"My name is Cascade Torrent. I am the granddaughter of the late Queen Anahita and King Lixue. Since the current royal family has run away, I will be the new Queen of the Water Kingdom."

~~{Sunrise}~~

"You have to be kidding me."
"I'm not dead yet."
"You can't just leave on a whim then come back a QUEEN!"
"It's a risk I'm willing to take."
"He's willing to KILL you!"
"I KNOW THAT!"

I was sitting with Vapor. His parents were arguing in the kitchen.

"Oh, gods... we're screwed."
"He won't kill your mom. He's not... he can't be that cold."
"Look at yourself. You're really telling me that he's just going to give up?"
"Sam's with him-"
"Fuck Sam. She's not strong enough to stop him. You know damn well he would kill her too."
"He's not Lucifer. He's not Lucifer!"

I feel chills go up my spine.

"He can't be."
"You're going to have to understand that he's trying to be him."
"He wouldn't. He couldn't. I don't... I don't know what I would do if he did."

He goes silent as we listen to his parents.

"You're not a king yet, so he probably won't kill you."
"We're in this together."
"If he kills anyone, it's not going to be both of us."
"Well, you decided for us, this is my decision."
"I can't let you do this."
"LISTEN TO YOURSELF, CHELSY!"
"I AM!"
"I can't let you die alone."
"Well, now you know how I felt when you left us."

Silence.

"Mom really-"
"She went there."

Everyone kinda knew that was a sore spot between them and they didn't talk about it much.

"That... that was different."
"Oh really? Do tell."
"I-"
"At least I didn't spring something on you like, 'I love you.' You know, like a certain person."
"You sprung being a queen on me. I might not be a king but Vapor's a PRINCE NOW!"

Vapor tenses up.

"Oh, gods. Prince Vapor."
"Suits you."
"Shut up."

He buries his face in his hands.

"I made a calculated risk."
"So did I back then."
"That was calculated? Felt more like you thought of it in the moment."
"I knew exactly what I was doing."
"So. Do. I."

I stand up and reach out a hand.

"Come on, we should go."
"Yeah, sure."

We leave his backyard and to the front of his house where everyone was waiting.

"Dang, both of them are pissed."
"I think I'm on Chelsy's side though."
"Are you kidding me? Thanatos."
"All of you are terrible."
"Shut up, Noah. It's your kid doing this."
"Okay, okay. Yeesh."

Vapor sighs as I slap my forehead.

"His other kid is right here."
"Oh... hey."
"Vapor, how you doing?"
"Okay... I guess."
"Alright, you try to get away from here. Get your mind off it."

Breeze squeezes his hand and we start walking away. Not before we hear footsteps from inside the house and we hide.

"All of you, out."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Sorry!"
"Won't happen again!"
"Bye!"

Chelsy let out a breath and goes back inside.

"Let's go. Come on."

~~{Solar}~~

"I'm not letting you kill Aunt Chelsy."
"You don't have a say in the matter. She attacked me."
"You were going to kill her. She spared you."
"Well, I won't do the same for her. I guess I know your loyalties."
"You've always known."

She looks down, grimacing.

"Guards, lock her in her room."
"What? Wait-"

They grab her arms and start dragging her back.

"SOLAR!"

She struggles but they were stronger than her.

"Solar, don't do this."
"It's either this or the dungeon."

She stops trying to fight them and lets them drag her away.

"Monster."

I freeze.

"What?"

But she was already gone.

Monster. No... she shouldn't be the one calling me that.

I almost go after her, but I stop myself.

"No. She's right. I know what I need to do."

But not today. No, I'll kill Au- Chelsy later. Later. Yeah.