Mission: NYX || ONC2023 Shortlister

Chapter 4: First Case

Unsurprisingly, the taxi wasn't able to drop them further into Roxas Boulevard. Cars were so close to each other that they were nearly pressing to each other, while traffic enforcers were already standing and trying to continue the flow of traffic lest it would become worse. The street was always busy and bustling, especially since it was a highway. But even then, it was never this noisy or crowded.

Lucinda placed a hand on Greyson's back, pulling him closer to her. His ears kept switching between pointing up and down, while his brows matched the frown on his face. The sound of the horns made him jump up numerous times, and his grip on her tightened even more.

The sight of it made her frown, but she kept it inside. He was always sensitive to loud noises, and it seemed like he became more sensitive as he grew. Her chest felt heavy; it was as if a rock had replaced her heart and dragged it down. It wasn't like she could fully blame Viktor for it, either. At the end of the day, she still agreed to bring Greyson along.

A sigh left her lips. Hopefully, Tayla could wait a little longer.

She pulled Greyson aside, stopping until they were just near an alleyway. Before he could ask, she knelt down to his height. She smiled and poked his nose. "How do you feel?"

His ears flopped downwards. "It's noisy."

"Are you scared?"

Almost immediately, he shook his head as his ears perked upwards again. His brows furrowed down as he frowned—something he always did when he tried to look determined. "It's not scary. I'll be fine."

"Such a brave face." Lucinda giggled as she kissed his forehead. "Chuchu, before we continue, there's a set of rules that you need to follow. They're for your safety, so you need to follow them, alright?"

Greyson nodded.

"Rule number one." Lucinda raised a finger in the air. "We might have to go inside one of our victims' gadgets. Which means you have to use your powers. When that happens, don't force yourself to do work you can't do. Is that clear?"

"It is."

"Repeat what I said."

"Don't force myself to do work I can't do."

"Good. Second rule." She raised another finger. "If I tell you to cover your eyes, cover your eyes. There are things that you aren't allowed to see, so make sure to do it. Okay?"

"Cover my eyes if you ask me to cover my eyes."

"Third and most important, so you have to remember this. Never, ever, leave my side. Understand?"

"Never leave your side."

"Roxas Boulevard can be dangerous. There are lots of cars, and you might get run over. Apart from that, there are bad people here that might take you away from me and hurt you. So if someone tries to get you, don't be afraid to scream as loud as you can until someone comes for help. Got that?"

He nodded again. Somehow, that seemed to have lifted his spirits. He placed his hands in front of him, and his ears flipped up and down. "Scream as loud as I can until you kill the bad guys."

Lucinda managed to laugh alongside him. She kissed his forehead again, then to his nose, before standing up. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but promise me you'll stay close. What happens to promise breakers again?"

"They don't get cake."

"It's a good thing you still remember."

She wrapped him in for a hug. Before she parted, Lucinda took off one of her gloves as fast as she could. One of her nails scratched her fingers, letting bits of her blood drop. She clenched her hand into a tight fist, making the wound quickly heal and crystalizing at the same time. As she parted from Greyson, she placed her hand on his hip and slipped the crystal inside his pocket.