Sun pressed his soft cheeks on Elian's shoulder. His pale finger traced Elian's freshly deep slant scar carved into his face. "You really should not have kicked him that hard, you and your Herculean strength," he reprimanded Moon, who was currently slouched like a starfish on the muddy floor.
"I apologized! I thought he was that damn bastard, okay? I would never hit something that belongs to me," Moon pouted, drawing a stickman's figure on the ground.
Elian was sitting on a half-destroyed burnt car, trying his best to push Sun away to protect his personal space. But Sun wouldn't budge as he also proceeded to hug and squish Elian like a teddy bear.
Elian sighed, rolling his eyes.
The twins now wore a simple seamed white cotton garment uniforms… at least what was left of it anyway. The fabric was ripped at the edges, dried mud around the seams as their shirts clung to their shoulders from sweat, and one sleeve on Moon's side was half-burned.
Her black matte military-grade fabric pants did her no justice.
Did she just walk out of a fire?
Their faces were also streaked with dark coal, hair covered in soil dirt and they didn't seem to care less, only focusing on the lost toy they recovered. They explained to Elian to have seen his lookalike exit the dome with a smug plastered on his face and had rightfully assumed Elian got targeted and well… murdered.
Elian System's ding went off, he winced slightly at the flicker of his blue System's screen.
[I vote for an adoption. You need to be adopted. By them. They are surprisingly loyal to you.]
Elian heaved a deep breath. Yeahhhh, and yet they didn't try to do anything when the Black Guild dome broke.
[You weren't doing none either. And they were fighting… for you.]
…
[How did you manage to charm them? You ugly.]
You do know you can shut up, suckerbot.
[Sheesh.]
Ding!
[Many Constellations are shipping you with… uhh… very weird shipping.]
[At least it sells.]
[You have been gifted 3000 coins!]
[The Constellation 'Timid Bride of the West' eyes just twinkled.]
Nevertheless, he shrugged it off.
Still in the middle of a post-apocalyptic city, Crix rose up to his feet after snapping his jaw back into place. "We can't just stay here. Like Elian boy said before—"
"—I'm 20. Not a boy."
Crix however continued, circling around, his gloved fingers twiddling his little goatee as if he was in a deep in thought, "we need to find a territory. And fast. Since everything is destroyed, other teams would try to snatch the good places," he raised his left hand up and snapped his fingers, "I suggest we go to the West sector."
"You told me that place is swarmed with level 20 monsters," Elian deadpanned, one hand pushing Sun's kissy face away.
"Exactly. If we clear that sector, we can claim it to be ours. Since the East sector got raided, there won't be anywhere to claim because some kowai strangers must have taken the good part for themselves."
Moon added as she dusted herself up. "But if we do clear the West sector, and claim the whole sector as our territory… It will be a huge power boost. And a lot of shiny Mana stones all for ourselves. Which means more money, an easier way to get stronger and more…"
"...more time with Pawn!"
"Yeahhh!"
Elian groaned, slapping Sun's face away and hopped off the burnt car, landing on the ground with a soft thud. He walked towards Moon and jabbed his index finger at her head like a mother scolding her child. "We??? I don't know why Crix isn't talking about the obvious, but you and your crazy twin are a White piece. We're enemies, no matter how you try to ignore it. You should go back to your Guild and plan with them, not against them. If you lose, it's game over, so why would you—"
But Moon only grabbed Elian's finger softly, and kissed it with pure tenderness, her eyes lingering more on him. "Did I look like I care? It's a stupid 'Kill the King' game with a dumb reward. And it's all for those Constellations to watch us die for their fun. And I'll only be happy with it if I spend the time left doing as I want. Besides, it'll get reset anyway."
Elian was left stunned. He slowly removed his hand out of Moon's grasp.
She then turned to Crix, "do you want us to sign a contract that we won't betray you if we join your team? I just want to feel the euphoria. And we're more of an apathetic White piece citizens."
Crix went silent for a while, his eyes darted from Moon's serious expression, then to Sun frowning back at him. His eyes flashed gold, staring blindly into the air until he finally spoke;
"Alright. They are strong. And there's no need for a binding contract. If Elian trusts you, I too, will trust you. We do need help with the monster clearing. I wouldn't pass on good products. You're both in."
But I don't trust them…
But we still really need extra hands urghhh….
Ping!
[Two new members have joined the board: Gamblers.]
[Current members: 4.]
Sun grinned widely. He too, hopped off the burnt car, and slung a hand over Crix's shoulder, making the older man grunt from the weight. "Glad to see you forget hard feelings. I truly didn't mean to break the dome where we both previously reside."
Crix forced a smile. "Sure, man. Just… get those heavy hands off me."
Sun's smile dropped to a frown. "Do you mean I'm fat?" He turned to Moon. "Moon, am I fat? You said I look good without the Guild's tight armor!"
"What?! I never said you're fat!" Crix exclaimed, taking three steps away from Sun with both arms raised.
Moon quickly added as she rushed to Sun and comforted him by squishing his teary face with both her palms, looking at his squashed up face, "what? No no no. You definitely are not. You're handsome. If I'm hot, you're hot. Elian dear wouldn't keep you beside him if you weren't."
"Oh no!" Sun's face darken in horror. "But Pawn kept pushing my face away! Does he find me ugly? Is that why he chose that obnoxious Queen-class goody two-shoes over me?!"
Jesus!
Elian facepalmed, his eyebrows twitching, he then stepped in-between the twins, desperately pushing them aside, unaware of the fact that Kykloi was staring at them with such amusement. "That was because your hair kept tickling my neck. Cut it out."
Sun then held Elian's palm. "... I am hot right? The girls back in my Guild always try to ask for my hand in marriage…"
Elian's eye twitched, "well there you have it!"
However, his System's screen hovered before him.
[I could laugh if I had a mouth… oh wait, I still can!]
[HAHAHAHAHAHA! If only you could see your own faceee right now.]
You are utterly useless when it comes to helping my life.
[I'm here to troll. Peace over your soul.]
Elian rolled his eyes. It's useless.
Crix lips quivered as he tried to hold in his laugh. Both his cheeks had turned bright red. He was scared to let it out, but the three currently looked like three cats in a love-hate relationship.
Even Moon tried to hug Elian, but the young man kept pushing them away with a glare carved deep into his face.
However, the little brawl was cut short when suddenly, a piercing loud scream split through the sky. It sent shivers down everyone's spine. Goosebumps rising on Crix's skin.
They all paused. Eyes searching the eerie atmosphere to decipher where that heart-wrenching scream came from. Elian's gaze was instantly drawn to a broken down stall
"Did anyone hear that? That's a male voice."
Is he by chance stuck under a debris? Elian took a step closer, his eyes squinted, taking a second step forward whilst others followed him from behind.
Until another hurtful scream tore behind a broken down building six feet away from them.
Something behind that scream sounded oddly familiar.