I stared at the spot where Midori vanished from, my heart pounding in my chest.

I couldn't believe she had just dropped a bomb on us and left like that without any hesitation or second thought. We were cousins?

Izumi looked up at me, her brown eyes filled with confusion as she passed my dad a glass of water. "So! Uhh, what do we do now?" she asked.

I shook my head, feeling lost and overwhelmed, as I sat beside my dad. "I don't know," I admitted. "I don't even know what's happening anymore. Midori just said she's our cousin and up and teleported out of here!?"

Izumi shook her head, "Sheesh Ikki! So, not only does my brother come home with a pair of beautiful girls, but we also find out we had a cousin we never knew about. What a day! You know, I'd thought about how I'd break the magical girl thing to you for months, building it up in my head. But I never would've thought THIS would happen. This!"

I nodded in agreement, feeling the weight of the situation settling on my shoulders. "Yeah... it's a lot to take in. Also, quit being so melodramatic, Izumi."

Izumi rolled her eyes at me, but I could see the concern in her gaze. "What do you think we should do?" she asked.

My mind raced with a million different thoughts and questions. Who was Midori, exactly? What was her connection to us?

We sat there silently for a moment, both lost in our thoughts. In spite of everything, I couldn't help but worry about Midori and what she was facing. She seemed so determined to help those children. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling she was putting herself in unnecessary danger.

After exhausting herself from using her magic earlier, Talia was passed out in the other room. I made a mental note to check on her soon to make sure she was okay.

"Dad?" I said, turning to our injured father lying on the couch, "Do you know anything about Midori? About mom's side of the family?"

My dad looked up at me for a long moment, his expression pained but thoughtful. "I'm afraid I don't know much," he said slowly. "Your mother never spoke much about her family. I believe she had a falling out with them before we met. But, I do remember her mentioning a brother once in passing. She said that they were estranged."

I felt a pang of disappointment at his answer. I hoped he could shed some light on Midori and her connection to mom.

Izumi nodded, her expression furrowed pensively. "Yeah, well, this is all fine and dandy. But what are we going to do about Midori? Shouldn't we try to find out what's going on and help her?"

I shook my head, "We can't do much right now and need to make sure Talia and Dad are okay. Then, we can try to come up with a plan if she isn't back yet. Midori knows what she's doing, so I'll trust her to handle things until we can get more information."

Izumi scowled at my words, her arms crossed over her chest. "I don't like it," she grumbled. "She just dropped a bomb on us and left us in the dark. And now she's off on some dangerous mission alone where she could get hurt or worse? That's not fair."

I sighed, understanding where Izumi was coming from. "I know it's not fair, but what else can we do? We don't have enough information to make a move yet, and we don't even know where she went."

Izumi huffed and stood up from her seat, pacing back and forth in front of me. "I just don't want to sit here twiddling our thumbs while she's out there risking her life.

She clutched her locket around her neck, her eyes narrowing with determination. "I want to help, Ikki. I'm going to go look for her."

Sheesh, it was like looking in an immature, amplified mirror sometimes. I understood her instincts, but I had to be the responsible one here.

I stood up as well, placing both hands on her shoulders placatingly. "I know, Izumi. But we need to be smart about this. We can't just charge in blindly. We need information and a plan."

Izumi sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I know," she muttered. "It's just...frustrating. I feel so useless sitting here."

I smiled at her, "You're not useless, Izumi. You're here protecting us in a time of serious uncertainty. We'll figure out a way to help Midori, I promise."

Izumi sighed, her expression softening slightly. "Okay, okay. I hate to admit it. You're right. Stilll..."

I gave her another hug, relieved that Izumi had calmed down. I knew her heart was in the right place, but we needed to be careful. I was sure she was tempted to run off, regardless.

Letting my thoughts wander, I couldn't help but think about what was happening to Midori. Was she facing danger? Was she in trouble? I just couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that settled in my gut. I didn't know what it was, but I sensed that our world was about to be turned upside down more than it already had been.

I thought about the connection between Midori and my mother. I didn't fully remember what my mom looked like anymore. My image of her was a jumbled mess of early traumatic memories. I did remember she had dark brown Asian eyes, not like Midori's striking blue.

But I did remember her voice. Soft and gentle, always soothing and comforting. My mind was racing with a million questions — what if there was more to my mother's past than what my father let on? What if Midori knew something about her?

Izumi puffed her cheeks out in frustration, "Ahhhhh! Why does everything have to be so complicated?!"

I chuckled gently and ruffled her loose, shoulder-length black hair, "Life is complicated, Izumi. But together, we can figure it out."

Izumi groaned, "Easy for you to say. You're the one without superpowers... Right? No powers?"

I gave Izumi a facetious smirk, my hand still tangled in her hair as I grinned at her.

Her face paled as she looked at me, her eyes widening in shock. "Wait, Ikki. You don't have powers, do you?"

I ruffled her hair, kneading her neck again. "You never know, maybe I have something up my sleeve."

Izumi rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "You're such a dork, Ikki."

I chuckled before letting go of her hair and taking a step back. "But seriously, I don't have any superpowers. I'm just an ordinary guy. Unless you count being able to eat a whole pizza by myself as a superpower."

Izumi giggled, her mood seeming to lift a bit. "I think that definitely counts as a superpower in my book."

We sat silently for a few moments, the tension in the room slowly dissipating. I could hear my father's labored breathing from the couch, the only sound breaking the stillness of the air.

Suddenly, I noticed a flicker of movement from the corner of my eye. I turned to see Talia standing in the doorway, looking tired but awake. She rubbed her eyes, her long silver hair falling over her shoulders as she held herself up using the door.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice groggy. "Oh, Midori brought him back already?"

My dad gave Talia a small wave of acknowledgment, but his gaze was distant and unfocused.

"Hello there, miss...?" he said, trailing off weakly.

"Talia. My name is Talia."

Talia walked over to my dad, concern etched on her face. "Are you okay, Mr. Yi? Do you need anything?"

My dad shook his head slightly, wincing in pain. "I'm fine, Talia. Just... resting. Thank you, though."

Talia nodded, her gaze shifting to me. "W-where's Midori?"

Izumi and I exchanged a nervous glance. I could see the worry etched on Talia's face, and I knew she cared deeply for Midori.

"She poofed off back to the warehouse for a bit. But she'll be back soon," I said reassuringly, hoping to ease Talia's anxiety.

Talia nodded, but her eyes remained troubled. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

I hesitated for a moment, wondering how much to tell her. But then I decided that she deserved to know the truth.

"We don't know," I said, my voice low. "Midori... she dropped a hell of a bomb on us and teleported away. She said she had to take care of something important. We don't know when she'll be back."

Talia's brow furrowed, and she took a deep breath, her eyes cast downwards as if in deep thought. After a few moments, she looked up at me with soft, watery eyes.

"Well, alright then. That is her alright," Talia muttered.

I frowned, noticing the unshed tears in Talia's eyes. She was taking Midori's absence hard.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault," Izumi said, her voice laced with guilt. "If I had been more careful, this wouldn't have happened."

Izumi was still standing there, her eyes downcast as she looked at the floor.

Her hands were tightly clenched, and a tear rolled down her cheek. I couldn't help but feel my heart clench out of love for her — even if she had acted out all gung-ho earlier, she was still just a scared kid trying to make sense of the world around her.

I grabbed some tissue paper and dabbed at my sister's eyes, sighing softly. "Hey, we'll get through this together," I whispered softly as I squeezed her hand.

Talia watched us from the corner of her eye before shifting her gaze to my dad. Talia shook her head, her silver hair shimmering in the room's dim light. "No, Izumi. It's not your fault. Midori made her own decision. We can't control her actions."

She stepped closer, placing a hand on his forehead. A soft, gentle light emanated from her hands, slowly spreading throughout the room. As the light grew brighter and brighter, I could feel a warmth spread through me — it felt like home.

My dad's breathing became steadier as Talia continued to heal him with her powerful magic. The pain in his body visibly faded away as she worked her magic. Within seconds, it was gone completely — replaced with peace and serenity.

She stood up and smiled at us, the warm glow in her eyes radiating throughout the room. Relief flooded over me as I saw my dad stir awake again — he looked almost... healed? Like Izumi, it was like nothing had ever happened!

But the healing was too much for Talia. As soon as my dad opened his eyes, she fell over, her body shaking uncontrollably. Izumi and I rushed to help her, trying our best to keep her steady. It was almost like she had used up all of her energy healing us — she felt so fragile and weak in my arms.

I heard a shuffle and looked up at my dad, who was now sitting upright on the couch, trying to clear his eyes as he focused on Talia. "Did she just?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

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"I think she used up too much of her magic healing you just now," I explained, my voice shaking slightly.

I held Talia up with worry. "Talia, are you okay?"

Talia had done it too quickly for me to react. I should have known doing that again so soon after healing my sister would have consequences. Before I knew what was happening, her body went limp in my arms. Izumi gasped as we both caught her before she hit the ground.

We laid her down gently on the floor, and I checked her pulse. It was weak, but it was still there. I let out a sigh of relief.

She murmured weakly, but her eyes were still closed. "I'll be fine," she whispered. "Just... just need to rest for a while longer."

I laid her down gently on the couch and put a blanket over her. "You rest, Talia. We'll take care of you."

My dad stood up, staring at Talia with a mix of awe and concern. "You shouldn't have done that, Talia. Mana exhaustion can be deadly."

Talia shrugged weakly, her eyes still closed. "It's just a little bit. Nothing serious."

Izumi looked at us with a mixture of confusion and worry. "Mana exhaustion? What's that? Is she going to be okay?"

Dad sighed heavily before sitting down next to Talia. I still couldn't believe everything in the last couple of hours had happened, and part of me still thought I was dreaming.

He was a somewhat tall and moderately muscular man in his early forties, with dark hair cut in a short tapered fade starting to gray at the temples. He never brought a woman or prospective stepmom home, although he was considered handsome and charming enough to attract attention. He always worked at one machine shop or another, but he made time for us whenever possible.

Before answering, my dad looked at Talia with a mix of paternal concern and respect. "Mana is the energy that magic users draw upon for their powers. When they use too much of it at once, they can become exhausted and suffer serious consequences."

Izumi's eyes widened in surprise. "Magic? You mean like spells and stuff?"

My dad nodded. "Yes, like spells and stuff." He then turned his gaze to Izumi and stared at her sternly. "Although, I do have a question right now..."

Izumi swallowed nervously, her gaze dropping to the floor. "Yes, daddy?"

He stared at her momentarily before finally asking the question, his voice deep and severe. "Why was our house attacked by Nazis? And how were you able to tussle with that cyborg?"

Izumi's face went pale, her hands clenching into fists as she searched for a way to explain. Finally, she cleared her throat and spoke carefully. "Well, um... I was taking a walk around the neighborhood and I heard some commotion at our house. So I came over to check it out and uh..." She paused for a moment, trying desperately to think of something plausible. "I guess maybe I'm just really strong from all the sports I play?"

My dad furrowed his brow as he sighed. "Izumi, I don't think playing sports makes you strong enough to fight one of their magitech abominations. As a matter of fact, "

Izumi shifted uncomfortably, her cheeks reddening as she struggled to come up with a story that would make sense.

She sighed heavily before finally admitting the truth. "Okay, I'm going to tell you the truth. No more lying." She took a deep breath before continuing. "All those times I stayed over for a sleepover at Monica's apartment? When I came back late from the library? I wasn't really doing what I said I was doing."

My dad's expression darkened as he listened intently to Izumi's confession. "What were you doing, Izumi?"

"I was scouting and training," she said softly. "Training for something big."

Izumi hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering nervously between my father and me. "We were training to fight against Imperative Fourteen. They've been... kidnapping and experimenting on people. They have literal Nazi wizards. We wanted to stop them before they could hurt any more innocent people."

My father sat back in shock, his gaze fixed on my sister. "Izumi, do you have any idea how dangerous this is? You could have been killed!"

Izumi looked down, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know, daddy. But I had to do something. I couldn't just sit back and let them take over the city! I wanted to make a difference."

My dad sighed heavily, his gaze softening as he looked at Izumi. "I understand that, Izumi. But I wish you to understand that your safety is important to me. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I know, daddy," Izumi said softly. "But I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself. The truth is, I'm... I'm a Magical Girl. I'm completely self-taught and sloppy, and almost got you killed today. I'm sorry I was so reckless. I won't ever do that again."

Dad's expression softened at her admission. "Izumi, I had no idea. You should have told me — we could have found a way to help you."

"I didn't want to worry you," Izumi replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Wait, you're taking this awfully well. What gives!?"

"Well, I guess it runs in the family. You truly are following in your mother's footsteps," Dad sighed heavily, his hand gently stroking Izumi's hair. "Look, I understand why you did what you did, Izumi. But I want you to promise me that you're going to be careful from now on. Promise me that you won't take any unnecessary risks. We'll find a way to help you train properly and safely, but you have to promise me that you won't do anything dangerous without proper preparation."

"O-okay... I promise, daddy," Izumi said, tears erupting from her eyes again. "I'll be careful."

Something about what my dad said tickled an instinct. A gut feeling that I had been missing something all along, that something was off.

"Hang on," I interjected. "What do you mean Izumi's following in mom's footsteps?"

Dad looked surprised for a moment before realizing what I was asking. He sighed and shook his head. "I guess it's time you two knew the truth. Your mother was... also a Magical Girl, just like Izumi. I'd mused about this day possibly happening, but I eventually thought it never would. I guess I was wrong and naive."

My jaw dropped in shock. "Mom was a Magical Girl? Why didn't you ever tell us?!"

Dad looked down at his hands, his expression heavy with sorrow. "Your mother wanted to keep it a secret, even from you two. She was afraid that if you knew the truth, you would be in danger too. And after what happened to her..." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

Izumi and I exchanged a look of shock and confusion. "What happened to her?" Izumi asked quietly.

Dad took a deep breath before looking up at us, his eyes filled with tears. "It's a long and complicated story, but your mother was killed during the fall of New York City. As I understand it, she fought until her last breath to protect the people she loved and the city she learned to call home."

Izumi looked just as devastated as I felt. "Why didn't you tell us, daddy?"

"I wanted to protect you, at her behest," Dad said softly, his voice heavy with emotion. "But I realize now that keeping secrets from you was a mistake. You both deserve to know the truth about your mother and her legacy."

I sat there in shock, feeling like the ground had just been pulled out under me. My mother, a Magical Girl? The thought was almost too surreal to comprehend.

But I thought about my recent nightmares, where vague images of my mother appeared to me. The woman with the kimono and naginata. They had felt so real, and now I wondered if they were more than just my imagination.

I growled in frustration, feeling a surge of anger and confusion. Why did our father have to keep such a massive secret from us? And why did mom have to sacrifice herself like that?

Izumi reached out to grab my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, bro. We'll figure this out."

Dad gave us a small smile, his eyes still filled with sadness. "I know it's a lot to take in, but I want you both to know that I'm here for you. We'll get through this together as a family."

I wiped away a tear as I looked at my sister and father. Our family had been through so much, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

I took a deep breath, "I guess it's time for me to come clean too. Uhh, how do I put this..."

Izumi and Dad looked at me with expectant eyes, waiting for me to continue. I took another deep breath before confessing. "Well, I joined Midori's sanctioned magical girl crew over at Terra as a support operative a few weeks ago."

Izumi and Dad looked at me in shock, their mouths gaping open simultaneously. "You too?" Izumi asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, I'm no magical girl, but I've been helping out with the technology and support side of things," I explained, feeling relieved for finally coming clean. "I didn't exactly go and piss off a Neo-Nazi gang like Izumi did, but I always wanted to help fight back against the Aberrations. I've been doing it on the side."

Dad let out a deep sigh, his expression conflicted. "Sheesh. Both of you?! See, I'm proud of you both for wanting to make a difference and fight against evil, but I'm also scared for your safety. No, I'm fucking terrified. This is a dangerous time we live in, and I don't want to lose either of you like I lost your mother."

"I'll be careful, dad," Izumi promised, her voice filled with determination. "I can't speak for Ikki, but I won't take any more unnecessary risks."

Dad nodded, a slight smile forming on his lips. "I know you will, Izumi. You're both strong and capable. But promise me this, at least. Promise me that you won't keep secrets from me anymore. We're a family, and we need to look out for each other."

Izumi and I nodded in agreement, feeling relieved that our father was also willing to be open with us. "We promise dad," Izumi said, her voice firm. "No more secrets."

It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off my chest, and I felt a newfound sense of unity with my family. We could face anything together as long as we were honest and supportive.

"So, what now?" I said, "Izumi's gone and pissed off a Neo-Nazi gang, and I'm enrolled in an academy on the other side of the portal where we can't even contact each other."

Dad sat down and leaned back in a chair, his eyes flicking between Izumi and me. "Well, of course, we'll need to come up with a plan. Izumi, you're going to need some proper training if you're going to continue fighting. I'll start looking into finding a mentor for you, someone who can teach you how to control your powers and fight safely."

Izumi nodded, her expression serious. "I understand, dad."

"Good," Dad said approvingly. "And as for you, Ikki, we'll find a way to keep in touch despite the portal. I'll talk to some of my contacts and see if they can help set up a frequent courier line for us. And in the meantime, keep doing what you're doing at Terra. You're helping in your own way, and that's commendable. Just be careful, okay?"

"Wait, a secure courier line?" I asked suspiciously. "That would cost us a fortune, wouldn't it?"

Dad chuckled, a small smile on his lips. "Money isn't an issue, son. We've been saving up for a rainy day, and I'd say this qualifies as a stormy one. Besides, it's not going to cost us anything. Let's just say I have a friend and she owes me one."

Izumi and I exchanged a look of deep appreciation and relief. Despite his grief, our dad had been amazingly supportive. Though he was pretty cryptic when he mentioned his associate who could provide us with a secure line of communication at no cost, I decided to not pursue it just yet. But I decided to let it slide for now. We had bigger concerns to worry about.

"Thank you, dad," I said, grateful for his support. "We'll be careful, I promise."

Dad nodded, his expression serious. "Good. And one more thing," he said, standing up from his seat. "I want to show you something."

He walked over to a bookshelf in the corner of the room and pulled out a thick, leather-bound journal. "This was your mother's," he said, holding it out to me. "She used to sit down and draw in it. Maybe it'll give you some insight and inspiration."

I took the journal from him, feeling a sense of reverence. This was something that had belonged to my mother, a piece of her that I never knew existed. "Thank you, dad," I said, feeling a lump in my throat.

Dad gave me a small smile before turning to face Izumi. "And for you, Izumi, I have something as well."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver chain necklace with a small crystal pendant. "This belonged to your mother," he said softly, holding it out to Izumi. "She wore it often, and I think she would have wanted you to have it."

Izumi's eyes widened as she took the necklace from our father's hand. She held it up to the light, admiring the crystal's beauty. "Thank you, dad," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "I'll cherish it always."

Our father gave us a sad smile, his eyes misty with unshed tears. "Your mother would be so proud of you both," he said firmly. "I know I am."

That moment felt like a turning point for our family. We had been through so much pain and heartache, but we were still together, still fighting. And with the support of each other and the love of our mother, we knew we could face anything that came our way.

I opened the book, feeling a sense of anticipation and wonder. The pages were filled with sketches of wondrous creatures and exotic landscapes. Each page was like a portal into a world my mother had created, a world she had kept hidden from us. I felt a sense of familiarity as I looked through the pages as if I had seen these places before in my dreams.

I could feel my mother's creativity and passion seeping through the ink as I turned each page. It was as if she was still there with me, guiding me with each stroke of her pencil.

Izumi leaned over my shoulder, peering at the pages with curiosity. "Wow," she breathed, "mom was really something, wasn't she?"

I nodded, my eyes scanning the intricate details of a dragon that seemed to be leaping off the page. "Yeah, she was amazing. I never knew she had this side to her."

Dad walked over to us, his eyes filled with nostalgia. "Your mother was a special woman," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "She had a way of seeing the beauty in everything, and she loved to capture it on paper."

I looked up at my dad, my heart feeling heavy. "I wish I could have known her better," I said, feeling a sense of regret. "She sounds amazing."

Dad put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's never too late to get to know someone, Ikki. And your mother would have loved to get to know you too. She always talked about how proud she was of you and Izumi, even when you were little."

I felt a sense of warmth spread through me, a feeling of love and acceptance that I had never felt before. "Thank you, dad," I said, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "For everything."

Dad nodded, his expression serious. "Now, let's get to work on keeping you two safe. We have a lot of planning to do."

Just then, a strange feeling came over the room. It was like a gust of wind, but instead of blowing around us, it seemed to be coming from within me.

Izumi and I both looked up simultaneously, and a sense of impending doom washed over us. Dad noticed our expressions and immediately went on high alert.

"What's wrong?" my dad asked, diving underneath the couch and pulling out a pistol. He ran over to a drawer, fishing out an ammo box.

I shook my head, trying to figure out what was happening. "I don't know," I said, feeling a sense of unease. "It's like... something's coming."

Dad nodded, loading the gun with practiced ease as Izumi and I stood up, our eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.

A loud crash sounded outside the house, and we all jumped at the sudden noise. Dad motioned for us to stay put before quietly making his way toward the front door, his gun at the ready.

Izumi and I exchanged a look of fear and uncertainty, unsure what to do. Dad had always been protective of us, but this was different. We could sense the danger lurking outside, just waiting to strike. Izumi clutched her locket and stared at me with determination.

As we waited, the seconds stretched like hours, our hearts pounding in our chests. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the feeling faded away. Then, we heard a voice from outside.

"Ikki, Izumi, it's me," the voice said, and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Dad lowered his gun and slowly opened the door, revealing a figure in the early evening shadows. As the figure stepped into the light, we could see that it was a girl, her medium-length black hair cascading down her shoulders. She was followed by a trembling Hispanic boy and an Asian girl in rags by her side.

Midori smiled at us, her glowing green eyes twinkling with amusement. "Hey," she said. "It's been a wild day, huh?"