"And then Gerald told the teacher that the dog ate his stylus. Can you believe it?!" Brock's animated voice was infectious as he gave his usual recap of the day to his father and grandmother with the help of his twin.
"Of course, Mrs. Seedle didn't buy it for a minute. She made him get a pencil—A PENCIL!—from her desk and write the assignment by hand on synthetic paper. Then Gerald miraculously found the stylus, but it was too late. Can you imagine!?" Blaze's words cracked at the end, reminding those present just how close his voice was to dropping from its childlike timber.
The boys looked at their father and grandmother, waiting for their enthusiastic response.
"Mrs. Seedle? Is that the name of your teacher this year?"
"Yeah, grandma," Blaze pursed his lips, "you met her on the first day of school…"
But Lena simply smiled and shook her head. She hadn't been the one to speak.
Brock pulled his brother's sleeve. The boy's mouth hung open as he stared behind him. His eyes looked ready to pop out of his face.
"What?" Blaze pulled his arm away from his twin. "What's wrong with you?"
"Hello, Brock. Hello, Blaze." The voice said tenderly.
"M-m-m-MOM!" Brock's stunned silence ended in a fretful stutter. He ran full out in the direction of his parents' bedroom.
"Mom?" Blaze turned, scarcely able to believe his brother's words. "Mom!"
Before him was a woman who looked like his mother and yet very different. The quiet aura around her was gone, bursting with energy.
Despite the raw power of the woman in front of him, Blaze felt only love and comfort surrounding the person who had been missing for months. The twelve-year-old rushed forward, catching up to and passing his brother.
He collided with his mother only a moment before his twin, causing a spectacular crash when both boys landed in Noble's arms.
Fortunately, the Master could handle their bulk easily, so she only floated back slightly to accommodate them. Noble caught them up in a hug, lifting them from the ground in her excitement.
They didn't complain, only clung to her tighter.
"My boys! How I have missed you!" Tears streamed down Noble's face. "You didn't tell them I was here?!" She shot Fort and Lena accusatory glances.
"You know how they can be," Fort shrugged. "They hadn't taken a breath yet so I could bring it up!"
Noble decided she didn't mind. Their genuine joy and surprise at seeing her did wonders for her aching heart. She held them close, working not to squeeze them to the point that she would injure or crush them.
She just had so much pent-up love to give them!
"You're really back!" Brock chirped when his mother finally put him down.
"Are you a Master now?" Blaze examined Noble more closely. "Dad said that he sent Auntie Sarai to help you challenge a Nightmare. Did it work?"
Noble hesitated. She should have asked her husband what exactly he had told them.
"We succeeded. I am a Master now," she answered honestly, "Sarai too."
"So you conquered the second Nightmare. That makes you a hero!" Brock's chest puffed out a little. Wait until he told his friends at school that his mother was a Master!
"What was the Nightmare like? Was it hard?" Blaze missed the warning look of his father and grandmother.
Fort took a step forward, worry evident in his eyes. "Blaze…"
Holding up her hand, Noble forced a smile. "It was very hard, but we can talk about that later."
The youngest member of the family nodded seriously.
Brock nudged his brother then smiled wide. "Ok, more important question. Did you bring me anything?"
The joke was enough to break the tension that had built. Noble's smile turned genuine as she laughed softly.
"We can talk about that later also. Right now I want to focus on both of you. When did you get so tall?"
The two boys suddenly stood up straight. Each shoving the other lightly to assert their height dominance.
Clicking her tongue, Noble sighed. "Pretty soon I will be the shortest member of this family."
It felt like just yesterday she was using the boys as lovable headrests when she gave them hugs. Had she been gone weeks or years?!
Shaking off the sad thoughts, Noble motioned for them to head to the living room.
"Tell me all about school! You are both in the same class this year?" Noble watched Lena duck off to the kitchen and return with a tray of snacks.
Noble had eaten a little at the hospital, but her emotions had been in such turmoil then that it had only been a few bites.
She was still emotionally all over the place, but seeing the boys—young men!—plow through the tray of food without a second thought encouraged her to eat a little more.
While she ate, Brock and Blaze filled her in on everything that had gone on in her absence.
"We started more strenuous combat training," Brock announced. "My tutor says I'm a natural with a spear."
"Spear, hm?" Noble had mixed feelings about the revelation.
Fort rubbed the back of his neck. "I know we were going to discuss getting them a tutor…"
"No, it's fine." Noble smiled.
As much as she hated to admit it, the world was becoming increasingly hostile to the human race. No matter where her children went, they would need to know how to protect themselves.
Recent experience had proven that she could not always be present to protect them. Equipping them was not a privilege.
It was a necessity.
"You did the right thing." Noble nodded to her husband. "Rainy was fourteen when we got her a private tutor and you didn't know if…when I would be able to help with that decision," she finished lamely.
Noble had wanted to say if she would return. But she didn't want to think about that possibility now that she was home with the people she loved most…well most of them.
Where exactly was Rain? Her school was closer, but perhaps the boys had gotten a direct ride while she had taken public transit. Or maybe since it was a half day, she had stayed for tutoring. There was also the possibility that she had gone out with friends to relax.
Wherever Rain was, at least she wasn't in a Nightmare.
Coming back to the conversation, Noble listened intently to Blaze's description of his new classes and then witnessed the twin's demonstration of their favorite fighting techniques.
'I'll help them with that later,' Noble decided to smile and nod at their enthusiasm rather than critique. There would be plenty of time to tighten up their stances later.
Just as the conversation hit a natural lull, Noble opened her mouth to inquire about her only daughter.
But her words died on her lips. The door opened and a dark-haired girl rushed into the room in a flurry of motion.
"Dad, Grandma, I'm back! Does anyone want to tell me why Teacher Julius came to escort me home from sch—"
Rain's bag dropped to the ground at her feet.
"Mom?"
Noble's heart clenched. "Hello, Rainy."
The teen just stood there staring.
Unlike her younger brothers, Rain was not happy.