Asural, Desmond, 10416 P.C.

Todd's first day of training went as Stephanie expected: horribly.

"Look, I don't care what Benjamin thinks," he told her as they headed down the hallway toward their rooms. "He can yell at me for being degrading all he wants, but I am hopeless." She knew he was exhausted, yet she still had to jog to keep up with his long, hurried strides. He was in a rush to get back to his room and hide.

"You're not hopeless, just... new to it all," Stephanie replied practically. "You'll get used to it."

He stopped, wheeling around to look at her, and she nearly ran into him. "Stephanie, were you even watching? I'm pathetic! I couldn't do even half the things those ten-year-olds were doing! This day has been nothing but humiliating and he wants me making it my daily routine! He's making me lift weights!" He raked a hand through his sweaty, knotted hair. "I'm gonna die."

Stephanie felt a flare of impatience well up inside of her. This boy had no idea what her life had been like — all of that had been her daily routine, and she hadn't been able to complain about it. She put her hand on his arm. "Todd. Yes. You're being pathetic. You won't die from this. You will die without it."

He made a noise of disgust in his throat and started walking again. She had to jog even faster to keep up. "I really wish this was all a dream," he declared.

"Well, it's not," Stephanie snapped, her tone a bit sharper than she intended. She didn't like grumpy Todd much at all. He had been all over emotionally that whole day — who knew that boys could be so emotional? First, he had been all tired and then annoyed and then determined and then back to annoyed and then he had stormed off and disappeared an hour before lunch because of something either she or Benjamin had said, and then at lunch he was all quiet and then after that he was back to being determined. For the rest of the day he had either been determined, annoyed, or whiny.

She was getting annoyed. "Look, Todd, it's not going to be easy, but it'll be worth it."

He shoved the door to his room open. "Uh-huh." The door slammed in her face.

She clenched her teeth, doing her best to ignore the urge to pound on his door and call him a baby. Turning around, she marched to her room across the hall, letting out a deep sigh and sitting down on the bed. Bethany was off with some other little girls somewhere, so the room was empty.

For about three seconds. Stephanie looked up at a knock on the open door, trying not to scowl at Colette. The girl stood leisurely in the doorway, looking a bit smug. She was incredibly talented at raising the hairs on the back of Stephanie's neck just by her existence.

"Tough day, hm?" Colette remarked. The side of her mouth quirked into a brief, almost-smile. One that was nothing like Marcie's had been because it infuriated Stephanie in ways she couldn't even begin to explain. "I've gotta admit, Todd's a bit cute when he's upset."

"Get out."

Colette made a pouty face. Stephanie wanted to claw something. "So unfriendly. Didn't they ever teach you how to be nice in Prison City?" Before Stephanie could actually claw something — like the girl's pretty face — Colette hurried on with, "Her Highness is awake and wants to talk to you."

Stephanie immediately straightened. "Annabella?"

"Yeah, who else is royalty around here? Get Todd. She asked for you both."