CHAPTER SEVEN, exoskeleton vs grandma

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A laugh left Emilia's mouth as she had caught the ball that her, Bree and Chase were playing around with. All of the family were in the living room — Tasha was talking to her mother on the phone, whilst Donald was too busy with his invention. By the couch, Adam was on the floor as he used his super strength to lift Leo up and down by his arms.

"Hey Bree, fetch!" Emilia called out, throwing the ball in another direction, so she super speeded over to catch it, causing Emilia to giggle, unaware of Chase smiling at the sound of her laugh.

She then threw it to Chase before he had thrown it towards Tasha and Donald, only for Bree to super speed over again to catch the ball. She glanced over at the adults. "Nothing weird here."

She moved away from them to continue playing the game with Emilia and Chase when the doorbell rang causing everyone to turn their heads as Tasha gasped. "It's my mother!"

Donald turned to his wife in panic before telling her. "I'll be in the lab." Tasha gestured to the bionic trio in panic before exclaiming. "Quick! Turn invisible!" They all gave her strange looks causing her to groan. "Oh, come on, you have every other freaky ability. Just run and hide."

Emilia helped by ushering the bionic trio behind the kitchen counter before she sat on one of the stools, so Leo's grandma wouldn't see their faces if they peeked over.

Soon, the woman had walked through the door, sighing. "Oh good, it's unlocked." She pulled her sunglasses off her face as Tasha fake smiled before letting out. "Mom, you're here!"

The mother and daughter hugged before soon pulling away as Rose said. "Would've been here sooner if it hadn't been for your stupid gate."

"Oh, that's just Donald's titanium security fence."

Rose hummed. "Well, if you ram it with your car hard enough, it pops right open."

Emilia sucked her bottom lip in as the woman approached her grandson. "Leo. There's my baby. Come and give me some sugar." She pulled Leo into a hug before squeezing him right causing Emilia to quietly giggle. "Ooooh! Grandma's so glad to see you. Let me see your face. Let me see your face." She cooed, now squeezing Leo's chin as he tried so hard not to scream.

Emilia leaned back before whispering to the bionic siblings. "Guys, this is hilarious. Leo looks like he's about to cry so hard." The three siblings peeked over just slightly to see that what Emilia was saying was in fact true before sinking down again and holding their laughs in.

"Grandma brought your favourite bran fruitcake." She said, pulling it out of her bag, unaware of Leo mouthing the words before he suddenly had it in his arms, causing it to almost drop because of the weight. "Oh, wow!"

He fake smiled back up at his grandma before saying. "Grandma, you shouldn't have. And when I say you shouldn't have—" Tasha was quick to interject before he finished the sentence as she scolded. "Leo..."

"Now, where's my little Ariel?" Rose looked for her grandson's best friend and smiled upon seeing the girl in the kitchen. "There she is! Oh, Emilia. Come here and give me a hug."

The auburn-haired girl grinned, standing down from the stool before approaching the woman to greet her in a hug. They pulled away before the woman said. "You still making sure Leo stays out of trouble?"

"Like I do everyday, Rose." Emilia smiled warmly towards the woman who then looked over her shoulder to see Adam, Bree and Chase, trying to sneak out of the room, and since she didn't know who they were, she asked. "Who are they?"

The bionic trio turned around alarmed as Emilia whipped her head around in panic just as Tasha stammered. "They are the... staff! Big house."

The woman looked at her daughter in disbelief as she told her. "Staff? Oh, Tasha, still so lazy."

Looking at her mother in anger, Tasha started to say. "And you are still so— my mother." She fake smiled towards the woman who chuckled before asking. "So what do you do?" With her eyes on Adam, he glanced at his siblings before starting to answer. "Well, I collect rocks. I lift heavy things, I chase bugs—"

"Adam," Tasha injected, gritting her teeth. "is our chef." She finished, looking over at Adam who chuckled. "Oh. Right. Chef. Normally, I wear a puffy hat and yell things in Italian. Bonjour!"

The others around him apart from Leo's grandma started laughing nervously with Tasha nervously chuckling. "What a wonderful sense of humour."

She glared at Adam, making him shut up before her mother decided to ask. "And who is she?"

Tasha gestured to Bree before lying. "Bree is my personal trainer."

"Oh. And what exactly does a personal trainer do?" Rose questioned, raising her brows before Bree stammered. "It's personal?" Tasha quickly moved over to stand beside Chase as she tried to think of an excuse. "And Chase... Chase is Leo's nanny. Man-nanny. Manny."

Emilia almost laughed at the look of both Leo and Chase's faces before looking over at Rose who questioned. "Aren't you a little young to be a manny?" Chase nervously smiled towards Rose before questioning in return. "Aren't you a little young to be a grandma?"

Rose looked over at Emilia and Leo before smiling. "Oh, I like him." The auburn haired girl sent her a thumbs up, sighing in relief when Rose believed what Tasha had explained.

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After watching Bree try to train Rose, Emilia had been stuck supervising Adam as he attempted to cook spaghetti for dinner. She glanced to the side to see Rose losing her balance causing Bree to use her super speed to get behind the woman and hold her so she didn't fall.

Rose looked up at her in slight confusion before asking. "How did you get behind me so fast?"

Bree widened her eyes before stammering. "How did you get in front of me so fast? Speedy little grandma, you!"

Emilia turned back to Adam as she muttered under her breath. "That was close." Soon, Tasha went to go downstairs to yell at her husband, so Emilia decided to do some exercises with Bree to past the time. Donald had finally arrived upstairs after Tasha came back up not long ago, with Chase and Leo following behind him.

Rose stood up from the couch, noticing his presence as she let out. "Donald!" He walked towards her, calling out her name before she continued. "About time. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."

"I was— uh sick. I mean I was sick. I was feeling very ill." Donald was quick to correct himself, after realising what he had said. "And I had a very important phone call. Uh, it's not nearly as important as you."

Rose looked at him unconvinced as she chuckled sarcastically. "Nice save."

Donald nodded along as he muttered. "Thank you. I thought so." He scanned the living room, before noticing what Adam and the girls were doing causing him to look to his wife before he questioned. "Honey, what're Adam, Bree and Emilia doing?"

Tasha stood up in panic before reminding him, so he would get the hint. "You mean our chef and trainer?" Donald seemed like he got the hint as he nodded along. "That explains what they're doing." The auburn haired banshee looked over at Adam suspiciously as he called out. "Uh, just a couple more minutes."

Leo looked down at what Adam was making. "Till what? You melt the pot?"

Tasha smiled nervously. "You know what? Let's just all sit down and have a nice dinner together."

Leo stared at his mother before telling her. "We can sit down, but having a nice dinner just isn't gonna happen." Chase had to purposely move Leo away from the stove after being called out by Rose. Emilia stared at whatever Adam had just scooped onto Rose's plate before looking behind her where the hidden elevator was and stared at the wall, like she knew something was going to happen and it wasn't good.

"Trust me, there is nothing unusual going on here." Tasha told her mother who was confused by what was going on. "Everything is completely normal." She added. Emilia widened her eyes as she could hear whirring sounds in her head.

Tasha looked up at the auburn haired girl to see her standing there, so she called out. "Emilia? Are you okay?" But before she could answer, the wall that was hiding the hidden elevator was suddenly smashed open, causing everyone at the table to gasp when they saw the exoskeleton come through.

Emilia whipped her head around, making eye contact with Tasha before answering. "No I'm not!"

Donald winced. "That was horrible timing."

Everyone stood up from their seats as the kitchen counter was flipped over, and Chase immediately ran to Emilia and stood in front of her as he pushed her back to protect her.

"What is that?" Rose questioned, having no idea about Donald's inventions. Leo looked away before stammering. "That is another member of our staff." He looked over at the robot before shouting. "Go away, James. We don't need you right now."

Rose looked at her grandson. "Boy, I'm old, not senile and that's no butler. I'm out."

She turned around and ran to go hide behind the couch with the others following, apart from Chase and Leo who hide behind one of the plants.

Bree looked at her older brother. "Adam, don't just sit there. Go take that thing down!" She told the boy who glanced over at the scene in front of them before telling her. "I would but it looks like Emmy is already doing it."

"What?!" Tasha gasped, looking over to see the girl doing all kinds of flips to avoid the robot's lasers.

Rose looked at the Davenport man before telling him. "Donald! You're the man of the house, do something!"

"Right. I'll take care of this." Donald said, standing up to approach the exoskeleton but it shot a laser towards his way causing him to flinch and let out a squeal before moving back to hide behind the couch.

"My hero." Rose muttered sarcastically before Emilia had shouted in the same tone. "Nice going!" She slid through the exoskelton's legs before lifting her leg up to kick it harshly causing it to stumble back slightly.

She rolled to the right as a laser was shot her way before jumping back up to her feet, with Chase staring at her in awe. "Wait, I have an idea." Leo called out all of a sudden before going to run out the room but a laser was shot his way but he managed to lean back in time before officially making it out the room.

Emilia glared at the robot as she groaned on the floor, since it got a hit on her before rolling to the side and jumping back up before jump kicking it.

She was about to take another hit again but a pillow was thrown her way, causing her to glare at Donald who smiled sheepishly at her.

Tasha turned to her husband. "It's destroying our house and trying to kill Emilia and your tossing pillows at it!"

"Well, they're called throw pillows." Donald said in defence before turning around just as Chase shouted to Emilia in warning. The Hunter girl was now in the exoskeleton's hold as it lifted her in the air as she was struggling to breath, gnawing her hands at it to try and get it's hand to loosen off her neck but that failed as it simply turned and threw her towards the wall, having her to smack down onto the glass table with a hard smack, glass shattering everywhere as she fell unconscious, unable to hear everyone call out her name in worry.

Leo came running back in, glancing to see his best friend unconscious with the glass table smashed around her causing him to glare up at the exoskeleton as he announced. "Time for this exo to meet his match."

Chase's eyes lightened up, seeing what was in Leo's hand before saying in realisation. "The electro field de-stabiliser. Great idea, Leo."

"Thanks." Leo smiled as he about to fight off the robot with the device when he glanced at Chase and sighed before running to him. "Here, you should do it. Sorry for stealing your sizzle."

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I just have to get used to the idea of having another brother around." Chase explained, trying to apologise to the Dooley boy.

"Guys, I'm really enjoying the heartfelt moment, but I'm running out of pillows here while Emilia is still unconscious!" Donald interjected.

Soon the exoskeleton turned as it heard Chase call out. "Hey, exo!" He waved his arms around like a lunatic before jumping over the plants and rolling off the couch before doing different flips to avoid the robot's hits.

"Here comes the pain." Leo called out, going to hit the exoskeleton with the device but it had been knocked out of his hand and now Leo was suddenly in the robot's hold with Leo nervously asking. "Hey Chase, did we have a plan B?"

"Hey!" Rose yelled, standing up from her hiding spot as the robot turned to her before she scolded. "Nobody lays a hand on my grandson and his best friend. It's time to pick up the hat!"

Rose ran forward and kicked the exoskeleton in the chest causing it to stumble back and let go of Leo before she instantly ran back to her hiding spot, smiling as Bree complimented. "Way to go, Grandma! And you didn't even break a hip."

"Look out, Leo!" Chase yelled, sliding across the floor to grab the de-stabiliser before pulling Leo away before forming a shield around them before they managed to hit the exoskeleton causing it to fly back and lose it's power.

They all celebrated that it was finally over before Rose had turned to them and started scolding them. "Somebody better tell me what's going on right now. And right now just passed, so you're not talking fast enough."

Chase looked behind him, his eyes widening when he realised Emilia was still unconscious before running over and crouched down beside her before brushing the glass gently out of her hair, seeing a small cut on her forehead before picking her up and placing her onto his back before walking back over to the group as Tasha explained. "You know what mom. This is our life. Our house may be high-tech and chaotic, but it's full of love. And it may not be perfect for you, but it is perfect for our family."

Chase didn't bother leaning in as he glanced up to see Emilia was still unconscious on his back before looking over at Rose who questioned them. "What family? Wait a minute, who are these people?"

"They are my brother's kids." Donald stammered nervously as he pointed to the three bionic siblings. "That I adopted when he died— fell in a volcano."

They all grew nervous before Rose smiled. "Well, why didn't you just say so? Now it all makes sense. You're just a modern family with a bunch of adorable kids. Who is gonna need their grandma around all the time."

Their smiles soon fell, following by a few quiet murmurs from Emilia, signalling to Chase that she was awake before Rose continued. "I can stay for a few days, in the spare room you got down the hall. Come on, baby. I got my overnight case in the car, and Gladys is watching Poochie so it's no problem. Don't thank me now."

Tasha ran out the door with her mother in panic before Donald had turned to Chase and Leo, looking up to see Emilia half awake with her head buried in Chase's neck.

"Chase, you really messed up today, but you kind of made up for it, the way you helped like a brother." Donald explained. "And since we have to reschedule it anyways, I want you both to be on... the call." He said, changing his tone on the last part before gasping. "Hoo, it's back, baby."

Donald and Leo had walked away with Chase still standing in the living room, glancing up at Emilia who mumbled. "Can you take me to my room, please? If you don't mind."

Chase smiled softly. "Of course."

He started walking towards the stairs, his smile growing when he heard Emilia reply. "Thanks Chase."

He had gently put her to bed, knowing how tired she was, after what had happened before making his way back downstairs to watch a movie with the others.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───