It was a long bus ride. After a while, Sana, Rey, Krystal, Prince, Adela, Faith, and Cyrus had arrived at their destination. Cyrus led everyone out of the bus. And once they all stood before their stop, Sana was just as surprised as everyone else. They were at the building of the Ringmasters Society headquarters.
“Uh, Cyrus, you could’ve mentioned that this master of yours works at the Ringmasters Society,” Krystal said.
“Are we even allowed to go inside?” Sana asked.
“Believe it or not, people here actually know me,” Cyrus said. “We’ll be fine.”
“This is so cool! We’re standing in front of the big leagues!” Rey exclaimed.
Cyrus stepped up to the front door. There was a keypad near it where he entered a code. The keypad glowed green, opening automatically for him.
“How do you have a code?” Adela asked. “You’re just a kid.”
“I told you I know people here,” Cyrus said.
“Amazing. You’re either great at networking or a product of nepotism,” Prince said.
“Very funny,” Cyrus said.
“So, we can just go in?” Sana asked.
“Yup,” Cyrus said.
The others followed Cyrus inside the building. Rey was amazed. Stepping into the building created a completely different feeling. He felt a strong atmosphere that was unexplainable. The lobby itself was certainly fancier than the ones at RTA. Floor was made of a tile that had a topaz-like appearance while the walls were made of fine stone.
Sana was just as mesmerized. She always dreamt of seeing the Ringmasters Society and maybe even one day qualifying to join. But to see it all before her was overwhelming.
“Hey, Gari,” Cyrus waved to one of the guards standing by.
“Hello, Cyrus. I didn’t expect to see you here today.”
“Well, I’m all about the unexpected. Is Yashi here?”
“She is. She’s on the third floor in her office.”
“All right. Thank you.”
After the guard left, Sana asked Cyrus, “Who’s Yashi? I feel like I’ve heard that name before.”
“Yashi Menon is her full name,” Cyrus said.
“And how exactly do you know her?” Rey asked.
“She was my master when I was a child,” Cyrus said. “She helped me control my dark powers when I got them.”
“She must be a busy woman. Are you sure she’d want to train them?” Faith asked.
“It’s worth a shot,” Cyrus said. “And since I’m asking for you guys, she might be more willing to.”
“Well then. I guess we should leave you guys to it then,” Adela said.
“Leave them to it? Then what will we do?” Faith asked.
“We can’t overwhelm this lady with the presence of so many people. Sana, Rey, and Cyrus should see her alone,” Adela said.
“You guys are okay with that?” Rey asked.
“No problem! We’ll just look around. Maybe we’ll get some inspiration for what we can do over break,” Krystal said.
“Okay. I guess we’ll see you guys in a bit,” Sana said.
“Good luck,” Prince said.
With that, Sana, Rey, and Cyrus headed off towards the elevator. Krystal, Prince, Adela, and Faith walked around the building. Krystal found herself amused as she strolled through the halls. She got so lost in the atmosphere that she wasn’t paying attention to anything else. And that came crashing on her as she bumped into someone, falling flat on the floor as she dropped her bag.
“Wow,” Adela said.
“She’s a klutz,” Prince said.
“Hey! I just fell, okay!” Krystal exclaimed.
“Are you alright?” a voice asked.
Krystal looked back, seeing who she had bumped into. She immediately recognized the woman standing before her.
“Whoah! You’re Imani Fullbright! THE Imani Fullbright!” Krystal exclaimed.
“And you’re Krystal, right?” Imani asked.
“You know her?” Prince asked.
“I know you as well, Prince. Ringmasters Society members were informed of how you guys helped during the Madame Naga incident,” Imani said. “Need a hand?”
Krystal took Imani’s hand and got up from the floor. As she got up, Imani also got Krystal’s bag and grabbed her wands that fell out.
“You have a zodiac wand?” Imani asked as she handed Krystal back her things.
“Yeah. I got it not too long before the whole Madame Naga thing happened,” Krystal said.
“It’s not easy obtaining one of these,” Imani said. “Have you learned how to use it yet?”
“That would require her to train, which she hasn’t done yet,” Prince said.
“Shut up, Prince! That’s exactly what I’m trying to do,” Krystal said. “I want to learn how to use my new weapon, but after talking to my friends about what they’re doing over break, I think I need to use the time to find an experienced mentor to train with. The only problem is I can’t find anyone.”
Imani understood everything Krystal said. She agreed that something has powerful as a zodiac weapon needed special training to handle it. And after hearing it all, she had an idea.
“Well, you may be in luck,” Imani said.
“How so?” Krystal asked.
“I have a friend. Her name is Mithra Pillai,” Imani said.
“Pillai? Is she related to Dhanush?” Prince asked.
“Yes, he’s her brother. He was in Daredevil City not too long ago. Anyway, she lives in Kunjukumari. It’s a town in southern India. She would be able to train you,” Imani said.
“You sure she would train these kids if she doesn’t know them?” Faith asked.
“If I ask her, then I think she will,” Imani said.
“So, we get to travel to India then?!” Krystal exclaimed.
“It can’t be that simple,” Prince said.
“Well, you guys will have to go see her yourselves. I’d personally take you myself if I could, but I have to go with Shuto and Haruka on an important mission tomorrow,” Imani said. “What I can do is give you guys Mithra’s address. And just so there is more of a guarantee that she’ll train you, I can provide a note explaining that I sent you to her.”
“Your note will be enough to convince her?” Krystal asked.
“Well, Mithra is a little hotheaded. You’ll probably still have to convince her that you both would make capable students,” Imani said.
Krystal pondered. She looked at Prince and could tell he was waiting for her to take the lead on this. And she had to. She was the ringmaster after all. It was her responsibility to decide what was best for her and her partner. Even if this opportunity were to go wrong, she had to give it a shot.
“Okay. We’ll do it then!” Krystal said.
“All right. You guys want to follow me to my office then?” Imani asked.
Krystal nodded and followed Imani along with Prince, Adela, and Faith towards the elevator.
***
On the third floor, Sana, Rey, and Cyrus arrived out from the elevator. Cyrus led them towards Yashi’s office, which was close by. The door to the office was open. Inside, Yashi was seated at her desk with Shuto and Haruka standing by. The moment Yashi saw Cyrus, she stopped everything she was doing.
“Cyrus?” Yashi said. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s it, Master Yashi? No hello?” Cyrus asked.
“Not very good on the formalities, dear,” Shuto said.
“Sorry. What brings you here?” Yashi asked.
“You know Sana and Rey, right?” Cyrus asked.
“Hey there,” Rey said.
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Sana said.
“Hey to you, kids,” Haruka said. “You guys feeling better since the Madame Naga incident?”
“Kinda,” Rey said.
“Kinda? Something wrong then?” Shuto asked.
“That’s why I brought them here. They both have newfound dark powers. Rey especially is struggling with them since his R-gene makes them more difficult to control,” Cyrus said. “So, I thought-”
“You thought I’d train them,” Yashi finished Cyrus’ sentence.
Yashi could feel her mind and body tighten up. She knew exactly why Cyrus thought she’d be willing to help. But she had a lot on her mind.
“I’m sorry. I can’t help,” Yashi said.
“We understand that you’re a busy woman,” Sana said.
“But even if you can’t train us, you could at least guide us,” Rey said.
“No! I can’t do it,” Yashi said.
“Can we at least know why?” Rey asked. “Cyrus took the time to bring us to you. Don’t you at least care about our situation? Or even him?”
Yashi stood up from her chair. Shuto could see the tension eating her alive. “I’m sorry. Please excuse me,” Yashi said as she left from her office.
Shuto sighed. “I’m sorry, kids. Give me a sec,” he said.
Shuto left the office as well. “Did we say something wrong?” Rey asked. “We didn’t mean to trouble her.”
“It’s not you guys,” Haruka said. “She’s had a lot on her mind lately.”
“I guess its personal then,” Sana said.
“It’s not my place to say. Let Shuto talk to her, and she’ll come back to you,” Haruka said.
“So, what do we do now then?” Rey asked.
“I guess we can head back then,” Cyrus said.
“You don’t have to. Why don’t you guys explain your situation more to me?” Haruka asked. “I can at least give you some advice to work with.”
Sana nodded in response. She went ahead, telling Haruka everything she needed to know.
Outside, Shuto caught up with Yashi at the end of the hallway. “Are you okay?” Shuto asked.
“I’m sorry I walked out like that. I understand what they’re going through, but-”
“But seeing another kid that fell victim to Madame Naga brings back unwanted memories.”
“You remember what Cadmus said at the meeting. He did exactly what everyone around me did. Pull down my character, call me names, label me as a monster, the list goes on.”
“And you overcame all of that. You turned things around not just for yourself but for others as well. Why do you think Cyrus brought those kids to you? He knew you could help them the same way you helped him.”
Yashi could feel her eyes get watery. She knew what Shuto was saying was true, but the pain was too hard to push away. As she looked down at the floor, Shuto put his hands on her shoulders, and she looked at him. His touch was kind as always and his eyes were compassionate.
“You are a remarkable woman,” Shuto said. “No Cadmus or Madame Naga or anyone for that matter could take that away from you. I won’t force you to help those kids. But I know you can do something for them. Whatever little help you can provide is enough. It’s all up to you.”
As she felt overwhelmed by her emotions, Yashi embraced Shuto, and he hugged her back. She knew deep down what she needed to do.
Once Shuto let her go, he turned to see Neil and Heer were walking towards him. “Neil, Heer. What are you two doing here?” Shuto asked.
“I didn’t want to come,” Neil said. “But Heer kept telling me we should come here and tell you about what happened to us today.”
“What happened?” Shuto asked.
“This powerful dark beast attacked us in town. He had a human form. And his powers were a lot more erratic and unusual,” Heer said.
“And Fida showed up to take him away,” Neil said.
“Fida was there?” Shuto asked.
“She didn’t say anything, but we’re positive it was her,” Neil said.
“I thought we should inform you since I heard from Aiden that you are working on the case involving Fida’s escape,” Heer said.
“Yes, thank you for the information. You said she was in the city?” Shuto asked.
“We were in downtown Daredevil City. It was a few blocks away from Suzie’s, the ice cream shop,” Neil said.
“Okay. I’ll make sure, Haruka, Imani, and I stop by there and check the scene for any clues,” Shuto said.
“Are you all okay?” Yashi asked.
“Yeah. Dhanush actually showed up to help us out. And he helped heal our injuries,” Neil said.
“Oh. I guess that job interview didn’t go so well,” Shuto said.
“Ha, you could say that,” Neil said. “Did he not tell you he was heading back to Mt. Archer?”
“No. The man hardly uses technology. His phone is so old, so he doesn’t even bother to make calls,” Shuto said.
“Shuto has to send him handwritten letters to hear from him when he doesn’t visit,” Yashi said.
“You’re kidding. God, I hope that doesn’t make chasing him harder,” Neil said.
“Chasing him?” Shuto asked.
“Neil begged Dhanush to train us again. He said if we come to his home on Mt. Archer within a day’s time, he’ll take us under his wing,” Heer said.
“How do you plan to get there?” Yashi asked.
“Gourav is waiting outside for us. He’ll fly us there as soon as we leave,” Neil said.
“Well then. Good luck,” Shuto said. “I hope training with him gives you what you need.”
“Thank you,” Neil said. “We’ll see you around.”
Neil and Heer turned around to leave. As they walked, Neil halted and said, “Is my brother around?”
“Aiden went to St. Tulip’s to train with Runa. He’s taking her home,” Shuto said. “Why do you ask?”
“Just asking,” Neil said. “See ya.”
With that, Neil and Heer left, going towards the elevator. Shuto watched them leave. He shook his head, chuckling a little bit.
Shuto turned to Yashi and said, “Ready to go back in?”
Yashi nodded. She walked with Shuto back to her office. Haruka was talking to Sana, Rey, and Cyrus. Shuto nodded to her, signaling her to talk. She cleared her throat and said, “I thought it over. Since I happen to be free from work for some time, I will take you guys under my wing.”
“Really?” Sana asked.
“What made you change your mind?” Rey asked.
“You both are sincere. And when a former student of mine is asking for help, I can’t refuse,” Yashi said. “There will be conditions though. This training won’t be easy. Cyrus’ training under me wasn’t a walk in the park. For you guys, it’ll be even tougher given your circumstances. And you’ll have to be okay with whatever I throw at you.”
“That’s fine by me,” Sana said. “Rey?”
“Fine by me! I’m ready for a challenge!” Rey exclaimed.
“And Cyrus, I would like you to come with us,” Yashi said.
“You do?” Cyrus asked.
“Considering where were going, it’d be fitting if you came,” Yashi said.
“You mean…we’re going there?” Cyrus asked.
“If we want to do this right, then yes,” Yashi said.
“Hold on! What are you two talking about?” Rey asked.
“You’ll know when she takes you,” Shuto said.
“You guys have somewhere to stay?” Yashi asked.
“My father’s home is nearby,” Sana said.
“Would he be cool if I stayed for the night?” Rey asked.
“We have a guest room. So, you should be good,” Sana said.
“Cyrus, why don’t you stay at our house? We can get Sana and Rey in the morning then,” Yashi said.
“Sounds good to me,” Cyrus said.
“Then it’s settled. We’ll pick you guys up in the morning around seven,” Yashi said.
“Seven? That early?” Rey asked.
“You got a problem?” Yashi asked.
Seeing the stern look on Yashi’s face, Rey nodded no. And so, everything was set. Cyrus stayed back at the Ringmasters Society since he was going to go to Yashi’s home. Sana and Rey met up with Krystal, Prince, Adela, and Faith outside the building.
“So, you guys managed to figure out what you’re doing for break?” Sana asked Krystal and Prince.
“We did. We got help from Imani Fullbright,” Krystal said.
“Whoah! Isn’t she one of the council leaders?” Rey asked.
“She is. She told us about Yashi’s cousin, Mithra. We’re gonna go to her house in India and ask her to train us,” Krystal said.
“Well, I hope that goes well,” Rey said.
“And you guys?” Prince asked.
“We got Yashi to agree to training us. We’re gonna stay at Dad’s house, and she’s going to pick us up in the morning,” Sana said. “Adela, you should stay with us, too!”
“Will do,” Adela said. “We should get going then.”
“I agree. So, this will be the last time you guys see each other till break is over,” Faith said.
“Good luck, guys!” Krystal exclaimed. “Let’s come back to RTA stronger than ever!”
“I second that,” Sana said as she high-fived Krystal.
With that, Adela and Faith transformed into their beast forms. Sana and Rey boarded on Adela while Krystal and Prince got on Faith. And so, after a final wave, they went their separate ways.
***
After some time, Sana, Rey, and Adela arrived at her house. Ryan welcomed them inside and he had them seated for dinner, which he just finished making. As they ate, Rey said, “Mr. Malik, the biriyani is actually pretty good.”
“Boy, what do you mean ACTUALLY good?” Ryan asked.
“You didn’t strike me as the cooking type,” Rey said. “Also considering Sana’s cooking skills, I had my doubts.”
“Oh, shut up, I have time to improve,” Sana said.
“I’ll have you know I’ve been cooking since I was ten. My amma taught me everything I know. In fact, if I wasn’t a ringmaster, I’d probably be a chef,” Ryan said.
“I guess you can consider it after you retire,” Rey said.
“Well, thank you for dinner, Mr. Malik. I’m gonna go turn in on the couch,” Adela said.
“Adela, you could just take my room,” Sana said.
“Not necessary. My chibi form is always comfortable for sleeping anywhere,” Adela said as she transformed and left the dining table. “Good night, everyone.”
“Good night!” Sana, Rey, and Ryan said.
Adela left the kitchen, heading to the living room. After dinner was over and dishes were taken care of, Rey went outside to the back deck of the house to relax and watch the night sky. He took a seat on one of the lounge chairs and relaxed, gazing at the bright stars above him.
“Not feeling sleepy?” Sana asked as she walked up to where Rey was sitting. She took a seat on the lounge chair next to him.
“Just thought I’d catch a glimpse of the sky before I go to bed. What about you?”
“I was kinda feeling the same.”
Sana could tell there was probably more on Rey’s mind.
“What else is on your mind?” Sana asked. “Nervous about training?”
“Not nervous. I’m excited.”
“Well, that makes one of us. I’m feeling anxious about it.”
“Why? Because of me?”
“You heard Yashi. Our training is going to be more intense than it was for Cyrus or any of her other students. I just hope…we can bear it.”
“Hey, if we could bear a second fight against Madame Naga, we can do anything.”
“You think so?”
“Forget thinking. I believe it.”
Sana smiled. Rey’s optimism was always sweet. Even though he had been through so much, he was able to stay positive.
“You two should really go to sleep,” Ryan said as he stepped out onto the deck.
“Have you been there this whole time?!” Rey questioned.
“This is my house,” Ryan said. “I can do as I please.”
“Seriously, Papa,” Sana said, rolling her eyes.
“You two need to get up early. And there’s no way that’s happening unless you go to bed now,” Ryan said. “Especially you, Rey.”
“Hey, what does that mean?!” Rey exclaimed.
“Come on now. Get going,” Ryan said.
Rey rolled his eyes and got up. He headed inside while Sana got up as well. As Sana was about to follow Rey, she stopped before Ryan and said, “You’re worried, aren’t you?”
“What makes you say that?”
“I just know.”
“I know why you need to go. I just wish I could be there for you.”
Sana hugged Ryan and said, “Thank you for worrying.”
“When do I not worry?”
Sana chuckled at her father’s words as he hugged her back. Ryan said, “Now, I do hope you at least come back a little early so we can spend some time together before you go back to school.”
“Definitely. I promise.”
After she let go of him, Sana smiled and headed off to her room. Ryan was happy to see Sana was okay. All he could do is trust that she would be just fine.
***
In Rouge Heights, Nazriya was walking alone in the night. She was heading towards a cabin located in the quietest area of the city. She took out a key, unlocking the door and entering inside.
“Sorry, I’m late, guys,” Nazriya said. “I got caught up with some stuff.”
Before Nazriya, Kairos, Dimitra, and Mayleen were seated at a wooden dining table. She put her backpack down on the floor and headed over to the table.
“It’s fine. We just talked to Cyrus,” Dimitra said.
“What did he say?” Nazriya asked.
“He’s staying at Yashi and Shuto’s house. He said he’s going with Yashi, Sana, and Rey for their training session,” Mayleen said.
“Well, that’s good, right?” Nazriya asked. “He’ll be able to keep an eye on them. Plus, having a Ringmasters Society member around ensures their safety.”
“You’re right. That gives us time to figure out the plan for what comes next,” Dimitra said. “Kairos, do you have any idea?”
“I’m working on it. The good thing is that Sana and Rey will be safe for now,” Kairos said.
“Did you eat, Nazriya?” Mayleen asked.
“Not since this morning. I’ve been travelling all day,” Nazriya said.
“I’ll whip you up something in the kitchen then,” Dimitra said.
“I can help you with that,” Mayleen said.
Dimitra and Mayleen got up from the table and headed towards the kitchen. Nazriya stood by, looking at Kairos. She could see he had a lot on his mind.
“What’s eating you?” Nazriya asked.
“Nothing.”
“You think you can fool me?”
“Can we not talk about it?”
“Okay, fine.”
“Did you talk to Lysander?”
“Yeah. He’s aware of what we’re doing. He’ll join us once he gets back from his parents’ house.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Nazriya found herself getting irritated. She knew exactly what Kairos wanted to ask her, but he wasn’t communicating it. She was about to leave until he said, “How is she?”
Nazriya paused. She wondered how she should answer Kairos’ question.
“You can ask her this question when you talk to her,” Nazriya said.
Kairos looked down as Nazriya left. She stopped and said, “I will tell you this…she does remember you.”
With that, Nazriya headed inside the kitchen while Kairos remained alone at the table. He wondered how the next few weeks would go.
Copyright © 2025 Meryl T
All rights reserved. All illustrations created by Meryl T.
The Ringmasters Society 