"So many interesting things happened while we were away. Mommy is sorry she wasn't there for you." Alexis gently stroked Mane's hair as she apologised for her absence in their child's life. Although Ray wasn't mentioned, it was implied that he was included in the apology.
"It doesn't matter" Mane replied with a bright smile on his face. "At least you are here now", the blonde haired boy continued. Mane leaned into his mother's embrace as he spoke. Since his awakening, Alexis had abandoned her chair and joined him on his bed. Using his headrest as her back support, she lent her frame to her son to use instead. And Mane's large smile showed just how pleased he was with the current situation.
"You are very mature" Alexis stated the obvious as a bitter smile adorned her lips. She wasn't sad because her son was now mature in his dealings. Rather, she was quite pleased with the development. Her only regret was that she wasn't there to see it happen. She wasn't in the process. Even more disheartening was that if she was there, if she had never left, he wouldn't have become so mature. He wouldn't have become used to carrying everything on his own, so much so that he had been forced to grow before his time. If only she knew that Mane had always been this way, she may not have felt so guilty. Then again, there was nothing anyone would say that would serve to comfort the sad mother. Not even Mane could take away her guilt.
"Don't look so sad Mum. It was for the best. Maybe if you were here, I wouldn't be this strong." Mane consoled his mother. Although he couldn't see her expression as he sat before her, he could tell that she wasn't so happy with her absence. It was funny really. When they weren't around, Mane only felt anger at their departure. He felt betrayed and couldn't wait to see them again. He wasn't going to give them a big hug, but a large smack. And if there was actually going to be any hugging, it will be in the form of a wrestle. But the throw he had in mind was thrown out of his mind when he saw his mother with a haggard looking face sitting besides him. And although he hadn't asked about his father, he had been told that the man whose genes resided in his body had gone to the bathroom. Though right now Mane was actually wondering how someone could stay in the bathroom for so long. Maybe his old man had collapsed at the stench of his bowels?
"That is indeed true. There is no way I'd have allowed you to go to that dangerous forest on your own in the name of tempering your strength." Alexis shook her head as she spoke. Indeed, if she was here, there was no way Mane would have been allowed to take the risks that he took. And probably the assassins that came after him would have died so horribly that even squashed bugs would pity them.
"It still doesn't excuse the fact that we weren't there for you" Alexis stated sadly. "Where is Ray? He has been gone for quite a while." Alexis mumbled softly, but to the hearing of her listening son. She spread out her awareness so that it covered the entire house, hoping to find her husband's whereabouts. She didn't search for long.
"Speak of the devil" She orated. Hardly had she spoken when the door was opened violently, so much so that Mane was startled into a small jump. And in the condition his body was in, this was a painful experience. Yet he gritted his teeth and kept the yelp of pain that threatened to come out to himself. It was bad enough that his mother was beating herself up for leaving him all alone. It wouldn't be great if she were to beat up his father for his carelessness. Though to be honest, that thought did cross his crafty mind, but he ruled it out due to the 'kindness' of his heart.
"Yes. Suck up the pain. Training your body is going to be much more difficult. You could call this an initiation" the 5th stated nonchalantly. Of course, Mane ignored his words. For him, paying attention to the 5th, or even the 6th, was the fastest way to die young. Mane definitely didn't want to hold the record of youngest person to kick the bucket because of a stress disorder.
"I'm here. I'm here" Ray frantically exclaimed. He rushed to Mane's bedside so hurriedly it seemed as though his ass was on fire. However before he could get to his destination, which happened to be his son, he was stopped in his tracks. A small ripple appeared where Ray had ended his march, indicative of a barrier. Ray smiled bitterly and looked at his wife with pitiful eyes. He didn't need an expert to tell him the barrier had been erected by his wife. He put on his trademark glow-'puppy eyes'- hoping she would take down the barrier.
Mane lightly giggled at the interaction. Alexis smiled at her husband's antics. Her smile grew wider upon hearing her son's childlike giggle. Since Mane was very composed usually, even in their short interaction, this moment was a collector's item. For that reason, she deemed her husband worthy of a pardon. She cancelled out her barrier with a snap of her fingers and put all her focus back unto her child.
"Don't you dare jump onto the bed" she threatened when she noticed that was exactly what the 'idiot' was about to do. At times she seriously questioned her husband's intelligence. The usually bright man was uncharacteristically silly whenever he was with those close to him. Her husband knew her son's state, yet in his excitement he had almost jumped the kid- literally. "Don't do something so silly, especially since you know the state he's in" she warned her husband.
"Ah yes. I was too excited. Forgive me Mane." Ray scratched his cheeks in embarrassment at his wife's chastisement. He quietly walked to his son's bedside and asked hesitantly, "Is it ok…" Mane sighed at his father's reaction. He knew what the man was talking about, and he couldn't help but be saddened by it. His father was asking if it was okay for him to hug Mane. The man felt so guilty for his absence that he felt the need to ask for permission to receive a hug. Mane felt even worse when he noticed how much their absence had affected them. All this while he only thought about the impact it had on him. And whenever he did, he was filled with anger. He now realised just how much they had missed him as well. At least in his case he wasn't truly alone. He had his masters, and for a time he had Uncle Jake. These figures couldn't replace his parents, but they sure filled some part of the void they had left behind. His parents had no such company. Although one would argue that they had each other, it wasn't truly the same. In Mane's case, he didn't have his parents around but he had several father and mother figures. But his parents didn't have anything like a 'child figure', if ever there was something like that. Even worse was that now that they were before him, he couldn't help but remember that they had left to protect him. And that he was the reason why they had done all that they did. In a sense, this was all his fault. Mane was certain that if his mother wasn't so anxious about him, she would have lacked the courage to hug him like she did.
He didn't bother to respond to his old man, choosing to act instead. He felt a bit better now. He had enough energy to reach forwards and hug the hesitant battle god. His action brought a large smile to the man's face, as his father's trembling frame spoke volumes of what this action meant to him.
"Your father promises never to leave you again" Ray swore as he wept silently.