Chapter Text
In the deep dark of the forest, Miles’ father lay in wait, hiding near a twisted tree with a trapdoor embedded within. Hearing the creaking of the door, he cautiously emerges, drawing his knife. Seeing a young woman crawl out of the tunnel, followed by another, he slinks back into hiding.
“I’ll kill him,” one of the women remarks. “I’ll kill that Rider! Get back the crown, come on.” That piqued his interest.
“Oh, ladies!” he calls out as the sisters begin to walk away. “Perhaps you want to stop acting like wild dogs chasing their tails and think for a moment.”
He holds out the precious bag that the thieves so heartily desired; the twins’ eyes grow wide and they draw their swords.
“Oh, please, there’s no need for that.” He tosses the bag their way, and they wrestle to grab it. The redheaded girl opens the bag to find that the crown was indeed inside.
“Well, if that’s all you want, then be on your way! I was going to offer you something worth one thousand crowns, would have made you rich beyond belief, and that wasn’t even the best part. Oh well, c’est la vie! Enjoy your crown,” he croons and turns to leave.
“...What’s the best part?” the redhead asks.
“It comes with revenge on Phoenix Rider.”
In another part of the woods, Nick and Miles sit around a campfire, Miles’ hair trailing around the forest floor.
“So, you’re being strangely cryptic as you wrap your magic hair around my injured hand.” Nick winces as Miles tightens his hair around his hand.
“Sorry. Just… don’t freak out.” Miles takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, then begins to sing.
Flower gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
As Miles sings, an ethereal golden glow starts to emanate from the roots of his hair, slowly spreading down to the tips.
Heal what has been hurt
Change the Fates’ design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
Nick watches with wide eyes, and once the light reaches his hand, he feels a strange tingling sensation. With the incantation complete, Miles opens his eyes and looks into Nick’s. Nick quickly unwraps the hair around his hand and his jaw drops upon seeing that the gash had completely disappeared. He opens his mouth to scream –
“Please don’t freak out!”
“I-I’m not freaking out, are you freaking out?” Nick stammers. “I’m just very interested in your hair and the magical qualities that it possesses. Uh… How long has it been doing that, exactly?”
“Um, forever, I guess. Father said that when I was a baby, people tried to cut it. They wanted to take it for themselves. But once it’s cut, it turns gray and loses its power.” Miles draws back his hair to reveal a clipped lock of gray hair behind his neck. “A gift like that, it has to be protected. That’s why Father never let me… That’s why…”
“You never left that tower,” Nick finishes for him. “Are you still gonna go back?”
“No. Yes? Ugh, it’s complicated.” Miles buries his head in his hands. “This whole adventure has filled me with unease and uncertainty.” He uncovers his face and takes a deep breath. “So, Nicholas Wright, huh?”
“Ah, yeah, well, I’ll spare you the sob story of poor orphan Nicholas Wright. It’s uh… a little bit of a downer.” Miles scoots closer to Nick and rests his chin in his hands. Nick sighs. “There was this book. A book I used to read every night to all the younger kids. The Tales of the Steel Samurai.”
“I love that book!” Miles exclaims.
“Really? I mean… it’s kind of for kids though, isn’t it?” Miles stares daggers at Nick. “N-no, it’s fine! It’s fine.” Nick clears his throat. “Anyways… the idea of going on grand adventures, having enough money to do whatever I wanted, it just… it just seemed better than being a nobody forever. And hey, you can’t tell anyone about this, okay? It could ruin my whole reputation.”
“Ahh, we wouldn’t want that,” Miles says with a smirk. Noticing the fire dying down, Nick rises to his feet.
“Well, I should, uh, I should get some more firewood.”
“Hey,” Miles calls out before Nick can leave. “For the record, I like Nicholas Wright more than Phoenix Rider.”
“Well, then you’d be the first. But thank you.” As Nick walks away, Miles smiles to himself.
“Well! I thought he’d never leave,” a voice rings out from behind Miles. His heart plummets.
“Father?”
“Hello, dear.” He pulls Miles into an embrace.
“H-How did you find me?”
“Oh, it was easy, really. I just listened to the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that.”
“Father…”
“We’re going home. Now.” Miles’ father grabs him by the wrist and begins to walk away, but Miles pulls back.
“You… you don’t understand. I’ve been on the most incredible journey. I’ve seen and learned so much. I… I even met someone.”
“Yes, yes, the wanted thief, I’m so proud. Come on.” Miles rips free of his father’s grasp once more.
“Father, wait. I… I think he likes me.”
“Likes you? Please, Miles, that’s demented!”
“Father!”
“This whole romance you’ve invented just proves that you’re too naive to be here. Don’t be stupid, Miles. Come with Father now.” He opens his arms to Miles.
“No!” The air hangs deathly still for an excruciatingly long moment.
“No? Oh, I see how it is. You think that just because you’ve spent one day with some smarmy little hunk that you know everything now. Fine, if you’re so sure, then give him this.” He brandishes the satchel in Miles’ face.
“How did you–?”
“This is why he’s coming on to you!” He tosses the crown to Miles. “Give it to him, and that’s how fast he’ll leave you.” He shouts, enunciating with a snap.
“I will!” Miles retorts.
“I won’t say I told you so. Don’t come crying to me when he shows his true colors.” And with that, Miles’ father turns and disappears into the night, leaving Miles standing alone, holding the crown.
“So hey, can I ask you something?” Nick says as he returns with a bundle of sticks. “Is there any chance that I’m going to get super strength in my hand? Because I’m not going to lie, that would be stupendous.” He sees Miles facing away from the campfire, frozen still. “Hey, you alright?” Miles turns around.
“Oh, sorry, yes. Just… lost in thought, I guess.” As Nick continues to ramble about potential superpowers, Miles’ father and the Stabbington Sisters hide in the nearby foliage.
“Patience, girls. All good things to those who wait.”