19 Ch. 19 Questions

"I'm what?" was my first response. This news doesn't seem to surprise anyone else in the room. I look over to the doctor and Adrian yet neither of them seem invested in the conversation at this point.

"You didn't know?" The director asks.

"Did everyone else?" I respond. I look over to the doctor who simply nods.

"I thought you would have figured it out by now, or at least have asked earlier." Lys says from behind me. "I told you that only another awakened can hurt one, and that Tricho is awakened. Did you think that you stopped him by accident?" What she said made sense but that doesn't make it any easier to believe.

"But, I'm still just a child, shouldn't he still be stronger than me?" Even if we're both awakened then he is still a fit adult, there should be a difference.

"That's a good point" She says, then she pushes me with one arm on my shoulder. I tumble forward a few steps and quickly regain my balance.

"What was that for!" I say angrily as I turn around.

"I just pushed you, and you moved." She ignores my question.

"That's what happens when you push people!"

"Exactly." She says. Behind her a man walks through the doors and stands silently next to her.

"You called director?" He says professionally.

"Lence, this child here is awakened, I want you to try to push him as hard as you can."

The man looks at everyone in the room then looks at me, seemingly sizing me up. 'Not that there's much size to me'

"Yes Director." He says as he walks up to me.

"You can't just have random people come in here and push me director!" I turn to him in frustration. "That's irresponsible and-" I stop as I feel two hands on my back. I turn back around to face the man who now has a look of disbelief and frustration on his face. He takes a step back and as I go to speak, he takes a step into a lunge and puts both of his hands on my chest. I hear the sound of flesh meeting flesh, but I don't even move.

"I can't move him director." the man says in dissapointment.

"It's perfectly fine, I understand, but please stay here for a moment." The director says, to which the man nods. "Now Cyrious, try pushing Lys."

I turn to face Lys who smiles at me and nods. I approach her and being the size I am, I can only practically push her at her waist. So with both of my hands on top of eachother, I push her right hip as hard as I can. As a result she pivots, but there was no harsh reaction and I doubt she even needed to do it.

"Separate your hands and push her again." The director says. I do as he says and all Lys does to stop me is lean forward a little, I can tell she barely needs any effort to resist. "Now come and try the same thing on Lence."

I walk back over to the man and he's a bit taller so instead of his hips my hands go to his thighs. I begin pushing, and I feel him lean forward as well, yet he is slowly walking backwards as I'm slowly moving forward. He squats down to lower himself and I readjust my hands to his chest, only now he's sliding back and I feel like I'm pushing something on wheels. When his back foot touches the wall I stop and feel more confused.

"Do you really think you're not awakened?" The director asks.

"Okay, I think I am, but what does that mean for me?" As much as this excites me, this also confuses me. 'Isn't this too much attention?' I can't help but think this isn't going to be good for me.

"For now-" the director starts "it means you'll have to learn the rules on how to act in public, so you avoid hurting people in accident. And while you're learning, we're going to try to make sure you can get home."

"Come on." Lys beckons me to follow her. "I'll take you back and we'll talk more about it."

"Okay." I comply and follow her. 'How much more am I going to have to learn' I internally groan.

_____

I wait until Lys takes the child out of view before I start talking again. Once they get into the hallway, I block the door of the conference room.

"Everything you have all just heard is now considered confidential. There should be no lingering conversations, thoughts, or investigations into anything you have just heard and witnessed. If I find out anyone has spoken about anything here without prior permission, the consequences won't be light. Have I made myself clear?" I can leave no room for misinterpretation in this.

"Yes director!" Everyone responds in unison.

"Are there any questions, comments, or concerns? Share them now before you leave this room or come find me alone. This also means you cannot talk between eachother about this either."

"Director" a man said to grab his attention. The man had a grown out buzz cut with brown hair. His face was squared and he had round features, his eyes were brown and he seemed far too normal of a person compared to the others at the table. "What if we can't figure out where he's from? Will we just leave him to be an orphan? I don't mean so undermine the association's abilities but if even IEN wasn't able to find anything the task seems virtually impossible or worth too much resources for a single child." Everyone hearing this man's words seemed to be in a similar mindset.

"A valid question Wes, yet it has a simple answer." The attention of the room was back onto the director. "We search for more information, since we are sure he's not lying then that means we have a chance to learn of things that are completely unknown. If we can't return him home safely, then we'll let him live comfortably. Although since he's unique in being one the youngest people to contribute to the capture of a villain, we can offer him to join us as well."

"Director!" The doctor slammed her hands on the table as her chair fell behind her. "Your first time meeting a child and you can't even wait a few hours before you start thinking of him as a possible war asset?"

"I said we'd offer him a choice doctor. A choice which is solely dependent on the possibility we aren't able to find his home. There is no need for anger." The director placated as best as he could.

The doctor was still visibly upset but either had decided not to say more or couldn't think of more to say, no one could determine for sure.

"If there are no further questions-" the director paused as he looked around the table "then you are dismissed, do not speak of this to anyone or between eachother, come to me if more worries arise." Everyone began shuffling to leave. "Adrian, Wyatt, Wes, Veritas, and Doctor Genis, please remain for a little while longer."