AHEIAID Chapter 50: Dad, Come Pick Me Up!!
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Old Passenger Ship Economy Class
Two figures, one big and one small, sat huddled together in the cramped seats, wrapped up tightly with their hoods pulled low. They whispered to each other in hushed tones.
The smaller one had a soft, childish voice with a stuttering accent, as if struggling with the proper pronunciation of Ottoman:
"Can we really sneak in? Our documents are fake..."
The taller one leaned in slightly, responding in an utterly calm tone:
"Trust me. As long as you pay the information broker enough, he can get legal residency papers for the affiliated star."
"For real? That amazing?"
"Yeah, for real."
Hearing this, Joey widened his eyes in admiration, but then a guilty look crossed his face.
"Wait, how much did you pay…? Ugh, I keep using your money… When we get back, I’ll definitely repay you!"
"It's fine."
"No, no, I mean it! I’ll really repay you!"
"It’s seriously fine."
"How can you say that?! You—"
"I used your photo to trade with the broker."
"……"
"And he even gave me a lot of money in return."
"……"
Joey’s expression froze in place, like he had turned to stone. Out of the corner of his eye, Hamanda saw this and had to fight back a smirk. After a long pause, he finally added,
"Don’t worry, it was just the old official website photos. No recent ones, and nothing inappropriate."
They hadn’t contacted the people from District in a high-profile manner because the Third Prince, Harry, was still on the loose.
As long as that demon was still alive, Hammond would never risk exposing the human without proper protection.
He was afraid that the first people to come knocking wouldn’t be friends—but enemies.
"Even if they’re old, they’re still my photos! Why the hell didn’t you sell yours?!" Joey raged, practically ready to strangle him with his own curly hair.
"I wanted to," Hammond replied smoothly. "But they didn’t want them."
Joey: ……
What the hell?!
Don’t think I don’t know that the little punks—and big punks—of Sunset City are all ‘human-lovers’!
If they do this and that to my pictures, then—then—!!
Joey buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed with shame.
Saxis, I’m so sorry…
While Joey was repenting for his "photo-selling for citizenship," the ship’s service robot was going around scanning tickets.
When it reached them, Joey tensed up, but Hammond remained perfectly composed.
Joey had a sneaking suspicion that if they got rejected, Hammond might just pull a gun and hijack the ship…
"Beep beep—"
A crisp sound rang out.
The little green light flashed, and the robot sweetly announced its welcome before rolling away to the next row.
"Phew~"
They passed.
Joey let out a breath, his nerves finally relaxing. His heart was still pounding in his ears as he instinctively reached into his cloak.
His fingertips touched something cold and metallic.
"Kid, scared stiff? Daddy’s here."
Joey gently cradled the cylindrical glass container in his arms, carefully shielding it. Inside was his barely formed gosling, separated from him too soon due to a near-death experience.
The little one had grown.
Now, the current incubator was too small for him, and Sunset City had no suitable replacement. That was why Joey had gritted his teeth and injected himself with two doses of painkillers, letting Hammond use mechanical braces to support his legs as he struggled to board this passenger ship.
“The meds wearing off?”
Hammond noticed the fine beads of sweat forming on the human’s forehead and subtly positioned himself to block others’ view.
“Want me to give you another shot? But your body won’t handle the side effects well. Without the braces, you wouldn’t even be able to stand. Either endure it or… give up your legs.”
“No way!”
Joey shuddered at the suggestion, his face turning pale as he frantically shook his head.
“I-I can endure it…”
He was already covered in scars, thick and dense… He was terrified that Garius would find him disgusting. If he lost his legs on top of that… what if his father didn’t want him anymore?!
The more he thought about Garius, the more self-conscious he became about his injuries, the more inferior he felt.
He had scars on his face too—just above his eye sockets—but his curls covered them.
He had no talents, no strengths, nothing to offer.
If he finally made it home after all this suffering, only to find himself ugly and his frail gosling unwelcome in Garius’s eyes… Joey feared he would turn and flee in disgrace, sobbing as he ran.
“Garius… wouldn’t despise me… right?”
Joey clutched the glass container tightly, his curly hair drooping in dejection, his brows furrowed.
He looked like a stray dog who had been away too long, terrified of finding a new pup in his place when he returned home.
Hammond admired this little human’s resilience. Seeing him so disheartened, he wasn’t sure how to comfort him, so he simply ordered an excessive amount of the ship’s expensive meals.
…
The journey from Sunset City to the Imperial Capital took two days by passenger ship, with four stops at subordinate planets along the way.
Before leaving, Hammond and Joey had discussed their plans. Although Hammond had a new identity, he was still technically a fugitive. The subordinate planets weren’t a major issue, but once they reached the tightly regulated Imperial Capital, he’d likely be arrested before even stepping inside.
So, Hammond decided to disembark at the farthest stop from the capital and take a passenger ship back to Sunset City (which he had grown fond of) to settle down there.
Joey, on the other hand, would remain on board until they reached the Imperial Capital, where he would contact his family upon arrival.
Despite their brief time together, the once-strangers—former enemies, even—had become close friends.
Hammond had saved Joey’s life.
Joey saw Hammond as his chance for salvation.
A deep bond had formed between the mismatched pair. Of course, parting was painful. Hammond was used to it, but Joey, disguised as a young Ottoman, clung to his hand, sweating through the pain of the metal pins in his bones, chattering non-stop.
Things like: “Message me when you get to Sunset City!”—since they had communication devices.
Or: “We’ll always be friends, okay? My son has to call you godfather! Keep in touch! I’ll send you money—you helped me so much these past two months…”
Hammond listened and couldn’t help but smile.
As he watched the small figure rambling away, he suddenly understood why everyone adored humans so much.
They were truly adorable.
And warm.
The next afternoon, Hammond disembarked.
Joey stared at his departing figure, eyes brimming with tears, watching until he was completely out of sight before slumping back into his seat. Out of habit, he tried talking to the system—but after a long silence with no response, it suddenly hit him.
Ah.
I’m all alone now.
“…………”
His thin arms tightened around the little one in his embrace.
As if all his strength came from there.
On the second night, they arrived at the Imperial Capital.
Joey was the last to disembark.
Gritting his teeth to suppress the urge to chop his legs off in frustration, he limped forward, one hand cradling the container, the other bracing against the seat as he carefully made his way off the ship.
At the bottom of the ramp, he didn’t realize he could hover down and ended up falling flat on his face, scraping his forehead. Fortunately, the container remained intact.
…I really am a disaster.
Joey glanced around at the unfamiliar high-tech cityscape, scoffed at himself, wiped his nose, and limped toward an unknown direction.
He walked.
And walked.
And walked.
…Wait.
Joey suddenly froze.
Crap—I don’t know where my house is!!!
Joey: …………
Joey: …………
Whimper.
Not knowing the way home was bad enough, but—but—but—but—what was his dad’s phone number again?? He—he—he—he couldn’t remember—oh no, wahhhh—
I wanna go home QAQ!
T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, thank you🍊🍊🍊
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