"Well, I'll be damned."
Aurelia continued to inspect 072, who stared into her eyes, sucking on his thumb. She was staring at him with the same fascination Rem and the rest had displayed when they first saw him. 072 found it both comical and a little unnerving. It was reminiscent of a few very familiar gazes.
"Instead of manipulating energy directly, it's storing itself inside of him," Aurelia observed with a voice full of awe. She pressed slightly on a vein on 072's arm. "Even his blood is bursting with it. I can see why you want to take him with you.. Where did you find him?"
"At Calyxes police station, mumbling around with a kid with a music box. Can you register him?" Rem replied, crossing his arms.
Aurelia tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Technically, yes.. but I believe he's a bit underage to be registered as a Drifter."
Eli popped up from behind them, carrying a green bottle of liquor. 072 blinked; he hadn't even noticed him leave. He covered his mouth and nose.
"There's.. hic.. There's no age restriction, is there? I haven't heard of a rule like that in Metropolis."
"Well, no, but the usual age range for awakening is 14 and above, with 14 being considered a prodigy," replied Aurelia. "I doubt the kid's that old. He looks to be.. around five?"
"It's just that he's scrawny. If he put on some weight.. hic.. he could probably pass for seven." Eli chugged the rest of the bottle down with surprising speed. Aurelia shook her head, looking slightly amused.
Rem leaned closer. "Give him a temporary contract, then. He doesn't have anyone taking care of him, and I'd like to do it."
"Hm.. well, alright. You'll have to decide what happens after that, however. I won't be able to step in if the higher-ups take him in for 'observing.' "
"Oh come on. There are barely any people in Rank 8 other than Norville nowadays. They're either retired or dead, you know?"
"Haha."
Aurelia gave 072 back to Fossil, searching on her desk for something before popping out again, holding a form. 072 clung to Fossil's clothes, warming his hands.
Aurelia clicked on her pen. "What will he go by? Does the kid have a name?"
"Peony."
"Bones."
"Caleb."
"...Let's go by unnamed, then."
After filling out the contract application, Rem, Fossil, Eli and 072 bade goodbye to Aurelia and climbed back onto the The Citadel.
072 sat on Fossil's lap, feeling unexpectedly elated.
In the span of just a day and a half, he had somehow found himself part of a huge organization in Metropolis. The realization that he wouldn't have to wander anymore, constantly struggling to provide for himself in this new world, brought him immense relief. He sighed, feeling quite content.
He wondered what the three Deviants wanted from him; listening to the adults' conversation, they seemed to have 'taken him in' due to curiosity. He sincerely hoped they wouldn't turn on him and subject him to.. those things. Their apparent kindness made him doubt such a possibility, but the thought lingered; what if they were? What if they were truly planning such things..?
"Glug.. glug..."
"Eli, that stinks." Rem turned from the driver's seat and hit Eli on the forehead. The bottle, now empty, cluttered to the floor. "Let's establish a new rule: no drinking in The Citadel when Peony is with us. When are you going to quit alcohol?"
"..Agaga.."
"Bones?" Fossil asked.
"No, that was Eli."
But as the three Deviants continued to bicker and curse at each other, 072 realized that the chances of that were very slim.
Despite the long ride to wherever they were headed, 072 hardly felt the bumps or the weariness. He had, after all, endured hours upon hours trapped in a cramped crate. What he was interested in, however, was the sheer scale of the underground Metropolis. It truly was amazing such a thing could exist underground.
He couldn't help but wonder what else he had missed out on while confined in the Laboratory. He pressed his hands and face against the window, determined to make the most out of the trip and remember the paths.
"....."
His instincts soon prevailed, however, and within minutes, he had fallen fast asleep.
"Zzzz..."
"Oh. Bones is sleeping." Fossil said, as if announcing someone's death.
"Heiz not 'Bows.' Hiz nAame is Caleeb-- hic.. spelled wid a 'K.' " Eli thumped Fossil on the back, nodded off, and started to snore.
"Why did we enter through the Western gate instead of the Southern one, again? It's a bit far from home." Fossil asked Rem, who was still as lively as ever.
Rem hummed. "Some of the other entrances have been blocked off, and this one's the closest one to our base. Just hang on until then, and make sure Peony doesn't wake up."
"His name is Bones."
"Shut it."
Skidd.
A whole hour later, The Citadel slowed to a stop at a large, formidable-looking building. Rem smiled happily at it.
"Wake Eli up. We're home."
If anyone heard him say that, they'd doubt both his words and his sanity.
Anyone who'd gaze upon the building would agree that it looked more like a war fortress than a 'home.' Several high gates surrounded it, merciless spikes jutting out from the top, and everything seemed so... oppressive. Everything here seemed to be built for the sole purpose of combat.
However, if someone were to see Rem, Fossil, and the sleepy Eli, they'd probably think they were going into a funhouse.
Rem lead the group and turned the doorknob, entering the house (or war fortress). He didn't turn on the lights so as not to wake 072 up. Fossil and Eli went inside after him.
As Eli sauntered over drunkedly to his room, Rem turned to Fossil.
"I'll take the kid to bed. You still have a solo mission to complete tomorrow, after all."
Fossil handed the sleeping 072 to him. "Where will Bones sleep?"
"In the spare bedroom, of course. We can't risk having Norvs see him without any explanation. He'd probably end up speaking with the poor kid all night," Rem replied.
"Understood, sir."
"For the last time.."
Rem sighed, shaking his head dejectedly as Fossil bowed and excused himself. Rem held the kid in his arms and headed to the spare room.
Click.
He unlocked the door and went inside. The room had only a single window and barely any furniture, but it'll have to do. He dusted the bed off a bit and carefully tucked the kid to bed. Rem watched him for a moment, amused, as the kid's face split into a wide giggle.
"Hee.. hee.. zzz.."
".. Uh.. unah..."
Suddenly, his face scrunched up in a pained, horrified expression. Rem watched in surprise as the kid started to cry and yell in his sleep.
"Nn.. nn..!"
The child squirmed and kicked, pushing the blankets off of him. He trembled, whining.
".... Hah. What are you dreaming of?"
Rem let out a loud sigh. He picked the kid up again and left the spare bedroom, trying to make as little noise as possible.
Creaak.
He opened the door to his own room as carefully as possible and placed the child on his bed. He patted and stroked the kid's head all night until he finally started to breathe normally again, no longer plagued by his nightmares.
"... Your happiness matters. You shouldn't let anything steal it away." Rem watched the child as he started to sleep peacefully again, giggling in his sleep. He smiled. "This is your home now."
Before he knew it, his alarm went off-- and it was morning.