A/N: And welcome back. Quite a bombshell was dropped on us all when Dakini, revealed herself as Benji's future daughter. You all, no doubt, have many questions. Hopefully, Dakini will answer all, if not most, of them. Let's begin.
Currently listening to Easy Living by Paul Desmond.
The Nexus:
Dakini's POV
I didn't want to let go. This was the first time I've hugged Dad in centuries, even if he didn't return my sentiments. Can't blame him since his future daughter popped out of nowhere. It was good to see him alive again. He wasn't pulling me off even as my fresh tears stained his shirt and duster.
"You've been gone for so long. I thought I'd never see you again." I cried quietly. At this point, I'm astonished he didn't pull me off.
"Alright, kiddo," Auntie eventually broke the ensuing silence with a normal tone as opposed to her standoffish subtext. "You can let my brother go."
Reluctantly, I relinquished my hold and backed away, sniffing a couple of times. "Sorry. This must be super weird to you two."
I remembered that I wasn't born yet. In fact, if I were to guess, Mama isn't even pregnant with me. I continued sniffling. C'mon, Dakini! Get it together!
Past Dad rubbed my arms comfortably, which surprised me. "It's good to see that I raised a strong, beautiful daughter. Even if Jade isn't pregnant with you yet."
Damn it, Dad. You're gonna make me cry again.
"I'll say, Benji," Auntie agreed. "Good to see that the Maddox good looks were passed down. But having Jade as your wife definitely helped."
Despite knowing something like this was going to happen, it's still so surreal. My father and aunt look so much younger than in my time, especially Dad. This version didn't have the same amount of facial hair, no traces of white within it either. He seemed physically smaller here than in my time.
"Your future must be dark if you came here from the past, Dakini," Dad remarked, his eyes studying me. "What happened?"
I took a deep breath before gulping. "Our future, to put it mildly, is full of despair. The timeline I hail from is where the Dragon King Onaga rules all of reality."
Their eyes widened at my story, telling me neither was prepared for that kind of news. I can only imagine what their reaction will be next when I answer any other questions they have, which I'm sure there will be plenty.
"But how? Onaga has been dead for centuries," Auntie countered.
"An ancient prophecy foretelling his resurrection was fulfilled, and he was brought back to the living world. But when we investigated his sarcophagus, the body was still there. He declared war on the Forces of Light while merging ancient artifacts called the Kamidogu into the One Kamidogu after one of our strongest betrayed us and joined him. With his newfound power, Onaga succeeded by killing everyone in the immediate vicinity. You, Mama, Uncle Kenshi, Aunt Suchin, Master Bo' Rai Cho, Sub-Zero, Miss Sindel-"
"Sindel? She's still alive?" Auntie asked, anger present in her question. I'll ask about that later.
"Uh, huh. And a good friend of mine named Shujinko died in the process." I elaborated.
Dad raised an eyebrow. "Who would name their child 'Protagonist'?"
"Says the man who named his daughter, Dakini." Auntie countered.
I immediately became defensive. "Hey! I like my name!"
Auntie Callie was going to retort, but Dad stepped in between us. "Ok, so your future is in shambles. How did you become Nightwolf and arrive here?"
"When you and Mama died, Auntie, Uncle Lao, Aunt Red, Miss Sareena, and Nanna decided to send me to live with Uncle Cloud." I began again.
"Uncle Cloud?" Auntie repeated.
"Nightwolf's Tribe Name," Dad clarified.
"Correct. I was sent to live with the Matoka. Eventually, the Great Spirit deemed me worthy of being Uncle Cloud's successor. With his blessing, I became the next Nightwolf. As for how I arrived here, Onaga was growing more and more insane from constantly channeling the One Kamidogu's power and lost his mind. He merged all of reality into himself, becoming the One Being. The Great Spirit, as well as Lady Phae, conspired to get me out and luckily did so before Onaga finished. It's been a year since that day. Auntie told me stories about how you both ran the Resistance at your younger age, so I made camp here, hoping to meet you in person," I told them.
"Which explains how you found us so fast. Wait, how old are you?" Auntie asked me.
"I'm 300 years old. Becoming Nightwolf completely halted my physical aging, along with being born an Edenian. I'm grateful to the Great Spirit for giving me these powers." I then clenched my fist, my powers on hand for them to see. "Now, I have the strength needed to help protect those I care for."
Auntie Callie stepped forward and put a hand on my shoulder, showing a small smile. "It's good to see you grew healthy, kiddo. Despite your dark upbringings, the fact you're still optimistic only shows us how strong you really are. Kudos to you."
The way she called me kiddo remained the same after all this time. Seeing her and my father again is enough to make me burst with happiness despite being centuries younger. Still, it's terrific to see them.
I turned to glance at Dad, a pensive expression etched into his face. From that look alone, I could tell he was processing everything I said. Anyone else would've called me crazy from the get go, but not him.
He finally spoke. "Can you tell me what happened to Jade and me? How we died?"
My eyes shut tightly at the memory, one that haunts me every time I go to sleep. I can still hear the agonizing screams and pleas for help. I was powerless to lend any support as my powers hadn't fully materialized.
"Onaga recognized that his biggest threat to domination was you and our family. He wasted little time finding out where our hideout was and sent his entire army to capture us and dragged to his throne." I stopped momentarily. "All of us were battered and bruised in chains. Even our powers weren't enough to stop the undead warriors. Onaga laughed and gloated before you and Mama were brought to his feet. I trembled in fear as I knew he would show no mercy. Then he... he..." I tried to get out, stuttering throughout. "He tortured you with no regard. After defying him long enough, Onaga grabbed and snapped your neck. Mama cried out and tried to cradle you, but Onaga slashed her entire torso. She bled profusely on the floor; no one able to do anything. Then, to our horror, Tanya appeared and burned Mama's body. I cried openly as the slaughter continued. Grandma Mai was able to teleport everyone left alive out of harm's way. Sareena sobbed nonstop after watching you both being murdered before her eyes. She went through a lot leading up to that juncture, including her miscarriage-"
"What!? Miscarriage!?" Dad yelled incredulously.
I sadly nodded. "We all noticed Miss Sareena was somewhat envious that Mama sired me. She couldn't become pregnant due to her demonic nature. However, one night, her silent prayer was answered as you managed to impregnate her with a son. But tragedy struck six months later. For unseen reasons we don't know of, she lost the baby and fell under depression. It took time for her to recover, but seeing you and Mama die nearly drove Miss Sareena to suicide."
A shudder overcame me at the mere thought. And knowing Onaga, he would've trapped my Dad and Mama's soul so they couldn't descend, thus halting any chance to stop him. I did my best not to cry after already bawling my eyes out when my parents were ruthlessly murdered.
Auntie noticed the deafening silence from this tidbit of information and brought me in for a warm hug. "Kiddo, as much as Benji and I would love to get to know you, we have pressing matters to attend to. We're not going to tell you not to follow us because we know you won't listen, so I'm just going to leave it at that. Do you what you will." She then pointed at Dad. "Benji, get us out of here."
Now that's new. I never really paid a lot of attention to Dad and Auntie's relationship when he was still around. This is the first time I've ever heard Auntie calling Dad, Benji. Miss Sareena called him Benny, and Mama, Nanna, and Haokah called him Benjamin. There must be some significance behind Auntie calling him that.
At any rate, Dad nodded and summoned a portal effortlessly. He struggled to do this in my time, but no difficulties whatsoever here. It was awe-inspiring seeing my younger Dad do this because his power seems stronger here than in my time.
"Let's go, you two," Dad said before walking through.
We both follow him just as the portal immediately closes. On the other side, darkness has shrouded the city, save for a few lights out in the distance.
"From where the moon is, it's around 2 A.M. Uncle Butterface is still asleep at the moment. We can rest at the camp I have set up." I offered.
Auntie snickered. "We still call him that? Hehe, I'm glad my nickname for him stuck. Lead the way, kiddo. We won't be far behind."
I nodded. "Follow me."
My makeshift camp wasn't much but served its purpose. Nothing too complicated, just a hut for myself and a couple of other shelters in case I had guests.
"One hut for each of us. We can go see Uncle Ryuji in the morning. But for now, try and get some rest." I said.
However, I couldn't go straight to bed. Questions flooded my mind the entire day, and this was probably the only chance I'll have to ask them for the foreseeable future. He and Mama died when I was young, so I never really got to know either of my birth parents all that well. I waited for about half an hour before knocking (as best as I could, anyway) on his hut door.
"Dad? Are you awake?" I kept my voice low to not disturb Auntie.
"Dakini...?," he answered. "What are you still doing up?"
"Can I come in?" I shyly asked.
"It's your hut," Dad answered calmly.
I tiptoed in and saw him sitting down while rubbing one eye. Guilt overtook me since I woke him up, but it quickly went away. I sat down across from him so that we're facing each other.
"What's the matter, Dakini?" Dad questioned. "I noticed you were sneaking looks at me while you were guiding us to camp."
He did notice? I thought I was slick. That shows how aware my Dad really is about his surroundings.
"Nothing's wrong, and I'm sorry if I seemed nosy. I just wanted to ask a couple of questions. You and Mama were taken from me when I was only a child, so the only stories I heard about you would be from someone else like Auntie, Miss Sareena, or Nanna. But now that I finally get to have a conversation with you, I want to know as much as possible directly from the source." I explained.
"That makes sense." His attention was on full alert. "I'll answer any questions you have, but do remember that it's really late, and we all need sleep. Cal particularly is a monster when he doesn't get sufficient hours." Dad joked.
I giggled at his sense of humor, a trait he always had. "Okay, I won't ask too many," I promised. "Is it true that... Mama tried to kill you the first time you two met?"
"Straight to the point, eh?" Dad responded in surprise. "Yes, she was ordered to assassinate me by Shang Tsung after I knocked Sheeva and Sektor out of the Mortal Kombat Tournament. It was late at night as I began meditating inside a garden bed. For the life of me, I couldn't focus due to learning someone hiring a killer to come after me. More on that at a later date. Sure enough, your mother approached me from behind but didn't attack right away. Her eyes alone told me she preferred not to fight me out of genuine curiosity. We ended up fighting hard, but I was clearly more advanced in technique and ended up breaking her arm. However, I healed it soon after, thus prompting us to learn more about each other. That night was when the seeds were planted. After the tournament concluded, I didn't see or make any contact with her for two whole years. Outworld then announced a second tournament, and I found myself furious at Shang Tsung, who threatened to harm Jade if I did not participate. Two days later, your mother's sworn enemy, Tanya, offered me a chance to become her King and rebuild Edenia along with sparing all my friends and family. I knew better and declined her offer. We battled ferociously until I won by the skin of my teeth. Luckily, your mother found me before anyone else, and we fell in love. I won't go into detail about what happened that night. You're still too young to know. But she made me the happiest man in the universe."
Unbelievable! His explanation was told happiness. I missed it for so long, even if my father is a century or two younger. Love has a funny way of showing itself, especially in a life or death situation. There's no doubt in my mind my parents loved each other more than anything, except for Miss Sareena.
"Wow, I thought it was all made up, but you two were telling me the truth. I guess love can bloom on the battlefield, huh?" I remarked.
"That's one way of putting it," Dad responded, scratching his head. "What else do you want to ask?"
"Was what Tanya said was true? That she murdered my other grandmother?" I asked.
Dad sighed. "That isn't a lie, unfortunately. Tanya did kill Jade's mother in cold blood. None of us knew this until she confessed to her crime. We were all upset but not more than Jade herself and my mother, who was best friends with Destiny."
I bent my head down, feeling horrible that my mother had that happen to her. Almost like a sense of Deja vu. It's not fair. Why does our entire family have to suffer for generations?
"I can sense Jade won't rest until Tanya is buried underground. Because of that, I won't stop your mother from exacting her revenge," he finished.
"Rightfully so," I spat out. "I hated what that witch did to grandma Destiny and my own mother. She's always caused us grief and heartache."
"Agreed. Anything else?" Dad asked.
"Hmmm." I placed a finger over my chin, trying to come up with a decent question. "I know you just met me today, not even an hour ago, but I want your honest opinion. Do you approve of my choice to become the next Nightwolf? And what do you think of me as your and mother's daughter?"
Believe it or not, I'm worried about what he might say. I can't imagine how awkward this must be for him. He's still a newlywed to Mama and Miss Sareena. How he managed to pull that off is beyond me.
Surprisingly, Dad took my hands and melded them with his. "I don't disapprove of your decisions if that's what you're thinking, considering where you came from. You've lost a lot, Dakini. Becoming the next Nightwolf to help protect those who are left is justified and honorable. You are beautiful, strong, and a Maddox. No matter what happens, you should always wear that with pride and joy, even if we do attract trouble." He then roughed my hair up, relaxing any tension in the tent. "Though I'm surprised you decided to wear a similar outfit to my Nightwolf. Mother probably lost her mind at the sight."
"Nanna did. But it wasn't my decision to make. This is Nightwolf's traditional garb. All other prior Nightwolves wore it, and all who come after will wear something similar. However, mine was modified since I'm a girl." My hands clutched my vest. "I acted similarly to you when The Great Spirit bestowed the powers onto me. A powerful entity she is with no fashion sense. But I don't judge. If the outfit's part of their history and tradition, then I'll honor it. Even if it means I look like I'm stuck in 2001." I joked.
That got Dad to laugh before we came together for a hug. "I'm proud of you, Dakini. And I know your mother will be too. You've grown into a strong woman. Should everything go well here, I'll take you to see her." He let me go, and I wasn't disappointed. "But we should both go to bed. It's late, and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
Of course, we do. I can be an elated daughter later. I got up from my spot. "Okay. Thanks for this, Dad."
"No, thank you, my daughter. Goodnight," he said before laying back down.
"Goodnight," I replied before heading back to my hut. Laying down on the bedroll I laid out, I slowly closed my eyes and drifted asleep.
When I came to, I shook the grogginess out of my system before exiting my hut. I saw Dad and Auntie discussing something I couldn't hear since I wasn't close enough. They both see me and motioned for me to come to where they were.
"Morning, kiddo. Sleep well?" Auntie asked me, a confident smirk on her face.
Strangely, I never saw this side of her before. In my time, she was stern while Aunt Red was more openly caring. According to Aunt Red, that's how she showed her compassion towards me, which made sense. It wasn't just Dad and Mama who raised, if not, shielded me as if I was an endangered animal.
I nodded. "Uh, huh. I know where Uncle Ryuji is. If you're ready, I'll take you both to him," I said.
They both nodded in acceptance. "Sure, but what about the huts? I think the Seidan Guard isn't gonna be happy about this." Auntie mentioned, wagging her thumb to the campsite.
"Oh, don't worry about that. I got permission from the Captain, so long as it's not in a public area. The Seidan Guard is legally and contractually restricted from doing anything," I answered before glancing in the general direction of Uncle Ryuji's place. "Let's go. Blue Town is a ways away from here."
They both nodded as we set off to Blue Town. We walked the path in silence for a while. Not that I minded. Being in the presence of Auntie and Dad in their respective primes was something I took much delight in.
Eventually, Auntie shattered the calm silence. "Hey, kiddo. Mind if I ask you a question?"
I shook my head instantly. "For you two? I'll answer anything you throw my way. Seeing you both again and learning so much about you was so eye-opening, answering any questions you have is the least I can do."
Inside, I was inquisitive about what she wanted to know. And I'm sure the feeling is mutual for Dad too. But after last night, he'll hold off on additional questions until a later date. That's just the person he is.
"You don't have to take things so far, kiddo, but we appreciate the thought and gesture. Anyway," Auntie then motioned two fingers under her eyes like she was applying war paint. "What's up with the red war paint over your eyes? Nightwolf back in Earthrealm had something similar to yours, but I wondered what the purpose of it was."
"It's a Mark," I answered bluntly, which earned me surprised looks from them both.
"Your war paint is a Mark?" Dad followed up. "A Mark of what?"
"Of a Shaman. Nightwolves are a mish-mash of a Warlock's potential paths. We are all Shamans, Summoners, and we all know a bit about Sorcery as well but not enough to be granted a Sorcerer's Mark. The Great Spirit and Lady Phae are sisters. If you're granted a Summoner's Mark, then it won't be long until you are granted a Shaman's Mark afterward. At least that's what Uncle Cloud told me. However, these markings are identical to Miss Sareena's. The Great Spirit must have known of my relationship with her, so she gave me face-paint like hers." I explained as we continue to Uncle Ryuji's home.
"Another question," Auntie continued. "It's clear to us both that you're Benji's kid. But what about me? Do I have any kids?"
Reactively, I winced at the question before gulping audibly. Something told me that was coming. Both my Dad and Auntie stopped walking after I didn't respond immediately.
"After Nanna performed some tests, it was revealed that you were infertile, the cause being your long career in war and violence. Your body acclimated to require being in prime physical condition, so it flat out rejected pregnancy in every sense of the word." I solemnly answered.
It was then that I realized why Auntie, in my dimension, was so stern to me specifically. For the longest, she didn't really acknowledge my presence out of resentment and self-loathing. So much so that we never formed much of a relationship.
"And that was why Miss Sareena became pregnant after becoming your surrogate. You two had a profound bond, and it brought you both closer. Then, you know what happened next." I finished abruptly.
As expected, Auntie's face immediately saddened. "Was I really so violence driven? To derive myself from childbirth? I..."
Her palms began to shake violently. Dad quickly jumped in and hugged Auntie as she started crying into his shirt, covering her mouth with her palm. He rubbed her back, doing his hardest to comfort her. Way to go, Dakini. You should've just lied about Auntie being infertile. Now she's going to hate you. Smooth.
"It's ok, Cal. It's ok. You can't be infertile, remember? Alternate realities." Dad spoke as the tears continued pouring down Auntie's face.
This caused a few to fall from my cheeks. "I'm so sorry. Now I just ruined our relationship. You probably hate me now."
I started bawling my eyes out. But then, I felt a warm embrace around me. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Auntie was hugging me, her embrace inviting, which left me shocked.
"I'm not mad, Dakini. I will never be mad at you for telling the truth. Thank you for answering me with honesty. I really appreciate it, kiddo." Auntie said to me.
"T- There's more," I stuttered. "Your future self and Mama rarely got along after I was born because of your jealousy against her for birthing me and your never-ending bickering over Edenia. It got so bad that you nearly made Benji pick between you and her."
That shocked both of them. I hope Mama and Auntie aren't like that here in the present. Otherwise, there will be no hope for them to reconcile. Miss Sareena, Nanna, Uncle Lao, and I could only do so much to keep them from killing each other. Tanya would've had a field day had she saw it for herself.
Gods, if I could cry anymore, I would.
Auntie released the hug and gazed at me with her flawless, amethyst eyes. "Future Benji and Jade raised a good kid in you. I'm proud that you're my niece." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her duster sleeve. "C'mon, it's bad to keep Butterface waiting. I know the rest of the way. I'll lead."
She began walking ahead with Dad and me trailing. Man, I feel so guilty. I almost ruined the relationship between my younger Aunt and me. Even if she says she isn't mad, I have to be more careful with my words.
Dad noticed my unease and wrapped an arm around my shoulder before whispering, "It's not your fault, Dakini. You were truthful."
I made a vain attempt to laugh a little to erase the guilt. "If you couldn't tell, Dad, my time is a very dark place. Depression replaced sadness with a fiery passion. Onaga ruined all that was good and altruistic with a vengeance. And now Lady Phae and The Great Spirit have granted me a second chance, and my loudmouth almost ruined it within a day of meeting you both."
"Don't worry about it, my daughter. We're not letting you go now that you're part of our lives now. And I can say the same for Jade, Sareena, and especially Mother. She'll be ecstatic after she gets past your outfit, of course." Dad joked.
"Oh, definitely after she gets past the outfit." I went along with his shot at humor before returning his side embrace. "Thanks, Dad."
Who would've thought that my dad was such a trooper in his youth?
"Your welcome, Dakini," he responded with a genuine smile.
"We're here. I'll knock on the door." Auntie said as she walked up to the door and knocked.
*Knock* *Knock*
"Who's there?" a voice asked.
"Ryuji, it's Callie Ann. Open the door," Auntie replied bluntly.
"How do I-" he started.
"Butterface, I will kick down the door if you don't open it!" Auntie interrupted.
"General!?"
Uncle Ryuji shuffled to get the door open. And when he finally did open the door and when he saw her and Uncle, his face got so happy. "Oh my goodness, General! Doctor! It's so good to see you both! Come in! Come in!" He let us all in, and we all got comfortable. "So, how have you all been?" His eyes then showed perplexion as he saw me. "And who are you?"
"Who Dakini is isn't important to you, Ryuji," Auntie answered, marking the first time ever she called me by name. "We came back to Seido to check on you and the Resistance. What's going on with that? And why is the Resistance in a stalemate with the Seidan Guard?"
"Well, General," he gulped audibly before tugging on his shirt neck. "I retired from the Captain position. I'm no longer with the Resistance."
Needless to say, Dad and Auntie were appalled by that statement. "Why in Argus' name would you do that!? Especially when we gave you the position Seidan Guard were super docile! How did you let the Seidan Guard come back from nearly being wiped!?" Auntie angrily inquired in a low enough tone where no one heard her.
"I retired the spot to my apprentice, Darrius. He ran it for a decade. I did this because I wanted to spend more time with my wife and child. Darrius was the best candidate." Uncle explained.
"While that's understandable, Ryuji," Dad interjected. "You should've followed the plan we laid out for you before you pulled out."
"Uh, if I may." I voiced. "What was the plan?"
"The plan was to keep changing Seido while chipping away at the Guard until they were completely wiped out. When that happens, the Resistance would completely disband." Auntie explained. "You retired before you completed the plan, Butterface! Now the Seidan Guard has not only came back but now they're reinforced!"
"General, with all due respect, I question the potency of the plan. Wouldn't that just kick start an anarchic society?" Uncle Ryuji asked.
Auntie took a deep breath before answering, clearly perturbed. "You doubt MY plan, Butterface!? Of course, it could kickstart anarchy! We're in the Realm of Fucking Order! A Realm whose principles are founded on Truth and Altruism! Someone will rise up, and when they did, that would usher a new era of peace in Seido! And because the people of Seido are docile, no one would rebel! It was established after 5,000 years of observing behavior in the Realm of Order! You ran the Resistance for seventeen years, and you completely ignored what Benji and I learned from staying here!"
I never heard Auntie sound as the Iron Maiden of Edenia, only on hearsay from Aunt Red and Uncle Lao. I didn't know whether to be amazed or horrified.
"Goodness," I whispered to Dad.
"I know. Cal's my sister," he responded. "She can be very passionate about war plans. Particularly ones she makes with me."
"Way to go, Butterface. You've done compromised the Resistance. Now the four of us have to fix Seido ourselves." Auntie concluded.
Uncle Ryuji showed his confusion. "How are we going to do that, General?"
"Easy. We're starting a Civil War between the Guard and the Resistance," she said.
"A Civil War? General, how are we gonna do that?" Uncle asked.
"Ryuji, you insult me. Did you forget who I am? Give me a day of analysis, and I'll have a plan," Auntie answered before turning to me. "Kiddo, you'll help me, right?"
I nod immediately. "Of course!"
"What about me?" Dad inquired.
"Benji, you're going back to the Trainer's Estate. You're gonna tell your wives that you and I are going to start a civil war in Seido. When you come back, you'll gather information with Butterface." Auntie answered.
"But I honestly don't want to deal with them right now. Especially when you were the one who practically dragged me here," Dad pointed out.
I never was unfortunate enough to see Miss Sareena, Mama, and Nanna mad before. Still, I can make a safe assumption that it would be very violent, considering who our family is and the differing personalities.
"I would, but I can't summon portals," Auntie argued.
"You're a Messenger," Dad countered. "Haven't your powers developed yet?"
"It's been a day, Benji! You have powers I don't. Not yet, anyway," Auntie finalized.
Eventually, Dad sighed defeatedly. "Fine. I'll wait an hour so I can brace myself. I've never seen Jade, Sareena, or Mother angry before. No, it was when you told Sareena to pursue me though I had eyes for Jade. She damn near left me because of that."
"Look, I get it. You weren't happy with me that day. But look at the bright side. You're married to both of them now. So no harm, no foul," Auntie said, earning a deep frown from Dad. She huffed. "Just go, ok?"
"I can go with you," I said without really thinking.
"You can, Dakini, but if you thought we overreacted, how would Jade, or Sareena react when you tell them that your my and Jade's daughter?" he asked me.
"I'll manage. Besides, Nanna knows a truth spell like you do so she can validate if needed. Please? I really want to see Mama," I finalized.
"Sounds like a plan, Dakini. Maybe you'll cushion the blow." Dad said.
"Alright, let's stop avoiding it," Ryuji interrupted. "Who is she?"
"Benji's kid from the future, Dakini. Apparently, you're still around in her timeline, so she calls you Uncle Butterface." Auntie answered bluntly, already gathering a few maps from the living room.
Uncle Ryuji was clearly taken aback by my origins. "Wha...? Then... who's her mother?"
"No time to explain now. We have to go," Benji said as he created another portal.
We stepped inside, and after a few short moments, we were back in what looked to be Earthrealm. Everything here was nothing like back home. The scenery throughout seemed a lot better than back in my time. I looked around in awe. My dad must have been fortunate to live in a place like this.
"If I'm right, the time is about 3 P.M. local time. Everyone should be up and about the Estate," Dad informed me as we walked in the courtyard up to the entrance.
"What do you think will happen when Mama, Sareena, and Nanna see me?" I questioned.
He put a hand to his chin. "Hard to tell, but something's telling me they'll have the same reaction we had. I just hope that-"
"Benjamin!" a voice shouted.
Both of us turned around. I watched in anticipation as three figures came outside of an open field. Miss Sareena, Nanna, and... mother. Each looked the same as I remembered from my time, but reasonably younger. I can see why everyone says I take after my Mama. We're exactly alike though I'm not as 'filled out' as she is. But I won't complain since I'm still a child and have time to mature.
Miss Sareena came over and hugged Dad tightly. "Benny! Where have you been!? Jade and I were worried!"
"Easy, Sareena. I'm sure there's a good reason for this," Nanna said before her eyes locked onto mine. "And we seem to have a visitor."
I meekly raised my hand and waved. "Um, hi."
Mama pecked Dad on his cheek before eyeing me cautiously. "Benjamin, who is this? We weren't expecting company today."
"Neither was I, but this was an emergency, so I brought her here," he said.
"What is your name, child? We mean no harm to you," Nanna told me.
I swallowed hard. "M-my name... is Dakini. Dakini Maddox."
Mama and Nanna went slack-jawed at my answer. Can't say I'm surprised at their reaction. In fact, they might be taking this better than Dad did, though that's not saying much. Both studied my features carefully for anything out of the ordinary. Nanna was about to conjure up a truth spell, but Dad stopped her.
"Wait, you don't need to do that, mother. I already cast one on her earlier. She's telling the truth," he informed them.
"But that's impossible! All our relatives besides Okada are dead!" Nanna exclaimed.
"Please, calm down. I can explain everything." Dad took a deep breath, my nerves on edge for what's about to happen. "While Cal and I were traveling through the Realm of Order, we realized someone was following us. I set up a trap via a portal and caught her. Believe me when I say that we're just as shocked as you are that she's a part of our family. However, Dakini here hails from the future."
"Ah, that makes sense then," Nanna mused.
"But that still doesn't explain who her immediate family is. Or is that unknown?" Jade asked.
Hesitantly, I stepped forward and gazed directly into my mother's eyes. I could tell she's studying me. Then, she looked down and saw that I had on a similar necklace to the one she's wearing now.
"Hey!" Mama felt on her own neck and saw it was the same jewelry. "That's my mother's pendant! Who gave that to you!?"
My head dropped down, my voice barely above a whisper. "You did... shortly before you died in front of me."
Mama nearly went speechless. "Huh?"
Dad stepped forward and in between us. "Jade, sweetheart. Dakini here is... our future daughter."
Unable to contain myself anymore, I rushed forward and hugged Mama with love and affection, bawling my eyes out once again. Nanna and Sareena stood off to the side, processing the scene for themselves. I'm sure they have questions for me to answer, but right now, I want to stay in my mother's embrace.
I looked up and saw her face, differing emotions going through her expressions. Shock, questioning, disbelief, and bewilderment. Not unexpected in any shape or form. Yet, she hasn't pushed me away. I think that's a good sign.
"I... I can't believe it..." Mama stuttered. "I'm going to be a mother..." She slowly backed away, but not out of the hug. "We... should all head inside to discuss this and other things." She then glanced at Dad. "A moment, husband."
He wordlessly nodded and followed her to a secluded area, leaving me alone with Nanna and Sareena, both having curious looks at me. This will take a lot of explaining to do. Being from the future is hard.
A/N: And now we all have gotten to know the Maddox Family's newest addition, Dakini Maddox!
What did you guys think about Dakini? Did you like her? Did you not? I loved writing for her, that's for sure. But yeah, Dakini, Callie, Benji, and Ryuji are going to start a civil war in Seido! Don't worry, I'll introduce Hotaru and Darrius next chapter. But until then, thanks for tuning in, I'll see you all soon.
Later!
Currently listening to Got nothin' today. Sorry.