Chapter 15 - The Aftermath

speech:"like this"

though:'like this'

telepathy:<like this>

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////////MC POV///////

'Making my way down the hall, walking fast, bodies pass, I'm on the bridge now.'

Nemesis:<What the hell are you doing?>

Cad:<Singing.>

Nemesis:<...>

Lisa:<Oho we have a new member in the chat room.>

Nemesis:<Who's there?>

Scatach:<Didn't husband brief you?>

Ivy:<Wow, I leave you alone for 30 minutes and you already married a new girl? You dog.>

Nemesis:<W-what, who is marrying this guy?>

Cad:<Calm down girls, this is Nemesis, she was an experiment in here that needed a body to stabilize, she is living in my Soul's Space for now, that must be why you all can communicate with her.>

Scatach:<Oh I see, so she is not married yet.>

Nemesis:<THERE IS NO YET.>

Lisa, Scatach, Ivy:<Give it time.>

Nemesis:<.....>

Cad:<These are my wives, Nemesis.>

Nemesis:<....Nice to meet you, Nemesis.>

Well, arriving at the bridge while singing to myself, Nemesis asked, baffled, which led to an interesting discovery. It appears that since she is leaving in my soul she can take part in our communications, poor girl, my wives are going to tease her to no end.

I stopped paying attention as they were introducing themselves and focused more attention on the people on the bridge, as this is a huge station that doubles as a ship, the other two ships are docked inside so everybody is here.

Lala and Mikado are teaching the Shades how to man the new post in the station while Sven is mapping the course back to Earth. Ivy is sitting on the captain's chair with an amused face, probably doing something to Nemesis.

Saya is with an annoyed face on the side as she had Train behind her with a sad puppy face. In the other corner is Tearju taking care of the two little girls, I approach them.

Cad:"How are they."

Tearju:"They are better now, they have calmed down."

Cad:"Good, hey girls, Mikado must have already talked about me, but I'm going to introduce myself either way, I'm Cadmus, is a pleasure to meet you."

Tearju:"Yes, we haven't done it properly, I'm Tearju and these are my little sisters."

She introduces herself and points at the little girls, urging them to introduce themselves.

Mea:"Hi, thank you for helping Tearju, I'm Mea."

First was the red-haired one, she had a happy smile on her face.

Eve:"....Eve."

Now the blond one, acting all kuudere-like.

Cad:"What? Weren't you the one who was shouting just a minute ago? now you have communication problems?"

Mea:"Pff hahaha."

At my attempt to lighten the mood, she pouted and Mea let out a little laugh, Tearju just had a smile on her face.

Cad:"Now, can you start explaining things to me?"

Tearju tensed because of my words, and the girls sensed her behavior and get worried. She looks at Mikado and sighs.

Tearju:"Girls, can you stay with Aunt Mikado, for a while?"

Mea:"Uh? but…."

Eve:...."

Tearju:"It's alright, I have some important things to speak with Mister Cadmus, I will stay in the room, just give us some privacy."

The girls visibly relax and go to Mikado.

Tearju:"Alright, Mister Cadmus, I will tell you everything I know."

Cad:"Please, just Cadmus or Cad."

Tearju:"*giggle* Alright Cad, I don't know much about the organization, I may have been working in here for a few years but I have been in the dark for most of it, my focus was solely on my research, *sigh*, now I see that I shouldn't be so….."

Cad:"Unaware?"

Tearju:"Thank you for using such a tame word."

She answers with a self-deprecating smile.

Cad:"Oh don't sweat it, there's plenty of time to get worst."

She wryly smiles at my rebuttal.

Tearju:"Anyway, I now know that it wasn't just a research about true artificial life, but a perfect living weapon that I managed to create through nanomachines….Eve was the product of that, she was created with my DNA."

Cad:"....And Mea?"

Tearju:"She was also created from Project Eve, second generation weapon, although she wasn't dependent on my DNA as Eve, she still has traces of it."

Cad:"For how long have you worked for them?"

Tearju:"Oh for five years now, the core of what Eve is I managed to do it on my own about eight years ago, but I needed resources to finish her, Mea came along about two years ago, when Eve was completed and we started her training."

Cad:"...I see, do you know something about Project Nemesis?"

Nemesis:<!!!>

Tearju:"!!!"

Tearju:"Where did you hear of that?"

Cad:"So you do know something."

Tearju:"*sigh* It is the project that was deemed a failure and discontinued as I started working here, Popaloka, the woman you just fought, was the head researcher, it tried to do the same thing but using dark matter, a lot of people died because of it and they ended up not creating anything."

Cad:"Well that's not true."

Tearju:"Eh?"

Cad:"Never mind that for now. It's that all you know?"

Tearju:"Overall yes, is not like they shared much with me, the first three years I was just happy that I had someone that believed in my work, but then…"

Cad:"You thought something was wrong."

Tearju:"....yes."

Cad:"So what will you do now?"

Tearju:"......I don't know, I….We need to hide, Eden Chronos is not something that can be treated lightly, even more, if they consider the girls their perfect weapon, and there's also Deviluke empire that governs this galaxy."

Cad:"Yeah I don't think they will be happy with the person that created a weapon to kill their emperor."

Tearju:"....."

Cad:"Alright it is decided."

Tearju:"???"

Tearju tilts her head sideways in confusion while I start walking toward Eve and Mea. Stopping in front of them, they look at me in confusion, everyone's attention is on me. I look at Ivy.

Cad:"They are coming with us, honey."

Ivy:"Ok."

Everyone:"??"

Mikado:"...."

Everyone has a confused expression safe for Ivy, who knows me best, and Mikado that had a grateful smile.

Tearju:"Wait wait, didn't you hear what I just said?"

Cad:"You girls are now fugitives from a dangerous organization as well as the Empire and need protection."

Tearju:"Exacly, and that's why-"

Cad:"Why you are going to Earth and live with us."

Tearju:"...You want my research don't you?"

Cad:"Well Duh."

Tearju:"...Why, because you want to make a weapon?"

Cad:"Because it's cool."

At my response she gets dumbfounded, Mikado holds her laughter, Lala and Ivy are smiling, and the rest has a cramped smile on their faces.

Tearju:"Huh???"

Mikado:"Pfff."

Saya:"Somehow I knew it would be for something stupid…But at least is something I can get behind."

Train:"I totally agree with you."

Saya:"Who asked you?"

Train:"...."

Ouch man, this is just getting sadder and sadder, Sven puts his hand on Train's shoulder as he just stares blankly at the wall.

Cad:"Can you imagine? having a cool nano suit that can regenerate itself and turn into all assortments of things as needed, you're coming with us and that's final."

Tearju:"....You are going to use my research to make stupid toys aren't you?"

Cad:"Hell yeah."

Tearju:"Ughhh, Mikado."

Geez, do you really have to literally go cry on your friend's shoulder just because of that?

Mikado:"Yosh Yosh, It's alright, that's your punishment for being dumb and accepting a job in a dubious organization."

Tearju:"*sniff* Stop bullying me Mikado and help me."

Mikado:"I already am, hey Cadmus, can I come too? I have to pay you somehow."

Cad:"*snort* You just want to be close to me to study my body."

Mikado:"Tehe."

Sven:"*Ahem* Sorry to disturb your flirting time."

Cad, Mikado:"Spoilsport."

At our comment, he bitterly smiles.

Sven:"*sigh* It's not that I want to interrupt you boss, but what Miss Tearju said is indeed concerning, you will have the military for of the Empire and great attention of a Terrorist organization who, even the Empire has some difficult dealing so-"

Tearju:"THAT'S RIGHT, I can't let our benefactor be put in such danger, I thank you immensely Mr. Cadmus but I and the girls will manage somehow."

Cad:"Oh you don't have to worry about that."

Ivy:"Yes, Earth is the safest place in all the galaxy."

Tearju:"??? And why is that?"

Cad:"Because I live that, why else?"

Ivy:"Us."

Cad:"Oh sorry honey, yes, since we live there your safety is all but guaranteed, even more since you are all my subordinates."

Tearju:"..."

Lala:"HAHAHAHAAHAH well said."

Mikado:"*giggle* Indeed."

Saya:"See, you call him a boy, but you are the boy, that's a man."

Train:"..."

Eve:"Hey, who said we are working for you?"

Cad:"I said, just now."

Eve:"I'm not working for you."

Cad:"And I don't need it, Tear will work Mea just have to keep being cute, you are just the baggage that comes along."

Mea:"Eh?? Ah Ok big brother."

Eve:"YOUUUUU."

Cad:"Mea come here."

Ignoring Eve I called out to Mea, Tearju has a complicated face and was going to say something but Mikado stopped her.

Mea:"What is it, big brother?

Cad:"Can you get about this height?"

I raise my hand at Mikan's height. She look confused for a second before nodding and shirking in size. I take her in my arms and put her on my shoulders walk to a chair and sit on it I take Mea off of my shoulder and put her on my lap.

I start patting her head, she was still confused but chose to just enjoy the pampering.

Cad:"Yosh, you are going to be my little sister's bodyguard and best friend."

Mea:"Eh?"

Cad:"We will train you how to use your power so you can go to the same school as her and accompany her in her activities."

Mea:"Eh? Can Mea go to school?"

Cad:"Of course, you will, such a good girl like you will get to do many things, you just have to ask me."

Mea:"Thank You, big brother."

Tearju:"Thank you Cadmus, but what about Eve?"

Eve:"*snort* I don't want anything from him."

Tearju:"Eve."

Cad:"And I don't want to give anything to you brat."

Eve:"YOOUUUUU."

Train:"You are also a brat."

Saya:"This brat is better than you in any way, from personality to weapon size."

Train:"..."

Sven:"Ouch, damn dude, why don't you just shut up, for god's sake."

Cad:"That's it, I am done with the two of you."

Saya:"Eh?"

Train:"Huh?"

I put Mea on my sit and go to them, pulling their ear I drag them through the door.

Saya, Train:"AUAUAUAUAUAUAU."

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/////IVY POV/////

*giggle* I guess his father mode activated, it was getting annoying how Saya was treating Train and how he was just letting her mistreat him so I hope he fixes that.

Ivy:"Well girls, welcome to the family."

Mea:"Thank you, big sis."

Tearju:"I-."

Eve:"We want no part of it."

Tearju:"Eve!!."

Eve:"I won't let anyone harm Tearju, you are just like those bad guys who were using her and then starting to torture her to make me obey, I won't let you do the same."

Tearju:"Eve…"

She says that while giving an angry look and transforming her hand and strands of her hair into an assortment of weapons and aiming at me. The Shades get ready to attack but I stop them, Sven is tense, Mea and Tearju are worried but Lala and Mikado are calm.

Ivy:"*sigh* Girl, you know nothing."

Eve:"I know enough."

After she said that, I use my shadow movement to instantly get behind her, It was l literal blink of an eye.

Ivy:"Heh, is that what you think?"

Eve:"!!!"

Before she can turn around I punch her, not too strong just enough to make her roll once on the ground. She tries to get up but I hold into her hair and throw her on the ground again.

Tearju:"Eve!!"

Mea:"Big sister!!!"

Using her hair to take distance I take my sword, detaching the blade into a whip I wrap around her leg and pull her to the ground beneath me, controlling the shadows I wrap her into a nice little cocoon on the ground.

Looking around I see Mikado holding Tearju while Lala is calming down Mea. I look at Eve who is now looking at me scared.

Ivy:"We don't need you as weapons, as my husband said, he just wants her research for fun and to make more 'toys', we are already strong enough as we are and what you have will just add variety to our arsenal, not substantial strength."

She visibly relaxes as she seems to comprehend why I attacked her, even if for a brief moment she must have noticed that I could play around with her as I wanted.

Eve:"You will not hurt Tearju?"

Ivy:"*giggle* Let alone Tear, the same goes for you and your sister, you'll have to train how to use your powers of course, but aside from fair punishment for any misdeeds you do, you have nothing to fear from us."

Eve:"....Thank you."

Ivy:"You're welcome."

While she still didn't completely drop her guard she got a little more relaxed, it'll take time but she is not the first child that we have had to deal with that was like this. And considering some of the stories that we read back in our world it will not be the last.

Everybody relaxes as the tension from before becomes non-existent, Tearju mouths a 'Thank you' to me and Lala has a pensive look, the more I watch her the more I can see what Cad said to be true, she really does put a goofy happy-go-luck persona, maybe she still didn't perfect it due to her young age.

Anyway, we are on our way back home, we still have to deal with the aftermath of the bombing and Yui and Chitoge.

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