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"Please... We just want our little girl back.." The woman began to sob, as her husband tried to comfort her. The camera turned back to a red-haired woman, who was holding a mic. "That was Mia and Tyler Smith, foster parents of Sky, the Gifted who recently went missing this week. With Sky, about 71 Gifteds have gone missing these past few months. Police have made many efforts to find them, but unfortunately, they have once again been proved futile. What could have happened to these missing Gifteds? Unfortunately, the police refuse to give us any information about their investigation, s-"

---

Josephine immediately switched the channel to something lighter. Albeit she did find the kidnappings tragic, she didn't find it important to her. So far it was only Gifted that were going missing, and she wasn't part of that group. She was safe...for the time being, at least.

Gifted. She hated that word, it had...such a sense of superiority. Why was it that people like her, people who had been working their whole lives to reach the point that they're at right now, had to be beaten down by somebody who get the job completed with a wave of their hand?

Josephine grimaced and began to pack her things to start another day at medical school.

---

Idle humming filled the empty apartment as sunlight streamed through the open curtain. The radio was on, broadcasting the latest news about the disappearance of the Gifteds with numbers only going higher and higher. The room itself was quite messy, run down walls with water damage and not enough insulation framing the dingy apartment with peeling wallpaper. There stood a row of plants by the widow sill, soaking up the light as a clawed hand reached over to pluck rosemary from the ledge garden, sprinkling it into a bubbling pot. The room wasn't very big, just large enough to fit a small table with two chairs crammed in to make room for the multiple shelves lining the walls. Most were filled with fashion magazines and containers containing makeup and cosmetics but a few thick cookbooks broke up the pattern occasionally, shoved in without a care in the world. There was one particular container with fuzzy fabric poking out of it right next to a container full of eye shadow pallets, the contents of these shelves pointing to two young girls living in the apartment. Three doors present, one leading to outside and the others led to presumably bedrooms. Connecting to the living space was a messy kitchen, pots bubbling away on the old stove as a young man stood before it, consulting a cookbook while adding in carrots to a stock pot. His back hair was tied up in a low pony tail and he wore a light crop top and shorts as he danced around the kitchen to pick and drop ingredients as he wished. A soft beep barely heard over the bubbling had a pair of adorably cute jackal ears stand to attention as Shien drifted over to the rice cooker, all while humming under his breath. As he ladled out rice into a container, the radio sitting innocuously on the counter continued to blare out the morning news. "recently went missing this week. With -bttz- about 71 Gifted's have gone missing these past few months. Police have -bttz- unfortunately, they have-" A clawed finger tapped the top of the old radio as it fizzled in and out of focus, the reporters voice breaking up. Sighing, Shien finished ladling the rice into his container and moving onto the curry cooking on the burner.

Among those numbers was his roommate, one gifted among the 71 missing. If he was being pedantic though, he knew of three gifted who were missing. One was a regular customer from his job at the bookstore and another was an acquaintance he would see sometimes when he was out running. Both had been missing for some time and Shien was starting to worry. Kaoru, his roommate, has been missing for about a week now and with his growing awareness of disappearing gifteds, he was starting to notice other people in his lives that were missing. Switching radio stations to hopefully change the glum atmosphere clogging up the small apartment, Shien began to hum along to the incoming song as he prepared lunch for later, stirring the curry pot as he sipped on his morning tea. Decaffeinated of course. With his lunch cooked and breakfast eaten, Shien ladled the curry into the container full of rice before closing it up and packing away any extras for dinner. Opening the door closest to him, Shien stepped into his room. It was always kept nice and dark so he could be himself without any eyes on him, sensitive eyes adjusting the moment he stepped into the room. It was a quick and mundane event, changing into his work attire paying careful attention to slide fabric over his inhuman traits. Remembering how the news spoke of the rise in gifted disappearances, Shien slipped on a headband that pinned back his ears. Wincing at how it pinched the delicate skin, the gifted glanced at himself in the mirror. There wasn't much he could do about his teeth and he was way too poor to afford colored contacts so the thin wire framed glasses were the only things on his person that he could use to hide his eyes. All things considered, he looked like a normal human, given that someone didn't look too closely or didn't sweep back his hair and find his distinct lack of human ears. Slipping in some extra pins to keep his bangs and side fringes in place, Shien patted down his pockets to make sure he hand everything and grabbed his messenger bag. Packing away his lunch, Shien cast one last glance over the now quiet apartment, Kaoru's mess untouched. The specific shelf that Kaoru had insisted they have to store his ridiculous collection of nailpolish was almost spilling over with the amount of bottles shoved in, was slowly gathering dust and it saddened him. Maybe he should clean up that corner when Kaoru returned, it would be a nice little welcome home gift. With that in mind, Shien locked the door behind him and began his daily commute to work.

Today he had a shift at The Flower Garden, a local bookstore-slash-cafe with a ancient forest like theme to it, requiring each staff member to wear more traditional garbs to add to the mysterious atmosphere. It was co-run by a gifted by the name of Miyabi and his partner (in business or in love, Shien still wasn't really sure) Tenma. It was a cozy and warm environment and Shien liked working there, mostly because families would drop by frequently with children in tow and Shien would have tons of opportunities to read to them. Unlocking the back door to the book store, Shien called out his greetings to the employees already present as he hung up his bag. Adjusting his headband to make sure that his ears were firmly pressed down and hidden, Shien almost missed the jab at his missing ears today, the sound muffled through his thick hair. "I just forgot to wash them yesterday so their drying right now." Shien lied easily waving off his co-workers amazement that he was seen without his "fake ears" for once. Clocking in, Shien got ready to work, quickly checking the day's rotation. He was on floor duty so he made his gloves were securely fastened before heading out. Another mundane day, another day worth living. Putting on his best smile, he greeted Miyabi who was working behind the register, tallying up the day's profit, before getting to work. First order of business, re-shelving the new arrivals. Dipping into the backroom, Shien effortlessly picked up the boxes containing the new arrivals and totted them to the front. Humming along to the soothing jazzy lo-fi that played over the system, he hunkered down and began to unbox the new books, placing them on the correct shelves.

---

Laptop. Charger. Scrubs. Stethoscope. Thermometer. Gauze. Rubbing Alcohol. Anatomical Atlas...Her USMLE Step 1 First Aid book...Her USMLE Step 1 First Aid book?? Where was it? Josephine quietly cursed to herself, then recollected herself. This was fine. It was just a minor inconvenience to her routine. As she stuffed her supplies into her briefcase, she vaguely remembered a bookstore. Every once in a blue moon, she would stop by in the morning to go treat herself to a coffee there. She would get her book there. With that, Josephine continued her regimen. Grab some bread. Toast it. Prepare tea. Apply butter to the bread. Retrieve the tea. Eat, grab her briefcase, then leave. When her parents were present, she would bid them adieu, but today wasn't the day, neither was yesterday or the day before that.

So and accordingly, she stepped outside the comfort of her apartment and headed on her usual route to school, past towering condominiums and small, rickety stores. The sidewalk was more crowded than usual, and for every five minutes, she was capable of moving only a few meters. Josephine resisted the urge to shove and trample people and bit her lip, hoping she would be able to make it to school on time. She had foot traffic to deal with AND her missing textbook needed to be taken care of. There were so many people here. A lot of them. It had never once occurred to her that she had probably touched shoulders with a Gifted person. That vulgar woman who had stepped on her toes with her Louboutins two minutes ago could have the ability to see into the future! The person angrily yelling into his phone right now might even be able to see dead people! Josephine was broken out of her trance when she spotted a sign that read " The Flower Garden ". She had arrived at her destination at last! After swimming through the crowd and jay-walking across the street (while wordlessly apologizing a driver who was swearing at her from behind the wheel) she stepped into the shoppe.

There was...certainly a lot of books here! And Josie did not have the time to look through them all. She noticed somebody was behind the register, so she headed there to receive some assistance.

`` Erm, good morning. ´´ She murmured. `` Do you happen to have First Aid: Step One (USMLE Edition) by any chance. ´´ Josephine added, gripping her briefcase, avoiding eye contact, and staring down at her shoes.

---

At first glance, the person behind the cashier looked to be a woman, decked out in a traditional outfit with pink shades everywhere. Even tucked into fiery red hair was a floral hair clip with wisteria flowers dangling from it, giving the person a dainty appearance. But once the person opened his mouth, it became clear that he was indeed a man, albeit a more androgynous looking one with a soft lilting voice. "Good morning! You're in luck, that book just came in this morning so it's probably being shelved right now!" Miyabi chirped, giving his best smile. Although he looked pale and a bit sickly, as if he was going to fall over at any moment but his smile was still dazzling and eyes bright with life. "Just a sec, okay? Shien, bring the medical books over here, please?" The last sentence was bellowed out, a surprising sound coming out from such a frail looking man. There was a moment of tense silence as Miyabi typed away at the computer drawing up the price of the text book as the pair waited for Shien to appear. It didn't take long as soon Shien popped his head out like an eager puppy, holding a heavy looking box in his hands.

"You called?" He asked, setting the box on the counter. Noticing the customer, he gave a wave and opened up the box, understanding the situation from that glance alone. "Which book are we looking for today?"

"First Aid: Step One (USMLE Edition). Should be near the bottom." Miyabi relayed coughing lightly as he took a swig of water.

Nodding, Shien began to root through the box. "You really shouldn't yell like that anymore. Who knows what will happen if you continue to strain it. Your immune system is weak enough so take care of yourself. I'll bring over more honey lemon ice tea the next time we're on the clock." He scolded lightly, having worked with Miyabi for so many years that it felt natural to worry for his boss. While Miyabi simply chuckled sheepishly, the conversation repeated over the years, Shien made a small sound of victory as he pulled out a brand new copy of Josephine's desired book. "Here you go, ma'am! Is this the book you're looking for?" Handing the book over with both hands, Shien looked like a dog expecting some kind of praise from his master. He was thankful that his tail was carefully tucked into his baggy pants, the thick and loose fabric hiding the fact that his tail was indeed wagging slightly.

Art by ne-on

---

Josephine stood there, picking up on the background conversation. She felt the need to butt in, but it wasn't any of her business. If they wanted advice, they could consult a real doctor. After rummaging through the box, the employee brought out her desired book, asking for conformation. Josie nodded her head and reached her hands out to take the book from the man's hands. Her hands had barely touched the cover before she paused for a fraction of a second. Something was off about his eyes. She had noted that the man (or woman, she genuinely could not tell) at the cashier had yellow eyes. Quite an unusual colour, but she had seen plenty of different eye colors in her time at the hospital. Agate to Frisco to hazel, she had always been fascinated with the Corneal Colour Spectrum. But it wasn't the color that made her hesitate, it was the shape of his iris. Instead of being round and circular, it was a vertical slit.

She got two things out of this. Either he was wearing contacts (which made sense, the whole schtick of this bookstore was rainforest themed) or he had some animal-related ability. Whichever possibility it was, she couldn't exactly narrow it down because both were equally likely.

Whatever.

Not like it mattered to her anyway. Nothing she could do about it. She found it quite amusing she, a teenage girl who walks to school following the same route each and every morning, was less likely to get kidnapped and taken away to God knows where than this grown man (assuming he was gifted). She shook this thought off of her mind. She was overthinking, it was contacts. Yes, it was contacts.

`` Thank you very much, sir. This one is it. ´´ she verified, broken out of her momentary state of stupor. She slid the payment and headed towards the door. But she felt a heavy lump in the pit of her stomach. She could give advice to the ailing man (or woman). Gifted or Neophyte, people in the hospital would have to depend on her to save their life. And she liked that. Josie turned around, hand on the doorknob.

`` Eating fermented food, plant-based foods, fish, & limiting sugar intake helps. For, uhm, your immune system that is.´´ she placidly commented, before twisting the knob and exiting the shop.

---

Yawning, silence. Blinking, silence. Groaning as he sat up, silence. Stretching, and the horrible sound of ripping and shredding cloth. Phenix groaned again, glancing over his shoulders to verify what he'd heard. Indeed, there it was; The sheets from his bed were strewn across his wings, the edges at the top having quickly slashed it apart before tangling it against the dull spikes at the bottom. For a few moments, he sat still. Then, he groaned once more and stood, feeling his back pop. Once, twice, three times. It was a lovely feeling in the morning. After that, he went about with carefully removing the shredded polyester from his extra limbs. Seventeen, and a soon-to-be senior in high school. 'And you're still having bedtime issues,' teased a quiet voice. The young Osiris grimaced, finally loosing himself from the sheets and dropping them on the floor before changing out of his sweat pants and tugging on some jeans. His white tank top stayed, though. Mostly because he couldn't get it off. It had been a big enough pain getting it on, he didn't need any excuse to run short on time. Speaking of time... Glancing at the clock, Phenix sighed. Breakfast, school satchel, out the door. Five minutes? Maybe.


Breakfast consisted of buttered toast with a fried egg and a piece of bacon on top. Holding that carefully in one hand, Phenix grabbed his satchel and slung it over one shoulder, then tugged on his shoes and started towards the door. Sure, he wasn't a straight "A" student, but school was fine enough. His only morning grievance was the chill of the air. Shivering against the cold air, Osiris quickly finished his breakfast. He had a medium-sized house, his parents hovering over him and providing what he needed to pay the rent for the subdivision, despite his efforts to get them to stop. They were too generous, but that was to be expected, Phenix supposed. Starting off down the quiet roads, Phenix silently plotted out his path to the school, a public school by his demand. Likely not the best demand, as there were more students in a public school that in the nearest private school, but at least he didn't have to worry about a uniform.

Rowan Crane — w/ Shien & Miyabi ( NPC ) & Josie
Bright sunlight cascaded down the sides of the large library, and permitted entry to the nesting place of so many books, soon poured incandescently into the library, creating a blinding sheet of light that illuminated patches of the floor. It was still bright and early, yet with the way the library and its windows were designed, the place was almost immediately clad in a bright cloak as soon as dawn swung around. In absolutely no hurry, a young man walked around each shelf, shuffling books in each aisle and shelf into their correct positions, a placid air around him that set all who could see him at ease. He could hear the playful banter, murmuring like doves, filled with quiet cheer and deep thought. Such was to be expected at the The Flower Garden. Rowan Crane knew that if there was one place that he could just focus on his job without worrying about the utterly terrible state of the world, it was here in the garden. He hadn't known it then when he filed his resumé and gone in for his interview, but when he landed the job, when he'd gotten the email that he was hired, it only took a week for him to realize that he was here to stay. Mostly because the schedule he had found here was immediately helpful to his nocturnal habits.

Rowan didn't usually find it in himself to pay attention to customers and their various needs unless he was mentioned or if someone needed something from him. Frankly, he wondered if he should actually apply for a desk job - and stop being in the background so much. But considering that he had not yet found a good way to well - put his circadian clock on track with that of a human- he could really risk falling asleep. And wouldn't that be embarrassing! Picking up a series of mathematics textbooks, all written by Lance DuBois, that had gotten displaced, he carried all four of them over to the correct place several shelves over, only staggering slightly under the rather cumbersome weight. Silently, he sighed to himself, running a hand through his light brown locks. While he was not one to openly rebuke anyone who was kind enough to pay The Flower Garden a visit, it annoyed him to no end when people didn't put the books back properly. Or when they openly mistreated the books they were reading, such as putting dog-ears or spreading them flat when they wished to preserve a page. 'Books should be treated with respect and care if they were to last.' Rowan thought quietly to himself. So absorbed was he in his work that he did not expect the ear-splitting shriek — 'Shien, bring the medical books here please?' Rowan literally jumped a few feet in the air as he felt the discordant sound ways smash into his sensitive ears, leaving them ringing long after the shout faded. Since his hearing was at least ten times as sharp as the average humans, even the smallest things could feel piercingly loud. Rowan took a few deep breaths, his heart racing. There was a chorus of thuds as all the books he had been carrying tumbled to the floor. Great. He'd wanted them in a certain order too.

The strigiform directed his peeved look at the inanimate novels scattered haphazardly on the floor instead of at the actual offender as he collected the books up once again, making sure to put them back in the right order this time before moving on. Ordered by title, in alphabetical order. The peace of the once quiet library disrupted, Rowan moved on to moving the books to the correct locations without a glance at the people at the counter. It didn't seem that they'd noticed him anyway. Apart from these set of vagabond books, it seemed the shelves were in good order, and Rowan set the books down with a gentle smile. With that done, he straightened up, stifling a yawn before making his way to the counter. He rolled his eyes endearingly at the sappy puppy look that had come over his coworker, Shien, when he handed the girl his book, like a puppy expecting his master to give a treat for good behavior. Given the current conversation exchange, he waited patiently for his turn to speak. He didn't miss the astonished look the girl gave Shien when she spotted how feline the jackal's eyes were. What did she expect anyways? Shien's behavior deviated from the normal human's so much so Rowan was tempted to pet him.

Guess this was a first for her.

Rowan's gifted traits were really only visible to the naked eye. His odd circadian cycle, his unnaturally sharp sight and sensitive hearing, his retractable claws, and most of all, his shifting. The male took care to never shift in public. He usually had a habit of flying into this particular shop to shift and then pretending to wander around the bookshelves so it appeared that he had been in here for a while. Sometimes, he even roosted in the rafters, which made him look like an ordinary owl. Overall, pretty easy to hide. He was normal, if you didn't look close enough.

"The shelves on the left wall are all sorted now." Rowan said respectfully to his boss, a thread of worry going through him - showing up within his cognac optics when Miyabi started coughing again. His health was not in the best state, and whether the red haired male knew it or not, Rowan would definitely be keeping an eye on him. "Oh dear. Try some honey for that cough? It goes well with water, I suppose." He said with concern, only trailing off when he realized how out of place that must sound. Especially since the girl seemed to be an experienced healer. Making his way to the freshly arrived books, he began to examine them carefully, putting them in separate piles for later.

[ one thousand and one words ]

---

The day has started out as normal as ever. Max had woken up on the floor for the fifth time in a row this week. Hanging on the wall above her was the map of the city, with different colored thumbtacks scattered around the map. All marking the last place a Gifted person was last spotted. There was no other way to describe it, she was now obsessed with finding the truth. But even though she has been secretly investigating this for what seems like a lifetime, she is no closer to finding the truth now compared to the first day her investigation began. It was baffling to her. She has yet to find one piece of evidence! From the next room, her alarm goes off. Max groans as she stands up to turn off her alarm and get ready for the day. Although she finds she has to stretch her sore back before she can painlessly take a step. Yup, just like any other day.
...
Before Max goes to work, she first stops at her father's apartment. Just like any other day, she hesitates by the door before eventually entering. Just like any other day, she is forced to duck under a blast of wind, which threatens to slam her against the wall behind her.
"Who is there!" A booming voice shouts from the couch in the living room. After years of drinking, her father had attempted to stay sober. Max didn't believe for even a second that he would stay sober. Still, it would be cruel to not give him her support.
"Just me" she replies from the doorway. "You know, if you had a habit of locking your door then you wouldn't need to worry about using your powers. You shouldn't even use them. You know how some people are..." she scolds. If her father heard her then he certainly wasn't giving her any signs of it. "I have soup, make sure you eat" Max calls from the kitchen. She doesn't look at him. She knows what she'll see. She'll just see a shell of what used to be her father. She no longer wished to see it, no longer wished to hope that he would come back to her. Once again, her words are met with silence. So she turns around to leave, only to freeze when she hears him speak.
"Maximum? Have you been sleeping properly?" Her father asks. "You look pale." She dares a peek at him, only to see that he had been watching her. For once he looks... normal. He had color on his cheeks and his eyes were focused. He was even standing up and slowly making his way over to her. Her heart jumps for a second in the hopes that he had been keeping his promise. But then her eyes drift onto the floor where there are bottles scattered by his feet. He notices her stare and opens his mouth to speak but she interrupts him.
"Of course I have. You don't need to start worrying about me, not now" she answers bitterly before slamming the door shut.
...
Just like any other day, Max is seen riding her motorcycle to work. It may be because of her powers, but there is something about driving high speeds down an open road that makes Max feel alive. The way the wind whips her hair backward, the feeling of her jacket trailing in the wind behind her. Even the loud rumble of the motorcycle gave her life. She lives for a few peaceful moments like this, especially since the chief will be at her throat the moment she steps in work. She takes a deep breath, trying to ready herself for what's to come. 71 Gifted ones were taken now. 71 people being stolen away without a trace she thinks to herself with a heavy feeling of disappointment weighing deep in her heart.

---

Dep. Paloma Tiexiera

The deputy anxiously paced back and forth in the hallways, surveying the bustling department. Another gifted had gone missing, and she had just gotten back from talking with the reporters. She was still supposed to be investigating the scene, but she decided it would be best to head back. 71. 71 gone missing. The sheriff was right, there really was something larger at play. But what? Who would take their hatecrimes this far?

---

???

71. Just 8 more. Then his dream would finally become a reality. His accomplices had successfully kidnapped the girl, and she had just been locked in her containment room. It was almost time for the "cook" to pass around breakfast to the "obligatory test subjects". After that, he had a scheduled speech at a public school about discrimination, and using the past to make sure history wouldn't repeat itself. Alas, discrimination doesn't have an age. He had seen kids ostracize those with gifts. It was quite saddening to know that kids were crueler in their methods of intolerance. Silent loathing, although not spoken outwards, you could simply feel their abhorrence radiating from miles away. But he would end it all. An opposing radical "organization" strives to take away what was blessed to those at birth. Why should the Gifted be punished for something they couldn't control? Why were they punished simply for being superior. But most importantly...why take, when you can give?

---

Checking his watch, Phenix quickened his pace a little. Just a few more minutes until the bell rang for school. He would make it, he was more than sure of that. Pausing for a moment, Phenix turned in a slow circle. 'What was that feeling just now?' It had been an odd feeling, like somebody laughing at him from far away. Like he could see the laughing, but he wasn't sure if it was real or not, as he couldn't hear it. Ominous, that was the only word to describe it. A sudden thought jabbed a hole in Phenix's belly, making his stomach sink. '71. Am I 72?' Turning towards school again, Phenix starting at a brisk walk, nearly a jog. He suddenly couldn't shake the suspicion that now settled like a veil of fog over a lake. It clung to his shoulders, clawed at his wings, nearly overtook his mind. He could hear his breath quickening as he walked, the sound of his lungs suddenly drowning out everything else.

Perhaps it was how absurd it was to not only receive advice from a shopper, or it was just how the day was, but Miyabi only laughed. "When did you two grow a backbone enough to tell me what to do?" The store owner teased, frail hands coming up to ruffle his employee's hair. "I'll be right as rain soon enough though, don't you worry at all." Perhaps Shien simply imagined it but Miyabi's slender hands slipped under his headband to gently scratch behind one of his hidden ears, eliciting a light purr from the gifted. "Now, back to work you two. Just because shelving and cleaning is done doesn't mean that your shifts are over too." With that hearty little break, both Shien and Rowan were sent back to their posts.

Adjusting his headband again, Shien sighed and hauled the box of medical books back to the aisle he been working on before getting called over. Recalling what the customer had said before she had left, Shien made a note to try out cooking some more plant and fished based foods. He hadn't tried fermenting things yet (not for a lack of trying mind you, his whole apartment was full of unintentionally fermented foods and a perfect testing ground what with its inability to retain any heat) so he supposed that now would be a good time to try his hand at it. He could always bring the fruits of his successful experimentation to Miyabi along with the promised honey lemon iced tea. Oh, but the customer did say to limit sugar intake, right? While Shien couldn't exactly go around monitoring his boss' diet, maybe he could change the drink to just plain ol' honey lemon tea. Pleased with his idea, Shien chuffed in self approval before dutifully restocking the books. He couldn't wait until tonight to go shopping, putting his ideas into effect as soon as he could.

---

Rowan Crane — w/ Shien & Miyabi ( NPC )
The strigiform blinked a bit in surprise when Miyabi laughed and reached across to ruffle his hair, like an uncle would a favorite nephew. He knew he was blessed to be a part of the familial environment of the flower garden. In the previous jobs where he had worked, he hadn't gotten to interact much with the other employees, and life seemed to revolve more around just get your work done with minimal talking. Cool and precise, yet distant, was the way Rowan had grown up. It was different here. More intimate. You could say that it was because there were very few people here - him, Shien and a few others were the only ones who worked here. The surprise wasn't unwelcome however, and Rowan nodded in reassurance when the redhead blithely beamed that he would be fine, soft lilting words flowing from an equally cheery face. Miyabi almost never got angry, and if anything, he seemed to be a dictionary definition for 'blithe' or 'eternally happy.' It made working with him all the easier. From what the strigiform could tell, the brief gloom of the strawberry haired male had already passed, and once more relieved, Rowan returned to his work without needing Miyabi to dismiss him.

Now, back to the workpile, Rowan picked a note out of his pocket. On the note was inscribed several books requested by the nearby school for their own library. They tended to borrow or buy from bookstores when they didn't have it on display for their students. You could keep it on hold until the student came by to pick it up. The school had already paid for these books, so all that was left to do was to fetch them from their shelves and ship them over to said school. He was pleased to find a ... very hefty list this time. Ten books. That had to be a new record, Rowan mused, his mouth curling up with delight. It always pleased him when he saw new requests coming in, and that wasn't because the bookstore made made money. No, it made him smile because it meant that more people liked to read, which was always a positive in his book. (No pun intended.) He scanned through the list in his hand quickly: four were in the nonfiction aisle, three in fantasy fiction, and the final three in historical fiction. Right. He glanced up; that would be up that horribly long flight of stairs wouldn't it? Oh bother.

One fifteen-minute round trip later, Rowan's shoulder was aching under the weight of the ten books on the list, and he could barely see the steps of the stairs in front of him. Ironic. He loved to fly, yet whenever he was going down the stairs, there was an undeniable pit of anxiety that collected in his stomach like a stone. He took the steps slowly, trying not to make a complete fool of himself by falling down while trying to keep all ten books in the bag. It worked, but that was sure an anxious minute or two. His gaze was fixated on his feet the entire time. The strigiform's pace quickened easily once he was back on solid ground, and he heaved a silent breath of relief. Transferring his cumbersome load to another shoulder, Rowan indicated the bulging bag on his shoulder and the door to Miyabi, hoping to convey the meaning of 'I'm going to do a delivery. Be right back." It wasn't okay to just walk out while you were at work, unless there was a good reason.

"I'll fix up that pile when I get back." He called reassuringly to the store owner, gesturing with his left arm to a very messy pile of unsorted books. Then he was out the door, using the bag to push the door open. He took a deep breath of fresh air, taking a moment to admire the big letters THE FLOWER GARDEN that were inscribed playfully next to various drawings of palm trees and coconuts on the front.

It never got old.

[ six hundred eighty three ]

---

It didn't take long for Max to arrive at the station. Especially considering the fact that she was driving over the posted speed limit. She wasn't fooling anybody when she decreased her speed while pulling into the station. The speed limit is nothing but a recommendation she'd usually say.

She can't help but stare up at the magnificent building in front of her. Many years ago, she felt a sense of awe when she looked at the building. Now, she felt an unexplainable feeling towards it. She felt like her job was holding her back. She should be out on the streets, trying to find out who was taking these Gifted people. Instead, she was forced to work. One can't properly investigate without having a bit of cash to rest on.

"You're a bit late Max" a familiar voice calls.

"Late?" Max asks, turning around to throw a forced glare at Marcellus. "I'm actually-" she pauses to roll up her sleeve and glance down at her watch. "Eight minutes early."

"That's three minutes later than usual" Marcellus points out. "Is everything okay?" His tone was light, but his question was honest. Max doesn't respond to it, instead, her eyes fall to her feet. Silently showing how defeated she felt.

"Seventy-two people have gone missing now. Yet there hasn't been any evidence left behind. I don't understand how this is possible" Max admits. She knows without having to see that Marcellus is ever so cautiously moving towards her. "I mean, I would think that there would be some sort of evidence by now! A witness, a fingerprint, a fallen object, or clothing! But there's nothing!" She glances up at Marcellus, her frustration plain on her face. "I'm worried we'll never find them."

"We'll find these people soon Max. You'll just have to patient" Marcellus answers with a measured tone. It was the same thing he told her every time someone went missing. "Keep your head up Max, you can't help these people with that mindset." He adds.

"You're right" Max replies with a sigh. "Well, we should get into work. We aren't being paid to stand around. What do you think the boss will assign me to today? Traffic duty again? Or maybe I'll be stuck doing paperwork?" She asks as the two walk towards the building.

"Don't complain about those duties, you did that to yourself remember?" Max cringes at the memory. They were working on a robbery at a local market when the suspect ran away. Max decided to chase after him while using her wind powers. Needless to say, she caught the suspect, but her wind had cast a few tables aside, causing a bit of property damage. Max opens her mouth to argue with him but closes it when he adds: "you're lucky you haven't been suspended yet." She couldn't argue against that.

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