"This good!" the light warrior chirped. "Did you make this?"

"Y-yes." Blair slowly twirled a strand of her band, feeling awkward at the praise. "I feel it's more appropriate to make something for guests instead of ordering."

"Agreed, a small contingent should have home-cooked meals instead of ordering," said the ice warrior as she placed a piece of bread in her mouth. "Fluffy, good texture, and having the option of a side of capers helps give it a more distinct taste.

"T-thank you." nodded the shadow warrior. "I was not sure if anybody liked capers as much as I do, so I opted out of adding them."

"Capers or not, it's still delicious," said the water warrior as she sipped the tea. "And this Green Tea is good too. Is there something else in it?"

"She adds nutmeg and lemon to her tea." said the plant warrior.

"I like it." remarked the fire warrior. "Lemon flavor is always the best."

"Debatable," snorted the lightning warrior. "Orange is better."

"A hint of mango." said the light warrior. "You have to be crazy not to."

"Lime is divine." hummed the ice warrior.

"I like cinnamon." added the wind warrior.

"Coconut." the terra warrior added as he calmly took a bite of the cake.

Ryu glared at Jack. "Huh... coconut. I bet you like coconut water, Jackie boy?"

Jack slowly turned to him, glaring. "Ja, and next time we are training, I'll remind you not to call me Jackie Boy."

"Ah," Ryu felt fearful under the intense glare. "Yeeeah. Right, sorry, buddy. Coconut water is great."

Jack responded with a grunt.

"Anyway," the water warrior said. "Thank you for inviting us and the meal."

"You are welcome. It's b-been a while... since I invited other people over." She frowned briefly before smiling. "I have video games we can play, some movies, board games, or I could show you the park?"

"Well... Ryu, Sam, and I are the ones who play video games," said Jake.

"I don't mind playing games," reassured Amy. "Do you have Street Fighter? It's been a while since I beat Chrissy."

"Correction, I beat you." smirked Christina.

"Brilliant," Blair was relieved as she scratched her cheek while looking around. "But... if no one wants to play a game, I don't want you all to feel left out."

"No one will feel left out." grinned Lina. "It would be like Guyverlad's reaction videos; we watch and react."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Guyverman."

"I know." She snickered. Sam grunted in response.

Blair stood up and nodded. "O-okay." She shakily spoke. "Let me... let me freshen up in the restroom." She quickly walked to the bathroom, nearly tripping on the carpet.

When they heard the door close, the others turned to Jack and Lina.

"Is she okay?" said Christina. "She's nice but appears uncomfortable."

"A number of peers are in her house and focusing on her." Lina casually sipped her tea. "Having the attention be on her can be overwhelming."

"She's not used to the attention?" frowned Amy. "Is there more going on?"

"Perhaps." Jack gave a stern glare. "Her inviting all of you here was a surprising big step. The decision may have been from being up all night, but her original idea was to be acquainted with you all one by one, slowly." He leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, eyes closed. "The girl you met and coordinated with that night is different than this girl."

Jake nodded. "The Shadow Radiant had a small difference in manners than Blair."

"OH!" Ryu blurted out. "Ah! It's a persona. Just like I am with being the Shock Master."

"No, I think you're the same idiot," said Christina. "But I get what you mean. We tend to behave differently depending on the environment."

"Your wardrobe can define who you are." Tanya nodded. "Dressing in new attire can feel as if you have aerated your self-worth."

The Wind Radiant frowned. "I know being a super can make you confident, but is there something else?"

"She mentioned it's been a while since she had company." pondered the Water Radiant. "Does she have a friend?"

"Her social life is miniscule." The Flora Radiant gazed at them. "Before she met us, she was...more awkward. Jack does not make the best company half the time."

"And you were?" The Terra Radiant scoffed. "Training and being with Guardian helped us lessen our insecurities, even if it was a little bit. You noticed Blair's attachment to Selen-ja."

"I see," said the Ice Radiant, displaying a frown. "Maybe it is not the same situation I was in, but we should not pry into her life if she does not wish it. We all know our peers could make our lives more repressed."

"Yes." The Light Radiant nodded. "She will tell us when she is ready.

Everyone nodded and waited until the girl returned. Five minutes later, she returned to the room, appearing less anxious. However, she noticed the group's immediate fixation on her, making her frown. They displayed varying expressions of worry, almost like they were judging her. Were they mad at her leaving the room despite announcing what she would be doing?

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Sorry." She blurted out. "I wasn't trying to be rude. I needed... to freshen up."

"Rude would be farting before leaving. This was not that one of those times." said the lightning warrior.

"Ryu." groaned the water warrior. "Not the the appropriate remark."

"But some people do it. She did not do it."

"You were not being rude." said the light warrior, who displayed a sincere smile. "You had to freshen up. It's okay."

Amy's reassurance was met with agreement from the others. A small smile appeared on the shadow warrior's face, grateful they would not delve into her personal life. However, she still felt a little nervous around them. She thought about wanting to transform to make her feel better, but that was an abuse of power. Despite her discomfort, she acknowledged that they were not bad people. The crystals chose them for a reason, right? Remembering what she learned from Lina, the group shared some stories of what happened in the past. She was not given the intricate story, but the group had met individuals who went out of their way to be cruel to them. So... she would share them. She was sure some of them had experiences.

"It's... not okay." She sighed. "I-I'm sorry. I..." She took a deep breath. "I compared you to them when I should not be." She glanced at Jack and Lina. "W-we judged each other in the beginning." She closed her eyes. "You may have learned my parents died when I was eight and moved in with Grandma."

"I'm sorry." grimaced Amy.

"Thank you," replied Blair. "Other than grandma, my uncle and his family visit once every three months." She sighed. "Despite them, I felt alone. I was homeschooled before their death." She scratched her arm. "Some believed being homeschooled means you are weird, and rumors developed about why I lost my parents; some of the rumors were cruel and stemmed from my physical attributes. Heterochromia is rare, so their knowledge is limited."

"Did they think having two different color palettes meant you were odd?" asked Christina, who looked upset.

"Yes," She sighed. "Some thought my Greek and British heritage were why I had different colored eyes." She frowned. "Which made them further not understand and treat me like a freak."

"Blind idiots." Christina spat out.

"That's one way of saying they don't see you as a person." Tanya scowled.

"The rumors and judgment followed me from primary to secondary school." She gazed at Ryu's confused expression. "Uh... from elementary to junior high to high school."

"Oh." Ryu nodded. "I knew that." He grinned.

Blair chuckled lightly. "People have treated me differently, which led me to take refuge in my hobbies: drawing, painting, and video games. Being alone and people avoiding me made me more introverted and developed tics. My quiet mannerisms and tics, mixed with the rumors and my attributes, led to further negative opinions of me." She sighed. "Staying quiet and avoiding people made people think I was rude and awkward." She glanced at Ryu. "There were a few times I was pranked."

"They played pranks when you did nothing to them," growled Ryu. "Pranks are for when either both parties are okay with it or if the other party is making problems for everyone else."

"You won't prank me?"

He shook his head. "No. I won't play a prank on you." He smiled. "Promise. Besides, we are comrades of the elements."

Her eyes widened at his response, specifically the word 'comrade.' She responded with a small smile. "Thank you." She calmed herself. "I'm sorry I did not allow you to visit me sooner. I feared you would be the same as them or think I'm weird and rude."

Jake nodded. "None of us think you are rude, and I think we understand more about you. People can come to ridiculous conclusions for other people."

"We all need a strong support system," said Amy. "Blair, you can trust us."

"Right." Christina smiled at the short girl. "We won't be like those close-minded idiots!"

"Ditto." Sam nodded. "People are punks, but we won't be punks around you."

"We will be the coolest dudes in your circle." Ryu gave a thumbs up. "So cool, everyone will be frozen by how awesome we are."

"Take pride." Tanya stood up and marched toward Blair, who looked startled. "You will love yourself and let no person break you." She stared intently into Blair's eyes. "Never let the crude masses break your spirit."

"Ah." squeaked a scared Blair. "Y-yeah."

"Tanya," said Amy. "Calm down. She's not used to us, yet."

The ice warrior realized what she had done and then took a step back. "My apologies." She stated, staring softly at the girl. "Please remember what I said."

"R-right."

Amy stepped up beside Tanya. "It's going to be fine; you can rely on us. Let's be friends!"

Blair smiled, feeling warmth at what she was asked by the other girl. "Of course!" She spoke with more enthusiasm.

"Great!" chirped Amy.

"You will be in the same time zone when you move to America." said Ryu.

"I... was informed I will be in Parkerville but at West Lion High.

Ryu groaned. "Ah, now you will be our rivals in sports games." He perked up. "You can be our mole inside the school and get the dirt on them?"

"Huh?"

"He's joking." said Christina.

"Maybe." smirked Ryu

"This has been a fascinating session," said Lina, sipping tea. "See, Blair, they are not idiots."

"We are, but not in the same caliber as the other idiots." chuckled Ryu.

"We're the idiots people will likely think twice to mess with." Sam displayed a smirk.

"Let's be idiots together!" giggled Amy.

Blair let out a light chuckle, and the others joined in with laughter. As she watched the group before her, a sense of relief washed over her. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for thinking they would judge her differently. She felt her anxiety increase, wanting to move away, but she resisted, seeing it as impolite. This group would be her new friends, and she needed to make an effort to adapt.

Jake stood up and raised his cup. "Gang, this is the time we get moving! We are a full-fledged team about to embrace the next chapter of our lives. We are the warriors of elements, a group looking into the eyes of life and standing firm. Together, let's keep riding this storm."

"Yeah!" Amy shouted.

"Great speech, brother." grinned Sam. "But I think the 'get moving' should be something else for a little flair."

Jake scowled. "It was a great speech."

"We are going to be up against crazies who might like to hear the sound of their own voices. Their so-called great speeches are going to be annoying to hear, so your great speeches need to overcome their monologues."

"Be as pretentious as possible," added Tanya. "You will get there."

"Grand speeches are for moments where it counts," said Jack. "And sometimes for events like this."

"It's adequate." yawned Lina as she leaned back in her chair. "Adequate." She slurred as she began to fall asleep.

"Wait!" Ryu shouted. "Have you been saying Riding the Storm too much lately?"

"No, I have not."

"When we are not around?"

"I don't say it all the time!"

"Save it for big moments," Ryu smirked. "A Moment that will feel like a hit from Thor's Hammer."

"H-he said it in the Mirror World," said Blair. "And hours before, you said a variation during our web call."

"Hmm." Ryu glared at Jake. "That's five times so far. Jake, save it for when it matters."

"Fine, I will say other things," chuckled Jake. "Like 'Let's mosey' or 'Get im'."

"No." chuckled Christina. "I consider mosey to be out of our vocabulary."

"Everyone," Amy called out. "We can discuss how Jake words his speeches another time. What should we do now? Stay inside or go out."

"Lina is asleep." Jack glanced at the sleeping girl. "Who wants to disturb her?"

"We could stay in for a while and wait for her to wake up," said Christina. "Blair, how long until your grandma returns?"

"Nine, s-she will be across town. The park is close by." She glanced at the sleeping girl. "We c-can wait half an hour until we disturb her."

"Then let's try a game before heading out." said Jake.

Blair nodded, feeling less apprehensive around them. Her fears of them judging her had lessened, and she felt more comfortable around this group. When they will travel to Galvania in the near future, she will have this group with her every step of the way.