Chapter 75: Unforeseen Alliances (2)
"What did you say…?"
Hope stared between the two.
There. He set the hook. Suspense. Although Hope remembered there being one final member of Master Leda's cohort, he wasn't going to question it. But they now undeniably want something from him as he did something from them.
Such as.
"First. Why aren't you both sticking with the kids?"
Wasn't heroism their thing?
It'd be a shame if Hope helped them out only for it to be wasted. Hope was sure the Awakened would've stayed or something along those lines.
"Tch. Fine. I heard you over his comm and came straight over to see what the hell was going on."
Hope and Prince blinked.
Then looked down at Prince's tech gauntlet where a button was still flashing green.
"…"
"..!"
'Huh. So that's what it is.'
"Besides, those kids wanted me gone. At least after taking all of my food."
"I don't see you carrying a bag."
"Tch." The man summoned a pouch out of thin air before it dropped into his palm. "Here. See?"
Hope paused.
What a useful Memory to have.
But still.
"You lost all your food to a group of kids?"
***
Some time earlier after Prince left.
"What the…"
The Awakened frowned as he listened to the intercom piece.
Ssschhzzz~
Static hissed before a voice scratched through the noise.
"...c..an…you just let g–"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Beep.
"..."
Why was Prince pressing the emergency button?!
A high-pitched beep sounded in his ear like an annoying alarm clock.
Whenever that golden boy needed to call for some quick backup, he'd press the button. Although, he was stubborn to use it most of the time as if any problem he tackled could be solved by one person swinging their sword.
And who was on the other side of the intercom?!
'What did he get into now–'
"Hey, sir."
"Huh? What?"
He looked down and saw the little girl standing in front of him again. She glared, any shred of gratitude gone, replaced with him being the most suspicious thing in her presence.
She was the walking voice of reason around here with all the adults dead. These children weren't capable of doing that…surely…
'And there's that fat guy tied up to the tree.'
Whose limbs were all broken in angles like frayed wires, and yet some unspoken sleep held over him.
At that moment, he thought outskirt children really shouldn't be underestimated…But with this scene? They didn't seem like they needed the Awakened's help.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
'I should head over quick–'
"I…don't want you staying here long." The girl abruptly said.
"Uhh…"
'Wow. Ok. So direct.'
But he forced a smile anyway. "Y'know you kids shouldn't be—"
She crossed her arms. "Give us all your food and you can go."
"This cheeky…And how are you so certain I'm carrying food?"
"You've got magic."
"Well yeah…"
She narrowed her eyes. "We don't need you to stay here longer."
Her younger brother tugged her from behind."Oh, sis come on…We finally have a superhero on our side."
"No. They only attract more trouble."
"But…"
"No buts. Besides. He can't even keep one friend on his side."
"Now wait a minute!"
***
"..."
Hope blinked.
'So...how the fuck does my Flaw work?' Did this Awakened just have to pour all his attention on Hope's existence to maintain memory of him?
'Clarification would be helpful.' Hope thought to the Spell. If it was even listening.
"And…how did you get inside?"
The man frowned. "Through the window."
"Under the banner…?"
"How did you get inside?"
"..."
Did that girl lie to him about the window so that he could take a more difficult route?
'Seriously?'
Tap. Tap.
Hope tapped his fingers nonchalantly on his arm.
Oddly enough, her actions…didn't annoy Hope. She still had spite. Still had strength in her after that whole ordeal and choked up sobs. What was there to scold from his position?
'Huh. That kid's got future.'
Chnk.
The man pointed the gun again which interrupted Hope from his thoughts.
"Now spit it out. How are we sure you're really a part of the group? You could've been stalking us from afar for all we know. Or what? You're going to label it as a coincidence?"
"I was just passing through..."
"Passing through?" He repeated, clearly unconvinced. "In this deathtrap of a city? You've got some nerve, stray."
Prince's hands suddenly whipped up and gestured something quick to his partner—hands closing and waving in deliberate movements through the air. His partner translated it with a deep frown. "He says…we should hear you out…"
Hope blinked as he stared at Prince.
'Didn't seem like you wanted to five minutes ago with a sword to my head.'
Prince's shoulders tensed as if sensing his gaze.
'Well. Whatever then.'
Tap. Tap.
It would be useless to continue saying it was a coincidence. Hope could deny that he was stalking them. Deny and say that this was all by some annoying universal fate, but that notion seemed like child's play. Even if his mother believed in that sort of thing, this was just—
'Everything happens for a reason, darling.'
'Quiet.'
Hope's finger stopped tapping as another thought probed his mind.
If he was going to be honest, then he had to stretch the level of honesty. There was no use in defending himself when they only wanted a confession. And usually, honesty towards another reciprocates honesty in return. Even if mixed with a white lie.
And so what if he confessed the whole thing?
If Hope stepped out of sight, who knew how soon that would be, then they wouldn't remember afterward.
At least, that was how he figured his Flaw worked. To some extent.
"Operation 114 was what we were tasked with." Hope began. "We got attacked by a Category-Two gate before entering Mirror City. Four vehicles. Three cargos. Three leading soldiers taking up the role. And their names are…"
Hope paused.
Both Awakened watched him in anticipation. Their faces stiffened once more as he poured out the information without faltering. Although there was still skepticism in their gaze, Hope had another idea.
"I suppose we should introduce ourselves first." He said instead.
"What?! You can't just stop there—"
"Name."
"You bastard—"
"Interesting name."
"No— No! Tch! The name's Minho." He lowered his rifle. "And this here is Prince. Though why anyone thought giving him a fancy name like that is a mystery."
Prince gave a nervous smile as he awkwardly waved.
"…"
Hope nonchalantly looked away and suppressed a deep sigh for what was coming next.
"It's Hope." He finally said.
"..."
"..."
'Yeah. Yeah, I know.'
"Pfft! Ha– Wha. Seriously? Hope?" Minho chuckled. "Man. And I thought Prince had it hard."
"Sure…"
Minho shook his head as he breathed out his last snort laughs.
"Haha…Alright. Hope. Got a service number too?"
"4185113-H…"
"Affiliation?"
"Army Reserve Force."
"Pfft. A Reservist? Guess you are the real deal if you're casually admitting to partaking in the Operation."
"…"
The atmosphere was taking a bit of a turn. And that was without taking into account the torn walls, creaking floors, and darkness growing all around with each second.
Minho narrowed his eyes.
"You know what you were also transporting, right?"
'We paid for our ticket! We shouldn't be here!'
'Take me to the ship…'
'I'll pay you anything. Anything!'
The voices immediately vibrated against Hope's mind, filling his thoughts as if they too were in uproar at Hope's actions. It was one thing for Hope triggering his own memories but with another person added to the equation?
Inconvenient by all means.
'Not this again…'
Hope didn't have an inkling for taking such unannounced responsibility. So what if he was to blame? Was there a judge out there numbering his faults? Was he even in a position to compensate for those deeds?
"Sigh…." Hope closed his eyes as he rubbed his temples, the voices slowly digressing. "What a crowded company."
Prince flinched from his words.
"Crowded?" Minho sneered. "It's just the three of us!"
"Yeah. And it's already too many."
"You son of a…Wait! Why...Why are you walking towards the ledge?!"
"..!"
"Prince, don't let him go!"
'Ah dammit. Why is it always you holding me back?'
***
Hope blinked against the cold breeze as some minutes, an hour he supposed, passed after their...encounter.
'At least I made us make progress.' Hope nonchalantly thought.
Step. Step. Step.
It was deep in the cold wintry night as they finally approached the stairs in one of the leaned tower buildings. They had taken the route the little girl mentioned to Hope: An outgrown nature building, a tunnel-like hall that led to its side resting at the feet of the giant skyscrapers. Throughout the way, Minho held onto pieces of paper with written instructions on them.
"Oi. We have business with him too, ok? That's all I'm saying." He said when he pulled them out of his pouch. "From the man himself."
'How…convenient?
Especially since the family who was supposed to help him was dead, Hope now had a guide.
'Master Leda didn't hint at this type of cooperation.'
However, she mentioned that the man smelled like a cat.
And that Dreamer Kurt guy also mentioned the cohort crossing him by chance. Whatever happened in between was unknown to Hope. And he wasn't curious enough to ask since it didn't concern him.
Why add more problems to his plate?
Creeaak.
They finally reached the tilted 50th floor—the night world shrinking below as they ascended the ruined structure. Greenery continued to scatter even up this high, but in the dark hour, they looked like black feathers nesting along the rails and walls.
At least Hope had finally reached his destination…but the position he was in was…
'How uncomfortable.'
Hope had a flat expression as Prince hugged one of his arms. Holding him as if he were a stubborn runaway child.
'Sigh…'
Hope side-eyed his hand.
He hadn't let go once, dammit.
Hope wasn't going to jump off the ledge per se. He just wanted to point out the proper route to the Awakened's location.
But also to force them to act. Because as one would say, 'actions are louder than words.' Although, Hope wasn't sure if he was applying that line right.
Hope also had a feeling he might have to repeat himself when they meet this ominous tech Awakened. He'd rather say it once than twice. Who would want to explain themselves over and over again? Just have the whole audience at hand instead.
Hope blinked as he noticed Minho fidgeting with the papers in front of the door.
'How odd.'
"What are you waiting for?"
"...These instructions are nonsense." He lowly muttered.
Hope paused at his words.
Nonsense? Well, whatever it was, they were here now. What did it matter if it was nonsense?
"Just get on with it."
Minho glared back. And when he did, he was met with two different expressions watching him make a weird fool of himself.
"Hurry up." Hope flatly said.
Prince gave an innocent thumbs up.
"Tch...what a pain...Give me a minute..."
Minho began glancing up, down, left, and right as if trying to spot something or someone. As if there were another set of eyes observing their every movement. If there was, Hope didn't necessarily feel a huge threat from it. But afterwards, Minho then began...
…spinning? Twirling? Three times?
'What...'
One. Two. Three.
"..."
"..."
"..."
'Why did...'
"...Ahem..." Minho nervously cleared his throat before he knocked on the door also three times.
'I'm…not going to question it.'
Not too long after, footsteps were heard shuffling on the other side. The knob turned, and finally, the door opened a tiny crack.
And there, two sharp, mistrustful eyes peered at them from the darkness.
"You're actually back…and an unfamiliar fellow you've dragged along…?"
The two Awakened immediately became flustered. The hand on Hope's arm twitched as if they had triggered the host. Hope watched the exchange with an indifferent expression, wondering what the hell did he get himself into this time.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone