Plotting against the youth!

Tyson had just finished the call with Nancy when a faint murmur of voices caught his attention. As he peered through the corner of the hall, he saw Alex and Seraphina standing near the window.

Alex stood with his back slightly arched, one hand resting on his calf, wincing in pain.

Seraphina, her brows furrowed with concern. 

Tyson stepped back, retreating to the corner. Something tugged at him, urging him to remain and see what happened to Alex. 

Seraphina broke the silence. "Alex, what happened? You've been pushing yourself too hard again, haven't you?"

Alex stayed silent, his posture rigid, as if dodging the question.

"It's from the race, right?" she asked softly. "Why did you have to go that far... just to beat your brother?"

Tyson's breath caught in his throat. The race. He remembered it vividly—the one where Alex had beaten him by mere seconds. The one where Tyson had pushed himself beyond his limits, only to stumble in the final stretch. He hadn't known that Alex had been injured.

Alex's voice sounded nonchalant, nearly dismissive. "I did it for myself," he replied, "And don't worry about it. It's just a scratch," 

"It's not merely a scratch, Alex," Seraphina insisted, extending her hand toward him. He flinched, his face flashing with discomfort. "No one would have known if I hadn't seen you swimming away earlier."

Alex shifted uncomfortably, and for a brief moment, Tyson noticed something in him he had never seen before—vulnerability. Alex, the untouchable brother, wasn't invincible. The realization hit Tyson like a wave hit the shore. 

"Just leave it, Sera," Alex said in frustration.

Seraphina stepped closer, her eyes searching him. "Come on, Alex. Stop being so hard on yourself. It pains me to see you like this."

Alex took a moment as Seraphina's words floated in the air, and it seemed she wished she hadn't shared them like this. "We all experience hurt sometimes, don't we?"

Alex nodded, but the tension between them still hung heavily in the room.

Seraphina's gaze shifted to the corner while she tried to divert her eyes from Alex. In that moment, she caught sight of Tyson awkwardly trying to hide.

"Tyson," she called softly, "you should come inside. It's not a secret anymore."

Tyson stepped forward, finally revealing his presence. He didn't look at Alex immediately, his eyes glued to the floor, aware that he might have hurt his brother.

He finally looked up and saw his brother standing there—trying to appear strong but exhausted.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tyson's voice was softer than usual but full of guilt. "If I had known you were going that far, I—"

"What do you mean?" Alex's voice rose sharply. "I don't want your pity, Tyson. I did what I had to do and would do it again in a heartbeat. In this world, strength is all that matters, and I'll do whatever it takes to reach it."

Tyson's heart ached. "So that's why you always hated me?" he asked in pain. "Because I never took things seriously, like you do?"

Alex's gaze intensified. "Yeah. You never took being a Ranger seriously. You only cared about having a family."

Tyson felt a tightness in his chest.

"But you know what? I will never acknowledge you as my family," Alex said.

Seraphina gasped. "Alex, please don't say that—"

"Let him speak, Sera," Tyson interrupted, his tone surprisingly calm. "This is the first time I've ever heard him say anything. I want to hear everything he has to say."

Alex's laughter echoed through the room, tinged with bitterness, as he moved closer to Tyson, shooting him a glare. "Before you arrived, my father hardly acknowledged me. He never smiled when I got my meta-bot, as if nothing I did mattered. But then you became part of the family, and out of nowhere, he transformed into our genuine father who cared for his children. Why?"

Tyson was at a loss for words. Seraphina stayed quiet as well.

Alex leaned in closer, his voice low and filled with venom. "He only began to show affection because of you. Not because I'm his son, but because now he has you—his favorite."

Tyson's throat tightened. "You're mistaken, Alex..."

Alex scoffed, shaking his head as if to dispel his rising emotions. "I'm not wrong. I still remember his face when he saw me with the Meta-bot—disappointed as if nothing I did would ever be good enough. So I decided, every chance I get, I'll crush you. I'll show him who is his real son." 

Tyson felt his heart sink. "I'm... sorry," 

"I don't need your apologies," Alex stated with unwavering resolve. "I want you to become stronger, Tyson. Strong enough that I can defeat you repeatedly. Keep that in mind."

With that, Alex turned and stormed out of the hallway, his footsteps heavy with anger even though he was in pain.

Seraphina paused momentarily before pursuing him, shouting, "Alex, wait! Come back here!"

Tyson stood motionless, trying to process the swirling emotions inside him. He struggled to make sense of the words hurled at him.

Outside, without their knowledge, Edward stood just beyond the window, his head bowed in silence as he listened to everything.

 ----

On the futuristic golf course, the virtual landscapes recreated the actual scene, while the feel of authentic golf clubs and balls in hand made the experience traditional as Tyson stood poised, gripping the club tightly, squaring off against the President.

The tension was real, yet the atmosphere remained light. They could hear conversations behind them.

Alex slouched on the couch, his arms draped lazily over the back, while Seraphina sat next to him. Lioara occupied the other chair, holding a book in her hand. 

In the meantime, Edward leaned against the wall, deep in thought, standing off to the side...

Tyson exhaled and swung his club. Poof. The ball soared toward the massive digital screen at the edge of the course. As it hit the screen, the advanced system calculated every detail—trajectory, force, spin and the virtual ball arced on display, traveling far but not quite reaching the goal.

"Damn," Tyson muttered softly.

"That was a great shot, kid," Edmund said, his voice supportive. "But don't try to achieve your goal all at once. Take a few steady steps, then catch your opponents off guard."

Tyson glanced at him, pondering the advice while the President readied himself for his turn. The older man swung his club with precision, sending the ball sailing through the virtual spectrum. It landed impressively far, eliciting a satisfied chuckle from him.

"Is that how your politics operate?" Tyson asked, glancing at the distance to his own goal.

The President smiled, "This is how everything functions. I understand you've been upset since I shaped the narrative around that incident, but certain things must occur to achieve more significant goals."

Tyson tightened his grip on the club, his jaw clenched. He swung harder this time, the ball arcing fiercely. It sailed far but missed the goal entirely. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he lowered the club.

"See?" the President said, a knowing smirk on his face. "I told you—sometimes a gentle push is more than enough."

He took his next swing, calm and steady. The virtual ball rolled smoothly and stopped just short of the goal, a nearly perfect shot.

Tyson frowned as he glanced at his brother Alex, who appeared uninterested while lounging in the background with Seraphina and Lioara. Meanwhile, Edward seemed to observe the exchange more intently than anyone else.

The quiet wisdom in the President's words impacted Tyson, though he couldn't pinpoint it directly. He wondered if there was a lesson in all of this—or simply another reminder of how different their worlds were.

"Anyway, Sera, I've been thinking about something," the President said, raising his voice to capture everyone's attention.

Seraphina glanced up from her phone, "What's that, Dad?"

"You see," Edmund started, stepping back from the game, "elections are just around the corner."

Seizing the opportunity during the break, Tyson swung his club again. The ball veered wildly off course, missing the goal considerably. His frustrated groan echoed in the background.

Lioara closed her book and leaned into the conversation, while Edward, who had been silently leaning against the wall, decided to join the group and sat beside Edmund.

"I'm considering making you our next candidate," the President stated, "I don't think the opposition has anyone of your caliber."

Seraphina froze, her eyes darting to Alex for reassurance. He offered her an encouraging smile, which did little to alleviate her hesitation.

"That's... unexpected," she said, her voice trembling. "I don't think I'm prepared for something like this."

Edmund smiled warmly, leaning back as Lioara massaged his shoulder. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to retire. I want my daughter to guide the future."

Seraphina took a deep breath, her resolve faltering before she finally nodded. "Okay. If this is what you want, I'll do it. Just let me know what I need to do."

"You already have my support, so naturally, the party will follow you," Edmund said, his gaze shifting to Alex and lingering momentarily. "But we need more than that. We need someone to stand beside you, someone young and influential in the public's eye."

Tyson, still swinging his club in the background, misses another shot. A chuckle escaped him as he muttered, "Shit... this is useless," before dragging his chair closer to the group.

Seraphina hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly. "So...?"

"So, I want you to marry Richard's grandson," Edmund said confidently.

Seraphina's breath hitched as she leaped to her feet. "What? You expect me to marry someone I've never even met?"

"Yes, honey," Lioara chimed in as she agreed with her husband, "We need someone to support you, and he's a capable young man. What's wrong with him?"

Alex tensed on the couch, his hand clenched against his knee. Seraphina, her face showing betrayal as she turned back to her parents.

"No, Dad, please," she begged, her voice growing louder. "I don't want to marry him."

"You have to," Lioara said, her tone allowing no room for argument. "We're not asking for your permission."

Tyson nearly fell out of his chair. "Are you guys serious? Dad, how can you just sit there and stay quiet about this?"

Edward sighed, his eyes focused on the group. "This is their family matter, Tyson. We shouldn't interfere in it."

Seraphina sank back into the couch next to Alex, her voice trembling. "I... I don't have any words."

Alex, unable to remain silent any longer, finally spoke up, his tone sharp. "You can't force her to marry." His eyes locked onto the President's. "She's your damn daughter, not a pawn you can sell for political gain."

Seraphina's head hung low, her shoulders trembling slightly. Tears were about to spill from her eyes.

"You are parents, but that doesn't mean you can do whatever you want," Alex retorted. 

Seraphina released a shaky breath, her voice coming in a whisper. "It's okay, Alex," she murmured. I'll... I'll do it."

"No, you will not," Alex said, his gaze fixed on hers. You will marry no one but me."

The room fell dead silent.