Last chapter on the island! So now I just need to rearrange the chapters in a bit and things will be in order. Still not sure when the plot arc will kick off, want a bit more information from canon.

M-21 and Regis waited for Frankenstein and Seira to finish up the last few dishes – they'd already carried all the other plates out to the picnic table where everyone was going to have breakfast.

Finally the cooks finished, and since there were only a couple more platters of food, Regis took them while M-21 went into the kitchen to run a sink full of hot soapy water and start the cooking utensils soaking so they'd be easier for him and Takeo to wash after breakfast.

M-21 hurried, knowing that everyone would wait to eat until he got there. He didn't want to hold up breakfast when Shinwoo had to be starving. He always had a big appetite from the training he did, but that was only a few hours of training a day normally. Frankenstein had been working him hard here on the island to master force fields and draining his enemies, which was good: both of those would help him survive if he was attacked long enough for someone to get to him.

Sure enough, Shinwoo's plate was already piled high with food when M-21 got out there, although he hadn't started digging in. Miss Seira would have cued him in that formal meals weren't like grabbing snacks. Not that M-21 would have minded Shinwoo just going ahead and eating, he wanted the kid to be strong and able to work hard and train more, but it was a little nice, that everyone waited on him, like they weren't complete until he was there.

The way he felt incomplete without M-24, when the wound of losing the last of the M-series was new and aching. Before he had more comrades to watch his back and fight by his side. Not that he was ever allowed to fight beside any of the M-series but M-24. The thought made him ache for just how much he wanted to go back in time and fight with all the power he had now to protect them, to get them out of there, get them to Frankenstein and save them.

"M-21?" Takeo asked when M-21 sat down next to him, looking at him with concern.

"I'm fine," M-21 said, because he was, he realized a moment later. He'd said it just to brush off Takeo's concern, because he didn't want Takeo to worry about him when he didn't need it, but that was the thing. He didn't need it, and yet still… like M-24 being concerned about him. Except now M-21 was telling the truth, he really was fine. Because they were fine, Takeo was, and Shinwoo, and he had real hope of keeping them safe.

Takeo looked a little doubtful for a second, but then gave him a closer look and smiled at him, relaxing a little.

So maybe the mind-reading was handy: Takeo didn't stop worrying easily.

Raizel folded his hands elegantly, waiting for the noodles to expand, and that was everyone's cue that breakfast had formally started.

"So we're going home tomorrow?" Tao asked Frankenstein, resuming a conversation.

"This evening, I think," Frankenstein said, after taking a drink from a cup of green soup. M-21 hadn't seen him make that before, he thought, and poured himself a cup. Not bad, but then Frankenstein made it, so probably a better word was excellent.

"I want Shinwoo to have a day in a normal environment before he goes back to school, just to be sure he's in the proper mindset for controlling his strength," Frankenstein continued. "Even if he doesn't need the training in concealing enhanced strength that you have, getting back to normal can't hurt."

Right: Shinwoo's new strength was psychic, like noble powers, so he used it when he wanted to use it. On the island they were trying to get him in the right mindset to use it automatically, because he'd need to in a fight, but he shouldn't be using enhanced strength at school.

"That will give you a chance to do your homework, Shinwoo," Frankenstein added. "I contacted Mr. Park and had him assign you a little extra work to make up for you missing school to accompany Miss Seira and Regis to their homeland."

Shinwoo jerked. "Sorry!" he said, bowing over his hands. "I should have thought of that." Suyi wasn't the only one who missed school: Shinwoo had tournaments and training camps to attend, so he felt he should have taken care of that instead getting so excited he'd forgotten and the Chairman had to do it. Ye Ran was very forgiving of its students extracurricular activities and health concerns, as long as they demonstrated that they were still committed to their schooling by keeping up with the work and doing some light extra credit. Otherwise even with Ikhan's help taping the classes for him, Regis would have been in trouble while he was training with RK on the island because Frankenstein had them coming out on some of the weekdays and Miss Seira on weekends.

That made sense: Miss Seira was stronger, so when Frankenstein couldn't be at the school with his students and Master, he wanted Miss Seira there to protect them.

"It's not a problem, Shinwoo." Frankenstein smiled. "I remember what it's like to have a new contract."

Shinwoo grinned; a glance at Miss Seira, and then he blushed, still smiling broadly.

Frankenstein's smile only deepened. "We'll leave after dinner," he told them. "Rael, you're with me today: I think it's time to give you some first aid training and teach you how to use the equipment. I've sent Lukedonia's hospital blueprints for the equipment I've designed to aid noble healing and keep the energies of severely injured nobles from dispersing and they have it all up and running. In an attack on Lukedonia, the Kertia Clan would be very valuable as first responders."

Getting injured nobles off the field and plugged into equipment Frankenstein designed? Yeah, that would make a big difference for nobles like the ones M-21 fought on Lukedonia. Frankenstein was handing out equipment designs, though?

Why was M-21 surprised by that, when Frankenstein allowed someone who put the kids in danger into his lab? He'd let M-21 use and examine his equipment, even brought down the fake M-24 when he was mostly certain that M-24 was a fake and really just doing it for M-21's sake. The people on Lukedonia were allies.

It wasn't that Frankenstein wanted to be the only one with life-saving equipment, M-21 reminded himself. He wasn't like the Union, hoarding power and everyone else could just die. Knowing Frankenstein, he was probably happy that some of his inventions were going to get to be out there and save lives. Do what he'd invented them for in the first place.

How much must it piss him off that he'd done all this work to try to help people and if he tried to actually use it, the Union would just kill anyone who used the machines, waste all his effort by killing the people he'd saved?

That was why M-21 asked, "What about enhancing Shinwoo?"

Everyone stared at him except Raizel, who was finally eating his ramyeon and acting like he was ignoring the fuss.

M-21 wanted to stick his hands in his pockets, but that was a little awkward while sitting down. "Mental defenses," he said. "It's not like Miss Seira would, but it's something people should have, right?" The way Frankenstein saw it. He'd given M-21 and the others all this power, and just thought of it as 'the standard survival package.' Things they deserved, that anyone enhancing them should give them out of the common decency that was unknown in the Union. Speaking of which, "And enhanced healing."

"M-21…" Takeo said, still staring.

Tao laughed, unable to hide his nervousness. "I guess he'd be safer with enhanced healing."

It wasn't like the Union wouldn't already want him for the contract, they didn't say, although M-21 knew that everyone was wincing inside, thinking about it. If contracts were supposed to be a good thing, like having comrades, like family, then of course the Union wouldn't let them have anything good. Would try to take Shinwoo for this, try to take him away from Miss Seira. From all of them, when they wanted to protect him, the way M-21 wanted to protect the M-series and Takeo wanted to protect the civilians who had nothing to do with his missions.

M-21 nodded. "The contract will already make him heal faster, you said, but it wouldn't hurt." He looked at Shinwoo.

The kid looked uncomfortable, and the bottom dropped out of M-21's stomach. Had he made the kid feel like an experiment? M-21 couldn't imagine someone he'd thought was a comrade, even if he didn't deserve to have Shinwoo think of him that way, offering him up to the scientists for experiments. Had he just done that to Shinwoo. "It sounds awesome," Shinwoo said quickly, seeing his expression. "Just, if everyone doesn't mind. Seira told me about you guys, and how much you were trying to keep us safe. I already have cool powers without going in the lab, right? You don't have to feel bad about me."

Like they failed to protect him, and that was why Shinwoo had to end up in the lab?

Wait a minute. Shinwoo was turning down power so that they'd feel better? Power that might keep him alive. M-21 frowned, felt it turning into a scowl.

Takeo was also frowning, and Tao was the one to speak up and say what they were all thinking. "Don't hold back on our account! I mean, if Boss doesn't mind enhancing you. We're already guarding the lab 'cause Sir Raizel's friend is down there, we can come down and keep you company!"

M-21 ignored the way something in him winced at the thought of Shinwoo floating in a tube, the way he'd never seen some of the M-series outside of a tube, not ever. If it would make Shinwoo safer, when it was M-21's job to protect him, protect all the students.

"I'd prefer not to give any students of mine combat enhancements," Frankenstein said slowly. "I might be trying to give you what will help you survive the Union, but I'm supposed to fight for you, not the other way around."

M-21 remembered Frankenstein muttering to himself about why he wasn't going to come down hard on the kids for bringing crumbs into his house: they were his precious students. They were his treasures, not his minions to use and use up, even though they were weaker than him and he had the authority to give them orders.

And Frankenstein gave M-21 the job of protecting them.

Entrusted them to him.

Frankenstein was just unbelievable, in so many ways. M-21 couldn't believe he was okay with Shinwoo being modified, but… if it was Frankenstein…

Because Frankenstein would never.

"But… the standard survival package… much of it isn't available to low-level scientists in the Union, but I… whoever they've kidnapped and brainwashed to replace Crombel…" M-21 could see the thoughts flashing behind Frankenstein's eyes.

Saw him give up.

"Next weekend, perhaps," Frankenstein said finally, but M-21 knew that once Frankenstein made a commitment he'd keep it. The perhaps was 'unless Shinwoo changes his mind,' because Frankenstein didn't want to perform experiments, not if there was any chance it might put a student in more danger, even if at this point it really shouldn't make any difference. "Tao, you can give Shinwoo a tour of the lab, and explain to him what's involved."

Tao nodded quickly.

"It's not as though the standard survival package is that complicated to enhance someone with, I gave all the components to myself with far less impressive equipment… but you'd probably prefer that I do the procedures instead of you," Frankenstein said when Tao had opened his mouth to object and was only managing to stay quiet because interrupt the Boss?!

"It'd be faster that way, right?" Tao said. "I guess I could, but I've never really performed an experiment before."

"It wouldn't be an experiment, Tao. Even what was done to you at the Union weren't proper experiments." Frankenstein restrained himself before he started getting angry at the Union and Dark Spear tendrils showed up at the breakfast table.

"Frankenstein," Raizel said, without looking up from his bowl of ramyeon.

"Yes, Master."

Raizel turned to him now and told him that, "You have my permission."

A pause as Frankenstein figured out whatever that meant, because M-21 was sure there was a lot he wasn't getting. "Yes, Master."

"So what training are we all doing before we leave?" Tao asked after Takeo and M-21 came back from doing the breakfast dishes.

"I think I've got the force fields down enough I could try a spar again," Shinwoo said.

Tao, Takeo and M-21 looked at each other. A spar against who?

Try to land a blow on Shinwoo? But he was one of the kids!

Tao was the weakest in direct combat, but, "I'll fight you," Regis said, before Tao had to bite the bullet and nerve himself up to attack Ikhan's friend.

"Yeah!" Tao said quickly, thinking that he needed to do something nice for Regis. But wait, Regis was the most powerful out of the four of them, so maybe Tao should still do it? Regis landed heavy blows by channeling power into his strikes though, so all he had to do was not do that, and Shinwoo should be fine, right? Shinwoo and Miss Seira had been sparring before, and Shinwoo was fine even though Miss Seira was a lot more powerful than lil' Regis.

"Thanks, Regis," Shinwoo said, punching a fist into his palm. They saw the flare of blue light around both his hands.

Regis nodded and the two of them went over to the cratered area safely away from the table where Raizel and Seira had their tea.

When Shinwoo nodded for the match to start, they waited half a second and then Shinwoo charged forward, a spark of blue light around where the charge began. Energy propelling him through the air towards Regis?

Regis took the blow on a forearm, then threw a punch that Shinwoo dodged, shifting to the side quickly and using the motion to shift his weight and throw a high kick towards Regis' wrist, since his hand was extended in the punch.

The energy around Regis' fist helped deflect the kick to the side, and Regis ducked down low, charging forward and whirling around when Shinwoo dodged easily, twisting in midair with more energy thrown out to the side to send him further away from Regis.

Then Shinwoo charged back towards him again because this was Shinwoo! The momentum turned into a spinning kick that Regis hit to the side with a forearm again, while sending a blow toward the core of Shinwoo's body.

A hit: Tao saw Shinwoo wince and tensed, wanting to call an end to the fight but Shinwoo didn't seem hurt, just a little annoyed with himself as he jumped back.

That seemed the signal for a time out, which was a relief, that they weren't still fighting. It'd give Tao a moment to get himself under control.

"It really matters how much power's put into it, huh," Shinwoo said, frowning. "There's no way technique doesn't matter, but…"

"Until Frankenstein trained us, I thought a battle against a more powerful opponent would be hopeless," Regis said. He looked disapproving, but of what? How easy different people having different amounts of power made it for the strong to abuse the weak? "The Union thinks that power is the only thing that matters."

"Yeah… So technique can matter even more, because they're not expecting it to matter," Shinwoo said, eyes narrowing as he raised his hands again.

The air around them grew darker, like they were absorbing the light. Shinwoo frowned at them, and they started glowing instead.

"Try to drain me," Regis said firmly. "If it's a human power, then the Union may have it."

Yeah, they hadn't see it in any of the Union agents they'd fought, but since the higher-levels in the Union didn't tell the scientists about the tricks they'd already mastered, maybe so the scientists kept inventing new things that didn't mean anything. Actually, if draining energy came naturally, then the fact it hadn't shown up at all in all the data Tao had, including the stuff Frankenstein had stolen back from Crombel, just made it more likely that power-draining was in that category of stuff already mastered and reserved for the elder Elders and their personal forces, instead of the lackeys of disposable elders like the Twelfth and Thirteenth.

"Right!" Shinwoo said, and charged in again.

"I'm in!" Shinwoo announced as soon as they were all settled down by the table at his place with the snacks. Well, all of them except Regis and Suyi: the Chairman decided to give him the job of putting everything from their trip away now that he needed to earn some pocket money or something, and Suyi was away doing a movie shoot.

"Here you go, Rai," Ikhan said, sliding him a can across the table.

Rai nodded his thanks for the juice: Rai didn't like drinking soda because of the bubbles.

"So it went okay?" Yuna asked nervously.

Seira nodded.

Yuna let out a sigh of relief. "That's good." Yuna was worried about Ajussi and everyone's feelings, even though she wanted the chance to help them just as much as Shinwoo. But since she and Ikhan weren't fighters, for now they were pretending they didn't know so their friends didn't worry about them as much.

Even if that was all they could do, they were going to do at least that much.