***Cyan***
Cyan's stomach growled.
Right. She hadn't eaten before she took her nap. Did they even have any food in the house? Collin and Ame had been gone, too.
She walked out of her room and began climbing down the stairs. An aroma tickled her nose.
When she came into the kitchen, Cole was standing by the stove. "You alright? Slept with too many blankets?"
Her cheeks flushed. "No..."
A shimmering sound filled the space.
Cyan turned toward the source of the noise. "Ah!"
Ame rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry about that."
"Food!" Collin yelled.
Cole moved his pot away as Collin drew closer.
"Uh, not gonna say hi?"
Ame said, "Hi."
"I meant him." Cyan gestured toward Cole with her eyes.
Collin leaned toward the stove. "What are ya making?"
Cole stepped back again. "Food for Cyan and me. You make yourself something."
Ame took a picnic basket out of her terminal. "Would you like to have more of this? Annie's friend packed a ton."
"What's in there?" Cyan asked.
"Uh..." Ame started taking containers out of the basket. "Some of the dishes come from a faraway land called Japan. Others were local to where we were staying, but I have no idea what was in those."
Cole raised his eyebrows. "You didn't eat them?"
"I was so hungry that I didn't really pay attention." Sweat beaded her brow. "Have you ever had a twenty-four-hour bug? You get really sick but once it's out of your system, you're fine?"
Cyan paled. She gave him her sickness anyway.
"It's not your fault. It's something his body does, sometimes."
"So it's a mystery autoimmune thing?" Cole looked at her sideways. "Like you're getting a reaction to something you ate, but your body doesn't know why."
"Sort of."
"Is it a reason to be worried?" Cy asked.
"If anything, it should actually keep his lightning from leaking out so much."
Collin stared at her.
"Has your head hurt since you woke up?"
He shook his head.
"Your body was trying to take in the loose electricity, but it was too much. While you were sleeping, your body was strengthening the container and making it bigger."
Cyan jabbed Cole in the side. He should know better than to stare.
"You didn't know that already?" Cole asked.
"Where he comes from is old-fashioned compared to here. Their electricity is still wired."
Colllin blurted out, "Where Ame lives, they have no electricity."
Ame flinched.
Cyan painted a smile on her face. This kid really did not have a filter. Was he really capable of pulling off anything nefarious?
Cole blinked. "Come again?"
Collin put his hand on his hips. "Ears need cleaning? I said Ame's home world has no power. It's like the Middle Ages."
"Middle Ages?" Cyan asked, blinking.
Ame grabbed him by the hood of his coat and pulled him away.
"Hey!"
She yanked him toward the doorway. "We'll talk outside."
"Ame..."
"Are you sure you want to continue living with such shady characters?" Cole asked.
Cyan let out a nervous laugh. "I think they're less shady and more strange."
"It's a fine line..."
She sighed. "You weren't around children who do things a little differently, were you?"
"I sure was. Wilhi, Eir, and I are a ragtag trio. Probably as different as you and Maggie."
"I didn't mean in that way." She sighed. "Hmm, not sure how to explain it."
He put a hand on his hip. "You only mentioned the kid. What about his caretaker?"
"Hmm, not sure what's going on with her. Guess she is an oddball."
Cole shook his head. "Aren't most people? But that lady is beyond odd. She's clearly hiding something. If you're right about Collin, then maybe the real villain is that girl."
"You sure are suspicious of others. Bet you didn't have many friends other than the two you keep mentioning."
"I didn't need any others. What about you? Only friend of yours I know is Maggie."
She smiled. "Maybe I'll introduce you to some of my other friends when I return."
He tilted his head. "Return?"
Cy nodded. "Yeah, my sister is going to have a surgery in a few days. I want to be there for her."
Ame brought Collin back into the room. "I didn't know you had a sister."
"Yeah, she's my little sis. She's adorable." Cyan stared at her terminal. "Think I have some pictures of when she was younger."
Collin smiled as Cyan showed them the pictures of her sister. "Reminds me of Cathie."
"A friend of yours?" Ame asked.
He nodded. "Best friend."
"You didn't electrocute her, did you?" Cole asked.
"I only shock jerks."
Cole narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, enjoy the food, Cy. I better get going now."
Ame sighed. "Seems convincing that boy and your friend of Collin's true nature will be difficult."
"Seems he's suspicious of you too."
Ame blinked. "Me? Why?"
"He thinks you might be the woman behind the curtain."
"Who cares?" Collin said as he began eating some of the food that Cole made. "Well, at least that jerk knows how to cook."
He said he only shocked jerks. Would he do the same to Cole one day?
Ame patted him on the back of the head. "It's okay. I know you didn't mean to hurt his friends."
Cy gasped as she noticed tears form on Collin's eyes.
"So, uh, Collin. Would you like to come with me to my hometown?"
Collin glanced at her and smiled a bit. He gave her a simple nod.
"I could arrange transportation for you if you'd like," Ame said.
He said, "Why?" before pausing and eventually holding up his terminal.
"The terminals have a limit to them," Ame said. "Like how you can't take a car to China."
"I don't like cars..."
"Do you know where I live?" Cyan raised her eyebrows.
"Forget how it came up. I asked your friend, though."