"Ok spill," Jenna had called out Scarlet to stay after gym.

"About?"

"Come on Scarlet. Your brother is hiding something from me and you know I have to know."

"Jenna I don't know what you're talking about."

"Scarlet-"

"Sorry," the young Kaiju cut her off, "I really don't know what you mean. Anyways I've got biology and doesn't exactly like late students."

Scarlet ran off into the locker room with the other girls as Jenna stood frustrated, 'Damn.'

Scarlet walked into her home to find a surprise, "Duncan?"

Duncan was at the kitchen counter looking through a photo album, "Hi."

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I took a day off."

"Another?"

"The first one was your fault."

"Fine," Scarlet sat her backpack down, "whatever, look we better be having chicken-flavored coal tonight. I saved your butt again."

"First off again, second you can cook that yourself."

"Yes again. The last time was when you almost went all Kaiju with that girl that you never went out with again. Look Jenna asked me about what you weren't telling at the lab the other day." Duncan just gave her the evil eye before returning to his book, "What are you doing here anyways?"

"I told you I took a day off."

"Duncan," Scarlet said moving over to analyze the book for herself.

Duncan wasn't even halfway through the album as it appeared that he'd lingered in section labeled "2-5: Toddler Years". Scarlet knew why he'd stayed home all day; Duncan was scared that she'd have another day of harsh training. Looking fondly at the pictures of what was his tiny sister he mumbled, "I'm your brother, can't I worry about you?"

"Well yeah, it's just...when you worry all the time is the problem."

"As you always say, I don't worry I angst."

"You're thirty-two Duncan, you don't angst."

Duncan flipped to another page in the book where he found pictures of their little outings from time to time. There was one at the petting zoo, one at the carnival, another at the circus, but there was one in particular that bought back a vivid memory. It was the picture of them camping when she was eight.

"Scarlet! Why would you do that? You know it burns!"

"But, Duncan it doesn't!"

"...You have no burns."

"Duncan please! Why doesn't it hurt anymore? Why don't I burn?"

"Because Scarlet….you're already hot enough to handle it."

"I don't understand...is it...is it because of daddy?"

"..."

"Duncan?"

"Yes Scarlet! It's all dad's fault, ok?!"

"...I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry! Come here...just please, don't stick your hand in flames ok?"

"Do you hate dad?" Scarlet awoke Duncan from the flashback.

The question caught him off guard a bit. There was the side of him that wanted to teach Scarlet the right thing and then the other that wanted to scream his real feelings. He responded with, "No, I don't hate him. He's our father, but I hate the things he does and I hate his attitude."

They turned to another page that was blank. The title read "Mommy and Me Moments". Scarlet then asked, "Did mom ever tell you why he left?"

"No, I think she only speculated, but she wasn't sure. I'd asked her God knows how many times, but there was never a sure fire answer."

"Do you know why he left me?"

"If I'm honest I'm not completely sure. The only reason that ever made sense to me was that…" He saw Scarlet's eyes and they had a sibling moment of just knowing, "you know what I mean. Maybe you'll be the one to get some answers out of him."

"Yeah...maybe."

Just a few hours later as it was getting dark Scarlet sat in her room. She was chewing on a piece of coal when she got to her knees and pulled a box from under her bed. She opened it and found all the stuff she'd been hiding from Duncan since she was about ten. Inside were newspaper articles, some Kaiju samples from M.E.G.T.A.F, a couple of books entitled 'Dawn of the Monster' and 'A Guide For The Curious, Vol.8: Kaiju', and finally her mothers necklace. Scarlet picked it up with her clean hand and examined it for the up-teenth time. It never seemed to bore her when she looked at it; something about was just so drawing.

'I guess it's only fitting to wear it now that he's back,' Scarlet thought.

Then she had that itching feeling you get in your nose. She took in a deep breath before sneezing a few flames. The teen closed her eyes for a moment as she rubbed her nose and when she opened them she saw a faint glow on the gem. Scarlet looked through her opened door in hopes that her brother wasn't close by and with luck he wasn't. She sat back down with the box and blew a small breath of fire on the rock. The fire dissipated quickly and revealed very small symbols that only stayed visible for a few seconds.

Scarlet eyed the symbols,"What the heck?" She continued to blow flames onto the necklace piece to examine it thoroughly. "This is weird, but I bet dad knows about it," she said to herself.

She started her examination again when she happened to look down a little farther than before. It was then she saw a dark spot where there was normally never a dark spot. A small part of her wanted to scream a little, but the other part wanted to just stare. Her attention turned towards the spot as she put the necklace and the box back under the bed. She yelled, "Duncan!"

"What?!"

"I..uh...I got my period!"

"Say what?!"

"I got my first period!"

The male Kaiju quickly walked into the room with a mouth full of foam and a toothbrush, "You're kidding?" Scarlet just shook her head no to which he said, "I'll be right back!" In what was almost no time Duncan flew out the front door for a convenience store.

Scarlet pulled the box back out and took the necklace and "A Guide For The Curious Vol.8: Kaiju" thinking, 'I've got just enough time to do some studying. Now where is that chapter on special trinkets?'

She looked at the table of contents which read:

Kaiju History...5

Kaiju Categories...15

Kaiju Locations...20

Kaiju Culture...23

Kaiju Items...34

Kaiju In Pop Culture...40

Kaiju And The Future...55

She flips to page thirty-four and began searching for the stone. Finally she thought she was going to the last page, but, "It's gone." The page was ripped out and only the ends were left. Scarlet swallowed thinking, 'Did Duncan find the box or...no it couldn't have been anyone else. Could it? I...I have to talk to him.'

Scarlet pulled out her phone and dialed in the number her brother thought she didn't know. She listened to it ring once, twice, three times, and just when she thought there would be an answer the voicemail box answered instead. The teen waited for the beep to send her message, "Hey, it's Scarlet. Look...I've got mom's necklace with me and I found something on it that I think you know about. It'd be nice if you could just get this message and we could talk, but from what I've noticed that's not your thing. You know what I don't even know why I bothered, bye."

Then she dialed someone else's number. Someone she knew would pick up, "Garnet, I need a favor."

"What is it?"

"So, I found out what kind of rock it is," Garnet informed as the trio headed down the halls the next day. "It's poudretteite or a red diamond both are extremely rare, but from the picture you sent it looks more like a diamond."

"Maybe your dad proposed to your mom like that," Finn suggested.

Scarlet smirked, "I feel like he wouldn't considering he already knew human traditions. Then again he's not so fond of those."

The three turned the corner and immediately noticed the three jocks standing in front of their lockers. It was Zane Steele and his buddies, Terrance Ofter and Vinny Glades. All three of them were dating the queen bees Dominic, Rosetta, and Charlotte; they were as Piper would say "The Male Plastics". Zane walked up and poked Finn on the forehead, "I've still got a bone to pick with you."

Scarlet grabbed his hand before he could retract it, "No, you have a bone to pick with me."

"You," Vinny sarcastically questioned, "aw, tell me sweetie what do you have to do with this?"

Scarlet eyed Vinny at the tone of his voice, "Well you're little honey's were messing with my friend here and all I really did was stand up for her. Now, if you would please examine the situation rationally and not with your pride or ego's that would help." She grabbed both her friends hands as the three boys stood dumbfounded as the three walked (scratch that Scarlet dragged) pass them to their lockers.

Zane, unlike the other two, walked over the Scarlet who was already quite annoyed just by his presence. He got only a few inches from her face and whispered, "You better be glad you're a chic."

Scarlet didn't even turn to face him when she said, "If that's the only reason why then I'm highly disappointed. Garnet, Finn, let's get to class."

The three started walking away and just as they hit the corner Finn said, "Damn Scarlet, the kitchen wasn't too hot for them you made it too hot for them!"

During first period while was going on and on about rhetorical writing Finn passed a note, 'So do you think it's some ancient Kaiju language'

Scarlet wrote back, 'Probably since it didn't look like anything else'

'Why don't you just ask your dad'

'He's chalk full of secrets and I highly doubt if it's important he'll tell me'

'Ask Piper then if he doesn't say anything since she seems to know so much'

'What makes you think she knows anything about this'

'She knew about the rats in the vents last year months before anyone else'

'If you say so Finn'

The two teens jumped when they heard " ! !"

"Yes ," they groaned.

She then tipped down her glasses and asked the dreaded question, "Would you like to share your little messages with the class?"

Finn looked past Scarlet and asked, "That's a question and from what you've taught us when asking a question that means there are options so, I would like to ask what are our options."

"Very well 's the options are read them to the class or hand me the paper so that I may read them myself."

Scarlet walked up and handed her the paper with a huge sigh. Finn looked worried, but not as worried as Scarlet wasn't showing. She tapped her foot the rest of class and when the bell rung she packed up as quickly as possible, but it was no use. tugged on sleeve right before she could make it out the door.

" ," Scarlet calmly said, "I'm sorry for passing notes, but I've gotta get to class."

"I understand that , but due to my position and my own concern I recommend you see the counselor," the older woman said with a strong recommend.

"The counselor? You're kidding right?"

"Not at all," she started writing down a note, "Room A9, S, I'm also giving you the number to her room."

" I don't think that's-"

"It's not required, but I would suggest," emphasis on the suggest, "that you do so before it is."

Scarlet unwilling took the paper and said, "Thank you."