This feeling was more familiar than I'd like to admit. I rolled over onto my back feeling the cool floor of the training hall, I blinked a few times while my head continued to throb. After a minute or so I sat up and looked around the area, I guess Wyatt woke up first and left after realizing he got creamed. I figured I should follow suit; I don't know if he's ever sparred with Travers before, or how many times, but with the way each of our bouts went it felt like he played us both all the same. I checked the time as I began to stroll out of the hall, I had been out for more than an hour. I scoffed at the newly posted sign on the exit door as I pushed through, "Same time tomorrow gentlemen." What a pain.

"It sounds like you two just need to work together." Alina surmised as she took another sip of her tea. Her face was hall buried in a book on affinity combinations, so she wasn't completely focused on our talk about how my training went today.

"I'm honestly with you on that Li, but that's just it. Wyatt won't have anything to do with me. I mean damn I'm still reeling from the news hearing it secondhand a day or two ago. I can't begin to imagine how he felt as a kid, knowing that whatever I turned out to be changed his life forever, and I was none the wiser seeing him at school every day." I let out a sigh and crossed my arms as I pondered the circumstances, "The only reason I can even really bring myself to face him is that I decided that while I can feel bad for his situation, that past... iteration of me, isn't me. Whether or not Wyatt accepts that is tough for him, I'm not saying he should ever get over what happened or forgive me. Either way, I'm not going to spend the life I live now paralyzed with guilt over events I'm never going to begin to understand."

Alina nodded in agreement, "Maybe you should try telling him that. If you guys just built that bridge and agreed to work together there's no telling what you'd be capable of. I've gone over it in my head a couple of times during my studies, you and he seem to have incredibly rare affinities and if you combine your efforts, maybe even craft some joint spells unique to you both? I doubt any one person would be able to take both of you on so easily." She motioned towards her book, "I've been researching the subject since we met, there's no record of any affinities that are quite like yours. You seem to dull the potency of magis, while Wyatt's is a little more known albeit still rare having a neutral affinity. If you both got a better handle on your abilities in tandem, theoretically you could shut down castings while Wyatt takes the offensive not having to deal with any sort of elemental conflict or disadvantage. You two are a dream team in the making."

She was right, but there was still the main issue of the matter. "Theory or not, Wyatt won't work with me so we're not going to get anywhere with that idea. I'll have to find a way on my own to beat Hank."

Alina scratched her chin, deep in thought. After a few moments and a couple of sips of tea she seemed to be hit with some sort of spark from the way her eyes lit up. I can never get over that look she gets when she's on to something. "Run the skirmish by me one more time Ty, I think I've got something you can work on."

*   *   *

The next session came, and I arrived last surprisingly enough. "I figured you'd drag your feet coming here after yesterday." I said trying to strike up conversation with Wyatt.

His eyes fixated on me for a moment before he shrugged and nodded towards Travers who was wrapping his wrists in preparation. "Whether I want to or not he was gonna track me down. Besides, yesterday left a bad taste in my mouth. Today's gonna be different." For once we were in agreement, I don't know what Wyatt had cooked up, but I had a new trick up my sleeve, and I was ready to prove that I'm capable enough to handle whatever our opposition had.

Travers had finished gloving up and stretching. "Well gentlemen, who will be going first today?"

Wyatt stepped up to the plate. I mulled it over a bit but decided there was no harm in letting him go first today again. I'm interested in seeing what he's learned from his loss yesterday, I'm sure he'll have some new tool or trick at the ready. It's not my style at all but the way he changes tactics on the fly is kinda fascinating to me. The start of their scrimmage wasn't as interesting as last time, Wyatt started off testing the waters in a similar way. It's almost as if he has some sort of flow chart of responses depending on what challenges or complications he runs into. Just like last time he gradually fired off more complicated volleys, but this time it didn't really seem like Wyatt was trying to land a hit on Travers. No, I see it now, every barrage was making it easier him to dodge as long has he got closer to cornering himself! Travers seemed to realize this too, he began hopping in between the bolts more aggressively than before, inching himself closer to Wyatt instead of staying in one place like last time. What's more, he began to imbue his gloves with magic and jab away some of the weaker, speedier bolts flying his way.

Wyatt either figured his plan wasn't going to work because of Hank's adaptability or himself running out of steam because he was beginning to sweat. He backed away as he fired at Travers, no longer on the offensive. He started to reach for the heavy looking device on his hip again. I waited on bated breath to see if he was really gonna cinch it this time. Once again, he fired right where Travers was about to plant his feet, but this time instead of an explosive bolt causing a shockwave to rock the whole hall, a fierce piercing bolt shot right through the wards on the floor causing spectile shrapnel to shoot up at Travers. Hank's eyes widened, thinking fast he throws out a straight bursting with magis projecting a green glyph with a rune with the symbol for "stability" in the center. Like some sort of freaking acrobat, he flips and kicks off of the glyph in the opposite direction of Wyatt. The spectile shards battered the glyph and shortly shattered it afterward. Wyatt took the opportunity to shoot a few rounds as Hank retreated, my stomach dropped as I witnessed Hank smirk as he glanced in my direction and began to vanish in a green haze again. Shit.

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There's no time to think about my options, I saw the bewilderment in Wyatt's face and decided to step in before he was blindsided. I charged my legs up with some magis, while keeping them from coming apart from the stress. After some experimentation from yesterday, I finally managed to find my sweet spot! I dart right behind Wyatt just as the green haze appeared behind him. Hank's face was the first thing I saw and the shock he was wearing was damn near cathartic for me. I decked him right in the schnoz with what force I could put behind my fist. Travers let out a "Gah!" Before disappearing back into the haze. Damn that felt good!

Wyatt whipped around, eyes filled with frustration and confusion. "What do you think you're doing asshole?"

"That's some 'thank you', I just saved your dumb ass from getting a sucker-punch to the back of your skull! That's how he took me out the other day!"

Wyatt's face twisted with the realization of what I just did for him. "No one asked for your help so don't expect anything in return. You landed the hit on him so my bet's still on. The old bastard should've shown back up by now." His eyes darted around as he tried to spot Hank, who was probably ready to pop out at any moment. "Get back to the sidelines where you belong! I can't focus with you in the way, and I've almost got him."

My face is hot, Wyatt's piss-poor attitude was taking away all of the glory out of that punch I landed. "Listen to me for a second! I'm trying to help-"

My world shook as I took a surprise hit to the temple in the middle of trying to talk some sense into that ingrate, I stumbled and fought to stay on my feet. I fought to stay focused and try to line my body with magis, making an impromptu ward and none too soon. Hank was out in the open and unabashedly having fun getting his revenge hits back in as he danced around me hitting from every angle. Each punch rocked me to my core. I wasn't fully ready to engage him, and this new ward tech Alina helped me come up with wasn't patent ready yet. My vision blurs as I try to get some even footing and take up a stance, I can take this, I just gotta keep my hands up and breathe. That's when I felt a force knock me off my feet, while I'm thankful it wasn't another gut punch, I was beside myself when I saw that I was being lifted off by the force of one of Wyatt's bomb-shots. But Hank was in the air with me. I'm getting really tired of his "by any means necessary" crap.

It was like a snuff film at this point, I watched as I flew back, and hank vanished at my side just as Wyatt sent another haphazard volley our way. I was pelted with a few of his force bolts and cursed the decision to keep him in the fight, those things felt like getting slug-bugged by a giant. They sent me spinning as I writhed from the beating I just took. I felt weirdly sluggish coming off of the ground, like my thoughts couldn't keep up with my body. My ability to stand up was a credit to my conditioning. When I was back facing my shooter again, I saw that Hank had got a hold of him and gave him a few licks for good measure. I couldn't help but chuckle through the pain. Serves you right. My mood was quickly flipped on its head as I watched in horror, Hank picked Wyatt up and chucked him into me one handed. We hit the wall together, me acting as his padding and slid down to the floor.

Wyatt weakly tried to get back on his feet. He's shaking, I'm not wasting any more time with this guy. I got up and kicked him over, I know I'm being a poor sport but he's really getting on my nerves at this point. Plus, he shot me. Travers gave me a look of disappointment, but I was really over this session. It's obvious that we'll be at this forever until Wyatt lands a hit on his own, and I'm not ready to take him by myself for a while. When it comes to traditional element evokers, I can take down most casters, but his brawling style with high mobility is a different beast. That's why it was always fun to take a crack at him, but I'm trying to make progress and with Wyatt being a factor I didn't want to spend another day wasting both of our time. He's trying to get us to work together and Wyatt's not taking the bait, it's time to have a talk.

"Hank, I didn't even kick him that hard. can we call it for today? I'd like a day to rest and reconsider my approach, maybe have a talk with my colleague here."

Travers took a moment to consider my request and looked down at Wyatt who had resigned to just laying at the floor staring at the ceiling. "I'll allow you both to lick your wounds and regroup. You have one day. Come back better, please. I have high hopes for both of you, but time is of the essence." He fixed his clothes and walked out of the training hall with a thoughtful look on his face.

I sat there for a few moments before Wyatt started to pick up his things. He made sure not to look in my direction. "Be honest, were you aiming for me when you had me and Hank in the air?"

"I had my eyes on the prize, but I wasn't gonna turn down any bonus point coming my way." He started making his way towards the exit.

"Cool, gonna be frank with you now." I stayed squatted by the door, "You're gonna be at this for the rest of the school year, he's toying with you and me both. You're good Wyatt and I honestly can't wait to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve, but you lack in stamina and durability. Lucky for you those are the two things I have in spades."

He stopped walking and thought for a second. "Luck isn't what I would call it. I'll bite, what's your point?"

"I think you know what I'm getting at, this exercise is designed for us to begin cooperating. While I didn't plan on it, I showed today that I'm willing to do that with you, and I'm just waiting for you reciprocate at this point. You should've seen his face when I was backing you up and I landed that hit on him." I looked up and smiled at him. "You can't buy that kind of satisfaction."

Wyatt scratched his head, "I'm not blind, things were definitely in our favor... I don't expect you to understand but I just can't bring myself to depend on you in any capacity."

I took a deep breath, " Travers told me everything after you stormed off the other day, all I can say is... I'm really sorry about what happened with you and your family, but whoever that person was that betrayed you or whatever? If it was me, that's not who I am now. I don't remember anything before a couple of years ago, and whatever type of person I was to do that to you, good riddance ya' know?" He winced at that. Okay things might've been somehow more complicated with him than I thought.

He started pacing in front of the exit, grabbing his head with both of his hands and tussling his hair. "Agh, I know you're right about the training or whatever. For now, I need to do some thinking. I respect your really shitty apology, but I guess I can't expect much better when you're so clueless. Give me until tomorrow, I'll find you alright?" He walked out of the hall, but he looked like he had more to say. I decided to sit there and stew over today's developments a little more.

He burst back in through the door, "Thanks for the save back there. Being concussed really would have set me back."

I blinked, not believing that I what I'd just heard. "Anytime."

Okay, this was a little easier than I expected, but whatever. Progress is progress.