Chapter 48: [48] Family Reunion (1)
Ark lived in a four story apartment complex at the more affordable part of town. It was nothing flashy, just a modest building with all the basic facilities required for normal living.
There were no high tech cameras, elevators that could take you all the way up or a general air conditioning system.
But that was why it was cheap...
There was a small driveway with a few cars parked in them, and the lights from the homes cast a warm glow over the street and cars.
Although the building was a little old, the landlord was a generous man, and so due to his renovations the house did not feel like shit.
"It has been ages..." Ark sighed as he stared at the building.
Although he had been in the tower for a day, the academy was a boarding school, meaning he had spent the last six months away from home.
Ark waited for a few seconds to confirm no one was present, before he hurried up the stairs, his hood covering his face.
Once he got to the door he stuffed his hand into his pockets and pulled out his key. It was strange... Although their clothes vanished the moment they entered Eden, once they got back, everything returned to their rightful place.
It was what caused awakener scientists to theorise that their true bodies never really entered Eden, but were stored in some pocket dimension.
But there was no way to prove that theory.
Ark opened the door to a completely dark living room. "Huh? Is nobody home?"
His older sister was definitely still at work, but his little sister should be at—
VWOOSH!
Ark immediately leaned back as a fire ball rushed past him, and washed over the wall behind him.
"What the hell?"
Ark immediately got into a fighting stance. The hero’s blade materialized in his hand as a mage’s staff, and his mana began to flow through it like a calm stream.
Was he under attack? What happened to his little sister?!
In the space of a few seconds, multiple thoughts raced through Ark’s mind.
He could not think of anyone that would target his family, but there was no denying what was in front of him.
He gritted his teeth and ducked under another burst of flames, as he darted for the light switch.
Flick!
The lights came on with full intensity, drowning the room in white.
In the center of the living room, a fat bird was flying around in circles. It looked like a merger between an overgrown chick and a hawk, and its feathers were a vibrant orange that were reminiscent of embers.
"Intruder, intruder intruder!" A bird-like chirp rang out repeatedly as the bird spun.
’That voice...’
The bird opened its maw once more and Ark dashed for the living room.
"Wait!"
Bang!
This time his center table was blasted into pieces. Ark ducked behind the couch.
"Phew... what the actual fuck?" Ark breathed out, finally having a moment of reprieve.
"Bronya says cursing is a sin, you will burn in hell!"
Ark froze. The voice was from right beside him.
When did she get so fast?
He turned around, slowly, his arms raised in surrender. If he had any sweat pores, then right now he would be sweating. The little bird had a fire ball hovering just above her head.
"Calm down, Cracker, it’s me... Ark."
Although something was definitely wrong, there was no doubt about it. That fat bird was his sister.
"When... When did you learn to shoot fire?"
Yes, the strange thing was not that she was a bird. Ark was already used to cleaning feathers off the living room couch. But the fire was new.
She was even so good that she smothered the fire once it missed its target. Did that mean she could also increase the intensity?
The little bird’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"You must think Cracker is a fool. My brother is as tall as a tree, he can never be the size of a midget."
Ark felt his heart cave in.
"Let’s be logical here, Cracker, how would I know your name if I wasn’t your brother?"
"Hah, many people know Cracker’s name! All my friends in school, the neighbours, even the mail man! Cracker is smart, you will not fool Cracker so easily!"
The fire grew more intense and Ark swallowed. He could have easily grabbed her, but last time he did that, she pecked his right eye so hard that the white part got stained with blood.
And that was when she knew he was his brother...
"Alright, wait." Ark searched his mind for a way to prove his identity. "Aha! You still owe me one hundred credits for the manga set you bought six months ago!"
The bird’s eyes widened.
"Ark, Ark, Ark is back!"
She rushed towards him, and just as she got close, she transformed and slammed into him, tackling him into the ground.
Ark laughed as he patted her head, "It’s good to be back home."
She got off him and laughed, her eyes moist with tears.
For the first time in six months, Ark got to see his sister in person for the first time.
Cracker was the type of person that looked as though she had a permanent smile etched on her face.
Her orange hair was long enough to reach her waist, and had one disobedient strand rising up into the air. Just like her feathers, they glowed faintly.
Her eyes were an icy blue that leaned a bit towards silver. They were predatory in nature, and far from anything a normal human would have.
But that was natural, after all, his thirteen year old sister was a Fire bird.
"So how was the trial? Did you kill a lot of monsters?! Oh, did you bring a souvenir?!"
She glanced at the black staff that was by his side, excitedly bouncing up and down on his ribs as she spoke. "Is that mine? Did you bring it for me?"
"Get off me, you’re going to break my ribs..."
Cracker didn’t move. She cocked her head to the side and eyed him with that same avian stare.
"Hmmm, you did say you were a skeleton, but you never said anything about being so short."
"I’m not that short..." Ark was perfectly average height. "Forget it, where is Bronya?"
"Big sis said she would be running late due to traffic." Cracker finally got off his chest and placed her hands proudly on her waist. "She asked me to cook dinner, hehe!"
"Oh? You can cook now? What happened in the last six months? First, you can now shoot fire, and now you can apparently cook..."
"Ehehehe... you underestimate me brother. I am something of a genius you know?"
Ark sat up straight and sighed. "Does this genius realize that something is burning?"
Her face immediately went pale, and the strand of hair that had been standing still deflated like a balloon.
"Eeeek—!"
Ark laughed as he watched her sprint into the kitchen. If she was this flustered about burning food, then he wondered what she would do when she realised what a mess they had made of the living room.
"..."
"Wait..."
Ark immediately shot up to his feet and stared at the place. There were scorch marks on the white walls, and the center table had been smashed to pieces.
’Shit... Bronya was going to kill them both...’