18 Chapter 18: Get Lost

Here is the first side chapter of volume 1!

Depending on what current year it is, I'll throw in side chapters here and there.

Currently only one other side chapter is planned for Vol 1, as more to come will happen in Vol 2 or later.

Don't forget to drop those power stones and add to collections!

*

Meanwhile, as I was in the middle of training with father...

Midwest Zemuria.

Two girls of the same hair color could be seen walking home as the younger one soon spotted something, causing her to part ways from the older girl. They appeared to be related to each other, as sisters. One was about thirteen years old being one to two feet taller than the other. She appeared a lot younger than the teen girl, no more than four to five years old.

They both had red hair, tied into a ponytail. The older girl was wearing a purple dress with a long sleeve white blouse and the younger girl wore an orange -brown dress with the same long sleeve white blouse, matching each other.

"Hey...", The younger girl said. "Come over here for a moment.", She said, calling over the older girl.

"Honestly...How many times to have to tell you not to run off like this without telling me, Ries? I had a fright of my life not seeing you there after I turned around when my shopping finished.", The older girl said, with worry in her eyes.

"Please, don't do that again, okay?", She asked the younger girl, who was apparently named Ries.

"I just smelled something nice from the stall over there...But hey! I found something weird.", Ries answered her.

"...Weird?", The older girl asked Ries. She then caught up to her, only to hold Ries's hand. The moment she did, they arrived at a back alley piled with snow. A lonely green-white haired boy could currently be seen, sitting down with his head down over his knees, seemingly malnourished, and pretty beat up.

"Oh goodness...", The older girl said, having more worry appear in her eyes seeing this lifeless boy on the cold street.

"Do you think he's dead?", Ries asked. "Or maybe he indulged himself in stuffing his face with food?"

"I'm pretty certain it's almost not the latter, Ries...I swear, what are they teaching kids in school these days?"

"Nevermind, I suppose that should wait...", The older girl concluded.

The two then walked over to the boy who seemed to be around eight years old. Wanting to talk to him, she bent down, revealing her purple eyes. She was wearing a golden circular locket around her neck as a necklace of sorts, the same went for Ries. As for Ries, she was currently holding a bag of food.

"Hey there.", The older girl asked with her hands on her knees, slightly bent over. "Can you hear us?"

"...",,The boy tried to respond, lifting his had up a bit.

"Thank goodness...It looks like he's conscious, at least.", The older girl said in relief.

"What's the matter? I can't see this being a very comfortable place to sit."

"...", Again, the boy didn't utter a word.

"Umm...", The older girl continued to ask, appearing worried again.

"Maybe he's hungry?", Ries also suggested. "When you're really hungry, sometimes you don't even have the energy to talk."

"You might actually be right, there Ries...and you'd know that better than anyone."

"Well, then! I've got just the thing for that.", The older girl happily said. She then took out a high quality chocolate bar wrapped in a golden wrapper. She tore off a peace with her hand.

"...!", Ries looked on in surprise. "Where did you get Quincy Bell chocolate?"

"I bought this for you originally, so I'm sorry, Ries. Do you mind if he has this?"

"Y-Yeah...", Ries responded, accepting her.

"Heehee, good girl.", The older girl responded with a giggle. "Come, why don't you try some? I think you'll like it. Especially if you like sweet things.", The older girl continued to say, reaching down to the boy with her chocolate in hand, offering it.

"..."

"Quincy chocolate is the best there is.", Ries also said seeing the boy stay quiet." There might be better brands out there that taste better, but this one has the best balance between its cost and taste.", Ries said happily, earning another giggle from the older girl.

"See? That's a glowing review coming from none other than my darling little sister. The taste should help you warm up a bit, too. Go, on! See what you think."

"...Get...st...",,The boy uttered some words for the first time, or at least tried to.

"What was that?", She tried to ask, only to see the boy lift his head up, allowing the two girls to see his eyes for the first time. They were completely lifeless and faded, not caring about the snow that was currently falling.

"Oh...", The older girl responded in shock seeing this.

"...!" , Ries also tried to respond, appearing shocked.

"...I...said...get...lost...", The boy said in anger, wanting the two to leave him be. "Just leave me alone. Please..."

"..."

"What should we do?", Ries asked.

"So you're not going to take me up on my offer, huh? I guess I'm left with no choice.", She then tore off even a smaller piece, placing it into her mouth.

"Why're you eating it?", Ries tried to ask, only to become surprised again.

After placing it into her mouth, she chewed on the chocolate for a bit. In the next moment, she reached down to the boy again. She then suddenly placed her mouth onto his, causing the boy to react strongly, eyes turning wide. She fed the chocolate to him by mouth.

"Whoaa...", Ries responded in surprise, not expecting this from her older sister. As for the boy, he soon felt something sweet slide down his throat. The older girl then parted ways, placing her hands over her knees as the boy couldn't move, leaving behind a shocked look.

"Phew...", The older girl said. "That should be enough." As she said that, the boy let out a couple of coughs.

The boy then looked up at the girl with anger appearing on his face again.

"Wh-Wh-What the hell was THAT for!?", The boy yelled out in anger, feeling some vigor return to his body.

"Haha, looks like that did the trick.", The older girl responded with a smile. "See? I told you that sweet things are great fir perking you up."

"That wasn't the chocolate! That was YOU being a maniac! What kinda girl does that to a kid they just found on the street!? A-Are you some kind of pervert or something!?", The boy said, continuing to yell out in anger, cursing at the older girl.

"Oh, my...The Sunday School curriculum really seems to have changed since I went there. But where else could you and Ries be picking up these fancy words, I wonder?", The older girl retorted back.

"I don't really think that's the problem...", Ries also retorted.

"Y-Yeah, what she said!", The boy responded, agreeing with Ries. As he did, he suddenly got a good look at both of the girls.

"Wait a sec...Your clothes look familiar...", The boy said in wonder.

"Heehee. Oh, come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself, have I?", The older girl said with another giggle.

She stood all the way back up, allowing Ries to arrive beside her. Ries was also wearing a sky blue scarf, as it was still snowing. The two then began to introduce themselves.

"My name's Rufina. Rufina Argent.", The older girl said, introducing herself as Rufina.

"And I am Ries. Ries Argent. Rufina here my big sister.", Ries said, introducing herself.

Rufina then spoke out once more.

"How about you? What is your name?", Rufina asked the boy with a smile.

"...", The boy turned quiet, not expecting the two to introduce themselves. He then looked at the back of the street, only to see it completely deserted and packed with snow. The boy then looked back at the two, and decided to answer.

"...Kevin. My name is Kevin Graham.", The boy said, introducing himself.

"Kevin, is it? You know, the chocolate will only keep you warm for so long. Why don't you come with us?", Rufina suggested to Kevin.

"I told you two to get lost, didn't I? Leave me alone.", Kevin denied her, pulling his knees closer to him.

"Big sister can be quite persistent you know, and you don't seem to be doing so well right now. If you don't have a home, she can take you to the orphanage she looks after. Lots of us eat delicious food there.", Ries also said, revealing a smile.

"Heehee, all you can think of is food, Ries, but that is you.", Rufina responded with another giggle.

"...Orphanage?", Kevin asked, raising his head.

Hearing that, Rufina placed her hand on her cheek and tilted her head a bit.

"Oh my...Did we guess wrong, Ries? I mean, you do not have anywhere to go, right, Kevin?", Rufina asked him

"You don't know anything...", Kevin retorted.

"You are right, but there are plenty of kids on the street like you. Why don't you come with us? Come, the Aster House is not far away.", Rufina responded with another smile, causing Kevin to look up at her once more.

"Aster House...That name is familiar too...", Kevin uttered lightly. He then saw Rufina extend her hand out to Kevin, offering to help him stand up.

It was at that moment the boy called Kevin Graham took up Rufina's offer, wanting to escape the hell he had just gone through. At that moment, he thought her offer was a godsend, and soon, a third boy joined the two sisters, vanishing into the main street as the snow continued to fall...

*

Next planned side story:

Emma & Vita receives their familiars (S1190)