Chapter 6

Mono tried to catch his breath as he made it to the forest. He had seen the magician go this way and from what he had learned from a shopkeeper, the magician had two children of his own. Something told Mono that Six was safe with the magician, who he learned was good and used his magic for good.

He moved past the trees, not seeing them watch him as he moved past them. He paused as some leaves fell, but continued on, keeping an eye out for anyone in the forest. Suddenly, a hand grabbed him and he yelled.

"Another child," came a deep voice and the boy saw it was the trees.

"No one is here with him," said another.

One ent leaned down to a young sapling. "Go find Starla. Tell her there is a young boy here. Something tells me young Isabella might know him," they said.

The small ent sapling took off, finding the house of the witch and the magician just as the family and cyborg fairy finished breakfast. "Miss Starla!" The ent called out.

She opened the door and looked at the sapling. "Yes, young one?" She asked curiously.

"We've caught someone in the woods. It's a boy and we think Isabella might know him."

Isabella perked up at that. "Is it Mono?" She asked.

"We don't know. He didn't give his name," the sapling said.

"Let me go to the forest and see," Starla said before looking at the child beside her. "What does Mono look like?"

"If he's not wearing the bag on his head, he's got black hair and dark eyes," the girl said. "He's very thin though." She held Starla's hand pleadingly. "Please, if it is him, can you bring him here?"

Starla looked at Susan and Tom, who looked at each other and then came closer. "Isabella, is this boy your friend?" Susan asked.

"He is, Mom, and he's alive," the girl said. "I...I had to leave him behind and...I regret that I did."

Tom kneeled down beside his daughter. "That's why you want to help now," he said gently. "Because you didn't have the chance to do so before, but now you do."

She nodded. "I want to make things right," she said.

Starla nodded. "Let me see if it's really Mono," she said. "If it is, I'll bring him here."

With that, she flew away, Isabella clinging to her parents and hoping that it was indeed Mono in the forest.

The boy struggled as the ents held him, not letting him go. "So thin," one of the ents said.

"Some of Susan's cooking will get some meat on those bones," said another.

Mono was becoming afraid and flinched when a strange being landed beside him. It was part cyborg and part human, it seemed. "What is your name?" She asked him.

He looked at her. "M-M-Mono," he replied, shaking.

Starla's eyes widened at hearing the boy's name and she saw his description match what Isabella had told her. "Why are you here?" She asked.

"The Lady is back," the boy said. "I have to find Six and warn her."

"Who is Six?" Starla asked, not recognizing the name.

"She's got brown hair and she wears a yellow raincoat," the boy said.

The cyborg fairy recalled seeing a yellow raincoat in Susan and Tom's house, but it belonged to Isabella. "Wait here," she said before flying away, heading back to the house. Isabella came out to greet her but didn't see anyone else with her.

"Where's Mono?" She asked.

"I think the person the ents caught is him, but I need to make certain," Starla said. "He said he's looking for Six and said she's got brown hair and wears a yellow raincoat."

"That's Mono!" Isabella said, certainty in her voice. "My name was Six before Mom and Dad gave me my new name, Isabella."

"It's true," Susan said with a nod.

"Alright then," Starla said. "Susan, is it okay if I take Isabella with me this time? I think Mono will be more willing to come with me if Isabella is present."

"Alright, but be careful," she said. "I'll tell Tom we're expecting a guest."

The cyborg fairy picked up the girl beside her and they flew back to the ents that were still holding Mono. "Mono!" Isabella called out, glad to see him.

He gasped. "Six!" He said, squirming to get free of the ent holding him. The ent opened up his hand to allow Starla to land and the two children hugged. "Are you okay? You haven't seen The Lady, have you?"

"No, but Dad said she approached him and asked about me," she said.

Mono blinked. "Your dad?" He asked. "Is he a magician?"

"Yeah," she said. "He and Mom gave me a new name when they found me. I'm Isabella now."

The boy blinked. "That's why he didn't recognize your prior name," he said. "The Lady and I both called you Six."

"Which means The Lady doesn't know you two are here," Starla said. "But we know about the vessel and rumor has it that the inhabitants there are getting restless. Which means if The Lady has any inclination that you both are here, then we need to be ready for her."

Mono looked worried before hugging Isabella tightly. "I won't let anyone hurt my friend!" He said bravely.

"A brave boy," one of the ents said with a nod.

Starla scooped them both up. "Come on," she said. "Let's get you two back home."

She flew back to the house and Tom's eyes widened as he saw the boy. "Oh, it's you from the market," he said.

"Yes, sir," the boy said before clinging to Starla.

"Oh, he's afraid," Susan said sympathetically, coming forward and taking the boy from the cyborg fairy. "Shh, little one. You're safe here."

"I didn't know you meant my daughter when you asked about Six, my boy," Tom said.

"Your daughter?" Mono asked in shock.

"Yeah," Isabella said. "They adopted me."

Susan smiled. "And it looks like you have a new brother now, Isabella," she said.

Starla smiled. "I had a feeling you two would adopt him once we realized he was the same one Isabella spoke of as a friend," she said.

"What?" Mono asked, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

"Perhaps a bath and some new clothes should be in order first before we overwhelm the poor lad," Tom suggested.

"Good idea," Susan said, at once taking Mono to one of the spare rooms and showed him where the bathroom was before going back downstairs.

Mono was terrified and just sat down in the bathroom, crying a bit as he wasn't sure what to do. Orge and Python, hearing him, went and silently comforted him before Python began gently nudging him towards the shower and Ogre brought him some fresh clothes for the boy before they headed out to give him privacy.

The boy had to admit, he did feel better after the shower and the new clothes definitely helped too. He slowly came downstairs, seeing Susan was cooking and he gave her a wide berth, which she noticed and smiled. "Don't worry, we don't eat children," she said reassuringly.

He still looked wary, to which Starla chuckled and playfully poked the boy's side. "Hey, easy," she said, seeing him jump but smile a little. "Susan and Tom will treat you well."

Isabella nodded. "They've been good to me," she said. "Even my siblings are really awesome." She then realized something. "Oh! That means they're your siblings now too, like me!"

Mono began to feel overwhelmed again and Susan set a sandwich in front of him. "Here," she said. "You're much too thin, sugar dumpling. We'll get you back to a healthy weight slowly but surely."

The boy devoured the sandwich in minutes after taking a bite and his eyes widened at how good it tasted. Tom chuckled. "Looks like he likes your cooking, hon," he said to his wife.

"Good," she said with a smile. "It would do no good if my son didn't like my cooking."

Mono looked at her in surprise. "You guys were serious?" He asked. "You'll...You'll adopt me too?"

"Of course, son," Tom said with a smile.

Starla smiled. "Tom and Susan always keep their word," she said.

Susan came over and gently kissed Mono's forehead. "Welcome home, my son," she said in a motherly voice.

Tears came to Mono's eyes and he hugged her tightly, feeling Isabella hug him too and Tom hugged them before Amy and Dylan came in and joined the hug, happy to have another new sibling.

Starla gazed out the window and her eyes narrowed as she sensed trouble brewing.

For you see, she knew The Lady all too well.

How does Starla know The Lady? We shall find out soon.

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GoldGuardian2418