Prologue - new home
"Come on Jack. Just a little this way." The child services worker tugged Jack along the Helios station, to the next, no doubt abusive, foster home. "You're only going to be there a little while. Just to get out of the way for a while. They're nice too! You like nice, no?"
"You've said that about all the others. And how would you know anymore?" Jack grumbled still dragging his feet as he was tugged along.
"Jack those places were nice too. Really can't you ever be satisfied with where you are?" The woman sighed. Jack huffed with a pout.
"They were nice to fool you. I will when i find somewhere that actually gives a damn." Jack huffed.
"Jack, everyone does care about you. It's why you're here. If we didn't you'd be eating rations out of used tubes in the disposal." The worker sighed. "We love you Jack. Don't you think to maybe think past your own dark little world to look at the light around you?"
"If you loved me like you say then maybe you'd actually listen when i say they put on an act but no. And that's fine just hand me off to more horrible people." Jack hissed with a glare.
"Jack. If you only look for unhappiness that's all you'll find. There's good things out there, if you'll look for them." The woman sighed. "You know you'll just grow up to be a bitter adult with nothing to live for if you keep this up. There are children who haven't seen so much as a table in their lives. You're lucky. Very, very lucky. Now. Chin up sweetheart. Smile for me, hmm?"
"I do try to look for the so called happiness in this world but somehow it always ends up oh out the window." Jack huffed. "I'm not feeling so lucky being dragged from horrid home to horrid home." Jack crossed his arms and glaring not even trying for a smile.
"well, this man is a single father, with a little boy, the father is a CEO at Dahl's command mining base here. Yes, they're rich." She sighed. "There's plenty of room for you. You'll be well taken care of. You trust them to take care of you, no? They're very nice." the woman said as they came to a tall nice apartment building.
"I'll be the judge of that." Jack grumbled.
"Ah! Here we are!" The woman smiled, pulling Jack into the building as he was met with what he could only describe as glamour and wealth. The lobby was dressed nicer than anything Jack had ever seen, even in his previous 'rich' homes. Jack looked around in awe at the building inside.
"Hello madam, sir, how may we assist you?" The man at the front desk said kindly.
"Yes, we'd like to see a Mr… " the woman dug through her purse to find the name. "Radyson?"
"Yes ma'am. This way." The man nodded. "May I take your luggage, young man?"
"Uh yeah." Jack said looking at the man. The man took his bags, leading them up to a glass elevator overlooking the station as they went up.
"Ooh nice view, hmm Jack?" The lady smiled.
"Yeah." Jack said looking out rather blankly. They went all the way to the top, as Jack got the familiar sinking feeling he felt in elevators, like he was going down, but the elevator was going up. Finally at the top was a single apartment, but big enough to be a house. Nice couches and seats and tables littered the room, seemingly even better than the lobby.
"Master Rhys? Mister Radyson!" The attendant called out as there was running upstairs and a pair of brown and blue eyes and incredibly messy brown hair stared down. "Ah master Rhys. Could you open up and show our dear guest around?"
"Eh." Rhys shrugged, running downstairs and opening the front door. "Who're you?""
"Reiies?" Jack said obviously unfamiliar to the name.
Rhys rolled his eyes. "Rhys. R. H. Y. S." Rhys said, spelling out his name for Jack. "Anyway. What brings you to my house? You're kinda… um… dirty, to be looking for my dad."
"Rhys. hm. Cool i guess." Jack said with a shrug. "Uh adoption. Or something like that."
Rhys's eyes widened at him. "Uh, sorry, we didn't adopt anyone or anything. Um, sorry." Rhys said quickly, starting to close the door. Jack sighed stopping the door.
"Look it's just temporary. I'll be out of your hair" Jack sighed with a frown.
"Rhys! Let him in!" A Man's voice yelled, as Rhys sighed letting Jack in.
"Just don't take my stuff." Rhys pouted.
"Rhys, you had a welcoming present for him. Why don't you get it?" The man called from the next room as Rhys got excited running to get said present.
Jack sighed coming into the room the frown turning to one of curiousity as Rhys ran off. A man in slacks and a loosely done button up shirt came into the room, looking much like Rhys, though the beard was prominent.
"Hello Jack. I will be your new parent for the duration of your stay." The man spoke sternly and slowly. "Any questions?"
"Hello sir." Jack said politely, "Not really sir." Jack sighed looking off to the side crossing his arms. The man smiled suddenly, chuckling.
"I kid. Welcome to the family kiddo." The man chuckled. Jack looked back up at the man with surprise.
"Uh thanks sir." Jack said awkwardly. The man chuckled, kneeling before Jack and patted him on the shoulder.
"It's okay kiddo. You're alright." The man chuckled. "Now, just a few rules. Stay out of the way when guests are over. Also follow the same schedule as Rhys. And don't bully Rhys, alright?"
Jack had jumped a bit at the pat tensing up. "Alright sir. Simple enough." Jack said.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" The man frowned, seeing the tensing.
"N-nothing sir." Jack said with an awkward smile.
"Really, tell me." The man said, guiding Jack and sitting with him on the couch.
Jack sighed as he sat on the couch looking a bit nervous. "It's nothing sir, Really." Jack said.
"Please tell me. I want you to be as comfortable here as possible." The man said, putting a hand on Jack's head. Jack had flinched away at the hand closing his eyes tight.
"Jack. Please tell me. I won't tell anyone." The man assured him, patting Jack's hair gently. Jack almost hesitatingly opened an eye to look at the man before actually relaxing.
"Just used to being the kid who's pushed around." Jack sighed sadly looking at the ground.
"Who hurt you?" The man said soothing.
"Basically everyone i've been handed off to." Jack said a bit bitterly.
"Well not anymore. You're living here now." The man said, hugging Jack. Jack jumped at the hug but eventually relaxed into the hug.
"Yeah but only temporarily." Jack said sadly.
"Well, no one said temporary." The man chuckled. "Rhys really needs a playmate, and you're perfect for him. What do you say?" The man said.
Jack smiled which look rather natural than the awkward one from before. "Of course."
"Well then, Jack, we have a deal. Welcome, Jack Radyson." The man chuckled, ruffling Jack's hair.
"Jack! Here, open up!" Rhys slammed a present in his lap excitedly. Jack jumped a bit at the sudden slammed present but picked it up and looked over it a bit before starting to unwrap it. The present opened to a small programming kit inside.
"I didn't know what you liked…" Rhys said shyly. Jack smiled happily seeing the programing kit.
"Well it seems like you did." Jack chuckled. Rhys smiled, blushing as he looked away.
"W-welcome to our family." Rhys mumbled. Jack rolled hi eyes and pulled Rhys into a hug.
"Thanks little bro." Jack said.
"L-little bro?" Rhys looked up hopefully.
"Yeah, yeah, we're family now right. So you're my little bro, and i'm your big bro that's how it works." Jack said rolling his eyes with a smile.
"W-will you help me and protect from the bad men?" Rhys said.
"That's what big brothers are for. No one can pick on you, unless it's me." Jack chuckled before quickly giving Rhys a noogie. Rhys eeped, before falling in a fit of giggles fighting to get out. Jack laughed and let Rhys go free the once harsh look he wore had disappeared to a happy one. Rhys dropped as he stopped just a few feet above the ground, his eyes a blazing yellow and his arm lighting up in a tattoo.
"Whaaa!" Rhys yelped, a small bowl of blue gas surrounding him. Jack blinked not knowing what was going on and how to react to it.
"Rhys, don't flash that around. You're scaring Jack." The man suddenly looked scared.
"W-what's going on?' Jack mumbled still looking confused and uneasy. The man looked surprised, before sighing.
"Rhys has a… condition." The man sighed as Rhys giggled a bit, coming to his feet with a ball of flickering dark energy in arms. "Rhys is a Siren. Do you know what a Siren is, Jack?"
"A siren?" Jack said confused.
"Rhys… he's a mystical creature used to open Vaults. He has special powers to help him open them. Which he's showing right now. He can… change the air around him. Like a superpower." The man sighed as Rhys's glowing faded, leaving a long series of swirling blue tattoos on his arm.
"That's cool." Jack said looking surprised.
"I know! But dad doesn't think so…" Rhys sighed.
"Sirens are very, very rare. Only 6 in the whole universe." The man sighed. "And a lot of people want them. And will pay a lot for them. So Rhys can't be flashing that around."
"Just means i came at the right time. Gotta keep my little bro safe!" Jack said with a proud smile.
"There's a lot to keep safe. You sure you can handle it?" The man chuckled.
"I think he can! He's my big brother!" Rhys smiled, hugging Jack tight.
"Of course i can sir." Jack said hugging Rhys back.
"A lot of people are counting you." The man chuckled.
"He's big brother! You can do it!" Rhys cheered. "You can do it, right? You won't give me away?"
"I'd never give you away little bro." Jack said.
"I love you big brother!" Rhys cheered. "You're my hero!"
"A hero huh." Jack smiled happily. "Loves you to."
"Yeah! Hero Jack!" Rhys smiled happily. "Jack the Hero has saved us all! Praise Jack!"
"Okay, okay not to much." Jack said with a blush. Rhys giggled childishly, hugging Jack from behind.
"You're my hero Jack. I love you." Rhys mumbled, smiling.