Hexus

~20~ Finder

[6:28PM, August 26, UTC +01:00]

“So…this is Africa?”

The upward inflection was lost in Yuriko’s voice, making the question seem more like a sentence. She was thankful for that; in light of her somewhat shocking discovery, it masked her surprise in what seemed like an offhanded comment. Oliver threw her a perfunctory glance and looked away. Sakaki frowned.

“Saru ga doko ka?”
“Hontou ni, Sakaki. Anata wa…”
“There are no trees or monkeys here,” Sarah deadpanned.
Yuriko raised her eyebrows. “Nihongo wo… you understand Japanese?”
“No,” Sarah replied. “But I understand what you mean, even if I don’t know what you’re saying.”
“The thematic relay function from the Nucleus is still working,” Oliver said. “That’s what Nathan said anyway. Just means you’ll understand us even if we decide to speak Yoruba.”
“Sou ne…” Sakaki drawled.

Yuriko nodded slowly and turned her attention back to the city, considering that the sights and sounds offered each pair of them different sensations: the Japanese a sense of realization, the Nigerians the familiarity of home. The warm orange sky in the distance bathed Lagos in a surreal glow, providing a beautiful light to the landscape she observed from the rooftop. Crowded streets, tall buildings and smoky air were the last things on her mind when she was told of the location of their assignment; she was prepared to meet a rainforest or something of the sort and was dressed accordingly, in a linen chemise, washed denim shorts and boots. Her other senses were similarly jarred; the blasts of vehicle horns in the traffic-jammed streets and the shouts of bus conductors were mixed in with the scent of stir-fried noodles wafting from the street vendor below.

A drop of water hit her shoulder as she gazed at the congested street. The people below had broken into a hurried shuffle, trying to make their way out of the drizzle that had begun merely moments ago. She sighed and looked at a Sakaki. He held her gaze for a few seconds and moved his hand up, probably about to scratch his head in confusion, before he realized the meaning behind her stare. He smiled and bowed dramatically. Yuriko rolled her eyes and huffed. She felt a shift in the air above them as the gaseous molecules were realigned into a denser, more solid arrangement, forming an invisible platform. As if on cue, the raindrops fell with increased vigor, raising cries of surprise and frustration from the streets below. Sarah looked up, frowning, and then at Yuriko. She slowly smiled in appreciation and sighed deeply.

“Let’s go to my grandma’s house. We can’t find him in this mess.”

~----------~

The elderly woman squeezing Oliver around the ribs wasn’t the typical grandma. At least Yuriko didn’t think so, as she watched Sarah hug the woman before turning to face her.

“Mama, this is Yuriko, our friend from Japan. And her…twin, Sakaki.”
“Ah,” the woman said, her large triangular earrings swinging as she nodded and presented her hands for a handshake. “Which one is Taiwo?”
“Him,” Oliver said, nodding towards Sakaki.
“Taiwo?” Sakaki repeated with a frown, his accent ruining the pronunciation.
“It means ‘first twin’,” Sarah replied.
“Sou ka?” He smiled. “What is for second twin?”
“Folasade!”

Everyone turned at the sound of the excited squeal. It came from a heavy-set young woman who rushed into the room and grabbed Sarah in a bear hug. Oliver smiled awkwardly as he received the same affectionate treatment. The woman released him, smiling broadly, her eyes quickly darting between him and his sister.