Matarra: So... I may have dropped off the face of the earth.

Misael: No, you didn't.

Matarra: Earth, , same thing. Anyway, sorry, I started working on a book and got caught up in it.

Misael: One you somehow still haven't finished.

Matarra: I'm working on it! Anyway, sorry about being MIA for so long.

Dark Mist flew back into the warehouse with bagfuls of groceries. For some reason, Astral had asked him for some items and as Dark Mist enjoyed eating when he took a human form, he didn't protest. Besides, Astral adored him now, there was little danger of him running away. Plus he was tied up-

The bags hit the floor as Dark Mist saw the chair empty and his mind filled with rage. It was a trick?! He shouldn't have left Astral alone, and he definitely shouldn't have loosened the restraints when Astral had asked him to. He probably realized there was something wrong and ran away. Now he had to go track him down and-

"Misty, you're back." Dark Mist flew up in the air five feet as he heard the greeting behind him and looked over his shoulder to see Astral standing in a human form behind him.

"Astral! You're still here!" Dark Mist cried, not thinking.

Astral looked down at the bags of food on the floor then at the empty chair and his eyes widened in understanding. "You thought I wasn't fully healed from my experience yet and went back to Yuma."

"Y- yeah," Dark Mist said, relieved Astral still thought Yuma was an enemy.

"I am sorry for worrying you, Misty," Astral said. "I just wanted to move around and prepare some things."

"Prepare?" Dark Mist asked.

Astral smiled coyly and made a "come hither" gesture. "Come upstairs."

"Oh, and side note, when and why do you have a human form?" Dark Mist demanded.

"I... guess I learned it when I was with Yuma." Astral frowned and looked upset at the thought. "I still remember how to do it, but I wish I could've learned how to with you. Anyway, come along, Misty."

"Stop calling me that," Dark Mist growled.

Astral laughed. "If my memory is correct, you did always hate that nickname."

Dark Mist had to repress a spree of maniacal laughter and replaced it with an excited smile. Astral's mind had already begun to fill in the gaps with false recollections! Yes! Of course, if the barians got a hold of him, they could probably fix Astral, so he had to make sure that didn't happen. "Yep, I'm glad you're remembering things correctly!"

"It's hard, and I don't think I'll be able to remember much for a long time, because of how much hatred I feel towards you whenever I try to recall anything," Astral said. "Anyway, come on, Misty."

"Don't call me that!" Dark Mist said in a very whiny tone, much to his horror and mortification. What was wrong with him?

Astral smiled and bent down, picking up a few of the bags. Dark Mist grabbed the rest and followed Astral upstairs to the loft above the warehouse. Dark Mist had "bought" some furnishings to add to the lie that he had been living here for a while and to keep Astral busy when he consented to letting him roam around, which was sooner than he had previously thought, now. There was a queen bed, a microwave, a fridge, an oven and stove, a table, a couch, TV, and various eating utensils. Astral ran over to the table and spilled the contents of the grocery bags across them, prompting Dark Mist to do likewise.

Dark Mist watched Astral with interest and curiosity as he separated the extra items Dark Mist had bought into one pile and the items he had asked for into another. Finally, Astral shoved Dark Mist's food items off to the side of the table and placed his items in the center. Just as Dark Mist was about to ask what all this was about, Astral turned around and retrieved a large bowl, a baking tray, some measuring cups, and measuring spoons. He reached over and turned on the oven, preheating it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. "There, all set."

"Set for what?" Dark Mist asked.

"I guess we never did this before," Astral said. "I can remember facts without hindrance and I recalled a cookie recipe for peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. I thought we should make some together, as an "I'm sorry for getting brainwashed" present from me to you. And after all, isn't baking things together a mother-son activity?"

Dark Mist's eyes widened. Astral was taking the mother thing pretty seriously! Well, it was expected. Astral did think they were best buds, after all. "Dark Mist?" Astral asked, sounding worried.

"S- sorry, I just didn't think we'd get to this point so fast," Dark Mist said, and his trembling, at the verge of tears, voice was only partially an act.

"I know it's been hard on you, so I'm doing my best to take a leap of blind faith and trust you again, like I did before getting brainwashed. You deserve my trust as you have done nothing wrong," Astral said. Dark Mist felt a pang of something in his chest and it made him uncomfortable, so he looked away from Astral's heterochromic eyes which were almost brimming with love.

"Thanks... um, should I call you Mom or Astral?" Dark Mist asked.

"Whichever you're more comfortable with," Astral replied. "Although, I do like the sound of "Mom."

"Mom, then," Dark Mist decided. His plan was going great! He had a mom now, Astral hated Yuma, Astral was open to plotting revenge against Yuma, Astral trusted him completely, and his dad was Don Thousand! All he had to do was bring his dad over to his side and everything would be perfect!

"Misty. Human form. Now," Astral ordered.

"Why?" Dark Mist asked. "And don't call me Misty!"

"It detracts from the experience if you aren't," Astral said.

"How?" Dark Mist asked like a petulant child.

"Because if you are in your true form you will use your tentacles to measure out everything at once and I have been informed by various sources that the reason you bake cookies instead of buying them is for the experience. Now get into your human form, Misty," Astral ordered.

"Fine, fine," Dark Mist conceded and turned into a human, deciding to humor Astral. A happy Astral was an Astral who didn't question things, after all.

Astral calmly measured out ingredients into the cups and after a moment, Dark Mist helped too, measuring out and putting in what Astral told him to. Once they got to the chocolate chips, Dark Mist reached over a took a handful out of the bag before popping them into his mouth. Astral shot him an admonishing glare. "Dark Mist!"

"What?" Dark Mist asked with his mouth full of chocolate.

"Don't eat the ingredients," Astral ordered. "And do not talk with your mouth full."

"But I love chocolate chips!" Dark Mist whined.

"Just wait, you can eat the leftovers once we're done," Astral said.

"Okay, but these cookies better be really f*cking delicious," Dark Mist said.

"Dark Mist, you are not allowed to swear," Astral commanded in a harsh tone.

"Am I allowed to swear at Yuma?" Dark Mist inquired slowly, testing Astral.

Astral's eyes narrowed and he poured too much flour into the measuring cup. "Of course, using any other adjective to describe him would be a travesty."

Dark Mist grinned and laughed maniacally on the inside. Oh, this was rich! Astral hated Yuma~! Astral hated Yuma~! Oh, he longed to see the look on Yuma's face! Actually, he should probably get on that. "Hey, Astral? After we're done with the cookies, wanna plan some revenge?"

"Revenge with a side of cookies and milk? That does sound like a good time," Astral commented with a smile.

"Yay! Now let's make some cookies!" Dark Mist cheered. Astral leaned over and ruffled his hair. Dark Mist smiled and tried to snag another chocolate chip, but Astral smacked his hand.

As they mixed ingredients, Dark Mist found himself thoroughly enjoying the feeling of having a mother, and the fact it was Astral made this entire thing so much sweeter. Now let's get Don Thousand down here and he'd have a happy family of his own.

…... (^0^) ...

Don Thousand took a sip of wine, while Vector looked at him from across the table. "You're aware that on earth, you have the body of sixteen-year-old, right?"

"Almost seventeen, it's borderline," Don replied.

"Yeah, and both are below drinking age," Vector said.

"You're lecturing me? You and Alit drink more wine than I do," Don Thousand said.

"I'm just saying." Vector shrugged.

"Besides, are you really going to tell me I can't drink after all that's happened?" Don demanded. "My brother's close to being a borderline alcoholic from the stress."

"Is that where you got the wine?" Vector asked.

"He was drinking and I confiscated it," Don Thousand answered. "He's struggling a bit but Ena, Kari, and Yuma are helping. Well, more like Yuma and Eliphas are helping each other."

Vector leaned back and sighed. "Two weeks, huh? I think that's a good time to start getting drunk out of despair."

"Yeah, well guess who's not giving up?" Don Thousand jerked his thumb to himself. "This guy."

"I got that by the all-nighter you pulled last night. Side note, when you stay up all night, I don't feel as rested in the morning. Psychic link and all," Vector said. "I may as well stay up with you if you ever plan to do that again."

"Sorry, Vec," Don Thousand apologized. "Just trying to deduce where Dark Mist could be keeping Astral."

"Yeah, I saw your map. Bunch of red pins all over the place to indicate where we've looked. I think you bought out the convenience store's supply of pins."

"Don't get sarcastic with me," Don warned.

"Hey, Don?" Vector asked. "Do you think Astral's okay?"

"At this point, no," Don confessed. "Remember, Dark Mist was born in a weird way. While he doesn't have any genetic issues with the incest thing, he does resemble his parents strongly. He looks a lot like Astral, but personality-wise he seems to be very similar to me, which is not a good thing but it does give me some insight into his mind. If I wanted to hurt Yuma and Astral, I would do exactly what he did: go after one of them. He wanted Astral because Astral is closer to him, and as he is sane right now and seems to be acting rationally, he probably hasn't killed Astral and doesn't intend to. But I can't say anything more without knowing more of his motivations, as I would do any number of things varying from situation to situation."

"But you said you don't think he's okay," Vector said.

"That's the part I don't know, but I do know it's not good. I'm very creative and if Dark Mist inherited that from me... well, things go down horribly for Astral," Don Thousand explained.

"It'll be okay, Don," Vector promised. "Dark Mist tends to be overconfident, remember?"

"I was slipping in and out of consciousness when I was inside your body, so I can't recall too much," Don Thousand confessed. "But honestly, I want to know more about him."

"Really? Why?" Vector asked.

"Because he's my son," Don replied. "Yeah, I know it borderlines on the definition of "parent", but I feel like it counts. Remember how I was immediately after the number war? You could've given up on me, but you didn't, and look how I turned out."

"You want to give Dark Mist the same chance?" Vector asked.

"I doubt I can do much, if anything, and Astral's safety comes first, but if I'm able, I want to talk to him," Don Thousand replied.

"Your funeral, but Astral is number one, right?" Vector asked.

"Right," Don confirmed. "My nephew's safety comes first of all."