For a brief moment, Sly had a flashback to the day his sister Ayana died.
The promise Sly made to her, how bitterly he wept, all that flashed through his mind.
Even if he wasn't confident in himself, to honor the memory of the Foxx family, he swore to do his best at the Paradise Military Academy.
It didn't matter if his best was the worst at this school, slowly he followed the other two members of this hastily put together team to the center of the stage.
"What's the strategy?" asked Sly Foxx.
Jolan shrugged, "doesn't matter, do as you'd like."
"Well then…," said Jack, the third member of the last team, "I just want to go first and get this over with, anybody has a problem with that?"
Both Sly and Jolan just shook their heads together in perfect solidarity.
It seemed like that would be the only time they would ever be in sync.
Jack frowned.
"Protect me if you can," suggested Jack slyly. A few strands of auburn hair peaked out from under his hat. "My family will reward you handsomely if you do as I say. The glorious Winchester family is always looking to sponsor prodigies and with a few words of praise from me your future would be prosperous."
Sly couldn't help it, his eyes lit up at Jack's offer of sponsorship but Jolan scoffed, "a promise is a comfort to a fool. What guarantee would the two of us have that you won't change your mind after the match is over?"
Jack was angered about the fact that these two newcomers doubted his sincerity but he tipped his hat lower in a bid to cover the murderous look in his eyes and show some restraint.
"My word is my honor, I swear it upon my ancestors. There is no one around here that hasn't heard about the illustrious Winchesters. We breed the best mounts and supply them to all the aristocratic families. Winchesters are all alumni of Paradise Academy. My future is already predestined whether or not I attend this school. My future will be outstanding. When I take over the family business both of you can work for me."
Sly felt uncomfortable with the way Jack talked down to them
Almost as if they were made to feel grateful should Jack offer them a job shoveling dung out of the infamous Winchester stables.
Jolan pointed to Sly and said to Jack, "I don't know about him but I will not be a lackey for some pompous noble. I will be a boss and make my own decisions. After this match, there will be many offers knocking on my door and I will be in high demand. Unlike you Jack, I don't have a prestigious family background but that won't stop me from making a name for myself on the battlefields. You needn't concern yourself about me, silly brat."
Jack stood eye to eye with Jolan and said firmly, "my name is Jack Winchester."
Sly felt small and insignificant in the presence of these two that already acted like big shots.
No amount of nudging on his part would make Mimosa wake from his beauty sleep and Sly had already started to doubt that he could do this match on his own.
The confidence of the other two was written on their faces even though their spirit beasts were yet to be released.
So far, Sly hadn't seen anyone else use a spirit plant to fight with and Sly started to agonize if he really belonged at Paradise Military Academy.
The last senior students to fight that day swaggered onto the field to overwhelming support and standing ovation from the crowd in the stands.
A trio that was part of the official school team that represented the school and had defeated so many teams in the past that they were confident in their next victory.
The youngest senior member, pushed aside the other two that tried to hold him back but failed to do so.
Verde loved a challenge and was excited to fight Jolan; he looked disappointed when he saw that the rest of his team looked like weaklings, he had no interest in fighting losers.
This arrogant senior student named Verde, had an obsession with the color green.
Even today the was covered from head to toe in green, somehow the boy still managed to look smartly dressed with blonde hair streaked with neon green He swaggered over to the trio of new recruits and said loudly for all to hear, "It's a waste of time for my comrades to fight when I alone can defeat all three of you. As soon as the match begins all three of you attack me at once."
Verde's teammates sighed and went off to one side, signing autographs and talking to fans in the crowd.
Old Man Biggs was replaced by a younger strict teacher Lawton who asked, "Do both sides agree to a three versus one?"
Jolan wanted to refuse but Jack shouted out, "I accept!"
This was a dream come true for Jack, if the match ended quickly their humiliation would be less drawn out.
Jolan frowned in anger but had no choice to comply while Sly was just in a daze.
Inching away slowly from the center of the fighting ring Lawton announced, "since both sides are in agreement let the match begin!"
That's when they all heard a loud distorted noise coming from Verde's body.
Sly trembled.
Something about the obnoxious sound made him very afraid and Verde's creepy green eccentric eyes didn't help much either.
Like the referee the three of them wanted to back away too but then something a bright green smoke shot out from Verde's body
All three of them huddled closer together in a defensive stance.
The smoke was so thick they could no longer see Verde and then the ground began to shake beneath their feet separating the trio as each of them disappeared one by one into the smoke.
Sly hesitated for a moment then gritted his teeth and shouted, "Jolan…. Jake… where are you?"
No answer.
Then the ground became ignited with a green flame but it was strange because it didn't give off heat but had the opposite effect.