Chapter 31

The month before.

Amai was listening in as Angela explained to Snek in her weakened state that Drax was his son. His mind raced through the rules, laws and regulations of the association. If something were to happen to her… no, he won't allow it. Amai was quick to speak with the doctor on the whole situation, but he wanted to know about Angela's condition. "Please, she is Snek's fiancé. Is there anything you can tell me? Will she recover?" he asked.

The doctor took him outside of the room, he sighed and explained her condition was life threatening. "If she makes it through the night, that alone is a miracle. But it isn't looking good for her."

"I see…" Amai then began to go through his mind different scenarios. He was aware of the strange rule the association has in place to protect children who have had parents turn into monsters and mysterious beings, yet, he wondered if that rule still applied to Snek? "Thank you doctor, please, do all you can to help them." With that, he left the hospital but got right on the phone. "Sitch, I need a word with you. Are you at the association?"

#

They went over the rules, time and time again, but there was no way around them. "Snek would lose custody of Drax." Sitch explained.

"Even though he is an M Class Dragon? And this child is his legitimate son?" Amai questioned, he shook his head to it all. "It doesn't make sense. I mean, it would be like taking away Garou's children when they were young!"

Sitch shook his head to it all. "We never anticipated on this happening to heroes, let alone having a partially turned hero. If we were to change the rule, it will have to go through proper procedures. That takes time, months in fact."

"There is no way to fast track it? You do realize I can put forth this motion rather quickly and convince them…"

"You have your charm Amai, but changing this rule can open the door to others. We have to do this carefully to say the least. I know we should take into consideration that this is the son of a hero…"

"Into consideration!?" he demanded. "No, there is no consideration! Snek's son is in the best of hands, I have seen it with my own eyes. I wouldn't be fighting for this if it weren't true!"

His tone startled Sitch. "My God, what has happened to you in those four months at Garou's?"

"We are not talking about that, we are talking about Snek and his son who may be taken from him. What other paths do we have to ensure this family stays together? I hate to say it, but if he loses Angela, his fiancé from this, and his son… You will be down an M Class Dragon."

Sitch sighed as he went over the rules time and time again. There was something of interest though. "It has stated here that if the child of a hero is put up for adoption, and another hero adopts that child, it will be fast tracked nearly instantly. There are special measures taken to protect the children of heroes…"

"That is stretching it isn't it? That's for children of fallen heroes is it not?"

"The rule never specified…"

"Then we bend it. What forms are needed?"

"Do you have a hero in mind who would do this?" Sitch asked.

"He is sitting in front of you!"

#

Amai went through the paperwork, everything was done to perfection, every i dotted and t crossed. He was quick to get it all notarized too should it come to such a time. Amai had Sitch promise him that if he got a call about Snek, he would instantly call him up and inform him of the change. Until then, he kept the papers with him at all times.

Only a few days passed, Amai was in City R when his phone rang. "It's happened." Sitch said. "Angela has passed away…"

"My God, poor Snek…" Amai whispered. He gave a sigh. "Very well, I am on my way." He grabbed the papers and was quick to get to the car. He sped all the way to the hospital in City G. Amai got there just as Child Services was taking Drax out of the hospital.

"Excuse me, where are you taking him?" Sweet Mask called.

The four froze. "A… Amai Mask?"

He was quick to exit the car with the papers in hand. "Are you aware of the protocol for a hero's child? If they are unable to tend to their child, another hero can adopt said child, the process is to be fast tracked." He presented the papers. "I am filing these immediately. I wish to adopt him."

Drax froze. "Wait… you want to adopt me? But my dad…"

"You're father… is not able to." Amai said slowly. "Which is why I will be."

The people from Child services went over the forms, each one did their once over, and impressed to say the least that everything was filled out correctly and properly. "The forms are all in order, however, we need to be certain you are a fit guardian. We will be doing an inspection of residence tomorrow, as well we will have someone observe you both for the next month to ensure that you are capable of raising a child." Said the woman of the group.

"Very well, but he is coming home with me tonight."

"I… don't see the harm. You are a Class A hero."

"Drax, please get in the car."

He hesitated for a moment, but did what was asked of him. Drax hopped into the passenger side as Amai returned to the driver's side. From there he drove off. Drax was oddly quite. "My dad is going to adopt me," he said with a cold tone to his voice. "Why are you doing this?"

"Your father faces an uphill battle for you, the rules of the association are strict and they would have to change in order for him to properly adopt you. If we are to change the law that is in now about it, it would take months to do so to say the least. If we have resistance against the change, it could take a year." Amai explained.

Drax fell silent. "Now, which brings me to this. Adopting you under my name, will allow your father to see you. There is another rule and this one never specified as to what type of hero is capable of this. I can entrust you to a hero to look after you if I am unable to. Drax, are you aware as to how busy I can be?" Amai asked with a slight grin to his face.

Drax froze to the notion. "You adopt me, but let dad raise me!"

"See, I knew you were smart."

"But, we have to tell him!"

"No," he said. "Child Services cannot know of this just yet. We must pass the probation period first, then, I will return you to your father. I promise you."

As Amai kept driving, he heard Drax sob. The boy has been through so much this day, Amai knew he won't push him to speak, but first thing is first. He has to get Drax settled in, and ensure he passes the probation…

#

They were relentless.

In the month that child services sent a rather short, stout, no nonsense type of woman to watch Amai, he made certain that they saw everything they needed to. He brought Drax with him everywhere; he hired a tutor for him to catch up on his studies. Between breaks from his movies and TV shows, he would sit down and help Drax with the homework given to him. For fun, one of his band members began teaching him how to play guitar.

Drax ate regularly, he got therapy to cope with the loss of his mother and being taken from his father, not to mention to deal with other issues he had streaming from his stepfather.

When the review was done, Child services were satisfied with the way Amai was handling fatherhood. He was given one final interrogation on one of his movie sets in his dressing room. "Are you intending on allowing Drax to visit his father?" he was questioned.

"Yes." he said.

The look on the woman's face soured instantly. "You intend on allowing a young boy such as him to see his father, who has turned into a monster!" she demanded.

"If I may correct you. His father is classified as an M Class Dragon… a hero. According to laws dictated in the heroes association. He has a right to his son, he has a right to see him. I am working as of now to adjust the law. Snek is not a monster by the standard we have set out and classified as such. Why should he be denied seeing his own son because of his… condition?"

"Amai Mask. The law was put in place to protect the children whose parents turned into monsters and mysterious beings. You adjust the law for Snek, you adjust it for them!" she protested.

"I do no such thing." He replied. "As I said, Snek is classified as a hero. I am not changing the laws that would allow monsters to reclaim their kin. No, that is irresponsible."

The woman shook her head to it all. "I am calling the head of the Association committee on this!"

"Feel free." Amai said fearlessly.

She took a moment to find the number, she dialed it in, only to hear Amai's hero phone go off. Her face turned white, casually, he leaned over and answered it. "Head of the Association Committee, Amai Mask, how may I help you today?" She hung up. So did he.

"Now then, young Drax is under my care, correct? By law, he is now officially adopted as my son, under my name?"

The woman sneered but nodded her head. "Thank you for your time then. I wish to have the adoption papers official by tomorrow." He stood up and escorted the woman out, the moment the door closed, and he took the second doorway that led to the other side of the studio. From there, he found Drax practicing his guitar with Amai's band mate. "Drax!" he called.

The kid paused from his lesson. "We go and see him tomorrow"

His eyes lit up, he jumped off from where he sat and rushed to Amai, embracing him whole-heartedly. "Thank you!" he wept.

At first, he didn't know what to do about the affection, but, he gently embraced Drax back. "Not a word okay, let's surprise him."

#

Drax was so excited as Amai drove all the way to City Z. He couldn't contain himself. "I wonder if Dad will be happy to see me, after… after what happened. I went with child services willingly…"

"I heard, but I understand too. You were trying to protect his reputation as well. I have no doubt if he resisted in surrendering you, Sitch would threaten his hero status. Without that, Snek wouldn't have much of anything left now, would he?"

Drax fell silent. "I hope he's okay."

Amai was silent, he didn't tell Drax that he was keeping in contact with Hunter. He was told everything since Snek came back from the hospital. He's locked himself in his room and refuses to come out. He hasn't eaten a thing in nearly a month. Amai was even getting worried.

They pulled up to the mountain. From there they took the stairs up, but kept quiet as they made their way to the Dragon's Keep. Amai was about to knock on the door when Garou opened it. He froze at the sight of Amai with Drax at his side. He merely kept a finger to his lip as Garou kept silent. He waved the two in, Drax was quick to rush to Snek's room and surprise his father. Amai lingered back, however he was stunned. Snek looked like a shell of his former self.

His scales were dull and greying, his body wrinkled from the loss of weight. He almost appeared dead to the world around him. Yet, the moment he realized his son was in his room, he came back to life. He coiled around Drax and couldn't believe his own eyes.

When he turned as Amai explained it was him who adopted Drax, Snek pulled him into his arms. It was a hell of an embrace! Yet he was quick to have Snek let him go. "You need to eat something, you look dreadful!" Amai announced.

Garou was quick to step in. "Snek, out you get now. We are getting your fed, these two aren't going anywhere so get your ass out here!"

Snek was quick to slither out. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, either one of you!" he warned.

"We won't move an inch!" vowed Amai.

Snek was quick to slither out and hunt. Drax was stunned. "Why did he look like that?"

"He was depressed" explained Melee. "He lost the two most important people in his life, his greatest fear was he may have never seen you again."

"Dad… really loves me, doesn't he… he's only known me for four months!"

"A father's love is powerful." Amai explained. "He would move mountains for you if he had to, I have little doubt about that."

"Have a seat you two, they will be back soon enough." Called Melee.