Location: Main Dojo

  Time of Day: Afternoon

  Day 2 of Week 2.

  The sliding doors on the left side creaked open as Slayer and Hikari stepped into the main dojo. CREEEAK... Faint traces of pink aura still lingered around her, and Slayer walked calmly at her side. Across the room, Captain and Lumina were already standing near the center, relaxed and clearly finished.

  "Huh?" Hikari blinked. "You guys done already??"

  "Looks like we beat you to it." Lumina's lips curled into a smug smile.

  "No waaay!" Hikari groaned, stretching her arms high over her head. "Huuuugh. That was such a pain, by the way."

  "Tell me about it," Captain muttered, cracking his shoulders. POP! POP! "Two hours of aura control and stamina hold? I need a freakin' nap after that."

  "Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad, was it?" Lumina teased, giving him a sly glance.

  "It was... fun," Captain said dryly. "...And exhausting. But hey, at least I'm getting rewarded with a special dish later, so I'm not complaining."

  "A special dish, you say?!" Slayer's eyes widened as he struck a dramatic pose.

  "That's right." Lumina nodded, her tone matter-of-fact. "I promised him one if he passed without breaking focus on his first attempt."

  "Ooo~ nice going, Captain!" Slayer clapped his gauntlets together.

  "Yeah, I knew you'd pull through as well!" Hikari cheered, beaming. Then her eyes lit up with sudden realization. "Wait, I passed on the first try too! No aura drops at all! Soooo..." She sidled closer to Lumina, nudging her arm. "Do I get a taste of that special dish too?" Hikari leaned in, smiling hopefully, her eyes wide with mischief. She raised her eyebrows once, then again... and again.

  "Huh?" Lumina crossed her arms and blinked in surprise. "Wow, seriously? First try too?" She gave a soft, proud smile. "We found ourselves some real pups, didn't we, Slayer?"

  "Haha, we sure did," Slayer said, resting a hand on Hikari's head for a playful pat.

  "Hey!" Hikari huffed, shooting him a mock glare, though a hint of pink crept into her cheeks.

  Captain straightened, his expression calm but steady as he looked at Hikari. "Not bad, Hikari. Guess I'm not the only one cashing in on beginner's luck." A grin tugged at his mouth as he gave her a firm nod. "Good work."

  Hikari blinked at him, her lips curved into a bright grin of her own. "Thanks, Captain. That means a lot coming from you."

  Lumina's gaze lingered on them both, her voice warm as she spoke again. "Well, I'd love to hear more about your training with Slayer. So, how about we all head to the tavern and call it a day?"

  "Sounds good to me!" Hikari replied, her spark returning instantly.

  Captain exhaled through his nose, muttering under his breath, "So much for that special dish..." Then his gaze shifted to the others, Hikari's cheer, Slayer's ease, Lumina's calm pride, something shifted inside him. Not in his body, but deeper... warmer. "...Hmph. Guess I got something better out of it anyway."

  "Yeah!" Hikari raised a fist high toward the ceiling, grinning wide.

  "Hold up," Lumina cut in, raising a hand. "You've all got thirty minutes to clean up and freshen up first. No sweaty warriors stomping into my tavern."

  "Oh, right! To the H2O machine!" Hikari declared, pointing dramatically at the dojo exit before marching toward it.

  "Still lively after all that?" Slayer chuckled, shaking his head.

  "She really is." Lumina let out a small laugh. "Guess we're following her lead now. C'mon, let's move."

  The group exited the dojo, their steps lighter now, the tension of training replaced by a sense of ease. After a short break to wash up and reset, they made their way to Lumina's tavern... ready to share food, stories, and the quiet realization that, somehow, they were starting to feel like a real team.

  At the tavern...

  A warm light glowed through the wooden windows of Lumina's tavern. The faint clatter of plates and the savory scent of herbs and spices filled the air. The party sat at a table near the center, Hikari and Captain side by side, Slayer lounging across from them, already halfway through a frothy tankard. From the back kitchen, Lumina stepped out wearing a light apron over her usual attire, her hair loosely tied.

  "Okay," she said, setting the tray down with bowls that landed in place with a soft CLACK! "As promised! One special post-training dish... Spiced Ember Yakisoba. Extra heat and a whole lot of love."

  The dish practically glowed, vibrant red seasoning over coiled noodles, seared vegetables, and marinated cuts of meat. "It even looks powerful..." Hikari's eyes widened. "Is it gonna boost my Emanation... or just melt my tongue away?"

  "Yes," Lumina replied with a smirk, placing a bowl in front of her.

  "That's not an answer!" Hikari groaned, but she grabbed her chopsticks anyway. "Thanks for the food!" SLURP! She dug in and instantly felt the spice hit. Her cheeks flushed as sweat beaded at her brow. HUFF! HUFF! She fanned her mouth with one hand, scrambling for her cup of water with the other. GULP GULP GULP! She drained it in seconds before letting out a sharp gasp. The table burst into chuckles at the sight, but Hikari waved them off, cheeks puffed and stubborn. "I-It's fine! Totally fine!" she huffed before diving right back in. The food was way too delicious to stop.

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  Lumina set a bowl in front of Captain, her tone softening. "Here. You've earned it."

  "...Thanks." He gave a small nod, voice low.

  "I'll be the judge of that," Slayer cut in, reaching over.

  WHACK! Lumina smacked his hand away in an instant. "Yours is cooling," she said firmly. "Spicy version is for those who are still in training."

  "That's favoritism!" Slayer yelped, clutching his hand dramatically.

  "That's called responsibility," Lumina replied, deadpan.

  "LIES! This is cruelty!" he cried, pointing at her like she was a villain.

  The group burst out laughing. As they ate, the tension faded. Plates clinked, drinks poured, and the air grew lighter. Even Captain, mid-bite, looked more at ease. "This is... actually incredible," he admitted. "Spicy, but it works."

  "See? Told you." Lumina grinned. "Best tavern in Xevia. Still, you're only getting a seven out of ten for your training."

  "Only seven?" Captain gave a faint smirk. "Which is basically a ten for me."

  Lumina blinked once, unimpressed. "Seven's all you get. Stop talking and finish your noodles."

  HAH! Laughter rippled around the table, warm and easy. For a while, they weren't warriors or Hollows. Just teammates, sharing a meal. Later, the tavern grew quiet. Plates lay empty, the hearth crackled low with fading fire. Slayer snored in the corner, and Hikari had dozed off at the table. Captain rose with a quiet grunt, pushing in his chair. Stepping outside into the cool night air, he leaned against the porch post, hands in his pockets. The stars above Xevia sparkled brightly.

  CREEAK... The tavern door opened again. Lumina stepped out, silent at first, leaning against the opposite post with her arms crossed. "Oh, hey there, Lumina," Captain said calmly. "Here to catch the cool breeze too, I assume?"

  "No," she teased, leaning against the post. "Just wanted to see what my trainee was up to, that's all."

  "I see," he replied simply.

  "Just messing with ya." A small smirk tugged at her lips. "Though... I didn't take you for the 'gaze at the stars' type." Her voice softened.

  "Not usually," Captain muttered. "Just needed some air, that's all."

  She nodded. "I get that."

  Silence fell, not heavy or awkward, just understood. Then Captain spoke. "...I never got the chance to tell them goodbye."

  Lumina's eyes shifted toward him, listening.

  "My wife... my daughter." He exhaled slowly. "They were just visiting Echohold-09 like they always did. It was supposed to be safe... until one of the Echos broke free from its vault. I wasn't even there when it happened because I was sent on some dumb urgent patrol." His hands curled loosely into fists. "When I got back the news was then reported to me, but it was already over at that point. All they knew was the Echo behind it was codenamed Whisperfang." His voice grew lower. "After that, I started searching for them, clinging to the hope that whoever they'd seen had mistaken my wife and daughter for someone else. But then... I saw them. They were already..." He stopped, his eyes drifting into the distance.

  The rest caught in his throat and the words never came. Lumina's expression softened. She stepped closer, her voice gentle but steady. "You don't have to finish it, Captain. I understand how you feel. Loss like that... it doesn't fade away easily. But you're still standing, and that means their memory lives on through you. Don't carry it as guilt, carry it as strength. For them, and for yourself."

  Captain lowered his gaze. He stayed quiet for a long moment before giving a small nod. "...Thanks, Lumina. I needed to hear that." His voice was rough, but steady. "Since then... I've kept my distance. From people. From anything that matters too much."

  Lumina turned toward him, her voice dropping low. "Because losing it again would hurt worse than never having it at all."

  He nodded faintly. "Exactly. That's why I'm so protective of Hikari... why I've kept everyone at arm's length." His gaze dropped to the ground, his voice catching. "...I... I'm sorry. For how I acted when we first met."

  Lumina slowly shook her head. "It's fine. You were just doing what you thought was right. I know that feeling all too well." A pause lingered between them, quiet but heavy. Then Lumina spoke again. "There was a girl," she said softly. "Her name was Rena and she was fifteen years old. She'd come to my tavern every day with this bright smile. Always curious... and eager. She said she wanted to be like me someday."

  Captain looked over, listening intently now.

  "One day, the tavern was slammed with orders, and I needed help with a delivery. I couldn't leave, but Rena insisted she'd go instead. Said she'd be fine on her own..." Lumina's voice tightened. "I told her no. Told her it was dangerous outside of Xevia. But she begged me, said she wanted to be useful."

  "...So you let her go," Captain said quietly. His tone wasn't judgment, it was understanding.

  Lumina nodded, her eyes distant.

  "She gave me this big teddy bear," Lumina said, her voice softer than usual. "Told me it was her favorite... and that she'd come back for it. Promised she would." Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword, not in anger, but to steady a tremble. "But she never did..." She paused, drawing in a slow breath. "The guards found the wagon just outside the forest. It was shredded with claw marks, and... blood." Her voice faltered. "Stupid me... I should've gone instead. I knew it was risky, even with patrols nearby, but the tavern was packed and she just kept insisting..."

  Lumina shook her head slowly, like she'd replayed the scene a thousand times. "Her parents came by later, asking if she'd stopped in. I... couldn't even answer. I just stood there... and watched them break."

  Silence hung heavy. Captain finally spoke, his voice low but steady. "You were just trying to protect her future... a chance to grow."

  "And I failed," Lumina whispered, her words dragging out on a breath heavy with guilt.

  "...So did I." His eyes fell briefly to the ground before lifting to meet hers again. A few seconds passed. Then, with a faint shake of his head, he added, almost hesitant, "But we're still here. Maybe... it's not punishment. Maybe we're still here so no one else gets taken the same way."

  Lumina looked at him, her expression easing just slightly. Then, a faint smile. "Not bad... coming from a guy who says five words a day."

  Captain smirked. "Tch. Guess you just make it easy."

  Lumina rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth curved. A quiet moment passed. Then Captain said softly, "...I don't say this often... but I'm glad you were here tonight."

  She nodded, her tone just as gentle. "Of course. Sometimes sharing the burden is the only way to carry it."

  "Even if you did nearly had me pass out in your dojo," he added dryly.

  "Well, you're still alive, aren't you?" She shot back with a mock glare.

  A small laugh slipped between them. After a while, they turned from the stars without another word. None were needed. They had shared their burdens, and somehow, both felt lighter. Tomorrow would bring its own trials. But for tonight, they waited in silence... for morning to come.

  From a distance...

  High above, on the roof of a distant house, a hooded silhouette stood against the night. The figure watched the tavern quietly, face hidden in shadow, except for one eye, faintly glowing purple beneath the hood. A low chuckle slipped out, sharp and cold. "...Heh. Not yet."

  FWOOSH! The figure dissolved back into the darkness, leaving only silence behind...