The first thing Priscilla noticed was the smell.
Sweet.
Savory.
Smoky.
There were so many different aromas mixing together that trying to identify them individually was almost impossible. Something was being grilled nearby, something else was being fried, and somewhere in the distance she could smell sugar.
Then came the noise.
Children laughing.
Vendors shouting.
Music playing from somewhere deeper within the festival.
The occasional ringing of bells.
And above all of it, the excited chatter of hundreds of people enjoying themselves.
Priscilla blinked.
She was standing in the middle of a crowded street, dressed in a yukata she hadn't been wearing a few moments ago.
A paper lantern hung above her.
In her hand was a stick of cotton candy.
She stared at it.
Then at the cotton candy.
Then back at the street.
"...What?"
She slowly turned around.
Her family was there.
Her mother.
Her father.
Her brother.
Everyone was dressed appropriately for the festival.
Her father looked down at himself.
He was wearing a yukata as well.
He tugged at the sleeve.
"...I don't remember putting this on."
Mrs. Esposito looked at her own clothes.
"Neither do I."
Priscilla's eyes widened.
"Mike!"
She spun around.
Mike stood several metres away beside a festival stall.
He was holding a small paper bag and looking completely relaxed.
Priscilla marched toward him.
"You did this!"
Mike looked at her.
"Did what?"
She pointed at herself.
"THIS!"
He looked her up and down.
"You look nice."
"That's not the point!"
Mike glanced around.
"What do you mean?"
"You literally changed reality!"
"Oh."
He looked toward the sky.
"Yeah."
"Yeah?!"
Mike shrugged.
"I thought you liked fireworks."
Priscilla stared at him.
There was no explanation.
No grand speech.
No dramatic declaration about bending reality itself.
He had simply remembered that she liked fireworks and decided that there should be a festival.
That was it.
Priscilla slowly lowered her hand.
"...You're insane."
Mike smiled.
"Probably."
Her father stared at him.
"Wait."
Everyone turned toward him.
Mr. Esposito pointed toward the festival.
"Did you actually create all of this?"
Mike nodded.
"Pretty much."
"From nothing?"
"More or less."
The older man stared at the crowd.
A vendor walked past carrying a tray of food.
A group of children ran between them.
A musician played a shamisen nearby.
Everything felt real.
The wind was real.
The smell was real.
The food was real.
Even the tiny paper lanterns swaying overhead were real.
Mr. Esposito looked at his son.
"You could have done this at any time?"
"Sure."
"Why didn't you?"
Mike thought about it.
"I wasn't thinking about festivals."
Mr. Esposito stared at him.
Then sighed.
"Of course."
Priscilla looked at her father.
"You should probably stop trying to understand him."
"I'm beginning to realize that."
---
"Come on!"
Priscilla grabbed Mike's hand.
He barely had time to react before she pulled him into the crowd.
"Where are we going?"
"Everywhere!"
"That's not a location."
"It is tonight!"
Mike laughed.
Behind them, the rest of the family followed at a much more relaxed pace.
Mr. and Mrs. Esposito walked side by side.
Their son followed behind them.
Even Haru had apparently decided that the festival was worth tolerating.
The small creature sat comfortably on Priscilla's shoulder whenever she stopped running.
The moment they reached the first row of stalls, Priscilla's attention was immediately stolen.
There were games everywhere.
Ring toss.
Goldfish scooping.
Target shooting.
Fishing games.
Even a stall where contestants had to knock down stacked wooden cans with balls.
Priscilla's eyes lit up.
"Mike."
"Hm?"
"I want that."
She pointed.
Mike followed her finger.
A stuffed animal sat on the top shelf of a game stall.
It was a rather large plush fox with oversized ears and an expression that somehow managed to look both adorable and vaguely judgmental.
Mike nodded.
"Okay."
Priscilla looked at him.
"That's it?"
"What?"
"You're not going to tell me I need to win it?"
"No."
He walked toward the stall.
The attendant smiled.
"Three throws for a hundred."
Mike handed him the money.
Priscilla took the three balls.
She threw the first.
It bounced off the cans.
The second hit the side.
The third completely missed.
Priscilla stared at the fallen balls.
"..."
Mike patted her shoulder.
"Good attempt."
"Don't patronize me."
"I wasn't."
"You were."
She looked at the cans again.
Then at the prize.
"I want it."
Mike nodded.
"Then we'll win it."
Priscilla handed him the balls.
"How?"
"I'll show you."
The attendant smiled.
"Most people need several attempts."
Mike nodded.
"Okay."
He picked up the first ball.
Threw it.
Every can fell.
The attendant's smile disappeared.
Priscilla's jaw dropped.
Mike looked at the prize.
"Which one?"
The attendant pointed mechanically.
"Take your pick."
Mike grabbed the fox.
He handed it to Priscilla.
She hugged it immediately.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
The attendant stared at the empty cans.
Then at Mike.
Then at the money.
"...You know you're supposed to be bad at these things, right?"
Mike shrugged.
"I guess I'm naturally talented."
Priscilla laughed.
"You cheated."
"I didn't."
"How did you hit all of them?"
"Good aim."
"That's cheating."
"It really isn't."
She hugged the fox tighter.
"Whatever."
---
They continued deeper into the festival.
Priscilla wanted to try almost everything.
At one stall, she attempted to scoop goldfish.
The first one escaped.
The second one escaped.
The third one tore the paper scoop completely.
Priscilla stared at the ruined tool.
"...These fish are fighting back."
Mike crouched beside her.
"Maybe you're too aggressive."
"They're fish."
"Exactly."
"What does that even mean?"
Mike shrugged.
She tried again.
This time she managed to catch one.
Her face lit up.
"I got one!"
The vendor smiled.
"Congratulations!"
Priscilla proudly held the small bowl.
Then she looked at Mike.
"What do I do with it?"
"Keep it."
She blinked.
"Really?"
Mike nodded.
"Sure."
The vendor quickly intervened.
"Actually, you can either take it home or return it."
Priscilla looked at the fish.
She smiled.
"I'll return it."
She gently lowered the bowl.
The fish disappeared back into the water.
"There."
Mike smiled.
"You could have kept it."
"I don't think I'd know how to take care of it."
"Probably for the best."
Priscilla elbowed him.
"Hey."
"What?"
"You're supposed to encourage me."
"I am."
"You just agreed that I would probably kill it."
"I said nothing of the sort."
"You implied it."
"I implied nothing."
"You're annoying."
Mike smiled.
"So I've been told."
---
Eventually they reached the food stalls.
This was where the real battle began.
Priscilla stopped walking.
Her eyes moved from one stall to another.
There was takoyaki.
Yakitori.
Taiyaki.
Dango.
Okonomiyaki.
Various fried foods whose names she didn't know.
And enough sweets to make a dentist cry.
Mike looked at her.
"You hungry?"
"Yes."
"How hungry?"
Priscilla considered the question seriously.
"...Very."
Mike nodded.
"Okay."
He walked toward the first stall.
"Two orders."
"Of what?"
"Everything."
Priscilla grabbed his sleeve.
"Mike."
"What?"
"You can't eat everything."
"I can try."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because your stomach isn't a bottomless pit."
Mike looked thoughtful.
"I'm not sure about that."
"You are not testing it tonight."
He sighed.
"Fine."
They compromised.
They bought several different dishes and shared them.
Priscilla took a bite of takoyaki.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh, that's good."
Mike tried one.
He nodded.
"Yeah."
She handed him a second.
"Try this."
"I just did."
"No, try it with this sauce."
Mike accepted it.
He tasted it.
"Hm."
"Well?"
"Better."
"See?"
She smiled.
Then she noticed something.
Her father had quietly taken one.
Then another.
Then another.
"Hey!"
Mr. Esposito froze.
Priscilla pointed at him.
"Those are ours!"
Her father looked at the food in his hand.
"I was merely checking the quality."
"You already checked it three times!"
"It's important to be thorough."
Mrs. Esposito shook her head.
"Let the poor man eat."
Priscilla looked at her mother.
"You're supposed to be on my side."
"I am."
Mrs. Esposito reached over and took one.
"That's why I'm helping you."
Priscilla stared.
"...You two are terrible."
---
The festival grew busier as the night progressed.
More people arrived.
The streets became more crowded.
The lanterns glowed brighter against the darkening sky.
Music drifted through the streets.
Priscilla walked between her parents while Mike followed behind.
For a moment, she stopped.
She looked around.
There was something strangely comforting about it.
No explosions.
No monsters.
No enemies.
No one screaming.
Just people.
Ordinary people.
Living ordinary lives.
She smiled.
Her mother noticed.
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
"You look happy."
"I am."
Mrs. Esposito smiled.
"Good."
Priscilla looked toward Mike.
He was standing beside a stall, examining a row of masks.
He picked up one depicting a fox.
Then another depicting a demon.
Then one depicting a cat.
He held the cat mask against his face.
Priscilla laughed.
"You look ridiculous."
Mike lowered the mask.
"Really?"
"Yes."
He put it back.
"How about this one?"
He picked up the demon mask.
"Even worse."
He tried another.
A samurai mask.
"No."
"A fox?"
"No."
"A cat?"
"Absolutely not."
Mike looked at the cat mask.
"...I like this one."
Priscilla sighed.
"Fine."
He bought it.
He put it on.
Priscilla stared.
"...Okay, that actually looks pretty cool."
Mike tilted his head.
"Really?"
"Don't get excited."
"I'm excited."
"I can tell."
He smiled beneath the mask.
---
Then the first firework launched.
Everyone stopped.
A streak of light shot into the sky.
Priscilla looked up.
The explosion came a moment later.
BOOM.
A giant flower of gold filled the sky.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Another followed.
Then another.
Priscilla's mouth opened slightly.
She had seen fireworks before.
But tonight felt different.
Maybe because of everything that had happened.
Maybe because only a short while ago she had been convinced that her family was about to be destroyed.
And now she was standing among strangers, holding a stuffed fox, eating festival food and watching fireworks with her family.
She felt someone gently pat her head.
She looked up.
Mike was smiling.
"Having fun?"
Priscilla nodded.
"Yeah."
She leaned against him.
"...Thanks."
Mike looked at the sky.
"You're welcome."
Another firework exploded.
This one was blue.
Then red.
Then gold.
Priscilla smiled.
For tonight, at least, there was nothing else to worry about.
The world could wait.
Tonight was for the festival.
The fireworks continued for several minutes.
Each explosion painted the sky a different color, and each one was met by another wave of cheers from the crowd below.
Priscilla never looked away.
She had finished her cotton candy long ago, but she was still holding the empty stick as though she had forgotten it was there.
Mike noticed.
"You know that's empty, right?"
Priscilla looked at the stick.
"...I know."
"You've been holding it for five minutes."
"I like the stick."
Mike stared at her.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
He shrugged.
"Fair enough."
A particularly large firework exploded overhead.
Priscilla's eyes widened.
"That one was huge!"
Mike smiled.
"You want a bigger one?"
She looked at him suspiciously.
"No."
"No?"
"Last time you said something like that, a bear the size of a mountain appeared."
Mike thought about it.
"That's fair."
"Very fair."
Mr. Esposito, who had been listening, chuckled.
"I still can't believe that actually happened."
Mrs. Esposito gave him a sideways glance.
"Don't remind me."
"You were the bear."
"I know."
"An enormous bear."
"I know."
"You nearly destroyed the mansion."
"I know."
"And then you fought a Cerberus."
Veronica's eye twitched.
"I know."
Her husband smiled.
"I'm just saying."
She slowly turned toward him.
"Do you want to become a bear?"
"No."
"Then stop talking."
He immediately looked toward the sky.
"Beautiful fireworks tonight."
Priscilla covered her mouth.
Mike laughed.
Even Haru seemed amused.
The tiny creature perched on Priscilla's shoulder made a quiet sound.
"See?" Priscilla said. "Even Haru agrees."
Mr. Esposito glanced at the creature.
"I still don't understand how you're comfortable carrying that thing around."
Priscilla looked offended.
"He's cute."
"He has a third eye."
"That's what makes him cute."
Haru's third eye opened.
Mr. Esposito immediately looked away.
"...I'm going to pretend I didn't see that."
---
When the fireworks finally ended, the festival became lively again.
People began moving through the streets.
Children ran around carrying glowing toys.
Vendors resumed shouting over the crowd.
Somewhere nearby, a group of musicians started playing.
Priscilla looked around.
"What should we do next?"
Mike answered immediately.
"Eat."
"We just ate."
"Then we eat again."
"You really like food."
"Food likes me."
"That's not how it works."
"It should."
Priscilla laughed.
Her mother walked over.
"How about the dance area?"
Priscilla's eyes lit up.
"There's dancing?"
"Of course."
"Let's go!"
She grabbed her mother's hand.
The two disappeared into the crowd.
Mike watched them go.
Mr. Esposito walked over beside him.
"They're going to be gone for a while."
Mike nodded.
"Probably."
The older man glanced at him.
"You know, I don't think I've ever seen Veronica this relaxed."
Mike smiled.
"She needed it."
"Yeah."
Mr. Esposito folded his arms.
"She carries a lot."
Mike looked at him.
"You mean her powers?"
"Among other things."
He watched his wife disappear into the crowd.
"Veronica has always been the strongest person in our family."
Mike raised an eyebrow.
"Physically?"
"Not necessarily."
Mr. Esposito smiled.
"She just has this habit of carrying everything herself."
Mike was quiet.
"She doesn't have to do that anymore."
The older man looked at him.
"No."
He smiled.
"I suppose she doesn't."
---
The music grew louder.
A group of dancers had gathered in an open area surrounded by lanterns.
Priscilla was already there.
She was trying her best to follow the movements.
Her mother was beside her.
Unlike Priscilla, Veronica seemed completely comfortable.
She moved gracefully, following the rhythm with practiced ease.
Priscilla noticed.
"Mom!"
"What?"
"How do you know how to do this?"
Veronica smiled.
"My mother taught me."
"You remember?"
"Of course."
"Can you teach me?"
Veronica nodded.
"Come here."
She moved behind Priscilla and gently guided her arms.
"No, like this."
Priscilla tried again.
"Like this?"
"Almost."
Her mother adjusted her posture.
"There."
Priscilla followed the movement.
Then another.
Then another.
Eventually she began to get it.
"Look!"
Veronica smiled.
"Very good."
Priscilla beamed.
Mike watched from the edge of the crowd.
Mr. Esposito stood beside him.
"You know," he said, "she's been doing that since she was little."
Mike looked at him.
"What?"
"Dancing."
Mr. Esposito smiled.
"She used to perform in the living room whenever she heard music."
Mike laughed.
"Really?"
"Terribly."
"I heard that."
Veronica, despite being several metres away, somehow heard him.
She turned.
"Excuse me?"
Mr. Esposito immediately looked innocent.
"I said nothing."
Mike pointed at him.
"You absolutely said something."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Veronica narrowed her eyes.
"I'll remember that."
Her husband smiled nervously.
"Wonderful."
---
After the dance, Priscilla returned carrying two cups of shaved ice.
She handed one to Mike.
"For you."
Mike looked at it.
"Thanks."
She sat beside him.
"Mom said I wasn't bad."
"She was right."
Priscilla took a bite.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"I think I like this better than fighting."
Mike nodded.
"Same."
She looked at him.
"Do you ever get tired?"
"Of fighting?"
"Yeah."
Mike thought about it.
"Sometimes."
Priscilla looked down at her dessert.
"I think I would."
"You shouldn't have to fight all the time."
She looked at him.
"Neither should you."
Mike smiled.
"Deal."
---
Later, they found themselves at another game stall.
This time it was a shooting game.
Priscilla immediately pointed at it.
"I want to try."
Mike handed her the toy rifle.
The attendant explained the rules.
"Hit five targets and you win."
Priscilla aimed.
She fired.
Miss.
Again.
Miss.
Again.
Miss.
She lowered the rifle.
"...I don't like this game."
Mike tried not to laugh.
"You're doing fine."
"I'm doing terribly."
"That's different."
She glared at him.
"You're not helping."
Mike took the rifle.
"Watch."
He fired.
One target fell.
Another.
Another.
Another.
The final one.
He lowered the rifle.
The attendant stared.
Priscilla crossed her arms.
"You did that on purpose."
"What?"
"You made it look easy."
Mike shrugged.
"I was trying to help."
"Now I look bad."
"No."
"Yes."
"You can have the prize."
"What prize?"
Mike pointed.
A tiny stuffed cat sat on the shelf.
Priscilla immediately took it.
"...Okay, I forgive you."
Mike smiled.
"That was quick."
"I have standards."
"Clearly."
---
The night continued.
They ate more food.
They played more games.
Priscilla bought a mask.
Then another.
Then complained when Mike told her she couldn't buy a third.
Her father somehow ended up carrying half the things she had collected.
Her mother occasionally disappeared to buy food for everyone.
Mike kept getting challenged by festival games and kept winning them despite insisting he wasn't trying.
At one point, Mr. Esposito challenged him to a strength game.
A large hammer sat beside a bell.
The objective was simple.
Hit the platform hard enough to send the metal weight upward and ring the bell.
Mr. Esposito picked up the hammer.
"Watch this."
He swung.
CLANG.
The weight shot upward.
It reached the middle.
He smiled proudly.
Priscilla clapped.
"Not bad!"
Her father nodded.
"Thank you."
Mike picked up the hammer.
"Can I try?"
Mr. Esposito smirked.
"Go ahead."
Mike swung.
BOOOOOONG!
The bell nearly shook itself apart.
The attendant stared at the machine.
Mr. Esposito stared at Mike.
Priscilla stared at the bell.
Mike looked at the hammer.
"...Was that good?"
Mr. Esposito slowly nodded.
"Very."
Priscilla burst out laughing.
"You broke the game!"
"I didn't."
The attendant hurried over.
The machine was still vibrating.
He stared at Mike.
Then at the bell.
Then at the machine.
"...Please don't play again."
Mike handed him the hammer.
"Okay."
Mr. Esposito laughed.
"That's one way to win."
---
Eventually, exhaustion began catching up with everyone.
Priscilla's steps became slower.
Her father noticed.
"Tired?"
"No."
She yawned.
Mike raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"I'm fine."
She yawned again.
"Very convincing."
"I'm not tired."
She leaned against her mother's side.
Veronica smiled.
"Sure."
Priscilla looked up.
"Can we stay a little longer?"
Veronica looked at her husband.
He shrugged.
Mike smiled.
"Of course."
Priscilla smiled.
"Thanks."
They found a quieter area away from the main crowd.
A small bridge crossed a narrow stream.
Lanterns reflected on the water.
The sound of the festival reached them from a distance, softened by the flowing water.
Everyone settled down.
Priscilla sat beside her father.
Her mother leaned against her husband.
For a while, nobody spoke.
It was peaceful.
Mike looked at the water.
"Your family does this often?"
Mr. Esposito shook his head.
"Not enough."
"Why?"
"Life gets busy."
Mike nodded.
"I understand."
Veronica looked at him.
"Do you?"
Mike smiled.
"Maybe not completely."
She rested her head against her husband's shoulder.
"That's okay."
Priscilla looked at them.
Then smiled.
"You know..."
Everyone looked at her.
"I think this is my favorite night."
Her father smiled.
"Already?"
"Yeah."
"Even though you lost the goldfish game?"
"Yes."
"Even though you couldn't hit the targets?"
"Yes."
"Even though your father ate your food?"
Priscilla pointed at him.
"Especially despite that."
Everyone laughed.
---
A breeze passed through the trees.
The lanterns swayed.
For a moment, the entire family simply sat there.
No one was fighting.
No one was running.
No one was hiding.
No one was worried about what would happen tomorrow.
There was only tonight.
And for the Espositos, that was enough.
Eventually Priscilla stood.
"I think I'm ready to go home."
Her father stood as well.
"Finally."
She looked at him.
"Don't sound so happy."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I've been carrying your prizes for an hour."
Priscilla looked at the pile of stuffed animals and toys in his arms.
"...Oh."
Mike looked at the pile.
"That's a lot."
"Don't start."
"I wasn't going to."
"You were."
"I wasn't."
Mr. Esposito sighed.
"Let's just go home."
They began walking away from the festival.
Priscilla looked back one last time.
The lanterns still illuminated the streets.
The music still played.
People still laughed.
The festival continued without them.
She smiled.
Then turned around.
"Goodnight."
Mike glanced at her.
"Who are you saying goodnight to?"
"The festival."
Mike smiled.
"Goodnight, festival."
Priscilla laughed.
And together, the family walked home.
The walk home was considerably quieter than the trip to the festival.
Not because anyone had run out of things to say.
Quite the opposite.
Everyone was simply exhausted.
Priscilla walked a few steps ahead, swinging the little festival bag she had bought around her wrist. Her yukata had already been changed back into her normal clothes, but she still carried the small paper fan she'd bought at one of the stalls.
Beside her, Haru was barely keeping his eyes open.
Every few seconds his head dipped forward.
Then he would jerk awake.
Then it would happen again.
Priscilla eventually glanced over.
"You're tired."
"I'm not."
"You nearly walked into that pole."
"I was inspecting it."
"With your forehead?"
Haru looked at the pole they had narrowly avoided.
"...It looked suspicious."
Priscilla snorted.
Behind them, Mike walked alongside Veronica.
For the first time that evening, the two weren't surrounded by explosions, giant animals, supernatural creatures, or someone trying to kill someone else.
It was strangely peaceful.
Veronica seemed to appreciate it.
She had spent most of the evening unusually quiet, occasionally smiling whenever Priscilla dragged her somewhere or whenever Mike made some ridiculous comment.
Eventually, however, the group reached the road where their paths separated.
Veronica stopped.
"Well."
Mike stopped beside her.
"Well?"
"I'm going home."
Mike stared at her.
Veronica stared back.
Neither moved.
A few seconds passed.
Then Mike smiled.
"So you're coming with us."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Definitely yes."
Veronica folded her arms.
"I already spent the entire evening with you."
"And?"
"And I would like to go home."
Mike looked genuinely puzzled.
"Why?"
"Because I live there."
"That's not a very convincing argument."
Veronica stared at him.
Priscilla slowly turned around.
"Oh boy."
Mike stepped closer.
"You haven't seen our house yet."
"I've seen enough of your family for one night."
"You've seen the outside."
"That's enough."
"No, it isn't."
"It is."
"No."
"Mike."
"Veronica."
She narrowed her eyes.
He smiled.
"You promised."
"I promised nothing."
"You said you'd consider it."
"That was before I remembered you were capable of manipulating reality."
"That's unrelated."
"That is extremely related."
Mike placed a hand against his chest.
"I would never manipulate reality to force you into visiting my house."
Veronica's eyes narrowed further.
"You literally rewrote time and space because Priscilla likes fireworks."
Mike paused.
"...Fair point."
Priscilla walked back toward them.
"Mom."
Veronica looked at her daughter.
"What?"
"Come home with us."
"No."
Priscilla sighed.
"Please?"
"No."
Mike leaned toward Priscilla and whispered loudly enough for Veronica to hear.
"Plan B."
Priscilla's eyes lit up.
"Plan B?"
"Kidnap her."
Veronica's eyebrow twitched.
"You will do no such thing."
Mike smiled.
"See? She heard us. Excellent."
"I am standing right here."
"I know."
Priscilla joined in.
"Mom, if you don't come willingly, Dad might actually carry you home."
Veronica looked at Mike.
"Would you?"
Mike's smile widened.
"Try me."
A dangerous silence followed.
Veronica looked from Mike to Priscilla.
Then toward Haru.
Haru immediately looked away.
"Don't involve me."
"You are supposed to be my husband."
"I'm also supposed to survive the night."
Veronica sighed.
She pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Fine."
Mike's face immediately lit up.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Priscilla raised both hands.
"Yes!"
"But," Veronica added, pointing at Mike, "if you try anything strange—"
"I won't."
"And no reality manipulation."
"Of course."
"And no kidnapping."
"Obviously."
"And you're not allowed to suddenly decide that the house needs to be somewhere completely different."
Mike looked offended.
"I wasn't going to."
"You were thinking about it."
"...Maybe."
Veronica shook her head.
"What have I agreed to?"
Priscilla smiled.
"Family bonding."
Veronica groaned.
---
By the time they arrived at the Esposito residence, the night had become considerably cooler.
The house stood quietly beneath the moonlight.
After everything that had happened earlier, it was almost impossible to believe that the place had recently been the battlefield of a fight between a dragon and a bear.
There were still signs of the damage.
Broken branches lay scattered around the property.
Several trees had been reduced to splintered trunks.
The garden was a mess.
One section of the lawn had been turned into a crater.
Another looked as though someone had attempted to dig a swimming pool using explosives.
Veronica stared at the damage.
"Your house needs repairs."
Mike looked around.
"Does it?"
"Yes."
"Seems fine to me."
"You have a crater in your garden."
"It's decorative."
Priscilla nodded solemnly.
"Modern landscaping."
Veronica looked at the two of them.
"You are both impossible."
Haru walked past them.
"Welcome to the family."
They entered the house.
The interior was surprisingly normal.
No grand magical halls.
No ancient artifacts floating in the air.
No ominous statues.
It was simply a home.
A little messy.
A little noisy.
And unmistakably lived in.
Veronica looked around.
"This is..."
"Disappointingly ordinary?" Mike asked.
"I was going to say cozy."
Mike smiled.
"That works too."
Priscilla immediately disappeared upstairs.
"I'M GOING TO BED!"
Haru followed.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight!"
A moment later, the sound of footsteps disappeared upstairs.
Mike turned toward Veronica.
"So."
She looked at him.
"So?"
"You wanted a tour."
"I did not say that."
"You came here."
"Because you threatened to kidnap me."
"Details."
Veronica sighed.
"Fine. Show me around."
Mike grinned.
"Gladly."
---
The tour began with the living room.
Mike pointed toward the sofa.
"Living room."
"I can see that."
"Dining room."
"I can also see that."
"Kitchen."
"Mike."
"Bathroom."
"I know what a bathroom looks like."
"Bedroom."
Veronica stared at him.
"Your tour is terrible."
"I'm keeping it efficient."
"You are pointing at rooms and naming them."
"That's what a tour is."
"No, that's labeling."
Mike laughed.
"Fine."
He walked toward a hallway.
"Come on."
Veronica followed.
As they walked, she noticed small things.
Photographs.
Family pictures.
Little decorations.
A shelf filled with books.
A collection of toys that clearly belonged to Priscilla.
A framed picture of the family from years ago.
Veronica stopped.
Mike noticed.
"That one?"
She nodded.
The picture showed the Esposito family when Priscilla was much younger.
She was sitting between her parents, smiling with several missing teeth.
Haru stood behind them with an expression that suggested he had been dragged into the photograph against his will.
Mike was younger too.
Much younger.
He stood beside his mother, grinning at the camera.
Veronica stared at the photograph for a while.
"You were all so young."
Mike smiled.
"Yeah."
"You look different."
"Hopefully better."
She smiled faintly.
"You're still recognizable."
"That's disappointing."
Veronica laughed quietly.
Mike leaned against the wall.
For a moment, neither said anything.
Then Veronica asked:
"What were you like when you were younger?"
Mike thought about it.
"Trouble."
"I could have guessed."
"I was curious."
"That's a nicer word."
"I broke things."
"There it is."
"I asked too many questions."
"That sounds more accurate."
"And I used to follow my mother everywhere."
Veronica looked at him.
"You were close?"
"Very."
His smile softened.
"She used to take me into the forest."
Veronica looked back at the photograph.
"What did you do there?"
"Everything."
He shrugged.
"We'd walk around. She'd teach me about plants. We'd watch animals. Sometimes she'd just sit under a tree and I'd sit beside her."
Veronica's expression softened.
"That sounds nice."
"It was."
Mike looked toward the window.
"I didn't understand how special it was back then."
Veronica was quiet.
"That's usually how childhood works."
Mike looked at her.
She seemed almost surprised by her own words.
He noticed.
"You?"
Veronica glanced at him.
"What about me?"
"What was your childhood like?"
She hesitated.
For the first time that evening, her smile disappeared completely.
"Complicated."
Mike didn't push.
Instead, he waited.
Veronica looked at the photograph again.
"I grew up surrounded by people who expected me to become something."
"What?"
"Useful."
Mike frowned.
"That's not an answer."
"It is when you grow up in the sort of place I did."
She folded her arms.
"My childhood wasn't terrible. I had food. I had a roof. I had people around me."
"But?"
"But I didn't have much freedom."
Mike listened.
Veronica continued.
"I wanted to see the world. I wanted to run through forests without someone telling me where I could step. I wanted to climb trees. I wanted to swim in rivers. I wanted to know what was beyond the places I'd been told were off-limits."
She smiled faintly.
"I suppose that's why I became so attached to nature."
Mike nodded.
"That makes sense."
Veronica looked at him.
"Does it?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because nature doesn't tell you what you're supposed to be."
She stared at him.
Mike shrugged.
"It just lets you be."
For a few seconds, Veronica said nothing.
Then she smiled.
"You're surprisingly wise sometimes."
"Sometimes?"
"Don't push your luck."
Mike laughed.
"Fair."
They continued down the hallway.
The tension had disappeared.
The conversation had become easier.
And for the first time since they'd met, Veronica wasn't looking at Mike as some incomprehensibly powerful being who could casually bend reality.
She was simply looking at him as a person.
A person who had grown up in this house.
A person who had memories here.
A person who had a family.
And perhaps that was what made the house feel different.
It wasn't extraordinary because of the powers contained within it.
It was extraordinary because people had lived here.
People had laughed here.
Argued here.
Grown up here.
And loved one another here.
---
A sudden crash came from downstairs.
Veronica jumped.
Mike sighed.
"That'll be Chelsea."
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
They hurried downstairs.
The sight waiting for them was ridiculous.
Nike was sitting proudly on the floor with one paw resting on Chelsea's head.
Chelsea was staring at her with the exhausted expression of someone questioning every decision that had led them to this moment.
Several cats were gathered around them.
Veronica's eyes immediately softened.
"Oh."
She crouched.
The cats immediately approached her.
One rubbed against her leg.
Another climbed onto her lap.
Veronica smiled.
"You brought these home?"
Mike nodded.
"They've adopted us."
"I can see that."
She gently stroked one of the cats.
The animal purred.
Another climbed onto her shoulder.
Veronica laughed.
"You're all adorable."
Nike watched from nearby.
For some reason, the sight seemed to make her strangely happy.
Then one of the cats suddenly disappeared behind a chair.
There was a scraping sound.
Then another.
Then—
A small owl emerged from behind the furniture.
Or rather, what remained of one.
Akumu looked absolutely miserable.
His feathers were ruffled.
One wing was hanging awkwardly.
His eyes were half closed.
And clutched firmly in his beak was a piece of cloth.
He dragged himself forward.
Veronica blinked.
"Is that...?"
Mike crouched.
"Akumu."
The owl gave a weak hoot.
One of the cats followed behind him.
Apparently, it had dragged him all the way there.
Veronica's expression changed immediately.
"Oh, you poor thing."
Akumu tried to back away.
Veronica reached toward him.
He flinched.
She stopped.
"Easy."
Akumu stared at her.
Veronica slowly lowered her hand.
"I'm not going to hurt you."
The owl remained suspicious.
Then Veronica noticed his injured wing.
"You need treatment."
Akumu looked away.
Mike smiled.
"He doesn't trust people very much."
"Then I'll have to earn it."
Veronica gently picked him up.
Akumu struggled for a moment.
Then stopped.
She carried him toward the table.
"I'll make something for him."
Mike watched her go.
Nike watched too.
Chelsea tilted her head.
Mike smiled.
"I think he's in good hands."
Akumu, meanwhile, opened one eye.
Veronica had already begun preparing a small place for him to rest.
For the first time since the battle began, the owl didn't feel the need to run.
And for Akumu, that was saying something.
Veronica carefully laid Akumu on a folded towel.
The owl immediately attempted to stand.
He made it approximately three centimeters before his injured leg gave out.
Veronica caught him.
"Absolutely not."
Akumu blinked.
Veronica placed him back down.
"You're staying there."
The owl stared at her.
She stared back.
Akumu looked away first.
Mike covered his mouth to hide a laugh.
Veronica glanced over her shoulder.
"Something funny?"
"No."
"You were laughing."
"I was breathing."
"You were breathing suspiciously."
Mike raised both hands.
"I surrender."
Nike had followed them into the room and sat beside the table.
Her ears twitched as she watched Veronica examine Akumu.
Chelsea sat beside her.
"What happened to him?"
Mike shrugged.
"He fought a Cerberus."
Chelsea's ears flattened.
"That explains the injuries."
"Actually, he did pretty well."
"Pretty well?"
Mike nodded.
"He lost all his wings."
Chelsea stared.
"...That's not what I would call doing pretty well."
"They grew back."
"Still."
Mike shrugged.
"He's resilient."
Veronica carefully touched Akumu's wing.
The owl immediately winced.
"Easy."
She examined the damaged feathers.
"There's no fracture."
Akumu tilted his head.
"But you've strained the muscles."
She gently moved his wing.
Akumu flinched again.
"Sorry."
His eyes opened slightly wider.
It was such a simple thing.
Sorry.
Not a command.
Not a threat.
Not someone trying to use him.
Just an apology.
Veronica reached for a small bottle.
"I'll make something for the pain."
Akumu watched suspiciously.
Mike leaned toward Nike.
"He looks like he's about to accuse her of poisoning him."
Nike quietly meowed.
"I think he has trust issues."
"You think?"
Nike glanced at Mike.
He immediately stopped talking.
Veronica returned with a small bowl.
Akumu sniffed it.
Then looked at Veronica.
Then at the bowl.
Then back at Veronica.
"Eat."
Akumu didn't move.
Veronica sighed.
"You're worse than a child."
Mike grinned.
"That might actually be an insult to children."
Veronica ignored him.
She dipped a finger into the bowl and held it near Akumu.
He cautiously tasted it.
His eyes widened.
He tasted it again.
Then, apparently deciding that death was unlikely, he began eating.
Veronica smiled.
"There you go."
Nike watched the entire thing.
Something about the scene made her expression soften.
She remembered the chaos of the battle.
The lightning.
The explosions.
Akumu desperately trying to survive.
And now here he was, quietly eating from Veronica's hand.
The contrast was almost absurd.
Chelsea sat beside Nike.
"He's lucky."
Nike nodded.
"Yeah."
"Do you think she'll keep him?"
Nike looked at Veronica.
"Probably."
Mike overheard them.
"Knowing my mother, she'll probably end up keeping every injured animal that comes within ten kilometers of this house."
Veronica looked over.
"I heard that."
"Good."
"You say that as though it's a bad thing."
"It's not."
Mike smiled.
"It's actually one of the reasons this place always felt like home."
Veronica looked at him.
Mike's expression had softened.
"My mother used to do the same thing."
He glanced at Akumu.
"Birds. Cats. Dogs. Sometimes things that weren't even supposed to exist."
Veronica smiled.
"Like Akumu?"
"Probably worse."
Akumu stopped eating and looked offended.
Mike pointed at him.
"See? He understands."
---
An hour passed surprisingly quickly.
The house became quieter.
Priscilla had gone to bed.
Haru had disappeared somewhere upstairs.
Chelsea and Nike had settled in the living room with the cats.
And Veronica remained beside Akumu.
She changed the bandage around his leg.
The owl had stopped resisting.
In fact, he had become remarkably comfortable.
He sat quietly while she worked.
When she finished, Veronica gently stroked the top of his head.
Akumu closed his eyes.
Mike watched from the doorway.
"Looks like you've made a friend."
Veronica smiled.
"He's sweet."
Mike looked at the owl.
"That isn't the word I'd use."
Akumu opened one eye.
Mike pointed at him.
"Don't look at me like that."
Akumu blinked.
Mike sighed.
"Fine. He's sweet."
Veronica laughed.
"You really are terrible with animals."
"Animals love me."
Nike meowed from the living room.
Mike looked over.
"See?"
Nike immediately turned her back on him.
"...Betrayal."
Veronica laughed again.
It was a genuine laugh.
Not the polite little chuckle she'd given earlier.
A real one.
Mike smiled.
He didn't say anything.
He simply watched her.
For someone who had spent so much of her life surrounded by power, danger and expectations, Veronica seemed surprisingly happy sitting beside an injured owl.
Perhaps that was the part of herself she had been missing.
Not power.
Not responsibility.
Not even freedom.
Just moments where nothing was expected of her.
She looked at Akumu.
"You know..."
Mike raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"I think I understand why your mother loved this place."
Mike smiled.
"Yeah?"
Veronica nodded.
"It's peaceful."
Mike looked around the house.
The scratched furniture.
The scattered toys.
The cats sleeping in impossible positions.
Chelsea arguing with Nike over a cushion.
The faint sound of Priscilla moving around upstairs.
And Akumu quietly resting beside Veronica.
"Yeah," Mike said.
"It is."
---
Later that night, Veronica finally stood.
"I should go."
Mike glanced at the clock.
"It's late."
"I have to be up early."
"Stay."
Veronica looked at him.
Mike immediately clarified.
"There's a spare room."
She smiled.
"You really want me to stay."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Mike shrugged.
"Because it's nice having you here."
Veronica stared at him.
For once, she didn't have a sarcastic response.
Her expression softened.
Then she looked toward Akumu.
"What about him?"
"He'll be fine."
Veronica shook her head.
"No."
She picked up the owl.
"I'm not leaving him."
Mike smiled.
"Then I guess you're staying."
Veronica sighed.
"You're enjoying this far too much."
"Maybe."
She carried Akumu toward the spare room.
Nike watched her go.
Chelsea leaned toward her.
"She's staying."
Nike nodded.
"Looks like it."
Chelsea grinned.
"Do you think she'll become part of the family?"
Nike looked toward Mike.
Then toward Veronica.
Then at the cats sleeping around them.
"...Maybe she already is."
---
The next morning arrived peacefully.
No explosions.
No earthquakes.
No monsters.
No reality-breaking abilities.
Just sunlight.
Birdsong.
And the smell of breakfast.
Veronica woke to the sound of someone moving around downstairs.
She opened her eyes.
For a moment she had no idea where she was.
Then she remembered.
The Esposito house.
Mike.
Priscilla.
Akumu.
She sat up.
The injured owl was asleep on a small cushion beside the bed.
Veronica smiled.
She carefully lifted him and carried him downstairs.
When she entered the kitchen, Mike was already there.
He was attempting to cook.
Attempting being the important word.
Veronica stared at the frying pan.
Then at him.
Then back at the frying pan.
"What are you doing?"
"Breakfast."
"You're burning it."
Mike looked down.
"...I prefer the term caramelizing."
"That's smoke."
"It's flavorful smoke."
Veronica walked over and took the pan from him.
"Move."
Mike stepped aside.
"Yes, ma'am."
She began cooking.
Mike watched.
"You cook?"
"Of course."
"I didn't know."
"You've known me for less than a day."
"Feels longer."
Veronica smiled.
"Maybe that's because you've spent half of it trying to annoy me."
"Only half?"
She laughed.
"You're impossible."
"And yet you're still here."
Veronica paused.
Then smiled.
"Yes."
She continued cooking.
Akumu slept peacefully nearby.
Nike and Chelsea eventually wandered into the kitchen.
The cats followed.
Within minutes, the room had become crowded.
Mike looked around.
"How did breakfast become a family meeting?"
Nike jumped onto a chair.
Chelsea climbed onto another.
Several cats gathered around Veronica.
Akumu opened one eye.
Veronica sighed.
"Apparently I'm responsible for all of you now."
Mike smiled.
"Welcome to the family."
Veronica shook her head.
But she was smiling.
And for once, she didn't seem to mind.
By late morning, Veronica had discovered something important about the Esposito household.
It was impossible to have a quiet breakfast.
The moment she finished serving the food, the cats appeared from seemingly every corner of the house.
One climbed onto a chair.
Another jumped onto the table.
A third somehow appeared on top of the refrigerator.
Veronica stared at it.
"How did you even get up there?"
The cat simply stared back.
Mike continued eating.
"Don't question them."
"I wasn't aware they were capable of reaching the refrigerator."
"They weren't."
Veronica slowly turned toward him.
"What do you mean they weren't?"
"They learned."
"...I see."
Nike sat beside Chelsea, watching the exchange with obvious amusement.
Veronica noticed them.
"You two seem unusually quiet."
Chelsea looked away.
Nike pretended to be fascinated by her food.
Mike immediately became suspicious.
"What did you two do?"
"Nothing."
"That's exactly what someone who did something would say."
Chelsea shrugged innocently.
Mike narrowed his eyes.
Then he noticed a small vase missing from the shelf.
"...Where's the vase?"
Chelsea pointed at Nike.
Nike pointed at Chelsea.
Mike sighed.
"I don't even want to know."
Veronica laughed.
She had spent most of the morning discovering little things about the family.
Priscilla was energetic and curious.
Haru was quiet but observant.
Mike was impossible.
And the cats...
The cats were apparently organized criminals.
She was beginning to understand why the house felt so alive.
It reminded her of something.
A home.
Not a mansion.
Not a fortress.
Not a place where every room existed for some grand purpose.
Just a home.
She hadn't realized how much she missed that.
---
After breakfast, Mike found Veronica standing in the hallway.
She was staring at several photographs hanging along the wall.
"What are those?"
Mike walked over.
"Family pictures."
Veronica examined them.
There were dozens.
Some were recent.
Others looked considerably older.
She stopped at one.
A much younger Mike stood beside Priscilla.
Both were smiling.
Behind them stood Mr. and Mrs. Esposito.
Mike noticed where she was looking.
"That was taken when Priscilla was little."
Veronica smiled.
"She hasn't changed much."
"She's gotten louder."
"Much louder?"
"Significantly."
Veronica laughed.
She moved to another photograph.
This one showed Mike standing alone beside a tree.
He looked younger.
Much younger.
But there was something strange about the picture.
He wasn't smiling.
Veronica looked at him.
"You don't look happy."
Mike shrugged.
"I was going through something."
"What?"
"Nothing important."
Veronica studied him.
"You don't have to tell me."
Mike looked at her.
"Thanks."
There was a brief silence.
Then he smiled.
"Want a tour?"
Veronica blinked.
"A tour?"
"Yeah."
"Of the house?"
"Unless you'd prefer a tour of the moon."
She laughed.
"I'll take the house."
"Good choice. The moon has terrible accommodations."
---
Mike led her down the hallway.
"This is the living room."
"I've already seen that."
"Then congratulations. You have successfully completed the first stage of the tour."
Veronica rolled her eyes.
"You're ridiculous."
"I've been told."
He continued walking.
"This is the kitchen."
"I've also seen that."
"The kitchen contains a secret."
Veronica raised an eyebrow.
"What secret?"
Mike opened a cabinet.
Inside was an assortment of snacks.
Veronica stared.
Mike smiled proudly.
"Emergency supplies."
"Those are sweets."
"Exactly."
"That's not an emergency supply."
"Have you ever gone through an emotional crisis without chocolate?"
Veronica thought about it.
"...No."
"See?"
She laughed.
Mike closed the cabinet.
"Moving on."
They passed several rooms before reaching a large wooden door.
Mike stopped.
"This one's important."
Veronica's expression became curious.
He opened the door.
Inside was a library.
It was much larger than she expected.
Bookshelves covered almost every wall, reaching nearly to the ceiling.
Some books were ordinary.
Others definitely weren't.
Several had strange symbols engraved on their covers.
Veronica stepped inside.
"Wow."
Mike smiled.
"My father collected them."
She walked between the shelves.
"What kind of books?"
"Everything."
She pulled one from a shelf.
The cover was written in a language she didn't recognize.
"What does this say?"
Mike glanced at it.
"Something about the history of a civilization that technically never existed."
Veronica slowly put the book back.
"...Technically?"
"Long story."
She laughed.
"You really do live in a strange house."
"You've only seen the library."
"Should I be worried?"
"Probably."
---
They eventually reached the back of the house.
Mike opened a door.
Veronica stepped outside.
Her expression changed immediately.
The garden was enormous.
Flowers grew everywhere.
Trees formed a natural canopy over several paths.
A small pond reflected the sunlight.
There were even benches scattered beneath the trees.
Veronica walked slowly.
"This is beautiful."
Mike smiled.
"My mother takes care of it."
"I can tell."
She crouched beside a flower.
"It's healthy."
"She talks to them."
Veronica looked up.
"She talks to the plants?"
"Yes."
"Do they answer?"
Mike shrugged.
"Considering what she can do, I'm not going to assume they don't."
Veronica laughed.
They continued walking.
Eventually, they reached a large tree.
Its trunk was enormous.
Veronica placed her hand against it.
"How old is this?"
"Older than me."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"Older than my father too."
She looked at him.
"Seriously?"
Mike nodded.
"Mom says it's been here since before the house was built."
Veronica looked at the tree again.
"That's incredible."
Mike leaned against the trunk.
"My mother used to bring me here when I was little."
Veronica turned toward him.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"We'd sit here."
"That's it?"
"Sometimes she'd read to me."
Veronica smiled.
"What kind of stories?"
"Fairy tales."
"How appropriate."
Mike laughed.
"She'd always change the endings."
"Why?"
"She said children shouldn't be forced to accept sad endings."
Veronica's smile faded slightly.
"That's actually sweet."
"Yeah."
Mike looked toward the garden.
"My mother had a rough childhood."
Veronica became quiet.
He continued.
"She doesn't talk about it much."
"Neither do I."
Mike glanced at her.
Veronica looked away.
For a few seconds neither spoke.
Then Mike asked softly,
"What was yours like?"
Veronica's fingers tightened around the edge of her sleeve.
"My childhood?"
"Yeah."
She looked at the flowers.
"It wasn't terrible."
Mike waited.
"But it wasn't normal either."
She took a breath.
"My family was always surrounded by expectations. Everything had to mean something. Every decision had consequences."
She smiled faintly.
"I wasn't really allowed to be a child."
Mike didn't interrupt.
"My parents weren't cruel."
Veronica looked down.
"They loved me. That's what made it complicated."
Mike understood.
"They wanted you to become something."
"Yes."
"What?"
Veronica was silent for a moment.
"Someone worthy."
Mike frowned.
"Worthy of what?"
She smiled sadly.
"Everything."
The wind moved through the trees.
Veronica closed her eyes.
"When you're raised believing you have to be worthy of everything you possess, eventually you start wondering whether you're worthy of anything at all."
Mike looked at her.
For once, he had no joke.
No clever remark.
Nothing to say.
So he simply sat beside her.
Veronica noticed.
She smiled.
"You're unusually quiet."
"I'm listening."
That answer caught her off guard.
She looked at him.
Then laughed softly.
"You're strange."
"So I've been told."
She leaned back against the tree.
"For some reason, I don't mind."
Mike smiled.
"Good."
A distant meow interrupted them.
They looked back toward the house.
Nike was sitting on the windowsill.
She stared at them.
Then at Mike.
Then at Veronica.
Then she slowly disappeared behind the curtain.
Mike sighed.
"She's probably telling everyone we're missing."
Veronica laughed.
"Then we'd better go back."
Mike stood.
"Come on."
They started walking toward the house.
Neither noticed the tiny black bird sitting on the branch above them.
It watched silently.
Then flew away.
---
Inside the house, Priscilla was waiting.
She immediately looked between them.
"You were gone for a long time."
Mike shrugged.
"I was showing her around."
Priscilla smiled.
"Did you show her the secret room?"
Veronica stopped.
"The what?"
Mike's face went blank.
"Priscilla."
"What?"
"There is no secret room."
"Yes there is."
"Priscilla."
"You know, the one behind the—"
Mike covered her mouth.
Veronica stared at him.
"There's a secret room?"
Mike slowly removed his hand from Priscilla's mouth.
"Technically."
"How many secret rooms are there?"
Mike thought about it.
"...Depends on your definition of secret."
Veronica sighed.
"I don't think I'll ever understand this family."
Priscilla grinned.
"Don't worry. Nobody does."
From the hallway came a loud crash.
Everyone turned.
A cat emerged from the room carrying something in its mouth.
Mike stared.
"Is that my father's watch?"
The cat ran.
Mike immediately chased after it.
"HEY! COME BACK!"
Priscilla burst out laughing.
Veronica covered her mouth.
Even Nike seemed amused.
For several minutes, the house was filled with laughter and the sound of Mike chasing a cat through the halls.
And for the first time in a very long time, Veronica found herself laughing with them.
She didn't know it yet.
But she had already begun to feel at home.
By the time Mike finally returned from chasing the cat, the house had settled down again.
Mostly.
He stood in the hallway with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.
The cat sat comfortably on top of a cupboard.
Mike stared at it.
The cat stared back.
"Give me the watch."
The cat licked its paw.
"You're not even going to pretend you feel guilty?"
The cat yawned.
Mike slowly straightened.
"Fine."
He pointed at it.
"But I'm watching you."
The cat turned around.
Mike narrowed his eyes.
"I mean it."
From behind him came a quiet laugh.
He turned.
Veronica was standing there with Nike and Chelsea.
Both girls were trying very hard not to laugh.
"You saw that, didn't you?"
Veronica nodded.
"Every second."
Mike sighed.
"Excellent."
Chelsea walked over and looked up at the cat.
"Why don't you just climb up there?"
Mike stared at her.
"Because I don't want to encourage this behavior."
Nike tilted her head.
Chelsea shrugged.
"Fair."
Mike looked between them.
"Where have you two been?"
"Helping Veronica."
"With what?"
Nike pointed toward the living room.
Mike followed her finger.
Akumu was lying on the couch.
A blanket had been placed over him.
A bowl of water sat nearby.
And Veronica's medical supplies were neatly arranged on the table.
Mike blinked.
"You've turned the living room into a hospital."
Veronica looked at him.
"He's injured."
"I know."
"So?"
Mike smiled.
"So nothing."
He walked over and crouched beside Akumu.
The owl opened one eye.
"How are you feeling?"
Akumu stared at him.
Mike nodded.
"Right. Forgot you don't talk."
Akumu closed his eye again.
Mike stood.
"I think that means he's fine."
Veronica shook her head.
"He's tired."
"I knew that."
"No, you didn't."
"...I was testing you."
"Of course."
Mike smiled.
"How's his wing?"
"Growing back properly."
"Good."
Veronica gently touched the injured owl's feathers.
"He'll need to rest for a while."
Akumu opened his eyes.
For the first time, he didn't look suspicious when Veronica touched him.
Instead, he leaned slightly into her hand.
Mike noticed.
"So you've officially adopted him."
Veronica smiled.
"I haven't adopted anyone."
Nike raised an eyebrow.
Chelsea pointed toward Akumu.
"You're feeding him."
Veronica looked at the owl.
"That's temporary."
Mike folded his arms.
"That's exactly how my mother acquired half the animals in this house."
Veronica laughed.
"Then I suppose I should be careful."
Akumu quietly hooted.
Veronica looked down.
"You disagree?"
The owl blinked.
She smiled.
"Fine. You can stay."
Mike's eyebrows rose.
"Just like that?"
Veronica nodded.
"Until he's recovered."
Akumu closed his eyes again.
Mike grinned.
"Congratulations, Akumu. You have successfully acquired yourself a home."
---
The afternoon passed peacefully.
It was almost strange.
After everything that had happened the previous night, nobody seemed to know what to do with themselves now that there was nothing trying to destroy the house.
Priscilla spent most of the afternoon showing Chelsea around.
Nike stayed nearby, occasionally disappearing whenever one of the cats needed her attention.
Eventually, Veronica found herself surrounded by them.
Several cats had gathered around her feet.
One climbed into her lap.
Another rubbed against her leg.
She gently stroked its fur.
"You really have a lot of cats."
Nike smiled.
"They're family."
Veronica looked at her.
There was something almost proud in the way Nike said it.
"I can see that."
One of the smaller cats climbed onto Veronica's shoulder.
She laughed.
"Hey."
The cat settled comfortably against her neck.
"You've got quite the personality."
Nike watched her carefully.
Then she smiled.
It was a small smile.
But genuine.
The cats had been through a terrifying night.
They had seen their home threatened.
They had watched creatures far beyond their understanding fight around them.
And yet here they were.
Safe.
Eating.
Sleeping.
Playing.
And now one of the people they had come to trust was sitting among them.
Nike felt something warm in her chest.
Maybe this was what she had been trying to protect all along.
Not the house.
Not the furniture.
Not even the cats themselves.
This.
A place where everyone could simply exist without fear.
---
A sudden rustling came from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
A cat appeared.
It was dragging something behind it.
Veronica frowned.
"What are you carrying?"
The cat continued forward.
Something black and feathery was being dragged across the floor.
Mike blinked.
"Is that Akumu?"
Everyone looked toward the couch.
The injured owl was still there.
Mike looked back at the creature being dragged.
Then toward the cat.
Then toward the couch.
"...There are two of them?"
The cat released its grip.
A small black owl collapsed onto the floor.
Veronica immediately stood.
"Wait."
She hurried over.
The owl was exhausted.
Its feathers were ruffled, one wing hung awkwardly and its breathing was shallow.
Veronica carefully picked it up.
"He's hurt."
Nike approached.
"He wasn't there earlier."
Veronica examined him.
"He probably got caught in the chaos."
Mike frowned.
"Poor thing."
Veronica carried him over to the table.
"Get me another towel."
Mike immediately grabbed one.
"Here."
"Water."
"Got it."
"Nike, can you bring me the medicine?"
Nike nodded.
Chelsea picked up the bowl.
"I'll bring this."
Within seconds, everyone was helping.
The small owl's breathing slowly became steadier.
Veronica gently cleaned its wounds.
The owl trembled.
"It's alright."
Her voice was soft.
"You're safe now."
The owl opened one eye.
Veronica smiled.
"No one's going to hurt you."
The owl slowly relaxed.
Mike watched from nearby.
He smiled.
"You really are becoming my mother."
Veronica looked at him.
"Is that supposed to be an insult, are you calling me old?"
"Absolutely not."
She returned her attention to the owl.
"Then I'll take it as a compliment."
---
Evening arrived.
The sky turned orange beyond the windows.
Mike sat outside on the porch.
Veronica joined him.
For a while neither spoke.
The sounds of the household drifted through the open door.
Laughter.
Footsteps.
The occasional meow.
It was peaceful.
Veronica rested her arms on the railing.
"Yesterday feels like it happened weeks ago."
Mike nodded.
"I know."
"We fought a giant bear."
"Technically, my mother fought the giant bear."
"Your became the giant bear."
"Fair."
Veronica smiled.
"And somehow today we're just sitting here."
Mike looked at the sunset.
"That's life."
She glanced at him.
"You say that like nearly destroying the city is normal."
"With this family?"
He shrugged.
"Pretty normal."
Veronica laughed.
She looked toward the house.
"I like it here."
Mike smiled.
"Then visit more often."
She looked at him.
"I might."
"Good."
There was another quiet moment.
Then Veronica asked,
"Mike?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
She looked down.
"For yesterday."
Mike's expression softened.
"You don't have to thank me."
"I know."
She smiled.
"But I wanted to."
Mike nodded.
"You're welcome."
The two sat together until the sun disappeared.
Neither noticed the figure watching from the far end of the street.
A man standing beside a parked vehicle.
He looked toward the house.
Then down at the photograph in his hand.
Veronica Esposito.
The photograph was old.
Much older than it should have been.
The man folded it and slipped it into his coat.
Then walked away.
---
Somewhere Else
Jack Marcel opened his eyes.
For several seconds he couldn't remember where he was.
Then everything came rushing back.
The mansion.
The battle.
Carla.
Lucy.
The vacuum cleaner.
He groaned.
"That woman..."
He pushed himself upright.
His body still hurt.
His pride hurt more.
He looked around.
An alley.
Dark.
Empty.
He tried to stand.
A voice stopped him.
"Going somewhere?"
Jack froze.
Several men stepped from the shadows.
He recognized their suits.
Not police.
Not ordinary criminals.
They were his father's men.
Jack's expression changed.
"No."
A car rolled slowly into the alley.
The rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
Jack's face went pale.
"F-father."
Louis Marcel adjusted his coat.
He looked at his son with disappointment.
"Jack."
Jack swallowed.
"I can explain."
"I don't want an explanation."
Louis walked closer.
"Do you know what happened tonight?"
Jack remained silent.
"You were given a simple task."
"I know."
"You were supposed to kill them."
"I almost did."
Louis stopped.
"Almost?"
Jack's face tightened.
"They were stronger than expected."
"That is your excuse?"
"No."
Louis looked at him coldly.
"Not one Esposito died."
Jack lowered his head.
"Not one."
"I was ready to bring you home."
Jack looked up.
"What?"
"I was willing to forgive you."
Hope briefly appeared in Jack's eyes.
Louis continued.
"But tonight reminded me why I banished you in the first place."
The hope disappeared.
"Father..."
"You're useless."
Jack clenched his fists.
"I can do better."
"Can you?"
"Yes."
Louis stared at him.
"Then why should I give you another chance?"
Jack opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Louis turned away.
"Take care of him."
Jack's eyes widened.
"Wait!"
One of the men raised his weapon.
Jack immediately transformed.
His body began dissolving into vapor.
But before the transformation completed—
Ice erupted from the ground.
It wrapped around him.
Jack gasped.
His vaporous form condensed violently.
He fell back to the ground.
"No..."
Louis looked at him.
For the first time, there was something almost sad in his eyes.
"Goodbye, Jack."
The first gunshot echoed through the alley.
Then another.
And another.
Silence followed.
Louis turned away.
His men climbed into the vehicle.
As the car pulled away, Louis looked out the window.
His secretary sat beside him.
She held a tablet.
"Sir."
"Hm?"
"We have the information you requested."
She turned the screen toward him.
Louis glanced down.
A name appeared.
Mike Esposito.
Louis's expression changed slightly.
"Interesting."
He leaned back.
"Find everything you can about him."
"Yes, sir."
The car disappeared into the night.
---
The Letter
The following morning began like any other.
Mike was in the kitchen.
Priscilla was arguing with Chelsea.
Nike was feeding the cats.
Veronica was checking on Akumu.
And Haru was asleep on a chair.
Then—
Knock. Knock.
Everyone stopped.
Mike looked toward the front door.
"Who's that?"
Priscilla shrugged.
"I wasn't expecting anyone."
Mike walked over.
Before he could open the door, a white envelope slid underneath it.
Everyone stared.
Mike crouched and picked it up.
There was no name on the front.
No address.
No stamp.
Nothing.
Just a single symbol.
A black circle crossed by three silver lines.
Veronica's expression changed immediately.
"What is that?"
Mike looked at her.
"You recognize it?"
She nodded slowly.
"The Bureau."
The room became quiet.
Mike turned the envelope over.
There was no seal.
He opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
He read it.
Then his expression became serious.
Veronica noticed.
"What does it say?"
Mike handed her the letter.
She read the first line.
Then the second.
Her eyes widened.
The letter was short.
Precise.
And unmistakably official.
«To Veronica Esposito.
You are hereby requested to appear before the Bureau for questioning concerning the unauthorized manifestation of otherworldly power within the city.
Your presence is required.
Failure to comply will be considered an act of hostility.
Further instructions will follow.»
Veronica lowered the letter.
Nobody spoke.
Mike looked at her.
"Well..."
Veronica slowly folded the paper.
"It looks like yesterday's fireworks attracted some attention."
Mike's expression remained calm.
But his eyes had changed.
"Looks like we're finally meeting the people who were watching."
Veronica looked toward the window.
For the first time since arriving at the house, she didn't smile.
The peaceful morning suddenly felt very far away.
And somewhere beyond the city, someone was already waiting for her answer.