Archive of Our Own

The several months following the near end of the world and the fall of Melvin Mokirie were a jumbled mixture of emotions and feelings. The fight against arguably the most notorious villain in the entire world took the combined efforts of every single Savior from the Shivermore School for Saviors, student and teacher alike. It was a long and exhausting battle, to put things simply. Many, many lives were lost. Much blood was shed. Teams were separated almost as soon as the battle began. It took very little time for everything to become incredibly overwhelming. Melvin Mokirie had goons and several hybrid creatures at his disposal, urging his minions to tire out the poor Saviors before swooping in himself to finish the job.

Though all of the Saviors were involved in the battle, there was one in particular that the man had targeted: Blaze Mochrie. His niece had been a thorn in his side for far too long and any efforts he had made to capture and/or kill the girl always turned out to be fruitless, since he was thwarted by her teammates or her other peers. The leader of the vicious Clan had never wanted to kill his niece, but when she ran away from him, that was when it became personal. Though he knew she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut- despite how young she was at the time- he knew that a time would come when she would eventually start talking. And he wanted to be sure that he would be prepared for the inevitable fight to come.

Despite his greatest efforts, Melvin Mokirie had lost the fight. Just when he thought that he had finally accomplished his life-long goal, his niece ended all of that with a fiery stab to the heart. In spite of his loss, the man was fairly proud of his niece for being able to stand up to him. He had to admit that she had grown since the last time they met and there was pride in his eyes when he realized that the fire surrounding her fireproof wooden spear- the weapon that he had been stabbed with- was blue fire, a fire that she'd been trying for so long to access and gain control of. After the man fell to the ground and seemingly evaporated into the air, that was when everything went silent. The reality of the situation finally sunk in and the Earth seemed to stop spinning.

The events immediately following the death of Melvin Mokirie were a blur. Details became muddled. Emotions and feelings became hazy and clouded. The fiery orange Savior who finally put an end to her uncle's reign of terror became reclusive and isolated, the effects of the battle immediately taking their toll on the poor girl.
Thankfully, the Core Four hadn't lost any of its members (and the Blessed Best hadn't lost any more). They were still alive, though definitely didn't make it through the battle unharmed. As alive as they were, however, they had separated themselves from one another physically, and the redhead was the first one to start that chain by running off to the French female-inhabited island of Terre-de-Dames.

For the first three months following the Core Four's split, everything seemed to fall back into a relative calm. Shivermore became virtually abandoned, as per the request of the remaining staff members. (Though the teachers and other faculty members stayed behind to ensure the true safety of their school.) Many of the teams- the ones that still remained somewhat intact- separated themselves from each other, with only the siblings staying together. It didn't matter where they went, they all just wanted to be away from Shivermore and the destruction and chaos. Everyone needed their space and that was unavoidable.

Halfway through the third month, Justin Lee Forester caught up to his fiery former teammate. She was understandably surprised when he showed up at the door to the Everwood residence where she'd been staying (though not with Evelyn). The blond ignored any and all of the redhead's orders for him to go home to where it was safe and sound, flinching ever so slightly at the mention that his mother and sister were probably worried sick about him. However, he had sent the two women in his family a letter detailing what had happened since the fall of Melvin Mokirie and what he was planning to do next. He neglected to mention to his friend that he was planning to get the Core Four back together.

He wasn't certain that Terre-de-Dames was where Blaze would run off to, though given her closeness with Evelyn, and Justin's own closeness with her late brother Ethan, it wasn't too difficult to narrow down possible hiding places. Blaze was also understandably reluctant about allowing Justin to stay with her, especially since the island's inhabitants weren't too...friendly towards the male species. Though Justin didn't hesitate to prove himself harmless, even though a simple claim to being friends with two of the island's most respected Saviors would have sufficed all the same.

It took almost two weeks for Justin and Blaze to fall back into any sort of regular patterns they may have developed during their time together at Triple S. But once their usual back-and-forth finally did happen, both were incredibly relieved. Terre-de-Dames wasn't a wholly unfamiliar territory for Blaze, but she was thankful (begrudgingly, at first) that Justin brought with him a sense of comfort and familiarity, as he always did.
Justin was undoubtedly a lot smarter and far more observant than he was given credit for and sometimes, his team had forgotten that. The remaining three members of the Core Four knew Justin better than anyone else and the blond initially joined their team as a young and stupid (in Blaze's opinion) teenage boy who cared for nothing more than trivial pranks. However, he had grown into a serious, smart young man, and Blaze realized that now during the time he spent with her.

Due to the blond's natural optimism and observance, it didn't take him long to figure out that something was off about Blaze. Granted, there had been something off about the fiery redhead since she was very young, though this time was different. Melvin Mokirie had been the main source of Blaze's distress and discomfort and it had been that way for several years. Even though the man was dead, it didn't change the fact that he was still a source of distress for Blaze. For years, the redhead had tried to run away from her family, from her past. And while it had been simple to just run away from her family, it wasn't so easy to run away from her past. It was even harder running away from what she did all those years ago to her former partner's family.

Justin never pushed Blaze, despite the number of times he wanted to. Blaze may have been distracted, but she wasn't clueless. She knew her teammate wanted to ask her about how she's been, what's she been up to since the death of her uncle. She knew that Justin never asked, though, because he already knew what the answers would be. He knew that she was shuffling around at night. He knew that she ran off in the middle of night- to do what, he didn't know- only to be back by morning looking more tired than ever. He knew she didn't sleep or eat as much as she did before. He knew what was plaguing her mind. Perhaps he didn't really need to ask her any questions because he already knew where the conversation would go.

It took almost three and a half weeks for Blaze to come clean to Justin and tell him everything that's been going on since she left Shivermore- since she left the team. It was at two-thirty in the morning and Justin found Blaze outside of the Everwood house, practicing some combat moves with her spear. Her moves were stiff and frantic and uncontrolled, which were completely unnatural. He was awoken by the sounds of her grunting and the whooshing sound of the fire being released- quite angrily- from the tip of her beloved weapon. They had five minutes of regular conversation before the redhead broke down and revealed everything to Justin.

The months following her departure from Triple S were filled with hardship for the redhead. She's had more breakdowns than she could count. The memory of the battle still haunted her thoughts, preventing her from even functioning regularly. She came out of the whole ordeal traumatized beyond belief and Justin recalled Blaze referring to her whole 'thing' as PTSD, at one point. Blaze was far too young to have any sort of experience with PTSD, but it wasn't like she- or any of them, really- had much of a choice. The battle against Melvin Mokirie was an inevitable one and though there had been much preparation at Triple S, nothing could ever truly prepare them for the most difficult battle of their young lives.

Though Blaze had been through significantly harder times than Justin, she still made sure to ask if he was alright. He experienced the same things she did and she wanted to make sure that he was okay, just as he was doing for her. Justin claimed each time that he was fine, though the more appropriate answer, perhaps was that he was doing better than she was. In the following months, they became a source of comfort and constant support for one another. There was the obvious tension that hung in the air, but they could deal with that as it came. They were incredibly grateful to whatever higher power that both of them- and the rest of their team- had made it through that whole fight alive and together.

It wasn't until the fifth month of Justin and Blaze living together that the blond suggested going to search for their other two companions. He expected Blaze to tense up and that's exactly what she did. He could see her internally shutting down and closing the gates to her mind, though her face showed that familiar neutral expression that he had come to know and have a love/hate relationship with. Blaze had been expecting this topic to come up- it was a topic that had made its way to the forefront of her mind many times. Each time Justin opened his mouth, she tensed up, wondering if that would be the time when he finally announced it. It wasn't that she didn't want to find Harmon and Deena; in fact, it was almost completely the opposite. She wanted to find her friends more than anything. But the risk of danger was still high and she was still afraid.

However, she kept her fears to herself as she agreed- albeit a tad reluctantly- to Justin's proposition. The smile on his face was breathtaking and it was at that point when she realized just how much she had missed her telepathic friend and his youthful optimism. Since neither of them were back home in Parsonville, they didn't have many belongings with them. (Though the Everwood matriarch had suggested to them on numerous occasions that they borrow the clothes of Ethan and Evelyn, they always politely declined. It wasn't that either of them had any issue with wearing clothes owned by other people- the Core Four shared clothes all the time back at Triple S. It just felt wrong to be wearing other people's clothes without their permission, especially if one of those people wouldn't ever be here to give permission.)

After weeks of planning and packing, they were finally prepared to leave the admittedly comfortable Everwood home and start on their undoubtedly long journey to reunite the Core Four. The goodbyes were tearful and sad. For once in her life, Blaze felt like she had parents, but a part of her deep down knew that this feeling wouldn't last. They promised the Everwood parents that they would be careful and stay as safe as they could and stay together. Together- that was a word that had been used a lot during the past several months and it always rang hollow in Blaze's ears, echoing in her mind like a broken record. They walked all the way to the other end of the island, where the docks were. A large blue and white ferry sat tied to the dock and a ramp ran from the dock to the edge of the ship, urging people to climb aboard. Blaze and Justin held hands as they marched up the ramp.
************
Terre-de-Dames was an island that was further away from any other island on a map. The closest island to Terre-de-Dames was the industrial island of Vista, and even that was a three-day trip (if weather permitted). Vista was an island, yes, but it had a long bridge that started at the very edge of its coastline than ran all the way to the edge of Locale's coastline. From there, the rest of the towns touched in some way and the familiarity would start. Justin and Blaze were on day two of their ride to Vista and they'd had nothing but bad weather since they left the docks.

Justin was a lot nicer to himself when it came to taking care of his wellbeing. Whenever he was hungry, he ate. Whenever he was tired, he slept. Whenever he was bored, he did something to occupy himself. Blaze, on the other hand, was not like that. Her wellbeing improved since Justin moved in with her, but she still had difficulty taking care of herself when Justin wasn't around. He realized she was only doing those things for a show. But as soon as he turned his back or left her alone, she went right back to sulking or trapping herself in her own mind. It was a vicious cycle, one that often annoyed Justin, but he knew from experience that patience would be better than simply lashing out at her, no matter how tempting the latter option was.

Currently, there was a torrential downpour happening, covering every inch of the boat with water. The waves were very unpleasant and scary and had the tendency to whisk away any strays that remained on deck. Blaze was the only passenger unfazed by the waves or the storm or the unnaturally dark clouds in the sky. She'd seen and been through a lot worse. She wasn't going to let a storm frighten her. And Justin could see that. She was going to use the excuse that she's been through so much worse as her reason for staying out in this storm. The blond was not going to have it. He opened his luggage and dug through the bag until he came across a dark red umbrella buried at the bottom of his suitcase. He reached for it before pausing and pulling his hand up. Maybe dark red wasn't an appropriate color scheme right now. He moved over to her luggage and pulled out a blue checkered umbrella, nodding at the much better choice.

Sighing, he shouldered his thin green and white rain jacket and zipped it all the way up. He unlatched the umbrella, knowing it was going to be pointless to open it in this sort of weather. He took two deep breaths before opening the umbrella and stepping out onto the deck, almost immediately slipping on the wet floor. He looked ahead of him and saw Blaze with her back turned. Thankfully she was still wearing her rain coat, overhearing that the storm brewing above them back at the dock was going to worsen. Blaze had an amazing ability to listen to conversations without appearing as though she was actually listening. Her teammates had learned that fact the hard way.

By the time Justin reached Blaze, her long wavy orange hair was plastered to the back of her all black rain coat, straightened out from the rain and reaching down the length of her back. The umbrella was big enough to fit two people and he hid himself underneath the cover once he stood beside Blaze. They stood in silence for a few moments, listening to the rain echoing off the umbrella and hearing the thunder boom around them. It took three minutes for Blaze to turn her head to look up at her teammate. Her expression was expectedly neutral, but Justin could see a faraway, tired look in her dull green eyes. The bags under her eyes were visible, even from a distance, and they were almost startling up close. She flashed him a very small, tight smile- one that she had undoubtedly forced herself to make.

''Didn't want you getting soaked to the bone.'' Justin's voice was drowned out from the rain, but Blaze blinked tiredly and her smile grew tighter.
''A little late for that.'' Her voice reeked of exhaustion and no longer contained its signature rasp.
Despite the noise of the storm, neither one of them spoke any louder than necessary. They knew they could hear each other just fine.
''Did you lose yourself in thought and become unaware of the rain or have you known this whole time and stayed out here on purpose?'' Justin's question hung thick in the air, trapped by the umbrella above their heads.
Blaze's smiled faded and her lips were pushed together tightly. Her gaze fell from his face.

Blaze did have a very strong tendency to lose herself in thought. It was a habit she'd had her whole life and tried to rid herself of during their time studying at Triple S. Sometimes she'd become so distracted by her thoughts that she'd be completely unaware of what was going on around her. It was difficult to bring her back to reality, especially if she was consumed by toxic thoughts. Blaze also believed in self-punishment and thought herself to be a monster, despite being told otherwise. She would do things to punish herself and then chalk it up to being lost in thought- though, over time, her teammates knew better than to fall for that reason. Still, there were other times when it was hard to tell, but this wasn't one of those times. Justin knew the answer.

''Justin, I- I don't know anymore.'' Blaze's voice was quiet and uncharacteristically uncertain.
Justin pursed his lips together and continued to gaze at his teammate.
''I thought that everything would become easier once my uncle was dead. I thought that everything would be calmer and all of the evil in the world would be gone. I thought I would feel better and happier once he was out of my life. But I've felt nothing but awful from the minute the blade of my spear entered his heart.''
Despite what it may seem like on the outside, Blaze loved her family. She grew up mostly terrified of many of her family members, but she loved them all the same. The redhead had unwavering loyalty to anyone she cared about and that included her family.

Even if her uncle was the primary source of her stress, torturing and abusing her, she still showed loyalty towards him that didn't falter until after the event that ended with her acquiring a permanent scar on the palm of her right hand. A scar that took up a majority of her small palm that grew in size as her hand did. A scar that served as a reminder for her misdeed and a reason for her self-punishments. A scar that was almost always covered up by a single fireproof glove that was only removed halfway through their second year at Triple S. Blaze was many things: arrogant, hotheaded, short-tempered. Perhaps those things came with her powers (or perhaps she inherited them from her uncle). But she was also incredibly loyal and dependable and selfless and she was all of those things to an absolute fault.

''I know I should be celebrating instead of moping around, but I just can't,'' Blaze said after a while.
Justin nodded. Everyone else had cheered the minute they realized that they had won. That the greatest threat was defeated. In that moment, everyone seemed to forget that, while they were celebrating the death of Melvin Mokirie, Blaze was mourning the death of her uncle. While her uncle definitely didn't do anything to earn him any 'uncle of the year' prizes, he did take the redhead under his wing and raise him as her own. Yes, it was because he killed her parents because he wanted to make her the next leader of the Mokirie Clan, but he still took her in all the same, along with her brothers. And Blaze would be grateful for that. To everyone else, Blaze had killed the most evil villain in the world. But to Blaze herself, she had killed her uncle. Her flesh and blood.

Justin's heart broke at the defeated tone in Blaze's voice. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, but couldn't find it in himself to follow through.
''Blaze, you're allowed to grieve,'' he assured, purposefully avoiding the phrase 'mope around'.
''Justin, it has been months.'' Blaze's tone was sharp, but held no real edge.
The redhead dwelled on the past far too much, Justin knew that for certain.
''So what?'' He asked.
''What do you mean 'so what'?'' Blaze's tone was challenging but still held no real edge or threat.
Despite her tone, Justin knew she wouldn't have any energy to argue, but he didn't dismiss the conversation.

A long silence fell between them. Justin turned to face the ocean, watching the frothy waves. He noted that the thunder and lightning dwindled, but the rain still poured heavily. He made another mental note that Blaze's temper was similar to that of an ocean. Oceans were unpredictable. They could be calm and level and free of trouble. Or they could be dark and dangerous and loud. This was the first time, Justin figured, that the redhead's temper was compared to anything that wasn't fire. Because Blaze was more than just fire. Fire could be dangerous and destructive and super hot. But it could also be warm and comforting and bring people together. Blaze had the characteristics of the good and bad sides to fire and water. He stifled a laugh as he realized that his friend was a living and walking oxymoron.

''Justin.'' Blaze's voice broke Justin away from his thoughts. He turned his body to face her.
''Why did you come to Terre-de-Dames? Of all the places to go after the battle, why there?''
Justin took a sharp inhale of breath. That was a discussion that hadn't been brought up during many of their...awkward conversations about the battle. They both knew that his home was warm and comforting and safe. They both knew he had no real reason to go all the way to Terre-de-Dames.
''I guess I went there for you,'' Justin answered slowly.
Blaze turned her head to look up at her teammate who was looking at her carefully. Justin was usually an open book, but often times he could become hard to read. This was one of those times.

''After the battle, I had no idea what you do. You pretty much clammed up when everything calmed down. After I discovered that you ran away, I knew that I had to follow you. I wanted to make sure that you were okay.''
Blaze examined Justin's face. His words were slow and deliberate, like he was taking the time to think about them before he let them leave his mouth. The redhead pursed her lips at his last sentence. That was always like her young blond friend. Making sure everyone else around him was okay, putting their wellbeing over his own.
''It wasn't that I didn't care about what happened to Harmon or Deena. I did, of course I did. They're my teammates and friends too. But I knew they wouldn't be experiencing things the same way you would. I knew they would use their time after the battle to work things out and move past it. So I knew they'd be okay.''

The rain was slowing down, but neither of them took notice.
''I know I should apologize for just showing up unexpectedly because I knew the state you'd be in, but I couldn't just let you suffer alone. That's not what friends do,'' Justin continued.
Their friendship had started out fairly rocky, with Blaze referring to Justin as an ''immature child with no real sense of the dangers of the world'' who constantly annoyed the hell out of her at any chance he got. She wasn't sure when it happened, but over time, Justin grew more mature and took his duties as a Savior-in-training seriously. Their friendship became less rocky and more solid, though they still had their moments. Even before they became friends, Blaze could see the selflessness oozing from every fiber of Justin's body. The selflessness, the endless supply of energy, and the eternal optimism. Three core elements to Justin's character that were at times annoying, but accepted nonetheless.

Justin had been the perfect yang to Blaze's yin. Where she was the darkness, he was the light. She was the moon and he was the sun. He was often underestimated due to his status as the youngest member on the team and Blaze fell into the trappings of underestimating her blond teammate. He was far smarter and a lot more observant than most people gave him credit for. While the two had never felt any sort of romantic feelings for one another, they considered each other to be the older and younger siblings they never had. (Justin was a little brother figure for Blaze, who lost her own older brothers. Blaze was an older sister figure for Justin, who had his own little sister.) Blaze felt fiercely protective of Justin and Justin was often annoyed by Blaze's antics. They both had their own fair share of hardships in their childhoods that shaped them into the people they are today.

Over the years, Blaze noted that she and Justin were incredibly and unwaveringly loyal to those they cared about, but Justin was unapologetically loyal. There was no one in the blond telepath's life that he was ashamed of being loyal to and that's where Blaze was envious. She had been loyal to her family and her uncle especially, even after she ran away. She wasn't ashamed of being loyal to her teachers or her team or even her other friends. She wasn't ashamed of being loyal to her cousins. But she was ashamed of being loyal to her uncle for as long as she was. During the battle, her loyalty was tested. She was loyal to her team and she would always be, but knowing that she had to kill her uncle to end the battle was not something she was particularly happy about.

Justin had lost part of his leg for Blaze and it took her a long time to stop blaming herself for that. Justin had lost a literal part of his body for Blaze, who he had been arguing with for most of that fateful day. He pushed her out of the way of the oncoming boulder, having seen it before she did. It was a deed that she would never be able to repay him, unless she lost a limb protecting him. And knowing him, he would make sure that wouldn't happen. (Besides, they both agreed that her almost losing part of her leg- the same part of her leg that she would've lost had Justin not pushed her out of the way- made them even.) They were both incredibly loyal to one another and she was very surprised their loyalty hadn't gotten either of them killed yet.

The rain had completely stopped by the time Blaze decided to open her mouth to speak.
''I don't want you to apologize,'' she stated. ''You don't need to apologize.''
Justin was looking at her intensely, his expression unreadable. Blaze squirmed underneath his gaze and briefly wondered if this was how others felt whenever she looked at them like that. She was expecting him to say something, but all he did was lift the umbrella and close it. Blaze ignored the few rogue drops of rain that fell on her head from the umbrella.
''Good,'' was all Justin said. ''Because I didn't really want to apologize anyway.''
************
The storm thankfully did nothing major to hinder the progress of the trip. They would arrive at Vista's dock a couple of hours later than expected, but that was the only thing. The third day was much brighter and far more sunny, all evidence of a storm the previous days completely gone. There was a small island in the distance that was revealed to be the island of Vista. Blaze leaned against the railing of the boat, her eyes shut, allowing the cool fall breeze to blow through her wet wavy orange hair. The sun was high in the sky and shining brightly, lighting up mostly the right side of her face. (Another reason why her eyes were shut.) Despite the cool weather, it was fairly warm, but there was a cool breeze from the ocean.

She perked up slightly at the sound of footsteps sloshing up from behind her and relaxed when she heard a familiar sigh from beside her. She turned her head to her left and opened her left eye, shielding her remaining vision from the blinding sunlight. Justin had changed into a completely new set of clothing, every article previously belonging to Ethan. A twinge of guilt and sadness surged through Blaze's heart before internally shaking the feelings away. She didn't want to wallow in sadness right now, so she wouldn't allow herself to. It was a topic that was particularly sensitive to Justin and she didn't want to risk souring the mood. She stopped the phrase of words on her mind from escaping and settled on something else instead.

''So that's Vista in the distance.'' It was phrased as a statement but was more of a question.
Justin made a noise of confirmation as he nodded. Blaze turned her head back out towards the ocean and moved her gaze down to look at the water, both of her eyes opening.
''I didn't even know Vista existed,'' she said.
Justin laughed lightly.
''It's a fairly industrial island. A lot of the stuff we got at school came from Vista, at least technology-wise.''
''Maybe I wasn't paying attention,'' Blaze replied evenly.
Justin laughed again and Blaze cherished it. Oh, how she had missed that laugh.

''So, what's the plan when we get there?'' Blaze asked, turning her body fully so she could face Justin.
She continued to lean on the railing, using her right arm as support and crossing her ankles together.
''Well, I found a hotel for us to stay in,'' Justin replied. ''It's nice, quaint, you'll like it.''
Blaze narrowed her eyes playfully.
''What makes you say that?'' She teased.
Justin grinned.
''It's got Wi-Fi.''
Blaze rolled her eyes playfully as Justin laughed more heartily this time. She couldn't help the small grin that made its way across her face.

They arrived at the docks at around four o'clock in the afternoon. Immediately, they noticed the crisp fall breeze and how horribly underdressed they were. Even though they had a cool breeze during the trip, the boat's atmosphere itself was warm and pleasant. Now that they were finally on solid ground, they could feel just how cold it really was. Thankfully they had more appropriate attire in their suitcases.
''Good thing we packed sweaters and pants 'cause it's cold here,'' Justin said.
Blaze nodded in agreement.
''So, what exactly are we waiting for?'' Justin asked.
''The taxi, to take us to the hotel you found for us,'' Blaze replied.

They waited for ten minutes, shivering and huddled together, until a metallic silvery taxi pulled up to the curb near the end of the dock. Justin wasted no time in picking up his luggage and skipping- yes, skipping- over to the idling vehicle. A man dressed in a tailored suit slid out of the car and walked over to the trunk to greet the excitable blond. Blaze rolled her eyes again before picking up her own luggage and calmly walking over to the taxi. Justin was bouncing up and down when she arrived and she figured that was due to a mixture of excitement at being in a new place and trying to keep himself warm. Blaze was normally warm in temperatures like this- having fire powers does come in handy from time to time- but she hadn't been used to the cold for a while, so it would take a while for her internal heater to kick in.

Once their luggage was in the trunk and they were buckled into the car, Justin gave the driver the address of the hotel they were staying at. It was only a twelve minute drive, but to Blaze, it felt much quicker. They paid the driver and took their luggage out of the trunk before watching the taxi drive away. When they turned, they found themselves face to face with a tall red and black brick hotel. There were at least five floors and each glass window they saw had some sort of embellishment to it. Fittingly, it was called the Hotel Vista.
''Creative name,'' Justin murmured.
Blaze smirked.
''You first,'' she said back to him.

She followed her excitable friend up the four steps to the hotel and watched him push his way through tall heavy golden doors. The sudden burst of cold air made her shiver and Justin made his way to the front desk. A lady with a bob haircut looked up at them upon their arrival. Her perfect eyebrows were arched upwards in an inquiring manner, as if it was strange for two young adults to walk into a fancy hotel together. (Though Blaze did think it was fairly strange.)
''We have a reservation. The name is under Forester.'' Justin's voice- brimming with confidence- brought Blaze back to reality.
''Ah yes. Justin Forester,'' the secretary said.
Justin beamed.
''That's me!''

It took the blond all of five minutes to get the keys to their room, Room 304, on the (obviously) third floor. It took fifteen minutes to get up to the third floor, find their room, open the door, and drop all of their stuff. Justin was right. It was nice and quaint. Blaze wasn't so sure if she liked it yet, though it was still early. She noted the Wi-Fi sign taped to the mirror and rolled her eyes. Justin caught her gaze and winked at her. There were two single beds that were separated by a bedside table. The comforters were green and yellow with brown stripes. It was an odd color pattern that somehow worked with the rest of the room. (Though Blaze preferred red and orange herself.)

''So, what do you think?'' Justin asked once they completed their short tour of the room.
''Not bad, Justin. Not bad at all,'' Blaze answered.
Justin beamed again. Blaze looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read 5:30. The redhead sighed.
''What's wrong, Blaze?'' Justin wondered.
''Nothing,'' the redhead replied. ''Just a bit worn out, that's all.''
Justin nodded.
''We've had a long past few days.''
Blaze nodded in agreement.
''Yeah, that's for sure.''
************
The clock on the bedside table read 2:37 when Blaze sat up in her bed. She let out a quiet sigh, careful not to wake her sleeping friend in the next bed. She looked to her right, immediately thankful she decided to take the bed closest to the balcony. Perhaps Justin had given her the bed closest to the balcony because he knows how little sleep she gets. Back at Triple S, there were few windows in the team's dorm. The main window was between the two sets of bunk beds. It was large enough for a person to sneak out of and it had a small ledge on the outside to shuffle upon. Blaze frequently snuck out late at night whenever she had trouble sleeping. She never went too far and sometimes she came back to the room before the sun rose.

Pushing the blankets off of her, she swung her feet over the edge of her bed and pushed herself up. The bed creaked slightly as she did and she winced, turning around and looking at Justin, who didn't even move. Letting out another quiet sigh, she slid the thick purple curtain to the side so she could see the door handle. She slid the door to the right just enough so she could squeeze herself through and then shut the door behind her. She automatically felt the cool autumn weather and shivered. Her legs were warm due to her long brown pajama pants, but she wore a long, oversized t-shirt. She wasn't sure where her sleeping sweaters were and she didn't want to risk waking up Justin- he needed the sleep. She looked around and saw a violet and turquoise sweater hanging over one of the chairs and grabbed that and pulled it over her head, relishing its warmth.

Now that things had settled down, she could finally think. She's barely had any time to think over the past few days- well, few months, actually, if she were to be truthfully specific- so she was going to take this time to herself in stride. She and Justin had come up with a plan to reunite the Core Four back when they were still in Terre-de-Dames. She went over this plan in her head and while it seemed simple, she realized that they were mostly going by a basic outline. They completed the first part of their plan: get from Terre-de-Dames to Vista (because Vista was relatively closer to the other islands than Terre-de-Dames). From Vista, they were to go to Locale. She furrowed her brows. What were they going to do in Locale? What and who were they expecting to find there?

Blaze allowed Justin to plan most of their journey since he was the one who suggested the reunion in the first place. She wondered if he actually thought everything out like he claimed to have done. He didn't let her in on any specific details of each part of his plan. Now that she had time to think, she wondered what the point was of staying in a hotel in Vista? Did that mean they were going to be there for a few days? Blaze furrowed her brows even more. If they were supposed to be reuniting the team, then why are they staying in a hotel? Didn't Justin want to find Harmon and Deena? Blaze shook her head and took a deep breath. As much as she liked having some time to think, it was also dangerous. She realized now that she was grateful to have been kept busy over the past few days- or months. She didn't have enough time to overthink, like she had right now.

Blaze knew that she had to trust that Justin knew what he was doing. He understood their goal as much as she did- he wouldn't have suggested it if it wasn't important to him. A small part of her wondered if he was just playing by ear and improvising as they went along. (It wouldn't be the first time.) Another part of her wondered if he had planned out everything and withheld the specifics from her purposely to get her to slow down. (That wouldn't be the first time either.) Blaze sighed again. Whatever the reason, she knew that she just had to trust her teammate and be patient. They were going to reunite with their partners, but it was going to take some time. She figured that a part of her was impatient and hoping that the reunion journey wouldn't take so long.

Over the several months that she's been gone, the only member from her team she's contacted is Justin, but that was after he found her. Before he joined her, she didn't talk to anyone in her team- or outside of her team, for that matter. She didn't even mean to stumble upon the Everwood's home. Her feet had just moved on their own and her brain led the way. Even for the first few weeks of living with Ethan and Evelyn's parents, she mostly kept to herself. She didn't want to talk to anyone about anything. She knew she would have to eventually, but it took her a long time to draw up the courage to even make eye contact with the parental units of the Everwood household.

Even after Justin found her, she didn't make any effort to contact Deena or Harmon. She was never sure why she didn't. She had her phone with her. She had their contact information in her phone. She knew all it would take was a simple text. But as was expected, her brain overthought. What if she sent one of her other teammates a text message and they never got to read it because they were dead? What if they were ignoring her? (At the time, she wasn't sure which one was worse.) What if they were absolutely furious with her for clamming up after the battle and leaving without saying a word? What if they were looking for her? What if they had tried to contact her but she didn't know because her phone died a while ago? (The urge to check her phone popped into her mind, but it was charging on the bedside table in their room.)

Trust played a big role in her life and from early on, it was taken from her. It took a long time for her to be able to trust people, even her own teammates. She hated herself for a long time because she wasn't able to fully trust the people who proved time and time again that they would lay down their lives for their stupidly stubborn friend. She sighed. She had to trust now more than ever. She had to trust that Justin knew what he was doing. She had to trust that Harmon and Deena were okay. And she had to trust herself for...well, she wasn't sure what she had to trust herself for, but she knew it was probably important. She had to trust that, eventually, things would be okay. That she and Justin would reunite with their partners and get their team back together. And she supposed she had to trust herself not to fall apart in the process.

''Hey. Thought I'd find you out here.'' Justin's voice was soft and gentle, but it startled the redhead.
''I'm sorry if I woke you,'' Blaze's tone was racked with guilt.
''Don't be. You didn't. I wasn't sleeping as deeply as you figured I was,'' Justin admitted.
He joined her on the balcony, leaning against the railing beside her.
''What were you thinking about?''
Blaze pressed her lips together tightly. She wondered how much of her inner monologue she should reveal.
''Our partners,'' she said at last.
Justin didn't miss the subtle sad tone lining his friend's voice.

''We're going to find them,'' he assured. ''That's why we're on this journey.''
He paused.
''Blaze, do you trust me?'' The question was slow and careful, as if he knew about her thoughts.
Blaze internally rolled her eyes and scoffed. Of course he knew her thoughts. He could read minds, for goodness sake! She sighed.
''More than anything.'' Her voice was quiet and brimming with uncertainty.
''I trust you with my life,'' she added. ''I'm just not sure if I trust anything else.''
Justin knit his brows together.
''What do you mean?''

Blaze spent the next several minutes telling her friend about her inner thoughts. She was fairly sure she said the word 'trust' at least twenty times during her explanation, but she couldn't bring herself to care.
''I understand your concern, Blaze,'' Justin said.
Blaze trusted him with her life, that much was certain. It was mostly herself that she didn't trust. She didn't trust that she'd be able to hold herself together while they went from place to place. Justin sighed. He was purposely withholding information from her. He didn't reveal the details of what would happen once they got to Locale. He didn't tell her that he remained in contact with Harmon and planned this whole reunion with him. (He was sure that Harmon informed Deena of the entire plan and he was sure that his former leader knew that Justin didn't reveal everything to Blaze.)

He didn't tell her that they were going to meet in Shivermore, where the very battle that changed everything took place. He admitted that it probably wasn't the smartest idea to host a reunion in the very place that Blaze had run from in the first place, but that was his first suggestion, based purely on instinct and impulse and Harmon agreed to it, albeit carefully. Guilt surged through Justin because over the past few months they've spent together, Blaze had poured her heart and soul out to him- more than she ever did while back at Triple S. And here he was, hiding vital information from her. But he was afraid she would change her mind if she found out where they were going or if Harmon was involved. So, he kept that a secret from her. Looking over at the anxiety on her face, he started to wonder if withholding information was worse than revealing it to her.

''Do you think they hate me?''
Blaze's question was so far out of left field that it took Justin a few moments to process it.
''Come again?'' He sputtered.
''Do you think Harmon and Deena hate me?'' Blaze's tone was quieter than before.
She looked straight up at the sky, her eyes focusing on the moon and stars dotting the space above.
''What? No! Why on Earth would you ever ask that?'' Justin wondered.
''Because I didn't try to contact either of them. I had plenty of opportunities and I chickened out of each one.''
Justin sighed. The sadness was more prominent in his friend's voice now. He resisted the urge to wrap his arms around her body and pull her in.

''Blaze, the four of us have been through far too much together,'' Justin replied. ''As unhelpful as this probably is, you've given Harmon and Deena plenty of opportunities and reasons to hate you, but they never did.''
Blaze looked over at Justin sadly. His ocean blue eyes were shining brilliantly under the moonlight. The blond was right. Over the years, the redhead has given her teammates plenty of reasons and chances for them to hate her, but they never did. They never pushed her away, they never ex-communicated her. They accepted her for who she was- who she is- and embraced every one of her flaws. They made her feel welcome, like she was part of a family. They became her family. She was without a proper family for so long and her teammates were more than willing to accept her into any of theirs.

''Why am I such a mess?'' Blaze's question was directed to no one in particular.
It hung in the air for a long time, floating around through the breeze, but never leaving the comfort of the balcony. That was a question the redhead had for a very long time and it was a question that she was never able to get a proper answer from. The question was almost always directed at herself, which was why she was never able to answer it. She didn't expect Justin to know the answer, either. She looked over at him. Judging by the look of concentration on his face, she could tell that he was trying to come up with some sort of answer.

Instead, she decided to ask an easier question.
''Do you miss them?''
Justin's expression eased immediately. The question was vague and if it were anyone else being asked, they would have for sure asked the redhead to clarify who the 'them' was that she was referring to. But she knew that her teammate knew exactly who she was talking about, even if the somewhat downcast expression that replaced the concentrated one gave it away.
''Of course I do. Every day.''
It was a simple and fair answer. One that they were both expecting.

''If we both miss them, then how come we're experiencing different emotions?''
That was a more difficult question. Blaze realized that she had a penchant for asking questions that were sort of difficult to answer. Justin bit his lip. The answer should've been simple and they both knew it. The answer should've been, ''you have a lot more going on in your life than I do.'' But it wasn't. It wasn't as simple as that, as true as the unspoken statement was. Justin felt helpless. Over the past several months, Blaze unintentionally expected him to know the answers to all of her questions and concerns. And for the most part, he could answer them with relative confidence, knowing that whatever answer he gave would satisfy the redhead to some degree. That should've been the case here as well.

He thought that the reason was because he was in contact with Harmon. He was told by his former partner that the Brit and Deena were together and okay, similar to himself and Blaze. Though, Justin simply followed Blaze to the island of Terre-de-Dames with much success and very little complications. Harmon and Deena were separated from one another a lot longer than they'd been together, only having gotten together three months ago. Harmon revealed that Deena had stayed behind in Shivermore, insisting with the school faculty that she was well enough to help patch things up and try to rebuild the school. The raven-haired martial artist worked alongside the teachers, giving one hundred percent of her effort despite her injuries. She felt obligated to help the school that housed her and the teachers that taught her so much. But Deena was keeping herself busy on purpose. She worked tirelessly to occupy her mind. To try to forget everything that happened. (It was difficult to forget everything that happened when she worked at the very place they fought at, but she supposed it wouldn't have made a difference if she left.)

Harmon revealed that he spent most of his time in the Cornory Forest alongside the living Blessed Best members and a few other Saviors hunting down hybrid creatures and killing them to prevent them from causing harm. Much like Deena, Harmon put one hundred percent of his effort into his work. Taking the lead alongside Evelyn, he didn't have much time to think about the battle that changed everything. Alternatively, he didn't allow himself to think about anything besides his current job. Hunting hybrids required full concentration and he couldn't afford to have any distractions. He didn't want to think about anything else. His thoughts would spiral out of control and he knew it, so he kept them at bay in the far corners of his mind. It certainly wasn't like him to keep things bottled up, but that battle really was the battle that changed everything. It changed everything and everyone, no matter who it was.

The Core Four experienced the same fight, the same event, at the same time. They fought tooth and nail to protect their school, themselves, and their friends. The battle impacted each of them deeply. Justin had little doubt that this reunion wasn't going to be as bright and happy as he previously thought- hoped- it to be. They all had things that they were dealing with, whether they were four individuals or two pairs. All they could do was rely on each other for support to help them deal with their demons, all the while trying not to fall apart themselves. It was a lot of pressure to put on people as young as they were, but they knew what they were getting themselves into when they enrolled into Triple S. They knew the kind of dangers they'd be facing.

''We're not,'' Justin finally said.
Blaze looked at him, tired confusion sprawled on her face.
''I miss them just as much as you do,'' Justin continued. ''I miss them every single day.''
He paused.
''The battle divided us. We can say that it didn't, but we know that's not true. It didn't divide us during the event itself, because we needed to be a team more than ever. But it divided us afterwards. It affected us all so badly that we needed time away from one another to think and breathe. The battle changed everything and everyone. Everyone has their own demons to fight against now.''

''Harmon and Deena reunited about two months ago. Before that, he was in the Cornory Forest with some others, helping to keep hybrids from roaming the streets and causing havoc. Deena stayed in Shivermore, helping the teachers patch up and rebuild the school.''
Blaze's eyes widened in surprise.
''I didn't realize how much the battle affected either of them until Harmon told me. Harmon told me that he bottled up his feelings and didn't let himself think about anything other than keeping the streets safe. And that was a scary visual because Harmon never bottles up his feelings like that. Deena worked day and night, foregoing sleep, not caring about her injuries screaming at her to stop or at least slow down.''

''We're not experiencing different emotions, Blaze. We're all experiencing the same thing. We just have our own ways of coping with it.''
Blaze remained silent.
''I'm sorry I kept all this information from you. I just wasn't sure how you would handle it if I told you from the get-go. You already had so much on your mind. I was afraid you'd change your mind about wanting to reunite if you knew the truth.''
Blaze had remained silent during Justin's spiel. Her expression remained absolutely neutral which sent a shiver down Justin's spine every time he looked at her while he was speaking. Now all he had to do was wait.
************
It was nine o'clock when Justin and Blaze slipped out of their hotel to search for some breakfast. They had spent the earlier part of the morning talking, though that mostly consisted of Blaze listening to Justin reveal that he had been in contact with Harmon for quite some time. At the time, Blaze stayed quiet, unsure of what to make of all the information she'd been told. It wasn't that it hadn't processed in her mind. She just wasn't sure what to think, but that wasn't anything new or surprising to her. She did know that she wasn't mad at Justin for keeping this information from her. She understood his intentions and she probably would have done the same thing had the positions been reversed.

They found a small restaurant a block and a half away from the hotel. Justin opened the door and motioned for Blaze to step inside before following her in. Justin knew that Blaze wasn't mad at him for withholding information from him. If she was mad, he would've known it. Still, he couldn't help the nervousness that crept up on him when he started revealing what he knew. They conversed back in their room like they didn't just have an odd heart to heart, but Justin knew Blaze's mind was reeling. He was cautious around her as they were led to their seats, located in the back corner of the front of the restaurant. There were already two menus sitting on the table waiting to be opened and looked through. They slid into the booth on either side of the table.

Justin thought about trying to read Blaze's mind to see what she was thinking, but the redhead wasn't naïve. She knew when he was prying through her mind. He learned that the hard way. He wasn't going to do that again to her. She deserved better than that. If she wanted to say something, she would. She didn't need Justin peeking into her mind trying to obtain the information from her. Even as distracted as the young adult was, she wasn't oblivious. (She was good at multitasking, as Justin would put it.) She knew that Justin was waiting for her to say something. She knew that it was killing him not knowing what was on her mind. The only reason he wasn't completely coming apart at the seams was because he knew that she wasn't mad at him.

Once their waiter came to take their orders and their menus away, Blaze laced her fingers together and set them on the table in front of her. Her expression remained even, but her emerald green eyes blazed with emotions that Justin couldn't quite make out.
''I wouldn't have changed my mind.'' The statement was incredibly casual.
Justin knit his brows together.
''If you had told me everything much earlier, I still would've agreed to this reunion plan,'' Blaze answered.
Her tone was as even as the look on her face and gave away no signs of bitterness, but Justin couldn't stop the guilt from taking over. He wondered if she had more to say or if that was simply it.

''I trust you with my life, that much is clear. And you were right when you said we all had to go through the battle and it affected all of us. I'm not mad at you because I understand why you kept the information from me. I would have done the same thing, to be quite honest with you. I would have pushed aside every other thought in my mind if you had told me earlier about Deena and Harmon. They would have become my top priority, just as they are now. I know that we don't have any real deadline when it comes to reuniting, and I know that you planned this so we can take things slow and breathe. Knowing that they're both okay takes a huge burden off my shoulders. Even more so knowing that they're together. I'm sorry I kept you in the dark for a while.''
Blaze spoke with unexpected formality and understanding and her face lit up slightly.

Justin rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly.
''It's okay. I know you need some time to process things and think them through.''
He breathed an audible sigh of relief.
''So, where exactly are we meeting Deena and Harmon?'' Blaze wondered, her tone curious.
Justin's answer was delayed by the arrival of their food. They said their thank you's and dug in, the question not forgotten. Justin looked over at Blaze's plate of pancakes and bacon while he had French toast.
''Shivermore,'' he said through a piece of French toast.
At the mention of the rendezvous point, Blaze tensed up. To anyone else, it would've gone unnoticed. But to Justin, it was obvious.

As quickly as she had tensed up, she deflated, wordlessly munching on a piece of bacon. Justin realized that he had neglected to mention Shivermore being the meeting point during his little spiel a few hours ago.
''So, does that mean that Deena and Harmon are already there?'' Blaze asked.
Justin didn't miss the subtle icy tone in her voice. He knew she was trying to sound indifferent. Before he could give her an answer, he felt his phone vibrate inside his jacket pocket. Tearing his gaze away from Blaze, he looked down and pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. He unlocked his phone to see that Harmon had sent him a text message that nearly made him choke on a piece of his breakfast.
''Captured by the Mokirie Clan just outside of the border between Locale and Shivermore. Come ASAP. - Harmon''

His brows furrowed over his ocean blue eyes and he sighed audibly.
''What's wrong, Justin?'' Blaze's tone was oozing concern that had been previously absent.
Justin looked up in surprise, having forgotten for a moment that he was with Blaze. He bit his lip. Every fiber of his being was telling him not to tell her. He shook his head quickly. Silently, he handed his phone over to his fiery friend and watched her carefully. She took it from his grasp and turned it over. It was a short sentence, but she was taking her time to read it. Justin lifted his gaze to Blaze's face and leaned back when she looked up and gave him back his phone. There was a pained expression on her face and it appeared as though she was trying to hide the fact that she was bothered by the text message. Justin knew her better than that, though.

She grew silent and the pained expression didn't leave her face as she slid out of the booth slowly. Her green eyes darkened significantly and Justin could feel the heat radiating off of her. He sighed once she disappeared from his sight. He pulled some money out of his pocket and slid out of his booth, making sure to grab his backpack and hers before following her out of the restaurant. Panic rose up in his chest as soon as he was outside. He didn't see Blaze automatically and heaven only knows what kind of trouble she could get up to in her current state. Hopefully the people here were familiar with Saviors and knew enough about Blaze to leave her alone if they came across her. If they didn't know, the abnormal body heat and her near-blazing hands would've told them. He sighed again, worried just how far he'll have to go to find his furious friend.

He heard muttering coming from the right. He turned his head and saw a group of three guys shivering in fear, the ground below them engulfed in small flames. He hastily shoved Blaze's smaller bag into his own and followed the trail, trying to calm his nerves. He expected this kind of reaction from Blaze. Even though he was used to it after years of being constantly present whenever she got like this, that didn't make witnessing it any less scary.
'Get a grip, Forester,' Justin berated himself.
He followed the trail to the edge of a forest before it stopped. He looked around for any signs that the trail picked up elsewhere, but he couldn't see anything. The inside of the forest was dark, so if Blaze had gone inside, he would've seen the flames amidst the darkness.

He pulled his bow and arrow set out of another pouch of his backpack and transformed them into a staff. He grabbed onto the staff with both hands and held his weapon out before him. He took two small steps into the forest when he heard a sniffling sound and a twig cracking above him. He stopped short and looked up slowly and saw Blaze sitting on the lowest tree branch of the tree beside him and he briefly wondered how he didn't see her before.
'Perhaps she didn't want to be seen until just now,' Justin thought.
He sighed and lowered his weapon, folding it until it became smaller and putting it away in his backpack.

He noted the sadness and defeat in Blaze's eyes that seemed to have quickly replaced her previous fury. Her hands were no longer on fire and she didn't seem to be emanating the excess body heat from before. The sadness in her eyes broke his heart. He had to approach this delicately. Blaze was in a fairly unpredictable state and Justin didn't want to do anything to provoke that.
''Blaze? Do you want to talk about it?'' His voice was slow and cautious.
He forced himself to keep his gaze steady. He waited down on the ground below, looking up at his friend. Her gaze flickered away from his for a few brief moments, as if she were contemplating her answer. Justin could feel his bad leg aching and looked behind him. He took a seat on a large rock that was big enough for two.

Finally, after five minutes of silent contemplation, Blaze jumped down from the tree branch and slowly walked over to the rock and took the empty spot beside Justin.
''You okay?'' It was a question asked out of pure habit and it escaped Justin's mouth before he could stop it.
Blaze sighed and shook her head.
''No, I'm not,'' she said.
Her gaze was locked onto the ground.
''We're making this big long trek to reunite with our teammates and now that may be cut short because my family decided to capture them.''
Her tone didn't give away any anger or show any signs of sadness. She mostly sounded like she was tired.

''I should've known that defeating my uncle wasn't going to be the end of it,'' Blaze continued quietly. ''I'm supposed to take over his role as leader. I suppose as long as I'm around, the Mokirie Clan will continue to thrive.''
She paused to take a breath.
''And I know this is a trap. That they captured our partners so I'd rush towards the border of Locale and Shivermore hastily. They thought I'd act impulsively, like I normally would in a situation like this.''
''So then, what's changed? Why the sudden lack of impulsivity?'' Justin wondered.
''I don't know,'' Blaze answered. ''Maybe it's because I'm smarter.''
A small tight smile formed on her lips.
''Or maybe it's because I'm just tired.''

Blaze let her head fall onto Justin's left shoulder. It was the first time since they reunited that they had any real physical contact. (Neither one had really been in the proper state to physically support one another.) Justin could hear the exhaustion in his friend's voice. They'd had an insanely long journey, filled with hardships and obstacles, and this slow leisurely pace wasn't really helping. Along with everything else they'd experienced over the past several months, the lack of sleep was catching up on both of them. Blaze was showing the signs of that first, though, and Justin figured it was probably because she had many more years of sleepless nights under her belt.
''Do you think they're in any real danger?''

Blaze lifted her head at the unexpected question. Their friends had been captured by the most notorious group of criminals in the world. Of course they were in real danger. But perhaps that wasn't what Justin meant. Blaze couldn't tell at this point.
''Well, they know I'm out here somewhere,'' she replied slowly. ''They're probably expecting me to act on pure impulse, as I normally do in situations like this.''
''How are they still standing if your uncle was defeated?'' Justin wondered.
Blaze laid her head back down on Justin's shoulder and shrugged awkwardly.
''How much more could they do now that he's gone? Wasn't he the only one that had fire powers?'' Justin asked.
Blaze nodded into Justin's shoulder, answering the second question only.

A million questions reeled through the blond boy's mind but he bit his tongue. Blaze was exhausted in more ways than one and he knew that she wouldn't have the answers to all of his questions. She knew the Mokirie Clan better than anyone, but that didn't mean she knew every single thing about them. She had a limited knowledge about their missions. (Justin was sure she didn't even want to know anymore about them than she already did.) He looked at his phone and inwardly groaned. That whole ordeal only lasted for forty minutes. He forgot that it was still fairly early in the morning.
'God, help us both,' he muttered to himself.

The air between them fell silent and Justin sighed. It was peaceful and quiet, save for the occasional gust of wind that blew through the forest. How the blond wished that things were always this nice. Everything has been so overwhelming for the two of them for the past several months and this seemed to be the only moment of peace they had, so he decided to cherish it, knowing it wouldn't last long. He pitied the girl resting on his shoulder. Just when it seemed like the evil in her life had finally been put to rest, it turned up again, baring its ugly head. Justin hadn't forgotten about the other members of the Mokirie Clan. He just didn't know that they hadn't disbanded once their beloved leader was dead. Perhaps this capture was a plot for revenge. Justin suddenly wondered if every member of the Mokirie Clan was related to Blaze. He turned to ask her, but before he could say anything, he heard her even, steady breaths and concluded that she had fallen asleep.

He smiled, not wanting to disturb the sleeping young adult. Carefully, he lifted her and he slid off the rock before taking her into his arms and carrying her bridal-style. He noted how light she was to him and briefly wondered if he'd grown stronger or if she'd grown lighter. He immediately shook that thought away before it could manifest itself into something feasible. It was ten fifteen by the time Justin made it back to the hotel and up to their room. He laid Blaze on the felt red living room couch carefully, removing her shoes and placing them by the door. Though Harmon had advised them to come rescue them ASAP, Justin couldn't help but wonder if the text was a trap. Surely, if the Mokirie Clan goons were smart and really had captured Deena and Harmon, then they would've taken the young adults' devices away to prevent any sort of contact between them.

The plan to reunite the Core Four still stood. That wasn't going to change. Justin had expected circumstances to change, though. They were full-fledged Saviors now. Nothing would come easy for them, especially not reuniting. There was more evil out in the world than just Melvin Mokirie, as evident by the other members of the Clan, and so long as there was more evil, the Saviors would always be kept busy. Justin looked over to the sleeping girl on the couch. He sighed. In the midst of fighting and protecting the world, it was easy to forget about taking care of oneself. Perhaps that was something every Savior was guilty of, and not just Blaze. Justin wasn't sure if Blaze was going to get much sleep, but he hoped she'd get more than she'd been getting lately.

Whether or not Harmon's text was a trap, they still had to be prepared. And Justin knew that it was going to take more than just the two of them to defeat whatever the Mokirie Clan had in store for them. He sat on the coffee table in front of the couch with his back turned to the redhead. His palms were pressed together tightly and they rested against his lips, with his thumbs resting under his chin. A part of him felt guilty for trying to concoct yet another plan without Blaze's knowledge, but he didn't want to wake her up from her slumber. He tried to remember if anything she said back a few minutes ago would help him.
'Come on, Justin, think. She must've said something helpful.'

He remembered her saying something about becoming the next leader of the Mokirie Clan. She had said something about that back at Triple S, too. Blaze was the only other person in the family who had fire powers, and Melvin knew that, which was why he took her under his wing. He was breeding her- no, training her- to become the next leader of the Clan when her uncle stepped down. She was supposed to ''finish what he started'', as she had put it. The memory made him shudder. Perhaps she could pretend to take the leadership role. Justin snorted.
'That idea would never work. She'd hate that. That'd be asking her to become the one thing she tried so hard to avoid.'
He sighed. He looked back at her again.
'I'll let her sleep some more. I'll wait until she wakes up before discussing it with her. Maybe she'll go with it.'

''That is without a doubt the most insane idea I think you've ever had.''
As soon as Blaze had woken up from her rest- which was admittedly quite peaceful- she knew something was wrong. Justin tried to hide it, but Blaze knew enough about masks and facades to know when they were put up.
''I know, I know. It came to me while you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up,'' Justin rushed. ''It's a terrible idea, I know, but it was the first thing that came to my mind.''
Blaze was hesitant the entire time she listened to Justin speak.
''I know becoming the Clan leader is exactly the kind of thing you've been trying to avoid, but-'' Justin trailed off, unsure of where he was going with this statement.
Blaze sighed, her bright green eyes shining with emotion.

''Well, we don't know that the text isn't a trap, but we also don't know if it is a trap,'' she started. ''Either way, no matter how we approach this, we have to be careful.''
Justin nodded in agreement.
''I don't have any doubt that my family is watching me,'' the redhead continued. ''They are expecting us to come to our partners' rescue and they know that we'll get there eventually, no matter how long we choose to stall.''
She paused, her gaze was distant and faraway.
''No matter what way we do this, we can't do it alone. We need backup.''
Her tone was uncertain and slow with each passing sentence, as if she was trying to convince herself more than her younger teammate.

''Who did you have in mind?'' Justin wondered.
That question seemed to snap Blaze back to the present. She looked up at him, a familiar spark of mischief in her eyes and a smirk on her face. This was the Blaze that many of their opponents feared. The confident certain Blaze that had a twinkle in her eye and an idea in her head. Justin wasn't afraid of it. He adored it. In fact, he missed this part of Blaze so much.
''I think you know who I'm thinking of,'' the redhead said devilishly.
Justin grinned happily. Hopefully this new attitude didn't fizzle too quickly. He pulled out his phone and opened a new text box.
''Ready when you are,'' he said.
************
As soon as Justin opened the door to their hotel room, he was engulfed in a massive three-person hug and lifted off the ground. When he was set back down, he gathered his breath and stepped back to allow three women to enter the room before shutting the door behind them. At the sight of Blaze, the women who'd been hugging Justin wrapped their arms around the redhead, who more than happily returned the hug. Justin smiled affectionately and a warm flow of relief washed over him. He turned his head and came face to face with striking silver eyes and a coy smile.
''Okay, girls, that's enough. You don't want to hug the life out of our friend,'' the girl said to her team.

Blaze's smile didn't leave her face as she was let down. Her emerald green eyes shone brightly as her excited gaze met the calm one of the girl who had spoken.
''Evelyn! You made it!'' She cried.
Evelyn's smile grew in size, but her tone remained even.
''Of course. I told you we would, didn't I?'' She teased.
Blaze wasted no time crossing the room and wrapping her arms around her old friend.
''I've missed you so much,'' the redhead breathed.
Evelyn wrapped her own arms around Blaze, finally relaxing.
''I've missed you too, Blaze,'' she whispered.

''So, Justin said that you've got a plan?'' A new voice asked once the girls pulled away.
Justin turned to face Evelyn's teammate, Heather Burns, and nodded.
''The text that I sent you was sent to me by Harmon and we're not sure whether it's legit or not,'' he explained.
''Ah, yes, the Mokirie text,'' Evelyn said.
Blaze nodded this time.
''We're not sure if it's a trap or not. Either way, we want to be prepared,'' she put in.
''And you asked us to be the reinforcements,'' Amelia Jansen finished.
Blaze and Justin nodded together.
''You girls mentioned that you've been laying low for a while, so I figured you'd wanna get back in on the action,'' Justin added.
That familiar glint was back in Evelyn's eyes.

Blaze looked on while Justin pulled the three girls into a huddle and explained to them the plan they had in mind. The Blessed Best was one of the many teams that had been put together at Triple S. They had become close friends with the Core Four, even managing to snag the room across the hallway from them. Blaze was always going to be grateful to Evelyn for allowing the redhead (and Justin in the later months) to live in her house while she and her team were away. A twinge of sadness stabbed at her heart at the sight of Evelyn. Evelyn's younger brother, Ethan, who was the fourth member of the Blessed Best- and the one that had come up with their name- died protecting Blaze, Justin, and Evelyn from a deadly poisonous bullet. It was a very emotional time for everyone, especially Evelyn, since Ethan meant the entire world to her.

It had taken Evelyn an understandably lengthy period of time to move on and get over Ethan's death. The loss of a team member was always difficult, but when that team member was a sibling, it was like a shot to the heart. Blaze forced down the twinge of jealousy that rose in her stomach. Now was definitely not the time to think of her own nonexistent relationship with her brothers. This wasn't just about her anymore. (It never really has been.) It often surprised the redhead just how much the three other women had grown. Evelyn's hair was still pink, but rather than ending at her shoulders, it ended about halfway down her back, much like Blaze's hair. Her silvery gray eyes still shone with the brilliance of a Savior. Mia's hair was auburn now, having dyed it a few months ago. While it certainly was a change from her natural strawberry blonde hair, it wasn't unpleasant. Her hazel eyes still stood out and the freckles on her face were only framed by her hair. Heather's hair was still very light brown, though it appeared darker in the light of the room. Her eyes were still a strange crimson color, though they had grown on Blaze significantly. Though she could imagine every new face the Blessed Best came into contact with being off put by Heather's red orbs.

''Blaze?''
Justin's voice brought her out of her thoughts. His voice was cautious, as if he was wary that he might be pulling her away from dangerous thoughts. She shook her head.
''No danger here,'' she said quietly.
Justin sighed with relief and grinned.
''Meeting done?'' Blaze wondered.
Justin nodded.
''We're gonna go the border of Locale and Shivermore,'' Heather stated excitedly.
Blaze rolled her eyes playfully. The girl had always been the most excitable member of Double B.
''Well, then, let's get this show on the road, ladies,'' Justin said.

The preparation for the trip to the Locale-Shivermore border was swift. The Double B team already had everything they needed and waited down in the lobby for Justin and Blaze to finish. Once they were done packing, Blaze stood upright and took a sharp inhale of breath while looking around the room.
''You know, I'm actually gonna miss this place, Justin,'' she said.
Justin laughed.
''Well, looks like we'll have to stop by sometime when everything's blown over.''
Blaze's smile was genuine and soft.
''I think I might enjoy that.''
Justin took a deep breath and picked up his suitcase in his right hand.
''You ready to go, Blaze?'' He asked.
Blaze picked up her own suitcase and held onto Justin's free hand with her own.
''As ready as I'll ever be,'' she replied softly.
They flashed each other small comforting smiles before heading out the door and down to the lobby, hand in hand. This was perhaps the most dangerous part of their reunion mission. Lives were at stake here and they both silently agreed that they weren't going to lose anybody on this trip.
************
The group hadn't even gotten through the first day of their three-day trek to Locale when everything started. Blaze and Evelyn had taken the leadership roles and placed themselves at the front of the group. They walked in relative silence, making occasional small talk every now and then. Their combined teammates trailed a foot behind them and they were making so much noise that a flock of falcon-hawks wouldn't even bother them. Blaze hadn't realized until an hour ago that it was risky traveling in a group as large as this one, especially if all of their personalities clashed. They all agreed that traveling through the forest would be the best decision and now Blaze wanted to leave their bickering teammates behind.

The redhead gritted her teeth together and shut her eyes briefly. She could feel a headache forming behind her eyes and her grip on the straps of her backpack tightened. She let out a huff through her nostrils. Evelyn nudged her left shoulder and Blaze forced herself to look at the pink-haired girl. Evelyn's gaze was understanding and patient. Blaze always admired Evelyn for her patience. The redhead let out another forced huff.
''Can we just leave them all here and rescue my teammates ourselves?'' She hissed through her teeth.
Evelyn's eyes shone with that same familiar glint, but she shook her head.
''Unfortunately, we cannot.'' Her tone was even.
''How did you handle your team when they got like this?'' Blaze wondered.
''Practice,'' was Evelyn's answer. ''Lots of practice.''

Blaze sighed. She supposed she couldn't complain about their teammates. They were all excited to be all together again after spending so much time apart. The redhead felt the same way once the initial shock of Justin showing up at Evelyn's front door wore off. She wasn't sure if the Blessed Best had been together since the battle or if they separated then reunited, but it didn't matter right now. They were together and that was what mattered. She chanced a look back at the group behind them. Their voices were muddled together and they spoke with the excitement and enthusiasm of young kids. It was reminiscent of their first year altogether at Triple S when they were all young Saviors-in-training. She sighed. They were all so young and innocent and clueless to how bad the world was. She sometimes wished things were still like that.

That twinge of sadness returned to Blaze's gut when her gaze landed on Justin in the middle of the gaggle. Seeing Justin amongst the girls reminded Blaze of Ethan, who was the only boy on his team. Ethan, who had felt like he wasn't a part of his team. Ethan, who sacrificed himself to save his sister because they needed her more than they needed him. (Blaze had choked up at that statement and she wanted to throw herself off the building.) Ethan, who was so kind and selfless and deserved nothing but the very best but felt like he was undeserving of it all. It was incredibly tragic and she couldn't help but wonder how things would've turned out had he not taken the bullet for his sister. (Excluding the fact that Evelyn would've died, of course.) She sighed. Maybe he would be here with them, too, chatting away happily with the girls and keeping Justin company.

She returned her gaze to the ground in front of her, surprised that she hadn't hit anything. (Evelyn probably would've stopped her if she was about to hit anything.) Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her friend looking at her curiously.
''What's on your mind?'' The silver-eyed girl wondered.
Blaze sighed sadly.
''Ethan,'' she admitted quietly.
Her voice was nearly drowned out by the rowdy young adults behind them, but Evelyn heard it quite clear. Her eyebrows arched upwards and her eyes gleamed differently than they had before. She sighed and allowed her shoulders to slump.

''You still miss him, don't you?'' Evelyn asked, already knowing the answer.
Blaze nodded, avoiding eye contact. The topic of siblings was a touchy one for both girls and Blaze treaded cautiously and uncertainly, not wanting to ruffle any feathers.
''The relationship you had with Ethan is the kind of relationship I wish I had with my own brothers,'' the redhead whispered.
She hadn't meant to say that and furrowed her brows together, wondering where that had come from. Evelyn didn't reply, but placed her right hand on Blaze's left shoulder. She stopped them both and turned to face the group.
''Okay, team, we'll stop here for the night. Get to work on setting up camp and making a fire.''

The leaders stayed where they were as the rest of the group obediently followed Evelyn's orders. It always amazed the fiery orange-haired woman how seriously Evelyn took her role as leader without being a stick-in-the-mud about it. (Perhaps that was a skill she acquired from Ethan.) Evelyn used this distraction as a way to talk to Blaze without being interrupted.
''While he was my actual brother, he was sort of the team's little brother.''
Blaze looked down.
''We were all super protective of him,'' Evelyn continued. ''He never voiced it out loud until his death, but I always sensed that he felt like he never truly belonged.''

''I can see why you're so protective over Justin,'' the pink-haired Savior added.
She chanced a look at the group behind them. Justin was helping Heather set up the tents.
''You see him as the younger brother you never had.''
Tears escaped from Blaze's green eyes as she continued to look down.
''You've always done your best to help people, Blaze,'' Evelyn continue. ''You've protected your team as well as mine when I was unable to. You've helped my brother out of very tough situations, and I'll always be thankful for that. He would've been dead a lot sooner if you hadn't helped him.''
Blaze let out a choked sob and looked up.
''My team wasn't the only one who saw him as a little brother,'' Evelyn put in. ''Yours did too.''

Evelyn placed her hand back onto Blaze's shoulder and the redhead sniffled. Evelyn used the thumb of her free hand to wipe away some of Blaze's tears. She sighed.
''We're going to get your team back together, Blaze,'' she assured softly. ''And that's a promise.''
Blaze sniffled again. Evelyn's gaze was steady and cool, but absolutely brimming with affection. She lifted her hands away from Blaze's face to pull her in for a hug. No more tears fell from the redhead's eyes but she dug her face into Evelyn's shoulder, relishing in the contact and warmth and familiarity that she missed for so long. Once Ethan crossed her mind again, however, the tears fell more forcefully and she let out audible muffled sobs. Evelyn used her right hand to tousle Blaze's hair gently, standing there patiently.

By the time Blaze had finished crying and pulled away from Evelyn, the camp was completely set up and Mia had a fire going. (Though if she had waited for Blaze, the redhead could've lit the fire. Secretly, Blaze was appreciative that she didn't wait because she didn't have the energy to do much of anything right now.) Because of how many of them there were, they agreed that two of them would watch and switch shifts every hour or so. Blaze volunteered to take the first shift and Justin immediately followed suit. He heard his teammate crying and wanted to make sure that everything was okay. She had stuck by Evelyn for most of the night so now the two of them would get some quality Core Four team time.

Justin found Blaze sitting on a large rock just outside the camp's base. She was far enough away that she couldn't feel the warmth of the campfire, but she was close enough that she'd still be able to signal a warning if need be. The redhead was looking up at the night sky, her fiery orange hair blowing gently in the cool autumn breeze. The girl had been silent for most of the trip to the campsite and more so after he overheard her crying. He took a seat on a large empty stump located right next to the rock Blaze sat on.
''You heard me earlier, huh?'' Her voice was hoarse and she didn't look away from the starry sky.
Justin turned his head and sighed.
''Yeah, I did,'' he answered softly.
He heard Blaze sigh next to him and saw her gaze lower slightly.

No one said anything else after that. They didn't need to. Justin knew what Blaze had been crying about earlier. (He almost choked up himself.) Ethan was a very lovable fellow and he meant so much to everyone around him. So, understandably, his death had been hard on all of them. Miraculously, Evelyn didn't hold a single grudge against any of them for Ethan's death. He supposed Evelyn couldn't really hold the villain who killed him accountable, since they actually aimed for her as opposed to Ethan. The only one who was really at fault for Ethan's death was himself, and that was a very difficult thing to accept.
''He meant something to all of us,'' Justin added quietly.
''Do you think he'd want us to do this?'' Blaze asked vaguely.
The redhead could've meant anything by 'this', and she made no effort to clarify herself. Justin sighed again.
''Yeah, he definitely would.''

They sat in relative silence for a while after that. Blaze took this time to turn her head to really look at her comrade. Though she'd spent every day for the past several months with him, she realized that she never really actually looked at him. He certainly had come a long way since their Triple S days, that was a fact. His dirty blond hair was darker now and far shaggier than it already was. His ocean blue eyes only became more intense, if that were even possible. He gained a fair bit of muscle and that was the first thing Blaze had noticed about her friend when he first showed up at Evelyn's front door. Neither of them were teenagers anymore; they were young adults. And Justin seemed to showcase that the most. Blaze even noticed the faintest bit of facial hair lining the bottom half of Justin's face around his mouth and under his nose. He truly had grown, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. He handled things with maturity and took initiative whenever possible. He had definitely grown into a fine young man, far from the immature teenager that had annoyed her when the Core Four first got together.

Justin had really grown into his new prosthetic, if 'grown' was really the right word to use. Early on during its use, the blond used a very basic prosthetic that was called a tester. It was essentially just a prototype to the actual prosthetic leg that was similar in design, but far more efficient and comfortable (as the boy had claimed). This new leg- which Blaze supposed wasn't new anymore- was more...technological, for lack of better phrasing. It was metallic and specially designed so it wouldn't rust when it came into contact with water or snow. It was also shock-proof, which was useful for the electric shocks that often surged through Justin's body whenever he used his electrically-charged bow and arrow. Though he still had days where his bad leg hurt, for the most part, it seemed to be perfectly fine. Blaze's own bad leg- while not detached from her body, but still badly scarred- was the same. It had its good days and bad days, and thankfully the good days outweighed the bad ones.

''We've come a long way since our Triple S days.'' Justin's voice broke through the silence.
Blaze nodded in agreement.
''We sure have,'' she added. ''We all have.''
They've all made many sacrifices to get to where they are now and while there are some things Blaze wished she could go back and change, she supposed that each sacrifice was worth it in the end.
''You've really grown,'' Justin said softly.
Blaze scoffed.
''You wanna talk about growing? You've got facial hair now. You didn't have any of that back at school.''
Justin laughed and his eyes twinkled under the starlight.
''Besides, you've grown far more obviously physically than I have,'' the redhead added.

Justin rolled his eyes.
''Just because you didn't grow physically doesn't mean you didn't grow elsewhere,'' he said. ''You've grown mentally and emotionally over these past several months. I've watched you. And while you still have off days, they've lessened since we've graduated, which is surprising, I'll admit.''
Blaze looked into Justin's sparkling blue eyes.
''We needed our own space for that time after the battle, Blaze. To compose ourselves and get back into our previous mindsets. But now that we're together again, we need to stay this way. We need each other more than ever, especially right now, since we're maybe walking into a trap.''

''And I know it may not seem like it, but the girls need us as well, just as much as they need each other. We all came together over Ethan's death and we can't let ourselves be separated. We brought them here for backup. I guess we all have our own reasons for doing what we're doing, but I think Ethan is one of the reasons that we're all doing this together. If he were here, he would undoubtedly want to join us in reuniting the Core Four. He would absolutely not leave his sister's side, and truthfully, I don't think Evelyn would ever let him.''
Blaze chuckled slightly at that.
''I have faith that...'' Justin trailed off for a brief second. ''I have faith that wherever our partners are, they're okay. Even if they're in danger, at least we know that they have each other. That takes a bit of stress off.''

Blaze sighed deeply. There were so many feelings she had bundled up- out of sheer habit- and she had no idea how to properly express any of them when they overwhelmed her.
''Justin, I want to thank you. For finding me. For convincing me that things aren't over, that I'm not over. For forcing me off my lazy ass when all I wanted to do was read my troubles away. For...organizing this reunion trip. For sticking with me through thick and thin even after so many years. I honestly never expected any friendships of mine to last for so long. So, just, thank you, Justin Lee Forester. For...being my friend. For being so much more than my friend. For...everything.''
Blaze's expression was neutral, but her tone was laced with emotion. Affection, a touch of sadness, gratefulness, and absolute adoration for her comrade.
************
The redhead was brimming with undeniable anxiety when they finally reached the town of Locale. Evelyn, on the other hand, was excited to be back in her former hometown. (The pink-haired woman had moved from Locale to Terre-de-Dames shortly after graduation for a ''change of scenery''.). Deena and Harmon had been captured just outside of the border between Locale and Shivermore, and since Locale wasn't a very big town, it wasn't going to take the group that long to reach the other end. Up until that point, the fiery orange-haired Savior had been fairly confident in what she would do when they reached their objective. Now, however, when they were so close, she wasn't so sure. How would she react? Would she be sad? Upset? Angry? Absolutely elated?

How would her former leader react? How would her former partner react? Would they be furious with her for running off after a huge battle? Would they feel like she betrayed them? Even though Justin said they would be relieved to see them both again, Blaze couldn't help the feeling of pure fear and anxiety gnawing at the back of her mind. She had toyed with the idea that the Core Four would fall right back into old habits, talking and laughing as if none of them had been separated for a little over half a year. Sure, they were all incredibly close friends (and Blaze figured that was still true since the boys had spoken to each other recently), but they've been apart for so long. They all would have changed and grown up, perhaps in more ways than one. Even just referring to her friends by the term 'former' caused her to shudder violently.

''Alright, ladies! We have reached the Promised Land!'' Evelyn didn't hide the excitement in her voice.
The rest of the gang- minus Blaze- laughed and cheered happily. Blaze felt Justin nudge her shoulder playfully.
''Come on, B, show a bit more enthusiasm. We're almost done reuniting the Core Four!''
Blaze wanted to be excited about that. Really, she did. But they would be walking right into a trap. A trap that they all knew was coming. The Mokirie Clan knew that she would be coming, though she wasn't sure if they knew she had company, though she theorized that they did. (They had been watching her, after all.) She flashed her teammate a weak smile and immediately, Justin could see right through it. He reached for her hands and held them in his own, his blue eyes swimming with concern.

''What's wrong, Blaze?'' He wondered gently. ''I thought you'd be excited that we're so close.''
Blaze gulped uneasily.
''I am,'' she whispered. ''Or, at least, I want to be.'' That was the more honest answer.
She paused.
''But we're walking right into a dangerous trap, I can feel it. These goons may not be my uncle, but they're still a part of the Clan. I'm supposed to be the next leader and I know lots of them aren't too happy about that. They won't stop until I'm as dead as-'' Blaze stopped herself, shutting her mouth tightly.
Guilt flashed through her entire body and she pulled her hands away.
''-until I'm as dead as a doorknob,'' she completed, her voice low and insecure.
Justin knew that Blaze had to stop herself from saying what she was really going to say.
'Until I'm as dead as Ethan,' he finished for her. He was grateful Blaze wasn't able to read minds.

He took his hands and placed them on her shoulders.
''None of us will let that happen, Blaze.'' His voice was suddenly firm.
Blaze looked up into Justin's gaze uneasily.
''If those goons want you, they're gonna have to go through all of us first.''
''Yeah!'' A collective high-pitched cry from behind them caught the teammates off-guard.
Evelyn approached the two Core Four members.
''No one is going to die on my watch,'' the Blessed Best leader growled fiercely.
Her silver eyes shone incredibly bright with a fierce glow that nearly terrified Blaze. Evelyn was normally calm and level-headed, but she took her role as the 'mom friend' very seriously when the occasion called for it.
''We will rescue our partners and make sure you don't become the next leader of that Mafia group,'' Justin added.

Blaze looked at the gaggle of friends before her. A small smile formed on her face. They all really had come a long way since their Triple S days. They were no longer Saviors-in-training. Instead, they were full-fledged Saviors, qualified to take on any hybrid creatures or other bad guys that threatened safety and peace. For a moment, Blaze forgot about all of the people they had lost back at Triple S and focused instead on the people who were here now. Yes, there were only five of them right now, but in a while, it would be seven. (In the very back of her mind, she figured that eight would be far better...). She hadn't defeated her uncle on her own. She had help from the people standing before her, as well as Harmon and Deena. It took her up until now to realize it. She wasn't alone. She never had been alone. She always had someone looking out for her, and Justin was a very clear and obvious example of that.

They had already come so far. All of them. And it would be pointless to turn back now because Blaze was scared. She defeated her uncle, for goodness sake. Her uncle, who was the most evil and twisted man that Blaze had ever met/known. If she could take down Melvin Mokirie, who was known worldwide for being a criminal, then she could take down a few of his jealous goons. Several months ago- maybe even a few years ago- if she was placed in this position, she would've insisted that she take these goons down herself. She would've absolutely forbade any of these comrades from setting foot anywhere near the border of Locale and Shivermore. But that was before she realized how truly powerful teamwork could be, how much better her life was with friends and allies. As corny as it sounded- she internally groaned at herself- it was true. Her smile grew in size.
''You're right- all of you. We've come this far and we can't back down now. There's too much at stake here.''

A newfound sense of energy surged through Blaze- a sense that she hadn't felt in a long time. It burned brightly like the fire deep within her. It coursed through her blood, hot and ready. Her fears and anxieties were replaced by a fire-induced energy that was white-hot. Her emerald green eyes shone in the sunlight and twinkled brighter than ever before. She flashed her comrades a toothy grin that held a mischievous spark to it. Justin grinned back and he knew that she was ready. That they were all ready.
''That's more like the Blaze Mochrie I know!'' He exclaimed enthusiastically.
Blaze fist pumped the air, feeling refreshed and energized. Seems like all of those pep talks finally got to her. (She wasn't complaining, though.)

Altogether, they marched through the small town confidently. Their heads were held high and their gazes remained forward. If it was a battle that those goons wanted, then it was a battle they were going to get. Blaze was not going to let anything stand in her way from being reunited with her other two teammates. She already lost them once and she would rather be dragged through hell twice than lose them again. Her confidence didn't diminish even as they drew closer to the border that separated Locale from Shivermore. (Her confidence couldn't afford to diminish now.) The border was quite literally a line outlined in the dirt and drawn over with thick white paint and there was a sign on either side. One read: ''WELCOME TO SHIVERMORE.'' The other one read: ''WELCOME TO LOCALE.''

There was a small path that started in the small forest area just outside of the towns. The path was mostly hidden by underbrush and was easily overlooked by most citizens of either town. Since the gang was looking for it, they found it quickly. Harmon's text had said that they had been captured just outside of the Locale-Shivermore border and this path was the best bet for the seven-person team (that Justin had so affectionately dubbed the Blessed Four). (Naturally, the combined name didn't stick.) Blaze looked at the start of the path for a few brief moments, hesitating. She could now feel her confidence slowly melting away.
''You okay?'' Mia's curious voice startled her.
''Kinda,'' Blaze replied honestly. ''All we really have to go by is a text. If they really are at the end of this path...''
She trailed off, unable to finish her thought. Mia nodded, understanding.

The unsheathing of a sword made Blaze jump and she turned around to see that Evelyn had drawn her beloved cutlass. She held it tightly in her right hand.
''Remember, you're not fighting this alone. We're all here with you.''
Her smile was fierce and infectious. Blaze felt the effects of it immediately, thankful that there was someone else who was more confident than she was. She smiled and nodded curtly towards the pink-haired woman.
''You're right, Eve. No more lollygagging.'' She used her left hand to punch the wrist of her right hand, the fingers of which were pointed straight up at the sky. ''It's show time.''
Justin patted his teammate on the back, immensely proud of how far she'd come.
''Lead the way,'' he whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Blaze calmed herself and stalked off towards the path. Justin was right beside her. Mia and Heather were behind them, and Evelyn took up the rear, sword still held tightly in her grasp. This was an unfamiliar path for all of them and they had to trust that it would lead them to where they needed to go. Blaze felt the pressure on her shoulders, knowing that she was leading this ragtag group of Saviors into danger. Still, she held her head as high as she could and fed off of the confidence spewing from Evelyn. They walked in dead silence for ten minutes before Justin's phone broke it and startled everyone. They halted in their tracks as the shaggy-haired boy- or man, Blaze supposed- took his phone out of his pocket.
''You're getting closer, young Saviors. Perhaps you should turn back now, if you know what's good for you. - H''
Blaze gulped. That was definitely not Harmon writing that.
''That's strange. Harmon usually writes out his name whenever he sends a text,'' Justin stated.
''That's not Harmon,'' Blaze rasped hoarsely.

Without another word, the redhead resumed walking down the path, her pace faster than before. Harmon and Deena really were in trouble and the goons knew they were here. She forced herself to keep her pace steady and not run. They wanted her to act impulsively and she wasn't about to give them that satisfaction. She was an adult now. She had to think before she acted, as difficult as it was. The rest of the group caught up with her quickly. Evelyn had unsheathed another weapon, a Dane axe, and she held it in her left hand. The grip on the axe was slightly tighter than the grip on her sword. She eyed the axe carefully, as if she was afraid to drop it.
''Soon, Ethan,'' she whispered only to herself. ''I promise.''
Near the end of the path, the group came across a small green shed. It was clearly worn down and stuck out from the rest of the scenery. Despite how old and wrecked it appeared to be, something told Blaze that it was not meant to be there.

The redhead spotted a couple of familiar faces standing outside the door to the shed. Their uniforms were orange and black and she shuddered at the sight of the faded Mokirie Clan emblem- a blue flame with a smaller white one inside of it- that hung on a flag above the door.
''I recognize that emblem,'' Justin whispered.
The group had ducked behind some nearby trees, two at a time. Blaze nodded.
''It's definitely the Mokirie Clan, alright,'' she hissed.
Her eyes darkened. Mia nodded towards the shed.
''How much do you wanna bet that Deena and Harmon are in there?''
''There's definitely no other reason for the shed to be here,'' Heather stated quietly.

A sudden surge of anger rushed through Blaze. She stepped away from the tree and turned to compose herself. Now was not the time to lose her temper. She needed it.
''Justin, it's time,'' she stated.
Justin peeled away from the tree and opened his backpack. He pulled out a uniform that was very similar to the one the two guards by the door were wearing, but this uniform had red outlining the sleeves of the shirt and pants. (''The red outlines symbolize importance and authority,'' her uncle had told her once. ''They are subtle but an incredible symbol of power. Someday you will wear this uniform.'') Blaze sighed quietly. She never imagined that her uncle's words would come true, even if she was just pretending for the sake of her friends.

Justin appeared hesitant.
''Are you sure you want to do this?'' He asked carefully.
Blaze motioned for him to hand her the pants. She slid them on top of her own, not bothering to remove her shoes. She nodded.
''We have to. Me pretending to accept my uncle's proposal is the only way that the guards are going to let us in...pleasantly.''
Justin's lips pursed together at the last word, though he couldn't entirely disagree with his teammate's statement. Blaze was considered an enemy of the Mokirie Clan by every one of Melvin Mokirie's goons. However, if she wore the uniform that her uncle said she would someday wear, then the goons would have no choice but to respect the young green-eyed woman. It wasn't a plan Justin was particularly proud of, but it seemed to be their only one.

Once dressed into the full uniform, Blaze tied her wild mane of hair back into a slick ponytail. She hated having her hair up. It was more of a hassle than when it was down, in her opinion, but Mokirie Clan members had to have a certain...look if they wanted to fit in. At this point, Blaze wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to be recognized or not. She forced herself not to think about it. She turned her gaze over to Mia and nodded. Mia removed herself from her spot next to her partner and made her way over to Blaze's side. Justin pulled out a smaller uniform that didn't have red outlines. Mia took all of one minute to pull the uniform on over her own battle outfit. Thankfully, the long sleeves hid her weapon gauntlets. The younger woman stood by Blaze's side and they both oozed professionalism and importance. It was unanimously decided that Mia would accompany Blaze since she looked the most innocent and harmless. Blaze took a sharp inhale of breath and released it slowly. She looked over to Mia.
''You ready?''
Mia tugged at her jacket to smooth it out and she gave her friend a thumbs-up.
''Wish us luck. And wait for the signal.''

The remaining group members returned to their places behind the trees and they watched Mia and Blaze walk towards the shed, immediately garnering the attention of the guards.
''Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up,'' the taller guard sneered.
He crossed his arms over his chest, effectively covering up the emblem that was etched onto the right breast pocket of the jacket. The left side of his jacket had the name Murray etched onto it in orange cursive letters.
''Good to see you too, Murray,'' Blaze deadpanned.
Showing little emotion was basically a motto for Blaze's family and despite all that she's been through over the past few years, she was thankful that she was still able to fall easily back into her habit of being emotionless. (Though the easiness of that task did startle her a little, if she was being honest with herself.)

''What are ya doing here, kid?'' The other guard- whose name was Evans- hissed.
''Isn't it obvious?'' Blaze stated. ''I'm here to take my place as the new leader of the Mokirie Clan.''
The guards chuckled.
''Your uncle talked about this day arriving,'' Murray said. ''Guess it was just all a matter of when.''
Evans looked over at the girl beside Blaze.
''Who is that?'' He demanded.
Blaze didn't even chance a glance at Mia.
''This is my new assistant,'' the redhead rasped. ''She'll be by my side when I take my place as leader.''
''Where did you find her?'' Murray asked suspiciously.
Blaze kept her gaze even.
''Doesn't matter. I'm allowed to have an assistant. Uncle Mel never said anything against it.''
The guards huffed.
''Fine. Evans, watch the door. I'll take these two inside.''
Mia and Blaze looked at each other quickly before catching their friends out of the corners of their eyes.

The size of the interior was a stark contrast to the exterior. It was far bigger than the outside, and Blaze wasn't sure how that was even possible. They passed by several rooms on their way into the main foyer, where the initiation ceremony would no doubt be held. There was one room on the right side at the very end of the hallway just before the foyer that caught their attention. Murray was momentarily distracted, talking to another goon about Blaze, who chanced a look into the room to the right. She nearly gasped when she saw Harmon and Deena, tied to chairs on either side of the room- that looked more like a prison cell. Harmon looked up and widened his eyes before narrowing them. Blaze knew that he immediately recognized her but kept his lips shut. She remembered that Justin hadn't informed Harmon or Deena about their plan since the goons had their phones and would've instantly caught on to what they were doing.

''Alright, this way,'' Murray said.
He led the undercover girls into the foyer. It was bland, according to Blaze's standards. She wasn't sure what to expect, but it certainly couldn't have been good. Mia was pressed close to her body and she could feel the girl tense up, clearly out of her comfort zone.
''Surely, your uncle has informed you of how the process works,'' Murray stated.
Blaze shook her head. It probably was a lie. Her uncle had probably told her at some point how the procedure of becoming the leader went down, but it was likely a memory that she had suppressed so deeply into the back of her mind that it was never going to be seen again. Either way, it bought them some time.
''Alright, I'll explain it to you.'' Murray looked over at Mia. ''But she can't be here. Family matters only.''
Blaze bristled internally. She was certain that not all of these people were family, but she bit her tongue. Lashing out wouldn't get them anywhere. She nodded at Mia carefully and another goon escorted her out of the foyer and back into the hallway where Harmon and Deena's cell was.
''Stay here,'' the goon commanded before heading back inside, shutting the foyer doors behind him.

Looking around, Mia stood up on her tiptoes and looked into the cell. Harmon and Deena were both looking down now. She moved away from the cell and pressed her right ear.
''Hey, you guys there?'' She whispered.
''Evelyn here. I read you loud and clear. What's going on?''
''I found the cell,'' Mia whispered.
''Wow, already? That's fantastic.''
''It's not like this place is insanely roomy, though it is far bigger than the outside,'' Mia stated. ''I'm standing outside of the cell right now.''
''What about Blaze?''
''She's in some foyer. I was in there too, but then I got kicked out. Apparently the 'initiation process' is for family members only.''

''Do you need any reinforcements?''
Mia shook her head, then realized her leader couldn't see that.
''No, I think we should be okay for now. So long as our cover doesn't get blown.''
Mia was startled by a loud scuffling noise coming from inside the foyer. An alarm blared and several other goons rushed through the door. She used this as her opportunity to slither inside undetected. She spotted Blaze in the middle of the room, fuming (literally), and surrounded by at least twenty Clan members.
''On second thought, maybe we will need reinforcements,'' she said into her ear.
''I knew you would cave,'' Murray hissed. ''You're a traitor to this association, Blaze. You didn't think I wouldn't suspect something as soon as you showed up at the front door?''
Blaze growled. Her fists- well, her whole body- were on fire.
''Release my teammates now,'' she sneered menacingly.
''And what if we don't?'' Murray challenged.
''When do you need us to interfere?'' Evelyn asked.
Blaze jumped towards Murray and started a chain of events. Mia clicked her earpiece.
''Now is good,'' she squeaked.

The rest of the team came crashing in through the thin shed walls, armed and ready for action.
''Murray! There's more of them!'' A goon cried.
Murray rolled his eyes.
''Of course there are!'' He hissed. ''Don't hold anything back.''
Blaze's sole target was Murray, who was her uncle's right hand man. He and Blaze had never taken a particular liking to one another. Especially since Blaze never saw the man as her uncle's business partner, which was what he was labelled as before she knew the truth. Evelyn chose to fight Evans, who had rushed into the building after hearing the alarm. She looked over to Justin.
''Justin! Go find your teammates and get them out of here.''
Justin seemed hesitant at first.
''You sure you girls can handle this?''
Evelyn chanced a look around. The girls were kicking butt.
''Yeah, I'm sure we can handle it.''

Justin saluted sloppily and rushed off through the chaos to locate the prison cell. Mia was right. It literally wasn't that difficult to find.
'Wow, some evil lair,' he thought to himself.
He stood back to search for some way to open the door.
'Of course. They wouldn't make it that easy to access.'
He pulled his bow and arrow out of their place and flipped them until they combined into a spear. He took a deep breath.
'Let's hope this works.'
He smashed the bars as hard as he could and kept the spear there for a few moments, allowing an electric shock to surge through the weapon. He pulled away once the energy was transferred and he stood back, watching the bars combust. Harmon and Deena instantly looked up. Justin kicked the door open with all his might and ran into the cell.
''Justin!'' He was given a collective greeting from his friends.
He immediately went to work on untying his friends from their holds.

Deena and Harmon jolted up to their feet. Harmon opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off by the arrival of a Clan member.
''Hey!''
Justin turned.
''You guys get out of here. I got this.''
''No. What? No. Justin, we've been separated for months. What, do you think we're just going to leave-''
Deena was cut off by a fierce glare from Justin.
''Not my orders. Evelyn's,'' he growled.
''Oh my god, how many of you are here?'' The Brit wondered.
''All but one,'' Justin stated bluntly.
Deena and Harmon fell silent. They didn't need clarification. They knew what their friend meant.
''We're most certainly not leaving. I'm staying here with you,'' Harmon added.
''Fine, then. Deena-''
''You already know I'm not gonna leave Blaze to fend for herself.''

The boys remained in the cell as Deena snuck past the guard and into the foyer. Right away, she could see a head of fiery orange hair that was literally caught ablaze. She couldn't stop the smile that crept onto her face.
''Heads up!''
A voice to her left caused her to turn her head. She just barely had time to duck out of the way. Heather ran past her.
''Oh my god, Deena, you're okay!'' The girl stated happily.
''Good to see you too, Heather,'' the martial artist breathed.
Her gaze suddenly widened. She grabbed one of Heather's signature daggers and stabbed it to her right. They heard a loud moan followed by a quick thud. Heather's gaze moved from Deena to the dead goon on the floor and back to Deena, who only smiled at her innocently.
''Heads up,'' the martial artist teased.
She handed the weapon back to her comrade and went to find her partner.

She pulled out her own weapon and began shooting at the Mokirie Clan members in her way. (And there were so many in her way.) The goons had formed a circular wall around Blaze and though she was handling herself well, there was no way that she would last. Her steam would eventually run out and she was heavily outnumbered. Deena looked up and noticed a thick pipe hanging above the circle. She looked over to Evelyn.
''Evelyn, it's rocket time!''
Evelyn ducked and cupped her hands together. Deena ran towards the Double B leader and set one foot inside the cupped hands. She felt herself being lifted off the ground and tossed into the air. She grabbed the pipe with her right arm and held her gun in her left hand. She began shooting at the circle of goons while being cautious not to hit her fiery partner. Deena swung from the pipe and jumped into the circle. Blaze's gaze momentarily shifted to her partner's.
''Ready to kick some butt again, partner?'' Deena asked.
Blaze wordlessly nodded, her ferocity never dying.

The battle was long and difficult. These were adults against young adults. There were far more than seven Clan members and they were all exceptionally skilled. Still, the Saviors weren't going down without a fight. Soon, only Murray remained amongst the littered bodies of deceased Clan members. He and Blaze were breathing heavily, but neither one showed any signs of backing down.
''I must say, Blaze, your endurance is quite impressive. Perhaps I was wrong about you,'' he taunted.
Blaze's dark green eyes narrowed.
''You know, it's rough. Being shown up by a kid with amazing powers. Your uncle always spoke wonderfully about you. He always said that you were planned for greatness. It's just too bad you won't live to achieve it.''
He picked up one of Mia's nearby ninja stars and flicked it with great speed towards the fiery redhead. At the last second, Justin stepped in and held his hand out, stopping the metal weapon in its tracks and flicking it right back. ''You're wrong, actually,'' the boy seethed. ''Blaze has always be destined for greatness, but she will live to achieve that. In fact, she already has. She defeated her uncle, even though she's always been loyal to him.''

Using his telekinesis, he lifted up the remaining weapons and they hovered around him eerily.
''Justin, don't.'' Blaze's voice was firm and calm but her body was still ablaze. ''This isn't your fight. It's mine.''
Deena scoffed.
''That's where you're wrong,'' she hissed. ''This isn't just your fight. It's ours. We are your teammates.''
She jumped up and kicked one of Mia's hovering ninja stars as hard as she could. It knocked Murray to his feet. Justin flicked his wrists until all of the ninja stars pinned Murray to the floor. Murray tried to unsuccessfully squirm free from his hold. Blaze approached him, her eyes flaming angrily.
''My name is Catherine Mokirie,'' she seethed. ''I am the niece of the late Melvin Mokirie and the next in line to take his place as leader of the Mokirie Clan. I have powers that you could only ever dream of having. And if you ever mess with any of my friends again, I will make sure that you will see the full extent of my abilities.''

Looking down at her late uncle's right hand man, Blaze knew she had a choice. And it was the same choice she had when she came face to face with her uncle. She could either kill Murray while she had him trapped. Or she could set him free with nothing but terror instilled in him. If she really thought about it, either choice was fairly simple to make. She was currently in charge and her next set of words could change everything. The way she felt now- powerful, in control, untouchable- was perhaps the way her uncle felt. She understood now how truly easy it was for him to fall into the trappings of such power. Even if he didn't have his powers, Melvin Mokirie was an intimidating man who knew how to get what he wanted. In this moment, Blaze felt that too. She knew that she would be able to get what she wanted. She was in control of Murray's fate. The question was: what would she do next?

Apparently she hadn't decided quickly enough because Murray had grabbed a gun from God-knows-where and pulled the trigger. Blaze turned her head and saw the bullet land in her raven-haired partner's stomach. Time slowed down as Blaze's gaze widened in alarm and watched her partner fall to the ground.
''Deena!''
Blaze wasn't sure whose voice had called out her partner's name, but she didn't care at that point. She turned back around to face the man who had previously been on the floor. She should've figured that a grown man wouldn't be held down by ninja stars. Murray grinned at her wickedly and he leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
''So, what are you going to do next, kiddo?''

A burning rage surged through Blaze, hotter than anything she'd ever felt before. She turned her head to look back at her fallen best friend. Her eyes darkened significantly until they were almost a blood red. She turned her head slowly to look at Murray, whose sly gaze had dropped immediately. She reached out to grab him by the neck, her grip tightening as she lifted him off the ground.
''You know what I'm going to do?'' Her voice was coarse and unrecognizable.
She paused.
''I'm going to make sure that you regret shooting my best friend. I am going to make you see just how powerful I can be. I may have run away from home, but that doesn't mean I didn't learn a thing or two from my uncle.''
She dropped Murray roughly. She held her arms out at her sides with her palms facing upwards.
''And I'm going to make sure the Mokirie Clan will never kill anyone ever again.''
A bright flashing light emerged from her hands and extended throughout the room. It started off white and blinding before changing to a blue color. Blaze's eyes flashed a deep red and everything started spinning before fading out to a black color.
***********
When Blaze awoke, everything was stormy and dark and miserable. The thunderstorm outside raged on unyieldingly. Every bone in her body ached and she could feel her head pounding, though thankfully not unbearably. She felt absolutely exhausted, but knew she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. She noticed she was laying in a bed, underneath light red blankets. She shuffled upwards until she sat up, lifting the pillows with her. She groaned each time she moved and laid back against the headboard when she finally sat up straight. She was in a room she didn't recognize right away. She shifted her head up and shut her eyes briefly before reopening them and noticing a set of wooden letters hanging on the wall above her. The letters spelled out a word: JUSTIN.

Justin? Like, Justin Forester? Like, her teammate Justin? She looked to her left and saw that there was a tall glass of water and two Advil tablets sitting on a napkin. Behind that was a picture of what looked like a younger Justin and his little sister Annie. Blaze smiled softly. She was definitely in Justin's room. But why? And how did she get here? She was back in the shed. With her friends. Her head pounded harder and she groaned, shaking it off. She looked to the other side of the room and her heart just about stopped. She saw Deena laying in another bed in the room, tucked underneath the covers, fast asleep (or what the redhead hoped was fast asleep). The memory of her partner being shot in the stomach came back to Blaze full force and she almost threw up. She threw off her blankets and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She thought about jolting up and making her way over to the other bed, but the way her own stomach churned and her head pounded, she decided against it. She did, however, push herself off the bed and shuffle through the room, forcing herself not to look at her partner.

There was a bit of chatter coming from the living room when she opened the bedroom door and shut it silently behind her. Every inch of her ached and she resented not being able to lift her feet properly. The Forester house was covered in carpet and Blaze had to make the conscious effort not to trip over the corners of any loose fabric. She made her way to the stairs and smacked the wooden railing a little harder than she intended to. She winced at the sound and hissed lightly. She reached up to touch her forehead with her left hand. She shut her eyes and missed Justin poking his head out of the kitchen and looking up towards the top of the staircase. He considered saying something to alert her, but she took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She didn't move from the top of the stairs, though, but locked gazes with Justin, who grinned at her shyly.

Justin emerged completely from the kitchen, covered by a black and orange apron.
''Good morning,'' he greeted his comrade softly.
Blaze mumbled incomprehensibly and gave the boy a small wave. Blaze gave a subtle shake of her head. Justin wasn't a boy anymore. He was a man. She often had to remind herself of that.
''Do you need help?'' Justin asked gently.
Blaze didn't reply immediately. Justin could see the gears inside her head turning, as if she were contemplating her answer. Under normal circumstances, she would've said no for sure. Even when her leg hadn't completely healed, she still insisted on doing everything herself. But this was a different kind of pain for Blaze and Justin was unsure how she would process what she felt. Finally, she nodded and he sighed with relief to himself and made his way up the stairs to join her.

''Did you sleep well?'' He asked.
Blaze nodded.
''I'm going to carry you bridal-style downstairs. Is that okay?'' Justin asked.
He knew Blaze was hurting but he wasn't sure the extent of her injuries. He wanted to get her down the stairs as quickly as possible without hurting her even more than she already was. Blaze nodded again. Justin placed one of his arms around Blaze's shoulders and used his free arm to slip it underneath her knees and lifted her up easily. The redhead widened her eyes slightly and Justin's eyes twinkled playfully. He had grown stronger over the years and was glad that he was finally able to pick up his teammate without struggling.

He carried her all the way to the kitchen and set her down on the cold marble countertop. She let out a breath and blew some stray hairs out of her face.
''Hungry?'' Justin asked.
Blaze nodded. Justin grinned and set two small pancakes on a plate. Blaze flashed her friend a look of confusion.
''I figured that, while you'd be hungry, you wouldn't be feeling that hungry after what happened. So, I made you some miniature pancakes,'' the blond explained.
Blaze pursed her lips together and slid off the counter. Thankfully the distance from the counter to the table was only three steps and she made them easily. She pulled out the chair and sat down rather ungracefully. It was only then she noticed that there were other people at the table.

Everyone was seated at the table- except for her partner- and they were joined by Justin's little sister.
''Good morning, Blaze.'' There was a collective greeting that threw the redhead off guard for a brief moment.
Justin took the empty chair next to Blaze after filling his own plate with a waffle.
''How are you feeling?'' Her teammate wondered.
Blaze had stuffed a chunk of pancake into her mouth and gave a weak thumbs-up. Justin's soft smile faltered ever so slightly and if Blaze hadn't been looking, she would've missed it. Her heart broke a bit. Everyone at the table looked in relatively good health, though she didn't miss the lengthy scar on Harmon's left cheek that ended at the base of his chin.

''Everything hurts.'' Her throat rasped and she realized at that point that she hadn't spoken since she got up.
Everyone watched her silently, exchanging glances that she didn't miss. The thunderstorm outside had been forgotten.
''That's normal,'' Harmon spoke up.
''Are-'' Blaze trailed off and cleared her throat. ''Are you all okay?''
Her voice was quiet and unsure.
''Blaze, we're all fine,'' Justin's tone was cautious. ''It's you that we're worried about.''
They didn't mention what happened, but they didn't need to. She remembered. She knew. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out, but given that some of the scars she did see on her comrades appeared to be fresh, she guessed she hadn't been out that long.

''Is...'' she trailed off again.
She felt tears forming in her eyes and she looked down at her half-empty plate, suddenly no longer hungry. She dropped her fork.
''Deena is fine.'' It was Annie's voice that made Blaze looked up.
The redhead tried to conceal the desperation in her gaze.
''She is?'' Her voice was a rough whisper.
Annie nodded.
''Shortly after you fainted, the top priority of the group was to get out of there. You were airlifted all the way here since the hospital is arguably the best. The doctors tended to your injuries. Mom brought you here when the all-clear was given and that was yesterday.''

A wave of relief washed over Blaze when she was informed that her best friend was okay. She was hurt, yes, but she was okay. She would survive.
''We were told to tell you not to engage in any strenuous activity until you were fully healed,'' Annie added.
Blaze snorted.
''I had to be bridal carried down here,'' she countered. ''I don't think anyone needs to worry about strenuous activity.''
She paused and bit her lip.
''What happened to everyone else? The Mokirie Clan?''
That was the elephant in the room that could no longer be avoided. Everyone's eye contact broke from the redhead, suddenly finding their own food more interesting.

''I was expecting to come downstairs to a whole bunch of chatter, not silence.''
A new voice broke through the silence. Seven pairs of eyes jolted towards the door of the kitchen and locked on the face of a raven-haired girl leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest, just above a large piece of gauze. Deena's pajama bottoms were black with orange outlines and everyone realized that they belonged to Blaze. The martial artist wore a simple sports bra, not that anyone really cared at that point. Deena's gaze was playful and her tone was teasing. Blaze forgot her own injuries and pushed herself up from the table. Her eyes remained locked with Deena, who straightened up and stared right back at her partner.

Blaze hadn't spoken much to Deena since the battle- or during the battle, for that matter. When they were fighting side by side, they exchanged a few words, but that was it. Blaze had worried with all her heart how her partner would react when they reunited and now that there was nothing to disrupt them, the redhead's anxiety flew through the roof. Deena's eyes were still playful, but her overall gaze was serious. Blaze wanted to run. She wanted to scream. But she couldn't do either of those things, for multiple reasons. Instead, she did the first thing that came to her mind. She wrapped her arms around her partner carefully and rested her head on the girl's shoulder, nuzzling in as much as she could. Relief washed over her when she felt Deena's arms wrap around her.

Both girls began sobbing and were aware of loud scuffling sounds coming from the table. The others were ushering out of the room to give the two girls some time to themselves. Blaze felt a gentle hand squeeze her shoulder, but she wasn't sure who it had come from. She didn't care, but she was thankful for the support. After several moments, Blaze pulled away to look her partner in the eyes.
''I can't believe you're okay,'' she whispered.
''Right back at you,'' Deena said.
There were so many things both girls wanted to- needed to- say.
''Deena, I am so sorry about everything. I should've contacted you, but I didn't, because I was so afraid of what you would think. I know I shouldn't have run away like that, but I didn't know what to do. Everything was so overwhelming and I know I kind of broke the team up. I'm so sorry I made you worry. I meant to contact you, really, but I was just so scared.''

That wasn't really the way she wanted to confess everything to the ravenette, but the words came tumbling out before she could stop them. She was surprised at how many words she spoke in such a short breath.
''I was so afraid that you were dead. I couldn't bear the thought of someone I know killing someone that I love so dearly.''
Deena widened her eyes at Blaze's confession.
''You what?'' She asked.
It was Blaze's turn to widen her eyes and they were wide with horror.
''You love me, Blaze?'' Deena asked.
Blaze's cheeks turned bright red. She nodded bashfully, deciding that was better than covering herself up.

''I've loved you for a long time, Deena,'' the redhead whispered. ''I realized that I never got the chance to tell you before the world pretty much went to hell.''
''So, you've loved me before the battle happened?'' The ravenette asked.
Blaze nodded again, a bit more confident this time.
''And I understand you might not feel the same way, but-''
She was cut off when Deena held up an index finger.
''Catherine,'' her tone was serious.
It was off-putting. Deena never referred to Blaze by her real name. The sound of her real name leaving her partner's lips was strange, but not entirely unpleasant.
''Y-Yes, Deena?'' The redhead stuttered.

''Why on Earth would you think that I might not feel the same way?''
Deena's ember eyes glowed ferociously and her tone was incredibly serious. There was no sign of playfulness in her tone of voice or the look on her face.
''I have been looking for you for months. I have been worried absolutely sick about you.''
Blaze looked away.
''Blaze, there's so much I could say, but I won't. Not yet, anyway. I will say this to you, though: at some point during our friendship, I realized that I saw you as more than a partner and best friend. I realized that you meant more to me than anyone else in the world. And I guess it happened when you got shot in the leg for me.''
Instinctively, the redhead looked down at her left calf. There was a long but faint scar where an open wound once was. She took a shot for Deena when she- rather impulsively- flew through the air and attempted to fly kick an opponent without noticing the other bad guy from afar holding a gun at her.

''I love you with all my heart, you temperamental dumbass.'' Deena's tone was still serious, but laced with teasing. ''And I'm insanely thankful that you're okay.''
She placed her hands on Blaze's face, forcing the redhead to look up at her.
''I'm just going to ask this one favor of you.''
Blaze looked at her partner.
''Anything,'' she breathed.
''Please don't leave like that ever again,'' Deena requested.
Her tone was steady but Blaze could hear that the ravenette was struggling to keep it that way. She sighed and looked at the floor.

All her life, it had been so easy for her to run from her problems. She'd been running away since she was nine years old. It was an old habit that was incredibly difficult to break, and Deena knew that. The martial artist never berated the redhead every time she ran away. She always managed to find her, even when the redhead thought she was completely hidden. It was so easy for Blaze to run away from her past, from her problems. But running away from her friends, from Deena, was one of the hardest decisions she ever made. The onyx-haired girl knew her better than anyone else, except for Harmon. When she ran away after defeating her uncle, she never thought about how her friends felt. She only thought about herself and how she felt. She never thought about how her absence would affect her friends. (She wouldn't admit it, but Justin helped her realized that.)

Deena Macleod was the most important person in Blaze's life. They had an incredibly long history that Blaze dared say dated all the way back to when they were nine years old. Deena saw Blaze in ways that she didn't see herself. She saw the potential that Blaze never saw in herself. Despite the redhead killing Deena's entire family, the ravenette never held that fact against her, even when they fought. There was so much that Blaze owed Deena, and she knew that her partner would object. She and Deena were together again. And even if she wanted to run away, there was no way she would. She couldn't do that to her partner. Not again. They both suffered too much already. If they remained separated any longer, Blaze felt she might go insane (assuming she hadn't by now).

''I promise, Deena. I won't ever run away like that again. I couldn't do that, even if I wanted to.''
She realized she'd been keeping the girl waiting. But when she noticed Deena still looking at her, her expression was one of patience. She knew her partner was deep in thought. Deena smiled.
''I've waited too long to see you again.'' Blaze's tone was more confident this time. ''I'm not about to put anymore distance between us.''
She paused.
''And I'm not going to let anyone else do that, either.''
Deena's smile grew wider and she pulled her partner in for a hug.
''Also, I'm a little injured. So it's not like I could go too far, anyway.''
Deena's laugh was like an angel singing in Blaze's ears. She missed it that much.

''Oh, finally!'' Justin's voice broke the moment between the girls.
He popped his head into the kitchen before emerging fully. Harmon followed him closely.
''You're really good at ruining moments, Justin,'' Blaze growled.
Justin shrugged casually, unaffected by the redhead's tone.
''You two aren't the only ones who've been away from each other,'' he reminded.
Deena waved the boys over and Blaze rolled her eyes as her partner pulled the three of them in for a group hug. It was nice until they felt four more bodies joining them.
''Everyone's back together!'' That was Annie's voice.
There were various cheers coming from the group. Blaze couldn't stop the smile that took over her face.
''Um, guys? Not that I don't love you all, but my claustrophobia is kicking in.''
Everyone pulled away at the Brit's nervous voice and he sighed with relief.

''Come on, everyone. Mom's organized a party outside,'' Annie stated excitedly.
The Saviors looked between each other. They followed the younger girl outside where two large buckets of water balloons rested.
''Mom! What is all this?'' Justin wondered.
''I thought I'd throw this little party to celebrate everyone being together again,'' the matriarch said.
''Well, gang, what are we waiting for?'' Evelyn asked. ''We doing this or what?''
She looked to Harmon for her last question.
''It is so on,'' the Brit teased.
''Actually, I think I'm gonna sit this one out,'' Blaze stated. ''For multiple reasons.''
''Right,'' Harmon said.
''Don't worry, boys. I'll be on your team,'' Annie offered.
Justin tousled his sister's hair.
''Thanks, sis. I knew we could always count on you.''

Justin and Annie's mom was directing the water balloon fight. Harmon, Justin, and Annie were on one team while the girls of the Blessed Best were on the other team. Deena and Blaze understandably sat out, opting to sit on the stairs of the porch to Justin's house and watch the teams battle it out. This was a battle the young adults preferred to engage in. There was far less blood and the fate of the world didn't rest in any of their hands.
''Now this is a battle that I like,'' Deena stated.
Blaze smiled slightly. She didn't take her eyes off the battle in front of them. Her friends were having fun, splashing each other with water and laughing. It was easy to forget that just a few months ago, they were engaged in a battle that could've symbolized the end of the world had they not been successful.

Blaze knew there was still danger out there. Her uncle was perhaps the biggest evil that they'd ever have to face, but it was far from over. There was still the rest of the Mokirie Clan to deal with as well as the several species of hybrid creatures that attacked them if they wandered too far into the wilderness. But the redhead decided to enjoy this moment right here. It was one of the few moments they had as Saviors where they could enjoy themselves without worrying about the fate of the world. And while she and her partner would be out of commission for a while, at least they would be together. She sat on the bottom step and Deena, who sat on the step above her, nudged her side with her foot gently. Blaze broke out of her thoughts and looked up at her partner. Deena was smiling at her softly.
''What are ya thinking about?''

''Nothing in particular,'' Blaze replied truthfully.
For as long as she could remember, the redhead always had multiple things on her mind, and she couldn't usually pinpoint just one thing she was thinking about. This was her current situation. There were many things on her mind right now and she couldn't pick out one particular thought.
''The usual, huh?'' The ravenette wondered.
Blaze just nodded. Over the years, Deena came to understand Blaze on a deeper level than either Savior expected. They always guessed that came with being partners and roommates. It was pretty difficult to be partners with someone if you didn't get to know them. Blaze smiled softly.
''What? What are you so smiley about?'' Deena asked.

''I'm just really glad we're all together again.''
Blaze hadn't expected that sentence to come out of her mouth, but it was the truth. She'd spent the better part of the year with Justin and while she adored him immensely, she had missed her other two teammates, and the Blessed Best.
''These past few months have been a killer,'' the redhead admitted.
''That's for sure,'' Deena agreed. ''But hey, we both spent that time with one of the boys. That's something.''
Blaze laughed, but it quickly faded.
''There's still a lot more evil out there.'' Her tone was quiet.
She looked down at the ground.
''And we'll fight it,'' Deena said. ''Together.''
Blaze looked back up.

''Deena's right, Blaze.''
Harmon's assuring tone caused the redhead to whip her head around to face her leader. He had a white towel wrapped around his neck and he wiped his purple hair occasionally.
''That's what being a team's about. Never having to fight anything evil alone.''
''Kicking butt is a ton more fun as a team!''
Justin popped up behind Harmon, a white towel wrapped around his neck as well. Harmon rolled his eyes.
''Oh, Harmon, how I've missed your eye rolls,'' Justin said in a high pitched voice.
The girls snickered and Harmon playfully socked his partner on the arm.
''And I've missed how incredibly annoying you are.'' His tone was deadpanned, but teasing.
''Oh, you love me,'' Justin teased.
Harmon rolled his eyes again but Blaze didn't miss the affectionate smirk on her leader's face.

''Hey, slowpokes! Quitting already?''
Evelyn's challenging voice echoed through the yard. The boys turned around and were met with water balloons to the face. The girls burst out into laughter. Blaze, who was in slightly better shape than her partner, stood up from her step.
''Do not worry, fearless leader! I will avenge you!'' She cried in a mock heroic tone.
Deena stood up from her step and took a step down until she was beside Blaze.
''We will avenge you as well, Justin,'' she copied Blaze's tone.
The boys turned around.
''Piggyback attack?'' Harmon asked.
The girls nodded.
''Piggyback attack.''

Harmon took Blaze on his back while Justin had Deena on his.
''Look out! We're being ambushed!'' Mia cried.
''That's what you get for messing with the Core Four!'' Blaze laughed.
The boys ran over to the buckets to hand over a couple of water balloons to the girls who threw them at any target they saw. Sure, they were Saviors now and they were tasked with protecting the world from harm, but that didn't mean they weren't allowed to have fun every once in a while. Blaze knew that her friends were right. There was much work to be done. She and Deena had to recover so they could get back to training. They had so much to catch up on and figure out. There was a lot of evil that needed to be defeated. But the teams were back together again. And Blaze didn't want to end their time together just yet. She'd been away from them for so long already.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do about the Mokirie Clan. She wasn't even entirely sure what had happened. But there would be time to figure those things out. And she knew that she wouldn't be alone. She had her friends, her teammates, her family there by her side. And there was no way that she'd be letting any of them out of her sight any time soon. And she took comfort in knowing that they wouldn't let her out of their sight ever again either. Running was the last thing Blaze wanted to do. More than anything, she wanted to stay. And that's exactly what she planned on doing. The Core Four was together again. That's how it was going to stay.
--------------------