Wait, did he just say no? I thought I was guaranteed a spot in any club?
"Excuse me? Why did you turn me down? Could I at least get a reason why?"
Atlas sighed, but explained anyway, "Your skills are unpredictable, reckless, and above all else, dangerous to everybody around you," and just like that, he diverted his attention away from me and toward Nova, and what came out of his mouth just blew my expectations out of the water.
"You, on the other hand, were full of beneficial talents that could prove extremely useful. It could use a little refinement, but if you wish, you may join Spectre."
Nova was overcome with joy; she pumped her fist and breathed a silent "yes."
I, on the other hand, was devastated. It was the cruellest possible blow to reject me and accept Nova right after me. She began to celebrate with everyone else, all of them congratulating her with kind words. I didn't hear any of them, though. I was already out of earshot, down the hall, and out the door.
I decided to go for a walk to clear my head. I passed through corridor after corridor. I faintly heard the announcer's voice through the walls
"Alright, it's time to get this show back on the road! The second match is now underway!"
I ignored it and kept walking, although something seemed off. The fact that there wasn't anyone in the corridor, especially for an event as big as this, kind of creeped me out. So I hurried out of there as fast as I could, which is where I quite literally bumped into Irena. I fell flat on my behind as Irena extended a hand up.
"So this is where you ran off to."
I take her hand, and she pulls me to my feet. As I dusted myself off, Irena questioned me.
"So. Where were you when Nova got accepted into possibly the most prestigious club in the world? Hmm?"
"Well, I…" I try to tell her, but she cuts me off
"Are you her friend or not?" Her cold eyes bore into me, almost like she had chilled them with her attribute.
"I am!"
"Then act like it!"
Her words snap me out of my trance-like state. She sits down on a nearby bench and pats the spot for me to join her.
"Look…" she begins as I sit down. "When I first arrived here. I thought of myself as some sort of unstoppable prodigy, capable of dominating the whole torment all by myself. Just to lose to Isamu in round one. He taught me a lesson. One that I won't forget."
"What's that?" I ask her.
She sighs, but finds her footing and continues, "Find people that will care about you, cherish you, and be right by your side when times get tough. When you're at your lowest, those are the people who will pull you back up. You should apologize to Nova and congratulate her on her victory. Besides, you still have 7 other clubs to choose from. It's not like you're limited to Spectre, doomed to only follow one path."
She was right. I hadn't chosen a team yet. But who was I to choose? I was lost in thought, so much so that I didn't hear Irena get up and leave it to me to decide. Then, at that moment, I knew. I had to get faster. Speed would help me defeat anyone in the tournament or possibly even beyond that. It would allow me to transcend into realms I thought not possible for a mere human. Each club had a specialty. It just so happened that the one I needed to join was Shatter FC.
Now that I had fully set my mind to that, I made my way back to the meeting hall. But everyone was now gone, off to watch the next match. But I found a clipboard lying on a table with a pen on it. I reached for it when a hand, wrapped in clean, white bandages, shot out of nowhere and grabbed my wrist. I jerked my head towards the direction the hand had come from and realized I was face-to-face with Atlas. He had short, brown, messy hair, but at the same time, it looked like it was styled perfectly. His eyes were a dark blue, with a soft but also incredibly structured face. He had a perfectly bleached, crisp white button-down shirt as well as a grey suit jacket and a purple tie. He had black dress pants that were kept at his waistline by a spikey belt and void, colourless loafers to match his black coat with white fur on the shoulders. It was held together by a strap that ran across his chest and was weighed down by a small silver chain.
"Ah. I see we have a child who wants to have something without his parents' permission." He said tauntingly.
"How- how did you know I was going to be here?"
He just shrugged. "Call it a hunch if you'd like. But I think something else is at play here."
"If you call it fate one more time…"
He laughs. It feels mocking, a reflection of his youth. "Is this how you think of me? Someone who just goes around, thinking everything is caused by one's predetermined destiny? I assure you I'm much more than that. But I'm not going to talk your ear off by listing all the reasons I'm great. No, I'd rather just bring you to the man you're so eager to meet."
Eager to meet? Who? I didn't know the answer to that question.
It looked like he was gonna drag me by the wrist to meet this mysterious person, but he let go.
"Follow me, you looked like a lost child when I turned you down, I figured you could use some guidance."
I followed him out of the meeting hall, where I heard Orosu finally finish up his match with a loud bang, making me jump. Atlas turns to me with a small smile.
"Caught you off guard, huh?"
I nod, confirming his suspicions.
"There's nothing wrong with being scared," he reassures me. "It's one of the most natural states. Everyone is afraid of something. It's what makes us alive, makes us human."
He turns back to me, his eyes narrowing.
"But I sense something different from you. The way your eyes move is almost predatory. Like you're constantly analyzing the best and most efficient way to take your opponent down. But you seem to do this subconsciously. It makes you seem and feel alive, yes, but not human. It's like you've transcended mankind's limitations."
I blinked twice. "That is a lot of information to be processed. I don't know how to feel about that specific string of words in that order."
He sighs, exasperated. "Ah, who am I kidding? You're just a kid."
I considered multiple scenarios. In one, I debated talking back to him. In another, I kept silent. The third one… best if you don't know. I opted for number two and stayed quiet.
He led me into a viewing box which housed the captains of each club.
"Matteo. Got someone here for you," he says, ushering me forward.
"Oh, you're that Arashi guy. Cool name you have there."
Matteo looked to be in his early 30s or late 20s; I couldn't tell. He was fairly well-built, with brown skin and neatly styled brown hair, faded on the sides. He wore a simple, yellow shirt with a black cloak made from the same material as a suit jacket, cream-coloured combat pants, and matching black boots.
"So, what did you want from me?" Matteo asks me.
"I-i… I want-"
"Speak up, man! If you're going to join my team, you need absolute belief in yourself. You can't contradict yourself when it comes to the battlefield. It's the same here. If you don't take yourself seriously, then neither will I. Now try again."
I steeled myself and took a deep breath before opening my mouth again. "Will you allow me to join Shater FC?"
Matteo grins and slaps me on my back.
"Of course! Aren't you up next? You should get going. And Arashi?"
I turn back to listen
"Show me what you're like on the field."
I can't help it, his energy is contagious. "Yes, sir," I say, smiling.
The announcer's voice sounds from all around us.
"We have 5 minutes till the next match! Arashi Nakamura and Isamu Bakuhatsu. Please get ready.