SUDDEN HOSPITALITY

Kylan's heart raced as he rushed up the stairs, his mind racing with a flurry of thoughts and possibilities. With a quick command, he deactivated the defensive systems of the AI Grampa, the mechanical behemoth returning to its benign form. However, as Kylan's eyes fell upon Mendle standing before him, a wave of unexpected panic washed over him, causing his face to pale.

Mendle, unperturbed by Kylan's reaction, greeted him with a curious expression. "Why do you look as if you've seen a ghost, Kylan?" he asked, his tone laced with amusement. "Is this how you welcome a guest?"

Managing to regain his composure, Kylan let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh, Mendle, it's just that... well, your appearance took me by surprise," he replied, gesturing to Mendle's distinctive features—the round goggles, the long curly hair, and the intricate mechanical arms.

With a friendly smile, Mendle settled into a nearby seat, his mechanical appendages whirring softly as he adjusted his position. "I see," he remarked, his curiosity piqued. "But enough about my appearance. What were you up to before I arrived?"

Kylan's laughter filled the room as he shrugged off Mendle's question. "Me? Oh, nothing much," he replied casually, though a mischievous twinkle danced in his eyes. "Just a typical day at home, you know."

As Grampa returned with refreshments, the trio settled into a relaxed conversation, the tension of the moment dissipating amidst the warmth of camaraderie. However, Kylan couldn't shake the feeling that Mendle's unexpected visit heralded a deeper intrigue, one that would require his keen intellect and resourcefulness to unravel.

Mendle's eyes naorrowed, "Yeah, just the usual experiments," Kylan replied casually, his mind racing with apprehension as Mendle's question hung in the air like a heavy cloud.

As Kylan turned away, Mendle's form blurred and vanished, his teleportation abilities whisking him effortlessly into the lab. Kylan, meanwhile, made his way toward the lab at a hurried pace, the weight of uncertainty pressing down upon him with each step.

Entering the lab, Kylan found Mendle examining the equipment and materials with keen interest, his expression inscrutable. Kylan's heart pounded in his chest as he watched, the fear of exposure gnawing at him from within.

Suddenly, Mendle broke the silence with a question, his voice echoing in the tense atmosphere of the lab. "May I ask something, Kylan?" he inquired, his gaze piercing.

Kylan froze, his mind racing to comprehend the implications of Mendle's query. In that moment, he felt as though the ground had been pulled out from beneath him, his carefully constructed plans crumbling into dust before his eyes.

Without turning to face Mendle, Kylan braced himself for the inevitable fallout. He knew that his activities in the lab had been discovered, and with that realization came the crushing weight of anticipated consequences. Aayam would surely be informed, and Kylan's future within Savior Society hung precariously in the balance.

In that moment of uncertainty, Kylan grappled with the harsh reality of his actions. His ambition to protect the city and expose threats like Kohaku now seemed like distant dreams, overshadowed by the looming specter of punishment and disgrace.

As he stood there, paralyzed by fear and regret, Kylan couldn't help but wonder if this was the end of his journey, the final chapter in a story that had once brimmed with hope and possibility.

Why did you make these suits? Mendle asked

As Mendle's probing gaze bore down on Kylan, demanding an explanation for the unauthorized suits, Kylan's eyes scanned the entire laboratory, searching for any sign of Zede, Harris, or the cloned Alexander. Yet, to his dismay, the trio was nowhere to be found, and the lab appeared eerily pristine, devoid of any remnants of their presence. The floor was cleaned with perfection not even a single broken glass of that beaker was there on the floor.

"Why are you looking here and there? Answer me," Mendle's voice cut through Kylan's swirling thoughts, bringing his attention back to the matter at hand. "Using unauthorized suits in a mission is against our rules."

Feeling a pang of guilt and apprehension, Kylan met Mendle's gaze with a mixture of regret and determination. "I apologize," he began, his voice tinged with sincerity. "I made those suits as a precautionary measure, but I understand now that it was a breach of protocol. I promise to dismantle them immediately."

Mendle's expression softened slightly at Kylan's apology, though a trace of sternness remained in his eyes. "See that you do," he replied firmly before ascending to the ground floor.

With Mendle's departure imminent, Kylan couldn't shake the sinking feeling in his chest. As Mendle ascended to the ground floor to enjoy the hospitality of Kylan's house before departing for SSHQ, Kylan's mind raced with worry. Where had Zede, Harris, and Cloned Alexander disappeared to? And what dangers might they be facing without his protection?

Left alone in the silent laboratory, Kylan's mind raced with worry as he contemplated the whereabouts of his friends. With Mendle's departure, he wasted no time in springing into action, determined to locate Zede, Harris, and the cloned Alexander before any harm befell them.

Rapidly scanning the room one last time, Kylan made his way out of the lab, his footsteps echoing in the empty space. As he ventured forth into the unknown, a sense of urgency propelled him forward, driving him to find his friends and rectify his mistake before it was too late.

Mendle stood before his brother, Aayam, his mind still reeling from the revelations he had uncovered at Kylan's house. As Aayam swiveled his chair to face Mendle, a silent expectation hung in the air, prompting Mendle to recount his findings.

"I saw a lot," Mendle began, his voice carrying a weight of solemnity. "Despite their attempts to conceal it from my sight, I glimpsed a helmet within Kylan's lab—an ancient one."

Aayam's brow furrowed in intrigue, his gaze fixed intently on Mendle as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. "An ancient helmet?" he echoed, a note of curiosity seeping into his voice. "Could it be related to the recent theft from the museum?"

Mendle nodded solemnly, his mind racing with the implications of his discovery. "Yes, brother. It bears a striking resemblance to the stolen artifact," he confirmed, his tone grave. "It seems those children have become entangled in something far more complex than we initially thought."