Third Person
There's a lot to be said about failure.

Everyone always talked about the downsides.The pain, the misery, the hopelessness and defeat that you might never be able to get a victory. But no one ever talks about the advantages and importance of it.

Failure is more important than success. Success don't have the same value. Failure teaches you what you did wrong, and how to fix it. You learn more from failure than success.

Needless to say, there's a lot to be said about failure.
--L.S.C.
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"Leo."

The prince didn't respond, his eyes as blank as they were ten minutes ago.

"Leo!" Orion tried again, but barely even got a blink.

"Just let me lay here and think about everything I've done wrong for a while..." Leo mumbled, burying his face into the dirt. He didn't care if he was dirty, he just wanted to escape the world for a while.

"It's been awhile- ten minutes in fact!" Orion hissed back, looking around. Araminta had chased after where Hemlock and Cecelia went once she made sure Leo was alright and that Orion would stay with him. Aaron, Jasper and Florence all checked on him too, and Orion insisted that they all needed to go home. Eventually, they obeyed. Now it was just them, and the crowd that still hadn't quite gone away.

Orion snapped his focus back to his brother. "Come on, if you don't want to face everyone back home, at least go to the palace! You can't just stay here forever."

Leo had a look on his face like he was actually considering it, which was the last straw for Orion. "Okay, that's it!" He crossed his arms, his many tentacles twitched in frustration. "If you don't move in the next ten seconds, I'm picking you up and taking you to your room myself!"

Leo went silent, knitting his eyebrows together. "...You're bluffing."

Orion arched his own and began to pick him up, but Leo quickly slapped him away and got up himself. "Okay, okay fine! I'm up! Happy?" The hybrid smirked as Leo brushed the dirt off his body and cleaned up his face the best that he could. "I don't want you picking me up, your arms are so skinny, you'll drop me." He mumbled, but loud enough for Orion to hear.

He bristled, his tentacles curling. "They're not skinny! They are perfectly normal!"

"Uh-huh." Leo mumbled, unconvinced, and headed towards the palace. Orion followed after him, trying to hide the fact that he was pouting and grumbled to himself several times about his little comment.

Once they arrived at the palace, Orion nodded at the guards and even said 'Hello' to a couple he knew, but Leo didn't so much as make eye contact. He didn't wait for anyone as he made a beeline for his room and shut the door behind him.

Orion sighed, rubbing his temple. "Annnnd he's going to mope for a while. Dang it, Dad, why'd you have to give him those genes? Why couldn't he gotten powerful Nexus magic or your pride or Sam's pride or literally anything else?"

He took deep breaths, cooling down and allowing himself to realize that neither of his parents had control over how he turned out. He began to move out, figuring he could pop in and check in later, then caught eye of someone who could help.

"Barbara! Hey!" He called out and rushed over to catch the black haired girl's attention. "I need a quick favor!" Just at his words, the girl smirked.

Barbara was the adopted daughter of One Eye, which was ironic given she herself had three. Barbara had short, black hair that she kept neat, and three black eyes, two in the regular places for an eye, but the third on her forehead. She often wore plaid of different colors, today's being different shades of green and yellow. She was a rather tricky one, and anyone who knew her mother knew that she and her were opposites. One Eye was a rather honest person and stayed firm to the law, while Barbara herself liked to bend it. She insisted to everyone that she was an "Innocent Angel" but her mother was not fooled. As much as she loved her, she knew her well. After all, their first meeting was through Barbara trying to rob her.

"What do I get?" She batted her eyes. Her eyes darted to the pocket where he kept his wallet in.

Orion held his breath, then let it out and gave in. He patted his sweater down until he reached the pockets. Since he didn't wear pants ever, he had to make due with creating his own pockets just to slip the little things in. He pulled out his wallet and handed over a twenty. Barbara's eyes lit up.

"Now we're talking." She snatched it and stuffed it into her jeans. "What do ya need?"

"Keep an eye on Leo, he's in his room." He nodded towards the closed door. "You don't need to go inside, in fact, it'd be better if you were subtle. Just call me if anything changes, alright?" She nodded, but right before he left, he had to add, "Oh, and make sure that nobody bothers him or gets inside his room." His mind flashed with the images of the cold, yellow eyes and he shook his head. He doubted she would go after him after her whole display in the market square, but he couldn't help but add it in anyways.

She always was unpredictable.

But Barbara tapped her chin. "Hmmm... Stopping everyone? I don't know, that seems a little out of my pay..." She stared at him with expecting eyes. He sighed and gave her another twenty, which she accepted immediately. "Pleasure doing business with you. Don't worry, he's in safe hands." Barbara gave a wicked grin, only making him roll his eyes.

"I can't tell if you're talking about the money or Leo at this point." He hissed at her before leaving the palace, and made his way home.

---------------------

"Do you think he's okay? I saw blood, what if he's dying? Does he need medical attention? Oh no, I failed the medical quizzes Aunt Tanith gave us all the time, he's screwed!"

Aaron hushed his boyfriend, holding him close.  He could feel little sparks come off him but didn't react to them. "He's going to be fine, and it was just a little cut, he's had worse. Remember when he almost broke his arm?"

Jasper paused and slowly caught his breath. "I guess you're right... Plus it's not like I'm healing him or anything." Then he had a look of terror on his face. "Am I?"

Aaron shook his head. Jasper had the unfortunate ability to think of a thousand situations- that didn't make much sense- to worry him. However, he also was easily relieved of these worries, so Aaron didn't have to say or do much to bring him back to his regular self.

Though confusing, their relationship worked out really well. Aaron could provide the right mind for Jasper to see that these thoughts weren't logical or going to happen, and Jasper provided the right support he needed but was too shy or stubborn to ask for.

Seeing he was doing fine, Aaron's eyes moved to Florence. She stared out the window of the entrance expectantly. With a quick exchange between the lovebirds, Jasper let Aaron get up and stroll over to her. He nearly forgot all much taller he was than her until he gently placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him.

"He's gonna be fine." He reassured her. The red eyes glanced out one more time, then returned to the living room with him. She sat down on one of the arm chairs, curling up,

"Hemlock's really strong." She murmured after a while. "We're safe against her, right? She's not going to attack us here? She won't attack Leo in his own room, will she?"

Aaron blinked. Normally the young mermaid was the optimistic one of them, but now she looked so conflicted, and that scared her. Then again, he supposed that seeing her brother get hurt made it a little more personal.

He thought back to the way Hemlock was fighting. He had been paying close attention to the whole time, and he couldn't help but notice a few things.

"Hemlock wasn't trying to kill him. She was trying to humiliate him. She attacked in public and it was almost like she planned his attacks for him, then forced him to go along with it unknowingly." He said out loud.

The door suddenly swung open, making all of their eyes move to it. Aaron smiled at his twin, but it faded upon seeing the fury in her eyes.

"That absolute b-" Araminta cut herself off when she noticed Jasper and Florence in the room. "Butthole!" She substituted quickly, but the fury of what she meant to say didn't leave her mouth.

Araminta slammed the door and marched in. "I knew it! She rigged it from the start, didn't she?" Aaron opened his mouth but she spoke before he could. "I heard you talking from outside, you weren't being very discreet." She didn't mean it, but her words came out snappy.

"Well if you were listening," Aaron replied calmly. "You would've heard that Hemlock didn't rig it. She just made Leo do everything she wanted. All skill, she didn't cheat. Simply manipulation, and that's not against any rules of fighting. You heard what you wanted to hear."

"Whatever!" Araminta crosses her arms and growled. "I told you from the start- I told everyone! Hemlock's no good! She's all twisty and tricky and-" She couldn't form words anymore and just screamed in frustration.

Aaron paused, but didn't react like Jasper and Florence did. Instead, he grabbed one of the pillows off the couch, and while Araminta began to pace, readied it in his hand.

As she continued to rant, he interjected. "Incoming!" He called over, then threw it as hard as he could.

Jasper and Florence gasped as Araminta whipped around on command and punched it out of the air, causing it to slam against the wall. Had it been anything but a pillow, it might've left a dent.

Araminta then continued like nothing happened, grumbling about Hemlock and even Cecelia for a while, though it was more because she couldn't understand why sweet Cecelia would get together with someone like her rather than the string of insults she spat about Hemlock.

Aaron picked up another pillow from the couch and repeated the previous action, getting a similar result but with a roundhouse kick. Jasper just went with it rather than question, while Florence figured out that every time she punched or kicked the pillow, her rants slowed down, even pausing to actually think briefly.

"I mean, it's not even Leo's fault! I did tire him out today-"

Aaron had Jasper hand him the last pillow on the couch and threw it. "Incoming!" He told her. The results were the same as the other two.

Araminta didn't even think twice as she paced around. "And what, a king is supposed to be all muscles? He's a good diplomat and he's strong in his own way, Hemlock is just a piece of-"

"Incoming." Araminta whipped around to hit something but froze when arms wrapped around her instead.

She paused for a while, then relaxed, though she scoffed. "I don't need comfort cuddles." She insisted as Aaron only hugged tighter.

"I'll believe it when I see it." He smirked at her. "Just accept them so we can move on."

Grumbling and refusing to acknowledge the fact that she actually really appreciated it, she gave a quick hug in return to make him let go. "Happy?" Aaron gave a nod and she huffed. "I'm still mad that I couldn't find wherever they ran off to- freaking cowards." She told him, under her breath.

"And I can't stop you from being mad. But you were rambling and probably going to break something more important if I didn't stop you." Aaron replied. Araminta stared at him for a while before ruffling his hair with her human hand, getting a snort out of the both of them.

"Whatever you say, Poofy."

"Right back at 'cha, Matty."

"I actually brushed it today!" Araminta told him as a matter-of-factly. He gave her a look. She rolled her eyes, tugging at her hair. "It's difficult to manage, okay? Besides, I like to let it do it's own thing."

"Mmmhmm." Aaron hummed. "Just let the birds form a nest in it, it's just doing it's own thing." Araminta gave him a harmless hit, making sure it wouldn't actually hurt. "Maybe you should cut it." Aaron teased, knowing the offended look on her face before she even formed it.

Jasper and Florence found themselves actually smiling as the twins bickered over the length of their hair- at first it was only Araminta, but then she turned it on her brother- and just listened, knowing it never got serious. No matter what, they were together through thick and thin, brother and sister.

As they finished up, Aaron noticed someone moving outside and turned towards the hallway. "It's been fun everyone, but I got something I need to do." He waved them off, then disappeared into the hallway. Araminta grumbled but waved back aways, as did Florence and Jasper.

---------

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Zero. One. Two. Three.

Leo stared at the clock on his nightstand tick by endlessly, then once again, stared at then 'Start Call' button. So badly he wanted to press it, but then there was hesitation. A promise ringing through his ears that brought him right back to the start again, full of doubt.

Seven. Eight. Nine. Zero. One.

His eyes flicked back and forth between the clock and the start call button, as if waiting for the right time, though what he was looking for exactly was lost to him. His hand not holding his phone began to tap the bed he laid on with anxiety building up. His dominant arm still stung where Hemlock had slashed it, the bandage was red with blood.

Five. Six.

Press it. Press it. Press it. He whispered to himself without the words leaving his mouth. He thought about his Dad, and what he would even say. Or if someone else picked it up, like Mom or Selena or Kra- Oh Poseidon please no, I can't face her parents.

Two. Three. Four.

But he needs to know. He has a right to know, it's his kingdom! He trusts me to tell him!

Five. Six. Seven.

But he also trusts me to deal with this! His tapping only increased with his thoughts.

Seven. Eight.

Press it! He needs to know!

Nine.

But what if-

Zero.

Leo's hand slapped the start call button without even thinking, nearly knocking it out of his hand. His heart pounded as the phone buzzed, then picked up.

"Hello?" The voice answered, which Leo's heart sighed in relief that it was Cody, his Dad, not Pikalus or KrakenKid. "I can't tell who this is, reception is screwing with my phone up here. We're actually kinda lucky at all we have Professor to even get it working."

"Dad, it's me." Leo finally told him, taking silent deep breaths that his mother had taught him to slow down.

"Leo!" Leo grinned, suddenly feeling better when his Dad recognized his voice too. Every once in a while, he'd say the wrong name despite only having three kids. Uncle KrakenKid always did brag about how he had some of the most, and never got it wrong. "Hey! Dang, I was hoping you or Florence or Orion would call earlier. We had a bit of a bet on whose kid was gonna call first."

"You guys gamble too much." Leo laughed, putting the phone on speaker so he could set it down on the bed as he relaxed on his stomach. "It's a miracle none of us do. Wait, scratch that, Cordelia and Araminta have dabbled a bit. Maybe Cobalt too." He paused then added, "Who won?"

Cody grumbled. "KrakenKid and Joe. I should've known thinking Florence would call before Jasper was a stupid bet- the kid called right as we reached the top just to make sure we got up there okay. However, Tanith and Cannibal were close seconds, Emrys and Cecelia called a little bit after too." Cody hesitated on something for a moment, then seemed to dismiss it. "How's it going down there anyways? All of you are okay?"

Leo's heart quickened. He still had no idea how to tell him. "We're all still alive." He said in his most joking tone, even if fear leaking into his words. "How's the expansion going up there?"

Cody went silent for a while, then sighed. "It's... Not as well as I'd like. We already made an ally and an enemy. We're probably going to have to fight too, the enemy might be waging war against us. But, if we can keep it up here, Atlantis will be safe. Not to mention some of the best Generals, Medics and Leaders are up here, we'll be just fine. You know as well as I do that as long as I got Joe fighting by my side, and Tanith guarding our backs, we'll do just fine. Not to mention with Professor's Hulk mode is more controlled now so that's going well, and Queen Sam and her sister aren't gonna let anyone get to you. And the former Tide Changers are still as troublesome as ever. I'm so glad they're on our side now."

It dawned on Leo that telling his father already had troubles above, and telling him that there was another below would only add onto his list. He paused for a long time, thinking it over, then it left his mouth before he even could think. "Well, things are going smoothly down here. A couple fights but nothing I can't handle. Focus on that war." Leo couldn't stop himself, and frankly didn't want to. He couldn't say it. He promised.

"Will do. Don't worry, Champ. We got this under control. You won't even notice a thing!" Cody reassured him.

They said their goodbyes, then he was gone. Leo stared at his phone again then put his head in his hands. He stayed like for a while until he slowly removed them, then concentrated. He felt the magical energy in him and called for it, willing it to leave his hands. For a while, nothing happened, so he kept going, pushing himself to at least get something.

In the end, there was a small, blue spark from his hands for a moment or two, then it was gone. Leo groaned. "Work with me here, Nexus." He mumbled, trying again and getting a slightly bigger spark, but that was it. Just a spark, not a lightning bolt like Jasper could so easily create.

It wasn't that he lacked the power itself, he felt it bubbling inside him even at that very moment, and according to Joe, he had a lot of it. Only probably was accessing it. It didn't obey him, it was seemingly sporadic and stubborn. He kept asking, but it rarely came, and even when it did, it was something so small that it didn't even matter.

He hated it. Jasper could produce five times as much on accident, and Florence and Nike could do three times as much since they were ten or so. Already seventeen, this was the best Leo could do.

He attempted one last time, but it was just as pathetic as the other two, making his hands droop.

"Oh I know that look. Runs in the family really." Leo's head whirled around, and found himself face to face with a blue bird, standing in the doorway. His feathers seemed to flutter with his laughter. "You're having a crisis of some sort."

"I-" Leo tried to say, but Darrel cut him off.

"You can't lie to me. If Rasmus can't, you shouldn't even try." He told him sharply. Leo hesitated, but gave up. He rolled and pivoted his body so it was upright, then found himself slouching. "Mmmhmm. Trade Mark 'Royal Family Moping Position', just as I thought."

"I'm not moping." Leo mumbled, then heard it in his voice and shook his head. "Never mind that, what do you need?"

Darrel was now hesitating, looking Leo over then at the floor for a moment. "I'm not sure you'll want to hear it." He admitted.

"Tell me."

Darrel sighed, looking out in the hall again. "Rasmus and I were checking everything in the city for any irregularities. I bet you can guess why." Leo nodded, already replaying Hemlock's voice in his head. "It seems that there is quite a sizable amount of people who took them to heart, and word spreads fast around this city with something public like that and-" He took a breath. "They're leaving. Regular citizens quitting their job and telling everyone they're 'Going to change the future' or leaving notes behind about following her. She's gaining followers, Leo. It's not as big as the Tide Changers in its prime, but it's sure a lot more than when we- they started out." Darrel corrected himself quickly, then blinked. "Sorry, old habits die hard."

Leo waved him off, but the words stuck to heart. "People are joining her?"

Darrel nodded slightly. "A good amount, though chances are there are still lots of people who are waiting to see if they should or not and if she'll be successful. And if she is, more will leave. She might've left fliers but there seem to be several different locations for meeting spots, we're not sure which is the right one yet."

Leo's heart pounded, and he began to wonder if Hemlock was right. If he wasn't enough to be king.

Darrel barely blinked before Leo was up and pushing past him. "I need to go."

Darrel shook himself and rushed after him. "Leo-"

"Alone. I need to be alone!" He called back, barely meeting his eyes. If Darrel knew the royal family well enough, then he knew it was because there were tears there.

Leo was much faster than the old bird and was gone before he could even say what he wanted to say. The blue bird huffed. "No, you don't. You need to be with somebody more than ever."

He shook his head, then paused for a moment. "Barbara. I know you're there."

The triclops came from behind, a smirk on her face. "No sneaking up on you?"

"I didn't know you were there until you took my wallet." Darrel admitted. He held his wing out expectantly, and she placed it back in his wing. "Old habits die hard, don't they?"

"You know it as well as I do." She agreed. "Now if you excuse me, I have a boy to call about his brother. Is the phrase 'Having a crisis' appropriate for this situation?"

——————

Orion almost didn't see the shadow in his room until he turned on the light. Then, he wondered how someone wearing white could blend in so well with the shadows.

"Sheesh, Aaron, can you choose a less creepy place to stand?"

Aaron rolled his eyes, amused. "I'm not allowed to be a little dramatic with you? I figured it might take the edge off a little."

Orion gave him a look. "How is creeping me out going to take the edge off?"

"I thought you might laugh once you saw it was just me. Besides, anything is worth a try." Aaron's smile faded. He sat on the bottom bunk of the bunk bed that Orion shared with Leo. Leo's bunk. Orion has a feeling it wasn't a coincidence. "Let's talk."

Orion huffed. "I don't know what you want me to say!"

"Say your feelings." Aaron told him gently.

"Feelings, right. My specialty!" Sarcasm dropped from his mouth as he moved further into the room.

Other than Leo, Orion also shared the large room with Phoenix. They would've had a triple bunk bed, but not only did Orion not trust Leo or Phoenix to be higher up from the floor than they normally were since both thrashed in their sleep, but also Phoenix was a huge night owl and would wake them if he tried to sneak into a bunk bed after a night of experimenting.

Leo's movements when he had nightmares was bad enough, Orion didn't want to deal with Phoenix's stumbling after his brain is fried and he's trying to get to bed. So naturally, he had his own little bed off to the side.

The room was a mess most of the time, though today it was a little better than most. Phoenix had a mini lab on his side of the room, which luckily he had cleaned up and remember to turn off all the burners and put away the chemicals. To make it better,  he put a candle out so it smelled like lilac instead of various chemicals that gave Leo and Orion a headache.

On the other side of the room, the bunk beds were actually made for once and tucked in neatly, a rare sight to see. Orion's bean bag was stuffed in the corner, and his copies of various comic books were in a small bookshelf nearby. He made a mental note to organize it later, given they were in a random order. On top of the bookshelf, there were a couple toy cars that Orion never had the heart to get rid of, and a sewing kit.

Leo had some history books with various bookmarks in them and notes on the end of his bed, and his sword collection could be seen through the open closet. Orion never understood his obsession with collecting different swords of different ages- nor his low key obsession for pirates- but everyone had their interests.

They all had a hamper with clothes by the door, filled with lab coats with chemicals spilt on them, various sweaters, and T-shirts.

Orion strolled over to Aaron and sat down next to him, letting out a long sigh. "So... How'd Florence and Jasper take it?"

"You know that's not what I'm here for." Aaron scolded him.

"Yeah but I want to know." Orion told him, scooting back until he was up against the wall. "Besides, you know me, let me stall until I feel ready."

Aaron let out a small laugh in response and sat back with him. His laughter soon faded, as did his smile. "Jasper keeps worrying about his injury and how he's doing while Florence is scared that Hemlock is going to try again. It's hard for her to see her strong big brother get hurt like this, and especially by Hemlock of all people."

Orion paused. "She won't, right?" Aaron shook his head. "That's what I though, she wasn't trying to hurt him that badly, was she? She was toying with him."

"She was showing the public exactly what she wanted them to see: Their Prince fail miserably." Aaron agreed, sighing. "She used hand to hand, let him try to use Nexus magic then stopped him before he could, then sparred with him and ultimately left him in the dirt. He could barely even land a hit on her, and his family heritage of Nexus magic, the one thing that keeps a lot of people front challenging the kings to a fight, failed him."

Orion let out a low growl. "Nobody messes with my Brother but me... What is wrong with her? She completely snapped!"

Aaron shrugged his shoulders with a huff. "No idea, though I might have a few ideas. Phoenix mentioned to me that she has a few control issues, that could be one of the reasons. Wanting control of Atlantis for herself."

Orion let out a long huff, crossing his arms. Aaron waited patiently, giving him an expecting look. He soon caved. "I'm just worried! That's how I'm feeling! Our parents are gone for what- like two days?- and already we've got problems! Hemlock is creating her own group and wants the crown for herself and Leo got hurt because of it! Who knows who's actually going to join, and-!"

"I might've seen a couple of our own pick up a flier and now a lot of their stuff is gone and so are they." Aaron admitted.

Orion blinked in surprise. "Who?"

"Nike and Carlo, both left at separate times but they're gone. I don't think they're gonna come back."

Orion groaned, hands balling into fists and his tentacles twitched. "Are you- I thought I could count on everyone else in here to be sane but I guess not. Nike I can maybe see but Carlo too? Without being prompted by her? Why? Why follow Hemlock? Leo might not be physically strong but he's going to be king. He's the rightful heir! I-!"

Before Orion could finish, his phone buzzed. He fumbled for it and answered as quick as he could. "Yeah?"

"Your boy is gone."

Orion's yellow eyes widened and he scrambled off the bed. "Gone? What do you mean, where'd he go?"

"Lost him. He ran off after talking to Darrel. I tried to follow but I was late to, I wasn't as close 'cause I tried to make it subtle."

Orion let out a stressed groan. "Thanks, Barb, I'll take it from here. Keep an eye on the castle, tell me if you see anything."

"Hmph. Fine. Only 'cause you payed me well." She answered, then the phone clicked off

Orion huffed, shoving the phone in his pocket and turning to Aaron. "If you really want to continue this, come to me later. And for Pete's sake, don't act like an assassin and turn on the light and sit on the bed like a normal person!"

Aaron just laughed but left with Orion. "I'll check around, see if anyone else has seen him. Maybe he's going to Rasmus or PebbleTeen, you never know."

Orion gave a firm nod and once he entered the living room, signaled Araminta to follow him. As soon as she noticed the look on her face, she knew. "Where is he?"

"That's the problem, we don't know. I'm going through try the market, see if anyone has seen him." Orion paused and bit back a remark about being worried that he'll get attacked. Saying anything about Hemlock would surely set Araminta off.

Araminta noticed the look but couldn't decipher it and had to give up. "What was he talking about when you last saw him?"

Orion rolled his eyes. "What do you think? He felt like a failure for losing, what else would it be about? He was in front of the whole market and we all know that at least a quarter of them recorded it. By this point, everyone knows." He let out a groan, heading outside. "Check around for him, I need all the help I can get."

Araminta paused to herself, thinking back, then getting an idea.

—

"I knew it..." Araminta sighed and she stopped, a little behind Leo.

Leo glanced back, giving a weak and clearly forced smile before it faded and he went back to what he was doing before she came: Petting the Rock Pythons.

The red scaled snake like fish hissed at Araminta, their large bottom teeth that normally stuck out of their mouth glistening in the light. Leo quilled them, stroking the long top fin and even getting some of them to expose their soft, blue under belly and petting them there.

Araminta slowly inched over but eventually, the Rock Pythons surrounding Leo zipped away, glaring at Araminta. She sighed, sitting next to him. "I never understood your connection with them. They just seem like wild animals to me."

Leo let out a short chuckle. "They're a lot more than that. They're kinda like wolves really, always in a pack and taking care of one another. Actually a funny story why they like me so much."

Araminta nodded for him to continue. He took a breath. "When I was five or six, I wandered off and got lost in one of the outer sectors. I was lost and scared and didn't know where I was but I saw a family of Rock Pythons trying to defend their eggs from Whalegules. They were losing and one of the whalegules was going to get to the eggs and I felt really bad and- well uh,"

Leo bit his lip and searched through his pockets before finally pulling out a rather sharp pocket knife. "Mom makes me take it wherever I go, taught me how to handle it properly when I was young and swore me to secrecy so Dad would never find out." He stifled a laugh. "She was worried I'd get mugged or attacked and she gave her young son a pocket knife. Never understood her logic."

Araminta bit back a comment that she was probably most worried about him getting kidnapped. "So let me guess, you attacked them?"

Leo nodded. "I caught the one by surprise and the others got skiddish and bolted when they saw it. The Rock Pythons saw me as one of their own and kept me safe until my parents finally found me, Two whole battalions of guards behind them. Mom told me she had trouble getting the Rock Pythons to give me up. Since then, they've always been so kind to me, and they love it when I bring bits of meat to them."

Both went silent for a moment. "I like to come here because it reminds me of the one time I actually was able to protect some beings. That maybe, Atlantis will see me as one of their own too."

"They already do-" Araminta tried to say, but Leo gave a sad look.

"Are you sure?" Araminta wanted to say yes but couldn't bring herself to it. "That's what I thought... I try so hard to prove myself and I just keep crashing down again and again. Will I actually get a chance?"

Araminta put her arm around him, her crab claw nudging him to look her in the eyes. "Not with that attitude. You give up now, there's not gonna be a next chance. Cody and Joe had to prove themselves too, and I know you have just as much potential and right to be king as they do. So stop wondering and go prove it to everyone else. Sitting around and waiting isn't gonna help anyone."

Leo paused a long while, then a grin grew on his face. He got up, bringing the redhead up with him and looking back to Atlantis. "Some people might be leaving for Hemlock, but maybe I can make sure so there won't be anymore... I have an idea." He rushed back towards Atlantis.

Araminta laughed and followed behind. "That's more I like it!"

————

"Buttercup! What are you doing? You have to talk to the people interested in joining Team ROOT and-!" Cecelia's hissing was cut off when Hemlock slowly pointed to the gathering crowd at the palace.

"I will." Hemlock assured her. "I have a speech prepared and everything. However, looks like our favorite little prince will be making one too."

Cecelia blinked, looking back at the crowd and noticed Leo making his way to the podium set up at the entrance of the palace. Behind him, both Araminta and Aaron were there, as well as Florence, Orion, Rasmus and Darrel. Anyone else who wanted to see was in the crowd, which Cecelia could pick out a few of her cousins and half siblings from.

"Erm, hello?" Leo said into the microphone, his voice projecting over the crowd. "Oh good, it's on." He gave a weak smile and took a breath.

"Many of you are looking at me and probably judging me for failing a recent match with Hemlock. And I'll admit that yes, I did lose badly and that she is physically stronger than me," Leo sucked in a breath. "But physical strength isn't everything. I have been training to run this country since I was young, don't doubt that I can't."

A memory flashed through Cecelia's head. One of the little brown haired and brown eyed boy who loved Atlantis more than life itself and who squealed whenever he watched his father or uncle use Nexus magic. The boy who they would find out of bed and sleeping next to the Nexus and reading stories out loud to it at night.

And then how much he had changed from that boy once he heard what the people around him said about him.

Hemlock had a good stoneface but Cecelia knew she was deep in thought. She doubted they were thinking the same thing but noticed a flicker in her eyes that made her put a hand on Hemlock's shoulder. She nearly sunk into her arm but shook herself and kept listening.

"Hemlock claims she can run Atlantis better than me and my family. However we have been helping Atlantis grow since the beginning, Poseidon's Blood is in me!" Leo looked confident for just a moment, then Cecelia noted that he gulped and that though he hid it from the audience, his hands were shaking.

"Hemlock is trying to form a new group, she wants to take the crown for herself to rule. But Atlantis has been cared for by my family for centuries, we know what it needs, not her." Cecelia was surprised the boy could talk or even stand at all from how he had to grip the podium to stop his knees from buckling.

"Atlantis must stay united. We can resist them as one! Let them come, we will fight back and prove them wrong!" And like that, there was cheering.

Cecelia already could see a reflection of Cody in him, but when Araminta and Orion had to support his weakening legs and how his breaths were ragged, she knew he wasn't quite him. Leo never did take the same liking to public speaking as Cody did. Even after class speeches, he always had to take a break outside to catch his breath.

But Cecelia noticed one last thing. Hemlock voiced it before she could. "He doesn't even realize it, does he?"

Cecelia shook her head and they watched the group move to Rasmus for a talk. Then, she nodded along as Leo let out a piercing 'What!' In surprise. Rasmus told him. "Now he does. He just challenged us to war, didn't he?"

Hemlock nodded. "Looks like in all of his training, they forgot to mention that the wrong words said in a public speech can trigger war. It doesn't help that he's the heir and neither Cody nor Joe are in Atlantis."

She finally stood, brushing back the braid that fell over her shoulder. "We should go back and make that speech now." She turned and began to walk but stopped a few steps in and turned back to Cecelia, who watched her but didn't move. "Sunshine? You coming?"

Cecelia looked at Hemlock and saw something else for a moment.

She saw the little girl with frizzy hair and an awkward personality. The little girl who, while all the other kids were playing with action figures and games where they took the role of one of their parents or someone they admired, instead loved storms and watched documentaries on hurricanes. The same girl who later became a cold and yet so lonely toxicologist. The same girl who showed up with a bouquet of flowers in her hand and stuttered as she talked to her, showing vulnerability clearly for the first time since Cecelia had known her.

Then she blinked and grinned at the girl who appeared all tough but now looked more confused than anything. Standing up, Cecelia couldn't help but grab her face and kiss her.

When she pulled away, she could see the same blushing face as when she first asked her out. Hemlock couldn't seem to speak proper words and she blinked fast. Cecelia could feel her heartbeat speed up wildly.

Cecelia laughed, pulling her along. This was her Hemlock that she loved. The tough, powerful and mastermind persona certainly was something she adored and fell for, but it couldn't hold a flame to the soft core that Cecelia could so easily reach.

"Yeah, let's go." She told her.

******************
This should've been done ages ago but here we go!

Notes:
- In the note of L.S.C, L.S is the title while C is the name. Probably the toughest one tbh

- Sibling banter gives me life
- People calling the royal family out for doing that moping thing also gives me life

- Barbara is that person you know who you're pretty sure would sell you out for money and not sure if they actually will or not so you keep an extra eye on them

- Tanith gives the kids medical lessons/quizzes

- Araminta definitely was not gonna say 'Butthole' and has a huge sailors mouth when the younger/innocent kids aren't around to hear it.

- When the twins call each other 'Matty' and 'Poofy' it's their hair. Aaron's is all fluffy while Araminta's hair gets tangled really easily and is often just a bit matted. She also refuses to cut her hair and Aaron likes to tease her a bit.

- The counting is time passing by on the clock and Leo's mind racing with the possibilities of what could go wrong in a short amount of time. I actually really liked writing in that format!

- Sam had all her kids carry an emergency pocket knife, and even had tried to get Orion to as well.

- Buttercup and Sunshine, nicknames Hemlock and Cecelia call each other.

Anyways, I hope y'all liked this! Be sure to comment what you think and goodbye!

—JustAnAtlantisWriter