The dinner table was set neatly, each fork tine was straight and each napkin folded with restaurant perfection. But Dani was still stressing out.

He knew that this could go so poorly. This could blow up in his face in so many ways.

But Dani had to try.

He pulled at his sleeves, a new nervous habit he had. Marble looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "Dani..."

"Yes?" He said, his voice close to cracking.

"What's wrong?" Marble asked. Evan looked at her.

"I kinda want you to meet someone." He told them. Andrew looked up.

"When did you get a girlfriend?" He demanded.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Andrew!" Dani told him. Carrie snickered.

"No need to be so defensive." Andrew leaned back in his chair, so the front legs were off the ground.
"Andrew, don't do that." Marble told him. He muttered an apology under his breath. "So, who do you want us to meet, honey?"

"My biological mom." Dani said, bracing for a reaction.

There was a silence.

It stretched on for quite a while.

"And you're sure that this is your actually mother? Not some imposter?" Marble questioned.

"Defiantly my real mother. And..." Dani trailed off.

"Who, Dani? Who else?" Evan asked, leaning forward.

"Sister."

"I'm your sister." Carrie pouted, putting her fork down.

"Older sister. I meet them in Mexico." Dani admitted. "That's why I was-"

"Dani, you kept this from us?" Marble sounded hurt, her brows lifted in disappointment. "Honey, all we want is the best for you."

"Yeah, well... She wants to meet you."

Apprehension crossed Marble's face, her brow furrowed in a nervous, calculated way. "And she's here?" Her voice darker, like she wanted to give Zammi a piece of her mind, which she most likely would.

"Yes." Dani said.

"Well, then I don't see any reason why we can't meet them." Marble said. "Do you have a time or place yet? You seem to be onto of this."

Dani gave her a sheepish smile.

***

The café was crowded, but Zammi Coatl's white hair was recognizable from yards away. Dra was there as well, tapping on the back of her phone which was face down on the table. She looked more nervous that Zammi did, her eyes darting around.

Dani tapped Marble on the hand and waved at Zammi, who smiled warmly and nodded.

"Her?" Marble asked, sounding aghast. "She's so young. No wonder..."

"Yeah, I think she's in her early thirties." Dani felt bad about lying, but it wasn't like he could tell Marble the truth. It would only hurt her.

"Tialli, noconetzin." Zammi said, and gave him a quick hug. Dani sat down, and Marble followed suite.

The tension in the air was palpable, Zammi's steady gaze on Dani, while Marble's fierce one was on Zammi.
"Oh, finalmente." Dra sighed. "Qué aborito." Marble looked confused, her eyes darting between Dra and Zammi.

"What language was that?" She asked, almost sounding concerned.

"Just Nahuatl and Spanish." Zammi answered. "We are fluent in both."

"So, you are Dani's biological mother."

"Indeed. Before you ask, Dani was kidnapped from me."

Dani knew that was the cover story they were going with, but to hear it still sent shivers down his spine.

"I never wanted my son gone, but... It's not always easy to keep you children safe in Mexico City."

"Oh my... I'm so sorry." Marble's wrath towards Zammi dissipated as quickly as it had come. "I have two other children. I can't imagine them ever being lost."

"I seem to have bad luck; my daughter, Dra, was almost kidnapped recently." Zammi said, smiling faintly.

"Pretty sure it's because we're so pretty." Dra mumbled. Dani kicked her under the table.

"Dra." Zammi said softly. Marble looked more relaxed now, and had an easy smile on her face.

"Is Dra short for something? Cassandra, maybe?" Marble asked. Dra chuckled easily, relaxed.

"No. Everyone asks however. It comes from Drina, which was my father's grandmother's name."

"I didn't know that." Dani said. Dra shrugged, but smiled.

"Would you like to order now?" A waiter approached the table, and Marble smiled kindly.

"Yes, I think we will."

Dani had to say, this was turning out better than he'd expected. Marble was relaxed, Zammi was calm, and Dra wasn't trying to train him.

"As we are getting along well, would you join my family for dinner tomorrow night? Just to talk more?" Marble asked, swirling her latte with a spoon.

Zammi paused, as if she was considering it. Dani knew that it was a risk. If any of them slipped up, it would all be over.

Luckily, Dra solved the problem for them.

"I think it would be a good idea for us the meet the Linds, mamá." Dra announced, sipping at her own drink.

"You may be right."

***

Fengge Zhu, also known as Falk, knew that if he wanted to survive, he needed to run for the rest of his life.

He was being blamed for everything. Only some of it was his fault, silly King! Sure, he backed Seth.

A lot of Mages did.

But he killed the King. That made him evil.

Even his mother had turned away from him, scared of what her oldest son could do.

That hurt more than anything else, more than the claws that had ripped at his wings, more than the boot on his fragile spine. His family was everything to him.

"Fengge... why did you do it?" His little sister had demanded of him, and Falk had flinched away. Even she hated him now.

His little sister drove Falk forward. Seth may have fought and died for his unborn child, but Falk's sister was very much alive.

The young man took out his phone, checking his email. He caught sight of his reflection in the dark screen and jumped. He looked thinner, his cheeks hollow and the shadows under his eyes deeper. His cheekbones stood out harshly against his face, his jaw line, a brutal slash.

Falk looked older than his seventeen years.

He pushed back a lock of his hair, and looked away. The street was too crowded with people, too many bodies that pressed together.

"I assume you're here for me?" A sleepy voice asked. Falk turned on his heel to see a woman so pale, she was almost grey. She had a large nose, her nostrils flaring every time she breathed and heavy, hooded, brown eyes.

"Ayumi." Falk sighed. "Thank Creator."

The baku tipped her head to the side, her dark hair falling to reveal a large ear. She smiled slightly, just a quirk of her mouth. "I don't hear you thanking Kami to often anymore."

Kami. The Japanese word for 'god'. Falk understood that much Japanese.

He looked around, the bustling pedestrians walking right past the strange pair, other things consuming their minds, like work, family, politics, or friends. The little worlds they created for themselves, colliding and reshaping, adjustable, yet very ridged.

"I gave up a bit, I think. It's difficult to look up to something that just leaves you." Falk replied after a moment, turning back to the baku. Ayumi nodded slowly, blinking just once, so calculated. Everything about the baku was slow and calculated, and it set off alarm bells in Falk's mind.

"Mhm. I see. Well, I hope I have what you need. Anything to help a fellow outcast." Ayumi replied. "Come with me."

She led him to a small apartment, little more than a crack in the wall. He slipped inside after her, and looked around. Mason jars, made for preserves and jams, but instead filled with ethereal mist, crowded the room. Falk wanted to touch them, but knew he shouldn't. The mists were dreams, food for a baku.

Watching him, Ayumi gave that little smile again. "What dreams do you have to offer me, little poison-bird? You've caused only nightmares."

Ayumi though she was funny, Falk supposed.

She wasn't. He rolled his eyes, and just tipped his head forward. "It's not your typical fare, I suppose. I'm not sure if you'll like it." He murmured. Falk felt the tip of a trunk on his forehead, and heard Ayumi sigh.

"On the contrary, Falk. I find hope, most delectable."

Well, my lovelies. That's a wrap.

Done. All done... Wow.

It took me a month to write this book, you know? One month, for NaNoWriMo. I won, by the way, I passed 50,000 word mark on day 20. Wrote about two thousand (2,000) more words than I was supposed to, and that's not counting the editing. 

According to Word, this book is 66,584 words, and 137 pages (size eleven font)...

QOTD: How did you like the book?

And for the last time,

C.J out!