The Orphanage Protector
Chapter 2
Two Strong Hearts


Their footsteps echoed through the path as they walked back towards the orphanage. Tygex found himself lost in his thoughts again, contemplating how he would carry out his mission to protect the orphanage without enough leads on the group that wanted to harm the safety of the innocent children within the orphanage.

“TYGEX LEGSTRONG!!!”

Suddenly, a familiar woman's voice called out, jolting Tygex back to reality. He saw Ms. Mara, the housemother and caretaker of the orphanage, rushing towards them with furious anger. Just Her presence alone made Tygex's fur stand on end, the aura of fury emanating from her sending a chill down his spine.

"The 'Orphanage's hag' is mad!" Tygex whispered tremulously, instinctively thinking about fleeing. However, he couldn't abandon the little orphan boy, Ace, who stood frozen in shock beside him.

Summoning all the courage he had, Tygex took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever might come next. As Ms. Mara closed in with a venomous expression, Tygex addressed her directly, determined not to let fear overpower him.

"M-M-M-Ms. Mara," he called out, his voice matching her fury. "I-I-I can explain!"

Halting in her tracks, Ms. Mara's anger momentarily wavered at Tygex's audacity. Her narrowed eyes demanded an explanation.

"Then explain yourself, Tygex! What were you thinking, taking a child with you outside the orphanage without my permission?" Ms. Mara yelled as she asked.

Tygex's heart raced as he swallowed hard, desperately gathering his scattered thoughts. Fear threatened to cloud his mind, but he knew he needed to come up with some sort of explanation. His voice quivered slightly as he struggled to articulate a response.

"I... I had my reasons," he stammered, his voice trembling. He desperately tried to think of an excuse that would alleviate Ms. Mara's anger, but fear made it difficult for him to think straight. A fear that Tygex hadn’t felt in a very, very long time.

Before Tygex could form a coherent explanation, someone unexpected spoke up.

"I... I followed him," Ace said, keeping his head lowered and his voice barely audible.

Both Tygex and Ms. Mara's attention shifted towards Ace, who had mustered the courage to admit his involvement. The housemother’s anger intensified at the revelation.

"You did WHAT!?" Ms. Mara shouted, her focus now solely on the young boy.

Despite the tense situation, Tygex couldn't help but admire Ace's bravery in speaking up. Is he trying to defend me? he thought to himself.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Jace!?" Ms. Mara asked, glaring at the young boy, but Ace remained silent.

Tygex expected Ace to glare back at Ms. Mara for using his real name, but he was taken aback as Ace didn't do so and instead attempted to hide his fear by gazing downward. Even if it was true that Ace was the one who had willingly followed Tygex, he couldn't let the child bear the blame alone at Ms. Mara's paws while she was furious.

Filled with fear, but determined to defend the boy from the housemother's fury, Tygex braced himself and stepped forward.

“AAAAAAH!” He let out a sudden shout and pointed behind Ms. Mara, causing her to turn around.

In that moment, Tygex tapped into his playful side, scooped Ace onto his right shoulder, and declared, "You can't catch us!" before sprinting towards the field, not giving Ms. Mara a chance to look back at them, carrying Ace away from the tense situation.

Everything happened so quickly that Ace didn't quite realize what was happening until he saw how Ms. Mara was chasing them with absolute anger on her face, screaming at the top of her lungs, demanding Tygex to stop running.

Ace looked at Tygex, who spoke with fear in his voice, "Ace!— We're in trouble if she catches us! We can't turn back now!" Tygex kept racing across the field for quite some time, while still carrying Ace on his shoulder.

Eventually, after what seemed like a long time, the chase came to an end.
"We lost her!" Ace exclaimed.

Tygex looked back and stopped running to confirm. "Hah! You're right!" He lifted Ace up high from his shoulder and exclaimed, "We did it! We escaped the 'orphanage's hag'!" Tygex felt a surge of happiness, but Ace felt a mix of relief and anger, but mostly anger. Being lifted up like a child was not something he appreciated.

"Put me down," Ace demanded boldly.

Tygex looked at Ace, his eyes filled with amusement as he took in the angry expression on Ace's face.

"What? Scared of heights?— Heh!" Tygex joked, a tone of boldness in his voice, which only served to make Ace clench his fists tighter. However, in that moment, Tygex realized that Ace didn't appreciate being teased or treated like a kid.

"Alright, little man," Tygex said, a bright smile was still visible across his face as he decided to put Ace down.

Ace continued to glare at Tygex, his gaze unwavering, as he contemplated telling him that he was not little. But then he glanced down, his voice softer, and whispered a quiet "Thanks...”

Tygex heard Ace's word and understood why he thanked him, but the mischievous side of him couldn't resist teasing Ace a bit more.

"Hmmm? You said something?" Tygex pretended not to hear Ace's whisper, maintaining his bold tone, as he observed how Ace tried to hide his embarrassment.

"I said... Thanks..." Ace whispered again.

"I can't hear you. Speak up," Tygex teased, calling Ace by his real name, Jace.

Instantly, Ace locked eyes with Tygex, frustration bubbling up inside him.
"I SAID THANKS, ALRIGHT! AND MY NAME IS ACE!" Ace erupted, his voice filled with anger and irritation.

Tygex burst into laughter, realizing it was time to drop the teasing act. He wiped away the tears of amusement from his eyes and looked proudly at Ace.

"You did a good job, standing still while she scolded you. Fleeing from her was always go-to tactic to escape her fury," Tygex smiled.

Ace's expression turned puzzled, his mind racing to process Tygex’s words. Sensing Ace’s confusion, Tygex quickly offered an explanation. "You see, she used to be my housemother back then. I lived in that very same orphanage when I was your age."

Shocked, Ace couldn't believe that Tygex, who was now protecting the orphanage, had once been an orphan just like him. But before he could fully comprehend the revelation, his surprise gave way to annoyance.

"You must be kidding, right?" Ace spoke with skeptical tone, clearly not convinced. "Do you expect me to believe Ms. Mara has been running that orphanage for more than... 40 years?" He furrowed his bros, attempting to estimate the years based on Tygex’s appearance, physique, and height.

Tygex was taken aback by Ace's words. He never expected the typically quiet and serious young boy to speak so boldly. "What—" Tygex paused, his voice tinged with surprise. "Why you little!— Do I appear so old to you, kid!?" Annoyance bubbled up within him, causing him to erupt in frustration.

"I'm not a kid! And I’m not little!" Ace retaliated, standing his ground.

Tygex wasn’t willing to let Ace off the hook; he continued to assert his point. "Oh, yes, you are, kiddo!"

Locked in a resolute battle of wills, they fiercely locked eyes, glaring at each other, their expressions betraying frustration. At last, Tygex inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and composed his stance, crossing his arms. Shattering the oppressive silence, he spoke with unwavering authority and a hint of irritation. "Well... Ahem—it has been 23 years since I ran away from the orphanage." Tygex's gaze settled on Ace, his annoyance evident. "Believe it or not, Ms. Mara did take care of me and countless other children back then.
“And honestly, I was amazed to discover that she's still running the orphanage after all these years... But what surprised me even more is—" Tygex's voice trailed off and he swallowed nervously, as if hesitant to continue.

Ace's concern deepened as he noticed the slight tremble in Tygex's body and the fear he was trying to suppress. Tygex knelt down, firmly holding Ace's shoulders, and looked at him with utmost seriousness. "Ace—listen carefully... Ms. Mara… She hasn't changed at all, and I don't just mean her personality... She hasn't aged a single day... she looks exactly how she did back then." A shiver ran down Tygex's spine as he whispered the words, fear creeping into his voice.

Ace's eyes widened, disbelief written all over his face. He didn't want to accept it, but seeing the fear etched on Tygex's expression, he knew it was true. "How... old is she?" Ace hesitated to ask, but curiosity had taken hold of him, his voice filled with trepidation.

Tygex shook his head vehemently. "No one knows... and no one dares to find out... Uncovering her true age is considered a dangerous taboo that could result in dire consequences. It doesn't matter if you're a child or not; the outcome will be the same." Tygex's voice carried a mix of apprehension and caution, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Ace's insatiable curiosity got the best of him. "Is that why you called her 'the orphanage hag'?" he whispered, glancing around as if expecting Ms. Mara to appear at any moment.

Tygex placed a finger on his lips, signaling for Ace to lower his voice. "Shh—lower. We don't want her overhearing us. she might be nearby," he cautioned and looked around before nodding in response to Ace's question. "Yes, that's exactly why. We used to believe she was a witch, feasting on the discipline of young children so she could stay young forever." After delivering this information, Tygex waited for Ace’s respond.

Ace's eyes narrowed, dismissing the notion as mere superstition. "That's just silly. Witches aren't real," he stated matter-of-factly.

Tygex smiled, gently ruffling Ace's hair. "Well, that's what we thought back then. It's surprising how rumors can shape our perceptions. But more importantly…" Tygex paused, noticing that Ace seemed a bit annoyed. "You tried to protect me back there. Thanks, Ace," Tygex expressed his gratitude.

Ace blinked, remaining silent for a moment before finally responding. "You were in trouble because of me… I couldn’t let you take the blame." He turned his face slightly to the left, appreciating the first time he had been thanked by someone for his actions.

Tygex was right; the boy had indeed tried to protect him from the housemother, and he now knew for a fact that Ace was the type of person who would not let anyone take the fall, especially if it was his fault. It was a special act of saving others before thinking of himself, something that not many people had nowadays.

Tygex observed Ace's attempt to suppress a smile and straightened up, contemplating their situation. "We can't return to the orphanage now, not while she's furious," he pondered. After a brief moment of thought, Tygex continued, "We'll stay in the field until the sun sets. We'll head back when it's time for dinner. She's stern, but she won't let a child go hungry."

With a wink, Tygex walked to the side of the road, coming to a stop on the soft grass. He stretched out and lay down on his back. "Join me, Ace!" he cheerfully called out.

Without a word, Ace joined him, settling down next to Tygex. He immediately felt a paw on his shoulder and was pulled quickly onto the grass and found himself lying next to Tygex, who smiled in response.

Tygex shifted his gaze up to the sky before taking a deep breath, exhaling contentedly as he placed his paws behind his head, closed his eyes, and murmured softly, "Let's take a moment to relax."

As the sun slowly descended into the horizon, casting a warm glow upon the field, both companions found their place upon the lush green grass. Tygex lay on his back, and so did Ace, lost in thoughts as he observed the clouds in the sky. It was an experience Ace had never had before—relaxing with someone after running from trouble (or, in his case, being carried away from trouble). It felt oddly normal for him. This must be what it feels like to act like a normal boy, Ace thought as he stole a glance at Tygex. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that Tygex, the protector of the orphanage, had actually fled from Ms. Mara instead of facing her. This doubt led Ace to question Tygex's courage and strength. But then he remembered that Tygex had lived in the same orphanage with Ms. Mara as the housemother. Ace wondered if Tygex had developed some fear or phobia because of Ms. Mara's fury. Ace still vividly remembered the time when Ms. Mara completely lost her temper when some kids made a muddy mess inside the orphanage building after playing in the field. She punished all the orphans by making them clean the building spotless. Because of that, no one ever dared to play in the mud ever again.

After a while of thinking, curiosity got the better of Ace, and he turned his gaze towards Tygex. "Are you truly strong since you are a mercenary?"

Tygex opened his eyes, briefly pausing to study Ace before returning his gaze to the sky. "Me? Strong?" A mischievous grin crept up his face as he straightened his posture. "Heh! You bet I am! Witness the power of the Elite Mercenary!" Tygex playfully flexed his arm muscles, showing off his strength.

Rolling his eyes at Tygex's arrogant display, Ace's curiosity still burned within him. Changing the subject, he sat up and inquired, "What kind of adventures have you encountered?"

Tygex's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his arms falling to his sides as he stared at the young boy. He hadn't expected to hear that question again—a question that used to hear every time he returned to the secret headquarters of the Secret Mercenary Corps after a successful mission. It was the same question his former captain never failed to ask him.

Redirecting his gaze towards the sunset, Tygex gently rubbed the pendant hanging around his neck with his right paw. "Maximo," he whispered softly to himself, letting the memory of his last encounter with his previous captain on that uncharted island flood his thoughts. Faint recollections of waking up alone, without Maximo beside him, resurfaced. "Someday, I'll find you," he vowed under his breath, clutching the pendant tightly as the ache in his heart intensified.

"Hmm?" Ace's voice snapped Tygex back to the present.

Opening his eyes, he focused on Ace's expectant face, realizing that he had drifted away for a moment.

"Oh, sorry," Tygex apologized, shaking off his reverie. "Let's see, where should I begin?" Crossing his arms, he pondered his words carefully, wanting to paint a vivid picture of his adventurous life for Ace. "Mostly dangerous ones, kid," he began, his voice tinged with excitement. "I've traveled to mesmerizing places across vast seas, met fascinating individuals, battled ferocious enemies, and beasts on both land and in water...
Let me tell you about this recent adventure I embarked on..." Without realizing it, Tygex leaned in, sharing glimpses of his past thrilling adventure, transporting Ace to realms of excitement and danger.

As Ace listened to Tygex's tales, anticipation grew inside him. His youthful spirit craved every detail of Tygex's captivating story.

Within Tygex's mind, a realization dawned: Ace, though not the most talkative, spoke volumes through his eagerness to listen and genuine curiosity. Tygex could discern the formation of a bond, a friendship blossoming between them. As they sat together, bathed in the dwindling light, Tygex couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to forge a connection with the young orphan boy. Little did he know, their lives were about to intertwine in unimaginable ways.


To Be Continued

*Tygex Legstrong
*Jace (Ace Maximus)

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