"Wait…? Moving on? You nearly had a mental breakdown on the way over here just from learning my about all the money we were throwing at the revitalization efforts?!" Iris exclaimed.
"Yeah…but that was mostly because I had no idea of the company's current finances and my reaction was based off my finances from six months ago." I replied. Iris and Jane both narrowed their eyes at me, their expression saying they were done with me.
"Lasses, Starlight isn't having a touch of the doolallies anymore. I suggest ya count yer blessings and we all continue to the meeting?" Grandpa Seamus spoke up. Jane and Iris shared a look then at the same time shook their heads and turned towards the one door off the roof.
"Alright! Lets go!" Iris exclaimed.
Grandpa shot me a soft smile then followed after the girls. I followed the three of them as we crossed the landing pad to reach the door. The door lead to a short staircase that went down one floor. At the bottom of the staircase was a set of double doors made of mahogany with granite inlays. When we reached the doors Jane and Iris turned to me and smirked.
"Before we open these doors I'm going to warn you, your grandpa designed the entire building and took extra care with this floor." Jane said. I frowned and crossed my arms.
"And this building is…?" I asked, making a gesture to tell her to give me a little more details. Jane rolled her eyes, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
"Sho'lajah Artifact Company central administration office." Jane said.
"This building is the administrative heart of the entire company now, everything from evo acquisition orders to territorial management is dealt with here." Iris added. I cocked my head to the side at that explanation.
"Territorial management?" I grumbled.
"Anything dealing with the running of the silver and bronze city." Iris expanded. I nodded and scratched my chin.
"Soooooo…its basically the city hall of the silver and bronze cities?" I asked. Jane narrowed her eyes at me and nodded.
"Yes…why…?" Jane asked suspicion thick in her voice. I smiled devilishly at her which made the both of them shiver involuntarily.
"No reason." I said cheerily. Both girls looked like they were about to bludgeon me to death.
"Girls…" Grandpa Seamus called out, a hint of amusement in his voice. The both let out a sigh then turned around and pushed the doors open.
What lied beyond the doors could only be described as otherworldly. The entire floor was open save a medium sized office directly across from the double doors and a open board room to the left of that. The floors were made of slabs of processed manacite, intricate designs carved into each slab and then filled in with marble cut to fill the designs seamlessly. The open space of the floor was filled with decorations and furniture from multiple cultures and nations. The most noticeable ones being Scottish and Torapos. In the center of the room sat a clear floor to ceiling display case. Inside the case multiple objects and weapons were displayed inside.
"Thor's hammer…!" I gasped and took a few steps inside. Grandpa Seamus stepped beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I designed the floor using Torapos and Sullivardic architecture. Well…the whole building actually." Grandpa Seamus said. My eyes locked in on the display case in the center of the room and I found myself running fowards to stand in front of it.
Inside the display case I recognized a bunch of little knickknacks that I had seen scattered around my grandparents house when I saw younger. A kaftan that often sat on the back of my grandmother's favorite rocking chair, the edges burnt but minimally. The first wooden Liger Shark I whittled when grandma was teaching me to whittle. The Yodus 24 rifle Grandma Lulu taught me to shoot with when I was five, the barrel warped by heat and the wooden stock snapped in half but still displayed with the rest of the rifle.
I blinked away tears as I looked at the impossible collection of memories in front of me. I could feel my grandpa Seamus standing a few feet behind me, waiting for the right moment to approach. I looked over my shoulder at him letting the tears fall freely.
"H-how?" I gasped. It was all I could manage. All other words and thoughts shoved out of my head. Grandpa Seamus smiled sadly then turned and looked at Iris and Jane. Both girls stood several steps back from Grandpa and fidgeted nervously.
"The lasses…I'll let them tell ya." Grandpa said. I looked at the girls expectantly and Jane stepped forwards first.
"We went to America a couple months ago…well five months ago. Not officially of course." Jane said. My eyes widened in horror and I felt a flood of ice grip my heart.
"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!" I bellowed, the harshness rage in my voice surprising even me. Both girls took a step back reflexively while my grandpa slapped me so hard on the back of the head I thought my brain flew out my nose.
"CHASE!" Grandpa snapped with a uncharacteristic growl. "I can understand yer anger laddie but not the harshness. Listen ta them before ya fly off the handles!"
I gritted my teeth but didn't say anything, instead I flashed them a look that told them to explain quickly. Both of them, still slightly shocked by my outburst were a little hesitant to speak.
"We went to America in order to try and find something of your grandmother." Jane said hesitantly. My expression didn't change but I felt the sea of rage that had boiled over in my mind was now slowing to a slight bubbling.
"Your Grandpa told us that he had to abandon their house after the Ascended incident two years ago. With…everything that had happened at Evo-cution Jane and I thought that you might need a connection to her." Iris said. I didn't say anything, I just stared at them. Grandpa Seamus twisted my earlobe making me wince.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" I cried out.
"Speak Chase!" Grandpa Seamus ordered.
"OKAY! Okay!" I exclaimed. He didn't let go and started twisting harder. "Why? Why would you risk that?!"
"Because we were worried for you. You refused to talk to anyone, refused to do anything other than work. We knew you needed a anchor." Jane said. Grandpa Seamus let go of my ear and I quickly jumped away from him, rubbing my ear to take away the pain.
"How did you even find the these? None of you have ever been to America before?" I asked then glanced back at the display case.
"You're not the only one who remembers where your grandparents house was." Iris said. My eyes widened and I looked back at mg Grandpa Seamus, he quickly shook my head, no at me.
"Weren't me Starlight." He said.
"We went with Alpa'nagia and Empress." Jane said then walked around me to the display case. She looked up at the curios encased inside. Useless and strange junk to anyone else but to me they were priceless reminders of some of the happiest times of my life. "Your evos have access to all your memories. We wouldn't have found the house if it wasn't for that."
I wanted to be mad at them for withholding this from me but I knew that also wasn't there fault. I was blind to anything that wasn't crucial to making evos or enchanted items. I wouldn't have heard them even if they had come to me themselves. The fact I created a mental block in my connection to my evos showed that much.
"Done reprimanding your evos?" Jane asked. I shook my head and flashed Jane and Iris apologetic looks.
"I started to but they were only trying to help me. Like you were." I said, then glanced over my shoulder at the display case. "Going to America would be dangerous to any splicer, even ones with a true transcended evo escorting them. You two were willing to risk that to try and help me. I'm sorry."
Iris, Jane and Grandpa looked shocked at my apology, or rather that I had apologized so quickly. I glanced back at everyone and then sighed.
"Thank you…I needed to see this and remember there was more to my grandmother than just her death."
"It's what's family is for…" Iris said softly. Her cheeks turning red with embarrassment.
"You're right, Tri-clops." I confirmed.
The sound of a heavy door opening snapped our attention from the touching moment to a door to the right of the display case that lead to another stairwell that lead down to other floors. Several familiar faces walked through the door and paused when they saw the four of us standing in the center of the floor.
"Boss?" Sin said softly, his expression equal parts disbelief and excitement.
"Kingston?!" Damon squawked. He stumbled backwards and nearly crashed into Nate and Louie, who were a few steps behind him.
"Damon, you idiot. You nearly knocked us all down the stairs." Astrid growled, standing at the back of the group.
"Damon nothing! Chase is here!" Damon exclaimed then pointed at me. Astrid shot him a droll look then walked around him and stood a few feet away from me.
"Glad to see you're done beating yourself up about Tsushima Island, Star Child." She said, flashing a soft smile.