Chapter 36: 36. What Family Means To Me

"Hey. So what was it you guys had to get?" asked Zeff scanning the two men as they exited the elevator.

"Oh, nothing, Zephaniah." answered Dr. Fynn coolly. "I just wanted to grab a few things for your trip." Sure enough, in addition to his bag, he now carried a large leather briefcase. "This is some information I gathered to help you guys Nnavigate through this new world you're about to find yourselves in."

"Speaking of which, how are we going to get to the Underworld." asked Sylvan as Fynn passed Zeff on his way to the front door, urging the two men along with a wave of his and as he went. "As far as I understand we can only go into the underworld once every two months. But I don't really understand. You told me it's 'another world' with its own cultures and whatnot. But—"

"Yes. And I meant that literally." Replied Fynn as he headed straight for the car that Zeff and Sylvan had 'borrowed' in Texas, which was still running and ready to go. "You'll see soon enough. C'mon. We need to hurry."

The three men wasted no time. Before long they were in the car driving away from the campus and towards… Well, Zeff had no idea where they were going… At least, not at first. But after about ten minutes of driving in silence they passed a sign that read, "Santa Monica Pier, This way."

Zeff had no idea what Santa Monica Pier was and it didn't matter. All that mattered was, "THE OCEAN!! Sylvan! Look!" Zeff shouted, pointing at the horizon. The air was already thick with the smell of sea-salt and seagulls, in search of an early morning feast, flew about just overhead.

"Yes, boy." Sylvan said blankly looking out of the passenger side window at the shops and residences that they were passing. It was almost as though he was concerned or even troubled and Zeff at once pick up on it. "Whoa. Is THE Dr. White afraid of a little water?!" Zeff laughed.

"Huh, water?"

"I-I mean, yeah… the ocean—water—you know?"

"Oh, yes—no, of course not." Sylvan insisted awkwardly. "It's nothing…"

"Uh—Silver. Don't worry, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." Fynn reassured.

Zeff was a simple guy, but he was no fool. He knew something was amiss. Since the moment the two got off of the elevator, he could almost cut the tension in the air with a knife. 'What in the world happened upstairs while I was away…?' he thought.

It didn't take long for the trio to reach their destination, which was not actually Santa Monica Pier, or whatever the place was. They pulled up to a stop at a somewhat secluded area just off of the water with a single small dock and one small motorboat barely big enough for five people that seemed suspiciously out of place. There was no parking lot or even signs anywhere to be seen.

On the dock, wearing thick, blue coveralls with a forest green turtle neck peeking out of the top, was a single man who was as busy as a bee doing this and that. He seemed to be in quite a hurry and his cheeks were practically red with exertion.

Zeff and the gang quickly exited the car and approached the man. But before anyone could speak, the man caught a glimpse of them as they approached.

"Wha' in the name of the four realms are you doin', Fynn, canterin' over here nearly thir'y minutes la'e?! Like y'go' all the time in tha worl'!" Exclaimed the man with a very thick accent that Zeff couldn't quite recognize, throwing his arms out in a display of exaggerated frustration, all the while trying to conceal a smile.

The man was older at second glance than at the first. Despite his full head of thick dirty-blonde hair, he had the face of an old man with inset, deep, thoughtful brown eyes and thin lips. His eyebrows were comically thick and his skin was so tanned it seemed almost unnatural.

"Dacrien, my friend." Dr. Fynn laughed as he approach the man. "You and I both know that you tell me to be here 30 minutes early so that when I'm thirty minutes late, I'm right on time…"

The two men greeted each other, each putting his own right arm on the other's left shoulder and grabbing the outside of the other's right arm with his left hand. It looked completely foreign to Zeff, and he knew that, had it been him, he would have felt awkward with such a greeting. But Fynn and Dacrien looked as though it was as natural to them as breathing. "Did you bring the—"

"Of course, friend. Here ya go." Dr. Fynn said taking a clear, blue folder out of his bag and handing it, along with the leather briefcase he had brought, to Dacrien.

Dacrien, stuffing the breifcase and folder under his arm, only snorted with satisfaction.

'Dacrien?' Zeff thought presently. 'What kinda name is Dacrien, anyways…?'

"And you, there! With the piss-color'd eyes! You was just mockin' m'name, werencha?"

"I—I, uh, no! I was just thinking—"

"—'What kinda name is Dacrien', werencha, now?!" Dacrien furrowed his thick brows so that it looked like two caterpillars on his face decided to look at the ground instead of at each other. "And you with the sal' and pepper!" He said pointing a long bony finger in Sylvan's direction. "Did you steal those eyebrows from m' Ma?"

The whole time he spoke, he wore a frown that would make babies cry, but his eyes never stopped laughing.

Despite that, Zeff and Sylvan were totally taken aback by the man's uncommon tactlessness. (Especially Sylvan.) And weren't at all sure what they should say to this strange, kooky old man.

"Oh, stop, Dacrien." laughed Fynn. Then turning to Zeff and Sylvan he said, "Don't you guys mind this old bat."

"Doncha mind me, no ways." Encouraged Dacrien with a warm smile. "The name's Dacrien Dresmon." He recited with a knightly bow. "House of Flizolde." he added, articulating clearer than he had ever before as though this was the most important thing he had said all day . "And you two mus' be me passengers today. Nuh?"

"Yes, it would seem that way." said Sylvan with a nervous laugh.

"Well?" asked the old man with a raised brow. "Didje no' hear me? We're la'e. Ge' your saggy scrum on board, hasty-like, nuh?"

"Saggy—… scrum…?" Sylvan asked with wide eyes, utterly taken aback.

"It don' mean whacha thinkin'." He promised. Then, after another second he burst into uproarious laughter and said, "But, then again, maybe it does!"

Sylvan was not impressed one bit, even as he made his way towards the boat, Zeff, giggling to himself all the while, close behind.

Before the two could jump over into the boat, however, they were suddenly stopped by Dr. Fynn. "Zeff— and Sylvan, too. Can I have a short word with you?" He looked at the street nervously as though he was afraid someone was about to drive around the corner any second.

Before Zeff could answer, however, Dacrien injerjected, "Fynn, you know I love ya like an estranged ol' aunty. But we aint got time for no long goodbye, nuh? The gate'll be openin' soon."

Just as he finished speaking, a car tore around the corner and roared down the road before coming to a screeching stop in the middle of the street. As if running from a axe-murderer, Matea herself burst from the driver's seat, kicking the door open like it owed her money. "Thanks for the ride!" She called over her shoulder to a man who was sitting in the passenger seat, looking like he was about to throw up his breakfast. Zeff could just see an "Oober" sign in the front, driver-side window.

"J-Just give me 2 minutes, Dacrien." Dr. Fynn requested with a relieved sigh. Dacrien merely grunted his compliance and, with the leather briefcase still under his arm, he hopped into the boat. "Zeff. There's someone I would like you to meet."

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"Sorry I'm late, William. I—"

"Nevermind that, Matea. Before he left, I wanted you to meet Zeff-here. Just give him a quick hand shake…" Dr. Fynn said with a nervous smile.

Matea flinched noticeably at the doctor's request. "Is that it?"

Now, it was Zeff who flinched. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh! Nothing! I just meant—um… Did he *only* want me to meet you and not Sylvan." she insisted, laughing nervously.

"Ah, yes. Please meet them both…"

'What is going on here…' thought Zeff, his frustration growing. 'Something's off. And everyone but me's in on it…'

*Poooeey* came the whistle of air escaping someone's bowels through tight cheeks. Everyone looked incredulously at Dacrien as he began to blush. "Sorry 'bout that… Safety, nuh?"

'Well, I guess not EVERYONE…' Zeff thought again as Dacrien fanned the air away from his behind.

"Well, don't mind me." said Sylvan with a dismissive hand wave, "We spoke plenty already."

"Okay." nodded Matea, strangely pleased. "That just leaves you then, Zeff." She extended her hand, seemingly intent to shake.

"Uh, yeah… Nice to meet you, Matea." Zeff said at once taking Matea by the hand and shaking it apprehensively.

"Great…" Said Matea, smiling unnaturally big. "Nice to meet you, too."

"Alrigh', now. You've shaken the hands. Now say ge'bye and get your saggy scrums in the boat!" cried Dacrien who was already in the drivers seat. "We got less than thirty minutes!"

"Ah, yes, right away, Dacrien." came Dr. Fynn. He gave Sylvan a reassuring glance and said, "Well, I guess you guys should be pushing off now. Sylvan, you got that phone I gave you, right?"

"Right here." Replied Sylvan, patting his pants' pocket.

"Good. Keep it close. You should be able to use it in the Underworld, though not to contact me. But if there's something I might need to tell you before you get there, I'll send text it to you."

At that, Sylvan only nodded.

"Blah Blah Blegh! Ge'in the boat, men, or I'm pushin' off without ya!" cried Dacrien, exasperated.

*****

Without so much as another word, Zeff and Sylvan boarded the boat and, perhaps because they really were quite late, Dacrien was off before they knew it. Leaving Matea and William Fynn waving from the dock.

"Two Months!" yelled Fynn. "I'll visit in two months, I swear."

Fynn and Matea waved until the small boat was hardly a dot on the horizon.

"Sir." Matea said finally. "What was that all ab—" Matea caught her breath as Dr. Fynn turned to her, his eyes misty. "Master!? Is everything okay?"

"I haven't seen that old bat in years… And he didn't even say goodbye. He still hasn't forgiven me it seems."

Matea drew near to the man who was a full head taller than her, and reached up to place a soft hand on his cheek. "Forgiven you for what, Master Fynn?" She said warmly.

"Nothing…" was Fynn's curt reply, as he pushed Matea's hand away gently, trying not to make eye contact. "S-So, when you shook the boy's hand, what did you see."

Matea still wore a look of deep concern but she answered, "Nothing out of the ordinary. He has no aura and no specific aura affinity either, though that'll likely have changed in two months."

"And did he have a shard?"

"Of course not." scoffed Matea. "You know that's not possible? He would have to at least—"

"—Have parents that were G.I.s to have a shard, I know…" finished Fynn solemnly, taking out his phone. As he did, he let out a small gasp as he already had a message from Sylvan.

The message read:

<<Hey Willy.

I appreciate your concern about the boy. But I'm more than certain he is the son of Finnius. I didn't want to push it any further in front of you, but there's no way it's not true. You can tell me what Matea found but… i don't know… It won't change much. Zeff is a friend. He's more like family, actually. And you know how I feel about family :)

No matter what happens. No matter how angry we get. No matter what mistakes we make. We love them. We forgive, no matter what. And that goes double for you, 'Willy-Woo' :) I'm sorry, I didn't say good bye. I guess I'm worried, having wasted my time for questions on grilling you!

But be reminded: I love you, my brother. See you in two months.>>

Dr. Fynn's sight suddenly got blurry as tears filled his eyes. "Silver. Thanks for the message." He spoke, typing as he went. "I will tell you everything in two—" He began. However, the next instant, he erased his message and wrote, <<Okay. Love you too, brother>> and hit send.

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