[Fira: Many years ago]

A loud knock echoed throughout the hallways of the Fira palace. The walls shined bright orange, and red. The detailed fire pattern casted a light.

"Sister!" Young Blaze shouted, "Sister, open up!"

At that point, he was around six years old. He was cute, and full of energy. Like a normal child of that age would be.

"Sister! Sister!" He called again, even louder than before.

"Ugh!" A younger Seraphina finally opened her bedroom door, "What do you want?!"

"Play with me! Please?" Blaze clapped joyfully.

He wanted nothing more than to play with his big sister. However, she was seven years older, and in a drastically different age group.

Entering her teenager years meant entering a phase of isolation, and independence,

"No! Go away. I've told you hundreds of times already, teenagers don't play with little kids!"

She slammed the door in his face, leaving him dissatisfied.

"Sister!"
"Leave me alone, Blaze! Go bother mother and father!"

With that said, Blaze finally decided to give up. He frowned, walking down the bright palace hallways.

Eventually, he made it to the throne room, where his mother and father, the king and queen of Fira, were incredibly busy with work.

Their names were Alexandra and Ignis Ember. His father was born to rule the throne of Fira, while the queen happily married him.

The two showed a great deal of love, but rarely had time to share it with their two children.

The king and queen had many stacks of papers lined up beside their thrones. They were once again busy.

Blaze ran up to them, waving to get their attention. "Daddy! Mommy!"

"Oh, what is it, sweetheart?" Alexandra spoke.

"Can you play with me?" Blaze smiled, leaning against his mother's throne. He looked up at her, with big puppy-like eyes.

"I'm sorry, my sweet boy. Mommy and daddy are really busy."

"Yeah, why don't you play with your sister?" The King encouraged.

"Sera doesn't want to..."
"Well, just explore a bit, okay? We'll find someone to come over and play."

Ignis leaned towards one of his assistants, whispering to him.

"Hey, can you find someone to play with him?"
"Like who, Your Majesty?"

The king shrugged, "Surely there's a royal kid about his age out there. Just call around."

"Okay. As you wish."

——————————————————

After a couple hours of roaming the palace, Blaze was eventually brought to the entrance hall, to meet up with his new playmate that the king had requested for.

One of the assistants held his hand, as they walked him to the entrance. He was excited.

"Who's going to play with me?" He asked.
"We located a lovely little girl from a nearby kingdom in the Systar System."

"Systar System?"
"Yes." The assistant smiled, "She should be great company."

"Marie!"

The two entered the entrance hall, and watched as a maid scolded a young princess for climbing the nearby curtains.

It was Marie, when she was much younger.

She wore a puffy pink dress, and her hair was tied up into neat pigtails, with matching bows.

She giggled, pulling on the curtains as she slid down. That laughter echoed through the halls.

"Hey, no no!" The maid sighed, "Behave like a lady. You're in someone else's palace."

"I'm a princess! I can do anything, Sarah!"

"That's not how it works. Royalty or not, no one is different than you. Remember to treat others and their things with kindness."

"Hello." The assistant approached them, "This is Prince Blaze. Second born child of King Ignis and Queen Alexandria."

"I'm Sarah. This is Princess Marie Stardust. Only child, and the first ruler of Stardust Island in the Systar System. I'm her caregiver."

"First?" The assistant questioned, "She's so young."

"She has no parents, but she was a gift to us. It's as if she came from the stars above. So, we made her our princess." Sarah explained.

"Well, it's lovely to meet you. Your little princess is so precious."

"She's...definitely something. Marie, darling, say hello."

The Princess walked up to Blaze, and waved excitedly. "Hi! You're my prince, okay?"

She brought out a neatly dressed baby doll from behind her, and showed it to Blaze.

"This is our baby! Her name is Isabella, and she drinks strawberry milk. Oh, and she poops out glitter."

"Oh..." Blaze tilted his head.

Marie seemed pretty determined on what she wanted to play, so Blaze decided not to refuse.

"Why don't you two go to the playroom?"
"Alright. Come on, Marie." Blaze motioned for her to follow.

The Princess followed him through the hallways, as she looked around.

He smiled at her, "Do you like my palace?"
"My castle is way prettier."

"Oh, okay." Blaze paused, "Um, what's your favorite color?"

"Pink!"
"Cool, I like red! Favorite food?"

"Cookies! No, cake! Or ice cream! Wait, donuts!"

"I like um...this spicy macaroni that mommy makes. I also like pepper, and chicken salad."

Marie stuck out here tongue, "Yucky! Sounds gross. I think your taste is broken."

"I...think I can taste just fine."

The Princess stopped walking, as she eyed two sparkling doors at the end of the hall. She was instantly curious.

They shimmered red in the light, as she stepped closer to them.

"Ooo, what's that?"
"The jewel room, but I'm not allowed in there. I has important stuff."

"I wanna see!" Marie insisted.
"But, we can't. Mommy and Daddy said I couldn't."

The young princess decided not to listen, and she ran up to the doors, opening them.

Her eyes lit up, as she examined the walls lined with shelves full of gemstones. Everything glittered as she stepped in.

"Wow! This is so pretty!"
"Hey! We can't be in here!" Blaze stopped her, "Let's just go play in my room."

"But I wanna see all this! Please!"
The prince stopped to think, "...okay, but only look around. Fast, please."

"Yay!"

Marie ran along the shelves, hugging her doll, as she observed everything. Blaze entered after her, and closed the doors, so that no one would suspect anything.

"So, why'd you call me anyway? Does your family not like you?" Marie asked.

"Oh, um, no. Yes. Mommy and daddy do. My big sister, Seraphina yells at me."

"I don't have a big sister. Doesn't sound fun."

Blaze frowned, "Right..."
"Don't have a mommy or daddy either. But I have Sarah, and Amanda, and...the others."

"Oh. Okay. That's good. I think."

He started to recall how Seraphina acted, and wondered if Marie had actually been lucky.

She had no sister to yell at her, simply because she was born several years later. She didn't have parents who were always busy, and unable to play with her.

Her life seemed perfect. It was a life that Blaze could never have.

Suddenly, a red tinted glow caught his eye. The young prince quickly turned, seeing the gem named 'Imperium'.

The very same one Marie wore in the present day.

It was small, but shined incredibly brightly, as it was fueled by his negative emotions.

He walked up to the glass case it was displayed in, and peeked inside.

"Wow...I never stopped to see how pretty these were."

"Well, that makes sense if you weren't allowed in here." Marie hummed, "I like these pink ones over here!"

Blaze was too distracted to look away. He glanced at the label below the glass, and tilted his head.

"Hey, you're a little older than me. Can you read this?"

"Of course I can! I'm very smart. My maids have been reading to me since I was a baby."

Marie walked over to him, and leaned closer to the label. "Ori..original Ember Family Gemstones."

"Family gemstones?"
"I guess it means that your family has had these for a long time."

Blaze thought about what to do next. He was suddenly so interested in every gem in that case.

Especially the biggest one. A red one, the perfect size for an amulet or pendant.

He wanted them. More than anything.

"Hey, I'm bored now!" Marie tugged at his sleeve, "Let's go play house!"

Though he didn't want to leave, Blaze decided that it was best to keep Marie company. He could come back to the gem display later.

"Yeah, okay." He turned, "Let me show you where the playroom is."

—————————————————————

[Melody: Present Day]

"Later that night, I went to his room to apologize." Seraphina started, "But I will admit, it's because mother made me. He wasn't in his room. He was in that room filled with gemstones. He nagged father endlessly, until he eventually let him have those gems."

"That girl he played with that day. What did you say her name was?" Rex asked.

"I didn't get to see her, but I think he last name was Stardust. Something like that."

Emmet looked at Rex, "That's Marie's. Isn't it?"

"It is. Did he...know about her this entire time? The way he looked at her, at that party..."

"Oh my. I had no idea that was your wife!" Seraphina exclaimed, "Did she know him?"

"Doubt it. She was an only child, so visited a lot of kids. She probably just blurred it into the rest of the visits. It's been a pretty long time since then."

Lucy crossed her arms, and glanced towards Rex.

"Isn't this technically her fault? I mean, she made him go in there."

"Hey!" Rex turned, "She couldn't have known about that! Gems don't usually turn people into sociopaths."

"Either way, Blaze is the enemy here. Regardless of what happened." Emmet replied.

"Yeah, Your Majesty, we would appreciate any help you can give to us. Does your brother have any weaknesses?" Rex asked.

"He um...gets cold easily. He's allergic to tree nuts."

"Let's make him eat a walnut then."
"Our plan is not to kill him, Rex." Lucy sighed, "There has to be something else."

The sudden sounds of footsteps approached the throne room, and after a few seconds, RJ and the others arrived.

He quickly ran up to Rex, hugging him tightly.
"Dad. I remember."

"RJ." Rex spoke, surprised. "Wow, look at you. You're yourself again. I'm so glad. So, you remember everything?"

"Maybe not everything, but I know enough. How do I stop Mr. Ember, and save mom?"

Seraphina quickly turned towards RJ, her red hair bounced as she did so.

"Stop him? Please, just don't hurt him. In fact, maybe I should go with you."

"No need, Mom. I'm going." Harry spoke up.
"Sweetheart, are you sure?"

"Yes, I want to help RJ. He's my friend. The greatest friend I've ever known. I know he won't cause Uncle Blaze any harm."

Seraphina looked at RJ, and noticed how gentle his eyes were. It was obvious that he was different from his father, even if they looked very similar in appearance.

She trusted RJ to help out her brother.

The Queen placed her hands over her skirt, as she spoke.

"When my brother left, he took four gems with him. One to hold power, one to sense power, and two to use your own emotions against you."

"That sounds like to one Marie has." Emmet mentioned.

"Wait, two?" Rex spoke up.
"As far as I know. Yes. Did he...not show you the other one?" Seraphina asked.

Lucy shook her head, "We had no idea he had another one."

RJ frowned, and looked at his father. He didn't feel anger towards Blaze, but genuine kindness. He finally understood what was going on.

"Dad, do you think...?"

"That he's not actually a bad guy? I'd kinda hate to believe it but...what if this is a case of corruption? If he has another one of those gems somewhere then, it's likely."

"It's the first gem he saw." Seraphina realized, "The first gem that gave him a warm feeling, when he lived with a family who treated him coldly. He was so little too. Of course, he wouldn't part with it."

RJ hummed, "Then, that's what we need to find first. We need to destroy it, and then...take it from there. We'll see if we're right then. If not, we'll think of a Plan B."

Rose smiled, and touched RJ's arm. She believed in him. She believed that he could save the world from Blaze Ember.

"You can do this, RJ. I know you can."

He turned towards her, feeling comforted by her touch. He smiled, as he placed his hand on top of her's.

"Thanks, Rose."

Seraphina walked over to Harry, and embraced him tightly. She kissed his cheek several times, and he groaned in annoyance.

"Mom!"
"I love you! My baby boy." The Queen separated, "Be careful, okay? Don't get yourself hurt, and...talk to Blaze, if you can."

"Okay. I love you too, Mom."
"Gosh, I hope so." Seraphina nudged him, "Go save the world with your friend."

———————————————————

Blaze sat at his desk, rolling a small red gemstone between his fingertips. He observed it closely, as if he wanted to savor every second he held onto it.

It was the second Imperium gemstone. The one he first fell in love with, before the beloved one he wore as an amulet.

His attention wavered when he heard his office door open. He looked up, seeing Marie step into the room.

She now wore a silk pink gown. It was backless, and on the revealing side, only covering what was necessary.

A red belt that matched Blaze's suit was tied neatly above the skirt.

"Wow." He stared in amazement, "Look at you."

"I do like this dress, but don't look at me like that. My body is not for you." Marie blinked, "What are you playing with there?"

"Oh, nothing. Just a...comfort item."

Blaze put the gem away, as the princess stepped up to the large window in his office.

She stared down at the decorated courtyard, and noted the cloudy sky.

"When will RJ get here?"

"Let's not worry just yet. In fact, let's not worry at all. We will win this." Blaze stood up, "Just remember that your husband and friends are completely against you on this."

Marie touched the glass on the window, and she lowered her eyelids. Sorrow had corrupted her.

"Rex..."
"Why do you like that guy so much anyway?"

The Princess recalled her life after she met him, and a warm feeling surfaced in her heart. The gemstone on her ring grew slightly duller.

"He's...special. I've never known anyone as sweet as him. As strong as him. Ever since I was little, I've read about heroic princes and knights, but I was told they would never be real. And suddenly...he was."

Blaze scoffed, "He's not even a real prince! I'm a real prince. I'm royal by blood."

"I feel like being royal by heart matters way more. Don't you think so? Besides, he has a spaceship. You have a dusty old school."

The Prince snickered, then moved up to Marie. He gazed out the window for a short moment, before looking at her.

"I didn't think you could still be mean. Like you were back then."

"What do you mean?"
"...I figured you didn't remember, but that's fine. I do. We played together when we were children."

Marie looked at Blaze, and observed his features. Eventually she shook her head.

"I don't remember you at all. You must have been painfully uninteresting."

He showed an annoyed expression, before walking towards the center of the room.

"Yes, well, it was because of you that I discovered these gemstones. So, I must thank you for that. Anyway, I need you for something."

Marie was confused, but interested nonetheless. "What could you possibly need me for?"

"A test." Blaze answered, "I want you to take a share of my power, and I'd like to see what you're capable of."

Though he didn't have a full understanding of xylens or Thursday abilities, he knew Marie could be of some use to him, even if she want a blue one.

She would  be his weapon. RJ would never hurt her, so he had the advantage.

"Fine." The Princess sighed, "If it'll get you out of my hair."

Blaze stepped behind her, running his fingers through her hair. He walked away, until the strand had slipped from his grasp.

"Yes, your...very powerful hair. Now, shall we begin? In another room! I don't want you making a mess in here."

"Sure. Whatever you wish, I suppose."

Blaze's hands glowed, as he used his magic, teleporting himself and Marie into an empty storage room.

"Alright." He held his hands out to her, "Take what you wish."

"It doesn't work like that. I need to be stressed first."

"Really? Why?" Blaze questioned, annoyed.

"I don't know. I guess it has something to do with the human stress response system. My human body wasn't meant for power."

"Just...try, okay? Think about your son, or something."

Marie sighed, holding his hands. She closed her eyes, and focused on all her worries.

She remembered how she felt when RJ had left her, and Rex. Though her husband was warm and comforting, it didn't change how deeply she missed him.

The pink ends of her hair swayed, as they turned into a bright hot pink. Already being under the influence of a spell had stunted her usual corruption.

Blaze observed her as she pulled away.
"Fascinating."

"Now what?" Marie questioned, "What do you want me to do?"

"Um, can you teleport? Create light?"

The Princess concentrated on her power, managing to teleport to another part of the room, but her balance wavered.

It wasn't something she was used to.

She regained her gracefulness, before she could fall, and turned towards Blaze again.

"I'm not used to having power. I'm definitely rusty."

"If i were you, I'd always have power."
"Power is corrupting. I chose not to."

Marie waved her hands, watching them glow a bright pink.

"This however, is easy enough."
"Well..." Blaze paused, "It's a start. I know you don't have parents, but who do you suspect have you this power?"

"I don't have to suspect. It was my mother. I learned a lot since we were children you know. My father is alive, and is the top researcher on various planets. He works well."

The Prince of Fira chuckled in disbelief. He couldn't believe that someone abandoned as a child had found her father years later.

"He abandoned you. How could you ever go looking for him?"

"I didn't exactly look. Our paths just happened to cross. I saved him." Marie looked down, "And he...told me about mother. How she was the most wonderful xylen of all."

Blaze hummed, crossing his arms.
"I am quite interested in your family history. Tell me...everything."