A World With/Out Home

Chapter 19: Rejection (Part 2)

The lunch meal was much livelier than usual. Between cooking, caring and dealing with the barrage of questions from the children, Kyle barely had enough leeway to eat his own food. Much of his attention however was paid to the three newcomers. Before he had left Maila told him about what the children were once like. That they were nothing compared to now, almost like simple machines made to train and learn to pretend Hero. Seeing Andre, Claudia and Misty he could see where it came from. The three's expressions were almost blank and a lot of the time they would stare aimlessly as if lost. It was only on rare occasions when they would be active and that was mostly clinging to Maila. The rest of the children seemed used to it and slowly prodded them to join in. It took quite a bit to get them to warm up to him and it was only the allowance of a special welcoming treat until they really smiled. The simple expression that seemed natural yet obscure startled him. It was as if a newborn had tasted their first sweet and was astounded by the sugary taste. From then the three trotted close beside him much the same as they did Maila.

The day progressed naturally from there and it didn't take long for the Garden's routine to come back. Aside from taking a little longer to get them all in their rooms and mostly asleep, it was almost like he had never left.

Kyle sat down with his favourite cup already steaming with a fresh brew of soothing tea. He looked to the women opposite of him, "So Maila are we going to finish our talk?"

"Yes Maila are we going to finish our talk?" Lillia voice sounded out behind him suddenly. While usually it would have caused him to jump in fright, instead he naturally turned around.

"You're meant to be asleep."

"Unless you're sleeping next to me I'm not really too keen," she replied easily. "Besides while I'm one of the children, I'm also not even a year younger than you. I have every right to listen to this don't I?"

Kyle decided to ignore the comment of them sleeping together despite it making his heart lurch, "It's not up to me."

"Lillia sit down," Maila gestured already expecting the outcome. The purple haired girl did so gladly and even poured herself her own cup of tea. "Do we need to fill you in?"

"No, I already heard everything. I kind of eavesdropped," she smiled with a cold mischievousness.

It was easy to tell that Maila disapproved of her behaviour but seeing as it saved them time she let it go, "Now Kyle first I'll explain this again as I'm quite sure Bethial told you before. The Hero's armour isn't something someone can just wear. Unless under extreme circumstances only the children can wear it. Normal people would die and even the strongest amongst us like Bethial would be crippled."

"I understand that," Kyle began regretfully. "But six months Maila. Six months is the average span of time a Hero lives. That's why, if what you were saying before about me and the last Hero being alike is true, I want to try it. Let me put on the armour."

Lillia spat out her tea as she splattered from his statement, "Are you crazy? There is no chance in this world I'd let you do that. Even if you could wear it forever, it doesn't mean you'd actually survive. The Hero twenty years ago, newsflash, he also died!"

"But then I could give you, Himila, Kara, Mitsu- I could give all of you that much more time." Kyle faced her sternly, "You saw it yourself Lillia. I don't think I can die."

"Excuse me?" Maila cut her words between them. Though she had read Bethial's report not everything was clear. "What do you mean you can't die?"

"Well I probably can but-," he paused. "I'll just show you." He picked up a knife from the table and held it above his arm, "This would be an awkward time for it to stop working but here we go." The blade sunk in deep, cutting his skin as easily as it would cut the skin of the food he cooked. Kyle winced from the sharp pain.