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The morning after always held repercussions, regardless of whether it was the morning after what. This was something that Leon knew well, having suffered equal headaches from rounds of K-rugby and rounds of alcohol. Last night, however, he had done neither and the pressure inside his skull was still pounding mercilously. Ah yes. The fight, the much talking and some sort of improv monologue, and Pire's near breakdown. So that's what the headache was from. Said headache proceeded to worsen as Leon realized what he needed to do today. For too long already, he had been deleuding himself with thinking that he could get Pire through life unharmed without having to reveal his mysterious past. He was already waiting for the day when Pire would come home and ask why he had no Mommy, but after last night's small fiasco, he really didn't have a choice. Pire needed to know the extent of his power and he needed to start learning how to control it. Somehow, Leon had a feeling that those many volumes of books he couldn't read would provide some sort of clue.

Pire was still at that age where he couldn't stay asleep past a certain point of the day. Unlike Leon, the foxboy was for the most part, unaffected by the previous night's fiasco, and wandered into the room with his tail wagging cheerily. In one hand was a metal plate where a few maple flavored breakfast sausages sizzled in their own grease. In his other was a fork, with which he poked the sausages every once in a while, waiting for them to fully cook. "Mornin'" he barked around a mouthful of sausage, offering the dish to Leon.

"N'tanks Pi." he mumbled sleeplily and got up to make himself a pot of coffee, because Leon was past the age where he liked to get up early, and at the age where morning didn't exist until there was a decent level of caffine in his system. He took an aspirin too, for good measure. What he was planning today might go well..or it might turn on its head and give him an even bigger headache as well as burns and possible lawsuits.

Pire scampered out of his room curiously at Leon's beckoning. He was quite happy to hide in the bathroom and play with matches (over a partially fill bathtub, of course, although he was quickly learning how to relight them when wet) like he did on any typical Sunday morning, but instead of quietly reading the paper and mulling over the week's events, and/or show scheduale, Leon had been moving things around and making all sorts of crashes and bangs this morning. He saw before him, a gleaming wooden chest, and on it was the scent of fire. Pire was drawn to it like the proverbial moth to flame, but he couldn't be burned. He placed his paws on the lid, and the symbols lit up with a bright magma colored glow. Now where had he seen this before? Leon helped him lift the lid, and inside were piles and piles of books. He flipped on open and it seemed to tingle in his fingers, although the words were foreign to him.

"Leon, what are these for?"

"Well, Pi..I think it's time that you knew." The actor sat crosslegged on the carpet and motioned for Pire to join him. This was going to be a serious talk, and it was best if they were both as calm as possible for it. "Pi, have you ever wondered why you don't call me 'Dad'.

The foxboy quirked an ear, a puzzled look settling over his face for a moment before he shook his head. "Nope! Not at all, but I kinda do now."

"That stuff in the chest, that's your stuff. I found it when I found you. You're not mine. That's why you have no mother or no birth certificate. Please understand Pi, I love you like you were mine, and I wouldn't have told you, but there are some things that I just can't teach you. Fire, Pi. It's something that I can't do, that nobody else here can do. There's nobody to teach you except for these books."

Pire shrugged, not understanding what the big deal was about. Like most members of his species, he had a sort of innate sense about the world, and he had always somehow known that Leon wasn't related to him by blood. Ignoring the open chest for now, he crawled into his guardian's lap and squirmed until he was comfortable.

"So?" he purred back. "I'll call you Dad from now on."

Taking the hint, Leon began to rub the base of the bright orange ears presented to him. He chuckled softly at Pire's declaration.

"Then what will you call Raven when he gets home?"

Pire thought for a moment and answered non-chalantly.

"I'll call him Mom."

At that moment, Pire burst into the room rather cheerfully despite tardiness. Today was a holiday, which meant no schoolwork (and correspondingly, attendance was not required). He waved to his classmates and hopped over the bench to take a seat on Nyoko's other side with a little flick of his tail. "Happy St. Valentine's Day!" he announced and prompty snatched up a sheet of red construction paper, eager to show off his newly learned abilities.


Viktor and Marcus shifted their attention to one of the rooms other figures; a pink-winged girl toward which they had much history. With malicious grins the pair came to a stop behind the girl, Viktor digging something out of his pocket and holding it out to Heaven. “We have something for you Heaven” the boys echoed in unison, their tone eerie.


Heaven gave a little sigh at the card and read it but didn't show any affection of being annoyed at them.
"Thanks guys... I've got something for you two and your sister too but it isn't finished yet..."
She said with a smile as she turned back around humming to herself.



Ms. Dragoneddy walked over to the triplets and looked at the card as she quickly took it.

"Now that is very rude! This isn't what we are suppose to be making for other children! I'm afraid I will have to give you two a time out if you make a card like this again!"

Said the teacher as she threw the card out and walked back to the table she was supervised to watch over.


A while later after the teacher had thrown out the card from the triplets to her Heaven quietly walked over to the trash and took the horrible mirror card out, giving it a good stare.
She than put it in her pocket and started to get to work with the special card that she would give to them, but by secret it would be.
When she nobody looking she quickly went over to the triplets table and put the card down running back to her own table to see that nobody saw it was her who put it down.
She had changed the look of her hand writting and had coded her name so that the three wouldn't be able to figure out who it was that gave them the card of surprise.


At the lack of reaction from Heaven, Viktor and Marcus glanced questioningly to one another; similar frowns twisting down the corners of their lips. They had been expecting something, a furrowing of the brow, a harsh word – but a smile and promise of a return card hadn’t been amongst the anticipated reactions. At the sound of a irritated voice from behind them, the boys turned to face their teacher with infuriated expressions. Glowering at the woman with their dark eyes, Viktor made a rude sign behind the educators back as she returned to her desk, Marcus poking out his tongue and growling.

Huffing, the pair turned from Heaven and moved to grab some paper and markers off the front table. Having made a card, despite how little it seemed to be appreciated, the boys would now turn their attention to plotting their revenge against Ms, Dragoneddy. The woman had crossed the line when she had threatened them with a time out, something they would not forget in a hurry.

Consumed with their dark plans, and in Amelia’s case distracted by Spencer, the triplets failed to notice the card placed stealthy upon their table. When they did however, they would question momentarily who the mysterious sender was; before attributed the cryptic card to their arch nemesis Heaven.


Nyoko blushed slightly as he was handed the card. "For...for me?" he questioned, taking the card and gazing at it, lightly confused. "Well...I...thank you, Heaven," he finally murmured. Glancing around, he made an apoligetic grin. "I don't think I have time to make you a card, coz Mama Kira's coming to get me soon...but here."

He closed his eyes, concentrating hard. He had learned a trick from Kira...if he could just remember! Squeezing his eyes tighter, he called the water from inside him. Beads of sweat formed on his brow; his breathing roughened. Finally, in the cup of his hand, water appeared, swirling and spinning in a ball. He opened an eye. "Easy!" he huffed, showing off his element. With another hard puff, the water-ball began chaning shape, twisting, turning, and reforming into...a heart!

"Happy Valentine's Day, Heaven!"


Heaven blushed at the heart and let her finger touch the water of the beautiful heart.
Oh Nyoko! It's beautiful! This is a nice valentine it's more special than paper and pen! If only there was a way I could keep it....
Heaven said with a bit of a smile and a little bit of a sigh at the same time.


Pire's ears shot upwards when he caught sight of the triplet's valentine on the table. His head snapped around and the corner of his lip lifted in a silent snarl as he glared. That was just downright mean! He looked around for a teacher, ready to blurt out what the little meanaces had done. Now where was she.. "Kon!" Pire jumped when Ms. Dragoneddy's voice sounded almost directly behind him. He nodded righteously as she dealt with them and set back to work on his valentine.


Nyoko wiggled his ears shyly. With his attention gone astray, the water-heart broke, splashing into the table and floor. Giggling sheepishly, Nyoko tapped his foot. "Sorry. If I was an ice mage like my Mama, I coulda made it stay like that. But, it was a pretty good try, right?"

Pleased with himself, Nyoko jumped up to get some towels. After cleaning up his mess, he wrinkled his nose. "I'm actually kinda suprised it worked. Mama Kira only showed me how to call water from inside a bit ago!"


"That's nothing!" boasted Pire, as he watched Nyoko. He set aside his scissors and paper for the moment, and put his paws together. The air between them sparked, then blossomed into flame. He grinned triumphantly before realizing that the shape of fire was completely amorphous and could not in any way be rendered into a heart. The foxboy halted, extinguishing the flame and snapped his teeth together in concentration. If he couldn't make a flame heart, he would make a heart with flame. Made sense..right?

He put a paw to the ragged edges left by the scissors, as their shape was not particularly compatible with his appendages. Instead, he heated the paper until it began to brown and crumple, sparking but being immediately smothered out. Slowly, the fringes smoothed out into the shape of a heart.

Pire handed the finished product to Heaven and flashed a friendly grin at Nyoko as if to say "Beat that!"





Heaven's eyes glittered at the glowing valentine as it was handed to her she smiled at Pire.
"Oh Pire! This is just as beautiful as the one from Nyoko thankyou so much!"
She said with a wide grin on her face, she adored the way the heart was made.


Nyoko tilted his head. "You're a fire mage?" he asked Pire in a small voice. He scooted lightly to the side, his cat ears drooping. Suddenly, he inverted his gaze, staring across the room at nothing in particular.



Heaven turned around to look at Nyoko with worried eyes.
Nyoko.... are you feeling okay?


Without looking back, Nyoko nodded. "Yep, sure, fine," he murmured, reaching out and playing with a stray piece of paper. "He'ssa fire mage," Nyoko stated.



Heaven looked down for a minute and faced foward once again.
Fine than.
She said rather short and sweet.


Pire tilted his head in confusion and mouthed the word, "Mage?". What was that? He then shook his head vigorously and the energetic grin returned. "Nope! I'm a firefox." he barked. "That's what the book says."

Pire hadn't really read far enough to realize the exact implications of his words. Puzzled by Nyoko's sudden distancing, he reached across Heaven and waved a paw in the catboy's face. "Haay~ What'sa matter? I'm not gonna burn you'er anything."


Heaven quickly jumped back slightly from when Pire reached over her to talk to Nyoko.
She looked at Pire and than back over to Nyoko. Than she touched Pire's paw.
Nyoko, if your afraid that Pire is gonna burn you he really isn't see! Look, I'm touching his paw right now and no harm done! Besides you heard Pire he isn't gonna burn you....
Said Heaven as she let go of Pire's hand and looked back down.


Nyoko let out a whimper. "Mama has an enemy who's a fire mage."


Well.... Well that doesn't mean you act afraid of every fire mage you see! You weren't afraid of him at the Halloween Party! Now what's wrong right now? Cause if you know please tell me cause I don't.


Nyoko wiggled, mumbling, "I di'n't know he was one then." He gave a shy smile. "Mama said fire mages are really tough in battle."


"Well what's diff'rnt?" questioned Pire, slightly miffed. "I'm still the same person. An' besides, if you can make water, what'er you skert of?"

He flicked his tail non-chalantly as he began experimenting with the paper. If he heated it up just right, he could make it curl up. When he finally got one strip to curl up completely, he set it on the table and prodded it. To his great surprise, the coiled paper shot into the air like a spring. It landed on it's side and skittered to a stop in front of Nyoko, the blacked edges leaving a trail of soot on the table.

At once, Pire's ear perked up and his expression brightened."Woah! That was cool!" He busily set about making even more of the potential airbourne projectiles. These were so much niftier than plain old paper airplanes.


Nyoko scowled. "Never said I was scared," he grouched, arms crossed. "Besides, I'm tough, too!" He turned to Heaven. "Mama Kira's teaching me water magic! And fighting, too! And...and, she's teaching me how to use weapons!"

Nyoko blushed slightly. Kira was teaching him neither weapon play nor hand-to-hand, but he blurted out the first things he could thing of. Kira did promise to teach him those things in the future, but he was only practicing magic and meditation now. Why did he even say that?

He wrinkled his nose, and rubbed his hands together. "Erm...Heaven? I was kiddin'. Mama Kira's going to teach me that stuff later...but I really am strong!"

He always looked to the window just after the golden noon.
And we in the silver twillight before the rise of the moon,
Would stand at the window together, and look out at the sea.
Then he handed me a feather and said that he would leave.
He promised return to me and said that he was sure.
He lied, now I must grieve and I will see him nevermore.

Nevermore again will I see
Green seas shine against sunlight's door.
Nevermore again will I hear him.
My sweet Raven, nevermore.



Pire's been doing well. Something in those undecipherable books. He hasn't had a major fire outbreak since he started reading them, and he's wearing this funny green pendant now. It's warm to the touch. He's grown too. We'll probably be looking for different clothes for him really soon. His schooling has improved a bit too. Not sure if it's really those books or he's just getting older and more responsible.

I should mention that Seven is back from Averige and has a full time job at Shakesphear's Rose now. Also, Dominique and Wolfie graduate this year. Maybe he'll finally work up the nerve to pull a move on her. (Or maybe Wolfie will finally get tired of waiting so as not to hurt his ego and make the first move herself. She's planning on becoming a psychologist.)Time does pass.

The ball of flickering light grew steadily brighter as he fed energy into it. Pire concentrated his efforts into making it as bright as possible without losing too much of the energy to unwanted heat. Burn bright not hot. It still flickered around the edges, but the long tongues of flame were gone, transforming the mass into a giant glowing spark. Delighted with his success, he increased the energy flow. Suddenly, the previously docile spark became a raging flash of heat and he withdrew his power as quickly as he could, dashing into the next room to disable the fire alarm before the police were alerted.

He flicked the small black switch to the off position and breathed a sigh of releif. That was close! He knew as well as any that fire could be a powerful destructive force. Of course, it was no danger to him, but by extension, it made him a powerful destructive force. Fire was something to be tamed and controlled. Before he'd gotten his starball, the glowing green sphere suspended above his heart from a fireproof chain of unknown construction, his power had always been overflowing, always spilling out in uncontrolled waves of heat whether he wanted it to or not. The starball helped by siphoning off the energy that he routinely shed and preventing unintentional sparks, but within his body he could still feel the fire glowing and burning as it heated his insides with life force, throbbing like a second heart.

Judging by what he'd learned from other mages, he was powerful for his age, and his magic could only grow. So, he played with his fire, slowly and deliberately learning control, but he longed to do as others his age and push himself to the limits, to feel just how powerful he was. Like most young creatures feeling the first flushes of their own strength Pire wanted to test himself. He wanted to burn. He wandered out of the small apartment and out the door