by "You need to grow up soon, Mimi. One of these days I'm not going to be around to protect you. You need to learn to hold your own!" Eleazar never yelled at Aemi like this before. In all the years that they've stuck by each other, he's never once raised his voice like this. Despite his concerns for her well being and the fact that he was saying it out of love, the words had dug into her skin, stinging like a venom that resonated throughout her body, with every heart beat. Slouched over on the table as she took a deep breath, she ran her hand through her hair, staring at the window solemnly as she tried to figure out why she was so angry with him.
He was right, and she knew that. She was helpless, leeching off of him for anything and everything she needed, and she didn't deserve it. He worked constantly to make sure the two of them had food on the table, and never expected anything in return. Well, not until now, at least. She was as pampered as a poor person could get. What kind of job could a girl like her get though? She was always told such horrible stories about what the men were like when Eleazar had worked at the tavern. Sure, he has a bit more of a quiet job now, but if men were like that, what would stop them from trying to hurt her? She barely knew how to fight.
This wasn't something she was going to be able to do overnight, but the longer she waited, the more disappointed he'd be. There had to be something she could do to help, and she'd have better come up with an idea fast. Sighing as she cursed under her breath, she pushed up from the table and got herself out of the chair and walked over to the other side of the room, looking out the other window.
Rent was going to be rough this month. With the sudden spike of price on produce, it was hard to come up with enough money for food and a place to sleep. Still, they've been through this before, and Eleazar always came up with something. He had this skill--this ability--to just take things without anyone noticing. It'd be sold on the black market before they even knew it was gone. Why couldn't she learn a skill like that? Every time she expressed interest, Eleazar would always steer her away. It was "too dangerous" or he didn't want her to "lead that kind of life".
If she could get good at it though, she could help so much. She had to start somewhere, didn't she? Today would be the perfect opportunity to show her brother just how helpful she could be. Without a second thought, she immediately grabbed her cloak from the hanger and threw it over her. Slamming the door behind her, she took off for the merchant street, trying to calculate just how she could pull this off.
It had to be something of value. Something that would sell for a lot of money. Maybe something that was new, or considered "high tech". Stealing precious jewels would be too hard to do since they would be expecting thieves along the way. If she could find an easily distracted merchant who had a crowded booth, she'd have a much easier time.
Strolling quietly as she watched the different stands in silence, she tried to pick her target without looking too conspicuous. Everything seemed too... overdone. She's heard of the things that people would bring to pawn shops. Jewels, watches, spell books, scrolls... she wanted to bring something new to the table. Something that they'd look twice at and wonder how the hell she pulled it off. Something like--
A magic gun.
Time stopped for a moment. The sun shining against the alloy of the static pistol that was hung on a stand of different assorted weapons was glimmering in her eye, and she couldn't help but stare. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but something seemed so... curious about it. She had heard stories about gun magic in the past, though it wasn't quite as popular anymore. There were only few who used it, including a very talented gunsmith who made all of his guns from scratch. These had to be his new models that he was putting up for sale at the weapons stand.
Slowly approaching the wall with mounted weapons, she looked around as though she was just window shopping. A group of kids were near by, rough housing slightly, which had called the clerks attention away. This would be her perfect shot to grab it and go. Just do it, Aemi, you can get away with it! she thought to herself. The voice in her head was getting impatient as she simply stared at it in awe, when she finally took it in her hands... and froze.
She couldn't quite explain the feeling. It was like waking up on the first day of spring and smelling the flowers after a long, cold winter. Or holding hands with the person your in love with, feeling safe and secure, knowing that they're never going anywhere. Her blood was pumping, euphoria trickling down her spine as she huffed out in amazement. It was as though she knew she'd be here. She knew she'd have this in her hands.
"HEY! PUT THAT DOWN!"
Her heart stopped. Gripping on the weapon tightly, she turned to the guard, her face hiding in the neck of her scarf, hoping and praying that he didn't see her face. What was she going to do? There were multiple witnesses now. Maybe if I just put it back, everything will be okay--she panicked, immediately jolting to the intersection and making the first turn.
Running as fast as she could, she immediately recognized the street and knew that this is where her brother work. Gliding down the street, she flung open the door and slammed it behind her, panting loudly as her brother immediately jumped to the door.
"I could feel you panicking, what's going on!?" he looked at her in confusion.
"Eleazar--I--I didn't--I was trying to help, but--" she could barely speak, huffing out every word as though her lungs were being squeezed with every breath. She simply held her hands out, showing him the gun. His eyes immediately widened more, an infuriating glare painted onto his face.
"What the hell were you thinking, Aemi!?" he shouted, grabbing the gun from her hands. "You stole a weapon! A magic weapon! If they catch you, the council--"
"The council won't find out, because I'm selling it as soon as the guards are off my tail!" she growled.
"Do you really think you can sell this? It's wanted! The pawn shops aren't going to let you anywhere near your store with this! You have to return it!"
"I WAS TRYING TO HELP!" she bellowed, suddenly drawn to the door as swung open violently.
A tall, clean cut looking man in an officer's uniform entered the small room, looking at the two of them and immediately eyeing the gun. "So does your boss know that you're a thief?"
"Me? I didn't steal this!" Eleazar desperately let out.
"Then how did you come across this model? I know a street rat like you can't afford something like this," he narrowed his eyes.
Aemi could barely breathe as her brother looked back at her quietly, sighing and shaking his head in defeat before looking back up at the guard. "Fine. I stole it."
"What!?" Aemi gasped. "N-no, he didn't, it was me! I stole it!"
"Don't be ridiculous, stop trying to protect me," Eleazar snarled.
"I'm not--I really stole it!"
"Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that, miss," the guard rolled his eyes as he started to approach Eleazar, cuffs in hand.
"No!" Aemi growled, snatching the gun from Eleazar's hands as she pointed it to the guard. As soon as her hands had fit into place, she could feel a sensation burning in her core. She could feel a burst of energy inside of her as her rage filtered it out, suddenly creating a heat in the slide of the gun. In what felt like an endless rush of power was only in the matter of a millisecond - a sudden beam of energy bursting from the barrel, shooting a hole straight through the guard.
It was loud, popping her ears as the guard stood upright with wide eyes for a few seconds before falling back, lifeless. The twins were speechless as the gun slid out of her hands and onto the floor. No words really needed to be said, for they had both known what exactly she had done. She just couldn't bring herself to even believe that she was able to force that kind of magic out of her.
"Aemi... you need to run as far as you possibly can, and never stop." Eleazar murmured quietly. "Don't wait for me, I'll be close behind you. But it's better if we leave separately so we don't look suspicious."
"But--"
"Just trust me!" he turned to her, looking her dead in the eyes. "Go! Get out of here!"
Shuffling her breaths as she tried to stifle her panic and hide the tears, she nodded, immediately flying out the door and running as fast as she possibly could down the street.
He would find her. He had to. He always did.
He was right, and she knew that. She was helpless, leeching off of him for anything and everything she needed, and she didn't deserve it. He worked constantly to make sure the two of them had food on the table, and never expected anything in return. Well, not until now, at least. She was as pampered as a poor person could get. What kind of job could a girl like her get though? She was always told such horrible stories about what the men were like when Eleazar had worked at the tavern. Sure, he has a bit more of a quiet job now, but if men were like that, what would stop them from trying to hurt her? She barely knew how to fight.
This wasn't something she was going to be able to do overnight, but the longer she waited, the more disappointed he'd be. There had to be something she could do to help, and she'd have better come up with an idea fast. Sighing as she cursed under her breath, she pushed up from the table and got herself out of the chair and walked over to the other side of the room, looking out the other window.
Rent was going to be rough this month. With the sudden spike of price on produce, it was hard to come up with enough money for food and a place to sleep. Still, they've been through this before, and Eleazar always came up with something. He had this skill--this ability--to just take things without anyone noticing. It'd be sold on the black market before they even knew it was gone. Why couldn't she learn a skill like that? Every time she expressed interest, Eleazar would always steer her away. It was "too dangerous" or he didn't want her to "lead that kind of life".
If she could get good at it though, she could help so much. She had to start somewhere, didn't she? Today would be the perfect opportunity to show her brother just how helpful she could be. Without a second thought, she immediately grabbed her cloak from the hanger and threw it over her. Slamming the door behind her, she took off for the merchant street, trying to calculate just how she could pull this off.
It had to be something of value. Something that would sell for a lot of money. Maybe something that was new, or considered "high tech". Stealing precious jewels would be too hard to do since they would be expecting thieves along the way. If she could find an easily distracted merchant who had a crowded booth, she'd have a much easier time.
Strolling quietly as she watched the different stands in silence, she tried to pick her target without looking too conspicuous. Everything seemed too... overdone. She's heard of the things that people would bring to pawn shops. Jewels, watches, spell books, scrolls... she wanted to bring something new to the table. Something that they'd look twice at and wonder how the hell she pulled it off. Something like--
A magic gun.
Time stopped for a moment. The sun shining against the alloy of the static pistol that was hung on a stand of different assorted weapons was glimmering in her eye, and she couldn't help but stare. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but something seemed so... curious about it. She had heard stories about gun magic in the past, though it wasn't quite as popular anymore. There were only few who used it, including a very talented gunsmith who made all of his guns from scratch. These had to be his new models that he was putting up for sale at the weapons stand.
Slowly approaching the wall with mounted weapons, she looked around as though she was just window shopping. A group of kids were near by, rough housing slightly, which had called the clerks attention away. This would be her perfect shot to grab it and go. Just do it, Aemi, you can get away with it! she thought to herself. The voice in her head was getting impatient as she simply stared at it in awe, when she finally took it in her hands... and froze.
She couldn't quite explain the feeling. It was like waking up on the first day of spring and smelling the flowers after a long, cold winter. Or holding hands with the person your in love with, feeling safe and secure, knowing that they're never going anywhere. Her blood was pumping, euphoria trickling down her spine as she huffed out in amazement. It was as though she knew she'd be here. She knew she'd have this in her hands.
"HEY! PUT THAT DOWN!"
Her heart stopped. Gripping on the weapon tightly, she turned to the guard, her face hiding in the neck of her scarf, hoping and praying that he didn't see her face. What was she going to do? There were multiple witnesses now. Maybe if I just put it back, everything will be okay--she panicked, immediately jolting to the intersection and making the first turn.
Running as fast as she could, she immediately recognized the street and knew that this is where her brother work. Gliding down the street, she flung open the door and slammed it behind her, panting loudly as her brother immediately jumped to the door.
"I could feel you panicking, what's going on!?" he looked at her in confusion.
"Eleazar--I--I didn't--I was trying to help, but--" she could barely speak, huffing out every word as though her lungs were being squeezed with every breath. She simply held her hands out, showing him the gun. His eyes immediately widened more, an infuriating glare painted onto his face.
"What the hell were you thinking, Aemi!?" he shouted, grabbing the gun from her hands. "You stole a weapon! A magic weapon! If they catch you, the council--"
"The council won't find out, because I'm selling it as soon as the guards are off my tail!" she growled.
"Do you really think you can sell this? It's wanted! The pawn shops aren't going to let you anywhere near your store with this! You have to return it!"
"I WAS TRYING TO HELP!" she bellowed, suddenly drawn to the door as swung open violently.
A tall, clean cut looking man in an officer's uniform entered the small room, looking at the two of them and immediately eyeing the gun. "So does your boss know that you're a thief?"
"Me? I didn't steal this!" Eleazar desperately let out.
"Then how did you come across this model? I know a street rat like you can't afford something like this," he narrowed his eyes.
Aemi could barely breathe as her brother looked back at her quietly, sighing and shaking his head in defeat before looking back up at the guard. "Fine. I stole it."
"What!?" Aemi gasped. "N-no, he didn't, it was me! I stole it!"
"Don't be ridiculous, stop trying to protect me," Eleazar snarled.
"I'm not--I really stole it!"
"Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that, miss," the guard rolled his eyes as he started to approach Eleazar, cuffs in hand.
"No!" Aemi growled, snatching the gun from Eleazar's hands as she pointed it to the guard. As soon as her hands had fit into place, she could feel a sensation burning in her core. She could feel a burst of energy inside of her as her rage filtered it out, suddenly creating a heat in the slide of the gun. In what felt like an endless rush of power was only in the matter of a millisecond - a sudden beam of energy bursting from the barrel, shooting a hole straight through the guard.
It was loud, popping her ears as the guard stood upright with wide eyes for a few seconds before falling back, lifeless. The twins were speechless as the gun slid out of her hands and onto the floor. No words really needed to be said, for they had both known what exactly she had done. She just couldn't bring herself to even believe that she was able to force that kind of magic out of her.
"Aemi... you need to run as far as you possibly can, and never stop." Eleazar murmured quietly. "Don't wait for me, I'll be close behind you. But it's better if we leave separately so we don't look suspicious."
"But--"
"Just trust me!" he turned to her, looking her dead in the eyes. "Go! Get out of here!"
Shuffling her breaths as she tried to stifle her panic and hide the tears, she nodded, immediately flying out the door and running as fast as she possibly could down the street.
He would find her. He had to. He always did.
