Disclaimer: The Magic Within Rewrite! Somewhat!! Connecting Chapter? Prologue? Who knows, but at this point, it’s simply a bit more info on the world this chapter is in. XD And with it, a bit more info on the characters themselves, as well as their appearances.
Beta Chapter: Awkward First Meetings
It wasn’t a beautiful day outside. Crows were cawing, and flowers no doubt drowning. On days like this, he really wished the dumbasses in his district would fuck off. But no; as the second hands of his clock continued ticking, beating down on his patience like the rain slamming against his window, Don decided that his wish was a stupid one.
Stress relief had to come in some shape or form after all. Be it from him to stop idiots desiring to be turned into paste against the walls. In their very own homes after all, cause he wouldn’t dirty his own with their blood. At this point, he just wished he didn’t put the fear into them as often, so they’d work up the nerve to try and attack.
…the clock continued ticking, unabated, and Don turned away from the traitorous contraption with a sigh. He’d replace it, but it was the only thing with a wolf engraving etched around the words “Hear Me Roar”. “You know, when it reaches 12, it does exactly that,” He mentioned wistfully. Then as an afterthought, “Roar I mean. With a guttural growl at first before rising to an echoing, high pitched howl that fades into the night.” A thing of beauty really, but, with a quick turn to the window, he decided that it wouldn’t reach as far.
Disappointing, but, not completely. ‘…’ Casting a quick glance over his shoulders, he found a pair of golden eyes, no, amber, peaking through dark brown bangs, wary curiosity gleaming within. Despite being in desperate need of a haircut, the boy looked to be younger than his counterpart, and with an interest in curious nick-knacks like his clock.
The other looked to be a year older, around 9, with brown curls pulled back into a loose bun, both combed and neatly held in place to the right with a cat-shaped hairpin. Unlike the boy, she was lightly bouncing on his couch, hands tightening and loosing around the edge of the cushions. ‘Not as interested,’ Don decided, but more active and desire to explore.
Not sure why though. His living room had the barest essentials. A couch and a tv, the former of which is being filled by a pair of kids. Other than that, this room only had two doors. One leading to the first-floor bathroom, while the second to the foyer that splits into a crossroad. South is the door out, right goes to the kitchen, while the northern passage would take him to a set of stairs leading both up and down. If given the chance, he’d no doubt the girl would sneak into the cellar with a smile on her face.
She had the eyes of mischief, one that usually displays innocence, but would no doubt try something when his back was turned…like…wait. Furrowing his brows, Don realized his back was turned right now, and yet nothing has happened. After a while, Don didn’t sense anything beyond honest curiosity, so he left it well alone.
The silence stretched between them was unnerving, and it was only the ticking of Don’s second-hand clock that kept him from losing his nerve. After all, how does a 12-year-old explain to kids years younger that he’ll be watching over them for the foreseeable future?
Casting another glance, his lips curled into a frown, the girl ‘Rei’, he was told, lightly curling the boy’s ‘Ko’s’ hair. Probably to keep her hands busy and distracted, though he was more curious about why the boy seemed to switch from stiffening up at her touch, to relaxing at others. Didn’t look like Rei was being rough with his hair either, but he supposed the more distracted they were, the longer he had time to think.
Tracing a finger along his neck, Don’s gaze darted to the TV, a sheen of black giving off a small reflection from the ceiling light above. It showed a black band coiled around his throat, and not for the first time, he wondered why the higher-ups would assign him children to watch over.
Trial Order’s, they were called, best made to be placed on a child upon birth, and to assess their growth and magical potential up to the age of 18, where a decision would be made. These things assess more than a person’s magical potential, but the very precipice they’ll stand on in the future, whether it’d be good or bad. It marks a person’s place in the world, based on their view of it, and judges the possible routes he or she would take.
A Scrying Ball to tell someone’s future, basically, made from probabilities and magical analytics. ‘…nothing but complete and utter bullshit.’ Tracing a finger along the band, his scowl deepened. Supposedly, it’s made to access a person’s future upon immediately being placed upon, something that can be ultimately decided with three colors.
Black. Grey. White. ‘Otherwise known as the Repulsive, Average, and Beautiful, something of which decides whether one’ll be a future criminal to your local hero.’ Infants marked with a Black Ring were condemned for life, either abandoned at birth, or spirited away, or as recently decided, sold off to the Capital to test their so-called Criminal Reformation Project.
The people in this world were idiots of the highest degree, and he’d gladly watch as they all burned for their stupidity. Maybe even crack a few bags of popcorn, watch as they climb up to freedom only for him to kick them back into the pyre.
It was an amusing thought, one that was unfortunately cut short by a quiet, flat tone that couldn’t quite hide his squeak. “Are you done monologuing?” Don raised a word at that, big word for a child, even if it wasn’t hard to pronounce.
But, it broke the silence, so he excused the cheek. “Are you done trying to threaten me in my own home?” Don retorted dryly, turning to face the child.
Ko didn’t respond, eyes narrowing into slits, but not out of malice as much it were surprise. The girl, Rei, he reminded himself looked more happy than surprised, meaning she knew very well what Ko had been doing despite the White Ring coiled around her neck. A stark contrast, considering the tan she seemed to bear, or maybe that was just her skin tone?
“You noticed?” She asked, curiosity lacing her tone with trail of airy giggles. Then, as if she remembered something, turned and tugged at Ko’s sleeve. His eyes flickered from him to her. “Okay, you can stop now lil’bro.” He looked like he wanted to protest, but Rei just tugged at his sleeve again, jerking a chin towards him with a smile. “Nothing’s been done. He noticed, and nothing’s been done.” Rei repeated, stressing the last part with barely restrained excitement.
Not that nothing could be done, since he wasn’t so sure what the kid was doing to begin with. All he sensed was the faint veil of magic in the air, thin, almost imperceptible. Ko was good at disguising his spells despite his age, very good, but if there was one thing he couldn’t hide, it was the overbearing presence that came with all Spell Casting.
The sensation that his heart was being wrapped by something, as if another layer was added over it. Not to a crushing degree that made it hard for him to breath of course, but…just enough for him to know it was there. A warning.
Ko’s attention flickered back and forth from his sister and him, uncertainty in his eyes. After a couple moments though, Rei tugged at his sleeve once more, a frown playing on her lips as she stressed the word “Ko.”
Her brother relented, and Don felt a weight lifted from his shoulders, both figuratively, and literally, since there was a mirror positioned right behind his couch, and he saw a faint ripple appear in the air above his head…in the shape of a wolf head with very sharp, pointy teeth.
‘…I’m honestly not sure whether I like this kid or not.’ It was clear Ko didn’t like him, but who would, given that he and his sister was just thrust into a house expected to live with a stranger. One designated as a Black Ring at that, though…eyeing the grey band around Ko’s neck, the shade flickering from dark to light, he couldn’t help but dread the future headaches to come. ‘…they dropped a Borderling on me? Seriously?!’
Met a few of them over the years, and if there’s one thing he can be sure of, is that they’re all Janus-faced sociopaths seeped in instability. Second Rarest to find compared to those with a White Ring like Rei, if only because they’re the only ones the Trial Order’s have issues with. Too…malleable, he decides, for a lack of a better word. Able to change their perspective on life quite easily, depending on who they’re with, but not in the way one’d expect.
“Please stop looking at him like that.” Someone stated, sadness tinging their voice. “I don’t like it when people look at him like that.”
Don blinked; a bit confused before he realized that he had been staring at Ko for…who knows how long. Long enough to make him dig his fingers into the cushion, toes curling, and canines digging into his lower lip. He wasn’t meeting his gaze, and for a brief moment, he felt something coil around his heart once more.
Only for a moment though, as Rei, instead of tugging his arm, ran her fingers through Ko’s hair, a worried frown on her lips. ‘…guess I know who’s the Older one now,’ Don admitted, watching as Ko’s twitching became less sporadic under his sister’s touch.
Soon after, he was no longer digging his fingers into things out of anxiety, instead leaning into the arm rest with a weary look in his eyes. It was then he noticed the heavy bags…and idly wondered just how long this kid’s gone without sleep.
Guess the little brother was out of commission for a while, but for some reason, instead of leaving things be, Rei decided to just switch locations, wrapped Ko’s hand in her own. The kid twitched, but only for a moment, before his eyes finally closed.
After a couple seconds, Rei turned to him. “That wasn’t very nice.”
Don’s answer was to point at the collar on his neck, but the girl simply tilted her head in confusion. “And?”
“I don’t have to play nice with a girl who sick’s her attack dog on me.” He retorted, jerking a thumb towards the sleeping child. “In my home no less, so being polite went out the window as soon as it had come.” Did she think that just because she didn’t word the command, that he wouldn’t figure things out? Her lack of response to her pet’s Spell, and what did come after it being brought up.
She knew full well what her brother, if he even believed that nonsense, was going to do and allowed it with a smile on her face. Goes to show you couldn’t judge a book by its co—
“235.” Rei stated bluntly, eyes drifting through the room. “You are number 235.”
Staring blankly, a bit annoyed at having his internal monologue interrupted, he frowned. “I prefer the number 666 thank you very much.”
Whether Rei heard him or not, Don couldn’t tell, but he did see her attention linger on his clock before stopping at him. It didn’t look like she liked it, so he wondered a bit about the why. “So, are you going to explain, or do I have to ask?”
Rei stared at him with blasé wonder. “That,” She stated, as if it explained everything…which is didn’t. “Your attitude. It’s weird.” Brows twitching, he was about to say something when she, almost as an afterthought add, “…or maybe not. I don’t know.”
“That I want Ko to stay,” She replied easily, as if the response was ingrained at this point. It probably was, since no one in their right mind would let a Borderling stay near a White Ring. “I told the Orderlies that, and they let me keep him.” Rei stated, as if reading his mind.
But, there was just one thing she said that made him scowl. ‘…keep?’ Eyes drifting to Ko, Don found he couldn’t see much of his previous behavior in him at all. No twitchy movements, dazed expressions, or fear. Malice was never brought up, despite his Spell’s…intended use. Just fear and anxiety, something he found lacking as Ko continued his sleep. “…you know he’s not a pet, right?”
Something strange flickered across Rei’s expression, her lips curling into a frown. “…I know.” She whispered. “…but he’s my little brother, and I want him out of that place.” Rei didn’t elaborate further, preferring to gently squeeze Ko’s hand, as if to reassure herself that he was still there. “It’s the only thing I can do with what he does to protect me.”
…and now Don kinda felt like a dick. “…you know you’re not going to get any pity from me, right?” There was no need to ask what that place was. However, he couldn’t help but ask anyway, knowing it’d probably damn him. “…but…235?” He asked, feet shuffling against the carpet. “…what do you mean I’m the 235th?”
Rei simply smiled. A small one, eyes closed. “You are 235,” she repeated airily, voice shaking near the end. “This is the 235th time I tried to find a home outside of The Foundation.”
Don…felt like he swallowed a bitter pill, one he wanted to vomit the moment it neared his taste-buds. “That’s…” He couldn’t find the words to say…and, well, even if he did, Don didn’t think they’d form. “…schedule?” He did not squeak.
“Once every three days,” She replied in disinterest. “I suppose you know what that means?”
Rei and Ko had been here for just a bit over two years, going back and forth from a place filled with lies and honeyed words, to a controlled experiment where the only choices are what’s given to them. Ko’s passive aggressive stance, and Rei’s willingness and attitude…they didn’t come from being children (which are generally rude brats in general) but by experience and resigned expectation.
The Foundation, in short, was the Capital of Raiha, a country situated to the northeastern most corner. It held natural borders from all sides, be it steep cliffs from the North and West, to a chain of Mountain Ranges leading from the Northwest to Southeast. In short, closed off from the rest of the world unless you find a way through the Acauline Mountains, or fly in without being shot down.
It wasn’t a big country, but neither was Raiha small. What it did have, however, was a Dictatorship that masqueraded as a Democracy, the first notable ruling being that upon receiving news of pregnancy woman are to be transported to The Foundation for the duration of their term. It was to ensure branding of newborns with Trial Order’s upon birth, and also worked as a make-shift Trial to discuss the child’s placements, and to discuss the parents decision about whether they want to keep the child or not.
After all, no~ one wanted to branded as a family of crimi—
A sudden snap pulled him from his thoughts, and he stared at a bemused Rei. “You…tend to fall into internal tangents, don’t you?”
“…Who wants to know?” Seriously, who wanted to know? Rei letting loose a string of faint giggles did not help with his confusion, but he decided it wasn’t important.
Eyes drifting to his clock, Don found the hour hand 2 dashes away from it’s midnight howling. He turned back to Rei with a frown, and bit his lower lip. “…so…what now…?” He asked. Cause whether he liked it or not, the Orderlies have assigned these two to live with him for…who knows how long.
He didn’t expect an answer. “Probably up to three days, if you’re lucky,” Rei mused, tapping her heel against his couch. “Same if you’re not.”
“…I’m going to need some exposition here.”
Rei only blinked; brows furrowed in a pout. “I…don’t know what that words means…but…if it’s what I meant by that, I’m not sure,” She shrugged, humming in curious whimsy. “I never see those Ko and I stay with again, but my brother said he made sure the last one made sweet, sweet love to the business end of a Kris, whatever that means.”
And while Rei pondered on who this Kris might’ve been, Don simply stared at the sleeping child, both mildly impressed and slightly curious about how these next three days would go.
Years later, Don watched as Ko wormed his way across his kitchen floor, bound by blue licorice, and filled with sugary vengeance to chomp down on the retreating Marshmallow Unicorns and Gummy Bears. Turning to Rei with a raised brow, he jutted a disappointed thumb towards the maniacally cackling idiot on the ground. “Your brother, your mess.”
Burritos in hand, he walked out of his kitchen, lightly flicking Rei on the nose on the way. The sister didn’t bother to turn, perfectly content to giggle in amusement, and watch Ko do the cleaning up for her. He’s always had a sweet tooth after all.
