Aya logged out of the game and went to meet Mars who sat at the kitchen table deep in thought. Aya surmised it was about the sight of her former teammate Arlo, who also used to be one of her closest friends.

She remembered Mars' face as she told the story of her betrayal by the Eos Conquerors. Unexpected and over money of all things. Aya couldn't help but wonder who had been so interested in Mars' account that they would want to purchase it.

Did they really think it would be the same?

"Mars, hey," Aya said softly not to startle her roommate.

"Hey," Mars replied, rubbing her strained eyes, how long had she sat there in thought? At the sight of Aya's worried face, a current of thoughts flowed through Mars' mind like water. "Spoke to some realtors this afternoon, we should be out of here by the end of the week."

"So soon?" Aya asked, a bit alarmed by the swiftness of the plan. Mars stood, pushing the chair back and getting out of her seat.

"They're setting the new place up,"

"Really?" Aya gasped, she chewed her lip as she thought about leaving Axen City for Mericross, with the move she would be able to see Daichi and Mrs. Lutz.

Furthermore, a visit to her grandmother's old house would be possible now with the distance between them.

Mars chuckled and nodded at Aya's enthusiasm. Who knew the brunette she had wanted to start a fight with would grow to be such a treasured friend? She rested her hand on Aya's head with a sigh.

"Can't wait," Aya said with a weak smile, she should have been excited but her chest tightened with anxiety, so much of the situation was uncertain, and the path ahead was unclear.

Mars raised an eyebrow at the girl's deflated expression. Aya seemed sad now, perhaps she was tired after her long gaming session.

Aya noticed her friend's questioning look and shook her head to dispel her worries.

"Just got some stuff on my mind," Aya said.

"I hear you," Mars said, resting her back against the kitchen counter. She folded her arms, "Got nothing but thoughts lately,"

The two of them smiled at each other, Mars turned around and pulled out a pot and some ingredients.

"Come help with dinner,"

----------

The two of them had a nice dinner of spaghetti and meatballs, a meal Aya could only recall having at her grandmother's house.

"Brings back memories," Aya said, picking at her now empty plate.

"Does it?" Mars asked curiously. She rested her head on the back of her hand and listened intently to what Aya was going to say next.

"Yeah, I used to have this at my Grandmother's house, but that was so long ago. I don't think I've ever tried to make it since I moved here,"

"You know, you haven't told me too much about her. I know of her but what was she like?"

"She was the most supportive woman I knew," Aya started.

"She must have been very precious to you," Mars said smiling. "Tell me more,"

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Aya chattered animatedly about the old woman, and how Aya had come into her care after her mother's dire medical situation.

"But she never made me feel like a burden," Aya said, tearing up. "She was so good to me, we'd cook and make cookies and garden and scrapbook. She was always there when I left for school and when I came home. I guess I'll always remember her warm smile,"

"She was stern but not mean, she could put her foot down and you wouldn't even feel bad about it," Aya laughed tearily. "I just miss her, I tried to be a good kid for her because I knew it was a lot to raise me by herself,"

Mars' eyes saddened as she watched her friend wipe her eyes with her sleeves. She didn't know what to say at the sight of her friend's grief. She stood up and walked around the table to wrap both arms around Aya's shoulders.

"I'm sure she would be proud of you," Mars said after a moment of silence between them. "I might not be a grandma but you certainly have a lot of potential,"

Aya laughed.

"I do, and I'm going to find the deed to that house," She said with grim determination.

"I know you will," Mars said pulling away from Aya, "But don't let this consume you, life is for the living you know? From what you told me about her, she would want you to be happy first,"

Aya noticed the concern in her friend's dark eyes and nodded.

"I promise not to go too far with this," Aya said.

"I'll hold you to that,"

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of a drill whirring just outside the door coming from the stairway.

"What the hell is that?" Mars asked in anger. The drill continued to whirr with a piercing noise enough to cause a ringing in Mars' ears.

"Maybe someone's renovating?" Aya suggested.

"Oh I have a feeling, we aren't going to like that answer to this question," Mars said, flinging open her door and walking into the stairway.

Aya followed closely behind her, calling after Mars.

The girls raced down the stairs to the source of the drill, finding themselves on the same floor Aya's former apartment was on. The two of them noticed people standing by Aya's door as the drilling continued.

"Lydia!" Aya gasped.

The woman stood beside an unknown man operating a power drill trying to break through the locks on the front door.

"What are you doing?" Aya yelled, running forward to confront the woman before Mars could stop her.

"I'm enforcing the rules on my property," Lydia said in a haughty voice, she had something up her sleeve, Aya could tell.

"Those are my locks, why are you taking them down, you're going to have to pay me back for those you know!" The girl said, raising her voice.

Lydia shot Aya a smirk and whipped out a neatly printed bundle of papers. She handed it to Aya, letting the stack sit in the girl's hand.

"What the hell is this?"

"I believe you'll find this tenancy agreement forbids you from modifying any part of your building without prior consent from your landlord," Lydia said.

"What?" Aya said flipping through the papers, what she held was indeed a tenancy agreement, her name and address were stated in full as well as a list of regulations she needed to abide by if she wanted to live in the building.

Aya read through it all, finding her signature at the bottom of the page, the only problem was Lydia had never given her a tenancy agreement, the building was too shady for that. But if she needed something to present to the cops...

"You forged this! Along with a fake signature!" Aya said, throwing the tenancy agreement aside.

"Nothing you can prove," Lydia said over the sound of the drill's whirring. The bony woman folded her arms with a triumphant laugh and continued smirking condescendingly. "That is your signature isn't it?"

"No, it isn't!"

"Tell it to someone who cares," she said, shrugging.

Aya balled her fist. The brunette lifted her finger ready to yell when Mars rested a hand on Aya's shoulder and shook her head, telling her to disengage.

"But Mars!" Aya started to whine.

"It doesn't matter Aya, there's nothing in there, remember?" Mars said, the hand she rested on Aya's shoulder squeezed in encouragement. The girl had nothing to worry about now that they would be moving.

"Oh, that's right," Aya said. She turned her attention to Lydia's now confused face, having lost the triumphant smirk.

"What?" she hissed.

"Well Lydia, whatever you and Fido are looking for in that apartment you won't find," Aya took the lead, pushing open the door without locks.

It swung open allowing the haggish landlady to peer into the room and find nothing.