20 Reconciliation

'Wow... This is a city...'

While I walk back, I watch my surroundings amazed.

'This street is huge'

I stop behind a lot of people, waiting for the green light to cross the street.

'Although Asil revived the guy, I can't help thinking that I killed him... Was that me? Or was it the fusion?'

The light changes to green.

'I don't blame him, it was an accident. He could have killed me, but it's unfair to use my magic to my advantage'

People start to push me.

'Right, the light changed'

I cross the street.

'Next time I should be more careful, it's unlikely that I'll be so lucky again'

I walk on the sidewalk.

'The person who had my fusion, will he have gone through the same thing? Maybe that's why... Wait'

I stop.

I turn to see the building that is guiding me.

'I'm good. I must stop losing myself in my mind, it has only brought me bad things'

I continue walking.

'Every time there are fewer buildings, I think the city ends here'

Buildings are scarcer and there are more houses and green spaces.

'I wonder what happened to them, they didn't seem like bad people'

As I move forward, a street catches my attention.

'This street... I think it's here'

I turn and keep walking.

'I hope I'm not wrong, I don't want to walk anymore. And this backpack is a bit heavy'

I'm still walking.

'My arms aren't so red anymore, although my face must have bruises... Wait a moment'

In the distance, silhouettes attract my attention.

'Is it them?'

I accelerate my step.

"I'm sure I detected her magic here" Kuno says.

"Are you sure? It could have been-" Dai is with him.

"It can't be confused with another, you know it well. Do you think something bad happened to her?" Kuno responds.

"I hope not. You worry too much about her... Could it be-"

"Hm... Hi..." I interrupt Dai.

They are both still, wathcing me.

"I... don't know what to say-"

Kuno throws himself at me and hugs me.

"Kuno... I can't breathe..." I can barely say a few words.

"Oh, I'm sorry" he stops crushing me.

*deep breathing*

"We thought something happened to you, Kuno was very worried" Dai says.

"Hey, you were too!" Kuno gets a little upset.

"To tell the truth, something did happen, but I want to go home- Oh, I'm sorry. Dai, if you don't agree, I will not return"

"It's me who should apologize. I shouldn't have acted like that. It's true that I want to maintain a quiet life, but I don't want that to take away opportunities, it would be very foolish of me to stay without doing anything while I have... Why do you see me like that?"

While he was talking, Kuno and I were amazed listening to him.

"I just... I didn't think you could say such mature things" I reply.

"I've never heard anything so mature coming from your mouth" Kuno responds.

"Hey! Do you think I have a child's mind or what?" Dai gets angry.

"Yes" Kuno and I answer at the same time.

"In a few words, I changed my mind and I want you to stay with us" Dai sums up.

"Thank you! By the way, where's Elin?"

"She's still locked in her room" Kuno responds.

"I get it. I think I owe her an apology, I acted very cold without hearing your opinions. Also to both of you. Sorry"

"Apology accepted. Now, let's go back" Dai responds.

We start walking back home.

"Hey, Alex. Have you ever been... interested in someone?" Dai asks.

"Interested?" I don't understand.

"Yes, you know... sexually"

'I didn't expect a question like that'

"Hm... I don't know... I don't think so. How... how can I know if someone attracts me?"

"Well... you can feel... weird near that person. Your heart beats faster or you feel your body burn. People usually express it as butterflies in their stomachs"

"Butterflies... in..."

'Wait... That...'

"No, I don't think I felt something like that... What about you?" I reply.

"No, I haven't felt it" he replies.

"And you, Kuno?" I ask Kuno.

"Me neither" he answers.

'We are all lying...'

Uncomfortably, we keep walking.

After a few minutes, we arrive.

"Well, I'll go talk to Elin"

"Good luck, you'll need it" Dai tells me as he puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Okay…"

'That made me nervous'

Uncomfortably, we keep walking.

After a few minutes, we arrive.

"Well, I'll go talk to Elin"

"Good luck, you'll need it" Dai tells me as he puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Okay…"

'That made me nervous'

I go upstairs.

I go to the door of Elin's room.

*knock knock*

"Go away, Kuno. I already told you I'm fine" she replies.

'Obviously she isn't fine'

"It's me, Alex"

"Alex?" she answers.

"Yes, I came back. I wanted to apologize for what happened a few hours ago. It was very cold of me to go like that, without listening to what you thought-"

*click*

The door starts to open.

'Oh, that was easier than-'

As soon as it opens, Elin throws her hand to my face, slapping me.

"Elin, are you-"

She hugs me.

"I accept your apology" Elin is calmer.

"Was the slap necessary? It hurt a lot"

"Yes" she responds.

...

...

"I think we should-"

"No" she answers.

...

...

She stops hugging me

"I appreciate you worry about me, but don't you think you're overreacting?"

The moment I finished saying that, she enters her room and closes the door.

*click*

"Elin? What happened?"

'I said something wrong?'

I turn my head towards the stairs.

Dai and Kuno are hiding in the corner, looking at me with disappointment.

'It looks like I did…'

*knock knock*

"Elin, if I said something bad, I'm sorry... Elin?"

*click*

The door opens.

"Sorry, I was fixing my hair... Why are you covering your face?"

"What? Oh, for nothing"

'I didn't want her to slap me again'

"Well. Dai came back?" Elin asks.

"Yes. Let's go with them "

We go downstairs.

As we walk to the living room, I see Andrew, Athena and Alyse.

I approach them and start to pamper them.

"You missed me? I missed you. Sorry I abandoned you without saying anything"

We arrive at the living room, where Dai and Kuno are.

Everyone sits, except me.

"I already apologized to everyone, but I want to do it one last time. I'm sorry, I should have asked what you thought about what I wanted to do"

"I also want to apologize" Elin gets up.

"Elin?"

"As you said, I exaggerated with my reaction. At that time I didn't understand that you were doing it because you wanted to protect us"

"I said that because..." Dai and Kuno signal me to shut up.

"So, I'm sorry. From now on, we will have to communicate better and say what we feel"

An uncomfortable silence covers the room.

"It's strange to think that happened this morning... Ah, I have to tell you what happened when I left"

I tell them everything that happened in the alley and about Asil.

"So, that's the reason for your bruises and the hole in the shirt" Kuno says.

"So, you practically killed someone" Dai says.

"My shirt..." Elin says.

"That's right, I still feel strange when I think about that. It's hard to explain, I knew what I was doing, but I didn't think about doing it. I'm almost sure it was fault of the fusion"

"And you have Commander Asil on your side?" Kuno says.

"Yes- what? Commander?" I'm surprised to hear it.

"Yes, Asil Marksym Fredrick is one of the commanders of the xenon army" Kuno replies.

"I... didn't expect that"

"You also mentioned that he gave you books" Dai says.

"Yes, I left the backpack at the entrance"

I go for the backpack and return.

I give them my backpack and they begin to check the books.

"These books are very basic in schools. Although they are very good to learn from scratch" Kuno says.

Dai takes out the money that Asil gave me.

"Is this what he gave you to live for a month?"

"That's right"

"Did he want you to live in a dumpster or what?"

"Well, I also wanted to finish talking about myself"

"My shirt..."

"After getting rid of three of the four wolves with my magic, I fainted"

"My shirt..."

"The next thing I see, is the ceiling of my room. I realize that a most of my body has bandages"

"My-"

"Shut up, damn it!" Kuno hits Elin to shut her up.

"Sorry... It's just that, that was my favorite shirt..."

"Oh, I'm sorry"

"Don't worry, I'll ask Dai to fix it"

"Don't think I'll do it for free" Dai mutters.

"As I was saying, after seeing the bandages, I felt the worst pain you can imagine..."

"So, that's how you adopted your bunnies" Elin says.

"So, that's how you met Asil and the other commanders" Kuno says.

"Yes- what? Commanders?" I'm surprised to hear it.

"With that vague description, I can't say for sure, but it seems like it" Kuno responds.

"I get it"

"You also said that in your dream you saw someone cleaning your wounds. Then, your father confirmed that that person was a woman with a tunic that healed you with magic" Dai says.

"That's right"

"Guys, do you think it's her?" Elin asks.

"It may be, but..." Dai replies.

"You think she..." Kuno says.

"Excuse me, what are you talking about?" I ask confused.

Elin answers:

"Alex, that woman, could be our mother"