1 -Infinity

One night king Infinity browsed through the old scrapbooks of his childhood. He felt the creased papers against his thumb as he skimmed through, all the old stock photos, the heavy amount of dried glue he'd use to stick the photos in, the macaroni art, photos of him, his friends, his family, but most importantly: The photos themselves and the culture that was in them.

When he was a younger his father, the king Paktor, took him on a lot of trips around the planet. Either for work or just the holidays. Infinity remembered the wild plinks in their natural habitat, "Carculis' crater" it was called, for it's butt-like shape, how reddish it was and the fact that is was near the bottom of the planet. To anyone travelling past through space, it looked a lot like one's bottom. Infinity also remembered the baloo's that would travel through the skies during winter toward the crater for warm weather. That was why winter was his favorite holiday, the rare occasion you get to see so many baloo's flying together at once.

Infinity also missed - ah, I should stop. You get it, he missed so much prior to the xode attack. Even if it was only 10 years ago, the scars and damage that war cause was as fresh as mint. He remembered the arguments he and his father had over how to divide their troops properly "I AM THE KING!" he would shout, thus ending the discussion. Infinity used to hate that. But no matter how right he was, that argument was somehow always the winning one.

Infinity had a lot to do in order to fix his fathers mistakes. Although he showed no signs of stress or pressure on the outside, inside he was all over himself with anxiety. But for the sake of his half of the planet...well all the planet really, he couldn't let it show. The only person he could open up to was his husband Unity. He intended to keep these thought from him too but the night of his coronation...all the things people said.

"Son of who?"

"They should just hand over full control of Atlas and his son Omnipotence, the north has plenty proved their capabilities of leading."

"Or lack there of."

Then laughter.

He tried shaking the memory out of his head but his brain was on auto-play with no remote to pause it. Soon it was as if he was physically back in that ballroom. The grand, cream colored, marble floor with floral patterns. The rosy red curtains by the walls. The brightly lit candles, the orchestra playing on their snurfle-turfs and bizz-cog machines and the sound and feeling of eyes on him and words about him. Crap, stop thinking, distract yourself before you go back there!!

A green hand tugged on Infinity's ruffled sleeve. "You look like you're gonna barf."

Infinity took Unity's hand and kissed it "Well, you can blame the cook for that."

Unity looked offended "My brother was the cook!"

"My point still stands."

Unity opened his mouth to say something, before realizing he was defending his brother. "You know what? Fair play."

The two shared a chuckle until Omnipotence and his wife Smolder sauntered by. The new king of the south was obviously wasted. "AAYYE!" he gave Infinity a gut crushing hug and patted his shoulder. "Rejoice my brother! Today we are KINGS!" he grabbed Unity's hand and shook rather tightly "We are ALL kings."

"There is someone is the corridor that wanted to speak to you both." Smolder belched, reaching for another passing wine "He would've come in himself, but he was all self-conscience about people staaaaaring at him." she slurred, dragging out "staring" as if she were mocking the insecure guest.

"So he sent US!" Omnipotence exclaimed, extending his arms and doing jazz-hands. "Surprise!"

Infinity and Unity shared a look before handing a passing waiter their unfinished drinks. "Don't start singing while we're gone." Unity warned.

"Yeah! Wait so I can film it!" Infinity called back.

When the pair entered the corridor hand in hand, they broke apart at the sight before them. Magnet. Stop, stop, stop! No, no, no!

"Magnet...what happened to you?" Unity said stunned. Magnet, Once a brave metal-bender, the most powerful out there, even. So influential in his art and fighting skill. Once a tall, handsome man. Now a weak, disheveled, child-sized house painter. They both knew during the final stand Magnet had been hurt, but to see him in this state, when doctors said "We did our best." THIS was their best? This man was just barely taller than their 5 year-old son!

Magnet looked up at them, his purple, gear-shaped, eyes so empty and lost of life through his glasses.

"Magnet," Infinity said this time "What happened to you?"

"YOU happened to him!" a woman from behind answered. She had turquoise skin, almost transparent eyes and soul bender pendant on her stomach, as all female soul-benders do. "We needed help down there. Your dad may have been stubborn, but YOU were a general! You could've sent re-enforcements! But NO! Rather stay all comfy up in the castle with Daddy!"

Infinity's heart was as heavy as an anvil. "Magnet, you know there was nothing I could do! I was given strict, direct orders from the king not to go down there! It was a bloodbath! I wanted to, everything in me wanted to but I was given rules!"

"I know." Magnet finally spoke. His voice was hoarse like an old man's "It just wouldn't kill ya to break one." When Magnet was looking up at them, Infinity and Unity noticed something horrible. Magnet's pendant, the very source of his incredible, magnetic powers...was missing a chunk. He turned and leaned against the woman who spat "Enjoy your luxuries, your new majesty." The two left and the ballroom door (which was open wide) already had people beside it whispering about what just went down. The whispers blasted loudly in Infinity's ears as he vanished to his dad's - well now his - room.

To be honest, he didn't know how he got there so fast, how Unity got there so fast or what the events were that led to him crying in Unity's chest. It was weird like a poorly edited jump clip from one scene to the other. One thing he remembers vividly and won't forget was when Unity was holding him, he said this: "Don't ever keep this stuff from me. Not now, not ever again. If you wanna cry, come to me. If you wanna laugh, come to me. If you wanna rant, for FUCK'S sake just always come back to me."

It probably stayed with him because of how PG Unity is and how he'll never swear unless he's betting his life on something. But that just made Infinity feel even worse because of one thing. Back then, and even now...

He didn't believe him.

You don't trust your own husband?

It's not that he didn't trust Unity, just after everything and how many people turned on him it was hard to open up again.

Ohhh, so you DON'T trust him? How are you this insecure?

His insecurities probably stemmed from annoying whispers in his head interrupting the narration.

Nah, I'm more of the result of all those insecurities. Nice job there, king. First fucking day on the job and you crippled your best friend.

Infinity started physically shaking his head, like the thought was a termite clinging onto his hair. If he shook hard enough, it'll get lost.

You're a terrible king. Go on, feel bad for yourself. It's all you're ever good for anyway. You no good, insecure, sensitive, co dependent-

"Shut up!" Infinity said out loud in the darkness of his room. His husband turned in his sleep, not opening his eyes, but clearly disturbed. However, Infinity heard a 'thud' from outside the bedroom. He opened the door to hear footsteps down the hall, something slipping, a vase smashing along with another 'thud' and a very whiny "Owww." Infinity stretched his arms and legs out and went to investigate. As he walked down the royal corridors he distracted himself with random questions. "Why do we need so may bedrooms? For the guards sure but they all have actual houses now. It's really a waste."

He stopped at the rusty, graffitied with markers door and knocked. Immediately he heard loud, obviously fake snoring and opened the door. Ghoul was over the covers, sprawled out, 'fast asleep.' "Man," Infinity inspected Ghoul's room. There were drawings EVERYWHERE. A lot from childhood, a lot were handwritings Infinity didn't recognize at all. He picked up a drawing pad from Ghoul's desk. "Hmm... I'm sure he won't mind if I take a peek."

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" Ghoul flung himself toward Infinity with all the flying strength he had, but the king was swift and dodged at the last minute, leading Ghoul to make another loud 'thud' as he smacked the lower part of his wall. "I'll be nice this time," Infinity said "What were you doing?"

"Trying to fly." Ghoul said standing up

"At this hour?"

"It's the only time I have to myself these days."

"Can you not wait until the morning with your lessons with Gendrick?"

"I don't want lessons with Gendrick! He's a fire-bender and has wings, so the way he teaches to fly is different from the way I need to learn."

"Who do you want lessons from?"

"You."

"Yeah..no can do kiddo."

"WHY?"

"I have important stuff to tend to."

"UUUGHH."

"Why do you wanna fly so badly?"

"Cause it's embarrassing that I'm 15 and can barely lift myself off the ground thanks to you!"

Hear that? He just called you an embarrassment.

Ghoul sighed, but didn't say sorry. Infinity pressed on. "What do you mean thanks to me?"

"I mean it in two ways. One: Never teaching me once. Two: I was practicing all over the castle, yeah? And I almost got it just out you and dad's door. I was floating for 8 seconds! But then you yelled 'shut up' and it threw me off. So yeah, it's thanks to you."

"Wow...I'm sorry kiddo."

"Don't call me kiddo."

"Oh right, you're emo phase."

"IT'S NOT A PHASE!"

Ghoul flumped back on his bed "I just wish...there were others like me, to teach me y'know? There HAS to be some out there.

There is. And if your father weren't such a coward he'd get her.

"Dad? You okay? You look sick."

"HUH? Oh I'm fine...though that is a nice thought. More of us, more soul-benders....goodnight."

As he left, Ghoul asked one more question "Why are you up, Dad?"

Worthless

Fool

Liar

No good

YOU were a general! You could've sent reinforcements!

It just wouldn't kill ya to break one

For fuck's sake, just always come back to me

"Looking at the stars." Ghoul's father said meekly. "Night, kiddo."

Looking at the stars, now he mentioned it, it seemed fun, and peaceful activity.

So of course the sky was empty that night.