Sincerity vs. Allurement
The sun was high in the sky, slowly beginning its waning descent as the day wore onward. This was the time where consumers would be finishing their shopping, the hustle and bustle lessening, but still active. It was best to be home before the night fell, for when the darkness came, there would be little to protect foolish wanderers. Daylight had its dangers, ones Kei guarded for at all times. Moonlight, however, brought a different world to the surface, one more sinister, one infested with the scuttling rats of humankind.
“Now, remember what I told you?” asked Kei, with a fold of his arms as he eyed Sky carefully.
The two of them were standing a few feet away from a meat shop, which was set up on a street adjacent to the main street. Few shops were speckled along its length, with groups of people haggling in front. The atmosphere was much calmer than the main street, so Kei had taken time to drill a few rules into Sky’s head – but there was no way of knowing if they had stuck.
“Yes, you said I could smile at this lady,” said Sky, nodding seriously; his eyebrows were furrowed as if he were taking Kei’s instructions deeply to heart.
“Right,” said Kei, unsure if the kid was really getting it. “Just don’t do anything weird, though.”
“Weird as in what?” asked Sky with a tilt of his head. He blinked a few times.
“Yeaaah…” said Kei, pursing his lips afterward. There was a pause. “Just about everything you do has some element of weird.”
“Really?”
The tilt of the head became more prominent.
“Yeah… pretty much,” said Kei with a slow nod. “So, remember – keep your mouth shut.”
“Right!” Sky faltered for a moment, hesitating. “But—”
“No buts about it. Watch and learn.”
Kei walked up to the meat stand, clear of other consumers, with a determined air, not giving the boy a chance to question further; Sky quickly followed after him.
Meats of all types were laid out on wax paper on top of a slanted wooden countertop. Other meats hung in the air over the counter. Poultry, ham, beef, or oddities like snake were a few to mention of the assortment at the stall. Behind the counter were endless amounts of meats held in baskets or hanging from the wooden shafts beneath the tent roof. Flies buzzed frantically through the air, surrounding the meats with excitement. The pungent smells of the meat were savory, sweet, and spicy to the nose.
Kei looked over the meat with a trained eye. He had learned from experience – sometimes unpleasant ones – which were the freshest. A woman appeared from within the tent area. She was a bit plump and shorter than Sky. Her head was halfway wrapped in a cloth and the pleasant wrinkles on her face suggested she was in her late forties to early fifties.
“Well, how may I help—Ah! Kei, isn’t it? How’re you, dear?” said the woman, smiling wildly at the sight of Kei.
“Very lovely, my fine lady,” said Kei, dropping his voice into a smooth, silky tone. His voice was low and its effect showed all over the woman’s face. “I need a pound of your finest steak today.”
“Well, of course,” said the woman, placing her hands over her pink cheeks. “Always the best, eh, Kei?”
“Which is why I always come here,” said Kei with a languid wave of his hand, his mouth spreading into a charming smile. Years of practice were at work in Kei’s actions, from the tilt of his head to the flattering tone of his voice.
“Oh, you’re too much—Oh!” The woman’s attention found Sky, who was standing next to Kei with a bright smile. “You brought a little friend. Isn’t he a cute little thing!”
Sky smiled, the sticky sweetness overflowing, and bowed slightly. “How do you do? My name is Sky.”
“Heavens!” exclaimed the woman, a hand flying to her mouth. She squealed, “What a little sweetie! And so polite!”
Kei felt a shot of annoyance that, already, Sky wasn’t following his instructions. He had told the kid to act shy around this woman. She would gush and think him adorable, before returning to the job at hand.
Honestly, what was so hard about paying attention?
“I haven’t seen you before, sweetie,” continued the woman, obviously unaware of Kei’s current frustration with his young companion. “Where are you from, dear?”
“Ah, oh…” Sky trailed off, giving Kei a nervous glance. He squirmed, as if unsure how to respond to a question he didn’t wish to answer. Kei noted the reaction. “You know, around… Bu–but Kei… uh, he—I’ll be staying with him – he’s taking me in,” Sky stammered, finishing quickly, his eye constantly flicking away from long term eye contact.
“Ah!” The woman’s eyes grew big. She leaned forward, as if inquiring about a secret. “Kei, is this true?”
Kei let an elaborate shrug lift his shoulders. He gave Sky a pat on the cheek and smiled amiably at the woman.
“Yup, I got myself another mouth to feed before I show him the rope of things ‘round here.”
“You poor dear!” cried the woman. “You’re so kindhearted,” she continued, seeming to be touched – understandably, since there weren’t many who would take on an extra mouth. “Oh, I know just the thing—” The woman turned midsentence and hurried into the shop tent, disappearing inside.
Kei smirked.
Well, that was easy. Personal relations were important in the daily dealings of merchants. If a merchant didn’t like someone, without a doubt, prices would be jacked up. Not so much to be noticeable to the average person, but enough to make a difference – which was why Kei learned early how to deal with each shop owner. People were different, genders were different, ages were different. With each individual, Kei did his best to please them. Everyone had their quirks and unique traits and, with the right mode, anyone could be convinced of anything – especially the softer souls, like Sky. This was the first step in Sky’s training on how to become a man one day.
With that, perhaps arrogant, smirk tugging at his lips, Kei leaned closer to Sky and fingered to him.
“Lend me your ear.”
Sky leaned closer. Kei’s lips nearly touched skin as he let out a silky soft whisper, “And that’s how you handle a woman.” He pulled back as Sky rubbed his ear. The boy’s cheeks blushed with a faint shade of pink.
“Is–is that so?”
“Yup.”
Sky turned his gaze to the ground. His hands clasped together, twisting in nervousness. His lower lip tucked into his mouth, his teeth showing.
“Though,” began Sky uncertainly, briefly tucking in his lip again before continuing, “Wasn’t your tone with her… a little—”
“Charming?” interrupted Kei, his smirk widening.
“Sly… I’d say,” said Sky, looking back up, his gaze colliding with Kei’s again. There was a gentle, yet strong light in his eye; his features furrowed. “Deceptive, even.”
“Don’t be foolish, Sky,” said Kei, folding his arms and looking at him with piercing eyes. “Learn from this and learn how to do it. I’m not letting you mooch off me forever, you know. You’re a bit older than the other strays I’ve rescued. You have to stand on your own two feet one day.” Kei prodded Sky’s shoulder with a finger. “Understand?”
Sky lowered his gaze again and nodded. “Yes…”
“Good boy.”
Sky bit his lip.
Kei could tell the other boy didn’t like it, but that was life. Even the youngest of the strays – barely three years old or so – had a slight inkling of what was required in the world. Kei had never met such an innocent child in his life in the form of Sky. Innocence was great, but it was always cruelly stripped away by adults. There was no time to shelter Sky.
He needed to learn.
He needed to survive.
“Ah, sorry to keep you waiting.” The woman came out of the shop tent, her arms filled with a brown paper package. “I’ve got my very best and freshest steak for you.”
“Oh, thank you so much,” said Kei, his voice reverting to that alluring nature he had used earlier, although there was genuine appreciation.
“And I threw in an extra one for free, for the little sweetie here,” purred the woman, giving Sky a blushing smile. “Because taking on another mouth is so noble.”
“Eh? Really?” said Sky, lighting up. A gentle, yet powerfully kind smile flooded through his features. It was both unnatural and beautiful. The boy bowed again, bending his body low. “Thank you so much!”
“You—you did?” asked Kei, taken aback; his eyes widened at the implications. An extra steak… That was worth three silver runes, at least. The woman handed him the brown paper package as Kei handed her three silver runes.
“Oh, he’s such a cutie,” glowed the woman as she watched Sky lift up out of his bow. “You be sure to come back soon, okay? Both of you now.”
“Sure thing,” said Kei, uncertainty rising up inside his chest. His arms tightened around the package. “Let’s go, Sky.”
“Right! Thank you again!” The boy waved happily to the woman, before hurrying after Kei.
What had just occurred went against everything Kei had ever learned. His mind raced through the scene over again, determined to understand – but, in the end, Kei only came to one feeling: confusion. This woman was apt to blush when a younger man gave her any attention. Thus, that was the mode Kei played while in her presence.
But with a bright smile and a few kind words, those things had melted her beyond Kei’s capabilities. What did Sky have that he hadn’t had? What power did Sky hold over others that would make them at ease around him? Kei wasn’t stupid – he had seen the contours of the woman’s face; she had let her guard down around Sky.
No one let their guard down in this city – that was fatal.
So, how did Sky do it? There hadn’t been a secret angle nor a hidden motive – Sky had merely smiled because he had wanted to, because it came naturally to him. A child that young being this polite, it boggled the mind. The more Kei tried to figure it out, the more stumped he became.
“I don’t get it,” said Kei, half to himself. They were walking down a wide alleyway. The stone buildings on either side rose high above their heads and waning sunlight made the alleyway darker than normal. Sky’s face was shadowed with rays of dark orange as he tilted his head to the side.
“Get what?”
“She totally fell for you.”
“E–eh?”
“I’ve never been able to get extra,” said Kei with a shake of his head. “A discount occasionally, but never one whole extra steak.”
Sky gave Kei a soft smile, leaning forward with his hands clasped behind his back. “Well, maybe you should try a sincere smile instead of a sly one.”
Irritation smashed into Kei’s chest. How dare this kid question him. How dare he, when Kei had rescued him from the jaws of Purgatory itself. Sky wouldn’t have survived a day as a slave. The world was filled with horrible monsters who didn’t care about propriety, but only about their rapacious, unfathomable desires.
Kei clicked his tongue and slammed his fist against the wall in front of Sky, pushing the boy against the cool stone. Sky’s hands pressed against the rough texture of the wall.
“You seriously are annoying, you know that?” snarled Kei. “What the heck would you know of anything? Huh?”
Kei grabbed the boy’s shirt and pushed him harder against the wall, bending his arm to press against Sky’s collarbone. The boy gave out a soft cry, wincing; fear flashed in that grey blue eye. His lips trembled as he gasped. Kei ignored him and leaned in close to his face.
“You know what you come across as?” whispered Kei icily. “You come across as a happy little pup who knows nothing about the reality of life. I don’t know where you came from or why you dropped in my life, but now I’m stuck with you. So, you better wise up and wise up fast.”
Kei shoved him against the wall.
“I–I was just saying—”
“Enlighten me with your vast wisdom of the world when you’ve actually had some experience,” snapped Kei, coldness whirling inside his tone, as he waved his hand to the side derisively. “It’s so obvious you’ve had no experience living alone in the world. You have no idea of its cruelty, do you?”
The wind shifted, a gentle breeze blowing through Kei’s hair. A dog barked in the distance; the wind whined as it blew through alleyways; the dull murmur of people’s voices buzzed lightly through the air. There was a long moment of silence between the two boys.
Sky’s eye clouded over as it shifted his gaze to the side. “Cruelty? No, you’re right. I don’t know,” he whispered, his expression pained. “But it depends on what you mean by alone.”
Kei cocked his head to the side.
“Alone as in completely alone,” he whispered. “No parents, no friends, no food, no water, no shelter – completely, utterly, destitutely alone. You’ve no idea what it’s like having all that you’ve ever known taken away from you in one terrible instant.”
There was that moment in life, where everything felt as if it were the end, as if nothing could get worse and nothing could get better. Some called it hitting rock bottom, others called it nadir – while Kei referred to it as an endless desert of black sand, where the darkness was so oppressive it suffocated all light.
A place of no hope; a place where it couldn’t exist – the life of hope itself being squeezed to its death by the horrible shadowed hands of the darkness.
Kei had reached that point once, wondering if he’d ever rise up again from its depths. At the time, it had felt like that, a point where there was no one to drop their hand in and offer support. The people around him had been nothing but the darkness incarnate.
Kei clenched his teeth, forcing the wave of thoughts – which began to plague him – at bay. The nausea slowly inched its way up his throat. He forced it back down, gritting his teeth; and all the while, he still observed Sky with a strong glare. Kei’s chest lifted twice in quick breaths, despite his efforts to maintain control.
Sky’s eye contact met his own; a steel glint flashed there.
“I have experienced no parents and no friends,” whispered Sky. “I’ve always been provided for, physically. But the feeling of utter despair of being all alone – that I have felt. Being surrounded by countless people, yet not one actually caring for you as a person – that I’ve felt as well.”
A long moment passed where the two of them stared at each other. Kei knew the boy spoke the truth, finding him painfully honest and easy to read. The glint in his single visible eye showed great emotion. Sky might not have experienced the depths of Purgatory itself – as Kei had – but he had tasted of solitude, it appeared. No parents… Nonetheless, it didn’t make Sky an expert. That didn’t mean he knew anything about survival. So, he’d been lonely. No act of evil had been committed against him. Everyone got lonely. The boy should be thankful that was the only thing he had endured.
Kei didn’t move. Sky bit his lip and lowered his head, his gaze downward. He whispered, “I’m sorry…”
An eyebrow twitched. “For what?”
“For making you remember painful things,” murmured Sky, with such tenderness and compassion in his expression, it made Kei feel nonplussed. “You must’ve had it hard, haven’t you?”
Kei blinked, staring; it was a little unnerving Sky had that much intuition. Sure, he made it clear that life was difficult, but for the boy to be this perceptive – when he was the epitome of airhead – it was nothing short of stunning. Kei put a hand to his forehead.
“Come on, we’re going to one more shop before we’re done,” said Kei, trying to process the new information about the kid. “This guy’s a grump, so don’t do anything stupid.”
“Did I before?”
Kei snorted. “No, but you’re prone to it.”
“I’ll do my best, then,” said Sky with a bright smile. He quickened his steps to walk beside Kei, who had resumed the walk down the alleyway. “What are we buying?”
“He sells vegetables.”
“Oh.” There was a gentle blink of a grey blue eye. “But doesn’t your friend sell them, too? Shouldn’t you buy from him?”
Kei involuntarily twitched. “No way.”
“But why not?” asked Sky.
“Your voice is grating on me like a pest,” snapped Kei.
“Tell me why, then,” said Sky, persistent; he placed a hand onto Kei’s shoulder – it was shrugged off. Kei let out a resigned sigh. Kid couldn’t take a hint, could he?
“Fine. Nolst is more expensive. And…” Kei lowered his voice, trying not to feel embarrassed. “My usual tactics don’t work on him.”
There was a slight choking noise from the kid. Kei looked over to see Sky rush to put a hand to his mouth. His shoulders shook with the visible effort to control it.
“What?”
“—you—” Sky’s voice cut off, his shaking worsening.
Kei raised an eyebrow, annoyed. “Well, what’s so funny?” he asked, against his better judgment.
“You—you can’t win Nolst over with that signature sly smile of yours,” cried Sky, laughter pouring out at the end of his sentence. His light husky voice sounded like a soft melody in the air. Kei’s face grew hot and he pulled Sky along by the arm. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Sky laughed. “Ow–ow, your grip.”
“Sorry my butt,” snapped Kei, loosening his hold. “I didn’t realize you had it in you to be a real jerk.”
Sky giggled. “But you have to admit – you had it coming to you.”
“Did I now?” said Kei, drawling lightly; the annoyance licked at his insides. Would shaking this kid until his brain rattled do him any good? Probably not, but it would make Kei feel better.
“You’re pretty sure of yourself it seems,” said Sky with a soft smile.
“And you talk way too much.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I know. I hear that a lot from you.”
They continued their walk through the streets, passing by numerous shops, never without being called out to from within each stall. Sky was curious with every one, as if drinking in the contents of each article. At one point, Kei noticed the boy wasn’t following him any more, hanging back with a glittering eye over a stall’s merchandise.
Feeling thoroughly tired by now, Kei took Sky by the wrist without another word and dragged him away from the despondent shop keeper. He held onto the boy until they reached the designated shop: a stall overflowing in a variety of fruits and vegetables.
“Afternoon, lads,” said a man, standing up from his seat and walking to the counter. He was a large man, well muscular and fit; his face was filled with a hard working vigor. His short dark hair was receding at the hairline and his face was clean shaven. “What can I do for ya?”
“I’d like a few of these and these,” said Kei, pointing to an assortment of vegetables. “So, how’s business?” he asked, striking up conversation.
“I keep getting hit by a bunch of rugrats,” grumbled the man as he gathered up the requests. “It’s enough to wonder if I’m in the right business at all.”
“Hit?” asked Sky.
“Stolen from,” said Kei.
Sky clapped a hand to his mouth, gasping. His hands dropped, before he said in shock, “You mean people stole your stuff?”
“Happens all the time around here, Sky. Nothing new.”
“Yeah,” said the man, “and I’m at my wits end because of it.”
“It’s definitely a concern,” said Kei with a nod.
Perfect timing, finally—
Kei’s thoughts were silenced by Sky’s clap and happy exclamation.
“The children mentioned something to me,” said Sky excitedly. “One of them said you make security devices and sell them. Kei, you should tell this man about your work!” Sky expectantly looked with eagerness from Kei to the man.
Sky, you idiot!
The kid’s impulsive, clueless mouth just ruined everything now. Oh, he was going to permanently sew this boy’s mouth shut. When I get you home, kid… Kei had spent the better half of the week trying to build a relationship with the shop owner. This man was cautious, and at times, tetchy; therefore, Kei had worked slowly in coming to the man’s shop, casually building conversations with him.
“You sell a security device?” asked the man, turning his gaze to Kei.
“Uh, yeah, I do, actually,” said Kei nervously, worried about pressuring the man. “I have one with me now, but if you’re not—”
“Show me.”
“—interested—u–uh, sure,” said Kei, his mind swirling in shock and confusion. Hurriedly, he got his knapsack and pulled out a metal box. He felt unsettled by this sudden turn of events, unable to maintain his usual control over the flow. Kei lifted it up to show them both, before he said, “This is it.”
“Uwaah! So amazing!”
“How does it work?” asked the man.
“Well, it monitors human heartbeats. A physical reaction occurs when a person lies, does something risky, or exciting. This device will ring an alarm when it senses that – usually warning of a potential theft.” Kei handed the device to the man. “Green button resets the alarm and orange rings me for maintenance.”
The man studied the device for a good minute. He turned the box around, his hazel eyes taking in every detail. Kei held his breath for a moment, before forcing himself to breathe. If Sky had screwed this up for him, the brat wasn’t getting any dinner tonight.
“Two buttons, that’s it?” asked the man, looking up at Kei.
“Pretty simple. But you need guards, too, for—”
“How much?”
“—huh? Uh–uh, five silver runes.”
“I’ll take it.”
Kei’s eyebrows shot upward, disappearing beneath his bangs. For a moment, no words came to his throat, until he choked out, “You—you’ll take it?”
So fast?
“Of course!” exclaimed the man excitedly, handing Kei five silver runes. “I’ve been waiting for something like this for ages now.”
Kei was taken aback. He had never seen the man this emotional over anything. His physical makeup showed how well he held such things to the heart, from the rugged physique to the closed expression on his face – this man never inflected his voice over anything.
Kei lifted his hand, not paying attention. Five silver runes dropped into his palm. On instinct, he inclined his head graciously. “Thank you for your business, sir.”
“If you have any other interesting things like this, let me know,” said the man, not a trace of sarcasm or untruth in his voice. Thrown further off guard, Kei nodded.
“S–sure…”
“Oh, you wanted something—here—” The man grabbed two of each of a number of vegetables and handed them to Sky. “I can’t thank you two enough. This’ll save my business for sure. Have your dinner on me as my thanks.”
Kei could barely stop himself from dropping his jaw.
“What?”
“But–but this is so much!” exclaimed Sky.
“Oh, it’s not, really,” said the man, declining Sky’s efforts to return the produce. “Please take it as my gratitude. I’ll ring your device if I need assistance.”
“Thank you so much!” cried Sky.
“Yes, thank you,” said Kei in sincerity, giving the man a nod. He turned to Sky. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Right!” said Sky. He waved to the man. “Thanks again!”
As they walked through the street, Kei didn’t show any sign of his feelings. He had never been this thrown off course in the past five years. Sky had been more effective with the shop owners by simply being himself than Kei had been using all his tactics. It was baffling, not to mention a bit annoying.
It wasn’t until they were clear of the shop when Kei allowed himself to shake his head. “This is absolute madness,” he said. “What are you, a good luck charm or something?”
“Possibly,” said Sky with a happy glow, walking with a bounce in his step, his arms holding tight onto the food.
“I just don’t get it,” muttered Kei.
At this rate… Free stuff… Increased sales… I might actually get ahead.
Instead of training Sky to become independent – although Sky didn’t seem like he’d reach that point any time soon, anyway – Kei could form a partnership with him. Despite his youth, there’d come a time when Sky could become quite the formidable partner, once he got his head out of the clouds.
They could go places together where they couldn’t on their own.
We could leave the city, this horrible city…
“Sky.”
Kei stopped in the middle of the street. A few people grumbled at his abrupt standstill, veering away from him. A group of laughing children darted past. The air was still heavy with the ambient noise of the crowds, the smells of the various shops still prevalent. The daylight waned further, the sun unseen above the tall buildings.
Sky turned around. “Hm?”
“If I let you stay at my place indefinitely,” began Kei, wondering if the prospect of freedom from the city was clouding his judgment. “Will you join me in my rounds like this? I’ll make more money with your help. And then, you wouldn’t have to worry about surviving on your own or getting captured by the slavers. I’ll watch over you in return, permanently.”
Sky sucked in his breath. He paused for a moment, before he lit up into a bright smile. “Mhm! Sounds like a deal.”
“Well, then,” said Kei with a wry smile. “Let’s go home and make the best stew you have ever tasted.”
“Lead the way!”
With that, Kei began the walk through the streets again with Sky trailing behind him. The main street, which was a few streets away from their location, was the central road of the lower class section. The further they got away from it, the closer they got to the outer edge of the city.
After about ten minutes, Kei took Sky by the wrist, making sure to have a strong hold on the boy, and turned away from the last wide street to walk through more alleyways towards the outer rural area. These buildings were shorter than the interior buildings and mainly included housing. Cracks adorned the dilapidated sandstone walls, dried dirt clinging to their surfaces. Trash, rotten fruit, empty liquor bottles, and broken ceramics filled the edges of the alleyways; occasionally, a body – whether dead or alive, it didn’t matter – was mixed within the garbage. The scent of alcohol was strong, among other foul odors. Sky sucked in his breath, but Kei tightened his grip on the boy.
“Look forward,” said Kei. “Don’t look down.”
Sky didn’t answer, but didn’t fight. However, he didn’t listen to the warning and would not take his gaze off the darker areas of this section of the city.
“Almost there,” said Kei, after passing a more stomach turning alleyway: the boy had whimpered loudly.
Kei turned around one last corner, reaching the edge of the city. There was an open clearing, with houses facing each other. At the edge was a two story apartment with separate living quarters for two tenants, one for the first level and the other for the second level. The single room below the second story was vacant, however. As for other neighbors, Kei avoided associating with them another than a simple greeting.
On the front side of the house, there was a window on each floor. On the right side, there was a door to the first level, while on the left side of the house was a stone stairway, which led to the second floor. Next to the stairway lay an alleyway with a wooden cellar door. The alleyway opened out to the vast desert sands. The oppressive landscape filled the entire horizon, with nothing but mountains of sand as far as the eye could see.
Kei climbed up the stairway, reaching the wooden door. Sky followed after him, glancing at everything with reserved curiosity, though the bright light of purity had fallen somewhat.
“This is my place,” said Kei, unlocking his door and pushing it open.
Inside was a small, single living space with a second room, a bathroom, connected by a door a few feet away on the right side. A single bed lay lengthwise on the right side in the back and a two seat couch sat next to it. There was a stove on the right of the main door. A large glassless window was on the left wall, letting in the natural sunlight.
While the home wasn’t large, it was one Kei had been lucky to afford. Renting had been another option, but owning it brought protection from being kicked out. While the area was still lower class, it wasn’t the slums. What Sky had witnessed in the alleyways was tame compared to other sections of the city. Many couldn’t afford renting, let alone buying a home. Gratitude for the simple blessings in life was something Kei would never take for granted. Having a marketable skill and a decent customer base were the products of hard work, with a mixture of blessed luck.
“Bathroom’s on the right. You’ll be bunking out on the couch. It’s a pullout bed,” said Kei, pointing to each in turn, before setting his knapsack onto a table, which sat next to the stove. He unwrapped his cloak from his shoulders and tossed it aside into a corner.
“Uwaah! What’s all this?” asked Sky.
Kei looked over at what drew the boy’s attention. “Oh, those?” he said, as Sky gazed eagerly at the numerous parts, wires, metal plating, and other things on the table. “Those are my inventions or my devices. You know, like the device I sold to that shop owner. Most of that there are parts, though. Speaking of which, I’m running out again.”
Kei took the vegetables from Sky’s arms. He pushed the assortment of parts to the end and laid out a few vegetables. He put the extras into the ice box, which was beneath the table, and pulled out a bag of cooked beans. He laid out the fresh meat. There were stone shelves built into the wall above the table, which held various kitchenware – plus non-perishable shelf food. In preparation for the stew, Kei pulled out a jar of chicken broth, pouring the entire contents into a pot on the stovetop. He lowered his hand and snapped his fingers.
Beneath the bottom of the pot, fire blazed into life.
“These are so amazing,” said Sky, picking up one of the devices. He looked over it with interest. “How do they run?”
“Do you really wanna know?” asked Kei, smiling slyly. He adjusted the fire, turning it down with one of the knobs on the stove. He grabbed a knife from a shelf and began to chop up some of the vegetables.
“Of course!”
“Magic,” said Kei, his deep blue eyes lighting up mischievously. He finished chopping the vegetables and dumped them into the pot of broth, putting in the whole bag of cooked beans as well. Kei glanced over at Sky, a wry grin spreading his lips, and lifted his eyebrows in a double bounce.
“Magic?” repeated Sky.
“That’s right, magic.”
“Now you’re just teasing me.”
Kei let out a small laugh as he wrapped up the leftover meat, having chopped and dumped some chunks into the stew. He placed the meat into the icebox and began stirring the stew with a large spoon, while smashing some of the beans to make it creamy.
“Actually, I’m quite serious.”
“Really?”
“Yup, I inject a little magic in them,” said Kei, smiling. “I started the stove without a match, too – didn’t you see? My devices run on magic. However, the energy source fades over time, so I need to refill them. That’s why I have a maintenance button.”
“So amazing!” cried Sky, clapping his hands together excitedly. “To think you could use magic in this way!”
“Oi, would you calm down?” asked Kei, tired out already. “Look, go sit down and wait. Our stew will be done in thirty minutes or so.”
Sky pouted again, the light in his eye fading. But he didn’t complain and walked over to the couch. He sat on the edge of the seat, while placing his hands into his lap. He watched the stovetop with some interest. When the stew’s consistency became thick after stirring for a few minutes, Kei put the lid on and lowered the heat to a simmer. He pulled out two ceramic bowls from a shelf, along with two spoons. A few more minutes and the stew would be ready. It could’ve cooked longer, but hungry stomachs wouldn’t wait.
“Kei…” started Sky uncertainly, after a few minutes of silence, a hint of uneasiness within his tone.
“Hm?”
“Do you live alone?”
Kei turned off the fire; he didn’t look at Sky. “Don’t see anyone else around here, do you?”
“Where’s… your family?”
“My secrets are my own,” said Kei, standing back while taking the lid off the pot. A flume of smoke mushroomed upward. Kei waved the steam away with the lid. He took his ladle and scooped a small amount, before blowing on it for a taste test. Unsatisfied, Kei tossed a few pinches of salt into the pot, giving the stew one last stir, before ladling it into two ceramic bowls. He looked over at Sky, making eye contact. “And your secrets are your own. You’re holding back information about yourself, aren’t you?”
Sky blinked; his hands clenched together. “H–how did you know?”
Kei shrugged, putting a spoon into each bowl. He walked over to Sky, handed him a bowl, before plopping onto the couch next to the boy. “Pretty obvious, if you ask me. You should work on that, you know. So, don’t pry into my life and I won’t pry into yours.”
Kei sipped at his stew, disregarding his spoon. Sky’s gaze continued to bore into him. He tried to ignore it, but his annoyance peaked.
“What?” demanded Kei.
“It’s just…” Sky bit his lower lip. “I thought you wanted to be partners.”
Kei drew a hand over his face. “Does that mean I should unload my whole life story and soul out to you?” he snapped. “It’s a partnership, not a marriage, you idiot. Geez, what’s wrong with you?”
“I only meant as friends!” cried Sky hotly. “Friends can share things, too, you know.”
“You first, then.”
“Huh?”
“Lay it on me,” said Kei; his tone dropped sharply. He pulled his bowl away from his mouth. “Who are you? Why’d you really run away? Why are you wearing an eye patch? Why are you clueless about simple things?”
Sky bit his lip, breaking away from the piercing gaze. Kei took this as his cue to continue.
“See? You aren’t ready either. We just met, after all. So, until you’re ready to bare your entire soul, don’t expect me to,” snapped Kei. He glanced away, his eyes cold. “Even then, don’t expect much from me,” he added under his breath. Kei continued sipping his stew, hoping Sky would shut up now.
After a moment, “I’m sorry…”
“Yeah, yeah,” said Kei, rolling his eyes; heaven forbid the boy actually have a quiet moment. “I know. Somehow, I think I’ve heard this before.”
A broody silence fell between them.
By the time they had finished eating, getting seconds and putting away leftovers, the sun had faded across the horizon, bathing the room with the last of its orange light. The golden, blue rays dimmed the lighting in the room, deep shadows forming. Kei grabbed one of his devices from the table and pressed a button. Unnatural white light flooded the room, erasing the sunrays in a single, bright flash.
“Wow,” cried Sky, his eye blinking rapidly, adjusting to the brightness. “Another one of your inventions?”
“Indeed.”
“I’ve never seen something like this before.”
“Merchants bring such devices like this here all the time,” said Kei. He smiled, a slight excitement building up inside. “There are even some cities that have these types of devices all throughout the streets – light for everyone at whatever hour.”
Kei looked out the window, the view displaying the desert lands across the horizon. The figure of a tree in the distance was the sole difference within the endless landscape. Kei focused his gaze on it, his heart yearning for what lay beyond that solitary point.
“Can you imagine?” he whispered, his eyes never wavering off the lone tree. “Cities out there that aren’t dark at night. Never ending light… They’ll never get lost in the darkness… Someday… Someday I want to visit one of those places.”
“Sounds nice,” said Sky, his tone wistful. He came over to stand next to Kei, who was now leaning out the open window with his arms on the windowsill.
In the ideal, it would’ve been nice. But like the upper class marketplace, everything had a price. A wall, which regulated gates barred entrance to, encircled the upper class and only those who paid twenty-five silver runes could shop there. The city of Allegetra held an approximate of two hundred and fifty thousand people – and eighty percent of them lived outside that terrible wall.
The rich lived in luxury, while those who did not live within those gilded walls were doomed to reality. Such reality meant little to no food, or no shelter, or no safety. Such reality meant oppression from the soldiers to the crown. Such reality meant slavery was rampant among the city and anyone could fall prey to it. Such reality meant survival of the strong. Kei was one of those blessed people in the outer walls who could support himself. He ate three meals a day, had a small place of his own, and made a surplus to support his ‘hobby.’
Not everyone could say the same.
No matter how much Kei wanted to leave this city, joining a caravan had an outrageous price. While caravans traveled to the city, immigration out of the city was strictly constrained – mostly due to the ten gold rune price. Hitching a stowaway ride wasn’t possible and solo travel across the desert was suicide. One would think that because of the restricted travel away from the city, there would be an exterior wall holding people prisoner.
There was no such wall.
“It takes money, though,” said Kei, continuing with a light tone. He spoke with confidence and hope, but in his heart he knew he’d never be able to leave the city. “A lot. I’ve been saving up my money, so I can travel to one someday. But that’s in the very far off future.” Kei turned around, leaning his elbows onto the ledge and looking up at Sky with a wry smile. “Seeing as I’ve managed to pick up too many strays along the way to get ahead.”
“You mean…”
“Yeah, I help support them.” Kei looked up at the ceiling. “It’s my own fault if I’m stuck here for the rest of my life. But I can’t let a slaver get away with stealing and selling another human being right before my eyes.”
There was a quiet moment, before a hand rested onto his shoulder. He looked over to see Sky gazing at him intently. Kei raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“You are such a selfless person.”
He rolled his eyes, brushing Sky’s hand away with a small snort. “You’re really weird, you know. Stop doing that. Just because I stop a few slavers, it doesn’t mean I’m some benevolent guy here.”
“I’m being serious,” said Sky earnestly. “You are selfless.”
“Still weird.”
“It’s just that…” Sky trailed off. He looked out over the horizon. A longing entered there. “I’ve never met someone who would sacrifice their own goals or needs for the needs of so many others.”
“Never, huh?” said Kei. “Where do you hail from, hm? From what I’ve gathered, you come from a place where people are openly polite, but internally are creeps. Am I far off?”
Sky jerked in surprise. He looked down at the ground. “…more or less…” he mumbled.
Kei let out a low whistle. “Some place that is. No wonder you left. I would, too.”
Sky nodded, biting his lower lip, but he remained silent. Kei didn’t press him any further. It was obvious the kid was holding back and, though Kei was curious, he wasn’t going to pry – follow his own instructions, after all.
Soon, the sun slipped below the horizon and the night sky became dark. Stars glimmered within the dusty blue heavens. The wind slowly blew against the window, letting in a cool evening breeze. It would get cold as the night progressed. Kei pushed himself up, yawning and stretching widely.
“It’s getting late now. Time for bed.”
“Eh? It’s not late,” protested Sky.
“Oh, should I add ‘old night owls’ to the description of that distant land you come from?”
Sky gave no answer. Kei dug underneath his bed and pulled out a small single drawer, which took up one third of the space beneath the bed. He pulled out his bedtime clothes and tossed them onto his bed. Kei turned to the couch and threw the cushions aside, pulling out the bed for Sky. It was already prepared with a blanket and sheet.
“But—”
“I go to bed with the sun and I wake up with the sun,” said Kei. He pointed at Sky with a strict expression. “And that means, so do you.” Kei clambered over the second bed and onto his own. He tossed his extra pillow onto the pullout bed. “Hand me the light,” he said, pointing to it. Sky tossed the light towards Kei, who caught it expertly. With a press of a button, the room fell into darkness.
“Ah! At least wait for me to get settled!”
“Hurry it up, will ya?” said Kei, clicking his tongue. He gave Sky a moment of light to get into his bed, before the room fell dark again. In the darkness, Kei slipped into his bedtime clothes, shoving the dirty clothing underneath the bed. He flopped back, letting out a tired but satisfied sigh. He went underneath the covers and let himself relax, breathing deeply.
“Kei?”
“Hm?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Everything, I suppose.”
An annoyed sigh flowed through the dark room. “Words don’t pay for food. Show me your gratitude with your actions tomorrow.”
“Mhm! I’ll do that.”
“Heh. I’m counting on you, then.”