How long had that incessant clock been ticking? Rose thought to herself, sketching a waterfall going over a rocky mountain. She didn't even know that there was a clock in here. After looking around the vastly empty foyer, she finally found the giant, mahogany clock hanging just over the door. Somehow, Rose didn't think that was safe. Trying to ignore the clock, she went back to focusing on her art. She twirled her pencil around her fingers, tapping her finger on her bottom lip as she looked over her art. Something looked like it was missing, but she didn't know what. It would be a lot easier to concentrate if she didn't have the receptionist eyes peering into her. That, and the blasted ticking beating against her eardrum.
"So, what's your name?" she heard the receptionist say. Stunned at the suddenness, considering that she'd be there for at least forty-five minutes, she looked up. The lady was lounging in her chair, her fingers intertwined on her flat stomach as she looked at Rose. Considering how lax she looked, Rose figured that they don't really get a lot of people coming in.
"It's Rosemarie," she answered, using the name she usually give strangers.
"Rosemarie, huh." She nodded, making her leather seat rock slightly. Her bushy, red hair swayed slightly in the air. "The name's Jessica. Is that guy in there your boyfriend?"
"Not even. We're just on the same team." She went back to her drawing, slightly annoyed. "Why do you ask, anyway?"
"Hmm... I'm thinking about asking him out on a date."
Rose's eyes shot up. "Excuse me?"
"Well, he is the grandson of Samuel Wolf, right? I figured that with a person like that Ian guy under my belt, I'd finally be out of this dump. Do you know how boring it is sitting here waiting for someone to come in? Especially considering how many people normally just call in. I mean, I do get to answer the phone from time to time, but I just transfer them to the right people if they do."
Rose counted backwards from five, trying not to throw her pencil at Jessica. She wasn't sure what a pencil would do to her, but it was better than throwing her sketch pad, which she didn't want to lose. "Why are you telling me all of this? You know I'd just go back to Ian about this, right?"
Jessica chuckled as she planted her feet on the ground. "I'm just joking, girl. Just trying to get a conversation started. It's way too quiet in here." Rose frowned before she turned back to her sketch book. "I don't think he's going to pass." Giving a frustrated groan, she look back at Jessica, who had sobered up. She continued. "I've seen way too many Apprentices who get overzealous about their abilities to think rationally. Ian closely resembled most of them; bull-headed fools who think they were destined to become an assassin."
"Ian is different from them. He may seem bull-headed, in fact he is in some regard, but from what I've seen from him those days I happened to see him training, you'd think otherwise. He'd worry me half-to-death considering how hard he pushed himself. I can't tell you how many times he had to get scooped off the highway from pushing himself too hard." Rose couldn't help but grin. He certainly changed from when they had first met. His anger was much more controlled, even though he still has his moments, and he was actually opening up himself more to her. He told her about all the types of fantasy books he'd read, his favorite types of rock bands, and he even confessed to want to play Dungeons & Dragons. That was a little too much for her taste, but at least he was being himself and not trying to be a thug. Even with her horrid first-impressions, she couldn't help but find herself believing in him.
Just as Jessica hmphed, the door opened. Ian walked out and, after his eyes fell on Rose, rushed to her and pulled her in a tight embrace. "It was so horrible, Rose," he said in a low, pitiful voice. "They made me fight someone who used biokinesis to look like you, and said how much you hated me and wanted me dead and stuff." He pulled away from her. "I don't want to go through that again."
She heard Jessica chuckle before she placed her feet back on the desk. Rose ignored her. "So, are you done with the Kurai Elites?"
Despite his ordeal, Ian grinned. He reached into the small box attached to his pant leg and produced a badge of a black raven. Under the raven was a cyan orb attached to a small chain, the orb the same color as his eyes. His first name was stitched on a black space above the raven's head. "You tell me," he said. She could hear Jessica's feet slam against the ground as she looked at them, mouth agape. "They told me that I still had some work to do, but I would make an interesting part of the team."
Rose gave her a conceited look. "We should go out and celebrate then," she said loud enough for Jessica to hear, much to Ian's confusion.
~~~~
The springtime heat began to come. The trees surrounding the city park were finally beginning to turn green. Children laughed as they played on the city's shabby playground, which consisted on two slides, a jungle gym, and a see-saw that was always horizontal with the ground, even if a child and a full-grown adult sat on opposite sides. It wasn't the best place to have a picnic, but neither Dre nor Kim minded. What they did mind was how the rest of the group barged into their plan. It was originally going to be just a small date, until Megumi heard about it and invited herself and Katherine. Then, since it was across the street from their house, Michael and Keiko joined in. Rose and Ian saw them as they drove by and decide to buy two pizzas in order to make up for them joining in.
As much as he wanted to, he couldn't really complain too much. It was actually refreshing to hang out with his friends after preparing for both the tournament and the final exam. Dre rested his head on Kim's lap, looking up at her as she gave a smile that was blessed by both God and Zeus. It was hard to believe that tomorrow, they'd be back in the Emblem of Valor arena, fighting again after such a peaceful day. What made things worse was that they had no idea who they were fighting. Sakura would let them know who they were fighting first. Knowing his luck, they'd get put out in the first round.
He shook the thoughts out of his head. That was for another day. For now, Dre figured it would be best to relax today.
"I'm just saying," Ian began, "since I'm a part of the Kurai Elite, I should be the leader of the group."
"You wanna be the King of Elements too, while you're at it?" Dre asked. "I'm sure you'll be amazing at that."
"Hell, you want to take my position as an agent for Death?" Michael asked as he poured Keiko a cup of tea with his uninjured hand.
"Okay, okay. Sheesh." Ian angrily chomped on a slice of pizza.
"Hey, Dre," Keiko began. "What would happen if Michael became the King of Elements?"
"Hmm?" Dre raised his head from Kim's lap, chewing on a slice of pepperoni that Kim fed him.
"I mean, you told us one day that in order for the King's power to be transferred, the current King would be dead. Would it still work that way if Michael got that power, since he's technically dead?"
"But I'm not-"
"Hey, you've got a point there," Katherine interrupted after taking a sip of juice. "What if the power goes to the person that killed Michael?"
"Still got a heartbeat, guys," Michael murmured in vain.
"But wait, what if he's dead, too?" Kim asked. "Would it go to the person that killed him?"
"Okay, you guys are just effing with me now," Michael complained.
Before Rose could say anything, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Hastily sliding it out, she looked at the screen. "It's Sakura." The group perked up as she answered. "Hello? No, we're just having a picnic." She listened for a moment. "Actually, we were just discussing that. We don't really know who the leader is yet. Shall I put you on speakerphone?" After a moment, she tapped on the phone's screen before she laid it on the grass. "Okay, you're on."
"Good. How've you guys been doing?"
"We can't really complain. Well, except for Michael," Megumi added.
"We're good," Michael stated, glaring at Megumi. "How are you feeling?"
"Still sore, but I'll live. I called because I had to get some information on your team. Have you guys decided on a team name yet?"
"Ooh, I got it," Dre exclaimed. "We're a team, right? And we each have different types of elements."
"Yeah," Rose said cautiously.
"Why not call ourselves Team Element?"
"No," Megumi stated, a little too quickly.
"Well, we've got to have a name soon," Rose said. "I got it. Let's just name the team after the last name of our leader."
"That'd be a good idea, except we don't have a leader yet," Michael explained.
"I was getting to that. I think that we should have Michael be the leader."
"Michael?" Ian repeated, outraged. "But he's the youngest out of us."
"And he's a human," Dre added.
"But he's also the most headstrong out of all of us. Look, it doesn't need to be for good. Just until the tournament is over," Rose suggested, looking over the group, more specifically, at Ian.
After a huff, Ian turned around and folded his arms over his chest, his legs already folded under him. "Fine then. But don't say I didn't warn you."
"But you didn't," Dre commented.
"We'll call ourselves Team Eagle, and Michael will be our interim leader."
"Okay, awesome. I'll send it to the higher ups. Also, I've got news for you all. They'll be a drawing over who you'll be fighting against."
"Okay, thank you," Rose said before hanging up.
"So, now we play the waiting game," Dre said as he placed his head back in Kim's lap and breathed in her intoxicating scent of lavender. That must have been her favorite type of flower, considering how often she smelled of it.
The group was silent, letting the sounds of children playing, leaves rustling in the warm spring air, and the sounds of cars passing by surround them. Time dragged on at a snail's pace. "Oh yeah," Keiko exclaimed. "Are you two dating?" she asked Dre and Kim.
"Well, yeah," Kim answered, as if it were obvious. "We've been dating for about a week now. I thought you guys had noticed," she added to the groups' dubious look, save Megumi and Katherine.
"Kim, you two have literally been the same way ever since Dre broke up with Samantha," Michael had said. "Up until now, you guys have been pretty much an unofficial couple. Can't really say I'm surprised."
Kim gave a cat-like grin. "So, now we just have to find someone for you."
Michael gave her a glare before retreating behind his book. "God, you're starting to even act like Dre."
The group laughed at Michael's whining, until Rose's phone buzzed again. She pulled out her phone and tapped on the screen. "Looks like we're fighting Team Hernandez."
Every eye shifted towards Katherine. She glanced through the group and gave a sheepish chuckle. "Uh... Rematch of the century?" she asked with a shrug.
~~~~
Samantha was getting impatient. The last time she'd spoken to Aggaron, he'd told her to wait for the perfect time to strike. He hadn't bothered to tell her when the perfect time to strike, only to listen and wait for his command.
That had angered her even more. She was the one who was becoming the Queen of the Serene territory. She should be the one giving orders, not taking them, especially not from someone who wasn't even a Siren. Growling at herself, she stood from her throne of tree roots and flowers, ready to command her army to attack.
Just as she started towards her subordinates' quarters, a dark cloak appeared in front of her, like a black sheet flowing in the wind on a clothesline. Aggaron's head peaked out of the cloak before it streamed across his body, covering everything but his head. His lips curled inhumanly as he bowed his head to her. "Ah, hello my lady. I sure hope you weren't planning on acting against my word. I really don't want to make an example out of you in front of your army."
Scowling, Samantha folded her arms. "How long do you intend on making me wait?"
He gave his signature, harmful smile. A smile that Samantha couldn't read as being good or bad. "Patience child. The time to make yourself known is at hand. Tomorrow, on Earth's time, we will attack Amita. From what I've gathered, the junior Emblem of Valor tournaments will be held, and after months of inactivity, their guards will be dropped enough for us to make our move."
"Finally," Samantha said with a crooked smile.
"Beforehand, we will go to Reiax Academy. I'm sure you'll find that place to be the best area to conjure Edge Walkers, for there is a sacred blade embedded in the ground that keeps my creations imprisoned. Once we go there, and you release them, we will easily outnumber the Amians, and soon overthrow their city." He revealed his arm from behind his cloaked, looking at his snow-white hand before he balled it to a fist. His smile quickly inverted to a furious scowl, the palm of his hand dripping black blood from his fingers digging into them. "And then, I'll have my revenge for what was done to my people."
Samantha backed away, eyes bulging with alarm. Before, she'd never seen Aggaron angry. He always was calm and collected, even when he learned that members of Samantha's army had acted without her say so, and stole something important from him. He'd always have that smile plastered over his face. But now, every nerve was standing on end. Her blood froze in her veins. She didn't even dare to breathe out of fear that Aggaron would turn on her. She could only stand there, her breathing labored.
Noticing this, Aggaron straightened up. His smile had returned to his face as he looked up at Samantha. "Alert your army. Tell them to be prepared and take no prisoners." Before she could say anything, Aggaron had disappeared. It wasn't until then that Samantha felt that she was making a mistake in following him.