Brought down from the skies of Olympus, this chapter has condensed, liquified, and frozen on its fall down to the earth. Blanking an eco-system with a pure and untouched layer of snow that, form a unique perspective, contains vast amounts of texts. Some parts our illegible, but for those willing to bear the storm, a story will be found.

Graduating college on Saturday so I'm gonna have to make this introduction a bit briefer than normal. So, with that said, my apologies to the English langue, I'm still looking for a beta reader, and please review!

Now onto the actual replies!

Joecola double 'O' epicness: Hey dude, thanks for the review!

Also any person, aura user or not, directly touching Garth can see the astral form of Penny anytime his semblance is activated. It can get a bit confusing because Gareth, not having full voluntary control over his semblance, will sometimes turn it off and on without knowing, hence while he'll lose sight of Penny when he gets emotionally upset. The main idea though, is that he can see a projection of the electronic data that's so engrained into machinery and make sense of it. Anybody touching him would see these projections too but wouldn't know what to make of them. However, since Penny is in the in-between state of machinery and traditionally life, they are able to see her as such, and not just a jumble mess of 0 and 1's.

P.S. not spoilers on relationships... but nuts and dolts is my second favorite ship, and even giving Knightshade a run for its money now XD

Random 65: Hey dude, yeah, I'm really loving getting to right and Earth and Remnant fanfiction that's actually based on Earth. Seeing the characters react to a totally different human civilization is fun, as well as how the cultures themselves interact!

Phew, with all that said, onto the next installment of The Electric Lens!

Text Key

"Speech"

'Quote'

Thought

"Flashback", scene

"Electronic Speech"

Electronic Text's

"Langue that isn't understood by POV Character"

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Chapter 17

Having secured her own defeat, Summer watched as Nimue rolled the car into the driveway. Still woefully unprepared for what she was going to tell Amr, and not even possessing the energy to even theorized how he would react to all this, she couldn't even enjoy that her husband's prized agent was about to meet her personalized David.

Opening the car door, but not before turning around and indicating with a head nod to the now twice out of place faunus in the back seat she could follow suit, Summer exited the vehicle and looked upon her home. Fearing the Velvet's own reaction to the size and the pristine upkeep of the estate might a be a precursor to Laura's, the mother now took on a voice that indicated she was leaving behind her soldier persona,

"You should wait here for the others", heading up to the door, and her tone now becoming lighter more so for the person inside then the people on the receiving end, Summer began disengaging all the complex locks, " Nimue can show you to your rooms… your aura's been through the ringer so you can get a long rest, there will be plenty to discuss tomorrow as it is"

Summer continued to use English, but she could sense Velvet got the main points and indications of what she said. As she walked into the monetary safety of her house, she didn't even bother to close the barrier behind her, Hwyelbane now at her side he was the most powerful, and truthy only, lock they now had.

Making her way through the labyrinth, she questioned why such a maze was even in use, as noises of laughter and tapping of utilizes made even creatures blind to echolocation pick up on the exact pathway to go. Originally she and Arthur had wanted to put every security device and trick into play when protecting Amr, after all during the first few years of her stay on Earth she truly did believe more people like her would come...however, as reality set in, or at least she thought it had, she could now only view the added security as comical.

After all they weren't rodents trying to find cheese, or Theseus wishing to slay a minotaur...and if an aura user wanted to find any of the inhabitants he'd have a much harder time getting to the location unnoticed then breaking down the walls once here. But now, as she could begin to make out words, and cute high pitched begs, Summer couldn't help but briefly forget her troubles and the ones on the way. Viewing the structure of the household now as nostalgic fuel, she wondered if that's why they never altered the layout, to remember a time before everything in their lives would change again.

"Pleeeeessse, what if I eat half of the greens", rounding the corner on notice, Summer could feel herself practically blend into the wall, as if she and her cloak had plopped themselves face first into a freshly covered field of snow.

Before her, Amr, with the tips of his increasingly darkened blonde locks being pushed away from his mirror-like eyes, he sat at the counter with an untouched plate of food. Before him, the shined bald head of George, stood patiently, and with a level of genuine kindness one wouldn't expect from a man his age...or one who just received awful news.

"If it was up to me we'd be having dessert first, but unfortunately your dad's given me strict orders", almost on instinct Amr straightened his posture at the word order, it was a reflects of his that he gained after playing troop for years with his pseudo uncle, "I can't let you have anything with sugar until you finish up everything… but after that, well I wasn't given any restriction on the amount you could have"

Giving him a wink Amr slumped in his chair, but looking towards the chocolate chip boxes on the shelves now as an unlimited supply, he began digging in...or at least he tried to, as one bite of the vegetation caused his acceleration in chewing to dramatically decrease as his face crunch up in cute disgust.

"What Arthur doesn't know won't hurt him", stepping out from the wall, Summer made herself known. George's eyes locked onto her instantly, but there was no move to his professional model as he more than likely already saw the car approach the driveway, "Besides, my little knight put up a valiant fight against the big bad veggies"

Not having the instinct to kill, the silver eyed boy was not as keyed into the approaching storm as his caretaker, and with his face still trying to push back the green tide he had invited in a moment too soon, he jumped from his chair. Not even slowing down as he stumbled over the first few uneven step, or that the color of his mom's irises now matched his own, he launched himself into the center of her cloak.

Although his trajectory was off, Summer proved to have better reflexes than a non-aura using toddler, and kneeled down to catch him in her arms,

"Mom, mom, mom", he hung on tighter out of excitement, her presence causing his joy to briefly even direct itself from George's stories, "guess what, guess what , guess what!"

Lifting him up with outstretched arms, the cross-planet traveler could hold a true ear to ear smile and allow the moment of happiness to continue. Even as George walked up towards them… ushering in a reality that both didn't want to head too. Although the Uncle was polite enough to let the initial question pass,

"You swallowed your lunch", she joked, as she could still see the vegetables mashing in his mouth as he talked. Embarrassed, he quickly swallowed his immortal enemy, before adopting a grin of his own.

"No, Uncle George and I slew a monster!", he beamed up, and Summer smirked at the idea they had a similar outing… although given the aftermost she was far less a hero then her son.

"Did you now", she focused on his jubilance to refill her own, "And what type was it?"

"Medu-Medusa", he stated his smile turning toothy, as Summer's own turned to lips, and her eyes shot an angry frown towards the man who no doubt taught him that specific myth. Unfortunately, the bald Perseus only looked away and mocked and whistled in response, "She's an ugly snake lady that I defeated!"

"... that's wonderful Gareth", she brought him in for a hug, if only to let her silver eyes stare become known to George who, for a brief moment did turn to stone, "but I'll teach you the actual myth later...I always thought Medusa was heavily misunderstood"

"You're so silly mom, she's just a snake", Amr laughed, and Summer joined in, but in a much slower and more sarcastic manner, as over her shoulder her son missed her and sent a paralyzing wave of passive aggressiveness towards his now leaving care maker.

"Besides you two adventuring to ancient Greece, anything else I should know", she forced the edges of her lips upwards, as George began walking past. Giving Amr one last rub of the hair before heading into the hall.

"I wish I could tell you, but it's not something for old and boring parents, isn't that right champ", Summer's eyes narrowed, as she, still trying to convert Remnant year to Earth, was positive chrome dome was much older than herself and was also a parent… technically speaking, "Right now I've got to put together some more quest though...and maybe look to Amr for encouragement and slay some monsters of my own"

As he said his nonverbal goodbye to his all but blood nephew, the silver eyed huntress caught his sudden tone shift. Noting how he was debating with himself weather or not he would cut the monster currently heading towards his prized based when he arrived...and to be honest, considering Summer's one reaction to learning Tristian was going anywhere near the crown gave her a crave to save George the trouble and free the fiery haired man head from his shoulder on her own.

After Arthur had proved to the agency and the United Nations that Summer's story, while still brushed off by most, needed to at least be treated as real due to her unexplained abilities, she began working as a field agent.

Although the beginning of her new career was structured around investigating possible intrusions from Remnant… they quickly began moving her around to work on other assignments that weren't related to the threats of her home planet in the slightest. At first it was just another farfetched anomaly she was called on to help look into. Being a practical superhero when compared to even the most elite soldiers of Earth, she gladly took up missions to investigate other possible extraterrestrial cases in more hazardous countries.

However, time after time, Summer proved herself to be the only interplanetary visitor to this specific corner of the Milkyway. More so than that, she found herself slowly being pushed out of her initial field and being sent out to deal with Earth based threats rather than her own. These included hostage rescue, retrieving dangerous information from terrorist cells, and other assignments that had nothing to do with what the agency was supposedly dedicated towards.

Looking back, it should have been obvious that they were just grooming Summer into a role that would make better use of her natural abilities… especially when Arthur pointed it out to her, and stated she was basically an international operative.

Unfortunately, given that they had carefully selected assignments that she could complete without actually having to kill anybody, she didn't believe her husband. Worse yet, she fell into her own naive notion, often stating how the cases revolving Remnant few and far between and were always nothing but false leads. Instead, with the thought of what happened to her truly being a onetime anomaly that could never be repeated, the cloaked grim reaper convinced herself that she, with all her superior aura and combat abilities, could make the Earth a better place.

… and then she began being deployed with one Tristian Grendel, and all those innocent thoughts went up in smoke. The missions she was being deployed in became more and more political and had her infiltrating nations rather than small groups. Worse yet, it became harder and harder to accomplish tasks without lethal means needing to be employed.

Made soon impossible as the red headed foxes often sought out conflict. Always toying with her, and seemingly treating hostile engagement as a game to prove he was just as skilled as her, Tristan went out of his way to put down any threats to the missions. He did so...tactfully, always killing targets that didn't jeopardize the mission's success, and as such didn't even need to bring up excuses for why he took such actions to the higher ups.

However, Summer always saw the look in his eyes when he took life, and how proud he was that instead of being viewed as a deranged murder, he had enough intelligence to get paid for his art… and that's what got the eldest Rose to finally see Arthur's point, to see that she wasn't working in the protection of Earth, she was just being utilized as a weapon for the most powerful nations. One that was viewed in the same way as Tristian… an expert killer that they molded to their whims.

As such, Summer semi-retired from the agency, more than happy to be connected in the same way Arthur was. A person who just looked into far fletched claims of unexplainable events, only to be deployed sparingly… and as reward she no longer had to call a hired serial killer a coworker, and instead spent much of her time with her son at home.

Luckily said child wasn't picking up any of the emotions her thoughts now conjured. Still just waving his goodbye in the form of a mock sword swing, hoping that some story book villains would be defeated even as the man who would tell them had long been out of sight.

"...so, can I really have a cookie now mom?", not realizing how long she had been holding him upon his Uncle's departure, Summer blinked her way back into reality before smiling and putting him down.

"Of course honey", before the first symbols was even utter he was off and reaching up towards the shelf, straining with all his might to pull his own magical weapon from its tomb, "So long as you're going to get me one too"

Having just grazed the boxes with his outstretched fingers, he paused the moment he understood the old expression 'sharing is caring'. With a grin, Summer watched the boy slowly grab the container of goodies and bring it over. As much as he wanted to dig in, he could at least comprehend that the only reason he could was because of his mother's own sweet tooth.

"T-That was my plan all along", he said, opening up the package and handed the baked sugar to his mother, who politely took it in her hand, seeing through his lie with a sweet smile.

Rubbing his hair, Summer graciously held the treat he had always meant to give her, and had half of it eaten within a few short bites. Although the moment was probably sweeter, the silver eyed warrior couldn't resist the baked goods, and, with the lower half of his chin already covered with seas of melted chocolate chips, Amr proved the trait to be genetic.

"I know it was sweetie, after all we've still got our secret pack daddy can't know about", extending the bite marked hardened dough, she winked knowingly at Amr. Taking a second to remember their shared oath, the boy's eyes eventually widened in understanding, and taking out another sweet, tapped the two baked goods together as if they were wine glasses.

"Cookie crusader to the end", he stated in a joyful whisper, pretending as if his father was nearby.

"To the end", Summer said in an equally hushed tone, before smiling as he devoured his cookie with far less grace and stealth. Following suit, but in a far more civilized manner, the mother finished her own dessert before… adopting a more reassuring look.

"Speaking of your dad though", the blonde child nodded, bit with how fast he was licking his chocolate coded finger he didn't know the true gravity the words were bringing in, "... he's bringing some very special guest over"

"Special!", the silver eyed toddler latched onto that word in its most pure form, as his curiosity now forced his attention to the conversation with promises of joy brought in by something new, "is somebody coming over… is this a special tutor night sleepover!"

"In a way, yes", she couldn't help but giggle that he used the word tutor instead of school, but tried to remain on topic, unless the people spending the nights arrive before she could explain to Amr who they actually were, "...but they're not from nearby, their old friends-… well, there people you're dad hasn't seen in a while"

"...so, their grownups...that's no fun", like all children, his emotions could switch on a dime, and with puffed out cheeks he didn't see any fun in a middle aged person being a part of his sleep over.

"Not all of them...some are teenagers", his eyes darted up, but his frown still remained.

"Percy's brothers a teenager", the shifting blonde locked child began, mentioning his friends sibling with a skeptic tone, almost disapproving gaze...that truthy only made the mother want to laugh out loud when worn upon her sugar coated son's face, "and he says their icky, and weird"

"... no argument there", the mother let loose her held back giggle, "but I remember you always being jealous of Percy for having a brother…"

"Well yeah...somebody taller than me can reach dad's secret locations", referring to treats Arthur, quote on quote, hid, the youngest Aelle's face went red, "Why do you and dad want teenagers here"

"...", Summer paused, and almost found herself ashamed she spent so much time on the car ride here worrying how the conversion could go, she didn't prepare enough on how she'd begin that her nine year old son got the upper hand on her, "You see Amr... do you remember what dad and I told you about families"

"Uh huh", the unknown sibling nodded, prouder of his own memory then confused on why it was asked, "Families have parents, and those parents have kids! Like how I have you and dad as parents, and you have me as a kid"

"That's true", she started, praising him for his answer, "but we also told you that… not are families are like ours"

"Yeah sometimes they're like Uncle George's", he didn't miss a beat as he continued his reply with a smile, "Where there are two dad's and a kid. Or sometimes the parents can have multiple kids like Percy's families"

"Correct", she said running her hands through his hair again, as her son beamed a smile filled with self-pride, "but...there are more types of family as well"

Amr's smile slowly lost its elasticity, as Summer realized her tone of voice became distant. However, looking out towards the kitchen window, the one that was actually half real in this labyrinth of a house, she took in a deep breath before returning her silver eyes onto their future set,

"Some families only have one parent and one child, others don't have parents at all", her son frowned at this thought, but didn't say anything, probably thinking how he couldn't find any fun in such a social structure, "...and sometimes… two parents...will go separate ways"

"...like one will go to work", her eyes shined with sadness at the innocent response, and knowing it was wrong, her smile became forced.

"More so… a dad or a mom will split up… and they'll sometimes find another person to be a parent with", even though she doubted her on the spot explanation was understood, Amr at least pretended to comprehend things with a nod, "and they'll sometimes have a kid as well"

"So...a dad will find a new mom or dad...and they'll have new kid", he put it in more simple words as he tried to lay everything out to fit together the vocabulary like a puzzle, "but what if...what if the dad or mom had a kid with the old mom or dad?"

He looked back up, and under his curiosity for an answer was a subconscious fear that his old parents were about to dos something like that… and, making Summer pull him in to pick him up, he was right...only that he wasn't the child who had to receive the talk for that purpose,

"Then they'll have a larger family", it was a white lie, or more so it could become one depending on how things went, but with Amr now looking over her shoulder, as she began carrying him to his room for a more comfortable setting, she didn't mention the horrible cases where kids were left behind...sometimes with one parent...and even worse yet none.

"That's...weird", her steps echoing down the hall, Amr wrapped his hands around the pack of Summer's cloak, and muffled the word into her cloth. Unlike before he said the word with confusion rather than mock disgust.

"...In a sense", she said, effortlessly taking one hand off his back to open the door. Walking in and closing it behind her she placed her son on his bed, then watching as he swung his legs around on the horizontal edge, she took a seat next to him, "but I've always thought weird was… interesting"

"Interesting?", he looked up at her confused, and now awkward shifting his weight knew that the conversation that had started out as a discussion about sleep over, was turning into 'grown up talk',

"Yes interesting…", she said with a smile, before placing a hand on his shoulder and bringing him closer for a side hug, "... and sometimes interesting is hard, but it can always become something great"

With evolutionary inherited instinct, Amr remained quiet for a moment as he rested his head on the side of Summer's snow like cape,

"...is something interesting going to happen to you and dad", he stated off the question quietly, not sure if he should be afraid of the result or not...something Summer unfortunately shared with him.

"Yes…", his grip increased, and he pushed his face in further, now wrapping himself in some of the cloth, "...your dad and I… we used to be married to other mom's and dad's"

Having become a cinnamon roll in an effort to distract himself from the seriousness of the conversation, Amr's eyes shot up, and his eyes held an ocean of confusion...but also focused as he his body now became invested in knowing more,

"...and your dad is bringing his old wife over", Amr's eyes narrowed, and wanting to rip of a bandage or open pandora's boxes, Summer quickly stated her next piece before her son could interrupt, "and… he's also brining over their kid...your brother"

Shutting her eyes, knowing what she was afraid of but unable to put it into words, Summer couldn't bring herself to see how her own son was reacting to startling news… luckily though, as what felt like eons of silence went by, Amr made his emotion none with his voice,

"...I have a brother?", his voice carried with it the innocence of a head nod, that the eldest Rose only saw when she eventually opened her eyes. There was no terror on Amr's face, nor was there jealousy or hatred about not being told of this sooner. Maybe it was because he was too young, but his mind was only able to focus on one thing at a time, he was saved from all the complications the information brought to those of less innocent minds, "Is he tall?"

Blinking, and even forgetting for a moment why her son would ask that question first of all things, she eventually just adopted a true smile, and pulled him in closer,

"Yes, yes he is", in truth Gareth was probably average in height, trapped just below the six feet barrier, but his reach was more than enough for what Amr wanted from him, "A teenager in fact"

Forgetting his view on why he thought the most awkward stage of human life was horrendous, Amr's face eventually pierced through Summer's fear as he unraveled himself from her cloak. Jumping on his bed, cookie debris crumbling from his cheek, his smile gave the sun a run for its money, and currently outperformed the artificial one in his digital window,

"So he's my older brother", the one tracked mind sped up, with possibilities of joy that neither Arthur or Summer had had the bravery to think before… a mistake that could not be remedy, but now could be mended, "That means I don't need an old person as a babysitter, and he can teach me all those words you and dad say are for grown up only"

To relieved in how Amr was taking the information, Summer nodded along, only noting that the vulgar vocabulary was something she'd make sure would not be shared,

"And now I can have a squire when I become a knight", his sword of air was reignited, as he now stood tall with his arm outstretched towards his ceiling, although he currently looked like he had grasped the heaven.

Ignoring Gareth's own possible thoughts on the ideas, Summer only assisted his quest for the stars. Standing on his bed, she only remained his superior in height for an instant before lifting him higher.

"That's right my brave Sir Amr...but I do not think he'll be your squire", she smiled up at her son, now viewing the hidden atmosphere as a bridge to be crossed rather than a barrier, "after all you've heard dad's night time tales. About the brave, but foolish, King Arthur"

Amr, burst out in an uncontrollable steam of giggles, he always liked when his parents' names were stated, and how his dad was always associated with bravery, and foolishness,

"Who sends out his courageous warriors to complete their chosen quest", still laughing, but now nodding having heard this intro a hundred times, Amr remained airborne, "The knight who protects the kings crown and its power from the evil sorcerer Ley Fay"

"Sir George the vigi-vigilant", Amr always struggled with the word, but with a dutiful expression, he learned to procure it for this specific reason.

"The knight who stands by the king's side at all time, voice her wisdom to ensure his kingdom run despite his momentarily blunder", she smirked, regretting not being able to see this silver clad meet her match with the former at the door

"Sir Nimue the creator", he said with his cheeks going red, envisioned the pixie cut myth too...for reasons he'd only know as he grew older.

"Then of course there is the knight who is above the king, the most powerful warrior in all the realms, and explorer from a land yet known", she smirked at this one, and Amr did as he produced a response he thought was beyond clever.

"Sir Mom the true ruler!", she nodded, and took great pride in knowing Arthur always did too.

"And let us not forget the youngest knight, the slayer of monsters and hero of the people", at this the silver eyed boy steak past both the celestial body of day, and with shining irises, he now took the nights one as well,

"Sir Amr, the super bestest, bravest, and most talented soldier of Camelot, son of the King and Sir Mom!", he was raised up one final time, Summer outstretching her arms so he nearly graced his own extended digits on the ceiling.

However, bringing him down, her smile turned from one of excitement to one of calm joy. Collapsing back down to sitting position, the mother then let him swing his weapon around a few more times, before he regained his attention,

"...but there are still two more are there not", to this, Amr's face steeled over, and his sword now outstretched towards the door, as if waiting for the destined recipient of a long since passed duel, he spoke without hesitation,

"Sir Mordred, the knight of terror. Wisher of chaos and servant to le Fay, and misled son of the king", she laughed, keeping her thoughts away from how the true Morgan that the wayward son served was a far worse advisory.

"That's right… but Sir Mordred has never been able to threaten the king, for even though he and his queen live in lands unmapped...the king sent a protector to keep their vicious deeds at bay", bringing him over to her lap, Summer patted Amr head, even as his smile resumed, the thoughts of villain of treachery, being replaced by her sons favorite knight.

The knight Arthur had only voiced to the youngest son on rare occasions, but ones that Amr always sought for they were told with the most passion.

"Sir Gareth the determined!", Amr's sword shined silver even in his own similarity colored eyes, and even Summer could now see the weapon pointed without second thought into the unknown, "Bester of Mordred, and defender of the table… and the lost son of the king"

His thought was trailed off, as his subconscious was beginning to put together the pieces of the conversation he still couldn't view as a whole.

"Not so lost anymore it would seem, for Sir Gareth rides with the king back to Camelot", leaning over, so that Amr leaned his head back to make out Summer's smiling face canvassed by her white cloak, the mother slowly saw the gear fall into place.

Capturing a moment in time, Amr's moon-touched irises actually seemed to glow...which truthfully Summer was hoping was just her own imagination playing tricks. However, shattering the frame in time, the boy's excitement was rekindled despite never having smoldered in the first place.

Launching himself from her lap, Amr began practically running around in circles,

"Sir Gareth's my brother... Sir Gareth's my brother!", he was practically shouting, and smiling, Summer wondered if velvet's ear were good enough to pick up the sound waves echoing down the maze, "I can meet him halfway, he can tell me about his duels wit Mordred-"

Moving at sugar rushed induced speed, Summer had to leap after Amr, and half grabbed, half playfully wrapped him in her arms, in order to prevent the introductions from being rushed.

"Perhaps tomorrow, but Sir Gareth is very tired at the moment...and will need rest", Amr's excitement never left, and laughing he still struggled to get out of his mother's grasp,

"Knights don't sleep mom", he laughed, but then his cheeks went red as he remembered all the times, he crashed...most likely a result of his hyper-fueled states coming to an abrupt end.

"After a long quest they do…", she said with a giggle, before adopting smirk, "and Sir Gareth had just been on an epic one with… the princess of Caerbannog"

"Sir Gareth saved a princess?", he questioned, not particularly caring for that aspect of knighthood...which truthfully Summer didn't mind.

"More so the princess saved him", she said with a boop on his nose, causing him to smile, and swing his hand out, "But you'll meet her as well… but in the meantime, why don't I tell you of my tale"

Seeing him nod, and knowing Summer was going to have to waste some time keeping him in his room until the others came, and mostly like settle in their rooms for a full day and nights rest, she brought Amr back to his bed...and while she could have used the time to voice the e true story of Medusa, she instead chose to weave another tale. One of Dragons, Suns, and Gemstones.

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Given half an hour, Velvet could have been practically flying through the woods at this point. Although the Earthling expression a hop, skip, and a jump was still confusing to her in terms of how such motions could achieve large distances, she very well could have been three towns over with the way she could perform such action in the allowed time.

With the resurrected myth having gone inside, it would have been easy to accomplish. After all, the Vale native's only obstacle was a mere non aura using women. Standing at a height and build that made the chocolate theme huntress feel like a giant...or at least it would have, if the horizon like lips, and the covered eyes that still somehow seem to gaze into her soul, didn't anchor her feet into place.

Now given, she had only one to three conversations to go by, but Nimue, as Velvet could perfectly recall the agent's name but still found herself in doubt of, was by far the person she knew the least about. She didn't really know anything much about the other two people as well, outside of their relationships, but they had at least expressed some level of human flaw in one form or another.

The lifeless woman in black though, she had an answer for everything, and a response to everything. As such, the moment her fellow Remnant traveler left, while Velvet held no urge to actually escape, she did find it impossible to move a muscle not wanting to cause a reaction from the sunglasses wearing… professional.

In many ways, the woman was like a more reserved version of her own team leader, and as such Velvet was far too nervous to even try and voice small talk as she stood there awkwardly waiting for the Cadarns', and evidently Penny, to show up.

However, such anxiety and social nerves were only responsible for the first five to ten minutes of why the brown eyed huntress didn't move a muscle. Before the low hummer of another car engine made its way up the hilltop fortress, one found itself cascading down from it first.

The occupant of the now far off vehicle, had exited the house with, what Velvet's suburb ears, could only describe as the softest set of heavy footsteps she had ever heard. It wasn't as if they were attempting to be silent and just fairly miserably, it was rather that the user's muscles were coded that way, and as such, when walking casually gave off the noise in between silent and thunder.

Of course, when the footfall revealed themselves in sight to be a well-toned middle-aged man, Velvet could understand why. Unsure of how to respond to the agent, the foreign faunus simply kept her eyes darting around, hoping he wouldn't waste time with asking her any more questions. Despite how much time had passed since she last actually slept, the aura user was impressed how fast her social anxiety could still move her brain, as she only caught glimpse of the man's clean shaven head, scarred skin, and aged look.

Luckily, the humanoid incarnation of experience, didn't lock his eyes onto her pinball-like pupils, and instead managed to fish out Nimue from behind their shade-covered homes.

Performing an action that seemed to go against his physical appearance, the unnamed man gave an ear to ear grin, as he seemingly possessed the personality one would expect the younger female to have beneath her unmoving exterior. To her credit, the blonde agent didn't initially flinch at this, but as the man offered an almost familiar greeting, his words almost seemed to pinch her cheeks.

Saying he was off in some sort of hurry, he actually told the younger operative he'd 'reach out' when he got back to base, and that it 'wouldn't hurt to call her dad' before that. To this, he then gave the stone-cold woman a friendly tap on the shoulder. A social signal that finally broke the pixie cut girl's statue-like face and caused her to frown before actually pushing his hand off.

The larger man's grin growing smug, he was filled with a sense of accomplishment, before he finally made his way over to the car Nimue had driven here. Unsure of what just happened, as Velvet watched him go off, she could have sworn she saw the suited agent shake with slight rage. The rabbit faunus also could have testified before any deity that she saw the man wink towards her as he gently placed all her belongings, seemingly placed so deliberately, closer to her then Nimue.

But as the government vehicle came back to life, the interplanetary faunus returned her gaze to her house and Nimue… she only saw the latter now starring dagger into the retreating black automobile.

A pair of knives holding actual human emotions… that then trained themselves onto Velvet. Causing her current bout of paralysis, as the eyes covered two sets of messages. One clearly demanded she never speak of what just happened, and the other ensured the chocolate theme huntress rabbit ears turned into mouse ones as she almost dared the extra-terrestrial to ask what her relationship to the man was.

Needless to say, any curiosity the confused faunus had about the interaction was knocked out, tied up, and thrown off the nearest cliff. Because of that, she was eagerly awaiting the arrival of another person, and when the faint hummer of a dancing pistons entered her bonus appendages, she would have let out a large sigh of relief...if only such an action didn't require obvious forms of stationary movement.

Still being a way off, the knowledge of her unknown savior's arrival made their trek up the mountainside driveway all the longer. Five minutes feeling like five heat deaths, when Velvet finally saw the reemergence of a mechanical black streak darting its way through trees, she could only hope her torture was not in vain, and that it wasn't just the bald man coming back.

Pulling into the driveway, and the sound of two doors being unlocked, Velvet finally did make her relief known. Her entire muscular system relaxes at the sight of both Arthur and Laura exiting the vehicle.

...Although, even as Nimue's eyes left her to instead analyze the blue-eyed fathers state, Velvet found a new set of awkwardness arrived. Whereas the silence between her and the silent agent had been produced by an unspoken threat, the one emitting from the newly arrived vehicle was one born from noise.

An explosion of sound waves so violent that the universe's only response was to silence the very area until things could once again balance out. With his face being pulled between anger and regret, Arthur seemed exhausted, and as such not even Nimue felt the need to test his patience. Not out of knowledge she'd lose a conversational bout but proving that even she had some form of sympathy for not wanting to pick on emotionally weak prey.

"Please show them to the guest rooms Nimue, I saw George pass on the way down", the out of character use of the formality at the beginning of his sentence was enough to confirm the receivers suspicions, and as such, to avoid her own rudeness, she simply nodded.

Not even able to take comfort from the fact his most trustworthy agent was verbally beating him into the ground, Arthur continued forward, only pausing at the door to turn back. However, his eyes made contact with nothing, as in preemptive defeat he simply pushed problems off,

"...We'll...you guys rest up. I know you don't have any luggage… but I'll get on that now", despite being morning, at least Velvet thought it was not knowing the exact time zone shift, the Arthur sounded as if the next day was already here, "In the meantime-"

"It's fine Arthur", acting more reserved than she'd ever seen the emerald eyed mother, Laura was also fining the ground very interesting, and too wanted the conversation to end, "...As you said, those are issues for tomorrow"

Both parents too tired to even thank the other, or maybe just too tired to even want too, Arthur let silence be his response. One that went on far longer than it probably should, as he, with another sigh, simply walked into the house. His sound echoing in what the rabbit faunus could only describe as a maze, as she looked back towards Laura.

Nimue was waiting patiently, or as patient as an emotionless robot could, at the still opened entrance way. Taking this as her cue to move again, Velvet felt her bone gears grind together, as she hesitantly walked up to the mother,

"D-do you need help carrying?", her face scrunching before she even finished, Velvet already knew she was asking the wrong question, but felt as if she made everything worse by voicing one that had just been answered.

Luckily, after her eyes flickered for a moment, Laura looked up to Velvet with a small smile. As if she was just thanking the chocolate theme girl for breaking the silence at all,

"Thank you, but I think they've got more of your belonging than ours, Velvet", with Arthur gone, and fished out from her own mind, Laura seemed to gaze past the faunus and only now just realized how big the estate was causing her to slip up the exchange student name, as her eyes became downcast in new emotions,

"You can still use Vivian if you want...after al-", Laura almost seemed to laugh at this, but silently and in a way that expressed more hopelessness than when she conversed with the Ascalons attorney.

"If that's your real name, then that's what I'll call you", to Velvet it almost seemed as if the brunette woman was repeating a fact to herself, or rather restating the proof of the last twenty four hours to make sure this situation was actually happening, "... besides, with how kind you've been to us it's only right to address you properly"

"O-okay", even if she was on Remnant the rabbit-eared girl would be out of her depth, and as she stuttered, she was surprised to see the woman continue forward.

"I'm sorry for...all this Velvet, but we'll talk in the morning", pausing briefly at the steps of the porch, the woman looked up before trying to give the chocolate eyed girl a reassuring smile, "Not that I didn't enjoy yours and Penny's alter ego, but it will be nice to get to know the real you"

There was no hurt in the statement, at least not directed towards the mammal eared stowaway, but it did hide many emotions, despite also allowing Laura's old ones to briefly surface, if only to show they were still there deep below a flood surface.

"I...okay", unsure what to do, as Velvet now felt like a hitchhiker not only to Earth, but now other people's lives, she nervously glanced between Laura and the still, hopefully, occupied car, "What about Garet-"

"He'll be a minute...or an hour...or maybe even the whole night", funnily enough, upon the first subtle hint, Nimue went to stop the mother, clearly only wanting to give the tour guide to their rooms once...but as the information became far more direct in its want not to be said, the agent simply turned her motion inward. Not even losing a beat and making her recovery motion seem to be the intended one as she now entered the estate one step in front of Laura.

Remarkably, the dutiful agent left Velvet, and by all intense purpose the other trespassing aura user, unaccompanied as she and Laura disappeared after one sharp turn through the door. Staring blankly, the faunus wasn't sure what to make of all this, or if she was supposed to follow them, or actually go to the car and make sure the youngest Cadarn didn't spend his evening there.

Whatever the case, eventually a third door did open, but only electricity came out, as the emerald eye boy didn't make the motion,

Hesitatingly walking up and trying to pretend at least to be going for her Camera and weapon, Velvet made out the view from inside the car. Having prepared for something like this, or at least had the foresight to see it coming, the brunette couldn't help still frown at what was revealed in the middle seats.

She had seen the boy nearly beat to death, but even with his cast only on as an aesthetic item now, Gareth never seemed more lifeless than ever. Whether or not his eyes actually lost any pigmentation, the void filled emerald sea foam the irises once contained seemed inanimate, and he supposedly saw straight through his fellow chestnut-haired teenager and into a colorless sky.

"...S-so I guess you heard", her facial muscles immediately put her eyes into emergency lockdown. However, no number of clenches could block the tidal wave of regret now entering her mind, "S-sorry I didn't mean it like that...I just...are you okay"

The foreign faunus had no idea what to say in this scenario, only that she didn't want to voice anything at all. She had no shortage of family troubles, but if her dad suddenly arrived and presented her with a siblings...well considering it had been over a year since she last talked to her dad, let alone see him in person, she didn't even want to imagine such a scenario.

"...I don't know what I'll do Viv", his emotions shell actually containing a sentient being, the faunus was shocked he spoke. More so than that though, she found newfound concern with the way he spoke. His words clung to her brief, but now ,old nickname, as if it was a lifeline to the reality of a passed only two days old.

"I...I can't imagine what you're going through Gareth", not even pretending to go through her own luggage any more, and seeing the downcast emerald eyed boy make no attempt to leave the car, Velvet found herself walking around to the other end, "...b-but if I'm being honest...I'm now starting fear it"

Indicating she was listening as well, the electronic Atlesian opened up the other side door, and hopping in, Velvet took a seat opposite to her current car mate,

"...I know what it's like being thrown into a new world...and so does Penny", the speakers remained quiet, and even with the metal entrance receding back inwards on Gareth's end, the boy eyes remained fixated to the horizon, "...and even if you're not in Remnant...it's still crashing into you"

"... he doesn't want me in this world", knowing he wouldn't meet her own gaze, Velvet remarkably still had her chocolate eyes fixated on the back of his head, "he doesn't want me in it, because he never wanted me in his life"

The youngest Cadarn was tired, even more so than herself or Laura, and it was only now that the rabbit-eared humanoid could determine why his voice was so monotone. It wasn't that he lacked any emotions, more so he had exhausted all of them, yet still trying to burn them as fuel,

"I was just a mistake… one that he left with mom, and that he got to redo with the ghost", there was a stillness in the air, and despite his words being dry, Velvet was unsure of Penny even had the strength to present herself in an astral form...however, as the hair on her hand fell into line like soldiers, she knew the electric being was here… probably more unsure of what to make of all this then even her fellow Remnant stowaway, "and now he'll have her too…"

"Gareth, you know that is a false assumption, Laura cares quite deeply for you", with the two extra-terrestrial taking the statement to separate ways, Velvet knew Penny was relying on false hope by interrupting it as face value...one that would only make her words sting dispute their intention or how true they were

"I'm an idiot P...but I can do math", there he was using their shortened, and false titles. Using them to not only grasp at the pass but reenter a time just before they needed to be used. Desperately clutching at false hope, and as Velvet knew all too well, drowning in his self-pity in an attempt to gain enlightenment...no worse than that it was a corrupted attempt to justify enlightenment, "My parents were barely out of college when they had me… I was just an accident. My mom's gonna see this Amr, see the life of somebody who actually wanted to be raised by parents, and wished she could have it instead-"

"Do you get off on this?", the rabbit faunus was shocked at what she just said, and as soon the syllables left her lips, she was convinced that she had stapled the beret onto her head.

The magnetic current now shifting from her skin, and life entering the car out of pure unexpectedness, even the laziness Gareth strode to have, wasn't enough to keep his head plaster in pace as his neck slowly swiveled in her direction,

"Velvet...based on the terminology of those words, I do not think you are aware what you have conveyed-"

"I-I'm...w-well I'm not sorry...a-about what I'm about to say that is, I-I didn't mean to say something so vulgar", her tone of voice, and the stuttering throughout her own interpretation, painted a different portrait, but she continued nonetheless, "I… my friend back on Remnant...she's rude"

Gareth's eyes… they weren't curious, but the emerald ocean no longer reflected an abyss of somebody treading water upon the surface. They weren't calling out for help like they should, but they were putting in just enough energy to keep on kicking their feet,

"B-but she's only impolite because she's honest", the vehicles speakers now held static, but while on the verge of speaking, the pastel huntress didn't blast the metal frame with soundwaves, "... a-and I've been delivered that honesty, and know how much it can hurt… h-however I also know why it's needed"

"You want the world to beat you down Gareth, a-and you want to act as if acknowledging being a mistake makes you special or more in tune with the world", ironically, having wanted to make eye contact before, she now found traversing the event horizon of his pupils as easy traversing a dried up river bed, "C-convincing yourself that if your mom or the world doesn't love you, t-then it's okay to not want to get better… and that a-all your thoughts are your terrible thoughts are just a product of you being the worst person to ever live"

Even with nothing falling into the abyss the black hole grew wider, and even if it was because he was offended, blood returned to Gareth's face and skin. However, with her own window to the world darting around so fast, and the words Coco spoke so easily feeling like a snake around her vocal cords, Velvet was surprised she hadn't strangled herself silent,

"S-so you just keep it all down… afraid that voicing them will make more people hate you", she stated this, all her words sounding apologetic despite the knowledge they contained, "b-but you already convinced yourself people hate you, so w-why act all noble by trying to save people from the burden of your own emotions"

"... listen… I-I...You don't want to know what I'm thinking", he now had slight annoyance on his face, but it was what velvet was dreading, but the caffeine drinking team leader in her was counting on,

"I don't...b-but you need to say it", her words shrinking in size, despite the confidence they marched forward with, velvet was astonished that her body felt as if she was winning their verbal engagement...but then again, tone or not, the pieces were following into place, she was just used to be the actual puzzle, "B-because I've seen terrible people, I-I've just fought terrible people...and none of what you think could possibly be as bad as what they've do-"

"I want to drop kick a nine year old to the moon", the lights of the car flicked in response, as if the words Gareth just voiced in a straight face actually did prove his point...however, were penny was flabbergasted, velvet...well she couldn't fold her cheeks and brow into a 'so what' sculpture, but Coco's word could,

"Really… I-I'm a scared alien, but I've had w-worse thoughts then that'', of course things were objective, and what Velvet wanted to do to Lance...and a certain orange hair bully got violent, she never did wish harm to children...even the less the progressive ones. However, age was not the point, it was the idea, a fact Gareth had to learn. He may think he is the one imperfect being in a perfect world, but not even deities are without faults.

"I want to burn down this entire fucking house, force Amr, Arthur, and Summer watch this place be reduced to kindle", being in the antlions pit, Gareth was now voicing his emotions and thoughts, and was listing them as if he was being challenged, "and make him know that I'm not his brother…. I want him to know who his dad really is and how easily he abandoned sons...hell I want to force him to see how much of a bastard that damn ghost is, and drag him to this Remnant to see what he did to Sapphire's family"

"S-sapphire...oh you mean Ruby", in a moment true to her own personality, Velvet had been actually confused, but as Gareth's face reddened with embarrassment at her not daring to hate him for all this, he kept going. Not aware he was burning himself out, "Y-you'll probably want to show her sister Yang as well"

"What I want is to make a kid whose not even ten feel as if he's the worst person on the planet-", he now spoke with passion, even as he had lied in his ambitions, and even as Velvet had naturally found herself moving back to the door handle, she smiled.

It was off putting to have on her face, and being one of sad happiness, and not her fashionista leaders smug one in these situation, it wasn't even proper...however, it got Gareth's subconscious to see the point, even as she quietly viced it out loud,

"Y-you want everybody to hate you for having those thoughts Gareth… m-me, Penny, and L-Laura", unaware he was breathing heavily, the young Cadarn face began to mirror that of a sunset, "...I-I don't… w-what you said is awful, a-and if you do act on any of it...w-well, I will…dislike you"

In truth, if Gareth did attempt to harm a child, with or without aura, that would be the right word to use...however, the mere fact he already despised himself for having these thoughts proved he'd do no such thing. The real matter, as Velvet had learned when her teammates confronted her on why she didn't speak out against those that discriminated against her, was that she didn't trust herself not to act,

"B-but you're not going too… you're a good person Gareth, y-you've just been thrown into an environment that's bringing out the worst in you", he tried to look away, but considering Velvet was still avoiding eye contact despite the assertiveness of her speech, they actually found their vision colliding in their attempt at avoidances, "So...s-stop acting so selfish, that you're somehow the only person w-who can feel these thoughts and not overcome them"

"I...I am though", he said, trying too now call upon the car for support, or rather gain it through the electricity it now housed cutting its tether from him… however, even in silence Penny made no such move… at least Velvet choice to interpret it that way, "my mom's already t-talking to the ghost...and Arthur"

"D-did you see the bruise on his face then", blushing, and realizing he hadn't in his effort to guilt trip the eldest Aelle, Gareth paused as if frozen in ice, only to break himself out with a defeated shake of his head, "L-Laura...she's not perfect either Gareth… this whole things is awful, and the more I think about it...t-the more I wish I could fixes it for you, o-pr that if I wasn't a-around you wouldn't be in this mess"

"V-Velvet...come on, t-this my fault", she now secured victory, although she hated viewing conversation in such a light, but the use of her actual name showed he was surrounding,

"I-It's a lot of peoples faults Gareth...b-but your placing too much on yourself...a-and are thinking too much about how other people are thinking about you", she moved closer, and even with how awful he vehicle spelled do to the occupants having never gotten a chance to rest or bathe for nearly two days, Velvet understood the car doors were going to be walls for the evening, "F-finding out about your dad's knew life...and your brother… I-I'd honestly be more concern if you don't get upset or emotional about it"

His face continued to grow deeper, as the sunset he displayed on his skin canvas, now was shifting spreading throughout his entire body,

"I… I don't know how to e-even act around him Velv", with the new, and more accurate nickname coming out, she, despite having taking on an incomplete version of Coco's authority for a brief moment, found herself mirroring Gareth's new hue, even as she now decided to rest in the true middle point of the car, "I'm going to be rude...or silent...a-and I'm still going to hate his parents and his life"

"B-but you don't hate him…", the lost knights pupils trailed downward, and he lean back into his own seat, coming to terms only now how much he had been played,

"N-no… but I'm… I just wanted a dad Velvet… it didn't even have to be Arthur, God knows he never really was to begin with...b-but to know another kid had one… and t-that Arthur could have been… it sucks", problems couldn't be solved in one words, but they could currently be voiced, and although the shame contained in the barley voiced emotions could fill an ocean, the relief his body experience when uttering in it could fuel a star, "I can't...h-he's a stranger, but I won't be able to just t-treat him like a brother… I"

"Gareth… i-it's going to be awkward", her ears curling up, and now finding a place the only jigsaw piece that was her head into the emerald eyed boys shoulder, two being become the personification of her last word even as none held the desire to move out of it, "But...s-since you helped me on Earth...I-I'll make sure you don't launch a child into the stratosphere"

His face couldn't hold anymore color, and thus garret simply surrounded with a sigh, but one that contained a laugh, a pit filled one, but a joyous display none the less, regardless of the sorrow and self-doubt it also contained,

"I-if I do...well, I hope I get the Lance treatment then", frowning at that, but more so in a… playful and understanding way, Velvet looked towards his arm, and then just found her soft smile growing with support,

"...but your arms just healed", his emerald irises being relieved of their cloud, Gareth's own confusion gave him clarity. As he now gazed up at his cast, and realized his malleable and factory new gifts and arm had torn it to shreds, "Do you...want to take that stuff off?"

"To be honest...", he moved around his fingers like dances, as plaster began to crumble to the floor, bit not completely disperse, "I-I just want to go to sleep"

Placing a hand on the teenager who only needed emotional recovery, Velvet smiled and then began prying off pieces of hardened fiberglass. Throwing them over to the side she entered on, the material rained down, but neither organic occupants paid attention where they landed,

"T-then you have to take it off", she stated in an embarrassment, but determined tone, as she was awning the question Gareth was forming before he could state it, "because it's not gonna be comfortable to sleep with"

Unsure of why she cared, Gareth found his body soon tensing up, as Velvet replaced her head on his neck and got closer. Although she avoids the word on in her last sentence, her action certainly voiced them and she began to feel her own exhaustion take over,

"O-okay...I mean t-thank yo-...g-goodnight Velv", she smiled in place of a laugh, partly at her own inability to form words, and because he was having trouble as well… not even sure how to voice all his thanks.

"Goodnight Gareth", her eyelids now shutting off the sun, the tinted windows already blocked, the faunus began drifting off into sleep. The last light falling on eyes that weren't paying attention, she didn't see Gareth's dumbfound descent into the lands of the dream, nor him subconsciously moving himself closer to her as his voluntary mind went offline.

Nor could she see the lights in the car flicker with Gareth's last yawn, and acceptance of too situation...or see the hairs on his head stand up as he unconsciously called in the third person of the vehicle, neither were polite enough to wish a proper night, or rather morning, rest too.

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Distracting himself from his own tiredness, which itself was being utilized as an avoidance measure to his one guilt and frustration, Arthur didn't even realize he was yawning until he turned off the observatory rooms monitor, and he saw his own reflection. The emotion now digging its way into his eyelids like a drug, the eldest Aelle hadn't even truly grasped how fast time had gone by. Three moons ago his adrenaline was triggered, causing him to immediately action movie stars level of reckless driving as he thought Amr's arm had been broken. By the time the celestial rock rose again, he had nearly broken his other son's appendage again, as he and Summer essentially beat him up… And now, not even in the light of the third, he was now accommodating his emotionally broken son and ex-wife and had just ordered enough daily communities for them to live out the rest of their lives here.

Having exceeded his own life span a thousand times over because of all the evens in between, Arthur's zombified muscles dragging their way out into the hallway though, he saw that the digital sun had just gone down. Giving off the groan of the monstrosity he now essentially was, the blue-eyed man shambled his way towards his bedroom. In truth, the winter sky made the night seem much deeper than it actually was, but considering he had been up for nearly two days straight, the exact time of unit of measurement became relative.

Relying on his body's own internal map of the labyrinth he, at this moment, regretfully constructed, the man didn't even notice he was traveling in the opposite direction of his room. Adhering to his nightly routine, the father instead found himself standing before Amr's place of rest… and with guilt washing over him for that mere fact, he wondered if he could just slump against the wall and call it an evening.

His instincts having already foresaw this future, a delayed sense of touch against a slick cool surface revealed that the treasured hair man was already anchoring himself to the hallway for support.

God…, he thought his mind would conjure up a completion to that statement, but even he was disgusted by his own complaints. He could voice his want of not wanting to have put Gareth and Laura through that… but that would only prove the latter's point… and now standing outside his second son's own wall, he couldn't help but hate that she had been right.

I really did replace him... what sort of sick man I am, exhaustion can grant clarity, but that clarity can often lead astray, as the king of nothing was making his son's mistake… luckily his own interruption would come soon enough, treating life like a story book, and thinking I have a right to pick the one I'm in-

He wasn't the one to sense what was going on, his paranoia had been too good for that, but it was that same obsession that caused the youngest Aelle's door to shoot open.

Answering one creek with another, Arthur's stiff neck forced its way past the rust, and actually looked confused on who could have opened the door. The fog of sleep, not even allowing him a moment to berate himself in the obvious of a winter cloaked woman coming out,

"You've certainly seen better days", Summer tone was laced with understandings, but what captured Arthur's confusion was the hope field smile grazing her lips,

Before he could even question why she seemed so jubilant, the ocean eyed man's arm was grasped, and now he just accepted he was along for the ride. Not even having the mental energy to wonder why they weren't going to their own bed.

His eyes having just gotten accustomed to the dimness of his own void, they once again felt the sharp pain of light… and although it wasn't past his bedtime, the father was amazed that Amr could sleep beneath a light source that put the sun to shame.

However, once his pupils shrunk and adjusted to the setting, he all of a sudden knew the answer. Bounding on the bed, in silver plated pajamas he was far from ready to wield properly, the silver eyed Aelle was wielding the air in a clenched hand.

Not even sure what to make of the scene, or even hear his wife's almost teasing giggle as he blinked at his own flesh and blood as if he had grown a third limb, Arthur could only stand in place. Being the only inhabitants of the world not experiencing a slowed down version of time, the father barely even processes his son's face turning to meet him, or his eyes growing wide with what appeared to be excitement.

The energetic knight merely teleports from the bed, to space before Arthur. The next painting the exhausted parent was presented with, was the sight of Amr embracing his left leg in a death grip, as his silver eyes looked up with joyed filled innocence and excitement,

"Dad, dad, dad", the child of course didn't know it, but to Arthur his hair suddenly turned a different shade, and his two moons transformed into lush fields, "Guess what, guess what, guess what!?"

"That you should be in-", despite knowing the answer, the fathers strained attempt at joy was suddenly cut off. As if finishing the sentence would cause him to achieve divine power and make his awful thoughts true, "...t-that I should be in bed"

Feeling a hand wrap around his u guarded shoulder, Summer was the only one to notice Arthur's sudden revelation, and with a soft squeeze offered support. Looking up with a growing grin though, their child had all too happily overlooked the thoughts now traversing his father's mind,

"It is past your bedtime", the now smug looking knight looked up as if he was the parent in the situation, "buuuut I'll let it slide just this once"

"Is that so", his guilt was now weighing him down, but Arthur gladly let gravity force him to his knees if it meant he could get closer to Amr's excitement, "The I'm lucky to have such a merciful knight"

His lips pushing aside their ears, Amr shot a look towards his own parents that essentially wrote out the word, 'yeah you are'. It was ironic in that sense, since, through absolutely no fault of his own, the silver eyed boy was actually fueling Arthur's regret… but as with a hurricane, the flawed man found sanctuary and clear skies at the eye of the storm.

"Hey dad", his lunar orbs darting to Summer really fast, who quietly stood as if watching the happy ending of a children's film, Amr's voice grew quiet. Cupping his mouth, he was now acting as if he was about to voice a secret, "did you know my brother was Sir Gareth"

The name was uttered by Amr as if he held the keys to the universe, and Arthur's answer was an engine that would make his newfound control over it real. Not even seeing Summer's gaze, but knowing she had her own grin of satisfaction below, the eldest Aelle could only wonder how she was so much better at these family talks then him,

"... Yes, Amr...I'm sorr-", obviously not being on the same page, the child cosmic vehicle roared to life. Interrupting Arthur's parody, the boy returned to his sugar fueled rush of running around the room.

"This is so cool!", moving as blur, Arthur watched perplexed as a white one eventually caught up to Amr's silver, and lifted him in her arms.

"Didn't I already tell you this Amr", Summer seemed to like this outcome far more than her husband, as her she sent nothing but a joy filled laugh Amr's way, "and didn't you already run around because of it...or did you just not want to hurt my feelings because you trust dad more then me"

having a son, trust me… feels like a lifetime ago since that was accurate, in truth it had been thirty six hours, or none at all given Amr never went anywhere… however as the unique eyes excitement turned to embarrassment, Summer carried the now flustered myth to his bed,

"I-I… know… I", just excited for dad, I didn't think he knew Sir Gareth was his son", his nervous system still ticking with movement, the boy was placed on his mattress, and now saw his cloaked mother pulling off the covers as her unlocking a jail cell.

"...For a while, I didn'-", expecting his fate, albeit begrudgingly, Amr crawled his way onto the mattress, and as his inter planetary parent closed the steel frame, or more accurately wrapped him the fabric warmth, she took the liberty to finish Arthur's sentence on his behalf.

"For a while your dad didn't know how to contact Sir Gareth, but luckily… he came across a far better trackers", even when encased in his sheets, Amr looked no were near ready for bed, and as such looked up to his mom with curious eyes,

"Was it Sir mom, she's just a better version of the king after all", being one brought on by playfulness, Arthur didn't think badly about his frown, as he found himself hurt by the truth,

"Usually yes", Summer began, with a victorious tone as she one another parenting point, "but...even Sir Mom's epic powers and prodigal abilities weren't able to reach the lost knight… however, you do know who did, after all I mentioned the most recent hero already"

His facing scrunching up, Amr looked confused, only for his mouth to widen in shock as the knowledge seemingly drifted back into his head, "You mean the princess of Cein- Catalsu-... the princess"

Trying to remain stoic, Amr eventually gave up on the name's pronunciation, and as Arthur was wondering what location his son was trying to say, his foggy mind was only returned to the sight of his now skeptic looking son,

"In part", the mother said, before leaning down and kissing the top of his head, "but that's a story your dad will tell"

Standing up, the woman went over to help Arthur to his own upright position, and upon looking back gave another smug grin,

"One that he'll tell tomorrow", having already opened his mouth to voice his want to hear the tale immediately, the boy had to suck in his lips when caught before his question, "Unfortunately, your dad isn't as driven or strong as you are Amr, and Arthur needs his sleep"

Caught between his love of epics, and his obvious weakness of striving to feel like a parent, Amr took one look at what the blue-eyed man staring back, could only hope, was a hollowed shell, and nodded his head. Leaning back into his pillow, the child sealed his eyes far too tight, hoping he could his way into sleep to speed up time.

"Good night Amr", the silver eyed woman giggled, before practically carrying Arthur out of the room and flicking off the lights. Feeling a delayed squeeze of his arm, the father slowly looked into his wife's lunar eyes, only to see them orbit towards their still very much awake son,

Blinking like a dog given a new order for the first time, it took the golden locked king a timeless eternity to pick up on the message… only to realize with a slight shake that he actually hadn't even voiced one complete sentence to his younger son he accidentally went to see,

"Good night little knight", feelings his words come out like sluggish malicious, Arthur's eyes didn't even have the energy to see through the darkness, but heard Amr shift in his bed,

"Good night Sir Amr-", trying to voice his correction through a lip sealed mouth, as if it would help convey he was actually in the land of dreams, the energetic boy cut himself off, "I mean, I can't talk sleeping"

"Oh of course, Arthur don't wake him up", the woman winked towards him, even if he only picked it up as just sight.

Dragging him out of the room, and closing the door behind, Summer graciously kept leading Arthur to their actual bedroom. Deciding the talk on the way, could at least be utilized to maxes efficiency,

"You honestly look like you're going to pass out any second", she said, trying to sound understanding but quickly allowed teaseingness to commandeer the sound waves,

"... We can't all use Aura as an adrenaline fuel", each one of his words held five feet in between them, and his head was already given into his wife's prediction as it now rested on her shoulder. Using the cloaks snow white appearance in place of a pillow,

"That's true, in that case we can talk tomorrow", his pauses must have been even larger than he thought, as his wife suddenly stopped and opened up their door. Not even bothering to turn on the light, she began leading them to the bed, "but as you can see... Amr's taking it really well"

The moment Summer unclasped her arm for Arthur's shoulder he collapses on the bed, and in a rare moment, he was too tired to even appreciate the alluring comfort he now felt and stayed awake for a few more precious seconds,

"That's great…", the blue eyed man said unsure of he was lying or not, instead turning to his side, as he just sank into the covering rather than retreat below it, "I didn't even think he'd remember the stories of Sir Gareth"

There was a slight reverberation in the springs, as Summer's own face came into view, and even if she was better at hiding it, she clearly was too exhausted to even remove her battled forged clothes,

"It's the one he always wants you to tell… he's just afraid to ask because you always got so down afterwards", she knocked his skull lightly, as if trying to dispense his minds fig to see the obviousness of the answer, "...the real danger now is he might think Mordred is also an actual brother"

"...Given his own reaction to the news, Mordred is the brother that's here", his eyelids closing, Arthur barely noticed Summer's frown, but what he could never miss was the determination and hope in her eyes,

"Either way… he's your son, and you'll work something out… and even if I still have to get through the worse of my own problems… I will as well", he felt a hand wrap around his shoulder, and unsure how, he quickly heard Summer begin to softly snore. He had mostly been kidding about the aura, but he now wondered if it had been the only thing keeping her awake, and now in the safety of her own bed, her body had already been asleep when she realized it.

Only trailing behind by a few seconds, Arthur's own body manage to enter the unconscious realm the old fashion way, but not before he could attempt to raise the corner of his lips,

"I'll try"

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Materializing into the mental landscape a third time, Penny could already tell Gareth didn't mean to call her back. In fact, given how quickly sleep had overtaken him, and that he and Velvet had seemingly forgotten she was inside the vehicle as well as their conversation came to a conclusion, the pastel Atlesian was almost mathematically certain his body had simply recalled her on instinct.

However, looking around confused, and then his face landing on hers and seemingly remembering the last time he was unconscious, a wave of realization crossed over his face… only for him to hesitate upon getting a closer look at his robotic companion,

"Everything all right Penny, I thought you were still in the car", unsure of why he was being so cautious with his question, the emerald themed huntress wasn't aware she was frowning, until she saw her own reflection in his pupils,

"S-sorry Gareth, I didn't mean to intrude on your sleep schedule, I believe your semblance must have called me back as a reflexes", still not accustomed to his newfound abilities, or even what a semblance really was, the youngest Cadarn didn't seem to read too much into her explanation, or at least no more so then the mechanical organism herself, who was just wondering why she was so nervous all of a sudden.

"My sleep schedule is pretty shot as it is given… the situation", he at the very least wasn't angry, or at least teething with depression any more...although his voice still trailed off as it could revert at any moment, "although, am I getting any sleep at the moment?"

Does he not want me to be in his presence, staring blankly ahead, Penny almost brought a hand up to her mouth, astonished at what she just thought. It was almost like she was playing out worst case scenarios… but only for herself, and not even for potential scenario that could cause physical harm, ...would he ask such a thing if Velvet was the one here

"Hello, Penny, are you already asleep?", suddenly seeing a, albeit mentally conjured but, real enough hand wave in front of her face.

Seemingly leaving all his personal space issues alongside the rabbit faunus, Gareth approached his digitized friend with… ease, and a non-self-camouflaging face. While such an action should be celebrated for how comfortable he had grown around her, the girl once again found herself… upset with the very predictable fact he'd have a different reaction if she was a brunette.

"I am operating at peak efficiency", the response sounded far more machine-like than she wanted. But as she touched his hand to lower it from her face, she grew even more...displeased that his face didn't light up similarity to how it did the first time she had made contact with him… of course that was a much different circumstance, "...and your cognitive function will not be impeded either hiccup"

It would have been easy to say the word 'believe' or 'hypothesis', anything to not make the statement not a fully developed lie… but even if her better judgement knew it be more appropriate for Gareth's health to do so… however, she also felt the urge to have her own alone time with the earthlings. Especially since Velvet had, unintentionally, kick the electric soul out the last conversation,

"Oh, that's cool… I was kind of hoping I'd just have a dreamless night", logically Penny knew not to take the statement personal, but...she couldn't help but feel like she did, "I just have a lot of stuff I… don't want to process right now if that make sense"

"I understand hiccup", she did bring a hand to clamp down on her mouth, wanting to lecture herself on how such a sentence could in no way be interpreted as a lie. However, her action only brought the coded glitch to Gareth's attention, "I… if you ever need somebody to communicate with do not hesitate to ask"

Sitting along the infinite stretching horizon, Penny support her massless body on knees, and started directly at the emerald eyed boy… not sure what she should be doing… but also not reminding him that he also possessed the power to physically separate themselves,

"uh...P, I'm unsure if I am unable to sleep inside my own mind", she looked confused, "I want too… it's just, I'm no longer tired"

"Would you like to lay down", she patted the ground, and noticed a distinct, almost organic, percussion noise vibrate outwards, "...if you need a place to rest your head, my lap could be sufficient"

Feeling a moment of awful triumph, Gareth's face did go supernova, and he immediately waved his hands in front of his face,

"I...uh thank you… but I don't know if that would help, or...y-yeah", he gave up on his thought rather than complete it, which only caused the mechanical girl to frown slightly.

"I didn't mean to induce embarrassment...I had just notice you and Velvet leaning on one another", inducing jealousy once more, Gareth' cheeks nearly caught fire,

"O-oh you saw that… I mean, I d-don't really know what to make of that", his thoughts now drifted from his own head, "N-not that I mind… you know, it's a nice feeling..."

"Would it not be a pleasant experience if it was my shoulder or lap", her thoughts became real, and at the very least her vocal unit did not drench the endless plain with venom, but rather self-doubt.

"...I-I...uh… I don't know… I mean I don't think it would '', he was confused, and all he knew for a fact was that he was uncomfortable. But after a few deep breaths, he seemed to calm himself down, "...Hey Penny… is everything okay, I know you and Velvet haven't truly made up… and my thoughts have been...elsewhere"

Still unsure of himself, he didn't take up the pastel huntress offer, but he did, all be it awkwardly, lower himself to sit on the floor across from her

"I… if I can't go to bed, I am looking to distract myself from tomorrow, so if you want to talk about anything… that'll be cool", if Gareth was her, air would have violently erupted from his throat, for he certainly was not in the mood to talk...but his willingness to put that aside, did cause Penny's stomach area to lighten.

"I would… very much appreciate that Gareth", she attempted her own forced small smile, something that used to come so naturally to her, "...With everything that has happened, I have found myself experiencing abnormal emotions, and ones I previously thought would vanish once I began making peace with Velvet"

Not adding in an opinion, Gareth looked up, and as if realizing he wasn't the only person on the planet with emotional issues, waited patiently. Knowing that she was being far more organized and mature with how she voiced hers then he could ever hope to achieve,

"But I… I wanted to help you and Laura when the truth of Remnant had been reviewed, I wanted to help you when Amr's information first came to light", opening his mouth at the name, Gareth almost voiced his...inability to talk about his biological brother, but return his mouth shut when coming to terms with the idea he wouldn't be the source of Penny's own dilemma, "I wanted to help you just now...and during the night of your assault I wanted to intervene so badly"

In a rare moment of self-consciousness, the artificial lifeform couldn't bring herself to keep eye contact. The act made her feel more human, but even that wasn't enough to get over these new emotions that dig beneath her skin,

"I have failed miserably on all accounts however… and Velvet has succeeded where I have not", Gareth remained silent, and Penny did not have the courage to see what his facial reaction could reveal, "Like the night of our fight, I find myself growing… upset with my own abilities, and jealous of Velvet's"

"... P… I'm probably the worst guy to give advice on bottling up your emotions", his voice sounded hesitant, and the copper haired girl was concerned he was trying to terminate the conversation , "But as you could see… I know the consequence of not letting them out"

She looked up and saw him attempting a smile. It was horribly fake, and he still looked as if joy and happiness were far off concept… but the very gesture assured he was trying to force himself to keep the chat going,

"Besides… you've helped me out so much P… more than you had any obligation to do", he seemed to reminisce, and as he did the landscape actually changed to his room, "You kept on getting me to do the right thing… trying to be friends with somebody who literally thought they were a joke… and without even knowing anything about the Arthur situation… you were the one who got me to open up about it"

Her twice over illusion eyes began darting around the landscape, and she felt her computerized core go into overdrive,

"I believe you are giving me far too much praise", she unconsciously bit the synthetic skin of her lower lip, "I was merely the first person you could physically see, and let all your shock of the situation onto"

"...so?", her eyes trained back onto his, even as his emerald ones had already skyward, "The important part was that you stayed, not that you were physically there"

"I do not… think I comprehend", she watched as he rested on the balls of his palms, leaning back as if trying to find the right words to answer with.

"... this may come off as a surprise but", taking in the sadness from their first time in this room, he gave off a pity filled laugh, "... I've got abandonment issues… so even without a body, to know you've always been watching over me, despite the strangeness of your circumstances… it's nice, and something you've deserved a long overdue thank you for"

Penny felt her cheeks heat up, and as the vocal form of gratitude, the mechanical huntress was surprised to feel her rubber like epidermis actually increase in temperature,

"Can you stay here with me for the evening?" staring at a lit, but sunless sky, the teenager's response was delayed… but gazing back over to her he smiled.

"Sure thing… if nothing else it'll help distract me from what I'll wake up to… So what do you want to talk about?", her mind, not having conjured up any simulation past her most recent question, decided to simply pick the first one that came to mind...and let the rest of the night persuade in a similar fashion.

"Remnant"