Nathan was exhausted. The constant training and exercising was wearing on him. It had only been a month and he already felt like he was going to die. Luckily he got a break tonight. No training, no reading, no questions, just peace. And it was for a good reason too.

Nathan walked to the front of his current house, his childhood home, and took in the view. The many rooms and expansions, the artful color scheme of pastels mixed with vibrant contrasts. He didn’t have long to wait as his mother soon stepped out of the house, a vibrant green dress wrapped around her and her typical bag replaced by a much more fashionable but less useful mini purse.

“Oh Nathan honey, Reggie is almost here so let's wait inside.” She called.

Nodding and taking a seat on a nearby couch, simply happy to have most of his family coming. It had been so long since he had seen his entire family in one place. His sister had all but discarded her family name, while his father… He hadn't been heard from in a long time, but it was presumed that he was still a general scumbag. Although it had been a number of years, maybe he was an extreme scumbag by now.

His train of thought vanished when he heard a knock on the door. He went to open the door but his mom had rushed to the handle. “Come in reggie were just about to leave to go celebrate.”

“Yeah we are! Hey Nathan, I see that your getting good training. Even though I offered better training. For free ya know.” He grumbled.

“You better shut up or Liz is gonna appear from the shadows to steal your kidneys.” Nathan warned from experience. The mildly disturbed look on his face was more than worth it. It quickly past as his stomach roared in eagerness for the coming dinner.

“Honestly, dear? I guess we better get going.”

They loaded into the luxury car heading to the fanciest restaurant in town. Barbo’s Tacos. He could hear his brother giggling beside him. He elbowed him gently with a questioning look.

“You remember the last time we went to Barbo’s? We should totally do it again.” His brother suggested a terrible plan that was sure to get them kicked out. And Nathan was totally down for it. He gave Reggie a quick nod. Once they got to the restaurant it took great restraint not to laugh about their stupid plan. Soon enough they were ordering and…

“Nathan, as it is your birthday I challenge you to a duel of inheritance!”

“Hah, as if you could ever beat me at anything.” He said while the poor waiter faltered.

“Mhm, we will have a true battle to see who is the strongest brother!” He all but yelled. At this point their mother was calmly placing her own order.

“You couldn't possibly mean? A battle of spice! Your insane! We’ll all die if something goes wrong.”

“Pahaha, waiter! My and my dearest brother will take an order of every hot pepper you have, but as an extra challenge put them in tacos with some devil chicken!” He said before continuing in a stage whisper, “If one of us dies, ill give you a tip ten times what I was planning.” And the poor waiter swallowed nervously before fleeing to the kitchen. Nathan studiously avoided the glare of his mother. If you didn't make eye contact she couldn't attack. Reggie, his elder but not nearly as wise as him, foolishly glanced at her. While that battle raged, Nathan simply leaned back and prepared himself. Last time he ate something spicy he spewed literal flames, so he was well prepared for a lighter challenge.

Soon enough the food came, their mother getting a small fajita and Nathan and Reggie each getting well over a dozen tacos set in front of them. Nathan looked up nervously to see his brother looking as confident as ever. Nervously reaching for the first taco he took a hesitant bite at the same time as Reggie. It burned like agony and it only the first. Nathan went for a second as Reggie blazed through the first three. There was no way he could win at this rate so he started cheating. He saw the look of shock on Reggies face as he levitated tacos to his mouth and chewed at speeds that risked everything, but he didn't have time to think of anything as his brother also amped up the speed. But speed was not the deciding factor. A will of iron was as the last five tacos stood in front of both of them. Nathan felt bloated and disgusting, combined with the fact that his blood felt like it was made of cholesterol. He was certain his arteries were all but filled. And then there was the hellish fire burning every inch of his body. Reggie looked no better.

“Are you boys going to finish or are you both sissies.” Came a goading voice from their mother. Nathan didn't take the time to be shocked, he just reached and ate.

Oh he was going to die. He could feel death coming for him as he ate the second to last taco, grease and chicken both buried in the hottest peppers he had ever tasted. If he had to choose between this and the blazing cookie he would choose the cookie every time. Reggie collapsed but kept reaching for tacos. Nathan took a bite from the last taco. He couldn't even feel it as he finished off the last taco.

“I, ugh, ur, oh god, I win” He tried. Reggie just groaned and didn't sit back up. Nathan suddenly felt the heat from the last taco hit. He was already crying but now it felt like his tears themselves were fire. Why would they do this a second time? And why were they so much hotter than he remembered. It didn't matter. He had won.

“So, uh do I get my tip” Asked a nervous teen. Reggie nodded pulled out his wallet and pulled out a ten.

“There you go, ten times what I planned” He said before collapsing again. The teen looked distraught.

“Don’t mind him, he’s a cheapskate.” He said alleviating the kids worries. He saw the brief bit of relief shattered as Nathan handed him a ten and five tera bill.

“Sweetie don't mind them” She said before calculating a reasonable tip. Nathan watched as his mother pulled out a twenty and added it to the pile of bills in the middle. Which would be an ok tip if it weren't for the fact that they had basically ruined everyone else's dinner. The waiter nearly collapsed. She quickly giggled and put much more cash on the pile before paying with a card and high tailing it out of there. Nathan tried to stand, but found his legs to be unwilling. He eventually got some crutches set up with his aura, both using it for leverage off the ground and to help make his movements easier. He looked back at Reggie, lying in a pile of bits of tacos and tears. It was good to win.