Chapter 26

He heard it all.

Bo froze as he peered down and saw Tempest confront Amai Mask, but what has been said is true. He is the father of the six… But, just the conversation they had made him shutter at the thought. When the six retreated inside. Bo, Angie, Conna and Pythan slipped out of the tree, yet they were stunned silent. "Whoa… I had no idea…" Pythan said as he turned to his siblings. "Is this why… this is why they were so dependent on Garou and the others?"

Angie nodded as she cleared away tears. "We were mean to them when they were little. We were jealous since Luna, Akira and Eclipsa were looking after them…" she said in a whimpering tone.

"We need to apologize to them." Bo stated. "I mean, we always had Papa to take care of us, Papas are suppose to, theirs didn't. Also… Melee isn't their true mother either… they really didn't have anyone to depend on."

They nodded in agreement, but first thing's first. The moment Papa gets home, Bo was going to hug him as if he had never done so before!

#

"Uh… what happened today?"

True to his thought, Bo and his siblings clamoured over him. They braced him close and tightly without uttering a word. But it confused him greatly. "Kids, I didn't go anywhere!" he protested.

"We know." They whispered.

"Amai came for a visit today… wanting to take back the kids." Garou explained. "There were some… words exchanged, however he is far more upset with the fact that he isn't called father by his own children…"

"I think I get it now…" Papa announced as he gently patted their backs. "Hey, it's okay… I think you are seeing first hand you don't have it so bad huh?"

Bo shook his head. "We're sorry Papa for how we acted to the six when they were smaller. We were rude to them, not knowing their own situation…" Bo whispered.

"If that's the case, I am not the one you should be apologizing to am I?" he asked.

His eyes widened, at the same time his brother and sister came to the same conclusion. They released their embrace from Papa as they turned to Garou. "Where are they?" Pythan asked.

"Tempest's room. The only room they will all fit in."

With that, they slithered down the halls, they found Tempest's room and knocked aloud. Yuuma opened the door and was rather surprised. "Can… we come in please?" asked Pythan.

He nodded and widened the door. The room became a little snugger however, they had to get this off their chests. Bo closed the door as he turned to them, his eyes stung a little as he bowed. "I am so sorry for how we acted to you when you were younger!" he said. "We were very rude to you, not knowing what had happened or the circumstances… We're sorry!"

The six were silent, Bo looked up as they appeared confused. "What are you talking about?" asked Athena. "You were like our big brothers and sisters!"

Pythan shook his head. "When you were with the triplets. Luna, Eclipsa and Akira, we got jealous and were trying to push you out of the way to get their attention… we did that a few times since we wanted the triplets to ourselves." He explained.

"Luna… was the closest thing we had to knowing what a mom was." Confessed Conna.

The six were taken aback, so much so Athena began to tear up. "You never had a mom…" she whispered. Suddenly, she pulled Conna into a hug. "I am sorry we hogged her from you!"

"What, no! Don't be sorry!" protested Bo. "We all… we all have come from different situations, but it appears we all endured something similar."

They fell silent to each other, realizing the truth. "We all… endured hardships." Whispered Tempest. "I know I have heard my older brothers speak of something called the house of evolution…"

"Same with Papa," said Angie. "We appear to be connected to that… no wonder we're so similar… almost like siblings in that aspect!"

They giggled. "We should have been nicer to you, the way Garou's family was to us… even Garou helped take care of us when we were little." Said Pythan.

"Father is a very generous man, I hope to be just like him," confessed Yuuma.

This stunned his siblings. "You never said that before!" protested Rimuru.

"Not a word!" he snapped. "I am not ready to tell father that myself… so no one can tell him but me!"

"We ought to rest up… but mom is making dinner too… we don't have to eat as serpents tonight, also we shouldn't if father is going to train us tomorrow," said Tempest. "Will you four be joining us?"

Pythan waved off the invite. "As much as I admire Garou, his training is too intense for us, besides. We're training with our big brother Drax!"

"Well, let's change back for now, have dinner and an early bed. No doubt tomorrow will be a long day…" stated Tempest.

#

Garou was true to his word.

For the next few months, he trained them. Day in and out and not once did they complain to him about how strict he was or how hard he pushed them. They began their training in March, and were now reaching August. In that time, their strength increased.

Despite it though, they still weren't that much stronger than before. However their speed and endurance was beyond human now. Garou was mainly focusing on that before he sought to increase their strength. The six were rather satisfied with their progress, however there was a bit of a problem.

If they weren't training, the six were actually rather lazy!

#

If there was one thing he realized, is that Amai's kids were too content with everything. They were happy to longue around all day, reading mangas to their heart's content. They will fight monsters when need be, but as of late, they lack purpose. Even Garou noticed. Both of them watched on from the kitchen as the six sprawled all over the living room… well… only Tempest was, he was in his serpent form lying on his belly as his siblings laid on top of him in their human forms reading mangas. It was rather remarkable to see how long Tempest really was, the fact that all his siblings could lie on top of him without hindering each other was amazing. Melee noticed the look on Garou's face as he sighed aloud. "Okay, I am putting my foot down on this now. You ain't going to sit around here and doing this all the time!" he announced.

It was a rainy day on the mountain, the manga tree wouldn't be comfortable to sit and read in no less, so instead, they went with their second most comfiest option. Tempest appeared to not mind the least bit, if anything he enjoyed being the pillow in a sense as his siblings were content to read on him. "There's nothing to do" protested Athena. "Too wet to go outside, no monster attacks. So, we read…"

"Or watch anime…" said Yuuma

"I get it, but there's more to life than this. I mean I took up martial arts," said Garou.

"You obsessed over martial arts," Melee snickered.

"Besides the point. I enjoyed that since it made me stronger, as well, there is more than one type to learn from right?" he asked. "Or, find a hobby that would piss off Amai Mask"

Suddenly, the six appeared interested. "Go on…" insisted Yuki.

Garou smiled a wicked grin, Melee rolled her eyes as she got the kettle ready for some hot beverages. Her smile appeared, as Garou would sit on the floor with the kids and explained that Amai Mask has a certain… appearance to say the least he wants upheld to the HIGHEST of standards. "You know how he want to appear elegant, beautiful, and charming at all times, nothing in the world should tarnish his good name nor his looks…" Garou said as he talked a little fancier in the end just to mock Amai.

The six snickered to it. "Yeah, he does have a sense of beauty and shit." Muttered Yuuma. "But what would we do to piss him off?"

"Well, it doesn't have to be right away, but consider this. Something you enjoy to do. Tempest, I know you've been trying to cook as of late, you are getting better but there are classes you can take too."

He thought it over. "I could become a better cook, couldn't I? Misty did say something about cooking classes in City Z."

"Oh yeah, big time, and I think you got the talent and passion for it." Garou turned to Yuki. "You've admired Alley and how she makes things… hang out with her, I am sure she can show you a thing or two about making and forging things."

"Would she? I know she's very busy…"

"The sooner your learn, the sooner you can help your sister." Garou teased. The six were always looking to help in some way or form. But haven't quite figured out how to go about doing it yet.

Yuuma appeared to have an idea. "I want to start a band…"

"Ooo that would piss off Amai. Get better than him and really sent him into a tirade!"

"Dad… do we have to pick something now?" asked Rimuru.

"No kiddo, I just want you to think about it is all. You guys are great. We love you. But there is more to life than mangas and eating monsters. Trust me I know, it gets boring really quickly."

With a slight passion lit under them, the kids got off the floor and went to the computer or their tablets to research things that may interest them. By the time Garou finished his pep talk, Melee's tea was ready. "Well done." She said with a smirk.

"I've had practice." Said Garou as he took a cup of coco. "Besides, they got talent, I know they do, and whatever they chose to become good at… they are going to be amazing. Just like our kids!"

"They are our kids." She corrected.

"True, well I think I know of a rec center near by that does cooking classes for Tempest. I am sure he would enjoy that, there's also a lot of stuff that goes on at that center something else may interest him."

"You hope one of them goes into martial arts aren't you?"

He ho-hummed the idea, after all, all the other kids know of it. None of them have really got to the extent Garou has in learning. Hunter and Pac were the closest in following his footsteps, however they branched off and developed their own technique and have since stuck with it. Perhaps one of the six will take up the mantel as it were?

Melee however was a little concerned though. "Out of all of them, Tempest doesn't like being human for too long." She said offhandedly. "Do you think he would be able to manage a cooking class?"

Garou shrugged his shoulders to it, perhaps, but it will be up to him in the end. If only there was something else that could entice him to branch out. He is a capable cook in his serpent for as well, but being human would allow him far more opportunities. Perhaps he may not see it just yet, Melee knew though to keep a close eye on him, after all, children can change their minds at a drop of a hat!