"Okay, everybody we're at the park!" Melody announced. The kids cheered(except two) and quickly scrambled out the car.

"Ow! Holly that's my tail!"

"Sorry, Rita!"

"Fifi, get your ass out of my face!"

"Then get your face from my ass lizard breath!"

"ADVENTURE!"

"Raiden, get your head out the window!"

"Mama! Ash put gum in my hair!"

"Did not!"

The moms (Prism, Wahya, Ivy, and Nebula) sighed as they watch the storm of kids struggle to get out. The others also began to arrive and watched the debacle go down; "They're so cute! I'd love to start a family one day--" Illiana gushed. The moms faced her with eyes aglow, " NO YOU DON'T!"

"Oh my goodness Prism! You're a wreck--come here! Arms up! Arms down! Arms in! Arms up! Arms down! Arms in! Goodness, when's the last time you dressed yourself?" Melody asked while fixing her old friend. "Last year? I don't know...?"

"I'm so tired hun. I can't anymore with Jade," Luca yawned. Ivy stared off with a poker face and replied, "too bad, because I'm pregnant again. Luca promptly passed out--not due to shock, but sleep deprevation.

"Oh my god--Sombrita! Mija! What the hell are you doing? You don't need an umbrella it's 70 degrees--"

"I'll get sunburned!"

"Mija! You is a DRAGON! You're cold blooded!"

"But i'm black!"

"Your SCALES are! Oh my god where the freak is AKIRA?!"

"Nebs! Yoru stole my book again!"

"YOU CAN'T STOP ME FROM SINNING!" Yoru laughed while running around. Nebula sighed as Mist handed her another cup of tea which Nebula downed in an instant. "I'm too old for this..."

Megan looked at all the kids before turning towards the mothers and sigh. "You girls look like an accident had a child with depression,"

"Gee thanks," Ivy replied. "Prism is so tired she can't even dress herself, Wahya is so frustrated that she's tearing Akira a new one every six minutes, Ivy is just done with everything, and Nebula is so stressed out she's just drowning herself in tea," Megan stated. "Your point is?" Wahya hissed before diverting her attention to her nails. "What's the point of having kids if you can't even take care of yourself?!"

"....Hypocrite,"

"Shut it, Prism! I'm serious! You girls are like my little sisters--'specially you Priz, I see so much of my younger self in you!" Megan exclaimed. "Well, I'M sorry that I failed to be a psychotic gangster," Prism replied. "You still ARE somewhat crazy," Ivy laughed; "also, Nebula is older than us, so she's qualified to be a parent. Don't know about Kuugen; luckily she has Kyouto and—"

"ANYWAY!" Nebula interrupted while slightly glaring at the one-eyed girl next to her. "Oh, please Nebby we've noticed how your friend acts around you,"

"YOU PEOPLE ACT LIKE I CAN'T HAVE FRIENDS!"

"Yeah, because you're old," Prism smiled. Nebula's eye twitched in irritation, "there's nothing going on between me and Kyouto. He has been very good to me ever since I lost Akumu; not to mention he's the only friend I have. I love Kuugen dearly, no matter how many times I want to strangle him, but he's the one I married, so I'm remaining faithful to HIM."

"....In some countries it's legal to have more than one hus—"

"GODS DAMN IT MEGAN SHUT UP!"

Meanwhile...

"Penny! Over here!" Yoru shouted while waving his arms. Penny tossed the ball over to Yoru who jumped into the air and caught it in his mouth. "Get back here ya' lil shit!" Fifi yelled while chasing after Yoru followed by Raiden, Ash, and Holly. Yoru ran off towards the goal; while dodging the group of kids that chased him.

"Go, Yoru! You can do it!" Branwen cheered from the sidelines in a cheerleader outfit.

"Fight well," Genesis encouraged unenthusiastically.

Yoru was nearing the goal when Fifi popped up in front of the goal. Thinking fast he threw the ball into the air right as the poodle tackled him. Dulcinea grabbed the ball in her claws as Penny flew down to assist Yoru.

"You're not getting past me Dulci!" Sombrita called out. Dulcinea dive bombed towards the goal, as a blue glow emitted from her body.

"Special attack: Diamond Screwball!"

Dulcinea flipped her body midflight and flung the ball towards the goal. Smoke began to come off the ball as it began to crystalize into a diamond. Sombrita smirked before holding out her paw to summon a dark sphere in her hand.

"Black Hole!"

"Uh-oh!" Yoru gulped as he saw the crystalized ball get sucked into the dragon's attack. "Penny!" Yoru called out to the lab experiment who was wrestling with Raiden. "Yes, captain?" Penny saluted with a smile.

"I need you to throw me into the goal,"

"Okie dokie!" Penny chirped before grabbing Yoru and threw him towards the goal. Yoru screamed in delight as he hurtled towards the goal; "this. is. AWESOME!"

Sombrita nearly had the ball until Yoru knocked it out of her Black Hole's perimeter; he kept going until he broke through the goal and into the lake with a loud splash. The kids quickly rushed over the the edge of the lake to see if their friend was okay.

"Yoru?" Branwen called out.

"YORU!?" Nebula's voice yelled out in worry. The kids moved away as Nebula looked over the water's surface. 

"YORU!"

"I got him," Wahya reassured as she dived into the lake. Moments later she reemurged from the lake and safely handed him to Nebula. "Dude...talk about a major wipeout. I guess water isn't his best--OW! MAMA?"

"That's not funny Jade. He could be hurt," Ivy reprimanded. "Yeah, but don't we all get hurt in life eventually?"

Ivy's glare didn't let up as her daughter's innocent smile slowly vanished. Her ears drooped as she shrunk under her mother's scrutinizing glare. Yoru began coughing which got everyone's attention back, "Yoru, darling are you alright?"

"D--D--"

"Yoru, speak to me please!"

".........DID YOU SEE HOW FAST I WENT?! LIKE THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED!"

Yoru jumped out of his mother's arms as the other kids flocked around him. The girls stared in confusion and anger, but none more evident than Nebula's.

"Yoru Khana Daedra Lunaire...!"

Yoru froze at the venomous tone. He stiffly turned his head to face his mother and paled. "M-Mom..! I'm fine! Honestly! T-there's no need to get worked up!"

"...I see..." Nebula replied meekly as she lowered her head. Branwen and Fifi started to back away; already knowing the full extent of the older female's ever changing emotions. Meanwhile Yoru let out a sigh of relief; the other kids also began to back away from him. Yoru noticed their behavior, but before he could ask a portal opened up in front of him. "What the—"

He was then shoved into the portal before he could respond. Nebula stood there with her hand out from where she pushed him; her bangs shadowed her face giving her quite the intimidating aura. "It seems...that I failed..."

"...what?" Ivy replied as her ears flicked. They all shrieked when Nebula's head snapped up to face them. "IT SEEMS THAT HE STILL HAS A BIT OF HIS IDIOT FATHER IN THERE! I MUST REMOVE THAT INSURGENT TRAIT BEFORE IT CORRUPTS HIS MIND! NO BLOOD OF MINE WILL BE KNOWN AS A DUNCE!"

"N-Nebby...you need to chill..." Prism said in a calm tone. "DON'T GIVE ME THAT! AS IF I NEED TO DEAL WITH ANOTHER RECKLESS BRAT! YORU ISN'T LIKE PENNY AND THE SAME GOES TO THE OTHER CHILDREN! CONTROL HER BETTER NEXT TIME!"

Prism flinched as Penny hid behind her. Nebula then walked into the portal as Branwen and Fifi walked up to apologize. "Don't take what she said to heart...mother's been stressed out a lot lately. She's not mad, just worried that Yoru could've gotten serious hurt; she's all over the place at the moment," Branwen explained. "We've haven't been exactly helping her either, so we're really sorry!" Fifi added while nuzzling Penny.

"It's fine. The girls and I aren't strangers to this kind of stuff..." Prism sighed. Penny said nothing as her lips trembled from the sob that threatened to break free. "Well, I'll just get them home it's almost lunchtime...see you girls later..."

Prism walked away with Genesis following after her. Penny lingered back a bit as she found her gaze on the other kids. They gave her sympathetic looks, but before one of them could say anything; Penny scampered off to follow after Prism.

'Not like them...as if I didn't already know that...'

The girls watch the motorcycle drive away, before sighing simultaneously. "I feel bad for those two...I want to be mad at Nebby, but she's not wrong that Penny can be too lax with her abilities..." Ivy stated.

"They both need a break," Wahya sighed. "No, Daisy Dear needs a break. Nebby has a husband and Kyouto; Daisy Dear has been raising those two by HERSELF. I get Nebby has responsibilities and shit, but Daisy Dear has it bad. She's in charge of an entire country now, she's still working late shifts at Damon's, she's been doing most of her classes online, she's been going on missions frequently, and she has to pay ALL of her bills. Her family isn't even doing jack to help all because she exposed them!"

"Megan, calm down..." Melody said while grabbing the 18-year old by the shoulders. "It was already bad enough when Fire Cracker was killed and now we can't even say Jeri or mention our state farm agent Jerry without her having a god damn seizure or spitting out blood!!"

"Meg—"

"Don't even get me started on her god damn motherfucking baby daddy who—"

"MEGAN COOL IT!" Ivyy shouted. "Pupcake, you better hop off my grill with that bullshit. I'm too pissed to deal with your shit now—"

"I don't give a shit! You're the one getting hype over this!"

"Because I fucking care!"

Wahya began praying in Spanish as the three of them continued to argue. "Megan, there's no need—"Illiana began, but was cut off as well; "Young Money, you better stay out of this. I don't need beef with yo' man after this. I don't need twelve at my place fam,"

"Then calm the fuck down! You a young ass bitch complaining like you someone's mama!"

Megan glared at the Werewolf and shot back, "What you mean?! You young ass bitch lookin' like the pirate from Spongebob!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP BEFORE I BLAST MY ASIAN MUSIC UP FULL VOLUME!" Melody yelled with various veins popping out of her head. "Melody, I know you're not talking with yo' wannabe voca—"

"SAY SOMETHING IVY! SAY SOMETHING I DARE YOU! I WILL SHANK YOUR OTHER EYE TOO!"

Ivy promptly closed her mouth. "Ha! Not so tough now huh I—"

"Megan, I will shank you with your own scythe. Shut up. Right now,"

The ride home was silent. Genesis and Penny sat in the sidecar watching the buildings they drove by while Prism focused on the road ahead. "Oh, come now Penny. Do wipe that look off your face," Genesis huffed. "I thought you hated my suffocating cheerfulness?" Penny frowned. "I do, but it's unnerving to see you look so...pitiful. Cheer up will you? Don't let the opinion of others restrain you,"

"Easier said than done..." Penny mumbled. Genesis looked over at her adopted sister and sighed, "Look...just think about what makes you happy. Like mother, dancing, reading...SecRETLY PLOtting TO DeStROy yoUr sCUmBaG FaTHeR AND ToRtURe aLL Of HiS INsuffERABle ReLAtiVeS UntIL ThEY SuffER a SlOw bUT PAINfUl DeMiSe...or dolls! You know stuff that girls like,"

"Wait what was that last part about Lulu and Coco?" Penny asked. "I WiLl NoT LET ThE DeMOn ToUCh hER AgAiN!"

"Geni...?"

"...huh?"

"Are you okay?"

Genesis turned to face her. "We're all not okay on the inside. Some just show it better than others; don't fear what you are Penny. You must continue to shine like a star even if it means setting the world aflame,"

Penny blinked, "why? Why are you being nice to me? I though you hated me?"

"I do. I hate every child mother bore, I just tolerate you better than the others," Genesis replied impassively. "Others...?" Penny repeated as she tilted her head in confusion. "Are you aware of the 'J' word and alternate realities?"

Penny nodded, "Megan said I'm not allowed to mention it."

"Good. Don't ever think less of yourself, because you're not perfect...because you are to us."

Penny smiled bitterly and attempted to hug Genesis only to have the hybrid snarl. "That doesn't mean you can touch me,"

"Sorry,"

The motorcycle then stopped at a red light. Several cars pulled up on the other lanes. Penny felt self-conscious even though there was no reason to. "Hey, you girls want to stop by anywhere?" Prism asked from under her helmet. "No, we're good. I think it would be best to take Penny home and let her compose herself from that little debacle," Genesis replied. Prism nodded and sped up as soon as the light turned green.

Night fell at the Lunaire household and everyone was asleep. Well, not everyone...

Ever since she closed her eyes, Penny felt as if she was being watched. She kept telling herself that her mind was playing tricks on her; if someone had broken in they would've already been attacked by Miia who then would've woken up her mother. Sighing in frustration she closed her eyes and forced herself to go to sleep.

It wasn't until she felt a hand on her head that her mind went black.

"Sleep, sleep little bird...~"

Dawn broke as Prism opened her eyes and stretched in her queen sized mattress. She got up to go downstairs to make breakfast; she felt bad that she couldn't comfort Penny. She just didn't know what to say; Nebby wasn't wrong, but at the same time...

"No...I'll make it up to her. I'll make it up by making her favorite breakfast, but I'll just go check on her..."

Prism made her way back upstairs, past the bathroom where Genesis was just leaving, and past the two guest rooms. "Penny? Wakey-wakey, it's time to get up little princess,"

Silence.

Prism looked down sadly as she leaned against the door. "Look, I know you're upset by what Nebby said yesterday and...you might feel as if I've given up on you. I can't tell you how sorry I am for not defending you yesterday. I love you so much Penny; even if you're not mine by blood I love you. All I want is for you to be happy; I don't care if you're good or evil. You've lived such a hard life and I try so hard to give you the life that you deserve,"

Genesis poked her head out from around the corner. Tears welled up in the Werewolf's eyes. "...But I failed at that. I failed at being a mother, a friend, and your guardian. I let my guard down when I lost Genesis, I tried to become stronger, but even I couldn't do anything when Jenny killed Benny. I couldn't even be there for J-J—J...Damn it!"

Genesis flinched, but remained hidden. "DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!"

Prism's now bruised knuckle nearly turned white. "I'm SORRY! I'm SO SORRY! ALL OF THIS IS MY FAULT!"

'Useless...'

'Weak...'

'Naïve...'

Prism yelped as a stream of flames blew by her. She looked to where it came from to see Genesis standing not too far from her. White flames engulfed the left side of her body before going out completely. Prism stared at her in shock; she was startled to see the flames after Genesis' vowed to never use them to reject her father. 

"Geni..."

"You know...I really hate them," Genesis began. "Hate who?" Prism asked as she wiped her tear stained cheeks. "Your friends, your family, everyone that saw you as a lover and confidant. I hate them,"

"Why?"

"Because..." Genesis began again as she walked towards her mother. "On one side: they still let you in and accepted both sides of you. The good and bad. They stood by you, but failed to see how much pain you were hiding underneath that façade of yours. The other side...did nothing more than break you even further. They played with a marionette and allowed her strings to cease her life. They failed in caring for the blooming flower now all that's left is a dry, wilted, excuse of its former glory,"

Prism stayed silent as Genesis got closer. "They weren't wrong that your naivety is....a hindrance to your wellbeing. I know how much you care for your...friends, but you can't help everyone mother. How can you help someone if you can't even help yourself?"

"I..."

"Stop playing the victim. You're stronger than this and I refuse to see the person I look up to revert to such a disgusting state. Know your limits mother; a person can only take so much."

"I know. You're right, but...it's hard..."

Genesis sighed as her icy stare softened. "I know it is mother. We're no strangers to pain in this house remember? I just...you always try to make others happy and seeing you risk your life for others, then seeing you like this just—just angers me. It's like they're taking you for granted, using you just like that bastard father of mine...! I hate it! I HATE them,"

Genesis didn't fight back when her mother engulfed her in a hug. "I know you don't mean all of that completely. You're just tired of seeing me like this and it's my fault too. A mother is supposed to be strong and I'm not doing a good job at that. At the same time I'm trying to be a father figure as well, but..."

Prism let out a dry laugh, "I wouldn't know anything about that now wouldn't I? But I get that in your own way you're trying to get me to drop the weight I'm carrying. Sadly, I can't do that...yet. Too many people are counting on me—"

"BUT IT'S NOT FAIR!" Genesis cried out. Prism's gaze softened, "You know...as much as you hate him you have a few things in common with Lucius,"

"And what would that be?" Genesis replied back with a snarl. "Likewise, he too grew up in a troubled family without a father. He was always logical, troubled, and complicated. Analytical and sly; people could never figure him out. He saw the evil in everyone and told them to accept both sides of their persona. After all...the world is beautiful and also very cruel."

Genesis fell silent.

"If his mother hadn't killed herself when he was young he wouldn't be the way he is now. He would've had a normal life in a way, but in the end he ended up abandoned and in a foster home where he wasn't welcomed no matter how hard he tried to prove himself. To this day he still remembers the last words his mother ever said to him..."

"What does that have to do with you?" Genesis asked. Prism looked away, "are you aware of the special ability granted by my Silver magic?"

"Your summoning?"

"Yes. I can summon any deceased being as long as I have a connection with them. My power manifests a vessel the soul can temporarily possess and although it's not their original body it still serves their purpose. The bigger the connection the longer they can stay in that vessel before returning to where they rest. Lucius knew his mother was studying the dimension where our ancestors came from. He stumbled upon her research about Sohalia and went on a hunt to find a Moon Queen,"

"How did he know it was you?"

"Maelstrom. My grandmother was already renowned for her wisdom and insight. That and she had a special ability that no other Werewolf had. Lucius thought it was her, but it wasn't what he needed. He couldn't face my mother, because he knew he was outmatched. He needed a simpler target, one that would believe him, one he could control,"

Genesis' eyes widened.

"That left me..."

"But still! Why did he—"

"He wanted to revive his mother, but even if I tried now. I can't fully revive someone. No matter how much he tortured me or I'd force myself; my magic would not respond to me. In the end it was Ivy who awakened Maelstrom's magic to save me," Prism explained with a heavy sigh.

"Right...it was Philia...love between friends," Genesis mumbled. Prism nodded, "that means he tried to get yours to awaken by Eros, but it wasn't requited. He grew desperate and used that as a last resort. Then it became Mania,"

"Exactly," Prism replied as her eyes glassed over. "Mother...I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. I'm not going to abandon you because of your lineage. Your life and your power belong to you. Not him,"

"No," Genesis replied while standing up. "I meant something else, but it doesn't matter anymore,"

Prism blinked, "geez! Here you had me on the edge of my seat with my fur standing on end!"

The Werewolf stood up and ruffled Genesis' snow white hair. "Thank you, Geni, but Mema can wait a few more years. If there's plenty of fish in the sea then I'll just keep on swimming until a shark chases me,"

"Your analogy is terrible,"

"So is your sense of humor," Prism replied before turning around to knock on Penny's door. "You'd think she'd come out after hearing that heartfelt moment between us," Genesis commented. "Yeah...she would've been awake by now..."

A silver glow surrounded Prism's hand before the doorknob glowed as well. Prism opened the door and looked around, "Penny? Are you in here?"

She sniffed the air and growled. On the bed was a card and a black stone; a certain scent mingled in the air along with Penny's. Prism knew that scent too well.

Who's laughing now? All's fair in love and war. However, I'm pretty sure YOU would know all about love little Ms. Moon Queen. If you want the rat back you know where to find us. See you soon other half <3

~O

Prism shook as she clenched the note that was slowly burning away in her hands. With a snarl she marched towards the door only to stop, "I have to go. Mema has some unfinished business to take care of; don't follow me it's too dangerous. There's leftover chicken from last night and some french fries in the oven. Do NOT microwave them together—THEY'LL. GO. SOGGY."

Genesis watched her mother leave with such anger radiating off her she could strike Lucifer down. She knows that she told her mother to stop relying on others, but Penny was family. She was the baby that everyone swore to protect. It wasn't just her mother who were going to be upset.

And hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn.