The Siblings, or Beaulieu's, were marching towards us five. Kendall was up.

"He's yours right?" One of the brothers asked.

"I don't take credit for his idiocy, no," Kendall said.

This is odd. They'd arrived just moments too late, and now this was happening. Where was the subtle design... or was it staring me in the face?

"He's your summon, your responsibility!" One of the other brothers cut in.

"He's not a summon," Kendall replied condescendingly.

The single sister held up her hand, and the brothers backed off, one with a grin. She spoke. "You and me are the only serious applicants, everybody else talented has a Master."

"Hey!" Hasami protested, half paying attention while he fought multiple programs.

She continued. "Let's get it on the record, right now, who's got a better team. That should clear some shit up in this dynamic. Help you understand some inevitable stuff."

This could have been considered inevitable.

A dare. Sacrifice face, or take a risk of losing it all. I didn't know what the Beaulieu's did, but I had the feeling it was something strong. Her brothers were her weapons of choice, she, the blacksmith.

"We can take them," Odessa said, low and dangerous. One of them scoffed.

"We're not going to beat them just yet. Our teams haven't gotten acquainted," Kendall concluded. "But you, Catherine, and me, we're Magi. I could easily take you."

"It's Cat, bitch, and you're on," she said.

"By the gods..." Odessa swore, walking off. Odd.

Hasami, dabs of sweat on his brow, stepped off the pedestal and threw up his arms. "Have at it, children," he said.

Seconds passed, and Kendall faced off against Cat, occupying opposite ends of the circle. The field dropped, and three tones slowly sounded.

As a bystander, this was disconcerting. But it was none of my concern. Unless Kendall had his ass handed to him. He needed to win.

One, two... three. Fight.

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Kendall ripped out two cards instantly, sending them twirling out. The first one stopped dead in its tracks in front of him, and the second one spun on and towards Cat. She, reaching behind her back, exploded in a fiery ball of death which consumed the entirety of the domed platform. As the violent fires withered away, Kendall emerged unhurt from behind the barrier of his first card. He tread forward and swiftly curb stomped the burning, thrashing, screaming, girl. Her brothers gasped in horror.

Fast and brutal.

There was a blip, and Both Kendall and Cat stood where and as they had been before the fight has started. Kendall stepped down, seeming somewhat shaken. Cat was stuck in a horrified daze, not yet having overcome it enough to move.

"Easily," Kendall reiterated, though lacking confidence in his tone.

He played her. Whatever she was capable of, Kendall had known, just as he'd known her name. She hadn't known him, had underestimated him. Odessa had taken offense at that, apparently; Kendall fighting unfairly.

"Disappointing, Miss Beaulieu." Porter's voice swept through the room. Right on cue.

Subtle design. He had pitted us against each other. Porter had manipulative ability. Though I was willing to bet he hadn't expected Kendall to play the situation so well.

I got the feeling that the three brothers would have decimated us, had things gone as Porter had planned. But Kendall had known that. Excellent.

Win.

Catherine finally snapped out of it enough to run at Kendall and tackle him to the ground. Her brothers rushed forward. I maneuvered to the back of the group easily enough, just as the first brother grabbed Ashes. Ash, looking almost slippery, ducked free and came around the brother to hold a knife to his neck. Odessa stepped out from behind a partition to level her ridiculous sword at one of the other brothers. The final one was sent rolling by a current of wind which looked nearly solid, as Anna held out her hand.

I turned and with my foot kicked Cat off of Kendall, whom she'd held down and thoroughly beaten with her bare hands. He stood shakily and wiped the blood from his nose.

"Less disappointing, but don't do that again." I looked up and the silhouette of Porter could be seen through the glass of his overlook, leaning forward against it with one arm.

"Children," Hasami said once more. He threw his towel over his shoulder and walked out into the cold, barechested as he had been.

Everyone stayed as they were for a few silent moments. Ash was the first to disengage, stepping carefully away, followed by Odessa, who let her sword's tip drop to the ground. I gave Anna a thumbs up, who looked extremely pleased with herself.

Kendall stumbled over to a chair and sorted through the pocket of his vest, pulling out a card and holding it to his forehead.

Catherine walked off without another word, and her brothers followed after her.

"Kings of the hill," Ashes said. "You're welcome." He grinned at me.

"Well done." I pointed at him.

"I thought I diffused that as well as we could hope," Kendall said, grabbing the compliment. His blood and swelling were clearing up quickly with whatever he was doing. "I looked at her records last night after we met. 'Cause she's right, I and she are pretty much it. The Samurai's not going to make the cut, I don't think. She Imbues people, namely her brothers. We wouldn't have been able to take them."

"Mm, well done," I said, to Kendall this time.

"Oh shut up. I don't need your approval."

Don't care.

"The, Don't Stand a Chance Students, won't be up for another few hours. We've got the run of the place," Ash smiled wickedly

Kendall was up now, fully healed. "Everybody get to it then."