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"Wow," Tony frowned. "If she thinks that just talking to me is going to ruin Eri, what's she going to do when you actually battle with him? I mean, that is what they're made for, but how is she going to react?"

He looked over at her nanny to make sure he wouldn't be overheard before he leaned close to Lanying and whispered, "Why are you stuck with her if she doesn't understand anything?"

He had always been under the impression that Nannies were supposed to be smart and helpful, but he didn't see that in this case at all.

Antony grinned. "Well, I would offer to help you convince her," he replied wistfully, "but I'm the kind of kid that can't go places like the area where you live. I'd get chased out, I bet. Still, you should keep trying to convince your mom, 'cause you're right, it is a bad idea. She's one of them grownups that can only show you how not to act."

He didn't want to be rude, but everyone always told him to be honest - so he was being honest.

He hated when they yelled at him for it though.

Antony blinked. "What's the most practical thing?" he asked her, confused. He didn't think he had said anything so special, he had just given his point of view.

He stopped his swing and looked at Lanying curiously. "Did I say something special?"

"I thought rich people were supposed to be smart," Antony shrugged, swinging back and forth gently once more. Then he added, "No offense."

That was why they were sent to private schools, wasn't it? And why their parents spent so much money to send them there, and to give them all sorts of extra activities to do. They had to be smart if they went through all of that.

"Yuck," Antony said flatly, frowning. "I thought it was a good thing to be rich, but the way you're talking it doesn't sound good at all. Is it really that terrible?"

Or should he feel thankful for the situation he was in? Or was there supposed to be some happy medium?

Sure he also had to do what he was told, but at least when he was told to do things they usually made sense.

"Oh, so you do still get to make your own choices," Antony grinned. "That's good."

He tightened his grip on the chains and pushed himself a little higher. He never had the opportunity to go on the swings at recess, the other kids always beat him to it, but he was finding that he liked it - or perhaps it was the company.

"Hey," he said, finally gathering up enough courage to ask Lanying the one question that had been bothering him for a while now, "when ... when we both have clothes for our angels ... would you practice with me? In a layer, I mean? Using them? I don't know any other Deuses, and ... I really like you, you're the nicest person I know."

He smiled shyly at her, holding his breath, waiting for her reply.

Antony's eyes lit up and a smile made his entire face glow with pleasure, and he beamed at Lanying, his hesitation and his fear suddenly and completely gone.

"Thanks," he said sincerely, excitement growing in his chest. "That's going to be so fun!"

He paused a moment.

"I have to be getting home for dinner before Sandy starts to worry about me," he told her regretfully, "but will you meet me at the park again tomorrow? After school again?"

Antony grinned and stopped his swing with the toe of his sneaker, then jumped off it and picked up his skateboard and backpack. "Great!" he said enthusiastically. "And I'll make sure to tell Sandy just in case she comes looking for me. Maybe you can meet her sometime, she's really nice and she wants me to find friends here."

Of course, he had been there for months now, but Lanying was the first friend he had made.