Every seat is occupied with a person wearing their finest gowns and suits. Their soft laughter and voices float up to the balconies that hold even more people. It even rises to the highest balcony that looks down upon the theater with perfect clarity, the acoustics optimized for the people of that balcony to hear every musical note. There is room for five seats in the balcony, but the theater workers have only brought out three chairs. Although the imperial family will be seated there tonight, it would be too lonesome to allow two unfilled seats to coexist among the others, a painful reminder that the tsar and the second prince have not returned home in some months.

Tommy notices solemnly the expansive space left empty, but his mother's grip on his hand and his brother's twinkling voice soothe his heavy heart. He looks away from the space where his father and brother should be. He climbs into his mother's lap, ignoring his own chair. He could sit in it, and part of him knows that he really should. The other part of him knows that his mother will let him do whatever he wants. He relaxes against her chest, letting her the back of her fingers stroke his cheek.

"This is incredibly exciting," Wilbur says, glancing over at his family for a moment before his attention is wrapped up in the crowd below. He leans his arms against the side. The golden lights of the theater shine in his eyes, making him look a lot more childish than usual. Tommy frowns. Wilbur is becoming an adult, though. The whole reason they are coming out to see a performance is because Wilbur is due to leave for Kinoko Scholar's Academy soon. He will be learning what it means to be a leader, along with further developing his musical skills. Shelby will be going with him, but that thought makes Tommy feel better and worse in equal amounts, so it all evens out to a lukewarm, melancholic feeling- not quite one way or the other but sickening enough that Tommy considers it bad anyway.

"Oh, what a beautiful theater!" A voice chimes. Tommy looks away from Wilbur to see a figure sitting in what it meant to be Tommy's chair. Sally is wearing a beautiful red gown with a wide skirt. Sparks fall off her skirt as she moves, giving her entire body a quiet glow. She holds the stick to a red and black mask in her hands, but she does not cover her appearance.

"Good evening, Sally. Are you perhaps going to watch the show with us tonight?" Kristin asks, a patient expression on her face as she stares at her son's elemental companion. When the boys went back to the palace after Sally and Wilbur contracted, Kristin was waiting for them. A guard used an air elemental messenger bird to get word back to her. She was apprehensive, but she ultimately gave the contract her blessing. Although it was unnecessary since elemental's do not follow the word of human nobility or parental figures of their contractor, Sally took the blessing with a level of cordiality Tommy didn't know she possessed. Tommy supposes he didn't know what Sally and Kristin's relationship was like in the book. It must have been way better than Theseus and Sally's relationship.

"I would very much like to! I have always enjoyed attending the theater for all manner of showings. I am an avid fan of the arts," Sally replies, leaning over the side of the chair to get closer to Kristin and Tommy. She smiles at them, her entire face flushing in her happiness. Wilbur turns around to look at her, and he looks just as giddy as Sally does.

"You are welcome to enjoy the performance. Tonight, Theseus' and Wilbur's teacher, Lady Clara, will be performing a piano piece for the audience," Kristin explains. Tommy smiles, pressing his cheek against his mother's chest. Although Clara mainly focuses on teaching Tommy, she had mentioned that she was excited to perform in the grand theater of the capital. When Tommy inquired about if he could come, Clara laughed kindly, informing him that there was nowhere the imperial prince could not go. She did add that she would love it if the prince came to see her. With Clara's words motivating him, Tommy brought up going to the theater with his mother as one final activity to do with Wilbur before he moved on to his academic career.

"Oh, then it is in my very best interest to stay. I am always impressed by Wilbur's skills, so his teacher must be extraordinary," Sally says, a wistfulness to her tone like smoke coiling over an open flame. She leans back with a dreamy sigh. In an instant, however, she is on her feet. She places her mask on her face, but it does little to hide her boisterous smile. "I will watch from another vantage point, however. I know a few even better spots than this one that would be impractical for a mortal to hang around in."

As Sally gently begins floating to the balcony, she puts her hands on Wilbur's shoulders. She rubs a gloved thumb over his cheek. She releases Wilbur. She floats over the balcony, calling over her shoulder. "And how could I intrude on this lovely outing between the family? Enjoy your time together!"

Sally is gone as quickly as she came. Wilbur laughs, lowering himself into his chair. He, like Sally, leans over the arm of his chair. Wilbur brushes his fingers against Tommy's hand, and the two of them interlock their fingers. Wilbur squeezes lovingly. Tommy pretends with all his heart that he isn't going to miss this. He knows what becomes of the academy, so he carries doubts about it now. Even without fearing that Wilbur will be caught up in something he shouldn't be in, Tommy feels a spike of fear. Wilbur will be gone, and Tommy will be alone. There are many issues that come with that. Wilbur is the person Tommy has connected with the most, foolishly let himself grow attached to. Wilbur is also someone who reminds Tommy daily that the love he receives in this world is genuine. Worst of all, Tommy believes, is that when Wilbur is gone, Tommy will be alone in dealing with the situation that will arise with both Kristin and Tubbo. His mother is going to die, and Tubbo will be grievously injured. Tommy doesn't know for certain if he can stop either traumatic event from happening. Wilbur would know what to do, but Tommy can't tell him what is going to happen in the future because seers are not held in high regard in the empire.

"The performance is soon to begin," Kristin murmurs, leaning down to press a kiss upon Tommy's curls. She could be telling Tommy that he should return to his seat, but she doesn't actively push him away. She keeps her arms around his stomach. Her hands fold together in a dignified manner as if she isn't holding a child that could be considered unsightly by many nobility. Children, like their parents, are not meant to show their emotions or attachments, lest they end up being manipulated. Tommy knows as much. He knows better than this, and Kristin should know as well after so many years being around the nobility. He doesn't move, and she doesn't force him, and Wilbur says not a single word. They are a family before they are members of the imperial bloodline.

That terrifying but beautiful thought is the last one Tommy has as the lights dim in the theater. A hush descends over the crowd. The people file into their chairs, shutting their lips. A man steps onto the stage with a smile on his face. A strange mask is situated on his face, complimenting his mint green and white suit. Tommy leans forward as the man's voice echoes through the theater. It sounds like the man is standing right in front of Tommy in a conversational tone. Tommy realizes after a moment of staring that the man is wearing Elemental Armor. Except, it isn't exactly armor. It is clothing made from the essence of an air elemental, allowing the man's voice to be projected seamlessly throughout the theater as if there was some highly advanced speaker system. Tommy leans back with an incredulous look on his face. The world of The Ender Prince is dangerous and fascinating.

The man steps away from the stage after introducing Lady Clara. The woman steps on the stage. She walks all the way to the center of the stage. A spotlight- either made from magic, a fire elemental, or maybe even redstone- falls squarely upon her bare shoulders. She wears a dark purple dress that fades into a rich blue color at the bottom of the skirt. The sparkles that hang around her body expand to form slow moving constellations around her glittery skin. Her eyes shine as she looks out across the crowd, and her black hair spills out across her back. She seems in her elemental as she bows to the audience. She rises back up, stepping to the grand piano that rests amicably on the stage. Clara sits down. She takes a deep breath, placing her fingers down on the keys. Tommy watches in rapt attention as Clare begins playing a song.

Tommy does not recognize it. He's never heard it before at any gatherings he's gone to. Clara has never played a note of it in class, either. It is entirely new, but Tommy knows that he loves it, anyway. It sounds lovely in his ears. He feels a surge of emotion rise up from the depths of his soul. He is just as awed by this song as he was the first time he heard someone playing it in a random music store, soaking wet and looking for comfort. He has felt this feeling every time he's played the piano, getting closer to mastery. He has felt it every time Clara would play the piano before his practice when he was waiting right outside the door. There is something profound carried in those notes, and Tommy clutches at it with all the strength in his heart.

Clara plays a whole lot of songs. There are a few he recognizes as the ones he is learning in class. He knows one of them from a song he danced to with Tubbo at a party they both went to. There is even a light-hearted jig that was played during one of the Summer Hunts. Tommy smiles as the associated memories sway in his mind. His heart soars with the crescendos and slams right back down each time the music softens. He squeezes both his brother and mother's hands when Clara plays a song that for some reason reminds him of both of them. There is another song he believes Techno will like that Tommy is going to endeavor to learn. There is a sweet tune that he knows Sneeg will enjoy, and perhaps Tommy will be able to see his father's talent for dancing.

At the end of the performance, Clara stands up. She bows for the audience once more as the crowd lifts onto their feet. Tommy scrambles off his mother's lap to stand alongside them. He claps his hands, hoping that someone his love can travel across the auditorium to reach Clara's heart. When she glances up, meeting his eyes despite the darkness, he swears he can see her smile brightening. The sparkles along her back cackle to life, blazing like wildfire held in snowglobes.

Wilbur presses himself against Tommy's arm with a bright smile illuminating his face. Tommy stares at his brother, leaning back against Wilbur's chest. The two of them smile at each other until Wilbur nudges his side. "That was amazing."

"I agree," Tommy murmurs, his voice lilting with how much happiness and awe he holds in his small body. He hears a soft chuckling. He looks at his mother. She is standing up, with her hands still clapping together. When she finishes, she looks down at her sons. She offers her hands to them. Tommy immediately takes his mother's hand, uncaring about the fact that other nobility will see. Wilbur hesitates, perhaps caring a little what the others will think, but he ultimately decides that it wasn't worth it to him. He takes Kristin's hand. Their mother smiles at them as she guides them out of the theater. She squeezes their palms gently when they step onto the descending staircase.

"Ah, did your imperial majesty and highnesses enjoy the performance?" A voice calls as it joins them. Tommy looks over his shoulder to see Captain Jordan Sparklez reconvening with their group. He is wearing the uniform of the Imperial Guard along with carrying his bow over his shoulder. Despite this, the sparkles in his translucent aura and the genuine smile creeping on his face makes him seem like part of the rest of the crowd.

"I feel it is safe to conclude that my sons and I greatly enjoyed the performance. You should have seen the twinkling in their eyes," Kristin informs Jordan with a mischievous smile lighting up her face. Tommy's face flushes as he considers what he must have looked like to his family. He had been so busy enjoying all the emotions that floated in his heart that he didn't even think about concealing what he was feeling.

"It surely would have been a sight to see. I am certain his imperial highness and his highness were adorable," Jordan closes his eyes as he smiles a gentle, amused little thing. Tommy scowls, turning away from Jordan with a flush heating up even the tips of his ears.

"Yes, my sons are both very cute," Kristin says with conviction in her voice and adoration in her eyes. Tommy stares up at her, and he feels it on the tip of his tongue. He loves this woman so much. He loves her more than he ever thought he could love a mother, but Kristin has done so much to open his walls. Tommy wishes he could get the words to spill from his lips. He is close, he knows, and one day, Kristin will say or do something that will simply make it all click in Tommy's head. He will call her mother soon. He will tell her verbally how much he loves her. For now, he settles with rubbing his cheek against the back of her fingers, hoping she understands what Tommy cannot make himself say.

---

Olive breaks the silence, "A war is coming."

Ranboo blanches, nearly cutting his finger on the thorns of the flower he is holding steady. He shakes his head, trying to piece together why Olive would say such a thing before realizing that he doesn't have a clue. He looks at them, his eyebrows knitting together. "What?"

"You asked earlier why everyone was on edge. It is because a war is coming," Olive clarifies. Ranboo does remember mentioning that, but he didn't think Olive was going to give him a response. They rarely talk about anything other than their plants, and really, Ranboo wasn't expecting an answer. It was more of an observation than a genuine question.

"What does that mean? Who is going to war?" Ranboo asks.

Olive shrugs their shoulders. "No one really talks about it. We all know, of course, but it isn't something you should really talk about. I was only telling you because I thought you should know a few of Kinoko's unspoken rules. It will serve you and your friends well not to poke your nose into places it shouldn't be."

"How is an encroaching war not a place where my nose should be?" Ranboo responds indignantly, feeling a flush of anger situate in the spaces between his heart and chest. The people of Kinoko get on his nerves.

Olive sighs, shaking their head. They look away from their journal thoughtfully, meeting Ranboo's eyes after a few moments. "Fine, I will explain it to you if you promise not to mention this to anyone else."

"I... promise," Ranboo murmurs, creating stipulations to his promise in his mind. He won't say anything unless it is necessary. The person who will deem it necessary to a situation is Ranboo himself. He will, at the very least, try not to talk about this taboo subject.

"Fine. The war everyone is preparing for comes in two different shades. The first is the increasingly heated conflicts between each of the noble houses. The houses have hated each other for years, but they mainly keep their conflicts to small scuffles around their borders. There has not been an official war between the houses since the founding of Kinoko. No one is really worried about this one boiling over. They all, in a way, pretend they are... I guess. I'm not too sure. I have never liked politics," Olive explains. As the heir to House Rapa, Olive should be a little more aware of these things, but Ranboo doesn't begrudge them about it. He doesn't much like politics, either.

"The other shade is the war between the nations. The Antarctic Empire and Essempei have never been on the best terms, but things have quickly soured between them. The Badlands are also having some troubling issues, and it seems like they are waiting for all the other nations to start a war just so they can get involved and capitalize on the chaos. Serenity has shut their borders. Las Nevadas seems to be one breath away from declaring war on Kinoko. If any of these conflicts boil over, Kinoko is in trouble. Our academy, the highlight of our nation, consists of a diverse student body. The students and even the faculty will turn against each other. As a nation of wits, however, it will become our own miniature war where people will use devious tactics against one another instead of literally fighting it out or withdrawing from the academy," Olive continues. Ranboo frowns. He vaguely knew all of those details, but he has never put them together before. It sounds so obvious when Olive says it, though, so maybe that is why everyone in Kinoko knows what is brewing underneath the surface.

Ranboo thinks about the people he has met in Kinoko. None of them are unkind, but they all have a sharp look in their eyes. They are all preparing for the moment when the sparks catch flame. Ranboo has no doubt that while they won't be literally tearing each other's throats out, they will be drawing blood. Ranboo shudders, and Olive looks at him with a heavy stare. They shake their head. "You have a fragile heart."

It is said like a fact. It is said like it is common sense. While Ranboo is unable to refute Olive, he feels something dig into his chest with enough force to tear at his heart. Theseus told him something so eerily similar once in that same sort of tone. Perhaps the situation at hand with a war of wits approaching reminds Ranboo of the dead prince. That can be the only reason why he's thinking about him right now.

---

Tommy stands in the courtyard. He pulls a cloak he's wearing closer together to his chest. His mother stands right beside him. She also wears a cloak, but she seems unbothered by the chilling cold. Tommy envies her Nether genes. He knows he has some dormant ones inside of him, but he knows that the genes that will awaken inside of him will be from his father, not his mother. Tommy will be an avian, not a Netherborne hybrid.

"I'm going to miss you," Wilbur says, tears building in his eyes as he throws his arms around Tommy's shoulders. He holds the blonde tightly to his chest. Tommy can even feel Wilbur's pittering heartbeat against chest. Tommy tucks his head in the crook of Wilbur's shoulder. He feels tears rising into his own eyes. He really doesn't want Wilbur to go, but the brunette eventually pulls away. He puts his hands on Tommy's cheeks with a smile that wobbles around the edges. "I promise to return soon."

Wilbur takes a step away. He looks at his mother and his younger brother. He fixes them both with a determined stare. "I will be sending letters to both of you every day that I am away."

"I eagerly await each one," Kristin says softly, not bothering to hide the tears falling down her cheeks or the proud smile on her face.

"I do, too, and I'll write back whenever I can," Tommy promises. Wilbur nods, turning to step into the carriage. Before he can, Tommy reaches forward to grab the sleeve of his shirt. Wilbur turns around, leaning down to look into Tommy's eyes. The blonde stares into his brother's tender brown eyes. Tommy hopes that Wilbur doesn't face any trouble at his new school, and he really hopes that Kristin doesn't end up dying while Wilbur is away. Instead of sharing his worries, Tommy tells Wilbur, "Be careful at the academy."

"Ah- of course, Theseus, I will be careful and diligent. I will make our family proud," Wilbur responds, though he seems to interpret a meaning Tommy never intended to make. Tommy huffs childishly, and Wilbur musses the blonde's hair. Tommy scowls at his brother. Wilbur laughs, and they both ignore the way the edges are noticeably wet with tears. Wilbur turns away, stepping into the carriage.

"Wait for me!" A voice calls out. Tommy turns around to see Shelby running down the stairs with her suitcase in hand. As she fumbles to a stop near the tsaritsa and third prince, a servant dashes forward to take her suitcase. Shelby thanks them breathlessly, turning her attention to Tommy and Kristin. She moves her hands as if she is about to bow. Tommy crashes against her legs with little regard for what she is trying to do. Shelby makes a surprised noise, but she returns the hug almost immediately. She even leans down to put her head on Tommy's shoulder. "I will be back soon, little prince. It will be like I was never gone. And when I return, I will show you that you were right to believe in me."

"You don't need to prove that you're the best... not to me," Tommy assures her. Even if Shelby were to flunk out of the academy or lose all of her powers, Tommy would never think any less of her. She is no longer the Great Mage Shelby in his head, but a dear friend of his that often seems like an older sister. He pulls away from their hug, meeting her tuscan yellow eyes. They look like gold in the early morning light. "You have to promise to be careful, Shelby."

"I promise," Shelby says, agreeing immediately. She stands up. She turns to bow to the tsaritsa, but Kristin ends up acting just like her youngest son. She hugs Shelby tightly, putting her chin on the top of Shelby's head. Kristin murmurs something to Shelby. The brunette responds. Shelby pulls away looking like everyone else- tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. Shelby steps into the carriage alongside Wilbur. A servant shuts the door behind them. Shelby and Wilbur fight for the window space, waving at Kristin and Tommy as the carriage starts pulling away.

Tommy feels something warm brush against his hand. He looks away from the carriage. His mother is leaning down beside him. She is holding his hand in both of hers. She looks right into his eyes, brushing her thumbs against the back of Tommy's hand. "Theseus, your father and brother left because your brother is affected by the Water Elemental King in mysterious ways. Wilbur is leaving because he wants to have an education at the academy. Your family is not abandoning you, no matter what it looks like."

"I understand," Tommy tells her. He has come to accept why Philza and Techno needed to leave. He doesn't resent them so much as he wishes he had been able to change his older brother's fate. He still gets to see them enough that Tommy is reminded of how much he loves them and more importantly, how much they love him. He understands why Wilbur and Shelby have left, as well. It will be better for them to have degrees at Kinoko Scholar's Academy, even if it means sending them into a passive warzone. The situation that has formed around Tommy is for the best, he knows.

Kristin wraps her arms around Tommy. She holds him just as tightly as Wilbur held Tommy. The blonde's eyes widen. The sudden fear that Kristin is leaving flashes in his mind. He sucks in a tight breath, hoping that Kristin believes the tears in his eyes are from saying goodbye to Wilbur, not the irrational fear that she will leave him, too. Kristin sighs against his ear, "I wish you would be a little more upset."

"I am upset. I miss my family, and I don't want Wilbur to go," Tommy tells her the truth. He feels a little lighter after admitting it out loud. He has long-since realized how attached he is to his family, but this is the first time realizing just how badly he misses his family. He sighs, closing his eyes. "But I can't change anything."

Kristin leans back, putting a hand against Tommy's cheek. She smiles at him. "You can change anything, Theseus. I know because it is you. And no matter what you try to do, I will remain here with you."

Tommy leans into her touch. It is soft, warm, and pleasant. Tommy nods slowly at her words. Change, what a word, what a notion. Act two of his life has begun. It is time to start being proactive in his life. It is time to take the steps necessary to break away from fate.

---

"Wilbur arrived before I did," Techno mutters softly, absentmindedly petting the dog's fur. The dog lays down comfortably in the prince's lap. Ranboo presses his cheek against his forearm, watching Techno. "As did Father. They were both at the palace with Theseus. I arrived days later. I fear I missed something important in those few days."

Ranboo presses his lips together. He narrows his eyebrows, but Techno is no longer looking at him. He's looking through Ranboo into the past. "When Theseus was younger, he was... not an unkind child. He was prone to tantrums, and he acted independent from everyone. He did not seek out the affections of his parents. But he did dearly love them. He had love left for the world. He had the capacity for goodness, and really, he usually was. He was nothing like he is now."

Techno sighs, shaking his head. "I don't know what happened. It had been years since we had last seen each other. Maybe it was the prolonged absence that broke him. They say Theseus saw our mother's body. Maybe seeing her body is what broke him. My fear is that it was something my brother or father said when they returned."

Ranboo closes his eyes. It's... sad. All of it. Ranboo reaches his hand out. After a moment, he feels Techno grab his hand. It is a small comfort, but at least it is comfort. Ranboo wishes he could provide a little to Theseus.