The Detective Jr.

"You..!! How are you here?!!"

It was Jarvis, striding towards us with that goofy grin of his. How did he even find us?

"I followed y'all! Because I was worried!"

"You... What...?"

I didn't question it further, but a nagging suspicion wormed its way into my mind. I had to concentrate on Dylan and Raven for now. I shot Nicholas a knowing nod and started walking.

"Yo, where's Dylan and Raven?" Jarvis asked, his voice cheerful despite the situation. Nicholas just shook his head, an understanding passing between us. He fell silent, his mood darkening as he trailed behind me.

.

.

.

After we reached the portal and returned to base, I made a beeline for Skye.

"Skye... I'm sorry... We lost Raven, and Dylan joined the Baphomet Clan. They said they could bring Raven back to life..." I explained, watching her expression fall.

"Well... I have good news. Raven is alive," Skye said, sinking into her chair. I blinked, confusion and surprise flooding my mind. "What...? Raven is alive...?"

"Hm... Have you heard about the 10 Deity?"

"The 10 Deity...? I thought there were only 7 of them...?"

"Yes, but long ago, before the human era, there were actually 10 Deity. However, due to a disagreement, three of them turned their backs on the other seven. Those three are now known as the three pillars of the Devil's Eye..."

.

.

.

I remembered the names. The 10 Deity... Skyler, Oyne, Tei, Aya, Shinji, Akemi, Russell... And the three pillars... Aria, Reimi, Ann. How could I forget? Their data was ingrained in my programming.

"What about them...?" I asked, still feeling a bit lost.

"I follow the Deity of The Fox... Russell. According to him, Raven is currently with Oyne, the Deity who loves to procrastinate. It seems she accepted her offer to train."

A wave of happiness washed over me. Raven was alive! But what about Dylan? We needed to get him back, but we were so weak...

"Skye, I'm planning on heading to the Spring Valley of Death."

"What?! No, that's dangerous!!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"I have to... I need to enhance my magic."

Even though I was a robot, my magical powers were pitifully weak. And honestly, I had no idea how to tap into my robotic abilities! I let out an inner scream, feeling utterly defeated. Skye fell silent for a moment, lost in thought, before she finally nodded and gave me her blessing to go.

.

.

.

"Hm... Packed my clothes... Emergency battery... Done! Being a robot sure has its perks. I don't need to eat, go to the bathroom, or even take a bath!" I chatted happily to myself as I stepped outside the base. Just as I was about to leave, I spotted Nicholas in the distance.

"Hey, Nico! What's up?"

"... What's with that nickname? Anyway... I'm going on a training vacation to Sky Valley... So, I won't be able to see you for a few months..."

Nicholas looked sad as he spoke. I smiled and pulled him into a hug as he turned red.

"I wish you all the best! Let's do our best! We'll see who gets stronger!"

"Hell yeah! The one who loses grants the other a wish!"

"I'm in!"

After parting ways with Nicholas, I set off towards the Death Valley of Spring. But... what the hell was going on? Out of nowhere this little boy's voice broke through my thoughts. Soft and dirty pale skin, what hair covered in dirt, ocean blue eyes....

"Mommy....?" he said, his face lighting up with joy as he pointed at me. I dropped to my knees, staring at the kid who couldn't be more than five years old. Why is he calling me mommy? I am clearly a boy!

"Uh... I'm not your mommy, buddy," I stammered, scratching my head in confusion. The boy just giggled, unfazed by my protest, and reached out to tug at my sleeve.

"Yes you are! You look like my mommy!" he insisted, his big eyes shining with innocence.

I exchanged a bewildered glance with the empty air around me. What was happening? Was there some sort of magic at play here? Or was this just a weird day?

"Okay, little dude, let's go find your real mommy," I said, trying to keep my cool. But deep down, I knew I had to figure out what was really going on.

And as I stood there, with a toddler clinging to my leg, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a much stranger adventure.

.

.

.

As I knelt there, still trying to wrap my head around being called "mommy," the little boy tugged at my sleeve again, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Why can't you be my mommy?" he asked, his voice filled with hope.

I nodded, feeling a strange sense of responsibility wash over me. "Yeah that's not gonna happen, let's go find your real mommy" I stood up, the boy still holding onto my leg, and we began walking together.

After what felt like hours of wandering through the dense forest, we stumbled upon a village. But as we entered, a chilling silence enveloped us. The air was thick with an eerie stillness, and my heart sank as I took in the scene before me.

Houses stood abandoned, their doors swinging gently in the wind. The streets were littered with remnants of daily life—children's toys, a half-eaten meal left on a table, and the faint scent of decay.

"Where is everyone?" I murmured, dread creeping into my voice.

The boy looked around, his innocent eyes wide with confusion. "Mommy, are you here...?" he called out, but there was no answer.

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. This village was a ghost town, and it was clear something terrible had happened. I couldn't shake the feeling that one of these people must have been the boy's parents.

"Hey, little guy," I said softly, crouching down to his level. "Do you remember what your mommy and daddy looked like?"

He nodded, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Mommy had pretty hair like the flowers, and Daddy was strong like a bear."

I glanced around, scanning the eerily quiet village. "Okay, let's see if we can find them," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

As we wandered deeper into the village, I felt a chill run down my spine. It was as if the very walls were whispering secrets of sorrow and loss. I reached for the boy's hand, squeezing it gently. "Stick close to me, alright?"

We searched through the empty houses, calling out softly in hopes of finding someone, anyone. But there was nothing but silence and shadows.

Finally, we reached the center of the village, where a large statue stood- a tribute to the village's founders. It was cracked and weathered, but I could still make out the faces carved into the stone.

The boy gasped. "That looks like my mommy!" he exclaimed, pointing at one of the figures.

My heart raced. The resemblance was uncanny. I knelt beside him, examining the statue closely. "And maybe your daddy is there too," I said, pointing to another figure.

Tears welled in the boy's eyes as he looked up at me. "Are they gone? Why is mommy sleeping...?"

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his grief. "I... I think they might be. But you're not alone, okay? You have me now," I said, determination flooding my veins.

He nodded, wiping his tears away with small fists. "Can I stay with you?"

"Of course," I replied, feeling a sense of protectiveness over him. "We'll find a way to make it through this together."

With a newfound purpose, I took the boy's hand, and we set off from the village, leaving behind the memories of the lost. I was now responsible for his safety, and I wouldn't let anything happen to him.

As we walked, I thought of Dylan and Raven, of the journey ahead. I had to grow stronger, not just for myself, but for this little boy who had already lost so much.

"What's your name?" I asked as we continued on our path.

"My name is Loki... What about you mommy?" he replied, a small smile breaking through his earlier sadness.

"Ah-.... please not mommy... I am Linxi, Junior Linxi, nice to meet you, Loki. I'm going to protect you, no matter what," I promised, my resolve hardening.

"...Daddy Linxi!" Loki spoke with a happy smile and I couldn't help but smile back. I guess it's fine...? Right...? I hope I didn't jinxed myself...

And as we ventured into the unknown, I couldn't shake the feeling that our fates were intertwined. Together, we would face whatever challenges awaited us, and I would do everything in my power to keep Loki safe.

After all, in a world filled with darkness, maybe we could find a little light together.

_To Be Continue_