Wonderer's Wish World 2: Evolutionary Rebirth

Kinship

Day 3

Location: Millory, Bottleneck City

Time: 6:01 AM

The huge factory loomed up over the horizon, intimidating and foreboding, but Darius, Ai and Greg's determined walk didn't faulter as they approached.

Well, at least until they finally reached the gate. When a resounding yell echoed throughout the yard, the three of them were forced to pause, looking around in confusion.

"HEY!" the voice yelled again. Finally, Darius found the source: a guard at the top of a guard tower, frantically scrambling down to meet up with them. It seemed like an odd decision, because Darius figured that if he and his friends had wanted to get in the factory, they easily could while the guard was stuck on the ladder.

...However, no matter how crunched on time they were, or how irritated Darius was finding himself, it would probably not be good to piss off the exact people they were trying to ask a favour of. So, they waited. Patiently.

Eventually, the guard made his way off the ladder, and ran to the little group.

"What (huff) do you (huff) want?" the guard huffed. He must not get a ton of exercise around here. "Why are you here?"

"We need to ask you elder some questions," Darius told him. "And ask for a favour, too."

The guard stared at him incredulously. "At six in the morning?!"

"It's urgent," Darius insisted, but he couldn't hold back a wince. "Technically, we should have done this earlier."

"You should know us," Ai accused. "We were just here."

"I don't know you," the guard replied, giving them strange looks. Then, his eyes caught on Greg, and his mouth dropped open. "Wait, Greg? Why are you outside of Millory?"

Greg beamed at the guard. "I went down a secret passage!"

Apparently, this meant nothing to the guard, as he only could blink at Greg in confusion. Darius looked between them.

"You... know Greg?" he asked, cautiously.

The guard shrugged. "Who doesn't? He became quite popular when he arrived at Millory. We don't get visitors like him often. More visitors like you."

Darius gawked at him. "What? What does that mean? I'm trying to help!"

"We need to stop the bad guy," Greg explained seriously, his big eyes wide. "He's very bad."

The guard looked at Darius, then at Greg. "A bad guy..." he mused. "Who?"

Darius rolled his eyes, trying to ignore the fact that this guy believed a little kid over Darius. But, well, annoying as it was, it didn't matter right now.

"It's Kin," he answered. "He's coming. But if I can talk to your elder, I think I can figure out a way to stop him. But I need to understand, first."

"You really think you can... stop him?" the guard asked, raising an eyebrow. His face was twisted in disbelief.

Darius nodded firmly. "Yes. I just need to talk to your boss first. Would you please take me to her?!"

The guard frowned, and checked his watched. "Well... I guess you're lucky. She's going to be awake at this point, but she's not going to be happy about doing this first thing in the morning."

Ai gave him a strange look. "We're only going to talk."

"Still."

"We can handle it," Darius told him. "Just let us in. Please?"