Laau Kai was on cue for his daily attempt at joining them. Though his aura seemed different today. Instead of the normal bravado he carried, now he felt smaller.

“Hello, everyone.” He squeaked out.

“Let’s go somewhere else, it’s still too early for my mood to get ruined.” Sienna complained.

Just as they were getting ready to leave Kai blocked their path while kowtowing.

“I’d like to apologize for how I have been acting of the past few days. It was not my place to act so brazenly, and…” He turned towards Hyrua. “I’d like to apologize to you directly. I learned some details about your situation from some of the locals and other rumors. I cannot assume what is true and what is mere fantasy, but I would like to humbly ask you to accept my apology.”

The three of them stood in silence. Well, Kamadra more or less excitedly bounced in silence while Sienna’s shoulders relaxed.

The gentle mountain that was Hyrua knelt down into a hill before Kai and placed a hand on his back.

“I did not expect you to sympathize with my story, much less even know it. As long as you acknowledge how you have wronged me and vow to improve, then I accept your apology.”

Kai pressed his forehead deeper into the cobblestones. “Thank you, I do not deserve such kindness.”

“Well thanks for that big brother. Now we have to accept his apology or we’ll seem petty by comparison.” Sienna sighed.

Kai didn’t move, he knew that it wasn’t his place to try and convince them to accept his apology. He had put his heart and words out into the world and left his fate in their hands.

“Come on Sister.” Kamadra sung. “Do you want to flirt with creating a bottleneck for yourself by holding onto this grudge?”

Sienna picked them up like a small child and tossed them into her brother’s arms.

“Fine. We will accept your apology as well.”

“Thank you!” His words drew the attention of everyone on the street.

Flustered she continued. “But don’t think that just because we accepted… where are you going?”

Kai had started back into the busy street.

“Oh, I figured that simply apologizing wouldn’t be enough for you to be willing to team up with me. There isn’t any other team I’d want so I’m just going to prepare for whatever the redemption challenge is and advance on my own.”

“I see. Well good, because you still haven’t proved that you deserve to team up with us.” She gloated.

“I appreciate your honesty.”

Kai bowed with his fist pressed together and disappeared into the crowd.

“Don’t come crying to us if you fail to advance to the next round!”

Kamadra couldn’t hold in their laughter any longer. “Do you have to get the last word?”

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

They were still nestled in Hyrua’s hands like a prized possession he wanted to show off. Kamadra reached out and patted her head from their new height.

“Come now, big little sister.”

“Don’t say anymore, her face is turning into hot copper.” Hyrua mused.

After paying for their bill, the three decided to wander around the streets a bit longer before heading to the training grounds. It didn’t take long for them to spot Kai again though.

Even among all of the tourist no one dared to dress as flamboyantly as him. Aside from member’s of his own school that is, but not many of them spent time outside of their lodging if they weren’t at the training grounds.

It looked like he was taking some old granny’s things from her yard. Sienna was about to rush at him and demand an explanation. But her brother’s arm formed a barricade that stopped her in her tracks.

“What are you doi-”

“Shhh, watch.”

He pointed back to the yard, apparently the granny had injured her back and he was helping clear some things that had been piling up in front of her house. They watched as he made quick work of the chore and happily accepted the innocent flirting from the toothless granny. She then kissed him on the cheek and waved him off.

As he walked away they could make out expressions with unclean intent forming in her wrinkles.

“Not even the elderly are safe from you.” Sienna exaggerated.

Kai nearly fell over himself trying to face her.

“Now that’s not fair. She has a certain charm that suggest a compelling past.” Kamadra chimed in.

In an attempt to recover, he closed in on the group with several acrobatic moves. Finishing of with a standing front flip from his hands and landing perfectly to tower over them.

“This one has an eye for the finer things. But no, Chu Ling has been having some back issues since she tried nursing her favorite plant back to health.”

Sienna and Hyrua looked at each other, trying to figure out who he was talking about. While Kamadra put a finger on their chin and put on a cute face like they were lost in thought.

“What? She was keeping me company while I worked and we got to know each other. The elderly are people too you know.”

“There is no judgment from this one.” Hyrua waved his hands.

“That’s so sweet!”

Sienna was the only one still eying him. Her gaze didn’t contain any criticism though. Instead it was more questioning.

Perhaps I misjudged him.

“Is this something you do regularly?” She asked.

“At least once a day actually. My family has a rule that when we’re not training we go out into the world and work to make a positive impact. I find helping others and having conversations works best for me.”

“Hmm.”

She hesitated to say anymore. After all, what kind of look would it give if she suddenly changed her entire opinion of him? She didn’t have to worry about it for too long though because her brother spoke up.

“You need to work on how you present yourself. I’m fine with him joining us if this is how he really is.”

Kamadra laughed and latched onto his neck before saying. “Same here. You know, you’re more handsome this way.”

They stared at Sienna, quietly urging her to agree. The human necklace duo morphing into the shadow of a demonic statue.

Sienna walked over to Kai and looked down into his eyes. Any closer and her chin would have kissed the bridge of his nose.

The two didn’t exchange words as she gradually increased the pressure around them. He didn’t react until a passing child tripped over a pot trying to get off the street. As if he opened a furnace his own pressure spilled out and melted in with her own.

The air grew slightly warm and Sienna even had a few beads of sweat run down her cheek. One last wave of energy rushed between them before all traces of it disappeared.

In unison they grabbed each other’s forearm and lightly bowed. Then she broke away and stepped back behind her team.

“So is that a yes?” Hyrua asked.

“Way to ruin the moment! It’s a good thing I like the thing you do with your hands.” Kamadra teased.

“What do you say we go somewhere fun? It can be my treat as thanks for accepting me.”

“You’re paying?” Sienna’s eyebrows rose.

“My family has a few businesses so I get quite an allowance.”

“You should have led with that. We might have accepted you right away!” She quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Where are we going… elder brother?”

“I found a spot that puts on some of the best performances.”

He led them to a smaller building several blocks over. On the outside it was similar to all the other buildings around it. Stone walls covered in plaster and colorful artwork painted onto every available space. However, the entrance was set slightly into the ground.

The interior was effectively doubled because they dug out so much of the ground. Despite this the open room was filled with smoke that gave off a distinctively floral scent mixed in with a much stronger odor.

Across the room were platforms of beautiful performers slowly spinning in different aerial contraptions.