It was the next day when Akira asked to meet the girls. Palladium had told her the previous night about his conversation with them, leading Akira to asking if she could meet them. Akira knew how protective Palladium was, so anyone he was willing to give information about her had to be trustworthy. As she brushed her hair, Palladium came up behind her. He began to absentmindedly trace the mark on her left bicep.
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No one was sure why Akira had the strange marking, as it was there when she was born and grew with her. Putting down the brush, Akira relaxed against her mate's chest. "Are you sure you're up for this? You don't have to meet them if you aren't ready," Palladium crooned into her ear. Akira rolled her eyes. "For the thousandth time, Palladium, yes. You trust them, so I know that I can as well. Besides, they probably have quite a few questions that deserve answers," she replied. "Alright. I'll take you to meet them by Lake Roccaluce after classes today," Palladium conceded. Lake Roccaluce had been the agreed upon place for the girls to meet her because they didn't want to overwhelm Akira by meeting somewhere more public and having to deal with everyone who sees her asking the girl questions. Akira hummed in agreement before turning her head to give her mate a quick kiss. Palladium smiled softly and returned the gesture before leaving to get ready for his first class of the day. The silver-haired elf settled into a chair with a book, knowing it would be hours before he would return. At some point, she must have fallen asleep, because the next thing Akira knew, she was gently being shaken awake. "Wake up, my love," a familiar voice said. Akira opened her eyes to see none other than Palladium, watching her with amusement written clearly across his face. "Is it time to meet the girls?" she mumbled. "Yes, it is. Would you like a few minutes to fully wake up before we go?" Palladium replied. Akira nodded, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Standing up, she stretched her arms and back, stiff and sore from sleeping in the chair. "Alright, I'm ready. Are we walking or teleporting?" she said after a few moments. Palladium watched her with a soft smile on his face. "Whichever you would prefer, takali dalisom," he said, reverting back to their native language at the end. Akira rolled her eyes at the nickname Palladium had given her many years ago. Roughly translated, it meant 'Silver Dragon'. "Let's walk, then. I'd like to see more of Alfea, if I'm to stay here for the foreseeable future," she decided. Palladium nodded, then took her hand and led her to the door. They made their way through the halls rather quickly, and were soon crossing the school grounds. Upon entering the trees, the couple broke into a run, following a path that would take them straight to Lake Roccaluce. As they ran, animals began to appear, drawn by their elven magic. Deer and wolves raced alongside the elves, while rabbits trailed behind them. Above, they could hear the birds singing in the trees. Soon, too soon for Palladium or Akira's liking, they reached the clearing by the lake to find the Winx already there. Taking a deep breath, Akira walked forward, drawing the attention of the fairies. She offered them a smile and said, "Let's begin, shall we?"
