Sins of Blairwood-10

~Visit~

It was a bright and normal sunny day in Blairwood, as Erma and Senshi were sitting at the table doing their own things. Erma was making drawings, while Senshi was making origami bats.

When the doorbell rang, Sam got up from his place at the table to get it, and what he saw, horrified him.

"No. Not you. Stay away. STAY AWAY." He cried out dramatically.

That caused Senshi alarm as he grabbed his Spirit Spear and went racing to the door, ready to defend Sam, but was confused when he saw his legal guardian actually enjoying himself.

"What's going on, brother?" The man who was holding Sam in a headlock, questioned.

"Not gonna tap out Mikey. You can't make me." Sam said.

After their little brotherly match was over with, Sam sighed as Senshi came down to the ground, and stood next to Erma.

"I see you've grown out your hair again, big bro." Sam said.

"Yeah, tried cutting it. Keeps growing back. How you doing kid?" Mikey asked, squatting down to look at Erma, then noticed Senshi. "Who are you?"

"Oh that's right. You two never met." Sam said. "Mikey, this is Senshi."

"Is today the day already?" Emiko asked, coming into the room.

"Yep." Sam said.

"There she is." A woman said, coming in through the front door.

"Regan. So what are we doing while the boys are out?" Emiko smiled.

"Nail Salon, the mall. I would also say the hair salon, but I know how you and Erma's hair work." Regan said.

"Gotcha."

"Though seeing this little guy here is unexpected. Did you forget about our plans for the day when you agreed to babysit him? When are his parents coming to pick him up?" Mikey asked.

"Mikey, I wouldn't talk about that in front of Senshi." Sam said, knowing how sensitive Senshi was about the subject, before Erma pulled on his sleeve. "What is it Erma?"

Erma pointed to the hall with the stairwell, and he looked up, just in time to see Senshi disappear up the stairs.

"Was it something I said?" Mikey asked.

"Yes Mikey, yes it was." Sam sighed.

"What's going on?" Regan asked.

"We're not babysitting Senshi. We're his legal guardians." Emiko said with a sigh.

"Oh, got him from the foster care system huh?" Mikey inquired.

"No Mikey, that's not what happened." Sam exclaimed. "Senshi's mom was our neighbor who lived across the street from us."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear of her passing." Regan said.

"She's not dead." Emiko said. "Senshi's mom is in jail, and we were more than happy to take him on as his legal guardians."

"What's his mom in jail for? When will she be getting out?" Mikey asked.

"She won't be. She's serving multiple life sentences. Senshi's mom was a mercenary. She kept her work a secret from everyone, including Senshi, and finding out she killed people for a living, really hurt him, and broke the image of how he saw her. The only person who knew of her work, was Senshi's uncle."

"If the boy has an uncle, why isn't he living with him?" Mikey questioned.

"Because his uncle is a bounty hunter, and that's no life for a child, especially one as young as Senshi. So he'll be living with us, for as long as he needs us." Emiko said.

"Man, now I feel bad for what I said." Mikey exclaimed.

"It's okay man. You didn't know." Sam said.

"Tell ya what, why don't we take him hunting with us, show him how it's done?" Mikey suggested.

"As much as I'd like to have a little bonding time with my future Son-in-Law, Emiko already has something planned for him for the day." Sam exclaimed.

"Regan, do you mind if we push the nail salon and mall trip, back a bit?" Emiko asked. "I actually had forgotten about today, and had already planned on taking Senshi to visit his mother."

"It's no trouble at all." Regan said. "We can go after the visit."

"So where's Emily? Didn't bring her with?" Emiko asked.

"Oh no, she's just getting out of the van." Regan smiled.

"Go on Erma, go say hello to your cousin." Emiko said.

The prospect of that idea terrified Erma to no end, and she stepped to the open door, her eyes filled with fear as the van opened up.

"ERWMA." A little girl, younger than Erma, with messy blonde hair, and an excited attitude, came running out of the van and towards Erma.

Acting on reflex, Erma disappeared into her shadow, causing Emily to fly over her and into the house, slamming face first into a wall. But instead of crying, Emily just laughed.

"Hehe, I kish de wall." She said joyfully.

A short while later, Emiko managed to convince Senshi to come down, and join them. Giving Mikey the chance to apologize for what he said. Senshi basically gave him the same response Sam did, but still felt a little upset about what Mikey said. But his mind was distracted from Emily running around in circles, flapping her arms like a bird, basically trapping Erma and Senshi in a single spot as she was running around.

"So are we ready to go?" Regan asked.

"Oh, just a second." Emiko said. "Erma, Senshi. Could one of you go upstairs and get my purse? It's in my room."

Erma moved to get up, and go to get her mother's purse, but was stopped when she felt something pull on her hair. Looking back, she saw Emily standing there, with her hair in her mouth.

"I'm a wabbit." Emily said cutely. "Num-num-num."

"SKREE." Erma let out a shriek as she crouched down on all fours, getting Emily to let go of her hair.

"He-he-he. Ha-ha-ha." Emily was enjoying her time with Erma, thinking it all a fun game.

"I could be wrong, but I think this is all a game Erma." Senshi smiled.

Erma jumped back, her hands and feet landing on the wall, before she began to crawl up the wall, leading to the second floor.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha." Emily smiled, going to do the same.

Deciding to have a little fun, Senshi used if telekinetic powers on Emily, and made it look like she was doing it herself.

"I'm climbing da wall." Emily smiled chasing after Erma.

"Senshi you cheeky little stinker." Emiko snickered, knowing that was his doing.

"Ni-shi-shi." Senshi snickered, learning that laugh from Meliodas.

"You wouldn't happen to be trying to get on my good side for something, would you?" Emiko asked.

Senshi was quiet for a moment as he released his hold on Emily when she reached the floor, and she was safely on the ground, before he turned away.

"Do we have to go visit her?" Senshi asked.

Emiko knew what he was asking, and sighed knowing that this would be hard for him to face.

"Listen Senshi, I know you still feel hurt from your mom lying to you about her work. But you have to understand, that you need to confront this sooner or later. You've been putting off this visit for nearly nine months now, and I think it's time we went and saw her." Emiko said.

"It's just not fair. Why did she have to choose being a mercenary?" Senshi questioned his voice cracking a bit. "Why couldn't she have been a lawyer, or an accountant like she told me she was?"

"Hey, it's gonna be okay." Emiko said, bringing him in for a hug. "Trust me, I know what it's like to have parents to be ashamed of. My father faked my death the day Sam and I got married, and kept me away from him for a year."

"I don't even know if I can believe what she told me about my dad." Senshi said. "Did he die fighting in a war when I was 2? Or did he walk out on us when I wasn't even born?"

"I get it. You're upset. But you need to confront this. Or you're gonna regret it when you're older." Emiko said.

Senshi sighed when he realized she was right, and he needed to take care of this.

"Ah, there you are." Emiko said, noticing Erma and Emily coming back into the room. "What took you so long?" But Emiko's smile dropped when she saw Emily was wrapped in Erma's hair, and her face was turning red, needing oxygen. "Erma, put her down, or you can forget about coming with us today."

Erma begrudgingly put her cousin back on the ground, who for some reason still had a bright smile on her face. When they looked to one another, Emily held out her arms for a hug, surprising Erma, before the ghost girl ran, with Emily following, and hugging Senshi, as Erma hid behind him. But Emily had somehow wrapped her arms around both Senshi and Erma.

"Do Senshi and Erma know they like each other?" Regan asked Emiko.

"Oh trust me, they know, and Erma even feels comfortable enough, talking around him. They became official on Halloween last year." Emiko smiled.

~Buddy~

"You sure you don't want to participate? I have an extra one for you." Mikey said rustling through the back of his van.

"I think I'd rather sit on the side and make conversation. You can go on without me." Sam said.

"Ah come on. I need an actual hunting buddy." Mikey said, pulling out a rifle and holding it in front of Sam.

"Look, enough with the puppy eyes. You know I'm a bad shot." Sam said.

"Oh I forgot, you're more of a fisher." Mikey mocked.

"I can most definitely get the poles if you want." Sam remarked.

"An' stay on a boat all day? No thanks." Mikey said.

"Ha-ha. You still got jokes." Sam said, as Erma and Senshi came out with Siris and Saphira following them, Saphira pinning Senshi to the ground and licking his face.

"Hey, how about we bring your dog? He'd make a great hunting buddy." Mikey said.

"Siris? I don't know Mikey. He's not really a hunting dog, I don't know if he could handle it. Plus, with him not around Saphira would just run wild and eat all the neighbors' pets… again." Sam said, shivering at the memory of the last time Saphira was home alone without Siris.

"Well, we can bring her to. Dragons are the apex predators of any mythological creatures aren't they?" Mikey asked.

"Saphira doesn't really listen to me. She only listens to Senshi." Sam said.

"What power does he have over her?" Mikey inquired.

"Senshi's had Saphira since the day she hatched from her egg. He's been imprinted onto her psyche. She basically sees him as her parent, and that's why she listens to him." Sam explained.

"Huh, why not just ask the kid to tell her to listen to you?" Mikey suggested.

"It doesn't really work like that. She will listen to me if Senshi says to, but I won't have her respect, like Senshi has it, so she'll only listen to me begrudgingly." Sam said.

"Bummer." Mikey said before calling out to Senshi. "Hey Senshi." Senshi looked back at Mikey and Sam, before Saphira got off him, and allowed him to get up. "Would you mind if we took Saphira with us to go hunting?"

Senshi looked to Saphira who was now lying on her belly with her head in his lap.

"Wanna go on a hunting trip Saphira?" Senshi asked, this causing Saphira to get excited and hop up. "I'll take that as a yes. But listen, you have to follow every directive Sam and Mikey give you, is that understood?"

Saphira gave out a low growl and nodded her head, showing she understood him.

"I could do without the attitude." Senshi sighed walking over to Mikey and Sam. "Alright, she's up for a hunting trip. I told her she has to listen to the both of you, so you should have minimal trouble keeping her in check."

"Then it's settled. We'll see you all later tonight." Mikey said as Siris and Saphira jumped into the van.

~Draw~

"So our first stop is the prison?" Regan asked.

"Yep. Senshi's finally gonna face his mother. I just hope this isn't a mistake." Emiko sighed, changing lanes.

In the back of the car, Senshi was sitting between Erma and Emily, as the young blonde girl showed them a picture she drew in crayon of her. Erma smiled and took the book, before she took a black crayon, and drew a giant monster with sharp teeth, and the picture of Emily's head in its clutches. Emily drew another picture beside the monster and it was her again, with cat ears and a tail holding the monster's other hand.

At that point Erma and Emily began drawing like crazy, while Senshi was just caught in the middle of it, used crayons flying and hitting him in the face.

When they got to the prison, Emily and Erma followed Emiko and Regan into the visitor's center, while Senshi lagged behind, before they bumped into someone.

"Uncle Ben?" Senshi asked.

"Oh, hey squirt." Ben said, kneeling down to look Senshi in the eye. "How you been?"

"I've been good." Senshi said. "I'm nervous."

"Yeah, I get it. You're nervous about meeting with your mom after what happened. But hey, at least you're being strong and you're getting some answers." Ben exclaimed.

"So, what are you doing here?" Senshi asked.

"I'm just here because I've been needing to talk with your mom." Ben exclaimed. "I can let you go first. I can wait for tomorrow."

"Thanks." Senshi said.

After Emiko signed in her name, Senshi's name, and Erma's name into the visitor registration, while Regan and Emily just sat in the waiting area with Ben, the trio went in and Senshi was brought to the glass and phone he'd be using to speak with his mom, while Emiko and Erma stood to the wall behind him. When Kuroko was finally brought out, she looked like she'd seen better days.

Sitting on her stool, Kuroko and Senshi grabbed their receivers and began talking.

"Hi sweetheart." Kuroko said.

"Hi mom."

"Listen Senshi…" Kuroko sighed. "I know you might be disappointed with me for picking the job I did, and I know you were hurt that I never told you, and you have every right to hate me for it. But I want you to know, I never wanted to bring you in on my work, because I wanted you to have a better life than that." Kuroko said. "I never wanted you to be a mercenary, and that's why I never told you. Another reason why I never told you, was because I wanted to keep you free of guilt. If you'd known about my work before I had been arrested, you would have been in trouble to. So I hope you can understand that I just wanted to keep you safe."

"Why mom?" Senshi asked. "Why did you have to be a mercenary? Why'd you have to kill people for a living?"

"Sweetie that question is hard to answer and I'm not sure you'll be able to handle the truth, not yet." Kuroko said.

"Then tell me, did you lie to me about my dad?" Senshi asked.

Emiko was visibly shaken by Senshi asking his mother this question. She wanted him to get through some of the pain he was feeling, but she hadn't expected him to start confronting her on stuff like this just yet.

"Yes Senshi… I did lie about your father." Kuroko said.

"Why?"

"Because… your father is an advocate for the Demon King. Grandpa Meliodas's father." Kuroko said. "His purpose for coming to this world, was to create a new vessel for the Demon King, to survive in our world, so he could take it over."

"An' what about you? Did you take part in that plan?" Senshi asked.

"I had no idea that was his plan, until I found out I was pregnant with you." Kuroko said. "When I told your father that I was expecting, he told me his true purpose for seeking me out, and for getting in a relationship with me."

"But why you? Is it because of your connection to Grandpa Meliodas?" Senshi inquired.

"That, and it's because I'm a Priestess for the Goddess Queen. I excel in using Grandma Elizabeth's gifts than the others, but you, you can use all of them equally. An' when you reach your full potential, you will become as powerful as the Demon King himself."

"But why hide this from me?" Senshi asked.

"Because I wanted you to have a normal life. So please, whatever you do, stay away from Velhallen Beo." Kuroko said.

'The man I met at the Monster Ball… was my father?' Senshi questioned. "I need to be left alone now." Senshi said, hanging up the receiver and running off.

"Senshi wait." Kuroko said standing up from her seat.

Senshi whistled for Oslo. The canine fairy came and opened a portal, to where, Emiko had a pretty good idea.

~Close Calls~

"A bear trap huh?" Mikey asked, marching through the forest with Sam, Saphira, and Siris.

"Yep, thankfully Saphira pulled Siris away in time." Sam said.

"Good thing to. I don't wanna have to think about, 'that' aftermath." Mikey said.

"Say, why exactly was there a bear trap in the back of your car?" Sam asked.

"I… figured I could possibly use it for later." Mikey said.

"Really? Care to explain why it was already set in your car then?" Sam asked.

"Oh uh… it was set for… something beyond comprehension." Mikey said.

"Mikey, I'm married to a yokai ghost woman, living with her, a hybrid daughter, a child born of a demon, and a celestial being, and a dragon. You're not gonna fool me with that bogus excuse. You sure it just wasn't you being a klutz and forgetting to close it after you tested it, cause last I check, you weren't a conspiracy theorist, or ghost hunter." Sam said.

"Okay look, trust me. This is probably one of the safest forests I've hunted in." Mikey exclaimed.

"That still doesn't explain the…"

"Relax Sam. Believe me when I say, everything should be fine." Mikey said.

As if to go against his words, Saphira grabbed Siris by the nape of his neck, and pulled him away, just in time for Siris to avoid getting squished by a boulder.

A bit later Mikey had managed to find a doe grazing in a grassy field. With his sights set on the animal, he smiled as he got ready to pull the trigger.

But just as he was about to pull the trigger, a black portal opened up in front of the doe. The shock was enough for him to reel back a he pulled the trigger, firing off a gun shot, before a loud thump echoed and hit the ground. Looking up from the bushes, Mikey saw something on the grassy field, motionless.

"Mikey, did you get something?" Sam asked.

"I… I think I might have done something terrible." Mikey said, his eyes wide with horror, when he recognized the shirt of what his bullet hit.

Sam looked to where Mikey shot, before his eyes widened and he ran out to where it was lying on the ground, and gasped when he saw Senshi lying motionless, with a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

"No. No-no-no-no." Sam said, falling to his knees. "C'mon buddy you're alright come on, you're okay."

"Oh man, Regan is so gonna kill me." Mikey said.

~Salon~

"So do you think Senshi is doing okay with the boys?" Regan asked. "He did kinda leave in a huff."

"He'll be fine. I guess it was still too soon for him to confront his mom." Emiko said.

Both women were sitting in pedicure chairs, while Erma and Emily were getting manicures.

"So, what would you like dear?" The salon worker asked Erma.

The ghostly girl pondered this for a moment, before she heard a ruckus happening over at the table Emily was at, and saw her hands were covered in nail polish, with the label on the bottle being, Lilith 'Red'.

"Oh. Honey, please don't." The salon worker tending to Emily said.

Erma seemed interested in the color and pointed to Emily.

"Oh no dear, that's way too messy for…"

SPLOCK

"Can someone please help me over here?" The other worker asked.

"Hang on, I'm coming." The salon worker sighed.

With her attendant gone, Erma smiled deviously as she used her telekinetic power to bring the bottle of Lilith red over to her, and opened it.

'This is gonna be fun.' She thought.

~1 Hour Later~

"Do you two know, how hard this stuff is to get off?" Emiko questioned, walking out of the salon with Erma and Emily, both covered in nail polish, while Emily was just laughing away. Back in the car, Emiko sighed. She was stressed enough worrying about Senshi, but now she had the bills of Erma's and Emily's antics to deal with.

"So, that was a disaster." Regan said.

"No kidding." Emiko sighed, driving off for home.

"So you think the boys are having it easier right now?" Regan asked.

~Sam and Mikey~

"Seriously kid, you can't worry us like that." Mikey exclaimed, sitting next to Senshi as he drank from a tin mug filled with hot cider Sam had been making at their set up sight.

"Would you relax Mikey? Senshi's fine." Sam said.

"You were just as panicked as I was." Mikey exclaimed.

"Well yeah, but that's only because I had forgotten Senshi is immortal, at least when it comes to physical injuries. He'll still die of old age mind you." Sam said.

Senshi was sitting on the ground, with Saphira curled around him, nuzzling her head into him as he leaned into her. It hadn't been a minute after he'd been shot in the head that he just sat up, and shook his head, with the wound sealing itself up.

"The bullet is still lodged within his brain how is he still alive?" Mikey asked.

"Don't know. His grandfather Ban might be able to tell us. But he's God knows where on the planet. After Emiko and I were made Senshi's legal guardians, Ban and Elaine went back to their home on a hidden island in the Bermuda triangle." Sam said. "So how you feeling Senshi?"

Senshi picked up a pad and pen and wrote down his reply, handing it to Mikey.

"Still can't talk huh?" Mikey asked, before reading the note. "It says he's doing fine, but he's got a headache that feels like… he was hit with his Aunt Diane's, Gideon."

"Oh Gideon is her Sacred Treasure, isn't it?" Sam asked, looking to Senshi who nodded.

"Sacred Treasure?" Mikey asked.

"A powerful tool that allows people like Senshi to dig into their latent potential and use their power to the fullest." Sam exclaimed. "Senshi, that reminds me. Have you ever gotten a Sacred Treasure besides your Spirit Spear?"

Senshi wrote his reply on a note and handed it to Mikey.

"He says a Sacred Treasure isn't something you can just pick at random. It's a tool to be used, and has to be compatible with one's unique energy signature. Otherwise, the consequences could be fatal, even for an immortal." Mikey read.

"Ouch, so I'm guessing that's a no." Sam chuckled pouring Senshi some more cider.

"You know, I think I might know the reason why Senshi isn't able to talk right now." Mikey exclaimed. "It's the bullet in his brain. It might be the cause of him being unable to speak."

"That might be it. It could be keeping the nerves that send the synapses from his brain, to his vocal cords, from reconnecting as it's lodged in there." Sam said. "In which case, he'll need surgery to get it out."

"No way. We are not telling our wives, that I SHOT a child in the head, and now needs surgery to get the bullet out." Mikey said.

"Well what do you expect us to do? They're gonna ask why he isn't talking anymore." Sam said, before Senshi waved his arm up with a new note on it. "Wait, you're wanting us to lie and tell them you've chosen not to speak anymore, because of how bad the visit with your mom went?"

Senshi nodded, before handing Mikey another note.

"It's either that, or let Saphira eat and digest him, to get the bullet out." Mikey said.

"I'm… I'm not sure how I should react to that weird one." Sam said.