Junshan and her bus mates were now standing to the left of the pews, their hands respectfully behind their backs, just as the lion tamer had told them to stand. He was standing before them, and for the first time, Junshan bothered to look at his clothes.

He was wearing black leggings, armored or course, and A white chain mail shirt. Below the chain mail he was wearing a white undershirt with a black symbol on it that Junshan couldn't quite make out. His boots were silky like the Kael's had been, but they were a pasty gray. A yellow tie laid awkwardly on top of his shirt, and it matched his gloves, again like the Kael's.

Why didn't everyone point and laugh at this man? Junshan was close herself, but the man seemed just as dangerous as her caged unicorn. She now understood that she was going to have to fight him, and even though the lion tamer had said it before, it hadn't really meant anything until now.

She was going to fight her unicorn with a sword. A saber with the Omega sign on it. Junshan didn't like the idea.

The Lion Tamer was standing in front of them, his hands on his hips. He looked them over a few times, then sighed. He pointed at Junshan, removing one hand from his hip, and motioned her towards the cage. Apparently she was going first.

She hesitated, looking at the caged man, then stepped forward. Junshan held her head high as she walked over to the cage and placed her hand on a bar. The man inside grinned, then motioned forward with one outstretched finger. She grinned back, equally as enthusastic now, and tapped a bar with her saber.

Lion tamer cleared his throat, and motioned that she should open the door. She glanced back at him momentarily, glaring, and stepped closer to open the door. The man grinned even wider, bowing elaborately and sweeping his arm across his chest when she entered.

As soon as she had closed the door behind herself, he attacked. A sword appeared in his hand, seemingly from nowhere, and Junshan couldn't help noticing that his also had an Omega sign on the hilt. She quickly avoided the incoming blow from above and swung down from the side. She pulled the blade though, as she was unable to hurt the unicorn.

He glanced up, and seeing the look on her face, he seemed to know why he hadn't been hit. His eyebrows scrunched up, and he glared at Junshan. The message was clear: DON'T DO THAT. Junshan shrugged, and pulled her blade away, waiting for him to stand up. Somehow, she didn't think that he would've been hit anyway.

Before he got up, he struck sideways, knocking her legs out from under her. It was then Junshan realized the blades were blunt.

As she was shoved violently towards the bars, her head hit the side of the cage. She blinked strongly for a moment, trying to regain her head, then felt a movement near her shoulder. She struck out, lightning fast, and heard a grunt.

Her head still clouded, she stood up, and saw the man clutching his stomach. Had it hurt that much? A look of concern filled her eyes, while something flashed in his.

BAM he struck again, swinging his arm to the side, and hitting the bars. If Junshan hadn't been faster, the strike would have broken something. The man straightened from his crouching position and started to advance.

This time, when he was within range, Junshan attacked. She raised her hands and attempted an overhand strike, but the man easily blocked it. He twisted his sword away, and tried hitting her from the side again. Junshan barely made it away in time. It seemed that his movements were becoming faster.

Before she could react the man attacked again. He attacked from all sides, becoming faster and faster until Junshan could barely see him and was covered in bruises. She had managed to block some of them, but the quick ones got through her guard. Finally, she stopped defending and spun her saber around her in an attempt to hit the man.

She saw him stagger backwards as she hit him in the jaw. She saw a drop of blood trickle from his mouth, and before she could stop it, Junshan felt terrible. How could she make him bleed? But the man only smiled, and bowed once again.

He had lost, because this had only been a battle to first blood. Junshan vaguely remembered the lion tamer saying so in the sword room.

" It is done!" The lion tamer cried, raising his hands when the man had stood up and revealed his blood. "This girl is now an official student in our academy! Treat her with respect." The last words seemed a bit off, but Junshan ignored them and tried to decide whether getting into the academy was a good thing or not. Then she looked back at the smiling man, and she decided that it was a good thing.

A very good thing indeed.

_________________________________________________________________

Junshan watched the three other children who had arrived on the bus with her go through the same thing. One of the alpha children lost, and so did the omega child. The last alpha child was greeted with a tired unicorn, who piratically let him win. It was obvious he just wanted it to be over with.

Despite their losses, they were all accepted into the academy, although no others had been told to 'treat them with respect'.

As Junshan nursed her wounds, she realized the final battle was done. What would happen now? The lion approached the line of accepted students that had formed, watching their bus mates.

"Now we shall proceed with the naming!" He yelled towards the crowd. He motioned sharply for Junshan to proceed towards the cage again. She was confused. The naming? What was that?

Upon entering it once again, she smelled something different. It was the smell of blood. She wrinkled her nose, and looked directly at her unicorn. He had a new cut, directly above his eye, but it was hardly an injury at all. Junshan felt relieved.

Wary of closing the cage door, she left it opened this time around. She remembered what had happened last time. She saw the man smile as she approached.

"You fight like a snake. You make one movement, and transform it into another in the blink of an eye. That is admirable." The man spoke softly, and Junshan realized that this was the first time she had heard him speak.

"You have given me, by far, the most trouble in this group. Is there any boon I can grant you?" He questioned, starring at Junshan. She felt herself blush. Blushing was bad, she mentally admonished, and made herself stop and take a deep breath.

"Tell me what's going on. And I wouldn't mind hearing your name." She said simply. She crossed her arms, aware that the entire student population was watching her.

"Ah. Later. But I will tell you." he smiled at something unseen to Junshan "But for now, a name for you will have to suffice." Junshan was shocked. How could he give her a name? She already had one. Was it going to be like a nickname? Oh well. She would take anything this man had to give. She smiled shyly back, her curly hair falling invitingly over her eyes, and in that moment she saw the man hesitate slightly. Then he spoke.

"For your delicate heart, I bestow upon you the name Leigh. To complete this, I give you the attachment Kay. In your heart and mind, you shall now be called Kayleigh." He put his hand on my shoulder, and the girl before him glanced at it.

He seemed to glow for a small moment, and then he backed away, lowering his arm.

The girl entered the cage as Junshan. She left it as Kayleigh.