The morning sun hit the half-built camp like a spotlight on a disaster.
Wood everywhere. Scrap piles bigger than Kentarō. Ryosen already sweating. Rokuro silently questioning his life choices. Katsu and Shichiro drawing five different blueprints at once.
Hopeless.
"Okay, we need structure," Katsu said, tapping the ground."We need sanity," Ryosen added."We need lunch," Rokuro muttered.
Kentarō dropped a metal beam with a loud clank."We need you to stop calling me Kentaro."
Shichiro smirked. "My bad, man. Kentarō."
Katsu opened his mouth."Kentaro, can you-"
"BRO."
Before Kentarō could commit murder, the wind shifted.
Grass rustled.
Footsteps approached.
All five boys turned at once.
A lone figure walked across the plains. Tall. Calm. Carrying… a small girl on his back. She had her face buried against him, tiny hands gripping his shoulders like a koala.
The boy raised a hand in greeting.
"Yo. Need some help, guys?"
Shichiro blinked. "...Who brings a child into a monster-infested plains?"
The newcomer laughed softly. "Name's Aegis. And this is my sister, Kyuuketsuki. But she calls herself Ketsuki."
The little girl peeked up and waved."Hi."
Katsu squinted. "Aegis… like the shield?"
Aegis nodded. "Heart of Protection. I generate armor. Shields. Defensive barriers. Y'know—stuff that keeps idiots like you alive."
Ryosen pointed. "He just called us idiots, he fits right in."
Kentarō crossed his arms. "And what makes you think we need your help?"
Aegis looked around.
Broken trees. Ice shards. Scrap mountains. A blueprint doodle that looked like a toddler drew it.
"…A lot."
The boys exchanged looks.
Shichiro sighed dramatically. "Welcome to the team, man."
Ketsuki clapped. "Yay! Big brothers!"
And just like that.
The group of five became six.
And for the first time, their future home didn't look impossible.
And with the sun high, the wind warm, and six hearts beating in harmony…
Their town finally had a name.
The Haven of Six.