(AN: Surprise! New chapter. I wanted to get this done quickly because at the end of this week, I'm actually going by myself on a vacation to New York which... with this new covid variant now popping up in the news maybe it was a bit of a mistake but ugh, I'm vaxxed, masked, and I can't come up with a rhyme for hand santizer. If I can commit, I'll likely try to get the next chapter up by either Thursday of Friday, but it's going to depend on how much I can get done, esp bc I work today and the next two days. And plus, long chapters. I wanted to not make this one too long since we're at a mini arc that'll end the next chapter, but... I think you'll like where things go.
One more thing before I go, since I got some questions about that from some friends on Discord reading the fic so I'll clarify it rn: With the exception of six characters (Vector's parents, Espio's dad and sister, the Shinobi Clan's nanny and a named dropped painter for the Clan), EVERY character in this story has appeared in one form of Sonic media across the games, all animated media (ASoTH, SatAM, Underground, X, Boom) + the movie, all comics (Archie, Sonic the Comic, IDW), and even more obscure stuff like the manga. Look 'em up on the Sonic wikia, trust me, they exist.
With that out of the way, thanks so much for the 17k views and the huge boom of views this month, esp for a more niche story like this! I'm really hoping you're liking the story, and remember that I'm always open to feedback!)
It was early in the morning when Espio awoke on the 26th of December in Valdez's apartment. He was sleeping atop a futon, dressed in the night robe Mighty gifted him, covered in Munch's heavy blanket and raising himself above the pillow Buck gifted him as he started to hear a tapping on the door. Just then, the chameleon saw Valdez, walking from his room to the door.
"Ah, good morning, Espio-kun," the blue chameleon said. "I think I know who this is. She just called me yesterday evening."
Espio was confused. Who was Valdez talking about? He remembered during dinner last night, as the two were enjoying hot udon, Valdez getting a sudden call and him getting up to take the call. It was then that Espio stretched, looking over to see what was going on.
"It's so good to see you this morning, Mrs. Prower," Valdez said. "No no, not to worry, I just got up thirty minutes ago to clean my apartment. Come in, come in."
Just then, Espio saw a brown furred fox enter the apartment. Her red hair shone brightly as she looked around.
"Very interesting apartment, Mr. Valdez… it's a mix of a modern day apartment and Yurashian tradition…" the woman said. "Very interesting indeed…"
The fox then turned to see Espio. The chameleon quickly got up, realizing he needed to look his best.
"A-Ah! He-Hello!" he said, bowing before holding out his hand.
"Hello to you too, sir…"
"Please, Rosemary, it's good that you're getting acquainted well," Valdez said. "After all, you have never met your client before."
The woman, named Rosemary, looked towards Valdez and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?..."
"Is something wrong?"
"Sorry, Mr. Valdez… are you telling me this man here… THIS is my client?!"
"Yes! I'm sorry, I know I should have told you a lot more…"
The fox turned to the chameleon. "What's your name?"
"E-Espio," the fuchsia chameleon replied, bowing slightly again before returning to his native language. "Valdez-san, who is this?"
"Espio-kun, I'd like you to meet Rosemary Prower. She's a lawyer at Prower Law Co, and is very well acquainted with the university as she has defended the school on several occasions," Valdez replied.
"This is a lawyer?"
"You mentioned to me that Japanese is this boy's first language, correct?" Rosemary said.
"Yes, of course, Mrs. Prower. I'm sorry, Espio here hasn't seen a lawyer before."
"What do you mean HASN'T?"
"Do you remember what you were given when Ivo Robotnik referred you to me?"
"From what I was told, my client was a college aged male from Yurashia who transferred to Mobius University for one year to study as a part of its Foreign Exchange Student Program, who had been arrested for evasion of police on foot and suspected of the assault of five football players from Crisis City University on November 7th. Notably, after his arrest, the police seized multiple Yurashian-style weapons from him including kunai and shurikens. Other than that… how could he not hear about a lawyer?"
"Well, perhaps you'd like to spend some time gaining testimony from him while you tell me the news?"
"I will, don't worry. The court finally got back to me on their decision allowing Espio here to return to…" she pulled out a paper from her bag. "G-Go… jo?"
"Ye-yes, that is my vi… vill… villaj…?"
The fox raised a brow but quickly lowered it as she looked around the apartment. "Okay so… erm… wait, Mr. Valdez… do you have a place to sit?"
"Oh, no I just sit on the floor. It's what I've done most of my life. The only seat I have is a computer chair in my room, but it's too tall for the table I have. Will it be okay with you to sit on the floor or shall I bring you the chair?" replied Valdez.
"...you certainly are an interesting client, Mr. Valdez. Well… I suppose if it'll make things easier, I suppose I'll allow myself to sit on the floor."
With that, Mrs. Prower followed Valdez to the table in the middle of the apartment as the blue chameleon looked at Espio.
"Espio-kun, sit down please," he said, the fuchsia chameleon following Valdez's orders.
"So, in regards to your visitation to Yurashia…" Rosemary began as she began taking out folder after folder from her bag. "Normally, the Central Mobius District Court will only allow anyone who has their bail posted to leave the country for very specific reasons, as well as testimony to good behavior. Your reason for leaving was for family reasons, and because of that, the court heard the testimony and obtained documents from Mobius University headmaster, Ivo Robotnik, in regards to your behavior since your poster bail. We also questioned the head campus officer, Thomas Wachowski, about your behavior on campus since then. After hearing them both and reading through all material provided, the District Judge and the Central City District Court's Board of Directors deliberated for about four days until they gave me an answer."
"Well? What did they say?" Valdez asked. The female fox took out a paper from one of her folders and handed it to the two reptiles.
"Based on Espio's good behavior since his bail posting, as well as the seizure of his weapons, the court has decided Espio to not be a travel risk and has given him permission to allow him to enter Northern Mobius and to Yurashia."
Valdez gasped, placing his hand on his chest. "Oh…! Oh thank goodness!" He handed the paper to Espio. "Look, look, Espio-kun! They're allowing you to go back to Gojo!"
Espio sighed, happy that he was allowed and that his mother wouldn't be angered and questioned why he didn't come home.
"However…" Rosemary continued. "The courts have also requested that you MUST be in Central City by 6:59 P.M. on the third of January, personally verified by myself and the court. If not, you will be confirmed to have fled the country and be subject to extradition from Yurashia, where upon your return to Central City, your crime for fleeing will be added alongside your pending charges, possibly up to five years of prison. So, Mr. Valdez, please meet with me no sooner than the morning of the final day until Espio's grace period ends."
Valdez nodded. "Of course, Mrs. Prower. I understand."
With that, the blue chameleon translated everything to Espio. The chameleon nodded, understanding that he was allowed to go back to Gojo, but that he had to be back in the Outside World by a certain date otherwise his charges would increase. Espio nodded as the fox woman.
"I a-an… understand," he said.
"Now that you understand it, Espio… I would like to take these next couple of minutes to question you in regards to not just what happened that day, but your… surprising state of mind, especially in regards to your lack of awareness when it comes to defense attorneys. Tell me, who is in charge of the legal system where you're from? How does it work?"
"I think it's important you also understand more or less where Espio is from if you wish to understand more about the judicial system of Gojo," Valdez said, spending the next couple of minutes speaking in English likely about the village. Espio could see Rosemary shake her head a few times throughout the story.
"I never thought such a place existed…" she commented. "It sounds like these Historic District places should be documented-"
"The Brides would never allow it. As far as they're aware, anyone who isn't there to provide medical services to the village and who isn't blindfolded to any of the five villages is a threat."
Rosemary shook her head. "We're getting sidetracked. Espio, tell me, what was the judiciary system of Gojo like?"
Valdez translated what the fox asked, with Espio replying in Japanese much to Rosemary's confusion.
"He spoke that perfectly and was so polite too… Well? What does he say?" she asked.
"I can confirm for myself," Valdez replied. "The husband of the Brides are the ones usually in charge of any kind of judiciary system. Essentially, they played the role of a magistrate and a judge."
"I know just a little bit about Yurashian law practices. Not only have juries been something only recent, much of the law system there believes in guilty until proven innocent. Explains the very high conviction rate.."
"That's right. It's very hard to get your client declared not guilty because the court, media, and jury believes the defendant is guilty. And even more so in Gojo, which follows a very ancient style of law. Even I don't know it all, the structure of the system was only kept to members of the Bride's family. The guards were only allowed to act as makeshift ballif, and the accused had to represent themselves."
"So, Espio's father was the sole judge and your home was also a courtroom, Espio?"
Espio nodded. "Ba… but… Father is…"
The chameleon lowered his head, turning away with a look of sadness on his face.
"...that look…" Rosemary said.
Valdez nodded. "That's right. Once Espio's father, Naga-san, died two years ago, his mother, Bride of the Constant Vigil, took control over criminal cases in Gojo."
"I'm sorry to hear of your dad's passing, Espio. But… I think I understand your mindset more. Thankfully, you don't need to worry. We have systems such as allowing you to pick your juries, proper prosecutors and defense attorneys like myself, and…"
That's when Rosemary stopped. "Wait, Mr. Valdez… what would happen should one be found guilty of a crime in Gojo?"
"For the most part, crime is almost non-existent. But should one be found guilty… it depended on the crime. If you committed something small like theft or public disturbance, you ended up with forced field work. The worst crimes? Execution."
"Oh…" Rosemary bit her lip. "Right… I forgot Yurashia still has capital punishment legalized…"
"Yes and… it's more than just hanging and lethal injection…" Valdez turned away. "Let's… change the subject, please… We don't want to scare Espio."
"Gladly… anyway, Espio, now that I have an understanding about your awareness of the judiciary system, it's time we move onto the final order of business. While you're away at Gojo, I'm going to be busy compiling all my evidence as well as evidence from this trial's prosecutor, who I'm not looking forward to…"
"What do you mean?"
"The prosecutor for this case, Pluribus Fink, has been a rather prominent prosecutor in immigration courts over the past couple of years. I have a feeling he chose to prosecute a trial regarding someone from outside Central Mobius for a reason… but I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll need to see any witnesses during your time away, and Mr. Valdez, once you return, I'll keep in constant touch. Now, if you don't mind, tell Espio to talk about everything that happened on the 7th of November. I only have the basic details."
And so, after Valdez explained the situation to Espio, the chameleon went and explained everything in Japanese to Rosemary. His story remained unchanged from his testimony to Commissioner Walters, first talking about the vandalism committed by Drago and his fellow Crisis City football players, then the acts they committed at Sub Station II, then their fight at the Mobius U guest parking lot, and finally, his on foot chase with the police because he didn't know what they were asking of him. The female fox nodded her head throughout the entire testimony, writing down a timeline of events on a piece of paper as she wrote names of people to interview and potential evidence to gather to show at the trial.
"He says that's what happened in its entirety, after which he would be arrested and placed in Central City County Jail until I posted his bail and was questioned by Commissioner Walters of the County Jail," Valdez said, finishing his translation of Espio's questioning.
"That is quite the testimony. And, he isn't lying, right?"
"He has no reason to. If you manage, I would recommend asking Commissioner Walters for a copy of his questioning tape. The same story applies there. If you also want another testimony, I would advise you seek Consul Liu Khan of the Yurashian Consulate."
"As long as you're telling the truth, Espio," Rosemary turned towards the fuschia chameleon. "You'll be okay. I promise. Now, I should ask too… since he seems to know his story more in Japanese than in English… it might be a good idea that we ask the judge and prosecution if Espio will be allowed a translator during the trial."
"I would highly implore you to ask. If he was forced to testify in English… so much would be lost in translation."
"I highly agree. Meanwhile, it seems I have quite a lot of testimonies to ask for. And I'll also need to gather that evidence too. More precisely... " Rosemary grabbed her notes. "I'm interested in that kunai Espio picked up when he said one of the boys, Mr. Jun Kun, proceeded to grab it. I think that the way that it'll be phrased is key to whether you get off easy or not. I feel like the assault charge should be easy to drop as it's clear to me that you were acting in self-defense. But… for that on foot chase… I'm worried about that one. I can try to phrase it as best as I can, but something tells me that both the prosecution and the judge won't accept your inability to understand English as an excuse. At the most, if we can find a plea deal or something…"
"Please don't tell me this will lead to Espio's arrest…"
"Well, the escape of police on foot that doesn't cause any harm to people or property is simply a misdemeanor in Central City. Worst case scenario… maybe a few months in prison if the prosecution can prove it was done less out of fear and more because the suspect wanted to flee the scene to avoid responsibility."
The fox shook her head. "But don't worry you two, I'll try my best to make sure we can hopefully drop both charges, if not minimize any kind of punishment period."
"Thank you so much for your work, Mrs. Prower. I don't know what either of us could do without you."
"Not to worry, Mr. Valdez. I'm just doing my job. Well, that should be everything. We've been here for almost an hour and a half. I should leave you two to your day, as I'm sure you'd like to prepare your visit to Gojo, right, Espio?"
The chameleon nodded.
"In the meantime, I'll begin my investigation and my own explanation of events and I'll keep in touch then," Rosemary began to pack away everything. "Don't worry about me working so hard after the holidays, things are always busy at my office anyway. Besides, my husband takes the reigns for me anyway."
"I was going to say…" Valdez said. "I noticed you had a picture in your contact book, you with another yellow fox and a small, two tailed boy. I've never seen a fox with two tails."
"Ah, yes…" Rosemary brought out her contact book, opening it up to show Valdez and Espio the picture in it. "So you saw. Yes, that right there is my husband, Amadeus, and that… is my son, Miles. He was born with two tails, something our doctor said wouldn't diminish his quality of life when asked if we wanted it removed. I think it makes him even more special and blessed than he already is… he's such a smart boy for his age."
"I'm sure you're a wonderful mother, Rosemary."
The fox nodded as she put away her contact book. "Well, if you two don't have any questions, I'll be taking my leave. Stay safe and I'm hoping you two enjoy your time in Gojo for New Year's. I'll keep in touch, Mr. Valdez."
"Likewise. You too enjoy your holiday, Mrs. Prower. Espio-kun, say goodbye in English."
Espio got up from the floor, gave a formal bow, and held out his hand. "It was g-good to meet you. Goodbye."
Rosemary smiled as she shook Espio's hand. "Likewise to you too, Mr. Espio. It's an honor to have you as my client, and I'll make sure to work hard for you."
With that, the fox turned around and left the apartment, waving one final time as Valdez shut the door. He sighed, grabbing his chest.
"This entire thing not only has me financially struggling, but I feel like I'm about to collapse from anxiety…" Valdez said in the two's native tongues. "Espio-kun… how are you feeling?"
Espio looked down at the floor, grabbing his arm.
"Valdez-san… will I really be punished for what I've done?" he asked. "I've felt remorse for my actions, and I know you have punished me rightfully. However.. if mother finds out what happens…"
Valdez walked over, placing his hand on Espio's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Espio-kun. Mrs. Prower is doing everything she can to make sure you won't get a harsh punishment. And plus, we'll be able to return to Gojo! I'm sure you're excited to see the villagers, the nanny, Shami-chan, the other members of the Shinobi Clan, and your mother."
Espio nodded. Sure, he was happy to go back home… but there was still so much going through his head. He felt it would have been so startling to go back to his old way of life after being so used to the Outside World, the world the village feared more than anything…
And there was how he was feeling too… he wondered if it had something to do with what he had been avoiding for so long: discussing with his mother about his suitor period.
"I still don't feel ready to become a husband and father…" Espio thought to himself. "I don't feel normal enough to do so…"
And this feeling persisted throughout the day. As Valdez had Espio help out around the apartment, the chameleon was busy cleaning the table in the middle of the living room when he felt a sudden buzz by his futon. He jumped, tail straightening into the air.
"Ah… my phone…" Espio said to himself, still not used to the phone going off for messages. It was such a harsh noise and vibration… Did it REALLY need to be like that?
After placing down his rag, Espio grabbed the phone and turned it on just like how he remembered Vector showing him. It was then that Espio saw that he had a new message, ironically, from the crocodile himself. He gasped, quickly unlocking his phone so he could read a new update from his friend. It felt strange… here he was about to go back to Gojo, and yet getting a new message from his friend gave him an even bigger rush of excitement. At this point, the chameleon didn't even know HOW to describe what was going on at this point, but it didn't matter. He scrolled past Vector's messages from yesterday, including a picture of Vector's living room, his pet Chao named Bunger, a large "sunoman" he made with his father (who looked like a larger and somewhat older looking Vector), his mother standing by the Christmas tree in the living room, and finally, a picture of Espio himself after his parents asked to see him (according to Vector, his mother called the chameleon handsome).
"hey, morning bud! what's going down?" the crocodile texted. It was always a little bit of a struggle to decipher what Vector was saying a lot of the time due to how he phrases things, despite being MUCH more used to it by now. If he remembered correctly… he was asking how his day was.
"Good."
But Espio stopped, realizing he didn't know how to say "bengoshi" in English.
"Valdez-san!" Espio called out. "How do you say lawyer in English?"
"Lawyer!"
"Thank you very much."
Espio continued typing.
"Lawyer came to see me."
It took a bit for Vector to reply, judging by the three circles at the bottom of the screen, and soon, there was another message.
"oh snap! did your lawyer come by? what did they say?"
Espio scratched his chin. Curse being not the best at typing English… the only thing that saved him was this very convenient thing on his phone that seemed to correct his spelling mistakes. With the best of his ability…
"She ask about what happen. I also told her about Gojo."
"speaking of that, mr valdez mentioned that she'll tell you
if you're allowed to go or not. so? are you going to gojo for new years?"
"Yes."
There was a bit of waiting for Vector to finish typing his message, so Espio went back to cleaning the table. He wouldn't lie… this was his first time ever doing such a task, as it was usually the nanny who took care of cleaning the Dojo (even if the Bride taught him and Shami to never leave things disorganized). Yet… it was surprisingly relaxing. He couldn't believe something like cleaning a table could be a way to calm your mind-
There was another buzz, and Espio went back to check his phone for Vector's new message.
"yo dude that slaps! im sure you're really happy to see your family huh?
I bet they all missed you! you gonna tell them about how your semester has been?"
Espio smiled. He could tell that Vector was happy for the chameleon, something that warmed his heart to see. But then he began to frown as he thought about the last sentence… tell them about the semester? How could he? The only thing he was expected to say was; "I stayed in my dorm, I excelled in all my classes, and I kept my exposure to the confusing, horrific Outside World to the most minimum possible".
How could he tell his mother, no, ANYONE about what he'd seen? The friends he'd made, the food he ate, the new technologies he'd used, the music he'd listened to, so much of it he didn't think about until his mother asked for his return for the holidays. It had stressed him out since saying his goodbye to Vector, and Espio knew that he had to mask all his knowledge, his more open personality, under the guise that he didn't know anything.
With his heart beat in his ears, Espio typed a reply with confliction in his face.
"They are happy. But they must not no!"
"*know"
"Sorry, know."
"that doesn't seem right! I know I dunno a ton about gojo but you
should be able to tell someone ya know about what's gone down!
after all, ya had a busy semester since ya first got here!"
Vector did have a point. It HAD been a busy semester for him since he first got here, but that didn't matter.
"well, will you still be able to get those pictures of gojo for me?"
"I will try."
"Great!"
As dangerous as the idea of bringing his phone to Gojo was, seeing how excited Vector was to see how his village was like… It felt like he had the very rare chance to introduce the crocodile to his world. Still, he needed to make sure he wouldn't be caught, especially with all the guards around the Dojo.
"by the by! I didnt mention to you what my big important thing was today!"
"the badniks made the front page of next months issue of mobius
men's sports weekly! it's a really huge sports magazine. a lot
of the guys read it! I do sometimes too!"
"so we're actually heading to their studio to do modeling for the
magazine! our pictures are gonna be in a huge article about us
because of our win against empire city! Im currently getting dressed rn!"
Espio wasn't entirely sure what this 'Mobius Men's Sports Weekly' was, but he was happy for Vector, especially seeing how excited he was typing. He was hoping that the crocodile would have a good time at whatever he was about to do.
"Amazing!" Espio typed back.
"here, lemme show you what im wearing for the shoot"
There was a bit of waiting before a picture suddenly came in. Espio suddenly felt a warm buzz throughout his body as he looked at it, seeing Vector in a black jacket and white pants, far fancier than he had ever seen the crocodile.
"see? how do i look?"
It was breathtaking to the chameleon. He wasn't sure how, but Vector somehow managed to look more and more… beautiful by the day.
He stopped himself. There he was, going on with this… language when it came to Vector. When it came to beauty, so many images came to mind. The cherry blossoms of Gojo blooming in the spring, festivals like Tanabata and Shichi-Go-San, Vector winning all of his games-
Espio shut his eyes. What in the world was going on with him that NOW he can't help but think about Vector in regards to anything that didn't have to do with him?! Shaking his head, Espio knew he had to reply to the quarterback's message, one that didn't insinuate that he was feeling strange.
"It is good."
"thanks bud! I gotta head out soon, plus this is gonna take hours
i just bet. be sure not to tell anyone though, i think im still under contract!"
"Okay."
"have a great rest of the day and ill talk to you after i get out! Ttyl!"
Vector proceeded to send a smiley face as the green icon above his picture went away. Espio frowned as he looked at his phone, completely unaware of why this sudden wave of loneliness came over him. There was still so much he didn't know when it came to his sudden feeling, why it was confusing him, and more importantly, why Vector remained key to it all?
Sighing, he went back to cleaning the table. But, at the back of the chameleon's mind, the question, 'Why?', played over and over as he cleaned the apartment. Even by the time Valdez was preparing lunch, Espio standing by the small counter watching the process, the thought still persisted. The blue chameleon easily recognized the solemn Espio, even with his back turned away as he prepared a bowl of edamame for part of their lunch.
"Espio-kun? Is everything alright? You've been unusually silent today," he said, shaking a ladle filled with boiled soybeans still in the pod.
"Ah… I…" Espio turned his eyes away from Valdez. "I'm fine. I suppose I'm…"
"Nervous? I understand. It's been some time since you were in Gojo. I'm sure it must be strange after being used to the Outside World."
Espio nodded. "Yes… Can I truly live my old life in spite of everything?"
Valdez grabbed the edamame bowl, turned around and placed it on the counter as it steamed before turning to Espio.
"I don't think it's as impossible as you think. Your mother has many expectations of you upon your return… but provided you give her no reason to suspect defiance, I'm sure you'll be able to assimilate back into Gojo society just fine. You haven't forgotten everything from the village, have you?"
"No…"
"Exactly. If you're that nervous, I say wait until New Year's. I'm sure the one hundred and eight rings from the bell in Genshu is just what you need to wash away the stress of a long year. You're excited, aren't you?"
"It always relaxes me. Like, each time I witness their ringing, I see the start of a new path. However…"
Espio looked down. "It's been strange to hear the bell and expect great things… since my father died."
Valdez frowned as he put his hand on Espio's chin, looking at him straight in the eyes. "I'm sure that Naga-san is with you in spirit and mind each day. Even when you're on campus, he's proud of the work you've done so far. He's proud of how well you master new things. He's proud that you've been able to break out of your shell, talk to others, and most importantly, know what it means to understand the bonds between friends and family."
It was kind of Valdez to say… but what would his father say when he saw how people like Connery treated him? What would he say seeing his son get arrested and be treated like a criminal? What would he say about all the strange things he had been feeling towards Vector? Perhaps there never was meant to be an answer. Espio knew that his mother would feel intense shame and disgust, perhaps even see her own son as a traitor for what he's done. He wouldn't want his father to feel the same too, even if their words merited a partial truth.
Espio looked over to the side, seeing Alan's Appalachian dulcimer gift still in its case. It was seeing that case that he reminded himself of what Valdez was talking about. Before his arrival to the Outside World, Espio relished being alone. He hated whenever his parents forced him to talk to one of the other Brides, their children, or someone from either the Shinobi, Raiju, Yagyu, or Gossamer clans as a way to force him to not be antisocial. But aside from being with Shami… it's what he's much preferred, staying in the shadows as others get the attention. After all, he knew that once Shami became the next Bride, he would become nobody in the eyes of the Shinobi clan.
Yet… here he was in the Outside World. In this world, people enjoyed Espio for not just who he was and where he came from, but because things like his connection to the Bride didn't matter. When he first arrived, no one cared that he was very special to Gojo or that he was next in line to obtain power over an entire village alongside his mother. And yet... all his friends always wanted him to feel welcome, even if they came from two completely different worlds.
He thought about all the times he watched Badniks sports games with Mighty, sat with Vector watching TV when things quieted down amid the sea of things he did daily with the crocodile, hung around the rest of Vector's team during meals, watched Mark and his friends play their card and video games or discussed anime among many other activities in the K building, drew together with Jewel in Creative Drawing, caroled and sang, as well as arched alongside Bow and his friends… So many memories he's made in the Outside World, experiences he would have never had otherwise.
Even amid all the bad things, such as enemies he'd made whether he wanted to or not, mistakes he couldn't erase, difficulties that felt near impossible to overcome… This is what Valdez meant when he talked of his father. Becoming a new person almost overnight, and for the greater good…
"Father… would you be happy for what I've done, in spite of me defying the village?" Espio thought to himself. It was simply a thought, a thought that would have gone nowhere in spite of the chameleon's pleas that maybe, somehow, his father would have heard above in the heavens.
"...are you sure you're okay, Espio-kun?" Valdez asked. "Well, regardless. Lunch should be ready in about ten minutes. Why don't you go set up the table? It looked very clean when I saw it. Good job for your first time cleaning."
"Ah, of course, Valdez-san. And thank you very much," Espio bowed. "I never thought that it would be fun to clean."
"I really ought to tell the Bride to let you help more. I understand she sees you and Shami-chan as very special, but there are some basic things most people have to learn, and cleaning the place you call home yourself is one of them," Valdez turned around to the stove. "When you set everything up… why don't you take out the cake from the fridge? We'll have that as dessert."
Espio smiled. It seems that Thorn's gift was a hit with his friends and with Valdez, with the two sharing slices the previous night.
"You liked it a lot, Valdez-san," Espio said as he walked over to the small table, putting the decorations aside.
"I tend to not have cake often, but that one was one of the best I've ever had. Who made it?"
"My friend, Thorn. She told me it was from her home."
"I saw your card from your friends when we came back here from campus. Mercia, was it? I've never been, but Professor Montclair is from there. They have rather good food from there. If you get the chance, tell her that it was a very good cake and that we both loved it."
Espio nodded. He knew that Bow and all his friends were likely having a great time back wherever they came from in that Mercia place, as the rest of his friends. It was a shame he only had Vector's number, as he wanted to check up on all of them to see what they had been doing and to tell them about his trip to Gojo. Perhaps he had to wait until after New Year's, it seemed…
After setting up the table, there was still some time left for lunch to fully be ready, despite some of the smaller bowls already being set up. To pass the time, Espio opened up the Appalachian dulcimer case, grabbed the instrument, and placed it on the counter. He was unsure of how to play it, as the only instrument he had played was the family's shamisen. He picked on a string, hearing it make a high note.
"Are you sure you want to play, Espio-kun? Lunch is almost served," Valdez asked.
"It's fine. I'm just waiting for it to be ready."
"Well… okay. Just be sure to put it back when you're done."
DECEMBER 29TH
It was five minutes until seven in the morning when Espio and Valdez were ready to make the long trip past the border to Northern Mobius and to the zone of Yurashia. Clothes were packed, and very few things were taken by the chameleon back home.
"Remember, Espio-kun. Your mother isn't supposed to know about your interactions with the Outside World. I would highly advise you not to bring a lot of the things from Mobius U or other gifts that you know would get you in trouble into Gojo," Valdez said the previous night. "So, stuff like your phone, laptop, DVDs and manga, anything like that. Don't even think about bringing it."
While the chameleon listened to his family's friend, only carrying all of his clothes, some of his notebooks and test and exam results to show the Bride, and the gifts for his mother and Shami, that didn't mean he listened fully. Under everything in his bag lay his phone and the Omochao manga he got for his little sister, hidden away from everything so that no one would suspect a thing. Of course, Valdez didn't know about this, as Espio had hidden the phone while he was in the small bathroom, texting Vector before he had to hide it.
"I go to Gojo today. I will see you." he wrote.
The chameleon turned around, seeing a majority of the gifts given to him by his friends, as well as his other school related items, being left all alone by themselves. It was almost like saying goodbye to his friends, even if they weren't there in person.
"We should be in Gojo by mid-afternoon, so try to hold out until then when it comes to nurishment," Valdez said as he locked the apartment door. "But if you need to use the bathroom on the way, tell me and we can make a rest stop."
Espio nodded. "Okay."
With that, the chameleon followed Valdez down the apartment and to the parking spaces for tenants of the apartment. Entering the familiar car, Espio buckled up like he had easily learned since the first time he rode a car in his life as his nerves went haywire. Here he was, finally ready to return to Gojo after so long… What was to be expected when he came home?
For the most part, it was a boring car ride. It was just like it was when he first travelled from Gojo to Mobius U, despite being asleep for almost all the trip. He saw many different cars travelling by the road, open fields that reminded him of the farms on the outskirts of Gojo, and many, many billboards. Espio sighed, hoping to shake off any lingering nerves. After all, he had to remember: clear his mind of distracting thoughts. As long as he was back in Gojo, he wouldn't think about the Outside World, about his friends, about… about Vector…
It felt guilty to do so, but as Valdez said, he couldn't raise suspicion after all…
It was sometime after twelve, and after a rest stop for Valdez to get into non-Outside World clothes as well as drink water and the like, the roads coming out from the city of Ryube started feeling familiar. This was it… he was finally coming back home. He had tried to calm himself, but now his anxiety was starting to flare up. Closing his eyes, Espio murmured a prayer of divinity to himself, hoping SOME sort of miracle wouldn't get him caught.
"We're almost there, Espio-kun. Just have to find… ah, there we are. I don't think I see anyone…"
Valdez said that this area in particular tended to not have many people, and many within the Yurashian government kept sight within the area to keep outsiders out, even if they themselves didn't know the location of the Historic District. Looking around some more within the car, Valdez found a place to park and quickly got out, examining the area even closer. Espio looked around from within the car, hoping to not let the secret of his home be let out.
That's when Valdez tapped on Espio's mirror, bags in hand.
"The coast is clear, Espio-kun. Come on and get your things, we need to hurry," he said. Espio unbuckled his seatbelt and quickly got out of the car, grabbing his bag as Valdez went to shut off his car.
"Okay, now follow me."
With that, Espio followed behind the blue chameleon as Valdez stopped in front of one specific area of the foliage.
"Somehow, our ancestors found a way to conceal the Outside World away from our villages by only allowing this spot," he pointed at the shrubbery. "To be the only way in. Any other way and it doesn't work."
"It sounds like magic."
"Many people would call us magic in general," Valdez shook his head. "Well, we shouldn't keep the Bride and the village waiting. Let's go."
With that, Valdez took his first steps into the foliage as Espio soon followed, holding onto his bag carefully. It felt odd going back in, as he expected to not be back until after his school year was over.
But it was once he climbed out of the foliage that everything became so familiar. Just like in both Central Mobius and the non-Historic District parts of Yurashia, the pathways to the village were snowy and icy, and yet… so familiar. So, oh so familiar…
He was… back home. He was finally back in Gojo.
As the two chameleons spent the next couple of minutes travelling on foot through the pathways to the villages, they stopped in front of the sign detailing the location of where each path led. To the left most path, according to the sign…
"午序村" it read.
"I feel like I haven't seen this sign in forever," Espio said. "But there it is. My home…"
"We're still a couple of minutes away. I can tell you're nervous, Espio-kun. It'll be alright. Come, it's very cold…"
With that, the two continued their walk, shivering under the frigid temperatures as they felt sluggish. Even under all their clothes, the wind chill made the trek difficult. However, they persevered, and after minutes of walking through the forest path, past the Hinami Creek, and towards the open farms of Gojo, Espio didn't see a single sign of life.
"The farming season likely has come to an end due to the frigid temperatures. We won't see a new harvest come spring," Valdez said.
"I'm hoping the village has enough to eat…" Espio added.
"I'm sure they will. Now come, we're almost there. Just past here, there's the downwards hill, and then a two minute walk to the gates."
And quickly, the two sped up their pace. Espio had wished he was able to take the shoes he was gifted for Christmas, as his feet were starting to become pained as he continued to walk through the icy ground. But alas, there was nothing that could be done. Thankfully though, after minutes of mentally trying to brace through everything, he could finally see it… The red, closed gates of Gojo in sight. He could see two guards from the Shinobi clan stationed outside, keeping watch to not only prevent outsiders from the Outside World, but to make sure others from other villages weren't trying to cause mischief. Even from far away, he could hear one of the guards gasp loudly.
"A-Ah!" he exclaimed. "It's… it's Espio-bocchama!"
"What?!" the other guard exclaimed before getting a better look. "I… It is! Espio-bocchama has returned to us! Espio-bocchama has returned to Gojo!"
Espio was surprised by the initial greeting as he and Valdez got closer and closer to the gates. The guards got into their best position as they held up their wakizashi's, bowing together in unison as the two chameleon's walked up to the gates.
"It-it is an honor to finally see you after so long, Espio-bocchama! We all have longed greatly for the opportunity to serve you again!" the two chameleon guards said.
"It is an honor too," Espio said, bowing in return as Valdez did the same. "Please, I'd like to return to my village, if you may be so kind."
"With all due respect, Espio-bocchama, the villagers have all been waiting happily for your return! Gojo shall once again shine as the first of the new generation has returned to the place he has called home!" the right most guard said.
"OPEN THE GATES!" the leftmost guard yelled, the gates to Gojo being opened by a group of more Shinobi clan guards turning a pulley. Espio stood in front of the open gates with baited breath… what was going to happen as he returned to his village after so long? He looked up at Valdez.
"I've never been welcomed back like this before," he said. "This is somewhat exciting."
Valdez's words rang true as when the gates fully opened, Espio could see the villagers of Gojo to the side, talking quietly amongst each other as they almost seemed to make a colorful path of different colored hanten and tanzen for the two. That's when…
"Congratulations, Espio-sama!" rang out through the crowd alongside clapping. Espio was almost shocked to see this. This was a completely different farcry to when he first came to the Outside World…
As he walked alongside Valdez, he heard the villagers all one by one.
"Welcome back to us all, Espio-sama!"
"We all missed you, Espio-sama!"
"You've finally become a true man, venturing into the Outside World, Espio-sama!"
"We shall all continue to follow the teachings of your clan, Espio-sama!"
"Only you are most worthy to study such difficult subjects as you have, Espio-sama!"
There was only so much he could hear, Espio felt like he needed another eight sets of ears to hear it all amongst the sea of clapping. While he was happy to see his fellow villagers after so long, nodding his head in their directions, it felt so strange. Here he was, being treated like the head goddess of his religion had just come back to the world herself. He knew that the village greatly respected the Bride and her family, but it felt… unusual, especially after his time in the Outside World. Still, he couldn't show his mild discomfort on his face, so he was regulated to bowing and nodding his head in the direction of his fellow villagers as he and Valdez walked to the Shinobi clan's dojo.
Upon reaching the base of the, two of the chameleon guards stepped aside as a long row of them stood in a straight line from left to right. Each of them raised their wakizashi up to their faces as Espio and Valdez walked past them, the chameleon staring back and forth at each of the guards as the sound of the villagers became faint and the sound of armor and footsteps was heard. Finally, the two chameleons made it to the top, and there she was. In her best cream colored winter kimono, completely still, was Bride of the Constant Vigil. Her eyes closed, she soon began to open them as Espio and Valdez stood above Gojo's ruler, the two of them bowing in a perfect, 90 degree angle.
"It is so nice to see you once again, Constant Vigil-sama," Valdez said as the two rose up. "Espio-kun and I's journey has gone as safely as can be."
"It has been a long time, mother," Espio added.
"Likewise," the Bride replied. "I am blessed to see you again after so long, my son. I feared for your safety upon entering the Outside World, but seeing that Valdez-san has done what I asked of him, I can tell that you have not been corrupted by that world. The Shinobi clan welcomes you back to our Dojo-"
That's when the Bride stopped herself mid-sentence. She suddenly began to walk forward, approaching her son as Espio wondered what she was doing. Then, she suddenly grabbed her son's face, examining it for a few seconds.
"What's wrong, mother?" asked Espio.
"...has your face and chin grown?" she asked sternly, shaking her head. "That won't do. Heaven knows what's in that Outside World food. Well, we'll make sure you get the proper nourishment you get. Please, I know you must be very tired from your journey. Come inside. You haven't forgotten to take off your geta before entering, right?"
"Of course I haven't, mother."
With his mother turning around, Espio began to take his first steps back into his home for the first time since August. However, as soon as he made the first step onto the stone slab leading up to the dojo-
Valdez was suddenly grabbed, yelping as Espio turned around, seeing a punch be quickly thrown at him by one of the guards of the dojo. He quickly dodged, only the tip of his horn being hit as Espio chopped the guard in his chest, quickly realizing that not only was Valdez was being grappled by a guard, but that he was now suddenly being surrounded by a large group of guards all holding bokken. One of the guards made their first strike, grabbing the handle with both hands as he swiped at the fuchsia chameleon. Espio blocked with his elbow as he grabbed the bokken, pulling it towards him as he managed to pick up and throw the guard over his shoulder.
Picking up the dropped bokken, another guard soon made his move as Espio got into the correct stance, blocking hits from the bokken as he suddenly saw two more guards, both of them throwing their bokkens to the side as they ran around the guard continuing to attack Espio.
Realizing that his hands were occupied with his bokken, before the two guards punched his sides, Espio kicked with his right then his left leg. With each guard being hit in the face, Espio slashed straight down as with the guard now distracted, the chameleon punched once, chopped once, then raised his leg and kicked the guard in the mouth as blood and spit flew from his mouth.
Suddenly, he felt his limbs being grabbed by four sets of hands. It reminded him about his fight against Drago and his cronies, the way that he was held down to be violently beaten by Sleuth and Jun. That's when he noticed that the hands grabbing him were invisible.
"Of course… they're using Chroma Camo!" he said to himself. That's when he saw a burst of smoke, and one of the guards throwing a shuriken at his arm. While it didn't stab him, it did cut his bicep. Gritting as he felt his arm bleed, he remembered how he got free from Jun's lock during his fight with the Crisis City boys. Having to come up with a new strategy, the chameleon smashed his horn into the left set of hands holding him as it let go. With the grips of the other three hands now loosening, Espio performed a joint lock on the right hand guard's arm and was soon free, punching the back of the two guard's heads before throwing them onto the ground. That's when Espio picked up the dropped bokken and just in time, used it to block three oncoming shuriken. Taking them out of the wooden sword, he threw them directly at the guard's clothes, causing him to fall and be pinned to the ground as the chameleon looked around at all the fallen guards.
"What is the meaning of this?!" he questioned. "What possessed you to attack one of your own clan members?!"
That's when Espio heard a familiar click. He stopped, the sound of the click ringing in his ears.
That… that noise…
Espio turned to see the origin of the noise, where he saw his mother holding up the stopwatch he had used during training. She brought the watch to herself and read the time, shaking her head.
"27.42… how disappointing, Espio. You've been severely lacking since the last time I tested you. Perhaps the Outside World has done more than corrupt your eyes despite your limited access. It's taken away your ability to fight as fast as you could. Not to mention, you had a few instances where you had gotten hurt when you should have been able to leave this fight without a scratch. This also won't do too."
The chameleon woman turned around. "Well, there's no harm in bringing you back to your normal training routine. Tonight, I expect you to devote at the very minimum, two hours to training," she then turned to the guard holding Valdez. "Let him go now. They're both free to come inside."
With that, Bride of the Constant Vigil walked inside of the Dojo as Valdez ran to Espio.
"E-Espio-kun! Are you hurt?" he asked.
"I'm fine… however… I didn't expect this…"
"Your mother would do this surprise test with you quite a few times, I remember. I suppose the last time I had seen you do it… it must have been a year before I left Gojo for the Outside World."
The guards of the Shinobi Clan walked past the two chameleons as Espio faced them.
"Don't falter, Espio-bocchama. You know your mother only wants you to improve your ability, especially after your time in the Outside World," one of them said.
"Someone's currently getting Yuen Li-sensei right now to check on us all," another said. "He'll be here soon."
"Thank you for the practice after so long, Espio-bocchama. Please, you must be very cold and tired after your journey."
As the guards walked past, Espio looked back up at his Dojo and sighed, not expecting this welcoming at all.
"Well… I'm home…" he thought to himself.
"Espio-aniue! You're back!"
As soon as Espio and Valdez walked inside the Shinobi Clan's dojo, the excited voice of Shami rang through the halls of the Dojo as the chameleon saw his little sister run up to him. Her purple furisode swooshing as she ran, Espio crouched to his sister's height, smiling after not seeing Shami in so long.
"It's so wonderful to see you again, Shami-chan…" Espio said. "You've grown since I've seen you!"
"Mm-hmm! I began my ninja training at the Dojo Academy after you left, Espio-aniue! I've already learned so much!"
Espio smiled. "I'm sure that your ninja ability will be amazing, Shami-chan."
"Will be, Espio?" his mother interjected. "Surely you know that Shami must only be the best of the best, and she has already demonstrated that to me. She knows, just as much as you, that one shouldn't strive for staggering compliance."
Espio looked at his mother. It felt weird that she didn't feel even the most proud of Shami's accomplishments. In fact, he wanted to tell his sister how proud he was of her, but even that felt like… like it was odd for his home.
"On the contrary, I can say the same about you too, Espio-kun," the Komodo dragon nanny of the Dojo said as she walked up to the Bride, her children, and Valdez. "You seem like you've grown a lot since you left for the Outside World. I can see it in your eyes and your face. Well, we all welcome you back to your home. I know you must be incredibly cold, so please, let me carry your things and let me get out your tanzen-"
Espio froze, feeling his world crack around him as his eyes widened.
Oh…
Oh no…
This was NOT going to happen…
He had completely forgotten how the nanny was that it never occurred to him that she would have taken his bag. The same bag that had the phone and the manga he WASN'T supposed to bring.
In a way to avoid trouble, Espio smiled as he tried not to shake from fear. "I-It's okay! It's okay! I understand that you must have been very busy preparing so much for Valdez-san and I's return! I do not wish to burden you with any more responsibilities!"
So far so good… He looked around, his mother staring at him with an unreadable expression. Valdez, on the other hand, was confused about why the chameleon was acting the way he was. Thankfully, the tension was broken by the sound of an older, soft voice.
"Excuse me, may I be so gracious as to enter the Dojo of the Shinobi Clan? My services were needed."
Espio realized who the voice belonged to. It was that of Yuen Li, the lion doctor of the village. He didn't know how long it had been since he had seen him, but he was glad that his arrival was just in time, as the Bride walked over to the main door of the Dojo. Espio used this opportunity to, while everyone was distracted, to walk past them and quickly scuttle down to his quarters. As he closed the door behind him, he quickly opened up his bag, holding the Omochao manga and his phone in his hands.
"Where could I hide this?... Where could I hide this?..." he asked himself, looking around to see where he could hide the two items for the time being. It was then that he remembered where. Under his futon, for some reason, part of the flooring wasn't placed correctly, something that had not been noticed by any of the Brides due to a lack of noise that was made when stepping over it. And as a result, the chameleon learned one day when he was young that he was able to lift up the floorboard without it breaking. Throughout his childhood and into his adolescence, it had been where he had placed a number of hidden items. Preferably, it was where he had kept the Daruma otoshi his father gave him for Children's Day years ago.
Quickly walking over and opening his old hiding place, Espio placed the phone and manga next to his late father's gift, alongside many other items that weren't touched for years, and placed the floorboard back as he grabbed his bag, still needing to give his Christmas gifts to his mother and Shami, but as well as show her what he's done at Mobius U.
"But in the meantime… I need to change out of these…" Espio said, shivering as he noticed his tanzen hanging on the clothesline by the corner. He really needed to make sure he brought this, and perhaps another pair back to Mobius U…
Returning now changed into his blue and black tanzen, holding his bag, Espio returned back to the main room of the Dojo to see Yuen Li fixing up the arm of the guard he had performed his joint lock to.
"How does it feel?" the lion doctor asked. "Move it around and tell me."
The chameleon guard did as he was told, moving it up and down as he didn't react to any pain.
"That's good to see that there's no pain. Now, for those who were slashed-"
Just then, Yuen Li noticed Espio staring at him. The lion quickly stood up and bowed, his brown mane shining as Espio returned said bow.
"What an honor it is to have you back in Gojo, Espio-sama," he said. "I could not be more blessed to be in your presence."
"A… Ah… Thank you very much, Yuen Li-sensei. I have missed the medicine you have produced as I have once unfortunately caught cold while in the Outside World," Espio replied, thinking back to the time how staying at the county jail got him sick while not outright TELLING the lion why.
Yuen Li shook his head. "Why am I not surprised? I'm sure being in the Outside World in itself is enough to make one ill. Well, I'm very happy to continue providing my service to you when you need it. If you would like some of my medicine before you return back to your school, come by my pharmacy and I'll be happy to provide what you may need."
Espio bit his tongue hearing the lion's comment. He knew WHY he said being in the Outside World was enough to make one ill… but the way the villagers were treating the world he made so many memories and positive experiences with-
Suddenly, Espio felt a tap on his shoulder as he turned around, seeing Valdez standing above him.
"I'm sure you're very hungry, Espio-kun. Let Yuen Li-sensei take care of the guards and let's have lunch with your mother and sister," he said, leading them back to the middle part of the foyer of the Dojo where Bride of the Constant Vigil and Shami sat by the hori-gotatsu. The charcoal under the chabudai burned red and hot as clay bowls filled with steamed buns, melon, vegetable broth with seaweed, and sweet potato, started to fill the table as the nanny was hard at work preparing the table for the four chameleons' lunch.
"You didn't let the nanny take care of your things. And you changed on your own… why?" questioned the Bride.
"I'm sorry, mother," Espio bowed. "I did not want to burden the nanny anymore than she already has. Plus, I have brought my bag here as I have some things I'd like to show you after we eat."
"I must say, it's all looking very good," Valdez said as the nanny placed a pair of the family's best chopsticks next to their plates neatly as can be. "It's a shame I couldn't stay for a meal when I delivered Espio-kun's weekly letter, Constant Vigil-sama."
"I'm sure whatever you two have been consuming in the Outside World could only plead with its life once you two have something I would consider, proper nutrition," The Bride replied as the nanny went to now pouring Chrysanthemum tea from a tetsubin into clay tea cups for the four, finishing it with a small yuzu slice. "Ah, thank you."
"I did miss the meals here," Espio said. "Not just that, but I enjoyed being here with you and with Shami-chan, eating together with you. It isn't the same in the Outside World."
"I can imagine, Espio. The Outside World prides itself in caring about one's own self than the bond and love for family. They wouldn't understand the closeness we feel whenever we do something like eating together as a family."
But Espio couldn't help but look at his mother oddly after the nanny finished pouring his tea and finished putting the rest of lunch on the table. The Outside World wouldn't understand?... Then… how could that explain Vector and his family?
"Well, that's enough for now," The Bride said. "We'll talk more in a bit, but for now, I think it's time that we eat. You're excused for the time being."
The nanny nodded her head and walked away, allowing the four chameleons to begin their meal.
"Now…" The Bride put her hands together and bowed. "Itadakimasu!"
"Itadakimasu!" Espio and Valdez added, with Shami trailing behind with a "...kimasu!" a second or two after the two adult male chameleons were done. With that, Espio, Valdez, Constant Vigil, and Shami all began the meal. Espio first began with taking his pair of chopsticks and grabbing one of the nanny's homemade steamed buns, which while they didn't have anything inside of them, went perfect with green horseradish or soy sauce. With one dip into a small container of soy sauce, he chewed the soft, sweet bun and properly felt like he was home at last.
"I can never get over how good this is…" Espio said. "I will agree when I say the Outside World's food couldn't compete."
"When our food, born from the seeds grown by our people, is made by strong, hardworking hands, it's no wonder why the food of that world couldn't compare," The Bride replied. "Ours has the nutrients and healing qualities that lets one live a healthy, fulfilling life. It's one of the many reasons why I was concerned for your return. But… it seems like you managed to avoid the worst."
With that, the woman returned to her portion of sunomono, as Valdez turned to Espio's little sister.
"Is it good, Shami-chan?" Valdez asked in the middle of the young girl still eating her portion of rice. Before Shami could even so much as speak a word-
"Shami! How many times must I tell you?! Don't speak with food in your mouth!" The Bride scolded as the girl finished swallowing.
"I'm sorry, mother…" Shami replied, looking down at her meal. "I love it, Valdez-san! I wanted to save all our meals for Espio-aniue… but mother and the nanny wouldn't let me…"
Valdez smiled. "I'm sure Espio-kun definitely missed all his meals here, right?"
"He said so! I would miss it too if I was in the Outside World!"
"Shami…" The Bride continued. "Don't speak such foolishness…"
Espio looked over at his sister and mother, wondering when had the Bride become more protective over Shami since he left. Of course, she always HAD been due to her being the next Bride, but now it seemed even more noticeable…
Halfway through the meal, and Espio had been enjoying the sound of clicking and the explosion of his taste buds as he put the food of his home into his mouth. It left him with a warm, refreshing feeling in his cheeks, coupled with how cold the Dojo had gotten due to it being wintertime-
"Now that we're halfway done… Espio," The Bride began. "I want to know… how has your time at that school been?"
Espio stopped midway through his small bowl of broth. THIS was the question he had been dreading after learning he had gone to Gojo. If there was something about his mother that hadn't changed, it's that she EASILY knew when he was lying. It's as Valdez said… as long as he didn't give her a reason to suspect that he had broken her rule on day 1, everything would be fine.
"It's been… fine, mother. I've done everything that you've requested. No interaction with the Outside World and keeping on top with all my studying," Espio replied.
"Really now? How have your marks been?"
"I may answer that," Valdez replied. "Espio recently took multiple exams for his classes a few weeks ago. I recently got back his results. He got very high marks! I'm quite proud of him!"
Espio sighed with relief, glad that he had done so well. It seems that all the studying he did on his own and with Vector paid off.
The Bride on the other hand, had… OTHER opinions.
"...but was he the best?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"His exams. Was he the top of his class?"
"We-Well…" Valdez looked down at his sunomono. "He did have some the highest in his classes but he wasn't… the BEST per say-"
Constant Vigil shook her head. "How many times do I have to explain it to you, Espio? We of the Clan houses do NOT strive for mediocrity. We strive to excel above expectations and prove our worth to others. The fact that you cannot do something as simple as that, to show those heathens from the Outside World the excellence of our lands… what were you thinking?"
Espio sighed, realizing that he wasn't expecting to get any praise anytime soon. Or frankly, ever…
"My apologies, mother," he bowed. "Though I have tried my best to excel, things are still difficult trying to learn the language and customs. However, I know I must excel."
"That isn't an excuse, Espio. But I acknowledge that you are aware of your task. Still, I am not satisfied with these results. Any worse, and I would have to come to the conclusion that you've defied my word and interacted with the Outside World. And you know, I don't like liars, correct?"
"I understand, mother," Espio bowed once again before sipping his tea and avoding eye contact, ignoring the rapidly flashing images in his mind of him doing exactly what his mother didn't want him to do the second he stepped on campus.
"Well, there is one thing I'm sure you can praise Espio-kun for, Constant Vigil-sama," Valdez said as he reached into his bag. Both the Bride and Shami looked over to see the blue chameleon pull something out from it. Espio quickly recognized it, the object being the plaque Jewel had won from the art show at the Museum of Arty Art that she gave to him.
"What is that?" The Bride questioned.
"In one of Espio-kun's classes, an art related class, his final exam consisted of him having to introduce his art to others as a part of a showcase. What I'm holding was his reward for winning the best reviewed art exhibition!" Valdez said. Shami gasped.
"Amazing! Congratulations, Espio-aniue!" she said, clapping.
"Well, I had assumed that the Outside World bested you," The Bride replied, softly smiling. "But, it seems that you have managed to triumph among those fools. It's what I expect of you, Espio."
With that, the Bride drank her tea as Espio looked at her, confused.
"...ehh… is that it?" he asked, wondering why she had not given congratulations or anything of sorts. Vector was incredibly proud of him before the two left for the championship party, and even Jewel congratulated him.
"What else were you expecting me to say?"
Espio froze, hearing his mother's sharper tone. He had gone too far, the chameleon HAD to quickly backtrack.
"N-Nothing… nothing… A-Ah! I almost forgot!" he said, quickly changing the subject. "Mother, Shami-chan. I have decided to return with offerings for you both. Valdez-san made sure that they were neither inappropriate or corrupting for our home. It was the least I can do to honor my return to Gojo."
"What offerings?" The Bride asked as Espio opened up his bag. He brought out the Christmas gift that his mother didn't know was a Christmas gift; the bag of vanilla tobacco he got from Route 99.
"For you, mother. While I know this isn't your favorite kind, I have blessed you with this tobacco made in the same manner as your Cherry tobacco," Espio slid the vanilla tobacco to his mother. In truth, he wasn't even sure how he could spin this positively to his mother, as vanilla wasn't native to Yurashia. Sure enough, his mother looked at it with suspicion.
"First, you know that I do not feel comfortable accepting gifts outside of special occasions like this, Espio," she said. "But second… while I am happy to have new forms of tobacco, I see no reason to trust something from the Outside World such as this. If this is your attempt to try and-"
Suddenly, the Bride was interrupted by Valdez. "Actually, it was I who picked it out, Constant Vigil-sama. I know that the reason you love Cherry tobacco is the smell, and I have seen it be used myself. Had it been contaminated, I would not have let Espio-kun carry it, nor offer it to you. Please, I humbly beg that you accept his gift of kindness! He wanted to do this because he had missed your presence."
Valdez bowed in Constant Vigil's direction as the woman turned from her friend to her son, completely unaware that this was a ruse and that Espio was involved. "...I… see… I suppose I'm not surprised it was partially you that was involved in this, Valdez-san. But if you have personally verified it yourself… then I suppose I shall trust you. Very well, I shall accept this gift."
As the Bride took her gift, Espio turned towards his little sister.
"I haven't forgotten my promise to you, Shami-chan," Espio continued. "One of mother's scrolls revealed to me that you were recently learning kanji. So, I got you these to help you learn how to write kanji!"
With that, Espio brought out the coloring book and crayons Mighty had gotten. However, when the Bride saw the gifts that Espio placed on the floor-
"What is that, Espio?!"
Espio looked up at his mother, an angered look on her face. He should have known to expect such an answer.
"Valdez-san explained it to me. This," he held up the crayons. "...appears to be a writing utensil from the Outside World made from sumac wax that appears to be in different colors-"
"You mean to tell me the Outside World has used sumac wax for writing? Preposterous! Shami will only know how to write using a brush, not with… whatever that is in there! Why does that book look like that to begin with? I can't believe you've brought such filth!"
"Mother, if I may… I wanted to help Shami better learn her kanji now that she's beginning her proper education! You remember how I was first learning, the difficulties I had! This could be a perfect way for her to practice without wasting ink and parchment!"
The Bride kept quiet, but she continued making an angry face as the chameleon turned towards his sister.
"Shami-chan, I'll show you," he said. "Also so that mother can see that this won't corrupt you."
And so, he opened up the crayon box, picked up a blue crayon, and started to write the kanji for I, watashi.
"Tell me, what does this say?"
"Ah, watashi!" his sister said, pointing at the kanji covering up a part of the outlined only paper. He then proceeded to write the kanji for evening.
"Okay, how about this?"
Shami this time, squinted as Espio continued to point at it.
"I… I don't know… it looks like ta… Is it… umm…"
"This is evening. Yuu and seki."
"Ah! This is evening!"
Then, Espio turned to his mother. "I didn't realize this was an effective teaching tool, but Valdez-san showed me different colors can be used to write a sentence, something that would be perfect as she's starting to learn how to read and write kanji properly."
At this point, he didn't know how much longer he could sell it to his mother. But thankfully, she sighed.
"Well… while I disapprove of the use of an Outside World writing utensil… I haven't once realized the potential in using something like this. Thank you, Espio. Your suggestion will be taken into consideration as Shami learns kanji. I can ask the nanny to help her tonight, but you will need to show her how it works," The Bride said. Espio was relieved, glad that he was able to sway his mother's opinion.
"I love it a lot! I'm happy you got this for me, Espio-aniue!" Shami happily said as she accepted the gift.
"Of course, Shami-chan!" Espio smiled, bowing before holding his hands up. "Actually, mother, since I've begun learning English, I've learned there's a word used for when someone says thank you! It's actually very respectful from what I've learned, and I make sure I use it a lot. You say it as, 'You are welcome or you're wel-"
"Stop it!"
Espio's face fell as his mother's reaction changed to that of a serious one, her eyes closed as Valdez and Shami looked at the chameleon.
"M-Mother?..."
"I understand that by all intents and purposes, you must speak in a different language in the Outside World," Bride of the Constant Vigil began, soon opening her eyes to look at her son. "But… you are back in Gojo now. And in the walls of this Dojo, no, your home... you will not speak that devilish language for as long as you're here. Do I make myself clear?"
So much for bringing peace to his mother with Shami's gift…
"Yes… I understand…" he said.
Despite showing how much his English had improved not going well with his mother, the chameleons were able to finish lunch and soon parted ways for the afternoon, Espio feeling down after what had occurred.
For the time being, he was back in his old room, surrounded by the various things he used to train as well as his clothes and futon. By now, Yuen Li was finished up with the guards and they were likely around the Dojo keeping check of everything, usually on the ceiling or hidden on the roof.
"I wonder what I should do today… Mother did say I have to train... but there's so much to catch up on…" Espio said. He looked over by his futon, remembering that he had hidden his phone there. He did promise Vector images of Gojo… but with the guards around, how could he sneak it?
The chameleon looked over and then crawled to the hidden floorboard, picking it up and grabbing his phone, extremely cold to the touch. Unlocking it, he could see that it was 2:14 P.M.
"Perhaps…"
If he remembered from what Valdez showed, all he had to do was press the icon of a circle with a dot in the middle, it would open up a 'kamera' if the katakana of his phone was anything to go by. Quickly, he saw the same thing on the screen as he did in front of him; the wooden dolls he used for sword training.
"Valdez-san said… press the grey button and hold still…" Espio muttered to himself, pressing the big grey button.
And then, a picture was taken.
Complete with a loud CLICK sound.
Espio panicked, realizing that the sound came from his phone. Quickly, he ducked down, pressing the middle button at the very bottom of the phone as he tried to remember how to turn down the volume.
"E-Ehh… V-Valdez-san said… said… oh! Side buttons! Side buttons!"
Espio clicked the top button, but the sound was only louder. Eyes widening in fear, he pressed the bottom button as he watched the volume slider scroll down before the phone vibrated and completely went silent. The chameleon looked around, hiding his phone quickly back under the floorboard as he expected someone to open the door and question about the noise.
Thankfully, after waiting for five minutes, Espio didn't hear or see anyone come in, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"This is too dangerous…." he said, thinking about just leaving his room just then. But then… Vector's face came into vision, and the memory of the crocodile asking to see images of Gojo played in his mind.
"...even back home, I still can't help but think about you…" he said, deciding to give it a second shot. This time though, he knew where he could go.
Grabbing the phone and hiding it within the inside of his tanzen, Espio slid open the door to his room as he looked around both left and right and top to bottom. Thankfully, only the members of the Shinobi clan knew where all the guards were, and it didn't seem any were on patrol in the foyer. With that, Espio walked to the outdoor garden in the middle of the Dojo. If there was any good shots he could get, it would be there
Sliding the door open, he checked both outside and in to make sure there were no guards, which thankfully there weren't. As such, he walked into the middle of the snowy garden, slowly regretting it more and more as the cold almost burned his feet.
"For Vector…" he thought to himself, powering through the pain. Finally, he found himself at a good spot; the moss covered rocks and the small waterfall river flowing around the garden. As a piece of bamboo swayed back and forth with water flowing through it despite the temperature, Espio looked once more around his surroundings quickly before grabbing his phone, unlocking it, and taking a picture. He would turn in place, getting different parts of the garden and the roof of the Dojo as no one thankfully interrupted him.
Normally, the garden was never meant for entertainment like this, as previous generations of Brides had designed it to be the ultimate place of peace and serenity. Yet Espio found himself in his own place of peace and serenity; imagining what Vector's reaction to his photos would look like.
"What if I chance it and take more around the Dojo? No… what if I took pictures of Gojo as a whole?" he said to himself as he walked back to the entrance of the garden, getting a wide shot of the garden. His thoughts were fast and racing as he imagined what it would be like if his best friend got to se-
"Espio-kun? What are you doing?"
The chameleon's face fell as incredible fear rose from his feet to his head. It was the nanny, completely unaware that he was holding an object from the Outside World. Realizing he couldn't panic now, Espio quickly turned around, holding the phone behind his back.
"A-Ah! I'm sorry!" he said, bowing while trying to still hide his phone. "I simply wanted to see the garden after so long. I quite missed its serene view and feel!"
"It's very cold out there and… Espio-kun? Did you walk in the garden wi… without shoes?"
"I have done so many times during training. I am used to it."
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared to go outside when it's this cold. What would your mother say?"
In the midst of this scolding, all that was going through Espio's mind was; "Please leave, please leave, please leave…"
"I won't commit such acts of rudeness again, I simply wanted to relish being at home again."
The nanny crossed her arms, the Komodo dragon looking at the boy she's taken care of all his life.
"Well… I suppose I understand… but if you're going to go out, just make sure you're prepared-"
"Go out! That's right!" Espio quickly changed the subject. "I actually wanted to know if I have permission to enter the village. After so long, I'm sure many of the villagers have missed when I made treks there for one reason or another. I'd like to see them again, if at all possible."
She continued to stare at Espio before looking to the side. "Well… let me talk to your mother first and I'll see what she says. Just… close the door to the garden for now."
"Yes, of course. And thank you."
Doing what he was told with one hand while still holding his phone in another, Espio bowed as he watched the nanny walk away, quickly hiding his phone in his tanzen only to hear-
"Espio-ainue!"
Great, ANOTHER person.
He turned around to see Shami staring up at him.
"What are you doing, aniue?" she asked.
"I was in the garden," Espio replied.
"Why?"
"I wanted to see it again. It had been a very long time."
"Ah… but… why?"
"When you're away from home, you miss a lot. You might understand that when you get older too, Shami-chan."
The little girl nodded as Espio suddenly remembered the Omochao manga Mark had picked out for him. Quickly, he crouched to her height.
"Espio-aniue?..." she asked.
"Actually… Shami-chan, I want to tell you something," Espio replied. "I actually have a second gift for you that I didn't give. One that I couldn't tell you about until now."
"Really?!-"
"Shhh!"
Espio put his finger over his little sister's lip.
"This HAS to be a secret, okay?"
"Secret?"
The chameleon bit his tongue, realizing that Shami hadn't heard the word, 'himitsu' before in her life.
"It means that only you and I can discuss this. You can't tell ANYONE, not any of the guards, not the nanny, and ESPECIALLY not mother. Can I trust you to keep this secret?"
"...what is it?"
"I can't tell you yet, but here's what I'll do. Tonight, after the lights go out and the guards are on patrol outside, I'll come to your room. If you see someone invisible opening your door, it's me. That's when I'll give you your new gift. But I can only give it to you if you PROMISE you won't tell anyone, okay?"
Shami looked down at her tabi, then at her older brother.
"Okay…"
"Good. Now remember, this is a secret between us both. So be a good girl, and make sure you don't tell anyone. You can do it for me, won't you?"
Shami nodded her head.
"Good. Now, what were you about to do?"
"I wanted to see if I could find the nanny and ask if she could allow me to play! I've finished my daily tasks and today is a rest day from training!"
Espio nodded. "I'm sure she'll let you. I'll help you find her, if you want."
"Okay! I'll come along with you then!"
With that, Shami skipped along down the hall, humming to herself as Espio followed behind, happy to see his little sister in high spirits. He just hoped she would do as she said…
LATER
It was after dark when Espio, alongside Valdez, the Bride, and Shami would have dinner in the same area they had lunch earlier. Currently eating a dinner consisting of nyuumen, cooked eggplant, miso soup, and the daily chawan of rice with red beans washed down with servings of houjicha, Espio held his bowl of rice and red beans in one hand and his chopsticks in another as he felt the refreshing meal warm his heart. Especially since after coming back from the village earlier and revitalizing his mind with his fellow villagers and his home (even purchasing a few things from merchants that kept themselves away from the public view to take back to Central Mobius), his mother demanded that he start his training the moment he stepped into the Dojo. Still sweaty and tired from the two hour training session, the chameleon looked up to see his mother done with dinner.
"Since you're here, Espio, there is something I must inform you," she announced as the three looked over at her. "While you were out at the village earlier today, I had received word from our contacts in the other villages in regards to your suitor period. And Conquering Storm, Rich Nights, and Endless Reach, as well as myself, have all agreed that tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, we will travel to Genshu to further discuss your upcoming suitor period, especially with the New Year's festival coming up. Do you understand?"
Realizing he didn't have any choice, Espio nodded. "Yes, I understand."
"Good. Don't stay up too late, you need to be well rested."
With that, the Bride got up and continued. "I shall stay in my quarters for the rest of the night. Any emergencies, I'm sure you both know what to do, Espio and Valdez-san. And also, Valdez-san, I leave you to ensure my children finish dinner."
"Of course, Constant Vigil-sama," Valdez replied as the chameleon woman walked away, the nanny quickly cleaning up after Constant Vigil. Espio looked over at his little sister, who was having some trouble eating her eggplant as she didn't like it.
"Shami-chan, make sure you eat everything," he said.
"But I don't like the taste…" she replied, frowning.
"The nanny made it with all the care and love she puts into all her meals. Besides, if you don't eat everything, I may back my word on… the secret."
Shami gasped as Valdez looked at the two confused, wondering what Espio meant by "the secret" as well as why Shami was suddenly now eating something he knew she didn't like with gusto.
The answer never came to him, and soon, hours later, it was lights out at the Dojo. Most of the candles burning had gone out as the guards moved to outdoor patrol, very few of them staying inside. Within his quarters, Espio lay wide awake on his futon, reading the time on his phone. 10:12 P.M.
"It's still early for me… but Shami-chan must be slowly succumbing to sleep. I should go now…" he murmured to himself. Espio grabbed the Omochao manga he had by his side and placed it and his phone within his jinbei, feeling it slide down his chest and lower waist. Holding them both close, he slid the door to his quarters open and looked around and listened closely. Thankfully, with nobody in sight and with very faint sounds coming from outside, the chameleon slowly left his quarters and alid the door shut behind him, performing the incantation for Chroma Camo and then sneaking around the corner and down the hall. He looked around and up and down, not seeing any of the guards on the ceiling thankfully, which continued until he finally came across Shami's quarters on the other side of where his quarters were. Sliding the door open slowly, he undid the incantation as soon as he heard his sister.
"Shami-chan! It's me!" he whispered.
"Espio-aniue?..." Shami replied softly.
"Remember, you must be quiet! No one should know we're awake!"
With that, Espio slowly walked to where his sister's futon was, where the girl had been lying across it.
"I couldn't sleep," she said. "I had been thinking about the secret. What is it? Tell me, Espio-aniue!"
Espio smiled, although it was very hard to tell due to the room being almost pitch black. "Why don't we bring light to this room?"
"Do you have a candle?"
"Not exactly… but it works just as well."
With that, Espio brought out his phone and turned it on, placing it on the floor as Shami looked at it in awe.
"What… is that?..." she asked.
"...do you know why I said we need to keep this a secret?" Espio asked. "This is part of the reason why. I can't let mother know about this."
From the light, he could see Shami's face change.
"Is it… Outsid-"
"Shh!"
He put his hand over Shami's mouth.
"Remember… secret and quiet… The walls have ears."
The chameleon siblings stood in the darkness for a minute before Espio turned the phone on again.
"I… haven't been honest with mother at all. In truth… Shami-chan… I… I have seen the Outside World…"
Shami's face changed to that of a worried expression, likely because she had heard all her life about the horror of the Outside World from her mother.
"Espio-aniue… I wanted to know but no one would tell me…" Shami said. "What… is the Outside World truly like?..."
Espio nodded. "It… it's…
The answer the girl got, wasn't what she expected.
"Amazing!"
"What?... Amazing?..."
"I didn't realize there was so much there. Mother explained to me that beyond the mountains and sea that have given us life that surround our village is nothing but pure misery for those who choose to venture outside our home. But… even those of the Outside World live in a manner and by beliefs similar to ours, just with these new… inventions! Like, this," Espio held up the phone. "Valdez-san told me this is a phone. It can do so much like do arithmetic, write, interact in ways outside of having to send out a guard to deliver a message. It can do so much!"
"Amazing!... May I see?"
Espio turned on his phone, showing it to Shami as her face lit up from the backlight of the phone, mesmerized by Espio just scrolling through the phone.
"What else can we do?"
"Not much, as we need something called, internet."
"In… ter.. net? What's that?"
"It's also something from the Outside World. It's how I communicate to others! Without it… I likely could not have survived the Outside World…"
"Were you scared at first?"
"I was… there was so much I didn't understand. And because I didn't understand the language they speak, called English, I had a very hard time."
"But… you spoke it before mother interrupted you."
"Of course. I've improved so much since I first arrived. Oh, Shami-chan! Let me show you this!"
Espio opened up the camera, revealing it to his sister.
"This is called a camera. It allows you to capture what's in front of you almost like a painting instantly."
"Almost like… a painting?"
"Here, I'll show you. There's going to be a light, try not to cry out. Keep your eyes open for me, okay?"
With that, Espio held the camera out and took a picture of him and his sister together, the girl reacting to the camera flash as he expected.
"Ah!"
"Shh!"
The two were silent for a minute before Espio opened up the image, showing it to Shami.
"What? That's me!"
"That's right. It's what that flash was. It just took what's called a picture. Now, I have this forever saved."
"Wow, that would be useful! You know so much about the Outside World, Espio-aniue!"
Shami then looked down. "Umm… do you have any friends?"
"Friends?"
"You know… I know you like to be lonely a lot… but do you have friends in the Outside World?"
Espio smiled. "Of course I do, Shami-chan."
And so, Espio spent the next couple of minutes telling his sister about his friends. He told her about people like Knuckles, who could easily identify rocks of any kind and could easily take multiple hits from football players twice his size. He told her about Norris, who somehow knew Japanese despite being from the Outside World, about Alan, who could easily start to play his lute and sing if you told him to make a song out of any word, about Jewel, who had once been rude to him but forgave him after learning more about what it was like to be from a place like Gojo and saving her from a bad situation. So many others he had told her about, finally reaching Vector once he had talked about everyone.
"Wow, Espio-aniue…" she said, hands on her cheeks when he had finished telling her about the quarterback. "This Vector sounds amazing! You describe him beautifully…"
"I do?"
"Yes! I think you care about him a lot! I want to meet him!"
As his sister smiled, Espio couldn't help but feel his heart beat quicker. She was right… not only did he go on and on about how much Vector meant to him, not only his very first friend in the Outside World, but his best friend… It's what she said after that made him think.
"...you're right… in spite of how I've been feeling… I do care about him a lot," he thought to himself. Just then, he remembered the manga in his jinbei.
"Actually, I almost forgot, Shami-chan!" Espio whispered. "This is the other present I got you."
With that, he brought out the Omochao manga and handed it to his sister.
"O… mo… chayo?..." she read phonetically. "What is this?"
"One of my friends, Mark, introduced me to something from the Outside World called manga. He says it's made here in Yurashia."
"I've never seen this…"
"Neither have I until I came to the Outside World. It's like a story!"
"A… story?"
Of course, Shami was only used to fairy tales such as Issun-boushi and Momotarou. There was no way she would have known other stories existed besides those.
"That's right, similar to the stories you'd hear from the nanny to help you sleep, or the stories of our gods from mother, manga tells their own stories too, but this one you can read!"
He could see Shami looked excited, but her face fell.
"Thank you, Espio-aniue! But… I'm worried. Does… does this have kanji? I… I can't read it well…"
Espio felt bad, as he knew his sister was only learning. "Well, this manga has furigana. Hiragana above to help you read kanji. But…" He lay across Shami's futon. "If you have trouble, then I can read it to you."
"Will you?"
"Of course. Here, lie down with me, I'll start."
And so, Shami too lay with her brother as he turned to open the pages of the manga. He started on the first page, reading text above a drawing of a mountain.
"It is about one hundred years-"
Suddenly, Shami interrupted.
"What is that?" she asked, pointing to the kanji after 100.
"This? See here?" he pointed at the furigana above the kanji, 年後. "This is how you read this. This is nengo. Can you say, nengo?"
"Ne… n… go… Nen… go."
"There you go! It means to describe something years later. Now, let's continue. It's about one hundred years into the future. Ah, let's talk about this one. This one," Espio pointed to 未来. "...is future. Mirai. Can you say that? Mi… rai?"
"Mi… rai… mirai!"
This continued throughout the night, with Espio reading out the manga to his sister, helping her read and pronounce kanji she didn't know all while she was entertained by the story. The two chameleons read about how Professor Idabashi of the Yamatori Mountains sent a robot Chao into the past to save a desolate future, coming across a human boy named Keiichi, who was the key to saving the future despite his very lazy nature. It wasn't until almost 2 in the morning when the two finally finished the first volume, with Shami barely awake by the end.
"I think you're ready to go to bed. Here," Espio said. "Do you have a place you hide things, Shami?"
"...the… wall…" the girl sleepily said, pointing to a part of the wall that didn't seem fixed up. Espio crawled over to it, seeing that it was almost like the floorboard in his room.
"Our ancestors didn't do a good job building this place it seems…" he thought to himself.
"Well, I put your manga there. If you want to read it, it'll be there. But remember, it can only be when NO ONE is around. And before I forget… remember, what happened in your quarters tonight is supposed to be a secret. Promise me that you won't tell ANYONE about what we talked about and what I read to you. Can I trust you?"
"Yes…"
"Shami-chan, I need a serious answer."
"I promise with my heart, Espio-aniue…"
"Good. I'll ask you tomorrow when you're not as sleepy. But for now…"
Espio got up from the floor and crouched by his sister, wrapping her in her futon. "Make sure to get some sleep, okay? Things are going to be busy around here."
"Okay…"
The girl didn't fight her attempts at being sent to bed, and as Espio finished wrapping her futon, he kissed the side of his sister's head.
"I'm still so happy to see you again after so long. Good night, Shami-chan…" he said.
"Good night… Espio-aniue…"
With that, Espio slid the door open as he performed the Chroma Camo incantation once again, soon shutting the door behind him as he sneaked back to his quarters.
"It's going to be busy, that's for sure…" he said to himself. "I'm just hoping I can manage everything. With mother wanting to focus on my suitor period… I just hope that maybe not being around Vector for a bit can make me focus on what I have to do for my family and the clan…"
But then he stopped, remembering how he talked about Vector to Shami.
"...if only it weren't so hard to not think about him… when you miss him so much more than anything."
With that, Espio retreated back to his quarters, sliding the door shut as he wouldn't wake up until the crack of dawn.
END OF CHAPTER 23
