You'd think I would have figured out by now that I shouldn't let my draft ideas take over my ongoing books' ideas...but yeah, I never listen to the warnings.
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        If it weren't for the fact that there was another voice in his head capable of restricting his actions with the right amount of willpower, Paradox would have just dropped Add and Ara right into the next time anomaly and told them to fix it when they got there. Instead he just waited for them to give a response to his question although it was a bit annoying having to wait for a response.

        Add and Ara kept staring at him without a response and he sighed in frustration. "Paradox, now isn't exactly the best time for us to be going on another visit to another place in time. Can't the anomaly wait," Ara said, finally speaking up after that minute of silence. Add still said nothing but Paradox could have cared less. "How would I know? If we don't fix it soon, this entire dimension will collapse and everyone in it will die...except me of course. I can't exaclty be killed," Paradox thoughtfully replied.

        "Wait so how do you know when a time anomaly shows up? If you can figure that out, shouldn't there be a way to calculate how much time we have to fix the abnormality," Add said as he stood. Paradox rolled his eyes at Add. Of course he'd say something like that. He just didn't understand. "There isn't and even if there was, don't you think I would have said so when Ara asked me if we could wait this one out. Besides, the ways of time and space are rather complicated. It's best that I not try explaining how I can do what I can do," Paradox said with a slight frown.

        Add returned the frown but remained silent. "Do you at least know a location? The least we can do is prepare for what's ahead of us," Ara said as she began to walk back to Add's home. As much as Paradox wanted to ignore it, he couldn't help but appriciate the fact that Ara was willing to move forward despite not being in the best condition.

        When he first arrived to the dimension, he could have cared less about anyone in it other than his mother but his time in the garden changed that. Memories of his past that he'd long since burried had risen along with his discarded emotions. "Yes. I do," Paradox answered with a nod. Ara nodded in return and headed back with Add not far behind her. It confused Paradox as to why they chose to walk when they could simply go back by way of portal but he said nothing to them and arrived back to meet Grace before they got there.

        "Is everything okay? Add suddenly left and I didn't know where he went," Grace said as she walked past Paradox. She was used to his random appearances by now and didn't even bat an eye when he showed up out of nowhere. "Nothing out of the normal. Another time anomaly has appeared," Paradox informed as Grace crossed his path again with a book in hand before taking a seat at the table.

        According to his newly altered memories, Grace was supposedly trying to continue her research from the past. Thinking about such a detail brought back unpleasant memories of abuse from his father. "Another quest already? You three barely made it out of this last one. Are you sure it's a good idea to rush into another one," Grace said without looking up from her book.

        "You shouldn't underestimate us," Paradox muttered with a pout. "Mother isn't underestimating us, she's just concerned," Paradox scolded himself. "You're right. I am concerned," Grace said with a slight smile. Just as she did, Ara and Add arrived, not surprised that Paradox was already there. "Mother, do you have a moment. We could use your advise for our planning. I don't want to go into this next anomaly underprepared," Add said as he walked in.

         He likely assumed that Paradox had already tild Grace about the new mission. "Sure. Come sit down, all of you," Grace replied as she folded the corner of te page she was reading and closed her book. There were only three chairs so Paradox stood not wanting Ara to be without a seat. Of course Add had glanced at him as if wondering if he'd have a problem standing but Paradox turned his head away from him.

        "The next anomaly is in the city of Lanox. If it's anything like I remember it, then this is going to be a dangerous mission simply because of what the local gang activity is like. I can't tell what could be the problem with the time so we'll have to figure things out when we get there. That alone will take time so the sooner we get started, the faster we can return," Paradox explained.

         "If we were to take the time to wait things out, would you be able to bring us back in time if the dimension were to collapse? That could at least give us time to rest," Ara said. "I can garuntee at most two days of rest but ince a dimension collapses, there's nothing I can do to restore it. Trust me...I've tried," Paradox said, his mind venturing to a place he wish it wouldn't.

        "Is the village healer still in the village? I know he said he'd be leaving to restock on a some essentials. We could ask him for some medical supplies to take with us but we can't tell him what we need them for," Add said. It wasn't a bad idea but they didn't know if the village healer was still around. He'd been able to heal both Add and Ara completely but they needed at least three days to rest according to him. Apparently, rapid healing came at a cost whenever done by thus particular healer.

        "Is there anything else to know about this Lanox place? I've never been before so I wouldn't know what to expect," Ara muttered. She looked to Add and then to Grace but they gave her blank looks. "We've never been there before either. It must be beyond this village," Grace said. It made sense. Of course they'd never been to or heard of Lanox. It wasn't the best of places afterall. "Paradox, surely you know something," Grace continued.

        He looked to his mother, technically Add's mother, but immediately looked away. "Lanox isn't a good memory," he quietly said. He knew they were giving him looks of pity just like everyone else might have so he kept his gave elsewhere. "Anything will ne helpful," Ara urged. Paradox glanced at her, immediately regretting the action. Why did she have to look at him like that?

        "We cannot be separated. No matter what happens, there is no one you can trust until their loyalty has been tested. Lanox is a place full of people who betray in the blink of an eye. People get killed there all of the time," Paradox said. What he neglected to say was that Lanox was the first place Ara had been killed back in his original timeline and by no means would he allow her to die there this time. He didn't want her nor Add to know this and didn't intend to tell them.

        As much as Paradox hated Add, he needed him focused because he knew that if anything happened to him, Ara would also be in danger. "So you two have the rest of today and tomorrow to prepare. Add, you go check on those medical supplies. Ara, I think it's best that you speak to your mother before you leave. I know you don't want to but it's fod the best. Just at least consider it for me. Look at things from a mother's point of view," Grace announced.

         Ara stiffened a bit at the mentioning of her mother and it was clear that she didn't want to even try dealing with the internal obstacle she had created. "I'll go with you if you decide to visit her," Add offered. "So will I," Paradox spoke up but it wasn't his intention to say anything aloud. "I can't. She doesn't want to see me," Ara muttered. She looked away from everyone's concerned gazes.

         "Ara, there's nothing greater than the bond between a mother and child. I should know that better than anyone for more than one reason," Paradox said, waiting for Ara to throw him the questioning glance. When she did, he saw the curiosity in her eyes but had no intention in telling her anything more than the words he'd spoken. "If you'd like, I can also accompany you," Grace said. Ara looked to Grace and smiled shyly.

         "Only if you want to. I still don't know if I'll go or not," Ara said but her true intentions were clear. The only way she was going to see her mither was if she was forced to. "This isn't going to get anywhere. Let's go," Paradox sighed. In an instant, he dropped Add and Ara through portals that led to the Haan family's front yard. The moment Paradox arrived, he caught hold of Ara's arm before she could flee.

        "What are you doing? I'm not going in there!" Ara whispered in a panic. She looked at Add hoping he'd say something to show that he was on her side but he didn't. Instead he looked from Ara to her front door and right back to her. Paradox was a little grateful that Add was finally on the same page as he was. "Come on. It isn't going to kill you to knock on the door," Paradox said as he picked Ara up and began to carry her to the door.

         She protested and asked Add to help her but she received no such help. "I agree with Paradox. You have to at least talk to her," Add said just as they reached the door. "You can't force me too. That's wrong!" Ara said. "If it really was wrong, Eun would have taken over by now and dragged us back to the house," Paradox spoke as he knocked on the door and put Ara down.

         Add stopped her from escaping and they waited for a moment hoping the door would be answered by Ara's mother. Even Paradox was a bit anxious about the upcoming encounter but he'd initiated it now so there was no turning back. The door opened and sure enough, Ara's mother stood there in confusion. She stared at Add and then looked to Paradox before finally looking at Ara. "Hi...mother," Ara whispered.

         Paradox and Add took a few steps back as Ara's mother stared at Ara. No one said a word and Paradox began to think that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have brought Ara here so suddenly. Ara's mother raised a hand to her but Ara flinched and took a step back causing her hand to stop. "Ara...you're still alive," her mother stated in disbelief. "Yeah...I'm not dead," Ara said with a nod. It was then that Ara's mother pulled Ara into a hug and started to cry.

        "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you. Why would I do something like that?" her mother cried as she hugged Ara who stayed silent. That silence was a little concerning. "You were angry...it happens," Ara finally spoke, her voice a little bit too dull. "You've been with Add this entire time then? Why didn't you come see me sooner? I thought I'd never see you again," Ara's mother said.

         "You disowned me. I didn't know what to do," Ara whispered. Paradox hadn't known this fact. In truth, all he'd known was that Ara had been kicked out of her hour because of the time skip he'd caused for Add and Ara when he first met them. "I'll never do something so stupid ever again. I'm just glad your safe," her mother spoke and it was then that Ara finally broke. Her meltdown started off as a sniffle that greatly worsened into a fit of sobbing.

         "I'm glad you're finally home. There's so much we need to catch up on," Ara's mother said. "Mother...there's some things I need to tell you," Ara said through her tears. Paradox did not stay. As soon as Ara said those words, he excused himself and returned through a portal. He'd let Add handle things from there. Explanations and questionings were never really his thing.

        "Back already? Did things go well?" Grace asked. She was once again reading her book. "Ars will be okay," he said. "But will you?" Grace inquired. Paradox looked at her finding that she stared at him with a worried expression. "You may not be my Add but you're still Add. I couldn't help but notice the sadness you keep hiding from them. They'll need to know eventually. Even I'm curious now," Grace stated.

         Paradox sighed and looked away from her. "I don't want to talk about it," he said in a warning tone. Perhaps it had been time for Ara to let go but for Paradox, there was no way he ever could. It had all been his fault afterall. He hadn't thought of it before but maybe this whole ordeal that he'd despised at first was a second chance to make things right and if that was true, he would do everything in his power not to fail.
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And now I must continue on. Until next time you phenomenal readers!