After they left the park, Chroma dispelled his frame. "See? I'm harmless." Chroma said as Zephyr was still firmly holding on to her TiberonZephyr was silent and didn't appear to

budge on leaving her frame.

"Our frames aren't exactly inconspicuous you know? Hydroid could still be lurking around."

"Fine." Zephyr finally gave in and changed under the darkness of a nearby alley.

Chroma then led them to an street nearby that was a popular place for tourists to visit, so it was well lit.

They walked side by side in silence for a bit before Chroma spoke.

"Freshman?" Chroma asked, throwing his best guess out from Zephyr's appearance.

"Sophomore, actually. And you?" Zephyr said as she shook her head.

"Hmm. I would've been a Sophomore too around this time of the year." Chroma slightly chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't the first time people were forced to fight." Zephyr's eyes grew wide as she took that information in.

She raised her right wrist and was about to pull up the sleeve of her sweatshirt.

"Stop!" Chroma quickly placed his right hand over hers and lowered it.

Zephyr was surprised but quickly complied.

"Don't do that. If you want to talk to your cephalon, don't make it so obvious. Remember there's people coming for your head. I'd recommend getting an ear piece, they can

replicate signals to connect to your phone. And plus, you can just talk to him at a normal volume too."

"So Mercury can find my phone?" Zephyr asked with a little apprehension, as she was more than a little

attached to her lost item.

"They can't do that, the Cephalons are our partners but they're not allowed to interfere. Only to offer advice and provide um mental support I guess."

Zephyr frowned and started to work on her hair, to anyone looking at her, it would appear that she was simply putting it in to a ponytail.

She made sure that the gauntlet/armband on her wrist that Mercury was housed in in, was covered.

She went as slowly as she could, so that she could speak.

"Mercury is what he saying true?" She said as she pulled her hair together.

"Yes, there have been some previous situations like this one. He is also correct in that I can't do anything to physically affect the outcome."

Mercury said as Zephyr pulled up her hair and wrapped her hair tie twice.

There was currently not a lot of people around them in the dead of night, so Mercury spoke in a volume so that Chroma could hear as well.

"I've been with Jupiter here, for my now third battle. And I can't help but wonder if the reason I beat the others was because you guys gave bad advice."

Chroma had taken a jab at Mercury after he gave what Chroma thought to be a rigid and borderline evasive answer.

"It is not our fault if our partners don't heed our advice. You are lucky, Jupiter, that your partner follows yours closely. Or perhaps you are simply lucky to have Jupiter, it must be

hard to lead someone like you."

"Chroma, Mercury, please. This is a new day, let the past stay where it is."

Jupiter said as Chroma started to narrow his eyes at Zephyr's wrist.

Chroma dropped his glare since he didn't want to make Zephyr feel anymore uneasy.

Zephyr was surprised that Chroma and Mercury had bad blood, so she quickly tried to move things along.

"Um, what's your name? Chroma can't be something I call you all the time."

"It has to be, "Zephyr", it'll be easier for us when we have to fight."

Chroma said with a hard look at Zephyr, making sure to impart the seriousness of his words.

"If this is your third time, can I assume you won the last two?" Zephyr said as she looked up towards the starless night sky.

"Yes."

Chroma answered curtly.

Zephyr suddenly stopped and raised her left arm to stop Chroma.

"Hm?" Chroma looked at Zephyr puzzled.

Zephyr was staring at the ground now and seemed to be slightly shaking.

She walked about six steps forward before turning around and facing Chroma again.

"Why are you doing this?" Zephyr said, in a soft voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think I'm an easy target and that's why you're being friendly right now?"

This type of accusation wasn't unforeseen by Chroma, but nevertheless he took a bit to choose his next words carefully.

"Zephyr, look. I may have won those past battles but it doesn't mean I killed all of them.

I could see that some of them didn't deserve to win. You meet all kinds of people in a situation like this.

People can become twisted when their lives are threatened, that's what I use to think.

But now? I think this power and the opportunity that is promised only serves to reveal who we really are on the inside.

And from you? I saw that Hydroid would've killed you, I saw you hesitate even until the end.

I don't think that's weakness, I think it's best to never forget that feeling of questioning whether it's right to kill.

Hydroid wanted something so badly he didn't hesitate to kill you on the first day."

"So, you want to help me win?"

"Not exactly, I want to stack the deck, to make sure that no one abuses that "wish" the winner was promised.

But I'd be foolish to assume I'll win every time.

So in case I die, I want to at least be hopeful that someone who most deserves it wins.

But, despite believing that someone good should win, I'll still fight until the end."

"What if everyone deserves to live?"

"I don't believe that'll happen. Eventually, someway, somehow, people crack under pressure.

They always fight. So call it pity or whatever in me saving you.

I'm hoping that in the end one of the two walk away from this."

"You want to work together so that the prize isn't misused?"

"Basically."

"I panicked since I was scared. That was all to it. I'm not some saint."

"That's understandable, it's a tall order to fight and an even greater one to kill."

"All I'm saying is, I'm probably no different from the others. I can't guarantee that I'll be what you're looking for."

"I developed a way of testing people, just ask them one question."

"What's that?"

"What is your wish if you win?"

Zephyr was taken aback by Chroma's words and had to really think hard for an answer.

"I honestly don't have one. There's nothing that pressing or something that I really want that much."

"You would think that's a normal answer, but the truth is, most people have desires and that puts them lower on the deserving scale in my eyes."

"And you don't have desires?" Zephyr asked with much skepticism.

"Not after the things I've been through. So the more altruistic the wish, the more deserving is what I believe now.

And having no wish is also an acceptable answer, I'm sure you would find a good use for it.

So, please, stay true and don't stray from your current self."

Zephyr took a deep breath and sighed.

"Alright, Chroma. I'll join you, I'm kind of useless in fighting though."

She said as she finally dropped her guard and approached Chroma again.

"Don't worry, I'll train you. Our final fight will be on more even terms."

"You think that's a good idea?" Jupiter chimed in as Chroma declared his promise to Zephyr.

"I want to think that I have some honor left."

"Mercury, your opinion?" Zephyr asked, since her partner was surprisingly silent.

"Hmph! It doesn't matter, you would've joined him even if I, and I do, hate this.

But it's already too late, he's not someone you can beat right in your current state.

Our fates are entirely in his hands now."

Chroma turned back to Zephyr.

"You know why I won't betray you, right? I want to guarantee my last opponent is you.

And you'll be able to survive with me supporting and protecting you."

"That sounds too good to be true, but if you put it that way, then I'll promise not to betray you too.

For all that's worth in something like this."

"It's fine."

Chroma gave Zephyr a comforting smile as they shook hands on it.

But in the back of his mind, Chroma already knew what he would do if she ever truly betrayed him.

He would cut her down without a second thought, after all it would be proven to him that he couldn't trust her anymore and that she was no longer worthy in his eyes.