A Training Partner for My Werebeast Companion

Kiara awoke with a groan, the soft hum of the morning light seeping in the aerogel windows. Her eyes fluttered open, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her. Groggily she stood and moved to a seated position. The usual comforting glow of her ethereal pet, Nina, greeted her as it was nestled on a pillow that rested on her counter.

"Hey there Nina. Just as tired as I am huh?"

 Kiara gave a gentle rub to the top of Nina's head. The little creature’s head tilted slightly, her translucent, glowing form shimmering under the dim light from blue to pink. Nina emitted a soft pulse of affection, a silent acknowledgment of Kiara’s presence. Kiara smiled, though it was a lazy, half-hearted one, as her body screamed for just a few more minutes of sleep.

With a sigh, Kiara stood, stretching her limbs, her body still protesting the early hour. She stumbled toward the walk-in closet, the familiar smell of clean clothes and fresh laundry wrapping around her. When she walked in Her eyes narrowed, irritation building as she caught sight of the rows of prototype Ξηρός Suits lining the shelves—Ian’s obsession with hoarding them never ceased to annoy her. The endless collection of the advanced, cutting-edge suits that seemed to consume every inch of the closet space made her mutter under her breath. “If he makes any more of these, I swear I’ll—”

She cut herself off, rolling her eyes. “Why does he even need these? He doesn't wear them, I’d never wear half of them…Just recycle the material.” She continued to grumble, ruffling through the suits, her fingers brushing over the sleek material with annoyance. The prototypes always made her feel like she was drowning in an ocean of physical tech jargon and fabric.

Finally, Kiara found the suits Ian had made specifically for her. A small sigh of relief passed her lips. Ian’s suits were far more practical, not nearly as bulky, and comfortable. As she picked up the pieces, her eyes landed on something unexpected, making her freeze. Hanging from a small hook, tucked beside one of the suits, was a pair of underwear made from the same Ξηρός material. Her face immediately flushed. 

“No. No. NO! HE DID NOT!” she muttered, her heart rate spiking in embarrassment.

Her eyes darted back to the closet door as she slammed the suits into her arms and stormed out, cheeks burning with every step.

But as she made her way back toward the bedroom, something felt... off. Ian's bed, Sheets and comforter were perfectly tucked and the pillow wasn’t disturbed. Ian wasn’t there.

Kiara froze, her breath hitching in her chest as she finally noticed the faint sound of water running. The shower.

Her bladder immediately screamed at her to take action. The world around her seemed to come to a halt as panic set in. She rushed toward the bathroom door, her pulse racing. 

“Ian! NO! Open up! You promised you’d warn me!” she shouted, her voice sharp with frustration.

No answer.

“IAN! If you don't open this door! I have to use the bathroom!” she banged her fist against the door with growing urgency.

From the other side, she heard Ian’s voice, muffled but clear. “I did! There’s a note by Nina. Check it!”

Kiara’s heart sank. With a frustrated grunt, she moved toward Nina, who was still resting lazily on the dresser. Kiara reached down, grabbing the note from beneath the creature, causing Nina’s soft glow to shift to a bright red as the little thing chittered as it took flight and began tugging at Kiara’s hair, glowing brighter as she unfolded the letter. Kiara swatted Nina away, unimpressed as she read the note.

Dear Kiara,

The time is currently four hours past the 30th hour. You were unresponsive to my various attempts to rouse you from slumber. I thought I’d take the opportunity to get a head start this morning as you were informed that my grooming takes quite a while. I hope to be done by the time you read this, however, I must insist you wait until I’m clear if I’m not.

Thank you, Ian F’talis.

Kiara stared at the note for a long moment, blinking. Her face twisted with indignation. “EVE! What time is it?” she demanded, her voice rising in frustration.

A soft feminine voice chimed in, floating from the pillow, “Currently 6 hours past the 30th hour. 6 in the morning, Kiara.”

Kiara immediately marched back to the door and began banging on it again with urgency. "Please, Ian, you've had the bathroom for two hours already. I just need to pee!"

Ian’s voice, muffled but still carrying some irritation, floated back through the door. “Kiara, did you forget that the shower pods here have no obfuscation unit built in?”

“What?!”

“There’s no privacy glass. Can you hold it?”

“I can close my eyes, Ian! And sorry, I can’t hold it—I’m coming in.”

Kiara activated her authority and forcibly pried the door open, charging toward the waste pod, her legs crossed in desperation. Ian stood there in the shower, his body covered by his tail, his fur flushed with a deeper shade as he groaned in mortification, hearing Kiara’s bathroom activities with perfect clarity. Kiara, blissfully unaware of Ian's embarrassment, hurriedly finished and walked over to the sink to wash her hands.

Just before leaving she glanced toward Ian, her expression softened in amusement at the sight of his tail trying—and failing—to shield him. With an impressed nod and a quiet giggle, she walked toward the sink, washed her hands, and closed the now-broken bathroom door with a loud crunching and grinding sound.

Lying back in bed, she could hear Ian groan from the bathroom. "Sorry about the door, Mr. Fox, I really couldn’t hold it!”

"Yeah, I noticed!" Ian shouted back, his voice full of irritation.

A few hours later, Kiara and Ian sat together in a small, bright café, their breakfast orders just about to be delivered. Kiara sat across from Ian, looking a bit sheepish, as though she were a student being scolded. She fiddled with the edge of her napkin, her eyes darting to the window rather than meeting Ian’s gaze.

“Ian… About the door. I’m sorry,” she muttered, her voice soft, tinged with guilt.

Ian glanced up, his expression neutral. “It’s fine. I’m not mad.”

Kiara hesitated, then shot him a look. “You sure? Because you—”

“We can discuss the door later,” Ian cut her off, a flicker of amusement playing at the corners of his mouth. “For now, let me finish ordering your food.”

Kiara blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the abrupt transition in conversation. “Um, why—”

Ian held up a hand, his tone serious now. “Today’s training requires you to be in peak condition., I want to account for every possible situation. Since I’m not fighting you, I can’t control the damage you take. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Kiara’s mouth tightened as she sat back, crossing her arms. A pregnant pause hung between them. She finally huffed, lowering her voice. “So, you are mad about the door…”

Ian finished ordering, then gave her a pointed look, his expression all business. “So, my little rabbit, now it’s time I insult you to vent my frustrations about the door.”

Kiara raised an eyebrow, suppressing a glare. “That L word again Ian. . . But, I suppose that’s better than you being passive-aggressive about it.”

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s for your benefit,” Ian said, leaning back slightly in his chair. “I’ve seen you fight twice now, and I thought it important to point out a few flaws.”

“Flaws?” Kiara’s voice rose in mock offense. “Last I checked, I still made you fight seriously, and I beat a soldier you trained personally.”

Ian’s lips curled into a sarcastic grin. “And I seem to recall you losing that fight to me, and Jhett leaving you just as bruised as she was. However, it was impressive, so allow me to applaud your achievements.” He clapped slowly, the sound echoing in the quiet café. Kiara’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Having fun, Fox?”

“Very much so,” Ian said, his expression light, though the sharpness of his words was ever-present. “Your first flaw is you have a tendency to rely too much on your speed, rather than your natural bulk.”

“Excuse me?” Kiara shot him an offended look.

“No, no. I mean, unlike your mother, who’s of the Lepus californicus family, you’re of the Oryctolagus cuniculus family. You’re not built for speed, per se. You’re built for explosive strength, agility, and size.”

Kiara opened her mouth to respond, but Ian quickly continued. “But, I was still able to speed blitz you, Ian.”

“The training your mother gave you is damn near perfect,” Ian conceded. “But it doesn’t play to your strengths. You achieved transformation a bit late, so your base human capabilities heavily influence your fighting style. You rely too much on quick movements when you really should be focusing on your brawler instincts. You have excellent forward momentum, but not much when it comes to strafing or rear combat.”

Kiara frowned. “So, what? I’m just supposed to become a punching bag?”

“Far from it. I’ve actually found one student here who’s faster than you—and even your mother.” Ian’s voice was serious now, but there was a gleam in his eyes.

Kiara’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really?”

Before Ian could elaborate, a female server placed a tray in front of Kiara. Ian quickly removed the lid to reveal a colorful spread of food.

“Alfalfa sprout quinoa berry salad, carrot bread toast with almond butter spread, a coconut milkshake enriched with blended chia seeds, cashews, almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger sticks on the side for a palate cleanser,” he said, looking pleased with himself.

Kiara stared at the plate, eyes wide. “Ian, what is this colorful display?”

“I took into account the dietary needs of your werebeast and your personal palate to create the perfect breakfast for you,” Ian explained. “One you can eat safely in human form and that will maximize your energy when you transform. Remember, when werebeasts transform, we draw from the same energy source. If you eat like crap, you’ll feel like crap—human or beast.”

Kiara, already halfway through the salad and drinking the shake, glanced up at Ian with a mouthful of greens.

“What?”

Ian blinked, wide-eyed. “I’m just a little shocked.”

Kiara shrugged, nonchalant. “I often had to compete with Beth for food at the table, so forgive me if I rush a bit. But continue your criticisms, master, I promise I’ll half listen.”

“Duly noted,” Ian said, clearing his throat as he watched her devour the food. “Since werebeasts have three stages of transformation, we need a place to contain all that excess mass from the beast union stage. Naturally, it’s our muscles and bones that grow, which gives us increased durability and strength that often betrays our petite appearances. You, specifically, are a stronger variety of rabbit because you maintain your petite build even in full cloak. As such, you’re more suited to a brawler style of fighting. When you fight Mizu Shingen, we’ll be testing that durability.”

“Mizu Shingen…” Kiara swallowed. “Is she from Meridiana?”

“Yeah, actually. How did you know?”

Kiara’s lips curved into a small smile. “Oh, my mom’s from there. She said the names there are a bit strange.”

“She wasn’t wrong,” Ian said with a chuckle. “Everyone there has names that are allusions to food. I’m a bit shocked Aurora has her name. I wonder what you’d be named if you were born there, instead of Lumeria Falls?”

“If you want, you can nickname me something. Make it cute though.”

Ian blushed slightly, his eyes darting away. Kiara’s giggles filled the space between them as she continued to dance in her seat, humming with satisfaction from the food. When she heard Ian mutter under his breath, she tilted her head.

“What was that?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing,” Ian replied quickly. “Let’s just head to exam room 476.”

“The Sandpit?”

“Yup. When you’re ready, change into the new bodysuit and meet me there.”

As Ian left the table, Kiara finished her meal with a satisfied hum. With a leisurely pace she headed back to the room to shower and prepare for combat. The outfit Ian prepared for her was in a different design than the usual Ξηρός Suit. Instead of the full body wetsuit appearance it was a wrapped mesh leotard with a racerback design. It was still black but Kiara appreciated the streak of purple that went down its side.

“He must have really liked my outfit yesterday,” Kiara said to herself with a giggle.

She also noticed multi purpose footwear in the same shade of purple found on her new Ξηρός Suit. After Changing she left for Exam room 476.

Kiara’s feet scuffed along the polished floor as she walked, her thoughts swirling as she glanced at the clinical, lifeless environment. The walls were sterile, white and cold, with harsh lights that flickered overhead. It wasn’t the kind of place that made her feel like a warrior—it felt more like an animal testing facility. She muttered under her breath, the unease settling in.

“Jeez, Ian was right, it does feel like I’m going to be captured and dissected if I take a wrong turn.”

Her pace quickened as she neared the door to the sandpit. The hum of air conditioning buzzed behind her, but it was the dry heat of the sand she felt first. She pushed the door open with a flick of her wrist, stepping into the room she’d seen during her tour with Ian almost three weeks ago.

The arena was a strange mix of wild and controlled—an enclosed jungle with bursts of tropical greens, reaching palms, and wild vines crawling against the glass walls. But at its center, the heart of the arena, was a dry, sunbaked sandpit. The golden sand stretched wide and flat, untouched, smooth... waiting.

At the far side, a woman with milky white skin was shadowboxing. Her movements were swift, elegant, but deliberate—every punch she threw sliced through the air as though she were sparring with an invisible foe. The sleek white Ξηρός suit she wore with black trim clung to her like a second skin. Her chestnut bun was secure, and her half frame glasses gleamed under the harsh lights.

Kiara watched her for a moment and then took a breath. Time to introduce herself.

“Hiya!” Kiara waved, offering a friendly grin.

The woman froze mid-punch, turning toward her with a beaming smile. “Hello yourself, Ms. Moonshadow!”

Kiara stepped closer, holding out her hand. “No need to be formal with me, Kiara will be just fine.”

“Likewise, Mizu, Mizu Shingen,” the woman replied with a crisp handshake. “Also, apologies. I read your file when I met with the red ball of fur yesterday. I’m quite excited for today. Also, Mr. F’talis, He's quite a serious one, isn’t he?”

Kiara chuckled but before she could respond, a voice crackled through the intercom.

“I apologize for my discourtesy towards you, Ms. Shingen. When you seemed hyper-fixated on my tail, I spoke in a firmer tone than usual. But let me first state the rules of the exercise today.”

Kiara rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, “Ignore him. He’s 100% the serious type.”

Mizu giggled. “Kinda hard to ignore that tail.”

The intercom continued, “Since Ms. Shingen is from Meridiana, I decided to pick a game she’s familiar with as a courtesy. Though I will allow for some special rules to even the playing field for you, Kiara. The game is—”

Mizu raised a hand, cutting off Ian’s speech with ease. “Before that, Mr. F’talis, may I ask a favor?”

Ian’s voice faltered for a moment, clearly surprised. “Uh, sure. What is it?”

“I’d like to ask Kiara to strike me first,” Mizu said casually.

“What?!” Kiara shouted in astonishment.

“Why?” Ian’s tone matched Kiara’s surprise.

“Well, when we discussed training yesterday, you mentioned I wouldn’t be able to beat Kiara in combat. While I won’t question your experience, I think I should make sure I can withstand a blow first. It’d be disappointing for all parties if I went down in one hit after all the effort.”

There was a long pause, both from Ian and Kiara, before Ian’s voice returned over the intercom. “The name of the game is Circle Sumo. Each of you will do whatever it takes to move your opponent out of the sand pit circle. No deadly force or use of Beast union is allowed. Ms. Shingen, I’ve decided to allow your request. Should you be unable to withstand Kiara’s punch, I’ll be sure to personally provide endurance training in preparation for a rematch at a later date. Is this satisfactory?”

Mizu’s smile widened, arms tucked behind her back. “C’mon, Kiara, I’ve been waiting my entire life for this!”

Kiara’s smile was tight, and her shoulders sagged slightly. “Um, I just met you.”

“I’ve been waiting twenty-three hours for this,” Mizu said with the same level of enthusiasm

Kiara took a breath, straightened up, and clenched her fists. “Right. Okay. Here goes nothing.”

She stepped back, swinging her arm back before launching herself forward. Her fist connected with Mizu’s cheek, a solid punch that echoed in the arena. Mizu stumbled, kicking up a puff of dust as she fell to the ground, her body sprawled out like a ragdoll.

For a long, breathless moment, everything was still.

Then, Mizu pushed herself up, a small trickle of blood dripping from her lip. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and, to Kiara’s surprise, licked it off her fingers.

“Yup, that’s copper. Must be blood. Good job, Kiara,” Mizu said with a grin, her voice light, as if it hadn’t even fazed her.

Kiara’s stomach lurched. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you that hard. Are you okay, Mizu?”

“Oh, this? Don’t worry. It’s not my first time bleeding.” Mizu shrugged, spitting the last of the blood from her mouth onto the sand. “In fact, reminds me of September 26th, four minutes after the ninth hour in the morning. It was more humid than usual. I was wearing white pants when it happened. I tasted blood for the first time that day. Since then, every month, like clockwork, I bleed for six days and don’t die.” She flashed a grin. “Anyway, I’m ready. Let’s do this, Kiara.”

Kiara took another small step back, now fully aware that she had no idea what she was up against. “Oh... cool,” she muttered, a slight tremor in her voice.

She turned to head toward the door of the vivarium, her hand shaking as she tried the handle. It was locked. Panic surged in her chest as she frantically pressed the intercom button, shouting into the silence.

“IAN! I GIVE UP! PLEASE LET ME OUT OF HERE! I’M NOT FIGHTING HER ANYMORE!”

Ian’s voice crackled through the speaker. “Sorry, Kiara. Part of your training is to fight a faster opponent. Mizu hasn’t even activated her authority yet. Just ten more minutes. You made a promise.”

“Ian let me out of this room right-”

“Kiara, just because she’s a little eccentric doesn’t mean you’re in any danger. I’m here in the observation room right next door and you gave me a chance when you learned of my past. Surely you can get over an admittedly strange statement.”

Kiara’s shoulders slumped and she turned away from the door and dragged her feet back to the sand pit. She gave Mizu an uneasy smile and reluctantly took a combat stance.

Mizu smiled happily and adopted her own stance While Ian made another announcement.

“This will be logged as a sparring match between Cloak Authority werebeast subdivision Periophthalmus and Cloak Authority Werebeast subdivision Oryctolagus cuniculus. Time interval of ten minutes. Environment set, Participant conditions stable, environment stable. Once both participants have activated their authorities, the match will begin.”

Mizu took a knee and undid the bun in her hair letting to flow freely as her milky white skin turned jet black and looked smoother than before. Her arms and legs grew larger, the muscle definition more pronounced. As she stood Kiara noted her feet were now digitigrade and a powerful looking tail extended from the back of her spine. Mizu then re-tied her hair which was now thicker into another bun revealing her face once again. Her eyes were like smooth obsidian gemstones or black pearls resting in a shockingly familiar looking face. If not for the needle like teeth in her mouth she's look no different at least in her face. 

"I've never seen an aquatic Werebeast harmonizer before. And your colors! I see now why you're wearing a white Ξηρός suit." Kiara said with awe in her tone.

"Yeah, I actually have ash grey stripes on my abdominal region but I kinda prefer the all black look. In fact, if Ian kills the lights, you'll see I have some bioluminescence on my tail as well. But we can discuss this later. Since I showed you mine, can you show me yours?"

Kiara's awe vanished at Mizu's question. "Can you not make it weird please."

"Weird? Are you not going to transform?"

Kiara sighs "It's just that I haven't exactly mastered perfect union. So Full cloak is all I got right now."

Mizu nods thoughtfully while crossing her arms. "Don't worry, the red tail of fur did mention that. But I'm looking forward to it regardless."

Kiara shrugged, and in the blink of an eye, her body was enveloped in a dense coat of velvety fur, a rich chestnut hue with subtle cream undertones. Her face had shifted seamlessly into a refined rabbit’s muzzle, her nose twitching as she adjusted to the heightened scents around her. Tall ears flicked sharply, sensitive to the slightest disturbances, while her fluffy tail gave a single, irritated flick. Though her frame remained unchanged, the transformation left no trace of humanity beyond her shape—her hands and feet now bore the soft padding of a rabbit’s paws, her claws blunted, but sharp enough to dig into the sand beneath her if she wanted to. he purple flecks in her eyes deepened as she locked onto Mizu, their expression sharp, assessing.

“Happy now?” she muttered

The moment Kiara’s fur fully cloaked her body, Mizu exhaled a slow, trembling breath. Her jet-black fingers twitched at her sides, and she whispered something Kiara barely caught.

“...so fluffy.”

Kiara’s ears twitched. “I’m sorry? Can you repeat that?”

Mizu straightened abruptly. “Ah, nothing. Shall we begin?”

Kiara took her stance, feet sinking slightly into the sand. Across from her, Mizu stood unnervingly still—arms loose at her sides, posture too relaxed for someone about to fight.

Ian raised a hand. “Begin.”

Kiara blinked.

Mizu was gone.

A shiver ran down Kiara’s spine. No blur, no shift, no sound—just gone.

The next second, arms coiled around her waist from behind, squeezing tight.

Kiara exploded out of the hold, driving her elbow into Mizu’s jaw. The impact sent Mizu stumbling, blood dripping from her lip.

Mizu wiped the crimson away with her thumb, then licked it, eyes gleaming. “Wow. That was so good.”

Kiara’s fur bristled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Mizu didn’t answer. She disappeared again.

Kiara barely had time to shift before she was grabbed a second time—this time from the front, arms wrapped around her shoulders, her face shoved into Mizu’s chest. Fingers trailed along the base of her ears.

Kiara choked on a growl and shoved both hands against Mizu’s stomach. Her arms were pinned, but the push gave her just enough leverage—her knee snapped up into Mizu’s ribs, then she drove her fist into her face.

Mizu staggered, dazed but grinning.

Kiara exhaled sharply, irritation mounting. “What animal gave you the power to teleport?”

Mizu bared her needle-like teeth in a smile and vanished again.

Kiara swung the moment she felt hands on her shoulders. Her fist connected squarely with Mizu’s nose, snapping her head back. Blood dripped freely now—but Mizu didn’t let go. She adjusted, twisting mid-grapple, and Kiara felt fingers pat her ear.

She froze.

“You’re so soft,” Mizu murmured, voice reverent. “And warm. You smell nice, too.”

Kiara recoiled. “What the fu—”

“A Castor Rex Rabbit! That’s what you are! The colloquial name for my harmonizing animal is a mudskipper, but you—”

Mizu’s grip shifted, her touch growing exploratory.

Kiara’s disgust won out over everything else. With a surge of strength, she pried Mizu’s hands away and forced her to her knees.

Mizu gasped. “Soft and strong! Yes, YES! This was the right deci—”

Kiara shut her up with another punch.

The cycle repeated.

Every time Kiara created space, Mizu closed it instantly. Every time she landed a hit, Mizu adapted—dodging or just tanking the blow, adjusting her grip. The grapples lasted longer each time. The adjustments got more intimate.

By the twelfth headshot, Mizu seemed satisfied with Kiara’s ears and moved on—fingers gliding over the fur of her exposed stomach.

Kiara snarled and jumped to break the hold, using her legs to kick off of Mizu’s chest. But every time she evaded, Mizu vanished and reappeared, always behind her, always touching, feeling.

When Mizu finally grabbed Kiara’s tail, a violent shudder ran up her spine. Her whole body went rigid.

Mizu hummed. “Oh, this is ni—”

Kiara’s foot snapped out in a vicious kick to the stomach.

Mizu went sprawling, landing hard on her backside.

For the first time, she didn’t get up right away. She coughed—then abruptly scrambled to the edge of the arena and vomited over the line.

Kiara hesitated, breath heavy. “…Mizu, just give up... You’re bleeding, and—”

“Give up?”

Mizu turned. Stars gleamed in her eyes. Her bloodied mouth stretched into a grin.

“Oh, no no no sweetie.”

Kiara shivered.

Mizu cracked her neck. “We’re just getting started.”

By the final stretch, Mizu was a mess—nose clearly broken, bun barely holding together, blood streaking her face. But she wasn’t slowing. She was getting faster. and more excited.

Kiara’s stomach twisted. “You are enjoying this way too much.”

“You’re so fluffy!” Mizu sighed, like she was experiencing something life-changing. “I don’t usually get to touch fluffy werebeasts this much!”

Kiara wiped sweat from her forehead. “I see why.”

It hit her then. Mizu still had energy to spare. Mizu had never attacked. Not once. Meanwhile, only three minutes passed, and Kiara could feel herself getting sluggish she was feeling drained. She wasn’t going to win through brute force.

Another grapple happened and like before Kiara repelled Mizu avoiding her reach for her tail. After a while Kiara could sense Mizu’s movements just before they happened. Not that it did much good because Kiara just couldn't keep up. That's when an idea hit Kiara.

Kiara took a breath. “Okay, Mizu. Here.” She spread her arms, presenting her tail. “I’ll let you indulge. Until the match is over.”

Mizu’s expression lit up. The moment she lunged, Kiara body screamed warning signs at her but she let it happen.

Mizu wrapped her in the tightest embrace yet. “Oh,” she exhaled blissfully. “Oh, this is perfect.”

Kiara’s legs coiled.

She jumped.

A single, massive leap—high and far enough that they both sailed right over the boundary line.

They crashed into the sand outside the ring.

Ian’s voice rang out. “Out of bounds. The match is over.”

Kiara rolled away immediately. Mizu, still sitting in the sand, blinked slowly, processing.

Then she grinned, bloodied teeth gleaming. “Oh, you sneaky bitch. That was smart.”

Kiara pushed to her feet, scowling. “I need a shower. And new clothes. And maybe an exorcism.”

Mizu sighed dreamily, sprawled in the sand. “I think this is the best day of my life.”

She turned her battered face toward Kiara. “Thank you, Bunny girl Kiara.”

Kiara ignored Mizu's nickname for her, pressing the intercom button near the door. "Ian, open this damn door. Righ—"

The door slid open, and Ian’s concerned expression met her.

"Ki—"

Kiara pushed past him without waiting for him to finish, her footsteps echoing through the sterile halls of the facility. She stopped at the end of the hallway, then shouted back over her shoulder.

"Get her some medical attention. I stopped holding back halfway through."

Ian sighed deeply. He glanced toward the open room, his eyes landing on Mizu. The sandpit was a mess, clumps of blood and sand scattered across the floor. Mizu was sprawled on the ground, unmoving, humming a lazy tune like she didn’t have a care in the world.

"Adam."

The AI assistant’s hologram flickered into existence next to Ian. "Arrange a medical team for Ms. Shingen as soon as possible. She may have severe head trauma, blood loss, and internal injuries we can’t detect at a glance. I need to chase after Kiara."

"All information was transmitted in real-time, Mr. F'talis. ETA for medical assistance: 2 minutes. Good luck with Ms. Moonshadow, sir."

With a quick nod, Ian turned on his heel and followed Kiara, catching up to her just as she turned a corner.

"Uh… listen… about Ms. Shingen’s behavior—"

"No."

"I’m sorry?"

"Ian." Kiara’s voice was soft but firm, her back to him as she walked. "Let me shower. Let me eat. Let me sleep. I need to be alone for just a bit, okay? Please."

Ian stopped in his tracks, watching her disappear down the corridor. His gaze lingered for a moment, a mixture of concern and frustration on his face. He ran a hand over his chin, lost in thought, before turning back toward the observation room for the sandpit.

Hours passed and Ian’s face was illuminated by the cold glow of the screens and the hum of his orders as he analyzed the data from Kiara and Mizu’s match. He paused, taking a beat to absorb the figures. Kiara’s stamina had exceeded his expectations, but as the fight wore on, her speed began to drop. Mizu’s data, though, was a jumbled mess—a blur of erratic movements and evasions that seemed to defy all logic.

“Kiara’s critical thinking in the heat of combat is honestly on par with my own,” he muttered to himself. “As for the moments she physically overpowered Mizu... I see the animal instincts kicking in, overwhelming her. EVE, note that as ‘Rage Boost.’ I think it’ll be valuable for her development if she can tap into it through mental visualization.”

“Acknowledged, Ian,” EVE’s voice chimed in. “Also, nightly patrol begins in 5 minutes. Would you like to observe my brother’s performance?”

Ian rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Honestly, I’d love to study more, but seeing if Adam is still functioning properly after two weeks of zero observation or maintenance might be the better use of my time.”

He powered down the observation terminal, stood, and made his way toward the hall. His mind was clouded, not with the technicalities of the match, but with the weight of Kiara’s next lesson—and the challenge that lay ahead for both of them.

Ian walked the dimly lit halls of St. Firebrand’s assessment facility, his eyes buried in his Ordo. Lines of code and notes on Kiara’s development filled the screen, his mind too preoccupied to register much else. It was 4am—the world was quiet. As Ian began to mumble to himself.

"Is that Kiara?"

Ian nearly dropped his Ordo, his soul briefly evacuating his body. He whipped around to find Mizu Shingen right next to him, having materialized from nowhere.

"Jee—ZUS—Miz—Ms. Shingen?! What are you doing awake at this hour?" he whisper-shouted, willing his pulse to slow.

"Patrolling. Making sure no Reds and Blues make Purple."

Ian blinked. "Reds and blues?"

"Yeah… Men and women," Mizu clarified like it was obvious.

Ian pinched the bridge of his nose. "I—Right. Okay. And why are you personally patrolling?"

"Because no one else was. Why are you awake so early?" she countered.

"I conduct maintenance and have a long morning ritual, so I'm usually up at this ti—hold on. ADAM handles patrols. There’s no need for you to stress yourself over this. Get some rest. You just had a very bloody fight with Kiara earlier. Actually… Why aren’t you covered in blood? Or in the infirmary?"

"Oh, I have connections to the Phytarator family, Healing potions are strapped right here on my inner thigh.” Mizu casually slaps her crotch, “and I took a whore’s bath in the infirmary. Here, smell me."

Before Ian could process what she just said, Mizu grabbed his head and shoved his face into her armpit.

His first reaction was panic. Then, confusion. Then… nothing. She smelled like absolutely nothing.

Ian wrenched himself free, trying to regain some control of the situation. "Wait—how did you—"

"Amazing, right?" Mizu grinned. "I have tons of practice handling the major odor zones. You know—anus, pits, underboob, and the hotpocket."

Ian was already regretting asking. "...Hotpocket?"

"Yeah the Vag, You know where the front folds are."

"Mizu—I KNOW WHAT THE FRONT IS."

"Really?" She tilted her head. "I thought you might be homosexual. Just wanted to clarify."

Ian opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. "As out-of-pocket as that was—why would you even think—"

"Oh, well, you share a room with the hot cuddle bunny Kiara, even though illicit sexual relationships aren’t tolerated in the dorms. I know you got special permissions," Mizu said matter-of-factly. "Figured no one could resist that hot piece of ass. But you do. So, I assumed—"

"MIZU, STOP." Ian ran both hands down his face. "Please. Just—stop. It's not that I don't find her attractive, it's just that she's my apprentice."

Mizu raised a brow. "And the same age as you. Can’t be more than a few months' age gap. Nothing like my mom and dad. They’re about eighty years apart. But my dad had very strong swimmers. That, or my mom was a strong rider. . . Either way they never gave up and nineteen years ago, and Bam! Now here I am, living proof of their perseverance.."

Ian made a noise that didn’t have a name. "I uh— I need to complete my morning ritual. You… can keep patrolling."

"Not a problem, Sir Ian," Mizu said cheerfully with a salute. "You can trust me like a kangaroo trusts its mom’s pouch."

Ian turned and power-walked back to his room, noisily locking the door behind him.

From her bed, Kiara groggily rubbed her eyes. "...What happened?"

Ian sighed, rubbing his temples. "Kiara, I apologize. You don’t ever have to fight Mizu again." He ran a hand through his fur. "I’ll be in the shower a bit longer than usual today. So, you can sleep in."

"Mmmhmm. ‘Kay," Kiara mumbled, already rolling over and pulling the blankets tighter.

Kiara woke feeling surprisingly refreshed. She stretched, her body light as she sat up out of her blankets greeting Nina on the dresser next to her.

“How are you doing Nina? Same pain in the ass as always?”

Kiara then turned toward Ian’s bed and noticed it was empty and a sense of dread took over as she rubbed her eyes to fix her blurred vision. The sight before her made her sense of dread vanish with shock.

The entire wall separating her bedroom and the bathroom was gone. In its place, Ian was crouched down, covered in a thick layer of dust and bio-gel, working on the doorframe. What made it even weirder was that Ian wasn’t making a single sound. No usual grunts, no muttered curses, not even the scrape of tools.

“Ian, what the fuck?!”

Ian paused, standing upright and turning to face her with an almost too-casual expression. "Oh, good morning, Kiara."

"Good morning?!" Kiara’s eyes twitched in disbelief. "What did you do?!"

“I’m fixing the door you broke yesterday.” Ian gestured to the ruined frame. “Considering all the doors have built-in motion sensors, delicate hydraulics, and special DNA encoder locks... when you pried it open, you broke pretty much all of that delicate hardware. Did you think fixing it would be pretty?”

Kiara shrank back into her blanket, mumbling, “No….”

Ian laughed at her reaction, his voice soft. “You can be very cute sometimes, Cinnabun. Don’t worry, I’ll have it done in four hours. In the meantime, you can use the vacant room next door. Why don’t you head to the cafeteria and order whatever you want? I’ve got information to share—and it’s gonna be a lecture.”

Kiara flushed at the nickname but said nothing as she got up and disappeared into the closet. A few moments later, she emerged in grey sweatpants, a hoodie, and sandals, glancing at Ian, who was too engrossed in his work to notice her. She left the room without saying a word.

After a quick bathroom break for her morning ritual, Kiara walked down the hall, but suddenly froze before the final turn to the cafeteria. A shiver ran down her spine as a strange sensation crept over her. She spun in place, searching the corridor.

Ian appeared from behind, catching up to her. "Uh, you okay there, Kiara?"

Kiara didn’t turn around, but her voice was measured, almost distant. "I feel… I feel like I’m being watched."

“Well, I’m watching you right now.”

Kiara shook her head, still scanning the area. "Not what I meant, Hero… It just feels off."

“Alright, let’s get to the cafeteria first." Ian gently placed a hand on her back, guiding her forward while she kept glancing around. "I need to get something in me; I haven’t eaten all day yester-oof!"

Before Ian could finish his sentence, Kiara had already activated her authority. She jumped, and the sudden force sent Ian crashing to the ground, right as Mizu tackled him with surprising strength. Mizu wrapped herself around Ian, her face nuzzling into his fur, her breath heavy and warm against his ear.

“Oh, I missed you, Ki—Oh! Ian. Hi! Your fur’s good, too!”

“Ms. Shingen!” Ian stammered, still pinned beneath her.

“You can call me Mizu,” she purred, grinning. “Now your tail—is mine.”

Kiara took in the scene for a moment, then rolled her eyes. She turned away and casually walked over to a booth, ordering her food as if the entire thing didn’t just happen in front of her.