When Noble appeared in her house for the second ti that day, no one was in the bedroom.
A rare mont of full sunshine had co out above Ravenheart, and those who were brave enough to leave the comfort of their ho were able to have so snow-filled fun in the large drifts.
Blaze and Brock were out front making a wall opposite so other teens, ready to begin an assault after the snowball artillery was ford.
Fort and Rain were downstairs in the kitchen and living room, respectively.
Noble frowned. 'What should I do?'
The floating Saint could have gone out the window and co in the front door, but there were enough people outside that soone was likely to spot her descent. In the end, Noble changed into comfortable clothing and ca down the stairs.
"Mom?" Rain looked up from her work and rubbed her eyes. "I didn't see you co in."
Fort set down his papers on the table and scooted back his chair. "Welco back, Bee."
Noble kissed her husband, smiling at him as she pulled away to let him know that everything was alright. She would fill him in on the details later.
"You both seem very hard at work. I know what your father is doing, but what exactly are you up to, Rainy?"
The girl had large synthetic pages in her lap. Noble recognized them as the plans for the prototype of Blaze's revolutionary machine.
"I am just marveling over what my little brother did." There was no small amount of wonder in the girl's voice. "He really built this?"
The mother nodded. "He used schematics from other machines, but the final product is his."
Rain ran her fingers over the drawn lines.
"He's a builder. I always knew he was a genius, but wow. I was going to try to help him improve; however, he seems to have it all worked out."
While Blaze had received input from one of humanity's brightest minds, he had worked hard to synthesize that research into a workable model. Rain's excitent and appreciation were warranted.
"You should tell him that. He values your approval even more than your mother's or mine." Fort wrapped his arm around Noble's waist. She smiled at him and then at Rain.
"Your father is right. Blaze looks up to you."
Rain thought for a mont. "Fine, I will tell my annoying but adorable little brother that he did well."
Setting the pages aside, the girl got up and stretched.
"Actually, Mom, can you check and see if anyone is at the market today?" Rain had expected her mother to go out the door and float up to look, but Noble stayed in place.
The Saint extended her emotional sense, aiming it in the direction of the Jade Palace. She probed the area around the edge of the volcano.
"The market by the bridge is not fully open, but there are so people there."
"I suppose you would have seen that on the way in. Was One-ard Zev there?" The girl was t with confused looks from both of her parents.
"Even with the obvious physical characteristic you just described, I don't know who that is." Noble frowned.
"No, that's just his nickna. He has both arms; he will just buy anything that isn't attached to you, including your own limb." Rain realized she wasn't helping her case. "I'll just take my chances and see if he's there. Either way, I need to get the Stone Worm parts out of my ho before it starts slling like a slaughterhouse."
Noble's nose crinkled. "Maybe you should find another place to store your kills."
"It's a decent idea, and maybe I'll be able to afford it soday." Rain smiled, unbothered by her mother's puckered expression. "In a bit, I'll take my brothers down to my place so they can help lug my spoils through the streets. That is, if they are up for that kind of adventure."
"They ntioned they wanted to go yesterday, so I'm sure they will be thrilled…as long as you wait until after they finish that snow fort outside," Fort chuckled.
"I wouldn't dream of interrupting that," Rain shook her head.
"I assud they would be working on the machine. We don't have much ti left to get it done, and I brought the light bulbs." Before the storm hit, Noble had planned to remain ho and help with that purpose.
"Blaze kept the most delicate parts inside, and the rest was too buried to work on. We figured a levitation expert might be able to help us get it out faster than we could on our own." Fort winked.
"A levitation expert?" Noble pursed her lips. "Whoever could that be?"
The front door burst open, and two boys ca barreling inside with their voices overlapping.
"Rain!"
"Dad!"
"Mom?"
"Boots!" Noble lifted the young n in the air before their snow-covered shoes could get on her beautiful rug.
"Sorry!" The twins barely registered that they were still floating. They turned their attention to their initial business.
"The neighbors had challenged us to a snow war. But there are four of them and only two of us. You have to co and even the odds." Brock pressed his hands together.
Blaze mimicked his action. "Please!"
Rain and her father shared a glance.
"I did want to work out today. May as well have fun while doing it." Rain shrugged casually, secretly excited for a change to be childish.
"I don't know, boys…" Fort looked at the pile of papers. He gave a small smile. "Did you rember to reinforce the walls with ice this ti?"
"What do we look like? Newbies?" Blaze scoffed.
"I'm in," Fort squeezed his wife's shoulder. "You want to co watch? We'd love for you to join, but I think the neighbors might find that a tad unfair."
Noble understood. A friendly snowball war between mundanes didn't exactly need the strength of a Saint, especially one who didn't need to touch snow to throw it.
"Sure. I'll be out in a bit. I have to go unbury Blaze's prototype in the back of the house first." Noble lowered her boys by the door and flicked her wrist to shoo them. "Now go and show them what our family is made of!"
While the family mbers went out front to conduct what would arguably be the most epic snow skirmish in history, Noble passed through the kitchen and to the back of the house. The mounds of snow were significant, but it wasn't difficult to guess where Blaze's equipnt lay.
'This should only take a mont.'
Noble felt for the tal pieces with her telekinesis and lightened them. Then she floated them from their snowy tombs and held them in the air.
'I guess I need a place to set them.'
The shovel by the door helped to push the lightweight snow into larger drifts. Noble set down the pieces in the cleared space. As long as they didn't have a strong wind, they would have a clean workspace when the ti ca.
Noble dusted off her clean hands.
"That should do it!"
Turning back toward the house, Noble paused by the kitchen windowsill and looked at the dark space beneath it.
"I know you are there. Co inside. We need to have a chat."
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