*Azami*

I woke up to knocking. I ruffled my cotton white hair and walked over to the door.

"What is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes with one hand while opening the door with the other.

"Sorry, did I come at the wrong time?" Selena asked.

"Music!" a little white-haired kid yelled, running past me toward my guitar.

"Hey, don't touch that! You might break it," Selena yelled, chasing after him.

I chuckled. "Let him," I said, closing the door behind me. I walked over to them and smiled at the kid. "So you're Skah?"

He grinned and nodded. "Yup! Skah is my name!"

I ruffled his hair. "Well, nice to formally meet you, kiddo. I'm Azami."

Skah giggled. "I know." He tilted his head at me. "Though... You kinda resemble that guy my sister has posters of..."

Selena scoffed. "No way, Musa is way handsomer!"

I put a hand on my hips and snickered. If only she knew...

"He's handsomer, eh? So does that mean you find me good-looking at least?" I asked, smirking.

Her face reddened. "Uh... Well, you aren't plain..."

I chuckled. "That's good," I said, taking a seat on the nearby sofa.

"But... He looks like Musa without the clips," Skah said, blinking.

Selena hugged him. "Little bro, Musa might look like him, but they're way different. Musa is a gentleman, not some rude guy like the prince here. Not to mention that he can sing, dance, act, and cook."

I grinned. "Who said I can't do those things too, sweetie?"

She pouted. "Don't call me that!"

Skah giggled. "Sis, you're as red as a tomato!"

I pushed myself up from my chair. "Speaking about cooking and tomatoes, how about I whip something up before we start today's class? Or have you already eaten?"

Skah rubbed his belly. "No... Not yet."

I ruffled his hair. "Then, let's get some grub in that tum, little cousin."

"Cousin?" Skah asked, eyes wide.

"My dad and your mom are first cousins, making us second cousins, little one. Look at our hair. It's similar, isn't it?"

Skah smiled. "Yup! White as snow!"

"Wait, you're going to cook? Don't you got chefs for that?" Selena asked as she handed me Sally.

I placed Sally behind me. "Yeah, but I like cooking for myself from time to time. Sorta had to learn while on tour."

Her eyes widened. "Tour?"

I grinned. "Yeah. I'm no longer some local celebrity."

She turned away and scoffed. "Well, your fame certainly hasn't reached my small village!"

I laughed awkwardly. Wow. She really was slow, wasn't she?

"You don't eat out?" Skah asked.

"From time to time, but too much, and I end up getting indigestion."

"For a prince, you really seem down to earth," Selena said, smiling.

I turned around. "Thanks. Actually, Osa is too. Likewise for Papa and Mama."

"How... Interesting," she said, grinning.

I looked down at the lavender carpet. "The nobles, though, hate that about us. For them, our family hasn't been living up to the expectations traditionally associated with a royal family since our great-grandmother married our great-grandfather."

"Right, our common ancestors... But isn't it better that you don't? The household was overthrown at one point for being too insular and thinking of themselves above everyone else. Even the noble families turned on them."

I chuckled as I made my way toward the door. "Exactly, it's what I tell them, but they won't listen."

"Is that why you gave your birthright to Prince Osamu?"

I scratched the side of my face. "Yeah, one of the reasons. Osamu is closer to what they seek in a king."

"I see," Selena said as we walked down the hall.

"Hey, Selena!" a voice called out. "Selena!"

We turned around and saw Takeshi chase after us. With him was a feverish-looking Rocio.

"Rocio needs some medicine!" Takeshi exclaimed as he carried her in his arms.

"Let go of me. I'm fine," Rocio said as she squirmed in her older brother's arms. "I just got too fired up last night in my match against Skah."

"Match?" I asked, glancing at Selena.

She sighed. "Cio challenged Skah to a match. It was pretty close, but she won. Thankfully, they used one of the battle rooms in the palace, or else they would've scorched Shi's room!"

Scorched? Oh, right. Their mother's father was a Kasai no Ki. How pitiable. Her parents' clans were at war once more, and her son was tasked to take down her father's clan.

Skah sighed. "I wanted two packs..."

Packs? Did they make some sort of bet?

"Ya aren't fine. Ya burning up!" he said, furrowing his brow. He glanced at me. "Prince Azami, do ya have honey? I need it for a home remedy."

"Yeah, but wouldn't modern medicine be better?"

"Rocio hates that stuff. She'll never eat it."

"Yeah, I hate it. It's yucky," Rocio said, pouting as she clenched her brother's shirt.

"Yeah, we got some," I said, rushing off. "Follow me!"

***

"Feeling better now?" Takeshi asked, patting Rocio's head.

Rocio put down her cup and nodded slightly.

He smiled. "Good."

"Rocio!" a voice boomed. Reginald rushed over and picked up his youngest daughter. "You alright? Selena told us you were sick."

Tulia followed. "Roci. You need anything?" she asked, running a hand through her youngest daughter's long black hair.

Rocio smiled slightly. "Maybe some grape pie?"

Tulia giggled. "Got it! I'll get to it right away!" She strode past me and entered the kitchen.

Takeshi grinned. "Soon, she'll be back to her usual sassy, back-talking self!"

"S-shut up!" Rocio said, glaring at him

Her big brother smiled. "Oh look, seems she's back already!"

Rocio grumbled and buried her face in her dad's chest.

Her father snickered. "Yeah, it seems she is back."

She grumbled some more.

"Seems Selena isn't the only brat in the family," I said, chuckling.

Selena shot me a death glare. "Don't compare us."

"Yeah. I'm more mature..." Rocio mumbled.

I crossed my hands over my chest and chuckled. "Is that so?"

"No way, Rocio throws tantrums," Selena said, scoffing.

"Uh, ya do too," Takeshi said, grinning.

"Shi! Whose side are you on?" she snapped.

He shrugged. "Just saying it how I see it."

I smiled. Seemed my extended family was quite something!

"I'm going to go make breakfast while cousin Tulia makes the pie," I said, turning around.

"Let me help," Selena said.

"Ehh, you help? Nuh, uh. You burn water. If anyone can help, it's me," Takeshi said, standing up from his seat at the table.

"You burn water?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Selena.

Her face flushed. "Uh... Maybe..."

I snickered. "Wow."

"I know, right?" her big brother said. He sighed. "She still has a long way to go if she wishes to make her idol some muffins."

I rubbed my stomach. I better be cautious with her muffins if she ever makes them...

"Shi..." Selena said, curling her hands into fists.

Takeshi backed away from her. "Y-you aren't going to hit your favorite brother, are you?"

"Of course not," she said as she raised her fist at him. "Why would I hit cute little Skah?"

Takeshi gulped and ran for it. "Sorry, Sel! I was only teasin' ya!"

"It's too late now!" she yelled as she chased him around the dining room.

"Pa, tell Selena to stop!" Takeshi said as he ducked a punch from his sister.

"Sorry, Shi. You know how your sisters can get when angered. They can't be subdued until they've let their anger out."

Takeshi whimpered as he turned around and blocked a punch from Selena. A mild shock wave reverberated across the dining hall.

I gasped. "Wow..." Perhaps I should dial down my teasing of her.

"Is he really the chosen of Aventine?" Osamu asked as he walked in.

"Osamu!" Takeshi said as he looked over at him. "Save me!"

He sighed. "You're one of the Seven Hills. Save yourself," he said, pulling up a seat at the table.

"You're mean! I thought we were friends!" he cried out as he stopped two punches from his sister.

"Hmph. Seems like you're doing fine." A cynical grin formed across his face as he leaned back against his chair.

Takeshi took a deep breath. His eyes became stern. "Alright. Come at me with all ya got, Selena!"

She smiled impishly and unleashed a barrage of punches on him. Her brother, though, kept up with all of them. The chandelier, chairs, and table shook from the various shockwaves they were creating.

"Hya!" Selena yelled, aiming for her brother's head.

Takeshi crossed his arms over his face. Though the punch sent him back a few inches.

"Woah, not bad!" their father said. "Now Shi would be in more trouble if you kept up with your training."

Selena took a deep breath and smiled. "Perhaps I should stop slacking off. Then I can beat big bro."

Tekeshi snickered nervously. "I better keep up with mine then."

"You better, or else your little sis will beat you up," I said, snickering.

"Yup! I sure will!" Selena said, putting her hands on her hips.  She glanced over at my brother. "Say, who is stronger between ya twins?"

"Me," both of us said at the same time.

"No, it's me," we repeated, looking at the other.

"For fraternal twins, you sound like identical twins," Reginald said, laughing.

I grumbled. "I guess you can say Osa and I are even."

Osamu sighed. "Yeah, but one day I'll defeat the slacker."

I grinned. "Slacker? If I'm slacking off and you still can't defeat me, that makes me the more talented one of us two!"

Osamu bit his lip.

"Ha! Checkmate, little bro!"

He scoffed. "For now, big bro. But that'll change soon," he said, grinning.

"What angel tools do ya two have?" Skah asked.

"I got the legendary Trimurti weapons," Osamu said with a proud smile.

"What?" Skah's older siblings said, eyes wide.

"What are those?" Skah asked.

"They're powerful weapons. Supposedly forged by the divine couple themselves," Takeshi explained.

"Though he can only use two of the three," I said, grinning. "Meanwhile, I have their sister trio, the tridevi."

"You two really are something," Reginald said, laughing. "Takeshi, Selena, Rocio, Skah, you four can't lose to your second cousins. Got it?"

"Got it!" Selena and Rocio said, smiling proudly.

"I-I'll try my best," Takeshi said, laughing nervously.

"S-same," Skah said, looking down.

Reginald walked over to his youngest son. "I'm sure you can do it, little one. Same with you, Shi. You need to have confidence."

Takeshi and Skah smiled.

"Though I'll beat all of you one day," Rocio said, grinning at her brothers.

"How ambitious. Does that include your Pa?" Reginald asked, poking his daughter's red nose.

Rocio nodded. "Yup! One day I'll be stronger than Pa!"

He smirked. "That's the spirit!"

"Well, how about we go make us some breakfast?" I asked as I walked toward the kitchen entrance.

"Yeah!" Takeshi said, running back over.

*Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter :3**