Spiritmal, The Deadly Glow

18. Strange Enthusiasm

I looked at the time, it was 5:30, half an hour to the time of our meet up for dinner.

"Hmm... we still have half an hour." Winter stated. "What should we do now?"

"I don't know." Star replied. "Any ideas Em?"

"Maybe we should check up on Felix since we have time." I suggested.

"That's not a bad idea, maybe I should spar with Topaz." Star's eyes gleamed. "A friendly battle sounds nice."

"You aren't still mad at Topaz for mocking you like a year ago... are you?"

"Nope, but a fight sounds nice for old times sake." Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"I guess we should go find him then. Do you think he'll be at the training center?"

"I doubt it. He usually trains outdoors." Star replied. "At least from what I can remember."

"Hmm... I see..." I replied, walking in a random direction towards the edge of town. "Any idea where he'll be?" I asked the bird.

"Hmm... I can sense him actually." Star replied casually. "Both him and Topaz. They both seem to be just east of town."

"I take it that your sensing and tracking abilities have improved." I smiled at Star.

"Of course! I'm still not allowing that lionblitz to beat me!" Star replied, flying ahead. I ran after the bird, not wanting to be left behind. Soon enough, we burst into a clearing, an ice beam just missing where we had entered.

"Geez Felix, you shouldn't treat your friends this coldly." Star joked, settling down on my shoulder.

"Excuse me and Topaz for attacking what we thought to be a bunch of team Alchama members." Felix replied, smiling a little.

"Hey!" Star protested.

"Take a joke." Felix replied, before giving us a more serious look. "But seriously though, you guys should have warned me. I really thought that something was about to attack us."

"How's your training going?" Star questioned.

"Normal." The blue-haired boy replied.

Topaz was panting by Felix's feet, clearly exhausted from his training.

"How about you Topaz?" I asked the lionblitz out of concern.

"Fine... just a little... tired..." the lionblitz replied, shrugging it off.

I felt a tinge of worry pass through my mind, realizing that it was from Star.

"You aren't reverting back to your old ways, are you Felix?" Star seemed a little pained as she asked the question. I blinked in realization, finally understanding what Star was worried about.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Felix replied.

"Felix is fine! Honest!" Topaz immediately answered right after. "I have been slacking lately..." he muttered to himself. "Besides... I don't mind the training."

"Mind telling me what Topaz was saying?" Felix asked.

"Oh it's nothing much." Star replied.

Felix raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"So um... were you guys training when we barged in?" I finally asked.

"No, we were taking a small break." Felix replied. "What brings the two of you here anyways?"

"Well I wanted to spar with Topaz but uh..." Star looked over at the tired lionblitz.

"I can still fight." Topaz replied, standing up.

"I think it's best not Topaz, you're clearly exhausted." I pointed out.

"But..." the lionblitz protested.

"Topaz can fight." Felix agreed.

I looked at the trainer and spiritmal, slightly confused at how the two of them were acting. Topaz hardly got this fired up over anything. In fact, he seemed to enjoy slacking. Still... that doesn't change the fact that the clearly tired spiritmal was literally begging for another battle. There was definitely something strange going on.

"Ok what's up with the two of you?" I demanded. This strangeness had gone on for a little too long.

"Nothing." Felix answered. "Are we going to battle or not?"

"Certainly not. There's something up and I'm getting to the bottom of this." I replied.

"Yea, what Em said." Star replied. "Now you guys better tell me what the meaning of this is or I'll force my presence into your heads."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Felix replied, choosing his arms and giving us a blank stare at our words.

"Well for one, Topaz, you're clearly exhausted. Why are you still trying to spar with Star?" I questioned.

"Training helps." Topaz replied. "I told you I've been slacking."

"Even so Topaz, you aren't usually this hyped." I continued pressing.

The lionblitz whined a little at the comment. "I just... training is important."

"Topaz trains hard because he wants to. Is it that hard to understand?" Felix seemed just a little annoyed, gripping his elbow slightly.

Star just looked at the exchange, seeming to be thinking about something.

"What is it Star?" I asked via telepathy.

"When I was under Felix... he kinda forced me to train using... questionable methods. For Topaz to be training so hard... I'm kinda suspecting things, you know?" She replied via the link. I thought about it for a while, squatting down to be on the same level as the lionblitz.

"Did Felix threaten you with dinner again?" I whispered into one of Topaz's ears, his eyes lighting up in surprise.

"No, no, nothing of that sort. Besides I'll just ask you for dinner if he did that." Topaz replied honestly. I frowned a little, wondering what got the lionblitz so worked up in his training.

"Ms Emily, I do not appreciate you badgering my spiritmal." Felix was clearly getting annoyed.

"Fine..." I backed off, still confused at the matter at hand.

"So are we going to battle or not?" Felix seemed a little done with the current situation.

I looked at the time. "I guess not. It's nearly 6."

Felix sighed. "Oh well, I guess we've to meet Richard for dinner. Topaz?"

"Yes Felix!" The lionblitz growled in return, following his trainer as the two left the area.

Winter just looked on curiosity, not understanding what was going on.

I wonder what's up with those two... I thought to myself.

"Same Em... same." Came the reply in my head.
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It's sure been awhile... and yea, here's a new chapter. Honestly, I'm just trying to speed through my existing books now so that I could wrap up on a couple of projects and write some other stuff.

Fun fact: this chapter is exactly 1000 words minus the author's note.