"Come on, Eni! Pick up! Pick up!" Itzel and Janus both huddled over her projection. There was the long sound of static as the word "Connecting..." flashed in bold whiter letters. "Any other time she'd be around to bother me! Just answer the call you—"

"Yeah?" Enidri replied. Her face wasn't directly on the screen, only the side of her was visible. The background behind her was obscured in a thick yet familiar fog. The swordswoman let out a grunt, followed by the sound of an electric crackle that drowned out the faint gurgle of a dying Essencima. "What is it?" Enidri's face popped back into view in the center of the screen. She stared back at the two, looking both confused and annoyed at the same time. 

"Are you in the Refinery Sector?" Itzel asked.

"No. I'm at Top Tiers waiting for dessert," Enidri replied sarcastically. 

"Funny.” Itzel’s face remained unamused. “But what are you doing all the way over there?"

"It’s my job, Itzel. I'm cleaning up the last of the Essencima that Donva spawned."

"In the middle of the day? Are you not going to make it over to Gurk's match?" Itzel asked with a shred of worry.

"I can still make it. I just need to do a bit more Exterminating and I'll be on my way there. Starts in like an hour, right? Should be there depending on how quickly I can make up for letting you three take all of the profit the other night." Enidri turned around and performed a Flying Cutter. The Ion Blade flashed across the screen. There was an electric whir followed by another squeal from an Essencima.  She caught her weapon with one hand and looked back at Itzel. "Looking back, kinda wish I didn't turn off payment. That set me back a bit."

"Listen Eni," Itzel said with hesitation. "I've got... a favor... to ask of you."

Enidri stared back at her with a blank look. Her one eye blinked twice. "You want a favor? From me?"

"I know, I know. I'm just as surprised as you are. But if it makes a difference, you'll be helping out Gurk and Janus too."

Enidri squinted her eye and cocked her head back. "What is it?"

"It has to do with Siergi and his Broadcast. We're getting challenged to Ranked Team Battle and we need a third person."

Enidri looked at Janus. "Can't you fight with them?"

"I only have two Techniques," Janus said.

"What?” Enidri’s tone took a sharp shift towards anger. “You only have two Techniques? Why in the world did you come with us that night? If I had known that I would have left you back inside that Enforcer Carrier!"

"Actually, I only had one Special Technique when I tagged along. Learned a Signature in the middle of fighting that Ogre."

“One Technique? Do you know how dangerous what did was? You could—” The swordswoman let out a long groan before smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Alright. I won't stress it. Everything turned out fine. By some miracle. Let's just get back to the topic at hand before I get frustrated.” Enidri took in a deep breath. “I'm guessing you need me to come over there and serve as your third teammate, right?"

Itzel nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. I’m sure Siergi’s team will chip in to pay you."

Enidri looked up towards the sky, pondering the option. "Sorry you two, but no can do."

"Why?" Itzel asked worriedly. "Is it because you'll be missing out on some Tokens from Exterminating? Because we can cover what you'll lose if you agree to come over and join the team, not to mention what the other Broadcasters are going to pay."

Enidri shook her head. "Nah, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"You're the one that's into Rumble Circuit. Don't you know the rules about creating a Ranked Team?"

"Oh yeah..." Itzel's eyes opened wide as the Rumble Circuit regulations sprang to her mind. "Once you join a team, you can't switch to another one for an entire year."

"Exactly."

"Since when were you interested in doing Team Battles, Eni? You hardly ever do one-on-one Ranked Challenges. Now all of a sudden you have plans to form your own team?"

"Ever since my brother came back. Got some news about his status."

"Good or bad?" Janus interjected. 

"Depends on how you look at it. Donva's connected, so he managed to avoid some serious penalties. But he didn't get away unscathed either."

"What are the terms?" Janus asked. 

"No one got seriously hurt, so he won't be seeing any incarceration time. But he's going to be monitored for the time being. And he lost his job with his old research organization. Without the funds from his job, he'll have to stay with me for now."

Itzel paused, her eyes narrowing in on Enidri after hearing her last sentence. "Donva's going to be living in Labrisson?"

"Yeah. At least until he can make enough money to afford a place back in Scholburn. But I've got a feeling that won't be happening anytime soon. All that guy knows is studying Essencima. And that’s not a skill that’s really in demand here in Labrisson."

Itzel turned her head to the side. "Well... if he ever needs some help getting familiar with Labrisson.... I wouldn't mind offering him some help. And Gurk too I guess."

"Er... You know I've lived here my entire life too, right? I can show him around just fine."

"I was just trying to be friendly.”

“Uh-huh. Sure.”

“But back to the point. You need three people for a team! Who’s going to be your last team member?” Itzel asked.

“I’ll find someone. Maybe. But it’s not a priority right now. Still something that me and Donva might be interested in.”

“What if we add those other team members a few months from now? That way you can still be on our team and after a bit of waiting you can have Donva on the roster and whoever else you want.”

"Answer's still the same. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll try to be back in time for the fight once I finish dealing with the last of these Essencima!" The sound of Enidri's Ion Blade whizzing through the air was the last thing that could be heard before the call ended up abruptly.

"Great," Itzel said underneath her breath. She then angled her head towards Janus. "Sure you're still up for this?"

"Already said I would," he replied. "But you said Rumble Circuit prevents me from getting too hurt, right?"

"Uh-huh. Getting hit is going to sting. But there's no way you're going to get killed."

"So it can't be any worse than taking on some Essencima."

"That's an apt comparison."

"I'm going to hold back the team though," Janus said as he eyed Siergi's team from over his shoulder. All three were huddled around Gurk and having their own conversation. "Do you think you and Gurk could make up for my shortcomings?"

"I hope so!" Itzel said just above a whisper. "Do you know how great it would feel to beat those guys with only a team of two and a fifth fighters? And on their very own Broadcast?"

Janus lowered his head. "I'd like to think I'd count as at least half of a fighter."

"Either way, it's still better than zero,” Itzel replied.