Their training session continued for a couple more hours. Atlas stood beside Yue at the floor by the training pit, taking a pump from his nebulizer and breathing in the stellar dust. Relief washed over him as the inhalants flowed into his core and through his plasma. 

Stephen landed beside him, mostly unphased by the workout they had just endured. He stretched his arms and relaxed against the railings of the combat pit.

“Good work today,” Rigel said with a fading smile. “Also—after you leave, would one of you mind referring Mira to me? I just want to talk to her about the new situation.” 

“We will,” Atlas replied. 

Rigel nodded to him. “See you all later,” he waved. 

They each waved back and turned to exit the hall.

“I can’t believe her,” Atlas blurted as soon as the door closed behind them. “Can’t even let Rigel know, the man who’s taught us our whole time here, that she’s done with him.” They fell into the passageways. 

“I’m sure she didn’t mean to,” Yue replied. “It was very sudden. Probably didn’t have time.” 

Atlas nodded. “Yeah, maybe. I just don’t like this, how she can be so content with this.” He was arguably more dejected than angry, but he didn’t want to show it.

“I mean, this is Mira we're talking about. Of course she’s going to jump at this opportunity without thinking about it,” Stephen said. “Also, Castor’s kind of a big deal. I doubt she has much choice in the matter.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Atlas said, feeling he may have come off a little too much.

“What counts is that she’s still here,” Yue replied. “Maybe in a different room than the rest of us, but we’ll always be there to help Mira out.”

“Help and Mira are two words that don’t belong in the same sentence. She’ll just continue to do the same thing she always does,” Atlas replied.

“Atlas, don't be stubborn,” Yue said. “She listens to you, we know it, even if she has trouble showing it.”

“What do you know, both of them are stubborn. Must be a twin thing,” Stephen said, giving Atlas a nudge. 

Atlas gave a soft smile and shook his head. “Does anyone know what happened yesterday? Must’ve been pretty serious the way she looked.”

“Yeah, I’ll say she was a mess coming back from the training hall,” Stephen added. “Did not offer me a word, though.” 

“Maybe we should stay out of it,” Yue suggested. “There’s probably a reason she doesn't want to talk about it.”

“You’re so smart, Yue,” Stephen replied. “I agree with Yue.” Stephen smiled at her, devolving to a more flirtatious mood. 

“Tone it down a bit,” Yue said, raising an eyebrow at him. 

“She doesn't have to know we found out,” Atlas replied. “But I need to know.”

“She’ll tell you eventually,” Yue responded. “She always does.”

“I know, but maybe I should just be ready for it this time,” Atlas said.

“Come on, don’t be irrational. I know she’s your sister, but we all care about her,” Yue replied. 

“Fine,” Atlas sighed.

“Fine, what?” Yue questioned, raising a finger.

“Fine, I won’t go snooping,” Atlas groaned. 

Yue nodded contently.

“Good man,” Stephen replied, giving him a punch in the shoulder. 

Atlas rubbed it, looking up at him.

**BREAK**

Mira struck a punch and looked up to Castor. 

He nodded. “Acceptable,” he said. “But I'm not looking for acceptable.” 

Mira nodded and struck again. 

“Pin that energy to your fist,” he said. “Direct it. You're letting it dissipate.” 

She closed her eyes and tried to feel her flame travel along her arm. She lashed out, this time feeling the tingle in her fingers.

“Better,” he said. He was about to instruct her in a new move when there was a knock at the door, interrupting him. “Who is it!?” Castor yelled, annoyed. 

“Rigel,” the voice responded. “I just want to talk to Mira.”

“She can talk later,” Castor replied, rolling his eyes. 

“It's ok, I can deal with him,” Mira said, already floating down towards the door.

“Make it quick.” 

Mira hopped to the ground and went to pull the door open. 

Rigel stood in the doorway.

“What do you want?” Mira asked, a salty attitude in her voice. 

Rigel was taken aback by the tone but continued anyway. “I wanted to know when you were going to tell me you got a new instructor.” He tried to say it as passively as possible.

“Well, you found out, didn’t you?” she responded. She glanced over to Castor, who waited with his arms crossed.

“I guess so,” he replied, scratching his head. “Can we talk about this at some point?” 

“I’ll see if I can find the time,” Mira replied and then quickly motioned for him to leave. 

He nodded softly. “See you, Mira,” Rigel replied. 

Mira closed the door as he left. As it shut, she felt a pit open in her chest. For seven years, Rigel had been her mentor since she arrived at Helyx. Yet the harshness she had spoken with did not represent that at all. 

“Let’s hurry back to it,” Castor said.

Mira turned to him and nodded, the achy feeling floating out of her system.

**BREAK**

The table Atlas and his friends sat at was elevated 25 ft above the ground. From a metal pole protruding through the top and bottom, it connected to several other tables in either direction. The poles dotted the Helyx library complex in an assortment of heights, hanging from both the relative ceiling and floor. Each was lined with several small lights to bask the library in a soft blue glow. To the cylindrical walls were balconies full of bookshelves. 

Stephen had opened up the history book, and Yue found a story with a blue cover to read. Atlas, however, was staring at the large hole in the midsection of the library wall that acted as the entrance. 

“She was supposed to meet us here,” he mentioned. “How long are her new training sessions?”

“I’m sure she’ll be done soon,” Yue replied. “Why don’t you read your book? You’re going to need to if you want to get into the Energy Core program.”

Atlas looked down at his book, The Promising Future of Core Generators. 

“Castor seems intense, probably likes to take his time,” Stephen said from behind his book. 

Atlas put his head on the table. A humming sound vibrated in his earpiece. His head snapped towards the library entrance. He frowned. It wasn’t Mira. The woman did look familiar, though—another Helyx trainer.

“Hey, Stephen,” Atlas whispered over to him. “Isn’t that the lady who trains right after you and Mira’s practice?” 

Stephen looked up. “Yeah. Why… oh, I see.”

“Atlas…,” Yue started. 

“She’s right there,” Atlas said. “It’s like the stars are asking us to find out.” 

Yue closed her book. “I won’t stop you,” she said. 

Atlas floated from his seat and over to the lady as she passed by their table.

Yue picked her book back up, shaking her head. 

Atlas caught up with the lady before she could fly up to the next floor. “Excuse me?” he questioned. 

The lady turned and faced him. She gave him a stern look. “Mira’s brother, is it?” she muttered. “Get your sister on a leash before she hurts someone else. What do you want?”

Atlas was a little taken aback by the response. “Uh, yeah, what happened exactly?” 

“Oh, the brat didn’t tell you,” the lady laughed. “She kicked a student across the room. She’s lucky it wasn’t worse. The poor girl’s going to have to spend a few days in the infirmary. Your sister—” She froze and glanced behind Atlas’s shoulder. “And would you look at that?” 

Atlas, confused by the change of tone, turned around to see standing in the doorway, Mira. A heat boiled in Atlas’s chest. The empty void of space felt compressing around him.

Mira swiveled around, retreating back out the doorway. 

“Yeah, run away from your problems. See where that gets you!” The woman shook her head and flew up towards the top floor. 

Stephen looked at Atlas with a face of, you’re f**ked. 

“Dammit,” he muttered and ran towards the door to catch her. 

Yue turned to Stephen and shook her head.