Emma's POV

There are 9 cribs in Mama's room and each have babies in. They aged from 1-2 year olds tucked warmly in bed and woken up by Mama.

There are questionable rules in the house. But for some reasons, the only ones allowed to enter her room to help the toddlers bath and get changed, are the eldest girls in the house.

Iris lead the way towards the room, holding few needed items and open the door.

The three of us; Me, Iris and Gilda, started to bath the toddlers and get them change their clothes. Me, in charge of Carol.

I'll definitely inspect Carol and discover some new, useful information. I've got to hurry up and find those trackers.

But...why can't I find a single scratch anywhere on her body? There's gotta be something I'm missing here. I can't give up here! 

Think!! That's what Norman and Ray would do in my shoes.

'Observe. Analyze.' 

If its this hard to find a mark, that's probably how small the tracker is.

'Read the enemy.' 

The enemy's point of view...the enemy...the farm...mama...ah! Even those demons must have likes and dislikes...they probably wouldn't eat the trackers with us, right?

That means they must be removing them before the shipping process or something. In other words, the trackers must be hidden in a spot where they can easily be removed even after a huge growth spurt!

But where exactly?! Think Emma! There has to be a place.

"You're really good with babies, Emma," I can hear Gilda say. "Just look at Carol! You can tell she already loves you."

Somewhere within my vision...

"...Emma, I've...been wanting to ask you something..."

...Iris kept silent as she tuck a strand of hair behind the left ear of the baby she was taking care of...

That's it! If I remember correctly...

"On that night, w-- Emma?"

I lay Carol down in her crib and inspect her back ear. Is this it? There is a scar in here. This is where Mama told us...

I can see the two look at each other then back to me, curiously looking of what I've been doing.

"Huh? What's that? A bug bite?" Gilda asked.

"This...is a needle mark. From the blood test doctors perform on us before we come here. To make sure that we're all healthy," I said. That's what they told us the reason about it. "I just remembered Mama saying that a long time ago."

I then rub my hand on her ear. 

This is it! A needle mark? That's a complete lie! So the trackers were embedded inside of our ears!

Still...it's a lot smaller than any of us have anticipated. I can barely feel it at all inside of my 11 year old ears. If I hadn't checked Carol, I wouldn't notice it at all...!

"It doesn't look like a needle mark..." I heard Iris mutter. 

I gulp. 

I look at her nervously as she rub the baby's ear in her arms. "There's something in here..."

I felt my eyes widen. 

Oh no she's having suspicions now! How can I explain to her if she asks? Is it alright to tell her? Wait, Gilda is in here! What should I do?!

"Could be my imagination," she sigh before putting down the baby and continue to help the others. 

I sigh in relief. That's...I thought I'll get busted...

I know Iris. Whenever she finds something, she'll do no matter it takes to find out what it is about... Speaking of, she's always doing things on her own since 6 years ago. 

When she refused on joining us going to the gates...

...could it be... 

Could it be that she knows?! I should tell the others!

------

Iris' POV

Since this morning, we've been playing tag. 

Actually, I really have no interest in playing but...

...seeing how Emma...nag (and cry) for just that...really is annoying. 

"It's also for the reason to increase your stamina," she said. 

Really? What's with this trio today?  

They have been nagging all of the children to play. Sure, everyone loves to play but, I prefer books more than anything.

I then see the usual ravenette under the usual tree. Sure, others might seem to think that he was lazy to play...

...but look at me! I don't even want to play! 

But for Ray, I know the reason.

I just realized a while ago that this game of tag might be a training for the escape and Ray is just a distraction for Mama and Sister Krone. I know because there are some changes in the game.

And now in the present, I'm here in a tall tree, lazying around and watching children run back and forth below me. 

It's better to hide than to run...well that's my motto. Maybe I should change it...or not.

One by one, the younger kids got caught by Norman. The children tried to be silent, cleaning and watching their footprints and others. But unfortunately, some of them fail and forgot to watch for the enemy.

Training while playing really does works. The adults won't notice. I wonder how they thought of it. 

Since it's like this, I should run around for my stamina. 

I feel like I'm cheating because I have this tracking ability of mine or what some of the books called it 'earth pulse'. Somehow, I'm trying to control this ability of mine, although it's useful.

*sigh

I jump down to the ground and began to walk. Norman's also running out of time and I'm not sure how many are still left.

I then heard something from the bushes behind me... 

...and when I look back...

I saw a white haired rabbit jump out from the bu-

Wait, there are no rabbits here for Pete's sake. 

It was just Norman.

I guess I let my guard down. So, the only thing that is in my head is...

...run, duh.

I sprinted into the other direction as I can feel Norman following behind. Both of us have the same weakness when it comes to tag. 

It was stamina. 

But to my advantage, I'm faster...

...now I'm bragging.

I can feel someone from my right sprinting towards my direction...

...but too late for me to dodge because we crashed into each other...

...wait, I'm exaggerating...no.

Isn't bumping hard with another called crash? Or something else?

'Cause now both of us are in the ground, clutching our heads. That really hurts.

"I-I'm sorry!" I heard the opposite say. Oh, it was just Emma.

"I'm also sorry," I said.

"Are both of you alright?" we heard Norman, panting because of running.

"Well, you can see that we are alright and now my butt and head hu-"

"Yep we are alright!" Emma cuts in while laughing. "You're in your sarcastic way of speaking again, Iris!" she added cheerfully and the two of them laugh.

I just sigh. Finally, someone noticed.

This is me when I'm in a bad mood. 

For you readers to understand because I'm gonna break the fourth wall for a while and I'm sure some of you have been noticing the changes about how I've been narrating my part (and since its been a long time to have a POV) for like...

...about 10 times already....

Here's the reason: 

I.NEED.MY.BOOKS!!!

I know training is important but as I said before, I prefer books more than anything. It's not only because of knowledge, it can also help me relax.

Now you readers have to rebuild the fourth wall because I'm not in a good mood and because I'm now tagged, I'm going back to the library once we go home...

..........

...

But what happened is not what I thought...

...

Once again, I was forced to play a game of tag with Sister Krone.

*sigh

I'm starting to dislike my life.

...

Third Person's POV

"What? Why?" Ray asked cautiously.

"I want to become friends with everyone! Lets play a game of tag!" Sister Krone answered wearing a cheerful mask.

The certain trio started to have suspicions and calmed after a while. 

Iris, slumping, raised her hand.

"Can I pass?" she asked.

"Now now. We have to enjoy this together and get to know each other with everyone, Iris!" Krone answered cheerfully.

Iris sigh before reluctantly agreed. "Alright...just this once..."

"Then, it's been decided! The time limit is 20 minutes. I'll be IT!" Krone announced. "Everybody, make sure to run away from me~"

Sister Krone started to count to ten as everybody started to run and hide. 

Iris, with determination of finishing the game, but also not by losing, started to climb a tree.

Her specialty when it comes to trees are climbing, swinging, and jumping tree by tree on the branches. She's used to this since she was young when she...still have motivations in playing.

So, if I focus into one thing, I can be able to inactivate my ability, right?

She started moving around silently, not by jumping but swinging and walking on the branches. 

It will cause noise if she did. This is why she loves trees. She notice the younger ones gathering in one place while holding some kind of leaves.

Well this is suspicious...

Sister Krone suddenly came out of nowhere and grab the children into a group hug. 

Because of surprise, Iris grabbed a branch before she falls out of the tree she's in.

Everything really surprises me whenever I let my guard down! I guess it's a bad idea...

Well since it is Sister Krone and I don't know how she plays and I can see that she's being serious, it seems like I also have too, and doesn't have to inactivate this ability. 

However, to be fair, I should start helping others. I don't want to keep this ability only to my advantage.

And with that, Iris started to help the younger ones by erasing their footprints and giving them advice. She was able to waste time for Sister Krone on finding them and it seemed like this was noticed by the trio. 

Her stealthy skills was able to help her escape Sister's vision and follow behind her to look for others.

Iris was able to notice Lanni but too late for her to help him because Sister started to chase him. He was able to hide in a tree but was still destroyed by Sister.

Geez...how strong is this lady? I'm thankful I'm not in that tree. 

Rest in piece Mr Tree...

Iris thought. 

There are only 6 children left in this game of tag. In Iris' peripheral vision, she saw two little figures in the path Sister is taking and another one of the oldest running towards the two.

I guess I'll give them time...

She then started to jump tree by tree, trying to catch Sister's attention and it worked. 

Soon, there are no more trees in front and there was a cliff in her view, she jump down and was disappeared in Sister Krone's line of sight.

Iris never thought that after a while of hiding in a branch of a tree, she heard Sister's voice in the boulders near the tree she is.

In her senses, she saw 3 figures hiding in a boulder and she was sure who owns this presence and made a conclusion: Those three a while ago didn't make it far.

"Did you know? Both Norman's and Iris' weak point is stamina?" she heard sister Krone talking. "I heard Norman had a weak physique since he was young and Iris doesn't play too much~"

Did Mama told her?

Iris look at the direction of the voice and saw that the boulder the 3 are in are just beside the tree she's in. She pick up a dead twig and throw it at their direction.

Emma notice this and saw Iris, putting her index finger on her lips signing to be quiet.

"Ray's Achilles heel is that he gives up a little too early. He makes up his mind fast, and is also fast to abandon it all," she continue. "And Emma, yours is naivety~ You're so overly optimistic that you'd attempt to take others with you when you should be focusing in saving yourself."

Emma, as what her personality is, signed Iris to go. The younger girl's face remained straight but her eye blink.

'You should go' Emma mouthed.

But Iris is now hesitating to do so..

"Come on! It's time to give up! I won't do anything bad to you. If it was you who saw the 'goods' that day, then I'm on your side!"

Goods?

Iris' face now show confusion and worry. Worry because of leaving the 3 behind and confusion for a certain reason.

What do you mean by goods?

Suddenly, Krone surprised the children when she found where Emma and the 2 were hiding.

"Found you~!"

-----

Sitting on a branch of a tree and covering her mouth, Iris' thoughts are in a mess. She never moved out off the tree she was hiding when the three were tagged.

Does this mean that what Sister Krone just said confirmed my thoughts that something terrible did happened? Goods...as in like products?! I'm not sure with the monsters but I'll stick with human trafficking. 

Isn't this...really bad? Those trio have been keeping this to themselves and are secretly preparing. When will they even tell us?

As she was thinking, she noticed someone running towards her direction. Maybe, towards the boulders. She then saw Norman from a distance being chased by Sister Krone.

He soon disappeared and appeared standing tall on top of a boulder, staring down at the sister. Ray then pats her shoulder that made her flinch.

"Time's up," Ray announced.

Finally

"It's our win, Sister Krone," Norman added.

Iris jumps down to the ground that made the 3 startled.

"When did-"

"It's finally time~" Iris cuts off as she pats off the leaves out of her clothes. "-for me to go to the library. See you guys at dinner."

She turns around and wave back casually, leaving the dumbfounded three behind as she walk towards the house.

Let's settle this tonight.

-----

I have no idea if I'm confusing some of the readers because when I reread the past chapters, I sometimes get confused about what I've wrote. 

Please feel free to ask whenever you have questions on what have been happening. Also, note that I'm still an amateur writer and I'm not that good in explaining things so I hope I can answer your questions properly.

Thanks again for reading and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

-^-v