Chapter 7

  Sage

  Ritter was in his room at the Remembering Monument, pacing back and forth throughout the confined space, wrestling questions back and forth within himself.

  Opera

  The most pressing of which was “what am I going to do?”. A completely reasonable question at the moment. Is he to go forth to Public Safety and declare that he’s gone and met Mars? Ugh, the Commotion! Surely they'll set every officer even the normal City Watch has at their disposal to search high and low. And worse yet? Ritter already knows it's no use. Mars is a man who knows evasion.

  But, thankfully, Ritter manages to muster up a basic plan, he's going to fabricate a report to himself from the Orthodoxy about potential Elemental activity. Afterwards simply pretend to search for Mars along the way.

  It'll be easy enough, such reports are as plentiful as sweet red flowers in an ornate garden.

  Sage

  Indeed, Ritter has at many points in the past gotten such reports, like during a mission to Theseldy when he was forced to side track from his normal job to help track a passing White Death. Oh yes, sorry, I should explain, a White Death is this foul Spirit that traps the minds of those lost in winter, leaving their bodies to perish in the cold of night.

  Opera

  But to digress, his plan finally concocted, Ritter makes his way outside and begins moving towards Public Safety, with each step he rehearses his lie. Like a composer fine tuning their masterpiece Ritter meticulously weaves an inscrutable cover up. All that's left is to hope they don't go poking around, after all, a lie will always be a lie. He can't pretend they might not poke and prod at the facade.

  Sage

  Ritter pondered continuously as he walked down the streets of Katamuri, this was a different route than he had taken before. Ritter decided the hustle and bustle of the Main Street which was the cornerstone of his previous route was undesirable. And so charted another path throughout some off beat alleyways spidering throughout the large buildings. The town of Katamuri seemed to be based around the Town Hall at the center of it, from which sprang the metropolitan areas nearby.

  Beyond the modern, urban epicenter sprang two residential districts lie at either side of the center, and given that Katamuri was sandwiched between a mountain and lake, creating two different sections of more small scale neighborhoods, the Remembering Monument sat in the outer rim of the epicenter, mostly for those passing by on their way to some of the other larger cities that Katamuri happened to be on the trail towards.

  Opera

  Okay now, as Ritter walks forth through the urban labyrinth, he is interrupted by a ball hitting the wall next to him, he was just about to step into an area with a large opening, typically these types of areas are used as a vague imitation of backyards for those who live in the more modern sections of towns. Ritter picks up the ball to investigate, medium sized, nylon, bouncy.

  A young voice pipes up from the clearing.

  Girl

  Hey mister, can I have my ball back?

  Sage

  Ritter spared a glance over to his right, A small girl stood just off center, she wore plain black shirts and a great and oversized yellow shirt that threatened to engulf her whole. The girl looked at Ritter with an unreadable face while pointing her finger at the ball now in Ritter's grasp.

  Girl, as though recalling a parent’s instruction

  Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Amaya, sir can I please have my ball back?

  Opera

  The girl's voice is softer, more refined, more in tune to the necessary measures of voice work. Clearly she's already learning the ins and outs of how speaking affects the responses of others.

  Ritter, on the other hand, has a simple procedure he likes to enact, “What would Ylgard do?”. A simple question, and one he always asks himself when dealing with Children. Ylgard is nigh Platonic in this particular regard, and imitation typically allows Ritter to navigate the awkward interactions prone from children.

  Ritter, taking on a playful mood

  Sure thing kid, catch!

  Sage

  Ritter activated his Chalice, drawing the power of “Stacking Atlas” into his body. Stacking Atlas is a Phenomena, to be more specific it is a supernatural effect drawn forth to affect reality. To be even more specific, it is the Magic Theory of Stacking Atlas, which is the “formula” of the Phenomena, made reality with Quintessence, the Wondrous Element.

  Stacking Atlas allows the user to draw upon incredible strength and fortitude. With only a small injection of Element into his body, he could overpower any Sleeper human in the last two thousand years of human history before the Remembering, when The Arts and its many fabulous powers came back to the world.

  Ritter simply grasped the ball tightly, and with just the least amount of Element he can imbue into himself, he chucked the ball far beyond the girl's reach. It zoomed past her head and crashed right into a nearby empty garbage can, rocketing into its side and sending it flying into the ground.

  Amaya, bedazzled by the display

  Wow Mister! That's So Cool!

  Sage

  Amaya went forth and grabbed the ball, hardly paying attention to the dented metal garbage can that had just been totaled. Smiling, Amaya rushed back over to Ritter and thrusted the ball back into his hands.

  Amaya

  Do it again!

  Sage

  A moment passes before Amaya again seems to remember something…

  Amaya, politely

  Please?

  Ritter

  Sure kid…

  Amaya

  It's Amaya.

  Ritter

  Yup, I know.

  Sage

  Ritter once again drip fed the Element into his body, the paranormal energy moving throughout, circulating around his body until he concentrated most of it into his hands and a little into his arms for bracing.

  Ritter threw the ball at tremendous speed towards the brick wall the garbage can was stationed by. A simple thud sound accompanied the impact of the ball, it bounced right off the thick, old red bricks and ricocheted straight at Ritter, catching it as easy as he threw it.

  Amaya, covering her eyes, slowly peeping through

  Oh Wow! I thought it was gonna hit you in the face!

  Ritter, kneeling

  Don't worry, if it did it wouldn't hurt that much. So… Amaya, how are you?

  Opera

  Ritter decides that this simple thing of hanging out with a child and throwing a ball is just what he needs to calm his nerves. Besides, this child might know a thing or two about the town, something he wouldn't. Can't hurt to see what some kind words and light play delivers.

  Amaya

  Oh I'm fine… Good even…

  Ritter, throwing the ball

  That's nice. It's good to be fine.

  Amaya

  Yup… so what do you do sir?

  Ritter, catching the ball

  Well Amaya, I'm an Inquisitor.

  Opera

  The girl's eyes twinkle like stars in the dark night sky. She makes a loud gasping sound and then a procession of shorter, quieter vocalizations.

  Amaya

  OH WOW! So you like, fight monsters? Have you ever fought a Dragon?

  Ritter, flustered

  Oh Adama! No, no Dragons, I'm not strong enough for those.

  Amaya, surprised

  Really? But you're so strong!

  Ritter, feigning humility

  Oh no, I'm quite weak, I'm barely strong enough to fight as it is.

  Amaya

  Well I think you're strong!

  Ritter, putting up a smile

  Well thank you kiddo, it's always nice to have someone who believes in you, no matter who.

  Amaya, curiously

  Do you have someone that believes in you?

  Opera

  The question hangs coldly in the air between them, Ritter feels as though the words cage him, baiting him towards some enigmatic trap. But fortunately, an answer dispels the feeling.

  Ritter, nostalgic-ly

  Yea, I do, Ylgard always believes in me.

  Amaya, curiouser

  Who's Ylgard?

  Ritter

  Well, he's a friend, he’s the Helper that took care of me when I was young.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Amaya

  Is he your Dad?

  Ritter, put off

  Uh…. No, he isn't, he's just an ordinary man who ran the Foster Home I was in.

  Amaya, eyes dulling with realization

  Foster… home… that…. means….

  Sage

  Without a word or even the slightest indication of what she was doing, Amaya walked up to Ritter and embraced him awkwardly like Ritter was a relative your parents forced you to hug even though you hardly knew them. Though she only reached up to above his waist, and couldn't quite fully stretch her arms all the way around.

  Ritter, confused

  I'm sorry, so do you just go around hugging whoever?

  Amaya, earnestly

  Hugging is what you're supposed to do to sad people…

  Ritter, more confused

  Do I look sad?

  Sage

  Amaya looked up at Ritter with innocent, child-like eyes.

  Amaya

  Are you?

  Opera

  Ritter looks off into the distance. Of course he can't see anything from his vantage point, just some doors that led to the various houses that use this clearing. But it wasn't about seeing, he tries to remember, does he feel sad now? He certainly remembers being sad about what happened. He once was sad indeed. But now? Truthfully not much. These days he only really feels basic needs like hunger. He hasn't taken his emotions into account for so long, to the point he doesn't even recognize its influence on him currently.

  Ritter

  No…

  Amaya, letting go of Ritter

  Oh, I see…

  Ritter, trying to get back into his routine

  So anyways, where did you hear that you're supposed to hug sad people?

  Amaya

  When my Mom and Dad died, everyone always hugged me wherever I went. My Aunties, my Uncles, the neighbors…

  Sage

  For a moment, Ritter and Amaya stood there in perfect emotional understanding of this shared tragedy. Ritter broke the tension by going back to throw the ball, he found awkward silences painful to bear.

  Ritter

  My Mom died when I was six years old.

  Amaya

  And your Dad?

  Ritter

  Never knew him.

  Amaya, a faint glimmer of hope sparked

  So does that mean there's a chance your dad is alive?

  Ritter, bluntly

  No.

  Amaya

  What? Why?

  Ritter

  My dad was a Werewolf. The Orthodoxy probably killed him.

  Sage

  At the mention of that particular information, Amaya backed away slightly from Ritter.

  Amaya, frightened

  You mean… you're a…

  Ritter, cutting her off

  Yes, I'm a Werewolf.

  Amaya

  Does.. does that mean you're a big scary monster?

  Opera

  Now, when Ritter asks himself “What would Ylgard do?” As a part of his procedure, he typically doesn't ask himself what he ends up answering that question with. He just chooses to go along with whatever answer makes the most sense to him. This has the rather interesting effect of having Ritter do things he normally would never do, but because he knows Ylgard would do it, he feels it's the right thing to do.

  Ritter, slowly kneeling to Amaya’s level

  Don't worry, I don't bite.

  Amaya

  Is it true Werewolves eat people?

  Ritter, playfully

  Well, not most kinds of people.

  Amaya, stuttering

  Most kinds?

  Ritter, leaning in

  Well, it just so happens that Werewolves like to eat one kind of person.

  Amaya, backing away

  Wha-at k-kind?

  Ritter, faux lunging at Amaya

  Little Girls!

  Sage

  Amaya tumbled back and fell on the ground. Ritter, following along, laughed at the sight, it was genuine.

  Ritter

  Don't worry, no, I don't eat people.

  Amaya, sitting up from the ground

  Well what do you eat then?

  Ritter

  Whatever food I find myself having, I tend to eat out a lot.

  Amaya, as a matter of fact-ly

  Mrs. Gruber says eating out all the time isn't healthy.

  Ritter, perking up

  Mrs. Gruber?

  Amaya

  She's my neighbor, she lives next door. And, sometimes she watches me for my Uncle.

  Ritter

  Well she sounds lovely.

  Amaya

  Yea! Although…

  Ritter

  What?

  Amaya

  She likes to make me these fig and pistachio cookies, and they taste awful. She always burns them!

  Ritter

  And you can't just tell her she burns them?

  Amaya

  I try to! But she always goes on about how it's some family recipe and “this is always the correct recipe” and then she starts on and on about some other stuff I don't understand.

  Ritter

  Sounds like she can be a handful.

  Amaya

  Yea, but it's fine, cause I know I can be a pain too.

  Ritter

  Well kiddo, I got to get going now.

  Amaya

  Aww, please! One more throw!

  Ritter, defeated

  Sure….

  Opera

  Ritter steps up and begins to aim at the wall again. He begins going through the route he has been exercising this whole chat. As he begins feeding Element from his Chalice and into his body, his mind takes him somewhere against his will.

  It's a memory he's long since forgotten about, up until now. It was when Mars was teaching him to utilize his Chalice. It's so mundane, back then and now. But at the time, and right now through his routes, Ritter was utterly absorbed in each and every word. Why was Ritter thinking about it? Why now? Why--

  Sage

  The ball shattered against the brick wall, cracking and crumbling as the red light that accompanied the Phenomena of Stacking Atlas. Ritter hadn't noticed how much Element he had pumped into his Arm.

  Amaya, shocked and sad

  My… ball…

  Opera

  A mistake. Curses. The worst possibility. Ritter and his processes don't work well when mistakes occur. He simply isn't talented enough to keep up his facades.

  Ritter, desperate to remedy the situation

  Jinx, I'm really sorry kid! Ugh, here's some Marks, should probably be able to get yourself a new ball.

  Sage

  As Amaya goes to reach for the Marks in Ritter's outstretched grasp, one of them, just for a moment, slipped. Flowing through the wind, it began to soar away.

  Ritter, frustrated

  Are you serious right now?

  Sage

  As the Mark rose faster and faster in the wind, something marvelous happened. A gentle green light began to dimly light up Amaya's eyes, and then the Mark zoomed over to her hand. She seemed rather pleased with herself, until a sudden look of realization hit her as she looked at Ritter.

  Opera

  PSI powers, great, just what Ritter needed. Um, you want to explain this one partner?

  Sage

  Certainly my compatriot.

  PSI powers have long resided in Humanity. When Mind and Will converge the yield is mighty. Yet fear and malice has been the common and unfortunate response. But I suppose we cannot blame the unknowledgeable for their inability to grasp that which exists beyond the bounds of Common Sense.

  Nowadays the Orthodoxy’s position is that PSI powers are to be repressed, less they become a hazard. Some dangerous weapon wielded by someone incapable of understanding its dangerous potential. Or forbid the worse option of some more malignant motivator like anger or fear driving its use.

  Amaya had known for a very long time that she should never be caught using her power, never ever ever. So she began to run to the door of her house, but before she could even perceive, Ritter was already in front of her, bracing her against him.

  Ritter

  Don't worry kiddo, I'm not here for you.

  Amaya, afraid

  Are… you really sure?

  Ritter, grasping her gently

  Yea, it's fine kid, I ain't that kind of Inquisitor. Just don't assume the next one you meet is like me.

  Amaya, suddenly pulling her head away

  EWW your breath stinks! Did you eat at Mateo’s? Dog Breath!

  Ritter, finally back in his process

  Oh yea? Well then-

  Sage

  Ritter picks Amaya up and walks over to a little indented section in one of the walls, just big enough for a person to stand flush against the wall, and an iron gate was put there to keep people from trying it, among other things. Ritter placed Amaya into the gated indent and began walking away.

  Amaya

  Hey, let me out of here!

  Ritter

  Well I mean if you want to get out of there, try knocking on the door next to you, I think that's Mrs. Gruber’s place right? I'm sure she will help you get out of there, and maybe make you a batch of her cookies.

  Opera

  Amaya mean mugs Ritter from behind the iron gate, and begins to make grunts and growls as she tries to climb over the gate herself, to no avail sadly. And Ritter? Well he walks out of the Alley on the street near Public Safety. A fake smile he often uses to keep kids at ease. Except…. This one lingered longer than a fake smile should….