I think I'm looking more toward AlvisXOC. I just think it'll be easier that way. If you diagree with that, please let me know. If you're persuasive enough, I may rethink my plans.

Keina dropped on to the ground with a loud oof, or so she thought. As she looked up slightly dazed, she realized that she had landed right on Alviss.

She shot up off of him instantly into a standing position and offered her hand to Alviss.

"Sorry." Keina said, hand extended to help him up.

"Whatever." Alviss mumbled, ignoring her hand and getting up. His face looked irritated.

Nanashi had been standing there during all this and decided that his input was now needed.

"Don't be mad, Al-chan." Nanashi stated lightly, "I thought the position looked great!"

Alviss's face colored and he turned away, and Keina blushed slightly too, shooting a glare at Nanashi that clearly informed him that he should have kept his mouth shut. It was true, however, that the position in which Keina had landed had been quite intimate. Alviss had been flattened, face up, and Keina had landed with her legs straddled across his waist, while the rest of her (with the exception of her face) had been pressed up against him. Keina had immediately shot off of him in an attempt to remove herself from Alviss before they had noticed a thing. So much for that.. Keina thought.

"Why are you here?" Alviss questioned, a look of interest no where to be seen on his face. He was now turned around to face Keina and his icy glare seemed to make the temperature of the place drop by five degrees. Keina struggled to keep composure.

"Alan told me that this was the gate Dorothy and Snow had gone into." Keina answered. She was surprised by the tone of her voice.

"Weren't you paying attention when we went in?" Alviss questioned. His stone eyes still cold as ever.

"Not really." Keina replied. Before she could add anything more, Nanashi cut in.

"Well, this is gonna be fun. Girls always make boring tasks so much more enjoyable." He stated brightly.

Keina sighed, exasperated. This was going to be a long 60 days.

"There is nothing we can do about it now, so let's begin training." Alviss stated, still not a hint of interest on his face.

Nanashi and Keina agreed. "Shall we spar?" Keina suggested.

This caused an awkward silence. Alviss looked at Keina skeptically, and Nanashi was quiet. Keina was confused, what was wrong with what she had just suggested? She looked at both of them and portrayed the confusion she felt on her face. Nanashi was the first to speak.

"Kei-chan, I won't.. I wouldn't want to hurt you-" He was cut off by Keina.

"What! You think I'm a wimp or something?!" Keina burst out. She was outraged. She had been called many things in her life, but weak had never been one of them.

"Can you give me a reason why?" Keina mustered up the little patience she had and tried to get a reason for the boys' reactions.

"Kei-chan, no disrespect, but your a woman. And as much as I love women, fighting them isn't one of my favorite things to do with them." A smirk then broke out on Nanashi's face.

"There is plenty we can do while we're here together, other than sparring." Nanashi always had his priorities in line.

"Girls tend to be weaker than guys." Alviss stated flatly, this finished off the last bit of Keina's patience.

Keina growled in irritation. "Fine, even if you won't be sparring with me, I'm not going to let this time here go to waste. I'm going to train against you, and you can be my guest to try and stop me! I'm going to make you eat those words, Alviss!" With that, Keina focused magical power into her fist and slammed it into the ground. Her strength combined with the strong magical power that she had focused into her fist caused the ground to break instantly and rocks flew everywhere, causing Alviss and Nanashi to scram in an attempt to avoid injury. The impact sent both of them flailing in the air and landing a few yards away from where Keina was. Notoriously large cracks in the ground expanded off in different directions, each beginning under Keina's fist.

Alviss and Nanashi hid behind one of the boulders that had gone flying when Keina had punched the ground. Both were frozen in shock at Keina's reaction. Neither of them wanted to go out and face her. Nanashi was, again, the first one to speak.

"Maybe we should remind her that sparring doesn't include killing the other person" Nanashi suggested, somewhat shakily.

"I don't think she is going to listen. We should just do what she asks until she is reasonable again." Alviss still kept his calm composure on the outside, but on the inside he was frantically trying to find a way to get out of the situation. Her magic power, he recalled the moments just yesterday when he had sensed it, if that truly was her, then we may be in trouble.

Alviss decided he had to do something, but his next move may not have been the smartest one he could've made.

"Well, are you just going to pound the ground like a spoiled child having a tantrum, or are we going to begin training." Alviss was surprised at how sure his own voice had been. It certainly didn't reflect the panic he was feeling internally.

"I'm glad you see it my way." Keina replied smugly. "I think we're going to have a killer time."

Keina's emphasis on the word "killer" sent chills down Nanashi's spine. He had just barely come out of hiding behind the rock, and was now considering returning there. He stared at Keina, her fiery eyes burning with the intensity of a fire itself. "She's HOT!" Nanashi observed admiringly. Nanashi's choice of words was very fitting for what was about to come next.

Alviss jumped into the air right above Keina. He called upon his 13 Totem Pole, Rod Version.

Keina's smile turned wicked. She clutched the fire pendant on her necklace and shouted

"Elemental Arm: Fire Vortex!"

Fire immediately shot out of her hands and she spun around in a tight circle. Fire shot up in a spiraling vortex toward Alviss. I've gotta move! Alviss thought quickly. He yelled "13 Totem Pole." Totem poles shot up in all directions. One was shooting up in Alviss's direction; his attempt to save himself. However, the fire was much faster than Alviss's Totem Poles, and was about to engulf him. Alviss shut his eyes and braced for impact.

"ALVISS!" Nanashi shouted in terror. Would she really kill him?

Alviss felt intense heat, but he wasn't burning. He opened his eyes to realize that he was in the middle of the vortex Keina had summoned.

"Alviss, take back your words and admit that I beat you." Keina's words were barely audible above the noise of the flames. Alviss knew that he had been defeated, and their was nothing more he could do. He reluctantly gave in.

"I give up, and I take back what I said." Alviss spoke loud enough to here over the flames.

"Say it!" Keina demanded. He realized that she was going to make this as painful for him as she could.

"You aren't weak." Alviss said more quietly than he should have.

"I can't hear you!" Keina grew more impatient by the second.

"You're not weak!" Alviss yelled as loud as he could.

The flames immediately started to subside. He looked to see Keina right below him, controlling the flames with ease and it was almost like she was sucking them back into her hands. It doesn't burn her.. Alviss realized. ..and she can control it well enough to engulf me in them, but not burn me..I sensed correct, her magical power is remarkable. Keina lowered Alviss to the ground and the last of the fire dissolved. Alviss observed the girl in astonishment; she had looked strangely serene as she manipulated the flames to her liking. Keina noticed Alviss watching her and turned to him. She then flashed a smile, not one that was mocking, but one that portrayed an acceptance. Alviss didn't like the feeling it gave him. He felt heat rising to his face as he looked into the fiery eyes of the girl that had just beat him. Just beat him.. Alviss didn't like that.

"Kei-chan, you scared the hell out of me. Don't do that again, yea." Nanashi shouted as he ran over to the two. "Al-sama, she really got you there." Nanashi teased Alviss.

"She caught me off-guard." Alviss informed. He looked at Keina and Nanashi and knew they weren't buying it. Alviss turned his back to them.

"I have to say Keina, that was pretty impressive." Nanashi looked upon the girl with admiration. Keina looked up into his face and gave him a smile.

"Now that you know that I am more than capable of protecting myself, will you spar with me?" Keina asked in the most persuasive voice she could.

Nanashi looked down at the girl, reluctance replacing the admiration.

"If that is what you really want, I guess I will." Nanashi gave in.

Nanashi would never have guessed how happy this made Keina feel. Their sparring was just hand-to-hand, but it pleased Keina nonetheless. She had never been able to do something like this before, and it satisfied the craving she had been feeling. Nanashi enjoyed it too, despite the fact that Keina was a woman. Alviss stood off to the side, leaning against a boulder and keeping the glare on his face strong throughout the entire time. They had offered Alviss multiple chances to join the sparring, but each time he refused. Keina had done enough damage to his ego for one day, apparently. Alviss wouldn't admit it, but he couldn't stand watching them. He turned from them and went off into the woods that were there to find food for that night.

Time passed quickly inside the Training Gate. Keina and Nanashi became better friends each day, and each day Alviss observed this. He watched the two share laughter and boredom, and he observed the two growing more and more attached to each other. Alviss's opinion of what he was witnessing he wouldn't share, and no one asked him to either.

Alviss, in particular, observed Keina. He noticed how every night, when Nanashi and Alviss (or so she thought) were asleep, she would go for a walk to the stream, and she would sit next to the stream and cry. The tears would stream down her cheeks for hours on end, and she would try to wipe them away from her face in a futile attempt to regain her composure. He would watch helplessly as she tried to cope with this mysterious, unknown burden that she carried. What ever this burden is, Alviss thought to himself, it must take immense strength to cope with and conceal it. Then he would recall the words that he had said at the beginning of the sixty days, "Girls tend to be weaker than guys." A pang of guilt would hit him each time he made this realization. Keina was very strong, both physically and emotionally. She had remained sane throughout everything, which would make her mentally strong as well.

Alviss wanted to help her, he really did. However, he didn't know how to. There time together in the gate was dwindling down. He knew that he wanted to, and that was a start for him, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. He knew was going to soon though, this had been going on far too long, even though Keina hadn't gone to anyone for help, he knew it was what she desperately needed. He was going to help her as soon as he figured out how.

He looked into himself, recalling the words he had spoken in the beginning again. What a fool he admitted to himself, who was I calling weak? He asked himself.

Then for the first time he admitted it. "I was wrong..." Alviss breathed, and he promised himself that this would be the last time he saw Keina in tears when he could do something about it.

Please Read & Review! I still haven't received any reviews yet, and I won't add the fourth chapter until I get something from you people. I will accept flames, though I'd rather not receive any.