Kiriai was still adjusting her white belt with its one yellow stripe when she came to a stop two steps into the room. Sento was already there. She’d hoped to be the first one to arrive this morning.

Her teammate sat on a stool against the back wall rifling through a clipboard full of papers on his lap. The soft glow of his fighter’s implant caught her eye. The small rectangle on the back of his neck was white with three yellow stripes. He was much closer to making the jump to full yellow and senior scrapper status than she.

Someday, she promised herself and reached up to rub her fingers across the smooth implant on her own neck, only a couple of weeks old. It made her smile. Every time.

Sento looked up with a casual grace that caught her attention and distracted her from everything that had happened that morning. He was older than her and her senior, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate the view. His well-worn gi hung on broad, muscled shoulders. His close-cropped black hair had a slight sheen of sweat as if he’d already been working out. He had chiseled features and the wind-blown appearance of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors.

“What took you so long?” asked Sento, his piercing blue eyes waiting for an answer.

Kiriai forced herself to relax and plastered a smile on her face.

“I’m early,” she said. “How long have you been here? And where is Tsuyoi?”

“I came in an hour ago to get extra training in,” Sento admitted as he stood and walked toward her. “Tsuyoi should be here soon and we can work on our strategies for winning the battle.”

“Sounds good,” Kiriai said, and then took a risk. “I have a few ideas, myself.”

“You’re too junior for ideas,” he said, frowning. “I know you fought hard to qualify for this battle, but Tsuyoi and I are the ones with the experience here. Besides, you’ve never been in a team fight. If you want to win this battle, your job will be to do exactly as we say. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Kiriai was just about to argue when she heard voices behind her. Tsuyoi’s harsh tone drifted in through the open door.

“It will need to be tomorrow night, late.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”

She didn’t recognize the voice of his companion.

Kiriai turned and was surprised to see Jusha accompanying Tsuyoi into the room. Both young men stopped talking as soon as they saw her. Tsuyoi glared at her and when Jusha saw her in the room, he flushed and dropped his gaze. Kiriai tried not to frown back at Tsuyoi. He was built like a brick wall with a dark face to match, pocked by scars that suggested a none-to-pleasant past. Even the skin on his arms sported various jagged lines and Kiriai hoped she never had to face him in the arena. Jusha, on the other hand, was taller and skinnier, a pleasant-looking young man you might bring home for dinner, confident he would have impeccable manners even if he were a bit boring.

“What will be tomorrow night?” she asked, ignoring Tsuyoi’s hostility.

“It isn’t anything that involves you,” Sento said from behind her.

Kiriai spun and faced the taller fighter. “If this has to do with the junior scrapper battle, then it involves me.”

Tsuyoi jumped in before Sento responded. “Just because you figured out how to cheat Jusha out of his spot on our team, doesn’t mean you get a say in anything we are planning. Our team was perfectly fine before you came along and ruined everything. Now, we’ll be lucky to have a shot at winning.”

Kiriai stared at Tsuyoi in disbelief. She had known he didn’t like her, but this level of animosity surprised her. Sento had moved next to the other two fighters, leaving her on her own. Kiriai caught his gaze, and he gave her a shrug, not bothering to defend her. This was a lot worse than she’d anticipated. She looked at Jusha and expected to see similar judgment. Instead he wore a sympathetic expression. Perhaps he had been at the receiving end of Tsuyoi’s anger in the past.

“If you want to win, you will need to involve her regardless of how she got on the team,” Jusha said.

Tsuyoi looked as surprised as Kiriai felt at Jusha’s words. Before Tsuyoi could respond, Sento finally intervened.

“Forget the past. We have one week to figure out how to win this battle and that means we have to work as a team regardless of how we feel about each other. Understand?” Sento gave Tsuyoi a hard look until the young man gave an abrupt nod. Kiriai was quick to agree when he looked her way. “And Jusha, since you’ve been a part of our team for quite a while, Kiriai could use your help to get up to speed, if you’re willing. Though I completely understand if you aren’t.”

Now, all the attention focused on Jusha. He didn’t hesitate. “Of course I’ll help. It’s for the good of our hood,” he said. “And I’m not a sore loser. Kiriai beat me fair and square. Besides, if I help out, she’ll owe me a favor.” He met her gaze and Kiriai caught a flash of something that made her uneasy before the smile was back on his face. “And that might come in useful someday.” With a wink, he held out a hand to her and there was nothing Kiriai could do but shake it.

“Well, now that that’s settled, let’s get to work,” Sento said and turned back to the small workout room.

“Wait,” Kiriai said, “I still want you to involve me in whatever you’re planning for tomorrow night. What is it?”

Sento raised a hand before Tsuyoi objected. “She is part of our team now and we will treat her as such.” Turning to her, he continued. “We are planning on an evening scouting mission to Rinjin Hood. It’s important to gather as many details as we can about our battle opponents. We’ve learned they will train tomorrow evening. Because it is Ancestor’s Day, their dojo will be mostly deserted, giving us the best chance of spying on them undetected.”

“Well, I’m quick and small, so I can be an asset on the mission,” Kiriai said, working hard to keep any note of pleading out of her voice.

“You’re not going!” Tsuyoi said before Sento could say anything else.

Now it was Tsuyoi’s turn to be on the receiving end of a glare. “We agreed that I have the final say with our battle strategy, did we not?” Sento asked, his voice clipped.

“But—” Tsuyoi argued.

“Didn’t we?” Sento interrupted, taking a step toward the stockier fighter.

Disbelief transformed Tsuyoi’s face. “I can’t believe you’re thinking about letting her come. What? Are you sweet on her? If she weren’t a cute girl, you wouldn’t even consider this. She’s a beginner and will ruin everything!”

Looking angrier than she’d seen him in a while, Sento grabbed Tsuyoi by the shoulder and marched him to the farthest corner of the room. Kiriai and Jusha stood in an awkward silence while pretending to ignore the furious whispers coming from the other side of the room. It didn’t take long. Sento was back in control when he walked over. Tsuyoi looked unhappy though he had obviously conceded. A brief flare of hope filled Kiriai. She counted Sento as a friend and had hoped their alliance would make him decide in her favor. It looked like he had.

“We only have two Rinjin armbands for the scouting mission tomorrow.” Sento spoke as if there wasn’t anything unusual about having such prized possessions from members of another hood. Not only did a hood armband announce your origin, but it involved expensive and intricate work. It took a needleworker hours of detailed labor to make each one. Children received theirs in a ceremony when they had demonstrated enough maturity to satisfy their parents.

“But—?” Kiriai wasn’t sure how to ask without looking foolish to the others.

Sento took pity on her. “What we’re doing is just a part of what you signed up for. I keep telling you that the actual fighting in the ring is only a small part of being a scrapper. Maybe now you’ll believe me.”

Kiriai’s resolve strengthened. If the other two would take the risk of sneaking into their ally next door, she couldn’t do any less. “All right. I’ll come and help.”

Tsuyoi snorted. “We don’t want your incompetent help. You’ll get us caught as soon as we step foot in Rinjin.”

Before Kiriai could respond, Sento held up a hand for attention.

“As I said, we only have two armbands. Kiriai, if you want to come, you’ll need to figure out a way to get one before tomorrow night.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

Sento shrugged. “If it’s important enough to you, you’ll figure it out.”

Kiriai was dumbfounded. So much for helping her out. Even though Sento hadn’t said “No,” he’d given her an impossible mission. Kiriai struggled to keep from losing her temper. Sento would learn to stop underestimating her.

“Now, enough talking. Let’s get to work,” Sento said as he clapped his hands and turned back to the workout floor.

What do you call an angry pea?

Kiriai missed a step at the unexpected question from Yabban and took a moment to respond.

What kind of question is that, Yabban?

It is a joke. Answer the question.

Kiriai sighed but played along. What?

Grum-pea.

Kiriai’s step faltered in surprise.

Grum-pea, like grumpy. Like Sento is being grumpy right now. Did you understand the joke? Was it humorous? Please let me know how I can improve.

Kiriai choked on a laugh and forced the smile off her face when Tsuyoi gave her a suspicious look and Sento turned to face the rest of the group.

Yes, Yabban. It was funny. But please try not to surprise me like that in the middle of a strategy session. The others won’t understand why I am laughing.

You would like to remove your earlier instruction to surprise you?

Kiriai couldn’t believe she’d missed that. She was lucky the worst that had happened was a poorly timed joke. Given Yabban’s abilities, she’d gotten off easy.

Yes. Please do not surprise me anymore.

Acknowledged.