- Soul of Steel -

Chapter 8: The Girl With The Burning Eyes

"Honestly, I know it's a lot to ask but can you cook for me again someday?" was the first thing coming out of Haru's mouth when he left his home with Nessa by his side. His Cinderace named Goji followed the two as Nessa joins his side.

She'd go up and poke his nose a bit before taking one of his hands with the two clasping together. "Of course I wouldn't mind doing it again as long as I'm going to be given a solo performance by you."

"Oh, just you wait. Been practicing again on a few surprises for you that I'll reveal soon." he'd say back, deciding to walk with her to Hulbury.

"Speaking of revealing surprises, I know it came up awhile back but my parents have contacted me and they want to meet you soon. We'd have to all cooperatively arrange a time so you should let me know when's a good time for you." Nessa explained, turning to Haru who nodded. This time he didn't look like a deer in headlights in terms of anxiety.

"I'm starting to look forward to it honestly. Hopefully they don't have any issues with me, as it'll be my first time meeting anyone's parents in this context. From what you've told me, they seem nice. Shame I can't chew the scenery with your dad about fishing but I hope we find some good middle ground. Maybe I can with your mom though since we both are invested in making our own recipes and she does that-" He had caught himself in mid-sentence when in the midst of traveling from his home to Hulbury on the bridge overlooking The Wild Area the two of them would run into someone familiar. A lady wearing a dark purple sun hat and a grey/blue capsule day dress was walking their way and Haru froze a bit.

"Haru!"

"Mom? What are you doing out all the way here?" He exclaimed, catching Nessa by surprise when the word 'Mom' came out. Goji looks at all 3 of them, unsure of where it was going to go next.

- - - - - Hulbury - - - - -

- - - - - Small Marketplace - - - - -

"All these months and only NOW I get to meet the lady that swept up my son off his feet? Come on!" Haru's Mom said, having her arms crossed but was more than willing to finally talk to Nessa in person. Hands were shook and the 3 of them would find a table to sit together. Haru seemed a little anxious with this going on so suddenly, since he had a few ideas of where this was going to go as his mom sat with a leg crossed. To let the 3 of them have some privacy, and because he was there doing laps each time they arrived, Goji would spend the next few minutes doing laps around the whole city.

"With introductions out of the way Nessa is it okay if I get to know you a bit? I know you're probably busy but there's a few questions I've been meaning to get off my chest." she'd say, to which Nessa gestured politely

"Go ahead and ask away, Miss...?" she remembered that Haru never outright told Nessa her name.

"Lana. You can call me Miss Lana." Lana responded happily but narrowed her eyes suddenly to go into the mode Haru wasn't really willing for Nessa to deal with now. "What are your intentions with my son?"

Haru got a bead of sweat on his forehead and looked at the two, but Nessa didn't back down and answered as politely as she could. His mother was an empath and could sense within most people if they hid things from her either by speaking or touching them; not always immediate but it was enough to carry her through her livelihood. With a smile to Haru that reassured him that she'd be fine, Nessa answered "I intend to keep loving him and dating him for the remainder of my days as long as we both can manage it. Nobody else strikes me quite like he does, and last night he proved that when I was at my lowest point in awhile by being a shoulder for me to cry on. All because the media is full of poisonous beings, like a bunch of Ekans."