“I’m home…” he muttered under his breath as he closed the door behind him. As usual, his voice sounded horrible without the voice changer tool, but that was to be expected. He couldn’t exactly use it in front of other people without outing himself, after all.

On the bright side, it seemed that Leader would soon be promoted to a general from the look of things. As a general, she would no doubt be able to find more information about shapeshifting magic. 

Maybe…

Hopefully…

She’d been called to come to their general’s office before he’d gone home. Probably to learn details about the trial. Nothing Max needed to concern himself about for now.

Still, it hadn’t been that long since Leader and Cody revealed the truth to him.

Conspiring to help the magical girls defeat the demon lord from the inside?

Honestly, hearing that had been relieving. He’d felt guilty over joining the demons just to learn some magic. He’d never wanted to harm anyone, but he’d felt like he wouldn’t be given another chance, so he’d joined. But secretly working for the light side instead? Of course, he would join their rebel army.

He made his way to the kitchen and spotted his mom sitting at the table, her sharp blue eyes scanning over something in her hand. He approached with slow and silent steps as usual, trying to get a better look at what she was looking at.

He froze when he recognized it.

“Oh, Max! Back already? I didn’t hear you come back,” his mom said while putting the little black gem on the table in front of her. When she noticed his expression, she frowned and asked, “Something wrong?”

“Uh, no. I’m fine,” he said, waving his hand. “L-- Jessica said she was too tired, so we decided to end sooner.”

“I see.” She smiled. “You’ll have to invite your DnD friends over sometime. That Jessica girl sounds like a funny person.”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll ask them.” His eyes slid over to the pitch-black gemstone again. “By the way, what’s that?” He pointed at it.

“Oh, this? Nothing important.” She picked it up and looked over it again. “A friend of a friend gave this to me. It’s an interesting gem, isn’t it?”

Someone had given her a magical gem from the demon realm? Who? Why? Did she even know what it was?

“I… guess…?” He walked over to the table and sat down, his eyes fixated on the little bomb in his mom’s hands. “What is it?”

“Well…” She paused for a second, a frown appearing on her face for a brief second. “From what she said, it’s some kind of volcanic gem. Onyx, I think? It’s pretty, isn’t it?” Her smile returned. It felt forced.

She must have known something. Was she related to the demons? Did she know the magical girls? He couldn’t tell. He still didn’t know that much about his new family, after all.

“It’s a little creepy,” he said, his eyes still fixated on the dangerous object in their home. “Pitch-black… Doesn’t even shine,” he mumbled.

She chuckled. “Well, you’re not wrong.” She put down the gem again and stood up before walking over to the pot on the stove. “Anyway, dinner will be ready in a few. I didn’t expect you to come back so soon.”

“It’s fine… I can wait.” He watched his Mom’s back for a moment as she stirred the sauce in the pot, before reaching out and grabbing the gem into his own hands.

After a few seconds of looking it over, he confirmed its true identity. It was one of the fifth weapon prototypes Leader had been working on. There was no doubt about it. Maybe he had even seen this exact gem before.

Except now it was filled to the brim with magic. Thankfully, the seal on it prevented it from blowing up… Unless someone removed that seal.

He once again chanced a look at his mom. She didn’t seem alarmed at all, despite obviously knowing something.

Should he ask her? Tell her he was secretly working for the demons? No way… If she knew the magical girls, she might tell them. And then they’d attack him. And he’d lose his new family as well, and…

He took a deep breath… And put the gem back on the table.

No asking. No outing himself for now. He would figure it out on his own. Just like always.

Maybe Leader could help? She would know if one of her prototypes got lost.

“Max, are you okay?” His mom’s voice made his head snap up to her. She was watching him, worry evident in her expression.

“I’m fine,” he said automatically.

“Honey, if there’s something bothering you, you know you can always tell me, right? I’m always going to be your ally.” She gave him a warm smile.

He wanted to believe that smile. He really did. But it still wasn’t easy.

“Yeah… Thanks…” he mumbled.

She nodded and returned to stirring the sauce.

Max sat down at the table, still watching the little bomb.

“So this… friend of a friend. Are they a geologist?” he asked after a while.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m not sure actually. I don’t know her very well.” She paused for a moment. “I know she’s a high school student. Maybe the gem is part of her assignments?”

Assignments? Was it a demon minion learning about the gems then?

TIme passed as Max racked his brain for answers. Who exactly was this friend’s friend and why would she have that gem? Why would she give it to Mom? Not like he could ask all of that without being suspicious…

His phone rang in his pocket, interrupting his thoughts.

When he fished it out, he found a message from Leader.

‘We need to have a meeting tomorrow. Come to our hidden portal base.’

Probably something to do with the trial, Max figured. Maybe she needed help preparing for something?

He shot back a confirmation and went back to thinking about the mystery in front of him… Only to be interrupted again by the front entrance door opening.

“I’m hoooome!” a woman’s voice rang out.

“We’re in the kitchen!” Mom answered.

A moment later, his other mom emerged from the hallway and locked her big green eyes on him. Her dirty blond hair waved behind her as she dropped her bag on the floor and opened her arms before yelling out, “Max!”

“Hey, Mom…” he greeted her as he stood up and prepared for her attack.

She snagged him off his feet in a huge bear hug. As always. It felt… a little strange but kind of nice. He was still getting used to it.

“How was my boy’s day today?” she asked as the hug ended.

He suddenly felt a subtle wave of discomfort. As always.

“It was okay. We didn’t do much today; Jessica felt tired so we all went home early.”

“Ah, the infamous Jessica! I’m looking forward to meeting her one day!” Green Mom – that’s what he called his energetic mom with green eyes to differentiate them – laughed.

“Yeah, I can try inviting her over one day…” Max mumbled, a bit overwhelmed by Green Mom’s enthusiasm. As always.

“Great!” she grinned, before shifting her attention to something else. “Huh? What’s this?” She walked over to the gem on the table and picked it up. “Huh? What’s a magical gem doing here?”

Both Max and blue mom – his other mom with blue eyes – snapped up their heads to her as she said that. Green Mom seemed to have immediately realized what she’d said.

“Haha, I’m pretty sure, there’s nothing magical about it,” Blue Mom tried to cover up the slip-up.

“Ahahaha! Right! I just thought it looked like one of those stones magicians use for their tricks! Hahaha!”

The smiles on both his moms were clearly strained. Max couldn’t help but stare at them.

They both knew. 

How? What was their connection to the demons? Or were they connected to the magical girls instead?

“What…” Max began before stopping himself.

He wanted to just ask. But he didn’t want to risk it. If they were connected to the magical girls and they found out he was in the demon army…

No…

“I’m… gonna go wait for lunch in my room,” he said and slipped out of the kitchen before anyone could say anything more.

Even as he slammed the door behind him and deflated on the floor inside his room, he couldn’t stop the anxiety from pooling inside him.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

BottledChaos

Next time: "Realization!" or "Jessica as a demon would be pretty terrifying, wouldn't she...? ... Wait..."