The Successor and the Scientist

The Shields Come to Japan (Edited)

Melissa's POV-

It was midday when I had finally gotten back home from the academy. It was a tiresome day of invention failures and near explosive catastrophes.

'God I'm exhausted, and it's only Tuesday.' I thought to myself, as a small groan escaped between my lips.

I was shaken from my thoughts when I noticed that all the lights inside the house were off.

'That's odd, papa is usually home by now.' I silently pondered as a pit started to form in my stomach.

I silently made my way through the corridor and over to the living room, checking every room along the way as I looked for him.

When I finally got to the living room, I found my father hunched over on the couch, and his head in his hands.

I couldn't see his face, but I could tell something was wrong. I dropped my backpack on the ground, before walking over to where he was and kneeling down in front of him. I reached up and gently took his hands in mine, and slowly pulled them away from his face, so I could get a good look at him.

What I found was a tired and depressed man. There were severe bags under his bloodshot eyes, and his hair was messy and unkempt.

The longer I stared at my father, the more worried I got. He always tried to look nice and presentable, but now it seemed like he had no motivation to do so.

I struggled for a moment to get the words out as I looked into my fathers tired eyes. "Papa, what's wrong? did something happen while I was at the academy today?" I asked him, making no effort to hide the concern in my voice as I spoke.

He slowly raised his head to let his gaze meet mine for a moment, before letting his head drop back down in an almost defeated manner.

The sight of it tugged at my heart as I realized just how beaten down he had been.

"I...I'm sorry sweetie...but...because of the stunt I pulled a month ago...the council of I-island, voted to kick me off of the island." He slowly and shakily replied.

I hadn't expected them to outright kick him off the island. "S-So, where exactly would we go then? If we can't stay here, then where would we go?" I asked him.

I tried to keep the worry out of my voice, as the pit in my stomach grew even larger. Even if I was called a genius by my classmates, I was still just a girl. A girl who held worries about the world and what the future may hold.

I watched my father let out a disheartened chuckle as he shook his head. "No sweetie, you don't understand, you've been allowed to stay here and make your dreams come true, I'm the one that has to leave the island." He clarified.

It took me a moment to process what he said, before I gently squeezed his hands and shook my head. "If you're leaving the island, then so am I Papa, I don't want to stay here if you have to leave forever." I replied, a hint of defiance in my voice as I responded to him.

"Sweetie please, I don't want to drag you down and make you give up the place you've called home for so long." He told me, while his voice cracked and broke, as he struggled to keep it together.

I let a small smile make its way onto my lips as I shook my head. "This place wouldn't be home without you Papa." I responded, my smile growing a bit more as I spoke.

He stared at me for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh of defeat as he slowly shook his head. He let out a small chuckle as he lifted his head once more. "You know, you get that stubbornness and sweetness from your mother." He said to me before continuing. "Now the problem really does become, where could we possibly go once we leave the island." He pondered aloud.