Not Too Well

You pant for breath as you take a break under the ashe tree, sipping from an energy potion to regain your stamina. You have lost both your practice matches, which is not a surprise given you are just learning the game and also getting used to regulating how you use your energies to summon a monster to battle. However, what was a surprise was how flustered Liam and Keira were in trying to figure out how you could make best use of your deck.

"The problem's what seems to be one of the big aspects of Void monsters," Liam explained as he downed a potion as well, "They don't get effected by any kind of elemental magic, so enhancement spells won't make 'em stronger. That's a big part of how you use your monsters as effectively as possible off the table."

"On the other hand," Keira threw in, "debuff spells don't work on them either. That might throw Harmony off her game a little, since she'll probably have to waste some cards figuring that out for herself."

Liam nodded in agreement. "And even though we haven't quite figured out how to use all of 'em yet, each of your monsters seems to have an ability that goes off when they're summoned or destroyed. Probably meant to be a way for them to keep up with the power boosts normal elemental monsters can get."

"So I'm going to have to out strategy a prodigy when I can't even beat you," you grumble before adding, "No offense."

"None taken," Liam replies with a smirk, "I realize I'm not in her league, dude. Not sure anyone is."

You grunt, finishing your potion and standing up. You feel the rush of restored power through your body even as you remember Keira's warning that you should not take more than three such potions in a twenty-four hour period or risk powerful side-effects. "I think I can do another test game," you say, "that last game and what you said about abilities gave me an idea or two I want to try."

"Actually," Keira says, "there's something we should talk about first. Namely, any idea who the neutral parties are going to be? You're expected to bring one of them beyond the two who are supporting you."

"I... don't know," you admit, "I can't really think of anyone both me and Harmony actually know well enough to serve that function outside Professor Zizana. And I kinda doubt we want teachers involved in this."

"What about those girls you were having lunch with yesterday?"

At Keira's question your eyes widen. "Harmony knows Parisa?!"

"I don't know if 'knows' is the right word for it," Keira replies, "but I've seen them have a few casual conversations in the locker room when changing between classes and they've sat at the same table for lunch once or twice so they're at least a little familiar with each other."

It is a strange thought to consider Harmony and Parisa interacting. They are such polar opposites, at least in how they have acted around you so far, that the mental image of the two of them having polite conversation is one that is hard to visualize. That alone seems like it may warrant asking her if only to have a chance to dive into that subject.

"There's also those twin princesses or the princess and bodyguard or whichever one is which this week," Liam threw in, "I've seen their moms talking to each other a lot at some of the Parent/Teacher conferences we've had in the past like they were old friends, so I bet they'd have to at least know each other casually. And there's two of 'em so maybe they could talk to Harmony and both of you would save some time having to look."

That was another option... but then you remember that one dream you had stumbles into with them and Mana's warning within it. Was that something you wanted to confront right now?

"I'll think about it," you say, "but right now... let's keep practicing."

So your training continues, as does your losing streak, but the thought of what to do still lingers in the back of your mind and you will need to come to a decision on it before the day is through.