Claire barely managed to open her eyes a moment before a large, black crystal appeared where she had previously been. The surprise made her kneel up, and clumbsily fall back once more. She might have been able to keep somebody's body stiff with only her mind, but that had not only not worked, but it had backfired. Now This kid was angry.

-You can't stop me with little tricks.- Aracarukku spoke, raising their arms as if it had been a stupid decision he could not understand.- I have the same, and even more creative ideas as you.

Claire heard Jupiter gasp and run, but it took her a moment to turn and see what had happened. 

Onay layed on the floor, several snake-like figures surrounding their feet, but they were not snakes. Claire would have guessed they were, considering Juniper was holding her hair, keeping back pain, but the figures were pure black, almoust as if stcuk by glue to Claire's eyes. They were not real, and even looked two-dimensional. These were what Onay had spoken about when they said "Abstract thinking". Similar to the spikes that had attacked Juniper, Charlie, and her, these snakes were just imaginary string. But they attached to Onay's leg like a bandaid to cover up something Claire couldn't see thanks to the strings. Based on Juniper's expresion, and almoust tearing eyes, she was glad she had not seen the injury.

An explosion made Claire turn, and luckily she did it too late. She would not have managed to see clearly again for a long time if she had directly seen the flash bomb that followed the explosion. It was clearly meant for Aracarukku, considering all the children had turned arround, and the few that didn't, the three which had wanted to join Aracarukku, stared right at it. Three less enemies to take care of, but eventualy they would have to take care of them in an infirmary.

Unfortunately, Aracarukku had not fallen for that, and his frowning expression created another quake.

-Can't we just end this night, head to the leader tent, and continue with the usual, only losing a worthless member?- A redheaded girl with furry eyebrows took a stap forwards from the kids. Claire couldn't see how they could be useful, but she trusted they were used as backup in case of an emergency.

Onay sighted, looking t the horizon as if already planning where to go next. What their new house would be like, and how far away it could be.

-No! You will not only be losing Onay, but eventualy everyone here. You can't stop us from growing up, and maturing.- The redhead spoke in frustration.- You will never last as leader if Onay is defeated,- But she was interrupted by Charlie.

-Mary, please, this guy knows about it already.- Claire wanted to believe Charlie would rather be throwing bombs once more, but his expression was tighted to Aracarukku, and how they stared at Mary. Charlie was close to try and stop an immediate attack. 

Onay coughed, once more blood. They had only been damaged when Claire had thought of inversing their body, so being hurt like this, even after healing themselves, it was probably because of using their powers.

Juniper kneeled besides Onay when they attemped to whisper to her. She sighted deeply, but managed to speak.

-Onay states they give up on being the leader, but they won't leave immediately. Give them time.

Children whispered, and eventualy they all spoke and gossiped, but Alex and Mary looked ofended. Mary wrinkled her nose and stepped forward towards Onay's direction before grabbing them by the collar of their clothes.

-You gave us up! You can't be that selfish, Onay!

Onay's eyes were half closed, like they had given up so much life that they were already dead, even if they had not been severely damaged.

Alex had to grab Mary's left arm and ask for Charlie's help with her other just to keep her in place, but eventualy, they all got tired up. Alex's eyes were tearing up, but Juniper just looked down at them, frowning, but with unclear motives.

-Aracarukku, as you the new leader of the kukai, I defy you to a duel. The first one to lose... a finger,- Juniper decided the cost,- will be the loser. The winner get's to be the leader, set their own rules, and be basicaly an absolute monarch.

Aracarukku chuckled, but it soon became a laugh.

He weakly raised a hand, and the earth shook to let Onay away from the area, but he didn't seem to care for the children nearby. 

-I can't deny a duel, no matter how absolute I am. Let's get this done with so everyone can go to sleep.

Aracarukku closed his hand into a fist, and at the same time, a crystal wall surrounded Juniper. 

Claire could not see her anymore, but she was sure she was still there. She could feel it. But it was not enough to feel someone. Claire wondered if it was allowed to interfeere during a so-called "duel", but she would not risk anything in order to bother. 

This was a fight like the begining. This was wether the ones who believed the young were the worthy ruled, or a new era, created many years ago, of everyone got to succeed. Juniper could bring the old balance again, and considering how hard Claire could feel her struggling, she was determined to bring it back.

Not because she cared for this place she had just got to know, but because she could understand and empathise with the people who had lived in it for years, and wanted to keep living.

Power against decency.