"Phoenix, are you okay?" Shadow called out.

  "C'mon Phoenix, it's been two weeks now!" whined Zappary. "Are you even still alive in there?"

  Still no response. Zappary tried to pick the lock with a pin, but after an hour of trying he resorted to hitting the lock with a hammer. "I once –tssst!– turned off the most –tssst!– complex security system –tssst!– ever created –tssst!–, and you mean to tell me –tssst!– I can't pick a lock!?"

  "He enchanted the door," coughed Shadow.

  "He enchanted a boar?"

  "The door!"

  "Ohhhh! Can't you –tssst!– break it?"

  "Not without accidentally hurting Phoenix."

  "Hmph, gimme a –tssst!– second."

  He went to his little work area and came back with another invention.

  "Is that a pipe bomb?" asked Shadow.

  "Yeah, they are insanely easy to make."

  "Have that be plan B."

  "Not the first time we've blown him up."

  "Zappary!" Shadow snatched the device away.

  "You're right, not the –tssst!– time."

  "This is mine now."

  "What do you –tssst!– suggest then?"

  Neko and Koma were moping around outside, not even chasing each other. The elder triplets beckoned them inside with treats. Their noses perked up at the scent, and they were led back to Phoenix's room. Immediately Neko and Koma scratched at the door, ignoring the treats for the youngest triplet's attention. Phoenix heard their whines, and with a weary sigh, he lifted the spell off the door. At last, Zappary and Shadow broke into the room and found Phoenix lying on his bed looking half-dead.

  "Phoenix, what's going on?" Zappary asks, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Are you sick? Do you got food poisoning? Did you mess up a potion again?"

  Shadow flicked Zappary's head, "Calm down."

  The youngest stared at the ceiling, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't stop thinking about her."

  "Who?" asked Shadow.

  Phoenix bit the bullet, "I need to tell you something."

  "What is it, Phoenix?" Zappary asked. "Do you need juice? A snack? A bath? No offense but you stink."

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  "I'll tell you if you don't make me smack you first," Phoenix sat up. "You know how I've been disappearing over the past few days?"

  "Yeah, you always told us you were going to the river," said Zappary.

  "That wasn't completely true," admitted Phoenix.

  "You lied?" asked Zappary. "You never lie!"

  "I still haven't," said Phoenix. "I just didn't tell you the whole truth."

  "Lie by omission, Phoenix," said Shadow.

  "What have you been doing?" asked Zappary.

  Phoenix hesitated again and sighs with the answer. "I've been spending time with a girl. A human girl."

  "A human girl?" Shadow repeated.

  "Yeah," Phoenix nodded. "Her name's Sunny,"

  "But... you always avoid humans," Zappary sat next to him.

  "She's... different," said Phoenix. "I don't know how to explain it."

  Shadow crossed his arms, "But she is human."

  "I know, I know." defended Phoenix.

  "Did you tell her about your magic?" asked Shadow, coughing into his elbow.

  "Of course not," said Phoenix. "You don't have to worry anyways, I'm not going back."

  "Why? What happened?" asked Zappary.

  "I don't wanna talk about it." said Phoenix, pinching his eyes. "It's just... for the first time I felt... normal. I had a friend I could talk to about something other than magic."

  "We talk about other stuff!" said Zappary. "I spent an hour talking to you about cheese yesterday!"

  Phoenix patted the middle brother on his shoulder and fell on his bed again. "Things that don't make me want to rip my ears off."

  Shadow stood him back up, "Not so fast."

  "Oh come on," whined Phoenix.

  "You'll sleep when you feel better!" said Zappary.

  "Fine," said Phoenix.

  "Good," said Shadow.

  "Because it's your turn to cook," said Zappary.

  "You. Suck." said Phoenix, but he still went into the kitchen. "Man... what should I even make?"

  Neko ran up to Phoenix, holding the boy's scarf in his mouth. He crouched down, petting the cub. Koma ran up and pouted for scratches as well.

  "Mama gave me this," Phoenix scratched the wolf cub behind the ears. "I bet she would've liked you two. I remember whenever I felt as crummy as this she would make... Hold on." He opened the fridge and he had all the ingredients he needed.

  After cooking for three hours, Phoenix presented his favorite food in the world.

  "Roast Beef and potatoes?" asked Zappary

  "Yeah, just like Mama made," said Phoenix as he served the cubs.

  "I can hardly remember what it tastes like," said Zappary, scooping some potatoes on his fork. "But it has been four years."

  The two eat, they pause, they chew, and swallow.

  "This is... really good," said Shadow.

  "Thanks," said Phoenix.

  "It's more than good," sniffled Zappary. "It tastes just like how she used to make it."

  "Of course it does," said Phoenix. "Whenever you guys were playing with Papa, I always helped her cook. I know all of her recipes."

  "This is amazing!" complimented Shadow.

  "Thanks," said Phoenix. "You think Sunny would've liked it?"

  Shadow groaned.

  "Y'know Phoenix," started Zappary. "You've been moping over this girl, but you've barely told us anything about her!"

  "Zappary," stopped Shadow.

  "What? It's a reasonable question! I don't hear you asking–"

  Shadow glared at him.

  "I'll shut up."

  "It's fine," said Phoenix as the cubs jumped into his lap after finishing their meal. "Where can I even start? She has really soft skin, and these really sparkly eyes. I think they're amber. She braids her hair, and sometimes she puts flowers in it. She really likes pastries, I think I gained a few pounds since meeting her. She also wears these beautiful dresses, they're all white but each one has a different pattern. She loves music and art, whenever I see her she can't get enough of my violin."

  "You sound close," said Shadow.

  "You make her sound like a princess," said Zappary.

  "She might as well be," Phoenix stood up to look for his satchel, returning with a book as the cubs ate his food. "She gave me this."

  Shadow picked up the book "A Warrior's Revival." He skimmed through the pages,

  "You really care about her," said Zappary. "If you ever see her again, just know we'll welcome her with open arms,"