It was weird seeing himself standing with Simone, and when she finally saw him, rushed over to him checking him over. “I’m fine, Mone…” Despite being the wrong voice, the tone of Lewis’ calm and distracted speech was easily conveyed. It immediately had a calming effect on Simone, at least for a moment before she snapped at Xeik.

“S-sorry…” Xeik replied sheepishly, which looked extremely off putting coming from Lewis’ body. “I can’t help it..”

Lewis crossed his arms. “Angela…I get that you can’t switch us back, but is there any way you can fix the resonance? Maybe put a tattoo on our souls, or something?”

Before Angela could speak, Xeik started to talk, “Well, she can…but not like this. The whole process is a binding one, and it would take several days to complete. Which…we don’t have. But I’m sure she can do it once we’re back in our regular bodies…”

“So…Xeik has to be me for a day?” Lewis asked, looking at his body. “That…might be a problem.”

“I can manage,” Xeik said, sticking his tongue out. “That shouldn’t be too difficult at all!” He looked between Lewis and Simone. “…well, at least with the teacher stuff. I…feel like your kids are smarter than you give them credit for. They might know something is off…”

“Won’t know till you try,” Lewis responded. He turned to Angela. “So what exactly am I supposed to do all day? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?”

Simone nodded and held a calm smile now as she rubbed Lewis’s cheek which was weird since she was looking at Xeik’s body. “At least you are alright…”

Simone looked at Xeik, “Depends entirely on who it was that we got the letter about… It was just addressed to us for ‘multiple children’. That could be a whole slew of problems.”

Angela waved her hand at them, “I can do it immediately after this is over but like Xeik said it will take a while to do it. I like to do things right instead of the divine way.” She tapped her chin as she thought about it. “Keep Raine out of trouble. It’s her annual report today and I know Xeik was looking SOOOO forward to having to deal with that.”

Suddenly there was crying in the resonance and Simone held a frown. “We have to go. The twins just woke up and they let us know they aren’t pleased we weren’t there to greet them on the dot.” She hesitated at first and even appeared to gag before quickly pecking Lewis on the lips. "Let's go Xeik. You've met our circus but you've never MET our circus before."

Angela appeared amused, "Later today you can go be with the kids Lewis if you think you can keep undercover from them."

It was strange, receiving a kiss from Simone. Watching her struggle with it was almost funny. Almost. Still, as things were now set in motion, and the day had started, whether or not they wanted it to or not. With Xeik having gone with Simone, that left Lewis to go find Raine.

“Let’s go see just how this day is going to pan out…”

—

Xeik had dealt with the Terrowin kids before, but this…THIS was chaos. The twins were indeed little tyrants. When Simone and Xeik entered the room, Janus was already grumping about, pointing at Lila.

“NO,” Janus exclaimed.

“YESSS!” Lila yelled back. The little girl disappeared, and reappeared next to Janus.

“NOOO!” At once, Lila was back in crib, reappearing as though she had never left.

“YESSSSSSS!” And Lila was back again at Janus’ side.

“What…the…” Xeik said, shaking his head. From the other room, he could hear banging.

“EVERETT! IT”S MY TURN IN THE BATHROOM!” Alshaya yelled. “DON’T YOU DARE STINK IT UP AGAIN!”

Simone held a look on her face and looked over at Xeik. Say and do everything with me. Since we aren’t in sync we’ll have to yell at them together. Lila won’t listen unless we do otherwise. She’ll think of it as a challenge and we must not present ourselves as such. On my count.

Once she did the count down together they yelled, “Lila, Janus. No.” A deep breath came from Simone as the tyrants looked up at them. Simone nudged Xeik to go present himself to Lila while she picked up Janus. “That’s two. Eleven more to go.”

Alshaya was kicking at the bathroom door and Simone came up and touched her shoulder, “Shaya, go use Mommy and Daddy’s bathroom.”

“Okay. Good morning Mommy. Good morning Daddy.” She kissed both of them before running off. Her voice had shifted down to the most pleasant of voices.

“Everett, you better make sure to wash yourself before I make your father check you over. Do you want to be thrown in the bathtub clothed again?” Simone yelled.

“NO!” Everett yelled back finally.

She beckoned him to follow her and she began to knock on doors. All of them opened and children opened up half asleep and their clothes a wreck. “Good morning Terrowins!”

“Morning Mother. Morning Father.” All of them yelled various things to them with yawns.

Corrine came out with a brush and offered it up to Xeik.

Lewis has been brushing her hair every morning. Please be mindful of her head and don’t do it too harshly.

Simone made sure Jules took his medicine and kissed his head. The newest Terrowin came out with a stuffed bear looking at them. “I’m hungry Momma.”

“I know baby. Go wait down in the breakfast room okay?” Llynette nodded and ran. “NO RUNNING!” Llynette stopped midstep before she slow down for the stairs.

Suddenly Alshaya and Everett were throwing themselves onto the floor fighting and Simone took Lila from Xeik so he could tell them to stop.

Everything that was happening was pure, unrelenting chaos. Xeik had absolutely no idea how the two managed it so well, but as Simone started to talk to him through the resonance, he started to feel at ease. It was like he had a partner there for every step of the way, and suddenly he realized just how important it was to them and their everyday life.

“Hey, hey!” Xeik exclaimed, pulling Alshaya and Everett apart. “Cut it out!”

“HE STARTED IT!” Alshaya yelled, a big smile on her face.

“NUH UH!” Everett shot back with an equally as big smile.

“Do I need to throw you BOTH into a bath!?” Xeik exclaimed. If Lewis had done it once, he might as well play it up as a valid threat. That was enough for both of them to immediately stand up straight. Without fighting, they started to get ready on their own accord.

It was a difficult start, but Xeik managed to do everything that Lewis normally did, though he nearly messed up a few times. Had Simone not been there to help guide his actions, it would have been a total disaster. Luckily, five out of the thirteen kids pretty much took care of themselves, leaving only the youngest to rally together. With Ezili and Lucas’ help added on, they managed to get all of the young kids into the dining hall for breakfast.

It took Rex and Hazel a little more time to get down the stairs, but they were adamant that they didn’t need help. Hazel was just taking it slow, due to being five months pregnant at this point. She looked happy about it.

With everyone gathered, finally, breakfast was served. This was, perhaps, the most normal part of the day so far. Everyone seemed content to be eating, and Xeik was more than happy to indulge. This would be the easiest part of things…

Simone was cutting up the food for all the little ones all while taking breaks to give Janus apple sauce. It was like a working routine she was used to. Even in her head there was a little hum as she worked. She was a great songstress and it showed as she carried a tune. “Now, before your father and I depart for Benin… Would anyone… and I do mean ANYONE like to confess to anything?”

They all looked up at her with guilty looks even if they hadn’t done a damn thing. Lucas probably guilty that he didn’t stop his siblings in time. “No one? Amazing, so this teacher is asking me to meet with her becauseeee? You all are the apples of our eyes right?”

They again got met with awkward stares and children ignoring her words for food. She smirked a bit in their mind. Gods, they all look so guilty. I can’t tell which one did anything. Simone cleaned up the twins. Glyn had been wrapped on her and he was taking yet another snooze now that he was fed by the wet nurse.

Thank gods I’m not breastfeeding anymore. The little terrors about bite your nipples off… I feel sorry for women everywhere. It was supposed to make Xeik laugh.

Once they were all done they settled the children with the older children. They got dressed and were headed off to Benin. “Important things. Their teacher is a bitch. Pearl is an absolute issue. This child told them being adopted was a bad thing. Also, the teacher sneers at me because we have thirteen children. I would like to not end up with murder charges today.”

It was a miracle that breakfast went so well, but Xeik could see that, with their teamwork, Lewis and Simone were working hard at being good parents. It was amusing, though, at how every single one of their children seemed to be guilty of something, despite not knowing who did what. Hazel even found it amusing, though in Rex’s case it was most likely how he more or less dropped out of school entirely.

The boat ride to Bennin was spent mostly bringing Xeik up to speed on the kid's teacher, Mrs. Reid. Pearl was evidently the daughter of a noble, and it showed in her holier than thou attitude. It was possible that her father donated a lot to the school as well, which would explain the favoritism.

“Got it…” Xeik said with a heavy sigh. “This isn’t going to go over well, is it?” Simone merely offered him encouragement, and soon they were in the classroom, sitting across from the teacher.

As Simone had said, her aura had a heavy negative feel about it. Judging from her lifeforce, she wasn’t exactly an evil person, but not exactly the most noble either.

“I gather you know why you two are here,” she asked. Mrs. Reid was a taller woman with narrow shoulders and even narrower eyes, as if she were in a permanent state of squinting. Like most teachers, she dressed rather modestly, wearing a rather drab dress with a wildflower pattern. There was a notebook in her hands, and a case file that could have been it’s own book sitting on the desk.

Oh boy…

Simone held a straight face. “I asked them what they did at breakfast and no one answered me. Every single one of them looked guilty even Llynette. So please do get started on our laundry list of troubles the little deviants have been up to.”

If she got laid more maybe she wouldn’t be such a nasty bitch. There was a snort of laughter even though Simone’s face didn’t show it.

“Go figure. You have an unruly household and you can’t control it.”

“No, they won’t speak up because they would rather be collectively punished than let each other be punished individually. It’s common with adopted children.” Simone shot back and the teacher narrowed her gaze.

“We’ll start with oldest to youngest. Lucas is fine he is an exceptional student but I feel Ezili distracts him.”

“Hardly, if anything he pushes her to make sure she stays on task. You would know that if you lived with us.” There was a mental eye roll. Always trying to say Ezili is holding Lucas back when it’s Lucas pushing Ezili forward.

“Then there is Ezili who constantly stares off into space. She should be disciplined.”

“Is her schoolwork done? Are her grades not excellent? She is not excelling?”

“Well… Yes… She is a great student and incredibly smart.”

“Then this is a non-issue. Next.”

“Rex.”

“Is no longer in school we informed the dean ourselves. We’re well aware. It’s his own personal choice as an adult.”

“With children on the way.”

“Shaya?” Mrs. Reid nodded to Simone. “The woman he is with is exceptionally smart. She is a graduate of Sularia’s Academy for the Gifted. She graduated when she was thirteen. Due to unforeseen things, our measures for birth control became null thanks to Rex’s recent Lycanthropy. She is teaching him and she is far more qualified then you.” Simone crossed her legs and glared down at the teacher.

Gods, she is such a bitch…

I’m sure that we can work something out with Rhenakos…might calm her down a little. I could ask? Xeik thought. It was weird thinking his thoughts to Simone, but he was slowly adjusting enough to at least know how to direct his thoughts and keep them a little calm for Simone’s sake.

With every comment that Mrs. Reid made, Simone seemed to have a retort. It was eye opening what she had to deal with on a regular basis. As she finished up with Rex’s explanation, Mrs. Reid seemed even more annoyed than when they had started. Xeik almost couldn’t blame her.

“Well, next, we have Mira. That girl still refuses to use common in the class after repeatedly being told she is required to use it at all times. And, last week she even flooded the girl’s bathroom after an incident involving that toy she brings to class every day. I know she has an excuse for it, but it still should be left at home.”

Xeik sighed. This woman was absolutely unrelenting. “The last time I checked, your curriculum only accounts for pass or fail…I don’t seem to recall it ever stating common was a required tongue. Is she passing?”

“Well, yes-”

“Then…why does it matter what she speaks? She’s smart enough so it shouldn’t matter. And what exactly was the incident involving her orb?”

“Well, she was asked to share it of course. We encourage that around here. I’m sure that it’s not taught in your raucous household judging the behavior of your children.”

“But…you said it yourself,” Xeik replied with a sigh. “She has an excuse for having her orb. It’s hers.” It was Xeik who had written it. It was a complicated little note that more or less stated that it was a medical need. Nevermind that she was the orb. That was a little much to include. “The note specifies that it’s a medical necessity.”

“I just don’t-”

“Oh, so you’re a medical professional now?” Xeik shot back.

Mrs. Reid turned a shade red. “S-since when do you talk, Mr. Terrowin. I much preferred it when you sat back and scowled.”

“Next child, please…”

“Well, Fiori merely sits back and draws all day. I have several of her-” She pulled out a variety of highly detailed drawings of different shirts and dresses, ones that would even put a well paid designer’s to shame. “She rarely pays attention in class, and her grades are suffering for it. And…then there was that squirrel incident…”

Simone narrowed her eyes on Mrs. Reid. “You are well aware that you cannot teach a fish to climb a tree. Fiori is gifted maybe not in academics but her abilities are flawless as a designer. Furthermore, this wasn’t an issue when I was the one teaching them. I’m beginning to think you don’t know how to handle this many children.”

The teacher and Simone were now staring at each other in a glaring contest. “If you are so per-”

“I never claimed to be perfect. I just claim to give a damn.” Simone tapped her foot. “You have provided nothing that is a problem. Next. Child.”

“Jules is always leav–”

“He is sick. Next child.” Simone’s impatience was beginning to wear the teacher down.

“Last of your children are the reasons why you are here today. Alshaya and Everett.”

“And what did they do this time?”

“Alshaya proceeded to beat on another child after being egged on. Everett egged her on to continue the beating.”

“What did this child do to her?”

“I don’t see how that is–”

“Let me make this perfectly clear. If someone’s child is harassing or hitting my child… I will instruct my child to hit back. Now, what did this child do to mine?”

“Alshaya and Everett were once again told that adopted children weren’t as important as birthed.”

“Totally understandable why the child got decked. You should control your class more instead of just lining your pockets with Pearl Peterson’s family money.”

“Are you accusing me of being bought?”

“Are you telling me you’re not?” The tension was building as Simone sat on the edge of her chair. “Or do I have to start donating to this school to make you give a damn about my kids? My children are very much loved and taken care of. It doesn’t matter if I birthed them or not. They will be treated fairly or there will be consequences. I have no problem waging a one-woman war.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a promise actually.” Simone gave her snark and sat back in her chair with her arms folded. “Anything else you have to add Love?” She looked at Xeik.