Chapter 410: Changes and Old Friends (2)
The hall that was filled with chatter and excited whispers quickly faded away as soon as Van showed his presence; all were looking at him, with the citizens of Osiris even bowing or raising their glasses at him.
Queen Vivati seemed to be talking with Angela, who only gave Van a weird smile before continuing to talk with Vivati.
As for the numerous prominent scientists in the room… they were all surrounding Arachnaea, who quickly winked at Van mischievously. When he was told they were going to bring everyone, Van had thought it was only going to be those who were originally in the Branch… but seeing that Thor was also here drinking with some of the members of the Space Force; it would seem they meant it literally.
And as for Captain Ameera, she was currently chasing a little girl who Van could only describe as a mini version of Vanya.
"Look! Your grandfather is here!"
And as soon as his and Ameera's eyes met, she quickly stopped playing with the little girl; carrying her gently on her shoulders as she walked towards a group of people-- Athena, Vanya… and Gerald.
"King Evans, your family is here!"
It would seem that Ameera had already fully acquainted herself with the others, as Athena even handed her a glass as soon as she gently placed the little girl on the floor. The little girl then quickly ran towards Vanya… before hiding behind Gerald.
"This…" Van could not help but blink a couple of times as he approached the group; the little girl, looking at Van like he was some kind of mythical creature. Van then looked towards Gerald, who already had a huge smirk on his face.
Seeing this somewhat condescending look, Van's eyes started to twitch. He had been refusing to see his so-called granddaughter whenever Athena called him through satellite since he still couldn't believe that Vanya and Gerald would actually have a child together.
But now that it was right in front of him, there was no use denying it anymore.
"Go on, Yra," Gerald then stepped to the side, gently nudging the little girl to go to Van, "Meet your grandfather."
Van could hear Gerald trying to hold back a snicker, but he didn't really pay him any mind as Yra was slowly approaching him.
"This… grandfather?" Yra blinked a couple of times; glancing at Gerald and Vanya as if to confirm it that was true; and seeing them nod at her, Yra quickly grabbed Van's long hair, pulling on it as she let out a wide smile, "He… he looks even younger than you, father!"
"That's because he's a midget."
Van wanted to rebuke Gerald, but he did not really want to scare the little girl in front of him.
"..."
"..."
And even after a full minute of Yra smiling at him, Van still did not know what to say and could only stare at her; Yra did not seem to mind, however, as the smile on her face did not fade.
What was he even supposed to say to her? She looked like her grandmother?
"I do!?" Yra then suddenly ran towards Vanya and jumped around, "Grandpa said I looked like grandma!"
"She can read minds, father."
Van was going to ask what just happened, but before he could do so, Vanya spoke; and considering the somewhat cold tone in her voice-- she was mad at him.
"H… hello, Vanya."
"...Father," Vanya's tone turned even colder. Before she carried Yra and left to head towards where Queen Vivati was.
"She's mad because you didn't even talk to her whenever you and Athena spoke through the hologram thingy," Gerald let out another condescending chuckle, "I'll see you around…
...father-in-law."
And soon, the condescending chuckle turned into a burst of mocking laughter as Gerald followed Vanya.
"..."
"..."
And so, Athena and Ameera were left; Ameera, however, was quickly called by his men, leaving only Athena and Van.
Van was about to open his mouth, but before he could do so, Athena kissed him on the lips.
"No need to say anything," Athena breathed out, "We've been talking enough through the satellite-- and I'm not one for a touchy reunion."
"O--"
"But I am!"
Van then slightly stepped back as someone suddenly barged between him and Athena; and although he was now thin again, Van was sure of it…
"...Dionysus?" Van furrowed his eyebrows, "I... thought you were dead?"
"No, no," Dionysus quickly shook his head, "As long as there are parties, I will always be alive!"
"..."
"Uncle Dionysus! Here! Here!"
"Oh, duty calls. We shall talk later, King Van."
"..." Watching Dionysus being called by Yra, the only thing that Van could do was squint his eyes… and afterward look at the drink that Athena was holding.
"You don't have to worry," Athena slightly chuckled, "He didn't put anything in it."
"I… see. It would seem a lot of things happened while I was gone. Where's Latanya and Sarah?" Van then said as he looked around the hall.
"Latanya is currently still in the ship. It would seem Skylar's body isn't taking Hyperspeed that well; probably hidden memories of when Seraph Azrael was fighting with Hermes," Athena breathed out, "As for Sarah, she's with other scientists trying to find a way to replicate your blood."
"...Working already?"
"She doesn't like parties, she said."
"I… see. I'll try and visit them later."
And so, the reunion continued. Van expected the reunion to be more heavy, but everything just seemed casual-- except of course Vanya was still not talking to him.
Yra was looking at him from time to time, though. As if wanting to talk to him, but Vanya was not letting her do so. Van should just pick a time to talk to Vanya later and perhaps apologize for ignoring them.
Van wanted to talk to Arachnaea to confirm if who he saw during the Assimilation with Vivati was the Man, but he didn't get a chance to do so since some of the scientists were still fawning at her.
"King Evans, I need you to come with me for something."
"Hm?" Van's lonely thoughts were then disrupted by Athena, who had Vivati beside her.
"...What's wrong?"
"I need you to check on the prisoners that we brought in the ship," Athena said, "There's more than a thousand of them, so you'll have a lot to absorb and maybe solve your stunted speed."
"Couldn't this wait after the party?"
"Just come with us," Athena sighed, "...You'll see what I mean."
"..."
***
Although the hallways of the Solomon were bright, the corridor they were not walking in had this eerie silence crawling across its white walls; Van could also hear slight groans and moans whispering in the air-- only shadowed by the sound of their steps.
"...Couldn't this wait after the party?" Van repeated his words as they continued to walk through the ship's hallway, "And why bring Vivati along?"
"Because of this, King Evans." Athena then stopped in her tracks, before placing her hand on one of the bright white walls.
And as soon as she did so, the white wall instantly vanished; revealing the prisoner confined within the other side.
"...Van."
And without Van even having the chance to see the prisoner's face, the prisoner's familiar voice already reached his ears.
Although the man inside the small room had a completely disheveled look; with grey hairs sticking out of his beard, Van quickly recognized who it was. But for him to age this much since the last time Van saw him… He shouldn't have even been gone for that long.
"Look at you. You haven't aged one bit, man."
"...I think you just aged a lot, Harvey."
"Pft," Harvey's chuckles whispered through the hallway as he stood up from the bed provided for him, "You can say all the shits that's happened really got to me."
The two then looked each other in the eye, neither trying to say anything for almost a minute. Harvey was the one to break the silence with a sigh, however, as he slowly approached Van.
"So far," he whispered, "When we met each other again back in the Branch, I knew you were already so far away… but compare that to how we are now…
...It's almost like we're two completely different people already. We really did die during the Explosion."
"..."
"I'd like to say this upfront," Harvey continued to talk, "I am not asking for your forgiveness, I don't need it. The things that happened to me, the things I have done-- they were all done for survival… I know you understand that."
"...Perhaps."
"Do… you think if the things that happened to us didn't happen, we will still be friends?" Harvey said as he continued to approach Van, "What if I didn't kill the mother of your child… would our reunion be between frien--"
Harvey's words were then disrupted as he felt a resistance stopping him from walking further. He tried to stretch his hand, but some sort of invisible force field was blocking his path-- reminding him that he was still inside a cage, no matter how immaculate.
The only thing he could do was look Van straight in the eyes, waiting for his answer.
"...I would like to think so," Van then said as he sighed.
And hearing van's response, Harvey could not help but once again chuckle, "You really have matured now; the last time you just charged at me without even any warning."
"...Mature?" Van then breathed out before turning his head towards Athena and letting out a chuckle of his own,
"I don't think so," he then said as he turned his attention back towards Harvey, "Because right now...
...I want to rip you to shreds."