We all congregated around the dinner table, which had broken in two. The shiny, polished table where we usually sat to eat, was split in half down the middle. Dad was preparing a braised stew in the integrated kitchen while small wisps of steam traced through the open doorframe. Everyone in the room was quiet as they ate peanuts, fruit, and other snacks. An awkward hush filled the space.

My dad's movements were slow and meticulous as he stirred the stew, his arms moving in a practiced rhythm. Every so often, he'd look up at us and smile, but for the most part, his eyes were distant and worried. Tension hung heavy in the air, threatening to suffocate us all.

[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009157529441423450/1092916539033927780/SirenPizza_siegfried_kaslana_with_salt_and_pepper_black_hair_ea_05c00b1a-7285-4541-bd58-ab4eb02cf991.png]

Izumi looked left and right, blinking her eyes in confusion. "Umn. So, what's going on?" she asked, breaking the silence. "Why are we all so quiet?"

Midori glanced at Izumi, her expression softening. "I guess we're all just a little shaken up," she said gently. "But hey, we're all safe now."

Izumi gulped, her eyes wide with understanding. "Right," she muttered awkwardly.

I looked at my sister, feeling a sense of worry wash over me. She was still so innocent in so many ways. I knew I had to keep her safe, no matter what.

Dad finally turned around a pot holder in one hand and a ladle in the other. "Alright, it's ready," he said, scooping some stew onto bowls of brown rice and handing them out to each of us.

It was a humble meal — carrots, peas, potatoes, and meatballs stewed in soy sauce, star anise, ginger, and other spices. We never had much, but it would be enough to fill our bellies and warm our hearts.

Silence fell over the table once more as we all began to eat. The stew was warm and comforting, but the tension in the air was palpable. Dad cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

"Alright, kids," he said in a severe tone. "Let's talk about what's going on here."

He nodded to Midori and the two children she had brought with her. Midori had cleaned them up, and they now looked much better than when they first arrived. The boy huddled up next to Midori while the girl stared down at her bowl of stew, unsure of what to do. Both of them fit into some old clothes Izumi and I dug out of our dressers.

Midori sighed and turned to the brown-skinned boy beside her. "Hey, why don't you introduce yourselves? It's okay... we're all friends here."

The boy looked up, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. "Um. I'm Thiago," he muttered. "This is Mei."

Mei looked up at us; her eyes were wide and curious. "Hi," she said in a tiny and cute voice.

Dad nodded, his expression grave. "Alright, Thiago and Mei. Can you tell us what's going on? How did you wind up at that warehouse?"

Thiago looked down, his hands trembling. "We were... we were taken by the Neo-Nazis. By Imperative Fourteen," he said, his voice shaking with fear. "From our homes. We were... we were kept in a... a warehouse for weeks."

My heart sank as I listened to Thiago's harrowing account. I couldn't imagine what those two children had gone through. It was unbelievable that something like this could happen in our society.

Dad's expression hardened. "Imperative Fourteen," he said, his voice filled with anger. "Those bastards. They're the ones who've been screwing with the rest of us who moved here for the reclamation campaign."

Izumi nodded, her expression grim. "That's right," she said. "They're behind the abductions, the bombings, and everything. They're trying to reshape our broken country to their image. These guys are trying to create a nation where only those who are deemed genetically 'pure' are allowed to live freely."

Midori looked at my sister, her eyes wide with shock. "What do you mean, genetically 'pure'?" she asked.

I breathed out, answering while holding my temples in exasperation. "Whew, where do we even start, Midori? Well, these people believe that only those who have pure born-and-bred non-Jewish European blood are worthy of living in this new society they're trying to create. They want to eliminate anyone who doesn't fit their ideal, whether it's based on race or abilities or anything else."

Midori's eyes widened even further, and I could see the horror in her expression. "That's... that's insane," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I've read about the Nazis and Earth's World War, but how could anyone even think like that? Especially with half of this world world torn apart by aberrations?!"

Dad let out a deep sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I wish I knew," he said. "But they're out there, and they're powerful. They have cashflow, resources, and support from people who ought to know better."

Izumi nodded, "These guys set up shop soon after the portal terminal to Shoreline was thrown up. Ikki missed the worst of it, but they're committed to a code called the Eighty or a thingy like that. The military is stretched thin and hasn't been able to take them on."

Dad's face grew even grimmer. "The Amended Eighty-Eight Precepts," he muttered. "That's the name of their manifesto. They believe in taking advantage of the chaos to 'purify' the country and establish their 'utopia' — it's revolting."

Midori's gasped. "Do they have any specific targets or objectives right now?" she asked.

Izumi shook her head. "Not that we know of," she said. "But they've been increasing their attacks on our communities here and people they see as 'impure.'"

Thiago and Mei huddled closer together, their faces filled with terror as they looked at Midori. "She saved us from them," Thiago said, trembling.

Midori took the boy's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, you're safe now," she said, her voice soothing. "I just wish I could've gotten more out."

Dad let out a deep sigh and frowned, worry etched on his face. "Unfortunately there isn't much we can do to get rid of them," he said. "We may be able to organize men and take out some cells here and there, but their numbers have grown since the Third Chaos War. These neo-Nazi Aryan Brotherhood types are so ingrained in this area that we can hardly protect our own neighborhoods from them now, let alone mount an offensive against their entire organization. Still, we mustn't forget about those who need our protection, like Thiago and Mei."

"So what's the plan?" I asked. "No offense, sis, but Izumi got her ass handed to her by that cyborg zombie guy. We need to come up with something."

Izumi bristled for a moment, then shrugged, to my surprise. "He's right," she said her voice firm. "We can't just sit around and wait for these guys to come after us. We need to take the fight to them."

I balked at her response but couldn't deny that it made sense. "Wait, what?" I asked. "Izumi, we don't have the resources or manpower between us to take on an entire organization like Imperative Fourteen."

"We don't," Midori answered, "but Babylon does. We're about to experience a surge of Magical Girls and at least one Coalition mechanized battalion out here in a week."

"Wait, for real?" Dad asked, his eyes widening. "That's unexpected. Why are they deploying out here?"

Midori frowned in response. "You guys haven't heard out here? It's been all over mainstream media across the portal for the last week! The Coalition has finally decided to intervene and assist with the reclamation campaign. They're sending out a battalion of mechanized soldiers, magical girls, and their top intelligence officers to help clear out chaos beasts and other aberrants. I don't think racist extremists were on the menu but I'm sure it'll become a priority."

Dad narrowed his eyes as he listened to Midori's explanation. "Curious timing," he muttered. "But it's about time they showed up. Maybe we can use their help to take this city back once and for all."

I picked up on Dad's suspicion immediately and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think something's up, Dad?" I asked.

He nodded, stroking his chin with one hand, "This is just awfully convenient timing. The Coalition's already stretched thin and last I checked they were trying to spread their response forces across the North American and Asian theatres. Have there been any kind of... political shifts in the Coalition that I should know about?"

Midori shook her head, a confused expression on her face. "Not that I'm aware of," she said. "But yes, you're right. I do think it's strange that they're sending so many resources out here."

The Northern Coalition had united the Terran nations of North America, East Asia, and Western Europe - all of which had been heavily involved in the Third Chaos War. This military alliance was formed to help coordinate rapid responses to large-scale aberrant phenomena and to secure their own territorial integrities. The Coalition had often sent forces to support recovery efforts and disaster relief across Earth when I was a kid. Still, these initiatives have started to fade away in recent years.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

It seemed things were changing, and Dad's suspicions were mounting.

"Hey, Mr. Yi. Are you really just a mechanic? You seem to be awfully in the know of what's happened in the Coalition," Midori said to my father with a curious smirk.

Dad chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, I'm a little more than a normal mechanic," he said. "I was an aircraft maintenance worker during the Third Chaos War. I actually met Kiruko at an air base. Anyway... that does make me your uncle, doesn't it?"

Midori's expression softened, and I could tell she was suddenly conflicted, her eyes flickering between nostalgia and something I couldn't quite tell. I could see her eyes darting back and forth as if she wanted to say something but wasn't sure what. But then it seemed like she had made up her mind. "Yes, I suppose it does," she said softly with a little nod of her head. "Uncle Yi..."

"Hah! Call me Uncle Zane. It'll make my life a lot easier if you call me that outside this enclave," Dad said, grinning at Midori.

Midori smiled back, though I could see it was a little forced. "Okay, Uncle Zane," she said.

Izumi rolled her eyes, but I could tell she was relieved to see Midori and Dad bonding. My sister cleared her throat, looking between us. "Heyooo. As much as I'd love to have a family reunion, we still need to decide what we will do about the Nazi situation. We're sitting ducks staying at our house here now that I've screwed up."

Dad sighed, his brow furrowing with concern. "Right, let's focus on the task at hand. Midori, do you know how to get in touch with the Coalition forces? We need to know if our enclaves are included in their plans."

Midori shook her head, "I'm not sure, but I can try reaching out to some of my contacts once we're back on Terra.

"Good idea," Dad said with a nod. "Izumi, can you start sorting our supplies and weapons in the basement? We'll need to be ready if we have to defend ourselves. I'll figure out a secure place to stay for the night, until then."

Izumi grinned, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "You got it, Dad," she said, jumping to her feet. "I'll start right away."

Thiago and Mei looked at each other nervously, but Dad placed a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders. "Don't worry, kids," he said. "We'll keep you safe."

As Izumi headed to the basement to sort out the supplies, she turned around and grinned at me. "Could you give me a hand, bro?" she asked.

"Just a minute," I blurted out, turning to Midori. "Um... Mind if we talk in private really quick, Midori?"

Midori shuffled her feet beneath the table, looking slightly nervous. "Um, sure," she said hesitantly, glancing at my dad before following me out of the room. Dad gave us a knowing nod as we left.

I stopped to pull the blanket back up the side of the couch and draped it neatly over Talia, who was sleeping peacefully on the cushions. Once I was satisfied, we stepped out into the hallway, where I finally took a deep breath to steel my nerves. Then, I led Midori to the backyard, which had finally been cleared of its overgrown vegetation.

The sunset painted the sky in oranges and pinks like a dream. We sat down on a pair of chairs in the middle of the garden, which somehow stayed intact despite the destruction from the war. If I didn't know better, I would say this whole adventure was a dream.

Of course, I did know better. And here we were: Midori and I, sitting opposite each other, staring silently at one another. Everything that happened felt like a distant memory now; it almost seemed like it had never happened.

Midori looked away, fidgeting with her hands and avoiding my gaze. I could feel the tension in the air as I kept silent. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she sighed and met my eyes.

My heart was pounding in my chest as I finally let the words escape my lips.

"You've known this whole time. That we're related," I finally said, narrowing my eyes slightly as I watched her reaction carefully. "I've been thinking things over while you ran off to save those kids. Tracing the steps it took to get here. And... you lied straight to my face last week. About why you've been protecting me the entire time."

She inhaled sharply and bit her lip, her eyes darting away from mine. Her shoulders sagged as she let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry," she said quietly after a moment. "I just... well -" She suddenly stopped short and shook her head with a sigh. "I wasn't sure, you know?"

"Sure about what?" I pushed, feeling a twinge of annoyance at her.

Midori's eyes met mine again, and I could see the pain and guilt etched on her face. "I didn't know if the resemblance to my brother was a coincidence. I wasn't sure if I wanted to approach you or even what kind of relationship I wanted to have with you. But when I saw Willis shoving you around, I couldn't help myself. I just had to protect you."

I closed my eyes and breathed in and out slowly.

"I get it," I said softly. "I'm not mad. Well, only just a bit. It's just... It's been a long time since I've had family other than my dad and sister. I didn't even know I had any left. And then you show up, and it's like this whole new world has opened up for me. It's all moved so fast — the magical girls, the chaos events. Coming home here to literal occult Nazi gangs trying to kill us. And now, I find out I've had a long-lost older cousin in Terra the whole time? That my mother was a magical girl?!"

I paused, taking in the gravity of the situation as I felt some tears trickle down my cheek. "I... I just wish you had told me this sooner. I could've handled it."

Midori nodded, her eyes still downcast. "I know, and I'm sorry. I should have told you earlier. But there was so much going on, and I didn't know how you'd react. I didn't want to scare you off or make things more complicated than they already were."

"I understand," I said, taking her hand in mine. "But we're family, and we need to trust each other. Especially in times like these."

Midori nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Agreed," she said and then hesitated for a moment. "And...I'm sorry about earlier, too. When I said what I said and teleported off like that."

"It's okay," I said, patting her hand. "You were just trying to protect the kids, right?"

Midori nodded, her smile fading slightly. "Yes, I was. I just..." She trailed off, biting her lip again.

"What is it?" I asked, sensing that there was something else on her mind.

"It's just that... I was scared," Midori said, her voice tremoring. "I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I was scared. Scared about the consequences of holding that secret. That you would get hurt. That I would lose you like I lost my brother."

My heart ached for her as she spoke, and I leaned closer, pulling her into a gentle hug. "Hey, it's okay," I murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this together, okay?"

Midori nodded, sniffling softly as she hugged me back. We stayed like that for a while, the sunset casting a warm glow around us. And for the first time through this recent ordeal, I felt things would be okay.

Eventually, we pulled away from each other, wiping away our tears and smiling weakly. "Thanks for understanding," Midori said softly, looking at me with gratitude in her eyes.

"Of course," I said, grinning back at her. "That's what family is for, right?"

Midori chuckled softly, the sound like music to my ears after I'd built this moment up in my head. "Right," she said, wiping away another tear. "And speaking of family, we should probably get back inside. Izumi's going to need our help with the supplies."

We stood up and started heading back, but then a sudden feeling stopped me in my tracks. I had a gut feeling that I shouldn't let this moment pass without asking her one last thing. Taking a deep breath, I tugged on Midori's sleeve. "Wait. Before we go back inside... I have one more question for you."

She raised an eyebrow at me, curiously tilting her head to the side. "What is it?"

"When you teleported back, Izumi and I felt an awful, suffocating presence. What was that?"

Midori's eyes widened in surprise, and I could see a hint of worry flicker in her gaze. "I don't know," she said slowly, her voice laced with concern. "But... it couldn't be good."

I narrowed my eyes at her, sensing she wasn't telling me the truth. "Midori, please. I know you're hiding something. What was that feeling?"

Midori sighed and looked away, her hair obscuring her eyes. For a moment, I feared that she wouldn't answer me, but then the corners of her mouth twitched into a sad smile. "It's hard to explain," she said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But let's just say... there are creatures out there nestled between the voids I use that you don't want to meet."

My stomach dropped as she spoke, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. "What kind of creatures?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Midori hesitated, her eyes darting back toward mine. "The kind that exists beyond our reality. They're ancient and powerful... and if I had to put a word to it, they're hungry."

I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat. "Hungry for what?"

She shook her head slowly. "That is a question I hope we never find the answer to," Midori replied with a strained voice.

I felt a cold sweat forming on my forehead as Midori's words sank in. It was clear that she was keeping something from me, something that could be dangerous. It felt like she was giving me lies and half-truths.

But I knew that pushing her further wouldn't help. Not when we were already dealing with so much. "Alright," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady. "We'll deal with it when the time comes."

Midori nodded, her eyes still guarded. "Yeah, but... be careful, okay? There are things out there that even I can't handle on my own."

I gulped, feeling the weight of her warning heavy on my shoulders. "I will," I promised, and then we turned and made our way back inside.

The rest of the evening was a blur as we gathered supplies and continued to prepare to relocate. I couldn't help but wonder what other secrets Midori was hiding from us and what these powerful creatures she spoke of were. I knew she was trying her best to keep us safe, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was looming in the shadows.

Finally, we were ready. We took one last look around the room, opened the door, and stepped out into the night. I felt my heart thumping in my chest as I looked up at the stars, feeling a strange mixture of excitement and fear coursing through me as we made our way toward an uncertain future.

...

In a city a world away, a shadowy figure watched the family leave their home through a hand mirror. The figure's eyes gleamed with a calculating glint as she observed the boy, her lips curving up into a satisfied smirk.

The shadowy figure believed in love, of course. It was a power that could move worlds and change destinies. But, it was an irrational power that could also be exploited and twisted, and the shadowy figure knew that all too well from first-hand experience.

The shadowy figure slipped the ancient artifact into her pocket. She disappeared into the shadows, her mind already running through her next set of moves.

Everything was falling into place.

As she walked through the darkened halls, the figure couldn't help but wonder how the family would react when the next phase was enacted. Would they be angry? Crushed? Heartbroken?

She pushed the thought aside and focused on the task at hand. The Yamato bloodline's utility and potential was too great to ignore, and she knew they were essential to her plans.

The figure's thoughts turned to her own love, a love that had been twisted and warped into something that couldn't be recognized over the centuries.

Should the one she'd wholeheartedly given her heart to be alive today, she would never be able to meet his gaze. Seeing him again was a scenario that would never come to pass, of course. Still, she would always remember her origins and motivations.

But that didn't matter now. She had an objective and purpose spanning centuries; this family was the key to her endgame.

She understood that love was a powerful force, but so was fear.

Love and fear were two sides of the same coin, and she knew that if she leveraged both wisely, she would create something magnificent and beautiful.

And that was precisely what she intended to do.