Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

May 20th, 2022, late afternoon

A busy time in a busy city. Rush hour is in full swing. Commuters coming and going, traffic at a standstill, public transport packed to the brim. People trying to get back to a sense of normality despite the pandemic still rolling around. Many are masked, many are not.

A man in his late thirties, dressed business-casual, wearing rectangle-lensed glasses and carrying a messenger bag with him. Black hair with some gray strands, light-skinned, and a pencil mustache on his face. Last, but perhaps his most defining feature, his right eye is made of glass.

Though his cliff-faced expression — concealed under a face mask — doesn't betray it, today, he is excited. He is soon to meet an old friend.

Upon reaching a somewhat modest self-service restaurant, he makes his way in. After retrieving his usual dinner of steak and potatoes, he occupies a table at a central location, trusting that his eye will make it obvious who he is. A quick check of the watch indicates he's 30 minutes early. Now, he must wait.

He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. A new message.

*** *** ***

Claire ❤️

---------yesterday @ 2:12 PM---------

Just a heads up, I'm gonna have dinner out tomorrow

Meeting with someone

Who's the special someone that takes priority over me? 👀

An old friend of mine

Just catching up with him

Hehe, it's alright, thanks for letting me know

Have a nice day, mon soleil 😘

❤️

---------today @ 9:43 AM---------

😘

😘

---------today @ 5:30 PM---------

New message

Enjoy your date 😘

You tease ❤️

*** *** ***

Heh.

A voice pulls him away from his phone. It seems the man who invited him had a similar idea of arriving early. "Hello there!"

Tall; sky blue polo shirt; tan pants; a face mask that is concealing what is probably a gentle smile; brown hair with strands of gray — less messy than he remembers —; deep dark eyes; and an enviable physique. Not to mention the roguish charm that robs all words from your mouth save for 'Wow…'.

In the time they've been apart, Hero seems to have graduated to Superhero.

…Is that a ring on his finger?

"Nice to see ya, Sunny . Or do you prefer "Mr. Inoue" nowadays?" Hero greets playfully while offering a fist bump.

"Sunny is still fine." he takes the greeting, then points towards the self-service counters. "Grab something and we can talk over food."

"Sure thing. As long as you don't vanish on me." Hero says and points. "I'll be right back."

…Right. That is something they need to sort out. He needs to straighten out his story. How did we get here, again?

There was a couple of years where he tried his hardest to make amends. Visits to Mari's grave; writing letters to his friends; explaining what he went through in the time between her death and his confession; getting to spend a winter and a summer in Faraway… There's some cherished memories in there. They gave him a chance and he did not squander it. They were on mostly amicable terms.

And then… college prep was a lot more taxing than he could have anticipated. He suddenly understood Mari's end of the equation prior to her death. He had to choose: remedy his past mistakes or secure himself a future.

'In the end, you are still the same spineless coward.'

An unwelcome guest, or perhaps an echo of the time. Regardless, the thought is not helpful. It will be dismissed. He reaches for his water bottle on the side of his messenger bag and raises it to his lips.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

He savors the liquid. Not warm nor cold. Its taste, indescribable yet refreshing. Fluid. Light. Each gulp that goes down his throat releases a small bit of tension. Little by little, he feels less and less of that dread that gnawed its way to the forefront. And thus, his mind is clear. He feels distinctly lucid.

Right. Where was he?

He prioritized himself. And then… Well, a lot of life happened. Though it pained him to leave them behind, by the time he looked back, it was too late to go back again. The only choice left was to carry on. Hopefully he'd be fine without them, and vice-versa.

Fast forward to now, 20 years later, and the man is sitting down in front of him with a hearty serving of pasta. Funny how that works. After tucking his mask into the shirt pocket, Hero initiates the conversation. "Well, you look like you're doing well for yourself."

"Same goes to you, Superman."

"Oh, please." Hero waves off the compliment, "I didn't need a lucky break."

Sunny shrugs and releases an amused "Hmh." then, he asks the question on his mind, "How did you find me?"

"Funny story. I was getting some comics for my kids, when I decided to flip through the pages a little bit. Imagine my surprise when I saw your name in the credits."

Sunny tilts his head. It makes sense, but there’s still a missing link. His contact is not public information. He had to have gotten it from somewhere else.

Hero continues. "I went looking for your socials. Was pretty bummed out when I kept finding dead accounts… But then, I found your wife."

Sunny tilts his head further. She knew of this before he even told her?

"So I reached out to her, got mercilessly quizzed on our history together, and then she gave me your number. And that's how I found you."

"So that's why she was so bashful about this." Sunny says.

"Heheh. I wanted it to be a surprise."

Sunny tips his head. "Congratulations, it worked."

They give themselves a brief lull to eat their food and think about what to discuss. There's so much to go over. Where to even begin?

Hero takes care of that. "So, illustrator, huh? Working on Spaceboy comics, too. I'm sure that's gotta be a dream come true."

"In a certain way." Sunny says, meaning it in a far more literal sense than Hero can anticipate.

"The literal one?"

…Or not. Crud. He did tell them about Headspace. "…Got me there."

"Heh heh. Hey, good on ya. Nice to see that you’re happy with it."

"Mm. Thanks." Sunny says. "And you? Finished medical school I presume?"

"Yep. Surgery." the doctor confirms.

"Hmh. Of course you’d go into that."

"I- I’m sorry?" Hero recoils in shocked amusement.

"It’s either go big or go home with you. I’d be surprised if you settled for less."

"I mean… sure?"

"Must’ve been hard these last couple years, though. What with COVID going around."

"Ugh, don’t get me started…" Hero bemoans. "It’s just wave after wave of hospital staff quitting because they just can’t take it anymore. I am this close to following suit. At least clinic work isn’t that bad." The bags under Hero’s eyes tell that story all too well.

"I get you." Sunny says. "Don’t burn yourself out."

"Yeah, I get that from my wife a lot."

Hey, there's another topic. "Speaking of, when did that happen?"

"So… Remember my roommate from college?" Hero asks.

"Vaguely." Sunny answers.

"Remember how I told of how our colleagues would tease us by saying we were dating?"

Oh, this is going somewhere. "Vaguely…"

"At some point we decided to lean into it and, uh…" Hero displays the ring on his finger with a grin. "Who’d have thought, huh?"

"Hmh." Sunny shrugs in amusement. "As long as it works."

"Heheh. So yeah, we married after I finished med school, then we had kids. Two boys, Maxwell and Evan, 15 and 12, respectively." As he says this, Hero pulls his phone out of his pocket and shows a selfie of the family to Sunny. On the left, yours truly; on the right, a blonde blue-eyed woman wearing round glasses and a braid draped over her chest; between them, a young excited boy with amber eyes, dark-blond hair grown out to his shoulders and a cowlick poking out from the top, and a green-eyed teenager with neat dark-blond hair who, frankly, could not look less interested in being in this picture.

"Looks like a handful." Sunny comments.

"It's a lot, but it's very worth it." Hero confirms. "Not that I need to tell you. You've got kids of your own, don't you?"

"Mm-hm." Sunny nods. "Abigail and Luna. Twin sisters, 12 years old. The pride and joy of my life."

"Twins? I thought they looked similar, but not by that much."

"I think they made a point of being easy to tell apart. Not that I’m complaining."

"Heh, yeah. We take those." Hero says. "You know, I was kinda surprised to find out you married. Wasn’t sure you’d find it in you."

"Me neither, to be honest. It’s a bit surreal, even now."

"How’d it happen?" Hero asks.

"Slow burn. We were in a lot of classes together and ended up doing a lot of group work simply because we were the… 'social leftovers', so to speak. From that, we grew to respect each other; respect turned into admiration; admiration turned into…" Sunny shows off his own ring. "…something more."

"That's nice. I'm happy for you."

Another lull in the conversation allows them to continue eating their food. Now, for the rest of the crew. “Have you kept up with the others?” Sunny asks.

"Oh. Yeah. I mean, I can't really speak for them, but we're all still here."

"That's good." A sense of relief washes over Sunny. Hero's confirmation dispels a long standing worry. "And Faraway?"

"Heh. Still there." the doctor chuckles. "A little bigger since you last visited. A couple places shut down, but it's still Faraway."

A slow nod conveys Sunny's comprehension, and perhaps his disappointment as well. "COVID hit it hard?"

Hero thinks for a moment, probably trying to remember the numbers. "Uhh… A few hundred cases-ish? Handful dozen dead. No one I knew."

Tragic, but not grief-worthy.

"Kel did catch it for a while, but he recovered smoothly. I made sure everyone got vaccinated." Hero says with an all-too-proud smirk.

"Lucky. We're all vaccinated on this end, too." Sunny divulges.

"Well, good. That makes things easier for me."

"Hm?" Sunny raises an eyebrow. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Uh, one thing first." Hero says. "So, back when you… confessed to us…"

…Right. Time for this.

"…I remember how you said you wanted to make it up to us, and how much effort you put into trying to mend things… It was like that for… what, two years?"

Sunny nods.

"But then you kinda vanished, so… What changed?"

"…Life got busy. We had to move again after the first one, and I had to get ready for college. By the time I looked back, I realized I probably couldn't come back as if nothing happened. Didn't know how to have that conversation, so I just… didn't. I know it's not a good reason."

"Well, it's at least something." Hero says. "You know, back then, I… couldn't help but imagine the worst."

…

"You really have no idea how happy I was to see your name on that comic." Hero says, a soft smile creeping up his face.

Sunny nods. "I'm not going anywhere. Not then, and not now."

…Hero has no clue how close to correct his assumption was.

"So!" Getting back on track. "How's your summer looking?" Hero asks.

"Um. I take a month off to spend time with the kids."

"Okay… Would you be interested in spending that time in Faraway?"

Oh. "…You guys would have me?"

"Uh. To clarify… A couple years ago we were planning to get the whole group to meet up again, but then, you know, COVID happened. So that's been on hold for a while. This year we're gonna try again."

"That's not an answer. Do you think they would have me? After all this time?"

"Hey, back when we were first planning this I caught Kel lamenting that you wouldn't be there. I think they'd receive you well."

Going back to Faraway… it sounds a little frightening, for some reason. "I'll have to check with my wife."

"Sure. Let me know how that goes and I'll get you in the group chat."

Sunny nods and pauses to think. There is a yearning… Maybe a change of scenery will be good for him after spending two years cooped up inside an apartment. The tranquility of Faraway… That sounds nice.

Hero breaks the silence with an interesting observation. "…Is that a pack of cards in your pocket?"

"Sure is." Sunny answers, looking at his own shirt pocket.

"What, you… fancy yourself a bit of a gambler nowadays?"

"Magician, actually. Want to see?" A chance to show off what he's learned doesn't come by very often.

"By all means." Hero grants permission.

The pack comes out of the pocket and Sunny sets the cards out on the table, face down. He doesn't have time for any fancy tricks, but he can go over the basics. "Pick a card. Any card."

Hero does so.

"Remember that card, don't tell me what it is." Sunny says while picking up the rest of the deck. "Place it on top."

Hero, again, does so.

Thus begins the trickery. In order to deceive Hero into thinking he's actually shuffling, he'll use the quintessential technique for preserving a stack at the top of a deck: false shuffling.

Every false shuffle begins by dropping a stack of cards as if you were shuffling honestly. In order to keep track of where Hero's card is, however, he's going to need a marker. The next thing he'll do is drop a single card in front of that stack and offset it slightly towards himself; a technique called injogging. With his marker in place, he can continue shuffling the deck without worry. As long as he takes the care to not put anything between Hero's card and his marker, he can always tell where the stack began.

While he does this, he instructs Hero further. "So, now I want you to choose a random number from… let's say two to five."

"Okay… I'll say… three."

Three. So his card must be third in the stack. Now it's time to introduce the next step: offsetting. Right now, Hero's card is at the top of the stack. In order to deal it third, he needs to place two other cards on top of it. He begins a false shuffle as before, but, instead of injogging immediately, he drops two individual cards in front of the stack before putting his marker down and finishing the shuffle.

Finally, to make it more convincing, he'll let Hero do the last act of manipulating the deck by cutting it — splitting it into two stacks and inverting their order. — In order to make it so that doesn't disrupt his stack, he'll push his marker back into the deck in such a way as to subtly bend it. If all goes well, Hero won't even notice the divot, but his hands will fall exactly where he wants them.

With the process done, Sunny offers the deck to Hero. "Split it, then put the bottom stack on top."

"Okay…" Hero says, hovering his hand over the deck.

The cut is made exactly where Sunny wants it. He takes the deck back.

"So you chose the number three, which means your card will be the third one I deal out." Sunny explains. "Here's one…" A three of hearts. "Here's two…" Eight of clubs. "And…"

King of spades.

"This is your card." Sunny claims with confidence.

"Well, damn." Hero says, his surprise confirming that Sunny is correct. "You're good. I didn't see a thing."

"Need to have something to do at parties. Not that I go to many."

"Heh. Well, it is a good party trick, I'll give you that."

Sunny looks at his watch. It's definitely time to go. Claire should be home by now.

"Need to go now?" Hero asks.

"Don't want to keep my wife waiting."

"Heh. I feel you. Say hi to her for me, will ya?"

"…Surely you're not thinking of snatching her away from me." Sunny casts a side-eyed glare.

"What? No! Who do you take me for!?" Hero chuckles.

"Listen, if I have to compete with you, I'm not taking any chances."

"Haha! Don't worry, Sunny. I've got my own commitment. Your wife is safe and sound!"

"Good." Sunny says as he gets up from the table. "I'll get back to you if we agree to go this Summer."

"Sure thing. Take care, Sunny!"

Mask back on. It's time to go home. He pulls out his phone and sends a message.

*** *** ***

today @ 6:19 PM

Coming home now

See you in a bit

😘

Chapter Text

May 20th, 2022, early evening

He has much to think of on the Uber ride home. First, he wonders what their reception would be like. Kel would likely receive him well, judging by what Hero has told; he's always been an easy friend to maintain. Even during that confession, he'd been a stalwart defender of Sunny's dignity, though he did eventually start second guessing himself. Not an unreasonable reaction to such an unfathomable situation. Still, with time and effort, they had managed to bridge that gap. Kel was never one to give up on his friends.

His best guess of Aubrey is somewhat conflicted, though he has some hope; the last couple times he was there, the first thing she would do was greet him with an "affectionate" punch to the stomach. Not that it was undeserved, nor that it was contemptuous. It is a fine way of saying 'Welcome back, you bastard' . And it doesn't make sense that she would hate him. Despite her initial outburst at the confession, she would eventually become the one who most firmly defended him. Her only request then was for him to stop finding more and more messed up things to tell them. It was a very tough kind of love, but it was appreciated nonetheless.

And Basil… Basil is the enigma. He remembers the promise they'd made to each other, all those years ago…

'Don't worry… Everything is going to be okay…
No matter what happens… Promise me that we'll always be there for each other…
Promise me…'

The promise, made under duress… and then he left. Reaffirmed upon his return… and then he left. And now it's been 20 years. He'd certainly failed to uphold it. Would it be expected of him now? Would he be expected to compensate for his time spent away? Would Basil even hold on to it for that long? Would it even matter? He doesn't know. He doesn't even have a guess as to what to expect, and that frightens him. Out of all of them, Basil was the one he'd ruined the most, he was the one who needed the most attention, and Sunny failed to deliver. It would not be unreasonable if he did not want anything to do with him now… Alas, maybe that would be for the best.

As for Faraway itself… the idea of going back enthralls him. The place of his birth… Of his childhood… He wishes oh-so-desperately to see it again. He wants to know what's changed, what's become of it in these two decades. His mind runs through it all, flashing the nostalgic facade of Othermart's building before his eyes; then the peaceful lake, their secret hangout spot; and then the playground, with its big yellow cat vigilantly watching over all the children. It tempts him, it calls to him, his being yearns for it.

And yet…

'You shouldn't. You mustn't.
There is no place left for you there.
The past is in the past. Let it die.'

Would that it were so simple…

"Sir? We're here."

And he is ripped from the past, back to the present. "Oh. Thank you." he exits the car and makes his way into the condominium, secure in the knowledge that the voucher payment will go through.

The doorman lets him in and he makes his way to the elevator. Third floor. He hears the TV on the other side, which means Claire arrived before him. He rings the doorbell to let them know he's here, then tries his key. It gets stuck on the faulty lock; she turned her key all the way again. Mildly frustrating. Soon enough, she arrives at the door and unlocks it for him.

He sees her in the doorway. Her fair, soft skin; her wavy raven-black hair reaching halfway down her back; her deep, dark eyes; a slight smile, just shy from a resting cliff face like his; and her gentle figure under the usual black turtleneck dress. Polished. Elegant. Mindful. This is the woman who chose him, and this is the woman he chose. He can't help but feel joy at seeing her.

"Bonsoir, mon soleil. How'd your date go?~" Claire teasingly asks, the suave devil she is.

He takes her hand and lands a kiss on it. "You knew and you didn't tell me." he pouts.

"Aw. Hey, when someone shows up in my messages claiming to be one of your friends, you bet I take that seriously. But how'd it go?"

"Went well. Got caught up with him. He even extended me a… proposal."

"Oh? Do tell."

"He asked if we could spend this summer in Faraway, with our other friends as well."

"Oh! Well, what do you think?" she asks, presumably pondering whether to go.

"I don't know. Are you interested?" he bounces the question back to her.

"Well, I am curious…" she admits. 

"Hm…" Well, that settles it. If she wants to, that's enough to sway him.

"Where would we even stay, though?" Claire asks.

"Surely, if he was offering, they've got room. That, or he didn't think that far."

"And would your mom be coming, too?"

"We can work out the logistics later. Should I tell him we're interested?"

"Sure. That should be a nice change of pace…" she says. He senses the faintest hint of listlessness in her voice.

"Hm? Are you dissatisfied?"

"Oh, it's just… Ever since you started going back to work we've hardly had time for each other…"

He nods his understanding. "We can change that. It's Friday night."

"Mmm. What are you thinking?" she coos, inching her way closer.

He looks into the distance in order to think. "Well, we could… book a dinner at a nice restaurant this weekend, or…"

She inches closer.

"…go to the movies, or…"

She inches closer still…

"…maybe find some play or concert to go watch, or… !!!"

And her lips meet his, unguarded as they were. They savor the moment — and each other — as they feel the warmth of their colliding bodies. A few sublime seconds spent in each other's arms before allowing themselves pause. It leaves them short of breath.

"…Also an option." he says, entirely aware of the blush creeping up his cheeks. A cursory glance confirms that the kids did not see that. They must be further in.

"I think I'll take… cuddle on the couch." she chooses.

"Tonight is yours, ma fleur." And thus the pact is sealed. He realizes now, the activity never had to be flashy or luxurious, it merely needed to be intimate.

An interruption arrives in the form of a sprinting black-haired girl, eyes as dark as his and hair tied in twin tails via light green hair ties. She is about as tall as his shoulders and wearing long-sleeved pajamas filled with drawings of animals. "Dad! Dad! Look what we made in art class today!" Luna yells, presenting to him a paper crane and a paper frog, each one peppered with a plethora of colorful (if a little sloppy) decorations made in marker.

…Maybe tonight doesn't belong to Claire as much as he made it out to be. The girls take absolute priority.

"Whoa. You made this?" Sunny asks with acute interest.

"Yup! I made the froggy and Abbi made the crane."

"They look very pretty. Does Mr. Froggy have a name?"

"Hmm… Mr. Froggy is good. I like it." she decides right there on the spot.

The other sister, similar to Luna except for the hair grown all the way down her back and held off her face by a red hairband, steps out from the hallway. She is donning a light red nightgown. "Luna, give me back my birdie!" Abigail demands.

"Hold on, I'm showing it to dad!"

"Oh. Hi, dad." she waves.

"Hey. Birdie looks very nice. You should put it up in your room." Sunny says.

"He was up on the shelf until Luna took it. Give it back, please."

Luna complies in annoyance. "Killjoy…"

"Thank you." Abbi takes her bird back and inspects it closely for damage.

"Alright, girls, Mom and Dad were in the middle of something, could we have some privacy?" Claire requests.

"Oh. Sure." "Okay." Luna and Abbi respond, then make their way back to their room, mumbling slight bickering and banter at each other.

Phew. Glad that's sorted.

The rest of the night progresses smoothly. Watching TV wrapped in each other's arms, sharing an evening snack. The implicit understanding that it could progress into something more intimate, but no expectation that it will do so; definitely not while the kids are still awake. Still, it's the most relaxing night he has had in a while, and he suspects the same might be true of her.

It is so relaxing, in fact, that they end up falling asleep on each other. They only wake up again when the kids run by during their play. Seems like Abbi is playing keep away with one of Luna’s hair ties. How far past their bedtime is it?

"Kids…" Sunny says, still a little sluggish from waking up, "…what time is it?"

“Uhhhh…” They share a glance with each other. They have no idea. Not that it’s their job to keep track.

"It’s…" Sunny glances at his watch. Almost 1 AM. "…way past your bedtime. Aren’t you girls tired?"

"…No?" Luna says, even though her squinty eyes and rapid blinking tell another story.

Sunny squints. "You’re going to bed."

"Awwww…" "No, c’mon, tomorrow is Saturday!" the girls bemoan.

"Today is Saturday. You already got to stay up late, it’s time to go. And, Abbi, give that back."

Abigail reluctantly returns the hair tie, which Luna grabs with an exaggerated swing. Then he ushers them on to their bathroom. Before he follows them in, he exchanges a glance with Claire, who has been looking on intently. She nods approvingly and ushers him to go on and continue his work.

And so, after ensuring that all teeth were brushed ("Did you really?" "Yes!" "May I see it?." *:D* "Wow, what a smile. Off you go.") and that they were both tucked in, he goes to turn off the light and make his own preparations.

"Dad, wait." Abigail says.

"Hm?"

"Can you tell us that story you used to tell us when we were little? Where we’d go on adventures?"

Luna rolls her eyes and turns away; she’s clearly not interested in this. Still, he is going to humor Abbi.

"Sure. Let’s see if I remember it."

Once upon a time, there were two sisters — Abbi and Luna — who lived under a tree stump at the heart of a Vast Forest…

Chapter Text

July 1st, 2022, mid-afternoon

Six. Hours.

That's how long Mom and Dad said the drive would take.

It's torture…

The idea of spending summer in any place other than home was too good to pass up after two years of isolation. But now, Luna has regrets.

"Ugh. I'm BOOOOORED…!"

"What happened to the Switch?" Mom asks from the driver's seat.

"Out of battery…"

"Well, we told you to pace out your usage…"

She did. As much as she could, anyway. Didn't even make it halfway. Dang it, Abbi, why did you have to hog it so much? Sigh…

Luna looks around at the other seats. Grandma is fast asleep in the other front seat; at Luna's side is Dad; and beyond him is Abbi. She, too, is asleep, resting her head on his lap while he strokes it gently. He really loves to spoil her, doesn't he? Maybe it's fair. She does ask for it a lot. Doesn't stop Luna's stomach from churning at the sight of it, though.

"How much longer?" she asks impatiently.

"Couple more hours, I think?" Dad hazards a guess.

"Sounds about right." Mom confirms.

Ugh. She needs to find something to do.

Outside the window, she sees the vast swathes of countryside. Miles and miles and miles of grass and corn and trees. This got boring at hour one. Trying to find shapes in the clouds grew dull at hour two. She would start making random mouth noises in a desperate attempt to entertain herself, but that got on everyone's nerves pretty fast. Then again, that probably beats doing nothing…

Urgh! Why does time have to pass so slow when you've got nothing to do?! All of this waiting had better pay off.

Her stomach pitches in. *RrRRRRrrrrRrrrrRRRrr…*

Now that she thinks about it, she is kinda hungry. They left shortly after lunch, so it's too early to have dinner. Good time for a snack, though.

She turns around on her seat to look into the back of the family car. Where's the food basket?

"Want something?" Dad asks.

"I'm hungry." she replies.

Dad reaches into a corner and finds the food basket, then grabs…

Potato chips. Score.

"Will this tide you o-"

"Mine." she snatches the bag before he can finish and starts opening it, glancing at him with a smug little smirk plastered across her face. Dad shrugs in exasperation.

And she pops one in her mouth.

*CRONCH!*

Salty, crunchy and ever so slightly spicy. This is the good stuff. The offering has appeased her.

Dad hovers his hand over the pack and lets out an inquisitive "Hm?", requesting permission to grab some for himself. She will allow him. This time.

The consumption of the salty goodness continues until the bag runs out, and now she's back to the initial conundrum, except not as hangry. Seeking a little bit of attention, she slumps herself up against Dad and, on cue, starts receiving his gentle touch. Warm… Nice… It feels very nice…

Oh, hey! Here's an idea! "Hey, Dad, can I use your laptop?"

"What for?" he asks warily.

"I just want something to do. I promise I'm not gonna break anything."

"Hmm…" Dad ponders, narrowing his eyes.

"Come on, you're not using it for anything!"

"Hmmmmm…" he raises a hand to his chin, like the thinking emoji.

"I'm just gonna draw on it!"

"Hmmmmmmmmm…" Okay, this is getting ridiculous.

"…Please?"

"Okay. Because you said please."

And Dad reaches into the bag between his legs. Soon, he's got it in his hands; the quirky little laptop that also doubles as a drawing tablet. He hands it over to Luna and she turns it on to open up the art program. With the drawing pen in hand, she begins her work…

…Might get a little car sick. Eh, that's fine.

Chapter Text

????, daytime

"Hmm hm hmmm…~"

A girl sets up her toys to play out a scene in her playroom. A collection of dolls, action figures and plushies all lovingly arrayed in order to enact a battle of epic proportions, with drama and spectacle and lots and lots of explosions. A showdown to end all showdowns and leave one victor left standing at the end of it all. The plushies will carry out a kaiju fight on top of the bed; the shelves are lined with toy soldiers that will shoot down upon the rest of the battlefield; the Spaceboy action figure, together with his crew of space pirates, will scour the floor looking for stragglers to pick off; Sweetheart and her magical girl team will hold the little castle in the corner, trying to fight off the incoming onslaught of feral animals while trying to protect the innocent dolls inside.

Abbi looks upon her work. This. Will. Be. Awesome.

Suddenly, her sister barges into the room, knocking half of the stuff over. *SLAM!* "Sis!!!"

"GYAAH!" Abbi jumps, "Luna, c'mon!! I was in the middle of something! Now I gotta do it all over again…" she laments as her eyes begin to water.

"Bah! That's boring! C'mon, let's go to the playground!" Luna excitedly exclaims.

"But-… But-…"

"This stuff is gonna be here later! C'mon!"

"Ugh… Fine." Abbi goes and follows Luna.

On the way out of their apartment, they pass by Dad, who is in the process of making some kind of delicious food on the stove. "Where are you headed?" he asks, barely turning his head from his work.

"The playground!" Luna answers. "We're gonna go have some fun!"

"Mhm. In that case…" Dad reaches for his magic sketchbook and starts sketching something on it. When finished, he waves his pencil wand and pulls out a drawing of a balloon, happily floating from a string, "Have fun. Don't get in trouble." he says, handing the balloon to Abbi.

"Don't worry, Dad! We'll be back just in time for dinner!" Abbi says, taking the balloon and tying it to her wrist.

"Mhm. Remember," he points to his magic glass eye, "this one sees everything. See you at dinner."

"Bye, Dad!" "See you!"

And they step out into the elevator hall. Luna presses the button, the doors open, and they go inside. A brief wait in silence as they make their way down, and then they're out to the common areas of the building. 

As they arrive at the playground, Abbi looks at the swing set and issues a challenge, "So, do you think I still swing higher than you?"

"Hmph! I've been practicing, you know."

Abbi hops onto one of the swings, "Then let's see it."

Luna takes the other. The game is on.

*Swish!*

*Swoosh!*

*SWISH!*

*SWOOSH!*

They swing and swing higher and higher. A small crowd of children gather around them, watching closely for who will turn out to be the winner. For a moment, it looks like Luna will be the one taking it, but then…

*SWOOOOOSH!*

With a sudden impulse, Abbi swings the whole way around the bars.

"WEEEE!!" she squeals with joy as she goes round and round the swing's bars, fast enough for her little balloon to come loose.

At the sight of the stunt, Luna has decided that she's already been defeated and has stopped swinging altogether. "Oh, come on! I can't do that!"

In time, Abbi also decides to come to a stop. The winner of this contest is obvious.

"So? I win, don't I?" Abbi proudly claims victory.

"Bleh." Luna sulks like the sore loser she is, "I'm gonna go to the slide."

Abbi stays on the swing. It's a nice day with a pleasant breeze going by, she should enjoy this while she can.

However…

"Ah!  Sis! Help me out!" Luna calls.

Abbi turns over to see Luna on the slide being assailed by…

Oh no! WILD BUNNIES!

"HIIYA!" *POW!* Luna manages to kick one off, but then another one takes its place! No one seems to be helping. She has to do something!

"Help me get them off!" Luna exclaims.

"I don't have a weapon!" Abbi replies.

"I don't know, use that piano you play! IAH!" POW! and another one bites the dust.

Her piano? The OMORI one? How is music supposed to help here? Unless…

Oh! That's right! Music notes have an attack to them! That'll do it. But where is the-

Oh. It's right here. Man, hammerspace is very convenient.

With that, she engages one of the bunnies. A 3x3 grid forms beneath her and her opponent, dividing the battlefield into three files and three ranks for each side.

++++++++++++++

BATTLE START!

++++++++++++++

*ABBI: 2B // WILD BUNNY: 2B (Target: 2B - ABBI)

"So, uh… How do I-"

"I dunno, try playing a tune or something!" Luna answers, swatting yet another bunny out of the way.

"Uh, right."

Abbi — New skill! ARPEGGIO: Attacks a foe 3 times. — TARGET: 3/2 ↑↓ 2/3 — POWER: 1(2)x3

That's a lot of words and symbols. What does that mean?

Well, the description is obvious enough. ARPEGGIO attacks a foe 3 times. Next are the ranks she can use the skill from and the ranks that she can target with it, which means she can use it from ranks 3 and 2 to target the opposing ranks 2 and 3. The ↑↓ means it is an indirect attack and will bypass obstacles. And the POWER of the move is its damage output — in this case, 3 hits that deal 1 damage each, or 2 damage each upon a successful action command.

Whew. Hopefully this makes more sense as we go along…

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

A few key presses on the piano and…

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Smacksmacksmack!

*The WILD BUNNY takes 3 damage.

"Aaah! It's still moving!"

"Look out!"

*The WILD BUNNY attacks!

Hop, hop, hop… Plonk!

*ABBI takes 2 damage. (♥ 10 → 8)

"Owwww…" 

"Hey, keep focused! Hit it again!"

Abbi attacks with ARPEGGIO again.

"Wait up!" Luna calls for a timeout. "You see that above your head?"

← ↓ → | ← ↓ → | ← ↓ →

Oh. An action command! If she times those button presses correctly, she'll do even more damage! Kinda like playing a rhythm game.

Ok.

Great!

Excellent!!

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! POWPOWPOW!

*The WILD BUNNY takes 6 damage. The WILD BUNNY is knocked out!

"Yeeeah! Good job! Wait! Here comes another!"

*Another WILD BUNNY draws near at 1B. (Target: 2B - ABBI)

"Aah! It's coming after me!"

"Outta the way! I'll handle this!" Luna yells.

*LUNA has joined the battle. (1B)

Luna — New skill! SWIFT PUNCH: Advances down the opposing row, dealing damage to the first foe it meets. — TARGET: 2/1 → 1,2,3 — POWER: (5)

SWIFT PUNCH is a bit different from ARPEGGIO. Instead of being an indirect attack (↑↓), it is a direct attack (→). This means it can be blocked by obstacles.

As instructed, Abbi takes a step away from the targeted tile, from row B to row C (2B → 2C). Notably, if you move during your turn, you cannot attack.

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

→ → Z

Luna's action commands are different; they are not a mini rhythm game. Rather, they are fighting game moves. Thus, the action command needs to be successful in order for the attack to go off at all. It needs to be quick, but it's not timing-based.

Great!

Woosh! POW!

*The WILD BUNNY takes 5 damage.

*The WILD BUNNY attacks.

Hop, hop, hop… Whiff!

*WILD BUNNY moves (1B → 3A) and targets 1B (LUNA).

"Now! Finish it off!"

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

Ok.

Great!

Oops… (missed…)

Plim! Plam! Plom! POWPOWsmack!

*The WILD BUNNY takes 5 damage. The WILD BUNNY is knocked out!

++++++++++++++

VICTORY!!

The party gains 4 XP and 6 PEBBLES.

++++++++++++++

With the WILD BUNNIES taken care of, the commotion at the playground is settled. They're heroes!

"Yeah! Nice work, sis!" Luna congratulates, "Of course, I did most of the work." and then takes all the credit.

"Hey, no fair! You asked for my help!"

"You did a great job keeping them busy." Luna replies, smug smirk plastered across her face.

"YouuUUU…" Abbi snarls.

Before Abbi can get a word in, Luna speaks again, "Anyway, dinner time! Race ya to the elevator!" Then, she dashes off to get a head start.

"Hey! Hey, wait for me!" Abbi sprints after her.

The common areas of the building whizz by as the kids run through. For some reason, it feels larger than usual, and the layout is a little off. Maybe. She can't quite tell, actually. At the end of the day, though, it's not really a big deal. Luna ran off first, so she gets to the elevator first. She even gloats about it. "First!"

"Luna, it doesn't count if you cheat." Abbi says in exasperation.

Luna sticks out her tongue. She's not missing out on this "win". Oh well, nothing to do about it.

The elevator doors open and the two girls step in. Abbi hits the button to go up. A mote of light sits inside, drawing her attention.

Abbi approaches the light… and reaches out towards it.

The depths of the Galaxy in their full splendor.

A thousand thousand stars all around. Circling. Swirling. Dancing.

Beauty. Awe. Wonder.

The embrace of the world.

Warmth. Comfort. Safety.

She feels a gentle caress on her head.

*Health restored. Would you like to SAVE?

> (YES)

(NO)

*Saving game. Please do not turn off the console or remove the game cartridge from the system.

*… … …

*Game saved!

*Good luck, Abbi.

The elevator doors open once more, this time to a long hallway at, she presumes, the floor that their apartment is at.

Abbi uneasily looks around the halls. Something… doesn't feel right.

"Luna… are you sure this is the right-…"

Luna isn't there. She's alone.

"…-floor?"

She steps outside and looks around sheepishly, trying to find the correct apartment. Halls and halls and doors and doors. Numbers that don't seem to stay the same. People chatting that she doesn't recognize. She opens one door and gets scowled at for it. She keeps looking… She keeps looking… But then it hits her.

She doesn't remember where her apartment is.

Fear takes hold. How is she going to get back?

"Sis…? Mom…? Dad…?"

No one answers.

"Hello!?"

…

She notices her fast, shallow breathing. A voice speaks to her in the back of her head…

"Abbi…
Take a deep breath…
Don't be afraid. It's not as scary as you think."

Abbi steadies herself. She needs to calm down.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

She needs to calm down…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

You need to calm down. You need to calm down.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

It's not working. Why isn't it working!?

You look around once again. You feel exposed.

You need to calm down. You need to calm down. You need to calm down.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

The room is getting dark. There are shadows closing in.

You need to run.

You need to run.

You turn and sprint. A long hallway. You push a door open. You keep running. You keep running. As fast as you can. As long as you can. You keep running. You need to keep running. You need to keep running.

You trip.

You fall.

…and fall…

…and fall……

"AAAAAAAAAA-

July 1st, 2022, late afternoon

-aaAAH!"

Huff, huff, huff, huff.

"Whoa… Breathe, Abbi. Breathe…" a comforting voice says. Her head is resting on Dad's lap, who is gently caressing her.

Huff… puff…

"It's okay, Abbi. Just a bad dream. Take a deep breath."

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

And she calms down.

She deflates back into Dad's lap.

"Same as usual?" he asks.

"Mm-hmm…"

He pats her a little more. "It’s okay, Abbi… I'm here… You’re safe."

Yes… Safe…

Once she feels she’s gotten enough attention, she sits back up on her seat and looks around outside. How much longer 'til they get there?

"That’s our exit." Mom says, pulling the car into it.

Oh. They’re here.

Looking around the town, Abbi sees the long swathes of suburbia. Houses. More houses. A business or two. A park. Even more houses. Pretty much nothing that goes higher than the second floor. It's almost surreal to see. She's so used to being in the midst of high-rise buildings that this place feels very… strange. Alien.

It all looks so peaceful, though… So why is she so nervous? She should be glad she’s not spending another summer locked at home, shouldn't she? I mean, anything is more exciting than that, but, now that she's here, it feels… daunting. She doesn't know anyone here. She doesn't know if she will enjoy this. Was this really a good idea?

No, Abbi. You need to calm down. You're gonna get to meet Dad's friends! Surely they’re as nice as they looked in that album, right? There's nothing to worry about, right? Yeah. Everything is going to be okay…

"My, everything is all so different, isn't it?" Granny comments.

"Twenty years…" Dad replies, gazing long into the distance…

After some more driving, the car finally comes to a stop in front of a fairly pompous house. Mom honks the horn a couple times and a woman reveals herself at the doorway. Black hair bound in a high ponytail, wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. Soon after her, one with thick red glasses and brown hair going down the right side of her face, wearing a tank top and shorts. They run over to greet them, and the windows roll down.

"Hey, you're here!" the black-haired one shouts.

"Oh my god! Aubrey!" Granny exclaims.

"Mrs. Inoue! It's been so looong!" she replies. At the car window, an exchange of hugs ensues.

"You must be Claire, then." The brown-haired one says, pointing at Mom.

"Yup." Mom confirms.

"Kimberly, but folks call me Kim." she extends a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Kim." Mom takes it.

"And in the back…" Ms. Aubrey checks, then squeals, "OhmyGod!! "Who are these little ladies??"

"I'm Luna!" the sister introduces herself with a toothy grin.

"And I'm Abbi." she says, putting on a smile of her own.

"Abigail, you mean." Dad corrects. Right. That's her full name. She's so used to the nickname, she forgets that sometimes.

"Well, I'm Aubrey, and this is my partner, Kim." she introduces them, despite the redundancy, "Nice to meet you two!"

"…And I must be invisible." Dad comments.

"Oh, I'll get to you in a bit, mister!" Ms. Aubrey aggressively wags her finger at him.

"Y'all are here for the keys, yeah? Here you go." Ms. Kim hands them a couple of keys on a keyring. Seems we're not staying at this house.

"Yeah, you guys go and get yourselves settled in. We'll be right over." Ms. Aubrey steps back towards the house. "See you soon!"

"Thank you! See you!" Mom replies.

And they're off again.

"Good to see them doing well for themselves." Granny says.

Dad sighs and takes a long drink from his bottle. He's been known to do that when he needs to "get out of his head", whatever that means. Wonder what threw him off there.

Under Dad's guidance, Mom turns the car around and goes down another couple of streets, turning onto one where the houses are a bit smaller than the ones they just saw. There, they come up to a house painted in pastel pink; it looks cute.  Mom pulls into the driveway, the car goes silent and the adults start making their way out. Looks like this is where they’re stopping. They shuffle amongst themselves to grab all their luggage and get the front door open.

"Mrraaaaowr!"

Oh. And Cookie. Cookie must be tired of being in that carrier for so long. Abbi goes and picks him up.

Well, now that everything is out, it's time to go in…

Chapter Text

July 1st, 2022, late afternoon

'Was there ever a doubt they'd be better without you?'

The thought does not serve him.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

It will be dismissed.

He can't deny the surprise that took him when he saw Aubrey again. Sunny thought he’d see a grown up punk with a sharp wit and an acid sense of humor, and he was met with the sweetness and levity that he thought were lost to the ages. In the end, however, she did demonstrate she can be both, judiciously deploying whatever is appropriate for the occasion. This is good, he thinks; it is good to have both at your disposal. And the fact that she’s already taken so well to his kids is a major honor.

The second thing that called his attention was Kim. Not the usual laid-back disposition, not her usual dressing for comfort rather than style, not the fact that her sideshave has a little more hair on it — probably a professional choice. — No, that ring in her hand… A matching pair with Aubrey’s. They’re married. He’d heard it in the group chat, but seeing it up close makes it feel a lot more… personal… More real. He would hate to admit that he’s envious, especially since he already has a partner that is everything he could wish for and more. And yet… That fell ache in his chest. He just can’t shake it. Maybe it’s okay… There is time yet to snuff out that flame.

And now, Aubrey’s (old? current?) house. First off, of course she painted it pink. Why wouldn’t she paint it pink? The outside looks mostly like how he remembers, save for the old stop sign not being there anymore. The real surprise is on the inside. A veritable snapshot of the 2000s, with sprinkles of 90s and 2010s mixed in. A plasma TV with a VHS/CD/DVD player set beneath it; a fridge from the 80s and a microwave from the 90s; a radio with a cassette and CD player built in; and a landline phone with a rotating dial on a side table, but also a wireless home phone over at the kitchen counter.

In the way of decoration, it is also fairly eclectic. The mobilia varies between old, presumably inherited furniture, as well as newer ones in white reclaimed wood: the kitchen cupboard with a collection of basic tableware; some shelves with a few decorations on them — among which, a bronze statuette of blind lady Justice, holding her scales in one hand and her sword in the other —; a bookshelf laden with a handful of VHS tapes, dozens of CDs and DVDs, a good few novels, and… legal doctrine? Curious.

The couch is new, though a few stains indicate that it has seen ample use over its lifetime. A sideboard by the dining table proudly displays an intricate array of crystal glassware, as well many pictures of Aubrey over the course of her life. Sharing the same space as the photos is a statuette of a saint he does not recognize. Upon noticing that, he also realizes there is a crucifix hanging above the entryway. He suddenly feels like he's being judged.

Regardless, that Aubrey was so thorough in touching this place up is no surprise. Not even he would want to live in the filth she and her mother lived in. It feels very homely. Although, judging from how little disorder there is in this space, he guesses it hasn't been very lived-in recently.

As the girls go deeper into the house to take a look around (and to release the poor cat), the adults scramble to get all the luggage inside. Meanwhile, a motorcycle pulls up in the driveway with two riders, one with a pink helmet and one with a teal one. Aubrey and Kim, respectively. They make their way in.

"Ahh, just like we left it." Kim remarks.

"Babe, we've been cleaning this place all week…" Aubrey mutters.

"Just like we left it…" Kim repeats, her smile teetering the line between grin and grimace.

"It's very pretty. You've got a good eye for furniture." Mrs. Inoue comments.

"Oh, please. I got what was cheap." Aubrey brushes off the compliment.

"Oh, but that's better, my dear! Never underestimate the power of a smart shopper! Isn't that right, sweetie?" she teases towards Sunny.

Sunny grumbles. No, Mom, self-deprivation is not the same as not having the means.

Kim hijacks the conversation. "Hey, so, real quick. How's your living arrangement gonna work here?"

"What do you mean?" Claire asks.

"So, there's the double bed in the room on the far left…" Kim says, pointing to the hallway. "…and there's two beds in the guest room in the center. Y'all are five people."

The guests all glance between themselves. A guest room at the center is… probably new? "What about the attic?" Sunny asks.

Kim and Aubrey trade looks as well. "Uhh, there's probably a couple spare mattresses up there?" Kim guesses.

"You'd better not be thinking of sleeping up there." Aubrey says. She'd be the one to know, after all.

Sunny turns to his family.
" Un de nous dormera à terre ? "
["One of us sleeps on the floor?"]

The two hostesses glance at each other again, surprised that the conversation has suddenly turned French.

" Moi je dors pas à terre, et j'suis pas mal sûre que ta mère peut pas le faire nonplus. "
["I'm not sleeping on the floor, and I'm pretty sure your mom can't do it."] Claire answers.

" Moi donc ? "
["Me, then?"]

" Soleil, tu dors pas loin de moi. "
["Soleil , you are not sleeping away from me."] Claire orders. He rolls his eyes. Her wish is his command, at least this time.

" Et quoi pour les enfants ? "
["What about the children?"] Mom suggests with her rusty French.

That's an idea. "Abbi! Luna! Come here!" Sunny calls out.

""Yeah?"" the girls peek out from the hallway.

" Qui veut dormir à terre cette nuit ? "
["Who wants to sleep on the floor?"]

" Ouh ! Moi ! J'veux dormir à terre moi ! "
["Ooh! Me, I wanna sleep on the floor!"] says Luna, with an eagerness that should probably concern him.

" Ah zut, mais moi j'voulais dormir à terre aussi… "
["Aww, but I wanted to sleep on the floor…"] Abbi laments.

" Pas vrai ! J'y ai clamé premier. C'est moi qui dort à terre. "
["No way! I called dibs first. I get to sleep on the floor."]

" Mais quoi ? S'il-vous-plaaaaaît ? "
["No, c'mon, pleeeease?"] Abbi begs.

Sigh… Why do you have to compete over this?

"Ahem!" Sunny calls their attention. He taps a closed fist against an open palm, in a motion resembling a game of rock-paper-scissors. A tried and true method of settling disagreement. The kids get ready to throw…

One! Two! Three! Luna throws rock. Abbi throws scissors. Luna takes it.

"Yeee!" Luna celebrates.

"Aww…" Abbi pouts.

" Mais hé, si c'est une consolation, le lit j'imagine est plus confortable. "
["Hey, if anything, I think the bed will be more comfortable."] Sunny consoles Abbi.

"So…?" Kim requests the verdict.

"We'll get an extra mattress. Luna will sleep on the floor." Sunny answers.

"Alright, then. Let me go get that for ya." Kim says.

"I'll help." Claire decides.

"I'm going to get our bags to our room, then." his mom says, dragging some luggage with her.

Sunny hesitates for a second. He figures he should make himself useful too. He turns to bring more bags deeper in, when suddenly…

"Sunny, wait." Aubrey commands.

He stops and turns to face her. His eye finds Aubrey looking him over, as if she were sizing him up for something. Given the opportunity, he, too, begins to examine her.

Aubrey has aged gracefully. Her smooth hair, black as the night, is bound into a high ponytail and much shorter than it used to be — probably on the higher end of chest-length; and her deep, dark, captivating eyes… he might lose himself in them if he's not careful. The light-red t-shirt and black sweatpants conceal some of her figure, but he can still discern her matured silhouette: somewhat flat, but still noticeably curvy. Hard, then soft, then hard again, and soft once more.

She's definitely his type. Although, with her choice of partner, it's doubtful he was ever hers.

What thoughts might be going through her head right now?

"I really should punch you, you know." she says.

Ah. Compensation.

Sunny sighs. "Well… I'm not going anywhere. Give me your best shot." he says, exposing his torso.

An amused sniff, and Aubrey shakes her head, "You crazy son of a bitch."

She begins her approach. He closes his eyes, bracing in anticipation.

She's in arm's reach. Any second now…

She wraps him in a hug.

…Wait, what?

Just then, he feels a sharp sting on his belly. *THUD!* "Urgh!"

The wind escapes from his lungs. Stars glide across his vision. He stumbles backwards and catches himself on the couch. "Unf… Urgh… …That's harder than I remember…" he grunts, clutching the impact zone.

"I don't have to hold back now that you've got some meat on those bones!" Aubrey exclaims with a wicked grin. "Screw you, by the way, when did you get taller than me!?"

Kim steps back into the living room, checking up on what the hell is going on. "Man, you guys have been alone for thirty seconds and you’re already trying to kill each other? That’s impressive."

"It’s tradition…" Sunny says, still trying to compose himself.

"Really? When does the knife come out, is that also tradition?"

"Oh, don’t remind me…"

"Anyway, any of you two wanna help with the attic?" Kim asks.

"I'll go, since I'm still intact." Aubrey snickers, "We'll catch up later, yeah?" she turns towards Sunny.

He nods in agreement, and the two women go deeper into the hallway.

Ah… He missed this…

Chapter Text

July 1st, 2022, late afternoon

With everyone else focusing on getting settled in, Sunny decides to take his and Claire’s bags to the master bedroom. It will be a good opportunity to get a closer look at how Aubrey’s been doing.

Stepping through the door, it is immediately apparent that this place is meant to showcase her more rebellious side. A generally darker color scheme punctuated by some of the more outstanding features, such as the old stop sign hanging off a nearby wall and the generally more vintage devices located in this room. For instance, there is a CRT television here with a VHS system plugged in; there is a fairly old computer on a nearby study — that, too, is connected to a CRT monitor. And the ancient corkboard is here, too, though it is completely cleared out.

Abbi walks into the room, also taking in the sights. “Whoa…”

“Pretty old stuff, isn’t it?” Sunny says.

“It looks so boxy.” she points out, running her hand along the TV.

“Here’s something fun.” he says as he reaches out to turn it on. The characteristic buzz and crackle of an activating CRT ensues.

*PSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

White noise. Painfully loud white noise.

“Ahh!” Abbi yells, covering her ears.

Sunny swiftly reaches for the buttons again and changes the source off of the agonizing noise. After confirming that it's not going to continue blowing their ears off, he speaks, “That’s… not what I wanted to show…”

“Ow…”

"Anyway, here’s the cool thing. Put your arm up against the screen, like this."

She does so, and the look of surprise on her face tells him everything else he needs to know. "Ooh! Oh, that feels funny. Why does it do that?"

"See, these TVs work by shooting a bunch of electrical charge at the screen. The screen inherits that charge, and that makes your hairs stand on end if you put them up to it."

"Wow…" Abbi seems to have enjoyed the fun fact. She's now patting the TV down with her arms, chasing the little tingle of electricity on her hairs. The chase doesn't last long, however. "Aw, it stopped."

"Well, your arms are all charged up now. Need to release that first."

"Hm." She ponders for a brief moment, then shouts, "Hey, Luna, check this out!"

Oh, there's mischief brewing here…

Soon enough, her sister has made her way over. "What?"

"Here, touch the screen with your arms like this." Abbi guides.

"Okay… Oh!" Luna comes to the same realization and quickly pulls her arm away. And back to it again. Thus begins the scientific process of putting her arms up against everything to see what it does. Including her sister.

Abbi returns the favor, but finds only disappointment. "Aw, no zappies."

"Think you're both the same charge now. That's not going to work." Sunny says.

"But then…" they put their arms up against Sunny, and get equally disappointed still.

"…Nor is it enough charge for zappies, I'm afraid."

"Aw, boo." Luna pouts. Though this does not dissuade her from trying again on her sister.

"…Can you stop?" Abbi snips in annoyance.

And now that Abbi is provoked, Luna starts poking her even more. Abbi returns the favor by swiftly delivering her hand to Luna's belly in a piercing motion. "Ahaow!"

“Hey! Stop that!” Sunny firmly tells them off, prompting the sisters to cease their playfight. Perhaps it would be best to direct their attention elsewhere. “Say, are either of you hungry?”

They both nod.

"Let's go see about getting dinner, then." he says, turning off the TV and making his way out the door. The girls agree and follow him out.

Out the hall and to the kitchen. A quick look at the fridge reveals…

Empty, save for a couple bottles of sparkling water. Drat.

"Oh, are we hungry?" Kim speaks. With the luggage all delivered to its respective rooms, the others were making small talk in the living room.

"Yeah, we've been staying with Kim's mom, so we haven't been making anything here." Aubrey explains.

"And thank God for that, you know what happens when you touch a stove." Kim jabs.

"Hey!!"

"What, is she a kitchen disaster?" Claire asks playfully.

"I swear, every time she's tried to cook it ended in a small kitchen fire." Kim answers.

"Hey, how do you expect it to end when you're pumping flammable gas out of the thing!? Gas stoves were a mistake." Aubrey voids herself of blame.

"YOU'VE DONE THAT WITH AN INDUCTION STOVE!! I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW!"

"Now that is impressive." Sunny pitches in.

"Oh, come on, Sunny, back me up here!" Aubrey protests.

"Nono, let me tell you, it was going to be the simplest thing…" and thus, Kim embarks on a wild tale going over how Aubrey was supposed to boil some water to throw noodles in, and somehow got some oil residue on the stove to catch fire. It then got worse when she tried to put it out with water. Thankfully, they already had a fire extinguisher from previous misdoings.

It's a fun story. Reminds Sunny of a time when it was once him making that mistake. One minor snag, though… Luna is reaching for the snack basket. He swats her hand away, much to her dismay. "A-ta-ta-ta-ta! Dinner, everyone."

And everyone agrees. Off to Kim's place it is, then.

Chapter Text

July 1st, 2022, early evening

Finally. This hunger is killing her.

After a brief intermission to make sure Cookie is going to be okay on his own, Abbi and family hop into the car. It may be a short drive, but Granny needs to get around, too. They arrive back at the house with lots and lots of bonsai trees across the front yard. It's pretty. And there's even more on the inside. Jesus, how much effort was put into this?

Soon, an old lady — Ms. Kim's mom — comes to greet them. Granny immediately starts getting along with her, as she happens to be a bonsai enthusiast as well. One can only wonder how grown-ups are so good at putting off feeding themselves.

At any rate, they all work in tandem setting the table, and shortly afterwards, Ms. Kim and her mom bring the food over from the kitchen. Before setting anything on their plates, the three hostesses join their own hands together and begin a quiet prayer. Luna tries to reach for some of the food, but Mom keeps her hands away from it out of respect for the other family.

With the prayer finished, everyone starts putting food on their plates. Abbi takes a look at what's available… Grilled eggplant, zucchini salad, fried eggs, and some kind of fish.

Oh. Oh no…

She knows she can eat the eggs, but that's not nearly enough to make a meal. Usually dad would put a veggie he knows she can eat, like broccoli or carrots, but there's none of that here. It's just the salad, which is never going to go down, and the eggplant and the fish, which are the gambles on this table.

"U-um…" she mumbles nervously, her eyes darting across the table as if that'll make something she likes actually show up.

"T'es troublée ?"
["Something wrong?"] whispers Dad, who sat next to her.

"Euh, je, j'suis censée manger quoi ?"
["Wh-… What am I supposed to eat?"] she explains the issue.

Dad glances over the table and also sees the problem. "Oh…" He then turns back towards her,
"Ah bien, on sait tu peux prendre des œufs. Crois-tu que tu peux prendre de l'aubregine ?"
["Well, we know you can take eggs. Do you think you can take some eggplant?"]

She doesn't answer. There's really no way to know.

"Tu sais quoi ? Essayons-le, et si ça marche pas, je te ferai quelque chose plus tard. D'accord ?"
["Tell you what, how about we try it, and if it doesn't work, I'll make you something later. Okay?"]

Well, that's better than nothing… "Okay…"

Eggs and eggplant it is… Heh, that sounds funny. Dad serves her a plateful. In the interest of making it more palatable, he also throws on a bit of salt.

"Do you guys just always talk in French?" Ms. Kim asks.

"On sensitive matters, yes." he answers.

Abbi stares her food down. A million scenarios play out in her head. The one where she gags on it and throws up; the one where she spits it back out and her hosts scold her for it; the one where Luna teases her and they all laugh at her. Even the one where they take pity on her doesn't seem that appealing. There's no good outcome here… It all sucks… This was a mistake…

Abbi. Breathe.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Try it. The important thing to do is try.

She looks at her plate. She picks up her fork. She stabs into a piece of eggplant and raises it to her mouth.

Another breath. Here goes…

*chew… chew… chew…*

It doesn't… immediately disagree with her tastes. The salt is helping a lot. She feels fairly comfortable chewing on it; it's not even that different from eating some other sort of cooked veggie (at least from the ones she's used to).

On the matter of swallowing it, however… Try as she might, her throat refuses. No matter how well chewed it is and no matter how much she tosses it around her mouth, her tongue would rather quiver in place than send it down.

The pleasant tastes and the warmth of the food fade away. Now it's like she's eating cardboard. Any more of this and she will lose her appetite.

No. This isn't happening.

She spits it out. *Ptu…*

Eugh… It's embarrassing…

"It's okay… You tried." Dad reassures.

"She a picky eater?" Ms. Aubrey asks.

"Yeah…" Mom answers, "Our hope is that we've trained her on enough food that she won't go hungry in the future." Mom then casts a glance towards her. It looks like… pity? Yeah, she is pitying her…

…

"I'm not hungry anymore…" Abbi says before getting up and storming off. Maybe she'll go rinse her mouth. The aftertaste is growing unbearable.

"Abbi, wait!" Mom calls.

"Let her go. I'll make her something later…" Dad says. Surely he ought to be disappointed with her, too.

…Why did she think it was a good idea to come here?

…

…

…

"Can I have her food?" asks Luna.

Chapter Text

July 1st, 2022, mid-evening

'It is only natural she'd be an embarrassment like you.'

Stop. She tried her best, we do not fault her for that. The important thing is that she still needs to eat. Macaroni and cheese, the old reliable. It will have to do. A brief moment to man the stove, a brief moment to prepare her meal, then a brief moment to serve and console her. With any luck, this episode won't have any lasting harm. After that, he joins everyone else in the living room — except the two elders who are deeper in, discussing the history of all the bonsai trees in there. He dispenses his weight on an armchair across from Aubrey and Kim, while Claire inspects a nearby bookshelf.

"Uaaaaah…" Pure, relieving, comfortable bliss. He would pass out right here and now, were it not for the fact that he still wants to catch up with Aubrey.

"Sorry about that, Sunny." Kim apologizes.

Odd thing to start the conversation with. "Not sure what you're apologizing for."

"It's just that, if we knew she was picky, we would've accommodated."

"No hard feelings. You acted on what you knew. Let's not dwell on it."

They both nod, and the topic is left behind.

Aubrey speaks up. "Gotta be honest, I'm kind of surprised this is the same Sunny as twenty years ago. You were so…" she stops to search for a word.

"Stunted?" he completes.

"Well, you said it…" she mutters.

"Had to grow out of that. It's not a good look when you just sit in a corner deathly afraid of interacting with anyone. At this point, I can safely say I have honored your requests."

"Requests?" Aubrey asks, having surely forgotten what she asked of him.

"First, the one to go outside more often…-" he explains.

"OH. THAT." Aubrey realizes.

"-…and then, the one to find peace and happiness." he finishes, throwing a glance over to Claire.

"Aww~." "That's cute…" The hostesses say, following his gaze towards Claire. Seems like they're examining her.

Claire, oblivious to the fact she's become the center of attention, continues flipping through one of the books on the nearby shelf. Some Agatha Christie novel. A classic. In time, however, she realizes that it's too quiet and looks up from her book. "Hm?" her eyes dart between them, as if inquiring as to what's expected of her.

"Say, what do you do?" Kim asks Claire.

"Oh. Well, up until the pandemic I mostly did editing work in newspapers and magazines and such, but then I got laid off during lockdown and decided to pivot into creative writing instead. Currently trying to get a publishing deal."

"Huh. So is that why you're so keen on the bookshelves?" Aubrey asks. It seems this is not the first shelf Claire's been inspecting.

"I mean, you don't become a writer if you don't enjoy reading, nor if you don't have a love and understanding for literary tropes." Claire responds whilst putting down the novel and joining the others, standing behind Sunny's armchair, "Especially important when you're trying to do children's writing, like me."

"Children's writing? What's it about?"

"It's a story about a girl who, tired of the idyllic life where she grew up, goes on adventures to other worlds and, in the process, gains a newfound appreciation for her home life."

"Illustrated by yours truly." Sunny claims with pride.

"Aww~." "Hah. Sweet."

"I'm hoping it gets enough attention for me to justify making it a series, because I really enjoy writing it." Claire continues, simultaneously placing her hands on Sunny's shoulders and sending The Warm Fuzzies all through him. "I could send you a copy of the draft if you'd like."

"I mean, sure, I'd be down." Kim answers.

"Are you doing this for your kids to read?" Aubrey asks.

"Well… Yes and no? I mean, they're definitely in the target audience, but that's not why I started writing it." Claire explains.

"Valid." Kim says, "Good luck on that deal, then."

Claire nods, and a moment of silence ensues. Now that Claire's interrogation seems to have stopped, they should probably get to the elephant in the room.

"And I must be invisible." Sunny breaks the ice.

"Oh, come on, you don't get to divert to her and then play that!" Aubrey playfully protests.

"Hmh! Touché. So, what's the story with you and Kim?"

"Oh, man… I mean… God, where do I start?" Aubrey wonders.

"I imagine it starts with your little gang." Sunny theorizes.

"Actually, no." Aubrey claims, much to his surprise.

"That's before she figured it out." Kim teases.

"Oh." Well then.

"No, yeah, there was a whole thing with me trying to date a whole bunch of boys in high school and finding it… pretty gross."

"Hmh. Let me guess, you dated Kel." Sunny teases.

"Wh-… NO I DID NOT DATE KEL!!!"

"BAHAHAHAHA!" Kim doubles over in laughter.

"No! No! That was actually a problem! Everyone kept thinking we were dating just because we'd hang out a lot!" Aubrey exclaims. "Heck, even when he was openly dating Cris, they'd still tease ME about it! Eugh!"

"Good times, eh, Aubs!?" Kim teases once again. She really likes to do that, it seems.

Aubrey buries her head in her hands. "I thought it was over… I thought it was over…" she repeats dramatically.

"Aw, babe. C'mere." Kim pulls her in to snuggle.

"Mmmh… wife… good…" Aubrey mumbles in Kim's embrace. That must be very comfortable.

Too comfortable…

While the knowledge that Kel has dated Cris is certainly interesting, it is not something he should bring up with Aubrey; he'll have the opportunity to ask Kel directly. Instead, he asks, "So when did you get together?"

"Must've been… what, twelve years ago? I was visiting on vacation, I think." Kim checks with Aubrey.

"Yeah, 2010. My mom had passed away just the year before." Aubrey mutters to Kim.

"What happened to her?" Sunny asks, perhaps a little too forwardly.

Aubrey sighs. "Liver failure got her in the end."

Yeah, that sounds about right. "Mm. My condolences."

"Eh, it was gonna happen sooner or later…" Aubrey says, her face hardening into a deadpan. "Don't wanna talk about it."

Sunny nods. It's a feeling he knows well…

"So, you mentioned something about 'coming back on vacation'? What were you coming back from?" Claire asks Kim.

"Oh, you know, college, and then work. That time it was work."

"What were you doing?"

"Freelance web dev. Still am."

"Hmh! And you would call me the nerd." Sunny teases.

"Yeah, yeah, I admit it, get it over with." Kim snips.

"Nerd." Sunny gets revenge for the couple years he was on the receiving end of that. Oh, how the tables turn…

"Man, web development in the 2000s, 2010s? That must've been quite the windfall." Claire assumes.

"I mean, yeah. Between the whole Web 2.0 thing and living in San Fran' at the time, there really was no shortage of good contracts. Just a quirk of good timing, I guess."

"And then she promptly decided to rescue me with it. My hero." Aubrey takes her turn to tease, and Kim gives her a smooch to the nape. Their cheeks get a little bit rosy.

At the sight of their intimacy, the fell sensation in his stomach comes back. A deep sorrow, and a longing for what he knows would never have been possible. Even still, he can't help but feel like, in an ideal world, that would've been him on the receiving end of that smooch.

'You already have so much and you still want more?'

For once, not unreasonable. This envy really is something he ought to put to rest, lest it tear their friendship asunder. Perhaps it bears discussion with Claire. For now, swig.

"So you live in San Francisco?" Claire asks.

"Seattle, nowadays." Kim answers. Equally expensive.

"Yeah, my house is mostly a vacation home these days." Aubrey shares.

"So that's why it's not up to date." Sunny notes.

"I mean, hard to maintain the place when it's on the literal other side of the country."

"Mhm." Sunny nods. The conversation comes to a brief lull, when Sunny realizes there's still ground they haven't covered. "So you and Kim get together in 2010." Sunny recaps. "Anything interesting that happens between high school and then?"

"A lot of false starts, mostly. Dad stopped sending pensions when I graduated, so even in the event that I did want to leave mom to rot, college wasn't an option." Aubrey explains. "I just kinda… stuck around here, trying to make ends meet. Sometimes a gig at the bike shop, sometimes a bit of part-time work… Learning some legal hacks to avoid paying some things…"

"Tax evasion!?" Claire jokes.

"No, not fucking tax evasion! Do I look like I have the IRS on my ass!?"

"I mean…" Claire implies.

"…you could." Sunny finishes.

"Nononono, here's an example. When my mom was in the hospital, I had to pay the medical bills, right? Well, it turns out, non-profit hospitals are required by law to offer financial assistance programs if you're not able to afford the bill. Some of them even call off the bill entirely. It's obscure bureaucratic stuff like that that I've used to help keep me afloat."

"Hmh. Is that why there were so many legal books at your place?" Sunny asks.

"Yep. And also to keep my gang out of jail."

"Hm?" Sunny tilts his head in a mix of confusion and suspicion. "How so?"

"Let's just say… shit got pretty real as the years went on." Aubrey hints.

"So you graduated from shoplifting candy…" Sunny raises an eyebrow.

"IIII… will not confirm nor deny." she dances around the question.

"Let's see… Vandalism, breaking and entering,-" Kim playfully denounces.

"KIM!!!" Aubrey slaps her on the arm.

"Just fuckin' tell him already! What's the worst he can do, call the cops on crimes that happened a decade ago?"

Sunny interjects. "Hmh. We've had worse secrets between us… I won't pry."

"Ah… Yeah…" Aubrey shifts uncomfortably, surely reminded of… that.

'Liar… Liar… Liar…'

The room falls silent. A weight bears down upon Sunny's mind. He still owes them. A debt that can never be repaid. The cost of his lies.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

…Sigh.

"So, um… What do you do nowadays?" Claire asks Aubrey, presumably looking to break the somber mood.

Aubrey perks up. "Oh, I'm a lawyer!" she answers proudly.

"Ooh!" "Whoa." the Inoues gawk. Impressive.

"That's right. If you've ever got legal trouble, Better Callbrey Aubrey!" Kim jokes. Nice wordplay.

Aubrey sighs, exasperatedly burying her face in one hand. "Babe… I swear… You gotta stop making that joke…"

"Never." Kim answers with glee and follows it up with a smooch.

"Quite the turnaround." Sunny comments.

"Eh, I mean, not too far off from you, Mr. 'I-draw-Spaceboy-comics-now'." Aubrey jabs.

"Please, I am merely a lowly illustrator," Sunny retorts, "I do not presume I do as much as you."

'Nor did it take uplifting.'

Not gonna say that.

"Yeah, but still, it's a far cry from the scared kid I knew way back when. Still kinda not over that." Aubrey admits.

"Heh. You've got thirty days. No rush." Sunny teases.

"Hah!"

The conversation is cut short when one of the kids walks up to them. "Maman, papa…" Luna mumbles at them.

Claire turns to answer. "Yes, sweetheart."

"I'm getting sleepy…" Luna says in a tired voice.

"Think that's our cue." Sunny tells the hosts while standing up. A biiiig stretch and a nice few cricks off his back. Ahhhhh……

"Where's your sister?" Claire asks Luna. Apparently, the chat was so good, they didn't even notice Abbi finished her dinner and got up from the table.

"In the hall… Asleep." Luna answers.

"I'll get her." Sunny says as he moves inward to pick her up. He looks to the side, where he sees Abbi slumped in another armchair. Approaching slowly so as to not wake her, he crouches to get a closer look.

Abbi is breathing steadily.

A brief moment of consideration ensues as he decides whether to wake her or to try carrying her. Gazing on and caressing her hand lightly, he takes a second to admire the sleeping girl.

'How could something so beautiful have come from someone as rotten as you?'

…

"Hey. Hey." he calls, gently stirring her from her sleep.

She opens her tired eyes. "Mm…?"

"It's time to go, Mar-" No, that's not right. "-…Abbi."

"Mm… Okay…" she answers groggily. She rubs her eyes and stands up from her seat.

As they turn to leave, they find that Aubrey has followed Sunny in and is leaning next to the doorway with a pleased smile on her face. "Adorable." she says to them. She turns to face Abbi. "Hey, sorry about the dinner. We'll make sure there's something you can eat next time, okay?"

"Mmh. Okay." Abbi answers, still shaking off some drowsiness.

Aubrey then turns towards Sunny and briefly stares him in the eye. Under this slight tension, she wraps him in a hug. "…It's really nice seeing you again." she whispers. Seems like this hug is not bait this time.

They linger in the warm embrace for a moment. It dawns on him that this is the first genuine hug he's received from a friend in a fairly long time, to the point that his ears grow red and his eyes grow slightly misty. Alas, this, too, must come to an end. He exits the hug and mutters back, "See you tomorrow."

Aubrey nods in response and lets him go.

"Soleil!" Claire shouts from the other room. "Where's your mom!?"

Ah, shoot. Is she still going off about bonsai trees with Kim's mother? "Mom!?" Sunny chases after her.

Chapter Text

July 1st, 2022, late evening

After a long day of driving and a heartwarming conversation, nothing more deserved than a good night's rest. After seeing the kids off to bed, it is now the parents' turn to lie down. Nice and comfy pajamas, a cozy blanket, fluffy pillows… the makings of a very restful sleep. Minus the fact that the mattress is way too old, which means they're likely to wake up with back pain. In fact, that probably takes this bed from 7/10 to 3/10. Ah, well. Can't win them all.

Lying side by side with Claire in bed, it suddenly occurs to Sunny, "It's so surreal…"

"Hm? What is?" Claire asks, turning over to face him while he stares at the ceiling.

"I'm sleeping in the same bed that her mother probably slept in, and that she then claimed for herself." Sunny explains. "That TV was in the living room, I think. And that corkboard was there when she used to sleep in the attic."

"Who, Aubrey? She slept in the attic!?" Claire questions.

"Mm-hm. Hard to believe this is the same house she used to share with a deadbeat, alcoholic mom."

"Good lord…" Claire is stunned at the implications left unsaid.

"And it's just so… strange… that I'm now sleeping here," he turns to meet Claire's eyes, "with you." 

Claire puts on a soft smile. "Funny how that works, isn't it?"

"I never thought I'd be back… Thanks for letting me have this."

"Oh, no worries. To be frank, I think I needed this, too. Gets pretty dull, sitting around at home writing all day."

"Dull enough to warrant a complete reshuffle of the furniture?" Sunny grumbles.

"Still peeved about that?" she challenges.

"The first one was fine, I'm still confused about the second one."

"So when you're hearing things from isolation, it's okay, but when I'm getting depressed from how samey everything is, then it isn't." she deploys her smarminess.

"Hmh. Touché." he concedes.

She cackles in response, and then a brief moment of silence. With a long sigh, she resumes, "I wonder what they'll think of me… Your friends."

"Hmh. With what you did with Hero, I think you've already left an impression… And Aubrey and Kim seem to like you. I don't suspect there will be any issues."

"It's just… I remember hearing you tell me about them. You know, the shenanigans, camaraderie… But… it's been 20 years. I wonder if they're still the same…"

"I can smooth things over if need be. You'll be safe. I'll make sure of it."

To the tune of his promise, she puts on a smile most graceful. "I guess I'm starting to feel it too. How surreal this is. I can barely believe I'm getting to see your hometown."

"Yeah…" To be here after all this time… Truly, the most intricate twist of fortune…

'You're forgetting something.'

His stomach churns. Very well… "M-Ma fleur… There's something I have to tell you… "

"Hm?"

"You remember how I had a crush on Aubrey when we were little, yes?"

"Uh-huh."

His heart aches… "I fear… that's not quite as dead as I'd hoped."

A sly smirk plasters her cheeks. "Ah, having second thoughts, eh? Even though you're married, even though she's married, even though she doesn't swing that way?"

"Exactly. I don't like it. I want it gone."

"Hm. And how am I supposed to help?"

"Just… I don't know. I just wanted you to know."

"Mhm… It's a puzzle, then. I'm good at those." she surges with confidence, "Thanks for letting me know."

"Yeah…"

And an infinite quiet takes the room, with only the chirping of crickets and the rustle of leaves in the breeze outside. With no more things to talk about, drowsiness sets in, and yawns begin to fill the silence.

"*Yawn…* Long day tomorrow…" Claire speaks.

"Indeed…" Sunny acknowledges.

…

"Bonne nuit, mon soleil."

"Bonne nuit, ma fleur."

They kiss, and then turn in.

Tomorrow is another day.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, early morning

*BEEPEEPEEPEEP! BEEPEEPEEPEEP! BEEPEEPEEPEEP!*

Tap, swipe.

7 AM…

Sit up.

Biiiiiiiiig stretch.

*FIUUUUUUU…*

*BOOM!*

Right… July.

Sandals on.

Period tracker. Cross this day off. Any day, now…

Bathroom. Toilet.

* FLUSH!*

Sink. Wash face. Get the sleep off your eyes.

*Creak!* *Ssssssssssssss…*

Then, rinse your mouth. Get that taste of death off.

*Swushoo-wushoo-wushoo… Ptu!*

…

Ah. That's better.

Back straight. Get that crick off your neck.

*Crick!*

Ahh… Little bliss…

And finally, brush that hair. Get that mess untangled.

One last check…

Yup. All good!

And off to start the day.

Sally makes her way downstairs. Today will be an eventful day. To start with, breakfast. A quick trip down to the fridge shows just how stacked it is for today's activities. Typically, when Hero comes over on vacation, they host a barbecue at the earliest opportunity, and then they do it all over again at his place on Independence Day. This will be the first time doing it since the pandemic wrecked those plans a couple years ago

Those are problems for Future Sally. Present Sally is going to grab the leftover pancakes from yesterday and get to reheating her share.

*Beep!* *Beep!* *MMMMMMMMMMMM…*

These are a prime example of the madness that happens when Kel cooks. He thought it'd be a good idea to roll them around stuffings like one would put toppings on a pizza: cheese, tomato sauce, pepperoni, some oregano, so on and so forth, literally overflowing them with the stuff. And the worst part? It's fucking delicious. That's Kel's cooking for ya: Inventive and kinda disgusting-looking, but still delicious every time. Sally may be the primary cook nowadays, but it's always interesting to see what her brother comes up with.

*BEEEP! BEEEP! BEEEP!*

Alright, let's get it to the table and dig in!

*munch… munch…*

Mmm-hm. Still the same melt-in-your-mouth, cheesy goodness. A bit less taste from being reheated, but that's pretty standard. It's still good, that's what matters.

She's about to go wake the rest of the house when her parents walk into the kitchen; Mom with her walker and Dad following close behind her. "Ayo." Sally greets.

"Good morning, dear." "Morning, Sally." they greet back.

"I wanted to finish off the pancakes today." Sally informs, gesturing towards the tupperware they're being kept in and then taking another bite. Yum~.

""Mhm."" they agree, and Mom makes a request, "Say, dear, can you get your brother out of bed?"

"Way ahead of you." she rises from the table. Back upstairs again, this time to the room on the left.

*Knock-knock* "Hey, Kel!" she calls.

No response.

*Knock-knock-knock!* "KEEEL!"

"Mmmh… just five more minutes…" he mumbles from behind the door.

"Good fucking God, you're nearly 40 years old and I have to babysit you?? Come on, dude."

"Alright, I'm up, I'm up! Jeez."

A little moment to let him shake off all his sleep, and he is finally out the door.

"7 AM…? Really…?" he complains under drowsiness.

"Long day ahead. Breakfast's downstairs, we're finishing off yesterday's pancakes."

"*Yaawn…* Alright, I'll be right over, let me just…" he steps his way over to the bathroom.

"Yeah, do what you need to, we'll be waiting." Sally says. As a send-off, a wink, a smile and a click of the tongue, and then she heads back downstairs while Kel goes to do his business.

"LEAVE A COUPLE FOR ME, WILL YA?" Kel yells from the bathroom.

"WILL DO!"

And back to eating. Seems her parents have settled in the dining room, Dad going over the newspaper with Mom. After a few more minutes of eating and small talk, Kel finally joins the table with the last four pancakes that were in the box. "Top o' the morning, folks." he greets, in a much better mood now that he's properly awake.

"Hey, champ." "Hello, dear." they all greet back.

"That's your definition of 'a couple'?" Sally asks.

"What? I thought we were finishing them."

"I was gonna go for a second, you know." she pouts.

"Oh, well, grab it while it's hot." Kel offers his plate.

Sally scoops one pancake over to hers. "Thanks, bro."

And back to eating. Mom and Dad continue their chat over the news and Kel has decided to pull out his phone. The scrolling reminds him of something, and he speaks up. "Oh, yeah. So, Sunny arrived yesterday."

The table suddenly takes a very surprised mood. "What? No way." "Really?" their parents gawk. "Where is he?"

"Staying at Aubrey's. You will not believe how much she's been gushing about his kids."

"Kids!? Sunny has children!?" Mom yells in surprise. "I need to see this!"

Kel pulls up a picture on his phone and passes it over to her. "Here ya go."

"Oh my God! Look!" Mom passes the phone to dad, her eyes gleaming with delight.

"Whoa! Hey, good to know at least one other of you boys decided to continue their lineage. Hahaha!" Dad teases.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad." Kel replies in exasperation. Bonus points if there's also existential dread involved.

"Ahh, I'm just messing with you. I know you'll get there, sport. I believe in you."

"Sorry, what are we freakin' out about?" Sally asks, since this whole conversation has been flying way over her head.

"So, Sunny is an old friend of mine from back when we were kids. Good pal, except for, uh…" Kel pauses, then reconsiders, "…Nevermind."

Hm. That's strange. Kel isn't usually one to back away from saying what's on his mind. Is there bad blood between the two…?

Kel continues. "Point is, he moved away and then we lost contact a couple years later, but now he showed up again and brought his family, too. They're gonna be coming over for the barbecue, probably have their kids hang out with Hero's. We'll see."

"Oh. Cool." Sally says. Not that she cares much when strangers visit. Often, it feels like she's intruding on business that's not really hers.

Hey, wait a second.

"I'm not gonna have to look after this guy's kids too, am I?"

"Uh, I dunno. Why do you ask?"

"'Cause, see… Max and Evan: know 'em, love 'em, I'll gladly take care of them. More than that… I'm gonna need help." she throws the expectation in Kel's direction.

"Oh yeah, no, I'll help you out, don't worry. I'm a bit curious myself, to be honest."

"Uh-huh. I'll take you up on that later."

Mom and Dad return Kel's phone after browsing through all the pictures they wanted to. "They look so cute," Mom says, "I'm glad Sunny was able to find love. He looked so… helpless, last time he was here."

"Well, with good reason, I think. I can't imagine anyone staying whole after all that." Dad comments.

"Hey, uh-" Kel interjects, "Can we change the subject?"

Okay, that's weird as hell. "Man, what's up with you?" Sally interrogates Kel.

"Uh… What?" Kel is taken aback.

"Since when are you evasive about anything?"

"Oh. No, this is… different. I dunno, I just don't wanna talk behind his back like that. Not when he's here, y'know?"

"Hm. Yes, that's reasonable." "Yeah, we shouldn't." their parents agree.

"Uh-huh… Y'all are being really weird about this." Sally reveals her suspicion to the others.

"Touchy subject," Dad says, "you'll know, in due time."

"Hmph. I'd better." she side-eyes the table.

And with breakfast eventually coming to an end, it is time to start the day.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, early morning

There is a paw on his face. "Mraowr." It's that time again, isn't it?

His eyes open to find himself once again in the unfamiliar room, lying beside his beloved wife, the cat standing over him and begging for food. He sits up and initiates the systematic process of stretching his muscles and unlocking his joints, popping and creaking his old bones. As expected, he's waking up with back pain.

Risen from the bed, he puts on his glasses and makes his way towards the kitchen. Reaching into the cupboard, he grabs a pack of cat food while Cookie stands eagerly by his side. One little spill into the food bowl, and he's already scarfing it down like there's no tomorrow. Ah, the life of a juvenile cat…

And now he can tend to himself. Relieve his bladder, brush his teeth, put on eyedrops, comb his hair, groom the mustache. Next is checking on the kids. Back out to the hall, he slowly pushes their door open to take a peek inside. As previously arranged, Luna is on a floor mattress and Abbi is on the bed next to her. On the other side of the room sleeps his mom, their grandma. Stepping lightly so as to not wake them, he approaches the sleeping twins.

Luna is breathing steadily.

Abbi is breathing steadily.

At the confirmation that they are both sound asleep and not dead, he lets go of the tense breath he was holding. It is, indeed, irrational, but ever since he learned of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, it's been standard practice for him to check on them every morning. Even as the girls aged out of the risk group, there is still that lingering paranoia whenever he sees them asleep. And Abbi's nightmares as of late… they really don't help.

*Plumplom-Plumplom! Plumplom-Plumplom!*

Claire's alarm goes off in the other room. Their agreed-upon sign that he is now allowed — encouraged, even — to get her out of bed, even against her pleas (barring exceptional circumstances like illness, of course). Even then, he's not going to do it by force; there is a method he has honed over the years. He returns to the kitchen and gets her medicine baggie, inside which is her bottle of prescription antidepressants. One pill on a small plate, and a glass of water to accompany it; he will take these to her.

Back to their bedroom, he finds that she's turned off the alarm and tucked herself back in. A typical response, and the reason they've agreed it's best for him to coax her out — it will be at least until lunchtime before she does it by herself.

"Ma fleur, your medicine." Sunny presents.

She stirs for a moment, then sluggishly sits up, her eyes struggling to stay open. He offers her the medicine, and she goes through the motions of administering it to herself. Once finished, the plate and the glass come back to his hands. Claire lingers in bed, her head swaying gently from side to side.

"Breakfast in five." Sunny informs, then turns to leave.

"Soleil…?" Claire calls.

He turns back towards her. "Hm?"

"Open the blinders, please…?"

He nods and complies. Reach over the bed, a couple quick pulls, and the room is bright with the morning sun.

"Merci…" she thanks.

Hopefully that'll be enough for her to not go back to sleep. And now, breakfast. They haven't had the chance to buy groceries yet, so it'll have to be what they brought with them: crackers and strawberry jam. Hardly the kind of breakfast he'd consider adequate, but, in the absence of anything else, it will have to do. Four or five should be enough to nourish him, and then more will be made as necessary.

He bites down on the first one; a dull crunch, and the sweet strawberry flavor floods its way through his mouth. Too sweet for his morning tastes, too sweet for his matured tastes, but still he must accept it. It's the only option he has.

With his food finished, and with the confirmation that Claire has not gotten up to eat, he prepares another set and takes it over to their room. Now, she's idly scrolling through her phone, procrastinating the part where she actually gets up and starts getting ready for the day. Executive dysfunction is a bitch.

"Breakfast." he announces.

"Oh, hang on." she puts the phone back down and makes motions to stand up. Neither of them are fond of sleeping on crumbs.

He hands her the plate. Secure in the knowledge that she's awake enough to continue on her own, he says, "I'm going to do my thing now." certain that she's familiar enough with his routine to pick up what he means.

"Yeah. Yeah." she does, indeed, know what he's referring to, "I'll go get the kids up."

They share a quick kiss, and then Claire goes out the door, closing it behind her. The room is now his.

He sits down on the bed at a comfortable position… and closes his eyes.

He feels his breathing. He feels his heartbeat. He feels the stillness of the air around him.

It is a process he has grown quite familiar with, ever since he was introduced to it. An experience somewhat transcendental, all in the interest of reinforcing his sanity and resolve.

He allows himself to drift deeper into concentration, and the room that he was sitting in melts away. In this instant, there exists only him. Only his body. Only his mind. Only his being. Sitting in an infinite space, listening to an infinite quiet.

He sits like this for what feels like eternity, and then it passes. Next, comes boredom. The buzz of a restless mind trying to find stimulation. He feels the urge to stop, the urge to break out of this state and go do anything else. Yet he remains. He hears the girls doing something outside the room and thinks to go greet them. Yet he remains. He hears the chirp of birds nearby and thinks to take a look. Yet he remains. He feels an impulse to see if there's anything new on his phone, or on the laptop. Yet he remains. Unmoving. Unwavering.

Another eternity later, this, too, comes to pass. Now, there is something else. A nugget of a thought. Something about himself. An impression of hardness. An image of impassivity. A judgment of inadequacy. They come, he notices them, and then lets them drift away. Then, another nugget, about his life. Luck. Fate. Undeserved success. They come, he notices them, and then lets them drift away. And another, of his friends. Obliviousness. Expectation. Daunting prospects. They come, he notices them, and lets them drift away.

It continues for another eternity, until, at last, he finds himself in the quiet once again. Here ends thought, and begins the core of his being. The unshakeable facts he knows to be true, and to have always been true, even through all the turmoil of his life. His care and commitment to his loved ones. His values of sincerity and integrity. His ideals of kindness and gentleness. They come, he notices them… and they permeate every fiber of his being. Every last shred of hope and love and compassion. They pass through him, and nourish his being.

And that, too, comes to an end. Peace. All that is left is peace. In this state, he opens his eyes. He is whole. He is stalwart. He is unwavering. Replenished with life and luster, he will face the day ahead, regardless of its contents.

He takes a glance at his phone on the bedside table. Over two hours have passed. Now, the next order of business is to get dressed and double check his bag. For the former, a basic olive t-shirt, one of many identical pairs of black pants, the one pair of shoes he wears everywhere, and his trusty watch on his left wrist. The latter is a little more involved; there is a mental checklist.

Phone, goes in his pants, check;
Journal, stays here;
Sketchbook, check;
Joke book, check;
Folder, empty, but check;
Laptop, he's not going to carry that around, it stays here;
Pens, pencil, eraser, check;
Wallet, check;
Lighter, in disuse, but check;
Umbrella, never know when you might need it, check;
A surprise… That will stick around for later. Check;
Necessaire, this one has its own sublist:

     Tissues, check;
     Backup pads for Claire, check;
     Basic first aid kit, check;
     Alcohol wipes, check;
     Eyedrops, check;
     Prosthetic eye plunger, check;
     Painkillers, check;
     Earplugs, check;

And last, but probably most important, water bottle, needs a refill. That is the final step. He takes the bag and steps out of the room.

"Hey, Dad." "Hi." " Bonjour, Soleil." "Good morning, sweetie!" Everyone greets as he steps out into the living room, the girls watching cartoons on TV while his mom and Claire solve some crossword puzzles from some newspapers they found lying around.

"Hello." he says, stepping towards the sink to rinse the bottle, "Sleep well?" he asks the girls.

""Mhm."" They simply nod in response, too transfixed by the TV to pay him any more mind.

"What's on today's docket, then? Oh, I'm really looking forward to this…" his mother asks, gleeful grin plastered on her face.

"Today we go to Kel's. They're hosting a barbecue for lunch." Sunny answers, pouring fresh water into his bottle. "You kids might even meet someone your age to hang out with."

"Mmm~… Oh, a Santos barbecue, I don't remember the last time I had one!" the elder replies, brimming with nostalgia.

"Will there be something for me to eat?" Abbi asks apprehensively, presumably not wanting to repeat the incident at Kim's house.

"I'll make doubly sure of that." he reassures. "It's going to be mostly meat, I'm pretty sure there'll be something you like."

"What time is it?" Claire looks up from her crossword.

A check of the watch… "11 AM."

"Oh, my! We should be getting ready already, then!" his mom speaks before rising from the dining table. ("Hng! Ahh…") Staggering, how she's managed to retain the leg strength to do that.

"Girls, that's gonna be the last one and then we're going to get dressed, okay?" Claire orders.

No response; only nods. That order will have to be repeated.

Well, once more into the breach.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, mid-morning

*DING-DONG!*

"I GOT IT!" Sally yells, heading over to the door.

*Click, turn…*

And there they are. Henry, Edna, and the boys. The dad looking like a dad, same as always; the mom also being very mom; and the kids alongside them: Evan in a yellow graphic tee with some shorts, Max in a dark green tee with jeans.

"*Gasp!* Hey!!" Sally squeals in delight.

"Hi, Aunt Sally!" Evan greets, ear-to-ear grin on his face. The little sprout she remembers is not as little anymore.

Sally pulls him into a hug. "Oh my god, when did you get so biiig!?"

"Mom says I grew at least a foot during the pandemic!"

"A couple more spurts and he's gonna pass you." Henry comments to Sally.

"Oh, that's gonna be terrifying." Sally remarks. "Speaking of which," she lets go of Evan and turns to face the other nephew, "Max, are you my height? I swear, you'd better not be my height, I'm going to flip my shit." He may be slumping a bit, but she can still tell he's bigger than before.

"Language." Henry reminds. Not that she's going to be too strict about it, Evan's about the age she started swearing.

"Um, I dunno." Max answers noncommittally.

Edna fills the gap there. "Think he's got an inch or two to go."

"Oh, I can't take it. I'm gonna be the short one, soon." Sally distributes hugs and greeting kisses all around. "Welcome home, everybody."

From the hall comes a shout, "I heard a little peanut!"

"UNCLE KEL!!" Evan rushes in to greet him.

"Heh-hey! Look who's here!" Kel comes into the room and wraps Evan into a bear hug. Then, he lifts the kid off the floor into a shoulder carry. "Huah!"

"WaaAAAAHAHAHA!"

"Easy, now. I don't want to deal with a hospital bill." Henry gives a light warning.

And Kel, with some difficulty, puts Evan back down. "Phew… You're getting pretty heavy, I might not be able to do that next year!"

"Amen to that…" Edna mutters under her breath.

After that, Kel comes up to Max and raises him a high-five, "And you. What's up, champ?"

"Hm." Max answers. In the time between greeting Sally and Kel coming in, he has drawn his phone and not taken his eyes away from it.

"Hey, c'mon, don't leave me hanging here." Kel insists.

Max looks up from his phone and complies, though the pressure leaves doubts as to whether it's genuine.

Noticing the awkward atmosphere and Sally's confusion, Henry tries to explain, "Eh, he's just having a phase. He's fine."

A phase, huh…?

Another man steps over to the living room. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Doctor Hero!"

"Haha! Hey, Dad." Henry returns the greeting.

"Looking forward to helping your old man at the grill today?"

"Heh. I might be a little rusty, we'll see."

"Naaah, you'll do fine. Like riding a bike, you never quite forget. I'll go get it fired up." Dad says, before patting Henry on the side and heading to the backyard, waving to Edna on the way out.

The next catch-up is between the brothers. Their hands meet into a thumb-locked high-five, which they then pull into a hug. "What's up, bro?" Kel asks.

"Doing fine." Henry answers, "How's the knee?"

"Eh. Probably not doing as much physical therapy as I should, buuut doing okay for now."

"Kel, you know how your knee gets when you don't." the doctor warns.

"Yeah, yeah, I don't need you being my mom, too."

"Then perhaps you need me being your doctor?" Henry smirks.

"Hah. Oh, God, please no…" Kel dreads.

"Heh heh. And how's Mom doing?"

Ah, this is the sad part. "Eh… Same old. Getting weaker… Not sure how much longer she has in her…" Kel glances around to make sure she didn't hear.

"Yeah… Keep an eye on her…" Henry pats him on the shoulder, and then turns to Sally to bring the mood back up, "And you? How's college going?"

"I've been home for the last two years and I don't think I've absorbed any of it." Sally says in exasperation.

"Heh. An engineer that doesn't know engineering? Be careful with that. I think you're gonna learn more on the job, anyway."

"I switched to architecture, actually. Civil engineering was draining my soul…"

"Huh, really? Mom and Dad just let you?" Henry asks in surprise.

"I mean, what are they gonna do, stop me?" Sally shrugs.

"Heh. Yeah, you're right, we know how well that went last time." Henry glances at Kel.

"Please don't bring that up…" Kel mutters, more in pain than exasperation.

"Yeah, sorry." Henry nods, "Well, good luck to you, Sally."

"Thanks."

Surely bored from all the grown-up conversation, Evan breaks up the sibling reunion. "Aunt Sally, can we play games on your computer?"

Well, as long as she accompanies them and stops them from going into… ahem… forbidden places, it should be fine. "Y'know what, sure. See you around, bros; see you, Edna." she waves towards them, the gesture gets returned, and then goes to lead Evan upstairs. Except there's one person that's supposed to follow them who is instead staying put. "Max?"

The teen nephew, on his phone, pays her little attention. "Hm."

"You comin'?" she asks.

"Go, Max, go." Edna nudges him.

He lets go of a sigh and grudgingly steps over to Sally.

"You okay?" she asks him in silence.

"I'm fine." he replies. The polite kind of 'fine'.

Well… that's concerning. Let's see how much this holds up. Upstairs to Sally's PC we go.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, mid-morning

This time, the grandmother chose to walk. Just a couple streets up to get to the row of two-story houses, and then take a left before Faraway Park. Claire was a little impressed by how well he was able to navigate this place, even after two decades of not being here. ("I'm surprised you remember so much." "I grew up here. I know this neighborhood like the back of my hand.") And so they go, Claire holding Luna and his mother's hands, and Sunny holding Abbi's.

The girls' outside attire is fairly simple. Abbi prefers red T-shirts and always wears jeans regardless of weather. Luna is more fancy and likes to play around with dresses and skirts; in particular, today she has chosen to wear a light green suspender dress over a plain white tee. Claire dresses similarly basic, she has opted to follow Abbi's choice of T-shirt and jeans; a white shirt, after she was advised that black clothes would most likely cook her under the summer sun. As for his mother, in her growing age, she has started to prefer lower effort clothing; a simple dress is all she takes.

At last, they come to the right place. The tan house with the orange roof and a brown picket fence, as well as a basketball hoop put up in the front yard. The little dog house that occupied its place seems to be… long gone…

"This the place?" Claire asks.

"Sure is." Sunny answers.

"Looks just how I remember." his mother says.

A number of memories surge within Sunny. The little pinwheels they'd color-coded to themselves; his clumsy attempts at shooting hoops, followed by Kel's impressive three-pointers; the many lunches and dinners he had at their home, lovingly prepared by either Mrs. Santos, or by Hero and Mari.

Mari…

In his nostalgia, Sunny looks further downstreet.

The old home. One he never thought he would see again. Even more memories come flooding back. The front yard… The driveway… The front face of the house…

"Dad?"

The mornings and afternoons watching cartoons on TV… The days he'd spend playing games with his friends… The nights he'd crawl into his sister's bed after having a nightmare…

The Christmas he got his violin…

That cursed violin…

"Dad…?"

He tries to peer through the curtains, imagining the interior of the space.

He remembers the living room, with all its shelves and pictures hanging off the walls. The noise of a TV program…

The kitchen, always in flux between tidiness and chaos. The smell of an abandoned cup of coffee…

The dining room. The sight of a colorful basket of fresh fruit…

The bedroom. The calendar with the yellow cat, always watching over him…

The piano room. The OMORI standing at its center…

"Ow… Ow… Dad!?"

The backyard……

His favorite tree……

His least favorite tree……

.

.

.

He sees…

…Something.

Something behind him.

"Dad, you're hurting me!"

!!!

His mind wooshes back to his body. Scanning himself over, he realizes that, in the time he'd been reminiscing, his hold on his daughter's hand had turned from a gentle, careful grip to an iron-handed, crushing grasp.

"Oh- shoot. Sorry. Sorry." he says, letting go of her altogether.

A more thorough examination betrays the true nature of the memories he'd broached. His breath is short. His heart is racing. His fingers tremble. His throat feels dry. He reaches for his bottle.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

…Relief.

"I'm sorry, Mar-" No, dammit. "-Abbi."

Claire passes Luna's hand to Mrs. Inoue and warily checks in with Sunny. "You okay? What happened?"

"Too deep in my head. I'm fine now." he mutters.

"You're fine? You're sure?" Claire seeks confirmation.

"Yeah…"

"And you?" Claire turns to Abbi.

"Ow…" she replies, massaging her little hand.

"Here, let me see it." Claire takes the daughter's hand. After a brief inspection, she lands a mother's kiss on it and asks, "Better?"

A meek nod in response. A mother's kiss makes everything better.

"Hmh. Let's go." Sunny says, taking the front of the group. He steps up to the doorway, the others follow behind him, and he raises his hand to knock.

Here goes nothing…

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

From the other side of the door, a powerful, booming voice. "I GOT IT!"

…Nervous anticipation.

And the door opens.

The man that comes to greet them is not one he immediately recognizes. Extremely tall, somewhat overweight, very pronounced laugh lines on his face. Brown hair in an aggressively receding hairline, tan-prone skin and dark eyes, wearing an orange t-shirt, some cargo shorts, and sneakers. For a moment, Sunny believes he may have the wrong house, but then, when the man flashes that larger-than-life smile, it leaves no doubts standing. This is Kel he's looking at, even if the years have not been kind to him.

"Hooo-lyy shit! MY MAN!!" Kel exclaims, raising his hand for a high-five. This one is for the ages.

*CLAP!!!*

Oh yeah. That was fantastic. And now, to be a killjoy. "Language. There's kids about." he points to the children behind him.

"Oh, right. Sorry. But, man, lemme get a look at you!" Kel circles around him, "Man, you look nice! I like the 'stache, really nailing that 'noir detective' vibe."

To sell the impression, Sunny pushes his glasses up. And now, the banter. "And I see that, now that you're done growing upwards, you've decided to grow sideways."

"Awh, Sunny, no! Haha, I guess I never did stop eating like an athlete." Kel rubs the back of his neck.

Sunny smirks, "Heh. I jest, I jest. It's good to see you." and a pat to the shoulder.

Claire steps up beside Sunny. "So, my name is Claire. Nice to meet you." she extends a handshake in that natural elegance of hers.

"Kelsey, but people call me Kel. Nice meetin' you too." Kel replies. "And the kids are…?"

"Long hair is Abigail, twin tails is Luna." Sunny answers.

"Hello!" "Hi!" the girls greet.

"Heh-hey. Hello. Nice to meet you, too." he says, offering little high fives for both of them. They accept. "And Mrs. Inoue…" he walks over to her and goes in for a hug. "…nice to see you again."

"Oh, Kel… Nice to see you, too." she says, accepting the hug. "Boy, you've become quite the armful!"

"Heheh. Well, I haven't been able to stay fit much. Got a, uh, 'career ending injury' , you see." Kel lifts the cargo shorts to reveal a brace on his left knee.

"Oh my god! What happened!?" Mrs. Inoue asks.

"Oh, man. Come on in and I'll tell you the story." he says, ushering them in.

Stepping into the living room, Sunny notes that it hasn't really changed much from what he remembers. The furniture and devices are definitely more modern: LED TV, new couch (three couches arranged in a U around the center table, actually!), different pictures on the shelves… mostly superficial stuff, except for a door to the backyard that was definitely not there before. Regardless, this is still mostly the same Santos household from his childhood. 

"You guys want anything to drink?" Kel asks.

"Coffee. Black. No sugar." Sunny answers, running his hand along some of the new furniture.

"Jesus, okay. You?" he points to Claire.

"Uhh, can you make me a latte?"

"Can do. And you kids? Mrs. Inoue?"

"I'll have a latte, too." the grandmother says.

"You got soda?" Luna asks.

"We've got orange, grape and coke, take your pick."

"Grape, please."

"Um, I want some juice." Abbi requests, nervously pinching the skin on her wrist.

"Orange or apple?"

"Oh," her disposition relaxes significantly, "apple, yeah." Seems she'll be eating well, today.

"Got it. So, two lattes, a black coffee with no sugar, grape soda and apple juice, yeah?" Kel asks for confirmation as if he were a waiter.

"That's right." Sunny says whilst everyone nods.

"Gotcha. You guys go get set up in the backyard, I'll be right over with the drinks."

Another figure — a young woman — enters the room. "Kel, where'd you put the-… O-Oh."

"Oh hey, good timing. Sally, meet the Inoues. Inoues, meet Sally. I'm gonna go get those drinks, excuse me." Kel says before heading over to the kitchen. Really dropping her into the deep end.

Sunny examines her closely. With brown hair, dark eyes and tanned skin like her brothers, Sally seems to have inherited much of her father's height and much of her mother's bust; likely taller than Sunny by a handful of inches. Currently wearing sandals, a white crop top and brown shorts, putting her voluptuous figure in full display. Her hair is split down the middle and curls down both sides of her face, stopping at around neck length. She waves them a greeting, though it's clear she has no idea how to behave around them.

"I doubt you remember me." Sunny breaks the ice.

"H-Heh. No." Sally admits.

"Might as well be our first meeting, then." Sunny extends a handshake, "Sunny Dumont Inoue."

"Sally Herrera de los Santos." she accepts the handshake, saying her surnames in impeccable Spanish. From the feel of her hand, she's nervous, but trying to play it cool.

"Think last I saw you, you were…" he lowers his hand down halfway down his thigh, "…this high, speaking your first sentences."

"Really? 'Cause I don't remember you at all."

"Makes sense. I wasn't really around all that much."

"Well, uh, make yourselves at home, I suppose. You guys are…?" Sally gestures to the rest of the family.

"Susan Emery Inoue." the grandmother introduces herself.

"Claire Dumont Inoue, and these are Abigail and Luna." Claire answers for herself and the girls.

"Hi!" "Hello." the kids also greet.

"Alright. Uh, barbecue's in the backyard, if that's what you're here for." Sally gently pressures them to leave.

"Yeah." "We should go." the Inoue parents agree. "Nice to meet you."

"Same here."

And so, Sunny guides the rest of them through the sliding double-door to the backyard. Sally is left alone in the living room.

…

…

"Shoot, what was I here for, again?" Sally wonders alound.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, late morning

"Susan!!"

"Barbara!! It's been so looong!"

Well, the elders are having fun.

It seems age has not treated Mrs. Santos kindly. Displaying a weakened appearance and requiring a walker to move around, it is evident that she is becoming increasingly frail; she may not have many years left. Mr. Santos has had more luck, the man's physique has remained basically unchanged from his middle age, except for the extra wrinkles and the veritable 'silver fox' appearance; the Santos charm seems to last well into the golden years.

Regardless, it's grilling time. Hero and his father were already on it, so it's simply a matter of joining them. Burgers, sausages, kebabs, grilled steak, you name it; Abbi will be eating well today.

Eventually, everyone settles into a handful of little groups. The elders all gather to chat around a table; Claire has gone to meet Hero and his wife in the flesh; Sally has taken charge of watching over the kids; and Kel is drinking a can of low-alcohol beer on a bench under the patio, next to the door to the backyard. Sunny will join him.

"Hey, Sunny." Kel greets.

Sunny waves and deposits his weight on the little bench. His legs thank him for it. "Huahhh…"

Kel offers a beer, "Interested?"

"I don't drink." Sunny refuses.

"Really? It's low alcohol."

"I'm lightweight. You do not want to see me when I'm drunk."

"Welp. Suit yourself." Kel shrugs and takes a sip of his can. 

"So, how's life treated you?" Sunny asks.

"Oh. Well. Kinda beat the crap outta me, haha." Kel says, looking at his bad knee.

"Hmh. How did that happen?"

"Okay, so, remember how I wanted to get into basketball?"

"Mhm. You got into varsity basketball and then your team never won any interschools." Sunny remembers.

"Oh yeah, that happened, heh. But anyway, after I graduated and went off to college… I got scouted." Kel tells, fiery pride in his eyes.

"Mm!" Sunny tilts his head in interest.

"Yeah, I went pro! Played for a couple teams in a couple states. Was a good 14 year run, until…" Kel looks over to the knee brace once again, "Shattered kneecap."

"Ouch!" Sunny grimaces.

"Yeah, had to replace that. It acts up every once in a while, but it sure as hell beats needing crutches. Mom and Dad got all of my games recorded, I can show you how it happened if you'd like."

"In time. No rush."

"Sure, I feel ya."

Suddenly, Kim and Aubrey burst through the sliding door. "Hey y'all! Here we are, fashionably late. " Aubrey announces, striking a pose as she steps through.

"What's up, nerds?" Kim greets Kel and Sunny.

"Heya. Help yourselves to what you need, Dad and Hero will serve ya." Kel informs.

"Oh, hey." Aubrey notices them next to her, "Dude, can you believe Sunny got taller than me again? Think I'm back to being the shortest in the group."

"Heheheh. Shortstack." Kel teases.

Unamused, Aubrey sighs and hovers her foot over Kel's bad knee.

"NO, NOT THE KNEE!" Kel screams in terror, swiftly pulling away from the looming threat.

With a satisfied grin plastered across her face, Aubrey puts her foot down. "Ahh, so nice that he has an 'off' button now." she elbows Sunny in the shoulder, "Anyway, see you boys around, I'm gonna go eat. Let's go, babe." And off they go to the rest of the crowd.

"Fuckin'… wicked bitch." Kel mutters between gritted teeth. After releasing a sigh, however, he's back to his usual larger-than-life disposition. "Ahh, haha…"

"Hm. Speaking of height…" Sunny speaks, "Did you ever pass Hero?"

"Oh! Oh, man! Let me show ya. HEY, HERO!!" Kel beckons him over, brimming with excitement.

His attention grabbed, Hero makes his way over. "What's up?"

"C'mon, back to back, I wanna show Sunny something." Kel says as he stands up.

Hero's face can only begin to convey his unamusement. "…Seriously? You're 38 years old and we're still doing this?"

"Well, yeah, I have to show him. C'mon, you don't wanna leave my claim as taller brother unchallenged, now do you?" Kel narrows his eyes in a dare.

"Ughh, alright…" Hero sighs and puts his back against Kel's. "So?"

There are some corrections that need to be issued first, this needs to be a fair contest. "Hero, stop slumping." And he straightens his back. "The shoes are skewing it, take them off." And they stand on the patio with only their socks. "I need a better angle…" And Sunny steps onto the bench in order to account for his lower stature.

Man, this is really close. Sunny puts his hands on their heads to try and reduce the difference between Hero's messy hair and Kel's balding head.

And the verdict is…

"…I can't tell." Sunny concludes.

"What!?" Kel is shocked at the revelation, somehow.

"Really?" So is Hero, apparently.

"No, I could have sworn I was visibly taller!" Kel exclaims. Then, indignation takes him over, "Did I fucking shrink!?!?"

"I think you might have." Hero says with a surprised smile on his face.

"NNNOOOOOO!!! WORLD, WHY MUST YOU BE SO CRUEL!?" Kel shakes his fist at the cold indifference of the universe.

"Hey! Maybe, if you go to physical therapy you'll get it back! Hahaha!" Hero teases.

"Ughhhhhh…" Kel groans in defeat.

"Ahh, Kel… never change." Hero pulls him into a hug.

Sunny makes a brief semblance of a chuckle. "You guys…" he says, shaking his head in amusement.

"Oh, what, you're feeling left out? We can fix that." Hero comes and pulls Sunny into it too. And the three bask in the shared group hug.

Ah… he really missed this…

…

…

"Man, it's getting pretty late, is Basil coming?" Kel asks.

"Just confirmed it. Not coming." Hero informs.

"Awh. Shame."

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, early afternoon

For Sally, this is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that, for as long as the ice remains unbroken between these kids, she's going to have relative peace; a curse in that, for as long as the ice remains unbroken between these kids, there's going to be this awkward, tense atmosphere between them.

The girls and the boys have sat across from one another in the living room. Long-hair is playing a game on her Switch while Twin-tails is lying on the floor reading through Kel's old Spaceboy comic collection. Evan and Max are both glued to their devices, Evan on the tablet playing some game in ROBLOX and Max on his phone idly flipping between three social media apps, keeping all the feeds up to date.

They all know that they're supposed to interact with each other, but they either don't know how to or they don't want to initiate anything. Sally, from her comfy position between their couches, is supposedly there to mediate between them, but, so far, there has been nothing to mediate. Doesn't help that she's already forgotten the girls' names.

"Ugh! I'm BOOORED!" Twin-tails complains, rolling onto her back, "Abbi, can I have the Switch?"

"It's still my turn, Sis." the sister refutes.

"C'moooon. Can we at least do one of the two-player ones? I'm tired of waiting."

"I'm almost done, just hold on."

"Uuuugh…"

"Hey," Evan speaks, "what are your names?" Finally, some cross-interaction.

"Luna." "Abigail." the girls answer. Sally swears to herself she'll remember them, this time.

"Mm. What games do you play?"

"Um, mostly on the Switch," Abbi says, "I'm playing Minecraft."

"And we're supposed to swap every hour or so." Luna explains.

"Mhm. Um…" Evan nods. Sally feels some hesitation coming from him, as if he's nervous about proposing what he wants to do (it's going to be playing ROBLOX).

"What's your name?" Luna asks for the part of the introduction that was forgotten.

"Oh. Evan." he answers, "I'm playing an obby in ROBLOX. You wanna join?" he asks Luna.

"Oh. We can't play ROBLOX right now." she answers.

"Oh. Not even on your phones?"

"Um… We don't… have… phones…" Luna sheepishly looks off to the side.

"Wait, for real?" Sally questions.

"Mhm. We're supposed to get them when we're 13." the girl explains.

"Oh… Okay…" Evan goes back to his tablet in defeat. Poor kiddo…

But the real  head-scratcher here is the fact that these girls don't have phones. Like, sure, that's the age Sally got her first smartphone too, but it's not like they even existed when she was growing up. This day and age, for a pre-teen to not have a phone is definitely not normal; the question left in her head now is whether that actually means anything. Helicopter parenting? Tech-phobia? Responsible parenting? Hard to say. It's interesting, to say the least.

But, well, we're not gonna get an answer now, and definitely not if we overthink it. "Say, if you guys wanna do something together, why don't we go to the park?"

"There's a park?" Abbi looks up from the Switch, wonder in her eyes. Her interest has been piqued.

"Yeah. Faraway Park, just up the block." Sally answers.

Evan beams and puts the tablet down. "Yeah, I wanna go to the park!"

"Eh. Sure. Anything beats this." Luna agrees out of boredom.

"That sounds fun." Abbi also agrees.

There's only one answer missing. "Max?" Sally calls his attention.

"Hm?" he responds, not even looking up from his phone.

"You wanna go to the park?" Sally asks him.

"Nah." he answers.

Sally blinks incredulously. Something is definitely up with him. "Dude, are you okay?"

"What?" he looks up from the phone in confusion.

"You've been doomscrolling for the last two hours and you haven't said a word. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just go." Max deflects.

"I'm not leaving you alone, Max, we all go together or we don't go at all." Sally sets an ultimatum.

"C'mon, bro, pleease?" Evan pleads.

*Turulu…* Max's phone rings. That's the low battery warning. He's not going to have a choice. "Ugh… Fine…" he sighs, finally standing up to hook his phone up to the charger.

"Alright, let me just tell your parents." Sally says, bidding farewell to the very cozy couch.

Suddenly, Kel comes in from the backyard, looking to throw out the empty can of beer in his hand. "Hey, fellas."

Sure, he should be a good enough messenger. "Hey, Kel. I'm gonna take the kids to the park, can you tell Hero and…" Shoot, she forgot his name, too. "…the other guy?"

"Oh, you're going to the park? Hang on, I'm coming with you, let me just…" he hurries over to the kitchen to discard the can, then goes over to his room upstairs. After a little bit, he comes back down with a basketball under his arm, showing off a sports whistle dangling from his keyring.

"Oh. Okay." Sally accepts. Probably one of the better things to do there.

"Yeah, I promised you I'd help, didn't I?" he reminds, "Shall we?"

And so, they set off for the park…

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, early afternoon

At last! Action! Finally, we're going to get to schmoove! Just a short walk down the block and take a left.

Luna and company arrive at the fairly busy park; a little square clearing surrounded by woods on all the sides not facing the street. The big sign out front reads its name, "Faraway Park". Immediate attractions include the playground to the left and a basketball court just past it. In the back of the park there is a lonely pole with a lonely string hanging off of it; feels like there's something missing, but Luna can't tell what. On the right, a couple of vending machines and a water fountain, as well as lots of open space leading to a path that goes further into the woods.

The playground is fairly simple; a sand pit that all the other equipment has been built on top of. There's a weathered and hollowed out yellow cat structure, a swing set, monkey bars and a slide. A handful of younger children can be seen enjoying these while their parents either sit back on the sidelines or play along with them. Meanwhile, a couple of older boys — maybe around Luna's age — are running races at the court.

"Heh, looks like we're not the first ones here." Mr. Kel comments.

"Ooh! Swings!" Abbi, the swing enthusiast, notices.

"We'll have time for those later. We're here to ball." Ms. Sally points out, gesturing towards the basketball under Mr. Kel's arm. And they walk past the playground — Luna makes special note of the monkey bars; she'll be playing on those, later.

As they reach the basketball court, Evan recognizes the two kids at the court. "Oh! Hey, Mark! Hey, Gus!"

"Hey, it's the city boy!" "Hi, Ev, long time no see!" the boys greet back.

"You know them?" Abbi asks Evan.

"Yup! We've hung out a lot in the past. Skinny one is Gus and fat one is Mark."

"Hey! I'm not fat! I'm just big." the fat boy insists.

"Well, now we've got a party. Could fill out some good size teams here." Mr. Kel comments, "You kids interested in some basketball?"

"Ooh! I'm interested!" the skinny boy shows enthusiasm.

"Wait. With them?" the fat one hesitates.

Evan speaks up. "Well, yeah. We're here to hang out together."

"Oh. Ok." Mark agrees, though he sounds a little… disappointed?

"Alright, now let's see…" Mr. Kel pauses to think.

"I wanna be against Abbi!" Luna claims with a devilish grin.

"Sis!!" Abbi exclaims indignantly. Hehe, she wants to be on the winning team.

"So the girls on separate teams… Max and Sally on separate teams… the two boys on separate teams…" Mr. Kel lists out.

"Kel, the teams are going to be uneven." Ms. Sally informs, "We've got seven players."

"Oh, no. I'm playing." Mr. Kel states.

"Really? You sure?" Ms. Sally raises an eyebrow.

"Yup."

"That knee of yours is pretty weak, you know. It could give out during the game."

"It'll be fiiine, just trust me!" Mr. Kel cheerfully waves off.

"Welp. Fine. If you fall, it's not my problem." Ms. Sally throws her hands up, clearing herself of responsibility.

"So that makes me, Max, Luna and Gus on this team, and Sally, Abbi, Evan and Mark on the other." Mr. Kel decides.

"You realize Sally is going to wipe the floor with us, right?" Max raises a concern.

"Yeah, which is why we …" Mr. Kel gestures to Max and himself, "…are on the other team."

"I don't think we match her." Max states very bluntly.

"C'mon, champ, have some faith in us! We can totally take her."

"Yeah! We can do it!" Luna cheers.

The teen sighs and rolls his eyes. Guess he's not too keen to play.

Anyway, with everyone taking their positions, Mr. Kel sounds the whistle and the ball is in the air! Game on!

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, early afternoon

There is one person left Sunny that hasn't been introduced to. Light skin; blonde, braided hair draped down her chest; round glasses on her face and wearing a faintly yellow sundress; slightly taller than Sunny, but still dwarfed by Hero's stature. She has mostly been hovering around her husband, but now, she is sitting at one of the backyard tables with a parasol over her head, idly scrolling through her phone.

Sunny approaches her. "I do not believe we've met."

"Oh! You!" she exclaims in surprise as her attention is drastically pulled away from the phone. "Let me tell you, I've been hearing a lot about you."

"Hmh. Suppose I do have a reputation." He extends a handshake, "Sunny Dumont Inoue."

She accepts it. A firm, confident handshake. "Hm. 'Dumont' is French, 'Inoue' iiis…" she tries to ascertain the origins of his surnames.

"Japanese." he answers for her.

"Oh. I would not have guessed."

"Comes from my father. Don't know much else about it. You?" he requests her full name.

"Edna Baranowska Steiner de los Santos."

What a mouthful. "'Santos' comes from Hero, 'Steiner' is German, and then… Slavic?" Guessing surname origins is a fun game, turns out.

"Polish, specifically." she clarifies.

"That sounds like quite the family history."

"Heheheh. You see, it all started when a certain guy got a little too angry… " she tells with a smug grin on her face.

"Heh. A lot of stories start that way, it seems."

"Hey. Anything to not be cannon fodder… Have a seat!" she invites.

He sits down, not quite across from her. "Huahh…" Not the most comfortable seat, but a seat nonetheless.

"So far, I've learned that you're an illustrator; father of twins; 37 years old; and, allegedly, finest man the world has ever seen."

"Heh." Well, we know where that last bit came from. "So far, I know that you're Hero's wife, and that's about it."

"Damn, he really gave you nothing , did he?" she responds, seemingly annoyed.

Sunny shrugs. There wasn't really much reason to, at the time.

"Okay, so. I went to college for chemistry and ended up rooming with Hero. Friends kept making fun of me saying I couldn't possibly not be dating such a ~handsome fellow~… — You know, college gossip stuff. — Anyway, eventually we decided to lean into it as a joke… and then it wasn't a joke anymore."

"Hmh. He told me as much."

"So yeah, I am a chemist… got a nice little marriage… two lovely kids… really wish Hero would take more care of himself…" she says between gritted teeth, "But, you know… Life, right? Heheh."

"Mhm." he nods, "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Same goes to you." she replies.

With introductions out of the way, we can get to the real meat of the conversation. "So. Aside from work and family, what else do you do?" he asks.

"Oh, well… Reading is always fun, uh…-"

"Genre?" Sunny interrupts.

"Heh, romance. I have a bit of a… romantic spirit." Edna winks.

"Fun. Not my usual taste, but I can respect it."

"What do you read?" Edna leans into the table.

"Fantasy. I can lay claim to having read the entirety of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Among other things."

"Whoof, okay! Really flexing here, are we? What else, Game of Thrones?"

"Hmh!" Sunny pushes his glasses up, basking in the recognition of his achievement. "No, too depressing. But please, continue."

"So, romances, and… I've dabbled in painting sometimes. Mostly just landscapes, watching along to Bob Ross. Nothing groundbreaking."

"Hmh. Hobby art is still art. Frankly, when I had to do it in art school, I had a hard time. Brush and knife are not for me."

"I'll take that as a compliment. And… I learned piano when I was little, but I've forgotten most of it. And Hero and I used to dance a lot, earlier on into our relationship, but we don't really do that anymore… These days I just knit in my spare time."

Piano…

'Does she know?'

Edna continues telling of her hobbies, going into some story about how she learned some of them, but Sunny's attention has been turned inward. He needs to know. He needs to ask. It will consume him if he doesn't. "Edna…" 

"Hm?"

"Sorry to bring this up… You… do know who Mari was… right?"

"What, Hero's ex?"

Sunny nods, "What do you know of her?"

With an apprehensive breath, she begins, "Well, I know they were high school sweethearts… I know she was your sister… I know she passed at 15… uh, something about a recital… I know she played piano… — starting to see where the question came from…"

"You're missing…-" These words must not be spoken. "-…something."

Edna sighs, "…I really don't want to say it."

These words must not be spoken… but he will make her say them regardless. A quick look around to make sure the kids aren't listening, and then, "Do it…"

She glances around apprehensively. "…I know the story. That's all I'll say."

Sunny nods in response. It may be bleak, but it is also relieving. He needs not carry the burden of telling her.

"Any reason?" she asks.

"Hmh… What do you think would've happened… if Mari survived?"

Edna furrows her brow, "Uh… Is this, uh…"

It's rhetorical. "They stay together. They keep dating. Maybe even marry. You realize what this means, yes?"

The lady leans away, warily eyeing him over.

A test of integrity. "You're here because of me… and you're filling big shoes. I hope you don't disappoint."

Edna recoils. She's definitely taken offense. "Mister… I don't know who you think you are to tell me I should be like her… Look, I get it. I get that I'm second pick. I get that I'm not as perfect as everyone says she was… I get that. But I haven't spent twenty years of my life trying to be a replacement for her. I'm me. In the absence of this girl, Hero chose me. And for me, that's enough. I'm not about to get jealous over a dead person."

"Mhm…" Sunny nods along.

"And I'm definitely not taking this shit from the guy who fucking killed her." she plants a finger on the table.

The sting of the truth, and Sunny lightens his disposition. This response has satisfied him. Second best is still quite good. "Good. That's what I was hoping to hear. In that case… I wish you two the best." he says, making motions to stand up. "I'll be taking my leave now. Have a good day."

"Yeah… See you." she replies warily, likely confused from the sudden shift in tone.

"Oh, and one request…" he turns around, "That last part… what I've done… Keep that out of earshot of the kids." These words must not be spoken.

She considers it cautiously, but eventually agrees. "…Sssure."

"Thank you." With that, he steps away. And she has certainly earned his respect…

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, mid-afternoon

As predicted, Ms. Sally is wiping the floor with the opposing team. Although Mr. Kel has some impressive skill in scoring three-pointers, it's still not enough to match her raw speed and agility in delivering the ball to the basket by hand. It is quite the sight to see. Abbi, meanwhile, has mostly been sitting in the corner of the field, hoping no one notices her. She's not good at this whole sports thing. Every time a ball comes towards her… "AAH!" she flinches, and then the ball bounces off of her. It makes her feel bad. She's basically dead weight…

To ward off the bad feelings, she fills the downtime by looking around, trying to get used to everything here. When Ms. Sally mentioned a park, what she had in mind was the park she'd go to at home, with her favorite playground and the big open areas for picnics. This is much smaller than that. In fact, so far, it feels like everything in Faraway is much more bite-sized than in the city. Then again, where she lives, the population is in the millions; here, it's a handful thousand. It probably makes sense.

The other thing she looks out for is any interesting features. As in, any peculiar people, any curious objects or terrain, or any fun rocks on the ground. In her mind, she fashions herself a little collector; physically, with the rocks, but also in the sense of collecting experiences. People often tell her that she has a good memory — Dad says that may have come from him — but, really, it's a matter of noticing the world around you. What she finds interesting, she keeps, and then it pops back up whenever it gets mentioned. So she searches around this little park, looking for anything that sticks out in order for her to keep.

That is, she searches when there is no commotion happening right in front of her. It seems that the chubby kid on her team has let the fact that they're winning get to his head. He's starting to play very reckless… Enough to barrel his way right through Luna in the middle of a play.

*THUD!* "Ow!" she yells, falling over on her butt, "Hey! What the heck!?"

"You okay, sis?" Abbi checks on Luna. She nods in response.

"Heh. Whoops. Shoulda gotten outta the way… " he provokes.

"Heey. Not cool, Mark." Mr. Kel reprimands. "Ball goes to us."

"Hey, can we call a timeout?" Evan asks.

"Let's let this play go through and then we take a break, okay?" Mr. Kel stipulates.

And it's playball again. Going off the fault, Luna passes to Mr. Kel, and he passes to Max inside the arc. It looks like they're going to get a good shot in…

And then Ms. Sally steps up and blocks his throw.

"ARGH, COME ON!! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Max yells in fury, "She's way better than all of us combined!!"

"Yeah, I gotta say, it really hasn't been a challenge." Ms. Sally admits.

"Hm. Should we swap teams this next half, then?" Mr. Kel suggests, referring to himself and Ms. Sally.

"I'd be down." Ms. Sally accepts. Abbi shudders at the idea of rebalancing teams the other way. She's not gonna have to pull her weight, is she?

"Alright, that's for next half. Break time, everyone." Mr. Kel allows.

Abbi follows Mr. Kel and Ms. Sally to the vending machines, hoping to get a bottle of water to sip on over time. Meanwhile, the others make their way to the water fountain right beside them; Max makes it first, and then it's supposed to be Luna next, but…

*Shove!* "Oof!" chubby kid forces his way first.

"Hey! It's my turn!" Luna complains.

The large boy pays her no mind and continues drinking.

"Mark, come on. That's really mean." Evan points out.

"It's real quick." Mark replies, and then finishes drinking.

"You'd better stop doing that, or I'm gonna hurt you." Luna warns.

But the big kid simply waves it off, maybe confident that his bulk will make that an empty threat. Though Abbi knows that her sister's threats are not to be taken lightly…

After the adults purchase her some bottled water, she makes her way back to the basketball court to wait for everyone. The next thing her mind wanders to is the kind of people sitting around here. She sees Max reach into his pocket and get disappointed to find nothing; she sees a bunch of younger children all playing around in the sand of the playground; further past that she sees grown-ups walking around on the grass while chatting with each other. It's a very sparsely populated scene. This really seems like a nice, peaceful place to be.

Finally, everyone else makes it back, Ms. Sally also drinking some water and Mr. Kel holding an energy drink.

"Alright, we all here?" Mr. Kel asks.

Ms. Sally counts everyone near the court. "…six, seven… eight. That's all of us."

"Alright. Let's get this started back up. Positions, everyone!" Mr. Kel commands.

And the game begins again, this time with the two strongest players on the opposite teams from where they started. Abbi runs into a problem with this arrangement: Mr. Kel relies on her a lot more to get the ball up front. Now, she actually has to work up a bit of a sweat, no time for daydreaming.

If the situation is a little frightening for Abbi, for the little big "friend" in her team, it must be very frustrating. This because, after getting danced around over and over by Ms. Sally, he eventually decides to take it out on the person he's been harassing for some time now — Luna — in the middle of a play, of course.

*BUMP!* and her sister falls to the ground yet again. "Ow!"

"Oh, whoops, soorry." the big boy insincerely apologizes.

"Dude! C'mon! Stop doing that, or I'm gonna hurt you!" Luna threatens for the second time today.

"Heey! Cut it out, you two." Ms. Sally reprimands. "Don't make me kick you out."

"C'mon, it's just a game, it's not a big deal." the boy backpedals. Jerk.

Ms. Sally raises her finger at him, eyes narrow. "You get to use that excuse once ."

Mr. Kel steps in. "C'mon folks. Let's keep it going. Luna, you get a free throw."

Everyone lines up at the edges of the free throw line while Luna takes the center. She lines up a throw…

…And whiffs entirely. Anticlimactic.

And then the game continues much the same as before. Ms. Sally is too agile for anyone else to keep up. Max and Luna are much better about making sure the ball reaches her, while Mr. Kel is having to coax Abbi into playing at all. Eventually, he realizes that he can't just coast on three-pointers and has to start trying for plays.

So the ball finds its way to Kel and, instead of trying to go to the edge of the three-point line, he makes a dash for the basket. Abbi is very certain she's never seen anyone so large move that fast. It's as if he's always known how to do this and has been holding back the entire time. None of the smaller children dare stand in his way, and Ms. Sally is caught off-guard by the sudden maneuver. He leaps and gracefully delivers the ball to the basket, then makes a solid landing on the ground.

Mr. Kel flashes a grin towards Ms. Sally; she looks back with concern on her face, but accepts the challenge nonetheless, letting out a sigh and shrugging towards him.

The next go around, Ms. Sally tries to go for a play, before Mr. Kel aggressively swipes the ball away from her and runs towards the basket again. Max tries to stop him, but he evades. Another masterful delivery to the basket, and another two points for Abbi's team. He is certainly proving that he can outskill Ms. Sally when he's not holding back.

The third go around, however… It starts off strong. A quick pass that turns into a dash for the basket, nothing too complicated. Except, in the middle of the run…

"AUGH!" Mr. Kel screams, then tumbles onto the concrete, clutching his bad knee as he grunts and groans in pain. "Ow…! Ow…! Ow…! Ow…! Ow!"

"You okay!?" Ms. Sally calls out, stopping the game.

"Damn… stupid… frickin'… knee. Urghhh…" Mr. Kel curses.

"You gonna need your cane?"

After a long sigh, Mr. Kel tries to stand up and his knee buckles again. "MM! Nope. Nope. I'm gonna need the cane…"

"Welp. Hate to say I told you so." Ms. Sally says.

"Ugh… Just go and get it…" Mr. Kel groans, lying flat against the floor.

Ms. Sally nods in agreement and starts heading back to her home. Before she leaves, Max calls her, "Hey! Get my phone for me?"

She gives a thumbs up and continues on her way. And now… more waiting.

"You see, kids? This is what happens when you hit thirty. Don't do that, biggest mistake of my life." Mr. Kel jokes.

"So die before I hit thirty. Got it." Max mumbles under his breath, just loud enough for Abbi to pick it up.

"Can I go to the swings now?" Abbi asks.

"Eh…" Mr. Kel speaks, "I mean, if we're gonna call it here, feel free. Sorry, kids."

"That's okay, Uncle Kel! It was still fun." Evan chirps.

And so, the kids all disperse and go off to do their own thing. Eventually, Ms. Sally comes back with Mr. Kel's cane and Max's phone. And now, Abbi is finally free to go over to the swings.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, late afternoon

Whilst Sunny refills his water bottle, Claire approaches him. "Soleil, have you seen the kids?"

"Should be with Sally, no?"

"That's the thing, I can't find her anywhere."

All of a sudden, alarm bells start going off in his head. "Ah, crud…" He didn't see them in the living room, and they're definitely not in the backyard. Maybe upstairs?

The couple steps out into the living room, where Hero is currently watching TV. He notices Sunny poke his head into the hall. "Everything okay?"

"Do you know where Sally and the kids are?" Claire asks.

"Um, I just saw Sally. She was picking up Kel's cane and Max's phone." Hero answers.

"Were the kids with her?" Sunny asks.

Hero has a realization. "…Oh. One moment." he says, reaching for his phone.

"See, they left the Switch over there." Claire points out on one of the couches, "Where did they go?"

"Hold on. I'm gonna call her." Hero states while dialing a number, putting it on speaker for all to hear.

*Beeeep…*

…Nervous anticipation.

*Beeeep…*

And Sally picks up. "Yeah?"

"Hey. Uh, where did you take the kids? The girls' parents are worried…"

"Wh-… Didn't Kel…" Sally stutters for a brief moment, "HEY, KEL!"

Following the call, a faint exchange of words between the two that they can only catch glimpses of. "Hello?" Hero checks in.

"I'm here, I'm here. I just, uh… I took the kids to the park. I told Kel to tell you, but then he came with us instead and we forgot."

"Well, okay… Are the kids okay? Should we come over?"

"Eh, I don't think so. Everything's good so far."

…Was that a scream in the background?

"*Sigh…* I just had to jinx it, didn't I?"

"What was that??" Hero seeks an explanation.

"Okay, now you might want to come here. …And you might wanna bring…- the other…- dad…  guy."

Ah. Her skill with names is as good as her brothers'. Good to know.

"Alright, we're headed over. Wait right there, okay? See ya."

"Yeah. See ya." And the call is finished.

"Well… Sounds like we've got trouble." Hero says, getting a crick off his back as he rises from the couch, preparing to leave. Sunny and Claire sigh to each other, and then follow suit.

Ah, these kids… Just smart enough to get themselves in trouble, not smart enough to get themselves out of it.

July 2nd, 2022, late afternoon

Everyone has gone off to do their own thing now that they're done with basketball. Abbi has claimed one of the swings and is trying to go as high as she can; Evan has crawled his way into the big yellow cat and is just vibing in there with his phone; Max is sitting on a nearby bench, also looking at his phone; and Ms. Sally went off to answer a phone call, then eventually called Mr. Kel over to her.

Luna, meanwhile, is casually doing pull-ups on the monkey bars, trying to blow off the steam from the pushes she took. It's strange, how they've just met and this fat boy is already antagonizing her. What did she even do!? Does he have something going on? Is there something she doesn't know? Is he simply a bad person? Lots of questions she can't get answers for…

Ah, well. This isn't the first bully she's had to get off her back (or, rather, her sister's back). If it continues, she'll have to teach him not to mess with her. And, to that end, she plays through her mind just how she's going to do it. Maybe a series of punches to the face? Or maybe a kick to the crotch ought to do it. Or… hm, he's pretty big… could she…?

And then…

*Shove* "!!!"

Luna gets knocked off the monkey bars and lands flat on her back onto the sand below.

GrrrrRRR…!

THAT! DOES IT!

In an instant, she picks herself up off the ground and locks eyes with the culprit.

The fat kid. Laughing his butt off.

The heat of rage overtakes her. The strength of wrath fuels her. The fire of fury propels her.

A blink of the eye, and Luna has dashed in front of the large boy, fist raised, ready to strike.

Carrying over her speed and putting all her might into it, she punches the boy straight in the chest.

"Urgh!" he flinches, stunned by the force of the hit.

And then training takes over.

Luna anchors her legs to the ground and grabs him by the arm. She lowers herself and places her shoulder blade against the boy's chest.

The motion is fluid. Practiced. Trained. Second nature.

She lifts. She pulls. She pivots.

"RRAAAGH!!" she shouts, using the leverage she's gained to throw the larger boy over her shoulder.

And, before he knows what's happening…

He goes up…

And he goes down…

Straight into the sand.

*POOF!*

"AAAAAAAARGH!" the boy cries in pain, arching and rolling across the sand.

"I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU I WOULD HURT YOU! WHY DIDN'T YOU LISTEN!?"

Huff… Huff…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Before long, a crowd has gathered around them.

"Oh my god!" "Is he okay!?" "What's happening?" "Who is this girl?" "Where are their parents?" "Does she have no manners!?" "What kind of parent teaches a girl to do that!?"

She… did something wrong?

"Mark! Oh, my Mark, are you okay!?" a mother pushes her way through the crowd.

"Haah… Haah…" Mark wheezes in pain. He's not… hurt, is he?

The mother turns towards Luna. "You! Where are your parents!?"

Luna freezes. They're not here to help her… "U-uh…"

"Outta the way! Outta the way!" Ms. Sally shouts, forcing her way to the front of the crowd with Mr. Kel right behind her.

"Are you her parents!?" the mother yells.

"We're looking after her. What the hell happened here!?"

"You tell me! I go to get one drink, and next thing I know, my son is screaming and beat up on the ground!"

Mr. Kel crouches by the boy. "You okay? Can you walk?"

The large boy gasps, his breaths seemingly refusing to stay inside. "I… I can't… breathe…"

"Kid's in shock, give him a minute." Mr. Kel concludes, "Clear off, people, give him some room!"

"Care to tell me how this girl is capable of doing what she did!?" the mother raises.

"Look, I don't know." Sally replies, "Her parents are on the way, if you have any complaints, take it up with them. I'm not taking this shit."

In the middle of this commotion, Luna finds an opening to sneak away from the crowd. She didn't make a mistake, did she? Surely, what she did to him was okay; she was, y'know, defending herself. That's okay, right? Or did she go too far? How would she even know? Like, they were on sand, that should stop any serious injuries, right?

Afraid and confused, she takes a seat on a nearby bench. Maybe Dad will help. Surely…

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, late afternoon

As Sunny and friends arrive at the park, they can see the commotion around what happened. A large boy has been left shaken by the strength of a girl, and now his mother is trying to raise hell over it. Accusations back and forth, judgement over parenting decisions, defensiveness around their kids, demands for reparation. This is ridiculous. Surely, there is a better use of his time than some idiot throwing a tantrum.

He inspects the park, looking for the kids. Abbi can be found laying down on the basketball court gazing skyward, her feet playfully swaying back and forth; there's good odds she's currently enraptured by a daydream. As for Luna, she has taken perch on a nearby bench, looking sullen and closed off. That is the person that needs to be addressed.

Abandoning the parental argument, Sunny gently approaches Luna and sits down next to her. "Hey."

"Hmph." she grumbles. She's not having a good day.

"Judgy, aren't they?" Sunny remarks, hoping to console her.

"Hmph…" she remains, unreceptive.

Well, on to business. "Think I've got a pretty good idea of what happened by now… But I want to hear it from you."

"Hmph. He started it."

"I'm sure he did."

"He started pushing me. Knocking me over. I warned him I would hurt him. Twice."

"Hm. You can't find anything you might've done that would provoke him?" Sunny questions cautiously. He wants to stay on her side here.

"No… I think he's just mean."

"Mhm. So what did you do?"

"W-Well. I punched him then did a judo throw. That's not too much, is it?" Luna looks up at Sunny, her eyes pleading for his approval.

A ghastly scenario plays out in Sunny's mind. One of lasting pain and injury. 'Perhaps even death.' "Hm. You realize you could have seriously hurt him, yeah?"

"We were on sand. He was gonna be fine."

"Mhm…" Remarkable. Such restraint, even during blinding rage… "In that case… I think that's proportionate."

"Hm…" Luna replies, this time much more amicable.

"And how are you feeling now?" Sunny asks.

"Mmh. Little better… Still sad…"

"Guilt?"

She nods in response.

"Do you want a hug?" he invites.

She needs not answer; merely slump herself into his arms and bask in the shared warmth. With her in his embrace, they savor this tender, quiet moment. "You did good… I'm very proud of you…"

'So this is what you wish to encourage?'

…

Clutching her close, Sunny notices some small scrapes on Luna's knees and elbows. "You're hurt. We should get those cleaned up." he says, reaching for the alcohol wipes in his bag. He kneels in front of Luna to get a better angle.

Luna adjusts herself on the bench and makes her wounds accessible.

"Might sting a bit." Sunny states, hovering a wipe over her knees.

Luna braces herself. One by one, Sunny goes over each scrape with the wipe, inflicting a mild burning sensation. She winces and she flinches, but she remains steadfast.

Upon finishing, he checks back in with her. "Better?"

She nods. "Thanks, Dad."

"Anytime." and they join in another hug.

Responsibility. That is what he wishes to encourage.

Chapter Text

July 2nd, 2022, early evening

With the commotion dealt with, everyone returns to the Santos household for dinner. An abundant assortment of meats, vegetables, drinks and everything of the sort. Not an unsuitable amount of food, either, as they're having to feed four families. There is no shortage of things for Abbi to eat.

The dining table is insufficient for how many people are dining here, so the adults reserve it for the children and go gather around the living room. Two couches and a couple of armchairs are still not enough seats for everyone, so some extra chairs are brought in from the backyard. In the midst of lively conversation happening between bites of food, Sunny and Claire arrive.

"Huuaaah…" "Ahh…" the couple claims a spot on the couch before anyone else can take it. Comfy; his spine appreciates it.

"Hehehehe. Really nailing the dad vibes, are you?" Kel throws shade.

"Hm?" Sunny furrows his brow. What is it about his sitting that projects 'dadness'?

"The whole 'Huaah' thing. Only seen Hero and Dad do that." Kel explains.

"Oh, he's been doing that even before he became a dad." Claire tells.

"Heh. Musta been fate, then." Kel says.

"Bah, 'fate '." Sunny dismisses, "It was luck."

"Sure, we can call it that."

Sunny shakes his head. There are less silly things to discuss.

"So, first impressions on the girls?" Claire asks 

"They're nice. Abbi seemed a bit nervous, like she didn't wanna play basketball."

"Oh, so that's what you were doing." Claire interjects.

"Yeah. She doesn't really know how to behave around a ball, it seems, just kept avoiding it. But, other than that, she's a pretty nice, gentle girl. And Luna… Whoof! That kid's got energy for days! I'm surprised she can punch that far above her weight."

"Yeah, she's a menace…" Sunny comments.

"When she was little, we'd call her The Hurricane, because everywhere she went she would always leave a mess." Claire playfully tells.

"Yeah, no kidding. Really knocked the wind out of that kid. But hey, she kicks ass. I'm curious to see what else they can do." Kel says.

It is another major honor for Kel to have taken interest as well. We're two for two so far; looking good.

Across from them, Sunny overhears the elders' conversation. "Aw, look at them. It feels like it was just yesterday they were kids, running around, getting in trouble! They grow up so fast…" Mrs. Santos says.

"Hehe. Doesn't even feel like they're the same people, does it?" Mrs. Inoue comments.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far." Mr. Santos pitches in, "They're mature! In their prime! Honestly, the really impressive thing is how they can just pick it back up after so long, like they never came apart."

Hero butts in, "What, like how you guys are doing?"

"Hm. Fair point." Mr. Santos concedes.

"I like the lady." Mrs. Santos says, "She looks nice; refined. They seem like a good fit for each other."

"Oh, they're wonderful!" Mrs. Inoue exclaims, "A real family of cats! We've got the shy cat," she says, gesturing towards Sunny, who can only shake his head at the claim, "we've got the elegant cat," gesturing to Claire, who stifles a chuckle, "and then there's a scaredy cat and a fighty cat! And then the actual cat, of course."

"Haha! And where does that leave you?" Mr. Santos asks.

"Well, I have to be the mama cat…" she smugly replies.

"Haha. So, I guess we are the family of dogs?" Hero jokes.

"Oh, that's way too many dogs for me to name, I can't do that." Mrs. Santos says.

Mr. Santos gives it a try. "Let's see… Kel is a golden retriever… You are a labrador… Sally is a German shepherd…"

Kel interjects. "No, she's more like a bear."

"Okay, so Sally's a bear…" Mr. Santos plays it off, much to the amusement of the rest of the room. "What else, what else?"

Edna takes a crack at the exercise. "Hmm… Max would be a Scottish terrier… Evan would be a beagle…"

"You would be a poodle." Hero tells Edna.

"You think so?"

"I think so."

"Welp. Guess I'm a poodle."

Suddenly, Aubrey barges in from the kitchen. "Sunny. Sunny, I swear to God. How are your kids so Goddamn cute??"

"And here's the bunny." Kel declares.

"Whuh?" confusion overtakes Aubrey.

Hero explains, "We're assigning animals to our families. Sunny's are cats and ours are dogs."

"And I'm a bunny?" Aubrey asks, glancing at Kel.

"Yup!" Kel boldly exclaims.

After brief consideration, she agrees, "Y'know what, sure, I'll take that."

"Alright, cool, now for the rest of the extended gang…" Kel proposes.

"Welp, you guys have fun with that. We were actually going to head out now." Aubrey says while Kim comes up behind her.

"Aw. Not gonna stay for the afterparty?" Kel asks.

"Tomorrow's Sunday. I gotta be up early." Aubrey explains.

"Hm? Why?" Sunny raises an eyebrow. Who the hell gets up early on a Sunday?

"Sunday mass." she explains. Her faith never abated, huh?

"Yeah. Good Christian Girl Aubrey can't miss a Sunday sermon, Big Man in the Sky might get mad at her." Kel mocks.

"Man, I thought we agreed you wouldn't poke fun at that." Aubrey protests, seemingly more hurt than aggravated, "Does this mean I'm okay to start calling you fat?"

Kel recoils slightly, "…I retract my previous statement."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Anyway, see you guys on the 4th!" Aubrey cheers up.

"See you!" "Bye, Aubrey! Bye, Kim!" everyone sees them off.

The conversation continues into the long hours of the evening. Kel gets to narrate the riveting tale of how he shattered his kneecap; Sunny gets to catch up the rest of the room on the broad strokes of his life; Claire gets to shill her book to even more people; Hero goes into some stories from his career as a surgeon; Luna comes up and gets her turn on the Switch; good times are had by all. It's such an enthralling conversation that, before they realize, bedtime has arrived. Goodbyes have to be exchanged, lest the adults start falling asleep. It's time to head back home.

July 2nd, 2022, late evening

Arriving at the pretty pink house, a yowl comes from inside. "Mroooow!" Cookie, the cat, runs over and starts brushing up against Abbi and Luna's legs.

"Aw, Cookie! Did you miss us?" Luna asks, reaching down to pet him.

"You know, I don't think he's used to being alone!" Mom points out, "Should we take him with us next time?"

"Hm. I'm partial towards him becoming more independent. We're not always going to be here." Dad gives his opinion.

"Aw. But he sounds so sad…" Abbi pouts, also crouching at the cat's height.

"It's what comes with growing up, I'm afraid. There will come the time when you two will also have to leave our side." Dad says.

"That's sad… Growing up is sad…" Abbi laments, a faint pit in her stomach.

"Hey, listen…" Dad squats next to the two sisters putting his hands on their shoulders, "I used to think so too. It's scary, having to go out and deal with the world yourself. Can get pretty overwhelming, especially when you don't know what you're doing. Adult life is… pretty complicated. But independence doesn't mean that you have to be alone. You'll still have your friends, you'll still have your loved ones… and you'll still have us. Your life becomes your own to live, and you can do that whichever way you like… With whatever people you choose."

Abbi looks up at Dad, "Can it be with you?"

Dad nods, "Any way you like." He scritches her head gently while patting Luna on the shoulder. "Although, I get the feeling you're going to want more room to grow as you become a teenager. We'll see."

"Hm…" Abbi looks down in thought. It's a strange idea, that she would ever want to leave. There is so much here that she loves, and so much that loves her in turn. What could even make her do such a thing?

Luna stands up, "Hey, Cookie, let's go play!" She heads deeper into the house and the cat follows her in. Abbi is also going to tag along.

In the background, as she goes in, Abbi overhears one final exchange between her parents.

"Soleil, I'm realizing something."

"Hm?"

"We forgot groceries."

…

"…Ah, crud."

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, early morning

Maxwell opens his eyes, rising from his dreamless sleep in the darkness of the vacation home's shared bedroom. Looking around, he sees the other bed, with Evan soundly sleeping away on it; the chest of drawers that's holding all of their clothes; an old wardrobe that's being used to store bed sheets and pillow cases; and the nightstand on which both of their phones lie charging. The only light going into the room is the small sliver coming from under the door and the tiny gaps in the window blinders.

Lying in his bed, he laments the start of the new day. He wishes he didn't have to wake up.

He closes his eyes again and drifts off into a brief nap, but, after that, quickly finds himself back at the original problem. He's awake, but he doesn't want to wake up. This time, however, his head feels foggy, bordering on a dull pain. It's clear that his body doesn't want him to go back to sleep.

Lacking any other options, he turns to the next best thing; his phone, right next to him, ready for use after charging overnight. He picks it up and starts catching up on his feeds, starting with his messaging app and then going over to his social media. There is nothing that particularly catches his attention, nor is there anything specifically directed at him — not that there should be. The only thing he ever does in these groups is lurk. Rare is the day that he says anything online, because he's just that much of an antisocial hermit .

He continues his scrolling at the rate that new messages and posts keep showing up, reading through them absentmindedly. Now it's a funny meme, now it's a callout post, now it's a news article about some problem around the world, now it's a faintly interesting essay on some random topic, now it's… shock gore that he scrolls away from as fast as he can. And it all just comes by, gets its five seconds in the spotlight, and then goes away never to be seen again. What a sad, pathetic life.

Eventually, Evan stirs awake from his sleep. He sits up, rubs his eyes and does a big stretch. Then, he looks over at Max scrolling on his phone. "Morning."

"Hm." Max acknowledges. He does not look away from the phone.

"What time is it?" Evan asks.

"10:30." Max answers. He's been scrolling for nearly an hour now.

"Hm. I had a weird dream today. I was playing one of those scary rooms games on ROBLOX… but one of the girls from yesterday was also there… and then we opened a door into this big… cave? Then there was a fun platforming segment, but then suddenly we…"

'God fucking dammit, Evan, I don't give a shit.' "Hm." Max tunes out of the story.

Really? You think you're something special? You think your brother is so beneath you that you're not even gonna try to listen to his shitty childish dream? What the fuck is wrong with you? This is fucked. This is sick. You're sick. Maybe it would be better if you never exis-

"…we were gonna go climb the tree, but that's when I woke up." Evan finishes the story of his dream.

"Hm. Cool." Max acknowledges, internally hoping that Evan will stop bothering him. Some shitty brother you are…

Seeing that he's getting no engagement from his brother, Evan sulks and picks up his own phone, as well as the wireless earbuds on the nightstand. Probably going to watch something on TikTok because that's the example his big brother is setting, now isn't it?

And the brothers continue scrolling on their respective devices. A short time passes before Mom opens the door and looks into the room. "Boys? Are you awake?"

"Mhm." Evan answers. Maxwell doesn't; the glow of the phone should make his status obvious enough.

"I'm getting lunch ready, what do you want?"

"Uhh… What is there?" Evan asks.

"I just made some macaroni, and there's also yesterday's stroganoff. Just come down and pick it up."

"Hm. Okay, just a minute." Evan says before going back to the video on his phone.

"Max?" Mom calls his attention.

He doesn't answer.

"Max." she tries again.

Still no answer.

"Max!" she shouts.

"What?" he finally responds.

"What do you want for lunch?"

"Hm. I'm not hungry."

"Well, you're not just going to stay there. Get up and get dressed, we'll be heading over to Sally's later." 

"Hm. I'm gonna stay here."

"No you're not." she orders, "Don't be inconsiderate, Max, we're here specifically to spend time with them. I'm not just going to let you laze around all day. C'mon, get up."

'Well now I'm not going out of spite.' "Hm."

"C'mon, bro… Don't leave me alone on this… Don't you wanna see Sally too?" Evan pleads, in the saddest tone that he can put on.

His throat tightens. Dammit, Evan, why do you have to make this so much harder? Max sighs in defeat, groans a "Fine…" and makes unwilling motions to stand up, Looks like he's going to lunch after all…

Once again, he laments the start of the new day. He wishes he could just fade away…

Chapter Text

????, daytime

"Girls, we have a problem."

Dad has assembled everyone in the living room: Mom sitting on the couch and the girls standing around the center table. A small bottle sits on top of it, holding what seems to be some black ichor.

"What's this?" Luna asks, inspecting the bottle.

"I believe it is some kind of corruption. I caught it in the elevator hall." Dad explains.

Abbi takes a close look at it. Pure, pitch blackness, contained within a pickle jar. Looking at it like this, it's almost a little cute.

An eye opens.

"AAH! IT LOOKED AT ME!" Abbi yells, jumping away from it.

"Yeah, don't get too close to it. We don't know what it does." Mom advises.

"So why is it a problem? It's in a bottle." Luna asks.

"It is a sign of something greater. If this was so close to home, who knows what else could be lurking around." Dad explains.

"We've been trying to find where it came from, but… there's only so much we can do from here." Mom says.

"That is where you two come in." Dad says to the twins, "We would like for you to look around and see if you can find where these… things are coming from."

"Isn't that gonna be dangerous?" Abbi asks. It's an undertaking far greater than anything she's ever done.

"Not to worry. I will always be there for you. Remember, this may be the one that works…" he taps near his good eye, then taps near the other, "…but this one sees everything."

"And besides, you two are big girls now! I'm sure you can handle yourselves, I believe in you!" Mom encourages.

"AW YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GO ON AN ADVENTURE!" Luna bellows in excitement.

"Ow! Not so loud, Luna!" Abbi complains.

Luna sticks out her tongue at her. She responds in kind.

"Heey. Do NOT tease each other." Dad reprimands and makes them stop.

"So, where do we start?" Abbi asks. She's not really sure how to go about this.

"Well, we were pretty thorough in clearing this place through. My suggestion is that you take the subway and travel around a bit, see what you can find." Mom suggests. It's a good start.

"Okay. We're gonna go have a look around the city and tell you what we find! Bye, mom! Bye, dad!" Abbi bids goodbye and the two sisters start heading out.

"Bye, girls. Good luck, stay safe."

And now, it's off to the city. There should be a subway station just nearby the apartment complex for them to take. One thing first, though. Another mote of light. She reaches out…

Something furry curls up next to her. She wraps her arm around it.

*Health restored. Would you like to SAVE?

> (YES)

(NO)

*Saving game. Please do not turn off the console or remove the game cartridge from the system.

*… … …

*Game saved!

*Good luck, Abbi.

The sisters step into the station. Though it is a subway, this particular section of track is elevated off the ground. They board the train to their first destination.

*Welcome to the subway. Where would you like to go?

(HOME STREET) (current)

> (GREENFIELD PARK)

(IVORY MALL)

(FAIRVIEW SCHOOL)

The doors close and they begin their journey. Upon leaving the station, Abbi looks out the window…

She stares at all the skyscrapers in the surroundings, marveling in their grandeur and brilliance. Towering giants of concrete, steel and glass, standing proudly under the bright sunlight and separated only by the asphalt of the streets below. And although there are some that would call this landscape depressing or imposing, for Abbi, it is nothing short of magical. This is her home. This is her life. It is the place where she belongs. She sees its beauty, and she is happy to be here.

Welcome to…

CITY OF GLASS

And then the train goes under the ground. Oh well. The view was fun while it lasted. She sits back down and waits for her stop.

*DING DONG!* "Next station: GREENFIELD PARK. Exit on the right side."

The train comes to a gradual stop and the doors open once again. The sisters step out and off it goes again. Goodbye, Mr. Train.

They emerge from the station directly into the titular Greenfield Park. This large city park is one of the very few concentrations of greenery in the City of Glass. Grassy fields with a near-constant tree cover overhead, with paved pathways guiding any visitors along. There is even a section of river that cuts its way through the park, allowing for nice riverside walks. It gets particularly beautiful when all the flower trees start blooming, spreading a whole rainbow of colors across the entire area. It goes without saying, this is one of her favorite places to be.

"Ahh… Fresh air!" Luna exclaims as they arise from the tunnels.

"Okay! So, all we gotta do now is look for black splotchy things!" Abbi declares, before realizing there's a problem, "Uh, where do we start?"

"Hmm. Let's have a look-see. There's a map right over here." Luna points. They both approach.

From the station, there are three paths they can take. The left one leads to a playground even bigger than the one at home, including even exercise stuff and a small food truck in case anyone gets hungry; the middle path takes them through the titular green fields of Greenfield Park, nice open spots to hold picnics in, and with plenty of people doing plenty of other activities as well; and the right one takes them to a riverside path, scenic and peaceful with a pedalo renting pier and the occasional old people throwing breadcrumbs to the ducks. The paths all converge at the other end of the park into a huge cultural center. All this to say, Greenfield Park is very big.

"Hmm, if I were a goopy shadow monster, where would I hide…?" Luna ponders.

"Anywhere, sis. It'd hide anywhere in this park." Abbi deadpans.

"Hide-and-seek! That's right! Good work, sis! To the playground!!" Luna declares before sprinting off.

"Wh-… Hey, wait!!" Abbi chases after her.

And they run up the paved path to arrive at the large, wide sand pit of the park playground, surrounded by pathway on all sides and with a little food truck parked around it. A bunch of children are occupying the various toys in the playground. Swings, monkey bars, seesaws, you name it; if it's playground equipment, it's there.

Abbi eventually catches up. "Huff… Sis, you gotta stop running off without me!"

"Hmph! Anyway, let's start looking. We should be done here in a jiffy. I'm not gonna run off." Luna assures.

Abbi squints at her sister with suspicion, raising two fingers to her eyes and flipping it around to Luna's. The twin stares back with contempt. Still, they've got a job to do. Into the playground they go.

The first location they check out is the food truck, its front sign depicting a cartoon diagram of food in a stomach with the title 'HUNGER'S HAMBURGERS'… Or at least that's what the words keep shifting around. Inside, there is the titular cartoony stomach diagram cooking away at all the stuff in there.

"Hello! Welcome to Hunger's Hamburgers! I'm Hunger, the finest chef! How can I help you?" the stomach greets in a deep, cheerful voice.

"Hi!" Abbi steps up, "You haven't seen any black gloopy blobs around, have you?"

"Black gloopy blobs? That sounds disgusting. No, I haven't. But I do have some delicious Hamburgers for sale! Would you like some? I've got free samples!"

"FREE SAMPLES!? GIMMEGIMMEGIMME." Luna vibrates at the offer.

"Haha! Here you go!"

*You have obtained 2 HAMBURGERS.

*HAMBURGER: Recovers 5 HP and makes you fatter. (But it's so tasty… :c )

"Alright! Let's eat!" Luna yells with hungry eyes.

"Sis, wait! If we're gonna get in fights, maybe it's best to save these for when we're hurt." Abbi explains, because that's definitely how food works.

"Oh… But, but, they're gonna go bad!" Luna complains.

Hunger speaks up, "Oh, not to worry! With cooking like mine, nothing goes bad! That's a Hunger guarantee!"

"Yeah. We can keep these until we need them. For now, let's keep looking."

"Aw… Okay…" Luna reluctantly agrees, shoulders dropping as she mopes.

"You said you're going to get in fights, huh? Well, if you ever need more food, you can always purchase it here! I'll gladly accept any PEBBLES!"

"Thank you Mr. Hunger!" Abbi waves, and then the sisters move on to continue their search.

Just as they step away, something whizzes by them at a very high speed, slamming into the side of Mr. Hunger's food truck. "WHOA!" "HURK!" "MY FOOD TRUCK!"

"The Bouncy Balls! They're going out of control!" a bystander shouts out.

"Don't let them get away! Who knows what havoc they'll cause!" another one yells.

"Please! You two!" Mr. Hunger pleads, "Stop those balls from damaging my truck!"

"Sounds like a job for us, ma sœur." Luna declares.

"But weren't we supposed to-"

"Bah! That can wait. This is now! HEY, YOU BALLS! COME AND GET ME!" Luna draws the attention of the balls that just flew by. They immediately change course and start flying towards the twins!

++++++++++++++

BATTLE START!

++++++++++++++

*ABBI and LUNA: 3A and 1B // BOUNCY BALL A: 2C (Target: 1B) / BOUNCY BALL B: 2A (Target: 1B).

"Hmm… Hold up a sec." Luna examines the foes closely, "Ah, I see what's going on here! It seems these Bouncy Balls got way too HAPPY and started bouncing around too hard!"

"HAPPY? What does that mean?"

"Gee, sis, were you born yesterday? HAPPY is an EMOTION! EMOTIONS change up your STATS, which can affect how you perform in battle. In the case of HAPPY, it increases your SPEED, making you go faster in the turn order! Get enough SPEED, and sometimes you can even take two actions in a round!"

"Oh. Is that why that ball is about to hit you?"

"Wait, what?"

*BOUNCY BALL A attacks!

Bouncebouncebounce… TUNK!

*LUNA takes 2 damage. (♥ 10 → 8) BOUNCY BALL A moves (2C → 3B) and targets 3A (ABBI).

"Ow!"

"Hihihihi…" Abbi giggles at her sister's misfortune.

"Grrr! You're gonna pay for that!"

*BOUNCY BALL B attacks!

Bouncebouncebounce… TUNK!

*LUNA takes 2 damage. (♥ 8 → 6) BOUNCY BALL B stays still (2A) and targets 3A (ABBI).

"Owww…" Luna whines, tears forming in her eyes.

"Now would be a good time for one of those burgers." Abbi advises.

"Yeah, sure… That'll help."

*LUNA eats a HAMBURGER. +5 HP (♥ 6 → 10 - MAX)

"And now… take this!" Abbi shouts.

*ABBI attacks BOUNCY BALL A with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*BOUNCY BALL A takes 6 damage. BOUNCY BALL A is knocked out!

*BOUNCY BALL B attacks!

Bouncebouncebouce… TUNK!

*ABBI takes 2 damage. (♥ 10 → 8) BOUNCY BALL B moves (2A → 3C) and targets 3A (ABBI).

"Now! Let's take it out!"

Luna can't do anything to it right now, so it's all up to Abbi.

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO!

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*BOUNCY BALL B takes 6 damage. BOUNCY BALL B is knocked out!

++++++++++++++

VICTORY!!

The party gains 2 XP and 4 PEBBLES.

LEVEL UP!

ABBI: +1 HP / LUNA: +1 HP

Abbi — New skill! CALM DOWN: Recover some HP to yourself and clear EMOTION. 2 round cooldown.

Luna — New skill! PROVOKE: Applies ANGER to yourself or an adjacent friend.

++++++++++++++

"And that's that taken care of!" Luna proudly proclaims.

"Yeah. Nice job taking all the hits, sis." Abbi smugly congratulates.

Luna is not amused and lightly punches Abbi. "Ow!" (♥ 8 → 6) Good thing items can also be used outside of battle. Goodbye, Free Burger 2… (♥ 6 → 11)

"Hey," Mr. Hunger approaches the twins, "thanks for saving my truck! Would it be fine if I repaid you in replacements for those burgers you just ate?"

"Oh! Sure!" Abbi accepts.

"NO WAIT I WANT- Awwwww…" Luna sulks at not getting to get a word in.

*You have obtained 2 HAMBURGERS.

"Alright! Come back any time!" the stomach waves them off. Finally they can get back to their search.

A thorough inspection of the playground reveals that there was, in fact, no gloopy corruption hiding here, though the sisters do manage to have a bit of fun playing around the toys during their search. With nowhere else left to search, they move on to the next section of the park: the grassy fields.

The first sight in this section of the park is absolute commotion. "AAH! WHY ARE THERE SO MANY HORNETS!?" a groundskeeper yells, "SOMEBODY, HEEEELP!!"

"*Gasp!* Luna, we've got to help them! Mad Hornets are no joke!" Abbi declares.

"Oh, this is gonna suUUCK…! " Luna is not happy at the idea of having to fight these things.

++++++++++++++

BATTLE START!

++++++++++++++

*ABBI and LUNA: 3A and 1B // MAD HORNET A: 1A (Target: 3A) / MAD HORNET B: 1B (Target: 3A)

"So… Mad Hornets are very ANGRY… which means their POWER is increased. Basically, they're going to hit very hard. I hope you can take it, sis…" Luna explains.

"I can take care of myself! You should whack that one right in front of you!"

"Can do!"

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH!

Great! Woosh! POW!

*MAD HORNET B takes 5 damage.

"Hey, Abbi! Come next to me, I wanna do something!"

*ABBI moves. (3A → 2B)

*MAD HORNET A attacks!

*Bzzzz… Shink! Whiff…*

*MAD HORNET A moves (1A → 2A) and targets 2B (ABBI).

*MAD HORNET B attacks!

*Bzzzz… Shink! Whiff…*

*MAD HORNET B moves (1B → 1C) and targets 1B (LUNA)

"Okay! Watch this!" Luna shouts.

*LUNA PROVOKES ABBI.

↓ ↑ X

Great!

"Hey, Abbi, you're stinky!" Luna provokes.

"Wh-… What was that for!?"

*ABBI is ANGRY for 3 rounds!

"There! Now your POWER is increased for these next 3 rounds! Get 'em, sis!"

"Oh… Ooohohoho, okay…" Abbi grins menacingly. And with this newfound power surging through her…

*ABBI attacks MAD HORNET A with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*MAD HORNET A takes 9 damage! MAD HORNET A is knocked out!

"GRAAH! Take that!" Abbi roars.

*MAD HORNET B attacks.

*Bzzzz… Shink! STAB!*

"YOOOWL!" Luna screams at getting stung.

*Luna takes 5 damage. (♥ 11 → 6) MAD HORNET B moves (1C → 3B) and targets 2B (ABBI).

"Y-you…! DIIIIIE!!"

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

Great! Woosh! POW!

*MAD HORNET B takes 5 damage. MAD HORNET B is knocked out!

++++++++++++++

VICTORY!!

The party gains 10 XP and 6 PEBBLES.

++++++++++++++

"Oww…" Luna rubs her sting wound, already starting to swell.

"Hey, let's take a little break. There's that picnic blanket right there." Abbi points.

"Yeah… Sure." Luna welcomes the time to care for her injury.

So the twins head over to the red little checkered picnic blanket, then sit down on it. Under the peaceful atmosphere and shade of the nearby trees, Abbi lies down and closes her eyes. A memory wells up within her…

Lying on her mother's lap… the warm sunlight falling upon her… a soft breeze brushing her skin… and Mom's gentle humming as she nurses her to sleep, stroking her head with a loving touch.

*Health restored. Would you like to SAVE?

> (YES)

(NO)

*Saving game. Please do not turn off the console or remove the game cartridge from the system.

*… … …

*Game saved!

*Good luck, Abbi.

"Ahh! Refreshing!" Luna says as she eats some grapes off a little bundle.

"Hm? You brought food?" Abbi opens her eyes and sits back up.

"Nope. But there's this basket right here with stuff in it."

"Luna! Don't take other people's food!"

"Um, actually…" the groundskeeper from before — a very cheerful scarecrow man — approaches them, "That's mine. But you can have it! Courtesy of getting those Hornets off me. Hehe."

"Oh. Thank you, Mr. Scarecrow." Abbi says.

"Actually, if you girls could help deal with all these hornets around the park, I'd give you some fine Pebbles for it! Maybe a few prizes, too!"

"Ooh! I love prizes!" Luna claps her hands in anticipation.

"What kind of prizes?" Abbi asks.

"Well, to start with, for helping me out…" the scarecrow gardener reaches into a bag and pulls out… "Here are some Flowers!"

*You have obtained 3 FLOWERS.

*FLOWER: (Range 2) Makes a friend HAPPY for 3 rounds.

"Aw, thanks!" Abbi cheerily accepts.

"If you defeat more Mad Hornets, you can find me right here! I'll reward you if you take down another 5!"

"Oh, great! Side quests!" Luna cheers.

"We'll do it if we find the time, Mr. Scarecrow. Thank you." Abbi says.

"Oh, hey, you wouldn't happen to know of any black goopley things, would you?" Luna asks.

"Huh? No, nothing of the sort. That sounds freaky. Is it some kinda new pest?" the scarecrow replies.

"Hmm. I dunno. Let's keep looking, sis." Abbi says, motioning to stand up.

"Alright. Thank you, Mr. Scarecrow!" Luna waves, and the twins start making their way off.

After some distance, the scarecrow shouts, "AND IF YOU WANT MORE FLOWERS YOU CAN BUY 'EM OFF ME!"

The sisters give a thumbs up and head out. One more place to check: the riverside path. Peaceful and tranquil, a few duckies making their way down while an old man throws breadcrumbs to feed them. They head up the brick path, gazing into the water, perhaps considering sitting down and putting their feet in it. It's a very relaxing place…

That is, until a branch takes a swipe at them. *Swoosh!*

"Woah!" Abbi dodges.

"That's not natural!" Luna braces.

A pair of Weeping Willows draw near…

++++++++++++++

BATTLE START!

++++++++++++++

*ABBI and LUNA: 3A and 1B // WEEPING WILLOW A: 2A (Target: 3A) / WEEPING WILLOW B: 2B (Target: 1B)

"Alright, these Weeping Willows are SAD, which means they've got increased DEFENSE. They're really tucking themselves in their shells there. …Or their bark?"

"Uh… I can't hurt those… They're too tough…" Abbi says, noticing the foes' natural defense, in addition to their EMOTION.

"Yeah, leave it to me. I can handle this." Luna replies.

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

Great! Woosh! POW!

*WEEPING WILLOW B takes 3 damage.

"Ow, my hand…" Luna complains.

"Uh, are we okay with taking hits here?" Abbi asks.

"We don't need to! Here's something you can do: move next to me and shove me away!"

"Oh, really? Let's see…"

*ABBI moves (3A → 1A). With the remaining MOVEMENT, ABBI shoves LUNA to 1C.

"Agh! Not so hard!"

"Oop. Sorry."

*WEEPING WILLOW A attacks.

*Shunk-shunk-shunk!*

*WEEPING WILLOW A moves (2A → 3C) and targets 1C (LUNA). (SAD: 2 turns left)

*WEEPING WILLOW B attacks.

*Shunk-shunk-shunk!*

*WEEPING WILLOW B moves (2B → 1C) and targets ALL of rank 1 (ABBI and LUNA). (SAD: 2 turns left)

"Oh, this is gonna take friggin' forever… " Abbi groans.

"Keep chipping at it! EMOTION doesn't last forever!"

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

Great! Woosh! POW!

*WEEPING WILLOW B takes 3 damage.

*ABBI moves (1A → 2C).

*WEEPING WILLOW A attacks. 

*Shunk-shunk-shunk!*

*LUNA takes 3 damage (♥ 11 → 8). WEEPING WILLOW A moves (3C → 2A) and targets 2C (ABBI). (SAD: 1 turn left)

*WEEPING WILLOW B attacks.

*Swoosh POW! *

*LUNA takes 3 damage (♥ 8 → 5). WEEPING WILLOW B moves (1C → 3B) and targets 2C (ABBI). (SAD: 1 turn left)

"Urgh!" Luna grunts.

"You okay!?"

"I'll be fine. Here!"

*LUNA uses PROVOKE.

Great!

*ABBI is ANGRY for 3 rounds!

"Now go finish 'em!"

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*WEEPING WILLOW B takes 3 damage. WEEPING WILLOW B is knocked out!

"Ha! Stop trying to be a foe, tree! You're just a tree." Abbi snarks.

*WEEPING WILLOW A attacks.

*Shunk-shunk-shunk!*

*ABBI takes 3 damage (♥ 11 → 8). WEEPING WILLOW A moves (2A → 3A) and targets 1C (LUNA).

"There! Its SAD EMOTION is gone! Kill it!" Luna exclaims.

*LUNA moves (1C → 1A).

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*WEEPING WILLOW A takes 6 damage.

And you get the idea from here. One more round, and the WEEPING WILLOWS are both dead.

++++++++++++++

VICTORY!!

The party gains 12 XP and 6 PEBBLES.

++++++++++++++

"So yeah, EMOTIONS are an easy way to give yourself a boost in battle, but they fade over time, so use 'em while you've got 'em!" Luna says. "Anyway, let's keep going! I think we're getting close to something!"

"Y-Yeah… I guess…"

And off they continue to the final stretch…

Chapter Text

20XX, HEADSPACE

He descends a long staircase and finds himself in the archives of the Lost Library, now not as lost anymore. Today will be a day of remembrance.

"Ah, illustrious DREAMER…"

He turns to face the tall, slender, shadow-black figure. DADDY LONG LEGS, keeper of all things lost, is here to greet him.

"I notice you have been visiting quite frequently, as of late."

"Much to revisit. Much to remember." Sunny says, though his mouth does not move. The dream is his, he can just do that.

"A noble end, to be sure. Though I must say, I can't help but lament the unrecoverable tomes. So much lost to that terrible white bleach…"

"Not much worth saving there, I'm afraid."

"Tragic indeed… However, I take it you are not here to look at that."

"Mhm…"

"So, which tome do you wish to lose yourself in today?"

"Hm… Let's look at that winter after I confessed."

"Very well. You are the master…"

And together they descend, Sunny following DADDY LONG LEGS down to the correct section and book. After some ladder shuffling to reach it, Sunny grabs it and opens it. A passage jumps out at him, and his memories do the rest of the work.

December 15th, 2000, early afternoon

SUNNY stands outside of his apartment complex. It is a snowy day. A cold breeze brushes by him; he can barely feel the tip of his nose. He nervously scratches an itch under the eyepatch. HERO had offered to drive him over to Faraway for Christmas, and his mom had been receptive to it. Part of him wants to go — he still has much to atone for —; part of him very much does not. He feels as though his mere presence is going to make everything worse. And yet, here he is, waiting for HERO to arrive, with a couple of bags by his side.

In time, HERO eventually arrives and parks the car next to him. He greets SUNNY warmly, a kindness he feels he does not deserve. SUNNY puts his luggage in the back and sheepishly enters the front passenger seat. He keeps his head down. He feels like HERO is pitying him.

During the drive, HERO keeps trying to make small talk, but SUNNY doesn't answer. He does not want to talk about his sad, pathetic life. Eventually, SUNNY grows annoyed of the questioning and asks HERO if he hates him. HERO answers that he doesn't. SUNNY tells him that he should, and HERO says that he can't hate him over an accident, nor can he hate him over a lie he's already punished himself for. What determines whether he'll hate him, he says, is what happens next. HERO expects him to make up for the lost time; he expects SUNNY to make up for the years-long lie.

SUNNY puts his head back down. The rest of the drive goes by in silence.

Heh, how amusing. Judging by the still amicable demeanor towards him, odds are that he's done those expectations justice. Even if he hasn't been around all this time, it seems he did manage to leave a generally positive impression.

Finished with this musing, he turns the page and finds another passage.

December 16th, 2000, early evening

They are all gathered around for a sleepover at KEL and HERO's. The topic of dreams had come up. KEL says he wants to be a professional basketball player. HERO speaks of saving lives. AUBREY mentions living in a nice home. BASIL just wants to have a calm life tending to his plants and being with his friends.

When it comes SUNNY's turn… he begins to speak of HEADSPACE. He narrates the cycles and cycles he went through since MARI's death. The journeys through the VAST FOREST, the adventures on OTHERWORLD, the forays into PYREFLY FOREST, and the dives into the DEEP WELL. He tells that is what he would dream of for these last four years; yearning to be with them again, but too scared of letting the truth slip. SUNNY tells of how he lost himself in these dreams… and eventually began to forget even what he had done.

The group is taken aback by the revelation. AUBREY questions when he is going to run out of messed up things to tell; BASIL says that he's sorry, over and over; KEL tries to distract from the gloomy atmosphere by asking a silly question; and HERO, the voice of reason, says that he understands. He tells the story of his own ruminations in the year following MARI's death. How he would relive their last moments together, trying to reexperience the joy in them, trying to look for signs of her "ideation", trying to save her… only to wake up and realize it would never come to pass. It was already too late.

In this moment, the room falls silent.  In a bid to cheer things up, HERO joins everyone in a group hug, and then they all tuck in for bed. SUNNY sleeps next to HERO. It makes him feel safer.

…Thanks, Hero.

One last memory for the road…

December 17th, 2000, early afternoon

This year, the county put up a big Christmas tree in FARAWAY PARK. It's been there for a few weeks now, SUNNY is told, but this is the first chance he's had to properly examine it up close. It is truly enormous, towering over even the tallest trees in the area. The lights and decorations make it even more splendorous to see.

There are dozens of mismatched ornaments near the bottom of the tree, all of them scribbled with writing — names, hopes, dreams — BASIL tells that the townsfolk have been writing wishes on them and then putting them up, hoping for them to come true. He even says that he's already placed one of his own. It gives SUNNY the idea to try it too.

SUNNY approaches a bauble stand near the tree and purchases one, then writes his wish on it. He wishes that, no matter what happens, they can remain friends for the rest of time. And then he dangles it up on the tree. Here's hoping…

One can only wonder whether that wish truly came to be…

He means to continue further, but upon reaching the end of the passage, Sunny feels a dread at the back of his mind. A pull of indescribable nature, calling him towards the deep darkness. He turns around and notices the place has shifted. A doorway into the blackness below beckons him to enter. It intimidates him… but he mustn't refuse the call. Sunny turns the handle…

Downward. Step by step, he delves deeper and deeper. Down and down and down in a descent of endless duration. He can tell no longer how deep he has gone, though it must be far enough to be in the furthest depths.

And then he reaches the bottom.

A red spotlight reveals who beckoned him here. A man, not unlike Sunny, carrying himself with a regal, superior disposition. Initially with his back turned, the man turns to face him. Sharply dressed in a vertical-striped white shirt and pitch-black pants; he would be monochrome, if not for the red tie hanging off his neck, the rusted knife holstered on his belt, and his bloodstained hands dripping fresh blood; his lifeless black eyes pierce, staring blankly into Sunny's heart, pierce him to his very core. He is the Guardian. He is the Protector. He is the Shadow.

He is OMORI.

"You shouldn't have come back.
Turn back while you can.
Lest you doom yourself, and everyone around you."

Sunny shivers and stares, trying to make sense of it. Turn back? From this place, from this trip, from this journey? What does that mean? The thoughts race around his mind, skeeing to understand what is truly being said here. Though he will not get much time to think.

The shadows close around him.

He feels like his life is in danger.

He needs to wake up.

July 3rd, 2022, mid-morning

*Gasp…!*

Sunny awakens with short breaths and a racing heart. A nightmare. The first of many, he expects; such a dive into the place where his trauma originated was bound to bring this about. Still, that it is happening so soon after his arrival is curious. The only trigger he can think of that he's exposed himself to is his old home, and that was only just looking at it; if that is enough to kick his PTSD into gear, he will have to pay closer attention.

And what OMORI said, it troubles him. What is his mind up to? What was that supposed to mean? He knows he was apprehensive about coming here, but to call it off altogether and go home midway? Preposterous. Inconsiderate, even. It's hardly an option.

He rises from the bed and opens his journal on the nearby desk. What happened tonight is noteworthy; it will help him recognize, and perhaps prevent, any future incidents. He describes it as methodically as he can, detailing his actions, his emotions, and his thoughts during the dream, as well as his thoughts on it after waking up. Finished with the journaling, he goes about his morning, much the same as yesterday: self-care, make breakfast, get Claire up, et cetera, et cetera . Checking on the children today…

Luna is breathing steadily.

Abbi is breathing heavily.

Her own nightmare…

His heart aches at her turmoil. A downtrodden sigh escapes his lips. Oh, Abbi… How he wishes he could do more for her… To personally go into her dreams and scare off what's frightening her… Although, ignoring the flagrant impossibility, it would leave her incapable of soothing herself. Thus, every time he sees it, he silently hopes that she will eventually conquer whatever she's battling with in her mind.

He lands a soft kiss on her head and makes his way out of the room. When she wakes up, it's likely the whole house will know.

Back to the day. This time, because of Abbi's nightmare, he cannot devote his attention to meditation. It is an acceptable compromise; the children take absolute priority. Instead of going to his room, he will share the living room with Claire as she goes about her morning, informing her of their daughter's state.

On Claire's mind, however, are other thoughts. "…We really have to get some goddamn coffee."

"That was my plan for today. Lunch at Kel's and then we go grocery shopping."

"Hm. Alright." she says, then continues munching on her breakfast.

"So. What do you think about everything so far?" he checks in with her.

"Mm. Nice place, nice people. You've got good taste in friends."

Sunny flashes a tiny, proud smirk. "I pick my associates very carefully. Though there is one that you've yet to meet."

"The blond one, isn't it?"

"Mhm." Sunny nods, "He was supposed to show up yesterday. Wonder why he didn't. Maybe I should pay him a visit…"

Claire shrugs, "Well, you have fun with that. I need to get gas in the car."

"Hmh. Assuming all things unchanged, Mom should know a good station."

"Noted." Claire nods.

And a scream comes from the girls' room. "-aaaAAAH!!!"

The parents look at each other. In a single motion, they both stand up and rush towards the bedroom.

Chapter Text

????, dusk

"Alright! Only one place left to check! I think we're getting close!" Luna exclaims.

"Just the cultural center to check, yeah?" Abbi seeks confirmation.

"Mm-hm! And then we're home free!"

Before anything, though…

She feels a soft, gentle kiss on her forehead.

*Health restored. Would you like to SAVE?

> (YES)

(NO)

*Saving game. Please do not turn off the console or remove the game cartridge from the system.

*… … …

*Game saved!

*Good luck, Abbi.

The cultural center could almost be described as a museum of sorts, just with fake reproductions of stuff instead of real ones. The front of the building has a big and pretty fountain, spewing water all over and creating a little rainbow in the air. Inside, the entry hall features a replica of a giant T-Rex skeleton, and then the place is divided into four sections, two on the bottom floor and two on the top. Bottom-left, we've got a library where they host group reading events for children; bottom-right, an administrative section closed off to the public; top-left, a section on space and the universe; and top-right, a section on prehistory and ancient civilizations. Really cool stuff. The space exhibit is Abbi's favorite.

Stepping inside, Luna beelines her way over to the clerk at the front desk. "Hello! We're looking for signs that some goopy monster has been around. Do you know anything about that?"

"Hello, yes. Go check the history exhibit." the clerk answers in a bored monotone.

"Alright! That's it! Let's go, sis!" Luna runs off.

"W-Wait! Don't leave me alone!" Abbi chases after her.

Up the stairs, off to the… right? Yeah.

Wait, the door's locked. How did Luna get in?

"Luna!? Hello!?"

M-Maybe she can make her way around. Abbi enters the space exhibit on the left.

Walking through the darkened room, she looks for any trace of her sister. It can't be possible that she could lock the door behind her. Surely she's somewhere in here, right? Somewhere in this room of winding pathways around information panels. Or maybe through the door at the other end? Abbi runs over to it and turns the handle.

She is met with an eye.

"GYAH!"

"Aha!" Luna yells from the other side, "We've got you cornered, Gloop-de-loop! Give up!"

Oh. Luna went around the other way. Okay, this makes sense.

Standing on a walkway over the entry hall with the corrupt blob between them, the sisters get ready to take it down! ""RAAAAAH!""

But the blob notices its danger and jumps out of the way, evading the attacks.

The place it lands on? That giant T-Rex skeleton in the middle of the room.

And it begins to seep in…

Rumbling… Bubbling… Gurgling…

"Uh oh…"

A bone moves out of place, then another, then another, the dark, viscous substance spreading throughout its surface. In time, it comes to life, moving around in unnatural ways…

And it locks eyes with the sisters. *ROOOOOOOOAR!!!*

"Get ready, sis! We've got a big one!" Luna braces for combat.

++++++++++++++

BOSS - BONE REX

BATTLE START!

++++++++++++++

*ABBI and LUNA: 3A and 1B. // BONE REX (1 DEF): 1A/2A/1B/2B - Target: Rank 1 - CHOMP.

"C'mon! I'm not scared of you!" Luna exclaims. "Go for it, sis!"

*LUNA moves. (1B → 2A)

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO!

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Great! POWPOWsmack!

*BONE REX  takes 2 damage.

"Ugh! It's tough!" Abbi grumbles.

"Keep chipping at it! We'll get through!"

*BONE REX attacks with CHOMP!

HaaaAAACHOMP! Whiff!

*BONE REX prepares to SWEEP file A! (ABBI and LUNA)

"I can take this one! Here you go, stinky sis!"

*LUNA PROVOKEs ABBI..

Great!

*ABBI is ANGRY for 3 rounds!

"HYAAAAAH!!!"

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*BONE REX takes 6 damage!

*BONE REX SWEEPs file A!

Woosh Smack!

*LUNA takes 3 damage. (♥ 11 → 8)

*BONE REX moves (1A/2A/1B/2B → 2A/3A/2B/3B) and prepares to TAIL SWIPE rank 3. (ABBI)

"That's a big one! Get outta there!" Luna shouts.

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

Great! Woosh! POW!

*BONE REX takes 4 damage.

*ABBI moves. (3A → 2B)

*BONE REX uses TAIL SWIPE!

VWOOSH! Whiff!

*BONE REX prepares to SPIT at 2A (LUNA).

"C'mon, you big bonehead! Go down already!

*LUNA moves (2A → 1B).

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

*BONE REX takes 6 damage.

*The BONE REX begins to crack open…

"That's it! It's starting to fall apart!"

*BONE REX prepares a ⎕̴̦̉⎕̸̛̦̪̈́̎͜⎕̷͔̩̆͝⎕̴͙͓̓͌…

Wait, that's not supposed to happen! That's not supposed to-

*BONE REX attacks with ⎕̴̦̉⎕̸̛̦̪̈́̎͜⎕̷͔̩̆͝⎕̴͙͓̓͌⎕̶̹͓͈͇̫̌́̓̀̐⎕̶͈̲̌̇̌̕͝⎕̷͉̞͍̺̎̆͘ͅ⎕̴͎̈́͠⎕̶̗͇̍̅͠⎕̷̨͖̬̖̇̈́̋̆̽̓̂͊̚͜⎕̶̫͎̈̾̄⎕̷̧͙͖̳̦̼̪̞́̅͑̓̍̋͘͝⎕̷̐͛̔̌̀⎕̴̀͛̋̄͒̾͒́̚⎕̸͔͚̺̠̈̒͒͑⎕̶͇̠̩̺̪̬͕̺̮̱̏̅̂͒̃̀̒.

*LUNA is ⎕̸̆̈́̐̄̀̓͌̀⎕̵͍͍̯̟̓͊̾͊̈́͌⎕̶̛̛̰͖̘͙̣͆͌̈́͂̄⎕̷͇͉̖̀̓́.

"S-Sis!!"

Abbi looks back over to the BONE REX. An eye has opened in its skull… It pierces through every fiber of her being.

*ABBI is SCARED…

*ABBI tries to attack with ARPEGGIO…

*…but the fear paralyzes her.

The BONE REX inches closer…

*ABBI tries to CALM DOWN…

Inhale… hold…

Exha-Inhale…

*…but her lungs fight to breathe.

The BONE REX opens its maw… tendrils emanating from inside.

Abbi remembers something… deep in the back of her mind…

"This is getting nowhere fast… hm, Abbi?
It seems like there's a lot going on.
You need to block out the little things… and focus on what's important."

ABBI — New skill! FOCUS: Double the damage of your next attack. Cooldown 5.

*ABBI tries to FOCUS…

Inhale…

Ex-Inhale…

*…but nausea overwhelms her.

"It's hard to focus when you're all riled up. Remember to take a deep breath…"

*ABBI tries to CALM DOWN…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Gasp…!

*…but her lungs fight to breathe.

You need to calm down.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Inhale… Huff…!

*…but her lungs fight to breathe.

You need to calm down.
You need to calm down.
You need to calm down.

Inhale… Exhale…

Inhale… Exhale…

Gasp…! Huff…!

*…but her lungs fight to breathe.

You need to run.

You NEED to run.

*ABBI runs away!

++++++++++++++

You are being chased. You need to run. You are being chased. Run. Run. Run. Down the hall, out the door, into the park, into the trees. Run. As fast as you can. As far as you can. Keep running. Don't stop. Don't look back. Just keep running. Keep running.

You trip.

You fall…

…into the darkness below.

And you fall…

…and fall…

…and fall…

…a water surface at the bottom.

"AAAAAAAA-

You're about to hit the water.

July 3rd, 2022, mid-morning

-aaaAAAH!!!"

Huff… Huff… Huff…

Oh… another nightmare…

Another DAMN NIGHTMARE!

"GAAAAH!" *BAP! BAP! BAP!* Abbi punches the mattress over and over. "DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!"

It's such a stupid thing! She keeps having these things again and again and again! Why can't she just get over this!? It was such a nice dream before that, too…

"Sis…?" "Abbi…" Luna and Granny speak up in concern. Seems the yelling woke them up.

Abbi sits up and buries her face in her arms. Why…? Why can't she just calm herself down?

Dad barges into the room. "Hey! Hey. It's okay, Abbi. It's okay." he says while approaching her, "Just… breathe…" Then, he proceeds to set the example.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

No anger remains. Only disappointment…

He wraps her in a hug, rocking her gently. "It's okay… It's okay… I'm here…"

Oh, Dad… If only it were so easy when you weren't…

Mom steps into the room and crouches next to Luna, gently caressing her back. "Hey. We should start getting dressed already, we're going to have lunch at the same place as yesterday." she quietly tells them.

"Mmh… Alright…" Abbi meekly agrees, recovering from her outburst. Some food would be really nice right about now. Tasty food is gonna make her feel better, surely.

Alright… let's go get dressed…

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, midday

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

"COMING!"

Sally opens the door to find the new family whose surname she does not remember. Standing at the forefront are the two parents, the vaguely menacing man with the glasses, one of his eyes squinting more than the other; and his vaguely goth wife, looking as half-awake as yesterday. Behind them are Abigail and Luna, though she has forgotten which is which, and next to them is the grandma.

"Oh! Hey, all! Hi, girls!" she greets.

"Hey." the mother greets, "I hope there's food for five more, we, uh… haven't had the chance to buy groceries." she explains, rubbing her hand on the back of her head.

"Oh, no, come on in! We're just finishing yesterday's stuff." Sally ushers them in.

"Hello, Miss Sally!" the twin-tailed girl greets.

"Oh, God, please don't call me 'miss', that makes me feel way too old." Sally dreads.

"Hmh. Better start getting used to that. It's all downhill from there." the mustached man… teases…? Hard to get a read on this guy.

"Ah ha… Haaah…" Sally takes it gracefully, mostly out of reflex.

The new family all make their way to the dining room and start exchanging greetings with Kel and the parents. Sally, meanwhile, heads to the kitchen to fish for even more leftovers; seems like they'll be clearing the fridge a lot today. Back to the table, she serves the remaining meats from yesterday, as well as a good handful of assorted veggies and a large pot of freshly baked beans; knowing mom's cooking really pays off sometimes. Most of the time, actually. ("Mm. Delicious. Just like your mom used to make." "Oh, Sunny. I'd say she's better than me, at this point." — On that note: Sunny. The absolute opposite of his demeanor. She should remember that name.)

Aside from the compliments on her food, there is not much else that catches Sally's interest. As usual, it feels like she's listening in on business that's not really hers. At least she's not alone in the feeling; whatever they're talking about also seems pretty lost on the two children. Enough so that they eventually go to eat with their mom over in the kitchen.

She was planning to stay mostly quiet and not get too involved, but that changes when the mustached man takes an interest in her. "So, Sally, I take it you're in college, yes?" Sunny asks. Still feels too informal to refer to him on a first name basis, though…

"A-Ah. Yeah." she answers, not very comfortable around him just yet.

"Major?"

"Architecture."

"Mm! See, at first she was doing civil engineering," her mother pitches in, "but then that turned out a bit… God, how did you put it, Sally?"

"Uh… soul-…draining?" Really not appreciating her parents speaking for her.

"Yes, that."

"'She went for' as in, you encouraged her to do it, not that she actually wanted it?" the man takes a guess. Or a jab?

"Hehe. Guilty as charged." Dad puts his hands up. "But, you know, civil engineering… architecture… kind of the same domain."

"Hmh. Close enough." the man comments, "Surprised you let her switch."  God, does his face ever move?

"Tch! What're they gonna do, stop her?" Kel picks possibly the worst comment he could make here.

Despite the awkward atmosphere that was seeded in the room, Dad pushes through. "Er, yeah… We've had to be gentler with her. The, eh, vigor of youth isn't exactly there anymore, hehe." he says, looking over towards Mom.

"And we've learned a lot from the first two, is what I'll say." Mom dances around The Big Landmine in the family.

"Hmh. Fair is fair. And you're enjoying it?" the man switches back to the previous topic.

"Ah. Mhm." Sally nods. What is different makes it a lot more bearable.

"Heheh, you should've seen her in her younger years. She's got a knack for building things." Dad pats her on the shoulder. It's a nice gesture, but it's still a little awkward to do it in front of a stranger. Even if he's a friend of the family.

"Now if only she'd get off the computer more often…" Mom complains, even though that's been on a downwards trend for years now.

"Hey, Mom, you know I need to be on there, right?" Sally upholds the boundary.

"Ah, yes." the man interrupts, "That old problem… The computer is never just a computer."

"Huh? Come again?" Mom raises an eyebrow.

"Social life. Entertainment. Research. Interests. Shopping. The internet is built to let you do anything. For better or for worse. So when you take it away, you also run the risk of ostracizing the person." the man explains, very eloquent.

"I mean, there's also the fact that I needed to watch my classes there." Sally adds.

"Oh. Right. …Wait, how long have you been in college?"

"This is my fourth year now."

"Huh… That must be surreal. Half of your college experience at home…" the man speaks, in surprise. Finally, some emotion.

"Heheh. Wishing you had that, Sunny?" Kel snarks.

Aaand back to the deadpan, though it's a little more disgruntled than before. "…I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

"Yeesh. I was just joking…" Kel backpedals.

"Joke or not, it still stings. I'm not proud of that part of my life." Huh. That's an interesting comment.

"Boys, maybe we should, uh, finish our food here, yeah?" Dad calls for a ceasefire.

"Er, sure. Sorry, Sunny." Kel apologizes.

"Hmh… No worries. Frankly, I put more venom in that than I meant to." the man replies.

Eventually, everyone finishes their lunch and Sally takes up the job of looking after the kids while the parents go off to do their own things. She's got a plan for what to do with them today — one that she hopes will pan out less violently than yesterday —, but that'll require the boys to also be here. For now, the girls can have a little girl time; she will keep them company.

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, early afternoon

Washing dishes. One of those dull, routine tasks that Sunny always finds oddly meditative. Possibly one of the very few benefits of having spent some of his life as a shut-in; mom made him get very good at house chores. Together with Kel, they quickly make progress on emptying the sink, working at it like a well-oiled machine.

What was supposed to be a brief turn of the head to stretch his neck turns into a long stare at the neighboring building through the kitchen window. Although he can't make out much of it through the fence, he can still get a glimpse of the upper floor, with the silhouettes of people occasionally passing by its windows. It makes him curious; how has the house changed in the years he's been gone? How have the new neighbors treated it?

"Sunny?" Kel checks in on him.

Startled by the sudden call of attention, Sunny turns back to the task he's supposed to do. "Hm. Sorry."

"Looking at your old home, were you?"

"Mhm."

"You know, we could check it out after we're done with this. We're friends with the neighbors, I'm pretty sure they'd let us in."

"Hm…" The thought is… strangely daunting. The pleasant memories he has of the place also come with a very significant caveat attached. He's not sure he wants to contend with that at this time, if at all. And yet… it is also so alluring… Like the house calls to him, beckoning him inside. What might he find in there after all these years? What might be waiting for him…?

"Sunny? Hello?"

Snapped out of his mind a second time, Sunny answers, "Hmh. Intimidated. Kinda want to. Kinda don't."

"I mean, hey, If you start feeling bad we can always walk out. No pressure."

An assurance. Maybe he will do this after all. Dishes first, though; just a little bit left to go.

After plates come the cups. After cups comes the tableware. After tableware comes the pans. Last, but not least, tupperware. All done.

Just in time for someone to ring the doorbell. *DING-DONG!*

The duo goes to answer to find Hero and his family. "Oh, you're already here! How are you doing?"

"No groceries, so had to eat here." Sunny tells.

"We were actually about to head to the neighbor's house." Kel explains, "Sunny wanted to check out his old home."

"Oh! May I come along?" Hero asks.

"Sure." "The more, the merrier!" Sunny and Kel agree.

"Henry…" Edna looks up at him, seemingly trying to remind him of some promise.

"I know. It'll be quick." Hero reassures.

Disgruntled by the turn of events, Edna sighs and takes her boys inside, shaking her head.

"Seems you angered the missus." Sunny comments.

"It'll be fine, I'll deal with it later." Hero waves off the concern, "Shall we?"

Sunny shrugs. Even without knowing the promise, it's not the kind of anger he'd ever want to invite from Claire. Though, really, it is not his place to judge.

Speaking of Claire, he should shoot her a quick message; he's going outside the itinerary.

*** *** ***

Claire ⭐

---------today @ 12:45 PM---------

Checking out my old home

Groceries when I'm done?

I might get started on the gas now actually

Kinda afraid of running out

👍

Groceries after?

👍

😘

❤️

*** *** ***

The trio head out to the next house over, coming to a stop at the driveway. Collectively, Sunny, Kel, and Hero gaze at the former home.

"Man… It always feels nostalgic looking at it like this." Kel says.

"Say, Sunny, when's the last time you were here?" Hero asks Sunny.

"It was… Aubrey's 17th birthday… if I'm not mistaken." Sunny answers.

"God… That's way too long ago…" Kel says.

"Hmh…" Sunny's mind wanders back to that time…

May 21st, 2001, early afternoon

On this nice day with clear skies, SUNNY and KEL stand before the old house. SUNNY is trembling. Even standing on the front porch is enough for him to feel crushed by the oppressive atmosphere. It may be a bad idea to sink himself directly into the origin of his trauma, but there is something inside that he needs to retrieve. Something he left behind that he wants to be AUBREY's birthday gift.

KEL takes notice of his friend's nervousness. He asks SUNNY if he's sure he wants to do this, offering to go get it on his own instead. SUNNY's tongue fails him, too paralyzed by fear to make a response. However, he does steel himself and nod. He's trying to prove something to himself.

KEL shrugs and knocks on the door. SUNNY takes a deep breath. It's just a house. It's not as scary as you think. The door opens, and KEL greets the new homeowner. Once the situation is explained, they are allowed inside.

SUNNY keeps his head down. He feels watched, like a million eyes have suddenly turned towards him. He will simply have to endure this. It will all be over soon.

"Sunny? Hellooo~… Earth to Sunny?"

Snapped out of his memory, Sunny gets his bearings. Kel and Hero are already at the front porch, waiting for him to join them. Sunny obliges.

"You okay?" Hero asks.

"Reminiscing. I'm okay."

Hero nods. At the assurance, Kel goes to knock on the door. *KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!*

A brief wait, and a somewhat rotund senior man, somewhere around his 50s, arrives at the door. "Oh! Hello, Kelsey! Oh, my, I didn't know you were in town, Henry! It's good to see you. How can I help you?" the man greets with a merry demeanor.

"Hey, Mr. Amato, remember this guy?" Kel asks the homeowner while gesturing to Sunny. "We came over way back in '01 to get something."

The homeowner struggles to remember, but eventually gets it, "*Gasp…* Ooooh, it's you! The previous neighbor! Well, you grew a fair bit!"

Sunny nods and forces a slight smile onto his face. The brief act of politeness may well be worth the discomfort.

"So, how can I help you?" the homeowner asks again.

Hero flashes that otherworldly charm of his, "So, he's visiting after a long time, and we were wondering if we could take a look around the place, just for nostalgia's sake. You know, this place is a part of our childhood. We won't mess with anything, I promise."

"Oh, absolutely, come on in!" the homeowner allows them inside.

Stepping into the living room, Sunny examines the surroundings. A couch at the center of the room; a shoe rack beside the entrance; shelves along the walls with pictures, books and decorations; a CRT television next to the fireplace… and an LED one hanging above it? A ceiling fan… and an air conditioning system? A coat hanger… sharing the space with a stack of cardboard boxes…?

Something is not right.

Looking around the room, out of the corner of his eye, he swears he sees his old family picture on the far wall. He looks, and it's no longer there. He catches a glimpse of another stack of boxes. He looks, and it's no longer there. A stain on the carpet catches his eye. He looks, and it's no longer there.

Trying to make sense of things, he steps over to the couch and runs his hand along it. Leather… or cloth…? His fingers cannot tell. Similarly, his sense of smell betrays him; is that a freshly made lunch, or the pungent odor of cardboard, or the still air of unspeakable deeds? His head starts to spin. It's hard to keep balance. He closes his eyes to try and recenter himself.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

He opens them again, and the room has shifted once more. It is now dark, with the only visible light being an ominous red glow coming from the outside. He tries to examine the room once more, and he simply can't make out what he's looking at anymore. It feels as though his head has been flooded with static.

A call echoes from the hallway. "Sunny…"

He turns his attention towards it. A mass of black hair lies at the bottom of the staircase.

"Sunny…?"

His body tenses up. A chill goes down his spine.

"Hello…? Suunnyy~…"

Something.

There's Something behind him.

And it presses on his shoulder…

He flinches. He turns. He swats it away.

"Whoa, whoa, hey! It's me!"

Sunny blinks in disorientation. He shakes off the sudden whiplash and gets his bearings again. That's Kel he's looking at.

"You good?" Kel warily asks.

Sunny tries to assure him, but his tongue refuses to move. He notices his racing heart, and he notices his shallow breath. Gesturing in request of a moment, he reaches for the trusty water bottle.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Relief. Lucidity. Self-control.

"Yeah…!" he finally answers, "I'm okay…! I'm okay…"

"You sure?" Kel double checks.

Recovering his breath, Sunny nods. "I'll be fine."

With newfound sanity, he can properly take in the space. He's supporting himself on a leather couch, which is flanked by a matching armchair. An LED television hangs over the fireplace and, beside it, a shelf stands with a collection of assorted movie DVDs, as well as two distinct models of multimedia player, a cable TV receiver, and some newer kind of videogame console — one of those from Microsoft, with a naming scheme so arbitrary at this point that Sunny has largely foregone keeping track of which is which. — Along the next wall, a large old cabinet that's mismatched with the rest of the furniture — likely an heirloom —; and an array of pictures of the new family. A shoe rack and a coat hanger sit beside the entrance door, and an air conditioner blasts away above the front window. Looking towards the hall, the stairs are back to their usual, unassuming self.

He understands, now, the trick that his mind played on him. Melding past and present, memory and reality, and feeding it all into the senses. A dastardly play. One he now knows to look out for.

In the corner of the room, Hero is chatting with the homeowner, both of them staring at Sunny. They look like they're pitying him.

'You've already made a disgrace of yourself.'

Maybe. Not much he can do about that now.

"Let's get going." Sunny tells Kel.

"Right behind you." Kel replies.

Sunny and Kel approach Hero and the homeowner. Hero asks, "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Sunny answers, "I want to see the treehouse."

"Ooh!" the homeowner interjects, "You're gonna like what you see. It's quite a bit different from last time you were here."

"Show me." Sunny commands. And just like that, they step through the sliding door into the backyard. He treads this hallowed ground as lightly as he can.

As they walk along, Kel rubs his hands in excitement, "Oh man, this is gonna be good. I haven't seen it since before I left, either."

The homeowner leads them down the traces of a formerly well-trodden path, now reclaimed by grass. However, at the halfway mark, it suddenly hits Sunny. Where is his tree? Where is the stump? He stops and starts looking around. Is it actually not there, or is this just another trick of his mind?

Hero takes notice of Sunny's confusion. "Sunny? Did you lose something?"

"Where is the stump?" Sunny asks, silently hoping he's not actually going insane.

"Huh?" the homeowner furrows his brow "What stump?"

Sunny feels himself go pale, his heart skipping a beat. Fortunately, Kel comes to the rescue, "Oh, yeah! There was a stump here, wasn't there?"

"Oh, yeah, the… …tree…" Hero chokes his words.  

"Oh! Right." the homeowner remembers, "We pulled it up after a while. It was becoming a health hazard."

"Oh…" Sunny turns crestfallen, "That was my favorite tree…"

"Oh. Well, sorry. It had to go." the homeowner apologizes.

"It's fine… The house is yours." Sunny sulks, and then gestures to continue.

His favorite tree… His least favorite tree… And now, even the last traces of it are gone forever. He's not sure whether he should grieve this or celebrate it.

The four continue. Though the path to the treehouse is slightly wider than he remembers, the overgrowth is still steadily working at reclaiming it. Before long, they arrive at the foot of Sunny's second favorite tree.

The exterior of the treehouse looks different. The ladder, instead of leading straight inside, goes up to a balcony on the front. The window that used to face the path seems to have been boarded up, though there are planks that suggest it may have been moved to another side. Lastly, the colors: the outside is now a bright, sandy color with white highlights along the edges; fairly different from the simple wood-like brown treatment they went with in their time.

"Here she is." the homeowner presents.

"*Fiuu…* Man… Feels like we never left…" Kel comments.

"I didn't know you refurbished it this much." Hero tells the homeowner.

"Heh. Well, you can thank Sally for that. When she heard we had a treehouse, back when they were kids, she immediately wanted to check it out. Kept saying it would be the perfect secret hideout, hehehe. As she started coming around more, we eventually gave in and fixed it up. Even got us to route power to it. Though I think the cable snapped these last couple years…"

"Heh. Attagirl." Kel says, brimming with pride for his sister.

Sunny steps up and puts one foot on the ladder. "May I?"

"Go ahead." the homeowner permits. "Just be careful up there. It hasn't seen use in a few years."

"Anyone else?"

"No, I'll pass." "I wish I could… but this knee is not gonna let me…" the brothers decline.

Thus, one step at a time, Sunny rises to the refurbished treehouse. Making it up to the front balcony, Sunny takes stock of his surroundings. A worn curtain obscures the view into the room itself. Below him, Kel and Hero continue to chat with the homeowner. No other way to go than inside, he braces himself, lifts the veil, and makes his way inside…

Once again, a mixture of reality and memory floods his senses. The front counter is consistent across all of them, but its contents shift and shimmer in and out of sight. There is a Sweetheart mask; there is a toaster; there is a bat and a ball; there is a television; a box of abandoned snacks; a forgotten plushie of an eggplant; a couple of controllers left behind; a shrine to a loved one. The floor of the treehouse is likewise ethereal: the table, always a constant, shifts around the space; he can see an incomplete deck of cards; a couple of beanbag chairs; a handful of toys whose owners never came back for; a plate with a single bean on it. The same goes for the color of the space: swapping between old, brown wooden planks, to pastel purples and pinks, to a dark blueish-green with a white floor, as well as fairy lights rigged to the walls.

His head spins. Feeling himself lose balance, he puts his hand against a nearby wall and feels some string and paper under his fingers. Ignoring that for the moment, Sunny closes his eyes, trying to find his center. His breathing is unsteady; his heart beats quickly; his mouth feels dry. For the second time in quick succession, he reaches for his bottle.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig

And he feels in control once more.

With calmer breath and heart, he opens his eyes again, and the true shape of the space is revealed to him. The dark, blue-greenish room contrasts with the bright, tan exterior; the dimness makes it easier on his eye. On the counter, a power extension cord with a couple of appliances connected to it: a quad-slot toaster (whoa) and a 2000s model CRT television; next to them, a box of poptarts that rotted a long time ago and a couple of Wii controllers with batteries that are likely leaking; far along the counter, a few board games whose boxes have deteriorated from exposure. In front of the TV, a pair of beanbag chairs, and near another corner, the trusty old center table can be found, with a much newer tabletop than the passage of time would induce. The window has been relocated to the far wall; on that windowsill, five flower pots whose plants have long withered. Sharing the wall with the window is a worn down Spaceboy poster, and, following the close wall, he sees a line of fairy lights and a stopped clock above the CRT. Upon reaching the location he is leaning on and noticing the handful of notes and strings pinned to a corkboard, in a shape resembling a police investigation; he moves his hand to see what's under it.

A ragged calendar of a big yellow cat. There is a date circled in thick red marker. October 16th, 1996, labeled 'RECITAL'.

He goes pale.

His stomach sinks.

His hand shivers.

They… They know…?

'Monster. Liar. Coward.'

He swallows the gnawing dread and refocuses, following the strings to their related notes. Some of them are crude childlike drawings of objects formerly left behind here; others detail Aubrey and Hero's evasive responses to being questioned on the date. A particularly long chain follows Mr. Plantegg and a supposed list of crimes committed since that day, as well as a tragic backstory related to his abandonment. One drawing in particular catches his eye: the eggplant man wearing an eyepatch and wielding a gun.

A chuckle escapes his lips. The absurdity and innocence of the sight touches him, driving back the dawning guilt. He wipes his watering eyes and grabs some tissues to blow his nose. It lightens his heart to know that joy can be derived even from such a gruesome event. And it relieves him to know that the event is, in fact, not known of.

"Yo, Sunny! You okay in there?" Kel shouts from below.

Sunny sticks his hand out the door and gives a thumbs up. He looks over the space one last time before bidding it adieu. Even if abandoned again, he is very glad to know that the treehouse has been put to good use. Finally, he makes his way back outside.

"How was it?" Hero asks, shouting upwards.

"Beautiful." Sunny answers, "There's one last place I want to see. The piano room."

The homeowner is puzzled, "Huh?"

"Sunny, the piano isn't there anymore." Hero tells.

"I still want to see the room." Sunny insists.

"Which one is that?" the homeowner asks the brothers.

"Uh, in the hall, first door on the right, isn't it?" Kel answers, and Hero confirms the claim.

"Oh. That one is just an office now." the homeowner tells.

"I still. Want. To see it." Sunny affirms.

The homeowner sighs, "Alright… Come on down."

Sunny steps down from the treehouse. He senses that he may be starting to overstay his welcome. After this, he will take his leave.

Back the way they came, back inside the house, it is finally time to confront the hall. The place where it all began… Lucid enough to control his senses, Sunny steps through the doorway.

The staircase… From this angle, one could think it does extend forever… But he knows this trick well; he will not fall for it. At the top, he sees a silhouette staring back at him. The boy who killed her. The boy who helped hang her. The boy living on cheated time. The boy who would be born anew. The weight of his stare falls upon him. He welcomes it. That boy is the root of who he is.

His head swivels left, and his gaze falls upon the door to the old closet. He thinks to approach it, not out of any particular curiosity for what's inside, he simply wishes to give it due acknowledgement after not being able to do so for decades. Alas, that would be a violation of the homeowner's space; he does not want to spread his patience even thinner. The closet will have to remain; seen, but abandoned.

He turns his eye back towards the top of the stairs. The illusion has dispelled itself. The boy at the top is no longer there. All that is left is to do what he said he would. 

"I know I'm asking this a lot, but I'm gonna do it again. Are you okay?" Kel asks.

"Just taking it all in. I'm good. Let's see it." Sunny replies.

The door to the former piano room opens. A couple of modern desktop computers occupy a long desk on the right wall, while the other walls are lined with shelves and cabinets packed with books, papers, notebooks and folders. However, there is one wall still unobstructed: the one with the large window.

Sunny enters the room, occupying its center, and gazes at the grand window. He closes his eyes, inviting its image to persist in his mind, blanketing the world in ethereal mist. Even after all these years, it is still there, the same as it's ever been, with its large, flowing curtains and its grandiose stature. The window to… whatever comes after. Where his sister went, and he will follow when the time is right…

On his skin, he feels the cool air brought in by the air conditioner. At his feet, he feels the warmth coming in from the sunbeam through the window. And on the inside, he feels his breath — steady —, and his heart — calm. He's very glad he came back.

Satisfied with his visit, Sunny opens his eyes and looks towards the rest of the group. "That will be all. Thank you. For giving me the opportunity." he thanks the homeowner.

"No worries. I can imagine this must be very… sentimental, for you." the man replies.

Sunny nods. Alas, it is time to go. "Let's get out of here." he says to the two brothers. And so, the trio thanks the homeowner and makes its way back outside.

Immediately after stepping out of the house, the air feels much lighter, as though he'd just come out from underground. Relief washes over him; it feels like he's out of danger, though it's dubious whether that danger truly ever existed. Sunny ambles his way over to the curb and sits down on it. He takes another sip from his bottle, not for relief, but for contemplation. Still, the lightness of the beverage does put him more at ease.

"…So?" Kel requests a verdict.

Sunny sighs. A musing comes to the front of his mind. "Hm… I've wondered before… whether mom made the right call by making me move away…" He gazes into the distance, "Standing back in there… This place was not doing good things to me."

The brothers look on, both of them carrying sorrow. To think, leaving was the best thing that could have happened to him at the time… It is a bitter pill to swallow.

"We were all so young…" Hero laments, "We really didn't deserve any of that…"

Kel clicks his mouth, then speaks, "Eh… We're here now. That's what matters."

After a brief, contemplative silence, Sunny stands up again. There is nothing left to see here. "Let's go back."

The trio agrees and make their way back to Kel's. What they leave behind is no longer sacred. It is just a house.

Home is not here. Not since her passing.

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, early afternoon

With all the children now present and assembled in the living room, Sally can go through with her plan for today. "Alright, so. Since it's looking like we're gonna be stuck together for the time being, I thought it'd be good for us to get to know each other a little more. So I went online and scrounged up a list of basic questions for us to answer. I'm gonna start pretty superficial and then hopefully we can get into some deeper stuff later on. Sound good?"

"Ooh, sure!" "Yeah!" "Okay!" the three kids answer. Scrolling through his phone, Max's only response is "Hm."

"Okay, so, to start with: 'What are your full names?'" Sally raises her hand, "Sally Herrera de los Santos." then, she points to one of the girls, "You."

"Luna Dumont Inoue." she answers. Next one…

"Abigail Dumont Inoue. My friends call me Abbi." Cool.

Sally, once again, makes a note to remember these. Long hair is Abbi, twin tails is Luna, and they are both Inoues. Not forgetting this time. Next…

"Evan Baranowski de los Santos." Yup. And lastly…

…

"Max?" Sally calls his attention away from the phone.

"Huh?"

"Your full name, please."

Max sighs, "Maxwell Baranowski de los Santos."

Casting a side-eyed glance at him, Sally continues, "Okay. Second: 'How old are you? When were you born?' I'm 22 here, born on October 10th, 1999"

For Luna… "I'm 12, born on March 14th, 2010."

Then Abbi… "Same here. We're twins."

"Oh!" Sally exclaims, "Twins born on Pi Day! Neat! Anyway. Evan."

"I'm also 12, born on the 3rd of May, 2010."

"And you, Max?" Sally requests.

"15. August 20th, 2006."

"Cool. Next up: 'What are your zodiacs?' I'm a Libra."

"Pisces!" Luna answers for the twins.

"Taurus!" Evan goes.

…

Goddammit.

"Max, put down your phone." Sally orders.

"What, I'm listening!" Max snips back.

"Then answer the question!"

Max sighs, "Leo. There, you happy?"

"Just pay attention, man. Okay. Next-"

"Wait. What about Abbi?" Evan asks.

"Huh?" Sally furrows her brow in confusion.

"She didn't say her zodiac!" Evan exclaims.

"Evan, they're twins. They have the same zodiac." Sally points out.

Upon noticing his lapse of attention, Evan starts rapid-fire facepalming. "Oh! Duh-duh-duh-duh, of course! Sorry."

"No worries. Next up: 'What is your favorite color? Is there any reason?' Mine would have to be lilac. Pink, but not too much. It's what I grew up around and I think it suits me. Next."

"Ooh. I like red, I think it's very pretty." Abbi answers.

"I like green!" Luna exclaims.

"A cheery yellow!" Evan also yells.

…And no response again.

Alright, fuck it.

Sally reaches over and swipes Max's phone from his hands. "Hey!" he shouts.

"There. Now you can't ignore me."

"What the fuck, Sally, give that back!"

"I'm gonna put it right here." she says, laying his phone on the center table, "But I'm gonna ask for your undivided attention, please."

"Dude, I don't have a favorite color, I don't care about that shit!"

"That's fine. Then you just tell me you're not gonna answer, you don't have to ignore me. Also, language." The younger ones may be the age she started swearing, but she's not going to assume what the Inoues' policy on swearing around their kids is.

"Can we move on?" Evan asks, "I wanna see the next question."

Max grumbles and looks away.

"Alright." Sally continues, "Next up: 'What is your favorite season?'"

Max shakes his head, "This is stupid." he says before standing up and storming out of the room.

Sally sighs. Sucks that he doesn't want to participate in this, but she also doesn't want to leave him out. What the hell happened during the pandemic?

"Hey, brother, wait!" Evan shouts, then stands up and follows him.

"…Welp. That fell through." Sally laments.

After a brief pause to take everything in, Luna speaks. "So… we're not gonna keep going?"

"Well, I was doing this so that you get to know them and they get to know you, but… I don't know why Max is this reclusive all of a sudden. He wasn't like this before the pandemic." Sally explains.

The girls shrug. Not like they'd have a response to this. "So… what now?"

Sally shrugs. She didn't really have a plan for if this fell through. Although… "Hey, question from me personally. What do you two look like with your hair down, no accessories?" she asks the girls.

"Oh. You wanna see? Hang on." Abbi says before taking off her hairband. Likewise, Luna takes off her hair ties and lets her hair down. Without any accessories, the only distinguishing features between them are their clothes and their hair length.

"Yup. Identical. That's about what I expected." Sally comments.

"Sometimes we swap our accessories to trick our parents. It's really funny." Luna tells.

"Hah! That's great." Ah, siblings… Makes her wish she wasn't effectively an only child.

Suddenly, Evan comes back into the room, dragging Max by the arm, "I got him back!" he announces. At this, the girls put their hair back up.

"Hey, nice! You gonna stick around this time?" Sally asks Max.

"Only because he asked." Max grumbles.

"Alright. Again, if you don't wanna answer or you don't have an answer, you can just say it." And now, back to the questions, "Okay, 'What is your favorite season?'"

Evan answers first, "Mine is summer! I love summer break!"

Next, Luna, "I like spring with all the flowers!

Then, Abbi, "I like winter. Snow is so pretty…"

"Hm. I think I'm gonna have to go with summer, too. Just all the sunlight and the heat… Eating an ice cream under the shade… Swimming at the beach… It's just a good time." Sally gives her answer, "And you, Max?"

Lying flat on the top of the couch, he sighs, "…Fall."

Good enough. "Alright, next: 'Do you have a favorite book?'"

"I have not touched a book in three years." Max butts in with a deadpan.

"For those of us who read, do you have a favorite book?" Sally rephrases the question.

"Do comics count?" Evan asks.

"Yes." Sally decides on the spot.

"I read Spaceboy! It's my favorite comic." Evan answers.

"I really like The Little Prince. It was a fun story, mom would read it to us for bedtime." Abbi tells. Cute and wholesome.

"I like Mom's book!" Luna exclaims, "I think it's really cool!"

"Wait, 'Mom's book'? As in, your mom wrote a book?" Sally asks.

"Yup. It's called 'Penny and the World'." Luna starts narrating, "It's a really fun story, Penny starts out living in this little village, but then she gets abducted by aliens! And then-"

"Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoa." Sally cuts her off, "Spoilers, kid! That sounds fun, though, I might check it out."

"Oh, it's not out yet." Abbi says, "Mom keeps saying she needs to get someone to publish it first. But if you ask her I think she'll give one to you!"

"Heh, perks of knowing the writer. I'll hit her up, thanks." Sally says, "Next up!-"

"You haven't answered." Max points out.

"Oh, shoot, uh…" Crap. She hasn't read much in recent memory either. "I guess… I remember enjoying Dracula when I had to read it in high school. That's the one that's really stuck with me." There. Answered. "Okay, next! 'What are your hobbies?' I'm gonna count extracurriculars here, too."

"I do theater." Evan answers.

"I take piano." so does Abbi.

"I take judo!" Luna, too.

"Woah, so that's how you threw Mark around yesterday!?" Evan asks in awe.

"Haha, yup! But I think maybe I went too far." Luna replies.

"No way! That was so cool! You gave him what for!" Evan gushes.

Luna's cheeks get a little rosy, "Aha~… Thanks."

"What about you, Max?" Sally requests.

"Not doing anything right now." he answers.

"Huh? Weren't you doing baseball? Or like, middle school softball?" she asks.

"I was, but then pandemic. And now my parents won't let me."

"Oh… Alright, sorry to hear. Well, for me, let's see… I play videogames a bit; I like to play sports, as you saw yesterday; sometimes I'd go hiking around some of the trails here in Faraway, during the pandemic; and uh… I can play guitar, but I… kinda forgot where I put it, eheh… So yeah."

"Wow." "That's a lot." the kids gawk.

"Heh. Yeah, I've picked up a few things over the years." Sally replies. Gotta try to be an interesting person, y'know. "Okay, let's do one more: 'What is your dream job?' Right now I'm working on becoming an architect."

"I wanna be a musician!" Abbi declares.

"I'm gonna be an athlete!" Luna exclaims.

"I think I wanna be a youtuber!" Evan also pitches in. Good fucking lord…

All very fun choices, even though they're too young for any of these answers to be binding. The only one that could be taken moderately seriously is Max, which…

"I dunno."

"Nothing? None of the baseball star stuff anymore?" Sally asks. He'd mentioned something along those lines when he was younger.

"I'm not that stupid anymore." he snips.

"Well, I didn't think it was stupid, just… dreaming big. That's a shame. Hope you figure something out." Sally says. After a little silence, Sally finally moves on to the next step of her plan. "Well, okay. I've got a few more questions here, but I'm starting to get pretty bored. I'm gonna leave these for another time. Why don't we go take a walk around Faraway instead, so I can show you guys around?"

"Ooh, okay." "I'm down." "Sure!" the children agree.

"Max?" Sally checks with him.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really. Sorry."

He sighs, "…Fine…"

"Okay, cool. Lemme just… tell your parents." Sally says, looking around for wherever they might be. Maybe deeper into the house…?

Exactly as she begins her search, the three men walk in from the front door: Kel, Henry, and the father of the girls,  Mr. Inoue. "Oh, perfect timing. Wanted to let you know I'm gonna take the kids and show them around Faraway for a bit."

"Oh." Mr. Inoue speaks up, "Mind if I join you?"

Though she's a little intimidated at the idea of hanging around this guy, she's not about to refuse a helping hand; not from one of their parents. "…Hey, I'm taking all the help I can get." Sally says.

"Excellent. I need the refresher anyway." he replies.

"Gonna go it alone?" Henry asks Mr. Inoue.

"Well, I need to put my feet up for a bit." Kel informs.

"And you have whatever your wife was expecting of you." the mustached man tells Henry, "I suggest you get to that before contempt grows to resentment."

"Uh- Right." Henry replies, seemingly disturbed by the comment.

"Alright, see you guys at dinner?" Kel asks the little crew.

"Yeah." Sally answers. Mr. Inoue simply nods.

"Alright. Have fun, y'all." Kel waves them off.

And with that, they head out into the great wide world.

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, early afternoon

Out to the intersection, then take a left. From there, go to the end of the street. "So first, we've got the park. We came here yesterday. To the left is the playground and stuff, and to the right is… open… grass…"

A familiar place for Sunny. Yesterday, he came here as an emergency. This time, he can properly take in how the place has changed. The playground is the same as ever; the basketball court was never going anywhere; the entrance and the vending machines seem to have been updated over the years. Deep at the back of the park, he notices the first difference between past and present: "Hm. Why is the tetherball missing?" Sunny asks.

"I 'unno." Sally answers, "I've heard people say it was stolen."

"Why would someone steal a tetherball?" Luna asks.

"I dunno. Coulda just flown off into the woods as well. Don't ask me."

"Hmh." Not much use dwelling on the tetherball's fate. Looking around further, he notices a well-trodden path going into the woods on the right side, right around where the entrance to the secret hiding spot would be. "And that path… where does it lead?"

"That one leads to Faraway Lake. It got added to the park, I think because a lot of people started going there." Sally explains.

"So the lake is not a secret anymore…" Sunny notes.

"Yeah. I remember Kel taking me there when I was little, before it was well known. Kind of a shame it's not as quiet anymore, but at least the county makes sure to keep it clean."

"Hmh…" It truly is a pity. That was supposed to be their secret spot… Although, it was unlikely for it to stay secret forever. Not with Kel divulging it to everyone he made friends with. Oh well…

Moving on, take a right on the T-intersection. The next block over… "And this is Faraway Plaza. It's where we do all our shopping out here in the suburbs."

The immediately obvious divergence here is that Gino's has been replaced with… the bakery? "Since when has the bakery been on the outside of Othermart?"

"Oh, that was in the pandemic. Gino's didn't make it."

Gino's didn't make it… Tragic. Truly tragic. "And the Bakers bought them out?"

"Yup. They actually make pizzas too, now, just only after 5 PM. I think they're better than Gino's, to be honest."

"Huh…" That is a strong claim. Can the Bakers really crank out a better pizza than Gino's? He'll have to see it to believe it. Still, bakery and pizzeria, not a bad combo. One can only wonder what chain of events could possibly have led to this outcome. It's a sizeable upgrade for the bakery; hard to imagine it having the money to pull off a stunt like this during an open pandemic. Then again, he does not know the details of their finances.

"So yeah, since you mentioned it, first store there is called Hobbeez — that's the hobby shop —; then we've got the Baker Bakery; after that is Othermart, the supermarket; and last, we've got Fix-It. And then there's the fountain out here if you just wanna hang out."

"Hm. So who replaced the bakery inside Othermart?" Sunny asks.

"That bit is still for lease, right now. See the sign there?" Sally points at the FOR LEASE' sign on the outside of the building.

"Huh. And the other stands?"

"Well, we've got the old butcher and the fishery. Pharmacy saw a lot of business during the pandemic. And the candy store is now a coffee shop. It's a pretty nice place."

"Candice's closed?"

"Yeah. Candice's crashed pretty early in the pandemic — and good riddance, too. I don't know anyone who liked that biiii…astard." Sally refrains from swearing, "Even her daughter hates her guts."

"Yeesh." The thought of Ms. Candice having a daughter makes him shudder. She was already harsh to her employees. With the information that was now given, it is evident she was no better to her child. Good riddance indeed…

"But why would she hate her mother?" Abbi asks. She would be one to not have a concept of abusive parenting.

Sally takes a deep breath, "Ehhhhh… How do I put this…?"

"Not all parents are nice to their kids." Sunny puts it bluntly, "Some see their children as possessions; objects that they're allowed to use, abuse and discard as needed. Others never wanted children in the first place and see them as a burden; an obstacle getting in the way of their life."

"That's horrible! Why would you have a baby if you're not gonna take care of it!?" Abbi asks indignantly.

"Being a parent gives you prestige. Bringing someone into the world and raising them is no small feat; people respect that. It is a shame not all who do so are willing to put in the work…"

"That's awful… I wish there weren't mean people in the world…" Abbi laments.

"Yeah… I wish so too…" Sunny shares in her sorrow, gently stroking her head.

"Yeah…" Sally sighs. Alas, back to business, "So anyway, that's Faraway Plaza. If we go further downstreet some five blocks or so, we'll end up at Central Plaza if we'd like to go that far. Don't worry, Faraway blocks are pretty small."

"Sure!" "Yeah!" "Okay." the kids agree.

"I have no objections." Sunny says.

"Awh… More walking…" Maxwell groans.

"C'mon, chin up! It's not that far." Sally raises her spirits. Five blocks in Faraway would be… maybe a 30 minute walk. Really not that much.

"Do I have a choice?" Maxwell asks.

"Mmm, no." Sally determines.

And the teenager sighs. Certainly frustrating, getting dragged around against his will.

As the group sets off for the older half of Faraway, Sunny sees fit to give Claire another update on what he's doing.

*** *** ***

Claire ⭐

---------today @ 3:13 PM---------

Taking a walk with the kids now. Sally is giving us the tour of Faraway

Plan might have to change

How's the gas going?

We're already done. Just your mom wanted to catch up with some folks

How are the kids?

Doing fine

Meet up at 5 for groceries?

👍

😘

❤️

*** *** ***

July 3rd, 2022, mid-afternoon

There's a little question that won't stop bouncing around Sally's head. "Say, Mr. Inoue…" she calls his attention while they walk along to Central Plaza.

"Just call me Sunny. There is no need for formality" he tells her, uncomfortably direct.

"Er… No offense, we're… not that close." she sustains.

"Hmh. Suit yourself. You were saying…?"

"So… you were friends with Kel and Henry?" she asks, just to double-check.

"Mhm." he confirms.

And the thing she's wondering about, "Where did you live in Faraway?"

"In that house to the right of yours. I moved away in 2000."

"Wait, you were in Sam's-… I mean, the Amato household?"

"Mhm." he nods, "I'm glad you enjoyed our treehouse, by the way. We put a lot of work on it."

"Oh, you built that?" Sally asks.

"Yeah." he nods, "Kel and Hero, too. All of our little friend group."

"Oh, wow…" Suddenly, Sally feels small. The history of that treehouse reaches way further back than she thought. Makes her think of the time she was first discovering it. Sure, Aubrey did claim Mr. Plantegg as hers, but it hadn't occurred to her until now that all the other stuff also had previous owners. She wonders what belonged to whom…

Her contemplations are interrupted when Mr. Inoue breaks the silence. "You know, we didn't usually range out this far when we were kids. We'd mostly just stick around Faraway Park and Plaza. I'm not familiar with this side of town."

"Oh. Well, it's definitely got more to do than the suburbs. It's got a church at the center, bigger than the one at the graveyard; there's the public library… a small cinema theater… town hall is there too, uh… there used to be a LAN house, but that one shut down… what else… I think they put up exercise equipment some time ago…? And also the diner and the ice cream shop. Among other things that I'm forgetting. Nice place to bike around. Oh, yeah, the bike shop too."

"Hmh. Suppose it was pretty big…"

"Biggest plaza in town. And then Henry's place is just another three-ish streets up." Sally tells.

"So that's how you know this place." he contemplatively runs his hand along the mustache.

"Heh. Kinda have to. Most of the stuff these twerps like to do is here." she says, gesturing affectionately towards them.

Just then, a chain of explosions starts going off nearby. *FIUUUUUUU… BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!…* It seems someone has decided that they're so eager for Independence Day that they're going to set off fireworks a day early as well.

"Agh!" "Gyah!" "*Sigh… Grr…*" all three of the Inoues start flinching at each boom. Mr. Inoue fetches a set of earplugs from his bag and puts them on; Abbi covers her ears with her hands; Luna plugs hers with her fingers. They all stand still, each one getting more aggravated as the blasts continue. 

As the fireworks come to an end, Mr. Inoue decides he's going to draft this person a letter, waving writing into the air. "Dear neighbor… The holiday you are celebrating is one day from now. PLEASE STOP SETTING OFF LOUD FUCKING EXPLOSIONS. …Sincerely, an outsider."

"Wait, all three of you are noise sensitive?" Sally asks in fascination.

"Runs in the family. Or so I'm told." Mr. Inoue answers.

"Huh… Also, is it okay to swear around the kids?" she then questions, noticing that Mr. Inoue did not refrain from doing so.

"Don't overdo it. I do not want them dropping F-bombs every other word." he says, much to the kids' amusement.

"Noted."

Finally, they arrive at the titular Central Plaza. The big old church stands at its center, surrounded on all sides by points of interest. This plaza, along with the few blocks around it, are just about the only part of town that employs mixed-use zoning, and by God does that make it so much better to be around than all the suburbs on the outskirts. Just a bunch of two- to three-story buildings with stores at the bottom and residences at the top. It's old-timey, but it's a really nice place to live. Just the right kind of busy.

"And here we are." Sally announces, "Anyone want popsicles? I'm kinda sweatin' here." she asks, certain of the response she's going to get from the children.

"Ooh, I do!" "Me! Me!" "Yes, please!" "Eh, sure." everyone agrees. Even Mr. Inoue, "I'll have one too."

"Alright, what flavors do y'all want?" Sally asks for input.

"I want grape!" for Luna…

"Strawberry!" for Abbi…

"Banana!" for Evan…

"Chocolate." for Max…

"I'll pay." Mr. Inoue declares, "What do you want, Sally?"

"Nonononono. I'm the one hosting you guys. Let me take care of it." she insists.

"I have stable income. Do you?" he raises an eyebrow.

…Sally sighs, "…You make a very good point. Root beer."

"Mhm. I'll be right back." he says, walking off to… wait, he's going the wrong way.

"ICE CREAM SHOP IS THAT WAY!" Sally shouts, pointing him in the right direction. He nods in acknowledgement and corrects his course.

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, mid-aftenoon

Popsicles. Strawberry, grape, banana, fudgesicle, root beer and, for himself, lemon. A quick moment to pay for everything on the credit card, and it's time to go back and distribute them. Naturally, the children all cheer upon his return; with all the excitement, there is definitely going to be some kind of brain freeze incident, that'll be fun to watch.

He bites down on his popsicle. The sweetness of the sugar masks the sourness of the lemon, and the cold temperature helps balance out the hot summer day. Delectable, even if a little too sweet for his adult tastes. It almost makes him feel young again… Almost.

Watching everyone else having fun while eating their popsicles brings his mind back to one of the old pictures in the photo album. That hot summer day where Mari saw fit to get one for all of them… except she hadn't taken the care to consult them on their preferences first. Whoops. Come to think of it, he did also get a lemon popsicle that day… Go figure.

"Uh, Mr. Inoue…?" Sally's voice pulls him out of his musings.

"Hm?" he turns to face her.

"It's uh… It's melting on your shoe." she informs.

Looking down, he notices the stream of popsicle trailing onto his shoes. "Ah, crud." He is on a time limit. He starts hastily biting away at his popsicle, trying to finish it before any more of it melts away, but then it starts stinging in his head. "Hng! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. Ow…"

"Hahaha! You okay there?" Sally checks in cheerfully.

"Dad, you can't eat it too fast, that's how you get brain freeze!" Luna unhelpfully points out.

"Bluh…" And to think he imagined the kids would be the ones getting it…

With his popsicle finished, he looks around for somewhere to sit down and clean his shoe. A cursory glance reveals that Maxwell has claimed one of the nearby park benches and is scrolling away on his phone. It seems he finished his fudgesicle rather quickly as well.

Sunny approaches the bench, "May I?" he gestures at the seat next to him.

"Hm." the teen replies.

That's not 'no', so Sunny takes the seat. He starts pulling out tissues from inside his bag and wipes down the popsicle stain on his shoe. Even with thorough rubbing, it's still sticky; this is going to need a proper wash later.

Finished with his cleaning, he then turns his attention to Maxwell. He's noticed that the boy has been awfully secluded this entire time. It perplexes him. Surely one of Hero's children would be more enthusiastic about life? Or at least, that's how Evan seems to be. It's that disparity that bothers him; one of them is larger than life and the other is retracted into himself. It doesn't make sense. He wants to find out why.

He begins to consider what possible ways he could use to approach him. Should he try to play himself off as hip and cool? No, that's just weird and awkward; his kids would call it 'cringe', even. Maybe he should try to match his mood? But then isolationist and isolationist will simply remain isolated. He could try to project open friendliness and sweetness, but… that's just not who he is. Sure, he can do it with his kids because he knows how to cherish them; Maxwell is still an enigma in his mind. Dammit, what the hell is the best way to do this?

'You are scared of the judgement of a fifteen year-old. That's pathetic.'

…You know, that's actually a good point. He's definitely overthinking this. Just be kind; everything else will follow. "Nice place, isn't it?"

"Hm." Maxwell acknowledges, though it is unlikely that he's actually paying attention.

He will not be dissuaded by a mere 'hm', "I haven't been here much myself, but I imagine you've come here a lot."

No response this time. The teen is definitely not interested in this.

Sunny continues, "I wonder what stories you have of this place…"

"Dude, I don't even know you." Maxwell finally snips at him. Now he's got his attention.

"True. But people chat when they want to know each other, don't they?" Sunny retorts.

"I-…" Maxwell pauses to think. His face contorts in apparent confusion, as if he wants to argue against it, but doesn't know how.

"And, if you won't take that… You are hanging out with my children and you are my friend's son. I think it would be… irresponsible of me as a father and unbecoming of me as a friend of your father if I didn't try to get to know you, don't you think?"

"U-Um…" The boy is rendered speechless.

Sunny continues, "Still, I can't force you to talk. If you're not interested, I'm not going to push you. Or, if you'd like, you can try asking me something."

The teen remains silent, staring blankly into the distance. Eventually, he raises his phone again.

He's not letting him run from this. "Hm… I know your name from your parents, but I doubt you know mine." Sunny extends a handshake, "Sunny."

"Um. M-Maxwell." he says, but leaves the handshake hanging. And then back to his phone he goes…

That's… Actually, it's a familiar pattern to Sunny. Bury your head in distraction until the discomfort goes away. An inelegant way to handle bad feelings — and one that leaves you worse off in the long run — but it's understandable that a teenage boy would resort to it. Absent any better teachings, odds are it's the default mode that the mind learns, at least at first.

Since the boy is not interested in chatter, Sunny won't push his luck. There is but one thing left that he's curious about. "May I at least watch while you scroll through your phone?"

"U-Um… S-Sure." Progress. And Sunny leans over to see.

Immediately obvious is how little curation this kid has done on his feed. There's a digital art piece, and a callout post, and a meme gif, and a news headline, and an essay on whatever madness is the flavor of this week. And, in case it wasn't clear enough… Pornography! Fun.

"…You saw nothing." the boy hatily puts his phone down, growing self-conscious.

"Not to worry. I've seen worse. And if you, a teenager, weren't seeing sexual content, you would probaly be the first."

Maxwell lingers for a moment, hand hesitating between bringing the phone back up and not showing any more porn to a stranger. But then a sudden realization strikes him. "Wait… You've seen worse?"

"Mhm. Tell me, have you heard of 4chan?" Sunny asks.

"Um. Yeah?"

"I was there in its early days. Shock gore and porn were par for the course."

"You? On 4chan?" Maxwell doubts.

"The internet goes farther back than 2010, boy." Sunny deadpans. At least, as much as his natural deadpan will let him go further.

"No, like… You were on the internet back then?" the teen clarifies.

"Mhm. Technically, I was a frequenter of the SomethingAwful forums, but it's not like the two weren't in dialogue with each other."

"When was this?"

"Early 2000s. The internet before Google. I've seen the birth of many a meme; I've made many a foray into online browser games with a gaggle of goons; I've witnessed the birth of the Let's Play format, at the time when it was done on forum threads… I was pathologically online at a time when it was arguably harder to pull off. And there was shock porn. So much shock porn… " Sunny says, wearily shaking his head.

"Huh…" Maxwell sits speechless, mouth agape, aweing at the internet experience of a man at least twice his age.

"Which is to say, I really don't judge you for looking at pornography. What I will judge you for is mixing that in with your regular feed, thus running the risk of… inadvertently flashing strangers." Sunny says, brimming with irony.

"Uh. Y-Yeah, I really gotta clean this up, don't I…?" the boy stammers.

"Eh. Strictly speaking, the feed is yours, you can do what you want with it." Sunny shrugs. "Just be careful who you show it to."

And Maxwell lingers, staring at the black screen of his phone. One can only wonder what manner of thought might be going through his head right now… Not that he'll get to find out, as, suddenly, the boy sees fit to make himself scarce. "Hey, uh, I'm gonna… go… now."

"Mhm." Sunny nods, "Was nice to meet you."

"Uh… Yeah… Sure… See ya." Maxwell replies, then hastily walks to the rest of the group.

Hmm… Very interesting…

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, mid-afternoon

…What the hell just happened?

First he gets dragged over to Sally's, then he gets dragged back towards Central Plaza — on foot, no less — and now this guy comes over and starts poking and prodding, trying to pry his head open? Don't like that. Not one bit. And even though his heart was racing, he still couldn't find it in him to push back? Weak. Pathetic. You're a fucking wimp. It doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want anything to do with him? Did he draw the attention of a serial killer? What the hell is going on?

Max shakes his head. Stop being so fucking paranoid. He wanders his way over to the rest of the group; the children are just about done licking through their popsicles. A flick to the back of Evan's ear ("Ack!") and he asks, "So, what now?"

"I dunno," Sally answers, "I'm following you guys' lead."

"Oh! I wanna check out the games store!" Evan exclaims, "There's got to be something good there!"

"Ooh." "Sure!" the two girls agree.

"Welp. Gaming store it is." Sally beckons for the dad to come over, and they all make their way to the local gaming store, the two-story brick building with a sign that reads 'Dice'n'Discs' over a decal of a d20 and CD. If Hobbeez sells a bunch of random hobby crap, this store sells a bunch of random tabletop, board game and video game crap. Mostly dated crap, at that.

"Hmh. Cheesy." Mr. Inoue comments at the store's name. 'Cheesy' is an understatement, this is just awful.

At the shop's windows, there is a wide range of franchise collectibles and merch. Just a whole bunch of trash meant to lure suckers in. Evan falls for it and runs over, "Ooh. Look at these Funko Pops."

Max facepalms at the sheer consumerism of this kid.

"I'm going to be clear, I'm not buying you boys anything." Sally determines. Figures.

"Aw." Evan mopes.

"Hey, dad, can we get something?" Luna requests from her dad.

"I wasn't planning on spending any more." Mr. Inoue answers.

"Aw. Not even a little bit? You got us those popsicles…" the girl pleads.

"Mom is going to get upset if I spend too much on pleasantries, I'm sorry." he says, patting the girl's head.

"Aw, c'mon, dad, pleeeease?" Abbi begs with hands joined together and little puppy eyes.

Seems he can't resist it. He sighs, "Ffffine… You girls get one thing each. Though I reserve the right to veto your choices."

""Yaaay!"" the twins celebrate.

And the group makes their way into the store to go pick out what they want. The floor is divided into a left aisle and a right aisle, split between videogames and trading card packs. There is a shelf of merch plushies close to the windows and a shelf for board games on the far left of the store, sitting under a staircase that goes up to the gaming area. On the counter at the back of the store, we've got a very bored clerk sitting on a stool and resting their legs on a stack of console boxes, staring at their phone. Their attention is drawn when the bell above the door rings, but they stay put for the time being.

Luna is the first to find something, "Oh my god! Look at this!" she squeals, picking up a plushie of an owl, "This is so cute!"

Oh, that's awkward.

"Uh… You do realize that's from a mascot horror series, right?" Sally says.

"What??" Luna gawks in disbelief.

Evan takes the chance to explain it, "Yeah. Hoobert's Playground. It's a game where you're a child that gets left behind at a playpen with all these creepy mascot characters and you need to solve puzzles to make your way out while being followed by them. It's actually kinda fun. For me, at least." Garbage taste, to be honest.

"…And then the guy who made it milked the series for as much cash as he could." Max says.

"Yeah, I think it's at, like… five mainline games, three spinoffs… a book series, a TV show and an upcoming movie? They really went crazy with it." Sally tells. 'Crazy' doesn't begin to describe how batshit insane it is.

"Ah, yes." Mr. Inoue pitches in, "A tale as old as time. 'Screw artistic integrity, I'm here to make money!'"

"Aw… But it's so cute, though…" Luna grows upset. Correct response, tbh.

"Hm. We can just buy it and not engage with any of that." Mr. Inoue tells her, "You're an outsider to the drama, you can derive your own meaning from it, damned be the context."

"But… other people are gonna know where it's from. Aren't they going to assume?" she asks.

"Let them. To you, this is just a cute owl. Nothing more." Mr. Inoue speaks. A little pretentious there, buddy.

Luna looks back at the plushie, pondering whether to take it. Meanwhile, the other girl has been searching the videogame shelves. "Ooh. What's this?" she wonders, picking up a game for the Switch depicting a person against a plain white background and the title 'HIKI' printed across the center, "Ooh, look! It shimmers!" she exclaims when the cover shifts, showing the person now surrounded by translucent photographs of their friends. Max recognizes it. Some kind of RPG that allegedly has horror elements. It's been memed about on the internet, but he hasn't really looked into it that much; he already knows he's not interested.

Mr. Inoue picks it up from Abbi's hands and starts inspecting it. "Rated mature…?" he notices, then turns to read the back cover, " 'Explore a strange world full of colorful friends and foes, blah blah blah blah blah… This game contains depictions of depression, anxiety and suicide…' " his eyes widen at that last one.

"Oh…" Heh. Kid was definitely not expecting that.

"…I'm going to err on the side of caution and put a veto on this one." her dad prohibits.

"Aw. Okay." his daughter complies, putting it back where she found it and resuming her search.

And the other twin has made her decision. "Dad, I'm gonna take it!"

"Cool. Hold on to it, let's see what Abbi takes." he says.

"I'm gonna go up to the consoles." Evan declares, because he just can't stand waiting around for five fucking seconds.

"Uh. They took those out during the pandemic." Sally informs.

"What!? Really?" he gawks.

"Yeah, y'know. Contagion hazard."

"Aw, man, but I'm boooored!"

"It was your idea to come here…" she says in exasperation.

"Bweh." his brother crosses his arms and pouts.

"Evan, quit being a whiny twerp and just wait." Max snips.

His brother puts his head down. Well, now you just made him feel worse, you asshole.

"Hey. Now that's just uncalled for." Sally reprimands.

"…Gah." Max grumbles and pulls out his phone.

"Max. Apologize." she orders.

"Sorry…" he apologizes semi-sincerely.

"Ooh. This is a good one." Abbi finally picks something out. The cover depicts a girl reaching for a winged strawberry while surrounded by an old woman, a dark reflection of herself, and a guy trapped behind a mirror. Max recognizes it. That's the "trans platformer". Equally something he's not interested in.

Mr. Inoue takes and inspects it, then nods. "Hm. This is agreeable. You want this?"

Abbi nods with enthusiasm.

"Alright. Let's get these paid for." he says, taking both of his children's choices to the counter.

The clerk lazily scans them in. "That'll be $119.98, sir."

Mr. Inoue is stunned by the price. "C-… Come again?"

"The game is $29.99, the plushie is $89.99. $119.98 total."

The man stares at the clerk, blinking in confusion. "The plushie… is… *sigh* Fine… Get it over with… Credit." he grumbles with his credit card in hand. Hoobert ruins someone's day yet again.

And with everything paid for, they start making their way back to Sally's. Another long fucking walk…

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, late afternoon

The group begins the steady march back to the Santos household; it will be dinner time soon. Along the way, Sally sees fit to take a detour to show off a couple other points of interest. Nothing that really catches Sunny's attention, but it's nice to see more of his childhood town.

As they walk upstreet on their way back, Sunny notices one particular house unlike all the others on the block. He recognizes this… A house with a green roof, overflowing with plants in the front yard, a solarium extension on the side, and with an even more abundant backyard. At the driveway, there is a pickup truck with an assortment of yard work tools in the back, its chassis depicting an assortment of contact information. There can only be one person who lives at this place.

He needs to see him.

"I… think I'm going to break off here." Sunny tells the others.

"Oh. Alright. See you at dinner." Sally waves.

He waves back, and the posse of children walk off.

Now he's alone.

Passing through the entry walkway, looking around at all the shrubbery in the yard, Sunny approaches the front door. He raises his hand to knock…

A deep breath. Here goes nothing.

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

Infinite seconds pass as he hears shuffling on the inside.

And then the door opens.

A blond man, somewhere around his height, sporting a short and well-kept golden beard, dressed in a light green T-shirt with gray sweatpants — probably just a comfortable indoor outfit. — His luscious hair goes down to his upper back, bound together in a low ponytail by a brown hair tie. He would seem rather inoffensive, if not for the fact that he possesses the strong, muscular build of a workman — if their fight from decades ago were to take place now, it would be no contest; he would have the strength to fold Sunny like tissue paper. — The tired gaze in his glassy blue eyes betrays that, over the course of his life, he has come to see far too much. This is a man reborn; broken and put back together many times over.

"…Hey." Basil greets, unenthused.

"…Hey." Sunny replies, nervous.

The two men stare at each other in uneasy silence. In this moment, Sunny wishes to say something, but doesn't know what. There is so much to go over, so much to talk about… What to say first?

Their staredown is interrupted by a third being. A fairly large dog with golden, fluffy fur not unlike its owner's hair. It quickly begins sniffing Sunny up and down, trying to catch a good feel for his scent. Sunny recoils at its forwardness.

"Don't mind her. She's trained to greet people." Basil tells.

"What's her name?" Sunny asks, leaning down to let her get a sniff of his hand.

"Daisy." Basil answers. Then, apparently judging her to have done enough, he performs a series of whistles towards her, *FU-FUIIII!* The dog responds and stands at attention. "Break!" And then she goes back into the house.

Their staredown resumes with grave intensity. Sunny tries to find his words, but fails. There's simply too much he wishes to discuss. He can't decide what to say.

"You've really got nothing to say to me?" Basil presses. It is now or never.

"…May I come in?" Sunny requests, hoping to buy himself more time to think of something.

Basil sighs in exasperation, but steps aside and allows him in.

The living room is not much different from what he remembers: kitchen on the left, sharing the room with the living space on the right. A rack of potted plants sits under the windowsill, each pot reserved for the classic old plants and flowers — gladioli, cacti, roses, and lilies of the valley —; and there are also new flowers, ones that Sunny does not recognize. The couch and the TV are still there, merely updated for the modern era and placed in new positions. Similarly, the kitchen is effectively the same, only with more modern appliances (as well as an electric kettle; Basil must be quite the avid tea drinker). Even after all this time, this is still the same old home.

Sunny finally finds what to say, "I… suppose I owe you an apology."

"Hrm." Basil grunts from the kitchen counter as he prepares himself a cup of tea.

"Sorry I chickened out." Sunny apologizes.

"Hmph." Basil acknowledges.

Steam rises from the large teacup as Basil pours it out. It would seem paced and controlled, save for the hard knock that he makes upon putting the kettle back down. Tension. Perhaps anger. Holding the cup, Basil leans over on the counter to face Sunny, checking him with a gaze so hard that it could cut through steel. The slow sip that he takes does nothing to ease the edge.

Finally, he speaks. "Why are you back?"

Sunny shrugs nervously, "I missed my friends. Is that not good enough for you?"

"It took you twenty years to miss us." Basil states. Not a question, but an allegation.

"No… Took me twenty years to do something about it."

"Hmph. And what are you trying to do?" Basil asks before taking a sip of his tea.

"…Reconnect with my old friends?"

"Really. Nothing else." Basil doubts.

"It sounds like you suspect me." Sunny says.

Basil takes another sip, then asks, "Why wouldn't I?"

Sunny furrows his brow, "…Are we not friends?"

"Sunny… Every time you show up again you drop a bomb on my lap and then leave. Why would I trust you?"

"I'm… not sure I follow."

"You show up, you kill your sister, I cover it up, we promise to stick together and then you leave me to deal with it on my own. You show up, you tell everyone what happened and leave me to deal with the fallout. You show up, finally I think we're actually gonna get somewhere… and then you disappear without a trace and leave everyone assuming the worst."

"That last one is on you." Sunny deflects.

"Psh! So what!? Still happened! And now it's been 20 years… What's it going to be this time, hm?"

"You presume that I plan these things."

"Hah, I dunno! Do you!?" Basil scoffs.

Sunny sighs and shakes his head. This is going nowhere. "Listen, sorry I left. I had to choose, my schooling or you guys. One of those was flatly more accessible than the other."

"Hmph. So instead of sticking things out you decided it was easier to just leave. Why am I not surprised?"

"You know who you're talking to. Should've expected no less."

"Tsk. Never thought you would be that selfish."

"Hmh!" Sunny raises his head in defiance, "You've got to stop thinking of that as a bad thing. At some point I have to stop letting you all take care of me."

Basil takes a long sigh and sips his tea once again. Mild jitters, and no less tense than before. He's holding himself. Stopping himself from going off the hinges. Remarkable. The exertion involved must be extraordinary.

After a brief pause, Basil speaks, "You know what really gets me? The fact that even after everything was said and done you still couldn't keep your fucking promise."

"Still holding on to that? I thought you were better than this, Basil."

"Hmph! You know, I thought so too. Guess not. Things are different when you're around."

"Hmh! Am I that special?" Sunny snarks. At himself, mostly.

Basil does not answer. The cold stare that he launches towards Sunny says enough. Nonetheless… "If that's all you came for, I'd like you out of my house now, please."

"Hmh…" There is one last thing he wants to ask. "Will you be showing up at Hero's tomorrow?"

"I dunno." Basil says between sips, "Don't have a reason to."

"If you do, I think I've got something you'll like."

"And you expect me to trust you… why?" Basil raises an eyebrow.

"I don't." Sunny states bluntly, "At the end of the day, whether you trust me or not is the thing that matters the least. I'll be here for a month; that can be with you or without you. I'd much prefer for it to be with, but… not my choice to make."

Basil grumbles, looking into his cup in contemplation.

Sunny continues, "And besides, if I'm ever going to fulfill that promise… you need to be there, too."

Basil presses his lips. "Hmph. We'll see… We'll see…"

At that, Sunny looks at his watch. Alarm overtakes him as he realizes he's going to be late to meet Claire. "Ah, crud… I need to go now. Hope I see you tomorrow." he says, making his way to the door.

"Alright. Take care." Basil bids him goodbye.

And Sunny steps out of the house.

We'll see what becomes of this…

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, late afternoon

He makes haste over to Faraway Plaza. Arriving there, he sees Claire waiting for him at the parking lot, right next to their car. He's nearly 30 minutes late.

"'Meet up at 5 for groceries', he said." the lady teases him. 

"Got sidetracked. Today has been a very scatterbrained day…"

"Well, at least I had time to make a list. Let's get this done quick, I'm getting pretty hungry."

Sunny nods. They go into Othermart, grab a shopping cart and begin browsing the many shelves and aisles. Claire's list contains all of the household essentials: food and drink for the week; extra snacks for the kids (and maybe themselves); bathroom, kitchen and cleaning supplies; and, extremely essential, cookie batter. Everything they need to make their stay more enjoyable. Travelling through the aisles is usually dull, uninteresting work, barely worthy of any thought; for Sunny, however, going through Othermart is another story; at every turn, at every corner, he can think of some sort of memory. Sometimes it'd Mari and Hero running groceries together; sometimes it'd be him and Aubrey browsing candy at Candice's; there's that one time when he was a small child where Mari told him that lemons were called oragnes — you know, as a joke… until he embarrassed himself and then she corrected it. That one became a running gag.

And of those, one sticks out quite clearly. "Hm. Strangest memory just came to me." Sunny speaks up, "There was this one couple here in Faraway — Sean and… Karen, I think? — who had this preternatural ability to turn everything they did into something romantic. Even grocery shopping. It was quite impressive."

"Hm. And now you're thinking of trying it with me?" Claire coos.

"Well, I meant it less as a declaration of intent and more as… Standing here with you… it reminded me of them. I wanted to share that with you." he says, losing himself in her dark eyes.

Claire smiles. "Hm. Well, the thing that I find impressive is how you remember all these little details. I don't remember nearly as much of my childhood."

"Hmh. Though you wouldn't have much of note to remember, would you?" Sunny muses, considering what he knows of her.

"Yeah, I guess that tracks. *Sigh…* " she looks down with a faint longing in her eyes.

"Hey. You had no control over it." he consoles.

"I know. Still kinda wish I had those years… Tsk." she laments.

"Hmh… Well, let's get this over with. That coffee shop is making me very curious."

"Oh." Claire notices, "Hey, I did say we needed coffee this morning."

"Ooooooh, don't tempt me…"

"C'mon. Just a five minute dip, in-and-out. We buy one blend each."

He cannot say no to this. "…Alright."

As they approach the coffee shop, Sunny catches a whiff of freshly toasted coffee beans coming from inside. He is drawn to the strong odor, following it not unlike how a cartoon character would float towards a freshly baked pie on a windowsill. Upon getting close enough, he becomes overwhelmed by it. Enraptured by the smell, he closes his eyes. It is simply… godly… "Ah…"

Someone approaches them — an attendant, perhaps — "Welcome! How can I help you?" the young woman asks.

"Ah, no, we're just browsing, thank you." Claire replies.

"Very well. Let me know if there's anything you need." the lady says in a service voice.

"Let's go, Sunny." Claire says.

The bliss… too strong… can't move…

"Uh… sir? Are you okay?" the attendant asks.

"Soleil? " Claire also checks in.

"Ah…" sigh… delightful… too good…

"I… I think the smell broke him." Claire realizes.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" "Hihihihi." the two ladies start laughing. Sunny is unbothered by this. In this moment, there is only the divine smell of delectable coffee.

"Here, uh… I'll take care of him. Thank you!" Claire bids goodbye, tugging him along by the arm.

"Haha, see you! Let me know if you need help!" the attendant waves.

Over the course of the coffee shopping, Sunny dares not open his eyes for fear of breaking the spell. Claire simply takes over all the procedure of choosing their coffee and then paying for it at the register. Eventually, they get enough distance from the store for Sunny to come back to himself. And he opens his eyes once more, gaze unfocused.

"Soleil? Hello?" Claire checks in, waving her hand in front of his face.

"I think I saw heaven…" he says, still recovering from the experience.

"I could tell! How was it?"

"Haah…" Sunny shudders. Singularly sublime. Alas, this can't be forever. This, too, warrants reaching for the water bottle.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

And his mind is purged of foreign influence. Unfortunate as it may be to let go of that, he has responsibilities to attend to. "…Let's get this over with."

Claire nods. They take all their purchases back to the front and work in tandem to get everything scanned in, paid for, and then taken to the car. From there, they will offload everything at their residence and go grab some well-earned dinner.

To think, he once did not understand what the deal was with coffee…

July 3rd, 2022, late afternoon

Mom and Dad make it back just in time for dinner. Abbi and Luna sit at the table with Dad, Sally, Mr. Kel and Mr. Hero as their meal is laid out before them. Rice, beans, chicken nuggies and some kind of veggie salad. Other than that last one, this is looking very yummy. Abbi is really eating well with this family. She takes a ready-made meal of rice, beans and nuggies.

Scooping it all up into one forkful, Abbi bites down. The rice and the beans are a perfect, filling combo, and the nuggie adds an incredibly tasty flavor to the mix. It tastes a little different from what she's used to, actually. Better, in fact. And it's all good enough to go down with no complications.

"Mmm. These nuggies are really good!" Abbi exclaims.

"Oh, that's not chicken nuggets, that's breaded chicken." Sally corrects.

"Oh." Wait, that's different. It's gonna stay down, right?

"It's basically the same thing, just made with the actual meat rather than… whatever slop nuggets are made of." Sally assures.

Well, it did taste a lot better than chicken nuggets… She might actually be okay with this. Abbi takes another tentative bite out of her food, and… Yup. Still good. And then she looks over at dad, pleading with her kitty eyes.

"Someone is looking at me like she wants me to start making this." Dad picks up on her interest. Yes, yes she does.

"Wow, look at you, sis! Actually eating something new!" Luna teases.

Abbi sticks her tongue out at her. Her sister responds in kind.

"Kids, less teasing, more eating." Dad orders. Their playfight will have to wait.

After that, Sally takes a bite from her food, but immediately recoils, "Hey, wait sec. This one isn't chicken!" she complains, "THIS IS BREADED STEAK!"

Mr. Kel flashes a devilish grin. He's clearly trying to suppress a laugh.

"KEL, WHAT THE FUCK!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Mr. Kel lets the laughter out.

"WHO ELSE DID YOU SERVE THIS FOR!?"

"Hahahaha…! Haa… No one… No one. That's the only pranked one."

"Oh my God…" Sally grumbles, "Y'know what the worst part is, I'm the one who made the chicken, so he came in after and added this in!"

"If you don't want it, give it to me." Dad steps in.

"Take it… Please take it…" Sally offers her plate.

"Oh, here's steak connoisseur Sunny, coming for the save!" Mr. Hero comments from off to the side.

"Steak is steak, breaded or not." Dad says while he takes it off of Sally's plate. He takes a bite and chews on it for a bit, his face contorting as he judges the taste. "Hm. Can't tell if this is good or bad… Is this seasoned any?"

"Uhh… Uhhhhhh… Hero, help me out here." Mr. Kel flounders, and Dad stares at him with the driest deadpan ever seen.

"Oh, I can't help you there, Kel. That's just a cardinal sin." Mr. Hero says.

"Listen, I had to do this on short notice, okay? It's only salted." Mr. Kel excuses.

"Hmh. I can tell that. Not only is it unseasoned, it is also medium-rare. And I don't much appreciate the taste of blood… " Dad grumbles.

"Sorry, Sunny. It was supposed to be a cheap joke…" Mr. Kel apologizes with a conflicted smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Gah, I'll eat it. If you ever happen to eat at our place, I'll show you how to make a real steak." Dad boasts. And it's not a joke either, his steaks are real good.

"Well, now you're getting my attention…" Mr. Hero pitches in.

"Heh. Guess I'm gonna have to take you up on that one of these days." Mr. Kel replies.

"Mhm. Anyway, pass me the juice? Need to rinse my mouth…" Dad requests.

And everyone continues hanging out over dinner. As it turns out, hanging around Dad's friends is pretty fun.

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, early evening

Now that everyone is done with dinner, Sunny takes an opportunity to explore the rest of the house; it's bound to be different now that everyone is all adults. The first obvious difference is that there is now a room on the left of the hall, where there was none before. Sunny approaches it, not entirely sure if it's his mind tricking him again, but, sure enough, there is an entire suite behind the door. This is definitely where Mr. and Mrs. Santos sleep, judging by the double bed and the extensive amount of railings installed.

Next up, he heads to where Kel and Hero's bedroom used to be. First, the door has a 'KNOCK BEFORE YOU ENTER' sign hanging off of it. Peeking inside, the room — walls painted in lilac — is no longer divided down the middle for two different people, now it is sectioned into bed, wardrobe and drawers on the left and shelves, filing cabinet and a desk with a computer on the right. Hanging just above the bed, there is some kind of pride flag — pink, yellow, and blue. — Sunny has not kept up with LGBT discourse enough to know what that means. The last detail he notices is the windowsill with three flower pots: a cactus, a rose and… some tall, spherical bloom. He doesn't recognize what it is.

Someone taps on his shoulder, "Heyy, whatcha lookin' at my room for?" Sally asks with an unamused smirk.

"Oh, uh… I was just… exploring." Sunny mutters, startled at being caught off guard.

Sally raises an eyebrow, "Exploring my bedroom?"

"Um… This was… Kel and Hero's room… when I was here." Sunny sheepishly explains.

"Oh. Well, it's mine now. Scooch, please." Sally requests.

"Uh. Sure." he nervously lets her through. She enters the room, nods towards him, and shuts the door behind her.

"Yeah, Sally really values her privacy." Kel tells as he limps his way up the stairs with his cane in hand.

Sunny looks back at her door apprehensively. He hopes he hasn't damaged her trust in him.

"But hey, I can show ya my room, if you'd like." Kel offers.

That makes things easier. "Sure." he nods.

Kel's room occupies what used to be his parents' room. The basketball theming here is apparent, with a couple of Kel's old jerseys from his professional career hanging off the walls, a hoop set up over the dirty laundry basket, and other basketball-themed paraphernalia. There is a trophy placed atop a shelf of tapes and DVDs, each one labeled according to date and notable events. Under the window is the bed, beside it is a bedside table with a CPAP machine ("Oh yeah, after I got this thing, never slept better."), and in front of it is a CRT television with a multimedia player set up underneath. Oh hey, the old SNES is here too. And Kel's action figure collection as well.

Sunny walks in and takes the space in. There's a lot of nostalgia packed in here. *Fiuuuu…* He whistles at all the memories.

"And hey, if you wanna see my career history, now is the time." Kel says, gesturing at the shelf.

"Let's see it." Sunny agrees.

Kel heads over to the tape shelf and picks the first one, then loads it into the multimedia player. After fiddling with the settings for a bit, the TV starts playing a recording of a basketball game. "This is one of my first games." he tells.

Seeing Kel come onscreen, it is easy to tell he was at his prime. Tall, athletic, and still with a lot of hair on his head. Glistening muscles, a healthy tan and constant cheerfulness. He is not dissimilar from the Kel that knocked on his door all those years ago. The year of the recording catches Sunny's eye: 2005. If Kel finished high school in 2002, that doesn't line up with a full college education.

"Hm. You said you went to college, correct?" Sunny asks.

"Correct."

"What did you major in?"

"I, uh, didn't. I dropped out." Kel admits.

"Huh. How did that happen?" Sunny questions.

"It's a, uh, long story. Not sure if you wanna hear it." Kel deflects.

"We've got time. Please." Sunny coaxes. Kel getting evasive is a sign he's onto something.

Kel sighs, "Alright, have a seat."

Sunny complies, taking a seat at the bed, to which Kel joins him.

"So, my first year of college wasn't actually that bad. You know, I attended class, I joined the basketball team, got myself some… acceptable grades… Nothing too groundbreaking. The novelty of it helped keep things fresh. My second year, however… I kinda fell off the bus. See, it's hard to make yourself go to class when you don't have your mom next to you making you go, hehe. So I just… I dunno. Started skipping some… and then more… and then even more… until I was only really there for the sports and for the bartender gig I'd managed to land."

Despite the glaring issues, Kel retells this with his usual cheer. He'd always been good at keeping up a smile, even through the harshest of situations.

"But then… I got a golden ticket. After one of our interschool games, an agent approached me and offered me a chance to go pro. With how badly my attendance was doing, I wasn't about to say no, so I took it." Kel's disposition turns somber, "Sometimes I feel like I made a deal with the devil that day…"

"A deal with the devil? How so?" Sunny asks.

"Well…"

August 2004, evening

After another long semester and another crappy performance at college, I came back to Faraway to spend another Summer at home, with the same ol' lovely little sister, the same ol' awesome big brother, the same ol' supportive father, and the same old… extremely critical mother.

On that day, I had failed to weasel my way out of washing dishes with my mom. Not that it's an awful job, it's just… boring. But there we were, Mom washing the dishes, while I would dry them and put them away. There was something on my mind… Something I needed to tell her. But I was also scared, because she was probably not going to like it. I'd been putting it off for a while, though, and I was probably not gonna have any other chance to say it. She needed to know. It was a big decision.

"Hey, Mom?"

"Yes, dear."

"Um… About college… There's something that happened that you should know about."

"Hm?" she turned to face me. Unsure if that expression was concern or suspicion.

"So uh… I guess, for context, we had an interschools cup where we did really well. Made it to finals, claimed the championship, good stuff and all that. And uh… Something interesting happened after that game…"

Mom sighed, "Kel, you know I can't follow your stories about basketball. And besides, with how your grades are doing, I'm starting to think maybe it's distracting you too much from your studies."

Stung a bit, but I hadn't gotten where I wanted yet. "Well, no, it's not that, it's… See, there was an agent at that game. A talent scout."

She furrowed her brow. Could probably guess what was going through her mind there. Fear, maybe. Or surprise… The bad kind.

"After we played that, and won, he approached me. Made me an offer."

"Oh, Kel…" she shakes her head in disapproval, "You're not seriously considering this, are you?"

Well, here goes… "Oh, no, I already signed the contract. Next time I go back, it's gonna be to drop out of college and go pro."

"Wh-… Kel! You can't be serious! After all the effort we've put in to make sure you can have a good job without destroying your body, THIS is what you do!?"

"What, I don't even know what degree I'd even want! At least this way I'm not wasting your money!"

"That's not the issue, Kel! You're going to tear up your body, and then 20 years down the line, when you're all torn up and no team wants you anymore, then what!? You're going to be the kind of person that's going to make Hero his money!"

"I don't know! But it sure as hell beats going for a degree I don't even know I want with a performance that's not gonna land me anywhere!"

"No. No. Tell me his contact, we're going to call him and we're going to cancel it."

I think something broke in me that day. "…I'm never gonna be good enough for you, am I?"

"Wh-What?"

"It's always this. Always saying I should do more, always telling me I'm not good enough, always comparing me to everyone else. 'Oh, but your cousin did that', 'Oh, but my friend at work says this', 'Oh, but Hero does this. Why. Can't. You. Be. More. Like. Hero?' …You don't want me. You just want another Hero."

"Kel, that's not what I'm saying-"

"Then what is it!? That you think I'm a dumbass!? You think I'm lazy!? I'm lazy for finally managing to land my dream!? What kind of mother are you, not wanting to support me on this!?"

"Kel, you do not speak like that to your mother!" she issued a warning…

…not like it mattered. "FUCK. THAT. I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

At this point, I can't really remember how the rest of the argument went. But I know I was hurt, and I know I was angry. So, so angry. Angry that it didn't matter how I felt about the path she laid out for me. Angry that, no matter how hard I tried, I could never be good enough to live up to what she wanted from me. Angry that she couldn't be bothered to try seeing things my way.

But there is one line I do remember, as if it happened yesterday…

"I AM YOUR MOTHER! YOU OWE ME RESPECT!"

And that… That was the last straw.

I pushed her.

I pushed her…

I pushed her……

I pushed her………

…

Mari is falling.

"Sunny? Hello?"

Sunny spasms back to his senses. "H-Huagh!"

"Whoa. You okay?" Kel checks in.

Sunny reaches for his bottle.

Inhale… Swig.

Exhale… Swig.

Inhale… Swig.

Exhale… Swig.

And then he answers, "Haah… Yeah, just… hit a little close to home."

"Ah… You need a minute?"

Sunny shakes his head. "I'll be fine. Continue."

So, I guess, at some point, Dad came over to see what all the shouting was about, because, after that, he ran in to help Mom up from the push. I could've sworn I didn't push her that hard, but… You see that walker she needs today? That's what my push did, some kinda spine injury on the counter.

The other person that came in to intervene was Hero, who was pretty pissed at me. And what he said to me is also a phrase I will never forget.

"Kel! What's gotten into you!? You gonna pull a Sunny on me now!?"

"Snrk!" Sunny tries to suppress a laugh.

"Wh- What's so funny?" Kel lightens up a bit, smile back on.

"Hehehehe… Never thought I'd see my name wielded as a weapon." Sunny admits. It is flattering, in a twisted sort of way.

"Heh! I guess it is kinda funny. But at the time… Hooh, it still makes my blood boil."

"Hmh. Makes sense. I take it you didn't want to admit you could do something as bad as I did."

"I dunno. You could say that, I guess." Kel accepts.

"So, what then?"

Well, I wasn't about to leave that unanswered, so I clocked him right in the face. But then that's also the time I was starting to cool down a bit, so I didn't do anything after that. Hero, on the other hand… I think that's the angriest I've seen him get in any of our sibling fights. He tackled me to the ground and raised his fist to beat down on me… But then Dad called out to him and told him to call an ambulance, so he got up and went to do so, glaring at me the entire time.

I didn't really understand what I'd done at the time, but I knew it was bad. Bad enough that there were probably gonna be consequences for me… I didn't do anything else that evening, I just… went up to my room, kinda trashed one of Hero's trophies, and then called it a night.

The next day, when I saw that Mom and Dad hadn't come back yet… I really started to fear, wondering what the hell I'd done to her. And I was afraid of what would happen when they came back… So, before anyone else could notice, I packed up what I could and left. Didn't even say goodbye… Felt like I wouldn't be welcome anymore.

Sunny lays a hand on his shoulder. It must be a hard story to tell.

"In hindsight, I… heh… probably should have told Dad first…" Kel muses, "Pretty fucked up, isn't it?"

Sunny shrugs, "Hey, it's a nice change of pace for me. For once, I'm not the one telling the messed up story."

"PfffHAHAhahaha! I guess that's true!" and then Kel sighs, "And to think, after all this time… I'd still end up coming back… Crazy, huh?"

"Sounds like that'd be a story of its own."

"Oh man, we're not even halfway. This is just gettin' started…"

Sunny nods, looking back at Kel The Basketball Player on the TV. He doesn't look like he's been through a fallout with his family; he doesn't look like he's been any affected from being away from his friends; he doesn't look like he's any hurt from it all. Maybe that's fitting for Kel. Leave it to him to hide his issues under that sparkling smile.

And together, they watch in silence for a bit. The game goes on for quite some time…

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, late evening

"So, how was the career?" Sunny asks.

"It was good! The money was good, the teammates were nice, and, you know, it was basketball. You already know how I feel about that. After every practice session and every game, win or lose, we'd go get a drink and hang out together. Eventually, we even managed to win a State cup!" he tells with pride, gesturing up to the trophy on top of the shelf.

"Huh. Wait, that's genuine?" Sunny points to the one on top of the shelf.

"Nah, it's a replica. But still, an actual State trophy! We actually got a fair bit of fame! There were fans and reporters following us around and stuff… Heck, even I got famous! I didn't even realize it, but I kinda became the face of the team! I had fans! Like, 'Fans of Kelsey', not just the team. That shit was wild. Here, let me show ya the game." Kel says, getting up from the bed to put a CD in the multimedia player.

The recording shows the year of 2010. Not wanting to lose the flow of his story, Kel fast-forwards the disc to its final few minutes. They watch together in silence, suspensefully awaiting the glorious victory and championship. Kel tries to explain a little bit of the tactics going on there, but it flies over Sunny's head. He's mostly enjoying the excitement of the tale.

And the game comes to a close. Together with his team, Kel lifts up the trophy in triumph. "Ah… That first team was real fun…" Kel comments.

"First team?" Sunny raises an eyebrow.

"Uh, yeah. After everything that happened there, I got approached with an offer to transfer to another team, one that was higher up the ladder, playing nationals. That… may also have been a deal with the devil."

"Sounds like you made a lot of those."

"Hahaaa, yyyeah… I dunno what it was, something about that second team was just… off? Maybe it was just me, but… After that cup… it's like nothing felt the same anymore. Like, I'd go to practice and I'd play in the games, but it didn't feel… it didn't feel worth it anymore? Like it was just… routine, at that point."

"Hm. Makes sense. Achievement is a need of the ego. If there's nothing left after you have it, there's no reason to keep going."

"Damn. Spittin'." Kel's been impressed.

"Forgive me if my words are insane or absurd." Sunny smirks, "Please continue."

"Okay, so I was kinda adrift. Like, I'd go back to my place after the day was done, I would lie in my bed, and then I would just… sit there? Wondering why the hell I was feeling like crap. Wondering where the hell my life had gone wrong for me to be at the height of my career and still feel empty. And… wondering how I was ever gonna fix it."

Kel's eyes lose a little bit of their luster. An impending dread comes over the room.

Kel continues, "I wouldn't have told anyone at the time, but… I really missed home… I wanted to see Sally again… I wanted to see Hero… I wanted to see Hobbeez and Gino's and everything and I just… I knew I couldn't. I didn't want to go back and see what I had done to Mom. I didn't want to imagine what my parents would think of me. I didn't want to imagine what they might have told Sally about me while I was gone…" he tells, his voice becoming unsteady.

Sunny lays a hand on his shoulder again. It's a feeling he is familiar with.

"…I started chasing thrills. Like, y'know, there's drinking with friends, and then there's… being so unable to stop yourself that you drink until you black out. That kinda stuff. Called up hookers, made stunt purchases, gambled my savings away… There was a time I had a sports car! Heh. That one didn't last…"

…And Sunny is suddenly very glad about his preference to live Spartan.

"But yeah, it was just… desperately trying to get myself to feel anything. And, y'know, if you asked me at the time I would've probably told you I was having the time of my life, at the height of my career…"

"…And you'd be in denial. This is not the behavior of someone who is content with their life." Sunny finishes the thought.

Kel grimaces at the comment. "Tsk… Yeeeeah… It would always come back to me lying in bed, feeling just… nothing." Kel pauses and tenses up for a moment, a frown becoming evident. "And then, one day… See, there'd always been the crowd that did some uh… shady… stuff…

"…Oh…" Sunny feels his stomach drop. 

"Next thing I knew, I was… doing lines… taking trips… Got to the point where I was fucking around with syringes."

This… is how far he fell…?

"Y'know, uh… There did come a point where I was… lucid? enough to realize that I was… throwing my life in the trash, but… by that point, I was in too deep. I tried to quit, but… well… Withdrawal would make sure I wouldn't make it out the other end."

Harrowing.

"Heh. Sounds rough, doesn't it? Don't worry. There's a happy ending." Taking note of Sunny's silence, Kel puts his unflappable smile back on.

"There'd better be. If the Kel I am talking to is the product of a bad ending, I don't know what a happy ending looks like."

"Hah! Fair. So, let's fast forward a little bit." Kel says, rising from the bed again to load another CD into the multimedia player, "This here is the last game I played."

This time, when Kel comes on-screen, it becomes apparent that he is… weakened. Frail. His complexion, unhealthily pallid. His face, withered and tired. His muscles, still there, but emaciated. It could not be more clear that this is going to end badly… With a shattered kneecap, as a matter of fact.

"See that? That's what that shit does to you. I'm actually a little into withdrawal here — see, while we would pull some strings to make sure we wouldn't get picked up on the medical exams, you can't exactly play while you're high. — And lemme tell ya. Withdrawal? Living hell. It feels like death. It feels like you're dying."

"Mhm. I know the feeling. It was similar when I had to quit smoking."

"Really? You smoked?" Kel asks in mild surprise.

"Made myself stop when Claire got pregnant. Cluster headaches, irritability, shivering, sweating… Arguably the second worst time of my life. Though not nearly as deadly as your… cocktail."

"Psh! Y'know, funny thing you've just reminded me of. Y'know how I mentioned I worked as a bartender while I was in college? We've got a cocktail mixer here, I could whip something up for ya, if you'd like." Kel digresses.

"Once again, I don't drink." Sunny refuses.

"Hey, doesn't have to be alcohol. Plenty of virgin drinks out there. And it's not often that I get to show off."

He'll have to keep note of that… "I'll consider it. Please, continue."

"Okay, so. Somewhere in this game, I'm going to get tripped and fall exactly on my kneecap, full body weight. You can tell I'm not exactly in the best shape already, so that shit is going to send me to the hospital and then they're going to detect traces of crap in my system, so my contract is gonna get severed with no benefits."

"Oof." Sunny has enough work experience to tell that losing a contract like that is rough.

"So…"

May 2017, afternoon

There I was, lying on a hospital bed, leg immobilized, IV drip going into me to stave off the withdrawal, and that… hospital machine thing beeping along beside me. My insurance had been voided, and I was getting no severance benefits because of the addiction.

It was over.

No money to my name, no friends to fall back on, no career prospects and no dignity remaining.

No coming back from this. Not really. Believe me, i f I had died right then and there, it would've been doing me a favor. ("Yeesh.")

So I was just sitting there. Not even existing, really. Just… putting off feeling the dread.

And that's when I get a visit…

*Knock-knock!*

A nurse entered the room. "Sir, you have visitors."

It was the last thing I expected. I couldn't imagine anyone wanting anything to do with me.

"Who…?" I asked.

"It's your family." she answered.

Really took me by surprise, that one. I couldn't even make a response.

"Should I let them in?"

And then… Y'know that thing, damned if you do, damned if you don't, might as well?

("Pascal's Wager?")

Yeah, that. That was the thought process. Which is to say, I let them in. "S-… Sure."

A little time passed, and then the first person I see come in through that door is…

"Mom…?"

She came in with her walker. And that's when I truly learned what I had done to her…

Coming in behind her was… "…Hey, champ." he said, flashing a warm smile.

And then… *sniff* …And then Sally came in…

At this point, Kel's voice has broken. He struggles to draw breath, let alone emit words. Tears well in his eyes. Sunny cannot help but be affected.

"Kel…" he rubs Kel's back, "…Let it out. Let it out."

Kel's sobbing intensifies, and the giant proceeds to envelop him in a warm, tight embrace. Initially surprised, but not entirely displeased, Sunny gives in to the comfort and returns the gesture as best as he can. Eventually, he can feel warm tears begin to fall on his shoulder. And even he sheds some of his own.

Comfort. Peace. The love of a good friend. The catharsis of a good cry.

Eventually, Kel calms down enough to regain composure. "Haah! Haah… I'm okay! …I'm okay…" he exits the hug.

Sunny reaches into his bag and fetches some tissues for the both of them.

"Oh. Cheers, man." Kel accepts, proceeding to wipe away the tears and blow his nose clear.

Finished wiping himself clean, Sunny nods. "So, you saw Sally…"

"Okay…"

So, I guess it all kinda flooded back to me when I saw her. Everything I left behind, everything I missed out on, everything that I was too ashamed to come back and see. And she was the, uh… the image of all of that. Just… my little baby sister, all grown up, standing at the doorway, very happy to see me. Heck, even wearing a jersey with my name on it!

I couldn't take it. I didn't deserve this.

"S-… Sally…"

That's gotta be the hardest I've ever cried…

"O-Oh, G-God… *sob* Oh, God, I-I'm sorry…! *sniff!* I-I'm sorry, I'm s-so s-sorry…!"

Was probably at least a decade since the last time I did…

"It's okay, Kel… You're okay… You're gonna be alright…"

And, uh… Yeah. Fourteen years of pent up guilt and shame and fear and… pride… love… longing… All coming out all at once. It was nice. Nice to finally let all that stuff out.

So we just… sat there in silence for a bit. Everyone hugging me. It was nice…

"Hmh…" Sunny muses, reminded of his own reunion in a hospital, all those years ago.

Kel takes another deep breath, "Haah… Sooo yeah. After that, they offered me to come back home, since, y'know… can't play anymore. On the condition that I go to rehab, of course, heheh…"

"Hm. I wonder if you took it…" Sunny muses sarcastically.

"Ahh, ehh, I dunno, Sunny, what do you think?" Kel plays along.

"Nah. Sounds unlikely. Clearly I'm talking to a simulacrum."

"Hehehehehe! Oh no! You got me! Hahahaha!" Japes and jests. But the story is not finished. "Ahh… Man… Being home again… It felt like I was dreaming. Like, I thought they would all hate me after what I did to mom, but no, they were following me the entire time. Watching every game I'd played… Recording every game I'd played — that's where those tapes come from. — Heck, they even became basketball fans as they watched me! Sally thought I was a superstar! I was just…" happy tears well up in his eyes, "They never stopped loving me…"

Sunny shares in the emotion, wrapping his arm around Kel. In this moment, he is truly thankful. Thankful for the opportunity to be here now. Thankful for the opportunity to be here with Kel. Thankful for all the twists and turns that brought them together today. Thankful for the luck that was required for them to not break along the way. Ultimately, 'they never stopped loving me' is a sentiment that the both of them could do with more of.

Wiping away these new tears, Sunny asks, "So… These last few years?"

"Well, that would be just going to rehab and doing physical therapy — clearly not enough of it." Kel says, putting a hand on his chub. "I've done a bit of twelve steps, but… Look, I may be a believer, but that was a little too fire and brimstone for me. Secular group's been more… eh…" Kel struggles to express himself.

"Less faith-based, I imagine? More step-by-step, for better or for worse?"

"For sure. It's been more my speed, I guess."

"And yet you still drink." Sunny posits, calling back to the cans of beer Kel's been drinking, low-alcohol as they may be.

"Listen, man, I'll tell you what I tell everyone. If I'm getting drunk off that dinky shit, we've got bigger problems. I'd rather not be left out." Kel protests.

"…Fair enough." Sunny shrugs, "And employment?"

"Ah, about that. A couple years ago, I did manage to land a position as a PE teacher here at Faraway School, with the help of the rehab program. But then, y'know… pandemic struck. And yeah, turns out there's not much use for a PE teacher when everything is under lockdown."

"Oof. Unlucky."

"At least they froze my contract instead of cancelling it altogether, so I'm gonna get to start this year probably. But, uh… Yeah, that's where I am now."

"Hmh. Quite the adventure."

"Heh. Eh, y'know, fame and glory is cool and all, but this… This is livin'. I've really come to appreciate, being second banana ain't so bad. My only hope is that I'll get to lift people up when I start working again. That sounds like something I wanna do." Kel says with a hopeful smile.

"Hm. That sounds like you. Good luck." Sunny replies, rubbing his back.

They nod and share the hopeful silence for a moment. On the TV, Kel's injury finally happens. First, painless shock; then, his inability to stand; finally, the gradual excruciating pain that consumes him. And he will never see professional play again.

"You know…" Kel speaks up, "I really do believe that injury was the best thing that could've happened to me. I don't see how I was getting out otherwise."

"Hmh…" Sunny ponders. To think of such a tragedy as a good thing… Perhaps it is a similar thought to the one about his eye. Vices have a way of making you pay for them.

"So, what about you?" Kel asks, "You gotta admit, after I gave you all that, I deserve a little something, don't I?"

"I mean, you already have the overhead." Sunny says. He made sure everyone was caught up via the group chat.

"Sure, but I'm asking for details. You know, your college life, your career… maybe a little something extra about Claire, eh? Eh?" Kel nudges him, much to his annoyance.

"Hmh. I suppose fair is fair. High school was mostly uneventful for me. The coursework and the college prep eventually got intense enough that I stopped talking to you guys, and then I was too much of a wimp to try again. From there it was mostly trudging through everything and spending the rest of my free time on the computer, playing games and browsing forums. At the start of college it became clear I needed to make new friends, so I started making an effort to go out more."

"Is that where Claire comes in?"

"Claire was completely incidental to that. We were in the same classes and in the same group assignments often enough that we became closer by sheer proxy. And we did damn fine work…" Sunny waxes nostalgic.

"Heh. So, what then?"

"So I tried to join a few groups and got burned. A lot. It's… disheartening, to find out people you thought you could trust turn out to be terrible human beings."

"Yeesh. You didn't make any friends?" Kel asks in shock.

"Hm…" Sunny ponders his answer. "There are 'buddies', and then there are 'friends'. Buddies are fairweather. They come, we enjoy each other's company, and then we go when it's no longer convenient. My online peers were buddies; my college classmates were buddies; my current coworkers are buddies; so on and so forth. Friends last beyond circumstance. We get to know what is under the surface. They get to know what I truly am, and… if we stay together thereafter, they're the ones I'm unguarded around." Sunny looks into Kel's eyes. "That's you. You are a friend."

Kel looks flattered, "Huh. Well, damn, I… Thank you, I guess? Heh."

"Mhm." Sunny nods, then continues, "So what happened with those groups is that I dared make the mistake of mentioning that I was in psychotherapy. They wasted no time calling me 'the psycho'. Behind my back. When they thought I couldn't hear. " Sunny snarls.

"Jesus fuck…"

"That is where my buddy-friend heuristic is born. People look at me different when they know too much. Except, if I don't open up any, no one dares to try and connect with me. It's a strange limbo to be in. A fine line to walk."

"Sorry to hear… Jeez, what assholes."

"Hmh. Since then, it has been mostly just me and Claire facing the world together, with my mom's help when it got too much. I'd go into more detail, but I've been planning to catch everyone up tomorrow, all together."

"Oh. Well, alright then. I can wait." Kel understands.

Suddenly, drowsiness takes hold. "*Yaaaaaawn…* Huff… Think I'm gonna see what the kids are up to." Sunny says, as a pretense to perhaps go home and sleep.

"Heh. Yeah. I should probably be hitting the sack too. Was good talkin' to ya, Sunny. Lookin' forward to tomorrow."

"Mhm. Good night." They exchange waves, and he heads out of the room.

What an adventure…

Chapter Text

July 3rd, 2022, mid-evening

"Then what about Monopoly?" Evan asks.

"Nonono, Monopoly is how we don't stay friends." Sally says.

It's been this back and forth argument over what to play for the last five minutes. The girls want a card game, Evan wants a board game, Max is disinterested, and Sally… well, she'll do anything, as long as there's agreement.

"Really, why can't we play President? We never have enough people to play it, usually…" Abbi says.

"Ugh. President is boring! And I never win…" Evan complains.

"Evan, I can help you." Sally proposes. Anything to get things going before they all have to leave.

"But I don't wanna play President…"

"Do you have Uno?" Luna asks.

"No, sadly." Sally says.

Abbi has decided she has no patience for this and has started searching around the cupboards for literally anything. "Ooh, what's this?"

Oh God, Catan.

"Catan!? I love Catan!" Evan perks up at the sight of the box.

"Uh, I guess we could try Catan." Sally says. Wasn't this one still at the treehouse? Guess not.

"How do you play? Abbi asks.

"Here, I'll show you."

Sally gathers them all up at the dining room table and begins setting up the game. Ports, tiles, desert, yadda yadda yadda. It's only for four players, but Max already didn't seem interested in any of it. From there, she begins to explain the rules and the objective, absolutely certain that most of it is flying over the girls' heads and that they're gonna have to learn through practice.

After rolling for turn order, Evan immediately hits a snag in putting his first village down. "Hmmmmm… Uhhhh… I dunno… Max! Bro! Can you help me play?"

Max grunts, but he does rise from his perch on the living room couch. That's one way to get him involved.

Luna takes issue. "Hey! No fair! If you get help, I get help! MAMAAN! "

It takes a little shouting, but eventually her mother comes over. "Yes, sweetheart?" she asks, exasperated.

"Help me play this!"

"Oh, Settlers of Catan, huh? This should be interesting."

"Oh, you know this?" Sally questions.

"I've played it with my siblings. And with their kids, on occasion. But then is Abbi going to get no help?"

"…DAD!? DAAAAAD!?" Abbi yells across the house.

"Uh. Think he's over with Kel right now. Tell you what, let me just play with you instead, we'll do three teams." Sally shifts over to sit next to Abbi.

And with the guidance of the three more experienced players, they continue with setting the game up. Max may be vaguely disinterested, but he does know how to plan a good spread of econ; Sally goes much the same; Ms. Inoue (Mrs.? or maybe not, the grandma is here), however, seems to have a long game that she's trying to make work, hard-focusing on one specific resource with a specialized port for it. We'll see how that pans out.

And the rounds begin. Dice getting rolled, buildings going down, resources getting gathered, trades being made, and the kids asking questions on strategy to their respective helpers. It confirms that Mom Inoue's (yeah, that works) strat is, in fact, to amass as many bricks as possible and hold a monopoly on them, trading them for whatever she needs. Clever. And frighteningly effective. Next time she plays with her friends, Sally is definitely going to try this.

"Say," Mom Inoue strikes up a chat, "you're the youngest of your siblings, yeah?" she asks Sally.

"Mhm." Sally nods, "Only by 16 years, y'know. Heh."

"That's a pretty big gap. It's got to be a weird dynamic, having such a large age difference between you and your siblings, what's that been like?"

"Well, I'm practically an only child. Kel left when I was little, and Henry… well, he's cool and all, but like… he's old enough to be my dad. …If my dad had been very irresponsible the moment he turned 18, but still."

"So it's just been you and your parents?"

"Well, for the longest time, it's been them and Aubrey; she stepped up after Kel left, probably felt bad for me. So she's kinda like a big sister to me. …Or an aunt. …More like an aunt, actually. And, y'know, by the time she went off to live with Kim I was already pretty big. But she's great, I really like her. Your turn, Max."

And the dice roll… 4! One stone for Sally. "That's interesting. I know what being a little sibling is like, but not nearly with that much of a gap."

"How many do you have?"

"I've got two others as well, though we're all five years apart. My sister is the eldest, and my brother is the middle child. A nurse and an artilleryman, respectively."

"Artilleryman? Like, in the military?" Sally gawks. That's even caught the attention of the brothers. ("Whoa." goes Evan.)

"Yeah, we're kind of a military family, at least on my father's side. Though that's not something I'd put on a son of mine, if I had one. I don't think I could stand to risk my children like that."

"Y'know, I could be a soldier…" Luna quietly contemplates from her mother's lap.

"Sure, you could. I wouldn't like it, but you could." Mom Inoue replies.

"Quit yapping and play." Max ushers Mom Inoue to play her turn in just about the rudest way possible.

"Yeesh. Alright." She rolls, and… 7! As retribution for the rude comment, Max gets his wood supply blocked. Karma. "But yeah, all that to say… You've certainly got a unique experience. I'd be interested to hear more of it. Pass."

"Okay, our turn." Abbi takes the dice and rolls… 9! Good roll, Abbi. Two wheat for us, and one for Max.

"I'm wondering why you're so curious about this… It's really nothing special." Sally says.

"Ah, call it… a writer's mind, shall we say. Always looking for little tidbits to put into characters. Quirks, events, themes… Stuff that's true-ish to life, you know?"

"Oh. Gonna put me in a book, are ya?" Sally sneers.

"Hey, open up a Terry Pratchet novel and look around, you'll start seeing the characters in the people around you. That's the pinnacle of writing. The common person's life is much more interesting than we give it credit for."

"Even the most average one?" Max pulls a contrarian.

"The most average person would be interesting in their averageness! Even the most monotonous situations can make a good story. Just have to be able to see it."

Interesting philosophy there, miss. It'd be a great thing to ponder on if Abbi didn't suddenly pull us aside to check in on our options.

A little deliberation, and the conversation can continue. "Say, there's actually something I wanna ask you… Except it's about your husband, and I don't wanna be insensitive…"

"I'll be the judge of that. Shoot." Mom Inoue declares.

"Does his face, like… move? Ever?"

"Oh, that! No, he's just got a stiff upper lip. Always been that way; it's really hard to get a smile out of him. Not that I mind, though. When it does happen, it feels very well earned, like a real prize."

"Huh. So he's actually nice?"

"Wh-… What do you mean, actually nice?" Mom Inoue questions the framing, perplexed.

"I dunno, he struck me as… stiff? Kinda scary? He was stalking around my room earlier…"

"Ah. Yeah, that's the usual first impression. But I can attest that he's the most gentle man that I know; you don't need to worry about him looking around your stuff. Odds are, he's just curious. It's been a long time since he's been here."

"See, I don't know how much I can trust that…" Sally raises concern. And Max rolls snake eyes. Womp womp.

"Ma'am, take it from his actual goddamn wife. If he oversteps, I'll keep him in line."

Y'know what, "…Fair point."

Luna casts the dice for her turn and they land on… 8! That's a lot of bricks for their team… "Okay, we've got a little trading to make…" Mom Inoue pulls Luna over to talk some strategy.

Abbi perks up, "Oh, Sally! Now's the time you can ask!"

"Huh?"

"For Mom's book! You said you wanted it, no?"

"Oh! You want a manuscript?" Mom Inoue asks in delight.

"Oh yeah, I did say that earlier today, didn't I?" Sally remembers.

"I don't really have a way to print it out right now, so I hope a PDF file will do."

"Oh, actually, there's a print shop up towards Central Plaza. I can cover the cost."

"No, you don't have to pay-"

Sally cuts her off. "Consider it a purchase. If anything, it'll probably make a nice gift at some point."

"Okay, when you put it like that … " she concedes. "Oh, by the way, nine points."

"WHAT." "Fuck…" Okay, we've gotta stop that.

The rounds come and go, and eventually Mom Inoue and Luna manage to dominate the game, taking the win. And they start another match, adjusting their strategies accordingly. On and on into the long hours of the night, playing and laughing and eventually growing annoyed of the game. Because yeah, play a board game for long enough and it starts turning friends into frenemies. 

With time, Mr. Inoue shuffles into the room to get everyone back for bedtime ("If you two get to call for us to go home and sleep, I think Papa should get that privilege too, no?"). Resting his head on his wife's as he waits for the last game to finish, he deems fit to backseat their team's play and catches some flak for it ("Dad, you're making it unfair!" "Heheh, yeah, we gotta wait for the strategy committee to finish their meeting over there before we can play."). In the end, Sally and Abbi end up taking the final game to even out all the scores, and then we can finally say goodbye.

With an eventful day like this, no better way to end it. Tonight's rest will be well earned.

July 3rd, 2022, midnight

Sitting in bed… scrolling his phone. As the day started, it's also going to end. He's just not tired enough to fall asleep right now. Evan does the same, following his brother's bad example . The both of them just lying there… doing nothing… waiting for exhaustion to set in before turning over and… well, not quite passing out, just… trying to sleep.

It's a solid opportunity for him to do what was suggested to him earlier. His following list is way too long, filled with accounts that he hasn't really cared about for years at this point. It's due for a little cleanup.  And, y'know, we don't wanna flash pornography to random strangers in the street.

But then… What do we get rid of? I mean, porn for sure, that's the entire point; but there's also a lot of other accounts on this list that he hasn't really cared for in a while. Art accounts that stopped posting a long time ago, political stuff that he really doesn't care that much about, but some of his classmates would call him out on it if he didn't follow, some shitposters that definitely border on the distasteful, a couple of his teachers that have a social media presence… Do we get rid of all of that too? Like, it's not like he even cares to keep up with a lot of this stuff anymore… But what do we keep?

What are we doing? Who the fuck are you? What the hell even matters? All of this is meaningless. Just a worthless series of virtue-signalling bullshit. You know you don't care about anything. How could you? All you do is read about it on Twitter, or Reddit, or Discord, or whatever the fuck. If you actually cared, you'd be doing anything else. Worthless. Absolutely worthless piece of shit. What the hell are you even living for?

In time, Mom shows up to check on the two brothers. As they hear her approaching the door and opening it, they swiftly shift in bed to hide the fact that they were using their phones. Bad things happen when she catches one of them doing it.

The door comes ajar and their mother peeks in, "Max? Are you asleep?" she whispers.

Max does not answer. He knows better than to give himself away.

She enters the room and starts approaching his bed. He realizes his phone is poorly hidden and tries to correct that, but it might've been too late.

"Ahem!" she gives away that she's onto him. She moves his covers to reveal the phone in his hand. "Got you!" she exclaims as she reaches for it.

He moves it out of the way, keeping it away from her grasp. "No! Come on, even on vacation you're not gonna give me a damn break!?"

She continues trying to reach for it, "Max, it's midnight! You should be asleep!"

"STOP! GO AWAY!" he shouts.

"I don't want to do this, Max! Give me the phone." she steps back, keeping her hand outstretched.

"Fuck off! I'm gonna go to sleep!"

"No you're not. You're going to stay up on that thing all night and then you're not going to wake up in the morning! Is this really the example you want to set for your brother!?"

… "Please go away!"

"Not without your phone."

"Leave me be! Why does it even matter!?"

"You're exchanging the day for the night! Do you have any idea what you're doing to your body!?"

"I don't care! Leave me alone!"

"You don't care, but I do! Give me the damn phone!" she yells, lunging and grabbing it.

"Noooo! NOOOOO!!" Max screams as they struggle.

And after tugging and pulling for a bit, she manages to wrestle it out of his hand. "There."

"NO!!!"

"You'll get it back in the morning." she says, walking back to the door, "Please go to sleep. Mom loves you. Good night, Evan." she exits and closes the door behind her.

"G-Good night…" Evan answers quietly, almost a whimper.

And their mother steps away with his phone in hand. After she leaves, Evan's phone lights up from under the covers. He's gonna get away with it…

Just our fucking luck…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, early morning

*FIUUUUU! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

…That asshat is not going to let them sleep any further, is he?

"Uuuuuugh…" Claire groans, then turns over and looks at her phone. 6 AM, two hours before her alarm. By that calculation, she has gotten a little under six hours of sleep. And yet, despite there being enough explosions outside to make a veteran think they're in a warzone, Sunny is still sleeping like a baby. Ah well, the neighbor has forced her hand. Given their flagrant disregard for any potential noise complaints, Claire will have to be the first one up. Whoopee…

She sluggishly drags herself out of bed and shuffles like a zombie into the bathroom. Morning routines have always been tough for her; without any kind of outside presence to gently nudge her along, it always ends up feeling like a battle against herself. She stands in front of the mirror, meaning to wash her face; her arms do not obey. She looks over at her toothbrush, intending to clean her teeth; her hands feel like weights. She stares down at the comb, wanting to brush her messy hair; she merely sways from side to side in half-awake stupor.

It would be depressing — in fact, it was depressing — if and when that was all there was to it. In learning to actually listen to what is actually impeding her, however, she has learned to see the humor in these situations. The real reason she can't get herself to properly continue on her self-care is… her mind is desperate for some coffee. And, you know what, sure. Coffee would go great right about now. So she zombie-shuffles her way to the kitchen.

Opening a cabinet and grabbing one of the blends she'd chosen yesterday, Claire… stares at it. As it turns out, in a true moment of "dog want throw not take", having coffee and making coffee are two distinct actions, the latter of which her mind doesn't want to do.

'Me, you do realize that, in order to get coffee, I have to go through the steps required to make it, right?' she negotiates with herself. Of course, her mind refuses to budge… so now it is a contest of patience. She will not move until she's had that coffee, and she will not have that coffee until her mind lets her make it. There may be that internal voice urging her to do anything at all, there may be that internal voice berating her for how much of a lazy bitch she's being; none of that matters, none of that is truly herself. She will simply stand here… wait for her mind to stop throwing a tantrum… and then she will make her coffee. She can wait all day. Or, well, until Sunny wakes up and makes it for her.

After what feels like a boresome eternity of waiting, but is actually just a few minutes, her internal dialogue finally shuts up. 'You done? Cool. I'm gonna make my coffee now.' and she is finally allowed to go through the process of turning that fine-smelling powder into fine-smelling water. Boil some water in a saucepan, prep some filter paper and fill it with powder, then pour the water through it into a thermos. Voilá , coffee acquired. Serve it in a cup. A little bit of milk and a teaspoon of sugar will make it just to her taste.

She sips upon the bitter liquid and feels its warmth coursing through her, gradually bringing her head out of the hazy numbness of waking up. Now she can properly say that she's awake, which means it's time to actually get her morning in order. Since we're already here, we will start with breakfast and meds. Toast and cream cheese to sate the hunger and a good old glass of water to help the SSRIs go down. It is a true shame that, because of her medication regimen, the coffee she just took will have to be cup number one out of two for the day. Though, really, it only means she has to savor it to the last drop.

And now, having beat the inertia of waking up, the rest of her morning goes by like a breeze. Relieve herself, brush her teeth, wash her face, comb her hair and pop some joints; she feels like a whole new person. Next is the more bureaucratic stuff: cross off her period tracker — any day now —, double-check the family finances on her laptop — the 90 dollar plushie makes her grimace —, and check her email for any developments on that publishing deal — still nothing. One day…

At last, Sunny makes his way out of the bedroom. "Hmh… Good morning." he says, rubbing some sleep out of his eyes.

"Morning. Some asshole was blasting fireworks outside, so I woke up early."

"Hmh. I think I may have heard that in my dream. Didn't think much of it."

Amazing that he can actually feel these things in his dreams and still not care enough to wake up from it. You could probably start a jackhammer in the same room as him and still fail to wake him. "Anyway, I made some coffee. Grab it while it's hot."

"Hmh. One moment." he says before going off to the bathroom. He's got his own routine to go through. Soon enough, he comes back from it and starts grabbing his own set of breakfast. "Okay. No nightmares from Abbi today. Though I did catch Cookie hiding under her bed."

"Aw. Maybe we should bring him with us, just for today." Claire suggests, feeling bad for the poor kitty.

"Hm. Maybe." Sunny considers while sipping on his cup of pure, undiluted coffee, probably strong enough to raise the dead. "Any news?"

"Nothing really. Still waiting on the book deal and our budget is still okay. Although, a few more purchases like yesterday's and I might start considering putting a limit on your card."

"Trust me, it was painful for me too…" Sunny sighs in exasperation, "Anyway, I've got my thing to do."

Ah yes, the meditation. "Mhm. See you soon."

*FIUUUUUUU… BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

"Nevermind. I guess I don't have a thing to do…"

"I swear, I'm going to claw this guy to death and drink from his blood…"

"Hmh. I'll help you hide the body." Hah! Ah, her Soleil~ … Always looking out for her…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, mid-morning

Woken up by the neighbor's fireworks, Luna and family opt to get away from that by going to Mr. Hero's place, even taking Cookie along with them. They drive past that large plaza from yesterday and arrive at a big, fenced off modern house with a very wide driveway and a well kept front yard. Mom parks the car in front and everyone makes their way to the front gate, where they press a tiny button on an intercom. Soon enough, the outer gate is unlocked and they can go in.

"Well, this is fancy." Granny comments.

"Way too rich for my blood." Dad says.

"Says the guy who thought a two room apartment was enough for a family of four." Mom pokes.

"That's different. This is just excessive." he replies.

Ms. Edna opens the door for them, "Man, you guys are here early! We're not even done with breakfast."

"There was a guy blasting fireworks close to our place, so we decided to get away from that." Mom explains.

"Ah, that's fair. Come on in!" the lady allows them inside.

The inside of the house feels much bigger than the inside; the open floor plan makes it feel like there are no walls. On the immediate left is the living "room", a pair of matching couches at a 90 degree angle from each other, facing a big flat TV on the corner. Going clockwise, the next thing Luna sees is the sliding door to a massive backyard, and then a dining table straight ahead. Next is a counter separating the main area from the kitchen, and then on the immediate right is a staircase that leads up to the second floor: an assortment of walkways up above that go to a handful of different rooms; under said staircase is a small washing closet. Everything about this house is practically breathing luxury.

"Wooah! Look at the size of this place!" Luna gawks.

"Hey! Welcome home!" Mr. Hero shouts from a stool on the dividing counter.

"Jesus, Hero… Do you think this is a little decadent?" Dad snarks.

"Heheheh… Surgeon's salary, Sunny." Mr. Hero brags. Dad shakes his head in response.

In the meantime, Abbi releases Cookie from her grasp and introduces him into the new room. He seems very frightened. "It's okay, Cookie! We'll be here for you. You just need to be a little brave!"

"Aww! Kitty!" Ms. Edna squeals, "His name is Cookie, you said?"

"Yup! 'Cause he looks like a chocolate chip cookie!" Luna answers.

"I still don't see it, to be honest." Dad pouts.

"I'm only sure we didn't adopt a leopard because it's not growing to a massive size." Mom comments.

"Well, I don't know what you guys are on about, this is clearly a chocolate chip cookie." Ms. Edna agrees with the sisters. Score.

"Just don't scare him too much. He's agitated already from the fireworks." Dad advises.

"Aw, poor thing. We'll take care, then." Ms. Edna says.

Just then, a little roomba gliding across the floor comes to greet them. Or, well, the closest to "greeting" that a roomba can do. Cookie gets spooked by it and goes to hide between Abbi's legs.

"Ooh. Never seen one of those." Luna says curiously.

"Oh, great, a corporate mapping device." Dad grumbles, cynical.

"Hey, we kinda need one to keep all this space clean. But I'm gonna put it away for now." Ms. Edna says before turning it off, picking it up and heading somewhere to the back.

Curious about the roomba, Luna follows Ms. Edna to the kitchen and sees her enter a side door into the service area. As the woman walks away, she thinks to start checking out all the nooks and crannies this place has to offer, starting with these side rooms here. Time to poke her head in places she shouldn't…

So, right away, we can see that there's another door from the service area that goes deeper in. Judging from the outside, that's probably where the garage is. Luna tries to step in, but Ms. Edna stops her; not a place for children, she says. Even worse, she's practically standing guard by sitting back down on the counter and continuing to munch on her breakfast. Crud.

Back to the living area, looking around some of these other rooms, we see Mr. Hero pulling Dad aside into one of the rooms on the ground floor. Not looking to snoop into what the grown-ups are doing, we go to the room next to that. A turn of the knob and…

Toys. Lots of toys. So many toys.

"Whoooah…" Luna gawks.

Action figures, building block sets, toy cars, buildable race car tracks, the odd couple plushies, a pair of consoles hooked up to a TV (PlayStations 3 and 4 by the look of it), and a bunch of other random bits and pieces strewn about, probably from board games. A big double mattress takes the side of the room across from the consoles, and a couple of beanbag chairs provide extra seats.

This is sweet. Way bigger than the one at home.

"Luna, what are you-… Whoa…" Abbi walks in with Cookie close behind, and becomes stunned at all the abundance.

"Cool, right!?" Luna gleams, opening the cupboard beneath the TV. We could play with this stuff for years! Oh hey, this is where all the board games are!

"Hey, maybe we shouldn't-"

"Awh, don't be boring, sis! C'mon, help me look through this place."

"This isn't our stuff, Luna!"

"Duh, that's why I wanna see what's here!"

"I dunno. Maybe we should wait for the boys to show us around. I don't wanna break anything…"

Just then, from the room next door, the sound of a… piano key? *DINNNNN…!*

"Huh? Was that…?" Abbi the pianist perks up, and before long, she's already heading out and over to the next room.

Shucks. On our own again.

"Mreow?"

Oh. Okay, not quite on our own. Stick close, Cookie, we'll keep you okay.

Y'know, we could keep sifting through all this stuff, but… she did raise a good point. Don't wanna piss off the boys by breaking their stuff. Maybe we should go explore the rest of the house. And so, beckoning Cookie to follow, we go up the stairs to the top floor. Pushing one of the doors ajar…

Oh that's where the boys are asleep abort abort abort

…

…Okay. Surely there will be no more surprises, right? That should be everyone in the house.

Next door opens and…

Okay, first bathroom. Probably not much to see here. A little further down the walkway, and…

I mean, it's a bedroom. Can't say much about it, it's not even in use. The wardrobe in this room isn't even that filled up, it just has a bunch of old timey stuff. Boo-ring!

Back towards the stairs, then the other way the walkway goes. With how this is plotted out, this has gotta be…

Yup, parents' room. Biiiig double bed in the middle, a TV sitting on a dresser in front of that, the wardrobe in the far corner, and a door to their bathroom on the side. Not much else to see, and they might get mad at her if she snooped around their stuff. Pass.

And last, but not least, at the other end of the walkway…

Another room, with a handful of old-ish computers on top of a desk along the wall, and a big shelf on the opposite wall with a bunch of movies and stuff on it. This is the office. I wonder what they have on here… Let's turn these bad boys on and-…

…So the first PC won't even turn on. Even though it's plugged in and everything. Great. Good start.

Next PC is… Well, it looks like it's gonna start up, but then it turns itself off and starts over again. Not gonna work. Have to unplug it to get it to stop.

Third PC takes its sweet time, but it eventually turns on. So we click to open up the browser and… aaaaaand… 

Why isn't it loading!? The internet is working!

Ah, there we go. Took a while. Let's see if it opens… I dunno, Evan likes ROBLOX, let's see if it opens that. Just a quick google search…

…

…

…Oh, it struggles to do google searches…

"Ah, crud!" Luna stomps. This isn't an office, this is a graveyard! "Let's get outta here, Cookie. There's nothing to see here."

As she turns off the computer and makes her way back out, a familiar little piano melody starts to play from the room down below. That's gotta be Abbi playing, isn't it? That's her favorite song. We should go take a look… It's the only room we haven't been to.

Down the stairs and over to the source of the music we go…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, mid-morning

The first thought that crosses Sunny's mind after entering the house — barring the disgust from the extravagant wealth — is the realization that there is a staircase and an upper floor. Immediately he questions whether Hero learned anything from Mari's death, but he pushes the thought aside for the benefit of the doubt. Surely, this would look more like moving on than the alternative. Still, this must be a nightmare to clean.

"So, Sunny. I've got a little surprise for you, if you'll follow me." Hero calls.

"Oh?" Sunny shows interest. A surprise, you say? What could it be? He follows Hero to one of the side rooms next to the living space.

"So, I told you the piano wasn't at your old place anymore, yeah? Well…" Hero opens the door and shows him inside. "…look where it is now."

Sunny can barely believe his eye. Is this the same one? "Wh-… How?"

"Well, the neighbors put it up for sale not long after they moved in. I pulled a couple strings with my parents and got them to keep it in the garage for a while. And then, when we got this place, this is where we put it."

Sunny slowly shuffles his way towards the wooden beast. He feels a tension in the air, as though he were in the presence of a higher being. He runs his hand along the dark exterior, a thin sheen of dust sticking to his fingers as he does. Sure enough, the word OMORI is etched across its center. Feeling his way through the stillness of this moment, he looks deeply into his reflection in the wood…

…And OMORI stares right back.

"Hello again… my old friend…" he mutters to himself.

A surge of resolve, and Sunny goes around to prepare the instrument for play, lifting its lids and pulling out the dust cover from the keys. He hovers a finger over one of the ivories… It trembles. Feels as though he is about to defile a sacred object.

But defile it he shall.

*DINNNN…!*

Ethereal. Resplendent. Haunting. Sends a chill down his spine. To think, twenty years down the line, this thing would still be around. Terrific. Terrifying.

The noise seems to have attracted someone's attention. "Woah… Is that a grand piano!?" a little Abbi asks, walking into the room.

"Heh. Sure is." Hero answers proudly.

"It used to be your aunt's." Sunny tells.

"Really!?" Abbi gawks as her eyes begin to gleam. She's certainly seeing more value in it now. "…Can I play it?"

"Er, I mean… I haven't tuned it in a while." Hero confesses.

"That's okay. I don't mind." Abbi says, making her way over. With some assistance, she drags the stool over and adjusts it to suit her height.

"Here, let me find some sheet music." Hero says, then turns over to a nearby shelf to look for it.

In the meantime, Abbi begins warming herself up by playing some basic melodies, mostly trying to get a feel for what notes are where. Sunny listens while staring out a window in the room. Nostalgia washes over him, taking him back to a time when it was his sister playing such practice. He closes his eyes and lets his mind go back…

Done with his searching, Hero presents a piece to Abbi, "Here, do you think you can play this one?"

"Uh. I can try…"

And she begins to play. The piece starts with a long and steady downward arpeggio, which then comes back up as it slows down. It almost feels familiar to Sunny…

Wait… It's a waltz…

It's that waltz…

DANGERDANGERDANGER

"N-NOT THAT ONE!" he pushes out, and Abbi stops in her tracks. "Not that one… Not that one… Anything but that one…"

"Oh… Um…" Hero mumbles. 'He ought to regret bringing that up.'

"Um. I can play Clair de Lune. I know it by heart." Abbi suggests.

"Oh. Sure." Hero accepts.

And she begins playing once again, in a melody much less upsetting. Although she struggles to find the opening chord, once she does, it's off to the races. It soothes Sunny as he allows his breath and heart to calm themselves.

And then she hits a wrong note.

She draws no attention to it and keeps going, but Sunny has heard this enough times to know she made a mistake. And then she makes another, and it makes him flinch. He feels an ache in his fingers and tries to stretch them. The pain still remains. It doesn't make sense, he's heard her play before, even make mistakes. This shouldn't be upsetting him. This shouldn't be happening. What is going on…?

He turns towards her, and then he sees it.

Something… in the piano.

He stands paralyzed. It can't be real, it must be a fabrication of his mind. It feels real nonetheless. An eye at the center of her hair and another at a small gap on the piano. And then its teeth, dozens, hundreds of teeth emanating from the lid, bared and ready to bite down on his daughter. He feels an urge to save her, but his recognition of its unrealness stops him.

A voice speaks to him.

"No, Sunny, that's not it. It's supposed to go like this."

Mari… Her guidance… The recital…

"You're going too fast, Sunny. It's okay, just calm down."

Sunny tries to calm down…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

"Now you're going too slow… Try to keep up with me, okay?"

…But his lungs fight to breathe.

"No, not like that. Focus, Sunny, we don't have all day."

Sunny tries to focus…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

"Dammit, Sunny, focus! We can't be making mistakes like this!"

…But nausea overwhelms him.

"I know it hurts, but we've got to keep going. We're only gonna have one shot at the stage."

Sunny tries to persist…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

"No no no, what was that!? Dammit, Sunny, are you even trying!?"

…But he can't hold steady.

This shouldn't be happening Why is this happening Why can't he move Why can't he breathe Get a grip Get it together Help Help Help Help Nononono

The bottle. Need water.

But the hand refuses.

Why?

Tense. Pain. Paralyzed. Can't show it can't show it can't show it

Backup plan.

Close your eyes. What do you feel?

Tremble. Shake. Shiver.

Ache. Hands. Head.

Racing. Thoughts. Heart.

Lungs. Won't let go. Won't breathe out.

So… Don't fight it. Lean into it.

Tense up. As hard as you can. With full intention. If the body won't relax, exhaust it.

The lungs beg to breathe. Draw it in… and hold. As full as possible. As long as possible.

Tire the muscles. Speed up the thoughts. Faster. Harder. Tighter.

Not good enough. Harder. Stronger. Tighter.

More. More! More!!!

Exhaustion sets in…

And now… he can let go. He can move. The body, under his control.

Dry mouth. Need water. The bottle.

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Thoughts slowing…

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Shoulders dropping…

Inhale… swig.

Exhale… swig.

Emotions falling…

Little

by

little

until…

*Sunny withstands…

*…and can command himself once more.

Steadied mind, we can address the root of the matter.

'No, Sunny. Just because Abbi is making mistakes doesn't mean Mari is going to rise from her grave and start painstakingly pointing them out.
In fact… it would be kind of funny if she did… It would be strangely in character for her.
Heh. Hehehehe…'

He snickers. The humorous thought brings him back to clarity. Why, of course this is happening, he's the one who let his mind drift back. What else was it going to do? Really, he should have expected this to happen. What he must do now is deliver the finishing blow to the things lurking in his head.

Inhale…

Hold…

Exhale…

Relief.

As Abbi nears the end of the song, he opens his eyes again and sees her once more. The morning sun casts a brilliant glow upon her through the window. It graces her with an air of divinity. He basks in the sight for all of its splendor, striking his heart with boundless love for her. It is beautiful. She is beautiful. He made her, and she is beautiful. There can be no greater blessing.

And her song comes to an end.

A soft applause sounds from the doorway. It seems that her playing has attracted the entire house's attention. Claire holding Luna close; his mother near them watching with misty eyes; Edna clapping her hands at the doorway; and even the two boys, looking at Abbi with awe. Or as much awe as Max can muster.

"Bra-vo." Edna applauds.

"Ah. Aha~…" Abbi gets flustered at being the center of attention.

Sunny looks at the little pianist in pride. It is the imperfection in her play that makes it human. It is that imperfection that makes it part of her. And being part of her, it becomes one with her beauty. Would that Mari had understood that before she passed away…

Brimming with emotion, he mutters, "…Beautiful."

And Hero agrees, a longing smile on his face. "Yeah…"

Still, 26 years later and he's still remembering things he'd rather forget… Some damage he did to himself…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, mid-morning

Y'know, the Inoues really don't seem like morning people. Which makes it all the more surprising that they got here before her. Then again, with how the girls keep making those sleepy yawns, maybe today is just an exception to the rule.

Sally and Co.'s arrival over at Henry's isn't much eventful; say hi to everyone, grab some snacks, go look after the kids in whatever they're doing, you know the drill. Evan tells of Abbi's little performance on the piano, to which Abbi gets flustered; Luna takes the time to dig around the boys' playroom for anything cool, Max is on his phone as usual ; all good here. Eventually, the kids settle in playing at their respective consoles while-

OhmyGodkitty!

A burst of fireworks causes the Inoue family cat to dash back towards the girls, jumping into Luna's lap for comfort. Cookie, they call it. Good name for a cat. Sally would go ahead and pet it, if not for the fact that it keeps nipping at her whenever she tries. He's pretty territorial, turns out. Yikes.

Cute kitty cat aside, it's really just the guys and gals at the backyard working the grill, the children having fun here in the playroom (or dozing off with a cat sitting on her, in Luna's case), and Sally watching for danger and also to receive the incoming guests. Should be here any minute now.

Until eventually, the intercom rings, *TULULULULULU!* and Sally checks who it is. A little peek out the window…

Oh yeah, the Cool Lesbian Aunts.

"I GOT IT!" she shouts to everyone in the back, then lifts herself off her observation post on a beanbag chair and makes her way to the intercom receiver on the near corner between the lounge and the kitchen. *Lift. Click! Place.*

After a short wait, Aubrey and Kim arrive at the front door, "Hey! There's my big little girl!" Aubrey greets, sharing a tight hug, a kiss to the cheek and a little noogie despite their difference in height, "How're you doing?"

"Hey. 'Sup, nerd." Kimberly also greets, with a chill and cheery hug.

"Haha! Hi, Aub, hi, Kim. I'm just looking after the kids as usual." Sally points over to the playroom, "The others are in the back, getting the grill ready."

"Oh! I gotta say hi to the kids." Aubrey gleams, then steps her way over to the playroom doorway, "Hi, everyone! Hi, boys, hi, girls, you absolute cuties." she gushes, like she's about to implode from cuteness overload.

"Hm." Max acknowledges with no enthusiasm, "Hi, Ms. Aubery!" Evan says her name wrong, "Hello!" Abbi gives a simple greeting, and "Hmnuh…" Luna is awoken by the greeting.

Kim also follows her to the doorway, "Heheh. What's up, nerdlings? What are y'all up to?"

"Evan wanted to play Bloodborne, but he got too scared, so now I'm the one playing it." Max answers as though he's not actually having fun.

"No, I'm not!" Evan protests, "I'm just… I dunno where to go…" Very sincere there, Evan.

"Ah! 'Avin' a hoont in the mi-'-le of London, guvnah?" Kim scorns with an awful English accent.

"…Please never talk like that again." Yeah that's fair. To which Kim giggles like a gremlin.

"I'm over here playing Celeste." Abbi tells, lifting the Switch.

"And I'm tired…" Luna mumbles sleepily. "Is it my turn yet?"

"Not yet, sis." Abbi answers. …And now Sally's realizing that might be something she needs to keep track of. Has it been an hour since the Switch last changed hands?

"Alright, I'll go greet the others out back and then I'll come here hang out with you all. Let's go, babe" Aubrey says, and then they both start going to the back. "See you soon!" "See ya!" they wave and kiss goodbye for now.

"See ya!" Sally sees her off while setting a timer on her phone for… let's say 15 minutes, that sounds about right.

With that, we can go back to watching Max fail to find his way around Yarnham. Not that Sally would do much better, she never figured out how to get to Blight Town in Dark Souls 1. Still, it's a good effort. Evan doesn't have the skills to actually explore far from the lanterns. …But, of course, that's not gonna stop him from backseating.

*TULULULULULU!* Goddammit, what now? Another peek out the window and we see…

Oh. The gardener and his lovely service dog. He's the other guest we were expecting, the one who no showed the other day. Still, back out to the intercom she goes. *Lift. Click! Place.*

And she opens the door for him. "Hello, Mr. Garter. Hello, Daisy, ya good pup!" Instinct tells her to give the dog a few scritches, but she holds her hand just shy. Service dog. Remember she's a service dog.

"Yeah. Hey." Mr. Garter greets with nervous joy, which does spread to Sally somewhat. Out of all of her brothers' friends, Basil is the one she really has no idea how to behave around. He always seems so guarded…

"So, uh, the others are in the back, if you're here for the barbeque." Sally tells.

When suddenly, Abbi shouts out from the side, "*Gasp!* Doggy!" The girl runs over with eyes sparkling in delight.

"Whoa, careful now. She's on duty." Sally warns.

"Nah, you can let her." Mr. Garter allows as Daisy begins to sniff Abbi. "Here. *FU-FUIIII!* Break time, Daisy!" and the dog jumps in excitement as she is relieved from duty for now.

Running her hands through Daisy's fur, Abbi squeals, "Uaaah! She's so fluffy! Luna! Luna, come see this!" she calls.

"Uuuugh…" Luna groans from the other room.

Evan, however, perks up at the call, "Is it Daisy!?" he runs out of the room "Hey! Daisy!!"

In her excitement, Daisy scores a solid lick on Evan's face. "Ueh! Hahahaha! I missed you too, Daisy." And then he gives her a nice big hug.

"U-Um… hi." Luna greets from the doorway. Looks like she did get up to see the dog, though she seems very apprehensive about it.

"Hey." Mr. Garter greets, "I'm guessing you're Luna."

Luna nods, then tentatively eyes Daisy.

"Did you want to pet her?" Mr. Garter asks.

Luna slowly, carefully approaches the dog. As Daisy starts to sniff Luna for her scent, the girl quickly pulls away, "Aah, aaAAah…!"

"Whoa, whoa. It's okay, she doesn't bite. Just let her catch your scent first, like this." Mr. Garter puts his closed hand in front of Daisy's nose, then turns it into some chin scritches. "Now you try it."

Luna reaches out for Daisy to get her scent, meanwhile Mr. Garter commands the dog to settle down, "Eeeasy, girl… *Fiuuuu… Fiuuuuu…  Shhhhhh…* "

And Luna starts petting the dog. "Aha… Ahaha…" she tries to laugh off her nervousness, though it's very apparent that she's shivering pretty hard. This girl really doesn't do well with dogs, does she?

"She's cute, isn't she?" Abbi asks her sister.

"Aha… Y-Yeah…" Luna replies.

"Say, I don't recognize you two. What are your names?" Mr. Garter asks.

Abbi takes charge of introductions, "My name is Abigail, and this is my sister Luna. We're twins."

"Yeah, they're the kids of… uh…" Sally internally kicks herself for not having managed to get their parents' names down yet, "They're the Inoues' kids."

Though Basil recognizes the name, he's taken aback by it. "O-Oh! Well! Nice to meet you! I'm Basil Garter, this is my service dog Daisy."

"Nice to meet you!" Abbi says. And then we find out the real reason why she came out of the playroom, "Now uh… Hey Sally, where's the bathroom? I need to pee…"

"Oh, uh. Under the stairs, right there." Sally points. And Abbi shuffles over into it.

"I'm… gonna go back to Cookie." Luna decides, "Uh. Bye." then waves and leaves.

Mr. Garter nods, "See you around." and then takes a deep breath, "Hooookay… They're in the backyard, you said?"

Yup. Nod.

His disposition hardens back up, "Alright… On to business… Let's go, Daisy. *FUI FUI!*" he orders her back into duty, and off to the backyard they go. Weird how he's bordering on frenzy like that. Is something wrong? Is something ever not wrong with him?

"Bye, Daisy, see you!" Evan sees off before heading back to the game on the TV.

And that should be all the guests we're expecting. Now we can relax and actually join the kids in their play. In time, the timer's alarm is gonna go off, and the girls are going to switch turns on the Switch. Going smooth so far, let's hope it stays that way. (Haha, as if.)

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, late morning

Sitting at a table some distance away from all the men grilling away, Claire enjoys the breeze of this slightly overcast day. Sunlight is definitely one of those things she doesn't usually get enough of; it's nice to take care of some of that here, even if going out every day like this is much more effort than she's used to. The PJs are just way too comfy sometimes.

A pair of sunglasses to shield her eyes; a nice, lounging position on the chair, and… Well, she would be letting herself relax, but her intuition keeps drawing her attention over to all the people at the grill. Kel, trying to be fun and fancy with what he touches, and often messing up because of it; Hero, straightforward and by-the-book; her Sun, focused and methodical; the Santos grandfather, laid-back, but still cautious, practiced like someone who's spent his entire life doing this. A colorful spread of characters. It's amusing to think that there are so many ways to go about such a minor task as grilling. And yet, the evidence before her eyes does not deceive. The little details of people's behavior, so lifelike, so rich. The things that set us apart from each other.

Her musings are interrupted when she spots a new figure arriving on the scene. A bearded, well-built blond man dressed in a green plaid shirt with its sleeves rolled up, a tan cargo vest on top of that, blue jeans and a pair of casual boots, the kind that doesn't reach up to your calves. Accompanying him is a dog with sunny-yellow fur and a service dog harness. This guy could feasibly pass for a lumberjack.

Claire gets up from the table and approaches him. "You must be Basil."

"O-oh. Hello, ma'am." he greets with a nervous politeness.

"Claire Dumont Inoue." she extends a handshake.

"…O-oh! Basil Garter." he accepts. A firm handshake, if a little nervous. "So, you're his wife, huh?"

"Sunny's? Yeah." she nods, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is mine." he replies. As he does, his dog starts trying to get her scent. "O-oh, don't mind Daisy here, she's trained to greet people. Here. Daisy, sit!" he orders the dog, who then backs away.

"What's her breed?" Claire asks.

"The shelter had her listed as a Golden-Lab mix. Should be about ten years old this year."

"Wow, that's getting pretty senior. You gonna get another one when she goes?"

Basil sighs, "Yeah… I'm gonna have to. I might do it earlier, actually. I shouldn't leave a vacancy like that."

"Mm, very fair. Best of luck on that."

Basil nods. "Well, you sound like you enjoy dogs."

"Oh, I had a Beagle growing up. He was a little spot of warmth in the middle of a cold, dark world…" she proclaims, posing dramatically. "Passed away when I was still young, so I didn't get much of him, though."

"A Beagle, huh? What was his name?"

"Spot. Dad was not very creative." Claire answers.

"Hahah! That's great. I met your kids earlier, one of them didn't seem too fond of Daisy here."

"Oh yeah, Luna's scared of dogs. Don't take it too personally, I'm sure she can get around to her."

"Nah, it's fine. Hardly the first person like that I've run into." Basil assures, then looks off into the rest of the crowd. Suddenly, his face acquires a stone-hard disposition. Claire follows his gaze to meet eyes with Sunny, who nods back at them. "Say… he's not up to something, is he?" he speaks with suspicion.

"Um… what?" Claire asks, confounded.

"I've got a bad feeling about him… Don't wanna get left with a hot potato in my hand, if you understand. That's how it usually goes."

"I'm… fairly sure if he were up to no good, I would be the first to know." Claire assures.

"I dunno… I don't trust him…"

"Look, I know I'm his wife, so I'm an interested party. That said… I don't think he would have come here if he feared he was going to do damage. He was… pretty concerned about that back when we were prepping." Claire vouches.

"'Do damage', huh…?" he mumbles.

"And, well, he's seemed earnest about wanting to… make up for the lost time."

"Hmph… Guess I'll have to take your word for it, for now." The most she could ask for, really.

Daisy senses his tension; she lets out a small ruff and stands on her hind legs to brush up next to him.

"Heh. It's okay, Daisy. I'm okay." he lightens up as he crouches to pet her. "I'm okay…"

"YO, THERE HE IS! HEY, BASIL!" Kel yells as the grilling gets done and everyone else starts gathering around the table Claire just came from.

"Well, I've got food to take to the kids. See you in a bit, yeah?" Claire says.

"Yeah… Nice meeting you." he replies.

Yeesh. Yeah, Sunny was right about him being the big sore spot here. Here's hoping things go okay…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, midday

"Aww yeah, the whole gang's back together!" Kel proudly declares as all the adults gather around the circular yard table. Sunny and Claire sit by each other, same as the other two couples here, whilst Kel and Basil sit on their own on their side of the table, at the appropriate distance for them to be considered 'friends' rather than 'partners'.

"You mean your whole gang's back together." Kim remarks, "My guys aren't here."

"Well, that's on you for not rounding 'em up." Kel says, then takes a bite out of a beef skewer, "Ya hah' too monphh to do pho. Mm."

"Gee, sorry that some of us have busier lives than you."

"Hey, boph-"

"Kel, for the love of God, swallow your damn food. I'm gonna puke seeing you talk like that." Aubrey raises objection to him talking with his mouth full.

Kel obliges, "*GULP!* *Ahem…* Both Mikhael and Angel are still here, you could've rounded them up easy peasy."

"That's still four outta six, my guy." Kim points out.

Kel shrugs, "I dunno. Not my problem."

"*Grumble grumble grumble…*"

"What is Vance up to these days, anyway?" Sunny asks, to dissuade Kim from assaulting Kel.

"Financial advisor. He didn't have the days to spare to come here."

"Shame." Sunny laments. "And Charlene?"

"Haven't seen her since I went off to college. Probably just moved on, I dunno."

"Mhm…" Same as him for the longest time, really. But the one that he needs to gather his courage in order to address… "And you, Basil? Think you're the only one I haven't caught up with yet."

Basil sighs at being put in the spotlight. "Well… how far back are we going here?"

"Since I left, please."

"Since you left…" Basil muses, trying to remember the time, "So, after I finished high school I had all of grandma's estate to look after, so I couldn't exactly go to college."

"So you did inherit all of it…" Sunny remembers. It was shocking news at the time.

"Yup. Every single asset in testament, going straight past my parents. They tried to give me some shit about it, but we ended up settling that in the end. Anyway, I figured I'd make good use of my skills working as a florist for Fix-It. It was nice for a little while, but… floriculture gets kinda boring when it's just a business endeavor, you know. Not nearly as fulfilling as when it's just for friends."

"Hm. I can imagine." Sunny says. It is the difficulty with industrializing a hobby in order to make money off of it. Your passion dies with it. "So?"

"So I was stuck in that job while I got to watch all of my friends leave one by one. Thanks for that, by the way." a jaded Basil grumbles at the whole table, but the glare he throws at Sunny is especially accusatory.

"Hey, we all had our lives to go through. Sorry we left you behind." Hero apologizes.

"Hmph. Anyway, there was nothing left for me here, so I ended up moving to the city and taking up freelance event photography. You know, birthdays, weddings, school events,-"

"Funerals?" Sunny blurts out, before grasping the true intent of these words. He shouldn't poke that scar.

Basil recoils for a moment, "N-not funerals."

'One was too many, then.'

Not saying that. Swig.

"But, uh… Yeah." Basil continues, "That work was a lot more meaningful to me. It felt like I was actually making cherished memories, even if it was for random strangers. Also helps that I'd gotten Daisy here to help me out." he pats the dog for a moment, "It was like that for a good… 7, 8 years? Until the pandemic hit and all the contracts dried up. So now I'm back here, giving the whole floriculture thing another shot, with some gardening and landscaping alongside it. It's been nice so far. Much better than the first go around."

"Ah, nice to hear." Aubrey speaks. "I remember how you were way back when, was worried it'd be more of the same here." …Interesting comment.

"Thanks, Aubrey." Basil nods, "So yeah. Lots of ups and downs. And I'm hoping there's not gonna be another downturn, one-eye." Another death glare towards Sunny.

'You're the one who did that, remember.'

Not saying that. "Hmh."

"Whoa whoa whoa, where did that come from? We're all friends here, right?" Kel looks around the table, taken aback by the standing aggression between the two.

"No, he has a point." Sunny concedes, "I'll try not to drop a burden on you this time."

"Hmph. We'll see about that." Basil replies. And then the table falls silent under the tension. "At any rate, I'm not here to argue with you guys. Sunny said he had something to show me."

"Ooh, what is it?" Kel takes interest.

"You'll see. Though I'd prefer we finish eating before I show it. Unless you're in a hurry?" Sunny turns toward Basil.

A moment of consideration before he answers, a glance at his phone to check his commitments, and then… "Eh, I've got time today."

Sunny nods. Tradesmen tend to be busy people, he wouldn't want to keep him.

And Kel comes in to reinstate the cozy mood. "Alright… Now that that's out of the way, anyone got something good going on in their lives? Any ladies we should know about, Basil? " Kel elbows him a little, teasing malice plastered on his grin.

"Uhm, er… No." Basil answers, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Really? This is what we're going to talk about?" Hero deadpans.

"Hey, I'm the only other single guy here, I gotta know when I need to hurry up!" Kel responds.

"It's not a competition, Kel…" Aubrey rubs her temple.

"It's not, but I still feel like I'm falling behind here! Dad is not gonna stop teasing me about it until I actually go for someone."

"Eugh. Parents…" Aubrey groans.

"For my part," Claire pitches in, "I've yet to hear much about you two." she gestures towards Hero and Edna.

"Um…" "I mean, what do you want to hear?" the couple hesitates.

"Anything! I've sung the praises of Sunny to you! I've told you of his cooking, I've told you a couple of stories of ours… Heck, he's even good in bed!"  Claire announces, shameless devil she is.

…To which Sunny chokes on his food. "M- Ma fleur…!"

"""Ooooooo~…""" the rest of the table coos.

"Good in bed, you say?" Aubrey teases.

"That's high praise right there." Kim comments. Of course the lesbians would have high standards in that regard.

"Point is, you've got to give me something. I want to hear a story." Claire requests.

After some consideration, Edna makes a suggestion, "How about a story of when we had Evan? Since we're on the topic of beds."

"H-Honey…" Hero pleads.

Regaining his composure, Sunny tries to change the subject. "*Ahem…* A-… As much fun as you guys are having, I… did not… exactly… come here… to discuss… sex life… with my… childhood friends."

"…I think I agree with Sunny here." Hero backs him up. Thanks, pal.

"It's not sex life, though!" Edna doth protest.

"Aw, c'mon, you guys are no fun." Kel bemoans.

To which Kim has something to say about. "Tell you what then. Why don't you tell us about your love life?" she teasingly suggests to Kel.

"Yes, Kel, please do tell us about your long and storied dating history." Aubrey taunts with a wicked grin.

"Good suggestion. How 'bout no?" Kel refuses.

"Let's see…" Basil finally speaks up, just to denounce Kel, "First there was Cris, then there was Mincy, after that there was M-"

"IIIII'M gonna stop you right there!" Kel cuts him off.

"Aw, boooo! And you call us no fun!" Kim exclaims.

"It's not fair when you guys set me up!" Kel protests.

"People, people!" Hero intervenes, "How about… I dunno, what were your pandemic years like? Surely we've got interesting thoughts there?"

"Not all of us are doctors, Hero." Aubrey deadpans.

"Yeah, but, you know… I still wanna hear what your experiences were. I doubt 'being forced to work overtime day in and day out' is a common experience."

"Well, I got fired and started writing a book, so…" Claire pitches in. The sentence need not be completed; though the book is good fun, it's been mostly rote and dull work for her.

"I think I already answered that." Basil says, "Ups and downs, you know."

"And I'm pretty sure you all know my employment status by now." Kel speaks. Pending, that is.

"For me and Kim it was just working from home." Aubrey claims. Legal practice and web development, certainly professions that can be carried out at distance.

"Yeah, and that's been cute and fun, but it gets kinda samey after a while too?" Kim corroborates, "So, net neutral, I think."

"What about you, Sunny?" Hero asks.

"Agony. Pure. Unbridled. Agony." Sunny answers.

"Huh, really? I thought after the first time it'd be easier for you." Basil taunts.

"You think I enjoyed that? I was actually psychotic by the end of it."

"Oh yeah, he actually started hearing things after a while." Claire tells.

"Really? Like what?" Hero asks.

"You knocked on my door at least once." Sunny points to Kel, "Called for me to get out, word for word what you said, way back when. But of course, that was just my imagination."

Kel is taken aback. "Huh. Not sure whether I should be scared or flattered."

Sunny continues, "Regardless, it's why I've been among the first to go back to in-person. Isolation drives me insane. Literally."

"Man, I could never do that." Kim says, "If I never have to step into an office again, it will be too fucking soon."

"I wish I never had to step into a lab again…" Edna rubs her temple.

"Speak for yourselves. At least you're employed." Kel says in exasperation.

"Your contract starts this year!" Aubrey exclaims.

"Hasn't started yet, now has it?"

And the two old friends start bickering again, just like old times…

And Hero ends up having to mediate, just like old times…

And Aubrey and Kim end up sharing a cute moment together. That's not like old times, but it still counts. Even if it makes his stomach churn…

And Claire pitches in, meshing herself with the group. She's taken well to them, and vice-versa. That's really the greatest joy he could have in this moment.

And, well, we're not exactly even with Basil yet, but this is a start. He'll be here for the surprise.

It's… nourishing, in a way. One he seldom ever feels anymore. Being with cherished old friends, watching good times unfold… He could not possibly be happier right now.

"Hey, look! Sunny is smiling!" Hero points out. And the rest of the table stares at him in awe.

Sunny huffs in amusement. "I really missed you guys…" he says, balancing a tear in his eyes.

""Aww…"" Kim and Aubrey look on.

"Heh. Missed you too, Sunny." Kel speaks.

"Hmph." Basil grunts, trying (and failing) to stop himself from smiling.

"Hey, tell you what." Hero says before filling a glass with beer, "Toast us, Sunny!"

The others at the table all prepare their own drinks. Everyone looks at Sunny, eyes wide with expectation.

Getting himself a glass of water, he considers what he should toast them for. To health? Too generic. To friendship? Too cheesy. To family? Not applicable to some of them. Try as he might, he can't find anything that would convey the singular sublimity of this moment. Then again, maybe such an expression doesn't exist. Maybe he's thinking about this too hard. Maybe it's okay to be a little cheesy. Yeah… that'll do.

Sunny raises his glass. "To our friendship."

""""""TO OUR FRIENDSHIP!!"""""" everyone cheers. Save for Basil, though he also picks up his glass to join with the rest.

And the table's drinks all come together in a cacophony of tinking. *CA-CLINK-TINK!*

Here's to many more years…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, early afternoon

With the five of them gathered around the table and served by Mom, they begin to eat more of that delicious barbecue that Abbi had gotten a taste of a couple of days ago. The delicious meats and veggies are made all that much better by the fact that she knows Dad had a hand in making them. Or maybe it's that thing that Mom says sometimes — 'Hunger is the finest chef.' — It's a funny saying; last Abbi checked, hunger doesn't cook. It sure makes it more pleasurable to eat, though.

The other family, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be enjoying their food nearly as much. All of them are scrolling through their phones, Sally included. Max is being boring as usual, Sally looks like she's chatting with someone on her phone, and Evan is loudly watching whatever Tiktoks he comes across. Distracting. Annoying.

Seems like it's a feeling that Luna shares. "Hey, can you put that down?"

"Oh. Sorry." he replies, turning down the volume.

"No, I said put it down. Why do you guys get on your phones when it's time to eat?" Luna snips.

"'Cause there's nothing going on." Max answers without even taking his eyes off the screen.

"But… we're eating. You should pay attention to your food…" Luna explains.

"Pay attention to your food? Why?" Evan asks, looking very confused.

"Well," Sally pitches in, "one reason would be that they're almost done, while we're forgetting to eat 'cause we're caught up in our phones. On that note…" she puts her phone down and noms the biggest forkful she can.

"And, y'know, I could steal food from your plate and you wouldn't even notice." Luna says to Evan, threatening to snatch a piece of carrot. ("Hey!")

"And also, food is tastier when you're paying attention to it." Abbi also speaks up, "At least I notice that when I eat while watching TV."

"Huh. I… don't think I've ever noticed that. I should pay attention to that… " Sally mutters like she's having a revelation.

"Really? Let me try it!" Evan immediately tests Abbi's claim, putting his phone down and scarfing down a forkful. He does not seem convinced. "I dunno, I don't feel a difference."

"Maybe that's because the food is cold, so all the taste is gone." Sally explains.

"Well yeah. After all the taste is gone, that's what you notice." Abbi confirms.

"Aw, bruh." Evan laments. "So should I use my phone then?"

"No." Luna deadpans.

"D-… Did you just say 'bruh' unironically?" Sally stammers at Evan.

"Say it whuh?" Evan doesn't understand.

"Oh… Oh no…" Sally mutters as life gradually drains away from her eyes.

"Old." Max teases in his usual monotone.

"OOOOKAY, why don't we do something else? " Sally redirects with a very forced smile.

"Like what?" Abbi asks.

"Say, did you guys want to continue that little questionnaire we started yesterday?" Sally asks.

"Ooo." ""Yes!"" Abbi, Luna and Evan all vigorously nod.

…and Max is a killjoy. "Meh."

"Okay! Let's see…" Sally pulls up her phone again.

While Sally browses, Ms. Aubrey walks in from the backyard. "Hey, kids! What are y'all up to?"

"Oh, hey! We were just about to continue a questionnaire we started yesterday to get to know each other a bit." Sally tells.

"Ooh. Sounds fun. Mind if I join?" Ms. Aubrey requests.

"Not at all! Have a seat." Sally accepts. And Ms. Aubrey joins them at the table. At this, Sally starts introducing her, "Okay, so. To get everyone up to speed, this is Aubrey Langley Gene; she is… 38 years old, if I recall correctly? Born on May 23rd, 1984; she is a Gemini; her favorite color is pink, uhh… She's a lawyer; she used to work at the bike shop here in Faraway… What else?"

"Gigs at Fix-It and Othermart." Ms. Aubrey completes.

"Yeah, that too, uh. Other stuff we went over… Tell us your favorite book."

"Oh man… That would have to be… Man, you could put anything by Agatha Christie here, to be honest. I love me a good detective novel, especially the ones with Miss Marple." Ms. Aubrey answers.

"Nice. Next: Favorite season."

"Spring, 'cause flowers."

Sally nods, "And finally, any hobbies?"

"Uh… Gotta be honest, I haven't had time to do much other than hanging out here. I guess do read a lot still…" Ms. Aubrey answers.

"Alright. That's all we've covered so far. Now, on to the new stuff. *Ahem!* 'How tall are you?'"

Ms. Aubrey raises her hand, "5 foot 7." (Author's note: this is ~170cm)

"I think my last measurement was just shy of 5 foot 11…?" Sally tells. (Author's note: ~180cm.)

"I passed 5 feet this year!" Evan proudly announces. (Author's note: ~150cm)

"Aw yeah, a whole 5 feet!" Ms. Aubrey celebrates.

"We're just short of that." Luna answers for Abbi and herself.

And Max is too "busy" with his phone.

"Max, please put that down…" Sally rubs her forehead.

He grudgingly obeys, "Hmph. Been a while since my last measure."

"Surely you're, like, within an inch or two of me." Sally guesses.

"We can settle that. Back to back, you two." Ms. Aubrey orders.

Max rolls his eyes, but he does follow Sally getting up. They stand with their backs to each other, though Max is slouching a bit.

"Back straight, Max. Head high." Ms. Aubrey tells him, and he fixes his posture. "Okay… Man, that is really close. I think Sally still has it, though. Must be an inch, maybe less."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I'm gonna be the short one soon, Aub!" Sally wails with faux-weepiness.

"Haha! Aww, it's okay, baby girl. Aunt Auby here is short and that doesn't make me any less worthy!" Ms. Aubrey gives Sally a hug.

"Weh…"

"Are you related?" Abbi asks. 'Aunt Auby' gives that impression.

"Oh, no. I just helped raise her." Ms. Aubrey answers. "Ever since she was a little kid."

"Heheh. She taught me what lesbians are." Sally teases.

"You-…! Ugh. Kel is rubbing off on you."

"Hehehehehe…" Sally cackles like a gremlin.

"Hey, can we continue with the questions?" Evan requests.

"Yeah, sure, sure. Where were we?" Sally and the others sit down again, "Okay. 'What is your favorite food?'"

"Burgers." "Burgers." Ms. Aubrey and Sally answer. "Though I really shouldn't. I guess eggplant also counts." Ms. Aubrey completes.

"This is all very shallow." Max comments, sounding bored. Well, more than usual.

"Well, yeah, we've got to start with the shallow in order to get to the deep." Sally explains, "We're gonna get there, don't worry. Who's next?"

"My favorite food is ice cream!" Evan exclaims.

"*Snrk!*" Ms. Aubrey snickers.

"Yeah, they're kids, that counts. You girls." Sally guides.

"Dad's cookies!" "Dad's cookies are the best!" the sisters agree.

"Huh. Really? " Ms. Aubrey raises an eyebrow.

"Yup. They're made with lots of love!" Abbi tells, the way she's been told.

"And they're really good! Better than store cookies." Luna confirms.

"Made with-… Oh, son of a-! " Ms. Aubrey cusses under her breath.

"Whoa. You okay?" Sally asks in surprise.

"It's from before you came along. I'll tell you about it later." Ms. Aubrey replies. Did they say something wrong?

"Hm." Sally raises an eyebrow, but quickly continues. "And you, Max?"

"I dunno. Chocolate, whatever." Max half-asses his answer.

"Good enough. Related to that last one, 'What is your favorite fruit?'"

"Oh, you planned for goofy kid answers!" Ms. Aubrey notices.

"Yeah. Yeah." Sally nods vigorously. "So. Favorite fruits. Mine are oranges."

"Watermelon." Ms. Aubrey,…

"Banana!" Evan,…

"Grapes!" Luna,…

"Hm. I like apples. Strawberries, too." herself, and…

"I don't eat fruits." Max, again with the sad answer.

"What!? Wasn't it, like, blueberries? I remember something like that." Sally asks.

"Got sick of it." he replies.

"Awh. Man, what happened to you during the pandemic?" Sally inquires, pity in her eyes.

"…Nothing?"

Not very convincing. "Dude, I'm gonna have to pull you aside one of these days and have a chat with you, because this is really not normal."

"I'm fine…"

"Tsk. Well… Let's keep going. A little deeper this time, I think you're gonna like this one, Aub. 'Do you believe in God?'."

"Ooh…" Ms. Aubrey coos, "I'm curious to hear this one…"

"Uh… I dunno." Evan answers, "It kinda scares me to think about it…"

Abbi takes a moment to collect her thoughts. It's something she has given some thought before, actually. "I don't know if I'd call it God. I do think there could be something greater, just not… really doing anything. Kinda just watching from a distance."

"I don't think it really matters whether there is one. It shouldn't take a god to get people to be nice to each other." Luna pitches in with an angrier opinion.

"I don't. I think it's stupid." Max also answers.

"Hm, interesting answers. I know where you stand, Aub." Sally says.

"Mhm. See, I'm a devout Christian, so for me it's not even a matter of believing. I go to church on Sunday, I pray before every meal, I pray before bed, so on and so forth; I know He exists. I know He hears my prayers. I know He watches over me. And I'm pretty sure I've heard an angel before? So it's pretty interesting for me to hear the thoughts of people who don't believe. Especially so young."

"What do you think of all the atrocities done in the name of god?" Max questions accusingly.

Ms. Aubrey sighs in exasperation, "I think it's really easy to do any atrocity when you think anyone is less human than you. You don't have to be a Christian to do that."

"Hm." Max looks off to the distance, then picks up his phone.

Evan asks another question. "How are you a lesbian if you're a Christian?"

"*Snrk!*" Ms. Aubrey snickers.

"Of course…" Sally rubs her temple, smiling and shaking her head.

Ms. Aubrey recomposes herself. "Okay… So I could be cheeky and say 'Oh, the Bible talks about men sleeping with men, they didn't say anything about women!' but no. You can kinda cherry pick the Bible to justify anything. The way that I reconcile it is… There's a deeper philosophy to the Scriptures. If you try to read it only at surface level, it's a very dry read, and there's a lot of directly contradictory claims in it. Buuut, if you read it a little deeper, and you put it into the context where it was made, it's actually a fairly simple 'treat everyone with basic human respect, even if they're not a believer, even if they're sinful — or you think they're sinful — even if they've done awful things' . So, I guess I'm saying, it doesn't make sense to me to deprive my soul of who it yearns for."

"Whoa…" Evan gawks. This is some deep stuff.

"Not to mention the whole deal of translations and retranslations, and the historical context of the original texts… Turns out the Word of God is pretty messy, heh. And hey, if it turns out it is sinful, I think I'm still doing a heck of a lot better than a lot of folks out there. But that's something I'll answer for at the pearly gates."

"Yeah… By the way, that's how she converted me." Sally smirks.

"Aw, shush, you give me too much credit." Ms. Aubrey waves away.

"No, really, like… Christianity didn't really click with me until I got that perspective. The fire and brimstone stuff these days really doesn't do it for me."

"Heh. Y'know, that I will agree with. Way too much idolatry going around recently."

"Yeah. Eugh."

"Can we move on?" Yup, it's decided. Max is dumb.

"No! I'm interested!" Abbi protests.

"I dunno, I'm not getting it." Aw, Luna, c'mon!

"Too bigbrain. Brain hurty." Evan too?

"Yeah, let's move on before I lose my audience." Sally concedes. Aw…

At that, Ms. Kim steps in from the backyard, to which Ms. Aubrey perks up. "Aubs, babe? Sunny's got that thing he wants to show us, he wants you to see it too."

"Oh, alright. It was fun talking to you kids. Hope we can do this again someday." Ms. Aubrey stands up, "See you around!" she cheerfully waves as she heads back out.

"Bye, Aub, good talk!" "Goodbye, Ms. Aubrey!" "Bye!" they all see her off. And now… silence.

"Soooo… Are we done? Can I go back to the PS4?" Evan asks permission.

Sally, reading through the list on her phone, decides, "Y'know what, sure, we can continue another day."

And with that, everyone gets up to put their dishes at the sink. Back to the playroom it is. A shame. Right when it was getting fun…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, mid-afternoon

As Aubrey and Kim come back to the table, we can finally begin. "So, now that you are all here, there's something I want to show you." Sunny reaches into his bag, looking for the surprise he's been saving for these last few days. It is time to reveal it to them.

An old, worn photo album with the words 'BASIL'S MEMORIES' engraved across the cover.

The others gasp in unison. "No way…" "Oh, damn…" "You still have that!?" they gawk in disbelief.

"The genuine article." Sunny lays it upon the table, "See for yourselves."

Basil is the first to reach for it. He gazes longingly into the cover, his eyes growing misty and his breath, unsteady. "I can't believe it…" he whispers.

Daisy, noticing his state, begins her work of soothing him. "Ruff…! Ruff…!" she quietly barks to draw his attention.

"You actually kept it… All this time…" he speaks into the distance, putting it back down to allow the dog into his arms.

Sunny nods, "I could never dispose of a treasure like this."

"Wow… This really brings back memories…" Hero mutters.

"Well, if we're gonna look at it, we should all do it together, yeah? For old time's sake." Kel suggests resolutely.

The rest of the table agrees. And the album comes open.

12/25 — CHRISTMAS

My first photo! It's my best friend, Sunny, trying out his new violin.
He's starting to take lessons again so he can play at recitals with his sister, Mari. So exciting!

But the photo has been replaced with a drawing.

"Huh? Where's the first picture?" Kel questions.

"W-Why is it a drawing…?" Basil also asks.

"Sunny… What is the meaning of this?" Aubrey inquires accusingly.

"…I'd prefer not to say." Sunny mutters. It's a debt that has finally come to collect.

"Sunny, what did you do to it…?" Aubrey snarls, her suspicion rising..

"I don't. Want. To talk about it." Sunny insists.

"Sunny, I swear to God. If any of the other photos are missing, I will not forgive you." she menaces.

"Hmh. See for yourself." Sunny sustains. He knows that's the only missing one.

"Fellas, please. Let's keep going." Kel ushers. And back to the album they go.

2/18 — MY BIRTHDAY

It's my 12th birthday today! I thought my friends forgot, but they all surprised me with a strawberry cake. I feel so lucky… This year is looking to be a good year!

To which Kim memes at the bitter irony that year was. "Oh no, young Basil, look out, your friend is about to die! Shit, he can't hear us, he has his airpods on, oh God, oh fuck!" The rest of the table roars with laughter, save for Sunny and Basil. It's in poor taste when you're the direct cause of it.

2/18 — MY BIRTHDAY

Another group photo. This was a little after I opened all my presents.
Mari bought me this photo album, and everyone else bought me film for my camera. I'll try my best to use it all.

"So? Did you end up using it all?" Claire asks Basil.

"H-Heh. Nope." he proclaims, "I think if you dig around at my place, you might find a wayward roll or two. It really was a lot of film…"

2/18 — MY BIRTHDAY

Just Kel being Kel… So… many… party hats…

2/18 — MY BIRTHDAY

Sunny playing a video game on the couch. Sunny is a little shy, but he's a really good listener.
I always end up venting to him when I get upset or stressed. Sometimes I feel like I'm bothering him, but he never seems to mind.

P.S.: Cutie. ~Claire

"Pfft!" "Oho!" "*Snrk!*" the table reacts to Claire's little comment. Sunny feels his ears grow a little rosy.

"Hey! You vandalized my album!" Basil cheerfully protests.

"Not your album anymore, suckerrr!" Claire smugly replies.

2/18 — MY BIRTHDAY

Mari and Hero fell asleep on the couch. They look so cozy together… Hehe…
I hope they don't mind the photo. Mari's dad might be kind of mad if he saw it.

The photo visibly unsettles Hero. He reaches over to Edna and pulls her closer. She returns the gesture.

"Oh man, Mari…" it finally hits Kel, despite her previous appearance. "It's been so long since I've actually thought about her…"

A contemplative silence falls upon the table, each person presumably trying to reconjure her image in their minds. One can only wonder what she would have looked like if she hadn't passed away.

'One. Can. Only. Wonder…'

"We should visit her." Aubrey proposes, "Maybe a picnic at her grave, in her honor…"

"Yeah! That seems nice." Hero is in agreement.

Oh…

Her grave…

"I'll bring the sandwiches." Kel is already planning.

"I'll bring not his sandwiches." Aubrey retorts.

A clench in his heart. A pull against his throat.

"I… I think I should visit her on my own first…" Sunny mutters.

"Oh… Yeah. Let us know, okay?" Hero requests.

Sunny nods in response.

'Behold your work…'

…Swig.

3/9

Hero and Mari washing dishes from breakfast. We're staying over with Mari and Sunny this weekend.
It's getting warmer lately so we're about to go to the park. Kel says there's a secret lake area behind some bushes, so we're all going to check it out!

"And now it's not secret anymore, Kel. " Aubrey accuses.

"Man, why does everyone assume that's my fault? You took your gang there, too." Kel defends himself.

"I didn't take everyone I met, though!"

"That's still more than me. I just took my girlfriends."

"Can we agree that you're both at fault and move on?" Hero mediates.

"Ugh." "Yeah, sure."

3/9

We're back from the park, but Kel is still full of energy.
He challenged Hero to an arm-wrestling match, but we all know who's going to win… Please go easy on him, Hero…

3/9

Oof… Sorry, Kel… Better luck next time.

*Gasp…!* *CLAP!* "Rematch. Now." Kel stipulates, pointing at Hero.

"Whuh-wha-oh… Okay…" Hero acquiesces, in that semi-automatic way of his.

Everyone shifts to watch the arm-wrestle between the two brothers. Kel takes a long time to stretch himself, unlock his joints, and warm up.

"I am so screwed…" Hero mutters, already admitting defeat.

"Oh, come on, darling. You're strong enough to carry me, I'm sure you can take him." Edna assures.

Hero sighs. "We'll see…"

Kel slams his elbow on the table, "C'mon, brother! Let's see what you've got now!" he taunts, sporting a wicked grin. Hero sets down his own elbow, and their hands lock together.

Sunny assumes a central position between the two, looking on as the referee. "Now, I want this to be a clean match. No putting your back into it, no moving your elbow, no harassing the opponent." he lists out as if he were reading from a script.

"Yeah. Count us down, Sunny." Kel determines.

"Three… Two… One… Go."

"Hrrrrg…" "Hurk! Hnnnnng!" the two begin to exert themselves, pushing against each other's hands. Hero is briefly caught by surprise, but quickly manages to even out the playing field. Their hands linger at the center, shaking vigorously as they both try to exhaust the other.

"Come on… Come on…" Hero grunts as his strength begins to falter.

"C'mon! You can do it!" Edna cheers for her husband. It grants him a brief burst, managing to bring things back to the center.

Alas, Hero is still the one on the back foot. He fails to bring it back, and his hand strikes the table. "Haaaah…"

"Haah… Huff… RRAAAAGH!!" Kel roars at his victory. "WHO'S WINNING NOW, HUH!? WHO'S WINNING NOW!? THAT'S RIGHT, I AM! WOO! …Phew, I need a drink!" he celebrates, then starts slamming down the rest of his cool can of low-alcohol.

"Weren't you supposed to not be drinking that hard?" Aubrey questions… nervously? Hm…

Kel finishes the can. "Whew…! If I'm getting drunk off of this dinky stuff, we've got bigger problems. Though, you're right, I should stop." Kel concedes. Suppose that's the cue to cut him off.

"Huff… Huff…" Hero struggles for air. He then pulls out an asthma inhaler (hm, curious) and administers it to himself. His breathing quickly goes back to normal. "Dammit… Aaaah…"

"Gold star. You tried." Edna consoles, patting him on the back.

"Alright. Now what say we get back to that album, huh?" Claire suggests. The rest of the crowd agrees.

3/10

Kel was still feeling a little sour about losing to Hero in arm-wrestling last night, so Hero decided to lean in for a smooch!
Kel looks so annoyed. Ah, brotherly love…

Kel throws a smooch in Hero's direction, then sneers. Hero amusedly shakes his head in turn. Ah, brotherly love…

3/10

Me showing Sunny a book I've been reading. Mari stole my camera and took this when I wasn't paying attention.
I should really keep better track of my things.

"You know, I never figured out what book that was." Claire comments.

"Oh, that's 'The Benefits of Tofu'. I had a bit of a vegan phase when I was younger." Basil tells.

Having a realization, Claire turns towards Sunny. "Oh, so that's where your hatred for it comes from!"

"Eugh… Cardboard…" Sunny shudders.

3/10

It's all of us cuddling with Sunny's stuffed animals.
He has so many, and they're all so soft! I wish I could just lay here forever.

"Oh, what happened to those? Please tell me they're still there." Aubrey asks.

"Most did not survive. The ones that did have been passed down to my kids. And we've gotten new ones over the years, so the plushie pile is still quite big." Sunny answers.

"Ah, that's good, that's good. As it should be." she nods with satisfaction.

3/31

It's already the last day of March! We're having a picnic with Mari at our secret lake spot.
Mari wanted to take a picture of everyone! Say cheese!

3/31

After eating all the food, everyone fell asleep, except me, Hero and Mari.
Something unfortunate happened when I was taking the photo. Ahem… Thanks a lot, Hector. I'll have to cover it up with tape later.

The tape has long since fallen away, revealing the poop underneath…

"Awh, Hector, no! Don't make me miss him like this!" Kel cries out.

"Ah, he was a good dog…" Hero reminisces, "Shame I didn't spend more time with him."

4/9

I caught Mari carrying Sunny on the way home from school today. He must have fallen asleep on the bus.
I thought it was so cute, so I got my camera out as quick as I could to snap this once-in-a-lifetime photo! Sigh… Sometimes I wish I had a sibling.

P.S.: Adorable. ~Claire

"Boy, I'm thinking I'm gonna see a lot of P.S.'s like these, huh?" Basil snarks.

Claire's only response is a sly shush. She knows what she did.

4/21

Mari is teaching everyone how to make flower crowns!
Here's Sunny and Kel holding Mari's example. It looks perfect, doesn't it? If only Mari thought so, too.

Pulling throat.

Swallow it down.

Swig.

4/21

Sunny and Kel gave up on making flower crowns and ran off, but Aubrey and I got the hang of it really fast!
Everyone thinks a flower crown really suits me. Maybe just a flower is okay.

"Oh yeah, what happened to the flower-in-hair thing?" Kel asks.

"Kel. It's right here. You haven't noticed?" Basil points at the left chest pocket in his vest, whereupon sits a small dandelion blossom.

"Oh, that's where you're putting them now! Clever."

4/21

Hero's still making his flower crown. It's taking him a little while, but he's getting there! You have to admire his persistence.

"Heh. You have to admire it…" Edna snarks up at the doctor. He only rubs the back of his neck.

4/29

It's raining super hard today! The rain always seems to come out of nowhere during springtime.
Aubrey asked me to take a picture of her new raincoat. It's her favorite color, pink!

4/29

Aubrey won't let Kel under the umbrella, but Kel seems to be taking it just fine. He says he likes how the rain tastes.

4/29

Just Kel being Kel again…
We went to Hobbeez, but the shop owner told Kel to leave his jacket outside since Kel was getting all his comics wet. Sorry, shopkeep.

5/25

It's been pretty busy with school lately, but we finally made time to get together and go to the park today.
Here's Kel hanging his legs off a tree. He's such a good climber! I wish I was as fearless as him.

5/25

Mari bought everyone popsicles, one of every flavor!
Sunny got lemon, Hero got root beer, Kel got orange, Aubrey got watermelon, and Mari got grape! Mine was banana… it tasted okay.

"Mm! I got to repeat this with the kids yesterday." Sunny tells.

"Really, you did!? How'd it go?" Aubrey gawks in delight.

"I got stuck reminiscing and then it melted on my shoe. Then I got brain freeze trying to finish it."

"Haha! That's fun."

5/25

All of our shoes in a circle! Can you guess whose shoes are whose?

"Alright, exercise for the newcomers. Guess who's who." Kel proposes.

"Hmm… I know those are Sunny's, on the top there." Claire begins.

"Do we count that?" Sunny asks.

"We count that. Point." Kel confirms.

"Leather shoes, that's gotta be Hero." Edna guesses.

"Heh. Point." Hero confirms.

"And left of Sunny's is some pretty ladylike shoes, I'm gonna guess Mari on those." Claire guesses.

"Point…" Sunny confirms. Sadly, he has to do it in her stead…

"And orange is probably Kel." Edna casts another guess.

"Point!" Kel replies.

"And… By point of view, I'm going to guess the green ones are Basil's." Claire deduces.

"Point." Basil gives a thumbs up, "Well guessed."

"And, I guess, by elimination, the red ones are Aubs's. Man, I'm bad at this." Kim pitches in with a pout.

"Aw, it's okay, babe. You got me, at least." Aubrey reassures.

6/22

It's the first day of summer vacation, so we all wanted to celebrate by going to the beach! Watermelon is Aubrey's favorite.

6/22

Kel cooling off with some refreshing Orange Joe!
I shouldn't get too close or he might get my camera wet. Kel is known to spill his drinks.

"Lies! Slander!" Kel protests.

"Hey, Kel, do you remember the carpet stain incident?" Sunny snarkily reminds.

"What carpet stain incident!? There is no carpet stain incident!" Kel denies, though he also winks at Sunny.

"Hmph!" Sunny points at his good eye, then reverts it to point at Kel's eyes. We see what you're doing.

6/22

We buried Sunny in the sand! It took forever, but he looks like he's enjoying himself.
I wonder if he's going to need help getting out. I guess I'll keep him company until then.

P.S.: This one is my favorite. ~Claire

"Awww… Man, I love these little postscript comments." Aubrey mentions delightedly.

"Yeah. These are really fun." Edna agrees, "You guys are real sweet…"

"Say, what was it like, being buried?" Kim changes the topic.

"Ah…" Sunny remembers. Like receiving a steady hug, all throughout his body. The sands were a little warm from the sunlight too, so it wasn't even that cold at first. So, all in all… "Bliss…"

6/22

Mari says she wants to get a summer tan! I'm scared to fall asleep in the sun, since I get sunburned really easily.
Hmm… I'm not sure what Kel is doing here, but he's probably having a good time.

"What were you doing here, anyway?" Basil is the one to ask Kel.

"Yeah, I'm curious, too." Claire speaks up.

"I think it was… Trying to fling a towel with my feet…? Oh! Yeah, here, see?" Kel answers, pointing at the flailing red towel in the picture.

""Ohhhhhh…"" Claire and Basil finally understand.

"Why were you flinging a towel?" Aubrey raises an eyebrow.

He tries to find an answer, but… "Look, you're gonna have to take that up with young me, okay? I'm not even sure myself."

6/22

Hero sleeping on Mari. He's all tired out from swimming. Well… it seems like Mari won't be able to get her summer tan after all.

"Heheh. You charmer." Edna rests her head on Hero's shoulder. His cheeks get rosy at it.

6/22

"We're about to head home, but I managed to catch one last photo with Mari and Hero! They look so happy. A match made in heaven!

'Look what you have taken from them…'

…Not now… Swig…

7/20 — SUNNY'S BIRTHDAY

Yay! Sunny is turning 12 today! Even though me, Sunny, Aubrey and Kel are in the same school year, Sunny is younger than all of us.
He's the baby of the group, so we have to take care of him!

P.S.: Aww, wittle baby Sunny…

""Awww, wittle babyyyy!"" Aubrey and Kim rag on the post scriptum , much to Claire's amusement.

"Don't patronize me." Sunny deadpans.

"Baaabyyyyyyyy!" No effect.

"Ugh…"

7/20 — SUNNY'S BIRTHDAY

Sunny holding a super huge present, from Mari and Hero!
Hmm… I wonder what it is.

7/20 — SUNNY'S BIRTHDAY

You can't really tell from the photo, but Mari and Hero got Sunny a giant building block set.
Sunny seems much more interested in the box though. He acts just like Mari's new kitten, Mewo!

"Oh, Mewo! What happened to her, anyway?" Hero wonders.

"…She lived a long life amongst her loved ones and passed away peacefully. I still miss her…" Sunny grieves.

"Heh. I figured. It's okay, Sunny. Pets are family too…" Hero consoles.

7/20 — SUNNY'S BIRTHDAY

Sunny won't leave the box, so Kel put a food bowl inside. I guess this box will be Sunny and Mewo's new home.

"God, he really is a cat, isn't he?" Edna snarks.

"Meow." Sunny replies, with the average emotion of a stone. It amuses Claire, and so she smooches him for it. Warm Fuzzies…

8/4

We're going beetle-catching today! Here's Kel, ready to pounce on his next victim!
Oh, and Sunny is there too. He looks kind of sleepy.

8/4

Mari says this beetle is a giant stag. It suddenly fell from a tree and surprised everyone!
Hero is too grossed out to look.

"Heh. That's my brave little eagle scout, right there." Edna teases.

"Oh, please…" Hero deflects in embarrassment.

8/14

Ta-da! All summer, we've been working on a treehouse in Sunny's backyard and today it's finally finished!
Hero and his dad did most of the work, but Aubrey and I made paper plants to put in the window sill! We all did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself!

"Heh. Not good enough for Sally, apparently." Kel notes.

"I mean, that thing was dilapidated. It needed the makeover." Aubrey says.

"Hey, wait." Edna butts in, "Why is this one so much more weathered than the others? Sunny?"

Basil has the answer to that, "Don't forget, it's in the toy box…" he speaks into the distance.

"Huh?" Kel voices the lack of understanding from the table.

"We found this one in the treehouse." Sunny explains, "That was the message for me. Where we hid… that."

"Hid what?" Kel still doesn't get it.

"…Evidence." Basil gives the game away.

Quiet. Unease. Swig.

"It's in the past now. Moving on." Sunny mumbles.

8/14

I went to the bathroom, and came back to this photo…
Kel says he took a picture of himself on accident, but I don't believe him…

"Sooo, Kel… Was it an accident?" Basil interrogates.

"…I have a right to remain silent." Kel replies.

"Of course…" Aubrey shakes her head.

8/16

All of us hanging out in our brand new treehouse! Looks like Sunny is finally reading the book I showed him!
I want to spend every day in here, but it's a shame that summer vacation is almost over. I hope we get to use this treehouse more next summer!

"Young Basil, look out! Aw crap, I forgot, he can't hear us, no!" Kim japes again. It's even less funny the second time.

8/18

We went to Hobbeez to read the latest edition of Capt. Spaceboy! Everyone's so into it right now! I'm sure it's all anyone is going to be talking about once school starts.

"Oh, yeah, you work there now, don't you?" Basil asks Sunny.

"Mhm." Sunny nods, "Senior illustrator."

"Say, since you work there… You got any juicy insider info?" Kel slyly requests, rubbing his hands together.

Sunny sighs… but he can't resist. "…This is technically a breach of NDA, so you did not hear it from me. Am I clear?"

Weak nods all around.

"I said, am I clear!?" Sunny repeats. Can't afford to get blacklisted over this.

"Yeah!" "Yes." "Sure, tell us!" the others confirm, more emphatically.

"So… The founder is taking a back seat from the writing now, what with her advancing age, so we're having to bring a new writer on board. Fresh takes, et cetera, et cetera . But then the people at sales wanted something more grim and mature, soooo… It's bad. It's really bad. "

"Oh no…" "How so?"

Sunny pulls up an image on his phone and presents it to them, "Here's a concept."

Kel takes it, and the other fans gather around it. "No…" Kel shakes his head in disbelief.

"Is that… blood?" Aubrey can't believe her eyes.

"Jesus fucking Christ…" Kim whispers, covering her mouth with her hand.

"No, Sunny, no. Please tell me this is a joke." Kel pleads with a concerned smile.

"I wish it was…" Sunny laments.

At this, Kel comes off his hinges. He stands up from the table to scream into the void. "No… Nononono, nononononono, nononoNONONO! NO!! NO!!! NOOOOOOOO!!! NOOOHOHOHOHO!!!" he presents it to Hero, "Look! Look how they massacred my boy…!"

Aubrey sighs sorrowfully, "Guess the edgy fans got to him in the end…"

"30 years late to the punch, too." Kim notes, "Grimdark's not in fashion in comics anymore, is it?"

"I don't know." Sunny tells, "Execs wanted mature, so they got mature. My hope is that I get to jump ship before I have to contribute to this."

"Wait, you're not going to stay there?" Hero asks, mildly confused.

"No. I think, after this, I might only accept work as a contractor. Don't get me wrong, it's been good fun working on comics, but after four years of it, and after seeing this… I think I'd rather keep myself more detached from my work, going forward."

"Probably better money too, let's be honest." Kim remarks.

"Eh… The money is not even that much of a factor. I'm pretty sure I have the top salary of my team."

"I mean, you guys are living on one income instead of two, no? Surely that tightens the budget?" Hero guesses.

"We have reserves…" Claire states. "I'm still the one who keeps the investment portfolio. Not to mention, Sunny's pretty thrifty. Most of the time." she sneers at him.

Moving past that chill down his spine… "Mhm. If I had to assign C-suite roles to us, she's the CFO of the family, I'm the COO." he corroborates.

"Ah, I see. And who's the CEO?" Edna jests.

He and Claire glance between each other, and the thought leaves their mouths at the same time. ""Shared role.""

"Oh no, they're a tech startup…" Kim jokes, "Always trying to reinvent the corporate structure…"

"Hmh. I suppose it's a good thing, then, that we're not a corporate structure, but a family."

"Oh no… Not that too…" she puts her hands on her head. Oh right, that's also corporate speak.

"How hard is it for you to find work, anyway?" Aubrey turns to Sunny, "We keep having to lie on our resumés because everything is so saturated."

"Look, I am a senior illustrator with extensive work experience in the comics industry and an ample, quality portfolio. Getting offers is not the hard part." Sunny explains. "Art may be saturated itself, but at this point I'm told I've gotten myself a reputation in the company as 'the guy that cranks out quality panels like a machine'. To the point that I've gotten in trouble with the union, one time."

"What? Why?" Hero asks, incredulous.

"Raising the bar too high. Management would start expecting it out of everyone, and then jobs would be lost."

"Oh…"

"I don't blame them, they've got to look out for the lower performers. These days, I only bring out that work pace when we're in crunch."

"Oh, you guys crunch too…" Kim the tech worker must have many thoughts on that.

Sunny nods. "When things go wrong. Which is… not often, but it does happen. It's one of the benefits of the union; if we're crunching too often, we walk out."

"Ohh… Man, you're gonna make me want to have a union as well?" Kim is tantalized.

Ah, yes. The Work continues… "Hmh. Food for thought…"

Kel finally returns the phone, "Ahh, well… Ya had a good run, Spaceboy." he salutes.

9/6

I'm playing cards with Kel, Hero and Aubrey. They're so easy to read. They can't hide anything on their faces!
Mari baked everyone cookies from scratch. They were chocolate chip and super delicious, like always!

"Oh, by the way! A little birdie told me you learned how to make those…" Aubrey sneers at Sunny, casting an inquisitive gaze upon him.

Sunny evasively looks to the side. He's been exposed!

"Yo, really?" Kel takes interest.

"Huh. Well then…" and so does Hero.

"You know what that means, Sunny…" Aubrey challenges expectantly.

"I… was hoping to make it a surprise…" Sunny admits, mildly disappointed.

"I suppose you'll have to settle for suspense, mon soleil."  Claire pats him on the shoulder as consolation.

9/6

Looks like I have the winning hand, hehe… But nobody knows that yet…

"Speaking of cards, did you all know Sunny can do card tricks now?" Hero tells.

"Huh. Can you show us, Sunny?" Basil requests.

Sunny rolls his eyes and reaches for his-… Actually, he starts patting his pockets, looking for his deck. But it is nowhere to be found. "Ah, crud, Forgot my deck."

"Well, let's leave that for another time then. I wanna keep going." Kim says.

Finally, they turn to the last pages… Sunny's stomach quivers at seeing what's up ahead…

9/9

It's the first day of school today! Me, Sunny, Kel and Aubrey are up bright and early. Aubrey is so photogenic!

'You have robbed them of their youths…'

9/9

Sigh… Goodbye, summer! Until next year…

'Robbed them of their peace…'

9/9

Sunny giving Mari a big hug! Mari doesn't come home until late now because she's taking extra classes to prepare for college.
Me and Sunny have been hanging out a lot, but I'm sure he still misses her a lot.

'You broke…'

9/22

Mari practicing her part for a big recital next month. We're all going to watch.
It's going to be Mari and Sunny's first performance together, but I know they'll do just fine! We will all be showing our support from the audience!

'Splintered…'

9/22

Mari getting a little camera shy, because she's made a small mistake. Don't worry, Mari! Just keep going!
No one will even notice!

'Shattered…'

9/22

After some begging, Sunny came to join Mari for recital practice… Hehe…
They're still working out some stuff, but they already sound so amazing! I know they're going to be great.
Go, Mari! Go, Sunny! You can do it!

'And then you fled…
Liar. Monster. Coward.'

Shivering. Churning. Weighing.

He struggles to push words out, but finds the strength to do so, "…I need a minute…" he sobs, then hastily removes himself from the crowd. He needs room to breathe…

'A debt you can never pay back.
A mistake you cannot undo.
A life you cannot untake.
The past is dead. Why did you come back?
Don't make it worse. Turn back.'

Sunny tries to calm down…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

'No.
These people… they have taken me back.
Despite my flaws… Despite my absence…
I owe them.
I owe them my time. I owe them my life.
I must do them honor. I can't just walk away.
What friend would I be if I just walked away, again and again and again?
Push through. I made it this far. This is not the hurdle that will break me.'

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

"Hey…" Claire speaks from behind, laying a hand on his shoulder, "You okay?"

Swig… Sigh… "Guilt… Nothing new."

Claire takes his hand into her own and stares deep into his eye. No words have to be spoken. It is a declaration. She is there if he needs her. He can rely on her. She expects him to not falter. She wants him to stay. She offers a solid perch to keep him steady. And many other things that cannot be conveyed with words.

Sunny closes his eyes. The guilt is warranted, for what he did is guilt-worthy. Concerning it would be if he weren't feeling guilty. It's how he keeps himself honest; how he keeps himself as the first person he's accountable to. So it shouldn't be swallowed, it shouldn't be discarded. Guilt, too, is an emotion like any other. It deserves a place in the spotlight. So he allows it to immerse him…

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

And with his embrace of it, it can finally melt away.

With newfound resolve, he opens his eyes and looks at Claire. He nods, and she returns the gesture. Then they return to the table, finding Basil hugging his dog while the others all seem distant in their own musings. Not distressed, but somber nonetheless.

"Hmh…" Sunny grumbles. It's always hard, looking through the first half of this album. But there is a second part to this surprise…

"We okay?" Claire takes charge.

"I was mostly worried about you two." Hero says, glancing at Sunny and Basil.

Basil huffs, "Tsk. Forgot that's how it ended, to be honest." Hmh. He seems to be recomposing himself well.

"There is a cute thing that I want to mention." Claire says, pointing at the final three pictures, "I remember, when we showed these to Abbi, back when they were eight, she just stared at them for a goooood long while… And then, when she was done, she just perked up from my lap and said:" For this, she puts on her best little child impression, "I want to play the piano like Aunt Mari!"

""""Awwww…!"""" "That's adorable!" the gang all squeal in delight.

"Heh. Had to catch my breath after that one…" Sunny tells. It was a very sudden hit to take. All those days spent hoping it wasn't an omen… Sometimes he still wonders…

"That's great. Mari's legacy lives on…" Hero speaks wistfully. Almost… longing…? Hm…

At this point, however, Kel takes notice of how much album is still left. "Hey, wait a tick. What is this?" he questions, then turns to the next page. The others gather around him to see.

A picture of Mari's headstone, taking the whole page. At the foot of it, there is a flower pot with a lily of the valley.

Mari Inoue
☆ Mar 1st, 1981 ✝ Oct 16th, 1996
Our dearest Mari.
The sun shined brighter when she was here.

And on the next page, written across its center in fine cursive lettering…

SUNNY'S MEMORIES

The group all lock eyes with Sunny. Shock, wonder, disbelief, anticipation. The excitement is almost palpable.

"Surprise." Sunny shrugs, as emotive as a blade of grass.

"Heh. Ooof course…" Basil sighs, amused exasperation, resting his head on his hand, elbow supported on the table.

"Well, a whole new album to look at, huh?" Kel glances at Sunny as though he'd just received a dare.

Sunny nods. There is much he wishes them to see.

"Well then…" Kel goes to flip the page, but…

"I think Basil should do it. Feels right to me." Aubrey proposes.

"Yeah. Would you like to, Basil?" Hero asks.

"Heh. Sure. Let's see it."  Basil accepts. And the album revisit keeps going…

A picture of a teenage Sunny, curled asleep on the couch alongside Mewo. His back is towards the camera.

Date taken: July 6th, 2000
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 15th, 2009

After moving into our new home, Mom thought it would be nice for her to start taking pictures of me. I wanted nothing to do with it. I thought someone like me did not deserve to be remembered.

Looking at it now, I'm glad she did. Here's to the beginning of my new life.

A picture of a teenage Sunny, gazing at a birthday cake with lit candles reading '16' atop it. An eyepatch covers his right eye. He looks crestfallen.

Date taken: July 20th, 2000
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 15th, 2009

My sixteenth birthday. The day I turned older than Mari. I remember feeling so wrong that day. I was supposed to be the younger brother, yet here I was, surpassing her age.

I was supposed to make a wish, but everything I wanted to wish for was impossible to achieve. I wanted a do-over; I wanted to undo my mistakes; I wanted my friends and sister back, and I knew full well that I would never get that. So I wished for the next best thing: I wished for everything to turn out okay.

I look back on this with amusement. It's the beginning of a long journey…

A picture of a teenage Sunny, sitting at a desk with his back towards the camera, working away at school worksheets.

Date taken: Sept 3rd, 2000
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 15th, 2009

Mom had signed me up for homeschooled remedial classes in order to catch me up from 7th grade. Doing these worksheets was part schoolwork and part therapy homework. I needed to do something, anything to keep myself from slipping into numbness again.

It was dull. Mind-numbingly boring. But I had to get through it if I was to have hope of ever living a life of my own. What ensued were many afternoons of busywork, chipping away at these assignments. Eventually, I came to enjoy it. It was strangely meditative to me, and it was a measurement of my recovery.

A closeup picture of a teenage Sunny, playing his old Gameboy Color. His face looks lively.

Date taken: Oct 29th, 2000
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 15th, 2009

Fun. Actual fun. A feeling I'd grown estranged from during my isolation, and briefly recalled in the days before I moved.

I didn't really notice it at the time, but this is a noteworthy development. Slow and steady, I was managing to come back to myself, to remember how life was before her death.

"Huh. I'm noticing all of these were written on the same date." Basil mentions.

"It's around the time I found the album again, while Claire and I were moving in together. For the longest time, I thought I'd actually lost this, then I found it again in one of our boxes. Still not convinced Mom didn't set it up…" Sunny squints in suspicion to the direction of the elder's table. "Anyway, these entries are also, partially, therapy homework. It was a good point of reference, to see how far I'd come."

"Nine years later and you were still in therapy?" Hero questions.

"Twenty-two years later and I still am. PTSD treatment needs maintenance, it doesn't just go away."

"Huh. I… guess you know more than I do." Hero concedes.

"Hey, I recognize this one!" Kel shouts out the next photo.

A picture of the whole gang as teenagers, all in winter wear under a snowy day. Sunny and Hero are on the left, having just exited a car, while Kel and Aubrey are on the left, one excitedly greeting them and the other with her back to the camera.

Date taken: Dec 15th, 2000
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 16th, 2009

Hero had picked me up to visit Faraway for Christmas. It doesn't look like it from the picture, but I am actually paralyzed in fear here. I thought my presence alone would ruin everything for them. My body was telling me to hide, as much as I possibly could.

Also noteworthy is the fact that this picture exists at all. Basil had started taking photos again as part of his own recovery. To me, that was a relief. Maybe things could go back to the way they were before, at least partially. There was a slight glimmer of hope in being with them again.

A picture of a teenage Sunny, walking along a street and looking off into the distance.

Date taken: Dec 20th, 2000
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 16th, 2009

Can't quite remember what was going on here. I just put it up because Basil took it. I feel a strange potential coming from it… Like the dawn of a new time.

P.S.: One of my favorites. – Claire

A picture of a teenage Sunny, cradling a present and crying profusely.

Date taken: Dec 25th, 2000
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 16th, 2009

The reason I'm crying here is that I actually could not believe that they had set aside presents for me. I felt unworthy, yet I could not refuse. They had gone through that much effort for me; I felt obliged to honor it.

I look back on this one with much joy. It was the first time since Mari's death that I actually felt loved.

A "selfie" of Basil and the gang as teenagers, all together in a big group hug.

Date taken: Dec 31st, 2000 / Jan 1st, 2001
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 16th, 2009

One final picture before I went home. I got to spend New Year's Eve with them, and then Mom came to pick me up the next day. This is a Christmas I will never forget…

"Heh. Me too, Sunny. Me too…" Kel muses.

A picture of a teenage Sunny, browsing the internet on a desktop computer. He is no longer wearing an eyepatch. Instead, there are glasses on his face.

Date taken: March 20th, 2001
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 17th, 2009

As it turns out, I'd inherited Dad's nearsightedness, so I ended up getting glasses on the same day I received my first prosthetic eye. It took some getting used to, but I think it suits me. I do need something to make me look older.

On the topic of Dad, I haven't seen him ever since I went shut-in. It seems he has completely left the family. If I never saw him again, I'd have no qualms with it. I'll be fine without him.

A picture of a teenage Sunny lying on the ground, holding a toddler Sally high up by her torso. His good eye is lush with life.

Date taken: May 5th, 2001
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 17th, 2009

The last days I got to spend in Faraway. Kel invited me to spend the early Summer there. I had nothing better to do, since I'd finally gotten caught up on all my schoolwork, so I got Mom to drive me over.

It was quite the shock to see Sally running around and speaking in broken sentences. Singularly delightful. I wonder how she is doing right now… I wish her the best, however she is.

"Aww…" Aubrey gawks at the cuteness.

"Yeah. Turns out he's always been good with kids." Claire sneers. His ears go a little redder.

"Heh. You should show this one to Sally. I think she'd like it." Kel suggests.

"Hm. Maybe." Sunny considers.

A blurry "selfie" of a teenage Kel. He is winking at the camera.

Date taken: May 12th, 2001
Taken by: Kel
Entry written in: April 17th, 2009

A classic Kel selfie . Basil noted that he really, REALLY needed to take better care of his stuff.

"So? Did you?" Claire asks Basil inquisitively.

"Eeh… Kel has a way of reaching where he shouldn't." Basil tells.

"Hey!" Kel exclaims defensively. "It was just little selfies!"

"And you handled that camera so poorly that you broke it." Basil denounces.

"I didn't mean to!"

"You never paid me back for that, by the way."

"I… didn't? Oh shoot, I didn't!" 

"Hah! Take the L, Kel." Kim interjects, "You ain't saving this one."

"Aw man…" Kel groans in defeat.

A picture of a teenage Sunny standing at the top of the statue at the lake. He is shirtless and preparing himself to jump in.

Date taken: May 20th, 2001
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 17th, 2009

A do-over of the last time I'd tried to dive from that statue. I'd gotten spooked by a spider landing on my shoulder and dropped like a stone all the way to the bottom, nearly drowning in the process. This time would be different. I would conquer this damn statue once and for all…

The same picture as before, but with Sunny climbing back down.

Date taken: May 20th, 2001
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 17th, 2009

Couldn't do it…

"Pfft!" Amusement from Aubrey. "I don't think I got to see this one!"

"We've got to fix this, Sunny. You know what that means." Kel dares.

"Hah. No. It'll be a cold day in hell before I try that again." Sunny declines.

"And I'm pretty sure they made it illegal to dive from that statue, so do it at your own risk." Basil tells.

"What! I see people jumping off of it all the time!" Kel reports.

"Then it's only a matter of time until someone turns up with a skull fracture. Though I guess that'd be more work for me…" Hero snarks.

"No. You already get too much work. Leave some for someone else." Edna butts in, much to his chagrin.

A picture of Sunny and the gang as teenagers, all sleeping in the same bed fort at Kel and Hero's house.

Date taken: May 30th, 2001
Taken by: Basil
Entry written in: April 17th, 2009

Never too old for a sleepover. This marks the last time I've seen them all in person. I really miss them… I hope they're doing okay…

…Did Basil just… scowl?

A picture of a teenage Sunny, wearing a red flannel shirt over a black tee, and a backpack on his back.

Date taken: Aug 13th, 2001
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 20th, 2009

My first day of high school, in sophomore year, at 17 years old. It really makes you feel out of place when you're two years older than the rest of the class. That shame, combined with all the stress of going back into the world, caused me to relapse into my old ways, only slightly different. I'd spend the day at school, go back and spend my free time at the computer, then dream of Headspace at night… All of that over and over for my next 3 years of schooling. The silver lining is that, since I was older than even the senior students, no one dared to try and bully me. From the outside, I actually looked quite dangerous.

It is during this time that I fell out of touch with my old friends. At first, it was a lack of time. Then, it became awkward. Then, I started to miss them, but I didn't know how to come back. And so this continued until I lost contact altogether. I overthought it, and then I lost my window.

I really, truly hope they're okay…

"I guess that explains it…" Kel laments.

"Yeah…" so does Hero.

"Hmph…" Basil grunts.

"Well, what matters is that we're all here now, isn't it?" Kel tries to cheer things up.

"Yeah." Aubrey agrees. "We all had stuff we needed to go through."

"It's a shame it had to be this way, though…" Hero mutters.

"It is what it is. Let's not dwell on it." Sunny presses on.

A picture of a young adult Sunny with a graduation cap and holding a diploma in his hand. He looks incredibly jaded.

Date taken: June 3rd, 2005
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 22nd, 2009

And that's the end of it. Absolutely soul-draining. That's the price I have to pay for my delays.

"Whoa. That's a jump." Kel comments on the large timeskip between photos.

"There were many other photos between this and the last one. I figured they were not relevant. Just more of the same old sad life." Sunny tells.

A picture of a young adult Sunny, with bags packed and ready to leave. A messenger bag is draped on his shoulder.

Date taken: Aug 1st, 2005
Taken by: Mom
Entry written in: April 22nd, 2009

The day I went away for college, finally moving out from Mom's place. I didn't quite know what I'd be doing there, but it sure as hell beat rotting away at home.

I'm very glad I did. Very glad…

"Hm. I wonder why he's glad he went to college…" Claire teases, putting a hand on his shoulder, sly devil she is.

"To my credit, it wasn't just you." he replies, his ears growing rosy.

A very pixelated picture of a city skyline, taken from about 3 floors up.

Date taken: Aug 12th, 2005
Taken by: Me
Entry written in: April 22nd, 2009

The view from my dorm was actually quite nice. Made a good place to contemplate. This was my laptop background for a good while.

"Wh-…! What camera did you take this with!?" Basil cries out at this crime against photography.

"A crappy Nokia from 2005, why do you ask?" Sunny snarks.

"The resolution…!" Basil weeps.

"Brace yourself. There's more."

"NOO!"

A low-res "selfie" of Claire and Sunny as young adults, sitting at a coffee shop table. Claire looks remarkably tired, while Sunny is focused, working away on a laptop. A faint trail of cigarette smoke can be seen coming from an ashtray nearby.

Date taken: March 6th, 2006
Taken by: Claire ❤️
Entry written in: April 22nd, 2009

Meet the love of my life. We started as groupmates on college assignments, usually lumped with all the other social leftovers. Given the stellar company, we were usually the only two that expended any effort getting things done. This is how we got to know each other: working together.

I'm not sure if this counts as our first date. We've only made it official more recently.

"""Awwww…""" the other ladies at the table all gawk.

"Heh. That's cute." Hero comments.

"Learned from the best." Sunny fingerguns towards Hero.

"Ahah…" Hero gets flustered.

"And, for the record, it definitely counts as our first date." Claire teases.

A low-res picture of Sunny leaning against a tree, smoking a cigarette against the backdrop of the sunset in the horizon.

Date taken: April 22nd, 2006
Taken by: Claire ❤️
Entry written in: April 22nd, 2009

I picked up smoking in college. It's an easy way to soothe my nerves over the course of all the stresses that life throws at me, certainly more reliable than what I'd been doing before. Claire has been trying to persuade me away from it, though… I know it might be best for the both of us, but… I'm nervous. I fear I might lose control of myself…

"Look at him, trying to be a bad boy!" Claire teases.

"Resolution aside, you've got a good eye for shot composition." Basil compliments Claire.

"Why thank you!" she proudly replies.

"Wait, you smoke?" Edna asks Sunny.

"Not anymore. Kicked it when the pregnancy happened." he answers.

"Good choice, honestly." Hero pitches in, nodding with respect.

"Oh, great. Let Doctor Hero give you the medical advice." Kel snarks.

"No, really. I've seen what smoker's lungs look like. It's not pretty." Hero remarks, slightly unsettled. He'd be the one to know.

"Surprised you accepted a smoker, to be honest." Edna remarks to Claire. Rude.

"My dad's a smoker, I was already pretty used to it. Still glad he kicked it, though, I wouldn't put that on my kids." Claire replies.

A low-res picture of Sunny sitting at a chess table, pondering his next move, covering his mouth with a hand holding a lit cigarette.

Date taken: Sept 11th, 2006
Taken by: Claire ❤️
Entry written in: April 23rd, 2009

Me playing one of the members of the college chess club. I may have been trying to impress Claire. It's a shame that its members turned out to be garbage human beings. I left the club later that year.

"What does that mean, 'garbage human beings' ?" Basil inquires.

"Casually calling me a psycho for mentioning I was in therapy." Sunny answers.

"Oh…" "Jesus!" "Yeesh." the others react with shock.

"Yeah." Kel says, "Still can't believe they'd do that, by the way. I mean, Sally's in therapy and I don't see anyone give her shit for it. Heck, I'm in it and I don't catch flak!"

"Hmh. Different times, I suppose." Sunny ponders, "Interesting to see how normal it is amongst this younger generation. Almost like a point of pride."

"I still don't get why she's in it." Hero speaks up, "If there's nothing wrong with you, why would you want to be in therapy?"

"Hero…" Aubrey objects, passive-aggressive.

"Because you are not the best authority on what is wrong with yourself. The mind is an elusive thing." Sunny speaks his wisdom on the matter.

"Yeah… Knowing yourself is hard, messy work." Basil corroborates.

"Huh. I dunno. Guess I'm just too old to understand…" Hero looks away, likely ashamed from the group's collective disapproval.

A low-res picture of a giant Christmas tree with Claire in the foreground, leaning on a railing and looking at it from the second floor of a mall.

Date taken: Dec 7th, 2006
Taken by: Me
Entry written in: April 23rd, 2009

I've always found malls to be way too busy, but Claire wanted me to see the giant Christmas tree they put up, before we go back to our places for winter break. I'd only seen one of these before… Crazy that they put these things up every year.

A low-res "selfie" of Sunny and Claire, closely embracing each other. Their faces look extremely lively.

Date taken: Sept 28th, 2007
Taken by: Us!
Entry written in: April 23rd, 2009

And now it's official. After sharing some secrets with each other, we are now boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Secrets, eh?" Basil scoffs.

"Shut it." Sunny snips.

"What, if I had killed my brother and covered it up with my other friend, I'd be completely up front about it, first thing I say to everyone! Hahaha!" Kel-…

Alarm bells go off. These words must not be spoken.

"H-Hey, maybe…" These words must not be spoken. "Maybe we shouldn't casually make jokes about that…?"

"Huh? What? But I thought we were all over it?" He doesn't get it.

These words must not be spoken. "I just… I haven't told the kids…"

Uneasy silence falls upon the table as they take in what that truly means. And that familiar feeling, a thousand judging gazes all bearing down on him at once, the shine of the spotlight crushing him under its brightness.

'Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar.'

"Sunny… How much do they know?" Aubrey questions.

These words must not be spoken. "…They know she fell. …That's all I've told them." Swig.

"Were you… ever going to tell them?" she presses. Perplexed. Offended, maybe.

'Liar. Liar. Liar. Liar.' "…When they're old enough. …I was… aiming for next year."

Her dagger-sharp gaze. Cutting through him. She will hold him to those words.

"Huh, okay… I'll keep it on the down low, then." Kel says, deflated. "Sorry, Sunny."

A "selfie" of a burly man and his sly wife, with Claire and Sunny sitting side by side in the background over a Thanksgiving dinner. They both look very nervous.

Date taken: Nov 22nd, 2007
Taken by: Mr. Dumont
Entry written in: April 24th, 2009

Her parents. An ex-military mechanic and a very gossipy journalist. Despite the warm welcome, I was still very intimidated. These guys are frighteningly good at reading me, even when we had just met.

"Heh. In-laws, am I right, Sunny?" Hero jokes as if they were complaining about them in a break room.

"The joke is on you, I actually like my in-laws." Sunny deadpans.

"…Nevermind."

A low-res picture of Sunny working a stove. He seems very focused on his work.

Date taken: Feb 2nd, 2008
Taken by: Claire ❤️
Entry written in: April 24th, 2009

As a response to Claire moving in with me for these last couple years, I've decided to pick up cooking. It was high time I fed myself on more than takeout. Claire thinks I live way too Spartan for her liking; for once, I'm inclined to agree.

"I like to imagine that, if it weren't for me, he would still be eating takeout on the couch every day and he would still not have a TV." Claire snarks.

"Psh!" Sunny scoffs, "I just didn't want to spend money on a place I was renting." he retorts, unsure himself whether that's actually correct. He certainly didn't see himself with that much dignity at the time.

The same picture as before, except blurry. Sunny is trying to put out a small kitchen fire.

Date taken: Feb 2nd, 2008
Taken by: Claire ❤️
Entry written in: April 24th, 2009

Took a while to get the hang of it…

"OH HEY!! I know this story!" Kim barks.

"YOU WILL NOT!" Aubrey menaces.

"Tell it, Kim." Sunny incentivizes, "Let the whole world know."

"NO!!" Aubrey protests, burying her head in her hands.

And the tale of Aubrey setting an induction stove on fire gets told again… Hehe.

A picture of Claire posing with Sunny's mom.

Date taken: June 1st, 2008
Taken by: Me
Entry written in: April 27th, 2009

Claire finally getting to meet all the family I've got left. Thanks, Mom, for looking out for me even through my darkest moments. I hope I've managed to make up for all the suffering I put you through…

Going to take a break from writing these now. Finals are coming up. I need to get ready to graduate…

A professional-quality photo of Sunny and Claire posing at prom. Sunny has been forced to smile and is very uncomfortable.

Date taken: May 25th, 2009
Taken by: A photographer
Entry written in: July 2nd, 2009

First time I went to prom. It was very overwhelming, but we managed to have a good time. Claire is absolutely stunning…

Did I mention I didn't go to prom in high school? That's probably important to mention.

A photo of Sunny and his mother sitting at the same table with Claire and the Dumont family. Her family is a lot bigger than his, including an older brother, an older sister with her respective partner, and a couple of uncles and cousins.

Date taken: May 25th, 2009
Taken by: A photographer
Entry written in: July 2nd, 2009

As it turns out, Claire's got a lot more extended family than I do. They're a merry bunch. Reminds me of my old friends…

I still miss them…

A picture of Sunny and Claire at prom, wrapped in each other's arms, sharing a fervent kiss.

Date taken: May 25th, 2009
Taken by: Claire's Dad
Entry written in: July 2nd, 2009

…Yeah, we got pretty spicy. Still don't appreciate that Mr. Dumont would be so brash as to take this.

"Damn, Sunny, you screwed at 25?" Kel asks, impressed.

"Wh-…" What the hell kind of question is that?? "Sorry, what??"

"I mean, look at the date," Kel points at the next picture, "13 years ago."

A picture of an ultrasound scan, showing a pair of unborn twins.

Date taken: Oct 4th, 2009
Taken by: A doctor
Entry written in: Nov 28th, 2009

I can't believe my eyes… I'm going to be a father… Twin sisters…

Claire says she wants to name one, and then I'll name the other. I wonder what I should call mine.

P.S.: Abbi. Abigail. Yes, this is a good name.

"It was actually a little bit of an accident." Claire volunteers.

"Really?" Edna questions.

"Well, when you take two young adults who had very little sex ed and have them start experimenting with intimacy… You can see where I'm going." Claire explains.

"Why didn't you abort?" Hero asks.

Claire hesitates to answer. It is… sensitive. "I… Well… I wanted to see it through."

Sunny steps in to help, "I believe, at the time, we had an unspoken agreement that there would eventually be kids. It's just that  'eventually' arrived a lot sooner than we thought."

"Bold." Kim comments.

"I mean, it's not like it's unreasonable." Hero comments. "We also had our first one around that age."

"That one was a choice, though." Edna informs.

"Hm. True, I suppose." Hero replies.

"Last page…" Basil notes.

A family picture of Sunny and Claire, cradling newborn Abbi and Luna in their arms. Sunny has the beginnings of a mustache growing on his face. They both look extremely satisfied.

Date taken: March 20th, 2010
Taken by: Us!
Entry written in: March 20th, 2010

And two new people enter the picture. Say hello to Abigail and Luna! Abbi is the one I named and Luna was Claire's choice. I am already infatuated with them…

It occurs to me that I've run out of album to put pictures in. I suppose now would be the time for us to start one of our own. Thank you, Basil, for starting this album when you did, but I must now move on. Here's to the future…

The final photo has been added just recently, glued to the back cover…

A second family picture, a middle-aged Sunny and Claire sandwiching 10 year-old Abbi and Luna between them. Mrs. Inoue is standing in the back behind them.

Date taken: March 14th, 2020 — Abbi and Luna's birthday

Taken by: Us

Entry written in: May 25th, 2022

Thank you for having me back.

The table stands silent, a pleasant, emotional anticipation lingering in the air…

"Heh. You know what? This was worth it." Basil concludes, much to Sunny's relief.

"Yeah. That covers a lot." Hero agrees.

"What about all the years between now and then?" Kel asks, "Did you bring an album for that too?"

"I'm afraid not." Sunny answers.

"You're gonna have to come to us to see that one." Claire drops a teaser.

"Aw, boo! I wanna see more!" Kim complains.

"Hmh. Maybe you'll hear more as we go along. We've got plenty of time." Sunny tips his head.

Kel looks around and notices it's starting to get dark, "Man, dusk already? Time really flies, huh?"

"Heh. Guess it's getting time for dinner." Hero comments.

"Hmh. I'm going to refill my water." Sunny declares as he stands up from the table.

Stepping back into the house, he notices that one of the kids has decided to segregate themselves from the rest. Maxwell again, always scrolling away on his phone… It's a situation he finds most perplexing. Hero's eldest, depressed? At face value, it sounds blasphemous, yet there he is. Sunny is not about to disbelieve his eye.

As he refills his water bottle, he hears the tread of boots come up behind him, "Sunny. Just one thing…" Basil calls his attention.

"Hm?"

"That first picture, the Christmas you got your violin… what did you do to it?"

Sunny lets out a long sigh. He looks around, confirming that they are alone in this kitchen, and then elects to confess. It wouldn't be right to withhold this from its creator. "I shredded it…" he mumbles.

Basil is taken aback.

Sunny continues, "During high school… in a moment of weakness… I couldn't stand to see myself holding that… thing… So I ripped it to shreds… and threw the pieces away…"

The blond man remains speechless. Seems he's taken offense.

"Years later… I wanted to show the album to my kids… and I remembered what I'd done to it. So I tried to reproduce it as best as I could. It's no replacement, but… I hope it's enough. I'm sorry."

Basil shakes his head in disappointment, "…Just couldn't help yourself, could you?" and then takes his leave.

Sunny lingers for a moment… The debt has finally been collected. It stings…

Alas, nothing to do about it now…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, early evening

And after failing to beat a boss in Bloodborne for the nth time, Max gave up and went back to scrolling his phone. Then, he got tired of sharing the room with all the kids and went back out. Which has left him here in the living room, lying down on the couch with his neck at a 90 degree angle up against the armrest; a position his mother would sorely disapprove of. That she does disapprove of, in fact, because she occasionally peeks in from the backyard and tells him to correct it. Annoying.

And now he's alone, checking in on whatever conversations happen to be scrolling by his feed at the time, never thinking to participate in any of them. He could almost fall asleep to this. Almost. He would — usually does, in fact — if his mom would fucking let him at bedtime.

He scrolls past a post about climate change, and it prompts him to think about what the world is going to look like when he's an adult. He has the tacit awareness that he's going to inherit a doomed world, and the full awareness that he is completely powerless to change any of it. And it would fill him with dread, if not for the constant discourse surrounding it. He's seen so much, read so many claims and counterclaims and discussions and name-calling and genuinely idiotic arguments, and he's just fucking sick of it all. So he scrolls past it and shunts it to the back of his head.

Next, he sees a post about men's rights. Something about male suicide rates, something about a crisis of male friendship, something about how feminism is to blame. Makes him wonder what his place is in all of it. It feels unfair, how he gets blame for things he didn't do, but it also feels wrong to cast women as the enemy. It's a matter that would also drive a deep unsettle into him… a couple years ago. But he's grown bored of all the arguing in circles, the same talking points getting parroted over and over and over. So he scrolls past it and shunts it, too, to the back of his head.

Next, war footage from Europe. The one thing that actually brings him any renewed interest in the world anymore: watching bombs go off and turn people into a fine red mist. First time he saw one of these it made him heave; now, it doesn't get so much as a side glance. The opening days of the war may have been an interesting tragicomedy, but now that things have slowed to a crawl, it's just been increasingly sensational headlines predicting things that never happen. It's clear that this is going nowhere, not any time soon. So he also shunts it to the back of his head.

And then… cat video. Heh.

And he scrolls… and he scrolls… and he scrolls…

"Do you even read half of this stuff?" a man speaks from behind the couch.

He tenses up, startled at the sudden interruption. He turns around and sees that serial killer-looking guy stalking above him, reading his phone from over his shoulder. Didn't even hear the guy sneak up on him. "Jesus fucking christ, don't scare me like that!"

"Hm. Pardon me. Do answer me, though." Mr. Inoue demands.

"Wh-… Yes???"

"Really… Because you're scrolling so fast that I can barely process the words onscreen."

"Who cares!? I'm just reading!"

"Tell me, then, what you just read." the man challenges.

Pf, that's easy! He was reading-…

He was reading…

Did you seriously already forget?

Starting to feel bad, he turns around back to his phone, shielding it from prying eyes, "Wh-… Whatever. Please just leave me alone…"

Instead of responding, Mr. Inoue simply walks over and takes a seat at the other couch. Max looks up from his phone to find the man staring at him, brushing his mustache with his fingers like some kind of pretentious thinker.

Okay, what the fuck, "Dude, what do you want!?" Max snaps.

"I must confess. You fascinate me." he calmly replies.

Put off by the answer, Max shifts away. He's dying today, isn't he?

The man continues, "You are the eldest son of perhaps the finest man that I have ever known. You are surrounded by comforts, you are surrounded by people who love you… and yet you seem so…" he trails off, thinking of a word.

Depressed? Distant? Inconsiderate? Ungrateful? Max braces; how is he going to be insulted today?

"…Guarded. Reserved. Like you're hiding."

…Not what he expected.

"I want to know you, Max. I refuse to believe that this apathy is all there is to you. Surely, you've got interests other than mindlessly scrolling your time away for hours and hours. Surely, there are hopes and dreams and aspirations somewhere in there."

Max freezes up. The fuck are you talking about, old man??

Mr. Inoue continues. "I want to know you. Under that shield. Under that shell. Of course, only if you allow me." he says, leaning back on the couch.

…How the fuck do you respond to this? If there's anything his parents drilled into him real well, it's to not trust strangers, and this is no exception.

"I-I don't see you stalking Evan." Max stutters.

"True." the man replies, "I don't have to. He's an open book. And trust me, when he's old enough for in-depth self-reflection, he, too, will have his turn. But the one I'm interested in now, is you."

"W-Why?" Max snarls. What would anyone want to do with him!?

Mr. Inoue takes a deep breath. "I'm going to tell you a story. When I was younger — a little older than you — I found myself going down a spiral. The world can be so overwhelming sometimes, it feels safer to retract from it. And so I did. Before I had the internet, it was my dreams and imagination; but with the internet… The never-ending stream of words and stories and games and images… It's so good at replacing real life, and yet so… incomplete."

Max looks on, unsure what to think. What is this feeling…?

The man's face… softens, if you can call it that? "Using this method of sequestering myself from the world, I lost somewhere between six to eight years. And I see much of that in you. I'd hate for the same to happen to you."

…

…Does he… get it…?

Max looks on in perplexion, "…Who are you?"

Mr. Inoue smirks. "I would like to be a friend. Here." he says, reaching into one of his pockets, pulling out a notepad and scribbling something on it before ripping out the page. "If you'd ever like to reach me, just send a text."

Max takes the paper. Sure enough, the name 'Sunny Dumont Inoue' is written on it, then his phone number underneath. It's a precise handwriting, very easy to read. Very different from the doctor's scrawl that Dad makes.

Some laughter roars up from the playroom nearby; Mr. Inoue's attention is drawn to it, "I'm going to leave you to your thoughts for now. I hope to see more of you. And if you wish not to, that is also okay. I don't want to pressure you." he says, standing up. "See you around."

"U-uh. Yeah. See you…"

And Mr. Inoue steps into the playroom with Sally and the others. Max is left alone in the lounge with the contact in his hands, unsure whether to add him immediately or to hold off for a bit. With no direction, he just sits there, dumbfounded.

…What… was that…?

Is he… safe…?

…

Feels like he's been visited by a ghost…

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, early evening

With Sally keeping track of the hours, Luna and Abbi's turn-taking becomes a lot easier to manage. In the hours that Luna isn't on the Switch, she watches Evan play whatever he's decided to put on his PS4. First it was that scary game with all the scary men and scary monsters and scary monster dogs , and then, when Max got tired of butting his head against a boss over and over, Evan swapped over to a more fun game: an action-adventure game about a big, gruff, stoic man and his young and innocent son, traversing a cold landscape, fighting monsters, and — Sally informs — killing gods along the way. The frequency with which the big guy says the word 'Boy' is pretty funny. And it's definitely much more Luna's speed than the dark, gloomy game from before.

Eventually, Luna grows so interested in it (and so bored from watching Evan die over and over) that she picks up the controller and gives it a shot. Surely she can do better than him. And, at that point, she's forgotten about the Switch entirely; it's just her and Evan talking back and forth about the game while Abbi does her own thing, Cookie warily lays beside her, and Sally watches along.

And as the hours drag on, she slowly finds herself more and more endeared by Evan's antics. The aloofness, the sweetness, the appreciation for funny noises… ("Baloop!" "Baloop!") This is the most fun she's had with someone in a good while. How is it possible for someone to be so cute? How is it possible for someone to be so charming? And that occasional flutter in her chest… Has she ever felt this way before? Feels nice. Feels very nice…

Eventually, as the night begins to roll around, Dad makes his way into the room. "Hello!" he quietly greets, "What are you all up to?"

"Hey, Dad! Evan and I are playing together." Luna tells, bright smile on her face.

"Hm! What is it?"

"God of War, 2016." Sally answers.

"Huh… That has multiplayer?" Dad asks with curiosity.

"No, we're just passing the controller back and forth when we die." Evan explains.

Dad takes a seat ("Huuahhhh…") and watches along for a bit. Eventually, he makes one of his observations, "Hm. This is very different from the first games."

"I mean, series reboot. It's probably the best way I've seen it done, so far." Sally replies.

"I remember seeing discourse on the news about it. Classic 'wah, violent videogames bad' discourse. Though this feels toned down from that."

"On that note, are you, uh… okay with your kids playing this?" Sally asks.

"Does this one depict sex?" Huh???

"Uh, no. Pretty sure it would be AO if it did."

"In that case, I have no qualms. I know the kind of violence that takes place in these and I know it's all spectacle." Dad approves. (Yess…!)

"Okay, cool. Cause you veto'd that other game, so I was wondering."

"Suicide is another beast entirely. One I would rather not mess with." Dad explains.

With a filled rage bar, Luna activates it and starts maniacally shouting along at the top of her lungs. The power… THE POWER!!! "RRRAAAAGH!! RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! RAAAAAGH! HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!"

Evan cheers along from the sidelines, "YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! YEEEEAH!!"

"…They're getting way too into this." Sally says. Very concerned, from the sound of it. Hehe.

"Sis, stop being so loud! I'm trying to focus…" Abbi complains. Killjoy…

"And what are you doing?" Dad turns to Abbi.

"I'm playing that game we got yesterday. Really liking it so far. If Luna would stop distracting me…" Abbi growls.

Luna sticks her tongue out in Abbi's direction. And her sister responds in kind, as per tradition.

"That's enough, you two." Dad disapproves, "Breathe…"

Sigh… Fine.

Inhale… hold…

Exhale…

And, still giving Abbi the side-eye, she's that little bit calmer.

"And how is Cookie doing?" Dad asks, looking over at the cat hiding close to Abbi. He reaches his hand out to him, and the kitty decides he'd rather hop on Dad's lap.

"Hasn't left the girls' sides." Sally tells, "Even took a swipe at me when I tried to pet him. Ouch." she looks at the bandage she had to put over that claw wound.

"Yeah, he can get… territorial, sometimes. Especially when aggravated by damned fireworks…" Dad snarls, gently stroking along Cookie's fur.

"I feel ya. 4th of July is rough on any pet." Sally sympathizes.

"Mhm. You're the one who had to put down Hector, no?" Dad says. Huh??????

"Well, my parents, but yes." she answers.

"Who's Hector??? Why did you put him down???" Luna turns around, frightened by the implications. Someone died???

"Ah, Hector was the old family dog." Sally explains. "Eventually, he started getting… I think it was arthritis? so bad that it was painful for him to move at all. And he also started getting a bunch of other health issues that didn't really make it any better, so Mom and Dad decided it'd be better for him to just… put him out of his misery. It's sad, but I think it's better than making him live out a life of pain until he died. Ah, Hector… Miss ya, boy."

"Oh…" Abbi takes a long, concerned look at Cookie. "Are we… gonna have to do that to Cookie…?"

"Cookie's a long ways away from that." Dad reassures, "Though it's important to bear in mind that you will outlive him."

"Yeah! No reason not to enjoy it. You know, you can only die if you lived in the first place." Sally says.

They're going to outlive Cookie… Huh. That's… strange to think about, for some reason. Thinking that someone who came along so late can last so little… Thinking that he's not always gonna be around… Weird.

Bleh, let's stop thinking about all this sad stuff and go back to the game.

As the gameplay duo come to a cutscene, Luna suddenly has a very fun idea. Every time from here on that the burly man says 'Boy', she's gonna do her best impression of it.

"Boy!" the man shouts, "Boy!" Luna echoes.

"Boy!" "Boy!" "Boy!" "Boy!" "Boy!" "Boy!"

"Oh, are we doing impressions, now?" Sally notices, "BOY!" and joins in.

"Oh, lemme try it!" Evan puts on the deepest voice he can, "Boy…"

"Hah! Amateurs. Watch this. *Ahem!*" Dad invokes all of his dadness, and then… "Boy." he reproduces in absolutely pitch perfect tone.

"Woahh!" "That was so good!" Luna and Evan gush.

"Well, that's not fair, you're a grown man." Sally complains.

"Hmh! Sounds like a you problem." Dad snarks.

"Damn. Man's legit just saying I have a skill issue, okay." Sally memes.

"If that's how your crowd puts it…" Dad replies.

"Yoo, Sunny!" Mr. Kel shouts out, stepping into the playroom doorway with that cane of his, "You gonna watch the fireworks with us?"

"Hm? Haven't there been fireworks all day?" Dad questions.

"Oh, no. I mean the official one by the county, with all the lights and stuff. It should be starting soon,  we'll have a pretty good view from the backyard. You gonna watch with us?"

"Ooh! I wanna see it!" Luna perks up. Fireworks shows are always amazing!

"Welp. The decision has been made for me." Dad resigns himself. (Yess!)

"Do we get ear protection?" Abbi asks for an actually pretty important detail.

"I'm afraid I only brought earplugs for myself…" Dad laments.

"Ah, it's fiiine! Just cover your ears! We're not gonna be that close." Mr. Kel waves off their concerns.

"I sincerely hope my faith in you is not misguided…" Dad deadpans.

"When does it start?" Evan asks.

Off in the distance, a faint booming… *Boom! Boom! Boom!*

"…Now, apparently." Mr. Kel answers.

"Oh, shoot!" Luna hurriedly stands up from the floor. She's got to see this! And so, she dashes out the door into the backyard. The others will be soon to follow.

Chapter Text

July 4th, 2022, mid-evening

Luna dashes out of the playroom, then Evan, and then Abbi herself. Dad and Sally follow close behind. The whole house gathers in the backyard to watch the 4th of July fireworks show going on outside. A red one, and then a white one, and then a blue one, over and over; slowly going up into the night sky, exploding into hundreds of sparkling little lights before the next one follows. The pace at which they fire is what Abbi actually finds interesting. The only other fireworks shows she's ever seen were the ones back at home; mixes of colors and lights that would shoot up and dazzle her with all of their wondrous patterns and spectacular grandeur. This is not that. It's small, it's simple, and it's very curious. A newfound sense of perspective on the ones she's seen before.

In time, Dad comes up behind her and places his hands on her ears, alleviating some of the irritation from the loud booms of each firework. She looks over and sees Mom doing the same to Luna; and she also sees Sally and the two boys standing next to each other, Evan with a little smile and Max being Max. She sees Misses Aubrey and Kim holding each other close, Mr. Hero and Ms. Edna with their hands held together, Granny and her old friends sitting nearby, and Mr. Kel going around toasting everyone — Mr. Basil, at the moment, with his dog lying down next to him and covering her ears. — All of them have their heads turned towards the little show. Her heart flutters at all the love and joy that is being shared in this moment. The true beauty in this isn't in the colored lights going off in the distance; it is here, right where they are standing. Even if the show is a little lacking, it more than makes up for it with all this care and closeness radiating from the people around her.

And a red one goes up… *BOOM!*

And a white one goes up… *BOOM!*

And a blue one goes up… *BOOM!*

And, finally, all three colors at once, dozens and dozens of them. *BOOOOOOM!!*

And the skies fall silent…

Despite the comfortable atmosphere, Luna has complaints. "What!? That's it!?"

"Well, yeah." Mom confirms, "This is what small town fireworks shows look like."

"This show sucked!" Luna stomps and pouts.

"Luna! Don't be rude!" Mom reprimands.

Dad steps in, "I suppose, when your only frame of reference is 'Big City New Year's Fireworks Display', anything less becomes disappointing. What about you, Abbi? Did you enjoy it?"

She nods with enthusiasm, "Mhm! I liked how everyone looked so happy together. It was… really nice." Abbi feels warm and fuzzy inside.

"Bluh. I can't believe you guys…" Luna slouches.

"Alright everyone!" Mr. Kel announces, "Now, how about we get that dinner started? My stomach is growlin'!"

The crowd cheers in agreement, and everyone starts picking up food again. Mom and Dad go over and get the selection of stuff that Abbi had liked earlier, and then everyone sits down at the big round table in the backyard. In the whole play session she was having earlier, she didn't even notice how hungry she had gotten. This is gonna be tasty.

A couple of beef and carrot skewers get served for her, lovingly prepared by Dad. She looks at them with hungry eyes, and her mouth waters at the "dish". Pulling out the first bits with her teeth, she bites down. Salty, savory, a little bit of crunch from the carrot and a very tender sensation from the cut of beef. A real example of Dad's finest cuisine. She loves it.

And the adults start making their own conversation again. "Here's hoping that's the last of the fireworks." Dad begins.

"What, you don't like 4th of July, Sunny?" Mr. Hero asks.

"I tolerate it. At the best of times."

"Man, you really don't like loud noises, huh?" Sally comments, "How the hell do you live in the city?"

"Very carefully." Dad snarks.

Ms. Edna speaks up, "So, what did you boys think?" she asks her kids.

"It was pretty cool, I liked it." Evan tells.

"Meh…" Max continues to be a complete killjoy.

"Eh," Sally pitches in, "it's a Faraway fireworks show. That's the most we're gonna get, out here."

"They coulda used more colors…" Luna gives her expertly critique.

"Heh. I don't know what their budget looks like, but I doubt they have the money for anything more." Mr. Hero hazards a guess.

Mr. Kel butts in, "What I think, though, is that it's really cool how we were able to be all together here for this. Really makes this special, y'know?"

"Honestly? Yeah." Miss Kim turns to Hero, "The fact that you got eight adults' schedules to line up for a whole month? That's the miracle right there."

"It wasn't… that hard…" Mr. Hero deflects, "Like, half of us would be here anyway, and the other half are two couples. Sunny's the one I'm actually proud of bringing along."

"Still, I'm glad we're all here. Wouldn't be the same without you guys. And that includes you kiddos." Mr. Kel says, ruffling Evan's hair a little.

"Hehe! You gotta play with us more, Uncle Kel! Just videogames gets boring after a while!" Evan exclaims.

"Oh, you bet. After this, I'm gonna sit down there and show ya the tickle monster! Raaaargh!" Mr. Kel starts menacing tickles at Evan, getting him to flinch in reflex. Heh, fun.

"Please let him finish his food." Ms. Edna tells off.

And dinner goes on until everyone is done and falling asleep at the table. Mr. Basil is the first to take his leave, then Misses Aubrey and Kim bid goodbye, then Sally and Kel go to take their parents back home. Running out of things to do, and getting very tired themselves, Mom and Dad gesture for the sisters to wave goodbye to their new friends and go home for bedtime. A shame that they can't stay and play for longer, but the sleepiness is gonna take them first.

Before they go, Abbi looks up into the night sky… Though it's too bright to see much, she can still make out the little twinkling of the stars against the darkness. Looking back at the past few days, she's really started to come around to this place. The rows of houses don't feel as alien anymore, and the company she's found here is very fun and compassionate. She can appreciate why her parents wanted to come out here. Faraway is much more charming than she initially gave it credit. Maybe… Maybe she could keep this. Yeah, collect it like her other fond memories, with Sally and maybe Evan… It would be nice to keep this peaceful little town in her thoughts… Yeah…

And she hops into the car with her family. Mom begins to drive them home… Today was a good day.

…

"Ma fleur?"

"Yes, Soleil?"

"I think we should visit Mari… First thing tomorrow morning."

"…Alright then."

Chapter Text

????, daytime

As Abbi opens her eyes, she finds herself in her familiar old bedroom, her bed on the corner of the room and her sister's not too far off from hers, Luna still snoozing away; the TV up in front of her with their Switch dock set up under it, right in the middle of all their drawers and wardrobes. On the walls, there's the usual kitty cat painting right above them, lifelike as ever, and the owl clock ticking away over the door to the hall.

Well, today looks like it's going to be just another day. Off to get it started. To the bathroom! Right through the other door next to Luna's bed; a quick visit to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for a new day. And now that we're done with that, let's go check on how we're doing in the living room.

Immediately, she finds Luna playing the Switch on the couch. When did she get here!? She didn't even go to the bathroom!?

"Good morning." the other person in the room, Dad, greets her as he inspects a nearby shelf. Two jars of glooply-gloops sit at the height where he's looking. "Fine work out there. Interesting specimen, this one."

Abbi approaches his side and gazes up at the jars bubbling with darkness. Right below Mom's book collection and above all the decorative toys and adornments that have been accumulated over the years. "Is it safe to keep those here?"

"No. We're working on a better place. For now, this will have to do."

"I don't like it…" Abbi shimmies away from the jars. They're too close…

"Don't be afraid, Abbi. So long as you are within these four walls, you are safe. Remember what I taught you."

Right. Breathe in…

Inhale… hold…

Breathe out…

Exhale…

"There you go." he rubs her back in encouragement.

Back to the matter at hand. "So, is that it? Are these the only ones?"

"Hah! No. Not by a long shot. Though it is a start…"

"So there are other gloopies to beat up? Oh, this is gonna be fun…" Luna speaks up from the couch, devilish grin spread across her face.

"Now now, not so fast. Today we have lunch at the mall, remember?"

Oh! Oh yeah, the weekend family lunch at the mall! But… was it the weekend? Ah, it's fine, whatever. On this note, Mom steps into the room, dressed up and ready to leave. "Alright. Shall we?"

"That's our cue." Dad replies. And out we go once more to the city — no need to take the car and spend money on gas and parking, the subway is right there!

*Welcome to the subway. Where would you like to go?

(HOME STREET) (current)

(GREENFIELD PARK)

> (IVORY MALL)

(FAIRVIEW SCHOOL)

Rumble rumble rumble rumble waiting waiting waiting waiting…

*DING DONG!* "Next station: IVORY MALL. Exit on the left side."

And here we are. Ivory Mall is a massive building; a seven-floor complex of halls and shops and stalls and booths. An underground floor where most of the fun stuff is kept, then two floors of assorted shops, then the food court, the cinemas above that, and then parking space all the way to the tippy top. It feels smaller on the inside than it looks from the outside, but that's probably because there's a lot of it that's out of view, in there. It's also got a connection to the subway line, which is pretty cool.

Up four floors of escalator we go, right to the food court. Most of the time, they spend their weekend lunches at one of the restaurants with the lighter and more nutritious foods — still tasty and not too expensive, but not really as fun as fast food — but today, Dad has decided to indulge. There's a Brazilian steakhouse up here that serves the best steaks she's ever eaten, even better than Dad's.

So they head in and take seats around a table. A garçon comes over and serves them a slice of a prime cut (much to the dismay of Mom and Dad's wallets, I mean, look at the sad faces on them!), then Mom and Dad proceed to order a few more things — drinks, proper meals, that kinda stuff. — Abbi takes a bite of the steak on her plate…

*Munch…!*

Thick. Succulent. Consistent. The perfect blend of salt and spice. Mind-blastingly tasty. Easy to chew and goes down easily. Nothing compares to this.

*Health restored. Would you like to SAVE?

> (YES)

(NO)

*Saving game. Please do not turn off the console or remove the game cartridge from the system.

*… … …

*Game saved!

*Good luck, Abbi.

Ah… Where were we?

While they wait for the rest of the food to arrive, a little cup of crayons gets set out for the sisters to draw on their table papers with. Making cute little pictures on the sheets, playing hangman puzzles and tic-tac-toe, messing with each other's papers and then asking their parents to switch them out, eating out here is always good fun for everyone involved.

And time passes, and the meals come and go, and, before Abbi knows it, they're already done and asking for the bill. Time goes really fast when you're having fun, huh?

The garçon comes over with the little card scanner in their hand, Mom fishes her card out of her wallet, and then…

//ERROR!//

"Huh. Hold on, try again."

//ERROR!//

"…That's not supposed to happen." Mom points out the obvious.

"Erm… Excuse me, I'll try another machine…" the garçon says and hurries away to the front counter.

Turning back towards our table, Dad can be seen looking out of the restaurant, face hardened in suspicion. "Hmh… Something's not right…"

"Hm?" Mom turns to see where he's looking, and Abbi follows their gaze. Digital billboards and adverts all over the mall are… crashing? Going blue-screen?

The garçon eventually returns bearing some bad news. "Uh… None of our machines are working… and the computer at the front desk won't boot up… and the mall's system seems to be failing… Uh, I take it you can't pay for 449 PEBBLES up front?"

Mom is taken aback by the value that's been put forth. "N-No, I don't carry that much…" she says, casting a glance towards Dad.

As expected, he, too, shakes his head. "I came with 100."

"U-uh… This is a problem… What do we do now?" the garçon frets.

"Hm… Whatever this is, it seems to be a problem with the whole mall…" Dad rubs his hand against his chin, then turns towards the sisters to make a request, "Say, you two, could you go take a look around and see what's going on?"

Luna perks up in excitement, "You want us to solve this??"

"Sure. I mean, I could cheat and go resolve this all on my own, but… I want to see how you two go about it."

"Aw yeah, adventure!" Luna throws her hands up in the air.

"But what about you guys?" Abbi asks.

Dad scoffs. "Tch! Please. You know who you're talking to."

"We'll hold down the fort here. You two go and have fun investigating." Mom chirps.

"And if you ever find yourself stuck or not knowing where to go, all you need to do is check in with me. I'll be happy to guide you towards wherever you need to go next. Remember, this one sees everything." Dad says, tapping on his glass eye.

Comforted by her father's ever watchful presence, Abbi nods and hugs her parents before she goes. If anything goes wrong, there is no doubt in her mind that they will come to her aid. Her strength does not come from herself alone.

"Mm! Before you go…" Dad makes one last call for the sisters; he requests one last cut of steak, places it into a tupperware container produced from his magic sketchbook, and offers it over to the duo.

*You have obtained a PREMIUM FILLET.
PREMIUM FILLET: Restores all HP and resets cooldowns. Very rare (but I thought it was well done?) .

"Thanks, Dad!" Abbi cheerfully receives it. And off to explore the mall we go.

So, we are on the third floor, the food court. There is some kind of problem that's affecting all the computers in the mall. Logical first place to check would be…

"Ooh! What's that over there?" Luna immediately veers off track, running over to whatever it is that caught her attention.

"Wh-… HEY!!" Dammit, Luna, why do you insist on running ahead on your own all the time!?

In chasing after her sister, Abbi sees the rest of the mallgoers coming out of their stores. Indeed, it seems that no one here is able to make any sort of purchase while this outage is going on, and their reactions to this seem to range from confusion to resignation to downright outrage. Eventually, she finds herself down on the second floor in the midst of an alley of shops, with Luna wandering up to a fitness store depicting an array of extremely buff celestial bodies. In fact, that's the store's name: the Celestial Body.

"Whoa…!" Luna gawks at the display, stars in her eyes. What she's looking at, a pair of very pretty and colorful sports shoes.

"You know we can't buy stuff right now, right? We only have 22 PEBBLES anyway." Abbi deadpans upon catching up.

"I can dream, Abbi!" Luna snips back.

At that, the girls catch wind of some sort of commotion going on inside, as the store's cash register suddenly comes to life. ("Whoa!" "Agh! It's spitting PEBBLES at me!")

Luna perks up at the incident, "*Gasp!* I heard PEBBLES. Sounds like a job for us, ma sœur ."

Abbi sighs, "Ugh. Only because there's money involved." Getting sidetracked like this always eats up so much time…

"Hell yeah! Time to make some cash." Luna grins, then barges into the store with violent intent.

++++++++++++++

BATTLE START!

++++++++++++++

*ABBI and LUNA: 3A and 1B // CHA-CHING: 2B (Target: All foes [ABBI & LUNA])

"Now, little register, stay very very still…" Luna menaces.

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

Great! Woosh! POW!

*CHA-CHING takes 1 damage. You gained 5 PEBBLES!

"Uh. Can I even hurt it?" Abbi asks, seeing the 1 damage pop-up.

"Yeah, it's just a little weird. Just hit it as much as you can!"

"Uh, okay…"

*ABBI attacks CHA-CHING with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Excellent! POWPOWPOW!

CHA-CHING takes 3 damage. You gained 15 PEBBLES!

*CHA-CHING spits out coinage!

*Ptu! Plink!* *Ptu! Plink!*

*ABBI and LUNA take 6 damage. (♥ 11 → 5)(♥ 11 → 5) CHA-CHING prepares to escape!

"Ack!" "Ow! Hey, it's trying to get away! HIT IT!"

*LUNA attacks with SWIFT PUNCH.

Great! Woosh! POW!

*CHA-CHING takes 1 damage. You gained 5 PEBBLES!

*ABBI attacks with ARPEGGIO.

Plim…! Plam…! Plom…! Ok. POWsmacksmack!

*CHA-CHING takes 3 damage. You gained 15 PEBBLES!

*CHA-CHING runs away!

++++++++++++++

VICTORY!!

++++++++++++++

And as the cash register runs off through the store's doors, Abbi pouts. "Aw, we didn't kill it."

"That's okay, little girl." one of the store's employees consoles, "I'm sure we'll get it back eventually."

"Say," another one speaks up, "I see that you girls took a bit of a beating there. Could I interest you in some gear to help mitigate that, now that you have some PEBBLES to spend?"

"Ooh, I want it!" Luna has no impulse control.

"Great! So, if you would take a look at our wares…"

*Welcome to the CELESTIAL BODY! Your #1 place for fitness!

> BUY

SELL

"So, what we sell here are CHARMS! CHARMS are pieces of EQUIPMENT that give you some major boosts in combat."

> CHEST GUARD: +5 DEF (Protects the important bits.)

"Some CHARMS simply give you straight stat bonuses, no caveats attached."

> RUNNING SHOES: +3 SPD; RUN AWAY has no consequences. (Lightweight and stylish!)