Aura Isn't Everything

Chapter 1: Metal

"Right then. Everything packed up, Monarch?"

{"Affirmative, Pilot Raymond. Everything in the rented garage has been efficiently and carefully stored for moving."}

"Good. Let's get going, then."

I picked up the two body bags as Monarch heaved a bunch of equipment tied together over her shoulder. I opened the garage door that led to the surface, moving out into the night and looking around. After seeing no one around, I rose an eyebrow.

'Shouldn't there be someone on curfew tonight...? Where the hell is Glynda...?'

I hummed before moving along towards the helipad yard with Monarch carefully walking behind me, ensuring that her footsteps were not too heavy. Approaching a Bullhead large enough to fit everything, I ushered Monarch in before jumping in myself, taking one last look around to make sure no one was about. Going the cockpit, I saw the pilot knocked out cold. Taking him out and laying him up against a tree outside, I went back in, starting up the engines and closing up the doors. Once I got the hang of it, I levitated the large Bullhead into the air, then rocketed it towards Vale, heading off southeast towards the one place I know best. Looking down at the radio, I plugged in my Scroll to it, poking at it until I got my father's contact to ring. I listened to it hum for a few moments before he picked up.

["You f***ers better have a good reason for calling so goddamn late in this night..."]

I rose an eyebrow before chuckling.

"Hello, dad."

["Dnomyar?"]

I could hear the shifting movement beyond the Scroll.

["Dnomyar?! Is that Dnomyar?! Give it to me! Give me the Scroll!"]

["R-Rena, please. Calm down."]

["LET ME SPEAK TO MY BABY!!!"]

I reeled back as I looked back at Monarch, who was looking at the Scroll before turning her data core to me. I gave a shrug as I hard my mother literally beat my father over the Scroll, fighting him for it until she eventually got it.

["D-Dnomyar? Are you still there?!"]

"Eh, yeah. Heya, mom."

["Oh, thank god you're alright. When I heard you sent Crocea Mors back and that you... well... I wasn't sure if you were OK..."]

"Mom, I'm fine. In fact, I'm more than fine... or, going to be, anyway. Listen, I snuck out of Beacon."

["You what? But, why would you-"]

"First things first. Can you put it on speaker. I needed to speak to dad, too."

I could legit hear my mother pout before she tuned it to speaker.

["Alright. He's on."]

["You snuck out of Beacon? Why?"]

"It's... complicated, but I needed to speak with you while I was still heading out."

["Yeah, I'm here. What do you need, son, and where are you going?"]

"Where? Heh, I'm coming home."

["YOU'RE WHAT?!!? YOU'RE COMING HOME!!! OH, MY BABY'S-"]

"But, that's where it's complicated. I'm not coming home, per say, but I am coming back to the Edge. Listen, dad, do we still have that old warehouse in the Hidden Cliffs?"