Noble tried not to think too much about the events to come while eating an early dinner with the family.
Picking up on her mood, Fort smiled at her from across the table.
"You look lovely this evening."
Noble glanced down at her dress. "Is it too much? I've attended many government events over the years, but never as an honoree."
Lance, Fort, and even Lena had received different commendations, and Noble had been at every one of them, beaming with pride. This one would be different, though. Noble felt strangely self-conscious.
Not only would she have to accept an award at the ceremony in the morning, but she was also expected to attend a congratulatory gala in a few hours. So Noble was wearing a gown she had bought at the last minute, second-guessing her decision when it was already too late to change it.
"The outfit is just perfect. So is its model." Fort winked.
"If you like, I can do your hair. Maybe you could try something that isn't a braid or a bun?" Rain offered.
"If you want to style me, I'm all for it." Noble didn't even mind the subtle dig at her lack of variety when it came to hairstyles.
"You're going to be great, Mom." Brock gave his mother a thumbs-up.
"Why do you look so worried? You've been to nicer parties and spoken to bigger crowds, haven't you?" Blaze lowered his glass of juice to the table.
"It isn't that. I didn't earn this. Bee Two did all the heavy lifting while I was away and put it under my name." Noble could hardly believe it when she found out, and it became even more surreal when she was notified that she was being honored with many others at the government's annual awards.
Noble had tried to back out of the event, but then she had been told that Song of the Fallen would be receiving the recognition alongside her. At that point, the Provost of the Academy had insisted she attend all the festivities, and Noble could find no way to argue without causing herself a lot of grief.
Well, she had tried to argue with the stern-faced head of the school, but Provost Alden had not been sympathetic. She could either attend the festivities, or that rather large budget advance Bee Two had taken might need to be returned. Noble had folded like a house of cards.
'It's only a party and a ceremony.' She reminded herself. 'I can do it.'
"It was your idea, wasn't it? You laid the groundwork with years of previous research, didn't you?" Fort arched his brow.
"That isn't the same as doing this research and publishing this paper." Noble shook her head.
"Would you rather present Bee Two to the assembly? I am sure that cheeky Android would have plenty to say to the dignitaries and representatives." Fort smirked.
"Don't think I haven't thought of that!" Noble scowled at her husband. "But I rather like my job as you do yours. Letting Bee Two loose in a crowd of politically powerful strangers might cause an intercontinental disaster."
The professor wasn't kidding. Bee Two could gain access to a vast amount of information on these people. While the android would never share that knowledge with most anyone, it was possible that meeting the subject of that knowledge might trigger a…problematic encounter. The assistant had been willing to cut off all the students from Valor on Noble's behalf. What might Bee Two do if it found one of these people had personally slighted Noble in the past?
'Yeah, that's a no from me.'
Noble would have to go alone. She sighed.
"I at least managed to make the award addressed to my 'team.' That makes it feel a little better."
"I cannot wait to hear about your mighty triumph." Fort tipped his spoon in the air in her direction.
"I am hoping it will be completely ordinary and not noteworthy. A lot of people are being recognized, after all." Noble shrugged.
Rain picked up her plate and placed it in the wash basin. "Boys, you are on kitchen duty, right? Then I'm borrowing Mom before she has to go."
The twins saluted.
Fort dipped his head. "Glam her up, Rainy. She deserves it."
Rain's smile grew as she grabbed her mother's arm and floated her away from the chair.
"We'll be back!"
Upstairs, Rain directed her mother to sit on the bed cross-legged while she went and grabbed a brush. The dark-haired woman was humming a blissful tune.
"You seem overly excited about me winning an award I didn't earn." Noble raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Rain found the brush and began untangling her mother's long braid.
"You were humming."
Had she really not been aware? It seemed not, because Rain flushed slightly.
"I was? Oh. While I am happy that you are getting recognition, I suppose that I'm excited about my future too."
"Oh?" Noble turned her head slightly to look at Rain, only for the girl to pull it back in place and continue brushing.
"Don't move!" Rain insisted. "And yes, I think I am close to making my breakthrough and becoming Awakened. Tomorrow is a very big day for me as well."
"Tomorrow? Do you have a big hunt planned?" Noble felt her chest tighten.
"Perhaps," Rain smiled coyly. "I am heading out this evening."
"Then perhaps I should stay home in case you need me." Even if Noble hadn't been looking for an excuse to get out of this event, her daughter being the first person from their Realm to Awaken naturally was not something Noble wanted to miss.
Rain shook her head. "You go to your awards ceremony. I know Dad is having Teddy attend to take pictures tomorrow. We wouldn't want to disappoint him."
The brushing became more vigorous as Rain began to style the long, wavy locks.
While Noble did not move her head, she did reach up and grab Rain's hand.
The girl paused. "Am I hurting you?"
"I think my scalp can handle a few tugs." The mother pursed her lips. "Why do I get the feeling you intentionally picked tomorrow for your hunt?"
The emotional spike confirmed Noble was on the right track.
"I shouldn't have mentioned it until after it was over…" Rain's comment was more to herself than to her mother. She sighed. "I always plan my hunts on days I know you are in the waking world."
"What?" Noble felt the hairpin push against her head.
"You said my emotions affect you more than other people, right? That day at the cafe, you said you could feel my fear. You can't feel it when you are in the waking world, though, can you?" Rain placed another pin as she waited for the answer.
Noble thought for a moment. While she had a vague connection to her family even across Realms, the individual emotions did not transmit across the divide.
"No, I cannot feel how you are feeling when we are that far apart." The mother admitted.
"That's why I do it. You have enough to worry about without my crazy antics grieving you." Rain smiled sadly.
So that was why Noble hadn't felt Rain leave the city in quite some time.
'I had assumed that it was just because she was gearing up for something, but really she has been working around my schedule.'
Noble wasn't sure how to feel about that. It was thoughtful, but it also made the mother feel a little sad that her child had planned her hunts to spare her from the emotional fallout.
"That's sweet of you, Rainy. I appreciate your loving care." Noble passed. "Are you sure there isn't another reason that you prefer I'm gone when you go out?"
Rain bit her lip.
"I know you won't follow me when you are in another Realm…"