Catchin Up

Two men were sitting across from each other at a wooden table. Both of these men were very close to Sarah's heart. Lionel looked at Gio from under his mask. Despite not being able to see his eyes, Gio was able to feel his gaze.

Lionel: Sarah has talked a lot about you. It is very nice to talk to you after all this time.

Gio: It is cool to meet you, too.

Lionel: So Sarah told me that you have decided to stay here with us.

Gio: It is true, but don't think wrong.

Lionel: What do you mean?

Gio: I only stayed to make sure Sarah wasn't lonely. I didn't stay because I trusted you or anything like that.

Lionel: I understand that.

Gio: And what is with your choice of clothing?

Lionel: Well, these aren't clothes. I guess you could say this is my skin.

Gio: Why is your skin black?

Lionel: Well, that is complicated.

Gio: Well, I am curious.

Lionel: Do you really want to know?

Gio: Yes.

Lionel: Well, do you know about abilities?

Gio: Sarah gave me a short run down on them when we were walking back here. They give you an edge over ordinary people. And when I say edge, I mean they make you better than every normal person.

Lionel: Yes. My ability is called obsidian manipulation. Something terrible happened to my body that required me to replace many things with obsidian.

Gio: Oh. ... And what about the mask? It doesn't look to be made out of obsidian.

Lionel: Because it isn't. It is just a regular mask. It has been passed down through my family.

Gio: What is it you do in this village?

Lionel: Well, I am the village head, so I mainly care for all the people here. But I would be amiss if I didn't give Cinco and Sarah credit, too. Without them, I don't think I would've lasted this long.

Gio: Sarah has been helping? So she must like it here.

Lionel: Well, at first, she was uncomfortable with almost everyone in this village. She really got comfortable with everyone after her birthday.

Gio: Sarah's birthday ... Sarah said that I was asleep for a long time, but that was kinda vague. So please tell me-

Lionel: Almost a year.

Gio: ...

Lionel: It would've been a year in three days.

Gio looks down at the table and starts to scratch his head.

Lionel: Are you going to be okay?

Gio: Yeah, I am sure I will be. I mean, it isn't like I missed much. The only thing I really care about right now is Sarah, and it looks like she has become happier since I last saw her.

Lionel: I am glad you think so. To be honest, I was a little scared when I took in Sarah. Sarah was my first real student. Yes, I have Cinco as a student, but he basically knew everything when I first met him. So there wasn't much for him to learn. Cinco is completely capable, and now Sarah is, too, and that makes me happy because that means I did a good job.

Gio: You all really care about her.

Lionel: Of course we do, and we will make sure to care for you, too.

Gio looks back up at Lionel.

Lionel: Where is Sarah?

Gio: When we were about to walk in, a lady came to us and asked her to carry something.

Lionel: Oh, then she should be here shortly.

Gio: ...

Lionel: ... You know, Gio, if you were a prisoner in Break Point-

Gio grits his teeth as he looks at Lionel.

Lionel: -you should have an ability too.

Gio: Yeah, I put that together.

Lionel: Oh ...

Lionel was surprised by the harsh tone that Gio took with him suddenly.

Lionel: [Did I say something wrong?]

Their attention is turned to the front door. Cinco walks into the house and he looks sweaty and tired. He goes to the kitchen and opens one of the wooden cabinets. He pulls out a bowl and lays it on top of the counter and goes back to the cabinet to look for something.

Lionel: Just finished your work out Cinco?

Cinco: Yes Master.

Lionel: Well, Cinco, I have someone I would like you to meet-

Cinco: The kid that has been asleep in our guest bedroom for almost a year now. Yeah, nice to meet you. Sarah told me about you before she ran to chase after you last night.

Gio: Yeah, I caught a glimpse of you when I walked out the door. You were wearing some peculiar clothes.

Cinco: I should be allowed to dress how I want in the privacy of my own house.

Lionel: Cinco, there is no need to get so defensive. From what he tells me, he has been in Break Point for as long as he can remember. Most clothing is weird to him.

Cinco: Oh ... I see.

Gio: Sarah says you dress weird all the time, too.

Cinco: Sarah never truly understood my fashion sense.

Sarah: I don't think anyone would, honestly.

Gio turns his head to see Sarah closing the front door.

Gio: You are back.

Sarah: Yeah, someone needed me to carry a log.

Gio: Oh ...

Sarah: Have you guys been nice to him?

Lionel: I would say we were having a compelling conversation.

Cinco: I just got here.

Sarah: Is Gray still here?

Cinco: He is actually packing his stuff up from his house now.

Sarah: Oh, so we can still catch him.

Sarah's eyes dart to Gio as she smiles.

Sarah: Did you eat?

Gio: Yes?

Sarah grabs Gio's wrist and pulls him away from the table.

Gio: What? Where are we going?

Sarah: I want you to meet Gray. Come on.

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Sarah ran through the dirt paths while holding onto Gio's wrist. Gio wasn't able to keep up with Sarah. At this point, he was being dragged through the dirt. Sarah was too concerned with getting to Gray's house in time to notice. Gio was amazed at Sarah's speed, and he got to know her so well in Break Point he even knew this wasn't her full capability.

Gio: [Maybe I will be able to move this fast one day.]

Sarah pulls Gio up and puts his head over her right shoulder. She puts her right hand on the back of his head and her left arm around his back. She digs the heels of her feet in the dirt path to slow down. As she comes to a stop, she creates a dirt cloud big enough to obstruct the vision of everybody that was outside.

Sarah: SORRY EVERYONE! I WILL MAKE SURE TO CLEAN YOUR HOUSES WHEN I AM DONE!

When the cloud of dirt clears, Sarah puts Gio on the ground, and he looks back to where Sarah dug her heels into the ground. He sees a long and shallow crater in the ground that was made from Sarah's heels.

Sarah: We are here.

Gio looks up to see one of the smallest houses that he has seen so far. It was one story tall, like many houses in the village, but it wasn't nearly as big. If he had to compare it to something, it would be a large shed.

Sarah: Small, right? He says he is satisfied with it, though.

Just as Sarah goes to knock on the door, it swings open. Gray was wearing the outfit he was wearing when he first met her. He also had a small leather bag attached to a string over his shoulder.

Gray: Oh, Sarah. It is nice to see you before I go.

Sarah: You were going to come by and say your goodbyes, right?

Gray: Of course I was.

Sarah: Good ... but Gray, this is Gio.

Gray: I know, but we have never talked.

Gray put out his hand for Gio to shake it.

Gray: I am Gray.

Gio reaches out and shakes Gray's hand.

Gio: I am Gio; it is nice to meet you.

Gray: It is nice to meet you, too.

Gio: Sarah tells me you know a lot more than Lionel about Ora.

Gray: Well, I have been around longer than him.

Gio turns and looks at Sarah.

Gio: If Gray is smarter than Lionel, why did you choose Lionel as your master and not Gray?

Sarah: Simple. Lionel was there for me.

Gray: You know, looking at you two standing beside each other, you look like an older sister and little brother.

Gio realized it when he got out of bed last night. When he last saw her, he was slightly taller than her, but now it looks like she had a big growth spurt. His head was now at her shoulders.

Gio: I am older then. How exactly did you grow so tall?

Sarah: I don't know. Maybe it is because of all the training.

Gio: You mentioned that before. How exactly did that work?

Sarah: Running, push-ups, sit-ups.

Gio: How would that help train Ora?

Gray: Ora only grows when either your body or your mind goes through very harsh conditions.

Gio: Oh, well, I have more questions.

Gray: I have to leave, so you will have to ask me as I walk to the front gates.

Gio: Oh, um ... are you stronger than Lionel?

Gray: If we were to fight, I would win.

Gio: You seem very smart and strong.

Gray: Thank you.

Gio: Have you ever had any students?

Gray: Yes, one of them was actually Lionel.

Gio: Where are you from?

Gray: Skip.

Gio: Oh ... okay. Um. What is your ability?

This was a question that even interested Sarah. Gray had trained her for months, but he never once needed to use his ability on her. Whenever they sparred, he would use hand-to-hand combat. It was extremely frustrating for her.

Gray: I have an ability I like to call Hunter. I am able to see a weak point on anything or anybody. The weak point's size depends on the person's or object's strength compared to mine.

  Gio: Oh, that actually makes me think of another question. Gray, have you ever lost a fight? And if you have to, who?

Gray: ...

Gray's silence worried Sarah. She was scared that Gio's question would trigger a bad memory for Gray.

Gray: When the word defeat comes to my head, one man pops into my mind. He was the only person I have fought where the gap in strength was genuinely noticeable. The man who had no weak point. The person with the current title of "The Most Dangerous Man In The World." His name is Elijah Warren.