“You weren’t working, were you?” She said from the doorway just outside the curtain. She was carrying a duffel under her arm. She was looking between me and the break sign that I still hadn’t flipped back to open, and I did so then, sheepishly.

“I was talking to Briar.” Was all I said, somewhat guiltily for having been caught. She rolled her eyes.

“Just do some work, I’ll be back down soonish. Maybe.” She turned away to go upstairs with that duffel. I decided I’d interrogate later, taking my spot behind the counter as requested.

I spent a while of this time thinking. Partly about how my mom hadn’t been texting this morning yet, and hadn’t said anything when I forgot to call her again last night. Hm. Oh well, sometimes she gets overly busy with work, and she takes a while to get back around to her phone. She’s done that countless times by now. Still, I would have preferred to hear from her lately. I decided I’d text my brother just in case later this afternoon.

“You can probably use it too, you know.” Jett said out of the blue.

“Use what?” I asked as I plugged my earbuds into my phone, setting up in case a customer decided to come in to browse.

“The scepter.” He answered like it was obvious.

“What do you mean? How?” I quirked my head, if the rod was supposed to be for corrupting then what would I even want it for aside from getting it out of their hands?

“Blessing is in its name. Theoretically, it doesn’t necessarily have to be blessed with AAAAA’s energy. It could be blessed with yours.”

“How? You mentioned this magic crap, but it’s not exactly something I can use.” I dropped my hand onto the countertop, and started tapping my fingers. This magic stuff always got me on edge.

“Not yet, maybe. You’re getting stronger, especially when you use me, I’m like… Like a battery, almost. I remind your body it has these abilities, I guess.” He explained, patiently, for once.

“How do you know that? And even if I did, what would it even do?”

“I can feel it. I’ve been feeling stronger as well, not just you.” He thought for a moment on my next question. “You might have noticed by now, my energy counteracts AAAAA’s, right? Well that’s in you, too. That light is something you possess as well, and I think it could bless objects in the same way. Maybe it could protect them from corruption, or something.”

“Huh. That’s… worth a shot, I suppose.” I leaned on the counter with my head on my palm. The lack of sass from him was making this a lot easier to talk about, “The light. ‘S that what we’re calling the ‘Moira family magic’?”

“... No. ‘The light’ is what we’re calling your magic.” He said after a moment.

“Are they not the same thing?” I asked.

“No. Magic takes a life of its own, in a way, and it’s shaped by character. You’re a good person, so it’s light.” He said, sounding far too serious. I scoffed, although amused.

“No, not really. I’m just-” He cut me off.

“If you try to tell me you’re ‘just normal’ one more time I will smite you.” Oh, there’s that sass again. It sounded more light hearted though, so I laughed.

“I’d like to see you try, oh great ‘star-crossed wrath’.” I joked, and he sighed. It might have been my imagination, but I thought I might’ve heard a light chuckle in there.

“Man. My life is like, one giant cliche. Y’know?” I mumbled into my palm, that time I got a snort out of him.

“Well, my knowledge of cliches is somewhat limited, as a sword. I think I know what you mean, though.” He agreed, and I was about to respond when the bell above the shop chimed, and some customers came in. I sobered, standing up to greet them politely as I normally would.

It wasn’t too long before Camilla came down, and I went off to the studio and gym right nearby to warm up for today. I tried to keep it light, so I didn’t overwork myself, and I returned to the shop in time to help out a bit more before Briar came down to call us up. Finally. I was almost giddy to go get this thing, with how persistent everyone (Jett) has been toward getting me to do it.

“So, where is it then?” I asked eagerly, and Briar waved a hand as if to say ‘calm down’.

“We need to make a plan first.” Camilla said, and Briar pointed to her in agreement.

“Exactly so my dear.” He finished pointing, and clasped his hands. “It’s being held in a building just north of the city. There will undoubtedly be HEARTLESS present so you will need to be properly outfitted. Maybe some other weapons will be-” Camilla stood abruptly.

“I got an idea, hold on.” She marched off to her room moments later. Briar and I just looked at each other, and he even shrugged while we waited for her to come back.

When she did, it was with that suspicious duffel bag she came home with earlier, only it seemed emptier. She dropped it onto the table, and stood there watching our reactions. Although it was open, I couldn’t see what was inside, so hesitantly, I opened it further.

“Boom.” Was all she said, as Briar and I went white with shock. I got the impression that she didn’t mean the expression, because the bag contained several sticks of literal Dynamite.

“Camilla!” Briar was the first to speak, and he sounded so offended.

“What? It’d work wouldn’t it?” She asked like it was a normal thing to have set on the table between us. She even reached in and grabbed one, holding it up to the light. Jett began to laugh hysterically once he could see what it was.

“Oh my god you really are insane.” I buried my face in my hands. She had the audacity to laugh.

“I’m not wrong!”

“Camilla, no. We aren’t using explosives.” He snatched the stick from her hand, and put it back into the bag. He zipped it closed, and held it up to her. “I want you to get rid of these. Safely. We aren’t using them.” Camilla clicked her tongue.

“Fine, we won’t use them this time, but I’m still keeping them.” She stuffed the bag under one arm. “I’m saving it for a rainy day, or, y’know. The end of the world.”

Camilla went back into her room to hide the bag again, and Briar just held his head in his hands, muttering something about being ‘too old for this’. When she came back, it was with folded arms, and he glared at her tiredly.

“... Where’d you even get all that?” I asked, eventually.

“That associate I mentioned. He works for a demo crew and he ordered extra inventory to sell.” She said simply, and I gaped, she shrugged.

“We don’t have the time to talk about the moral weight of this Camilla. We are absolutely going to talk about this later. I don’t want any explosives in my building.” He grumbled, then readjusted how he sat.

“Now then. Let’s get started on a plan...”