This is so long overdue, it isn't funny. Writer's block is such a pain in the backside .
So this fic is the fourth instalment (I think) of the little series me and my cyber sis Julia Fernandez Hiwatari started. It was MEANT to be a birthday/Christmas present for her and my other cyber sis, Newborn Hope. Given how long it's turning out, I've decided to make it multi-chapter instead of a one-shot as was originally intended. Hopefully it won't run for more than two or three. Chapter two is currently in progress.
The only thing I own in this fic are the many OCs making an appearance, one twin tailed wolf and the plot. Oh, and the cover image. I spent 2 days labouring over it in good old pencil and paper.
1
Ray strolled along the streets of White Tiger Hills, greeting the villagers as he went. His destination; a cosy little cottage not far from the main hub of activity. Pushing the door aside, he crossed the threshold with purpose. Gold eyes scanned around the room, finding no sign of anyone. Uneasy with the silence, he slipped out of his pumps and wandered further into the building. Catching sight of familiar black hair in the kitchen helped him to relax. Quietly he crept forward; avoiding the floorboards he knew would blow his cover. Before Ray could even lift his arms he found himself staring into cheerful dark brown eyes.
"Ray, what have I told you about sneaking up on me? You know I hate it." Chided the olive skinned maiden, her eyes gleaming.
"I wasn't sneaking." He defended, looping his strong arms around sturdy hips. "So what is the light of my life doing this sunny afternoon?"
"The light of your life is trying to prepare dinner. Now shoo you pesky man child and let me get on by here."
Knowing his wife was only teasing, Ray kissed her cheek softly. Their marriage had been somewhat forced but they loved each other all the same. How long had it been now? Five maybe six years since then? The patter of tiny footsteps distracted Ray, turning around just in time for a child to leap into his arms.
"Daddy!"
Ray caught the spirited toddler with practised ease, rubbing his nose against theirs making them giggle sweetly. On occasion he still found it hard to believe that so much time had passed. That final tour felt like it had only happened yesterday then in the blink of an eye everyone was grown up with families to care for. And if he was being honest, Ray wouldn't trade any of it for the world.
Mrs. Kon smiled at the sight of Ray holding their two year old daughter on his strong hip, musing just how much she looked like her father. Flowing black hair, big gold eyes and cute pointy ears. If one looked close enough, they'd see brown flecks amongst the sea of curious gold. The only other thing she got from her mom was a pale shade of olive skin. Everything else came from Ray, right down to her personality. Though it'd take a good few years for her to have super long hair just like him.
After dinner, the small family went for a walk around the village. It felt good to be outside after spending long hours in the house doing chores. Ray kept his wife and daughter close, knowing at least one individual still bore bitterness towards them. As they walked, he realised that Mrs. Kon hadn't really spoken much about her family. If the somewhat strained relationship with her mother was anything to go by, he could understand why. Or was she detached from the rest? Either way, Ray wouldn't pry if his wife didn't want to talk about it.
Returning home with an exhausted toddler a few hours later, Ray came to a decision he hoped wouldn't come back to bite him. While his wife set their daughter down to rest, Ray began preparing some drinks. He wanted her to take it easy for the remainder of the day no matter how much she protested. It simply would not do for her to manage the cottage all by herself. Mrs. Kon entered the main room to find a warming cup of tea waiting for her, Ray not far away. She suspected he was up to something but for now wasn't sure what.
"Sit down, love. You've been on the go all day and deserve some rest. I can handle anything left over."
"Do I get a say in the matter?"
"And let you twist my arm again Hope?" Ray replied with a cheeky smile. "Sorry dumpling but no can do. You're putting your feet up for the rest of the night and that's final. Besides, there's something we need to discuss while Rin is sleeping."
Hope did as she was told, sitting on the ring of soft, padded cushions laid out for her. What was there for them to discuss? Was somebody trying to have her removed from the village? Ray could see the cogs turning in Hope's creative mind, easing himself down to kneel behind her, intent on giving her shoulders a good rub. Had she truly forgotten what day it would be soon? Hope melted beneath his fingers as he massaged away all her aches. He really was too good to her.
"So you know when you asked me what I wanted for my birthday this year?"
"Mhmm."
"And at the time I didn't really want or need anything?"
"Mhmm."
"Well, darling, I've had a lot of time to think and I know what I want now. But I'm unsure how you'd feel about it given all the unnecessary stress it might cause."
There was no response this time so Ray moved into a position where Hope could see him better. It was a fairly long shot, but Ray had to take that chance. Otherwise he might not get the opportunity to ask again. Judging by the look on Hope's face, her mind had gone down a different road…one involving nine months of pure hell. Ray remembered just how rocky her last pregnancy had been, that she and Rin almost didn't make it because of one person's jealousy and spite. Those agonising few days shook him pretty badly. And he would never want to see Hope go through all that again.
The mere thought of trying for another child got Hope trembling. Her pregnancy with Rin had been hard enough without Mariah's meddling. And while she wasn't against having another child, it felt too soon to start trying. Give Rin chance to grow up a bit first and maybe see if she wants a sibling later down the line. To try and soothe Hope's fears, Ray took her hands gently in his and kissed them tenderly.
"It's okay my sweet. While I do yearn for a son, it's far too early to think of going through that rollercoaster again."
"So…what do you want if it's not another child Ray?"
"I…I want to meet your side of the family. You know all about mine yet I know very little about yours. If it's not possible, I'll understand. Your mother didn't exactly paint a happy picture of how life was for you with her when she pushed for our wedding."
Hope placed a quieting finger upon Ray's lips, a small smile pulling at hers. She'd wondered how long it would take him to ask in truth. The matter of her family was somewhat complicated and in the early days of their life together she didn't want to overwhelm him and possibly scare him off. Now that it seemed nothing would intimidate Ray into running away, Hope felt it safe to divulge some of the words she'd waited so long to say.
"My mother wasn't always so harsh. For some time she kept my existence a secret from her parents but when they found out, she was told to get rid of me or lose her place in the family. So you see Ray, she didn't push for our marriage out of spite or hatred. What my mother did was to protect me. I don't remember my father being around much. He was a travelling journalist so couldn't settle down for long periods of time. At least that's what I was told."
Ray got the feeling Hope's family situation was complicated because of this absent father. Yet it warmed him to know her mother wasn't the cruel woman he'd imagined all these years. He suspected Hope's father was a loose man and couldn't be held down by any one woman. It certainly sounded like it. Hope took a sip of her tea and leaned into Ray's arms as they wound around her slim figure, head on his shoulder.
"When I was about fifteen or so, I found out that my father was incapable of being faithful to a single woman, that my mother had been a side piece while he did some work in my hometown. When they met, he was already married with one child and another on the way. I'm unsure of the details but I think his spouse was a substance abuser, constantly in and out of rehab. Eventually he grew tired of the constant strain on his income from her medical bills. They got divorced and he left his other daughters to their fate."
Hearing his suspicions be confirmed caused a knot to form in Ray's stomach. What kind of man would leave his children with a mother who couldn't even keep off of drugs? Ray's heart broke for the siblings he didn't know Hope had. Had she met them? Were they in touch? And where in the world was Hope's father now? Did the man even care about the women he'd helped create? Seeing all these questions burning in Ray's eyes, Hope smiled affectionately and stroked his cheek.
"One at a time, love. I don't claim to understand my father's decisions to abandon my sisters. Perhaps he had faith the system would make the right decisions. Not long after learning the truth of my father's infidelity, I found one of my half sisters by accident. Had our wedding not been arranged so suddenly I would've invited them both."
"How did your mother react when she found out the man of her dreams was a loose cannon? I'm guessing your sperm donor is no longer in the picture?"
Hope nodded to the second question. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen the irresponsible man child who created her. Like as not he didn't dare to show his face again, just like with the last children he sired. Let guilt eat at him, Hope thought bitterly. She didn't need him in her life and her half sisters didn't either. Across the cottage they heard Rin shuffling, tensing like children about to be caught somewhere they shouldn't be. Once she settled down they relaxed.
"Mother was furious. She kicked him out the door and warned him that if he ever came back he'd regret it. And so far the threat has kept him at bay. I think I was about seven or eight the last time I saw his face. Personally I can go the rest of my life without him in it. He was barely ever there to begin with. And Rin certainly doesn't need a grandfather like him. Your dad in the only one she needs."
Just thinking of her father-in-law filled Hope with warmth. Ray's parents hadn't opposed to him marrying an outsider, instead embraced the chance to experience a different culture through their daughter-in-law. Liu and Bao Kon were the perfect in-laws and Hope felt she didn't deserve them or anything they did for her. Ray's mother in particular had been super supportive during Rin's development, even berated Mariah for her callous, selfish behaviour. If Hope ever needed a break while Ray was busy working, Bao would always be there to look after Rin.
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Over the next few days Hope made arrangements to visit one of her half sisters. Rin was excited and nervous to be going far from home for the first time, wondering what her half aunty was like and what she did for a living. Ray shared his daughter's curiosity, making sure she understood what would be expected of her on the long flight. He was a bit nervous in truth, of meeting Hope's side of the family. Would her half sister deem him worthy of her?
Two days before Ray's birthday they all departed from China by air, bidding the land of their home a bitter farewell. Hope refused to tell Ray where they were going exactly. He only knew what country they were headed for. Did Hope's sister even know they were coming for a visit? Ray doubted that this surprise was for him alone. They both anticipated some issues with Rin once the plane took off but she was good as gold the whole flight. And the hostesses were amazing if she ever got unsettled.
Stepping out of the bustling airport many hours later, Hope kept her sharp eyes open for their ride. At the distant curb she saw somebody holding a sign with Kon written in big letters. Ray almost tripped over his own two feet when Hope dragged him towards the roadside. Without a word the unnamed gent took all the bags and placed them carefully in the trunk, gesturing for the small family to climb in the back where a booster seat was waiting.
At Rainbow Hill Acres an hour or so later, Tala was just relaxing on the front porch with two of his five pups in a rocking chair. How had six months come and gone already? Once the quintuplets were home a week after being born, fixing his and Magpie's relationship got off to a semi rocky start for multiple reasons. Cheveyo being one of them. Eventually he simmered down, seeing just how much Tala really did care about Magpie and their children. Another problem was lack of sleep due to five screaming babies.
A car pulling up drew Tala out of his partial daydream. First to emerge from the vehicle was a young man with silver topped caramel brown bottomed hair and gorgeous emerald green eyes. Tala recognised him as Ceri Murphy; a friend of Magpie's who, along with his adoptive sister Anita Dixal, coordinated a dance troupe that toured the country occasionally. Said sister poked her head out and waved to the father of five cheerfully. She had olive skin, long aqua green hair and bright leaf green eyes.
The wolfish redhead didn't move until a familiar mop of spiky black hair and gold eyes came into view, scurrying into the house calling for Cheveyo. He appeared holding one of the other quintuplets at a safe distance from his face. Judging by the young Hopi's dishevelled appearance; Saoirse had been pulling at his hair again. Tala's second oldest daughter was such a mischievous little blighter and he didn't doubt that trouble would follow when she started walking.
"Why didn't you tell me we were expecting company today Chevrolet?"
Cheveyo stomached the detestable nickname with a heavy sigh, shuffling by Tala to put Saoirse into her bouncy chair by Magpie's favourite seat. Tala did the same with Raziel and Viktorya, praying they'd stay napping for at least a small while longer. Xakyr and Meridel were snoozing on their mama's lap while she too caught a cheeky nap.
"I was asked not to say anything by a woman named Hope. She claimed to be Maggie's younger half sister and wanted to surprise her."
Tala's brows furrowed into a deep frown. Magpie's half sister had been in touch? Surely she was the only one who needed to be kept in the dark about a surprise visit? Too tired to argue the matter, Tala trudged upstairs to change into a smarter shirt and comb his hair. One thing bothered him as he tugged at a stubborn knot in his ruby red locks. What the devil was Ray Kon doing here?
Gold eyes swept over Rainbow Hill Acres in awe. The place certainly lived up to its name. On the long ride over, Anita had explained to Ray where he was and where his family was headed. While it was true that Ray had been to the UK before on tour with the gang, he'd never once set foot in any part of Cornwall. Hope promised they'd wander into town at some point to explore the new culture.
Another vehicle pulled up a short distance away…a very fancy one at that. Ray was just retrieving his family's luggage with Ceri's help while Hope kept Rin out of trouble when Gou hopped out of the new car, immediately noticing a striking similarity between the boy and his former captain. Aside from the clear height difference, you couldn't tell them apart.
Sakura emerged from the front passenger seat, accosted straight away by her son. While the future Mrs. Hiwatari hadn't met Kai's other team, she'd seen pictures of them and recognised Ray from across the short distance. Gou caught on that curious gold eyes were glued to him, giving a shy little wave from his hiding spot behind Sakura's leg. Ray didn't move or say anything until the driver side door opened, a toothy grin pulling at his lips.
"Hey Kai!"
A slight thud followed by muttered Russian profanities told Sakura that Kai had been given a mild scare as he appeared rubbing an apparent sore spot on the top of his head. Gou of course found it hilarious that daddy had just hit his head, poked on the forehead by said parent who looked quite displeased with the situation. Casting his amethyst eyes across the field, Kai locked onto the source of the predicament.
No words were spoken between the former teammates, simply because there was no time to. A mauled Cheveyo strode out of the house, temporarily blind to the family he'd already met. Feeling a slight tug on her dress, Hope stood straight and lifted Rin onto her hip so the girl didn't run off and cause havoc. Just by looking at him, Hope could tell that Cheveyo was the one she'd spoken to almost a week ago. Upon reaching the small family he extended his hand. Ray allowed Hope to take charge so that he could properly thank Ceri and Anita for giving them a lift.
"You must be Hope Kon. I'm Cheveyo Ahote. Stable hand and babysitter here at Rainbow Hill Acres. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Hope found herself blushing, not expecting her contact to be so charming. Rin however was absolutely terrified of Cheveyo, wailing in fear as she tried to scrabble away. Surely he wasn't that frightening? Hope rubbed Rin's back soothingly and gave her tender forehead kisses. Eventually Rin calmed down but she wouldn't look at Cheveyo for even a second. Gou attempted to rescue the situation by pouncing on Cheveyo from behind, given a boost by Sakura so he could wrap his arms around unsuspecting shoulders.
"Uncle Chevy!"
Said "uncle" stumbled to the sudden extra weight and pulled the excitable child off his neck before they both ended up on the floor. Unfortunately Rin wasn't convinced, crawling over Hope's shoulder and into Ray's arms. He hadn't seen his daughter take so poorly to someone since she met Mariah for the first and last time a year ago.
Ray set an example for the terrified tot, taking a firm hold of the hand held out to him and gave a brisk shake. Hope did the same, going a warm shade of pink when Cheveyo kissed her hand. Still Rin wanted nothing to do with the introductions, hiding her face in Ray's shoulder. All they could do now was let the girl come around in her own time. Finally Hope saw Sakura nearby. It took a few moments for her to recognise she was staring right at her oldest half sister.
Kai quickly put two and two together but kept his distance. The less he had to interact with people the better. At least until he wasn't jetlagged. Then he might consider being sociable. For now he and Ray watched the sisters sharing a long overdue embrace. Just how long had it been since they last saw each other?
"Hope, it's so good to see you again."
Sakura whimpered, on the verge of happy tears. Hope was no better, holding her sister tight, afraid of letting go. Much as he didn't want to, Cheveyo cleared his throat to get everyone's attention so they weren't all standing around outside all day. He had things to do, after all. And it wasn't the warmest day to be loitering outdoors. The sisters parted, looking a tad embarrassed at the side of their respective man.
Waving goodbye to Ceri and Anita, Cheveyo led everyone inside where it was much warmer. The first thing Ray noticed upon stepping into the living room was a semi conscious Tala slouched on a beanbag next to a row of bouncy chairs lined up beside a loveseat occupied by Magpie. Both of them looked absolutely exhausted. Glancing at his watch, Cheveyo saw that a couple of hours had passed since Magpie drifted off, shaking her shoulder gently.
Weary brown eyes fluttered open, first seeing Cheveyo's handsome face, and then four more familiar ones behind him. She was understandably confused at seeing both her sisters in the same room, thinking them as nothing but a figment of her imagination. Hope moved closer first, Cheveyo stepping aside to give the siblings some much needed space.
"Hope? Is it really you?"
"Yeah it's me sis. Been a while, huh?"
Tears welled up in Magpie's eyes, overjoyed that Hope wasn't an illusion. In a snap Hope was in her sisters' arms. She returned the embrace, rubbing Magpie's back soothingly to calm her down from crying. The sound of sobbing pulled Tala from his dazed state, greeted with the sight of his mate weeping into the shoulder of a girl he'd only seen in pictures. Family was coming out of the woodwork left, right and center today. Piercing blue eyes warned Ray to hold his tongue or lose it.
True it surprised Ray to see a former rival but it gladdened him to see that even the former child soldiers were able to make peace with the world and settle down. And he didn't need telling twice that all five babies were Tala's. One final thing occurred to the white tiger…he and the wolf were now brothers. Kai too. Before anyone else could say something, Jenna came out of hiding from behind the babies with a low, dangerous growl. In response, Ray involuntarily hissed venomously and took several big steps away from the rattled canine.
Tala was having none of Jenna's attitude. While he understood she meant only to protect his children, there was zero need to be aggressive. A normal person would reprimand their canine companion with words but Tala was no ordinary man. He got down to Jenna's level, practically on all fours, and displayed behaviour akin to that of an alpha wolf. Ray honestly feared for Tala's safety considering how easily reachable his throat was for the protective husky. Jenna backed down eventually, submitting to her pack leader's authority.
She passed by Balto on her way out of the room. Ray was understandably nervous of yet another pooch making itself known but the young pup didn't even bat an eye at him! Tala plopped down on the floor exhausted and nobody could really blame him. Being a first time dad was hard enough without the added stress of so many children at once. At least Ray assumed the quintuplets were Tala's first offspring.
Balto soon saw the new faces and unlike Jenna, he was much more placid. Once Xakyr and Meridel were removed from Magpie's lap, he hopped onto the loveseat and snuggled up with his furless mama to watch these strangers from a safe distance. Seeing his feeling of nervousness was shared with the poofy pooch, Ray relaxed a little. Before everyone got too excited, Cheveyo escorted all the visitors up to their temporary rooms.
Ray wasn't gone long, returning without Hope and Rin within the hour. He'd slept plenty on the flight over in anticipation of different time zones. Magpie hadn't moved, still pinned to the loveseat by Balto. Some of the quintuplets were missing from their chairs and Ray quickly found where they'd gone. Magpie on the other hand was so preoccupied with nursing Raziel and Viktorya that she didn't hear Ray coming in, only becoming aware of his presence when Balto started whining and wagging his tail nervously.
Realising he'd just caught the mother of five in the middle of meal time caused Ray to go beet red. They stared at each other for what seemed like years, neither one blinking or daring to move. To make matters somewhat worse, Raziel had his big blue eyes on Ray. Eventually the proud tiger found his voice, eyes disengaging from stunned brown orbs as he stammered.
"S-Sorry. I didn't know you were busy."
Magpie softened, shuffling a little to keep the unidentical twins from falling. She wasn't angry at being disturbed, rather amused at the blaring red stain on Ray's face. Living with two men, Magpie was well used to having the opposite sex around during meal time for the quintuplets. Not to mention Spencer and co had stayed until she'd been out of hospital for two weeks and they were around pretty much constantly.
Brian, for all his seriousness, was actually quite curious about the art of breastfeeding. He and his brothers had seen far worse things so a baby sucking on its mom's tit didn't bother him. Ian was surprisingly considerate of Magpie's comfort, only present during feeding once he knew it was ok to be in the same room. The boys all had their roles to play and if Magpie was being honest, those two weeks with all hands on deck were by far the easiest. Once it was just her, Cheveyo and Tala things got much more difficult to keep in order.
Ray went to leave when it looked like the tots were done but then he saw Magpie struggle to sit up properly. Pushing his discomfort to one side, he assisted his distant sister-in-law all while being cautious of Balto. Why hadn't she called for help? Ray got the feeling Magpie didn't want to be a burden, pushing herself to maintain a form of independence even if it was detrimental to her health. Tired cheeks burned a furious pink to the feel of strange hands carefully giving unrequested support.
"How old are they?"
The question popped out before Ray could stop it. Magpie blinked tiredly, taking a moment to process that she'd been spoken to. Somehow her brother-in-law managed to be far more handsome than he used to be when every girl on the planet was mad for him. And Magpie wouldn't deny that she was still a little attracted to the oriental male whose hand was currently on the small of her back. Ray stepped away slightly to give Magpie some space, worried he'd just caused offence or raised a red flag.
"You're all right, Ray." Magpie soothed, her dark eyes dancing in the dim light. "They're six months old and a massive handful with their uncles across the pond. I'm…sorry you had to see that. I'll try to cover up in the future."
"No, it's okay." Ray countered. The last thing he wanted was for a mother to be uncomfortable in her own home. "You've every right to nurse uncovered. This is your home and should be free to do what you need when you need to. I was just a bit shocked is all. And Hope kinda gave me hell the last time I walked in on her nursing Rin."
Magpie stifled a laugh. Yes that sounded like her sister. Though she was certain Hope really didn't mind. Ray was the father of her daughter, after all. And she wasn't going to stay small and innocent forever. Tala materialized in the doorway, immediately spying Ray by Magpie's side. Being reasonable didn't even begin to surface, the redheaded wolf acting on instinct. What neither he nor Magpie expected was for Balto to come to Ray's aid, barking defensively at his pack leader.
While grateful for Balto's support, Ray deemed it unwise to remain near Magpie with Tala present. At least until his former rival had gotten used to having him around. All the noise drew Cheveyo out of hiding, Kai and Sakura too. Balto had never been an aggressive dog so they were all confused by his sudden turn. And Ray clearly wasn't a dog person, leaving Tala to wonder just why the normally shy pup readily protected him.
To try and diffuse the growing tension, Kai signalled for his former teammate to follow him and Sakura to the kitchen. With Ray out of the room, Tala calmed down enough to help Magpie with the kids, making sure she had a drink to keep her strength up. Balto returned to his spot at the foot of the sofa, watching dutifully as the next pair of pups were offered up to be fed. Tala took the remaining infant in his arms to try and ease the already heavy load piled onto his mate.
By mid afternoon things calmed down. Hope and the kids were fully rested from their power nap. Thankfully Cheveyo appeared to be wearing his friendly pants today, meaning there was little chance of any fights breaking out. Jenna had calmed too but only because she'd been forced to be in Ray's presence and adjust to his scent. He however preferred to give the canine a wide berth. Rin apparently wasn't super fond of dogs either, keeping her ankles well out of reach. Gou watched his foreign cousin from Sakura's lap, baffled by the olive skinned tot's reluctance to be near the animals.
Everyone sat in the living room just relaxing, a gentle buzz of music floating on the air at low volume. Ray had to admit, Magpie's home was quite a charming place. It almost felt like he hadn't left his in a strange way. Just something about the farm house felt…homey. For hours now, Magpie had been bothered as to why her half sister suddenly showed up, suspecting that Cheveyo knew something otherwise he wouldn't have been so welcoming. Was Hope's arrival linked to some special date for her and Ray? Golden eyes could see the matter wasn't granting Magpie any peace, giving Hope's shoulders an affectionate squeeze.
"I'm afraid it's my fault, Magpie." He began, briefly distracted by Rin climbing into his lap. "It's my birthday in a day or so and rather than a material gift, I expressed a desire to meet Hope's side of the family. It's not something we'd ever discussed before so I was honestly a bit nervous."
Having a reason for some of the sudden visitors helped Magpie to relax. Was Sakura in on the surprise or had she and Kai just spontaneously decided to hop across the pond for a week away from the boys? Either way, Magpie was happy to have her family together at long last. An idea came to mind; one she was sure at least two of the men wouldn't be too thrilled with.
"Tala, why don't you and the others have a wander around? Show Ray about the place while we girls potter in the kitchen with Rin and Gou?"
As expected, the pack leader was a little apprehensive about spending time with his oriental brother-in-law and Kai didn't seem too keen either. Glancing at the time, Cheveyo saw the quintuplets were due for a nap, taking the infants up to their room with Sakura's help. Afterwards he grabbed his coat and dragged Tala to the door, leaving Kai to trail behind with Ray. With the menfolk gone, Magpie ushered her sisters and their kids into the kitchen.
Suddenly feeling in the mood for a spot of baking, Magpie bustled about to get everything ready, watched by big eager eyes as various things were set atop the counter. Satisfied that she had all the utensils and ingredients needed, the mother of five turned towards the table with a wide smile.
"Gou, how would you and Rin like to help me make some cookies?"
Little Kai Jr was ecstatic at the idea of spending some quality time with his favourite aunty but Rin looked like she needed some convincing, looking fearfully towards Hope. It took some doing, but Gou's cousin was eventually persuaded to spend some time with the aunty she'd been so curious about on the long flight from China. The three mothers hoped the youngsters would get along.
"So, Hope." Sakura started; a cup of tea in hand. "How'd you and Ray end up together?"
Hope had expected the current topic to be brought up, sighing softly as she watched Rin mixing something in a bowl with Magpie's help. Gou had a bowl of his own, grinning from ear to ear. No doubt Sakura was glad her son hadn't inherited his father's grumpiness. At least not yet.
"My mother arranged for our betrothal when my grandparents learned of her escapades with our father. It was either get rid of me or be cast out of the family. Regardless of circumstance, Ray's been good to me. Always making sure I don't strain myself looking after the household while he's out working. And he's an amazing father to Rin. His parents have been very supportive as well and I honestly couldn't ask for better in-laws. It hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for us. The girl Ray was originally set to marry didn't like that she was cast aside and made my first two years in the village a living hell. Ray almost lost me and Rin because of her meddling when I was pregnant."
Hope saw Magpie stiffen nearby. They might not be fully related but the brunette was VERY protective of her baby sister. And hearing that somebody had the audacity to bully Hope infuriated her. No pity was felt for Mariah if Magpie ever got her hands on the pinkette. Sakura likely wouldn't spare her any mercy either. God forbid if Kai heard all of this. Anybody who dared to upset his family did not get off lightly.
Attention was drawn away from the subject when Rin snatched the cookie cutter Gou had picked out. Most children would start screaming right about now but he just stood there blinking. Hope was beside herself, immediately moving in to discipline the girl; crouching down to her level and tried to obtain eye contact.
"Rin, that behaviour is not acceptable. We don't just take things we want without asking permission first. Now I want you to apologise to Gou, and give him back the cookie cutter you took. And from now on, you ask before taking something from anybody."
Magpie and Sakura were speechless at how well the situation was handled. It wasn't that they expected their sibling to raise her hand; she just didn't strike them as the type to be so stern. Rin did as she was told without protest, giving Gou a hug and a kiss. He still seemed a bit boggled by it all but accepted the apology and affection regardless. With no further disruption the cookies were cut and placed in the oven to cook. Now feeling weary, Magpie tottered back to the living room, her sisters in tow with their toddlers.
Right on cue, at least one of the quintuplets woke up early from their nap. Sakura insisted that Magpie rest, plodding upstairs to fetch her niece or nephew. She returned with a wide awake Raziel babbling in her arms. So that her sister got more of a break, Sakura set Tala's mini twin on Gou's lap, instructing him how to best hold his baby cousin. Hope kept a close eye on Rin as they watched the heart warming sight, ready to pounce if the girl misbehaved again.
Outside however, the forced tour was steadily drawing to an end. Ray couldn't begin to imagine how difficult it must be to run both an animal and homeless person shelter on top of now having quintuplets to look after. Perhaps Cheveyo did more than originally thought where handling the business side was concerned? As they drew closer to the house, a scream rang out. Tala's gut twisted into tight knots, recognising the cry as his son's and without a moment's hesitation sprinted inside.
0000000000000000
What Tala expected to see he didn't know but the sight greeting him was far from any horror his parental paranoia could've cooked up. Raziel was wailing in Sakura's arms while Hope was seemingly having very stern words with Rin, Gou in between them the very picture of great confusion. Magpie looked to be forcing herself to stay put, a stormy look set across her face. While Tala politely snatched Raziel from his aunty Sakura, Ray pulled Hope away to get her side of things.
"Hope, what happened?"
"I took my eyes off Rin for a second and she tried snatching the baby from Gou. Sakura thankfully stepped in before he got hurt. I don't know what's gotten into her; she's never like this at home."
"Calm down, love. When did Rin start misbehaving? What kicked this all off?"
Hope took a deep breath, incredibly flustered with how poorly her daughter was behaving. Rin had never bullied the other kids in the village and her behaviour towards Gou was more than a little concerning.
"It started in the kitchen. Magpie got Rin and Gou to help her make some cookies. Without warning or reason, Rin swiped the cookie cutter Gou picked out from his hands. I reprimanded her immediately and she apologised. God we must look like horrible parents."
Much like his wife had been, Ray was furious. Rin had always been taught the importance of good manners and to always ask before taking things, so why was she suddenly throwing all that out the window? Was she trying to assert dominance over Gou? Regardless, Ray intended to set his daughter straight. Hope hung back, praying that the girl would listen to her father and start behaving better. Rin clearly knew she'd done wrong, avoiding her father's eyes.
"Rin Xiao Kon, you will look at me when I'm talking to you. Now young lady."
Any fool could tell the situation had really gotten under Ray's skin, his eyes sharp as knives in the dim light. Kai had seen the Neko-Jin go through many phases of anger in the past, but this one was new to him. Rin was held in place but not tightly, still refusing to meet her father's gaze. It was against Ray's principles to strike a child under any circumstance, but his dark skinned miniature was really pushing her luck and it showed.
"Your behaviour today has been absolutely appalling young lady. You could've seriously hurt your cousin just now, Rin. If you wanted to hold the baby, you should have asked. We do NOT snatch things from people and that includes babies. Now you're going to apologise to your aunt and uncle for misbehaving."
Tala kept Raziel out of reach when he saw the gold eyed toddler approaching, bouncing the boy gently in his arms to soothe him. Magpie looked calmer but one could only make guesses as to what was going through her mind about Rin's behaviour. The apology given was neither sincere or spoken properly, Ray growling at his only child to do it again but better. And only when Rin did so was she allowed to move away. Guilt shone for miles in Ray's eyes when he faced the rightfully angry in-laws.
"I'll make no excuses for what my daughter has done. It's not something she's learned from us so I'll be having words with the other parents back home and try to find out where Rin could've gotten it from. Is your son okay?"
A brisk nod was Tala's response as he passed Raziel down to his mother for cuddles. He didn't look hurt, just scared. Ray felt he owed the boy an apology as well, crouching down to his level while being mindful of the father nearby coiled ready to strike him down should Raziel come to any harm again. With the gruelling mental imagine of Tala strangling him to death, Ray continued on his path of hopeful redemption.
"Hey little buddy." He cooed, obtaining and surprisingly keeping eye contact. "I'm sorry that Rin tried to hold you without asking first. She's normally very considerate of others. I'll make sure she doesn't do it again. We cool?"
Ray took a big risk extending his pinky finger to Raziel, knowing Tala would snap him like a twig for attempting more than verbal contact if Magpie didn't hold a hand up to stay the wolf's fangs. Raziel turned to his mom as if asking her permission to accept this strange man's offer of a truce and she graced him with a nod. For a child so young, he had a very strong grip no doubt from his papa. Raziel surprised everyone by sticking his arms out towards his new uncle, apparently wanting to be held by him. Was this child really Tala's son? Give it a few years, Ray told himself. Raziel just needs time to grow and he'll be like his dad in more than just looks.
While Magpie wasn't deaf to the loud venomous growling coming from her future husband, she felt it couldn't hurt to let Ray hold Raziel for a couple minutes. It'd do both father and son some good. The sooner Tala learned to trust others with their litter the better. And by interacting with the rest of the family, the quintuplets would develop better people skills later in life. Well, that was the hope anyway. Despite her friendliness, Magpie was incredibly shy when meeting people for the first time. Unless you rubbed her the wrong way or in Mariah's case, gave her family grief.
Raziel's want for cuddles from Uncle Ray came at the perfect time, a shrill beeping sound coming from deeper in the house signalling that the oven was done. So that Magpie could attempt to keep the peace between wolf and tiger, Sakura took Hope to deal with the cookies. They also made a round of drinks, hoping that a soothing cuppa would quell papa wolf's bad mood. Raziel was back on Magpie's lap by the time her sisters returned, Ray as far away as he could possibly get telling them that Tala had likely bared his fangs at last.
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The rest of the day was pretty standard for the Rainbow Hill Acres household. Everyone chowed down on cookies after supper and went to bed happy. Come morning, Ray had completely forgotten he wasn't at home, trying and failing to find the bathroom. Luckily Sakura came to his rescue and pointed her brother-in-law in the right direction, chuckling to herself on the way to rouse Kai from his slumber with help from Gou. By 10am the only one still in bed was Tala. Cheveyo had other ideas than letting Magpie's Alpha sleep late again, marching up the stairs with a frown set deep into his face.
"Should we be worried or is this normal?"
Ray inquired from beside a dozing Hope. The answer provided itself five minutes later when Tala could be heard yowling in pain. Or was it shock? Could it be both? Magpie was trying her damned hardest not to howl with laughter, knowing what Cheveyo had probably done. Not a few minutes later somebody could be heard sprinting down the stairs and out the door. Tala stalking by with a murderous glint in his eyes told Ray that Cheveyo had likely just caused his life expectancy to shrink a little.
Magpie stood to wash the dishes once everyone cleaned their plates, stopped by a tanned hand. Ray stood beside her, his eyes telling the mother of five to rest. Any argument she tried to make was silenced by a finger to her lips. To put the house owner at ease a little, Sakura hung back to help Ray clean up. Balto helped too by pinning his mama to a couch and not moving for anything. Cheveyo returned looking badly mauled, Tala cracking his knuckles behind him.
Things calmed down a little before midday. It became apparent that Cheveyo had placed Saoirse on Tala's back so she could pull at his messy bed hair as payback for the same being done to him a few days ago. What concerned Ray more is that such behaviour was perfectly normal! He and Hope were properly introduced to Raziel's siblings…well as properly as possible. Tala was crankier than yesterday thanks to his painful wake-up call and two of the five little Ivanov's were super shy.
"So Ray." Magpie chimed, gently curling some of Tala's hair around her finger. "What do you think of this little establishment of mine?"
There was no time for Ray to answer however as a loud knock came to the door. Cheveyo grumbled under his breath as he stalked out of the room to see who was calling, something about not getting a moment's peace for one reason or another. Tala's keen hearing picked up the sound of a familiar voice, a sigh of what could be perceived as relief passing through his lips.
The quintuplets being removed from ther bouncy chairs left Magpie confused…until three familiar faces strode into the room. In the doorway stood Spencer, Ian and Brian…with two people she didn't recognize. Mathilda hung off of Spencer's left arm, a little girl latched onto the right side of his neck. The child, probably about one or two years old, had Spencer's every feature with the addition of some natural pink highlights. Given the look of surprise on Kai and Tala's faces, they didn't know their brother even had a girlfriend never mind a child.
"Sorry for barging in without notice, Maggie." Spencer chimed, taking a moment to softly kiss his daughter's forehead as she started to get all fussy. "Ian's been nagging me for months about coming back to see the pups and Brian's just about out of patience with him. Plus I figured it's about time you all met the future Mrs. Petrov and our daughter, Rüshi."
Mathilda gave a shy little wave, not daring to come out from behind Spencer. Meridel, Saoirse and Raziel waddled at full speed across the room towards their uncles, cackling gleefully as they went. Viktorya and Xakyr stayed near Magpie, almost cowering at her feet. Ray certainly didn't expect Brian to be child friendly, watching as he plucked Meridel from the ground and tickled her belly, rewarded with the sweetest little giggle. Raziel and Saoirse practically tackled Ian to the floor for cuddles.
"Well don't just stand there." Tala quipped. "Sit down and take a load off."
Spencer gladly did just that, setting Rüshi's feet on the ground as he eased himself into the comfiest seat available, Mathilda beside him. Gou sprinted over once his burly uncle was comfortable and tackled him deeper into the fabric. Magpie wondered how long it would be before one or all of her brothers noticed the extra company, giving Xakyr and Viktorya a little nudge with her foot in Spencer's direction. They got half way there before fear kicked in but the siblings weren't getting away that easily, plucked from the floor by strong hands.
"Get back here you little monkeys. I hope you've all been good for mommy, daddy and uncle Cheveyo while we've been gone?"
The question was met with a rather angry growl from Tala and Cheveyo looked about ready to kill Spencer where he sat. Surely things couldn't have gotten that bad in the space of a few months? Magpie excused herself to go freshen up, making a quick detour to her and Tala's bedroom to grab something. She wasn't sure why, but it felt like trouble was right around the corner, and that it would force her into doing something she hadn't done for a long time.
Downstairs, the remaining Blitzkrieg Boys were now aware of Ray's presence within the house and they scrambled to try and protect their bad boy image from further harm. Well, Brian and Ian did. Spencer didn't care what Ray or his wife probably thought about him but still silently warned the Neko-Jin to keep his mouth shut anyway. Rüshi wasn't sure exactly what to make of Gou as she watched him napping against Spencer's side.
Glancing at his watch, Tala saw it was about time for him to do some odd bits around the yard before dinner, dragging poor Kai along for the ride. They hadn't been gone long when yet another knock could be heard. Cheveyo swallowed all irritance as he went to answer the caller, wondering who in the world it could be this time. Outside he found the White Tigers looking around nervously.
"Can I help you?"
The question was spat with a little more venom than intended, Mariah catching Cheveyo sharply in her sight. Ray's childhood friends hadn't changed much for the most part. Unfortunately the young Hopi had zero idea who any of them were and in their eyes, that was something of a crime. Lee didn't like the look Mariah was delivering at Cheveyo, setting a hand on her shoulder to dissuade his little sister from tearing Magpie's stable hand to shreds.
"Apologies for the intrusion, friend. We're looking for Ray Kon. We were told he could be found here."
"Please wait here a moment. I'm not the one whose permission you need to enter."
Lee understood, pulling Mariah off of the porch as the door closed on them. Cheveyo passed through the living room with the longest and quickest strides Sakura had ever seen as he hunted Magpie down. He found her right as she was finishing getting changed, wondering what had prompted her to do so. Magpie rarely tied her hair back so seeing it pulled into a ponytail aroused more than a little concern.
"What is it Cheveyo?"
"There's a group of strangers outside asking after Ray. I don't know who they are but they have similar features to his."
"Is there a girl with pink hair among them? With a lighter pink ribbon fastened to look like cat ears? Bratty looking bitch?"
Magpie turned towards the door, her usually soft eyes harder than stone. Cheveyo's voice abandoned him and his face drained of almost all colour. How did she know what one of the visitors looked like? He didn't dare ask, leading the way downstairs as she ordered him to go open the front door. Sakura had to do a double take when she saw what her sister was wearing. Ray noticed some very familiar items adorning Magpie's new duds, taking a trip down memory lane.
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The White Tigers were just discussing what could be taking Cheveyo so long slightly off to one side when a sound they knew well came whistling towards them, dust lifting from the ground. At their feet spun a pale purple beyblade awaiting orders. But who did it belong to? Lee was pretty certain Ray's wife wasn't a blader so it couldn't possibly belong to Hope.
"So this is why I sensed trouble heading my way."
All eyes turned towards the house, locking onto Magpie standing just shy of the steps with tightly folded arms. She had a launcher in one hand, ripcord in the other. Brown eyes leered at Mariah in particular, daring the pinkette to make a wrong move. The bey hopped up the steps to spin at Magpie's side, waiting for her next order. Lee tried to gauge this strange woman's intentions, not liking how she stared at his sister with more hatred than seemed humanly possible. If he looked close enough, Galeon's master could see a bit of Hope in the paler skinned woman.
"It's come to my attention that my baby sister has been made to feel most unwelcome in her home. What do you suppose I ought to do about that?"
Mariah held her ground, aware that Magpie's full attention was on her. There was no way this nobody was related to Ray's wife. They looked nothing alike. Magpie descended the stairs, eyes not once losing sight of their target. Mariah was forced to launch Galux in self defence, clashing with the so far unnamed bey under Magpie's command. All assumptions of the mother being an overconfident rookie went out the window as she relentlessly went at Galux, pushing the mountain cat back.
"Thamur my darling, it's time to put this pussy cat firmly in her place. Show her the fatal error she's made by harassing our sister!"
To Magpie's call came a stunning twin tailed wolf coloured ice blue with a white underside. Much like Wolborg, Thamur had a "crown" upon its head shaped more like a dome made of smooth gray and mahogany shaded metal, a long tuft of blue fur sprouting out the back of it. Over the wolf's possibly brown eyes appeared to be green lensed protectors. Hazel brown fur lined Thamur's jaw, forming thick spikes like bushy sideburns. Fur of the same colour ran down the back, bushing out into more tufts at the base of the spine. Four long strands protruded from chunky shoulders, swaying with misleading grace.
Mariah's attention moved to Thamur's claws when Galux evaded a swipe. Huge paws were armoured, a spherical green gem embedded within all four leg guards beyond mahogany toes. The last notable feature of the wolf was the tips of its tails adorned with spikes capable of piercing the hardest of hides. Try as she might, Galux could not pin Thamur down, kept at bay by sharp shards of rock that floated around it. Just who the hell was this woman to effortlessly wipe the dirt floor with Mariah?!
"Oh you wouldn't know us." Magpie provided, not giving Galux any slack for even a second. "We were the reigning champions of Cornwall's local leagues. Never went near the big stage. Believe me, it's a good job we didn't. Show her why, Thamur!"
Magpie cocked a brow when Galux managed to push Thamur back, preventing the wolf from sinking its claws in. Everyone was so preoccupied watching the battle they failed to notice that the BBA Revolutions had arrived. Lee decided he'd had enough of his sister being pushed around, sending Galeon in for assistance. Thamur swatted the proud lion away like he was a mere fly leaving all onlookers lost for words.
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On the other side of the property, Tala was just wrapping up the last task on his to do list, Kai watching from a distance. How low Tala had fallen he mentally mused jokingly as the redhead tossed the final bit of bird seed out of his bucket and left the enclosure. Tala would've led the way back to the house but a familiar voice in his mind caused him to freeze.
"Something wrong fleabag?"
"We need to move. Now."
Kai wasn't given a reason why, forced to wait as Tala retrieved something from a nearby vehicle shed. He returned on a quad bike without any safety gear. Kai had two choices. He could either go back on foot or trust Tala not to kill him, acting on the latter. Back at the house everyone was growing concerned, somehow deaf to all that went on out front. Light crashing could be heard from upstairs shortly before a gray blur zipped through the sitting room. For Wolborg to be spinning on her own something must be awfully wrong, the remaining three Blitzkrieg Boys hot on her tail with their blades in hand.
Ray tagged along to see what all the fuss was about, getting a little more than he bargained for. Not only was his home team in England, but one of them was being assaulted relentlessly by a bitbeast he'd never seen before. Hope never told him her sister could bey, inwardly excited to have a fight with his sister-in-law later down the line. Wolborg circled protectively around her mate, filling Magpie with a warmth that normally only came from Tala.
A roaring engine getting closer fell on deaf ears and soon after, two bodies dropped from the sky with a familiar royal blue bey. On either side of Magpie were Kai and Tala, both of them looking ready to rip someone or something to shreds. Dranzer joined Wolborg in her vigil but chose the opposite direction. The rest of the White Tigers had finally had enough, Galzly, Galman and Galeon all joining Galux in the "dish". All four of them attempted to ram the opposing trio into submission only to have a nasty surprise. Spencer, Ian and Brian all stepped up, lapis, dark teal and mulberry joining their brethren in defending Thamur from harm.
"This Mariah, is my pack." Magpie growled while affectionately stroking Tala's pale cheek. "And whether you like it or not, Ray is now part of it through my sister. Mess with one of us, you get all of us. In this family, we look out for each other and lay our lives on the line where necessary."
The swarm surrounding Thamur scattered when given the signal, identified by Magpie flinging her arms out. Mariah's teammates were pushed back, leaving Galux wide open to attack. The spotted lynx wasn't giving up, her claws poised to land an unforgiving blow. Ray knew the glint in Mariah's eyes well. If the blue wolf wasn't careful, Galux would tear him a new one.
"Galux! Cat Scratch Attack! Put these mongrels down now!"
Tala wasn't sure he liked the menacing look on Magpie's face as it darkened with every passing second. Mariah had done it now. She would be spared no quarter from here on out. Galux extended her impressive talons and dove towards Thamur, unleashing a respect demanding roar. Had anyone paid close attention, they would've seen Magpie's lip curl up into a sneer.
"Jötnar Wall!"
Magpie went through an animation not unlike Tala's Novae Rog, paw-like hands held out palm forward like a wall. Thamur let out a deep, earthy howl, calling forth a stone shield to take the lethal strike. As hoped, Galux latched onto the mineral wall. What the mountain cat did not expect was for spikes to come shooting out at her perfectly timed with the flex of Magpie's fingers. First blood had finally been drawn, Mariah struggling to stay standing. Ray could stand to watch the fight no longer, grasping the banister so tight his knuckles turned white.
"That's enough, both of you!"
While Magpie wanted to toy with Mariah a little longer, her brother-in-law's word was final. If she didn't stop, he would make her, regardless of others who might try to get in his way. His former childhood sweetheart wasn't going to be let off lightly, Wolborg returning to Thamur's side making sure the larger wolf was unharmed. Nobody needed telling that Galux was about to be hit full force with a double attack, Alpha and Omega standing back to back, claws and fangs bared.
"Spears of Hellheim!"
A chorus of howling followed the joint order, Wolborg coating herself in a shroud of icy air as she leapt onto Thamur's back. The fur on his shoulders and lower spine wrapped around her paws in sync with Tala and Magpie locking hands, symbolising that their bond went deeper than just the mortal realm. Thamur's armour and tail spikes frosted over with a thick coating of Wolborg's ice, fangs turning into sharp icicles. In turn, the stone at his command formed a protective shell around Tala's faithful companion, shielding her from all harm.
Frozen earthen chains bound Galux in place, rendering her defenceless against the wolf pair. Thamur launched into the air and with frightening speed, lunged towards his prey and speared her with both tails. Mariah dropped to the floor defeated, Galux at her feet covered from attack ring to pin in battle wounds. Lee's sister looked no better, angry red cuts burning brightly against her tan skin, hair all dishevelled. Tala alone was a force to be reckoned with but with his new mate, he became ten times more vicious.
"Let this be a lesson to you, Mariah. Bully my family again, and I can promise it'll take more than Ray and your team to save you. Now get off of my property and don't dare think of coming back."
After what they'd seen, Lee was taking no chances, sparing Ray one last look before whisking his side of the "family" away from Rainbow Hill Acres. On one paw, Ray was livid at what Magpie had done but on the other, knew she was just protecting her sister and in a roundabout way, him, from harm. When Hope had warned him of Magpie's protectiveness of her he never imagined the brunette to be so aggressive. What terrified him more is the fact Magpie wasn't even a pro beyblader and she'd practically walked all over Mariah without breaking a sweat. If she'd received the same training they had, there wasn't a doubt in Ray's mind that Tyson would not have held onto his crown for as long as he did.
Coming out of presumed retirement took a heavy toll on Magpie, crashing into Tala's arms exhausted. The boys all helped to get her inside, leaving their Alpha to deal with Tyson and co who stood gobsmacked. Nothing looked different about the former championship winning team except a blaring lack of Hiro, gramps and Bruce. A miniature Tyson sat on the bluenette's shoulder staring wide eyed at everything. Kai remained by Tala's side, fighting the tiredness in his legs to support his sworn sibling.
"Okay. Wow." Max breathed, numb to Charlotte pulling on his hand. "That wife of yours really ripped Mariah a new one."
Tala would've corrected Max but decided against it. Mostly because Hilary clouted the bubbly blonde upside the head before the wolf could open his mouth to say anything. And it wouldn't be too long before Magpie was officially Mrs. Ivanov.
"You nitwit, they're engaged not married. Learn some manners you overgrown buffoon."
Kai groaned in agony. Of course his old friends hadn't changed a bit. Well, they were here and hadn't caused trouble so inviting the gang in for a cup of tea wouldn't hurt. Tala's pride might receive a few dents but he'd live. He sent his brother on ahead to get some drinks ready or check on the missus, whichever came first. Returning to the sitting room, Tala found Magpie spread out on a sofa covered by a thick blanket. Their mum being down and out caused the quintuplets great distress. Only being near her could soothe them from having a fit. Magpie's already pale skin was white as porcelain, eyes looking like she'd taken a beating from Mike Tyson himself.
It killed Tala to see his mate in such poor condition, snuggling up behind her for added comfort. Magpie was so out of it she didn't feel Tala rubbing their cheeks together or hear him whining like a wounded dog but softer in her ear. While somewhat heartbreaking to watch, the scene warmed all who saw it. Cheveyo vacated the beanbag by the sofa when Kai meandered in with more company, mumbling under his breath that Magpie needed to rest not be swamped by visitors. He returned with drinks for everyone but it took two trips to the nearby kitchen.
An uncomfortable silence hung around for what felt like hours but in reality it had only been 30 minutes, broken by the sound of pained groaning. Tala became attentive soon as he felt his mate shuffle against him, supporting her when she rolled over and tried to sit up. Fighting Mariah had clearly taken more out of her than everyone originally thought. Magpie was so weak she couldn't even take the drink offered to her. It was so strange seeing the softer side to Tala for those not used to watching him display affection or care. Sure enough Tyson's mouth started moving on its own.
"Who are you and where the heck is Tala Ivanov?"
Tala caught Kai's eternal rival in an icy glare, warning the former champion to watch his tongue or lose it. He owed no man an explanation, Tyson least of all. Luckily for him, Raziel stirred in his bouncy chair which in turn distracted Tala from committing murder. The wolfish father practically stumbled over Magpie's legs to reach the floor, nuzzling his head gently against their son's belly making him giggle and pull at the hair tickling his chubby cheeks. All the while, sleepy brown eyes watched father and son bonding from above.
"Rest assured, Tyson Granger; Tala is still the Wolf of Moscow you remember. He's just shed his winter coat, that's all."
Said redhead blushed crimson. Nobody had called him by that name for a very long time. The BBA Revolutions had to wonder how Kai, Ray and Tala met their life partners. While they knew Ray was married, it had been assumed he'd wed Mariah, not the olive skinned maiden currently under his arm. Kai obviously wasn't open about his private life to anyone but his brothers so him even having a child was surprising in itself. And Tala was a mystery to many people whether he knew them or not.
Hilary wanted badly to help with the quintuplets when Raziel's siblings woke up. Judging by the looks on their faces, it was dinner time. And poor mama hadn't the strength to fulfil her duty. Cheveyo carried Magpie upstairs without being told or asked, Sakura and Hope following him with all but one infant. It was little Xakyr's turn to be bottle fed, sitting somewhat awkwardly in the crook of his father's arm. He fought against Tala every step of the way, pining for his mum. Ray came forward with the intent to offer assistance, finding Spencer in his way in the blink of an eye.
"Whoa, easy big guy! I just wanna help."
Spencer would've slammed Ray further into the floor had Kai not grabbed his shoulder. Blaming Ray for what happened wasn't fair. Mariah had done something to upset Magpie and she was aptly punished for it. Ray could do no more harm than a fly by helping with their fussy nephew. Spencer didn't relax fully, keeping a guarded eye on the Neko-Jin. Tala took less convincing, more because he too was tired to put up any resistance. Xakyr settled surprisingly fast in Ray's hold, taking the bottle offered to him without issue.
Tala wouldn't say it out loud, but Xakyr refusing him hurt more than a knife ever had. He felt like he'd failed as a father for his own pup to treat him so coldly at such a young age. There was no time to dwell on these feelings however. No sooner had Xakyr drained the bottle did Jenna enter the room and she was not happy to see Ray near him. Tala almost had no chance to catch the protective husky when she made for Ray's arms, keeping a firm grip on her collar with both hands. He could only imagine what Ray's old team must be thinking since this was their first encounter with the dog.
When it looked like Tala had the situation under control, it quickly turned around. While trying to pull Jenna a safe distance away she somehow managed to twist just enough to gain purchase on Tala's left arm and sink her teeth in. First came the shock of being bitten, the pain following a few seconds later. Jenna refused to let go even with Spencer trying everything he could to dislodge the rattled canine, forcing her master's hand. Under normal circumstances Tala would not hit either of his dogs but he was given no other choice, his balled fist coming down on Jenna's head…hard.
A yelp of pain made everyone wince. Very few in the room could understand the angry shouting that followed, Jenna scurrying out of the room like a scolded child. All the noise drew Sakura downstairs, catching sight of Tala in the kitchen on her way to the sitting room. Fear set in when she saw blood on the door, hurrying over unaware that all the scenarios in her head were wrong. Unshed tears clung to the edges of Tala's eyes, his arm shaking underneath cold running water.
"Tala what happened?!"
"Jenna bit me. Ngh."
Concern grew in Sakura's breast, wondering what had caused the loyal husky to become so outwardly aggressive all of a sudden, vaguely recalling that she'd taken none too kindly to Ray yesterday. She tried convincing Tala he needed to go to the hospital but he steadfastly refused leaving her little other choice than to bandage the wounds herself for now. After choking down some pain killers and taking a moment to compose himself, the father of five returned to the living room, met with concerned faces all around. Ray was nowhere in sight, Xakyr safe in Brian's arms. Ian, seeing that Tala intended to have words with his brother-in-law, pointed him towards the front door.
I had a really difficult time finding where to cut this to shorten it. Only decided in the last few days to split it up and by then I was already over ten pages in with no suitable place to end. This chapter alone is 17 pages even without the added author notes (Because I seriously cannot be bothered to write them up on my tablet where I upload stuff from.)
Hopefully Thamur's description didn't run on too long. It's been ages since I last wrote a beybattle and with any luck, my first attempt in years doesn't suck. If I need to make paragraphs longer, please let me know and I'll try to tweak the writing style used in this fic and others. (I use at least two different methods. This one and good ol' block paragraphs which are later split into smaller chunks for easier reading.)
An update to Fix You shouldn't be too far away and with any luck, by Christmas this year, I'll have last year's Christmas fic uploaded or at least one of the maybe three chapters of it.