As they walked down the hallway, Zakis sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I'm really sorry about your uncle, Aekira," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "He can be... a bit much sometimes."
Aekira looked up at him and smiled. "It's fine, Dad. I actually kind of want to hang out more with him."
Both Zakis and Shenan stopped in their tracks, turning to her with surprised expressions. Shenan tilted her head slightly, her eyes widening with a mix of curiosity and concern. "You want to spend more time with Arpha?" she asked, her voice gentle but tinged with surprise.
Zakis blinked, clearly not expecting that response. "You do?" he echoed, his voice a little hesitant. He exchanged a quick glance with Shenan, who gave a small shrug, equally bewildered.
Aekira nodded, her smile unwavering. "Yeah, he's... interesting. I feel like he has a lot of stories to tell, and I want to know more about him and this world."
Zakis and Shenan shared another glance, this time with a mix of pride and uncertainty. Zakis sighed again, but this time it was more resigned. "Well, if that's what you want," he said slowly, "just be careful. Arpha has... his own way of seeing things. But if you're curious, we won't stop you."
Shenan smiled warmly, her eyes softening. "Smart and curious... just like your—"
Suddenly, they were interrupted by the sound of a loud crash followed by muffled shouting from a nearby room.
"TAKE THIS!"
Zakis grunted in frustration, his expression immediately darkening. "Ugh, those two idiots again..."
Shenan sighed, rolling her eyes slightly. "They never learn, do they?"
Aekira's curiosity grew as they approached the room where the sounds of a fierce battle echoed through the halls. Zakis and Shenan exchanged a quick glance before pushing open the door, revealing a chaotic scene inside.
In the center of the room, a tall woman with long, fiery red hair and ebony skin was locked in combat with a tall anthro fox. The fox's red eyes glowed with intensity, and he wielded a long odachi, slicing through the air with precision. The woman, dressed in a black t-shirt and dark pants, moved with equal ferocity, her fists striking out in powerful blows.
Aekira's eyes widened in shock. 'W-what the hell...' she thought, her mind racing. She had only ever seen this kind of fighting in novels and anime, never in real life.
Before she could fully process what she was witnessing, Shenan gently nudged her aside, making sure she was safe. "Apologies, Aekira," Zakis said calmly, his tone surprisingly composed despite the chaos. "Let me just... gently talk to them."
And then, with a burst of speed that took Aekira's breath away, Zakis darted toward the combatants. One moment, they were about to clash again, their movements a blur of violence, and the next, Zakis had them both pinned to the floor with almost effortless strength.
"Wow..." Aekira muttered, still trying to wrap her head around what she'd just seen.
Shenan chuckled softly beside her. "Your father is really fast, you know."
Shenan chuckled, a playful glint in her eyes. "Not as fast as me, though."
"What?" Aekira asked, her curiosity piqued.
Before Shenan could respond, Zakis grunted in frustration. "How many times have I told you not to fight so recklessly?!"
The fox and the woman quickly pointed at each other, their voices rising in unison.
"They started it!"
"She started it!"
Zakis fixed them with an intense gaze, his eyes narrowing. Even though his expression was hidden, the weight of his stare was enough to make both of them gulp nervously.
After a long sigh, Zakis shook his head. "Okay, I don't have time to scold you... How about you meet your new sister?"
Their eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. "Wait, we have a new sister?!" the fox exclaimed, his tail wagging with enthusiasm.
Both of them looked behind Zakis, their gazes landing on Aekira. She shifted slightly, unsure of what to expect from these two new and clearly energetic siblings.
The two ran over to Shenan, their excitement palpable. The girl, noticeably taller than the fox, reached Aekira first.
"Wow, she's so pretty!" the girl exclaimed, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.
"Yeah, she looks just like Grand-Grand!" the fox added, his tail wagging furiously.
Aekira stood there, stunned. Just moments ago, they were locked in a serious, intense fight, and now they were fawning over her like excited children. 'What happened to the serious fight?!' she thought, bewildered by the sudden shift in mood.
Shenan smiled warmly, gently guiding the two closer to Aekira. "Meet your new sister, Aekira," she said softly, her eyes shining with affection. "I think you'll all get along just fine."
"Hi, Aekira! I'm Kaeri," the fox said with a wide grin, his red eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "I'm like the coolest person you'll ever meet! And—"
Before Kaeri could finish, the tall girl quickly placed her hand over his long snout, muffling his words. "And I'm your lovely big sister, Kona!" she interrupted with a playful smirk, her black skin contrasting sharply with her bright red hair.
"Don't mind them," Zakis said with a tired sigh, glancing at the bickering siblings. "They're just a couple of idiots who think they're better than—"
Before he could finish, Kaeri, with a mischievous grin, suddenly pinned Kona down. "AND I'm better than you!!" he declared with exaggerated bravado.
Kona, pinned but unruffled, rolled her eyes and shot back, "Says the one who couldn't even win against me in a spar!"
As Kaeri and Kona continued their playful bickering, the room was suddenly interrupted by a loud crack. Both siblings froze and turned to see Zakis cracking his knuckles with a bemused expression.
"Alright, that's enough," Zakis said, his voice calm but firm. "If you two keep this up, you'll be on cleaning duty for the rest of the week."
Kaeri and Kona immediately stopped their bickering, their faces falling into exaggerated frowns as they looked at each other.
"Aw, come on, Dad!" Kaeri whined.
"Yeah, we were just having some fun!" Kona added, pouting slightly.
Zakis just raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanging. "Fun is fine, but not when it turns into a full-blown wrestling match in the hallway."
The siblings grumbled but eventually nodded in agreement. With a final, resigned sigh, they turned back to Aekira, trying to regain their composure.
"Anyway," Kaeri said, attempting to sound casual, "Welcome to the family, Aekira! Hope you're ready for some fun."
"And if you need anything," Kona added, giving Aekira a warm smile, "Just let us know. We're here to help."
Aekira couldn't help but chuckle at their antics, feeling a bit more at ease amidst the lively chaos of her new family.