Man in The Mirror

I stretch. "I don't think I got enough sleep last night."

    Titan floats over in his puppy form as we walk through the market. "You stayed up late looking through your inventory. You should really focus on sleeping I can't have you dying on me on a mission."

    I pat his head. "I hear you loud and clear boss, let's take the day off we have been leveling pretty consistently. Plus I found a meat stand that sells something similar to chicken nuggets."

    He does a backflip. "What are we waiting for let's go!"

     I laugh as we walk towards the stall I hear a commotion down they alley way. I stop dead. "Looks like we're gonna have to put that on hold."

    He pouts as we walk down the alley 4 men are beating on 3 orphan kids. "Afternoon gents mind telling me what you're doing?"

    The bald leader points a dagger at me. "It's none of your business move along before we beat you down and take your money."

     The little blonde girl looks at me. "Just go mister we'll be oka-"

     He kicks her in the stomach. "Shut up!"

    The other's laugh and I vanish slamming his head into the stone wall knocking him out. "My bad looks like I don't know my own strength."

    The other guys step back I reach down grabbing his coin purse off his belt handing it to the little girl. "You mind watching my dog for a bit while I talk with these guys, he will show you a really good meat stall."

   She nods taking the money I wave to them as they leave the alley. I lower my hand sighing. "What kinda coward do you have to be to beat on a group of kid's."

   The largest one charges at me. "I'll kill you!"

    I flip him over my shoulder stomping on his throat he groans grabbing his throat. "So why where you beating on those kid's?"

    The skinny one comes at me with a short sword. "We don't have to tell you anything!"

    I step left breaking his arm grabbing the sword cutting the last guys fire ball in half as the skinny one lands on his buddies. I walk towards the mage he drops back on his *** holding his hand out. "Please dont kill me."

    I squat down looking him in the eye's. "I asked a question and I want an answer now tell me."

    He looks away evasivly. "T-There just some stupid orphans who cares if we kill them we where just having some fu-"

   He screams as I stab the short sword into his thigh. "I don't doubt there's a shred of truth in what you just said but as a professional liar I can tell when someone's feeding me a line of bullshit so I'm gonna give you one more chance."

    I pull the blade out pointing it at him. "And before you answer remember I have 3 more people to question if you don't give me what I want then one of them will."

    Fear speads across his face. "The cult of void it was the cult they asked us to bring them orphan children they do weird rituals and we just wanted some extra booze money that's all I promise."

   I smile patting the side of his face. "See that wasn't so hard was it?"

    I get up stepping over his friends a black crystal cigar appears in my hand I light it with a gold flame. I inhale blowing golden smoke into the air he speaks nervously behind me. "S-So you're gonna let us live right?"

    I glance back smiling. "Who said anything about that?"

    I flick the cigar at them setting the alley ablaze with golden flames. They scream in agony as I walk out of the alley. The flames go out once their dead without doing any damage to the surrounding buildings.

    The kids are waiting at the fountain huddled around each other eating the meat out of a pouch playing with titan. I walk over and they stand up. "Thank you mister we owe you our lives."

    I pat their heads. "Don't mention it I had a talk with those guys and as an apology they wanted me to give you this."

   I hand them their coin pouches their eyes light up. "This is so much money are you sure we can have it?"

   I nod pointing at the meat pouch. "Why'd you only buy one."

    The little blonde girl looks up at me nervously. "W-We didn't wanna spend to much of the money this was enough for us if we share."

    I hold my hand out. "Let me see that real quick."

    She hands it to me. "Here's a little trick but don't tell anyone okay?"

     They nod and I make 2 more pouches of meat handing them to the other two. "Wow mister that was incredible!"

    I sit beside them while they eat. The little blonde girl sits beside me. "Why did youd help us?"

    I laugh slightly. "Do I need a reason to help someone in need?"

    She shakes her head looking down fidgiting with her hands. "N-No it's just that we are orphans you know?"

    I smile. "I'm aware just because you're an orphan doesn't make you less of a person. You are just as valuable as a noble child."

    She blushes slightly. "Thank you but that's not true."

    I hold my hand up slightly. "I'll prove it to you."

    Water from the fountain rushes around them washing their bodies and  healing their wounds. It cuts their hair also. "Come with me."

    They follow behind me as I walk into a clothing store. A women comes out from behind the counter. "Those orphans cant be in here."

    I smile. "They're here to buy-"

    She cuts me off glaring at me. "I don't serve them."

      The blonde girl grabs my jacket. "It's okay mister-"

      I stop them turning to the owner. "Just a quick question before we go."

      She looks irritated. "What?"

     Gold flames flow up my arms. "How much of this stores inventory is flammable?"

      Fear spreads across her face. "R-Right this way children let's get you fitted for some clothes."

     The flames go out and I pat their backs. "Good choice."

      We walk over to the counter and she looks me over. "What's their budget?"

      The kids start to set the pouches on the counter I hold my hand out stopping them I set three gold coins down. "They don't have one."

     Her eye's go wide and her attitude changes. "Y-Yes sir what would you like?"

     I swipe my menu and a small screen appears in front of her. "This is their measurements give them your best clothes and caster gloves also some of those storage rings."

    She rushes off to get it done with the kids I lean against the counter Titan wags his tail. "What?"

    He nudges me. "You'd make a good father master."

     I laugh slightly. "You think so?"

     He nods. "Yep!"

     The kids come out dressed up I walk them over to the mirror. "See no difference between you and a noble kid."

    The blonde girl tears up hugging me tightly I pat her head sending them outside. The owner looks nervous since I haven't paid yet.

    I toss her the tree coins. "Just a word of advice next time severe your customers no matter who they are."

    She starts to turn to get the change. "Yes sir I'll get the-"

     I turn. "Keep the change."

     She bows. "Thank you please come again!"

     I walk over to the kids. "Lets go."

     They follow me the blonde looks at me. "Where are we going now?"

      I point towards the noble district. "Im enrolling you in the Academy."

      They rush infront of me stopping me. "You can't we aren't nobles!"

      I smile. "I can and will."

      The blonde girl grips my shirt. "You can't we don't belong there we are just orphan trash-"

      I kneel down looking her in the eye's. "Don't ever say that about yourself again."

      She tears up. "But it's true-"

      I wipe her tears. "No it's not."

      She sniffs. "Why are you helping us?! We aren't worth all this."

       I smile. "It's because I know what it's like to be where you are since I to was an Orphan."

      Her eyes go wide. "You where?!"

      I nod slightly. "My parent's didn't want me so I was taken away as a baby I never met them but a nice couple who couldn't have children took me in and gave me a good life. I promised myself if I ever got the chance I'd do the same for someone else and one day you'll be strong enough to do the same. Your worth isn't in where you come from it's who you are inside okay?"

     They nod hugging me tightly. Titan looks at me smugly wagging his tail I flick his forehead taking them to the academy. They take the entrance exam and a teacher comes over to me. "Do you have identification that you're a noble."

    I glare at him. "Are you questioning me?"

    He looks nervous. "N-No I-"

     I smile reaching into my pocket forging a noble Id. "You're just doing your job I know here you go."

     His eyes go wide. "A-A noble recognized by the king I apologize sir please don't report me."

     I hold my hand up slightly. "It's all good."

     I wait out front the kids come running with big smiles and their papers. "We did it we did it!"

     Titan floats over and they hug him I take a photo. The blonde comes over hugging me. "Thank you mister."

     I pat her head. "Dont mention it."

     The youngest boy sniffs. "I wish big sister was here."

      The oldest boy nudges him. "Don't talk like that we all do but she's gone."

      I look at the blonde. "Big sister?"

      She looks down. "Big sister Scarlet was a girl who looked out for us near the main gate she was taken by men in robes we chased them all the way to the market but they vanished that was over 2 months ago and we still haven't found her."

    That cult must be involved. "I'll look into it for you."

     Their eyes light up. "Really!?"

      I nod pointing towards their teacher. "Yep now get going focus on your studies I'll find your sister."

     They thank me and head off with their teacher I walk out of the gate heading down the street Titan grows to a larger size. "Master?"

    I glance at him. "We're gonna destroy that cult."

     His eye's glow red. "Understood."

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