"....oh. That explains it." he replied.

"Huh. That's... kinda cool." he then said.

"Vicki was quite pleased and eager to show she could do it." he commented.

"Guess you're proof she CAN." he added with a chuckle.

"That's SOME good news, I guess." he muttered.

"So what are you waiting for, right now?" he then asked her.

"...ah right, whatever that project is that he's working on." Ash said.

"Wait, you think THAT'S the issue?" he asked.

"Geez, what the hell IS it?" he murmured.

"He's told NO-ONE about it." he continued.

"How do you kn-" he started to ask, before pausing.

"Right. Future knowledge." he said.

Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, what?" he asked.

"Violently?" he asked her.

"That... doesn't sound like the Lindsay -I- know..." he mumbled.

"But... all right, I'll bring him here, then." he told her.

"ASAP, I assume?"

Ash just nodded in response.

"Yeah, sure." he said.

"I'll see about getting him here ASAP." he told her.

"Might not be until this evening, though." he warned her.

"I think he's a bit full up with appointments until 7ish." he said further.

"I know you essentially told me time's a major factor here, but is about 6 hours from now, like, cool?" he asked.

Ash just sighed in response.

"Yeeeeah." he muttered.

"It can sneak up on ya." he said.

"Want your tablet?" he asked.

"You can connect to the WiFi here and try and get reacquainted with... well, the world." he offered.

"And it might give you something to do while waiting for Lindsay." he added with a shrug.

Ash nodded in response.

"Cool. I'll get it for you." he told her.

-Some hours later-

She was still looking through some news feeds on the tablet, when her cell phone went off. Specifically, the tone chimed, signalling she had a text.

Yo. Lindsay's off work. it read.

You good for that visit? the next one asked.

And you still want me there for it? a third asked further.

Got it. Be there shortly. was the response she received.

And sure enough, about a minute later, there was a knock on her door.

She made her way there and opened it, seeing both her brothers there.

"...oh my." Lindsay said.

"You were certainly not kidding about the power in this room." he told Ash.

"Told ya." Ash replied.

Lindsay looked confused for a moment, before shrugging.

"I... what kind of a question is that?" he asked.

"My family mean more to me than anything else in this world." he told her.

"And the people of this planet all deserve to have the best possible lives."[/lb] he went on, before pausing.

[b]"Ah, well, within reason. There are some that deserve less than others for the choices they've made in their lives, but... that's splitting hairs, one can argue." he then clarified.

"Why?" he then inquired.

"....excuse me?" Lindsay asked.

"That's a very harsh assumption to make." he told her.

"And my side project? You know nothing of it." he continued.

"It's not applicable here, anyway." he went on.

"Is this why I was brought here?" he then asked Ash. "To be insulted?" he asked further.

"Is this some kind of twisted humour?" he then asked him.

"Wish it WAS, bro." Ash responded.

Lindsay was a pacifist. Very much so. He detested conflict of any kind, right down to arguments. He would debate and discuss, but he would always back down from an argument. However, his eyes showed that this time might just be the exception.

"Wait, what?" Ash asked.

"Activating mana in the average person? Are you serious?" he asked further.

Lindsay just turned to him.

"We are hated and feared because we are different." he said. "If all had access to their mana, then perhaps we could all understand each other, and the conflict would cease." he told him further. But before Ash could respond, Lindsay turned back to Vic.

"How do you know of that?" he asked her.

"And how dare you make such assumptions? You allude to my project showing I don't care for my family or the people of this planet!?" he exclaimed.

"I WAS about to give up on it, yes, but I was recently pushed into continuing. And I AM making progress."