“Tell Emily and Hannah I said hello,” said Aurin. “Make sure to tell both of them or Hannah will think I hate her again.

“Again?” said Luna down the receive. “Wasn’t it you who thought she hate you?”

“Never mind that,” said Aurin. “Tobias wants me ready to train, so I’ll talk to you later.”

“Stay safe, alright? Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“You too,” said Aurin. “Keep a watch for any Zodiac members.”

Luna hung up and put her phone in her purse and hurried along the chilly streets of Hazelton with Innogon by her side. As cold as it was, she was grateful that it wasn’t covered in snow like Briarwood. She was very much a summer girl and the cold dark winters were only pleasant until Christmas and then miserable until spring rolled around the days lengthened once again.

“Late again!” called Hannah as Luna approached the fountain.

“At least I’m not last,” giggled Luna as Innogon bounced into the fountain and splashed the pair.

“It’s just going to be us today, Emily has food poisoning,” sighed Hannah.

“Oh no! Where did she get it from?”

“O’Malley’s,” said Hannah. “I’ve tried to warn her about that place so many times, but she insists that it’s fine. If she doesn’t learn her lesson this time, I don’t know what to do with her.”

“She won’t learn her lesson,” said Luna. “No matter how many times you tell her, she’ll nod and agree then go right back to eating there.”

“Isn’t that the same as you with being late?”

“Shush,” said Luna with a smile. “Aurin said to tell you hello, by the way.”

“Tell him I said hello next time you’re speaking to him. How’s his training with the oh-so-great Tobias going?”

“Is the sarcasm necessary?”

“Sorry,” said Hannah, feeling embarrassed. “It’s a great opportunity for him, I know, but he’s kinda left you in the lurch here. Disappearing for an entire month is a bit much, isn’t it?”

“I miss him, of course, but when else is he going to have the chance to train with the best tamer in the entire country? I would feel far worse if he stayed and missed out on that.”

“I don’t know…if my husband—”

“Husband?”

“—was away on a work trip for a month without me and didn’t even think to invite me too, I wouldn’t be happy.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” said Luna. “And where did husband come from?”

“I know he’s not your husband, but you two are tied at the hip. If he asked you to marry him, you would do it.”

“Not right now. We’re seventeen!”

“If he does, I’m going to be a bridesmaid, right?” asked Hannah, looking anxious.

“Of course, you are…stop that!”

“Stop what?”

“Making things weird.”

“Fine,” said Hannah with a frown, “let’s go shopping.”

The two girls walked down the street and Innogon leapt from the fountain, bounding after them. Conversation took a lighter turn as they went about their morning, each girl trying to decide what to add to their wardrobe for the fast-approaching winter. In the space of three hours, Luna managed to spend a week’s worth silver from the tower. Hannah, however, spent most of her time observing to see what ideas she could use for her own clothing designs.

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As the morning moved along and Innogon grew impatient, his hunger got the better of him and he started tugging on the hem of Luna’s jacket. She ignored him until he tugged so hard that he pulled her to the ground in the middle of a shop. She stood up and dusted herself off, embarrassed.

“Fine, Inno,” she said, finally relenting. “We’ll go get lunch now.”

“Where to?” asked Hannah.

“We’ll find somewhere close by.”

Innogon led the two girls from the shop, but Luna grabbed him by the tail before he could get too far ahead. “Don’t forget who’s the boss here, mister,” his tamer told him, before placing the little blue drake on her shoulders.

“Well, well,” came a snide voice from behind Luna. “If it isn’t little red from Tamer Day.”

Luna and Hannah whirled around and saw a young man, only a year or two older than they were, standing there and looking smug. He brushed his black hair away from his face.

“What do you want, Damien?” asked Luna.

“Where’s your boyfriend today?” asked Damien, looking around to see if Aurin was nearby.

“He’s busy,” replied Luna.

“Training with the national champion,” added Hannah.

“He’s what?” exclaimed Damien, looking enraged. “Who does he think he is?”

“He thinks he’s stronger than you,” said Luna, “and he’s right about that. Are you still bitter that he beat you?”

Damien was shaking with anger, but he forced himself to calm down. “It doesn’t matter,” he said. “How about you then?”

“What do you mean?” asked Luna as Hannah shook her head quickly and quietly, prompting a raised eyebrow from Damien.

“I beat you at Tamer Day,” said Damien, turning his attention back to Luna. “I’m sure your Innogon remembers that very well.

Innogon opened his mouth and spat water at Damien, who was more furious than ever now. He coughed and spluttered as he dried his face with his sleeve.

“That does it!” he yelled. “We’re battling here and now.”

“No thanks,” said Luna.

“You don’t have a choice,” said Damien, walking backwards and holding up his gloved hand, where an embedded red stone began to glow. He threw forward his hand and his Hoofreeti spawned in the middle of the street. Many of the passersby suddenly stopped and watched, curious as to why the giant, bipedal goat monster had appeared.

“A one-on-one battle and we’re done,” said Luna.

“Fine by me,” said Damien. “One is all I need.

“Innogon. Make short work of him.”

Innogon hopped from Luna’s shoulders and immediately shot a jet of water at Hoofreeti, who casually moved aside and breathed deep before exhaling a large wave of flame at Innogon and Luna. The tiny drake conjured a wave of water to douse the demon’s fiery breath before it could hit his tamer.

“Are you insane?” asked Hannah incredulously, moving towards Damien. The crowd were murmuring uneasily.

“I’ll deal with him,” said Luna, holding Hannah back. “Rainfall!” she called out.

Innogon leapt into the air and stretched out his arms, summoning dark clouds that burst out a downpour of rain. As he fell back to the ground, Hoofreeti swiped at him, but Innogon shot a jet of water at the ground, propelling himself backwards and out of reach.

“Clever,” said Damien, “but that won’t be enough. Scorch!”

Hoofreeti grunted and bleated loudly. It started emanating an orange glow as it drew in fire elemental energy and unleashed it upon the street, diminishing the clouds and heating everything up so much that it became as though a hot summer day.

Innogon looked around, confused, as the large goat charged at him, ramming him with its horns and knocking him into a nearby shop. As he climbed back to his feet, the Hoofreeti grabbed him with its arm and started beating him with its blunt hooves.

“You can break out!” called Luna.

Innogon focused as he took the beating, then opened his mouth and unleashed a mighty jet of water at the Hoofreeti’s chin. Its head jerked back and its grip relaxed, giving Innogon the chance to wriggle free. He summoned a spout of water, launching himself high once again, then came spinning down with his bladed head, whirring like a razor. He struck the Hoofreeti on the forehead and knocked the demonic Minakai out with a mighty strike.

“Yes!” called Luna.

Damien, however, looked affronted. “Unacceptable,” he muttered, holding up his tamer glove and summoning a Hornferno and Flaround to the street.

“You want to play dirty?” asked Luna, raising her own tamer glove.

She summoned her Splashard, Frocean, Angree and Rabbafat to the battle. Frocean summoned a large icicle spear and threw it at Damien’s Hornferno while Splashard propelled it forward with a blast of water, defeating the dinosaur in a single strike. Angree lifted Rabbafat over his head and threw him like a boulder at Flaround, yelling loudly, as Flaround was bowled over. Not satisfied, Angree ran forward and started beating the dog until Rabbafat finished it off with a body slam.

Damien stood there, humiliated to have been beaten so badly in front of the crowd. “I’ll get you back for this, Luna,” he said, before looking past her. “See you around, Hannah.”

With that, he stormed off, and the crowd started moving along now that the battle was over.

“You know him?” asked Luna.

“Not well,” said Hannah. “He’s a friend of my dad’s, I think they work together or something. He’s a real nasty piece of work.”

“A spiteful little brat that can’t take a loss. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was part of the Zodiac Squad. He would fit right in with them.”

“Who knows,” muttered Hannah. “Anyway, shall we go get lunch? I’m as hungry as Innogon now.”

Innogon jumped up and down excitedly while the rest of Luna’s Minakai rushed over at the mention of food.

“I can’t bring all of you!” moaned Luna, but the sad looks from her team—and the disgruntled look from Angree—made her feel bad. “Fine,” she said, “but we’ll have to get a table outside otherwise nowhere will have room for you all.”

Her team all burst with excitement and stampeded down the street, not sure where they were going as Luna and Hannah ran after them.