Persona BLEACHED 3: Gaiden Pt. 4

Gaiden: The Long Summer Pt. 4
July 18, 2031
The University of Tulsa, located near downtown. Morning. A private institution, its enrollment numbers less than 4000 students. The entire student body could fit into the university's football stadium, H.A. Chapman Stadium, eight times over.
On this summer Friday morning, the Gothic walls of the university were largely empty, save for a few students taking summer courses. And in spite of that scarcity, the air around the school was about to become very lively.
One of those leftover students made a call in to the police department after seeing someone peering into one of the school buildings. Alarm bells had been set off for them when this suspicious man was spotted peeping into the girls' dorm, and only intensified when he disappeared behind the building...which was soon followed by the sounds of someone being beaten.
The Tulsa PD officer who answered the call was David Jadefang, known to most as Davie. He had recently returned home to Tulsa after many years away, first with the Air Force in Colorado Springs, then with the Louisville Police Department. He'd come back home to look after his older sister, Annette, who was now on her own. His niece, Barbara, had moved to California for college. 
His nephew, Max, who he'd taken under his wing, had disappeared the year prior, after an event that Annette had described as "something awful". Davie couldn't help but feel responsible. Many facets of Max's personality--his views on traditional heroism, his protective nature, his desire to do the right thing by any means--were things that Davie had ingrained in him from a young age. He'd been the father that Max's own father never could be. So when the boy had gone missing, Davie knew he had to be the one to look after Annette--especially in case drunk Jim got any ideas.
But that was for another time. Right now he had a trespasser to deal with. He arrived at the UT campus, and stepped out of his cruiser. He was a well-built man, muscles honed from years of Air Force training, with short brown hair and glasses. A proud Cherokee like his father and sister, he possessed tribal tattoos on both of his arms.
As he walked through the campus, the caller, a bespectacled girl in a blue shirt with the phrase "Golden Hurricane" written in golden cursive, stepped out of a building. "Officer?"
"You the one that called it in?"
"Yeah...this guy was peeking into the girls' dorm and he disappeared behind there a little while ago. I started hearing these beating noises and now...it's quiet. Like, I dunno if he's attacked someone, or what."
"Right, right. Get back inside, I'll go take a look."
Davie cautiously approached the dorm. He kept his hand on his pistol. As he rounded the corner, he could hear the sound of moaning. He drew his weapon, and darted out to see what the source was. Behind the building, a man was hanging upside down from a tree, dangling by one foot that had been jammed in between two adjacent branches. He was covered with bruises. "Ugggh..."
"Hey! What's going on? Who did this to you?" Davie questioned.
The man slowly moved his arm, pointing upwards. "Up there..." He passed out after.
Davie turned around, looking up at the roof. Observing from above was a familiar figure, black armor being worn beneath a hoodie. "Tresspassing and voyeurism. You can thank me later." he said through a voice changing device.
"Get down from there and put your hands up! Don't try anything funny!"
"Or what? You'll shoot me? Haven't you seen the news? I'm bulletproof. This armor's been built to withstand a shot from a tank. Unless Tulsa PD got their hands on vibranium bullets, you're wasting your time."
Davie held up his hands. "I'm not gonna shoot you."
"How very un-cop-like of you."
"If I tried that, your mom would never forgive me."
"Heh. Figured it out already, huh?"
"Your mom and your sister told me everything. I couldn't comprehend most of it, but the gist of it was that you pulled a knucklehead move. 'Captain Thunder'. I gave you that nickname. Hell that looks like a shinier version of your Halloween costume from when you were eight."
"I can assure you that this isn't cardboard I'm wearing."
"What are you doing, man? Couldn't make it as Iron Man so you're gonna be the Punisher instead? This isn't gonna magically undo the things you did."
"Think I don't realize that? I'm doing what you always taught me to do. The right thing. By any means. So I'm taking out the trash no one else can. Or will. Are you mad that I'm doing your job better than you or your brothers-in-blue could ever hope for?"
"This vigilante business isn't gonna end well for you, Starbolt. Drop it and come back home. Your Ma's worried sick about you. You're leaving her by her lonesome to go beat up some back alley peeping tom?"
"Correction. I'm not here for him."
"What's that mean?"
"I just came from the cathedral. I was having a lovely chat with Father Estes about his embezzling of funds from the school. Doesn't anyone find it suspicious when a 'humble man of the cloth' drives to church in a Mercedes?"
"So instead of a pervert, you're beating up a priest. Where does it stop, Starbolt? You're just gonna keep running around punching guys until you're gray in the face. At what point is it enough?"
"It'll stop when I say it's enough. I don't care about being a hero for people anymore. This world's given up on heroes. So I'll do what needs to be done, and let the scum of the Earth know that they won't be getting away with their crimes in this lifetime. But if you're really curious about where I'm headed...that one should be obvious."
Davie knew exactly what he was implying.
"See you around, Uncle Davie. I'll leave Father Estes nice and tied up for you."
The "Phantom" teleported away.
"Maxie, get back--shit!" Davie griped. 
He pondered his next move. For now, he had to call it in. He had a peeping tom to bring in. And, apparently, a thieving priest as well. Then he had a realization.
Barbara would be arriving in the afternoon. He'd agreed to help her find a place to leave the bus she'd rented with her friends. Should he tell her what her brother was up to?
He thought otherwise. She'd finally gotten out of her long slump. Telling her that her brother was up to his old tricks would likely set her back again. He resolved to hold off until the time was right. In all likelihood, she'd find out on her own anyway.
"What a pain." the officer groaned.
---
"So this is what you call 'the plains', huh Barbie?" Kat asked.
The group were bussing through the south side of Tulsa, a more affluent section of the city home to many newer homes and apartments. It was also home to numerous businesses and attractions, including Oklahoma's largest mall and its lone aquarium.
"Well, I kinda fibbed about the 'plains' part. That's basically the southern half of the state. Up here's more grassy." Barbara replied. "Oh, look over yonder."
The bus passed by a hospital. "That there's St. Francis. That's where Mama works. It's also where me and Maxie were born."
"So this is where angels come from. And blockheads." Ibuki said.
"They should put that on a sign." Kenneth commented.
"There's a lot of things to do around this part of town. We could go shopping, have ourselves a walk. I know you're gonna want to see the aquarium, Saku." Barbara spoke.
"Absolutely. I'm interested in seeing the local wildlife. I read that there's a zoo in town, as well?" Sakuya asked.
"Yep! On the north side of town. We'll have the whole weekend to explore, so there's no rush. The one set-in-stone thing is gonna be dinner with Mama tonight. I can't thank you guys enough for being so cool about this weekend."
"It's no trouble at all, love. Of course we'd want to give your mother some healthy company." Carrie replied.
"You guys aren't prepared for Ms. Annette's cooking. I'd honestly put it up there with Natty's. No offense." Kibō said.
"Oooooh, I might take that as a challenge. My taste buds'll be the judge of that." Natalia replied.
"Uh-oh, we might have a cook-off on our hands." Kat said.
"And the winners would be our taste buds." Sahir stated.
The bus made it to a comfortable neighborhood filled with white-and-brown houses. It stopped in front of one such house, which possessed several flowers in the front yard, along with a blue flag hanging from the window, reading "UCLA Class of 2035".
The group stepped off of the bus. Barbara took a deep breath, then out. "Home sweet home."
"My butt's asleep." Ibuki commented.
"Thank you for sharing that information, Fireball." Kenneth replied.
Barbara took out her keys, and started opening the front door. Beneath her feet was a welcome mat. "Welcome to our den of love" was written on it.
She opened the door. "Here we aaaaare~."
The group filed in with their luggage. The inside of the house was filled with Native American iconography. To the side was a large mantle filled with awards and accompanying photos of the twins.
"Cozy little abode you have here, Barbie." Kat said.
"Your ma gonna be alright with us crashing around here without her around?" Ibuki asked.
"Positive. Make yourselves at home. I'm gonna go park the bus at the garage nearby. My uncle Davie's gonna bring me back. Mama's getting off work at 5, so I'll be back before she gets here. See you in a few~." Barbara left.
Sahir plopped down on the couch. "Oh, now this is comfy. Is it too early to call dibs on this for my bed?"
"Seeing as how we're not even close to nighttime yet..." Natalia replied.
Sakuya looked at the mantle. "So many achievements. Dance competitions, singing competitions, school talent shows..."
"Impressive considering their difficult upbringing. I'm getting the sense that Ms. Annette is someone who's devoted a heavy amount of her being to her children." Kenneth surmised.
"I still remember what Sparky told me about her. How his reasons for doing what he did all revolved around her being safe and happy. She's such a sweet lady. I hate that she's had to go through this." Kat dictated.
Ibuki looked around the hallway upstairs. "One of these has gotta be the guest bedroom, right?"
"Should be one at the end." Kibō replied.
Ibuki peered inside one room. "Let's see, blue, tons of posters for Broadway shows, smells like lavender...yeah, this is definitely Barbie's room. Let's check this other one--"
Kibō stopped her. "Not that one. That's...Max's room."
"Oh..." Ibuki paused. "Guess it'd be too weird to look in there, huh? Must be sacred space..."
"Hey, um...the guest room's right there. You can drop off your things in."
"Yeah...thanks."
A few hours passed. "Now what I wanna know is..." Kat began, "Does Ms. Annie have any embarrassing baby pics of you and Sparky?"
"Um...no one would want to see those, right?" Barbara asked.
"Oh, on the contrary." Carrie replied.
"I'm sure your ma would be more than happy to share." Sahir added.
"Ohhh nooooo..." Barbara uttered.
The front door was unlocked, and it opened up. A woman walked in, with long brown hair, freckles and heart-shaped earrings, wearing blue-green scrubs. "Hello?"
"Hi, Mama!" Barbara practically jumped out of her seat.
"Hiya, Moonbeam! Oh, hold up, hold up." Annette stopped her daughter. "Hospital germs. You know the drill."
"Awww, okay. I can hold off for a few more minutes." Barbara pouted.
"I see you brought your brood with you. Howdy, y'all. Been a while."
"Bonjour, Ms. Annette. Thank you for opening your home to us." Carrie replied.
"Well, I can't say no to my little superstar, can I? A home's not a home until you bring some life into it. And I know how lively your bunch is. I'm looking at you, Ms. Trouble."
"Hiya, Ms. Annie. Don't worry your pretty little head, I'm a calm lass these days." Kat replied.
Kenneth snickered. Kat balled up a napkin and flung it at him.
"Uh-huh. And I'm gonna guess that this young looker is Ibuki, right?" Annette asked.
"Yes, ma'am. It's nice to meet you. Thanks for letting us crash here." Ibuki softly replied.
Kat took notice. "(That's...weirdly polite from her.)" she thought.
"Right. So I'm gonna go hop in the shower, and then we can get dinner going." Annette said.
"Alright, Mama. You need any help in the kitchen?" Barbara asked.
"I'll be alright. I mean, I'm going from dinner for one to a feast for ten, but it's all good."
"Well if you need a hand, Natty here's a genius in the kitchen."
"I wouldn't say I'm a genius, but I know my way around an oven." Natalia replied.
"That's alright, really. I haven't had a little helper in the kitchen since..." Annette paused, a somber look in her eyes. "On second thought...I would love the help, hon. Moonbeam's always talking up your cooking. I think it'd make for a special feast."
"I'd be more than happy to! There anything you want me to do first?" 
"Just wait on me. I'm a bit protective of my kitchen. Especially since this one's had her...incidents."
Barbara pouted again. "I thought we'd agreed not to talk about that..."
Annette stepped out of the room. "Man...you can tell she's still hurting. Poor lady." Sahir said.
"I hope this weekend helps. Everyone should get their chance to heal." Barbara responded.
Kat looked over at Ibuki, who seemed lost in her own thoughts. "(I can feel some real hard talks in the near future.)" Kat thought.
A short while later, everyone was seated either in the living room or at the dining table. "Oh...ohhhh, oh that's good...oh God, I'm ascending to culinary heaven..." Sahir uttered. 
"Though I'm not going to be as...colorful with my praise, I have to agree. You've outdone yourself, Natalia." Kenneth said.
"Awww, you don't have to thank me. I was just the helper today. Ms. Annette did most of the work." Natalia replied.
"Oh, there it is...I'm floating..." Sahir feigned rising into the air.
Sakuya tugged him down. "We'll not be ascending to godhood today."
Annette sat at the head of the dining table. To one side was Kibō and Barbara. On the other was Kat and Carrie. Ibuki sat at the other end. "Mmm...I missed your cooking so much, Mama." Barbara chimed.
"Nothing beats a home-cooked meal. Can't get that from any fast food joint." Annette replied.
"It's hard to top something that's been made with love. We've had enough Natty meals to know that much, eh Care?" Kat asked.
"That's right. Whether it's food or a gift. It's like speaking without words." Carrie affirmed.
"I'm glad you kids are so into it. I don't get to cook for someone else that much anymore. Guess this is what they call 'empty nest syndrome'." Annette said.
"It could be worse. You could've tried to hide in Barb's luggage and stow away on the plane." Kibō said.
"Oh, no. Did Kyoko seriously try that?" 
"That, and I caught her searching for real estate in Los Angeles. She's starting to get antsy again. Especially since...well. My brother's coming up for parole in a few months."
"Wait, really? That's...good? Or isn't it?"
"I honestly don't feel any sort of way about it. My parents are desperate to have him come home, and my mom tells me he's remorseful. I'll believe it when I see it. The thing that might clinch it either way is that she's going to ask Professor Kubo and her mother to speak at his parole hearing."
"Oh...boy. How do you see that panning out?" Kat asked.
"Mom's hopeful. She and Ms. Hana have a good relationship. And Professor Kubo always drove in how much she believes in forgiveness. Whether that's enough to get him out of jail, I don't know. Might end up hinging on how well he can sell being sorry."
"Well if his remorse is genuine and it eases your parents' minds, wouldn't that be a good thing?" Carrie asked.
"It would. If he was genuine. But like I said, I'll believe it when I see it."
Annette looked across the table at Ibuki. Contrary to what she'd heard about the younger woman, she was largely keeping to herself, not engaging at all with anyone.
"Ms. Ibuki?"
Ibuki stirred from her thoughts. "Oh, um...yes?"
"How are you enjoying your steak? You've barely touched it. Are you feeling OK?"
"Uh, yeah...the food's really good. Sorry, I've just got a headache is all..."
"That's alright, let me get you some Alka-Seltzer..."
"No no no, you don't have to, I'm probably just hungry..."
"Well if you were super hungry, that steak wouldn't be there right now. Call it southern hospitality. I'll be right back."
Annette got up to fetch the curative powder. Kat could see the expression on Ibuki's face. The awkwardness was obvious. Her usual liveliness wasn't there. Her normally casual demeanor was replaced with a quiet, almost timid attitude. Since Annette had arrived, Ibuki had only spoken when addressed directly. Before Kat could say anything, Annette returned with a cup of water.
"This'll get you good as new."
"Thanks...sorry to break up dinner for a minute." Ibuki apologized.
"Hon, it's no trouble. My whole job is helping people heal. It's not an inconvenience. So, let's talk about less icky things. Moonbeam tells me that you're a wrestler."
"Yeah, I do it a bit."
"Not just a bit, she's really good at it!" Barbara piped up. "She actually fought Ms. Kyoko in a match and won. It was crazy!"
Kibō grumbled.
"No way. You seriously gave *that* woman a run for her money?" Annette asked.
"I mean...yeah. I gave it everything I had, but I was probably more lucky than anything." Ibuki said.
"Lucky? You went on a tear! You won cuz you were supposed to!" Sahir retorted.
"Well it's not like I'm gonna do it again anytime soon. I'm a hairdresser now."
"That's a bit of a jump. What made you step away from fighting?" Annette asked.
"I didn't want to spend my life getting my head bashed in. I wanted to do something more reliable that I liked doing."
"Not a bad reason. Moonbeam said that you live with your sister and your niece."
"Yeah. They're my reason for doing anything. I want them to have good lives cuz me and my sister didn't have an easy time growing up."
"And do you believe you have a good life now?"
"Well..."
"Ms. Ibuki..." Annette sighed. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"
The room noticeably quieted.
"Wha...no, no! I'm not uncomfortable at all, really! I'm just being weird, it's nothing to do with--" Ibuki stopped. "Um...I think I'm gonna use the bathroom. Excuse me..." She hastily got up.
"Okay, it's right over--" Annette couldn't get it out before Ibuki had already left.
"Woof. That was...awkward." Sahir mumbled.
"Is this normal, Moonbeam? From what you told me, she's a regular spitfire. But she's been timid as a church mouse this whole time." Annette questioned.
"This isn't like her at all...she's usually so much livelier than this." Barbara replied.
"It sounds a lot like she's got something on her mind..." Natalia said.
"Yes...or some*one*." Sakuya added.
Kat got up. "I'll go talk to her."
"Maybe we should leave her be..." Annette cautioned.
"Maybe. Or maybe not." Kat walked off.
"Kitten's going to do what she wants to do." Carrie stated.
Kat headed to the downstairs bathroom, and knocked on the door. "Bookie, I know you're not really using the shitter. You went right before dinner and you've barely touched your food."
"Go away, Kitty Kat. I know I'm making an ass out of myself." Ibuki answered.
"But why? This ain't like you at all. Let me in."
"No way."
"Bookie, you KNOW I can pick the lock, right? This'll be a much nicer convo if you open it yourself. I'm giving you a choice here. 3...2..."
The door unlocked. Kat barged in, shutting the door behind her. "Okay. What's going on here? Any other day you would've scarfed that steak down and made Ms. Annie your best friend. What's swimming through that little head of yours?"
Ibuki sat down. "I'm a mess."
"At this moment you're sure acting like it."
"I don't know what to say to her. I know she probably blames herself for what Maxie did. And she's probably gonna try apologizing even though none of this is her fault. I don't wanna look like I'm a crazy person."
"You forgetting that I used to date him? I can talk to her just fine. Ms. Annie's an absolute sweetheart. Just be yourself and I'm sure she'll love ya."
"It's just so...awkward. What's between me and Maxie is complicated. That's putting it kindly. I don't want his mom to think that I've been ruined for life by what happened."
"Are you?"
"Of course not. I've never been happier."
"Kay, then there's nothing to worry about."
"I'm afraid of--"
"It's not just because of your history with Maxie, is it? It's how you feel about him."
"....."
"Sister, I've been where you are now. I'm not judging you. I wish he would come home, too. I think you really need to start being honest with yourself. And there's no one better suited to talk it over with than that nice lady in the dining room. It doesn't have to be right now, but I think it'd do you and her a lot of good." 
Kat gave Ibuki a reassuring pat on the arm. "You're one of the fiercest people I know. I don't like seeing you this unsure. You gonna be OK for the rest of dinner?"
"..." Ibuki gave a nod. "Yeah. I think so."
"OK. Let's go finish off that steak."
As the two exited the bathroom, a thought passed through Ibuki's mind. "(Let's try to make this a little less weird, Fireball.)"
---
"You coming in, Bookie?" Kat asked, now in her pajamas. It was later that night, and she was standing in the doorway of the upstairs guest room.
"Give me a few. I wanted one more little snack before bed. You and Care go on and cuddle." Ibuki answered.
"Not like I need permission~." Carrie chimed from inside the room.
"Well I can't keep my queen waiting. I'll leave the door a little open. See ya." Kat went into the room.
Ibuki turned to the room across the hall. She reached for the doorknob. She let out a sigh, before entering, and turning on the light.
The walls and bedsheets were a dark shade of blue. Placed about were shelves filled with varied superhero memorabilia, from Iron Man and Captain America action figures to a small replica Batmobile made out of Legos. Posters of superhero movies were taped to the walls.
Ibuki picked up one of the figures, a tiny Ultraman toy. She let out a snicker. She recognized it as a prize from a box of candy. With it still in her hands, she sat down on the bed. To her right was a nightstand, and on top of it were a few more smaller figures, along with a lamp and a single sheet of paper.
She picked up the paper. This was a picture she'd seen before. A child's drawing of a hero wearing black armor, the words "Captain Thunder" written in crayon. 
"Who would've guessed a kid's drawing would end up causing such a mess, thousands of miles away?"
Ibuki looked to the doorway. Annette was standing there.
"Oh, Ms. Annette...sorry, I shouldn't be in here..."
"Please, stop apologizing. Honestly, I've wanted to come in here for a while. I can never muster the strength." Annette sat down next to her. "It's crazy. You look at this and you think it's like any nerdy boy's room. Some days I wonder what would've happened if my brother never took him to see the third Thor movie when he was five. If he just had some other hobby that didn't take over his mindset so much."
"You couldn't have seen this coming. Billions of kids have seen these movies by now. It's like when video games get blamed for violent things happening. This was always what Maxie was gonna be drawn to."
"Maybe you're right. So tell me...why did you come in here?"
"I guess...I wanted to understand him a little better. It's pretty much exactly how I thought it'd look. He really was just all about being heroic."
"That's how he always was. My brother was a born-again geek growing up, and he took Starbolt under his wing. Everything he learned about doing the right thing came from Davie. He certainly wasn't gonna learn it from his father."
"I've gotten bits and pieces from him and Barb. Was he really that bad?"
"The worst. Jim was a belligerent, drunken bully that was all about control. He took us from Tulsa to Louisville so my family wouldn't know about anything. He'd beat me whenever he got peeved, and that was *a lot*. I did it all so the twins wouldn't have to take it. But all the good that accomplished. Starbolt ended up taking that same mentality on. And I found out later about how horribly Jim treated him. I only learned just last year about the time he left him outside in the cold overnight because he knocked over a can of beer. Starbolt always talked about wanting to get revenge."
"Then over time that extended to everyone who kept their bad actions secret."
"Exactly. To everyone outside, Jim was just a championship high school coach. To us, he was a monster. No one else ever knew until I found another woman's number in his phone. Moonbeam let out all of his nasty secrets after that. But it's people like him that Starbolt hates the most. The ones that pretend to be something they aren't. Heh, the irony, right? After everything he kept from you all."
Ibuki could see Annette's mood taking a downturn. "Can you tell me more about him? From the good times."
The older woman let up a smile. "I'd love to. The thing I always think about is how good him and his sister were together. He'd always help her out with dance practice. Even when they were little, he would play with her and her dolls, just playing pretend. It didn't matter that it looked girly. He just wanted to play with his sister."
"That's honestly adorable. I take it the old drunk wasn't too fond of it."
"Oh, definitely not. Anything that didn't fit his idea of manhood, he couldn't stand. I'd say it's why Starbolt hates the more traditional 'manly' things. That and the fact that the sporty types would always pick on him. He had such a rough time with other boys. None of that made a difference for me. He was my special little man. My favorite memories are whenever he was in the kitchen with me."
Annette paused. "He was just a really good boy. If it wasn't for that drunk bastard, none of this would've happened. All those years of abuse changed him. He could play it so cool, but deep down he's filled with anger and bitterness. And that anger ended up hurting a lot of people. Including you. I know what you're gonna say, but I can't help but feel that I could've done something to prevent this."
"Don't blame yourself, please. To be honest, I'm not mad at him anymore. I have a great life now. And I feel like I understand why he thinks the way he does. I know what it feels like to be hurt and want to lash out."
"Tell me. I'm all ears."
"My parents were both drug addicts. When I was a kid, I found my mom dead with a needle in her arm. My dad blamed me and my sister for it. When the rest of our family was gone and we were alone, we had to sell ourselves just to stay alive. My niece's father tried to poison my sister when she was pregnant, then walked away and we never saw him again. And I ended up in my own cycle of abuse. A man who said he'd take care of me basically made me his sex slave. Slapped me around and made me feel lower than garbage. By the time I met your kids and the rest of the gang, I'd already been through hell twenty times over. All before turning twenty."
"Oh my God...that's horrifying. How did you ever make it through all of that?"
"I had my sister. And eventually, I had friends to help pick me up. They helped me see that I wasn't trash. I deserved to be happy. What your son did in changing me...it wasn't right. Nothing can ever make it okay. But it helped me meet the people I was supposed to. And I had to confront a lot of the ugliness I had buried deep inside of me."
Ibuki brushed her legs together. "I would tease Maxie a lot. I knew what buttons to push. But beyond that...I loved how straightlaced he was. Responsible. Noble. He was different from every man I'd met up to that point. He didn't see me for what I could do for him. Like some doll to do what he pleased with. He saw my pain. Who I am as a person. And when I confronted him about what he'd done...he was sorry. For all of it. And even though it can't change what's been done, I felt like I was seeing the real him. As horribly misguided as he was, I knew that he wanted to help people. He's a good man who did something awful. And I think that's eating him up even now. And I...I want to help him. As crazy as it sounds. Is that wrong of me?"
Annette took Ibuki's hands. "Ms. Ibuki...do you love my son?"
Ibuki took a moment to think about what she was about to let out there. "I...I want your son to have peace. To not be so angry at the world, because that anger can turn you into something dark and miserable. And I want to live a happy life with people that see me for who I am, who understand what I've gone through to get here."
She gripped Annette's hands. "Ms. Annette...I do. I love your son. With all my heart. I want nothing more than to drag him out of whatever hole he's hiding him and tell him that it can be okay again. He doesn't have to be angry forever. And if it's alright, then maybe our pain can finally be put in the past. That's...that's really what I want."
Annette began to tear up. She wrapped Ibuki in a hug. "Dear girl...thank you. I think you're exactly what my son needs to find happiness. You've already helped me find a little peace. If there's anything you ever need, my home is always open."
"This more of that southern hospitality?"
"It's a mother's gift to the woman that loves her son." 
Annette wiped her eyes. "I won't keep you up. I'll be making a big breakfast for you all come the morning. Try to get some rest. And thank you, again."
"Thank you, Ms. Annette. Good night."
Annette left the room. Ibuki sat there for a few more minutes. Eventually, her eyes grew heavy, and there amongst the assorted collectibles, she lied down and fell asleep.
---
July 19, 2031
Morning came. Ibuki's eyes slowly opened. She was still in Max's room, and still clutching onto that tiny figure. She held it close. "(Last night, did I really do that?)" she thought. She looked at the figure. "(Yeah. I did. I...really told his mom that I love him. Well, at least it's off my chest now.)"
"It's a new day, Ibuki. How about we get some grub, little guy?" she directed at the figure.
She got up and headed downstairs to the dining room. The only one present there was Carrie, seated at the table and sipping a cup of iced coffee. "Good morning, Ibuki. Did you sleep well?"
"Morning, Care. Yeah, I slept good. Sorry I never made it back to the room."
"We were wondering where you'd ended up. It wasn't until breakfast when Ms. Annette explained everything. How are you feeling now?"
"....."
"I know it's hard. Admitting to complicated feelings is never easy. But that must have been an enormous weight you were carrying."
"Yeah. If anything I'm happy to ease Ms. Annette's mind, just a little bit. And, I guess for...admitting how I feel. Actually, wait a minute...where is the lady of the house? Or anyone else, for that matter?"
"Most of the others left for either the mall or the aquarium. Barbara and her mother are getting dressed. Come, there's still a few pancakes leftover. Plenty for you and your small companion."
Ibuki sat down at the table, placing the figurine on top. A few minutes later, Barbara and her mother entered, now in workout wear. "Morning, Ibuki. Someone got a good night's sleep~." Barbara said.
"I seriously look like I just crawled out of bed?" Ibuki asked. She'd only now realized that she hadn't gotten her hair in order. "Where are you ladies headed off to?"
"It's workout weekend. We're going down to the park for a jog. Care's coming with. You're welcome to come along, once you get breakfast and...all this situated." Barbara motioned in regards to Ibuki's rather disheveled look.
"I'm gonna go run to the store first, sweets. Be back in a few." Annette said.
"OK, no rush. We'll be here." 
Annette left. Barbara gave Ibuki a cheery stare as she ate. "...I got something on my face?" Ibuki asked.
"I know your secreeeeet~." Barbara giggled.
"Oh, man, I'm never gonna hear the end of this..."
"No, no, it's fine! I mean, everyone kinda knew already. And honestly, I always figured you'd end up falling for someone nerdy. Y'know, opposites attract and all that."
"I don't think you're helping her embarrassment, Barbara." Carrie said.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about! I'd love it if you could be the one to reign Maxie in. Aaaaand, I wouldn't mind getting to call you my sister, either~."
"I immediately regret saying anything." Ibuki groaned. "Hey, um, this is gonna sound really dumb, but..." She held up the figurine. "Could I, um...hold onto this? At least until I see him again."
"That's totally fine by me. Keep it so you can have part of him around all the time. Until we run into him again."
Barbara paused. "So on that note...when were you planning on telling me my brother is the Phantom?"
Ibuki nearly coughed up what she was eating. "I...huh? How did--"
"I might love myself some romance and whimsy, but I'm not a ditz. I've known about the 'Phantom' since before you guys came here. A guy in black armor beating up criminals and changing their hearts? Who else could it be?"
"The topic came up this morning. It seems he's made an appearance near here, at the university. A peeping tom and a priest embezzling money. That was yesterday morning." Carrie explained.
"I read the article about it, and wouldn't you know, the officer who responded to the call about a peeping tom happened to be Davie Jadefang. My uncle. I called him and pushed until he finally came clean. He spoke to Maxie. He ranted about not caring about being a hero anymore. He just wants to beat up criminals. Whatever his endgame is, Davie couldn't say."
"We told her about your encounter in Las Vegas. It would appear that he's following us. Or at least keeping close enough to where we're headed."
"Barbie, I'm sorry for not bringing it up. I didn't want you to go crazy worrying about him, especially now that you're back to your old self again." Ibuki apologized.
"I get why you did it. I'm not upset. My mind hasn't changed. He can do whatever he wants to do. But sooner or later, reality's gonna hit him in the face. I won't force him to come home. At this point I don't know if I even *can*." Barbara grabbed Ibuki's hands. "But I think you can. You share the same pain. The same experiences. And if you do feel as strongly about him as I think you do, I think you could get through to him like no one else can."
"Barbie..." Ibuki muttered. "I want him home just as much as you do. If we do run into him again, I'll do everything I can think of to get him to see the light. And then I'll...I'll tell him how I feel. Because the day I fought Kyoko-sama was the day I decided to stop hiding how I'm feeling." She held the figure close. "So until then...I'll hold onto this. Until I can help him let go of his anger. I promise I'll do it before I go home. I couldn't head back, knowing he's still out there. So...yeah."
She was madly blushing by this point. "I, um...I'm gonna go get changed." She got up and left.
"Good idea." Barbara replied.
---
At the park, Barbara and Annette, along with Ibuki, jogged along the path. "She knows this was supposed to be a leisurely jog, right?" Ibuki asked.
Carrie suddenly ran past them. "On your left."
"Jeeeeez!"
"What did you say this girl does, Moonbeam?" Annette asked.
"Environmental science. Computer programming. Jewelry fashioning." Barbara answered.
"And Olympic running, apparently." Ibuki added.
The three stopped by a tree to rehydrate. "Sheesh...I dunno how that girl does it." Ibuki said.
"How many times did she lap us?" Annette asked.
"Four. And she wasn't showing any signs of stopping. She's probably still running..." Barbara replied.
"Au contraire. Everyone needs a respite." a voice came from above.
"Wha, who said that?! Is it those damn angels again?!" Ibuki demanded.
"'Again'?" Annette questioned.
"Settle, Fireball. I haven't descended from Heaven or anything of the sort." Carrie was sitting on a branch, drinking a bottle of water.
"Kitty Kat would probably disagree on that." Barbara responded.
"When did you get up there?! Now you're just showing off!" Ibuki griped.
"Sorry. I decided to do some pull-ups and I got a little carried away." Carrie hopped down. "Well, now that I'm fully hydrated, shall we go another round? Try to keep close~." She ran off.
"I ain't taking this lying down! Get back here!" Ibuki, huffing and puffing, gave chase.
"You sure picked a wacky bunch to be around, Moonbeam." Annette said.
"This is just a tiny sample, Mama. Kitty Kat calls it our beautiful chaos. I wouldn't have it any other way~." Barbara replied.
"I had my doubts about sending you overseas at first, but I think it's worked out pretty well. For the most part."
"I know what you mean. There's been some rough parts to it all, but I wouldn't trade having what I do now for anything."
"Don't get me wrong, they're a lovely bunch. Some odd ducks, to be sure, but they're good in my book. Kitty Kat is a one in a million kind of friend, and Kibō is a fine gentleman. Everything worked out great...for you."
"Mama..."
"What could I have done different about him? Or was it fate that he's running around dressed like a black knight, venting his anger by beating people within an inch of their life?" Annette took a second to think. "I had a dream last night. After my talk with Fireball over there. I was having Christmas dinner at the house. It was me, you with Kibō...and then Starbolt with her. The best part of it was...it felt normal. Like none of this craziness ever happened. I want that to be real. I want...I want my boy to come home."
"I do too, Mama. I feel it in my heart that he wants this to be over. But there's something in his mind keeping him going when he knows it's wrong. Maybe he thinks that he's gone too far to just stop now. Or maybe...there's something he feels he needs to do. I know him better than anyone. It's gonna take a Herculean effort to make him stop. And if I can't do it, and Kitty Kat can't do it, then that leaves..."
Ibuki arrived, gasping for air. "Guh...hah...hah...I'll catch up to ya...sooner than later, gemstone..."
Carrie ran past, unfazed. "On your left."
"Grrr...!"
"Take a ten, hon. Don't need you passing out." Annette cautioned.
"It's all good...least I got a doctor on-hand..."
"When we get back, I'm gonna give you a once-over for the aches. Actually, let's do this, just take a seat right here in the shade..."
Ibuki did as instructed, sitting down against the tree. "Here. Take as much as you need." Annette handed her a water bottle. "Moonbeam, I've got some Advil in the car, could you go grab the bottle for me?"
"Sure thing." Barbara took the car keys and ran off.
"Guess I overdid it, huh..." Ibuki uttered.
"You're OK. Gotta learn to pace yourself when it's this hot." Annette replied.
"Ibuki, are you alright?" Carrie arrived. "Oh, this is from trying to catch up to me, isn't it? I'm so sorry, I should've taken it easier..."
"Nah, I'm the one that should've been more careful...but it's all good, really..." Ibuki retorted.
"I think once she's cooled off we ought to call it a morning. You lot sure know how to keep things interesting." Annette said.
---
A short while later, Ibuki was lying on the bed in the guest room. Annette placed a fan on the nightstand. "Just turn it down if it gets too chilly. Need anything else?"
"I'm good, Ms. Annette, really. Believe me, you've done *plenty*. You don't need to go out of your way for me." Ibuki replied.
"Oh, fiddlesticks, that's what I'm here for."
"No, really. I've been here less than a day and you've been so nice and understanding to me. Like, I can see where Barbie gets it from." Ibuki yawned. "Think that's the meds kicking in..." She turned over. "Nnnn...what I'd give to have...a mom like you..."
Annette was taken aback at first. "Rest easy, hon. I'll be back to check on you later." She turned off the lights and closed the door, leaving Ibuki to her nap.
Downstairs, Barbara sat at the dining table, when her mother arrived. "How is she?"
"Asleep. She was sounding better before she nodded off." Annette sat down. "Moonbeam...what's her family situation like? She told me that she lost her parents, but..."
"Well...from what I understand, it's just her sister and her niece. Her mom died of an overdose when Ibuki was five. So her grandparents took her and her sister in since their dad was an addict, too. Then they passed away, so it was just the two of them."
"What about her niece's father?"
"Not in the picture. From what Ibuki told me, he tried ending the pregnancy before kicking her and her sister onto the street. With a newborn. People haven't been very good to her in her life. The only ones that treated her like a person were her grandparents, and they both passed away when she was young. Before she met us, it was just her sister and niece. We've tried filling in as best we can, but...she's had it rough in the family department."
"Poor girl. I can see it in her eyes. All she wants is love and stability."
"That's why I think she's being more polite around you. Maybe she just wants that maternal figure to show her some kindness. And in my opinion she has the best example right in front of her~."
"Always with the compliments, Moonbeam."
"I don't say anything I don't mean." Barbara got up. "Me and Care are gonna meet up with the others. If she wakes up and wants to come along, let me know." She hugged her mother. "I'll see you later."
"OK. Be safe. Check in whenever you get a minute. Don't make your poor Ma worry."
"I'll keep you posted. Love you, bye~."
Barbara left. Now left to herself, Annette walked over to the shelf she had in the living room, filled with pictures and mementos of her children's achievements. She picked up a gray picture of Max. He had his glasses off, holding them in his hand as he held a thinking pose.
She sat down in her recliner. A sad look in her eyes, she kissed the photo. She looked at it for an extended period.
"My good boy..."