Chen tilted her head in the morning air in quizzical thought. She held herself like that, just thinking and letting the breeze swirl around them for a long few seconds. 

There wasn’t an easy solution. There wasn’t one way to show someone love and respect and kindness. She was going to have to figure it out. 

Then she turned her eyes right up to Jessic’s. “So, Princess Jessic, what’s your story then?”

***

The first thing Chen did after the long anime run and her chat with Jessic was to fly around town. 

She was a guest and a prisoner all at once, and she knew that she had been putting off a daring rescue for a while. Or something, she wasn’t sure yet if the right call was to try and bust in while sneaking Rose out (which was incredibly stupid in a castle none of them knew how to leave, but therefore also bold and daring precisely because it was unlikely to succeed). There was negotiation of course, and demands, a formal duel perhaps, though she wasn’t sure that either Jessic or Keron would be interested. 

So, she was going to look around and do so in Princess style. A sword flight around the square was like saying “I’m here!” And people wouldn’t have seen her since that initial capture. But now was a time to be seen and to see. To spread a little word, to have whispers reach the palace and the handmaidens, that Princess Chen was out and about. Was she free, was she a prisoner on display? Perhaps Rose would find a way to send a sign or Chen would find her girlfriend out and about. 

Eee, her girlfriend. A thrill went through her at that. A bold claims she’d made, all full of worry. But a right one. She thought Rose needed it too, and Chen felt so much more confident facing the world with her friends at her side. It was so different to having to stand there alone and declare yourself against all comers. Hmm, maybe that was why Qiu used her shards that way…

Chen rushed through the air, her light blue dress whipping behind her, balanced on her sword and arms held back for speed. She let herself be deep in thought and at once take in the clouds and the streets, the sun hovering as it did on the horizon and the deep gray stones of the castle tower. 

And then she saw what seemed to be a tournament already happening. From the banners, streamers, and pennants all in rainbows it was quite a spectacle even if they were still in early matches and not yet to center stage fights. She slowed so as not to distract the combatants and went to inspect the signs as to who was up in the match. 

…
…
…

Yue the wolf vs. Tianic the Squire. Yue…the…wolf. She was reading that right, wasn’t she? But, but Hyra had been and and Yue was…Chen had only been off on her own little fantasy for a few days, right?! What had happened?!

Well, she had to see this. Chen slipped into the stands and sidled into unobtrusively to an edge seat next to a couple youngsters who were cheering wildly and paid her no mind as she looked down at the stage. Yue?!?!?