New year, new chapter hope you enjoy.

Chapter 30: The Calm

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

It was early in the morning and Rosemary was up and about in the basement dojo, sword in hand. Honkai energy coursed through her as electric sparks danced across her and her sword. In a flash she went through several swings, the air sizzling from the blinding speed at which her sword cut through the air. She continued this for a minute before stopping. The electric sparks faded as her breathing was heavy as sweat rolled down her face. She lowered her sword.

'Your getting better, try not to push yourself though, forcing things would not be good.'

I know… I'm trying to pace myself. I just want to catch up a bit with Taylor and Ana. Not fully cause that would be crazy, but just enough so I can help when the time comes.

'I know, and you've been mostly good. But a reminder every now and again doesn't hurt.'

Rose smiled, and nodded. She grabbed a towel to wipe away some of the sweat. After putting her sword away, she took a shower, and then changed into more casual winter apparel. Now dressed she made her way down stairs. She passed by the living room on the way to the kitchen, ignoring the news program her father had left on. It talked about strange lights sighted in the direction of China yesterday, something she paid little mind to. She entered and proceeded to grab an apron, tie it one, and help her mother with getting breakfast ready.

"You're going to Ana's today, right?" Her mother inquired.

"Yep, after she's done school." Rose answered. "I can't wait, we'll finally get started on my battlesuit."

"Ara… someone's excited. While your father and I aren't exactly happy with your desire to go out and be a hero, I'm still happy to see you as excited as you are."

"I mean… I'm more excited to help my friends. Honestly the idea of going out and fighting some of the capes in the city is terrifying. But… the idea of something happening to Taylor and now Ana when I could have been there to help terrifies me even more." Rose explained.

Mary smiled.

"It's good that you care so deeply about your friends. Though I hope it's merely platonic. I have nothing against you going for girls but I don't want to wait too long for grandchildren." Mary added with a teasing tone.

Rose's face turned red.

"MOM!" She shouted.

Mary giggled and then continued saying, "on an unrelated note. We should see about all of us getting together. It's been awhile since we've gotten together and we've yet to meet Ana's parents. It would be good for all of us to get together one night."

"Hmmm… you're not wrong. And maybe you all could help us finalize our plans before our full debut." Rose noted. "I'll talk to Ana and Taylor about it and see if we can work something out."

"Good, now can you get me the sugar I need a bit more and the jars empty." Mary requested.

"Sure," Rose replied.

She went to the cabinet and grabbed the package of sugar. Mary took what she needed before refilling the jar and handing the bag back to Rose who put it away. The duo continued to work on breakfast.

Later…
Taylor stretched her arms as she stepped out of the girls locker room. She had changed into her gym clothes, which consisted of a loose short sleeved t-shirt and a pair of short shorts, and tied her hair into a ponytail. She made her way into the gym to join with the others in her class. The gym time was currently split between three classes that would be doing a joint exercise today, one of these classes happened to be the one Dennis had. She looked around the gymnasium.

'Looking for your crush.'

H-he's not my crush okay, stop suggesting things that aren't there.

'Seriously Taylor-chan, you were enamored as he talked about the potential inspiration from English history for Tolkien to create worm tongue. I don't even know what any of that means and I'm already bored just saying it.'

I-I found it interesting okay, I am a woman of culture who enjoys the fine arts of… well all literature but my mom was an English Professor so English literature has a special place in my heart.

'Girl you had goo-goo eyes as he talked about some advisor who's name I can't remember to some king whose name I can't pronounce.'

IT WAS INTERESTING OKAY!

"HEY GET BACK HERE!" The voice of Dennis shouted.

"NEVERRRRRRRRRRRR!" The voice of some other boy shouted back.

She turned to see a boy with a shirt in his hand laughing as he ran away from a shirtless Dennis, who was also laughing. Taylor's eyes lingered on Dennis. She had never gotten a good look at Dennis's physical form, having mostly seen him in no less than shorts and a short sleeved shirt. He was not overly muscular, being more on the lean side, but what muscles he did possess were well defined and a product of function rather than form. That didn't stop them from having an appeal, one that Taylor's eyes drunk in with each flex of them as he chased the other boy around the gym. She had a small blush on her face. So transfixed was she, that she failed to notice some of the girls around her giggling at her ogling.

Before a teacher got too involved the other boy tossed the shirt back to Dennis who put it on. Taylor let out a small whine once this was done. She turned away and tuned out the teacher chastising both of the boys. She then noticed some of the other girls looking at her and giggling. Her face heated up in embarrassment as she realized what she was caught doing. AHHHHH! I can't believe I just did that in public! Oh damn that Dennis Dam for being so damn adorkably handsome.

'Sooo… does that mean you finally admit you have a crush.'

Oh for the love… YES, FINE, I ADMIT IT, ARE YOU HAPPY NOW!

'Well… kind of, but he's not Mei-senpai so…'

What are you, Mei-sexual or something!

'Yes.'

Taylor didn't dignify that with a response she merely fumed internally as she went to start gym class.

After class…
Having said his goodbyes, Dennis watched as Taylor went down the hall away from him to her next class. In his mind, scenes from the day he saw her in action against Hookwolf. He found her beautiful before, but the sight of her in her battlesuit highlighted this all the more. Her strength and skill in battle was the thing that pushed him over the edge and awoke something primal in him.

DAMMIT DENNIS DAM WHY CAN'T YOU DO DAMN THE DEED AND ASK THE DAMN DAME OUT! A part of him screamed at him in frustration. Why did I refer to her as a dame in my head? Also why am I using 'damn' so much? He replied back in confusion. DAMMIT DENNIS DAM THAT'S NOT THE DAMN POINT! THE DAMN POINT IS YOU DUCKED OUT OF DOING THE DAMN DEED AND ASKING THE DAMN DAME OUT! Okay me, stop yelling at me. You know it wasn't the right time. She's still new and we don't know each other that well yet. DAMMIT DENNIS DAM YOU KNOW THAT'S DAMN DIVERSION FROM DOING THE DAMN DEED YOU WANT TO DO! Now hang on me, I have to marry her before that. DAMMIT DENNIS DAM YOU KNOW DAMN WELL THAT'S NOT THE DAMN DEED I'M DEMANDING YOU DO! Dennis continued to argue back and forth with himself as he went on to his next class.

Unbeknownst to both of them Vicky was behind a wall watching the whole thing. Oh ho ho… something's changed I just know it. Seems like my little 'prank' suggestion to Parker bore some fruit. Unbeknownst to Vicky, Amy was watching her from behind a wall. Glad, Dean and I were able to steer her away from her more insane ideas. They both went to their next class without crossing ways.

Later…
Rose came out of her trance to find the various machines at work building the beginnings of her battlesuit. She was currently in Ana's basement, having come over not long after Ana had finished school.

"Huh? That was weird." Rose noted.

"You get used to it. Though I should watch you guys work on this stuff more often. Seeing you or Taylor at work might give me some insights on making this stuff without needing to fall into a trance." Ana noted.

"Something tells me Taylor wouldn't be comfortable with that." Rose pointed out.

"She'll have to deal, so when will you think everything will be ready?" Ana asked.

"Well since I have to come over to work on this, and we all have our own schedules that we have to work around, so I can't come often… hmm… about twoish weeks I'd say, maybe more." Rose answered.

"Sweet, then in two weeks we can finally go out as a full team and do some real hero work." Ana cheered.

"Haven't you and Taylor already been doing hero stuff." Rose pointed out.

"Aside from the big fight a little over a week ago, we've only run into some small-time crooks on supply runs. We haven't really gone out of our way to try and pick a fight with capes and stuff. Not saying that small stuff isn't good to deal with, but it's not the root of the problem." Ana noted.

"True, speaking of that fight, did you hear…" Rose began.

"That Cricket was broken out of jail yesterday?" Ana finished. "Yes, and I'm still annoyed about it."

"Well, we'll just have to recapture her later, preferable with more of them so they can't just break her out." Rose noted. "On an unrelated note, my mom brought up getting yours, mine, and Taylor's family altogether since… you know… they've never really met."

"Oh… yeah, good point, I'll have to talk with my parents about it. And we'll have to talk to Taylor. Speaking of, it's dinner time." Ana pointed out.

"WHAT?!" Rose exclaimed.

Her head snapped to the computer to look at the time.

"I-I've been working on this for three hours! W-when… I-I mean how… how was I just unconsciously working that long?!" She questioned.

"Yeah, it can be really weird when you aren't used to it. Now come on, it's time to eat!" Ana replied, taking Rose's hand and dragging her up stairs.

Over a week later…
It was Saturday afternoon and Taylor was hard at work helping her Dad prepare the food for everyone who was coming. Today was the day the families of Taylor, Ana, and Rose all decided to meet up. It had been decided that they'd meet at Taylor's place since, despite not being the biggest, it was a more central location between the two other families' homes. Taylor personally was thankful that they had a decent sized yard for a city home as the idea of six children running around her small house with nowhere else to go was a horrifying one. The opening of her front door drew her attention. She leaned back to see Rose holding the door open for her four younger siblings who came pouring in followed by their parents.

"Hang on children, you can run around when you've taken off your coats." Mary gently yet sternly ordered as she took off her jacket.

She handed it to her husband who had just taken his off as Rose closed the door behind them. He hung both of them up. She gathered the jackets from the little children one by one to hang them up as Rose hung her jacket up.

"They're early," Taylor muttered.

She stopped what she was doing and stepped back a bit.

"Welcome!" She greeted them from the kitchen.

"Hey!" Danny added with a wave, having turned around from what he was doing to do so.

She stepped out of the way of the stream of running children who all replied disjointedly, "hi, Miss Taylor, hi Mr. Hebert."

"Children, behave! Your guests here!" Mary ordered.

"We will mom!" They shouted back.

Mary chuckled as she walked up to Taylor.

"Good to see you again Taylor," She greeted the younger girl as she brought her into a quick hug which was reciprocated.

"Good to see you too Mrs. Sato." Taylor returned. "Mr. Sato."

Ryuji bowed slightly in greeting. Suddenly Kurikara came flying up to greet Taylor, lightly tackling the girl and liking her face, earning a laugh from her. The dragon had grown since Taylor last saw it, now the size of a small dog.

"Hey, Kurikara quit it. I know you're happy to see me but cut it out." She demanded through her laughs.

"Kurrr…" The dragon purred.

Mary giggled while Ryuji had a small smile at the dragon's attics.

"Come on back Kuri, I know you're happy to see Taylor but be polite." The stern voice of Rose spoke up.

The dragon flew back to Rose and perched herself on the girl's shoulder as she walked up to Taylor as Ryuji and Mary went to greet Danny.

"Hey, Taylor. Hope we aren't too early." Rose expressed.

"It's fine." Taylor replied. "It's only like, ten-ish minutes before the time we said."

"Well that's good, need any help?" Rose asked.

"Nah, I've got this. Just finishing up the dessert." Taylor replied as she went to finish up said dessert.

"If you say so…" Rose muttered.

'Remember to ask about…' Mei began.

Oh right.

"Hey Taylor, Mei wanted me to make sure Kiana hasn't been trying to teach you how to cook." Rose spoke up.

Taylor struggled to hold in a laugh.

"Oh… *snickers* she's been trying… *snickers* I've been denying… *snickers* She's pouting right now, she's pouting and fuming. She's… she's… Ahahahahahaha… Ahahahaha…" Taylor erupted into fights of laughter as Kiana in her head whined, 'MEI-SENPAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!'

Rose joined in the laughter. The three adults smiled as the two girls carried on with small talk.

"It's good to see Taylor happy like this again." Danny noted.

"I imagine. I don't know the full details but when my daughter testified to what the 'bitches three' were doing, it didn't paint a pretty picture." Mary noted. "While it's all worked out for the best, homeschooling or pushing to get her into a different school would have been better in hindsight."

"I can say the same. I should have intervened sooner, rather than have her suffer like she did. But what's done is done. We just have to do better in the future and support them as best we can." Danny noted.

"Yes, many trails await them. I'd rather my daughter not go down this path. For it leads to battling the 'beast' that destroyed my home. But, the path of the warrior she and Taylor have chosen. Happy with this, I am not. Do all I can to support this, I will." Ryuji spoke up as his gaze grew distant.

His wife squeezed his hand reassuringly. Danny noticed this and sensed there was more to the story, but didn't feel it was right to pry. There was a brief moment of silence. Soon the moment faded and the adults resumed their small talk moving on to more light hearted topics. Meanwhile, Rose had dragged a reluctant Taylor into keeping an eye on her siblings after the latter had put the dessert in the oven. About twenty minutes passed, when suddenly the door slammed open. The three adults turned their heads towards it. Taylor and Rose, as well as Rose's siblings all peaked their heads into the hallway to have a look. In the doorway stood Ana, posing eccentrically.

"The Anastasia is herastasia." She spoke in a mock Russian accent.

Taylor and Rose looked unamused, Danny was perplexed, Mary was amused, Ryuji didn't know what to think, and Roy, Roger, Mike, and Mimi were laughing lightly. The younger Vlad smacked his sister on the back of her head as he walked past her saying, "quit acting like a goof and get in."

While it didn't hurt Ana, it did earn a glare and pout as their giggling twin little sisters filed inside with their parents behind them.

"Now, now, Vladimir, don't hit your sister, even when she embarrasses herself and us." Carly lightly chastised.

"I thought it was cool." She mumbled.

Her father chuckled.

"You're lucky they can't get a lower opinion of us given they already know you." He retorted.

"HEY!" Ana shouted back.

Her head snapped to the laughing Taylor, Rose, and her siblings.

"Don't you laugh at that, it wasn't that funny!" Ana exclaimed.

"Hmm… I disagree. Now quit standing in the doorway and come on in. I know it's been warming up but that doesn't mean you can just leave the door open." Taylor pointed out.

Ana grumbled but did so, closing the door behind her.

"So, welcome to my home, you can hang your jackets on the hangers there or if there's no room I can take them up to my dad's room." Taylor stated.

"Thank you, and it's nice to see you again Taylor. And you as well Rosemary" Carly expressed as she took off her coat and handed it to her husband who hung it and his jacket up.

"Likewise," Taylor replied as she began to gather the coats of Ana's brother and twin little sisters, seeing there was no more room for things to hang.

Each said thank you as she gathered them and took them upstairs. As she did, Danny followed Mary and Ryuji followed up to meet them.

"Hey, glad you all could come. Danny Hebert." He greeted them, holding out his hand.

"Carly Romanov," Carly returned, shaking his hand.

"Valdimir Romanov." Vladimir added, shaking Danny's hand with a firm grip after his wife. "And these are our children. You know Ana, this is Valdimir Jr., Leah, and Rosa."

"Yo," Vladimir greeted him with a raise of his hand.

"Hello," Leah and Rosa greeted him with an energetic wave of their hands simultaneously.

"Ara, aren't they adorable." Mary noted. "Mary Sato, it's a pleasure to finally meet you all. This is my husband Ryuji."

"Hello," He greeted with a bow.

"You've met my oldest, the two twins are Roy." She began, pointing to the boy with the bowl cut.

"Hey," he replied.

"Roger."

"Yo," the boy added as barged in front of his brother.

"HEY!" Roy shouted.

"My youngest boy, Michael."

"Hello, you can call me Mike." The young boy stated.

"And my youngest is…"

"Me, Mimi!" The little girl exclaimed as she rushed up to Ana with stars in her eyes. "Can you show how you did your hair? The curly drilly style looks so pretty."

Ana adopted a smug look of satisfaction.

"Ahaha… a girl who can appreciate good tastes. I shall instruct you in the ways of the drills." She declared boldly.

With that, the families got into meeting each other properly.

And that's a wrap, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Till next time. If you want me to be able to produce more content, please consider supporting me on subscribe star. (search zmanxv and the link is on my deviantart page).