Kai.
"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy birthday Astrid, Kasai, Kaen and Toya! Happy Birthday to you." Kaen sings clumsily and I laugh, his 7th birthday was months ago and he's still singing the song.
The door opens and my receptionist Mina let's Black-Cat in while she takes Kaen downstairs for some cake who happily skips away.
I sit up looking at the weirdo in a cat suit. He's a grown ass man walking around wearing that atrocity, and he wonders why I never let him baby sit. Then again between him and Kendo I must say he's the better choice but the kids love Kendo, so there's nothing I can do about that.
"What have you got for me?" I ask and he shakes his head, "It's bad, these people are being hailed as heroes now, they're coming out into the public with their little group, more and more Yakuza groups have disbanded in the past 7 years.
"Due to that crime has gone up by 60 percent, the number of super humans has also decreased, people with powers are taking to the streets acting as vigilantes but soon they will wipe us out.
"There's so much unrest about what to do with people like us. It's bad, everyone is so anxious that one wrong move could either spark violent protests or brutal attacks. The government is slow to act I can't even begin to express the level of danger the kids are in."
I sigh, "I know that, anything else?"
"There's a new military group that works with people with powers, they're trying to get some government program approved to be an official military power in the country. The idea sold nicely with yours truly as the proposer of the idea, but we need resources for it to work and fast. I need to know if you're in, some of your man could benefit from this as new work."
That's true, "Fine, I'm in. get it off the ground, but what's the catch?"
"Well, you might never recover from this and the Hanafuda might be permanently disbanded. This could really make things better between you and Rei and you could tell her the truth finally, but if you don't want to that's also okay, it's your choice, but this will bite you in the ass in the future, this may well be the organisation that puts you behind bars."
He says it more like it's a threat, but to ignore Cats warnings is suicidal. He's always right on the nose. I'll take my chances though, the Hanafuda is my legacy I won't let it die. I refuse to.
He leaves the office and I walk with him to the reception. I find Kaen still singing happy birthday, he really loves birthdays, "Hey there buddy, want to head home now?"
He shakes his head, and I sigh, I was hoping for a yes so Mina wouldn't scold me to get back to work. I'm so tired lately, it's exhausting being at work, my brain just feels like it's melting more and more each day.
"Daddy? Are you alright?" Kaiya surprises me standing with her backpack in hand and school uniform. I seriously wish I could turn back time, just yesterday she was five years old, now she's in the 7th grade.
She has some nerve to grow up so fast.
"Yeah honey. I'm just feeling a little off." I walk to my office and Kaen runs behind me. He's taking after his father in height, he's close to catching up to Kaiya, then again, she's just short. I think he might take after his grandfather who's an even bigger giant.
"Mom says we're going to camp in summer, can you convince her to let me stay?" Kaiya asks taking out a bottle of water from her backpack. Kaen looks at her adamantly, she always brings back snacks for him from school.
She passes a packet of JustSnacks potato chips. I hate that brand, I have had half a mind to close it down for a while now, I just haven't gotten around to actually doing it.
"Kaiya, you know if you tell her you don't want to go, she'll just say it's your choice, why? Is there something you two are not sharing?"
"No, it's just. I wanted to visit the Hiryu's this summer, we went there last year and I actually made friends there."
I look at her raising a brow, "Well, all those friends go to this camp for summer. That's why she insisted you all go, didn't your friends tell you that?"
"How could they tell me when you take my phone all the time?" She crosses her arms and I roll my eyes, I wouldn't have to take it if she wasn't texting boys on it. My 12-year-old is not texting boys. I am not getting into the boyfriend stage any time soon.
My door swings open and Rei walks in with Kasai and Astrid. Good she came with some take out, leaving the food on the table and pecks my cheek before hugging Kaen like she hasn't seen him in years.
"Are you feeling any better honey?" She asks Kaen who shakes his head.
She turns to me and rests her hand on my forehead, "Are you feeling any better? The boys have been making everyone around them a little sick, they're having trouble releasing their burst, I have tried everything to help, everyone has tried they just don't get it, or can't let it out."
I nod, "Knowing you, you've already figured out some kind of way to help them with that."
"Yeah, the camp. I can't wait, I have everything ready."
I turn to Kaiya who looks away, "Well, Kaiya has something to say about this going to camp thing."
"Oh," Rei turns to Kaiya giving her, her full attention, the one thing about Rei is that she's just a natural at mother hood, she knows how to treat the kids like grownups, but also knows the right time to coddle them to death. It can be a bit excessive, but it works in its own way.
"I don't want to go if Benzou won't be there."
Rei nods, "Of course, I'll check with his family if he's going this year. If he isn't I'll ask Natsu if you could stay with him, he lives closest to Ben's house."
Kaiya smiles faintly and Rei noticed it, to me it's just a weak smile if I ask what's wrong she either tells me or doesn't, but Rei on the other hand.
She squats down in front of Kaiya who looks away before tearing up, "Who's child do I have to slap around? Is it that bully girl? Honey, I told you, slap her round a little, I'll be sure to tear that school principal a new one."
"Mom!" Kaiya yells angry clutching onto her backpack sleeve, "He doesn't care, he just hates me because I'm different. He actually allows the other kids to bully me, if they don't, he has no problem doing it himself."
"Is that right?" Rei crosses her arms slow.
Oh-no. Rei is burning that school to the ground now.
She stands up straight and points a finger at me, "I want you to crush that man so hard his children's children feel it." She turns to Kaiya smiling, "Consider that man dealt with, your dad has this ruthless lawyer who always knows how to get the job done."
Kaiya smiles at me and I smile back, well that was sorted out fairly quickly, but I know Rei, she loses her head when it comes to her kids. I better make Toya aware of the situation, I have a meeting in an hour.
Then I remember he's worse, he'll literally burn the school down.
I'll call Toya's father instead.
~
Toya
The school principal leaves his office after an hour and the que of parents is now really long. He looks surprised to see so many parents here.
"Uhm, excuse me." I turn my head and it's Kasai glaring at the man, "You bully my big sister." He points an accusing finger and Kaen stands beside him, "You made big sister cry." They glare at him and the man is so cold he just shoes them off.
Shoeing of Kaen might work, but not my Kasai.
"Hey, you!" Rei pushes past the crowd of parents and slaps the man, "Listen you rat faced piece of junk, I don't care what personal issues you have with people with powers but you will not treat these kids like trash, or I swear I will ruin you."
Kaen kicks him, the man just looks down glaring at them. Well, his funeral, even I'm not allowed to look at them like that. Did it once after a bad day at the office and Rei kicked me in the balls so hard, twice.
She upper cuts the male and Kasai attacks him with a flame barrage, it's weak, his flames are still red, not even orange yet. Though, Kaen has more fire power, that would explain why he's having the most trouble releasing his healers burst.
Astrid heals the man and still tugs on his cheeks shaking her head, I laugh at how adorable that looks, she still thinks that's the worst punishment in the world, if only she knew. I mean, she made me mad and I did that to her and she cried all day.
Literally.
I felt so bad I apologised even though she was wrong, the level of betrayal she must have felt.
"Apologize!" Kasai yells. I step back a little, his flames are now blue. This is bad, I've seen his temper tantrums before, he's been prone to those from the moment he could walk, which was at like a year and a half. He ran has mouth first though, always been a big talker.
"Kasai." I give him the look. He crosses his arms sitting on his ass angry.
"What is the meaning of this?" A woman comes out of nowhere glaring at my family like this is our fault.
Astrid whacks the principal on the top of the head, "Explain yourself this is your fault." That she got from Kaiya, she has her father's temper. A real short fuse on that one.
The woman steps forward looking at Astrid, "Little girl step away from that man before I call the police."
A cold rushing wind fills the room. I notice Rei has gone static, that's when her body starts uncontrollably emitting electricity to the point that it's visible and zaps anyone close enough.
The kids run and hide behind me. She's rarely angry but this is what I call her ultimate mother mode. She will fight everyone in this room, the entire military and even win when she gets like this.
"Oh, I wish you would." She takes a single step forward and all the lights burst. The kids clutch onto me, "So, you're the woman who runs this schools and allows your teachers to harass the students huh?"
The woman gulps and Rei takes another step forward. She slowly approaches the school director, "Consider this the end of your career, I will ruin you so your children's children feel it. You have some nerve to bring your personal agendas into the school."
"Miss, if you don't calm down, I will call the police."
"Their grandfather is the police. Their uncle is the military, I dare you to call them, I wish you would."
The woman looks at me and I wink at her, if I'm here it's safe to say she's pieced it together, though, if she thinks I came here to talk she's sorely mistaken. I have every intention of burning this school to the ground.
I feel a burning a sensation on my leg. I turn and Kasai is still fuming. At his age he does not have the capacity to handle heat for an extended period of time. It starts out in short bursts and gets stronger with time until he can burn for as long as he wants.
"Rei." I call and she turns to me.
Kasai is burning up, how does a flame user burn up? She rushes to his side and we take him outside.
Kaen looks really worried. I can feel something fighting to come out of him, he's just resisting to let it out.
Kasai finally bursts and Rei smiles, she'd barricaded him in clouds. He stands up and his flames are black.
"So that's what a healing flame looks like." Rei says touching the black flames. She shivers, "Cold to the marrow. Yikes."
I pick up Kaen who's at the verge of crying for his brother, "Hey, it doesn't hurt you know."
"It's not nice." He wipes his tears away.
"I know, I know." I hate the idea of sending them to camp, but Rei might be right. Some separation from us might do.
Kasai sneezes and his blue flames burn off his jacket and shoes.
Astrid gasps covering her eyes. I laugh watching her give her jacket to her brother. Kaen wiggles out of my hands and runs to their side.
"Must be nice having 2 best friends for life." Rei says smiling.
"I feel like that life is going to be really short." I comment, that's just how it feels, these past 7 years the storm clouds have been brewing and a heavy rain is upon us.
Rei glares at me before giving me a hug, "I'd kill for my kids, that's how far I'm willing to go to protect them. They're going to live life to the fullest."
We head back to the building and Cat is here. The woman is pointing at us as we approach.
Kaen runs ahead, "Uncle Cat." He jumps into Cat's arms and the woman looks mortified.
Dad shows up and I smile, I called him instead of burning this school down myself. Having grand kids softened him, I like that a lot. He is going to burn it and incinerate everyone in it. Astrid and Kasai run into his arms, "Grand pa, Sai finally burst. His fire smells really nice now."
It does? I think in my head, but dad had the same reaction too just out loud. She nods and Sai holds up a light. Did he contain his burst into a ball of energy? I was wondering why I felt no strong wave of any kind.
Just a hint of Astrid's burst sent Rei and Kai flying.
"What's that?" Dad asks.
"It's my burst, daddy said big sis Kaiya can do really cool stuff with it. So, I kept it for her."
That's exactly how Kaiya described the burst. It's a round ball of compressed energy, she can manipulate it with her time ability because it also has the essence of time in it. A burst is a reflection of a healer's strength in the future.
That's why she's not able to use Rei's burst, it can only be the first burst, and only the first burst. I could think of one person I would want to bring back to life right now.
If my dad could just see her again, I smile at him, he knows I'd let Kaiya do it. I know she'd do it for me. I asked Riden for permission a while ago and he said he only has one other person on his list so he wouldn't mind.
He wants to bring back his father. The previous head of the Hanafuda.
Plus, considering Kaiya also rewound the three of us ten years younger from the aftershock, I'm sure this after shock could do double. My dad will need the twenty years back.
He was there for me, so it's the least I could do. We had a lot of explaining to do after that whole coming back to life business.
What happened was that I went from age 30 to 20. Riden was now 18, and Rei 16. It was hard getting around, nobody believed I was me. My dad had to constantly explain that there was an accident and I was aged backwards.
My siblings had a field day. I am officially the youngest. You have no idea what a pain this has been. Though. I'd do it again. I really would.
"Sai, hold on to that. We'll use it later."
He nods and I stand behind Rei wrapping my arms around her. Dad and Cat tear the school director a new one in front of all the parents.
Kaen goes static for a moment but then it stops.
"Babe, think it could be that Kaen's burst is only building up? I can't help but feel like maybe this is the evolved version of your power in the kids it's not something to look at like it's yours. Yours was more powerful than your mothers, right?"
She nods, "Yeah, maybe I'll change their training regimen."
"Really? Just like that?"
"You're more observant, I'm sure you're right, doubting your judgement is a big mistake."
I peck her cheek and she smiles.
Astrid's eyes widen before she smiles like it's Christmas, that pisses me off because I thought she was looking directly at me, "Katsuki!" She waves and I turn around. Great, this bastard has been gunning for Rei recently. Why is he all familiar with my kids? Their allergic to people, he should be one of them.
Kasai smiles at me and I wave at him. He waves back.
I take my family home before I burn a man in front of my kids, you'll be happy to know Riden bought the building. So, when we were getting in the car leaving for home Kaiya was using her power to destroy the building.
The demolition was here but Rei said it would feel better if she got her frustrations out once and for all.
I personally disagreed, but as always Riden was a sissy at parenting and just looked the other way.
"Hey, don't go acting like if you were her age, you wouldn't have wanted this." Rei scolds me and I look away.
"What did I say about you mumming me?"
"What? That nonsense again, I don't mom you Toya."
"Yes, you do."
"Whatever." She looks away puffing her cheeks at the window. She can be such a child sometimes.
~
We get home and she starts making calls. She's been overly excited with planning this whole camping trip. I hate the idea of my kids leaving me. I want them at my side always.
"Oh, alright. She'll be at camp for sure." Rei hangs up overly excited dancing around with no music. Kaen joins along and I'm just watching. He takes after his mother so much it can be scary.
"Mom, look, I have a burst too." Astrid shows us her burst, it's got some red static inside it. How interesting.
"Well, keep it for your sister, alright?"
"Yes mommy."
This smells like trouble to me. I can't even be happy for my little girl right now.
"Rei, no matter what don't change the story. Only the first burst works, either wise any one of our kids can be targets. Especially the late bloomer." Something about Kaen's burst is bothering me. I know my son, he would've released the burst by now.
Okay, I remember I called him soft earlier, and that's because he just takes after his mother being a little more sensitive than the other two, however, after bringing up this new theory and considering that he takes after his mother, I'm curious.
"Babe, what would happen if you gave Kaiya a life time's supply of healers burst."
"Oh, I wish," point proven, "But I don't know if it's possible, but if it could be done, it would be like taking your flames and giving them to someone else. Does not sound doable.
"The thing about my families healing power is that at times it has a mind of its own. It can protect itself, it has a self preservation instinct, so even if someone thinks they got a life time supply, eventually they'll run out. There will always be a piece of the power attached to the host, no matter what."
I give her a minute to let it sink in. It's her son we're talking about, reckless is in his nature. Self-sacrificing, he learned that from his mother, she'd die for the people she loves.
Crazy fox.
"No way." It finally sinks in and I nod my head, "Yes way. His first burst, could be his last. Kaiya could gather all three bursts and keep them for in case of emergencies." That is after I run the idea by Riden. He can be a bit of a coward when it comes to taking risks with his daughter.