Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) in this sudden attack… especially for the one with an iron grip.

~保護者~

"Strong Strike"

~保護者~

"Tails! Look at this!" Wery called out with a bright smile, holding up her latest invention. The other fox distractedly looked up from his own work to see what she was referring to. She was currently holding what would appear to be a grapple. Unlike many versions of similar inventions, it was entirely missing a hook and had a hole in the middle.

Blinking a few times, Tails set his papers down and walked over to her. "What's this for?" he asked.

"I've been sitting on this idea for a long while, on how to eliminate the need for a hook on grapple and I came up with this. I figured that people like Espio and Shei might be able to make a lot of use out of it," Wery explained. "Rather than the hook, this hole deploys a cylinder with a powerful adhesive and it attaches to things instead of grabbing on. The cylinder also contains an agent that weakens the adhesive when you want to retract it and as soon as it dries, which takes mere seconds and happens while it's coming back, it returns to being incredibly sticky again!"

"That sounds great!" Tails smiled. "We can totally ask one of them if they want to test it out for you."

She smiled brighter to him in response. "Absolutely! I'm sure they'd really like something like this, all things considered."

"Yep! Especially since they enjoy traveling without powers sometimes, when there's no emergency and such." Tails paused, then amended, "Or, at least, Espio does."

Wery nodded and set the device down, stretching. "That was a fun project, but I'm not sure what we should work on next. We got through everything we needed done, right?"

"Yeah, we haven't had anything urgent or strictly necessary since working on Steam's device for him," Tails agreed. "That's why I didn't say anything about either of us just kinda doing whatever."

"Makes sense. In that case, maybe it's time we take a break for a little bit?" Wery proposed. "I'm sure that everyone would love to see us get out of the lab for more than a few minutes."

"I mean… they probably would, but I kinda like it in here," Tails teased. "I might just move in permanently."

Wery rolled her eyes a little, but she didn't have the chance to respond to him before she heard the god awful sound of metal crunching and snapping followed by something heavy landing on the ground inside the workshop behind them. She whirled around quickly and immediately scrambled for her grapple. "Shit!"

As if the ruckus wasn't jarring enough, Wery's swearing certainly was. Tails didn't waste any time in activating his workshop's defense systems, causing all manner of turrets and the like to appear and begin firing on whoever or whatever had appeared in the massive room. It sounded far off, but he didn't dare chance it. "I somehow doubt that's even going to stall whoever's in here, so we need to get out!" he urged, grabbing Wery's hand to drag her toward the stairs. "Hurry!"

Wery clasped onto his hand and ran as quickly as she could, stumbling as fear built up within her. Oh god, this is so bad! In a short moment of clarity, the fox aimed her grapple at her desk and fired it, missing her tablet by mere inches and instead grabbing a bag that had been sitting there, dragging it to herself. She internally cursed her lack of skill with the new invention and focused on running as the metallic crashing sounds grew ever closer.

Without warning, Tails practically threw Wery forward toward the stairs. "Get up there and tell the others what's going on!" he demanded, fear sharpening his tongue. "We're going to need everyone's help by the sounds of things!"

"Something crashed into the workshop and is tearing through things!" she stammered, speaking as loudly as she could to hopefully get everyone's attention. "Tails is down there!" Realization dawned on her and she she suddenly shouted, "Tails!" before rushing back toward the stairs.

In a flash, cyan energy scooped her up and very gently tossed her onto the nearest couch. "Whoa, hey, don't go rushing down there!" Silver exclaimed. "If he's using his radiation you can't go near him until he stops!" He expanded his mind to tell Tails to do just that, then told everyone who was already in the room with them (namely Knuckles, Rouge, and his daughters), "I'm gonna take the intruder outside, meet me there!" He vanished in a flash.

There was so much going on that it was almost dizzying, but Wery recollected herself after being tossed onto a couch and rushed outside with Kira in tow, throwing the door open and moving out of the way to make sure everyone could get outside quickly. As soon as people were outside, Eila appeared as well, turning her gaze over the group. "Blaze, Rouge, and Kym! You three take Kohaku away from here!"

His sister didn't waste time all but leaping into action, and neither did his mother. "On it!" Kym shouted back. She immediately scooped up his blocks and teleported while Blaze gently grabbed her son and teleported after her. Rouge followed with Silver's help seconds later. After that, everyone remaining went out to join Silver. He was there with Tails, now accompanied by Knuckles, Silver, Ava, Amy, Kira, Wery, and Eila.

In the few seconds that the robot seemed to be taking to readjust to the situation, Eila quickly cast a spell over the whole group present to protect them from damage before rather hastily launching a wave of magic at it. Knuckles was quick to add his fire to her magical attack, hoping against hope that the added element would help her attack do some serious damage.

The robot took the hit from both attacks and the damage it took was nothing to scoff at… especially if it hasn't used a built-in device in one of its hands to at least remedy part of what was done to it. Gerald had known there was no way to truly make a robot that was safe from the widely varied powers of the group that he detested so much, so rather than try and fail to protect it from all of these things, he instead chose to allow it a way to fix the damage it took. And having used this to gauge the relative threat of the group, it chose Eila as its target.

The robot moved faster than she had been ready for, the robotic fist slamming into and damn near pulverizing her shield in the single hit it landed before she teleported away, eyes wide. "Holy fuck," she muttered under her breath. "Who here can actually watch this thing move?" she called out. As she spoke, Amy and Silver erected additional barriers around her, cyan and pink surrounding her entirely.

"I can when it's not too close to me," Tails called back. "Silver and Ava can, too."

"Yeah, we saw it fine just now," Silver agreed, frowning deeply in concern.

Rather than stand idly by as it adjusted once again, far more quickly than before, Wery reached into her bag and pulled out a lead ball, lessening the weight to almost nothing and lobbing it at the robot, whereupon leaving her hand it returned to its normal weight and slammed into one of its shoulders. With its sights now on her, she ducked behind a tree while it focused some form of laser gun in a wide arc, shooting at all of them and everything in the area.

Silver instantly extended his barrier to guard everyone for a moment. As soon as the attack was finished, Ava used her Light to grab the robot and throw it like a ragdoll straight to Knuckles and Amy. Working in perfect tandem, he used a fist and she used her hammer to slam it full-force into the ground before leaping clear just in case.

The robot made its adjustment in time to recover from the ground with blades slinging out of its body where they had been moments before, standing and rushing for Amy as she was about to land, turning one of its own hands into a hammer (albeit smaller than hers in size) and bringing it down at her. The woman gritted her teeth and used her psychic powers to blast it away from her. "So, uh, problem!" she shouted at the group. "It could be just me, but unless I'm mistaken it's learning from us, guys!"

With his tone, she didn't dare argue or try to think otherwise, instead choosing to listen and barreling her way up the stairs. As soon as she was able, she threw open the door and ran out to get everyone. The first person she saw was Kira, who immediately shot to her feet and ran over. "Woah, what the heck is happening?" the weasel asked quickly.

Kira finally took action. "Then I'm gonna give it something to learn!" The weasel quickly created water and launched a number of slashing attacks against it, chipping into the metal while it landed again, only blasting it fully the moment it tried to move at anyone. To her surprise shortly after, the water suddenly stopped hitting it when an orange barrier of sorts surrounded its body. "Never mind, then… It's making barriers, too."

Tails's eyebrow twitched in a rare display of building irritation. "Of course it is," he muttered sarcastically. He almost idly lifted a hand and blasted the robot with a full dose of electricity to at least very briefly stall the thing. No doubt Gerald would have defended it against electricity in general, but still.

The robot looked over the group, taking in data before going at Amy again, instead now attempting to disarm her as blades fired out of its body at her. While it did this, the same gun from before fired a laser at everyone else present, forcing Eila to quickly erect barriers to mitigate the chances of someone being injured.

Amy's famous iron grip served her well here, as no amount of dodging forced her to let go of her hammer even slightly. She launched herself above the rest of the projectiles and the laser with a bit of psychic energy, only to come down and slam her weapon into the robot's head powerfully. Silver then quickly teleported her a safe distance away before she could be retaliated against.

It didn't even seem to care much about her counter attack aside from repairing itself, blasting its way through the magic of Eila with its gun and attacking the barriers surrounding the cat ferociously, tossing her back some distance as it caught the next lead ball from Wery and launched it back with more force. She managed to make it a grazing blow at best, still being thrown to the ground by the hit with a sharp cry of pain.

Not two seconds later, Tails was by her side and pulling her to her feet. "You okay?" he demanded, eyes alight with worry. He simultaneously called out to Silver with his mind. "Teleport my radiation gun to me if you can! I can't fight with my electricity against this thing!"

Though tears welled in her eyes from the pain, she nodded a little and put a hand over the spot that had been hit. "I-I'm okay…" she managed to bite out.

"Try to stay close to one of us for now, okay? This fight is not normal and I don't want you getting hurt more than you already just were." Tails's gun appeared in his hand. He wasted in no time in whipping around and firing on the robot with pure radiation in an attempt to just melt the damn thing.

It was more than knowledgeable enough to know to avoid the radiation, rolling out of the way and shooting a rocket out of its back directly at him in retaliation. All of a sudden, Ava's light ensnared the rocket and slingshotted it back at the robot without delay. The rocket was swiftly avoided and the robot moved to go after them, halting suddenly and standing still before launching itself into the air and flying off with its rockets.

Knuckles watched it go with narrowed, suspicious eyes. "I can't be the only one who doubts it's really leaving."

Eila quickly straightened herself. "It seems to be, but…" She waved her hands in the air and cast a barrier over everyone and Tails's home (with Silver's help, as he'd immediately picked up on her plan), intent on holding it in case it came back. Sure enough, it did, slamming into their barriers at its maximum speed, forcing Eila to put all of her effort into holding the barrier up. "What the fuck?"

Tails, meanwhile, aimed his gun again and fired to try and get in a parting shot as well, much like the robot itself was clearly trying to do. The robot attempted to maneuver its way out of the attack, only managing to prevent it from being properly blasted. The metal on its back where the attack made contact practically turned into slag as it teleported away.

Ava uncharacteristically sighed. "I believe it left for good this time."

"Must have been called off," Knuckles groused, crossing his arms. "Coward."

Kira dusted herself off, huffing. "What was that all about? It even somehow sorta copied my attack. Obviously in a different way, but it's ridiculous."

"Didn't you say that Gerald was back?" Amy suddenly demanded, turning on Tails. "Did he do this?"

"He must have," Tails confirmed. "Nareish technically could have, too, but I don't see why she would."

Wery bit back her pain to speak… through gritted teeth. "Definitely was… I saw how it scanned things. Too similar to Shadow."

The hedgehog tutted under her breath and approached Wery. "Where did you get hit? Let me see." Tails, meanwhile, carefully reengaged the safety on his gun before tucking it under his arm. He had apparently left it off the last time he'd used the thing, and while that had been helpful in a way this time it was a bad mistake to have made. One that didn't bear repeating.

The female fox hesitantly revealed the spot that had been hit. It had already begun bruising due to the force of the impact. "It hurts…"

"I know, honey. Just give me a minute and it'll feel better, alright?" Amy gently laid a hand over the injury, calling forth her healing powers to take care of the wound. Wery nodded a little in response, choosing to lean into the hedgehog for comfort. Being the big sister and mother she was in equal measure, Amy used her free arm to hug her lightly.

Eila walked over to Tails and quietly questioned, "Who the hell is 'Gerald'? I know of no single race where that name is reasonable. Unless a parent simply chooses to hate their child." Meanwhile, Silver and Ava were talking to each other while Knuckles distrustfully watched the skies just to be safe.

"For the record, I don't know what species the guy is," Tails grumbled, his mood still sour enough that his occasionally snarky attitude was coloring his words to a degree. "Regardless, he's an enemy from a very long time ago. Were you on Mobius during the Dark Days or before?"

The woman was quiet for a moment, slowly nodding. "Yes." She chose not to divulge more than this, only to then add one more word. "During."

"Ever hear about what brought that era on? The robot-induced genocides? The explosions? The island in the sky? Any of it?"

"I am aware. I was forced to stay in a safe location," Eila answered.

"Gerald is the infamous madman everyone talked about back then but almost no one personally saw," Tails suddenly said. "And the boy hero everyone talked about even more? That was Sonic. Gerald died during his own destruction of South Island, but not before practically taking everyone else down with him. He's also the guy responsible for Shadow existing, unfortunately, and for him being a cyborg. He's not insane anymore like he used to be from what I can tell, but he's still every bit the genius he once was. Lacking in powers or not, he's not to be trifled with."

"But to be sending something like a robot against people like us, who have enough power to take on semi-Immortals… even if they're weak, like the demons?" Eila scoffed a little. "Not very 'genius' to me, but I see the point."

"If I had to guess," Tails said, crossing his arms, "he was using us to test that thing. But, yes, it wasn't a smart choice overall. Being a genius doesn't mean that everything he ever does or will do is destined to be smart."

Eila frowned deeply. "If we were the test, then who is the target? Sonic?"

"Gerald probably still hates his guts, so it's likely. I don't know for sure, though."

"When Wery feels better, you two focus first on getting the word out that this is an issue," Eila instructed. "I'll handle repairs, at least until we can get your workshop to not be a hazardous zone. Whether the danger be radiation or debris."

Tails jerked a thumb at Silver. "He's handling that first bit already, I guarantee it," he told her. "And as far as the radiation, I have systems in place to clean that stuff up. They're swift and effective, so it should be safe to go in again pretty soon here."

"Good. In that case, tell your girlfriend that she needs to be a little more careful," Eila said, turning away to go do what she said she'd do. "And that she has pretty good aim." The cat teleported inside to begin repairs.

His eyebrow twitched again. "...Oi." I didn't need the teasing, thanks. Sighing, he turned to look over the group, quickly spying Kira. Walking over to her, he asked, "You alright?"

The weasel was a touch shaken, visibly so, but she smiled at the fox. "Yeah, I'm doing good. Didn't expect that thing to shoot lasers, blades, and make barriers, but at least I was able to try and help."

Finally, he managed one of his usual smiles, which caused his frown to fade away for the most part. He still looked exasperated if nothing else, though. "Yeah, you did really well back there. I mean it. Thanks for trying to do what you could. We always appreciate the help."

"I wasn't just gonna stand off to the side," Kira said, shrugging. "The fact that I couldn't do more means I need to keep training and practicing, and I'm going to keep trying."

"I'll work on finding ways to help you, okay?" he told her. "Both as a thank you and just because. I only know one person with similar powers, but since he's indisposed for the most part I'll see about finding other ways to help you train."

Kira nodded. "I appreciate it. It might be time to do some real sparring with people, too. I've mostly been practicing on trees, but that can only teach me so much."

"If nothing else, you and I can spar," Tails said. "I won't use my powers for it, but I sparred with a ton of people in the past, so I can help regardless. And, actually, the guy I was just telling you about personally trained me for a while. He was basically my sensei. So I can pass on some of his tactics and knowledge, if you'd like."

"That could be super useful, honestly," Kira replied. "It might also be good for me to pick up some sort of weapon, even if it's just for defense."

"Dual tonfa are good for defense," Tails mused. "We travelled with a young bunny named Cream for a long time, and she picked up on them pretty easily. Given that she, like you, had no battle experience, I'm assuming that those weapons aren't too hard to master in general." He paused, then added, "Erm, she used the kind that were essentially just bars with handles, not the kind that replace those bars with blades."

The weasel shrugged. "Even if it's hard, I gotta try, and I figured it was the normal ones. As wild as powers can get, I assume there's a level of realism to existence."

"I mean, real kids do use real weapons sometimes," Tails shrugged. "Like… all chameleon children, as an example."

"Wait, what?" Kira asked immediately. "All?"

Before any sort of response could be made, Eila appeared and called out, "Inside should be repaired now." Tails flashed her a thumbs-up but didn't speak since he was listening to Kira.

The weasel glanced back to Eila, then to Wery who was safe with Amy, and finally to Tails. "How about we finish this conversation inside? You have a lot to explain after dumping that on me," she joked softly.

"I can make it worse," Tails weakly chuckled, motioning for Amy and the others to begin heading in. "I have way more things I could tell you once we're seated."

"What in the world did I get myself into?" Kira chuckled in return, already moving to head inside.

~保護者~

As he had been almost continuously since coming here, Han was on the couch in Ylden's living space within the Realms of Death. The difference being that now he was laying down. He was on his back with one arm draped over his eyes and the other laying across his middle. His head was killing him, enough so that he'd given up on reading and pulled his glasses off. Both were sitting on the floor beside him. This sucked.

Muttering something in Hexan under his breath, he lifted his arm from his middle and drew several hexes in the air by memory. They were the best healing spells Hexans could use with their own magic, but even they weren't touching this pain. Kisera aki…

Ylden soon appeared and walked over, looking at Han for a moment before asking, "What's wrong?"

"My head," Han bit out. He dropped his arm back down.

Ylden got down near to him and frowned. "Ah shit. It's setting in…"

"...What?" Han eventually asked, once Ylden's words registered. He wasn't asking what was setting in, though, more what Ylden was talking about.

"The corruption is setting in and affecting you," Ylden murmured in reply.

Han started to say something in reply, but a fresh wave of pain cut him short. He didn't try again right away. Kisera… Kisera… It was then that he abruptly recalled their earlier conversation. Only two words were muttered in the hopes that they would be enough of a reminder… and enough to spur Ylden into action. "Find Steam."

Ylden immediately stood upright and left the realm, teleporting straight to the hedgehog. Before he could get a word in, the cat spoke. "Find one of the Faein. Han's corruption is setting in further."

A quick sigh escaped the hedgehog. "Go back to your realm. I'll meet you there."

Ylden didn't need to be told twice, returning to his realm in an instant. He returned to Han's side. "He's searching now." Han could only nod, but that was an action he intensely regretted the instant he'd done it. "Do your absolute best to not move," Ylden said, intentionally darkening the room to remove any light stimulus. There really wasn't a response this time, as Han was all too willing to obey the command.

From here Ylden took care to eliminate all sources of sound as well, focused on keeping the area free of stimulants that could potentially make it worse, speaking in a hushed tone. "Can you tell if anything is changing?" Han slowly, cautiously shook his head once. That hurt to do. Ylden decided now was the time to stop questioning him and wait patiently, as his magic could do nothing to lessen the corruption or the headache.

Steam soon appeared, followed by a woman who immediately shifted to sit beside Han, setting a hand on his back. She willed that he could overcome the pain of his headache before asking, "Will you allow me to rid you of this corruption?"

Han nodded again, still reeling from the pain he'd only just been enduring. "Yes." If it means this stops happening, then yes.

"For future reference, my name is Utavi. Remember it." She focused and set about carefully eradicating the corruption bit by bit. "I cannot restore your memories. I am… already far too tired. I will return you to normal, however."

It was a long process, and the more she did it… the more her physical body began to fade. There wasn't energy available to simply keep up that sort of visage anymore. She turned her tired gaze to Ylden, with what was left of the facade she'd used to speak to others. "You did a good thing, watching over him. Now I expect you to allow him to leave this place at some point. Understood?"

Han, meanwhile, sat up cautiously. When there was still no pain, he bent down to retrieve his glasses.

Ylden nodded. That was an easy decision. He hadn't intended to ever keep him here until everything was fixed… but he'd certainly kept the Hexan for some time. "I will."

Utavi's body faded, leaving nothing more than the form of aura that comprised her being normally. "I have extended myself too far… but it was enough to remove that accursed woman's actions upon you. I wish I could return your memories as well."

Realizing she was talking to him, Han put his glasses on and looked at her. He then shrugged. "It's fine," he responded simply.

The being pressed a hand of energy gently on Han's shoulder. "One last… little push." It was all she could do before fading away to return to sleep to simply remind him of his family and friends names and faces… so that he'd at least know who he could go to. It wasn't much information, being just the names and faces and nothing more, but there were so many that it overwhelmed him into renewed silence.

Ylden made a quiet approach, sitting beside Han. "How do you feel now?"

Gradually, Han managed to return his focus to the present. "...Better," he soon said. He adjusted his glasses a bit in an idle, thoughtful motion. Names and faces… but I still have no idea who anyone is beyond that. Much less how I knew them. She said they were friends and family, but surely I did not have such a large number of them.

"What's on your mind?" Steam asked, having paid close attention to Han's actions after Utavi began purifying him.

"Nothing," Han dismissed. This wasn't a matter he wanted to discuss right now.

Steam decided it best to drop the subject. "Alright. I need to get going, but I'd like to see you two in a few days. I'm planning something and could use some help when it's ready."

Ylden raised an eyebrow. "What's happening?"

"It's best if I stay quiet for now," Steam explained. "I promise I'll tell you guys soon."

Han listened quietly before asking, "Why do you need me?"

"You have a set of skills and magic that few others possess, and you're very intelligent."

Steam opened his own portal to leave. "Your input will always be appreciated, at least by me." The Hexan just watched him at that point, not offering up any reply. Satisfied that neither seemed to have more to say, the hedgehog waved. "I'll get back to you guys soon." He walked through the portal promptly after that with it closing behind him.

Ylden blinked once. "Hm. Odd."

"Why did he act as though he knows me?" Han suddenly asked. "When she returned to me vague knowledge of people I used to know, he was not among them."

"He's an ally from another timeline," Ylden explained. "He seems to know all of us."

"Strange," Han murmured.

The cat chuckled a little. "It is, but he's been quite helpful."

With a slow nod, Han tugged the book up off the floor with his magic. Both because the book needed to be picked up regardless… and to see if things truly were better. Sure enough, his magic was golden once again. Good.

Ylden didn't miss this and felt his spirits lift a little. Even if Han didn't have his memories back… this was a good first step. I'm glad...

Han noticed the change in his friend's mood, and that inexplicably eased his own emotions some. Perhaps that was normal. "The 'corruption' is gone, then?"

"Yes," Ylden answered. "It certainly is."

"Do I still need to be watched over like you have been doing?"

Ylden thought this over. "It wouldn't be a bad idea, even considering your intellect and all. There are people who might seek to take advantage of the fact that you don't remember much of your life." The cat fell quiet as another train took over his thoughts. "Though… if you know the faces of your family and allies, perhaps that's enough for you to not need constant monitoring."

"I do not wish to remain in this room any longer," Han almost sighed. "I feel constantly restless."

Ylden opened a portal in response. "Then go. Check in with me every so often. If I don't see you within three days, I'll come check on you. Does that sound agreeable?" By far, this was the best he could offer. It was, after all, the best way to handle the vast majority of Hexan teenagers in general. As much freedom as could be offered should be given, while the same protections any ordinary teenager would be granted were also afforded them. This was what would work the most in this situation, he was sure of it.

This arrangement wasn't perfect, exactly, but it was damn close enough. Han's mood improved further straight away and he nodded a little. "Yes, it does." He stood up, but didn't leave just yet. "How do I contact you?"

The cat teleported an object into his hand and tossed it to Han. "Just use this. I trust that figuring out how to work it may be part of the fun for you."

Han caught the object and looked it over. "Alright," was all he wound up doing. He left without waiting for any further replies, too eager to stretch his legs and do something.

Ylden watched with a slight smile on his face, letting out a soft sigh. This was… pleasing. At least his friend would be okay. He chose now to relax, taking a seat once more. "Finally…"

~保護者~

There was a lot to think about and not a lot he could focus on. He hadn't given his words from when he was with Kal a second thought, and now he had to realize how serious of a mistake that had been.

Why had he said that? Why would he have told Espio that he was supposed to take on a life like he and Kal had? He had been a fool, and a damn big one at that.

Ryuji paced through the home he had claimed as his own and held his face in his hands. I told him that his family was worthless, his partner, all of it.

And furthermore he was now furious with himself, reminded of how he had treated his daughter and grandson the whole time. Not only had it caused a rift between him and Aniko, but Espio had internalized so much of what he'd said and done.

He had to make this right… but he wasn't sure how. The only thing he could think to do would be to just go talk to him. Now wasn't the time, not when he couldn't exert proper control over his emotions.

His mind was ripped away from his thoughts when he reflexively sliced an arrow out of the air that had sailed in his direction. It wouldn't have hit him, but now his senses were fully alert. "Show yourself," he demanded coolly.

Ryuji was vaguely surprised when a chameleon woman appeared on the other side of the room with another arrow nocked on her bow, ready to fire. "It was an attention grabbing shot."

"I'm aware."

The woman watched him for a long moment before putting the arrow away in her quiver. With his lack of aggression, it was easy to relax. "Your Darkness was responding to your emotions. I took a chance."

"Once more, I am aware." He wasn't sure what to make of this. A woman fired an arrow in his direction and he didn't have the desire to immediately annihilate them. He had even sheathed his weapon again. "Your name."

"I'd demand yours first, but I shot." She slung her bow over her shoulder and finally allowed herself to be properly seen. She was a magenta, not unlike Espio, but her body took on a darker shade. "Arein."

"Ryuji."

"You're short of words."

"And you of patience."

Arein rolled her purple eyes. "Untrue. Is something the matter?"

"I would not even attempt to begin to explain what ails my thoughts to a stranger," Ryuji explained.

"Then perhaps you'd explain why you are still so close to Hyale's outskirts, which we all know to be incredibly dangerous," Arein pressed lightly.

"My family is here. I will not abandon them."

Espio? His family is one of the few that I know to have remained. "I see." She watched him silently, and he did her, before Arein chose to break the silence. "Come outside."

Ryuji blinked as the woman suddenly leapt out of the building. A sigh escaped him and he walked until he went into a fall off the porch, landing on the ground gently and approaching her. She had a fire burning with a skinned creature roasting over it. "Why have I come out here?"

"You chose to."

He briefly cursed the woman's quick wit, if only because it served to embarrass him slightly. "Explain your reasoning for asking my company."

"When was the last time you did something to take care of yourself?" she questioned. "You look awful." Her gaze met his and she narrowed her eyes. "I do not care if you lie to me, but do not lie to yourself."

Ryuji didn't answer. Instead he took a seat beside the fire. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. I'm giving you a chance to care for yourself," Arein answered easily, shifting the creature to cook it evenly. "Your health is your own and I'm simply offering you a chance to take it into your own hands, since you seem to have not done so on your own."

"It sounds like you care."

"And what does it matter if I do?" she returned. "Why would I ignore the plight of another of our kind when we are suffering in this way? A war is ravaging our people."

Ryuji sighed. "It is best if you do not associate with me."

"Too late," Arein murmured. Ryuji was briefly distracted, long enough that she could cleave the stick that held the meat in two. She passed one half to him and kept the other for herself, beginning to eat with no hesitation.

She has no ill-intent. Ryuji noted as he investigated the meat. There was no poison, nor anything else that could injure him. He too, ate of the meat given to him. He had to note another fact, sighing. She also did well with this.

"You seem to enjoy it," Arein pointed out. "You have stopped veiling your emotions."

"I haven't the energy to keep up such a farce," Ryuji replied.

She knew he was lying… at least partially. He very well could have. "Regardless, I will accept your thanks. Do not give them."

Ryuji blinked. Confidence? Or is this simply her having knowledge of the situation…?

Arein looked to him and very plainly asked, "Are you related to Espio?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Active Darkness is rare. Before the return of Aniko and Shei, I could name on two hands those who could tap into their power on demand, accounting for any I was not aware of." Arein grabbed a water skin and took a drink from it, taking a moment to relax. "You are old enough as well to be… his grandfather? Or father, depending on how long such a thing took."

"And if I am?"

Arein shrugged. "I'm not worried. If you were going to kill me, I'd be dead. I managed to avoid his rampage before, though…" She frowned. "Something never seemed quite right about it. Every source I know of paints him as one of the most skilled and controlled chameleons to live since Aniko and Shei's time."

"It wasn't his fault," Ryuji murmured lightly. "I know this much."

"Good." Arein replied in kind.

The two fell into silence. It wasn't awkward or… difficult in any way. They were simply present by the fire before Ryuji chose to break into the stillness with a question. "You are skilled in stealth."

"Yes."

"You hid yourself from me, even upon firing an arrow."

"That I did."

"How?"

"Time and patience."

It was Ryuji's turn to roll his eyes. "I was curious of your method."

"I can teach you if time permits. One shibobi's skill is something for another to learn… if you ask me." Arein's lips twitched upward into a smile, then returned to a resting position.

Ryuji might have smiled if he didn't feel so numbed by earlier thoughts. "Perhaps time can be made. I am busy often."

"Pacing is time consuming," Arein agreed, amused slightly.

"You find a way to be an asshole in every new subject."

"You open said hole. I'm simply an ass."

Ryuji groaned internally. Damn her. Despite this, he couldn't find it in himself to be upset. She really was just quick-witted. Armaris may like her. Or they will rebound on one another. God forbid they get along.

Arein stared into the fire as he thought to himself. Hm. He is related to Espio, most likely. That would explain how active their Darkness is, and how strong they both are in just that respect alone. This means he is… related to Aniko. Their Darkness is completely similar, minus whatever individual aspects they have taken on. It stands to reason that he is her father.

There is the matter of Shei, though he is in control as of now. I have little reason to be concerned about him… aside from another potential loss of control. Then there is another man here that… has the tendencies of an evil chameleon, but bears few of the actions so far. She was pleased to know that her work had yielded good news in the midst of this all, but it wouldn't last. She instead chose to enjoy this time she had free. "You should rest soon. I have matters to attend to, and you're tired."

Ryuji glanced up to her. "Why does it matter?"

"Do it," Arein said, standing and making a hand sign to snuff the fire out. "Or don't. I'm not here to make decisions for you."

He huffed at her briefly and stood as well. "Fine."

"If I return, I will refrain from shooting you. I admittedly feel bad for having gained your attention with an arrow."

"It did not harm me."

"Fine. I will instead find it amusing," Arein said, beginning to walk away. "Perhaps instead you may surprise me next time. Impress me."

Before he knew it, Arein vanished. Ryuji blinked once and teleported into the home he'd claimed. Impress you? What the hell…?

~保護者~

There wasn't much to think about. She had definitely hurt Espio more than she'd intended, but there was no going back now. She couldn't change what she'd already done to him.

Aniko took a quiet walk outside of her home, choosing to venture into the woodlands despite the danger it posed. Anything to take her mind off things temporarily would be welcome.

It was hard to think about anything else, however. Her son was important to her. She cared deeply for him, and for her thoughts and words to have caused him grief was difficult to bear. Her fingers drummed lightly against one of her legs, an idle sign of her focus on her thoughts.

This wasn't allowed to last much longer. She suddenly became aware of the presence of someone else in the immediate area. Without recognizing it that instant, her instincts sharpened and she grabbed her blade tightly, ready for a fight. That wasn't what she got.

Moments later, an equally distracted Atani wandered into view. Upon seeing Aniko, she abruptly stopped and took about half a step back on reflex. "Apologies," she was quick to say in a murmur. "I wasn't paying attention. It wasn't my intention to intrude."

Aniko released her weapon moments later. "Forgive my alertness. I have come across far too many situations recently where a sudden presence means I must fight for my life."

Somewhat younger eyes blinked. "I haven't… been on this planet much for the past year or so, though I've heard about what started happening. I understand your position, in other words, even if not personally."

The other chameleon blinked in return. "Ah. Well, I suppose that it is pleasant to see you as opposed to some others."

"Would you be opposed to me asking what 'others' you're referring to?" Atani inquired.

"Admittedly, I could use being without Armaris at the moment." Aniko sighed, then explained. "Her energy would exacerbate my turmoil."

Atani had to think about that statement for a moment. "Are you speaking of the cat? She seemed perfectly calm when I briefly met her."

Aniko managed a sort of scoffing chuckle. "You haven't seen the first bit of it."

"And I would prefer not to," was the sighed response. "I'm already not overly fond of most people to begin with. I'm not a high-energy person."

"Perfectly reasonable," Aniko answered, choosing to lean up against a tree. "If you're low energy, she should stay calm around you, hopefully."

"Hm." Atani relaxed a bit more when she saw Aniko do the same, at least on a physical level. After a pause, she spoke again. "I'm still… adjusting to the idea of having family beyond my father. I've gotten to know Shei a decent bit, and he's told me a bit about you. But I don't know much, nor do I know anything about your son. Is… it alright of me to ask you for more information? If I'm overstepping, you can just say so and I won't make the mistake again. I just- I just want to know all that I can."

"Despite your origins, you've been nothing but kind. You have every bit of freedom to ask questions as you wish," Aniko said gently. "I cannot thank you enough for what you did to help Shei."

"I was a bit rough retrieving him," Atani admitted. "He wasn't in a state where he would come all that quietly."

"I'm not surprised."

There was a bit of quiet before Atani asked, "What are you willing to share about yourself? I've only learned some details about you so far."

"I will avoid divulging information regarding my own past." Aniko let out a gentle sigh. "It tends to rile my emotions."

"What about unrelated things?" was the careful inquiry. "Such as interests, for example."

Aniko shrugged slightly. "I have no issue with such." She debated on what to say before answering. "For obvious reasons, I enjoy combat."

Now that was something Atani was comfortable discussing. It was an extraordinarily common trait for chameleons, after all. "What weapons do you favor?" she asked. "Shei did mention you use a sword, but is that all?"

Somehow, with the giving of her answer, Aniko started a proper conversation with Atani that lasted for some time. They didn't divulge too much about themselves. Privacy was carefully maintained. But the pair managed to learn about one another, anyway. For now, that was good enough.

~保護者~

By now, Laralei and Alana were engrossed in a reunion all their own. Kath sought to give them space to fully focus on one another, so he wandered away from the pair and into his observatory in the palace. It was odd that Azerel wasn't napping in there, but he supposed it was a nice enough day that the wolf could very well have been outside. That was the only consideration he gave the matter as he sat at a table. Within moments, he had his chin in his hand with an elbow braced on the table while the fingers of his other hand drummed lightly against the wood. It seemed he suddenly had free time, and he wasn't sure how to make use of it for once. What to do…

Soon enough, a knocking came at the doors to the observatory, followed by a gentle chilling wind slowly coating the room. "Kath?" A familiar voice called. Yareis was quiet for a second before asking, "May I come in?"

Kath stood and walked over to the doors in question, then pulled them open. "For the future," he murmured, stepping aside, "you do not need permission. So long as I am in here, you may come in."

Yareis shrugged lightly, walking in. "I don't like the idea of intruding," she said. Kath just let go of the door and returned to his seat. She followed, stopping some few feet away as she looked around at everything in the large room. She hadn't taken a good look before. "You have quite the range of interests."

He glanced at his own belongings and nodded. "There are many things to be interested in." After saying this, he motioned to the multiple chairs in the room. "You can sit wherever you'd like, if you wish," he invited, already moving to return to his own seat.

Rather than claim an existing seat, Yareis created herself a chair of ice and relaxed into it. "I had planned to eventually."

"Was there something you needed?" he asked her.

Her gaze was swiftly diverted. "I had no intention in mind when coming here." Blue eyes gave her a bland, disbelieving look. She huffed at him. "Were you not someone with ice as a power, I would have frozen you for that."

"I would have survived, regardless," he huffed back. "Regardless, you do not need to keep your thoughts a secret if you do not wish to."

The woman mumbled something under her breath, huffing once more. "I should not." Kath only shrugged. There was no reason for him to press, so he didn't bother. He just let the matter go. She chose not to so much as continue that train of thought. "I hope your family has been well."

"They have been," was the simple reply.

"That's good." Yareis fell quiet, at a loss for what to talk about before softly asking, "So… what is something you truly enjoy doing?"

"Studying space," Kath answered without hesitation. "It was a childhood fascination of mine that lingered as I grew."

Yareis blinked. "It is quite vast. Certainly you studied more than the stars of this system, then?"

"Yes. And I studied more than just the stars. I was interested in everything from those to the planets to the nebulas and more." Kath shrugged a little. "At times, I suppose it was bordering on an obsession."

"I see," Yareis said. "I would like to hear some of what you know, or see the fruits of your labor if possible."

The hawk let out a hum and stood, crossing the room to retrieve the same star-map he had shown to Laralei and Arkiri not long ago. He tossed the device to her. "If you so choose, you can activate that and look for yourself. It is a map of sorts."

Yareis caught it, activating it and staring quietly at the map that appeared before her. This is incredible… Kath walked over and showed her how to zoom in and out, then motioned for her to continue if she wanted and returned to his seat without a word. It was borderline instinctual for her to shift to the area where her homeworld would be… if her race had been alive. She was so innately curious to see if he had documented anything about it.

The entire solar system had been, in fact. Everything from the planets and their sun to the individual craters on each moon and asteroid. However… it did also show that, as he'd explained to Arkiri during the last showcase, that every planet but the Erukti homeworld was being slowly and painstakingly dragged toward a black hole that was drifting by the solar system. Even that world's two moons were being dragged away, along with the comets, the asteroids, and much of the debris from the Erukti's old wars.

She looked at this silently, her heart dropping. No… It was hard to not be emotional. This was… her home. It always would be.

Noticing her mood, Kath spoke up. "Perhaps the Faein who guided and created your people can help," he murmured. "It is just as important to them as it is to you."

"They're falling asleep," Yareis quietly revealed. "And besides… My kind chose their path."

"That does not mean your home cannot be taken care of," was the equally quiet reply.

Yareis let out a gentle sigh. "Maybe…"

Kath drummed his fingers against the table again. After a long pause, he said, "There is something… somewhat related that you may want to know."

The woman looked up at him. "Yes?"

"I assume you know the rules regarding the Immortals, yes?" Kath asked her. "Particularly the rule governing their numbers."

"Always four, never less, never more," Yareis answered. "One can only be born when another has died."

There was no good way to ease into it. So he didn't bother trying. "That rule is, suddenly and inexplicably, changing."

Yareis blinked. "What?" she demanded.

"I do not know how or why it is," Kath told her, "only that it is. Immortals are coming into being who will govern the existential energies such as Light and the Void."

"How do you know?" Yareis further questioned.

"I was told," was all he said with a vague shrug.

She frowned. "I don't understand why this would happen…"

"Nor do I. But…" Kath hesitated to gather his thoughts, as he'd been trying to do for days now. "I was informed that time is one of the aforementioned energies. Or force, in this case."

Yareis blinked. "You're becoming an Immortal…?"

"In theory. Nothing has yet changed." He paused again, then amended his statement a bit. "Not that I have been able to tell, at any rate."

"The changes would likely start subtle," Yareis said. She fidgeted with her fingers for a moment, thinking. "There aren't many ways to know for sure."

"I would assume it would be a touch more… drastic," Kath responded with a small frown. "I am-... was not a semi-Immortal like you are. Going from mortal to Immortal is in and of itself a drastic change."

"You were already practically a semi-Immortal," Yareis challenged. "In all but how existence treats you, and the powers you now possess."

His gaze shifted to look over at her. "...I suppose," he eventually agreed.

Yareis let out a gentle sigh. "Has anyone else been identified to be making this change like you are?"

"It is possible, but I do not know who most of them are," he answered. "A man named Cyril guessed that a Mobian by the name of Shadow might be. Beyond that, the only one I know of is a Light user named Rose."

The woman fell quiet briefly. "Wasn't she… the angry Light user? I could feel the rage buried inside of her the one time I saw her."

"She does harbor many ill-feelings, yes."

Yareis frowned. "That is not what I would have expected." He just shrugged a bit once more. Choosing to shift the topic slightly, she asked, "If you become an Immortal… what would you first want to accomplish, if the war was over?"

This earned yet another shrug. "Life is little else but work. Whatever needs doing at the time is what I will focus on."

She wasn't… sure how to respond to this. "But assume that there isn't anything that needs to be done. It's something you desire."

This made him hesitate again, this time for even longer. He genuinely had no idea how to answer her question. "I do not know," he finally said. "I want for little in my life. Things are… easier that way."

"Is that how you want to live?" Yareis questioned after a second of her own hesitation.

"It is all I know, Yareis. 'New' and 'different' typically translates to 'dangerous' and 'painful'."

"I can say that it isn't always the case… but now isn't the time for a discussion like that," Yareis murmured. "I won't try to change your views on life like that." Kath nodded slightly and looked away. Yareis fell quiet, trying to think of something else to talk about. This is a bad idea. "Do… you have an opinion of me now?"

More finger drumming. Like before, it was a distinctly thoughtful action. "...I do not know how to put such things into words," he eventually explained. "This is not an area I have any level of skill in. I do not understand people well enough as a whole to discuss most matters involving them."

"If you had to choose one, would you say that you think badly, well, or indifferent about me?" Yareis dared to ask.

"There is no reason to think ill of you," Kath told her straight away.

This was relieving to hear, Yareis decided. "Good…"

"Why are you asking me this?" he questioned, looking over again.

Shit! Yareis turned her attention away from him quickly, coughing. "People, uh… tend to not like me. I come off as… well, cold to most."

Given that he often did as well, this was a familiar story to Kath. Albeit, with one key difference. He didn't care about it. Her words, however, seemed to suggest that she did. "You let their words influence your own thoughts?"

"When most people you know do not seem to think highly of you… it becomes difficult to think otherwise."

"It is better to be alone than to remain around those who treat you poorly," Kath responded almost with a sort of huff.

Yareis didn't respond to this for some time, keeping her attention on the floor. "It's hard to be alone."

Now that was a concept he didn't understand. Personally, he was more than used to it. In terms of family and friends, he had wound up living his life entirely alone and devoid of such relationships for most of said life. It was something he was just… used to. If it had ever bothered him before, it certainly didn't now. "...I suppose," was all he ended up saying.

The woman got up from her chair and whisked it away, choosing to walk around the room for a moment. Thinking about the past always… came back to bite her in the ass. "I hope I'm not bothering you with any of… this."

"No, you are not," he said without any of his earlier hesitation. "I would say so if you were."

"I'm not sure what to say or do, honestly." I find myself at a loss for words around you. "You seem to understand me better than most." Yareis glanced to him, watching. She felt unnecessarily tense, having led herself into what felt like a wall. Don't say that. You don't know him that well.

"I have been… making an effort," Kath revealed to her slowly. "I was not aware of doing it particularly well, prior to you saying that."

"And I appreciate that," Yareis replied. I want to be more… "I'm doing my best to understand you as well."

Kath considered that for a bit. "My daughter was always of the opinion," he said, "that one good way to get to know people is to ask questions. As you have already been doing. Assuming that is true, you have been going about it in a 'correct' way, so to speak."

Yet I feel so far from understanding. "I had not thought of it in that way," Yareis murmured. "I suppose that with all of my questioning, I should allow you to do the same."

"I would not be opposed to having such a discussion," Kath agreed, "but at a somewhat later time. I have not slept in some time and I have been growing tired."

"Ah-" You idiot, you wasted your chance. No, I didn't- …I hate this. "You should rest," Yareis agreed gently. "I will take my leave momentarily, then."

"You do not have to leave if you do not wish to," Kath told her, standing up. "You are welcome to remain here if you wish. This room and my belongings can withstand immense cooling, should you choose to linger."

The woman blinked. "Do… you mean it?"

"Yes, or else I would not have offered," was the calm reply. "Space can be made for you to rest as well, if you would like."

"Thank you," Yareis murmured softly. "It… means a lot that you would extend such generosity."

He inclined his head. His aura encased several tables and all they were carrying and shifted them into the corners. This way, she had plenty of space to form a bed if she so chose. She watched this all quietly before seeming to take the hint, forming herself a bed of ice and simply leaving it there for the time being. Kath then looked up at the glass domed ceiling that was above where they were standing. The rest of the ceiling was stone, but this was a full window to the stars. Stars that gave him a potentially risky idea.

Stifling his resurgent hesitation, he frosted the glass over entirely with his own ice powers, then created a frozen rendition of a different section of night sky… the very section she would have seen over her own world. Every single star was accurate, right down to the constellations.

Yareis saw this all happen and it took her very little time to recognize what happened, clasping a hand over her mouth. Words couldn't describe how this made her feel and she turned away from him quickly. "Y-you should… go rest…" She murmured, trying to calm herself. All at once tears flowed from how much this meant to her… and nobody ever got to see her cry.

Deciding it was best to respect her wishes, he murmured a vague farewell and vanished from the room. Once he was gone, she climbed onto her bed and allowed the tears to flow, feeling them freeze against her skin and fall to clink gently against her icy structure, adding one more bit of beauty to this display. The sight of the sky of her home…

It hurt, absolutely. It was a reminder of a time long gone, when she was hopeful for a chance to save them. They didn't listen. However… it also served as a gift from Kath. She wasn't sure which made her cry more, but what was assured was that she certainly focused on it having come from him. I know for sure, now, that I like him.

~保護者~

Lia sighed dejectedly to herself. She was laying on her stomach under her bed, where she had been playing with a few toys. Only, she was no longer having fun. The problem was that her daddy and brother were asleep. The people who looked kind of like her Uncle Sonic were, too. Toru's daddy wasn't home right now. She was pretty sure Toru had also gone somewhere. None of them could play with her.

Myriu was home, but probably also asleep. And even if she wasn't, Lia had figured out by now that she was bothering the other girl in some way. She couldn't put her small finger on it, exactly, but that didn't make it less true. Her talking always just seemed to make Myriu tired or confused, sometimes both. Myriu never wanted to play. Lia sought her out to spend time with her, but Myriu never did the same.

While it hadn't happened right away, Lia had clued in to these things and realized that she probably needed to stop. I don't know why she doesn't like me, she thought, feeling sad all of a sudden. I don't think I made her mad or hurt her feelings… so how come she doesn't like me? Resting her chin on her arms with low ears, she gave up entirely on the idea of having any fun right now. Given how she was feeling and the fact that she knew no one was going to play with her, it seemed like she may as well just go to bed herself. For once, she didn't have any pronounced desire to do anything else.

A knocking came at the door to Lia's room, something rather gentle and quiet. It was assuredly Myriu, judging by how similar it was to the past times she had done so. It took a second for the littler girl to really take notice, but once she did her tiny ears perked. She squirmed and wiggled until she was out of her "secret hiding place" and walked to her door with only some of her usual energy. Upon opening the door, she blinked a few times before blurting out, "You aren't sleeping?"

Myriu rubbed at one of her eyes a little. "Not now," she answered. "I couldn't sleep long." The girl looked at Lia with a confused gaze. "Did something happen?"

Ruby eyes blinked again, then were quickly averted. "No. I just got bored and stuff."

Myriu tilted her head and blinked as well. "What are you doing?"

"I was playing with my toys," Lia told her. "We were exploring a cave."

The chameleon chose to simply walk inside the room. "A cave? What cave?"

Lia pointed under her bed. "That one. It was big and dark and we got lost but the cave monster was actually nice and was helping us. Then I got bored."

Myriu blinked and got down on the floor, looking under the bed. "I do not understand."

Now visibly confused, Lia tilted her head. "I was playing a game. Don't you play games?"

"I play many games," Myriu explained. "Board games specifically."

"No-o-o-o, not that kind of game," Lia insisted dramatically. "Games with ima-... ima-... Um, 'imagination'?" She thought about that word for a moment, then gave a decisive nod. "Yeah, that! It lives in your head and you can use it for fun stuff like games."

Lives in my head? That's a parasite. "Are you… certain?" Myriu questioned hesitantly. This was confusing.

"Don't you ever imagine stuff?" Lia asked her in return. "Like, even just what it's like to go to a new place or try a new thing."

"I usually think of what would occur based on what I know," Myriu answered in kind.

"But everybody has imagination. You must have used it somehow. Even my daddy has it."

Myriu blinked slowly as she thought this matter over. I suppose I have imagined what it would be like to have an actual mother. "I'm not sure."

Lia gave up at that point and changed the subject. "What are you doing?" she asked instead. "How come you didn't sleep more?"

"Couldn't sleep," Myriu said simply, taking a seat. She thought for a second, then corrected herself. "Well… couldn't stay asleep."

Appearing by her bed in a flash of speed, Lia climbed up and then also took a seat. "How come?" she then asked, small legs swinging idly.

"Nightmare," Myriu answered. "Woke me up."

"Oh." Lia looked down. "I'm sorry."

The young chameleon waved it off. "Don't worry. It's fine."

Lia was quiet. "Are you bored, too?" she eventually asked.

"Yes," Myriu admitted easily. "Why?"

"So what do you wanna do?"

"Did you have something in mind?"

"I dunno," Lia sighed, flopping backward onto her bed with her arms stretched out. "The cave monster was helping us but we're still lost and I don't wanna find a mean cave monster on accident."

Myriu blinked once. "What… if the mean monster was nicer than you expect?"

"You think so?" Lia asked, lifting her head up to look at the other girl.

The chameleon shrugged. "Only one way to find out."

Suddenly, Lia was sitting up with wide eyes. They were equally surprised and hopeful. "Do you want to try and go with me?"

It took Myriu a few seconds of thought before she spoke. "I… will try."

"Really?!" Lia exclaimed, hopping down off of the bed.

"There is no harm in trying this time," Myriu said easily.

Lia almost squealed with delight. "Come on!" she said in excitement, already heading under the bed. "Let's go!"

Why the hell did I agree to this? The young chameleon followed suit, vanishing into the shadows under the bed.

~保護者~

It was time to head back again, full of bravado and warping himself right into Calypso's room. He was either going to die, or nothing was really going to happen. It felt fifty-fifty. In this particular instance, he got the latter result. Being sound asleep at the moment, Calypso both didn't notice and didn't react to his abrupt appearance. She just remained asleep, absolutely entangled between and cocooned within her blankets as she virtually always was when at rest in a bed.

Another act of bravery… or foolishness. He warped into the bed right next to her and wrapped his arms around the cocoon, holding it close. "Calypso, you're bound to notice me now," he said gently. He got a sort of tired whimper out of her this time and she shifted a bit in her sleep. Nothing else happened right then.

And here's where even he thought he was being a fool, warping her out of the blankets and into his arms, holding her just a little bit closer. "C'mon, I'm home," he huffed, amused.

Calypso gasped and jolted up when the cold night air hit her, then whirled on the man responsible. "What you t'ink you're doing?" she hissed. "It cold in here and I be sleepin'!" She was quick to wrap herself up in her blankets again, but she remained awake when she was done. "You be a cruel man, you are," she accused, but not at all seriously.

He snorted in amusement. "I figured you'd wanna know I was home and all," Saethrim explained. "That, and I wanted to talk to you."

"Cruel," she said again, sighing. Then she asked, "What you want to talk about so late, eh?"

"I was out and about doing all the things I had to do, and I came across Finis. He mentioned that you liked a man named Kath." Saethrim glanced over. "I'm not trampling over a relationship, right? I can be a pain in the ass, but I'd never want to cause any problems like that."

Calypso shook her head. "No, you not," she said. "For a time, we want to mind t'ing forward, let simple crush become more. But if not happen, and t'en t'is war get worse. I tell him I need to focus on ot'er t'ing, and he accept wit'out complaint. We still be friend, but t'at all."

Saethrim managed a smile. "I'm glad you were at least willing to potentially move on with someone else you cared about. I'd hate for you to live a life as long as yours without someone by your side."

She smiled right back at him. "I have you now," she murmured. "T'at everyt'ing I ever wanted."

"Same for me," Saethrim replied easily. "That's all I wanted to know, by the way. I've got no qualms sleeping if that's what you wanna do now."

"I be tired," Calypso agreed. "Trekk drive me up t'e wall today."

"What was he doing?"

"Bein' a teenager. He sassin' me and havin' too many emotion all at once for my own good."

Saethrim laughed a little. "What did you do about it?"

"I tell him off when he give attitude over not'in'," she huffed, "but ot'erwise I try let him be. It what usually work for him. But he have many attitude today."

"It's not something I should talk to him about, yeah?" Saethrim questioned gently.

"No, he be fine in t'e mornin'," Calypso said.

The man laid back in the bed, nodding. "I'll trust that." His gaze shifted up to the roof for a moment. "It's so weird. I'm not a God anymore, but creatures still respect me as if I was."

"You do much to earn t'e respect," Calypso reminded quietly. "You fight for t'em and care for t'em all t'e time, even when no one else do t'e same. T'at mean a lot."

"I suppose," Saethrim agreed. "I'm just… in awe. I've been dead for so long."

"Many race have long memory," Calypso pointed out.

"Ghune included. She's been irritable with me," the man joked.

Dark eyes blinked. "Why she been like t'at?" she asked.

Saethrim chuckled. "For disappearing like I did, and showing up acting like… well, me."

"But t'ere not'ing wrong wit' who you are." Calypso shifted to pulled the blankets up a bit more. "T'e good quality you have be too good to ignore."

I wonder if Ghune could bring back her magic… "I like picking at her. That veiled anger is hilarious."

"I no see how anger be funny. I live wit' Tempest anger for many year and it not fun for me."

"It's nothing like Tempest," Saethrim was quick to explain. "It's hard to explain, though." She just shrugged, not getting it but also not quite caring enough to inquire about it more. Saethrim left himself to his thoughts for a moment, blinking slowly. "You haven't gotten to meet Kial yet, have you? He was my student."

"No, I do not have t'e chance. I just hear some t'ing about him sometime."

Saethrim's interest was piqued. "You have?"

"Just little t'ing now and t'en," Calypso shrugged. "Like when I tell you I not t'ink he ever encounter darker myt'ical creature before, like vampire."

My fault. "Nothing substantial, then," Saethrim guessed. "I'm sure you'd like him as a person. He's everything that Tempest isn't on a daily basis. Calm, rational, thoughtful… but like her he's got a big heart. His just shows more."

She nodded slowly. "I see."

"I've talked a lot," Saethrim decided. "Tell me about this Kath guy. Must be one hell of a man for you to have a crush on him." The smirk on his face was telling.

Though she huffed and shoved him a bit, Calyspo smiled and obliged. "He a… complicated man. He like Yareis. Very cold on t'e outside most of t'e time. But he like your student in some way, too. Big heart, like you say. He suffer t'rough much from my people when he be but a child, during t'e era of raid on Babylon. He stolen away from him home. It change him a lot, but in good way, too. He marry t'e queen, Laralei, eventually, but t'ing happen and he rule on his own by t'e time I get to know him well. I learn he love to study and grow his mind. It one of t'e more… interesting t'ing about him."

Hearing all of this made him smile. "I'm glad you could say so much good about him." Saethrim rolled over finally and wrapped an arm over the blanket-wrapped woman. "It sounds like you were in good hands, and I just might have to meet him if you're both friends."

"We are. We will always be friend. T'at never gonna change." Calypso smiled and snuggled closer. "Also… you should meet him, anyway. T'e Celetial animal on old Babylon… t'ey survive mostly because of him. He make sure many of t'em get off t'e planet before it explode. He care much about t'em, especially those wolf. He been bonded wit' one since he was very small."

"He somehow only manages to get more and more interesting," Saethrim replied with a chuckle. "I'll make sure to meet him at some point."

"Good. I can help wit' it. He not always good at talkin'. It harder t'an writin', he say." She huffed out a soft laugh. "Writin' give him time to plan a reply, I suppose."

Saethrim shrugged."I'll help you meet Kial one day. Kid is good at vanishing sometimes. Not because he tries. He's just quiet as hell."

"Alright. I can agree to t'at."

The da Asani smiled a bit more and leaned forward to kiss Calypso's cheek, relaxing into the monstrosity of blankets that had formed. "It's time for a nap. Don't wake me up unless it's serious or for food." That earned him another shove and Calypso closed her eyes to sleep. Glad I'm here… with you, Saethrim thought to himself as he joined her in rest. This was just… perfect.

~保護者~

All that was left was to give it to Alana, Li decided. He was truly satisfied with his work, looking over the gorgeous white blade. It wasn't the right balance of weight for him, but it would be absolutely perfect for her.

Instead of hand-delivering it as he often did, he instead just chose to teleport it to her. He didn't want this one vanishing before he could give it to the right person, like what had happened to Espio's sword. He could tell her all about it when they next met in person.

Li turned over to Novei, who was currently laying back against a wall in a slight doze. A smile came across his face at the sight and he walked over to sit beside her, leaning up against the Therian. "Hey, Novei?"

One of her eyes opened slightly and looked at him as she asked, "Huh?"

"I'm done working for now," Li said with a light smile.

Novei didn't attempt to wake up further, instead leaning over and wrapping her arms around him. "Good."

Li chose not to question the gentle affection (despite rough affection usually being her choice), and returned the favor. "I figured you might want to do more."

"Nope," the woman answered.

"You've been acting off since you talked to your mother," Li pointed out. "What's wrong?"

"She acted like she cared."

"Maybe she does?" Li posed.

Luckily, he couldn't see her hateful gaze, otherwise it may have spooked him. "Bullshit," she spat.

Li didn't like challenging her when she was determined, but this was one such time he was willing. "Are you sure?"

Novei frowned at him. "Yes."

"I'm not gonna keep pressing for you to agree, but I'm pretty sure that if she approached you, then that means she might care."

The Therian rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. As if."

"You should try to talk to her," Li said gently. "And before you cut in, I mean to talk calmly. Maybe she wasn't lying."

Novei let out an annoyed grunt, but surprisingly didn't argue about it. "Fine. I'll give her one more chance."

Li managed to ignore her irritation this time. "Good." Maybe that'll help you not be so upset with her.

~保護者~

The problem with villages was that even they were way too crowded. That is to say, they were too crowded for easy scent tracking. Now, it could have been done. Marthal was more than capable. The real issue was that he didn't have the energy or desire to bother. It seemed pretty pointless, anyway. She found me easily enough on her own the last few times, anyway. May as well just let her do it again.

His mind made, the yokai walked slowly and cautiously through the forested settlement that was Hyale. Being entirely without his hearing aids was a rare thing for him, and it unnerved him that he couldn't hear anything anymore. Had there been any loud noises, he could have heard those. They'd have been muffled, but it would have been something. But this was a chameleon village. Things were naturally quiet. For him, they were a step beyond that.

He stifled a sigh and took a seat beneath an unoccupied tree. Mei slept peacefully in his arms, unbothered by the whole of existence around her. If anything, she seemed to become more at ease when he ceased hiding his energies so as to make it easier for Tyria to find her. His kit even seemed to be smiling a bit in her sleep. That managed to lift his spirits some.

Her scent soon reached him with Tyria appearing in the tree above him, jumping down beside him to sit. "I could have come to you," she stated, glancing over Mei. She didn't continue that thought, instead choosing to focus on something else. "Your child seems precious. What is her name?"

Tyria was talking. He knew she was. But he was terrible at reading lips and could barely make out more than a few words she'd said. Sighing in mild annoyance at his predicament, he spoke while signing at the same time. "My hearing aids were ruined. I can't hear you." Rather than try to keep speaking, in that case, she simply signed out what she had said. Relieved that she could also sign in the so-called Universal Language, Marthal was quick to reply. "I would have come here regardless. Like I said in the past, I like being around nature. There happens to be a lot of that out here." After a slight pause, he added, "Her name is Mei. I don't know if I ever told you, but a very long time ago I had two daughters, Natallie and then Mei. Nat managed to live a long life, but Mei got sick and passed when she was still young. Guess someone saw fit to bring her back."

"I see. Are you inclined to believe you would need to worry about the same sickness afflicting her?" Tyria thought to ask, tilting her head.

"I don't think so," Marthal answered. "She caught it from somewhere last time, like her mom did. It wasn't anything genetic or whatever."

"Good. Inform me if she has any health issues, however. I would be willing to do my best to aid you." Tyria glanced to the child, then returned her attention to him. "How do you feel?"

Marthal sighed. "I will. And I feel like crap, like I did the last time this happened." He pause, gave that some thought. "No, scratch that. I feel worse. I did worse shit this time than before, even if no one managed to get hurt by it somehow."

"I am sorry to hear that. I will not begin to imagine what it was like, as it simply may be insulting to what you truly experienced." He just shrugged. The chameleon chose to change the subject. "It is good to see you."

Marthal started to reply, but paused when Mei's eyes blinked open. She shifted in his hold, turned over, and dug the claws of one hand into his arm in the process. By the time he'd removed those tiny daggers from his skin, she was wiggling into another new position so as to better look at Tyria. The chameleon passed along a minute smile to the young kit. Seeing this, the kit automatically smiled back and pulled herself free of Marthal in order to crawl right over to Tyria. Her father huffed. "She's nothing if not bold and impulsive. Fair warning that if you hold her she may scratch you. Cat yokai kits don't gain control over their claws until at least a year of age, if not two."

Tyria waved off his warning and collected the kit carefully, holding her firmly with one arm and continuing to sign with the other. "She is sweet." Marthal smiled a little and nodded. The chameleon caressed the head of the kit with tender care, smiling as well.

Somehow, the sight of that managed to make Marthal feel just a bit better.

~保護者~

13,854 words this time. Many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support. Posted (at about 11:45 p.m.) 12-14-21.