"C'mon Lyra, that won't do you any good."
Sachi held a silver knife in hand, extended in a stance against Lyra, who held the Phoenix Talon in her hands.
"We've been practicing for hours and we've barely gotten anywhere, I've got not a damn clue how to use this damn dagger!"
Dion still sat on the couch, lounging as if there was nothing to worry about.
"That's no good Lyra, you need to put your back into it! More like this!"
He jabbed forward with his hand, demonstrating a lackluster attempt to use a dagger.
'This isn't working… I hardly have to use my Foresight to deflect her strikes.'
Serendelle and Zephyr stood against the back of the room, staring beyond the windows down onto the city beneath them.
"Sachihiro, none of us are proficient with a dagger, is this training the most effective use of our time? The tournament is tomorrow."
He sighed and placed the knife back onto the counter where he found it.
"Perhaps not… but we still need to be ready for whatever we face in that competition."
Dion scratched his side, still lying lazily.
"Why not just ask what games we're playing?"
Sachi placed his hand against his chin. "Not a bad idea."
He began to move towards the elevator.
"I'm going to go see the Tidecaller."
Dion shot up from his seat.
"Huh!? I was mostly joking! That woman will fillet you alive!"
Sachi dismissively waved away at Dion.
"Then stay here. I'll be quick."
Dion looked to Serendelle.
"You're not going to stop him!?"
Serendelle laughed lightly. "I don't think he'd listen anyways."
Dion was dumbfounded, and slumped back into the couch.
"Oh, lovely… I guess this is what I signed up for."
The elevator clicked to a stop, and the doors open. Revealing the familiar penthouse room.
"Stop right there!"
Two armored men at the elevator doors blocked his path.
"I'd just like to talk to Lady April."
A voice boomed from the other side of the room. "Let him through."
"Tch." The guards reluctantly nodded, and moved out of Sachi's way. He stepped into the room, scanning for Lady April. Her familiar figure was hunched over a pile a books, sorting through each one.
"This makes the second time you've so haphazardly approached me. Do you have no fear for a Major God?"
He'd be lying if he said he didn't, he was already hiding the shaking in his hand. He didn't think about it because he was being escorted the first time, but this area wasn't considered a safe zone.
"Fear won't get me home."
She laughed as she picked up a thick textbook simply labeled "Psychology 101".
"Must be stupidity then. Fear is how you stay alive, defying it is a gamble with your own life."
She stood up to meet his height. Sachi wasn't the tallest, but she still just a hair shorter.
"Do you recognize this book?"
She tossed the book into his hands, the unexpected movement made him fumble for a moment.
"This is… my high school psychology textbook?"
She smiled. "I knew it. You're from Realm 11 as well; Earth."
She took the book out of his hands and place it back on top of the pile.
"I wrote that book. Made some good money from it too, it was incredibly popular in American schools."
"How many others have you met from earth?"
She glanced away. "Not many. The few I have are dead now. The last Major God that had fallen was one. The Titan of Steel; he was slain by who's now known as the Silent Reaper."
'I keep hearing that name…'
"Who is this 'Silent Reaper'?"
She simply shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. They were hardly known to anyone until they took the spot of Major God. Even now, they stay out of the public eye." She shifted away, looking through the window down to the dark city. "It just gives the rest of us more land to fight over."
Sachi tensed up again, realizing how casual he had gotten talking to a Major God.
'This is getting farther away from what I wanted to talk about…'
"Actually, Lady April I wanted to ask you about the games tomorrow."
She peer over her shoulder, back to Sachi with a slight smile. Her azure eyes barely visible behind her puffy hair.
"And you'll learn nothing. There is no favoritism in the tournament, each team is blind to the games until they start.
'That's one idea gone…'
"Then do you know a weapons teacher? Preferably someone good with a dagger."
She looked back down to the city.
"I do. Vergo is a very versatile fighter, but I doubt he'd have any interest in teaching you. But I do have a suggestion."
She pointed down to the city. As Sachi moved to see what she was pointing at, he could see every curve in her body through her dress, highlighted by the eternal moonlight. He shot down the feeling welling inside him, and peered down into the city.
"That there is an open dojo. People are free to enter and practice as they please. If you want a capable fighter, they'd be there."
'Now we're getting somewhere.'
A smile formed on his face. "Thank you, Lady April."
She smiled back. "I look forward to seeing your performance tomorrow."
With a nod, Sachi turned back towards the elevator. The familiar beeping felt endless as he descended the floors, until an eventual click bellowed on floor 36.
He stepped into the room, appalled to see Dion snoring on the couch and Lyra doing squats in the corner of the room. Zephyr was doing squats along side her, endlessly encouraging her with each squat.
She spoke between each movement. "Sachi! Check it out! I'm gonna get much stronger and we're gonna tear that tournament a new one!"
It was moments like this that made Sachi forget that he was even in a killing game. Truthfully, whether she was useful or not, Sachi had come to enjoy Lyra's presence. Not that he would ever admit that, though.
'These guys aren't worried in the slightest…'
"Actually, I've got a lead to help you with that. There's a dojo down in the city, we can find someone to teach you how to fight in there."
Lyra shot up from her crouched position. "What!? Then let's go! We hardly have time to waste!"
She jogged by Sachi over to the napping Dion. She took the palm of her hand and struck it lightly across Dion's cheek.
"Wake up! We're going!"
The groggy Dion made groaned. "Not now, Sierra… We can sell this stuff later…"
He rolled off the couch and slammed onto the floor.
"Ack! Godsdamnit!"
Lyra laughed as she help him get up and pulled him to the elevator.
Serendelle stood at the opposite end of the room. She turned around to meet Sachi's eyes, her own filled with an emotion Sachi had yet to see.
"Sachihiro, because of our pact, I can tell your emotions even when you're far away."
He realized what he saw. A mix of disappointment and anger. He thought back to how Lady April stood in the moonlight.
His face flushed red. "T-that's…"
She looked like she was pouting, and strut by him to the elevator. "It is not important."
He let out a light sigh. 'How the hell am I supposed to suppress that..?'