Azun:

I had to STAR Luke that night. Of course Ames had to be there to see what was so special about me, seeing that Luke spent all that money just to give me a call.

"Azun." Luke greeted me as I pressed 'accept.' "How are you doing, brother?"

"This call is fifty bucks per minute. Can we just get to the point?"

"Of course." Luke laughed.

Luke looked like the majority of us, black hair flat across his head and green eyes, yet his attitude wasn't like the rest of us. Dad had spoiled him and Mike like no other, just because they were destined for greatness with their power of teleportation and time control. It wasn't fair considering the rest of us all received the crappy powers.

"So here's the deal." Luke told me. "We are one commander down since the incident with Nathaniel last year. Mike and I have talked about this decision for a while, and we feel quite strongly that you should be the new commander."

"Me?" I gasped. I was so not qualified, I never learned how to fight, I was the one getting bullied throughout school. I studied to be a lawyer, not a military commander. Besides, Ames, who was right beside me, was beyond qualified and willing. I was almost certain that he would be begging to be captain.

"I am going to have to decline." I said, hanging up on my brother.

I stood up to face my other brother behind me. Ames, Emler and Nathaniel are the only children with brown hair, it sets them apart from the rest of us. Even with the brown hair, Ames hardly looks like my brother.

"How could you decline a call like that?" Ames's mouth hung open. "You could have everything!"

"Now you can." I walked by him, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

"Why didn't you accept?" Ames grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

"I don't want that future for me." I answered without hesitation.

Last time I was in command, Luke made a fool out of me that cost me my dignity. To this day I still saw reports and newspapers from when I lead my troops to their death.

I wouldn't let it happen again.

"What are you waiting for?" Ames asked me, his voice growing angrier and angrier with me. He was tense, because of the decision I made to throw away a future that he desired. "Why are you stalling this? Whatever happened in your past doesn't matter anymore. That's why it is in the past!"

"What do you mean?"

"Nathaniel won you this war." Ames looked me in the eyes. "Was his death in vain?"

"No."

"Did he die for nothing?"

"No!"

"Then take up arms and defend his honor!"

"Nathaniel is not dead!"

"Dad said he is."

"What do you know? They didn't provide us a body and dad won't speak with me. I don't want to be a commander in an unnecessary war that you all wanted to start."

"Azun." Ames's eyes tightened. "We both studied law. And we both know that peace is never truly there. Now you get to lead in this war and you deny it simply because you see it as useless. For once in your life, take a stand! Get yourself a worthy title! I don't understand how you can just stand to the side and let yourself wither away to nothing."

"I am taking my time." I stood up for myself, shaking myself from Ames's grasps. "I will watch how Malison prospers without the Zodiacs fighting against the planets, then I will build myself a title more worthy then Azun Watcher Zodiac. I want to be free to live my life, according to my will. Dad, Luke, you - you're all trying to take this away from me! Nobody knows how bad Luke truly is, but me. He sent my troops into a massacre without blinking an eye. Ames, you have no idea what it is like to watch everyone you love, die. Just leave me alone, and if you don't let me be, someone is going to get shot by the end of this war. I can tell you that it won't be me."

I left my brother alone in the STAR call room. He didn't speak to me for the next week. I walked to my bedroom, slamming the door behind me. I jumped into my bed, grabbing a pillow to sob into. My eyes looked at all the Polaroid photos of Nathaniel and me in our adventures mostly in the backyard. I remember the time he tried strawberries for the first time and discovered that he hated them. Nathaniel always wanted to play doctor with me in his bedroom with his little fake medical kit and doctor coat. He would take my pulse, check my ears and eyes then put a bandaid on my face. He was so kind, so innocent, so loving; and I didn't get to say goodbye. Tears streamed down my face as I watched the still memories on my wall, thankful that I was able to capture them while Nathaniel was still with me.