Sero was playing with his dragons as he laid in bed in the arena infirmary. He hadn't passed out this time, but his body was a wreck from using multiple buffs at once. The lighter green dragon pup had steadily recovered his mana, so that was why he was able to remain conscious. The darker green one had initially protected Sero from the medics, but relented when it understood that they were trying to help him.

They refused to be called back even as Sero was safely transported to the infirmary and were now happily frolicking on his bed. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that they were basically identical aside from the color of their furs.

"Hey, did you see that move I made? With the Kings and Sting?" He asked them, grinning proudly. "That was amazing, right?" The darker of the two dragons tilted its head slightly, as if considering his words, before nudging him playfully with its snout. Obviously they couldn't speak, but it was comforting to know that he wasn't somewhat alone.

"Oh, I saw, all right. That was a... unique move, to say the least." Kit suddenly appeared next to him with a grin. "I might have paradoxical skills, but you're the one who always keeps me guessing."

"Hey, Kit," Sero grinned back at her. "Well, I've been told that's my best quality."

The Paradox giggled as she sat down, glancing at the pups. "Oh, they're so adorable!"

"Yeah, that's what people have been saying," Sero watched as the dragons sniffed Kit curiously. "I wasn't expecting a baby dragon, much less two of them."

Kit cooed and played with the dragons with glee. "Did you name them?"

"Yeah," Sero nodded. "It was actually in the heat of battle, too. The darker one is Moss, and the lighter one is Lime."

Kit giggled as the dragons nuzzled her hands. "They're really cute. So, Sero... how are you feeling? I heard you nearly took out the arena wall."

"Technically, Elena almost did, but it was because of me," Sero grinned sheepishly. "My body feels like shit, kinda like after my match with Zioth. Which brings up the point... would you be able to use your Cat Paradox on me?"

"No," Kit shot him down with an apologetic look. "It worked the first time when people couldn't really tell how much damage you took, but if I do it again, you'd have to avoid people because they'd think something was up from the way you exerted yourself. Not to mention, if you're consciously aware that people think you're in bad shape, then it'll wear off regardless."

Sero groaned, lying back on the bed. "I forgot about that."

"Anyway," Kit scooped up Moss into her arms, causing Lime to bark with jealousy. "You've made it to the finals!"

"Yeah," Sero grinned weakly. "I can't believe it. I'm going to have to fight against Liam, aren't I?"

Kit nodded, then paused for a moment. "At first glance, Liam and Enzo seem really similar, but there's a clear difference between them."

"And that is?" Lime huffed in frustration and bounded back to Sero, butting its head against his face.

"They're both brutal and merciless, willing to win whatever it takes. But, Liam has a much shorter fuse, mostly because of his inferiority complex he has against his brother." Kit became crestfallen. "It's strange, though. Enzo loves his brother despite how he acts, but Liam can't see it because of how much people compare him and Enzo."

"And that's what makes him dangerous," Sero added, rubbing Lime's head. "He's got nothing to lose, and he's desperate to prove himself. I'm going to have to be careful." He remembered the savage beatdown Eshe and Raul received, causing his anger to rise. Lime whined with concern, sensing his emotions. Moss wriggled out of Kit's arms and joined Lime in comforting Sero.

"Sorry, but that's so cute I can't take it," Kit quietly cooed. "The way that they're soothing you."

Sero sighed as he petted the dragons, feeling his anger dissipate. "Do you think I have a chance of winning?"

Kit made a face. "It's hard to say. Your rapid growth is the talk of the nation right now, but Liam has been fighting for a very long time, not to mention his status as a top S-rank is nothing to scoff at. His skillset is very similar to Enzo's too, so you might have some difficulty with that."

"Ugh," Sero grumbled, feeling disheartened for his upcoming match. "What do you suggest I do?"

The Paradox shrugged. "Honestly? Just do your best. You've already seen most of what Liam can do, so there's really not any other surprises in store."

"But what if I can't beat him? What if I lose?" Sero's voice was shaking, uncertainty beginning to creep into his heart.

"Hey, it'll be ok, my little bookworm," Kit purred comfortingly as she stroked his arm. "I know you'll do well."

While it didn't completely erase his anxiety, Sero was glad that Kit didn't feed him empty words. He sighed and shook his head, feeling his Rationality activate.

"Ok, moving on. Do you know where Elena is recovering at? I wanna see her."

Kit blinked and drew back in surprise, a hint of jealousy and irritation flickering in her mismatched eyes. "Why?"

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"I wanted to see if I could get her autograph," Sero replied quickly. "For Nala."

"Oh." The Paradox relaxed and placed a hand on his arm. "That's fine. I can teleport us there."

"Thanks-" Before Sero could finish, his world blurred for a moment. He suddenly found himself standing in a different infirmary room, next to a bed where Elena was resting.

"We're here!" Kit grinned at him happily. Sero fought the urge to vomit as he leaned on Elena’s bed.

"Can you... warn me... next time?" He gritted out as he attempted to get his bearings. The Paradox stuck her tongue out playfully.

"Sero? Kit? What are you guys doing here?" Elena asked, slightly confused.

"My little bookworm here wants to know if you'd be willing to give him your autograph." Kit smiled as she nudged Sero off-balance.

"Oh, uh..." Elena glanced at Sero, then back at Kit. "Sure, I guess." She yawned and sat up a little, rubbing her eyes. "But I'm really tired, so make it quick."

Sero fumbled around for some pen and paper, still a bit disoriented. As he grabbed a napkin and a pen, there was a sudden chorus of barking. Moss and Lime burst into the room, making a beeline towards Sero and tackling him to the ground as they chirped happily.

"Oof!" Sero grunted painfully as he fell. He wasn't completely recovered yet, and the teleport had left a smudge of nausea. His pups licked his face and bounced all over his body, their claws sharp as they dug into him. "Hey, hey, easy!"

Elena squealed with delight upon seeing the dragons, apparently not tired anymore. "Oh my god, your dragons! Can I play with them?"

Moss and Lime barked and chirped happily, clearly pleased to have someone new to interact with. They crawled over Sero, letting Elena pet them and scratch their bellies. The room was filled with the sounds of laughter and cat-like purring as the dragons enjoyed the attention. Kit, amused, leaned against the wall and watched the scene unfold.

"Do they have names?" The Scaletamer asked.

"Yeah," Sero clambered back to his feet gingerly. "Darker one's Moss, and the lighter one's Lime."

The dragons seemed to know their names as they both perked up and looked at Sero. Moss nuzzled into Elena's palm, while Lime climbed onto her shoulder, curling up to rest there. The two dragons seemed to like Elena, and she giggled as they played with her.

"Moss and Lime? Why?"

"Ah, well, half of the reason is because of their coloring. Moss; because the way it absorbed the attacks reminded me of a sponge. And Lime was because of how your dragon reacted when it sapped its strength, like it had eaten something sour."

"Hmm... fitting, I suppose." Elena murmured with a small smile, then glanced at him. "Do you know that they're girls? And twins, at that."

"Really?" Sero's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't know that." He scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Well, I'm glad you told me. I'll have to take better care of them, then."

Elena chuckled. "It's understandable. For those who don't have much experience with dragons, it is rather difficult to tell their gender. That aside, I know you copied my other summons. Did you get the chance to call them forth as well?"

"No," Sero shook his head. "I’m kinda scared they might be massive."

"Actually," Elena chuckled again. "They have a greater chance to be infants just like these pups." She scratched their chins, causing them to purr louder. "That’s how it was when I first summoned Jawlock, my dragon. He was so miniature and ridiculously adorable."

"Wait, the apocalypse was a little over a year ago… how fast do they grow?" Sero gazed at Moss and Lime, feeling a slight sense of panic mixed with awe.

"Well, while they do grow quickly," The Scaletamer gave a small smile. "At some rate, they acquire the ability to change their size at will, so there’s no reason to fear if that’s what you were worried about."

To prove her point, Elena snapped her fingers, causing a small green portal to appear in front of her. Moss and Lime tilted their heads curiously at the portal. Sero heard a low but tiny growl, followed by a mini version of Elena’s dragon popping out from the portal. The emerald dragon roared, sounding like a rather quiet car engine.

Sero’s pups growled, but soon began to play with Elena’s Jawlock. The Scaletamer watched the three familiars with delight.

"As you can see, Jawlock is an adult dragon, but he was able to resize himself so that he didn’t completely obliterate the arena infirmary. I believe that your dragons will be able to reach that level in a couple of months or so."

"Thanks," Sero hesitated. "Do I… feed them like regular pets? Or how would I be able to take care of them?"

"Well, it’s a bit complicated to explain, but familiars and the like of the Summoner’s class usually don’t require more than mana from the caster to grow and sustain themselves. However, animalistic and humanoid summons do enjoy things that we do, so it’s not a stretch to say that their quality of life wouldn’t improve if you incorporate those elements into their growth."

Sero nodded, relieved, then remembered what he was here to do. "If I could get that autograph..." he mumbled, handing Elena the napkin and pen.

Elena glanced at the napkin and took it, scribbling something on it. "Here you go, Sero. And thank you for letting me meet your dragons." She handed the napkin back to him. "Congratulations on the win as well. You proved more than a match for me."

Sero took the napkin, glancing at Elena's signature. "Thanks... I mean, no, thank you." He smiled awkwardly. "Well, I should get going. It's getting late." With that, he started to make his way out of the room, his pups trotting after him.

"Sero?" He turned back around.

"Be careful," Elena said quietly. "Liam will be a much scarier opponent than I was."

"Right. Thanks." Sero swallowed as he left, Kit following suit.

As they came out into the hallway, Kit gave him a side glance. "Do you realize what the implications of you winning your match is?" She asked as if trying to lighten the mood.

"Um, not really," Sero said, scratching his head. "I mean, I'm just glad I didn't lose."

Kit flashed a wide smile. "Think about it. You, an A-rank, defeating a very powerful S-rank."

"Oh. Right. That's kinda cool, I guess." Sero still didn't get where she was going with it.

The Paradox's smile faded as she looked at him with exasperation. "Do you really not understand the importance of you being an A-rank defeating an S-rank?"

Sero shook his head, still confused. "No, not really. I mean, I guess it's impressive or something? But I don't know what it means for me, or for anyone else."

"For a Scholar, you're really slow on the uptake," Kit sighed to herself. "Ok, well, you winning means that you qualify for an S-rank promotion."

Sero stopped walking, his dragons halting beside him. He turned to Kit with a wide-eyed gaze. "Wait, does that mean that-"

"Finally," Kit's smile returned. "Yeah, that means you technically can be considered an S-rank now."