Before Orin and the twins could waste time on glowing footprints, their origins, and the endless stream of inconsequential facts Orin dazzled himself with, the Chromists had already finished their work. Hem verified the portraits and exited the building just moments before the trio vanished into the mist. His guide—a small Pyxen girl—stood ready to lead him after them.
"We have everything to destroy your legacy, Lock." Terrance fanned himself dramatically with the twins' folder, using it as a not-so-subtle warning.
Hem neither had the energy nor the time to play "Insult-thee" with a pack of Sentinels. Not until he had Orin on his side.
"Let's go," he said, motioning to the Pyxen girl.
"The poor kid folded as soon as he heard about the precinct's title," Terrance continued, trying to provoke him. "The title you single-handedly brought to your precinct. Misfit!"
Hem burst into laughter. Terrance's words would never pierce the thick armor that was Orin's ego.
"Let him acknowledge you as a fellow Wanderer first," Hem said between breaths. "Manipulation comes long after."
"I have these." Terrance waved the folder like it was a blade.
But Hem had already spotted the signature style scrawled inside—full of the twins' iconic, unfiltered dialogue. He barely managed to brace himself before a fresh wave of laughter doubled him over, sending him stumbling to the floor.
"This folder belongs to Jorek—with an e, and Jorik—with an i..." Hem wheezed. "You picked the wrong kid to manipulate, Terrance."
"A minute and a half!" The little Pyxen girl chimed in, forcing Hem back on track.
"I can't—" Hem grinned, wiping tears from his eyes. "Just slap me instead. Let's go find those three numbskulls."
As Hem disappeared into the mist, the Sentinels circled the folder and began reading its contents aloud.
"Ooh… wow… yes! That mystica can weave!" Read one note.
"I know! Mine can too. Wasn't it mind-blowing?" replied another.
"Sure is… we should record more footage, just to be safe."
"Definitely! We don't want to lose the evidence. This could solve the unsolvable case!"
"What case?!" Terrance growled. "Sorry… hopefully the others wrote down more useful information." He flipped through the leaves, only to find more of the same.
"Hem is a genius. He's right again! This is how Hem got to that solution—and we have to remember this detail…"
Every page echoed with admiration, not investigation.
"This Orin guy seems interesting," the Pyxen girl chuckled.
"He is…" Hem muttered, fading into thought. "I can't decide if that kid is a boon… or a curse."
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