"But unfortunately, one Queen saw this and took steps to prevent it. She saw the inequality and tried to force a new world, one where everyone is equal."

Stark barely had the door open wide enough to stick his foot through it when a black haired ball barreled into him, nearly knocking him to the floor.

"Dad! Dad! Guess what I learned since you've been gone?" Asty shouted gleefully at his father, practically jumping up and down in excitement. Stark held his stomach as his aura healed the bruise that had grown there and groaned,

"Your semblance?" Asty made a face, a little put off that his father guessed. But immediately brightened as he said,

"It sooo cool! I just run really really fast and I break everything in my way! It just- just- just- explodes in like a million pieces!"

"I can see that." Stark said as he pushed into the room and seeing a freshly painted wall. In an armchair, nestled in the far corner of the red room, was his older daughter. Her green eyes fluttered back and forth as she read room a book she held carefully in her lap.

"A good book Jane?" She didn't look up from the book as she flipped to the next page. "Jane?" No response. Stark held out his hand and a shield distorted her view of the pages. She looked up and blinked, taking a moment to register her surroundings. Then a thin smile appeared on her lips.

"Father, your back." Stark nodded, slightly amused. Jane glanced down at her book and then hesitantly, then rose from her chair and strode across the room and gave her father a hug. He stroked her wavy black hair.

"Where is your mother at? And what about Jadum and Cler?" Stark swallowed when he mentioned Jadum. Jane pulled away from Stark and gestured above her.

"Jades is taking another nap, he has been doing much better lately. Mom is still at work, you know how Choosing Day is." Then she frowned. "But… Cler left for basic training last week, they said that they need him despite The Picking." Stark's smiled sadly and he nodded. He turned fifteen two weeks ago and was whisked off to basic training. A few weeks and he would get back and be in the reserves until he turned seventeen, then after his first Picking he would start going on tour. Seeing the Grimm, training for his job, fighting to get up command chain so he wasn't thrown out when he turned twenty-eight. Stark knew the routine well, but it was better than working in the mines. Anything was better than working in the mines.

Cler's twin sister, Jane, turned as the door opened and Ellena slowly walked in. Stark smiled widely as his wife came in the door… her belly swollen up like there was a large ball under her shirt. She regarded Stark with her cool green eyes briefly and then threw her arms around him.

Stark wrapped his arms around his wife as tight as he dared. He could feel her pregnant belly pushing against him as he held her. They stood there for a minute, not saying anything for a long moment. They were only interrupted by a small child still carrying his blanket came down the stairs and looked at the two of them.

"Mom? Dad? What's going on?" Ellena broke free of Stark grasp and gave Jadum a tired smile.

"Nothing dear, come here." Ellena slowly lowered herself into her armchair as the three-year-old clambered up to her. Clearly, they had done this before as Jadum manoeuvred himself in a comfortable position around her belly. Ellena stroked her child's hair and leaned her head back and closed her eye. She looked very tired from the circles under her eyes and hair uncombed black hair. He seemed like a normal child on the surface, but if you looked closer it was easy to see something was wrong.

His eyes were bloodshot, his skin had a yellow tint to it, and his joints were swelling. Every so often he would cough and a bit of blood would come out. Still, it was better than when Stark saw him last.

"How were your missions?" She asked without opening her eyes. Jane had found a seat on a couch in the room and was pretending to read, but she moved closer and leaned forward to listen to his answer. Asty jumped onto his father's shoulders and began shouting,

"Yeah, Dad! Tell us, tell us! Did you kill a lot of Grimm? Did you take down a Goliath? Ooo, did take on a horde King Tijitsu all by yourself? That would be awesome!" Stark reached up and pulled Asty from his shoulders before setting him down on the floor.

"Well, nothing quite like that. But I didn't meet some interesting people. Now tell me, have you heard of Elic Sheildbreaker?"

After Asty bombarded Stark with facts about Elic, his weight, the number of grenades he carried, the secret compartments in his armour, his semblance, his best fights, how many action figures he had, competitions he had won, his duel with one of the famous Queen's Guard, how he took down a Leviathan, how he was one of the only three non-Hunter's to ever be included in Mantle's Action Heros comic, and how the collectable, glow in the dark, Dust powered, mechanical, platinum-edition, scale model of Elic was the only figure he was missing from his collection; Stark could conclude that Asty had, in fact, heard of Elic Sheildbreaker.

All the same, he son was more than excited to hear about their epic fight with Harpies and Goliaths. To Stark's surprise, Lucas also had a bit of a reputation. Though, nothing quite as extreme of 'the most awesomest Grimm fighting guy ever'. Although, Lucas, only know as 'Sniper Black' appeared here and there among several issues Action Heros as a support for the hero being featured. Stark suspected that Mantle cut out most of everyone involved in the event the comic described so it seemed like the 'hero' did things all by themselves. That was probably more of a testament to Lucas' usefulness than anything.

Eventually, Asty put his shoes on and practically flew out the door as he talked endlessly about who he was going to tell his friends that his father fought with not only The Sheildbreaker but also Sniper Black. Stark sighed and sunk into the couch in the room. Jane disappeared into her room, no doubt to finish the book she had, Ellena had fallen asleep with Jadum nestled between her and the chair.

Stark looked out the window at the rest of the city. Choosing Day was officially only one day, but the celebrations tended to last a whole week. The city was glowing with bright lights. Even the streets were so brightly lit for the celebration, so brightly lit that it was almost impossible to tell the sun had set. Music could be heard pouring in from the city. For a fleeting moment, Stark wondered if Tecaelis had ever found his date or found a new girl in the celebrations. If Lucas went back to clearing the people at the bar out or went to go get ready for the mission. If Elic stayed playing with the children at the orphanage or tried to get Picked.

Stark shook his head free of those thoughts and rose from his chair. He grabbed his bag and started towards the door.

"Leaving already?" Ellena asked from the chair. Stark stopped and turned towards her. A sad smile crawled across his face.

"I have one more mission, then I'll be home for a while. Just one more I promise." Ellena let out a small laugh.

"On Choosing Day and everything. Will they ever let you take a break?" Stark leaned over and kissed her gently. Ellena smiled against his lips and opened her eyes finally. Stark saw his own reflection in her green eyes.

"I made 2nd Lieutenant Ellena. Jadum can get treated now, everything is going to work out." She smiled and pulled the toddler close to her.

"That's amazing. Our son… he is going to be okay." She bent her head down and touched it against Jadum's head. Stark nodded turned to leave, but he stopped at the doorway.

"Ellena… What conscription did Cler take?" Ellena frowned slightly but didn't stop completely smiling.

"He took the seven years. I told him he didn't need to do more because you took the twenty years. He wanted to do more, but shouldn't have to go for longer than he needs to." Stark nodded in relief.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," Stark reassured her one more time as he moved out the door. "Just one more mission," he muttered.