[following Loki's directions, they made their way to the kidney area, n made their way to a section tht seems to be a slightly slum area]
Rodeo: Wow, this is where u live?
Loki: Yeah, the best plc we could afford. Goliath suffered an old injury towards this area during his gargoyle days n it nvr reli properly got fixed due to poor management, bt lucky for us, it was a good plc to set up rent-controlled apartments. So yeah, it's not fancy, bt we get by
Rouge; 8looked out8
Loki: [pointed right ahead] There's my apartment
[up ahead was a pretty rickety-looking apartment tht fits the bill of rent-controlled quality, tho it looked like it had seen better days]
Ambrose: Gee... Cozy...
Rouge; 8gave Loki a sorrowful look8
Loki: Don't feel bad. It's nothing much, but it's home. Come, I'll lead u upstairs [takes Crystal out of the car]
Rodeo: (thinks: Definitely needs a fixer upper, this plc)
Lavinia: [helped take Edi out to pass to Klepta]
Lavatina; 8searched her joints8
Loki: This way, guys [led them to the apartment, up the flight of dusty stairs to the 5th floor]
Rodeo: Ugh, I knw this is rent-control, but hv they not heard of elevators?
Rouge; 8smacks him upside the head8
Rodeo: Oow! Seriously?!
Loki: Now, now, Rouge, be nice. He's right, u knw. It is pretty tedious, especially for me wen I was pregnant n for Mommy bcoz of her condition. I plan to save enough to move us out to a decent wheelchair-friendly home someday
Lavatina; A bungalow or cottage would do
Loki: Maybe with a lake view. Mommy always loved looking out at a water view area
Rouge: Sea view?
Loki: Sea view is good, bt she prefers the lake somehow. Reminds her of her childhood [reaches their floor] Here we are
Rodeo: Finally... I thought I was gonna die... [was breathless]
Ambrose: U need to exercise more, bro, build up stamina
Rodeo: Says the one who scarfs dwn two pizza n be a couch potato whenevr he has the chance
Lavatina; 8bit her lip to stop laughing8
Lavinia: [snorts at the remark]
Ambrose: [rolls eyes] Ur just jealous of my awesome metabolisme
Loki: [giggled] Oh I will nvr get tired of u guys [rang the doorbell]
[the sound of pitter-patter was heard before the door was answered, revealing a hybrid tht looked almost like Loki, roughly in her pre-teens]
Loki: Hi, Hera, I'm home! Where's Mommy?
Hera: Loki~~ Ur home! [glomps him]
Rouge; 8looked at the two8
Loki: [chuckles] Yes, I'm home, Hera. Where's Mommy n the rest?
Hera: Odin is doing homework, Freyja is out to buy groceries n the twins r hving a nap
Klepta: [whispered] Wow, he wasnt kidding wen he said he had 5 siblings
Rouge; 8nods then looked at Loki8 Is our mother a fan of mythology/
Loki: Both my parents, Mom loves Norse, Dad loved Greek. Even the twins got Greek gods names: Persephone and Perseus [giggled]
Lavatina; 8giggles8
Hera: R u here long this time?
Loki: Yeah, I'll be here for a while. So u haven't answered my question: Where's Mom?
??: Right here, sweetie
Rouge; 8looked over8
[Everyone turned to see a female Salmonella on a wheelchair, slowly wheeling herself out dwn the hallway to the living room where everyone was, revealing wat Loki had mentioned: both her legs gone due to amputation]
Loki: Hi, Mummy
Mrs Phillion: Hey, Loki. Glad ur here for the hols. And who hv u brought along today?
Rouge; 8stiffend8
Loki: Mommy, here's Crystal [gestured to his baby girl] And this... [gestured to Rouge] ...is my fiance Rouge n his siblings, n... the father of ur granddaughter
Mrs Phillion: [raise a brow] .....She looks nothing like him. Wat are u playing at there, Loki?
Rouge; -Knew this was coming-
Loki: [takes a deep breath] Mommy, I'm sorry... I... I lied... Abt... Abt Gerald...
Freyja: [enters] I'm home... [sees the group n screamed] OMG!! THE BIOTICS?!
Mrs Phillion: Freyja, silence! Ur big brother and I need to talk. Alone.
Rodeo: Right... We'll... just be right there...
Freyja: OMG, pls, pls, come to my room! Let them hv their privacy! OMG, I can't believe THE Biotics r in my home~~!! Imma call my buddies! [grabbed her cell phone n started texting as she led the gang to her room]
Rouge; 8shot Loki a worried look as he followed his siblings with Crystal7
Mrs Phillion: [stops Rouge] Not u, young man. U stay here while my son explains himself
Rouge; 8gulped8
Mrs Phillion: [crossed her arms as she waited for Rouge to stand nxt to Loki] Explain
Loki: [takes a deep breath before he told her the truth, abt his previous employment, how he had an affair with his boss Gerald, how he had been secretly getting on with him behind Gerald's wife's bk, n how he ended up pregnant with Crystal n ended up being fired for it]
Mrs Phillion: U had an affair? With a married man? I thought u told me he is a widow!
Loki: No, Mommy, I nvr said he was a widow. I told u I was in a relationship with my boss, u just filled in the blanks for urself, n I couldnt bring myself to tell u he's still married to his wife!
Mrs Phillion: U knw how I feel abt home-wreckers! Ur grandfather left ur grandmother for a hussie n it tore our family apart! It drove ur grandmother insane n me and ur uncles had to suffer for it! How could u?!
Loki: Mommy...
Rouge; The only one to blame here is that hack, he went after Loki and isn't the first or last man to bed his workers
Mrs Phillion: N how did u come into the picture, young man? Did my son tricked u into taking unnecessary responsibility for his bastard baby girl?
Loki: Mommy, dont say tht abt Crystal! She's not a bastard! [held Crystal close]
Mrs Phillion: A child born not frm a proper marriage is no granddaughter of mine!
Rouge; 8saw red and slapped her across the face8 You fucking bitch hick
Loki: [gasped] R-Rouge...!!
Mrs Phillion: [gasped at the slap, glaring at him in anger n horror] How DARE u?! Who do u think u are, striking a poor, defenseless cripple like me?! I'll hv u sued!!
Rouge; Cut the crap hag, you have no right to berate Loki for what happened or have any right to insult OUR little gem
Mrs Phillion: I'M his mother! I hv the right to speak to MY son howevr I want! Didnt ur mother evr taught u any respect for elders?!
Loki: Mommy, pls... [holding the crying Crystal close, trying to calm her dwn] Ur scaring her...
Mrs Phillion: And YOU, boy, this is all YOUR fault! I should've taken ur Uncle Mars' offer to match u with his neighbour's son wen I had the chance. An accomplished doctor who has his own hospital n a proper financial status set for life... He was the perfect ticket for our family to get out of this dump! And now I find u not only a homewrecker, bt also blew ur chance to hv a proper rich man so u dont hv to suffer this penniless life! Ur a disgrace! Ur just like ur namesake, Loki the trickster god!
Rouge; 8snarled, wrapping his arm round his mate n child then whistled to his siblings8
Rodeo: [heard the whistle n peeks out] Wassup, bro?
Loki: I knew it... I knew it was a mistake... I knew u would react like this...
Mrs Phillion: Wat were u expecting me to react? Happy? Happy tht u got knocked up by a married man n almost ruining someone's marriage? Happy tht u roped in a sucker who'll prolly go broke the moment his singing career ends in a heartbeat?
Rodeo: [heard those words] Uh-oh... [turns to the gang] Things dont look pretty. I think we should skedaddle outta here
Rouge; Pack it in we're leaving
Freyja: [was doing a bunch of we-fies with Lavinia n Lavatnia] Aww~ Ur leaving already?
Lavinia: Sorry, sweetheart. It was nice meeting u
Loki: Wat r u trying to say, Mommy? Am I not welcomed anymore?
Mrs Phillion: As long as ur still with this man n still keeping this little bastard, yes, ur not welcomed anymore. If u cherish ur little siblings who still rely on ur money to survive n continue going to school, u knw wat to do to come bk
Loki: Mommy... How could u ask me to...
Mrs Phillion: Tht is my condition. Take it or leave it. [turns to Rouge] N I don't want ur money either, so dont bother
Rouge; 8felt his blood boil8 You're nothing but a gold-digging harlot if money's all you care about
Mrs Phillion: I care abt money for the sake of the rest of my children tht I'm trying to raise, so don't get smart with me, young man
Loki: Mommy, pls...
Mrs Phillion: Leave, n dont come bk until u come to ur senses n realize ur family, ur REAL family here is more important
[by then, the rest of Loki's siblings had sorta heard the commotion n the argument n were peeking behind the doors to see the events unfold]
Rouge; 8jerked his head to the front door, giving the message to the others8
Loki: Mommy...
Klepta: C'mon, Loki. Better not make this worse
Hera: Mommy, reli, u shouldn't...
Mrs Phillion: Stay out of this, young lady. Ur brother understands the consequences. Leave him be
Loki: [tears poured dwn his cheeks as he held Crystal close n ran out the front door, dwn the stairs n out of the apartment building ahead of the gang]
Rouge; 8resisted from punching her and ran after his distraught mate8
Rodeo: O...kaaayy... Cya ard then... [followed aftr his twin]
Klepta&Ambrose: [followed suite]
8the girls darted after their brothers8
[by the time the gang were out of the building, Loki was nowhere to be found]
Klepta: Loki? Loki, where r u?
Lavinia: Oh no, where could he go?
Ambrose: Car is still here, n only u hv the keys, Klep. He can't hv gone far on foot
Lavatina; Rouge must've took off after him 8looked round8
Rodeo: Rouge is gone too? [looked ard for his twin]
Klepta: Hop in, maybe we can find him n Loki if we hurry [got in the car n started the engine]
Ambrose: [helped to put Edi in her baby seat before getting in]
8everyone soon piled in8