"How are the others?"

Elsa gave a smile

"They've missed you... I've missed you"

"Yeah I missed you too... I know I owe you an explanation and I will give you one when we're all gathered"

"Okay... By the way Varvei is on the roof right now, go see her... She's been training non-stop since you left"

Mars gave a nod before he suddenly remembered something and looked back at 78 that stood and watched them

"Elsa this is 78"

Elsa looked over and gave a nod before she separated from Mars and walked over to her and asked immediately

"So what do you like most about Mars?"

78 was not fazed and answered

"I like how despite how strong he is he's still so gentle with me"

Elsa gave a nod and a smile before she gestured for 78 to sit down Mars watched them for a moment before he walked up towards the roof, soon he entered Victoria's usual domain: The rooftop garden.

He could faintly hear the sound of something pa.s.sing through the air and followed the sound until he reached an open area where a single figure practiced with her long viper like spear, Mars stood and watched her practice for a little while but after that small amount of time pa.s.sed he suddenly felt himself moving out into the practice field, he didn't know why but his heart ached so before he noticed he was hugging the lonely figure that stood on the practice field

"I am home Varvei"

Varvei seemed to snap out of her training trance as soon as Mars hugged her and when he spoke she seemed to shudder slightly before large crystal like tears rolled out of her eyes and she whispered

"Why..? I haven't gotten any stronger..?"

Mars felt his heart ache again before he poked her small nose

"You silly girl I never left because you were weak"

"Then why did you leave..?"

"Because I was forced to, I never wanted to leave you all alone"

Mars tightened his grip on Varvei slightly before she suddenly warped her tail around him and grabbed his face before she spoke in a slightly stern tone

"I'll get very lonely if you ever leave me alone again"

Mars smiled before their faces neared each other and they shared a kiss for the first time in a year... After sometime the two of them separated and for sometime the two of them just looked into the others eyes before Varvei gave a slightly strained smile and spoke

"You should go see the others now.... Chloe is at work"

Mars gave a nod and kissed Varvei a final time before she let go of him with her tail, then Mars gave her another kiss before he began floating and flew off to find Chloe, when he disappeared from view Varvei gave a sigh as she for a moment imagened what it would be like if she had him for herself, but quickly she shook her head and muttered

"No I should not be greedy..."

Meanwhile Mars arrived at the giant tree and walked into the lobby where he was met by an ancient elf that spoke to him

"Welcome Mars, are you here to visit the elders?"

"Nope they are not my priority right now... Care to show me the way to Chloe's office?"

the ancient elf gave a sigh before he gestured for Mars to follow him, and then after a few minutes the ancient elf stopped outside a door and gestured to it before he walked back the way he came, Mars gave a sigh and opened the door without knocking, inside the office sat Chloe behind a desk looking down into a bunch of doc.u.ments, when the door opened she glanced up for a moment before she looked back down at the doc.u.ments, she thought she had seen wrongly so she just kept working on the doc.u.ments as Mars walked closer and stopped in front of her desk

"Anybody home?"

Chloe did a double take, this time she believed her own eyes that widened as she shoot up from her seat

"Mars!"

Then she ran around the desk and almost crashed into Mars, well actually she did as she embraced him and hugged him tightly, Mars gave a sigh and patted her head and ran her soft hair though his fingers as he soothed her slightly. After sometime Chloe asked while she still had her head buried in his chest

"When did you return?"

"Today"

"Did you bring another woman home"

"...That I did"

Chloe gave a sigh before she raised her head and looked up into his eyes

"I'll forgive you if you kiss me"

Mars gave a smile

"Sure"

Mars kissed Chloe deeply, when they seperated Chloe spoke

"You should go see the others now... I'll be home by evening"

"Hmm... No You'll be going home now"

"Wh--"

Mars picked up Chloe and flew out into the hallway and further out of the giant tree, soon he landed on top of his building and put Chloe down, Chloe looked a little out of breath so Mars asked

"Are you okay"

"Yeah, I just love it when you are being forceful"

"I know that's why I did that"

Chloe gave a smile and leaned on Mars for a few moments before she asked

"Who have you not seen yet?"

"Mary and Yel"

"Oh... Then go see Mary, she's kind of... Unstable"

"I see... I'll go see her now then, where is she?"

"She should be home sleeping after she returned from a patrol last night"

"Okay, then I'll go see her now"

Mars and Chloe walked downstairs and after Chloe joined Elsa and Varvei in talking with 78 in the livingroom Mars walked off towards Mary's bedroom, after thinking for a little while in front of the door he softly knocked and gently pushed open the door, the inside of the room was a mess with three pieces of dirty leather armor laying on the floor along with a pair of twin swords that Mars could smell the dried blood that stained the blades and on the bed in the dim room lay Mary curled up like a kitten on the bed

'...'

Mars felt his heart ache and walked into the room and closed the door after himself, inside the dim room Mars maneuvered past the stuff on the floor before he laid down on the bed and hugged Mary's sleeping figure, Mary moved a little in her sleep as Mars hugged her but she didn't wake up, perhaps she had subconsciously realized that it was her lover that hugged her and thus she fell even deeper asleep, Mars didn't mind and also closed his eyes and soon fell asleep himself...

After sleeping for a few hours Mars awoke to Mary's smiling face

"Good morning Mars"

"...Yeah Good morning Mary"

As Mars returned her greeting Mary's smile widened slightly as she dove into his chest and hugged him tightly for sometime until she began speaking

"I've been defending our home ever since you left..."

"I see... You did good Mary"

Mars patted her on the head and ran his hand through her smooth hair, Mary felt her smile widen a little again as Mars praised her as she had imagined so many times in her dreams

"When did you return?"

"Today... I will explain myself when we're all gathered"

"Okay... Have you seen the others yet?"

"I just need to see Yel"

"I see... Then go see her now, she's with her mother"

"...Okay"

Mary reluctantly let go of him and watched from the bed as he got up and flicked on the light in the room, then she blushed slightly over the state of her room but Mars didn't seem to care as he returned to the bed and gave her a light kiss before he walked out of the door, once he left the room Mary imdeiatly began cleaning her room.

Mars walked up to the roof and flew towards the part of Green river where the sky people lived, the trip was short and soon he landed in front of Xel's house, after standing in front of the door for a few moments he walked into the house without knocking, as he stepped in he saw Xel sitting in the living room seemingly meditating but when he opened the door she also opened her eyes and saw him and gave a smile before she put a finger in front of her lips and pointed to a door to a bedroom, Mars gave a nod and moved silently and opened the door slowly.

Inside the room sat Yel on a bed looking out of the window which faced away from the door, Mars wanted to sneak up on her but when he stepped on the floorboard it let out a creak which drew Yel's attention

"...Hey Yel"

Yel stared at Mars for a few long seconds before she got out of the bed and kneeled down as she spoke

"It's good that you have returned my lord"

Mars gave a frown and walked over in front of her before he pulled her up onto her feet and hugged her, after not knowing what to do for a few second Yel slowly wrapped her hands around Mars' back and returned the hug as Mars spoke

"I'm back Yel"

"....Welcome back Mars"