Wynn gulped as Reina happily skated around, whistling cheerily. She seemed happy enough, but Wynn knew Reina was the most unpredictable person she ever met. One moment, she could be smiling as if it was the best day of her life, the next, she wanted to kill someone.

“Lollipop?” Wynn asked in an attempt to break the silence and maybe bribe her.

Reina sent her a glance that said she knew exactly what she was doing but was just going along with it because of the candy. “Sure. I’ll get chocolate.”

Wynn let out a sigh as she held out the bowl and Reina took one. So far, so good.

Reina moved the candy in and out of her mouth, sucking lightly. “So, what’s up? Anything different?”

Wynn coughed. “No, nothing much.”

Reina nodded appreciatively. “Good, good.”

Another long silence fell over the room. Finally, Reina spoke again.

“You know, you guys still haven’t fixed the statue.”

Wynn tensed. The statue was a sore subject, and this answer would mean a lot. “Nobody wanted to fix it. They-“

“Wanted something of me? Well, that’s quite nice. And surprising, given a few of your reception toward me last time.”

Wynn winced. “I-“

“Oh, I know it wasn’t what you guys wanted. I knew it was coming.”

Wynn’s eyebrow shot up. “You did?”

Reina bit into her lollipop. “Of course I did. I was dangerous and untamed; the government thought you guys were too lax with handling me. So, the logical answer would be that they take me away.”

Wynn shuddered. Her words. They were bringing back memories. Flashes. Of a girl screaming. Blood. Heat.

“-why do you want me here?” Wynn blinked. “Uh?”

Reina rolled her eyes. “Start listening, would you? I asked, why do you want me here? I mean, isn’t your precious school so important?” There was a bitter tone in her voice.

“No. Well, yes, it is but-“

“And I am quite dangerous.” Reina interrupted again. Wynn snapped.

“You will stop interrupting and listen to me this instance!” Reina was so startled the lollipop fell out of her mouth and onto the carpet with a plop. Wynn couldn’t bring herself to care and instead smirked. She still had it.

At the time Reina was shocked, the door opened and the person Wynn had asked for entered. Reina turned around, not seeing anything, and then with a groan of annoyance, looked down.

BONK!

“Ow!” Reina furiously rubbed the growing red mark on her forehead.

“Don’t give me that look, young lady! You little brat!” Veriy retorted.

Reina rolled her eyes again and looked at Wynn for confirmation. Giving a bit of a weak shrug, Reina groaned even louder.

“I thought I told you to stop doing that!”

“Ow! Why you little-!” Reina lunged for him but Veriy jumped onto her head and pushed off. Reina tumbled to the ground and Veriy neatly landed onto a nearby seat.

“Oh come on! Why him?!” Reina demanded to know. Veriy grumbled and snapped open a newspaper.

“He’s the best Fire Artist we have.” Noticing Reina’s downright murderous look, she hasted to include, “After you, of course.”

Reina sat back in her chair, smug. “Exactly. I don’t need him!”

Veriy barked. “As if! Your form is sloppy, and you have little to no raw power.”

Reina’s eyes snapped wide open. “Yo-you-!”

Veriy wasn’t disconcerted in the slightest. “And apparently too dumb to speak as well.”

Wynn gulped as smoke started to rise from her hands. How could Veriy be so nonchalant? So casual? Then again, he hadn’t been part of it. He must feel the same around her.

“Calm down, the both of you. Reina, he must train you. And Veriy, try to be a little nicer.”

“Ha! As if that’s possible,” Reina grumbled. Veriy groaned.

“I can be nice you know!”

“Oh yeah? To what, your couch?!” Reina shot back.

A fireball erupted over his palms. “Screw this! You’re going to feel the burn!”

Reina cackled. “You mean your gas, old man? Having butt problems?!”

Veriy shot the fireball at top speed and it hit Reina, enveloping her in crimson flames. Wynn slammed down a book.

“Veriy!” He flinched and spun around. “What?”

“Put it out! She could be dying!”

Veriy snorted. “Don’t get your panties tied up in a knot. She’ll be fine, I checked what you asked me to.”

Wynn sucked in a breath at what that implied. “Are you saying-?”

Veriy nodded, his eyes filled with grief and worry hidden behind layers of guilt. “Yeah. It’s moving again.”

Wynn destroyed her desk. “Dang it!” She gritted her teeth. Why? The only good thing that came out of it all; why was that the only thing that went back to normal? Couldn’t the fates just leave this poor girl alone? Speaking off. . .”

“Veriy!” she shrieked.

“What? We can’t keep coddling her, Wynn!” He tried to sound sure but his body was shaking.

Wynn opened her mouth to yell again when another voice filled the air.

“Gee, you people are so old. You’re going to give some old people bad hearing if you keep at this you know.”

“Reina!” Wynn exclaimed.

“Yeah?”

The voice was coming from the bonfire still, which hadn’t died down in the slightest. Wynn sent a scolding look at Veriy. “Kill the flames, Veriy.”

Veriy made to do it but Reina spoke up. “No need.” The flames flickered and suddenly, they were sucked out. Wynn caught Reina clenching her fists triumphantly.

“Not so hot, eh, old man?”

Wynn frowned. So it really was true. The moment she had stepped onto this island-the connection had formed again. Wynn stood up.

“Reina. We need to go over several things discussing your enrollment into the Academy.”

Reina nodded. “Sure. Hit me.”

Wynn took a deep breath. “First, we need to talk about where you’re going to sleep.”

Reina arched an eyebrow. “I thought it was obvious. The Housing Hound, of course.”

Wynn bit her lips. “I don’t think that’s entirely safe. Besides, you have your own place already. Can’t you just live in that?” Wynn knew she was practically begging at this point but it was necessary.

Reina tucked her hair back. “Fine.” she bit out.

Wynn let out a sigh. Now for the hard part. “The government isn’t entirely sure how to handle this entire situation.”

At this point, Reina’s brows nearly flew off her head. Wynn tensed. She knew this was going to shock her.

“The government? They talked to you?” The unspoken question hangs over them: they spoke to you before speaking to me?

Wynn hesitantly nodded. “They approached me privately.” She could still remember when she had entered her office only to find them sitting. It had been too eerily familiar for her liking.

“The government also realized what stepping onto her means. They’ve decided to put you into the Phoenix Squadron.”

Reina bolted straight up. “NO WAY

Veriy snorted. “I assume you know of them?”

Reina glared at him. “How stupid can you be? Of course, I know about them. I know how they’re forced to live separately and even though they’re supposed to be students, they have private lessons and eat in a separate place. They’re just bodyguards. All of the students veer straight away from them!”

Wynn tightened her jaw. Reina was right, after all. “What else should we do then? Your powers are way out of control! And the cloak-!”

“The cloak has been serving me well!” Reina placed a protective hand over the fabric.

“That may be so, but it’s getting old.”

“Then just get Eliza to make a new one!” Reina insisted.

Veriy shook his head in annoyance. “This is taking way too long. Brat, making something like that takes energy. Besides, we were going to send you to her anyway. It still wouldn’t be enough anymore.”

“Then what about these!” Reina yanked at her rings and bracelets. Wynn’s eyes widened. She had kept them? Her eyes started to mist over as she realized one she had given to Reina.

“You kept them?” Veriy asked. “More responsible of you than I thought possible. However, those weights mean next to nothing against your strength. Now, you need to keep them on to not manifest and an earthquake by you walking! What about the cube?”

Reina rolled her eyes. “I have it.” From deep inside her cloak, she withdrew a large silver cube of metal. Veriy nodded. “Good, good.”

“You better be careful. Some people might think you actually care for me,” Reina teased. Veriy snorted. “As if!”

Wynn groaned. “As intriguing as this is, can we get back to the problem at hand?”

Reina leaned back. “Sure. So let me get this straight. I’m pretty sure the reason the government is so cautious is because of Nero, am I right? Even though I’m technically a pacifist?”

Was it just her or did the very uttering of the name bring heat and a sensation of death? Even old man Veriy looked mollified. Wynn opened her mouth by Reina beat her to it.

“Don’t sugarcoat it, I’m not a baby. But honestly, I don’t see why they’re so worried.”

Veriy snarled and Wynn gaped. Was she kidding? She had to be, right?

Noticing the looks, Reina continued. “I mean, sure, she’s a menace. But I’ve looked at the plans. Every major city in the world has the security measures installed, and dang are they fearsome. Every student that graduated from the army has the information drilled into their head: where to go, how best to use their abilities separately or in unison to direct people to safe places, how best to defend everybody, etc. All of them know to head to one of the many zones where large, 10 feet thick tungsten walls pop out from the ground and make a safe cube. How every architect knows to create locks onto the floors of every building they make so it stays attached to the floor. There are even satellites that are only focused on Nero, and Nero alone! The entire project costs billions of dollars and is probably the only thing the entire freaking world can agree on. And believe me, I’ve gone to the prison built especially for Nero, and I am not lying when say it’s hardcore.” Reina whistled.

When she put it that way, it almost sounded ludicrous. But then Wynn remembered the devastation caused and made her decisions.

“No,” she stated firmly. “Because of your service and the fact that the government adores you, they are exploiting whatever loophole they can find to accustom you by ensuring the safety of everybody.

“If they’re worried that my powers are going to attract Nero, no matter how slim the chances are, I just won’t use them.”

Both Veriy and Wynn shifted as this new idea. “You mean-?” Wynn began, not daring to finish off the sentence.

Reina smiled. “Yep. You’re looking at Reina Romane, a student at the Academy. That is if you would have me.” She stuck out her hand. “It’s a good deal. All I want is to have free rein. I’ve got a little problem here at school I’ve gotta deal with.” Reina said with a predatory gleam in her eyes.

Wynn looked at the outstretched hand, ignoring the clear threat lingering in her voice. It wasn’t a good idea. There were too many holes. Too many dangers.

But Reina deserved it; especially after all the poor girl had gone through. And maybe, just maybe, this would help rekindle the relationship between all of them.

Veriy was observing this, but he was silent. Wynn knew this was killing him; the prospect of finding the chosen one but not being able to teach her. Maybe they could work out something later. Even if they couldn’t, Wynn knew Veriy trusted her guts.

And right now, her guts were telling her yes.

Taking one last look at Reina’s face, she grasped the hand. Immediately, it felt like loads of burden was lifted off her shoulders and she could smile freely for the first time in a long while.

This is for you, Reina.