[Boboiboy] Made by History

To Trust or Not to Trust

Warnings: death threats, past betrayal.

***

By the time the sun reached its peak, Halilintar, Blaze and Solar were far away from the village and its depressing aura. And they were being tailed.

All three of them had picked up on it. There were no footsteps, no rustling in the underbrush, no low whispers – but they knew. And, like Amato had taught them, they didn't let that fact on, but kept their guard high up as they pushed through the foliage.

It happened when they were passing under a small outcropping of boulders. One moment, rustling bushes. The next, sword and chakram swinging, rubber band pulled taut with a chemical pod. And then, blades glancing harmlessly off a pair of round shields.

Halilintar and Blaze fell back, weapons poised to strike again, and the band strained in Solar's hand. But the owners of the shields – a boy and a girl, both around their age – raised their arms in a clear gesture of surrender.

Blaze's eyes narrowed. His grip loosened, but he didn't lower his weapon.

"Who are you?" Solar demanded, slingshot still raised, "Why have you been following us?"

"We saw what you did back in the village." The girl said shortly. Blaze nearly missed how she hadn't responded to the first question.

"So?" Halilintar raised an eyebrow, subtly tightening the grip on his sword.

"We don't see that often around here." The boy answered, a faint note of admiration in his voice. "Usually people are too worried about feeding themselves to think of others."

Blaze shrugged a little self-consciously, though he didn't avert his careful gaze, "They're children. They don't deserve to starve."

"No, they don't." The girl agreed. She was donning a casual posture, but her eyes scanned Blaze like a hawk's.

His alert stare was drawn to the boy's boot as he used it to draw in the dirt.

Anyone who recognizes this symbol is an ally, Gempa had whispered the night they left, discreetly tracing the sign on Blaze's forearm. His gaze snapped up.

The boy had his hands clasped casually behind his neck, his posture as such that the drawing could have been taken for a simple absentminded habit – but like his companion, his eyes were sharp and scrutinizing. When the three siblings showed signs of recognition, they both visibly relaxed.

"Who are you?" Solar asked again, softer.

"Friends, perhaps." The girl replied.

***

Later, when they were sequestered in a small, disguised cave, the pair introduced themselves as Sai and Shielda. Siblings, just like their three guests. They were apparently part of some organization called "The Resistance" (that wasn't its actual name, but the siblings refused to disclose it for security reasons) which – surprise, surprise – resisted the Shadow Lord.