A diamond hidden within the gray line

Chapter 68: Tyson's theories and offer.

-Bowser pov-

I could no longer control myself. Before, i wouldn't be doing something like this...me being too prideful to show my raw emotions in front of others is probably what stopped me. Sure, i would always show that i cared for my kids, especially for junior...it's just...max has such an effect on me...he's of royal lineage because of maximilian and a von ghoul which is an amazing combination!

It's in front of a small crowd that i'm doing this...crying in front of them...it's so unbearably embarrassing, but at least it's not in front of mario!

-Kamek pov-

I cannot help but wonder if this will eventually cause my king to actually open up to the rest of the world....ugh, the thought of that makes me want to cringe! And yet...it seems to me that things are on a path that leads to a change that even i need to prepare for.

-Narration-

Bowser gradually calmed down enough to slowly stop crying while max still looked confused, but not so much so that he's paralyzed with hesitation to react. "As much as i would love to see this bond, i believe we should deal with whoever was at the door." Marx says nonchalantly which catches bowser off guard and surprises mike. "PLEASE don't tell me one of those idiot koopatrol decided to snoop..." Bowser says with an embarrassed growl. "No, but it was junior. It's why i looked at the door moments ago. I uh..i think he heard everything." Max explains. "How did you..-" Mike began to ask, who wasn't even aware of junior's aura.

"Max is the one who noticed first. I'm surprised you didn't notice as well..." Tyson replied to mike with a light chuckle. "Great..just great..." Bowser says with a sigh. For him, he knew that would only be a matter of time before junior ends up saying something to roy.

-Mike pov-

Meh..i clearly need to practice with my ability to sense aura more...i should've known something was up when  max looked at the throne room door!

-Bowser pov-

Fuck! I always knew that junior can sometimes be too curious for his own good...i half expected to hear that it was larry! I wasn't sure why max looked at the door at first...i thought he was about to walk out but he  surprises me instead.

-Marx pov-

Oh my, this is unexpected. I knew someone was there, but since i can't exactly sense aura, i wasn't aware that it was dear ol' goliath's son.

-Narration-

"Hm..your son is young, but does deserve to know the truth." Tyson commented with a sigh. "And you think i don't know that?" Bowser asked with a growl. For him, this was only becoming harder on the koopa king. Sure, he's in tough situations plenty of times before, but this? This is proving to be the hardest on him. "Perhaps that can wait? I realize that there's no way we can simply brush this aside, but we have another issue to deal with." Kamek quickly says. "Which is?" Mike asked. "Well..giving max his wand and figuring out what to do next." Kamek answered.

-Bowser pov-

Nothing, and i mean NOTHING can top this...lying to junior who his mother is was really just me desperately wanting to give my son a mother a few months after clawdia died...is it coming back to haunt me..?

-Narration-

"Before that happens, i have a..theory about zöhm. One that will lead to a rather troubling question. One that max will eventually answer on his own." Tyson says before looking at max. "Why him?" Kamek asked while bowser raised an eyebrow. "For max to be able to explain what he saw before we all encountered zöhm..should have been impossible. Eldritch beings have forms that mortals cannot possibly fathom and yet max was able to. Not just anyone can describe zöhm as a 'fucked up star'. It leaves me to believe that the von ghouls are not entirely mortal." Tyson explains.