Yazhu is second, unsurprisingly.

"668b."

"759a," he responds, and she nods.

"314a!" says Taiyang, trotting to keep up. She gives them both a tremendous smile, which Xian meets soberly and Yahzu completely ignores.

"759a."

"668b."

"Seen anyone good yet?" she asks.

"Not without a power sharer."

He pauses.

"A lot of confused Americans."

She arrives soon enough to hear that. Well, yes, of course there are a lot of confused Americans, it's America. Probably it's still an unusually large number, but Xian should consider base rates.

"433a."

"314a for me!"

"759a."

"668b."

"Has anyone seen A-Zhe?"

The term is not familiar in his mouth, but he uses it anyway; they must be brothers in the Scholomance, whatever they were before.

"I will bring him here."

Five minutes later:

"Wu Zhewei stop poking the mortal flame equipment and get down here!"

"Coming."

"... 642a."

"Xian-xiong is 759a and I am 668b and -" which of them does she want to subtly imply is lower status than her more, this is such a hard choice - "Jin-mei is 433a and Tai-mei is 314a and we are all ready but you."

... Fine.

(He still wants his own mortal flamethrowers.)

"Good to see you, A-Zhe," he says, putting genuine feeling into it.

"642a."

"Thank you, A-Zhe. I appreciate it."

He looks his crew up and down and grins warmly.

"Ready?"

As always.

If he HAS TO.

Of course I'm not a complete child! I do think I should get extra credit for it though.

Yeah, Xian, I'm not going to make you heard even more cats than you already have to herd. (My sympathies for that, by the way; it's the one disadvantage to the job.) "Ready."

He spots a gap in the crowd. "Then let's go."

And Taipei slams through the (admittedly open) doors to the cafeteria in a V-formation, Xian at the head. All of them are wearing identical enchanted uniforms, a deep blue that looks like it will wear with the seven red suns of Taipei Enclave on the collars, knives at their belts and titanium-capped boots and a synchronized stride. Xian gives cordial nods to those he recognizes as he passes them, and if he's not showing off Taipei's quick wits or generous spirit or honest, reliable disposition, he sure is showing off their ability to teach fourteen-year-olds how to march in step, straight up to the freshman end of Taipei table, where they bow to Cai Baihan in unison.

Cai Baihan waits half a second - waits another half-second - and then dips his head in response, and they straighten.

And then they can go get something to eat.