The Original Trio

To give and take Incarnations... the Incarnation of Transfer.

I've always had this ability, but I've never known that it was special to me. That would explain why people aren't healed with Golden Strands down in Zealous. My ability is unique, and nobody can do what I do.

"Okay, I'll come up with a plan by tomorrow. You guys can leave now," Ruby told us. She started to look deep into the holographic table, while Dani, Carl, Illya, and Faith joined me in walking outside.

"Illya and Faith, shouldn't you guys have known that I had those abilities? Especially you Illya," I asked them. I was a little upset about it, but as long as I knew, I guess it didn't matter.

"Was there a point in telling you? It wasn't too long ago that we were enemies, I wouldn't have given you the upper hand like that against me," Illya explained as her reason.

"I didn't know the name of it, but I thought you knew what you were doing," Faith explained to me.

"Okay... well, I don't feel like strategizing for the rest of the day. Do you guys want to go get food somewhere? Can we do that yet? Do we have money?" I asked.

"I'll handle it. Where do you want to go Faithy?" Illya asked Faith. She perked up and ran toward a place called "The Black Tavern" and I followed behind with Carl and Dani by my side.

"Look how far we've come, huh?" Carl said. He seemed content while following the path, walking on my right-hand side.

"It's been quite the journey so far, I guess," Dani said. She attempted a nonchalant attitude and left Carl with a defiant smile on the opposite side of me.

It was weird when I walked with Carl and Dani, it almost felt unnatural to be without Domin and Red, even though I've been with Carl and Dani for much longer. I believe that no matter where they went when they died, they're still by my side to this day.

"You know, it might sound a little cocky, but I feel like we're at the top of the world since we're on Sky's side," Carl admitted. His attitude toward me had changed ever since I told him the truth about Avie's rage. It's like he finally was at peace with the violent mindset I used to have.

"Are you trying to flatter me?" I scoffed in a playful way and Dani started to laugh, but Carl attempted to explain himself.

"No! What I'm saying is that... it felt like you were leading us in the wrong direction. Hell, we fought that lady in front of us, and you tamed her, made her your bitch, and now she's on our side. After the fight with Orion, that lady disintegrated somebody you couldn't beat... but then you tamed her... that's impressive in and of itself. You won't get too far ahead from here on out. Check this out," Carl said. I was baffled by the compliment and glanced down at his hands.

There were strands, but not mine. They weren't a familiar color, so that meant they were Essence Strands. I was impressed by his aptitude for them, but I guess that finally meant there was a challenge.

Essence Strands were meant to counter me. I couldn't help but smile.

"Oh! You finally got control of the strands! How does it feel?" Dani asked Carl. It immediately knocked out his cocky behavior and the two started to bicker as we came up to The Black Tavern.

"For five," Illya said. She threw a wad of cash at the waitress and she caught it, pocketed it, and sat us down at the nearest booth meant for four people... that meant one of us had to squeeze in.

As I leaned down to sit on one side, Dani slid over me and put herself in the corner, while Illya sat on the outside of me, putting one of her legs outside of the booth... I was surrounded by Dani and Illya.

Carl and Faith sat on the opposite side of the table from us and both looked annoyed.

"Dad and Mom are doing it again," Faith sneered. Carl crossed his arms and nodded with his eyebrows raised in irritation. However, when the waitress came by with crayons for Faith, Carl stole the blue one and started drawing on the paper that came with Faith.

"Where's the yellow? Do you have the yellow?!" Faith turned to Carl.

"Just the blue! Check under that napkin," Carl said to Faith. As soon as she turned her head, Carl put a yellow crayon back on the table and looked away to avoid any suspicion.

"You know I can read your intent, right?! You have the purple one too, don't you?!" Faith grabbed onto his shoulder and shook the purple one out of his grip. I couldn't help but chuckle watching the two.

The age difference between us is only three years at maximum, so it was funny to see that we were all still children at heart.

Speaking of which...

"Hey, Illya, when is my birthday?" I asked her.

"March twenty-ninth. Dani's is April fifth, Carl's is October fourth," She said, cutting off any possible questions that would've followed after mine.

"I'm older than Carl?!" Dani shouted out in excitement. I told her to keep quiet with the setting we were in, but Carl seemed to slam his head into the table afterward, which only drew more attention.

"Yay!" Dani shouted out again. Carl sulked, and Faith pulled the blue crayon out from under his forehead and continued drawing.

"I'll be fifteen next month then? Hey, will I grow up at all, or will it be longer since I have a longer lifespan?" I asked Illya next.

"Arkians peak in physical ability from the ages sixteen to a hundred years old. You'll find yourself starting to get naturally stronger until most humans on Earth are long dead," Illya told us.