As daylight snuck in, Kai stood in front of the mirror in their bedroom. The jeans fit just right and the crop-top looked fine, they really liked the wavey aspect of it as it went down their stomach and onto their back. But it wasn't right.
Their hands went to their neck, no necklace needed, and those two diamond-esque earrings were just perfect. So then what was it?
"Not flat enough…" They said with their hands on their chest. One deep breath made them turn to the door, one long and loose sweater stood there. They could use it over everything, perhaps.
Kai shook their head. Nope. But perhaps they should pack it. They turned to the keys on their hands, once their hands had a hold of the icy metal, a quick smile drew itself on their face. It faded when their reflection stared back at them.
Someone burst through the door, "C'mon Kai!"
They turned to see. Jar-jar stood there with a smirk on his face.
"Oh…" he said, "today's not good, is it?"
Kai shook their head.
"Okay, hum… want me to get the binder?"
"N-no," they shrugged their shoulders, "our uniform will cover it. But I suppose I should pack that too, huh? That's too more things!"
"Right…" Jar tilted his head.
"Okay, I'll just put on the uniform, and we'll be on our way!"
"Hair in a bun?"
"Or just under the beanie, both work, I guess. I dunno."
"Fine, but hurry!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Jar-jar closed the door behind him.
Kai went back to their reflection, put a hand on its cheek, and as their chest let a long breath out, their eyes begged to shut, and their stomach burned as if they'd eaten something gone bad.
"A girl." They said. "That's what they see, isn't it?"
They shook their head. They weren't about to question things again! Of course they weren't faking it! Just the word makes them crawl in their skin!
+Not this time, though.
But most!
+And yet…
IT'S NOT FAKE!
+Isn't it though? Like how could they—
"We're NOT going there!" Kai screamed and bit their lip. The keys were already hurting their hand, so they let go and went straight to the closet to get their clothes. You know, the jacket, pants, and shirt that read 'SEER'.
* * *
"What do you mean you don't like my plan?!" Kai almost shouted.
Both siblings were walking down the street with their baguettes in hand. Although, Kai was also trying not to spill their coffee, damn did Bain outdid himself with this one! Probably because he knows they'll leave tomorrow for the case. Jarek seemed rather nervous.
_Maybe it's the opening stands? He always gets nervous with those… _
"Because I'm not putting Fred in danger!"
"Oh, c'mon! You're seriously telling me you haven't kissed?" They replied.
"Well…" Jarek looked away. Was he hiding something?
"You totally did!" Kai jumped in front of him and began walking backward. "Tell me everything!"
"N-nothing happened!" He said looking up. No one was there yet.
"The police bubbles arrive after we've done so, remember? We're the police?"
"We're the Seers, police are stupid!"
"Still the same precinct, though, just one more story."
"They're jackasses!"
Kai shrugged their shoulders, "Fine, then what do you, lord all mighty, propose?"
Jar-jar stood still for a while. His eyes were set in the street though his sight must've been elsewhere. Once his hand reached his chin, Kai just sighed. Thinking position. Great. Now they'd be late, and they'd have to wait for a month before…
"Oh, wait no…" They bit their lip. "I only have one more suspension before—"
"How about we enter through the bathrooms instead? Huh?"
"Do you hear yourself?"
Down the street to the right and two more blocks ahead, lied the precinct. A three-story-long building, where the one at the base was for Seers. Kai's heart flickered a bit, every time it got to them.
Sunshine reflecting both sneaky moons on the glass while clouds covered the blue metals of the walls and the gray-bricked street stood out from all those trees with red blossoms here and there. Oh! And the only good thing about police inside Heart: the cop-bubbles! Those smooth as fuck platforms and the new neuro-links to drive them!
"I want one!" they whispered.
"Did you hear a damn word of what I said?"
Kai turned to their brother, "Nope. BUT, if we *were* to take the bathroom, we'd have to use the underground ones, and you can't enter through those windows. And besides, those are also closed at night! They're right next to inventory!"
"Oh, right… we'd still have to bother him."
"So just go do it, and I'll—"
"NO!"
"FINE!" Kai sighed. "How about… ooh! We could break the window-doors, and our dad's office too, get the thing, and then leave without *any* emo!"
"I don't think I like your tone!"
"I don't think I like your attitude, young man!"
"Well, I'm rather unimpressed by—"
Janitor-guy's voice interrupted everything, "Oh, hey Jarek!"
Kai took a couple of steps back. Janitor-guy had his arm on Jar-jar's shoulders, and while both had a bit of a blush on their faces, what made Kai the happiest was seeing their brother with a stupid smile. The kind you only have when consequences slip your mind. They started to walk behind Jarek.
"Even his ears are red…" They noticed. "Maybe we really shouldn't use him, huh?" They took a deep breath in, then one out.
Perhaps it wouldn't be worth it anymore. Not at the expense of those two.
_So when is it my turn? _
* * *
Was he not thinking about it nonstop?
Maybe it was just Jarek, then…
"You're way too quiet," said Frederick.
"Uhm… well… it's just—"
Fred put his hand on Jarek's shoulder, "Do you think it'll ever be legal?"
"Huh?"
Fred shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh!" Jarek turned to the man. His sight sunk into his black pearls and for a moment there wasn't any sound, or air passing by, not even the ever so slight murmur of cold sweat thinking maybe someone would find them.
"Unborn! Get away from that good man!" Xavier shouted.
Jarek flinched, a tiny giggle escaped his lips as Fred turned around in red.
"Maybe someday." He whispered.
And they walked into the precinct. Xavier walked in right in between them, his arm covered in blood and bruises. His hair was also longer, and a bunch of branches snuck out. Jarek gulped.
"He went on a mission yesterday?"
"No. I don't think so." Fred answered.
"So then…?"
Xavier stomped his way onto the Oracle's office. Bain was at the door, looking for his keys—stupid Kai, why'd they have to steal them so early?
"Where are they!" Xavier shouted.
"What's happening?" whispered Kai once they got behind Jarek.
"Where is that fucking unborn!"
"Wait," said Kai, "he's not wearing the uniform. What happened to him?"
"I think he just came back from a mission," answered Fred.
Jarek bit his lip as he went near the checker to pass his hand. The blue ray turned purple, and the screen showed 'Jarek Wentworth; SEER'. A tiny smile came out: this screen was probably the only thing not colling him or his sibling 'unborns'.
But Xavier was still standing there, his blood sneaking out of the mudded clothes and his face had bruises on one cheek while the other bled. His eyes wandered throughout the precinct, both as red as someone who's just cried and his broken lip trembling with fear. Bain just stared.
"I'm sorry," Bain said. "I don't think you should be here, Seer."
"Seer?!" Xavier took three steps back. Giggling from his mouth as his legs began to tremble. "You don't know… that's right. Where is your child?"
"Xavier, I—"
Xavier turned to Jarek, "YOU! Wait, they're right there!"
"I think you should run," Fred whispered.
"Don't do anything stupid," Jarek finished.
_Though I'm not sure they can stop this. _
"Y-you have to listen to me!" Xavier screamed, "Grab your things and go! Just leave! Everyone, LET THEM GO!"
"Xavier, what are you—"
"You have to let them go! Your son too!"
"What the fuck are you talking about, Seer?"
"Oracle, please… you have to understand. Humans don't belong here! None of them do! We have to save them!"
"Save us?!" Screamed Kai.
"YES!" Xavier pushed some Seers on his way to be right in front of Jarek's sibling. Jarek bit his lip and took one step further, only for Fred to put a hand on his chest with a disapproving glare. "You, more so than the rest!"
"What are you even saying?"
"Please, you have to listen! GO! Anywhen is fine!" Xavier grabbed Kai's hands. "I'm sorry I doubted, but the Archangels, everything… you were right!"
"When are you from?" Kai asked.
"I… I can't tell you, you said not to. B-but, please! Don't do this! Just go!"
"How do you—"
"Kai, I'm begging you!"
"You know my name?!"
"Dude," said Jarek, "what are you going on about?"
Xavier turned to him, his red eyes made his heart drop. "Take your sibling and leave! Please! Take the cherub as well, he's basically human at this point!"
"Dude, just stop!"
"I can't!" Xavier's eyes filled with tears. "I need to save your sibling! Please!"
"Save an unborn?" It was Xavier's voice, but the one in front of them wasn't talking anymore. Jarek looked past the checkpoint and noticed another Xavier, one clean and unharmed with the Seer uniform. "A female one at that?!"
"Shut up!" Muddy Xavier said. "You don't even know what we're doing!"
"I know I'm not about to break code!"
"The code?" Mud-guy laughed. "Sure, let's go with it. Humans are to follow it, though. Angels are just encouraged!"
"So we're better than humans!" Clean-Xavier said, walking closer with the taser gun. "We've always been better!"
"Earth isn't ours!"
"But we need it!"
"Why!"
"Because the Heart demands it!"
Muddy-Xavier laughed, "Just let them go. They're the—"
"Them? You're buying into *her* stupid bullshit?! She's a woman!"
"They're my sibling!"
"They're our only hope!"
"*SHE* is just a pathetic unborn woman!"
"And yet, we owe them everything."
Clean-guy took the taser and nailed it on muddy-guy's throat. A shallow scream came from his throat as his knees bent. Blood dripped out of his mouth, other Seers got closer and surrounded the man, pushing Jarek and the rest back.
Jarek turned to Bain, his blank stare and stiff mouth set somewhere past Kai was all it took for his heart to take three bumps and a backflip at the same time. Fred pushed Jarek with his arm, a worried glare came from him, but not anything else. Not this time. Because Kai was smiling, their eyes set on the man on the floor.
"What are they planning?" He whispered.
* * *
Kai was at their cubicle. Jarek next to them and Janitor-guy was on a staircase taking the lightbulb above them out—it wasn't lighting up. Again. The guy was cute, had a nice build and everything, they approved. But it just didn't feel right that Jar-jar would have to hide his feelings.
"Let's take him with us!" They said.
"No!"
"Why not?" They turned to Jarek, "You heard what future Xavier said, we can take him!"
"Future Xavier doesn't even know what he's talking about!"
"Well, he's still an angel, but—"
"Kai!"
"Fine!" They sighed. "But then what's the point, huh?"
"What do you mean 'what's the point?'"
"I mean, you're not doing anything, and both of you clearly want to!" They got more comfortable in their chair. "I say we just grab him and go!"
Janitor-guy came down with the light-orb in his hand, "Go where?"
"Just, with us!" Kai smirked.
"No!" Jarek insisted, "he could get fired!"
"Oh!" Janitor-guy took one step back. "Are you going to steal a time machine or something?"
"Maybe."
"NO!" Jarek turned to Kai. "No. We. Are. NOT."
Kai rolled their eyes, "We totally are, and we don't really have a way in, so it'd be great if you could just sneak us in at night!"
"I'm not even allowed at night." He shrugged his shoulders and passed his fingers on the orb. "Hm… this material seems weird, could you—" He gave the orb to Jarek, "I'll come back soon, I just need my equipment to see something!"
"O-o-okay!"
Kai smiled. Their brother was as red as always. "Well, I'll let you two figure it out, meanwhile… I have an odd-angel to interview!"
"There is no way we're doing this with Fred!" Jar-jar replied. "And I doubt Xavier will even let you near… well, him."
"Yeah, I'll see what happens!"
"Kai!"
But they were already standing and walking across the precinct. Past the bathrooms lied the stairs, the ones going down to the basement with the inventory room had a few lights, but the holding cells were on Heart's police department.
They hopped every step of the way until they landed on the police floor. Just a replica of theirs but painted in light blue instead of the rich ocean one Seers had. They really liked the richer blue. Well, perhaps the other difference was that the zone for coffees and shit also had the holding cells.
Kai went over there, shoulders squared, chin up, hair in a ponytail, and entire uniform on, ready for whatever would happen. That is until they stepped close enough to the cells, murmurs were coming from them. Xavier's voice all over the place.
"How dare you?!" Screamed one of the men. "We are a superior race!"
"Kai's the one you'll need to ask for help!" the other answered. "How is this not clear to you, dumbass!"
"Take him to the archangels!" Said the first. "Our Heart should know what to do with—"
"Who do you think I ran from?"
"See? I would NEVER go against Heart's orders! We are the eyes of the heart! How can you forget that!"
"We're nothing to them!"
"Are you that stupid?"
"Listen to me, if you don't let Kai go—"
"Oh, no. That *woman* has to stay!"
"They're not… you know what? Fine! But they stay you go!"
"What?"
"We have to save them, don't you get it? Are you that stupid not to believe your own self?"
"You're not me." A quivering voice from Xavier, that was new! "There's no way!"
Kai bit their lip and slowly walked backward. Most police officers were already staring at them, so perhaps it'd be better just to go, either way, Xavier would find out. And yet, one last comment was all it took for a tiny flame to ignite anew:
"The stupid *woman* doesn't even know how to make coffee! *She's* not worth saving rat shit!"
Kai gulped and went down the stairs.
It was decided. They'd solve the man's murder and rub it in his face, that way, he'd be unable to deny anything!
Right?
Yeah!
So then… why were there tears in their eyes?
"I hate you!" they whispered. Their chest burning and their hands aching to get that nail polish off. But it looked so cute. And yet, *now* it felt so wrong.
* * *
"But I want to." Insisted Fred. "Please!"
"What if they find us? They'll just—"
"So tell your sibling to make a distraction, I sneak you both in the morning before anyone gets there, they distract everyone while we gather stuff and—"
"They'll erase you!"
"Or demote me to human, it's been done!"
Both guys were in the basement, Fred had called on Jarek for help with the orb and the powder used didn't seem to work so now he was preparing the thing to use what he called 'the cherub's cry'. Just the name made Jarek tremble.
"Are you not even worried?"
"Why would I be?" Fred looked up, "You'll be there, won't you?"
Jarek gulped.
"You're getting near an unborn, it's—"
"I'm going with the guy I…" Fred stopped himself. A red glowing face was all it took for both of them to understand. "Well, hum… So it's settled, I'll help you sneak it and—"
"And that's it. Please!"
"F-fine!" Frederick rolled his eyes. "Alright, ready to see some angel magic?"
Jarek nodded.
"Well, it's not really magic, but with these phosphate salts, and the signal our voices make, the salts get exited enough to produce a pattern that can help me see how rare something is!"
"And why do you need to know how rare this is?"
"Because we've been changing materials for orbs in the last three years, so the rarer, the older the model and I can just ask for a new one and not worry about repairing it!" Fred smirked.
"Amazing!"
"Okay, here we go!" Fred took one deep breath. "*For every heartbeat and every tear, a seer's sight will hold you dear. For every silence and every broken bone, a feather will make you reborn. *"
Every word the white powder on the orb trembled and rearranged until it became two rings with a line in the center, like an eye. Jarek's heartbeat raised and breathing became a bit difficult, but his ears felt like they'd gone underwater and kept on sinking deeper by the second.
When it ended, all went back to normal, except his hearing, which started to come back slowly, replacing every pressure in his head with an aching stab on his forehead. He clenched a fist and hid it behind his back, no need in worrying Fred, after all.
"Alright!" Fred smiled. Jarek could barely hear him. "The eye shape means it's not as rare, but somewhat. So I get to choose, and I really don't want to fix it!"
He smiled.
His perfect smile.
"P-perfect!" Jarek whispered, hearing somewhat back to normal.
"Yep!" Fred got closer to Jarek, their hands gracing one another. "So, I'll see you tomorrow morning!"
"Three o'clock!"
"On the spot!"
Jarek smiled. His heart flipped again, and then back down as Frederick left the place with a gleaming stare on his face.
* * *
Heart at night was as beautiful as always. And at three AM, the two moons shone brighter than ever. Jarek had already left, he'd meet with Janitor-guy where they'd suggested at first, so now they were sitting at the balcony of the house they grew up in. The only place in the entirety of Heart that didn't feel like a warzone.
"Kai…"
"I'm sorry," they said, not turning to see their father. What if he were crying? "About yesterday."
"Don't be," his footsteps came closer. "You're my child, I should've defended you. You're right!" Bain leaned on the railing Kai was sitting on. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I need to do this."
"Then I won't stop you. Use my keys to enter, I never changed the locks so it's the same key for my office and the precinct."
"Dad!"
"What?" Bain giggled. "No one here ever steals, that's why the police office is mostly empty!"
"I suppose…" Kai turned to see their dad. His eyes were set on the two moons, but the glimmer of water at the corner just showed the same hollowed-out pain in his chest they had. "Do you think they'll accept us, after this? Or will they expel us?"
"I don't know." Bain sighed. "Perhaps they will, but also resent you both for it."
"Yeah…"
"Your brother, he hum… he's always wanting things to go according to an order, so please don't fight over the code. Both of you know it, and—"
"Dad," they put a hand on his shoulder, "I'll take care of him!"
"But who's going to take care of you?" Bain's voice broke at the end. "You're my pesky little child! The one who always got in trouble and now you're leaving!"
"I have to."
"I know." Bain sighed. "I just wish you didn't."
"Yeah, me too."
Bain smiled and nodded. "You should be going."
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for caring for us." They stood on the ground and smiled at Bain. "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, kid."
* * *
His ass hit the ground with a quiet smack. Apparently, pillows don't soften that much the blow, but they sure work on sound! Jarek got up with trembling legs, then jumped back into position as he looked at Fred.
He looked stunning. The green vest over the white long-sleeve, the black pocket-filled cargo pants, and those sneakers that fit just right with its light pink. It made his eyes shine brighter and his messy hair look so much like an actual choice rather than the 'I just woke up' excuse he always gives.
"Damn…" Jarek sighed.
Fred smirked with some blush, "Oh, you like it?"
"Y-yeah…"
"Great!" He smiled. "Well then, let's get everything that'll be needed!"
Jarek nodded, "I'll cover the back, you over here!"
"Sounds good to me!"
And so they did. The back of the room was just four bookshelves with a bunch of artifacts Jarek had never seen. Most of them were powders, probably to help out some angels. Or maybe Kai would know what to do? Either way, he'd take them.
Oh, those suits too! You never know when you might go underwater for a long time and need to breathe! Ooh! And the guns! Of course they'd need guns… though, was that a good idea? Kai could get excited with those.
Food supplements! Those are more than needed! He didn't know how long they'd take in between realms. Not the orange one though, they weren't angels after all. Well, and on that note, why not take some water converters, in case they get stuck at sea! Usually, it's one per mission but… yeah, four will do the trick!
First aid kits? Hell yeah! How many… two?
"Seven."
Bit by bit, everything fir into his backpack until it had been filled. Jarek smiled and turned to see how much he had taken. The food stands were but a memory now, the medical aid looked about the same—those were always over-stocked—and the defense one also seemed empty, but c'mon! Rather have thirty knives and lose them than need them!
"And Kai will definitely like the flaming swords!" He took one deep breath, proudful with his hunt, and turned around. His heart sunk.
"Isn't that too much?"
"Isn't that as well?" Fred replied leaning against two backpacks filled with equipment for analysis and training.
"But we're newbies. And we only need two time—"
"Oh, no, we'll need three."
"Fred, c'mon! I thought we agreed!"
Frederick stood upright and came closer to Jarek. Their noses were millimeters away from each other and a bit of a glare on his eyes. Jarek's heart was both jolting and dropping dead, unsure of what to do. But his lips did know, the feeling almost like gravity pulling him down for a kiss.
"You're doing this to prove yourselves, right?" Fred asked. Jarek nodded. "Well then, so am I!"
"But you're an angel, they will take away so much if they find out you—"
Fred's lips closed on his. A soft push with minty taste that glided on his when Jarek couldn't hold back. His heart set on fire and his arms moving without permission pulling Frederick closer only for the man to grab his face and with a warm last breath, they broke apart.
"W-w-well…" Fred said, "Now I have to go, so, yeah!"
He turned around and grabbed the two bags.
"You coming?"
Jarek nodded.
* * *
Dammit Bain! He really should've changed the locks to the main entrance, but at least it made it easy to sneak in! Although, cameras would be working. Should they just stop?
Nope! Jarek had already sent the message of being inside early! Well, this should be fun! An empty precinct somehow seemed scarier than one with two Xaviers, though probably because the second seemed too… not Xavier?
Anywho, they jumped the entrance fence and walked past the reception's desks into the hall of cubicles. Once Kai was on theirs, they smiled passing a hand through it. _It's happening! We're doing it dad! _
So they rushed to the Oracle's cubicle and used the keys to slide right in. The air was as cold as always, they even felt the need to stand up right and talk like Bain wasn't their father. But that was just the nerves talking… and the heavy-ass backpack they and Jarek made for both their clothing. Man was it heavy!
So now, onto the desk!
Just as Bain said, he'd left a steam case on it. One that dated to a couple years ago that no one had wanted, mainly because it seemed too easy—or so Xavier kept saying. Welp, it was the easy one, right? The one they'd promised Jarek they'd take? The one Bain said they could do…
"But where's Xavier's murder?"
Not another file lied on the desk. So the drawers!
"They're locked!" They said. "Oh, I have the keys! Duh!"
First drawer unlocked rather fast: just pictures of them and Jarek as children, back when they had just figured out, they were nonbinary and also gotten into a fight at school. Jarek had said he hated every minute of it because they hadn't let them in.
Man, back then it was easier to fight people, no one would hold them responsible, and Bain could just say 'they're unborn' so people would nod and say 'oh, I'm so sorry. I understand now.' If not for the 'Oh, I know this course that totally sucks the unborn instinct out of them!'
They shook their head. Onto the next drawer.
Cases! Yes!
But all of them labeled with a blue sticker. Fuck, these were the solved ones!
Third's the charm!
And nope. That was just a gun. Well, then, there's always the right side of the desk, perks of being the Oracle and an angel! You get drawers and more at that!
First one, another gun, a close range one compared to the last.
Second: Cases! Yes!
Alright, murder in Tokyo, not Xavier though. Murder in Earth union, still not Xavier. Well then…
"Maybe the last drawer?"
And… bingo!
Two cases lied there. The first had the murder of a child near a tree. The second had Xavier's face on the floor, much like the one in the cell. Good! This was the murder they wanted to solve.
They put everything back into place and quickly read the time: XXM313. A little before time travel started to be explored! Perfect!
Kai walked out of Bain's office and closed the door behind. They went to the time portal a couple meters and stared. It was just a round platform with two floating arms, one to set the place and the other for the time.
"So… Pond-dessert." They said. "Oh, one of the newer towns!"
They wrote the name on the arm and then the year on the other. And they took one step back, this was the cool part.
Each arm would float down to the platform and ignite every circuit on a blue light, then three rays of greenish blue would come and swipe away anything on the platform, so it didn't travel with the seers, and once the rays curved over and over and over till they made a sphere of photons, pressure was added.
From a plasmatic mess to a tiny hole that then turned black and started to suck in the air around it before imploding from lack of stability. That's when the portal formed, a single pool of shining plasma with the form of the platform that was mirrored in all directions—light distortion apparently—, but actually lied on top of the very thing. They smiled.
Xavier's voice came, "I fucking knew it!"
"What?" Kai turned around and noticed the grown man standing there. Their eyes then wandered to the bathroom corridor, Jarek and janitor-guy were just coming up the stairs and… they were holding hands! YES!
"What do you think you're doing, unborn?"
"Hum… a lot, actually, but you're not ready for that conversation!"
"Fine, then I'll just kill you and explain to your father how much of a disappointment it was that he couldn't even teach you proper fighting."
Jarek was finally at the door of the corridor. He stared into Kai's eyes, they nodded. A smirk drew on their face, and they took on step closer. Xavier took one back.
"Not again!"
"Oh, but darling, you forget I can jump!"
They propelled themself into the air, kicked the man on the face and landed back on their feet just to throw one more kick on his stomach sending him back a couple meters. Xavier recovered himself rather quickly and glared at them.
"You do wanna die, don't you?"
"Let's think about it, shall we?" They said. "How about no, but if you did that'd be great?"
"The fuck?"
"Oh, sorry, I guess you don't understand the reference!" They smiled.
Xavier started to raise towards them, so they jumped to the side and grabbed the coffee machine. As Xavier turned around, his eyes set on the machine, so he went for a kick to Kai's stomach.
Air was pushed out. Jarek and janitor-guy got to the portal. Without letting go of the coffee machine, Kai rushed towards the man to tackle him. He was faster in moving away, great. They kept running in a straight line, but they turned their torso a bit, just to throw the coffee machine to him.
Jarek and Janitor-guy went through the portal. Yes!
"Enjoy your enby-less coffee you stupid fuck!"
Xavier caught the machine a bit perplexed, then stared back at Kai. His face got red instantaneously as he threw the machine as far as he could, and they clicked on the close portal button the moment they jumped above the platform.
"You can't run away from Heart forever!"
"Oh, but we're not!"
And they were swallowed by the portal.