SD Asaya was smiling as Giovanni and Alphonse both dropped her off at their hotel room a little while later.

"Thank you very much! I was beginning to worry Pierre was ready to jump into the River Seine with an anchor about his neck. Thanks for stopping him, Alphonse."

"It was nothing. For a while back there, I thought he was really serious." Alphonse nodded. "Good night, squirt. Good luck on your exhibition match tomorrow. Is Sigismund all ready and raring to go?"

"Yes. I think he's also very excited to meet Zerzens again." SD Asaya nodded. "Thank you and good night to you, too."

Giovanni gave her an affectionate pat on the head and grinned. "Don't let the bed bugs bite, squirt. See you tomorrow."

"Good night, Giovanni."

Asaya got the spare key of the hotel room then let herself in. She closed the door and was about to march into the kitchen for a glass of cold water when Lei's voice made her stop.

"Where have you been?"

"O-oh! Lei…" Asaya blinked. "You're still awake…you have a match tomorrow…"

Lei stood up from the shadows where he sat, then stepped into the dim light of the standing lamp by the sofa. "It's OK. I'm used to it. And you have a match yourself."

"Oh…yes." Asaya blinked again. "Lei…are you fine? Did something happen?"

"I'm fine." Lei had his head bowed, his bangs throwing his face into shadow. "Well…I'm glad you arrived OK. I was…beginning to worry."

"I'm sorry! I didn't know…" Asaya looked at the clock by the kitchen and saw that it proclaimed 12:30 a.m. "God Lei, you waited for ME. I told Max I'll be fine by myself, and yes, somebody took me home…"

"Was it Llewelyn?"

Asaya started at the strained tension she heard in his voice. "N-no, it was Giovanni and Alphonse…"

"…"

"OK, I'll…just drink myself a glass of water, and off to bed I trot." Asaya turned to walk into the kitchen.

"Asaya…"

Asaya stopped and looked at him. She looked so fragile and so vulnerable and…for a whole minute, Lei thought her BEAUTIFUL. She was still that starry gilded Faerie he had met, and it was so strange to think of her now as somebody so far away for him to reach, even if she said she was going to be his friend, if he so needs one, aside from Takao, Max, Kai, Professor, and Tsukiyo.

Lei used to think that she was just a friend.

But…now, he wasn't sure if he could stay the same, acting the same around her.

"Lei?"

Lei looked at her, his amber yellow eyes filled with such a very strong emotion that sent Asaya blinking. He wanted to tell her something, but what?

"Sorry…" Lei shook his head. "I…Asaya…good luck tomorrow."

"Uh…good luck to you too, Lei." Asaya watched Lei as he went into his room and locked the door behind him.

What was that all about?

Takao mowed through breakfast like a mower on hyper nitro infusion that next morning. Professor sweatdropped, and he gave an exasperated sigh.

"I give UP. Takao, if you return to that buffet table again, I SWEAR I'm going to hang myself."

"I'm all done anyway." Takao drank the cold water in 3 huge gulps and grinned. "Wow, I can't believe it's the CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT!"

"Behave yourself Takao, you're dribbling crumbs all over the place," Kai told him, as he wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin.

"I can't help it. I'm SOOOO EXCITED!"

"Lei, you didn't eat much," Max whispered as Kai and Takao began exchanging words of "encouragement" (^^;;) at staccato pace. He became worried. "Are you feeling fine?"

"Yeah, don't worry," Lei answered quietly.

"Where's Asaya?" Tsukiyo asked.

"She left early for the stadium," Professor replied. "She looked harried about something."

"OK," Tsukiyo replied.

Chairman Daitenji came to pick them up a little while later.

"Oh, good morning, people! Are you all set and ready to go?"

"YEAH!" SD Takao was grinning very happily. "I'm so excited, I could hardly EAT!"

All of them fell down on their heads. SD Kai had a huge pulsing vein on top of his head.

"WHAT~~~?! Do you call mowing through 3 OVERLADEN tables of FOOD the idea of hardly EATING?!"

They all left for the limousine that was to take them to the stadium proper. Chairman Daitenji smiled then stopped Lei as they were about to leave the hotel restaurant. "Lei. I believe Miss asaya wanted to give this to you. She says she's sorry, she hasn't the heart to wake you up earlier, you needed all the strength you can get for the match."

Lei blinked and stared at it. It was a small octagonal box.

"I'll see you at the limo," Chairman Daitenji told him. Lei took off the cover of the box and his eyes widened.

Inside was his Driger. It was reworked, improved, and looked especially nice. A small note was attached on the inside of the cover.

I christen thee Gran Driger.

You could call him anything you want, he's yours, anyway.

I hope I did everything right.

Driger's so lucky to have you as his master!

Good luck!

-Asaya J

Gran Driger?

Lei nodded, and he slowly smiled. She believed in him. She believed Driger had chosen him worthy, and she believed him worthy of having Driger.

"Lei, hurry!"

"Coming, Takao." Lei's heart was light as he covered the box again and went after Takao.

For now he was sure that he would be able to fight with everything he had.

Why?

Because Asaya believed in him.

And that was all there is to it.