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mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“… I think you’d better call your sister,” Jack said, watching them. “Maybe some other friends too, if there’s anyone you can trust.” As unsettling as the whole situation was, he couldn’t help chuckling a little. There are some times when you have to either laugh or scream. “It’s not that I doubt you, Ulric, but you’re not going to be able to handle two babies by yourself for a week.” 

The older man sighed. He hated having his children so far away even at the best of times – now, when they really needed him, it was so much worse. “I’m sorry I can’t be there to help as well. But I’ll always be reachable this way, all right? And I’ll let your mother know, if you like.” 

Mira only cried louder until the blue man picked her up and started bouncing her on his knee. Her little hands reached around until she tried holding onto his arm wrapped around her tiny body. Hiccuping a few times more as she got quiet, little Mira tilted her head up towards the man.

But…when the other blue baby began making his way into the man’s lap, Mira started kicking her small feet and crying again.

Joey frowns, trying to grab for Mira’s hand as she kicks her feet. Strange person in the space that was supposed to be his.

Trying to keep the two of them apart, Ulric’s grin is a nervous one, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, I’ll have to. This is kinda…” Mira fussing and Joey getting jealous. This was going to be a fun week. “Don’t worry about it, but… Could you?”

Jack nodded. “Of course. I think she’ll be back soon, and I’ll tell her as soon as she is. In the meantime …” He grinned back a little, “maybe I should let you get things settled?" 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Oh, sure.” Jack had sat back to wait as Mira checked her phone … and then all he could do was stare in wide-eyed, gaping shock as she transformed in front of him. He’d never seen a magical anon at the moment the spell took effect (not on someone else, anyway), but it wasn’t hard for him to guess what had happened. 

“Mira-!” But the little dark-haired girl was already crying. Jack gritted his teeth miserably – a crying baby was one of the worst sounds in the world, and it awakened the father in him, making him instinctively want to reach through the screen and comfort the little one. 

When his son finally came back, it took Jack a moment to process what he’d said. “Ulric, she’s been hit by a magic anon. Check the phone, quick – there may be a clue there about how to reverse it!” Anons weren’t nearly as common in the future,  but Jack had told his children stories about them, and he hoped Ulric would remember. 

Hiccuping between her cries, the little blue-eyed baby sat on the couch, scared and confused. Wasn’t until Mira saw the blue man hovering over her that she stopped crying, staring up at him. That is until she fell over on her side, beginning to cry again. 

Little Mira had no idea what was going on. Where was she? Tears formed around her eyes as she just wanted to be held and comforted.

Her phone? Right! Ulric hurries to round the couch, picking Mira up once he’s seated and setting her in his lap, grabbing her cell once he’s settled. Reading the message still on the screen, he goes pale, looking up at Jack. “Says she’s like this for a week.”

He remembered the stories they’d heard about them, had gotten a few himself (though that would be a story for when they got back). Bouncing her gently on one leg, he looks over in surprise when Joey tries to force his way into his lap too from the other side. “Uh…”

“… I think you’d better call your sister,” Jack said, watching them. “Maybe some other friends too, if there’s anyone you can trust.” As unsettling as the whole situation was, he couldn’t help chuckling a little. There are some times when you have to either laugh or scream. “It’s not that I doubt you, Ulric, but you’re not going to be able to handle two babies by yourself for a week." 

The older man sighed. He hated having his children so far away even at the best of times – now, when they really needed him, it was so much worse. "I’m sorry I can’t be there to help as well. But I’ll always be reachable this way, all right? And I’ll let your mother know, if you like." 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Of course,” Jack replied, with a small nod. “Take as long as you need.” Once Ulric had moved away from the screen, he turned his attention to baby Joey, waving back at the little boy with a playful smile. “Hello, little guy. Nice to meet you too.”

Then, as if remembering, he straightened himself up, looking slightly embarrassed. “Ah, so, Mira … Ulric says you work with motorcycles?” He would normally have asked about her family, but that line she’d said, “I wish I had parents like you”, made him feel that maybe now wasn’t the best time. Jack did want to learn more, but it could wait until a later meeting, once he’d gotten to know Mira better. 

“We will, wont we?” Mira’s smile widened at Ulric, then at Jack, chuckling again as he waved back to Joey. Letting the little guy hold onto her finger as Ulric left to fetch Joey’s fish friend, Mira leaned against the back of the couch. When Jack asked about her and motorcycles, she practically gleamed a wide grin.

“Ulric’s been talking about my bike and I, huh?” She kept grinning, blushing at the thought of him talking about her. “Yeah, I do. I own one, actually…had it since I was sixteen.” She rubbed at the back of her neck with her free hand. “Work on it almost everyday.” Shrugging, Mira glanced down to Joey. “Kinda would like to open a shop someday…” That, and to start making better profit with her paintings.

“Actually, I–- -” About to mention her paintings, knowing that Jack was a painter, Mira’s phone started buzzing in her back pocket. “Uh…sorry, I…” Her expression fell, wondering who it could even be. Reaching back to grab it, Mira flipped her old phone open reading the message. That’s when her face went pale.

[TXT MSG: M!A For the next week you’re a baby. Papoose and everything. Enjoy yourself~]

Wide eyed, Mira stared at the message on her screen, quickly looking up at Jack with a worried look. “Uh-!” It wasn’t long before the magic set in, leaving Mira sitting there next to Joey…as a small baby with big blue eyes. Blinking a few times, she started to cry.

Finally having found Minion where he figured he would be, the sound of unfamiliar crying alerts Ulric to something having gone wrong. Fish tucked under one arm in his little globe, he turns toward the living room and hurries back.

Finding two babies on the couch, though, with Mira’s open cell, wasn’t what he expected to find. Eyes wide, he sets Joey’s Minion down next to the little boy and leans over to where Jack can see him from the computer screen. “… Guess I missed something.”

“Oh, sure.” Jack had sat back to wait as Mira checked her phone … and then all he could do was stare in wide-eyed, gaping shock as she transformed in front of him. He’d never seen a magical anon at the moment the spell took effect (not on someone else, anyway), but it wasn’t hard for him to guess what had happened. 

“Mira-!” But the little dark-haired girl was already crying. Jack gritted his teeth miserably – a crying baby was one of the worst sounds in the world, and it awakened the father in him, making him instinctively want to reach through the screen and comfort the little one. 

When his son finally came back, it took Jack a moment to process what he’d said. “Ulric, she’s been hit by a magic anon. Check the phone, quick – there may be a clue there about how to reverse it!” Anons weren’t nearly as common in the future,  but Jack had told his children stories about them, and he hoped Ulric would remember. 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

Jack sighed quietly. He understood those words, “part of the family”, all too well. When you bonded with someone like that, especially a child, sometimes there was no way to let go. 

And, now that the initial shock was starting to wear off, Jack found he rather liked the idea of having a baby around again. He and Katelynn had talked about having more children after Ulric, they just hadn’t gotten around to it. They’d both been getting on in years by then, and with two rambunctious, hyper-intelligent kids already, they’d eventually decided it was better to wait and hold out for a grandchild.

Which, Jack thought dryly, was pretty much what Joey would be. 

“We’ll have to talk to your mother about this,” he reminded Ulric. “And I know she wants to meet you as well,” he added to Mira. “But … yes, I think it’ll be okay.” 

Bring him back to the future…they needed to talk about that someday. Something they needed to discuss, and had been on Mira’s mind for a while now. Of what would happen…if she was able to travel with him. If there was a way, well…Mira wouldn’t pass it up. She didn’t have family to leave behind anyway. Meeting Ulric’s father was a good first step.

Nodding, Mira smiled and reached out to take Joey from Ulric, carefully picking him up and setting him on her lap, holding him close. Glancing at Jack, then back down at Joey, Mira grinned and gently took his little hand, carefully making him wave at the computer screen. Chuckling, Mira crossed her legs and relaxed with the little guy in her lap.

“I know, would love to meet her too.” Mira had already met Katelynn in the past, which…didn’t go so well. She kept wondering what the future Katelynn was like. Surely wonderful of what Ulric had said about her. “I mean…from what Ulric’s said, just…wish I had parents like you two.” Mira grinned sheepishly.

His mother… of course. An apologetic smile on his face, Ulric turns to face the computer screen, keeping within view as he nods his understanding. “Yeah, I know.” It made sense, really.

When Joey’s in Mira’s lap, Ulric reaches over, gives the little guy his index finger to hold onto for a couple minutes. With him holding on, his expression softens, glancing over to the little boy sitting in Mira’s lap. “We’ll have to do that next, then?” he offers, glancing up toward Mira.

Once he lets go, Ulric scoots away, getting ready to get up. “Sorry dad, I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Of course,” Jack replied, with a small nod. “Take as long as you need.” Once Ulric had moved away from the screen, he turned his attention to baby Joey, waving back at the little boy with a playful smile. “Hello, little guy. Nice to meet you too.”

Then, as if remembering, he straightened himself up, looking slightly embarrassed. “Ah, so, Mira … Ulric says you work with motorcycles?” He would normally have asked about her family, but that line she’d said, “I wish I had parents like you”, made him feel that maybe now wasn’t the best time. Jack did want to learn more, but it could wait until a later meeting, once he’d gotten to know Mira better. 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

For a few moments, Jack just stared at the three of them through his screen. His first instinct was to tell Ulric and Mira that they were crazy, they were too young, there was no way they were ready to take care of a baby, they should give him to someone who …

But who was there? 

Jack didn’t have many memories of his early years, but he did remember what it had been like for him in the foster care system. Shuffled around constantly as the social workers tried to find a family who would accept a blue, big-headed child. Always alone, often scared, never having anyone he could bond with or turn to for comfort. He hadn’t even had a minion-fish, the way all the other blue people seemed to.

How could he ask his son to leave another child to the same fate? 

“He’s lucky to have found you, then,” Jack said at last. “But have you two thought about this? How long are you going to be able to keep him there?” He paused, then asked Ulric, “… Are you thinking of bringing him back with you?” 

Watching Ulric lift up Joey, Mira slightly raised a brow before smiling. “Oh! Yeah, babe. You want me to take him, or…?” Joey was probably missing his fish friend. The two were inseparable, after all. Almost like Sammy and her while growing up. Really was her only friend.

Knowing that Jack was staring at the three of them, Mira turned back to the screen. The way he’d been quiet made her a little nervous, figuring that he was still pretty shocked seeing they’d taken in a baby. She finally relaxed, nodding and quirking a smile after he spoke. At least this didn’t start like the time Sara had found out.

“We have. I mean, we couldn’t let him go without anyone, y’know? Just…I know what that’s like, so…” Mira shrugged again, reaching out her finger to touch his small blue hand, smiling at the little guy. “He needs us.” Though, biting her lip at the second question, her eyes widened just a bit, looking over to Ulric.

Bring him back? Ulric holds Joey closer briefly, expression serious as he nods. “Yeah, I am. He’s… kinda part of the family now, you know?” He looks over to Mira, nodding a second time. “Won’t be too long, just want to get his Minion.” he explains quietly. That at least would keep Joey occupied.

They would have to discuss going back someday; he just hoped she’d say yes. Until then, there was still this, her meeting his dad.

Jack sighed quietly. He understood those words, “part of the family”, all too well. When you bonded with someone like that, especially a child, sometimes there was no way to let go. 

And, now that the initial shock was starting to wear off, Jack found he rather liked the idea of having a baby around again. He and Katelynn had talked about having more children after Ulric, they just hadn’t gotten around to it. They’d both been getting on in years by then, and with two rambunctious, hyper-intelligent kids already, they’d eventually decided it was better to wait and hold out for a grandchild.

Which, Jack thought dryly, was pretty much what Joey would be. 

“We’ll have to talk to your mother about this,” he reminded Ulric. “And I know she wants to meet you as well,” he added to Mira. “But … yes, I think it’ll be okay." 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“It’s, um … n-nice to meet you, Joey.” It was all Jack could think of to say. Meeting his son’s girlfriend was one thing – he’d been expecting to have that happen sooner or later. Finding out that the two of them had taken a baby in, however, was a complete shock. He could feel his old stutter coming back, and had to bite his tongue to stop it. 

Ulric’s words caught his attention. “Yes, I landed in a space pod. My birth parents sent me to Earth, though I don’t remember it well-” He realized. “Wait, you mean he landed that way too? He’s … he’s like me?” 

Smiling at Joey as he tried his best to touch the screen, Mira had to hold back that chuckle. Looking back up at Ulric, then to Jack, Mira pressed her lips together and nodded. “Yeah, he…he kinda landed on Ulric’s balcony.” Speaking softly, she was sure this was completely unexpected. “Couldn’t really leave the little guy and, well…” Shrugging lightly, Mira reached out her hand and softly patted at Joey’s head.

Though, at that last question, she glanced back up to Jack. Slowly, she nodded her head, looking at Ulric for him to answer. Ulric clearly knew more about this than she did.

“Yeah, we…” Ulric’s nervous, enough so that it comes across when he’s speaking. “We still have his pod, actually. He, uh, came with a Minion, too. Like Auntie.” Where the little guy was, he wasn’t sure. Somewhere in the apartment, likely. Joey had been insisting on the fish joining him in his crib, he might still be in there.

He turns to Mira, biting his lip lightly. “Do you think I could… ?” He lifts Joey a little, making sure to be careful.”

For a few moments, Jack just stared at the three of them through his screen. His first instinct was to tell Ulric and Mira that they were crazy, they were too young, there was no way they were ready to take care of a baby, they should give him to someone who …

But who was there? 

Jack didn’t have many memories of his early years, but he did remember what it had been like for him in the foster care system. Shuffled around constantly as the social workers tried to find a family who would accept a blue, big-headed child. Always alone, often scared, never having anyone he could bond with or turn to for comfort. He hadn’t even had a minion-fish, the way all the other blue people seemed to.

How could he ask his son to leave another child to the same fate? 

“He’s lucky to have found you, then,” Jack said at last. “But have you two thought about this? How long are you going to be able to keep him there?” He paused, then asked Ulric, “… Are you thinking of bringing him back with you?" 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“It’s good to meet you too-“ 

Jack froze as the tiny blue hand popped into view. He heard the laughter of a baby, and when he looked closer, he could see the top edge of Joey’s blue head. 

A baby?!

Had Ulric and Mira … no, that was impossible. His son hadn’t been in the past long enough for that to have happened. Jack was relieved, but that still didn’t answer the question of how the young couple had gotten hold of a blue baby. 

“… Is there something you want to tell me, Ulric?” he asked, quirking one gray eyebrow. 

Mira smiled, beginning to relax. “Yeah, been wanting to meet you for a while, I––” She suddenly froze as Jack did, seeing that Joey was popping up into the frame. “J-Joey, uh!?” Mira quickly looked at Ulric and bit her lip. Had Jack not known about Joey?

Apparently not, with the the way he’d froze. And with that question. “He’s…” Mira turned to Ulric, giving his hand a light squeeze, letting him have the chance to answer to his dad.

Startled when Joey speaks up, Ulric automatically reaches for the little guy, picking him up with one arm and setting him within sight – he should have explained this way before now but had kept putting it off.

“Dad, meet Joey.” Joey himself was more interested in getting closer to the computer, reaching for Jack’s picture on the screen with both hands. “He’s, uh. You remember what you told us about how you arrived?” Having Mira here to help was reassuring, giving her hand a light squeeze in return.

“It’s, um … n-nice to meet you, Joey.” It was all Jack could think of to say. Meeting his son’s girlfriend was one thing – he’d been expecting to have that happen sooner or later. Finding out that the two of them had taken a baby in, however, was a complete shock. He could feel his old stutter coming back, and had to bite his tongue to stop it. 

Ulric’s words caught his attention. “Yes, I landed in a space pod. My birth parents sent me to Earth, though I don’t remember it well-” He realized. “Wait, you mean he landed that way too? He’s … he’s like me?" 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

“Well, that’s a relief to hear.” Jack paused, tilting his head a little as he saw a dark-haired young woman peek into view in the video. “Oh. Uh … I’m guessing y-you’re Mira?” 

Over the past months, he’d heard a great deal about the young woman Ulric had met in the past. Not every juicy detail, of course, but it had been easy for him to see how much Mira was coming to mean to his son. From what he could tell, Ulric was head over heels in love – and that worried Jack. 

Yes, he wanted his son to be happy. And he was glad that Ulric had found someone to love, who (hopefully) loved him in return. But still, Jack couldn’t help wishing that Ulric had found his special someone in his own time, where he belonged. If he really was serious about this girl, what would it mean for the future?

But he didn’t bring that up now. For now, he just smiled. 

Looking down, Mira scooted herself a bit closer as Ulric snuck her arm around her waist. She did the same, slipping her arm around his. She went from glancing at Ulric to the computer screen, almost at a loss for words. Sure Mira had thought about it, what she’d say to Jack. But actually experiencing it was different than thinking. 

Opening and closing her her mouth, Mira finally spoke. “Yeah. Yeah, I am. Great to…great to finally meet you.” Her voice was a little shaky, but kept smiling. Had to be weird for him, meeting his son’s girlfriend from the past. And as much as Ulric had talked about her with his parents…she already had an idea of what Jack was thinking.

When Jack turns to Mira, Ulric goes still, only relaxing when the man introduces himself to Mira and smiles. Holding onto Mira’s hand tightly, he smiles in return. They had talked about this in the past, had discussed some of Jack’s worry over the situation, but now…

He was hoping it went well.

That was when Joey spoke up, pointing at the screen with a “Da’!” of surprise and laughter.

“It’s good to meet you too-" 

Jack froze as the tiny blue hand popped into view. He heard the laughter of a baby, and when he looked closer, he could see the top edge of Joey’s blue head. 

A baby?!

Had Ulric and Mira … no, that was impossible. His son hadn’t been in the past long enough for that to have happened. Jack was relieved, but that still didn’t answer the question of how the young couple had gotten hold of a blue baby. 

”… Is there something you want to tell me, Ulric?“ he asked, quirking one gray eyebrow. 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

wrapped-in-shadows:

In another time and place, Jack Maple smiled as he saw his call accepted. The computer on his desk was an old one, a real clunker by the standards of 2038, but he’d needed an old model to be backwards-compatible with the communication technology they were using in 2012. Besides, Ulric’s aunt Megamind had given the machine a little power boost – Jack had nothing to complain about. 

The video opened, and his son’s familiar blue face appeared on the screen.

“Hey there, Ulric.” Jack settled back in his chair comfortably, ready to chat. “How are things going? It’s been a while since I heard from you or Gail.” 

Ready as I can be. Heart rate spiking at the sound of Jack’s voice, Mira tugged at the fabric of her jeans. Looking over to the computer screen with Ulric and Joey sitting right beside her, Mira made a small smile. She glanced down to her hands settled in her lap before looking back up. Taking a breath, she scooted closer, peeking into the frame of the computer.

And there he was. Jack. Ulric’s dad. It was a different feeling. Felt like she was taking a look into the future, as where Jack sat it was twenty-some years later. She didn’t really know what to say. He was handsome; just like Ulric. “U-Uh…” Mira cracked a smile and briefly waved a hand. “…hi..?”

Now that the screen is up and he’s finally able to see his dad’s face, Ulric smiles nervously, arm sneaking around Mira’s waist. He settles Joey more firmly in his lap, meeting Jack’s eyes through the disconnect of the screen.

“Hey, dad.” God, he was nervous. It shows on his face, not taking his attention off of the man’s face. Seeing him the way Ulric remembered him, after talking to his past self, is more of a comfort than he could say. “Things’ve been going great.” There were a few issues, but other than that things had been going pretty well.

“Well, that’s a relief to hear.” Jack paused, tilting his head a little as he saw a dark-haired young woman peek into view in the video. “Oh. Uh … I’m guessing y-you’re Mira?" 

Over the past months, he’d heard a great deal about the young woman Ulric had met in the past. Not every juicy detail, of course, but it had been easy for him to see how much Mira was coming to mean to his son. From what he could tell, Ulric was head over heels in love – and that worried Jack. 

Yes, he wanted his son to be happy. And he was glad that Ulric had found someone to love, who (hopefully) loved him in return. But still, Jack couldn’t help wishing that Ulric had found his special someone in his own time, where he belonged. If he really was serious about this girl, what would it mean for the future?

But he didn’t bring that up now. For now, he just smiled. 

ulric-on-the-strings:

mira-starling:

Mira sat at the edge of the couch, nervous as she began fidgeting her fingers and bouncing the heel of her boot against the ground. Swallowing, she glanced around the living area of Ulric’s apartment before settling her attention on him. Giving him a nervous smile, she cleared her throat and tried to relax her shoulders. Meeting Ulric’s father from the future from the first time…well, Mira wanted to make a good impression.

Especially since she’d been here living in the past. Getting seriously involved with Jack’s future son…what would he say? Sighing, Mira clasped her hands in her lap. “…so, uh? Y-You ready, babe?” He could probably easily read how nervous she was, just by the tone of her voice.

Mira’s nervousness is matched by his own. Holding onto Joey, Ulric leans forward, starting up Skype. First time doing this. “Ready as I can be, Star,” he admits.

Introducing her to his dad. This was going to be interesting. He glances over at Mira when the video call notification pops up. Pulling the table closer, he hits accept before leaning back against the couch. Hope this goes well.

In another time and place, Jack Maple smiled as he saw his call accepted. The computer on his desk was an old one, a real clunker by the standards of 2038, but he’d needed an old model to be backwards-compatible with the communication technology they were using in 2012. Besides, Ulric’s aunt Megamind had given the machine a little power boost – Jack had nothing to complain about. 

The video opened, and his son’s familiar blue face appeared on the screen.

“Hey there, Ulric.” Jack settled back in his chair comfortably, ready to chat. “How are things going? It’s been a while since I heard from you or Gail."