Aphmau POV:

   The ride back to Pheonix Drop went as followed: Y/n clutched her left shoulder close to keep from hurting it more, Oísin fell asleep back in the lasso, woke up and fell off of the boat into the water, Vylad hadn't said a thing since Brightport, and I had to snap my head up twice now from almost falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion. Attempting to close the Nether Portal had taken its toll.Vylad came along with hopes of being able to help us get Garroth out of the Irene dimension. In no way do I doubt him. But I do doubt the positivity he may have on other people.

Specifically Y/n.

Oísin doesn't seem to have a problem with him, throwing questions rapid fire(though getting answers for none of them). So I wonder what could be the problem? She had said something about a 'Mutual blackmail' but nothing else. That in itself doesn't seem morally sound.

When we did indeed get back to the settlement, that wasn't of main focus for me. Levin, Malachi and Zoey had been missing for two days now. Their ship had been found crashed on the shoreline, and drag imprints were left in the sand. All supplies was taken but strands of light purple hair was left behind. This may just be a heavy bias, but I swear on all that is holy, Michi kidnapped them.

Dante arrives at the docks no sooner than we got there, and was readily informed of this terrible turn of events. He ran off to search through Malachi's papers and issued a meeting at their house to make plans for the search party. That meant needing to gather the others. That job was just a little bit easier, as Laurence had saw Dante's frantic behavior and came to the docks. his movements came to a halt as he made eye contact with someone behind me.

"...Vylad."

Shit.

I forgot they were both Shadow Knights.

I also forgot they met each other in the Nether over 15 years ago and Laurence promised to help him out but never did because of reasons already mentioned too many times to people.

   They both just stood there in a tense awkward silence. I was trying to subtly scoot out of the way, as Y/n proceeded to walk off the docks with the loudest footsteps possible, creaking along the wood. Kinda insensitive, but I'll chew her out later. I just looked to the ground while following after her as quickly as possible. May be insensitive, but that was uncomfortable.

I scratched the nape of my neck, glancing back at the two of them while still trailing being the single mother(the irony that I too am a single mother, though less ironic and more so just an observation). "Hey, are those two going to be okay?" Y/n's strides towards Lord Levin's house didn't falter. "Not my concern right now. If you didn't notice there are some missing people of high importance, and I don't think a simple poster is going to get them back."

There was a edge in her tone carrying sarcasm and some underlying annoyance. I think she could feel my confused gaze, as Y/n's good shoulder sunk. "Don't mind me Aphmau. I'm just not in the mood for this." I nodded, pointless as it was being out of her line of sight. Oísin was keeping pace besides me, I glanced down at him as he seemed to be trying to read my expression.

I smiled at him. Or as best I could in this glum, serious mood. He grinned back, skipping quicker to catch up with his mother.

I sighed under my breath, feeling the oncoming of a headache. I don't even think I got to see Malachi that old. And he was a ghost, older than all of us. Oísin's picking and choosing his role models. He's old enough to have his morals, but young enough to not need them. He has time to learn from our mistakes and make his own all the way.

It's bittersweet to watch in all honesty.

   I missed out on this. Missed it. Just sped through Levin and Malachi's life like it was nothing. Even though they still call me mom and treat me as such, it's obvious I don't know much about either of them. They confide in someone else for their problems and questions. They confide in Y/n. And there isn't a thing wrong with that!

Just the steady growing feeling of being a bystander. And I don't like that feeling.

   That's why we need to find them, and why I need to start the alliance. To help somebody, do something. If we suffer, we do it together. And if we rise, everyone rises.

   "Mom," Oísin was whisper-telling up to Y/n. "Yeah?" She did it right back, even crouching a little to go along with his game. "How long are you gonna stay dressed as a cat?" She shrugged, Lord Levin's house coming in around the next corner. "Until you find me the absolute most amazingly bestest dude in the whole world." It was obviously a joke.

"Laurence is over there."

   I laughed, sudden and hard. The strain hurt my ribs and throat. We didn't stop walking as the two just stared at each other. "Yes Oísin! Seize the moment!" He held in a snicker from my comment, trying to keep a straight face in the staring contest. "...I was expecting you to pull up a mirror or something, but I'll admit that I walked into that one."

Oísin nodded before holding the door for us to walk inside.

954 words.