"Horatio, let me ask you something. What''s your real opinion about Callie? Do you think she owes us, or do we owe her?"


    Ulysses looked Horatio dead in the eye, his tonepletely serious.


    Horatio hadn''t seen thating. He blinked, a little thrown off.


    "Why are you asking me this out of the blue?" he replied, frowning.


    "Well... about Callie..." Horatio hesitated, searching for the right words. "I guess, honestly, we haven''t treated her right. But at the same time, if she just walks away from thepany now, it feels a bit harsh."


    He sighed. "But, look, she did fix my leg. The shares in thepany, I only got those because I traded my leg for them, in a way. So if she wants to sell her shares, that''s her business. It''s not like she stole anything. She''s just selling what''s hers."


    "But, you know, if I''m being selfish, it still bugs me. She didn''t think about her family at all. That stings."


    Ulysses nodded, like he finally understood.


    "So, basically, if she were a stranger, we wouldn''t have any reason toin, right? But because she''s our sister, we just can''t ept it when she puts herself first. Is that it?"


    Horatio nodded. "I mean, yeah. We''re family. I feel like she should help, just because."


    "But why is it okay for a stranger to act like that, but not her?" Ulysses pressed. "If a stranger did it, no big deal. But if it''s Callie, suddenly it''s not right. Family ties turn into shackles. We use that as an excuse to keep leaning on her, to take advantage of her, honestly."


    He paused. "But look at Lisette. She hasn''t really done anything special, but we treat her like a princess. So why can''t we treat Callie the same way?"


    Horatio thought about that. "Because Callie''s more capable? She can do more?"


    "Exactly. But that''s her own doing. We didn''t make her who she is. Why is she supposed to pay us back for her own hard work?"


    Ulysses let out a dryugh, a little bitter. The realization stung.


    "Calliope''s whole life, she''s had this burden strapped to her. The stronger she got, the more we expected out of her. But did any of us ever actually do anything for her? Did we ever really help her? Everything she''s achieved, she did on her own. It''s not like the family had anything to do with it. If anything, she''s done plenty for us, and none of us ever really noticed."


    Horatio''s brow furrowed. "You


    know... you''re right. We really haven''t


    been farto Callie But right now!!?


    actually do


    eed her if she


    away now, thepany''s finished."


    He let out a long breath. "She''s the only one who can save us, and she''s family. If


    we don''t ask her, who else would we ask?"


    “So, we''re just using her, like always?" Ulysses said, with a bitter smile. "Horatio, she fixed your leg. She was always good to you when you were kids, remember that?"


    "But now, she doesn''t even get to choose what she wants to do. If she says no, she''s the bad guy. If she say yes and fails, she''s still the bad guy Even if she pulls it off, nobody gives her any credit."


    Ulysses looked genuinely disappointed for Callie.


    Horatio stared at him, stunned, like something had finally clicked into ce.


    "Uly... what''s gotten into you?" he asked, bewildered.