Opening day came a year later. By then, Theo had gotten the shop ready to open. He helped Cinder stock as the family got ready to open the doors. The lava java pot was full and hot logs were rolling on a warmer. Bernie was behind the counter with Ember right beside him with her own toy cash register. As Theo was finishing putting the last set of brands on the last shelf, the bell over the door rang as a Fire element walked into the shop.

"Welcome.", Theo said as he turned to the customer with a cheerful smile.

The customer looked a bit surprised, but Bernie got his attention.

"Welcome! Everything is authentic."

That made the customer look interested.

"Then I gotta try the kol nuts."

"Kol nuts coming up!", Bernie said proudly.

Theo observed as Ember tapped keys on her toy register and Bernie rang up the order. Once that was done, Bernie and Ember pushed logs with their hands into bite-sized pieces before putting it on a plate and handing it to the customer.

"Someday this shop will be all mine!", Ember said with pride.

Theo rolled his eyes comically as he got to checking the water filtration system to be sure it was up to date.

"Not anytime soon.", he muttered.

And it looked like Bernie had thought the same thing as he affectionately tousled his daughter's flames on her head.

"When you are ready."

Bernie then started writing on a slip of paper before trying to get Theo's attention.

"Theo, delivery orders!"

Theo looked eager.

"One it boss."

Theo had a while to develop his new speed dash and was soon carrying a large crate of orders. Bernie and Cinder were happy that Theo was able to get the orders in such timely manner though Theo had to develop some special kind of crates so that the speed wouldn't cool off the orders. Theo had been around enough to get the entire layout of Element City like the back of his hand so delivering wasn't much trouble, but some residents didn't take too kindly to the speedy delivery boy.

"Speedster show off."

"If any more of that guy shows up around here, I'm moving out."

"Watch your speed will ya?!"

Theo had grown a habit of ignoring the negative comments and focus on the positive ones the customers who ordered from the shop.

"Wow, that's a whole three seconds off the last order."

"Thanks Plasma. You're the best."

/

As more Fire elements immigrated to Element City and took up residence in the neighborhood as time went along, Theo had gotten a rep around the rest of Element City and got the attention of some other companies asking for his services, but Theo turned them down. Bernie and Cinder still needed him and even though Ember was growing up, she had a long way to go. Bernie's shop was getting busier as more Fire elements would stop by alongside other elements. Ember would help out when it got too busy for her father and Theo was taking a day or two to recharge himself up. Bernie would allow her to accompany him on his delivery runs while he allowed Theo to have a day off so he could recharge himself. As Theo took some time on the roof, he felt inside his sweatshirt to feel his mirror.

"I wondered if this would be with me.", he thought to himself.

He focused and saw Bernie and Ember make a delivery together.

"Delivery!", they said in unification.

Theo couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. He slipped the mirror back into his sweatshirt pocket before returning to checking the water system. As more time went along, Ember had gotten to an age of making lollipops when asked and on one busy afternoon, Theo saw her do it as two Fire kids came in and ordered a couple.

"I got it Dad.", Theo heard Ember say though she said the last word in Firish.

Theo observed as Ember melted something on a stick with her hands and blew into it into a bubble. As she sculpted it into the customer's face, her fire glowed in a happy rainbow halo around her that Theo smiled at.

"Yep, that girl still has it."

As Ember handed the customer the lollipop, the customer laid the money on the counter. As Ember handed the treat over, as the customer admired it, the other kid took a bite of it.

"Hey!"

Bernie and Theo chuckled before the bell rang and two Water teens walked in earning a firm look from Bernie.

"Water.", he murmured before looking Ember's way, "Keep an eye on them."

Theo could tell that the teens were clearly not bright as they splooshed over stuff pretending to be clumsy. Before he could tell them to stop, Ember beat him to it as she stood in front of them angrily.

"You slash it, you buy it!", she snapped as she flared up.

Theo felt the wave of severe heat and the teens did too by the way their water boiled and freaked out. When they bolted out the door and down the street, Bernie gave Ember a friendly smile.

"You sure showed them.", he said before looking towards the retreating teens angrily, "Nobody waters us down!"

"Yeah!", Ember yelled.

/

A few more years later, Theo was helping Cinder restock while a soap was playing on the television.

"The truth is….."

The customers hung on every word while Theo helped Cinder fold shirts and as she was folding on that said "Kiss Me, I'm Firish" before she glanced at the screen.

"She's not in love with him.", she guessed.

"I'm not in love with you.", the actress on the screen said dramatically.

The customers gasped while Cinder looked amused.

"Knew it!", she boasted.

Theo looked over at the counter where Ember (now a teenager) was making kol nuts with Bernie though she was making them a lot faster than he was. When a man wearing glasses approached the counter, Ember nudged her father's elbow.

"Dad", she said, "Customer."

Theo took a moment to come over when an idea came to mind.

"How about she take this one Bernie?", Theo suggested, "I would make good practice."

Ember's eyes lit up. She knew that she could count on Theo since she had gotten to know him over the many times he watched her.

Bernie hesitated and then decided to take Theo up on his offer. As he took a break around a bend, Ember attended the customer and Theo went back to restocking.

"Can I help you?", she asked.

"All this.", he said laying a basket of items on the counter, "And the sparklers are buy one get one free?"

"That's right.", Ember clarified.

"Great! I'll take the free one.", the customer said as he took a sparkler and lit the top with his finger.

Theo was in the middle of finishing up when Ember's nervous chuckle got his attention and he saw the condition at the counter.

"Uh-oh."

As he started making his way to the counter, Ember and the customer were already in a dispute as more sparklers went through.

"But the customer is always right!"

"Not in this case…."

By the time Theo got to the counter, Ember had a bouquet of sparklers in her hand and still the customer wasn't backing down.

"Just give me one for free!"

"That's not how it works!", Ember bellowed.

Theo barely had time to raise his hands before Ember's flame flickered, turned purple and then exploded. As the blast went off, Theo was thrown into a wall and barely managed to conjure an electro-magnetic field to cushion his fall, but he still hit it pretty hard. Once the smoke cleared, the basket on the counter melted, scorch marks lined the floor, and small fires were around the shop. Bernie came out from behind the back and delt with Ember while Cinder came over to Theo.

"Theo, are you alright?"

Theo weakly got up and using his ability on himself to reconstruct himself rather painfully.

"Oh that hurts.", he groaned as he finished fixing himself and turned to Cinder, "Well, I'll get to cleaning up."

/

Some more years passed and Theo soon got the rundown on whenever Ember would flare up and explode. Not only did it leave a big mess he had to clean up, it had other issues.

"If Ember keeps this up, I'll have to liquidate my retirement to keep this water prevention system up.", he had said once.

Ember felt bad for Theo. Not only was her temper causing troubles with her father's shop, it was threatening the one person who had stood by her parents since they came to Element City.

"Theo, I'm sorry. I just-"

Theo held up his hand to pause her.

"It's cool. One place's mess is a cleaner's bread and butter."

Ember tried to keep calm and make a connection with customers as Theo found out Bernie had told her, but it was clearly not set in just yet. Two of the shop regulars, Flarry and Flarrietta were nearby and started talking.

"She almost went full purple!", Flarrietta commented, "I've never seen anyone go full purple!"

Theo rolled his eyes as Bernie came in and noticed the customer.

"Oh! Please forgive my daughter. She burns bright, but sometimes too bright.", he said to the customer before blowing out the fire on her hat, "Nice hat. Let me make you a fresh batch on the house."

The customer accepted it and turned heel as Bernie got to making the kol nuts and Ember began cleaning up the broken glass.

"Everything okay?", Theo asked as he came over.

Ember sighed.

"I'm sorry Theo, I don't know how that one got away from me.", she said before she put the glass shards into her mouth and started chewing.

"Oh, you're tense because of the big Red Dot Sale tomorrow.", Bernie said, "It has us all at a broil."

Theo was keeping busy by repairing the water filtration system, but decided to hear the two out as Ember blew out the glass into a tube and began shaping it.

"I guess. It's just…some of these customers get me all…"

She groaned in frustration as she bit off an end of the tube and continued shaping the tube into a new pane.

"Just do what we practiced.", Bernie told her, "You're so good at everything else."

Ember cooled off as she turned to Bernie.

"You're right. I will get it.", she assured him, "I just want you to rest."

Theo then got back to his work and saw a section was still a little faulty. He tried to get back on it when a cough made him turn to see Bernie cough up some smoke.

"Mr. Lumen, you okay?", he asked.

Bernie could see Ember and Theo were concerned, but he gave a smile.

"Just tired."

"Maybe Ember can finish up that order.", Theo suggested, "You should rest up."

Bernie took Theo up as Theo helped him down and Ember picked up where he left off.

"Hey Bernie, that cough is terrible.", Flarry stated.

"Not as terrible as your cooking.", Flarrietta added.

Bernied rolled his eyes and said something Theo didn't quite get before he also said, "Sheesh".

"When will you put Ember out of her misery and retire?", Flarrietta continued, "Finally put her name on the sign outside?"

Ember and Theo both listened. Theo knew Ember was great, but Bernie did have the final say.

"She will take over when she is ready."

/

Theo then had an idea as he could see Ember was disappointed.

"You know that we'll be "ready" for you to buy something if you're ready to get off your lazy ash."

The Fire people in the shop joined in the laughter.

"Oh! Burn!", they called out.

Bernie chuckled.

"But she is so close. I mean she'll probably never make deliveries as fast as me…"

He paused to let the crowd laugh again before continuing.

"… but actions speak louder than worms."

"I think you mean words.", Theo corrected.

"Words.", Bernie repeated.

"You don't think I can beat your record?", Ember asked picking up a timer and cranked the dial, "I've been taking it easy on you so I don't hurt your feelings, Mr. Smokestack. But game on!"

As Ember started gathering up the stuff she needed to deliver, Theo looked Bernie's way to see a smile on his face.

"You think she'll be okay?", he asked.

Bernie nodded before turning to Theo.

"How's that water resistant system holding up?"

Theo frowned.

"I'm going to have to go out for some more supplies.", he admitted, "I appear to be low."

Bernie looked his way smiling.

"You go ahead. I'll be okay."

Theo smiled.

"Thanks.", he said as he saw Ember had left out already, "Back in a jiff."

When Theo got outside, he noticed Ember near the Wetro station with a scooter of the stuff she was delivering while holding an umbrella to hold off the water wave falling from above. Theo then bolted and was soon back at the shop by nightfall with a fresh batch of piping, plastic covering, and sponges. Most of the customers had gone home and when Theo started putting his stuff away in storage, he noticed Bernie get some red stickers out. He finished up and got to the counter.

"Hey, why not you get some rest?", Theo told him, "When Ember gets here, I'll have her help out. We'll lock up."

Bernie seemed to agree with that as Cinder helped Bernie upstairs. Theo started preparing the stickers for the Red Dot Sale tomorrow. It was the biggest sale the shop had and Theo had helped insure that it was still that. When he had done some stickers, Ember came in through the door.

"Winner, winner, charcoal dinner!", she called out.

Theo looked her way as she came up to the counter.

"Where's Dad?", she asked.

"He's upstairs already.", Theo stated, "I'm also done with the stickers for tomorrow. Why not pray to the blue flame before bed?"

Ember didn't have to be told twice. As Theo headed up to bed after his prayer, he overheard Ember and turned to see her standing before the blue flame.

"Please, let tomorrow got my way.", she prayed before tossing her stick into the blaze.