The sun was rising before Otto had realized and together with it, people started to wake up.
As the automatic door was being manually opened, Otto, in a desperate matter, was quick to dismiss his mask and grab Silk. Hiding between the large shelters. He peeked to see to whom the footsteps belong.
A young woman, with short black hair and intelligent brown eyes. She was headbanging to some music in her communicator, not noticing the mess on one of the tables.
Recognizing Ren, Otto exhaled in relief.
Thankfully it was just her, if it were one of the awakened who just so happen to want a early reading, he would be fucked. As Ren went deeper into the library, Otto didn't stick around.
He left his hidden spot and left through the main door, completely unnoticed.
Making sure that his bangs were covering his eyes, Otto stepped out of the library.
The bright sun shined through his hair, making him flinch. Silk, who had been awakened by the sudden grab, crawled up his hand all the way up to his shoulder.
"Oh, now you wake up huh." he tapped her in annoyance.
Silk raised an eyebrow, utterly confused by his attitude.
Looking around he noticed there were a few people. Some seemed to be running, others were in dark blue clothes, clearly government workers, beginning one more day at work.
Somehow they didn't notice the shirtless boy standing near the library. Otto ran his hand through his hair.
"What now?"
He wasn't sure. All that he knew was that he wanted to sleep, badly so.
Dragging his tired body, he headed east, hoping the sun would bring him some luck. As he dragged himself, Otto couldn't stop thinking about Silk's ability.
Could she help him to see the strings? No, that was unrealistic.
Despite his wishes, he had no way to share her vision with him, and there was no way for her to guide him either.
Even so, now thinking about it, maybe seeing the strings isn't the best. After all, mortals weren't meant to see them, and the ones who did it went blind.
Although his ability said that he could look at them, it didn't specify if there were any side effects.
So, in the end, all for the best.
With new found optimism, Otto patted Silk's head.
"Oh, you pitiful creature. If you ever go blind, don't worry, I will take care of you."
She didn't knew why, but that phrase irritated her. She wanted to punch that pitiness look out of his face.
Instead, she took a deep breath, not to start a fight, she simply opened a hole in his chest and jumped right in, closing behind it.
Otto creeped out at the sight.
'Will she do this every time? It's weird.'
A chill runned through his back.
***
An eternity seemed to pass when Otto finally found the main building. He stared at the colossal metal gates in front of him. Again a dead end.
'Do I have to crawl up there?'
But before he could do anything. A PTV suddenly stopped near him. From it, a young boy with blonde hair and blue eyes like the ocean and a woman with the same eyes and hair, got out of the car.
Otto let out a relieved breath without realizing. For a second, he thought Jet and Sunny would be the ones to get out of there.
The two of them didn't seem to notice him.
The boy had taken a big suitcase and walked towards the gate. Only when he accidentally bumped into Otto, did he finally acknowledge his presence.
"Sorry," he eyed Otto up and down, "Hm… Are you a awakened, sir?"
Otto smiled, his most professional and 'sincere' one.
"Me? No, I am just a dormant, like you, I presume?"
The blonde woman eyed him with suspension, how could she not?
His bangs were hidden in his eyes, he had no shirt and his upper body was covered in scars. Not only that, as an somewhat experienced awakened herself, Alex could recognize a broken arm from a mile away. Despite that, she only eyed him, choosing to do nothing at the moment.
"I'm Otto," he said with a slight bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I'm Luke," the boy replied, returning the gesture. "And this is my mother, Alex. The pleasure is ours."
Otto repeated the bow toward Alex as well.
"If I may ask," Alex said, "Why are you in such a condition, Otto?"
"My condition?"
He looked at his left arm. It was still broken, but not the same jelly thing as before, in fact, if not for him not being able to move it yet, he himself wouldn't be able to tell that it was broken.
'Great, a Awakened. Just what I need it.' .
"You see," he passed his hand through his hair, "This happened because of a training my father put me through, after my first nightmare. He said; You are still too weak, boy. That's because of your lazy mother who spoiled you too much. You are to spar with me until your arms fall or I am satisfied… Well, you can guess which one happened first."
Alex raised an eyebrow, but her eyes softened a little.
"Sorry, I didn't take you for a legacy. Which clan are you from?"
"Legacy?" Otto laughs nervously. "Who said anything about legacy?"
He pretended to look nervously around, making sure that no one else heard that. Then he placed a finger between his lips.
"Sorry miss, but that is supposed to be a secret. Can I ask for your secrecy?"
"Of course,"
Alex said, quick to understand that legacy clans had their own secrets. Ones that she didn't want to delve about.
"We won't tell anyone, right Luke?"
Luke nodded, his eyes were sparking with the thought of having a legacy friend.
"Thank you."
Then, the gates behind him opened with grotesque noise. On the other side, Otto could see a bridge, connected to what could only be the compound where Sleepers would stay.
"Shall we go then?"
"Right."
Remembering why they came here, Luke grabbed his heavy suit case and waved his mother good bye, as they both stepped on the bridge.