At around noon after everyone's training finished, each of the group gather in the courtyard.

  Each of them look significantly different than the last time they saw each other, whether they actually did or their perception had been warped remains to be seen.

  James' hair is a bit longer, though he's still clean shaven, he also seems more confident.

  Aaron is still relatively the same in appearance, though his eyes and expression seem colder, less playful.

  Laura looks more confident and seems to know she can back it up.

  Edwin simply looks tired, his usually clean shaven face and neat hair has been replaced by a light stubble and shaggier hair, very loosely slicked back.

  Darius looks far more stoic and disciplined, still having a playful smile creep onto his lips when he tries looking too cool.

  Asha looks mad and annoyed, arm in a cast from the attack made by Thorne.

  On the stage in the courtyard stands each of the mentors, Jermaine front and center.

  "Welcome back everyone, great to see your growth and your faces again."

  "So, now that your training is over, I have a bit of an announcement to make."

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  "All of you, with the exception of Asha, who was severely injured in her final days of training, will be participating in a tournament."

  "I'll let you all socialize a bit before I announce the first matchup."

  Aaron notices Edwin's rough shape and approaches him.

  "Hey, you look pretty rough, man."

  "The hell did Lucius do to you?"

  Edwin sighs.

  "He doesn't know how to hold back."

  "I'd either be knocked out or passing out from fear whenever we 'sparred' and for the first..."

  Edwin thinks a second.

  "I think it was a couple months, all we did was do his paperwork."

  Aaron chuckles and pats Edwin on the back.

  "I'll have to get him back for that, as a favor."

  Edwin lets out a tired laugh.

  Meanwhile, Asha and Laura sit on the sidelines, telling small stories and exchanging laughs.

  "So, how'd your arm end up like that?"

  Asha looks up in thought.

  "I don't even remember, I just remember Thorne taking me outside and then me waking up in the infirmary while Thorne was at a bar or something."

  Laura chuckles.

  "Yeah, that does seem like him."

  In the center of the courtyard, Darius is asking James a wide array of questions.

  "So, how're you gonna hold up in the tournament?"

  James smugly chuckles.

  "I've got a couple tricks up my sleeves."

  "Maybe more than a couple."

  Darius can only think of how James saved everyone, but can't remember exactly how, a significant gap in his memory of that fateful day.

  Jermaine then interrupts all of the talking with just a couple words.

  "Enough talking."

  Everyone stiffens, ready to listen.

  "For the first round, James and Aaron will be fighting."

  "For some rules, both participants can use their Aspects unrestricted, you are given a non-lethal weapon of your choice, and you won't be wearing armor."

  Aaron looks confident in his victory.

  He looks over at James who shares the exact same look on his face.

  He isn't sure how, but he knows James is going to shock everyone.