"Wippersnappers? You're starting to sound like my granddad back home." Abel laughed warmly, folding his arms across his chest. "I can't promise ever lasting peace, but I won't try to strangle her if that's what you're worried about." The boy shrugged, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

Jade had her hands planted firmly on her hips, accepting the unspoken challenge set before her by the ace trainer. "As long as he stays out of my way, we won't have any problems." She smirked, backed by the calm nodding of her dragon companion. The ranger was just as surprised as Abel to hear an invitation of companionship from the masked stranger, her confusion written plainly on her face. "You wouldn't mind us hanging around? We aren't exactly the quiet types, as I'm sure you've noticed by now." She glanced back at Leo for his reaction but was met with an unhelpful shrug. "Well, we aren't opposed to it, but what of your friend here?"

"Yeah, what about me? I don't want to be hanging around a Ranger. It'll ruin my reputation." He groaned, sparks igniting the air between the two trainers as they had before. 

"Well there is something we can agree on, my reputation as a Ranger shouldn't be soiled by the presence of an Ace trainer." The girl turned with her nose in the air, Abel's face marked by shock.

"Your reputation? You know what, I change my mind. Come with us, that way I can show you what people really think of you Rangers."

"Fine! I'll go, but only to show you how superior Rangers really are in comparison to your lame battle tricks." 

And just like that the two were back into fighting, though this time they had their backs turned to each other, facing opposite directions to avoid looking at the other. 

[@manapool1]