Rex gritted his teeth as a ribcage around his form cracked while a thunderbolt cracked its body

"Get a grip on yourself, Mei!" Rex ordered as a cut formed on the right side of his forehead, leaking blood as strands of his hair turned gray. 

"You are a tough worm," Mei said as the aura around her darkened as she held Kiana's injured body. 

"Tch," With a snap of his fingers as the blood on his wound flowed, several hands floated around him. "No choice, huh?" 

Seeing this, Mei froze as she looked at each one glowing with numerous colors.

 "Interesting, this empress recognizes your—," Chains rose from the palm of each hand, striking like a snake towards the young woman. "Insolent fool!" Lances of lightning fell from the heavens, striking them all down. 

A purple flash— Rex appeared behind her and before she could react, a black cube formed obsidian chains around Mei. 

"Sorry about this," 

"WHY—," Soft lips pressed on the Herrscher of thunder's lips as the Herrscher side of the young woman slowly receded deep in the young woman's consciousness. 

'This is!?' Mei thought as she felt the lips of Kiana's new friend on her own. 'What's going on?! All I remember is Bronya getting blown away and Kiana being injured—,' A moan from her lips silenced her thoughts as she subconsciously opened her lips.

"Good to have you back," A face covered in blood on the right side met her vision. The lips... pulled away from her own much to her hidden disappointment only to be changed to one of complete shock and fear as Rex, with gray streaks on his hair gave her a warm smile. "Not... your fault," With blood pouring from his lips, the young man fell to the ground. 

"CROZZO!" Mei shouted, gently setting Kiana beside him while checking his pulse. 'He's not breathing!' She noticed after noticing how his chest stayed still. Gently making sure Kiana stopped bleeding, she looked at the young man and her heart clenched at the scar on the right side of his forehead. While she was not an expert, she knew it was going to scar, permanently that is. 

Shaking her head off any unnecessary thoughts, she put her hands on her chest and started. 

"KYAA!" Mei screamed as a hand grabbed her wrist and Rex's left eye opened, glowing ominously with a red glow. 

"I'm... fine..." Rex whispered, voice coarse as he looked at her. "ow..." 

"S-sorry, Crozzo-kun!" 

'Kun?' Rex noted but said nothing while pushing himself up to his shaking knees. 

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" 

"I'm fine," Rex whispered, trembling hands reached for the wound on his forehead. A soft hand covered his own and his eyes met the apologetic eyes of Mei Raiden. Seeing her look, he knew she was guilty about it. "It's fine, as long as you're safe," 

"Oh? A pair of lovebirds?" 

"SHUT IT OLD HAG!" Rex roared to a newcomer, a beautiful young woman with red hair dressed in some sort of armor. "What the hell is that suit? You gonna seduce zombies with that?" 

A tick mark appeared on her face as she gave Rex a sweet smile. "No bitches?" An arrow struck Rex, "Maidenless?" 

"Ladless?" Rex shot back, causing a spear to hit the redhead as Mei held onto Kiana, sighing in relief as she snuggled in her warmth. 

"Rexxie~, what did I tell you about talking with ladies?" A sing-song voice echoed in the empty area and Rex, for the first time since Mei met him, stood straight with his eyes brightening up along with that smile. 

'Cute,' 

"Big sis!" Rex shouted in happiness before vomiting blood. 

Seeing this, the newcomer, a beautiful woman who looked like a fairy, rushed to Rex's side after handing Bronya to the redhead. 

"You're burning up," The woman whispered while holding his forehead. 

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Rex blinked as he lay on his hospital bed while a young man who looked like an older version of him cried while skinning an apple with frightening ease and speed. "My poor baby bro..." 

"Rein... I'm alive and healthy," 

"But you have gray hair now... cougars will pounce on you," 

"Rin... can you," 

"On it," A young girl around 10-12 with pink hair said while reaching for the older male's ear and pulling hard. 

"Ow, ow, ow!" 

"Big bro Rex will be fine, Teach," The girl said with a smile. 

"But my baby!" The older male whined only to get pulled into the chest of the same fairy-like woman. 

"Now, Rein~ No bothering Rex. He needs to rest." She said with a gentle smile as her arms kept the young man in her embrace. Her beautiful eyes softly looked from Rein towards Rex. She looked at Rein and back at him with a wink. Without missing a beat, The young woman carried Rein in a bridal carry and hopped away. 

"Wanna bet they end up in a hotel?" The girl said with a grin. 

"That's a fool's bet, Rin," Rex said with a smile as the two nodded at each other. 

"Sheesh, what happened to you? You look way worse than the time you pissed off Big sis Kallen by blocking her cockblocking attempts... after you said you'd only let her pass after she beat you in a spar." 

"Herrcher attack,"

"Eh?" Rin looked at Rex. "Legit?" 

"Yeah," 

"Subject Rex," The door opened to show Bronya looking at him while hugging her HOMU plushy. "Are you alright?" 

"I'll live," Rex said with a smile as Mei shyly peeked in only to hide when their eyes met. 

Rin looked at the interaction with wide eyes and took some mental notes. 'Could it be?!' 

A floating hand that appeared from nowhere chopped her head gently. Rin looked at her older brother with a pout. 'But the bloodline,' 

'She's taken little sis,' 

'Oh, damn,' 

"Are you alright, Crozzo-kun?" Mei asked, shyly approaching him with Bronya. 

'SHE CALLED YOU KUN! WHAT DA HEIL?!' Rin's eyes conveyed the message. 'YOU KNOW THAT ONLY HAPPENS WITH CLOSE FRIENDS!' 

"I'm alive," Rex said with a smile. A sound echoed in the room and Bronya looked at Rin facepalming hard. "What about you? I'm glad you're not hurt," 

Taking a seat by his side, she gently held his hand. 

'UNPROTECTED HANDHOLDING! HOW LEWD! wait... it's protected... he has bandages.' 

"I'm so glad," Mei whispered with tears in her eyes while gently squeezing his hand. "I lost control after Kiana and I—," 

A soft hand pinched her cheek, pulling a bit as Rex's eyes softened. "Enough of that," Rex said with a smile, watching in glee as her cheek bounced after letting go. "No need to cry for little old me," Gently reaching for her teary eyes, his calloused thumb wiped away the tears. "Pretty girls like you shouldn't cry while I'm alive. Besides, I'm your friend. I'll help you out anytime!" 

Hearing those words and the small smile on his face, she felt her heart pound on her chest. "Thank you, Crozzo-kun," 

"Just call me Rex, I don't mind," Rex said with a smile only for his stomach to roar loudly. "Oops," 

"Hehe~," A melodious giggle erupted from Mei as she looked at him. "I'll cook something for us after you and Kiana get discharged, Rex," 

Outside, Reinhardt smiled as he listened in. Arms crossed as he stood properly, he looked at the young woman in front of him. Elysia Shariac twirled her silky pink locks on her finger while smiling at the conversation happening. 

"You know~ Rex has the capability of being a lady killer like you~," Elysia said with a shy smile, unable to look at the smirking face of the older brother. "Not as much as Reve~," 

"Says the one who stood by my side no matter what?" Reinhardt teased. Elysia pouted as she pressed her forehead on his chest. 

"You're my partner and I love your little brothers like my own. Rin too!" Looking up at the taller male with a grin, she held his hands and pressed them on her cheeks, nuzzling them for warmth. "You even chose to go to my distress call just when you got a chance to take Kallen on a dance." 

"Sheesh, you've always been there for me. From my lowest moments to the greatest," A small memory of a younger Elysia hugging him as he cried in her arms before changing to a slightly older Elysia hugging him tight as he wrapped her arms around her after his promotion. "How can I just abandon you?" 

"yet you're so rough with me?"

"You complaining?" 

"Nope! But I want to be spoiled too!" 

"Yes, yes. How about we go on a date next week? I have a free schedule then," 

"Sure! Dress up nicely okay? We're going to the beach. My treat," 

"Eh? Guys are the ones supposed to—" A soft and delicate finger on his lips stopped him from talking as Elysia gave him a warm loving smile that made his heart skip a beat. 

"Nope! I don't care about that! You're my precious Reinhardt and I won't abuse your love," Elysia said with a smile before shyly holding his hands. 

Reve, in a nearby corner, saw this. 'This is peak,' He thought as manly tears of joy flowed from his eyes. 'The bloodline is being secured,' Reve thought while a beautiful young woman dressed in formal clothes looked at him with bored eyes, her two-toned hair of white and black bouncing with each step as she approached him while carrying canned drinks.