"Why're you joining the Sunshine academy? I thought you always wanted to attend the Zenith." Rio asked as he looked at her.
Amelia's face mirrored his seriousness, a troubled look crossing her features as she averted her gaze. "Brother, can we not talk about it?"
Rio leaned forward, his tone gentle but insistent. "It's important, Amy. If you're choosing it just because you're angry at Zenith, then I'd really be disappointed in my sister."
"Brother _ " Amelia's voice wavered, a hint of frustration in her eyes.
"What did I tell you, Amy?" Rio's voice held a note of seriousness, as he repeated his words -"Your emotions are your armor. If you wear them on your face, showing them off to the whole world, you'll only put yourself in danger."
Amelia sighed, her shoulders slumping as she looked down at her hands. She listened as Rio continued his words "What happened back then wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident, and accidents happen. You're angry at them, that's fine, I am too, but risking your future or acting out on emotions won't get you anything. You think Zenith would care if you didn't join? You think they'd lose anything? The only one losing out would be you. So please think about it again."
"I won't take a step into that place, brother. I won't," Amelia's voice held a note of finality, a fierce determination in her eyes.
"Well then, I'll guess we'll be studying in different academies then." Rio said, as he shrugged his shoulders and laid down on the grass again.
Amelia's brows furrowed in confusion. "Wha _ what do you mean?"
A small smile played on Rio's lips as he looked up at the sky. "I'm planning on joining Zenith again, Ames. When the new year starts next month, I'll attend the academy again."
"Noo, you're not going back there. I won't allow it," Amelia's voice held a mixture of desperation and protest as tears threatened to well up in her eyes
Rio's eyes held a calm resolve, his gaze locking onto hers. "The choice isn't yours to make, Amy. I've already made up my mind. That's why I want you to join there too." His tone softened, as a soft smile played on his lips. "Unless you want to fight me in the next tournaments, of course."
"Brother," Amelia's voice wavered between a chuckle and a sigh, surprised he could still joke when they're talking about that matter. "I'll talk to mother. She won't allow it." Amelia said, as she stood up.
Amelia was convinced that her mother wouldn't allow her brother to return to Zenith Academy. She remembered vividly the anger that had radiated from her mother when she learned of their failure to protect him. Surely, she wouldn't trust the academy with Rio's safety again.
After all, if anyone hated the Zenith academy more than her after that incident, then it would be her mother. If not for the risk of starting an all out war with the world association, she would've wiped them out from the face of Arcadia 2 years ago.
Amelia thought and decided to talk with her mother instead. Her brother's decisions were often set in stone, and she knew she needed to convince her mother to convince him to change his mind.
"You know she won't stop me if I really want to join right. I'll talk about it to her myself next. I just wanted to let you know first. Give it a thought Ames, anger won't get you anywhere."
"If you don't want the past to repeat itself, you just have to grow stronger than you were in the past. As simple as that, and Zenith academy can help us with that." Rio said, as he left the garden, leaving Amelia behind in her thoughts.
Esme started following him as he started moving towards Artemis' room. She heard everything he said to Amelia and even she wanted to oppose it.
Even though Zenith academy was no. 1 and prestigious and all that. It was also a place where her master nearly lost his life. She wanted to tell him her opinions but looking at how he didn't even look at her once after coming out, she could tell he was still angry at her and wouldn't listen to anything she said.
'Lady Artemis would surely not allow it.' She thought, aware of Artemis' love for her children and her overprotective nature.
She took a few more steps back, once they both reached Artemis' room.
Instead of knocking on the door, Rio stood there for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts. Amelia would join the academy he joined, he was sure of it. But that was all only possible if he could convince Artemis or not.
If Artemis refused to let him go back there, he would have no other options through which he can maintain the events the way he wanted to. After what happened 2 years ago, he didn't want to let them unfold on their own or ignore them. He survived last time by luck, who knows if he'll be this lucky again or not.
'I need to be there to control everything. And the closer Amelia is to me, the safer she'd be. And the more focused I can be. I can't change her plotline if she doesn't join the academy.'
"You can come in." Artemis' voice broke his thoughts, as the door opened by itself.
The doors closed behind him once he walked in. Artemis, who was sitting near the table working on something, stood up and walked over to the sofa and sat there. The silent atmosphere seemed tense to Rio even before a word was spoken.
"Good morning, mother."
Artemis smiled and nodded, as she pointed towards her side, calling him.
Taking a deep breath, Rio hesitated for a moment, before going forward and sitting there. "I wanted to ask _"
"My answer is a no."
Before Rio could say what he wanted, Artemis cut him off with a straight answer in her firm tone.
Her words made his heart sank, as he pleaded "At Least hear what I have to say first."
"The first time you stood outside my room without saying anything was when you told me you've seen your fate. And the one after that, was when you asked my permission to join that academy 3 years earlier. And this is the third time.
Whatever you want to ask me, my answer is a no, Rio. And I won't change my mind." Artemis declared with a straight tone. Her face showed no expression of any leniency.
"I want to finish my studies, mother." Rio said.
A moment of silence hung in the air, as Artemis kept looking at him.
"Then you can join your sister at Sunshine. Mother already talked with the principal and made all the arrangements. You two can start from next month." Artemis said, as she passed him two letters of admissions that she received for both Rio and Amelia.
She knew someday he'd have to finish his studies, so she made some preparations for him beforehand. Since Amelia wanted to join the sunshine academy, she made arrangements for her. And when the news of Rio's return spread. The principal of sunshine academy sent another letter of admission for him too. With it, he can join their academy whenever he wants.
Her words weren't a surprise to Rio, as the vice principal of sunshine academy was their grandmother. With the recommendation from Patricia Blake, and the reputation that he made in his time at the Zenith academy -were enough to give him entry in any academy he wished for.
But that's not what Rio wanted, even though joining the sunshine academy might give a momentary sense of safety with his grandmother's influence and protection, but that would end up ruining the plot completely.
The help Amelia needed to survive her plotlines, she could only get it, if she joined Zenith academy. He could try all he wants, but if someday, the events of her future started, then he alone won't be enough to save her. She'd need someone else too, and that someone can only be found in Zenith academy.
That's why, both of them had to be there at the Zenith academy. Amelia, so she can get the help she needs, and he, to keep the protagonist and other plots in check.
"I appreciate your concern, mother," Rio began carefully, "but I want to continue my studies at Zenith Academy only. Not anywhere else."
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A/N - turned it into 2 little chaps cuz one was too big
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l