Hey guys Price here and welcome to Chapter 20 of Zootopian Assassins! The Wolf from last Chapter will be returning briefly here, so yeah. And yes, I did pretty much just destroy the German Brotherhood last Chapter. They are all dead. Except for the Wolf, anyway. I hope you guys enjoyed last Chapter, and I hope you enjoy this Chapter as well. In case you couldn't tell, I'm going to be uploading one Chapter a week so that I have plenty of time to keep ahead. I don't have a set day, just randomly throughout the week. This will continue until I have the last Chapter done, at which point I will begin to upload two per week so I can still have time to get a small bit ahead on whatever story I start or continue next. I hope you guys are okay with this schedule, because I'm trying to get one started. Hopefully it works. Anyway, that's enough of that, I think it's time to get...onto the story!
Lumi looked at the bags that sat on the bed her and her mate Is had been sharing for the past few months, a wishful sigh escaping her. She wished they could stay here forever and leave their lives in Zootopia behind, despite the fact it was only two hundred or so miles away.
She was grateful to Gideon for allowing her, Is, and their daughter Aukusta to stay with him for so long, but she felt it was time to go back. She hadn't had the chance to bring it up, though, so she was a bit nervous about how Is would react. For some reason he hated it when others made choices for him.
A knock came from the door, and Lumi tensed. She strained her nose, then let out a sigh. She opened the door, allowing Is to come in. He paused at the sight of the bags, then walked over and sat down on the bed.
"I see somebody's ready to go back." He said, glancing over at the bags briefly.
"I figured we have stayed away long enough. I just...I get the feeling that they need our help for some reason. And I think it is being time to meet my father. I just...I am being worried about how he'll react and...I do not know what I will do if he says he does not want us being together. I love you, and I could not put Aukusta through only having a single parent, but he is the only family I have outside of you and our kit that...I just do not know what I would do!" It was obvious she was panicking, and Is felt nothing but compassion for her. She was in a difficult situation, and he could not blame her for panicking. He wasn't sure what he would do either.
"I understand, Lumi. But there is only one thing we could do, aside from seeing each other in secret, if you wanted to continue our relationship." He said, the confusion Lumi felt as she pondered what he could mean was evident.
"What is that?" She finally asked, though he could see she was fearful of the answer.
"We push back. We push until he accepts us." Is answered, and Lumi still looked fearful.
"But...what if he will not accept us?" She asked, and Is could tell this was the first time she was truly thinking about how badly this could go.
"Then we keep pushing, Lumi! This is worth it!" He answered, his tone practically begging Lumi to agree. She remained silent, afraid for the first time in her life of what this going wrong could mean. For her, Is, Aukusta. Everybody she loved would be hurt if this didn't go well.
"I..." She trailed off, wanting to answer but not sure of how she could. "I love you. Always." She finally said, Is' shoulders sagging at that.
"And forever." He said, smiling reassuringly at her. He sighed, picking up his bag. "Well, no time like the present, I suppose." He said cheerfully, the tone painfully and obviously forced.
"Yeah." Lumi said, picking up her bag and following him as he headed out the door. When they entered the living room Gideon was sitting at the kitchen counter, resting his head on his paws as he watched Aukusta. The hybrid was currently sleeping, though he refused to take his gaze away, even when Lumi entered his field of vision.
"I see you're leaving." Gideon said, and Lumi nodded.
"We figured we have stayed away long enough. We had fun, though. And...when Aukusta gets a little older...we'll bring her to visit." She said, her voice choking slightly. They would all miss each other, having grown close the past few months.
"I'll hold you to that, Lumi." Gideon said, standing up and walking up to her. They stared at each other for a moment, both unsure what to say.
"See you soon, Gid." Lumi said, taking a step back so she could bend over to pick up Aukusta. When she raised herself up, she saw Is flash her a knowing smile before he turned and walked out. She sighed, knowing full well what he was doing.
"Lumi, I..." Gideon trailed off, obviously not trusting himself to say what he wanted.
"I know, Gideon." She said, opening her mouth to say something more, then closed it with a sigh. "I lo-" She broke off, her gaze flashing towards something behind him. Gideon looked puzzled at her pause, turning to see what she was looking at.
There, on the wall, was a picture of her and Is and Aukusta. They had been outside on a sunny day, and Lumi had a book in her paws as Is held Aukusta, Lumi's gaze fixed firmly on a tree a short distance away, just out of frame. The faintest tint of brown touched Lumi's fur, though the color pigments didn't get any darker than that, ever. She tended to stay white all year long. A genetical gift from her mother, her father used to say.
"Oh, yeah. I figured I'd frame it. Just in case." He said, flashing his phone briefly before replacing it back in a pocket. "So, what were you saying?" He asked, turning back to Lumi.
"I...look forward to our next visit." Lumi said, smiling and walking past Gideon. She walked out the door, sending a short glare at Is.
"Yeah. Me too." Gideon said, walking back to his seat at the counter. He rested his head on his paws, letting out a sad sigh as he realized he didn't have any deliveries for almost two more days.
Lumi walked about a foot behind Is, both remaining silent. Is because he didn't know what to say, Lumi because she was pissed. Finally, the silence got to be too much.
"You knew, didn't you?" Lumi asked, Is glancing over his shoulder briefly.
"Honestly, at first I was hoping he was just being influenced by the time of year. Then, last week, it became obvious. I think...I think he likes Aukusta." Is said, chuckling.
"Oh, you just picked up on it last week? No wonder I had to be the one to confess." Lumi snorted in amusement, Is huffing.
"Well, I read that it was normal in Fox society for the female to instigate things. So I figured it would be a good idea to wait and see if you would." Is explained, and Lumi huffed in slight amusement.
"It is also being perfectly acceptable for the male to instigate things as well." Lumi retorted, earning a groan of annoyance from Is. "You seem to forget, Is, that I am a Fox. I know more than you in this department."
"Says the Vixen who had no idea how to handle anything but the intimate parts of a relationship." Is said good-naturedly, Lumi chuckling.
"I don't seem to remember you having any knowledge on the subject either." Lumi said, making Is laugh.
"True, true. It would seem we're both equally clueless." Is said, their banter dying down into a comfortable silence.
After about thirty or forty minutes, the station came into view.
"I am starting to think this may be a bad idea." Lumi said, glancing at Is briefly.
"Nah, what could go wrong?" Is asked, Lumi chuckling.
"Famous last words in any horror movie ever." She said, shaking her head in amusement.
"You seem to be forgetting, Lumi, that this is no horror movie." Is said, the train station coming closer and closer.
"Feels like it sometimes." Lumi said sadly, Is shrugging in her peripheral vision.
"Welcome to life." He said simply, like it answered everything.
"Indeed." They lapsed into silence again, ignoring the looks they received as they walked around the various mammals – mostly rabbits – in order to get to the ticket booth.
They stepped up to the counter, the Bunny behind the glass busy reading what looked like a comic book.
"Excuse me." Is said, the Bunny looking up in surprise.
"Oh! Excuse me, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you two there!" The Bunny apologized, placing the book down and leaning forward. "Did you tw-er, three, need tickets?" They asked, Lumi chuckling lightly.
"Yes please. Zootopia." Is said, the Bunny nodding and pulling three tickets from a wheel, handing them their tickets and bidding them goodbye. Is smiled gratefully, then followed Lumi as she began to walk towards the train. They boarded and, with a quick glance around, headed to the upper floor. They chose seats and sat down, both intent on enjoying the trip back home.
That, however, came to a screeching halt when another passenger entered. It was the Wolf.
Humming quietly to a song only Lumi recognized, they placed the case they held under their seat and pulled a small book from the coat they wore, crossing their leg as they sat down and opened it.
Lumi laughed at seeing the cover, drawing the gaze of the Wolf.
"Something funny?" He asked, looking confused at her sudden outburst.
"Wouldn't have taken you for a fan of that series." She said, gesturing to the cover of the book.
"Heard it was good. Plus I wanted to see how different it was compared to it's adaptation. Also to practice my German. Heil die Bruderschaft." He said, Lumi blinking.
"Ah, you are a Brother. Explains a bit." Is said, Lumi looking at him. "He knew a lot of languages." He said, Lumi nodding in understanding.
"Talking about Sven, right?" The Wolf asked, both Is and Lumi tensing slightly.
"Uh, yeah. How did you know?" Lumi asked, her and Is exchanging glances.
"Oh, I've been following you for a while. Germany has taken quite an interest in the sudden and unexpected rise in the Animalian roster. Now though, I'm all that's left. They got found only a few weeks ago, and as far as I know...they're all dead. I was talking with the German Mentor when it happened. As for how I knew about Sven...I did my research." The Wolf answered, looking Is in the eye. "Tell me...why'd Sven leave the international business to settle for staying national? And halfway around the world, no less?" The Wolf asked, Lumi blinking in confusion.
"I...am not sure I follow." She said, Is sighing.
"Sven Larsson. Maybe you read about him." The Wolf answered, and Lumi felt her breath catch.
"I...see." She said, gaze falling as she realized why Is never talked about his other side. "Sven Larsson was a decently known international assassin well known for his ruthlessness. Almost always used a garrote or other method of asphyxiation to kill his targets. Never identified his species, last I read." She said, rattling off information she had read years prior like it was yesterday.
"And you're mated to him." The Wolf said, Lumi sighing.
"Well, can't say I ever thought I'd be found." Is said, drawing attention from Lumi and the Wolf. He leaned back into his seat, tilting his head. "Sven would probably have tried to kill you by now, you know. However, I have more trust than he does. So, as long as you don't say anything...I have no reason to do anything." He said, the Wolf looking surprised by Is' statement. "I left that behind. Now I just want to do the right thing. Live a life as normal as I can."
"You still kill." The Wolf said, Is shrugging.
"Yeah, but now it has a purpose. These mammals want to take over everybody, and I can't have that. It would defeat the purpose of my retirement. Or Sven's retirement, I should say." Is said, the Wolf chuckling.
"So, you have a name?" Lumi suddenly asked, looking at the Wolf questioningly.
"I expected you to have more of reaction to the news your mate is a world renowned assassin, to be honest." The Wolf said, surprise evident on his face.
"It is being called compartmentalization. You did not answer my question." Lumi said, leaning forward expectantly.
"Call me Jacob." The Wolf said, Is arching an eyebrow playfully.
"Would you like a Frye with that?" He asked, Lumi tilting her head in confusion.
"I do not get the joke." She said, Jacob chuckling.
"Jacob Frye was an Assassin from the Industrial Revolution in London, along with his sister Evie. Stopped the Templar Grandmaster's plot and everything." Jacob explained, Lumi only becoming more confused.
"How did you know about that?" She asked Is, turning to the Hare.
"Archives are always open. And easily accessible from our, ah, meeting place." He answered, Lumi nodding.
"Always did wonder what you were doing when we were not training." Lumi remarked, shifting slightly. Aukusta remained asleep in her arms, for which she was grateful. While the kit wouldn't understand what they were talking about, she still wasn't going to talk about her and Is' night jobs in front of her.
"Could've asked." Is said, leaning against her slightly. With a small sigh, he closed his eyes.
"Is, you are not leaving me alone with Jacob." She said, Is waving tiredly as he opened his eyes.
"Well, then just go to sleep too." He said, eyes closing again.
"Unbelievable." Lumi muttered when she realized he had fallen asleep, rolling her eyes at Jacob. "Touch me, Is, or Aukusta and I bite off your assets." She said, closing her eyes.
"Noted." Jacob said, lowering his gaze back to his book. He winced as he read, eventually reaching the end of the chapter. He marked the page and closed the book, placing it back into his coat. He tilted his head as he observed the three sleeping mammals in front of him, pulling a notebook from his jacket and reading everything he had on the pair.
'Lumi Keto. Born in Nuorgam, Finland. Parents unknown, though likely deceased or absent. Came to Zootopia around 2000, upon where she was soon arrested for illegal possession of a firearm. The matter was cleared up and filed as a misunderstanding and the Arctic Fox in question accidentally grabbing the wrong card before leaving her home. She, along with her now Mate Is Larsson, rented an apartment together in Tundra Town. Shortly afterwards she began to work at Jim's Gun Store. Years later, she joined the Assassin Brotherhood with Is, where upon she began her training shortly afterwards. She bested Maestro Nicholas Wilde in simulated combat, but her victory was short lived as the Maestro pulled the pin on a grenade, taking both of them out. After Maestro Wilde and Veterano Judith Hopps returned from their trip to Bunny Burrow with Relcute Daedalus and Perseus, she and the rest of Beta Team – made up of herself, Is Larson, and Fantasma Sousa – entered the hospital at which the two were staying. Not long afterwards, she, for unknown reasons, left the room and entered a janitor's closet. Michael approached her and attempted to...have some fun with her. He was stopped when Lumi shot him in the head, killing him. Two months later, her and Is came to Bunny Burrow on a vacation in order to get away from the city. Is was captured by Templars and Lumi, despite multiple orders to stand down, launched an assault on the Templar Compound. There were no survivors, and she succeeded in her mission to rescue Is. It was then revealed that she was pregnant, and Aukusta – her and Is' daughter – was born. The only other instances of contact between the Brotherhood and Templar Order during their trip was when they attended a Serendipiday festival, where they were approached by two Templars who Is killed. However, this contact was all that was required for Is Larsson's alternate personality, Sven, to awaken. They returned to the residence they had been staying at, and I made contact a few months later. They were initially hostile, as was to be expected, but they calmed after I explained why I had been watching them.' The space on the page ran out, and he flipped the page to view the data on Is. 'Is Larsson. Aside from his name, not much is known about him. He's a ghost, and that makes me nervous. He is a skilled combatant, and fluent in Swedish and Finnish, possibly other languages as well, aside from Common. I will continue to observe and gather more information as time goes on.' He sighed, closing the book and replacing it in the pocket he kept it in. With a glance around, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
Lumi opened her eyes slowly, letting out a small groan as her eyes were assaulted by sunlight. She shook her head, opening her eyes again only to find Is and the Wolf, Jacob if her memory was right, glaring at each other. She imagined that if they had been the same size they would have been butting heads.
"Look, Jacob, I get that you don't trust me because of Sven. I don't blame you. But if you ever mention something like that again, the coroner won't be able to identify you." Is said, the Wolf looking nervous for a heartbeat at that. His eyes raised and saw Lumi looking at them, and he cleared is throat. He gestured towards her, Is turning. "Lumi, you're awake!" He exclaimed cheerfully, casting a look at Jacob over his shoulder briefly before hopping up into the seat next to her.
"What was that about?" She asked, Is sighing as he slumped.
"He...said something I didn't like. I reacted." He answered, looking away shamefully.
"By threatening to make his corpse unidentifiable?" She said, arching an eyebrow.
"Sven didn't like it either." Is said as way of explanation, crossing his arms.
"...Good to know." Lumi remarked, looking out the window. "Oh hey, the station." She said, the mood of the upper room immediately improving with the words.
A few minutes later, the train was stopped at the station.
"Well, see you guys later." Jacob said, retrieving the case under his seat and walking down the stairs.
"Uh, you too." Lumi said, frowning. She shrugged as best she could with Aukusta in her arms, following Is as he walked down the stairs and off the train. When they were out of the station, he turned to her.
"So...where's he at, your dad?" He asked, looking up at her.
"You do realize there is being only one building that serves as both a hospital and a nursing home, right?" Lumi asked, Is giving her his 'do I look like I know my way around the city' look. He was pretty good at it, too.
"Do I need to remind you that you tend to do the most sight seeing in this place, despite living here for sixteen years?" He asked, Lumi sighing.
"Oh my god just follow me." She said, shaking her head and beginning to walk. She paused, looked at the buildings around her, then promptly turned and walked past him. "It is this way, not that way."
"This is gonna be a long day..." Is muttered, following Lumi as she orientated herself with the city again almost immediately. For a small town Fox she sure had navigating Zootopia down pat.
When they arrived at the building – after receiving a great many mixed looks from mammals of course – they entered and Lumi stepped up to the desk.
"Lumi, how are you?" The Lynx at the desk asked excitedly, looking happy to see the Fox.
"Just fine, Annie. We have come to see my father." Lumi said, the Lynx nodding.
"I see you finally got those fantasies of yours fulfilled." The Lynx said, gesturing to Is and Aukusta.
"Oh my god, Annie." Lumi said, head hanging.
"I'm hearing this story later." Is said certainly, following Lumi as she walked towards the elevator. "What, no stairs?" He asked playfully, Lumi giving him an unamused look.
"I am feeling lazy today." She said, entering the elevator. When Is entered, she pressed the button for the second floor, Is sighing.
"Wow. You must be feeling particularly lazy." He remarked, earning a glare from Lumi.
"Please just...be serious about this, Is." She said, Is blinking.
"Okay. I mean, it's not like I have anything to worry about. Certainly not being told I'm not good enough by your dad." He said with a nervous laugh, Lumi staring at him with wide eyes for a moment before her expression softened.
"Is, he is being much nicer than that. I was just being irrationally fearful. You know how I am." She said, Is sighing.
"I know, Lumi. It's just...I tend to try and make light of things like this when I get nervous, okay? Believe me, I am absolutely terrified right now." He said, making Lumi chuckle.
"Yeah, I kinda figured that out the moment I told Annie we were here to visit my father. I could literally smell your fear." She said, Is glaring playfully. The elevator dinged, and they stepped out. Lumi kept her eyes on the room numbers, still using her memory of the number instead of bothering to remember the layout.
She stopped outside a room, glancing at the number briefly before letting out a breath.
"This it?" Is asked to her left, Lumi looking down at him.
"Yeah." She said, looking around briefly before she turned to him. "Alright. Stay outside for a moment, and hold Aukusta. I want it to be a surprise...even though I told him I was pregnant already." She said, frowning to herself briefly.
"Okay. Give her here." Is said, holding out his arms expectantly. Lumi handed Aukusta to him, Is scooting over a foot or so so he was out of sight of anyone inside the room. With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Lumi opened the door and stepped in.
"Father, you here?" She asked, looking into the room.
"Living room." She heard, and she smiled. She stepped further into the room, closing the door partially behind her so Is would still be able to get in. When she saw her father sitting on the couch, she smiled warmly at him as she approached.
"Hey." She said, sitting down next to him.
"It has been a little while, Lumi. What took you so long?" Her father asked, fumbling with the remote to the tv. He muted it, looking slightly embarrassed at his mess up. "You would think I would be used to it by now." He said light heartedly, gesturing to the stump of his right arm.
"I apologize, father. I have been extremely busy with a lot of things, and I just could not make the time. Trust me, I would have come if I could." She lied, feeling bad about it immediately. It wasn't like she could say she had been busy killing other mammals and...other things.
"I think you mentioned that you were pregnant a few months ago. What ever happened to that?" Her father asked, and Lumi made to call Is into the room. She hesitated though, the fear she had felt that her father would reject her mate and daughter bubbling up again.
"I...got into it with a Red Panda of all things. He tried to hit on me, and he did not like me telling him no. So he...tried to wind me. Ended up doing a lot worse." She said, her look dejected as she remembered the feelings she'd had in that moment, when Otso had kicked her.
"Oh god, Lumi. I am so sorry." Her father said, embracing her as best he could. Lumi attempted to leave it at that, but then realized what she was doing. With a deep breath, she smiled slightly.
"However, it would seem I had some luck after all. It was going to be twins, you know. I was going to name them after you and mom, but...the male took the brunt of the impact. So, I suppose it is being time to just get it over with." She said, her father leaning back from her so he could look her in the eyes as she spoke. She cleared her throat, and the sound of pawsteps reached them a second later. They turned to see Is standing there with Aukusta, who was now awake. The Hare smiled nervously, and Lumi felt her father stiffen slightly beside her.
"You must be Alekka. Lumi's told me so much about you." Is said, beginning to step closer when Lumi's father let out a small growl.
"Father?" Lumi asked, surprised at the sudden change in mood. Is seemed just as surprised, looking at Lumi for help. Her father moved from the couch, crouching down until her was on all threes, prowling closer to Is. His lips were peeled back, teeth exposed. Lumi stood up to stop him when her gaze found his shackles. They were lowered. Letting out a small, quiet breath breath of relief as she realized what he was doing, she sat back down. Is seemed to realize it at the same time, because his look changed from panicked to confident in the time it took Lumi's tail to touch the cushion.
He raised his head, keeping her father in his sights while also exposing the small, almost invisible scars on his shoulder. Lumi winced, remembering how those had occurred. They'd been playing around and she had accidentally marked him, though he'd been wise to stay still instead of trying to pull away as her teeth found their mark. When her father saw them, he stopped. He tilted his head slightly as his posture relaxed, slowly raising himself to a standing position.
"So you are being Is. I always wondered when my daughter would make her move." Her father said warmly, and Is' face relaxed into a happy smile.
"Well, she had been in a rather...distressing situation. Honestly, I thought she was just exaggerating it until she...uh, kissed me." He said, not wanting to sound crude by saying that what had followed her distressing situation had been a very heated session of fun.
"Hm. Figures she would make that move before she got married. Always was an achiever. She wanted something, she was going to get it one way or another." Alekka said with a chuckle, Lumi's face falling at the words.
"Oh my god...and you wonder why I dreaded ever meeting somebody I liked. Your stories to Aakko were bad enough." She said, Is catching the name.
"Oh? Who's Aakko?" He asked, thoroughly enjoying her misery at the paws of embarrassing quips.
"He was a Polar Bear who ran a gun shop in my home town. Last I remember he was still running it, but I am not sure about now." Lumi said, looking to her father for answers. The Fox shrugged, having moved to a stool at the counter dividing the kitchen and living room.
"You Finns and your A names." Is said jokingly, chuckling lightly. "Alekka, Aakko, Aukusta. How many names that start with A do you have?" He remarked, sitting down next to Lumi. Since his back was turned, however, he didn't catch the shocked look Lumi's father threw her way.
"Um...Aukusta, huh? Where did you hear that?" Her father asked, Is being the mammal he is was all to happy to divulge the information.
"Oh, it's what we decided to call our daughter! Honestly, it's a miracle she's awake. She's almost always sleeping." He said, lifting the hybrid in question with a smile. Alekka's paw clenched at the words, making Is falter. "Uh...am I missing something?" He asked, looking confused.
"You named your daughter...after your mother?" Alekka asked, looking at Lumi.
"Father, I-" Lumi was cut off by the male Arctic Fox standing from the stool and leaving the room, entering what Is assumed was the bedroom and closing the door behind him.
"Touchy subject, huh?" Is said, turning back to Lumi. He blinked when he saw her hunched over, looking at the ground. When he saw the tear fall, he placed a paw on her shoulder. Her muzzle was moving quickly and quietly, thought it looked like she was repeating the same thing. Is leaned in, hoping to catch what she was saying.
"Tyhmä Tyhmä Tyhmä Tyhmä Tyhmä!" She said, repeating the word over and over again.
"Lumi!" Is exclaimed, appalled by her words. "You are not stupid!" He said, shaking her shoulder lightly. She looked up at him, the fur directly under her eyes – though only about a half inch or so below her eyes – was wet, and her breath hitched slightly.
"Yes I am, Is. I knew what significance that name held and I chose it anyway!" She said, Is' gaze hardening.
"I have an idea. It's either going to work, or it's going to end with me being mauled to death by your pissed off father. Hold Aukusta for a second, I'll be right back." He said, handing their kit to Lumi. She remained silent, apparently surprised by his statement. He stood and approached the bedroom door, only hesitating for a second before he opened the door and entered.
"What do you want?" Alekka asked, his tone dangerous and reminding Is of when Lumi had panicked after they'd gotten together.
"Look, Alekka, I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know what's gotten you into such a bad mood, and frankly I don't care. What I do care about, however, is that it's gotten Lumi sad. And when she's in a bad mood, I'm in a bad mood. I'm not going to ask you for an explanation, but I am going to ask you to put it on hold until we leave. Lumi has been looking forward to and fearing this trip because she was worried you wouldn't accept us. Quite honestly, I wouldn't care. I'm not going to stop seeing her just because some mammals are too prejudiced to at least try and understand. If you don't like us being together, then just say it. We'll leave." Is said, crossing his arms defiantly. Alekka looked surprised for a moment, then began to laugh low in his chest, and to Is it sounded like hacking at first. It quickly took form, leaving Is confused.
"I am starting to see why Lumi likes you so much. Ah, I have not laughed like that in years, my son. I am well aware that my agreeing with your relationship with my daughter would result in nothing but slight hesitation on Lumi's part. But I am sad to hear she was fearful of coming, to be honest. I would have thought she would know me better than that in all the years we have known each other." He said, though Is had stopped paying attention after the second sentence. His eyes were wide, breathing starting to rattle as he processed what the older Arctic Fox had said. With eyes beginning to water, he let a short laugh escape him as he approached Alekka to within arm's reach. Surprising them both, he wrapped the older Fox in a hug and let his head rest on his shoulder.
"It's-" a small sob, wetting the shoulder fur of the Fox slightly. "It's been forever since I've heard that." He said, Alekka relaxing at that and wrapping his one arm around Is.
"And it's a title you can keep, as long as you remain faithful." Alekka said warmly, Is letting out a small laugh at that.
"I have no plans to do otherwise." He said, voice hitching slightly.
The room was silent except for Is' sobs, neither mammal wanting to say anything. When Is had finally dried up, he stepped back to give the Fox some room.
"I apologize for my behavior earlier, Is. I overreacted, and I am sorry." Alekka said, looking away shamefully.
"It sounds like it's a sore subject, to be honest. So while I do worry about what it'll do to Lumi, I can kinda understand why you reacted that way. Why don't you want Lumi to name her daughter after her mother, anyway?" Is said, sitting down beside Alekka.
"It is not that I do not want her to, it is just...it reminded me of what happened to her, is all." Alekka said, Is tilting his head questioningly. "Lumi's mother...did not live for very long after she was born. She was weakened by a difficult birth, and she refused to rest until she knew nothing was long. As a result...she died. Just collapsed as she tried to walk to the nursery area." Alekka explained, and Is looked away at the information.
"I'm sorry." He said, unable to imagine how that would feel.
"A few days later I found out that she had this rare defect that resulted in the first birth also being the last. As a result, it messes up the insides so much that it just kills the female eventually anyway. I heard it was a painful death, so I suspect...in a way...she did what she could to make sure she didn't die a painful death." Alekka continued like Is hadn't spoken, and for all Is knew Alekka hadn't even realized he had spoken.
"Nobody deserves that." Is said sadly, though the information did make him worry.
"No...no they do not." Alekka agreed, the two falling into silence for a short while more.
"We should probably go reassure Lumi that we're both still alive and in one piece." Is said, wincing slightly at the realization of what he said. Alekka simply looked amused, but he corrected himself anyway. "Er, the same amount of pieces we were in when we came in here." He said, chuckling awkwardly as he opened the door.
"She sounds like more of a worrier than I remember." Alekka remarked, chuckling at his own joke.
"Lumi? A non-worrier?" Is asked sarcastically, opening the door as they laughed at the words. They stepped into the living room, Lumi visibly relaxing when she saw them.
"I see he did not maul you to death." She remarked, Alekka looking at Is questioningly.
"I uh...might have told her that my plan would either work or result in me being mauled to death by an angry you. Sorry." Is said, looking away as he awaited Alekka
s response.
"Well, I was mad enough to do just that at first. However...I realized that you had a point. I let my emotions get the best of me, and I risked losing the only family I had left if I did not apologize. So, I am sorry, Lumi. I reacted badly, and I apologize." Alekka said, Lumi smiling at him.
"I understand, father. I thought that it would be a good idea, to name my daughter after my mother so you would not be sad hearing her name anymore. It was not until Is told you that I realized I had made a mistake." Lumi said, Alekka relaxing visibly. "What, did you think I would be mad at you? Father, if anybody had the right to be upset, it was you. I did not consider how it would affect you when I decided to name her after my mother."
"I admit I was a little worried about you getting upset, but by then it was too late." Alekka said, a small chuckle escaping Is at that.
"We're all just a family of worriers, aren't we?" Is asked jokingly, the three mammals laughing at that.
They stayed for a few more hours, trading embarrassing stories about themselves and random things in general, and Is remained smiling throughout. That smile only faltered when they left, though it made a quick comeback.
He could get used to having a family.
And that does it for the Turmoil Arc. I decided to end it on a bit of a happy note, and I hope you guys like it. It was such a trip for me, letting me practice just having believable speech and emotions with characters. And the series that Jacob was reading was none other than my favorite anime and manga of all time, Elfen Lied. I know I like to talk about that some times, but I truly find it enjoyable and emotional. Especially the "Nana is indispensable" scene in the Manga, oh god that made me cry. Knowing that Chief Kurama had been so mentally unbalanced by Mariko dying that he kept a dead clone of her with him for about a week to maybe a month, telling Nana that she was nothing more than an experiment to him, and being attacked by another clone of Mariko called Barbara who Nana tried to convince to enjoy life with Kurama, only to be turned down in favor of killing him. And then Kurama saves Nana by shooting Barbara in the head, and telling her that she was indispensable. I bawled my eyes out for thirty minutes after reading that, I'm not even kidding. My girlfriend literally thought I was losing it when she found me in the corner eating chocolate ice cream straight from the bucket with a spoon. God I need help. Okay, enough of them there SPOILERS for now. I hope you guys enjoyed the Arc, because it was very fun to write. I enjoyed writing Is and Lumi a lot, and I hope I can find an excuse to write them again. Okay, so a little explanation for things that may seem unclear from earlier in the Arc. Jacob is from Zootopia, as was his brother Michael, but he joined the German Brotherhood after a trip there ended with him being attacked by Templars. He was conversing with the German Mentor when the Brotherhood there was found. They were discussing the Animalia Mentor, and we all know who possesses that role. That will be expanded upon and explained at the end of the story, so don't you worry. I'll offer hints, though, throughout the story, which means you guys gotta keep a sharp eye out. I might've made the ending too obvious by referencing another well known Mentor from the AC games, but I hope not. Just keep in mind, guys, that because I've introduced so many characters, nobody is going to be safe. And I do mean nobody, so expect a few deaths on the Brotherhood's side over the next three Arcs. Anyway, this AN is getting long enough, I'll see you guys...next time.