"Has anyone seen Zephyr?"

The mere mention of Rai's brother caused a stir at the dining table.

"He's out," Serina hissed. "Probably hanging out with those delinquents again."

"They ditched him," Antoine told her, shoveling more food into his mouth. "And I don't think they're delinquents, Gram, they being my friends too."

"I think he said something about going to the-" Maria started.

"Eat your peas, Maria," Weston ordered quickly.

"Look, he was acting weird earlier, so I just wanted to be sure he was okay," Rai blurted out. His friends were starting to look uncomfortable, and the last thing he wanted was for them to witness a blow-out.

"He's always acting weird, Rai-Rai," Rosa sighed, flipping her hair off her shoulder. "You're just playing favorites again."

"He is not, Rosa, grow up!" Anita snapped.

"Guys!" Rai cried as the table erupted with their arguments. "Mãe-"

The warning look his mother gave him was the last straw. Rai shot out of the chair and out the front door, his body tense as he slammed the entrance shut. His family froze and stared after him; Kimiko, Clay and Omi exchanged gazes, then followed after him.

"Rai!" Kimiko called as he started pacing in the middle of the street. She and Omi pulled him to the sidewalk and pulled his hands away from his hair, as he was beginning to pull at it.

"What was goin' on in there?" Clay asked as Rai plopped onto the pavement. "It's like a bomb went off!"

"It appeared as if the mention of Zephyr caused this explosion," Omi stated.

"Duh," Kimiko remarked. "I think the appropriate question is why?"

Raimundo shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"Zephyr's...Zephyr's a rough subject, guys..." he started.

"As noted," Clay retorted.

"It's not that easy to explain, okay?"

"Try," Kimiko prodded, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He sighed, knowing they wouldn't let the conversation drop.

"Okay, it's like this," he started. "My mãe has had three husbands. Yeah, Chrome Dome, three. Two of them died and the other one ran out on us. So, in reality, I'm only fully related to Zephyr..."

His friend's eyes widened at this news.

"The others are half siblings. I guess that's why I have so many. Antoine's father died before I was born, and he doesn't really remember him. When he was four, Mãe remarried to my father and had me and Zephyr. Antoine took to him pretty quick and I guess my dad treated him like his own."

"That sounds nice," Kimiko said, sitting down beside him.

"Sure," Rai hissed. "After a couple years Granma moved in with us. It was so hectic from then on. She kept yelling at Zephyr to stop 'messing everything up'. Eventually she just started calling him a curse. She never really explained why, and I always stuck up for him...but then one day we woke up and..."

Rai's whole body seemed to droop at his next words.

"And Dad was gone..." he said stalely. "All his things were gone...it was like he'd never been there."

The others exchanged sad gazes.

"Zephyr had climbed into bed with my parents that night. I'd woken up when I heard him wailing about it. My Granma came in and tried to calm Mãe down...and then for some reason she hauled off and smacked Zephyr."

He rubbed a hand across his face, the weight of all the memories pounding down on him.

"It was hard after that to stick up for him. I didn't know what to think anymore, and he clammed up whenever someone mentioned Dad. When I turned eight, Mãe met the little ones' Dad, Ricardo, and things started to get better again."

"He is the other that passed, I fear?" Omi croaked.

Raimundo nodded.

"Zephyr never really warmed up to him or the other kids. Ricardo had already had Rosa, Anita and Weston from a previous marriage; the girls were alright leaving Zephyr be, and Weston was always a little too timid to be near the 'family curse' as Granma called him. To be honest, Antoine and I were too..."

He paused, his brow furrowed.

"And then there was this day...we were at this fair that came in. Ricardo had paid for all our stuff and told us to just have fun. I was going off to play when I heard Zephyr tell Ricardo that our dad was coming back...so he didn't have to act like our father..."

He leaned back and cringed.

"He was nine, he didn't know any better," he admitted. "But I was so mad...I actually went back and dragged Zephyr behind a tent and threw him down..."

His friends stared at him in surprise and Rai reddened with shame.

"I told him the truth then. I told him that Dad had left us and he was never coming back. I told him that Ricardo was his father and he should treat him like a father. And if he didn't...I told him I'd treat him like Granma did..."

"Rai..." Clay started. He stopped; he didn't know what to say.

"I just wanted him to come out of his shell," Raimundo insisted. "I didn't mean any of it. But...but it was almost as if this lightbulb when off in his head and he understood what I meant. I wasn't even away from the tent before he ran over and jumped into Ricardo's arms."

A sad sort of smile slipped over Rai's face.

"He even started calling him 'Dad'."

His face fell a second later and a grim look appeared.

"Ricardo...he was really sick..." he said. "Mãe never told any of us...he died that night after the fair..."

"Oh no..." Kimiko gasped; the other boys sagged.

Rai's face pinched farther and he put both hands on the sides of his head, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Zephyr had...he'd climbed into bed with them after a nightmare...he'd been in the room when Ricardo passed..."

They shivered, imagining what that would be like.

"Granma was...she went nuts after that..." he continued. "I was too...I was so lost after that. Zephyr kept giving me this look like I'd hit him, and after a while I...I couldn't look at him anymore. Every time I did I felt so guilty."

"But...it was not your fault..." Omi told him.

"He felt that way because he urged Zephyr to get closer to Ricardo, Omi," Clay told him solemnly.

"I don't think he ever forgave me," Raimundo said. "I don't think I've ever forgiven myself."

"Well as long as it's always about you!"

The voice startled them so much they jumped up and spun to it. Zephyr stood before them with an indignant scowl on his face, his eyes menacing as he glared at his brother.

"Ze-" Rai started.

"Don't," Zephyr interrupted. "I think I've heard enough of your sobbing for today. You think I was hurt because Ricardo died? I was hurt because you blamed me for it!"

Rai's eyes grew wide.

"What're you talking about?" he cried. "I never said-"

"You didn't have to! I heard you talking with Granma all the time. Every time she started ranting about me you went mute! You let her say whatever she wanted 'cause you were too scared to tell her off! I was hurt because you played her favorite and let her believe I really was cursed!"

Zephyr waited for Rai to say something, and when he didn't, his friends looked at him too. He opened his mouth to say something, then his eye caught the people behind him. He growled at Jack and his friends.

"So that's how it's going, huh?" he snarled. The opposing team smirked. "You're trying to turn my own brother against me?"

"We didn't need to," Stryker told him, resting his arm on Jack's shoulder. "He was gun-ho before we even offered."

"We didn't even have to do the Come to the Dark Side Zephyr!" Jack started, holding out an imaginary platter with a grin. "We have pie!"

"And robo cheerleaders," Entropy growled.

The monks furrowed their brows at them, and after a moment Zephyr turned and stared at them too.

"...Did I mention we have pie?" Jack squeaked.

Raimundo rolled his eyes at them and stepped up to his brother.

"Zephyr, I know I messed up," he said when he turned around. "And...I'm sorry."

"Good for you," Zephyr growled. "I'm sorry you were ever born."

"Look, you know what Granma's like! If I said anything-"

"She'd treat you like she does me? You'd be like trash to her? Poor you! You're right, you should have kept quiet! Better than rocking the boat, right?"

"I rocked the boat all the time for you Zephyr!"

"Acting out to get attention isn't for me Rai-"

"Rai," Stryker whispered to Jack, who snickered uncontrollably.

"It was for you!" Zephyr continued, getting up in his brother's face. "You did it so Mom would pay more attention to you! You did it to impress all the kids! You did it so you'd be the complete opposite of me!"

He shoved Rai back, and that seemed to be it. Raimundo grabbed his brother by the collar and shoved him as well. With his trained strength he easily landed his brother on his backside, reminding him greatly of that day at the fair. The brother's stared up at each other for a long moment, then Zephyr rose and reached in his pocket. Rai flinched and grabbed what he threw at him, shocked when the Eye of Dashi connected with his palm. Zephyr was holding the cord attached to it, smirking when it turned gold. Stryker tilted his head and felt in his own pockets, coming up empty.

"I...How..." he stammered, turning to his friends. "I think he pickpocketed me!"

"Seems I learned a few of your tricks after all, Rai-Rai." Zephyr remarked as Raimundo stared at him with wide eyes. "And if your letters were telling the truth, then we both know what comes next."

Rai sagged as his friends looked on in shock.

"Bro: I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown!"