Chapter 27 - Family presents

"Welcome back, my child." rumbled Bondrewd´s voice pleasantly through the voice channel in her mask. He stood – as he always did when he was proud of something – with his arms spread wide, his focus solely on her. Behind him the gigantic, smooth walls of Ido Front seemed to greet her as well, as if the violet beacon of light in its centre was physically pulling her in.

Eagerly Tanya approached the door of her beloved home and bowed with grace that even years inside the body of a child could not tarnish. Her saviour had never once demanded such deference from her, but she did it anyway to show her continued devotion and respect to her father's business.

"I have returned, father. I have accomplished what you sent me out to do. I have gathered much experience and have observed the diverse and intricate life of the Abyss. Against danger I have prevailed and opportunities have I used to their fullest. Thank you for putting your trust in me."

"Oh my Tanya, you did wonderful!"

Large, warm arms swept her up and she instinctively wrapped her tiny legs around his massive frame as he carried her inside. It was in equal parts humiliating and comforting to be treated as a child, but over the years she had learned to embrace the physical affection that Bondrewd showered her with. At least she knew that there was no safer place in the entire netherworld than in her employer's arms.

"I am sorry father. Our paper got wet on the descent, but I will have the full report ready by tomorrow."

"Ha ha, no need. I am sure you are pretty tired from your adventure, so you should rest. Just tell me what happened whenever you feel like it. You are under no obligation to be so serious all the time, darling."

"Thank you." she mumbled into his coat, inhaling the familiar scent that she had missed for the last few months.

"I love you, little one. Have you found anything interesting on your journey?"

Even though he couldn´t see her face she sheepishly looked down to hide her guilt.

"Ehm... I may have found three artefacts of unknown function and value that I did not hand in for the auction? I hoped you would be able to determine their worth and if like them I could work off the debt that would be caused if I bought them."

Saying that aloud made it sound a lot more stupid than she had initially intended.

"I am sorry if I may have gone too far-"

"What have I always told you, my dear? Don´t be so anxious. Regardless of what you do, I will always support you. In my long life I have not met anyone who is as interesting as you, and your choices are always just as fascinating. You are my daughter and nothing can change that."

Oh.

So he wanted to her to show more initiative, was that it? Still, just because your employer said that he tolerated mistakes did not mean that he would also tolerate failure, for those two terms were very different in nature. It was ok to mess up something unfamiliar and difficult, but to repeatedly do so without changing the outcome was unacceptable.

Very well. If he wished for her to take more risks then she would obey. But that did not mean that she would put any less effort into impressing him!

"Yes, father." she replied dutifully.

"Ahh... You are growing up so fast. No, you have always been remarkably mature. Many a man or woman should take you as an example. I truly am blessed to have found you in that dreadful orphanage..."

"No." Tanya thought. "I am the one who needs to be thankful for being found."

"But enough of that. To celebrate your return I have prepared a little surprise for you."

He held her a bit farther away so that she could see into the glowing visor of his mask. To an outsider who saw only their obscured forms it would not have signified anything of importance, but to them it was an entire silent conversation. The minute flickers of the purple and blue light, the slight tilt of a head... Tanya could read the silent question hanging in the air as clearly as if it had been written in a book.

"I would like to see it before I go to bed. I am not that tired to be honest."

"Of course."

She could hear him smile underneath his helmet and that filled her with indescribable happiness. Never before had she felt so understood by a person in her multiple lives. Not by her original parents, not by her colleagues and not by her 'friends'. Only Bondrewd managed to complete her so wonderfully.

∞•۞˂˃۞•∞

"Where are you taking me?" he asked, distrustfully eyeing his alien surroundings.

"I said it already. To my camp."

"And where is that exactly."

"A bit further up in the eighth layer."

"Layer?"

"Oh my... You really look like you have just been born today... Haha. You don´t have a damned clue where you are, don´t you?"

"...No. Should I? The first thing I notice is that I was stuck in that dark capsule-thing and then you show up and drag me through nowhere. Who are you anyway?"

"Mm... I suppose it was rude of me not to introduce myself first."

The large, hulking figure stopped and turned towards him, the outlines of her hooded silhouette illuminated by the faintly glowing crystals dotted throughout the barren landscape. They removed the strange apparatus that covered half their face and with a shake of the head freed their extremely long hair.

"I am Lyza the Annihilator, White Whistle trapped down here forever and delver extraordinaire..."
She mock curtsied and continued: "Pleased to make your acquaintance, clueless boy."

"Hey, my name is not 'clueless boy'!"

"Then what is it? You also haven´t provided a name, y'know?"

"My name is... uh... um... my name is... uhhhh... uhhhhh... What is my name?"

"Ha! You are asking me? Well, a nice, clueless boy like you can´t stay nameless. Else you will only more confused I reckon, so how about a temporary name until you do remember. Mhh... How about... Greg?"

"Greg?"

"Yeah, Greg. I knew a merchant named Greg once. He held his booze like no other. Did even drink me under the table once. Well, and one day that old bastard did drink so much he forgot everything for a whole week. Couldn´t recall his shop or his wife. Haha. Man, did he get a thrashing from her. Good times."

"Um... alright?"

"Enough babbling, Greg. We still have to walk quite a bit."

∞•۞˂˃۞•∞

"Do you like it?" asked Bondrewd.

Did she like it? No, she loved it! How could she not?

"Yes! Very much! Thank you, father! You are too kind to grace me with such a thoughtful present."

"Nonsense. It was a pleasure to build and your joy is reward enough. Without your input I doubt I could have developed a functioning prototype this quickly."

"It is truly marvellous." whispered Tanya in awe, staring at the complex mechanism in front of her.

"Why don´t you try it out? I tested it already, but your senses are sharper than mine."

"If this functions as intended it will revolutionize the world! We will be figuratively swimming in money!" she grinned.

"And you will have the first. Although the production cost is still relatively high at the moment. So it may take a while."

"Maybe. But one thing is for certain: the automatic coffee machine is one of the greatest inventions of all time!"

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NON CANON OMAKE:

*AD starts with the brand logo*

Bondred: *Prepares to descend some kids into the 6th layer* "Oh and by the way! Do you want some Umbra Coffee™?"

Kids: "Whyyy! I dont want to die please!"

Bondrewd: "Thats what I tought!" *Hands them a cup of coffee as he pulls the lever*

*Ad music plays*

Bondrewd: "Umbra Coffee™... It ain't worth dying without a cup! Buy now!"

*Camera flashes to Tanya drinking Umbra Coffee™ as she winks at the camera*

*AD ends*