Kirunax
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Dysfunctional (Chapter 1)
🕑 Added 2025-03-06 17:16:00 +0000 UTCDamn you Being X!
Damn you, damn you, damn you!
I stood up from my chair and started pacing around our small living room.
It was worse than I thought. The world economy being in recession was only expected when the shipping lanes are almost non-existent due to sky high insurance rates was expected. But losing THREE cities a year for the last 10 years on schedule and however many before that painted a picture that was beyond pale!
I was aware of monsters attacking major economic hubs before, but only now that I was able to finally get my hands on a laptop – courtesy of my brother – did the full extent of this disaster became clear to me!
A Devil, a Wyrm, and an Angel.
It had that pretender’s fingerprints all over it!
He saw that he could not break me with war, so he decided to take my prospects from me, and on a global scale no less!
By the time I would be able to enter the workforce there would be no respectable position for me to fill. My coveted retirement wasn’t even worth mentioning.
I plunged myself onto our sofa and took a deep sign.
Ahhh, and I was so overjoyed when I discovered how close this world was to my original life. There goes my investment plan.
It’s not like I had no options at all, but it would be even worse than last time. By all accounts, those monsters were invincible.
Oh, it was never stated outright. The Protectorate and this city’s own Legend were valiantly protecting the world, driving the enemy back each time.
Leaving behind a drain on the economy, if not a hole in the ground.
Propaganda. A transparent one, too.
It’s hard to spin the sinking of Kyushu as a victory. What it did to Japan as a whole even less so. My one-time country of origin, an ordered and prosperous nation, now reduced to third world mess torn asunder by literal warlords.
Unsustainable. Like communism.
I am not shy of taking the fight to the enemy, but if a one-man aerial mage battalion couldn’t do it, then what use would I be?
My musings were cut short by the front door of our small flat opening.
“Greetings, brother. How was your day?”
The one thing that was a silver lining in an otherwise dire situation. A responsible and hardworking older sibling.
This new life, much like the last one, left me an orphan. Unlike the last one, I wasn’t put in an orphanage, to spend my childhood years on hard bread and thin soup.
I would almost think Being X was throwing me a bone here, but most likely it was just the benefit of living in modern day US with working life insurance systems put in place. Germania wasn’t big on those.
“Hello, Tanya.”
The 13-years old boy took off his shoes and threw several bills on the kitchen table.
I frowned.
“Did you miss school again?”
“It’s fine.” He waved his hand dismissively.
It was not fine. I understood our financial situation was bad, but education was paramount. With the work market being what it was and what it would surely become, he would need every advantage to secure a stable income.
“We can finally buy you a new phone.” He turned on the stove and pulled out the cutting board.
“I do not need a new phone, brother. The one you fixed for me is perfectly serviceable.” I patiently explained to the redheaded idiot. “Your truancy however, will have repercussions on your academic record.”
“Come now, little sister. Every girl your age should have a little something to show off to her friends.” He smirked at me in what he undoubtedly considered a cool and suave way.
“It’s not worth it. A good education is worth infinitely more than” I glanced at the bills, “A hundred and twenty dollars earned fixing appliances.”
“Two hundred and twenty, actually. A hundred went into your college fund.” He replied while starting to cut meat.
I felt the urge to strangle him.
Our mother died giving birth to me, and since then we had been taken care of by our maternal grandmother. I barely knew the woman who, I suspected, bore a slight resentment toward me due to what happened to her daughter. It was never abusive thankfully, but the fact that she was content to leave my care to a five years old as soon as it was physically feasible for him spoke volumes.
She died when I was four, at which point I expected a repeat of my first life. My brother, however, thought differently.
So much tragedy during the formative years of his life took a toll on the sullen and brooding boy. The moment our case worker mentioned the possibility of separation, my brother inquired about alternatives.
Apparently, our meager inheritance, coupled with life insurance for our caretakers, had apparently been enough to put our financial situation at a level where the state didn’t necessarily have to put us into the system. Provided we could prove that we did not require oversight and met the government standards for a healthy living environment.
I could only assume the state’s social services were overburdened, since despite putting on our best front and anxiously awaiting a government audit of our living situation, the case worker hadn’t visited us once.
Another damning indicator of the economy spiraling toward collapse was that the state of New York couldn’t afford to properly take care of two orphans. Oh well, at least it worked in my favor this time. I really didn’t want to put my autonomy in the hands of people with less life experience than me. Even if it could give me access to better resources, orphanages and adoption were a coin toss.
My brother, however, did not let himself take it easy.
He sought best groceries for most affordable prices. He always managed to find the best deals on clothes and other necessities. He worked part time fixing heaters, air conditioners and pressure cookers, as well as waiting in restaurants to increase our budget. He cleaned our little flat to a shining polish.
And he cooked like a five-star chef!
He was… admirable. I would have never expected to have such respect for a child. His work ethic was impeccable, and his ability to acquire practical skills…
My thoughts were interrupted by a divine aroma hitting my nostrils.
I looked down and saw a cup of black coffee shoved under my nose.
“Your favorite.” A smug voice announced to my side.
“Thank you.”
I accepted the cup and took a sip.
Ahhhhh! I have waited for this the whole day!
Truly, Being X must have miscalculated somewhere. Undoubtedly, his plan for me was a repeat of my previous life, but he stumbled at the very beginning. Incompetent fraud!
Truly, it wasn’t all bad. Sure, being a younger half of an orphan duo wasn’t ideal, but I had worked with less. All I need is more thorough research and a solid plan. With steady supply of such quality coffee, I will surely manage.
Why, this cup is as good as…
A girl’s head explodes by a spell.
Still, I had my pride. As much as I appreciated my brother’s efforts, I could not in good conscience leech from barely a teenager. No matter what Tanya’s body looked like, I was an adult!
My training as an HR manager told me that he worked too hard. He’s bound to experience burn out sooner rather than later. It was a miracle that it hasn’t happened yet!
And it’s not like he just worked hard. The funds he always secures for some amenities go all to myself. Even the laptop I conducted my research with, was a thrown away thing he fixed for me.
Yet never once have I seen him buy something for himself. The shirt he was wearing was evidently two sizes too small for him, given how tight it was against his muscles. All while I was clad in perfectly fit clothes in good condition!
It was humiliating!
He is bound to crash.
“Tanya?”
I blinked. Brother was looking at me with a frown.
Unclenching my teeth, I hurriedly looked for a way to change the topic.
“There will be a Ward meet up at a nearby mall tomorrow. I saw an advertisement online. I think it would be a good diversion for us to go.”
And it was. It would be a chance for him to have some much needed R&R.
After all, what American teenager didn’t like superheroes?
Surprisingly, his frown only deepened. Something flashed in his eyes.
“If you want.” He eventually shrugged.
“Great!” I congratulated myself on a job well done.
He turned around with a crooked smirk.
“I guess even a serious little girl like you isn’t immune to foolish teenage boys running around in tight spandex. Ah, I guess you are at that age.”
I felt a flash of irritation.
“Good night, Shirou.”
I went to my room, watching him flinch.
