For all its purpose, Rubicum's training arena was very much like their own. It had a crystal simulation stage as large as theirs which operated with two visual judges, just as theirs did. But it wasn't set in a school field with a ring of bleachers. It was set in the city square, surrounded by trees with tree houses. When not in use for the tourney, during the night it doubled as a 'bring your own cart' street market.

They were in the last day of Fall. Tomorrow would be the official opening ceremony of the Spellblade Tourney. Since coming to Rubicum, every third days had Class C booked for afternoon practice on the field, and every other time were spent supposedly self-studying for the written exams when they returned to Aleynonlia. 'Supposedly' being key, as they had instead ran around the city like chicks enjoying the sights.

But for that day, they were practising, fighting, but more generally, yelling at each other. Or at least, everyone else was yelling. Joachim simply fumed innately.

“Watch it!” Lua screamed, spitting frosted mist as she rolled out the way of another one of Nos's frantic magic fuelled rampage. She swung one of her twin jade blades at their holographic opponents. “We're on the same side!”

“I'll watch my swings when Joachim starts calling his attacks!” Nos frantically screamed as he blocked another onslaught of hits from the holographic Shichi's scythe.

“He's mute, you incorrigible horse pebble!”

“That's not what I meant and you know it!”

Joachim was at his wit's end. While he rarely worked in tandem with Lua, they were getting along well save for a mutual rivalry to outdo each other. However, Nos was a different story. The new kid was strong, his attacks erratically alacritous. It was devastating form and techniques in a one-on-one fight. But in a team, that randomness affected his own teammates' abilities. Joachim had spent the entire fight frustratingly pulling back attacks as Nos continued to jump into the line of fire.

Then, he saw Kingston sidestepped Lua with his baton, rushing towards Nos for a finishing blow while the latter was preoccupied fighting Ishumi.

He flicked his wrist at the attacker, yo-yo blades extending from the body of the weapon in a line. It whizzed through the air, guided gently by magic. Then, Nos spun away from fighting Ishumi and punched his dagger towards the attacking Kingston, jumping straight into the line of attack of Joachim's yo-yo.

Joachim twisted his wrist, attempting to avoid hitting Nos, but the interference was too sudden. The blade twisted towards his teammates arm.

He watched helpless as Kington's hologram form stopped mid attack and turned away from Nos. Kingston pulled up his tonfa and flipped it so the longer arm reached his shoulder. He unlocked a second handle grip at the lateral arm and pulled it alongside the weapon like a bowstring. The hologram fired, rifle bullet exploding out of the barrel.

The bullet seemed to twist mid-travel, spiralling sideways and turning its direction towards the deadly yo-yo. With bladed wind magic, it cut the string of the yo-yo and the weapon smashed into the ground, embedding blade first into the earth.

But Nos did not stop. He continued rushing towards Kingston hologram and stabbed. But right before his punch dagger connected, the simulation vanished and he simply pierced empty space.

“Stop!” Rehiy's voice roared. “What in the name of Titans are you all doing?” He stood from his seat and rushed over to the field, approaching the team of Nos, Jaochim, and Lua. “Joachim! What was that? You could have gotten someone killed!”

Joachim signed furiously, pointing to Nos and then his ears. Ishumi was still calmly walking over from her side of the battlefield and was too preoccupied with attempting to ignore the whole troublesome situation to translate.

Rehiy stared fervently at Joachim's signing.

Then, Nos raised, “Hey! We can't understand a thing you're saying, stupid.”

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“No, I get it.” Rehiy put out. “You're saying Nos wasn't communicating with you and Lua, is that it?”

Joachim nodded.

“How?” Nos asked.

Rehiy turned to Nos and reprimanded. “Just because he can't talk doesn't mean you can't communicate. This is a fight. You're not going to be able to string together full sentences half the time. If you can't even convey messages without words, then what exactly are you doing here?”

“I–”

“No,” Rehiy waved off. “That was a rhetorical question. Don't answer that. But don't you two think you're off the hook either, Orniter, Kerr. You are also responsible for not discussing a method of communication beforehand.” He punctuated to Lua and Joachim.

As the team of Ishumi, Shichi, and Kingston approached, Joachim walked up to towards Kingston and offered and handshake in thanks.

“You, are very welcome,” the big brother of class laughed back. “Though I wished I hadn't been stabbed though.” He rubbed the imaginary wound from the hologram.

Rehiy signalled for the class to gather around him for a debriefing, marking an end to the day's training. Once everyone had encircled him on the field, he crossed his arms and flexed his wings. Letting out a deep breath, his frustration turning into steam in the air.

“Well, from our training sessions it has become obvious where all your faults and weaknesses lies. As you all know, today is your last day of training, and so I will be registering your teams for the tourney.”

Joachim raised his hand.

“Yes, Joachim?”

Ishumi translated, “Will we be allowed to pick our teams?”

“No,” Rehiy replied. “I'll be picking them in accordance to your strengths and weaknesses. Any other questions?”

The class did not answer, looking back and forth each other as they wondered about their pairing. Some where excitedly discussing between themselves, while others, like the twins, moved closer to each other as if they would be partnered up simply by proximity. Then Rehiy pulled up his hand and everyone gave him their rapt attention.

“Class C will be participating in four categories. The teams of two, threes, fours, and fives. You are free to register for other categories but those will not be sponsored by the school. You will have to sign up for those just like everyone else.” He washed his gaze over the class, making sure each of them where focussing on the next point. “Now for the assignments. For the team of two we'll have Shichi Katayagi and Four-Chan.”

“It's Fornelia Chan–!”

“Next!” Rehiy cut her off before she could finish her catchphrase. “Team of three. Lua Orniter. Nossaral Unn. Joachim Kerr.”

Nos exclaimed, “What?!”

“Is there a problem, Mister Unn?”

“Yes!” Nos spoke out without restrain. “We were terrible together.”

“Exactly,” Rehiy replied, taking a strong step forward that caused Nos to slink back some. “You're not here to have 'fun'. You're here as part of the curriculum of the school, and that means you're here to learn. Winning the tourney would be a nice bonus, but that's all there is to that. I put you three together precisely because you're so terrible. You either learn to work together, or lose. Now, team of four...”

Joachim did not hear anything else after that. His mind wandered. Having to pair up with Nos for training was one thing, but to carry the team through the tourney? And what was Rehiy thinking in not sparring him up with Ishumi? Without someone to translate for him, how was he going to get through on a day-to-day?

The drakin finished announcing the team and recommended everyone spend the post training minutes discussing their roles in the group.

Before Ishumi could run off with her squad, Joachim pulled her back by the wrist. “Hey, I need your help?”

“With?” she asked, brow arching.

“I'll ask Rehiy to swap me with one of your teammates.”

She chuckled. “I don't think so. Not going to help you with that.”

“Wait, what? No! You need to help me translate or he won't understand a thing I'm saying.”

She patted his shoulder. “I think that's the point, Yo-Yo.” He was taken aback. She had only ever called him by his nickname whenever she was reprimanding him in her sisterly way. “Look, I want to pair up with you. Really, I do. But I think Rehiy's right. You can't always get the easy way out here. Good luck with the team. You'll need it.” She smiled and walked to her group.

Joachim stood dumbfounded as Lua and a visibly reluctant Nos approached.

“Is she joining us?” Lua asked of Ishumi.

Joachim shook his head.

Nos sarcastically said, “Fantastic. Absolutely no problems there.”

Joachim shot him a fierce glare back, signing a slew of insults.

“I can't understand you, man. You could be telling me you'll stab me in my sleep for all I'd know and I'd still think you're just waving hello.” Nos turned and began to leave. “Great meeting, team. Let me know if you want to 'train', or not. I don't really care.”

As Lua and Joachim watched Nos walk away, the younger Orniter said, “I don't really like him. He's a good fighter, but he's so selfish and stuck up.” She turned to Joachim with a sigh. “I'll try to get him to meet us for dinner. You can teach us some basic signs, and we can try to coordinate our combat tactics or something.”

He swooped his right hand down to his wrist and tapped. Then, he formed an angled V with his middle and index fingers and brought the two middle fingers together in a gesture.

“Um... I think the first one means time, so the second one I am guessing means place?”

He nodded.

Lua sighed happily. “We'll meet outside our dorm at seven in the night and head out from there. I think we can do this. Nos is hard headed, but I can't deny he's smart. I'm sure if we work together, we'll figure something out.” She then gave him a grin. “I know Sik Rehiy said winning's just a bonus, but I really want that bonus.”

He gave a thumbs up in agreement.