"Oh god, Candy!" a teenager sobbed softly, face buried into her hands, ignoring her parents and sister trying to comfort her. "What's going to happen to her? To Phineas and Ferb? To Baljeet and Buford even?"

"For now, nothing will be done, but I'm going to talk with Perry-kun about having him become their legal guardian."

"Really?"

"Hai, I went back to where he and the others were and saw that he managed to make fake documents to make himself the legal guardian. I doubt he would mind remaining so if he's up for it. It'd be far easier for them than forced apart."

"But still…for them to lose their parents so horribly…"

Caitlin gave a heavy sigh, sitting on a low wall, face buried in her hands, glasses set next to her.

"Neiora kovora niso Gehenna!" the woman cursed in her ancient tongue. *1

"Hold up, he's my agent…" an older man started, raising his hand before the woman shot him a look.

"Chizoku!" she snapped, baring her teeth at the white haired man, barely keeping her temper from flaring.

"I don't know what that meant, but I doubt it was friendly," a teenage brunette muttered, feeling arms wrap around her, comforting her.

"Dad, leave Perry be…the agency's gone, let him stay with his family. Don't break them up more than they already are," the teenager who held the girl scolded softly, feeling numb himself.

"You're right…" the man sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair, "if what you say about Agent P…about Perry is true, then it really wouldn't be fair to try relocating him. Even if I was ordered to, where could I relocate him?" he laughed bitterly, feeling tears starting to sting his eyes.

"When can we see our son? See Candace and the others?" a blonde woman asked nervously, cradling her daughter close.

"Shortly, right now Jeremy-san and the others are in recovery, they should be released in another day or so. Though based on their personalities from the short time I met them, I'd give them another day or two to take in the news."

"They know?"

"I sent Digi-san to give word. I felt she'd be better than myself. She's far more stable than I would be emotionally," the redhead admitted as she slowly fetched her glasses, placing them back on.

"What about my dad?" the brunette asked worriedly.

"Gomen, but he'll be due for surgery tomorrow morning, so I can't let you or the others see him and stress him out any worse than he may be feeling now."

"What? Surgery? What kind of surgery?"

"He's endured very serious surgical injuries only a handful can undo."

"Surgical? Someone was performing surgery on him? Against his will?" the girl gasped, covering her mouth in silent horror.

The redhead simply nodded before giving her a forced, but honest feeling smile, "But you won't have to worry about him. I'm going to make sure that everything that's been done to him will be undone."

"What…what happened to him?"

"Vanessa, are you sure you want to know?" the other teen asked worriedly, seeing how distressed she looked.

He couldn't blame her for being so upset, he would be the same if this was his father, or even his mother in the same position.

"He's my dad, Monty!" she cried, turning to face him.

"Shh, shh…it's okay, I understand," he comforted, pulling her closer, rubbing her back as she shook.

"It isn't anything that would've been completely life threatening or actual disfigurement done to him if you're worried," the redhead comforted, placing a kind hand on her shoulder. "What he was forced through was having all of his nerves cut so he wouldn't be able to feel anything, especially at key points. It is that and his vocal cords that are in need of repairs. Everything else about him is perfectly healthy."

"He…he can't feel anything, not even talk?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Who would do that to anyone?"

"Very evil people, very evil demons with completely black hearts and minds," the woman answered bitterly as she thought of the people responsible for Heinz's condition.

"Dad…" the teenager sobbed softly, almost jumping when a handkerchief was passed to her, "Uncle Roger?"

"You heard Ms. Panthera, she'll fix Heinz," he reassured, desperately trying to keep his own emotions under check.

He didn't think he'd feel so horrible for his older brother; then again, he is his brother, what kind of sibling wouldn't hold some love for the other?

He could barely stand looking at the disinterested look his parents gave, albeit he saw that his father looked worried, but his mother was aloof.

It also didn't help that his brother's ex-wife showed little concern it seems, even miraculously having her boyfriend survive the hell they escaped from.

He wondered if the redhead was entirely truthful about denying access to his brother, that maybe she worried of the brunette's mental state.

Wouldn't blame her, she is a doctor, a patient's needs come first and if his surgery was already set up, it wouldn't be right to disrupt it without good reason.

"I'll show you where you'll be staying until everyone's been released," the redhead stated, the younger Doofenshmirtz almost missing her words.

They followed her to a large estate, the rescued group staring with wide eyes at the sheer size of the place.

"Byakuya!" the woman shouted, a young man appearing in a flash, his face appearing calm, a small smile forming on his face when seeing her. "Hey, honey, think you could get Rukia and help show them some guest rooms?"

"Of course, Okāsan," he answered, disappearing for a moment.

"Who was that?" Mrs. Doofenshmirtz questioned, clearly curious.

"One of my older sons, Byakuya," the redhead answered with a small smile. "He has the largest estate here in the Sixth Division. He'll have more than enough room to house you and the others as they're released."

"He owns all this?"

"He more inherited it from the parents he had been reincarnated in," the woman admitted with a thin smile.

"Reincarnated?" a young boy with glasses asked.

He had been silent the entire time, having to deal with learning some of his friends have lost family, even losing his parents, his brother being all that's left.

He cast a nervous glance at his sibling, seeing how ragged he looked, having been in shambles over their loss as badly as he was.

"Hai, it's a long story how that happened," the woman spoke, clearly not in the mood to share.

For once, the boy didn't try pestering her as he would have if it had been the inventive brothers and things weren't like this.

Barely five minutes passed before the man, Byakuya, reappeared with a few people by his side.

"Byakuya said you wanted some help," the girl spoke with a calm tone, but her eyes did light up seeing the woman much like the other had.

"Hai, think you could take a few to any rooms that may suit to their needs?"

"Of course," she answered, a smile forming as she glanced at the Johnsons and Du Bois, gesturing for them to follow. "You're welcome to tell me anything you may like to have in a room. My otōto has quite a few, and since we regained our memories, has been remodeling some to fit different needs."

As they followed, they told her, taking turns, the rest watching them leave before turning back to the others.

"Byakuya, care to show Carl-kun and the Monograms some rooms they may feel comfortable in?" the redhead suggested, the other nodding.

"I'll be fine with whatever is given," Monty spoke up, not wanting to part from Vanessa just yet, knowing she's still shaken.

"I'll be fine, go with your dad," she comforted, planting a reassuring kiss on his cheek, gently pushing him towards his father.

With one last worried look sent her way, he followed the guys, hands stuffed into his pockets, not fully listening as they talked.

"I've hung around here enough to know the rooms, think I could be of some help, Caitlin-san?" a redheaded man asked, having followed his captain and friend.

"Of course Renji-san," the woman smiled softly, grateful for the extra help. "You've taken the pills so she'll understand you, right?"

"Hai, Kuchiki-teichō wouldn't let me go until I took them," he half joked, "I don't know how, but I think he's scarier when he's got a tail thumping around angrily."

"That's Byakuya for you," the woman chuckled softly before turning to Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro and a few others that had followed. "Think you could take them?"

"No problem," he grinned before she leaned over to his ear, throwing an arm over his shoulder to pull him close.

"The young woman you won't have to worry about, but I suggest watching the others, they've been known for criminal activity."

"Gotcha, I'll make sure to set them up in some of those rooms to keep them out of any trouble," he reassured, giving her a thumbs up.

Nodding, she turned to the last face that was present; a teenager with bright orange hair, a pink kitten flopped across his shoulder.

"Here to help as well, Ichigo?"

"Of course," he smiled, the kitten grumbling something unintelligible.

"Strawberry-san still tired?"

"What do you expect from this homicidal maniac?" he joked as he jabbed a thumb to the ornery creature, not seeing her shooting a glare at him.

"Fuck you…" the cat groaned, smacking her trainer with her long tail.

"Ow! That hurt you little psycho!" he snapped, glaring at the cat as she simply yawned in his face, going back to sleep.

"Did…did that cat just talk…and swear?" Vanessa muttered, staring in shock.

"Yes, yes she just did…" the other teenager replied with the same look.

"Gomen, Strawberry-san's a lot friendlier than she looks," the teenager apologized with a sheepish grin. "Okāsan? Anyone you want me to guide?"

"Think you could show Stacy-chan, her family, and the rest some rooms? I'd like to talk with the Doofenshmirtz privately," the redhead asked, patting him on the shoulder.

Eyes widening, realizing who the remainders were, he gave her a concerned look before nodding.

"No problem."

"And keep Strawberry-san from picking fights with Kenpachi, I don't think your nīsan would appreciate the place getting busted up."

"No promises," he called, giving her a nonchalant wave before going into a string of foreign curses when the cat started attacking him for being too loud.

Once out of sight, she began guiding the family, showing them several rooms before taking them to a more spacious one to talk with them.

"So what was is it you wished to discuss?" Mr. Doofenshmirtz questioned when they sat down, albeit he and his wife were given some help with extra cushions.

"It regards your son, Heinz," the woman began, her tone serious, "I'm sure you're wondering exactly what was done to him to leave him in such a state."

"I have," he answered, seeing his younger son and granddaughter looking even more worried than before.

"He had been used in a very cruel and inhumane experiment, and sadly it was completely successful," the woman spoke, a defeated look on her face.

"An experiment?" Charlene questioned, some actual concern showing.

"Hai, there is a very dangerous weapon now implanted inside Heinz-kun, one that is capable of obliterating dozens upon dozens of worlds if misused."

"Oh god…why would they do that to him? He's evil, but he's not that evil!" Vanessa cried, tears starting to form again as she shook.

"He was being used as a host to keep this power stabilized, it wouldn't have mattered if he was evil or not. They would have merely used him as a tool, not as a person to work with," the redhead explained.

Lifting her hand, the shadows surrounding her condensed, reaching inside and pulling out a tray from it, seeing that it held a tea pot and several cups.

"Black magic?" Mrs. Doofenshmirtz gasped, jumping back a little.

"Not entirely, just something I've always been able to do because of my lineage," Caitlin explained absent mindedly.

With a snap of her fingers, a small fire surrounded the pot, heating it up while a spell of some sort was used to draw water into it.

After a moment, the fire died out, steam billowing out of the spout, the woman making tea for everyone.

"What are you?" Vanessa asked when she took the risk in accepting the hot cup, the smell pleasant to her.

"Not human, but I'm no demon either," she reassured with a comforting smile after taking a sip from her cup. "Back with Heinz-kun, the Hōgyoku, the power I mentioned, right now it's completely fused into him."

"F-fused?" Roger stuttered, almost choking on the drink.

"Yes, it is what's literally keeping him alive at this point. If I were to remove it, he would surely die. I have no clue whether or not it is temporary or permanent; I'd rather avoid making that kind of risk, even if he allowed it."

"What are you saying then?"

"I don't entirely know, I still need to run tests on him between the surgeries," she answered after taking a drink. "However, as of now, he has no clue about what the Hōgyoku has done to his body and soul. I plan on explaining it to him, it wouldn't be fair to keep in the dark, but only after I learned more about it. I don't want to get his hopes up or risk crushing them."

"Is that why you won't let us see him?"

"That is part of it. Until we learn more about the Hōgyoku's power now that it's fused with him, he is a danger. We've had to set up powerful spell tags and circles around his bed just so he doesn't accidentally release a large amount of reiatsu."

"Reiatsu?"

"His spiritual powers. They're very unstable, having never learned to control them due to never even knowing he had them. As of now, the only ones who could possibly be near him if he were to be taken from the seals would be a select few I picked aside myself and Digi-san."

"You said it was part of the reason though, for us not to see him. What's the other part?" Roger asked, setting his cup down.

"You need to understand that he has sustained not only a great deal of physical pain from the surgeries, but dealt with psychological damage as well. Far more than any normal human should endure."

"How bad is he?"

"When I first found him as well as the others, he had attempted suicide…"

"He…he what? Why would he do that?" Vanessa nearly shouted, horrified by what she heard, almost not believing it.

"I used my abilities to peer into his mind," the redhead sighed softly, setting her cup down, a visible frown on her face. "He didn't want the enemies to have that power, wanting to end it all. And if I were in his shoes, I would have very likely have done the same thing too."

"Oh my god," Charlene gasped, covering her mouth, "Heinz…"

"Right now, I haven't sensed any suicidal thoughts in him since I last saw him. It appears he was only willing to attempt ending his life because he believed it would stop a madman from hurting the people he was with."

"But he's still very unstable?"

"Exactly, from what I had been told, when they were severing his nerves, the leading surgeon didn't use any anesthesia. That alone would make his mind fragile because of the excruciating pain."

"W-what…they…they made him suffer? Made him feel everything while on their way to make him feel nothing?" Mr. Doofenshmirtz nearly shouted, covering his mouth, eyes wide with horror. "What kind of twisted animals would do this to my son?"

"Very evil ones as I stated before. I only know a couple who did this and I plan on making them pay with their very lives for what they did."

"I must ask…how did he try to end his life? If he could not feel, he must not have been able to move," Mrs. Doofenshmirtz asked, clearly upset at the news, but also held doubt with the woman's words.

"How could you even ask that, Mother?" Roger snapped at the woman, looking upset with her. "Your own son has been suffering for who knows how long and your worried about something like that?"

"I don't know fully myself, but what could be seen; only the nerves for touch have been severed along with his vocal cords. He can still smell and may very well still taste, but I can't be certain without asking him, if he is even sure himself. He also has other motor skills, meaning he could still walk, but it would be like trying to walk on two legs that have fallen asleep."

"So he somehow was able to walk?"

"It appears so; I can only guess right now that with the mind being as powerful as it is fragile, his instincts to move stayed. While he couldn't feel, his instincts drove him to move his body, to get up and actually walk. If he hadn't, my otōto and I would not have sensed him fast enough when he became enraged."

"Enraged?"

"The man who attacked, who came to take Heinz-kun back, he also planned on raping a couple of young girls."

"He stopped that man right? Please tell me he stopped that man," Vanessa begged the older woman.

"He did, I was told that he somehow got a picture from a wall and threw it at the bastard's head, stopping him from advancing further onto the girl."

"Thank god," the teen sighed with relief, bitter tears flowing down her face.

"Heinz-kun has been through ordeals no being should ever go through, regardless of who and what they are. He is going to need all of you for support, more so when he learns about the Hōgyoku's status. He may or may not make another attempt at his life, I cannot be certain," the redhead explained solemnly.

"What do you mean?" Mr. Doofenshmirtz asked, not liking how it sounded.

"He may make another attempt, out of fear of causing more harm, not realizing he could still be helped. Just because the Hōgyoku has fused with him, doesn't mean there isn't a way to safely remove it. Once I find such a method, I've deemed it safe; I will have it done to save him."

"But until then, he would have to learn how to control it. that is, if he doesn't think about suicide," Vanessa muttered softly, feeling so numb.

"Hai, while the risk of him attempting to end his life is high, there is hope to help him aside from your support."

"Really?"

"Hai, one of my daughters, Orihime. She's been tending to Heinz-kun, using telepathy to speak with him, to learn about him."

"Did he bond with her or something?"

"Somewhat, he's still very wary, and I don't blame him after all he's gone through," the redhead replied with a tiny smile forming at her next words. "No, it isn't Orihime that I feel will help him. I believe the people he had been staying with, Perry-kun, those children, they may be of help."

"If they can help my dad heal, I don't mind them hanging around. If Perry's the same as I remember him…personality wise, then he'd be perfect. He and Dad really seem to care about each other despite how often they fight."

"That is what I'm hoping, but there is also a pair of boys he's grown fond of as well. From what I was told, they remind him of himself a little, these boys being inventors as well."

"Really?" Roger whispered softly, hoping that they may get a silver lining than these heavy black clouds looming over.

"There's one other thing I'd like to mention, it somewhat relates with Heinz, but more who would be near him."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a little girl who has bonded with Perry-kun and his family, with their friends as well as Heinz-kun. You need to be especially careful around her, whether you interact with her or not."

"What's so special about her?" Charlene asked, unsure whether to take the warning seriously or not.

"She is known as a diclinous, a race of evolved humans. I could explain more about them, but to cut it short, she'll be very noticeable when you do get to visit if not sooner. Also, she has a unique gift that makes her very dangerous."

"How old is this child?"

"She's only five, but it isn't her age I only worry about, it's what she's capable of that worries me most."

*1 Neiora kovora niso Gehenna! = By damned gates of Gehenna!

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