Lowering his voice and squatting in front of Dahlia, Rai looked around them before he whispered, "from his mother's report, it was said that she witnessed him change the surrounding rocky terrain into a grassy field..."
"Would you stop with the rubbish and tell me the true report?" Dahlia hissed at him.
"I am telling the truth! The strange thing is not about the grassy field but what it did to the neighbors."
"That would be...?" Dahlia stressed through gritted teeth.
"Every time the siblings play in there, someone within their neighborhood dies of a mysterious cause."
Dahlia's eyes bulged in fear, "it could have been his mother who saw things. That doesn't explain his ability."
"That was the basis of the inconclusive report. It was still an unknown phenomenon that could have been mistaken as 'seeing things' if there were no witnesses to affirm the woman's claim."
Countering almost immediately, Dahlia pointed out another point, "the normal death can't be pinned on someone who had no clue, people die, it's a natural course of things."
Rubbing the side of her head, Dahlia had a hard time believing that evidence is enough to conclude reality warping is the true ability of Sylvester's mental awakening.
"Are you his lawyer or something?" Rai blurted out.
Although he didn't blame Sylvester for what had happened, ignoring the chance that it was all his doing would make them no better than the scientists who had little faith in the report.
Facepalming at the situation, Rai let out a sigh. He could tell she was in doubt. "Don't you see?! The sister is the one who could kick-start his ability. If we let them stay together..."
Falling back and sitting on the floor with Rai hyperventilating, he chose to stomach his hypothesis.
Walking over to the window, Dahlia exhaled. "That's enough explanation for today."
"If you all had listened to me the first time, we would have had a greater chance getting at Collux–"
"Having such a dangerous awakener join us is as good as submitting to his will, I bow to no one!" Dahlia interjected.
Staring at the reflection of a menacing glow in Dahlia's eyes, Rai forced his head down.
"No matter how you feel about this, you and I both know I'm right–we need them." Rai asserted as he got to his feet.
Arranging the files and documents, Rai secretly slipped a flash drive into his pocket.
Before making his way out, he turned back to Dahlia with final parting words. "We need to reach out to him before we are his next target for the stunt you all pulled."
Without another word, he left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Placing her hand on the window pane and contemplating all that had been saying, 'Do we need him on our team?'
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In the capital city of Waydale–Hilden,
The skyline is packed with towering skyscrapers and they each represent the many castes of the city.
Technology is thriving in Hilden and it has attracted a lot of attention from the neighboring cities of Balder, Manfil, and Trodes. A few new cultures have left their mark not just on education, but also on the city's identity.
With its city infamous for its peculiar record of anomaly emergence, it had been put on close watch by the government of Waydale.
As a precautionary measure meant to detect the emergence of a new anomaly, an indestructible metal strip band known as etheel is worn on the wrists of each citizen.
In an alleyway, Sylvester's attention was drawn to a LED billboard sign advertising the launch of a new 'plus' size model of Sadan Appeal-6 mobile.
"Tch-"
With Lila in a back carry position, he whispered that she maintains her grip on his shoulder and stays out of sight.
Leaning to his ear, she whispered back. "I don't like the ears on this cloth."
Tugging at the ears of her bear overall, she pulled down its hood with a frown.
"Would you want your old rags instead of this cute one?" Sylvester teased, tired of her constant complaints as they made their way to the city.
Shaking her head, she drummed on his shoulder, nearly losing her grip on him.
Holding her in place, Sylvester stepped out of the alley, squatting so she could get off his back. "That's enough piggy ride for today, you're old enough to walk."
Mumbling incoherent words, she harrumphed and looked to her side.
Bypassing adults and teenagers stared at the siblings with disgusted glares, giving ample distance as they went about their business.
Whispering into Sylvester's ear once more, she made a complaint on how the rest had been glaring at them as though they were monsters, even though Sylvester had used his ability to manipulate the etheel on them.
"We are in the middle of the sidewalk, barefooted. Besides, they are the least of our concerns, remember that." Sylvester advised.
Maintaining his position, he hoped she would eventually cooperate and get off him.
Reluctantly placing her bare feet onto the concrete floor, she hissed at the burning sensation.
Reconsidering her action with immediate effect, she climbed onto him and held onto his shoulder while shutting her eyes as though her life depends on keeping it that way.
She took a peek at her brother who had no problem walking or standing on the scorching concrete.
Chuckling at her childish behavior, he held her in his arms instead, getting to his feet. "I didn't consider how hot it could be for your feet."
Pulling on her feet, she stared at it with sad eyes, "it's not nice that we took other people's clothes and etheel, but now I see a reason to take their shoes once we have an opportunity."
Sylvester walked through the street, ignoring the stares at his unusual waist-length hair.
Nodding his head to her words, pleased that she finally understood why they had to steal a few clothes the previous night.
Grrr!
Lila and Sylvester locked eyes as the growling of their stomachs continued.
"I'm hungry, brother Sylve." She whimpered, rubbing at her belly.
'As expected.' Sylvester thought as his eyes searched around to locate a nearby restaurant.
"What about that?" Lila pointed at a brick structure having a signpost with its name 'Honey Petal' written on it.
The logo of the building has a pink petal hovering over a cup of steaming beverage mixed with honey.
Having second thoughts about approaching the structure, Sylvester took a step back. "We have no money, and we still have a few more miles to go before we get to our destination."
Driven by her desire to satisfy her hunger, she suggested. "Maybe the owner would be kind enough to spare any leftovers."
"That's not how it works, Lila."
Switching her gaze back and forth between the restaurant and Sylvester, she stressed one last time, "pleeeease!"
Grrr!
Sigh!
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25 minutes later,
Sylvester watched Lila stuff her mouth with loaves of bread as the crumbs dropped onto the wooden table.
"Go easy on it or you might choke."
Nodding her head to his words, she meticulously picked at the corner of the bread.
He unconsciously let out a chuckle at her gleeful expression while doing so.
Looking over to the counter, he smiled at the restaurateur–Fernandez who waved in their direction.
It had turned out Lila had been right, when they had entered, he had pleaded to be offered any leftovers for his sister but was pleasantly stunned with a plate of six loaves of buttered bread.
Pointing at Sylvester's food, Lila questions him on the reason he had left his loaf of bread untouched.
Pushing it in front of her, he rested his head on his palm and said with a smile. "You can have it."
Her big brown eyes welled up with tears, the loaf falling out of her grip.
"I'm alright. Seeing you happy and eating is enough for me."
Picking up the bread, he blew on it and placed it into her palm. "Go on."
Pulling out a chunk of his bread extended to her, she offered it to Sylvester. "Brother Sylve eats this, I... continue."
He couldn't help but burst into a peal of laughter at her words, clutching onto his aching stomach.
Utilizing the opportunity, she shoved the bread into his mouth to shut him up.
"Mmf!" Sylvester stared shocked at her action.
"Eat, then you can laugh all you want." She said with a smile, eagerly waiting for him to munch on his.
Munching and swallowing, he opened his mouth. "See?"
Confirming it, she nodded her head whilst stuffing the rest into her mouth.
Mouthing some words, he grinned at her stuffed cheek which reminded him of a chipmunk storing nuts.
She had wanted to swallow when someone brushed past her causing her to lose her balance and fall to the marble flooring.
Spilling out the contents from her mouth, Lila looked down at it in horror. "Noooo!"
All attention was easily drawn to the siblings' table.
Getting to his feet, Sylvester pushed back the middle-aged man. "It would be nice if you just apologized to her, rather than walking away."
The man had dark circles and bloodshot eyes, a beanie over his dirty blonde hair and stubbles on his chin gave a glimpse of the lifestyle.
"Who are you, her brother?" He slurred his speech, cackling at Lila's distraught face as she sat on the floor sobbing over her ruined breakfast.
Sylvester stood at the spot, fighting the urge to cause a scene at the restaurant and reveal his identity as an awakener.
Kicking against the idea to retaliate on his sister's behalf, he rushed over to her side instead.
"Are you alright?" He asked worriedly, caressing her hair as he pulled her in a hug.
Sniffling, she nodded her head.
Smash!
There was a collective gasp in surprise at the sight of the man slamming a ceramic plate at the back of Sylvester's head.
"Lowly peasants!" The man spat with disdain, laughing hard at his action.
Fernandez pulled out his mobile device, calling on his security guards at the bottom floor.
Sylvester watched a drop of blood stain Lila's cloth.
"Brother Sylve, you're bleeding!" Lila gasped as she reached out to his face.
"Call for an ambulance instead," Sylvester muttered to Fernandez, wiping at the blood on his forehead.
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Author's note
¶ Any thoughts on why an ambulance would be needed?
¶ Do check out the weekly auxillary chapter[Bonus chapter task] to know how you can participate.