NYC, S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ, The Next Day-

Cassandra stood across from Jacob, the two fixed their eyes upon one another. The Hedgehog had a small smile on his face.

"Ready?"

The Cat smiled, one hand dancing with bright fire.

"Ready."

Jacob nodded.

Cassandra threw one hand forward, a surge of fire that danced swirling in a spiral motion towards her opponent. Jacob thrust a hand up, making the fire jump up with his telekinesis. The Cat then motioned with her hand, making it a diving motion and the fire followed this movement. Flames surged at Jacob from a high angle until Jacob pressed his hands together then moved them apart. His telekinesis forced the flame into as small as a space as possible before pulling it apart with it fading in the process.

As this occurred, Cassandra raced forward and cleared the space within moments and lunged at Jacob. She threw a hand forward, slashing her claws at her friend. Jacob ducked under the strike, quickly stepping to the side in the same motion. The Cat quickly slashed back and down at the Hedgehog though he brushed the attack to the with one hand.

"Gotta be faster than that."

Cassandra dropped to the ground, throwing a sweep kick and knocking Jacob onto his back.

"Like that?"

Jacob chuckled as he picked himself up, throwing a hand forward. Cassandra was thrown back by the telekinesis though she threw one hand back, firing burning and shooting behind her. This steadied herself in the air before she threw the other hand forward, several small fireballs fired at Jacob.

The Hedgehog threw a fist forward, throwing the fireballs back at Cassandra. As she fell to the floor she blocked the projectiles by swirling her hands around and while this occurred the fireballs danced around her then began to shift into a more thin line of fire.

Jacob sighed.

"I really hope that Inferno listens to what you've been trying to instill in him."

Cassandra smiled slightly though it was tinged by sadness.

"The boy is afraid of his power and has spent to long trying to restrict it."

She then thrust a hand forward, the line of fire racing at the Hedgehog. Jacob thrust a hand forward, stopping the fire in its tracks. The Cat jumped forward again, slashing her claws at her opponent. Jacob ducked under the strike though this time Cassandra's claws sliced some of his quills in half. The Hedgehog looked down, groaning.

"Not again, Cass!"

The Cat grinned as she slashed a kick at him though this time Jacob caught her foot around the ankle with one hand. Though moments after this happened, Cassandra quickly threw a hand forward with fire racing at Jacob's face. Jacob quickly brought up his other hand, blocking the attack though some of the edges of the flames grazed his other hand.

Jacob winced at this, his grip loosening on the Cat's ankle and this gave Cassandra the small room to pull her foot free. She backflipped away then landed on her feet and hands low on the floor. The Hedgehog shook his head, chuckling lightly.

"You always managed to pull from my grapples."

"You have to have a better grip."

"Hard to do that when you throw fire at me."

The Cat grinned before she rushed forward, racing on all fours for a minute before lunging forward. Her claws flashed as she slashed them at Jacob though this time the Hedgehog threw up a hand. His telekinesis lifted her in the air before he then motioned with his other hand, throwing it towards the floor.

Cassandra was thrown by the invisible force towards the floor though she quickly flipped around and landed on her feet.

"So do you think the ones in space will be fine?"

She raced forward. Jacob held his position.

"They have one of those stones already, I think they're starting off strong."

He blocked a punch from her with one arm before pushing aside a slash with the other hand. Cassandra then dropped down, throwing another sweep kick. This time the Hedgehog jump up and back.

"Are you worried?"

The Cat lunged forward, throwing a kick at Jacob's flank.

"Of course I am, they still haven't mastered those weapons. None of them have."

Jacob evaded the strike by stepping to the side. He then blocked a backhand strike with both of his hands.

"I know, unfortunately not all are ready for war when it comes. They have to adapt and I think they've done well so far."

Cassandra quickly twisted around, slashing her claws with her other hand.

"I don't know, they're just-"

Jacob grabbed her wrist with one hand.

"I know...some of them remind you of your kitten, don't they?"

Cassandra did her best not to cry, letting out a slow sigh.

"The one girl that can stretch does, for one."

"The one you've mentioned you've seen had eyes for the pyromancer?"

Cassandra grumbled at this, though not at Inferno.

"That boy frustrates me. If he cannot accept his own fire, how could he accept those of other regardless if they're roaring or just starting to come to life. I wouldn't want my girl with someone like that until he saw what was within him and embraced it."

Jacob gave her a sad smile.

"Don't be too hard on the boy, the way so much of this society works is not the same as ours was."

Cassandra frowned still, pulling her hands out of his grasp with a swift motion before flipping over him. She then threw out a kick, though Jacob quickly threw out one hand. An invisible force stopped her kick within a foot's length from himself.

"It's not like what it was like training under Sensei years ago."

Cassandra couldn't help but smile a little at this.

"You remember the Crane boy? The one who liked the Eagle girl?"

Jacob chuckled.

"They were only at Sensei's dojo briefly, to try to settle a dispute between their families. Sensei told the boy to be honest with the girl about his feelings. I wasn't sure it would work out, his more tender approach to life was different to her boldness. I remember the families were shocked to learn they were eventually courting. I remember the look on the girl's father's face."

Cassandra laughed.

"He looked like he was going to lose his feathers!"

The two of them continued laugh with the Cat lowering her foot and the Hedgehog relaxing his hand. Cassandra smiled a little as she approached him.

"...I also remember that summer after we first met."

Jacob gasped then smiled.

"I thought you'd forgotten."

"I could never forget that."

They shared the same warm gaze, their minds going back to their early youths and how they'd come so close under the care of Metatron. He never discouraged bonds or relationships between his students, he just asked for them to be honest with themselves and each other. Cassandra smiled.

"I didn't think...after my girl was taken-"

"I know, it's ok."

The two of them continued laugh with the Cat lowering her foot and the Hedgehog relaxing his hand. Cassandra stretched a little, sighing. She was quiet for a few minutes, her mind replaying some memories.

"You remember that night where we tried to sneak some of those cakes and Sensei caught us?"

Jacob chuckled.

"And he said we just had to ask."

The two chuckled. Cassie smiled.

"That was after you and him helped me after chasing of my parents...and you wanted to cheer me up with some sneaky antics."

Jacob's eyes widened then relaxed as he smiled.

"I thought it might help focus your thoughts on something more comfortable. You tended to sneak around a lot when we first met you."

"Sensei always knew where I was."

"We all got out a laugh out of it. It really helped me refocus on my new life and...better things."

Jacob gasped a little.

"Well...I was glad I could help."

"Yeah...and maybe-"

Cassie's ears twitched before the door knocked. The Cat and Hedgehog turned to it and spoke in unison.

"Come in."

Metatron opened the door. His eyebrows raised up at finding his students like this before they relaxed.

"It's time to continue training our young students. I will see you in the training room when ready."

They both nodded.

The Wolf turned to exit, a small warm smile on his face.

AN: Any thoughts on this blossoming romance?