“A reincarnation, huh? I thought they were legend.”

  Roscoe said, “I knew one growing up. That’s how I recognized the symptoms.”

  Eye-Deku looked up from where he was drawing. Art ruffled his hair. “Easy, buddy.”

  Art looked at Roscoe. “You said a tree bowed to him?”

  Roscoe nodded. “And the Preschool Headmaster ‘sensed’ his power. That guy has no radar at all.”

  Eye-Deku spat, “Ahgels. Liars.”

  Eye-Deku continued to draw with his crayons. Art chuckled. “Oh, this is going to feel so odd.”

  Roscoe said, “Yeah. What I was able to decipher from our choppy back and forth, Eye-Deku has a curse of sorts on him. His body gets mortally injured, he’s reincarnated. But it is random when and where he wakes up.”

  Art said, “How did he have our blood, though?”

  Eye-Deku pointed at them. “Dada an Papa!”

  He brought up his notebook, showing them over different ages and costumes.

  Roscoe said, “…I think he’s saying we’ve reincarnated too.”

  Ugh. If he wasn’t worried about whatever fuck was going on, he’d go for telepathy. This was so difficult. Eye-Deku said, “Eh. More lie, family.”

  Eye-Deku pointed at Roscoe. “Me always For!”

  Art said, “Ah. He’s saying he’s always been a Ford. So that is the only pattern… his body keeps the base blood.”

  Roscoe smiled at Art. “It also means we aren’t the only couple between our two families.”

  The two men smiled lovingly at each other. Art sighed. “Well… there’s a bunch Eye-Deku can explain once he’s able. But it doesn’t make a lot of difference now, does it?”

  Roscoe shook his head. “Eye-Deku has been smart. As far as anyone is concerned, he’s just a very powerful and smart baby. The problem is the parts he cannot control.”

  Art said, “Like the tree… like that damned Tree!”

  Art sighed. “I am blaming a tree.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Roscoe smiled. “I’m still curious why it bowed, but that is not important. Eye-Deku will at least be protected by it at Preschool.”

  Art nodded. “It’s not perfect, but it is better than we thought.”

  Eye-Deku crawled over, and used the couch to stand up. Art helped him up next to them. He said, “…what do you think the Knights and the Royals will do when they find out the extent of his power?”

  Eye-Deku said, “Bah.”

  No one will know… until it’s too late.

  Roscoe said, “I don’t know. We know what they will do for power and control.”

  Eye-Deku said, “Me pro-heh Dada and Papa!”

  They both chuckled. Art kissed his forehead. “I’m sure you will do your best.”

  Roscoe smiled. “But hopefully, they leave us alone. After all, it would make sense a child of Knights is powerful.”

  Art nodded. “We just need to be careful.”

  He chuckled. “Let’s move to a happier subject. Who’s ready for dinner?”

  Eye-Deku said, “Nom noms!”

  Roscoe chuckled and stood up. He said, “Let’s go. We can go out tonight, and go grocery shopping.”

  Eye-Deku pointed down. “Ana!”

  Art said, “Huh?”

  Roscoe said, “What?”

  Eye-Deku said, “Di-Ana NIEE. Pizza!”

  They stared at each other, and then each other. Oh yeah, that was his worst translation sentence ever.

  Roscoe said, “He… said Diana. Let’s ask her. And if there is a deal on dinner.”

  Eye-Deku said, “Nom noms!”

  “Oh good, he isn’t hiding it from yah. Yeah, Eye-Deku is technically my uncle.”

  Eye-Deku laughed as he scribbled in his new sketchbook. Roscoe said, “Wait… but how do you know that? As I picked up, Eye-Deku hasn’t been awake since… well, before written history.”

  Diana huffed. The humanoid female barn owl said, “Yeah, and I’m sure it’s killin’ him.”

  Diana sighed. “So here’s the explanation. My Dad is an immortal. So is his kids. Eye-Deku married his brother. So I’m his niece. Dad sensed Eye-Deku after years beyond, and came here to help.”

  Zeke appeared. “Because family helps family!”

  Eye-Deku’s dads both yelped in shock. But the short being with marble skin had already run off to fix a game. Diana sighed. “As much as he can with his attention span.”

  Art and Roscoe both relaxed. Roscoe said, “Shit…”

  Art said, “Well, we need it. So thank you.”

  Diana nodded, and adjusted her emerald dress. “Family helps family. Anyway, I already know what Eye-Deku likes. What do you want?”

  Roscoe said, “Uh… I don’t even know what pizza is.”

  Eye-Deku held up a picture. “PIZZA!”

  Everyone chuckled.

  Diana said, “Here, let me get some actual pictures. But let’s start off with just cheese and a pepperoni for now. The classic recipes.”

  Zeke was back, his rosy cheeks even more flushed then normal. He flipped his blonde shoulder-length hair back. He said, “Pizza?!?”

  Diana said, “DAD! You already had dinner!”

  Zeke huffed. He said, “I can have a cookie.”

  Eye-Deku patted his brother-in-law’s head. “Zeke!”

  Zeke laughed and kissed his cheek. “Yep! I love it when you’re tiny~.”

  He smiled at the men. “If you guys need anything, feel free to call on me! I will know when you call.”

  Eye-Deku huffed. “He does.”

  It was basically how his summoning worked.

  Roscoe smiled while Art seemed to try and compute. Roscoe said, “Power just runs in the family?”

  Zeke shrugged. “Pretty much! But I’m told I’m the overload point.”

  Who told you that… probably his wife.

  Zeke then ran off, making zooming noises. Diana walked up with a sigh. “Sorry about him.”

  Roscoe waved it off, and Art shrugged. Roscoe said, “It’s fine.”

  Art said, “He seems like a good guy.”

  Diana smiled. “Yeah, he is.”