Maki laid with eyes wide open as he stared at the starry sky peeking through the large foliages up above. Marvyll had continued her story, in between those years that she had remained invisible, she had wound up here in Fleur City where she finally learned to control her gift.
The elders of Fleur City raised her before she went to live with Makoto. They helped her control her gift through mental training. Apparently that's what they were good at, meditation and mental therapies.
Right after she had left Makoto to help Maia, she wound up in the Fronthouse's basement prison where the mutated ones are. She found their grandfather and by some cursed fate, she ended up on one of Leticia's tables where she had been genetically mutated with a feline. It took some time but she was able to escape and help Maia before she returned here to which she became a protector. And then she went back and forth to monitor Maia until she saw Maki.
"I don't know if I should thank mom for turning me into who I am negating that mutation albeit barely or laugh at fate"
Maki looked up and saw that Marvyll had come up to the rooftop. They were going to stay here for the night and then travel towards H City in the morning where they could be reunited with everyone else.
"Are you done with the meeting?"
The Elders had called upon her earlier, cutting their conversations short. Marvyll nodded and looked back when they heard two pairs of footsteps arriving.
"I told you Maki was here"
"Hey Ate Maia, Kuya Damian"
Maki greeted them before Maia had sat right above his head, urging Maki to lay it on her lap to which he did. Maia played with his hair as Damian sat beside them.
"What are you two talking about? The older ones would snap if you continued your story without them"
Marvyll only sneered and chuckled before she said.
"The Elders and the commanders are going to prepare the army and weapons. So they can send assistance when the plan is solidified."
Marvyll shortly said but Maia only stared at her. Finally she said,
"How did you survive Leticia's experiments?"
Marvyll's gaze turned towards Maia and smiled.
"Same way you did. I thought about you, my sister, who was suffering the same fate as I did. And thought that if I didn't get out of it, you were going to die"
Maia's eyes began watering before she said.
"Thank you. For staying by my side. For saving me, Damian and Maki"
Marvyll smiled and ruffled Maia's white hair.
"You're welcome"
Maia smiled back at her before a set of childish laughters echo through the streets beneath them. Marvyll took a peek and a smile blossomed across her face as she said.
"Looks like the kids are awake now"
"Come to think of it there are an awful lot of kids here"
Marvyll turned towards Damian who had just commented and tilted her head in confusion.
"Huh? I'm pretty sure you know them. Don't you recognize those children?"
"Huh?"
Damian asked back as he too, took a peek to watch the children playing on the street.
"I'm pretty sure I don't know any children of that age"
Marvyll's eyebrows knit in the middle as she said.
"Those kids were prisoners in the front house"
***
She had saved the children during the downfall of the Fronthouse and brought them to Fleur City. In the hidden haven, they were alive and safe. Maia can't help but smile as she watch Damian and Maki play with the children.
"So that's why you were alone outside the Fronthouse"
Marvyll had commented and before Maia knew it, a pair of arms wrapped around her protectively. Maddin was now sitting beside them, her head in Maia's shoulders as she said.
"Please don't disappear like that again. It's bad for my heart"
Maia smiled sheepishly before nodding.
"I'm sorry"
Maddin shook her head before tightening her embrace and placing a kiss on Maia's temple.
"Don't be. We're complete now anyway so it's fine"
"I can't believe it myself"
The girls turned around as Magnus' voice came overhead. They were still at the rooftop watching Damian and Maki play with the children below.
"We're complete"
Magnus stated as he looked back to see Maddox and Makoto bickering on their way up.
"And we'll get to see everyone, Grandma, Uncle Helios and Aunt Eos"
"Don't forget Percy and Lyn"
Maia looked around when she felt the confused stares of her older siblings.
"Sorry, who?"
"By Percy, you meant Percival?"
"Oh Uncle Helios's firstborn"
"Then who's Lyn?"
Maia scratched her cheeks as she remembered that none of them had known Lyn since their Aunt had given birth outside of Seven City and that they definitely hadn't spent time with Percy. Before she could even answer Maddox's groan caught their attention.
They turned around only to see Maddox's hand being squeezed tightly by Makoto whose eyes had turned pure white.
"He's having a vision"
Marvyll had stated to which they all surrounded Makoto to support him once his vision was over. It didn't even take one more minute before Makoto collapsed and they were all there to support him.
He panted hard as his eyesight adjusted to normal.
"Are you okay? Breathe Mako"
Maddin urged as she laid Makoto on her lap.
"Cujo Village. There was a torture chamber"
Makoto said a few words as he tried to breathe properly. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them, his gaze searched for Maia.
"Does Percy have jet black hair and brown eyes and looks a lot like your male version? Does he look like me but with a buzz cut?"
Maia felt her spine go rigid as her heart started beating a little too fast.
"Yes"
She breathed as an answer, and Makoto's gaze had said it all. Cujo Village, Torture Chamber and Percy. Percy was being tortured in Cujo Village. Something had gone wrong with the Pentagon's plan.
"Ate? ATE MAIA!"
Maki's urgent calling broke everyone's attention as Maia walked towards the edge and saw someone who shouldn't have been here. She felt her knees giving out as she stared below on the kneeling figures right in front of the Fleur City's Security. The two figures' call for her echoing in her ear.
Something had definitely gone wrong. Because there was no way she was staring at Lyn and Lancelot's crying faces when they should have headed to the rescue mission by now.