Branch Holders.

The common term for those who possess any of an uncountable variety of what can only be referred to as "psychic powers."

Under normal circumstances, one would typically do one's best to try and keep others from learning of this status, but...

"...ahem."

The boldness of Lorraine's sudden declaration definitely threw Neil off for a bit, but it was the implications of what she said that really stuck with him.

Here I was wondering which one of them was the Branch holder, and it turns out to be both of them...

He didn't know if this was a positive development or a negative one, but at least it was interesting.

"So you're being pursued for your talents," he said, throwing a likely guess out there.

"You could say that," Lorraine replied with a sigh that caused her other "talents" to do a quick bow.

However, Neil was far too much of a gentleman to stare.

"I'm 'that which sees through the pattern,'" she said with some reservation. "'Code Breaker.'"

"Can't say I'm familiar with that one," Neil replied honestly.

"To put it simply, I'm able to read and comprehend any language," she sighed.

This new information caused Neil to come to a sudden realization.

"I'm going to guess that that includes body language," he said with a smirk.

"......"

Lorraine's face held the stunned expression of someone who had just been completely seen through.

"And since I'm not giving off any signals of wanting to take advantage of you," he continued while pretending not to notice, "you decided to trust me even though I'm not the person who you were hoping to see."

"Basically, yeah," Lorraine sighed.

And then she turned to her sister.

"Denise..."

"I know," the smaller girl nodded. "it's fine."

I'm guessing that the little sister's the one wh-

"My sister's Branch is the one that they're after," Lorraine said, immediately confirming his suspicions.

"Go on."

"'That which presides over the cycle of decay,' 'Ever Spiral.'"

Well it definitely sounds foreboding...

But before Neil could ask what it did, Denise stepped in front of her sister and began to speak.

"I was stupid enough to use it on some sunflowers in a park out by where we used to live," she said, clenching her fists so tight that her hands were starting to go pale. "I didn't even consider that someone might've seen me."

"Denise, you don't have to-" Lorraine reached for her shoulder, but her hand was batted away.

"No," Denise shook her head, "I'm a shitty enough big sister as it is without pushing everything on you."

Wait, what?

"So after I exposed myself like an idiot, they followed me home and then waited until everyone was asleep..."

The little big sister's eyes started to well up with tears.

"But our Dad heard them breaking in, and-"

"They killed him," Lorraine cut her off. "They killed him and then they grabbed both of us..."

"But you were able to get away and eventually find your way here," Neil said, hoping to spare them from having to relive a situation like that any further.

Both girls nodded in unison.

"Alright," Neil said, hiding his eyes with the brim of his hat.

Their story was more than enough to make him resolve to help them out in whatever way he could.

"Before I can give you a decision, there's one more thing I need to know."

However, his active thoughts were far too beholden to chasing a certain image for him to consciously admit to this fact.

"It's Denise, right?"

"Yeah," the smaller girl replied.

"What are you able to do that would make someone go that far just to get their hands on you?"

It took her a while to respond.

"Anything that's alive, plant or animal..."

Looking down at the floor, she took a deep breath.

"...I have total control of their aging process."

Then she pointed at Lorraine.

"Lorrie is my little sister, she looks the way that she does now because I aged her up."

"......"

"And I aged myself down to look like this, I'm not actually twelve."

"...well shit," Neil mumbled.

Of course she's being pursued, she's like a living fountain of youth.