Second Class Cadet Noah Nyx was worried to say the least about this family Volt seems to be associated with. Why was this Ryoji person in such a rush after seemingly not caring about where his father was?

He can’t help but ask some questions.

“Kasumi, are you left alone at your house often?” Noah asks calmly and softly, looking down at the little girl, whose hair was slightly messy and a red bow that looks like it was gonna fall off.

Kasumi doesn’t answer.

“All the time,” Jian answers. “Her father is a junkie, if he’s not at home, he’s at the Alboy Bar, if he’s not there, he’s lying in a ditch and if you can’t find him in a ditch, we hope he’s dead.”

“And their mother?”

“Ran out when Mateo was diagnosed, when he was five perhaps, the only time she came back was to dump Kaori onto Ryoji’s lap.” Jian answers, putting away the first aid kit.

“How old is Kaori?”

“Four months,”

Noah clenches his fist, trying to his anger. Who the hell just abandons their children? Ryoji himself doesn’t look older than him and he’s only nineteen.

“I’m filing a report to social services,” Noah says, ready to leave and make that call.

Jian waves his hands in a panic, the enormous panda blocking his exit. “Whooa, the Yuki’s don’t do social services. You cannot separate those kids at all.”

“But Ryoji can’t take care of those kids by himself, especially if one of them is disabled. The authorities need to be involved.”

“Look, the Yuki’s aren’t some normal family that you can just place into foster care. Ryoji is the only one who can handle them at all.”

Handle them all? What are they some sort of crazy family that does crimes?

They were in fact a crazy family that does crimes!

Noah arrives at their local school, Perryton Junior High where basketball practice is held for both the middle schoolers and high schoolers. The basketball team was known as the Perryton Platypuses and their junior high division has won several seasons over the years, mostly thanks to their ace Volt.

The school gymnasium is currently being used by the basketball team in question. Their feet skidding across the floor with a loud screech as the ball is tossed around rapidly between the players.

Upon the bleachers is a restless Volt, sitting on them with his legs kicking up and down as he rocks himself side to side. Underneath those bleachers however was the youngest Yuki son, Mateo. Sitting with his legs crossed and a silver laptop on his lap, a usb wedged into its ports with a piece of tape holding it together.

“What movie?” Mateo asks, not looking up from his laptop.

Movie? What did he mean? Noah thinks as he approaches the small boy with a very thin frame and a fringe that covers his left eye.

“I said what movie idiot-” Mateo whines as he looks up at Noah, his face then changes to one of annoyance. “I thought this school has a no pet policy, Kasumi.”

“Hey!” Volt groans from above them.

“Not you Volt or maybe you, considering you decided to become a dog as well.” Mateo replies with a hint of disdain in his voice.

“Look, your brother went back home in a panic and your dad is missing,” Noah replies.

“He goes missing all the time with my money.”

“Mateo, it’s the first Friday of the month.” Kasumi says.

“And I don’t care.” he shrugs. “My job is merely to keep some funds by selling goods like pirated movies and alcohol to students.”

“That’s a crime!”

“Only if you’re caught,” Mateo bluntly replies.

Noah sighs, “I’ll skip to the point, your father abandoned your baby sister and I wanna report him to social services.”

“Look man, I may hate my father but I don’t wanna be away from my stupid siblings. Can’t you just get my brother to be my guardian?” Makoto replies, sipping a canned drink.

Well he was correct, that would be a good idea. Have Social Services investigate and consider if they can make Ryoji the legal guardian or maybe Jian but even then, Jian doesn’t seem like he wants to raise more children.

“Hey Mr. Nyx…” Volt spoke up, hanging his head over the edge of the bleachers, he was holding tightly to the cap on his head.

Noah softly smiles, “Yeah Volt?”

“I saw Cooper outside that big scary mansion, the one belonging to that scary Mr. Humphrey guy.” Volt says, “He fishes quite often there, cus' there’s a river beside it.”

“Thanks Volt… do you mind taking Kasumi now?”

“Sure,” Mateo replies.

Noah nods his head and leaves. “I have to go now, the Commander will be upset if I’m out too long.”

“See ya later Mr. Nyx!”