Life. 2 Home life of the ordinary Sekiryuutei

Mrs Hyoudou Smiled and then asked me, may I call you Ise? That was what I called my son."

"Yes," I said quietly, that would be an honor, all of my friends call me Ise."

"Well Ise, since you seem to be homeless, Would you like to stay the night? I have a spare room... It would have been my son's room. there is a Tatami mat and a small desk. I bought it when My son was born, I hoped that he would have a nice desk to do his homework on when he would have started school. I didn't have the heart to get rid of it, I guess I am a foolish old woman." she said and started to cry.

Before I knew it, I was hugging her in a tight embrace and calling her mother. Instead of being shocked or offended, she sank into my arms and hugged me just as tightly. "You remind me of what I Imagined My Ise would be as a young man. Please stay with me until you remember where you live... and come visit this old woman occasionally even after you do."

"Yes." I said crying, "I promise, thank you Mrs. Hyoudou."

"Please call me mom," she said still crying, "I know that you must have a family that loves you, but It just felt so right when you called me mom."

"Yes, It feels right to call you mom. You have no Idea how I feel to now have a roof over my head"

I followed her up stairs to my old bedroom. Mom turned to me and asked, " Ise, do you have any other clothes to wear?"

" No mom, I don't. These clothes seem to be the only things that I have to my name."

Mom smiled for the first time with the radiant smile I remember and cherish, "Well Ise, you are in luck, I still have some of Gorou's clothes, That's what my husband is named, My name is Miki."

I nodded and said "I can never call you that, somehow it doesn't sound right. I will just keep calling you Mom."

"Yes I like that much better anyway Ise" she nodded and left my room. After a few minutes she returned with a pair of slacks a dress shirt and some underwear. The are clean Ise. Even though they haven't been washed or worn for seventeen years, I kept them in a cedar chest. You may smell like a Cedar tree, but at least you won't smell sweaty, and you can take a bath and have your clothes washed. I left a clean towel and washcloth, a robe and some of Gorou's Pajamas in the bathroom. After your bath, you can change and I will wash your clothes for you in the morning.. Just leave them in the hamper after your bath."

Later That night I drifted off to sleep listening to the steady breathing of my scent filled the house, and even though I missed all of the girls, I felt a little more at peace.

I awoke to the smell of breakfast, again it was simple, a little fish, some more Miso soup and a glass of milk. "Thank you mother, Is there anything I can do around the house to help you?"

"Yes Ise, if you don't mind, I really need the lawn mowed and weeds pulled in my garden"

"Yes mom, I will be honored to do chores like a proper son!" I said with a smile, "You can depend on me,"

I spent the rest of the morning doing chores and then, I asked mom if she needed anything at the market. "Yes Ise, I could use some fish if it is on sale, I do not have much, I am only working part time as a housekeeper and I get by on Goru's Life insurance and a small pension from his company."

I smiled broadly and said , "It seems that even though I was homeless until yesterday, I seem to have quite a bit of money in my wallet." I pulled a few bills out of my pocket and showed them to her. I actually had nearly a half million yen in my pocket, I had meant to deposit it in the Gremory Bank on my way home from Morisawa's house but I was distracted by Ravel's urgent summons and forgot. Was that the day before yesterday? I honestly don't know I am just very glad that I forgot and now I can help my mom out quite a bit. "Would you like some beef and pickled vegetables for dinner tonight"

"Oh my Ise, it has been a long time since I had some beef.. Are you sure it is okay to use your money?"

Of course, you are putting a roof over my head and taking care of me, What son would not help out his mother?"

Mom clapped her hands and smiled happily, "Yes Ise, please buy some groceries,from the market." she then hesitated, are you sure you don't need any more money? I still have a few yen left in my budget this month."

"No Mom", I replied "it is fine." I said bowing to her I will be back soon."

"Thank you Ise, I will depend on you." she said returning my bow.

After I left I started walking towards towards the market. Fortunately school had ended for the day and so I didn't have to worry about being stopped and asked why I wasn't in class.. I kept noticing that this was my home town, but it wasn't my home town, The changes were subtle but noticeable.. There wasn't a single Gremory owned building in town, Also the Bank that is owned by the Gremory Holding Company had an unfamiliar name. "Of course," I said aloud, "This isn't the town I remember."

It is funny, the same people work in the market that I remember. I have to remember to not be too familiar with them because, even though I know who they are, they don't know me. I saw Motohama on my way home from the market. He looked the same except instead of his usual slouch and leering grin, he was walking proudly. of course that is because he was surrounded by girls. Wow, he really is popular with the ladies

Before entering the house I heard Irina call out, "Hey you, what are you doing walking into Mrs Hyoudou's house? even though you are dressed nice, you look like a delinquent. What are you doing?"

Before I could think of an answer, Mom stuck her head out of the door and said, It is fine Shidou, Issei is a relative who will be staying with me for a while."

OK Mrs Hyoudou, I'm sorry I troubled you." then after Mom returned to the kitchen I heard Irina say under her breath, "That's fine but you still look like a delinquent You better not be bothering her." I pretended to not hear her and entered the house with the groceries.

Later that night, My mother asked me, "So Ise, I suppose I should enroll you in school tomorrow, but how am I going to do that?"

" I suppose you could tell them that I lost my records in n the Fukushima Tsunami last year and I have amnesia"

"Well I suppose that will work, the God's only know how many records were lost in that disaster."

It was a foolish thing to say since the tsunami happened many years ago in my world, but I noticed a headline in the paper that reported that many people were still missing, and the Nuclear Power Plant was still off line. "I suppose everything didn't happen the same in this world as it did in mine. On the plus side, the devastation from Apophis, Aži Dahāka and Trihexia never happened here. but there was something just as terrible that is about to happen, at least, that was the parting words from the Fairies . Was that really the night before last?

Much later, in the middle of a sound sleep I was awoken by the most terrifying roar that I have ever heard. It was very far away but along with the roar I felt the aura of something I could not even imagine. There was no magic in the aura but there was power, a terrifying primal power from a mindless beast that had only animal intelligence. It was like the aura of a Dragon Lord, no, even a Heavenly Dragon's aura. It reminded me of Grendal, but a Grendal with the mind of a Lizard and the malice of Hades. It was truly an almost overwhelming power that I could only describe as a Monster, ."What the hell is that !" I screamed.

My mother awoke because of my scream and came running into my room. She was only wearing a thin T-shirt and panties. She didn't even think to put on a robe. I clearly saw her breasts through her shirt and her nipples were erect from her excitement and fear. I noticed that her pulse was racing and she was sweating and breathing rapidly. I could smell the adrenaline in her sweat and I saw terror in her eyes. All of this I noticed in an instant. I closed my eyes and even though I was sitting up in bed, I bowed as low as I possibly could from a sitting position. "I'm sorry Mother, I had a terrible nightmare.

"So sorry Issei, what was the nightmare about?" she asked sitting on the side of my bed. She was calming down but the rapid dose of adrenaline was still coursing through her bloodstream She had been badly frightened by my scream, but she was mainly concerned for me. Then she looked down and noticed her immodesty. I'm so Sorry Ise I should have put on a robe before coming in here." She stood up and left my room

A few minutes later she had returned, She was now wearing a robe, "I apologize again for my immodesty. won't you come and join me in the kitchen? " she paused a minute and after I nodded my head, and left my room to head down the stairs.

I put on my robe, no, my father's robe and followed her down the stairs. By the time I entered the kitchen she had already started a kettle on the stove. "I think we could both use a cup of chai while you tell me about your nightmare. There is camomile in the chai and it is decaffeinated, so it will help us both to get back to sleep, son. Now Ise,tell me about a nightmare, was it about your family, did something terrible happen to them?"

"No, I apologize for my scream waking you up and frightening you so." I paused a minute and then said quietly,"It must be scary to live alone for so long."

"Well not usually, although sometimes an unexpected noise will rouse me from my sleep and give me a bit of a fright." She looked me in the eye and then said, "Tell me about your nightmare Ise. I really don't know you, but I can tell it was something that badly frightened you."

I took a deep breath and said I didn't see anything but I heard a terrible roar. It sounded like a bunch of lions and elephants all roared together and then it sounded almost like a ship's horn..."

I looked at her and said, "I really can't describe it any better than that."

"Gojira..." she said softly, "You heard Gojira in your dream." She paused a full minute and then said, "I suppose everyone has heard his roar either in the old news-reels or in their dreams."

"Who is Gojira?" I asked finally.