew man."
I could feel a vain press on my forehead, my teeth almost chittering against each other.
"Look I… I was chasing Sy up those damn stairs that's why I ran into you! It was a complete accident, and no, I did not stare at your chest on purpose!"
"Hmph! She said as she turned. "I'm going home."
Lawrence went to open his mouth, but Angela cut him off.
"Yes I will leave the door unlocked this time!"
She walked off, what sounded like angry grumbles spewing from around her.
I placed a hand on Lawrence's shoulder. "Don't worry, I still think you're cool."
He quickly looked up, his orange eyes glistening. "Really!?"
"Yeah." I said, a tinge of uncertainty in my voice.
He crossed his arms. "So, who's Sy? Did he go with gramps?"
. . .
Oh God.
I was blabbering on and accidentally mentioned Sy…
"He uh…"
Think!
I can't just say he's my missing soul or anything.
He'd probably think I have imaginary friends or something!
"Y-Yeah! He went off with Grampa Yaha!"
I'M SUCH AN IDIOT!
"Oh, cool." Lawrence said, continuing down the street.
Future me's gonna have to deal with this one, sorry.
"This here is my street. My sister and I have lived here forever."
Siblings huh…
Wait.
My skin grew pale, my fingers trembling.
"Angela is your sister, yeah?"
He nodded. "Sure is."
I stuttered. "B-By b-blood?"
Lawrence dug in his ear, flicking wax onto the ground. "Unfortunately."
My legs turned to noodles.
"So that wouldn't happen to make you the son of Chief Samson, would it?"
He lowered his head, blowing a long sigh from the side of his mouth. "Thats me."
"Lawrence Yaha, son of Chief Samson Yaha."
He quickly continued down the street. "Me and my sister used to play here all the time, these naked bushes and this half dead road used to be normal ya know?"
I looked around. The houses look so different from the ones we saw earlier.
My eyes widened. "Wait a minute!"
Lawrence grinned. "Yup, this is where you broke in!"
"Wait a minute as in we're not just passing by what you said!"
His face scrunched in confusion, not a single thought behind those eyes.
"What? That this place has seen better days?"
I dragged my hands down my face, talking into my palm.
"No, idiot."
He reminds me a bit of Sy.
"Are you really the son of the Chief?"
He stuck his finger out. "What? Am I not worthy enough to be his son!?"
"No, no, that's not what I meant." I said in a fluster.
"But if it is true, then why don't you live together?"
He dismissed my question, continuing forward.
And he's ignoring me again.
I sighed. "Hey! What happened to showing me around."
Lawrence turned at the hip, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.
"I'm gonna show you around my place!"
I reluctantly followed as he walked down the old road.
He is right though, I broke in right over there.
It does look better in the daytime.
Getting to his house Lawrence reached for the doorknob, clicking it open as its creeks reminded me of home.
"Ang im back."
He stepped inside.
I followed.
Angela turned, shirt off as she unbuckled her bra.
"Law get the bath ready im ti—"
Our eyes met.
I'm genuinely done for.
My gaze lowered to her stomach, a deep scar running through her chest
Her eyes widened, soon watering as she turned.
"You…"
You?
"YOU ASSHOLE PERVERT GET OUT!!!"
She threw a pillow that nailed me in the back of my head as I quickly left.
I ran into the street as the door slammed behind me.
"What… the hell!?"
I covered my eyes.
"No, it didn't happen alright I didn't see anything!"
A low chuckled slithered in my left ear as Sy stood smug faced with a grin.
"You haven't even seen Runi's underwear…"
"You filthy cheater."
I covered my face. "Shut up idiot!"
Sy's laughter turned to screams as my head jerked to the side.
"Sy!?"
The front door swung open as Angela stood in the doorway with a towel wrapped around her body.
She held a doll in her hand, a needle pierced in its palm.
"That doesn't feel good now does it!"
I stared blankly. "Huh? I feel fine."
Her jaw dropped.
"I-Impossible!"
Removing the needle she stabbed the doll's hand over and over again, each time Sy wailing as he held his palm.
I snickered. "You should try the foot to see if that works."
Sy looked at me. "You moron!"
His shrieks filled the sky as he gripped his foot, falling over as he rolled on the ground.
"Okay, Okay." I said waving a hand.
"I get it, I'm sorry alright."
Angela's body trembled as she stood in the doorframe.
"I hate you, asshole!"
She pulled the needle from the doll's leg, aiming for its eye.
I clicked my teeth, gripping my paintbrush.
Her hand stopped.
Huh?
I can't…
"It looks like you two got off on the wrong foot… my precious daughter, outsider; Queen Hydralox slayer."
I tried to turn, but my neck wouldn't budge.
That voice.
It's…
"How about we all loosen up and head inside…"
"I happen to have business with both of you."
It's him.
Samson Yaha.