I had the drone follow Nyima and her familiar.

"Kun! I need your help!" Nyima said, stopping underneath where there the middle triplet and the others were spectating. "It seems Lei is in the director's office."

"Wait? What happened? Did he get into a fight?" Arima asked.

Ayawamat scoffed as he joined them. "With who? I'm here."

Nyima gave him a deadpan stare.

"Well, he isn't wrong. Lei isn't usually the type to pick up random fights like Carter," Kun said.

"How do you know I do that?" a blond boy with light red eyes exclaimed.

"It's obvious," Ling said, shaking her head.

"Usually one has to make Lei really mad," Sowk said. "Aya and I make it look easier than it actually is."

What was with Ayawamat and her? Were they really taking pride in their bullying of Lei? Shouldn't they have realized that boy they picked on was no longer weaker than them?

"Shouldn't you be more ashamed? You two picked on a kid with asthma," Arima asked, furrowing her brow.

"Indeed," Nate said, glaring at them. "Unrepentant bullies are the worst."

Kun nodded. "Yeah, they are."

Sowk frowned.

Ayawamat turned away.

"That doesn't matter right now. We have to get going!" Nyima said, running off.

Kun followed after her.

"Why don't you teleport us there?" Sowk asked.

Only special people could warp in and out of the arena. Teleporting within was permitted in occasions such as to give medical treatment such as Kun had done earlier with Adela. Marina seemed to have approved it, so no ill should have come out of it.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" Kun asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I came to help out the twerp! I mean, Lei!" She crossed her arms and turned away. "Doing something nice for him would be a nice change of pace, that's all."

"Quicken the pace," Ayawamat said, running past him. Sowk ran after him as if they were in a race.

"Him too?" Kun asked, rubbing his chin.

Nyima smiled. "Aya's not as bad as you think he is."

Kun blinked. "What makes you say that?"

Why did she say that? Although, she wasn't wrong. Ayawamat did help out Ryuusei. The way he spoke told me he could relate to the kid. His harsh behavior toward Lei, Orion, and others had to be due to how he was treated at home. Not that that was any excuse. There were plenty of people who were mistreated in the world and they did not go astray. Although, I was no one to judge. Not after what I had said and done to Lei and the others.

"Well—" Nyima said.

"Huh? Nyima? Were you badly injured?" Adela said, blinking as she walked at of the nurse's office. Her eyes were puffy. She had cried because of me.

"No. We need to go help Lei out," Nyima said.

"Huh? With what? Did he get hurt? Tell me what happened!"

Kun swung his hands behind his head. "Relax. It isn't that bad. He just got taken to the director's office from the sound of it."

Adela smiled. "Based on your tone they're fine, aren't they?"

Kun nodded. "Yeah. I know those two can handle this. I just want to make sure."

So, he was a bit worried things might not have worked out.

Adela took a deep breath and started sprinting. "Explain exactly what happened?"

"According to Orcy, Iah told her it was one of Mr. Obi's plots," Nyima said, hugging her orca as she picked up her pace anew.

Adela slowed down and scanned the hall. "Iah? He was here?"

Nyima shook her head. "I am not sure how he is doing it, but he used sound waves to communicate with Orcy."

"Why her and why in code?" Kun asked.

"My guess is he can't talk to us right now. Or maybe it's his guilt stopping him."

Wow. Two out of two...

Adela took a deep breath. "I think so too. But we can figure out how he's communicating and from where later."

I stared at my small room. The walls were white with a brown wooden floor. The desk and the computer from which I was observing them were the only pieces of furniture apart from my yellow futon.

Hopefully, they didn't find out. They would put themselves in danger if they tried to break in here to retrieve me.

[A bit earlier]

"Hey, Shin'enichi!" Burai said, waving as we walked into the director's office. We had waited outside the office for him to catch up. Yen figured it would be best for him to be present to not allow Mr. Obi to distort the truth. It gave me some time to watch the match on Kun's channel. Big bro's commentary was pretty funny. I tried sharing it with Yen, but she didn't even roll her eyes at the corniness like she usually would.

The match was pretty good. Nyima and Aya both kept surprising me. Despite my situation, I couldn't help but think of what counters I would've used if I were the opponent of each.

Shin'en waved back but frowned as soon as Mr. Obi entered the room.

"If Mr. Obi's here, I take it this isn't a friendly visit?" Shin'en asked, adjusting his monitor. He had been watching the tournament.

"Indeed, it is not. These kids were fighting in the halls."

"It was my fault," Yen said, stepping forward. "Please let Lei go to his match. It's going to start soon."

Shin'en stared back at the monitor. "Indeed. Nyima's defeated Ayawamat."

I gasped. She did? I smiled. Nice job, Ny! Although, I wanted to beat him...

Mr. Obi wrinkled his nose. Had he hoped Nyima had lost or was he mad that the match had barely ended?

"Well, I better get going!" I said, turning to the door.

"No, you don't!" Mr. Obi said, grabbing me by the collar of my shirt.

I looked over my shoulder. "I'll ask you nicely to unhand me, Kit-"

Mr. Obi gritted his teeth and let go of me.

Shin'en blinked. "Is something the matter?"

I grinned. "Oh, Mr. Obi's just being the same old grump is all."

Burai snorted.

"Burai," Koharu said, sighing.

Mr. Obi scoffed. "It seems that Mr. Lan wishes to accuse me of something I didn't do."

"That's pretty serious. But Lei does have a history of being right. He knew Ren was bad news," Shin'en said, narrowing his icy blue eyes.

Mr. Obi crossed his arms. "Do you truly buy that I, Mr. Obi, am trying to hurt the students? I am nothing more than a simple scholar, trying to help future generations by challenging them to do better. Lei simply is saying such things because I give he doesn't like me as a teacher."

"Objection!" Hal yelled, pointing at him. "During gym, Lei complimented you. And he did so in front if Carter in addition to me, so you can't deny it!"

Mr. Obi scoffed. "One measly comment meant to hide his hatred."

"My brother wouldn't do that. He's not that kind of person. You on the other hand, I am not sure. Also, Mayu and the others acted weird around you. They refused to throw you under the bus, but it's clear why they seemed awkward."

The ogre scoffed. "Come now. Many of my students quiver in my presence." He smirked. "Mr. Cai is a good example of that."

Tsk. Using Carter against us. But he was right about that. I'd heard other kids say they wouldn't want him as a teacher as well.

Hal laughed. "You're a smart guy, but your whole 'I'm just a feeble scholar' is-"

"Simple, not feeble," Mr. Obi said, rolling his eyes.

"Simple, feeble, it doesn't matter. Your acting is simply atrocious. It feels like I'm talking to Carter, Huoyin, or the latter's twin sister."

Shin'en sighed. "Indeed. Mr. Obi tries hard to mask who he truly is, but it's clear as day he's hiding something."

Mr. Obi turned around. "Honestly, this isn't about me. Shin'en, be sure to discipline these kids well. If not, the school might turn rowdy soon."

"Is that a threat I detect?"

"No. You can rest assured, I won't try a thing. I simply say that, given all of the stuff that occurred last year."

Yen scoffed. "That's rich, coming from the guy who led one of those groups of delinquents."

Mr. Obi shook his head. "Again, with the baseless accusations. They won't get you out of trouble, Ms. Lan."

"No matter how much you deny it, you can't change the truth," I said. "We all know you're Kitsune. While we don't have definite proof of it yet, we'll get it eventually. When that time comes, yours here will be done."

Mr. Obi smirked. "How can I be Kitsune if Sarah's brother supposedly killed him? It was in the report filled."

"That's true!" Burai said. "My grandpa can't be that guy if he's still alive!"

Sarah spun her chair around. 'It's possible to fake a death," she had written on her tablet.

Mr. Obi laughed. "And how can I do that if I'm such an awful actor?"

"Oh, he has a point there! Grandpa would be like 'blegh, I've been stabbed!" Burai fell on the floor and twitched. He opened one eye. "I'm dead! You may leave me alone now! Dead!"

Hal snorted.

I covered my mouth.

Sarah looked down, trying her best not to laugh.

Mr. Obi narrowed his eyes at his grandson. "My acting isn't that atrocious!"

"That is an issue that needs resolving," Shin'en said, crossing his arms. "But, maybe an illusion could've done the acting for him?"

He scoffed. "If that were the case, I would've sent an illusion here. Don't you think?"

"True," Hal mumbled. He leaned toward him. "But worry not, I will uncover all of your secrets, 'Mr. Obi'."

Mr. Obi pushed him away. "You kids are creepy."

"Grandpa hates staring," Burai said as Mr. Obi left. "It's probably why he hates teaching."

"Why did he decide to become a teacher in the first place?" I asked.

"Oh, I better write that down," Hal said, summoning a notepad. "Hmm, wonder what other unanswered questions about him there are."

Shin'en sighed. "There's many. Such as how we're related."

Burai smiled. 

"Do you know something?" Hal asked, leaning toward him.

"Uh, so about that punishment... can we hurry it up? Grandpa said he would take me to McDaisy's after this," Burai mumbled.

"Sure," Shin'en said.

I sighed. Was I already disqualified?

"They should be here!" Kun said, pointing to Shin'en's office.

"We know that already, Sherkey!" Sowk said, glaring at him. "Nyima said so earlier!"

Kun huffed. "They could've left in the time we took to get here..."

"Stop arguing," Nyima said, opening the door. She gasped as Lei happily walked up.

"Oww!" he said as he bumped into her.

"Ugh, why don't you ever look where you're going?" Nyima asked, glaring at him.

I frowned. 

"I didn't expect someone to be waiting outside of the office, that's why!" Lei said, rubbing his forehead. He smiled at her and Adela. "Congrats, you two, on beating Aria and Aya!"

Sowk giggled. "He called you 'Aya'."

Ayawamat grumbled. His cheeks though turned slightly red. Hmm, was I right about him after all?

"It was nothing. Now let's get going! Before your match begins!" Ny said, grabbing him by the wrist.

"Okay! Huh? But how did you figure I was here?" He glanced at Kun. "Did you sense something amiss?"

Kun rubbed his stomach as he followed them. "I did sense something during Nyima's match, but it was a lot shorter lived than when you fought Koichi."

"Nyima said it was Iah who told her."

Lei's eyes widened. "Iah did?" He glanced around. "Oi! Iah, where are you? Don't be a stranger and show yourself!"

"I don't think he's using an invisibility spell," Orcy said. "Else, I would've sensed his prana." She closed her eyes. "It's more like a strange bird."

"A strange bird? Maybe a miniature airplane?" Hal suggested.

"Or a drone like mine!" Kun said.

I snickered. So, they figured it out. It was best that I left.

Nyima let go of Lei and raised her head toward the ceiling. "Thanks for helping us, Iah." She looked down. "I am sorry for everything. It would be good if you could come back."

I used the ultrasonic waves to tell her, "I wish I could, but I can't. It's too late to turn back now. If I try to leave, who knows what will become of me? Should I be discovered communicating with you, I might get access to the drone taken away."

Nyima stared at her orca. She made a solemn face. "I see. At least take care. Be sure to eat right and get a lot of exercise. Also, keep up your studies. And don't do anything stupid!"

I laughed. "What? Are you my mom?"

Nyima blushed. "Dummy!"

I took a deep breath. "When I can, I will return to you. I promise."

Her face became redder. "Don't do it for me."

I laughed. "That wasn't just for you. But everyone. Though, you are the most important."

"Dummy!" she mumbled, dashing away.

I leaned back on my chair and smiled. Why was so cute?

"Hey, if you are listening in, then you better be ready for our rematch! I've grown a whole lot stronger!" Lei said, moving his head around.

"I know," I said.

"He said he knows," Yen said, staring in the direction of Dylan's drone. "Seems he doesn't want us to discover him based on what he told Nyima."

My face reddened. She understood what I told Nyima? Here I thought were communicating one to one...

Yen smiled. "But he did say he'll return when he can."

"Yahoo!" Hal exclaimed.

I lowered my head. "Sorry, Hal," I mumbled.

"He apologized to you, Hal. I think for leaving you behind."

Hal sighed. "It's okay. I understand." He curled his hands into fists. "If anyone is at fault, it's me."

"No, it's not! I'm the one responsible. I allowed my emotions to get the best of me again."

Yen translated what I said.

Hal sighed. "You weren't the only one."

"Stop blaming yourselves," Lei said. "Iah, when you can leave that place, know that there's a home for you here."

Lei...

"Also, thanks for your help, Iah!" he said, grinning at me.

"Yeah, even if you didn't help much," Yen said, smiling.

"At least he tried," Hikaru said.

Lei nodded.

Adela nodded. "In the meantime, do as Nyima said."

"Don't forget hygiene!" Hikaru said.

Adela and the others, including me, broke into laughter.

I held a hand toward the screen. What I would do to be with them once more.

'You could always use my power and escape from here,' Ratmir's voice echoed in my head.

... 'And don't do anything stupid!'

I shook my head and maneuvered the drone across the school. "No thanks."

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoy the chapter! Happy Valentine's Day!**