They walk back towards Light’s Hope. Natalya looks to Arc.
“What do you mean, sir?”
“I’ve been killing time until now.”
Part way to Light’s Hope Arc stops and turns to a nearby building.
“Here we are. The Little Hooves Orphanage.”
Ember turns to Natalya. “It’s also Ponyville School.”
Natalya looks confused. “What’s an orphanage?”
Arc looks at her, confused. “It’s where foals go if their parents can’t take care of them. Whether by death or just being deadbeats, they have to go somewhere.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “If you don’t have orphanages in the Griffon Kingdom where do they send young griffons who lose their parents?”
“They usually go live with another family member.”
“And if there isn’t one?”
Natalya looks down. “I’m sad to say they wind up living on the streets. We have a place called Griffon’s Gate where most of them seem to end up.”
Ember narrows her eyes. “What do you mean ‘end up’?”
“It’s centrally located and somewhat easy to reach due to all the transports that go there, as it’s a hub of commerce. Young griffons just hop on a transport and wait for it to fly there, as Griffon’s Gate is always their eventual destination.”
Arc frowns. “Then what?”
“They usually band together to form small, underground families.”
“What do they eat?!”
“Whatever they can steal from transports and the local warehouses. It’s also traditional in that city to throw your dinner scraps out the window to the orphans.”
Ember grimaces. “Doesn’t your country DO anything about them?!”
Natalya sighs. “Kinda. But mostly only to the benefit of the merchants. Tighter security around warehouses and the airship docks are really the best they can do.”
Arc nods soberly. “When we go back there, I’d like to see this town for myself.”
“Very well, sir. I can arrange for a transport to ferry us there. It should only take about an hour of flying. Truth be told, I’ve never seen the town myself. But every griffon has heard of it.”
Ember nods. “Stories?”
“Rumors mostly. “Sometimes parents threaten to send their young there if they don’t behave.
They walk over to the orphanage doors as Arc turns to the others.
“Let’s not talk about this here, okay?”
Ember and Natalya nod as Arc pushes the door open. They step into the Main Hall together as Natalya looks around.
“This place is very nice! Do they students live here?!”
Ember shakes her head. “Just the ones who don’t have families.”
Arc points toward the stairs. “They have a large Dormitory upstairs along with a Playroom and the Matron’s office.”
“What’s a Matron?”
Ember thinks for a moment. “She’s… kinda like a mother to them.”
Arc nods. “Right! Matron Coco Pommel takes care of raising the foals, maintaining the orphanage, showing them love and trying to find them permanent homes.”
Natalya looks confused. “I don’t understand. Isn’t this their permanent home?”
Arc shakes his head. “They’re only supposed to stay here until someone comes by looking to adopt a foal. It’s also the Matron’s job to see to it prospective parents are fit to adopt them.”
Natalya sighs. “That’s another word I don’t understand!”
“Which one?”
“Adopt.”
Arc sighs. “That’s when a couple comes here looking to take an orphan home with them and raise them as if they were their own.”
“Permanently?”
“Yes.”
“Please forgive all my questions, Lord Arc! But… why would anyone want to DO that?! I mean… it’s not their youngling!”
Arc looks to Natalya. “Some couples who want a little one can’t have a foal. So they look to adoption.”
Ember nods. “They get a foal, and the little one gets parents! It’s a win-win for everyone!”
“Um… Lord Arc? Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Can… can anyone adopt a foal?”
“I think so. Why?”
“Could… I?”
Ember’s eyes grow wide! “What?! Isn’t that a little sudden?!”
Natalya waves a talon in front of her face! “No, no! Please don’t misunderstand! I’m only asking so I can better understand Equestria’s customs!”
Arc shrugs. “I… don’t know. You’d have to talk to the Matron. Would you like to see her?”
“Yes! Very much so!”
Arc walks toward the stairs. “This way.”
They proceed to Coco Pommel’s office. Arc knocks.
“Come in!”
Arc and company enter the office. When she sees him, Coco Pommel quickly gets up and hurries over! Arc kneels down to give her a hug!
“Arc! Good to see you!”
He nods as he puts his arms around her. “Good to be back in town. How have you been?”
Coco Pommel looks at Natalya. “Great! I see you’ve made a new friend!”
“This is Lieutenant Natalya of the Griffon Kingdom. Natalya, this is Matron Coco Pommel. She’s in charge of everything adoption related.”
“Please to meet you Natalya. So what can I do for you today, Arc?”
“Natalya is here to ask you some questions about how the adoption process works in Equestria.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I’ll answer as best I can. Why don’t we have a seat first though?”
She gestures to a few chairs in front of her desk. They sit down as she walks around to her own chair and sits back down.
“What would you like to know, Miss Natalya?”
“For starters, how does adoption work?”
“A couple comes here to talk to me. Together we figure out if adoption is right for them. If it is, we start looking at pictures and sit on my office balcony to watch the foals play.”
"How do you know if they’ll be good parents?”
“There isn’t really a sure-fire way to know! I often have to trust my instincts. Before anypony can be adopted though, I have to visit their home and make sure it’s safe.”
Arc nods. “There has to be some kind of minimum requirements, after all.”
“Officially, it has to have four sturdy walls and be warm in the winter. Other than that, it’s up to my discretion.”
Natalya nods. “And if it is?”
“Then the process can proceed.”
Natalya thinks for a moment. “Let’s talk more about that. For example… let’s say a couple meets your requirements and sees a foal they would like to adopt. What then?”
“Then I summon the foal in question to my office to meet the couple for an interview over some light snacks.”
Natalya looks confused. “Interview?”
“I mostly just observe and let the three of them talk to each other about whatever they want.”
“And then?”
“If the three seem compatible, we schedule a time for the foal and I to travel to the couple’s home. All of us spend the day together as the foal sees their potential new home and town.”
Arc nods, clearly impressed. “I didn’t realize this was so labor intensive.”
Coco Pommel smiles at him. “I do my very best for them.”
“And if all looks good do you leave the foal with them?”
“No. They come back to the orphanage with me.”
“What? Why?”
“I have what I call a ‘one-week cool-down period’. No matter how compatible they are, I always insist on waiting one week before doing anything else. It’s to ensure neither side makes a rash decision. Twice now the potential parents have called me back after thinking it over for a few days to call it off.”
Arc sighs. “That’s too bad. But I suppose it’s better than them deciding to take the foal back to the orphanage after they’ve been officially adopted.”
“Yes. I’m happy to say that has not yet happened.”
Natalya nods. “Can a single individual adopt a foal?”
“Only if they are directly related to them. Such as a grandparent of older sibling.”
“What about me? Could I theoretically adopt a foal?”
Coco Pommel shakes her head. “I’m sorry, miss, but Equestrian adoptions are only permitted to citizens of this land.”
Arc appears surprised! “Really? Why’s that?”
“I’m not sure. But it’s a very old law passed by Princess Celestia herself centuries ago. My guess is it was in reaction to all the turmoil in the world at the time.”
Natalya smiles at the matron. “Thank you for answering my questions, Miss Pommel. You’ve been very helpful!”
“I’m glad I could help. By the way… the orphans have been talking about you nearly every day, Arc.”
Ember laughs. “I can understand that!”
Arc chuckles. “Good things I hope.”
Coco Pommel giggles. “Always! They all want to grow up and be just like you! They’ve been re-enacting your fight with Matron Tempest at the New Beginnings Orphanage and our actions at what they’ve started calling the Battle of Light’s Hope!”
Arc smiles. “Good. That means their moving past that terrible chapter in their lives.”
“Well, there is one problem.”
Ember frowns. “Oh?”
“I’ve caught them stick fighting a few times now. While nopony’s been hurt, I worry they’ll poke an eye out.”
Arc nods. “Should I have a talk with them?”
Coco Pommel shakes her head. “That won’t be necessary. I’ve already put in an order with Miss Ocean Breeze at Barnyard Bargains. She’s going to special order us some toy swords and spears.”
Ember looks surprised. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing. But are you sure you want to encourage this kind of behavior?”
“Many of them will one day join the Equestrian military. This kind of ‘training’ may one day save their lives. That and it’s kinda hard to discourage them when they’ve seen me fight to protect them alongside our forces as well.”
Natalya looks up, surprised. “You’re a warrior, Miss Pommel?!”
She walks to a nearby closet. “Only when I have to be.”
Opening the door she reaches inside and pulls out a spear. Returning to the others Coco pommel gives the spear to Natalya to examine.
“This is the Spear of Devotion. Somehow it grants me the power to fight to protect these little ones.”
“Fight?”
Arc nods. “Before this building was finished, she and the orphans were living in my base down the path. There was an attack by the Nightborn to try and ‘rescue’ Princess Luna, who was staying there at the time as well.”
Coco Pommel sighs. “The orphans and the base’s support staff were hidden in the barracks along with the princess herself. The soldiers fought bravely, but were overcome by the shadowy invaders! I and another mare, who is now my assistant, held the line against the monsters to give Princess Luna time to fully raise the sun! It dispelled them in an instant!”
She closes her eyes and remembers the event in her mind’s eye.
“The next thing I knew my assistant was flying past the door and engaging their leader!”
Arc clenches a fist! “I wish I could have been there!”
Ember shakes her head. “You couldn’t be two places at once. Nor could you have known about the attack, Arc.”
Coco Pommel smiles at him. “Yes, Arc. We don’t hold it against you.”
Arc looks over at Natalya. She is studying the spear closely.
“You know something about this, Natalya?”
“This weapon… I’ve seen something like it before!”
Ember frowns. “Where?!”
“Arbiter Ghaleon wields a similar weapon. It’s a national treasure of the Griffon Kingdom and proof of one’s position as Arbiter.”
Arc calls forth his own spear. “Take a look at mine. They both seem to be connected somehow.”
Natalya sets down the Spear of Devotion and takes Arc’s Spear of Righteousness. “I can feel the power in both these weapons. While they look different, they do have similarities in their construction.”
Arc looks back and forth between the spears. “They do! Why didn’t I notice that until now?! Let’s see yours, Ember!”
Ember calls forth her spear and sets it on the desk.
“Mine’s the Spear of Courage.”
Natalya looks all three over carefully. “Now I’m not a weapon’s expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I get the feeling these weapons were forged by the same artisan.”
Ember frowns. “Great! What does that mean?!”
“It means someone very powerful commissioned them. Or at the very least, someone very talented in the art of magic. You can tell by the style. Are there any others?”
Coco Pommel nods. “My assistant has one. The Spear of Hope.”
“It’s at her house. I’ll look at it later, but imagine we’ll find the same similarities. Princess Celestia is supposed to have one as well, although I’ve never seen it.”
He looks to Coco Pommel.
“That reminds me, how exactly DID you get your spear Coco Pommel?”
She sits down heavily in her office chair.
“It was about a year before I aged out of the orphanage. The day had been very hard, as Matron Tempest had been in a particularly foul mood. When night fell, I made the decision to run away! I ran through the forest for well over an hour with no real destination in mind!”
Arc nods. “Just trying to put distance between yourself and the Matron?”
“Yes. I entered a clearing and stopped to rest. Suddenly a bring light shone all around, as a voice called out to me…”
She closes her eyes and concentrates on the memories. Young Coco Pommel looks around, speaking with evident fear in her voice as a strange creature of light suddenly stands before her!
“What?! What are you?!”
“A friend.”
“P-please don’t hurt me!”
“You’re frightened, Coco Pommel.”
She steps back. “How do you know my name?!”
“I know quite a bit more than even you yourself do. For example, where are you running to?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Well, I do. You’re running away from adversity. That’s a destination in itself.”
“What else could I do?! Matron Tempest is a horrid mare!”
“With you gone, who will face that adversity?”
Coco Pommel looks down at the ground. “I… I don’t know.”
“You are the only one strong enough to complete such a daunting task.”
She shakes her head at this. “It’s not about strength! Matron Tempest is invincible!”
“No. She CAN be given pause.”
“How?!”
A spear appears point down in the dirt in front of Coco Pommel.
“This weapon’s innate powers can temporarily dispel the one you call Matron Tempest. However, only one such as you who is worthy of it can call forth the power within of Holy Light.”
The young mare takes the spear in hoof and looks at it. “What?! But how will I…”
Coco Pommel looks up to see the figure has vanished. A voice can be heard on the wind.
“When the time is right, you will know what to do.”
“WAIT! I don’t know where I am or how to get back!”
She turns around to see that she is standing in the New Beginnings Orphanage backyard.
“What…?”
Coco Pommel looks at the spear in her hoof for a moment before running to a corner of the yard and frantically burying the spear! She opens her eyes and looks back at Arc and company.
“The next morning I awoke to find flowers growing where I had buried the spear.”
She looks to Arc, sadly.
“As you know, those flowers were the only thing that kept me going for… many years to come. You know the rest, Arc. I’ll let you tell Natalya later.”
Natalya puts a talon to her forehead. “What a story! But what happened to…”
Arc interrupts her. “I’ll tell you later.”
Coco Pommel stands up and puts the spear back in the closet before turning back to them. “School will be getting out soon, Arc. The orphans and Dinky would be overjoyed if you met them in the Main Hall. That is, if you have the time.”
Arc nods. “I do. Thanks, Coco Pommel.”
Natalya nods respectfully at the matron. “Thank you for explaining the adoption process to me, ma’am.”
Coco Pommel smiles. “If you have any other questions, you can usually find me here.”
Natalya leaves the office with Arc and Ember. They make their way down the stairs to the Main Hall as the classroom door opens and the foals run out! Natalya marvels at them!
“They look like miniature ponies!”
Dinky spots her father and runs over to him, excitedly! “DAD!”
Natalya raises an eyebrow. “Dad?”
She runs over to Arc as he kneels down and puts his arms out to her. Dinky leaps into them and he holds her close.
“I missed you, dad!”
“And I missed you too, sweetheart.”
The rest of the school foals run over as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walk by.
“Hmph! Big deal.”
“Sister, please! They’ll hear you!”
The Rich sisters walk out the front door as the others crowd around Arc, Ember and Natalya.
Pipsqueak reaches him first! “Mr. Arc! Welcome back!”
Aquamarine jumps up and down with the others. “Where have you been?!”
Babs Seed giggles. “Off doing something awesome probably!”
Arc nods as he puts Dinky down and looks at the expectant foals and gestures to Natalya. “Now, now, plenty of time for explanations later. First, I want all of you to meet my new friend here. This is Lieutenant Natalya.”
The foals respond together. “Hello, Lieutenant Natalya!”
Apple Bloom looks at her, confused. “Are you a pegasus?!”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes grow wide! “Apple Bloom!”
“What? She has wings!”
Natalya smiles at them. “I’m a griffon.”
Pipsqueak looks confused. “What kind of pony is that?!”
Ember shakes her head. “She’s not a pony at all!”
Aquamarine looks the newcomer over. “What part of Equestria are you from?!”
“I’m from the Griffon Kingdom.”
Apple Bloom thinks for a moment. “Where’s that?”
“I’m… not sure. Equestrian geography isn’t something I’m familiar with.”
Arc chuckles. “If you walked east for around two weeks you would come to Baltimare on the east coast. Far across the ocean is another continent called the Griffon Kingdom.”
Sweetie Belle gasps! “How long does it take to get there?!”
“It took me all night to fly there on the Lunar Destiny.”
Babs Seed points a hoof toward the window. “That really big ship that flew over town a while back?!”
Ember grins! “Yup!”
Pipsqueak looks to Arc with curiosity in his eyes. “What were you doing there, Mr. Arc?!”
“Mostly getting to know our griffon neighbors across the sea.”
Aquamarine looks toward the stairs. “Where did you sleep?! On your ship?”
“They gave me a room in what they call the Grand Aviary.”
Natalya holds her talons aloft. “It’s a really big building!”
Ember nods. “Kinda like Canterlot Castle.”
Arc looks at his pocket watch. “In any case, everyone should probably be getting home. Your parents will worry about you if you’re late.”
The townsfoals run out the front door. Apple Bloom and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders join them.
“See you later, Mr. Arc!”
“I’ll say hi to Rarity for you!”
Babs Seed turns to her friend. “You coming to the meeting later, Dinky?”
Dinky shakes her head. “I’m going to stay here with my dad! Catch you later!”
She waves at her friends as they leave. Aquamarine and Pipsqueak head upstairs to the Dormitory to do their homework with the rest of the orphans.
“Come visit us again soon, Mr. Arc!”
“Yeah! Bring more cool friends too!”
Arc waves. “I will!”
He looks down at Dinky.
“Where’s your mother?”
Dinky points a hoof toward the cafeteria. “She’s in there getting started on supper! I usually head over there and lend a hoof!”
“Let’s go see her!”
They walk to the kitchen. Derpy is busy chopping vegetables.
“Mom! Dad’s back!”
Derpy looks up. “He is? Arc!”
She drops her knife and runs over to him as the little family shares a hug together! Dinky tugs at her mother’s hoof as Arc lets go of them. “Look, mom! He brought a new friend!”
“Hello. My name’s Natalya.”
Derpy shakes hooves with her. “Derpy. I see you’ve already met our daughter Dinky!”
“Yes. She’s very energetic!”
“Are you staying for a while, dad?!”
“A couple days probably.”
Dinky raises her small hooves, happily! “YAY!”
Derpy smiles at him. “How was Griffonstone?”
“Very… different. I’m waiting for the Council of Lords to get back so they can see me.”
He looks at the vegetables on the table.
“Do you want some help in the kitchen?”
Dinky nods! “That sounds like fun!”
“Only if you’re not busy!”
Arc walks over to the sink to wash his hands. “Right now, all I want to do is spend some quality time with my family.”
Derpy nods. “Then yes! Thank you!”
Ember grins! “I’ll help too!”
Natalya looks sheepishly at Arc. “I’m not very good in at cooking, but I can try!”
Arc rolls up his sleeves. “Okay! Let’s do this!”
They get supper cooked and the Lunch Room ready in record time. As the group shares a meal with the orphans and Coco Pommel, Natalya tells them more about the Griffon Kingdom over their meal.
“No, we don’t have cotton candy either.”
Pipsqueak thinks for a moment. “Apples?”
“Nope!”
Aquamarine looks over. “Eggs?”
“Only if you’re rich!”
Derpy looks over to Natalya. “Are the other griffons nice?”
“Kinda. It mostly depends on your place in society.”
Dinky smiles at her. “What do you do with your friends for fun?!”
Natalya looks confused. “Fun?”
“Yeah! Is there a bakery there like Sugar Cube Corner?!”
“No, we don’t have bakeries. And… I… um… don’t have any friends.”
Arc looks up. “You don’t?”
“No. Friends aren’t exactly something griffons have.”
Ember nods understandingly. “Dragons aren’t much for friendship either. But that all changed, for me at least, when I met Arc.”
Natalya sighs. “I see.”
They finish their meal. Arc and Natalya do the dishes while Coco Pommel, Derpy and Cheerilee help Dinky and the orphans with their homework. Natalya looks over to him as he hands her another dish to dry.
“Can I ask you something, Lord Arc?”
“Go ahead!”
“You’re still the Hero of Light, right?”
Arc nods as he rinses off a plate and hands it to her. “I am.”
“And your still an Equestrian emissary?”
“I suppose so.”
“And you were the legitimate ruler of Equestria for a time!”
“Yes. What about it?”
Natalya sighs. “Forgive me but, I guess what I’m getting at is… why are you washing dishes?”
Arc smiles at her. “Simple! Because they’re dirty.”
“No, I mean, don’t you have subordinates you could order to do things like this?”
“I do at my base down the road.”
Natalya looks even more confused as Arc hands her the last clean dish. “Then why do it yourself?”
Arc turns off the water and dries his hands. “Because it needs to be done.”
“I just don’t understand!”
Arc puts a hand on her shoulder as he turns around. “Stick with me and you’ll learn why.”
She nods uncertainly as Derpy and Dinky walk into the kitchen.
“I’m all done for the day, Arc.”
“Me too, dad!”
Arc nods. “Why don’t we all head back to Light’s Hope for the evening? You two want to spend the night?”
Derpy nods. “Sure! It’s been awhile!”
Dinky hops up and down excitedly! “Slumber party!”
Arc turns to Natalya. “Don’t worry. My base has some rather nice Guest Rooms for visiting dignitaries such as yourself.”
Natalya looks nervous. “Please don’t go to any trouble, sir! I can sleep in the Barracks with the rest of the soldiers!”
“I wouldn’t dream of it! You’re my guest at the moment, after all!”
“Th-thank you, sir.”
They leave the Little Hooves Orphanage together. The sun has begun to set as Dinky yawns. Arc looks down at her.
“Want a piggy back ride, Dinky?”
“What’s that, dad?”
“I’ll show you.”
Arc picks Dinky up and sets her on his shoulders as they continue walking.
“This is kinda fun!”
“Humans on Earth do this for their children.”
Natalya looks over. “Earth?”
Arc nods. “It’s where humans are from.”
“Is it across the ocean?”
“No, it’s a lot further than that.”
Natalya thinks for a moment. “Across multiple oceans?!”
“It’s not even on this planet.”
“What?! Then how did you get here?!”
Arc smiles. “It’s… complicated.”
A short time later they arrive at Arc’s base.
“Here we are! Light’s Hope!”
Natalya marvels at the building. “This place is yours?!”
Arc holds the door open for her and Derpy. “As long as I’m the Hero of Light, yes.”
He leads them through the Main Hall and down the corridor before stopping in front of a large door. Arc steps inside with Natalya to a beautiful guest room.
“You can stay here. I hope you’ll be comfortable.”
Natalya looks around the room, wide-eyed! “This… all of this is for me?!”
Arc chuckles. “Well, I have a nicer room down the hall if this one isn’t big enough.”
“No, no! This is more than enough! Thank you!”
“Well, I’ll let you rest for the evening. If you get hungry there are snacks in the cafeteria. It’s down the corridor to the left. Just follow your nose.”
“I’m a bit tired, so I think I’ll turn in for the evening.”
“Good night, Natalya. I’ll come get you for breakfast early tomorrow morning.”
Arc leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Natalya sits down on the bed and sighs.
“Equestria… what a strange land. I just don’t get why they do things this way!”
Meanwhile, Arc leads Derpy and Dinky to his quarters. They enter his living room together.
“What a day!”
“Dad? Can I come to Abyssinia with you next time?!”
Arc chuckles. “Maybe. The king and queen would certainly love to meet you!”
Derpy sticks out her tongue, playfully. “Who knows! Maybe they would like to keep you!”
Dinky raises her hooves and giggles! “All hail Princess Dinky of Abyssinia!”
They enjoy a laugh together as the small family walks over to the couch and sits down. Derpy turns to Arc, happily!
“Thanks for helping out today, Arc!”
“Yeah dad! It was lots of fun! We need to do that more often!”
Arc nods. “Well, that’s actually what I wanted to talk to you two about. Do school foals get time off in the winter?”
Derpy nods. “Yes. Two weeks for Hearth’s Warming. Why?”
“How would you two like to go on a bit of a trip with me?”
Dinky nods! “I wanna go! Where to?!”
“Earth.”
Dinky looks to her mother anxiously. “Can we mom?! PLEASE?!”
“I… I don’t know. Miss Pommel needs a lot of help at the orphanage preparing meals. You saw how much work that was!”
Arc nods. “I can assign some Royal Guards to kitchen duty. With help, Saffron could keep them fed while you’re gone.”
Derpy thinks for a moment. “Well… only if it’s not too much trouble for her! And if Miss Pommel agrees!”
“Good! I’ll take you two with me to Earth when I complete my work in the Griffon Kingdom!”
Dinky grins at her mother. “Hopefully soon! I can show you all the cool stuff they have there, mom! You’ll love Earth!”
Arc nods. “I think you would too, Derpy.”
Derpy nervously points a hoof at her eye. “What about… this?
“Some humans have that condition too. So I don’t think anyone will think twice about it.”
Derpy smiles at him. “Okay then! Yes, we’ll come!”
“YAY!!!”
Derpy smiles at the idea. “When do you think you’ll be done in the Griffon Kingdom?”
“Hard to say. I’ll try to give you as much notice as possible.”
“Thanks! I’m sure Miss Pommel would appreciate it!”
Arc and his family sit in front of the fireplace for a long time talking and catching up. Sometime later Arc looks down and Dinky in his lap.
“Okay sweetheart, I think it’s time we got to bed.”
Dinky yawns. “Aw… do we have to?”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
Derpy nods. “Tomorrow is a school day, after all!”
“Your mother’s right. The two of you need your rest.”
“What about you, dad?!”
“I need to take care of something before I come to bed. Don’t wait up for me though.”
Derpy nods as she and Dinky walk toward his room. “Okay. Just don’t take too long.”
“I won’t.”
Arc leaves his room and walks quickly down the corridor, muttering to himself.
“I know they’re still up. Time to make a house call!”