Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Eric, a little boy no older than six sat at the small table as he read the newspaper article. His shaggy blonde hair fell over his almond shaped green eyes, but he hardly took notice as he scanned over the words before flipping through the dictionary to figure out the meaning of one particular word that didn't make sense to him.

He glanced at the only other occupant in the room, his younger sister, Anya. She was on the ground playing with her toy Chimera. Her green eyes are large and oval-shaped with prominent eyelashes. She has shoulder-length, light pink hair that curls inwards with a fringe that reaches just above her eyes. She also wears two black hair ornaments with bright yellow embellishments that resemble small horns on the sides of her head. Though she was only four, she knew how different they were from everyone, and how dangerous the world can be should anyone find out the truth about them.

With a light teasing smile, the chimera toy floated out of Anya's arms and into Eric's, surprising her before she turned to Eric with a pout, making her look cuter. Since it was just them in the room, Eric levitated the toy and made it bow to Anya like a gentleman. She giggled then curtsied before holding its paws and dancing, humming a waltz as she twirled across the floor.

Eric smiled at the sight; one he reserves for Anya. Despite the darkness and cruelty of the world, Anya gives him hope.

His little sister smiled at him, sensing his thoughts, her favorite mind for a telepath to listen to.

Eric and Anya. A telekinetic and a telepath. Formerly known as Subjects 006 and 007. Two against the world, trusting no one but each other.

"...Right this way. Here they are." The slurred voice of the director caused Eric's smile to vanish before the door opened to reveal the fat drunk who runs the orphanage. Behind him was a man who appeared in his early thirties with blonde hair and light blue eyes. He wore a green business suit with a red tie and was holding a white hat in his hand.

The director introduced them, "Eric and Anya are the smartest there is. Neither of them talks much, but they're good kids. C'mon kids say 'hi.'"

Eric stood up from his seat and stood beside Anya who immediately took his hand and hid slightly behind him as the older blonde gave them an analytical stare.

'I hate that look he's giving us, it's like he's trying to dissect us with his eyes alone. Anya, I may not be able to read minds like you, but I feel something off about him. I don't think he's a bad guy, but he can't be a good person either.' Eric translated his thoughts to his sister, while he's telepathic, he's developed a sixth sense when it comes to liars.

Anya poked his palm, letting him know she understands his thoughts before focusing on the older man.

"Hello, I'm Loid Forger, I work as a psychiatrist, and I hear you are in need of a family."

'They're siblings. The boy looks around six, a prominent age for Eden College to accept. He's also reading the newspaper and had a dictionary, which means he's eager to learn and study. Having this kid pass the entrance exam should be a breeze. The girl on the other hand...' Twilight, moved his eyes to the girl who watched with curious yet hopeful green eyes. 'My job requires one child, I'm not fully prepared for one, let alone two. But I definitely need the boy, he clearly shows promise and intellect. Judging by his stance and the way he's standing in front of his sister; he doesn't trust that easily and he won't leave without her.'

Anya tugged on her brother's sleeve, signaling for Eric to bend his head for her to whisper in his ear, this behavior was not unusual, so Twilight took it as a shy little girl needing her brother to speak for her. "What does 'in-ter-rect' mean?'"

'It means someone who is smart.' Eric answered through his thoughts, despite her mispronunciation, he knew what word she was trying to say.

Anya's eyes brightened as an idea came to her. She pulled her brother back to the table and picked up the newspaper, showing the crossword puzzle to the older man. Eric understood Anya was trying to do. He took a pencil and handed one to Anya. Twilight stared over their shoulders as he figured out the puzzle, unaware that the girl could read his mind.

When she showed her work to Twilight, he was impressed by her surprising intellect despite her age. Eric hid a smile at how Anya got her answers. He had a feeling the guy was smart to figure out the puzzle, but not smart enough to realize that Anya cheated.

'Hm, I guess having a second child around won't be so bad. Plus, she can serve as back up in case the boy fails. Which isn't likely. But having her around should be a proper motivator for him.' Twilight thought to himself as he turned to the director. "Sir, I'll take them. About the paperwork."

"Don't sweat it, just take them home already." The director said dismally as Anya picked up her toy again and took Eric's hand again.

'As a spy, getting that part of the mission done so easily worries me.' Twilight thought to himself as he turned to the siblings. "So, is this okay with you two?"

Anya's eyes lit up in excitement, 'A spy? A mission? So cool!'

Eric sighed, knowing what that look meant. "If you'll have us, we'd love to stay with you for as long as you need us." He politely said but his thoughts were different. 'I don't trust you, but if Anya likes you, you might not be so bad. I'll count the days until you get rid of us like the last four families.'

And thus, the two siblings left with their new father, beginning the greatest mission that changed their lives.

Loid Forger, Twilight's new identity, brought the siblings to their new home and started giving them the run down. "Listen kids-"

"It's Eric." The boy corrected stoically, he clearly hates being called 'kid' or 'boy'.

"And Anya." His sister added with a smile.

"Eric and Anya, starting today, you two will be my son and daughter. But if anyone asks, you've always been my children." Loid instructed them as though they were his colleagues.

"Sure, why not." Eric said, watching him from beneath the fringes of his blonde hair. In this light, his hair was just a shade darker than Twilight's, and the way he frowned was nearly similar to the older male. Aside from their eye color, no one would doubt that they were related. A perfect coincidence that works in Twilight's favor.

"So, make sure you address me as 'Father'."

"Papa." Anya immediately gave him his new title.

"Close enough."

Loid turned to Eric who seems to be struggling. His brows furrowed and he pursed his lips tightly. "F-Fa...F-F-F-aaa...th-th...eeerrrr." Eric looked away, not used to saying that word when it was so easy for Anya.

"We'll work on it." Twilight sighed as he led them inside. 'That was excruciating to watch. But let's give it time, we'll get used to each other soon.'

The moment they entered the apartment, Anya quickly skipped into the room. "This is our house now?"

"It is." Loid said as Eric strode into the living room, quickly assessing the interior and walking around the room to familiarize himself.

"A TV!" Anya exclaimed as she spotted the television set.

"You can turn it on." Loid said as he closed the door and removed his gloves.

Anya switched it on to her favorite show, Spy Wars. "I really like this show." She said as she plopped herself in front of the screen.

'Coincidence?' Twilight thought to himself considering his profession.

He glanced at Eric to see him surveying the city through the window. There was wonder and caution in his one visible as he memorized the buildings.

'I'll secure everything we need. Which includes a forged ID for them.' Twilight thought to himself before he turned towards the door. "I'm stepping out for a bit. Just sit tight and watch your show."

Anya's attention was piqued as she stood up and ran towards him. "An adventure!" She yelled as she latched onto her leg like a parasite.

"It's not an adventure, it's a shopping trip!" Twilight said as he tried to shake her off his leg, but she refused to let go.

"Sir?" Twilight looked up to see Eric standing in front of him with a shy look and a frown. "Could I go with you to get a book?"

"Hm? What kind of book?" Twilight asked as he tried to pry Anya off his leg.

Eric looked hesitant and somewhat embarrassed. "Anything about the human anatomy, medicine, how to sew someone up, a dictionary...okay make that more than one book."

Twilight was intrigued by the boy's request as he successfully removed Anya from his leg and unconsciously held her in his arms. Kids his age should be into comics and getting dirty. But he seems more grown up and wants to expand his knowledge.

Staring at the kids, he sighed, "Fine, you two can come. Just don't stray too far." He ordered as he set Anya down as she cheered and grabbed Eric's hand to follow their father out of the apartment.

The trio strolled onto the sidewalk, Loid with calm steady strides, Eric with his hands in his pockets glancing at his new surroundings, and Anya excitedly running ahead as she took in all the buildings and shops.

"Papa, I want a pistol with a silencer!" Anya announced excitedly, from her favorite Spy Wars show.

"Sure, if there's one on sale." Loid said, not denying or accepting her request.

'To be a master spy, one must act normally and not draw any attention. Today, we're a regular inconspicuous fami-'

*CLANG!*

Loid's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of metal getting hit. He turned to see Eric walk straight into the street sign face first. He was stuck like that for a moment longer before he plopped onto his bum.

"Big Brother!" Anya exclaimed in concern when she saw Eric drop to the ground. She flew to his side as he rubbed his forehead. "Ow." Though it stung a bit, the pain didn't bother him as much.

"What just happened?" Loid asked as Eric continued rubbing his forehead.

"I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, sir." Eric admitted in mild embarrassment over his clumsiness.

Loid's eyebrow twitched. 'Of course, how could I forget that kids get hurt all the time. Even a smart kid like him can slip if not careful.' He thought to himself as Eric stood up and dusted himself off.

Loid then noticed how Eric blew a strand of hair out of his face, but the lock still covered his eyes. 'Hm, it's hard for him to see with all that hair.' Loid thought as an idea came to him.

"Uh, old man?" Eric's eyes widened at the sight of the blades and the constriction around his thin neck. "Why am I about to get tortured?"

"What are you talking about, you're just getting a haircut." 'I'm not that old.' Loid stated from his spot on the sofa with Anya beside him eating peanuts.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Eric asked, his visible green peeked between the fringes of his blonde locks.

"It's too long and you're obviously having a hard time seeing with them falling into your face." Loid answered simply as he noticed the way Eric tensed at the sight of the scissors.

Eric touched his hair, it was getting awfully long, and it was hard to keep clean and get the tangles out. But he liked that it hid his eyes, even though it obstructed half of his sight, it made him feel safe, like a veil to hide him from the outside world.

"It's scary the first time around." The middle-aged barber said with a kind reassuring smile. "But once it's over, you'll feel like a whole new you."

'A new me? That sounds scarier compared to what I am now.' Eric said with a look of barely concealed trepidation.

"Eric, be brave." Anya said, catching his attention. "You can do it." She added, giving him that encouraging smile that gave him strength to endure.

Eric swallowed his saliva then glanced at his new father who gave him a nod. He wasn't sure if it was a reassuring gesture, but he returned it with slight hesitance before he faced the mirror. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. "Okay, I'm ready."

He kept his eyes shut throughout the whole process, he didn't want to see those shears or any sharp blade so close to his face. But he was aware of everything around him, the water gently spraying onto his scalp, the tender comb that carefully detangled his hair, the almost quiet snipping of the scissors, and the weight of his blonde locks falling onto the tiled floor.

He wasn't sure how much time passed until the barber removed the cloth from his body. "There we go, all finished."

Eric slowly opened his eyes to see a completely different kid staring back at him in the mirror. No longer was half of his covered. He can see two green eyes watching him as he touched the freshly cropped strands on his head.

"Brother, you look handsomer!" Anya exclaimed as she came to his side to get a closer look.

"He does, doesn't he." Loid stated, impressed by the transformation. But what surprised him even more was how much he looked like Twilight as a child, except he had less fat in his cheeks. 'The more he looks like me the less people will question about our family status.' He thought, happy at this surprising bonus.

Eric hopped off the chair, still staring at his reflection before he turned to Loid. "Does it look okay?"

"It looks better than I expected actually." Loid said, allowing a smile to grace his handsome features.

Eric blushed at the compliment before Anya ran her little fingers through his hair, admiring the new style. "It's like petting a bunny."

Eric frowned as his brows furrowed while his eye narrowed into slits. 'A bunny?'

After thanking the barber for his work, Loid led his children out of the shop, holding onto Anya's hand while Eric continued touching his hair.

"It feels weird." Eric commented as he glanced at his reflection through the shop's window.

"You'll get used it." Loid stated as he kept Anya close to him in case she wanders off.

Eric frowned as he covered one of his eyes. "I feel exposed though. Don't you?"

"Sometimes, but not really." Loid said they entered the shopping department and stocked up on food and snacks at Anya's insistence.

They stopped by the library where Loid decided to read up on childcare. Thanks to his photographic memory, everything he reads is permanently etched into his brain. Eric found books on human anatomy, medicine, and an Ostanian literature book that intrigued him. He wanted to carry them all, but his little arms would not be able to carry them all the way home. Thankfully there was a store that sold bookbags big enough for him to use. He was able to fit three books into his new bookbag while he read the literature book. His eyes were glued to the pages as Loid carried groceries, books, and one sleeping Anya.

Loid grunted form the excessive weight while glancing at Eric who was lost in his world. "Hey, you shouldn't read while walking."

"Mm." Was all Eric said, though it didn't seem like he heard Loid whatsoever.

"You didn't hear me, did you?"

"Mm." The boy responded, his look was that of intense concentration as he read the book.

As they turned a corner, Eric was about to bump into a woman. Loid tried to voice a warning, but Eric surprised him by gracefully twirling out of the woman's path. His eyes never left the book.

'He dodged her without even looking!' Loid exclaimed in his head as he apologized to the woman who was surprised by the boy's nonchalant maneuvering but accepted the man's apology.

Loid followed beside his son, keeping him within sight as they made their way home. Every now and then, Eric would sidestep and spin out of a passerby's way or hop over a gap. He was impressed by Eric despite only meeting him a few hours ago. There was a calm maturity around him, yet still retained a child's curiosity. Glancing down at his new daughter, he was a bit overwhelmed. He was hardly prepared for one child, and Anya proved to be a literal handful even with her brother pacifying her.

'Luckily Eric won't be much of a problem wherever school is concerned. If I prepare him for the entrance exam, he can take it from there and be just fine.' Loid thought to himself, confident in his son's ability to succeed the mission.

*CLANG!*

Loid's confidence shattered upon seeing Eric once again stuck face first into a pole before falling onto his bum a moment later.

"Ow." Came Eric's delayed response as he finally lowered the book to rub his forehead.

'Okay, maybe not.' Loid rescinded his statement.

"Isn't that the same pole you ran into before?"

Anya and Eric were asleep in the same bed that first night. Twilight however stayed up to research childcare and try to understand his new children. A spy whose mission requires a child yet has no experience with children is in a bit of a bind. He needs them, mainly Eric, to help him accomplish his mission and protect world peace between nations. The one who threatens that peace is Donovan Desmond, the Chairman of the National Unity Party of Ostania and Twilight's current target. He rarely makes public appearances except at the elite school Eden College where his first son, Demetrius, an imperial scholar, studies. This year, his second son, Damian, will begin his first year at Eden. He needs Eric to attend this school and get close to the Desmonds in order for Twilight to probe Donovan for any secrets that may cause another war.

The sound of soft footsteps approaching alerted him to the elder child walking into the living room, his book tucked under his arm. His hair was in disarray, and his eyes had shadows underneath.

"What are you doing up?" Twilight asked as Eric climbed onto the sofa furthest from Twilight.

"I don't sleep anymore." Eric answered in a half-dead tone as he opened his book to the page where he left off before he smacked into that pole.

'He's in a different place all of a sudden so he needs time to adjust to his new surroundings. Reading can be a coping mechanism. I should let him...no, I should use this opportunity to build trust with him, help him transition faster before I send him to Eden. The first step to building trust is to show your concern for his well-being. If he's having trouble, sympathize and see through his perspective.'

Twilight nodded to himself before he turned to Eric. "Are you having trouble sleeping with your sister?"

"Not really. We've always slept in the same bed. The orphanage was cold at night." Eric answered honestly.

"I guess that makes sense." Twilight stated then glanced at the book, surprise written on his face. "You're already half-way done."

Eric seemed to just notice this observation. "Yeah, reading keeps me from thinking too much about certain problems. If I think too much, I stress, and when I stress, I..." His little fingers tightened their grip on the book, making it crinkle. "...lose control."

"Would you like to talk about these problems? If they're bothering you, talking about could help relieve you of your stress." Twilight offered, hoping this could help them connect and build a relationship.

Eric narrowed his eyes at Twilight. "Are you asking as my father or as a psychiatrist?"

"I'd like to think having that profession can go hand-in-hand when raising a child." Twilight stated noticing how Eric tensed up.

"Personally, I'm not sure having a psychiatrist for a father is a good thing." Eric said, trying to hide his own discomfort.

Twilight sighed as he scratched his head, "I'm not gonna judge you if that's what you're worried about."

Eric glanced at the childcare manuals then at the still slumbering Anya clutching her chimera doll. He swallowed then closed his book and gave Twilight his full attention. "I'm trying to figure out what you want from us."

Twilight blinked at his straightforward answer as green locked onto blue. "I'm not sure what it is you're after seeing how you lack the experience as a parent and were ill prepared for our arrival. But I know you need something from us, or at least one child considering there was only one bed for us to sleep in. Also," He turned to the piles of books on the table, "it's obvious you have absolutely no idea what you're doing as a father."

Twilight's eyes widened at how intuitive this child was and how he lacked any reservation when confronting him about it. 'Eric's smarter than I gave him credit for. Curious, insightful, but most of all suspicious and distrustful.' Inwardly, he praised the boy for these qualities. Had this child been older, he'd have made a good candidate as a spy like himself.

Twilight sighed again as he leaned back and looked at the ceiling. "You're right on all fronts. It's true that I don't have any experience when it comes to kids, but I'm at a point in my life where I need a family. I'm all by myself you see. While I am successful in my work, it can be quite lonely. I talked to my boss and coworkers about it, and they suggested I become a father." He explained, successfully mixing lies with truth. One of the best ways a spy can perfectly deceive someone is to add truth to make the most convincing lie.

Eric gave him a long stare, "But why not do it the old-fashioned way, get married and then make a baby."

"I did give it some thought." Twilight said before he looked down, lost in a memory. "The truth is, I lost my parents in the war when I was still a kid."

This surprised Eric as he unconsciously leaned closer. "How old were you?"

Twilight smiled sadly as he remembered traumatic his childhood was. "I was a little older than you, around seven or eight. I didn't have anybody; I never had the chance to say goodbye to my parents." His heart clenched at the memory of losing his family to war. "Back then, all I could do was cry. But no matter how much I cried, no one heard me. No one helped me. I had to learn to survive on my own."

The older man turned to Eric whose eyes shone with unshed tears. "I want to do for you what no one did for me, a second chance for a family."

Eric looked down, his fringes shadowing his eyes. "Fifth."

"Huh?"

"This is...the fifth time we've been adopted." Eric admitted as though he had something to be ashamed of. "The orphanage you found us in, that was the third we were sent to."

Twilight's eyes widened at that information. 'That's why he's cautious. He's waiting for them to be returned like last time.'

"One flaw or one imperfection, and it's back to the orphanage." Eric stated as he trembled, but he didn't want to show any weakness. "I don't care what you want me to be, just as long as Anya can be safe and comfortable."

A large warm hand touched the top of his head, causing him to look up to see a soft understanding expression. "You don't have to be anything; you're fine the way you are."

Eric's eyes widened as a tear streamed down his face. No one but Anya ever saw him cry. But these weren't tears of pain or sadness, they were of relief.

Twilight did something he never thought he would ever do, he pulled Eric into a hug and allowed him to cry. "You don't have to worry about being sent back there. You and Anya are safe here."

'But will you be safe with us?' Eric didn't voice it out loud as he let his guard down for the first time since he and Anya freed themselves from those monsters.

Twilight rubbed his son's back as the boy quietly sobbed so he doesn't wake Anya up. 'He's only six years old, yet he suffered so much.' He glanced at the room to see Anya still sleeping blissfully. 'They knew no family but each other.'

When he no longer felt Eric trembling against him, he looked down to see him completely passed out in his arms. He looked peaceful, completely unburdened by the weight of the world. He carefully picked him up and carried the child back to bed, making sure he was quiet as he deposited him beside his sister who immediately hugged him in her sleep.

Twilight smiled at the sight. The way they clung to each other was sweet and endearing, and it motivated him in his mission to protect the peace between the nations. 'Eric, you have no idea just how important you are to this mission. I may not be a perfect father, but I'll try to be a better one than the ones you and Anya had. I hate that I have to get you both mixed into this. I didn't become a spy for information alone.' He stood up and made his way out of the room, 'No, every secret I uncover is for the purpose of making a world where kids don't need to cry. That's the whole reason why I became a spy in the first place.' He quietly closed the door, leaving it open just a crack before he returned to research.

One green eye opened just in time to see Twilight walk away from the door. A smile played on her face as she clutched her chimera doll in one arm and snuggled close to her brother.

"Eden College?" Eric exclaimed in surprise at the pamphlet Loid handed him.

Eric sat on the couch between Loid and Anya who chewed on her peanuts.

"That's right. But in order to be accepted, you'll first need to take the entrance exam." Loid explained, "Which is also why we need to test your knowledge and prepare you for this exam."

"Sounds like a battle." Anya quipped as she stared at the pamphlet with her brother.

Eric turned to his father, "Hold on, this is an elite school for the rich people's kids. No disrespect to you, but I'm not rich or snotty enough to be in this school."

"It's not about being rich or snotty, it's about your capabilities as a scholar. Eden is a prestigious institution with some of the best teachers and curriculum that will give you opportunities in the long run." Loid explained, hoping some encouragement will get the boy to go along with his plan.

Eric turned back to the piece of paper with a discomforted look. "I get that. But why send me there. I'm...I'm nobody." He said, feeling a lot of self-doubt at the very idea of entering that school.

"You're not nobody, you're my son." Loid stated, making Eric look up at his father. "I knew the moment I saw you that you were special." That made the siblings tense up. 'Does he know?!' They thought at the same time.

"I remember how you were engrossed in a newspaper with a dictionary close by. You're already intelligent, but I can tell you want to know more than what the newspaper tells you." Loid explained, "I don't have to be a psychiatrist to tell you what you have to offer at this school. You're more capable than you realize. I genuinely believe that you can make a big difference at Eden."

Eric's heart warmed at that praise. Loid wasn't wrong, he liked the idea of learning new things, of challenging himself and proving people wrong. He looked down at the pamphlet again to see the school uniforms. For a moment, he saw himself wearing it and walking around with an air of respect and confidence.

"Big Brother would look cool in the uniform." Anya commented, catching Eric's thoughts as he blushed slightly.

"He definitely would." Loid agreed.

Eric pursed his lips as he thought it over. He rolled the idea around in his head as it collided with one of his ambitions he hopes to accomplish in a decade. "Um, do they offer a course of medicine?" Eric asked, feeling embarrassed.

"They may have an introduction course for tenth years. Why?" Loid asked, curious about that question.

"I, uh," Eric he inhaled then confessed, "I wanna be a doctor!" He made eye contact with his father, "I wanna help people. Cure them and fix them up. Most of all, I wanna take care of Anya." He added as he took Anya's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Big Brother." Anya's eyes sparkled in admiration for her brother's ambition.

"If Eden can offer me that chance to help others, then I'll do it." Eric said with more confidence.

Loid looked relieved at Eric's eagerness to learn. If possible, he felt some of the weight leave his shoulder.

Eric then wilted and looked embarrassed. "I'm not very good at math though."

Loid chuckled before he pulled out some practice sheets. "Well, let's get started."

For the next four hours, Loid covered all the subjects like the basic history of Ostania, popular literature, and mathematics. Though he was strict, he was still fair in his guidance as he helped Eric brush up on his addition and subtraction. Despite the headache he received, Eric was determined to prove his father right, that he can ace the entrance exam.

Anya cheered him on, while it sometimes proved distracting, it motivated Eric to succeed.

By mid-afternoon, Loid decided to end their study session to give Eric a break while he met up with his informant Franky.

"I'll be back in about an hour. Watch the house while I'm gone." Loid instructed them as Eric slumped face down on the couch from mental exhaustion. Steam literally came off his head.

"Got it." Came Eric's muffled response on the cushions.

"Come back safely Papa." Anya waved at him before he left their apartment.

Once their father's footsteps completely faded, Anya turned to her brother who was still face planted. "Eric, let's play checkers."

Eric sat up in response, knowing what 'checkers' actually meant for them. Seriousness immediately took his face before he telekinetically called the boardgame over to the coffee table. With a couple flicks of his wrist and fingers, he unboxed and unfolded the board and set the pieces in their rightful place. Anya quickly went over to the radio and turned it on in case someone from outside wanted to listen in.

"What did you find out?" Eric asked as he picked up a black checker piece and moved it without looking.

Anya had a smirk on her face as she moved her piece. "Papa is a spy."

"What?"

"It's true. He has spy stuff behind that door." Anya said as she pointed at the padlocked room.

"You're not saying that because he reminds you of Bondman?" Eric stated since there was a certain resemblance between him and Anya's favorite character.

"No, it's true. He stops bad guys, disables bombs, in-full-trace *infiltrates* and beats people up." Anya said as Eric hummed while he made his move.

"I see. Is that all?" Eric asked as he waited for Anya to take her turn.

"He actually has a very important mission to stop this evil boss man from destroying world peace. But the problem is, he hardly ever shows up anywhere except at that school. So, Papa's boss came up with this idea for him to adopt and enroll them in the school to help him get close to stop evil boss man." Anya explained quickly in an excited tone as though she was watching a new episode of Spy Wars.

Eric felt as though he was struck by lightning and his heart wrenched when Anya words finally registered. "So that's why he adopted us." He said in low and angry voice, the air around him felt heavy. Anya lost her smile when she realized what those words caused him. "He didn't want a family; he needed a way inside." He laughed bitterly as everything shook within the living room, his anger and feeling of betrayal after bonding last night and learning from him this morning. "Once again, I'm being used for someone else's gain."

Memories of being locked in a room being studied by scientists as he was strapped down to the table flew through his mind. The helplessness and terror he endured for those selfish evil monsters who kept telling him he was important as they poked and prodded at him with syringes, injecting fluids and taking blood samples. How he hated that lack of control, a fate of being broken down to be used as someone's weapon.

"Eric, stop!" Anya exclaimed, running around the table to calm his rage down after experiencing that horrific memory within her brother. Anya wrapped her arms around Eric in an effort to stop his power from flying out of control.

Eric's eyes widened when he realized what he was doing. He breathed in and out very slowly, chanting in his head, 'No stress, no mess. No rage, no destruction. Don't feel. Don't feel.' He repeated this mantra as Anya held him until he finally calmed down.

He breathed out a sigh. "I'm okay. I'm sorry." He apologized, ashamed for nearly losing control of his emotions like that.

Anya hugged him tightly, she too remembered those painful years of being subjected to experiments. Their only comfort being each other.

"He's not a bad person. He needs you to help him protect world peace, so no kid ever has to cry." Anya said, remembering their father's thoughts last night.

"What?" Eric asked, still reeling from what Anya revealed to him.

"He did grow up as an orphan." Anya stated with sadness. "It's the reason he became a spy, so no child will ever experience war like he did. Being all alone after losing his family in the fight between nations, it must've been terrifying for him. He wants to keep that from happening again."

If there's one thing the siblings were most familiar with is fear. Fear of being discovered and killed. Or worse, captured and experimented on until they die. They did not want to go back to that living hell. Not again.

Eric understood the desire of wanting to prevent past anguish from repeating, but that did not stop the bitterness he felt at being someone's pawn on the battlefield.

"Eric, I know you're angry. But Papa is desperate. He really does need you to help him. What Papa said is true, you can make a difference. At Eden, and the world." Anya said with a hopeful expression. "Let's give him a chance. Please Eric, I really wanna have Papa this time." She pleaded with eyes that broke his heart.

Eric looked down, conflicted as he remembered his late-night conversation with Loid. The man was open and understanding. He didn't completely lie, but he didn't tell him the whole truth either. But one truth that stuck with him was his painful childhood. He saw so much hurt in his eyes. Sadness he wants to hide from the world. The boy understood that, because people take advantage of that weakness. And Anya, she's just like every kid in the world, wanting a family to love them. Secretly, Eric too wants that feeling of love, safety and acceptance. It wasn't fair how they were created, how they were taken in only to be sent back like damaged goods. Rejection and abandonment they were too familiar with. He doesn't want that feeling anymore.

He sighed, completely lost in this battle as he leaned back against the couch behind him. "Fine. We'll give him a chance."

Anya looked relieved as she hugged him tighter which he responded by wrapping an arm around her. 'Even if he can't become a father who loves us, he can at least protect us.'

"He will, he's the best there is." Anya stated with confidence. "We can also help him with his missions. My mind and your feelings and Papa's expatise *expertise* we are unstoppable."

Eric gave her a deadpanned look, "Nope."

The day of the entrance exam came. Eric sat among the other applicants as the proctor told them to begin. He glanced at the other kids to see them struggling and one of them doing eeny-meeny on their tests. He returned to his own paper with a look of intense concentration as he answered each question and solved math problems.

Outside, Twilight sat with Anya in his lap as she snuggled against him. He was nervous, his heart racing despite his stoic expression. 'I'm counting on you Eric. You can do it.'

"Don't worry, Big Brother's the smartest, there's no way he'd lose." Anya assured him after hearing his thoughts.

Somehow, Twilight felt better after hearing his daughter tell him that. Even though it was a younger sibling worshiping their elder brother, he felt his confidence return.

A week later, the longest week Twilight endured after waiting for the results, all three Forgers stood in front of the board looking for Eric's number.

Eric closed his eyes and faced the ground, not wanting to hope as he mentally prepared himself for the worst.

"Eric, look." Loid's hand gently squeezed his shoulder before he looked up and followed his father's finger.

K-212.

The boy's eyes widened and lit up at the very sight of that number. All breath left his system as he released a disbelieving laugh.

"Big Brother, you passed! You passed!" Anya took his hands as they danced a short Ring-Around-The-Rosies.

For all of Twilight's training to keep his emotions in check, he could not help but release a smile of relief, pride and elation as he picked up his son and swung him high in the air. "Eric, you did it! I'm so proud of you!"

While Eric wasn't expecting to be picked up by the normally stoic man, he liked the feeling of being held up in the air like a miracle. Which to Twilight, he was.

Anya danced around them, wanting to be picked up too.

Operation Strix: Phase 1, Have your child pass the entrance exam. Mission Cleared.

Their small victory of celebration ended when Loid fell backwards and landed on the grass. Eric barely had time to react when his father suddenly collapsed, bringing him down with him. Luckily Loid cushioned the boy's fall before his arms dropped beside him like a dead starfish.

Eric quickly got off of him in panic when he realized how lifeless their father became. "What the heck?" He exclaimed as Anya tried to shake their half-dead father awake, begging him to come back.

Eric held Loid's arm to feel a pulse before he joined Anya in trying to revive their father. "Hey, c'mon old man, you can't die on us just yet, we barely got started!"

By some miracle they managed to resurrect the dead man before the poor exhausted father stumbled home like a zombie with the help of his children. But by the time they came back to their apartment, he died once again on their living room couch where Anya tearfully watched in horror as Eric fanned the corpse with a deadpan look.

"Well, he's dead." Anya stated as her brother continued to fan the poor guy.

"Nah, he's just unconscious." 'How can this guy be a spy?' Eric thought, beginning to question the man's true profession and reliability.

Eric sighed then put the fan down. "Watch him while I find a blanket." He instructed as he looked around for something to cover their father, so he doesn't catch a cold. He found one inside the towel closet on the high shelf. But Eric overcame this obstacle easy as he levitated the blanket down then carried it into the living room.

He paused when he saw Anya wrapped up under the protection of their father's arm, smiling happily as she snuggled against him. Smiling at the sight, he tossed the blanket up into the air, and telekinetically unfolded it before he gently draped it over his father and sister. With that task done, he took his stationary seat in an armchair close to the couch then opened up a new book Loid got for him.

He glanced at his family as they slept peacefully. So much has happened in the last two weeks of their adoption. Anya and Eric became comfortable with their new father while the older man is still trying to learn the ropes of parenthood. Though he was still clumsy, the fact that he's trying makes him an endearing figure. Due to his miscalculation about their living arrangements, Loid started looking for a bigger apartment where the kids can have their own room.

Eric smiled as he looked back on their time together. Even though all this was for the sake of Twilight's mission, information of his codename provided by Anya, the boy can't find it in himself to hate the man. Holding grudges were a waste of time and energy anyway. Plus, with the mission mainly taking place at Eden College, he won't be wasting the opportunity to study in one of the best schools in the country.

'If Father intends to use me for his mission, I'll use him to become the scholar I want to be. A fair win-win situation.' Eric nodded to himself.

Eric then turned to Anya who napped the afternoon away. She was always quick to warm up to people she finds cool and exciting. But what worried him was her intention to 'subtly' help their father on his missions. An idea Eric profusely objects to due to the nature of his job and the dangers that come with it. Eric being a student to get close to some evil boss's kid is the most danger he's ever gonna experience. Gunfire and violence are not on his to-do list.

With a quiet sigh, he got comfortable as he started reading his book. After half an hour of reading, their father woke up with a start, almost knocking Anya down.

"Welcome back. Hope you had a nice nap." Eric greeted as he looked up from his book.

Twilight ran a hand through his hair, chastising himself for falling asleep in front of someone. He noticed the blanket still draped over him. 'Wait, wasn't this on the top shelf in the closet?' He didn't dwell on that thought for very long when Anya held out an envelope for him. "There's mail."

Loid turned it over and noticed the Eden symbol on the front. He opened it and read the contents as Eric sat on the other side of him. He tensed up when he got to the section that turned his blood cold.

"Is something wrong?" Anya asked in concern as Eric read the letter as well, eyes widening when he saw what made their father freeze up.

"The second phase of the admission process is a family interview. It is mandatory the applicant attend with both parents. Absolutely no exceptions." Loid finished as he glared at the paper. If looks could kill, that letter would be a pile of ash.

"But there is no mama." Anya said as though she was telling a secret.

Eric's expression mirrored Loid's as a deep frown took over his face. 'What the ever-loving f-word?'

Chapter Text

The next morning a friend of their father came by, and somehow was convinced to wear make-up and a dress. Sad to say, no one was impressed.

"This won't do." Loid sighed as his friend yelled, "What?!"

"I don't want this mama." Anya stated as she pointed at Franky.

"Nope." Eric said as he shook his head disapprovingly. 'We'll be kicked out before we even get to that interview.'

"You're not exactly convincing with the mother role. Though I have seen uglier women." Twilight commented with his arms crossed.

Franky grabbed a hand mirror and hid the side of his face from the kids as he whispered to Twilight, "You're the master of disguise, so why can't you make me beautiful?"

"I don't think there's enough make-up in the world that can help ma'am." Eric savagely stated, making Franky incensed.

"And I also have limited options." Twilight added, not even phased by his friend's outrage.

Franky glanced between Twilight and Eric, noting how the boy mimicked his father's mannerisms, facial expressions, and stance. Eye color aside, they look too similar to not be blood related. "Are you sure you didn't father him at some point in your life? The resemblance is too freaky." He stated, remembering the earlier picture of Eric before his haircut.

"100%." Twilight answered as he sat down and mulled over his plan while Anya offered Franky a peanut and Eric sat at the end of the couch closest to his father.

"So, what options do we have? You sure there's no one at work who can do you this favor?" Eric asked, mildly worried as he watched Loid strategize in his head.

After a long moment of contemplation, Twilight straightened his back and sighed, "I'll need to find a woman."

That night, Eric slept on the left side of the bed while Anya was close to the wall. His face scrunched up and gritted his teeth, as though in pain.

*#*

Subject 006 successfully escaped his room. Dressed in hospital scrubs, his little feet padded along the cold tiled floor, making him shiver in discomfort. But that didn't stop him from his mission. With all the stealth his small three-year-old body could muster, he peeked around corners to make sure no one saw him sneaking around.

He found the room he heard the scary white coat people talk about, the one where the pretty lady was taken to. He reached his hand out and concentrated on the door handle before it moved down and opened with a click. He shimmied between the crack before he fully entered the scary room with cold steel tables and sharp instrument beside them. He gulped in fear at the sight of them.

His big green eyes looked around until he found a lock of hair peeking out from under a white sheet on top of one of the tables. He waddled over to where the hair was hiding until he was beside it. The top of his head barely reached the edge of the table.

"I found you, Mama." His little voice whispered, but silence was his answer.

"Mama, it's time to get up." He said as he stood on tippy toes and peered over the edge to see the white sheet covering her face.

"Don't worry, I'll help you." He said as he grabbed the sheet and started to pull with the intent of helping his mother breathe better. As he tugged on the sheet, her arm fell from the table, hanging limp off the edge. He let go of the sheet and touched his mother's hand but flinched when he noticed how cold it felt.

"Mama, why are you so cold, you'll get sick." He said in panic as he blew hot on the skin then rubbed it to bring some heat back. But her hand still remained cold.

"Mama, why won't you wake up?" The poor boy could not understand why she wasn't warming up or responding.

"She's dead." A chilling voice made him look behind to see a terrifying man in front of the door with two other scientists flanking him. His eyes were cold and unsympathetic behind his glasses.

"Dead? Is it a sickness?" The boy asked, holding his mother's limp hand to his chest tightly.

"No. It means she's never coming back."

"But she's right here. Can't you wake her up?" The boy wasn't sure what being dead meant, but he knew it was a bad thing.

"Dead means her life is gone. She'll never awaken, move, or breathe ever again. She can't be with you anymore." The man's cruel explanation caused something inside him to break, but he didn't want to accept what death truly meant.

"Take Subject 006 back to his room." He ordered his colleagues who moved to take the boy.

His green eyes widened as he was picked up, but he refused to let go of his mother's hand. "No, don't! Please don't take me away from Mama!" He protested through tears as the scientists pried his little fingers off the corpse. "Mama! Mama, help me!" He wailed as they successfully separated and forcefully carried him away. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not fight his way back to his mother whose face forever remained still and unmoving.

The last thing he saw was the scientist recovering her body with the sheet before the doors slammed shut.

*#*

Eric's eyes shot open to find himself stuck to the ceiling with Anya below him looking panicked as she tried to quietly wake him up without alerting their father. He was so startled that he dropped from the ceiling and bounced off the bed then crashed onto the hard wood floor with a resounding thud. Anya screamed in shock as her poor brother made impact.

The sound, unfortunately, didn't go unnoticed as Loid pushed the door open to see his son stiffly sit up holding the back of his head as tears streamed down his cheeks. He knelt down and checked him for any other injuries. "What happened?" He asked as he held Eric's head and felt a bump begin to swell under the scalp.

"Big Brother fell out of bed." Anya answered as tears streamed down her face. Loid wasn't sure if she was crying from shock or sympathy for her brother. All he knew was the boy was trying to suppress his sobs as he rubbed his head.

Loid picked him and carried him into the kitchen and sat him on the counter. He quickly went to the freezer and found an ice tray. He dumped the ice cubes onto a towel and wrapped it up before he returned to the silently sobbing boy and gently laid the ice pack on his bump. Eric winced a little then calmed down at the soothing coolness that enveloped his skull.

Loid sighed in relief as the boy leaned into the towel. "Quite a hit you took."

"Will Big Brother be okay?" Anya asked as she stood beside the counter.

"He'll be fine. He just needs to keep the ice pack on his bump." He said as Eric gently held the towel to his head as Loid carried him over to the couch with Anya following close behind.

"Sorry." Eric groaned as he was gently deposited onto the cushions.

"No need to apologize. I'll get you something for the headache. Anya, watch over your brother." Loid said as he went to the bathroom.

"'Kay." Anya said as she sat beside her brother and rubbed his back.

Loid came back to the kitchen and took out a pain reliever before he crushed it into dust with a spoon then mixed it into a glass of orange juice. "Here we go. This should help." He said as he gave Eric the drink which he slowly consumed while Loid held the ice to his head.

Once he finished, gave the cup back to Loid. "Thank you."

"It should take a few minutes for it to kick in." Loid said as he carried the glass back into the sink and washed it.

Eric stared off into space as his head continued to throb despite the ice numbing it. That wasn't merely a dream, it was a memory he experienced before he met his sister. No matter how hard he tried to forget, that day still haunted him. He felt a tugging on his sleeve and turned to Anya who looked to be on the verge of crying again. With a soft smile, he wrapped an arm around her. "I'm okay Anya." He said as his sister held him in an effort to soothe his pain, emotional and physical.

Loid silently watched their interaction and how attentive they were to each other. Something he noted about their relationship was how inseparable the siblings are. Which brought up another problem he needs to address. While Eric attends Eden, Anya must go to another school, mainly kindergarten that was close enough for Loid to pick her and Eric up simultaneously. He sighed at yet another task added to the long list of what he needs to do for his mission.

Sometime later, Franky arrives with a mountain of files on unmarried women from city hall. Eric sat at the far end of the couch with a book in his lap while holding an ice pack to his head. He watched their odd interaction with a mild look before he stared at the large pile of paper. 'One woman out of all that.' He sighed then returned to his book, 'Who he chooses is not my concern. Besides, it's only a fake wife he needs. Not a real mother.' Anya turned to her brother in sadness at the pain he still holds inside. Even though she has no memory, she knew their mother loved them with every fiber of her being. Yet she also wants to experience the love of both a mother and father.

"Don't pity me you jerk!" Franky yelled as he slammed his hands on the coffee table, making Anya flinch and hide behind the side of the couch.

She peered over the arm of the sofa at her father. "Is having kids a bad thing. Are we keeping mamas away?"

Loid reached out a hand and rubbed the top of her head. "No, it's not your fault. Just watch some TV and don't worry." He said as a way to console the sweet girl.

Anya felt good after getting her head pat then nodded, "'Kay." Then she made a bee line towards the TV and turned it on to her favorite show.

"Honestly, I don't see how hard it is for you to find a spouse." Eric commented, not taking his eyes off the book. "You're a handsome successful guy who has a perfectly stable job. Any woman would kill to be your wife. Even the married ones." He added as he turned a page.

"Smaller version of you has a point." Franky agreed, earning a glare from the boy upon being called 'small.' He decided to let it go and return to his book while the adults discussed Loid's marital status. He wasn't sure how long he tuned them out, but the moment Loid mentioned something about their appearance, Eric came back to reality.

The Forgers stood inside a tailor shop where the siblings looked at the articles of clothing, one with amazement, and the other with a calculating look. "Now then, young man and young lady, come this way and we'll take your measurements." The proprietor said as she led them around the shop.

"We're being sold off?" Anya yelled to their father as Eric calmly followed behind them.

"Not if you're a good girl." Loid quipped as he leaned against the counter, waiting for their measurements to get done.

Eric watched as Anya held her arms out as the lady measured her waist, almost falling backwards but was thankfully caught by her brother. Anya dashed back to their father when she was finished. Eric raised his arms as the woman took his measurements as well. His eyes moved over to his father who was talking to a beautiful woman with long black hair and lovely red eyes. He narrowed his eyes as that strange feeling came back. Just like when they first met Loid, he felt something off about him, dangerous and deadly but not evil. Yet, despite not feeling malice coming from her, he wasn't sure if it's a good idea to be near that woman.

"All done." The proprietor said as she stood up.

"Thank you, ma'am." Eric politely said before he returned to his family just in time to see Anya swaying side-to-side sounding 'woeful'. "Oh, poor, poor me. I'm so lonely 'cause I got no mama."

"What's this about?" Loid asked as Anya continued her dramatics, but this piqued the beautiful woman's attention.

"I just need a mama so bad." Anya added as Eric watched her with a frown of confusion. 'What are you doing?'

"Are you not here with your wife?" The woman asked their father who turned his attention back to her.

"Um, no. Sadly we lost her two years ago. It's just me, my son and daughter. I'm raising them by myself." Loid lied smoothly as the woman looked relieved.

Eric watched their interaction from the corner of his eye. It took him a moment to figure out what was going on then sighed. 'That's real subtle Anya.' He thought to her as her eyes twinkled in satisfaction.

The Forgers and the woman known as Yor Briar stood outside the shop where the latter explained her situation. Apparently, she lied to her brother about being in a relationship and needs a fake boyfriend to accompany her at this party. Loid saw this as an opportunity to get a fake wife to help him with the interview to get Eric accepted into Eden College. He even put in a little bit of dramatics telling her that it was their mother's dying wish.

'Old man's the best liar/Papa's a big fat liar.' The siblings thought at the same time as they watched their father deceive the woman.

While the woman seemed charmed and impressed by his devotion to his children. Eric caught a strange scent coming off her person. 'This smell.' It was something he vaguely remembered years ago, from his mother's fresh corpse to their escape.

After they agreed on their mutual favors and to meet her on Saturday, they parted ways from Yor Briar. Eric glanced behind them for another moment at Yor's retreating back. 'Blood. And death. There's no mistaking it. She's a killer.' She flinched when she sensed her brother's thoughts and the way he kept he eyes narrowed at the woman before facing forward to follow beside their father.

'Anya, who is that woman?' Eric asked his sister through his thoughts.

With one hand holding the sleeve on his wrist, her other hand traced his palm with her small index finger. 'SATDAY. PA NOT HOME'. Eric sighed; it was the safest time to discuss what she knows while their father went on that date.

Once Saturday came around, Twilight left them in the care of their babysitter, a kind older woman who has grandchildren of her own. "Anya, let's play checkers." Eric said as he carried the boardgame into their room.

"Okay." Anya said as she leapt off the couch as their babysitter watched them with a fond smile, reminded of how close her own grandchildren are whenever they played. She sighed, "So cute." She said as she returned to her knitting while listening to the radio.

Eric closed the door as Anya set up their boardgame in the middle of the floor. He sat cross-legged then moved his checker piece while watching her. Even if he didn't translate his thoughts or spoke, his look was enough to tell her what he wants to know.

Anya took a deep breath and whispered, "Papa's date is an ash-azen *assassin*."

It took all of Eric's will power not to yell. 'ASSASSIN?' He screamed in his head, causing Anya to wince at the ringing volume.

Anya massaged her head to relieve the pain. "Anya, what on earth were you thinking?" Eric furiously whispered.

"Well, I thought it would be fun to have her as a mama. Plus, Papa needed help finding a wife." Anya explained as she moved her piece to another square.

Eric groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Leave it to my little sister to find dangerous people entertaining.' He gave her a pointed look, 'Anya, it's bad enough we have a spy for a father whom we have to be more careful around with our powers, but to invite a killer into our house and live under the same roof as us is just asking for more trouble. If she were to find out about his occupation, she'll kill him, and world peace will be disrupted.'

"It won't happen though." Anya said determinately. "She wants to keep herself hidden like Papa. Remember, Papa's the best in his work. Plus, since I know everything, I'll make sure neither of them ever finds out about each other while you focus on school." She added with a proud optimistic smile with hands on her hips like she did something victorious.

'It's not just that, we don't know what this woman is really like. I don't want her to hurt you.' Eric thought with immediate distrust. His own natural survival instinct.

"She won't. She's really kind and sweet." Anya said defensively as she frowned at her brother. "She's an older sibling like you. And she raised her little brother all on her own when their parents died."

Now this certainly caught Eric's attention. No mother and father meant the older sibling has to grow up faster to become their younger brother or sister's protector, provider and parent. Essentially taking on all the responsibilities of an adult at a very young age. Eric was fully prepared to take on all those tasks the moment he met his little sister. If Yor Briar had to take on such a task to care for her only family on top of being an assassin, maybe she wasn't such a bad person after all.

Eric sighed, "Fine, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. But that doesn't mean I'll completely trust her. I do have my reservations after all." He conceded as he weighed the pros and cons of an assassin mom. If Yor raised her younger brother, then she definitely has some experience as a mother. Plus, Anya really needs a mother who can protect her, and with Yor's skills and natural maternal instincts, no one can ever touch Anya.

Anya smiled when she heard his thoughts and laughed. "It's gonna be fun. Best part, you'll still get into Eden."

Eric smiled slightly, "Yeah." 'Hopefully the old man doesn't mess up.'

By late evening as Anya and Eric got ready for bed, their father came home, looking a tad rough. After paying the bewildered babysitter, he went to his children who watched him in anticipation.

"Well, how did it go?" Eric asked as he surveyed the man's appearance. 'Please tell me this guy didn't fight the assassin.'

Loid gave his children a relieved smile, "I now have a wife."

Anya's eyes lit up as she squealed and hopped excitedly, "We got a mama! We finally have a mama!" She started doing her happy dance at the success of her little mission.

Eric smiled in both relief and exasperation at the results of his sister's actions. On one hand, they now have a mother that can help them with the family interview and secure his place in Eden. On the other hand, he now has to worry about having an assassin in his house while trying to keep everyone's secrets from revealing themselves to each other.

'Spy, assassin, telekinetic, and telepath. That sounds like a start to a really bad joke.' Eric thought cynically as he felt that ill feeling well up within his stomach. He has more to worry about on top of trying to protect world peace.

Chapter Text

Eric placed the last book in its shelf while telekinetically rearranging his desk in a neat manner. He stood up and surveyed the interior of his bedroom. His own room. A bed big enough for him to sleep in with light blue coverings and blankets, a desk already set up with paper, pens, pencils, worksheets and timetables. Right next to his desk were bookshelves that were half-full and ready to receive more. Decorating his room were mobiles hanging from the ceiling, crystal ornaments, the solar system, and ocean creatures.

'My very own room.' Eric thought in marvel before he dragged the now flattened boxes out into the living room of their new apartment. After two more days of apartment hunting, they found one that suited their needs and was big enough to accommodate four people.

Eric set the boxes against the wall and turned to Anya who was searching for something outside. She trembled with excitement as Eric came to join her. There, outside of their apartment building was Yor Briar, or Yor Forger as she is now called. Loid's (fake) wife, and the children's new mother.

"Mama's finally here!" Anya exclaimed excitedly as Loid helped Yor carry the boxes inside.

Eric, however, couldn't find it in himself to share in his sister's enthusiasm. Having an assassin in their home along with trying to protect world peace is more than he has to worry about.

'As if the countries stability wasn't resting on top of my shoulders already.' Eric thought as they watched their new mother carry the last box with no problem. Eric didn't dislike Yor, he just wasn't sure if he can completely trust her. He can tell she's not evil, but assassins kill for a living, and will follow orders from their superiors.

Anya looked at her brother, as much as she wanted a mother, Eric never had such desires for one. Which worried her because she wanted their new mother to feel happy and welcomed in their family.

At the approaching minds of their parents, Anya tugged her brother towards the door. "Let's go meet our mama."

'Your mama.' Eric added in his head as Loid opened the door and let Yor enter first with a box of bed sheets in her arms. Eric held Anya back as their parents discussed their sleeping arrangements. The young boy noted the blush on Yor's cheeks as she spoke to Loid. It would appear she is still shy around her new husband.

Anya broke away from Eric and threw her arms up. "I wanna welcome you to Anya's house!"

"What a lovely welcome. Thank you, Anya." Yor responded with a warm smile as she took in the adorable child who is now her daughter.

Yor then turned her attention to Eric who was much calmer he stepped forward beside his sister. He bowed his head with a hand over his heart as a sign of respect. "Welcome to the Forger household ma'am. My name is Eric Forger. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them to the best of my ability." Eric offered with a polite and courteous tone.

Though Eric didn't look it, the very sight of the little boy reminded Yor of when her younger brother was small and cute whenever he tried to act like a grown up. "Such a gentlemen." Yor commented as Eric blushed lightly at the compliment.

As you can see, the Forger household is home to an unusual family...

The father, Loid Forger, a psychiatrist. True identity: Spy. Codename: Twilight.

The mother, Yor Briar Forger, a civil servant at City Hall. True identity: Assassin. Codename: Thorn Princess.

The son, Eric Forger, Eden's first year student. True identity: Telekinetic.

The daughter, Anya Forger, kindergarten student. True identity: Telepath.

"I'm so happy to finally have a mama!" Anya exclaimed happily and excitedly.

"'Mama.'" Yor blushed at how her cute new daughter took to her without reservation.

"By the way," Loid interrupted as he pulled out a forged marriage certificate, courtesy of Franky. "My friend, the judge, was able to back date our marriage to last year. We'll come up with a story as to why we didn't live together. I'm sure your brother will ask at least."

"Good idea." Yor said with a relieved smile.

'Plus, the school's approval board would be suspicious is we got married just before the interview.' Loid tacked on inside his head.

'The Shop Keeper said it was alright, so I don't have to worry about that.' Yor thought to herself, relieved at the cover she found to protect her profession.

'We barely got started, and while I'm still worried, I believe we can still pull this off.' Eric thought to himself as he willed himself to remain calm.

'So cool.' Was all that went through Anya's head as she listened in on her family's thoughts.

Father, mother, son, and daughter. The four created a fictitious family to further their own ends. And now live under the same roof while keeping their true selves hidden from one another.

"We'll show Mama around, Papa." Anya announced as she and Eric toured their new mother around their home. They showed Yor the kitchen and bathroom before the bedrooms.

"This is my room." Eric said as he opened the door to his quarters where Yor marveled at the interior then noticed the books and organized desk. "You certainly have a lot of books."

"That's because brother's the smartiest *smartest* in the whole world." Anya proudly said as Eric looked somewhat embarrassed then admitted, "I'm kind of a bookworm."

Yor smiled as a sense of nostalgia overcame her. "Really? My brother's the same way. He loves reading and learning new things."

Eric allowed a small smile to grace his face, "I hope I'm just as good as him." He said as he closed the door then made their way to Anya's room.

Anya skipped into a world of pink and threw her arms in the air. "And this is my very own room!"

Yor laughed at the cute decorations of her daughter's room. "I love it Anya, it's so adorable."

Eric's eye twitched at the bright colors of his sister's room. 'Could it get any pinker?'

Anya then climbed onto her bed and grabbed her favorite toy. "I want you to meet my friend, Mr. Chimera." She then held up her toy and spoke in a deep voice, "My name is Chimerwa. It is a pweasure to meet you ma'am."

"Aww, the pleasure's all mine. I'm Yor, Ms. Anya's and Mr. Eric's Mama." Yor introduced herself to the toy, bringing smiles to the children's face.

They then showed Yor where Loid sleeps. While Yor commented how their father keeps it nice and neat, Eric thought it looked gloomy and lonely for the guy.

"And over here is yours?" Anya pointed to the room adjacent to Loid's. Eric was the one to open the door and announced, "Welcome to your new accommodations Ms. Yor."

Yor walked into her new room and found her bed covers already folded on top of the mattress along with a desk, an overhead lamp, curtain windows, and a red chair. "It's lovely. Much nicer than the place I was living." Yor commented, which was true. Ever since her little brother moved out, she felt lonely in the empty apartment of their home. Growing up, she only needed the essential things in life while supporting Yuri and giving him everything he wants.

"Glad you like it. This should be everything." Loid said as he carried the last boxes into the room. "I hope this is all to your liking, and we made sure it was nice and clean." He added as he set down the boxes.

Yor looked surprise by how much thought the family put into making her feel welcome. "Thank you, everything looks great."

"Big brother and I helped too!" Anya exclaimed cheerfully.

"Actually, you knocked over the bucket and tripped me in the process." Eric frowned as he rubbed the spot on his head that made impact on the ground. Anya gasped and her face filled with shock and guilt over injuring her brother.

Yor giggled at their interaction then turned to the bed. "I appreciate everything you've done, but I don't know what to do with myself."

"What do you mean? Please make yourself at home. Afterall, it's your home too, so whatever you need to do." Loid said in an honest comforting manner to help ease his wife into her new environment.

Yor turned back to Loid and smiled, "Thank you."

Loid smiled and walked away from the door, leaving his two children in the doorframe. "I'll grab the boxes when you're done."

Almost immediately after he said that three large flattened carboards were stacked against the wall very quickly as the siblings watched their mother unpack with ruthless efficiency.

'Holy-She's good.' Were Eric's thoughts at how she rapidly she unboxed everything.

"I'm all done now. The boxes are yours." Yor announced as she poked her head out of the room, surprising Loid who back tracked, "Wow, you're quite efficient."

Eric sighed at their father. 'I'll never understand how the best spy isn't suspicious of how his new wife is so quick in her work. He either stinks at being a spy, or Yor is just that good at hiding. Then again, does Yor even suspect the old man at all?' Eric thought to himself as he remembered Anya telling him how their father married Yor while simultaneously completing his side mission. Apparently, their father lost the ring meant for Yor and improvised with a pin he pulled from a bomb before he blew up members of a smuggling operation. An epic way of getting married if not for the fact that he used a freakin' bomb pin as a ring and making vows behind a dumpster. He's also in disbelief to learn that it was Yor who proposed to Loid instead which caused him to faceplant in the middle of a fight. After learning about that last part, he lost some of his respect for the spy.

'And I'm supposed to help this guy save the world.' Eric sighed then shook his head before he made his way into the living room with his family to have refreshments and cookies courtesy of Loid.

Afterwards they did a mock-interview. Results: Utter disaster. While Eric did somewhat fine, he made the mistake of mentioning how he mostly stays home and takes care of Anya while their father's out working. This in turn made him look like a negligent father. Yor didn't do much better, she misunderstood the word 'pass' and associated it with causes of death in great detail. Shocking and traumatizing poor little Anya who wasn't even part of the interview while Eric looked intrigued and started writing down notes to catalogue and study for later.

After going through a moment of silent distress, Loid suggested that they go out together as a family and experience upper-class culture. This way they can broaden their horizons and bond with each other to make their impression at the interview more convincing.

Which brings us to a sidewalk where Anya was singing, "We're on a family ooting, we're on a family ooting."

"It's pronounced 'outing'." Loid corrected monotonously while Eric's lips quirked up at Anya's mispronunciation and Yor silently giggled at the girl's antics.

"Mama, let's hold hands." Anya said, making Yor smile as she obliged her daughter's request. "Sure."

Loid watched their interaction, noting how Anya easily took to her new mother. After living in multiple orphanages in the span of one year, it must be relieving for the girl to have a maternal figure to confide in. The spy glanced at Eric, noting how he hung back as he watched Anya and Yor. The boy had a small unnoticeable smile on his face, but his eyes held something akin to sadness and envy. This put Loid in a stump, he has no idea who their mother is, but he theorized that only Eric knew the woman who birthed him and Anya, or at least has some memories of her. Older children who remember and lost their parents aren't as open to having a new one. While it was important for his son to make an emotional connection with Yor to make the interview a success, he knows he shouldn't pressure the boy. He needs to be patient, create building blocks to construct the perfect family Eden would want in their school.

Eric watched his sister hold hands with Yor, unreserved in her desire for a mother despite the fact that she's an assassin. He clenched his hands into a fist as he remembered how he held his mother's hand before she passed, the warmth and protection in just her fingers were enough to melt away his fear and sorrow just for a short while. That small part of him he keeps suppressed wants that feeling back. He wanted to run to Yor's other side and hold her hand as well. He watched Anya's joyful face as she stared up at Yor in wonder. 'No, Anya should have this.' Eric sighed through his nose.

He glanced at his father's hand and noted that it was encased in a black leather glove. He knew the man wasn't a germaphobe, it was merely a force of habit for the man not to leave prints anywhere. Aside from the night his father held him when he cried and when he picked Eric up when they saw the results of the entrance exam, there hasn't been that much physical contact between them.

Loid noticed his son's eyes on his glove covered hand then took a quick glance at Yor and Anya. He may not be able to read minds, but he had the sense that Eric wanted to do what his sister naturally does with Yor. With a quiet sigh, he held his hand out to Eric, surprising the boy. He looked up at his father who gave him an awkward yet welcoming smile. Eric looked away, pouting and feeling embarrassed before he slowly reached his much smaller hand up and grabbed the leather material that was his father's hand.

"Don't take it the wrong way." Eric whispered, low enough for Loid to hear as his hand was squeezed gently, as though to assure him it was fine.

Loid smiled slightly at how the boy was trying to act tough. "Sure thing." He said as father and son walked hand in hand behind mother and daughter.

All of a sudden, Anya dashed away from Yor to hide behind a small wall with flowerpots on them. Eric frowned, knowing Anya read something from Yor's mind that frightened her.

'Anya, whatever she was thinking, I'm sure she didn't mean any harm.' Eric translated his thoughts to her to coax her out of her hiding spot.

While Yor was surprised by Anya's sudden rejection, she turned to Loid wondering where they were going on their family outing. Just as Anya shyly came out of her hiding spot to stand next to Eric, Loid pulled out tickets to some event they were about to attend.

The Forger family sat together on the upper levels among the audience with the opera house, listening to the opera singer whose voice echoed throughout the auditorium. Loid sat with his arms crossed as he went over the plan in his head. To his left was Anya completely conked out with drool and a snot bubble, Eric looked bored and unimpressed with his head leaning against his fist, and Yor had steam coming out of her head as she tried to understand what the man was singing at the center stage.

After the opera house, the family found themselves at a museum. Eric stayed close to Anya, making sure their hands were locked together as he reminded her to keep her voice down. While this wasn't his first choice as a family activity, Eric found this much preferable compared to being forced to listen to that guy sing. Plus, he took the time to appreciate the details in the art while ignoring the ones that showed too much skin. He was still a child after all.

They found themselves in a play area with large white board and markers for kids to draw. "Papa, can me and Eric do that?" Anya asked as she pointed at the whiteboards.

"Sure, go ahead." Anya smiled excitedly as she tugged her brother over to one of the blank canvases. While Anya claimed the whole canvas for herself, Eric decided to take a corner of the whiteboard opposite of his sister. He sat cross-legged as he took out markers and started drawing. He capped the markers and leaned back, satisfied with his work before he turned around to see what Anya drew. His heart dropped at what his sister created. He shot to his feet and marched over to his sister.

As Anya finished her masterpiece, she saw her brother stand beside her with a grim look. "What do you think?"

'I think we're done for.' Eric thought to his sister as he took in her artwork.

"Huh?"

'You drew our parents and what they actually do!' Eric exclaimed as he tried to look for erasers. However, before he could go searching for them, their father approached them. He bowed his head as Anya panicked before she flattened her tiny body onto the board in a hilariously vain attempt to hide her work.

"Well, that's quite a masterpiece Anya. A pig in the forest." Loid said as he tried to make out what her childish drawing depicted.

"That's Mr. Chimera, he lives in a cool castle!" Anya hastily explained still stuck to the board.

"Of course, and there's Bondman. That is him, right?" Loid asked, noting the body shape and the pistol.

"Um, yeah." Anya hesitated; still afraid he'll find out she knows about his true identity.

"And the witch looking one is the princess. Oh dear, that middle part is rather lurid." Loid stated when he noticed red coming out of the body shapes. "Cute kitty though."

"It's a doggy!"

"I see, sorry." Loid said as Anya unstuck herself and Eric raised his head. Both released a sigh of relief.

'Well, he only got one of them right. Thank goodness her drawings are terrible.' Eric thought to himself, not noticing the glare his sister sent to him.

"Did you draw this, Eric?" Yor asked from her crouched position in front of the corner of the opposite canvas.

Eric turned towards Yor and went over to her with Anya and Loid behind them. "You made such a beautiful bouquet. Tulips?" Yor asked as she scanned the detailed petals in yellow.

Eric blushed at the compliment. "Yeah, it's my favorite flower." 'It was her favorite.'

Yor smiled, "I see. You know, flowers have a special language of their own." She said with a mysterious smile.

Eric gave her a curious look, "But flowers don't talk."

"Yeah, I tried talking to them, but they never responded. Rude." Anya chimed in with a pout.

Yor giggled then explained, "You're right, they don't technically speak. Rather, flowers symbolize a certain meaning to them. For example, a man gives a woman a red rose to convey their love to them. Even though the man doesn't have the courage to speak of love, the rose translates the passion and romantism of his feelings."

"Oh, so even though you can't hear it, the flower does speak as a messenger." Anya clarified with innocent logic.

Yor laughed, "That's one way of putting it."

"Then, um, what does the tulip, if not love?" Eric asked, wondering what the real meaning behind the flower suggests.

"The tulip symbolizes a different kind of love, one that is universal." Yor explained with a soft smile, "Tulips as a whole, mean 'unconditional love'. Like the kind a mother gives to their child." Something with Eric struck upon hearing the true meaning behind the flower. Though small and weak, possessed a powerful symbol that created something very beautiful.

Eric allowed a nostalgic smile to grace his features. "I think I like this flower even more."

Yor beamed down at him, enjoying this little bonding moment with her new children. "I'm glad."

"But you know," Loid jumped in as they turned their attention to the spy. "Tulips carry another meaning as well."

"Really, what is it, Papa?" Anya asked for them.

"Freedom."

Eric's eyes widened then turned to the flower as he registered the multiple meanings the flower holds. 'A mother's unconditional love for her child, and the freedom she wanted for us.' Eric thought to himself as he felt a piece of his heart crack at the beautiful symbolism of a tulip.

Yor smiled at the wonder in his eyes upon discovering something new. A trait that reminded her of Yuri. She stood up and ruffled Eric's hair surprising him, but he didn't flinch. He blushed at the affectionate gesture and unconsciously leaned into her touch.

Anya watched her brother with a smile on her face. Eric is starting to open up to Yor and has begun to accept her.

"So where to next?" Yor asked as she turned to her husband.

"We'll go see the tailor."

They went to the tailor shop where they first met Yor who turned out to be a regular there. After deciding what color her interview outfit will be, they left to get their family photo taken. Loid stood behind Yor who sat in a chair, Anya stood stiffly with a funny look on her face, and Eric was stationed in the middle with neutral eyes and a calming smile.

That calm smile was no longer present when they found themselves at some political rally. 'Somehow I actually prefer the opera.' He frowned deeply as he turned to Anya. 'Anya being in a crowd full of loud angry thoughts is the same as drowning.' As predicted, Anya had an ill look on her face. Eric immediately rushes to her side as she began to sway and held her. Anya leaned into her brother protective embrace.

"I don't like this place." She weakly said as she was bombarded by multiple thoughts.

Eric turned to his father who crouched as he rubbed Anya's back. "Anya can't be in places like this." He urgently said as Loid picked her up from Eric's arms and held her to his chest.

"You're right, sorry, crowds can be scary." Loid said as Yor became concerned by how their usually peppy girl could wither into this.

"Let's go somewhere else." Yor said as the family moved away from the rally. Eric glanced behind him with a glare before catching up with his folks. As they moved farther away from the crowd, Eric watched Anya's face slowly morph from pain into relaxation.

Eric released a sigh of relief. 'We should be far away now.'

"I'm hungry Papa." Anya said against her father's shirt.

"Hm? Maybe you just needed to eat."

They settled at the restaurant where Anya happily picked the nuts off her food with her hands, Yor admired a shiny steak knife, Loid looked stressed as he tried to go over his plans and create solutions to help him succeed in admitting Eric into Eden. Eric silently observed as he ate his food. He watched from his peripheral vision as Loid leaned his head in his hand while mumbling about 'systems' and 'memorizations'.

"Um, Loid, just a thought, but why don't we go out and get some fresh air?" Yor suggested upon noticing how stressed the man is feeling from their outing. She knows he's trying really hard to get them all to bond like a family for the sake of the interview to ensure his son's future. Since the places he's taken them were mainly for upper-class families, she had something in mind that didn't require societal status at all.

The warm breeze blew in their faces as they leaned against, or in Anya's case, sat on the balcony her father's protective arm around her to keep her from falling. They took in the peaceful scenery of the city from their vantage point, far from crowds and buildings.

"People look like trash from up here." Anya commented surprising her family.

"Where'd you get that from?"

"Cartoons." Anya answered, unashamed as Eric smiled slightly. He exhaled as he felt himself relax. This was much better compared to the last places they've been today.

"How did I not know about this park until today?" Loid asked as he turned to Yor.

"I never came here very often myself." Yor smiled as she turned her attention to the moving figures below. "Usually just whenever work had me feeling at my wits end."

Eric's smile fell, luckily no one saw. 'Her real job. Even she gets stressed out from it at times.'

"But seeing the city like this, reminds me that what I do helps these people. And it makes me feel better, it rejuvenates me." Yor added with a peaceful smile as Eric, Anya and Loid listened.

'That's right. Her job is to eliminate those who pose a threat to these people. To keep them safe.' Eric thought to himself as he watched the people below, unaware of the guardians watching over them. 'When laws and government can't stop monsters, Yor destroys them instead.'

"I'm sorry. I'm making this place sound so boring." Yor said as Anya watched her while swinging her legs back and forth.

"I like it way better than those big crowds." Anya said, not minding this place one bit.

"Same here. This place is much more open, and it's not as suffocating." Eric chimed in as the wind blew leaves towards them. His green eyes caught a large leaf before an idea came. He concentrated on the object and manipulated it to fly towards them. The leaf danced and twirled in front of them before it slammed stuck onto Loid's face. Surprising the man who grunted as his family laughed.

Loid peeled the maple leaf off his face with a bewildered look before Anya took it to examine its texture before handing it to Eric who winked mischievously as he stored it within his inner jacket for safe keeping.

Loid watched them for a moment before turning his attention to the citizens below, mainly towards a group of young boys chatting and enjoying themselves. Seeing them reminded him of how he used to be before war destroyed his town, how innocent and carefree he was with his friends. Sadness filled his eyes as he lost himself in those once happy memories, reminding himself about his reason to fulfill his mission as a spy to keep that kind of tragedy from happening again.

His eyes caught sight of a man in a black cap and jacket walking strangely as he passed those kids and elderly woman. All of a sudden, the man shoved the old woman to the ground and snatched the purse out of her cart before dashing off towards an alley.

"She should've been more careful." Loid commented before a whoosh flew passed him.

"Hold it right there! You're not getting away!" Yor screamed as she leapt down the levels with the intent to catch that thief.

"This is bad." Loid said as he carried Anya off the balcony with Eric following close behind him. He was surprised at the sudden action Yor took and how she literally flew down at such speed to hunt that man.

Eric panted as he caught up with his father still carrying Anya. Loid grasped the rails as he looked down at the populated street below. "He blended in with the crowd."

Eric gritted his teeth and glared, "He was wearing a cap and jacket. But he was also carrying a large bag with him. He probably had an extra set of clothes to change his appearance." Eric theorized as he scanned the crowd for that thieving rat. Loid's jaw clenched at that since it was also a tactic he used to throw people off his trail.

Father and son didn't notice Anya look intensely at the crowd below as she opened her mind to the onslaught of thoughts in an attempt to find the criminal. However, it proved overwhelming for her and caused her nose to bleed before she slumped in her father's hold.

"Anya? It happened again." Loid said as he fished out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from his daughter's nose.

Eric looked up upon hearing his father call his sister's name. His green eyes widened upon seeing the blood. 'Anya, what are you doing? You know you can't handle crowds.'

Anya then gasped and looked down at a man in a brown hat and grey coat. Eric followed her gaze and saw one in particular that had a strange walk. 'How do we point him out without giving away Anya's power?'

"Papa! I wanna eat some cake!" Anya announced as she pointed in the direction of where the thief was currently walking by.

'Hm, never mind.' Eric thought to himself as he inwardly smiled at Anya's clever way of lying as well as having a sweet tooth.

"But we barely just left the restaurant." Loid said as he looked at where his daughter pointed before he caught sight of the man in the brown hat.

"Is it just me, or does that guy walk kind of stupid?" Eric stated as he watched that thief practically skip happily and arrogantly.

Upon recognizing the walk, Loid's eyes slowly narrowed into that of a deadly predator ready to hunt his prey.

'Getting down by stairs would be too time consuming, but perhaps if I could just trip him a little, it could by us some time to arrest him.' Eric said as he glared at the thief, concentrating on his legs before he wrapped his telekinesis around his ankles and pulled, causing him to stumble forward before he righted himself. 'Not enough, but perhaps I could-'

He cut off his train of thought when Loid dashed away after putting Anya down just as Yor arrived. Eric's eyes widened at his father's sudden action as the man sprinted across the bridge then leapt over the rails with a menacing expression then pounced on the thief with enough force to cause a crater upon impact.

"A filthy pig like you deserves the foulest meal." Loid said as he got off the half-dead bastard and fixed his red tie. His actions drew a crowd, one he had hoped to avoid doing, but he didn't want this thief to get away. After picking up the purse the thief stole, he asked the crowd to call the police on the thief before he dashed back up the stairs to rejoin his family.

Together, the family returned the stolen belongings to the elderly woman before they escorted her to the hospital. The sweet grandma thanked them profusely and praised them for their heroic actions. But the best compliment they received was what a wonderful family they were. Hearing that gave Loid some confidence in this mission.

Night came as they returned home to their apartment. Eric slumped on the side of the sofa's arm with a tired sigh, "I'm beat." He said as Anya watched Yor make refreshments while Loid sat in the armchair closest to him.

"Eric, why don't we take another crack at the mock-interview?"

"Huh?" Eric responded with tired eyes but sat up straight and awaited the question.

"Now, how do you spend your days off?" Loid asked as he put on his glasses and read the question off the list.

"We got the opera, the art museums and eat together at fancy restaurants." Eric answered, which pleased his father.

"That's correct. Make sure you talk about today." Loid said approvingly before moving on to the next question.

"You've seen your friend doing something naughty. What will you do?"

Eric crossed his arms and contemplated the question. "Depending on the severity of how naughty they are. If they swipe someone's food without permission, I'd scold them. But if they steal someone's valuables and run away, I'd report them to the police." He answered after thinking about today's events.

"Oh, oh, don't forget to jump on them, beat them up and smush their face in the ground!" Anya chimed in as she bounced in between the two.

"And that crater you made with his body, not a bad touch." Eric added with an impressed smile. "Personally, I liked your method the best, saves time and gets things done fast."

"Hmm, yeah, pretend you never saw that." Loid groaned as he leaned back and covered his face with the paper.

"But why? You were so cool Papa." Anya praised as she then started to imitate him while making punching sounds. "'That's the foulest meal for you!'"

Eric chuckled silently as Loid blushed at his daughter's actions. "What you did today was really amazing. Did you learn to do that when dealing with your most violent patients?"

Loid was caught off guard by his son's question. "Um, yeah, when some of them don't take their medications, they tend to lash out. Better for us to learn how to safely restrain them without hurting them." 'In rare cases when I need to get something done quickly and quietly.' He mentally added as Yor returned with their refreshments.

Eric smiled, the moment he saw the man take action against that greedy rat, he felt a growing respect for his father. Loid could have stayed silent, but he chose to forgo his training and seized the criminal in full view of the public.

Anya sat beside her brother as she and Eric each took a mug of hot cocoa. "I had fun."

"Yeah, me too." Eric said as he took a small sip from his beverage. "Mishaps aside, today was quite enlightening." He paused to blow his drink to cool it off a bit more. "I never thought catching criminals would be a fun family activity."

"That wasn't a fun family activity." Loid stated as Eric had a light teasing smile he failed to hide behind his mug. "It was a bonding experience though. And that sweet grandma liked us for it." Eric added before he took another sip. Loid smiled as remembered the praise they were given for their efforts.

"Can we catch criminals every time we have an ooting?" Anya asked excitingly, loving how she got to use her powers to stop a bad man.

"Let's leave it as a one-time thing." Yor suggested, immediately turning down that idea as Anya pouted cutely.

"Agreed." Loid and Eric said in unison, causing the girls to laugh at their similar response.

Anya then asked, "Then how about we stop nuclear bombs on vacations?"

"Not happening." Father, mother and son responded in tandem.

"One bomb?"

"Nope." 'Besides, I disarm bombs once every few months.' Loid added in his head, making Anya giggle in response.

'If family outings involves chasing criminals, I dread to think about what our vacations will be like.' Eric thought to himself since their family was far from normal with all the secrets they keep.

Chapter Text

Eric stood in front of the mirror as he adjusted his green tie under his grey suit. His hair was combed back, his green eyes were filled with determination and certainty.

'Today's the day.' Eric nodded to himself before he left the bathroom to join Loid and Yor. The former talked to a disgruntled scruffy man and pouting Anya.

"I wanna go see brother get accepted into Eden." Anya whined unhappily at the thought of being left out on Eric's monumental occasion that can seal their place in Twilight's mission.

"Sorry Anya. But this family interview is mainly focused on Eric. If we bring you along it could disrupt the process and your brother might not be accepted." Loid said, not trying to sound unkind as he logically went over the plan that can get his son into Eden.

"But why do I have to watch her, I'm not a babysitter." Frank exclaimed, unhappy to get roped in to keeping an eye on the troublesome kid.

"You were the only one available. You're getting paid, so quit complaining." Loid stoically said to Frank.

Eric laid his hand on Anya's head, making the girl look up. "Don't worry, we'll get this done quickly before you know it. Besides, interviews are boring for kids anyway." 'Not to mention nerve wracking and nausea inducing.' He added mentally. Despite his calm exterior, he was a raging storm of anxiety and loss of appetite.

Hearing her brother's thoughts, Anya grabbed her brother's hand that was still on her head. "Will you be okay?"

Eric fostered a smile in her direction. "I'll be fine. Once we're finished, we'll bring some peanuts on the way back." He hoped his promise would alleviate her worries.

Yor watched their interaction with stars dancing around her, just their concern for each other warmed her heart. 'So sweet.' Loid sighed at his son for making such a promise without asking him.

Eric removed his hand from Anya's head, mentally asking her to watch over the house while they were out. "Ready to go." He said to his father who picked up his suitcase.

Loid took a deep breath, "The time has come at last. Have everything?"

Yor quickly checked her purse. "All clear, sir." She responded like a dutiful soldier.

"Appearances in order?"

Yor fixed her hair, flicked any dust off her blouse and checked Eric's suit. "All clear, sir."

"And how will you be speaking today?" He directed his question to Eric.

"With politeness and courtesy, sir." Eric answered in the same manner as a trained recruit.

Loid nodded then turned to Anya who stood stiffly. "I will guard home base with my life, sir." She saluted, making Frank sweatdrop while Loid smiled slightly as he put on his hat.

"Good." 'While I have my concerns, I believe we can pull this off.' Loid thought to himself as he grabbed an umbrella and opened the door. 'Onward to the Eden College interview.'

Like soldiers heading off to war, the trio left the apartment towards their goal.

"It's huge." Yor exclaimed upon arriving at the entrance gate.

'No, we're just small.' Eric mentally added as he took in the enormous campus.

"It is the country's premier prep school." Loid stated.

"And there are so many applicants." Yor commented as they were surrounded by other families attending the interviews.

"You mean rivals." Loid corrected as Eric nodded. 'That's right. Everyone here is either an enemy or an ally.'

"Will you be okay in this crowd, Eric?" Loid asked, remembering how tense the boy was during that political rally.

"They don't bother me the way they did with Anya. I'll be fine." Eric assured his father who nodded then placed his gloved hands on his hat. "Let's move."

The Forgers walked as a unit, being as inconspicuous as possible, but all three kept their guard up when they felt they were being watched. Eric's hair stood on end at the feeling of someone's gaze on him. He kept his face blank like Loid's as his eyes darted around, trying to find who was watching them. He glanced at his father, but his focus was turned upward. Following the man's gaze while keeping his face forward, he saw people in windows and bell towers watching them, many of them with clipboards in their hands.

Eric's eyes narrowed as his mind went back to the testing labs, doctors and scientists standing over him with critical patronizing eyes as they jotted their notes while experimenting on him. His hands clenched into fists, lost in the memory as he glared up, focusing on the people above him. He hated this feeling of being looked at, studied like a caged rat without a hint of compassion. His green eyes flickered into a strange color for a millisecond before the window developed a large crack, startling the observers and making them shriek in fright.

"Wonder what happened up there?" Yor asked when she saw the glass window above them break slightly.

"Probably a bird flew into it." Loid theorized then looked down at his son to see a deep frown on his young face. "Are you alright?"

That question seemed to snap Eric out of that memory before he quietly took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm okay. Guess I am a little nervous."

He laid a hand on Eric's small shoulder and gave him a firm comforting squeeze. "You'll do fine. You practiced day and night for this. I need you two to be on your guard, the examiners are everywhere." His warning confirms their thoughts. "Just stick to the plan."

Eric kept his shoulders squared and his face calm and neutral as he walked between his parents. They came upon a statue of who appears to be the founder of this school. At the corner of his eye, he saw Loid place a hand on his heart, following his lead, Yor and Eric copied his actions and paid their respects to the statue.

'Whoever this guy was, I've got a lot riding on this, so help me out here.' Eric thought to the statue who seemed to sweatdrop.

The Forgers followed the line of applicants as they were directed to Hall 1 for their interview. "We're still being observed, keep your guard up." Loid reminded them as he adjusted his hat.

"Right." Eric nodded as they continued their journey.

"It's so nerve wracking being watched like this." Yor commented, still feeling eyes on them.

"Help! Help! I've fallen in the gutter and can't get out!" A second-year plump student cried out in 'fear'.

The Forgers turned to see the student in 'distress'. 'Is this some kind of joke? 'Cause I'm not laughing!' Eric thought to himself with narrowed eyes at the obvious test the school was throwing in their faces.

"Oh, woe is me!" Eric continued to listen to this boy's cries for help before Loid laid a hand on his shoulder. "The boy needs our help. We must save him." He calmly said as he approached the flailing student flinging sewage everywhere. Eric dodged some of the splatters while redirecting the other flying filth elsewhere. He was about to pull the boy out with the help of his telekinesis, but Loid literally stepped in the puddle and yanked the boy out with grace, splattering himself and a surprised Eric.

As he set the boy down, Eric offered him a handkerchief. "Here you go." He said while giving him a blank stare that unsettled the boy.

"You're not hurt, are you? You should go to the nurse, just in case." Loid said as he stepped out of the gutter and removed his soiled hat. Eric took his father's hat as the older man stepped over to a waterspout to clean his hands and wash the muck off his shoe. After he was done, he turned to Eric who nodded and approached his father with his ever-calm countenance.

The second year fiddled with his fingers with a guilty expression. While he may be receiving extra credit for being part of this test, he felt horrible at the idea of these nice people failing because of him. The least he should do is apologize, "Hey, um, I'm really sor-"

"Glad we anticipated this." Yor's words interrupted the guilt-ridden boy's apology. He looked up in shock at the fresh new set of clothes the father and son quickly changed into. Loid's blue suit was now greyish black while Eric's was a beige colored suit with brown tie he carefully adjusted. "What would we have done if we hadn't brought a change of clothes with us."

Eric listened to his parents talk for a moment before turning to the second year. "I'm glad you're okay. Though next time, watch where you step. Because the next one you fall into, might be ready to bite you." He said before his father thanked the boy for giving them the opportunity to change clothes to avoid standing out too much.

The Forgers resumed their walk to their destination. But they paused when they heard loud clanging. "Oh no! The animals escaped the farmhouse!" Someone yelled as a stampede of cows, pigs, sheep, horses, and birds came their way.

"What's up with the ostrich?" Eric wondered before he was picked up by his father and was carried away from the chaos.

Loid was not happy with this kind of test, but all the same, he urged Yor not to break formation as they ran from the animals while maintaining their grace. Amid the chaos, a little boy tripped while running beside his father who was arguing with some CEO. "Wait for me! Father!" Just as the boy was about to be trampled by a mad cow, Loid swiftly saved him at the cost of his new suit getting torn. He set the boy down who immediately ran into his father's arms.

While Loid saved the boy, out of the corner of Eric's eye, a girl his age with dark brown hair ties up in two side ponytails and light brown eyes filled with fear couldn't outrun the furious horse coming towards her with the intent to stomp on her. Without thinking, he ran towards her, literally flying with the use of his telekinesis that went completely unnoticed amid the chaos. Just as monstrous hooves were about to make contact, the girl was snatched out of the horse's path and landed on something soft.

Eric grunted as he took the brunt of the concrete while keeping a firm protective hold on the girl he just rescued. With the rescued girl safely out of harm's way, he sat up while holding his throbbing head. "Are you okay?" He asked, scrunching his eyes shut in pain before his green orbs locked onto awestruck brown ones. A small blush dusted the girl's cheeks as she beheld the beautiful boy who saved her life. Only knights save fair maidens such as her.

"Um, hi. Could you...let me stand up, please?" Eric greeted awkwardly, unable to move due to the girl laying on top of him when he cushioned the impact of their fall.

The girl's blush deepened when she realized the unbecoming position they were in. "Oh, I'm sorry." She hastily stood up then carefully pulled the boy to his feet.

"It's okay." Eric groaned at the movement enflaming his newly sore muscles before he dusted himself off. "You're not hurt, are you?"

The girl blushed and held her hands to her chest to calm her beating heart, unable to meet his charming green eyes. "Um, I'm alright."

"No, you're not." Eric said when he caught a scrape on the girl's hand. Her eyes widened upon seeing her pale hand marred from the fall.

Eric fished through the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a band aide with a heart on it. He gently took her hand and carefully stuck the band aid over her scrape. With the wound firmly covered, he placed a healing kiss to her hand, the action making the girl go completely red.

"There that should keep the pain at bay." Eric said, still holding her hand as he gave her a soft comforting smile he usually reserves for his sister.

"Um, I-um...th-thank you." The girl was tongue tied at the boy's gentlemanly actions as she looked down, feeling very shy under his green gaze.

"Uh, I'm-"

"Eric!" Loid yelled upon seeing his son safely out of the way and made a mad dash over to him. "Are you okay?" He said, crouching down to his level, inspecting him for injuries, if he got hurt before the interview, then the mission would truly fail.

"I'm okay, just bumped my head a little, that's all." Eric assured him, rubbing the spot on his head that seems to have an invisible target for all things blunt and heavy.

Loid touched the same spot Eric was massaging, watching his son keep his tough kid look on despite his wince. He pulled his hand back. "Well, you're not bleeding, so that's a good sign."

"Pain's already gone, sir." Eric said, not noticing the girl watching him with starry eyes.

Then his attention went to Yor who stood in the middle of the road facing what could be the leader of the herd. She charged at the angry cow and did the unexpected. With her middle and index finger, she pressed the pressure points while flipping over the animal. With a murderous look, she landed and spun in a crouch, tearing her skirt and leggings while crossing her arms around her with her fingers still pointed like deadly weapon.

The cow dropped, shocked and paralyzed and utterly defeated by the terrifying human.

Loid, Eric and the girl witnessed this action just as shocked. "My mother just killed a cow." Eric stated in both amazement and bewilderment.

"That's your mom!" The girl exclaimed, not seeing any resemblance between the two.

Yor stood up then squeaked upon realizing what she did in front of her family. "It's not what you think! I learned about the pressure points connected to movement in yoga classes years ago! I thought they might work on cows too!" She explained in a panic then turned to the animals backing away from her fearfully. "Don't look at me like that!"

Upon noticing how the cow trembled all over, Eric slowly approached the animal and knelt before it to stroke its snout. "You're okay now. There's no need to be afraid." He said soothingly. "Why don't you go home? You've had enough excitement for today."

Eric found himself in his father's arms again as the man gave him a scolding look. "Eric, don't go near it right now." He flinched away when the cow stood up and calmly walked away, prompting the herd to return to the farmhouse.

"Guess the excitement's over." Eric said as Loid held him securely.

"Apparently so." Loid agreed, watching the animals leave.

"Seriously, what's up with the ostrich?" Eric asked, still wondering why they even have that bird here in the first place.

"I don't know, we're lucky no one was hurt." Loid stated as Yor came over to them.

Meanwhile, the girl whom Eric saved was back with her parents as they fussed over her, making sure there was no damage done to their baby. However, her attention was solely on her savior, gentle and courageous. Her knight in shining armor. Her ideal partner.

'Prince Eric.' She thought as she swooned at the sight of him, even as he was held in his handsome father's arms. If Eric grew up looking like that, he'll become the target of many maidens wishing to marry him.

"Becky, are you ill?" Her doting father asked worriedly as he watched his daughter's dazed expression.

But what his daughter said next gave him a heart attack. "I know who I want to marry."

Back with the Forgers, Loid set his son down as an old man with a monocle dashed out of the building. "Forgers!" Loid turned around and recognized him as one of the Housemasters of Eden, Henry Henderson.

The old man panted then addressed the Forgers, "I...thank you for your assistance. Also," He stood straighter, "you have bested me for today." He admitted, feeling humbled by the actions they took to save people from this blunder.

Eric blinked at him in confusion as the Housemaster informed them. "To give us all time to collect ourselves after this chaos, we'll be briefly delaying the interviews. "

'So the whole farm animal debacle wasn't their idea.' Eric confirmed in his head, silently thankful this wasn't part of the test as he rubbed his newly acquired bump.

"Return to the hall once you've had a moment to tidy yourselves. After today, your family has the right to apply to our school." The old man stated after witnessing their elegance in rescuing the applicants. Both parents and child reflect positively with each other. With the boy's resilience, bravery, and gentlemanly actions, he could thrive in Eden.

"I thank you for your generosity, but there's no need for a delay." Loid said, catching Henderson's attention. "We anticipated this and prepared another change of clothes." Now Loid wore a black suit with a yellow tie and a top hat while Yor changed into a lovely pink dress.

By this point, Henderson was reasonably downright terrified.

'Well, we were a family of freaks already. But now I'm worried about this guy looking as though he'll have a heart attack.' Eric thought with a sigh as he followed his parents to their interview.

They sat outside the interview room awaiting their turn. Eric was situated between his parents, keeping his face straight, though the nervous tick on his eyebrow gave away his emotions. He glanced as his mother who was trying to remain dignified and calm while his father whose expression was forever stoic, but he caught the way he clenched his hands tightly and adjusted his yellow tie.

'He's more anxious than I am.' Eric thought to himself as he took slow meditative breaths to keep himself calm. It wouldn't do well to demolish this building before they got to their interview.

The door opened and out walked a family of three, a father scolding his weeping son and the mother looking sad and dejected. 'Poor kid. He never stood a chance.' Eric sighed as he pitied the boy.

"Next family; the Forgers."

"Here." The fake family responded as they stood up and went to their interview.

"Thank you for having us." Loid greeted the three interviewers, one of them he recognized as Henderson.

All three Forgers sat in separate armchairs, the parents across from the Housemasters and Eric sat diagonally to them. "We usually like to start these off by asking a few questions to the parents." The kind and logical bespectacled Housemaster of Malcom Hall, the 5th Dorm, Walter Evans, began then addressed Loid, "I was informed that this is your second wife. May I ask how you two met?"

Loid smiled as he described his first meeting with Yor, making sure to include the detail about the tailor shop being the same one that caters to Eden College's school uniform. He was truthful about being in awe with her and how she'd get along with his children whil lying about having a first wife.

When Yor was asked what she thinks of her husband, she blushed as she praised Loid for being a great person, a loving father to his children, and a considerate spouse to her.

Walter was impressed by their affectionate family. The overweight middle-aged clump in the middle, Housemaster Swan of Cline Hall, 2nd Dorm, however made a rather rude comment about marrying someone with 'baggage'. Him being the only son of the former headmaster and a legacy hire makes him an arrogant, greedy and callous man. Considering how his wife filed for divorce the previous month as well as losing custody of his daughter, he's jealous of other families and treats them poorly.

"No onto our next question, could you tell us why it is you chose to apply to our school?"

Loid answers were hardly considered a lie. He genuinely believes in the cultured and knowledgeable faculty whose skills are second to none and how their prestige can prepare his son for greatness.

Housemaster Henderson was impressed by the man's elegant answer that showed much potential in him.

"I see, I would love to hear one of you describe your son in your own words next." The bespectacled man requested, glancing at Eric who sat with his back straight. "Strengths, weaknesses, your honesty is a given, of course." Eric's green eyes swerved to Loid while keeping his face forward.

Loid smiled as he went on to describe his son, "Eric has a genuinely curious nature, he loves reading and knowing how things work. I rarely him without a book in his hand." Loid added with a small chuckle, "While some may call it a weakness, his thirst for knowledge makes him quite intelligent and mature for his age."

'Yes, he does carry an air of maturity, and his eyes seem to hold that curious spark half the students here lack.' Henderson thought to himself as his glanced at the boy who remained unmoving like a statue.

"A few times he would walk while reading, and that puts me on my toes because that kind of tendency has caused him to bump into things." Eric blushed slightly upon remembering how he knocked into that pole that first day while reading.

"His main flaw is the occasional lack of awareness regarding his surroundings. Admittedly, he can be quite clumsy in that regard, and he does get hurt a lot. Yet despite that, he has a pretty impressive pain tolerance and can easily brush them off with little problem." Loid said after witnessing how accident prone his son can be but can literally roll with the punches.

"Yes, I noticed how he hurt his head when he saved a fellow applicant from being trampled. Quite a resilient young lad you are." Henderson praised the boy after witnessing how Eric risked his life to protect another.

"You saw that?" Eric sheepishly asked as he massaged the still present bump under his hair.

"Hard not to. No heroic deed can go unnoticed." Henderson, allowing himself to smile at the boy's humble shyness.

"I hardly did anything. The most I did was give her a band aid." Eric said, smiling bashfully, though internally, he panicked at the very idea of being seen like that, especially if he used his powers. 'Well, so much for being inconspicuous.'

"Nonsense, you showed your own elegance and valor out there much like your parents. Be proud of that." Henderson encouraged as he waved off the boy's excuse when it was plain for everyone to see how much he picked up from his parents.

Loid smiled at the praise his son was receiving from the Housemaster, already earning the man's favor.

Walter Evans was also impressed by the boy's humble nature then addressed Yor on her parenting style. Yor admitted to her own insecurities yet was quite fond of her husband's children and tried to spoil them to gain their favor. But when the topic of cooking came up, Loid chimed in by saying that he mainly does the cooking in the house. Then Swan openly mocked and criticized Yor for not knowing how to cook like a proper wife, embarrassing and shaming Yor.

While Loid was quick to defend his wife, Eric felt his heart pick up as irritation and fury boiled within him. He clenched his fists tightly against his trousers as he fought to reign in his fury at how this man insulted Yor. His green eyes were cold and had that same eerie glow when looking up at the observers. 'Stay calm Eric, we don't want to destroy this building by accident.' His eyes glanced at the mirror above the fireplace and noticed how Swan was sitting directly under it. The temptation to just drop that on the smug bastard's head was strong, but then remembered something very important. Breaking a mirror means seven years bad luck.

'Right, can't do that. He's not worth bad luck.' Eric breathed calmly and slowly as he set his cold gaze on Swan. 'Then again, he looks well in his 40s. From what I read, men his age are susceptible to heart attacks.' The darkest parts of his mind could already envision it, him reaching inside and squeezing the man's heart, Swan clutching his chest in pain as he fell down, gasping and struggling for air while staring pleadingly into the void, begging for his life to be spared. All while no one suspected little Eric.

Subtly, Eric unclenched his thumb and index finger while staring intently at Swan's chest, picturing his beating heart and concentrating on the aorta, pulmonary artery, and the superior vena cava. 'If I squeeze those,' Eric's index and thumb twitched their fingertips towards each other, 'he will never insult Yor anymore.'

'Big brother...please stop.' Anya's tear-filled face appeared within his mind, much smaller and younger as she held Eric's back amid all the chaos and bloodshed surrounding them. All caused by him.

Eric twitched slightly as the darkness gripping his soul receded, his fingers relaxing as he tucked them into his fist. 'Okay, Anya. I won't kill him.' He thought to his sister as though she was in the same room as him.

"Why don't we ask the child a few questions now." Walter spoke up to diffuse the tension as Swan sat glaring at the Forgers for their loving relationship.

The boy perked up when attention was turned on him. "First, can you tell us your name and address please?"

Back straight and a calm countenance, he answered, "Eric Forger, my address is 128 Park Avenue, West Berlint."

Then came the questions on what his parents do for a living, how hard each of them works to make a living, describing his personal feelings towards them. Thankfully, they were straightforward and acceptable answers. Inwardly, Loid released a sigh of relief, happy that all the practice paid off.

"How do you feel about attending our school?"

This was it, the main target of this interview. 'I can't mess up.' Eric took a deep breath then answered, "Honestly, I was a bit uneasy when my father presented me with the very idea of attending such an elite school. Standing among students who come from prestigious families did scare me, still does actually." He paused to take another deep breath. "However, I have a dream I wish to fulfill, a goal to be more precise, and I believe that Eden College can help me achieve that dream."

"Oh, and what is your goal?" Henderson asked, watching the boy's eyes spark with determination and unwavering resolve. That kind of spark is rarely seen, even in seventh year students. 'How interesting.'

"I want to become a doctor." His answer shocked the Housemasters. "I have a desire to study medicine, mend wounds, and fix what's broken. It may sound silly to some, but it's what I wish to do with my life."

Henderson and Walter were intrigued by Eric's honest ambition while Swan looked ready to scoff at the boy. "If I may ask, Eric Forger, why do you wish to become a doctor?" Walter asked with a kind smile as he awaited his answer.

Eric smiled fondly as he thought of Anya. "I have a little sister. By becoming a doctor, I can make sure she lives a long happy and healthy life. I love and care for her very dearly and I wish to protect her and everyone from all the pain in the world. I know it won't be easy, it'll keep getting harder down the road. But I'm willing to accept any challenge and overcome any obstacle this school and life wants to throw at me."

All of them, minus one, were touched by his resolve and reason for committing to his goal in life. 'A selfless desire to keep another alive. Truly an elegant soul you are, Eric Forger.' Henderson thought as he felt a deep respect for the boy.

Walter touched his heart at the boy's ambition motivated by pure unconditional love for his little sister. Yor was awestruck and nearly moved to tears. Loid smiled an honest encouraging smile for his son's goal, completely forgetting the real reason for this interview.

Swan on the other hand was nauseated and annoyed by how everyone swayed to the boy whom he deemed as filth of society.

Walter then asked his next question, "If I were to ask you to give your parents a score, what would it be?"

Eric hummed, "Depends on how you score them. Though personally, I'd say 110%. Despite their mishaps and stumbles in parenthood, the fact that they are still learning and willing to take risks for us makes them perfect in my eyes. I feel safest when I'm with them." His answer shocked his parents, Loid especially since he was the one who was ill prepared for fatherhood but was willing to take on the role for the mission. At this point, without realizing it, he's embracing the role wholeheartedly. Yor was surprised when Eric said he felt safe with her. Being an assassin is dangerous, something she knew the moment she took on that job. No one ever felt safe with her as a killer. But as a mother, Eric is acknowledging and trusting her for her ability to keep him and Anya safe.

Walter nodded in approval, but then Swan asked a question that completely ruined the mood.

"Well, between your new and old mother, who would you give a higher score?"

There it is, that dark feeling came back, that malevolent desire to rip this man's intestines out and play double dutch with it. How dare he bring up his birth mother with that filthy mouth, and to toss Yor into the mix? Seven years bad luck doesn't seem so bad right now.

But he quickly stamped out his dark feelings lest he break more windows. A smile graced his lips but didn't reach his eyes. "To be honest, I hardly have any memory about my birth mother." His admittance shocked everyone, even his parents. "It's quite pitiful, I know." He breathed out slowly. "While my mind doesn't have that much memory of her, my heart remembers how it felt to receive her love." He touched his chest, as though to stop the pain that constricted his heart.

He then set Swan with a firm scolding look that surprised the older man. "Also, I never lacked for a mother's love or affection. In the short time that I've known Yor, I knew for certain that she was different, that she was meant to be with father, Anya and me. People can say it was fate, chance, or destiny for them to meet. But for me personally," He narrowed his gaze at Swan, "My birth mother sent Yor Briar to love us in her stead. So really, I have two mothers watching over me, one from heaven, and Yor with whom I trust and deem worthy of being part of this family."

Silence followed after his speech. It wasn't until Yor leapt out of her seat with such speed that Loid could've sworn she teleported. Eric found himself in Yor's embrace. Though he was surprised, he didn't flinch from her touch. But what shocked him was how her body shook around him as she wept into his shoulder. "You really mean that?" Yor asked as tears stained her son's jacket. Hearing how he can't remember his mother broke her heart, but what he said about his mother sending Yor to watch and protect her children made her feel as though she was receiving a blessing. What's more, Eric, who had always been so reserved around her, vocally accepted her before the teachers.

Unmindful of the stares being directed at them, Eric returned the embrace. "I do. I should have said it long ago. I'm sorry it took a while." This caused her to hold him tighter but was careful with her strength. Last thing she wants is to break his ribs like she did with Yuri.

Walter had to remove his glasses to wipe the tears that wanted to fall. "Well, there's your answer." Walter stated to the dumbfounded Swan who thought he could get the boy to crack.

Eric lifted his head to stare directly at Swan who no longer looked smug. A disproved frown etched itself on Eric's face while Yor held him from the side. "In response to your question, Mr. Swan. That was truly petty of you to ask." His cold words got a rise out of the fat bastard like he wanted.

"What?"

Eric didn't waver, instead, he narrowed his gaze. "You heard me. All you've done the moment we set foot in this room is criticize and belittle my mother. I will not have you dishonor her any further." He squeezed Yor's arm momentarily, "It's true she may not be what you deem as an ideal partner or caretaker, but I prefer her for her own unique values and her willingness to take on this role." He had to fight the smirk that wanted to make its way to his face when he saw veins bulge out of head.

He couldn't resist pushing his buttons, he wanted Swan to crack. "I consider her a much better parent than you ever hope to be. Honestly, I pity any child cursed to have you for a father. Hopefully they're far from your poison and their mother has found a spouse more worthy of being the father of their child. I believe their score on you is... -50%." A small spiteful smile quirked on his lips. "And that's me being generous."

Swan growled as he shot to his feet, startling his colleagues. "Why you cocky little brat!" The angry red-faced Swan roared, and he held his swollen hands out as though to choke the boy as he stomped towards him with the intent to strangle. Walter and Henderson were not quick enough to stop him or calm him down as panic and fear for their potential student filled their souls.

Yor picked Eric up and held him close, that same murderous look came back as she cracked her hands, ready to strike the killing blow. Loid leapt to his feet and quickly stood between his family and the pissed off Swan.

Eric, with his hand close to his chest as he was held protectively by Yor, smirked faintly as his eyes flashed that odd color once again. He flicked his finger horizontally, focusing on the man's legs and kicked them out from under him as he charged forth. He barely let out a yelp of surprise before Eric made another motion with his finger and applied more force behind Swan's fall and slammed his ugly mug into the coffee table. The wood splintered in half and gave way from the impact, killing an unlucky mosquito who had the misfortune of seeing Swan's face before he got squashed. Poor bug.

Everyone was stunned silence at what they just saw, Swan tripped, faceplanted and murdered the table.

Eric tilted his head in wonder, "Is he dead?"

Loid carefully knelt down and checked his pulse, a moment later, everyone heard a groan. "He's alive." Loid confirmed without a hint of emotion as Eric gave a disappointing sigh.

Walter being the courteous colleague he is, knelt to help the man off the table. Henderson held his cane as he gave Swan a disappointing look. 'How inelegant to attack a child.'

"Get off!" Swan shoved Walter away as he pushed himself off the poor table. His nose was broken and overflowing with blood dripping out. He spat the blood out of his mouth but was shocked to see three of his front teeth clatter onto the wood. He held his face in mortification and pain, "It's broken!" He wailed as he tried to stop the bleeding.

"That's what you get for attacking an applicant." Henderson said with disproval before turning to the Forgers who let down their battle stance. "I believe we can conclude this interview. Thank you for your time, Forgers. I do apologize for his misdemeanor." He cordially said as he held his hand out for Loid to take.

Loid shook the Housemaster's hand, "Yes, thank you for having us. Come along you two." He said to Yor and Eric, wanting to get them out of danger before he really shows Swan what a broken nose is.

"Right." Yor nodded as she led Eric by the shoulders towards the door Loid held open for them.

Eric stopped then turned to the Housemasters, he placed a hand on his chest and bowed to them. "Thank you for everything. I hope you'll consider me for your institution." He said before straightening up and following his father and mother out of the room.

Once the door closed, Swan growled beneath his hand. "Th audacity of that little brat! How dare he disrespect me like that?" He grinned viciously despite the pain in his face, "No matter, he can kiss the idea of being a doctor goodbye. He'll never set foot in this school."

Henderson glared at Swan for his callous behavior towards that exceptional boy. "Master Swan, that is quite enough."

"Are you taking issue with my processes? He may not be the current head of this school, but my father still has sway here. And it'd be wise of you to watch that mouth of yours." Swan threatened, ready to use his father's influence to punish anyone he disliked.

Henderson clenched his teeth as he recalled how Loid Forger expressed his belief that the faculty can prepare his son for the future, and how little Eric was ready to face challenges head on to achieve his dream.

'Those who grovel at the feet of the powerful have no right to call themselves educators!' Henderson thought angrily as he gripped his cane.

With all the elegance an old man can muster, he clocked Swan straight in the schnoz with a very satisfying punch that would make his ancestors proud.

"All things with elegance, I say." Henderson said as he wiped his knuckles clean of Swan's filth. "And with that I can face you with the pride of an Eden College educator."

At the Forger residence.

A cloud hung over Eric's head, "Blew it." He said from his spot on the couch with Yor on his left rubbing his back and Anya stationed at his right.

Loid sat in his armchair as he watched Eric mope. "Eric, you didn't do anything wrong. Why do think you blew it?" He asked as he remembered how Swan put the boy on the spot over which mother he preferred. Not knowing his children's past could have easily led to their downfall. Thankfully, Eric provided the right kind of information he can work with. While his heartfelt speech won favor with Walter and Henderson, he knew Swan would never yield.

"But I... broke his nose...broke the coffee table...and murdered a bug in the process." Eric honestly said as he remembered the sick satisfaction he got when he saw the old toad's bleeding face. Anya was impressed and happy the big ol' bully got what's coming as she saw the scene play out. Her favorite was how Eric sat there like a boss putting an underling in his place.

"You didn't do anything; it was his own fault he tripped and fell down." Yor soothingly said while she continued to rub his back. She herself was ready to break his nose when he charged at her baby boy.

Eric clenched his hands tightly. "I said awful things to him." He admitted, "I wanted to hurt him, I wanted him to feel some kind of pain." He gritted his teeth and glared at the coffee table. "I couldn't take another minute of him belittling you like that." His throat closed up, "If I had just kept my mouth shut..."

"I think the big ugly bully would still hate you even if you didn't say anything." Anya stated after catching a glimpse of Swan. Truly an awful revolting man to be around.

"She's right Eric. As far as anyone's concerned, he acted immature and unprofessional." Loid stated, even now he fought the urge to rush back and punch him uglier. "But you on the other hand, you were calm and mature throughout the entire interview. You didn't let your emotions control your actions."

'As opposed to me, I was ready to kill him.' Loid sighed as he quietly berated himself for almost losing control.

'I could've easily murdered him with my bare hands and claim it was self-defense. But I would probably overdo it if his blood and brain matter made a mess of our clothes.' Yor nodded to herself as she rethought how that scene would play out.

Anya tensed up when she sensed their murderous thoughts. They are truly scary.

"But I-"

"Listen," Loid cut him off, "we can't change what happened back there. The most we can do now is hope for the best. Even if they don't accept you, that's their loss." He said, as a spy, he has to prepare for the worst and figure out another way to complete his mission. He'll still keep this family together, that much is certain.

"But I want to go to that school." Eric said, his head bowed with fringes covering his eyes. "I have to... no... I need to prove them wrong. If I give up before I begin, what kind of doctor will I be?" 'If I don't go into that school, we won't be together anymore. These secrets are the reason why we can't be apart.'

Loid allowed himself to smile at his son's unwavering resolve. While the boy wasn't as open with his emotions, he can see how passionate he is towards his goal, and how the main reason for his dedication is because of Anya.

He got up from his seat, picked his daughter up and sat her on his lap as he took her place beside Eric. Anya snuggled in her father's hold as Loid placed a comforting hand on Eric's cropped wavy hair. Eric looked up at Loid who gave him that reassuring smile, one that can never be faked. "You'll be a fine doctor, with or without Eden. If the other schools knew how smart you really are, they'd be fighting over you to represent them."

"What he said." Anya chimed in, her green eyes gleaming with encouragement for her favorite brother.

It was Eric's turn to allow a smile to come onto his face after returning from the interview. "Thank you."

Yor smiled then placed a kiss on her son's cheek, "I'll go make some tea." She said before she got up and went to the kitchen.

Eric blushed and wiped his cheek.

"Dad, if I don't get into Eden, I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you." Eric promised, since his admission into Eden is Twilight's only hope for maintaining peace. But just in case, despite his preference to stay out of their father's dangerous missions, he's willing to put his skills to use and help Twilight's organization protect the nations.

"You don't have to go that far." Loid said as Anya smiled when she sensed the direction of her brother's thoughts.

"Wanna bet?" Eric challenged with that small smile that told Loid he wasn't backing down from his promise.

"Well, what's done is done." Loid said as Yor came back with a tray. "All we can do now is celebrate our hard work." This lifted the family's spirits as each of them took a teacup and clinked their drinks together. "To the family's bright future."

Chapter Text

It's been a week since the Eden College family interview, and the Forgers are now on their way back to the school for the admissions results to see if Eric got accepted. The morning our favorite telekinetic child got up, he had bags under his eyes, his complexion was pale, and he walked into a brick wall. Normally, kids cry when this happens. But Eric was too stressed and dead tired to feel even a bee sting.

He kept his eyes forward as Anya held his hand as they walked between their parents. His face held fatigue and looked too deprived of sleep to even muster the energy to respond to anything. He tried everything, read every book, twice, and recited math equations to work himself into exhaustion. Nothing worked. He dreaded this day, the results that could put them on the chopping block, noose, the firing squad, whatever method of execution this country favors.

"Brother, your thoughts are so loud, it's hurting my brain." Anya said as she looked at her brother worriedly. She had done multiple prayer dances with Mr. Chimera to call upon any deity who was listening to help Eric get into the school.

"Is it? Sorry, I think I'm dying." Eric sluggishly said as he swayed uneasily.

Unfortunately, Eric wasn't the only one that was stressed. Loid frowned at the restless state his son was in. He too had been awaiting this day, and despite his best efforts to hold onto hope, he still can't help but worry.

He placed a hand on Eric's shoulder in an attempt to alleviate both of their worries. "It'll be alright, the sooner we get this done, the sooner we don't have to stress over this."

Eric looked from the large, gloved hand on his shoulder to the man it connected to. "I doubt you'll be fine."

"What do you mean?" 'Am I starting to slip? Kids shouldn't be this observant.'

Eric sighed, "Last time we went to see my test results you dropped onto the ground." His blunt words made Loid retract his hand as he blushed upon remembering how he fainted from the emotional and physical exhaustion. "And I'm not letting you pick me up again."

"You actually fainted?" Yor asked her husband, surprised to know that this calm steadfast man could just pass out.

"It was a rough week." Loid explained as he tilted his hat down to cover his expression.

"Papa, we thought you died that day. It was really scary." Anya said, looking up at her father, now having two men in her family to worry about. Whether they get good news or bad news, the spy will most likely pass out again.

"Yeah, I forgot to bring a wheel barrel for you. Sorry." Eric said with a light smirk when he caught Loid's expression.

"We don't need a wheel barrel. Mama can just carry him like Bondman carried Princess Honey." Anya chimed in with a smile as an image of Yor holding Loid in that manner made them laugh while Loid blushed at the teasing flew through their minds. While Loid disliked ridicule, this helped distract them from the possibility of failure. With a sigh of resignation, he accepted being the center of jokes right now.

They stood before the gates of Eden, steeling their nerves before they stepped onto school grounds. Well, most of them. Loid, Yor and Anya stopped and turned around to see Eric completely frozen with his eyes to the ground.

"Eric, what's wrong?" Yor asked as she came to her son's side.

"My... feet forgot how to move." Eric admitted, while it sounded silly, that's what it felt like to him. His feet were heavy and refused to take another inch closer to the uncertainty beyond the gate.

Anya bounded over to Eric then took his right hand in between her smaller ones. "It's okay Eric, we're right here with you." Eric looked into Anya's hopeful encouraging green eyes that wanted to sooth his anxiety. Which worked to a certain degree. He needed another boost from somewhere. He turned to his left and held his other hand out for Yor who smiled in understanding and surrounded his small fingers with hers.

Taking a deep breath, he took one step into Eden, letting his mother and sister guide him. Loid smiled at the sight as he let them walk ahead of him, taking up the rear as he guarded his son's back.

They joined the other parents and their children, some were laughing in joy, while others cried in disappointment. Eric stood before the board that would decide his fate but didn't dare to look up. His hands held his mother's and sister's, afraid to let go as he kept his eyes closed and his head bowed. He wasn't ready to disappoint them.

His father's hand rested on his shoulder while his other stroked his hair. "Eric, look." Loid's voice gently coaxed his son out from his doubt and insecurity as the boy slowly raised his head and opened his green eyes to Yor and Anya pointing at the board. Eyes widened in disbelief as he followed their fingers.

'K...' His eyes blurred at the edges. '...2...' His breathing became shallow. '...12.' Then everything went black.

Thankfully his father caught him just in time before he picked him and carried him away. A happy relieved smile. "Now who was it that said I was going to faint?" He asked as Anya laughed and cheered, "Big brother passed, he's going to become a doctor!"

Yor giggled under her breath as she held Anya's hand. "He certainly worked hard. He deserves some well-earned rest."

"Indeed, he does." Loid said as he cradled his son like a baby. He slept like one.

"A moment of your time Forgers?"

They turned to the voice and saw it was Housemaster Henderson, standing proudly with his cane in hand.

"Master Henderson." Loid greeted, still cradling his son.

"Is he alright?" Henderson asked, concerned for the child's well-being since it would not do to have their newest recruit sick.

Loid chuckled, "He had a rough time sleeping last night from the stress of today's results. The relief caused him to finally fall asleep."

Henderson smiled at that. "I see, the poor lad actually thought we wouldn't have him here?"

Loid explained, "After what happened at that interview, he felt responsible for Master Swan's injuries."

Henderson waved off that concern, "Oh poppycock, that was due to Swan's temper and clumsiness, not your child's. In fact, that's one of the reasons why I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh?" Loid wondered as Yor and Anya listened to what Henderson.

"As you are aware, we do not condone violence at this school, whether it is between students or teachers. Which is why I am ashamed of Swan's actions, both verbal and physical. While your son came out of that unscathed, it does not change the fact that one of our own tried to attack a defenseless child."

'Yeah, defenseless.' Anya thought smugly as she glanced at her sleeping brother.

"I've already reported his actions to the Headmaster and the board of educators. He's been suspended."

"I see, that's a relief." Loid said, happy that slanderous prick won't go anywhere near this place, for the time being.

"Yes." Henderson sigh regretfully, "I should also confess that I too committed violence on school grounds. After your family left, I gave Swan a good thrashing over his inelegant and uncouth behavior." He said, trying to hide the satisfaction he felt when he socked the bastard.

"Really, that's awesome." Anya praised the old teacher, earning a look from her parents.

"It is not something to emulate dear one. Problems cannot be solved through violent behavior." Henderson said to little Anya whose big green eyes sparkled in wonder and respect.

"You are absolutely right." Loid and Yor said in unison.

"Yeah, I know. But if someone like you can take down a bully with one blow means you have to be the coolest teacher ever." Anya stated, undeterred as she revered the teacher for standing up for her family.

Henderson gave the girl one of his rare smiles. "You humble me child. I can understand why your brother is so protective of you."

Anya nodded and threw her hands up in the air, "Big brother is the greatest, smartest, handsomest and nicest out of everyone. He's gonna be the greatest doctor in the world!"

Henderson chuckled at how this sweet child worshiped her brother. "Such a kind and devoted child you are." He turned to Loid and gave him an appraising look, "You're raising such fine children Loid Forger."

Loid smiled as he regarded his son and daughter, "I'm just doing my duty as a father, Master Henderson."

Henderson nodded as he returned his attention to the sleeping child. "It's best you take him home and have him well rested. I can't have one of our students fall asleep in class."

"Of course, Master Henderson. And thank you very much." Loid said as he led his family out of the school and back to the apartment.

Eric slept until early afternoon before he trudged out of bed. Upon entering the common room, all eyes turned to him from the couch, in front of the TV and the kitchen sink.

"Did I dream that I got accepted?" Eric asked through bleary eyes.

Anya shot up to her feet and dashed away from the TV and engulfed him in a hug, nearly knocking him backwards.

"It wasn't a dream big brother. You are officially a student at Eden!" Anya announced happily to Eric whose eyes gradually widened as her words slowly began to register in his half-awake mind.

"I...passed?" Eric asked as he remembered seeing his number on the result board with his family. "I actually passed?" He repeated his question as the weight started leaving his shoulders.

"That's right Eric, you've been accepted to attend Eden College." Loid knelt before his son while Yor hugged him from behind in case he passed out again. "Mr. Henderson came to talk to us after you passed out. He assured us that what happened at the interview was never your fault."

"Really?"

Loid nodded, "He especially looks forward to having you in one of his classes."

Eric's astonished face slowly morphed into a look of pure elation and relief. "I'm an Eden student." He laughed as a small blush stained his cheeks. "I'm an Eden student!" He said as he hugged his mom and sister, basking in the glow of his accomplishment.

Loid smiled in relief at his (fake) family, Eric worked extremely hard to get into the school for the sake of his dream and his sister. The pride he felt for his son was immeasurable, not only has this child succeeded in completely Phase 1 of Operation Strix, but he showed the teachers at the interview that he is worthy at being part of their school.

'Eric pushed himself to the limits just to get in, though I'm certain it's gonna get even harder for him among his peers.' Loid thought to himself, 'He's accomplished the first part of the mission, it'd be wrong to let him go without getting compensated for his hard work. I could get him a new book. No, it can't just be books. He needs something more. What else would a six-year-old want for a reward?'

Anya listened to her father's thoughts as an idea came to her. "Papa, we should all go on another family ooting to celebrate big brother's achiebment." *achievement*

"That's a wonderful idea Anya." Yor agreed still hugging her son. "What do you think Eric, is there any place you wish to visit?"

"But remember, it can't be out of the country." Loid tacked on quickly in case the boy got any ideas.

"And it can't be boring." Anya added.

'What I want to do?' Eric held his chin as he thought of one of the places he wished to visit. "Oh, I know." Eric said before Yor let him go as he went to his room to retrieve something. He returned seconds later with a flyer in his hands. The contents of the paper were pressed to his chest and his green eyes glimmered with reserved hope.

"Will it be acceptable if we go here tomorrow?" Eric asked as he flipped the flyer over to show his family.

Loid and Yor blinked, "An aquarium?"

Anya's eyes sparkled in excitement, "Fishies?"

Eric nodded, "They're opening the new penguin exhibit tomorrow. So, can we go?" He asked, trying not to sound hopeful at the very idea of seeing exotic animals up close for the first time.

"Please Papa?" Anya begged their father.

Loid had no objections since it was something simple they can do as a regular family. "I'll request a day off for tomorrow."

Anya cheered while Eric smiled, happy that they would be doing something without the mission breathing down their necks.

"Anya, don't forget your hat." Eric told his sister as the family exited their apartment.

Anya stood still as Eric placed the cute little straw hat on her head, covering her ornaments and relishing in her brother caring for her. "Thanks big brother."

Eric kept his excitement under control as he patted his sister's head. Glancing at his family, he couldn't help but find it odd how their day clothes have blue and white stripe patterns. Yor's sweater underneath her turquoise dress, Loid's shirt beneath his black jacket, Anya's collar matching her sailor outfit, and Eric's socks.

'What's with this ensemble?' Eric couldn't help but question the reason why they simultaneously chose blue and white stripes today.

"C'mon, let's go!" Anya impatiently and excitedly said as she tugged on her brother's arm and pulled him towards the stairs.

"Anya, the aquarium's not going anywhere. And don't drag your brother or you'll hurt him again." Loid warned as he quickly locked the door before he and Yor went to follow their children.

The Forger family arrived at the train station platform with Anya excitedly singing, "Fishies, fishies, fishies. We're going to see the fishies."

Loid's eyes caught the WISE symbol in the tiles of the beverage kiosk. 'No not again. This can't be a good thing.' "I'll go grab us some drinks." He said as he left for the kiosk to do just that and tell the informant that he's taking the day off for his family.

Eric held Anya's left hand firmly while Yor held her right as the girl fidgeted while they waited for their train to arrive. He glanced behind him where his father looked like he was arguing with the owner. Eric shrugged before he went back to waiting patiently for their train.

After a thirty-minute ride and an additional ten-minute walk, they made it to Berlint Aqualand. Eric was surrounded by water, more than that, everywhere he looked there were exotic sea life swimming around them. Green eyes shone in content wonder at each aquatic creature. He could stand there peacefully forever...if not for the fact that he has to watch his sister jump and run around like a chihuahua on coffee.

"All the fishies, yay!" Anya leapt joyfully in the air before she started zipping from one tank to another. "An octopus. Starfish. Little baby shark!"

"Anya, stop running around so much." Eric sighed as he went to retrieve his sister before she gets lost.

"Well, they're having fun." Yor laughed as she turned to her husband, "Uh, Loid, why do you look so pale."

'I just couldn't say no to that extra mission.'

Eric came back with Anya in tow, his lips set into a firm line as he mentally scolded his sister for running around. When they arrived, Eric finally took notice of the state their father was in. "Why do you suddenly look like a corpse ready to drop dead again?" While his words sounded mean, it was painfully true, the old man looked worse for wear more than usual.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Loid waved off his son's insult.

'I'm not buying that. Old man looks like hell.' Eric thought with a sigh as he patted the older man's back in a comforting manner while Anya patted his leg. "There, there, Papa. There, there."

Yor giggled at how sweet the kids comforted their weary father. Despite Eric's deadpanned expression, it was clear to note how worried he was for Loid. Anya hardly hid any of her feelings.

Loid patted his children's head and cleared his throat before composing himself. "Let's go check out the penguin exhibit." He said as he mentally went over the information. His current objective is to retrieve a chemical weapon's schematics that were on a microfilm which was smuggled in a capsule and swallowed by a penguin of all things. Since it arrived yesterday, the recipient hasn't come by to collect it. In other words, Twilight has to find the penguin and get the microfilm before the enemy does. The sooner he completes this side mission, the faster he can return to fun family mode.

"I like penguins! Let's see them!" Anya agreed enthusiastically after reading her father's thoughts. This is the perfect opportunity to see a spy in action.

Upon arriving at the penguin exhibit, Twilight knew he was screwed. He has to find the right penguin among the hundreds of other penguins. He gripped the edge of the divider as he scrutinized each bird, trying to figure out which is the right one he has to grab.

'Why does he look as if the penguins insulted his ancestors?' Eric thought as he observed his father's behavior.

'Papa's in trouble.' Anya thought since she already knew the reason for coming here.

'Loid's engrossed. I guess even he lets out his inner child sometimes.' Yor giggled under her breath at how childish her husband seemed today.

Being the helpful, and dutiful daughter, a spy could unknowingly hope for, Anya closed her eyes and concentrated on the penguins' minds, hoping to find the right one and protect world peace. After some interference from the human minds around them, she found the right frequency with the animals. Though it was harder for her to read something that wasn't human, she tried for her father's sake. So far, all she got was fish and more fish.

'Gwack!'

Anya gasped, 'That must be it.'

"Papa, look at that penguin. Can he breathe?" Anya tugged on Loid's jacket as she pointed to the poor penguin who kept coughing and spitting up water.

"He doesn't look too good. Perhaps he has something stuck in his throat. Could be a fishbone." Eric theorized as he observed the penguin's pained expression.

Loid nodded to himself, satisfied that he may have found what he was looking for before he backed away. "I'm gonna grab us some more drinks." He said as he made a hasty retreat, leaving his family at the exhibit.

'What's with him?' Eric thought as Anya grabbed his hand and drew one letter into the palm, 'M'

Eric's eyes widened as he glanced at Anya who smiled and pointed at the penguins, mainly the one that was sick.

His green eyes narrowed at the bird. 'Seriously, a freakin' penguin?' Eric sighed, 'Oh well, this can't be the weirdest mission he had. Anyway, as long as we stay out of his way, he should be finished in no time.' He didn't want either of them to get caught up in other missions, not when his main focus is on Eden College.

Anya, however, had other plans.

"Let's go see more fishies." Anya said as she dashed away from the penguin exhibit with astonishing speed a barely four-year-old should not possess.

"Wait, Anya!" Yor exclaimed as Eric cursed silently, knowing what his sister was going to do. Mother and son ran after her, but once they left the exhibit, Anya was nowhere to be found, not a pink hair in sight.

Eric held Yor's hand tightly as they searched for their wayward Forger. 'Anya, where'd you go!' Eric screamed in his mind, hoping Anya caught that as he and Yor searched frantically.

"Mama, Eric, help I'm being kidnapped!" The duo turned just in time to see Anya hanging on tightly to the jacket of a creepy-looking guy running away from something. Eric knew she wasn't getting kidnapped, but she was definitely in danger.

Mother and son dashed into the hall as the guy tried to dislodge Anya from his jacket. Yor pulled her leg back. "Hands off creep!" The creeper looked up just in time to receive a particularly painful teeth shattering and jaw breaking kick to the chin. "Don't touch my daughter!" The guy's head lodged itself into the ceiling as the rest of his body dangled.

"Wow." Eric whispered in fearful respect at his mother's ferocious strength.

Anya let go and plopped safely into Yor's arms. "Wow."

"Are you okay, Anya?" Yor asked then glanced up at the body, embarrassed and hopeful that she didn't kill the guy by accident.

"Mom," Eric called out as he poked the guy's leg. "Kick him again, he's still breathing." His unsympathetic words sounded as he continued poking at the breathing yet unresponsive body with macabre fascination.

"Eric!" Yor exclaimed as one of the workers at the other end of the hall carrying a penguin glanced in their direction and saw the display. "Wow."

With the help of his family, Twilight completed the mission and was able to get intel from the imposter.

"Sorry it took so long." The Forgers turned at the sound of Loid's voice, "Tada!" In his arms was a bigger than Anya stuffed penguin.

"Big ol' penguin!" Anya exclaimed upon seeing such a toy.

"That's a gigantic one Loid. Where'd you get it?" Yor asked, delighted to see such a cute toy for their daughter as Loid set it down for Anya to take.

"I won it as a prize in the penguin's name guessing game over there. It took some trying, but I knew Anya would love it, so what could I do. Finally got him though." Loid lied, looking sheepish as he explained his prologued absence.

'This guy unknowingly rewarded Anya for her participation in catching that creep.' Eric sighed again, arms still crossed as he regarded Anya with a stern look which she ignored in favor of her new friend.

"Oh, and I also got this." Loid said as he unhooked the plastic bag from his arm and passed it to Eric. Though the boy was surprised to receive a gift, he didn't complain as he opened the bag and pulled out the item.

"A penguin alarm clock?" Eric asked as he turned it this way and that. The clock face was in the middle of the penguin's belly and the wings looked like they could flap.

"Mmhm. This way you can get up in time to go to your classes." Loid explained as Eric continued to examine the gift. He looked up at his father with a slight blush as he clutched the clock to his chest. "Thanks Dad." The penguin looked ridiculously cute.

Yor giggled at how adorable Loid gets worked up over his children.

They spent an entire day at the aquarium looking at more exhibits and learning more about aquatic life. When it was close to late afternoon, they decided to return home. On the train home, Loid sat between Eric and the stuffed penguin who was cuddled by Anya as she sat close to Yor.

Eric held his new alarm clock protectively, his normally reserved countenance held that peaceful smile from the wonderful experience at the aquarium, minus the creepy guy.

"I had fun today. Thanks Dad."

"I'm glad, we all deserved this day." Loid said, happy to complete that mission without raising too much attention.

Eric subconsciously leaned up against his father, "I promise to work really hard at school." He said, surprising Loid who smiled and wrapped an arm around his son. "I know you will. Congrats, you got into Eden." He said as he held him close, that warm feeling he felt could not be denied as Eric snuggled against him.

It was close to midnight as Eric laid in bed with his new alarm clock on his bedside table. His fingers were woven over the comforter against his chest, eyes closed as he breathed peacefully.

His eyes opened to the semi darkness; the feint glow provided by the moon's light. He's always been a light sleeper, which worked well for him when they were on the run. His ears were open to all sounds, while it was mostly quiet during the night, he could sense his family close by, sleeping in their own quarters. Well, most of them. He turned his face towards the door when he felt the soft padded footsteps come closer to his door.

'I'm awake Anya. You can come in.'

The door creaked open to reveal a wide-awake Anya in her cute sleeping cap and onesie. Her Mr. Chimera clutched tightly in her little arms. Despite how hectic their day's been, she still couldn't sleep. Eric breathed out through his nose as he scooted closer to the wall to make room.

Anya quietly closed the door and made a beeline towards the bed. After climbing under the covers, she tucked her toy under her arm and faced her brother who stared up at the ceiling.

"Are you still mad at me?" Anya whispered in the semi darkness.

Eric thought about it for a moment and closed his eyes. 'A little.' Anya looked hurt when she heard that.

"I'm really sorry. I just wanted to help Papa."

Eric opened his eyes again, 'I know you did. But you can't put yourself in danger like that.'

"But you and Mama were there to 'save' me." Anya smiled, but Eric frowned as he finally turned to face her.

'Yes, by pure luck. Next time, we might not be as lucky.' Eric sighed as finally whispered, "Anya I won't be there to protect you while I'm at Eden. The only way I can fully function in that school is knowing that you're safe." 'Far from Dad's missions.'

"But what about world peace?" Anya asked, feeling bad for making her brother worry when he has to undertake the mission at Eden. She wanted to do her part, use her powers to help people.

"That's Dad's job. I know you want to be his little helper, but you can't put yourself in danger like that anymore." Eric scolded his sister, though he sounded harsh, he only wants to protect her.

"What if you were with me?" Anya asked, "I promise not to help Papa out on missions unless you're with me." She really wants to protect world peace with her family, because that is when they are closest.

Eric thought about it and thought it was a good compromise. While he is adamant about keeping his distance from their father's other missions, he knew Anya will go out of her way to help the spy the way she did at the penguin park and with that purse snatcher. 'Only when we're together do we help him. Don't you ever go at it alone. Understand?' Eric, being the stern understanding older brother conceded to their compromise.

Anya wrapped her arms around her brother, crushing Mr. Chimera between them. "Thank you."

Eric closed his eyes as he laid one of his hands on Anya's arm. "Good night."

When morning came, Yor and Loid found the siblings cuddled up in bed. While Yor silently squealed at the precious cuteness, Loid decided to go get his camera.

Chapter Text

Eric stood straight and silent as the proprietor measured his height, noting how he grew three millimeters taller than last time. Today he was getting measured for his Eden School uniform. But it wasn't just him getting a uniform, Anya will soon be attending Berlint Preschool. It's run by a gentle and patient woman whose own children attend, and it was just a fifteen-minute walk between there and Eden. So, it'd be easy for the spy and the assassin to visit between the two.

Eric listened as Anya clung onto him as the proprietor talked about the downsides of being an Eden student, mainly how children from prestigious families will look down and often bully commuters like him. Worst part is how Eden students will often get kidnapped because of how rich their families are.

Anya's little arms constricted around Eric's midsection as she tearfully turned to their father, "I don't want big brother to go to school anymore."

Eric sighed as he rubbed Anya's back, "I'm sure it's all an exaggeration. Besides, I'm not exactly interesting enough for people to kidnap." A complete lie.

After paying for the items and the promised deadline of when the uniforms will be ready, the kids walked rather awkwardly between their parents. Anya refused to relinquish her hold on her brother as her big green eyes darted around for any sign of danger.

"What's wrong?" Loid asked, holding the paper bag as Yor watched the children with some worry.

"I'm trying to not let big brother get kidnapped." Anya answered, latched onto her Eric who remained unfazed and unbothered by her behavior.

"I see, interesting approach." Loid commented, though he shouldn't be surprised by how clingy Anya gets with her brother.

Then they ate at a restaurant where Twilight received a coded message to inform him about a briefing at Safehouse D. Though the way they put that message into the food was very disconcerting to the spy.

Five days later, Loid receives a telephone call from the shop to let him know that the children's uniforms were ready. Eric sat stationary on the couch reading the Art of Psychological Warfare while Anya peeked over the armchair, climbed over the side and rolled like a log over to her father.

Loid clicked the telephone back in place as Anya stood up. "Are our clothes done?"

"Sounds like it." Loid said as Anya hopped excitedly. 'But I've got my briefing today.'

After pulling on his trench coat and briefcase, he handed Yor a piece of paper. "Sorry to dump this on you. But do you think you can pick the order up? I would, but I have to work."

Yor took the paper and nodded, "No problem, you can count on me."

Anya stepped forward and handed Loid his hat. "I might not get home until pretty late. So, you three can probably go ahead and order in tonight." He said as he put on his hat.

"Sure." Yor had no problem with that.

"Have a nice day." Anya waved.

"We got things here." Eric said as they watched Loid leave their apartment.

That afternoon, the three Forgers returned to the shop where the children tried on their new school uniforms. Eric adjusted his collar as he surveyed his new look in the mirror while Anya did fashion poses to show off her cuteness in her white and red preschool outfit. Eric breathed out a small laugh as Yor squealed at how adorable Anya looked.

After a few more poses, Yor, Eric and Anya left the shop in their new school attires. Anya held her brother and mother's hands as she sang. "Why don't we stop by the park for a minute?" Yor offered since they all have free time. Anya agreed immediately, and Eric showed no objections to it.

When they got to the park, Anya showed off her new uniform and, much to Eric's embarrassment, showed off her brother's uniform as well. Yor laughed at their antics before her eyes turned solemn after talking to a couple of mothers and watching them interact with their own children. Even though they were a pretend family, she has a strong desire to be a better mother to Eric and Anya.

"In the short time that I've known Yor, I knew for certain that she was different, that she was meant to be with father, Anya and me." Eric's words at the interview sprang through her mind, it gave her a sense of belonging. Remembering how Eric has very little memory of his mother made her recall her own childhood. She had plenty of memories of both her parents and the pure love they gave her and Yuri up until the moment of their deaths. She had to be both mother and father to her younger brother when they were orphaned, one of the main reasons why she took on assassination as a job to provide for Yuri.

While Eric and Anya lost one parent, the older brother still forced himself to mature quickly for his sister's sake despite being raised by a busy single father. In a way, Eric's trying to be another parental figure at a young age like Yor. A burden a six-year-old should never have to carry.

'Eric is so reserved, yet never forgets to show Anya he cares for her.' Yor smiled slightly as Eric fixed his sister's hair when a leaf got caught in her pink tresses. 'If I can be a better mom for them both, maybe that can lift some of the weight off their shoulders.'

Anya skipped back towards their mother with Eric followed close behind her at a more sedate pace. "Mama, I showed everyone here how cute I am. We can go."

"Just don't get your uniform dirty before school starts." Yor gently reminded them.

Yor then suggested they go to the supermarket to get some ingredients so she can cook something for them. She can't really call herself a top chef, but if Yuri survived, why not them?

Eric felt the ends of his hairs stand up when that familiar feeling of being watched came back. No, this was more than being watched, right now, he felt like prey being eyed by a very dangerous predator. His green eyes swept around the park, trying to pinpoint the hunter.

"Big brother, come on." Eric glanced towards Anya holding Yor's hand as they walked towards the supermarket.

Eric didn't drop his guard until they were safely inside the store. He remained close to Yor while keeping a close eye on Anya who showed her outfit off to another shopper. 'Anya, make sure to stay close to Mom, alright?'

Anya gave him a thumbs up.

But once they got to checkout, Anya dashed past Yor and Eric. "I'm bored, I'm going outside!"

Eric's eyes widened, "Anya, wait!" 'That feeling's back.'

Eric tried to pull Anya back when she pushed open the door but reacted too late when large hands covered their mouths. The pressure on their faces made it impossible for either of them to scream.

"Well, hello there, kiddos." The blonde in leopard-print shirt and blue jacket holding Anya greeted.

"Behave yourselves and come with us for a second. Once your maid pays up, we'll let you go, so sit tight for a second." The sleazy spiky redhead with round sunglasses ordered them as he tightened his hold on Eric as they were pulled to the side of the supermarket away from prying eyes.

"You know, these uniforms go for a good price." The sole female of the group stated, greed clear in all their eyes.

"That right?" The redhead responded with malice dripping from his voice.

Eric glared at each of them, green eyes flickering into that menacing color as he felt his power rise to the surface. 'Anya, I'm sorry, but I need you to close your eyes for me.' Eric's eyes shifted to the male with long wavy hair and a goatee, he was silent and looked bored, but he was just as willing to kidnap vulnerable children for a little bit of cash. Furrowing his brow, he concentrated on his throat and began to slowly constrict his airways. The man's eyes widened when he felt something squeezing his throat, making it hard to breath. He gasped as his hand frantically clawed at his neck to free himself from strangulation, but there was nothing for him to grab on to. He fell to his knees, catching his friends' attention as he continued to choke.

"Roy, what's wrong with you?" The woman asked when he rolled onto his back. He couldn't tell them, it was impossible for him to talk, let alone breathe with this invisible thing suffocating him to death. She rushed over to his side to figure out what was happening to him.

'Your turn.' Eric's menacing gaze locked onto the blonde's neck.

But just before Eric could start squeezing her throat, a heavy paper bag smacked the one holding him hostage, the force sent the would-be kidnapper flying and the vegetables to explode out of the bag.

The sudden release cause Eric to loosen his hold on his victim, allowing the man to breathe.

Eric righted himself as he caught a stray carrot in surprise. Yor stood in front of him as she glared at the kidnappers with demonic hate. "What do you think you're doing?" She questioned them, her eyes glowed a frightening red as her fringes shadowed the upper half of her face.

However, the blonde fool holding Anya didn't sense the danger as she shoved the little girl into his female friend's arms. "Looks like we're gonna have to tag on some medical bills too. Let's see your wallet Ms. Nanny."

"I'm afraid I've used all my money, so there's nothing of value in here." Yor answered with shadowed eyes as she held up her empty wallet. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Eric's eyes were also shadowed as he leaned on his left foot. He bit off the end of a long carrot in his hand, eyeing the blonde holding his sister.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't take her threat seriously as he picked up a heavy melon. "Oh yeah? Guess the uniforms our ticket after all. I hope you got somewhere to go, 'cause their mommy's gonna fire you so quick, it'll make your head spin!" He finished as he was about to throw the melon at Yor...only for it to be smashed by her bare hand.

Everyone's mouth gaped open, which was a bad thing for the blonde woman. A carrot shot into her mouth, the force of it sent her backwards as she choked and gagged when the end of the vegetable hit the back of her throat. Once Anya was released, she quickly hid behind her mother and brother.

The woman sat up, spitting the carrot out of her mouth as she coughed and held her throat.

The woman gasped and coughed, "Who threw that carrot into my mouth?"

Eric twirled another carrot in his hand as he stood protectively in front of his wide-eyed sister. "I did." He stopped twirling the vegetable and held it like a dagger with the sharp tip pointed in her direction. "Next one goes in your eye. This time, I'm not biting off the end of this." He added, raising his head to reveal violent green eyes that promised bloodshed.

"You...broke that bare handed?" The stupid leader asked, now terrified as he took a step back.

Yor seethed in rage then yelled, "I am these children's mother, do you hear me! Unless you don't want to end up like that vegetable or have a carrot shoved into your head, I suggest you leave right now!" They didn't need to be told a third time before they grabbed their redheaded friend and ran with their tails between their legs.

"Mama and big brother are so cool." Anya said in amazement despite five-minute terror she endured.

Eric let out a sigh of relief as he lowered his veggie-weapon. "Glad that's over."

He dropped the carrot as Yor knelt down and hugged her children, "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let you out of my sight. And I've ruined all our groceries." Yor added, looking at all the smashed vegetables that were used to free her son. "Look at me, I'm a failure of a mother." Yor tearfully said, berating herself for this blunder.

Not wanting their mother to feel bad, Eric spoke gently to her, "That's not true. What you did is amazing." It's the honest truth, seeing such strength despite being outnumbered is truly an impressive foot.

Anya then patted Yor's head, "That's right, we love our Mama, she's so strong and cool. There, there." She then stepped back and took a fighting stance. "Super killer punch: KAPOW!" She said as she mimicked Yor's move.

"Please don't do that in public!" Yor blushed deeply while Eric laughed softly which then vanished as he looked at his hands and clenched them into fists. 'Mom was able to defeat them bare handed and with minimal effort. No powers needed, unlike me. I can't keep relying on my power to save us.' As powerful as the children are, even they have a moment of weakness, one day each month where they are completely defenseless. 'I need to protect us some other way without using my power.'

Summoning his courage, he spoke, "Mom, can you...teach me how to fight?" He asked, blushing as he looked down shyly, embarrassed by how weak he truly is relying solely on his power for protection. "I'm in danger just by being an Eden student. But if I know how to defend myself, I'll be able to keep myself and Anya safe. And maybe, it would give me peace of mind if Anya learned as well." Eric added as he glanced at Anya who nodded fiercely. "Mama, can you train us please?"

"Are you sure?" Yor asked, since normal mothers don't teach their children martial arts.

Anya nodded determinedly, "I know big brother won't be able to protect me while he's at Eden, but it won't be as scary if I train and get strong like you. Then I can study really hard and join big brother at Eden to protect him, so he doesn't die." She threw her arms out and declared, "We wanna be just like you Mama!"

Eric smiled slightly, but the surprise and joy was clear in his eyes at hearing his sister's resolve. "What she said."

Yor blushed as a beautiful smile came onto her face. While she knew she can never be a normal mother to them, she's willing to give it her all.

"'Kay, then let's head home and start your training."

"Training!" Anya cheered.

Eric calmly cheered as he raised his and Anya's hands in the air, "Go Forgers."

Anya eyes lit up in inspiration as she started doing the cabbage patch dance, "Go Forgers, Go Forgers, Go Forgers. Go! Go! Go Forgers!"

Yor laughed as she clapped along while Eric slapped a hand to his mouth to contain his giggles and maintain his composure.

Loid sighed as he walked home from his briefing, which took longer than he preferred. Now that he got his son into Eden, the next step to getting close to Desmond is by attending social gatherings at the school. However, only Imperial Scholars and their families are the only ones permitted to attend. In order to gain the title of Imperial Scholar, a student must earn eight merits known as Stella Stars. These Stars are granted to those with outstanding grades, achievements, and contributions to society. In other words, Eric must become an honor student. But if a student has poor grades or exhibits bad behavior, then they are given Tonitrus Bolts. Eight Bolts mean immediate expulsion.

'I have no worries about the Tonitrus Bolts. Eric is calmer and more level-headed compared to Anya. Him becoming an Imperial Scholar shouldn't be a problem.' Loid allowed a smile to crawl upon his face. He didn't realize he made that same face when Handler, Sylvia Sherwood, informed him what he needed his son to do. The woman noted how he seemed rather smug and proud of Eric's academic skills.

"Your son shows great promise, Twilight. Had this child been any older, he'd make quite a spy." Handler stated after reading the reports regarding the boy that would cement the road to peace.

"Though I must say, I'm quite surprised by the resemblance. Are you sure you didn't father him?" She asked with an intrigued smile as she stared at the family picture of the Forgers. The boy's calm demeaner is too much like Twilight's for him to be adopted.

"Pretty sure." Twilight answered, already used to the speculation.

"And the girl, Anya. She wasn't originally part of the plan. It was supposed to be one child." Handler stated as she looked at the four-year-old. The same age her own daughter was when war took her.

"A minor adjustment. While she's not like her brother, she serves as a prime motivator for him to succeed at Eden." Twilight explained his reasons for keeping both of them. While it felt wrong to use children as assets in his operation, it is a necessary sacrifice to ensure world peace.

Handler nodded as she took in the two children's faces, mainly Eric's. This boy was exactly what they hoped for in a potential honor student that can get them closer to Desmond, closer to world peace. It is important that he be kept alive no matter the cost.

"Hey, I'm home." He announced as he walked through the door. As he walked further into the apartment, he heard grunting and was met with the sight of Yor wearing a white shirt and black yoga pants that hugged her figure quite nicely. Her long black hair tied back in a ponytail, exposing her creamy swan-like neck. Then his attention went to his children who were in training clothes as well. Anya's hair was also tied back, and she wore a teal shirt and yellow shorts while Eric sported a grey shirt and white pair of sweatpants. All three of them were in battle stances and executing punches towards an invisible enemy.

"What are you doing?" Loid asked as Yor pulled another punch with a resounding grunt, Eric and Anya followed suit. Though Eric was quieter as he concentrated on the power and execution of each strike.

"Preparing them for school." Yor answered as Anya yelled, "Hyah!"

Loid wasn't sure how to respond to this method of school preparedness, but he knew there was a story behind this turn of events.

Finally, the day of the beginning of the new year for a fresh batch of students came. The Forgers sat among the many parents and their children as they listened to the Headmaster give his speech to the new students attending this year.

"Papa, everyone is wearing the same thing as big brother." Anya said as she frantically looked at all the kids dressed like Eric.

"That's how uniforms work." Eric stated between Anya and Yor.

Loid sat with his arms crossed as he remembered Handler's instructions, turn Eric into one of the elite honor students to get into Desmond's circle. 'I have no doubt Eric will become an elite. But maintaining it will be just as challenging.'

Then they started announcing the Houses and corresponding Housemasters. They watched as students were called stand with their classmates.

"Which one will big brother be in?" Anya asked as she held her brother's arm in anticipation.

"I have no idea." Loid said with a small smile, though in truth, he manipulated the roster to make certain his son shared the same class as Desmond's second son in the hopes of increasing the mission's success.

"Personally, it shouldn't matter, nor should I care. It's not like I know any of these kids." 'Nor do I want to.' Eric stated calmly as he watched the student groups get bigger by the minute as he waited for his name to get called.

"Well, you never know. You could end up being friends with some of them." Loid stated as he caught sight of his target's second son leave the audience to join his class.

'In the unlikely event should Plan A, the imperial Scholar route fail, we'll go to Plan B, the Friendship Scheme.' Loid went over the plan in his head as he eyed the little Desmond while Anya watched her father with very wide eyes.

Step 1: Befriend Damian Desmond

Step 2: Get invited to his house with dad in tow

Step 3: Direct contact with the target

'It'll be more complicated, but we should be prepared.' Loid nodded to himself at his ability to think of backup plans.

Anya wrote messages into Eric's palm. Her fingers were frantic and hard to follow, but he was able to decipher 'FREND TARGET SON. DAMAN DESMON.'

'The old man wants me to befriend his target's son?' Eric thought incredulously as he glanced up at his father.

Anya nodded; certain their father's plan can work.

"Eric Forger."

The boy perked up when his name was called. His family turned to him with encouraging smiles. "It's your turn." Loid said as Eric nodded then stood up from his seat.

"Good luck big brother!" Anya yelled as she waved to Eric who made it to ground level. Eric glanced behind him and nodded to his sister, 'I'll do my best.'

Walking with purpose towards the class he's been assigned to, he caught sight of the boy he's supposed to befriend. He was pale with short brown hair and hazel eyes that were narrowed and slightly droopy. But what turned his stomach was that condescending look on his face. Hazel eyes locked onto green, wondering why the blonde was staring at him for. Then arrogant smirk was thrown Eric's way, as though telling him he was more superior.

'I knew I was gonna hate him.' Eric scoffed quietly then calmly turned away to resume his journey. 'Sorry Dad, but there's no way he and I will ever be friends. Not even for world peace.' Eric sighed as he went back to the original plan Anya debriefed him on the previous night when she read their father's mind about the next step to the operation. 'Eight Stella Stars to become an Imperial Scholar. Not gonna be easy. But I'll work hard to get the best grades possible.'

"Becky Blackbell."

While Eric contemplated the plan in his mind, a girl with two side ponytails came up behind Eric. Her smile wide when she recognized her savior's calm expression as he stood like a soldier ready for battle. Putting on her best cute smile, she greeted her knight, "Hi, nice to meet you?"

Eric turned to the girl behind him. He blinked twice then looked around him to figure out who she was addressing. Facing her again, he pointed at himself in question.

The girl giggled at his cluelessness, she found it adorable. "Yep, I'm talking to you. Don't you remember me?"

Eric tilted his head, feeling he met her from somewhere until a memory of that farm animal debacle at the interview came forth. His green eyes widened in recognition. "You're that girl from before." He stated, surprised to be meeting her again, in the same class apparently.

"Mmhm, I'm Becky Blackbell. Thank you for saving me." She introduced herself as she held her hand out to Eric.

Eric stared at her hand, then slowly in a shy manner, gently grasped hers. "Eric Forger." He introduced himself then looked down at her hand and saw not a blemish in sight. "You're all healed." He noted as he touched the spot where he placed that bandaid.

Becky blushed as Eric released her hand as she held it against her chest. His warm fingers on her hand sent a happy tingle down her spine. "All thanks to you."

Eric smiled slightly, "I didn't want you to get any bacteria Ms. Blackbell. I'm just glad you're okay."

Becky's eyes lit up and her blush deepened, 'His smile is so beautiful!'

Their interaction did not go unnoticed by Loid who realized the girl behind his son is the daughter of the CEO Heavy Blackbell Industries, a major military manufacturer. More than that, the next girl to join is a daughter of a VP in Parliament, then a son whose father is a Secret Service member. 'His classmates are a treasure trove of intel. Eric you better be friends with all of them!' He yelled in his mind, hoping his son has enough social skills to grant him access to these kids' parents.

'Loid gets so intense when it comes to Eric.' Yor giggled under her breath as she and Anya watched Loid stare intently at his son while clenching his fist.

Anya gave him a deadpanned expression before turning to her brother worriedly. 'Brother's the smartest in the whole world...'

'I like knowledge as much as the next nerd...' Eric's eyebrow twitched as he awkwardly interacted with Becky who kept staring at him.

'But the thing about big brother...'

'And yet my biggest problem...'

'I/He really don't/doesn't know how to make friends.' The siblings thought at the same time.

It's true. In the six years Eric has lived, he has minimal social interaction with other kids his age. He rarely even talked to kids at the orphanages. Being distrustful and having an ability tied to sporadic emotions left him a socially awkward individual. He's fine academic wise, but when it comes to making friends is where he fails spectacularly.

'We really didn't think this all the way through.' The Forger siblings sighed as they distantly shared the same thoughts.

"Well, my brother's doomed." Anya stated as she watched her brother fail to make conversation with that Becky girl.

"Why do you say that?" Yor asked, wondering where that came from.

"My brother stinks when it comes to making friends." Anya deadpanned, shocking the parents, mainly Loid since Plan B relies solely on friendship.

"These twenty-nine students will be in Class 3 of Cecil Hall and will be under the tutelage of Master Henderson." The announcer said as the teacher in question rose from his seat and elegantly made his way to his students.

"Look, it's the nice one." Yor stated upon recognizing the teacher who praised their son and assured them that he had a place in their school.

'I'll whip these rugrats into shape like the old days.' Henderson vowed as he eyed his students, among them being Eric Forger who stood dutifully and at attention.

"And now, the students will accompany their teachers on a tour of the campus, then head to their respective classrooms." They announced among the applause, but Loid wasn't clapping. "While they are getting acquainted with the grounds, all the parents are cordially invited to get acquainted with each other in the lounge of Tower C."

'You'll be on your own from here on out, Eric. So please, do your best.' Loid thought with arms crossed as he watched his son march behind his fellow classmates. To him, he felt as though he was sending Eric off to battle with minimal training.

Eric sensed his father's gaze on him and turned to look up at him. Though his face was stern, Eric could sense worry in his father's eyes. He nodded his head towards his father, a silent message telling him that he'll be fine. Turning his face towards the front, he followed his class out of the assembly hall.

"Eric will be alright." Yor assured her husband whose eyes never left his son until he disappeared behind the door.

Anya's large green eyes narrowed as she tried to listen for her brother's fading thoughts.

Eric stood among his fellow classmates as they toured the grounds, the location they were currently at was the cafeteria. But there was also a separate cafeteria reserved mainly for the Imperial Scholars.

Then a chubby kid with bowl-cut hair and buckteeth talked about how Damian Desmond's gonna be an Imperial Scholar. The Desmond brat then smugly responded how he's counting on it, followed by this egg-shaped headed kid who stroked his ego. Then the kid bragged about his father being the head of the National Unity Party. His classmates gathered around him and started praising the smug brat. All but two.

"They're so dumb." Becky commented, hands on her hips as she stared annoyed at the group.

Eric, standing beside Becky, made a humming sound and nodded. "Nothing we can do about it."

"You know, I just noticed, you don't talk very much." Becky stated to Eric whose eyes caught hers for a moment then looked away, feeling reserved and out of place.

"I don't really have anything interesting to say. I apologize if it comes off as rude, Ms. Blackbell." He said, head bowed in respect to Becky.

Becky pouted, "Stop calling me Ms. Blackbell. Call me Becky. Be-cky." She requested, more like demanded. While her family's servants call her by that title, she wanted her knight to call her by her first name.

Eric blinked at her, "Are you sure?"

"Yep, that's an order." Becky confidently said, determined to have her way.

Eric was silent then nodded, "As you wish, Becky."

Becky smiled before something caught her attention at the corner of her eye at the entrance.

Eric followed her gaze and saw something pink. "Anya."

Large green eyes peeked out as she caught her brother's gaze before stepping out and making a beeline towards him. Her sudden appearance pulled everyone attention away from Damian.

Henderson caught sight of the little girl coming towards her brother as her tiny arms wrapped around her back. "Ms. Anya Forger, what are you doing here?" He asked, not harshly, but more with curiosity as the child looked up at him with shimmering green eyes that would melt any hearts.

Holding her brother tightly, her voice sounded much smaller, but was heard all the same. "I got worried for my brother, so I wanted to make sure he was safe."

Eric sighed through his nose and frowned. "Anya, I'm alright." He said, patting his sister on the head to comfort her before looking up at Henderson. "I'm terribly sorry for this Professor Henderson."

Henderson sighed and waved off his apology, "No need, her concerns are elegant and noble. Ms. Anya, if you're still worried for his safety, you are permitted to accompany our class until the end of the tour. But I expect you to behave yourself. Understand?" He sternly said to Anya who nodded and saluted, "Crystal, sir."

"Good." Henderson said, finding her response satisfactory before returning to the tour.

Eric sighed in relief then turned to Anya with calm yet stern expression, 'You got lucky this time Anya.' Anya responded by burying her head into her brother's chest.

"So this is your little sister?" Becky asked as she got a better look at the girl.

"Her name is Anya. Anya, this is Becky." Eric introduced them to each other as Anya pulled away from her brother, kept her hands on his sleeve, tethering herself to him.

"Nice to meet you." Becky greeted, eyeing her as a plan formulated in her mind, 'Eric seems really close to his sister. How cute. And she's a baby too. If I become her friend, Eric will become mine.' Anya turned away from Becky to hide her face in her brother's arm again.

Eric smiled down at his sister and patted her head. "Do pardon her, she can be a touch shy at times." He said while giving Becky his gentle soothing smiles that made her heart flutter.

'He's just so sweet to his sister! I knew it, he's gotta be an angel!' Becky blushed when she found herself caught in the gentle glow of Eric's face. Though it was previously reserved, she knew he was brimming with love.

Anya pulled away from her brother slightly upon sensing Becky's admiration for her brother as a memory of Eric saving the girl's life sprang forth. She thought this Becky girl wanted to steal her brother away, but that's not it at all. She just wanted to be close to Eric. Maybe she's not that bad.

The three of them looked up when Damian Desmond approached them with that conceited look that irritated all three of them. "And what about you? What exactly does your father do? If he's important, then you might have a chance at being my friend." The snotty brat offered Eric whose smile vanished as he gave the boy his uninterested stoic expression. 'Yep, I definitely hate this kid.'

His green eyes blinked twice at Desmond as Becky and Anya awaited his reaction. "Don't take this personally Little Lordling, but I have no intention of making friends here."

Damian's face fell into shock before he glared at him. "What did you say to me? I was being gracious here."

Eric scoffed softly, "Your definition of grace do not align with mine." He calmly stated, "Though I will say this, being alone is much preferable that having someone like you as a friend."

Damian gritted his teeth and glared at him before he smirked, "Your Dad's probably a nobody and you might not even be rich either."

"I never claimed I was rich, and yet here I am." Eric maintained his calm exterior, not showing a hint of emotion towards this child.

"Oh yeah, then tell me, what exactly does your father do?" Damian asked, trying to get a rise out of this irritatingly emotionless boy.

"If you're that curious, he's a psychiatrist." Eric answered, expecting to be mocked by the brat.

Damian scoffed, "Figures. You're practically a commoner."

"You'd be surprised how common mental health disorder is, or how often my father treats them. Even the most prestigious of families aren't immune to such afflictions. Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression. And that's only the small part of the list. I'm sure an intelligent boy like yourself was educated in this kind of knowledge and how to properly treat them. If not, then I'm sure my 'commoner' father can give you a much-needed lesson so you can avoid becoming one of his patients." Eric's foreboding words sent a chill down his spine as he glared at Eric.

"Are you mocking me!" Damian demanded as he tried to size up Eric, only to receive no response from the boy.

"No, I'm only teaching, since you clearly lack the basic knowledge, courtesy and respect required to become an Imperial Scholar." Eric's words were enough to push his buttons.

"Well at least I didn't bring my pet to school!" Damian insulted as he pointed at Anya who was shocked, then angry, then felt the desire to punch this kid really hard.

"Are you sure? 'Cause I was under the impression that mole rat and jackass were your therapy pets you brought from home." Eric calmly and cleverly fired, eliciting anger-filled glares from Damian's minions.

Becky slapped a hand to her face at how Eric described Damian's followers while Anya gave the Damian her smug smile. Her brother is clearly winning.

"Damian Desmond!" Henderson's stern voice made the boy stand on attention. "Must I repeat myself? You can be punished on your first day." He was listening to their interaction, and he was quite ashamed of how the second son of a prominent family behaved towards his peers. He never reprimanded Eric since the boy remained calm and elegant in their spat.

Damian was red in the face as he glared at Eric, 'You brat, you'll pay for embarrassing me! Watch your back'

But what Eric said next threw Damian into a complete loop. "Einai kalytero anthropo apo ton patera toy."

"Huh, what does that mean?" Damian demanded, but Eric started to walk away with Becky to his right and Anya latched to his left.

"Educate yourself and then come talk to me when you figure it out." Eric calmly said as he turned his attention back to Henderson, leaving an angry, red-faced Desmond behind him. Becky and Anya turned behind them and gave the brat their smug smiles that served to infuriate him.

They were now in the hallway where Eric, Anya and Becky hung in the back.

"You know, for someone who claims they have nothing interesting to say, you're pretty cool." Becky complimented. The way Eric held his ground against a Desmond is remarkable and he was so calm and mature throughout that interaction.

"Really, I'm pretty sure I was being immature." Eric stated as he held Anya's hand.

"But she's right, you're really cool." Anya agreed with Becky.

"You're so mature, almost like a grown up." Becky added, making Eric smile slightly at the compliment. "You're very kind Becky. I find myself quite at ease in your presence."

Becky's eyes sparkled, "Really?"

Eric nodded, but then his smile vanished again as he sensed something coming towards his head. His right hand shot backwards just in time to catch a paper ball without looking behind him. He brought the pathetic assault in front of him and stared for a moment before looking behind him to see a shocked trio who witnessed him catch that ball. No one should be able to do that.

Becky glared, "If you don't stop right now, I'm gonna tell the teacher."

Damian scoffed, "There's no proof that we did anything."

"Nope. No proof." His minions repeated like mindless sheep.

"Just get out of my way." Damian shoved Becky aside, stepping on her foot in the process.

Anya gasped quietly when she heard something crack. Glancing around, she saw the window at the end of the hall have a few cracks in the glass. She quickly turned to her brother, worried that his anger will break something.

'Anya, stay close to Becky.' Her green eyes locked onto Eric's then nodded after a moment of silence before she went to Becky's side, holding her hand as the two girls watched the next round unfold.

Eric rolled the paper ball around in his hand as he stood eye-to-eye with the Desmond brat. "Listen peasant, every day I'll make it my mission to bully you. When I'm through with you, you're never gonna be able to hide behind that blank wall you call a face again."

"If he cries maybe his psycho doctor daddy will fix him." The mole rat of a minion mocked, making his friends laugh.

It took everything within him not to pummel this self-righteous spoil brat into next month. The only thing stopping him were Yor's teachings about controlling his fists and Anya's worried gaze. But then he realized something, when Damian was called at the assembly hall, he was sitting all by himself, which means...

'This is where the 'Art of Pshychologial Warfare' comes into play.'

Eric hummed as he finally figured out how to get the upper hand. "Now I see." He paused to take a long calming breath and locked his calm disappointed gaze on Damian. "You are pitiful."

Damian wasn't expecting this kind of response. "What was that?"

Eric wasn't fazed by the boy's anger. "You and I are clearly different Damian Desmond. While it's true that my father isn't on the same social stratification as yours. I consider myself much luckier than you. While my father isn't seen as important as your powerful political parent, at least mine took the time to be there for me today." His cold words made Damian flinch back. This was something he thought no one would notice, but this commoner dared throw this in his face.

However, Eric was far from done. "I hear you have an older brother who attends this school. More than that, he himself is an Imperial Scholar, just like your father wanted." He paused to let that sting fester. "It must really be painful being overlooked in favor of your brother. The richer the family, the higher the expectations. But the moment you fail just for a little bit, it all comes tumbling down, and you're the one who gets the blame."

Damian felt his heart race as anger and pain started to build up.

"You're hurt and angry that you were left alone once again. Must be a curse being the second son. Second place. Second thought. You don't want to face that truth, so you take your pain out on those you consider beneath you to make yourself feel bigger and better. But it didn't work." Eric stared at him with cold contempt as Damian clenched his fists as his frustration rose higher. "You've just proven yourself a disgraceful and pitiful little boy. It's no wonder your father chose not to come today."

That last sentence hit a nerve and caused Damian to finally snap. "SHUT UP!" He launched himself at Eric, his fist raised to punch his annoying stoic face.

It took Eric a millisecond to make a decision before his body reacted.

CRUNCH!

"AAAAAHHHHHGH!"

Yor and Loid searched under the tables and looked into corners to find their wayward daughter while interacting with the other parents. "I'm getting worried." Yor said as they failed to find Anya who gave them the slip.

"She's probably with her brother as we speak. You know how attached she is to him." Loid said with a sigh. He really should've anticipated this. This is gonna prove challenging if Anya keeps running off towards her brother while he's learning.

"Ladies and gentlemen, student orientation is complete. Please head toward the courtyard to greet them." One of the staff members announced from the doorway as students filed into the room to look for their parents.

"Where's Eric and Anya?" Loid voiced his thoughts when he didn't see his children in the room. Wherever Eric is, Anya is not too far away. Her hair is a bright pink beacon.

"Forger, a moment?" Henderson approached them and directed them to his office where Eric, Anya, and Becky were situated. But what caught them by surprise was Eric kneeling before Becky who had one of her shoes off as he checked her foot.

"Any soreness or discomfort?" Eric asked as he checked the rotation on the girl's ankle.

Becky giggled at the ticklish sensation when Eric checked her foot. "Only when I'm standing on it." She answered, but it was clear to everyone in the room that she wasn't in pain at all and just enjoyed Eric taking care of her.

"Unfortunately, I don't have a crutch available. Are you sure you're okay with me carrying you?" Eric offered since he was the one who helped her here after Damian stepped on her foot.

Becky blushed, no way was she gonna pass this up. "I don't mind."

"Eric, what happened?" Yor was the one who asked.

"There was an incident with Damian Desmond. He's currently in the infirmary getting patched up." Henderson's answer caused a feeling of dread in the pit of Loid's stomach.

"What happened to him?" Loid asked.

"That would be my fault." Eric calmly confessed, making all the adults turn to him as he pulled out a long bandage and started wrapping Becky's foot, hardly paying attention to anybody.

Loid's mouth fell open in shock. 'No way don't tell me Eric punched Damian Desmond of all people. This means he'll get a Tonitrus Bolt.'

Yor turned much paler, 'Oh God, it's all because I started training him to fight that he beat someone up.'

"Big brother didn't hit Sy-on Boy." Anya explained after listening to her parents' panic.

"Huh?" The parents reacted.

"Yeah, it was all Damian's fault actually. It was funny and well deserved." Becky laughed at the fresh memory.

Henderson coughed politely to get their attention. "Allow me to explain..."

30 Minutes Ago

CRUNCH!

"AAAAAHHHHHGH!"

Henderson and class turned around to see Damian's fist make solid impact on the wall as Eric easily sidestepped to Damian's right until he was facing the class.

"What's going on?!" Henderson demanded as he jogged over to his wayward students as Damian held his hand while bawling.

"Damian tried to attack big brother, but he broke his hand on the wall instead." Anya answered from her spot beside Becky as they watched Damian cry in agony.

Eric took hold of Damian's wrist as Henderson knelt beside them to inspect the damage. There were a few cuts on the knuckles and the back of his head started swell.

"It doesn't appear to be broken. I see no displaced joints. It's probably just a sprain. But a second opinion would be helpful." Eric analyzed as he held his chin thoughtfully. He ignored everyone's bewildered looks and Damian's tear-filled death glare as he acted as though he wasn't just attacked.

Henderson nodded at Eric's medical examination before turning his stern gaze to the injured boy. "Damian Desmond, did you try to punch a student?"

Damian momentarily forgot his animosity as he shrunk under the teacher's stare. "Uh, ahh. Er-well..." He couldn't find the right words to explain or get out of this situation.

His guilty expression was all the confirmation Henderson needed before he dragged the boy towards the infirmary.

Present

"...That's what happened."

The parents stared at the teacher as though he grew a second head before turning their attention to Eric who finished tying off the bandage on Becky's foot.

"Afterward, Eric requested that Becky be taken somewhere to sit and be treated then carried her here." Henderson added, watching the clearly uninjured girl revel in Eric caring for her. Young love indeed.

"Desmond stepped on it pretty hard, I didn't want her to aggravate it further." Eric explained as he carefully rolled the sock onto her foot then fastened her shoe.

"It hurts so bad, I don't think I can walk again." Becky woefully said as Eric stood up but couldn't get away when Becky latched onto him and held him close as she laid her head on his shoulder for comfort.

'As long as my foot stays 'injured', Eric will carry me everywhere.' Becky thought cleverly since Eric, though well intentioned, is pretty dense on how getting their feet stomped on isn't that serious.

Anya sighed at her sweet, stoic brother's cluelessness.

Loid, after blacking out momentarily, felt his soul come back upon hearing how his son didn't hurt Damian physically. 'No Tonitrus Bolt, thank goodness. Although, it would seem Plan B will be on hold.' Loid thought to himself in relief as he watches Eric console the 'tragic' Becky.

"About Damian, how is he?" Loid couldn't help but ask since this little altercation could set them back.

"I've given the boy a very stern lecture about bullying and physical violence being prohibited on school grounds and anywhere. I have yet to inform his parents about this little incident since it was clear he intended to harm your boy. I'm terribly sorry for all this." Henderson bowed his head in shame for failing to protect one of his students.

"That's not your fault sir. Eric didn't get hurt, that's all that matters." Loid stated seeing how his son was unharmed. "What happens now?"

Henderson hummed, "It's only his first day of school, and as much as I hate to do this, Damian Desmond will earn a Tonitrus Bolt."

Eric raised his hand, "If I may interject, Professor Henderson."

"Oh, what is it you wish to say young Forger?" Henderson asked, curious to hear what the boy has to say in this situation since he was a target for bullying.

Eric stood straight and firm as he faced his teacher, "I would formally ask that you do not give Damian Desmond a Tonitrus Bolt."

His request shocked everyone in the room.

"But big brother, he wanted to hurt you." Anya stated.

"She's right, why shouldn't he get a Bolt? It's his own fault. Plus, he made fun of you and your dad." Becky agreed with his sister.

"It's simple, he failed to hurt me physically." Eric stated, "While his intent was clear, the way he tried to punch was just embarrassing, even for me. My sister can pull off punches much more efficiently compared to Damian."

"That's right." Anya grinned with pride.

"It's true that he mocked my social status of being lowborn, I too have hurt him with words that cut him more deeply when I pointed out the absence of his father. He took it personally and tried to retaliate physically to vent his own pain and frustration over the cold hard truth." He explained, remembering how much pain and anger the boy had on his face when he rushed in for the kill. "I could've let him hit me but given how often I've hit my head in the past, I fear he'd only hurt his hand even more. The wall's much softer by comparison."

Anya and Becky giggled behind their hand at the image of Damian punching an unfazed Eric only to cry out in more agony.

"Also, in regards to his punishment, I believe his damaged pride among his peers as well as a sprained wrist should be enough retribution. He's right hand dominant, so it will be difficult for him to write notes in class for at least three to five weeks it will take for him to heal."

Henderson was colored shocked by Eric's reasoning and how he would admit to having hurt Damian in some way to defend his father's honor.

"You're seriously gonna let that brat get away scot-free?" Becky asked as she tried to figure out Eric's mentality.

"He'll feel a great deal of pain and discomfort in his right hand. But the idea of his parents knowing what he did and how it ended will hurt even more. And I prefer not to add anymore insult to injury. I'm not sadistic enough for that." Eric added with a shrug, his face calm and relaxed throughout his reason.

Everyone in the room was shocked and amazed by the maturity this boy held.

Henderson hummed as he contemplated Eric's request, "I will consider it young Forger."

Eric bowed his head, "Thank you Professor."

Henderson then turned to the Forgers, "We'll be expecting you outside for the group photo. If you'll excuse me." He said as he exited the room as another couple entered, one was a tall man with black hair and a mustache who went by the name Edward Blackbell and a woman with brown hair tied in a braid know as Patrice.

"Becky, what happened to you?" Edward asked as Becky took her knight's hand, keeping one foot off the ground as she leaned on him for 'support'.

Anya was the one who answered, "Becky was trying to protect big brother from getting bullied by Damian Desmond, then Damian stepped on her foot. Then big brother carried her here for first aide treatment."

"Desmond's boy?" Edward glared at the thought of that spoiled brat hurting his baby.

"Yeah, but Eric won without needing to throw a fist. Now Damian's hand is broken." Becky proudly stated to the now shocked parents. "He saved me once again."

"Is that right?" Edward said as he turned to the boy his baby was clinging to. He recognized the boy instantly as her daughter's savior and ideal partner.

"My son's a doctor in training, though he still has much to learn before he gets to medical school." Loid stated as Yor came to the children's side and introduced herself to Becky.

"He's already chosen his profession? That's incredible. Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself, I'm Becky's father, Edward Blackbell, and this is my wife, Patrice." Edwards held his hand out to Loid who shook it in greeting.

"Loid Forger, I'm a psychiatrist. That's my wife Yor, my daughter Anya, and my son Eric." Loid introduced his family to the Blackbells.

Edward smiled as they released each other's hands. "I'm pleased to meet you. You probably don't remember, but your son saved my daughter's life that day at the interview."

Loid's eyes widened as the memory came back. "Really, what a coincidence meeting like this." He was thanking his lucky stars that Eric managed to make contact with the Blackbells already since they are Desmond's business partners. This worked out better than he expected.

Edward smiled then turned his attention to young Eric whom his daughter is clearly enamored with. "Eric Forger?"

The boy in question stood straight as he looked up at Becky's father. "Yes, sir?"

Getting a better look at the child, he can understand why his daughter was quite taken with the lad. "I never got the chance to meet you before at the interview. You saved my baby girl's life. I cannot thank you enough."

Eric bowed his head in respect then turned to Becky with that small smile. "I'm just glad she's okay."

Patrice held her cheek at the sweet gentle child, "Oh my, such lovely boy you've raised. And what an adorable daughter you have." She complimented the Forgers.

"Thank you. You're too kind." Loid said as his daughter came to his side and tugged his pants.

"Papa, if we don't hurry, we won't get our picture taken." Anya urgently said before she was picked up by her father.

"You're right, we shouldn't keep everyone waiting." Loid said as the parents guided their children to the courtyard where the staircase and photographer were located.

Becky 'limped' beside Eric as their arms were hooked together, much to the girl's happiness. But that happiness ended when her father picked her up and carried her to the top of the staircase. She watched forlornly as her knight got smaller the further she got from him.

The Forgers were on the bottom left corner of the staircase with Eric and Anya in between their parents. Eric felt someone's eyes on him, making him look behind him as he searched among the parents and children until he found one standing on the top right corner all by himself without his parents. He was much paler, and the condensation he proudly sported was replaced with anxiety and fear as he held his right hand that was wrapped up in layers of bandage.

'A rich boy who has everything yet is still alone. Typical.' Eric thought to himself as he caught Damian's stare before he turned away. Eric faced the camera as Anya held his hand.

Everyone smiled as the flash went off, but the two who didn't smile were Eric and Damian.

Chapter Text

Eric woke up at six in the morning thanks to his chirping flapping penguin alarm clock. But when he drowsily reached over to turn off his alarm clock, he miscalculated the distance and ended up rolling out of bed with a thump completely tangled up in bed sheets. Rubbing his head, he pulled himself up to his knees and clicked the penguin shut. He stood up and stretched, working out the kinks in his shoulders. He turned to the rumpled mess that was his bedsheets and waved a hand over it, making the blankets and pillows float, straighten and fluff themselves before remaking the bed.

He walked out of his bedroom and went into the bathroom, splashing his face to wake himself up, brushing his teeth and taking a quick shower. Once he was completely dry, he pulled on his Eden uniform. After doing a quick check up in the mirror, he nodded to himself, grabbed his book bag and walked out of his bedroom to join his family for breakfast. He sat across from his sister who still looked groggy while Loid placed the plate in front of him and took his seat beside him.

"Today's the day big brother leaves me." Anya moped as she chewed on her omelet as Yor rubbed her back.

"It's only for eight hours, Anya. He'll be back before you know it." Yor said as she comforted her daughter.

"Eight hours is forever." Anya said, teary eyed as she looked down at her food.

"Anya, you're also going to school. You won't be alone." Loid said in an attempt to pacify the attached girl.

"He's right, and I bet those kids will be more fun than the ones I'll be surrounded by." Eric stated, unhappy with the spoiled rich brats he'll have to spend the school year with. After what happened with Desmond, there's no doubt he'll be the least liked in that class. Which was fine by him. The less people he talks to, the more time he has to study and quickly earn those Stella Stars.

"Don't be so quick to judge your classmates, Eric. Not all of them are like Damian. After all, you did become friends with that Blackbell girl." Loid stated, watching Eric pause in the middle of cutting his omelet.

"Why do you assume we're friends?" Eric asked, not understanding why his father believed he was friends with a rich girl.

'Is his social growth that stinted?' Loid wondered as he tried to figure his own son out.

"Well, she likes you." Anya stated, "She thinks you're cool, you did save her life, and you both don't like Sy-on Boy. You also said liked having her around."

Eric thought over what she said. He didn't dislike Becky's company. She's spoiled and prideful no doubt, but she was willing to defend him despite learning about his social status.

"I don't hate her, but I'm not sure I'm qualified as her friend." Eric stated, still unsure as he severely lacks the social skills required to making emotional connections like friendships.

"Trust me, you're qualified." Anya grinned, remembering how Becky fawned over Eric and thought how wonderful he was during their interactions.

While Eric had severe doubts, he didn't want to press it further as he finished his breakfast.

His family stood at the bus stop as they waited for the one that would take their son to Eden.

"Listen, Eric, when you see Damian, try to make peace with him." Loid requested as Eric stood with his arms crossed.

"You mean apologize to that child? I'm not the one who has to say sorry. I didn't say anything that wasn't true." Eric calmly stated, not looking up at his father. he didn't care if it was for world peace, he will never get along with that brat.

Loid sighed, "That may be so. But you two will be in the same class all year. You don't want to spend it plotting revenge against each other, do you?"

Eric let out a breath after a moment of contemplation. "You're right, I don't."

Loid placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know it's difficult to get along with people like Damian, but try to at least prove you can get along. You're better than that."

Eric nodded at the bus appeared, hissing to a stop before the doors opened and the other Eden students climbed in. Eric was the last as he placed his hand on the railing and turned to his family. "I won't make any promises, but I'll do my best." He said as he climbed in and took his seat. Once the door closed, the bus drove straight to Eden.

"Good luck big brother!" Anya waved goodbye as she held Yor's hand. It didn't take long before Anya's bus arrived. "Bye Mama, bye Papa. I'll see you at home." Anya waved goodbye from the window before the bus pulled off.

After bidding their daughter goodbye, Loid and Yor set off towards their respective jobs.

'I'm counting on you Eric. World peace depends on you two making amends.'

Eric stepped off the boss, steadfast and determined to get through his first day of classes in one piece.

'Get along with Damian Desmond? Who's he kidding?' Eric thought to himself, annoyed at the very idea. 'I don't care if he's the enemy's son and if it's for world peace. It'll be a cold day in hell the moment we become friends.'

At the sound of a car pulling up behind him, he turned around just as Becky Blackbell exited her family's car. "Have a wonderful day, Milady."

Becky's smile widened upon seeing Eric standing there as he waited for her to join them. "Lovely morning, Eric." She pleasantly greeted as they walked side-by-side up the stairs.

"Indeed, it is. I see your foot's feeling better." Eric noted when he saw how perfectly balanced Becky is on her feet.

"That's because I have a doctor ready at a moment's notice." Becky said as she looped her arm in his, having him escort her to class and letting other female students know he's hers.

"I'm not an official doctor as of yet. I'm still reading and researching the techniques before I take on Medical Classes here. Which won't happen until my tenth year." Eric stated as they walked together across campus. "The most I can do right now is have bandaid's, gauze, antibacterial medicine on hand, and the Heimlich maneuver."

"I'll still call you my doctor though." Becky said, already imagining him all grown up in a doctor's lab coat.

Eric had that slight smile again, "Guess that makes you my first patient outside my family."

"That's right." Becky grinned, happy that she's his first.

Becky then sighed as they were about to pass by the dorm building. "I'm jealous of the dorm kids who can stay here."

Much to their displeasure, the terrible trio appeared at the top of the stairs. Damian stood in the middle, his right hand in a cast and his two lackeys on either side behind him with the hair-gel kid holding his master's bag.

They paused as Becky gave them her most disgusted look while Eric stared at them blankly like they were the least interesting creatures that came into existence.

"Quit giving us the stink eye you rude little Uggo!" Bucktooth boy yelled from beside Damian as he glared at the duo.

"Geez, how can you be this obnoxious this early?" Becky sighed in annoyance.

"What's your problem anyway!" Bucktooth yelled before Hair-gel added, "Know your place!"

"Shut up!" Becky fired back.

Damian was silent the whole time as he glared at Eric, his cheeks red with anger and teeth clenched to keep from saying anything rude. The way Eric's blank stare directed at him as though he was hardly worth a breath angered him to the core. More than that, Damian despises how a commoner got the better of the second son of the powerful Desmond family.

'Hmph, the brat is still sore, physically and emotionally, over what happened yesterday. I'm not the one who owes the apology. Sorry Dad, not even for world peace.' Eric turned away, prompting Becky to walk with him.

"Let's not waste our energy on them. Acknowledging their existence only encourages them." Eric calmly stated, making all three glare in response.

Becky smirked, "You're right, why should we bother with them. See you, jerks." She waved goodbye as they resumed their walk to class.

Unfortunately, their little exchange didn't go unnoticed by a certain spy perched on the rooftop of a school building.

In the end he got worried.

Twilight removed his scope with teeth clenched in frustration. 'Eric, you're supposed to be the more mature one!'

He knew that Damian is the one mainly at fault for that altercation the day before. But he needs Eric to put aside his pride and bury the hatchet with the second son if Plan B is ever gonna succeed.

Standing up as the first bell rang, he vowed, 'First impressions are crucial when forming a group of friends at school. This absolutely must be handled today.' He'll make sure they're the best of friends even if it kills him.

Eric and Becky sat together at the front row center of their classroom 1082. But the moment they took their seats, everyone kept their distance from the two.

"This feels off." Becky said as they listened to the students whisper about Eric. Some, not so subtle. Many of them were afraid to meet his soulless gaze, believing they'll turn to stone the moment they make eye contact. They even started wondering if Becky is just as dangerous if she's hanging around Eric.

"They think I'm a bad omen." Eric commented, his fingers woven under his chin as his green eyes followed the words on his lesson guide and memorizing the math formulas in his head. While he was mildly annoyed at their whispers and gossip, he focused his energy on preparing for class.

"I swear, people can be so shallow." Becky stated, glaring at anyone in the room.

"Let them believe what they think is the truth. However they feel about me makes no difference." He turned the page, ignoring everyone behind them. "I'm not wasting my breath on useless gossip."

"That's very cool and mature of you. You never let anything bother you." Becky stated, drawn to how engrossed he is in his book.

"There are more important things to worry about than children holding on to petty grudges of their own making." Eric's calm words were quiet, but they were heard very clearly from the back of the room as he felt someone glare daggers into his skull.

'That cocky little...' Damian glared and clenched his teeth upon hearing Eric's dismissive words.

"Just who does he think he is?" Emile Elman, the bucktooth boy asked as he glared heatedly at Eric.

"You should teach him a lesson, make him remember his place." Ewen Egeberg said, hating how their leader was made a fool of by a commoner.

Damian growled, holding his right arm as the teacher came in and started taking roll.

He couldn't stop himself from glaring at Eric. 'I offered friendship to that ungrateful commoner only to be disregarded like trash. What's more, he dared bring up my father and mock me. Look at him, acting so annoyingly calm, believing he knows everything. He even has the nerve to make me indebted to him of all people.' He cursed, remembering the fear and anxiety he felt after he left the infirmary with his wrist bound. Henderson approached him and gave him a long stern lecture over his behavior and how it was unacceptable for any student at Eden to bully another. His violent act would earn him a Tonitrus Bolt had Eric not intervened on his behalf. The shock he experienced was something he cannot forget when Henderson relayed Eric's reasoning, how Eric did not get injured at all and that the damage done to himself is punishment enough. But that did not stop the dread he felt when he heard his parents will be informed about his mishap. While he was relieved to not receive a Tonitrus Bolt, he was angry at how a commoner stepped in and saved him.

'How arrogant can that peasant get? If he thinks I'll let him lord this incident over my head, he's got another thing coming. I refuse to be indebted to him.' Damian thought angrily as he continued to death glare at the unfazed Eric.

'Doesn't he have anything better to do than plan my murder?' Eric thought morosely as he felt the daggers digging into him.

Eric spent the rest of the hour was attentively jotting down notes, barely glancing down as he watched the teacher talk and write on the chalkboard. By the end of class, he finally allowed himself to blink.

Putting his pencil down, he rubbed his eyes. "Did you seriously go an hour without blinking?" Becky asked incredulously as Eric blinked rapidly to get some moisture back.

"I think so." Eric answered as he packed his math notebook and stuffed it in his bag.

Looking towards the back, he saw Damian and his lackeys exit the classroom. Eric sighed at the feeling in his stomach as his conscious gnawed at him to get this Damian business out of the way. 'If I don't talk to that brat, the old man's gonna find out.' Swallowing his pride and irritation he made to follow Damian.

"I need to talk to Damian about yesterday." Eric told Becky as they left the room.

"I'd just leave Damian alone, Eric. He did it to himself after all." Becky stated, confused as to why Eric wants to bother the brat.

"That may be, but I said some things that crossed too many lines." Eric explained as they passed by a 'janitor.'

Becky scoffed, "He deserved that. You gave him a taste of his own medicine."

Eric sighed as they paused in the hallway, not realizing the 'janitor' was listening in. "My father wants me to be the better man. If I don't make peace with him, I'll end up looking over my shoulder for the rest of the school year. I for one am not fond of war." Eric voiced his feelings.

'Yes, Eric! That's exactly what we want to avoid!' The 'janitor' thought happily as he continued mopping with enthusiasm.

"You think it'll be bad for your peaceful school world?" Becky asked as Eric nodded as he resumed their walk, "That's what my father implied this morning." 'He wants me to be friends with him.'

"I suppose there's no telling what a boy like that will try to do." Becky said before a smile came onto her face as she suddenly wrapped her arms around a surprised Eric from behind him. "Don't worry Eric, because you've got me on your side all the way. And no matter what, I'm gonna help protect you." She promised, no way was she gonna let Damian bully her Eric.

Eric blinked at the girl behind him as a small smile grace his lips. "You sounded like my sister just now. She can be quite protective of me at times."

Becky's smile widened, "For all the right reasons. This way, she doesn't have to worry about you as much." She gave him a reassuring look, "And don't go near Damian or let him bother you unless he's giving you the apology."

Eric hummed for a moment the shrugged, "You're right. Best I keep my distance from now on. So, it should be okay."

'No, it's not!' The 'janitor' thought in panic as he mopped more furiously to vent his frustration. 'I need to find a way to tell him how important this is!'

Eric flinched slightly and turned around to stare at the 'janitor'. For some reason, he felt something off about the man. 'Could he be...? No, of course not. He's got more important things to worry about.' He shrugged and continued to their next class.

Next was Science class. And today they were outside learning how reflective sun rays and heat works.

Eric hung in the back, but he got a good view of the teacher and could hear him clearly.

Something on the ground caught his eye, making him look down at the moving reflective light. His usually calm eyes widened when he saw a message, Fortune telling says, 'It is good to make peace with your enemies today.'

'What the heck? Don't tell me!' It didn't take long for Eric to realize his father's spying on him. Or in this case, stalking.

'C'mon Eric, patch things up with him.' Loid silently pressured his son from the rooftop.

'No Dad, you can't make me!' Eric thought irritated despite the pressure he was feeling.

He and Becky sat together in Literature as they read along with one of the students. The only problem for Eric was how edited the page in his book was. On how it talked about the importance of admitting their wrongs and moving forward to mend things.

It took all of Eric's will power not to tear this book apart. 'Still not happening!'

Eric sighed exasperatedly as he and Becky walked towards the cafeteria. Hopefully some food will calm him down. He listened to Becky talk about how much harder the lessons were on the first day.

Eric glanced to his left and felt his insides drop when he saw letters carved into the trees. 'SORRY'

Eric's eye twitched as he faced forward, glaring slightly as he ignored the message. But it literally returned on the back of an upperclassman walking in front of him.

'He's really pushing this time.' Eric thought as he prevented himself from growling, which took spartan effort as his patience began to thin.

They got to the cafeteria where they looked up at the menu with Becky commenting how none could compare to their family chef. Becky order spaghetti while Eric settled with a salad. But when he got his lunch, he could not bring himself to take a bite.

Make Peace

'Seriously Dad, just how far are you willing to go?!' Eric thought vehemently as he glared at the message written in his lunch. How is he supposed to eat with a knot in his stomach?

"That's a weird dish." Becky commented when she saw the words on the lettuce.

"Somehow, I lost my appetite." Eric said as he clenched his fork tightly.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" Becky asked as she caught the grimace on the boy's usually calm face.

"You know the voice inside your head that tells you to do something you clearly don't wanna do?" Eric asked as a 'waiter' watched them from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah?" Becky asked, looking concerned.

"Well, that voice keeps telling me to make amends with Damian." Eric said, his eyes sliding over to any of the grown-ups in the room, trying to figure out which one's his father.

"Seriously, that again?" Becky asked incredulously as Damian and his followers entered the cafeteria.

Eric sighed miserably through his nose as he stood up from the table. 'Can't avoid it forever.'

"No, Eric, it's their fault." Becky pulled on his sleeve, urging him to sit down. But then he did something that made her heart stop, he turned his head and gave her his calm reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me. I can handle him. Trust me." If it was possible, his glowing smile was brighter than yesterday. Becky was stunned speechless as red painted her features. Slowly, her fingers loosened their grip, "Okay."

After giving her one last nod, he walked over to Damian's table and sat opposite of him as he struggled to eat with his left hand. His sudden appearance made Damian drop his spoon his surprise.

"Hello Desmond." Eric greeted calmly as he sat, back straight and fingers woven against the table.

"What do you want peasant? If you're here to fight...!" Emile demanded, glaring at Eric's stoic face.

"I just came here to talk. I have no intention of using violence to resolve this matter between us. Besides, I made it a rule not to hit weaklings or crybabies." Eric savagely replied, making Damian red in the face as he slammed his fist on the table.

"Did you just call me weak?" Damian demanded, but Eric's attention was drawn to the fist that hit the table.

"You know, that was your right hand." Eric's words made Damian look down just in time for the pain to register as he bit his lips to suppress a scream on pain.

"Case in point." Eric said as he watched Damian hold his wrist while his lackeys glared at him.

"I see you haven't received a Tonitrus Bolt. Good." Eric stated upon seeing not a Bolt in sight.

Damian clenched his teeth in pain as he glared, "Yeah, you here to brag about how you convinced them not to give me a Bolt."

"Trust me, you would've gotten that Bolt had you actually inflicted bodily harm on me. But you got lucky. Commoners grow up to be tough. If you did hit me with that pathetic excuse of a punch, your hand would truly be broken." Eric sighed, "Honestly, I'm quite embarrassed by such an execution. There was no training or discipline at all. Even my younger sister can pull a more adept punch than you. Next time you want to hit me, learn how to actually fight."

'No, no, no! Eric! That's not what you're supposed to say!' The 'waiter' watched in shock at how his son criticized Damian's attack.

If Damian's face got any redder, he'd explode. "Are you mocking me?"

"I'm giving you a lecture so we can avoid more incidents like this. A little bit of advice, know your enemy before you make the first move. You let your emotions get in the way, you underestimated your opponent, and you paid the price." Eric stated firmly, quickly glancing at Damian's wrist. "Hopefully the pain in your wrist will remind you and humble you into a more decent individual. Consider that punishment for belittling another."

Damian looked like he wanted to yell until Eric raised a hand to silence him. "I didn't come here to start another fight with you Desmond. I'm here to bury the hatchet and clear the air lest it turns into a battlefield."

Damian took a few deep breaths to calm his temper. He really didn't want to get hurt again. And he surely didn't want to give Eric the satisfaction of seeing him injure himself even further. "What do you want?"

Eric took a deep breath and sighed, "We both said things that were very hurtful to the other. Stuff that can never be unsaid no matter how hard we try to forget." He closed his eyes, "I'll admit I crossed the line by bringing up your parents. It was wrong of me. But I'm not sorry I said it."

"You're not sorry? Look at what you did to Lord Damian." Ewen said as he pointed to Damian's arm.

"I didn't come here to apologize. How he reacted is clearly his own doing." Eric stated, not bothered by their pathetic attempts to look scary for the sake of their master.

"My point is, you and I are even." Eric explained before standing up from the table and moving away.

Damian looked indignant as he glared at Eric's back. "What? You think you can walk away after what happened yesterday?" Damian shot up out of his seat and walked away from the table until he was standing six feet from where Eric paused.

Eric scoffed softly and turned to face Damian, "I have more important things to worry about than entertain your petty grudge."

"Oh yeah, and what's that?" Damian demanded, hating how this boy dismissed him, how he didn't look guilty or fearful over what transpired between them the day before.

"To get eight Stella Stars and become an Imperial Scholar."

Damian was struck silent before he snickered then started laughing, his friends joining in at what they thought was the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard.

"You? An Imperial Scholar?" Damian laughed mockingly, "You gotta be joking. There's no way a commoner like can ever hope to become one of the greats. Nothing like that has ever happened before."

"That may be so, but I can bet they did not sprain their hand by punching the wall on their first day of school." He shot back, wiping the smirk off Damian's face as his right hand throbbed in pain again.

Eric scoffed again, "You and I will never be friends. That much is certain."

"Yeah, feelings mutual." Damian glared while holding his wrist.

Eric then surprised them when a small smirk appeared, "You're also set on becoming an Imperial Scholar, are you not?"

For some reason, that smirk felt threatening, almost like a challenge.

"Looks like we have a common goal, though our reasons are far different." Eric added to himself as green met hazel. "I'll never call you my best friend. Though having you as a rival is much more appropriate."

Damian gave him a challenging smirk of his own. "Oh yeah, you really think a commoner like yourself can become an Imperial Scholar before me?"

Eric's smirk widened, "Min ypotimáte poté ton antípaló sas gia na min chásete ti máchi."

That threw Damian off, "Huh, what did you just say to me?" He demanded, wanting to know what kind of insult Eric said to him.

"If you don't know, then you better study hard, Desi." Eric said, turning his back to the sputtering boy and walking past the 'waiter.'

The 'waiter' dropped his tray in shock, his mouth gaped open over what happened. 'How could this happen? Eric wasn't supposed to make Damian his rival. Plan B is terminated.'

Everyone who watched their exchange were stunned silence. No one dared challenge a Desmond. But Eric Forger is a whole different story. His calm, cool composure combined with his quick wit made him unpredictable. While he indeed looked bored most of the time, his reserved exterior gave him a gentle glow and an air of superiority. When you add the cropped blonde hair and mesmerizing green eyes, he makes for a lethal opponent...and interesting target for the female students in the first grade.

"Eric, that was so cool." Becky said, witnessing it all as though it was one of her favorite shows. Like two alphas trying to show who is more dominant to lead the pack.

"Yeah?" Eric asked as he stabbed a fork into the words on his salad.

"Mmhm, you totally got under his skin again." Becky said smugly, it was too fun for her not to watch.

"Glad I could entertain you." Eric said as he started eating, not noticing the flustered stares from the female students of their grade. Becky, however, felt their gazes and glared at them, daring them to come near her Eric. No way was she letting them get close.

When they finished their lunch, they had about fifteen minutes before their next class begins.

"Eric, let's go outside for a bit." Becky said, taking Eric's hand and guiding him out of the cafeteria and away from the female students who discreetly watched Eric leave.

Eric found himself on a stone bench in a courtyard with Becky beside him. Both enjoyed the breeze and the sun warming their faces.

"This feels wonderful." Eric said, his eyes close and head tilted back as he basked in the sun's rays.

Seeing such a peaceful expression made Becky happy since he always put on such a strong front. If he's dropping his guard around her, that must mean he trusts her.

"Is it true? Do you really intend to become an Imperial Scholar?" Becky asked, after hearing the declaration of their rivalry, she was curious to know why.

Eric opened his eyes and turned to her, "Well, you've met my little sister." At Becky's nod, he continued, "She doesn't like hospitals. So, I thought, if I become a doctor, I can take care of her. Make sure she lives long, happy and healthy. It makes me happy, being relied on like that. By becoming an Imperial Scholar, I can raise my chances in going to one of the best medical schools in the country. I want to preserve human life and postpone death just a little longer for the people who love them." He looked down at his shoes. "Not only that, but I want to prove myself to them. I need to show them that a commoner can rise on their own merits. That money and social status aren't what matter in this world."

When Eric realized what he said, he turned to Becky's awestruck face. "Sorry, that last part was very rude. I did not mean it like that."

"That's alright. The Blackbell family wasn't always rich. We had our start somewhere in history." Becky said, not offended at all as she listened to Eric talk.

Eric sighed in relief then looked back up at the clear blue sky. A frown then appeared on his face, "Hey Becky, are you sure it's okay for you to be around me?"

"Huh, where did that come from?" Becky asked in surprise as a 'gardener' pruned the bushes not too far from them. But they hardly took notice.

"I'm a son of a psychiatrist, practically a nobody by social standards. And you heard the other kids talk, what they said about me, what they said about you. You're really nice to me, and my sister likes you already. I don't want you to be made fun of or get hurt because of me." He said, finally voicing his concerns and self-doubts about their interaction from yesterday and today. He really enjoyed her company, but he didn't want her to be punished by association.

"Are you worried for me?" Becky asked as she watched Eric's face fall into resignation, as though this is the last time they'll talk.

"Yes."

Becky scooted closer to him, making him look at her in surprise. "That's very sweet. But I can handle those kids better than you realize." She said with a smile, "Besides, they're all boring and the same, self-entitled snobs. You're more than a psychiatrist's son, you're my hero, twice already. So why would you think I wouldn't want to have you as my best friend?"

"Best. Friend?" Eric repeated those words, they sounded foreign to him.

"Yeah. Wait, have you...never had one before?" Becky asked with a frown as Eric looked down in shame.

"It's just...I don't know how to make friends. I've never really talked to kids my own age before." Eric stated, remembering how the other orphans kept their distance from him and Anya. "I..." He sighed, "...I don't know how to properly connect with people on an emotional level. I'm not really good with my emotions. The most I've ever done was keep them locked away for my Dad and sister's sake."

The 'gardener' paused in his pruning for a millisecond as he waited for Eric to continue.

"What do you mean exactly?" Becky asked, frowning when Eric's eyes filled with hidden anguish.

"My birth mother died when Anya was still a baby. Dad was a complete mess." Eric began his story, "He worked hard to support us, and tried even harder to be there for us emotionally and physically. But I knew it was taking a toll on him." He swallowed his saliva as he spun the story, mixing in his own feelings. "I don't fully remember my first mother, but I knew she loved me and Anya the most. She literally gave her life for my sister." He clenched his fist at the vague memory of his mother. "Dad could only do so much as a single parent, and Anya had already driven him into exhaustion. So, for both their sakes, I kept my emotions down and decided to take more responsibility and raise my sister in Mom's place. Take some weight off of Dad so he only has one kid to worry about."

The 'gardener' gripped his shears as he listened to the boy. While the boy making most of it up, he knew there was more truth to how he raised his sister the first few years of their lives and how he forced himself to mature for the sake of survival and in his new family. And his father tossed him into this school without fully understanding the extent the boy is willing to go through for his sister.

"Things got easier when Dad married Yor, she became my second mother. Someone I'm proud to call family." Eric said with a fond smile as he thought of his scary, protective and loving mother. "She herself is an older sibling, and she raised her younger brother when they lost their parents, so she understands me better than most." His smile faded slightly, "But I still keep my emotions in check out of habit. I don't like causing trouble for Dad, not when he's trusting me to do well in this school."

Eric allowed a self-deprecating smile on his face, "Unfortunately, I miscalculated my social skills. I knew the moment I entered this school, I'll be on my own. The only thing that would get me through this place is by staying in the books where it's safe. Books aren't judgmental as people. But it's fine, I'm used to being by myself."

Suddenly, arms wrapped around him from the side. Eric turned to see only the top of the girl's head as she buried her face in his shoulder. "Becky?"

Becky's tears stained his uniform as she cried over his suppressed pain. "Don't ever say you're fine by yourself. Because you're not."

Eric's eyes widened at what she just said, but she wasn't finished as she lifted her head to lock her tear-filled gaze with his. "You say you're not good with your emotions, maybe that's true. But I can tell what you were feeling when Damian made fun of you yesterday. You were annoyed, angry, and I can tell you wanted to hit him. But you didn't, you proved you were better than him and never gave in to his taunts. But I also could tell how lonely and scared you felt standing among the other students. You thought you could hide it, but I saw you very clearly. So don't you dare tell me you're fine by yourself because you have me here."

Eric was completely shocked, he thought he could carefully hide his emotions here because they were kids who don't care much about feelings. But this girl...no one other than Anya can tell what he was feeling. It made him wonder if maybe this girl was also a telepath.

"You saw right through me. No one but my sister could tell what I felt. And she's only four." Eric admitted, not mad at how he failed to properly hide himself. Somehow, he felt happy that someone saw him.

"That just means she's emotionally smarter than you."

Eric released a small laugh, "I won't deny that."

He then looked doubtful again, "Are you sure you want to be my friend? I'm not good at properly expressing my emotions, or how other people feel. What if I hurt you?"

Becky gave him a comforting smile as she held his hand in hers. "Don't worry about that right now. We'll take it one step at a time." She said as she hopped off the bench and pulled him with her. "And you don't have to hide yourself from me. As long as it's just us, you're free to feel whatever you want to feel."

Eric felt the locks he kept on his emotions start to break as he felt a fluttering sense of happiness and belonging course through him. He never had a best friend before, he never felt worthy of such a thing. But Becky saw something in him that he was unable to see.

His peaceful smile widened as he felt another weight leave his shoulder as he squeezed her hand in return. "Thank you."

Becky's smile was beaming as she saw a truly happy and beautiful on her knight's face for the first time. "C'mon, let's go to our next class. I want front row seats for the two of us." She said as they rushed to their next lesson hand-in-hand.

"As you wish." Eric said, as they left the courtyard.

Though his original plan was never to make any friends in this school and focus on his studies to get Stella Stars, he'll make an exception for her. Having her with him will make being among the children of the elite bearable.

'My first best friend.'

The 'gardener' watched them leave, already inseparable as they made their way towards their next class. He allowed a smile to grace his features since his original plan didn't go the way he thought it would either. While he failed to get Damian and Eric to become friends, he was glad his son was able to make a friend in the Blackbell girl. Not because of who her father is, but because she can serve as an emotional support while Eric's in this school.

With a resigned sigh, Twilight left the courtyard. Even though Plan B will never happen, he'll happily accept this turn of events so his son could at least have some comfort in this mission. Once he was changed in his regular clothes, he decided to go to Anya's preschool and wait for her to come out since her classes end two hours earlier before Eric's.

"So you and Sy-on Boy didn't become friends." Anya stated as she Loid, and Eric sat in the living room where their father helped his son with his homework, giving him tips and examples to work with. Yor was in the kitchen washing dishes from their dinner as she listened to their conversation.

"Not even if he's the last kid on earth." Eric said after describing what happened in the cafeteria. "I made peace with him, yes. But friendship is nonexistent between us. What we have is a rivalry in academics."

"What's a wival? *rival*?" She asked curiously as she wrote in her coloring book.

"It's a person or thing competing with another for the same objective or for superiority in the same field of activity. In Eric's case, they're both competing to become Imperial Scholars." Loid explained, not looking away from his son's work as he patiently guided him in how to solve these problems.

"Oh." Anya nodded in understanding then asked, "But if you both want to become Imperial Scholars, why not work together instead?"

Her question raised a good point for the spy since he himself is curious about his son's reason.

Eric stopped writing as he looked up at his father and sister. "Our rivalry is more beneficial than friendship. By competing, we're pushing ourselves and each other by expanding our knowledge and testing the limits. He believes himself superior because of the social class he's born into. He's intelligent, yes. But not wise as yesterday proved. I plan to show him who his equal is. If I become an Imperial Scholar before him, I'll not only have his respect, but everyone's in the school. At least that's how I look at it." Eric shrugged before resuming his work.

Loid was actually impressed by that idea. Plan B would potentially get things done faster, but he considers his son is a natural born genius compared to other kids. It wouldn't be bad to put Plan B on the back burner for now. But he hoped that one day Eric's rivalry with Damian will turn into friendship and understanding.

"Well, as long as you take care and be civil with each other, I don't see a problem with that. Just remember not to push yourselves too hard." Loid said as he accepted his son's reason.

"No promises, sir." Eric answered as his mind started working the problems.

Anya, upon listening to her father's thoughts wanted to go to Eden and help them out even more. If Eric can't be friends with Damian, maybe she can. But the problem is, she's not old enough to become a student yet. With a hum, she returned to her coloring book while figuring out a plan to increase the chance of the mission's success.

Chapter Text

Eric's school life was remotely peaceful all things considered. He attended his classes with vigor and determination and answered problems he was quick to solve but remembered to allow other kids a chance, so he won't be considered a know-it-all. He treated his teachers with the utmost respect and his fellow classmates, minus Damian and company, with cordiality. Many of them still kept their distance due to his rivalry with Damian because they didn't want to get caught up in the crossfire. The only one who stuck close to him was Becky who remained unbothered.

At the end of class as Eric finished the last of his notes for math, he heard a surprised pain-filled yelp to his left. A girl with shoulder-length black hair held her index finger that sported a fresh papercut. Her friend and desk mate checked her finger and hissed at the blood oozing out before the black-haired child sucked on it to relieve the pain.

Eric sighed as he fished out a band aid from the side pocket of his bag and approached their desk. "Excuse me? But will this help?" He asked pleasantly as he presented them with a band aid.

The two girls blushed upon seeing the calm green eyes of Eric Forger, the one who outwitted Damian Desmond single handedly without throwing a single punch. The girl could hardly say a word as the beautiful boy got closer and held his other hand out to her. "Let me see." Under the spell of his green eyes, she held her papercut out to Eric who blew on it gently to soothe it before gently wrapping the band aid around little finger. After smoothing out the adhesive onto her soft skin, Eric smiled slightly yet softly at his work and looked up at his classmate. "Better?"

Their blushes increased at his lovely assuring smile. "Um, I, well-" When she couldn't get the words out, she simply nodded and smiled nervously.

"You be careful now and avoid getting it wet. Okay?" Eric gently instructed as he pulled his book bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah, thanks Forger." The black-haired girl said before he left to join Becky who waited for him at the entrance.

Once the two were out the door, she and her desk mate squealed quietly as they looked at the band aid around her finger. "Lizzie, you're so lucky! You touched his hand!" Other girls came to their desk to look at the girl's finger. Whispering excitedly after witnessing Eric's gentle act.

Lizzie held her band aid out like it was the holiest thing in the world. "His hands were so soft and warm." Lizzie sighed dreamily, "It felt nice."

The others pouted and whined, "No fair." "I want to get a papercut."

"You know, you're gonna give those girls the wrong idea." Becky stated to Eric who turned to her in confusion, "Why do you say that?"

Becky sighed at his cluelessness, "Never mind. You're just so nice to everybody despite how they treat you."

"Nice? I was being professional. It wouldn't do well for her if she's bothered by a papercut the whole day." Eric explained, unsure why this bothered Becky.

"You're just gonna give first aide treatment to everyone in class. Aren't you?" Becky asked already seeing a gaggle of girls lining up to get 'treated' by Eric. It hasn't been two weeks since they started school, and the girls are already staring at him. Eric thought they were cautious stares after what happened at the start of the school year. But Becky knew better than what her dense Eric believes.

"I like to think of myself as the class medic. Save them a trip to the infirmary." Eric explained, already establishing himself as the Cecil Hall's first responder to the students.

"Yeah, until they suffer heart attacks."

"Unlikely at their age. Still too early." Eric disagreed then explained, "While the average age for a heart attack is 64.5 for men, and 70.3 for women, nearly 20 percent of those who die of heart disease are under the age of 65." He then raised a finger to point out another medical factor, "But I read somewhere that children are susceptible to heart palpitations. They can be caused by a variety of factors, including being startled, frightened or under stress, cold, allergy, and asthma medications. However, two of the most frequent causes for heart palpitations are not drinking enough fluid on a regular basis or being out of good physical shape. I haven't learned the proper treatment for it yet, but I do watch out for the signs such as fainting, lightheadedness, difficulty breathing and chest pains."

'So clueless. He's the one who's gonna cause heart palpi-something.' Becky sighed and laughed as she ruffled his hair, "Oh Eric, you are just so adorable."

"Hm?" Eric blinked, wondering where that came from all of a sudden as they got closer to their next class.

At an outdoor cafe sat Twilight and the Handler as they quietly discussed Operation Strix.

"Your son's academic progress, give me your honest assessment." Sylvia ordered as she took a sip of her coffee. "HQ estimated that he'll need to acquire eight Stella Stars in about four months."

Twilight set his cup in its saucer and wove his gloved fingers together. "I have no doubt in Eric's genius. It won't be a problem. However, it would be counterproductive if I pressure him to acquire those Stars faster. He barely started school, and his first exam won't be for another month." He stated since he needs Eric to enjoy school while getting good grades. He's already aced his homework and quizzes. It wouldn't be a good idea to push his six-year-old into obtaining those merits.

"Interesting, you're quite honest in the faith you have for your son." Sylvia stated sincerely before moving on to another pressing matter involving one of their informants being compromised and turned over to the State Security Service (SSS), whose main goal is to root out spies and traitors to the country. While spies do most of the dirty work, their informants are just as valuable since they're the extra set of eyes that help spot for oncoming danger. One less informant means more danger surrounding them.

At home, Loid was helping Eric with his homework while Anya sat fixated to an episode of Bondman being tortured. "How is this a kid's show?" Eric couldn't help but ask since he's pretty sure cartoons are supposed to be innocent and less violent. At the end of the episode telling the viewers Bondman has two bullets left in his pistol, Anya turned to her father and brother, "How many bullets can Bondman's pistol carry?"

Loid was surprised at the question, but answered, "If I remember correctly, it holds eight, right?"

"He's got two-eights." Anya stated, surprising them with her mathematical answer.

"Way to go, Anya." Eric praised his sister while Loid stood up, "It is, good job."

Anya stood up and gave them a tough look. "He's got two-eights bullets left."

"So you actually know what that means?" Loid asked incredulously.

"I guess cartoons can act as some sort of stimulus if it can serve educational purposes." Eric said thoughtfully since he described fractions to Anya the previous night. As expected, she conked out on his bed while he finished his homework. That kind of teaching method won't work on his sister.

Then Yor entered the apartment looking frantic as she came into the living room. "Loid, we got some serious trouble brewing!"

"Hi Mom."

"Welcome home Yor."

"There's two-eights bullets left." This earned Anya a look from her family before Yor went back to the issue at hand.

"Yuri is coming here tonight! Here!" Yor informed the family with a look of panic.

It took Loid a moment to register this curveball. "Here?"

Eric dropped his math book in response while Anya kept her tough girl posture.

After Yor hung up her coat, she then conferred with Loid with the kids present. "Now he knows. So of course he insisted on coming over." Yor fidgeted then turned to Loid, "What are we gonna do? He can't find out that the whole thing is fake."

Luckily, Loid had an easy solution, "No need to worry. I've prepared for this. Picked up a couple of lovey-dovey stuff for this occasion."

The 'emergency lovey-dovey kit' he so eloquently pulled together just so happened to be a toothbrush holder with 'love' written on it. A few photoshopped family pictures, and last but not least, a ridiculous valentines-style bedspread in Yor's room. The fake couple looked at it with blushes on their face.

"Mama and Papa are flirting." Anya stated from the doorway as the flustered couple denied, "No, we are not!"

Eric sighed, his arms crossed as he leaned his back against the wall outside beside Yor's bedroom. "Leave it to Dad to go overboard with his backup plans." 'He obviously doesn't know how marriage works. I seriously doubt Yor's brother is gonna buy this.'

"Maybe if they actually kissed every once in a while, even in private, they could surely sell the act." He never meant to say those words out loud as the couple blushed deeply.

'Yep, we're doomed.' Eric sighed again as Anya giggled. This is so much fun.

The grandfather clock chimed at 9pm. Loid, Anya and Eric sat in that order on the couch where father and daughter read Spy Wars comics while the son read a few chapters ahead in his science book.

"Mama's brother, he's still not here yet?" Anya asked Loid as he turned a page.

"You mean your Uncle." Loid corrected.

"Unkie." Anya tried out the word.

"No thank you." Eric responded, not looking up from his book. He was not exactly open to calling their mom's brother so suddenly without getting to know him properly.

Anya yawned deeply, catching Loid's attention. "Seems it's gotten way past your bedtime, Anya." He stated, watching how the clearly tired little girl started to sway and her eyes become half-lidded.

"But I really want to meet my Unkie too." Anya slurred.

"He's probably still stuck at work." Yor said from the window, trying to catch a glimpse of her brother.

Anya lost her fight to exhaustion and fell on her father's lap.

Eric hummed and shut his book. "I'm gonna turn in as well." He said as he got off the couch.

"You sure you don't want to meet your Uncle Yuri?" Yor asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty tired, and I have school tomorrow. I'll meet him another time." Eric said as he made his way to his room while Loid prepared his unconscious daughter for bed.

While Eric did go to bed, he only got at least an hour of sleep before commotion from the living room woke him up. He glared tiredly at the ceiling with hands woven against his front. He recognized his parents' voices, but the third one was completely foreign to him.

'Yor's brother, Yuri Briar.' Eric hummed to himself. He closed his eyes to try and go back to sleep. The time amount he got was fifteen minutes before his eyes shot open in alertness upon hearing someone scream 'Loidy'.

Growling lightly to himself, he raised his hand and opened the bedside table drawer and out came the heavy earmuffs. Catching the earmuffs above his face, he placed them over his ears. While the sounds were muffled, it didn't completely silence the commotion. He took meditative breaths and willed himself to relax, closing his eyes once again.

It hasn't been ten minutes before the entire apartment shook from a destructive force. The impact was enough to knock over the books and pencils off his shelves and desk. Eric sat up, floating above his bed, feeling cranky and irritable enough to shake the furniture in the room. A very displeased frown etched itself onto his face before he willed himself to calm down again before he ends up destroying his room. Gently, he lowered himself back onto the mattress. With a tired sigh, he waved his hand around and picked up all the books and slid them back in the shelves while placing the pencils back in their holders.

He flopped himself back against the bed and tucked himself in to try and go back to sleep. After a while, he finally returned to the world of dreams.

Morning came and Eric looked groggier than he normally would when he woke up.

Yor was already there as he trudged over to the sink, thumping his head against the ceramic but paid no mind as his hand found his toothbrush.

"Are you okay Eric?" Yor asked as the boy went on to brush his teeth.

"Yeah, I woke up some time last night when the earthquake hit." Eric said, eyes still closed as though he was still asleep.

Yor flinched and blushed red, choosing not to say anything about that.

Anya joined them, dressed in her adorable blue onesie and tired expression.

"Good morning Anya." Yor greeted after wiping her face with a towel.

Even though his eyes were barely open as he brushed his teeth, he was aware that his sister needed the sink as he pulled the step stool out with his foot and moved aside until he was sitting on the closed toilet.

"It's too bad you didn't get to see Yuri last night." Yor commented while brushing her hair as Anya splashed her face to wake herself up.

"Hm? Who's that?" Anya asked tiredly, shocking Yor. 'But she was so excited about meeting him.'

"Don't count on the attention span of a four-year-old." Eric said as he pulled open the toilet seat and spat the toothpaste into the water.

Eric sat at the breakfast table beside Loid, eating whatever strange dish Yor prepared. It took all of Eric's willpower not to throw up out of consideration for his mother. Half-way through, he was mildly certain he was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as his eyes began to close.

"Why didn't you wake me up and introduce me to Unkie! Gimme back the excitement I wasted!" Anya's outrage voice brought Eric back to life before he lightly slapped himself on the cheek to wake up.

"It meant that much to you?" Loid asked, unaware that his thoughts betrayed him to his daughter who just learned that Yor's younger brother is from the Secret Police, an arch-nemesis of WISE. Learning another secret brought a new kind of excitement to Anya's life.

But now that the storm passed, he can go back to focusing on Eric's education. "Now hurry up and eat, or you'll both be late."

The dish Yor prepared at almost gone save for a fish head and bones. Anya wept as she ate, not because she missed the excitement of meeting another relative with a double life, but because Yor's cooking tasted more like hate and anguish.

'You're okay Anya. Just think of this as poison training.' Eric thought sympathetically as he struggled to digest his food. 'If coming in was bad, I'm afraid to know how it feels coming out of me.' That little slip made Anya cry even more.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll meet him soon." Yor said to Anya, not understanding just how terrible her cooking is.

Breakfast carried on into a peaceful conversation, but Anya could sense her father's suspicious distrustful thoughts about Yor. Since her brother is SSS, he wasn't sure if she was aware of Yuri's real occupation or whether SSS sent her to monitor him.

"Papa, Mama is..." Anya spoke without thinking.

"Hm? She's what?" Loid asked as everyone's attention turned to her.

She wanted to tell him Yor wasn't aware of anything, but thankfully, she stopped herself just in time and instead said, "Mama is...bad at cooking." Which was stomach-achingly true.

Yor blushed as a tear rolled down her cheek. "C'mon, I didn't even tell you I made breakfast this morning! Was it really that obvious?"

Eric nodded morbidly as he sipped his milk to relieve his internal organs.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I tried my best." Yor apologized, feeling ashamed.

After Eric and Anya got dressed in their respective school uniforms, he stood beside his sister just in time to see their mother looking flustered as Anya gasped at her thoughts.

After Eric got onto the Eden bus and rolled away, it was Anya's turn to get on her own bus. However, before she climbed in, she turned to her parents and firmly told them, "Mama and Papa, you two need to be good and get along."

This surprised the couple as Loid reassured her that they weren't fighting. Yor added in that everything was alright.

After bidding their daughter goodbye, the bus rolled away. Yor and Loid both left to their respective jobs, one to City Hall and the other on the roof of City Hall to listen and spy on his wife.

Eric groaned in his seat as he morbidly waited for class to start.

"You don't look so good." Becky commented, noting how his blank face held more grimace and suppressed agony.

"I did not have a good breakfast this morning." Eric closed his eyes and breathed deeply to calm the tension in his stomach. 'The worst time to begin poison training.'

"What did you eat?" Becky's question made Eric's eye open slowly, but the shadows under his eyes and pale skin made him look kind of dead.

"It's too horrible for me to describe." Eric sighed, feeling sick just by thinking about it. "I wouldn't feed it even to my worst enemy." He added as Damian entered the room with his two loyal dogs.

Upon seeing Eric's state, he took this opportunity to mock him. "Did someone run you over or something? You look dead."

"Getting there. Again." Eric quickly replied, not having the motivation to argue with Damian. "I'll describe the Pearly Gates in more detail when I come back."

'Grr, he hardly even acknowledged the insult and just went along with it.' Damian frowned in annoyance, once again, not getting Eric angry. He sat down with his friends and glared at Eric. 'Although, he does look pretty bad. Wouldn't be as fun.'

Loid and Yor picked up Anya after meeting up along the way. Twilight spent the whole day spying on his wife, trying to detect any connection between her and SSS. Thankfully, she was unaware of either the Secret Police, or of her husband being suspicious of her. When Anya saw them, she joyfully ran up to them upon sensing their thoughts.

"You're getting along. Like I wanted." Anya said, happy that her parents are okay with each other again.

"I told you before, we weren't even fighting in the first place." Loid assured her as she raised her hands up, wanting to be picked up. He obliged her request as Yor smiled at the scene before they left preschool and made their way home.

Eric got off the bus that dropped him off close to his home before entering the apartment building.

"I'm home." Eric announced as he entered the apartment.

Anya rushed to the door like an excited puppy. "Welcome home big brother!" She jumped into her brother's arms as he carried her back inside.

"How's everything?" Eric put her down on her feet.

"We're all okay." Anya said as they entered the living room where their parents sat and discussed all the excitement that happened in their day.

By late evening, Eric was working hard on his homework for the weekend when Anya entered with her Mr. Chimera.

"I can't play with you right now Anya. I need to finish this first before bed." Eric said, not looking up as he wrote furiously, the scratching and tapping of his pencil on paper filled the room.

Anya closed the door securely and dragged her feet over to her brother and placed Mr. Chimera on Eric's head. "But Mr. Chimera says you have a mission da-bref. *debrief*"

"It can't wait until tomorrow?" Eric asked, not fazed as Anya whispered, "It's about Unkie Yuri, Papa found out something that could endanger the mission."

The pencil stopped writing as he turned his attention to his sister and took Mr. Chimera off his head and set him on his lap. "What happened?"

"Mama's brother is part of the Secret Police who hunt down spies." Anya whispered to her brother; her eyes filled with certainty.

"Spy hunters. Then they're Dad's sworn enemy." Eric frowned, "Does Yuri suspect anything about us?"

Anya shook her head with a frown, "I didn't get to meet him last night to read his mind. I'm sorry."

Eric sighed and patted her head, "It's not your fault. We'll meet him next time." 'I hope.' Anya's face perked up at that.

"Anything else I need to be debriefed on Mr. Chimera?" Eric asked, holding up his sister's doll.

Anya nodded, "Yeah, big, big, boss needs you to get all eight Stars in four months."

"What? I barely got started with school." Eric whispered exasperatedly. He said he wanted to get all eight Stella Stars and become an Imperial Scholar, but he was hoping to get there in about two or three years.

"That's what Papa said, but it's what his boss wants." Anya whispered to her brother who looked displeased with the time limit he's been given and tried to assure her brother, "But don't worry, I'm sure Papa can work something out. Just don't stress over it. Plus, there's still Plan B."

Eric's frown was all the answer she needed in response to that alternative. "Yeah, okay, never mind."

Eric sighed as he returned to his work with more vigor. "There is more than one way to acquire Stella Stars, not just with best grades on exams. I'll talk to Dad about it at some point. It's best not to sound so eager either." He said as he handed Mr. Chimera back to his sister.

Anya nodded as she held her toy to her chest. She walked towards the door and opened it then stepped out. Before she closed the door, she said to her brother, "You're gonna do great, just don't work too hard. Goodnight." Once the door shut, she walked back to her room.

"Wonder what all that was about?" Yor asked as she and Loid sat in the living room drinking tea. They both could hardly make out the whispers coming from Eric's room, but they never fought, which was a relief to both parents.

"Probably some Spy Wars stuff as usual." Loid said as he went back to planning how to get Stella Stars for his son quickly and efficiently.

Chapter Text

Days passed since Yuri's visit, and things went back to normal. Or at least the Forgers' kind of normal. Yes they still have their secrets, secrets only Anya and Eric are fully aware of. Yet despite all that, everything felt comfortable...save for a dilemma Eric is currently facing in regard to the Stella Stars.

"...Eric..."

His father's boss needs him to acquire all eight in four months in order for him to become an Imperial Scholar and attend social gathers he and his parents are required to attend and get close to Donovon Desmond.

"...Eric..."

Exams aren't here yet, so he's trying to figure out how to get the Stars faster without drawing too much attention to his family or the powers inside him.

"...Eric..."

What's worse, now he has to deal with the possibility of an SSS uncle who may suspect his father to be Twilight since he's one of the best spies in the world and is no doubt on the topmost wanted list.

FLICK!

Eric made a noise of surprise when his forehead was flicked by Becky's index finger. He massaged his forehead and looked at her confused, "What happened? Did class start?"

Becky frowned, "No, I've been calling your name for five minutes, but you didn't answer."

"Huh?"

"You completely tuned out. You didn't even respond to Damian hurling another insult at you, not that it's hard for you to do. But where did you go in there?" Becky asked since his faraway look kind of scared her, as though he wasn't there anymore.

Eric removed his hand from his forehead. "I'm sorry, I've been thinking a lot lately and I still can't figure it out."

"Which is?" Becky enquired.

"How to get a Stella Star before my first exam."

Becky's eyes brightened, "Actually, there is."

This got Eric's full attention as Becky continued, "I heard that you can get a Stella Star in the next class' dodgeball game. But it's only for the winning class' MVP."

"Did the teacher tell us this? I don't remember." Eric thoughtfully said as he held his chin, trying to recall when the PE teacher gave such an announcement.

"One of my friend's buddies in Class 7 told her and she told me." Becky answered with an excited smile, knowing how deeply Eric wants those Stars.

'So it's a rumor. Rumors are often spread through word of mouth. But without evidence or solid confirmation from a teacher, it's impossible to prove whether it's true or false.' Eric thought to himself, not daring to get his hopes up for fear of disappointment.

As class began, he put those worries behind him for now and focused on the lesson.

"You can get a Stella in your next PE class?" Loid asked as he was cutting an onion while Anya helped wash the potatoes.

"It's a possibility, but that's what the kids keep saying." Eric informed him, still dressed in his school uniform as he stood in the kitchen entryway.

But Loid surmised that it could just be a rumor, meaning it might not be true at all.

"Big brother will get that Stella Star by being the class MVP. Whatever that is." Anya stated cheerfully, dropping the potato that slipped out of her hand. Thankfully, Loid wasn't looking behind him as Eric used his power to return it to Anya who sighed in relief from her step stool.

"Sounds like we need to train. Don't you think?" Yor entered the scene with enthusiasm as Eric turned to her.

Eric hummed, "I could use some help. My head tends to be the target for all things blunt and heavy, and I'm not expecting this game to be gentle." He really wasn't. He's taken too many hits to not anticipate oncoming head injuries.

"But what kind of sport will you kids be playing?" Yor asked with a frown since she never really played sports herself due to her monstrous strength.

"Dodgeball."

"Okay then, dodgeball." Yor straightened herself up and held her chin thoughtfully. "Let me think, that's where you hit your opponent with a ball to do them in. Right?"

'That's one way to put it.' Loid thought to himself, a little disturbed by how Yor phrased the game.

"Mama, teach us your killer moves." Anya came to stand beside her brother in her apron as she pulled a fist.

"Anya, you're not the one who's gonna play dodgeball." Eric reminded her.

Anya pouted at Eric, "But I wanna train with you and Mama since you hardly spend time with me."

Eric flinched slightly as guilt shot through him. It's true that they haven't spent a lot of time together ever since he started school. And when he's not at school, he's busy doing his homework and preparing for future tests. With a reluctant sigh, "Okay." Anya jumped up and down in joy, happy to finally have some brother-sister time.

"Don't worry you two. I'll will teach you the ultimate killer move. That'll show 'em." Yor determinedly said, getting pumped for training her children for battle.

Anya's face lit up with excitement while Eric's face remained neutral. This will no doubt be painful, but by the time dodgeball comes around, it will hurt less.

"Guess I didn't realize you were into sports, Yor." Loid commented since this was new information to him. But then again, Yor has always been full of energy.

"I'm not, really. I just used to play catch with my brother sometimes when we were kids." 'I can't tell him I tear people apart and toss them around for a living!'

"I promise to steer you in the right direction Eric." She cut through the air, the wind moved her children's hair. "And with this move, you will catch that star." Yor declared, full of energy she shared with Anya.

"It'll be so cool to kill them all in this dodgeball game Eric." Anya excitedly said then clapped her little hands together, "You are going to catch that star and smash it!"

"I don't wanna kill anyone, nor do I wanna smash any star." Eric said incredulously at how enthusiastic his sister is about murdering people.

'He doesn't seem motivated, but then again, he never looks excited for anything.'

Mother, son and daughter changed into their training clothes and met Yor in the living room with Loid beside her.

"Okay, we'll start off with strength training. You ready?" Yor asked as she held Anya's ankles while Loid held Eric's for sit up exercise. "One." Eric kept his arms crossed and grunted as he slowly sat up until his torso met his thighs. "Two." He repeated the motion again, making sure to go slow so he doesn't strain himself.

"Three...Four...Five...and Six..." Eric paused during one of his sit ups to see Anya struggling to do even one proper sit up, but she could barely get her back off the ground before flopping flat down.

The next day during the weekend, Yor, Eric and Anya jogged around the park. Yor was fine obviously, Eric sweated, but kept up regardless, but Anya looked ready to drop.

"Good stamina is crucial." Yor said as Eric kept his breathing even while Anya started to wheeze then fell. Hearing their Anya fall made them look cack to see her face plant in the mud with a dog and his owner watching her in shock.

"Are you okay?" Yor asked in panic before Eric jogged over to his sister and carried her on his back, not minding the mud getting on his clothes before returning to his mother.

"Let's continue." Eric firmly said before jogging again, keeping his sister firmly on his back.

Yor smiled and caught up with him easily. But it wasn't five minutes later before Anya was transferred onto Yor's back as the resumed stamina training.

They returned home to change into less muddy clothes then went back outside in the evening where the park was lit up and they were surrounded by trees.

Yor had a ball in her hand as she started her demonstration. "No listen carefully, when you throw the ball, you are using a whole lot more than just your arms." She took her stance, "So you need to make sure that when you step out with your foot, you're already twisting your hips. As you shift your weight, channeling all your strength into your shoulder. Boom!" She threw the ball, cutting through the air as a gush of wind kicked up the leaves and blew Eric's and Anya's hair around them.

The siblings turned in the direction the ball flew only to see it rapidly bounce off multiple trees then disappeared into the night. But as a final applause, the trees started to crack and whine before they broke in half and fell to the ground.

Anya's mouth fell open in shock while Eric's eyes were wide at the display of strength.

"Now you try it."

Next came meditation which Eric had no problem with cause it helps calm him. On the other hand, Anya fell asleep.

After that, they were back in the park practicing moves as well as dodging techniques to help avoid getting hit. Eric started doing moves that shouldn't even be considered dodging.

Then, he's still not sure how they got there, but Eric was sitting under a waterfall meditating. When they got home, he was meditating again under a much warming waterfall.

Eric jogged up the stairs with Yor as Anya clung to her mother's back. He was out of breath by the time they reached the top, but he felt invigorated as they overlooked the city. All three raised their arms in victory, for tomorrow will be the day where Eric plays his first dodgeball game.

The day finally came, and while Eric was sore all over, he was grateful for the training because it prepared him for battle.

When PE finally came around, he and his classmates were in the gymnasium mentally and physically preparing for the game. For Eric, he sat against the wall, eyes closed, and legs crossed as he meditated. He wants to win this game, but he needs to do it without using his power.

'I must stay calm no matter what. If I use my power, I'll never get any better. Even if I don't get a Stella Star, proving myself strong without using my ability will be just as satisfying.' Eric breathed deeply, then stood up as Becky stood waiting beside him.

"You must really enjoy being lazy and napping, Forger." Emile commented nastily as he accompanied his boss while Ewen added, "You just make sure you and your emotionless face don't hold Damian back."

"If you think that's an insult, come up with something better. You're not exactly intimidating. I fear for Desi's future if he has you for bodyguards." Eric calmly stated, hardly fazed as the trio glared at him.

"Geez, why are we playing with these dumb boys anyway. Ugh, like we ever want to be on the same team as them." Becky said in disgust.

Eric crossed his arm and scoffed, "Unfortunately, we have no choice. Only way we'll defeat the opposing team is by working together."

Eric turned to Damian, "Desi."

Damian turned to glare at him again, "Do not call me Desi."

Eric ignored his complaint and advised him, "Any animosity you have toward me, make sure to channel it through this game. Hopefully we'll win that way." He then walked away with Becky beside him, preferring a quieter area to do more stretches and meditation before the game.

Damian glared at his back before turning away furiously, 'Forget it, I can't waste my breath on that smug little brat.' Damian calmed himself down as he remembered the reason why he wants to win this game. If he makes MVP and get that first Stella, it'll be one step closer to becoming an Imperial Scholar so his father will acknowledge him at last.

At 10:20pm, the sound of the whistle called their attention. But to their surprise, instead of Coach Bobby, there stood Housemaster Henderson. After giving instructions and warnings to both the classes of Cecil Hall and Wald Hall, the game was ready to begin.

The match started with a single ball which Damian got a hold of and firmly grasped in his hands.

"Show 'em how it's done Lord Damian!" Emile cheered.

Thanks to Emile and Ewen gathering intel on the opposing class, Damian already had a strategy in mind and who his target must be. As much as he hated to admit it, he actually took Eric's advice on knowing his enemy before making the first move. With a look of determination in place, he threw the ball with brutal accuracy. Only for it to be caught by a hand much bigger than Damian's head.

"Sweet catch, Bill." One of the Wald Hall students praised as the much bigger kid lowered the ball and gave Damian a pointed look behind his glasses. The son of the Major General of the Ostanian Army. Though he was six years old, he had more muscle and growth on him than was normal. This made the Cecil Hall students tremble at his intimidating stature.

'Was this kid held back?' Eric thought to himself as he assessed the creature on the other side of the battlefield.

Becky looked terrified of the behemoth. "They've got a monster in their class? I don't believe for a second he's our age!"

Ewen grinned at the challenge, "That beast..."

Emile finished, "...is called Bazooka Bill."

'Appropriate.' Eric couldn't help but agree as the two henchmen explained how he was an early bloomer and has already won all kinds of trophies while he was still in kindergarten.

"What kind of tournaments do they have in kindergarten?" Becky questioned at the insanity that has now become their game.

"If I don't make it out alive, tell my sister I love her." Eric said to Becky as he kept his calm exterior in check lest Bill see his weakness.

Eric observed as his rival made taunts to Bill who remained unfazed as he calculated his next attack. The moment Bill pulled his hand back, Eric knew the kids didn't stand a chance. With the thrust of his arm, four of Cecil Hall students were taken out of the game.

"Calm down, that was just a fluke!" Damian said as Bill cracked his neck.

'An idiot with half a brain can tell it's not.' Eric sighed with arms crossed.

"Hey, Eric, how come you're not scared?" Becky asked, still shaken at the effortless attack.

"No, I'm pretty much terrified." Eric said with his perpetually calm demeaner.

"Then why not show it? What are you a cyborg?" Damian demanded as he glared behind him at Eric's bored expression.

'Not even close.' Eric didn't dare voice that out loud.

"This is crazy! If the ball hits any of us that hard, we'll die!" Becky said, still terrified as she held the ball in her hands.

"No need to be afraid. I'll try to hold back on the girls." Bill said, since it's not in his nature, his father would be cross if he exercised violence on women.

"Very chivalrous of you." Eric stated, garnering some respect for the giant.

Becky growled, "Seriously, that makes me really mad!" She tossed the ball, only for it to be caught by Bill who returned it with minimal effort and knocked Becky out of the game.

"Becky, I will avenge you." Eric said to Becky who stepped out of the boundaries.

Eric took a back seat as Damian taunted Bill again before he and his lackeys did some ridiculous move that was meant to confuse their opponent before Ewen launched the ball at the other team. Result: failure. Bill caught that one too.

Bill launched the ball back with extreme force, intending to hit the ringleader. But Emile made the valiant sacrifice and took the blow to save his Lord. As Ewen stood over his fallen comrade, Bill took advantage and got him in the back.

The Cecile Hall students dwindled until only Damian, Eric, and one other student remained standing. Throughout this game, Eric hardly moved an inch as he kept his observations.

Damian was angry, he did not want to be the last one standing, especially against this impenetrable behemoth. What's worse, the only ones he's with are some kid and Eric who stood uselessly off to the side. 'Hmph, I knew that jerk isn't gonna help. But I don't care if the other kids go down. As long as I make to the end and stand out.'

'I thought dodgeball was supposed to be fun.' Eric thought as he watched Damian look livid and sweaty.

Bill turned his attention away from Damian and locked eyes on his next target. The boy's facial expression hardly changed during this game, and he hardly showed any participation or awareness around him. He'll be too easy.

Bill threw that ball with the intent of knocking the boy's legs out from under him.

WHOOSH

Bill gasped when Eric gracefully spun to the left out of the ball's range. His hands were at his sides and his face was impassive as he watched the ball bounce against the wall and roll towards him. He stopped it with his foot and bent down to pick it up. He flicked the dust off the surface then turned to the opposing team who watched for his next move.

'Remember, never use your ability.' Were Eric's thoughts as he policed himself before throwing the ball, not at Bill, but at the other kids. Two were hit, two were out.

Bill picked up the ball as his teammates left the game looking dejected as he focused on Eric once again. 'That was just a fluke.' He pulled his arm back and threw the ball with accuracy, cutting through the air as it charged at the boy.

SWISH

Eric bent backwards as the ball soared over his chest and face, he went cross-eyed as it brushed passed his nose. With all the gentleness and grace he could muster, his hands arched back and landed on the hard wood floor to soften his landing. His legs rolled inward until they met his chest, and with his hips and legs off the ground, he launched his lower body forward, using his neck as leverage to help his hand push himself off the floor as he did the kick up move to return to a standing position. Feet planted on the ground as he clapped his hands together to rid himself of any filth.

Everyone exclaimed at that cool move and the way he dodged that ball with style. "The hell did you just do?" Damain exclaimed at the unexpected move as Eric, unsurprisingly ignored him to retrieve the ball that made it back into the court.

Eric stood up, his back to his opponent, 'He may be the Ostanian General's son, however...' He crouched down, tucking the ball under his arm and planting his other hand onto the ground, he did the macaco flip and used the momentum to throw the ball as he spun to face his opponents again. '...I am the son of spies and assassins! Brute force and precision may be his skill. But while those abilities are his basic strength given his size and demeaner. I have something he obviously lacks.' The ball hit three more Wald students, much to everyone's shock.

'Speed and agility.' Eric got into a battle position, taking on a martial art stance as he waited for the next attack.

"You can do it Eric!" Becky cheered in awe at Eric's movements. Everyone joined in, anticipating Eric's next fancy move.

Bill started to get angry as he threw the ball again. Eric jumped over the ball by doing the butterfly kick, his chest and face parallel to the ground and eyes catching the Eden symbol on the ball as it flew under him. The momentum brought his legs into the air, doing a perfect arch before his left leg returned to the ground again.

Cecil Hall clapped and cheered at that move. Henderson's mouth gaped open at such an elegant maneuver. His whistle would have fallen to the floor had it not hung around his neck.

Wald Hall could only stare in shock as one of them took a step back. "What is he, a ninja?"

Eric allowed himself to smile at that before sweeping the ball in his hand again, doing a fast spin then took out another student. "I think I'm having fun."

Bill was too shocked to move as the ball bounced back onto Cecil's side. Eric's smile widened as he launched himself towards the ball into a dive roll. He took the ball, rolled onto his back and got another student by surprise.

Damian's mouth fell wide open, 'There's no way this guy's human!'

Bill quickly took the ball before it could return to Eric. He was getting angrier at how this boy could outmaneuver him. It should not be possible. It can't be possible. Gritting his teeth, his eyes shifted over to Damian. He pulled his hand back.

Upon sensing who his next target is, Eric dashed over to Damian who was watching that ball come at him very quickly. Diving forward, he took Damian down as the ball grazed off the ends of his dark hair. He rolled them over until Eric was on his back and pushed Damian to the side.

Damian did not expect that as he scrambled to his feet, "What do you think you're doing?"

Eric did the kick-up move again to get back on his feet and brushed off his shirt. "You're welcome."

"I didn't need you to save me." Damian said, blushing in embarrassment at allowing a commoner to get him out of the way.

"Yes, you do." Was all Eric said as the ball came at them again. Instead of pulling him away or knocking him to the ground, Eric grabbed his arm and pulled him, turning as he bent his front knee and dipped low to the ground as though he was dancing with Damian. Successfully dodging the attack.

The girls squealed at this scene while Becky looked jealous and angry at Damian. Henderson clapped at the perfectly executed dip. "An elegant manner of evasion!"

Damian's blush deepened at the position he was currently in and the intense concentration on Eric's face as he locked eyes with the boy. "What the hell! You let go right now!" He'll never live this down.

THUD!

"Damn you." Damian rubbed his head as he glared at the commoner who stood in front of him while their other teammate was taken out.

"I only did as you wished, Desi." Was Eric's explanation while Damian was red in mortification and rage.

Eric grabbed the ball and did the J-Step Kick and shot the ball at the last two kids. Leaving Bill Watkins all by himself.

Taking on a fighting stance again, he locked eyes with the general's son, keeping his arms raised and face neutral as he awaited the next attack. Then he spoke in the language he enjoys using to antagonize his enemies, "Tha ekdikithó tous pesóntes syntrófous mou."

Henderson's eyes widened upon the meaning of those words.

No one knew what Eric said, while the girls swooned at the musical feeling of the language, Bill took it as a challenge. Gritting his teeth, gripping the ball in one hand, almost popping it, he glared heatedly at Eric. "You dare mock me!" Eric did something that further antagonized him, he yawned and made a come-hither motion with his fingers.

With a furious growl, he decided to use his ultimate killer move. "Die!" He yelled as he the ball cut through the air. He grinned as Eric moved to the right. This throw was different compared to all the others he threw. As the ball moves, it will change its course and hit Eric as he attempts to dodge. 'You're mine now!'

But Eric wasn't trying to dodge. His hand came up and caught the ball, he gritted his teeth upon the brutal impact as it continues to spin angrily against his palm. But he didn't fight against the force, he took advantage of it.

'This is gentle compared to Mom's throws.' Eric thought to himself, remembering every painful catch he took whenever Yor threw the ball at him. The best move she passed on to him was not to stop the ball, but to redirect it back at the opponent.

'Moment of truth, let's see if Mom's training paid off!' Eric thought, grinning at Bill despite the painful skinning his hands took.

Shifting his weight, he turned along with the spinning and curving ball and thrusted his hand back. With a pain-filled groan, he redirected the force of the ball back to its owner.

"Ha!" Eric yelled as it sliced through the air towards the shocked and paralyzed Bill.

POW!

Steam rolled off Eric's hands and eyes were wide when he saw where the ball hit. "Oh no."

'Oh no' was an understatement as everyone had a pained sympathetic look.

The ball was lodged...Bill Watkins family jewels. After a solid minute, the ball fell and bounced innocently away as Bill held his precious parts and dropped onto the ground. The Wald class came to Bill's side as they tried to revive him.

"It would appear I made a miscalculation." Eric said with a wince at the impact the Watkins family jewels took.

All was silent, save for the groans and whimpering from the general's son. After another moment of silence, Cecil Hall cheered as they crowded around Eric.

"Eric, that was awesome!" Becky exclaimed as she hugged Eric from behind. All the other kids voiced out their elation and amazement over Eric's athletics and agility throughout the game. Some started pulling at his arms and asking if he could teach them those moves.

Eric didn't respond, he couldn't, as he looked at his hands when fresh new pain began to register in his small body.

"That was an elegant performance, Forger. You certainly showed your true skills in this game." Henderson praised the boy as the other kids parted for him. But the boy didn't seem to hear him as his attention was solely on his hands.

"Um, Professor, I don't feel like celebrating." Eric's voice cracked as Becky looked down and gasped.

"Forger?" Henderson asked in concern as the boy raised his head, his normally blank expression held some pain as he raised his hands for the teacher to see.

Everyone took a step back as a drop of blood fell from Eric's freshly reddened, skinned and blistered hands. "I feel like I need to see the nurse."

Henderson inspected the damage done to the boy's palms and fingers and noted how the digits twitched. "Yes, you're right. Head to the school infirmary and get patched up. I'll come by later."

"I'll take him." Becky volunteered as she led Eric out of the gymnasium and down the hall.

Henderson turned to Bill Watkins who was starting to get up with the help of his fellow classmates. "You were so close, you could've made MVP and gotten that Stella Star." Bill knelt on the ground as he listened to his classmates reassure him.

"Stella, you say." Henderson's voice made the class turn to him in slight fear at his intimidating posture. "We do not award Stella for winning one small game in a single class. That would be quite ridiculous." This shocked everyone, Wald and Cecil. However, Henderson wasn't done, "But while we're on the subject, screaming 'die' at your opponent is unacceptable." He gave Watkins a stern gaze, "Therefore, I have no issue giving you a Tonitrus Bolt." This brought Bill's mood down lower than what was left of his little friend.

Damian stood off to the side during the whole scene. Eric receiving praise before he was sent straight to the infirmary to treat his injured hands. Then hearing Henderson say there was no Stella Star made his insides run colder. It was all a lie, a stupid rumor that sent him on a wild goose chase. Damian clenched his fists tightly as he recalled the way Eric handled himself in this game, how everyone cheered him on. Worst of all, Eric, a commoner, is the real MVP of Cecil Hall.

"Lord Damian, are you okay? D-Don't worry, this also means Forger didn't get a Stella either." Emile assured his enraged boss.

Damian scoffed and marched off towards the changing rooms, angry at how Eric upstaged him and saved him in such a humiliating manner.

Eric grunted silently as the nurse bandaged his hands. Becky sat beside him rubbing his back while praising him for that amazing game.

"That was really amazing. I didn't know you could move like that." Becky said to distract him from the discomfort he felt in his hands.

"All that training Mom put me through was all worth it." Eric said, happy that it was over. Now he can go back to being a nerd.

"Yeah, what kind of training was that. Couldn't have been normal." Becky asked as Henderson entered.

"It was a combination of flips, jumps and self-defense fighting styles. I thought they were boring and unnecessary, but they actually came in handy." Eric explained, much to their shock and amazement.

"There you are all set." The kind nurse said after finishing off the last knot.

"Elegant work Ms. Gina. If I could have a moment alone with Forger?" The nurse obliged and left the room, leaving Henderson alone with the kids.

Eric tested movements in his fingers. While the bandage restricted some of his motor skills, he was confident enough to hold a pencil.

"So? Does Eric get that Stella Star?" Becky asked with a bright smile, "He's the total MVP back there!"

Henderson sighed, he did not want to crush this girl's hope for her blooming love. "Unfortunately, he does not."

Eric raised his head while Becky's fell, "But, you saw how Eric-"

"We don't give Stella Stars over one small game in a single class Ms. Blackbell. I don't know what made you think that, but it's true." Henderson explained to the now downtrodden girl.

"But-but I-" Becky's eyes started to fill with tears. She thought she could help Eric, but it all turned out to be a rotten lie.

Bandaged hands grasped Becky's fingers, making the girl look up at kind tired looking eyes. "It's alright. I'll get a Stella Star another way."

Despite her disappointment, Becky felt relieved that Eric wasn't mad at her for misleading him.

Henderson nodded, "Such elegant resolve. Truly remarkable."

"Except for what I did to Watkins. How is he?" Eric asked. Even though Bill injured his hands in that throw, Eric was just as responsible for hurting his fellow student.

Henderson smiled at Eric's concern for his opponent despite the brutal game. "He's fine. He was standing on his own two feet when I left him."

Eric sighed in relief, "Thank goodness."

"By the way, what was that stuff you said to Bill that got him all riled up. Did you really insult him?" Becky grinned, imagining all the horrible things he could have said at that moment.

"It was neither an insult nor a threat, Ms. Blackbell." Henderson said then turned to Eric, "It was the Greek language. You said 'I shall avenge my fallen comrades.'"

Eric's eyes widened upon hearing Henderson recognizing that language. "You know Greek?"

Henderson nodded, "Pragmatiká kompsós ek mérous sou pou milás tóso áptaista." (Truly elegant of you to speak so fluently.)

Eric looked a bit sheepish, "Mállon den boró na xefýgo apó aftó." (Guess I can't get away with that.) 'I thought I had to worry about Dad knowing that language.'

"As long as you don't insult anyone, you should be fine." Henderson said to the mildly embarrassed Eric.

"Anyway, are you well enough to take your next class?" Henderson asked as he looked at Eric's hands.

Eric flexed his fingers again to test the water. "They should be fine sir."

"Good. Make sure not to strain yourself." Henderson said as he left the infirmary to go to his next class.

After Eric and Becky went back to the changing rooms to get their uniforms back, they were in the hallways filled with kids who kept sneaking looks at Eric's hands.

"Is that really him?"

"He defeated Watkins with some killer ninja moves."

"So cool."

"I heard he spoke in some kind of death language; said he'll kill Watkins."

"Ugh, what a bunch of idiots." Becky said in disgust at how they were painting Eric.

"It's not so bad, being called a ninja is actually a compliment. As for the language, it's fun letting them wonder." Eric said with a slight smile as mischief danced in his eyes.

Becky chuckled, "They're right about one thing. You are really cool." She said as they made it to their next class, they had five more minutes before lessons begin.

"Hey, Forger." They turned to see Damian coming down the steps between the desks.

"Ugh, now what do you want?" Becky asked as she glared at Damian.

Damian made it to the bottom of the steps without his lackeys who sat at the back of the class, watching what their boss is about to do. Taking a deep breath, he addressed Eric. "You heard about the Stella Stars?"

Eric nodded, "Yes, I found it quite disappointing." He raised his left hand, "If I had known all my efforts would be for nothing, I'd have just let Bill kill me off. Save my hands the agony."

Damian couldn't help but wince at the sight of them. He could still smell the rubber burning the skin off the kid's palms. Composing himself, he spoke again, "Despite not getting any Stella, you showed everyone what a true MVP is. Congratulations." He had to concede since there was no way he could measure up to Eric on basic skill alone, especially after witnessing firsthand what an agile player he can be.

Eric's, and everyone's, eyes widened in shock. The Damian Desmond actually praised his rival over one game.

"Thank you. You and your friends fought nicely as well." Eric said, not unkind despite their ridiculous strategy. He could tell Damian is just as determined to get the Stella Stars.

Damian looked to the side and reluctantly asked, "Can you tell me what those moves you did back there? It was obviously not normal."

"Flips and kicks to outmaneuver attacks along with a self-defense training." Eric's vague answer wasn't enough to satisfy Damian, but the last part did stand out to him.

"Self-defense?"

"Yeah, my mother's been teaching me how to properly attack and defend myself before I started at Eden." His nonchalant answer shocked everyone in the classroom.

Damian's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Wait, does that mean you could've beaten me in a fight all this time?" His mind flashed back to orientation; how meticulous Eric looked as he easily sidestepped Damian's attack. If Eric had used any of those moves back there, he'd have been in the hospital.

"Yes, but beating you would not be satisfying. I prefer my opponents to have more training before I let them challenge me." Eric said glancing at his hands before he and Becky went to sit down.

Eric paused, "One more thing. You make a terrible dance partner."

Damian went red again at how he was dipped during that game. "I was not dancing with you!" He growled then stomped back to his seat, grumbling to himself.

Becky laughed at how Eric owned Damian without even trying.

They had free period, which left Becky and Eric to their devices. Becky was the first to step into the hall, only to stop dead in her tracks as fear filled her eyes as a shadow fell over her.

Eric followed her, only to be met with a frozen Becky. "What's wrong?" Becky shakily pointed in front of her.

Eric follower her finger and was met with the colossal form of Bill Watkins. He was dressed in his school uniform, and the light reflecting off his glasses made it impossible to see his eyes, but they felt his gaze on them as a deep frown set on his lips.

Eric stepped in front of Becky as the Cecil Hall student looked outside, only to backpedal at the sight of that monster. The only other student brave enough to step outside was Damian, not because he was concerned since Eric proved he can defend himself, but more out of curiosity over how it will go down.

"Eric." Becky whispered, fearful for her friend as he held an arm out to shield her.

Eric raised his other bandaged hand and pointed his index and middle finger towards the ceiling, his thumb, ring and pinky curled inwards. "Bill Watkins, if you intend to retaliate by bringing harm upon my fellow classmates, I will not hesitate to use self-defense to subdue you." Eric said, not in a threatening manner, but a promise of retribution should it come to battle.

Bill stared down at Eric, he could not believe this scrawny kid actually beat him with his own skill. He's the only one in the first grade to have bloomed early and advance physically. He was supposed to be undefeatable in all manner of sport. Yet this student, Eric Forger, challenged him, never used strength to win their match. The way he moved around the court as though it was second nature to him and how dodge every attack literally thrown at him was indescribable. He never thought he could find another opponent who shared his level of strength, but Eric proved himself using a different kind of strength altogether.

Seeing his bandaged hand still pointed up with the intent to protect himself with two little fingers, he raised his hand in a mighty fist.

'Oh man, I don't care if Forger can take him on in a fight, there's no way he'll come out of this unscathed.' Damian thought as he prepared to yell for the closest teacher in the building.

Becky was ready to pull Eric out of the way even if it killed her.

Bill lowered his fist, making Becky jump back while clinging to Eric's back. Then he did something that surprised them, his fist uncurled into a hand.

"Hm?" Eric blinked at the hand then up at Bill who smiled. "That was an incredible game we played, and a worthy defeat." His eyes then showed guilt, "I'm...sorry for hurting your hands."

After a long moment of silence and contemplation, Eric uncurled his own fingers and carefully placed them in Bill's much bigger hand. "It's fine. I'm not that hurt." Which was half-true thanks to his pain tolerance.

"You're not?" Bill asked since they look bad.

Eric gave him that gentle slight smile, "I'm not."

Bill's eyes widened in relief as he gently grasped Eric's and shook hands. "I'm glad." He did not want to injure him further.

They released each other's hands. "Besides, I had a lot of fun. Thanks."

Bill nodded, "Me too. I'm happy to have found a worthy opponent in future matches." He needed a challenge, and this boy met his standards just like his father wanted for him.

"Winning becomes boring after a while, doesn't it?"

Bill nodded solemnly, "Yes. But," His eyes filled with determination, "I can't keep winning on strength alone. I must push myself to be just as fast and agile as you. Become the soldier Ostania will be proud to have."

Eric nodded, "I've no doubt about that. And don't worry about the Stella Stars. There's still plenty of sport events up ahead. You'll no doubt win many of them that way."

Bill's eyes shone at the encouragement Eric was giving him. Eric smiled, "I hope to face you again on our next match Bill Watkins."

Bill smiled a friendly challenging smile and raised his fist, a gesture Eric mirrored before they bumped their knuckles. "I look forward to it Forger."

Both players turned away from each other towards the opposite ends of the hall. Eric froze when he saw the Cecil Hall class gape at him.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked confused before he was swarmed again. Openly praising him again for bravely standing his ground against the biggest kid in school. Without warning, a couple of kids lifted him on his shoulders. "MVP! MVP!" They chanted as they walked away from class carrying their best player.

All but three who stood outside and watch Eric get carried away by their adoring classroom.

Damian didn't hear his friends trying to reassure him, he just watched Eric soak up all the glory he couldn't get. Despite the blank exterior Eric put on, he caught a hint of a smile and joy from his green eyes. The most positive expression the boy ever displayed.

'I hate him.' Damian's eyes turned dark, 'I hate that he's better than me.'

He turned and walked away; his lackeys followed behind him. 'But I'll prove it. I'll prove that I'm better than you. I'll show you who the real Imperial Scholar will be.' He vowed, determined to beat his rival and be the winner in their contest.

"Lord Damian, where are we going?" Ewen asked, fearful for their boss who seems to have shut down.

"I'm going to call my father and have him send me the best martial arts instructor the country has." Damian declared, even if he couldn't make MVP, he'll learn how to take Eric down in a fight once and for all.

"We'll see who the better fighter is." Damian vowed as his friends looked to each other in concern.

'This won't be good.'

Chapter Text

"Hm, excuse me?" Loid asked his son to repeat that question as he looked over the tests and quizzes Eric handed him. 90 and above on all of them.

"I want to know how I can earn Stella Stars faster. Get at least one before my exam." Eric asked as he stood before his father while Anya was stationed in front of the TV.

Loid was happy when his son expressed a strong desire to get Stella Stars. But then he glanced down at his son's bandaged hands that were poorly hidden by his sleeves. The sheer effort he put into winning that game proved to be in vain when he didn't receive a Stella.

Loid put down Eric's test scores and leaned back thoughtfully. "Well, aside from being a bookworm, what else do excel at?"

"Well, I like moving around. Aside from training for dodgeball, I haven't tried out any sport that would suit my taste." Eric explained, though in truth, he needs an outlet to vent some of his frustrations in a safe manner.

Loid nodded as Yor came back with a first aid kit. "Eric, you don't have to push yourself." Yor sat down on the couch and beckoned Eric to sit beside her so she could change the bandages. "You should take your time, you've got plenty more years at Eden. Plus, I heard you became MVP by your classmates. We'll find a sport that's right for you. But for now, wait until your hands are completely healed before you think about catching a ball." Yor said as she removed the last bandage and dabbed disinfectant into the cuts and blisters. It amazed her how their son could endure that kind of catch.

Eric hissed through his teeth at the stinging sensation that shot through his palm. It's been days since the dodgeball match, and his hands haven't completely healed. The pain bothered him sometimes, especially when writing notes, but he had to bear it for his father's sake.

Loid nodded in reluctant agreement. His son's academic prowess is gleaming, but physically, he shouldn't take on sports until his hands are fully healed. So, we'll put that on the back burner. But thankfully, there are other ways to get Stella faster. He went through the options in his head, immediately crossed out art since it requires the functions of his fingers. Music is also a strong possibility, mainly piano. But he's still having the same dilemma with Eric's fingers.

That left one more option.

"Eric, how about we go somewhere tomorrow?" Loid suggested as Yor rebandaged Eric's hands.

"Huh?"

"An ooting?" Anya asked from her spot in front of the TV.

In addition to music, sports and academics, there's another way to earn Stella. Community service.

In a local hospital, Loid stood behind his son and daughter among the other parents and their children. As they listened to the nurse who appeared to be in charge of volunteer work, Loid went over multiple opportunities in his head on how community service and good deeds to society can earn Eric more Stella Stars. From apprehending criminals and rescuing people from fires. He could have HQ stage these incidents, but that would be too risky.

Anya looked up at her father with wide eyes at such scenarios going through his head. She wanted to come along on this excursion because she wanted to spend more time with her brother and see how she can help him in her own way.

"For starters, if I could have the Forgers clean this dressing room around the corner?" The head of the volunteer group requested their presence.

"Oh, look Papa, they have a swimming pool." Anya pointed at the map with an excited look.

"That's for rehabilitation." Papa explained.

"Because water can help with physical therapy, mainly in improving movements in the lower part of the body when patients suffered a recent physical set back like broken legs." Eric added, giving his sister a calm stern look that told her not to cause trouble today.

Anya pouted as the nurse clapped her hands, "Well said, young man."

The Forgers then set to work on performing community service. So far, nothing went as planned. As they cleaned the dressing room, Anya broke a flower vase, the noise startled Eric who slipped on a wet spot and knocked his head on the counter. Tears peaked at his eyes as he frowned at a tearful Anya while holding a newly acquired hematoma on that spot he's most familiar with.

Then the nurse suggested they go to the library where they can tidy up the books. Eric had no problem with that since he's well acquainted with reading and organizing. Loid was on the one side of the bookshelf while Eric handled the other. With a bandage around his head, Eric set to work with using a three-step stool to put the medium sized books back on a higher shelf. Eric grunted at the weight in his hand then heard a soft giggle to his right. "Anya, you're supposed to be helping with the books, not reading comics." Eric said as he placed the book back in the shelf, not noticing his grip beginning to slip or the book that wasn't slid into place all the way. "Hurry up and hel-" He realized too late that the book fell from his fingers and hit him on the side of the head. This caused the boy to lose his balance and fall off the step stool with a thud. Loid and Anya jumped and turned to see Eric sporting two new bumps on his head.

Next came serving food to patients, but Anya tripped and knocked straight into Eric who was holding a tray full of food. Which ended up with a bump on top of the first bump.

After that was laundry, though sad to say, Eric had to lay down because the spinning combined with four concussions made him nauseous. Meanwhile, Anya fell asleep on top of the laundry with her father giving her deadpanned look as he rubbed his motion sickness of a son's back.

The three Forgers walked down the hallways. "I think I've earned more hematomas than Stella. This could be a new record." Eric grumbled as he rubbed at his bandage covered head.

Anya then said they could hand doctors a scalpel before leaving to find the operating room. She turned the corner and bumped into the nurse who just reached the end of her patience with them. "I have had enough! Will you leave? You're doing more harm than good!"

Dejected, the family went to leave the hospital. Anya had a guilty look on her face, "Papa, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, we all make mistakes." Loid assured her despite all the mishaps that happened today.

"There are other forms of community service, not just the hospital." Eric stated as his head injury throbbed.

Anya then froze upon sensing another's distressed thoughts as Loid walked ahead while thinking if he could ask HQ to change their timeline. Eric stopped when Anya was no longer following. He was about to call her over when he noticed her fearful expression as she looked around.

'I can't breathe. My leg won't move.' It was from a little boy, and he was drowning in the pool.

Anya thought about telling her father, but quickly dashed it since he'll question how she knew about that from so far away.

'Someone, help me!' The boy pleaded for someone, anyone to save him.

"Papa, I know how we can get big brother a Stella Star." Anya whispered as she approached Eric and grabbed his hand very tightly. "So I'm..." She pulled with all her strength and dragged her brother behind her with impossible speed a four-year-old shouldn't have. "...taking him to the pool and have him become a swimmer!"

She ignored Loid calling after her to stop them as Anya basically kidnapped her older brother while following the distressed thoughts.

"Ow, ow, ow! I don't have skin on my palms Anya! What's gotten into you?" Eric demanded as Anya pulled him rapidly down the hall while dodging patients and staff members.

"Boy. Pool. Drowning. Save him!" Anya frantically said, making Eric's eyes widen as he held her hand and ran alongside her to the rehabilitation pool.

They skidded to a stop before the two big pools which they marveled at for a moment before Eric shook his head and searched the water's surface. 'Where is he?'

Anya looked around trying to find the drowning boy until she picked up on their thoughts. 'I'm...gonna...die.' Her big green eyes widened with fear as she found bubbles on the surface at the deep end of the pool.

"Eric, the bubbles, look!" Anya grabbed her brother wrist and pointed frantically towards where the boy was located.

"Anya, stay here." Eric ordered as he ripped off his jacket and ran towards the deep end.

Anya caught the jacket as her eyes widened upon another realization. "Brother wait, you can't swim!"

But it was already too late as Eric dove headfirst into the water, holding his breath as he searched for the boy until he found him sinking lower into the pool, his crutch floating away from him. Eric kicked his legs towards him, trying to get close enough to grab him and send him back to the surface. But the pressure from the deep end and the lack of oxygen was starting to get to him.

'No, I can't leave you here!' Eric thought furiously as the bandages loosened on his hands from all the movement and fell away from him like streamers.

Eric had little time left, and he never used it to carry another person through water. But he knew this was the only way he can save him. Summoning his power, he thrusted his hand forward, the water slowed his movements. His face held pain from his lungs burning as he pulled his arm back, calling the boy to him as he rose from the bottom. Once he was close enough, Eric wrapped around his front and kicked his legs against the bottom of the pool as he used one arm to pump them towards the surface.

However, the weight of two people in the pool was too much for one person as small as Eric, and the need to breathe was too great. He gasped in some water, eyes wide as he tried to summon his power again to push them to the surface. But he couldn't concentrate through his fear.

'No.' Eric looked up at the water surface as tiny hands reached down searching frantically for him. Even though it was distorted, he could see Anya's fearful face. 'Dad...help us!'

"Big brother, where are you, come back up!" Anya cried as she laid on her belly with her arms shoulder deep in the water as she reached for Eric.

Loid rushed into the rehabilitation pool and searched for his children until he found Anya trying to grab something in the pool as tears streamed down her face. Eyes wide when he saw bubbles coming up on the surface. Taking his jacket off and tossing his hat aside, he dove in.

He easily spotted his son and another kid he was holding. Arms reached up and eyes beginning to close. With a burst of speed, he grabbed his son and the kid and broke through the surface with a gasp.

"Papa!" Anya pushed herself to her knees as Loid carried the kids to the pool's edge.

"Are you two alright?" Loid breathed heavily as Eric coughed and gasped.

"I..." Eric spat the water out of his system, "...hate the water." He rasped out as he was deposited onto dry land and flopped onto his back completely drenched.

"Ken!" One of the rehabilitation nurses cried upon recognizing the boy as she pulled him out of the water. "Someone, get a doctor!"

Eric breathed heavily as he turned his head to the boy, 'Please be alive.' He begged silently as fear of failing to save another coursed through him. He watched as the boy was shaken until his eyes opened and he started crying while holding the nurse.

Eric sighed in relief, "Thank goodness." He groaned as he pushed himself up as Anya helped him on his feet.

People started to crowd around them as Loid pulled himself out of the water. Everyone wondered how they didn't see him, let alone hear him before Loid went on to explain how children make little noise while drowning and that many die because no one notices their struggling.

Loid then glanced down at his children and laid a hand on Eric's shoulder, "Good job spotting him."

Eric looked down as he twisted his shirt against his front to ring the water out. "Anya was the one who saw the bubbles, I merely belly flopped." Eric explained as he held his chest that smacked against the water surface rather painfully. Four head bumps and a belly flop. This is just not his day.

Loid knelt beside his children and kept a firm arm around their shoulder, "You were pretty reckless." Eric couldn't help but nod in agreement.

The nurse thanked the children while one of the swimmers called them little heroes.

"Bright side, the cold water soothed my hematomas." Eric said as he touched his now soak bandaged head.

Miraculously, despite all the mishaps and bodily harm Eric unwittingly took, he was finally awarded his first Stella Star before the entire first grade.

With fresh new sets of bandages around his head and hands, the headmaster presented him with the Star that was now part of his uniform.

"First Year, Eric Forger of Cecil Hall, has earned a Stella for rescuing a person in trouble!" The headmaster announced among the applause behind Eric who bowed his injured head in respect for the older gentleman then turned to his fellow students with a small, yet noticeable humble and relieved smile. He stepped down to join the crowd where Becky and a few others surrounded and praised him. Among them was Professor Henderson.

"Wow Eric, you're amazing. You're the first kid in our grade to earn a Stella in such a short amount of time!" Becky yelled with arms raised as Eric blushed under the attention he was receiving.

"Ultra-amazingly elegant, Mr. Forger. Very well done." Henderson praised the boy surrounded by his classmates and other kids from different classes, mainly girls who blushed when he gave them a humble smile.

The only ones who weren't congratulating Eric was Damian, Emile and Ewen. "He beat me to it." Damian said through clenched teeth. He had hoped to get a Stella before Eric, but once again, the commoner proved himself a better rival.

At home, he was greeted by Ken's parents who thanked him and his sister profusely for saving their son. He and Anya waved at the parents' goodbye as the son sat in the wheelchair before the family drove away.

"You did such a good job kids." Yor said as she knelt down to their level and hugged them, "What amazing children! I'm so happy for you!" Her motherly embrace was beginning to squeeze the life out of the kids.

Loid felt a great sense of pride for his children. He couldn't help but remember how he thwarted his first terrorist attack, that same feeling was no different than what his children accomplished together. He placed both his hands on each of his childrens' heads and gave them affectionate pats while giving them a genuinely smile. "Nice work."

Eric and Anya smiled up at their father then at each other, sharing the same thoughts.

'Anya, we actually saved someone with our powers.'

'I can't believe our powers helped another.'

Grasping each other's hand, the siblings looked up at their father with bright smiles, "Thanks Dad/Papa!"

"Alright, I'm going to cook something special tonight to celebrate!" Yor declared, making the kids flinch in fear before Anya inched towards Loid. "You should probably cook instead Papa." She said, much to Yor's shock as Eric shook his head at them.

Chapter Text

'Finally, at long last I'm here.'

Anya marched into Eden College with a look of determination and confidence in her strides. She snuck out of preschool, leaving a note for the teacher that she was gonna see her big brother. Which wasn't a total lie. Her teacher is really sweet, but world peace must come first.

'I shall set Papa's Plan B into action. Befriend Sy-on Boy for world peace and succeed the mission.' Anya nodded to herself as she walked around the first-year building. She looked up at the windows trying to figure out which room her brother and Damian were in.

Her mouth fell open as her eyes popped out of her head, 'I don't know which room they're in!'

Damian sat in class looking very bitter as he glared at the back of Eric's head. The commoner gained a Stella Star before him by rescuing a boy from drowning. Eden considers that good deed a contribution to society. Seeing the bandages around the blonde's head made Eric look weak, clumsy even. Yet he stood tall despite his injuries and just brushed them off. How can someone so lowborn not let pain get in the way?

Damian sighed through his nose as he glanced out the window and did a double take when he saw a small girl with pink hair and two horns on her head. 'Wait, isn't that Forger's kid sister?' He turned to Eric who was engrossed in writing notes to notice who was outside.

With a hum, he looked outside again to see the little devil plop down under the shade of the tree looking up at one of the buildings. An idea formed as a smirk appeared. Eric loves his little sister very dearly and would do anything to keep her safe. While Eric proved that he could defend himself, Anya is unprotected. Since she doesn't go to this school and is trespassing, it's only right that he shows her what happens when she doesn't stay in her station.

Class ended; they now have free period. He overheard Eric tell Becky that he was going to the library to research bacteria, and like a lost puppy, Becky was coming along. This was the perfect opportunity to hit Eric where it hurts the most. His weakness is way too obvious.

He called Ewen and Emile to tell them his plan. He needed lookouts in case a teacher comes along and ruins his plans.

Anya really didn't think this plan through. From the memories she pulled from Eric, she thought navigating the school grounds would be a snap. Boy was she wrong. 'If I don't find Sy-on Boy and be friends with him, then it's bye-bye to world peace.' Anya moped as she sat against the tree.

A shadow fell over her, making her look up to see Damian standing in front of her. Her eyes widened, 'World peace just walked in!'

Damian frowned upon seeing green eyes identical to his rival look up at him. But while Eric's hardly showed any emotion, excluding that slight mischief and smugness when spouting random medical facts to his face, his little sister's eyes were big and expressive. The complete opposite.

"You're not an Eden student." Damian stated as he glanced at Anya's preschool uniform.

"No. My name is Anya." She got up, dusted the grass off her skirt and stood an inch shorter than Damian.

"You're Eric's kid sister." Damian stated, and was about to mock her height, when Anya's eyes sparkled out of nowhere and she threw her arms up in the air.

"Mmhm, that's my big brother, glad you remember. Your name's Damian." Anya pointed out.

Damian had a smug smile and crossed his arms, "Good to know someone like you remembers me."

"How can I forget you? You tried to kill my brother but hurt the wall instead." Anya innocently roasted as Damian blushed in embarrassment at the fresh memory that caused discomfort in his already healed hand.

"But I'm glad you're feeling better." Anya added as she glanced at his unbandaged hand.

Damian's eye twitched as he tried to maintain his dignity, "Yeah, well, people of my status have access to the best doctors, so it's only natural that we heal right." His smirk returned, "Your brother on the other hand got more injuries than I did since we started school."

"Yeah, I saw what happened to his hands. The head bumps, well..." Anya fidgeted guiltily, "Most of those were my fault. I accidentally made him knock into the sink's corner, caused him to fall off a ladder, and bumped into him again on the hard floor."

Damian's mouth fell open, 'So that's why he looks like hell.'

"But my big brother is still the best. Papa calls him accident prone with a high tolerance for pain. He's super tough and never lets anything get him down. Not even those booboos." Anya praised her brother like he was her idol.

"Accident Prone Eric. Yep, that'll stick." Damian muttered to himself with a slight smirk.

"Pain is weakness leaving your body." Anya sagely said to Damian. "You definitely got stronger after that little mishap."

"Yeah, a little." Damian mumbled to himself then cleared his throat. "Why are you here anyway?"

'First step to being a spy, the best liars tell the truth.' Anya reminded herself as she gave Damian an honest smile. "I came to see Eric."

Damian scoffed, "Tch, good luck with that. He's in the library studying some medical book. The showoff."

Anya's smile fell as her face became downcast, "Oh, guess that means he doesn't have time for me. Again." She sat back down looking depressed.

Damian suddenly felt bad at seeing Anya's sad expression. "I'm sure he'll be done soon though. The guy's smart and reads really fast." Damian hastily said, hoping she won't end up crying.

Anya didn't smile, "I know he's smart. Papa praises him constantly and wants him to be the best. That's why he's in this school...and not with me. The dumb little sister." She clenched her skirt tightly as she struggled not to cry. These feelings weren't fake, they were carefully concealed for the sake of the mission.

Damian felt something twinge inside him when he heard her talk about their father seeming to favor Eric. 'You're a second child too.' He frowned as that shadow of inferiority fell over him. He sat down beside Anya at a respective distance.

"Do you hate him?"

"I don't hate my big brother." Anya had a sad smile on her face, "I'm glad he's smart, and he also has a dream to become a doctor. I want to do everything I can to support him and help him achieve that dream. It's just..." She swallowed hard as her true feelings came to the surface, "...He's been with me since the beginning. Always looking after me and staying by my side since our first Mommy died."

Damian's eyes widened at this information. "What happened to her?" He asked before he could stop himself.

"I happened." Anya stated with sadness, "She died the moment I was born."

Damian's heart clenched at what he just heard. "Did Eric tell you?" How could an older brother tell their younger sibling that their parent is dead because of them?

Anya shook her head, "He didn't have to. I may not be as smart as brother, but even I'm not that dumb. So, it was pretty easy to figure out." She explained, though in truth, she has long since known that their mother died in childbirth. From what little memories Eric has of their first mother, the most she could find was beautiful woman with a swollen belly.

"Big brother doesn't blame me. But he did grow up faster to help Papa raise me when we had no mama around." Anya allowed herself a small grateful smile, "To be honest, he acted like a mom towards me the first few years before our new Mama came to live with us."

"Somehow, that actually suits him." Damain laughed, not in a mocking manner, at the idea of Eric being a parent at such a young age before school.

Anya nodded, feeling better after that bout of sadness. "Mmhm, he's the kindest and smartest big brother in the world. Which is why I must protect him so he can become a doctor."

"You mean like your dad?" Damian asked, remembering his rival's father's profession that deals with lunatics.

"No, Papa's more of a mind and feelings doctor." Anya shook her head then sighed with a frown, "Eric on the other hand sucks when it comes to what people are feeling."

'Yeah, no kidding, he already has a string of girls following him and asking him for 'first aide treatment'.' Damian thought to himself, remembering how exasperated he was when Eric was clueless to see the signs of another girl liking him when she made it obvious.

Anya giggled under her breath upon reading Damian's thoughts. "I really miss having big brother around." Her eyes had a faraway look, "I wonder if it will get easier, if Eric will still remember me as he reaches his goal."

Damian frowned upon hearing her miss her older brother. She really does worship and admire him the way any sibling would.

He sighed and leaned back against the tree beside them. "You are an idiot."

"Huh?" Anya turned to him, feeling insulted.

"Aside from spouting random medical facts to everyone he knows; he talks about you to his friend Becky. Constantly." Damian added to Anya's shocked face, "There's no way's he's forgotten about you. Dummy."

Anya's eyes sparkled before she threw her arms around Damian. "Thank you!"

Damian went red in the face at their proximity. This is the first time he's getting hugged by a girl. A very strong girl. What has she been eating?

"Okay, okay! Can you let go?" Damian demanded as he fought to maintain his composure as the girl released him.

"Sorry, you just made me happy." Anya apologized with her joyful smile that lit up her face. To Damian, she looked like she was glowing with those shiny sparkling green eyes. He rubbed his eyes, but it was still there.

The red-faced Damian turned away, "Yeah, sure." He said as his heart kept thundering against his chest. What the hell did she do to him?

"What about you?" Anya asked suddenly, making Damian turn to her in confusion. "Do you miss your big brother?"

Damian's mood soured at the mention of Demitrius, their father's golden child. "Sometimes."

"Is he mean to you?" Anya asked with a fearful expression.

Damian shook his head, "No, he's not like that." He looked down, "I used to follow him around every day before he came to Eden. It must've annoyed him at times, but," He closed his eyes as Demitrius' indulgent smile flew through his head. How his older brother would crouch to his level and ruffle his hair, making Damian pout cutely. "Mother and Father were always busy, and Demitrius would spend time with me when he's on break from Eden, he'd call me every evening before we both went to bed. I didn't feel alone." His smile turned sad as he opened his eyes, "One day, when he came back on winter break, he gave me a puppy named Max. He believed that Max would help make the separation easier. And he did."

"How's Max doing now?" Anya asked as she read his mind, the lonely memories he suffers due to parental absence.

"He's great. My butler Jeeves takes care of him while I'm here." Damian said with a fond smile as he thought of his canine friend.

"I bet he misses you." Anya stated as she got the image of a scary looking dog being soft and playful for his master. "He's probably worried about you as well. Dogs are protective of their owners who love them."

Damian grinned, "Yeah, he can be very vicious towards strangers. That's probably another reason why Demitrius got him for me."

"That just means your big brother loves you very much." Anya stated, making Damian blush slightly.

Anya placed a finger to her chin with a thoughtful look, "So if I got a dog, then big brother won't worry as much, and I'll have a friend to play with while he's at school."

"I guess that's one way of looking at it." Damian distractedly said as he watched Anya's expression. Why can't he look away from her? For some strange reason, he imagined Anya standing next to a very big dog whose muzzle was large enough to bite her tiny head and shake her around like a rag doll.

"You should get yourself a small dog though. Say a chihuahua. They're small, but they're no less vicious towards anyone who hurts you." Damian quickly suggested as the very image curdled his stomach.

"Yeah, that's really cute. Then I can carry them in my backpack and bring them to school." Anya stated as she imagined herself with an adorable puppy.

"Not what I meant, but sure." Damian said as Anya giggled excitedly.

"You're very smart Damian. I can see why Eric made you his rival."

Damian's eyes widened, "Huh, what do you mean?"

"It's simple, he's sees potential in you. You're both really smart and ambitious and you two want to become Imperial Scholars." Anya stated as Damian stared at her with a shocked expression. "He believes you can become one someday with the right motivation. Those who become Imperial Scholars can change the world for the better. That means you'll do amazing things in the future. You'll be a leader like your father and protect everyone and give them a peaceful world."

Damian's heart skipped a beat at that speech. He's used to getting praises, it's one of the perks of being a Desmond. But this girl, it wasn't just praise, she was telling him what she believes he can do with his skill alone. To hear such kind and humble words made him feel fluttery, like he no longer felt trapped.

"You...really believe that?" Damian asked, feeling at ease with this girl who hardly knew him and is willing to support him.

Anya nodded, "I know it. Especially Eric. Brother would not have made you his rival if he didn't."

Damian raised an eyebrow, "And how do you know that? Did your brother tell you?"

"Sometimes he does, though most days I can just tell what he's thinking." Anya said with a devious smile. "You may act mean towards him at times, but I know you're not a bad guy."

Damian's hand clenched as he remembered how Eric won the dodgeball game and became MVP and how he got that Stella Star before him. "Well, I don't like him."

Anya's eyes widened at Damian's vehement response. "He acts all tough and how he thinks he knows everything. He brushes off everything I say, believes I'm hardly worth a breath. He never reacts to anything, like he's some kind of robot. He even had the nerve to tell me I'm too weak to fight him physically." He stood up and pumped his fist in front of him, "But I'll show that overconfident jerk who the real weakling is! The day I take him down, he will regret ever looking down on me!" He declared, fueled by rage as memories of Eric's physical combative prowess and his calm smugness when he pointblank told Damian how he will never fight a weakling.

A smaller hand touched Damian's arm, making the boy look down to see Anya standing beside him with a critical eye. "Widen your stance." She instructed with a firm look.

"Huh?" Damian asked as Anya went into a battle stance similar to Eric's. "Stance."

"Uh, right." Damian didn't know why, but he can't seem to say no.

"Good, bend your knees slightly." Anya instructed as Damian copied her, his hands curled in fists close to his chest.

"When you punch, you must keep your wrists aligned with your arm. Keep them close to your chest to protect your vital areas. Now, do what I do. Hiyah!" Anya instructed, remembering Yor's words as she executed a perfect punch before it sprang back to her chest. She did this a couple of times then turned to Damian, "Now you try."

Damian nodded as he copied her movements, feeling awkward at first then became more confident as he pulled more punches towards the air.

Anya nodded in approval, "That's it, you got it. Just make sure you keep that stance, so you don't get knocked over when someone attacks you."

Damian's eyes widened when he realized something, "Wait, you also know self-defense?"

"Mmhm, this way I don't get kidnapped. It's another reason why big brother learns how to fight. Being an Eden student means bad guys want you for your family's money. It is important you learn these things in case you are in a jam." Anya said to Damian whose jaw dropped at the cold hard truth she described as though she was talking about the weather.

"Um, but why teach me, you know I wanna fight your brother."

Anya smiled, "I figured it wouldn't hurt to give you a beginners' lesson. I'm still training as well. Our mother is quite terrifying as a fighter, but she's an even better teacher. She says, as long as you are careful in picking your battles, you'll be fine." She encouragingly said to Damian who was amazed at how she was willing to teach him the few basics despite being a beginner herself.

The way she was treating him, it wasn't like the other students when they heard the Desmond name, whether it be fear or admiration. He wasn't being looked down upon the way his father tended to whenever something he did displeased him. Anya did neither of those things, she was treating him like an equal, like the Desmond name didn't matter. Just him.

Anya patted him on the shoulder and gave him a hopeful smile, "I know you may not like my brother all that much, but I hope you don't hate me by relation." She really needed to be his friend to succeed the mission. But more than that, she needed him to know that he can be a better person than his father.

Damian blushed and held his hands up. "Hold on now, it's not that I hate you." He fumbled over his words as Anya tilted her head cutely like a puppy. "I don't have any problems with you personally. So, you're okay."

Anya's eyes brightened at that, "That's good, 'cause I think you're fine the way you are." In Damian's eyes, he swore the girl's face was glowing on its own iridescence with that angel's halo floating above her head. His heartbeat loudly against his chest as he struggled to speak.

Anya looked behind Damian and pointed, "Aren't those your friends."

Damian turned around saw Ewen and Emile frantically running towards him, terror written all over their faces.

"Lord Damian, run away!" Ewen screamed out as he and Emile pushed themselves to run faster and escape with their Lord and their lives.

There was a strange dust cloud coming up from behind Ewen and Emile heading straight for them.

Anya's eyes squinted at the cloud then gasped, "That's Eric. Coming towards us at very high speed." She commented with a marveled expression as Damian's eyes widened at the rapidly approaching speed demon. "Why does he have look of murder in his eyes?"

5 Minutes Ago

Damian's minions had to go to the restroom to relieve themselves.

Emile was the first to speak as he sat in the stall, "We should be on lookout for Lord Damian. If the teachers catch him, it will be a Tonitrus Bolt for sure."

"It will be fine, she's not a student here anyway. Once Damian's through with her, she won't even think about setting foot in this school. The little crybaby." Ewen stated like he was proud of himself as he stood before the urinal.

"Still, this is the best idea the boss ever came up with, it will serve Eric right for being so arrogant just because he got a Stella Star. His kid sister is just collateral damage." Emile chuckled as he finished and reached for the toilet paper but found, much to his dismay, that it was empty.

"I'm out of toilet paper." Emile said before a roll suddenly fell in his lap from above.

Emile looked up and released a frightened fart at who was crouched above him with one hand against the tile wall behind Emile and the other planted between his feet perched on the wall separating the stalls. The creature's normally expressionless eyes were wide with fury and murder with his fringes shadowing them.

The fat boy was frozen with fear, and he literally clinched up at the sight of the monster looking down at him.

"Emile, what's taking so-wahh!" Ewen's question cut off when he looked up at the demon crouched above Emile's stall.

The demon's joints cracked as he craned his neck towards Ewen, glowing green eyes locked onto his soul, threatening to devour it.

"Run." The monster whispered out a menacing growl as he glared down at the two.

"Wha-?"

"Run. Now." He slowly said, daring them to make him repeat a third time.

Emile and Ewen burst out of the restroom with screams of terror and toilet paper sticking out of the fat boy's pants like a tail.

Present

"Why does he have a look of murder in his eyes?" Anya asked curiously as Eric ran past Ewen and Emile, the speed kicked up a violent wind that sent the duo into the air with a cry.

Eric skidded to a halt in front of them, the dirt kick into the air, making Damian and Anya cough until the air cleared and standing directly in front of Damian is what can be described a devil in human form. Damian never encountered death before, but the way Eric was looking at him with wide murderous green eyes that literally glowed with bloodlust is as close as he wants to get. His fringes shadowed his eyes, and his hair seemed to move on their own, giving Eric a haunting and menacing look as he stared nose-to-nose with Damian.

Damian stumbled back from the scary kid who raised his hand and flexed his fingers, the joints cracking unpleasantly. "You dare bully my little sister." Eric's voice dripped with promised vengeance as he stalked towards Damian who backed away with every step the blonde took.

"Wait, hold on-" Damian tripped and fell on his backside. Looking up at Devil-Eric paralyzed him to the core.

"Those who even think about harming my sweet sister," His fingers cracked again, "shall never live to see the light of day." Eric pulled his arm back with the intent to slaughter Damian where he sat.

Damian closed his eyes and prayed to God that it will be swift and painless. When it didn't come, he cracked his eyes open to see Anya standing in front of her brother with one hand against his heart and the other holding his wrist to halt his attack.

"He didn't hurt me big brother." Anya said as she protected Damian from Eric's slaughter.

"You were alone with him." Eric stated calmly with anger tinting his voice.

"I came here looking for you, and he found me. He was watching over me until you were done studying." Anya smoothly said as she gently pushed Eric's hand down while relaxing his stance.

Ewen and Emile were covered in dirt as they hurriedly came to Damian's side and helped him back on his feet.

"Really, then why did I hear your lapdogs laugh when they said you're gonna hurt her?" Eric asked as he turned his green eyes towards the two he scared the crap out of.

Anya turned to Damian, "Were you really gonna bully me?" She asked with a look of sadness and betrayal.

Damian felt his insides turn to liquid at that expression. Seeing no way out of this, he sighed and admitted, "That was my original intent. But you're way too nice and you're not like your brother at all." He sighed regretfully, "I won't do anything so cowardly to hurt you just to spite your brother. I'm sorry." He said, bowing his head, admitting his wrongs when he realized that bullying Anya would not weaken Eric, it would just send them into an early grave.

Anya, sensing Damian's thoughts, smiled and took his hand in hers, making him look at her with surprise. "As long as you know right from wrong, I'll forgive you." She kindly said, no longer feeling angry as she stood up on her tippy toes and kissed him on the cheek.

Damian resembled a tomato as Anya stepped back and held Eric's arm. "What was that for?" Damian exclaimed as he held his cheek.

"Mama does that for me and Eric when we learned something valuable and did a great job." Anya explained as Eric didn't remove his glare from Damian. If it weren't for Anya's hold on his arm, he'd have brutalized the boy.

"I'll give you ten seconds to run. 10...9..." Eric slowly said as Damian and his goons ran the other way to avoid death.

Eric glared at their backs while Anya waved goodbye to them.

His eyes then turned to his little sister. "Anya, why aren't you at preschool?"

Anya whispered in his ear, "I came here to be Papa's Plan B. Being Damian's friend will bring world peace."

Eric sighed and facepalmed while Anya pulled back. "Did you at least leave a note before you came here?"

"Yep."

Eric groaned, of all the things Anya dared to pull, it had to be interacting with Desmond's brat. While the boy didn't bully his little sister, he did not like how Anya was getting friendly with him. She's too cute to be left alone with the likes of Damian, or any other boy for that matter.

Placing firm hands on his sister's shoulders, he gave her a stern glare, "Don't you ever go near that boy again Anya. I don't care if it's for world peace. The only way he'll ever get close to you is over my rotting carcass. Understood?" No way was he letting the enemy's son near his little sister.

Anya pouted then sighed, "Okay." She was really getting somewhere with Plan B.

Eric pulled back and held her hand tightly as they walked away from where they stood. "We should call Dad and let him know you're okay."

Blue eyes watched from their scope as the Forger siblings went into the building.

Twilight pulled the scope down as he watched his children from the roof. He had gotten a frantic call from Anya's teacher who informed him of his daughter's note, this prompted him to leave the hospital to retrieve his younger child.

When he arrived, he was surprised to see Damian talking to her. While he couldn't hear what the children were saying, their body language confirmed that it was civil and friendly between them. He didn't see animosity at all. The way the boy blushed in his daughter's presence was a development. He chuckled when Anya gave him a beginners' lesson in self-defense. While they weren't on par with his kids, much less his own, he saw a potential fighter in the boy should he take up the art.

Then came Eric's near murderous rampage as the boy confronted Damian. Seeing his son like that was shocking to Twilight, and he's seen some terrifying crap in his life. Still, he can't help but be proud of Anya for pacifying the situation before things turned ugly. It wouldn't do well to let the boy die before the mission completed.

For some reason, seeing Anya kiss the boy on the cheek caused a rush of emotions to slice though his body, that overwhelming need to protect his youngest from the boy. He shook his head to get rid of that feeling. While Anya isn't of the same intellectual level as her brother, she is more social and insightful to what people are feeling. Her interaction with Damian proved that Plan B isn't a total waste. If she can get the boy to be friends with her and Eric, the chances of success for Operation Strix will heighten.

Silently praising his daughter, he leapt from his hiding spot and entered Eden to retrieve his wayward child.

"I see, thank you for telling me." Henderson hung up the phone as he turned to the two Forgers who sat on the couch.

"Your father was already on his way. Apparently, he was informed by your preschool teacher and left the hospital." Henderson informed the two.

Eric sighed and crossed his arms, "That's good. Again, I'm really sorry for the trouble Professor."

Henderson sat down across from the siblings. "Ms. Forger, while I understand your admiration and need to be close to your brother, that does not excuse you from such behavior." He gently scolded the guilt-ridden child, "You truly scared your teachers and your family by disappearing so suddenly."

Anya looked down, feeling guilty for worrying everyone. She wanted so badly to help her father, even if it means earning his ire. "I'm sorry. It's just, I miss spending time with big brother. The kids at school are nice, but none of them understand me like big brother." Anya whispered, feeling bad and just want to stay close to her security blanket.

Eric sighed through his nose at how Anya's powers prevent her from making friends. The ability to read minds can take their toll on one so young, especially when the minds she reads are rude.

"Anya, they're just kids like you. The best way for them to understand you is by understanding them. They're learning, just like you are." Eric wisely said as he accepted tea from Henderson.

"No they're not, because they don't have you as a teacher." Anya then dug through her bag, "I was trying to show them how white blood cells get rid of bacteria using the finger puppets you and Papa made me." She said as she fished out homemade finger puppets that were similar to Spy Wars characters.

"You actually brought those to school?" Eric asked with wide eyes as Anya fastened them to her fingers.

"I tried to teach the other kids how Agent White Blood Cell vanquishes villainous germs and bacteria." Anya said as she moved her finger puppet around. "The kids didn't like that game. I couldn't pronounce the big words like you and Papa."

Eric took the bacteria puppet and placed on his finger. "It wasn't a game, it was a visual simulation to help you understand how the body works to protect you against harmful diseases. Agent White Blood Cell doesn't vanquish, he engulfs and eats it during phagocytosis. Once inside the cell, the microbe can be killed using a combination of degradative enzymes, highly reactive chemicals, and an acidic environment." Eric explained the process to his sister while moving the bacteria puppets around, urging Anya to bat them in the face.

"Wouldn't it be more effective to interrogate them first and find out where the other germs are hiding before killing them?" Anya asked as Eric gave her a deadpanned look.

"White blood cells do not talk to other germs or bacteria. Professor, help me out here." Eric said as he turned to face Henderson who watched their interaction and how Anya was enthused to learn from her brother.

"You're explaining the concept quite elegantly Eric Forger. We haven't even covered this topic in biology yet." Henderson praised the boy for having this kind of knowledge.

"A doctor must acquire the basics to prevent harmful bacteria from invading the human body." Eric stated as he gave Anya one of the bacteria puppets as she made a show of combat between the two puppets. The white blood cell was winning.

"And you teach your sister these topics." Henderson added with a look of intrigue as Anya whispered, "Die filthy germ."

"Sometimes, she likes to make a game out of my lessons. But I like to believe that she's learning in her own way. Allegory characters seem to stick better with her current mindset." Eric explained as Anya turned back to them.

"I just learned how to solve a math problem thanks to Spy Wars."

"Oh?" Henderson asked as he listened to the younger sister.

"If Bondman's pistol has eight bullets, and he fires off six at the bad guys, he's got two eighths' bullets left." Anya explained, pleasantly shocking Henderson at how she solved it with her favorite cartoon character.

"Right you are Ms. Forger." Henderson praised as the little girl gave a victorious smile.

"It's the only math problem she knows how to solve." Eric deadpanned.

"Well I don't even know fractions yet." Anya shrugged, "But I do like it when you read me bedtime stories from your history books. They help me fall asleep better whenever you or Papa read to me." She explained since bedtime reading doubles as studying for both of them.

Henderson hummed to himself at the girl's eagerness to learn from her brother.

A knock on the door alerted the three. "Come in." Henderson granted permission before the door opened to reveal a sheepish looking Loid Forger.

"Good afternoon, Professor Henderson. Is Anya here?"

"Papa!" Anya exclaimed in delight upon seeing her father enter.

"Thank you for coming Mr. Forger." Henderson greeted as Anya leapt off the couch and ran toward her father. Loid patted her head as she hugged his leg.

Eric stood up holding his bag as he greeted his father, "Hi Dad. Um, my next class is about to start so I can't stay right now." stated after looking at the clock.

"Of course, run along now young Forger." Henderson said seeing how he didn't want his education to falter.

"I'll see you at home." 'Anya, don't cause trouble.' Eric bid farewell to them before leaving the room to go to his next class.

"I'm terribly sorry for my daughter." He apologized to the teacher who stood up.

"That's quite alright Mr. Forger. Fortunately, your son caught her during free period and escorted her here." Henderson waved off his apology seeing how he witnessed first-hand how the siblings interacted with each other.

"Papa," Loid looked down to see Anya look up at him with pleading eyes, "Can I be a student here with big brother? I don't wanna be in preschool anymore."

Loid's eyes widened at her request. While he wanted to enroll her to keep better track of his two children and hopefully up his chances with Plan B with his daughter, he knew that would be impossible. A: She's still 4 1/2 years old. She'd be lucky if the school accepted a five-year-old into the program. B: Her grades aren't up to par with her brother's. She's too focused on running around and cartoons.

With a sigh, he knelt to Anya's level. "Anya, you're still too young for Eden. I know you miss your brother, but you can't keep sneaking into this school on a whim."

"But-" Anya sniffled when she heard her father's thoughts, "I wanna learn with big brother and be smart like him. I don't wanna be behind him anymore." She couldn't stop her tears as she began to cry.

Loid felt helpless as his daughter cried her eyes out. Just as he was about to soothe her, Henderson chimed in.

"Actually, I may have a solution that will benefit all of us."

Eric's face remained scowling as he came closer to his next class.

"Eric!" He turned to see Becky catch up to him, panting as she came to a stop.

"Where did you run off to? You said you were going to the bathroom." Becky stated with a worried look.

"Sorry about that. You see..." Eric explained the incident with Damian and Anya to Becky who's eyes were wide in astonishment.

Becky laughed behind her hand, "I wish I could've seen all of that. You literally went all demon on him?"

Eric looked away shamefully, "It's not a side I'm proud to have. It only comes out when I feel my sister is being threatened. Anya called it my Devil side." Even now, he can still feel it clawing to the surface at the mention of Damian.

"I wouldn't mind seeing it. Devil-Eric sounds really cool." Becky said with a smirk as Eric blushed at the nickname.

"Please don't call me that, people will get the wrong idea. They're weary of me already." Eric said as they got closer to their next class. They stopped dead in their tracks when they met a familiar trio across from them near the door.

Damian tensed up when he saw Eric. He kept his face passive, but inside, he was terrified beyond all reason. All he could see was the Devil that was itching to murder him with a fingernail.

Eric lowered his head slightly; his fringes shadowed his glowing eyes that widened into a frightening glare.

Becky flinched back a bit at the scary look on her best friend's face. Normally he was stoic and calm, but this was entirely new to her. She turned to Damian who took a step back at his glare. Seeing Damian react like that is also new. Although, after hearing from Eric's side and what his little sister did with Damian, she supposed the kid had plenty of reason to be scared for his life.

"Let me make one thing clear Desi." Eric began in a low chilling voice that brought the temperature down to freezing. "Don't you ever come near my sister again."

Damian and his cohorts were shaking all over at the demonic tone dripping from Eric's mouth. He gulped, "Sure. No problem." He'd rather not die a virgin.

Eric reverted back to his calm self. "Good." He entered the classroom with Becky beside him who giggled at their scared looks.

Damian and his friends released a breath they did not realize they were holding. Emile and Ewen were now terrified to go to the boy's room for fear of Devil-Eric standing over them from atop the toilet stalls.

"We never speak of this incident to anyone. Got it?" Damian ordered them with a scared and stern look.

"Yes Lord Damian." Chorused the henchmen before they entered the classroom and sat as far away from Eric as physically possible.

Eric entered the apartment with his usual announcement, "I'm home."

"Big brother!" Anya exclaimed as she ran toward the front door and pulled him into the living room where Loid and Yor sat. "Papa has something to tell you."

Eric sat stationary on the couch between Anya and Yor. The family waited for Loid to speak.

"I spoke with Henderson after you left, and he's offered an arrangement that can benefit Anya. In light of this incident, and Henderson's revelation on how Anya can learn better when she's with her brother, he's willing to grant Anya a special privilege where she can attend classes with Eric part time." Eric's and Yor's eyes widened at this information while Anya beamed. "After the end of the school day for her, she can spend the remaining hours at Eden with Eric and sit in for his last classes."

"Is Professor Henderson really gonna allow this?" Eric asked in complete and utter surprise at what he was just told.

Loid smiled, "Yes, he was very touched and impressed by your method of teaching your sister that he wants her to have the experience with you there. She won't be an official student. This is merely a trial run for her. To see if she really is okay to attend Eden next year." He said with a hint of pride as he glanced at his daughter.

"I get to spend more time with big brother and keep him safe." Anya excitedly stated while holding Eric's hand.

'While Anya won't be there the whole time, she can easily make friends with Damian better than Eric. Not how I planned it, but we can make this work.' Loid thought to himself, feeling confident in this solution Henderson offered on a silver platter.

Anya smiled up at her father, the joy she felt for being relied on for the mission brought her inexplicable happiness. This is just one step closer to world peace.

Eric, however, didn't feel that same joy. Anya in his class means she'll be close to Damian. No way in freakin' hell! There's gotta be a better way to make sure Anya never wants to spend time with that cretin. But what?

A lightbulb flicked on above his head.

"Hey Dad, can we get a dog?" Eric asked out of the blue.

Anya's eyes sparkled, "A doggie!"

"Dog?" Loid's face fell at the very idea of one in the house. He had nothing against dogs in general, but they're so much work, and he already has his hands full.

"What brought this on?" Yor asked curiously at her son.

"Well, it's just," Eric struggled to find a reason, "most of the kids in my class have either a cat or a dog at their home. They're always bragging about how much fun they have with their pets, and I feel kinda out of place in that regard. I also thought it would be beneficial to have one that can protect me and Anya if she does attend Eden with me."

Anya nodded, "Damian also has a dog named Max who he loves a lot. It would be nice to have something to talk about with him." This way, they can get closer over their love for their dogs.

"More like argue about." Eric mumbled under his breath.

Loid thought it over. It wouldn't be a bad idea. His organization has dogs that are solely trained for guarding and tracking. Having at least one that can protect his children will prove beneficial. This will also teach his children how to care for and be responsible.

"Very well. I suppose this would happen sooner or later." Loid conceded, much to Anya's delight and Eric's relief. Hopefully a dog can keep Anya's attention away from Damian.

"Now children, keeping a dog isn't just for fun. Taking care of an animal is hard work, it is a responsibility." Yor advised them with gentle and stern look as her kids nodded.

They browsed through a book of different dog breeds that would be suitable for their family. Eric and Anya, for all their love for each other, actually quarreled about which dog they should have. The parents thought this was still cute with how the kids debated on what was cuter and more interesting.

"These two really make quite a pair." Yor stated to Loid as they stood in the kitchen and watched the kids try to figure out the kind of dog to keep. "Do you think Anya will be alright at Eden?" She worriedly asked since Anya will stand out beside Eric seeing how she isn't an official student. Eden is also challenging compared to other schools, and Anya is still a baby.

Loid had to smile at that. "Anya is not like her brother, which is alright. I think it's better this way." He stated as he watched his children fondly, "Anya's not academic like Eric, but she's still eager to learn for the sake of being close to him. She's more insightful than Eric when it comes to emotions, something he struggles with despite his intelligence."

Yor couldn't help but smile at his statement. He's right on all fronts when regarding his children's strengths and weaknesses. They can truly help each other.

"They're unstoppable together." Yor added, watching the kids look at an interesting mutt and comparing it to a similar breed.

In a dark foul-smelling basement, a small yet swift black shadow scurried between cages, ignoring the growling and barking dogs that wanted to tear her apart. She had a mission, and she wasn't about to let some mangy mutts get in her way. She hid in the corner when the humans delivered the slop that can hardly be considered as dog food. She waited until they left to find the right cage.

"Hey, White, it's me." The voice of a female spoke to the giant white fluff covered in dirt spots.

She carried a piece of delicious meat in her teeth as she squeezed her tiny flexible body between the bars. She stepped over the large tail and glared at the chain as she got closer to the white dog's muzzle.

"Black. You came." The dog responded in a sad, weary, yet hopeful voice that only animals can understand.

The feline dropped the meat beside the white dog, her golden eyes were stern and determined. "Here, I got you the biggest freshest one I could find."

The white dog sniffed at it then devoured it slowly, savoring the flavor as it soothed his stomach.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." The black cat curled up beside the white dog for comfort and warmth. "Did you see anything good?"

The dog's ears twitched as that vision appeared again. A very special family, a boy with yellow hair and a calm smile as the black cat wrapped her body around his shoulders as he scratched her ears, and an adorable little girl raising her hands in the air with a wide welcoming smile.

"Yes, our family is still out there." The white dog said, holding onto that vision. The only thing that kept them going, holding onto hope that their lives will get better one day. No more cages, no more experiments. Home.

Chapter Text

As Anya shoveled food in her mouth, Eric glanced at the television where the News informed the viewers of the Minister of Westalis arriving at Berlint airport for a summit where parties from both East and West can talk of peace treaties between the nations.

When Anya started choking, Eric gently patted her back. "I told you to eat slowly." He said as his sister drank a glass of water to help the food go down.

"You should listen to your brother." Loid stated offhandedly, but unsurprisingly, Anya didn't listen as she finished the drink and leapt off her seat with all the energy her little body carried.

"Thanks for the food!" She hopped from one foot to the other excitedly, "C'mon Mama, Papa, and brother, it's time to go!" She exclaimed before dashing off to her room to get dressed.

Loid sighed, "So much energy."

Yor giggled, "Can you blame her though. Today's a big day."

"We're getting a dog." Eric stated as he calmly finished breakfast before following his sister's lead.

After getting dressed in warm clothes, the Forgers went out to adopt a dog. Eric stationed himself on Yor's left while she held Anya's hand. Eric tuned out his sister's singing and barking as he looked ahead of himself. He stopped when something black moved in his peripheral vision. He turned his green eyes towards an alleyway and heard a strange noise coming from one of the overturned trashcans. He looked around until he found what he was looking for.

Hidden in the shadows between a trashcan and a large piece of cardboard was a black cat with golden eyes as it struggled to remove its neck and front paw from a tangle of ropes and wires.

Seeing the animal trapped and in distress, Eric knelt down and held his hands up to show the hissing creature that he is not a threat. "It's okay, I won't hurt you." He whispered to the cat as he slowly and gently placed the back of his fingers in its fur and started to pet the tense creature. The cat's hissing died down at the kind and gentle touch of the human, something it never experienced until now as it started to purr at the comforting hand.

Eric chuckled lightly as he worked to disentangle the cat from its entrapment. He worked every loop like a puzzle, being careful not to hurt it by accident. 'This is like disarming a bomb.' He thought to himself as he finally freed the animal and carried it away from the pile.

"There we go, you're okay." Eric said softly to the cat as he cradled it in his arms.

Golden eyes stared up at the boy's green eyes with wonder before he gentle set her back on the ground. No human has ever been that kind to her.

"You be careful out here alright." Eric said as he stood up and dusted the filth off his pants.

'Green eyes and blonde hair.' The black cat thought to herself as she looked up at the small boy. 'Could he be..?'

"Eric!" Loid rushed over to his son upon spotting him.

On instinct, the cat hid herself from the older man's view while keeping her golden eyes on the boy.

"I was helping a cat." Eric explained as Loid took his hand with a sigh. "Don't wander off like that."

Eric followed his father to rejoin Yor and Anya.

The black cat inched out of the alley to watch the boy who took the younger girl's hand. 'Green-eyed boy, and girl with horns. It is them! I have to get White!' She scrambled to rush back to her friend and tell him she found their destiny.

They made it to the pet shop, and all the hopes Anya and Eric had for a dog...went kaput. Eric's eye twitched at the overly muscled monstrosities that were these canines. What was even more disturbing was how two of them started flexing their muscles in front of the two kids while Loid talked to the owner about a different more family friendly dog.

'Yeah, hell stinkin' no.' Eric thought to himself as Anya nodded in agreement, a look pure displeasure on her face.

Anya bluntly said, "I don't like these dogs."

"They do look a little rough to keep as a pet." Yor stated in agreement.

"I'm kind of scared to know what they've been eating." Eric admitted, watching one of them drool through their large teeth, "Who they've been eating."

He half-listened to their father talk to the shop owner who was finished talking on the phone. Thankfully there's this shelter putting on a big adoption event.

Suddenly, Loid had an ill expression as he held his stomach. "Uh, something's really not agreeing with my stomach. You three go on ahead to the shelter by the train station. I need to find a bathroom." He explained as his family turned to him in concern.

"It's most likely constipation. It can happen to anyone. Did you pass more than three bowel movements this week? Are you taking dietary fiber? Is it something Mom made that mutated and is nesting inside your digestive tract?" Eric theorized as he came to his father's side and asked medical and stranger questions.

"No, hopefully it's nothing like that." Loid said, though despite how ludacris the last one was, he sometimes wondered if there was some truth to that. He swore something moved in Yor's cooking one time.

"I'm not a surgeon yet, but I'm certain I can cut it out with the right tools." Eric said as he looked around the shop for some makeshift medical equipment.

"Um, that won't be necessary, I just need to ride it out." Loid quickly said when he saw how serious his son looks.

"Oh, Loid are you okay? We can wait for you." Yor said while Anya picked up on his thoughts and decided to help him.

"Papa takes a lot of time on the crapper, so we should probably go."

"I didn't consider that." Yor said as she glanced at Anya.

"You should watch your mouth young lady." Loid reprimanded his daughter for using foul language. 'I appreciate the cover she's given me, but at what cost?'

Eric sighed at his sister then turned to Loid, "I think I'll stay with you. You need a doctor if it's that bad." He stated with a serious face a six-year-old shouldn't have.

Anya took her brother's hand, "But brother, you promised that we'd pick a dog together." Eric's eyes widened when she discreetly traced a familiar pattern into his palm.

With a sigh, he relented and followed his mom and sister out of the shop. "Have fun on the toilet." He called to his father, making Anya and Yor giggle at the red-faced Loid.

'Typical, the moment we do something as a family, he's called to another mission.' Eric thought to himself as Anya looked up at her brother with a proud expression. Anything their father does is just too cool.

'And don't even think about involving yourself in his missions again. Got it?' Eric's stern thoughts carried over to his sister. He didn't want another repeat after what happened at the aquarium.

Anya pouted but decided to obey Eric. At least for now.

The black feline leapt from one building ledge to another with all the agility and grace her small body could muster. Her canine friend wasn't at the usual place those filthy humans kept him locked up. But she knows how to find him with scent alone. After all, cats are natural born hunters, it's in their blood to stalk their prey before they go in for the kill. At least that's what her mother taught her.

Golden eyes watched the street below as she sat perched on the corner of the building. Then she spotted him, the big white fluff taking off towards a little kid and grabbing the back of his shirt with his teeth just as the large sign slammed down on the sidewalk, right in the spot the kid almost went under.

The cat looked relieved and proud as she witnessed this brave selfless act her friend did. Taking a deep breath, she meowed loud enough to get the white dog's attention.

Ears twitched at the sound as the fluffy canine looked up and whined, "Black?"

"White! I found them! The two kids you described, they're here in the city!" The cat meowed loudly down to her friend whose eyes brightened.

The dog barked loudly, bringing more attention to himself. "Do you know where they went?"

"Not yet! But I know they're close by! Let's go!" The cat leapt down and landed on her paws and took off in the direction where she sensed the kids would be.

The white dog made a move to follow, but a harsh tug on the leash choked him and pulled him back to his captors.

"You damn mutt! Just what the hell are you doing?" The man pulled his leash really hard and tight. The poor gentle animal bowed his head submissively as his body went on autopilot and followed the man's orders.

The black cat stopped running when she realized her companion wasn't following. She stayed hidden as she glared at her friend's captors. Oh, how she wants to claw their eyes out. But given her size and how outnumbered she is against them, there was nothing she could do for her friend. Unless...

With a plan in mind, she bolted towards where the kids would be.

Puppies, kittens, bunnies, all the fluffy cuteness anyone could hope for in this large space. And the one place Eric regrets coming to.

It's no secret that Anya is a hyperactive excitable little girl. But apparently being surrounded by little fluffballs is enough to make her run all over the place.

"Like an overexcited puppy." Eric commented as Anya ran from pen to pen to look at all the cuteness the shelter had to offer.

"Tiny little doggies!" The pups yelped in surprise.

"And kitties!" The kittens meowed cutely in greeting.

"And fuzzy bunnies!" Anya hopped in front of the aforementioned animals in delight.

"Please don't run around all willy-nilly! I'm afraid you'll get lost in the crowd!" Yor called to Anya as they struggled to keep up with the energetic girl.

The boy sighed, he can already tell today was going to be exhausting.

"Now listen to me Anya and Eric, promise me you won't leave the area with the doggies, okay?" Yor said to her children. Eric hummed, "Yes ma'am." While Anya nodded, "I promise."

The trio checked out all the tiny dogs. "A chihuahua! Pomperanian!" Anya now resembled a panting dog who was overwhelmed by adorable animals.

Despite the effort he takes to maintain he calm exterior; Eric couldn't help but snicker at his sister as he leaned against the window. This is just too funny.

A woman approached Yor, "Would you like to adopt a dog today?"

"Is there a breed you say is easy to take care of." Yor asked, which she unfortunately took her eyes off the children.

Something big caught Anya's attention, making her look outside to see a very big white dog walking in front of the window Eric was leaning on.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Eric asked when his sister's demeaner changed. Following her gaze, he did a double take and stumbled away from the window in surprise.

"A polar bear?" That can't be right, polar bears are supposed to live in much colder climates.

'That's a big ol' Mr. Doggie.' Anya thought to herself as said dog turned its tired eyes to her.

Suddenly, she was caught up in a vision of herself throwing her hands in the air as she stood in the middle of her family. But what surprised her was the appearance of a black cat with golden eyes clinging to her brother.

'Me and my family?' Anya's eyes shone as she and the dog held eye contact.

"Keep moving you mongrel." The man tugged the leash, leading him across the street into the opposite building.

Eric glared at the man's back for treating the dog harshly. He noticed his sister's prolonged stare on the white canine.

'Did I... read Mr. Doggie's mind?' Anya wondered as the dog disappeared into the building followed by a German Sheperd.

"You okay?"

Anya turned to her brother, "That Mr. Doggie, I saw our family in his mind."

Eric blinked, "Hm? That's impossible, I'm pretty sure we'd have remembered seeing that polar bear."

"I know. But..." She glanced behind them to see their mother still talking to the lady.

Eric sighed, still facing the window, "Look, it doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned, it was probably his imagination. Let's just forget-" He made a choking sound when he realized his sister wasn't beside him anymore.

"Huh? What the-Where-?" A panicked Eric looked around until he saw something pink with horns walk across the street.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, "Anya." He followed her outside just as she entered the building. He waited for cars to pass before crossing, Eric dashed across the street road to get to his sister and scold her for leaving like that.

He entered the building, looking around at the concrete staircase before quietly making his up. 'Anya, where are you? We need to get back to the adoption event.' He called out to her in his mind until he heard voices accompanied by the sound of barking. Opening the door, he saw dogs leashed to a bar looking pitiful. Immediately spotting his sister standing in front of the white dog.

'Anya.' She turned to her brother who beckoned her to come towards him. 'We're not supposed to be here.'

"You better not have done anything to draw attention to yourselves."

Both children turned to the closed door where the voice came from.

"Don't worry Keith. The place was crawling with people and their dogs at that adoption thing."

Against their better judgement, the siblings pressed their ears against the door.

They listened to who might be the man in charge. "The big day's here at last. Once our plan goes down the facade of peace between the East and West will explode right along with the Foreign Minister." Both of their green eyes widened at the meaning behind those words. "If we want to restore Ostania to its former glory, it's clear what has to be done. Give Brantz the honor of being the catalyst of war. We'll bring those arrogant pigs from the West down to their knees!" He declared with over-confidence.

"Bring 'em down!"

Eric's eyes narrowed before turning to Anya and slowly pulled her away from the door. The first thing they need to do is find their mother and get to the police station. They can stop this terrorist plot before it even starts. These guys won't even know someone listened in.

They froze when they bumped into something behind them. Their eyes widened as they turned around to see a large man narrow his eyes down at the kids.

Or maybe not.

Before they could release a sound, they were grabbed by the back of their jackets and dragged towards the door.

The big man kicked the door open. "Hey, what in the hell are you thinking? These little brats heard everything you just said!"

"What's a couple of kids even doing here anyway?" One guy with glasses questioned upon seeing the siblings.

"So, uh, what do we do?" The guy who sat up from a box asked, looking uncomfortable by this turn of events.

Eric clawed at the hand holding his jacket, the grip pulled the collar tight around his neck as he glared at everyone in the room.

"What do we do, huh?" The same voice they heard through the door earlier belonged to a man with black hair, a trench coat and menacing eyes. He stood up and whipped out a pocketknife.

"Well, we just need to take care of them, don't we?" He said, malicious intent clear in his face as he glared at the kids. Anya whimpered while Eric hissed at them through his teeth.

"Hey, calm down, okay? They're just kids." One of his cohorts stated, not liking the idea of hurting children.

"And if they tattle to their parents, we can kiss our plan goodbye. Kurt, make sure they don't scream." Their leader said as he stalked towards the kids.

Eric's eyes gleamed a different shade of green before one of the windowpanes shattered and flew towards the leader. A shout of surprise and pain filled the room as he dropped his knife to hold onto his bloodied arm where large glass shards embedded into his flesh.

"Keith!" One of his followers exclaimed, rushing to his side.

Just then, a loud bark came from behind Kurt who turned just in time to see a massive white dog leap towards him with anger in his black eyes. He moved out of the way in surprise, dropping Eric and Anya in the confusion.

Eric held his sister protectively while the dog shielded them from the terrorists. He growled dangerously at Keith who glared back while keeping the pressure on his bleeding arm.

"Mr. Doggie." Anya said as she recognized the mass of fur.

It barked loudly, as though he was telling them not to come near the kids.

"This one's got a real problem with listening."

"Maybe instead of training him, we should put him down."

The dog kept barking at them, the sound echoing across the room.

One of the terrorists picked up a stray pipe. "You picked the wrong guy to bark at. I'm gonna shut you up for good!"

His threat accompanied by the weapon was enough to make all the dog's bravado disappear. He whimpered and hung his head in submission before he padded to stand behind the kids. His pitiful whimpers almost sounded like, 'I'm sorry. Please don't hit me. I'll be good.'

Eric glanced at the dog with sympathy as he laid a gentle reassuring hand on his furry head. He turned his green eyes back to the terrorists. "Φάτε σκατά! (Fáte skatá!)" Eric growled out. Anya turned to him in shock over the foul language he used.

"What did you say?" The guy with the pipe yelled. Eric smiled spitefully at them and slowly repeated, "Φάτε σκατά."

Though none of them could understand what he said, they knew he was insulting them. "Why you little-!" The one with the pipe marched over, raising the metal over his head.

Anya whimpered and hid behind Eric who focused on the pipe.

Green eyes glowed for a split second as he used his power to kick the man's feet out from under him. The man stumbled forward and tripped before Eric applied more force onto his head and slammed his face into the concrete. The pipe flew out of his hand and slid over to Eric.

"What's wrong with you, you klutz!" Keith yelled at his cohorts impatiently.

Eric picked of the pipe, though it was heavy in his hands, he managed to get a good grip on it as he took a fighting stance in front of his sister and the dog.

Seeing the pipe no longer in his abuser's hands, the canine started growling at Keith.

Despite the pain in his arm, Keith picked up the knife and approached the kids. "Just step away from the dog you brats. I promise to make this quick and painless."

Eric glared, "Funny, I was gonna say the same thing." He said as he held his weapon tightly.

The dog's ear's perked up as a vision came to him. Stepping closer to Anya, he growled softly. "Get ready to run."

Anya was confused by the dog's behavior until she read his mind.

Everyone in the room turned as the telephone rang loudly.

"The phone?" Anya whispered as the dog nodded.

"C"mon, let's get this over-" Keith was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. The sudden noise startled everyone in the room.

Anya gripped her brother's sleeve and pulled, making his turn his head slightly just enough to see her cock her head towards the door. He nodded as they silently stepped out of the room while the terrorists were distracted by the news of someone raiding their safehouses.

It wasn't until they were completely out of the room did Eric make his move. With a violent swipe of his hand, he slammed the door shut and held it tightly with his power as the terrorists started to beat it down. Eric grunted at the effort it took for him to keep it closed before focusing his attention on the knob's mechanisms. Furrowing his brow in concentration, he bent and twisted the gears to make it impossible to turn or unlock the door.

With his job done, he turned to follow the dog who dragged his sister by her hood before flipping her onto his back so she could ride him.

"Is Mr. Doggie really our friend?" Anya asked as she turned her head to see Eric use his powers to fly parallel to the winding stairs.

'This is really bad, I cursed in front of my little sister!' Eric berated himself, 'Oh, and we're also being chased by a bunch of terrorist wannabes who want to restart the war!' He internally screamed as he tucked and rolled and ran in front of the dog.

"Let's just get Mom and-Huh?" He came to a screeching halt when he noticed the dog running in a different direction.

"Anya, what are you doing? Come back!" Eric yelled as he chased after the dog as fast as his six-year-old legs could carry him. "You turn that dog around right now!"

Eric gritted his teeth as he pushed his body to catch up with them. 'This is just great. All I wanted to do was get us a dog. Simple as that. But no! We just had to stumble across a terrorist plot and run for our lives!' He ranted in his head as he dodged pedestrians.

"Doggie! Pease stop! Let me off!" Anya yelled as she struggled to hold on to the dog jostling her on his back. "Someone help me! I'm being chased by a bunch of bad guys!"

Citizens from across the street saw this thought it was adorable and believed it was an intense game of tag with the older boy chasing after them with a long pipe in his right hand.

After three minutes of running nonstop, Eric started wheezing. "Anya...stop...the dog." He released a cough as his exhausted sweaty body couldn't take another step. He leaned against the pipe he carried with him to catch his breath and figure out how to get to his sister.

He hung his head, "This...is just...not...my day."

"Meow."

"'Meow?'" Eric picked his head up to see a familiar sleek black cat with golden eyes staring up at him with what appears to be an annoyed frown.

"Huh? Hey I know you. What are you doing here?" Eric shook his head and stood upright. "Never mind. I need to find Anya before-" He couldn't finish his sentence when the cat launched herself into his chest. The force of her push knocked him backwards. Thankfully his hands caught himself in time, or else his skull would hit concrete.

"What's your problem?" Eric asked in bewilderment at the feline digging her claws into his jacket.

The cat turned her head into the alleyway she pushed him in front of and hissed. Confused at her actions, Eric followed her gaze and saw Keith along with two of his henchmen and a German Sheperd sprinting to the right.

"You want me to follow them?" Cat meowed again, still glaring at the alley.

Eric groaned as he stood up. The cat crawled all over him until she draped herself across his head and shoulders.

"I'm taking orders from a cat now. Typical." Eric sighed to himself as he picked up the pipe again and charged into the alley.

He kept a distance behind them until he peeked around the corner to see all three of them plus a dog surrounding Anya and the white fluff held back painfully by the leash. Rage and blood lust overtook him as he eyes glowed once more, brighter and more menacing as he ran towards them with the intent to kill. He slid behind one of them, the same one who dropped the pipe before, gripping the same pipe firmly in his hands, he swung it upward.

"Fore!"

'CRUNCH!'

The man barely had time to scream as the force of Eric's strike, with the aid of his power, sent him flipping forward and onto the ground clutching his male parts in agony.

But Eric wasn't done, the adrenaline still coursed through his system as he twirled his weapon around and swung at the bewildered Keith. Striking him in the stomach sent the shocked man into the brick wall. He released the white dog's leash in the confusion.

Kurt turned around at the commotion to see the kid with glowing green eyes glare at each of them and a cat that looked smug as it hung onto his shoulder. Before he could say anything, another much more murderous creature with glowing eyes leapt down from the sky and planted her white winter boot into his face while snatching little Anya from his grip. The force sent him ricocheting between the walls until he finally slammed into the concrete part of the building.

A shocked Keith and German Sheperd stepped back from the cloud of dust as he held his cracked ribs.

"You think you'd get away with this, you kidnapping pervert!" A woman's voice came from the clearing dust cloud.

Eric stood in front of the woman, still glaring at Keith as he maintained his fighting stance and held his weapon before him. The woman with black hair and red eyes held a delighted and relieved Anya in one arm while her left hand was positioned protectively in case of another attack.

"No, little Anya is too young to get married?"

"Huh?" Eric glanced behind him, completely thrown off by that statement. 'Where did that come from?'

Anya clutched onto Yor and sobbed, "Mama, I was so scared!"

"It's okay, you're alright now." Yor assured her daughter while Eric returned his attention to Keith and the German Sheperd. He did not want to let his guard down.

Keith clenched his teeth as he held his ribs. "Alright you mutt, I want you to rip out this woman's throat!"

The dog obeyed his master, growling threateningly at the woman as he was about to carry out the man's orders.

But then the woman snarled like a beast. Nope, screw that.

"Hey, come back!" Keith yelled at the terrified dog who ran away.

"Hm? Did Mom do that?" Eric blinked in surprise as he turned to face his mother. Seeing her suddenly sharp teeth and predatory gaze turned his insides into liquid and nearly gave him diarrhea.

Eric gulped, 'I think I remember why mothers are the most terrifying beasts in the world. Especially when their kid is in danger.' He thought to himself, making a mental note never to get on her bad side. Ever.

"Mama... so scary!" Anya sobbed in fear at seeing her mother's snarl.

"It's okay, I won't let them hurt you." Yor assured Anya, not realizing how she spooked her daughter just now.

Their noise started to attract attention outside the alley as pedestrians started to gather.

Like the coward he is, Keith ran away, still holding his ribs.

Yor put Anya down as she began to chase after him. "Hey, wait!"

Eric lowered pipe as one end touched the concrete. "Are you alright Anya?"

Anya sniffled as she nodded, "Oui."

Eric's face softened slightly as he wrapped one arm around his sister and held her close. He was silent as relief flooded him. He was so close to losing Anya.

Anya looked up at the cat attached to her brother's shoulders. Her eyes widened when she recognized the feline. 'That's the same kitty I saw from before. If Mr. Doggie can see the future, then that means Kitty is meant to be with us?'

Golden eyes met bright green ones. 'Smaller than White described you to be. But at least you're easy to find.'

Anya pouted at the cat, "I'm not that small."

"Hm? I didn't even say anything." Eric said, confused by Anya's sudden change.

"No, the Kitty called me small."

Eric turned to his furry companion. "Oh yeah, I forgot you were still on me." He raised his hand to scratch behind the cat's ear. "Not sure how or why, but it led me to you."

'I'm a natural born tracker kid. I'm supposed to find you.' The cat's thoughts reached Anya as it purred contently.

"You were looking for us?" Anya whispered as the dog came beside her and whined to the black cat.

Yor came back as quickly as she ran off as she took the leash off the dog and tied the two henchmen together very tightly.

"Are you okay Mr. Doggie?" Anya asked the canine who looked ashamed of himself.

"So, what's the story with this puppy?" Yor asked her children.

"Well, uh..." Anya turned to her brother for help. But his stern frown told her she must take responsibility.

Five minutes later...

"Huh? Terrorists and bomb dogs?!" Yor exclaimed after Anya explained the situation.

After checking the white dog thoroughly, she sighed in relief when she found not one explosive.

"My friend, Mr. Doggie saved me and Eric. Ms. Kitty helped Eric find me when we got separated for a bit." Anya added as Eric held the feline in his arms tenderly as she snuggled into his warmth.

"Anya, I'm so incredibly relieved to know you and your brother are safe and sound. I was worried sick about you two."

Anya felt guilty for causing their mother to worry like that. "I'm sorry Mama. I promised you..." She sniffled, "...that I wouldn't run off."

Yor knelt down to her level and pulled Anya in for a hug. "Honestly."

Eric watched with a small smile. Good intentions aside, Anya did break her promise, and he can tell she is genuinely guilty for her actions.

"When we get home, I'll have to give you a stern talking to." Yor added.

The white dog released a soft bark behind her.

Yor pulled away and turned her attention to her son. "And you, young man." Eric tensed up, ready for a scolding, "You did a superb job protecting your sister. Technique aside, you must never go up against three grown men all by yourself." Yor said softly and gently, though internally, she was proud at how her son handled a weapon and incapacitated one while cracking the ribs of another. If it had been any other day, she'd train him on how to properly wield a bo staff.

Eric blushed at the praise before hiding the long pipe behind him. "I, uh, kind of lost my temper back there." He admitted as he looked away shamefully.

Yor laughed lightly at his bashfulness before it disappeared. "Oh, I guess we should tell the police about this first. Shouldn't we?" She said as she stood up and guided her children to the nearest phonebooth. "Eric, Anya, do you happen to remember what the bad guys look like or what they were talking about? Anything like that?"

Eric unconsciously held the cat close with one arm as he dragged the pipe lazily behind him. "Well, we know that the leader is named Keith. The guy that ran off just now."

"Black hair, evil eyes, white skin and mean. Very mean." Anya tacked on fiercely.

Eric nodded, "He also said something about Foreign Minister Brantz being the catalyst of war." He groaned quietly as that ill feeling returned. "But I don't think the police will believe a couple of kids. We don't have any evidence and their hideout is probably already cleaned out because of us."

Yor stroked her fingers comfortingly in her son's hair while holding Anya's hand in the other. "You let me worry about that. Besides, I believe we have enough evidence right here." She glanced at the white dog who barked in agreement.

Not too long after, Yor spoke on the phone and reported everything her kids described to her. "...Yes, that's exactly what happened...Right, there's two lying unconscious in the alleyway...No! I'm just a normal housewife who was passing by." She lied hastily to the operator. "Oh, and please note that the ringleader already has a broken rib from a stray pipe that suddenly fell on him."

Eric sat on the bench with Anya as he continued to pet the cat in his lap. His weapon leaned up between himself and the green trashcan. He sighed tiredly, already drained from the mayhem. 'It's best we let the police handle this. We should no longer involve ourselves anymore.' He glanced between the animals that helped them. "What are we going to do with you guys now?"

The cat uncurled herself and sat up on her hind legs and pushed her front paws up against the boy's chest.

Eric blinked in surprise as he locked eyes with the golden orbs. He could've sworn the cat was staring straight into his soul. For some reason, he felt like he was being judged.

"Look, it's not that I'm ungrateful. Neither of us planned this. You see, we came to the adoption event to look for a puppy. Not..." He glanced at the white dog, "...a polar bear." He turned his eyes back to the cat, "Also, I have very little interaction with felines."

The cat meowed in response and nudged her little head against his chin. "Why am I talking to a cat?" He deadpanned at himself.

Anya stifled her giggles at how her brother is having a one-sided conversation with the kitty. It was so cute and funny.

The dog made a sound before his ears perked up. "What is it?" Anya asked as she was hit by the dog's thoughts. They were filled with confusion, worry and fear.

'Wait, are you seeing the future again?' Anya concentrated on the dog's mind to get a clear picture before a series of visions hit her all at once.

The Forger family gathered together happily suddenly darkened with the sudden disappearance of Loid Forger. Anya, Yor, and Eric were downcast and grieving. Lost.

Anya gasped, 'Why isn't Papa there?'

The big hand to the clock tower moved over to number twelve followed by the loud ringing of the bell.

'Where is that?'

Not too far from the clock tower was a loud explosion that decimated the buildings.

Little Anya and Eric stood before the devastation of what was once an apartment building. They were frozen, wide eyed and in shock at the body that was crushed and unmoving. That familiar blonde hair and face covered in blood.

"No..." Eric gritted his teeth in anger and pain as the ground beneath him cracked. "...Dad."

"Papa!"

In the living room of the Forger Residence, the News Anchor appeared on the TV. "In a televised statement, Westalis said they hold the Ostanian Government responsible for its failure to prevent the assassination of the Foreign Minister. This tragic event likely ensures the possibility of armed conflict."

The city was shrouded in dark clouds, as though telling them the shadow of war is upon them.

Anya gasped as the vision ended.

"Anya?" Eric turned to his sister before she leapt off the bench.

"That's the future? It is, right?" She asked the dog fearfully. She grabbed the dog and started shaking him back and forth. 'It was so scary! Papa's gonna die and world peace will be over!'

"Anya don't do that! You need to be sweet to that poor puppy." Yor admonished her daughter for being rough with the big dog.

Eric stood up from the bench with the cat hanging from his arms. "What's going on?" He asked as Anya's arms fell to her sides and her face lowered in thought. 'Papa's gonna be exploded. If I tell Mama, she can save him. But then she'll find out about our powers.'

"Anya." She turned at the sound of her brother's voice. 'Tell me what's wrong.'

Anya frowned then came closer to Eric and whispered, "The Doggie can see the future."

Eric pulled back, 'Anya, that's crazy. There's no way that kind of power exists. Especially for a dog.' He ignored the irony of that sentence given how he and his sister have powers.

Anya nodded insistently, "But it's true. You remember when that phone rang loudly? Mr. Doggie saw it moments before it happened."

Eric didn't know how to respond to that. 'Okay, say I believe you for a moment. What exactly did the dog see?' He was too exhausted to argue after that mishap in the alley.

Anya had a fearful expression before pulling her brother's head down to whisper in his ear again. Eric's eyes gradually widened at horrific images she described to him.

Eric clenched a fist against his mouth as he processed the vision. 'The vision changed so suddenly. Before, we were all together, then all of a sudden, we weren't.' His mind reeled back to Keith running away, 'Could it be...because of our interference that the events that should've happened vanished. Why was Dad in that building to begin with?' Eric gasped softly as pieces began to fall together, 'Oh no.' He glanced at their mother who was still on the phone. 'If this police report gets to WISE, they'll send Dad, and Dad will...Oh God! We stumbled on one of Dad's missions!'

"Do you think we can change the future if we try really hard?" Anya asked her brother after listening to his contemplations.

Eric was silent for a moment, 'We could. But we're going to get double scoldings when we get home.' He took another glance at Yor.

Turning back to the dog then to Anya, he whispered, "Can the dog carry two kids?"

"Only if he can still run." Anya said as she turned to the dog.

A 'borf' was their response.

"Good, since this is your mission, you come up with the excuse." Eric said as the cat crawled onto his shoulders and latched on tightly.

Anya nodded then turned to Yor with her face lowered. "I'm sorry, Mama." Yor turned to her daughter, "I just remembered something...PAPA FORGOT TO TAKE SOME TOILET PAPER TO THE POTTY!"

'That's the best you came up with!' Eric wanted to facepalm, but he was already mount up on the dog's back. "He's probably making a big ol' mess, so I got to get him some toilet paper right now!" Anya added as she herself onto the dog's back in front of him. Eric quickly situated her on the already moving dog's back until she was in the correct position.

"No, Anya and Eric, come back!" Yor yelled as her children rode away from her.

"Sorry Mom, we'll meet you back at that pet shop!" Eric yelled behind them as they turned towards the street.

"ERIC, ANYA! WHERE DID YOU GO THIS TIME!"

"Anya, do not make me regret this." Eric said as he held his sister securely as they rode through the streets and alley ways.

"Don't worry, once we save Papa, we'll save world peace!"

"There's only one clocktower in the city." Eric stated as both of their green eyes caught green top and the clock face.

"I see it! That's the pointy clock you showed me! This way Mr. Doggie!" Anya yelled over the roaring wind passing through her ears.

'Please Dad, do not go there just yet. Don't make us say goodbye.' Eric begged in his mind as they urged the dog to go faster. They passed by citizens who gave them surprised glances. The siblings paid them no mind, their focus solely on the clock tower.

They made it to the square looking up at the clock tower's structure. The dog panted, completely out of breath and ready to collapse from nonstop running.

Eric was the first to dismount. "Anya, which building did the explosion happen?" He asked his sister who looked around frantically. "I can't figure out where Papa's gonna die."

Anya dashed over to the dog resting under the shade of a statue. Without warning, she leapt onto him, "Mr. Doggie, let me see into the future with you again!"

Eric tapped his foot as he tried to figure out what to do next before their father gets here. "Anya, do you remember anything else that happened in that vision? Anything at all?"

This made Anya pause as she mentally recounted what happened just before the explosion. "That's right. Before everything blew up, the clock went 'bong'. One of the big hands was pointing towards the sky." She looked up and panicked, "I cannot read the clock! What do the long end and short end mean anyway?!"

"Big hand is for minutes; smaller hand for hours." Eric stated helpfully as he looked up and counted the how many minutes they have left. "We have thirty minutes remaining."

"Thirty minutes? We gotta hurry!" Anya exclaimed in fear as she looked around the buildings.

"So, how long is thirty minutes?" Anya asked her brother as she trotted alongside the dog.

"Around the same amount as a Spy Wars episode." Eric answered before the cat started hissing to the right. "What is it?"

The white dog caught the scent as well before he picked Anya up by the back of her jacket and carried her out of sight behind the building.

Eric followed the cat's line of sight before spotting a familiar man and quickly followed the white dog as Anya was placed back on the ground. "What's wrong Mr. Doggie?"

"It's him." Eric answered, his back pressed against the brick wall as he peeked around the corner to glare at the black hair.

Anya followed Eric's lead then flinched back when she saw his scary face. "It's the bad guy boss."

Eric's eyes burned a bright green as he glared angrily at the man who will cause his father's death and start a war. His fingers twitched and cracked as he flexed them readily. 'If I kill him now, there won't be a war.' He raised his hand, clenching and unclenching them. 'Just one squeeze and it's done. We can still keep our father.' Just as he was about to step out and finish the deed, Anya grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Brother no! We have to save Papa first!" Anya begged as she held her brother tightly.

"That's what I'm doing." Eric stated, ready to pull himself free from his little sister's grasp.

"No! He rigged a trap in that building behind him. If Papa goes into that room, he'll be exploded." Anya informed him after reading the evil man's mind.

Eric glanced behind him, "What?"

"We need to stop that bomb from going boom." Anya urged her brother.

Eric looked towards Keith who was getting in his car. Clenching his teeth in frustration, he lowered his arm. 'Mom or Dad will take care of him.'

Keith drove away before Anya and Eric approached the building. "This is bad! We gotta do something about that bomb!" She pointed up at the clock tower. "Let's see, the big hand went from six to seven."

"We have sixteen minutes left." Eric tacked on as the cat leapt down and dashed into the building.

"We gotta hurry up!" Anya grabbed Eric's hand and followed the cat.

All four of them ran up the stairs, panting and sweating as they literally raced against time. They made it to the second floor where the black cat stood before a door as though to challenge it.

The dog sniffed the air, Keith's scent is pretty strong here, and the cat growled low in her throat.

"That must be it." Anya stated as she went to touch the doorknob, only to be lurched back by her brother and a loud bark and hiss.

"Oh right, if I open the door we're all gonna go 'boom-boom'!" Anya exclaimed in fear and realization as she dangled in her brother's arms.

Eric set her back on her feet and massaged his ear canal.

Anya looked for a way inside until she spotted an opening not too far from the door. "I think I can climb through that little window."

Just as Anya was about to crawl through the window, she was yanked backwards again.

Eric landed hard on his butt while holding his sister. "Anya, what do you think you're doing?" He demanded as Anya leapt out of his arms.

"We have to disarm the bomb!" Anya stated, not noticing the black cat effortlessly jumping through the window.

Eric got up and dusted himself off. "Before you try anything, ask yourself this," He grasped Anya's shoulders firmly and stared directly into her eyes, "'Do you even know how to disarm a bomb?'" He slowly asked the girl whose eyes widened and mouth gaped open.

"Not...Really." Anya deflated. "But we have to do something, or we'll lose Papa."

Eric nodded as he tried to remain calm while thinking of a solution. With a snap of his finger, "It's simple, we just leave him a message. That way, we can still keep our secret and keep world peace."

Anya's eyes lit up, "Big brother, you geni-uises!"

Eric sighed as he stood in front of the door and dug through his pocket and froze. "Mm?" He dug deeper before checking his other pockets then his jacket.

A look of anxiety crawled onto his face. "Um, Anya...please say you have a pencil." His voice cracked when he spoke.

Anya patted her jacket, then shook her head.

"Crayon?"

"No."

"Marker?"

"No."

"Chalk?"

"No."

"Poop."

"EW, NO!"

"I was cursing." Eric explained quickly as he started to pace as his heart went into overtime. He was on the verge of panic with their only solution flying out the window.

Anya was shaking from head to toe until the cat appeared through the window, meowing at the little girl. While Eric was trying to figure out another solution without compromising their secret, Anya peeked through the window. It was a smelly mess inside with empty bottles and ashtrays on the table. Her green eyes widened when she found what she was looking for.

"Brother, come here!" Anya called out before Eric hopped onto the crates and looked through the window.

Anya pointed at the red bottle. "Ketchup."

Eric's eyebrow twitched as he gave her a deadpanned look. "You know I hate ketchup." He stated, not understanding why she was pointing at his least favorite condiment.

Anya gave him a smile.

Twilight and his fellow agents arrived at the last known location the ringleader would hide. They stealthily made their way up the stairs, guns in hand in case of an ambush. Peeking around the corner, they found the door they were looking for...with blood apparently.

"What the-A message in blood?" The older agent exclaimed in surprise.

Twilight sniffed the air. "Wait, do you smell that? I think it's ketchup." He said incredulously after identifying the scent.

The two agents got closer to read the message on the door.

"'WARNING: Trap. Do NOT open the door. Bomb will go off.'" Twilight read the message and was thrown off by what looked to be an eggplant sprawled on the wall beside the doorknob.

The Forger siblings plus the animals braced themselves far from the building in case the bomb does go off.

Eric held the cat to his chest while looking at the clock with his sister. Just one more minute.

"I hope Papa got the message in blood."

"It was ketchup." Eric corrected her, not taking his eyes off the clock.

"Anya, is Dad in there?"

"He's too far away to read his mind. I really hope he's okay." Anya whimpered as she gripped the crate they hid behind.

'Please Dad, you have to believe us.' Sweat dripped down the nape of his neck.

GONG! GONG! GONG!

Eric's heart stopped when that sound resonated across the town. He waited for the explosion Anya and the dog saw. His eyes watched the building with bated breath.

Nothing.

Anya wondered, "Did we do it?"

The dog's ears perked up as he and Anya shared another vision.

The grim  atmosphere surrounding Yor, Eric and Anya vanished as Loid appeared beside them. Bright smiles adorning their faces as it always should.

Anya gasped then happily turned to her brother, "I saw Papa again." She laughed as the dog licked the bit of ketchup off her cheek. "We saved the future!"

Instant relief fell over Eric as the weight of the stress and anxiety he held inside finally lifted. He released a shuddering breath he did not realize he was holding as he turned around and plopped onto the ground. His back rested against the crate as his wide unblinking eyes stared at nothing in front of him.

"Brother?" Anya asked when she saw how Eric fell silent.

"He's alive..." He whispered before teardrops fell on the kitty's head. His shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his cries, but sniffles still escaped him.

"Our father...he's safe now." Eric wept from the overwhelming fear he suffered and the joyful relief he experienced all at once.

"We saved Papa together. Mission accomplished." Anya hugged her brother as the dog 'borfed' in agreement.

Eric sniffled again as he tried to calm down. He looked down at the cat in his arms and saw reassurance in her golden eyes. For some reason, he felt a connection with the feline, like she understood him.

Taking deep breaths to bring himself back to his composed self, he stood up with the cat still in his arms. Despite the redness that surrounded his eyes, he looked much better after that bout of crying.

He held his sister's hand and walked away from the buildings. "Let's go back to that pet shop."

Anya laughed, "Yeah, lets!" She happily agreed, the satisfaction of completing their mission and saving world peace never left her.

Eric breathed out slowly as he glanced at the building behind him, confident that their father will handle Keith from here on out. After all, Twilight's mission is still in effect.

'Good luck Agent Twilight.' Eric faced forward as they left the square.

"We should probably ask for directions." Eric groaned when he realized just how lost they were.

It was late in the evening when Loid exited the pet store. He spent the whole day chasing down terrorists, stopping an idiot University student's revolution, and saving a Foreign Minister's life. The mission ended when they apprehended Keith who was in a recent car accident. He wasn't sure if it was Lady Luck on their side or some other force at work, but he was glad it was over without stirring up political trouble.

He spotted Yor who jogged towards them, red in the face and out of breath.

Anya gasped as the dog beneath her and Eric padded out of the alleyway at the exact moment to see their parents reunite.

Eric dismounted and scratched behind the dog's ears. "Right on time." He mused while the cat yawned on top of his shoulders.

"I'm surprised to run into the three of you here." Loid stated, glancing between his children and wife. "What happened at the big adoption event?"

Anya answered, "You took so long on the crapper I had to check on you."

"And I was worried about the kids, so I thought I'd follow them." Yor panted out.

Loid turned to the furry arrivals, "And what about the dog and the cat?"

Anya slid off the dog's back and stood next to him.

"This is the same cat I helped earlier. She followed me around all day." Eric explained as he scratched beneath her chin, making her purr in delight.

"Everything else, well..." Eric paused sheepishly before all three of them gave Loid the rundown of the incidents today.

"Since we had to deal with all that crazy stuff, we kinda ran out of time to find a puppy." Yor finished with a sigh.

'I hate to think about them getting dragged into this.' Loid thought to himself when he realized how close those terrorists were to killing his family. "I'm sorry. Didn't think I'd take so long in the bathroom."

Eric was silent for most of the conversation as he watched his father. The man was tired, he had to go through a lot just to keep things peaceful between the nations while hiding in the shadows. 'Is this what he deals with every single day?' Eric clenched his hands into fists as he kept his head slightly bowed. 'We came so close to losing him today. He almost-' Images of their father cold and unmoving under a pile of rubble infiltrated his mind. Without realizing it, his legs carried him over to Loid.

Loid was surprised when something latched onto his front. He looked down and saw his son bury his face into the man's stomach, his hands clenched into his green suit, as though afraid to let go.

"Eric." Yor softly spoke at how sudden the boy held onto his father.

"I'm really mad at you." Eric's voice muffled into Loid's stomach. He pulled back slightly to look up at the much taller man. "You took too long, you made Anya worried sick. Ask for my help next time." Eric said as he glared through misty eyes. He really didn't want to cry again today.

Loid was shocked by how the boy held onto him as though he'd disappear soon. He had to remind himself that Eric is still a child, no matter how mature the boy acts, there will always be moments where he needs reassurances.

He gently ran his hands through his son's hair. "I'm sorry."

Eric frowned, but accepted his apology nonetheless as he took a step back to compose himself.

"Oh Loid, that breakfast I made for you this morning really did a number on your stomach. I'm so sorry." Yor said shamefully, blaming herself and her terrible cooking.

Loid shifted his attention to the youngest of their family. "And you Anya..." He crouched to her level, "...How many times do I have to tell you that running off on your own is dangerous!" He furiously said to his daughter for wandering off away from her mom and brother like that.

"I'm so sowwy Papa!" Anya apologized tearfully.

Loid stood up and sighed, "But you're okay, right?"

Anya nodded, "Only because big brother, Mr. Doggie and Ms. Kitty protected me."

Loid glanced at the dog, concluding that the animal is another test subject from Project Apple. In the corner of his eye, he saw the Handler hiding behind the corner of a building. She nodded at him to let him know she'll take care of it in a moment.

Turning to the white dog, he reached his gloved hand out and petted the top of his head in gratitude and smiled. "Thanks for all your help today. You saved her life."

The dog blushed at that well earned praise.

Loid looked down when he felt something rub against his leg. With a light smile, he knelt down slightly to scratch the arch of the cat's spine. "You too. Thanks for watching over them."

Eric smiled lightly, 'So the guy has a soft spot for animals. Who knew?'

"Excuse me?"

The Forger family turned to see a woman with reddish brown hair pulled back into a bun with two locks of hair framing her face. Dark sunglasses were set over her eyes. A man with the same suit and glasses stood behind her.

The woman held up a badge, "State Security. Investigating the incident that occurred in city center. Do you mind answering a few questions?"

Anya took her brother's hand and drew into his palm.

'PAPA'S BOSS LADY. HANDER.'

'So she's head honcho? Makes sense. What does she want?' Eric thought to his sister as they watched their father interact with his boss.

Thus, under the guise of Loid Forger, Agent Twilight reported the incident that happened on his family's end.

"I see." Handler said, "Then it's safe to assume that this dog was also one of the animals trained by the terrorist group. Which means we'll be taking him with us."

"Please take good care of him." Loid said since the dog protected his children with his life.

"This is a delicate matter." The Handler stated, "Given the tenuous relationship with East and West, we'll need to keep this under wraps. So your silence is crucial. Thanks for your cooperation."

While the Handler spoke about taking the dog away, Anya realized the meaning behind that first vision she saw with the dog. That future was him coming home to their family.

Yor clapped her hands together, "Since all that's over now, why don't we go look for a puppy together?"

Loid smiled at her suggestion. "Sounds good. C'mon kids-"

"No way!" Anya protested then held the white dog fiercely, "I wanna keep Mr. Doggie!"

"Saw that coming." Eric deadpanned as the cat in his arms meowed in agreement. 'I suppose it makes sense. Only Anya can see his visions, so naturally she wants to keep him.' He sighed internally as he prepared for an argument between his sister and their father.

"Listen Anya-"

"I wanna take care of Mr. Doggie!"

"You can't, that dog belonged to the bad guys."

"I don't care who he was with, he saved me!" She fiercely stated, refusing to back down.

"I understand that, but didn't you say you wanted a small dog?" Loid tried again.

"Well now I want this Mr. Doggie! It's okay he's big!"

"You're being difficult!" Loid's patience was running thin.

"Dad, come, let's talk for a moment." Eric sighed and tugged on the man's jacket and beckoned him to follow.

Once they were at a small distance away, Loid bent down to listen to what his son has to say.

"We need to keep this dog." Eric whispered, "Listen, I spent most of my day with this polar bear, even though he only met Anya for a short while, he was willing to go up against his so-called owners to protect her. Dogs have far better instincts when it comes to humans, so isn't it better to have this one on our side. He's already protective of Anya, and his size can be beneficial when subduing opponents if trained right." He paused, "Also, the dog can serve as an award for Anya getting into Eden as a part-timer. This would be a good way to encourage her to be better at her studies and teach her to be responsible when caring for the big fluffball. Let's face it, do you really want to keep arguing with a kid about a dog?"

Loid couldn't argue when his son made excellent points. Glancing at the dog who nudged Anya affectionately, he sighed internally.

Turning back to his son who still had the cat in his arms, his frown deepened. "And you?"

The cat made a meowing sound as she crawled around the boy's shoulder and draped herself over his little head.

"It turns out I'm a cat person. She follows me everywhere, so I can't get rid of her anyway." Eric laughed a little through his feint smile.

Loid held in his laughter at how the cat treated his son like a cat tower. He also noted how happy Eric looked when he interacted with the tiny animal. He observed, or rather spied, on his son at Eden, and there were very few people he socialized with. Fewer he smiled at.

"Do you want to keep her as well?"

Eric rolled his eyes up at the cat on his head. "Yeah, I like her."

Loid sighed, "Well, I've been thinking of getting you a therapy pet anyway." He straightened up to his full height and returned to his family.

"Ma'am, if it's alright with you, we'd be willing to take care of the dog ourselves." Loid requested, fully expecting an argument with his boss.

But what she said surprised him. "Very well, he's yours."

"So, it's okay?" Yor asked.

"I highly doubt one of these dogs going missing will cause an issue." Handler stated, "The terrorists have been taken into custody, and this particular pup didn't cause anyone harm."

She turned to Loid and whispered, "This also means that you'll be able to keep an eye on him. We have plenty of dogs to keep our investigators busy. So take him."

"But what about all those other Mr. Doggies? Will the policosaforce be mean to them?" Anya asked, frightened and concerned for all the other dogs that were unwillingly involved with the terrorists.

Though the question surprised them, Handler smiled fondly at Anya's sincerity. She crouched down to her level and patted her head softly. "Don't worry you sweet thing. The dogs are gonna be well taken care of. They'll be given soft beds and nice yummy meals to eat." She assured Anya in a tone she never thought she'd hear herself use again. "But this pup here, he didn't have an easy life before he met you. So it's very important that you're always extra good to him, and I know he'll be good to you. Can you do that?"

Anya watched her Papa's boss lady with awe and nodded. Though she was scary in his memories, she's actually really nice. In Handler's mind, she saw a little girl around Anya's age smiling adoringly up at the woman. Her hair was a shade darker, and her eyes were the brightest blue.

"Thanks a lot, Boss Lady."

Handler stood up then turned to Eric who watched her interact with his sister. Though she's seen pictures of the boy, seeing him up close was completely different. He held that calm and mature aura like Twilight. If she hasn't known her best agent for over a decade, she was sure that he'd be Twilight's biological son.

Eric held the cat tenderly as he bowed his head to his father's superior and politely said, "Thank you very much, Ma'am."

Handler walked away a bit but paused to whisper to Twilight, "They're such good kids."

"You don't know what they both put me through." He muttered under his breath after learning what happened to them today.

"I've got a pretty good idea." Handler responded as she listened to Anya's excited laughter. "I once had a daughter her age."

Handler closed her eyes as a breeze passed through her, how long has it been since she thought about her baby girl like that? "What matters is peace won the day." 'The same peace she'd have enjoyed right now.'

Loid smiled, knowing what she was thinking. He knew long ago that Handler had a daughter whom she loved dearly. Though tragically, war took her baby away much like it did his parents. Losing their loved ones motivated them to prevent similar tragedies from befalling other countries. Honoring their families by protecting world peace.

"You're right."

The dog was leashed again, this time, with more consideration by the agent accompanying Handler. "We do need to take the dog with us for the night, however. Give him a thorough health screening. The same will go for the cat too." Handler explained while holding the cat who purred in her arms. "Once they've been cleared, we'll bring them over to your family's home."

Loid nodded, "Works for me."

"Sounds fair." Eric shrugged while watching the cat who looked comfortable in Handler's arms.

Loid turned to his family, "Shall we head back?"

Yor sighed in relief, "Definitely. I'm feeling pretty tired after all that excitement today."

"Me too." Eric agreed while cracking his neck and massaging the muscles in his arms and registering the ache in his legs. An entire day spent running and playing golf with a long pipe really did a number on him.

"This field trips not over until we are home. If we make it alive." Anya added ominously with a wide blank stare.

"Is that something you picked up at school? Stop being silly." Loid said to his daughter as Yor took her hand.

"Don't you worry Anya. They got the bad guys, so we'll be okay." Yor assured their daughter as the Forger family walked away from the pet shop.

Handler smiled as she watched them leave. They do look like a real family. Even she was convinced.

As the Forgers walked home, thoughts ran through their heads.

Yor quietly laughed to herself, 'If anybody found I was the one who beat the bad guys and saved the world, they would be so shocked.'

Anya smiled up at her mother's thoughts, 'Ha ha ha, they caught that bomber man thanks to me and Eric. Papa is safe and world peace didn't get disruptered!'

Loid looked worse for wear; he walked like a zombie after the hell he went through today. 'Ugh, we barely kept the peace between East and West. I'm drained. Now my stomach actually does hurt.'

Eric's walk was stiff, almost limping like a broken marionette with a tired look on his face. 'This day did not go as planned. It mostly sucked. Please let that be the last time I have to deal with bombs and terrorists.'

The boy looked up at his father, noting how dead tired he looked, just like at the aquarium and when he passed the entrance exam. 'So much on one man's shoulders.' Eric frowned as he took his father's hand, their gloves made contact with each other.

Loid looked down to see his son watching him with sympathy after catching the way he walked. He then gave the man a slight smile, "I'm glad you're okay."

Loid was surprised but didn't think much of it as he squeezed his fingers around Eric's. "So am I."

Despite the gloves encasing their hands, they still felt warmth between them.

Eric felt happy just by having his father close by. Thinking back all those months ago, back at the orphanage. He initially saw the man as a steppingstone, a proper means of escape from hell and protection from the scientists. Even when he found out the man needed an intelligent child for his most crucial mission, it didn't change his original view of the spy. A win-win situation. Partners with similar goals. But after living with him for an extended period, far longer than any family who kept him and Anya, he felt comfortable enough to call him 'Dad'. Like it was natural. Eric didn't realize how emotionally attached he was to his father until the moment he and Anya saved him. The fear he experienced when he almost lost him, the joy of seeing his father again, alive and breathing.

Eric sighed through his nose as his hand still grasped Loid's. The boy who initially thought he was terrible with his emotions finally understood how much he loves and cares for his father's.

It also caused his insides to churn uncomfortably.

"Now my stomach is starting to hurt."

Chapter Text

"Please come home Mr. Doggie. Please come home Mr. Doggie." Anya sang softly as she paced back and forth in front of the TV. "Come home soon 'cause we're waiting on you."

"Calm down, he'll be here. And you're blocking the TV." Loid said as Anya went to the window to peek behind the curtain.

Eric was at the sink washing the dishes with Yor. He glanced at the News and saw a car crashed into a streetlamp. The car he recognized as Keith's.

'Mom does impressive work without even trying.' Eric silently praised his mother as he inspected a plate he just washed. After confirming it was clear of food residue, he handed it to Yor who took it with a smile, giggling at how meticulous he is at cleaning.

The doorbell rang, making Anya turn expectantly as Yor went to answer it.

The same agent from the day before appeared with a smile as he lead the dog and held a cat carrier in the other hand. "Evening folks."

"Mr. Doggie and Ms. Kitty!" Anya exclaimed in delight.

The agent placed the carrier down, unlatched the door and unleashed the dog. After the black cat walked out, he picked up the carrier. "Take care of them please." He closed the door, leaving the family alone with their new pets.

The cat happily padded along the smooth wooden floors until her golden eyes caught sight of Eric. The boy smiled gently as he opened his arms invitingly. She leapt off the floor and into his awaiting arms. He laughed softly as she rubbed her cheek on him.

The dog on the other hand was cautiously sniffing his new environment. "He's checking out his surroundings." Yor told them as the cat crawled around Eric's shoulders once more. Already familiar with her antics, his scratched behind her ears.

Anya threw her hands up in the air. "Wely-come to Anya's house Mr. Doggie and Ms. Kitty! And now it's your house too!" She announced to the new pets.

"You know, I think it's time to give them proper names." Loid stated since they can't keep calling them that.

"Oh, a name." Anya realized as she couldn't figure out what to name the animals.

The dog was silent as horrific memories of when he was in that lab with the other animals sprung forth. All those men in white with scary needles, painful shocks and yucky food. He thought that would forever be his life. But two things kept him going, the black cat, and the vision of the family standing before him now.

"Are you okay puppy?" Yor asked the strangely quiet dog in concern.

"You don't gotta be nervous. You just need a treat." Anya said, hoping to make the dog feel better. "Everything is okay. You're one of the Forgers now!"

Eric smiled softly while petting the cat. "Both of you are safe here. You're home."

"Home?" The white dog mumbled to himself while the cat smiled back.

"You heard the kid. We're finally home." The cat responded, happy and relieved to have found a place where they belong.

The dog padded forward as Anya launched herself at him to wrap her little arms around his fluffy neck. Laughter filled the apartment as the dog's tail wagged behind him.

They barely heard the news anchor give her report on how the summit was reaching its second day and was off to a good start.

"So we beat the bad guys and saved the world, but they won't give big brother a star?" Anya asked as father and son brushed their teeth in front of the sink.

"We have to keep the whole thing a big secret. It's the only way for East and West to stay friendly." Loid explained before he proceeded to brush his teeth. "So don't say anything about it in school. The police will arrest you, and you might never come home again." His words did the trick in convincing Anya not to say a word about their accomplishment.

'That shouldn't be a problem. We kept worst secrets than this.' Eric nodded up at his father in the mirror.

"I prefer to get my next star by getting top scores on my exams, thanks. Much safer." Eric said, his voice muffled while he cleaned his teeth. "Besides, I earned myself a therapy cat after all the hell we suffered that day." He grumbled mostly to himself as he glared at the mirror. Though it's been a couple days since that dog bomb debacle, Eric ended up with sleep anxiety again. Thankfully his new therapy cat snuggling him in bed proved quite helpful, especially when she drapes her long body over the top half of his head like a sleeping mask.

"Mmhm, now you're getting it." Loid stated before they spat in the sink at the same time.

Anya trudged into the living room. "This is how they treat world savers huh?" She asked the dog who tilted his head to the side.

"Let's just leave it alone Anya. I have more important things to worry about today." Eric followed behind her as he adjusted the red tie around the collar of the white dress shirt with the Eden symbol.

"Alright kids it's time to go to school." Yor announced as she carried Eric's clean uniform.

Anya had a thinking pose. 'If they won't give brother more stars for that, then I gotta go back to the Friendship Scheme.'

Eric sighed quietly as Yor helped him put on his uniform. While lacking in telepathy, he knew that Anya will resort to befriending Damian to help their father's mission.

'That's right, today my sister will become a part-timer after she gets out of preschool. Great.'

The cat leapt off the couch and rubbed her body around his legs. Eric looked down and smiled down her before kneeling to scratch her back.

"You're in a good mood." Eric commented while Anya read the feline's mind.

"Ms. Kitty wants to go with you."

While Yor thought it was just Anya being cute and silly, she decided to play along. "Well we're sorry to inform you Ms. Kitty, but Eric has school, and pets aren't allowed."

Unfortunately, that sentence didn't sit well with the cat as she started to hiss in displeasure. "What?! Where the heck are you sending this kid on his own without a guard!"

"I take it she doesn't want Eric to leave without her." Loid commented as he entered the room with his briefcase ready.

Anya shook her head, "MmMm, she wants to protect Eric with her life."

If cats could pout, this one did an impressive job. Next thing they knew, she latched herself onto Eric's back. "Just try and leave without me!"

Eric groaned as he felt the claws dig into his back through the two layers of clothes. "Anya, the feather." Eric instructed through clenched teeth.

Anya saluted and quickly dashed off to get what he requested. She returned with a colorful feather toy with a bell attached to a long stick and dangled it above the cat's head. Golden eyes watched the swaying feather as though in a trance. She didn't know what it is, but it's so pretty that she just wanna...no, she has to catch it. Her claws loosened then dropped gracefully onto the floor, her eyes never left the colorful tinkling feather. She batted it when it got close, then leapt at it when it tried to fly away from her.

"You're not getting away. Come here!" Anya laughed as she kept the toy out of reach from the kitty who is determined to catch it.

Eric sighed relief as he rubbed at his back. The cat has an impressive grip.

Loid laid a hand on his son's shoulder and guided him out the door. "Let's go while the kitty is distracted." He said as Yor followed him out with Anya as the younger waved at their pets. "Bye Mr. Doggie, bye Ms. Kitty, we'll be back soon."

The cat froze from gnawing on her new toy then shot to her feet. "Hey wait! I gotta keep you-" The door locked shut as she was too late to follow them out of the apartment. "-safe." Her ears and tail fell as she tapped her little head on the wooden door.

"Don't worry, they'll be back soon." The white dog stated as he padded around the room until he found a spot that was comfortable and loafed his fluffy self upon.

"Yeah, and when is 'soon'?" The black cat deadpanned as she turned her head at her friend.

"Around the middle of the day." He said as he flopped onto his back and just laid there.

"The blonde kid could be killed if he's not careful!" The cat hissed in displeasure as she marched back into Eric's room with a huff.

Her golden eyes widened when she saw the window left open by Eric when he needed fresh morning air but forgot to close it.

With a gleam in her eye and a smirk, she leapt onto the ledge and squeezed her tiny flexible body through the crack. Smiling triumphantly, she strutted across the building's ledge and peaked around the corner just in time to see Eric enter the bus.

"Heh heh! Target sighted."

As the bus started to move, she leapt onto the power lines and transverse across until she jumped onto the roof of the yellow vehicle. Sitting proudly with a satisfied smirk, she rode the bus all the way to Eden with the intention of protecting the boy.

"You actually got yourself a cat?" Becky asked as they sat together for their first class as they waited for lessons to start.

Eric nodded, "We originally intended to get a small dog, but we ended up getting a big fluffy one instead after it was abused by its previous owner." He shrugged, "Anya developed a soft spot for him, and the cat came with the package. Turns out I'm a cat person."

Becky smiled, "Well, what kind of breed is it and what does it look like?"

"It's a female of the common domestic cat of no particular breed. Smooth black fur, and golden eyes. She's also a tad bit clingy." He sheepishly said, rubbing his back, "She really didn't want to let go."

"After where she's been, it's no surprise she would literally latch onto you."

"Yeah." He then sighed as he stared at his desk with a look of worry.

"What's wrong?" Becky asked when she caught his expression.

"My little sister will be attending this school today. " Eric answered to a surprised Becky.

"Oh, little Anya will be joining us?" Becky asked as she remembered the cute little girl who clung to her brother at orientation.

"As a part-time student." Eric added, "This is a trial run Professor Henderson proposed to help her get accustomed and see if she is fit to be an Eden Student next year."

Becky laughed under her breath, "That's very nice of him considering you're the teacher's favorite."

Eric scoffed at that, "Please, I'm hardly anyone's favorite, let alone Professor Henderson's."

"You truly underestimate your worth Mr. Forger."

Eric looked up to see the older gentleman they were just talking about appear in front of them. "While it is unbecoming as an educator to play favorites, I do make sure all of my students reach their highest potential, and that includes you. Besides, favoritism equals extremely high expectations for the person. No pressure. It's inelegant."

"Right." 'Though given my current mission and after what I went through to get a dog, I am far beyond 'pressure'.' Eric thought to himself as Professor Henderson gave him a badge with Eden's symbol.

"Make sure you give this to you sister when she arrives, it will show other staff members that she has been given special privileges to attend our school. Make sure she doesn't lose it." He instructed the young Forger who carefully took the badge and bowed his head. "I'll be sure to tell her that. Thank you."

"Favorite." Becky said softly in a sing-song voice.

"Am not."

Professor Henderson chuckled before he began today's lesson.

Unbeknownst to the class, golden eyes watched Eric Forger from the edge of the window, keeping him within her sight while she stayed hidden.

Anya entered the school around break time as she entered the first-year building.

'Alright, now we officially put Plan B into mot-ian!' Anya thought to herself as she looked among the students going this way and that until she caught sight of the blonde head of her brother with that Becky girl.

She waved at Eric who immediately looked at her and raised a hand in greeting. "Looks like you found me." He said as she excitedly trotted up to her brother and hugged him.

She pulled away and stood like a soldier ready to receive her orders. "I am ready to start my lessons, sir."

Eric laughed lightly and petted her head, "I'm sure you are. Anya, you remember Becky?" He said as he glanced at his friend who smiled at the little sister in greeting.

"Nice to see you again. I hope we can be friends." Becky greeted, putting her plan into action, if she can be a guiding figure to Eric's little sister, show her the ropes, be her mentor in all things stylish and feminine, it is one step closer to becoming Eric's wife. Plus, Anya is perfect practice material for when she becomes the mother of Eric's children. Just imagining herself and Eric all grown up and swinging their first child between them on their walk is enough to make her swoon and blush.

Anya, after seeing all that in the girl's head, well her facial expression was just too funny to even describe.

"My brother carried you when your foot got 'hurt.'"

Becky nodded, "It is thanks to him that I made a swift recovery."

Even though Anya knew Becky wasn't actually injured, she decided to play along since she didn't sense any malicious intent coming from the girl.

"Anyway, now that you're here, let's start the tour. But first," Eric said as he fished out the badge from his bag and clasped it to Anya's shirt. "Make sure you keep this on you while you're here. Even if you're not an official student, you still need to follow the rules and conduct as everyone here. Understand?" He sternly and patiently said, giving her mental warnings about wandering off and causing trouble.

Anya gave a salute, "Sir, yes sir."

Becky laughed at Anya's response. 'She's really cute.'

"Let's lay down some ground rules." Eric began, "You will be attending afternoon classes with me and are to never cause disturbances of any kind no matter how bored you are. I learn the lessons, you learn from me."

"Got it."

"Secondly, you are never to leave my side for any reason while we're both here. This is to get you comfortable for next year should you be accepted. However, if for any time I am called somewhere, you are to stay with Becky if and whenever I am not present." He added since Becky offered to help watch over Anya.

"You can count on me Anya." Becky said, happy that Eric is giving her the opportunity to bond with her future sister-in-law.

"And third, and most important rule of all the known universe..." Eric held Anya firmly by the shoulders and lowered his face so he as eye-level, "...never talk to Damian Desmond." He said with all the seriousness in his tone, "Don't look at him, don't hold his hand, and don't let him breathe in your direction. Got it?" 'And don't you dare listen to his thoughts. You should never allow his filth inside your head.'

Anya caught the last Eric practically blared at her. One side wanted to obey her brother, but the other more heroic side wanted to achieve world peace by befriending Damian. That's the sole reason for her being here, to fulfill their father's mission by being the Plan B while Eric works as Plan A.

Anya had a thinking look then spoke, "How about if you're with me whenever I talk to him. As supervision."

Eric still had that patented stern look that shockingly resembled Loid's. "Fine, you can interact with him, but only when I am present." He knew she wants to befriend the Desmond brat for the sake of world peace. While Damian doesn't have any hostility towards Anya, Eric would rather risk war than allow Damian to touch his sister.

Becky covered her mouth as she shook from silent laughter, 'If he's like this with Anya, I wonder how he'll act if we ever have a daughter.' She thought as she found Eric's overprotective side endearing and funny. Immediately her thoughts went to a possible future of them having a lovely daughter together.

"Deal." Anya immediately said as Becky projected her thoughts and dreams for the future. It was just downright weird for the girl to listen to all that.

Eric straightened himself up as he took Anya's hand. "Okay, let's begin the tour."

Becky took Anya's other hand as the youngest walked between them. "Remember to always stay by our side."

Even though Anya knew Becky is doing this to be Eric's future wife, she can't hate her since this girl is the only person other than herself that makes Eric feel comfortable enough to express his own emotions.

"Okay." Anya said as she squeezed Becky's hand, putting her trust in the girl who can keep her brother safe.

The trio toured the library, courtyard, cafeteria, infirmary, and gym before they went to their next class. The first one Anya will attend with her brother.

Seated between Eric and Becky, she listened to the other childrens' thoughts as they stared at the strange new girl. They were all mean and judgmental, while this wasn't the first time she's heard cruel things directed at her, it still hurt knowing she can't block them out.

Sensing his sister's discomfort, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Don't worry, they'll get over it very soon. I've been through the same thing myself; you can do this." 'Don't give them the satisfaction of a reaction.'

"That's right, he proved himself in that dodgeball game and came out on top. It is how he earned their respect." Becky assured her remembering how cool and nimble Eric was in that game. "Your opportunity will come; you just need to be patient." 'And if they have a problem, I'll punch them.'

Anya felt calmer as she listened to Becky's thoughts and words. To Anya, she felt her trust in Becky begin to strengthen despite meeting her. "You're very smart Milady."

Becky smiled at the title and compliment, "Not as smart as your brother, but smarter than these guys. And please, call me Becky." She'd rather be on a first name basis with the sweet girl.

"Okay, Milady." Anya said as Becky laughed lightly as she patted her hair between the horn-like ornaments.

Eric gave her a soft smile of gratitude which she returned with a wink. No way was she gonna let anyone bully her future sister-in-law.

Class began as Anya tried to follow the history lesson, her eyes forced wide open as she struggled to take notes. Thankfully, Eric gave her the simplified version inside his head, one that Anya was able to follow as she wrote down everything Eric learned.

Next came science class where Eric gave her a demonstration of how photosynthesis works as patiently as possible while painting the picture in his head for his sister. Anya, being the cute little girl she is, decided to create a diagram of the process with crayons. When the teacher saw her work, he was surprised and impressed by how a little girl younger than his students could grasp the concept. While the spelling was painfully incorrect, like photo-sin-tesis and caban doxid, he decided to give her points for the effort it took her to understand.

Anya sighed as they ate in the cafeteria, "That was hard. My brain hurts."

"Good, it means you're getting smarter." Eric stated as he praised his sister. "You're doing good on your first day. Even Professor Moris was impressed by the drawing."

Anya smiled before she gasped when she sensed thoughts coming from the bushes outside the window.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Eric asked when Anya paused in eating.

Anya whispered, "Something watches from the bushes."

Eric followed her sight and noted how the hedge lining the window moved on their own.

Standing up and gathering his plate, he said, "I'll take care of that. You stay and finish your food."

He went outside and pushed aside the hedge leaves and was greeted by glowing golden eyes before it leapt out and knocked him back. Eric landed on his back with an 'oof' as a weight settled on his chest. He looked down and was flabbergasted to see what was perched on top of him.

"You?" Eric exclaimed as the black cat meowed at him in greeting.

He sat up, causing the cat to slide down into his lap. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he scratched behind the feline's ear, causing her to purr.

"What did you find Eric?" He turned at the sound of his sister's voice as she and Becky approached.

"Oh, it's Ms. Kitty." Anya exclaimed as she sat in the grass to gently pet her fur.

"Wait, that's your cat?" Becky asked as she remembered Eric description of his new pet.

"Yep, I guess she followed me all the way over here?" Eric stated as he frowned at the clinging kitty.

"She was just worried about you since you were gone by yourself." Anya explained while listening to that cat's thoughts.

"How'd she get out of the house?" Becky asked, laughing when the cat flopped onto her back and stretched out to receive belly scratches.

Eric groaned when he remembered and facepalmed, "Stupid me, I forgot to shut the window in my room." He dragged the hand down his face in frustration.

"So, what's her name?" Becky asked, getting confused looks from the siblings. "Oh, come on, don't tell me you didn't give her a name."

"Well, to be honest, we just got her and the dog, so we didn't really think of a name throughout that fiasco." Eric explained, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Seriously, you gotta call her something, and 'Ms. Kitty' isn't gonna cut it." She directed that last part at Anya.

"Yeah, but, I'm not sure what I can call her." Eric looked down at the cat, "She probably went by another name before we found her. I don't wanna confuse her by messing up her identity."

"Papa says she's still young, so she never really got a name before." Anya stated to her brother.

"Why don't we figure it out together?" Becky said as she thought it about a name. "How about Hunter? Since she tracked you down so easily."

"That's more for a dog, and a male one at that." Eric said, not feeling that name. "There's gotta be one that best describes you." He said to the cat in his lap.

"Oh, what about Latch, she is very clingy." Becky stated.

"Yeah, I can't call her that. It sounds like someone throwing up."

"It does." Anya said as she started making retching sounds, "Latch...Latch!"

"Yeah, that's gross." Becky laughed at Anya's antics.

"Oh, I know," Anya raised her hand, "Princess Honey."

This made the cat hiss, "Do NOT call me 'princess'."

This caused Anya and Becky to flinch back. "Uh, never mind, she doesn't like to be called 'princess'." Anya translated the cat's thoughts.

"She doesn't look like a princess." Eric stated as he rubbed her head to calm her down. "But her eyes are golden like the honey I put in my tea. She's quite agile and stealthy." He noted as he went down the list of qualities the cat displays.

"She also moves around like a shadow; you never notice her." Becky added.

Eric mulled over the list of attributes that fit the cat; despite her feistiness, her eyes are kind and tender, sweet like honey. She's sneaky, enjoys shadowing people, has this keen ability to find him anywhere. No different from a spy. But there was another word for spy in an Eastern culture where operatives dressed in black who perform maneuvers with incredible feet...

Eric's fist landed in his palm as an idea came to him. "Honey Ninja."

"What?" The girls exclaimed.

"Her name is Honey Ninja." Eric repeated.

"Seriously, how did you come up with that?" Becky asked incredulously.

"Her eyes are like honey, that's the first thing that came to mind when she looks at me. You remember when the other kids called me a ninja after that dodgeball game, well I did my research on them, and apparently, they love to dress in black and are masters of espionage. Ninja is basically another word for spy." Eric said as he made eye-contact with Anya who brightened up at his logic. "She has black fur and moves with darkness. Nimble and agile like a ninja."

"Huh, that actually makes a lot of sense. Honey Ninja it is then." Becky said after Eric's reasoning behind the name.

Eric looked down at his cat, "What do you think, you like being a Honey Ninja?"

The cat stared at him with a blush as happiness welled up inside her. No one has ever given her a name with such a meaning. The only other name she was called was 'Black' by the white dog since she was as she appears.

Honey Ninja meowed in happiness as she climbed up and settled her long body around his shoulders.

Anya laughed, "She likes her name."

Eric laughed under his breath as he reached up to scratch under her chin. "Like I said, sweet as honey."

The warning bell rang, making them stand up. "Class is about to start soon." Eric said as he brushed the leaves off of him.

"But what about her?" Becky pointed at the cat, "We can't just bring her to class."

Eric turned to face the cat on his shoulder, "Honey Ninja," Her ears perked up at the sound of her new name, "I have to return to my lessons now, so I can't bring you inside. But you can still watch us from the windows until classes are over. Can you do that for me?" Honey Ninja stared at the boy's reassuring green eyes for a long moment.

"I don't think-" Becky cut herself off when the cat leapt off his shoulder and prowled around before launching herself in the trees then onto the window ledges and practically strutted.

"How?" Becky exclaimed as she turned to the Forger siblings.

"The cat is a special case." Anya answered as all three went off to their next class.

Loid put down the scope as the kids made their way back into the building. He came here wanting to make sure both his kids were okay since this is Anya's first day as a part-time student. He was relieved to know that Eric is keeping a watchful eye on his sister as ever. But he was surprised when he saw their new cat had snuck into the school to follow his son. The fact that Loid never noticed until now didn't sit well knowing something slipped by him.

"Meow."

"Huh?" Loid turned to see that same black cat perched on the edge on top of one of the towers he staked out in.

"Now where did you come from?" Loid asked as the cat approached him.

He ran his glove covered fingers along her spine, drawing out and appreciative purr.

"I take it you were worried about them too." Loid smiled as he scratched under her chin. "How'd you know I was up here?"

Honey Ninja's eyes gave off a smug glint, "Hmph, it's simple, I can find anybody with a single touch or smell that came from that person. Afterall, I myself am an experiment like the kids and White. And finding you is just too easy." The cat Honey Ninja gained the ability that allows her to track just about anyone associated with an object or smell. It is how she is able to know where Eric is and see where he's going within the building.

"Well, you shouldn't have to worry so much about Eric. He's more than capable of handling himself in this school." Loid stated as he looked through the scope into the window where his children were located. He could see Anya struggling to keep up in writing notes as her brother helped her. "It's Anya I'm more worried about." Loid sighed, "Relying on one kid to complete this mission is difficult, especially when they don't have prior training. But I wonder if it was too early to send Anya in as backup to help with Plan B. After all, the kids here are not kind." He said, knowing how cruel the children from affluent families are to those on a lower level than them. One of Eric's best points is his ability to not be bothered by other people's words. Anya, however, is more emotionally sensitive than her brother.

Honey Ninja gave him a deadpanned look, "Are you an idiot or something? Look I know you can't understand me like Anya can, but they're more capable of handling themselves than you give them credit for. They worked well together to save your sorry hide from getting blown up by that bomb happy prick. If they can handle that, they can handle a few brats as well." She assured him as she leapt onto Loid's shoulder the way she did with Eric and rubbed her cheek against his. "Besides, if anything happens, the big fluffball and I will protect them."

For some strange reason, Loid felt as though the cat was trying to reassure him, to tell them his kids will be fine.

Loid allowed a small smile to grace his face. "Thank you."

Honey Ninja purred in response.

"Why am I talking to a cat?" Loid asked himself as he began to question his sanity.

Chapter Text

Eric and Anya took the bus home with Honey Ninja around his shoulders.

"We're home." Eric announced as they entered the apartment, only for Anya to be jumped upon by the dog who licked her face in delight as she squealed and laughed.

"Welcome back." Yor greeted and smiled at the sight with Loid, Eric and Honey Ninja. "Wow, the puppy sure is glad to see you."

Yor then turned to Eric who still had the cat on his shoulders. "Is that where you've been kitty?"

Eric glanced from Yor to Honey Ninja, "Yeah, that's my fault. I forgot to shut the window in my room."

"Well next time, don't leave it open." Loid chastised his son.

"Help, help, he's trying to wolf me up!" Anya yelled amid the slobbering kisses.

"Maybe we should take him for a walk." Loid suggested as the dog lifted off of Anya for her to sit up. "Walkies?"

"There's a dog park near the library we can go to." Yor suggested.

After changing into regular clothes and washing the dog spit off of Anya, the Forger family took the dog out on his first walk with them.

Anya made barking sounds as she walked beside the dog with Eric to her right followed by Yor.

Honey Ninja perched proudly on Eric's head with her hind legs on his each of his shoulders and her body draped over his blonde hair with her front paws tucked underneath her. Anyone who saw them did a double take on the cat and went awe or looked exasperated at how it looked like a hat.

"Isn't the cat heavy on your head?" Yor asked, finding it adorable how attached the feline is with Eric.

"Not really, it's actually quite comfortable." Eric said, rolling his eyes up at his furry companion. "Honey Ninja is quite light given her size, so it doesn't bother me."

"'Honey Ninja?'" Loid and Yor asked in unison.

"Yeah, her eyes are like honey, and she has black fur like a ninja. I thought it was unique and fitting." Eric shrugged as Yor covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing at his child-like reasoning. It was just so cute, especially for one as mature as Eric.

"Papa, I wanna hold Mr. Doggie's leash too." Anya raised her hand, expecting her father to pass her the leash.

"I don't think you're quite ready, he'll drag you around." Loid responded since the dog is so big and she's too little.

Eric hummed as an image flitted through his mind of the dog running while Anya held his leash as she flew behind him like a screaming kite. He kept himself upright to stop himself from doubling over as he slapped a hand to his mouth to stop the laughter that wanted to escape.

Anya turned and glared at her brother, "That's not funny."

Eric's shoulders shook, "I didn't say anything." He removed his hand slightly as he fought like hell to keep that grin off his face. He truly hates laughing out loud in the open.

"You were thinking it!" Anya said, red in the cheeks with anger.

Eric looked away, "Okay, maybe a little. It is hilarious."

Yor laughed while Loid smiled at their typical sibling banters.

"He may be somewhat trained, but he still needs discipline." Loid stated to his daughter, "You've got some training of your own to do Anya. Learn how to feed him, reward him, scold him, things like that. He's your responsibility to care for until the end, you know."

Anya nodded, "Yeah."

'Shouldn't be too difficult considering their powers.' Eric thought to himself since telepathy and precognition seem to complement each other.

"Speaking of, do you have a name for him?" Loid asked since they can't just call him 'Mr. Doggie.'

"No, because I'm really bad at that." Anya pouted, remembering how the cat hated the name she suggested earlier.

"Don't worry, you'll figure it out by the end of the day. I'm sure whatever you pick, he'll love it because it was you who named him." Eric comfortingly said as the cat meowed in agreement.

"Well, we want a name that's simple for us to say and for him to understand. And according to my sources, dogs have a hard time telling consonants apart. So, we should probably give him a name with a strong vowel. Something with an 'A' 'U' or 'O'." Loid explained as Anya thought hard on it. "That's kinda rough."

"Guess 'Marshmallow' and 'Polar Bear' are off the table then." Eric calmly said, glancing at the dog who welcomed new smells around him.

'Did he say dogs can't tell causes of death apart?' Yor completely misheard Loid and her mind went in a completely different and frightening direction.

"He's right. Perhaps when we get to know his personality, we'll have an idea." Loid said as they arrived at the dog park.

"Park full of doggies!" Anya exclaimed as she ran forward while Loid unleashed the dog.

Anya tried to make the dog chase her by leaping rolling and screaming to get it motivated.

Eric ducked his head, holding the cat in his arms as he shook with silent laughter. His sister was seriously pushing him to the limit. "I'm so confused," Eric struggled to get out as he fought his laughter, "is this park for Anya or the dog?" It took all of his will power to not make those ridiculous sounds in public, it would just be embarrassing.

"You gotta run around and play! If you don't it's just a normal Anya Park!" Anya exclaimed to the dog, hoping he understood her.

After witnessing another dog owner throw a frisbee for it to be caught in midair did Anya try to make the big fluff ball run after the fuzzy boot she tossed. But the dog made no moves, he just stood there wagging his tail as she hopped on one foot to retrieve her shoe.

"Maybe this would only work if you had a name." Anya said as she walked back to the dog.

Then Anya approached the other dog owners and asked what their pet's names were. The results...

"I think we should decide to name you Lucky Vanilla Princess III!" Anya declared as she pointed at the dog who tilted his head in response.

Eric fell to his knees and clasped two hands tightly against his mouth as his entire body quaked. 'Anya, you're killing me!' He screamed in his mind as the cat sat beside him, wondering what was wrong.

"You know Eric, it's actually a good thing to laugh, especially if you find something humorous and cute. As the saying goes, 'laughter is the best medicine.'" Yor said, crouching down to rub Eric's back as he fought like hell to keep it in.

Not wanting to lose his pride as a 'mature young man', Eric shook his head and yelled through his hands, "Mm omph aufin!" ("I'm not laughing!")

Yor giggled at how tough her son was being. The red cheeks as he narrowed his eyes in his effort to keep his composure was just adorable. The only other time she heard him laugh was when he woke up to be told he got accepted into Eden College. The way his green eyes lit up with joy resembled Anya's was just so beautiful, like it was one of the very few moments where he can let go and feel joy.

"Your sister sure is having fun." Yor said as the two turned their heads to see Anya riding on the dog's back the way she did before as they were being chased by other canines with their owners trying to stop them.

Eric lost it as he fell to the ground and wheezed out laughter through his hands. "Anya, what are you doing?" Tears peaked at the corner of his eyes as he failed to keep his composure. He always felt embarrassed whenever people heard him laughing like this, sounded like a dying fish in his opinion.

Meanwhile, Loid watched under the shadow of his hat as Anya played with the dog and Eric rolled on the ground laughing with Yor and Honey Ninja beside him. He felt conflicted after remembering what he told his daughter. 'Your responsibility to care for until the end.' He felt like a hypocrite just thinking about it. He knew he won't be able to keep Eric and Anya forever. Once his mission is over, he'll make sure they're both taken care of. The recent terrorist attack reminded him how thin the peace between East and West actually is, and so much hope rides on Operation Strix being a success.

Loid glanced at his son who was sitting up while holding his sides in pain as his laugh started to calm down. 'We must do all we can to bring this cold war to an end. That is the best outcome for everyone.'

Loid smiled as he stepped out the tree's shade as Yor helped Eric to his feet before following.

"...and bring it back, see?" Anya finished her explanation to the dog.

"Alright you two, it's time to go." Loid called out as Anya approached. "Your brother has some studying to do."

Anya pouted, "Awe." Then she looked down when she realized her hands were bare. "Hold on, lost my gloves? Where'd they go?" Anya panicked as she searched her person but could not find them.

"How did you lose them in the first place?" Eric asked as the cat was perched on his head again.

"I don't know, I just had them, and now they just went 'poof'." Anya said as she held the top on her hat as she tried to figure out what happened to her gloves.

"You probably just dropped them somewhere." Yor said.

"Those are my favorite pair ever!" Anya said as she ran to look for them.

Bond sniffed at the air before walking away.

"I'm not seeing them around." Yor asked as she searched the grass.

Honey Ninja turned her head to see the dog move towards something. She meowed, getting Eric's attention as he glanced up at his cat, "What is it Honey?" He asked before following her gaze.

The dog approached a bulldog walking beside his owner, an older woman who shares a resemblance to her canine companion. Both stopped at the sight of the white dog. Eric's eyes widened when he saw what was in the bulldog's slobbering mouth. Just as he was about to approach them, Anya dashed passed him to stand beside the giant fluff.

The bulldog turned and growled softly as he held the gloves in his teeth.

"Doggie's got my gloves!" Anya yelled as she ran towards the bulldog.

"Anya wait! Not too close!" Eric yelled as he ran to stop her before she gets hurt.

Anya didn't hear him as she reached her hand out, "Give it back!"

The bulldog lunged at Anya threateningly, "Me find! My precious!"

Anya cried as she ran back the way she came back into her brother's arms.

Honey Ninja leapt off Eric's head and landed on the grass, fur standing on end as she stood protectively in front of the kids and hissed at the bulldog. "Back off glove thief!"

The bulldog growled, but the cat didn't back down, "Don't you dare touch our kids!"

A shadow fell over the bulldog, making him look up to see the other, much bigger dog looking down on him in warning. "Drop. The. Gloves."

The bulldog was too shaken to disobey as he opened his mouth in shock, dropping the gloves to the ground.

Then the white dog lifted his paw and nudged the frightened bulldog back, making him flop on his behind.

"That dog, what do you think you are doing to my sweet baby!" The owner was outraged as the dog picked the gloves up in his mouth and walked back to Anya and Eric.

"Shoo you mangy old stray!"

"Yeah? Well, you better run decrepit old bag!" Honey Ninja hissed before she mooned at the bulldog and old woman.

Eric felt the tension leave his shoulders as he bent down to pick up the cat. "Glad that was resolved peacefully."

"Thanks Mr. Doggie." Anya said in gratitude as the gloves were returned to her. His action reminded her of an episode of Spy Wars where Bondman recovered a stolen tummy warmer and returned it to Princess Honey.

"You're a lot like Bondman. You saved me and found these." Anya told the dog.

"He saved you twice." Eric added as he held the cat in his arms.

"Brother look," Anya pointed at the dog's paws which were black. "He's got gloves like him too."

Eric looked down in intrigue, "What do you know, he does have gloves." He turns back to Anya, "You know what this means?"

Anya thought about it before the answer came to her then smiled brightly.

Loid approached them, "Is something wrong?"

Eric answered, "We found the gloves."

"Papa, I just found a great name for Mr. Doggie!" Anya said excitedly.

The Forgers stopped by a pet shop to get two collars for the pets, dog and cat food and dishes.

Anya fastened the bow tie on the dog's furry neck and presented him to her family. "Mr. Doggie's forever name is Bond!"

"Like Bond from Bondman." Loid quipped, "Well, seems to suit him."

The newly named Bond turned and licked Anya's face.

"You're tickling me!" Anya laughed.

"It looks like he likes the name. And the collar fits too." Yor stated.

Eric smiled as he used a cat brush on Honey Ninja who purred in appreciation as she laid in his lap. "Bond and Honey Ninja Forger. It's official." He said as he simultaneously scratched beneath her chin, right above her green collar.

Eric puts down the brush. "How about some food?"

"Oh, I get to feed Bond." Anya exclaimed as she grabbed the box of dog food and tore open the top then filled the doggie bowl. "Hello Bond, it is time for me to give you your first mission. You gotta eat up all the doggie chow in the bowl."

"Borf." Bond made a sound before he started to eat with gusto.

"Don't over feed them." Loid warned before walking to his room.

"Like that's even possible for the dog." Eric said as he opened a can of tuna for cats and dumped it in Honey's bowl. The cat's eyes sparkled before she dove in headfirst into fishy goodness.

Eric laughed as the cat slurped up her dinner.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Anya swipe a piece of kibble from the dog's bowl and ate it. "Anya, that is gross."

"Not bad, but not great either." Anya commented while Eric shook his head at her.

Anya picked up on Bond's thoughts, "Oh, you gotta potty. Please follow me Mr. Bond."

Anya pointed at the yellow box filled with shredded paper. "Look here, this is your very own potty. If you go anywhere else, Mama will get mad because she wants things clean. So, make sure not to spill, okay?" She sternly instructed as the dog shifted on his paws then padded over to the box. A shudder ran through him as he released everything within him.

"Poopoo time. Stinky." Anya said, crouched beside him.

'Given the size of this dog, what comes out of him...' Eric shivered as he carried Honey, a small trash can and scooper towards the litter box a little farther away from Bond's potty.

Eric gently deposited Honey onto the floor and allowed her to approach the litter box. He turned away to give her some privacy as the cat used the box for the first time. When she was finished, Eric scooped the cat droppings and clumps into the trash can, not leaving one out before he turned to Anya and taught her how to properly clean out Bond's box.

Anya turned on the TV to her favorite Spy Wars cartoon and plopped in front of it with Bond beside her. "Bond, your next mission is to watch this cartoon so you can learn all about your roots."

The dog 'borfed' in response.

Eric smiled gently at the sight from his spot on the couch before he opened the book assigned in his history class. Honey Ninja curled beside him under his arm as he tuned out the cartoon show and read the chapter.

Loid glanced at his son and daughter before he went to the bathroom to have his bath. He could hear Anya laughing as she played with the dog as he unbuttoned his shirt.

Loid exited the bathroom after a long refreshing wash to see Yor hiding behind the wall, peaking at something in the living room.

"Loid, come here a second." Yor beckoned him over. "You gotta see this." She added with a small blush as she smiled at the sight.

"See what?" Loid asked as she looked over Yor's shoulder.

Anya was fast asleep with her arms spread out above her and her mouth open with a bit of drool at the corner of her. She laid slumped over Bond who was now a makeshift slumbering pillow as he curled around the little girl.

Eric laid sleeping flat on the carpet beside them with his hands by his head. The book clutched his fingers. Honey snored softly on top of Eric's chest in a hilariously similar position with her front paws raised above her, and her furry belly facing the ceiling.

"They wore themselves out playing and studying." Yor softly said as she and Loid quietly approached them. "They look like precious little angels, don't they?" Yor said, her hand on her mouth to stop from squealing in case she woke them up.

Loid couldn't help but smile at their children. "Let's give them a pass tonight."

Yor agreed, "They've earned it."

Chapter Text

The grandfather clock chimed through the strangely silent apartment as the father, son and daughter of the Forger family sat in the living room. Loid sat on the far end of the couch reading a book with Eric sleeping on the couch with his head in his father's lap as he held Honey Ninja to his chest taking a literal cat nap. Anya sat on the ground in front of Bond as she held his face, trying to get a vision out of him.

The only Forger that was absent was Yor who has been coming home late the past few nights. Loid and Yor have enough respect for each other to not pry into each other's personal lives.

Anya's stomach growled loudly. "Papa, can we eat dinner now?"

"We will after Yor gets home." Loid answered before returning to his book.

Anya held Bond's face again, "Bond, use your powers and tell me what we're eating."

Eric yawned as he woke from his after-study nap. "Is Mom back yet?" He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as he looked up at his father.

Before Loid could answer, the door opened and Yor entered the apartment.

Yor turned to her family and smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I got a little held up."

As she walked further into the apartment, Loid noted a few things that were different about her as Eric sat up feeling refreshed. 'A late arrival, with that grim expression, and several cuts on her hands.'

Anya ran up to her mother while Eric followed with calm steps, "Welcome home, Mama!"

"Hi Mom." Eric greeted; his hair mussed up from sleep. Making him look adorable in Yor's opinion.

"Aw, thanks for the warm reception you two." Yor said as Loid joined Anya and Eric.

"So glad you're here. Should we start dinner?" Loid asked.

Yor looked discomforted but hid it quickly. "Um, I'm not particularly hungry right now. But you three should eat something." She said before she walked past him towards her room.

"Oh, okay?" Loid said after a moment, feeling something was wrong as he watched Yor's back. 'What's going on with her?'

Anya stared up at her father while Eric looked at Yor's retreating figure.

Bond's ears perked up as both dog and child received a vision.

Yor wept into her band aid covered hands.

Anya had a fearful look as she turned just in time to see the door close shut.

'Mama's gonna cry, but why?' She thought worriedly.

Eric turned to his sister. 'Could it be one of her missions?'

Anya shook her head and shrugged, unable to answer since their mother's mind was blank and silent. She averted her eyes to Bond, signaling a vision.

As their father prepared dinner for him and his kids, Anya and Eric sat next to Bond and Honey.

Anya drew letters into her brother's palm.

MAMA CRIED

Eric raised an eyebrow, 'Are you sure?'

Anya nodded grimly.

'Was there anything else in the vision?' Eric glanced at Bond.

Anya shook her head.

Eric had a thoughtful expression as he contemplated any reason she would cry. 'Could someone be bothering her at her regular job? Or perhaps one of her missions?'

Anya shrugged.

Eric crossed his arms, 'She's been coming home late recently. The look on her face; something must've upset her.' An idea came to him, "After school tomorrow, I'll go to her job at Berlint City Hall."

Anya's eyes widened as she glanced at their father whose back was turned to them as he cooked.

'I need to investigate this myself. Dad will have no choice but to wait for you at home. You think you can take the bus home without me?'

Anya glanced between their father and her brother and nodded.

'Good. I'll figure out what's going on and, hopefully, prevent what will make her cry.' Eric thought to his sister, determined to find out the reason and whoever upset their mother. Assassin or not, neither of them want anyone to hurt or belittle Yor.

At the end of the school day, Eric escorted Anya to the bus.

"You know how to get to City Ha'?" Anya asked as she waited in line to board.

"I have a map, I'll be fine." Eric said as he held his bag securely, his regular clothes were inside ready for him to wear so he won't draw as much attention.

"Papa won't like it if you don't come home."

"I'll deal with him later. Right now, Mom is more important." 'There's no way I'm trusting an adult with a kid's job. And I'm pretty sure he's spying on us as we speak.'

"Yes, he is." Anya confirmed.

Eric sighed, he is not looking forward to that kind of scolding, but he'll take one for the team.

It was Anya's turn to enter the bus. "Good luck on your mission." She said before she heaved her smaller legs onto the high step of the bus.

When the bus peeled out, Eric moved behind one of the buildings and pulled off the jacket of his uniform then changed into a brown vest and a green jacket that covered the Eden symbol on his white dress shirt.

"Hopefully Dad won't be too upset." Eric said to himself as he pulled out a map and went to the trolley that would take him as close to City Hall.

Loid watched his son through his scope with gritted teeth.

'What are you doing Eric?' Loid yelled in his mind. 'Where does he think he's going, and leaving Anya like that?' He growled upon realizing that his daughter is expecting to see her father at the apartment. He shook his head, he can't leave Anya alone in the apartment by herself.

"Maybe she knows what he's doing." Loid said as he left to return home.

Eric hummed to himself as he stepped off the trolley, looking down at the map as he walked among the crowd. Though he made a mistake and ran into a streetlamp when he didn't look up in time.

Eric groaned as he rubbed his head, "Okay, so left on this street, then take one right."

After ten more minutes of walking, he looked up to see a large white government building.

"There it is, City Hall." Eric stuffed the map in his bag as he walked up the steps.

Yor was working at her desk when she got a call from reception.

"Hello Yor speaking." Yor listened until her face filled with shock, "What?" Her exclamation brought looks from her female coworkers. "Okay, I'll be right down." She put the phone down and left the room towards the reception area.

"Wonder what that's all about?" Camila asked.

Eric sat in the waiting area reading a book when Yor finally appeared.

"Eric."

He closed his book and stood up to greet her. "Hi Mom."

"What are you doing here? Where's your sister?" Yor asked, worried when she didn't see the little girl who is normally attached to the boy.

Eric assured her, "She's okay, I sent her home when school ended. Dad's already with her."

Yor let out a relieved breath, "But what are you doing here?"

Eric blinked up at his mother, "I wanted to spend the day with you."

Yor was colored surprised, "Really?"

"I want to make sure you're okay." Eric said honestly.

Yor was touched by his honest concern until she realized something. "Wait, did you tell your father you were coming here?"

"No." Came Eric's blunt answer. "But Anya should have told him by now."

Right on cue, the receptionist answered the phone and turned to Yor, "Um, Yor, your husband's calling." She held the phone out to the woman who hastily took it.

"Loid?"

"Hi Yor, sorry to bother you, but is Eric there with you?" Loid anxiously asked his wife.

"Yes, he's right here in the waiting room. He just arrived, actually."

Loid released a relieved sigh, "Thank goodness."

Yor smiled as she imagined the look on his face knowing his son is safe with her. "Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes please."

Yor turned to Eric who sat in the chair calmly. "Eric, your father wants to talk to you."

Eric hopped off the chair and came closer until he was close enough for Yor to hand the phone to him.

"Hi Dad." He greeted in his usual calm tone.

"'Hi Dad?' Is that all you gotta say?" Loid asked exasperatedly at his son.

"No, sorry I didn't call ahead. I probably should've used the school phone before I got here."

"That's not it at all Eric, you went all the way from Eden to City Hall by yourself. You could've gotten hurt, or worse kidnapped." Loid scolded his son over the phone.

"I did hit my head on a streetlamp on the way here." Eric admitted then explained, "I'm alright, I wore regular clothes instead of the Eden uniform. Less conspicuous."

He could see his father pinching the bridge of his nose as he spoke to his son. "That hardly makes me feel better. You shouldn't go anywhere in the city without an adult."

"But you said I'm a mature young man. Doesn't that make me an adult too?"

"Just because you're more mature than most kids, does not change the fact that you're still six-years-old. And don't say knowing self-defense helps you feel safe on your own." Loid added sternly.

Eric sighed as his eye twitched. He honestly can't understand why his father is reacting this way. The old man trusts him to be on his own at Eden, and he was perfectly fine coming to City Hall by himself.

Loid released a sigh of his own, "Why did you suddenly want to go to City Hall?"

"I wanted to spend the day with Mom."

"You didn't think to ask me first?"

"You would've said no."

Eric heard the gritting of his father's teeth when he bluntly said that. He cupped his hand against the phone and whispered, "Something's upsetting Mom, and I want to find out what it is and help her."

This made Loid pause before Eric continued, "I know you're mad at me. But Mom needs me right now. I don't want her to cry."

He heard Loid sigh through his nose, "You and I will talk more when you get home. Can you pass the phone to Yor?"

"Sure." Eric turned to Yor who watched at a distance to give father and son some privacy. "Mom, he wants to talk to you."

He passed the phone to Yor.

"Hey Loid."

"Hi again Yor. Listen, I'm sorry if this is sudden, but are you okay with watching Eric for the rest of the day?"

"Of course, I don't mind. Though I will be home late again tonight. But don't worry, I'll be by Eric's side the entire time." Yor assured Loid.

"Thanks Yor. As long as he has his books and homework, he should be fine while you're working."

Yor smiled, "Not a problem."

Eric tugged on her shirt, "There's one more thing I need to say to him."

Yor passed the phone to her son. "Hey Dad, since I'm spending time with Mom, you should have some father daughter time already. She wants your attention too, you know."

"Right, thanks for telling me."

Eric smiled, "There's actually a park with a swing set and a merry-go-round I passed by on 8th Vera Way. You should take her there."

"I'll keep that in mind." Eric swore he heard the man smile.

He passed the phone back to Yor. "Looks like we both have plans with our dates." She said as she ruffled Eric's hair as he blushed slightly.

Loid breathes out a laugh, "Guess we do, watch over him Yor, mature or not, he'll still get hurt."

"Don't worry, I got him. We'll see you at home." Yor put the phone back then turned to Eric.

"Now then, shall I show you where I work?"

Eric nodded, "I'd love that actually."

Mother and son held hands as they returned to Yor's office.

Eric should've expected to be gawked at the moment he set foot in the room lined with desks. It wasn't a large crowd, just three ladies in the same uniform as his mother.

The first one he noticed was a young woman with blonde hair, yellow eyes, light skin, and short eyebrows. Her hair appears smooth and carefully curled at the ends, reaching her shoulders. The second is a young woman with light skin and eyes that are slanted downwards with long eyelashes. Her chin-length orange hair is styled into a bob curling inwards with her fringe swept to the right of her face. The third is a young woman with light skin and long black hair combed back. Her eyes are obscured by her glasses but are shown to be narrowed with a disinterested expression when visible.

"Yor, who's this kid?" Camilla asked as she got a better look at the little boy.

Yor smiled with maternal pride as she held Eric's shoulder. "This is my son, Eric Forger."

"Huh?" All three ladies exclaimed.

"Your son? Yor, when and how?" Millie asked as she got closer and glanced between the two.

"I adopted him actually. He's one of Loid's children from his first marriage." Yor explained to them.

"Huh, now I see the resemblance." Sharon stated, remembering the handsome man who Yor married.

Eric bowed his head in greeting, "Thank you for having me. I promise to stay out of your way and not cause trouble for you." He raised his head, "Also, thank you for looking after my mother."

The ladies were not expecting such polite behavior from such a young boy.

Camilla came closer and knelt to his level, "So, how old are you, young man?"

Eric blinked at the woman's question. "I'm six years old ma'am."

"Really, cause you sound very mature for a six-year-old."

"I get that a lot." Eric said calmly as Camilla gives him a scrutinizing look.

Before Eric knew what happened, he was pulled into a bone crushing hug. "Mmm! How can you be so cute?!" Camilla exclaimed as she hugged the boy who was equal parts surprised and bemused.

"I don't know." Eric answered despite his surprise.

Camilla pulled away and smushed his soft cheeks between her hands. "I never knew Yor became a mother when she got married, and to have such a well-behaved gentleman for a son. You may call me Camilla."

"Nishe to mit chu, Mish Camira." Eric said through his squished cheeks.

Camilla released his face and stood up. "And so polite."

"He is." Yor said as Eric massaged his cheeks.

Yor leaned in closer to Camilla and whispered, "Is it okay if I brought him along tonight?"

"Sure. Is his father okay with that?"

"He's fine as long as I bring him home." Yor assured Camilla who glanced at Eric.

"Have you told him about...you know?" Camilla asked.

"No, not yet. I'll tell him after work." Yor said, know she can't avoid it with Eric with her.

Yor turned to Eric, "You can set your homework up right on my desk. It's right over there."

"Thanks Mom." Eric said before he went over to the desk with Yor, making space for him before she went back to work beside him.

Both mother and son worked hard at her desk. Those who glanced their way were surprised at the appearance of the kid before her female coworkers filled them in about Eric being Yor's adopted son. Two hours later, Eric laid his head on the desk napping after finishing his homework.

"Wow, so cute when asleep." Millie squealed softly at the peaceful expression on the boy's face.

"All kids are cute when they're sleeping." Sharon commented as she glanced at Eric.

They watched as Yor glanced at Eric with a look of soft maternal fondness.

"Hard to believe she became a mom so soon." Camilla commented as she looked between Yor and Eric. Despite the lack of physical resemblance, she couldn't help but feel as though they were alike in some mysterious way.

When the day finally ended for the office workers, Yor gently shook Eric awake. "Eric, it's time to go."

Eric yawned then looked up at his mother through half opened eyes and blonde hair completely mussed up from sleep.

Yor giggled softly at his drowsy expression before he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"We're leaving?" Eric slurred as he tried to wake himself up.

"Yep, though, we're actually gonna stop somewhere on the way home." Yor said as Eric grabbed his book bag and followed his mother out of the office.

"Um, Mom, Dad already bought some groceries a couple days ago." Eric said as he sat in the basket of the cart among the food while Yor pushed the cart through the produce section of the grocery store.

"Actually, Eric, this is for something else." Yor said, looking sheepish. "I've been keeping a secret these past few days."

Eric tilted his head, "Okay?"

Yor let out a breath and confessed, "I've been taking cooking classes from Camilla."

Eric held up the fish's head and moved its mouth up and down to make it talk, "Why is that a secret?"

Yor chuckled at Eric using the fish like a puppet then became serious again. "After what happened to your father the other day, because of the breakfast I made him that morning, he had a difficult time. So, I want to be a better cook."

Eric hummed as he looked into the dead fish's eyes as though to confirm something. "Can the little boy come along too?" Eric asked through the fish, hoping this bout of silliness would encourage and cheer her up.

Yor breathed out a small laugh, "Yes, the little boy can come."

Eric smiled with a light blush staining his cheeks. He was glad he could make her laugh like that.

"By the way, what are you going to make with this guy?" Eric asked as he glanced down at the fish again.

"I'm not sure yet."

Mother and son arrived at Camilla's house; each carried a bag of groceries in their arms. Yor had an intense look on her face whilst Eric put on a display of calm endurance, as though he was a soldier heading off to battle. Which in this case, it will be.

Yor + Cooking = War Zone

But Eric is confident in his mother's determination to be a better cook for their family. So, for her sake, he will support her and help in any way a six-year-old can.

At the corner of his eye, he saw something red seep through the bag. He knew it wasn't blood, but it painted quite a picture of what could be in that bag. He decided not to say anything since it would disrupt the mood.

"You ready?" Yor asked as Eric nodded, "Yeah."

Yor raised her band aid covered fingers to the doorbell and rang it.

A moment later, Camilla opened the door with a creak, wearing a long-sleeved purple top and ankle length white skirt.

Camilla's eyes darkened with intensity. "Okay, we're doing this."

Yor mirrored that look and nodded.

Eric kept his face in calm neutrality as he counted backwards from five.

"Wait a sec," Camilla pointed at the bag, "are those tomatoes? They got crushed! What is the matter with you?"

"UWAHH!" Yor exclaimed as she held up her bag and noticed a red stain on the brown paper.

"Don't worry, I got extras, they're cherry tomatoes." Eric held up his bag that was clean and undamaged.

Camilla's boyfriend, Dominic, appeared beside her. "Back at it, guess you can't keep a good woman down, can you?"

"Still trying, thanks." Yor responded.

"Don't act all innocent, she's here because of your big mouth!" Camilla seethed at her boyfriend for dragging her into teaching Yor how to cook these past few nights.

'So, he's the one who set this up, he looks like a nice guy.' Eric thought as he entered the house with his mother.

Dominic noticed the boy's arrival, "And who is this little guy?"

"He's Yor's adopted son. Turns out her new husband was a single father of two." Camilla answered, crossing her arms.

"Really, now that's surprising." Dominic said as Eric bowed his head in greeting.

"Thank you both for having me. Also, let me say I'm grateful to you for taking time out of your days to help my mother." Eric said before he raised his head to look up at them with his green eyes.

Dominic grinned as he ruffled his hair, "It was nothing, your mom was pretty desperate, and we were thrilled enough to teach her."

Eric kept his calm demeanor in front of new people.

"Would it be alright if I help in the kitchen as well?"

"Sure thing." Dominic gave the boy a thumbs up as Camilla sighed, "I need all the help I can get."

After Eric helped Yor lay out all the ingredients onto the countertop. Eric tied the green apron onto his person and a white bandana over his hair while Yor did the same with her red apron and pulled her long hair into a ponytail.

"Last time was rough, but I'm ready. Teach me all your ways." Yor said with renewed confidence.

"This is a nightmare." Camilla groaned as she held her head.

"Maybe it's your attitude." Dominic commented, although Camilla didn't take too kindly to it.

"Listen up buster! You'll be the one tasting all her crap! So, zip it!" Camilla vehemently said as she glared and pointed at her boyfriend.

'I guess they found out the hard way too.' Eric sympathetically thought as he held his own stomach at the memory.

"You know, I actually invited someone over to help with that." Dominic was smart enough to come up with a backup plan.

Right on cue, the doorbell rang and in came a young man who bore a shocking resemblance to Yor except with neck length hair.

Eric's eyes widened a fraction, 'Wait, could this guy be-?'

"What's up Yor? I'm here!" The man joyfully greeted with his arms raised.

"Yuri?" Yor exclaimed in response at the sight of her brother.

"I heard you will be cooking dinner here tonight." Yuri said, happy as ever to see his beloved sister.

"Well..."

Eric tensed up as he hid himself slightly behind Yor. His green eyes trained on the man. 'Mom's younger brother, Yuri Briar.'

Yuri greeted Camilla. "Thanks for having me over Camilla! I really appreciate all you do for Yor."

"You guys having a little party or something like that?" Yuri asked as he hung up his coat.

Red eyes finally took notice of the small boy hidden behind his sister.

"Yor, who is that behind you?"

Yor smiled as she laid a hand on her strangely shy child's shoulder and gently coaxed him forward until he stood in front of his mother with her comforting hands on his shoulders.

Green eyes void of emotion looked up at red ones that watched him with curiosity.

'This man, he carries the same air as Yor. He hides a ruthless side that is vicious towards his prey. The worst part, he is part of SSS...Dad's worst enemy.' Eric clenched his fists by his side. 'I can't read his mind. Does he already know about who Twilight is? Did he suspect anything that time? I need to be careful, now more than ever for everyone's sake.'

"This is Eric Forger. He's my son."

Yuri blinked as he processed what his sister just said.

"YOU HAD LOIDY'S BABY ALREADY!"

His loud exclamation shook the entire house and may or may not have caused a car alarm to go off.

"What? No, of course not. Yes, he's Loid's son from his first marriage. I adopted him and Anya after we got married." Yor quickly explained after Yuri's panicked outburst.

This made Yuri calm down almost immediately. "Adopted?"

"Yeah, perhaps I should've mentioned that little detail when you came over last time." Yor sheepishly said as she scratched the back of her head.

Yuri visibly relaxed before he got a better look at Eric and assessed him with narrowed eyes. He looked too much like Loid for his taste. He put on a friendly face the way he does whenever he interrogates a traitor and knelt down to Eric's level.

"Hello Eric, I'm Yor's brother. I suppose that makes me your uncle."

Eric's face remained impassive, not trusting the friendly tone from the man.

He bowed his head in greeting, "I am pleased to meet Mr. Briar, Mom told me you are very intelligent."

Yuri beamed under the praise Yor gave him. "She told you?"

Eric nodded, "Yes, though I'm shocked at the resemblance between you. You're like twins. It's strange to see Mom in two different places in front of me."

Yuri smiled, taking it as a compliment, "I'm flattered. I must say, you look exactly like Loidy. It's like seeing a smaller version of him."

"We don't look anything alike. My eyes are green, his are blue." Eric denied even though many people commented on their similarities.

"I see, are you still going to school?" Yuri asked, needing all the details he can get out of this kid.

"Yes, I quite enjoy it." Eric answered pleasantly.

"Where do you go to school?"

"Eden."

"That's an elite school."

"I like learning new things."

"What do you do in your free time?"

"I like reading, it's my happy place."

"What else do you do?"

"I play with my little sister, our cat and dog, and I help with cleaning."

Yor smiled at their interaction. "He likes to help me with the chores. Such a sweet boy."

Eric blushed lightly under the praise.

"Honestly he reminds me of you when you were little." Though Yor's words sounded like affectionate praise, Yuri and Eric didn't like the way it sounded.

They thought at the exact same time.

'There is no way he and I are anything alike!'

Yuri smiled to cover his discomfort, "Really now, with him attending Eden with all those brains, I should hope so."

"Thank you." Eric kept his face neutral.

Yuri then asked, "So, what brings you here with Yor?"

Eric answered, "I'm helping her while she takes a cooking class."

"Oh, it's a cooking class."

Yor, Eric, Camilla and Yuri were in the kitchen while Dominic sat at the dining table. "Please don't mention it to Loid and Anya. I'm trying to get better in secret."

Due to Eric's height, he couldn't see over the countertop, so he has to stand on his tippy toes to see over the counter. "I found out not too long ago and wanted to lend my support." He explained then sweat dropped as he settled back on his heels; the top of his bandana covered head could be seen from the dining table. "Though I'm not sure how given my lack of growth."

Yor smiled, "Your presence here is enough."

Yuri didn't look all that pleased. 'She's doing all this for stupid Loidy! Do I even wanna help?' He thought as he gritted his teeth.

Yor's back was to her brother as she mused to herself and Camilla, "For tonight's menu, I thought we might try making minestrone."

"That's Italian." Eric commented upon hearing that name.

"Yep, it's a soup." Yor nodded.

"Seriously, I told you not to get all the stuff we don't need. I mean, do you think that's in the recipe?" Camilla pointed at the cactus Yor bought.

"They say variety is the spice of life, so won't this make it better?"

Eric peaked over the edge then covered his mouth and gave the cactus a flat look, "I do not want needles poking my mouth."

"You're right, let's just set that aside." Yor said while Camilla looked relieved.

Camilla groaned, "Alright, let's start by peeling the potatoes."

"Right." Yor said as she held up a peeler and a potato.

'Here we go.' Eric thought, mentally prepared for the disaster.

Not two minutes later and the precious potatoes were covered in blood.

"How can anyone be this bad at prep work?" Camilla exasperatedly asked as she beheld the massacre. 'There's blood everywhere!"

Yor clenched her eyes shut in pain, "This weapon is almost impossible to wield."

Camilla glared, "It's not a weapon, you dope."

Yuri slid over and presented a band aide, "Hey sis, I brought you some bandages."

Eric pulled a step stool he found and slid it between the women and the counter then climbed it to take the bloodied peeler and carried it and pulled the step stool over to the sink to rinse it under the water. Once it was clean, he dragged the stool back to where the women were and took another potato from the pile. He ran the excess water from his fingers over the skin then held the potato firmly in one hand then brandished the peeler in the other.

The adults watched with bated breath as Eric placed the blade of the peeler onto the potato's skin and gently peeled it. He was slow in his method; peel then turn the potato slightly. It took him five minutes, and after careful inspection, he held up the freshly peeled potato for all the adults present.

"Does this look okay?" Eric asked the astonished adults.

"It's perfect." Yor said with marvel at how cleanly her son handled it.

"Since when did you learn to use a peeler?" Camilla asked as Eric cradled the potato as though it were an egg.

"I observe my dad whenever he cooks. This is my first time." Eric explained, remembering the technique Loid uses when preparing food.

"Hm, not bad kid." Camilla said with an impressed look as Eric put down the peeler.

"So, what do we do next?" Eric asked as he pulled a meat cleaver out of nowhere.

"For one thing put down the meat cleaver!" Camilla exclaimed in shock and fright at how he brandished it with a blank innocent look. Yor however, looked proud at how her son handles a weapon.

Camilla let out a breath as she put the meat cleaver back in the drawer. "The number one rule in the kitchen is never allow children to hold sharp objects like knives."

"Understood." Eric said as he and Yor waited for further instruction.

"I'm handy with a knife though." Yor said confidently as she held up her next weapon of choice.

As expected, Yor's skills with a knife were too extreme.

"You don't have to cut it paper thin just do it like a normal person, okay!" Camilla exclaimed in horror at how Yor inhumanly quick cut the meat.

"Wow, look at those knife skills!" Yuri complimented.

Eric caught the flying meat paper and decided to use them for origami birds.

Yor tried again with spinach, results...

"What the-You're acting like a lunatic, you sliced up my favorite cutting board!"

Yor bowed apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'll buy you another one."

Yuri slid over again, "Amazing as always!"

Eric used the stem and leaves from the spinach to make a little hut and umbrellas for his origami birds on the counter. He marveled at his little at project as he munched on a chocolate bar, completely forgetting what they were supposed to be doing.

"Like really," Eric turned to watch Camilla berate Yor, "What is the matter with you anyway? And why would anyone marry you? Get outta here!"

"Sorry."

Yuri was not happy with how Camilla treated Yor and felt the urge to make her disappear.

Eric frowned as he stared at an untouched tomato.

Camilla had just reached the end of her rope after seeing the disaster on her counter. "You know, I'm afraid this is a lost cause. You might as well give up. Divorce that hunk and move out!"

"I can't do that." Yor sighed out while Yuri looked pleased at the prospect of his sister divorcing Loid. She clenched her hands tightly to her chest and face her coworker desperately, "I'm begging you Camilla, because if Loid divorces me, then I'll-I'll be-" '-picked up by the Secret Police!' Yuri and Camilla stared at how desperate Yor became, how much she wants to learn.

Yor felt something tug on her shirt. She looked down and saw Eric cradling something in his hand. He raised it up and showed her, "Here."

Yor blinked at what she saw, "A rose?"

"Tomato rose." Eric explained, "I saw someone do it on the cooking channel, and I thought it was pretty. And you love flowers so..." Eric looked down, "...I thought maybe this would help encourage you."

The adults watched this little boy in awe.

"I... don't know how to comfort an adult, what the right words to say when they need help. I like knowing things, but I wish I knew how I can help you." Eric said with a guilty expression, hating how powerless he felt when he promised to make sure Yor doesn't cry.

Yor felt touched by Eric's insecure yet kind words. He is so used to looking after his younger sister and protecting her. Yet, despite his good intentions, he is still awkward in conveying his feelings to an adult. At the end of the day, Eric is still a child trying to learn.

Yor smiled as she accepted the gift from her son. "It's beautiful Eric, thank you."

Eric felt a small smile crawl onto his face when he saw his mother smile at him.

"You cut yourself, didn't you?"

Eric looked down at his bleeding fingers, "Maybe a little."

"I got him, sis. Let's get that cleaned that up." Yuri volunteered as he guided the boy to the bathroom.

Camilla watched the interaction and glanced at the origami birds and small landscape the kid made from Yor's mishaps. There's no denying how odd the boy is, but she can see how much he cares about Yor.

Letting out a breath, she spoke to Yor more gently this time, "Just get your ingredients simmering already. Then I'll teach you how to properly season everything. The sooner you can get this meal done, the sooner you can leave."

Yor smiled with relief as Dominic came to stand beside her. "See, there's a soft side under there...once you get past the prickly bits."

"Honestly, I always thought she was pretty great." Yor said, making a blushing Camilla turn to her, "Hey!"

Eric sat on the toilet as Yuri cleaned his fingers. He hissed softly at the sting when Yuri applied disinfectant to the cuts.

"Sorry." Yuri quickly apologized as he tried to be as quick as possible.

"It's okay. I'm accident prone, so this is nothing new." Eric assured him as he endured the sting.

"Still, you knew you were not supposed to hold sharp objects. Knives especially." Yuri chastised him as he pulled out a couple of band aids.

Eric shrugged, "It's a small sacrifice. I only wanted to make Mom happy."

Yuri smiled as he gently wrapped the band aids around his fingers. "You did good back there. Thank you." He softly said as he finished with Eric's fingers. "You really are a good kid."

"I thought you didn't like me."

"What? Why would you think that?" Yuri asked, wondering what gave away his initial feelings.

Eric raised an eyebrow at the man.

Yuri sighed and scratched the back of his head, "Okay, fine, I didn't like you for a couple of seconds." He looked off to the side guiltily. "To be honest, it wasn't really you I was mad at. It was Loidy."

"You call my dad 'Loidy'?" Eric covered his mouth to stifle a grin, "That's hilarious."

Yuri grinned, "It's the best insult I can give him."

Eric removed his hand from his mouth, "So, why are you mad at dad?"

Yuri's grin disappeared, "Personally, I don't like that he married my sister so suddenly without my approval. He's a nice guy and he treats Yor right, but..." He sighed, "It's hard to like someone who married someone you love."

"I get it."

Yuri looked back at Eric in surprise at those three words.

Eric gave him an understanding look, "I have a little sister who I love very much. She's innocent, sweet, and can easily get hurt if not careful. I wanna protect her too." He looked to the side with a mildly irritated expression. "She wants to be friends with this boy in my class. Thing is, he and I are rivals, and he don't like each other at all. He's spoiled and obnoxious. I don't understand her taste."

Yuri pointed at Eric, "So you know exactly how it feels." He said in surprise at how a little kid could understand his need to protect his sister.

Eric nodded, "Yeah, the idiot wanted to bully her at first, but she gave him kindness and he decided not to bully her anymore." He frowned and blushed, "That, and I may have gone all demon and threatened to kill him if I ever see him near my sister." He added, ashamed of himself.

Yuri gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up, "Great job, always protect your sister."

Eric gave Yuri a thumbs up as well, "You too."

Yuri lowered his hand and admitted, "Looks like we have more in common than we thought."

"It would appear so." Eric smiled slightly, "Mom took care of you after your parents died. That must've taken a lot of strength for her to do by herself."

Yuri smiled in melancholy, "Yeah, for a long time, it has always been us. I wouldn't be the man I am today if not for her. The best way I can repay all she's done for me is by keeping her safe."

'That must be why you joined SSS.' Eric pieced together Yuri's reason for becoming a part of SSS. It was all for his sister.

"I don't doubt that. You know," Eric began, "I think the real reason why she's such a wonderful mom is because of you. She wouldn't be the woman she is today if not for you. I'm honored to be her son, so I want to do everything in my power to make her happy as well." Eric stared at his band aide covered fingers.

Yuri was surprised at what he heard from the boy. He thought he would feel irritated having a stranger's child call Yor their mother. Yet after witnessing Eric's unyielding compassion and love for Yor and how equally protective he is of his little sister did Yuri realize that the boy was more than just Yor's adopted son, he's a protector like himself.

He raised a hand and ruffled Eric's blonde hair the way Yor used to do to him.

Yuri smiled, "You truly are something special."

Eric blushed, "I'm not that special. I'm just Eric."

Yuri laughed under his breath at how bashful the kid is.

"Listen, I know we got off on the wrong foot before, but now that we're family, I believe it's okay to call me Uncle."

Eric looked surprised at what Yuri just said, "Are you sure about that? I am the son of your least favorite person."

Yuri shrugged, "Meh, doesn't matter to me. I find you much preferable."

Eric smiled, even though this man is Twilight's enemy, somehow, he can tell he's a good person.

Yuri stood up from his kneeling position and held his hand out, "Come on, Yor is waiting for us."

Eric hopped off the toilet seat and took Yuri's hand, "As you wish...Uncle Yuri."

Yuri smiled in a way that is similar to Yor.

Eric found himself liking the man more than he realized.

Back in the kitchen the food was ready...to kill.

Eric stared at the evil aura that simmered out of the pot of "minestrone" as Yor said it was.

"Are we sure about this?" Eric slid his eyes to the adults present.

Dominic turns to Yuri, "You're up. Make sure it's not pois-uh I mean, make sure it's delicious."

"Yeah, sounds good to me!" Yuri said with excitement.

Yuri sat at the table with the bowl of hell in front of him. One kid and three adults watched with bated breath as Yuri dipped his spoon into the bowl and raised it to his mouth.

"Down the hatch." Yuri said then wrapped his mouth around the spoon.

Eric did the sign of the cross, praying for his uncle's survival.

What came next was just bizarre horror.

Yuri shoveled more food into his mouth while vomiting at the same time. "This is amazing, it tastes just like my childhood!" He exclaimed between bites and vomits.

"Yay." Yor said, happy with her brother's compliment.

"If it's good then why are you throwing up?" Camilla asked as she and her boyfriend sweat dropped at the sight.

Normally, Eric considers himself a wiz when it comes to keeping his face void of emotion or expression. However, watching Yuri scarf down Yor's food and upchuck at the same time was not something he was mentally prepared for. His face filled with discomfort, and horror as he fought to keep his own nausea from spilling forth.

'This is the guy my dad has to worry about!' Eric thought incredulously.

"Huh?" Eric noticed the adults about to eat Yor's food. "Wait don't-!" Eric held his hands out to stop them, but it was too late. They dropped dead to the floor.

Eric groaned quietly as he brought a hand to his face, "Great, now they're dead."

Yor yelled in panic at her coworkers.

Thankfully, Camilla recovered quickly enough to pull herself up with the table while clutching the front of her chest in agony. "How could you screw it up this badly? Did you listen to a word I said?"

"I'm so sorry."

"Hey sis, I'm ready for seconds?"

Meanwhile, Eric performed CPR on Dominic while holding a piece of chocolate under the man's nose, hoping the sweet smell can revive him.

Camilla stood back up with a struggle. "Guess you're not at minestrone level yet." She rasped out in pain, "Let's try an easier dish, like meatballs or something."

Yor smiled, "Yeah, okay."

Turns out, the meatball was just as bad.

"Mom, I think the meatball just moved." Eric said after squinting at the dish.

Yuri, on the other hand, was wolfing it down and spewing vomit.

"This is incredible! It's so good I'm turning blue; I'm breaking out into a cold sweat! Like every bite is making my life flash before my eyes!" True enough, he really did turn blue. "Wait, I think I see Mom calling me to join her-"

"Don't do it man! Stop before it's too late!" Dominic yelled over Yuri's rant and vomit in an effort to safe him.

'Where does all that vomit go after it comes out of him?' Eric thought to himself, trying to figure out the mystery of his uncle's vomit.

"I suppose it makes sense why your pallet is such a mess if you only have this walking train wreck eating your food." Camilla stated after remembering that Yor and Yuri lost their parents when they were very young.

"Train wreck?" Yuri turned to Camilla.

"I just wanted to make sure he got all the right nutrients that a growing boy needs." Yor explained.

"Wow, I'm so glad you survived buddy." Dominic said in horrified amazement.

'I suppose he's living proof that humanity can survive anything.' Eric felt a hint of respect for his uncle for living past childhood with only Yor's cooking.

"Here's an idea, can you remember any dish in particular your mom made that was really good? We could try that." Camilla asked, hoping something from their childhood could help them make something that was edible.

Yor held her chin as she tried to remember then turned to her brother. "Yuri, can you think of something?"

"Something Mom made?" Yuri struggled to remember since he was so young when they lost their parents. "Huh, I kinda remember her making some type of stew that was really good, right? Very warm and filling."

"Yeah, and she'd always put a fried egg on top." Yor added, remembering that one key detail their mother would do.

"'Kay we should give that a whirl. So, see if you can recall the flavor." Camilla said, feeling they were finally getting somewhere. "It probably uses a simple southern style stew base."

The Briar siblings got to work trying to recall the flavor of the stew, using any key detail that can clue them in on what ingredients that were used by their mother. Camilla patiently instructed Yor who took notes while stirring the pot. Eric took a turn stirring with the ladle while Yor sprinkled a bit of salt and pepper.

Eric stood on the step stool between Yor and Camilla as he watched his mother concentrate on stirring.

"You know, something is different about you lately." Camilla noted, making Yor and Eric turn to the woman. "I mean, like, you don't have that blank robotic look on your face so much."

'Blank and robotic? I suppose it would make sense given her profession. But at her normal job too?' Eric glanced at his mother, 'Could it be before she met Dad?'

"Uh, oh yeah?" Yor looked down at the pot. "Well, maybe it's because...I'm married."

"What? So, now you're trying to brag about it? Honestly, I think you just changed your makeup." Camilla said with her arms folded across her midriff.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to be boastful!" Yor exclaimed as the soup bubbled nicely.

"Ah, c'mon," Dominic laid a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, "you know that you're a total catch babe. So don't feel bad."

Camilla blushed, "Hey!"

Eric smiled lightly, though they were different personality-wise, he found them to be a cute couple.

Dominic sniffed and pointed at the stew, "I gotta say, this one actually smells kinda good. I think you nailed it. Nice work."

"Third times a charm." Eric said as he pulled out a spoon. "Any volunteers?"

Camilla sighed and took the spoon then stood in front of the stew. She dipped the spoon into the pot then gulped before she took a sip. Her eyes widen in surprise, "Wow, it's not awful."

Yor smiled while Eric sighed in relief.

Yuri tasted the stew next, "It's really good, but it feels like there may be something missing."

Camilla held her chin with a thoughtful look. "Hm. So, where is your family from originally?"

Yor answered, "We're from Eastern Nielsberg mostly."

Camilla opened the fridge, "Seems like people from that region might add sour cream. So why don't we throw little bit in there?" She took a container out then tossed a spoonful into the stew.

After a couple of stirs, Yor, Camilla, Yuri, and Eric held their spoons.

"You ready Eric?" Yor asked as her son did another sign of the cross to summon his courage before all four dipped their spoons in and tasted the stew.

Yor and Yuri gasped, this is exactly how their mother made the stew in their childhood.

"Looks like we hit the mark." Dominic commented then glanced at Eric, "Although, I think the kid is frozen."

Yor glanced down at her son and realized Eric is completely motionless with the spoon still inside his mouth.

"Ah, is the stew not to your liking?" Yor asked Eric in panic.

Eric slowly turned to his mother, but instead of pain-filled and disgust as she was expecting, his green eyes sparkled in joy and bliss and a blush filled his cheeks.

"I think he really likes it." Camilla said as Eric finally removed the spoon from his mouth and scooped out another bite from the pot.

Yor's face filled with joy as Camilla, Dominic, her son and brother helped themselves to more stew.

Yor's cooking class ended on a good note, and all three of them bid Camilla and Dominic farewell then left.

Eric held his mother's hand as he placed his other hand over his stomach with a content smile. "I had fun."

Yor laughed, "I'm glad. This time tonight, I'll cook for your father and sister."

"They'll be surprised. I wanna help you make the next batch. We can try doing that fried egg together." Eric said, remembering what Yor recalled from childhood.

"I'd love that." Yor smiled then turned to her brother who walked on the other side of Eric.

"Thanks for coming over Yuri. It really helped."

Yuri smiled, "Anything for my sister."

"No, I mean it." Yor smile held melancholy, "We were able to get a piece of mom back."

Yuri shared her smile, "Yeah, we did."

Eric looked up at the siblings, "What was she like?"

Yor closed her eyes, "Well, she had black hair and red eyes like us, and she always smelled of something spicy and sweet. She also hums a calm and soothing song when she cooks."

Yuri chimed in, "Mom was also a fan of hugs, lots of them. She wanted to hold onto us for as long as she could."

"What kind of flowers did she like?" Eric asked as he imagined Yor and Yuri's mother.

"All kinds. Bright ones, big ones, small ones, you name it." Yor smiled, "The flower patch she grew was called a Garden of Rainbows."

Eric eyes lowered, "Do you think...she'd have liked me? Even though I'm odd."

Yuri ruffled Eric's hair, making the little boy look up. "Are you kidding, Mom would love you to bits."

"He's right, she'd be happy to have such a handsome and sweet grandson like you." Yor stated as Eric blushed.

All three reached the path that would take Yuri home.

"Are you sure you don't need me to escort you home. You don't know if you'll run into something dangerous." Yuri said, hesitant to leave his sister in the dark.

"I'll be fine Yuri, I can take care of myself." 'I may or may not have snapped their arms in two last time.'

"Okay." Yuri said then turned to Eric and bent to his height, "You take care of yourself at school now. Now remember, what makes a real man?"

"Always protect your sister from the unworthy." Eric answered with no hesitation.

Yuri grinned and ruffled Eric's hair again, "Thatta boy."

Eric fixed his blonde locks, "Will I see you again?"

"Perhaps, I'll drop by and visit."

"You should, Anya really wanted to meet you that time, but she fell asleep."

"I'll try not to disappoint." Yuri straightened himself up and waved at his sister and nephew, "See you next time."

Yor and Eric watched him leave before they two resumed their journey home.

"What did you think of your Uncle Yuri?"

"Hmm, he's a bit strange, but I like him." Eric answered honestly, even though he's his father's enemy, he can't bring himself to hate the man who wants to protect his sister.

'I guess he and I aren't that different in that regard.'

At the Forger home, Loid sat cross legged and held up hand in front of the dog.

"Wait. Now." Then the dog started eating his chow.

Anya teetered from side to side, holding her stomach.

Loid smiled as the cat laid curled up in between his legs. 'Naturally or not, he's an intelligent creature. We'll start training him to be a guard dog soon.'

Anya's stomach growled loudly, "Papa, I think my tummy's about to eat itself. I'm so hungry." She said pitifully, considering all the energy she burned from their day at the park.

"I'll bet." Loid said, not blaming her since he was hungry himself.

The front door then opened to reveal Yor and Eric with bags of groceries tucked in their arms.

"I'm so sorry I'm home late again." Yor apologized before she closed the door.

"We're glad you're back." Loid said then turned to Eric, "Have you been good today?"

"For the most part." Eric answered as he placed the bag on the kitchen counter.

Loid and Anya followed them until they were in the mouth of the kitchen.

"Hm? What have you got?"

Yor placed her own bag gently on the counter. "Well, about that." She turned to her family and declared, "Listen up everyone, tonight I'm making dinner!"

As expected, father and daughter had a look of horror on their faces.

Eric couldn't blame them.

Together, mother and son cooked the stew.

"You've been learning how to cook?" Loid asked in surprise.

"Sorry for hiding it from you."

'I see now' Loid then glanced down at the pot, "So, this is Southern stew?"

Yor looked up, not stopping in her chopping, "Yeah, my mom used to make it for us."

Loid glanced at Eric whose face was covered in flour as he kneaded the dough.

"And you are..?"

"A good stew needs bread rolls." Eric said as he rolled them into balls and put them on a baking sheet then sprinkled cheese on top. "I'm not allowed to use the stove on my own yet, so this is what I can do."

Eric then took the sheet and carefully hopped off the step stool to open the oven. But with his hands occupied, he tried to use his right foot to hook into the handle.

"I got it." Yor intervened as she opened the preheated oven for her son.

Eric carefully slid the sheet in and closed it then set up the timer.

The plates were all set up and the basket of bread rolls were placed in the center of the table. Yor and Eric tried their best to fry the eggs. Though the yolk was running, at least it wasn't burned.

Yor announced, "Here we go, slight issue frying the egg, but voila! I hope you like it." She clapped her hands together in prayer.

Father and daughter each filled their spoons.

'Doesn't smell deadly.' Loid prepared for the worst.

'This is my least meal.' Anya looked resigned.

After a long moment of silence, Loid and Anya each took a bite.

"It's really good/It's yummy!" They exclaimed in surprise.

Yor's red eyes gleamed at their positive reaction.

"I actually like it!" Anya said as she scooped more into her mouth.

"Yes, it's quite comforting." Loid commented.

"I thought the same too. I was frozen with joy when I tried it." Eric said from beside his mother.

Yor never realized she would be this happy seeing her family enjoy something she made. This feeling of joy overwhelmed her enough to bring tears to her eyes as she covered her face with her hands.

"Yor, is something wrong?" Loid asked, not expecting to see his wife cry.

"Mom?" Eric turned to Yor in surprise when he heard her sob.

"I'm sorry. It's silly, but when I saw your faces, I just felt so relieved." Yor confessed, the feeling never left her.

Eric watched his mother for a few seconds then hugged her side.

'That vision Bond had; it wasn't because someone hurt her.' Eric smiled as Yor rubbed his back, 'Looks like I failed my mission to make sure she doesn't cry.'

Yor smiled at her family, 'I thought the only reason to have this family was so I can keep doing assassination jobs.' A loving glow surrounded the Forgers as they enjoyed their meal. 'I never dreamed that having them around, and seeing their smiles, but those simple things can make me so happy.'

Yor felt a surge of positivity course through her, "I'm starting to feel a little more confident now. Both as Loid Forger's wife, and Eric and Anya's mom."

Loid smiled in relief, "It makes me so happy to hear that."

"You know what, I did make another dish you might enjoy." Yor said as she got up from the table.

'Wait, what other dish?' Eric felt a pit in his stomach as he held the spoon in his mouth.

"This one's a Yor Forger original." Yor held up a plate with what appeared to be some kind of swirling desert, or at least was disguised as desert.

"Gimme, gimme!" Anya raised a hand.

Unable to hurt his mother's feelings, Eric joined Anya and Loid as they fell to the ground. He laid there like a fresh corpse at their funeral with a cloth napkin over his face as he held a flower against his chest between his fingers.

Yor stared at her family in shock and guilt. She still had a long way to go.

Chapter Text

Loid put the phone down with a soft click and sighed. He had just finished talking to Yor after receiving confirmation that Eric was with her at City Hall. The panic and worry that nested in his stomach dissipated when he heard his son's voice. Loid thought Eric to be mature enough not to go anywhere on his own, but it would seem he is just as reckless as all kids his age.

"Papa, are you okay?"

He looked down at his daughter who clutched her Chimera to her chest as she stared up at him with her worried gaze.

"I'm alright, your brother had me worried sick is all." Loid assured her.

"Brother will be back with Mama tonight. He's safe." Anya stated.

"Yeah."

"Big brother says you'll take me somewhere fun today. Is that true?" Anya asked hopefully as she looked up at her father with pleading eyes.

"Uh." 'Of course, Eric would tell his sister that I would do something with her. That's why he suggested the park just now. Clever boy. Still, she has been doing quite well at Eden all things considered. I at least owe her this much.'

Anya's eyes continued to sparkle as she listened to her father's thoughts.

Loid hummed as he gave a thoughtful look, "I believe there was a park with a swing set I saw some time ago. Though it's a bit farther than the one we usually go to."

"I wanna go!" Anya exclaimed as she raised her hand enthusiastically.

Loid smiled, "Well, put on your play clothes then we'll go."

"Okay." Anya ran back to her room to do as she's bid.

Loid sighed as he scratched the back of his head.

"She wants your attention too, you know."

'Have I been neglecting Anya lately?' Loid thought to himself as he tried to remember the last time he and Anya spent time together. Aside from the times he picks her up from school and helps her understand the basic knowledge a four-year-old should attain, they haven't truly taken the time to be alone together.

'I've been so focused on Operation Strix that I inadvertently ignored Anya.' Loid frowned at his folly. 'I can still fix this though. Anya's still young, so she probably won't remember this part of her life. I just need to make sure not to favor one child over the other.'

"Papa, I'm ready!" Anya dashed into the living room in her outdoor clothes.

Loid smiled, "Alright, let's go."

Anya took her father's hand and excitedly left the apartment with him for their Papa-Daughter Date.

It was a thirty-minute walk to the park, but Anya didn't mind as she talked animatedly to her father. "See, all you gotta do is put your paper flat on top of the leaf and just color right on top of it, and it looks like the leaf jumped onto your paper."

"That's really good." Loid praised her when she showed him her artwork. "Your teacher taught you?"

"Nope, brother did. It's so much fun, I'll teach you." Anya offered, making Loid smile at her indulgently. Though he knew the process, he decided to humor her and let her teach him.

'I need to focus completely on Anya today. This is part of my mission. If Anya believes I favor her brother too much, jealousy may develop, and she'll start rebelling. That, in turn, will put the mission and world peace in jeopardy.' Loid thought to himself, he knew he made a few mistakes as a father, but he's willing to make up for lost time if it meant keeping Anya from straying. He remembered from previous missions how destructive envy between siblings can be and how they often it leads internal war between families and economies. He doesn't want Anya to fall into that category. For the sake of his mission, he needs to divvy up his time with his children equally.

Anya stared up at her father as she listened to his thought process. He honestly believes she's jealous of how much focus he spends on her brother and is afraid she'll rebel and start a war? 'No way Papa, I want world peace too!' She screamed inside her head as her mouth dropped in shock before she shook her head. 'I need to prove that I'm not jealous. For the sake of world peace, I must show Papa I am the happiest and most loyal daughter he's got!' She said with a look of determination as she took on a new mission.

Father and daughter stood before the park with all the equipment any child could want, swing sets, monkey bars, slides, tunnels, merry-go-round, etc.

Anya's mouth gaped open in wonder and amazement. Everything looks so big and exciting and is just waiting to be played on by her.

"Papa, I am going to conquer every inch of this playground!" Anya declared, shaking on the spot.

"Go for it." Loid said before she shot off like a bullet.

Loid sighed, "Well, this is one way to expel all that energy."

"Join the club, I got two boys."

Loid turned to see another man in his thirties sitting on a bench. He had black hair and hazel eyes, wearing casual day clothes.

"Haven't seen you here before." The man said waving at Loid.

"First time in this park." Loid sat down on the far end of the bench as he kept an eye on Anya as she ran around the structures.

The man laughed, "First timers here have a hard time leaving. I should know, my two sons practically glued themselves onto the monkey bars."

"Is that right? And two boys?" Loid asked incredulously as he noted the tired look on the man's face in spite of the smile.

"Yep, right over there." He pointed at the two smaller versions of himself spinning on the merry-go-round. "The little heathens are Jasper and Michah."

"They look like fine young lads." Loid noted as the brothers pushed the merry-go-round together.

"This is them on their good days." The man chuckled sheepishly, "I'm Victor."

"Loid. That's my daughter Anya." Loid pointed at the pink-haired child going down a swirling slide.

"She's lovely, and a bundle of energy in that one." Victor observed as Anya ran at a very fast pace around the structures.

"You have no idea." Loid sighed as he leaned into the bench with one arm draped over the back.

"She's the only one you got?" Victor asked as he glanced at his boys, keeping them within his sight as he talked with Loid.

"Two actually. She's the younger one. My son is spending the day with his mother. He's the...calmer of the two." Loid explained as he watched Anya balance herself on the beam, doing some strange cat-like poses.

"But he's no less trouble than your daughter." Victor said with a knowing smile.

Loid was silent for a moment, "Yeah."

Victor nodded, "It's never easy. Fatherhood, I mean."

"No, it's not. Parenting books didn't prepare me for two." Loid grumbled to himself.

"Those books can only do so much to help guys like us for the road ahead. But experiencing it firsthand makes war look like a breeze." Victor said with a humorous smile which then turned melancholy.

Loid let out another sigh, "Tell me about it. I'm still trying to figure it all out. Honestly, there are times I feel I'm a terrible father to my kids."

"That's normal actually." Victor stated, making Loid turn to him. "Every parent feels as though they're messing up. Did I change his diaper right, have I put enough sunscreen on him, how do I get him to stop staring at his own thing." Loid raised an eyebrow at the last part. "My point is, no matter how many times we make mistakes, we always learn from them. Besides, the one who fears they'll be the worst parent ends up being the best parent."

Loid listened to the man's wisdom and felt a sense of enlightenment. He acknowledges his mistakes as a father and is trying very hard to learn from them and how he can be a petter provider and caretaker to his children.

"How do you know if you did a good job?" Loid asked the man.

"When you see your children grow into fine young adults, then I believe we did better than most." Victor said with an easy smile as his boys fell down after getting dizzy from the merry-go-round.

Loid smiled and turned back to the playground, but his heart stopped when he couldn't find a hint of pink hair anywhere. He shot to his feet and looked around, "Anya?" He ran around the structure, looking within tubes before running out of the park until he found Anya across the street talking to some girl who looked to be 12 years old.

Loid let out a sigh of relief upon seeing those baby horns as he waited for the cars to thin out. The hairs on his neck stood up when he felt that familiar sense of danger stalking him, and in some cases, get close to his target.

His blue eyes swiveled left and right until he saw a heavy-set man across the street with a sparce beard, a cap and an over coat with his hands deep in his pockets. Though his cap was pulled down to cover his eyes from the frontal view, Loid saw a hint of a perverse grin and lust filled eyes as the man approached the two girls. Getting too close for his comfort.

Loid's eyes widened as his body moved on instinct as he leapt into traffic, hopping across the cars' rooftops much to the drivers' chagrin and confusion.

As Loid got closer to his daughter, the man reached his fingers out to grab the older girl while his other hand pulled out a pocketknife and flipped it open to use as a threat to keep his target compliant.

'POP!'

The criminal stumbled back onto his butt in surprise when something hit him on the forehead.

"What the?" His hand went to his forehead to feel something rubber with a plastic stick attached to it stuck to his skin.

"Not another itch (inch) creep." A small voice made him look down to see a small child with pink hair and horns sticking out of her head. Two toy guns were in her hands as she stood in front of the young girl protectively. "The next one goes in your heart." She threatened, aiming the second gun at the man.

The young girl behind her was frightened and confused when she saw a knife in the man's hand as he stood up, smiling mockingly down at the tyke.

"Hehe, is that really supposed to scare me you little brat." He sneered while Anya smirked, not backing down.

"Nope, I'm just distracting you." Anya smugly explained.

"Huh?" The creep couldn't get another word out when something landed behind him. He failed to turn around in time before the hand holding the knife was twisted backwards rather painfully before he was kicked to the ground with a weight on his back pinning him down.

Struggling to turn his head to look at the person holding him down, he was met with the vicious vengeful blue eyes of a man in a green suit and red tie.

"If I were any other person, I'd put you down like the rabid animal you are." Loid growled menacingly at the stalker who was now terrified.

Victor appeared with his sons and sighed as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs, "This was supposed to be my day off." He said as he knelt down and cuffed the perpetrator.

"You're a cop?" Loid asked as Victor pulled out a walkie and radioed the police station to their location.

"Yeah, I probably should've mentioned it earlier. You?" Victor asked Loid.

"Psychiatrist. I normally subdue the mentally ill patients at the hospital." Loid explained his profession as police cars showed up faster than anticipated.

Loid watched as Victor escorted the stalker to the police car while another officer talked to the girl who was nearly a victim as she recounted the event as a key witness.

"Hey, I can't seem to get thing off his forehead." Victor said as he tried to pull the rubber dart off the criminal who yelled in pain, "You're taking the skin!"

"Oh, I used super glue." Anya proudly explained.

Loid turned to his daughter, "Super glue?" He asked incredulously.

Anya shrugged, "I'm too young for actual bullets, so I gotta mark the bad guys."

"Hm, good idea, and nice aim." Victor said, impressed by the little girl before shoving the criminal into the car.

"Thank you." Anya said very proudly.

Loid sighed, he needs to have a serious talk with his daughter.

"Um, excuse me."

Loid and Anya turned to the child who was nearly attacked. "You and your daughter saved my life. I can't thank you enough."

Loid smiled, "I'm just glad you're alright. Though my daughter should know better than to wander off on her own." He said as he gave Anya a stern look.

Anya bowed her head, "I'm sorry Papa."

The young girl smiled at the duo, "She's very lucky to have you. You make quite a team."

Loid's eyes widened slightly while Anya looked happy at the compliment.

After that whole debacle, the afternoon at the park ended as Loid and Anya walked home hand in hand. Anya hummed the Spy Wars theme song all the way home.

When the father and daughter duo finally got home, they changed out of their day clothes before Loid sat on the sofa with Honey Ninja right next to him.

"Anya, come here, we need to talk." Loid called as gently as a father should.

Anya bounded up to him until she stood in front of Loid, "Yes Papa?"

Loid sighed as he calmed himself down. "Anya, what you did was very dangerous today. You could've been hurt, or worse kidnapped." Thoughts of what that creep could've done to his youngest child flew through his mind before he shook his head to rid himself of such things.

Anya frowned at the myriad of horrific images in Loid's mind. "I know, but I already knew you would come save me and that girl. When I saw that man watching her, I knew he was a bad guy, and I had to do something. I was only trying to protect her." She said, remembering the fear she felt when that man came close with his disgusting thoughts no child should ever hear. "Are you mad at me?"

Loid's eyes softened before he picked her up and sat her on his lap. "Come here." He said as he held her securely, "I'm not mad at you Anya. But you did scare me today. You disappeared so suddenly really had me worried." He said, being honest with his daughter after experiencing something every father feels when their child leaves their sight. "Anya, this world is very dangerous, it's filled with cruel and evil people who take advantage of the weak. I know you were only protecting someone, but you could've easily been taken if given the chance. You're an important member in this family. If anything happened to you, we'd all be very sad."

"Even you?" Anya tilted her head as she stared up at her father.

The question froze Loid in his place. He didn't want to admit it, but the idea of Anya disappearing without a trace scares him. "Yes, even me."

"Even if I'm not super smart like brother?"

Loid sighed, "No one says you have to be like your brother. But I do need you to be wiser in your decisions. I need you safe if only to grant myself some peace of mind." He stroked the top of her head between her horns, "You've got good instincts though. Better than most kids your age. But next time you feel as though someone is trying to hurt you or another person, you come to me first, okay?"

Anya smiled at her father's praise and nodded, "I promise Papa."

Loid smiled down at his daughter, "I know I haven't been the best father for you, and I'm sorry if you feel I've been neglecting you. I shouldn't be focusing on Eric so much."

"It's okay Papa. No one's perfect. I had a lot of fun today." Anya assured her father, beaming up at him after all the fun she experienced with him. "Can we go back there again sometime, and bring Mama, brother and the pets?"

"Sure, I believe I'm free this weekend." Loid said then held up a finger, "But don't bring the superglue guns and no chasing after bad guys."

Anya groaned, "But we made a good team today. That girl said so."

Loid breathed out a laugh, "Yes, we do."

'Anya's aim and execution were surprisingly on point. She didn't falter or hesitate in her confrontation.' Loid went over that scene in his head, 'She also has exceptionally good instincts. Insightful and stealthy. If she was older, perhaps I can one day train her to be a spy.' He mused to himself as he thought of the potential his daughter possesses.

Anya beamed up at her father upon hearing him praise her skills and believed she has the right skills to become a spy like himself. Without warning, she hugged him tightly, catching the spy by surprise.

"What was that for?" Loid asked as he wrapped his arms around his daughter.

"Because I love my Papa. He's so cool." Anya declared as she buried her face into his chest.

Loid blushed slightly at her lack of hesitance. This little girl latched onto him since the moment he brought her and Eric from the orphanage. He never planned on having children, much less two, especially for a mission. He knew how wrong it felt to use children for Operation Strix, but he had no other choice if it means guarding the fragile peace between the countries. He remembered how he initially wanted only Eric to come with him because of how naturally similar they were and the calm intelligence the boy exuded. He was not prepared for Anya given the boundless energy she carried and how much it exhausts him. However, she has demonstrated her insightfulness, as though she knew what he was thinking and would try to help him in her own child-like way. Right now, with his daughter in his arms, he feels a strange sense of peace he hasn't felt in a long time. Somehow, he feels he can let his guard down, that he doesn't have to pretend or lie.

Bond padded up to them and whined lowly.

Anya pulled away and looked at her dog, "Bond is hungry."

"I see, let's feed him then." Loid said as he set Anya down to get the dog food.

Not too long after giving Bond food, Yor and Eric returned with bags full of fresh groceries and announced they would cook dinner for them. The stew turned out fantastic, dessert on the other hand...not so much.

Later that evening after putting Anya to bed, he entered Eric's room to see him reading a book while Honey Ninja laid curled up beside him in bed. He was still holding his stomach with a look of discomfort as he tried to read the contents.

"I brought you something for your stomach." Loid said, holding up a glass of juice that had medicine mixed in to soothe his stomach.

Eric closed his book as Loid sat on the bed beside him and handed him the drink. "Thanks Dad." Eric said after taking a couple of sips, shivering at the taste before it washed down his throat. "Tonight could've gone better."

"Yor's cooking has improved, but it still needs work." Loid said with sympathy as his son took another sip.

Eric groaned, "Sadly enough, my body is beginning to adapt to poison."

Loid nodded, "Yeah, me too."

"Did you and Anya have fun today?" Eric asked, hoping to distract himself from the stomachache.

"It was quite eventful all things considered." Loid frowned, "But you and I need to have a serious talk about your actions."

Eric lowered his half-finished glass as he watched his father.

"You left the school and wandered the city all by yourself. That was very dangerous." Loid scolded his son for his reckless behavior.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to disobey or worry you." Eric bowed his head as he stared into the glass contents. "I was worried about Mom, I just wanted to make sure no one was hurting her." A small smile came to his lips, "I was surprised when I found out she was learning how to cook from her coworker. I had fun with her today."

Loid shared a smile until he noticed the bandages on his son's fingers. "You still got hurt though."

Eric held up one of his hands as Loid held it to inspect the damages. "Yeah, I cut myself while making a tomato rose for Mom to cheer her up." He confessed as Loid frowned at how his accident-prone son willfully used a knife. "But Uncle Yuri helped bandage them up, so it's not too bad."

Loid felt himself tense up at the name of Yor's brother, the SSS, Twilight's enemy. "So, you met Yuri Briar?"

"Mmhm, he didn't seem to like me at first, but when we started talking about how much we care about our sisters, we bonded."

Loid's jaw clenched at the idea of his enemy making contact with his son. "I see, and how did he seem to you."

Eric flexed his fingers a little, "He may be a little strange, but I like him. He's got a strong stomach...I think." He added with a doubtful expression as he remembered how the man puked and ate Yor's food at the same time.

'That's right, since Yor raised him he had to eat...her cooking.' Loid shivered at the thought of a young Yuri consuming the food Yor prepared.

"Yeah, that was my reaction too." Eric said, knowing what his father was thinking without reading his mind. "But he's living proof that humanity can survive just about anything. So, I gotta respect him there."

"You and me both." Loid breathed out a small laugh as Eric downed the rest of the medicine.

"Although, we do need to discuss your punishment for going into the city by yourself." Loid stated as Eric gave the glass back to his father.

Eric nodded, "Okay."

"No chocolate for one week."

Eric frowned, "After the dessert I had, I don't think I can taste chocolate right now."

Loid crossed his arms, "You're right, something else then. No going out with your friends on the weekend."

Eric deadpanned, "You realize I don't have many friends, and I like to stay inside."

Loid hummed, "Extra chores."

Eric raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? You realize who you're talking to, right?"

Loid groaned quietly in irritation, "This is harder than I thought." He forgot what a neat freak his son is and how he enjoys cleaning as an activity to take his mind off of things.

"Maybe we'll figure out my punishment tomorrow when our stomachs aren't killing us." Eric proposed as he rubbed his belly.

Loid sighed, "Good idea. I'll try to think of something." He said before he gently took the book from Eric's lap and set it on the bedside table. "For now, just sleep."

Eric laid down under the covers with Honey Ninja nestled beside him.

Loid's hand combed through his son's hair, "You did really good with your Mom today."

Eric smiled, "You too with Anya, she's happier than before."

Sharing his smile, Loid stood up, taking the glass with him before he switched the light off beside the door then left his son's bedroom.

Chapter Text

It was another day at Eden College. The morning Eric arrived; Becky called out from behind him as she caught up with him.

"Good morning Eric!" Becky ran up to her best friend.

Eric turned and smiled at Becky in greeting, "Good morning Becky."

Becky blushed a little at his smile but kept herself composed as a mature young woman.

"Did you watch the new Berlint in Love yesterday?" Becky asked as she fell into step beside him. "I can't believe those two got back together after all that bad stuff between them." She then held her cheek as another blush stained her cheeks, "And then when Vincent threw his arms around her, I seriously thought my heart was gonna explode." She gushed as she remembered that romantic scene and how she imagines Vincent as Eric and the heroine as herself.

"I don't think your heart can explode from a drama show's romantic scene. If anything, you were experiencing a chemical response in your brain from the visual stimulus that in turn gave you a rush of dopamine which increases your heart rate and blood pressure. As a result, it gives you that rewarding and happy feeling." Eric explained the biological sense of what Becky experienced the night before.

"It was an expression, Eric." Becky released a sigh, "You take things way too literal."

"Heart explosions mostly mean heart ruptures or anything cardiovascular related. It's hard for me to express something potentially fatal with a good feeling." Eric stated, not understanding what show Becky was talking about since he never even heard of it. From what she described; it should be restricted to mature audiences.

Becky released another sigh, "I have a lot of work to do."

"If it's the English assignment you're worried about I have some notes I can let you copy." Eric helpfully said to his best friend.

"Sure." Becky deadpanned. 'More work than I realize.'

Halfway through the day, Anya arrived just in time for Art Class.

Their usual Art Teacher was not in, but luckily, an all too familiar Professor in all his elegance substituted for him.

"It is time for your Arts and Crafts Class. Sadly, Master Rodin came down with something. So, I will be leading the class in his place today." Professor Henderson announced while wearing an apron to protect his attire. "You'll be creating a three-dimensional model out of the materials provided, keeping with the theme of animals. You've been randomly divided into groups, given a limited number of resources at your respective tables. You need to discuss how to use them amongst yourselves." He gave out his instruction clear and concise to his students.

"Yes sir!"

The students talked amongst themselves in excitement for their projects while their teacher announced the groups assigned.

"So cool. Maybe I can make Bond." Anya said with excitement as she stood between Eric and Becky, the two acting as her shield.

"Hm, should be simple enough, you just need some white paper, tape, and shape him like a box. Perhaps we can use some cotton balls if they're available." Eric said as he went over the diagram cutout in his head for Anya to work with.

Anya smiled up at her brother for his help.

"What about you Eric?" Becky asked as he contemplated the possibilities.

"Since it's animals and Anya is choosing her dog, I will go with my cat." Eric shrugged as he went over his own shapes and diagrams and how he will assemble the pieces to make his three-dimensional pet.

"...and as for Group 4: Damian Desmond and Eric Forger." Professor Henderson announced, much to two students' chagrin.

"Hm?" Eric furrowed his brows and frowned deeply in displeasure.

"Gah, dang it! I knew something like this would happen!" Damian exclaimed his own displeasure as he furiously ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He then turned and pointed a finger at Eric, "You better not think about getting in my way, you hear me!"

"That's fair, you're not even interesting for me to bother anyway." Eric stated with his eyes closed as he stood facing the front of the class.

Damian went red in the face at Eric's remark as he clenched his hand into a fist.

"Anya, since you're here with your brother, you can be in his group." Professor Henderson said to the younger Forger.

'Now's my chance.' Anya smiled at the opportunity this presented her. "Thank you, Professor Henderson."

Anya sat on Eric's left with Damian across from them with the art supplies on their table.

"Alright children, begin."

The student immediately began making their art projects.

"Try not to cut off your finger Forger." Damian taunted the accident-prone boy.

"Oh please, I cut off a toe last winter and everything was fine." Eric responded in his usual monotone voice, not looking up from his task.

Damian flinched back as he made a noise in his throat.

"He actually has all of his toes." Anya explained with round eyes as she glanced between Eric and Damian. 'It just wasn't his toe he cut off.'

If anyone asked whose toe it was, let's just say it happened before they entered the third orphanage.

Eric drew out the shapes for Anya to cut out on a white paper, then gave it to her. "Here Anya, you cut the outside of the solid lines, but not the dotted lines, those will serve as creases for you to fold. Understand?"

Anya nodded at her brother's instructions, "Yes, brother."

Eric smiled before he officially began his work with his cat model.

Anya copied her brother's 'work and study' face as she followed the instructions on the diagram Eric made for her. She looked across from her and saw how Damian had a look of intense concentration on his face similar to Eric's.

"What are you constructing Lord Damian?" Emile asked from another table.

Damian showed his diagram, "A griffin. You know, like in my family crest?"

"That is a seriously outstanding choice, I'd say!" Emile praised the younger Desmond.

'And I'd say you're a Φιλί τον κώλο (filí ton kólo.)' Eric sighed inwardly at Damian's yes-man. 'Anya, forget what you just heard, and don't say it out loud.'

Anya nodded at her brother even though she didn't know what it means exactly.

Anya asked, "What's a griffin? Are they related to Mr. Chimera?"

"Not really, they're both mythological creatures of Greek origins. The only thing they have in common is the lion's body." Eric answered, not pausing in his work as he explained, "The griffin is formed of a lion's body with the head of an eagle, sometimes with the eagle's claws on the front feet. The chimera on the other hand is a hybrid of three different animals: a lion, a goat, and a snake. Like the griffin, the chimera has the body of a lion; however, it also has a lion's head. The chimera also uses a goat as a second head which protrudes from the center of its back. Its tail is the body of a snake, tipped with a snake's head. Griffins were widely known as the king of all mythical creatures. This is why it uses two of the most renowned, powerful animals. The lion, known as the king of the land; and the eagle, known as the king of the sky. Since a griffin often has an eagle's wings, they can fly." He finished as he finished folding the cutout of the paper into a tall four-sided pyramid to make up the body of the cat.

"Wow, you seriously know a lot about my family's crest." Damian noted after listening to his rival's long explanation with Ewen and their table mates.

"I'm from Greek origins myself. What did you expect?" Eric said, reminding the boy of how he would often speak Greek to antagonize him.

Damain growled a little before turning to his project. "Well, I'm going to need a lot of paper today, so you guys better not use it all."

"You got it." Ewen nodded, making Eric sigh at them.

'This is the symbol of my family's honor, so I have to make it look amazing.' Damian blushed in hope and excitement, 'If it's good enough, who knows, maybe...' He imagined himself presenting and intricately handmade griffin to his father who praised him for a job well done and how it represented their family crest. 'It could happen.'

Anya, meanwhile, listened in on Damian's thoughts with a peculiar look on her face and immediately came up with a plan to make Damian her friend.

Eric watched his sister from his peripheral vision and noted her disturbing facial expression. 'Okay, that's frightening.'

Damian looked at the pieces of paper as he realized he may not have enough time to make the wings.

"Sy-on boy."

"Huh?" Damian looked up, only to be caught off guard by the light coming off her as she offered him her hand with that gentle smile.

"I will gladly help you make your thing."

Anya then handed him an extra sheet of paper, "You can even use my paper."

Damian was not expecting that. "Huh? What are you talking about, make your own, okay?"

"It's fine, I'm almost done." Anya assured Damian as she glanced at her half-finished Bond, she just needs to stick the head and tail together.

"I just really want to help you. That's all." Anya said as Damian saw more beams of light rippling off of her.

"Uh..." Damian didn't know how to speak as his face gradually turned red and his heart thumped erratically in his chest. "Fine, whatever." It's been almost three weeks since he talked to her after that first meeting and Eric nearly killing him.

Becky watched then turned away with a coy smile, believing her future sister-in-law is in love with Damian.

"Well, then I guess you can make its hind legs." Damian said as he gave her the diagram.

"Okey-doki."

Professor Henderson observed with a look of pride as the two began to work on the project together.

Eric, on the other hand, was leaking out that demonic aura as he glared at Damian beneath his fringes.

Damian suppressed a squeak when he met Eric's gaze before he furiously began to work on his griffin while avoiding the eyes of death.

Eric grabbed a piece of grey paper.

After about ten minutes, Anya finished making the hind legs. At least it was supposed to be hind legs.

"All done." Anya represented the 'hind legs' that had the words jet written on each of them.

"Huh? What are those?" Damian asked as everyone at their table stared at the 'legs'. "I said to make the legs."

"Yeah," Anya threw her hands up in the air, "But I wanted to make some cool jet engines so it can go 'zoom.'"

Damian didn't look too pleased, "Nobody asked for stupid stuff like that!"

Eric silently taped the final touches to the second project with the paper cat sitting beside it.

"Just give it some regular feathers okay!" Damian growled, seething with frustration as everyone watched on.

Anya was undeterred, "Leave it to me."

A moment later, scraps of paper were presented to Damian.

"Ta-da!"

As predicted, Damian wasn't happy, "Don't 'ta-da' me! These things are super sloppy! Do you think it can fly with that few feathers!"

"It's okay, it'll fly because of the jet engines, duh."

Damian exploded at that point, "It's not supposed to have those! Look just butt out would you! Stop wasting all the paper you're worse than useless!"

Anya lost her optimistic and happy face as she began to cry.

"Desmond."

The anger and frustration Damian felt disappeared at the low chilling voice he'd hope to never hear again as his eyes shakily moved to the one sitting beside a weeping Anya.

Green eyes glowed in fury and a frown set in place as he watched Damian with bloodlust and vengeance. Their table mates and classmates surrounding Eric felt that dark ice-cold malevolent aura coming off Eric before they scooted their chairs further away from him in fear.

Fingers that have not fully healed from their cuts flexed, the joints made unpleasant cracking sounds as they spread wide apart to grab the edge of the second piece Eric made and slowly lifted it up to have it face Damian.

Damian felt his soul leave his body as he stared at the words before him.

RIP

Here Lies Damian Desmond

He made my sister cry

Fingers tapped on the handmade head stone as death's green eyes watched him, ready to take his soul.

"Your time has come."

Damian's mouth quivered as he sat there, frozen in his spot, unable to escape the demon of hell.

A hand fell on Eric's shoulder, "That's quite enough now, Mr. Forger."

"Mm?" Eric was brought out of his zone and looked up at Professor Henderson who stood behind him with a stern yet understanding gaze.

"Let's put the theatrics away, shall we?" His teacher said as he felt the vestiges of Eric's aura recede.

Eric's calm demeanor returned as he placed the headstone face down and wrapped an arm around his sister to comfort her.

Professor Henderson then directed his attention to Damian. "As for you, that aggression will not stand! That was extremely inelegant!" He said as he fixed the boy with a disappointed glare.

Damian flinched as he was taken out of the jaws of death.

"Would you describe your actions as gentlemanly, Master Desmond?"

Damian looked up at his teacher and went red with shame and frustration, gritting his teeth tightly.

"No need to get flustered, it won't help you. At this point, it's up to you to do your best with what you have."

Tears peeked at the corners of Damian's eyes as his shoulders trembled in his effort not to cry. All he wanted was his father to be proud of him.

Anya listened to Damian's thoughts and realized the reason why he yelled at her was because he wanted his father's approval with this project.

Professor Henderson looked down at Eric and squeezed his shoulder, "As for you, while the details to your second piece are commendable, they do not fit with the theme."

Eric glanced down at the headstone, "You're right, I should use papier-mâché next time."

"'Next time?'" Damian exclaimed as he glanced at Eric.

After some time, the clock rang.

"Times up children. Please take your creations and display them in the hallway." Professor Henderson announced as the students carried their art projects out of the room.

Eric carried his black cat and made to leave the room, but paused when Anya didn't follow. He turned to see his sister standing in front of Damian whose back was to her with face in his hands.

"Sy-on boy, I'm sorry I was worse than useless." Anya apologized to Damian who turned to her. "So instead of the feathers, please take this." She presented her own second piece to Damian. It was a bit misshapen seeing how she made it without her brother's help, but it definitely had wings on its back.

"Huh, you're giving that to me? Some sloppy garbage you made?" Damian asked as he stared at the item in Anya's hand while the other featuring her dog Bond, was tucked into carefully against her chest.

"I turned it into a girl griffin. See? You can make it form a pair with yours." Anya said sincerely, hoping with her added piece with his, it can help gain his father's approval.

Damian was caught off guard, "Why would I need a second one anyway?"

Anya struggled to form words, "Uh, it's 'cause love can make you fly through the sky."

That sentence made Damian pause, "Huh?"

"Accept it, or the next head stone you see will be real."

Damian released a small cry at the voice behind him as he turned so fast it nearly gave him a whiplash before he backed away from a menacing Eric.

Damain shook all over as he held a trembling hand out to Anya to accept her gift before running out of the classroom to put their griffins on display.

Eric glared after Damian and scoffed, "Hmph, hopeless child, and he dares call himself a griffin."

The final bell rang for the day.

"Really?" Damian said, eyes wide in bewilderment as he stared up at Professor Henderson.

Damian and his henchmen, Emile and Ewen; Eric and his friend and sister, Becky and Anya, stood frozen in the hallway as they looked up at their teacher.

"You're telling me my project-that thing-won first?"

"One of the officials from the board of trustees was quite taken with it." Professor explained with a smile, "They said, 'despite its plucked wings, it stands regal and proud. A reminder our country will persist and recover from war.'"

"Eh, uh, yeah." Damian responded awkwardly. 'They actually saw it, didn't they?'

"Wow, great job sir!" Ewen exclaimed.

"Beautifully done." Emile chimed in.

"Apparently, when he saw the corpse of the baby griffin lying next to it, the poor fellow was unable to hold back its tears." Professor Henderson added, much to the Forger siblings' shock and dismay.

"'A corpse?' That feels like an insult." Eric deadpanned as he rested a hand on his younger sister's head.

Their teacher then turned to the siblings, "You two got second place because of how close your projects were to each other, and for the relationship between them. That short description also moved them." Professor Henderson added remembering how the cat and dog leaned against each other in such a familial manner. "'Brother and sister, though different, always together.' It truly is elegant."

Eric and Anya bowed their heads and said, "Thank you Professor."

Damian blushed as he looked down at the floor. The project he considered an embarrassment to the Desmond family crest combined with that sad excuse of a baby griffin actually got him first place.

Professor Henderson walked away, leaving the students with each other.

Eric turned to Damian, "I believe you owe my sister an apology with a side of gratitude."

"Huh?" Damian made a sound of protest then felt small under that familiar demonic glare.

"Apologize." That distorted demonic voice repeated with that 'gentle' and 'subtle' warning in his tone.

Damian felt himself clench up as Ewen and Emile hid behind him.

Gulping down his saliva, he turned to Anya and bowed low at the waist. "I'm really sorry for yelling at you, I didn't mean what I said before. You're not useless at all. You were very helpful to me. So, thank you very much."

Anya combed through Damian's thoughts. Though he still considered her griffin unappealing, he was still grateful for the gesture and what it did for him.

"You're welcome, good job on winning." Anya responded as she held her brother's arm.

Damian blushed and looked away, "Thanks."

Eric sighed, "With or without its wings, a griffin is still a griffin."

"Say what?" Damian turned to Eric who raised an eyebrow.

"I assumed you already knew about the context behind your family crest and just wanted to be fancy with the wings." Eric turned away, "How disappointing."

"What was that?" Damian gritted his teeth in irritation as Eric and his company walked away.

Eric paused, "The griffin is also a symbol for wisdom, courage and boldness. They are seen as protectors and often appreciated by mortals." He turned his head slightly, "Your behavior was utterly disappointing, hardly worthy of being a griffin. Instead of trying to gain your father's approval, work hard being what the griffin represents."

Eric face forward and walked away with his sister and friend on either side of him.

Damian was left dumbfounded by the words Eric spoke. Somehow, that actually hurt worse than his father's lack of approval.

"Wow Eric, that was intense." Becky complimented as they left the building and made their way towards the bus stop. "You really scared him in art class."

"There are consequences to making Anya cry." Eric stated calmly, holding his sister's hand securely. His earlier rage simmered back to nothing.

"By the way, what happened to that head stone you made?" Becky wondered, not seeing that art piece anywhere.

Eric smirked.

Damian entered his dorm and turned on the light and felt his jaw drop when he saw the head stone with those foreboding words sitting innocently on his bed.

A note was attached to the head stone, 'Keep this as a friendly reminder. Enjoy.' At the end was a doodle of Eric's emotionless face as he gave a peace sign with his fingers.

"Forger!"

"I put it in its proper place on Damian's bed."

Becky and Anya doubled over laughing while Eric continued to smirk in satisfaction.

Chapter Text

Loid got up early to make breakfast for his (fake) family. He glanced at the calendar and saw the date marked for Eden's Midterms Exams, which was two and a half weeks away. He smiled as he had nothing to worry about as far as his son's grades are concerned. While it is dangerous for spies to be overconfident with the skills they honed, he had plenty of faith in Eric's intelligence to pass Midterms and gain a second Stella Star. One step closer to Donovon Desmond.

He heard the penguin alarm clock chirping in Eric's room and waited for his son to click it off and get out of bed. But when the alarm kept chirping. He left the stove, quickly turning off the heat as he made his way to his son's bedroom. He knocked first, but when he received no answer, he opened the door and saw Eric still buried under the covers.

The penguin was still chirping and flapping its wings before Loid walked over and shut it off.

Loid laid a hand on the lump and shook him slightly. "Eric, it's time to get up and get ready for school."

A moment later, a groan came from under the covers before it moved. "What are you talking about, the alarm didn't go off yet." Eric's voice muffled under the heavy blankets.

"It did actually. You slept through your alarm because you were up late last night studying again." Loid said with a smile as he pulled the covers off, "C'mon, let's get up, breakfast is almost-" He stopped when he revealed his son's flushed face and pajamas and sheets covered in heavy sweat. Eric's eyes were tightly shut and his hair stuck to his face.

Eric struggled to open his eyes as he focused on his father's face. "Why? Is it morning?" His voice croaked in a raspy voice when he spoke.

Loid dropped the blankets and splayed his hand on Eric's forehead.

"What are you doing?" Eric asked in confusion.

Loid's eyes widened, "You have a fever."

"No, I don't." He sniffled; his stuffed nose made an unpleasant congested sound when he tried to breathe in.

Eric pushed the covered completely off, "I need to get ready for scho-" The room suddenly swayed before him when he tried to crawl out of bed. He almost hit the ground had Loid not caught him in time and laid him back onto the mattress.

"You're not leaving this bed." Loid said firmly as his son sat up.

Eric glared through bleary vision, "I'm alright, I just lost my balance, it's normal for me." He narrowed his green eyes, "Will you stop swaying from side-to-side, you're making me nauseous."

Loid frowned, he hardly moved from his spot.

"Loid, is everything okay?" Yor asked as she stood outside of Eric's room with a look of concern.

"I'm fine Mom." Eric tried to assure Yor, but the voice that came out of his mouth sounded pained and scratchy.

Loid sighed, "He's not." He got from his spot on the bed, "Yor, can you watch him for a moment, I need to call the school and tell them Eric won't be coming in today."

"What? Dad don't call the school. Just hand me some medicine and I'll power through the rest of the day." Eric protested as he threw the covers off of him and made to leave the bed.

"You're staying right there young man." Loid ordered as he gave his son a stern look.

"But I'll lose my perfect attendance."

"Sit!" Loid said, leaving no room for argument as Eric opened his mouth. "Don't make me say it again."

Eric closed his mouth, glaring up at his father before sitting back down in his bed and pulled the covers around his waist. He crossed his arms with a huff as he gave his father a sour look.

Loid sighed again and looked at Yor who watched their interaction with a worried expression. "Can you keep an eye on him for a moment?"

"Of course." Yor nodded as she entered the room and took Loid's place on Eric's bed.

Loid went to the phone and dialed the school. He waited for a few moments before he heard someone pick up.

"Hello, Eden College, Henderson speaking."

"Hello Professor Henderson, this is Loid Forger, Eric's father."

"Ah, Dr. Forger, how elegant it is to hear from you, is everything well?"

Loid sighed as he informed Eric's teacher, "Unfortunately, no, my son has caught the bug. I'm afraid he can't come to his classes today, maybe even the day after with his condition."

"I see, that's a shame, and he's on a roll with his lessons."

"Yeah, he's not too happy about staying in bed. He seriously doesn't want to lose his perfect attendance record."

"That's perfectly understandable. Your son's devotion to his studies is most elegant. However, I consider it inelegant should one of my best students blatantly ignore their precious health." Professor Henderson responded over the phone, not wanting one of his students to put their health at risk even for the sake of education.

Loid sighed, "It's moments like this where I wish he was more like Anya and just tells me he's not feeling well."

"It's perfectly normal for boys his age, any age, for them not to voice their discomfort for the sake of pride." Loid could hear the mirthful smile from the older gentleman's voice.

"Been there. Still there." Loid muttered under his breath.

"If I'm being honest, it's not uncommon for students to catch ill this close to midterms. A good number of them reach their limits due to the stress the upcoming exams brings. Your son, for all his tenacity for his education, is no exception to that rule. The children here are from elite families, so the expectations placed on them by their parents are high." Professor Henderson sighed, "In Eric Forger's case, I fear it's much higher given how hard he works to prove himself on an intellectual level."

Loid bowed his head with a frown, "I guess I should've anticipated that."

"It's not the first time a student struggles to meet their expectations. But your son is an elegantly exceptional student. I believe I remember a certain father stating how his son has a strong threshold to pain. And I know this fever won't stop your son in his progress."

Loid smiled, "You're right about that. He and I actually argued about him having a fever he was trying to deny."

Professor Henderson laughed over the phone, "Oh, your son's one of a kind. Which is why I'm already gathering the necessary lesson guides for any classes he misses today and tomorrow along with the homework assignments he'll turn in upon his return. They should be ready in about an hour."

Loid looked relieved and surprise, "You'd do that? Thank you, I'd really appreciate that. I'll come by the school to pick them up."

"Your welcome Dr. Forger. We'll see you soon, have an elegant day."

The call ended as Loid sighed before dialing his workplace at the hospital.

It didn't take long before someone picked up.

"Berlint General Hospital, Psychiatric Ward."

Loid knew the voice of whom he's speaking to, "Hello Ms. Frost, this is Dr. Forger. I'm afraid I won't be able to come in today or tomorrow. My son is sick and I need to take care of him."

"I see. Shall I pass along your message then?"

Loid knew what she's really asking, 'Is Operation Strix in trouble?'

"Yes, I would appreciate that. I'm afraid I'll also need to cancel any upcoming appointments this afternoon."

Translation: 'Don't ask me to do any side missions while my primary one is sick.'

"I understand, I'll transfer them to another doctor."

In other words, 'Have Handler dump those missions on another agent.'

"Thank you, and good day to you."

Loid put the phone back in its receiver.

"Won't you and big brother be in trouble for missing work?"

Loid looked down to see his daughter in her blue onesie and adorable sleeping cap. She stared up at her father in concern as she clutched her Chimera doll.

Loid smiled at his daughter, "It's alright, they're actually very understanding." 'At least I hope so given the unreasonable amount of side missions and how understaffed we are.'

Anya frowned, "Actually, I'll stay home and take care of brother while you go to work."

Loid couldn't help but feel touched at how his daughter wants to take on the responsibility of caring for her older brother. He can't deny how cute she is.

He laid a hand on Anya's sleeping cap. "That's very thoughtful of you Anya, but I don't think Eric will appreciate his little sister missing a day of school for him." At Anya's pout, Loid added, "Your education is just as important to your brother as his own."

Anya grumbled in defeat, "No fair using my brother's love for me to do what you want."

"I am a psychiatrist." Loid said with a hint of smugness.

"You suck." Anya said as she turned away to get ready for school.

"Yeah, I know."

Loid went to Eric's room and saw his son sleeping peacefully with Yor sitting close to him.

Yor turned and placed a finger to her lips, telling him to be quiet. "He's okay. He's just sleeping." Yor whispered to Loid who stood in the doorway.

Loid nodded and whispered, "Oh, good. Yor, is it okay if you could watch over him a little longer while I go to Eden and get his school materials?"

Yor smiled, "Sure, I don't mind. This happened to Yuri all the time, so it's nothing new for me."

Loid smiled in gratitude then turned to see Anya in her kindergarten uniform and backpack strapped to her.

"Ready." Anya whispered since she heard her parents speak quietly.

"Good. Let's eat some breakfast and then we'll go." Loid said as he and Anya went back to the kitchen where he left the still warm egg, bacon and toast on the plate and placed them in front of his daughter who ate it with gusto.

"Chew slowly Anya." Loid calmly said as he ate his own breakfast at a sedate pace.

When breakfast was finished, Loid escorted his daughter to the bus stop and didn't leave until Anya boarded the bus.

"Bye Papa, take care of big brother." Anya said to her father from the window before the bus pulled away.

Loid stood there watching the yellow vehicle leave towards its designated direction before he left for Eden College. On the trolley ride, he couldn't help but think back to what Henderson said about children often falling ill due to the stress of upcoming midterms. He furrowed his brows as he stared at the gloves covering his hands. 'Have I been putting more pressure on Eric than I realize?' He replayed the moments whenever he helped his son with his studies, and how some nights whenever he's on the couch or in front of the TV with his sister, the little boy would look outside to stare at the moon with a peculiar expression between worry and annoyance. Eric showed no complaints in his studies and would only ask Loid for assistance when he's struggling with a particular detail within the subject he's learning. Though lately, the last few nights, he would find his son still awake late in the evening reading and rereading his schoolbooks and writing out notes. The boy barely reacted when Loid picked him us where he promptly fell asleep in his arms before being placed in the bed.

Upon arriving at Eden, he waited outside of Professor Henderson's office.

"Dr. Forger."

Loid looked up and was relieved to see his son's teacher approach with a stack of papers in his arms.

Loid stood up, "Good morning, Housemaster Henderson. I hope I wasn't too early."

"That's quite alright, it saves us some time." Professor Henderson said as he presented the papers to the parent of his best student. Loid listened as the teacher gave him a concise explanation and summary of the topics Eric needs to learn and what homework he must turn in by then.

After placing his son's schoolwork in his briefcase, he bowed his head to the teacher. "Thank you for taking time out of your schedule for my son. I hope this little set back hasn't inconvenienced you, or the other teachers."

The older gentleman smiled, "Not at all Dr. Forger. He's a very courteous and respectful young lad. Plenty of us are happy to help him however we can. "

Loid couldn't help but smile at that. He already knew his son is well liked by the faculty due to his prodigal status. But hearing it for himself filled him with pride.

"Oh, and before you leave," Professor Henderson dug through his breast pocket and pulled out a carefully folded paper and gave it to Loid, "Becky Blackbell asked that I give this to you. It's for Eric."

Loid took the folded paper and stored it in his breast pocket. "How did she take Eric's absence?"

"Oh, as one as young as her would expect. She wasn't happy. In fact, she wanted me to not start the class until Eric arrived before I informed her about his illness." The teacher smiled with fondness, "Her worry and care for him are truly elegant."

Loid breathed out a laugh, "Eric would appreciate that. Hopefully this fever will pass quickly."

"Your boy is resilient. No doubt he will emerge from this stronger." Professor stated then glanced at the clock. "Best be off for my next class."

"Don't let me keep you. Good luck for the rest of today." Loid said as he bid him farewell.

Loid returned home without delay as he entered his home.

"Welcome home Loid." Yor greeted her husband. "Did everything go well with Eric's teacher?"

"It went splendidly. How's Eric doing?" Loid asked Yor who frowned at the question.

"Well about that..." Yor glanced at Eric's door with sadness, "...he was crying in his sleep. He kept saying 'Don't leave me.'"

This was something he did not expect. The few times he's seen his son cry was the first night he had him and Anya in his home. Eric is stoic by nature, but he's still a child who has his weak moments. Whatever Eric was dreaming about could be related to his time before their adoption.

"Loid?" Yor asked after watching her husband's contemplative expression and extended silence.

Loid schooled himself, "It's nothing. Thank you for telling me, Yor. I'll handle things from here on out. I'm sure work is expecting you."

Yor looked a little reluctant to leave their son, but earlier after Loid left, she received a call from the Shopkeeper about a pest problem. She knew Loid would be staying home from work to care for their son, so she didn't have to refuse the job. But she still felt bad for leaving Eric when he's like this. Seeing him in such a weakened state reminded her of how Yuri would sometimes get sick as a child, and she would nurse him back to health with her homemade remedies.

"You're right? Shall I pick up anything on the way back? Chocolate, maybe?" Yor asked since sickly boys deserve sweets.

Loid smiled, "Sounds perfect. Perhaps some more peanuts as well for Anya."

Yor nodded, "Alright then. Try and take it easy with the lessons. I know exams are important, but Eric needs to get better first." She advised as she picked up her bag and coat.

"Of course, though I'm sure I'm going to look forward to an unhappy Eric when he wakes." Loid sighed after remembering this morning. Honestly, this is the first little argument they ever had.

"You'll be fine, I'm sure this isn't the first time Eric has given you trouble." Yor smiled in assurance.

Loid frowned, "One of the rare moments I have with him."

Yor breathed out a small laugh, "I'll be back before six." She said before she left the apartment.

Loid breathed out another sigh as he went to his son's room, passing Bond who slept under the coffee table.

He quietly opened the door to find Eric still asleep in bed with a wet cloth across his forehead to bring down his fever. His breathing was heavy and his flushed face soon crunched up as though in pain.

Loid sat in the chair Yor once occupied and removed the cloth from his son's head to rest the back of his fingers on his skin check his temperature. As he was about to remove his fingers, Eric's hand squirmed out of the covers and latched onto his father's. This took the spy by surprise as Eric turned on his side facing Loid. He watched as his son, still holding onto the man's fingers, curled into a fetal position under the blankets, whimpered in his sleep.

"Don't go..." His grip on Loid's hand tightened, "...Please...Don't leave me...Mama."

At first, Loid thought Eric was asking for Yor, but it took him several seconds to realize it wasn't.

Eric was dreaming about his birth mother.

Loid frowned, he knew the feeling of missing his own mother, how the pain of losing the person who loved you from the very beginning hurts worse than any gunshot.

He held Eric's hand tightly, matching his grip as he too remembered the anguish of losing his parents.

"I'm not going anywhere." Loid whispered gently to his son, the same words his mother lovingly spoke to him when he was sick in bed.

A tear leaked out of Eric's eyes as he held onto his father through his dreams.

*#*

Hazy green eyes watched as the blurry image of his mother sat beside him as she stroked his blonde hair. Her long pink hair cascaded around her like a beautiful halo. But it didn't cover the hospital scrubs she wore or conceal her large round belly. She had what was known as a 'baby' in there. Eric didn't know what it was, but his mother said it will be born and will be either a little brother or little sister. While Eric wasn't sure what sister or brother meant, he hoped it was something nice and fun.

Though right now, little Eric wasn't having the time of his life as he coughed, his throat burning as he swallowed his saliva. Sitting within the four white walls of their 'room', with only a bed, a sink and shower unit, a mother and almost three-year-old child laid in bed together.

Eric was curled up on his side clutching the toy known as 'Chimera' to his chest. His mother stayed by his side as she sang to him softly in her native tongue, the soothing sound of her voice comforted him.

"Id huwts." Eric whimpered, his slowly developing speech slurred as he touched his throat.

His mother gave him a sad smile, "I know baby, you just have to let the medicine do its job. You'll feel better soon."

Eric couldn't find the words to speak without them aggravating his throat. The most he could manage was a pout.

His mother laughed softly at how cute he looks when he's disgruntled.

Suddenly, a sharp gasp left the woman's lips as she held her pregnant belly.

"Mama?" Eric rasped out when he saw his mother hunch over.

She breathed slowly then gave Eric a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Shakingly, she stood up on her feet. "I'm fine Eric, I-" The sound of something trickling onto the floor interrupted her.

"You sig too?" Eric asks as he held his mother's hand.

She took in shuddering breaths as she held her baby boy's hand tightly, "No baby, I'm not sick. Your baby brother or sis-" A groan escaped her when a wave of pain washed over her and sent her to her knees. Her hands held the blankets on the bed.

The door to their 'room' unlocked before it was pushed open. The man in glasses entered the room first followed by his colleagues. They glanced at the fluid on the floor to the woman who glared back at them while holding her belly and shakily standing protectively in front of her sick child.

"Your labor has already begun." The man in charge said with a pleased smile as he turned to his colleagues, "Take her."

Eric watched helplessly as the two monsters in white coats seized his mother by the arms and dragged her away from her baby. She screamed and fought, biting one of the doctors on the neck.

"Don' go Mama!" Eric cried as he struggled to get up, but his weak infant body couldn't leave the bed. "Don' lea' me!"

Eric wailed helplessly as the doctor coldly locked the door, leaving the sick child alone in the white room without his mother for the first time.

*#*

Eric's eyes opened to find himself back in his bedroom. He glanced at the clock and saw it was 12:26. He sat up as best as he could with his heavy body. Feeling his face, noting how hot it felt, he pulled his hand away when he realized a wetness on his cheeks.

Furiously, he rubbed the evidence of his tears off his face.

'Why did I have to dream of that day?' Eric thought as he glared at his lap.

He tensed up when he heard the door open then relaxed when he saw who it was. "Dad."

Loid held a tray with a bowl of soup in his hand. "You're finally awake."

Eric sighed as his father came into the room.

"I thought you'd be at work." Eric said when he noticed the man wearing his casual clothes for when he's at home.

"I told them I won't be in since I have to take care of you." Loid stated as he set the bed tray table in front of his son.

"You didn't have to do that. Your boss won't be happy with you." Eric frowned up at him.

Loid sat down in the chair beside the bed. "Maybe not, but they are understanding. Your health comes first." 'Since Operation Strix mainly involves you being healthy.'

Even though Eric didn't have Anya's telepathy, he could sense the direction of the spy's thoughts: mission won't succeed if son gets sick.

Eric glanced down at the broth before him and felt his stomach gurgle at the smell wafting in his nose. Picking up his spoon, he scooped up the contents and took a sip, the warm liquid soothed his throat. He repeated this action a few more times but kept frowning as he swallowed his food.

"What's wrong, does it taste bad?" Loid asked when he saw his son's disgruntled look.

Eric glanced at his father, "Soup's delicious. I'm stilled ticked at losing my perfect attendance and how I'm missing classes."

"Don't worry so much about that. Besides, I went to your school to pick up the classwork your teacher was kind enough to put together for you. Make sure you thank Professor Henderson the next time you see him." Loid said, hoping this would soothe his son's nerves.

This alleviated some of Eric's worries. "I will."

Loid remembered something, "Oh, this is from your friend, Becky." He said as he pulled out a piece of paper from his back pocket.

Eric took the paper and unfolded it, reading a message out loud, "'Hi Eric, I heard you were sick, sorry I didn't stop classes for you to arrive first. School is utterly boring without you and Anya. So, please get better soon. I was so close to hitting Damian.'" Eric breathed out a laugh when he finished.

Loid smiled, "According to your homeroom teacher, Becky didn't want class to start until you arrived."

"That's very sweet of her. Hopefully I'll be better by tomorrow." Eric said as he gently placed the note on his bedside table.

"Don't rush your recovery. You're taking tomorrow off as well. We'll make up some lost study time this weekend after you get better." Loid emphasized when Eric looked like he was going to argue.

Eric sighed, "Okay, but this whole fever deal still bites." He resumed eating his soup.

"Speaking of, were you feeling any warning signs that indicated your illness?" Loid asked, raising an eyebrow when Eric flinched.

Eric lowered his spoon, unable to meet his father's gaze. "Um, not really..."

Loid narrowed his eyes, and spoke in a warning tone, "Eric."

Eric swallowed his saliva, the movement aggravating his throat. "Yesterday...around the second half of my third to last class." He confessed very slowly.

"You mean to tell me you were sick since that afternoon?" Loid exclaimed before he could stop himself.

Eric finally looked up, "It wasn't that bad, it was just an itchy throat and blocked sinuses. I barely even noticed them."

"But you didn't think to tell your teachers or even me about your symptoms." Loid stated as he narrowed his eyes at his son. He knew the boy is accident prone, but this pushes the envelope for him.

"It wasn't that bad." Eric repeated, "I thought it would pass naturally after a good night's rest and I'll be fine."

"You were up late last night studying until midnight. I had to carry you back to bed when you passed out on your desk." Loid stated with a frown.

"I fell asleep on my desk?" Eric asked with a discomforted frown as he touched the aching part of his neck. "I didn't think extra study time would cause harm."

"Well, clearly it did." Loid sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "For someone who wants to become a doctor, it's foolish to ignore your body's needs."

"I am a doctor."

"Not yet you're not."

"Well, I shouldn't be sick." Eric looked down, "I can't get sick anymore."

Loid raises an eyebrow, "And who said that?"

"Me. Who else? Besides, doctors never catch a fever."

Loid let out another sigh, "If only that were true. Son, just because someone earns a degree in the medical field, doesn't mean they are impervious or immune to viruses. Contrary to what you believe, we're still human."

Eric clenched his jaw before he finished the rest of his soup.

Loid took the tray away and set it on the bedside table.

"The reason why you're in bed right now is due to the stress of upcoming exams." Loid stated as he kept his eyes on the empty bowl.

"I'm not stressed." Eric denied, not looking up as he clenched his hands tightly.

"Your body says otherwise." Loid sat back down and crossed one leg over the other.

Silence fell between them within the bedroom.

"Do you feel I'm pushing you too hard?" Loid asked after a while.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Eric looked up, surprised by the question.

"I enrolled you at Eden because I believe you can accomplish great things under their tutelage. Naturally, I want what any father wants for their child, to get the best grades in class." Loid stared at the ground and smiled with pride and a hint of sadness, "I always felt proud whenever you come home with a ninety and above. You prove yourself worthy of being an Eden student every day." He breathed out through his nose, "But if I'm pressuring you, then you shouldn't push yourself so hard for my sake. Not if it means putting you through this kind of pain."

Eric listened to his father speak so openly to him. It is moments like this where he forgets that Loid Forger is Twilight. Where he actually sounds like a father worrying for his son. He won't deny he does feel stressed, but not from studying alone, it's what will happen on the day of midterms that he and Anya are unable to avoid. The new moon. Once a month, for 24 hours, their powers leave them, and they are left completely vulnerable to the world. Anya won't hear thoughts while Eric won't move things without touching them. The children don't understand it, neither do the scientists. The term they came up with is Eclipsing. Fitting as it is frightening for the kids. Being outside of these walls on the new moon terrifies Eric to the point of losing sleep. They are still being hunted and the scientists know of their greatest weakness.

Eric clenched his hands tightly and turned to his father. "I do feel pressure...but not from you." He swallowed his saliva and summoned his courage to speak his mind, "It's...everything. I know what the other kids think of me and Anya, I can't read minds, but I know how they affect my sister. When she's hurting, I feel helpless, I can't hit them, because that will only prove them right." He looked down as a frown etched onto his face, "The only thing I can do for me and Anya is pretend it doesn't hurt. Bear it in silence, seethe in anger. My only outlet for that is studying. But it's not enough, and it just keeps building. I don't know how to stop feeling all that at once." He paused for a moment, "I need to pass my midterms and get another Stella Star, if only to prove my place, and keep my sister safe there." He sighed, "And hopefully get some of the pressure off."

Loid listened to his son and couldn't blame him for feeling that way. Eric's calm maturity is his greatest strength, yet holding onto all those feelings and letting them build up has taken its toll.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Loid had to ask, since he feels like he's failing as a father.

Eric answered, "I didn't want to worry you. You already have enough weight on your shoulders as well by putting me through an elite school. I didn't want to add more to it."

"Eric, that's considerate of you, but unfortunately, that's not how things are supposed to work between us." Loid sighed, "I'm your father, it's my job to worry about you. You not telling me and getting sick because of it only makes me worry even more."

Eric sighed and stared at his hands for a long time, "But being like this, they'll think I'm weak."

Loid's hand on Eric's shoulder made the boy look up at his father. "Sickness does not mean weakness. Your body just needs a moment to gather more strength so you can survive. Why would you think otherwise?"

Eric swallowed the lump in his throat as his hands gripped the sheets. "My...my mother."

Loid's eyes widened just a fraction.

"I was really sick before my third birthday." Eric began, as he recalled the blurry images of his mother, "I was taken to the doctors when it got worse. I remember them injecting needles into me. Mama never left my side for a second. But then..." Tears swam in his eyes, "...Mama went into a labor. I couldn't leave the bed when they dragged her away from me. I never saw her again after that." Tears streamed down his face as he clenched his eyes shut in a vain effort to stop them. "If I hadn't been sick, then she'd still be alive. I was all she had, and I couldn't protect her."

Strong arms wrapped around his small body, catching him by surprise as he blinked his eyes open to stare at the green sweater his father wore. His head tucked under Loid's chin and a large hand holding the back of his head.

"That wasn't your fault." Loid whispered, clenching his own jaw as he held his son tightly. "You were only a small child. There was nothing you could do."

Eric's lips trembled, "But I..."

Loid pulled away and held Eric's face between his hands and looked directly into his eyes. "Listen to me Eric, not everything is within our control. Sometimes...there's nothing we can do to stop the actions of other forces. The most we can do is prepare for it and push through." Loid said, remembering his own rotten childhood, how his innocence was destroyed when those bombs destroyed his town, how he lost his own mother.

"Don't blame yourself for your mother's death, she would never want that from her son, especially when she loves you too much for you to feel that." Loid wasn't sure who he was saying these words to, his son, or himself.

"How do you know that?" Eric's voice cracked as he stared into his father's eyes that held the same barely contained sadness he feels.

"Because...I lost my mother too." Loid said, willing himself not to cry in front of his son.

It took Eric a moment to remember that his father was once a child like him, that he was forced to suffer the loss of his own parents and be alone against the world.

Eric sniffled and leaned forward into his father's embrace and allowed himself to cry into his shirt.

Loid held him close as he rubbed his small back. "It's okay to let it out. Don't keep it all inside."

They stayed like that for a long time until all the tears finally dried.

Loid left the room for a moment then came back with a glass of water.

"Better?" Loid asked as his son drank a good sip.

"Surprisingly, yeah." Which was true for Eric, he actually does feel much better after crying for a long time.

Loid smiled softly, not minding the stains on his sweater. "Next time you feel overwhelmed by something, just come talk to me, and I'll listen."

Eric thought about it then replied, "I'll try."

Not the answer Loid preferred, but it was good enough.

"After midterms, we'll go somewhere you like."

"If I pass and get another Stella Star?" Eric asked as he stared at his father.

"No, after the effort you put into your work, you at least deserve a reward." Loid placed a hand on top of his son's head, "Whether you get a Star or not, you did your best. That's all that should matter. Just don't overdo it next time. Okay?"

Eric looked a little relieved and happy. "Sure." His smile faltered slightly as he looked a little conflicted.

"What's wrong?"

Eric's lips parted for a moment to speak, but then closed shut before he shook his head, "It's nothing."

Loid felt his son was about to say something important, but he didn't want to pry lest it makes him worse.

The telephone ringing in the living room pulled Loid's attention away from Eric. "I'll be back."

Loid stood up and left the bedroom to answer the phone.

Eric was left alone with his thoughts as he frowned while staring at his half empty glass. He didn't lie to his father the entire time they talked, not for one second. But he didn't tell him the truth either. He had just told Loid Forger, Agent Twilight, that his little sister reads minds. But he took it as a figure of speech instead. And just mere second ago, he wanted to tell his father what he truly is, what he can do. It was only for a short moment, but he wanted that weight off his shoulder, to tell him why he's scared. But he stopped himself because he feared it will destroy everything they built over the past few months. He won't deny how much he cares about his father, how the man suffered his fair share of loss and hardships but is still strong enough to rise out of hell to prevent the same from happening to others. This is what makes him feel close to the man, they're both in pain, but try so hard to bury it. What Eric fears what may happen should the truth be revealed is Loid Forger not accepting him as a son anymore. To him, that's more terrifying than the new moon. Temporary loss of power is nothing compared to losing the love of a parent for good.

Eric finished off the rest of his water and set it on the bedside table. He raised his hand and quickly called a book from a shelf which then floated to him.

Eric began to read a new chapter. But he failed to notice a crack had formed in the glass cup when he held it previously.

Chapter Text

Loid frowned as he stared at the spectacle before him.

"What is going on?" He asked after a long moment of silence as he continued to stare at his son who was flat face down like a pancake on the couch with his arms splayed at his sides. Loid had just come home from work to find his eldest child like this.

"Big brother's throwing a tantrum." Anya explained as father and daughter watched Honey Ninja leap onto the couch and perch herself on Eric's back.

"That's a tantrum?" Loid asked incredulously.

"This is Eric." Anya stated with a shrug.

"Hm. Fair point."

Yor appeared with a cup of Eric's favorite tea and set it on the coffee table. "Eric, why not tell us what has you so upset. We can help you."

Eric didn't respond vocally with his face still buried in the cushions, but his right hand fell from his side to open the book bag that laid on the ground. He reached inside and pulled a couple pieces of paper and held them in the air.

Yor took the papers scanned it, blinking a couple times.

"I don't get it." Yor said as she passed the papers to Loid who had the same reaction when he saw what was written.

"That's a very bad grade." Anya said as she watched their parents.

"It's 85%." Loid deadpanned, "How is this a bad grade?"

"How should I know? I'm 4 1/2." Anya stated before she turned to Eric and marched over to him. "You still passed big brother. It's not the end of the world. Right Papa?"

"She's right Eric, there's no need to get upset over this." Loid agreed with his daughter as he looked at his son's test scores. 'This is the furthest from the end of the world honestly.'

"85...is the lowest I've got in Eden." Eric's voice muffled in the cushion as Honey Ninja curled into his back. "It was supposed to be 90 and above."

"That's what upsets you?" Yor asked as Anya patted Eric's head.

Eric turned his head to stare at the coffee table with a moping expression. "It's because I missed two days of school that my results plummeted."

"So, it's 5% lower than what you normally get. You're still smart." Loid stated to his son who struggled to sit up.

"Dad, my midterms are in two weeks. That score is a bad sign. A really bad sign." Eric emphasized as he locked eyes with his father. "The exams are twice as hard than those tests you're holding. Do the math, if I got an 85 on an average test, how low do you think the results of my exams will be?" He asked in mild exasperation as he stressed over the results.

"Son, you're overreacting." Loid bluntly said as he glanced at the papers.

Eric grumbled quietly with a frown.

Anya patted her brother on the back, "Papa's right. You'll still make it."

Loid placed the test results down as Eric took the teacup and blew on it before taking a sip. His face still somber and filled with worry as he stared off into space.

Yor then had an idea, "You know, the other day I asked Yuri if he was interested in tutoring Eric sometime. He seemed pretty open to the idea."

"Would he really?" Eric asked as he looked up at his mother.

Yor nodded, "Of course, if you're worried about your grades slipping, I can give him a call."

"I can finally meet my Unkie." Anya said excitedly.

Eric turned to his father, "Would it be alright if he came over tomorrow?" He asked since it will be a weekend.

Loid contemplated the pros and cons. Yuri is an intelligent young man and having an extra tutor will double the chances of Eric's scores and put their minds at ease. On the other hand, he needs to be extra careful with the SSS police within their home. But there's this saying that is most beneficial to any spy, 'keep your friends close, enemies even closer.'

"I don't see why not." Loid shrugged, "This would also give us the chance to get to know your uncle even more."

"Yay, I get to meet Unkie!" Anya threw her hands up in the air.

The next day early afternoon, the door slammed open.

"Hey, I'm here! Little bro to the rescue!" Yuri cheerfully announced as he entered the Forger residence.

The Forger clan stood in order, Yor, Eric, Loid, Anya, Bond and Honey Ninja.

"Thank you so much for coming." Yor said, wearing her trademark red sweater.

"Long time no see Yuri." Loid greeted as his right hand stayed Eric's shoulder.

Yuri frowned upon seeing Loid. 'Hmph, why's he here? He can work on the weekends too.'

Anya held the fabric of her father's pants as she stood between him and Bond.

'Oh yeah, how could I forget how much this guy hates our father's guts?' Eric thought to himself then glanced at Anya. 'We'll play checkers after he goes home.'

Anya turned to her brother and smiled before looking up at their uncle.

"Yuri, allow me to introduce the youngest and final member of the family, Anya Forger." Yor introduced her younger brother to her daughter.

Yuri looked down at his sister's adopted daughter. 'So that's his daughter, huh? She looks nothing like her father and brother. Except for the eyes, the siblings have the same eye color.'

Anya greeted her uncle, "I am Papa's only daughter, Anya. Much pleased to meet you." 'Secret police-osa-force are scary.'

Yuri stared at Anya for a long time, until Anya had a look of discomfort and looked away.

"I think I got a case of heartburn. Hup." Anya walked away to lay down after receiving a high dosage of Yuri's thoughts.

Apparently, Yuri's mind was filled with Yor. So much so that it gave Anya heartburn.

Eric watched his sister walk away. 'Okay, maybe I don't wanna know what's in his head.'

The Forgers, plus Yuri, sat around the coffee table where Yor poured tea for everyone. The Briar siblings sat on the couch while Loid sat across from them on the red ottoman with Anya in her little pink chair to her father's right and Eric to the left in the black chair.

From Eric's vantage point, he can easily observe his father and uncle's interaction and pick up subtle hints on whether or not Yuri is aware of Loid's identity. While Eric listened to the two men carry a cordial conversation regarding the Minister's visit, he noticed how excited Anya looked as she picked up on both men's thoughts.

'I'm gonna go off on a limb here and say Uncle Yuri has no clue about Dad being Twilight.' Eric thought to himself, taking Anya's 'subtle' hint.

"Ahem, Uncle Yuri, thank you for coming by on such short notice. Also, I apologize if this request has inconvenienced you." Eric said setting his cup down as he spoke in a polite and cordial tone.

Yuri smiled at the boy, "Hey, it's no problem if it came from Sis' here. She also told me how your grades are beginning to slip. If you don't mind, may I have a look?"

Eric quickly pulled out the quiz papers and handed them to Yuri. When Yuri saw the score, his facial expression became exactly like his sister's. "Eh, is he serious?"

"It's 5% lower than what he usually gets. Eric is worried about it being a bad sign due to midterms coming up." Loid explained as he glanced at Eric who looked ashamed of his scores. "If you can help him with his studies, it may put his mind at ease."

'Mine too!' Anya added in her head considering how Eric's worrisome thoughts are stressing her out as well.

"That's right, I am ready to begin my lesson sir." Eric said with his back straight.

"Rather than be in anyone's way, perhaps I should go out shopping." Loid announced as he stood up from his seat and walked away with a smile while adding to himself, 'Gives me time to take another mission.'

Anya watched her father walk away with an expression similar to being forbidden from watching her favorite shows. 'What about Papa vs. Unkie?!'

Thus, Yuri and Eric went down to studying with Yor observing and Anya drawing with her crayons.

Yuri checked Eric's work with a look of shock. "You got all of them right." 'And these are some hard questions I handed him.'

"Are you sure? Did I miss anything important?" Eric asked, looking slightly anxious.

Yuri flipped through the pages, checking for even the smallest detail. "No, you're all good here on Biology. Let's move on to Classical Languages, shall we?"

Eric nodded, "Yes sir."

Uncle and nephew spent the next thirty minutes going over the next subject. Somewhere along the way, Anya started snoring on her drawing with a snot bubble on her face.

"Oh, Anya." Eric sighed at his sister. He didn't mind her showing him support by being here for study time, but he wished she wouldn't fall asleep on top of the table. It's bad for her neck and posture.

"I got her." Yor said as she gently picked up Anya and carried her to the little girl's bedroom for her afternoon nap.

Eric watched his mother and sister leave with a soft look in his eyes. "She's really good with Anya."

"Your sister's a hyperactive chihuahua." Yuri noted, recalling how the smaller sibling kept bouncing in her seat.

Eric breathed out a laugh, "Won't argue there. But she's a sweetheart. She deserves a good life." He added as he continued his studies.

"You really love her that much." Yuri stated as he watched Eric's concentrated look.

"I do." Eric sighed through his nose, "It's why I need to work extra hard for these midterms. If I can make it to the top twenty in at least one of them, I'll get my second Stella Star. I'll be one step closer to becoming an Imperial Scholar and go to the best medical schools in the country. I'll make a good living, so Anya won't have to struggle as hard. I'll also take care of my parents and keep them in good health for as long as I can." His eyelids lowered slightly, "They work so hard to keep us safe and take care of us. The least I can do is do the same for them."

Yuri lowered his notebook and pencil then rested his elbows on his knees. "Is that why you freaked out over an 85?"

Eric sighed through his nose and nodded, "Yeah. It sounds stupid to have a meltdown over a grade. The kids at that school look down on me and Anya because we're not like them. I hate how helpless I am to stop them from whispering behind our backs. If I can score the highest on this exam, get that Star, it would be a win for us. It would prove them wrong."

Yuri placed a firm hand on Eric's shoulder, making the boy look up at his uncle.

"And you will. Sis' and I were never rich growing up, but we got by just fine. She's the reason why I'm here today, not just as your tutor, but as a man." Yuri said in a firm and encouraging tone, "Once you get that Stella Star, you give me a call alright?"

Eric's face mimicked his uncle's then nodded, "Yeah." He faced his work again with more determination and drive, "Let's do this."

Uncle and nephew resumed their study session with vigor until they collapsed in exhaustion when they finished by midafternoon.

"I think...my brain is fried." Eric said from his spot on the ground, staring up at the ceiling as steam literally came off his head.

"Good, it means I did my job right." Yuri responded, he was dead tired, but if the kid gets a Stella, it'll totally be worth it.

Anya appeared between them and raised both of their limp hands in the air. "Victory!" Anya declared as Loid entered the apartment with a bag full of groceries.

Loid blinked at the sight of his son and brother-in-law on the ground. "Oh, are you finished?"

"Yeah, welcome home." Eric said, not moving from his spot as Anya used his arm to wave at their father.

Yuri got up and gathered his things. "Well, my work here is done. He's all yours now Loidy." Yuri said as he passed the man and walked out of the open doorway then shut it.

Eric finally found the strength to stand up and approach his father with Anya in tow. Yor stared at the door with a tray of her special baked cookies.

"Yuri seems quite happy." She glanced down at her tray, "And I made way too many cookies for us."

Father, son and daughter simultaneously tensed up at the mention of her creations.

Then, by a miracle, Yuri slammed the door open and zipped over to his sister and devoured ALL the cookies and left the apartment.

"SO GOOD! BLEARGHUE!"

Eric shivered and held his stomach at the very unpleasant sound of vomiting. 'He is proof that humanity can survive anything.'

"Yep." Anya said in agreement before the family stood there for a moment before Yor returned to the kitchen to make more cookies.

"Let's play checkers." Anya pulled Eric to her bedroom with the cat and dog trailing after them.

Loid went over to the coffee table and picked up the workbook and flipped it open. He smiled, his confidence in his son never ceased even when the boy was under the assumption of failing.

In Anya's room, the two siblings sat on the carpeted floor with their respective pets beside them. Music came from the radio. The boardgame lay between them as they played while debriefing each other.

'So, Uncle Yuri is unaware of Dad's identity.' Eric thought to Anya while using his telekinesis to move a black checker piece forward. He sat with his legs crossed beneath him and his fingers woven together between his legs as though meditating.

Anya shook her head then moved her white piece. With their father just beyond that wall, they can't take any chances even with the music on.

'What about Mom? Does he know?' His piece became trapped between his sister's.

Anya shook her head, her piece hopped over his before taking it for herself.

'Does Mom know about Uncle Yuri?' Eric's floated up and flew over one of hers before he added it to his pile.

Anya shook her head again.

"Hm." 'The Briar siblings are unaware of each other's true profession. Mom took care of him all her life. Yuri was still a child when they lost their parents. Mom became an assassin as a means to provide for him. But she never told him, and Yuri never suspected anything. And vice-versa.'

Anya nodded, making Eric sigh. 'This complicates things. Yuri Briar, SSS Officer, one who hunts spies and traitors of Ostania. He's Twilight's enemy, and a threat to Operation: Strix. Crossing him off would be easy, but he's our mother's brother.'

At Anya's wide eyes, Eric raised a hand to calm her down, 'Relax, it was just a passing thought.'

Eric lowered his hand and began to reflect on this new piece of information. 'Yuri's secret is the only one Dad knows about. This can work in our favor.'

Anya tilted her head in question.

'While Dad focuses on Uncle Yuri, he won't notice our secret.' It will serve as another distraction for Twilight and WISE.

"You will pass the big test. I know you will." Anya stated out loud.

Eric smiled lightly, "I sincerely hope so. It would be an insult to Uncle if I fail."

Anya won another black piece from her brother. "New moon that day." She reminded him as she held up the dark checker as though it was the new moon itself.

Eric frowned and nodded, 'Yes, I'm worried too. But don't worry. Mom will pick you up at your school. Since you're not a full-timer yet, you don't have to take the exams. You'll be safe with her.'

Anya nodded as the siblings enjoyed their game.

Two weeks later, the midterm exams arrived.

Eric stepped off the bus with a look of determination on his face. This is the day he waited and dreaded for. Gone are his powers, he is at his most vulnerable state, but he cannot look weak. He can't lose at these exams.

Eric felt a chill go down his spine. Someone's watching him. Someone bad. He slowly glanced behind him to see if someone outside the school was tailing him. His green eyes caught sight of a suspicious looking person glued to the side of one of the buildings across the street. He had dark shaggy hair that reached his neck with a stubble on his chin. He wore a straw hat with a black ribbon on his head and was dressed in a black jacket and pants.

Eric clenched his jaw and tensed up, how he wishes he can call upon his power. 'Did the scientists send him? Of course they did, they are the only ones who know what today means for me and Anya.'

Eric turned away from the entrance and speed walked into the school grounds. He entered the office building and requested one of the staff members if he could make a quick phone call.

Holding the speaker to his ear, he tapped his foot nervously until the call went through.

"Hello, Forger Residence."

Eric let out a shuddering sigh of relief when he heard his father's voice.

"Hi, Dad, it's me."

"Eric, is everything okay? Did you forget something at home?"

"No, I'm alright...I hope so at least. I am still nervous about the exams." Eric spoke honestly to his father.

"I understand. Just know that no matter what happens, you did your best, that's all that matters."

Eric smiled, "Thanks Dad. Um, before I hang up, there's something I need to tell you. Just don't call me crazy, okay?" The young boy asked as he glanced out the window, searching for that suspicious character.

"What's wrong?"

"There was this strange looking man across the street from the school entrance watching the kids. Honestly, I felt a little scared... I'm still scared. I don't know what to do now." Eric said, feeling more vulnerable now more than ever. He hates the new moon so much, he can't stand feeling helpless and weak.

"What did he look like?" A deadly tone entered Loid's tone.

"Um, dark hair, stubble on the chin, dark clothes, and a straw hat with a black ribbon around it. I didn't get a good look at his eyes though. I'm sorry."

"It's okay son, it's enough for me.  Hang up the call and get back to class , your exam will start soon."

Eric smiled, "Thanks Dad, I'll try not to let you down. Oh, and one more thing, be careful at work today." He hung up the phone and gave it back to the receptionist.

Though Eric still felt afraid of the stalker outside the school, he knew he can trust his father to keep him safe the best way he can. As Twilight.

Loid put the phone back in its receiver as a deathly look overtook his face. Someone's hunting his son. A threat to his children, is a direct threat to world peace. With clenched fists, he marched away to get his gear.

Eric sat among the many students the way he did at the entrance exam. It all feels so nostalgic, being surrounded by hopeful applicants who struggled to find the answers. While he, a boy of six, was and is still carrying a very important mission to help his father. After two weeks of intense studying, Eric feels confident enough to pass midterms. However, that strange man outside their school made him feel extremely uneasy. Right now, he's more worried about someone spying on Anya, waiting for the right moment to snatch her.

"You nervous?" Becky asked, sitting right next to him.

Eric swallowed his saliva, "A little." He sighed, "To be honest, I'm really scared about today."

Becky took his hand in hers, making the boy turn to her in question. She gave him a kind and reassuring smile. "You'll be fine. We got this together."

Though the fear never left Eric, he gave a smile that melted Becky's heart. "In case anything happens today, thank you for being my friend." He said as he squeezed her hand back.

"We're taking an exam, not going to war." Becky said as she patted his hand to comfort him. Honestly, her Eric can be so silly sometimes.

'Feels like one though.' Eric gave a discomforted look as he stared down at the exam paper that was currently face-down.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. Everyone sat straight at attention as Professor Henderson stood in front of the entire First Year student body.

"Boys and girls, we will now begin your first-year midterm exams." Their teacher announced, "I wish you all the best of luck and be elegant in your endeavors."

'Now or never.' Eric took a deep breath, steeling himself as he forced that fear back in a box.

"And... begin!"

Everyone flipped over their papers and began their exams.

Eric immediately went into study-mode, eyes glued on the paper as he answered every question and solved every problem he came across. His mind and body completely focused on the test.

Eric groaned as he trudged out of the room, rubbing his neck and shoulders. After four and a half hours, the midterm exams are finally over.

"Stiff." Eric grunted as he straightened his elbow. How did he not realize how stuck his arm was while writing in that position?

"I feel like my soul is drained." Becky whined, looking mentally and physically exhausted after four hours of testing.

"Check my pulse, I think I'm dead." Eric said as he touched the veins on his wrist but felt numb in his fingertips.

"I'm glad it's over." Becky sighed in relief.

"It's not over until we see the results. Which won't be until next week." Eric stated as he clenched and unclenched his hand repeatedly to get feeling back.

Eric was so focused on his discomfort; he didn't notice what was happening behind him as an incompetent spy snuck between the buildings while being followed by an expert spy in disguise.

Eric and Becky waited at the entrance for the Blackbell limousine to pull up.

"You sure you don't want us to drive you back home?" Becky offered since the bus won't be around for another two hours.

"No, I think I'll hang out at the library for a bit." Eric responded as he politely turned her down.

"More studying? We just finished the exams." Becky exclaimed in exasperation.

"More like find a book and read for fun." Eric said with a light smile on his normally stoic face. One of the perks about the new moon, he can freely express his emotions without fear of blowing up a building.

"So, I guess I should come back a little later then?"

Eric and Becky turned in surprise to see Loid Forger walking towards them with an easy smile.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Eric asked in surprise, his father never picks him up from school.

"I got off work a little early today and decided to come get you. Considering today is a half-day for the exams, I figured, why not?" Loid said as he ruffled his son's hair.

Eric smiled in relief upon seeing his father. He then turned to his best friend, "Becky, you remember my father?"

Becky blushed at the sight of father and son, there's no doubt in her mind that Eric will look just as handsome as the adult in front of her. "Yes, it's good to see you again Dr. Forger."

Loid tilted his hat up slightly, "You as well Ms. Blackbell. Thank you for watching over Eric for me."

Becky smiled, "It's been my pleasure."

The sound of a horn honking got their attention. "There's my ride. I'll see you next week Eric. It's nice meeting you again Dr. Forger." Becky jogged over to her family car and entered the backseat before they pulled away.

Father and son watched the vehicle disappear down the street.

"Let's be off then." Loid said as he held his hand out to his son.

"Sure." Eric said as his smaller hand slipped in-between the man's fingers before they walked away from the school.

"Rough day?" Loid asked as he noted how tired Eric looks.

Eric groaned, "My neck hurts, my fingers hurt, and I kept forgetting to blink." He released a long sigh, "Hard part's over. Now I have to worry about the finals."

"Which won't be in four months. You've got plenty of time." Loid assured him even though his mission relies on the boy being a straight A student.

"What about you? Was this day bad on you as well?" Eric had to ask since he can't help but worry about that stranger from this morning.

Loid sighed, "Well, to tell you the truth, I skipped work today to confront that man you told me about."

Eric raised an eyebrow, "You did? What did he want?"

Loid released an exasperated laugh, "Apparently the guy had some kind of mental illness and believed himself to be the top spy of the nation. He thought he could infiltrate the school, but luckily, I got to him just in time before he did any damage." Loid technically wasn't lying, most of it is true, though he did have to omit the part where the delusional fool who called himself Daybreak had already snuck in and tried to change the answers on the Desmond brothers' exams. Turns out, his son was never the target, just someone who held a grudge against the Desmond family and hired someone to sabotage the test scores.

Eric sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. Um, what happened to the guy?"

"I sent him on his merry way to the hospital." Loid lied; Daybreak merely left the vault, not even bothering to check if his mission succeeded. What a moron.

"In a body cast or a straitjacket?"

Loid chuckled, "None, I just referred him to a colleague of mine, and he left. I already got a call telling me he arrived." In other words, he had spies watch the idiot while he went to pick his son up.

"That's good. I hope." Eric face is filled with relief, "Thanks for taking care of that."

"It was nothing. Though you could've informed school security instead of calling me." Loid stated, since this is the first time Eric ever had to use the school phone to contact him.

"Why when you're the first one I think about when I feel I'm in danger." Eric stated, looking up at his father.

Loid was surprised by how easy his son said that. The boy basically told him he's the only person he trusts to protect him. His oldest child, so reserved, mature and tries so hard to be independent, learned to rely on his father to protect him. Today pretty much proved the lengths Loid went to assure his son's well-being and safety.

"Well, if something like this does happen again, find one of the teachers." Loid advised the boy.

"Okay, inform the teachers first, then call you." Eric nodded as Loid sighed. It was as close as he's going to get.

"When we get home, I'll make your favorite pasta. You've earned it."

"Thank you." Eric perked up at the mention of pasta.

The day after the exams became a weekend where the Forgers went to the park Anya and Loid visited last time. With the new moon gone until next month, Anya and Eric got their powers back. The little mind reader asked her father what he did yesterday, and while Loid told her the same well fabricated lie as he did with Eric, his mind remembered every embarrassing detail regarding that sad excuse for a spy. Poor Anya had to keep herself from laughing until they made it to the park where she pulled her brother to the tunnels of the playground.

"What? You mean to tell me I worried over nothing?" Eric hisses quietly while crouched inside the plastic tunnels. Anya just informed him about Daybreak and what he attempted to do after the exams.

"It wasn't for nothing. Bondman stopped the dumb bad guy from stealing the clues to the mission." Anya shook her head as she stared at the previously stressed boy.

Eric facepalmed himself and dragged his hand across his face, "I got worked up over a buffoon." He groaned after he quickly pieced together the code Anya spoke in. 'Bondman' as Twilight, 'dumb guy' as Daybreak, and 'clues' to test scores. It frightens him how well he can understand his spy-aspiring sister.

"Well Bondman still saved the day." Anya stated as she exited the tunnels and made a bee line towards the swirling slides.

Eric sighed as he followed her out and watched his sister squeal on her way down the slide. 'I don't know what's worse, that the moron got past security to change a kid's answers, or that I was dumb enough to think that guy was working for the scientists.' He shook his head as he held his hand out to Anya and pointed to the swings.

Anya followed her brother and frowned upon picking up on his thoughts. She too is worried about being found by those people as well, especially during the moonless nights.

Eric picked her up and helped her onto one end of the teeter totter swing before mounting onto the other side. The siblings went back and forth, kicking their legs in motion while Eric used his power to help them along.

Eric began a conversation, "What do you think will happen on next week's episode of Spy Wars?" 'While we're on the subject, did Daybreak tell Twilight who hired him?'

Anya answered, "They didn't say."

Eric sighed as they kept going back and forth, "Well, whatever happens next, hopefully Bondman's allies don't get caught in the crossfire." 'Whoever the Desmonds pissed off will surely make a comeback and finish the job that imbecile they hired couldn't accomplish. To change a kid's answers is pretty low.'

"I'm sure nothing bad will happen." Anya assured her brother as the wind blew through her hair as they swung, "And don't worry about the test scores, I know you'll win a Stella Star."

"Yeah, hopefully." Eric responded in his usual deadpanned voice.

"No, you are getting it." Anya asserted and winked at Eric.

Eric was silent for a moment then realized, "Oh really?" 'Wait, did Dad take a look at my answers too?'

Anya nodded in confirmation, "Really."

Eric laughed under his breath as brother and sister went back and forth.

Yor and Loid observed their children playing.

"They are such good friends." Yor smiled and silently gushed at the heartwarming sight.

Loid couldn't help but agree with his wife, "They certainly are. Though it's hard to tell what their talking about."

Five days after the midterms exams, the results were finally posted in the courtyard.

Eric stood between his sister and Becky, his eyes were closed as he took a deep breath and looked up at the results.

Damian, Ewen and Emile stood together anxiously as they scanned the long list of names. "Lord Damian's rank is..." Ewen muttered until he found it, "There it is 11th overall! You got 94 in History and placed second in our grade!"

"You got a Stella! Brilliant Lord Damian!" Emile praised their leader.

Damian stared at the results in shock before a smile broke out over his face. One Stella Star, this will make his father proud of him. His eyes scanned the results further down until he found a name in the third-place mark. A grin crawled onto his face as he turned to his rival, "Well will you look at that Forger, you're 22nd rank behind me." He smugly mocked Eric, feeling superior after months of being beaten by him.

Eric's green eyes never left the board. "You got your first Stella. Congratulations." He said, not even phased or bothered by Damian's boast. "I admit, History is not my best subject, but I do enjoy it. Math was quite difficult for me." Eric stated when he saw himself in 25th place in Math.

Becky was a bit disappointed to be rank 46, but then her eyes widened when she sees the top scores on Classical Languages. "Eric, look up there." Becky pointed, making Eric and Anya follow her finger. Unfortunately, Damian and his lackeys followed her line of sight, and their stomachs dropped.

"WHAT? FIRST PLACE IN CLASSICAL LANGUAGE, ERIC FORGER?!" Damian screamed in disbelief and anger.

"Then...that means..." Emile could hardly speak.

"Forger got a second Stella." Ewen finished, shaking from head to toe.

Eric let out a breath of relief as he placed a hand over his chest, "So it would seem."

"Um, big brother," Anya tugged on his sleeve as she pointed at Biology, smiling up at him as he and the others followed her finger.

Eric's eyes widened, "Rank 5th in Biology." He whispered upon seeing his name right next to that number which can only mean-

"You're in the first-place group. You got another Stella." Anya stated as she smiled at her brother's shocked expression.

"TWO STELLA STARS? ARE YOU JOKING!" Damian exclaimed in outrage before he turned back to the board, "I gotta be up there too!" He said as he frantically searched for his name in the first or second lines, but it was only in History he placed second.

Eric stared up at the board completely frozen and unblinking as he felt his heart kick into overtime.

"Congratulations Eric, you've got three Stars in total!" Becky exclaimed to the petrified Eric.

Damian was red in the face with anger when he couldn't find his name anywhere else for an additional Stella. "There's gotta be a mistake, there's no way someone like you could get that many Stars in one sitting." Damian accused his rival who hardly reacted to his exclamation. This served to anger him even more. "Hey, Forger, are you listening to me?"

Eric stood still for a moment then tilted backwards as though in slow motion.

THUD!

"Gyah, what just happened?!" Becky exclaimed in fright when Eric suddenly fell onto the ground.

Anya knelt beside him and checked his breathing. "He fainted."

"Huh?" Becky and Damian said at the same time.

Professor Henderson, who was silently observing his students from a distance stepped forth and knelt beside the boy. "Hm, I suppose getting two Stella Stars overwhelmed him with so much joy and relief that he fell asleep." He stated as he checked Eric's forehead, noting how normal it felt. "That is to be expected, he worked tirelessly and with elegance." He then smiled at the unconscious lad, "Well done, Eric Forger."

Chapter Text

The school bell rang throughout the campus and beyond as the students of Cecil Hall swept up the fallen leaves that littered the campus grounds.

"Everything feels so calm and peaceful after those midterms." Becky sighed as she swept the leaves into the dustpan Anya was holding.

"It's a nice reprieve after weeks of mental preparation and exhaustion." Eric added as he held the large plastic bag full of leaves and debris.

"Mmhm, and Papa's peaceful since Eric got two Stella Stars." Anya said as she remembered how their father practically glowed with pride upon hearing how his son scored top marks in two subjects.

"You know, I only met your father twice. What's he like exactly?" Becky asked as Anya dumped the leaves into the bag Eric held open.

"Papa's super cool, fast, he flies, and he takes down super evil villains." Anya boasted about Loid with a proud smile.

"Is that right?" Becky smiled at how the girl exaggerates about Dr. Forger.

'Well, she's not wrong.' Eric hummed, "He's also quite strict, a bit of a perfectionist, worry wart, overly cautious, over-protective and can easily misunderstand things."

Loid sneezed as he worked on paperwork at his cover-job at the hospital.

"Who's talking about me?"

"So, all-in-all, he's a really cool dad." Eric shrugged as Becky stared at him with her mouth gaping at the boy's description.

Becky sighed as she leaned on her broom, "I feel you. I guess it can be very rough when your parents' expectations are so high."

Eric hummed, "You don't even know the half of it." 'Especially when those expectations involve world peace. Pretty tall order.'

"Yep." Anya nodded in agreement with her brother's thoughts.

"Desmond style:" All three looked up in time to see Damian take his broom and turn really fast. "Rolling Sweep!" Damian's 'special' move kicked up a bunch of dust and dirt that got in their faces and produced coughing fits.

Damian stood in the middle of the courtyard with the broom perched on his shoulder and a smirk on his face. The cloud of dirt and dust surrounding him.

Of course, his lap dogs praised him as usual. "Way to sweep away the trash Boss Man." Emile said before Ewen added, "You're really cleaning things up around here."

Eric blinked away the dirt from his eyes while Becky coughed, and Anya sneezed. He turned to glare at Damian in mild annoyance then turned to the trees whose leaves are barely hanging on to. Staring at the leaves, he made a motion with his hand, disguising it as brushing the dirt off his shoulder.

Damian stood superior among the girls who praised him when suddenly, 'wind' blew through him before some leaves and dirt hit him in the face, one leaf made it into his laughing mouth. He gagged, dropping the broom as he spat the leaf out.

Eric turned away to hide a smirk as he listened to Damian spit the taste of nature out.

Anya glanced at her brother trying to act innocent for that little prank. Though the leaf trick gave them a little more work, it's totally worth it.

Becky laughed at Damian once her coughs subsided, "Serves him right, even Mother Nature knows he's a jerk."

"She's also got a sense of humor." Anya added as Eric turned to face his friend and sister.

Eric controlled his facial features, "Indeed she does."

"Hey, uh, Eric Forger?"

Eric, Becky, and Anya turned to face a girl who is in their class. She had a bob cut hairstyle and was clutching the broom she was holding while looking down shyly. "Um, congratulations on getting two Stella Stars. You're the first person in our grade to get two at once in such a short time."

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say." Eric said, giving the girl a small yet friendly smile on his stoic face. "Personally, I was expecting just one."

The girl blushed at his smile, "So, I, uh, I was hoping to ask if you'd help me study for my next Classical Language quiz." She asked, finding her courage to ask the handsome genius to help her and spend some quality time together.

Eric was about to respond when another girl appeared looking disgruntled, "Hold on, I want to have a study session with him too!"

The bob-cut girl turned to glare at the newcomer, "I asked him first, wait your turn!"

Then more girls gathered.

"Hold on, that's not fair, I sit behind him in class, it should be me!"

"I wanna go first!"

Eric stared at them, feeling clueless and helpless as the girls argued with each other.

"Ladies, I'm sure we can arrange something-"

Becky sighed and grabbed his shoulder, "Forget it Eric, it's a lost cause." She said as she and Anya gently ushered him away from the angry groupies.

"This is the third time it's happened, one girl asks for my help, then ten of them suddenly appear. And not all of them are in our class. I feel bad about not giving them a straight answer." Eric said to Becky and Anya in confusion.

"Well, considering you're at the top of Classical Language, they really want to have you as their tutor." Becky stated with a deadpanned look as she glanced behind her at the rabid fangirls who don't realize their Eric is gone.

"Perhaps I can schedule a group study session in the library if they're having trouble with that subject." Eric suggested as he held his chin with a thoughtful look.

"That's not gonna work out too well." Anya said sharing a look with Becky who immediately had an image in her head where Eric is trying to show a massive group of female students the basics in Classical Language, but none are even attempting to listen while they shove each other to sit next to him.

"How so?"

Becky and Anya sighed in disbelief, "Oh, Eric." Yeah, this boy is hopeless.

'I hate him!'

Anya gasped softly when she picked up on the thoughts of a boy who passed them. She looked around left and right to pinpoint those thoughts.

'I will never forgive you Desmond! I'll hate you for as long as I live!'

Anya turned to where Damian and company stood as a young boy with a triangle-shaped head and short black hair held a dustpan as he approached Damian with a dark expression.

"I brought you a dustpan Damian."

"Great, thanks." Damian said when the kid approached him, but barely acknowledged.

"Who is that guy there?" Anya asked as she pointed at the kid near Damian.

"Hm," Becky followed Anya's finger, "that's George Glooman. He's one of our classmates."

"'Glooman.' Huh, where have I heard that name before?" Eric hummed as he tried to remember, it felt familiar.

Anya picked up on Glooman's thoughts.

'I don't understand. How'd he get a Stella?!' George Glooman clenched his teeth as he glared hatefully at Damian. 'How did my plan fail?! I mean I specifically had my butler hire a master spy to change all his test answers, so he'd fail them!' He thought to himself as he remembered giving his butler three months' worth of allowance to hire a spy to do the job.

Anya's face filled with shock, 'One of our classmates is a real spy boss? That must've been the guy our Papa out-spied.'

Anya took her brother's hand and began to draw out a message into his palm.

GLOOMAN DAYBREAK

Eric's eyes widened slightly as he stared at the boy. 'He's the one who hired that sad excuse for a spy?'

Anya wrote 'YES' into his palm.

'Hmph, somehow that actually makes sense.' Eric deadpanned as he watched the boy, 'Still, what did Damian do to this kid to make him want vengeance?' Eric thought about that question for a moment then sighed, 'What am I saying? It's Damian, of course he pisses people off.'

Anya turned to Becky, "Hey, I'm curious about the other guy, what's his deal?"

This question caught Becky by surprise before a coy smile replaced it. "Oh wow, I guess you're just boy crazy in general. Aren't you Anya?"

"Over my rotting carcass." Eric interjected upon hearing those words.

Becky waved off Eric's concerns, "Oh relax Eric, I wouldn't bother with him. He's...Gloomy." She said as she turned to watch Damian and his friends leave Glooman.

"That's not just a nick name, is it?" Eric rhetorically asked as he sensed something about to happen.

'I can't give up already.' Glooman vowed as he reached inside his uniform, 'I'll find a way to get him expelled!'

Anya's face filled with shock, 'HE'S TRYING TO GET SY-ON BOY KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL?' She then frantically drew letters into Eric's palm.

Eric stared at his sister in confusion as he tried to follow what she was trying to communicate through their hands.

GLOOM EXPE DAMON

Eric's eyes widened then turned just in time to see Glooman throw something onto the ground behind Damian.

'This should do the trick!' Glooman grinned as he put his plan into action. "Hold on," He spoke aloud as he crouched behind Damian to pick up the object, "looks like... a cigarette butt."

Damian, Emile and Ewen turned to look at Glooman.

"Wow Damian, I thought you knew better." Glooman stood up, still holding the cigarette butt he 'found'.

"Huh, I never smoked in my entire life." Damian stated as he approached Glooman with the broom still on his shoulder,

"Professor! Can you please come here?" Glooman called to the teacher supervising the cleanup.

"Hey, stop it, would you, it isn't mine!" Damian protested as he touched Glooman's shoulder to stop him.

But then the boy did something unexpected, he punched himself in the face and fell away from Damian.

"What's the matter with you?" Damian asked as he and his lackeys stared at Glooman in confusion.

Eric sighed as he, Anya and Becky witnessed this display. "Now I see."

The professor approached them with a stern and questionable expression. "Explain yourselves."

Glooman put on a pitiful act, "I found a cigarette butt and when I tried to tell you, Damian ran up and sucker punched me!"

Damian exclaimed, "What?"

"Is this true?" The professor questioned the second son of the Desmond family, "If you've done what young master Glooman claims, you're in serious trouble!"

"Lord Damian would never sucker punch somebody sir!" Emile immediately came to his defense.

"That George Glooman is a filthy liar!" Ewen added as he pointed a finger at Glooman who smirked in victory.

The professor didn't buy it. "You two are his little flunkies, so I can't trust your version of this."

"They're telling the truth sir." Eric said as he Becky and Anya walked side-by-side as they approached them.

"That's right." Anya stood in between Damian and Glooman with a firm stance and strong look to her usually innocent face. "Sy-on Boy wouldn't do that. I saw the whole thing." She said as she gave Glooman a direct look, "That boy threw himself down."

Glooman lost his smugness and began to panic.

"We saw it too." Becky added as she linked her arm with Eric's as they stood beside Anya.

Eric nodded, "All three of us can vouch for Desmond." His green eyes caught Glooman's, "As for the cigarette, he pulled it out of his uniform and just dumped it behind Desmond."

Glooman gulped at the glare he received from the blonde boy. He witnessed Eric during the dodgeball game and how demonic he became during art class that day. Commoner or not, Glooman's smart enough not to mess with this kid.

"Also, Desmond is hopelessly incapable of throwing a proper punch without injuring himself." Eric's blunt comment caused Damian to glare at him.

"Excuse me?"

"And there's the fact that I don't smell smoke coming out of his mouth."

"Really? You can tell?" Becky asked curiously.

"Trust me, we thought our dad quit smoking, but he only smokes when we're not around." Eric then had a discomforted look as he inched away from Damian. "I know the difference between bad breath and smoke breath, and Desi's mouth stinks too much to ever touch a cigarette." He raised a hand to wave off the offending smell.

"Hey!" Damian was red in the face with anger at that insult.

The professor heard enough and decided to let this one go. "Stop this horseplay and leave me be. You've got cleaning to do. Honestly." He walked away from the group.

Damian turned to Anya in confusion after he calmed down from Eric's insult. "Why'd you...?" He tried to ask, but could not get the words out. 'Why did you help me?'

Anya kept her back to Damian and smirked to herself, "Hmph, like we'd let you expelled while I'm watching."

Damian blushed at Anya's declaration.

"By the way," Eric turned to face Damian, "you're welcome."

The red-faced Damian glared at the siblings plus friend. "No one asked you to help me, I could have handled that on my own." He sulked as he crossed his arms. He can't believe Eric vouched for him the way he did.

Eric shrugged, "Yes, you could've. But I wanted to get this done quickly and avoid further drama. Plus, panic is not a good look for you."

"I wasn't panicking!" Damian denied, "Besides, this wasn't any of your business."

"He's right, why did you have to get in the way?" Glooman stood up and glared at Eric and his friends.

"Hmph. Simple, if Desi gets expelled, I'll never get the satisfaction of becoming Imperial Scholar before him." Eric stated as though it was the most basic truth in the world.

"That's actually a pretty good reason." Becky nodded with a hint of pride for Eric.

"And cool too." Anya added.

Eric then turned his attention to Glooman, "As for you, hand it over." He held out his hand expectantly.

"Huh?"

Eric loomed in closer to his face with wide frightening eyes that made Glooman lean back in fear.

"The cigarette. Do not make me ask again." Eric 'gently' requested Glooman who trembled before he shakily dropped the cigarette butt into Eric's hand.

Eric's face reverted back to calm as he dropped the piece of garbage into the plastic bag to join the leaves.

"Okay, he's yours now." Eric said to Damian and took a step back since this matter is between Desmond and Glooman.

"Wait, what?" Glooman realized too late as he tried to make a quick escape, only to be grabbed by a very angry Damian.

"Hold on, I got a problem with you too!" Damian began as he fisted his hands in Glooman's uniform and glared angrily into the boy's tear-filled eyes. "Who do you think you are, and why do you want to get me in trouble?"

Glooman began to cry, "Because...it's all over! My whole life is over!"

"Huh?" Damian's anger vanished as he witnessed the boy blubber.

Damian, Eric, Anya, Becky, Ewen, and Emile brought Glooman to a shaded part of the tree where he explained his situation.

"Your family's company went bankrupt?" Damian asked as Glooman laid his hand on the tree and bowed his head.

"That's right. Today officially." Glooman clarified.

"Well, sorry to hear that I guess." Damian said with a look of confusion, "But all of that has nothing to do with me."

"Glooman..." Eric placed his fist into the cradle of his palm, "Hang on, is your family perhaps the owner of Glooman Pharmaceuticals?" Eric asked the boy when he finally remembered where he heard that name.

"Not anymore. It was Desmond's family's company, they pushed us over the edge." Glooman said, growling slightly as he kept his back to the two groups.

Ewen held his chin as he recalled something, "Yes, that's right. I remember hearing something about the Desmond Group and Glooman Pharmeceuticals on the news recently."

Eric hummed as he remembered seeing that particular information on the news as well. "Now I see, that's why you went after Desi, this is all to get back at his family." 'Can't say I didn't see this coming down the line, given who his father is and how many enemies he acquired during his business and political careers.'

A leaf landed on Glooman's shoulder as he clenched his hands tightly. "I thought that if you failed the exams and got expelled from school altogether, then maybe your family would be too freaked out to bother crushing us."

Damian looked offended by that statement. "Crushing you? That is not the way my family does business. Understand? Besides, it's not like I'm the one who's making all those decisions."

"He's right, you better leave him out of this." Becky said in defense of her classmate. Even if the kid's a jerk, it's still low to make a kid pay for the actions of their parents.

"I second that. I'd be sad if he's gone because of you." Anya said, making Damian blush and turn away slightly so she doesn't see his face.

Eric nodded and crossed his arms, "Even if you did get him expelled, it would not change your family's situation. The reason I understand, but it's not worth it."

Glooman turned to Eric and Damian, "I suppose you have a point. But still," He looked down then turned away again, "I'm going to be forced to drop out of this school all because of these adults."

"Wait, you're dropping out?" Damain asked in surprise.

"If I can't stop the company from going bankrupt, my family will lose it. We'll be flat broke afterwards, and that means I won't be able to keep going here." Glooman explained as the wind blew through their clothes.

Eric tool a step forward, "Did your father tell you?"

Glooman stared at the ground sadly, "He didn't have to, I overheard him talking to his subordinate. Father didn't know how to tell me in person, but I could hear the devastation in his voice." He then turned to face Eric and Damian, "To be honest, I actually envy you two, Damian's a popular kid from a prominent family, and Eric's the strong and resilient type who's always looking out for the kids here as the class medic. It's no wonder you got those Stella Stars and how all the girls like you." He added with a look of bitterness.

"That's not true Glooman, Desi and I got those Stars because we worked really hard to earn them. As for girls liking me in particular, that is also untrue. Daughters of rich men do not like sons of psychiatrists." Eric added as though it's the simplest fact in the world.

Damian turned to Becky and Anya and whispered quietly, "Does he seriously not know?" He asked incredulously as he pointed at Eric.

Anya whispered back, "No, he can be a real big dummy at times."

Becky nodded and sighed, 'Oh Eric, if only you knew.'

"Forger's right though, Lord Damian got his Stella because he deserved it, not because of his family." Emile exclaimed, defending their boss.

"That's true, maybe you'd be popular too if you weren't such a gloomy loser! That's the reason why nobody likes you!" Ewen chimed in as he pointed at Glooman.

Those hurtful words struck Glooman to the core. More than that, Damian didn't appreciate his lackeys saying such things. Eric, Becky and Anya shared the same look as Damian.

"Come on." Damian muttered in disbelief at them.

"His flunkies are jerks too." Anya commented beside Becky.

"Wow, talk about rubbing salt in the wounds." Eric commented, unable to believe the audacity of these two.

Unfortunately, Glooman pretty much reached his breaking point and began to cry. "Just shut up all of you! No can understand the kind of stuff I'm going through! My dream was to spend the next ten years of my life at this amazing school. But that won't happen now, so that means my dreams are over!"

The six kids could watch silently as Glooman had his emotional breakdown.

Next thing they knew, Glooman began running around the tree collecting fallen leaves and putting them in his garbage bag, then tossing some of them out. "If I'm dropping out after this, why am I even bothering cleaning up this stupid courtyard!" He blubbered, "But I guess it's kinda poetic in a way, isn't it? Garbage like me deserves to take care of the other garbage!"

"Listen, nobody thinks that about you, okay? So calm down." Damian tried to pacify the sobbing mess that is Glooman.

Glooman fell to one knee, unable to handle the weight of his situation. "Why me? Why does the world hate me?"

"Cheer up, it's not that bad." Damian didn't believe in his own words as they watched Glooman cry. "How about I buy you some juice or something?"

Glooman growled and faced him.

"Um, guess that won't really help. Sorry." Damian said when he realized what he just said.

"It was a nice attempt though." Eric said under his breath as they all watched Glooman with the same discomforted expressions.

Glooman stood up with his back to them. "I would love a drink right now." His voice cracked when he spoke. "It'll help... since today is going to be my last day of school. I should accept it while I still can."

Emile turned to Damian, "So, should I grab something?"

"Uh, yeah, sure."

...

Glooman sipped his apple juice box then released his straw with a pop. "Thank you, I feel a tiny bit better." He said, sounding less sad after that bout of crying.

"That's good." Damian said with a blank face.

The wind blew through the trees as Glooman looked up at the smoke billowing out of one of the chimneys of the cafeteria building.

"Although, I never got to order the deluxe caviar bowl. I always wanted to get that from the cafeteria." Glooman said with a somber expression. "Now, it's just going to be another one of those regrets that eats away at my soul for the rest of my life."

Everyone stared at the boy with furrowed brows and looks of mild irritation.

Glooman sat in the cafeteria eating his last meal at Eden with a look of pure bliss on his face.

Damian stood behind him looking so done with life.

Eric, Anya and Becky sat at the same table trying to enjoy their lunch. Then the kid began to talk about how he wished he got a Stella Star and how couldn't get one because of how worried he was about his family's company.

"I'm starting to regret not minding my own business." Eric frowned as he stabbed his fork into his fruit salad.

In the courtyard, Glooman spun as he was now in the circle of his classmates.

"...and what I like next-"

Emile finally had enough and spoke everyone's thoughts, "Listen up kid, you're pressing your luck!"

Eric nodded as he held his sister's hand, he was on the precipice of unleashing his dark side on this kid for all his guilt tripping demands and just scare the living piss out of him. 'For once, I'm actually grateful to Bucktooth.' Eric thought to himself as he took a deep breath to calm his irritation.

Glooman lowered his head, "Around this time next month my family probably won't have a Dalc to our name. Before you know it, I'm pretty sure I'll get trafficked into Westalis and end up sold on the black market. I'll spend the rest of my being someone's sad little slave." He said as tears peaked at his eyes. "Woe is me."

'Yeah, they won't buy you even for a very cheap cost.' Eric deadpanned at the dramatics of this kid.

"Can I at least enjoy these last few moments of happiness before a lifetime of sorrow?" Glooman's voice cracked, "Or am I so worthless I don't deserve that too?"

A small hand patted him on the shoulder, making him turn around to see little Anya give him a kind and assuring smile. "Don't worry, the West isn't such a bad place."

'Papa and his boss lady are both nice.'

"She's right," Eric said as he stepped forward patted his little sister's head affectionately. "If they have kids who have dreams just like you, then it's no different."

Eric let out a long sigh then locked eyes with Glooman, "You love your family, don't you?"

Glooman nodded, "Yes."

"I bet they love you just as much, your father especially. I can tell the reason why he couldn't tell you is because he never wanted you to worry or think bad of him." Eric stepped closer and placed a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder, "Right now, he needs you to be strong for him, because that will keep him going. No matter what happens, try and be there for him and show him your support."

"How do I do that?" Glooman said as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

The corner of Eric's mouth quirked up, "Well, for my mom, I made her a tomato rose to cheer her up because she loves flowers. I believe a bouquet of flowers would be perfect." He said as he gave Glooman a firm squeeze then took a step back beside his sister.

Glooman stared at Eric, his little sister, then at all his classmates as his vision blurred with tears once again. He felt touched by their kindness and compassionate words. Wiping at his eyes with a sniffle, Glooman spoke again, "Can I please just ask for one more thing? I was really looking forward to the choral performance at the end of the school year. That was my chance to connect to you all through song." He shut his eyes tight to stop his tears, "No, never mind. I'm asking too much."

Eric blinked at him then turned to Becky with a soft smile, a silent message spoken between them. Becky returned the smile as she took a deep breath began to sing the first notes to the song. A moment later, Damian joined in and began to dance. Emile and Ewen clapped their arms on either side of Glooman like comrades. Soon, everyone sang together, even Eric as he twirled his smiling sister and Becky. The students of Cecil Hall no longer felt like separate bodies, they were one spirit. This act of kindness brought a smile to Glooman's face as he cherished this moment with his fellow classmates.

At the end of the school day, Glooman was officially ready to leave his school, but he was stopped by Damian who gifted him his stationary. Soon, the Cecil Hall students gave Glooman their going away presents, even Anya who offered him a leaf she found on the road. Eric gave him a handmade gift, an origami camellia flower to symbolize perseverance.

Glooman walked away with a grateful smile as everyone yelled their goodbyes to him.

Eric silently waved at the departing student the turned to Damian, "I'm impressed Desmond, I never imagined you'd go out of your way for someone who tried to get you kicked out." He said as the students dispersed.

Damian scoffed with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his lips. "He already has it rough, no need to kick a man while he's down. Besides, even though I wasn't involved, I still felt responsible for his pain." He added with a hint of guilt he tried to hide.

The corner of Eric's mouth quirked up, "The weight of your family name is heavier than we thought. A child should not be blamed for the actions of their parent."

Damian looked down from his spot on the staircase, "Yeah." He took a deep breath and exhaled then turned to Eric, "Listen, I-well-" He sighed, "Thanks for the help earlier. I really did think I was a goner." Damian said as his mind reeled back to that moment when the professor looked ready to expel him on the spot for a false crime.

Eric breathed out a small laugh and leaned back on the stone rails, "I did it for me. Remember what I said, I can't beat you if you're not here to lose in our contest."

Damian gave Eric a challenging smirk, "You don't have all the Stellas just yet Forger. There's more than one way to get a Star."

Eric's small smile widened with its own challenge. "I'd be disappointed if you're not putting enough effort." He chuckled under his breath, "I already have a sport I'm quite interested in."

"Oh, yeah, what is it?" Damian asked, curious what kind of sport this accident-prone boy will get into.

"I'll let you know later." Eric pushed away from the rails to join Anya and Becky who were half-way toward the school entrance as they gave him and Damian some privacy. "Until then, I wish you good fortune in our next battle." He waved behind him as he walked further away from his rival.

Damian stared at Eric's retreating back then turned away towards his dorm. He smirked, for once, he didn't feel irritated by the commoner who basically one ups on him in their rivalry. Despite the various insults traded between them, Eric was willing to take his side when the occasion called for it, and it did. It felt nice when he had his back, and while he loathed to admit it, he does owe Forger for the help.

Bond yawned loudly while Honey Ninja stretched her long body.

"...and then he walked away." Anya finished the story of George Glooman's last day at Eden.

"Such a beautiful story." Yor said in awe at her children and their classmates.

"It was quite an eventful day." Eric stated from his spot beside Yor with Loid in the armchair diagonal from them.

"Yes, indeed." Loid face became serious, "Although, Glooman Pharmaceuticals isn't going bankrupt, they just got bought out."

"Hm?" Eric blinked twice, "Wait, then that means..."

"Gloomy won't go away?" Anya asked their father.

"...That George is gonna have a really hard time tomorrow." Eric finished with a sigh, "Poor kid."

As Eric predicted, George Glooman returned the next day completely red in the face with embarrassment. He was sweating under the scrutiny of his fellow classmates and other students from their grade.

"In his defense, he didn't get the whole story from his father." Eric deadpanned as he and Becky glanced at the still embarrassed Glooman that morning. Eric just finished explaining Glooman's family's business situation.

"Are you kidding me, and after all that?" Becky whispered as she glared at the kid.

Damian, who sat a row behind them leaned over and seethed, "You mean to tell me the idiot put us through that for nothing?" His face was red in anger and disbelief.

Eric turned to Damian and his lackeys, "He's six years old, it's easy for kids that age to misconstrue information like that. None of us knew either." He calmly explained to his classmates, "Let's try and cut him some slack, he's already stewing in his own embarrassment."

"Yeah, right. I'm getting my stuff back." Damian gritted his teeth as he glared holes into Glooman's head.

"Me too." Becky seconded that notion with arms crossed.

Eric's shoulder's slumped, "Can't say I didn't try."

Chapter Text

Loid Forger, otherwise known as Agent Twilight, entered the office of Sylvia Sherwood, the Fullmetal Lady, and Twilight's Handler.

Twilight closed the door behind him as he approached his boss' desk.

"Good afternoon, or rather good evening, nice to see you Twilight." This has been her usual greeting to her best agent. But instead of that smile she wears when saying that sentence, it was replaced with foreboding and repressed anger. This is going to be one of those bad days for Twilight.

"Hello Handler, is everything well?" Twilight asked as he stood before his boss.

Sylvia closed her eyes and sighed through her nose, "Unfortunately, no. Do you remember Project Apple?"

"Do you remember the dog and cat I got?" Twilight fired back as he took a seat before her desk.

"Those animal experiments were just branched off of another scientific research development called 'Rebirth.'" Sylvia's frown deepened, "Only they didn't use animals...they used children."

"Children?" Twilight growled as something twinged inside him, an instinct that made even the most peaceful humans dangerous. What kind of sick and twisted organization sanctioned such experiments on little kids?

"Yes, some of them since birth." Sylvia tapped her fingernail on the desk, "About a year ago, there was a fire at one of their facilities, the test subjects weren't there, only the bodies of the scientists...well, most of them anyway."

"Most?"

"We were able to track down one of the scientists. Dr. Tobias Eldrich." She pushed a file towards her agent, "His new name, Ivan Jones."

Twilight opened the file and was met with two photographs, one taken years ago of a portly man with a double chin, bushy eyebrows and a lab coat, and the most recent candid shot of a man who appeared a few pounds light but still maintained a round belly, a beard covered his exhausted face as he hefted a fishing net onto his boat.

"Your orders, Handler?" Twilight asked as he memorized the contents, where Tobias lives, where he works, who he hangs out with, where he drinks, the hours he sleeps, etc.

"We want him brought in for questioning. Since our agents could not find the subjects, he's our best lead. If they succeeded in creating something, we want to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands." Handler gave Twilight her instructions with a hardened look upon her face.

"Understood." Twilight said as he placed the file back down and left the office to fulfill his mission.

Twilight took the train to the coast where Tobias is currently hiding. He wasn't sure how long this mission will take, before he met up with Handler, he informed his family and told them he'll be attending a conference, so he won't be home until later the next day. A perfect cover befitting a spy such as him.

Twilight found Tobias tirelessly working at the docks as he passed barrels of fish from his boat, wiping the sweat off his forehead after he finished. Tobias appeared much older compared to his previous photo as a scientist. Though that much can be expected given what he's doing and how long it's been since that picture was taken. There was also the look of hollowness on the man's face, as if the years drained the life right out of him, whether it was from working as a fisherman or the horror of what happened at the facility. Did he witness the destruction firsthand and survive, or was he too late to see his research literally go up in flames?

Twilight watched Tobias as he went about his day like any ordinary man, his work at the docks, where he left for lunch, the places he walked around, and the bar he frequents for a good hour before he leaves for home. It was late evening when the time for extraction began. Twilight and his team snuck into the apartment building where Tobias lives in. It was a bit run down, thankfully the man had no immediate neighbors or close friends to report him missing.

Twilight entered the apartment, listening to the leaking faucet and catching the smell of mold within the unclean confines of the home. There's hardly any furniture, like no one ever lived here. Venturing further into the apartment, he inched closer to the bedroom door that was cracked open and listened for the sound of breathing. But it was quiet, too quiet.

Silently, he pushed the door wider with his foot and looked inside.

Twilight lowered his gun and signaled for his team to enter. They all stood frozen at the sight of the fresh corpse currently hanging from the ceiling fan with a rope tied around his neck.

"Boss is not gonna like this." One of the agents stated as they explored the bedroom.

Twilight suppressed a growl of frustration; they needed this guy alive for information. You can't get secrets from someone who's dead. He looked around and saw some things on the man's desk, a framed diploma from the University of Ostania with a degree in biology, a picture from when he served in the army, and books on evolution. But what caught his eye was an open letter from the hospital. He picked it up and read the contents, his brows furrowed when he got to one word.

"Chemotherapy. He was diagnosed with cancer." Twilight said as one of the agents approached him.

"It wasn't working for him, so he chose a different way out." He said to Twilight then glanced at the body. "Poor bastard. Now we've got nothing."

"I wouldn't say nothing." Another agent said, he was older and with plenty of field experience as he knelt beside an air vent that had a very loose screw.

Twilight approached his colleague who unscrewed the bolt and opened the grate. They looked inside and found what appeared to be an old worn journal.

Twilight reached inside and carefully flipped open the journal, his blue eyes widened as he scanned its contents.

June 3, XXXX

I officially began my first day at the research facility. Years passed since the end of the war, but it still feels like yesterday. My family is gone, and my home was destroyed. But even though it ended, I can still continue the fight for the next generation, a new, stronger, and more evolved generation. I have to admit, I never felt this excited since I graduated top of my field in medicine and biology. I came just in time to meet test subject 006. He turned three just four months ago, and his mental state and cognitive development are far more advanced than normal toddlers. However, due to the forceful separation from his mother, Subject 006 has never given anyone a verbal response even when they speak to him. The scientists who spoke of him say he is the key to achieving true peace to our nation. I look forward to watching how he grows. This child does not yet realize what he's doing for our country.

The handwriting seemed rushed, as though he couldn't write fast enough.

October 26, XXXX

During one of his sessions, as I wrote down my observations, I witnessed 006 move one of the letter blocks without touching them. He raised his hand and made the block levitate off the ground. They did it, they actually did it. The first human with the ability to move objects with their mind has been created. This kind of breakthrough is only the first step towards peace. I'm still over the moon with this incredible discovery. It's just hard to find the right words to describe this moment. The next step towards evolution.

November 8, XXXX

Subject 006's powers are gradually getting stronger. But recently, we discovered a weakness we did not anticipate. His power disables during the new moon phases. We don't know why or how this is even possible, but the head scientists called it Eclipsing. For twenty-four hours on moonless days and nights, he is truly helpless and vulnerable. This poses a problem in the future.

January 11, XXXX

Subject 006 escaped his room, his sudden absence sent the guards into a frenzy. Luckily, he didn't leave the facility, instead, he went into another test subjects' room. Subject 007, female, still in its infancy. Surveillance cameras showed 006 playing with 007. It was quite an adorable sight, watching a toddler cradle a baby. The doctors separated the kids, but 007 began screaming nonstop for nearly six hours before the baby was carried into 006's room. She stopped crying almost immediately when 006 held her in his arms and began to rock her. Their eyes met each other's, and I swear these two were having some kind of conversation. For the first time since I worked here, I saw 006 smile.

February 16, XXXX

Subjects 006 and 007 have just turned four and one, apparently their birthdays are three years and a week apart. Not only that, but 006 has been talking, quite frequently, might I add. But he only speaks to 007, not to us. He keeps saying 007 is two years old. He's a bit of an oddball, he genuinely believes nine months in a woman's womb counts as a year old.

April 2, XXXX

Lately the kid gives us the stink eye and silent treatment. While what we're doing may seem harsh and unethical, this is all for the greater good. We couldn't win the last war, but this child will help us win all wars. This child is able to withstand the drugs and experiments better than the others. Very soon, we'll begin 007's treatments.

The words on the page look shaky and almost hard to read.

April 10, XXXX

We've begun Subject 007's treatment a little later than intended. We had a bit of a setback. Subject 006 lashed out at the lab assistants who attempted to carry 007 out of the shared room. One of them died instantly from a twisted neck while the other's arm was bent backwards at the elbow. I can still remember the crunching sound his bones made when they snapped backwards. He went into shock and died two hours later. Subject 006 remained hostile for three more days before we flooded his room with gas to knock him unconscious, it was the safest way to get 007 away from him.

The next part in the handwriting on this date appears sloppy.

August 4, XXXX

I know I haven't written in months. It's very difficult to write anything when a telekinetic brat snaps your fingers backwards at the joints. So, I was on leave for months. The gas we used to make the kid sleep doesn't affect him anymore. When I tried to pick up 007 from the child's arms, his eyes snapped open, and he pretty much crippled me. I was pissed, and I was ready to stomp my foot on the little shit's head for what he's done. But the head scientists stopped me and dragged me out of the room. They fixed me up, but they suspended me from the research until my hands fully heal.

September 3, XXXX

More than a year has passed since I first started at this job. I keep my distance from 006 and 007. They've grown much bigger in my absence, but 006 is still hostile. They had to administer a much higher dosage of relaxants to keep him calm during his separation from 007. That's more than a grown human male can handle. These two subjects refer to each other as brother and sister.

February 24, XXXX

Subject 007 has officially began her studies. However, she refuses to cooperate unless she has her brother with her. Though she's slower than 006 at that age, she's still learning. Sometimes we had to coax her into making an effort is by taking away her toys and drawings. The only times we did that are during 006's absence when we keep him asleep. His aggression has yet to decrease.

May 23, XXXX

Thus far, 007 has not shown any signs of telekinesis as of yet. If she doesn't develop a power by her fourth birthday, we'll have no choice but to terminate her. Lately, she's been staring at her brother for a long time with an odd expression, as though waiting for something.

The pages on this section are covered in blood spots.

July 28, XXXX

We didn't see it coming. We couldn't have known. How could we...before it was too late? One moment, the head scientist gave us the order to evacuate the facility and erase all traces of the experimentations due to an information leak. I've already burned all the evidence related to the experiments before we transfer the subjects to separate facilities. That was our biggest mistake. A fire broke out somewhere in Sector 9 and killed the researchers. We tried to put out the fire, but it already spread quickly. Everyone began screaming, but not from the flames, their bodies were lifted from the ground...clawing at their necks before they were twisted and ripped apart and tossed aside like toys. The only one I knew who is capable of such a feet is none other than Subject 006. The building collapsed on us, the others who were smart enough to run already left the facility. I tried to escape, but my leg got trapped under some of the wreckage. Fire was all around me, as though we've entered hell. Then he stood before me, Subject 006, he was glaring down at me with eyes that were no longer human. I was so terrified, something I haven't felt during the war. He raised his hand towards me, he was ready to kill me like he did with the others. But Subject 007 stopped him. His eyes turned to his sister before he faced me again. He lifted the wreckage off my legs. The last words he said to me was, "Get out." Then he and 007 walked away from the carnage they left behind. Me, I ran as fast as I could with this busted leg until I made it back home. I never dared search for those children, and I sure as hell don't want my old superiors to find me either. They'll silence me to keep their secret.

The second to last page of the journal entry had the drawing of a child's silhouette reaching towards the reader with flames surrounding him, though a face couldn't be made out, the eyes seem to glow eerily from the paper.

What we created was not the next step towards evolution or a solution to end all wars, but a monster that can decimate an entire country. With this final entry, to whoever finds this journal, you must find a way to kill Subject 006 before he reaches adulthood. If he can destroy a facility at five years old, there's no telling what he can do when he grows up. For the sake of this country and its citizens, you must destroy this monster.

Sylvia closed the journal the moment she finished reading. For a long time, her eyes never left the book's leather cover.

Twilight sat across in front of her desk, his expression unreadable, but inside, he stewed in anger and hate. How he wished he could kill Tobias himself. Even if the man wasn't in charge, the fact that he actively took part in those experiments is enough reason to kill him again.

"So, they did succeed." Sylvia said with the same amount of rage she's trying to keep suppressed.

"Indeed."

"Subjects 006 and 007...no names, no face...no way to trace them." Sylvia sighed in frustration as she removed her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose. "They never bothered to give these kids identities. Bastards."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "What these children went through, it's no wonder one of them with immense power can decimate an entire research building."

"And at five years old. What he can do with that ability when he's older..." Sylvia put her glasses back on, "...Subject 006 is still out there."

Twilight stared at his boss with a hard look. "Handler, he's still a child."

Sylvia noted the warning within his tone. "I know, and this happened a year ago. We need to find him and his sister before those scientists."

Twilight narrowed his eyes, "That seems unlikely given the very little information we have on them. How do you find someone who doesn't exist?"

"How did we find you?" Sylvia retorts with a smirk.

Twilight frowned, remembering all too well how he was practically blackmailed into joining the organization after the loss of his friends.

Sylvia let out a breath, "We'll take our time with this one. He will reveal himself in time. An animal only attacks when it's driven into a corner."

"And then what? Do you plan on killing them?" Twilight asked since he's not fond of letting children die.

Sylvia frowned, "I don't want to resort to that since they're still kids. From what Tobias wrote down, I don't think the little sister developed an ability. When we find Subject 006, I want him brought in and under our protection. We'll train him ourselves."

Twilight's hands clench tightly, straining the leather of his gloves, "You want to turn a child into a weapon?"

Sylvia retorts, "Better to make him into a shield than let those scientists turn him into a bomb."

Twilight could not find the words to say to that. He can't stomach the idea of a little kid who's known nothing but pain and isolation his whole life only to become nothing more than a weapon.

"I know you don't like it, I don't either. But if we find him, he can help us track down those monsters. If they're still alive, then who's to say they won't continue their project on other children." Sylvia rationalized as she sympathized with the agent. Fatherhood has made Twilight extremely hostile towards anyone who harms little kids.

Twilight grits his teeth then sighs through his nose.

Sylvia knew she won this argument. "You're dismissed Agent Twilight."

Twilight stood up and placed his hat on his head. "Have a good evening, Handler." He said as he left the office to return to his family.

Sylvia stared at the journal still on her desk and stood up, carrying the book with her towards one of the vaults. She opened a cabinet and dumped the book inside then closed it then locked it for good measure before she labeled that cabinet 'Subject 006'.

Loid Forger entered his apartment and was greeted by the usual sight of Yor washing the dishes and Anya watching her cartoons. When he noticed the absence of one boy, he deduced he's still studying in his room.

Anya turned upon hearing her father enter the apartment. "Papa's home." She stood up and jogged to Loid and hugged his leg.

Loid smiled as all the negative thoughts and feelings he endured the entire day vanished when that small body latched onto him. "Sorry to make you wait." He said as he patted his daughter's head.

Anya looked up at him upon sensing something hidden within his thoughts.

"What's wrong?" Loid asked upon seeing Anya's curious and worried expression.

"Papa had a bad day." Anya stated, still latched onto his leg.

Loid was surprised by her ever perceptiveness before he gave her his best reassuring smile. "I'm alright Anya." 'I seriously need to keep my negative feeling away from her. Little kids can sense these kinds of things.'

Anya frowned up at him before she raised her arms up.

Loid sighed through his nose at her silent request before he picked her up and carried her under one arm while he held his briefcase in the other.

Anya took his hat off and patted his blonde hair. "It's okay now Papa."

Loid blushed a little before he carried his daughter towards the coat rack. Anya placed the white hat onto one of the hooks before he gently set her back down onto her feet.

"Welcome back." Yor greeted as she placed the last dish in the dry rack.

"Thank you, do you need help in the kitchen?" Loid offered as he removed his coat and placed it beside his hat.

"No, I'm pretty much done. Would you like some tea?" Yor said as she prepared two mugs.

"I'd love that actually." Loid said before he went over to the couch and slumped into the cushions.

"Is your brother in bed already?" Loid asked Anya who sat beside him on the couch.

"The second he finished his homework; he knocked out on the coffee table. Mama carried him to bed." Anya summarized with a smile.

"Hm, that's a bit unusual." Loid stated since Eric is already finished with exams and doesn't need to worry that much for a while.

"Well," Anya looked down, "he was a bit stressed about something."

"What is it?"

Yor came over with the tea.

"Eric has something to ask you, but he's too shy to say anything." Yor answered for Anya.

"Mmhm, since he got two Stellas, you have yet to reward him." Anya reminded her father how Eric has not been rewarded anything for his efforts.

"I see, and what does he want in particular?" Loid asked as he too wanted to give his son something to commemorate his achievement.

Anya grinned as she leaned up to whisper in his ear.

Loid listened intently; his face filled with intrigue before Anya leaned away with a wide smile.

"Is that all?" Loid asked his wife who laughed under her breath and nodded.

"They offer free trial lessons on the first day." Yor added with a mirthful smile.

"It's not a bad sport to take on." Loid held his chin thoughtfully, 'And he does need an outlet given the stress he was previously under.'

"Can we all go? Please Papa?" Anya asked pleadingly as she gave him her best puppy eyes.

Loid sighed then relented, "This weekend should be okay. But let's make it a surprise for your brother."

Anya cheered as she bounced on the couch.

Eric sneezed in his sleep.

Chapter Text

The Forger Family walked together as a unit towards the place they wanted to surprise Eric with.

"So, where are we going?" Eric asked curiously as he held his little sister's hand.

Anya smirked up at Eric, "It's a surprise."

Eric frowned, "You know I don't like surprises."

"You'll like this one." Yor assured her son as she held Anya's other hand.

After walking for ten more minutes, they arrived at their destination. "Here we are." Loid announced as he held the door open to the building for his family to enter first then followed after.

Eric and Anya looked around at the interior they haven't seen before. It was large and wide with high ceilings. But what caught their attention were the activities going on in the wide-open space that can put a gymnasium. On one side of the room was a wall dedicated to rock climbing as children, teens and adults scaled the fake rocks. On another side there's an area of balance beams, padded floors, and gymnastic bars. The last one was mainly made up of rows of rough matted floors each with a pair of white clad and metal mesh masks covering their entire head and faces. In their hands were fencing swords, deflecting and parrying each other as the sound thin steel clashing together echoed in the massive room among the cacophony of noise.

Eric's eyes widened as he watched the sparring matches. "This is..."

Loid laid a hand on his son's shoulder and smiled, "Your sister told me what sport you wanted to try."

Eric turned to his sister who gave him a smug smile and said, "You're welcome."

Eric let out a disbelieving laugh then looked up at his father, "Is this really okay? I mean, lessons aren't free."

Yor answered for Loid, "They offer a free trial lesson for those who are interested in the sport. If this doesn't work for you, we can try something else."

One of the instructors, a man in his forties with a lined face and gray hair approached the Forgers. He wore the standard fencing gear and looked quite fit for his age.

"How may I help you?" He greeted with a friendly smile.

Loid removed his white hat and answered, "Hello, my name is Loid Forger, we spoke on the phone a few days ago about a free trial lesson for my son."

"Ah, yes, Eric if I'm not mistaken." The instructor said as he glanced down at the boy who stood at attention. "My name is Gustav Wellers, I'm the senior fencing instructor."

Eric bowed his head in respect, "It's nice to meet you sir. I look forward to our lesson. I'll try not to disappoint you."

Gustav chuckled under his breath at the boy's greeting. "Quite a polite one you have there. Let's see your arms."

Eric raised his head and held his arms out before the older gentlemen knelt to his height and got a good look at his limbs, squeezing the muscles and humming. "You're a bit on the skinny side, but I can tell you've used these muscles to throw a few punches." Gustav noted when he felt the tiny muscles flex under his hands.

"My sister and I also take a bit of self-defense training. You never know when you'll need it." Eric explained as he glanced at Yor who beamed with pride in her children.

"Hahaha! Already a fighter. That's good. Only we won't use our fists here." Gustav states as he stands up and points his thumb behind him, "As you can see, fencing requires three things, accuracy, speed, and brains. You are quick on your feet, right?"

"Considering how fast my sister is, I pretty much pushed myself to keep up with her." Eric deadpanned and nodded.

Anya grinned with pride.

"Well, let's get you some gear." Gustav nodded and led the boy to the rack where all the fencing gears are hung up. After a while, Eric was equipped in fencing attire as he held a fencing sword with one hand and tucked the mask under his arm.

Anya's eyes sparkled, "Big brother looks like a knight!"

Gustav laughed, "He looks like one, but can he fight like one?"

Eric had a look of determination on his face as he stood before his teacher, "I am ready Mr. Wellers. Teach me the way of the sword."

Gustav grinned, he liked the boy's spirit, he looked like a fresh young squire. "Alright, first lesson is stance and footwork."

The Forgers sat on one of the benches and watched as Eric followed Gustav's instructions. Though he was clumsy at first, minor adjustments to his stance and arm techniques helped him. Soon, he began to feel more confident as he repeated the maneuvers.

Anya watched with rapt fascination then glanced at her parents. The look of pride on their faces as they watched their prodigy son learn the art of fencing. Anya wants her parents to see her in the same light too, not just as the younger sister. She wants to take up sword lessons as well, but she wants to stand out with her own skills without copying her brother.

The sound of feet hitting the mat made the youngest Forger turn to the gymnastics area, her eyes wide with wonder as she watched humans literally fly, flip, and twirl through the air. It reminded her of how her Mama and Papa move when they are in action, but this was done with more elegance than violence.

Without her parents noticing, she snuck off to one part of gymnastics floor and saw girls her age doing handstands against these mats built at angles to rest their back against while on their hands. She watched as one girl, with the help of her instructor, vaulted forward, planting her hands onto the handprints and swinging her legs into the air until her back met the padded wall. The instructor gently held her feet as the little girl practiced her balance, holding the position for ten seconds before she tilted back onto her feet.

Anya watched many of them repeat this move, instilling it in her mind before a look of determination steeled over her face. Kicking off her socks and shoes, she marched to one of the vertical mats and stared at the handprints on the floor. Thankfully she wore shorts today. Remembering the bodily movements of the smaller gymnasts, she pushed her hands forwards, planting them onto the marks and vaulted her body towards the mat with all the energy within her tiny body. She grunted as she threw her feet up into the air as she held her weight with just her hands. She felt successful when the back of her heels touched the vertical mat. However, that victory was short-lived when she felt herself tilting sideways.

Hands caught her ankle and held it in its proper place.

"Don't just rely on your hands, you need strength in your center to maintain your balance." Yor instructed from above Anya as she smiled.

"Hi, Mama." Anya greeted before she was gently guided back onto her feet.

Anya flexed her fingers before she repeated the move with a resounding 'hup'.

Yor stood by as she helped her daughter achieve her balance at beginner's level. Her hands ready to catch her should she fall.

"Mama, I'm doing it!" Anya excitedly said with a bright smile.

Yor felt a hint of pride at how Anya has taken to performing a handstand.

After a few more seconds, Anya returned to her feet, shakingly putting on a pose she saw the other gymnasts doing.

"Nicely executed." One of the instructors said as they approached the mother and daughter. She was silently watching the newcomer trying to do that handstand and was dually impressed by the small accomplishment.

Yor turned to the young woman who carried a friendly and warm presence around her. "Oh, sorry for coming here uninvited. My daughter wandered away from us by the fencing mat." Yor apologized sheepishly as she glanced over at Eric who was practicing his maneuvers with Loid keeping a watchful eye on him.

"That's quite alright." The woman smiled at Anya who looked up at her, "You're quite the little ball of energy, aren't you?"

Anya nodded fiercely, "Yes ma'am!"

"My name is Olivia, I teach the beginners for our gymnastics program." She glanced at her proteges who were performing floor moves, twists and twirls on the balance beams. "It's a bit difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it and commit to the sport, you're flying all around the room."

Anya's eye sparkled as she watched everyone do their routines then turned to Yor, "I wanna fly too Mama! Please!" She begged, practically hopping on her feet.

Yor glanced around the room, she herself can easily flip and run up the walls with lethal grace. And the idea of Anya wanting to do the same thing sounds quite appealing. Plus, it will give her something to do.

"We'll talk to Loid and see what he thinks. Though I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see his daughter take on a sport like this." Yor said, not wanting to get her daughter's hopes up in case he says no.

Throughout the afternoon, Eric and Anya stayed within their respective domains at the center under the tutelage of their instructors. Both children gave it their all despite only starting out. By the time they left, the kids were sore and tired.

"So, how did you like the sport?" Loid asked as he sat on the couch massaging his son's arm, feeling the tightness within the developing muscles.

Eric grunted at the soreness in his limb, but smiled nonetheless, "I love it. I'm sore, but I enjoy it. Gustav's an interesting man. I don't mind that he's strict."

Loid nodded, "That's good." With this new activity, his son now has an outlet for his stress. Fencing is also a competitive sport Eden participates in, but it is only for 3rd year students. Hopefully by the time Eric reaches his third year, he'll have already acquired the skills needed to win competitions. Which will also add more Stellas to Eric's record. A good investment he should say.

"Papa."

Loid turned to his daughter who stood before him while he massaged his son's muscles.

"Me and Mama were on the mat today, and the teachers said I was good at beginners' level when I stood on my hands." Anya fidgeted as she shifted on her feet, "They said I can apply for their classes if I'm interested. Can I join them, please?" She asked as she held her hands together in prayer while giving her father a pleading look.

Loid knew this would come when he saw how his daughter easily took to the gymnastic floor. He can't deny how well she did despite only starting out, and she seemed to enjoy it.

"Are your arms hurting?" Loid asked as he dropped his son's arm.

Anya nodded before Loid picked her up and sat her on his lap. His thumbs gently massaged her small wrists for their excessive use today.

"Are you sure you want to take gymnastics there? It's a very rigorous sport." Loid warned his daughter as he held her.

"I can do it. I don't care if it's rigor mortis." Anya confidently said as she smiled up at her father.

Loid and Eric fought the urge to laugh at her miswording.

"Anya, 'rigorous' means exhaustive and demanding. 'Rigor mortis'...is something else." Loid hesitated, not sure if he should explain the real meaning behind that word since it involves the fourth stage of death defined by the stiffening of the limbs of the corpse caused by chemical changes in the muscles postmortem.

Anya deadpanned at him as she listened to his thoughts explain the meaning of that word, but still could not understand it. If it involves death, then it's bad.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea, it'll give Anya something to do while I'm fencing." Eric stated as he flexed his hands and fingers.

Loid hummed to himself, 'Yor is also on board with this. It will keep her occupied, and it can also help her expel all of that excessive energy.'

"Papa, can I?" Anya enquired as she listened to his thoughts.

After a moment of silence, Loid shrugged, "I don't see why not."

"Yay!" Anya cheered happily as she hugged her father.

Thus, the Forger siblings found their sports that will help them in future missions.

Chapter Text

"A job investigation?" Yor asked after she finished cleaning the dining table.

Eric nodded, "Yeah, Professor Henderson assigned the class a project. We have to shadow an adult at their work and take notes. Basically, an interview on their profession and what made them take on the job." He explained as Anya played with Bond and Honey Ninja behind him.

"Watch and take notes?" 'For which job?' Yor asked as her mind conjured up a scenario where she and Eric are prepping to venture out and take down a client.

Yor in her killer black dress and Eric sporting a black suit and tie. With Eric looking serious as he followed behind his mother. While Thorn Princess explained her profession, she kills the client's henchmen with ease until she is standing over the target.

Eric approaches from behind her and asks if he could hold one of her golden stiletto-type. Holding it in his much smaller hands, he marvels at the craftsmanship then turns to the ugly as heck man.

"So, um, which vital area is the most common to stab?" Eric asked with intrigue as mother and son stood over the client.

Yor smiles down at her son, "That's a very good question. It's important to learn human anatomy. I try to remember that the target is human, and the least I can is make their final moments as painless as possible. Makes sense?" Yor coached Eric who nodded in understanding as he took in every word his mother spoke.

"For example, if you simply *beep* the *beep* in someone's neck, they'll die rather quickly." Yor explains as she began to stab the client.

"Does the same apply when you *beep* through their *beep* until it comes out the back of their skull?" Eric asked before he aimed his mother's sharp weapon into the client's face.

"That's right, you can also attack their vital points like the brain or the heart." Yor said as they finished the job, the result of which made a mess of themselves as blood splattered all over their bodies.

Yor gasped, "Oh, look at you, you're covered! You know what, let's just tell Loid we went to the tomato festival, okay?"

As Yor contemplated that daydream, Anya stood beside her brother and gave her a vacant expression then turned to Eric, "I think it's better if you investigate Papa's job."

"That's actually a good idea, and it's probably for the best. Working at City Hall can be rewarding, but it might be a little boring for you." Yor agreed with her daughter seeing how that scenario would most likely traumatize her son.

Eric's eyes slid over to his sister, 'Whatever was going on in her head was bad, right?'

Anya nodded before the sound of the front door opening drew their attention to Loid returning home from work.

"I'm home." Loid announced.

"Papa, Eric has to follow you around at work for a school assignment." Anya told him the second he walked in through the doorway.

"What Anya means to say is, can I shadow you at your work and learn about your job for school?" Eric asked as he laid a hand on top of his sister's head.

Loid blinked twice, "Yeah, sure."

"Can I come?" Anya hopped up and down on her feet.

"Why?" Eric glanced at her.

"It's an investigation, and you need two people to get the job done." Anya said in a mysterious tone as she suddenly donned a detective outfit complete with a magnifying glass in her hand.

Eric sweatdropped and deadpanned, "This isn't a criminal investigation. And where'd you even get that stuff?"

Two days later at Berlint General Hospital

"I work in the Psychiatry Department, I made sure to tell them in advance you're coming. But don't bother anyone, okay?" Loid informed his children as the stood outside the large building.

Eric wore a light-brown sweater vest over his long-sleeved shirt and brown trousers while Anya wore her detective outfit.

Eric and Anya nodded, "Understood/Okay."

Inside the building, the children marveled at the size of the architecture.

"It's huge!" Anya exclaimed as she held her brother's hand while holding the magnifying glass over her eye.

"Well, it is the Captial's most prominent hospital." Loid stated to his children.

"I bet the most dedicated doctors wrote their books here." Eric said as he glanced around the building's massive interior.

Anya stared at her father for a long moment before fishing out her notebook and scribbling down the man's thoughts.

"Anya, what are you doing? I'm the one with the assignment." Eric asked as he watched his sister when he heard her writing something down.

"Also, I don't think anything I said is particularly noteworthy." Loid added as he watched his eccentric child.

'Maybe something inside your head caught her interest like it always does.' Eric thought to himself, knowing that it was something spy-related if Anya is excited. Considering this is their father's cover job, Anya will want to find out the secrets about his life here.

The odd trio entered the locker room where Loid changed into his white doctor's coat. Eric and Anya stared at their father in surprise at how he was dressed. The man looked so cool and professional with that look.

"Wow, cool." Eric said with an impressed tone as Anya nodded in agreement.

"Although most psychiatrists don't wear lab coats, I find that it completes the look, as they say." Loid explained to his marveled children.

'More like it helps you fit into the role better.' Eric had a small smile as they followed their father down the hall.

"Say, I thought you wanted to be a surgeon, I could have set you up with an interview with one had you asked." Loid stated to his son who held Anya's hand as he followed beside Loid.

"Yeah, but I wanted to learn more about you instead. Plus, learning about your job may benefit me in the future if I ever take up psychology." Eric answered without hesitation as he carried his notebook in his other hand.

"I see. That's good." Loid praised his son as they made it to the receptionist area where many of Loid's colleagues greeted him.

"Well, if it isn't Dr. Forger." A nurse with curly hair tied back greeted the second she spotted the man and the children, "And these must be the little ones we've heard so much about."

"These are my colleagues. Say 'hello.'" Loid told his children.

Eric bowed his head in respect and acknowledgment, "It is nice to meet you. Thank you for receiving us."

Anya followed her brother's movements, "Pleasure to meet your aquaintenence." Despite her mispronunciation, they thought it was endearing as they gathered around the siblings.

"They're adorable." A doctor with long hair commented.

"Such good children here for homework." The nurse who greeted them added.

"Goodness, what a perfect little doe-eyed princess you are." The receptionist with glasses commented at Anya then turned to Eric, "And you are such a handsome little prince."

"Why don't you have a snack?" One of the nurses offered a candy bar to Anya.

Eric decided to open his notebook as he held his pen out, "I'm sorry to bother you, but would you be so kind as to tell me what my father is like at work?" He humbly asked before Loid's colleagues answered his question with the highest praise.

Loid Forger's overall character at work: careful and kind towards his patients, indispensable team member, humble and respectful.

"Are you popular Papa?" Anya asked their father when his coworkers invited him to activities.

"You sound surprised." Eric said as he closed his book then bowed his head in thanks to the grownups

"Well, I do try to be sociable at least." Loid stated before he answered his colleagues while mentally reminding himself the reason why he needs to maintain diverse connections and to not be anti-social so no one would suspect his true identity.

Anya listened to his thoughts before she scribbled down her notes.

They made it to Loid's workspace in one piece without incident.

"Here is the consultation room. I don't plan on using this space today anyway." Loid added as he closed the door behind his children.

"It's comfortable." Eric noted as he surveyed the room.

"This is just an ordinary room, not like the oper-tating one." Anya stated as she ventured further inside.

"Well, we want our patients to feel relaxed and at home." Loid responded as Anya searched for something by the coffee table.

"Where's the brain-fixing machine?" Anya asked their father.

"Anya, psychiatrists don't use machines. Right Dad?" Eric asked after a moment of silence as he turned to Loid.

"No, we do not." Loid took a seat on one of the green couches, "Now what did you want to know about my work?"

"Well, Professor Henderson gave me a list, the first one is why you chose this job." Eric asked as he sat across from his father while Anya searched the room with her magnifying glass.

Loid thought about the right way to answer that question, "Let me think. You know how people catch cold in their bodies, there are a lot of people who catch colds in their minds."

"So, like a stomach bug, but like an invisible brain bug." Eric mused as Anya gave him a disgusted look, "Ew!"

Loid chuckled under his breath, "Something like that. I thought it would be nice to try and help those folks out. The war may be long over, but there, veterans especially, who are still suffering."

Eric wrote down his notes as he listened to his father then asked the next question, "Why war veterans specifically?"

Loid's eyes lowered to the coffee table, "Well, to put it bluntly, it is the traumatic experiences they gained from that period. Losing a loved one, a home, even your identity. While bodily wounds can heal, the memories they gained last for a very long time within their minds and can have a long-term effect on those who have not sought help." He looked at his son with a comforting smile, "That's where I come in, to help them through their pain and find a way to move on and find a fresh start." 'Something I haven't been able to properly do for myself.' He thought to himself as his mind wandered back to the days of his childhood, how carefree he was before those bombs dropped on his town. Everything that happened since then was just a festering pain that left him hollow. That short reunion with his friends gave him hope, only for it to be crushed.

Anya lowered her magnifying glass as she stared at her father who was unknowing projecting his memories to the telepath.

"Was it the same for you? Did you also have to fight in the war?" Eric asked as he watched his father's reaction.

When Eric caught the subtle way his shoulders tensed, he quickly said, "Never mind, you don't have to answer that question."

"Actually, it's a good question to ask." Loid said as Anya climbed onto the couch he was on and sat beside him.

Loid's arm unconsciously wound itself around his daughter and held her close. "I'm the same as those who come to me seeking my help. It is because of my own traumas that I am able to connect with my patients on an emotional level, it helps me understand them better."

"But if brain bugs are like colds, can't they take medicine to help them get better?" Anya asked as she hugged her father's side.

Loid smiled down at his daughter and laid a hand on her head, "Well, depending on the kind of mental illness they have, then yes drug prescriptions are necessary. But it doesn't make the illness go away. It, um, quiets the craziness. Helps them become more reasonable." Loid explained as he tried to find the right words to describe to his daughter.

"It has to be very strong medicine if a doctor recommends it." Eric said as he continued to scribble down his notes.

"Are there any other questions you have?" Loid asked as Anya hopped off the couch and resumed her exploration.

Eric closed his notebook with a satisfied look, "Nope, I have everything I need. Thank you for taking time out of your day Dr. Forger."

"Now that homework's done, I'm bored." Anya said as she got close to the large bookshelf.

"Hey, don't touch anything without asking. There's a lot of important stuff in here." Loid warned her as he stood up and eyed one part of the bookshelf. 'Like the secret escape passage behind the bookshelf in case of an emergency. It'll open if she turns the lever.'

Anya had an excited look, 'Secret passage? Lever?' She thought to herself after hearing Loid's thoughts as though she received a new toy to play with.

A knock sounded at the door, that pattern alerted Loid that it was a WISE Agent.

"Sounds like something urgent came up, if you're done with your assignment, should I have Yor come and pick you up?" Loid asked his children.

Anya shook her head, "No, I can wait until you're done with work." The perfect opportunity to try out that lever.

Eric shrugged, "I'm alright sitting here with Anya, it will give me the chance to organize my notes for my report."

Loid had an idea on how to occupy his children's time, "If you really want to, then keep yourself busy with this." He said as he brought out a box filled with sand and another box filled with little toys. Eric and Anya stood around the coffee table as Loid held up a small plastic teddy bear. "We use this as a diagnostic tool. You can place the toys and props in the sand however you want. So, get creative. Sounds like fun, huh?" He said, hoping to coax his youngest into something children would enjoy.

'Sounds boring.' Anya gave the man a wide-eyed confused look.

"So little sandboxes can be used to literally put a person's mind on display." Eric stated as he took a little dinosaur and hut and placed them onto the sand.

"That's one way of putting it." Loid said before he went to the door, "And remember, don't touch anything else."

"'Kay/Got it." The siblings responded.

"I'll be back in about ten minutes." He said before he left the consultation room.

"Okay Anya, let's play with the-" Eric cut himself off when he saw the look mischief his sister's face, "-sandbox."

Anya dashed over to the bookshelf and began to push aside books in her search for that lever.

"Anya, we're not supposed to touch anything." Eric scolded her, ready to pull her back should she break something.

"Papa won't know anything. This'll be quick, I promise." Anya smiled in victory when she found that lever, "Bingo!"

"What are you even-" Eric could not finish that sentence when Anya pulled that lever before the bookshelf moved to the left to reveal a passageway.

Eric peek into the passage with intrigued, "Huh, interesting."

"For emergen-chency." Anya declared with a proud look.

"Dad certainly comes prepared." Eric mused to himself then turned to his sister, "Let's put the bookshelf back."

"But we need to esplore." Anya protested, not wanting to miss this opportunity.

"No, we do not need to explore anything here. We're playing with the sand." Eric said as he moved towards the lever, but Anya sped past him and quickly climbed down the ladder.

"Anya!" Eric peeked down the passage to see his sister already halfway down.

"I'll be back before Papa gets back." Anya said before her feet touched the ground and began to squeeze between the tight corridors. "The secret passage...is so small." She heard voices and found a ventilation grate hovering over a meeting discussing ghosts and hallucinations. Being an aspiring spy, she wanted to get a peek at their meeting. Her elbow bumped into a pipe, causing the people in the room to look up at the ceiling. Thankfully they thought it was their imagination.

Anya let out a quiet sigh of relief until she heard something behind her. 'Anya, come on, we need to go back before our father does.' Eric crouched in the area behind her as she turned her head and saw him right there looking stressed and annoyed.

Anya nodded before she tried to crawl backwards only to find her leg caught underneath a pipe.

Eric's eyes widened, 'Don't panic, I got you.' He thought to her as he held his hand in front of him, using his power to gently lift the pipe off her leg before she pulled herself free and crawled back to her brother.

Eric held her closer and made her go in front of him back to the room. Once they were out of the secret passageway, Eric quickly pulled the lever, sliding the bookshelf back to its proper place.

Eric sighed in relief before he began to mentally scold her for sneaking into places she shouldn't.

Anya gasped when she picked up on their father's thoughts.

It took Eric a moment to realize that Loid was coming back before Anya pulled him towards the sandbox and basically dumped the toys into the sand.

"Anya, you're making a mess." Eric scolded before he used his telekinesis to arrange them in a less messy order on the sand.

The door opened as Loid returned, "I'm back."

"Wow, playing with toys is so much fun." Anya said in a not-so-convincing tone which Loid didn't seem to pick up.

"Let's have a look." Loid closed the door before he approached the table, "Now, you might not believe this, but that sandbox gives us an insight into the deeper part of the patient's psyche. Looks like your minds are CHAOS!" He exclaimed when he saw the mess his children created in the sandbox.

Eric pointedly ignored his father. "My team is beating your team. Prepare to be eaten." He positioned the t-rex and robot over the unicorn.

"No, it's not, the unicorn shoots lasers out of her horn and her teddy bear sidekick summons an army of undead minions." Anya argued as her chaotic imagination took hold.

"Robot creates a shield against the unicorn laser and the t-rex breathes fire on the army." Eric sounded childish when he vehemently said that, still cross with his sister for that passageway.

"Oh no, I've been defeated." Anya sarcastically said to her brother in their mock battle.

Loid stared at the display as he tried to diagnose and interpret the siblings' minds in the sandbox and what could be in their individual psyches. Anya's is pretty chaotic and can't seem to stay on track in spite of her efforts as she tries hard to establish herself as the equally dominant sibling. Eric is meticulous on his side of the sandbox, it's not as messy, but to decimate his sister's forces shows he's unwilling to let Anya get the better of him. Loid began to reanalyze whether he is giving his children equal attention as a parent.

Anya was listening to his mind go in many directions with a confused expression while Eric took the time to put the toys back in the box.

The day of the assignment was due. Eric waited and listened to the other students give their oral report on their parent's work and how they felt about it.

When Eric's turn came, he stood up and held his paper in his hands then cleared his throat.

He spoke in an even and clear voice, "'My father, Dr. Loid Forger, is a Psychiatrist at Berlint General Hospital. While some may look down on his profession due to his status, I see it as an honest and true calling for one such as him. While people normally go to hospitals to treat sickness or mend a broken arm, my father takes it upon himself to help those who are afflicted mentally due to personal traumas in their past. The most common are war veterans or those who were similarly affected. The patients he treats are survivors of unspoken horrors from their past. While some are able to heal physically, the memories of those traumatic events stay with them forever.'" Eric swallowed then continued, "'The sole reason why my father chose this job is because he himself suffered similar tragedies during the war, and he is able to understand and connect with his patients through that pain. Even though he is unable to fully erase the traumas, he does everything within his power to help them move forward and rediscover happiness again. He reminds them that they are not alone because he is fighting alongside them to help them win their battles. His colleagues at the hospital value him, they say, and I quote, "an indispensable team member." Having the trust of both his fellow doctors and patients is a man I deem worthy of respect, not just for his profession, but as my father.'" Eric allowed a smile to grace his lips as the next words he spoke came from his heart, "While I may never become a psychiatrist like him, I want to follow his moral compass and help people the way he does every single day as man and a soldier in the medical field."

Eric bowed his head and sat down before the room erupted in applause. He awkwardly smiled and thanked them for their praise.

Professor Henderson stopped clapping and gave the boy a look of appraisal, "Such an elegant and well-spoken report Mr. Forger, and one that comes from the heart. Well done."

"Thank you, you are most kind Professor Henderson." Eric bowed his head in respect to his teacher as Becky patted him on his back with a grin.

Damian gripped his paper and clenched his teeth in frustration. While Eric spent the day learning from his father, Damian could hardly get in touch with his own to even have that one conversation about his work for this assignment. The most Damian could do was speak with his father's colleagues who are well versed in business and politics. While he got good information, it didn't feel genuine because he solely wanted it from his father. The most important man in the country won't make time for him, but a faceless upper-middle class doctor could for Eric.

'Why does that brat get to spend time with his father while I can't with mine?' Damian felt that white hot jealousy come back as he glared at Eric. 'It's not fair! And he's getting all that praise again! Damnit!'

Eric felt those familiar daggers stabbing the back of his skull, 'The hell did I do this time?'

Chapter Text

"Survival and adaptation are the keys to our own evolution, not just from a millennium, but how we as a species must in this day and age have to unlearn old habits and relearn newer and most beneficial traits to ensure our own survival." Eric shrugged, "But that's just my opinion, I'm not trying to contradict anything."

The students and teacher of the science class stared at the nonchalant boy in exasperation and awe at how they boy gave his analytical opinion about evolution.

"Huh, I must say that I can't argue with that concept. Well done. Moving on." The science professor said with an impressed tone to his top student in Biology.

It was just another day at Eden where Eric goes about his routine and is immensely enjoying this particular lesson since it involves change and evolution in species. After class with a short break in between, Eric had to visit the little boys room.

The little blonde sighed in relief as he washed his hands under running water. The door opened and a familiar voice met his ears, "Oh great, you're here too."

"Hm, and it's good to see you as well Desi." Eric calmly responded as Damian approached one of the urinals.

"Ugh, I share enough classes with you already. It's annoying that it has to be in here as well." Damian grumbled as he did his business.

Eric rinsed his hands, "These facilities are open and available to all who come to this building as it is most needed for the human bodily functions to relieve itself of undigested sustenance lest we risk bacteria elsewhere." He explained to Damian before he pulled a paper towel to dry his hands, "I can gladly describe how the digestive tract works for you to understand why it exits your body and the best kinds of foods to help you push out a long satisfying-"

"I DON'T NEED TO KNOW!" Damian was red in the face in embarrassment as he seethed at Eric who looked all to ready to give him a graphic description of bathroom habits.

"I thought it would help you." Eric shrugged as he faced his rival, enjoying the rise he got out of the arrogant brat.

Damian zipped up his pants and began to furiously wash his hands. "You really are a smug know-it-all, and that pisses me off." He growled as he squirted soap into his hands.

Eric hummed, "I prefer to share my most basic knowledge of bodily functions to those who have yet to grasp the concepts. There's no shame in learning about how the body works while you're in front of a urinal."

"That is hardly the point. But what can you expect from a commoner. You lack wealth and status, so you try to compensate by thinking you're smarter than everyone." Damian snidely said to his rival in the hopes of angering him.

Eric scoffed, "You think being a commoner is an insult. Pitiful. It is because of how and where I started that I am able to survive up to this point. A seed needs the dirt for it to grow towards the sky. A little lesson for you Desi, those born in the dirt grow strong and learn from the ground up how to learn, adept and survive as they climb the ranks. You, however, were born in a station that never truly fosters these traits. For example, if I were to fall back into the dirt, I'll have no problem getting back up because I already went through the ringer, but if you fall from your high standing, you'll die screaming for someone to help you. There are no servants in the dirt, just bugs waiting to feast on your corpse. You lack the mindset of adaptation; you wouldn't survive in my world."

Damian felt as though he had been punched in the gut, this is just like that first time they met. Eric unveiling all his faults, pointing out the painful absence of both of his parents on the most important day of his life. This is what he hates most about Eric, he makes him feel weak no matter how much Damian tries to push down that emotion. Eric hardly cares about the station he was born in as he uses it as a weapon instead. For him to point out the possibility of Damian's fall and how he will not survive made something within him snap.

"Okay, fine. If that's how you see it, then I'll prove you wrong." Damian declared as he pointed his finger at his rival, "I'll stay at your house this weekend!"

Eric blinked at Damian for a moment before slapping a hand on his mouth to lock his laughter down. "Please, don't make me laugh, I'm already having a hard time digesting my mother's food." He spoke between his fingers as he struggled not to guffaw at Damian.

Damian went red in the face, "You think I can't last a day at your house?"

"No, I believe you can't last an hour." Eric's body shook as he hunched over in his effort to maintain his composure. "But don't waste your breath. It's not gonna happen. You lack adaptation."

Damian gritted his teeth at Eric before he smirked, "Or maybe you're afraid I'll prove you wrong."

Eric turned to Damian with a serious expression, "Don't flatter yourself. I'd be impressed if you made it through two hours. An entire weekend though? That raises the stakes pretty high, even for you."

Damian glared at Eric, "If that's the case, then let's have a little wager. If I can last the whole weekend with you and your family, then I win." A smirk crawled onto his face, "You, as the loser, will have to wear that frilly dress from the costume department in front of the whole class."

Eric leaned on one foot as he contemplated the wager, "Sounds risky." The corner of his mouth quirked up, "Very well then, however, should you turn tail and run back to the dorms between the end of school on Friday and the beginning of class on Monday, then you have to wear the dress."

Damian's mouth gaped open at the very thought of wearing something girly in front of the students.

"The wager goes both ways Desi, but if you're worried, we don't have to, and we can preserve both our prides." Eric shrugged as he prepared himself to leave the boys' room.

"Fine then, the loser wears the dress. This Friday I go to your house after school. The bet starts then and ends on Monday morning at school. It should give you plenty of time to change into that dress." Damian grinned in a challenging way.

Eric returned his smirk with his own on his normally stoic face, "Looks like the wager is set." He held his hand out to his rival who shook it, sealing their deal. "And don't count your chickens before they hatch Desi. 'Cause I'm not gonna wear that dress."

"Don't get too confident." Damian gripped Eric's hand.

"Oh no, it's not that, it's just red's not a good color on me. If I lose and look like a girl, I at least wanna wear something with green or blue. Those are my colors." Eric stated, remembering that red frilly from the costume department. He never did look good in that color.

Damian deadpanned, "That's your issue?"

"Red clashes with my complexion."

"What? You invited Damian Desmond over this weekend?" Loid Forger exclaimed as he dropped his fork at the dinner table one evening.

Eric nodded, "Technically he invited himself. Long story short, we had an argument and told him he wouldn't last a day with my lifestyle then we ended up making a bet on him lasting the entire weekend with us. If he makes it, then I have to wear a dress from the theatrical costumes. If he doesn't, then he has to wear the dress." He explained to his gaping father while his mother and sister stared at him with wide eyes.

"Big brother in a dress." Anya muttered to herself as she imagined Eric in a frilly dress complete with a bonnet and parasol and twin tails hanging below his ears. "Pretty."

"Stop imagining me." Eric grumbled at his sister who looked excited at the idea.

"What was the fight about this time?" Yor asked, sitting diagonal from her son.

Eric sighed, "Oh, just the usual, two little brats trying to one up against the other. I made an explanation on how he lacks the ability to adapt to anything for survival's sake due to how he was raised in a sheltered environment. He looked ticked and made a bold declaration on how he'll prove me wrong by spending time with us." Eric chuckled under his breath, "He's got guts, but I don't think that pampered palace brat will last the first hour."

"Actually, this will be a good thing for both of you." Loid stated from his seat beside Eric. "You two live in completely different worlds. While you are able to get a sense of how the elite function, Damian has yet to see other lifestyles outside of his circle. This will help broaden his horizons and help you understand each other." He explained as he saw an opportunity to foster some friendship between his children and Damian. He kept Plan B on the backburner for months now, he can't let this one pass.

Eric gave his father a deadpanned expression, "If you're expecting us to be best friends, forget it."

"Maybe not, but I do expect you to treat him accordingly as he will be a guest in our home. Don't scare him off while he's with us." Loid warned Eric, knowing his son will make Damian uncomfortable.

"That takes the fun out of it." Eric turned away with a sulking expression. Though if he's being honest, he wants to prove to Damian how life as a commoner is more fun than the suffocation of being an elite.

By the time Friday came and school ended, Damian carried an overnight bag with him and walked down the stairs to meet with Eric and Anya at the bus.

His minions watched him leave, waving goodbye as though he was off to war.

"Got everything you need?" Eric asked as he held Anya's hand when he saw Damian approach them.

"Yeah."

Anya bounced on her heels in excitement. "Don't be afraid, you're gonna have a great time at our house. Papa and Mama are very nice and fun to be around."

"Um, okay." Damian said as the girl watched him with sparkly eyes.

"And don't worry, we made sure Mama won't be on cooking duty while you're with us." Anya added with a relieved smile.

Eric nodded, "Mmhm."

Damian raised an eyebrow, "Just how bad is your mom's cooking?"

Eric groaned as he held his stomach, "Well, I haven't crapped in three days."

Damian had a look of fear and discomfort. That sounds scary.

The bus to the Forger residence pulled up.

"Here it is, once you get on this bus, there's no turning back." Eric turned to Damian, "Last chance to back out if you're not ready."

Damian glared before he moved past the Forgers and got on the bus.

Eric smirked lightly as he helped Anya onto the step then followed after. He had to respect Damian's guts for venturing into the unknown.

They disembarked when the bus reached their address.

"Here we are, Mom and Dad are inside waiting for us." Eric announced as he led the way into the apartment building.

Anya turned to Damian, "So, what did your papa say when you told him you were staying with us?"

Damian flinched before he quickly answered, "He was...okay with it." Though truthfully, when he called his father, his assistant answered instead, saying Donovon was busy but will update the man about his son's whereabouts this weekend.

Anya read his mind and patted his back, "I'm sure the next time you call him, you'll tell him all the great things that happened with us."

Damian blushed a little and looked away, "Um, yeah, sure."

They made it to the Forger Residence where Eric opened the door, "We're home."

All three children entered the apartment. But Damian was unprepared for the white fluff barreling toward them.

"Gyahh!" Damian dodged as it pounced on a squealing Anya.

"Bond that tickles!" Anya said between slobbering kisses.

"Why is there a polar bear in this building?" Damian exclaimed, taken by surprise by the massive beast.

Eric picked up Honey Ninja and held her to his chest. "You know, I thought the same thing when I first saw him."

Bond mercifully got off of Anya then turned to Damian who froze when he made eye contact with the dog.

Bond padded towards the new boy and sniffed at his clothes.

"Relax, he won't eat you. You're too skinny." Eric assured Damian before Bond walked away.

Damian breathed a sigh of relief, "That was a big dog."

"He's super fluffy." Anya said then took Damian's hand and led him further into the apartment.

Damian took in his new surroundings, it wasn't as big as the dorm room, but it wasn't too small like he was expecting. The style wasn't extravagant, neither was it in poor taste.

"You must be Damian Desmond."

Damian turned and saw a beautiful woman with long black hair and crimson red eyes. Beside her was a man who was a much older version of Eric minus the green eyes and emotionless stare. He glanced between the parents, noting the minimal resemblance between the females when he remembered how this woman is the second wife and the siblings' adoptive mother.

"Dad, I thought you were working until evening today." Eric stated as he held his purring cat.

"They let me off early. Besides, I wanted to meet this classmate who will be staying with us for a bit." Loid said with a welcoming smile. 'When I told the Handler about Damian's weekend with us, she pushed any side missions onto the other agents since this one is more important.'

Anya smiled as she listened to Loid's thoughts. This little mission is a go for them.

Loid turned his attention to Damian, "Welcome to our home Damian. I'm Dr. Loid Forger. This is my wife, Yor Forger."

Damian tensed up but remembered his manners as he bowed at the waist, "Thank you for having me over." He said before he straightened himself back up.

Loid knelt down on one knee so he was eye-level with the child, "Eric told us about the bet. Don't worry, we're not taking sides. This is a new experience for all of us actually. It's the first time Eric brought someone over. I know this isn't like the dorms or your house, it's not fancy but I hope you'll be comfortable. If you need help with anything let us know." He said as he maintained eye-contact with the boy, hoping this moment of reassurance will endear him enough to open up to Loid in the future.

Damian nodded, "Um, yes sir."

Eric laid a hand on his shoulder, "C'mon, I'll show you where you'll be bunking." He said as he led Damian through the apartment, making sure to show him the bathroom, his parents' and Anya's rooms, until they reached Eric's.

"Here's where you'll be sleeping." Eric informed Damian as he showed him his room. It was normal by commoner standards with all the basic furniture and personal decor around the interior.

"Wow, it's bigger than I expected." Damian stated as he walked further into the room.

"Sorry it's not a shack, but it's comfortable. Luckily the bed is big enough for two kids." Eric said as he set his book bag onto the desk.

Damian's eyes widened, "What? We have to sleep beside each other?"

Eric turned to him as he unbuttoned his uniform, "Yeah, it's normal for us. Anya and I slept in the same bed for years, and she comes in here when she has a nightmare. Why, is that a problem for you?"

Damian opened his mouth to complain, but restrained himself as this bet requires him to adapt to his new environment. Which meant he has to stomach this new sleeping arrangement. Swallowing his pride, he calmed down, "No, it's just something I'm not used to." It still stings how he has to sleep next to Eric of all people.

Eric hummed as he changed into his casual clothes, "Don't worry I won't cuddle you against your will."

Damian blushed, "That's not what I was worried about!"

"Take a joke." Eric deadpanned, "Also, change out of your uniform, you don't want food on it when we go back to school."

Damian grumbled as he opened his bag and pulled out his normal clothes. His hazel eyes caught something in the corner of Eric's room.

"Is that a sword?" Damian asked as Eric dressed himself into a beige sweater and pants.

"Yeah, I've taken up fencing at the community center." Eric said as he went over to his gear and picked up his rapier and held it horizontally before Damian, "I did tell you before how I've found a sport. Soccer and dodgeball are nice and all, but, and I don't mean to sound like Professor Henderson, there is a certain elegance when wielding a blade like this." He said as he took the position with one arm behind his back and the other extended outward as he thrusted the sword through the air.

Eric turned to Damian, "You wanna try?" He asked as he held the hilt of the fencing sword out for the boy.

Damian was surprised by the offer, "Uh, sure." He said as he carefully took the sword from Eric's hand. He felt the weight under his fingers as he turned it this way and that.

"Whoa, it's heavier than I thought." Damian said as he copied Eric's position, though it wasn't perfect.

"It becomes lighter the more you use it." Eric said as Damian gave the sword back to him, "I practice every day when I come home."

"Did you just start fencing?" Damian asked as Eric placed the sword gently back in its place among his gear.

"Yeah, I was hesitant to ask my father if I could try it out. Then he surprises me by bringing the whole family to the center. " Eric smiled softly, "Dad had a hard time trying to find a gift for my Stella Star accomplishment, so fencing seemed like an appropriate present."

Damian felt that familiar twinge of jealousy when he described how he got into the sport, how his father gave him something he was too shy to ask for. He stomped that feeling back into its box.

"So, when do you usually go to the center?" Damian asked, wanting to distract himself.

Eric turned to Damian, "My family go there every Saturday at 2:00pm. Since you're stuck with us, you'll be joining as well."

Damian shrugged, "Sure."

A knock on the door made the boys look up to see Loid standing in the entryway, "Sorry to interrupt, but have you both done your homework?"

"We were about to get started on it." Eric rummaged through his book bag and pulled out the math book, "But I have problems understanding the equations on this one."

Loid patted his head, "Not a problem, I'll help you."

All three children sat around the coffee table with their homework open. Damian felt strange sitting on the floor like this on a very low table. The only ones sitting in the chairs were Anya and Loid. Eric had very little problem as he sat with his legs crossed underneath him as he concentrated on his work while following his father's guidance. Loid provided an example for his son to follow which helped the boy a great deal.

Damian peeked over at the example without being too obvious as he tried to solve the math problems on his own. But some of the equations were difficult for him as he struggled to figure them out. He would normally ask a tutor for help, but right now he didn't want to look foolish in front of the Forgers. The last thing he wants is to come off as unintelligent before those of commoner status. He's a Desmond, he can't ask for help from lower status. But this problem is very hard!

Anya watched Damian with a confused expression before she poked her brother beside her and tilted her head to Damian.

Eric looked up and watched the steam come off Damian's head as he struggled. "Do you need help?"

Damian jumped and shook his head, "I'm fine, this is nothing."

Eric deadpanned, "Just ask for help. Your brain steam polluting the air right now."

Damian glared at Eric, "It is not, and I don't need help!"

"Damian." Loid called his name in a reprimanding tone, making the boy freeze.

Damian bowed, "Sorry."

Loid glanced at the math problem Damian was stuck on before taking a blank sheet of paper out. After a few seconds, he showed the paper to Damian.

"This template should help you."

Damian took the paper and analyzed the impressive penmanship and easy to understand instruction. "Wow, your calligraphy is scary good." Damian stated as he stared at the artistic lettering.

Loid smiled, "Thank you Damian." 'Though I mainly use that skill for forgery purposes on missions.'

"Um and thank you for the help. Even though you didn't have to." Damian muttered to himself.

"Papa doesn't play favorites. He's just super cool." Anya exclaimed to Damian as she gave her father a smile of admiration.

"Oh yeah?"

Anya nodded, "And he's super-fast and strong like Bondman. When we went out on an ooting, we saw this thief push down a granny and stole her purse. Papa, Mama, brother and I chased him, we almost lost him in the crowd, but Papa spotted him and jumped onto his back! WHOOSH POW! Then Papa says, 'That's the foulest meal for you!'" Anya finished as she made grand gestures to exaggerate the story.

Loid blushed at how his daughter imitated him, "I can't believe you still remember that."

"The only reason why you caught that stupid thief is because of Anya's sweet tooth when she pointed at the cake shop he was walking by. I'm surprised you haven't killed him considering that crater you made when you landed on him." Eric said with an impressed smile as he remembered that moment he gained a sense of respect for his father.

"Some things you learn in the army just stay with you." Loid said to his children, "And I say this as your father not to copy what I did."

"But why?" Anya asked, hardly deterred by her father.

"It's...something only grownups should do." Loid said as he struggled to come up with the best answer, so his children don't put themselves in danger.

Damian watched the patriarch of the Forger family in awe and surprise. This man is very humble, brave and patient. He has a background in the army and is insanely attentive to his patients and children. He is even kind to him, a child he barely knew and just met. Offering him help just for the sake of it. That feeling of longing returned as he watched the Forger siblings interact with their father. For a moment he imagined himself in Eric's place and his father in Loid's, smiling with pride and affection towards his child.

Damian set the pencil down and stood up, "Um, I'll be right back, I need to use the restroom." He announced as he quickly walked away from the common area.

Anya watched Damian leave, her eyes filled with sadness when she saw the image inside Damian's head.

Damian locked the door behind him and gripped the edge of the sink. He began to hyperventilate. Tears gathered in his eyes as he clenched them shut. 'Damnit. Stop crying! Stop crying!' He cursed himself as those feelings returned, the jealousy towards Eric, and that longing for his father's attention. He tried very hard to remember the last time his father smiled at him, told him he loved him. But all he got was that large shadow falling over him, the man's face unseen as he told his son not to besmirch the Desmond name.

Damian furiously wiped his eyes with his sleeves before splashing his face with water, 'I need to get more Stella Stars quickly. But how?' He thought to himself, that image of what he wants more than anything still in his mind.

Once he deemed himself presentable, he left the bathroom and returned to the coffee table to finish his homework. With Loid's guidance and the template, Damian was able to finish his math equations alongside Eric.

As the two Eden Students moved on to Classical Language, Loid began dinner while Yor set up the table and Anya watched Spy Wars.

Damian groaned at the background noise of the TV, finding it distracting. He faced Eric who sat across from him, "How can you work like this?"

Eric hardly seemed phased by the TV as he kept his eyes glued to his paper, "Easy, I learned to tune them out. That's one of the perks of having a younger sibling, you can just roll with it."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"I threaten to eat all her peanut snacks."

Anya turned and gave her brother a wicked threatening look, "If you eat my precious peanuts, I'll eat all your chocolate."

"I was joking." Eric held a hand up at the intense aura she's letting out then mouthed to Damian, "Mostly."

Damian frowned as he tried very hard to concentrate on his work, "I don't get why she loves that show."

"It mainly has something to do with how Dad and Bondman are physically similar to each other. But even I have a hard time understanding her fixation on anything spy related." Eric said with a sigh, "But then again, it's difficult to understand other people's taste in shows and stories. I mean, personally I like documentary shows about biology and nature. Some call it boring, I like how it soothes my nerves. I tried introducing Becky to it to help her with the subject, but she prefers Berlint in Love."

"Hold on, that's for mature audiences. What's a first grader doing watching something inappropriate?" Damian exclaimed as he heard of the show from Jeeves.

Eric deadpanned and pointed at his sister, "What's a four-year-old doing watching a cartoon character commit violence?"

Damian had no way to retaliate as he groaned, "Guess we all have our tastes."

"What about you? Do you have a favorite show?" Eric asked him while they were on topic.

Damian frowned and looked away, "I don't really have a favorite. My family has a strict rule about watching too much television. Too distracting and it plants bad ideas into people's heads."

Eric frowned, "That's gotta suck. I may not watch TV shows the way Becky and Anya do, but even I can't think unless I hear TV or radio in the background."

"That's why you don't complain, it helps you study?"

Eric smiled slightly, "In a way, it does. By the way, that word on the third line need an 'i' not an 'e'." He pointed the eraser end of his pencil at Damian's paper.

Damian blushed at his mistake before he fixed it.

As they finished up their Classical Language assignment, Loid called them over for dinner. Damian sat at the table on one side while Yor and Anya were seated together on his left and Eric and Loid sat on his right.

"Smells so good!" Anya said after inhaling the freshly prepared food as Yor filled her plate and set it down in front of her. She did the same for Damian while Loid helped Eric as their arms weren't long enough.

As Damian ate, he couldn't help but shiver at the taste.

"What's wrong, does it taste bad?" Loid asked when he caught the boy's shiver.

"No, it's really tasty. You cooked this all by yourself?" Damian said in amazement as he swallowed the food.

Loid smiled at the compliment as he cut into his meat, "It's nothing fancy, but it's something I learned to pay for my tuition while I studied. Plus, I thoroughly enjoy cooking."

"I'm pretty sure that's how you got Mom to marry you. Ladies love a man who know their way around a kitchen. At least that's what Becky told me." Eric shrugged as he ate his food.

Yor looked sheepish, "Well, I was never taught growing up. But cleaning has always been my greatest strength."

'So that's why it's so fresh and clean here.' Damian thought to himself as he listened to the grownups talking.

"Mama is getting better at cooking though, that stew you made was yummy." Anya stated as she remembered that tasty stew that warmed her belly.

Yor smiled, "It was something my mother made when me and Yuri were children."

Damian glanced at Eric who quickly explained, "Yuri is her younger brother. Mine and Anya's uncle."

"Oh, okay."

Damian's face was turned by Yor who reached over with a napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth. "You had a little bit of sauce on your cheek."

Damian blushed at the shameful and messy display. Oh, the disgrace to the Desmond name!

"Anya, you got cheese on your nose." Eric pointed out when he saw something on his sister.

Anya went cross-eyed as she spotted the cheese. She stuck her tongue out and tried to extend it upward to catch it.

Yor giggled as she reached over to wipe her daughter's face. "I got you."

Seeing that actually made Damian feel a little better with his mishap.

As the dinner bled out into more conversation, Damian felt relaxed. Normally dinner with his family would be spent in silence as they ate their meal at the large dining table. While the meal would be gourmet and fancy, there was always this coldness that would settle within the pit of his stomach. Even when there was a conversation, it was always about school or politics. Always cordial, polite and empty. But sitting here with the Forgers at a small dining table, there was warmth and closeness. Most of all, they were all smiling with each other, completely unbothered by what the world thinks.

That peaceful content he experienced was accompanied by guilt. He feels like he's betraying his family name by enjoying something so common. But is it so wrong to actually talk and find enjoyment during dinner?

When everyone was finished eating, Eric helped his mother wash the dishes. Standing on the chair he scrutinized every plate before confirming their cleanliness and handing it to his mother to dry.

Damian watched from the couch at how Eric concentrated on his task.

"Brother's a bit of neat freak when it comes to cleaning." Anya said as she sat in front of the television with Bond beside her. There was a cartoon show featuring a polar bear, penguin elephant and a rabbit.

"Oh yeah, I never would've guessed. But then again, he is organized with his stuff." Damian noted as Eric came over to join his rival on the couch as they stared at the TV.

"What are we watching?" Eric frowned as he stared at the screen.

"I have no idea." Damian shrugged.

"Anya, Eric, Damian, time to brush your teeth and go to bed." Loid called to the children since it's already bedtime.

"Okee!" Anya said, hardly moving from her spot.

Eric rolled his shoulder and hopped off the couch with Damian, "Got your toothbrush?"

Damian froze and berated himself, "I forgot."

"Don't worry, we anticipated something like this. We bought an extra one." Eric assured Damian who sighed in relief. He does not want to lose his teeth at all.

"Look Bond, the polar bear kinda looks like you." Anya pointed at the cartoon character.

Bond 'borfed' before gunshots made the two flinch as they watched the penguin die in the polar bear's arms.

"How is this a children's cartoon show?" Damian said in exasperation as he and Eric watched the scene.

"Got me. Whatever the creators are trying to convey is not my cup of tea." Eric deadpanned as Anya cried over the penguin.

Loid appeared and picked a weeping Anya up by the back of her shirt like a misbehaving puppy. "Hey, I told you to go to bed. And why is this cartoon so dark."

"We don't know." Eric and Damian said at the same time before they slinked off to the bathroom to brush their teeth.

Damian opened his new toothbrush and saw a star engraved on the back.

"Anya picked that one out for you. She thought you might like it." Eric said with his toothbrush in his mouth.

Damian blushed at Anya's thoughtfulness before he furiously brushed his teeth.

With their teeth cleaned, the boys dressed for bed.

Damian flopped onto the bed with a sigh realizing just how tired he was after everything this afternoon. He glanced at the penguin clock on Eric's bedside and saw it was already eight. He lasted the first five hours with the Forgers, and it wasn't even bad.

Something hopped onto the bed, drawing Damian's attention to the black cat with golden eyes meowing at him.

Eric appeared by the bed and plucked the kitty off the covers and held her close for cuddles, "I haven't formally introduced you to my cat. This is Honey Ninja. Honey, this is Damian."

"Huh, you call it 'Honey'? That's a nickname you a give to a girlfriend." Damian deadpanned as he sat up against the wall.

Eric smiled fondly at his furry companion as he scratched beneath her chin. "Her eyes are golden like honey, and her black fur combined with her sneakiness make her seem like a ninja." He looked up at Damian, "She also has this knack for finding me with no problem."

Damian stared at the kitty, "Somehow that actually makes sense. When did you even get her?"

Eric sat on the bed with Honey Ninja in his lap, "I got her at the same time Anya got Bond. He's her reward for becoming a part-timer while Honey became mine for my first Stella Star. I find her presence most comforting when I stress out."

"So she was gift from your parents as well?" Damian asked as he looked around the room, "What else do they give you when you accomplish something?"

"Nothing fancy. You see that penguin clock. Dad bought it for me as a surprise while we were at the aquarium together. This was after I got accepted into Eden." Eric laughed softly to himself, "Dad had to carry me back home when I saw the results because I fainted."

Damian's eyes widened, "So that time when you saw your test scores wasn't the first time?"

"I get sleep anxiety while waiting for test results." Eric said as he climbed under the covers. Damian followed, keeping close to the wall so he doesn't accidentally touch Eric.

"I have to say, you're actually doing well on your first night with the Forgers. Was it really so awful?" Eric asked as he set Honey Ninja on his stomach.

Damian made a small sound in his throat and turned his head to face the wall, "It wasn't bad."

"Just not what you were expecting." Eric stated as he stared at the back of Damian's head.

"Your parents...they're very nice."

"I think most parents are." Eric agreed as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Your dad wasn't what I expected. I thought he'd be strict and scary." Damian mused as he thought of the kind and gentle moments he spent with the man.

Eric smiled softly, "Oh, you're not wrong. He has his moments where he looks like the world is about to end anytime his kids leave his sight. He also tends to hover over me whenever I ignore my health. We actually argued over me being sick and not telling him. He was pretty mad that day."

Damian turned his head to face Eric who had a look of fondness on his face, "Do you like your dad?" Damian could not help but ask as Eric hummed.

"I do actually. I didn't always spend time with him before. When my first mom died, he became a single parent. Honestly, I found him pretty clumsy for a time while taking care of us." Eric said with a small smile as he remembered how he and Anya came into Loid's care. The man had zero clue how to be a father to one, let alone two kids. "But despite his struggles, he learned how to be a parent. There are moments where he misunderstands his own children, but he's still really cool."

Damian frowned as his envy returned. Dr. Forger obviously put in a lot of effort into being a father compared to his. Eric seems comfortable enough to accept Dr. Forger for all his flaws.

"We grow because we struggle, we learn and overcome." Eric suddenly said, confusing Damian before he explained, "A quote I read from one of Dad's books. I find it quite inspiring."

"Why tell me this?"

Eric gave Damian a nearly unnoticeable smile, "Something to help you get through the next two days with us." He faced the ceiling again and closed his eyes, "Well, goodnight."

Damian stared at him for a moment then quietly said, "Goodnight."

Damian didn't fall asleep yet, he was trying to get accustomed to sharing a bed with another person. It was strange and foreign to him, being next to someone while sleeping. He never did that with his parents or brother. But this was normal for Eric who grew up with a younger sibling.

'It's so warm here.' Damian thought to himself as he experienced a strange comfort lying next to someone. As though to reassure him he's not alone.

Damian's eye lids became heavy as he slowly succumbed to sleep, a peaceful expression falling over his face.

Chapter Text

Damian slowly opened his eyes and blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling before he remembered. 'That's right, I'm at Forger's.' He turned to his side and gaped at what he saw. Eric was still sleeping, but what caught his attention was how the black cat draped her long body over the upper half of his face like a sleeping mask.

Damian bit his lip to keep himself from laughing. Damian normally views Eric as this emotionless overachieving know-it-all with a penchant for getting into accidents. So, seeing him like this really threw him off.

"AAHHHH!"

That scream made the boys shoot up in bed, but with Eric, he scrambled to get out of the covers he was tangled in and fell onto the floor. He quickly got up and dashed out of his room with Damian behind him as Loid opened the door to Anya's room.

"Freeze, hol' it, hands where I ca' see 'em!" Eric slurred in his half-awake state as he pointed his weapon at the perpetrator.

"Uh, Forger," Damian tapped his shoulder as he grinned, "that's the cat."

"Huh?" Eric blinked twice and looked down at an unamused Honey Ninja in his arms.

The boys looked inside Anya's room to see her crying over a giant stuffed penguin who has just been torn up, its stuffing pouring out of fabric.

"Oh no." Eric frowned as Loid went inside. Eric and Damian took a step inside but didn't go any further as they stood by the door.

"My penguin's dead!" Anya wailed as she fell beside her stuffed toy, "Agent Penguin who did this to you? They're gonna pay!" She blubbered as Loid knelt beside his daughter inspect the damage.

"Am I crazy? Or do those look like scratches and bite marks?" Loid's question made all three children turn to the only culprit that fits that description.

Bond turned his face away as Yor stood outside and watched the scene with a worried expression.

Anya glared as she read Bond's mind, 'Penguin bad. Stole Anya.'

'So it was you Bond!'

Damian blinked, "Wait, was the dog jealous of the penguin?"

Eric nodded, "Mmhm."

Honey Ninja gave Bond a disapproving stare, "Mwoar."

With vengeance on her mind, she charged at the dog, ready to throw hands. "How dare you?!"

"Calm down!" Loid quickly caught her and picked her up by the armpits.

"I can't believe you Bond, I hate you!" Anya yelled through tears and snot as she glared at the dog.

The words struck Bond in the heart, making him cry as his tail dropped onto the floor.

Damian was surprised by how the dog understood human language as he glanced between Anya and Bond. Honestly, he had a hard time trying to figure out who he should feel sorry for.

Bond made pitiful sounds as Yor entered to console her daughter. "Oh Anya, don't worry. I'll sew him right up and make him all better."

"My penguin will be alive again?" Anya sniffled as her mother gave her a comforting smile.

Damian whispered to Eric, "It won't be the same though."

Eric whispered back, "Anya loves that penguin to death. We got it at the aquarium."

Damian had a feeling that's where they got that large toy. He glanced down at the cat in Eric's arms, "Were you really going to use the cat as a weapon?" His shoulders shook as he suppressed his laughter.

Eric looked down at his furry companion, "She was the first thing I grabbed. I was not fully awake."

Damian chuckled, "What were you going to do, shoot hairballs at them?"

Eric hummed, "You're right, what was I thinking?" He turned the cat around and pointed her tail towards Damian, "This should work perfectly. Locked and loaded." He made clicking sounds and motions with the tail as though reloading a shot gun.

Damian took a step back and panicked, "Don't fire at me!"

"Eric, do not weaponize the cat." Loid scolded his son as his wife went to work on fixing the penguin.

"I was joking." Eric said as he lowered Honey Ninja's tail.

Damian sighed in relief but still glared distrustfully at Eric. It's hard to tell if he's joking.

The boys turned back to Yor fixing the penguin. The results...

"What? Why's his head detached; it wasn't like that earlier!" Yor panicked at the worsened state of her daughter's toy.

"Now he's even deader!" Anya cried at the state of her precious penguin.

Eric frowned, he should've seen that coming given his mother's strength. He nodded to himself before he left the room, dragging Damian behind him.

"Hey, what're we doing?" Damian asked, confused as Eric pulled him out of Anya's room.

Loid kept his face straight as he stared at the two boys, "Are you wearing one of my shirts?"

"They were already clean and sterile for us to wear for this operation." Eric stated, behind his medical mask.

Eric and Damian wore Loid's white dress shirts with the long sleeves folded at the wrists, goggles over their eyes and shower caps on their heads.

Damian's eye twitched as he stood beside Eric in the living room in front of the coffee table with the mangled penguin resting on top. "Hey, what are we doing?" He slowly asked, his voice muffled behind the medical mask.

"Isn't it obvious? We're about to perform a full body surgery on Agent Penguin." Eric stated then pointed at Damian, "You'll be my assistant Nurse Desi."

A tick mark appeared on Damian's forehead, "'Nurse?'"

Eric nodded, "Yep."

Damian grumbled as he glared at his classmate.

Loid sighed at the two before calling their attention, "Alright you two, let's set aside your spat and focus on the patient." He said as he played along with his son who seems to have fallen in his role as a doctor already. "Damian, you got the stuffing?"

Damian looked over at the pile of stuffing that spilled out of the penguin earlier resting by the flipper. "Yes sir."

Eric held items up for them to see, "Paper clips and clamps ready to hold in place while we stitch him up."

Loid nodded, "Then let us begin."

The two Forgers plus Damian worked together to 'operate' on Agent Penguin. Loid sewed up the larger holes while Eric took care of the smaller gashes. Every now and then, Damian would hand over the requested stuffing or clamps.

'This is my first time playing doctor.' Damian thought to himself as he glanced at Eric who is hyper focused on his work as he stitched up the penguin with his father. 'I can't tell if he's playing or not.'

Yor was in Anya's room comforting her daughter who still wept over her precious penguin.

A knock on the door made mother and daughter turn to see Loid at the entrance.

"He's all better Anya." Loid announced, bringing a hopeful smile upon her face.

Loid stepped aside as Eric and Damian carried him into Anya's room. Both of them out of their 'surgeon' clothes.

"The surgery was a success." Eric informed her as Agent Penguin was deposited onto the desk chair.

"Sadly, he's...different." Damian said, wincing as he glanced at the obvious stitches.

Anya stared at the penguin then stated, "He looks all Frankenstein-y."

"Yeah, couldn't avoid that." Loid said from beside Anya.

"But he still looks alive." Yor added as she got a better look at the toy.

"Frankenstein was the scientist, not the monster." Eric said to his sister.

"You read about Frankenstein?" Damian asked Eric since the little blonde doesn't look like the type to read comics about that particular monster.

"Yeah, I find it quite interesting making new life with just a few body parts." Eric answered with a fascinated spark in his eyes despite his blank expression.

Damian frowned, "Somehow, that actually makes sense."

"You know, scars are like medals of valor. Sure, Agent Penguin got hurt, but they're honorable injuries he received in the line of duty." He added, hoping this would make his daughter feel better.

Anya's face brightened, "Wow, medals?"

"Yep, his scars are nothing to be ashamed of." Loid glanced over at the boys, "Eric and Damian also helped with the operation."

Eric nodded, "It was hard work, but I know Agent Penguin is well on his way to recovery."

Damian shrugged, "I just handled his fluffy guts."

Anya stared at them with bright green eyes, "Thank you so much for saving him. Big brother and Sy-on boy work really well together." She praised, giving the boys an angelic glow.

Damian blushed and turned away, "It was nothing." He said, trying to play it cool despite the thundering heart beating in his chest.

The sound of padded feet scraping across the wood floor towards Anya's room made everyone look towards the door to see Bond.

Anya stood protectively in front of her penguin, "Evil Bond, what do you want from us?"

Damian blinked when he saw what the dog was carrying in his mouth, "Wait, are those-"

"-peanuts." Eric finished as Bond let out a sorrowful groan as he presented Anya's favorite snack to her.

Anya read Bond's mind with a confused look, 'Are you saying 'sorry' to me?'

Loid turned to Bond who laid the peanuts on the ground before Anya. "I think he wants you to forgive him. How about it? Remember what Bondman said, 'yesterday's enemy is today's ally.' Right?"

"That's from episode 18."

Damian turned Eric and whispered, "Your dad actually watches that show too?"

Eric whispered back, "Yep, surprisingly. He uses references from that cartoon to better engage Anya on certain subjects."

"Clever."

Anya picked her penguin back up and spoke in a deepened voice, "I was really hurt pretty bad, but I am willing to call a ceasefire on behalf of your generous gift of these truce peanuts. Also," Anya lowered the penguin, her voice returning to normal as her eyes held guilt, "I'm sorry I said, 'I hate you.' I didn't mean it."

Bond's eyes shined at how Anya forgave him for his mistake before he pounced on her and gave her slobbering kisses as she giggled.

A moment later, Anya had Agent Penguin and Bond shake hands, "With this the peace treaty is officially signed." She declared before grabbing her toy as Bond followed after her to play.

Loid watched his daughter with a smile, 'If only things were this easy between the East and West.'

Yor looked relieved as Anya returned to her ever-lively self.

Eric sighed, "Well, that's one crisis resolved." Eric turned to Loid, "Hey Dad, can we make pancakes today? Customize our own to be exact?"

Anya quickly turned upon hearing that word. "Pancakes?" She hopefully repeated while clutching her penguin.

"You just want an excuse to have chocolate in the morning." Loid stated to his son, no sternness in his tone as he watched Eric knowingly.

Eric looked away guiltlessly, "Well I wanted to use those chocolate chips for something other than cookies."

"It actually sounds like a great idea. We also have strawberry syrup and whip cream to put on top." Yor said with a delighted smile.

"I want peanut butter on my pancake!" Anya exclaimed as she threw her hand up in the air.

Eric glanced at Damian, "What would you like on yours?"

Damian was surprised at the question as he thought of what he likes added to his breakfast. It's been a long time since he had a pancake, but one he remembered having that make his taste bud explode in joy had blueberries mixed in. "Um, if possible, I like blueberries with mine." He said, feeling shy with his request.

Loid smiled, despite being overruled, this is a good opportunity for Damian to enjoy his time with them. "You're in luck, I have all the fixings for all of us to make our own personal pancakes."

"Yay, pancake party!" Anya cheered as she grabbed Eric's and Damian's hands and pulled them out of the room. Eric followed with ease while Damian stumbled, surprised by the small girl's strength. He also took note of how soft her tiny hands are in his. A small blush stained his cheeks when he realized he's holding hands with a girl.

Eric glanced at Damian's blushing face and willed himself not to seethe at their guest. He profusely had to remind himself that there was only another day left before the wager is over.

Adorned in aprons and hair held down by bandanas, the Forgers plus Damian made their own customized their pancakes which Loid made from the stove. Three plates were stacked with different pancakes: plain, chocolate chips, and blueberries. Beside them were spreads and flavored syrups along with colorful sprinkles and whip cream.

Damian fixed his own plate with two stacks of blueberry pancakes as he topped it off with whip cream and maple syrup. He glanced at Eric who sat to his right and had to do a double take at the four stacked chocolate chip pancakes with whip cream in between and on top with chocolate syrup drizzled. His blank face had a slight blush and sparkles around his face as he squeezed the bottle tightly, watching it flow like rivers down a mountain.

"Eric, I hope you're not planning on drinking the whole chocolate syrup bottle." Loid warned his son before he gently took the near half-empty bottle from him.

"Not yet, but I will make that my life goal." Eric calmly said with certainty as he picked up his fork.

'What with this kid?' Damian thought to himself in disconcertion as he watched his rival marvel at the four-layer choco-galore.

"Big brother really loves chocolate." Anya stated as she finished a bite of her peanut buttered pancakes.

"Really, I couldn't tell." Damian responded as he watched Eric take a bite from his stack and shivered in delight.

'I guess even this guy can act like a little kid sometimes.' Damian thought to himself before he began to eat his pancakes. His hazel eyes widened, 'Wow, this is good!'

"Papa is amazing, what did you put in it?" Anya asked her father after she swallowed her peanut slathered pancake.

"A teaspoon of vanilla extract. Worked out better than I thought." Loid answered as he calmly ate his food.

"You're not kidding, this tastes incredible." Yor exclaimed as she ate her strawberry pancakes. She glanced down at her creation, noting how the strawberry syrup flowed around the pancakes. In a certain light, it reminded her of how blood pooled around her clients.

"Hey Anya, why do you look green all of a sudden?" Eric asked when he noticed the discomforted look on her face as she sat beside her mother.

Four hours later, Damian found himself in the Center with the Forgers as he was outfitted with the fencing gear. The sound of clashing steel and kids moving and leaping across the mats echoed throughout the massive room.

"Luckily you and Eric are about the same size." Loid stated as he adjusted the outfit Eric loaned him. "Can you breathe?"

"Yes, sir." Damian responded as he tested the movements in his arms and legs.

Loid nodded, "Alright." He stood up and guided him over to Gustav who was adjusting Eric's stance. "Mr. Wellers, we have a new student for you."

Gustav turned to Loid and greeted with his jovial smile, "Ah, Dr. Forger, good to see you as always." He glanced down at Damian, "Is this your other son?"

Damian blushed and looked away slightly. For some reason, being mistaken for Dr. Forger's son made him feel happy.

Loid laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, "No, he's my son's classmate. His name's Damian. He's spending the weekend with us, and we thought it would do him some good to try out this sport while we're here." He patted Damian's shoulder and stepped off the mat.

"I see, my mistake." Gustav knelt before the boy, "First time holding a sword lad?"

"Um, yes sir." Damian responded with politeness as he stood straight.

Gustav smiled at his nervousness, "A lot of us started out as beginners holding a wooden stick. I should know." He rose to his height, "First, we'll work on stance and posture. It is the most important thing to learn when you learn the art of fencing. Now, let's see your stance." He instructed as Eric returned with a fencing sword similar to his own and handed it to Damian.

Damian tried to copy Eric's position from earlier. He remembered Eric's prior instruction before coming to the Center today on how the fencer has to stand on the en-garde line with his dominant foot forward and pointing towards the opponent. Additionally, both feet should be in a 'L' position and shoulder-width apart, and the fencer should have his mask in one hand and his weapon in the dominant hand.

Gustav nodded in approval, "Not bad." He came forward and placed a hand on his shoulder to adjust his position, "Straighten your back, raise your arm. There we go." He took a step back.

Damian felt a glow of pride for not looking like a fool as he stayed in the corrected position.

His eyes glanced at Eric and saw him nod in approval.

"The en garde position is the starting stance in fencing, and it's used to prepare for an attack or defense. But for now, we'll practice advance and retreat."

Damian and Eric paired up where Gustav taught Damian the advance and retreat movements. During one of his retreats, Damian nearly tripped and fell, but Eric was quick to grab him by the front of the shirt before he could fall on his back.

"Fencing is like dancing, once you get the footwork right, it'll stay with you." Eric stated as he pulled his rival back into a correct position.

Damian blushed at how he almost embarrassed himself before he shook it off and resumed his footwork. One moment he's advancing towards a retreating Eric, then vice versa. They kept a small distance between them while holding their rapier in position. This does feel like a dance. This continued for roughly ten minutes.

"Now, let's show you the lunge. Eric, if you could give a demonstration?" Gustav requested his pupil.

Eric nodded as he took an en garde position and waited for his instructor's signal.

"Lunge!"

Eric kicks the front foot forward, pushes the body forward with the back leg, deeply bends the knee, slide the back leg along the ground, point the toe of the front leg towards the sky, unlock the back knee and pull back using the rear leg, brings the left arm back to the torso then recover to a proper on guard position.

Damian watched as Eric repeated the maneuver once again for equal measure before relaxing his stance and bowed to his teacher.

Gustav nodded then turned to Damian, "As you can see, this attack requires balance and precision. Minimum effort and maximum grace. It may look easy, but it's much more difficult without proper technique." He explained to Damian who listened to every word he said. "Now, we'll start off by slowly practicing your lunge."

Damian took the en garde position before he followed Gustav's slow movements, being careful as he tried to copy what he just saw Eric gracefully executed. He repeated this move several times under Gustav's instructions, his muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to cry as he persisted in learning the art of fencing.

After another fifteen minutes of that exercise, Damian was left sweating as he sat on the bench trying to catch his breath.

A water bottle appeared in his vision. Damian looked up and saw Eric standing there with his offering. "Here."

Not one to deny hydration, Damian took the bottle and chugged the water for three gulps.

Released a long sigh as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "This is harder than it looks."

"It's not just fancy steps and swinging the sword around." Eric sat down beside his rival to massage his wrist, "First timers are often left aching afterwards."

"Oh God, I'm gonna be in pain." Damian rubbed his thighs, hoping it would alleviate any future aches Eric warned him about.

Eric glanced at Damian, "That's good, 'cause if you're not feeling sore come morning, then you're not doing it right."

Damian narrowed his eyes at Eric, "How long did it take for you to stop feeling sore?"

Eric shrugged, "Two to three weeks, and that's from practicing drills before and after school."

"Show off." Damian grumbled then looked away, facing the gymnastics area where Anya was currently practicing on. He watched as the small girl in her red and gold leotard did shaky poses on the balance beam under her coach's instructions and Yor's watchful gaze. A look of deep concentration on her face.

"Are you ogling my sister?" Eric asked, his voice carried a light warning tone.

Damian whipped his head to Eric's glare which looked tame compared to the second son's previous encounters with it.

"What? No-no-no I wasn't. I'm just surprised that someone like your sister would be in gymnastics with how small she is." Damian defensively responded with a blush staining his cheeks.

Eric hummed as he calmed down enough to observe his sister's movements. "Anya more graceful than people give her credit for. She just has more energy than most kids her age. Gymnastics is actually a good outlet for her to expel all that energy." He said as Anya backflipped off the beam and onto the ground. Though she stumbled in her dismount, she never lost her focus as her mom and instructor clapped and praised her. "She's been able to do that all week now."

Damian witnessed with wide eyes, "Wow, that was actually really cool." He turned to Eric who had a look of pride on his normally calm face, "I gotta say, I thought you and your sister would be in fencing and gymnastics together considering how you follow each other around all the time." He stated, having observed his rival and Anya, how they were stuck like glue.

Eric held a faint smile on his face, "I thought so too. But I get vertigo on the beams." He said, remembering how he tried it out one day, looked down and felt dizzy at the height from where he was standing. He would have fallen had Yor not caught him in time. "Anya and I agreed to stay out of each other's sports. Doing things together is fun, but it's also good to branch out and find your hobbies."

Damian nodded in understanding, yet he felt another string of envy fall over him. He can't remember the last time he and his brother Demetrius did anything fun together. Or spent quality time together as siblings. Whenever he tries to approach his older brother, there is always his father standing over him, instructing him in his studies with a stern and collective look.

Eric caught the way Damian was lost in his thoughts. He knew something was bothering the boy, but he knew even if he did voice his question, Damian would not answer. So, he settled with nudging his shoulder with his own to catch his attention, making the dark-haired boy turn to Eric who bounded off the bench and offered his hand.

"Fancy a spar?"

Damian looked surprised, "What?"

"If you're not feeling up for it, I can find a different, more ready opponent." Eric said, baiting his rival to spar with him, hoping it would help him out of whatever depressive funk he's in.

Damian grinned at the challenge then gripped his rival's hand, "You're so on. Prepare to lose."

Eric mirrored Damian's smile with his small subtle grin as they picked up their rapiers and moved towards the sparring areas.

Loid watched their interaction with approval, though it's not a golden friendship, it is still something.

"How...is this...supposed to help...with the pain?" Damian struggled to speak through the aches in his body as Eric gripped his hands.

The two classmates were currently sitting on the living room floor with their feet touching each other, legs in a wide V as they held hands, pulling one forward every few minutes. At this moment, Damian was the one being pulled as he felt his inner thighs scream in pain.

"It's important to stretch your muscles before and after you do a rigorous activity. In your case, you've never used your leg muscles like that before." Eric grunted as he allowed Damian to pull him forward. "Remember, pain is weakness leaving your body."

Damian grunted, "Well, not everyone is a masochist like you."

Eric pulled Damian forward suddenly, causing his joints to crack and wince.

"I'm not a masochist, I just have a very-" Eric pulled harder, "-high pain tolerance."

Damian squeaked in pain, "I take it back."

"Eric, release Damian, it's time for lasagna." Loid told his son who immediately let go of Damian who flopped onto his back with a groan.

Damian sat down at the table, biting his lips in pain when his inner thigh gave a cry of protest.

"So, Damian, how did you like your first lesson?" Yor asked from her usual spot beside Anya who sat beside Damian.

"It was actually fun. Minus the pain." Damian muttered while glancing at Eric.

"It'll get easier the more you practice. That is, if you still want to continue the sport." Eric said to Damian as he sprinkled red pepper onto his lasagna. "It's also a good way to earn Stella Stars in the future."

"He's right, Eden has a class for fencing, however, it is unfortunately for third years. So, entering their competitions is a long way from now." Loid reminded the boys as he cut into his food he prepared for his family.

Damian tore off a piece of his garlic bread and stared at the crust, "Even if I'm not a third year yet, I still want to do fencing. When I get back to the dorms, I'll ask my father if it's alright for me to join the center. Though he might say 'no' because it's outside of Eden." He said with a doubtful expression as he pictured his father's disapproving face.

"What if you go with us?" Anya offered, "You and brother know each other, and you know us. We'll be like your bodyguards when we go out to play."

Loid likes the way his daughter thinks right now, another opportunity for Plan B. "Not a bad idea. But only if it's okay with your father." Loid said to Damian, not wanting to be pushy or put pressure on the boy.

Damian felt strangely hopeful at the idea of being allowed to come here with the Forgers. In the day and a half he's been here, in spite of the chaos of this morning, being with the Forgers was actually fun.

"I do like the sport, mainly because it gives me an excuse to poke you in the chest." Damian added with a grin towards his rival.

Eric raised his spoon, "En garde."

Damian picked up his spoon and clashed utensils with Eric. Both serious as they parried each other.

"Boys, not at the dinner table." Loid chided them before things could escalate into a battle.

The rest of the evening was spent in familial comfort and companionship.

Chapter Text

Sunday, the final hurdle of wager, the Forgers brought Damian to the playground Anya and Loid visited together the first time.

"You guys come here?" Damian asked as he, Eric and Anya wore their play clothes.

"On occasion. It's a bit further from our home, but it's worth it." Eric shrugged as Anya went ahead and began to run all over the playground equipment. "Plus, we thought this is better than loafing around at home."

"Hm, good point." Damian said, somewhat glad to not be inside doing nothing but study even though it is what he usually does on the weekends.

"I'll race you on the monkey bars." Eric said with a slightly mischievous glint in his eyes before he bolted towards the playground.

Damian growled as he chased after him, "Hey, you cheater, get back here!"

Loid and Yor sat on the bench and observed the children running around.

"They are certainly enjoying themselves more than usual." Yor noted as she watched Eric and Damian race each other on the bars with Anya serving as the referee.

"Yes. I was a little worried about whether Damian would like this place. Though it would appear I had nothing to fear." Loid agreed as he observed Damian smile during their little race. The second son of the Desmond family looks more relaxed compared to how he is at Eden. Loid noticed how Eric seems a little looser in his interaction with Damian outside of school. Sure, they still compete, but it's more friendly with a touch of comradery in their endeavors. And Anya...well she's still Anya with that bountiful energy.

"Brother, let's go roundy-round!" Anya beckoned Eric and Damian over to the merry-go-round play equipment.

Damian hesitated as Anya hopped onto the platform and held onto the rails, "Ugh, doesn't look very clean."

"What, are you afraid of dirt?" Eric asked as he prepared himself to push the equipment around.

Damian went red in the face and glared, "Am not! Let me on!" He marched forward with the determination to prove his rival wrong.

'So easy to manipulate.' Eric thought to himself before he and Damian pushed the merry-go-round with all their might, running before they hopped on the spinning ride. Anya giggled as she was spun around.

Damian had an unimpressed look as he held onto the rails, "Is this the fastest it can go?"

"There's only so much strength kids can put into making this thing spin." Eric stated as he watched Damian's face.

While they continued to spin, Anya had an idea as she glanced at the bench, "Papa and Mama, come spin with us!"

Eric frowned when their parents stood up, "I don't think that's good idea."

Damian gave him a questioning look, "Why?"

Loid and Yor came over where their mother insisted she pushes the merry-go-round while Loid sits behind Anya.

Eric planted his feet firmly on the metal platform while holding onto the center rails tightly.

"Uh, Forger?" Damian asked as he observed his rival and Anya.

"You better hold on." Eric advised before Damian gripped the rails.

Yor held onto the outer rails with an excited smile, "Okay, ready on three. 1...2...3!" With the final word, she pushed her weight into her left foot and heaved forward then spun the merry-go-round at top speed by accident. The occupants became a blur at the speed they went as they held on tightly.

Damian gritted his teeth as he felt himself being pulled backward by the force of the spin. Turning to the others he saw how their expressions vary from the speed. Eric pursed his lips very tightly while squinting his eyes as though in concentration, Anya was screaming with her eyes wide and face peeled back from her mouth as spit flew everywhere, and Loid looked like he was in a nosedive on a jet.

Yor yelped then stopped the merry-go-round abruptly with both hands. "Sorry, I did not hold back enough!" She apologized in panic as Anya fell back against her father with swirls in her eyes. Eric and Damian, however, stumbled off the equipment, completely disoriented as they moved around.

"Boys?" Yor worriedly asked as Eric looked green and held a hand tightly to his mouth. Amid his swaying, he managed to snatch an equally woozy Damian by his shoulder and drag him to the nearby bushes.

"Bleaaaaaarrrrgghh!" Eric and Damian knelt side-by-side with their hands patting each other's backs as sparkles and rainbows spewed out of their mouths for censorship purposes.

After several minutes of glittery vomit, the boys were at the water fountain with Loid beside them.

Eric gargled the water then spat the contents onto the grass. With a sniff, he turns to Damian who is on his third gargle-rinse.

"To be clear, this was not part of the plan." Eric told his rival who spat the water out of his mouth.

"I believe you." Damian croaked, looking pale from having upset stomach.

Loid turns to his son while rubbing Damian's back, "You okay?"

Eric takes deep breaths then staggers away, "Yeah, I'm just gonna...walk it off." He then proceeded to journey back to the playground as he saw Anya being pushed on the swing by Yor.

Loid watched his son leave before he guided Damian back to the bench to help ease his stomach.

Damian leaned back and let the soft breeze soothe his skin.

"How are you feeling? Still nauseous?" Loid asked as he sat beside the boy.

"Just give me a few, and I'll be alright." Damian sighed, "I never knew your wife was that strong, and she knows self-defense?"

"Yeah, believe it or not, she has more control when it comes to fighting back." Loid stated as he remembered the night he proposed to Yor and how she effortlessly took down the bad guys that were chasing them.

Damian now has a new-found respect for the family, the mother especially. 'I need to remember not to get on her bad side.' He swore to himself as he realized just how powerful and protective his rival's mom is. 'I feel bad for anyone who tries to hurt the Forger kids.'

Loid watched Damian from the corner of his eye as he leaned back to gaze at the clouds rolling by. "You know, this park wasn't always here. It was built a few years after the war."

Damian glanced at Loid with a questioning look, "Really?"

"That's right. The city officials wanted to make something nice for the local kids here, to show them that it is now safe to go outside and have fun. But it wasn't easy, others wanted to use that money for more economical endeavors." Loid had a melancholy smile grace his lips, "After much argument, volunteers from all around worked together to build this for every child in the city. They all came from low to middle class to give back what had been lost in the war."

Damian saw a hint of sadness in the man's gaze when he mentioned the war. He remembered Eric telling the class during that job interview report how Loid Forger became a psychiatrist after the fighting ended to help others with their trauma.

Damian frowned as he stared at the playground structure, how those not of the elite created this and never expected anything in return. Seeing Anya and a few kids visiting with their families run around and play on the equipment made him realize how this was made through an act of selfless love for their children.

"Did you...have something like this as a kid?" Damian asked, wanting to quell the awkward silence between him and his rival's dad.

Loid hummed, "Yeah, but I mostly hung out with my friends in an old warehouse. We'd always play battlefront games." He released a quiet sigh, "Back then, I did not realize the horrors of war. My father did not want me to ever play those games, said it was ignorant and foolish to emulate such a thing. He was always saying how I need to study and get good grades, over and over again. I never liked that; we never saw eye to eye." He said as he remembered his rough childhood and his tumultuous relationship with his father.

Damian's eyes widened to a slight degree at how the older man spoke of his childhood with a fond and sad look. He frowned as he looked down at his feet, "Was it hard...meeting his expectations?"

Loid sighed, "To be honest, I just couldn't understand him. I liked to think that I was smart enough to win the games with my friends. But that was just me being arrogant. My father, for all his faults, was a great man. He only wanted me to live without needing to fight. But..." He paused as he stared off into the distance, "...life had other plans for me."

Damian swallowed as he realized what his questions caused, "I'm sorry."

Loid ruffled the boy's hair, making him look up at the man. "Don't be. I'm not one to let the past dictate my actions. Rather, I learn from it, and use it to guide others." He glanced at his family, "You know, I've never shared that part of my life with my wife and kids."

This caught Damian by surprise, "Not even Eric?" He asked since Eric seems very close to his father.

"I'll tell him one day. For now, he should let himself be a kid." Loid turned to Damian and removed his hand from the boy's hair, "As should you."

Damian turned to the side with a blush, "What do you mean?"

Loid watches the boy for a moment, "I understand your father is a prominent figure in the political world. That raises a lot of expectations for one so young. Even if you can't get away from what is expected of you, there is no shame in talking to someone about it. Help take the weight off your shoulders when it becomes too much."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Damian turned back to him.

"A little." Loid fished his business card from his inner pocket of his coat and handed it to Damian, "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll listen, and I'll do my best to help you."

Damian took the card and stared at the name and number written down. Though it was unexpected, it gave him that happy tingling feeling at the knowledge that an adult wants to help him.

"Thank you, Dr. Forger. This is really nice, I appreciate it, really." Damian said as he pocketed the number.

Loid smiled, "I'm glad. It also makes me happy to see you and Eric get along with each other."

Damian blushed, "We do not get along!" He denied vehemently at the very notion of him and Eric of all people actually getting along like friends.

Loid shrugged, "Okay, okay. Still, I hope this weekend wasn't so bad."

Damian composed himself and scratched the back of his head, "It wasn't what I expected, but I can't say I hate it."

"That's good. I understand if it was scary at first, but you soldiered on. Well done." Loid commented as Damian blushed at the praise.

When the Forgers returned home, it was already approaching evening. They went through the routine of washing up, studying, watching TV and eating dinner together. It all passed by in a calm familial atmosphere.

That night as Damian laid beside a sleeping Eric and Honey Ninja. He didn't sleep, because he knew that the moment he does, he will return to school in the morning and will go back to sleeping in the dorms. He stared at the ceiling as he reflected on the entire weekend he spent at the Forgers. It wasn't dirty or horrific as he initially feared. If anything, it was so clean that he was sure no one lived here. More than that, they were all very welcoming towards him, even Eric.

Damian glanced at his sleeping rival, a boy who made it his mission to beat him in their contest to become Imperial Scholars. Despite their established rivalry, Eric was honorable enough to guide him through the eccentricity that is the Forger family life and helped introduce him to the art of fencing. Here, there were no expectations to be perfect or to become the best among the elite.

A wave of envy fell over Damian. Eric has so little in the eyes of Eden, yet he hardly lets any of that bother him, even looks happy with where he stood on the social strata. More than that, he has parents who care and love him dearly, especially Loid Forger.

Damian frowned as his heart clenched suddenly, the voice in the back of his mind told him to stay with the Forgers just a little longer, if only to pretend that they were his family. He stopped that thought dead in its tracks as sweat came out of his body.

'Hold on, if the Forgers ever become my family, then Eric would...' His eyes widened immensely, 'Oh crap, he'd be my brother!' Damian mentally shook his head, 'No way, no way! He is not my brother!' Damian faced the wall and screwed his eyes shut to block out intrusive thoughts on having his rival as a sibling.

The morning followed with breakfast at the table. This was just a regular routine for the Forgers. But for Damian, this will be the last time, and he wanted to savor it for as long as he can.

"Hey Damian, do you have all of your stuff packed? Clothes and books?" Loid asked as he sipped his coffee at the table.

Damian looked up at the Forger patriarch, "Um, yes sir. I'm sure you got everything."

"Well, even if you didn't, I don't mind stopping by the dorms and returning anything you left here back to you." Loid assured him as Damian nodded in understanding.

Anya was shoveling food into her mouth at alarming speed.

"Not too fast Anya, you'll get heartburn." Yor warned her gently.

Anya drank her milk as smiled, "I can't help it Mama, today big brother will be wearing a dress."

Damian froze as he remembered the wager. He glanced at Eric who hardly looked phased as he calmly ate his breakfast.

"Which won't happen until lunchtime Anya. So don't rush eating for nothing." Eric said then glanced at Damian, "By the way, the blue dress I asked about, the theatrical director was kind enough to put that on hold for me in case I lost the bet."

Damian stared at him with mouth hanging open. "You're actually looking forward to wearing a dress?" He incredulously asked his rival who was unbothered at the idea of crossdressing.

"I like to think of it as an experiment. Besides, if I was ever gonna lose, I'd lose with grace and style." Eric said with an impressive stoic stare.

"I can't believe you said that with a straight face." Damian deadpanned at his rival.

At the bus stop, the Forgers patiently waited for the Eden transport to arrive.

Damian faced Loid and Yor, "Dr. and Mrs. Forger, thank you both for having me. I had a pleasant time this weekend."

The couple smiled at the boy before Yor laid a gentle hand on Damian's hair, "I'm glad for that. If you ever want to come visit or spend another weekend with us, don't hesitate to ask, okay?" She said with a kind and warm voice.

Damian blushed at the way Yor ran her fingers through his hair, it felt nice and motherly. He wanted it to last a little longer.

As the bus rolled up, Damian nodded, "Thank you, I will keep that in mind."

"Let's go Desi, we need to assure your buddies that you're alive." Eric said as the bus door opened before the two Eden students boarded the bus and took their seats beside each other.

As the bus rolled away, Damian glanced at Eric, "Your family is better than I expected."

A small yet proud smile came onto Eric's face, "I'm glad you think that, because I agree with you there."

Damian stopped by the dorms first to drop off his stuff where his lackeys tearfully welcomed him home as though he just survived the war. It took several minutes to assure Ewen and Emile that he was alright as he was bombarded with questions; was their house haunted, did they feed him rats and roaches, did they deprive him of bathing in clean water? All of which earned them well deserved bonks on the heads.

By the time class rolled around, everyone was whispering about the wager and how Forger will wear the dress. Some girls stared at Eric with pity while others snickered. All of which were ignored.

Anya arrived before lunchtime, and everyone waited in the lunchroom with anticipation.

Becky turned to the students with a warning glare, "If anyone of you so much as laughs at Eric Forger, my shoes go down your throats."

While some didn't take her threat seriously, most of the kids in their grade vowed not to laugh.

Damian kept his face composed as the doors opened. Everyone gasped in surprise as out of nowhere, a breeze blew from behind Eric, whipping now long hair and frilly skirt around him. Becky, Anya and Damian's expression were in deep awe at who stood before the entire first grade.

Eric wore an elegant pastel blue dress with white trimmings. The skirt flowed elegantly around his ankles and the sleeves puffed gently at the shoulders. Matching low-heeled shoes adorned his feet, white gloves cover his hands which held a decorative fan over his chest. His blonde hair now extended to the middle of his back was tied in front of him in a modest yet elegant flowing ponytail which curled at the end.

All the students, waiters, and staff members were struck with awe at the beautiful and elegant little girl in their midst.

"No way, is that really Forger?" Ewen asked as Eric calmly walked among the crowd, almost floating as he soaked up the attention.

Damian looked around and saw how the boys were blushing at the sight of the beauty. The girls were all huddled, whispering and blushing as they beheld the gentle medic in training as though he was an angel.

Becky stared with mouth wide open, "Wow, he looks better in that dress than anyone."

Anya had sparkles in her eyes as her brother came to their table. "Brother, you look so pretty!"

Eric turned to Anya and spoke in a voice that didn't sound boyish at all, "Who is this brother you speak of? I am Erica Forinna. Though for you sweet girl, you are free to call me 'sister.'" He said in a playful tone as he winked at Anya who giggled.

This, unfortunately, drew a crowd as children shouted, "Can I call you my sister too?" or "Please stay like this forever and marry me!"

Becky gave Erica an impressed look, "Guess we know what happens when you purposely charm people."

Erica gave her a genuinely confused and innocent look, "Whatever do you mean Ms. Blackbell?" She wondered as she shyly hid her face behind her fan.

Becky sweatdropped, "This is what I'm talking about."

Anya snuggled into Erica's side, looking happy to have a secret sister.

Damian, Ewen and Emile stared at the scene in bewilderment.

"Unbelievable." Damian exclaimed as hearts fell out of the first graders who were enchanted by the persona Eric put forward.

Erica turned her attention to Damian and walked over to their table. The boys froze up when she neared them. She stopped in front of Damian and gave him a kind and gentle smile, "How are you today Desmond?"

The boys at the table blushed as she exuded a calm aura around her. Damian completely forgot that this was Eric Forger playing dress up as he became spellbound by the noble lady's green eyes. His blush deepened as Erica drew closer to him and place her glove on his forehead.

"Are you well? Your face is red as though you have a fever." Erica asked in concern for her classmate.

Damian came back to himself as he remembered who this kid is before he shot to his feet, dislodging her hand from his heated skin. "I am not sick. Now take that dress off!" Damian demanded as he pointed a finger at her in anger.

Erica blushed and hid the bottom half of her face, "Oh my, how bold of you to make such a request of me. So uncouth, and to make me do so in such a place like this surrounded by youths." She said in an embarrassed tone that made all the kids look at the boy with shock on their faces.

Damian's blush deepened, "Nonononono, that's not what I meant. I-I-I just-" Damian growled the yelled at his rival, "Stop with the act and turn back into Forger!"

Then Damian and his henchmen ran out of the room as though a monster was chasing him.

"Lord Damian, why are we running?" Emile panted as they trailed behind their leader.

"Shut up!" Damian responded with more aggression as steam flowed out of his head. 'And to think I was calling him my brother last night!'

Back in the cafeteria, everyone watched the last spot Damian was seen.

Erica blinked several times, "Poor boy should see the school nurse if he's being agitated."

One of the waiters watched the whole scene play out with a deadpanned expression. Loid infiltrated the school believing his son would need help, though it turns out, Eric was able to handle it on his own by stepping into the role befitting the dress. As the master of disguise and acting, Loid felt a sting of pride at how well Eric was able to pull off that role. He took it like a man while dressed as a girl.

Three days later

Loid felt his eye twitch when he returned home to the scene in the living room. "What is going on?"

Eric no longer wore the blue dress at school. But right now, he is dressed up in a lovely canary yellow dress with white frills kneeling on the floor reading a book while Anya and Yor braid his hair.

"Hi Dad, Anya wanted to play with big sister, and I wanted to study. Thought it'd be a good idea to kill two birds with one stone." Eric shrugged, unmindful of having to wear the dress. If he's being honest with himself, wearing a skirt is very comfortable and the breeze feels nice whenever he walks.

"I love my big sister Erica." Anya beamed in delight as she worked on her beautiful sister's hair.

"White or yellow?" Yor held up the hair ribbons.

"White please." Eric responded without looking up from his book.

Loid had that deadpanned expression again. 'Okay, now I am convinced and concerned he is my son.'

Chapter Text

Honey Ninja sat curled up in Eric's lap as he worked on his homework assignments at his desk. Occasionally, he'd pause to pet his furry companion, her soft and smooth coat offered him comfort as she purred in delight. With the final problem of his mathematics solved, he closed the workbook and leaned back in his chair to massage his neck. He looked outside when he heard the distant thunder.

"Dad, Anya and Bond should be on their way home now." Eric said as the sky darkened, earlier his father and sister left to walk the dog and have some alone time together. One he encouraged as it gave him some alone time to work on his school while exercising his power. It felt good to just make things float just for the fun of it. Also, it makes folding laundry so much easier. Which reminds him.

Eric placed Honey Ninja on top of his desk then stood up to stuff his books into his bag. Afterwards, turned to the laundry basket beside his bed. With a light smile, he took a deep breath and raised his hands in front of him. His hair floated around as though submerged in water. The clean clothes his mother placed beside his bed floated out of the basket and began to fold themselves in midair. The drawers in his dresser opened as the neatly folded shirts, trousers, socks and underwear were placed inside. With the last article of clothing in their rightful place, the drawers gently shut by themselves.

Eric lowered his arms as the fringes of his hair fell against his forehead. With a satisfied smile, he picked up the now empty basket and left his room. "Hey Mom, I finished my homework and folded my-" He stopped midsentence when he entered the living room and saw a strange woman sitting on the couch across from Yor. "-laundry." He finished as schooled his features into neutrality.

"Oh, Eric, you're already done. Good job. You can put the basket in that corner over there." Yor said then gestured towards their guest, "This is Fiona Frost, she's your father's colleague at the hospital."

"How do you do? Your name is Eric, I assume. Your father has spoken a great deal about you." Like her name, she spoke in a cool and frosty voice as she watched him with her one visible eye.

Eric bowed his head in acknowledgement and greeting, "It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am. Thank you for helping my father."

Eric raised his head carefully assessed the woman in their home. At first glance, she is a very beautiful woman, with her pale skin and chin-length silver hair with the fringe covering the right of her blackish-grey eyes. Her face is completely void of emotion, like a statue. Ironically, it unsettled him.

"Would you like some hot chocolate, Eric?" Yor offered, to which he nodded, "Thank you, I would love some."

Yor went back to the kitchen to prepare her son's favorite beverage while Eric set the laundry basket in the corner. He moved to sit on the chair his father normally occupies, his feet dangled over the edge as he waited patiently for his mother to return.

For several minutes, Eric and Fiona did not speak, their eyes fixated on the coffee table but kept each other in their peripheral vision. "You say you work with my father. Psychiatry?" Eric broke the ice, maintaining a neutral tone for guests.

"Yes, though I'm a junior, and I mainly assist him with his schedule and patients." Fiona cooly answered, matching the boy's calm and reserved tone.

"Strange, I don't remember seeing you when I visited his workplace for a school assignment." Eric stated as he leaned his right cheek on his knuckles before he dared to make eye contact with Fiona.

"I had just transferred to Berlint Hospital. I am still learning the ropes while under Dr. Forger's guidance." Fiona answered as she assessed the boy's reaction. As expected, the child made no facial reaction to her explanation.

"I see. Then I trust my father is being a good mentor to you." Eric surmised as he tried to make out her body language. But he'd have more luck with an ice block than her.

'She's hiding something. This is just like when we met Dad for the first time. Could she be a spy? Ally or adversary?' Eric's eyebrow twitched in frustration, wishing so bad for telepathy right now. 'No, too early to tell. But she wants something. You don't just go to your superior's home without reason. I need to be on my toes until Dad gets back.'

Meanwhile, Fiona felt like she's on cloud nine. This is the son of Twilight, such a shocking resemblance between the two. Rumors have gone around about Eric Forger being Twilight's secret biological son, and she was curious to see if those rumors were true. But even if those allegations prove false, just seeing this child, this offspring of Twilight set her heart ablaze for the man she loves deeply.

'This child is so much like Twilight, right down to his serious frown. How Twilight claims to not have fathered this little boy is beyond me.' Fiona noted as she analyzed the boy's body language, 'He's sitting in his father's chair, trying to assert his place as the man of the house. How adorable. It's obvious he doesn't trust me, he probably believes I'm trying to steal his father. Which isn't too far off. Clever child you are.'

Yor returned with a mug of hot chocolate, "Here you go Eric."

Eric took the warm mug as he faced his mother, "Thank you Mom." He gently blew on the sweet beverage before taking a slow sip with a look of contentment.

Fiona began to strategize on what the best course of action to take to get Yor Briar out of the picture and insert herself as the new Mrs. Forger. Since she can't get her to leave by force or make her disappear, her best bet is to make her leave of her own volition.

Fiona glanced from the mother/son duo to the family pictures. "Your daughter, Anya, she seems rather lively." She noted while analyzing each photograph. All of them are smiling, even little Eric who wore a relaxed smile alongside his sister's bright and energetic grin.

Yor was surprised by the question but smiled fondly, "Yes, if nothing else, she's always a bundle of energy."

"That must be quite difficult. Raising a child like that can be exhausting." Fiona stated, which brought forth a subtle glare from Eric who calmly sipped at his hot chocolate.

"'Difficult?' Why would you say that? I love that she's so energetic all the time. Now if she were down in the dumps all the time, that would be a real challenge. Plus, Eric is able to balance her energy with his tranquility." Yor added as she glanced at Eric who lowered his mug slightly and nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I'm lucky that all three of us can have so much fun together."

'Hmph, so she sees herself as the children's mother.' Fiona thought to herself, hoping that the difficulties of raising stepchildren would make her leave. But it would seem she holds a great deal of maternal fondness for her son and daughter.

"Actually, parenthood does seem a bit challenging for Loid considering everything he has to do for work." Yor admitted then added morosely, "And around the house because of me." She said as she remembered the disaster of breakfast this morning. Anya and Loid looked like they were in pain when they swallowed the sad excuse of a fried egg. Eric, bless his heart, stomached his mother's cooking with tears in his eyes as he did not want to hurt her feelings. But Yor could see how much effort he put in to bear his suffering for her sake.

Fiona felt a small sense of victory at her admittance. 'Exactly, you need to acknowledge your own inadequacy. You aren't fit for this mission.'

Eric cradled his mug in his lap. "That's not true." He spoke, causing the two women to face him, "You're working hard enough as it is. You keep an immaculate home free of pest and dirt while encouraging me and Anya to do the same. Plus, you're teaching us those amazing self-defense techniques and even volunteer at the center to teach Anya's gymnastics class. A lot of the kids and their moms praise your athletics and agility." He reminded his mother, letting her know where praise is earned while taking a quick glance at Fiona, giving her a subtle glare which went unnoticed by Yor.

Yor blushed, "They really say that?"

"That's right, they consider you an ideal model and wish to emulate your skills in the art of gymnastics." Eric added with a subtle yet proud smile.

Yor touched her cheek as her blush deepened, "Oh, I'm not so sure about that." She said, feeling bashful at knowing how the other students see her as their role model for the sport.

Fiona can see how Eric is protective of his adoptive mother's feelings, which makes things a bit difficult for the ice-like woman. That glare he sent her, eye color aside, it resembled Twilight's perfectly. He knows how to administer threats and warnings without drawing too much attention. 'Did Twilight teach him that, or did it come naturally?'

Fiona opened her mouth to speak, "Dr. Forger often complains-"

The front door opened to reveal three absent family members.

"We have returned safely!" Anya announced their presence with Bond barking beside her.

Eric carefully climbed out of his father's seat and gently set his half-empty mug onto the coaster. Now that the head of their family has returned, it is best to vacate the throne and have him deal with Fiona.

"Welcome home you two." Yor greeted as she went over to the mini buffet to pick up the magnifying glass.

"Oh, hi Fiona. What are you doing here?" Loid greeted in surprise. He never expected to see his fellow spy in his own home.

'First name basis. Not good.' Eric noted as he approached his father and sister.

"Hello Doctor, it's good to see you." Fiona greeted in her cool and professional tone which bellied her irritation. 'I thought I had more time.'

"She came to return something you left at the hospital." Yor said as she gave the item back to her daughter.

Anya's eyes brightened as she held her precious item. "Yay, my magnifying glass!"

"Try not to lose it next time." Eric sighed as he crossed his arms. 'Anya, I don't trust this woman.'

Anya tensed up as she held her brother's hand, she stuffed the magnifying glass in her jacket then touched his palm with her finger.

"That wasn't a very long walk." Yor commented as she took her husband's coat and hung it on the rack.

Fiona calmly approached her superior.

"It was starting to look like rain, so we cut it short." Loid turned to Fiona, "You could have just given me this at work." While he said those words, he was mouthing something different, ("What is this about Agent Nightfall?")

"I was out running a few errands, and it was on the way." Fiona replied in the same manner, ("I am here to assess the state of Operation Strix.")

Anya stared at her with wide eyes, 'This lady is a spy too?' She confirmed while drawing letters into her brother's palm.

WEST SPY

Eric relaxed slightly, 'So, she works with our father in the same organization. That's one relief. Still, I can't make heads or tails with her demeanor.'

'What is she up to? Agents are supposed to avoid unnecessary contact.' Loid asked himself as he tried to understand while communicating with his former underling.

"I see. The local supermarket?" Loid asked, ("What's there to assess?")

"Yes, that's correct. Their onions were on sale." Fiona replied, ("Is walking your dog an essential part of the mission?")

Yor turned to their guest with an intrigued expression, "Oh, I had no idea, maybe I should go pick some up."

"They've also got their pasta and pumpkins at a discount. There was a long line at the register." Fiona mouthed to Loid, ("Shouldn't this woman be doing your errands? Does she refuse to cooperate?")

"I recommend their shrimp. It's good." Loid glared at Fiona, ("What are you trying to say?")

"I may have forgotten to tell you this Doctor, but I'm actually allergic to shellfish." Fiona glared back, ("I'm saying it's a great loss that a man of your talents is focusing his efforts on playing house.")

("I propose we review your operational tactics.") Fiona mouthed to her fellow agent.

("It's not your place to propose anything.") Loid mouthed back to her.

'Okay, now I'm officially lost.' Eric sighed as he pretty much gave up at this point when lightning sparked from their glares.

Anya watched their interaction while reading their minds. 'Papa and this new lady are fighting. Her face is so scary.'

But then, Anya was hit by a thought she never anticipated, 'Agent Twilight...I love you.'

"Huh?" Anya rubbed her eye to get a clearer view.

While Fiona's face remained impassive, her inner thoughts were extremely loud, 'I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEE YOOOOOOOUUUUUU!' If Anya didn't know any better, she could have sworn she saw bright pink hearts in the woman's eyes.

What followed next was a series of fantasies from cooking, laundry, a financial supporter then a wedding. It's normal to dream, but this woman's fantasy is a bit on the extreme side. Anya pretty much went numb at this point.

'Well, what are we dealing with here?' Eric asked his sister who clumsily drew in his hand. He didn't get it at first until it became clear.

CRAZY LOVE PAPA

Eric sighed inwardly as rain began to pour outside, 'This is going to me one of those days. Great.' This is not how he wanted to spend his evening.

While his mother boiled water for coffee and hot chocolate, Eric sat in the chair across from his father as it gave him a place to observe while Anya sat in her small pink chair across from Fiona. The eldest child of the Forger family cradled his warm beverage as he listened to his dad and Fiona talk. He looked up and caught his mother's sad look in the cabinet window's glare. Even if he can't read minds, he can see how Loid's interaction with Fiona is putting her off.

Yor set the cups down in front of her family members, "Here you go."

"Cocoa time!" Anya cheered as she smelled her drink.

"I got milk if anyone needs it." Yor offered as she set the small pitcher of milk on the table.

"Thank you, I'd appreciate that." Loid thanked her while Fiona observed their interaction. She mentally scoffed at Yor because Twilight prefers his coffee black. So imagine her surprise when he pretty much poured the whole pitcher into his drink. This caused Fiona to bite her fingernails as she considered how family life has changed the man's taste.

Though Loid isn't fond of milk in his coffee, that nervous ache in the pit of his gut festered from the tension in the living room. 'Hopefully the milk will lessen the damage to my stomach. Actually, maybe I should ask her to make me decaf going forward.'

Eric took a small sip of his beverage while watching everything unfold, 'They come here, they all come here. How do they even find this place?'

'This lady is crazy.' Anya noted after reading the woman's mind. Her cup tipped forward, but before it could spill, Eric's index finger subtly pointed at Anya, disguising the motion as him tapping on his cup. Anya hastily cradled the mug in both hands when she felt her brother's power stop the spill. She glanced at her brother who sent her mental signals to keep her nerve.

Eric continued to observe his family, comfortable with being silent as he calmly drank his precious hot chocolate. Then Anya's face held panic at what she saw in the woman's head before she set her cocoa down to hug her mother's lap. He didn't understand what his sister was saying, but it brought tears of joy onto his mother's blushing face. 'Overselling as usual.' Eric sighed quietly to himself.

Not one to be outdone, Fiona offered as loving gesture, "Oh Anya, I have some imported cocoa. Would you like me to bring it next time?"

Anya responded by hissing at Fiona, which surprised the adults. Eric almost spits his drink out at his sister's hilarious imitation of a cat.

Fiona then tried her hand with Eric who quickly regained his composure. "How about you Eric? Your father says chocolate is your favorite."

Eric twitched slightly, cursing at his weakness for his ultimate sweet. He cleared his throat slightly as he lowered his mug. "I wouldn't mind in the least. I am curious about how other nations make their chocolate as both a hot drink and candy." He said as he locked his neutral gaze with the cold woman.

Fiona felt a small sense of victory at his acceptance, "I'll bring some over the next time we see each other."

"Thank you, Ms. Frost."

Eric finished the rest of his drink before he climbed down from his seat to clean his mug. Hidden behind the kitchen counter, he hovered in the air in front of the sink and quickly cleaned his cup. Once it was spotless, he placed it in the dry rack then floated back down.

While the telekinetic child did the dishes, Fiona observed the family's interactions, from Anya's loving declaration, Yor's determination to become a better wife, and Loid's reassurance. Eric reentered the scene to give his mother a hug which she returned with the same affection. She watched her mentor; the man she loves and admires give them a smile so fake it's real. But upon closer inspection, she saw how it wasn't fake at all, the feelings he has on display are real. He's happy with his pretend family.

Fiona felt her heart clench painfully as Loid ruffled Eric's wavy hair. The boy blushed slightly at the contact but didn't complain as he tried to play it cool. Unable to handle the scene for much longer, Fiona stood up from the couch. "I just remembered, I forgot to buy those potatoes I meant to get. I should probably take my leave." She said as she picked up her bag and coat.

"You're more than welcome to wait until the rain dies down." Yor offered, but Fiona didn't listen as she hastily left the apartment.

The Forgers stood beside each other as they watched her leave.

"She left." Anya said as the woman's painful thoughts got further away from her.

Eric frowned, "No one should go anywhere in this kind of weather. She'll get sick."

Loid nodded, "You're right about that." He said as he picked up his coat and two umbrellas, "She didn't have an umbrella on her. I'll walk her to the station." He informed them as he left the apartment to follow his fellow agent.

"That's a good idea. Be careful out there." Yor told her husband as she and the children watched him leave.

Eric sighed quietly as Anya took his hand and led him to her bedroom to play checkers.

As usual when they play their boardgame, they confer the information gathered.

The Forger siblings sat cross-legged on the bed as they played. 'Okay, let's see. A WISE agent who works with Dad at the hospital and is insanely in love with him.' Eric thought to his sister as he waited for her to make the next move.

Anya nodded then quietly added, "Her name is Nightfall, she was Papa's porridge, he taught her everything he knows."

"You mean 'protege.'" Eric said as he paid little attention to the board while processing the information.

"She wants to become Papa's wife and our new Mama. But I don't ever want that Mama." Anya crossed her arms in a big X as she remembered the chilling image of Fiona and herself in a small room where the frosty woman 'trains' her to get the best grades. Literally, whipping her into shape.

"I'm not even gonna ask what goes on through that woman's mind." Eric said as he felt unsettled at the idea of replacing their current mother with Fiona.

"Nope." Anya shook her head before making her next move. "But she really likes you. She thinks you're perfect and wants to spoil you." She said as she recalled that one particular fantasy of a happily smiling Eric being doted on by an equally loving and overzealous Fiona.

Eric frowned, "Somehow that's actually disturbing."

"You have no idea." Anya deadpanned as her brother made his move.

'If she takes our mother's place, it will endanger our mission.' A death-like look came over his face, 'We can't let that happen.'

Anya nodded silently as she made it her primary goal to keep the crazy scary woman far away from their Papa. An idea went off in her head, "What if we introduce Unkie to her?" She already played matchmaker for their parents, why not their uncle. It could prove beneficial and funny.

Eric frowned deeply as he gave his sister a deadpanned stare. "Like hell that's gonna work."

Chapter Text

A few days later, while Twilight and Nightfall go on their mission to infiltrate an insane underground tennis tournament to get a painting holding a code. Yor, Eric, Anya, Bond and Honey Ninja are at a park playing the sport together in a much friendlier way. The cover story for Loid Forger's absence was how he is currently in a tennis match with his coworkers.

Eric bounced his tennis ball on his racket which he flipped every time the ball was in the air. Honey Ninja was by his feet playing with hers like a ball of yarn.

'Dad should already be in the middle of his mission by now.' Eric caught the tennis ball in his hand and stared at the yellow fuzz for a long contemplating moment. 'Hopefully Ms. Frost won't do anything to jeopardize the assignment or him.' While he has respect for the woman's occupation as a spy, he can't trust her knowing her feelings towards his father and how she wants to oust his mother from her position as Loid's wife.

Eric glanced over at Bond and Anya facing off with their mother who was completely lost in her thoughts. She didn't pay any attention at all when Anya sent the ball her way.

"Mama, the ball ran away! Mama!" Anya yelled as she held her tennis racket in her hand while Bond held his in his teeth.

Yor finally got out of her thoughts as her children approached her, their faces lined with concern.

"Mom, are you okay?" Eric asked once she was back in reality.

"Oh, I'm alright. Hang on." Yor turned to get the ball.

Anya tilted her head, "I guess she's lost in her thoughts?"

Eric nodded silently. He can't read minds, but it's mostly their father's colleague Yor is thinking about.

"Um, no, I'm paying attention, really." Yor assured them, though from the sound of her voice and doubtful expression, she didn't sound convinced either as she turned her attention to the ball.

Honey Ninja's ears perked up as she looked to the edge of the field before dashing off.

"Huh? Honey?" Eric exclaimed before he followed after her.

Honey Ninja ran at top speed towards the source of her interest currently on a walk with a grown man. The young boy in a cap and glasses looked up just in time to see the cat leap towards him.

"Wahh!" The boy exclaimed in surprise as the feline landed on his chest and sent him to the ground.

"Young Master!" His butler exclaimed as he saw what crashed into the boy.

"Honey Ninja!" Eric called out as he slowed to a stop when he saw who it was. "Desi?"

Damian sat up, cradling the cat to his chest with a look of shock behind his glasses and eschewed cap. "Forger? Why are you here?"

Eric propped his racket onto his shoulder, "Playing tennis with my family." He answered as he jabbed his thumb at his mother, sister and dog. "You're normally never outside of Eden."

Damian scoffed as he climbed to his feet, "Well, I finished my assignments and wanted some reprieve. Jeeves accompanies me outside the academy because of my father's status." He explained as he passed the cat back to Eric who allowed his companion to crawl around his shoulder.

"That disguise didn't do much to hide you though. If Honey could recognize you, you're going to have to do better than that." Eric stated as Damian glared at him in annoyance.

"Sy-on Boy!" Anya waved her racket at Damian who waved awkwardly at her.

"She's really gonna get me abducted just by announcing my presence." Damian said through clenched teeth.

"Relax, Anya and I don't even bother to use your real name anyway." Eric said in an offhand manner which caused Damian to glare at him.

Jeeves decided to chime in to avoid any conflict between the children. "Our apologies if we interrupted your family time."

"It's fine." Eric shrugged before an idea came to him, one he'll be sure to regret later, "If you both have the time, how about a little game? We need more players."

Jeeves smiled, "If you'll have us, we'd be delighted to."

"Huh?" Damian exclaimed at how his butler readily agreed.

"Perfect." Eric then grabbed Damian's wrist and dragged him to the field.

"Hey, hold on! I didn't agree!" Damian protested as he stumbled after his rival.

"You didn't disagree either." Eric glanced behind him, "Or perhaps you don't know how to play tennis."

As predicted, Damian took the bait, "I do too actually. Me and Jeeves against you and Mrs. Forger. Your sister can referee."

"Perfect." Eric said as they returned and saw Yor lost in her thoughts while chastising herself for thinking of murdering her husband's colleague. Eric, Anya, Damian, Jeeves and the pets watched as she swayed from side-to-side in an odd dance.

"Uh, what's going on?" Damian could not help but ask as they watched the woman become fretful. She wasn't like this the last time he saw her.

Eric scratched the back of his head, "Long story short, Dad's coworker came to our home to return Anya's magnifying glass which she left at the hospital and stayed for tea."

"So?" Damian raised an eyebrow.

Anya scurried over and whispered fearfully, "It was a lady."

Damian's eyes widened in realization, "Oh, I see. And does she...?"

"...pine after our father?" Eric nodded, "Yes, she does. Wants to marry him. Currently, she and Dad are at a tennis match for their fellow hospital staff." He turned to their mother, "Whatever Mom is thinking about is not good."

"What does Dr. Forger think of his lady coworker?" Jeeves asked in a low whisper towards the young boy.

Eric frowned, "Unfortunately, he has no clue about her infatuation. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed in him for not seeing the signs despite being an incredible genius."

'Yeah, you have no room to talk.' Anya and Damian thought simultaneously at how oblivious Eric is about his popularity among the females.

Anya approached their mother and patted her on the hip. "It's okay Mama, don't worry about it."

Yor was caught off guard, "Um, I'm not worried at all."

"Mom, please, I can't read minds, but you're currently wearing your heart on a sleeve." Eric said from where he stood with Damian and Jeeves. "No one is stealing Dad."

Yor blushed slightly at how her children deduced her mood. "You're right. Sorry about that." She said as she gave them a winning smile.

Anya then smiled brightly, "Once Papa wins, he'll bring back a really big trophy!"

Yor was delighted by Anya's enthusiasm before her attention went to their newcomers. "Damian, when did you get here?" She said with surprise at seeing her son's classmate and rival.

"About thirty seconds ago ma'am." Damian politely responded then gestured to the grown up beside him, "This is Jeeves, my butler."

Jeeves bowed his head, "Delighted to meet you Mrs. Forger. Damian has told me so much about his classmate's family and how accommodating you were to him during his stay."

Yor smiled at them, "It was our pleasure honestly. Do you two fancy a small match?"

Damian grinned, "Yeah, today I will defeat Forger!" He declared as he turned to Eric who leaned on one foot with the tip of his racket touching the ground as though it was a cane.

"Give it your best shot then." Eric responded while reaching up to pet his cat's furry head as she lounged on his shoulder.

They drew a small tennis court under the afternoon sun, Damian and Jeeves stood on one side while Eric and Yor stood on the other. Anya, Bond and Honey Ninja stood off to the side like excited spectators to a grand match.

Yor held the ball in her hand, "Okay, I'll serve. Ready?"

"Please go easy on them Mom." Eric added with a mildly fearful look.

Damian had flashbacks to the merry-go-round and how he and Eric ended up vomiting as a result of Yor's ridiculous strength. "Jeeves, be on your toes and don't hesitate to duck if it comes at your face." He quickly warned his butler to avoid a funeral.

"Uh, of course Young Master." Jeeves nodded, confused by the children's worry.

Yor tossed the ball in the air then swung with 'fwip.' The ball hit the ground with an innocent bounce.

"She missed." Damian stated as he watched their opponents.

"She...didn't." Eric frowned before the ball collapsed in a diced-up pile.

"Kyah! Not again!" Yor exclaimed in shock and embarrassment at how she destroyed another tennis ball.

Jeeves and Damian stared at the remains in bewilderment. The young boy rubbed his eyes twice to clear his vision, but the sight didn't change.

"On the other hand, we've come up with an interesting way of dicing up vegetables." Eric deadpanned as a guilty Yor gathered up the ball's carcass and carried it off before getting a new one.

Yor returned then served the ball very gently as it bounced towards Jeeves. He passed it back as it came towards Eric who directed it at Damian. Concentrating on the ball, he willed it towards the other boy's racket. Damian hit the ball with such force that he looked like he was about to throw out his arm.

"Go easy on your swings, otherwise you'll dislocate your shoulder!" Eric advised his rival as the ball came at Yor.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Damian responded as the ball kept bouncing between the two teams before the younger Desmond missed and lost a round.

Anya drew a line in the dirt, "Score 1 for Mama and brother!"

"You serve this time." Yor offered as the butler retrieved the ball.

"As you wish madam." Jeeves politely said before tossing the ball in the air before hitting it.

Eric ran towards where the ball was going to land before he hit it back at their opponents.

For the next few matches, their scores evened out. But despite their small competition, both teams were having fun. Eric purposely lost a few times while manipulating the ball to make sure Damian could hit it. He knows it's cheating, but he prefers this game to end on an even score.

An hour and a half passed as the light began to slowly fade away.

Both boys laid on the ground panting as they stared up at the clouds.

"I... totally...beat you." Damian declared, breathless yet proud.

"Fool." Eric took a deep breath, "The score is even, not counting the two balls Mom diced up on rounds six and nine."

Damian pushed himself into a sitting position, "Still, it's nice I can have one over you in our contest."

Eric folded his legs beneath him as he watched Anya try to hit the ball towards Yor, only to miss. "Speaking of, have you spoken to your father about the whole fencing deal?"

Damian's mood dampened almost immediately, "He...hasn't responded yet." He then turned to his rival, "But Jeeves offered to accompany me to the lessons at the center. He's great at convincing my father. It's...just a slow process."

Eric hummed as he watched the boy's forlorn expression. It irked him knowing his rival's father purposely refuses any direct interaction with his second son.

"It's all a matter of patience and precision." Eric said as he watched his sister, "I'm sure your father will come to understand and let you broaden your horizons. It's a noble sport with a chance for Stella Stars and scholarships when we graduate Eden."

That brought a small smile to Damian's face, "Yeah, you're right. Father will give his consent. Eventually." He said as he massaged his wrist.

"Did you sprain it?" Eric asked when he noticed the movement.

"I'm fine. The racket was just heavier than I expected." Damian said as he rubbed the soreness out of his arm.

Without permission, he took the boy's arm and inspected it with his fingers. "Hm, not broken or dislocated. Just mild soreness and a bit stiff." He released Damian's arm, "Still, best you keep a warm compress on it to increase blood flow to the area, it will help relax the muscles, reduce stiffness, and relieve pain." He recited from memory after practicing medical aide on himself from his mishaps.

"You take being a doctor so seriously." Damian stated as she massaged his wrist while mentally taking his advice to help the aches.

"I like saving us all a trip to the infirmary." Eric shrugged then smirked faintly, "Besides, someone has to keep you alive. Otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a victory by the time we graduate."

Damian scoffed and arrogantly responded, "Please, I can handle a sore limb better than you realize."

"That may be the case. However," Eric frowned, "you're the son of an important man. You'll need to learn basic medical aide and other skills should you ever be captured for ransom or blackmail." He glanced at Jeeves who praised little Anya on hitting the ball at last. "I don't doubt your father hired the best to keep you safe. But one misstep can and will cost you your life if you're not careful. Learning self-defense is a most needed requirement for kids like us in this kind of world." He said as a dark shadow passed over his eyes.

Damian swallowed at the intense look in Eric's eyes, as though he was a soldier who fought a thousand battles. He can't even argue with that statement after hearing stories of how Eden students were kidnapped in the past. He hates admitting how right his rival is, but knowing he could be used against his parent for political gain is not something he can ignore.

"Yeah, I understand." Damian conceded, "I have to be more aware and learn to keep myself and my subordinates safe." His face held resolve, "I'll make this world into something that won't see kids taken from their families for selfish reasons."

Eric stared at him for a long time before he ruffled Damian's hair. "That's our little politician." He said calmly as his green eyes held a small twinkle of approval.

Damian blushed as he lightly slapped Eric's hand off his head, "Quit it."

Eric responded with a tiny smile.

"Master Damian, it is time we return to Eden." Jeeves approached them, he smiled upon witnessing the boys get along with each other despite their gruff relationship.

"Right." Damian stood up, "See you at school Forger."

"Likewise. Remember, warm compress." Eric strictly reminded Damian.

"Yeah, I hear you." Damian responded as he and Jeeves left the park together.

Eric stood up and approached his Mom and sister as the waved goodbye at Damian and Jeeves.

"Sy-on Boy was happy with us again." Anya stated, feeling accomplished at how Plan B is coming along for them.

"It's nice to see you two getting along with each other." Yor said in appraisal at her son.

Eric shrugged, "He's still a brat, but he knows when to take advice."

"We should start heading home soon." Yor said as a car pulled up beside the road and out stepped Loid carrying his tennis gear.

Anya turned and waved her racket at Loid, "Papa's here!"

"Tennis again? They must really love this game." Loid noted before he made a noise in his throat when his silver haired partner exited her car to approach Yor from behind.

"Good evening Mrs. Forger." Fiona greeted in an icy calm tone.

Yor jumped out of her skin, completely taken by surprise by the ghost-like voice.

Eric held Honey Ninja to his chest as he gave Fiona an even stare, 'Yeah, that's not creepy at all.'

"Oh Fiona, good evening to you." Yor greeted, though her heart still thundered from the woman's sudden appearance.

"The weird lady." Anya whispered to her brother who nodded.

"We're done for the day." Loid confirmed as he came over, patting Bond's head when he padded towards the patriarch.

"Hey Loid." Yor greeted her husband.

"Fiona gave me a ride since she was heading over this way." Loid quickly explained, though inside, he's panicking since his former pupil purposely came over to put down his current partner for Operation Strix.

"I figured I'd say 'hello' while I'm here." Fiona said cooly, not showing a hint of emotions.

'More like discredit our mother again.' Eric thought as he furrowed his brows at her.

"Well, hello." Yor responded with some hesitance.

Fiona eyed the racket in Yor's hand and asked, "Do you play tennis too?"

"Kind of." Yor said with a confident smile, "But after playing with Loid the other day, Anya's gotten obsessed with it."

"Oh yeah, I'm the home run champ." Anya said with a hard voice as she mimicked her brother's distrustful stare.

"We even played with Desi earlier. He just left not too long ago." Eric added as their father approached.

"Did he now? I hope you guys had fun." Loid said in delighted surprise at how Damian willingly played with his family.

Anya caught his mood and gave him a thumbs up, "We sure did."

"How'd your tennis match go for you and your colleagues?" Eric asked despite knowing their skilled father succeeded his mission.

"All that practicing really paid off today." Loid answered then turned to his wife, "So, thank you."

"Happy to hear that." Yor responded with a proud smile.

"Where are the cool prizes?" Anya asked excitedly.

"Did you get anything that looks weird and misshapen? Like a twisted statue depicting human anatomy?" Eric asked with interest, he likes the idea of how other people use the human form and make something artistic out of it.

"Actually, I do have something." Fiona answered before she set her tennis bag down and pulled out a very bizarre pot. The best way to describe it is a ball of human body parts meshed together with a foot on top, two baby arms for handles, with ears, eyes and a variety of jewels encrusted to the surface. The most prominent blue eye stared at Eric, seemingly glaring at him as though with suspicion.

"That's a demon!" Anya exclaimed in fear as she and Bond hid behind Yor.

"That's cool." Eric said while eyeing it like a specimen. Whoever made it must be an interesting fellow.

Fiona presented it to Eric who stared at it for a long time. "Would you like to have it?"

"Can I?" Eric asked his father with a calm yet hopeful expression as he held Honey Ninja.

"I don't see why not." Loid answered despite not liking the oddity Fiona won in place of the portrait. But if it made Eric happy, he supposed it's fine.

Eric moved Honey Ninja to perch on his shoulder before Fiona gave him the bizarre pot. He cradled it gently in his arms and smiled lightly at Fiona, "Thank you Ms. Frost."

Fiona didn't show a smile, but inside, she was bursting with joy at how Twilight's son accepted the gift. Oh, how she longed to shower this precious boy with many presents, show him how loved he is.

"I'm glad you like it." Fiona stood up then faced Yor, "Also, Mrs. Forger, you must be quite the tennis player."

"Oh, I'm just a novice at most." Yor humbly said to Fiona.

"In that case, how about a quick match?"

Loid tensed up, "Um, maybe now is not the time Fiona."

"I've still got some energy left today, so it's fine." While Fiona said these words, she was actually mouthing to Loid, ("I would like to find out if this woman is athletic enough to carry out Operation Strix.")

"So, will you indulge me?" Fiona requested Yor.

Anya is then bombarded with thoughts.

'I'll crush you! I will crush your spirit, break your heart, and make you lose your spot in the happy little Forger family!' Fiona vowed while imagining Yor tearfully leaving Loid who happily agreed.

"Well, uh...I, uh..." Yor glanced between her husband and his coworker in confusion. 'What the hell is going on?!'

"You don't have to do it Yor." Loid said, hoping to calm the situation and stop Fiona from making such a fuss.

A moment later, Yor responded with resolve, "Okay, I'll play!" 'All I know is losing or running away are both out of the question.' She vowed while imagining Loid and Fiona holding hands as they reveled in how much they love tennis.

Anya stared with eyes and mouth wide open. She kept glancing at the two women before she remembered how Becky described a Berlint in Love scene where two women fought for the feelings of one man. During that time, Anya stared at her blankly while Eric wrote down the scene in his notes for analysis purposes on human behavior.

That is exactly what was happening right now.

'This won't end well...at least not for Ms. Frost.' Eric nodded to himself while cradling his new desk decoration.

They took to the court they were just playing on with Damian and Jeeves. Yor and Fiona faced each other while Loid, Eric, Anya, Bond and Honey Ninja stood to the side to witness the match.

"What do you think, diced ball or a broken racket?" Eric asked while glancing at Bond.

"I think it's both." Anya said in confidence as she watched their mother get ready to serve.

Fiona took her stance as she gave Yor a hard stare, "You better not hold anything back."

'Yep, she's gonna eat those words.' Eric thought to himself with Anya giving a smug smile in agreement.

"Careful Fiona." Loid warned his former pupil.

"Stay out of this Dr. Forger." Fiona responded as she waited for the ball to come at her.

Yor decided not to insult her opponent by taking her seriously. She tossed the ball into the air, gripped the racket with her inhuman strength and swung. Everyone watched with bated breath, only to witness the ball drop onto the ground at her feet.

"Whoops!"

Fiona scoffed, 'I'd be disappointed in you Yor Briar, but I knew you'd fail.'

"Give it a moment." Eric said as they watched the ball collapse into a diced-up mess.

'I can't believe that happened again!' Yor inwardly exclaimed in shock and frustration before she knelt down to gather the ball's remains. 'If I put too much strength into my swing, the strings cut the ball into a hundred pieces. I'm so sorry Mr. Ball.' She bowed to the fallen soldier that was the tennis ball. 'Tennis just really isn't my game.' She mentally added as she stood up and carried the pieces outside the court.

'Gotta do my best while holding myself back to not kill another one.' Yor vowed then turned to Anya, "Anya, could you get me another ball please?"

Anya sent Bond over, "Ball dog, we need you on the court!"

Bond 'borfed' as he bounded over to Yor with an extra ball in his mouth.

"That's the sixth ball today." Eric noted as he kept track of the number of times Yor's swings diced up the sport.

Yor returned and picked up the racket, "Sorry, that was my fault!" She sheepishly said to Fiona.

'Wait, what?' Fiona's eyes widened and blinked in confusion, 'I don't understand what happened. She shattered the ball?'

"Huh?" Was all Fiona could get out before Yor served, and this time, sent the ball straight at her with such blinding inhuman speed. Though Fiona was shocked and tad bit scared, she did not dare move away as she raised her racket. It landed in the cradle of the strings, but the force of it made it impossible for her to push it back. Still, she summoned all of her feelings, all the passionate love she carries for Twilight to not give up as her face changed from shock into determination. By sending the ball back, she'll earn Twilight's love and be his wife.

But even with all of her feelings, the ball shattered her racket into pieces and cut through the air unhindered before it lodged itself into a tree.

Loid watched in disbelief.

Anya and Bond's mouths fell open in shock.

Yor held a hand to her mouth at her miscalculation.

Eric and Honey Ninja yawned as they were hardly surprised by this turn of events.

Fiona fell on her hands and knees in utter defeat.

'I tried to warn you Nightfall.' Loid thought with sympathy.

"The battle was won before it even began." Eric hummed to himself as his mother jogged over to Fiona.

"Oh no, Fiona are you hurt?" Yor asked in concern as she felt guilty for not controlling her strength better.

"It's true, you're better than me. For now, at least." Fiona added despite the injury to her pride.

"Say what now?" Yor asked in confusion.

Fiona clawed at the dirt. "But, Mrs. Forger, I request a revenge match in the future." Fiona then got up and retreated to her car, crying and vowing not to give up.

"Um, I didn't mean to make her upset." Yor said in confusion at the woman's behavior.

"Something tells me she'll bounce back...sooner or later." Eric said in mild concern as he watched the car screech away.

"What a weird energetic lady." Anya commented beside her brother.

"I think she just feels very passionate about tennis." Loid excused his former pupil's antics.

"Yeah, too passionate for my liking." Eric said as he sent a small glare at their father, 'Best spy in the world can anticipate a man's next move in a fight, yet he can't even pick up on a woman's feelings. Now I am worried about world peace!'

'I hope this does not make Yor suspicious. But we both know it's a fake marriage, so what's the worst that can happen?' Loid was so lost in his thoughts he did not realize Yor approached him.

"Loid." The man opened his eyes to see his wife up close, "You saw me win just now?" She demanded, which confused the spy.

"Uh, I did. I'm happy for you." Loid answered in surprise by her sudden question.

Yor moved closer until their faces were inches away. "I just beat her!"

"Yeah, you really did!" Loid responded in a panic.

Yor lowered her arms as her face fell before she walked away.

Then Loid's mood soured, 'Hmmm, here comes that familiar exhaustion again.'

Eric frowned as he and Anya witnessed the exchange.

"Papa, I'm really hungry." Anya informed him as Bond barked in agreement.

"Okay, but it's definitely a take-out kind of night though." Loid responded as he can't summon the strength or motivation to cook.

"Chinese or Italian? I'm cool with either." Eric said as the family walked home together. Though the tension between their parents still remained despite Yor emerging as the victor in the match.

Chapter Text

Tension between Loid and Yor were still in the air, and unfortunately, the neighbors noticed Yor's state and began to gossip. Loid caught onto to their whispers and began to panic at the thought of Yor going to her SSS brother and telling him how Loid is not being a good husband. So, he must clear the air and show his wife that he appreciates her for everything she has done for the family.

After school on Friday, Loid planned an outing with just him and Yor. While his wife was at work, Loid called up Frankie to babysit the kids for the evening.

"You know I can watch the house while you and Mom go out." Eric stated in a displeased tone while Frankie played with Anya in the background.

"I can't leave two kids alone without an adult." Loid stated as he pulled on his coat.

"I'm an adult." Eric deadpanned, "In fact, I'm positive I'll be the only adult watching over those two." He jabbed his thumb behind him as Frankie donned a cape.

In the months since Eric and Anya were adopted, they'd occasionally see Frankie. Anya didn't mind his company as he was willing to play fun games with her. Eric, however, didn't think much of Frankie. He doesn't dislike the man, but he can't find anything in common between them to create some kind of friendship. If anything, it borders of indifference and neutrality. From what Anya gleaned from his thoughts, he's Twilight's informant, they met during the war on opposite sides, he likes women and money. Eric can respect the scruffy man for sticking his neck out to find information for their father.

Loid sighed as he laid a hand over his son's hair. "I understand your feelings. But honestly, I feel more at ease knowing you have backup."

Eric frowned up at his father, strictly denying his enjoyment of the man rubbing the top of his head as he maintained an annoyed front. "He doesn't look like he can defend himself against a mouse."

"Hey!" Frankie exclaimed when he heard the kid.

Loid could not deny Eric's statement then made a request, "Please, just bear with it while I talk things out with Yor."

Eric stared at him silently then sighed in resignation. "Fine. But don't expect me to save him if something goes wrong." He cheekily said as he rubbed the back of his head and turned away to return to the couch and read.

Relieved at his son for accepting the situation, he turned to leave. "Okay, thanks for looking after the place while I-"

A dog bowl hit him square in the back of the head with dead accuracy.

"Hm." Eric quietly said, impressed by Frankie's trajectory before the scruffy man zipped over to Loid.

"How many times do I have to tell you; I'm not a babysitter!" Frankie screamed at Loid who rubbed the back of his head in surprise.

Loid whispered, "And I told you Frankie, I have to clear up Yor's misconception about my colleague. The mission's in trouble."

"Then have a family meeting at home!" Frankie hissed under his breath while the kids and pets observed the interaction.

'For a dumb-looking guy, he's not wrong.' Eric thought to himself as he crossed his legs underneath him on the couch and began to read the latest novel.

"There's some things I'd rather not say in front of the you-know-what." Loid stated then pulled out a thick wad of cash, Frankie's greatest weakness. "And so."

"You can't just throw money at me every time I have a legitimate concern you know!" Frankie furiously said as Loid pushed that all too powerful button to make him do whatever Loid wants. He then snatched and pocketed the money from Loid's hand then reverted to his happy-go-lucky persona, "Okay guys, it's party time! Let's go to the park, sound like fun?"

"It's dark out and I have no intention of being cold." Eric said in a blank tone as he turned a page.

Loid then slipped out of the apartment to meet up with Yor.

For that entire evening, Frankie entertained Anya with all kinds of games until she fell asleep into Bond's fur.

Frankie slumped on the couch in exhaustion. "Finally...she's down for the count."

"Mmhm." Eric responded beside Frankie, hardly moving from his spot as he turned another page.

"Yeah, thanks for the help by the way." Frankie sarcastically said to the six-year-old.

"You handled the task perfectly without assistance. Honestly, you're great with kids." Eric praised the man without looking up from his book, which Frankie noted is over 300 pages thick and the kid started reading it two hours ago and is already 78% done.

'This kid is too much like Loid.' Frankie deadpanned at Twilight's offspring whom he had very little interaction with since they met. He's 95% positive the boy is Loid's biological son despite how much the two deny that assessment with the same blank stare.

Frankie sighed as his head fell back, "Nothing against you or your sister, but I had plans."

"Like asking a woman out on a date only to be rejected in a cold manner?" Eric asked in his usually calm tone as he refused to look up from his book.

Okay, that actually stung Frankie as he stared at Eric in shock and fear, "How did you know?" 'Is Loid training this kid to become a spy already?'

Eric frowned in disbelief as he finally looked up at the older man. "I was kidding. But thanks for the confirmation."

Frankie groaned miserably as his head fell back again. "She could have at least given it some thought."

Eric sighed as he slowly closed his book. "How often did you interact with her before you asked her out?"

"Well," Frankie fiddled with his fingers, "she works at a convenience store, and I would chat with her when I bring my basket over. I come in everyday for the last three weeks and I have been nice in our conversations. I compliment her and ask her how she's doing. I knew she wasn't married since she wasn't wearing a ring, so I just popped that question."

Eric propped his head on his fist with his elbow planted on the cushion while stroking Honey Ninja's fur. "Then she said she had a boyfriend, right?"

"Yeah." Frankie moped.

"You set yourself up for failure since day one." Eric bluntly stated, bringing a heavy boulder of depression down on Frankie's curly head.

"That's very mean of you to say!" Frankie had tears streaming down his face as he glared at Eric.

Eric gave the man an unimpressed stare, "If you were looking for a shoulder to cry on, I don't fit the bill. I only listened to you out of courtesy since you need an adult to talk to."

"You're six years old." Frankie deadpanned.

Eric ignored that statement, "Not to sound cruel, but your method of courtship was borderline creepy, stalkerish even. You showed up at her work every day to chat her up. Surely you noticed how uncomfortable she was at some point in the three weeks you've known her."

Frankie's face fell as he recalled how her eyebrow twitched in annoyance and how quick her hands moved when she scanned his stuff. She'd even cut him off mid-conversation by telling him the amount he owes then eagerly giving his change before loudly calling the next customer in line.

The scruffy man's head fell on his chest, "Well...there were some signs."

Eric nodded with a hum, "My point exact. Reading the room is most important if you wanna figure out your next move. It's also important not to come on too strongly. Otherwise, they'll feel threatened and cornered and will use every method at their disposal to escape a predatorial situation." He explained in a calm and stoic manner as though he was narrating a documentary.

"I wasn't being a predator!" Frankie said in defense.

Eric gave him a blank stare.

"I'm really not!"

Eric hummed to himself then got off the couch, "Be right back."

Three minutes later, he pulled several books from his bedroom. "Let's see," Eric flipped through the pages of the first book he picked up, "sand sculpting is an excellent way to attract a potential mate. It's a surefire way to show your artistic talent as it translates your feelings in quiet yet majestic way."

"You're saying I should go to a beach?" Frankie held his chin and nodded to himself, "Not a bad idea, plus there's bikinis." He added with a twinkle in his eyes at the thought.

"You'd look horrendous in a bikini." Eric deadpanned with disgust.

"That's not what I meant!"

Eric sighed as he pulled out another book, "Okay, how about this," Pages fluttered until he got to the part he was looking for, "A ritual dance could work, that is, if you have the proper footwork and are able to literally bend over backwards and extend your limbs in all directions. But I'm sure with some pain tolerance, we could make something work."

Frankie winced as he massaged his thighs as the image of himself doing the splits sprang forth. He's certain his bones will snap and he'll never walk again.

Eric watched the discomfort on the man's face then closed the book.

"You could show off some of your fighting prowess." Eric opened another page, "There are plenty of males looking for potential partners and they tend to battle it out for the right to mate."

"I'm pretty sure I'll be killed."

"Good point." Eric pulled another book, "Gathering food of immense quality outside of your burrow to attract a potential partner could definitely work."

"Kid, what kind of dating books are you even reading?" Frankie asked when he realized he's taking advice from someone who hasn't gone through puberty and has reading material involving relationships.

Eric blinked at him, "Dating books? I'm just reading about the lives of animals and what steps they take to create their families." He held up the book covers showing the various fish and animals he researched previously for fun. "I thought these might work for you."

A tick mark appeared on Frankie's head. "Do I look like an animal to you!" He exclaimed, red in fury and embarrassment at being compared to anything not human.

"Hmmmm." Eric tilted his head and squint, "In a certain position and light...yes."

Frankie gritted his teeth and clenched his fists at the boy's blunt response.

Anya began to stir from her nap, making Frankie and Eric turn to see the youngest member of the family rub her eyes. "Mama and Papa back yet?" She slurred cutely as she looked around for their parents.

"No, not yet." Eric answered as Anya stood up and walked over to the window and pushed the curtains aside.

"Mama and Papa are late. Must be out shacking up somewhere." Anya theorized with a certain look.

"Where did you learn to say things like that?" Frankie asked as he was sure toddlers aren't supposed to learn those kinds of terms yet.

"And why?" Eric added as he's sure Anya has no clue what those terms mean.

"Mostly from Becky. I hope they're home soon." Anya said, having been bombarded by worrisome thoughts from her parents. Given the tension between them, Anya could not help but fret over them.

Frankie stared at the kids with a contemplative look. "Anya, Eric, honestly do you like your parents?"

Eric answered with certainty, "Of course, they're great to be around and I learn all kinds of things from them."

Anya had no hesitance in her words, "I love them."

"I see." Frankie responded with a calm tone. Though internally, he pitied the kids because he knows for people like Twilight, they cannot get emotionally attached or it will complicate the mission. From what he observed, Twilight loves and cares for his adopted children and wife very dearly. He sometimes wondered if the family man Twilight created is just another mask or the person he wants to become.

Then the door opened. "We're home." Loid announced their return as Anya and Bond bounded over to greet them.

"Mama and Papa are flir-" Anya paused when she saw her parents' faces, "-ting."

Loid's chin resembled a swollen red potato while Yor blushed in embarrassment.

Eric frowned at the state their father was in as he held Honey Ninja close. "Bar fight perhaps?" 'No, Twilight would win a bar fight. Could it be...' His green eyes slid over to their red-faced mother, 'On second thought, never mind.'

Frankie was full on laughing at Loid's face, "HAHAHAHAHA! Holy cow! Did you put the moves on her and get clobbered?" He was enjoying this way too much after the humiliating conversation he had with Eric about dating rituals.

"No, it's not like that!" Yor responded in in her flustered state over her drunken attack on her husband.

"Big ol' chin monster!" Anya declared at the sight of her father's face.

"I'll get a cold compress." Eric moved to the kitchen as Frankie picked Anya up to get a closer look at Loid's swollen chin. He leaned back in response when his daughter reaches out to touch it.

Yor smiled at her family as all the worries she carried over the last few days evaporated.

Loid sat down for Eric to apply the compress to his face while Yor prepared tea.

The next morning, Yor woke up with no memory of what she did to Loid as she stared at the chin monster in surprise.