The sun hung high over Aqualis Village, painting the cobblestones with gold. Children laughed, chasing one another between market stalls, and the scent of fresh bread drifted lazily through the air.
Ocean Counter walked calmly along the streets, satchel neatly in place. His brown eyes scanned the village with quiet awareness. Everything seemed ordinary — and yet, subtle disturbances caught his attention: a slightly uneven step in the fountain, a stray breeze that seemed to linger too long, a stack of crates teetering on the edge.
He tilted his head, and with the gentlest flick of a finger, the crates steadied themselves. The fountain rippled calmly. The breeze shifted direction. No one noticed.
"Ocean! Over here!" Lyra waved him toward the festival square. Today was a small village festival, celebrating the harvest. Children ran past with colorful ribbons, laughter ringing in the air.
Ocean followed, calmly walking among the throng. Vendors called out their wares, villagers bartered, and the festival music filled the streets. For everyone else, it was a cheerful, ordinary day.
But Ocean noticed. Small things — invisible to others — moved as if the world itself subtly bent to him. A dropped cup rolled safely to the edge of a stall. A mischievous child's prank with water fizzled harmlessly. The sunlight reflected differently on the ribbons, just enough to create a subtle glow around him.
Lyra laughed, tugging his hand. "You're always so calm, even with all this chaos around!"
Ocean smiled faintly. "I like it when things go smoothly," he said softly.
From the edges of reality, beyond perception, a faint ripple shimmered. Kiyo Jian's presence, or something similar, observed quietly, still curious about the boy who walked among chaos without ever truly being affected.
Ocean adjusted his satchel, watching the children play. To anyone else, he was a calm, ordinary boy.
To those who could perceive the invisible threads of reality… he was the boy who could bend them without a thought.
And that was exactly how he liked it.