The sun shined bright on the red-orange-gold brick driveway as the man walked it’s path, his black boots clacking on the solid stone, one hand just below his lit cigar, puffing between his teeth as he walked, his other hand clasped behind his back, his mind a minefield of thoughts, preparing himself for the conversation he was going to have with the occupants of the house he was approaching.

“Should I be sympathetic? Aggressive? What if they get hostile, I don’t want a fight, I don’t want to hurt them,” Aiden pondered to himself as he ran his free hand through his brown hair, before gently scratching his beard in contemplation as he continued to go over his usual speech in his head. 

As Aiden approached the three-floored near-mansion sized house, he forced his fear, his anxiety down, telling those emotions into the furthest reaches of his mind until his task was complete, rationalizing that he needed to keep up an image, and that there was time for the negative emotions later.

Aiden knocked twice on the oak door with his knuckle, and it opened to a woman with crimson red hair, fair skin, and the most beautiful emerald green eyes he’d ever seen. The look on her face however, told a different story, not of surprise, or a kind, welcoming smile, but concern, like she’d expected him to be here.

“May I help you?” she asked 

Aiden cleared his throat, “Maria Tharros, I presume?”

She nodded, and almost repeated, “How may I help you?” 

Aiden collected himself, taking a deep breath, “My name is Aiden Aldrich of the Ichor Brotherhood.”

Maria’s look of concern changed to a barely contained sadness, but she forced a smile, half-hiding it behind her hand, “And you’re here for Catherine?”

Aiden nodded lightly, “Yes, ma’am, I am.” 

“How did you hear about her powers already? They just started last night.”

“An Oracle informed me about three days ago that Catherine’s powers were about to awaken, so I traveled here.” 

Maria stared at him, her eyes moving rapidly, “And…you’re here to take her away.” 

The way she said it was not a question, sounding more like an accusation.

Before he could continue, another figure appeared in the doorway from Maria’s right, a shirtless man with either dark brown hair or light black hair going just over his blue eyes, a pair of dog tags strung around his neck, and raggy blue jeans. A suitor, Aiden assumed 

“The hell do you want?” The man growled 

Aiden steadied himself in case the man wanted to fight, “I was discussing something with the lady of the house. Who are you?”

“None of your fucking business,” the man said, stepping between Aiden and Maria, who didn’t look afraid, more annoyed. 

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“It is not about her, but her child,” Aiden said trying to defuse the situation 

That was a mistake, the man advanced toward Aiden, his fists clenched, knuckles white with rage, Aiden slowly backed away, not to flee, but to assess the situation. 

“And what do you want with a child, old man?” 

Aiden raised a hand in defense, “To teach, to train, as was asked of me by an Oracle.”

“Fuck your Oracle!” 

The man’s fist lit on fire as he launched at Aiden, and Aiden barely dodged the attack, causing a chunk of a tree that was just behind Aiden to explode, sending wood chips and bark everywhere, had Aiden not moved, he would’ve easily lost his head. 

The man continued to throw wild swings in Aiden’s direction, Aiden choosing to simply dodge, to maneuver around the strikes, instead of going direct, but it was no real challenge, the man was clearly intoxicated, which was yet another shock, he was clearly an Abnormal, and their healing usually made it impossible to become intoxicated. 

Instead of dwelling on it, Aiden waited for an opening during one of the man’s wild swings, grabbing the man’s wrist just below the “flames” and positioning his free hand between his ribs, holding him at a stand still.

“Mister, I promise, I mean neither Lady Tharros or her daughter harm.”

The man shot Aiden a vicious look, “It’s not you I worry about,” he snapped, “it’s the people you’re involved with.”

Maria walked closer to them, placing a hand on the man’s shoulder, “Let me hear him out, please.”

Aiden had no idea what she was trying to do, she was no Abnormal like either of the two men, she had no power to protect herself if either of them truly started lashing out. But to his shock, the man who was just trying to take his head off relaxed his arm a bit at Maria’s touch, at her words, he was truly contemplating what she was saying. He looked at her one more time, for confirmation, and she nodded, keeping her eyes locked with his.

“Miss Tharros, while it is true, I am here for your daughter. I would like to…propose something a bit, how would I say… unorthodox in our modern standards?” 

Maria stopped looking at the man and eyed Aiden, “I’m listening.” 

“You see, normally, we would take your child away to a lifetime of studies, hoping that they are chosen by the Oracle to ascend into Godhood, locked inside a school away from the rest of humanity to stop them from growing attached to humans, the people, the animals.”

“Out with it!” The man shouted 

Aiden raised his hand in defense, acknowledging he was drawing things out, “I wish to allow her to live with you.”

Maria’s eyes became as wide as dinner plates, “You-what?” 

Aiden smiled warmly, “I wish for her to continue her daily life, live with you, go to school, be human. But, I also wish to train her in her off time.”

The man chimed in, “Why the sudden change, isn’t that against your code?”

“Generally, yes.” Aiden said, keeping his eyes on Maria, who was looking at the ground in shock, “As I said, unorthodox, at one time it was our general practice, walk a mile in their shoes as it were.” 

“Is this some kinda ‘if she fails, I didn’t waste twenty years’ thing?” 

“No. I feel we as a race-Abnormals that is, have become too detached from the people we are supposed to protect, to govern, to lead, and I wish for Catherine to retain something.”

“And this is?”

“Her humanity.” 

Maria finally spoke up again, “So, just so I’m understanding right…you aren’t taking her away?” 

Aiden shook his head, “No. With your permission, at worst, a two week trip…almost like a camping vacation, as it were, but besides that, I would do all her teaching at your wonderful home here, under your watchful eye.”

“Damn right.” The man muttered, as if he was answering for Maria herself. 

Maria didn’t react to his comment, but without really any hesitation, she nodded, “Agreed.” 

“Wonderful.” Aiden said, extending his hand to Maria

She took his hand, happy tears running down her face, “Wai- When does she start training?” 

Aiden eyed the girl standing in the doorway, wearing a black hoodie with a blue rose on the front, and gray sweatpants, her blonde hair kept into a ponytail, and her blue eyes looking back at him with fear and confusion.

“That is entirely up to her,” Aiden said, pretending not to notice her spying

The man once again stood between Maria and Aiden, trying to impose his will, look bigger than he really was, before extending his hand out for a handshake himself, which Aiden took.

“If anything happens to either Catherine, or Maria, you will be answering to me, got it?” The man punctuated his threat, heating up his hand, and squeezing tighter on Aiden’s hand

Aiden the power in his handshake, and with his free hand, electricity crackled around his fingers, and with a grin, Aiden replied, “Oh no threat will harm a hair on either of their heads, you have my word.”

The man smiled for the first time since the conversation started, “Good.” 

“May I ask your name?”

“Troy, Troy Pistos.”