The crisp air brushed against Arthur's face as he stepped out of the imposing estate, the grandeur of the mansion fading behind him.
The quiet rustle of leaves and the distant calls of birds were montarily disrupted by the sudden vibration of the device on his wrist.
Pulling to a stop, Arthur tapped the sleek screen, his movents quick and practiced as he slid an earbud into place.
"Uncle Derek?" he queried, his voice tinged with both respect and urgency as he paused on the manicured pathway leading away from the estate.
The line crackled briefly before Derek's voice ca through, warm yet slightly distracted, "Sorry, Arthur. I was busy in a eting and I saw your missed call. Is sothing wrong?"
Arthur's eyes focused, "Yes. I uh…I wanted to ask sothing. Can I know if there is any reason why you can't deploy Hunters to those countries that the Thundering Reaper might attack? I an, sending them without any strings attached. No governnt would refuse such help, right?" His tone was hopeful, seeking clarity and perhaps reassurance.
A heavy sigh resonated from Derek, as if he was burdened by sothing, "Arthur, it isn't that easy. Politics and its legalities are more complicated than you think. Even if we do what we said but things go south like collateral damage or casualties, we will be held responsible, and our Hunters might get crucified for no fault of theirs. Our agency will be expected to compensate for all that. So many countries are eagerly waiting for a chance to discredit our work and vision, and they will use any opportunity to do so. You wouldn't want that, would you, Arthur?"
Arthur's stride faltered slightly, his brow furrowing under the canopy of ancient trees that lined the estate's driveway, "I..." he started, the simplicity of his initial query unraveling before the complex realities Derek outlined. Though Derek's words made logical sense, a nagging feeling tugged at Arthur's conscience, suggesting that even if his words sounded logical, it didn't sound right.
"Looks like you understand. I have a guest coming in, so let's talk later if you have more to discuss. Okay?" Derek's voice, now edged with a hint of urgency, broke through Arthur's contemplation.
"Sure, Uncle Derek," Arthur responded, a note of resignation threading through his words. He removed the earbud, his gaze lingering on the stately mansion he had just left.
Why was it appearing as if people were hiding things from him or trying to make him believe sothing he found hard to believe? Even if they an well and say it was for the better, was it really right?
He couldn't help but rember what Advisor Ash told him, even if he said it in a rude way.
With a heavy heart, he turned away, the crunch of gravel underfoot punctuating his departure.
—-
Just a mont before, A desolate industrial building, a relic of tis gone by, stood forlorn under the weight of its own decay. Rust adorned its steel skeleton like a disease, and the pungent sll of old tal and mildew perated the air. Within this dark setting, Derek, clad in a suit that seed out of place against the backdrop of neglect, raised his hand against his ear.
As the call ended, he tapped his earpiece and turned with deliberate slowness to address the figure standing ominously before him.
"Did you notice anything strange in his activities after observing him like always?" Derek's voice echoed slightly in the cavernous space, his tone asured and commanding.
Before him, an unsettling figure stood—a fearso sight in her black tal full-body suit adorned with small rotating discs at her hips, her eyes glowing an unnerving dark yellow. To any onlooker familiar with her infamous reputation, her presence would invoke a visceral fear upon recognizing that she was none other than the Thundering Reaper!.
"Nothing unusual. He mainly interacts with his advisor and his team, consisting of your daughter and the other three girls. Do you want to keep an eye on them as well?" Her voice was cold but focused.
Derek shook his head, a slight frown creasing his brow as he considered her question, "No. No matter how fast you are, your focus will still get divided, and that's not what I want. You are to only stay close to Arthur and observe him. Don't forget that is the sole reason you continue to exist," he stated bluntly, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that matched her eerie glow.
Thundering Reape slowly nodded and asked as she slowly clenched her fist behind her back, "If Arthur gets in your way, do you want to kill him? Is that why you are telling to stay close?" she asked, her voice betraying a hint of curiosity beneath its icy exterior.
Derek's expression darkened, his brows furrowing deeper as he responded, "That isn't sothing you need to know. And don't ever think it's easy to kill him. We might have purposefully kept his abilities and potential on a leash, but that doesn't make him useless. He is at least an Evangelion, and even if you phase your hand through his heart, he can recover from it. So, never do anything without my orders. I have invested a lot in him and I need him as he is now. Consider his life more important than your own and the billions of lives in this planet."
The Reaper slowly nodded as hand relaxed from its clenched position behind her back as she processed his directives, "Understood," she replied, her voice returning to its usual detached tone. Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she added, "Regarding my other mission, is it over now that most of the countries are ready to support you?"
Derek paused, his eyes montarily glinting with a calculation that seed to run deeper than the visible layers of rust around them, "For now," he answered and added, "You are to lay low until I need you again."
"Understood."
—
Couple hours later,
In a modest house, tucked away in a serene neighborhood in Berlin, radiated a warmth that seed to defy the encroaching shadows of the evening.
As Arthur approached the door, his heart heavy with the day's burdens, it swung open to reveal Anna, her presence like a beacon of comfort. Her smile, which shone with a dimple, was warm but playful as she maneuvered her electric wheelchair backward with the aid of a stick attached to it.
"Artie, you are back, but..." Her voice trailed into a pout, "You are a bit late. I had to keep your food in the fridge so that it wouldn't go bad."
Arthur's smile was weary but genuine as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him, "Sorry, Annie. I had to go to so places," he explained, his voice tinged with fatigue.
Anna's smile faded into a look of concern as she observed him more closely, "What happened? You look a bit tired. Did sothing happen?" she inquired softly, her eyes searching his for signs of distress.
Arthur sighed, the weight of his frustrations and sorrow montarily silencing him. Anna, sensing his hesitation, shook her head gently and grasped his hand, leading him towards the sofa with a comforting firmness, "Sit down, take a breath and tell . If you want so coffee, we can talk over so."
"No, it's fine. First..." Arthur's gaze softened, his eyes locking with hers as he extended a hand to help her, "...I want to hug you..." he murmured, assisting her to snuggle up against him on the sofa and helping her pull up her limp legs over the sofa.
Anna humd contentedly, the warmth between them tangible as she hugged him and nestled her face against his chest, "I like how warm you make feel whenever I am in your presence," she whispered, her voice muffled against his shirt.
Arthur responded by kissing her head gently, his hand caressing her face, "And I feel lucky that I get to hold you like this. I can't imagine living without you," he confessed, his words laced with deep affection.
A blush tinted Anna's cheeks as she looked up at him, her gaze filled with love, "So do I..." She interlocked her fingers with his, her voice steady yet filled with concern. "Now, are you going to tell what's troubling you?"
Arthur's hazel eyes darkened with the weight of his troubles, "It's more than just one thing. I feel so useless and angry at myself that I am unable to protect the people against the Thundering Reaper. I don't know how to catch her and stop her before she keeps killing hundreds of innocent people. The other thing is, I visited my father to find out more about my mother, but he didn't want to tell and only said that it was for my own good. I don't know what to..."
"Artie...I am sorry..." Anna's voice was soft, her grip tightening on his hand in a gesture of shared sorrow.
"Why are you apologizing? This is all because of ..." Arthur murmured, shaking his head slightly.
"Because I want to help you with all this and make you feel better, but I can't..." Anna replied, her smile wistful yet filled with a hint of pain as she added, "..and that makes wonder if I complete you…if only fate didn't cripple , then I-"
"That's enough," Arthur softly but firmly said as he covered her lips with his palm and added as he looked into her dark gray eyes, "Fate didn't cripple you but brought us together. You complete in ways you don't realize. So please don't ever talk as if you aren't enough for . That hurts more than I could say."
Anna's eyes flickered with guilt as she gently lowered his hand and kissed it before looking up at him with a soft smile, "I am sorry. I didn't an to hurt you. I just want to see you happy always."
"I want the sa for you too. So promise you will always stay by my side. That is the only way we both can stay happy like this…" Arthur said as he pressed her hand against his chest.
Anna looked into his eyes deeply for a mont before her lips ford a warm smile, "I promise," She said softly, making Arthur smile warmly as well.
Her eyes then focused as she asked, "But...this is the first ti I heard you pondering so deeply about your mother. What made you think about it all of a sudden?"
Arthur shook his head slowly, and he said with a wry smile, "I always had that thought at the back of my mind and yet I never thought too deeply about it. But when my combat advisor ntioned my mother...it just stuck to my mind, and I felt this urge to know more."
Anna slowly nodded, but then she gave a playful frown and asked, "Don't tell that guy is still being rude to you? Why would he talk about your mother?"
Arthur wryly chuckled and said, "He only ntioned my mother to prove so point regarding my ntality. You don't have to worry. Even if he is rude...his words have so truth to it..." Arthur trailed off as he pondered on Ash's words.
Anna sighed and said, "Maybe. But you should be careful. Guys like him always try to take advantage of kind n like you."
Arthur lightly laughed, "Haha. I shall be on my guard. Don't you worry."
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