Flipside

Part 3, Part 2

Word got out quick about what had happened.

"Andreas, honey, you've got a visitor." Jada told him. She had been homeschooling him since he revealed himself. A girl, who appeared to be about seventeen, stepped into the house. "I would like you to meet Irene Smith." She announced.

"Hi." Irene said, crushing a cigarette that was hanging out of her mouth on the table. Jada simply bit her lip.

"Hello." Andreas nodded politely. Her breath reeked of alcohol and smoke.

"You've caused quite a buzz." She smiled lazily.

"You've caused one, yourself." He could tell she was drunk from her movements. She just laughed and tossed her coat at the couch, revealing a shirt with a familiar symbol on it.

"Recognize that?" She slurred. "Yeah, it's the symbol of the rebellion now."

"Rebellion?" He asked.

"You know, that thing that you're leading?" Jada spat out her coffee.

"I didn't mean to..." He admitted.

"Better think before you act next time." She advised.

''There will be no rebellion with my son in it!" Jada announced.

"A little too late for that, right?"

"This is what I was trying to save him from!" She screeched. "Get out of my house, you useless drunk!"

"Oh?" Irene pulled out a cord. "Say that again, please, I didn't hear you."

"I asked you to get out of my house." She grabbed a nearby needle and thread. Irene glared at her for a moment, then disappeared. "Back at the Plane of Duty where you belong."

***
Three years later, at the age of twelve, another visitor came. By then Andreas was recognized as the leader of the revolution.

The woman kind of just barged in, no knocking or anything.

"Hello, Andreas." She nodded.

"Hello." He agreed. She was an Aquian, who wielded a fishing pole. "What is your name?"

"It's- I can't remember, honestly, I've been referred to as the Empress." She shrugs.

"You're- what?" Asked Andreas.

"The Empress of the Aquian Kingdom." She answered.

"I'm sorry for not recognizing you." He apologized.

"No, that's alright." She laughed. "I have a feeling you're going to be far more important than me."

"Mom will literally kick you out if you say the word 'rebellion' in this house, I swear." Andreas warned her.

"Oh, it's fine." She told him. "But you will need a better weapon than- than whatever the hell you have now." She passed him a bag. "These are amber marbles. They each contain an insect. When you flick one, a supersize monster that resembles the insect will come out to fight for you. I'd suggest buying some more at the market. These are the best money can buy, so save them for special occasions." Andreas picked up a marble and observed the tiny scorpion inside it.

"Cool. Thanks, Ms. Empress." He smiled.

"No problem, Mr. Hybrid Rebellion." She laughed back. "Oh! I almost forgot." She uncovered a basket to reveal a baby. "I thought that maybe you'd like to take care of it. I did a DNA test on him, and it turns out that not only is he a Golem- he's your brother."

"Whoa..." Andreas picked up the baby. It seemed to be close to newborn.

"I mean, you don't need him if you don't want him, but-"