"Humph"

Sophia said, as Noel used her usual moves. Damn that woman was annoying. Irene was ignoring them completely, by keeping the children in line. Sophia looked as right as Teresa calmly blocked Noel again. It should be me in the demonstration, not that monkey! Sophia thought. Their swords were moving, grinding against each other as the young creatures watched intently.

"What you must do, is keep an eye on your opponents yoki, again Noel. See how she uses her sword, yes like that. As you can see all I'm doing is following her yoki."

Teresa called as she continued to block Noel. Sophia dispelled her eagre to laugh at the kids. They reminded her of Priscilla in so many ways. Looking to her left, she noticed that one of them, 'Setonara' was sparring with Irene. He was good. Her Quicksword barely matched his yokiless one, although he was cutting into his own arm a bit. The others were sparing now, Teresa moved between them correcting as she went. Sophia found her self sparing with a young male flier, whose name was Jokoratan. He was quite strong for a trainee. Noel was sparing with a girl whose hair was longer than Irene's was. Well she appears to enjoy jumping around like a monkey. Sophia snicked. Then stopped her self as she remembered that she was supposed to do. She took a quick look at Setonara again and noticed that he would one day, be an incredible warrior. As Jokoratan swung his sword, Sophia realised that he to would be just as good a warrior.

Teresa called them in and briefed them on the next lesson, as Ruben had explained to her that the children worked best when rested for the night. Irene sighed as Sophia and Noel were bickering yet again, over the same old story...When would they stop? She thought.

"I'm telling you Sophia; there's nothing wrong with the way I fight and there certainly isn't anything wrong with someone wanting to learn from me. It has advantages over most enemies I sware."

"Oh, really Noel, I always thought that you looked like a monkey."

"What! You bitch! All you have is muscle and no brains!"

Noel snapped back. Sophia's mask was broken for about three seconds.

"At least I don't show off like you do, and if I remember correctly, I'm the brains, not you."

"Oh yeah? You wanna bet, then fight me!"

Noel fumed. Irene sighed.

"Both of you, shut up. You're giving me a migraine."

"Well, isn't that a first...girls?"

Teresa grinned,

"Now then act like equals, get along and as Irene asked; shut up before I sort you out."

All three turned to the older woman and three sets of silver eyes widened.

"Well, I should shut you up more often is that what you are implying?"

Teresa regarded the group. Sophia 'humphed' and Noel turned away and started to clean her sword. Irene was the only one whose eyes remained on her former comrade. Sophia left the room swiftly; Noel left soon after, muttering something about needing space. Teresa turned her back on Irene and left the room as well. Knowing Sophia and Noel, they'd be making up over their fight. Something that was only a recent...ever since Pricilla...Teresa shoved that thought out of her mind; not because that damned girl had caught her by surprise, but because she didn't want to burden Johnothan with it again.

Meanwhile Noel was sitting on a ledge, thinking of that day. She shuddered, remembered Pricilla, a nervous child, such an obeying one, awakened and nearly cost Noel her life. She needed to see Sophia, to apologise, after all; she needed to realise that their arguments weren't good. All the younglings needed to learn that comrades were like family, which you didn't argue with family.

"Ah, Noel...I was hoping to talk to you..."

Sophia began.

"I know. Ranks don't matter anymore, we're fighting over nothing."

Sophia blinked.

"Yeah, old habits die hard you know."

"I know...So now what?"

"We do our best to get along...of course."

Noel nodded,

"Right."

That wasn't to say that they'd be supper chummy, Noel thought, but they'd make an effort no to argue...