Lupsville was about five times the size of Kitran. A lot bigger than I was used to, not to mention I was already familiar with Kitran’s locations.

That aside, somehow, this city had way more than just five times the heroes and villains though. I had only visited this place once, and I had been too busy being kidnapped and tied to a chair by my would-be girlfriend, so I hadn’t had much time to think about it. 

Still now, with so many heroes and villains in this city, I might actually bump into one and I wouldn’t even know.

I strolled through the square as the crowds of tourists made their way past me, shouting in unknown languages and recording everything with their cameras and phones, like some overly enthusiastic detectives.

So busy. Way more than Kitran. Is this what it felt like for village girls to visit big cities? Not like I lived in a village, but still…

I continued through the square and made it to the statue. Even though it was a completely different statue in a different square in a different city, it still reminded me of that one statue back in Kitran. The one that started it all.

I couldn’t resist and pulled out my phone with a smirk. One silly face and a flash later and I was looking at yet another selfie with a statue.

Maybe I should start collecting these. Snapping selfies with random statues whenever I could. Just because. I mean, people collected weirder things! Like colored socks, or utensils, or…

“It’s a pretty lady!” A kid’s voice resounded behind me, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Hmm?” I turned around and spotted a little girl no older than ten, who was apparently already in her rebellious phase, what with her hair dyed in all sorts of colors. Also, her left eye was green, while her right was blue. Contacts?

“Hello, pretty lady!” Her eyes were locked onto me.

“Uh…” I looked around. “Are you talking about… me?”

“Yes!”

“W-well. Uhm, thank you?” I stammered.

Argh! Even a random little girl could defeat me with words?! No way! I needed to act like an adult!

I cleared my throat.”Hello there. What can I do for you? Are you lost, little girl?”

“Shifra! Don’t just run off!”

I looked up to see a man carrying a plastic bag and another little girl running toward us. 

Well… was it a man? He had a masculine voice, but his face was girlish and he had long black hair.

“Mama!” The little girl turned around while pointing a finger at me. “Look! It’s a pretty lady!”

Argh! Had nobody told her pointing at people is rude? And that calling me a pretty lady would make me wanna hug you in happiness?

Also… Mama?

“Shifra, don’t point at people! It’s rude!” The person caught up to us whilst reprimanding the kid. “I apo--” They looked at me and their eyes momentarily widened. “I-I apologize for her. She tends to run off and do whatever she feels like.”

Why the pause?

“Eh, it’s fine! I don’t mind being called a pretty lady.” I waved it off and looked at the other kid who came with them.

Unlike the eccentric Shifra, this little girl was clad in a black gothic dress, had neatly straightened hair, and had a hard look on her face. As if she was waiting to get laser vision and blast me away from this planet. It felt kinda unnerving being stared at by her.

“Mama, mama! I wanna hang out with the pretty lady!”

“Huh? Um…” My attention snapped back at the colorful girl and her ‘Mama’.

“Shifra…” The adult said while scrunching their eyebrows before looking at me apologetically.

“Well, sure, why not?” I said to expertly shoo away the awkwardness. “I didn’t have any concrete plans anyway.”

They stared at me for a second.

I held out my hand. “I’m Aster! What’s your name Mrs. Mama?”

“I…” They looked at my hand as if it was a poisonous snake.

“I’m Shifra!” The colorful girl jumped in. “That is Carla!” She pointed at the emo girl still trying to drill a hole into me with her stare. “And this is Mama!” She finally pointed at her guardian.

“Shifra…” Mama sighed in exasperation before turning to me. “I’m… err, actually a guy.” They scratched the back of their head. ”They just like to call me mama, and… I guess I let them at this point. You can call me… Alex, I guess.”

“Oh… okay.”

Odd… Must have been some complicated family situation. It wouldn’t do to pry though.

“I’ve never seen you around here, auntie Aster! Are you new?”

A-auntie Aster?!

“I-uh, yeah, we moved to this city… just today, actually. I’ve been exploring around a bit. Getting to know my new home, you know?”

“I see! Let’s go explore together then! I will be your guide!”

I glanced at Alex, who still didn’t look comfortable with the situation. Still, I put on my best smile and said, “Well, if your mama allows us to, I don’t see why not.”

“I… Alright,” her guardian finally gave in and deflated with a sigh. “I’m just going to bring this back home--” Alex lifted up the bags. ”-- and then we can hang out with auntie Aster.” Alex gave me an uneasy look.

The auntie part got me again. Being called an auntie made me feel old… but it was also kinda cool.

I smiled to reassure Alex, and gave them a thumbs up.

With that, I followed the family of three to their place at Shifra’s insistence and waited at the front door for Alex to sort out their groceries.

Hmm… Had I already made some friends? Must have been my power at work.

BottledChaos

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