Disclaimer: I do not own Huntik: Secrets and Seekers.

Let's get going.

Evan and Tristan followed the two red-haired siblings to a hotel in Vancouver. The entrance was rather large and ornate, promising an opulent and lush experience.

"You've got to be kidding." Evan whispered as they walked in.

"Don't worry, our mom's the one paying for it." Cecilia said.

Evan just stared around, slackjawed as he took in the splendor of his surroundings.

"Come on, the dining area is this way." Adrian said.

"I'll be along in a minute." Tristan said, pulling a red holotome out of his jacket. "I have to make a call first."

"Alright, but don't take too long."

"Got it."

"So, I take it you've never been somewhere like this before." Adrian said.

Evan shook his head wordlessly.

"Vancouver is a Huntik base. The owner of this restaurant is a friend."

"Huntik?"

"Ah, right. You're new to being a seeker."

"There are different groups of Seekers around the world. We're part of the Huntik Foundation, like our parents were." Cecilia cut in.

"The Huntik Foundation, or as we usually refer to it, the Foundation, is dedicated to protecting the past and keeping Titans and Seekers a secret from the rest of the world."

"Why?" Evan asked.

"Why what?"

"Why keep it a secret?"

"Titans are dangerous and powerful things. They've been used to create empires, wage wars, and in attempts to conquer the world."

"Or destroy it."

"Thank you Cecilia, I was getting to that."

"Destroy the world?"

"Yes, there was a group of seekers called the Blood Spiral who were trying to bring back the Nullifiers and destroy the world, but our parents dealt with that twenty-five years ago. Now the Blood Spiral is broken and scattered."

"Nullifiers?"

"Oh boy..."

Tristan opened his holotome. Much to his surprise, his teacher had not been furious. In fact, he'd been quite pleased at the outcome of Tristan's mission.

"The Huntik Foundation can help you realize your purpose. Particularly those two." His teacher's hologram said.

"And just what is this 'purpose' you keep talking about?"

"If you ever learn of it it will be because I am dead."

"You're not particularly helpful."

"Indeed. Watch out for these Elementals. They could pose a threat."

"Do you know anything about them?"

"...No. I know plenty about the people who seem to make up their membership, but not much about them as an organization."

"Okay then."

"You should go now. Do not keep your new allies waiting. Remember, you are your own man now. I will not be there to guide you from now on."

His teacher's hologram winked out as he disconnected.

"Creepy and cryptic as ever. Twelve years of training and missions, and I still don't even know his name."

Tristan closed his holotome and stood up. He felt lost. For twelve years, he'd learned, he'd trained, he'd gone on several missions, all at his teacher's commands. Now he had no idea what to do with himself. Maybe the Foundation wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"You got all that?" Adrian asked.

"...Not really, but that's alright. I got enough."

"Good, because I do believe that's Tristan." Cecilia said.

Indeed it was. Tristan walked over to join them at their table. As though conjured by magic, a waiter appeared with menus. He introduced himself, placed the menus on the table, then vanished as suddenly as he'd appeared.

Tristan opened his menu.

"Who were you calling?" Adrian asked.

"My teacher. Former teacher now."

"Did something go wrong?" Evan asked.

"No. I graduated."

"Graduated?" Cecilia scoffed. "I bet I can take you with one hand behind my back!"

"I'll take that bet."

"You're on."

"Whenever you want is fine by me."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Will you two stop flirting and decide what you're going to order?" Evan said.

Cecilia and Tristan turned to the seventeen year old who had his face buried in his menu.

"First we teach him." Cecilia said.

"First we teach him." Tristen agreed.

"Decide what you're going to order." Adrian said. "Otherwise we'll be late for our meeting."

"Meeting?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, we're having a video conference with Dante Vale, the leader of the Huntik Foundation."

"Uncle Dante is the one who taught me how to fight. He's the best Seeker in the world." Cecilia said.

"He was before he retired from fieldwork anyways." Adrian continued. "These days it would be one of our parents."

"Alright then." Tristan picked up his menu. "Why is half of this in French and the other half in Italian?"

"Seekers run this hotel. Why settle for anything but the best food in the world?" Adrian said.

"I'm not a fan of French cooking." Tristan said, turning to the Italian section. "Lasagna it is."

"I'd be careful about that. They have Italian size portions..."

"Good. I'm hungry."

The waiter was a Titan. That was the only explanation Tristan could think of for how quickly he could appear and disappear. The meal was excellent, and the company was fine as well. Even if he did want to smack Evan a few times.

Adrian was brilliant. He knew more about Titans, seekers, and powers than anyone Tristan had ever encountered before. He'd even agreed to teach Tristan the Copykind power, which he had learned from Dante.

Cecilia was...confrontational. She had strong opinions, never backed down, and was clever to boot. She wasn't a walking encyclopedia like her brother, but she was still pretty smart.

Finally, they finished their meal. The waiter swiftly cleared away the plates, gathered up the bowls, and left them with the check. Cecilia paid, and they walked out of the dining hall.

"We have to meet with Dante in ten minutes." Adrian said turning to Tristan and Evan. "You should come too."

"Alright, where are we going to have this meeting?"

"I thought we'd take it to the private lounge for Seekers."

"You have a private lounge." Evan said. "In a fancy hotel."

"Yes, try to keep up." Cecilia snarked at him.

"I take it your family isn't the most wealthy." Adrian said.

"You could say that..." Evan said guardedly.

"Nothing to be ashamed of. Our dad grew up in a cottage."

"What about you Tristan?" Cecilia asked. "Anyone waiting for you?"

"Not anymore. I never knew my parents."

"Oh." She paused for a minute, then laughed. "Zhalia will love you!"

"Zhalia Moon?"

"Yes, how did you know about her?" Cecilia narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious.

"My teacher would talk about her every now and then. I think he knew her."

"Huh. You don't say." Adrian frowned.

"Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Well, Zhalia used to be part of the Organization before Grier took over. The she infiltrated the Blood Spiral. It could mean a lot of things."

"Don't we have a meeting to go to?"

"Right."

They hurried down the hallway until the reached a door marked "Staff Only" then opened it. A small room with cleaning supplies and an old, dead lightbulb lay behind it.

"Boltflare." Cecilia whispered, lighting the bulb. The wall behind it opened, revealing a comfortable looking lounge full of chairs. A pair of Seekers sat on the couch together. One was a man with short blond hair and a brown jacket. The other was a woman with long red hair.

"Mom, dad, when did you get back from Huntik?" Cecilia exclaimed.

A/N: No action this time, just dialogue. My favorite kind of chapter. Unfortunately for me, the universe does not lend itself to such things, so expect lots of action sequences. ...Why are you all cheering?

For those who've never had the pleasure of having an Italian cook for them, let me explain. The food is great. Excellent. Outstanding. But they tend to make twice as much as you can eat. Then again, sometimes that's a good thing. Beating up twelve seekers will certainly work up an appetite.

That's it for now. Next chapter we meet Lok and Sophie. In their forties. This should be fun.