Red's smoky form swirled through the cave's air like an angry bee hive, causing Sam to press herself against the cave wall, eyes wide with terror.

"What in name of hell is that thing!?" she gasped, knocking over her chair as she retreated, the scrape of metal against stone echoing through the cave.

Sol reached out with a reassuring hand, but before he could speak, Red's crimson smoke pooled on the floor and materialized into his physical form.

"We've got company heading our way," Red announced, his usual manic energy replaced by urgent focus.

Sam's scream pierced the cave. Sol lunged forward, clamping his hand over her mouth while his other arm steadied her trembling shoulders.

"Easy there," he whispered, his silver eyes reflecting the lantern light. "I know this looks bad, but I swear we're on your side."

Sam's heart hammered against her ribs, the pulse visible in her neck, strong enough for Sol to feel in his palm.

"Kill the light—now!" he hissed to Red, who extinguished the lantern with a flick of his wrist, plunging them into darkness.

The waterfall's constant roar masked their hushed breathing as they waited, tense and blind in the pitch black.

"Who's coming?" Sol whispered.

Red rolled his shoulders, clearly uncomfortable with stillness. "Beats me. Blue can't get a clear visual from his position."

Sam swatted Sol's lingering hand away and straightened her jacket. "Get your damn hands off me," she whispered fiercely. "And someone better start explaining how the hell this guy just materialized out of thin air!"

"Would love to give you the slides presentation," Sol replied, "but we're a bit pressed for time at the moment."

"You said someone's approaching," Sam persisted, her voice barely audible over the water. "How could you possibly know that?"

"Because there's another one of us keeping watch outside," Red snickered, bouncing slightly on his heels despite the tension. "Blueberry's our eyes in the sky."

"For fuck's sake—" Sam began.

"Pipe down," Red interrupted, holding up a finger in the darkness. "They're getting closer. Should Blue introduce himself the fun way?"

Sol weighed his options, mind racing through contingencies. "Yeah, if they're hostile, a surprise greeting might buy us an escape window."

"You heard the man," Red murmured, clearly communicating with someone they couldn't see.

Outside the cave, Blue's azure aura flickered to life as he descended from his perch, leaves rustling beneath his perfect movements.

"Who's there?" a panicked male voice called out. "Show yourself!"

Red cocked his head, recognition dawning on his face. "Hold up—that voice sounds familiar. Pretty sure it's that Cliffhanger prick from earlier."

"A Cliffhanger?" Sam's whisper turned sharp with fear. "They found us already?"

"Relax," Sol assured her, though his own muscles tightened. "Blue can handle one nosy gang member."

Blue landed silently behind the intruder and extinguished his aura, waiting for the perfect moment.

"Probably just a damn animal," the Cliffhanger muttered, turning around. His eyes met Blue's composed gaze and he leapt backward with a strangled shriek. "HOLY SHIT! You—you're one of them!"

"Good evening," Blue greeted, his posture impeccably straight despite their woodland surroundings. "Your heart rate seems quite elevated. Are you feeling distressed?"

The Cliffhanger's hand clutched his chest. "You try getting ambushed in the pitch-black forest and see how your heart handles it!"

Blue considered this with scholarly concentration. "Interesting point. Though I must note that we surprised each other equally, yet my pulse remains perfectly steady."

Inside the cave, Red snorted with unexpected appreciation. "Got to hand it to the walking dictionary—when he wants to make someone feel stupid, he really commits."

The Cliffhanger's frustration was palpable even through the waterfall's muffling effect. "That's not—I didn't—whatever! What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Blue replied, adjusting his non-existent tie. "I stayed to reflect on our earlier dispute—the one requiring us to settle matters outside town borders."

"What are you talking about?" The confusion in the Cliffhanger's voice was almost comical.

"The conflict," Blue clarified. "The argument that brought us out here. You seemed quite interested in watching the outcome."

"You expect me to believe that garbage?" The Cliffhanger scoffed. "Nobody wanders around a forest at midnight for no reason."

Red's eyes gleamed with mischief in the darkness. "Says the dipshit doing exactly that!"

"Your assessment creates an interesting problem," Blue replied. "Are you suggesting that your current presence here, at this hour, makes you someone who acts irrationally?"

"What? No!" The Cliffhanger spluttered.

"But by your own logic—"

"I was following you! That's different!" The Cliffhanger's voice cracked with frustration.

"I see." Blue's tone shifted to something almost poetic. "As for why I stayed, few appreciate the beauty of a moonlit walk at night. The experience was worth lingering for. If that makes me unusual, I accept the label."

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A heavy silence followed, broken only by the Cliffhanger's exasperated sigh.

"I'm too tired for this philosophical bullshit," he muttered, footsteps receding as he stomped away.

They waited several tense minutes before Red's voice cut through the darkness.

"Coast is clear, folks." He reignited the lantern with a snap, bathing the cave in warm light once more.

Sam studied Red with fresh eyes, the initial panic giving way to wary fascination. "I specifically requested you come alone," she said to Sol, tapping her foot against the stone floor.

Sol ran fingers through his silver hair, offering his most disarming smile. "Insurance policy. Would've been pretty disappointing to get murdered in a cave after solving your cryptic puzzle."

Sam exhaled slowly, shoulders dropping. "I suppose I can't fault your caution." Her gaze shifted to Red. "So, you're another of Sol's companions. How exactly do you transform into smoke?"

Red bounced on his heels, trademark wild grin spreading across his face. "Evolved ability! Pretty cool, right? I'm basically a living fog monster!"

She stared at him for a long moment before closing her eyes, as if accepting she wouldn't get a sensible explanation.

Sol clapped his hands together, the sound echoing off the damp walls. "Same time tomorrow? I think we were just getting to the good part of our conversation before the interruption."

"Tomorrow it is," Sam agreed, gathering her things. "But next time, maybe warn me if you're bringing your... unusual friends."

"No promises," Sol replied with a wink, his silver aura flickering to life around his fingertips. "Makes life more interesting that way."

The trio slipped through the waterfall's silver curtain, disappearing into the forest's shadows like ghosts in the night.

The next day, morning sun warmed the beach as waves crashed against the shore, surfers once again riding the swells now that Rorck's massive wall had vanished without a trace. Sand crunched beneath their feet as Red and Neiva circled each other, locked in what barely qualified as a sparring match.

"You can't hit me!" Red taunted, dodging another punch with irritating ease. He bounced from spot to spot like a demented grasshopper. "I'm over here! No, now I'm here!"

Neiva blew a strand of bright red hair from her face, frustration coloring her cheeks. "Would you stand still for two seconds? I'm just learning—I shouldn't be thrown into hard mode on day one!"

"This is easy mode, sugar-tits!" Red cackled, spinning away from another telegraphed punch. "If you can't tag me when I'm moving like a sleepy turtle, you've got a mountain to climb!"

Neiva's eyes narrowed as inspiration struck. "Oh, I get it now. You're scared I might actually hit you and you won't be able to block it." She smirked. "Terrified of getting beaten by a girl, huh?"

Red froze mid-dodge, his wild grin faltering. "What? Am not!"

"Are too!" Neiva pressed, knowing she'd found his weakness.

"AM. NOT!" Red planted his feet, dropping into a rigid defensive stance. "Hit me with your best shot! I'll block anything you throw!"

Seizing her chance, Neiva threw her weight behind a punch aimed straight at Red's open palm. The impact sent vibrations up her arm as Red actually slid back several inches, leaving twin trenches in the sand.

Red's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Huh. Not bad, rookie. I actually felt that."

Several yards away, Sol stood with Angelo and Blue, arms crossed as he watched the sparring match. "...So we're meeting Sam at midnight. Though I'm guessing you already know that, since Red was there."

Angelo and Blue exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

"I, uh..." Angelo scratched the back of his head. "Wasn't really paying attention, to be honest."

Sol turned to Blue with a raised eyebrow. "Didn't you fill him in?"

Blue hesitated, his perfect posture somehow growing even more rigid. "I regret to inform you that I was... preoccupied with scanning the perimeter for potential threats."

"Right," Sol said, not believing either of them for a second. "Guess you can just check with Red later."

Before Red could admit he'd also tuned out, Angelo cut in: "Since you've got time to kill, why not train instead of watching us?"

"No shit," Sol laughed, running a hand through his silver hair. "You think I tagged along just to update your calendar? What's on the training menu?"

Angelo nudged Blue, who straightened his non-existent glasses.

"According to our colleague at Novaria's ACE facility, EDR training offers the most efficient improvement in the shortest timeframe," Blue explained.

"Sounds fancy," Sol nodded.

"I'm skipping the technical explanation," Angelo interjected, "but the technique is simple. Find a spot where you can shoot a steady stream of your energy—darkness, in your case. Keep the output just above what feels comfortable. I've already seen results and I haven't been doing it long."

Sol's trademark grin flashed across his face. "Looking forward to standing around shooting darkness at nothing like a complete weirdo." He tossed them a casual two-fingered salute before heading off. "Later!"

Angelo turned his attention back to the sparring pair. "That's enough of that," he called out, making both fighters stop mid-motion. "Neiva."

She straightened immediately, beaming. "Yes, boss!"

Angelo's eyebrows lowered. "I told you not to call me that."

"Fine, fine," Neiva sighed dramatically. "Would you prefer sir? Master? Teach?"

"Anything but 'boss'," Angelo muttered. "Time to work on something else."

Neiva's shoulders slumped, her voice dropping with dread. "Please don't say jogging..."

"No jogging," Angelo shook his head. "But it is something you need to practice alone."

"Seriously?" She kicked at the sand, pouting. "I'm starting to think you're inventing new ways of ditching me."

The corner of Angelo's mouth quirked upward. "This is important, and you don't need our help to practice it."

She looked up with cautious hope. "What is it?"

"Energy manipulation—shaping whatever you create," Angelo explained, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "As a metal Auron, you can create metal or control what's already around you. How quickly and precisely you shape it comes with practice."

"Like how Nova made all those shields and blades?" Neiva recalled. "She did it crazy fast, like she wasn't even thinking about it."

"Precisely," Blue added. "Her speed speaks to her extensive experience. When you attempt similar feats, you'll appreciate the skill involved."

Neiva turned to Red with pleading eyes. "Can't you help me practice this part?"

Red made an exaggerated buzzer sound, crossing his arms into an X. "Sorry, sugar-tits! It's exactly like learning to write—you draw the same boring letter over and over and over—"

"We get it." Angelo interrupted. "Just like nobody can hold the pencil while you learn to write, we can't help you build this muscle memory. You have to keep at it over and over."

"And over and over and over—" Red continued, until an orange forged energy tether wrapped around his head like a muzzle. He dangled from Angelo's creation, feet kicking several inches above the sand.

"Where are you guys going?" Neiva called as Angelo started walking toward the shoreline, dragging Red along like a reluctant balloon.

Angelo glanced over his shoulder. "We're finally going to work on Trinergy." His eyes hardened with determination. "If we want any chance against Hugo, we need to master it." Without another word, he leapt into the air, orange wings materializing behind him. Red and Blue followed, flying toward the open ocean.

Neiva watched them go, then sighed heavily. "Guess it's just me and you, little metal ball." She extended her palm, blue energy swirling until a metallic sphere materialized above it.

"Okay, let's see if I can..." She narrowed her eyes in concentration, willing the orb to change shape. Nothing happened. She tried harder, only making the sphere grow larger. "Come on, do what I want you to!"

After several attempts, the metal finally stretched—but in the opposite direction she'd intended.

"Progress is progress!" she told herself, studying her lopsided creation. "Even if you completely ignored my instructions." Her smile faded. "I really do have a long way to go..."

Further down the beach, a group of Cliffhangers watched through narrowed eyes.

"Look at those outsiders," one spat, his face twisted with disgust. "Honorary guests, my ass! They're up to something—nobody trains like that for nothing."

"What are you gonna do about it, Spike?" another asked, his voice cracking.

Spike cracked his knuckles, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "I think it's time to show them why they call me 'Spike, the Bone Cracker.'"

His companions exchanged uncomfortable glances. "But... nobody calls you that."

"After today they will!" Spike growled, gaze shifting between the isolated Neiva, Sol in the distance, and the trio flying over the ocean. A cruel smile spread across his face. "Time to crack some bones."

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