The Broken Home

It was almost like old times. Felix was sitting down at the dinner table with his mother eating a meal. Of course, it was still far different from those old days. Her house had fallen into a state of disrepair and junk had started piling up. She seemed to have aged ten years as well. Her hair was like a rat’s nest, her wrinkles were deeper and more numerous, and her clothes were ragged and dirty.

Felix didn’t want to come along. In addition to it possibly blowing their cover, he was still upset about what happened and this was a stone that should remain unturned, but he somehow just couldn’t say no after his mother had fallen to her knees and started crying.

After his mother’s meltdown, little had been said. She invited him back to her house for a meal to talk things over.

He picked at his food awkwardly. It was a chuck steak, low-quality, cheap, and tough, but he wouldn’t have had an appetite if even a filet mignon was before him.

He looked down at his backpack by his feet. Velvet was still in there. It must’ve been awkward and uncomfortable for her, but he wasn’t going to reveal her.

“So Felix… Where have you been all this time?”

After a long pause, he responded, “An abandoned city down south.”

“Really? What were you doing down there?”

He didn’t respond.

Awkwardly, she took a sip of her drink, taking it off a newspaper she was using as a coaster. On closer inspection, it had Felix and Velvet’s wanted ad right on it.

Still buys a newspaper subscription, but doesn’t even so much as look at the front cover. Felix thought to himself.

After another long pause, Felix’s mother just couldn’t contain it anymore. “Felix, I’m so sorry about what happened. Alyssa told me the truth! I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you, and I’m sorry I abandoned you!”

He didn’t even know how to feel. Angry? Disappointed? Happy? He almost felt nothing. It was just too little too late for him. “Okay.”

Felix’s mother was taken aback by her son’s response. She had hoped for forgiveness, expected anger, but just plain indifference? That was almost worse.

“Anyway, thanks for dinner.” Felix grabbed his backpack and stood up, his food untouched. “I should be heading out now.”

“Hold on, wait!” She got up herself, pleading.

However, just as Felix began to head for the door, it opened, revealing somebody who he’d hoped to never see for the rest of his life.

Alyssa.

“Felix…” Was all she said, but even just that was enough to make his blood boil.

He spun around to face his mother. “And what is she doing here!?”

“Well…she lives here…”

“What!?” His voice sent shockwaves through the air.

After his yell, crying began. He looked back over at Alyssa and only just now noticed the baby in her arms.

With a scoff, he said, “What a joke.” Looking back at his mother, he continued. “Yeah, you almost had me going with that ‘I’m so sorry’ bit. Taking in this bitch even after knowing the truth, go to hell.”

“Hold on, Felix, you don’t understand!” His mother started chasing after him.

“I understand perfectly!”

“Felix!” It was Alyssa who spoke up. “This baby… It’s yours!”

Felix stopped dead in his tracks. The atmosphere was thick, the air dead still. His voice completely cold, he responded, “Impossible.”

“It’s true.” Alyssa began to cry.

“No, it’s not. I don’t care what you say, I know it isn’t true.”

“B-but…! Felix!” Alyssa was blubbering.

“Look! I don’t know who you think I am, but I will never forgive you or my mother, and I especially won’t bail you out and raise your bastard. Goodbye.”

He shoved Alyssa to the side and walked out the door, slamming it so hard behind him that it nearly fell off its hinges.

The baby as well as Alyssa and Felix’s mother were all crying.

Later that night, as Alyssa was clearing the table, she saw the newspaper. The name was Alex, and the face was a little off, but it looked like Felix. Could it be? she thought. However, when she saw the reward, she dropped the plate she had been holding.

***

Inducting Edea into the Doll Corps was difficult to say the least. She was uncooperative, crass, disobedient, and just about every other bad trait a soldier could have. Ava even considered putting an inhibitor on her, but doing that to her own sister was going a bit too far.

Besides that, plans were coming together nicely for the invasion of the Empire. While they suffered a lot of casualties from Edea’s attack, they were still in decent shape. With their smaller force, they’d be able to spearhead the attack and flush out the imps once and for all.

Things would get complicated with Velvet, though. Edea wanted her dead, but top brass (and Ava herself) wanted her alive. Edea was a valuable asset, but like fire, she could just as easily consume them.

However, it seemed like things might just work out as Ava received a tip. Felix had been spotted in a house near the outskirts of Thuri.

He’s probably going to the Empire, she thought.

Ava had tried to win over Velvet before, and it hadn’t worked. Now she was seemingly going to join the Empire. Velvet was a powerful opponent, with her joining the Imperials, things could get ugly.

With determination, Ava departed. She could handle Velvet one-on-one, and going with an entourage would slow her down too much. She’d rush to catch up, and sister or not, Velvet wouldn’t get away again.