Dmitri and Gareth sat on a rock far away from camp and, by association, Malachi. "So what did you two want to show us?" Dmitri asked.
"You'll see! You'll see! Now close your eyes, Dad! You too, Uncle Gareth! Or, well, Dad, tell Uncle Gareth to cover his eyes!" Dark Mist sang.
"Gareth, close your eyes," Dmitri sighed as he shut his eyes and put his hand over them. Gareth did likewise.
Dark Mist grinned at Astral. "Ready?" Astral nodded and concentrated. A moment later he and his twin fell to the ground as humans.
"We really need to get closer to the ground before doing that," Dark Mist winced.
"Sebastian?!" Gareth asked.
"Oh yeah, and you two can open your eyes now! Come on! Open up!" Dark Mist jumped up and gently pried Dmitri's hands away from his eyes.
Dmitri's eyes opened then went wide. "Sebastian?!"
"Already established that a long time ago," Dark Mist grinned.
"You're human?" Dmitri asked incredulously.
"No, I'm a frog," Dark Mist said sarcastically.
Dmitri gave a choked laugh and hugged Sebastian tightly, then turned to Astral who had approached him and hugged him as well. "You two are human... how?"
"Well, we figured out how to go into human forms. Aka I did! Totally all me! Ask Lucky!" Dark Mist crowed.
"Don't call me Lucky and for once, yes it was all him," Astral admitted.
Gareth grinned at them. "Alright, now that there is no time limit until you turn back to being spectral, get over here!" Gareth ran to them and gripped both his nephews in a bear hug. "I am going to strangle you two."
"Damn, Uncle Gareth, that is not an exaggeration!" Dark Mist half-gasped half-laughed as his uncle hugged him very tightly.
"I quite agree!" Astral gasped as he hugged Gareth back.
"Don't kill my kids, Gareth. I don't think I can lose them again," Dmitri said with a rueful smile.
"Alright, alright," Gareth replied, loosening his grip a little bit.
"Thank you, Uncle Gareth. I can now breathe again," Astral sighed.
Gareth chuckled and ruffled Astral's hair. "Sorry, it's just good to have you two back... at least, back and solid."
Dmitri laughed and caught both his sons in another hug. "I can't believe you two can turn human!"
"Yeah, we're excited too, Dad!" Dark Mist exclaimed, "Although we really need to make sure Malachi is not around when we do it. Or could stumble across us. If that happened, we are really, really, really f*cked.
Dmitri gritted his teeth. "I hate living in fear of him."
"Well, we could kill him-" Dark Mist suggested.
"Sebastian, no."
"But Lucky, he deserves it!"
"Don't call me Lucky, and no one appointed you judge, jury, and executioner."
"Uncle Gareth? You're a king, appoint me as a judge. While you're at it, make me a one being jury and an executioner," Dark Mist requested, causing Astral to facepalm.
Gareth shook his head and spread his arms helplessly. "I would if I could but I can't. I'm not a king any more, sorry Sebastian."
"Damn it! Stupid f*cking Malachi!" Dark Mist growled.
"Amen to that, language included," Dmitri snarled in agreement.
"Let's all calm down," Astral soothed, "Can we not focus on him for a while?"
Dmitri smiled at Astral. "You sound like your mother, you know. I miss her. How is she doing?"
"She's doing fine, she missed you as well, though. She thought you were dead until we told her what happened. Then she got annoyed at Malachi." Astral explained.
"Annoyed is sugar-coating it. She didn't reprimand me for my language because she wanted to swear herself very badly. I think if she sees Malachi again she will torture him," Dark Mist commented.
Dmitri nodded. "What he's done will push even Eva to her breaking point."
"Yeah, and we haven't even told her he killed us yet," Dark Mist added.
"...I'm going to be around for that blow-up then, aren't I?" Dmitri asked with a soft smile.
"Probably, as soon as we get the last number we all go to see her!" Dark Mist exclaimed.
"Indeed, she will be happy to see you both," Astral smiled.
"I think we both want to see her as well," Gareth replied, "She was a good friend to me and as you know a lot more to Dmitri."
Dmitri rolled his eyes. "Must you make innuendos around my sons?"
"They're definitely old enough, so yes," Gareth smirked.
Dmitri rolled his eyes while Dark Mist grinned. "So we just have to get to one more ruin and get the last number and we can ditch Malachi! Or kill him. Killing him sounds better. And we can do that now."
"Sebastian no," Astral warned.
"Aw, come on!" Dark Mist complained.
"Sadly, Luhke's right," Dmitri sighed, "We cannot kill him just yet, no matter how much I long to."
Gareth was silent, then he said slowly, "I can stay here."
"What?" Dmitri, Astral, and Dark Mist said in unison.
"I can stay with Malachi and retrieve the number while you all go to Astral World," Gareth elaborated.
"WHAT?! Are you insane?! There is no way in hell I am going to leave you alone for one millisecond with that bitch if I can help it!" Dmitri yelled.
"Dmi, I'll be fine," Gareth assured him, "Look, I know you need to see Eva again badly. I've noticed it ever since you found out she was alive. I need to see her too, but you need it even more. I can spend a little time with Malachi on my own."
"But-"
"Dmi, you are going to Astral World and seeing Eva no matter what. I will force you to go if you don't go willingly," Gareth warned.
"Why do you need to stay, Uncle Gareth?! Come with us and let Malachi get the number!" Dark Mist protested.
Gareth shook his head sadly, "He will not let Dmitri go without a fight, and he will only give in if he believes Dmitri will come back. He will not let both of us go, period. Besides, do you really trust him to retrieve a number for you? Him?"
Astral nodded slowly. "He makes many good points."
"Gareth..." Dmitri looked helpless.
Gareth put his hand on Dmitri's shoulder. "Dmi, you need this. Go see your wife. I will be fine. I promise, alright?"
Dmitri let out his breath and nodded. "Alright Gareth. But when I come back, if he harmed you in any way, you tell me and I'll kill him."
Gareth smirked, "And you, my dear brother, have just coined the saying "overprotective younger brother"."
"I'm serious!" Dmitri protested, "I can't let you get hurt!"
"Dmi, how many times to I have to say, "I'll be fine" before you believe it? Things will be fine, trust me."
The other three looked worried. "Uncle Gareth, please be careful," Astral worried.
Gareth smiled. "I will, Luhke, don't worry so much," he sighed, "We should probably go back to Malachi and the others, they'll, or should I say he'll, wonder where we are soon."
Dark Mist pouted and Astral nodded as they both transformed back into their spectral forms. "Over the river and through to the woods, to the bat sh*t crazy psycho we go," Dark Mist sang softly and sarcastically.
Dmitri snorted as he, Gareth, Astral, and Dark Mist turned around and trodded back the way they had come.
Gareth shook his head and smiled. "I've been saying for years that karma has yet to catch up with you and now it has, hasn't it?"
Dmitri smiled and nodded, "And I can tell it has started to catch up to Malachi as well," he added viciously.
"True, probably in the form of Eva and Sebastian," Gareth laughed.
Dark Mist grinned, "He's right, you know."
"I believe all of us know that all too well," Astral sighed.
"Aw, come on, Lucky! Don't ruin my thunder."
"Don't call me Lucky."
"Okay, Lucky."
"I mean it, Sebastian."
"Alright, Lucky. I won't call you Lucky again, Lucky."
"Father! Sebastian won't stop calling me Lucky!"
"Tattletale!"
Dmitri cracked up and Gareth smiled sadly. "I wish I could hear them right now."
"You will soon," Dmitri assured him.
"I know, after YOU go to Astral World," Gareth said.
"You really want me to go, don't you?"
"Dmi, you NEED to go. I saw firsthand what you were like after she died and the only reason you didn't completely break down was because of the two spectral beings behind us. And then after they died, both their and Eva's death came crashing down on you. You broke down then, Dmi. It hurt to see you like that. Then after Malachi confessed to everything, you shut down. You snapped at and pushed away anyone other than me and the only other people you would tolerate slightly were children. Then we came across Yuma, Vector, Astral, and Dark Mist- the later two who as we all now know are Luhke and Sebastian- and you softened slightly, largely due to Astral and Dark Mist."
"And to think I didn't like them at first. No offense, you two," Dmitri looked back at Astral and Dark Mist.
"None taken! Much," Dark Mist sang with a cheeky grin.
"I share Sebastian's sentiment, aside from the last part. Besides, didn't you say yourself, Sebastian, that Father was being smart for being suspicious?" Astral prompted.
Dark Mist looked embarrassed. "Well... yes... But I didn't know he was our dad back when I said that!"
Dmitri smiled and rolled his eyes. "It's funny how we actually got along fairly well despite deep mistrust on my part before you knew I was your father."
"Yeah, we were getting along pretty well, huh?" Dark Mist commented, "Remember when I smacked you constantly over the head with that piece of parchment after you refused to talk to me in the first ruin?"
Dmitri grinned, "And then you saved my life seconds later."
Dark Mist shivered, "I'm still terrified over that experience."
"And remember when Luhke got so pissed off he threatened Malachi?" Dmitri asked.
"Oh yeah! I teased him about that!" Dark Mist laughed as Astral looked up at the sky.
"Seeing Malachi drenched in sewer water was awesome too," Dmitri smiled.
"Don't forget the rotten eggs~" Dark Mist sang.
Gareth and Dmitri laughed. "How can we forget?" Dmitri grinned.
Astral beamed. "I'm glad we're going back to normal, as in before Mother died."
"It took a few years, but yeah," Dmitri agreed.
"And in a few more weeks, things WILL me back to normal. Excepting Malachi being in our life. That will be gone." Gareth replied.
"And good riddance," Dark Mist snapped.
Gareth laughed but shut up as they came back into earshot of camp. "Hey, Malachi!"
"Yes, dear big brother?" Malachi simpered, causing Dark Mist to gag.
"Dark Mist and Astral wanted to take Dmitri to Astral World for a while since he's so interested in spirits," Gareth lied.
"What?!" Malachi cried.
"Hey, that's a good idea. Yuma and I should get back to our own home worlds as well." Vector commented.
"Don't worry, I'll be coming back. Unfortunately," Dmitri muttered.
Malachi glared daggers at Dmitri before Yuma exclaimed, "Yeah! My parents, grandma, and sister probably miss me!"
Malachi clenched his fists. "Well, I don't see why Dmitri has to go."
Dark Mist grabbed writing supplies from Dmitri's bag and wrote,
Because we want him to, dumbass.
Malachi backtracked as he read the parchment. "W- well, I guess just for a few days...
You and Gareth can get the next number while we're gone as well.
"Okay, Astral," Malachi agreed readily.
Dark Mist gagged. "Oh dear Lord, he is so pathetic! I just wanna-" Dark Mist made a violent motion with his hands.
"Calm down, Dark Mist," Astral sighed.
"Shall we go then?" Vector asked, opening a portal.
Dmitri nodded. "I'll see you in a few days, Gareth," he said softly. Malachi coughed slightly. Dmitri gritted his teeth and growled out, "You too, Malachi."
"Bye! See you later!" Yuma grinned and dissolved into the portal.
Dmitri took a step forward and looked warily at the overlay network. Astral was quick to reassure him. "Don't worry, Father. It is fine."
"Yep! Totally safe! Excepting one or two times that prove otherwise, but it's safe!" Dark Mist added.
"Dark Mist?"
"Yes?"
"Not helping."
Dark Mist pouted as Dmitri smiled and dissolved into the portal. Dark Mist and Astral followed and found themselves in Astral World. Vector appeared a second later behind them.
"Well, that was fun," he commented. Dmitri whirled around and stared at Vector in shock.
"Vector? Is this your true form?" he asked.
Vector 'grinned', "Yep! I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm going with Yuma to earth for a while. See ya! Come on, Yuma."
Yuma waved goodbye as Vector opened another portal. "See you soon, Astral's dad!" the two stepped into the overlay network and the twins and Dmitri watched it close.
Dmitri glanced around. "Why is everything so blue?"
Dark Mist shrugged. "I dunno. But come on! Let's go see Mom! And you'll love where she lives!"
"...why?" Dmitri asked.
"Nope~ Not ruining the surprise!" Dark Mist laughed, "Come on, Lucky!"
"Don't call me Lucky!" Astral protested as Dark Mist dragged him and Dmitri along. After a few minutes, they arrived at Ena's house. Dmitri's eyes went wide.
"What the-"
"She had it built to strongly resemble our old home. And I do mean VERY strongly resemble," Astral explained. He pushed open the door and let Dmitri inside. Dmitri glanced around, entranced.
"I can't believe it..." he murmured.
"We'll get Mom! You stay here!" Dark Mist grinned and dragged Astral upstairs with him. He paused at Ena's door and knocked three times. "MOM! We're back!"
"Sebastian?! Luhke?! You're back already? Come on in!" Dark Mist pushed open the door and he and Astral flew in. Ena stood up and captured both of them in a hug. "What are you doing here so soon?"
"Well, we all kinda wanted to see you, plus Gareth kinda made us, but we'll get into that later," Dark Mist explained.
"And Mother?" Astral ventured.
"Yes, Luhke?" Ena asked.
"We, um, found out how we died," Astral began cautiously.
"How?" Ena wondered.
"You're not going to like it," Dark Mist warned.
"Just tell me."
Astral started, "Well, we were out for a walk at night and, well..."
"Malachi stabbed our eyes out and threw us off a cliff," Dark Mist finished.
Ena's eyes went wide then narrowed into slits of fury. "MALACHI WHAT?!"
"Told you that you wouldn't like it," Dark Mist commented.
"Oh he is dead. He's a f*cking dead man," Ena snarled. Astral and Dark Mist shared a look. They had never heard their mother swear in any lifetime.
Ena started pacing the room. "I will gut him. I will gut him then hang him with his own entrails before cutting him down before he dies. Then I want to beat him senseless with a metal pipe and castrate him with a rusty carving knife."
"Well, now I know where I get THAT from," Dark Mist whistled.
"Does Dmitri know?! What am I saying, of course he does. And Gareth too. It must've hurt them so badly... Oh, I want to torture Malachi to death!" Ena raved.
"Mother? About Father..." Astral began hesitantly.
"What about him? Did Malachi do anything to him?!" Ena looked at Astral.
"No, he's downstairs." Astral replied.
Ena blinked. "He's what?!"
"Downstairs," Astral repeated, "We told him who we were. That was why Gareth made us come, because he felt Dmitri needed to see you. He stayed behind to placate Malachi, though."
"Dmi... is downstairs?" Ena echoed. "Then what are you waiting for?" she smiled and left her room with Astral and Dark Mist following. She raced down the stairs and stared at Dmitri for a while, who was still looking around the room. She smiled softly and whispered, "Dmi."
Dmitri snapped to attention and gazed on her in wonder. "...Eva?"
