little bird // r.keene

ix. stuck in stone.

"Look, Miguel, I-" Sam broke herself off as she saw Robby at a punching bag in the backyard. Their eyes met and Sam tugged her bag strap on tighter before saying back down the phone to Miguel:

"I can't talk right now. Can you just tell Aisha to call me back?" She asked Miguel, before promptly hanging up and walking towards Robby down the steps. "I thought it was Aisha." Sam told him, slinging her bag down.

"You can talk to whoever you want." Robby told her plainly and continued to punch the bag. He had left Wren's late that night, making sure she was safe and asleep, as well as making sure to lock the door behind him as he did. The whole walk home he couldn't stop thinking about what Wren had told him... About everything, despite her tough front, she needed a friend and despite everything, she had chosen him. He wanted to help, of course he did. Robby only hoped he could live up to Rue Larson, whoever she may be.

He was asleep at home this morning on the sofa, due to his late night when his mom came home.    

She told him she was going away for another two weeks. It bugged him and he was letting it show.

"You think winning the All Valley gives you the right to goof off?" Johnny asked his students. Students were lined up in front of him as he stood beside a cement mixing truck. Wren kept her mouth shut and eyes training forwards just as she had done the day prior when Johnny asked them to meet him at the Corner of Fulton and Raymer at 5 am that morning. "Well, I got news for you... Winning one championship don't mean squat. A true champion never stops training."

Wren licked her lips and let her eyes trail from Johnny to Sensei Kreese, Johnny had introduced him as a visitor but the way Johnny had subtly asked her to go home the night she first saw Kreese meant they had a whole lot more history than they let on. Kreese had already been looking at where she stood at the back of the group and he gave her a small smirk, knowing all too well she was the current champion.

"You gotta keep moving forward... Or else you could get stuck exactly where you are." He continued to pace in front of the kids, which Wren started to think was his hobby based off how much Johnny did it. "It's like the cement in this truck. That drum doesn't start turning, the cement inside will harden and get stuck. Is that what you want to happen to you?"

"No, Sensei!" They all barked in unison.

"Good. Then climb up, get inside, and make it spin." The student broke into quiet murmurs before Aisha stepped forward.

"Sensei, we're sorry for messing around."

"We learned out lesson." Hawk added and it was the first time Wren had heard him talk since their argument, she had been avoiding him since.

Johnny didn't care for any of their words and slung down the ladder to climb into the cement mixer. "Get in!"
Wren swallowed again before looking back to Kreese, he let his eyes fall on her and gave her a slight nod and that was all the encouragement Wren needed. From the back of the group she made her way through, skimming Hawk shall get as she went.

All the others watched as she approached Johnny, she looked him the eye and he seemed to thank her but Miguel's voice broke the silence.

"Wren, wait... Hang on, this seems kinda dangerous. I mean the fumes alone-" he tried to reason but Kreese stood from where he had been sitting.
"Quiet!" He yelled, gripping everyone's attention.