I followed Aursa to their home, hopefully to get them a bit more out of the dumps than they are now

Inky: so, do you think you could tell me in a bit more detail how they're doing

Aursa: wish I could, but I don't really know myself, they've been really quiet as of late, only ever trying really interacting with Eri, I think they're just trying to hide their sadness

Inky: I guess it would make sense, after all Eri went through, it's only natural to attempt to keep her from feeling that way again

Aursa: yeah, I just hope that you're able to help them get better, ever since... well, you know, things just weren't the same with them

Inky: of course, death of those close will change many, it's expected, I don't expect to be able to change them back, I only hope to at the least make them feel a bit better

and so with that, we opened the door to their house, being greeted by Eri and Blake

Eri: *smiles* UNCLE INK

Eri ran over and tackled me down, I snickered and hugged back, Blake however just looked at me in distain, I have my own theories on why, but I should wait for the rest of them to come over first

Inky: It's good to see you too, but I came here for important matters, do you you mind bringing down your other moms so that we can all talk

Eri: Okay

and so, she left, after a bit of waiting, they all came down, other than Aursa, Vylsea and Summer, all of Tempest's wives continued to glare at me, Aursa noticed this and try to calm the situation

Aursa: I-I-I'm really sorry for bringing him here girls, it's just that you've all been so down lately, and not just in a normal depressed kind of way, and I just thought that it would be good to get some professional help

Inky: it's alright Aursa, calm down, I understand their distain towards me

Cinder: *glares* oh really, than why do you continue to show your face after-

Inky: I indirectly killed Tempest

the ones who were glaring gasped at what I mentioned, not because of what I said, but because it aligned exactly with what they believed

Inky: you believe that as a close friend to Tempest I should have been there with him to fight and by not being there for him, he died, believe me, I blamed myself for it as well, constantly thinking how things would have been different, but sadly, I don't think there was an alternative, had I not done what I did during that battle, Tempest would probably still be dead

they were shocked at what I said, but very confused at my final statement, while still mad at such beliefs, they weren't rigid enough to ignore me entirely

Blake:...Explain

Inky: well, it all started back when he left to declare war on the Regime

[Flashback]

Once Tempest left, many of the Batalia rank members began to argue towards Comix about Tempest

Inky Voiceover: As you know, they used Tempest tech against him, and because of that, most of the Guardians blamed Tempest for what happened, but what you probably didn't know, was that many of the Guardians were already distrusting of him due to his methods, in fact, from what I was able to gather, a very rare few of them even knew of his past as the Red Devil. 

I returned home as I received a phone call by a random member of the Omniverse Guardians

Inky Voiceover: Many times after I was given several calls by them to act as a witness for a trial for Tempest to convict him as guilty, and of course I refused. I thought that was the end of it, but they were determined to get rid of him by any means necessary 

I was walking through the black market, hoping to get a better idea on who's responsible to try and help Tempest

Inky Voiceover: I was wandering his black market areas, trying to find a lead on who decided to use his technology, but inside his market was a thief, I captured him, interrogated him, and long story short he was hired by Batalia members, as well as a few of the Guardians to steal some of his inventions to act as incriminating evidence to convict him, and if it failed, they would use it to kill him. That crossed a line, and with how busy everyone else was with helping Tempest with the war itself, I didn't want to slump this extra problem on top of it, so I took matters to my own hands

I walked into an office where the Batalia members and Guardians were

Past Inky: sorry, but your little thief has taken the day off

Batalia 1: ah, if it isn't the Ink Meister, I assume you're here to reconsider our offer

Past Inky: fuck no, I'm here because you crossed a line

Guardian: CROSSED A LINE, your so called friend crossed a line when he joined our ranks, he's a messed up devil who has done more to worsen our situations than to help it, and don't try to make any excuse about it, because I got a hint on how he was in the past, a so called Red Devil who smiled when making children suffer and raping women for fun, he's no better than Amara, he's no Hero, he's a monster

Past Inky: AND YOU THINK THAT JUSTIFIES TRYING TO KILL HIM

Batalia 2: shut up, as a fellow Guardian, you should do well to keep your mouth shut, we will be the light of this world and stop evil like him

Past Inky: *sighs* you see it's people like you that are why Malev is considered "evil" besides, you forgot one detail

Guardian: *smirks* oh, and pray tell what is that

Past Inky: *summons Life Brush* I am Guardian, but not for the Omniverse Guardians, so I sure as hell don't work for you, and because of that *battle stance* I'm not unwilling to fight you if necessary

[End of Flashback]

Inky: and they weren't the end of it, so many more members who distrusted Tempest plotted against him, and since everyone else was swamped with this whole Regime War, I decided to go this one alone, fighting the battle within, stopping them from plotting against Tempest, and trust me when I say I did have to do it, these members were dumb to pick a fight with me, but they weren't stupid, their plans had several contingencies and a additional part to handle whatever Comix or any Chrona member may try to stop them, had I not stopped them, their planned would have surely succeeded in wiping him out or labeling him as monster that needs to be executed

After I explain, most faces of anger were replaced with guilt, saddened at their assumptions against me

Ryukyu: oh, I'm sorry, we didn't-

Inky: it's alright, after all, like I said, I still do mildly blame myself as well, but this isn't about me, it's about helping you

Fubuki (nervous): what do you mean, we're perfectly fine

Inky: don't try to fake It, I know how you all are, and I know that deep down, you never did blame me

Nesty: oh really, and what did you think that was

Inky: coping, you're all depressed and lost in despair, but attempt to pretend your fine for those you believe would be better off not seeing you like that, so you hide under a veil of neutrality towards it all, and feign anger towards others, shifting the blame towards them in an attempt to ignore how you blame yourselves, tell me am I on the mark

Nesty (shocked): I-I-I-

Inky: look, if I'm being completely honest, I understand, you feel like you need to hide yourself so that others won't need to worry, but it's unhealthy, emotional capacity is like a balloon, it only fills up so much until it explodes and harms you, or possibly those around you, let go of that balloon, let all your emotions out

They were all shocked, but trying as hard as possible to keep it all in, however, Eri stepped in

Eri: mama's please, I don't want to see you like this, I don't want you to hide yourselves because of me, I don't want you to try and fake happiness, I want you to be you, *tearing up* I'm still sad that we lost papa, so please, stop hiding yourself, let's be sad together

and so, they let it all out

About a few weeks worth of pure repressed Sadness, was released, no longer lying to themselves they cried like there was no tomorrow, I stayed by them, embracing them, right now they don't need a therapist or a savior, they need a friend, and while I can never make a promise, I know that I'll try

to always be there for them