"I wonder why Mom wants us to come home so much."I said as we rode the car back to our home
"Maybe she misses you?" Lia asked.
"I hope it isn't something worrying." Theo said.
"Let's hope so." I said.
"Still, I wonder what happened that Will said he would be late?" Angie asked as she gazed outside the window.
"I don't know either. All he said was that he'd be late." I answered.
I was really surprised with Will and the others, Andrew said he was going somewhere with his dad, Ethan said he was going to Monica for a check up and took Spiro with him, the twins were going to visit an old acquaintance, Reinhardt said he was going to see his parents, Liam said he was helping Pres. Mayumi and the Student Council with something important.
Only Theo and the team was available to come with me home. I really can't understand them at all.
"Arata, you okay?" Lucas asked.
"Ah? Yeah... I'm fine." I answered.
"Are you bothered since Will and the gang aren't here?" Adelie asked.
"Sort of. I'm just upset that they all forgot and made arrangements." I said.
"Don't pout. You're just making yourself cuter." Adonis poked me.
"Stop that!" I complained.
"Alrighty." He answered.
"Still, it's been a while it's just been the ten of us." I said.
"Yeah." Theo answered and smiled.
"It has been a long time." Leon said and patted my head. "And maybe you can take this time to relax."
"And tell us what's been bothering you, teally." Rachel said and smiled.
"Bothering me? There's nothing." I answered.
"Arata, you aren't fooling anyone. Not us, not Will, and not everyone at school." Lia said. "Arata, tell us, what's bothering you?"
I pause, hesitating if I should really tell them; about what I learned at Isla Memorya, about my true mission. I control myself, compose myself and think of something that I can use as a cover-up. And what fills my head is the Artificial Brave Project.
"It's about... the Artificial Brave Project." I answered. "I know in the past, before Fleur gave power to humans, they needed some way to fight the Chimeras. But now..."
"We don't need them as there are many Braves." Adonis said. "But what is the point?"
"I'm thinking, why would they try to recreate Braves and why now?" I asked. "Who would do something this cruel?"
"I see. You don't think it was humans." Theo said and I nodded.
"It's likely... Karin, Pierrot and Sirius." I answered. "Then, for what reason?"
"I don't know but I do know one thing." Rachel said as she took my hands. "Today, you don't need to think about that as it's quality time with your family today."
"Okay..." I answered.
For the rest of the trip, we just sit in silence. Adonis try to start conversations that quickly die out. We reeach my home and I'm the first to get out. Mom welcomes me home witha big hug.
"Welcome home, Arata!" Mom hugs me and kisses my forehead.
"I'm home, mom." I answered as I hugged her.
"Alright, I have something prepaeed for you. So follow me to the garden." She says and I nodded.
We follow her to the garden, but before the door, Leon covers my face with a blindfold for some reason.
"Why?" I asked.
"Your mom says she wants you to be surprised." He says as he ties the blindfold.
Lia and Angie guide me by the hand to the outside poarch. I don't know what they're planning and I can't tell what's going because of the blindfold.
"Are you ready?" Mom asked I nodded.
As the blindfold comes off a bright light shines, it's blurry but as my senses come to I hear a pop sound and all at once.
"Happy Birthday Arata!" I hear.
In an instant I'm covered in confetti and the faces of everyone greet me with a smile. A happy birthday banner hangs. That's right today is my birthday... because of everything that has been going on I've completely forgotten.
"Happy Birthday Arata." Will says and lifts me up with a smile. "Well? Did you like our surprise?"
"Thank you everyone!" I exclaimed with a smile. "I've been so busy I completely forgot it was my birthday."
"Thought so! Well, go on and enjoy the party!" Mom pushed me.
Before I could say anything, I'm sucked into a whirlwind of a crowd. I pass by literally everyone from school, I'm not even sure who I'm talking to anymore. Every minute I'm talking to a different person.
Was it Will who just greeted me or was it Reinhardt? Did Moyu give me this drink or was it Mao? Did Leon just give me a slice of cake or was it Rei?
After noticing how I was, Seiji-san decides to intervene and brings me to the table to eat. The tables are ladened wuth different dishes that I adore. As I'm snacking on some cupcakes, greetings are exchanged, cheeks kissed, hands shaken, smiles returned. It's so hectic that eventually I sought out the comfort of solitude and silence.
"Too loud for you?" Van, who was beside me on the terrace said.
"Yeah. It was too loud and I couldn't eat my meal in peace." I told him.
"I hear you." He answered with a smile.
I sat down beside him on the terrace, it was peaceful and I could hear myself think. For I while, I just sat there and relaxed my mind till Van broke the silence.
"Now then, care to tell me what's been on your mind?" He asked. "Whatever it is, it's been bugging you since you returned from Isla Memorya."
"It's nothing, I promise." I told him.
"Arat-." I stopped him.
"Van, do you see what I see?" I asked him as I looked up at the sky.
"Yeah. I do." He answered.
Up in the sky, a large vortex was beginning to form. In other words, a Chimera attack was about to begin.