Eternal Courage 3: Galactic Bonds

Chapter 27: Fighters From Air and Sea

"Oh...okay" Leyla nodded to herself "I...wanted to thank you, and Ms Emiko, for helping me before. I didn't have the chance to say...before, so thank you"

Saku saw Leyla bow before him before straightening up "Well" said Leyla shuffling backwards "I'd best be going now"

"Why?" asked Saku "are you at a different stadium?"

"Oh no...I'm in this one. My team is at the back" Saku spun round and just about saw only Jonas, his spiked hair very noticeable "So I'd best get back"

"Hey Leyla" said Emiko "if you want to...why don't sit here with us?"

Leyla looked a bit bewildered by her question "You...want me to sit with you?"

"Well there is a spare chair here" said Saku gesturing to the one to his left "and it's unlikely anyone will fill it. Here you get the best view in the stadium" Leyla looked to be oddly struggling

"Well...I could...but I can't...so I should go back"

"What's the matter Leyla?" asked Emiko

"I think she's worried" said Saku "that she'll get into trouble aren't you?" Leyla's expression dropped dramatically and she nodded.

Saku looked upon her, and her shaky eyes "Leyla...if you want to stay you can. And if you're needed you can simply go back right?"

"Yes...yes that's right" said Leyla quietly

"Then you'd best hurry up and decide. I get the feeling Ozway will finish his speech in a moment" Leyla looked back at her team and back to Saku

"It'll be okay Leyla" said Angel "if you get into trouble we can vouch for you"

"Then...am I okay to join you?" Saku just shrugged his arms

"Well the seat is going spare" said Saku "so just go ahead and sit down if you want" Leyla nodded and almost cautiously sat down upon it.

At the back row Jonas and Simon, who Saku couldn't see, had watched Leyla take her seat. Jonas had a small grin "Did you see that Sai? It looks like little Leyla has taken a liking to someone"

"That's rather interesting" said Simon "she's always so quiet and keeps to herself. It's not often she wants to be around others"

"Still it's most peculiar she went to Saku. I mean you only have to look at his track record to see what he can do. He also has a strong inability to trust others"

"Remember Jonas, Leyla has the most acute perception ability of any of us. It's her special gift after all. In the end I think it's a good thing...she does make a friend" Simon then smiled a wry smile

Emperor Ozway had finished his speech and was now speaking again "Now then, attention everyone, let us begin with the basics of stage 2. This stage is team-based where, although you don't work together in a sense, you are all co-operating to win and advance forwards to stage three of the Grand Celestia. This is also the only stage...where you can actually lose, and still move on"

Emperor Ozway began pacing from right to left "Here are the basic rules. Each member of your team MUST fight once in this competition, which will consist of four matches. For the most part the matches are one-on-one battles but there will be an odd tag-team match as well. These tag-teams are only for the teams with five members, that way all five members of a team can fight once"