Chapter 10: A Luxurious Dinner
The moon now hung upon the heaven, shining its beautiful light onto this ugly world. A new night has begun, and it is still young.
Inside the scrapyard, inside an old car, Aeter trying to find a way to wear this abomination of clothes. Normally he just has to put it on and that all, but now he has to button the suit and then put on a fashionable tie.
After so long wearing a plain shirt and shorts, he currently has a hard time buttoning the suit, not even mentioning the fact that he needs to wear a tie.
'How can people wear this shit like this every day.'
This suit here is just a normal suit people wear practically every day. There is plenty more kind of fancier clothes that Aeter has yet to experience.
"Hey! Kaula come help me, I can't do this anymore!" Aeter desperately yells, and he thoroughly gives up trying. If he delays this any longer, they might be late.
"Do you have your pant on?" Kaula asked just to make sure.
"Yes! Come fast and help me!"
"Coming."
*Creak*
The metal frame of the car door clash against the latches. Creating a creaking sound.
"I remember you used to help me wear clothes, now it's my turn huh?" Kaula said.
"Yeah, yeah! Be quick, stop reminiscent." Aeter urged he does not want to think about the distant past.
With a smile, Kaula swiftly fixed the wrinkle in his suit, with a nimble hand all the button was in their place before Aeter know it.
She then helps him tie his tie, in front of him is his little sister teaching him how to properly tie a tie.
His heart felt warm, he wants to protect her, he wants to provide her with the best in his capabilities, and he wants to be by her side and help her. Yet as all his life has been, he failed, he fails to protect his sister, to provide her with the best, to help her with all her burdens.
He managed to do none of that, instead, it was she who kept him safe. He feels like a failure as a brother.
A bitter smile was drawn on his face, his eyes were tinted with the slight color of red, and some water leaked out of his eyes.
But he didn't cry… he doesn't want to cry if he cries that means that he is weak and can't accept the fact Kaula help her dear brother.
He understands where Kaula comes from, so instead of crying, he will try his best to help her from now on. After all, action is better than a thousand words.
"… and with this, you're done. See, that was easy." Kaula finished her teaching just as Aeter affirm his resolve.
"Oi did you even hear anything?" Kaula questioned with a slightly annoyed tone.
'How cute, usually she would lash out the moment I don't pay attention to her. Now she is calmer, probably because she is happy… yeah, let's keep it that way.' Aeter's only wish is that they both have a fulfilling life.
"Um, ye-yeah..., I heard everything!" Aeter stuttered
"Well... I will not revise you about this again, so good luck" Kaula knows that Aeter has listened to absolutely nothing but that's his fault.
'Fuck'
…
After a while, they have finally done with their dress-up session. Now in front of other people, they would look no different from the norm.
The previous dirty street kid appearance is now gone, now Aeter looks like an official gentleman while Kaula is even more dazzling than before, right now she wouldn't lose when compared to the top beauties of the country.
Of course, in Aeter's eyes, Kaula will always be his cute little sister, like parents always see their kid as just a kid even if they are forty years old.
"Right, Kaula does... does you have an ID?" Aeter asked with some worried, after all, he already how brutal the 'Patrols' can be.
"Don't worry, they will do nothing to us even if I didn't bring my ID." Kaula stated with absolute confidence, she was sure that those hunting dogs wouldn't dare to touch the 'Captain's' subordinate.
"Huh?" Aeter, of course, was greatly confused, but he still trusts Kaula's words, if he can't even trust someone he grows and practically raise then he might as well retire as a human being. That level of suspicion is too much for his heart.
"Well... if you say so...' He scratches his neck.
With all said and done it is time to go, the moon has already hung high in the sky. They don't want to be late after all, that would be awkward.
And so, Kaula holds out her hand, the pristine white palm was offered to him with courtesy.
"Hold my hand." With a bright smile, Kaula grabs his hand before he even lifted his arm.
"Oi! What are yo-"
Before Aeter finished his sentence, a strong attraction force, force him to propel forward with space-bending speed.
Kaula once again broke space and teleport them from their previous position.
***
"OEAH!" My stomach acid come out of my mouth as my stomach was twisted in such an unnatural way.
'Goddamit, is she trying to kill me!' I cursed her from the bottom of my heart.
Let's just say that the teleportation was both a success and a failure. For someone like Kaula who is more attuned to the space concept, barely felt anything.
"Haha, sorry, I'm sorry, ok? I didn't know space traverse took such a toll on normal people... well your body is not exactly mortal, so I guess it's best for me... it could also be used...." At some point, her monologue grows longer and her voice also becomes smaller as time pass.
"Shit! Next time please experiment with your power first! That one almost kills me despite my almost immortal body." If she has used this 'skill' of hers on anyone other than me, there is a huge chance that person would be torn apart from space currents.
"I'm sorry ok! Good Lord! Anyways, let's go to the restaurant first." Like that Kaula ended our debate before it gets too heated.
Well, I'm kinda hungry right now, so let's continue this conversation later... wait hungry? It's probably my mind making up that sensation.
The mind could trick even the thirstiest person on the planet to think that a source of water is right in front of them after all.
'Maybe I was anticipating this meal a bit too much.' My mind makes me feel hungry because it knows that we about eat something delicious tonight.
'Such a nostalgic sensation...'
Lost in thought, we have already reached the reception table.
"Do you sir and madam have a reservation?" the man wearing a classical suit from the 40s greeted us and asked politely.
"We do." Kaula quickly answered.
"Then please may I have your name madam." The receptionist said with gratefulness.
Uh... hearing people talking so politely is making me have goosebumps. Living in the alley, curse word is the main type of sentences that you would hear there, six out of five sentences someone said there were filled with curse ranging from your mother to your great great great ancestor.
Kaula leaned into the receptionist's ear and whispered something, of course as a gentleman I will respect my sister's privacy.
Sike, pumping my ear with the 'Energy' coming from my Mark, my hearing became a lot better.
I can even hear the people just a couple of streets away talking and laughing... Ohlala, someone even getting it on at such an early hour.
But before I can concentrate on what my sister said.
*BANG!*
'Ah! Fuck! What was that?!?!'
"They are... north.... 90... help...'
"This... enough... did it... hahhaha..."
"Scatter!... now!"
"... The artifact!... ultimate..."
…
What was all of that, suddenly I heard a lot of nonsensical noises that have nothing to do with each other, but somehow, I felt like something big is going on just one street from here.
Well... from the look of it was a heist or something similar... not my problem!
'Damn, I missed the chance to be privy to Kaula's secrets... oh well.'
"Ah, sir, why are you standing in such a daze? Are you perhaps enchanted by this lady's charm? Hmmm~." With an annoying smug face, Kaula said, teasing me with formal words.
Shit... now I have to talk formally too or else I will lose to her!
"Ehm... Um... Indeed, I've been enchanted... Ahem... by your... Buh... magnificent presence... Buhhah-" 'Bad mouth! Stop laughing.' I bring my hand up to cover my face.
"Sigh... Just come..."
"Yes ma'am"
***
It's time to feast!
Kaula has reserved a private table with a window to look out at the beautiful star-filled sky.
She probably realized that I have no etiquette, I have been eating nothing but air for the past four years essentially, and I don't even know how to hold a knife at this point.
*Clap*, *Clap*.
Kaula clapped her hand two times before severs began to pour in and bombarded the table with plates of food... isn't... isn't this kinda excessive...
Well, it's not like I will feel full, he has tried to eat food at some point when he just newly gained his Mark, except for the flavor the food did nothing to make him fill full or make him feel energetic.
So of course, he was only here to check out the flavors of these dishes.
"Hey! Are you going to eat?" I asked Kaula
"No... I'm fine." Kaula thinks for a bit before deciding to not eat anything.
… more food for me I guess...
Without my knowledge of using a knife and fork fundamentally gone, I ought to eat the food using my hand old fashion style.
Reaching out my hand to touch the plates of meat and tried to pick up.
"What are you doing!?" Kaula looked at me with shock, as if I just committed some kind of crime.
"Wh-what?"
"How can you eat by hand? Did you even forget how to use a fork and knife? For the love of the Lord! Let me help... sigh..." Why is the last part so dejected!?!?
With that said she taps her lap, signaling me to sit on it... now that I think about it, I used to do this with her a lot when we were young... Is she paying back at me right now?
...Whatever...
Following her signal, I sat on her lap and she then used her hand to control my hand like a puppet. This is kinda... embarrassing... is like a mother teaching her children how to eat.
Ugh, I Aeter will remember this grudge!
"This knife is used to cut meat, this one is for vegetables… while this fork is for..."
Wait... those forks and knives have difference purposes?!?!
…
The night goes on and the pair of siblings finally have some time together, bonding with each other like a family... something they thought they have lost since their parents' death.
Chapter 10: A Luxurious Dinner
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A/N: I kinda realized that these ten chapters have been nothing but a bunch of slices-of-life chapters at best...
Welp... I still sneak in some foreshadowing and lore so at least these chapters still have a purpose.
I will say this now, this story is meant to be picked up when there are a lot of chapters. Because all these earlier chapters are like a slow buildup of some sort.
Though I would say I could have done a better job managing this.
Anyways, I intend for real action and deep dive into all the early buildup in chapter 17 or chapter 20. Depend on how much I want to expand the city before the real action takes place.
If I have to describe it in a single sentence, it would be. I have no idea how to make a good battle scene yet and don't want to delve into action lore and history in just one chapter.
So, I hope anyone who reads this can be patient.
Rzora,
Peace.
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