Chapter 34: Giving comfort even in the middle of the labyrinth

Atziri finished her mission to go to Earth, she wanted to find answers to the death of her sister-in-law on Earth and more for what she had expressed about what worried her, when she returned to the Orion constellation (Kesil) she finds horrible and sad news: she finds her son heartbroken, Allister was dead! There was no trace of who had killed him, Atziri was very heartbroken and very confused, faced with her enormous pain, she decides to contact the Sentinels and tell them about the death of her husband (since there was the doppelgänger of Allister and his brothers) Dae-Hyun summons the Sentinels to give them the news.

_ The doppelgänger of one of our own, Allister Truswell, is dead, Atziri Blake says that there is no trace of who killed him.

The Sentinels turn to see Allister, Fiorella and Montgomery, who showed their sadness, but more Allister, for the pain that he knows Atziri feels for having lost the love of his life, (since he lost Zoe, Atziri's double)

Atziri communicates her loss to Armin, although she knows that he does not want to see her, she does it at her discretion so that he does not discover her hiding place.

A celebration that is tradition in Warshap, there was William Blake (Armin and Atziri's father), who sang, because he loved music with his best friend, Tony, both already had 70,000 years. William receives the news of the death of his son-in-law when they finished their performance at the celebration, he very sadly got off and thought about how to see his daughter.

_ When I want to shine, this news reaches me! Go have to be widowed when you are still young! - exclaimed William.

_ And what does your son say? - asked Tony

_ Which one of them?

_ I'm talking about Armin, you know that here things must be done to the letter, and he is the one who is number 1 in doing so, you have told me this a lot, and it shows!

_ Come on Tony, you know that he is my son and I know him perfectly, as much as strictness is something outstanding in the Warshapian culture and he promised to honor the Warshapian customs and the virtues that define us... he... he still loves his sister very much, and there his strictness decreases, even if he pretends otherwise.

_ And what do you think?

_ About what?

_ That Atziri has married a human.

_ Look, to be honest, I never thought badly of her decision, she is a good woman, although I am very worried about the fact of that marriage because of the inevitable consequences: for example, her children, what they will experience because of that, like the mockery that he, my grandson Cillian is a hybrid and the discrimination and all that... because even if my son-in-law takes the conversion, the origins are clear, Allister is a human and Atziri is an alien, she continues to contact me in secret even though she is already banished, I had my problems with my other children, Christopher still continues to visit me, despite our past, they have both stayed by my side, they are already adults, they made their lives, but I love that Atziri and Christopher continue to visit me, although despite the pain he feels, Armin speaks to me with a little more constancy.

_ Helmer married a human anyway, what an irony my friend! Being your son the leader of INFINITY and his brothers were among the first to break very important laws of INFINITY.

_ I hope my Helmer is okay, the only reality is that if I haven't heard from him, it's not because he's banished, there's a very powerful reason, which only Atziri knows, and I too.

_ And what is that? You always talk about that mystery, but you never say it, nobody here in Warshap knows it! Only you and your daughter Atziri. Why have you never said it?

_ Because if they knew now, even if just one more Warshapian who wasn't from my family or another alien race, just one more, the bad things we know... would be nothing. But I will tell you something Tony: all of them are my children, and I love them equally, and I am very worried about the powerful power that Armin has for being the most powerful warmagnetar that exists, because even virtue can become your worst weakness when making bad decisions, and when faced with the attack of enemies.

William meets his daughter Atziri in secret and gives her all his support and comfort. FIREFLY also finds out and they want to support Atziri. In the coffers, there is a bit of instability due to the fear of several passengers that it will not be enough. Meanwhile, Michael Tyndale in his cabin looks thoughtful at the news he knows about Atziri, and goes to see Ariche.

_ We have to go see her- said Michael seeing Ariche in his cabin.

_ How will we do it? - asked Ariche- there are people worldwide who are suspicious of the most help there is, for example with what happened in Miami, what Atziri did for a friend of Malenfant, but I suspect that there was more help apart from what Atziri Blake did, given all that, how are we going to camouflage ourselves?

_ It will be the Cat of Fire who will take us, I already contacted her. Atziri has been very helpful

And we have to be by her side now in these distressing moments for her, and more so because Allister was also a participant in that truth that will come to light in due time.

_ Okay, whatever you say, but... who else will have helped in Miami?

_ We have to concentrate now on the objective, Ariche, possibly it was The Fighting Cats, or the Sentinels, but I'm more for them than The Fighting Cats because of the reports they give about those mysterious walls that stopped the tsunami in Miami.

_ Hey, before we go, why do you trust the Sentinels so much?

_ Because even though they barely arrived here at the Multiverse Base, there is something we already know: Atziri Blake is a doppelgänger of a Sentinel, a deceased Sentinel they called Madam Sand. And more so because if we manage to get out alive, we are going to need more help than what Jawara Malenfant will give us.

_ Will not The Fighting Cats be enough? Let me tell you that according to statistical data, more than 50% of FIREFLY does not trust the Legion of Sentinels, and the one who insists the most is Alexander Marais, the doppelgänger of Antoinette's brother, that's why I tell you this.

_ I really appreciate the information you gave me, now, what we will do is promote emotional support for Atziri Blake, but we will also do it for Margaret Townsend.

_ Why Margaret?

_ I'll tell you why later, come on! - Michael looks at his phone - Antoinette already told me that she has arrived.

Meanwhile, catastrophic world events continued to terrorize humanity and take thousands of lives, Yamal, upon learning of Sharon's situation with Andrei, decides to go help him.

_ Andrei- Yamal told him in a hospital where more and more victims of natural disasters arrived, but Andrei did not answer him, he continued working.- Andrei, do you have a minute?.... Look, I already knew about Sharon and you, the truth is...

_ Who told you?- said Andrei annoyed and continuing working

_ It was Iris, although she is not my blood sister but she is my sister at heart.....

_ And why did she have to gossip with you?!- Andrei continued with his work and did not turn to look at Yamal.

_ Andrei, excuse me and forgive Iris, you know that she is your sister but well she grew up with me and also being an adult like you I knew that we were not carnal brothers. I want you to know that I am truly sorry, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for you, first as a child, to have to deal with her supposed death and now to know that she is alive and perhaps to see her as if nothing had happened and she cannot understand you as she should. Come on! You are exhausted, let's take a break and continue talking, the people here are going to need us and we must be strong.

Yamal invites Andrei to have coffee, who, managing to ask him kindly, makes him express himself and listens to him attentively and manages to give him some encouraging words.

_ When mom died, it was one of the hardest blows that my family and I went through, in fact, the most affected was Yadir, and if I tell you this, it is so that you see that it is natural that in some cases the loss of a loved one affects us emotionally more than others, but what I can assure you is that it is not because of weakness, never forget that, it is not because of weakness. Yadir...now had to face the woman for whom he suffered and has suffered in all these years, knowing that she is not his biological mother and the truth that your parents never stopped looking for him, just as mine never stopped looking for them, and they died without knowing that he was alive and well, just like Iris- Yamal gets up and sits down next to Andrei and hugs him- I am here to help you, for whatever you need, you know that I am also a psychologist and I can help you, so that we can understand why you have that resentment towards Sharon, would you accept it?

Andrei nods.

Antoinette takes Michael, Ariche and Margaret to where Atziri is. The ship arrives where she is hiding and the ship lands at will. Atziri receives them but with apathy.

_ Margaret, please you talk to Kesil- said Michael- you know what to do.

_ Yes, of course.

Margaret goes to where Kesil is, Michael, Ariche and Antoinette stay with Atziri and Cillian.

_ FIREFLY sends all these letters for you- said Michael handing them to him.

_ Thank you very much! The truth is that I don't know you Michael- said Atziri- and FIREFLY in general. I swore to work for you and help you, but I find your behavior very strange, and more so you who have an enigmatic personality

_ Well, I have learned from others that we must show love, even in difficult times, like the present.

While they were talking, Margaret goes to Kesil (without her human "disguise" or "hiding place", as she calls it, that's why Kesil couldn't identify her) Margaret sees Kesil in his room sitting, still grieving the death of his mother, but she sees some resentment.

_ I'm very sorry, Kesil, about your mother- said Margaret sitting next to Kesil

_ You just show up to give me your condolences?

- Kesil said with pain and some anger

_ I'm sorry that I just showed up, I've had a lot of work to do with the mission that INFINITY entrusted me with, something tells me that you're not only upset because I just came to see you, what's wrong Kesil?

_ There are many things, first, you know that your father and mine not only worked as a team, they were also very good friends and therefore Galaxy you and I, and you just come? And second, this has nothing to do with you... I'm not interested in seeing my father again at all!

_ What are you talking about?

_ Because of my father my mother is dead! He should never have let her go to that war!

_ Kesil, you know that we are warshapians, we are trained to go to war, your mother was also a fierce warrior, she was a warshapian too! Besides, it wasn't your father who took her life.

_ First, don't worry, I'm ignoring that you've just come, there's a lot to talk about, okay?

_ Yes, thank you for accepting my apologies. But now tell me, why do you speak so resentfully about your father?

_ Permission to speak frankly.

_ Kesil! - Margaret smiled a little and lowered her head - it's a conversation between friends.

_ Well, just because I don't want to speak with slander towards him, but he took my mother from me! He killed her! He killed her!

_ That's not true, Kesil, you're still hurting from your mother's death, those aren't your true feelings....

_ Of course he's to blame! He's guilty! Why can't you understand me? The close relationship you have with your father was the same one I had with my mother.

_ Kesil, please give me reasons to say that your father is guilty.

_ My mother may have been a Warshapian, but what I can tell you is that she didn't like that culture, she was practically too "emotional to be a Warshapian", could my father not have taken her feelings into account to not make her follow the Warshapian culture and customs?

_ Kesil, as far as our parents' marriage is concerned, we can't get involved in their decisions, your mother made her decision! Although perhaps she wasn't to his liking in the culture and customs she grew up in, think a little, why do you think she supported your father and became a fierce warrior as a Warshapian normally does?

_ I don't know, I only know that it's because of my father that she's dead.

_ Because she loved your father, her love for him was very genuine, as well as the love he had for her, can't you imagine the pain he feels too because she's dead? He's suffering too, Kesil...

_ I don't think he's hurting so much about my mother's death as much as I was hurt by her death. My mother was a Warshapian, yes! But she had an identity, and she had to follow the stupid legacy of the Warshapians. And now being the wife of the leader of INFINITY and the most powerful warmagnetar and alien that exists, it's manipulation!

_ Kesil, tell me one thing: I have the feeling that you don't like being a Warshapian either, is that true?

_ Affirmative! Just like my mother has her identity, I have one too!

_ Kesil, before continuing I'll tell you one thing: parents sometimes make mistakes, we all make mistakes, but what I can assure you is that the love that your mother had for you and Galaxy, is the same that your father has for you, he also makes mistakes, but he has his virtues, don't separate yourself from your dad on purpose! Because I lost mine in death.

_ What? - Kesil said in astonishment

_ My father is dead, the same day that your mother died, was the same day that my father died, he also died in that war.

Kesil was shocked by what she just heard, she was very resentful towards her father because she blames him for her mother's death, Kesil and Fiorella were very close. They continued talking.

While they gave their condolences, Antoinette decided to travel to the Legion of Sentinels, since The Plunderer told her that Rachel wanted to talk to her. Upon arriving, they meet in a secret place.

_ Rachel? You around here? Didn't you stay in Earth 02?

_ Well, I have something to tell you.

Rachel tells Antoinette about her past, although she could not understand the meaning of what Rachel experienced, she only recorded the story.

_ From what I see, you have a hard time understanding emotions, but well, I just know that I want to give you this advice: based on my lived experience, do not underestimate that you can find family where you least expect it, although your blood family will be forever, your family can be where you least expect it, thanks to that, I found more family, and that is why now I come to help the doppelgänger of that father who won and now died, like my biological father and mother.

_ I appreciate your advice but... why do you give it to me?

_ I don't know you very well, but I want you to enjoy what I enjoy, to live in the real world.

_ What is the real world? - Antoinette stares at her - there are many worlds, in the world of the normal they say that each head is a world,

You are a world, I am a world, family culture is a world, culture between blood brothers is a world, culture between friends is a world, societies are a world, culture between husband and wife is a world, music is a world, movies are a world, professions are a world, school is a world and I could go on and on. At least tell me about the world that is made up of all the countries, continents, regions, zones, or the marine world? Or what world are you talking about?

_ It must be very difficult to be autistic, but I want to help you, there is more beauty in the world than you think you know in "your world".

_ Yes, I know, I just know that I learned from someone very dear that you have to overcome evil with good

Flashback

_ It's not easy for me to express what I feel to others, but you were a true treasure during all this time that I thought my daughter Gretel was dead- said Jonathan (Sky Panther)

_ You were too, Jonathan, even though I didn't have my parents with me because I was unfairly separated from them, you took care of me like a father.

_ I'll tell you something, Antoinette, you and I suffer from autism and the reality is that there is a lot of cruelty towards autistic people and you will observe it in that real world, but I will tell you something: they treated me just as badly for being autistic, but I decided not to pay them back in the same coin. I decided to overcome evil with good.

_ What does that mean?

_ Even if they treat you badly for being autistic, don't take revenge on them, treat them well, with kindness, love, friendliness, generosity, we won't be like the real world.

End of Flashback

Margaret manages to make Kesil believe that she won't say anything about her whereabouts without her discovering the truth about Margaret, Ariche comforts Kesil again and when she finds out what Michael and FIREFLY did for her aunt (although there are still discrepancies between them), her way of seeing humans changed a little and she also begins to grow feelings for Ariche, they return to the arks on Earth. Antoinette still doesn't understand the meaning of Rachel's advice and returns to her base, but she fondly remembers what Jonathan told her.