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"Great to see you, old friend!"
"Good to see you as well, Gram!"
Y/n and Arron Gretcher stood off to the side with little looks of amusement as their fathers greeted each other cheerfully, patting each other on the back with bright smiles.
Alessandro and Gram Gretcher had been friends for as long as y/n could remember, and she recalled herself and Achille having to hang out with Olka and her brothers while their fathers talked about business and such.
Arron, the oldest out of Gram's three children, was once very good friends with Achille. It was thanks to him that y/n managed to catch Edith red handed.
The group of four had gathered in an expensive restaurant which they'd booked completely for the afternoon.
They all settled down to eat lunch together and catch up before they were to begin talking business.
The only people allowed inside were staff from the establishment, and both y/n and Gram's men were posted around the perimeter to ensure there'd be no interferences.
Kilian, Zain and Elena were a couple blocks away at the Adoption Fair taking place nearby since Kilian wanted to go see the animals.
The plan was for y/n and Alessandro to finish discussing the whole unsolved murder situation with Gram and Arron, then join Kilian, Zain and Elena so they could spend quality time with the boy.
And so Zain could get some alone time with Elena.
He wouldn't shut up about it, so y/n decided to help the poor man out a little bit. Just a little bit.
"How are you doing these days, y/n?" Arron questioned, snapping y/n out of her thoughts, "Is Kilian doing alright?"
"He's certainly a lot livelier these days." y/n hummed, "He's started attending school as well, even made some friends!"
Arron smiled, "That's good to hear. I'm sure Achille would be thrilled about how well Kilian is doing."
Y/n nodded, "Yeah... I'm sure he would. And what about you? Have you and your siblings been well?"
"I've been doing alright, and Olka actually had a kid not too long ago!" Arron chimed before digging in his pocket for a photo and offering it to y/n, "This is Gram. Olka decided to name him after our father."
"Awww, what a cutie..." y/n cooed at the sight of the picture, 'Man, am I catching baby fever or something? Seeing this adorable little bean makes me want to have a little one as well.'
The woman internally deflated, imagining the constant fussing between Yuri and Kilian somehow getting worse, 'Actually... maybe I should get those two to get along first.'
"What about Osmond? I haven't heard much from him lately." y/n pointed out and Arron's smile wavered.
"Ah... Osmond died a couple months ago as a result of some conflict within the family. Which is actually why my Father and I called you here to talk." Arron murmured.
Y/n frowned, "I see. You have my condolences, Arron. Osmond was like another brother to both Achille and I, so I'll do all I can to help."
Arron offered y/n a weak smile, "Thank you..."
"Now that we've all caught up." Gram suddenly announced, catching both Arron and y/n's attention, "I think it's about time we discuss the topic at hand."
A couple of employees removed the dishes from the table, replacing them with a few alcoholic beverages and that f/d y/n had ordered before hurriedly leaving the room.
A few security personnel from both families took their places outside the room, closing the doors behind themselves and the retreating employees.
Y/n sat up a little taller, mimicking her father's poker face as that familiar serious look settled on Gram's face.
Arron's friendly demeanor seemed to withdraw as well, replaced with a much more stoic appearance.
"Shall we get down to business?"
A couple blocks away, Kilian was seated with Sain and Elena outside a little cafe up the street from the adoption fair.
Zain was gulping down his third cup of coffee, Elena was nibbling on a strawberry pastry Kilian had offered to her, and Kilian was scanning the street intensely.
Anya had told him she'd be here to get a dog as her Stella Star reward, and asked him to be nearby in case anything exciting were to happen.
Kilian, as Anya's personal stay-out-of-trouble reminder, agreed to this and sneakily managed to get himself within the vicinity.
He had some Pepto Bismol chewables on hand for when the nausea kicked in with the use of his stupid illusion powers, and even passed on the opportunity to have those heavenly strawberry tarts just to avoid instant nausea.
"After we finish eating, let's head over to the adoption center!" Elena exclaimed, "I've been wanting to get a cat recently, so I was really happy when Miss Y/n told me about the Adoption Fair!"
She sent Kilian a bright smile, "Thank you for asking me to be here, Kilian! I'm glad you wanted my company!"
Kilian suddenly felt guilty, "You're my friend, Miss Elena! Of course I wanted you to be here!"
Elena blinked in surprise before beaming.
Shortly after they finished up at the cafe, they began heading on over to the Animal Shelter around the corner.
Elena was instantly enamored by the little kittens that were there, "Oh my goodness! Z-Zain! Zain look! Look at all the cute little kittens!!!"
"Y-Yep, I'm looking..." Zain muttered before pulling out a tissue and blowing his nose, 'Ugh... my allergies...'
As Kilian was watching the two, he was too busy trying to think of an escape plan that he was startled when a little hand poked him followed by an, "Ian!"
"HOLY-!" the boy whipped around to give Anya a furious glare, "Darn it, Anya, don't scare me like that!"
"Oh! Sorry!" she apologized quickly before adding, "Guess what! I saw a big doggie and read its mind! It knew me!"
"It knew you?" Kilian echoed.
"Mhm! It knew me, Mama, and Papa too! When I looked into its mind, there was a picture of Mama, Papa, and Anya together!" Anya explained.
"Okay, but... how?" Kilian pressed.
"Mmm... that's what Anya is gonna find out!" the little girl declared before grabbing Kilian's hand, "And you're coming with me!"
Kilian raised a brow, then glanced back at Elena and Zain. The woman had dragged Zain over to a bunch of rabbits where she was jumping up and down in excitement while the young man was clearly fighting the urge to rub his eyes.
Okay... they were distracted.
"Alright, let's go." Kilian decided and Anya cheered.
The two of them headed out of the Animal Shelter, risking two strange men who had some dogs in leashes before following them into this shady 🍑 building.
They quietly ascended the stairs, Kilian up front to check to make sure the coast was clear, and he spotted a weird room full of a few dogs who were tied up.
"What's all this?" he murmured before stepping out into the open, Anya following closely while clinging to the back of his little coat.
She stepped out from behind him and approached the big fluffy white dog, wandering closer to it with curious eyes.
Kilian stayed close, ready to grab her and pull her back if any of the dogs lashed out at her.
"Mister Doggy? Who are you?" Anya inquired quietly, "How do you already know Anya's family?"
The dog only whined.
Voices from another room caught both Kilian and Anya's attention. The two exchanged a loo, before silently creeping over to the door to listen in.
"We don't want to draw attention to ourselves!"
"Cool it, it'll be fine! With that adoption fair going on, there will be plenty of people with dogs out and about!"
Kilian and Anya frowned, 'Shady.'
"Today is the day." came a new voice, "If our plan succeeds, it'll put an end to the collaboration between the East and the West."
Definitely the big boss.
"Minister Brantz's death will be the catalyst of the war which will restore Ostania's former glory." the big boss continued in typical villain fashion, "And we'll bring those arrogant fools in the West to their knees!"
"Bad guys...!" Anya whispered.
"We should get out of here." Kilian advised quietly as the two of them began to back up, "And quick."
"Y-Yeah..." Anya agreed and gasped when the both of them backed up into something that wasn't there before.
They both paused, then looked up at the scary man staring down at them with a less than friendly face.
'💩.'
Both Anya and Kilian were grabbed by the hoodies of their coats before they could run, and the big man threw open the door to the not so secret meeting with a, "What are you idiots thinking, huh? These brats heard every word you said!"
"What? Seriously?" one of the people in the room demanded, "What are kids doing here anyways?!"
"Crap, what do we do now?" another complained.
"Simple." Kilian identified the source of the voice as a scary looking man with short black hair as he stood up. The boy's blood ran cold when the man revealed a pocket knife, "We make sure they don't make a peep."
Anya gasped quietly and Kilian shifted so that he was partially standing in front of her, his stoic expression wavering as his fear began to bubble over.
He understood the severity of the situation.
They could actually be killed!
"Ian, I'm scared..." Anya whispered, gripping onto Kilian's coat while the boy remained silent.
She tried reading his mind only to find a whirlwind of images and words as he desperately tried to think of a plan. Anya glanced down, and really wished she hadn't when she saw how his hands were trembling.
"Ian..." she whispered, giving his sleeve a light tug.
In an instant, the whirlwind snapped to a halt.
'I'll make an illusion as a distraction.' the boy thought, 'We make a run for it on my count of three.'
Anya blinked and nodded once.
'One...'
"Come on, Keith, they're just kids!" one of the other people in the room tried to reason with the man.
'Two...'
"But when they go crying to Mommy and Daddy, it's over for us." Keith pointed out before gesturing to the man hold onto them, "Kurt. Silence them."
"Hold it right there, brat."
Anya faltered at the sudden halt of Kilian's count as the boy went still where he stood, the shaking of his hands suddenly stopping.
She looked to the source of the voice and saw a woman sitting in the corner with crossed arms. Her gray eyes were very familiar, and she had shoulder length brown hair which was pulled back until a little pony tail.
She got up from where she sat, and crossed the room to stand in front of Anya, Kilian, and this Kurt dude instead.
Anya became aware of this distant noise and realized it was actually Kilian counting. Quick, erratic, hasty counting filled Kilian's mind as his hands began to tremble again, and Anya decided to take a peek at his face.
His eyes were wide and the color seemed to have drained from his face as he stared at this woman.
'Why is she here? She shouldn't be here. Why?'
"Don't touch this little boy. I need him alive." the woman stated before a little smile crossed her face, "I mean, what kind of mother would I be if I let you all kill him right in front of me. If anything..."
Kilian let out a little gasp but bit his tongue to silence the cry of pain which almost slipped out when the woman grabbed him by the hair and tugged him from Kurt's grasp.
She turned to Keith instead, an empty smile upon her face as Kilian tried to remain as still a possible in her grasp, his features wracked with fear, "I did my part, so it's about time you did yours. I'll be needing a car, since me and my son—" Edith gave Kilian's hair a little yank and the boy yelped, grabbing at her hand in an attempt to lessen the pain, "Will be taking a little trip together."
Kilian inhaled shakily.
'Why are you back to hurt me again?'
'What's Ian doing? Why did he stop counting?' Anya wondered, 'Why is he just standing there like that?'
She tried looking into his mind instead.
Anya really wished she hadn't.
'Stay still. Just stay still.' Kilian's mind whispered, 'Stay still and she won't hurt you. If you stay still, you'll be fine. Just stay still. Stay quiet. Don't make her angry.'
Anya looked at Kilian's face instead, and saw the barely contained tears beginning to overflow.
He was terrified.
Anya had never seen Kilian that scared before.
Not at the laboratory.
Not when they were escaping.
Not when they were practically starving on the streets.
All of a sudden, there was a snap from the other room and that fluffy dog from before came running sound the corner. He barked ferociously, jumping at that Kurt guy and scaring him away from Anya.
The dog jumped in front of Anya, and stood in front of her while growling at the group of people.
"Doggy!" Anya exclaimed as the dog began to bark.
"That dog had gone nuts again!"
"That training didn't work!"
"Tch, worhtless idiots..." Edith scoffed before whipping a gun out, pointing it at Anya and the dog before shooting the ground near the dog's paw, "Shut up!"
"Hey! Don't damage the carrier!" Keith snapped.
The dog yipped in alarm while Anya let out a frightened scream. The noise snapped Kilian out of his panicked daze, and he grabbed at Edith's pinkie fingers before pushing it back as far as he could.
The woman cursed, shoving Kilian away and causing the boy to slam his head against the ground. He winced against the sharp feeling of pain which stabbed through his head, followed by throbbing and a high pitched ringing noise reverberating through his head.
"Ah 🚚, did I kill the little pest?"
He could hear Anya shouting something in the distance along with that dog barking frantically, but that sharp ringing noise made it difficult to hear.
The pain was too much, causing those tears to begin gathering Kilian's eyes as he feebly moved his arms to grasp at this head instead while trembling on the ground.
'Miss Elena... Zain... Auntie, Uncle Yuri...' Kilian squeezed his eyes shut, 'Please help me... anyone...'
"Ian!" Anya gasped.
"Annoying brat." Edith grumbled, giving the boy an irritated look, "Calm down, Keith, I won't hit the dog."
"Mister Doggie, we've gotta help Ian and get out of here!" Anya whispered to the dog, "Do you have a plan?"
The dog looked around before barking twice, and Anya caught wind of another strange image in the dog's mind. It was of a phone ringing.
"A phone?" Anya mumbled.
"C'mon, let's just kill the pink haired brat before-"
BRRRING!!!
All eyes turned to the phone.
"Geez! That scared the crap out of me!"
"Who the hell could be calling us now?"
As they were all distracted by the phone, the dog hurried over to Kilian and grabbed him by the hoodie of his jacket before allowing Anya to clamber onto its back. And with that, the dog was off, running off.
"Are you my friend, doggy?" Anya asked as the dog raced down the stairs, taking a brief moment to toss Kilian onto its back as well in front of Anya, "How did you know the phone was gonna ring?"
"Worf!"
"Can you... see the future?"
'Is this dog like me and Ian?'
A groan from Kilian caught Anya's attention, "Ian! Are you okay? Say something, Ian!"
Kilian was out of it, only able to muster a quiet whimper as more tears began to run down his face.
"It hurts..." he whispered.
"Uhm... ah...! D-Don't worry! Mister Doggy and Anya will save you!" Anya cried, "Just, uh... don't go to the light! Doggy! Go that way! Mama will save us!"
The dog did not make a turn.
"No! No! That way!!! Doggy, stop!!! Let me down!!!" Anya cried, doing her best to cling to the dog and Kilian at the same time, "SOMEBODY HELP! WE'RE BEING CHASED BY BAD GUYS AND IAN IS GONNA DIE!!!"
A few people nearby misunderstood.
"Aww... look a that!"
"How cute, are they playing tag?"
'Hhh, we're going really fast...' Anya thought.
As usual, her next thought was:
'So exciting!'
"Okay, doggy! Let's run like this to the police!" Anya declared, "You and me together are gonna save Ian and the world! And Starlight Anya will shine again!"
"Worf!"
Before they could go any further, a hand flashed out and snatched Kilian right out of Anya's grasp.
The girl fumbled to grab into her friend but the dog was going too fast, preventing her from grabbing on in time.
'Ah! The evil lady got Ian!' Anya thought in alarm, looking back as Ian dragged Kilian off by the back of his coat, "Doggy! Go back! Ian got grabbed, go back!!!"
The dog did not listen.
Kilian was in and out of it as that pain in his head persisted, but his vision cleared enough at one point when he found himself in the front seat of a car.
Edith was driving, grumbling something under her breath, and there was a strange device in her free hand.
Kilian blinked slowly, tears still rolling down his cheeks, 'Papa... I'm scared... please help me...'
Hmm... since when did tears come from his head?
And when were tears red?
Kilian stared blankly down at the crimson droplets which dropped from his head and down onto his hands. He reached up, feeling a wet stream on his face which started from his head, and looked back at his hand to find it stained crimson.
'Am I... going to die?'
He bit back a cry of pain when Edith reached out and pressed a cloth against his head, the pain suddenly spiking up back to 100 again
"Don't die yet, Kilian." Edith hummed in a sickeningly sweet voice, "I want y/n to be there when it happens. So do me a favor and stay awake for a little while longer, dear."
Kilian could only close his eyes, and hold back the sins which wanted to slip out. It hurt so much...
"2... 3... 5... 7... 11... 13... 17... 19..."
Kilian remembered his father's gentle face and soothing voice, and imagined he was back in the man's warm embrace.
"23..." Kilian whispered, "29... 31... 37... 41..."
"By the time I get to 599."
'When I get to 599'
Achille smiled and wiped Kilian's tears away.
"Everything will be alright."
Kilian's tear filled eyes began to close.
'Everything... will be... alright...'
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