Hello Readers! What is my excuse for not uploading earlier? College. But i'm almost done and then I can write more. I want to thank xXTheLegendXx and MONO2021 for reviewing! Your reviews light up my day! Enjoy the new chappy and don't forget to leave a review! :)

Chapter 8/ Tsukie

Astro's POV

The walls were quickly embalmed by the curly green vines. Each vine moved with energy, red core energy, growing thicker and denser as we passed. I shrunk away from them. We seemed to be going deeper into the city, underground that is.

No one spoke. With the Wraithes close by, no one dared say a word. Zane and Reno looked at me with faces that said, 'What the in the circuits is going on?' while raising their tied hands. I gave a small shrug off my shoulders and mouthed 'we'll be okay.' Reno raised an eyebrow, his bright blue eyes filling with doubt and uncertainty. I didn't know what was going to happen to us. My gut kept telling me they didn't mean us harm and that we could trust them. Well, I don't know about trust, that one was still teetering in my mind. I wanted to ask them who they were and where they were taking us. My best guess was that they were the surviving humans that Milo and the other Wraithe were talking about. The guard that had grabbed my face stared down at me 'Don't even think about it.' I frowned, mentally putting this guard at the bottom of my trust list.

Suddenly, we came to a halt. I twisted my head to see we had paused in front of a set of thick vines stretching wide and far over a wall. Did they take a wrong turn?

The man was of medium height as he stepped forward. His neatly trimmed white hair was the only feature standing out from the rest of his silhouette. He took in the vines around him then opened a silver box. I tried to see- a soft blue glow encompassed the room. I quickly realized it was coming from the man. Eagerness in his step, he moved the brilliant light side to side. The branches reacted instantly, bending away like a mimosa plant that has been touched too many times. I quickly got a glance of the source of light; it was not in the shape of a sphere as I hoped but a jagged rock. The man kept the rock in front of him as he reached his opposite hand inside a crevice in the wall. A sharp Click could be heard followed by a loud grinding noise. A hidden door opened revealing darkness.

The man turned toward us, "Move quickly."

I tensed. My guard passed through the opening swiftly, with the others following close behind us. I looked back just in time to see the man conceal the rock back in its box. The branches slithered back over the opening, and I could not make out the other side.

The darkness only lasted a few seconds as light became more dominant. We were following a dirt path, trees were planted all around us growing as far as the glass ceiling would go above, their leaves gently brushing dim yellow lights above. I lowered my eyes to the fresh soil as rows, and rows of all kinds of flowers littered the ground. On my left instead of flowers, vegetables; corn, tomatoes, beans, carrots, and more were lined in rows.

I felt my mouth drop open slightly. Everywhere my eyes took in was vibrant, green, alive, and beautiful. This is incredible! During my sightseeing, my eyes found Cora's, I smiled at her and I could see her mouth form, 'Wow.' I chuckled; I was not the only one taken back by the beautiful serene. Back there, seeing the plaza, it was beautiful, but this was different. Not one weed shared the ground with the flowers or the vegetables, each one was carefully placed and taken care of. This must be where the people grow their food and I would also guess their medicine, as well.

Suddenly, we broke through the growing garden into a clearing.

I yelped as my guard suddenly dropped me onto the dirt floor.

I glared up at the tall man, finding a thick unkept beard covering half his face and a big toothy grin. I kept frowning at him as he started to chuckle, walking away from me. Then the rest were thrown down next to me, my dad meeting my side. My dad grunted back, "Thank you."

"Are you okay," I said, helping him sit up

"Yeah, just a little sore."

Zane and Reno were dropped to the ground as if they weighed nothing. Zane coughing through the stirred-up dirt, "What are we sacks of potatoes?"

The only response he got was, "Pretty much."

Reno dusted his hands off and muttered, "Not very welcoming, are they?"

"No..." I replied. The last guard came up to us, he had dirty blond hair and a smirk glued to his face. I failed to notice that the guard that had told us to be quiet through the tunnels was also holding Cora.

I tried to raise to my feet to catch her but the guard- "Don't worry your girlfriend is still in one piece."

Cora started to struggle over his shoulder, "Listen soldier boy-" without so much as a thought the smirking boy dropped Cora into my lap.

I could feel Cora's icy eyes digging daggers into the guard.

"What's your problem?" Zane said.

The guard jerked his head to him.

"Riley?"

Suddenly, the smirking boy paled and turned towards the man that had spoken, the one that was holding the silver box. The man's stare pierced into him and not two seconds later, the boy was speedily walking away towards the other side of the forest. I couldn't help but glare in his direction.

The elder turned his attention back to us, "Sorry about him, he can be... a boy sometimes. And sorry the traveling was a bit rough. It must not have been the most comfortable." His gaze landed on my dad; his head began shaking fondly. "I'll be dammed. Never in a million years would I think I see you again."

My dad sat up a little straighter and bewilderment clouded his face. "Dr. Ji- Hun? I almost didn't recognize you. I thought you were dead."

The doctor chuckled lightly, "Surprisingly not. Seem's time has done its part on both of us."

"I'm sorry," Reno said. "But how do you know each other?"

The doctor stared at the red head for a second, "Oh! Where are my manners, it has been a while since we've had guests. My name is Emir Ji-Hun, or you can call me Dr. Ji-Hun, I don't care. I was Bill's teacher, I taught him about robotics... speaking of introductions, I do not know your names."

"Astro." "Cora." "Reno." Zane."

I felt my dad put his hand on my shoulder, "This is my son, and these are his friends."

The Emir's eyes landed straight on me, "Aha, I thought you two were related somehow." I gave him a small smile, 'yep.' He smiled in return then turned to the guards, "Untie their hands, they're no threat to us." At first, they hesitated then moved slowly toward us.

I stood and rubbed my sore wrists.

The guards moved away leaving Emir to step forward and grab my dad in a bear hug. They chuckled and patted each other on the back. "It is good to see you again, son."

"Emir?"

A new voice called out, closer to the other side of the forest, a woman's voice.

The doctor and my dad broke apart, then I saw her.

I heard my dad inhale sharply, and whispered, "It's impossible."

I moved next to my dad, "What is impossible? Who is she?"

The woman was short, properly only reaching 5'4.' Her short silver hair gleamed in the faded yellow light, her bright green eyes blending in with the garden. I noticed she held her hands together in front of her almost in a proper manner. Something stirred inside me. I knew this woman. Didn't I?

"Emir, what is going-" As quick as a snake struck its prey, the woman's eyes left Emir's and settled on my dad, they narrowed. "Lord, give me strength."

"That... is your dead grandmother." My dad finally said.

I closed my eyes, trying to take in what he just said, "What?!"

"I thought she had died," he sighed, 'I swear that woman has nine lives."

I thought for a second, "Grandma Hinata?"

"No, the other one."

I looked at the woman again, the green eyes, the oval shaped face, the button nose, "Grandma Tsukie."

Grandma took a few steps toward us, her hands clenched into fists. I realized now why she looked so familiar, how much she looked so much like Toby's mom, it almost left me frozen. Her eyes did not leave my dad, "For twenty years I have dreamed of seeing the sun again, and in return, I get to gaze upon my son in laws face."

My dad narrowed his eyes, and forced a smile, "Likewise."

I didn't know who to look at, anyone could feel the tension, and I was afraid of what could come next. What is going on?

This is... this is my... There were so many things I wanted to ask at once, but... "Grandma?"

After a few seconds they stopped glaring at each other, it was like a huge exhale had left the room. She finally turned my way.

The change was almost instantaneous, her hard features became soft and her green orbs glassing over, searching for mine. She took a deep breath, "You must be my grandson, Toby. You look just like your mother."

I blinked, "My moth-…" I quickly took a glance at my dad, wondering if I should tell her I am not exactly Toby. He gave a short shook of his head, 'Not yet.' He properly didn't want to anger her more than she already was with him, whatever that was. I didn't know. I met her stare, "No one's ever told me that before, they all say I look like dad."

"Humph," her hands clasped together, "most didn't know her. Though no one can mistake that you have your father's eyes, but you have my daughter's face." I didn't know what to say, I always saw my dad no one else, maybe because I never knew her, or I thought dad was the only one that would think of me as his son. I never had a mother figure in my life, maybe except Orrin.

Suddenly, Grandma was stepping forward and wrapping her arms around me. The hug was stiff and slightly awkward at first, but I found myself hugging her back anyway. She was my grandma, she was family, and with that final thought, I gave her one final squeeze and let go.

She gave my face a onceover, and the feel of crinkled paper cupping my cheek. She smiled sadly. "Though, I am happy to see all of you," She eyes briefly skimmed to the side, "Most of you."

Dad rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"You guys must be hungry. Let us catch up over dinner, shall we?"

Zane called from the back, "I am all for that, Astro's grandma."

My eyes went wide. No no no, not yet. We all slowly turned towards Zane as soon as the comment came out of his mouth.

His face morphed into shock as I slightly stared down at him, "What?"

I turned my attention back to grandma, her eyebrows pinching together wondering why this boy was calling her grandson Astro and not Toby. Then, her eyes were dragging away from Zane to mine, her gaze jumping between me and dad, suspiciously. The corner of her mouth quirked up, and she giggled, giving her attention to Zane one last time, "Yes, well you can call Tsukie. Now, come come."