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Kio spun around and gave Torn a look and said, "Why, don't mind if I do!" Kio cracked his knuckles and approached the soldier. "Try and swing at me, eh?" Kio said threateningly. "I'll teach you a thing or two!"

Ralton jumped off his horse and raced over to Kio. He stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. "Kio," Ralton said softly. "This is unfair. Don't take part in this, he's not worth it."

Kio looked at Ralton for a second, then at the frightened soldier on the ground. "Fine." he said through clenched teeth and narrowed eyes. Then, he smiled deviously and said without looking away from the soldier, "Ralton, let me see your sword." Ralton put his sword in Kio's hand uncertainly, and then Kio took it, held it above his head, then brought it down with great force... cutting the soldier free. Kio gave the sword back to Ralton and said, "One can only change when he is on the brink of destruction. Let him go."

Your sister, Nearrah would be very proud of you...

Kio knew that voice. He knew it was the legendary Zorra, but he knew he'd heard that voice before. He just couldn't place a finger on it. "Thank you." Kio said softly as Zorra rode away. Wait... Kio thought. Isn't that... Tornado? Nearrah's horse? Kio placed a hand over his mouth in astonishment then thought, No. It can't be! Still, he kept the thought in the back of his mind, shoving it away for future use, perhaps. But now the thought panged at him, snapped it's jaws at him, doing whatever it could to keep Kio thinking about it. He finally decided to go to Ralton. Ralton was a, honest man, and maybe he had some answers.

"Ralton," Kio said as Ralton was stroking his horse's neck. "You know Zorra, right?" Kio asked. At the sound of the name, Ralton froze and looked at the ground. "I've heard of her." Ralton answered modestly, obviously not wanting to spill the information. Kio still asked, "Don't you think her voice and her horse is very similar to..." his voice trailed off, but then he blinked and finished, "...Nearrah's?"

Ralton stopped. He didn't answer at all, until he said, "No." Plain and straightforward. Kio nodded, but still looking curiously at him. "Of course, Ralt, I was being silly." Kio lied. He knew something was up that he didn't know about, but he didn't push it for today. Kio simply went back to his seat on the stands, and slumped down into the seat, waiting for Nearrah to come back.

Kio saw Nearrah return to the starting line and heard her lie, I thought I heard someone call my name... Bah! Kio knew something was fishy, and he had to find out what. But at the moment, he wanted to enjoy the race.

Ralton jumped back on his horse and directed him to the starting line. "Nearrah!" he called. And when she looked, he smiled and said softer, "Think you can finally beat your uncle at this game?" he wouldn't trash talk any more than that, and come to think of it, that was probably the worst trash-talking he ever did. To us it wouldn't seem like anything was bad at all, but he was a good man and a good sport. "Good luck, girl!" he called one last time before the start.

Ralton kicked his horse and pressed down on his sides, pressing Nexio forward. The sleek chocolate-colored horse lowered his head a bit and picked up speed.

Kio put his feet up on the seat in front of him and watched as Ralton and Nearrah were neck and neck once again. Kio smirked a bit and put his elbows on the seats on either side of him. Ralton placed first in the last race, winning the pot, Kio thought, now let's see how he does when the soldier is gone.

The moment Nearrah crossed the finish line first, Kio jumped up and exclaimed, "Yesss! Go Nearrah!" with his fists in the air. Once everyone around him began to stare, he slowly sat down, folding his white, fox ears back.

Ralton came in third this time, behind another racer. He slowed his horse to a trot, then stopped him altogether. He dismounted and stretched his legs, then congratulated Nearrah. "Congrats kiddo, your uncle's getting too old for this sport."

Kio walked -not ran- down the stairs and on the outskirts of the ring, waiting for Nearrah to come around so he could congratulate her.

Kio hugged Nearrah, saying, "Well while I'm getting taller, I'm getting more clumsy!" He heard what Nearrah said about getting back before Grandfather wakes up, so he nodded in agreement and followed, patting Dust when he passed.

Ralton caught the six gems Nearrah tossed to him and smiled. Just what I expected from a legend. he thought as he dropped the gems into his small, over-the-shoulder knapsack. Even more, my niece.

Kio and Nearrah walked side by side in silence until Kio said, "You know, you're always winning those races. How do you do it?"

Kio cocked an eyebrow and looked at her. "Very exciting." he said flatly. "But what I really want to know is..." He thought about what he was doing. If he let her know that he knew about her secret, would that ruin everything? He had to take a chance. "What I really want to know is, what's it like to be the legend?"

Kio smirked, "Smooth." He had a feeling that Nearrah knew more than that. And Ralton... Ralton! When Kio had asked Ralton if he thought that Nearrah and Zorra's voices and horses were similar, he just said, 'No' and nothing else. "It must be incredible being Zorra." Kio continued. "I wonder how she handles all that pressure of having the fate of the world on her shoulders. I know I would just crack right then and there. Next time I see her, I'll ask how she manages all that responsibility. All that 'knowing that one mistake could cost the entire world'. Amazing." Kio was trying to get Nearrah to crack and come clean, but that was all he had to say. After all, they were best friends, practically brother and sister.