X cut through the Safe Zone with a loose swagger, the kind that said he belonged anywhere his boots decided to stop. Chest forward, shoulders relaxed, he carried a bouquet of pink roses slung over one shoulder like a jaunty baton. A cheerful tune hummed off his tongue as he pushed into the lobby's cool light.

"Hey, Vince," X smiled. "Good to see ya!"

"Hey, X!" Vince bowed his head slightly. "It's been a while since you last came," he remarked.

"I've been busy," X sighed.

"So I've heard," Vince nodded. "I heard about what happened to those Special grade investigators. It's a darn shame, so close to the academy too."

"Well, in this line of work they had it coming sooner or later," X replied with a simple expression. "I had wished that I'd get to stay away from the Hero's cemetery for at least a couple of years." He calmly remarked.

"Aren't you worried about your granddaughter?" Vince wondered. "I've heard there's been an incident there too."

"That's why I have Brick escorting her everywhere." X remarked. "There'd be no point to ask him to look after her if I didn't trust him."

"That's true," Vince paused. "But you seem… Awfully rational. Unlike your usual self."

"I'm scared shitless, Vince," X retorted lowering his gaze.

"About meeting miss Amanda?" Vince wondered.

"Exactly, Vince!" X placed his flowers on Vince's desk and screamed out. "God damn! She's just like her mother, always expecting the best out of me," X shook his head.

"I'm sure that's true," Vince laughed. "But you know, she's also just like you."

"Attractive?" X wondered with puppy eyes.

"Easy going," Vince clarified. "I'm sure she'll give you a chance. After all, you are her only dad."

"Me being her dad only makes things worse," X retorted. "I remember when she was a little girl, she would always ask me to take her to see the rose garden. I'm hoping these would get her to ease up a little bit." X pointed towards the bouquet.

"Pink roses, huh?" Vince noted. "How did you get them, aren't they supposed to be extinct?" he wondered.

"Well," X giggled. "I hired someone to bring them back from outside the city." X smiled. "It cost me a fair bit thought. Also, I had to wait a long time for them to arrive, so the period of me not seeing her turned out to be much longer than what it was supposed to be."

"Goddamit X," Vince sighed. "You know she would love you regardless of if you spent a fortune on those flowers or not?"

"I'm not so sure about that Vince," X pouted. "I did teach her to be pretty materialistic."

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Vince sighed.

"Fortunately, I don't think all of your teachings stuck," he noted.

X picked up the flowers, resting them back on his shoulder, and strode to the elevator. The Safe Zone's marble floor reflected him in pale bands of light; his footsteps sounded unhurried, assured.

"You best keep your mouth shut regarding matters you know nothing about," X glared back as he stepped inside. His stare was cold and composed, like well-tempered steel—nothing like his usual easygoing haze. This wasn't the tired gaze of an outgoing elder; it was prideful, youthful, and stern.

Vince froze, words failing as the doors slid together and swallowed X from view.

"That was close," he sighed. "I forgot he gets real touchy when it comes to topics concerning parenting."

As the car climbed, X let the stiffness bleed from his shoulders and resumed humming a cheerful tune—half habit, half armor—while brushed aluminum walls ghosted his reflection in triplicate.

The car eased to a halt. "Entering restricted area, please confirm identity," a feminine voice chimed.

"It's me," X stated. "Now go up."

"Verification successful, proceeding to transport VIP to the top floor," the voice replied, and the cab surged, the counterweights singing in the shaft.

The doors parted on the penthouse. X stepped out, bouquet over one shoulder, grin already warming his face.

"Amy!" X called out. "How long has it been? You've grown so much!"

"Well, if it isn't dead beat dad of the year award winning father," Amanda growled, mimicking X's tone in a mocking manner. "So, what's the occasion. Need something?"

"Strange, I never taught you to be so jaded and smug," X smirked. "You must have inherited it from your mother," he retorted.

"No, I definitely got it from you," Amanda replied with a confused look.

X ignored her jab, closing the last steps between them and offering the bouquet.

"Here, these are for you." he handed her the flowers and leaned in for a hug.

Amanda snatched the roses, pivoted to the kitchen in quick, efficient strides, and set them in a vase at the center of the dining table. The petals looked unreal here—soft dawn-pink against steel and glass.

"They're extinct," Amanda pouted. "How in the world did you manage to get them?" she asked.

X drifted to the table and took the nearest seat, angling his body toward her like a man edging into a storm.

"It's a secret," he gestured, lifting his index finger to his lips.

Amanda's fist clenched; she slammed the table, crystal humming on impact.

"A secret this, a secret that! When I ask you how you were doing, where you were, if you're eating well – it's always a secret!" she advanced until her breath fogged the space between them. "Am I also a secret, a secret you wish to forget so much that you barely come to see me or your grand daughter?" her voice rose, then shredded as the air ran out.

"I'm sorry," X lowered his gaze. "I try to be there as much as I can."

"Bullshit!" Amanda shouted. "When a demon showed up at my house I didn't even feel confident relying on you for protection!"

The apology evaporated from his face. X's expression hardened; the old field mien settled in like a visor clicking down.

"Explain," he ordered with a calm yet demanding tone.

Amanda faltered at the shift, surprised by the steel.

"A while ago Eris," she paused. "V-violet brought her friends from the academy home to study with her. One of them was a boy you already heard of."

"-Zeke Ventrew, 3-rd year, top of his grade with a perfect score. Took some time away from the academy and studied under special unit 22. Recently, was the victim of a violent altercation with another student." X stated, interrupting her.

"How do you know so much about him?" Amanda wondered.

"I can't tell you, it's Knights related," X sighed. "Once the case I'm working on is done I'll tell you."

"Right," Amanda stumbled. "So, the other person they had with them was a demon. I don't know how he was able to slip pass Vince, Ordinus, Safe Zone scanners and even Calvin." she continued.

"Interesting," X grabbed his chin. "Whatever he's doing here I doubt It has anything to do with you. Demons can come to the city for a variety of reasons. Not all of them are hostile to humans. Seeing as he's pretending to be an Academy student he could be just trying to learn more about humans." he explained.

"And what if you're wrong?" Amanda asked.

"Then I'll kill it," X smiled with a warm expression.

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