Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) in this wicked encounter… especially for the one who made a critical error.

~保護者~

"The Fool"

~保護者~

By now, Shadow's pain had escalated to the point where he felt constantly breathless and nauseous. He was laying in the sole bed and this place that Eila had apparently created, curled on his side with his head near the edge of the bed. He'd already thrown up once, which Espio had thankfully caught and banished with his Darkness. Still, despite the fact that no mess had been made, Shadow hated being seen in this sort of state.

Espio (who had informed Armaris of his whereabouts minutes before) was, of course, aware of that. He made no comment about what had happened, choosing instead to focus on other matters. Rather brazenly, he ignored Shadow's standard boundaries and moved one of the hedgehog's hands off of the opposite arm. "Try not to grip yourself. You will cause damage."

When he (predictably) got no substantial response, he turned to Toru. "It isn't uncommon for someone in labor to need something to squeeze while they are in pain," he explained, even though he didn't particularly want to be the one educating someone about these things. "Such an action can help with coping to some degree. His biology may mean he'll experience the desire to bite for the same reason. Make him something with your Darkness if you have to." It went without saying why he personally couldn't help in this area.

Rather than craft something with Darkness, which would have likely been the safer option given Shadow's growing strength, Toru made a different choice. The chameleon shifted closer to Shadow and grabbed ahold of one of Shadow's hands. Shadow reflexively gripped Toru's hand in response. Even once he realized that they were holding hands, he didn't make any fuss or try to pull away. He just accepted it.

After a bit of quiet, Espio spoke up again. He didn't like the idea of doing this mostly because he didn't want to talk to the person in question… but he was willing to for his friend's sake. "Toru, do you want me to locate your father and bring him here?"

Toru paused for a moment. He hadn't thought at all about his father with everything going on lately. Immediately, he nodded. "If you can… please."

"I will be back." Espio vanished immediately upon saying this. He stood outside for a time, stretching his senses to locate the man in question. Once he'd found him, he teleported there. This wasn't someone he wanted to talk to or be near, nor was it someone he had seen since being a young child. Still, for Toru's sake, he approached and spoke. Though he did studiously avoid looking at the man while doing so. "Your son needs you," he explained briefly. "He is not in danger, but would like you to go to him."

Caer blinked a few times at the appearance of the other chameleon. "Oh, Espio. I almost didn't recognize you. You've grown so… So much." It took him a second, but he did address what was said to him. "What's happening?"

Espio's shoulders lifted in a vague shrug and he said, "It is better that he explain, if he is up to it. I don't know the full story."

"Fair enough." Caer smiled to Espio. "Real fast, how have you been, kid? Still raising hell amongst the elders? Giving them trouble?"

Amber eyes blinked in response to those questions. Why does he sound so… lighthearted? "I've been fine," he answered vaguely. Then he added, "I do not cause trouble in the village when it can be avoided now. I prefer to keep to my own company."

"Took after your parents, eh?" Caer chuckled. "They were good people, even if me and Aniko got into it every now and then. Take care, Espio. I'm gonna head over to my kid, but I'd definitely like to talk a bit more some other time."

Now Espio was more confused. "Why would you want-... Never mind. Toru is through the portal left open in the house you are headed toward." With that said, Espio teleported straight back through the portal in question.

Caer chuckled a little. "Still a touch unusual, but you've grown into a fine man." He knew Espio wasn't there to hear it, but he was quite pleased to know Espio and his son were doing so well. He followed Espio seconds later, teleporting into the home, then through the portal.

When Caer appeared, Toru immediately used his Darkness to drag the older man into a hug, holding him close. "Glad you're here, dad."

"I'll always be here for ya, kid," Caer said, wrapping an arm around Toru. He chose not to question anything. None of this was going to make sense, and too much was going on to try to understand it all. "Need anything from me?" Espio hung back for now, standing on the opposite side of the bed from them so as to stay near Shadow but give the other chameleons their space.

Toru shook his head. "Just… want you here." The onyx chameleon smiled softly. It felt nice.

Espio watched them in silence, then looked away before his attention could be noticed. His personal issues with Caer aside… he was glad the man was here. Toru has needed him for a long time. It is good that he was revived. While they were distracted, he murmured to Shadow, "Are you alright?"

He soon got a tense nod in reply. "...Yes," Shadow answered between gritted teeth.

Liar. He was guilty of saying this same sort of lie much too often, so Espio didn't feel he had the right to comment. He let the matter go, at least for now.

Toru didn't comment on it either, knowing full well it was a lie as well. "Just… do your best to relax, okay? I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Shadow nodded just a little, but the response was immediate. He understood what Toru had said and, more importantly, he understood that Toru meant it.

All things considered… this was something Toru had never prepared for. Having a child with another male… it didn't make sense, sure, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were having this child. It was going to be theirs.

That was what mattered.

~保護者~

Jet woke slowly in his hospital bed. He'd had a series of strangely peaceful dreams, a rarity for him that he wasn't prepared to complain about. Still, it had him feeling sleepy for a time even after opening his eyes. Said eyes wandered about the room in the meantime, idly taking note of who all was present.

His parents and Wave were all there. That wasn't especially surprising. They were all asleep, and a quick glance at the nearest window explained why. It was… what, early afternoon? The day was somewhere in the ballpark of half over. He hadn't seen at least two of these people sleep in at least a few days or more on top of that. It was good that they were resting.

Looking a bit farther to the left, he spied Kath and Azerel. The latter was dozing as was often the case, but Kath was wide awake. His arms were crossed and his head was turned away, a look in his icy blue eyes that clearly indicated how far away his mind was right now. That wasn't what held Jet's attention, however. His grandfather's leg was bouncing tirelessly. Jet knew the meaning behind that rare action. He doesn't want to sit still… but he came here regardless. Why is he so antsy? What happened?

Jet felt a little more awake now. Careful to keep his voice down, he called out, "Kaicha?"

Hearing that name made Kath straighten. He looked at Jet out of the corner of his eye, then unexpectedly sighed before standing and walking over. The grey hawk claimed a chair on the opposite side of the bed from Wave, Sein, and Alana. "You are awake," he murmured. "Good."

"More or less," Jet agreed. He noticed something else right about then and asked, "Was I given medicine? I feel sluggish and… somewhat numb in places."

Kath nodded. "Yes. Your friend healed you a great deal, but some injuries remain. Wave and your mother noticed signs of pain in you as you slept, and they informed a doctor. From what I overheard, the medicine you were injected with is meant to cause numbness. It is to prevent suffering from the pain of severe injuries."

That made enough sense. It wasn't like any medicine the Babylonians could ever create would heal wounds caused by an Immortal. Much less ones caused by Nareish. Jet thought about that for a minute, then said softly, "Thank you for being here. But you don't have to stay."

"Wrong," Kath corrected immediately, surprising Jet. "I may not know you well, but that does not change the fact that we are family. I am staying."

The firmness of his tone brooked no room for argument. The familiarity of that tone and the sincerity of the words he'd just been told made Jet sort of want to smile. He resisted the urge for now. "You've been fidgeting," he observed. "That usually means you're antsy and stressed, maybe even anxious. What's going on?"

There was a long silence. Eventually, Kath sighed again. The sound was deeper this time and it almost seemed to sort of… drain him. "Someone I was very close to died," he admitted. "It was recent. She and her partner were always… important to me. Special. In many ways, I grew to view them as my own parents."

Jet lowered his gaze, knowing all too well now what sort of pain his grandfather was in. "...I see," was all he could bring himself to say.

The pair fell silent. However, Kath was the one to break it before too long. That marked the second time that he had managed to surprise Jet so far. "Perhaps sometime you can meet her partner," he suggested slowly. "You would likely get along with him."

There was no reason to hesitate. "Sure. I'd like that." He paused, thinking. "I heard… that Grandmother is alive?"

Kath blinked and nodded. "Yes. She has been resting in a spare room lately. The revival process appears to have exhausted her more than it exhausts most others."

"That happens sometimes," Jet agreed. "When she's up for it… will you let me know? I want to meet her."

"You have my word."

Now that did make Jet smile, just a little. Since when do you give promises so quickly? "Thank you." He didn't get much response to that, which was about what he'd expected. He glanced up nearer to Kath's face again, but paused when he noticed something. "You have ice in your feathers," he pointed out.

Frowning slightly, Kath brushed at the feathers on his neck. Sure enough, some small but plainly visible ice crystals fell away. "Of course I do," he grumbled.

Something told Jet that he was… about to get told a hell of a story if he played his cards right. "Why was there ice on you?" he carefully pressed. Kath didn't tell him, but instead stood and moved away from his chair. He then surprised Jet for a third time by shifting into a wolf. His grandfather shook himself off somewhat vigorously, causing more bits of ice to dislodge themselves. Azerel was pelted a few times in the face and opened his eyes to glare at them both. "I don't suppose you know what happened," Jet murmured to the wolf. The look he got back was nothing if not amused.

Kath shifted back and teleported all of the ice away before returning to his seat. For whatever reason, he decided then to answer Jet's question. "Azerel forcibly shifted me earlier," he said with a frown in his companion's direction. "An… ally that was visiting me reacted by hugging on me incessantly. She is made of ice. Some of it was evidently left behind when she finally released me."

It went without saying that Jet knew better than to laugh. That didn't stop him from being somewhat tempted, though. "Ah," he said. He wisely left it at that. The pair grew quiet again after that. Consequently, it didn't take a long time for him to find himself drifting back off to sleep. In the end, he didn't even try to fight it. He was just so tired…

Jet was startled awake sometime later when he felt an impact behind him on his bed. Opening his eyes, he leaned back a bit to see what or who was there. He relaxed when he saw it was just Azerel. The wolf turned around a few times, then laid down with a sigh. Somehow, Jet managed a fleeting smile. He'd missed spending time with his grandfather's companion… even if this technically wasn't the same Azerel he'd come to know so well.

Closing his eyes again, he resituated himself and murmured, "Thanks for the company, Azerel." All he got in response was another sigh. That was fine. Jet was soon drifting back off to sleep, anyway. Whatever medicine the doctors had him on, it demanded that he rest. He was helpless to resist it and, soon, he was gone all over again.

The next few times he woke up didn't last long. The first time, he was vaguely aware of someone checking his temperature and adjusting his few bandages. The second time, he thought he heard Wave. He thought he might have even said something in reply, but that was all he remembered. The third and final time, he woke up to the feeling of his mother's aura coming into the room. It soothed him straight back to sleep, and this time he stayed out for much longer.

When he eventually did wake up again, he found himself blinking his eyes open and looking into Wave's face. She wore a soft smile and one of her hands was resting atop one of his own. Soon, he realized that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. "You were dreaming," she informed him quietly. He could see his parents still dozing in chairs nearby. That no doubt explained her volume control. "What was it about? You looked peaceful."

"I dunno," Jet murmured, yawning. Then he said, "Must have been nice."

She chuckled and patted his hand. "Must have been," she agreed. After saying that, she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. " Listen… I've got to go for a little while, okay? I want to go check on Alec and the other kids. I'll check on Lucas, too."

Now, Jet was still feeling drowsy and sluggish. That didn't, however, make him slow to respond to this. "Will you tell me how he is when you come back?" he asked her. "I know he's safe, but…"

"Of course I will," Wave murmured when he trailed off. "Of course I will." She kissed him on the cheek again, this time allowing herself to linger for a bit longer. Once she sat back up, she told him, "It turns out that that's where Hannah, Suri, and Ten all went when you had to ask them to leave A'latria. I'll make sure they know you're doing better now and that they can come see you here."

His eyelids felt heavy. Already, they were drooping. Whatever he was on, it was strong. Kath had said it was a pain reliever, hadn't he? If that was true, then that made sense. He was trying to heal from wounds dealt by Nareish, after all. "Okay," he answered. He was barely able to keep his eyes open long enough to see her smile and stand up. Whatever else she may have said or done after that was lost to him.

By the time he woke up for the fifth time, Jet was definitely starting to hurt again. It was what roused him from his sleep. Though it had him tense and uncomfortable, it had the positive side effect of letting him be a bit more coherent and less tired. For that reason, it didn't take as much effort this time to open his eyes. It was night out now. Judging by the position of the two moons outside, it was fairly late.

That he'd managed to lose the entire day to sleep was a touch aggravating, but that wasn't an emotion he held onto for long. Especially when he was distracted by people starting to get up and otherwise react to him being awake again. Alana walked over to him first and lovingly smoothed a hand over the side of his head. "It is good to see you awake and with clear eyes again, my son," she murmured. "You have been medicated rather heavily up until this point."

Jet was pretty sure he remembered figuring that out. Or being told. Something like that. No wonder it felt like his head slowly emerging from someplace foggy and confused. "...Oh."

Simply from the desire to not crowd around Jet, Sein chose to stand a bit behind Alana. That didn't stop him from positively beaming at his son, however. "Yeah, you've been sleeping quite a lot, bud. Really happy to see you fully waking up."

"Wave left to check on the children," Alana informed Jet when he looked around. "She will be back soon."

Did he remember that? Jet wasn't entirely sure. Either way, he accepted what he'd been told. "Where did Kaicha go?"

This made Alana sigh. "I had to convince him to go out for a time. He tried quite hard to refuse. Someone he was close to… passed recently, and he is stressed out because of it. I suppose you could say he has a large amount of nervous energy at the moment. I convinced him to go find something to work on in his observatory to use up some of that energy."

"Hopefully, he'll find something to channel that energy into," Sein said, voice soft.

If that was what was going on… Jet had to agree with that sentiment. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. A moment later, he was having to stifle a yawn.

"How are you feeling?" Sein asked after a moment. "The meds fading out?"

"I feel numb in places and sore in others," Jet admitted. "That probably means they're wearing off."

"Would you prefer to have more to dull the pain, or do you want to stay awake?"

"I'd rather be awake for a while."

Sein nodded easily to that. It was an easy enough request to respect. "Gotcha. Let someone know when it's too much, alright?"

"Alright," Jet agreed easily enough.

Sein jumped a little when Cyril suddenly popped into existence between him and the bed. The finch gasped a little and moved closer. "Oh, no wonder Wave's been here so much… You doing okay?" he asked immediately, plainly concerned.

Since Cyril was someone he recognized from a couple brief past meetings, Jet was able to reply without feeling too much social discomfort overall. Someone Wave trusted was someone he trusted. "I'm alright," he assured, sort of waving Cyril's concerns off with a hand. "I'll heal."

Cyril smiled brightly. "Glad to hear that. I was worried about you."

Though his mother was quick to caution him against movement, Jet nevertheless shifted a bit in the bed so that he could look at them all easier. "Did she ask you to come here?" he inquired.

"Wave said I should drop by and see you, but I would've come without her asking. We're friends." Cyril chuckled a little. "Besides, figured you might wanna hear about some of the crazy stuff I figured out recently."

"What stuff?" Jet asked, feeling wary in spite of himself. Alana gave his shoulder a small squeeze, then went to sit down so that Sein could have some time by him rather than continue hanging back.

Cyril held out a hand and small magical sparks flew from his palm. "Never knew I had magic other than my cards. It was insane to find out. All of a sudden I'm some god or something, and I can actually protect my friends."

That made Jet relax. "Crazy" clearly didn't equate to "bad" this time. He'd heard about this, anyway, and said as much. "Word reached me about your new role," he revealed. "I haven't heard much, but I understand what your role is at least."

"Apparently, I just kinda govern magic, but I don't really understand just yet what that means." Cyril shrugged a little. "Other than the fighting, I'm really enjoying everything about this. I'm learning so much so fast."

Jet shifted his hand to call forth soft blue magic into his own hand. "Have you discovered this type yet?" he asked. "It's ancient healing magic used by our people back when we all lived in tribes. I make use of it in my home fairly regularly."

Cyril shook his head honestly, but he instinctively held a hand over the magic. "I can definitely feel what you mean. It's so… gentle. Kinda reminds me of my aba." He chuckled a little. "Been a long time…"

His grandmother? Jet decided not to question him about that and just nodded instead. He let the magic in his palm vanish. In his current state, maintaining that magic was too difficult.

The finch snapped a finger and a similarly soft yellow magic floated above his own hand. "I've gotten ahold of some fairly basic magic, overall. Like, fire, ice, healing… that stuff. Most of it is pretty simple."

"And the rest of it?" Jet asked, latching onto the word "most" in Cyril's statement.

"Well, uh," Cyril chuckled a little. "Might've also picked up on some magics that vampires use… kinda?"

"Vampires?" Jet echoed, visibly surprised. "Where in the hell did you encounter one of them?"

"On Mobius!" Cyril said excitedly. "He was super chill. Taught me how to call for help from other magic users. Even said I did a good job!"

Although Jet didn't know Cyril well, this childlike excitement still managed not to catch him off-guard. "...Why was there a vampire on Mobius?" he dared to ask.

"Not a clue," Cyril replied. Isn't Shadow one, too? Maybe he doesn't know. "I think you know one, though."

"No," Jet corrected, his confusion mounting. "Not personally. I make it a point to stay away from their kind. Multiple individuals have worked to kill me before, and being drained by one of them is not an experience I have ever sought to endure again."

"Oh, well Akol and Shadow aren't like that," Cyril said easily. "And I don't think the other vampires I've seen have acted that way, either."

Jet pushed himself up quickly in shock, though doing so made him wince and grit his teeth. Still, that wasn't what he focused on. "Shadow?" he demanded, though not angrily. Sein shifted closer immediately, making sure that Jet was okay after such a sudden movement. Naturally, Alana did the same thing just as fast.

Cyril blinked once, instinctively casting a spell to help dull the pain that Jet was experiencing. Definitely didn't know. "Yeah. Something happened and he's a vampire. Some vampire that visited has put up some barrier around Shadow's house. I think it's meant to help keep him safe?" Despite what Cyril had done, Jet wisely laid back down. He did so with a wince and didn't respond to what he was told beyond giving a nod. "Either way, yeah. Been all good experiences with vampires for me. There's some sort of really powerful one that keeps going from Mobius to some other place, too."

"Likely their leader," Jet muttered, trying not to let him move much for the moment. "I never met them."

The finch shrugged. "All I know is that she's strong. She unleashed some spell that annihilated a lot of Nareish's army when we entered. Combined Destruction Magic with… something." Jet nodded a little in understanding. That sounded like a vampire to him, sure enough. "Anyway, yeah. I might have picked up on Destruction Magic. Also might have used it once." He chuckled nervously. "Might still be tired from that, too."

"Be careful with it," Jet was quick to warn. "You aren't experienced. It can exhaust you far too easily and leave you unable to further defend yourself as a result."

"I used it sparingly," Cyril answered. "Stopped Tianak in his tracks with it and ended the fight."

"Tianak?" Jet asked. He'd never heard the name before. "Who is that?"

"The new God of Demons," Cyril explained.

Sein looked over at Cyril, an eyebrow raised. The finch was not lying. "What?"

"What became of Kaden?" Alana asked, frowning. Most of her attention was on her son, however. He is tense… but I think it is just from the pain. He does not seem to have noticed Eila yet. I suppose not all of the medicine has begun wearing off yet. That may be for the best.

"Kaden… If I'm not mistaken, he's somewhere safe?" Cyril said, somewhat unsure. "Don't know much beyond that. I think Ylden knows."

Much to Alana's relief, her son relaxed substantially upon hearing this. He even sighed as he said, "Good."

"Are we going to ignore the fact of what Cyril just said?" Sein asked, looking between Alana and Jet.

"No new demon god can be as dangerous as Kaden was," Jet told him. "If there is a new one, that means he died, yes. But he was likely revived. With Ylden, he will be safe. The new god, in the meantime, can be dealt with far more easily than he ever was."

Cyril's mood was downcast for a moment. "Er, yeah… I was able to handle him, but he did his damage."

"I'm glad you're alright," Alana told him. "That's the important thing right now."

The finch didn't want to explain what happened, so he didn't. Instead, he smiled and nodded. "Yeah. And, as it turns out, I'm getting really good at this."

"Good," Jet repeated, almost sighing. It was only when there was a lull in the conversation that Jet noticed something. The Void's being quiet. He reached out and mentally nudged the entity, but got no reply. Turning his attention to Sein he reluctantly asked, "You can hear the Void too, right? Is it just ignoring me and not you?" Sein didn't quite get a chance to respond before Cyril did something with his magic. He looked over when said magic prodded the invisible being, eyes wide. Much to Jet's amazement, the vague attack that the Void kinda-sorta aimed at Cyril missed. Entirely. Had he ever seen it miss before? He didn't think he had. It threw him for a loop. "The hell?"

Sein blinked several times and stared at Cyril, utterly confused. "What… the fuck?"

"How did you not die just then?" Alana asked before Jet could.

Cyril shrugged a little. "My life has been filled with events like that. Robots always just barely missing their mark, things falling into my hand instead of on my head. All sorts of craziness."

Jet and Alana traded a look. "That's not normal," he soon said.

"It's been how things go for me," Cyril answered unhelpfully. "Dunno what to say about it."

"Perhaps you have some sort of luck-based power?" Alana suggested. "They are extremely rare. So much so that I have never met anyone with such an ability."

"I've always been really good at card games…" Cyril said after a moment, frowning in thought. Jet blinked upon hearing this but said nothing. "Would that also explain why stuff usually just… doesn't go wrong in my life, too?"

"It very well could," Alana said, "if you do indeed have a power like I suggested."

"What does that even entail, though?" Sein questioned. "I mean, luck is… sort of an arbitrary thing, right?"

Alana shrugged. "I do not know how it would work, beyond the fact that it appears to be successfully keeping him alive and unharmed." After a delay, noticeable understanding filled her eyes. "Perhaps this is why Father expressed an uncharacteristic inability to determine how to fight you when he was briefly corrupted," she told Cyril. "It was entirely unlike him, and Mother could not make sense of the matter when he told her about it."

That suddenly reminded Jet of his own odd experience with the finch. That day… when I briefly figured out how to use the Void to save him from his corruption… even though I never knew how before and don't know anymore now… "Can a semi-Immortal luck power even affect an Immortal?" he dared to ask. Surely something else had to be going on here, right?

Sein shook his head. "It definitely shouldn't be able to, except maybe unless they have specifically trained the power to do so. Cyril didn't even know it existed until two minutes ago," he pointed out.

His son fell silent. Then he quietly decided, "A gift, then."

"A gift?" Alana asked. She was soon frowning. "...You mean from the Faein?"

"...But why?" Sein asked, following Alana's train of thought.

"I don't know," Jet admitted. "I'm not one of them. I can't guess at their motivations any better than you can."

Cyril blinked. He didn't quite understand what was happening at this point. "Well… whatever it is, I like it."

"I have to ask, now," Alana said. "Do you recall ever being greeted by a being who was so benign and caring that they felt like no other being you have ever met before? They could have been of any race, any gender, and from the sounds of it it would have been long ago."

The finch frowned. "I do… kinda recall something like that when I was a kid, I guess?" Cyril said. "I can't really remember anything that was said or what happened, though. I was really young."

"Might have been one," Sein ultimately decided. "It sounds kinda far-fetched, but who knows? Crazier things have happened, I suppose."

"Perhaps one of these days you can ask them," Alana said, smiling down at her son.

"Atarei?" Jet asked, a touch surprised. ("Me?")

"Yes, you," Alana teased lightly. Then she said with a touch more seriousness, "You are the closest to becoming one of them right now, my son. For a brief instance in time, you were one of them. I do not doubt that you can find ways to easily speak with them if you wish."

Cyril shrugged. "You might even be able to now. I mean, isn't that what Steam has been doing?" Jet answered Cyril's shrug with one of his own. The information sounded familiar, but he didn't really know. He was too damn tired to think on it that deeply.

Alana took notice of Jet's demeanor and smiled softly. "I suppose the medicine has not worn off completely," she observed. "I would like you to try to sleep some more, in that case. Alright?"

He had no real desire to argue, for once. "Alright," he agreed quietly, already closing his eyes.

"I'll probably go ahead and get going, too," Cyril said with a smile. "I'd hate to interrupt your sleep." Jet nodded faintly. "Sleep well and get better. I'll drop by again soon to check on you."

When Jet didn't reply (Alana suspected he was dozing off again already), Alana said to Cyril, "Is your friend staying for a time, or is she returning to Mobius with you?" She thought it best not to mention Eila's name directly just in case her son was still cognizant enough to recognize it.

Cyril blinked a few times, glancing in the general direction he sensed the cat to be. "Honestly, I don't know if I have the heart to drag her away. Never really… felt her be this happy."

Sein had a small frown, but ultimately shrugged. "I mean, provided she isn't here too long, it should be okay. I'd hate for it to complicate things." He glanced to Jet, concern on his face.

"I am of the same opinion," Alana agreed. "For now, however, she should be alright to stay if she wishes."

How about I go talk to her, and whenever you guys think Jet's about to wake up, let her know so she can come back to Mobius," Cyril said, smiling. He didn't really want to cut into whatever had her so excited. It was nice to think that she was in a good mood.

"That is acceptable to me," Alana said. She looked at Sein. "Is it alright with you?"

Sein shrugged. "Suppose it is." With this decided, Alana motioned for Cyril to go ahead and went to sit back down. Hearing their assent, Cyril vanished to the library. With the finch gone, Sein glanced over to Alana. "We both really okay with her being around, or is this just trying to be nice?"

"I am… mostly alright with it," Alana murmured. "She is trying to be a better person than who she once was. We cannot call ourselves decent people if we shut our eyes and refuse to see that. I am doing my best to give her a fair chance, regardless of my own emotions on the matter."

"Needed to hear it from you," Sein said, taking his own seat once more. Though the situation was troubling and had the potential to go poorly… he couldn't deny that it felt right to do it this way. "She's had it rough, and so has he. As long as they don't come near each other until they're ready, I'd really like to see how they both recover and grow."

Alana murmured an agreement. "For now, it is definitely best that they do not encounter one another. Jet especially is not… ready for that. So long as they remain apart, I believe they will both recover on their own. At least to a point. But Sein, Jet will almost certainly need professional help to fully get better. What he endured… I cannot even begin to imagine how much that damaged him."

Sein let out a slow sigh. "I know… but the difficult part is making it work that way. With everything going on with the Void, this war, and so much more, it's hard for him to have the chance to sit still. Our best bet would be someone like Wave, and she has a lot on her plate also. That's just to get him there for it." He didn't like pointing out any of this, but even he had to admit it. "Of course, if we can get him help… I'll do everything in my power to facilitate it. He can't recover on his own."

"I know it is not especially feasible right now," Alana agreed. "But, for when the time eventually does come, I would like to at least look around for someone who can help. It may take some time to locate someone, anyway."

"Maybe we can get some help from some of his friends. Wave might know someone good that Jet could speak to, and same for Steam. If either knows a good person, that'll be a good lead," Sein shrugged. "Otherwise it'll probably be a guess and check sort of issue. He's got his own troubles that are gonna make it hard for someone not close to him to help."

"I will see what I can find, either way," Alana said. She briefly leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "In the meantime, I would like you to go rest a bit. You have not been sleeping much lately. At least take a nap. I will stay with Jet."

Sein chuckled a little. "Kinda hard with our kid in this state," he answered, leaning in a little when she kissed him. "I'd always hoped he wouldn't have to deal with this kinda shit. Just hurts, seeing him have to deal with what he's got."

"I know," she murmured. "But I would like you to try regardless. You know he would be asking the same of you if he were awake right now as well."

The man rolled his eyes a little. "You're gonna play that card on me?" He chuckled, settling back in his chair. "Can't believe you'd use my own tricks against me."

"I absolutely am going to," she smiled, "since you and I both know it to be the truth."

"Taught you well, didn't I…" Already, the man's voice was trailing off as he found some degree of comfort in the chair. "Good…"

Alana gently nudged him. "Bed, Sein," she insisted. "I want you to sleep properly for a while. You have been in that chair all day."

Sein waved off her touch and rolled himself out of the chair and to his feet. "Fine," he yawned. "But you're gonna carry me back here for that."

"I will do no such thing," Alana argued with a quiet laugh. He didn't get out much more than a mumble before disappearing to their room, collapsing on the bed and falling asleep.

Once he was gone and she could be sure he was resting, Alana settled back into her own chair. She decided to send out a message to Steam before trying to get in a nap of her own. "Jet woke up for a short time. He was still in pain, but he was coherent and showed no sign of mental damage despite where Nareish struck him. He is asleep again now."

She got a reply very quickly. "Good. Just keep an eye on him. I'm wrapping up a few things, then I'll be coming back by. Thanks for the update."

"I am staying by his bed, so I can inform you straight away if anything changes. Sein was convinced to rest for now. Any updates will come from me alone in the meantime. And you are welcome. Thank you again for fighting so hard to help our son."

"I would do it for any of my friends."

"I understand that. But I want to thank you all the same, Steam. Truly."

His response was unusually delayed, considering the length, but it still came soon. "Thank you. Keep me updated."

"I will, I promise." She decided to leave him be after that. He was likely busy, and she didn't want to keep him distracted any longer. She had said what was on her mind already, anyway. Thank you, Steam.

~保護者~

The idea of meeting someone new was not… enticing. Cyril had insisted that she come to New Babylon to meet Kath. She didn't want to be here. Jet was here. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

It was better to ignore that, silently approaching the observatory. The mind she sensed there was vast and something the likes of her had never seen beyond Jet. She found herself looking at the depths and none of the contents of this mind, hand resting against the large doors. Incredible.

That was the only word in her mind as she knocked, trying to regain her composure. There was concern to be had, and it cropped up within her. A shield of magic sprung to life around her body, then promptly became invisible. The left hand door then opened with a wisp of rare yellow aura energy that dissipated from the handle straight after. It appeared to be the only invitation she'd get.

She hesitated, and for a moment debated on outright leaving. It would've been easier to lie to Cyril, even if she knew he'd figure it out. He was surprisingly intelligent. Wave wouldn't be fooled, either. Despite this, she found herself walking through the open door, immediately searching the room around her.

The first individual to greet her was a pure white wolf who was sleeping beneath a wood chair at a nearby table. That wolf lifted his head, sort of woofed at her, then laid his head back down. Elsewhere in the room, fiddling with his starmap, was no doubt Kath himself. He paused what he was doing to glance at the wolf, then glance at Eila, and then simply returned to what he'd been doing. After a short pause, however, he chose to ask, "Did you need something?"

Eila slowly crossed the room, eyes watching the white wolf as she did. "I was begged by Cyril to come meet you," she murmured after a long moment of her own silence. "I… decided it better to make the attempt than to lie."

That name gave Kath pause and he glanced at her again. "Cyril asked you to be here? Why?"

She shrugged. "I wish I knew. He seemed quite adamant that it would be a good idea."

"Hm." With this vague reply, Kath turned back to his work again. This time, however, he merely closed the holographic projection and then picked up the device off of the floor.

"What is that device?" Eila slowly asked, eyeing it. "I have not seen anything like it."

"A map of sorts," Kath told her. "I catalog the things I find in space as accurately as possible. At least, when I have spare time."

Eila tilted her head a little. "Would you mind if I took a look? I have done quite a lot of stargazing and such in my years."

Kath thought it over, then tossed the projection device to her. "Set it on the floor and touch the symbol on the base to activate it," he explained. "You can use your hands to move the image around."

The cat would have fumbled the device had she not been able to catch it with her magic, blinking out of surprise before doing as he'd instructed. Soon, she was maneuvering her way through the mapped cosmos. "You did this yourself?"

"Mostly," he told her. He moved to sit in a chair close to where he'd been standing. "I was informed that my grandson and his friend made additions to it some time ago."

Eila found something in a far-off area, something that hadn't quite been fully filled in. "I've been here before," she murmured. "The planets all around this area are long dead, though…"

Looking at the map, Kath nodded. "They were dead when I explored them as well," he confirmed. "That was a very long time ago."

The cat found herself quickly moving the map away from that place, investigating elsewhere. Those were memories she didn't want dredged up. "This is an incredible beginning to such vastness."

"I suppose so," the hawk agreed noncommittally.

After a moment, Eila turned her head, standing up a little straighter. "Seems Cyril is trying to be lighthearted…" Kath blinked in her direction and offered no comment. Her ears twitched a few times before she simply turned back to Kath. "May I ask you something that has merely come to mind?"

Blue eyes blinked, then Kath invited, "Ask."

"What is that energy within you?" Eila asked gently, a small frown on her face. "I have encountered nothing like it in my years."

Energy? …Oh. Kath internally huffed at himself for not understanding straight away. However, he didn't linger on it. "Time," he answered. Then belatedly he added, "And I mean that literally."

Eila blinked once before nodding. "You are more than the mortal man you once were, then?"

"Apparently," Kath agreed. "Or, at least, a transition is being made. In some ways, I am still more like a mortal than anything else." He decided not to think about the fact that strength was one such way, since that train of thought too easily led to memories of his confrontation with Sein not long ago. Those weren't memories he enjoyed revisiting. As such, he didn't.

The cat had no desire to do so as well, glancing away from him. "I figured as much when I examined you, but I did not like my conclusions. I am sorry for not being able to act sooner."

Kath blinked again. "What are you talking about?" There was no upset in his tone, despite the abruptness of his question. He was just confused and didn't feel the need to hide that fact.

Eila fidgeted suddenly, pulling at her own skin with her thumb. "I…" She trailed off into silence, looking away. It took her a moment, but she soon opened her mouth and spoke. "When you were injured, I came and inspected you. I had my suspicions… but I was afraid to speak."

Now Kath understood. She was trying to help. He wasn't sure what to say to her about that, or about whatever emotions she was displaying, and because of that he also looked away. "Ah," he eventually murmured in reply.

She didn't really reply for a moment, not sure what to add or say. Though she was glad he understood… Eila chose to change the subject. "I see you have a number of board games."

"Yes," he agreed, glancing at a pile of the boxed games. "Someone… important to me introduced them to me when I was younger. I grew fond of them."

"I do not recognize a number of them," Eila said, eyeing the games. "Though… there are some that I recognize from eons ago."

"Most are of ancient Babylonian origin," Kath explained. "A few are from other worlds."

"There is a lot I was never given the chance to learn about when it came to Babylon," Eila revealed. "At one point, I had a desire to come here, but it was swept away from me."

It somehow seemed to be a bad idea to ask about that. Kath thought it best to leave it be, considering how he remembered her being in the not-too-distant past. She is Astra no longer. That much is clear. With that in mind, he decided to let that bit of the past remain where it was. "If you still have things you wish to learn, I would not be opposed to helping where I can," he found himself offering.

Eila stood a little straighter at this, blinking and looking to him in surprise. His thought alone was… unexpected, but the offer was more than she was ready to hear. "I-" Instinctively, she shifted a step back, as if it would give her more room to think. Wh-why…?

Rather than pursue that line of conversation when she seemed to be far from ready to reply, Kath left the matter alone. His attention turned to Azerel, watching as the wolf stood and stretched before walking over. Azerel sat in front of him and said, "She reeks of anxiety. I assume you noticed from her aura."

"That is why I did not continue," Kath responded in kind. His reply was a bit huffy, admittedly, but he still moved a hand to lightly pet his friend's head.

Suddenly, Eila hid her aura and glanced to them, eyes wide. She didn't realize that she was giving off so much information. "Forgive me. I… did not expect your response."

This earned her a calm glance. "Forgiveness is not required," she was informed without delay. "You did nothing wrong." Kath took notice of her now-hidden aura, but didn't address it. Though, this did no mean he wouldn't be able to read any potential future emotions from her now… Which would make this interaction harder for him. He never enjoyed this sort of thing.

Eila wrung her hands through her hair, biting her lip. Calm down. Relax. Focus. You're okay. You're safe. Cyril is nearby… "I-" She trailed off again, looking away as she pulled back her hair once more. "I would like to learn, yes." Kath inclined his head and made a gesture with her hand, silently inviting her again to ask what she wanted. Her eyes scanned him quietly, only settling down when she was able to confirm to herself that everything was okay. A long, slow breath escaped her before she asked a simple question. "Where did Babylonians gain the incredible intellect they possess?"

"According to our oldest stories," Kath explained, "the Faein who created our race bestowed upon us intelligence and aura abilities together. They were gifts, I suppose. Each of the first four races is said to have received gifts from their creator."

The cat nodded slowly to this. It made enough sense. The Faein had brought everything into existence. "Have you ever met one?" she asked suddenly.

"Never. The oldest beings I have ever met are ancient semi-Immortals such as Eona. Never anyone or anything older."

Eila nodded a little, her body slowly relaxing. "I have interacted with one… no, two," she revealed after a moment. "They saved me from falling apart after I was purified the first time."

"...I see." Kath wasn't sure what to say to that, but it was quite the revelation. One that managed to actually surprise him. That was a rare feeling.

The cat didn't feel comfortable enough delving into the details of what they did. Petry was… not a subject she enjoyed. "I appreciate everything they've done for me… but sometimes I find it difficult to find myself."

Actually, that was a sentiment Kath understood. He'd grappled with the same struggle for years after Arkiri had entered his life and begun helping him. That wasn't something he was willing to get into, though. All he said was a simple, but genuine, "I understand."

"It doesn't really make sense…" she mumbled to herself. What am I supposed to do? I keep getting pulled back any time I make progress… It's like the universe wants me to be evil…

Silently, Azerel huffed. "She is needlessly attacking herself," he informed Kath. "I can smell her emotions, even if you can no longer sense them."

"And what exactly do you expect me to do about that?" Kath asked him with a slight frown. "I am not the correct person to help anyone in emotional matters." The wolf merely huffed again.

Eila made the mistake of responding to Azerel mentally. "I'm not attacking myself. It's what I deserve." Only once the words left her mind did she realize what she'd done, gulping. Shit.

The wolf visibly jumped, then turned quickly to face her. Kath blinked at him, then at her. Given the nature of his connection with Azerel, he'd heard her reply. It seemed his guess that she had mental powers was accurate… though he hadn't been expecting her to actively use them here. But, being the spitfire his companion was, Azerel replied to her before he could. "Don't do that," Azerel growled. "Scaring a wolf is a good way to get bit."

Kath was quick to intervene, nudging Azerel with his boot. "Do not threaten her," he quietly reprimanded.

Eila took a couple cautious steps away, even before Azerel replied. She'd messed up. "I-I am… sorry…" She stumbled, nearly falling backward before catching herself with her magic. "I made… a mistake…"

A silent word from Azerel told Kath what was going on with her emotions, and Kath responded accordingly. "Try to breathe," he told her quietly. "You are safe here, but if you need to leave you can."

The cat trembled and opened her mouth, trying her best to calm herself down. Don't leave. Don't upset Cyril or Wave… or anyone else. "I- I don't know…"

Azerel forced himself to relax and, in a much kinder tone, asked her, "Do you want someone to bring Cyril here?"

"No!" She recoiled at her sudden reply, wrapping an arm over one of her shoulders. "N-no… please… don't take him away from his friend." Azerel canted his head, looked at Kath, then simply laid down at his friend's feet. Kath, for his part, decided to simply stay silent now. Eventually, she found the courage to use her words again, clearing her throat. "I-... I'm… sorry for… all of that…"

"Do not apologize," Kath told her. "I understand."

"H-how…?" Eila asked quietly, forcing her hands to stay still so she didn't cast a spell to leave spontaneously.

Though he shrugged, Kath eventually answered the question more properly than that. "I have my own long history of anxiety and worse. It is not something I can fault others for when they also experience those things."

She didn't quite collapse, but Eila did allow herself to drop into a sitting position rather suddenly, holding her face in her hands. I'm such a mess. I can't even talk to people anymore… "I shouldn't have bothered you at all… Either of you…"

"I said already that you do not need to apologize," Kath told her, his tone still gentle. "I mean that in regards to everything. You have done nothing wrong here."

Eila didn't move, gripping at her bangs tightly. That can't be right… Why does everyone forgive me when I act like her? Kath said nothing else right then, studiously looking elsewhere for her sake. He knew he hated being stared at when he was upset, and part of him doubted she would appreciate it anymore than he did.

She was silent for several minutes, but gradually her aura became unguarded again and she managed to relax. Eila was still jittery, for many reasons, but she lifted her face up to him and glanced slightly to the side. "I… thank you… I was worried." I still don't understand, though…

"I understand." He didn't, exactly, in truth. Whatever specific thing she had been worried about escaped him, but he didn't know what else to say. So he stuck with this. There was no reason to press her for an explanation, especially not when it was her private business and none of his.

"S-so… do you have books on ancient Babylon…?" Eila murmured. "The original one, that is." She wanted this conversation to end, and found it best to focus on something else entirely.

"Many," Kath answered, somewhat relieved for the change of subject. "Most are kept in the main library downstairs. They may no longer be in the specific places I once set them, however. Finding them could prove challenging."

"If the you of this timeline touched them at any point, I can certainly find them," Eila answered after a long moment.

"I assume he would have." He chose not to comment on her apparently knowing that he wasn't native to this specific timeline. It somehow didn't surprise him that she did.

"Presumably. I could not imagine a timeline where Kath is not an intelligent, studious man." That was why she feared him. Eila managed to stand finally, wiping away the trails her tears had made on her fur. "I would certainly appreciate someone who can tell me what to expect when I read a book, however."

"Ooh, flattery," Azerel silently taunted his old friend.

Naturally, he went entirely ignored. Kath was highly skilled at that by now. "I will assist with whichever books you happen to find," he agreed easily enough.

"I haven't quite yet stopped reading minds," Eila warned Azerel, huffing. "Fear makes one paranoid." She glanced at the wolf.

When Azerel's amusement abruptly ceased, Kath gave in to a smirk. "Dumbass." With that silent comment made, he decided to let the matter be.

"I didn't take you for one to curse casually," Eila chuckled softly. "Is that an honor only bestowed onto him?"

"He deserves it," Kath told her, waving a hand dismissively.

Eila chuckled again. It was nice having something to take her mind off her plights for a while. "How about we go hunt down those books, then? I think we would both appreciate familiarity."

"Are you staying here?" Kath asked Azerel. He got no reply, but that was answer enough for him. Speaking to Eila now, he stood and said, "Alright."

The cat nodded a little and walked on. "Glad to hear. Been some time since I buried my nose in books."

"I suppose I can make the same claim," Kath admitted, walking after her. "I have had little time for such a thing." He soon took the lead, traveling down the hall and to the stairs. It didn't take him long to descend them and, once she'd caught up, he led the way through the palace's main room toward a set of ornate double doors. Upon opening them, he revealed a vast library full of everything from ancient bits of scrolls and parchment to modern fictional novels and everything in between.

Eila disappeared in a flash of purple, appearing in various places around the utterly massive library before suddenly popping back into place beside him, a smile on her face. "This is incredible…"

She had the same bright look in her eye that Alana often had as a child when she, too, had been introduced to large quantities of books. That alone softened Kath immensely on sight, though he chose not to mention it. "You can go wherever you'd like in here," he told Eila. "This is a public space. The knowledge gathered here is for everyone."

The normally calm and reserved cat jogged away, sweeping several books off of the shelves with her magic. They floated in front of her and one by one, she began reading through them at an incredible pace. Kath was content to leave her be and began more slowly wandering between the shelves.

It didn't take Kath long to locate several books of his that had, in his opinion, been misplaced. Whoever reorganized since my death did poorly, he decided, already pulling the works in question off the shelf with careful hands. He set about rearranging some things while continuing to hear Eila moving about elsewhere. However, he forced himself to stop as soon as this one section was done. If I continue, I will be here all day. Admittedly, it wouldn't even just be because of the need and desire to move books. It was clear that there was plenty of new material to comb through at some point.

That would have to wait. He could read quickly, as Eila appeared to be doing, but he enjoyed taking his time with books and letting himself get lost in their words. He couldn't do that if he was in a rush. So, for now, he pulled one familiar text off a neighboring shelf to the one he'd been working on and settled down to read it as leisurely as possible until Eila returned. Even if he couldn't finish it today, he intended to read the full thing through eventually. This book… reminded him of home. Of happier times. Those were memories he needed right now.

It wasn't long before Eila was near him, brimming with excitement as a cascading line of books followed her. "I cannot believe I missed this much," she breathed, motioning to the books that soon began replacing themselves in the shelves. "An entire culture's worth of knowledge and history just… sitting here for anyone to comb through. It's so amazing!"

Hearing this, Kath looked up from his own book, then nodded. "You are welcome to return here and read whenever you wish," he told her. "I only ask that you treat books like this one," he held it up briefly so she could better see, "with even more care than you have already shown the others. They are far older and far more… personally valuable."

"I will treat all books gently and carefully," Eila answered immediately. "Knowledge is to be preserved, and only books and tomes containing evil content would ever need to be destroyed."

Kath inclined his head in silent acknowledgement of her words. He supposed her words were true enough. Closing his book, he stood and moved to carefully replace it where he'd found it. "Indeed," he agreed in a quiet voice.

Eila looked around and decided to softly ask a question. "By chance… there are more, correct?" She paused for a moment, then added something else. "I'm beginning to worry that I'll finish all of this before the month ends."

"There are several smaller libraries," Kath told her, "and each sitting room contains books as well. There are plenty of things to read."

"Good," Elia said, offering a small smile. "I will likely be returning here often." Kath merely nodded. The cat glanced around before an idea came to mind. Several books appeared in the air around her, varying in their age. "Some of these were written in less… savory times of my life, but there's a lot in each of them. If you wanted, I could leave them with you so you can read through them?"

Kath turned away from his own books to properly face her again. After a short pause, he responded, "I would be interested, if you would not mind them staying on this world for a time."

"Provided your eyes are the only ones to view them," Eila replied. "I entrust my knowledge to you."

"I will not share someone else's property around with others," Kath assured easily.

The cat gave a smile and bundled the books together with her magic. "Glad to hear it."

"The observatory you found me in is a safe place to put them," he told her. Purely because it wasn't something he did in general (it had nothing to do with her), he didn't return the smile. "You can leave them there if you wish."

Eila nodded and whisked them away to the observatory. "I set them on a table in the observatory. For now, though… I think I'll go back to reading. I saw a few interesting books as I moved around."

"Feel free," Kath invited. "I am going to return upstairs for a time. I have people to check on." Arkiri and Jet's conditions, one mental and emotional and the other physical, weighed heavily on his mind. It was hard to sit still when he felt this worried about his family, and the only thing he could really do about it was check up on them again.

Kath's thoughts regarding Jet made Eila visibly shiver, and she quickly turned away. "Make sure they're okay… both of them." Neither deserved what happened… from what I know. Jet especially didn't.

This pulled him from his thoughts. He debated the merits of saying something about the change of emotions in her aura (and not to mention her shiver), but he soon decided not to. It was like he'd told Azerel, emotional matters were not his forte. "I will," was all he wound up saying as he turned to leave.

"By the way…" Eila soon added, making sure to speak before he completely left. "Jet will be okay. I can tell that much for sure. He just… needs more time." Physically, at least… But I don't know if he'll ever heal from what I did.

Kath paused and turned to face her briefly, then nodded. "I know."

The cat didn't really reply to him, mumbling something under her breath. "I hope one day I can talk to him… face to face…" Eila soon began walking away, not really sure how to continue the conversation beyond this.

Perhaps one day you will. That thought went unvoiced, and Kath soon departed from the room.

Eila waited for Kath to be gone before letting herself relax, pulling her hands through her hair. She was tired, for many reasons. Not as much so as before, but it was still there. The interaction could have gone better, as well. She'd done a lot of things she didn't like, but Kath was… kind. His presence was somewhat relaxing to be around. He, unlike most everyone she talked to, seemed to actually understand her.

It made her feel better.

~保護者~

Marthal was busy grooming the fur on his arms with his tongue when something made him pause mid-lick. He got up off the floor of the random building he and Tyria were sheltering, or at least he did so enough to be sitting instead of laying down. His nose was twitching, but he wasn't alarmed. Just… confused. That's gotta be Light. Is someone being revived? …No, there's no Chaos with it. It's just Light. The hell? Turning to Tyria, he waved to get her attention and then signed, "Hey, it's not close yet, but I smell Light heading this way. I'm guessing your people won't like that. Especially not after being attacked once already today."

She had sensed it as well, already tense as it was. Hand on a hidden blade, she slowly nodded and signed with one hand. "I will investigate."

Pursing his lips together, Marthal nodded. "Yeah, fine. Just be careful."

Tyria was gone in an instant, jumping into trees and finding herself a spot to vanish while she collected her weapons. They wouldn't exactly have many people nearby if this was some sort of enemy, and so she decided to wait and see before acting. Relax yourself. Fluidity is key.

Before long, a pair of Light users walked into view. One was a woman and one was a man. Neither looked at all happy to be here, but there was no wickedness in their auras. They were leaving themselves completely open to attack, too, making no moves to summon weapons or otherwise prepare for a fight. The only odd thing was how sullen they looked, and nothing more.

Still, despite everything, Tyria found no desire to immediately trust them. Her body moved and she appeared in front of both of them, hand visibly gripping the handle of her sword. "Explain your presence lest you come across far less welcoming."

When the man appeared ready to retort with some biting comment, the woman held up her hand to silence him. "Ignore my brother," she said, sighing. She was tense, but made no other abrupt movements. It was clear that they understood the potential danger they were in while walking these lands. "We came in search of a woman named Analia. We have no idea where she is, only that allies of hers have been in this region for quite some time. Once we know where to go, we will leave and not come back."

"You will not find her here," Tyria muttered. If it was a chameleon, there was no way in hell she'd lead these two there. However… there was a solid chance that they were looking for someone else entirely. "Stay still, and hide your Light." She teleported back to Marthal, leaving the Light beings where they stood. They did as instructed, apparently far from eager to face any sort of conflict.

Marthal sat back up when she reappeared and quickly began to sign. "What's going on?"

"Looking for someone named Analia. Do you know her?" Tyria signed quickly. "They are not acting in a dangerous manner, but staying much longer will result in their deaths."

His blue eyes widened to a degree. "Yeah, I know her. She's one of my oldest and closest friends. Are they searching for her?"

"Yes. They said that some of her allies have been in our lands."

"They aren't wrong. Pretty much all of my allies that you met were her allies before they were mine. She met them first and all." Marthal stood with Mei in his arms. The kitten was fast asleep. "I need to go help them. If Light users are searching for Analia, that means word is spreading that she's been recovered and their kind can come out of hiding. This is important."

Though that thought did not resonate in Tyria's mind as a good thing, she resigned to go with his train of thought. "I can take Mei and translate for you if they cannot sign, if you would like."

His tail tip twitched side to side behind him while he thought, then answered, "If you wouldn't mind… I'd appreciate the help. It's hard to try and track a scent while carrying a kit around. Sometimes I have to get low to the ground if the scent's too old."

Tyria didn't reply, reaching out and softly taking Mei from Marthal's arms, holding the kit close. She then nodded to him and teleported them both to the Light beings. The male Light user frowned softly at the sight of Marthal, but the fact that he wasn't another chameleon caused the pair to relax somewhat. Still, he had questions. "She's allied with a yokai?"

"Shush," his sister was quick to scold. "If he's here, it may be to help. Don't be a pain." Marthal was, of course, unaware of what they were saying. He decided not to try and communicate anything just yet.

The chameleon gave the pair a visible frown, though refrained from anger. "This man has offered to help you find her. Are either of you capable of interpreting sign language?"

Hearing this, the pair traded blank looks. "...No," the brother admitted. "Not well, anyway."

"Then I will translate." Tyria motioned to Marthal, prompting him to do or say what he wished with a quick sign. "Go ahead."

He saw her message and nodded. "Look," he told the Light users, "Analia is a close friend of mine. Trust me when I say that I know her scent damn well. If she's anywhere on this world, I can find her. I'll lead you to her. Alright?" Tyria translated this for him, and he got nods in reply. With their course of action established, he began leading them away. He had a feeling he knew just the sort of place to start looking.

~保護者~

Silent as the Darkness itself, Malevolence made its way toward Tianak's stolen home. It took on no shape at first, traveling as nothing but an ominous cloud of black and crimson energy. That cloud seeped into the ruined citadel through every opening, every crack, every loose seam the building had to offer. Within the span of less than a minute, the God of Demons was utterly surrounded.

Silent as the Darkness itself, Malevolence made its way toward Tianak's stolen home. It took on no shape at first, traveling as nothing but an ominous cloud of black and crimson energy. That cloud seeped into the ruined citadel through every opening, every crack, every loose seam the ravaged building had to offer. Within the span of less than a minute, the God of Demons was utterly surrounded.

"I don't know what you've come here for, but there's nothing here for you," Tianak muttered, pushing himself to stand. He hadn't yet mustered the energy to rebuild the citadel, but it didn't really matter. He was glad he didn't waste the time. "Leave."

Gradually, the fog-like energy coalesced into a loose form that bore some resemblance to a person with no hair, horns, or other defining characteristics. Though not normally one to speak, Malevolence slowly raised a hand to vaguely point at Tianak. "You will die." Its words were communicated through thought-speech as usual, but it was different from normal at the same time. The being's true horrifying nature was communicated with terrifying force through its voice.

Tianak raised his blade, a cold hatred in his eyes. He'd already been beaten down twice today. Once by a being of Light, the other time by a fledgling god. There was no existence in which he would not attempt to fight back, especially since running wouldn't save him. "I'll give you hell, bastard. Get off my planet, now."

"You are in no position to give orders." More fog appeared, coiling tightly around Tianak's throat and wrists. His wrists were yanked behind him while the coil around his throat lifted him into the air. "You struck down the wrong woman."

"Maybe you should've stayed put and not made offspring?" Tianak bit out, gritting his teeth. "Seems like a piss poor decision for a being that's been locked away in its realm and forced into hiding."

Slowly, very slowly, a malevolent grin spread across its face. "Big talk… for an ant who cannot possibly compare to the God who came before it."

That struck a nerve and Tianak allowed Hellfire to blaze to life around him and Malevolence. "Get. Off. My. Planet."

"Vermin." The fire had no effect on Malevolence, who began the slow and agonizing (for Tianak, anyway) of draining his victim's life force away. "I shall enjoy watching him slaughter you one day."

Tianak let out a cry of pain and fought to tear out of the energy binding him. "I'll kill you both."

"Wrong. We will each get our revenge… and you will learn how to suffer." It drained more and more of Tianak's life away, stopping only when there was barely enough left to keep the man from perishing. It then unceremoniously dropped Tianak to the ground in a heap. The God of Demons laid there, fighting just to stay conscious. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, just that… sleep was imminent. Malevolence stared down at him, sort of scoffed, then inexplicably vanished.

It had done what it had come here to do.

~保護者~

12,497 words this time. Many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support. Posted (at about 12:25 p.m.) 05-23-22.