Chapter 1: The Forgers
Loid Forger, the identity that the legendary spy, Agent Twilight of Westalis used ever since his current assignment. It was, in fact the longest assignment of his career. For over a year he played the role of a physician in Ostania, Westalis's hated border nation, with the objective of preventing another war between them.
However, this assignment was unlike any other in Twilight's distinguished service to Westalis. This assignment required him to masquerade not only as a doctor, but also the father of a child at Ostania's top boarding school, Eden. Along the way, he forged a fake family to ensure his mission's success, adopting a daughter and pretending to be married to an office clerk. That was, how it all started.
Now, things were quite different. Loid lay in bed and gave a warm smile after feeling a gentle breath on his muscular chest. A woman's head rested there, her arms wrapped tight around Loid, who stroked the back of her head and long black hair. Yor, the lovely woman he believed to be nothing more than a quicky office worker that he entered a mutually beneficial fake marriage with turned out to be none other than Thorn Princess. The codename given to one of Ostania's most feared assassins, one who had the expressed mission of eliminating him, Agent Twilight.
For over a year, neither knew each other's identity, until an incident four months earlier revealed the truth to them both. Now, they lay together in just their bare skin, and really married for the last four months. Since losing his family as a boy to the last war, Loid never thought much to marrying for real and having an actual family. Now, he never wanted it to end.
Loid leaned down and kissed Yor's lips, and soon she kissed him back, even while asleep. That was until her arms locked around him in a vice grip that almost crushed his skeleton. Loid gasped and struggled to take in air.
"Yuri, he's my husband now! Please don't make me do this!" Yor screamed.
"Yor, please, it's just a dream!" Loid cried, unable to breath.
Yor's eyes shot open, and she yelped before loosening her grip on loid, but still hugging him tight.
"Loid, forgive me. I had the nightmare again," Yor said, tears in her eyes.
"It's alright," Loid grunted and adjusted his back. He held his wife by the cheek, easing her a little. "We've been very careful. Yuri won't find out."
Yor nodded, but she did not look much better. Loid sighed. Ever since Yor defected to Westalis, she remained haunted with immense guilt whenever Yuri visited. Which they discovered he planned on doing that night, by 'surprise'.
"Why don't we get breakfast ready. Anya will be up soon, we can walk her to school together."
"That sounds nice," Yor seemed to perk up a little, smiling again. That was until she tried to get up, but wavered a little and held her chest.
"Yor, are you ok?" Loid asked and helped her to her feet.
"Huh? Oh, I'm ok, Loid. Just a little tired it all. A little tender in the chest too."
She turned red and Loid gave a sheepish expression, having a decent idea of what might have caused this.
"I'm ok, Loid, really! Last night was amazing!" Yor assured Loid and kissed his cheek.
The two got dressed before peering into their daugher's room. There, the pink haired, ESP, Anya let out soft snoring noises as she lay on her bed, the great pyrenes dog, Bond asleep at the foot of the mattress. Yor hugged Loid again with pink cheeks after Anya embraced one of her stuffed animals.
Anya. Loid thought. The girl he adopted to infiltrate Eden. Four months ago, he learned the truth. That the Ostanian government had conducted experiments on her biological mother and Anya herself, turning her into an ESP with the intention of using Anya as a weapon against Westalis. Four months earlier, agents from Ostanian intelligence came to eliminate Anya, believing she was a security risk.
It was this that convinced Yor to defect after she and Loid wiped out that branch of Ostanian's intelligence agency. Now, she was their legal daughter, and the youngest Westalis agent. Loid gently shut the door before he and Yor went to the kitchen.
Along the way, they passed various family photos, including new ones of Loid and Yor's wedding in Westalis, Anya held up in their arms.
"It's too bad Anya couldn't join us on our honeymoon," Yor said when she passed a photo of her and Loid on a tropical island.
"Yor, a honeymoon is just for husbands and wives. Besides, she had a great time with Becky."
"I guess your right. It was a lot of fun though."
Yor started taking out ingredients and Loid grimaced. He tried desperately to take charge of the cooking, but Yor kept blocking him. "Loid, I am your wife and Anya's mother. I'm supposed to prepare our meals," she said with a hint of pride in her voice.
"Yor, we can make it together-" Loid started before Yor cut him off with a kiss to his lips and giggled.
"I don't think so, why don't you just make some coffee for us." Yor pointed to the coffee maker and Loid hunched over in resignation.
Well, I wasn't that hungry anyway. He moaned to himself while brewing a pot of coffee. Twenty minutes later, Anya sat at the table with Loid and Yor. The little girl's eyes quivered and her mouth contorted into a squiggly line as she stared at the charred eggs in front of them.
"Well, let's dig in. Breakfast is important for a good education, Anya," Yor said while raising one of her own eggs up.
"Anya can't eat ash," Anya muttered and shot Loid a pleading look while Bond whined.
"Anya, your mother worked hard to make this for us," Loid forced the words out and took a very protracted bite of his.
Anya gulped and tried to do the same, but the bitter taste left a horrible sensation in her mouth. Anya loves Mama, but Mama's cooking will kill Anya. Anya thought. The sound of a fork hitting wood snapped Anya from the horrible food's influence. She and Loid saw Yor gagging after eating half her eggs.
"Huh?" they said together, noticing Yor's green face.
"Bathroom!" Yor zoomed across the apartment, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.
Loid and Anya looked at each other, baffled. Yor's food could make anyone vomit, but Yor herself seemed to be immune.
"Papa, is Mama sick?" Anya asked.
"I don't know," Loid said, looking slightly concerned.
Mama's cooking is horrible!
"Eh?" Anya looked around; certain she just heard a soft voice. Was there someone else in their apartment? Anya looked at the walls, thinking perhaps maybe she heard a new neighbor.
"Anya, no listening in on our neighbors, we talked about this. Unless. Are they plotting against us," Loid said in a serious tone.
Anya almost smiled. Since her parents learned about her ESP, they clued her in more on their missions, if for no other reason than to try and keep her from discovering them on her own. However, the little girl shook her head.
"Sorry, Papa, I must have imagined it."
Loid nodded and a minute later, Yor staggered out of the bathroom, still looking green. "Forgive me," she moaned. Loid rushed over and lifted Yor into his arms before gently setting her into a chair.
"Let me take care of breakfast. I'll make something to sooth your stomach," he said with a warm smile and Anya's eyes sparkled with stars.
In a matter of minutes, Anya saw gourmet eggs over hard with seasoning and a side of turkey bacon set down in front of her. Yor thanked Loid as she began eating hers.
Papa is much better! I only want his cooking!
There was the voice again. Anya looked around the apartment but only saw Bond who tilted his head. Who was speaking? It sounded like a boy even younger than Anya. Was his papa a better cook than his mama too?
Just then, Anya peered into Bond's mind. The dog, like Anya, had endured experiments and could see glimpses into the future. Anya saw Yor shaking as she stared at what looked like a white magic marker in her hand.
Why is Mama upset about a marker? Does she need another? Anya wondered.
When she arrived at Eden, Anya pondered the voice and Bond's vision while she walked the halls with Becky. Her only true friend went on about her family's latest trip to their alpine vacation home.
"And then we rested around the fire with hot coco made from gourmet chocolate," Becky said with a dreamy expression.
Anya, however, blinked with narrow eyes and a blank expression. Anya wants hot coco made from gourmet chocolate. She said to herself.
"What did you do this weekend, Anya?" Becky asked.
Anya thought back to their trip to the movie theater where Loid was tasked to intercept a coded message in their screening of Love Poison. "Anya and her parents went to see Love Poison."
"You saw Love Poison! That's supposed to be the most romantic movie of the year!" Beck squealed and clasped her hands together. "How was it?"
Anya could not remember much of the movie. Instead, she had remained much more interested in her parents' activities. During the screening, a squad of Ostanian agents attempted to recover the coded message first. Upon discovering them, Loid made very subtle distractions to get back to the projector room while Yor dealt with the agents one by one using her assassin skills. Ultimately, Loid had to battle two more agents in the screening room while Anya caused another commotion to prevent security from reaching the fight. Anya did this by reading one of the guards' minds and discovering they both had crushes on each other but were too nervous to say anything.
Anya ultimately got the male guard to confess to the woman who sobbed in joy, thus allowing Loid to recover the message and move the hostile agents' bodies.
"Mama and Papa kissed afterwords," Anya said and Becky gritted her teeth.
"I'm so, happy for her," Becky grumbled, red in the face.
As they entered the classroom, Anya noticed her biggest rival, Damian Desmond, the son of Lord Desmond. Damian was in conversation with his two friends, discussing what subjects to take as they got older. Anya's face turned a little pink when her eyes met Damian's and he too turned scarlet.
"Hey, what are you looking at uggo?!" Damian shouted.
"Ignore him, Anya," Becky said as she led her to their seats in the lecture hall.
Second son might have information Papa can use. Anya glanced back in his direction and listened in on Damian's thoughts.
Stupid girl, why does she have to be so cute? I can't concentrate now!
Anya had to cover her mouth and trembled with butterflies in her stomach. Second son thinks Anya is cute!?
"Hey, I said stop looking at me!" Damian snarled.
"Silence!" A sharp voice made the class jump and Damian sat down.
Their biology teacher entered the chamber and held up a diagram of a woman with a swollen stomach and what looked like a baby doll inside.
"Today students we will be learning about the miracle of life itself. I will teach you the basics of how children come into the world with the other details, uh, coming later," he said looking a little sheepish.
"Babies? Why is there a baby in that woman's belly? Did she eat him?" Anya asked, earning a chuckle from Becky.
"Oh Anya, babies come from their mommy's bellies. I know, I have lots of sisters and another on the way."
"Huh? Becky is going to have a new baby sister?" Anya asked.
"That's right, or maybe a brother. My parents just found out the other day. Anyway, a mom's baby gets bigger with the baby and after nine months they come out."
"That is correct, Miss Becky," the teacher said while taking out a marker and drawing on his whiteboard. "There are numerous early signs that a woman is with child. First, she will become slightly fatigued. Then she will notice a slight tenderness in her chest, followed by bouts of morning sickness soon after. This usually comes as nausea."
The teacher wrote all of this down and a lightbulb lit up over Anya's head. Beck noticed Anya's blank expression and poked her.
"Anya, are you ok?"
Anya did not respond. Instead, her eyes went wide, and her mouth transformed into a giant O. Could it be!?
When Anya got home that night, she peered from behind the corner as Yor and Loid prepared for Yuri's visit later. Bond poked his head out too as Anya scratched her chin.
"Bond, Anya must discover if Mama has a baby in her belly," Anya whispered to him before sneaking around behind a chair, thinking she went unnoticed. Loid spotted her and shook his head.
"Playing spy again," he said with a slight smile.
Anya looked up from the chair at Yor's stomach and listened close with her ESP.
I'm sorry Mama, but I must move.
Yor held her stomach and grimaced.
"Ahh, bathroom, again," Yor moaned, turning green in the face before she went to the toilet again. Anya's eyes glistened and an ear-to-ear smile grew over her face.
"Ahhh!" Anya sprung out and ran across the apartment. Anya reached Yor just as she emerged from the bathroom, then hugged her stomach.
"Anya is gonna be a big sister!" she said into Yor's belly. Loid did not hear her, but Yor did.
The assassin's eyes went wide, and she shook a little after looking down at Anya. Yor breathed faster and pulled Anya off her before racing to the door.
"Yor, where are you going?" Loid asked.
"Uhhh, I forgot to pick up Yuri's favorite type of candy! Be right back!" Yor disappeared in another cloud of dust.
Loid turned to Anya who clasped her hands together and tried to contain her glee.
"Anya what's-" Loid started.
Yor burst back inside the apartment holding a small paper bag in her hand. "They didn't have it! I need to go to the bathroom again!" Yor slammed the door behind her.
Before Loid could even ask, he heard very subtle footsteps performing morse code. It was Fiona, she wanted to see him.
"One moment, Anya, please don't interrupt us," Loid said, knowing Anya would hear their conversation.
Loid walked out with a newspaper and saw Fiona, disguised as a janitor. She walked past him and then said without looking.
"I have concerns."
"I know Fiona, but I trust Yor," Loid said.
Anya listened in on her thoughts and tightened both fists. Twilight, please! I love you!
"She could be a double agent, waiting for the right moment to betray us."
"Fiona, Yor has killed too many Ostanian agents for that to be true. The intelligence she has helped us collect has already prevented war."
Twilight, I'll never give up on you!
Humph, Mama already has Papa, he'll never choose you! Anya growled, then gave a smug grin upon realizing that at that moment, Bond's vision was coming true.
"Fiona, her brother is coming. I have to go," Loid came back inside the apartment and shut the door.
Not a moment later there was a knock. Loid opened it and a beaming Yuri came in holding a bouquet of roses.
"Sis! I'm here!"
Yuri's smile vanished when he just saw Loid who extended a hand.
"Good evening, Yuri."
"...Loid," Yuri growled.
"Hi unkie!" Anya waved at him.
"Anya. Where's my sister?"
"Ahh. Yor is in the bathroom, she's not feeling well-"
"Not feeling well!" Yuri shrieked and snatched Loid by the collar of his shirt. "What have you done to my sister, Loid!? Have you neglected her or is this the work of poison!?"
"Yuri, calm down," Loid said, and Anya heard him contemplating hundreds of ways to handle Yuri should he try something drastic.
The little girl could barely contain her excitement and wanted to scream what she knew at the top of her lungs. The bathroom door slowly opened, and Yor emerged, pale in the face with wide eyes and quivering lips. Anya spotted the strange white item in Yor's hand.
"Sis!" Yuri sped over, arms out. "Sis! What has Loid done to you-"
Yuri flew into a wall when Yor pushed him aside and stumbled towards Loid.
"Yor, what happened? Are you ok-"
Loid went silent when Yor held up the white object and Anya realized that a blue plus sign sat in the center of the tip. "Llllllloid," Yor stuttered.
Loid's mouth dropped to the floor and his pupils almost disappeared. Yuri, passed out, his soul almost leaving his body.
"Mama and Papa are gonna have a baby! Anya is gonna be a big sister!" Anya screamed.