"Before we begin, I will have to excuse Duaka and Kassandra," Chosee said as he and Rei cleaned the blackboard.
"What?"
"You both have a visit today from a rather important person," Chosee explained, tapping his desk, "I wouldn't dwell on it too much."
Duaka glanced at Kaminari and Rex, both as surprised as he was. He picked up his notebook and gathered his things from his locker.
As soon as he stepped into the daylight outside the Academy, he saw him, leaning against a wall in the shade. In his early twenties, snow white skin, black hair, black clothes.
"Is that how you greet your big cousin?"
"Daze!" Duaka was almost too shocked to speak, "I didn't know you were in town."
"I wasn't. We just came back from a peace summit with Lapideus," Daze explained, "We were called back for an emergency meeting."
"Was this about that forest thing Drakon mentioned the other day?"
"I'll tell you later. We have other matters to attend to," Daze gestured to Kassandra as she was leaving the Academy, "Come, darling. I'm sorry to be plucking you out of your day like this."
"Mr. Hand," Kassandra bumbled nervously, "What do I owe the pleasure of this surprise visit?"
"Now, now. You can call me Daze," Daze smiled, "A friend to my cousin is a friend to me, you are among family."
Kassandra blushed.
"Let's go get a coffee," Daze steered them towards the Academy Cantina.
As Duaka and Kassandra sat down, Daze approached the counter, "Afternoon, Mr. Z. Three coffees, put it on the big man's tab."
"You'll drive Ryoku Hayate to bankruptcy Daze, I'm telling you," Mr. Z laughed, "Nice seeing you, kid."
"If the treasury of Washinai were the depth of three coffees, we'd all be doomed."
Daze took the tray of coffees and served one to Duaka, and one to Kassandra.
"T-Thank you," Kassandra stuttered.
Daze sat down with his own coffee, touched the cup with his finger and the cup was frozen over, the coffee inside still warm.
"So, Daze. What have you been up to lately? Are you staying here long?"
"Let's not waste much of your friend's time. Drakon told me you have a steam problem."
"Yeah, do you know anything that can help me with that?"
Daze finished his coffee and raised his pale hand forward.
"You are aware that the Tsumetai's cold skin is immune to both cold and heat," Daze said.
"I am."
"So?"
"I'm not following."
"I figured you wouldn't, that's why Kassandra came along, the princess of the Inferni clan," Daze held his hand up to Kassandra.
"M-Me?"
"Yes, dear. Please raise your hand against mine and conjure up your fire," Daze commanded, "Go with everything you've got. Don't worry, you will not hurt me."
Kassandra obliged, placed her hand in his and soon, the sound of sizzling announced a waterfall of steam that started to diffuse from their joined palms.
"You see now, her pureblood fire, against my ice element."
Steam happens when... fire plus ice...
Duaka jolted up from his seat, "It's fire! My element is fire."
"Bingo."
"And... Ice?"
"No, of that I am sure. It's your skin choking your fire out," Daze laughed as he pulled his hand away, "Ice is too rare a Ryuketsu, and the Ryoku's own accomplishment in teaching it to me."
"Well, that's great to know! I've been grasping at handfuls of sand until now. But how do I actually fix it?"
"Beats me, and I won't have time to work through it with you," Daze looked at Kassandra, "But who better than a fire pureblood to teach you your, surprisingly innate, fire element?"
"Aren't you assuming too much?" Duaka asked.
"Sweetheart, would you be so kind as to shepherd my wayward cousin through these two weeks?" Daze placed his right hand over his left, "I will be sure to commend you and thank your father and the Inferni Elder personally."
Kassandra averted her gaze, "Of course, how could I refuse."
"Wonderful," Daze clapped and got up, "We won't take up much more of your time. Know that you have done me and the Tsumetai clan a great service."
A clan of six people.
Kassandra bowed her head, looked at Duaka with contempt and left awkwardly.
She's not too happy with being dragged into my problems, I'll have to make it up to her somehow.
But at least now I have a real path forward, I can breathe a little easier.
Duaka smiled and looked at Daze, almost flinching at the sight of Daze's disproportionately heavy expression, his eyes sagging but wide open against its lids, like those of a hawk.
His eyebrows furrowed before he looked back at Duaka and nodded, easing his expression, "You're doing great, cousin. I'm sure the Inferni kid will be of great help."
"Thanks, Daze. It means a lot that you're looking out for me, especially right now."
"Of course, you're my little cousin, I'll always have your back."
Duaka smiled.
"And even if you weren't, I owe that much to your good mother. Hallowed be her name." Daze's lower lip twitched and he averted his wet eyes upward as he raised the coffee cup to his mouth.
He already finished his coffee.
See that, Mom?
You left a legacy of crybabies.