Mari: Sorry it took so long to get this up.

Toey: Yeah. The rest of my penguin clan called me up to Iceland on a top-secret mission.

Mari: I was busy too. The Crazy Monkey Federation needed my help in planning the takeover of Mars. Or was it Jupiter? I can't remember.

Toey: Oh, by the way: the CMF now owns your home.

Mari: Anyways, you may have known that Chapter 7 was changed. If you didn't know, please go now and reread it...silence

Toey: whispers Do you think they are rereading it?

Mari: whispers If you are reading this and you have not reread Chapter 7, please read it now.

Toey: whispers Whisper whisper whisper? Whispery whisper whispers.

Baralai and Gippal saw their teammate collapse after the fight. They looked at each other in disbelief. Paine had fought Sir Auron head to head, and managed to stay on her feet for more than a minute! Obviously, there was more to their recorder than she had let on.

Swinging his feet nimbly over the railing, Gippal jogged into the sphere ring. He picked up the unconscious girl and swung her over his shoulder. Baralai followed as he carried her out. "Do you think she will be alright?" he asked, looking at Paine's face.

"Beats me," Gippal cheerily replied, "Who cares anyway? She's already famous for beating down ten guys without breaking a sweat! Baralai, she fought against Sir Auron! The man helped Braska defeat Sin ten years ago! He's a legend, and I don't have to tell you he's handy with a sword." He shook his head. "I just can't believe it," he murmured as he walked into their rented room.

Nooj was already sitting there, watching a sphere monitor. He stood as they entered. "Is she alright?"

Gippal shrugged and lay her down on her bed. "I take it you were watching the tournament?" he asked, "Pretty amazing, huh?"

"I can't say that I would expect less from Sir Auron," Nooj replied nonchalantly, sitting back down.

"Oh come on, Nooj!" Gippal shouted, "Stop with this high and mighty attitude! You can't honestly make us believe that you were watching him! Paine was awesome! She took down ten people your size!"

"Uhhh, I think that you guys ought to keep it down a little," Baralai softly said, "You might wake her up." Gippal looked over at Paine, and then grimaced.

"I still can't believe it," he said in a quieter tone.

"People are full of surprises," Nooj commented in a matter-of-fact tone. He stood and limped out the door.

"Do you think we will ever understand him?" Baralai asked when the door shut.

"Nah," he chuckled, shaking his head. He sighed and sat down on a chair next to Paine's bed and gave her a sidelong glance. "She's kinda cute, dontcha think?" he said after a moment.

Baralai punched him lightly on the arm and sat down next to him. "It'll never work between you, you know? If that's what you mean."

"Nah! No way! She's too young for me. I'm just saying..." he paused. "She's cute when she's asleep."

Before he could react, someone punched him squarely on the jaw. "Care to repeat that statement again?" a cold, familiar voice replied from above his crouched position.

Baralai laughed. "Haha! That was a nice one, Paine! Someone had to put him in his place!"

"And I was glad that it was me," she said, with the faintest glimmer of a smile. She quickly did a damage check, and was relieved that nothing was broken. "I can't believe I lost," she murmured.

Baralai chuckled. "It's okay! You did better than any other person out there against Sir Auron! You put up quite a fight. Believe me, by tomorrow, you will be a legend!"

"But...I don't want to be a legend."

At that moment, Nooj opened the door. "Good, you're up. We have to get going. The second trial starts soon. It is situated underneath Mushroom Rock."

Paine stiffened. She turned to Nooj, her eyes wide in disbelief. "What? Mushroom Rock? Doesn't that mean...we have to go through...Mi'ihen?"

"Of course," replied Nooj.