"Alright, boys. The whining is over."
Falco raised his shake with a wide grin.
"Let's enjoy this perfect birthday party."
"Okay, Papa."
Alfie answered cheerfully, though his attention remained fixed on Gusto.
Falco noticed and shook his head with a laugh.
"Today, we're celebrating my son, Alfie, and his first decade of life."
He turned toward Gusto's father and shook his hand.
"Thank you for coming, my good friend."
Gusto's father smiled as he poured himself another shake.
"Next month, it'll be Gusto's turn. He'll be celebrating his first decade on Earth too."
He raised his cup.
"So we might as well celebrate both of them today."
"Hooray, hooray."
Elijah and Marcus began dancing around Alfie.
"Our brother is ten years old."
Alfie laughed at their excitement.
Gusto crossed his arms with a smug grin before joining in.
"Don't get too cocky."
He began singing loudly, completely off-key.
"Hooray, hooray. Little Alfie is ten years old."
Everyone burst into laughter.
The celebration continued late into the night. They ate, laughed, and talked until exhaustion finally caught up with them.
By the time midnight arrived, everyone had fallen asleep right there in the front yard.
It was a birthday Alfie would never forget.
---
The Morning After
Morning arrived, and Alfie slowly opened his eyes.
He found himself lying in his room, surrounded by his younger brothers. Blinking sleepily, he tried to recall how he'd ended up there.
How did I get here?
He couldn't remember anyone carrying him inside.
I guess Mama or Papa brought us in.
After a long yawn, he climbed out of bed and stepped outside.
Gusto and his father were already gone. Falco had returned to work, while Margaret had left for her shop.
Alfie walked over to his father, who was busy working.
"Good morning, Papa."
Falco looked up and smiled.
"Good morning, Alfie. How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
Alfie rubbed his sleepy eyes.
Falco chuckled.
"You fell asleep before we could give you your birthday present last night."
"Huh?"
Alfie stared at him in confusion.
"Oh, really? I don't remember any of that."
"Haha. Already stressing yourself out at ten years old?"
Falco returned to his work.
"Must've been all that running around before the party."
Alfie ignored the joke and got straight to the point.
"Where's my gift, Papa?"
Falco smiled knowingly.
"So that's what you're interested in."
He reached down and picked something up, revealing a small sledgehammer perfectly sized for Alfie.
Holding it out to his son, Falco placed a hand on his head.
"You're my first son, Alfie, and I'd love for you to follow in my footsteps."
His expression filled with pride.
"I want to teach you the art of blacksmithing."
Alfie's face immediately fell.
"No, Dad."
He moved Falco's hand away.
"I don't want to be a blacksmith. I want to become a Shinra."
His voice grew more determined.
"I want to protect people from Darkside Spirits."
Falco froze, his smile disappearing.
"Where did you hear about Darkside Spirits?"
He stared at his son, his expression growing stern.
"You don't even know what you're talking about."
He gestured toward the sledgehammer.
"Just because Gusto is joining the academy doesn't mean you can."
Alfie clenched his fists.
"I'll prove myself to the world."
His eyes burned with determination.
"I want to destroy Darkside Spirits and protect Wuhan."
"Enough."
Falco's sudden outburst made Alfie flinch.
"Stop this nonsense. You're too immature to understand what you're saying."
He took a breath before continuing, his expression serious.
"Listen to me, Alfie. I attempted to enter the Shinra Academy four times."
Alfie's eyes widened.
"Four times?"
Falco nodded.
"I went with Gusto's father. We both failed."
Alfie fell silent.
"Being a Shinra isn't just about swinging a sword," Falco continued. "You have to master Renshi."
Alfie tilted his head.
"Renshi?"
"Renshi is the power every Shinra possesses."
Falco sighed.
"Gusto was born with it. That's why he was accepted into the academy without having to pay."
Alfie glanced down at himself.
"But you..."
Falco hesitated briefly before continuing.
"You've been alive for ten years, Alfie, and you still haven't shown a single sign of Renshi."
Alfie looked up at him.
"How do you plan to become a Shinra without it?"
"But, Papa..."
He hesitated, struggling to understand.
"You said you tried four times. Does that mean you had Renshi?"
Falco fell silent.
For a moment, he seemed unsure how to answer. He didn't want to lie to his son, so instead, he changed the subject.
"Forget about that dream."
He picked up another tool and gestured toward the work area.
"Come on. Pick up your tools. I'll teach you how to forge."
Alfie shook his head.
"No, Papa. I don't want to forge."
He clenched his fist, his determination returning.
"I want to slay."
That was the final straw.
"Enough."
Falco's voice echoed through the shop.
"Get inside."
Alfie froze.
"Go bathe, then come back here."
Falco pointed toward the house.
"And don't mention Shinras again."
Alfie lowered his head, his defiance replaced by fear.
"Yes, Papa."
He quickly obeyed.
That day, Falco began teaching him the basics of blacksmithing: hammering, heating metal, shaping it, and cooling it.
But Alfie's heart wasn't in the work. He struggled through every lesson, his lack of enthusiasm becoming increasingly obvious.
Falco eventually noticed.
"Your heart isn't in this, Alfie."
Alfie remained silent.
"You need to improve, or there will be consequences."
Alfie nodded.
"Yes, Papa."
But something changed on the second day.
Alfie began paying attention. He watched the metal closely, listened to every instruction, and started asking questions.
Slowly, genuine interest appeared on his face.
Falco noticed the change and smiled, believing his son was finally beginning to accept the life he had chosen for him.
But Falco didn't know the truth.
Alfie was forming a secret plan.
---
Falco's Departure
A few days passed.
One morning, Falco prepared his equipment for a job delivering reinforcement equipment to a group of Shinras on the far side of the country. The journey would take more than a day, so he packed everything he needed before preparing to leave.
Before stepping onto the road, he turned toward his family.
"I'll be back soon."
Margaret smiled at him.
"Be careful."
Falco nodded before setting off.
Marcus and Elijah stood beside their mother, their eyes already filling with tears as they watched their father walk away.
"Mama..."
Marcus wiped his face.
"When will Papa be back?"
Elijah continued watching Falco as he moved farther down the road.
"When is Papa coming home?"
Margaret placed a hand on each boy's shoulder and smiled gently.
"Soon. Your father will be back soon."
The two boys continued watching as Falco disappeared down the road.