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"Lucia, thanks for talking to us."

"You know I'll always have time for you, Tonia."

"Haha, that's kind of you, I know you must be frantically busy with preparations for the race. How are things looking?"

"Oh, nicely under control, I'd say."

"You've competed here more times than anyone else, and you have as many wins here as the rest of the grid put together. That must give you some confidence for your result on Sunday?"

"That's kind. You might as well ask if I'm old and past it."

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"I'd never! I hope you're not feeling your age?"

"Well for sure I'm not feeling young, not with the kids I'm up against these days."

"Can you beat them?"

"Of course, but they can beat me too – they've all shown that this year."

"You sound pretty laid-back about it. You could win a sixth championship by the end of this week, that's more than anyone else has ever won."

"Well, I'll do my best, you know I always do."

"There's a lot of talk that you'll retire if you win the title."

"There was last year, too. You did some of it, if memory isn't cheating me."

"Haha, that's true. But you've been in the IL for ten years with Olympia, and no dragon has ever completed eleven seasons. Would it be risking too much to compete again next year?"

"Hmm, I don't think so. Olympia is strong. I've been blessed with the greatest dragon ever, and he still wants to race. If he passes the physicals in the winter, then why not?"

"His shoulder injury-"

"Enough of that, Tonia. We were careless this year. We won't repeat the mistake."

"So we'll see you again at the Imperial Palace come spring?"

"We'll see. We'll see."