Kaden stood at the doors of the Center of Advanced Lombax Research, gazing at them for a moment before taking a deep breath and walking inside. He was greeted with the usual sight of Lombaxes bustling every which way to their respective departments, the conversations he's catching varying from exciting results from their experiment this morning, to discussing the tolerances of the latest prototype, to just deciding on where they're going out for dinner later.
He makes his way through the lobby, finding that he's getting odd stares from a few other Lombaxes, but he doesn't pay them any mind, simply giving a friendly smile and a nod as he walks past them. He eventually reaches the elevator on the other end, and lucky for him, one was open and ready. He steps into it and presses the button for the top floor, where the Council's meeting room resided, and the doors close after a moment before it begins ascending.
Kaden always enjoyed the view it gave, since the wall opposite the door was a giant window on the exterior of the building, giving a fantastic view of the steadily rising city, ships and hovercars flying every which way above the buildings below that largely paled to the tower of the Center. Having an overview of their city and all the Lombaxes living within it gave him a good reminder of all the people he's helping in his work with the Council, making their lives better one innovation at a time.
He hears a small ding, and he turns away from the window in time to see the doors slide open to reveal a large hallway lined with pictures of all the Councilmembers, a small plaque alongside each one giving a brief overview of their greatest accomplishments that helped justify their place on the Council. Underneath them all were small display cases, showcasing inventions and models of theories they've created.
But in the middle of the hall presently stood Julie and Mags, standing in front of his own display.
"You know, I really think they could've used a better picture of me." He says as he inspects it with a hand placed on his chin.
"Whaddya mean?" Julie asks, looking between him and the image on the wall, depicting him crossing his arms with a proud smile. "I think it looks fine."
"I don't know, I just feel like I look way too serious in it." He says with a shrug.
"Really? That's your idea of 'being too serious'?" She asks him doubtfully while gesturing to it. "Mags, over half the pictures here aren't even smiling. I mean, look at Harold's over there. He looks straight pissed."
She motions over to his picture a couple of displays over from them, and she wasn't wrong. His elderly, white-furred face had a hard expression, his eyes almost glaring at anyone who dares to look at it while giving a very deep scowl, the worn wrinkles in his features seeming to say that he wasn't used to having his lips in any other configuration.
"I guess you're right about that." He says with a chuckle. "I should be thankful I don't look like I want to eat someone's baby."
"Right? You've got to stop worrying about these dumb pictures anyway, nobody really pays attention to them anyways." Julie says while patting his shoulder.
He raises an eyebrow at her. "Is that why you made yours look like that?" He asks as he points to hers, right next to Harold's, coincidentally.
As opposed to every single other picture, where the poses ranged from professional to slightly casual postures, Julie's had her giving an enthusiastic double thumbs up accompanied with a toothy grin, making hers stick out like a sore thumb.
"Hey, are you calling mine bad or something?" She accuses him, placing her hands on her hips.
"Not at all!" He says as holds his hands up in defense. "But, I mean, you have to admit you should be at least somewhat professional about something as important as being a Councilmember."
"That is me being professional." She states pointedly as she crosses her arms. "That was me making a compromise after they told me I can't pose with one of my guns."
"Well, you can't say it isn't fitting of you, Julie." They hear a voice speak from behind them.
They both whip around, startled, but immediately relax as they see it's Kaden, standing there with an amused smile. "It'd look much weirder if you actually took it seriously."
"There you are!" Mags greets him with an eager smile while giving a pat on his shoulder. "We were starting to get worried you got arrested again on the way here." He says jokingly.
"Either that, or getting harassed from everyone downstairs asking you why you're out of jail so soon." Julie adds.
"Nah, only got a few stares, but other than that, everyone else was too busy to notice." He assures them. "Business as usual."
"Everything going good now that you're back home, then?" Mags asks.
"For the most part, yeah. Although, it was a pain in the ass to clean up my workshop after they trashed it in their investigation against me." He says annoyedly. "Plus, I've had to go over my budget a bit ever since they took those 50000 bolts I spent in the sting as my punishment, going to be living tight for a little while."
"Well, hey, 50000 bolts is a pretty small price to pay compared to the life in prison you would've gotten if the judge didn't let you off for being such a hero, right?" Julie offers.
"That is true." He says with a chuckle. "I'm glad you guys ended up being right about that. I don't know what'd happen if he did decide to lock me up."
"Easy, we'd come and break you out, obviously." Julie plainly says. "I can design something that could blow your cell walls wide open in ten minutes, easy."
"No, we wouldn't, Julie." Mags tells her with a roll of his eyes.
"Speak for yourself." She states while crossing her arms.
"Well, while Julie would be busy getting herself thrown in jail with you, I'd be right here trying to convince the Council to get Kieran like we promised." Mags tells Kaden while Julie scoffs beside him.
Kaden gives him a smile. "And I'd be absolutely in your debt when you do. But… since I'm standing here as a free Lombax once again, is everyone waiting for us?" He asks, thumbing down to the set of double doors at the end of the hall, which led to the Council's meeting room.
"Yep, the last Councilmember showed up right before you did, coincidentally. The only ones left to arrive are us three." Mags tells him, gesturing to themselves. "So, are you ready for your appeal, Kaden?"
He gives a nod. "Ready as I'll ever be."
"Glad to hear it." Mags says with a smile.
"Just lead the way, then. We'll be right behind you." Julie adds, giving him her own smile.
Kaden doesn't move for a moment, looking at the determination plastered on both of their faces, a reassuring gaze in each of their eyes that told him that no matter what happens, they'll be there with him every step of the way, just like they told him in prison. And after everything that's happened, he didn't doubt it one bit.
With a nod, accompanied with his own smile, he turns around and starts walking down the hall to face the Council once more, with his friends walking right by his side.
Did he think this appeal was going to pass, though? No, of course not. He'd be stupid to think that they'd listen to him immediately after he was caught going behind their backs and getting thrown in prison because of it.
But would they listen next month? Unlikely. And the month after that? Maybe. And all the other months that will follow? Hopefully.
But one thing was certain; no matter how slim the chances were at being able to convince the Council, merely attempting to do so was infinitely better than doing nothing. He can't reunite with Kieran by simply wishing him here. He had to work for it, he had to fight tooth and nail until either he dies or the Council caves in, but until then, he can never give up.
They reach the doors to the meeting room, and open it to reveal the amphitheater of over two dozen Councilmembers in its seat, their conversations suddenly silenced as they look onto him.
Kaden begins to walk up to the podium in the center of the room, Julie and Mags following alongside him. He can see they way most of the members glare at him with a malice, silently chastising him for having the gall to go against their judgement and still ask of them to pass his appeal. But he didn't care one bit.
He reaches the podium, and turns back to his friends, who each wordlessly give him a hug and reassuring nod before they make their way to their own seats in the audience. Kaden stands up to the podium, grabbing either side of it as he takes in the tense, judgmental stares of the audience.
He closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath.
He was going to hold his son in his arms again. Despite what these bastards might try to tell him, he knew it was true.
It's going to be a long and arduous struggle. There will be points he might think of giving up. There will be times he will feel as hopeless as he did in that concrete room of the prison.
It might take months. It might even take years. Hell, it might even take decades.
But no matter how long it will take, he knows he will never stop. Not as long as Kieran was waiting for him. Not as long as he had a promise to fulfill to Marie. Not as long as he had Julie and Mags right here beside him to push him to stay strong.
As long as the blood flowed in his veins and the air filled his chest, he knew he would see his son again. And nothing would stop him.
"Just wait for me, Kieran." He whispers quietly to himself. "I'll see you soon."
He takes one last deep breath, and opens his eyes.
"Is everyone present?" He begins with the typical formality. "Speak now if that is not the case."
He is met with silence. He returns a firm nod.
"Then this meeting of the Council for Advanced Lombax Research may begin."
So, I finally decided to go ahead and conclude this now five-part oneshot that was originally supposed to be only one. It only took me like, what, two, three months?
My absolute tardiness aside, I hope you enjoyed it, as I thought it'd make a nice little prequel of sorts to the main events of Lost Time.
And if you're a brand-new reader to my little series, then be sure to check that story out for that father/son reunion to cauterize the wound in your heart that I hopefully inflicted onto you.
And if I didn't, well, I hope you liked it anyway.