Chapter 28 – The Spark Spreads
After a night of frantic messages, half-formed ideas, and far too many late-hour debates about “fan ethics” and “aesthetic integrity,” Kiro and Sera finally had a plan — they’d discussed everything from tone and structure to color schemes and what kind of readers they wanted to welcome.
Now, the next morning, they were back at MICF — earlier than anyone else.
The halls were quiet, the café machines still warming up, and sunlight filtered lazily through the atrium glass.
Sera yawned, clutching a cup of steaming coffee. “I can’t believe we actually did this all night,” she muttered.
Kiro didn’t look up from his wristlink. “You’re the one who sent me twelve messages about font choices at three in the morning.”
“They were important!”
“Sure,” he said dryly. “The fate of art itself apparently hinges on whether the banner should be crimson or scarlet.”
Sera frowned. “Scarlet feels more alive. Crimson looks too curated.”
Kiro sighed. “They’re literally the same color, Sera.”
“Not to an artist,” she said, smug.
Kiro didn’t argue further, his attention flicking back to his slate. “Anyway, we’re ready.”
Sera blinked. “What do you mean ready?”
“The page,” Kiro said, tapping his screen. “It’s done.”
“Wait, done? You finished it overnight?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You sound surprised.”
“Because it’s meant to take days! Don’t tell me you coded an entire site while I was asleep.”
Kiro gave a short laugh. “Please. It’s not the stone age anymore. There are innumerable ready-made platforms for fan communities — with templates, plug-ins, and layout tools. I just picked one, adjusted it, and uploaded our stuff.”
Sera leaned over to peek at his slate. “You set it up that fast?”
Kiro shrugged. “It’s a fan page, not a security mainframe. You pick the theme, drop the visuals, connect the Inkspire API so it syncs the book info and reviews automatically, and it’s live.”
“...You make it sound like boiling tea,” she said flatly.
“For some of us, it is,” he replied.
Sera glared but couldn’t hide her curiosity. “Alright, genius, show me.”
He turned the screen toward her, the fan page glowing softly — neat, clean, minimalist. The title banner stretched elegantly across the top in soft reds and black ink.
Sera tilted her head, scrutinizing. “Hmm.”
“What’s hmm supposed to mean?” Kiro asked, suspicious.
“It’s nice, but…” she gestured vaguely. “It’s too plain. It needs… feeling.”
“It’s a website, not a mood ring.”
“It’s a fan page! It’s supposed to have emotion, not look like a corporate invoice!”
Kiro folded his arms. “Emotion doesn’t mean clutter.”
“Design doesn’t mean lifeless.”
They stared at each other, both daring the other to back down first.
Finally, Sera sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Fine. You handle structure. I’ll handle presentation. Deal?”
Kiro smirked slightly. “That’s… surprisingly reasonable of you.”
“Don’t ruin it,” she warned.
He chuckled under his breath and turned back to the screen. “Alright then, partner. Let’s launch it.
Sera smiled, unable to help herself. “Now that’s something I can agree on.”
Kiro tapped a few final commands, the interface glowing softly on the slate between them. “Everything’s in place—layout, visuals, linked data feed. We just need to settle on the name.”
Sera leaned forward instantly. “Finally. I’ve got ideas.”
Kiro groaned quietly. “Of course you do.”
“Listen—something poetic, something with depth,” she began, already gesturing. “Like The Scarlet Thread or Ink and Flame. Something that feels alive, like it actually means something.”
“Or,” Kiro said calmly, “we can just call it Lucien Fans.”
Sera blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“It’s descriptive,” Kiro said, unbothered. “People search for ‘Lucien,’ they find it. Simple. Logical.”
“That’s not logical, that’s boring,” Sera argued. “It sounds like an auto-generated group name.”
“Efficiency isn’t boring,” he replied, clicking through settings. “It’s practical.”
“Practical,” she repeated, incredulous. “You’re making a fan page, not filing taxes!”
“It’s temporary,” Kiro said with a shrug. “We can change it later once you stop trying to make it sound like a tragic poem.”
Sera glared. “And what if the temporary name sticks? Then we’ll have to live with Lucien Fans forever. Do you really want that on your conscience?”
Kiro smirked. “I’ll risk it.”
She groaned dramatically, dropping her head into her hands. “This is going to haunt me.”
“Good. Then it’s memorable,” he said with a smug grin.
Sera shot him a look but couldn’t help laughing. “Fine. We’ll call it Lucien Fans—for now. But the moment I think of something better, we’re changing it.”
“Deal,” Kiro said, tapping the final button.
The page went live.
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For a heartbeat, neither spoke. The glowing header read:
Lucien Fans — A Space for Readers and Admirers of Lucien Vale Ashborne
The first few minutes after launch were quiet.
Then, notifications began to flicker across the page header—slowly at first, then faster.
> [LanternLily]: Oh! There’s already a fan page for Lucien? That was quick!
[InkDrift]: Haha, I was literally thinking of starting one this morning. Guess you beat me to it. Following!
[QuietInk]: Finally. Thank you for making this so fast. Just make sure to keep posting updates or I’m unfollowing.
[PageTurnerX]: Calling it now—Lucien’s going to blow up. You two have vision for jumping in this early.
[SilverPurse]: Following immediately. Can’t believe someone set this up already.
[CrownDropper]: If Ashborne ever sees this, he’ll freak out.
[NightMuse]: The banner’s nice! Clean. Scarlet fits.
[FrostwaneDancer]: Same! I’m in. The man’s words deserve a whole library page, not just one.
Sera leaned over Kiro’s shoulder, eyes widening as the numbers climbed. “Ten… fifteen… twenty sign-ups already?”
Kiro’s mouth twitched. “Seems so.”
A few more comments popped up in real time:
> [InkWatcher]: Joined. Let’s make this place the main hub for Ashborne updates.
[Riverstone88]: You got in early, huh? Respect. This guy’s gonna define a generation of readers.
[LanternLily]: Wait, there’s discussion threads too? I love it already.
Sera blinked, half-amused, half-disbelieving. “It’s actually working.”
Kiro nodded slightly, scrolling through the live feed. “Of course it is.”
For a few more minutes, the notifications kept pinging—twenty, then thirty, then slowing to a steady trickle.
Sera frowned. “Huh. Why did it stop?”
Kiro looked up from his slate, an amused glint in his eyes. “You’re making too light of this. We just launched it, and we already have thirty people when we haven’t even promoted it anywhere.”
“But it was going so fast!” she protested.
He leaned back, folding his arms. “Because right now, everyone’s still discovering the book. Half the students only bought it yesterday because of the promotion, and most haven’t even started reading. Some will finish and move on, others might become real fans—but that takes time. What we’ve got now?” He gestured at the screen. “That’s a strong start.”
Sera tilted her head, still watching the slowly climbing counter. “…You actually sound optimistic.”
“I’m realistic,” Kiro said with a faint smile. “This is how momentum builds—quietly, then all at once.”
Sera leaned forward, chin resting on her hand as she watched the comments multiply. “They’re really talking to each other now.”
Kiro nodded, scrolling through the threads. “That’s the point. Give them a place to connect, and they’ll keep it alive.”
Sera smiled faintly. “You sound almost proud.”
“I’m just glad it’s functioning as designed,” he said, though there was a trace of warmth in his voice he didn’t bother hiding.
Another string of messages appeared in real time:
> [LanternLily]: This page already feels cozy! The layout’s nice too. Who’s managing it?
[InkDrift]: Yeah, seriously! Whoever you are, thanks for setting this up.
[LunaQuill]: Glad you’re all enjoying it! We just wanted a space to talk about Lucien’s work.
[LogicLayer]: Agreed. The goal’s to share thoughts, theories, and updates as the series grows.
Sera grinned as she saw their replies hit the page almost simultaneously. “Look at us — model community managers.”
Kiro gave a half-smile. “Don’t get used to the compliment.”
She rolled her eyes, typing another response. “You’re impossible.”
More messages came flooding in, faster now that the two of them were actively engaging:
> [SilverPurse]: So when are we getting new content from Ashborne? Any news?
[LogicLayer]: Not yet, but Rendall’s Press might update soon. They’re probably busy with orders.
[LunaQuill]: We’ll keep an eye out and post as soon as anything shows up!
[PageTurnerX]: Thanks! This is actually awesome.
The threads started branching — some debating favorite moments, others sharing quotes or theories.
Then a new comment popped up near the top of the feed:
> [InkWatcher]: You know what’d be even better? If we could go to Café Ashborne and meet him.
[FrostwaneDancer]: Wait—like actually go there?
[LanternLily]: That’s brilliant! We could ask for an autograph or maybe a picture if he’s around.
[SilverPurse]: Omg yes, we could all go after classes today!
[PageTurnerX]: It’ll be like our first unofficial fan event!
[QuietInk]: Small group meet-up! Just us early fans before it gets too crowded.
Sera’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh no.”
Kiro’s fingers paused over the screen. “Oh yes,” he said dryly.
More comments flooded in, excitement spreading fast:
> [CrownDropper]: Someone tag the page if you’re actually going — we’ll meet there!
[Riverstone88]: Can’t believe we’re doing this. Feels surreal.
[LanternLily]: Let’s make it a proper mini-event — we’ll call it Ashborne Meetup #1!
[InkDrift]: You guys are wild. Count me in!
Sera stared at the screen, speechless. “They’re actually planning to go. Today.”
Kiro leaned back, amused. “Apparently so.”
“This wasn’t supposed to turn into an event!”
“That’s how communities work,” he said calmly. “They start talking, and before you know it—someone organizes something.”
Sera covered her face with her hands. “Lucien’s going to think we’re insane.”
Kiro tilted his head, watching the comments scroll by. “Technically, this is engagement.”
Sera groaned. “Not this kind of engagement.”
But her laughter slipped through anyway as she peeked at the page again, the growing wave of enthusiasm impossible not to smile at.
> [FrostwaneDancer]: Can’t wait! Let’s meet outside Café Ashborne after classes — 5 p.m.!
[LanternLily]: Perfect! See you all there!
[InkWatcher]: This is officially happening!!
Kiro exhaled, glancing at Sera. “So, partner… are we going too?”
Sera looked at him for a long moment, then sighed. “We started this.”
“Exactly.”
“…We’re going.”
The page chat was still buzzing when a new message appeared at the top of the thread:
> [SilverPurse]: By the way, who named this page? Be honest. It’s terrible.
Sera froze mid-scroll. “Oh no.”
Another comment popped up immediately.
> [InkDrift]: Yeah, ‘Lucien Fans’? Really? It sounds like a placeholder someone forgot to fix.
[LanternLily]: Right? Couldn’t you have come up with something cooler?
[QuietInk]: It’s like naming a restaurant ‘Food Place.’
Kiro winced. “Here we go.”
Sera bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Should I… tell them?”
Kiro gave her a sharp look. “No.”
Too late. Sera typed quickly:
> [LunaQuill]: The name was Kiro’s idea, everyone. Please direct all your creative rage accordingly.
The chat exploded.
> [PageTurnerX]: AHA! Kiro, my man, what were you thinking?!
[CrownDropper]: Tragic. Absolutely tragic.
[InkWatcher]: I can’t believe I followed a page called ‘Lucien Fans.’ I deserve better.
[Riverstone88]: Bro really chose the auto-generated option.
Kiro let out a long, theatrical sigh. “Et tu, Sera?”
She smiled sweetly. “Sacrifices must be made for the greater good.”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked at the chat again, typing back:
> [LogicLayer]: Alright, alright. I accept full responsibility for the highly descriptive yet artistically misunderstood title.
The replies came instantly.
> [LanternLily]: Nice save.
[QuietInk]: So are we renaming it or what?
[SilverPurse]: Yes, rename it before people think this is a bot-run page!
Kiro typed again, tone dry even through the screen.
> [LogicLayer]: Fine. Now that there are plenty of people here, let’s discuss it properly and pick a name together.
Sera whipped her head toward him. “What are you doing? I thought I was naming it!”
Kiro grinned. “That was before you made me the sacrificial lamb. Now it’s a democracy.”
“You—” She groaned, pointing at him. “I will throw your slate out the window.”
He smiled innocently. “That would be undemocratic.”
The page chat was loving every second.
> [CrownDropper]: I’m here for this chaos.
[InkWatcher]: Alright, let’s vote!
[LanternLily]: Yeah, give us options!
Sera sighed dramatically, muttering under her breath. “Fine. But if any of them pick another name like ‘Lucien Fans,’ I’m quitting.”
Kiro typed the next message:
> [LogicLayer]: Alright, here are a few name ideas we’ve been discussing. Vote for the one you like best.
The poll banner popped up on the page:
> ① Ashborne Society — Kiro’s pick.
② Ashborne Collective — suggested by [InkWatcher].
③ Ashborne Circle — Sera’s idea.
④ Ashborneverse — fan suggestion that caught on instantly.
Within seconds, the comments exploded.
> [PageTurnerX]: ④ Ashborneverse sounds so cool — like he already has his own universe!
[LanternLily]: ③ Ashborne Circle feels warmer. Like a cozy reader community.
[CrownDropper]: ① Ashborne Society makes it sound official. I’m voting that one.
[Riverstone88]: ② Ashborne Collective is sleek. Modern vibe. Feels like a proper hub.
[SilverPurse]: Ashborneverse has my vote. Totally future-proof.
[QuietInk]: Ashborne Circle gets my vote — soft, simple, and personal.
[InkDrift]: Not gonna lie, Ashborne Society sounds classy. Like we’re in an elite book club.
Sera leaned closer, eyes flicking over the feed. “They’re actually debating like it’s a national election.”
Kiro smiled. “At least they’re taking it seriously.”
The comments kept flying:
> [LanternLily]: Okay but what if we call ourselves something too? Like, if the page’s the Ashborneverse, then we’d be... Ashborners?
[PageTurnerX]: I like Ashflames!
[CrownDropper]: Oh that’s good — fits the passion!
[QuietInk]: Ashlings sounds kind of cute though.
[InkWatcher]: Ashflames definitely wins.
Sera smiled. “Let’s just see which one they like best.”
Kiro nodded. “Fine by me. Let the readers decide.”
What should the fan page for Lucien Vale Ashborne be named?
