Twilight hummed to himself, smiling at Emerald who danced around on the other side of the paw path.
"I remember when there was no road here," he mused aloud to himself. "The clans alliance sure is making its marks, isn't it, little sis?" Emerald just laughed and nodded, absorbed in her own game.
"Hey, compose yourself, we're almost there," Twilight called out, running ahead. He first jumped into the lake bordering the clan grounds, followed by Emerald, and the two swam around laughing, knowing it would catch Sunray's attention.
"It's the clan head of the Charmander Clan," someone murmured. The murmurs turned into idle chatter which, of course, was heard by Sunray, who was fussing over Angel in the long standing family nest.
"Seems the family's here," Sunray mused. "Want to come?" Angel frowned slightly and rolled onto her back, shaking her head.
"I don't feel well," she commented. "Go on and see your kin." She closed her eyes and sighed softly, trying to relax. Sunray smiled and gave her cheek a lick before racing down to the lake edge. He pulled his Pokeflute out of thin air (a common trick and practice for him now) and played a short tune to part the waters and allow him to walk up to his big brother and baby sister.
"Hello Twilight and Emerald," he laughed, bounding up to the two. "Come on, come back to shore before the spell collapses." Twilight smirked and tackled his brother, rolling head over heels with him. Sunray grunted and kicked him off playfully.
"Brute," he commented, laughingly, and ran to shore with Twilight and Emerald following. Twilight eyed his younger brother and smiled, almost enviously.
While Twilight, Emerald, and Snowflake had all aged respectively, Sunray was as young and active as he was at age ten. His mate was as well. It was a simple matter of Sunray manipulating the magic that ran in his veins. He must have used a spell or something to keep him and his mate youthful, or at least slowing the aging process. Twilight was quite thankful. Not only was Sunray at the typical death age, but he had seen the results of what happened when he grew up too fast, back in their childhood.
He shook his head quickly. "I can't remember these things," he thought to himself. "Or I might never want to come back to reality."
"Earth to Twilight," Sunray laughed, prodding him gently. "Wake up, we've got to at least make it look like we're holding a formal meeting. Where's your clan anyways?"
Twilight groaned and looked back. He could see the steady trail of fire walking its way to the Squirtle grounds. Peering closer he caught a few disgruntled faces in the group, and, surprisingly, among the Squirtle too.
Sunray stopped at the base of a tiny hill, which at the top lay his nest and Angel, resting in silent turmoil.
"Here's fine," he chirped, lying down on the soft grass. Twilight eyed him critically.
"What's up, bro?" he asked. "Why can't we see our home away from home?" Sunray fidgeted nervously.
"It's currently in use," he said slowly. Emerald's eyes sparkled with amusement, while Twilight crossed his arms impatiently.
"Enlighten me," he grumped unctuously. Emerald held her paw over her mouth tighter to hide her uncontrollable giggling. Sunray took a less amused approach to things.
"I think she may be*" he trailed off. Twilight quirked his brow and made a slight "hmm" sound in his throat.
"May be what?" he asked again. A sound thwap to the forehead greeted him from Emerald's swift paw. "Ow, Emerald, what was that for?"
"You're so thick sometimes," she muttered playfully. "Angel's going to have a baby."
"Maybe," Sunray added firmly. "It's very iffy. No matter, she's in pain, and we'll let her rest. It seems our fiery friends have finally arrived. Gee, they seem restless, bro."
"They are," Twilight grunted. "They need a good kick I the head, or so Charanth says. I disagree." He cast a wary eye over the mingling of the two clans. There were some happy meetings, muzzles rubbing, smiles exchanged. But there was also a disturbingly large amount of disgruntled, idle shuffling. "I haven't seen anything like this since the day the two clans were first merged."
"I don't remember that," Sunray quipped, tilting his head curiously.
"That was when you were born," Twilight replied and then punctuated with a pause. "Well, shortly after." Emerald purred loudly and nestled herself between the two.
"I was born here," she giggled. "I remember Daddy holding me." An unsettling silence fell upon all three. The tension mounted until her quiet, wind-like whisper broke in again. "I miss him." Visible tears surfaced and Sunray swept her into his arms, whispering soothing words and stroking the light toned skin.
"It's alright baby," he sighed, stroking along her shell. Twilight shut his eyes and gritted his teeth, paw clenched in a death grip on themselves. He had patented this nervous move shortly after the death of his parents.
"Don't talk about him," he growled in a low, threatening voice to the both of them. All lay silent a moment, empathizing with Twilight's pain, and respecting his wish. Flash meant more to Twilight than all four of them, or so he claimed.
"We all miss him," Sunray said softly, finally setting Emerald to lay on her own again. "Let's leave it at that, for Twilight."
"For Twilight," Emerald echoed mournfully. Twilight's eyes slowly opened and his paws stopped clenching, but he was obviously still tense.
"Let's move on to business," his voice creaked. "Our clans are restless, and rather than the customary 'beating', I resolve we just integrate the two clans together for a few days straight. It's all well known that my clan tends to have a nasty temper. At least, more so than this place." Sunray smirked, half amused at the intended compliment, however indirect.
"It's also well known that there still is, and always will be, a prejudice in our clan for yours," Sunray mused, adding a sigh. "I've done my best to drive it out. Needless to say, there have been a few attempts to take my position." He laughed, almost sadistically, and was greeted with more knowing smirks. Sunray always found a way to manipulate his magic to ensure the safety of the clan and, importantly, himself.
"Maybe so," Twilight countered. "But that's been around forever, and it'll do the groups a world of good to mingle and relax around each other. Who knows, we might get a few more mix matched litters. That's always interesting." Sunray chuckled softly. Emerald, listening to all this, began to throw herself into a frenzy of daydreams, about her parents, her mysterious older sister, all the other siblings she knows nothing about, her kids, her mate, and her trainer.
"I wonder how Snowflake is," she mumbled, simply thinking aloud. Sunray gave her a playful lick on the cheek.
"Probably chasing her children around," he said calmly, patting Emerald, as if she were still a child. This made her frown in dislike and ponder things her trainer has said. "So, Twilight, exactly how long will we be having the pleasure of your company?"
Twilight mulled a few thoughts over in his head before deciding that three days would suffice. By then, the Clan would be happy, and eager to return to their cozy homes and nests. Emerald's sour face returned.
"I have to go home tonight," she whined. "Ann might need me for something."
Twilight rolled his eyes and hugged her close.
"Fine, but be sure to tell them to visit us sometime," he laughed. "I miss them too, even if they probably don't miss me." Emerald giggled and nodded in consent. She cast a quick glance around her surroundings again before squirming back out from between the two of them.
"I'm off to see my trainer now," she chirped. "Bye Twilight. Bye Sunray. Give Angel my regard." The two brothers grinned and bid their baby sister farewell as she teleported back to New Island.

Chapter Four