The Lantern Bearers

Chapter 6: how things work

After regrouping with Yui, i would catch the two play   fighting with glow sticks, mimicking each others' scifi sounds. It was cute as can be, like a big sister playing with her younger brother almost.....aside the weird stuff she has going for her.

I would place some things on the table in a neat little line i made.

"Aight Yui, get in here!" I yelled.

She nodded and jogged up to me.

"Yes, master?" She asked.

"I'm going to show you what we bearers use. Since, you're gonna be tagging along." I said.

"I wanna go too!" Zeus said.

"Noooo, you're too young." I said.

"I can shoot a gun!"

"I don't care."

"Care dammit!!"

"Kid, don't push me after we just had a nice moment."

He growled and stomped his feet, then suddenly.....

A bolt of lightning jumped from his finger and struck a nearby pipe i had propped up against the wall.

"Shut and lock the door yui." I immediately said.

"Affirmative." She said, doing as i said, slamming the door shut and locking it.

"Gently next time! Ugh....how long have you had those powers?" I asked, looking zeus dead in the eyes.

"I-i dunno!" He said, immediately becoming scared right after being furiously mad just a second ago.

"You're a tainted."

"A-a tainted?? W-what does that mean??"

"A tainted is survivors that was closest to the god eye fall and was able to live to tell the tale. They gain strange powers akin to the anomalies you see out in the wild and it can be passed from generation to generation....or they say in theory. Meaning either your old man or momma was a tainted and passed it onto you." I explained.

"I....i don't remember my parents....only my tormentors...." he said solemnly.

"Tormentors?" I asked.

He started to tremble....
He was sold once or kidnapped....
This was crystal clear by his sudden reaction .....

"Don't bother....i know your story already. That's the thing with tainted, they have a target on their backs and are sold at the same price as an artifact. It's despicable, but that's how it goes." I explained.

He looked down at his feet.

"Humans sell special humans...." yui said to herself.

"Thats right, children especially. Easy to nab, easy to break mentally. Children have untapped potential and can be molded into whatever the scumbags want. A mercenary, plaything, slave, anything they want. But tainted? They're used as weapons and tools for either destruction or for industrial-like labor. If a boy or girl can use an anomaly, the black market will seek them out like the rats they are." I explained.

"A...are you going to sell me too?" He asked, shivering.

I lit a cigarette and puffed it in the air.

"Nah, because i have use for you." I said bluntly.

Yui just stared at me blankly, while Zeus looked at me in fear.

"I'm not gonna use ya, but i could use your hand in things. Pull your weight and I'll take care of you. Get me? I'm not gonna be pulling dead weight. If you're insistent on joining us on a job in the void, then you better strap in." I said bluntly.