Disclaimer: I hereby disclaim all rights to all characters (save for those of my own creation) during this painful conversation… especially for the one whose walls finally come crashing down.
~保護者~
"Blameless"
~保護者~
It had been a while since Ghune had left. He wasn't sure how long, exactly. All Akol knew was that, when he woke next, the other people in this building's medical facility were busy with a small child. Sunlight poured in from the windows, whose open curtains blocked nothing. Sensitive as he was to such light, he was quick to scrunch up his face and squeeze his eyes shut. His exhaustion be damned, he had no intention of remaining where he was.
Slipping away without being noticed was child's play. Any vampire who couldn't move around while avoiding detection wasn't worth their salt… so his partner had once said. Thinking about the man hurt. Akol strove to focus on finding somewhere dark and quiet to retreat to. It didn't take him long to locate a place in the mountains to the north.
Here, it was freezing cold. The mountains were covered in thick layers of snow and ice. Still, he found a reasonably sheltered cave and took up residence within it. Once settled, he used a couple simple spells to create warmth around him and conjure up a blanket as well. He covered himself up and leaned back against the wall. For a time, he managed to drift back off to sleep.
The arrival of a familiar person woke him back up perhaps an hour later. Blinking open his eyes, he turned his head to see Ryint. The lack of any serious injuries on her person made him sigh in relief. "You're alright, then," he murmured, looking away. Normally, he made an effort to cover up his natural accent and change his pronunciation of words so that people could better understand him. However, he didn't bother with it this time. He trusted Ryint to know him well enough to successfully follow along by now. "Good. I canny say I expected anything less… but even so."
"Heh," Ryint chuckled a little, sitting up against the wall next to him. "Wish it was my own doing that kept me alive, but someone I met recently saved my ass. I didn't react in time." She passed him a smile, nudging him softly with an elbow. "You got roughed up, though, didn't you?"
Akol's gaze drifted away. "I dinnae react in time, either," he said softly. "We were caught up in the attack. We tried to get out of the way, but neither of us were fast enough."
She understood the meaning of that well enough and nodded a bit. "I'm sorry about that. Wish there was something more we could've done, but… well, there isn't."
He just shrugged. "Ghune probably intends to revive people somehow. Knowing her, anyway. This is all a load of shite, but she'll do what she can."
"Figured as much. Though… that's a lot of people. I'm not sure if she can handle it on her own," Ryint mumbled. "Sucks that she even has to."
"Aye," Akol agreed softly. "Like I said, it's all a load of shite."
"In other news, I might have a boyfriend," Ryint said, trying to change the subject. "Met someone who I didn't scare off."
"Found a wee lad to spend your time with, eh?" Akol teased, though he couldn't muster up most of his usual easygoing tone. "Go on, then. Tell me about it."
Ryint chuckled. "I wouldn't use the word 'wee' for him, but he's definitely interesting. He's the guy who saved me when shit went sideways."
"Sounds like a good person, then," Akol said. "I dunna suppose your lad has a name."
"If he did, I'd give it to ya," Ryint teased, winking. "His name's Nier. God of Runes, I believe?"
"Aye, I've heard of him. A close ally of the Immortal, Jet." Akol leaned his head back against the wall. "When did you two meet?"
"Not that long ago, really. Ghune hasn't even had a chance to properly meet him, if that tells you anything."
"She would be all over it already if she could be."
Ryint shrugged. "I'm sure, but for the time being I think I'll let her focus. When she's a bit less busy, I'll hit her with some lighthearted news."
"I wouldnae interrupt her," Akol agreed. "She can be… intense." He was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "Especially when her own love interest is threatened. Did you ever hear how that went? Prior to the attack, I dinnae see Ghune at all after we tried to stop her rampage. Any idea what wound up happening?"
"She's been busy checking on him and Shadow for most of that time. I have barely seen her, and I live a door over from her." Ryint shrugged a bit. "Not a clue, really."
Akol sighed. "Doesnae sound good, then. She's busier'n usual, that's for certain. Any word on how those two are doing?"
"Shadow has been busy with a forced pregnancy. As far as I'm aware, Black Doom isn't in the best shape as of late."
"I heard Shadow had a wee bairn on the way," Akol said. "Hopefully they're born healthy. As for Black Doom, though…" He sighed again. "I dinnae ken what went on, but Ghune was awfy upset about it. Gave me enough of an idea after the fact."
Ryint nodded a little. "I'd check on Black Doom myself if I expected anything less than being eaten alive. Maybe they'd smell Ghune on me and leave me be, but regardless."
"He knows who you are," Akol reminded her. "He wouldnae eat you, nor let any of the hive do so."
"I mean, it's entirely possible they just might not know. I'd rather not lose an arm or leg."
"Nae, you've been there before," he refuted. "I know you have. And they dinnae eat you then."
"It's mostly a joke, but honestly I'm not against the idea of checking on him. Maybe he's doing better and I can give Ghune some extra good news so she'll relax?" Ryint ultimately shrugged. "Might go here shortly."
"Not a bad thought," Akol said. "I'll tag along if that's what you decide. Otherwise, I'm staying here."
"Only if we can go and get someone to help with your injuries. I can smell how uncomfortable you are."
"Ghune already had an Immortal take care of them. I just need a bit more time, is all." Akol glanced at Ryint. "What about yours? Do they need tending to?
"I'll be fine," Ryint answered with a gentle smile. "Nothing that'll slow me down."
"Then do you want to leave?" Akol asked her. "I'll accompany you, as I said."
The woman flipped her weight into the air and landed on her feet, arms behind her head. "C'mon, then. Let's go." Akol opted to simply stand, making his magic blanket vanish in the process.
Ryint was gone by the time he was on his feet, having teleported herself to the home of the Black Arms already. Akol followed her, only to find them both blocked just beyond the outer edges of the territory. He frowned, reaching out to touch the barrier that stood in their way. Pain lanced up his arm, and he retracted it with a hiss. "This is not Black Arms in make," he determined with clear tension in his voice.
The woman stared silently for a long couple of seconds before straightening and grabbing Akol. "We're leaving. You find Ghune, I'm gonna go hunt down those Immortals and tell them about this."
Akol grimaced. "Understood. I will return soon." He gently removed himself from her grip and then teleported away.
Ryint reflexively clenched her hand into a fist before teleporting back to Babylon. It was only now that she fully realized she didn't actually know who they were. She likely should have had Akol search for them. Her best bet now was following some of the scents that had lingered on Akol, which soon led her to the medical ward on the top floor of the royal palace.
Naturally enough, the people within the ward sensed her approach. Alana mentioned it first. "Sein, I believe she is another vampire. Perhaps a friend of the man Ghune brought here?" She may wish to know where he went. He vanished right under our noses.
Sein blinked once at this and turned his attention in Ryint's direction, frowning a little in thought. "She seems a bit worried, yeah. I'll go talk to her," he said, standing up and moving to the doors. She hadn't quite reached the room yet.
"Let her come in here," Jet suddenly said. Alana almost jumped. She hadn't realized Jet was awake again. Only now was he starting to rub at his eyes and sit up.
Though he paused, Sein nodded a little and took a seat again just as Ryint walked in and over to the three of them. "I've gotta make the assumption that you three are the Immortals, aye?"
"Yes," Alana agreed. "You seem troubled. Is something amiss? We will lend you what aid we can."
"All things considered, not sure how much you can help, but I've got a bad feeling about a barrier that's been put up around the Black Arms home," Ryint explained. "So much as touching it is… Well, my friend seemed to think it fuckin' hurt."
Jet immediately tensed and glanced at his father. "Nareish?" he suggested quietly.
Sein didn't want to agree, but in the end he had to. "Sounds about right. First, the vampires, and now the 'Black Arms'? What's the angle here…?"
"She wanted the vampires punished," Jet murmured. "Almost certainly because their leader took part in the raid. I don't know what she wants with the Black Arms." He shifted to push the blankets aside but, though Alana was prepared to stop him if need be, he didn't try to stand. He instead asked Ryint, "Could you sense anything beyond the barrier?"
"Not that I noticed. I like to think my sense of smell is good, but I didn't notice a thing. Dinnae hang around for long. Felt like a damned trap."
The use of the word "dinnae" earned a raised eyebrow from Alana, but she didn't dwell on it. "It likely was," she had to agree. Turning to her husband, she frowned openly. "Do you remember the stories of previous generations of our kind, Sein? Their tales of a 'black doom' that emerged from a dark and distant region of space to decimate countless solar systems? If that is related to this new event, do you think she is seeking to cause that same catastrophe again?"
"Could be," Sein agreed. "The thing I'm particularly worried about is her having other reasons for both of these actions. When she corrupted me, she made sure that she got the most out of having me under her control. I doubt that was a particularly special case."
Alana nodded grimly. Some of her focus shifted to concern over her husband at the same time. He sounds… dull again. I need to make time to talk with him about his corruption like he wanted. It is still bothering him a great deal.
"That was not just a phenomenon, back then," Jet informed them quietly. "There were real creatures at its heart. The main one being the leader of the Black Arms. If Nareish indeed seeks to do something with that race, it will involve him."
Ryint nodded. "I lived to see, indirectly and directly, a lot of what happened with their race throughout the ages. If she manages to wrest control of 'em, it's not gonna be good unless we got that bastard, Saethrim, around." She huffed a bit under her breath. "But with this bitch doing what she does, wouldn't be surprised if even he couldn't keep the buggers down."
Just like that, Jet's cloak and sword appeared in his hand. He vanished before Alana could stop him, and she was immediately on her feet. Had she known where to go, she would have followed him immediately. He is not well enough for this!
"Woah, hey!" Ryint cried out. She immediately vanished as well.
Sein blinked after having risen to his feet without realizing it, glancing to Alana. "Can… you figure out where they went?"
"I cannot," Alana murmured, her expression troubled troubled. "They are too far away. Much, much too far away." She glanced at Kath, who was quietly coloring nearby again now that Cyril had left. Your Vision could find them quickly, but I will not ask that of a child.
"Should we find that Saethrim guy?" Sein asked, turning properly to face Alana. "It might be good for us to properly meet him before we suddenly need his aid."
"It would be good, but I have never before encountered the man or his energies. I could not find him if I tried." Alana sighed and started to say something else, only to be unexpectedly interrupted.
"They went far away," Kath told them, never looking up from his scribbles. His eyes were full of starlight, proving what power he was using. "The wady fowwow him and they wooking at a bawwier."
Alana turned to face him. "You can see them?" The little boy nodded. Walking over to him, she knelt down to be more on his level. "Can you tell us where they are, or what the area looks like?"
Kath blinked, and his eyes cleared. He sat there for a moment, frowning cutely in thought, then dropped his crayons and stood up. He waved a tiny hand at Sein insistently and said, "Here," seemingly in an effort to get him to come over.
Sein blinked and walked closer, kneeling down in front of Kath as well. "What is it?"
Reaching up, Kath placed his small hands on their foreheads and activated his Vision a second time. The difference now was that they were allowed to see what he was seeing. And since they were seeing the place Jet and Ryint went to, they would be able to easily teleport there for themselves. Kath then removed his hands, deactivated his powers, and set about trying to rub the blurriness out of his eyes.
With this information, Sein looked to Alana. "Much as I wanna go, I think you should go and I'll keep watch here with Kath."
"Alright. I will return soon, then." Alana gave her husband a quick hug and teleported off to where their son and Ryint were. Immediately, she could see the barrier they were examining. "This is most certainly Nareish's doing," she murmured.
Jet frowned at her assessment, but spoke to Ryint first. "You said your friend touched this?"
"Yeah," Ryint admitted. "Seemed to hurt pretty fucking bad."
"He is in danger," Jet told her frankly. "Touching a barrier will get the attention of whoever made it. Since Nareish made it, that means he just got her attention. And at a time when she clearly wants no interruptions, no less."
Ryint froze and tensed. "He's looking for Ghune." ahe explained, already reaching for the bat on her back.
Alana made a pacifying gesture with her hand. "Please, lower your weapon. It will not do any good right now. We must focus instead on locating your friends. Do you have any idea where they may be?"
Mobius or Babylon… but where would Akol think to look for her? With the knowledge that Ghune wasn't on Babylon (she would have known), Ryint gently grabbed onto Alana's wrist. "Mobius," she explained, attempting to teleport them with her to the planet.
Rather than allow this, Alana held them all in place. "Just a moment. Jet, return to your father, will you? Teleporting once has already left you tired. I can see it in your eyes."
He seemed to want to argue. Thankfully, he saw the merit in not wasting time with that. "Yeah… fine." As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished.
"Alright," Alana then said to Ryint. "Now you may take me to the place you are planning to check. I will search with you."
Ryint once more, a touch more impatiently this time, teleported the two of them to Mobius and pulled the bat off of her back, using her other hand to draw a knife. "If Ghune is here, I can get her attention," she mumbled, slicing open one of her hands and pressing her weapon into the ground. "If she's here…" Alana nodded and crossed her arms to wait.
It only took a few seconds for Ghune to appear, wrapping Ryint up in one arm and holding her close. "What the hell happened? Why are you so shaken?"
Alana blinked slowly. "I know you are asking her, but may I speak? I can explain as well, to an extent."
Confused, though curious, Ghune simply nodded and further comforted her friend by wrapping the woman up in her cloak. "Please do."
"I cannot speak to why they were there," Alana began, "but this young woman and the man you left in our medical ward were in a region of deep space, right on the darkest edge of this reality. There is a race of creatures that I presume you, like your friend here, are familiar with. However, there is a powerful barrier surrounding the region that my son and I suspect was made by Nareish. I sensed no movement within it, nor anything that could explain what was happening."
"They're worried because Akol touched the barrier. We came here to see if he was here, and so I could find you-"
Ryint was silenced by Ghune pulling her in a little closer. "Calm yourself." Ghune's voice was low and soft, enough to make Ryint attempt to relax. "Thank you for letting me know. I will go search for him now and ensure his safety."
Hearing this, Alana canted her head to one side. "You came to this planet for a reason… did you not? If you will permit me, I believe I can search for him much more quickly than you can. That way, you can finish your business here and, with luck, your comrade can be tracked down before any harm befalls him." I would ordinarily not bother with permission… but her people suffered an atrocity not two days ago. She is no doubt feeling extraordinarily protective right now.
Ghune blinked once before giving a gentle sigh. I am running into the issue now of this becoming an accruing debt I will one day wish to pay… but perhaps the time with Shadow's newest addition to the family will relax me for what is to come. "I would appreciate your efforts greatly if you were to take on such a task."
"Then I will do so now. No matter my findings, I will report them to you soon." Her promise made, Alana promptly teleported away.
With the outsider gone, Ghune closed her eyes and lifted Ryint gently off the ground to hold her in both arms. "I will convince Shadow and Toru to allow you inside with the baby. Would it calm you to see them?"
Though Ryint was… feeling much more vulnerable than usual, the woman gave a little nod. "Yeah… I would… really like that."
I'm sorry for what you've had to suffer through… seeing so many of our people die. I was able to shield you from this for a time, but not all is meant to last forever. Ghune resisted the desire to shed a tear at how this all pained her, ultimately keeping her gaze off of Ryint's face. "Then we shall go."
~保護者~
Nareish was positively gleeful in her treatment of him this time.
Coughing, Black Doom vied for as much clear thought as possible despite having been forced to transform multiple times again since her return. He was on the floor in his chambers, covered in blood anew and out of breath due to pain. He had no idea what had become of Yshervik, only that his third-in-command had yet to return. But that was the least of his concerns, currently.
It took him a few moments to determine what form he was even in. It was a small biped with a vaguely snake-like head and clawed fingers - this belonged to the same species as Yshervik himself, which brought back up thoughts of concern. Although this form was skilled in agility and sneaking about, those abilities did no good against someone like her.
She grabbed him by the throat and pinned him against a wall. Strength wasn't something this form had in abundance. Even if it was, he knew he would have been powerless to remove the pressure from his throat. Instinct demanded that he try regardless. He couldn't succeed. He couldn't even shift forms himself. His efforts only made her laugh, as always.
"I must say," she drawled, "that this form of yours is rather pathetic. I can't say that I approve. Tell me, will ridding you of it purge your precious hive of all the little beings that emerged in its image?" He found the energy to glare at her. It only made her choke him harder. "I suppose we'll find out, just as soon as I determine how to kill this form without killing you."
They both noticed a growing commotion outside of the hive. It would draw attention from others, and they both knew it. She tutted to herself before suddenly dropping him. While he fought to catch his breath, she did something that caused a pulse of power to pass through the area. He'd felt this once before. He knew what she was doing. It made him freeze.
All throughout the hive, everything went quiet. Nareish had just affected time in a way he didn't fully understand. What he did know was that now time was going to flow far differently out there as opposed to in here. The last time she'd done this, he'd endured years of suffering upon Gerald's ARK while mere minutes had passed everywhere else.
So many emotions were running through him right now that he couldn't process them. Energy coiled around his wrists and cuffed them in front of him. Those cuffs then yanked him to the wall in such a way that forced him to stand. Once he was pinned, she forced him to change into his newest form, the one that resembled Shadow. He barely had a chance to try and reacclimate to having fur and whatnot before she manifested a weapon into her hands.
"I believe it's time that we resume your training," she murmured behind him. "All of your forms need to learn obedience, even the ones that aren't mere beasts." Without further warning, there was a loud crack! behind him. Pain lanced up his back, fiery and explosive. He recognized the sensation as coming from a whip. It made his whole body tense and robbed him of breath for just a moment.
Nareish whipped him a second time. "This is just my opinion," she continued, "but… I have always found pain to be one of the most effective forms of punishment. The lessons some need to learn… cannot always be taught with words." She did it a third time, then a fourth once he'd recovered. "Until you learn to obey your master, you will suffer. And I will enjoy it."
The whip cracked once more.
~保護者~
Jet jumped a little when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. However, the voice that reached his ears was nothing but familiar and calming. "Hey, easy. It's just me."
Realizing it was Nier, Jet opened his eyes and looked up at the other Babylonian. Honestly, he was pretty happy to see the man. They'd been incredibly close for many, many centuries. At one point, they'd dated one another, albeit somewhat casually, and grown even closer through it. They were back to being just friends and had been for a very long time, but that didn't mean their bond had weakened. The dynamic had merely shifted again, nothing more.
Seeing Nier here now was quite a relief. It had been too long since he'd heard from him. "You've gotten terrible about checking in, you know," Jet sighed before giving in to a yawn.
"Yeah, well… A certain someone's clone vanished a while back and I got my butt beat when I chose not immediately retreat. I had to get all patched up and get back out there. And then the raid happened and all that jazz, too." Nier pulled up a chair, sat down, and offered a smile. "I'm not hurt, though, at least. Unlike you, I see. How're you feeling?"
"Better'n I was," Jet mumbled while rubbing at an eye. He moved to sit himself up, being slow and careful about it as usual lately. "Things don't hurt nearly as much now."
"Good." Nier's smile faded. His aura betrayed his regret. "I didn't hear that you were hurt until… I don't know, maybe ten minutes ago. Someone told Therin, I guess, and something clued him in to the fact that I didn't know. When he said Nareish did a number on you… Honestly, I wasn't expecting you to even be awake right now, much less coherent and moving around."
"I had help," Jet shrugged. "Remember Steam? He had some Privilege from his timeline. My parents helped as well, and maybe also this being called the Aether. I doubt I would have survived otherwise. Nareish was probably counting on them doing what they did."
Hearing that, Nier scowled. "I don't like that. Not that I suspect you do, but it bears mentioning." Jet only nodded. "Listen, about the clone thing. What happened back there? You never just lose control of them like that."
"That… wasn't a loss of control." Jet bit his inner cheek and directed his gaze elsewhere. Anywhere else. "There were… extenuating circumstances. I don't think I was thinking normally, but I don't know for sure. I destroyed the clone on purpose. I don't know why anymore. A lot of what happened is… fuzzy."
Nier's gaze sharpened. "Is the Void back?" he immediately demanded. "When it touched you all those years ago and first started bonding with you, stuff like this started happening. You began acting strange, using powers you didn't used to have, talking differently than you usually do, becoming obsessed with death, crap like that. You didn't always have a clear memory of it after the fact, either. Not at first, when the bond was at its absolute weakest. Is it happening again?"
Fucking hell. Jet bit down harder, then released his cheek. After that, he closed his eyes and concentrated. "I have notes on A'latria. Old ones. The things I wrote… about whispers in my mind, destructive urges, death, feeling a presence… and, eventually, a decision to purge memories of the events in question to destroy or at least weaken a bond that was in the infant stages of forming. Is that what you're talking about?"
"Yes. Yes, exactly that. You were writing a lot back then, and a few of us saw some of those notes you're talking about. They alarmed us, but you wouldn't usually listen to our concerns." Nier crossed his arms. His eyes were full of old fears. "You were scaring us, Jet. I don't know what eventually got through to you, but you finally had a moment of clarity and decided to take drastic action. It was the only option you could think of. Destroying your memories of what you'd heard and felt freed you from that influence, but you told me at the time that it would only work because the bond was so new and weak. I doubt it'll help now."
This has happened before, then… and I don't remember any of it. By my own choice, it seems. "The Void is back," Jet quietly confirmed. "If it ever left at all back then, it's returned now. I can't say whether the situation is as bad this time as it was back then. All I know is that it isn't leaving again. Ever. It can't and it won't."
"What are you going to do about it?" Nier questioned cautiously.
Jet shrugged again. "The Aether exists now as the Void's natural opposite in some ways. True aura, like what the Faein are made of, is its more proper opposite in other ways. Right now, the Faein are asleep and the Aether isn't yet strong enough to help much. I have little idea what to do."
"I know you aren't asking for advice or anything, but I'm just going to go ahead and say that I'm also at a loss." Nier sighed heavily. "That being said, though… I'm always here for you if you need me. Always."
"I know," Jet murmured. "Thank you."
Smiling a little, Nier reached over and gave one of Jet's shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "Anytime. For now, though, let's change the subject, okay? I met a girl who I'm dying to tell you about."
Grateful for the distraction, Jet accepted this with a nod and settled in. He suspected he was about to hear quite the story.
~保護者~
I should not have slept so much.
With this thought firmly in place in her mind, Analia sat herself up. She was in the same field where Rose had found her. After the cat had left, she had laid herself back down and returned to sleep. Her Light had formed a natural defensive barrier around her, keeping her safe from harm. That wasn't the issue, though. The issue was what had finally woken her up.
So much Darkness… It must be vast, to be sensed from here. Her limbs were shaky. Nevertheless, she got her legs underneath herself and stood. The thought occurred to her that Cere's insistence she keep resting was far from incorrect. She did need the sleep, but just now… I cannot continue to be inactive. Not when so much continues to happen.
Analia dismantled her barrier and teleported. She reappeared a few miles outside of Zyr. Already, she was more than close enough to feel the drain of such immense Darkness on her own opposite energies. Had she been the careless type, she might have dared to go even closer. After all, she technically could survive it. That just didn't mean it was a good idea. It was a terrible one, in fact, for one simple reason.
She wasn't alone.
Though her eyes could barely make out the vague shadow of a person before her, she sensed their Darkness the instant they appeared. "Forgive my intrusion," she murmured. "I-"
A sword, one just as close to being invisible as its wielder, grazed the front of her throat. It remained there, silently threatening. "Your kind are unwelcome," the person muttered. "Get lost before I see fit to cleave your head from your shoulders."
Hm… I see. A chameleon, is it? Your Darkness feels similar to Espio's… dormant though his was last I saw him. Analia politely inclined her head just a bit. "Forgive me," she said again. "I only wished to ensure that everything was alright. I understand why you do not trust me or those like me. Although it was long ago, stories did reach my world of what had happened to your people. Those who came before me were… wrong. More than I can express."
Strangely enough, she felt the sword lower just a smidge. "...You come from Mobius. Where my people fled."
She didn't know how they had figured that out, Analia didn't openly question it. "Yes, that is correct. Your people have long isolated themselves within a single region of that world, but every so often throughout history one or two would emerge. It was from one of those rare visitors long ago that my then-partner, Kaden, heard the story. It was already an ancient tale by then, however."
The sword lowered further. "...Kaden," the chameleon repeated slowly. "You expect me to believe that a descendent of Zenith would mate with someone like you?"
"Tokarians do not take mates," Analia gently corrected. "Our bonds are different… less permanent. But they are no less important to us. You do not have to believe my words, however. It was… long ago." Despite the sadness flowing through her, she did what she could to conceal the emotion for now. This wasn't the time for it. She could let herself cry her fill once she was back home.
What she had briefly forgotten, however, was that beings of Darkness were generally skilled at picking up on emotions, just like beings of Light. Both energies drew strength from emotions, after all. It made sense that they were capable of sensing them in others as well as themselves. "Your emotions," the chameleon said stiffly, "do not indicate lies. This does not mean you are trustworthy, but I will spare you this once." Just like that, the sword was withdrawn.
Surprised, Analia blinked a couple of times. "I… I see. Thank you for your mercy."
"Do not take this the wrong way," was the irritated response. "This is a favor to Zenith, nothing more. If his descendent bonded with you, then you will matter to them both. I had an old debt to repay and that has been honored. Now get out of my sight."
"I will," Analia promised. "But, please, answer me this one question. What is your relation to Espio? He is a chameleon who I once knew well. Your Darkness feels similar to his."
"I do not know the name," the person dismissed. Analia thought it would be left at that, but more of a reply was given after a few second's pause. "My grandson is Haru. I know he lives again. Anyone descended from him is my kin. You will have to find out on your own."
They vanished before Analia could respond. Sighing, partially out of relief, Analia teleported back to Mobius. It is good that they allowed me to leave. I do not have the strength to fight them yet. Perhaps I am as reckless as Kaden, after all. Smiling ruefully, she took a seat beneath the random tree she had appeared by. The shade was pleasant, but she felt no happiness. My kin made a grand mistake. I suspect Nareish tried to finish the job earlier, judging by the Darkness I sensed. That person escaped serious harm, but it is concerning nevertheless. It is... beyond regrettable what my ancient kin once did. Sighing, Analia wiped at her eyes.
I only wish I knew what to do to help mend things.
~保護者~
The moment they stepped through the portal, Saran felt positively suffocated by the Darkness of this realm. It created an oppressive cloud around him that smothered his senses and pressed endlessly against him. All he could do to spare himself from these sensations was coat his very skin in a thin layer of protective Light. He sensed some of the Darkness shift, tensing and recoiling in response to his Light. No harm befell him, however. I shall very much like to not return here in the future. He turned his attention to Steam. "I hope you know where to go. I cannot sense any other living thing anywhere near us."
Steam nodded. He was certainly feeling the effects of this Darkness, but luckily being able to summon up Darkness within himself saved him from totally suffering from it. "I wouldn't intentionally lead anyone astray. We should be somewhat close already, if I'm correct."
"Lead the way," Saran murmured. This Darkness is similar to Kaden's… but it isn't his. Just what is going on? "Do you have the faintest idea why there is so much Darkness coating everything here?"
"Zenith."
Descriptive. Saran searched his memory for that name. He knew he'd read about it somewhere, but it had been during his own youth. It was difficult to recall the snippet of information he'd uncovered back then. Questioning the matter further didn't seem likely to get him many answers right now, though, judging by how brief Steam's previous response had been.
Steam didn't quite realize he was being short, keeping his attention on navigating the darkness around them. "You feeling okay?"
"I'm alright," Saran murmured. "How much further?"
"Not too much further. Just keep by me… and be ready. Kaden likely isn't in a great mindset, so he may react badly. Especially to me," Steam warned, trying to not let those thoughts get to him.
"Why especially to you?" Saran questioned with a frown. I can believe that Kaden will be in a bad way… but that knowledge won't make handling this any easier. I will have to handle him with great care. Possibly more so than ever before, depending on how he is.
As they continued to walk, his pace gradually slowed. The magic he used to see, being Light magic as it was, was being absolutely drowned out by the Darkness surrounding them. Meaning he could barely make out where he was walking and what his surroundings were like. He let out a soft sigh and shifted his focus to his ears. Using those, he was able to catch back up with Steam and trail after him using the sound of the younger man's breathing, heartbeat, and footsteps. This place is unpleasant.
"The best way to reach him when he was corrupted was to say things regarding who he was and what he used to be. I've said things that were hurtful to make sure that people wouldn't die, including myself," Steam answered honestly, letting out a quiet sigh of his own. "I'm not proud of it."
Saran sort of tsked, but not so much at him. "I see. That is… regrettable." His foot caught on something on the ground, causing him to trip. He reflexively thrust his hand out to catch himself, then paused. "Is this a door?"
Steam blinked once. "It… probably is." The Darkness surrounding them faded a touch, allowing at least Steam to see the door. It was no doubt the point of entry he'd been looking for. Steam assumed that this was partially due to Zenith, but it wasn't something he was bothered by. Instead, he used his magic to gently open the door.
Inside, Kaden, Zareil, and the triplets could immediately be seen. However, Zenith's Darkness gently scooted all the girls into the second room for now and shut the door. Kaden watched this occur with a dull expression, not bothering to get up from where he sat on the bed. Meanwhile, the green hedgehog gently nudged Saran. "You should go in first, probably."
Saran had to take a moment to feel for the actual opening into the room before stepping in. Knowing that vocalizing things wasn't always easy for his student, he connected with Kaden mentally as soon as he felt the younger man's mind. They traded some silent words before Saran murmured to Steam, "I am afraid that I still cannot see anything. Is there a place to sit?"
Blinking, Steam walked in and glanced around. The room was, unfortunately, bare. Even the bed was nothing more than a simple mattress, as this meant that there was nothing in the room that Kaden could use to harm himself - or that Zareil could use to harm others. Rather than make Saran stand, Steam created a sort of chair nearby to the bed and guided Saran to it. "There you go."
The old Light user accepted the seat gratefully. "Thank you. I appreciate the help." He gestured blindly in Kaden's general direction and asked, "Were there things you wished to say before I get into things with him?"
Steam took a moment to keep himself calm before glancing in Kaden's direction. "I won't bother you much, really, but… I do want to apologize for the things I said to you and about you when you were corrupted. No matter the reason, it was pretty fucked up for me to say."
Kaden blinked slowly. After a noticeable pause, he finally pulled his gaze away from the door that Zareil and the children were behind. However, he didn't look at Steam for more than a second or two before dropping his gaze to the floor. "You had every reason to say what you did," he responded quietly. "Your words were the truth and prevented death. That more than gives you the right."
Out of respect, Steam kept his own gaze to the side. "I had no right. I could have done other things to get that result. It was a harsh and uncalled for thing for me to do, but… well, you of all people should be able to tell that I'm telling the truth. I won't bother you with endless convincing." With his piece here said… for now, Steam decided to let Saran say and do what he would, stepping out of the door and some short distance away to give them privacy.
When the door closed, Saran sighed. "He's correct, you know." This didn't garner a response. He pressed on. "You have telepathy, and I assume you trained with it to make it stronger by now than it was when you were a child. If you wanted to catch him in a lie, you could simply read his mind." Silence answered him. Saran set his staff down against the wall. "Unless, of course, you already know that he was truthful. In which case, I can only assume that you are just being stubborn."
That finally got a sigh out of Kaden. "I'm not being stubborn."
His dull tone bothered Saran greatly. "You used to be so lively in the right company," he said. "Sitting here with you now… it's almost as though you are dead. And yet you clearly are not."
"I should be." This spontaneous admission seemed to have been unintentional, for Kaden quickly shut his mouth again. So quickly, in fact, that Saran heard his teeth impact one another.
"Tell me about it," the white-furred hedgehog invited, his tone nothing but gentle. "You know that you will never face judgement of any kind from me, no matter what happens."
"You cannot say that while having no idea what I have done."
"Then by all means, enlighten me."
More silence. This time, however, Saran recognized it as being a different kind of silence altogether. His student was gathering his thoughts, and he was granted all the time he needed to do so. When Kaden did finally speak, his tone somehow grew even more dead. "A long time ago, I… fell in love. We married and, eventually, had a son. A week after his birth, we died." Saran heard Kaden shift on the bed, but Kaden didn't stand. "You had told me when I was a child that you would one day teach me about semi-Immortals, but that did not happen before you died. Because of that, when we also died, we assumed like virtually all other Mobians back then that we were mere mortals."
He continued. "We were revived in later years, our family grew, and we lived our lives mostly peacefully. However… the Nocturne Clan was brought back." The mere mention of that truly ancient clan made Saran tense, but he refused to interrupt. "We did not survive the final battle. Our assumption at the time was that our deaths would be permanent, as they were before. We were wrong. She revived without issue, but my soul was captured and dragged with my body to the demonic realm. I was… corrupted long before I revived."
How horrible. To say that Saran was horrified would have been an understatement. If only I even knew a better word for this feeling. "Kaden," he beckoned softly, "what happened during your time as a demon?"
He heard Kaden shrug, but his student answered him before long. "My free will was stolen from me. I don't know exactly how long it lasted, only that I spent many eons serving as the right-hand of the God of Demons. The moment I gained its… 'trust' and my free will was returned to me, I made plans to kill the god in revenge for what it had done to me. I succeeded and… and I took on its role myself."
"And you blame yourself for doing this?"
"Yes."
"Even though I know you know that the corruption you suffered forcibly changed the way you thought and behaved?"
"...Yes."
Kaden's reply was a lot less certain the second time. Saran decided to press on. "It is difficult to think objectively about matters like these when our emotions are overwhelming us," he reminded his student in a quiet voice. "Please, tell me what weighs most on your mind from those years. Unless you get those thoughts out into the open, the emotions attached to them will only continue to fester and grow more unbearable."
Once more, Kaden didn't speak for a time. His pulse changed as emotions finally started to pull themselves free of his previous numbness. If Saran had to guess, Kaden had been deliberately shoving it all down for days now, if not longer. But now guilt, shame, fear, regret, depression, and others were all making their way to the surface. Kaden had to swallow thickly before he could say anything. "My… My former partner…"
When he trailed off, Saran felt a wave of sympathy. I can only assume this is the woman he was once married to… the one he died twice with. "What about her?"
He heard Kaden shift again, possibly to wipe his eyes. "She… came to try and save me. Many times. I… I fought her. Every time she came, I did everything I could to try to kill her. When I realized I could not kill her anymore than she could kill me, I… forged a trap using the vilest magics and Darkness I could find. When I finally ensnared her within it, I knew she was in agony. But I didn't care. I didn't care and I left her there. I let her suffer there alone for eons."
Now Saran could hear self-directed anger and definite tears. His walls are beginning to crack. I hate that it has to be done this way, but… he cannot hold onto all of this any longer. It will only continue to tear him apart. "That was not the real you," he firmly, yet gently, corrected. "That was a demon, a demon you were forced to be. Did you ask to be corrupted, Kaden?" When he didn't get a response, he asked again, "Did you?"
"No," Kaden forced out, voice breaking. His breathing was becoming shallower now. He sounded close to sobbing all of a sudden. "I didn't. I didn't want any of this. I was happy before, and everything is just… destroyed."
"To call it destroyed would be to say that it is irreparable," Saran murmured, rising from his seat. Following his ears as best as he could, he made his way to the bed and sat down beside his distraught charge. Though Kaden was larger now than Saran remembered, pulling the crying hedgehog into his arms and holding him close was a no less familiar act to him. "I am pleased to correct you on that," he continued. Carefully, he rested his chin atop Kaden's head. "Even if there is no romance to be found between you anymore, anyone who would try time and again to save another from such profound corruption is someone who has it in their heart to forgive their former partner's unwilling acts from their time as a demon."
Saran didn't blame Kaden for not being able to respond this time. He was simply crying too hard. It broke Saran's heart. "And any damage done to the rest of your family or to your friends… Kaden, it can and will be mended. I will be there with you every step of the way, and I will help you however much I can. This situation is not the end of things. I promise you." I promise you with all of my being.
Soon, the front of his robes were damp with tears. But… after a time, the severity of Kaden's sobs began to ease. He wasn't calming down, exactly, but he was rapidly exhausting himself. He'd never had the greatest endurance, so to speak, when it came to intensely emotional episodes like this. Saran recalled many a time when the poor boy had cried himself straight to sleep in his younger years, having rendered himself too exhausted to carry on any longer. Before that could happen now, Saran made one more promise. "Go to sleep now, Kaden. I will stay with you until you do. I cannot stay until you wake, but I will come and see you again as soon as I possibly can."
Kaden continued to not answer him with words. However, he didn't resist when Saran shifted to guide him down onto the bed. Saran laid a caring hand on his student's shoulder and let it linger until he, eventually, felt Kaden's breathing change to indicate a light, uneasy sleep. Rest well, lad. I can only hope you will feel somewhat less devastated when you awaken.
Sighing softly, he removed his hand and stood up. It was difficult to relocate the chair and his staff without tripping upon either, but he managed it. He then felt his way to the door leading to where Steam awaited him and slipped out of it. Once he had the door shut, he sighed again. That could not have gone worse. But… progress was made. I only wish it had not been made in such a painful manner for him.
Outside the door, Steam sniffled a bit and rubbed at his own face. He tried his best to hide it, but the fact was that it hurt him terribly to hear what he heard. "I thought that having gone through this once before would spare me from that pain. That was a bit… stupid of me to think."
"Are you alright?" Saran asked, his demeanor softening again.
"Not really," Steam responded quietly. "Always looked up to Kaden like a father. Seeing him corrupted hurt, but this makes my heart ache."
A father… I see. "I understand," Saran responded, voice just as quiet. "That was… not easy to bear witness to just now."
Steam let loose a shaky sigh and ultimately just nodded. "He'll recover in due time, I'm sure, but for right now he should rest. If I'm not mistaken, someone is speaking to his current partner as well."
"He should sleep, yes. And I believe you are correct that there is another visitor at the moment." Saran shifted to adjust his robes a little, but not for any real reason. He was just also emotional, and had a tendency to fidget when upset.
"We should go. I can arrange for a temporary home to be made for you in some wilderness near our allies. Figured that would be preferable to living around a lot of people at once," Steam said, trying to change the topic at hand. "And the person who can help could probably do well meeting someone like you."
The mere idea of being out in nature again lightened Saran's mood somewhat. "I would appreciate that," he murmured.
Steam thought for a moment, then added, "Just as a note… her name is Eila. She might react a bit badly to your presence, but I'm sure you'll quickly realize that she's an okay person." His explanation ended with him opening a portal for them both, making sure his magic was strong enough for Saran to sense.
Although the aforementioned explanation was a bit lacking, Saran opted not to question his temporary companion just now. Why would she take such issue with a Light user? He was curious and perhaps a bit concerned, but for now he simply stepped through the portal. That he was immediately able to "see" again brought him great relief. Thank goodness…
The green hedgehog walked toward a home near where they had come through the portal, glancing back at Saran. "Hang back here for a moment, unless you're willing to come near a lot of people."
Saran offered him a smile for the first time since being revived. It held all the same brightness as Analia's always had. "I am more than happy to wait here," he informed the younger man. "I will await your return."
Steam gave a minute smile in return, nodding back before teleporting inside. It was readily apparent that Eila was in a panic, and he wasn't quite sure how to handle that. He just had to figure out something… and quickly.
~保護者~
With Kaden distracted by that damned green hedgehog and that Light user (whatever their names were), Zareil's focus was on the ceiling in order to stave off her boredom. It wasn't really helping. Her children were wrapped up in her with strong arms all the while. Why did they have to take Kaden somewhere else? I don't like being away from him… And of course it had to be when I'm bored, too. Couldn't even wait for him to entertain me. Fucking dickheads. If I could, I'd have fed them to the hellhounds.
She didn't get to keep the solace of this silence for long. The sound of a footstep rocketed her up to her feet and she tossed the triplets behind her. They landed in a sort of heap somewhere behind her. She, meanwhile, immediately summoned her spear into her hand and readied it to strike, staring down the… oddly incorporeal being before her. "Who the hell are you and why are you here?"
There was a pause in the person's approach before they walked forward and seamlessly took the spear from Zareil, tossing it aside before she had the chance to respond to them coming closer. "Cease your aggression. If you make the mistake of attacking me, it may well be harmful for you. I have refused to restore my physical form in hopes of resting better." Meanwhile, the triplets wisely moved to the farthest corner of the room, watching and listening in silence.
Zareil tensed and glanced between her spear and the… unusual being a few times. "You didn't answer my fucking questions. Who are you and why are you here? Don't make me repeat myself."
If they could have pinched the bridge of their nose, Zareil could've sworn that they would. Hell, maybe they could have and just refrained from it for some reason. "My name is Utavi, and I've come here to help you. Sit and listen."
Normally unwilling to listen to anyone aside from Kaden, Zareil found it odd that she suddenly dropped into a sitting position on the bed. "What the fuck…?"
Utavi sat next to her and let out a soft sigh. "It is not your fault that you were born without a normal range of emotions. The nature of a demon cares not for happiness nor joy… but things are different for you now. You have been purified and are no longer a demon, though you certainly act as such."
"Are you going to point out something that I don't know or am I going to listen to you tell me things I've learned since I was born?" Zareil demanded harshly. "I don't appreciate my time being wasted."
"Then you should listen closely," Utavi pressed, fixating Zareil with what could only be described as a "glare". "If you wish to stay by Kaden's side, you are ill-equipped for his emotional range. He has sensitivities and difficulties that will become more pronounced in the presence of someone who cannot comprehend them, so I have come to impart knowledge upon you so that you can help him."
"And what makes you think I'm going to listen to you?"
Utavi was silent for several seconds before giving a reply. "You will listen because you love him."
Those words were enough to cause Zareil to be utterly silent. "How-"
"I am someone who is partially responsible for existence. It is my job to know things about the beings who live within it." Utavi frowned a little and looked at the triplets. "I can also help you with learning how to take care of your children now that you are all purified."
Zareil flexed her hands into fists, but ultimately she simply sighed and laid back on the bed. "Fucking… fine. Fine. Say whatever you're gonna say and get the hell out of here."
She is feigning irritation in order to persuade me into being faster… Heh. If only she had been less diluted in her Erukti nature, she might have been more determined and passionate about it. Reminds me of… what I had hoped my people would become. With these thoughts in her head, Utavi allowed her form composed of aura to lay back on the bed as well, beside Zareil. "Alynn, Shyrr, and Tyrnn are also allowed to join us… especially so that they no longer have to sit in the corner."
Hearing this, Alynn brazenly stuck her tongue out at Utavi while further corralling her younger sisters into said corner. None of them moved any closer. Knowing that this had occurred, Utavi was suddenly in a sitting position, facing them as she set a hand on Zareil's shoulder. "You may well also wish to know some of this information, young ones. Your father is a strong man, but there are things that may bother him more than you think. Of course, if you wish to ignore me, I will ensure that you can be more comfortable."
Though she was normally the quietest of the three, Shyrr spoke up. "We will listen," she said softly. She glanced at Zareil, as if silently seeking permission to do just that.
Zareil merely nodded, allowing the children to make this choice on their own since they apparently so chose to. Utavi, meanwhile, made a few chairs appear for the children to sit in just in case they didn't want to come any closer. "In that case… if there are any questions to be had, speak and I will answer them." The children opted to stay silent.
Utavi simply continued from there, understanding that they did not wish to speak currently. She had plenty of talking to do on her own, anyway. There was a lot to discuss.
~保護者~
"Woah!" Cyril yelled out, flipping out of the way of another spell from Armaris. In meeting her, he'd known instinctively that she was powerful. It was blatantly obvious, but the slightest instruction had skyrocketed her forward in how well she wielded it. She was ripping through his barriers like they were paper, for goodness sake. 'Course, I'm not going all out on these. Wouldn't be fair to her, and something tells me she would take it badly if she couldn't see any progress being made.
Armaris, meanwhile, pursued the finch. Tendrils of Darkness propelled her in his direction as she wordlessly flung spells in his direction. I can feel it. It's like… I'm growing. If only Cere could see me right now…
The chase went on for several minutes, with Cyril rapidly ramping up how hard he was trying to keep the difficulty up for the cat before it became obvious that her haphazard casting was catching up to her. "Woah, hey! Let's stop here!" he called, gently taking hold of one of her hands when she landed on the ground by him and swayed on her feet. "You pushed yourself real hard, but you made a ton of progress already. You should try and take it easy for a bit."
"Huh?" Armaris asked, yanking her arm away from him as she tried to return to her stance, only to stumble back a bit. Once more, he caught her with a hand taking hold of hers, and this time she didn't fight back against him. "Hm… fine," she mumbled, letting herself slump up against the finch.
If Cyril hadn't been ready for her collapse, he might've fallen over with her. Instead, he simply carried her bridal style and teleported back to the home she'd been at, getting her settled in the bedroom so she could relax and rest. You did great. You'll have to get more used to it all, but… eh, you've got so much potential. I'm sure you'll figure this all out in due time.
With her settled in, Cyril smiled and teleported away. He'd been doing that all day at this point, flitting from New Babylon to Mobius to Teyan's realm… Just like that, he blinked once and found himself back at the place where he'd fallen asleep with the woman earlier. His thoughts turned that way and he found himself smiling a little more, a soft chuckle escaping him as flowers and other plants began sprouting up around him. Teyan is really cool. I'm glad I met her, even if it was… kind of a mistake? Not sure what to call it when my magic spiked and sent me there.
After a few seconds, the finch decided it was time to move again, appearing outside of Tails's home. A lot had happened recently, and so it was probably best to try and not get too distracted. As such, he made what he decided to be a hilariously grand decision to spend his time bothering Silver and having some fun. After all... why not?
~保護者~
Recovering from Nareish's corruption had taken some time for Infinite to do. While he had been resting, though, he hadn't been doing so deeply enough to miss what had been going on. He was keenly aware of recent events, in fact. In particular, he was aware of the spawns of Malevolence who had pissed their mutual creator off. Each had acted on their own. Neither had been met with success.
The day of the first spawn's error, Malevolence had been forced into contact with Nareish. She again wanted an alliance. It had again refused. They may well have come to blows over it, too, if not for the spawn's distracting decision to confront Shadow. While Malevolence indeed wanted the bastard and his family dead, that hadn't been the time to do it. The spawn had let Shadow escape, regardless. It had drawn the ire of the first vampire in the process. That the spawn had been killed by her was less of a punishment than it deserved… but it was something at least.
Then there was the idiotic halfling who had decided to pick a fight with a chameleon that even Malevolence's own "daughter" hadn't ever managed to kill. And not for lack of trying, either. She hadn't succeeded back then. This spawn hadn't, either. In an effort to test its mettle and prove its worth, it had wound up gravely wounded and inciting a miniature massacre on Malevolence's less defended spawn. Why the chameleon hadn't then killed the halfling, Infinite had no idea. Malevolence had been perfectly willing to do so itself either way, so it hardly mattered.
Still… Infinite knew their creator wasn't pleased. He also wasn't. We are surrounded by fools. Weak, simple-minded fools. Crossing his arms, he floated to a more isolated location within Malevolence's realm. Once there, he settled into a sitting position where he was floating and closed his eyes. Even beyond this realm, there are far too many who fall into the same category. Such as the fool demon god who thought it wise to kill that girl.
Infinite's mind strayed to the topic of Malevolence's… "grandchildren", if they could be called that. The female had been murdered. She hadn't been suited for battling with pure strength and had been overwhelmed. It was no great loss, in his opinion, but he knew that it had infuriated his creator. That mattered more than any opinions he personally held.
And then there was the matter of the male. The potential for him to have strength was there, but he was… held back, somehow. Infinite had heard talk of some seal or another. He didn't know if that was true or not. Word was, though, that the seal was mostly broken. Until it was fully gone, it would be difficult to gauge what kind of power the man had. His frankly lackluster control wouldn't improve terribly much without work either way, though. Malevolence may decide to intervene on that matter… eventually.
For now, his creator seemed content to rest. It made sense. It, Infinite, and all the other spawn had been awakened far earlier than any of them would have liked. Normally, they all would have slept until Malevolence had grown hungry and embarked on another hunt for Light to feast on. That hadn't happened this time. Between Kaden and Nareish and that Nyokae woman meddling in just about everything and Eona's sudden return to the waking world… Well, sleep had been hard to come by.
This was all irritating, but not truly vexing per se. Infinite closed his eyes, preparing to rest as well. Whenever Malevolence was ready to act again, he also would be. His forced servitude to Nareish had persisted for far too long. He'd detested every single second of it. That was all in the past now, however. Things were different now. They were how they should be.
It was high time he resumed serving his true master.
~保護者~
Had it not been for the help of the Shadow from Steam's timeline, things here could well have been worse. Amy reflected on that with no small amount of relief as she watched Maria sleep on Tails's workshop couch. The girl's fever had gone down significantly. With any luck, it would be gone entirely before too long. With the files Steam had been given (written by the madman Gerald himself, though Amy tried to put that out of mind), making the needed medicine had been child's play for Tails and Wery. Steam probably would have also been able to deal with it pretty easily, if he hadn't had other things to go deal with.
Oh, well. The important thing is that he did what he could. All of them did. And now she's doing all the better for it. Sighing softly, Amy leaned to her right. She was sitting in a hastily-located chair. Beside her in a similarly random chair was her husband, whose shoulder she was now resting her head upon. He'd been very quiet since seeing Maria, but she still knew what he was feeling. "I'm glad you're feeling more relieved than worried," she murmured. "I think we're all starting to get to that point."
"I think so," Sonic agreed softly. He shifted then, freeing his arm enough to wrap it securely around her. Her own arms wound around his middle. "I just… I still can't believe she's really back, you know? It's crazy. And Shadow has no idea."
"I want to tell him right now," Amy admitted with a small chuckle. "But if you're serious about what you told me, then I understand why we can't."
Emerald eyes fixed her with an incredulous look. "Why would I make up a story where my male brother is having a baby?"
"Mm, not male, technically," Amy corrected. "Black Arms don't have genders. Tails and I figured that out a while back. He's mostly one of them, you know. He has enough Tokarian in him to be male in some ways, such as his voice, but he doesn't even have… you know-"
Sonic choked and quickly shook his head. "Nope, nope, I don't need to hear anything else!" Amy couldn't help but laugh. She'd absolutely known that he'd react in such a way. "Honestly Amy, are you trying to kill me? Because that's how you can kill me."
"I doubt my big, strong husband can genuinely die from embarrassment," Amy teased. She felt victorious when he finally gave in and not only smirked, but also let out a chuckle. There's a hint of that smile I've been missing. Giving him a small squeeze, Amy asked him, "How is he doing, anyway? Have you heard from him or Toru?"
"No." And there it was… the profound worry he'd been managing to distract himself from until now. "Neither of them have contacted me. I want to reach out to them, but I can't bring myself to. This is a big thing they're going through, you know? And I got the sense from Toru that they didn't want many people hanging around. So I've just… been trying not to bother them."
"I think Black Arms prefer largely solitary births," Amy murmured. "From what little Tails and I know about the nesting behaviors of some types of Black Arms, we guessed that they typically only allow their… 'mates' and sometimes their parents to be near them. Supposedly, some react with violence if anyone else approaches." And trust me when I say that emotional overreactions are very much par for the course during childbirth, she privately added.
"Yeah… I get it. Sort of, anyway." Sonic sighed and ran his free hand over his face. "There's just so much that I don't know, Ames. In a lot of ways, I barely know who or what Shadow is, and he's my brother. Like, I get that I know him in a lot of the most important ways, but at the same time… God, I don't know."
"I understand. That's something we all need to work on. All of us. Not just you, but the rest of our family, too." Amy closed her eyes. "There are a lot of things he's still learning about all of this as well, you know. I don't think he begrudges us for being in the same boat. We'll just take things one step at a time with him, and I'm sure that things will work out."
Much to her delight, Sonic turned his head to kiss the top of hers. "If you think so, then I'll trust that. Fair enough?"
"Fair enough," she agreed. Then she smiled. "And when everyone's feeling better, we can help facilitate a reunion between him and Maria. I'm sure that'll cheer him up. Sound good?"
"Sounds good," he murmured. "Now let's stop talking. You sound half asleep already."
"M'kay," Amy agreed, snuggling closer. "Just don't put me down for a while.
His cheek came to rest atop her head. "I won't," he said softly. "I promise."
Soon thereafter, they were both drifting off.
~保護者~
For now, Nyokae was content to watch.
Espio's Darkness was calm. Armaris's was as well. It wasn't due to last. Nyokae was certain of that. They wouldn't get much more reprieve, going forward. The thought of what was to come made Nyokae grin. There are plans in place for each of you. Your time with him is limited, kitten. I will get what I want… and you will be returned to your own rotten kind. All in due time. For now, all she had to do was watch…
And wait.
~保護者~
12.192 words this time. Many thanks as always to Blazing Winds for all of his help and support and I hope you all enjoyed. Posted (at about 8:10 p.m.) 10-08-22.