On a cool, crisp autumn morning, while the sun was lazily rising, young Shen slept peacefully, settled atop his silver perch, dreaming of lights bright as the sun, colorful as spring blossoms, and loud as a roar from the mightiest of ancient dragons. The fireworks sparkled, fizzed, roared, and crackled, crackled, crackled…

But something was crackling, and it was no firework.

Shen awoke slowly, blearily looking to see a firework before his very eyes: a small, tiny one, he almost thought it was a firefly, the brightest he'd ever seen. But opening his eyes further, he saw this was no glowing insect, but rather a single sparkler, one being held up before him by his father.

Shen looked up at his father, who smiled softly, looking down at his son with hope.

"I told you, my son, that the time would come for you to learn to be a true peacock of Gongmen", the peacock lord said softly, "and that time has come now. Here, I've brought you one of the simpler elements of firework making: simple, but elegant. You know these well, Shen: you always played with them all the time at the palace feasts. And when you begin to learn how it's done, you'll be able, my son, to identify yourself as a true ruler. Now", Lord Kongque said encouragingly before he strode out of the room, "come down to the table when you're ready: breakfast will be quick, we've much to cover today"

No sooner did his father leave that Shen dressed, quick as lightning, washed up, and hurried down the stairs, skipping a flight or two to practice flying, an act that moved him in small bursts rather than actual prolonged flight.

As he moved, Shen almost didn't look around him, and almost missed Ah Mah, standing on the first flight up the stairs. Shen, ever the royal heir, stopped, not ungraciously, to bid her a good morning.

But the old goat did not respond. Instead, she stood silently, staring with a look of serenity on her face, almost as if she was taking in the sight of the young lord.

Then she spoke.

"If you continue on your current path…"

Shen backed away slowly, down the steps.

"…you will find yourself…"

Shen was nearly on the first floor, looking up at Ah Mah.

"…at the bottom of the stairs."

Shen looked down to see she was right. He had reached the bottom, looked up at Ah Mah, who smiled warmly, delighting in her little joke.

It was then that Shen headed to the dining chamber and ate quickly, almost not tasting his food, and met his father there in the doorway.

"Come with me"

The two birds, father and son, one resplendent and regal in his finest robes and the other simple but elegant in silver-and-red clothing, moved silently, but for the sounds of their claws clacking against the stone, down the tower steps.

"First strike up a flame, carefully, for testing the fireworks", Lord Kongque said.

"That's easy", replied Shen, lighting a small flame on the work area.

"Now keep the flame small enough to control, but big enough to light with"

"That's easy, too"

"Well, this is the part that isn't, son", replied Lord Kongque. "You have to feel the fireworks inside. To create pretty, sparkling lights is one thing, but to give them meaning, purpose, a story to tell, is another entirely. All the fireworks we of the Gongmen peacocks produce have something to say: they speak of love for our family, happiness for the great city we maintain, sorrow for those we've lost, they even express the laughter we've had over the ages.

"To make the fireworks tell their stories, we carefully choose the minerals that have the best effect. Some minerals make red lights, others make green or violet, and others still make ivory lights like those in the starry nights. And with these different color choices, you'll find different qualities: the red fireworks flash brightest, while blue dissipates quicker and makes a louder sound, so that each blast says something. What do you want yours to say?"

Shen thought it over. What did he want his to say?

"I want mine…", he began.

"Yes?"

"…to speak triumphantly. I want mine to sound out. I want my fireworks to rule the skies"

Lord Kongque's face slowly broke out into a proud smile. "Yes! Excellent, son! Make your flames burn bright, strong, and bold, so that everyone can enjoy them!"

"Everyone, Father?"

"Yes, boy: all of China would see them, and marvel at them. You make me proud, lad. You make your family proud"

Shen's budding tail feathers spread out in triumph. His father could not be prouder, he thought. It was wonderful.

"But, my son, be warned", the older peacock spoke sternly, almost at once.

"Yes, Father?" Shen was apprehensive. How had he lost his father's appreciation so quickly?

"The fireworks, for all their beauty and all their splendor, are just that: fireworks. They, like all other flames, burn. If one is not careful, they could prove to be far more destructive and dangerous than any other fire"

"I'll be careful, Father", Shen responded. He meant it.

"I do hope so, son. When Lord Yeji, the very first of our family created the fireworks, you know the name he gave them? He called them the fires of life, because he saw the life that they brought out to the people of the land. But he knew that what could color and joy could also bring darkness and destruction, if they were not used with caution. Some twenty generations later, Shen, that tradition continues to this very day."

Shen was speechless.

"Now, help me light these sparklers, son", the peacock lord said jovially. "We have much work to do!"