233: Stranger

Stranger

After taking care of everything, Arnold stepped out of the domain. It was afternoon now, but he felt like an entire day had passed, but he was gone for only a few hours. Staying inside the domain for extended periods might not be a good idea. But he needed to escape reality. He walked up to the man-sized window in his room and poked his head out to get some fresh air. 1

The day was picture perfect. Just the way it was depicted in movies. Even the birds were having the time of their lives. The skyscrapers shone silver in the sun and the sky was an unbroken backdrop of blue. The family members were roaming around still repairing the damage done by the White Wolves. Had Arnold used the automatons the process would've been quicker but he needed them to make the forge as soon as possible. He couldn't spare a single one of them. But the men there were also doing a commendable job. A few of them were training themselves. Maybe Tiamut had knocked some sense into them. Allen had also joined them.

"At least now they'll be in a better shape than before. Everything happens for good, I think?" Arnold mumbled as his gaze then fell on the sky above. 

It was one of those baby-blue skies, not the candy-blue nor the greyish sky he had been watching for a few days. The clouds were as puffs of radiant joy, ready to disperse into the wind, to travel our Earth. He closed his eyes as the sun embraced his skin. Arnold felt himself getting lost in the beauty of the nature. It was so pure, so surreal. Maybe he felt this way because of his Light affinity. Regardless, he wanted to enjoy it more, but unbeknownst to him, his luck had run out. 

Soon the reporters standing far entrance saw him smiling at the window through their cameras. By the time Arnold noticed them, he knew it was too late. The shit storm was about to hit him hard. He briefly panicked a bit but then Nathaniel's words of encouragement eventually found their way through his head. 

"That's right. I've put up with this enough. Time to show them who they are messing with." Arnold closed the window and went to lay on the bed.

He was tired after all that work in the domain and needed to shut his eyes for a bit. Also, the evening was going to be hectic. After all, it was the day the syndicate was going to reveal its plan to take back the swamps in the foreseeable future. It was also the place where he was going to address the nation and the world about the attack on them. 

He was sure some media houses would try their best to drag him through mud, but he already had a plan in place. He had put up with them for days but now things were getting out of hand. He had been understanding and patient with them, but if they don't want to understand why he did what he did, then he didn't need to considerate about what they'll think or do either. They didn't have the guts to question Johnny as they did to him and the only reason being he didn't take crap from anyone. By remaining quiet, Arnold had been unintentionally enabling the ones to get away with whatever they wanted to call or say about him. But he was at his breaking point. 

In the end, he couldn't sleep. Not while his brain was rushing wildly. And it was good he didn't because he had a visitor. 

It was Nicole. 

He no longer viewed her as his sister. Not after what she tried to do to him back at the Alpha base. There was no forgiving that. Thus she was nothing more than a visitor. Still, he couldn't completely avoid her, sister or not, they were still part of the same family. Maybe, she had now realised he wasn't just a weak section chief like she thought he was. After all, not every human can take down a God on their own. And now Arnold was sure that even with his system was functioning at the bare minimum, he could easily take her down since her strongest ability doesn't work on him. 

Nicole silently entered the room when Arnold told her too. But she wasn't alone. Nina was there too. Maybe to smooth things over, but Arnold wasn't going to head that way. The way he saw it, if Nicole hadn't done what she did, he wouldn't have been so desperate to gain power at force himself to learn a mythical affinity which in the end, almost cost him his life. Nicole wasn't at fault but he didn't give a crap about it. 

"I-I wanted to apologize for all the pain and trouble I've cost to you. I know things got out of hand but I want to let you know if you ever need my help I'll be ready to do so." To her credit, Nicole seemed remorseful or at least she was acting her part. 

"It's all fine. I'm not upset. Not even a bit." Arnold replied. 

Nina placed her hand on Nicole's shoulder, who tightly held on it.

'Finally, things are getting better.' Nina thought, happy that they could finally forget about the past and move forward like a family. But Arnold wasn't done yet. 

"I mean, I can't get upset about everything a stranger said or do to me, right?" He shrugged his shoulders and continued, "People will keep badmouthing you, but you have to move ahead. That's life."

"What do you mean a stranger? She's your sister, Arnold!" Nina exclaimed.

She was horrified with what Arnold was trying to say... Well, she knew exactly what he wanted to say but her mind was in denial. Even Nicole who had momentarily cheered up was now back at feeling how she was before. 

"What do you mean? Really?" Arnold laughed sarcastically, "She should be thankful that I'm even willing to treat her like a stranger after the crap she has done. She's an adult and it's time she learnt choice have consequences. She made hers and now I'm making mine."

"Brother... Please..." Tears started rolling off Nicole's redden cheeks

"Don't call me that. I'm not your brother. Having a sister means you can trust her but after what you did the last time, there's no way I'll be trusting you anytime soon." Arnold made his stance clear, "Don't get me wrong. Someday, maybe someday, I'll be able to trust you again and we'll move on and forget about it all. But I don't see that happening anytime soon. So please, don't try to force an unwanted relationship on him. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a sister anymore."

"I... Understand." Nicole mumbled and ran out of the room. 

Nina was in disbelief! Whenever she tried to smooth things over, they end up becoming messier. But this time she wasn't letting it go. 

"Why do you always have to be such a-"

"Jerk? That's what you're calling me now?" Arnold cut Nina off. 

"Yes! Why are you behaving like you don't care about her anymore?"

"Let me ask you this, would you care about someone who tried to kill you?"

"How's that even related to this?"

"Just answer me."

"No, of course not."

"Well, there you have your answer," Arnold said and rolled over pretending to be sleepy. 

Only then it dawned upon her what Arnold was trying to tell her but Nicole would never do such a thing! Why would she ever try to harm him, her own brother? Surely she wouldn't... 

"She would never do that..." She mumbled awkwardly staring at Arnold's back.

"That's what I thought as well. Now if you will, please let me sleep. I'm already tired."

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