only cleared his throat slightly.

“I do.” his wife asked as she looked around her husband. “And what’s wrong with your voice, it’s so raspy.”

“The answer is yes I do take it off once and a while, but only when I wish to walk among the people without being noticed, my voice is to make sure no one can tell me apart from the people by the sound of it, It’s all to make sure people I do care about don’t get hurt, and that my enemies don’t come after me.”

“Well that makes since, so can I ask you something.”

“Brittany.” The High Marshall grabbed his wife’s hand and looked at her compassionately.

“But if.”

“No… he has done so much for are country today, we cannot ask him for another favor.” with that Shade looked at the two, then looked forward at the leaders of the country.

“Today we have won a great victory for Thembria, we have protected are home land and sent the would be invaders back to where they came from, but we would not have been able to sustain such minor damage if it was not for the help of the Ghost from Cape Suzette, who came to bring us back are golden statue, and stayed to defend are capital while the rest of our soldiers where fighting on the front lines, and as the high speaker of the Thembrian council I would just like to offer the Ghost a chance to ask the people for anything that his heart desires as a show of good faith and allegiance with are mommy land.” with that Shade looked at the man that was standing at the head table. As Shade stood up himself he looked around the room as it grew silent, he closed his eyes and smiled slightly as a faint chill filled the room. After a few minutes he looked up at the council man and smiled.

“I do have one request your honor.”

“Then speak and it will be done.”

“Your adoption rates, and waiting time frame, I would like them to be cut down to only 6 month waiting periods, so that the children of your orphanage as well as those that wish to adopt are able to do so and have happier homes.” with that both the high Marshal and his wife looked at Shade in shock as the room filled with murmurs and the council man looked at the rest of the Thembrian council members, before he turned and smiled at Shade.

“It will be done, by tomorrow morning, anyone that has been on the waiting list for more than six months will be allowed to adopt a child.” The room filled with cheers as it seemed there had been a lot of people trying for so long to have a family but was held up by all the paper work. As the days passed Shade smiled as he walked the streets of Thembria seeing quickly formed new families and hearing the laughter of children, with his one request it seem to cause a flood of several backwards laws to be over turned and thrown out, it was no longer illegal to play in the snow, he didn’t know how things would turn out in the future but he could see that things seemed a little brighter in this frozen land as he boarded the Sea Duck on the last day getting a promise from the High Marshall that once his plane was fully repaired, refueled, and rearmed that he would be notify Rebecca, and he would be allowed to return to pick it up. As he stood at the cargo door waving to the citizens he smiled, to see them all waving back, adults and children all smiling and waving, the one that brought a bit of joy to his heart was as Baloo took another pass over and he could see the High Marshall with his wife who was holding up a little Thembrian girl.

‘I hope their joy remains with them until the end of time.’ Shade thought to himself as he flipped a switch and let the door shut.

“Is that why you fight?” Shade smiled as he turned around and saw no one else in the cargo area. “To make others happy, to give them hope in these uncertain times?”

“What do you mean uncertain times father?” Shade asked, as he walked over to the bunks and sat down.

“Unlike you little one, we are able to see into the future, and see battles not yet fought, cases not yet solved, and the aftermath of choices that you have not yet made.” Kouken said, as he faintly appeared next to Shade.

“Then tell me the choices to make and I will make them.”

“We cannot do that Shade, you must make those choices on your own, it was the agreement that we made to come back and watch over you, and to prepare you for the battles yet to come.”

“You speak as if there is a war on the horizon father, what are you not telling me?”

“You will be faced with many difficult times to come child, and the end is uncertain. But what is clear is that when the false sun rises you will have to choose to stand or watch.”

“Stand or Watch? If this false sun threatens people I will fight to the bitter end, I will give my last breath as you taught me father.”

“You speak bold now, but when the time comes you might find it harder then you may think.” After a while of silence, Shade lowered his head and then noticed how the cargo area seem to get even colder until he could see his breath, as he looked up he could see all his passed friends and family standing around the Cargo area smiling at him. “We ask this question of you now Shade, it’s up to you to make this first choice, do you wish to stop now, do you wish for us to leave you alone and let you live out the rest of your life as a normal person?” Shade looked at Kouken and then the others.

“You said it yourself just now, the future is uncertain and unstable, you speak of battles not yet fought and cases not yet solved, lives hang in the balance… I don’t know what the future holds or the threats that I must face, but if you all stay by my side like you have been, if you stay with me, then I will keep fighting, until we I am able to join you on the other side.” with those words Kang walked up and smiled at Shade.

“We never really left you little one, we’ve always been here helping you.” Shade looked at Kouken and could see a grim look on his face.

“Is there anything you can tell me about the future?” the sound of concern was present in Shade’s voice getting everyone to turn and look at Kouken who stood leaning against the wall.

“I’m unable to tell you the future directly, but I am able to inform you that a dark day will come when an army of the fallen will march, and an army forgotten must rise.” with those words Shade looked at Kouken with a puzzled expression on his face.

Tune in next time when Kit gets a side job to help earn enough money to buy Baloo and Rebecca a wedding present, but winds up getting into trouble with the cops, and gets locked up in a juvenile detention center.