Taking the City

It wasn't an unexpected question but the boy was nonetheless relieved that it was that question and not about the archery trick of the girl.
"We got locked in," he answered, "we were travelling through and we suddenly where trapped inside the bubble. And because we didn't belong inside the elite ring nor had any proof of business for being in the city we weren't allowed to go out of the bubble. So we had to sneak out..."
While he was talking he was looking at his hands most of the time, glancing up at Jack every now and then, but never maintaining eye contact for a long period of time.

"I see," Jack replied, nodding understandingly, "that must've been pretty crappy." He paused for a moment, realising that expression probably wasn't very common here - he'd made that mistake with Micheal and Afaafa before.

He didn't linger on it though, but instead went on with: "can I ask how you two know each other?" he asked. "And what your names are?"

The boy frowned, uncomprehending the sayings Jack had used. But as he hadn't lingered on it he just assumed that it was because of his lack of education. He glanced up and then to the girl before opening his mouth to answer.
"We are siblings," he answered, "she's my younger sister. My name is Hunter, hers Fallon, what's yours?"

"Ok, so that's Hunter and Fallon," Jack summerized for himself. Afterwards he smiled and returned the courtisy; "I'm Jack. Nice to meet you Hunter."
He then looked over at Fallon for a moment, then turned his gaze back at Hunter; "you seem like a really caring older brother," he said kindly.
Which brought him to a less pleasent subject; "why are you too out on your own?"

Hunter gave a small nod/bow with his head as a response to the 'nice meeting' comment, not really used to social talk. He looked down when Jack said that seemed like a really caring older bother. It made him feel bad for not having been capable of taking proper care of Fallon. He had done his best, but still a few days longer trapped inside the bubble would surely have lead to their starvation.
"Our parents got killed when we were younger," he answered matter of fact like, no real emotion visible on his voice or in his eyes, "Fallon was too young to remember so please don't ask her about it. We have been travelling around on our own ever since."

"I'm sorry," Jack said, not in the least diminishig the harshness of that situation. It wasn't that he couldn't have seen it coming, or hadn't actually seen it coming. It was very much the way in which Hunter had said it, very much stated and unemotional, that had caught him off guard. And all of this made him feel even worse about the next thing he was going to ask...

"I can understand that you don't want to hear this," he clumsily started, "but - I'm sorry - I have to know. I heard about the magic, silver arrow and string, on the bow...? What was that?"

Hunter's eyes tightened a little when Jack mentioned his sister's archery demonstration. This was exactly the reason why he hadn't wanted her to use her bow. How was he going to explain this away without giving away too much information.
"The bow possesses magic," he answered, his tone betraying that he didn't really wanted to talk about this, "I can't really remember how she got it, though I think it most likely that our parents had been the ones that had given it to her. I don't understand how the bow works, neither does she."
While he had been talking his hand had slipped underneath his cloak for a moment before letting it rest on his lap again. His gaze far away, the tightness around his eyes never left.

Jack noticed the change in Hunter's gaze, and couldn't help but feel a little uncomfertable. He felt like Hunter wasn't telling the full story - both by the incompleteness of the story, as well as his attitude while speaking - but wasn't sure if he should adress it or just leave it be.
He was also a little distracted by Hunter's hand slipping away inside his cloak, even for just a moment, but again wasn't certain if he was suppose to say anything about it. But then he remembered that this was a war, thus probably not the best time to prefer sensitivity over caution. For all he knew these kids could be spies or something! Admittedly, he didn't consider that thought very likely, but this wasn't a time to take chances. Why couldn't Sir Axel just have come? he asked himself mentally, he could've just read their minds and that would've been that.

Hunter didn't really like the tense silence that was left after he was done talking. He glanced to Jack every now and then looking for any sign that might indicate that he was going to need to defend Fallon and himself. Or that it would be best to get out of here as soon as Fallon would wake up. He couldn't really find any signs of that, but he did saw that Jack didn't really trust them. But then again he far from trusted any of them himself.
"No more questions?" he asked after it was clear that Jack wasn't about to break the silence any time soon.

"Just one actually," Jack said, snapping out of his train of thoughts - and decided to leave any difficult questions for Sir Axel, if he ever decided to show up (hehe, irritated Jack).
"What are you planning on doing after this?" he asked. He asked because he expected them to continue traveling, as the boy said they'd been doing before. In a manner of perspective, he had to agree that this was not the safest environnement for two children. On the other hand he liked to asked them to stay here, where there was food and shelter, and people who could take care of them.

Hunter looked expecting at Jack when he said that he had one more question, wondering about what it would be. On the one hand he had seen the question coming, but on the other hand he had expected more, a question that was more about the moment then the future.
"Continuing with our travelling," he answered without giving it a second thought. The only thing he was wasn't certain about was when it would be best for them to continue their wandering existence. On the one hand it would be best for them to regain some strenght and weight if the rebels would let them stay that long. But on the other hand he didn't really wanted to risk anyone discovering their secret... Not even the rebels who where fighting for equality for humans and nonhumans.

Jack couldn't keep a frown from his face when Hunter said he planned on traveling along, without any hessitation. He wanted to argue this, and had already opened his mouth to do it, but then changed his mind. If anything, who was he to tell anyone not to throw themselves into dangerous situations? He'd hulred himself in the middle of a war that wasn't his to fight, thus preventing him from safely retuning to his family when he had the chance!

So in the end, he just nodded at Hunter; "I see," he said rather blankly, "alright. I just wanted to know... Well, goodnight." He then turned around, to leave the children be - as he said he would. Before leaving he did turn around once more though, with a small smile at Hunter, as he added: "if you'd like to hang around here for a little bit longer, that's alright with us," he said, "just so you know." His eyes then shifted towards Fallon as he added: "perhaps you could use a little rest..."
And with that he left.

Hunter didn't notice Jack's frown his mind too much on how soon to continue their travelling. Only to conclude that at least for tonight they both should just rest. His eyes on Fallon while his mind was wondering.
He didn't look up until Jack started walking away. He was uncertain about the smile and the invite to hang around with the rebels a little longer. He watched Jack leave and then his eyes went back to Fallon. He didn't feel like sleeping. He didn't wanted to really let her out of his guard, especially not in this foreign enviroment. But in the end he couldn't fight his exhaustion any longer. He had eaten less then Fallon and slept far less then her as well. Basically he was in a worse physical state then his sister. So when he did fall asleep he was out cold for the world for hours, in fact most of the next day.
Fallon on the other hand woke up just before noon the next day, not that she was planning on leaving her sleeping brother's side.

Not long after Fallon had awoken, an unknown face showed itself inside the tent. It was Sir Axel, coming to see the children who he'd heard of. He couldn't be there before, as he was occupied hearing out everything that Valdez and Sa'Ida's soldier had to say ((we should write that out shouldn't we? XD)).

"Goodmorning," he said to Fallon in a soft voice, not wanting to wake up Hunter. He smiled at her friendly, though keeping his distance - in case that might make her uncomfertable.

Fallon had a couple of leaves in her hands that she had picked up from the ground in front of the tent. The farthest away she had been from her brother's side. She had been playing with the leaves, transforming them into pixy-like beings that flew around the tent and her. A few giggles-chuckles could be heard. Until she heard the footsteps that where heading towards the entrance of the tent that is. She transformed the leaves back into leaves again that lay normally in her hands as if nothing had happened. Looking up when a man appeared in the tents entrance.
"Goodmorning," she answered in a soft voice as well, looking not really looking at him for longer periods of time. Her bodylanguage betraying that she was feeling shy and uncertain.

A small, endeered smile came to Sir Axel when he saw how shy Fallon was, if only for a moment. He crouched down a small distance in front of her, evening out the length difference in the hope of seeming more accomodating.
"My name's Axel," he said with a friendly smile, "what's your name?" (this wasn't just a nice exchange, he actually didn't know her name)

When Sir Axel crouched down before her the first thing that Fallon did was repositioned her, oversized, helmet so that her eyes, with the help of the shadow it cast, and mainly their colour where less noticable.
"Axel sounds like Alex..." she answered, still looking rather shy and uncertain, though she did tilt her head a little as she mulled over the similarity of the two names, "my name is Fallon and my brother's name is Hunter."

Sir Axel looked at Fallon with a small frown when she repostitioned her helmet. He could read in her mind that she intended to hide her eyes, but couldn't really wrap his mind around why she would. Either way he wasn't going to try and see under her helmet but instead just went on like he hadn't noticed.

He chuckled at Fallon's comment, about how Axel sounded like Alex. "Yes, I suppose it does," he agreed, to then curiously add: "what makes you say that? Do you know somebody named Alex?"

When Fallon continued to introduce herself and her brother Sir Axel smiled at her, extended his hand and said: "it's nice to meet you Fallon. And... Hunter too, surely, soon as he wakes up."

Fallon looked a little confused at Sir Axel's question if she knew anyone by the name of Alex. Not really understanding why he assumed that.
"No," was therefor her only answer her eyes drifting back to the leaves that she was still holding in her hands. She wanted to continue playing with them, but Hunter had told her plently of times that she couldn't when people were around. When Sir Axel exteneded his hand to her and she hessitated for a moment before shaking it, not really used to the custom.
"Why are you here?" she asked looking at him with big eyes after having wondered for a moment what Hunter would do or say in a situation like this if he were awake.

When Fallon said she didn't know anyone named Alex, Sir looked confused for a moment, wondering now what had led her to make that connection then. He was amused for a moment then, when he read in her mind that she likewise was wondering why he had made that connection. A wonderful moment of reciprocal misunderstanding...

"I'm here to see how you two are," he started his awnser, still smiling, "and to get to know you. To see who you two are." He realised that last might've sounded unappealing; with how shy and held-back Fallon seemed, and Hunter's guarded behavior that Jack had described, he suspected they wouldn't appreciate his curiousity. On the other hand, he didn't think lying about why he was here would increase their openness either, so he might as well just come out and say it.

Fallon smiled as well when Sir Axel said that he was there to see how they were and was about to answer that they were fine when he continued his answer. The moment when he said that he wanted to see who they were her guard went up. She tugged a little on the folds of her skirt just to make sure that the hem still hid her feet from sight. And had to stop herself from retouching/positioning her helmet to avoid drawing more attention to it. After that she looked over at Hunter who had turned around on his other side but was still very much fast asleep. She looked uncomfortable and uncertain of what to do now.
What would Hunter do now...?
She wondered, but all she could think of was stalling until he would wake up and help out.
"Why?" she asked, no longer making any eyecontact with Sir Axel.

Already having expected Fallon becomming uncomfertable, Sir Axel didn't comment on it. He did however focus his mind-reading powers on her, alert for any thoughts that might be informative to him.
All he noticed though was her wondering what her brother would do in this situation, which wasn't really helpful. It did tell him that he was probably the one in charge of keeping them safe, and protecting them, but there were plenty of other factors that suggested this as well.

"Well," Sir Axel said, still looking at her, "as you probably have noticed, we're in the middle of a war - with all the people out here fighting those inside the forcefield. And I know this might sound pretty silly, but we have to make sure you are not a threat to us in any way." He realized how ludicrous that probably sounded, but then again... if one would send two children as spies, the entire idea behind it would be that no one would expect children spies. For all they knew they might not even be children, but simply soldiers under some kind of magical disguise!.

"For all we know, you two might be sent to spy on us," he explained briefly, "and we simply can't risk that. That's why I need to know a little more about you."

He paused for a moment, but it didn't seem like Fallon was going to reply in any way. Thus, he continued to ask her: "so Fallon, could you tell me something about yourself or your brother?"

(if she doesn't reply, he would add: "I heard you two were traveling. Why is that? Are you heading for somewhere?")

A somewhat sad expression came on Fallon's face when Sir Axel said that they were in a war and that they needed to make sure they weren't a threat to them. It stung a little and she couldn't keep tears from filling her eyes. She wished she didn't have to hide, but she was far to scared to come out of hiding even to rebels that were fighting for equality for everyone.
"If you don't trust us we can just leave when Hunter is awake," she proposed uncertain not really wanting to explain anything about them to be honest. Especially not with Hunter still being asleep.

Sir Axel felt bad for upsetting Fallon, and couldn't help but wonder if he could've handeled that better. Perhaps he should've waited for the older brother to wake up...

Also, he already picked up she was scared of revealing who (or what?) she really was, and that she wished she didn't have to hide. This convinced him that they really weren't dangerous - to be honest, he never really believed it from the start, but agreed that they couldn't risk it... and he couldn't now either. Despite feeling very sorry for the girl, and really wanting to believe that they were innocent, he realized he had to make a rational choice here...

"Please don't be upset," he then said in an apologizing manner, "I didn't mean to spook you. As long as you are who you said you were, everything is fine." He realized he was probably the worst war-interogator in the history of the world right now, but he couldn't really help it.
"I'd just like to say - for whatever it's worth - that you don't have to hide who you are. All these people here are fighting for the right to be who they are, despite of what they are or what they can do..."

Fallon took a deep breath and wiped the tears out of her eyes, careful not to let her helmet shift so that her eyes where still hidden in its shadow.
"We're nomads," she said after that, her eyes on the leaves in her hands, "we've been nomads for as long as I can remember. We're orphanes. I don't remember our parents, Hunter says he does. We usually avoid the cities and villages, but because of the war hethought it would be safer then crossing an open field and risk having either side consider us to belong to the enemy and attack us..."
She fell silent after that, not knowing what else to say without revealing things Hunter had made her promise to never talk about with anyone but him.