The Underground City

21:43

And now, it looks like the brothers have done their work for the month, so they finally take a rest and wander the city together, while of course, the Great Leader is hiding Himself from the public eye with the help of His crevaator clothes. Their first destination is the merchants' area as said, where they look around for a while to buy a few things to give to the veterans, which indeed ends up only being two offerings since the merchants don't have that much stuff because of the low supplies of the city with the ores. When they are done buying them, they arrange the offerings as they should look like and put them in two small boxes, one for the barman that is an old friend of their father, and one for the Healer that has helped this city for so many years.

Their first visited person though seems to be the Healer, Mr. K3IT4RO, or MY4's old master. Since they want to talk for a while with him and thank him for the help that the ruler got during His weaker times, they thought of finishing visiting him first, then go to the bar and stay there for a while with Mr. AD4M. So, when they arrive at the apartment, they knock on the door and wait for a few seconds for him to open it and look outside, noticing the "crevaator" and His brother standing together in the door and looking at him.

[K3IT4RO]-...Oh?

[CHE5TER]-Greetings, Mr. K3IT4RO.

[K3IT4RO]-Greetings... Sorry, but I don't quite follow what's happening. Why are you both here? It is not my day today or anything like that.

[RY4N]-No, no, we are here just for a visit. Since we have a free day, we thought of visiting some of the veterans around the city.

[CHE5TER]-...And maybe to repay the things you've done for the citizens and their guardians in the past.

So, the Great Leader shows him the box in which the offering is put, as a sign for him to accept the gift. He gets a bit emotional since he didn't expect such a thing today, cracking such a gentle smile that reminds you of the girl he trained when he was working for the base. He doesn't cry or anything, it's just that it got him in a weak spot.

[K3IT4RO]-...Oh, you poor things... You really didn't have to waste your time with such things for me... I only did what I knew I had to.

[RY4N]-Well, you still helped us a lot with these actions of generosity. Many soldiers would've died if it wasn't for you to treat them, remember?

[K3IT4RO]-Yes, I am aware, but I am a simple Healer in the end. You both did more in these ten years since you've decided to serve the city than I did in my whole life. You both are Leaders, one greater than the other. My actions mean nothing to the city compared to yours.

[CHE5TER]-*sigh* Speaking nonsense as always...

Meanwhile, seems like a little face has made its appearance and looks outside the apartment by curiosity. It's little IZUK1, who seems a bit sleepy. RY4N notices her at some point and remembers when he heard about her the first time.

[RY4N]-Oh? That's IZUK1, right?

[K3IT4RO]-Hm? Oh, right, right! Yes, she is IZUK1. I believe you met her before since you know her name?

[RY4N]-Yes, I saw her when I met up with him months ago.

[K3IT4RO]-Oh, I see then...

She seems to be yawning for a bit, before K3IT4RO takes her up in his arms and the conversation begins again.

[RY4N]-...Did we interrupt you?

[K3IT4RO]-No, no! It's fine! IZUK1 just woke up, so it explains her tiredness. Hey, IZUK1! Say "Hi" to Seven and His brother!

And so she does. She waves at both of them a bit more lively than she ever did before, even though she is still struggling to wake herself up. CHE5TER is rather confused of how much she has changed her behaviour ever since the last time He came here, but RY4N only finds it cute.

[K3IT4RO]-Yeah, that's more like it!

[CHE5TER]-Hmph. Seems like it's been some time since I last saw her myself. How come now she is more open even though she barely knows RY4N? Does she act like this only when she is tired?

[K3IT4RO]-It's not that... A month ago, I managed to sign her up to one of the schools nearby, even with all the struggles with her mental state. First few days were like Hell as I got so many complains of her hiding and nobody managing to find her till she ran away back home. Then I registered her in a small group of people that have the same state as her, supervised by one of the teachers from the school and managed to make her feel a bit better. It was terrifying for her, and I believe her for sure, but days have passed and she got used to all the new faces she met at school and made her not fear everybody she meets so easily. Sure, she needs some more time until she recovers completely, but I would say this month she got so much better than the first day I took her. And since she met RY4N already, no wonder she is not afraid of him anymore.

[CHE5TER]-Looks like I missed a lot of things these days too, huh...

[RY4N]-I mean, you didn't leave your office that often ever since we got our letters. Does it really surprise you? It's even more pitiful that you took it with you in hope that Mr. AD4M knows something.

[K3IT4RO]-Hm? What letters?

[RY4N]-Oh, it's nothing, K3IT4RO. It's just that a few days ago, CHE--

Yet before RY4N manages to speak, CHE5TER gives him a small nudge with His elbow in order for him to stop. He doesn't understand at first what He wants, but then He makes a small sign with His head towards the little girl, finally understanding that she does not know His true name and he needs to hide it.

[RY4N]-Right... I meant to say that Seven here went to visit his master a few days ago and received a box in which were two letters coming from our father: one meant to arrive in my arms and the other one in his. But there are suppose to be some small gifts for us as well. I received a book for example, yet he received a weird-looking paper which we simply cannot see the meaning behind. We've looked everywhere these past days to find an answer, but no matter what we did, everything was in vain.

[K3IT4RO]-*sigh* I understand. So it is your father's will in the end, huh? To think that it feels like yesterday the moment we've heard about what happened to Him... So much has changed since that day. Could I try to help you in any way with it?

[CHE5TER]-If you manage to decipher it, then maybe. But I doubt you will have any luck.

[K3IT4RO]-It's best for me to give it a try. Come in!

And so, the two brothers take their shoes off and enter the man's home, going in his room and sitting on the bed present there, while he puts the little girl down on a chair and gives her a small toy to play with in the meantime so she has something to do. Then, the ruler hands him over the strange paper, and after that, K3IT4RO begins to turn on the lights to see better and to look around. But still in vain. He doesn't seem to knows what's it all about either.

[K3IT4RO]-...Yeah, I see what you mean by not understanding its meaning. It sure is a headache that He gave you both.

[CHE5TER]-Do you think that Mr. AD4M might have a clue on what's it all about? Him and our father were friends for some good years.

[K3IT4RO]-To be honest now, I didn't even speak to AD4M ever since he retired 21 years ago. I didn't get the chance to visit him either since I was busy at the shelters, and now that I retired as well, maybe only my memory didn't help me and I forgot about him. I had many colleagues that retired from that base before me and I didn't manage to see almost any of them at all. But if you say that they were close friends, then you can give it a try.

[CHE5TER]-I won't say close... Simply old colleagues that used to work together. I would rather say that my master knew Him more than AD4M.

[K3IT4RO]-Then did you ask him about what is its meaning? Since he was the one who also gave you His will?

[CHE5TER]-No. He didn't know at that time what even is inside this box he gave me, let alone if he knows probably what it means. And I would rather stay six months to solve it alone than go and ask him for some help.

[K3IT4RO]-Alright then. You do you, Seven.

Then it seems like little IZUK1 got up from her chair and went to K3IT4RO, pulling him by his clothes a bit until he looks down at her. By doing so, she starts speaking in Sign Language again.

[K3IT4RO]-Oh? But you just woke up! Don't you want to stay for a bit longer?

She nods negatively to his question.

[RY4N]-Hm? What did she say?

[K3IT4RO]-Well... she asked me if she could go out with you guys for a few minutes until she is suppose to meet up with her friends outside. Does it... bother you if you keep an eye on her for a while?

[RY4N]-I mean, I don't mind or anything, but we were suppose to go to AD4M now.

[CHE5TER]-Then if you don't mind it, you won't mind to look after her on your own while I do my business, hm?

[RY4N]-Yeah, pass the responsibilities to me, rascal!

[CHE5TER]-You offered yourself, not me.

[RY4N]-Oh, for the love of...

But IZUK1 simply looks at the one that takes care of her with such a cute face, almost even impossible to refuse.

[K3IT4RO]-...Alright, Iz. Stop making that face. You can go with them if you wish so.

[CHE5TER]-Why does she want to come with us anyway? We won't do anything interesting.

[K3IT4RO]-Well, believe it or not, she got so attached to the city in these days and wants to go see it almost every hour now. She even wakes me up early in the morning to go out with her, but when I tell her to go alone, she refuses. I guess she is still afraid of being abandoned, so she feels safer if someone she knows is around. Think it of her profiting off you being here and ready to leave around the city. She simply took the opportunity to walk around knowing well that I didn't want to go with her now. I was thinking that she will go out when she was suppose to leave with her friends anyway, so no need of me to go too.

[RY4N]-Oh, so a smaller rascal...

[CHE5TER]-Hmph.

When she hears his approval, she gets excited and rushes to get a small backpack which she puts on her back immediately and begins to wait for the young brothers at the door.

[K3IT4RO]-Heh... Oh, she sure loves to visit the city if she acts like this.

[CHE5TER]-Yeah, I can imagine...

[K3IT4RO]-Don't keep her waiting for too long though. She might start to pull you out of the room if so.

[RY4N]-Really?

[K3IT4RO]-Yes, heheh!

[RY4N]-Alright... then we promise we will keep an eye on her.

[IZUK1]-...Oam!! Oam!!!

So they get up in the end. RY4N makes a small nod to K3IT4RO and goes to put on his shoes, while CHE5TER remains a bit behind to take the paper back and then do the same thing as RY4N. So because He is the last one to be waited for and moves a bit slower, little IZUK1 loses her patience and drags him out of the room by His arm, almost making Him fall, but also making Him finally leave.