What did you get her for her birthday?”

Arson looked at Jasmine, shrugged, and looked back toward the improvements he designed for the Adroit Academy Climbing challenge. A simulation was running that showed what the students would face if the improvements were made using the increased space offered by the mountain's growth, and increased levels of ambient mana.

“Entrance into this season's largest Battle Royale, figured she’d want something like that since she is getting back into prize fighting,” Arson said barely paying attention to Jasmine as she paced behind him.

“How did you get your barely famous sister a slot there? She wasn’t even known before she quit, she lost many fights and was masked the whole time,” asked Jasmine truly confused. Arson’s sister Aura had won every fight she’d fought in, unmasked, but lost every fight she was in when her face was unseen. Which ended with her having two win loss records.

One record that Arson believed was sullied, as none wanted to defeat a princess, or were outright bribed by the previous queen to lose. While the other he felt was actually legitimate, and learned through his own research was most likely the reason his sister had lost her will to fight.

“I threatened to kill the entire committee if they didn’t let her fight, after that they didn’t even charge me the normal entry fee,” mumbled Arson, turning up the simulations difficulty. The school's flying guard was now a force to be reckoned with, forced to attack students rather than save them from falling or extremely perilous situations caused by other students.

“You think I should call them Valkyries or something cool like that, or come up with something more original?” Silence followed Arson’s question and he glanced back to see Jasmine had stopped her pacing, both her hands covering her face, her response nearly muffled.

“You did what now…?”

“I wasn’t really going to do it, although I did have Khalif send a few guards to follow the committee members for a while before I made my demands, figured it would save me a lot of time and it honestly did from what I can tell.”

“You can’t see how that may be a problem for your public image at all,” Jasmine said with her hands still on her face.

“Branded a criminal for most of the unforeseeable future, might as well act like it, right…”

“No!” Jasmine stormed in front of Arson and grabbed him by the shoulders.

“We have worked so hard to make your public persona as valiant and honorable as possible, why would you want to ruin that now?” Arson sighed and finally looked up toward Jasmine, giving her his full attention.

“You're worried about the headlines this morning, right?” Jasmine nodded, glancing toward the screen with a picture of Arson cutting a Cultivator in half during the tournament of scions, alongside a snapshot of him during a photoshoot for the orphans of Maelstrom. The headline above reading, Hero or Villain? The entire article about actions he’d taken since being branded a full bred Career Criminal.

“Obviously…”

“Did you see what we’ve released since that image went viral this morning?” Jasmine’s face scrunched and she shook her head, only for Arson to smile up at her.

“Pull up chatter for me and look at our gossip, please,” said Arson, making the young woman pout as she turned to the wall screen next to them both. With a simple verbal command their Gossip pages came up, displaying two posts, one a commercial, and the other a new shoe line Arson had forced Jasmine and Axis to wait on releasing for reasons only known to him.

“You won’t get away with this, knuckle head!” The commercial started and one of the twins could be seen with Arson in a head lock, yelling childlike obscenities toward Arson while giving Arson a violent hair tussling from the nightmares of any younger siblings childhood. Only for their own sibling to start talking even while Arson flailed about in feigned distress.

“What the sparks is this cuteness,” mumbled Jasmine.

“Shhh just watch, this is my favorite part.”

“Hi, I’m just another cute little girl left behind by the realm to rot and I’ve got a message for you!” Jasmines eyes went wide as one of her young charges yelled into the camera with her eyes closed, only opening her eyes to look back at her brother, who paused only to give her an affirmative nod to continue. To which she would respond with a nod, and a dazzling smile in his direction, only to turn back to the camera to scream once more, eyes closed.

“Bullies, are bad, and we are here to tell you, that bullies are bad and we don’t play that!” Arson screamed for help, only to be kicked in the stomach by the screaming twin, who then looked at her brother, who nodded, and gestured for her to continue, still holding Arson in a chokehold.

“What are we going to do about that sister?” The adolescent boy's sweet voice asked the question even as he struggled to keep Arson in a full nelson, Arson still seemingly struggling the entire time.

“We... my brother and I, are going to give scum like this a new path, by being stronger than all the bullies and serve them beatdowns!” Another kick followed, all parties shared wide eyed looks after the impressive kick, Arson coughing as he gave the young girl a thumbs up. To which she smiled and mouthed an apology, before the violence continued as if nothing had ever happened.

“ABLE, our youth group, Against Bullies Learning Evil, is being founded as the newest scouting agency for Graveyard to create the first CityNation wide authority against bullying,” roared the young girl before Arson was kicked again.

“Yeah what she said. We dare you to be out here bullying in Maelstrom now, we’re going to find out and serve you one of these,” said the young boy calmly, smiling right into the camera, sweeping Arson’s legs out from under him as he tried to stand.

“Don’t think your kid is on the right path, don’t worry, they may come home a little damaged, but that’s no big deal, they’ll no longer be deficient, they’ll be ABLE!”

The commercial cut off and Jasmine couldn’t hold back the laughter. She tried to turn and speak to Arson but tears formed in her eyes as she struggled to stop laughing. Arson shook his head and turned back to his simulation.

“I don’t even know what to say to that, other than "why?". Seems like they're going to bully bullies until they don’t bully anymore. Am I missing anything?” Arson shrugged.

“Nope, think that’s about it. You should check out the comments though if you are really worried about my reputation though.” Jasmine wiped the tears from her face, and started to read. Her mind being blown open by the reaction their community was having to the commercial.

“Wow, only Carter Gestalt could turn some heat into an absolute franchise, you think those kids are really about to be prowling the streets, either way those outfits are cool,” read Jasmine, who nodded thinking that the clothing the twins had been wearing were well put together.

“No, it's a real thing, they have sign up stations all over the edges of the CityNation. Signed my kids up for some of the training classes, and both my boys got free shoes, they start in a fortnight. Kids aren’t required to go out unless they pass all the defense courses offered, and even then they will only be able to go on ride-alongs with officers through the nicer sectors of the CityNation,” Jasmine said reading one of the many responses.

“Yeah, I actually met the two kids in the commercial. They're honestly pretty nice kids, but I did make the mistake of trying to pat the young girl on the shoulder and ended up looking up at nothing but blue skies from my back. I don’t think that the training is fake either…”

Jasmine sat down and sighed. She looked over at the other post and turned off the screen before she spoke up.

“How good are the shoe sales because of this?” asked Jasmine, now watching Arson work on the simulation in front of him.

“Absolutely ridiculous. Axis had to shut the orders off once our factories had a 3 season cycle waiting list.” Jasmine just shook her head and watched Arson work in silence for a while. Arson could tell her worries were still alive and well, but what he’d done in the tournament of scions was enough to make him want to change the world for the better by any means, even if he had to blackmail, casually make death threats, or even train orphans to give out the occasional beatdown.

“Sorry, sis, I’m not going to suppress myself for anyone. The realm needs a target to point their finger at when things get too hard, so I'll give them a reason to come together, so don’t worry and go get ready, we have a birthday and spa opening to go host.” Jasmine smiled and tussled Arson’s hair.

“Just try not to lose yourself playing the villain all the time, sometimes we are all going to need a hero too,” Jasmine said coming to her feet, and Arson gave her a nod and a smile of his own.

“I guess we’ll just have to see.”

…

Jade and Draphen walked down the steps that led from her villa atop the BHC warehouse and toward the path that led to the new spa a few fields away from her home. Hand in hand, the pair was nervous as this would be their true first outing as a couple, not to the public or any high officials, but for their own children and friends.

Jade blushed as Almarine strode past them headed toward the celebratory music in the distance. It wasn’t until the pair saw their children riding the many waterslides alongside their friends that they even began to slightly calm down.

“This is okay, right? They aren’t going to hate me forever, right?”

“No, my love, they will hate me forever, but that is a given. A father is seemingly meant to be the bad guy, the disciplinarian, the one who fights against their child’s urges toward evil,” responded Draphen.

“I will never try and replace their mother, but I’d be lying if I said that I won’t be hurt if they don’t accept our union,” said Jade, but before the king could respond, Alexander appeared from thin air, grabbing Jade by the hand. His gaze intense as he spoke to her.

“I’d be lying if I said I like you…, but I’d also be lying if I said my own mother even knew me enough to like me…” Jade nearly froze, and the king felt her grip tighten on his hand as Alexander spoke.

“So, after seeing how happy my father is with you, I’ll give you a chance to get to know me. I can’t make any promises about my sisters, but Auto is pretty chill. Otherwise, I don’t like you, but that doesn’t mean things will always be that way.” Alexander tried to drop Jades hand, and turn away, but she kept his small hand in her grip and took her chance to respond.

“I completely understand, and wouldn’t have it any other way, but you're dead wrong if you think I’m going to let you talk to me like that without some payback, mighty Alexander.” The young man’s brow scrunched, and before he could respond, Jade pulled him over her shoulder and spawned a portal at his back tickling the boy as she rushed through the portal.

Draphen had no idea where the two vanished to, until he heard screaming at the tip of the highest slide in the spa. He looked up to see both wrestling to get to the slide, laughing to himself as he heard them yell at one another.

“You’ll never beat me to the bottom, little man. I cheat too!“ Jade screamed in excitement, tripping the boy she knew to be invincible with a powerful kick before she dove into the slide with the grace of an olympian.

I knew I didn’t like you!” Draphen was able to catch the smile that spread across Alexanders face when he dove in after Jade, wailing in excitement the whole way down, the last of his father's nerves draining away as he continued to stride toward the spa. Attracted by the smell of food, and the smiles of all his children making friends in ways he’d never seen before.

“This is better than I ever expected, and though you may not be here to see it, Armor, I hope the heavens are just as rewarding,” the king said to himself. But before he could make it completely into the spa grounds, a hand fell on his shoulder, and Draphen sighed, knowing that only a rare few could approach him without him being able to sense their approach. A very familiar chuckle making Draphen close his eyes, the sudden feeling of exhaustion overwhelming him at the thought of the interactions outcome.

Why me…

“What can I do for you, Carter?” Draphen turned to face the old man who rubbed his chin, giving the impression that he needed time to think before he responded.

“You know, I never thought you’d ask…”

…

“Now that everyone is here, I think it is time for cake,” said Arson looking toward Rob. His personal chef had been spending so much time with their uncle Winter that he had worried if Rob would even have time to make the cake, so was astonished when the young man snapped his fingers and a team of chefs turned the corner.

A stunning ten layered cake truly worthy of a princess was brought forth on a hover table meant to hold creatures as big as dragons, or relics powerful enough to shield entire cities. Arson jabbed Rob in the side softly, whispering.

“You know that Brianna is going to expect cakes larger than this for the rest of her life right?” Rob frowned, looked between the cake that towered over them all, and wiped his face with the hand not holding Brianna’s own, the young woman smiling up at him after Arson’s comment.

“And nothing less,” said Brianna kissing Rob on the cheek.

Arson had waited for his father to enter, not wanting to begin without him, nor interrupt whatever conversation he was having with Carter Omni. Arson too had spoken to the Ancient just before the party and couldn’t keep his excitement down.

What the older man had planned for Arson would take his Cultivation to an entirely new level and Arson knew it. Not only that, the thought of Arson challenging the new and improved climbing challenge had been pumping his adrenaline into overdrive for days.

Not only would Arson get to fly once more, he had been given a ritual that would use the flying pyramid as a conduit for cores. Carter believed, for some reason, that Arson was the perfect host for a system of cores, all interwoven to push one another to higher peaks of refinement and stability. Allowing for Arson’s cores to all reach incredible thresholds for volume, power and mana absorption.

The celebration continued around him, but Arson found himself lost in a daydream. Thoughts of getting to craft in Adroit Academy with the only individual that Carter knew could help Arson get the ritual accomplished left him as a poor host. His conscious mind only half heartedly committing to all the conversations being started in his direction, until he found himself being pulled to a private area within the spa by Ash. His older sister yanking him along silently even as Arson grew more and more confused.

The pair finally stopped out of sight and ear shot from all others, surrounded by their eldest sister’s creations. The sound of flowing water soothing, as moving trees swept their hair in soft and subtle breezes.

“You okay,” asked Arson after a moment of silence, watching Ash bite her lip.

“Yes, no, who cares, right? You got all your pieces in play now, right? Just don’t need my help like you need the others, all our siblings useful but me, or is it that I didn’t kneel and grovel well enough?”

“Woah, where is all this coming from, Ash? You have never seemed like you wanted to be a part of all—“ Arson stopped talking when Ash’s hair lit on fire.

“Seriously, I don’t want to be a part of all this?” Arson shrugged and slowly started to nod before his sister clenched her fist and he knew that the situation was escalating even if he wasn’t aware why.

“I mean I’ve struggled with all of this and have done my best not to pressure any of you—“

"You see, that’s the problem. Even now you keep your siblings at a distance, even as you parade an obvious piece of our mother’s power around, even as you obviously need us, all of us!” Arson froze unmoving. Not knowing what to say in that moment, wondering to what extent Ash knew about his living hand construct accepting his siblings mother’s very soul as an energy source and aspect of its own personality.

“Oh nothing to say, huh? Now you have nothing to say. Well let me tell you something, I’ll do my best to urge your existence from the realms of Cultivation entirely before I allow you to ever steal my siblings from me and leave me behind!” Ash tried to storm off, but Arson wrapped a strong grip around her hand and pulled her into a hug before she could get away. She instantly covered her entire body in flames, flames that Arson pulled into his own body as he let Ash punch and kick him wildly.

“I’ll kill you. I will burn your children, I, I, I’ll—“ Arson didn’t let go, even when she started to sob. Even when she increased the volatility of her flames, even after she slumped in his arms, cursing everyone he knew and loved.

“I’m afraid Ash, I’m afraid of letting you all in and not being a good enough brother. I’m afraid I’ll let you all down. I’m afraid that I’m unworthy. I’m afraid of all these things and so much more.” His sister looked up at him, glancing at his crown and then away before she spoke.

“The very realm itself believes you to be worthy, none of us were given a crown,” murmured Ash through sobs.

“Yet I still fear letting you all down more than anything else in this life. If I could give you this crown, I would,” said Arson, taking the crown from his head and placing it on top of Ash’s head, only for the crown to seemingly evaporate and reappear on his own mane of long tangles.

“That is easy to say when you have everything you want!” Arson shook his head at his sister.

“I don’t have your love, sister. I don’t have my best friend by my side. I don’t have the will to lead as our father does, regardless of what the realm or creation expects of me. Nor do I have the faith that I could lead a woman as powerful as you toward anything but a destination short of the heights you will reach with your own will…”

“Yet you try with all of our siblings. You expect me to believe you?” Arson let his sister go, and put his hands to her cheeks, looking her in the eyes.

“I am weak, sister. I give my soul to anyone in need, and the same sense of urgency that pulls me to do such things, you have never presented. Not when I was younger, nor since my return. There is always a place for you with me and mine, I know that now. I may have struggled to get here, but if one day you truly need me, I will be there for you,” said Arson, letting his sister’s face go, speaking one last time before he pulled her along.

“You may not believe me now, but you will one day. I am your brother forever, and I will do anything for you if need be, I promise, but now is a time for celebration, and Aura needs us both,” said Arson thinking of a plan unlike any other he’d ever had before.

“Do you really mean that?” The young man nodded at his sister and smiled, surprised by the smile he received in return. Knowing that the smile he stared at belonged to the future leader of the very CityNation they once battled within.

“Thank you brother, but I’ll kill you if you tell anyone I cried.” Arson rolled his eyes even as he nodded, not looking back at his sister as she cleaned her face. A new set of plans brewing like a volcanic eruption inside his mind.

Well Autumn, it seems that neither one of us will have to lead in father’s place. I just have to figure out how to make a queen…