Chapter 13: The Floating Father / A Scary Movie!

“This is my house, come on in.” Renji said.

“It looks… really normal. Nice change of pace from mine.” Liam said.

“Huh? It is? What’s your house like?” Renji asked.

“Oh. I’m a rich boy. Cool, right? Well, not really. It’s a pain. Don’t worry about it though.” Liam said.

“Oh. So you guys are rich, too?” Renji asked.

“Huh? What do you mean, too?” Liam asked.

“Believe it or not, renjis parents are among the top 50 richest people in the world. Listed as anonymous though. Cool, right?” Nozomi asked.

Liam froze.

“What kinda family do you have, exactly? The house looks normal but nothing about it sounds normal.” Liam said, walking inside.

“Yeah, it is kinda odd. I somehow still live a normal life, despite everything.” Renji said.

“Your love and in-depth historical knowledge of magic is a bit heavier than normal.” Liam said.

“Is it?” Renji asked.

“Oh, you guys are back. Yo.” Rai said, greeting everyone who stood in the doorway.

She had already changed into casual clothing. Too casual. And only halfway.

“Aunt Rai, we have guests!” Renji said.

“Huh? Ah! My bad!” Aunt Rai said, putting on less casual clothes.

Namely yoga pants and a shirt.

“Isn’t that shirt uncomfortable?” Nozomi asked.

“No, why?” Rai asked.

“It’s a bit… small….” Nozomi said.

Nozomi had blindfolded Daisuke who blind folded Renji who blindfolded Liam with their hands.

“Jeez, it was for a second. I didn’t expect you guys to get back so quick.” Rai grumbled.

“You look like you just got out of the bath.” Nozomi said.

“I did.” Rai said.

“Yeah, that explains it, then. Sorry about that, Liam.” Nozomi sighed.

“What’s all the noise out here?” Evan said, floating into the hallway from the kitchen.

“Ah. Nothing, dad. This is Liam. He’s one of our friends.” Renji said.

“Ah! A new friend. It’s nice to- wait. I’m floating, is that okay?” Evan asked.

“We let him know beforehand.” Renji said.

“Not that it’s doing him any good.” Renji said, looking at Liam.

“Oh. I see. Well, hi Liam. I’m Evan, renjis dad. It’s nice to meet you. Hey, honey, we have a new guest.” Evan said, turning to the kitchen.

“Dear, if it’s a guest, bring them inside. Don’t keep them waiting. Show some proper hospitality.” Lime said.

“Honey, I don’t have any etiquette training.” Evan said, whining.

“Dad, that’s common sense, not something that you learn in etiquette training! Ah.” Rin chided, walking down the stairs and promply freezing.

“Oh, hey Rin! How was school?” Renji asked.

“Awww. Of course it was good, Renji. Tell me about you. You have a good day? Oh. Your friend seems to be speechless.” Rin said, innocently smiling.

“Um. By any possible chance, are you able to use magic? Just… wondering.” Liam asked Rin.

Evan turned to Rin, somewhat confused, and more than a little bit alarmed.

Her face turned to stone and she started to speak quickly.

“Huh? Why would I know magic? If anything, I’d ask dad for that stuff. Or even more than dad, ask Renji.” Rin said, looking away.

“Oh, right! Rin, I’m sorry I couldn’t get you the donuts. I forgot to go again today.” Renji apologized.

“Hm? Oh, I have some in the kitchen now, so it’s fine. I went out to buy food at the market. I got some cereal, some milk, some more milk, some chocolate milk, and other stuff. Anyway, what were you asking me Liam?” Rin asked, regaining her composure.

“Oh. Sorry...... Renji, if I were to describe it, the girl from earlier that fought the dude that blew stuff up, she looked like Rin.” Liam said.

“Mhmm. I see. Rin. Did you learn magic from Renji or something?” Evan asked, staring at her really hard.

She played dumb in front of everybody else, but she realized in that moment that she was going to get some serious lecturing later.

She grumbled.

“No. I think it’s cool and all, but I don’t really want to go down the path Renji did. It was cute when he did it, and it still is today. It would not be cute if I did.” Rin said, heading into the kitchen from the hallway, and to the connected living room.

She sat next to Lime, who had just sat down on the couch, leaving some food on the stove to cook for a while.

“I disagree, Rin. You’re cute no matter what you do.” Evan said proudly.

“Indeed. Your father is right. You are adorable.” Lime agreed, patting her head.

“Why is Auntie always in the kitchen?” Daisuke asked.

“Oh. She likes to cook. I have a hologram teaching cooking thingy. I made it for Renji, but lime uses it too. Also, she isn’t really in there all that often.” Evan said.

“True... I guess I only see her there every once in a while. It happened three days in a row, though, so it felt like a lot.” Daisuke said, thinking.

“Truly a goldfish among men.” Nozomi smirked.

“Goldfish can remember things for up to what, 5 months, can't they?” Evan asked.

“Dad, it’s not literal.” Rin called from the living room.

“Huh? Ah. I asked it out loud. My bad.” Evan said.

The front door opened.

“You're right about the 5 month memory, Evan.” Akari said, walking in through the front door.

“Oh! Aunt Akari! How are you?” Renji asked.

“Ah, Renji! Still cute. I’m doing fine. What about you?” Akari asked.

“I’m doing fine! I have a new friend.” Renji said.

“Oh. That’s Liam Zachary, right? Nice to meet you, I’m Akari.” Akari said, extending her hand.

“Huh? Wait, what? You know me? Er, it's nice to meet you, too.” Liam asked, shaking her hand.

“She has photographic memory.” Renji said.

“That wouldn’t explain why she knows him.” Nozomi said.

“Ah, right. How do you know him, aunt Akari?” Renji asked.

“Huh? Oh, I’ve heard of him through the Zachary family, and saw his profile when I was helping Rai with paperwork. I work closely with Rai and have various partnerships with the Zacharys.” Akari said.

“That’s…. um. It’s nice to meet you too, aunt Akari.” Liam said.

“Nice boy. Just like in the reports. Alright, I’ll trust you. Despite being a big family, the Zachary family is rather honest. That, and they depend on some of Evans' inventions. They aren’t after wealth. Hm. Yes, approved. now then, Liiiiime.” Akari said, heading into the kitchen and hugging lime.

“Akari, dear, how are you?” Lime asked warmly.

They stayed in the other room and talked, leaving everyone else in the hallway.

“It’s movie time. It’s in your room, Renji.” Rai said.

“If we watch horror, make sure we turn off the lights and close the blinds. Who’s with me?” Nozomi asked.

“Nope. Definitely not.” Daisuke said.

“Sounds good to me.” Rai said.

“Good here, too.” Renji said.

“Same.” Evan said.

“You’re joining us this time? I thought you hated horror movies.” Rai said.

“That’s when lime is around. She gets weird ideas from them.” Evan said, shivering.

“I can hear you, dear.” Lime said.

“Yes, apologies honey. But it is absolutely correct.” Evan said.

“I never said it wasn’t. But I find it fun. Dear, didn’t you promise that I could do whatever I wanted as long as I’m happy this weekend?” Lime asked, smiling.

“Uh. Yes. Yes I did. I concede. This is my loss.” Evan sighed, realizing it was a good idea to just shut up.

“Dear, go watch the movie with them. I’ll stay with Akari.” Lime said.

“Thanks, honey. I appreciate it.” Evan said, smiling.

“I can feel you smiling through the wall. Don’t watch anything too scary. It’s bad for the kids.” Lime said.

“Lime, they aren’t able to watch any of that, don't worry so much. The only thing it allows is the safe, fake, horror movies.” Akari stated.

“Did she just say fake?” Daisuke asked.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. There’s the ones you guys know, then there’s ones of real life. Monsters that actually come to life and attack you.” Evan said.

“Oh my. Am I allowed to just stay down h-here?” Daisuke asked, his voice turning into a very high pitch squeal.

He was trembling visibly.

“No way.” Nozomi said, dragging him by the ear.

“Mercy.” Daisuke said, crying.

“No.” Nozomi replied heartlessly.

“Ruthless. Good job.” Rai said, making a thumbs up.

“Agreed. Hey, Rai, what are we actually watching for the horror movie?” Evan asked.

“I was gonna leave it up to Nozomi. She knows Diasu-She's an expert on horror.” Rai said.

“Aunt Rai, you’re heartless.” Daisuke squealed.

“But it’s fun.” Rai said, smiling.

“Rai. Are we going to do light malfunctions?” Evan asked.

“Yeah, sure. Don't make it that obvious though.” Rai said.

“Cool.” Evan said.

“What’s that mean?” Daisuke asked.

"Nevermind... My worries were unfounded, as usual. It's nothing, Daisuke. Don't worry." Rai sighed.

“We are watching with the lights on. You guys do need sleep after all. I don't want the movie keeping you up all night.” Evan said, not very convincingly. But it was convincing enough. Barely.

“I disagree!” Nozomi argued.

Rai whispered in her ear.

“Oh. okay, fine. Sounds good. Trauma is really something, huh.” Nozomi devilishly grinned.

“Rai, I’ll do the lights.” Evan said.

“Gotcha. I’ll make a sound right beside him.” Rai said.

The scary silent part right before the jump scare was just beginning, and the room filled with tension despite the bright light that filled the area.

Evan made the light start to flicker, and Rai scared Daisuke by whispering demonic sounds into his ear.

Renji actually got a little scared.

Nozomi freaked out.

Yet, Daisuke sat perfectly still.

"Oh. He's actually braver than I thought." Evan remarked, slightly disappointed.

“No, Evan, he just passed out.” Rai said, stifling a laugh.

As if to prove her words, he fell onto his sisters lap, while she was freaking out, startling her even more.

“Oh my god! A head!” Nozomi said, scooting backwards quickly. She tossed her brother onto the ground in a panic.

Evan looked at the rest of them.

Liam seemed fine. Smiling actually. He seemed to enjoy horror.

“Akari… yeah, no, she passed out ages ago. Even before the jumpscares.” Rai said, waving her hand in front of Akari's face.

“I’ll fix this chaos....” Evan said, sighing.

He took something out of his pocket.

A calm feeling seemed to settle the tension that had plagued the room moments earlier.

“Ahh. That smells incredible. What Is that?” Liam asked.

“That’s one of the foods my dad makes. When we said divine, we meant he pretty much makes actual nectar and ambrosia.” Renji said, drooling.

“I don’t recognize this one.” Rai said, picking something out and holding it up.

It was a small jar, full of misc types of candy. However, it had a tightly sealed lid, until Evan had popped it open to release the calming aura.

“It’s, uh… my new experiment. You know the perfect food I made recently?” Evan asked.

“Yeah?” Rai said

“Okay, well.... This jar is full of tons of different kinds of candies that have very similar effects. There are some that actually combine the liquid and solid into a super food. This, right here.” Evan said, holding a piece of candy that had 'EXTREME DANGER' written on them in tiny patches on its wrapper.

“I can feel an aura or something from that. Evan, I know I ask this every single time, but… what did you make?” Rai asked, curious.

“A piece of candy.” Evan said.

Rai looked around. The happy chaos going on around them, and the familiar experience of Evan shocking her again made her happy.

“I love this life.” Rai said, laying on the beanbag she brought up with a plop.

“What brought that on, aunt Rai?” Renji asked, sitting next to her.

The bean bag wasn’t really meant for two people, so Renji actually got stuck. He was stuck because of how aunt Rai was on top of him partially, as well as the beanbag's softness.

“Gah. Aunt Rai, I got stuck. Help.” Renjis asked, struggling.

She watched him. He was already 11, and still got stuck so easily.

“You reap what you sow. This beanbag's meant for one person.” Rai laughed, enjoying a struggling Renji trying to escape her and the beanbags teamwork way too much.

“Oh. Right, Rai. I’m bringing Rin to the study for the rest of the day. I’ll trust you to watch the kids.” Evan said.

“Huh? Why?” Rai asked.

“She’s 12 already. It’s time.” Evan said.

“Oh. Right. So it’s really time to open them? Tell her I said good luck.” Rai said.

“Aunt Rai, I’m right here.” Rin said.

“Evan, can you tell Rin I said "Got it."?” Rai asked.

“Rin, Rai said "Got it.".” Evan said.

“Dad…*sigh*..... either way, bye, aunt Rai. Don’t tease them too much.” Rin said.

“I make no promises.” Rai said as they left.

“Now then, how do I tease you even more?” Rai asked, poking Renjis cheek.

“Fweee. Wait, no. Mercy!” Renji pleaded.

“Too little. Too late.” Rai asked, eyes gleaming, hands raised to use against him in various ways, wiggling menacingly.

The scene faded to black.