A Challenge Accepted

In the middle of a vast grassland, rather out of place, was a hollowed stump big enough for a small plaza. The area around it was clear bar the few trees that stood tall around them, rough huts were built in the branches of each, one bigger than the rest.

At the foot of the tree stood a blue beetle with a menacing horn tipped by a distinct X, behind him was a dust cloud left by the wagon in tow of the rapidash who had brought them there. Two figures were with him, a small eevee dwarfed by his bulk and an unconscious quilava in his arms, it stirred.

I coughed up a smoke ring as I came back to realisation. I was sitting in a cradle of Mihail's arms, walking at pace with him-albeit with some difficulty- was Eyrie.

I opened my mouth to ask a question as we passed under a wooden arch, I paused as a shudder ran though my body. I became aware of the fact I was nearly stone cold, the shudder alerted Mihail.

"Save your energy," he grunted, I nodded and twisted in his hold for a better view. We had entered what looked like the hollow of a tree, a semi circle of stalls was to our left, run by a pair of chameleons I knew as kecleon, to our right was a bulky brown pokémon with the vague semblance of a kangaroo and armoured skin, behind her was a claybrick structure with a lookalike kangaskhan head mounted over its entrance.

All three looked disappointed and bored, ahead of us was another example, a duskull. A black tent modelled after its owner was pitched up behind the skull faced ghost, in it and around it were open chests with a thick layer of dust.

I climbed out of Mihails hold despite his protest and leapt to the ground, almost falling over but bracing myself with my forepaws. I stood up cautiously to face the other inhabitants of the tree stump. Teenage pokémon gave occasional glances, and a smile from a fellow quilava. She started walking towards us at Mihail's gesture.

"Take Ayr to the medical ward, he nearly burnt out. Twice," he told her, then decided to add as an afterthought; "Don't let him do it again," he grinned at me to take the sting from the words.

"I won't," she grinned at him, then at me. I stepped back involuntarily, when someone grinned at me in the arena it meant they were going to attack me. She took note of this, "I'm not going to attack you or anything."

"Excuse him," Eyrie pitched in, "He's a bit slow to realise such things," she cast me a sidelong look, the quilava giggled.

"Habit," I murmured.

"I'm Lyra, by the way," she told us.

"Well I'll get Ayr taken care of," she told them and took my paw, with a sudden jerk she was dragging me towards a small tunnel beside the kangaskhan's stall, I yelped and struggled after her.

"So, where did Mihail find you? You look like you've been in a scrap with the Pyras," she slowed to a walk as we disappeared into the tunnel.

"Never heard of or seen them," I replied, "And he found me and Eyrie in an arena."

"This way," she told me with a gesture to a small archway leading to a dug out room, torches were hung on the walls and drowned away the gloom that would have hung over the room had they been put out. A round, pink pokémon sat on one of the many beds that littered the edge of the room, a layer of dust seemed to have gathered on the desk sitting in the middle.

"Argentine, I've got a patient for you," Lyra called out, the six appendages that looked plastered to the pokémon's head suddenly perked up, their darker tips wavering with what seemed to be excitement. A small tail shared the emotion as the pokémon waddled towards us, two stubby arms hugged a pouch on her front which housed a gleaming white egg.

"What's wrong with him?" she inspected me before turning to the quilava, seemingly at disagreement about my condition.

"He's burnt out twice according to Mihail, and he's freezing for a quilava," she explained, the chansey leaned forwards and touched my forehead, albeit having some difficult not falling onto me.

"True," she agreed.

"Sit on one of the beds," she instructed, one stubby arm making what I thought was a gesture at one of the beds. I obeyed and sat down on the mattress, I ran a paw along the cushion, a grey line of dust was left on my paw and its path clearly showed on the cushion. Lyra perched herself beside me and set her feet rocking off the edge.

"So, where are you from?" she asked, I glared at her.

"I just told you, he found us at an arena," I snarled, "As the fighters, not the keepers," I added.

"Ohh," she went quiet.

"Well, lets get you warmed up," she told me, blowing a few embers my way, "The town nearby will be celebrating the new moon tonight, you should stick around for that."

"I might," I replied.

"So, how did you burn out?" she asked, I grinned, probably not the dramatic story she was expecting. She was sitting with her ears perked in anticipation.

"Stayed up all night with my flame burning," I replied, her ears dropped and she let out an audible sigh, "I also scared off a gabite and combusken with the threat of an overheat, that blew me out completely." I added, her grin returned, "Luckily they didn't know it was only a threat,"

"Open wide!" chansey announced as she walked up to me, I opened my jaws uncertainly and she crammed in a plump red berry into my mouth, it's small thorns digging into my flesh as it was forced down my throat.

I grunted and wiped my muzzle with a paw, the flame in my fire sac swelled and I blew a few embers.

"Looks like I'm back to normal," I grinned, Lyra grinned back and took me by the paw, leading me back out of the room, this time more gently.

"You'll need some time before you'll be fighting fit so don't expect to be roasting everyone just yet," she flashed me a grin as we exited the tunnel beside the kangaskhan's stall.

"I'll show you to the boys' dorm," she offered before dragging me off in another direction. The door to then boys' dorm was nearly gone amidst a dangle of vines against the wall, it led to a spacious shack of sorts, it was a large hall like room littered with haystacks and beds carved into the walls with several vines hanging down from holes in the roof, through which I could see a network of tree huts and vine walks between them.

"You'll be sleeping in here or up in the tree huts," she gestured at the holes, "I suggest the huts," she whispered in my ear, I took note to choose a hut.

"Who are you?" a rather arrogant sounding voice demanded, I turned around. Slick orange fur gleamed in the sunlight as the otter stepped into a sunbeam from one of the holes, two paws rested on his hips with telltale blue fins at the wrists. Behind him twin tails flickered wildly. He smirked which distorted the black streaks on his face. Lyra stepped out beside me with a roll of her eyes, though the buizel didn't notice the latter action.

"Ayr," I replied evenly, he stepped forwards casually, his pale underbelly flashed a brilliant white as he passed through another stream of light, "And who might you be?"

"I'm the one in charge," he boasted, I raised an eyebrow, "Don't look so smart!" he snapped.

"Do I make you look stupid?" I asked, I half expected a yes, "From what I know Mihail is in charge, not you."

"I lead the apprentices!" he snapped back, once again I raised an eyebrow just to annoy him.

"Well I'm going to lead myself out for a walk," I replied casually, I strode out of the dorm, Lyra gave him a wave as she followed suit, her face perfectly masked with a friendly smile.

"Let's get you cleaned up," she said as she sobered up and raised a paw towards the guild's entrance, "Let's get your friend, too, she looks like she could use a bath as well."

"Bath?" my ears perked, "You are a quilava, right?" she nodded with a grin spreading across her face.

"Yes, I am," she played on with her wilful ignorance, "What about it?

"I'll roast you if you get me wet," I threatened, she grinned and dragged me over to where Eyrie and Mihail were talking.

"Come, lets get you two cleaned up," she gestured at Eyrie, Mihail nodded and shooed her towards us. Eyrie exchanged a grin with Lyra.

"There's a festival tonight and you guys should look your best for when the town sees you," she explained, I shrugged, Eyrie tilted her head.

"Festival?" she asked.

"You know, dancing and festivities," Lyra told her, "Some event or other this town has decided to throw a party over, the chief is rather fond of them."

"The buizel's father?" I asked, if anyone fit the roll of a spoilt brat it had been the buizel.

"Yes, how did you know?" she asked, I went along with the habit I had picked up and raised my eyebrow.

"Hunch."

"Where do you get your hunches?" Eyrie mimicked my expression, I turned to her.

"Does self righteous and proud fit the description of 'spoilt brat'?" I asked, she nodded, "Then I suppose that's where I got it from."

"You and Boris are going to get along just fine," Lyra grinned, "And don't raise your eyebrow at me!" she snapped, my face flushed with heat, I'd been about to do that. Eyrie cooed besides me.

"I'll never understand why you do that…" I mumbled to her.

"You probably will," she told me, she glanced between me and Lyra, "Soon," she added.

"Doubt it," I replied.

…

After a while we had cleaned up, Lyra and Eyrie –with a lot of difficulty, of course- managed to force me into the small spring beside the stump, booth seemed to take a certain amount of pleasure in seeing the steam hiss around me and the vicious scowl I had on my face.

"I'm going to roast you, the booth of you!" I shouted as I marched out of the spring, I hadn't been aloud to step out until I had rubbed myself raw. I shivered as I stepped out of the waters, a gust of wind didn't help, I felt my flame flicker, "Later," I mumbled.

"I'll be waiting," teased Eyrie as she made a rather exaggerated entrance into the pool, a fair amount of water found itself on me. I mumbled quietly and made my way towards Lyra who was holding a woollen towel out for me.

"I ha-te y-y-ou," I whispered through clattering teeth.

"I like you too, Ayr," she smiled and gave me a pat as she ushered me to a nearby boulder, I sat down and hugged myself in the towel.

"Hurry up!" I shouted to Eyrie who was taking her time in the pond, all fine for her but I was soaking wet in the middle of a gale-ok, not quite a gale.

"Yeah, hurry up," urged Lyra. Eyrie gave a sigh and trodded out of the the water, Lyra met her with a towel before-to booth of ours' surprise, she dove into the water.

"She's crazy," I whispered to Eyrie as she sat beside me. Lyra resurfaced and splashed her paws our way.

"The water's fine," she grinned.

"Your sense of temperature isn't," I replied.

"Be nice, Ayr," Eyrie grinned, I shrugged. I dropped the towel and set my quills alight, the small flames pulsed with a heat that spread through me, Eyrie huddled closer to warm up. I noticed a few coils of vapour around the waters edge, I guess she wasn't a super-quilava.

"Nice? Sorry, never heard of such a thing," I replied, she shook her head like a mother scolding her cub.

"Come on you two," Lyra piped up as she walked out of the spring. She walked past us and back into the guild, me and Eyrie exchanged a glance before chasing after her.

…

"We're on our way," I whispered to Eyrie as we followed Lyra up a spiral staircase coiled along the walls. I'd noticed a series of pillars connecting the ceiling to the floor, Lyra had told us that even if we'd known they were there we wouldn't have seen them from the ground.

"We're already at the finish," she nuzzled my side, I couldn't help but disagree.

At the top was a heavy wooden gate which we heaved open with a lot of difficulty, on the other side was a spacious room with lines of tables at it's center, yet there was still plenty of room around it.

"Not quite as active as it should be," Lyra explained, "People should be here, enjoying themselves and doing what guild members do," Ayr looked at her quizzically, he didn't see anything wrong with it, in fact he liked the absence of the other guild members.

"So where are they?" Eyrie asked.

"Playing around town," Lyra replied blandly.

"Or acting like they own everything," I added, the two girls grinned.

Lyra led us to a sort or restaurant, it had a long bench that fenced off a part of the room like a counter top. Like the medical ward it had a layer of dust over the top, except at the seat Lyra took.

"Morning Lyra," a voice pipped up, I looked across the counter at a pale yellow dinosaur, it wore a collar of buds around its neck which gave off a wonderful aroma that almost concealed the scent given off the leaf perched atop her forehead which swayed around as she moved her head though I couldn't help but notice the bite taken from it's side.

"Who might these two newcomers be?" the bayleaf asked.

"I'm Ayr, that's Eyrie," I replied.

"They're new-the quilava's a bit sensitive, though," she added, I glared at her.

"I see," she noted, "I'm Bree by the way,"

"How about a few gummi to get ready for the festival?" Lyra suggested.

"They don't bring much good from my experience," I commented.

"That's only when they're made into a drink, gummis themselves just give you a gummi rush, make you go giddy and hyper," Lyra explained, I shrugged.

"No thanks either way," I replied.

"I'll try one," Eyrie said. Bree walked over to the sacks and crates behind her, sniffing around for something. After a while she pokes here head into two sacks, each time emerging with a red or grey gummi-it looks like a jellybean- respectively which she gave to Lyra and Eyrie.

"These are delicious!" Eyrie announced, Lyra grinned at her, I just rolled my eyes. To Eyrie anything that wasn't absolutely horrible was delicious, a habit I was ashamed to say rubbed off on me.

"Two more each, Bree," Lyra ordered as if at a restaurant, Bree didn't move, "Please," she added, the bayleaf grinned and picked out another four gummis which she spread on the counter.

I glanced out one of the window which framed a crimson sunset over the plains, the silhouette of a village dressed in lanterns sat amidst them.

"Come on, let's go," said Lyra after swallowing the two gummis. Bree walked around the counter to join us and Eyrie was close to bouncing up and down judging by the giddy expression over her face.

"Knew it was a bad idea," I murmured as I hopped down from the stool I'd been sitting on, "Don't let her near any of those again," I told the bayleaf as she came along side me, she gave me a grin and nodded.

With that we made our way back down the stairs and fell in step with the crowd trying to make it's way out of the guild.

I let the rays of the setting sun roll over me as we made our way out of the guild, it felt great, and I could have felt relaxed. But something edged away at my mind, I caught sight of the buizel pointing my way, though the crowd had taken him by the time I turned around for a better look.

I we followed the crowd into town, I stayed at the outskirts of the crowd by where Lyra and Eyrie were talking to some of the others after a few stray feet got in my way.

"I'm not going let you sit the whole thing out," Lyra told me as she looked my way.

"Let's see you try," I shot back.

The town was simple. A cluster of straw hat huts made of a cylindrical room or two of whitewashed mudbricks, the centrepiece was a cobbled plaza in front of a long hall. Today the plaza had a long table running it's length. Around us were stands selling food and other stocks.

In front of the hall stood something much like Boris, only bigger and with taller fins and instead of that buoyant collar he had around his neck this one looked as if it had been sitting in a rubber tube that stuck to it's side. Not a species I recognized, though I guessed in was Boris' father standing on the deck which seemed to double up as a stage judging by the podium being carries into place.

"That floatzel-I noted the species name- is Boris' father," Lyra told me, I nodded absent mindedly. The floatzel had met my eye and we were locked in a sort of star off, a smile spreading across his face, though not a very pleasant one. Maybe it was those streaks they had painted on their faces.

Our little trio from the guild lined up amongst the crowd for what seemed like an announcement.

"Pokémon of this town, young and old, I welcome you to this festival," the floatzel began in a deep set voice, the crowds ears could almost be seen perking at the sound, "Today we not only have our festival to celebrate, though, we have the arrival of two young pokémon at our town's guild." I could hear Mihail grunt angrily behind us, "They have come from a travelling arena, why not give them a warmer welcome up to our little stage," there was an uproar from the crowd around us, Lyra have us a shove towards the stage.

We were carries through a rough funnel in the crowd to the steps leading up the stage, my body stayed true to habit and tensed, adrenalin pumped through me.

"Tell us, what were you doing?" he asked, I was sure he knew the answer to that.

"We were the fighters," replied Eyrie, the floatzel put in a mask of shock that drew a gasp from the crowd. Realization dawned to me that he was winding us up, trying to play us-no,-, trying to play me.

"How long were you there?" he continued, I was too late to take the question and stop Eyries casual responses.

"Eleven seasons or so,"

"Well, what a horrible thing it must have been. Though you must be an expert fighter from all of this, you would make excellent editions to the guild," he said to Eyrie, no longer directing a word at me. Eyrie blushed. The man was cunning and sly, I would give him that.

"Well.." she tried to get rid of the colour on her face, "Ayr-I swore silently- is the real expert, he's come out on top in situations I couldn't dream of," I rolled my eyes skyward.

"Ho-oh, save me," I murmured, I knew Eyrie was trying to compliment me and give me some time in the spotlight, but it was more trouble than it was worth.

"Well, then, how about we stage a little contest: the best of the arena and the guilds best?" the crowd roared their agreement in that way only the prospect of a fight could light up a crowd, "Unless of course, this little champion has his doubts," he gestured at me. It took not two seconds for me to translate the words; Unless, of course, you're scared.

"Who is the guilds best?" I asked, the floatzel grinned and gave a gesture at Boris who was making his way onto the stage, it was best to make sure.

"So?" Boris asked. I glanced around the crowd, Mihail's claw was on his forehead following its steady sideways swings, Lyra gave me a sympathetic look. Beside me I saw Eyrie with an unspoken apology in her eyes.

"I forgive you," I whispered to her with a sigh.

"What was that?" Boris demanded, obviously expecting it to have been a mumbled forfeit.

"I accept," I replied casually, I set my features in an emotionless mask. The initial grin at my words was replaced by a look of uncertainty just as fast.

"Well then, how about tomorrow?" he suggested, I gave a nod, "Then let the party begin!"

With those words the crowd blew away to the stands, the owners rushing to fill eager paws with pouches of food, masks and whatever other wares they had. I walked glumly off the stage to sit on an out of the way bench, Eyrie gave me another apologetic look as she walked by, she knew my moods and had developed her own flow chart of when to interfere.

I sat alone for a while, sulking like a cub denied a treat. I had a few outbursts to the point where sweet scented wood smoke was rising from a scorch mark behind me. Around me pokémon were either oblivious from to many gummi drinks, hyper as to be running around to plaza or even up on the tables dancing to the performing band-led by a jigglypuff rather disapproving of how it's voice was drowned by the crowd.

Lyra spiralled in towards me with rather drunken steps.

"Come on," she grabbed my paw which I yanked away immediately and shook my head, "It's a party!" she insisted, raising her paws above her head and giving a twirl before a roll of her hips. A paw went up to her mouth as she tried to suppress a giggle.

She tried again to pull me up with the same result.

"I'm not in the mood," I replied.

"Well then get into it," she demanded sarcastically. She took my paw in booth of hers and gave a powerful tug that sent me sailing off the bench, neither of us could react in time and I fell against her. She fell against my weight and we booth collapsed against the ground.

We were nose to nose beside each other on the ground, one of my paws awkwardly twisted under her side, the other resting limply over her waist leaving us in an awkward horizontal dance. I looked up at her face, she was smiling. I felt my face flush with heat, the blue now unmistakably tinted in pink even to a drunken eye.

I pulled right paw off his side and struggled with the other which was pinned under her torso.

"Want to dance?" she asked, I twisted my head to the right and then to the left-meant to be a shake of my head to say no. My head hit a cobblestone with a solid crack and I doubled over with my head bent forwards and my free paw plastered at its side-we later had an argument about how much the latter resembled a nod.

"Great!" she exclaimed. She was got up and off my paw, grabbing it before I could react and hoisting my up. Her other paw locked around mine. With that she dragged us off to the long table, with two graceful steps she found her way onto the tabletop. She gave me a tug.

I leapt up to the tabletop to avoid failing over the benches. Her paws danced lightly across the table as she circled around me, our arms were spread wide in a ring she made tilt with every step.

She transitioned effortlessly into a complex series of twirls and tugs that I had to admit must have looked like a pretty elegant dance from the side, to me, of course, it was a pain in the shoulder as she pulled at my arms like I was a puppet on a string, guiding me in a dance.

A few onlookers cooed their approval, this seemed to spur Lyra as much as any cheer because she stepped up closer and went into a much more slow dance. She hugged her arms around me and took steps at my feet as a hint when and where to move them.

"Isn't this more fun than sulking alone?" she asked.

"No," I mumbled. This conversation seemed to rely differently a few steps away as it drew more cooes-likely under the impression it was a romantic whisper exchanged by a couple. I couldn't believe I'd used that word to describe us, even in my thoughts, couple!

"What have I done this time?" she asked, I was once again drawn from my thoughts.

"What?"

"You're as pink as a ponyta," she giggled, I felt another wave of heat flood to my face, "You're bordering on a blissey," she added, a smile creeping across her face.

"How's it going, Ayr?" Eyrie piped up from a few meters down the table, having found a dance partner in a blue mudfish with a pair of orange gills at its cheek and a pale grey fin trailing behind it which Eyrie followed keenly just as the mudkip chased her tail.

"I feel dizzy, and sick, and disorientated," I replied as we spun by each other with me still under Lyra's control, "Pretty soon I'm going to trip over my own feet, or yours, and we'll booth fall down," I pleaded with Lyra.

"Don't worry," Lyra smiled with a blissful ignorance, "I'll catch you."

We-or she, rather- kept this going for a few more minutes, by which time we had assembled a small crowd of onlookers.

"Please," I begged, Lyra grinned and made a sudden halt. I was left twirling around along the table, struggling to avoid my own feet let alone the other couples and the few centrepieces propped up on the tables. I took a step down on the bench and another to the ground amidst the crowd.

I stumbled a step before my leg caught on something and I spilled over on the floor. A few snickers went along those assembled around me. I groaned as I sat up and looked behind me for what I'd fallen over, nothing. I knew I hadn't tripped over my own feet, it was something I just didn't do. Then I spotted a certain buizel amongst the crowd, snickering with his paws over his muzzle trying to contain his laughter.

"I didn't know you were serious…" Lyra walked up to me with what I presumed was an apology.

"I'm an honest quilava," I replied grimly, from beside her I noticed Eyrie casting me an unfamiliar look-it probably meant: tell her the truth-, "When I want to be," I added before realising how stupid that sounded. I stopped myself from adding 'most of the time'.

"Wasn't that way more fun than sulking around alone on a bench?" Eyrie asked cheerfully, I cast her a do you need to ask? look, "Yes,"

"No, no it wasn't. You know me, Eyrie, I'm the boring, depressing type of quilava. Not the drag up another quilava and make nearly throw up kind; ask Lyra if you want to hear a yes," I told her. Lyra raised her eyebrows.

"Here, eat one," Eyrie dropped a small red gummi into my paw. I put it into my mouth uncertainly, in front of me Eyrie was pretending to chew something as if I didn't know how to eat. I rolled my eyes and began to chew. A rich sweetness filled my mouth as I broke through the soft outer shell of the gummi and bit into the softer inside. I grimaced at the sweetness.

"Are they all so disgustingly sweet?" I asked.

"Most pokémon like the sweet taste," Lyra commented. I forced the candy down my throat and stood up.

"How was that supposed to help with anything?" I asked, Eyrie shrugged which stole a laugh from Lyra, "You're a genius, Eyrie, always thinking ahead and using reason," she made a mock bow.

"Thank you, thank you, I know, I know. I try," she flashed me a grin.

The rest of the party went by much as it had started, me sitting on a bench-by the table, this time- and the two girls going off and doing whatever girls do at a party, once I saw them run by with masks hiding half their faces. They made a few attempts to rouse me from my seat, one or two ended up in a short dance or entertaining conversation. Lyra seemed to make a habit of sweeping by on the table in front of me whenever she found someone to dance with.

"I just hope this buizel is as amateur as he looks," I whispered to no one imperticular.

"So he is, but you will find it a challenge, if only by typing alone," a voice responded from beside me. I turned my head to see a little yellow mouse-two clear blue eyes caught mine- with perky triangular ears fringed in black beside me. She was lapping up the contents of a bowl of soup, a black, bolt shaped tail wagging excitedly behind it. Small sparks leapt from the pink pouches at it's cheeks with each lap at the bowl.

It turned to face me, a drop of soup welled up at its chin and dripped to the black collar around its throat.

"Did you just say something?" I asked it in the most polite way possible.

"You'd think they'd have more sense when choosing their champion, at least Mr. Rainbow," the little pichu threw its arms up in what I thought was meant to be exasperation as it said the last words. The voice sounded disturbingly older than the pichu looked.

"Ugh, are you talking to me?" I asked.

"Great, not only deaf but stupid, too. Why didn't I get to choose one, at least I'd choose someone with fully functional ears and perhaps at least half a brain," I growled quietly at the pichu's words with the temptation of roasting it alive floating at the back of my mind.

"Just try, you'll regret it if you do. I'd be done before he could stop me," the pichu went on. My anger was gone, replaced by utter confusion.

"Me? Who?" I stuttered as the pichu went on oblivious to my questions. The more I thought about it the more the voice sounded like a girl, about Eyrie and Lyra's age.

"Well, goodbye, good luck," the pichu stood up and jumped off the bench before striding away, "You'll need it," she added. I stared at the pichu with a bewildered look in my eye as it disappeared through the crowd. Before it did though, I could have sworn it's tail went pink.

I passed the next few minutes systematically dropping and closing my jaw as I went over the pichu's short and rather one sided conversation-or speech, whichever- with me. I became vaguely aware of the crowd around me thinning, some disappearing into huts, some went with Boris into the hall at the end of the plaza and others headed back to the guild.

"Come on, Ayr," Eyrie urged as she, Lyra and some others passed me. They all seemed exhausted. There was little conversation, though it always seemed to stray towards tomorrow's duel.

"Why did you have to open your big mouth?" I glared at Eyrie as we tailed behind the

crowd on the way back. She winced, a tear welled up in the corner of her right eye.

"I'm sorry, I was-"

"Sorry," I sighed, "I know what happened, I saw the look on your face and the look on his, I'm just snapping,"

"Why did you accept?" Mihail's voice spoke up, I turned my head to see the big bettle beside me. I hadn't even noticed him.

"He'd keep pumping the crowd to get me to do it, Boris and his buddies would probably end up setting a stage for a fight anyway and dragging me there," I explained, he looked at me doubtfully.

"That and he's got his pride," Eyrie grinned, I blushed.

"Yeah, that,"

...

Sorry for the long wait, I've had alot of things happening recently but i have a two week break from school now-week and a half now, really- so i'll be able to write more.

Anyways. One of the longer chapters i've written recently. In the space of a chapter the protagonist meets one of the antagonists and they already hate each other, getting geared up for a fight which i left out of this chapter.

Anyways, i'm looking for a name for a female protagonist for another story im working on for fiction press, help would be welcome. To be honest i didnt even come up with Eyrie, a girl i know did. And i got Lyra after getting addicted to the letter y for some reason. I probably got Ayr out of Eyrie, too. Man i'm bad with names.

So, I'm hoping to write up a good battle... im going to go do that now. I probably should have edited this chapter more but i wanted to get it out. Any help with things you see that are wrong or you think should be changed would be great. Any stylistic things i should bring back or maybe consider adding? I'm trying to find a ballance of how long the paragraphs should be, and fanfictions display seems to have new lines and new paragraphs spaced out the same way which kind of ruins the purpose. At the moment they seem so short, like one liners. Then again it's probably because im looking at it from a computer screen, they'd look bigger on a small novel book sized page.