#arc30

I was requested to appear in the next Matriarch Meeting to answer their questions. Along with being forbidden from bringing non-minutians, I've also been ordered to not bring any of my own clan with me, and that included Braddy apparently. Matriarchs, and lords in my case, show power with numbers. They'll often bring whole processions of their most prominent clan members. The only matriarchs generally expected to come alone are the ones with empty nests, in that case coming on your own is a sign of pride. To order me to leave my numbers behind is a sign that I've MAJORLY pissed them off. Considering what I did, that sounds about right.

It's also a strategic move on their part. Now the only minutians standing by my side are outsiders who are willing to risk their reputations to justify what I did. Well, even if it means I have to stand alone, I'm fine with that. I'm so used to doing that already for myself, so to do it for others sounds like a rewarding experience.

On a designated day, an unmarked void ship came through the facade and landed near the palace. It was shaped like a wheelless hearse with no windows on any sides of it. If this wasn't announced I'd half expect I was being kidnapped. Climbing in a portal that opened up, I was left alone in a dark room as the ship rocked to life. It was hard to tell, but I assumed we were moving through the void.

After a long wait, the shaking of the ship stopped and the portal opened once again. I stepped out to see I was standing on a small island floating in a tiny bubble of a universe. In front of me was a minutian mansion, several times bigger than the one my clan built for Leahdah. A rusty sign on its gate read "Bloody Boomer Clan Mansion. Defenders of Tradition and History." I couldn't believe it. A minutian clan settled in on this tiny rock?

Then I noticed the high amounts of traffic coming in and out from this universe, and I glanced over at the fully functioning and busy as heck fueling station that shared this island. I could see void ships of all shapes and sizes being plugged in before the pilots headed into the convenience store/rest area to buy drinks and snacks. The entirely organic ships were feeding on massive amounts of void krill that would pour out of a money operated chute. Did the clan get founded to protect the fuel station? I didn't see a single minutian working there.

When I turned my head back towards the mansion, I saw another of my kind approaching me. She had short scraggy brown hair and silver eyes.... wait. "A Wolf Pack Minutian?"

"Smalls Wolfpack. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you, Lord Panchi."

That name... "You were Raina's cellmate?"

"Heh, yeah." She said with a chuckle. "Lexine pulled some strings and sprung me from the brink a few days ago. When I heard what Boss Raina's friend was about to go through, I asked to be sent here to back ya up!"

She was really going to go up to bat for a stranger just from a tenuous association? "You know what I'm in trouble for, right?"

"Yeah, that's the reason I volunteered for this. I'm all in for burning down their system. That's why I go by 'he/him' now. Fuck what those crusty losers think."

"Hell yeah!" I gave him a high five. I jive with this guy.

He led me through the building. Maybe he'd be willing to give some answers. "So why is there a clan out here of all places?"

"Ah, a great battle of the god war happened here. Some 'final destination' type shit, ya know? The Bloody Boomers wanted to preserve it. Much good that did, most of it weathered away over the years. Much of the clan became truckers because of the fuel station that moved in."

That connects a lot of dots. "I'm aware it's an empty nest now." Much of the building is empty. The only people here are the guests for the meeting today and the non-minutian wait staff.

"Hey, wait a minute, have you never been here before?" He said, cocking an eyebrow.

"Nope. My mom stopped being invited to meetings after I was born."

"Oh... right." He fell silent after that. I’m sure he had heard of Leahdah by reputation.

He brought me to a room where all my allies were waiting for me. Matriarch Dustwallow, the mother of the clan that used to reside in this building, gave me a glare and shouted. "What were you thinking, Lord Panchi!"

I was taken aback by her accusatory greeting. Was expecting this from the meeting proper, not in the prelude to it.

She continued. "Why'd you go do something so stupid? Now, as moderator, I can't even defend you today without looking biased. How could you do something this dumb!"

Her clan were defenders of tradition, so it made sense she would be mad.

I looked over towards MahStar, the capitalistic mother of the Dragon Fang Clan. "Don't expect me to defend you either. There's no profit motive in it."

Yeah, that sounds about right for her.

Matriarch Archea of the Ancient Ones Clan however, came over and patted me on the shoulder. "I'll stand by you. Don't worry."

Matriarch Aria of the Siren's Songs approached me as well. "I started all this, and I fully intend to stand by you to the end, Lord Panchi."

I smiled. I was glad to have allies.

A little while after, Smalls led Archea, Aria, and I out of the room and into what was a giant ballroom. The room was decorated bright and cheery with motivational posters on the walls. It was loosely furnished with couches positioned in a large circle that had completely been filled up by matriarchs who were fidgeting on flower throw pillows. It looked like a meeting for moms with a tone of tribunal. Dustwallow, who was behind a podium, gave me a scathing look. From the direction we entered, we were all left standing, all eyes on us. A firing squad of judgements, locked and loaded, ready to fire.

"Lord Panchi. We've called you here to answer for your misconduct." The elderly minutian began, her voice reverberating around the hall. "We have received evidence that one of your own, a mere white belt named 'Woob,' is pregnant." Gasps and murmurs spread across the room as she continued. "You know that only masters are allowed to have children, yet not only did you not stop her from doing this, but we have a strong case that you may have even supported her! Do you deny it?"

"I do not deny it. All of it is true." This led to more gasps.

When Woob confided in me that she wanted children, I encouraged her to go through with it. I promised I'd back her up against the matriarchs, and I came here to fulfill that promise. (REF: Ch. 125) After thinking it over, she decided to do it, and now not only has she gained 7 inches in height, but she had a noticeable bulge developing in her belly. It's no wonder the Matriarchs found out about it.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Sneered one of the moms from clear across the room.

"It was a logical course of action." I simply said, leading to more insufferable gasps. "The minutian population has gone from 1 million at the end of the God War, to 100,000 currently. If we don't do something to change course, our kind is due for extinction. We have people who are willing to have kids, so why not let them?"

"Because it'll bring down the matriarch system!" Shouted another. "The species will be in complete chaos without our guidance! If you throw a wrench in that, it could kill us faster!"

"If the matriarch hierarchy can't even keep us from extinction, then maybe it's not as good at keeping the peace as may you think." The room was getting more and more restless. "Reform could be inevitable, so why not be the ones on top of it? Besides, you'd still goddamn rule! Can't you maintain your grip without being the only tall ones around?"

The room's attitude was transitioning from horror to disgust. They started booing.

"Silence!" Shouted Dustwallow. "Silence, the lot of you!"

And in response, one said what had been on many of their minds. "You're just shielding her because she's your ally!"

At that comment, the elder shouted, sending out a shockwave that tossed around a number of people. "SHUUTTT UPPPP!!!"

The room fell silent. After a moment, Dustwallow continued. "While it's true I am an ally of Sanctuary, I do not condone Lord Panchi's actions. He will have to do A LOT to regain my trust again after this, so don't you dare doubt my loyalty to this counsel or for tradition!" She gave off an exaggerated huff and then turned her gaze towards me. "If you actually cared about increasing the population, you'd in vitro some babies yourself! Don't judge how we conduct ourselves when you have no skin in the game!"

Well, she had me there. I didn't have an immediate comeback for that. I couldn't exactly play the ‘I didn't want to’ card when I played up such noble intentions.

The elderly matriarch grunted. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

If this were months ago, this would have been the end of the meeting. I'd walk out flipping off the matriarchs and then forge my own path forward without their help. It's exactly how I would have done things if I had to answer for what I did the same day I encouraged Woob to have a child. However, things are different now.

"You're wrong."

"What do you mean?" She said with a cocked eyebrow.

"I do have skin in the game." I have Belovi in my life now, and she changed everything. I stepped out and faced the crowd. "Have you ever had to tell one of your own kids they can't be a mother? So many of them want so deeply to be parents, to have what you all take for granted, but can't because of an arbitrary rule, because they don't live up to your standards. Is it really our place to tell them who they are allowed to be?"

The reaction from the crowd was mixed. Some were disgusted, some were confused, but some were intently watching me.

I continued. "Don't you remember, when they were still young, they'd smile all the time?" At least most of them did. "The ones that had to give up on their dreams, when was the last time they smiled like that? If we're not protecting the joy of our kids, then what is the point?" I clasped my hands together and pleaded. "If you won't do it for your species, then think of the happiness of your children. Please."

The matriarchs were looking between each other, not sure how to react to this genuine plea from what they regarded as the 'trouble lord.' Then the silence was undercut by footsteps. Gasps once again spread through the room as they all stared slackjawed at the source. I turned to see what they were reacting to: Matriarch MahStar had left her seat and was moving towards me. She joined me by my side.

Then the capitalist minutian turned to the crowd, and with a heavy sigh, she explained. "I remember when my FoeStar was little. She so badly wanted to be a mother, but she couldn't get far in her training. I still remember the face she made the day I told her she needed to give up on it. It broke my heart, but I didn't think there was anything I could do back then. Not too long ago, now in her twilight years, she's adopted three little girls. She's so happy now..." I could see tears welling up in her eyes. "I wonder, if I had been brave enough to stand up for her all those years ago, maybe she could have been following her dream this whole time. Maybe, she could have been that happy all along. That's what I should have been striving for this whole time."

The room was aghast, shocked that the matriarch most infamous for caring exclusively about profit margins had a soul all along.

She turned to me, and gave me a bow. "Thank you, Lord Panchi. Woob is lucky to have you as her Lord."

However, I already knew she was selling herself too short. I touched her shoulder, which caused her to tilt her head up. "Braddy and I saw you, when you had your family up in Sanctuary. (REF: ch. 110) Even from a distance, I could see how good you were to those kids. So don't worry, I can't say how you were in the past but, they are all lucky to have you now."

MahStar was at first, surprised to hear me compliment her, but that expression was quickly replaced with a tearful smile. She offered her palm and we clasped hands together firmly. In that moment, she actually became my ally, and a friend.