When Mae and Ash returned home, they found their parents waiting for them in the living room. The moment they entered the house, both of the parents blew up.
"Where were you? You didn't say you would be gone, we were so worried!"
"Exactly, did you get hurt? If there was a problem you could tell us and we'd solve it for you!"
Mae didn't even stop and just kept on walking to the kitchen, through the concerned parents. Both of the parents checked Ash to make sure he wasn't hurt and continued to question him.
"My dear son, what would we do if you got crippled! You could no longer carry the honour of our house if that happened! Remember, you are special and our family honour rests solely on your shoulders."
Mae scoffed from behind her glass of water at how superficial they were. She could clearly see the hurt flash in Ash's eyes. An object that can make them famous and even richer, both Mae and Ash knew that was what he was to them.
He could close his eyes and ears and enjoy the hugs, but everyone in the house was painfully aware what would happen if he was no longer the best or had no more worth.
Mae could ignore them as they do her, but Ash still yearned for the affection from parents. They weren't there for Mae and only showed up for Ash when he accomplished something.
It was a miracle Ash didn't grow up to have a twisted personality. He could have bullied her long ago, but chose to befriend her and stick with her through thick and thin. They chose to unite against the parents, as childish as that seems.
He had her to hug him and both of them knew they would do anything for each other. Mae was really proud of her twin.
The next moment, a bucket of ice water fell over Mae and her mood dropped considerably.
"Remember that tomorrow the exams start, so learn hard Asher."
Ash nodded and looked at Mae who seemed to diflate like a balloon and float up the stairs. Ash laughed lightly and followed her up.
Ash walked into Mae's room to find her lying on her bed, face down. He poked her, but she didn't move or wake up. He crept over to her bookshelf and reached out his hand to take out a book, but was stopped by only meeting empty air.
He tried to snatch the next book, but every time he tried, the book would disappear. He turned around angrily to find all the books floating in the air, but Mae in exactly the same place, with the same position.
Ash tried to use a phantom wind to grab one, but Mae's hold on them were much stronger. Next he tried many different tricks, but none were successful against his supreme lazy sister.
He threw his arms up in frustration,
"Oh come on! You're not even moving, but you'll use ME? Doesn't that sound redundant if you're trying to use as little energy as possible?"
Mae lifted only her head to look him dead in the eyes and answered what she thought to be the absolute truth.
"But using ME is like wiggeling a finger, it doesn't take much energy."
Ash stood frozen, gobsmacked by her logic. He was already one of the strongest kids among their age group and her teaching him had played a big role in that fact, but her blatantly stating that using all kinds of mystifying and ancient techniques was easier than sitting up was just humiliating to... well, everyone!
He could move small objects over a short distance with the phantom wind and that was considered a miracle! Only a hand full of people across the world could do it, but his sister taught him how as if instructing how to great cheese.
'You go up with the cheese grater and then down. Perfect! Now just do it with more force and faster.'
He almost face palmed when remembering it. He recovered from his thoughts and put on a smirk.
"No matter how many books you make float, tomorrow the exams are still starting and I hear this year, they are bringing in the latest ME blocker to stop cheating."
The look of horror on his sister's face only triggered his smile to grow. He laughed evilly while dodging all the flying books coming his way and continued in a mocking tone.
"I saw that on the practical exam we have five different stations, I feel bad for a certain someone who's going to have to suppress her ME so much. Tut tut and that person even wants to save energy, not happening."
All the objects in the room started floating and it almost looked like they turned to face Ash. He looked around and made a dash for the door, but was grabbed by his ankle just before crossing the doorframe.
He was dragged back and hung suspended in mid air by a strong phantom wind. As he hung there he casually spoke to Mae.
"Oh, this is new. I didn't know phantom wind can do this."
She shrugged,
"I just upgraded it thanks to you, maybe I'll name it after you for your great contribution to formulating it."
He held his hand to his chin thinking,
"That would be quite nice, but doesn't phantom hand fit better?"
Both of them fell into thought as they ended a casual conversation that could change the world forever, a new superior technique was developed and thus named "Ash hand".