As the sky turned shades of orange and purple, the streets of Stronghold settled into a quiet hum, the chaos of training and sparring fading into the background. It was the perfect evening for a break, and for once, John, Anne, and Alex found themselves free of the usual pressures that came with preparing for the tournament.John stretched his arms above his head, his red energy finally subdued as he walked beside his friends. "Man, I needed this. After all that sparring today, I'm ready to crash."Anne shot him a sideways glance, smirking. "I'm surprised you haven't already. You nearly burned yourself out back there."John chuckled, nudging her playfully. "You say that like you didn't almost trip over your own feet during training."Anne feigned offense, placing a hand on her chest. "Excuse me? I'd like to see you keep up when Gordon's throwing punches like a madman.""I handled him just fine," John said with a confident grin, though the memory of Gordon's relentless attacks made his ribs ache a little.They rounded the corner to Easton's Café, a cozy little spot nestled between the training grounds and the quiet streets of Stronghold. The warm glow from the café's windows was inviting, a soft contrast to the cool night air.Alex, walking a bit behind them, perked up at the sight of the café. "Finally, some decent food. I think my body's more muscle than energy at this point."John laughed. "That's because you never stop eating."Alex grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Can't help it, man. Gotta refuel these guns." He flexed playfully, earning an eye roll from Anne.As they stepped inside, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries washed over them. The café was modest but inviting, with dark wooden tables and soft lighting that made it feel like a sanctuary from the bustling city outside.Behind the counter stood Mr. Easton, the café's owner, a stout man with a warm smile and a thick apron tied around his waist. He waved as they entered."Ah, my favorite bunch of troublemakers!" Mr. Easton greeted, his voice rich with familiarity. "What'll it be tonight?""Just the usual, Mr. Easton," John replied, settling into a chair at one of the round tables near the window."Same here," Anne added, sliding into the seat beside him.Alex, always the enthusiast when it came to food, hesitated for a moment before giving a dramatic sigh. "Make mine extra large, Mr. Easton. I'm starving."Mr. Easton chuckled, shaking his head as he started preparing their orders. "One of these days, Alex, you'll clean me out."John leaned back in his chair, letting the calm atmosphere of the café settle around him. His gaze drifted to Anne, who was absentmindedly stirring her coffee, her eyes thoughtful as she stared out the window."You good?" John asked, his voice softer now that they were away from the training grounds.Anne blinked, then turned to him with a small smile. "Yeah, just thinking. It's crazy, isn't it? The tournament's only a week away, and it feels like everything's changing so fast."John nodded, his own thoughts mirroring hers. "Yeah, I know what you mean. We've been training for this for so long, and now that it's almost here, it feels... big."Anne met his gaze, her expression serious for a moment. "Do you ever wonder what comes after? I mean, we're all so focused on the tournament, but... what if things don't go the way we planned?"John hesitated, his usual easygoing demeanor faltering. "Honestly? I try not to think about it. I just keep telling myself we'll figure it out, no matter what happens.""Typical John," Anne teased, though there was a warmth in her tone. "Always charging forward without looking back."John shrugged, a grin pulling at the corners of his lips. "That's how I roll. Besides, no matter what happens, we've got each other, right?"Anne's smile widened, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "Yeah. We do."Their moment was interrupted by the clatter of a plate being set down in front of Alex, whose eyes lit up at the sight of his food. "Finally!" he exclaimed, diving into his meal with the enthusiasm of someone who had been starved for days.John and Anne shared a laugh as they watched him eat, the earlier tension between them easing into something lighter, more familiar.Just as they were settling in, the door to the café opened, and Lila stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room. She hesitated for a moment when she spotted Alex, a small smile tugging at her lips as she made her way over.Alex, mid-bite, froze when he saw her approaching. "Lila?" he mumbled through a mouthful of food, quickly swallowing as he straightened in his seat.Lila gave him a friendly nod. "Hey, Alex. Didn't expect to see you here."Alex scratched the back of his head, looking a little awkward. "Yeah, just, uh, grabbing a bite with these guys." He motioned to John and Anne, who were watching the exchange with amused smiles.John leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Hey, Lila. Feel free to join us.""Sure, why not," she replied, pulling up a chair next to Alex. "So, are you all ready for the tournament?""Ready as we'll ever be," Anne answered. "Benji's been putting us through the wringer."Lila chuckled, her eyes glancing over at Alex, who was trying his best to act casual. "Well, you'll need it. Mira's known for throwing surprises into the prelim rounds."Alex perked up, curiosity replacing his earlier awkwardness. "You've been to Mira before, right?"Lila nodded. "Yeah, a couple of times. It's... different. Beautiful, but you can feel the power in the air there. The environment seems to shift on its own sometimes."Alex leaned closer, intrigued. "And the benders from Mira... are they really that good?""They're strong," Lila admitted. "But so are you. Don't worry, Alex—you've got this."Alex blinked at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Thanks, Lila. That means a lot."As the conversation flowed between them, the café door swung open once more, and Mr. Easton returned to their table, setting down another round of drinks. "You kids talking about the tournament, huh?" he asked, his tone friendly as always."Yeah," John replied. "Any advice for us, Mr. Easton?"The older man chuckled, wiping his hands on his apron. "I might not be a bender, but my son, Collin, he's in Mira right now. He's trained hard and is ready to take on anything! But he did tell me that the city's gearing up for something big, given what happened here a few months back.""Something big?" Anne asked, leaning forward. "What do you mean?"Mr. Easton shrugged, though there was a hint of intrigue in his voice. "Not sure yet. But Collin said the city's been... different lately. Like it's preparing for more than just the tournament."John exchanged a glance with Anne, who raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like we've got more than just benders to worry about," he muttered.As the evening wore on, the group fell into easy conversation, the tension of the day slowly melting away. But even as they laughed and talked, the weight of Mr. Easton's words lingered in the back of their minds.