Yoga!

Back in the open air of the campus quad, Joan and Mokuba watched a parade of unique bicycles welded together from discarded parts. Some supported multiple riders and others towered at ridiculous heights. Although not scrapped together like the others, two penny-farthing bicycles cruised alongside the rest.

"There you are!" Jessica's voice caused Joan and Mokuba to turn. However, instead of the familiar faces of Dimitri and Jessica, they saw a green lizard and an orange tiger rendered in bright face paint.

"Hey!" Joan said.

"You show him all the best make out spots on campus?" Dimitri asked.

"One of them," Joan grinned.

"There's a big partner yoga class starting in five minutes," Jessica said, "You guys are going to love it!"

Joan glanced at Tamara and Joe. They'd done a pretty good job blending in for the most part, but after that awkward experience with the psychic, Joan wanted to make sure they wouldn't blow their cover unnecessarily. "Can you two pretend to be a couple? At least for yoga?"

"Sure, as long as we don't have to kiss," Tamara said.

Joe nodded.

"Let's do this then!" Joan, already holding Mokuba's hand, pulled him after Jessica and Dimitri as they wove their way through the crowd. They came upon a stage with a few dozen jumbo yoga mats laid out on the grass in front of it.

Two instructors in yellow and black yoga gear paced the stage with wireless headset microphones. "Grab your sweetheart, your roommate, your study buddy, your sibling, or even a stranger you'd like to get to know. We're here to connect with each other in mind, body, and spirit! Come gather 'round and join us on this journey of interdependence and trust. Partner yoga is about deepening relationships through the power of breath, touch, and movement. Let's make some memories together!"

As the instructors spoke, more and more people filled the yoga mats. Joan selected one and took off her hiking boots while the instructors finished psyching up their new students.

Mokuba sat down and took off his shoes. "Hey, after this, I can say I've taken a course at a university."

"Sure," Joan smirked, "but it's not going to count towards your degree."

"Just teasing the idea. I couldn't leave my employees high and dry."

"Let's start with some mindful breathing," an instructor said. The two instructors met at the center of the stage to demonstrate. "Sit cross-legged, facing your partner. You can rest your hands on your knees or hold hands with your partner if desired."

Mokuba and Joan settled into the position and held hands. As they breathed, they sunk into a world where only the two of them existed. Despite all the other pairs around them, despite the amplified voices of the instructors, they claimed this time and space as their own. A mild and rhythmic electric pulse, like a massage, caressed Mokuba's brain as they unwittingly tapped into the ring's power, accessing one another's emotions.

As they sat back-to-back in the next pose, twisting against each other, Joan felt a sense of comfort and protection seep into her soul. Just as much if not more so than her other men, Mokuba would watch her back. Their bodyguards helped, certainly, but they served more as a first line of defense, a deterrent to threats. As they bent over one another, Joan remembered how Mokuba had wrapped himself around her even as the other CEOs tried to get a piece of her. Even after knowing her only a few days, his allegiance stemmed not only from regard for his own happiness but his brother's as well. Seto had finally stumbled upon a whore he couldn't live without, and Mokuba wasn't about to stand by while some slimeballs that weren't even paying her had their way with her.

They entered a gate pose next, outer arms reaching towards the sky, bodies curving inwards, feet meeting in the center. A sense of welcoming to the future washed over them, openly greeting whatever life would bring them next. They progressed into a modified Warrior 2 pose, gripping each other's forearms and leaning away from each other, ready to face challenges that came their way. A double boat pose and partnered tree pose brought them a sense of balance and harmony.

As the poses grew more complicated, Joan and Mokuba giggled at their own mistakes, reminded by each other not to take life so seriously. However, they also felt a sense of accomplishment at their little victories as they executed the poses on their second and third tries. Just when they felt they'd reached their limit, the instructors called an end to the class with a final, "Namaste."