"Have you decided on who is participating?" Lei asked. In his hands were two cups of coffee. We had been given two hours to rest before the next event. On the table before me was a list of the possible five. "Do you need help figuring things out?"

I grabbed the papers and fixed them. "Sit down if you want," I said, avoiding looking at him directly.

Lei sat down and placed his second coffee on my side. He directed his eyes at the arena to the east. "Zelde and my siblings are the fastest ones I know on our team. Since this race has trust and teamwork as key components alongside being fast, we should pick members who are close to one another."

I wrote notes down. "Close? Well, the ones that fit that definition are Hikaru, Zelde, Wanikiya, Yen, Kun, and you. There's also Orion and Yuzuki. More so Yuzuki as she has a history with you all of you. Though, what is her power?"

"Yuzuki can use space magic just like Stella," Lei said as he raised his coffee cup to take a sip.

"Hey, don't mind me asking, but how did you two meet?"

"I thought you already knew," he said, putting his cup back down. "We lived together for some time. Her grandparents helped my parents out so my parents repaid the favor by taking care of their kids when they left."

"They left?" Right, I think I recall hearing something about on the harbor back in Nine Petal...

Lei mixed his coffee around with his straw. "Uh, we should decide on those five, we're running out of time. Hmm, how about Stella and Sirius? Those two are a married couple."

I glanced back down at my notes. He had a point. Assuming their marriage was a sound one, there had to be a crucial amount of trust between them. It also looked as if they shared similar roles when it came to caring for Astra's needs. Rather than dividing up the task into different roles like was usual.

"Having some trouble?" Stella walked over to us with her little girl following close behind. Astra held a pair of flowers, one blue and one green. "Oh, it seems Astra has something for you."

Astra shyly extended the green flower to Lei. Lei took the flower and smiled. "Thanks." Astra smiled back before turning to look at me. Still smiling, she handed me the blue flower.

I patted her head and smiled. "Thanks a lot, Astra."

"Are you unable to decide on who's going next?" Stella asked. While we were distracted with Astra's flowers, she had taken the chance to review my notes by looking over Lei's shoulder.

"Lei was just recommending your husband and you for the race."

Stella laughed. "My husband would love that. Despite his looks, he's actually great at running. But I'm not sure about it, he'll end up drawing a lot of attention to himself." She grabbed the paper and wrote down a couple of notes. "The ideal team I think would be you two, Hikaru, Yuzuki, and Orion."

"Why us?" Lei said.

"You're close to Yuzuki and Hikaru aren't you? Also, it seems you're close to Nyima here. Yuzuki in turn is close to you and my brother from the look of things."

Lei shook his head and sighed. "I can't participate. I will simply drag you down."

Stella gasped. "Why do you say that? Are you still hurt?"

He placed his hands over his chest. "My asthma will likely kick in."

"But you've ran long distances before," I said, reclining my right elbow against the table. "I don't see what the difference between running from the bridge to Mahpiya and this is."

"I..." Lei said, looking down. His eyes seemed sad. Despite having won, his spirit was crushed. It was as if he had lost his match against Gat. Paradoxically, perhaps if he had lost, especially before having lost control, he would've been more upbeat.

I placed a hand over Lei's. "You won't lost control again."

Lei kept his eyes down. My heart began to ache the longer I stared at his melancholy face.

Stella crossed out Lei, Hikaru, and me from the list. "In that case the two of us will replace you two, while Yen will be the fifth member taking Hikaru's place. That way, those of us who have not had a chance participate will get to show off what we're capable of, even though I really hope that Sirius doesn't."

"Why are you so afraid?" Lei asked as he looked up. He chuckled cynically. "Don't tell me that you're afraid people will fall for your husband and steal him from you."

Stella pointed the paper next to his neck. "Don't even joke about it!"

Lei gulped and scooted back away. "S-sorry for bringing it up."

I snickered and removed my hand from his. At least that managed to break him out of his sadness somewhat.

Stella threw the paper back onto the table and grabbed her daughter's hand. "Come with me, Astra. Let's go check up on your papa. He might've ran into some trouble while buying our lunch. I also have to tell him that we need someone to take care of you while we're participating in the events."

Astra hugs her mom tightly. "Mama and Papa will leave?" she cried, shaking your head.

"I won't leave you," she said, giggling. "We just won't be able to look after you for every event."

I stood up. "If you need someone to look after her, I'll be happy to volunteer. I have two kid sisters around her age that I've looked after."

"I can help her too," Lei said, grinning. "She can play with my brother, cousins, and the other kids."

As if on cue, Serein ran over followed by Azure and Celeste. All three wielded swords. "We found her!" Serein yelled as he pointed his sword at Astra.

Stella knelt down hugged Astra. "Uh, do you know what these three are up to?"

She nodded and giggled. "A little."

Serein and the kids bowed down. "Oh great queen of the stars."

"Are they acting?" Lei asked, chuckling.

"I think so..." I said.

Serein laughed. "Wanna play with us?"

Astra nudged her mom to let go of her. Once she was free on, she ran over to the three kids.

Azure walked over and handed her a sword of her own. Astra studied her red plastic sword. She smiled and wielded it around as like a club. She nearly hit Azure but he blocked her sword with his own. Azure grinned and pushed her back. Astra jumped back.

"Stop Azu, you'll scare her," Celeste yelled.

Azure lowered his head and sword. "S-sorry."

Astra grinned and charged at him. He looked up and blocked again. He grinned and jumped back himself this time.

"I won't lose!" Astra said.

"Nor will I!" he said.

I stepped in front of the two. "Stop fighting, you two. You might end up hurting one another."

Seeing those two kids fight reminded me of Iah and me. Azure looked a lot like Iah but that was to be expected as those two were cousins. Serein and Celeste also resembled their cousins. But Astra also looked a lot like the members of my family... as did her mom.

"Something on your mind?" Stella asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"Cool moves," Lei said, back to his usual happy self. "Where did you learn how to fight like that?"

"Iah taught me," Azure said, grinning.

Lei smiled. "Your cousin did? He must think highly of you to teach you at so young an age."

Azure lifted his right hand. A yellow seal appeared on his hand in the shape of a yellow dragon with four small orbs representing the cardinal signs.

Lei and I stared at the seal. "You're his magic pupil?"

Azure nodded. A grin appeared on his face. "I bet none of you have pupils yet, do you?"

Lei glared at the snarky kid. "I'll get one eventually... once I learn the ceremony."

Celeste lifted up her left hand. "These two might not but my cousin does." Her little hand became covered by a red six petal flower mark.

Serein lifted up his right hand.

"Not you too," Lei said, shaking his head.

The little boy giggled. "Me no have one. Me want one, though."

Lei smiled and patted his cousin's head. "Once I learn how to, I'll make a pact with you. How does that sound?"

Serein smiled. "Yeah!"

Lei snickered. "I'll take that 'yeah' as a 'sounds good'. Though, they aren't permanent, right? My aunt might get angry at me if Serein is unable to hide it. They might even call him a young delinquent at school for having a tattoo."

"Those marks aren't permanent," Stella said, chuckling. "They'll fade over time. The seals are to mark those one considers as potential pupils, so it's not formalized yet. The creation of such a seal is easy too. I can teach the two of you to make one and contract your own pupils."

"Please," I said.

She smiled at me. "Give me one of your hands." I gave her my left hand. "First you make a chant involving your elements. My powers are space so replace space for water and light as a theme. Or wind and lightning in your case, Lei. Oh great heavens that shine upon us with their brilliant light. Let this universe and the others bear witness to this pact between two mages."

I pulled my hand back as a burning sensation filled it. I looked down and saw an orange five petal flower mark. "I see. I get it now, thanks for showing us," I said, grinning.

"Though this does mean that you're now my potential student," Stella said. "You won't be able to make a contract with another magic master until it vanishes"

I laughed. "That's fine, I wouldn't mind having you as a teacher." I squatted down next to her daughter. "I will form a pact with your daughter, if that's alright."

"That's fine, but Astra doesn't know any magic yet," Stella said with a nervous laugh.

"Doesn't matter. I'm sure that you will, eventually," I said.

"Nor do me," Serein said, lowering his head.

Lei got out of his chair and squatted next to Serein. "That's fine little cousin. I'll teach you how to use wind magic."

Serein's eyes glittered. "Really?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Yup!" He took the little boy's hand and closed his eyes. "Oh great sky with your blades of electricity. The heavens above bear witness to this pact between two mages." Serein jumped back like how I had earlier. A green cloud symbol appeared on his arm for a moment before disappearing.

The marks on Azure, Celeste, and me have also vanished.

"Don't worry," Sirius said as he emerged from the elevator. He carried a tray full of food. He sat down the tray in the nearby table. "The seals vanish but can reappear when you want to show them." He touched his right shoulder with his free hand. "Though all magic symbols are like that, some are permanent like ink."

"Alright," I said, turning my direction back to his kid. I grabbed Astra's hand. "Oh, brilliant oceans that sparkle sapphire blue in the glorious light of the sun. The sea and the divine one in heaven bear witness to this pact between two mages." Astra yelped. "A-are you alright?"

She nodded slightly and showed off a blue mark in the shape of a underwater tower. Why had that tower appeared? Could the symbols that appeared on the four of them be connected to our clans?

"The race is about to start soon, so you better eat up," Iah said as he made our way toward us with a tray of food. He had decided to buy Lei and me food even though we weren't on the same team this time. He ran over to us as soon as he saw the symbol on Astra's hand. "So you made this little girl your student huh?"

"You must be Azure's master," Astra said, tilting her head..

He put down the tray of honey chicken down on the table. "How did you guess?"

"You look like him and your personality isn't the greatest," she blurted out.

Azure crossed his arms. "W-what's that supposed to mean?" he asked, his face red. He turned around and ran off.

"Wait for me," Iah said. "I look forward to seeing who participants."

Celeste ran after Iah and Azure. "I'm going back to my country's group too. Bye Serein, Astra."

"Those two's students are a little too smart for their age," Lei said, giggling.

"I'm smot too," Serein said as he held a piece of honey chicken in his tiny hands.

Lei laughed. "Maybe I should teach you how to speak first. Sit down, our first lesson will start soon."

I drank my now somewhat tepid coffee. I finally had one, I finally had a student! Though, had I gone on ahead and ruined her life by having made a pact with her? I hoped not.

Lei looked around as he sat back down to eat. "Say, Serein. Did you leave Raul behind?"

"He's playing with Azu's big in park," Serein said as he finished eating his piece of honey chicken.

"Azu's big? Do you mean his older siblings?" I asked.

Serein nodded. "That!"

"Well, I better go find him," Lei said as he picked up his container of honey chicken. "I told Eri that I would watch over you. Stay here with Nyima and the others."

"Me go go too!" Serein said as he grabbed his tiny container of chicken.

I sighed and grabbed my food as well. "Let me accompany you. I'll watch over Serein while you search for Raul with those eyes of yours."

Lei chuckled. "Hey, did anyone ever say you're genius?"

My face reddened. "Uh, not specifically."

He ran over to the large glass windows and peered at the park between the building we were in and the nearby stadium. "I see him! Though... he seems to be talking to someone."

"Who?" Serein said, running over.

"He looks familiar," Lei said, tilting his head. "I think I met him before back at Nine Petal."

"Is he a friend or a foe?"
"I think a friend. A friend, that's right! He's the friend of Koukyuu! The one who appeared during my first class with Mr. Obi! Oh, also the guy who shot at Kitsune! Not sure if you recall..."

"Guy who shot at..." I recalled, but I also remembered something else. A memory from the Kyuu Seishin games from around eight years ago. An embarrassing and somewhat frightening one at that.

"Hmmm, come to think about it, I think I might've met him prior to that too," Lei said before chowing down on his chicken. He turned around. "Hey, Stella. If it's alright, can you teleport us down there?"

Stella nodded and opened a portal. "Go on ahead!"

"Thanks!" Lei said, grabbing Serein's hand and entering the portal.

I turned around and gulped. I really didn't want to see that guy again. What if he realized that I was the one who spilled juice over his cape all those years ago? Nah, surely he had gotten over it... Then again, the guy did point his gun at me when I was a kid...

Gahh! I can't let Lei go meet him! That guy has a knack for rubbing people the wrong way! If that jerk is still as unhinged as when I was a kid, he'll surely hurt Lei!

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed this chapter :3. Thoughts on Nyima, Astra, Serein and Lei?**