While the tainted trio prepared to venture into the Distorted Mind, Niro sat in a chair outside her home. She had her hands neatly placed on her lap.
The world went by outside of her porch like normal. Except this time the daily topic was the staggering amount of damage Infinus dealt to the region and the surprisingly underwhelming response from Niro.
Hearing what others said about how peace did not work with 'such brutes' pelted away at her heart. She knew Infinus had the ability to change for the better, their leader proved just that.
Each Variant, regardless of who they are and were, had the ability to change. Peace was just like their aggression towards one another, they were born with it.
A being without a sense of peace was a dead being, incapable of grasping concepts that do not involve agony and extreme loss. It was how Niro saw the world.
She remembered being at the ancient Vusqur forge in Olavin-Faa, listening to the last remaining Vusqur members teach her about peace and how it effects the world differently resonated with her.
Part of her soul still remains sitting on the stairs leading down to the forge itself. It eagerly listened to echoes of a bygone era. The advice the peace makers assured her could've been the saving grace of the original Legion that housed Vusqur.
Niro snapped out of her trance once she heard several voices call out her name. She instantly came back to see several young faces looking up at her.
A young trooper, baby, icicle, and cub huddled together at the foot of her stairs. Each one looked stressed out and hopeful that Niro could do something about their problems.
"Ms. Niro," the baby Thresher's eyes lit up when she saw him. "My parents are afraid. They think our region is going to be stormed by the bad guys."
Upon hearing how innocent and scared the little one sounded, Niro's heart melted. She reached out to him, hoping the allure of her motherly physique could comfort the tiny Yonie.
"I'm... sorry, my sweet children," Niro's voice crumbled. "I... don't know what to do next. Their leader, a half Zegus - half Thresher, is probably one of the most calming and understanding 'bad guys' I've ever met."
The trooper awed. She imagined how the leader looked like. Maybe an overgrown Thresher, or a tiny Zegus. Her mind went all over the place, resulting in her mouth speaking without her knowledge.
"So is he mean?" she asked.
Niro shook her head. "He brought me his daughter. She was half Thawed and half Zegus. And you know what she did?" Niro smiled at the group. "She was shy. Timid, just like you all."
All of them awed. They expected the leader to be big and powerful, just like old stories their parents made for them. Of powerful elites fighting against very brawny opponents.
But a leader with a small daughter, one that was just like that, was not in their minds. They wanted to learn more about who they were. So they sat down on the porch, ears turned to Niro.
"Little one had a beautiful name, Hylo. She had the spark of a fighter, just like her father. However, that fighter should not be mistaken for a warmonger," Niro clarified.
The cub waved his hand. "Ms. Niro, does the leader have red eyes and spits venom?"
In response, Niro softly laughed. She invited the group of Variants to come up to the porch with her, so they did not have to sit uncomfortably down there.
"No, no," Niro tugged on the young cub's cheek. "That sounds more like Valiant than the leader. In fact, he was small and had long hair. Eyes lush and green like the rare spring leaves."
The baby struggled to climb onto Niro's lap, so she helped him. He gasped at how high up he was, despite being lifted slightly over the porch and plotted right onto her lap.
"Lessons are important aspects of life," Niro continued. "So I want to make this a lesson, and I want you four to make this a promise."
All four Variants paid closer attention to Niro. They nearly collapsed on one another, trying to hear what she had to say.
"Being at war makes us believe one side is automatically evil and the other is automatically good," Niro ran her fingers over the baby's soft grey hair. "But that's where we lose ourselves."
She points at the icicle. "You're a Thawed." Niro then uses the same hand to point at the trooper. "You're a Zegus. There is no difference, really. Only what you're designed to do."
The icicle rubs her index finger across her top lip. "But... what does that have to do with a promise? And what about the war?"
Niro nods. "The promise is, as you grow older, understand those that stand across from you are not always inherently evil. We have reasons. I am sure this war will not happen, I will contact the leader and bring him here."
"We will see that leader??" the baby looked up at Niro. "Will we see his daughter, too? I want to ask her how did she become half Thawed if her dad is half Thresher!"
"Oh, my little one!" Niro hugged him. "One day you will understand, but for now you must develop yourself first. Focus on the family by your side, same with you all."
The cub hopped. "I help my family a lot! My Neddy says I can one day get paid lots of Ono if I grow up to be a hunter like him!"
Niro smiled at the cub. "There's no doubt, you're a strong little one. I can tell you'll become one of Ubitwa's top workers on no time."
She stood up, baby still in her arms. "How about we eat some lunch together? We can continue talking more about the leader and the truths I've learned throughout my years."
All three of the offspring helped each other up, they felt the cold wood brush against their skin as they got closer to the opened brown door.
"Don't worry, little cub," Niro looked down at him. "I promise there will be some meat for you to eat as well."