Welcome to Gaia! ::

While Ephesus stayed put, Amarynthos wasted no time in making his way to his side. Something was wrong. How could he not try to fill in the blanks of everything that had happened and do his best to make sure Ephesus was all right?

He squeezed him tightly, like he could pour in his love and concern with that single gesture alone. Ephesus was easy to read–or, at least, his still-red eyes were.

“Really?” he asked, briefly eyeing the damaged box of chocolates. Ephesus wouldn’t lie to him, he asked out of surprise and not doubt. “I’m really glad you were here, Fang. It’s nice to meet you. Officially.”

There hadn’t been any Chaos-oriented energy signatures around here recently, but Amarynthos glanced around just in case. The hairs on the back of his neck weren’t standing up and he had no other indication that he should be on high alert but one General was enough for tonight.

The three of them together now would have been a poor target, anyway.

He offered a hand to Fang as if to shake. “Thank you, Effie’s really important to me. Nobody got hurt?”

Whatever lingering anxiety Ephesus had, it melted easily in Amarynthos’s embrace. But he didn’t take too long to enjoy his closeness because he wanted Amarynthos to know just how great Fang was!

“You’re not from Earth,” Ephesus chirped, almost excitedly. Obviously he knew Fang wasn’t human. Not with those ears and tail, which--

“Um… I’m sorry if this is weird but… can I touch your ear?” he dared to ask, his cheeks flushing a little, preemptively expecting rejection. They just looked so soft! His tail too!

“Oh! But, um… Would you like to meet someone else who isn’t from Earth?” he asked, hoping the change in conversation would allow Fang to deny him with less embarrassment on both sides. But he was still kind of hoping to touch his ears. And maybe tail.

He glanced up at Amarynthos, knowing he probably understood where his thoughts were going.

Fang tilted his head a little, nodding cautiously—yes, he wasn't from Earth. For a moment, he feared their reaction, but they seemed to accept him easily, and he relaxed.

Then Effie asked to pet him, and he knelt on the ground to be easier to reach with a gentle smile on his face. "Pet," he said as he tilted his head a little forward. "Please!"

His tail swished behind him, stirring up dirt. "Would like to meet, yes."

Amarynthos smiled at the two but refrained from asking, even if Effie’s enthusiasm made him want to. Fang was very different from Alastor, but then–Alastor didn’t have ears or a tail that looked so soft. What they did have in common was that they both would like to meet.

Alastor was always on high alert when the boys were out, and though he and Sessrumnir had been minding their own business and tending to their own patrol, they did not stray too far. Just in case.

They were Moon Knights now, and though they didn’t have the same battle prowess or medical skills that Alastor and Sessrumnir could lay claim to, they were still proficient enough that they came home safely most evenings.

Very shortly after Ephesus texted, their energy signatures drive onto Amarynthos’ radar, and he could tell they were moving quickly. Not frantically, they weren’t worried or scared for the boys. They were just keen no to waste time.

It came as no surprise that they came into vision within a few seconds after that.

Mary leaned on his staff and waved to greet them while they were still so far away that he knew he shouldn’t call out to them, but somehow they made speedwalking look so casual.

Alastor eyed Fang with curiosity, but such could be said about his approach to any other Senshi from beyond Earth. There was a caution as much, like he didn’t always know who might have heard what. He wasn’t so egotistical as to think that rumors of his world had spread through the universe, but old habits died hard and he always did his best to make a good first impression.

He smiled at Ephesus, and Mary, and Fang. “I’m glad you two are together,” he said to the boys. “There were a few agents out tonight, we were about to message you that it might be a good idea to stay nearby or head in for the night. I don’t know if they’re up to something, but they keep popping up.”

No one so right now, but there had been a few signatures close enough that Alastor suspected the Negaverse might have some plan in the area.

Or it was just a busy night and a lot of bad luck.

“Sounds like you’ve already had a busy night, though. Thank you for helping Ephesus.” He held his hand out to Fang. “Alastor, nice to meet you.”

It was difficult for Ephesus to contain the pure joy he felt when both Alastor and Sessrumnir showed up. Not because he didn’t expect them to be out patrolling together, but because Sessrumnir was always more reserved and often took a step back from things unless absolutely necessary. Over the time Ephesus had been living with them, he learned it wasn’t because Sessrumnir didn’t care, but because he did, and was extremely conscious of not wanting others to feel uncomfortable or even to give others the space they needed.

But that also didn’t mean he wasn’t excited for them both.

He wiggled a little enthusiastically beside Amarynthos, and lifted a hand to wave to Alastor and Sessrumnir. He knew he should wait for Sessrumnir to have a chance to introduce himself, but ended up blurting out, “These are my parents, Fang. You can definitely trust them for anything you need. Oh, I mean, me and Mary too! But they know a lot and, oh--”

Ephesus couldn’t help himself. As soon as Alastor and Fang had finished shaking hands, he shuffled over to give Alastor a hug.

Sessrumnir had debated on going with Alastor to meet this Senshi from another world. He knew he wasn’t the person Ephesus had suggested Fang meeting, but since Ephesus’ text included how Fang had saved him from a General, he decided it was just to be better safe than sorry.

He first nodded his thanks to Amarynthos for being there. And then he offered Fang a smile, before he pressed his fist to his chest and bowed his head. If that was the natural greeting Fang had for meeting others, then he was more than happy to oblige. He didn’t think Alastor did anything wrong, of course! But he didn’t want to fluster Fang any further.

“Sessrumnir, of Jupiter,” he greeted, but then paused and smiled a bit brighter when it was his turn for a hug from Ephesus.

“But ‘Sess’ works, if it’s a tongue twister. Am I wrong to assume that you have somewhere safe to sleep and access to food? I just want to make sure you’re not living under a bridge or needing to scrape together things to survive here,” he said, his smile still there but there was something more serious to it. And not just because Alastor had been on his own for a while before he and Peter had found him.

Fang smiled, feeling a bit better when Sess imitated his greeting—and then Alastor, once he was free of the hug. He relaxed a little bit more, tail wagging slightly behind him. People could be so wonderful, and he adored just about anyone who didn't make him feel strange for being so different.

"Yes, Fang has a pack!" he affirmed, smiling wider. "Fang very safe, very happy. Fang not have parents, but... many friends. Michel Fang's favorite, he is Saturn Knight."

He tilted his head at them curiously. "You family? Happy? How long on Earth? Fang here, um, two years."

With Ephesus by his side again, Amarynthos wrapped an arm around his waist and held him close. Naturally, he beamed. Ephesus made his heart flutter, but more than that he was proud of him for finding his voice and speaking so freely.

Alastor tilted his head as he listened to Sessrumnir. He didn’t know everyone Sessrumnir did but he trusted his opinions of them. If Fang and Sessrumnir both thought well of the situation, he would too.

Sessrumnir made the offer of assistance so Alastor didn’t have to, but he nodded along with it. “I’m glad to hear that, Fang. I’ve been here a little more than two years, I think.” Time passed strangely for him, it was odd to be aware of it. “I’m very happy. Very lucky, too.”

A thousand things could have gone wrong once he arrived here on Earth, and instead he’d wound up with a home, and a family, and more happiness than he thought he deserved.

“We should catch up some time, if you’re free.” Of course, Alastor tried not to sound too curious or insistent; he just felt a natural kinship towards some of the Senshi from world beyond–and this one had already earned his favor by helping look after Ephesus.