The ship from the Technological Union would be arriving in three days and Maxine had decided that today was the last day Maxine would be on Earth. She gave Maxwell the equipment some time ago and had managed to sneak a few Shadow Wolves into Alice's shadow. She also told Emily that she would be leaving tonight a couple days ago, and had explained to Emily that she wanted to spend her last night on Earth with her family. To have as much time as possible with them, she lied to both Chris and Amanda by saying she was taking a break from teaching essence cultivation for a week or two due to being tired. However she still went to school to avoid arousing suspicion.

As Maxine got home, she was greeted by a hug tackle from Silky, which nearly knocked Maxine down. Silky had done this several times in a row already. Maxine guessed it was her way of showing her love before Maxine left.

Maxine ran her hand through Silky's hair and asked, "What would you like for dinner?"

"Lo Mein with lots of meat!" Silky announced. Maxine smiled to herself at Silky's statement. I should have known. It is Silky's favorite meal afterall.   

"Alright, want to help me cut up the meat?" Maxine asked. Since Silky was far more intelligent and manually dextrous than human children her age, Maxine saw no problem letting Silky use a knife.

"Yes!" Silky said excitedly. 

"Alright let's get to it," Maxine said, "But don't eat any of it raw. I don't want you to get an upset stomach." 

"'Kay," Silky said as she practically skipped to the kitchen. 

Maxine got out some of the essence beast meat from the refrigerator and got out a pair of knives. Silky grabed one and Maxine handed her half of the meat as they began to cut it into smaller pieces. 

While they cut the meat up, Maxine was thinking about the clan symbol that Zephyr had shown her. It was a grey version of her essence armor's mask while she was in shadow lord form. It even had the opaline gem on the forehead. She had wondered why their clan symbol was a mask of all things. She could only assume that it was what they thought the Shadow Queen/King would have. However  she had no idea where she would place it on her clothes without it clashing with her usual attire. 

They finished cutting up the meat with plenty of time to spare before dinner, so Maxine decided to make some chocolate using her essence bee honey. She had a revelation while gathering chocolate earlier that she could probably make her own chocolate as long as she had a source of cocoa beans. She decided to make her own chocolate bar to see if she had enough skill to do it.

Maxine processed some Cocoa beans down into powder and finally into dark chocolate. She added a small amount of milk to thin out the mix a little and used essence bee honey to sweeten it. After pouring the molten chocolate into a mould that she had prepared earlier, she finally looked at Silky, whom hadn't said a single word while Maxine made the chocolate. Her four eyes were glued to the slowly hardening chocolate as Maxine heard Silky audibly swallow some saliva. Maxine picked up the mould and moved it back and forth in the air as she watched Silky's eye's follow it's movement. I knew it was a bad idea to let Silky get exposed to chocolate. 

"You can't have any until after dinner," Maxine told Silky.

"'Kay," Silky said with a smile on her face and Maxine glanced at the time. It was just late enough that she could start making dinner and have it ready at the normal time her mother gets home.

Maxine began making dinner with some help from Silky. By the time her mother walked in the door, dinner was ready. Her mother had a happy expression on her face when she saw that Maxine had made dinner. Her mother walked up to the table and was served a plate before Maxine and Silky joined her.

After eating, her mother saw the now solidified chocolate and asked, "Delicious as always. Did you make that chocolate?"

"Yeah, it's our desert," Maxine said as she stood up and knocked the chocolate out of it's mould with a few light taps before cutting off a small piece, "Here try some."

Her mother put it in her mouth and when she began to chew, there was an almost instantenous reaction as a slight blush appeared on her mother's cheeks followed by a series of moans escaping her lips. If Maxine didn't know any better, she would have thought that her mother was on the verge of climaxing. There is no way that it can be that good.

Curiosity overtook her better judgement as Maxine quickly cut a piece of chocolate off to try it herself. The second she started to chew her eyes widened in shock as she was hit with intense euphoria. The more she chewed the chocolate, the more she was buffeted with wave after wave of euphoria. She didn't want it to end, but the small piece of chocolate wouldn't cooperate as it slowly disolved in her mouth. When she came back to her senses, she was laying on the kitchen floor while feeling a very pleasant sensations flowing throughout her body. It took her a second to realize what just happened and how she ended up on the floor. I just turned chocolate into a fucking narcotic and a really strong one at that if it put me on the ground without me realizing it! But how did it become a narcotic? Did the essence honey ridiculously enhance the normal effects of eating chocolate? 

Maxine was drawn from her own thoughts as she heard satisfied sighs from both her mother and Silky. Maxine unsteadily got back to her feetand looked at both Silky and her mother. Silky was laying on the floor not far from Maxine and her mother had collapsed on the table while still in her seat. However it was clear that both of them were in a state of bliss.

Maxine quickly looked at the chocolate and saw that Silky had only taken a piece of chocolate that was the same size as the one Maxine had just eaten. However even as she stared at it, she didn't feel the slightest bit desire to eat any more chocolate. It was like she satisfied her chocolate craving entirely with a piece that was the size of a marble. Thank god, it isn't addictive. I think I better keep this recipe my secret and thankfully the cocoa beans that I bought earlier haven't shown any signs of absorbing essence as far as I have seen. Although I can't ignore the possibility that some agricultural plants might be efffected by essence in some way. 

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While Maxine looked at the chocolate and thought about what to do with it, her mother said ever so softly, "Maxine, I don't know what you put in that chocolate, but it was amazing. It felt like I fell in love with your father all over again. Could you put it away for now? We should save it for a special occasion." It's not like I will be here to make any more for a good while, so I might as well leave mom this stuff.

"Okay, mom," Maxine said and she put the chocolate in the refridgerator, "Do you need any help getting up?"

"Yes," her mother said and Maxine extended her hand to help her mother get up from her chair. She watched as her mother walked in a slightly stiff fashion to the living room to watch TV.

After her mother left the kitchen, Maxine heard Silky say, "The floor is so comfy."

"Then you won't mind if I use you as a rug and wipe my feet on you then," Maxine teased as she lifted up her foot playfully and had it hover over Silky, whom quickly scrambled up onto her feet.

"Not funny, mama," Silky pouted.

Maxien decided to test a theory that this chocolate isn't addictive and asked Silky, "Do you want any more chocolate?"

"No, thanks, mama," Silky answered, which left Maxine rather surprised since she knew that Silky liked to eat it a little too much.

"Alright, then go to the living room and sit with your grandma," Maxine said with a smile, "I will be in there after I clear off the table." She watched as Silky skipped to the living room and noticed the amount of force Silky came down with. I guess she must be heavier than she looks since she has compressed her frame with that wierd technique that the arachne twins taught her. Well, either that or cultivating essence increases weight to compensate for the increased strength and durability.

Maxine walked into the living room and sat down next to her mother to cuddle up with her. Her mother was watching a boring news show, but Maxine didn't care so long as she could be near her mother. She felt safe and loved while cuddling up to her mother. She was in such a relaxed state that she dropped her guard entirely and genuinely enjoyed the moment. 

Maxine stayed in that position until she heard her mother snoring softly. Maxine smiled and went to fetch a blanket to cover her mother up with. She checked the time and saw that it was after ten o'clock at night. It's about time I headed out. 

Maxine walked to her mother's room. She retrieved the letter that she wrote for her mother and gently set it on the dresser. She looked around the house one last time to engrave this place into her memories and as she walked to the back door to leave, Silky appeared in her path.

Maxine knew what the little arachne wanted and knelt down with her arms spread wide. Silky ran into her embrace and pouted, "Can't I go with you?"

"I'm sorry, but you can't. Where I am going, people might try to hurt you to make silk for them and I wouldn't be able to stop them," Maxine said softly with Silky still in her embrace, "If you stay here on Earth, I don't have to worry about that. You are strong enough to keep anyone from making you even if they found out about your silk."

"But, but," Silky stuttered as she looked up at Maxine.

"But nothing," Maxine said firmly, "I want you to do something for me. Can you look after your Grandma Claudia? I don't want anyone bullying her while I am away."

"Okay," Silky said while showing signs that she was about to cry.

"Be good," Maxine said and gave Silky a kiss on her forehead right between her second set of eyes.

"I will, mama," Silky said as she got out of Maxine's embrace and ran to her room.

"Goodbye, my sweet little Silky," Maxine said softly as she walked out the back door.

Maxine stared at the sky for a few moments before Hellen asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," Maxine answered.

"You know that there is still a possibility that my father could forcibly marry you off, don't you?" Hellen asked.

"That's only if he is a complete idiot," Maxine answered, "He should know that would mean instant hostility from Guan and myself."

"Indeed it would," Hellen agreed, "But that might not stop my father. He only wants the clan to become stronger. He doesn't care if he dies as a consequence to achieve that. At least that is what I believed he was capable of before the death of my body. He could have changed since then." I doubt it. He didn't care one wit about your happiness before and followed up by disowning you when you didn't do what he wanted. All to protect his precious clan when he should have acted like a father and shielded you from all harm.  

"Still it's way better than hurting everyone I care about on Earth," Maxine said, "Anyways, I am just sending my clone and not my main body. If I don't like their attitude, I will just self-destruct my clone in their faces."

"True," Hellen said, "You best get moving. The longer you tarry here, the less of a lead against any pursuers that you will have."

"Alright," Maxine said and cut off the spiritual sense connection as she ran to the spot that she would rendezvous with Zephyr. It was in the middle of the forest, so it would take her a few minutes to reach it.

Once Maxine arrived in a clearing, she saw Zephyr's ship. It wasn't what she had expected. What she had expected was a small shuttle with enough room for a couple of bunks and a lot of strange engravings on it that served some purpose to increase speed. What she got was a huge arrowhead shaped ship that was at least seventy five feet long and fifty feet wide. She wondered how Zephyr planned on piloting that thing by himself.

Maxine saw a ramp slowly lower on side of the ship she was facing. The door at the top of it slid open to reveal Zephyr waving her over. She walked up the ramp and he led her through the ship. The walls inside of the ship were clearly made of some kind of dark red metal. She had absolutely no idea what kind of metal it was. 

Zephyr pressed a few buttons on a panel and a door opened with a swish. Maxine looked inside and saw a claustrophobically small room. It had just enough space for the twin sized bed and the meditation mat that were already in it. She had expected the room to be small, but not this small. She turned her head to Zephyr and gave him a flat glare.

"What did you expect? This ship was built primarily for speed, not comfort," Zephyr said in annoyance, "Even my room is the same size as this one." 

"Fine," Maxine said as she rolled her eyes and walked into the room, "How long until we reach the Kavros Clan and does this ship's reactor produce essence?" She wanted to know if she could at least cultivate on this ship to pass the time.

"It produces neutrual essence, mana and ki as a standard feature. Don't get too excited, though. The density of essence in the ship is just slightly greater than it is on Earth. As for your other question, it should take us roughly two weeks to get to the closest teleportation array that can transport us to our clan," Zephyr answered as he started to leave, "If there is anything else, I will be on the bridge." It produces mana and ki too! I better widen the portal to the shadow world so I can see if my main body can absorb either mana or ki. I hope I can form a second core with either of those two. 

"Alright," Maxine said, but Zephyr didn't seem to hear her as he disappeared in a static discharge. Now that's a cool movement technique. I definitely want to ask him about it, but I have plenty of time for that later. I wonder how long it will take for the knowledge that I am Guan's daughter to reach the Kavros clan. Odds are that they will know the same day that the Shadow Lords announce it to the Alliance. In any case, I better try plan for any bullshit that the Kavros Clan has in mind for me.