The startled avians screamed as icy spheres came raining down upon their heads. It had happened so suddenly and without any warning. None of the avians were prepared for it.

The fragile hollowed balls of ice did not generate the impact necessary to hurt the avians. But it was enough to disrupt their good moods and annoy them.

Altaire was fortunately spared from the icy barrage. While noise and chaos reigned around him, he watched the architect of the chaos revel in what he had created. Syryn's lips were curved with smug satisfaction, and he had a glint in his half-mast eyes.

"Well, this is terrible," Syryn said out loudly while faking concern. "I know what's happening. You're all going to blame me now, aren't you? The avians of Nua have resorted to playing tricks that will have me arrested. So, Which scheming bird is trying to implicate me today?" 

The avians who had been about to about to shout their accusations changed tracks and hastily swallowed back their words.

"Why can't it be you?" Someone asked.

Syryn inclined his head to the side. "What do I gain from pulling such a stupid stunt? I'm not crazy enough to attack Nuans while being surrounded by so many of its citizens. You must be an idiot if you think that's a good idea."

The avian could not rebut Syryn's logic. He sounded so very sincere.

"If you're all done playing tricks on a foreigner, allow me to display the effects of my next potion."

Behind Syryn, the middle-aged alchemist was shaking in his boots from the revelation of Syryn's ability. He wasnt stupid like some of the others, at least not stupid enough to not know how difficult it was to cheat during such a test. He'd concluded that Syryn was either very good at cheating or was amazing at brewing. It was too late now for him to back out. The basket of heart feathers in Altaire's hands terrified the man. He would get blamed for the loss of all the heart feathers. Could he run away right now? His life would even be in danger at this rate.

The amphitheatre was quiet after what had just taken place. Some of the avians who had been pelted with ice had already walked out of the place. The rest wore gloomy faces and cursed the mage who had cast the spell on Syryn's bubbles. Yes, they all wanted him to lose, but could the mage please jeopardise Syryn's test without involving them? They were high-class citizens who had never been forced to endure such public indignity.

"Utsui, I need you to volunteer again," Syryn said to the young man. His grandfather was watching, wasn't he? The teen decided be would take the opportunity to annoy the grandfather who had probably never seen anyone touch his precious grandson so freely.

Innocent and youthful Utsui had his guard down against Syryn when he walked up to the teen. Straight backed and as serious as always, Utsui looked like he was about to lecture the crowd again.

"Butterfly potion," Syryn held up a glass phial to the crowd. The middle-aged man on stage was forgotten. The ignored avian was also done with his potions but too afraid to say anything after Syryn's brilliant display of bubbles. What good was his average potion when compared to the thousand bubbles that had filled the amphitheatre?

Turning around to Utsui, Syryn dipped a finger in the potion and asked the young man, "Can I touch your face?"

Utsui's gaze flitted to the dull grey potion dripping down Syryn's thumb. He nodded slowly and looked up into Syryn's eyes.

Raising his hand, the teen gently pressed his thumb to Ustui's cheek and dragged it across the avian's high cheekbone. The friction and consequent heat caused colours to bloom across the smudge that had started out grey. Bright pinks, yellows, gold, and various shades of blue appeared in changing gradients. Utsui's cheekbone had become a window into a colourful world. The same colours appeared on Syryn's thumb, and at the sight of it, the young avian's eyes shone with pleasure.

"I've never seen any butterfly potion with more than three, four colours at most," he told Syryn. "How did you accomplish this?"

"When I was still a little boy learning about potions, I had no toys, no playmates, no fun. So I had to make my own fun with my potions," Syryn answered. "I can show you many more fascinating creations if you like." 

He dipped his forefinger in the potion and pressed it upon Utsui's soft bottom lip. "Your grandfather won't like this," Syryn said with mischief glinting in his eyes.

True to his prediction, elder Toka's hawk eyes were flaming with umbrage. His grandson was getting molested in front of an audience that he himself had invited. The surprise of seeing Syryn's bright multi colors had given away to humiliation. A second time in a row, the teen had proved the wonderful effects of his creation. The elder was simultaneously impressed and irritated by his recognition of Syryn's skills. He wiped his brows and glanced at the basket in front of their distinguished guest. With this development, no way would those avians be getting back their heart feathers. 

Far away from the ears of the concerned grandfather, an interesting conversation was taking place. "Syryn, you're the kind of person I've always longed to meet," Utsui confessed while not even having the decency to look embarrassed about saying something so stupidly heartfelt. "Can we stay in touch after you've left Nua?"

His straightforward question had Syryn lifting his head in amazement. "You want to remain friends?"

Utsui nodded, "If it is alright with you, yes."

"Silly Utsui, of course, I'd keep in touch with someone as cute as you," Syryn replied while tipping more grey out onto his fingers. "But don't tell your grandfather."

"I'm not a child, Syryn. I make my own decisions."

The teen stared at the bloom of colors across the front of Utsui's throat. The bright impressions of four fingers were pressed into it in shades that matched the colors on Utsui's cheekbones. Yes, Utsui was 18 wasn't he? He glanced up and smiled.

"Then put a kiss on my forehead." Syryn was a little shit and he knew it. This was Utsui's moment to prove that his words were real. Would he risk the ire of his respected grandfather just to prove himself to someone he barely knew but professed to admire?

There was no hesitation in the avian. Syryn felt a light bump of moist lips against his forehead and it amazed him. Utsui had really done it. Gasps punctuated the silence that had reigned the amphitheatre. A low hum of murmurs soon followed.

"Ah, Utsui, you're actually very cool," Syryn said to the young man whose expression hadn't changed the entire time. He wasn't affected by the consequences of his bold actions and it endeared him to Syryn.

"Of course," Utsui replied calmly. "Do you have use of me for the last potion?"

"After I gloat a little bit," Syryn replied and he turned around to face the audience.

"Why is nobody saying anything to poor stupid Syryn who can't brew a potion like that man can?" He pointed to the middle-aged alchemist who appeared to be a nervous wreck. Syryn had to stifle a gleeful chuckle when he saw the grim faces on the avians that had spoken so righteously. They were no longer in the mood to belittle him because their heart feathers were in danger.

"Let the opponent show us the effects of his potion!" When the other avians heard their bird brother shouting, it had them wanting to strangle him. There was no way that the middle-aged man was going to beat Syryn's performance. Their only hope lay in trapping Syryn with a charge of cheating.

"We cannot continue this test!" Grandfather Toka announced after suddenly standing up. All those heart feathers that were gathered like eggs in a basket were giving him serious heartburn. "I have recieved an appeal to investigate Syryn Nigh'hart's potions for cheating. He has to provide proof of innocence before we come to a conclusion to the day's test."

It was just an excuse for the avians to get back their heart feathers. Syryn knew that, Elder Toka knew it, every single avian in the crowd knew too.

"Grandfather-" Utsui raised his head up to where elder Toka stood.

"Utsui, you have nothing to do with this matter. Stand down!" His grandfather authoritatively demanded.

"Elder Toka," the calm magnetic voice that spoke caught the attentions of everyone including Syryn's. Altaire had spoken and even elder Toka had to put away his words to listen.

"Yes, master Altaire?" The old man answered respectfully.

"I believe that the onus of providing evidence for his cheating lies with the party initiating the claim."

Altaire's words caused a stir amongst the avians. Why was the big man siding with the teenager? Did they know each other?

"Ah- well," Elder Toka was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "It is true but Syryn-"

"Does the justice system of Nua lay the burden of proof on those accused of crimes against her people?" Altaire asked again. His words scythed through any bullshit that had been ready on the lips of Elder Toka.

"No, but this isn't a court," the old man responded weakly.

Syryn had to make it clear to Altaire that he did not need defending. But it could come later. Right now, the teen felt drunk on happiness in having his idol side with him.

"Then we will turn it into a court," Altaire declared. "I will now judge his potions for evidence of cheating. Are there any objections?" Altaire's masked face surveyed the crowd of avians.

"I object," Syryn raised his hand.