Borrowing 101

Chapter Thirty-Seven | Borrowing 101

Parker crouched low, hand resting on the cool tile of the kitchen counter. His heart was pumping steadily, every sense feeling heightened as he stayed perfectly still. His entire body was like that of a statue. Everything felt perfectly in place.

Cocking his head to one side, he heard his mom getting her cup of morning coffee mere feet away. He counted the seconds and had everything perfectly timed. Three seconds to pour. Two for the creamer. Five seconds stirring. One quick sip lasting one or two seconds.

He felt himself smile as he spotted the thing he was going for – a sugar packet.

His mom turned and headed for the main counter, book in one hand and mug in the other, and sat down on one of the swiveling chairs. The time was not now, however. She usually forgot something on the opposite counter, which would bring her inches from him, and then it would be time to move.

Sure enough, Parker's prediction came true.

Amanda turned back to the main counter once everything was on the island counter. She reached for the breakfast bars she had been eating for breakfast for forever, which was directly in front of him. Only two inches from him, Parker felt the urge to flee, but he fought it. He paused and watched as his mom's fingers lingered there for a long time before she returned to the counter.

This is when Parker made his move.

He darted along the backsplash, ducking behind various jars and even managing a perfect tumble as he cleared the bread bag. Silent and unseen, he managed to make it to the coffee station, snag one of the sugar packets, and slip it into his bag and slide to safety on the other side of the refrigerator and down the safety line before his mom turned around again.

The moment he touched down, he turned toward the awaiting crowd. Kers, Toulouse, Mira, and the two oldest siblings Kit and Finnick, all stood at the end of the line by the base of the refrigerator. He fished out the sugar from his pack and grinned, heart still skipping a beat now and then from excitement.

"So? How'd I do?" asked Parker. Mira was the first to break, naturally, as a maternal smile of pride spread across her face. Kers was the second to break as he stepped up to Parker's side and ruffled his hair playfully. Finnick, like his father, gave a nod of approval while Kit kept her arms folded.

"Beginner's luck," Kit quipped as she turned and headed back for the safety of the walls.

"Don't listen to her. She's just jealous that you're a natural," stated Finnick. "Just make sure to keep your tumbles to a minimum. They feel cool in the moment, but depending on what's in your pack it might throw you off and cause problems. Otherwise, good control." Toulouse smiled and gave his son an approving pat on his shoulder.

"We'll drill more tumbles tomorrow," he said gruffly before, like his daughter and his wife, they too vanished into the walls.

Kers nodded as he patted Parker on the shoulder.

"As for borrowing basics, I think you've got it, kid," commended Kers. "Now, the main test is seeing what your mom noticed. So, let's go find out."

Parker felt himself beaming as he and Kers both stepped out from the corner of the counter that met the appliance door and headed for the secured lines that had been installed for them. It was hard to believe that it had only been one month since Parker's return home after his harrowing misadventure.

After Parker's return, he and his mom had another long talk about what happened. Parker talked about the things he remembered and how he'd been taken by Rachel as well as everything that happened. It took all the strength that Amanda had to not drive over immediately and give Rachel a piece of her mind, especially when she helped Parker change his bandages and she saw the teeth punctures Rachel's bearded dragon gave him.

Lyn was still permitted to come over later that day where she and Amanda had a long talk about Rachel. Lyn happily informed Amanda that Rachel had to give up her pet and would be talking to some professionals in order to better understand what was going on. While Lyn didn't have any ideas as to why Rachel was acting the way she was, her parents were absolutely invested in finding the root cause of it.

Apologetic and understanding, Lyn swore she would do everything she could to make sure Rachel was going to realize the severity of what she had tried to do and said she understood if Amanda limited contact with her son, to which Amanda assured wouldn't happen once Parker had earned back some trust.

The two teens had a chance to talk a bit at the kitchen counter independently before Lyn had to leave to finish some errands for her parents. They promised to talk as often as possible and that things would be back to normal soon.

Normal, however, had taken on a new meaning.

During dinner that very night, Kers had come forward in front of both Parker and Amanda and had proposed that Parker learn more about his Borrower lineage. Though Kers didn't know Parker's family and assured he wasn't trying to cut in where he wasn't welcome, he offered his services in teaching Parker how to hone his Borrower skills.

"It'll help keep you safe if you do decide to strike out on your own one of these days and help you in everyday life when it comes to maneuvering in the human world," stated Kers. "No pressure and no rush. Give a shout when or if you're ready."

For both Amanda and Parker, it wasn't a difficult decision. Now that Amanda knew about Borrowers, she wanted to make sure Paker had all the knowledge and skills possible to help him succeed. The discussion was a brief one, but they both decided that Parker needed to learn from Kers.

It took a week, however, for Parker to begin earning back his privileges. Amanda knew she was being soft on her son, but she'd added additional responsibilities and contingencies for him having some of his freedoms back. Both of them also knew that Parker wasn't the type to run away to avoid his responsibilities and wouldn't be running away again anytime soon.

By the end of the second week, Parker was actively training with Kers and, a few days later, the other Borrowers in the house. As soon as school was over, Parker logged out of his devices and went down to the kitchen or the living room where his mom was and, from there, began his training regimen.

Some of it was simple athletics training. Running. Jumping. Pushups. Sit-ups. Squats. Climbing. Tumbling. Anything and everything that he could do to better hone his physical abilities and make him a better Borrower.

Another portion of it was learning about Borrower history; at least, what little of it Kers knew. Kers talked about the stories he'd heard about different Borrower tribes who lived out in the wilderness as well as Borrowers who lived in the walls of human homes. He told Parker about some of the stories his family had told him as well as a little bit of his own history.

The entire encounter felt surreal, like it was out of some kind of weird dream. It didn't feel real, and yet Parker knew he was awake and taking in everything like a sponge. Hearing about different traditions and rules as well as the daily grind of Borrower life was eye opening. From preserving food to improvised construction, Parker took everything he could get. More than that – he began writing it down.

One thing that he'd noticed with all of Kers' stories was that they were verbal, which wasn't good in Parker's opinion. He started recording everything in his journals at the end of every session, writing down everything from front to finish. It helped the teen's memory and helped preserve the existence of an entire secret species of being.

So, a month later, Parker had completed his first practical test. With the help of his mom, he had just practiced running along the counter and hiding in plane sight and it was time for the results.

The countertop towered over Parker, but it didn't instill that same sense of vertigo that it used to. Sure, there was still a bit of swirling that happened when craning his neck upward, but Parker was better prepared now and had been growing accustomed to seeing things both as the son of a human and being a Borrower.

The teen glanced around the corner and saw his mom's leg bouncing nervously up and down. It made him smile. She'd been told to stay in her seat until the "test" was over unless she heard something, and she was trying to do so even now. Parker cleared his throat and stood out in the open while Kers, on the other hand, stayed pressed along the edge of the counter while he tried out the rope for security purposes.

Amanda's eyes immediately snapped down to the ground where she spotted her son. The silhouette of his mom brought back the haunting image of Rachel, which made him shudder. It would take more time for Parker to get over that image which now helped fuel his nightmares, but knowing justice was being done was what really mattered.

"Hey, so? How'd it go?" asked Amanda as she leaned forward and rested her hand on the ground. For a moment, she looked like she hesitated as she glimpsed at Kers, who was peering around the corner of the island counter at the two of them. "Oh… were you… going to climb up?"

The thought that his mom was trying to keep the "Borrower rules" intact was nice, but it would be an impossible habit to break. He knew it, and so did she. The exchange made the two of them smile and Parker knew the answer before his mom had even asked the question.

"If it's okay, I'll take the lift," said Parker as he turned to Kers. "Want a lift?"

Kers looked up at Amanda before politely shaking his head, saying, "No. Thank you though." Parker acknowledged with a nod and climbed onto his mom's hand. He remembered the feeling of unease when he let his mom carry him from place to place, but now he understood the reason behind it. Still, he fought off his instinct and braced himself by crouching and keeping one hand on the crook of his mom's thumb.

The lurching sensation his insides gave him was a welcomed and familiar one, and it only lasted for a second as Amanda placed Parker onto the counter. Waiting there were little sandwiches on a clean dish cloth which made the whole area look like a picnic. The memories of picnics in the shady wooded area at his old home made the Borrower teen smile.

Waiting patiently was hard, considering the sandwiches were one of Parker's favorites, but wait they did until Kers huffed his way up on top of the counter and dusted himself off before walking over and sitting on the cloth beside Parker. The older Borrower's eyes widened at the feast in front of them. Chips. Dip. Sandwiches. Even pink lemonade. All of this would have taken weeks to obtain, and it wouldn't have been set out so lavishly or preserved so nicely if not assembled by a human.

Kers knew this and looked up and smiled at Amanda, saying, "Thank you," before snagging one of the chips and breaking off a piece to chew on.

"You're welcome," she replied as she sipped on her coffee. The three of them ate in silence for a few minutes before Kers broke the silence.

"You should consider climbing a bit more just to get into the habit of it," stated Kers. Parker sighed and nodded as he wiped his face clean.

"I know, but I don't want to change everything all at once. And I did climb up to the counters twice last night as well as today for the exercise; which, mom, how'd I do?" asked Parker. His mom set down her cup and gave a little thumbs up.

"Honestly, I didn't notice you. I tried looking around and had an idea that you were hiding near the creamer, but I didn't say anything and kept going as normal," said Amanda. Parker couldn't stop smiling as a surge of pride swelled in him, and Kers knew it too.

Parker wasn't hiding anywhere near the creamer, and the fact that his mom hadn't noticed was a true testament that Parker's training was successful. Phase one was complete, and it was bittersweet because it meant Parker was getting better at vanishing in plane sight.

"Well, Parker, I'd say that your training test today was a success," stated Kers, not mentioning the fact that Parker was in an entirely different place. Parker nodded and kept quiet as well. Kers probably didn't want to give away that spot just in case they needed to use it at some point in the future. Parker would probably say something about it later when Kers was back in the walls, but not now.

"So? What's next?" Amanda prompted.

"Next? Mostly continuing training and enhancing his body. Instinct enhancement and anticipation are going to be key," replied Kers. "You have an advantage seeing that you've been raised by a human. You'll be better at figuring out what someone is going to do before they do it."

"So, more practical tests?" asked Parker. Kers nodded quietly as he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. His instinct to not waist potential resources for perceived "unnecessary" made for some interesting table manners, but no one said anything about it. It had become normal, which made Parker feel at ease.

"Absolutely," Kers stated. "Making some obstacle courses with difficult terrain will be the most helpful. Also, we need to work on your hook tossing. So far, you've never been under pressure when tossing. A real scenario would have you practice that. Also, fast line descent. We'll need to adjust your wardrobe and make you some line gloves."

"Okay. Sounds good, but could we do that next week? I've got some papers I need to write for class and Lyn, and I have to finish our science fair report. Well, I need to finish my part of it. So?" asked Parker. Kers sighed and folded his arms across his chest. Parker was starting to pick up on the habit, and it was usually when some "human" thing interrupted a Borrower thing.

Still, Kers nodded in compliance. "Very well. If it's important for this class stuff, then yes. You need to keep up your presence for a little while until you… what is it? Graduate?"

"Yeah, graduate," confirmed Parker. The word was a crazy one to say. In a little over a year, Parker would graduate high school. He would be one of the youngest graduates in his classes, but that's what he got for excelling in his studies. Parker didn't have the heart to tell Kers that he was actually considering going to college virtually and continuing his studies.

Again, that would be a conversation for another day.

"Well then, that's just going to have to work then," sighed Kers. "Apologies I can't stay longer, but I have a few things I need to prepare in my area. I did want to bring something up for both of you, if that's alright."

Amanda felt herself stiffen, and Parker felt a bit of unease settle over him as well. Kers wasn't usually the bearer of bad news, but he did have some interesting requests when Parker first started training with him, such as Parker keeping Borrower history to himself as well as not disclosing some of the Borrower trade secrets with his own mom because it could be used against Borrowers if the information fell into the wrong hands.

"Um… sure. What is it?" Amanda prompted.

"It's nothing serious," stated Kers. "But it would require your permission."

Amanda nodded as she attempted to keep an open mind about what Kers was about to say.

"We're all having dinner together tonight. The… others… and myself. I wanted to see if you would be alright with Parker coming along and having dinner with us. It's just something social and meant to be fun. The kids talked about possibly playing games or something after we eat," stated Kers. "You're free to decline, Parker, but I promise you'll be back before nine o'clock."

Parker glanced at his mom and then back to Kers. He wanted to go with him, but also remembered the rules and consequences of his actions a month prior. Limiting his external social time was one of those consequences. Except for training, which had a purpose, Parker was supposed to spend most of his time out in the open while he studied and worked.

"I'll… uh… I'll see," said Parker hesitantly.

"Alright. If you're coming, be on the counter by six and I'll pick you up." With that, Kers approached the edge of the island counter and slid down the secured line all the way to the ground. Parker wasn't sure if it was tension in the air that he was feeling, but something did feel a bit different between he and his mom.

It wasn't a bad sensation, but it was primed with discussion and words unsaid.

"Well, Parker? How are you feeling?" asked his mom. Parker played with the edge of his plate as he thought about the question. It could be taken in so many directions after all.

"About training? Pretty good. It's weird. It's like… all natural. Everything makes sense and my body just knows what to do most of the time; and if I don't know it, it doesn't take long for me to get it," stated Parker. "And, just feeling in general, I feel pretty good. I'm not going to lie. I do miss talking to my friends and writing and everything, but I understand why I don't get to partake in that stuff anymore."

Parker noticed his mom shifting out of the corner of his eye and she inhaled and exhaled slowly as if in contemplation.

"Parker, I know this past month has been tough on you with not getting to speak with your friends, and I hope you know that your happiness is what really matters to me," said Amanda. Parker wasn't sure where she was going with this. He wasn't sure why, but an initial sense of worry began to swell in him. When he looked at his mom's face, however, he already saw her signature smile accompanied with a nod.

"I know you, and I know that you're not the type to run away. We were both emotionally raw at the time, and while I know it's only been a month, I think you've earned back some of your privileges. You've kept to our house rules without complaint, and I think you'll continue to do that. So, I think that would be acceptable if you want to go have dinner with the others, I think that would be okay."

Parker felt himself beaming, a smile spreading across his face from one side to the other. He didn't think that it would be only one month of punishment, and Parker knew it would continue for months to come, but he wasn't about to complain.

"Really?" he asked eagerly. His mom nodded and smiled. Parker could see forgiveness in her eyes, which made him smile even wider. It would take more time to mend the crack the two of them had between them, but already it was being mended and filled once again with trust.

"Really," she echoed. Parker leapt to his feet and ran toward his mom's hand, which she splayed ever so slightly so Parker could throw himself against her palm and hug her fingers as he'd done for years.

"Thank you, mom!"

"You're welcome, my love. Make sure you're back by nine so we can finish our book. We'll see about you visiting a little more for fun and social visits if you're back on time," said Amanda. As a mother, she knew it was her job to keep Parker safe and to discipline him as needed when problem issues arose. Frankly, she didn't think she would even last a month simply because Parker had always been such a good kid except for this one incident.

At the end of the day, all of this was for the best and Amanda knew it. This relative lock down wouldn't last for too much longer. Parker was almost back to his old self, but now he knew so much more. He knew more about himself through his experiences, and he understood where he came from because of the people around him.

She couldn't protect him from the world forever, and releasing the reins a bit more every day would be good – for both her and Parker.

"Alright, now go finish your homework and be on the counter at six o'clock sharp. If your science fair write-up isn't finished before then, you won't be able to go," stated Amanda. She saw parker nod eagerly and, from that look alone, knew he was already finished except for the final touches.

"Yes ma'am," said Parker. With that, he hurried to the edge of the counter and quickly skidded down the line to the floor. The ascent up the stairs wasn't nearly as hard as it had been before the Borrower teen's training, but Parker knew it wouldn't be for long. He already had plans for that elevator he wanted to install from before leading from the kitchen to the second floor by his bedroom. He'd finalize the plans and show them to his mom before too long.

Six o'clock raced at Parker full force and, in no time, he was on the counter ready to be picked up by Kers. He'd already shown his work to his mom, proving he could spend the evening away, and promised he'd be back by nine.

"Mind your manners and have fun," reminded Amanda. Parker nodded, and just in time too. The electrical outlet cracked open right at that moment and Kers' face appeared in the darkness. A smile tugged onto the sides of his lips as he held the cover open for Parker. Giving a wave to Amanda, Kers promised to have Parker back in time before the two Borrowers vanished into the walls.

They didn't say much on the walk there, and it wasn't until Parker crossed the threshold of the house that conversation really started up. Finnick talked to Parker the most, and it had to do with tumbling and training. His suggestion was having Amanda make an obstacle course that Parker didn't see her make and have Parker run through all of the blind challenges.

Kit was still being standoffish, but the youngest boy, Reed, said that Kit wouldn't shut up about Parker when he wasn't around. This sent the two Borrower kids into a tussling match which Kit barely managed to proclaim herself as the winner.

Meanwhile, Mira pulled Parker into the kitchen and quizzed him on his knowledge of the food they were baking and how to store food in the best possible way. Considering they were having mac-n-cheese, rehydrated beef jerky, and green bean fragments which were also being rehydrated, Parker was able to provide the answer to everything.

It wasn't until they were about to sit down when there was a knock at the door. It was so unexpected that Parker whipped around and instinctually reached for the pin he now kept at his side. Startled, the Borrower teen glanced around and felt a bit surprised when no one else had the same reaction. It was almost as if it was expected.

"Is that them?" asked Reed as he untangled himself from Kit's hold and ran for the door.

"Hey! Don't just charge at the door! It might be a stranger," Kit scolded as she charged after him. Parker listened to the door open as muffled voices began conversing. Based on their tone, they all knew one another.

"Hey there, bobbins," said an unfamiliar voice. "What on earth happened to you two? Wrestling again?"

"No! Punishing this one because he was being rude," Kit replied.

"In your dreams," snapped Reed. Toulouse and Finnick also approached the hallway leading to the door, postures relaxing as they vanished around corner and into the hall.

"It's good to see you two, and you're just in time. We're about to sit down for dinner. Um… mind if we chat outside for a second?" suggested Toulouse.

"Uh, sure. What's up?" asked a second strange voice. The door opened and then closed as the muffled voices continued talking outside. Kers followed behind moments later.

"It must be our two friends from beyond the yard," remarked Mira as she gave Parker a little nudge on his arm with her elbow. "You don't have to worry. They're friends. If you feel uncomfortable, we don't have to invite them in."

"N-no," replied Parker. "It's alright. You said they're friends from beyond the yard?"

"Yes. Though we don't know too much about where they're from since they don't talk about it much, we do know they're excellent Borrowers and live somewhere far away. They go around from house to house figuring out what other Borrowers might need and take the risks to get it. They're very good at what they do. They're the ones who borrowed the pieces for my leg."

"Oh," said Parker as their names came back to him. "It's… R… Rey? And…"

"Hero," filled in Reed. "They're seriously the coolest Borrowers out there, other than my mom and dad. I'm definitely going to try and join their team one of these days. They've got so many cool things that they've borrowed, and their stories are seriously the best!"

"Alright mister adventure. Would you please set the table and get the extra chairs?" asked Mira. Reed obeyed while continuing to talk about the two newcomers, rambling about this and that as Parker moved to help him.

As he did, Parker glanced over at Mira's prosthetic leg once more as he placed the cups and plats onto the table. To him, it looked a bit odd. There was something about the way the ridges on the side were put together and the way that it fit Mira perfectly that bugged him ever so slightly. He couldn't quite place where, but something about it was just different.

It took a couple of minutes, but soon the sound of the door opening and the multiple sets of footsteps following told Parker that the two had decided to stay. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a bit nervous meeting these two new guys. Maybe it was just because he was still getting used to interacting on a regular basis with other Borrowers or maybe it was because Parker feared the strangers' reaction if he accidentally let it slip that he was raised by a human all his life.

Whatever the case, Parker took a quick, calming breath as he turned and faced the two strangers. Both of them were dressed in what looked like fortified leathers that covered them almost from head to toe. The top part was obviously a removable coat, which both of them had started to unbutton, and had a hood with a partial face covering that came up to the bridge of their noses.

One of them had pale blue eyes while the other had bright green eyes, and both had light sandy blonde-brown hair. They might've been brothers if their features weren't so different, the one having slightly rounder features while the other's features were a little more narrow, filled in only by a goatee that was definitely a little scruffy. Parker would've guessed they were a little younger than Kers, but it was hard to tell. Both of them looked strong, deceptively so, and full of life based on the twinkling in their eyes.

"Well, hey there. It's always nice to see a new face. You're Parker, right? I'm Rey, and this is my friend Hero," said the one with the goatee. He held out his hand for Parker to shake. Parker reached out and immediately shook the stranger called Rey's hand. He did the same for Hero.

"It's nice to meet you," Hero said. "Sorry to intrude. If we'd known the family was going to have company, we would've just camped outside tonight."

"No, it's alright. The more the merrier," Mira stated as she began loading up the table with the prepared meal.

"So? What kind of stuff did you bring?" asked Reed, which earned him a scolding glance from his father. The young Borrower didn't say anything else and merely took his seat while looking eagerly at Rey and Hero. He was so excited he was squirming in his seat, making it squeak as he did.

Both of the strangers glanced at one another and laughed as the gestured to the hallway. "We do happen to have a few things in our packs that you all might find fun and useful, but we'll wait for your parents' permission. Sound good?" suggested Hero.

"Yes!" Reed grinned. Finnick and Kit both attempted to take a seat right next to Rey while Reed elected to sit next to Hero. The squabbling siblings resulted in Parker being placed next to Rey while Kers and the other adults sat on the other side of the table. The cramped quarters made Parker think about how this felt like a real family gathering.

He'd seen it in movies before, but he'd only ever had his meals with his mom.

It felt oddly welcome, and Parker was going to embrace every second of it.

They ate and conversed amongst one another. Mostly, Parker felt himself listening as he heard about Rey and Hero's travels. They did indeed come from beyond the yard and further beyond that still. They talked about how they were trying to tame birds for faster travel and even showed off some of their scars from recent lizard based encounters.

"I see you've got some scars of your own," Rey pointed out as he nodded his head toward Parker's left arm. Everything had long scabbed over, but there were still distinct teeth marks all along his shoulder and arm from where he'd almost been taken by the bearded dragon. "How'd you get those? If you don't mind my asking."

"Um…" Parker wasn't sure what it was, but there was something intuitive in those pale blue eyes that were on him.

"It's okay, little man. You don't have to say. I think I know what those belong to. Bearded dragon, right? Nasty things if you wake them up and they're hungry," stated Rey as he continued to eat.

"You've fought one before?" asked Reed.

"Yeah, definitely. A human was walking her pet a while back and let it loose in the grass to hunt bugs. Found my hiding place immediately and grabbed my leg pretty good. Got out in time though, which is the important thing," said Rey.

"Yeah, I had to carry his pack for the rest of the day while he recovered," chimed in Hero. Parker felt himself grinning knowing he had something in common with these awesome adventuring Borrowers. He wondered for a moment if it was the same bearded dragon that got the both of them, but that would be too much of a coincidence. "But! Enough about that! Parker, since you're new here, have any questions for us?"

Parker thought about the question for a second. As he did, he felt a tap under the table as Mira was readjusting herself in her seat, and the nudge was from her prosthetic leg.

"Oh, I'm sorry Parker. I didn't mean to hit you," she apologized. Parker waved it away and smiled. He glanced back down at the leg when it finally hit him. He'd seen grooves and patterns like that before – on a 3D printer. Some of his friends had done 3D printing before, and between the color and the custom fit, it seemed like too many coincidences to be brushed off.

Someone who wasn't familiar with models and the whole process wouldn't know the difference between a doll leg and a printed one. And, if that was the case, how did Hero and Rey have access to something like that. They needed supplies, electricity, and the programming skills in order to do all of that.

That's when a question came to mind.

"Um… I do actually. Um… how'd you do that?" asked Parker as he pointed to Mira's leg.

"Huh?" asked Hero as he glanced over the table at Mira's leg. His body shifted from openly friendly to a distinct shiver going down his spine. Rey obviously saw that too and smiled politely.

"Ms. Mira's leg. She said you all were the ones who brought it. How'd you make it? If you're… wait, what is it? 'Outies?' How'd you get the supplies and everything to make it?" asked Parker. The two Borrowers glanced at one another, now a bit tense, which prompted Parker to continue. "It's 3D printed, right? How'd you manage to pull that off?"

Rey turned toward Parker, a sly grin in the corner of his mouth, as he looked Parker in the eye. Immediately, Parker saw something in those pale blue eyes that told him that there was far more to these two than any of them knew.

"We borrowed it, naturally," stated Rey. "You say it's 3D printed?"

"Um… y-yeah," said Parker. His instincts hadn't led him astray, and Parker knew he was on the right path talking to these guys about this.

"Well, that's fun. That's usually a human thing if I remember correctly," stated Hero. "You've got a good eye for something like that, kid."

Hero's words seemed to disperse the relative tension that filled the air and Toulouse and Kers began striking up a conversation with both Rey and Hero, letting Parker off of the hook as he helped clean up after dinner. Parker wanted to stay and talk, but the adults dismissed the kids, even Finnick, to go to the living area to show Parker some games that they had.

Together, they played "Pictionary," some dice game called "Pig," and even started their own checkers tournament because they didn't know how the chess pieces actually worked. The rest of the evening progressed smoothly, each group keeping to their own relatively speaking until the very end when Kers came to the living area to collect Parker.

"It's time to go, Parker," said Kers. "Don't want to make your mom worry."

"Yessir," said Parker. "I'll teach you guys chess next time."

"Yeah, yeah," Kit said as she rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

When Parker went around the corner to the hallway, he noticed Rey and Hero also loading up their bags, which looked like they were made of some light, durable fabric that must've been hard to find. Leaves were plastered on the outsides as well as small bits of grass and twigs. It looked like there was a soda cap shield on the sides of both of them as well as helmets and other useful implements.

"Oh… are you… leaving too?" asked Parker.

"Yeah, we'll be following Kers out the backway to camp below the floorboards. We'll probably hang around for a few days just to rest and everything before heading back," replied Hero. "As long as that's not a problem."

"No, not a problem. We look forward to seeing you all around. Don't be strangers," said Toulouse. They all parted ways, waving good-bye as they did, as Parker, Kers, Rey, and Hero vanished into the darkness of the walls.

They'd walked for a few minutes when Rey began keeping pace with Parker. The air around him changed, alerting Parker to the fact that Rey was about to say something.

"So, Parker, tell me a bit more about yourself. And, if you don't mind my asking, why didn't your mom come with you to dinner? Is she not feeling well?" asked Rey. Something about his pale blue eyes threatened to lure the truth directly out of Parker. He felt his mouth dry as if he'd stuffed his cheeks with cotton.

"Um… well… yeah, she… didn't feel up to it," lied Parker.

"Oh, right," nodded Rey. "And the stuff you said about the 3D printing? You've got a keen eye for human construction. How's that?"

Parker wasn't sure how to answer. At this point, their group of four had completely stopped. Kers had just heard part of the conversation and had stopped mid-step to turn and look at Rey. Hero was only a few steps ahead.

"Um… I just…"

"You just know? Because you've done it? Or have friends who do? Human friends?" asked Rey. The bluntness of his question threw both Kers and Parker off guard, but Hero simply placed his hands on his hips and sighed.

"Rey, I thought we were going to talk about this later before asking Parker and Kers about this," Hero scolded.

"Wait, what? What are you two…" Kers started as Hero directed his attention to the older of the two Borrowers.

"When Toulouse brought us outside and told us that Parker was in a bit of a unique situation and that we shouldn't pry too much because it would upset him, we suspected something was a little different about Parker. And not just the normal Borrower trauma thing. Then, Parker said that thing about 3D printing, which only someone who is familiar with the look would really know what to look for. So, we had the same idea," said Hero. "I thought we were going to talk about this before, but here we are."

"I… wait… you don't understand. I… I know humans are dangerous and stuff, but… not all of them are! Please, don't worry about the whole secret stuff. I…" Parker was interrupted by both Rey and Hero chuckling as they exchanged knowing glances.

At this, Rey crouched and removed his pack, keeping eye-contact with the Borrower teen the whole time.

"Parker, it's okay. We know," grinned Rey. "Not all humans are bad. Believe us, we'd know more than most." Parker's eyes widened as he looked back from the adults' faces around him. He and Kers both shared the same look of stunned silence while Rey and Hero looked mildly amused.

"But… how?" Parker stammered. "And why didn't you just say that in front of the others?"

"Let's just say our situation is probably not so different than your own," said Rey. "And it's a tricky thing bringing up in front of another Borrower family. They're great Borrowers, but they're a bit more traditional than Hero and me. How about we all do some training together tomorrow? And then we can talk about it?"

"Y-yeah! Absolutely!" said Parker, his eagerness getting him excited for training the next day.

"Well then," chuckled Rey. "We'll see you tomorrow at some point? We'll be in the crawl space under the house by the backdoor steps. Come outside when you're ready."

"Definitely," said Parker.

"Good. Then I think we'll take our leave. See you tomorrow, Kers."

With that, the two Borrowers diverged from the path and vanished into the darkness. The conversation had Parker reeling, but he was more than excited to talk to these new Borrowers and finally talk to others who understood his point of view. For Parker, tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

He and Kers made quick work of the rest of the trek and, true to his word, Kers had Parker back on the counter at exactly nine o'clock. Parker thanked Kers for bringing him along and asked if he would come by to talk to Rey and Hero the next day, to which Kers agreed. He was also curious about these two and, like he'd promised to himself years prior, he wanted to help protect and guide Parker along his journey.

With that, Parker ran back out to the embrace of his mom and the two of them retreated to the couch to finish their book. Parker couldn't imagine sleeping tonight but was asleep within minutes.

His future was growing brighter by the moment, and he was ready for every step of it.