Kairo was slightly dejected after that training session… They didn't even train, but Hinari or whatever that was, tried to mentally break... He walked through the halls of Ashfell, and since starting the academy over 2 months ago, he was getting used to Ashfell. It was late afternoon, and after wondering for a while, he saw Arienne with a taller man he didn't know. "Hey, Arienne."
"Leave me alone, Kairo." The taller man looked between his rookie and this kid. "You two know each other?" Arienne nodded at her mentor's question. "Yes, he's also in the academy." The man made a thoughtful expression before looking at Arienne. "Fuck off for the day; I need to talk to this kid." He was already leading Kairo away, and Arienne was awestruck.
A couple of minutes later, Kairo and the guy arrived on the top floor of Ashfell. "Stranger danger," Kairo said, annoyed; he was already in a conversation with someone he didn't know. It was a rooftop garden: flowers, a canopy and a view of the bay. He could see Sunspire Arcade; it was glowing with golden lights and grand, tall buildings all meant to look like cities of tomorrow. "You bring all the kids up here?" Kairo asked
"Not all of them."
"So I'm getting special treatment."
"Don't push it." The man sat down at a table, and Kairo sat across from him. "Who are you?" Kairo asked, finally asking a question he should have asked a while ago. "I am senior operative Darian Foskey." Kairo's eyes widened; he was tall, still shorter than Kairo, with deep black hair and bangs. "And I know you are Kairo. Tell me, how's Hinari?"
Kairo looked up. "You're Darian?" Darian nodded. "I mean, Lucan told me about you." Darian's face dropped at Kairo's remark. "What did he tell you?" Kairo thought for a second. "He told me you were a great tactician who used his brain to overcome what his body couldn't physically handle."
"You calling me weak? I am still a senior-" Darian thought about it. "Didn't expect him to think that of me, considering... never mind that. How's Hinari?"