Brokenly, Restored

Chapter #14

(Matt's POV)

     Little brother. Younger sibling. Having the same birth parents, and being born the latest. I flip through various  definitions of the word as the silence stretches on. I do not understand why no one is speaking anymore. Everyone has to come from somewhere.

      "Your....... brother?", Pete mumbles. Does he not believe it? Yes, the lab changed all of us drastically, but there are still traces of Zemrlt and human genes in his blood. Not born, made.

     "I don't understand. None of us know our families, but how are you so sure Pete is your brother?", Choco does not accept the information, either. I decide to not interrupt, and simply observe. I do not understand their looks or the changes in their voice tones.

     "Zemrlt have strong family bonds", Dalaina tries to explain, "Li-Like I said before, I could sense you on the docks, just like I can s-sense my other siblings".

     "But shouldn't I be able to sense you, then?", Pete asks.

     "Close y-your eyes and try to walk towards me", Dalaina smiles and laughs a bit. Pete hesitates beofre he close his eyes. He puts his arms out in front of him as he walks forwards. Dalaina silently backs up and then moves to the left. Pete changes direction a moment after and still bumps into her. There was no way he heard or saw her.

     " I guess we're having a few more for dinner", the other Zemrlt girl huffs at the spilt pot on the floor, but she's also smiling. The two boys on the couch have been furiously signing to each other, but are now creeping a little closer. Choco hesitantly steps away and nudges me back as well. The two boys, both a few years older then Pete, start to sign to him. Pete quickly picks up and answers them. His brothers smile.  

     "What do we do now?", Choco whispers to me.

     "I must reach the coordinates. Do what you like", I reply, turning to leave.

     "What!? We can't just leave! Pete should have at least a little time here if this is his family", Choco grabs onto my arm.

     "Yes. Family care for the youngest members, and even stay in contact in maturity. It is only natural for him to stay here", I say. I do not understand the problem. It will be even more efficient to travel now.

     Choco stares at me, trying to understand what I just said. Does he not proses that Pete should remain here? I do not understand. Before I can repeat myself, the door to the stairway opens up again. Two Zemrlt come bursting through, panting and out of breath. The older one looks to be in his mid twenties. All of his hybrid features are strong right down to his bone rib armor. The sheathed sword at his waist makes me bring up my defense protocol. The younger Zemrlt at his side is part human, with gray eyes and brown hair. It messes with my system when I see how similar he looks to Pete. Twins. They could have been identical if the lab hadn't of changed Pete's skin tone so drastically.

     "We came as soon as we sensed........ you found him", the older Zemrlt speaks surprisingly well, but he pauses at seeing Pete. He stares for a second before asking, "What...... What happened to you". His face changes, but I don't understand it. He's feeling guilty. No, I can not understand. Pete looks down at his green tinged hands, as if just remembering why he's just meeting his siblings for the first time.

     "Alright, I've got this one. Third time's the charm", Choco shrugs. He explains the events of the lab to all six of Pete's siblings, going into a bit more detail then with Captain Zephra. He talks mostly about Pete's own experiences in the lab. He glances over his own failed experiment and the fighting ring. Choco does explain my success a little better, stressing a part about something being taken from me, but saying I'm not dangerous. I am dangerous to any threats. After the explanation is over, all of the Zemrlt siblings are quiet for a few minutes.

     "Dammit!", the oldest brother is the first to speak, cussing and slamming his fist into a wall. His knuckles bruise instantly. "Why did we never think of looking on another continent!? We could've...... I could've saved you".

     "Our Mother was not a kind person", Dalaina puts a hand on her older brother's shoulder. "We have th-three fathers between the seven of us, and two were human. None of us knew she h-had had twins until Pete was already gone".

      "I never knew that I even had siblings", Pete mumbles, looking around at his newfound family.