The next morning dawned bright and clear, and with that a day for more training and work. Today I didn't meet Nikita in the suite, or the lift, or the gardens. I walked alone to the gym but it was already in use.
Nikita was on a treadmill, sweating as she worked but it wasn't surprising. Her clothes were. They were clothes for workout alright, but... clearly the only intention of wearing them wasn't just working out.
"Good morning!" She turned to face me completely. Her voice sounded more dignified, posh. She flashed a charming smile - very girly - and got back to running.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked.
"Me? Oh nothing, though I hope your thousand yen are ready." She winked and I shook my head starting with my own warming up. The dishes weren't up yet and so we were going to do physical training today. Blading would come after breakfast.
Slowly the crowd started streaming in. It took me moments to understand what she was doing after the first prey was walked in. Brooklyn Masefield walked in with a smile that grew at the sight of a beautiful girl smiling at him.
"Good morning!" She said in the same posh tone.
"Good morning to you too," Brooklyn acknowledged her fully. I wondered what she was going to do. Brooklyn seemed more like a mental person, not affected much by her clothes. "You are always up so early?" He asked continuing the conversation while lifting the stretching band himself.
"Oh yeah, I am always in search of pleasant company. Even if it means getting up early." I thought it was directed at Brooklyn but her eyes looking at me said otherwise.
"Then you're at the wrong place, no?" I looked at him as he said that. "I mean the gym is a boring place."
What was she getting at by appreciating me in front of him?
"What's your idea?" She placed a hand on her slim waist and turned to him with well faked curiosity.
"The gardens and the campus are the place to run. The birds and the flowers are at their best."
"Oh, then your team must love it?"
A frown flashed on Brooklyn's face before it promptly disappeared. "I am afraid not. They just don't look at nature like I do."
"That's sad. I used to always sit in the lawn at evening in my house. At least ten different kinds of birds come there," she said. Finally, her complete body was turned towards him and she was leaning towards him slightly.
"Ten different kinds of birds? There are more flowers here." He ran a hand through his orange hair and smiled. He had completely stopped stretching
"I think I would go there sometime..." Nikita muttered and turned back to her training. Brooklyn looked at her like he was about to say something then closed his lips. His stare didn't waver as she continued running on the treadmill.
"I... I could show you around. After the championship or something."
His cheeks turned pink as Nikita turned towards her with a fake oblivious look and a smile. "That would be great. Do you know a lot about- Wait I am going back home after the championships," she said.
"Whenever you like then..." He stuttered very slightly.
"... Brooklyn you aren't asking me on a date are you?" Her smile turned to a worried frown.
"N-no... If I would take you on a date it'd be more grand," he said confidently. He fiddled with the threads of his hoodie as Nikita studied him for a moment too long.
"Great then!"
I cleared my throat, as Nikita stopped training to talk to him. Brooklyn as if just remembering my presence in the room smirked and turned around motioning something to my purple haired teammate.
*
Three days passed uneventfully. I saw Nikita randomly talking with Brooklyn, and Enrique of course. One day in training she was talking to Miguel and Matilda casually, and on a rare occasion she spoke to Tala at lunch.
Every day for three days I saw her and Brooklyn in the lift to gym, chatting casually until today.
There were no Nikita and Brooklyn in the lift and gym. I trained alone until it was almost official practice time. Ray and Hilary made an appearance with big grins, wide awake. Blitzkrieg boys followed at their heels. The gym started filling with several members of different teams. Finally came my clue.
Hiro and the BEGA team, minus Brooklyn, stepped in.
It came crashing to me, then, that she was with Brooklyn.
A few minutes after the designated practice time the purple haired midget graced us with her appearance. She pulled out her blade and stood beside me as I taught her how to launch correctly. She was smelling strongly of roses and not her daily vanilla scent.
"Sorry I lost track of time comrade!" she said.
"Just take your launcher and rip until the power meter is full."
The morning training finished quickly and we all left the gym for breakfast in a group.
I was walking in the last of our group with my usual lowered head and hands in pockets.
The others bantered walking ahead of me with the exception of Nikita. She was barely a few steps behind me, engrossed in a heated argument with the one and only Enrique Giancarlo.
"... And he showed me black roses, and a few lavender and multicolored ones," she was saying.
"Roses don't compare to my resort," Enrique cut her sentence coolly, though there was a sense of jealousy. Brooklyn maybe a better blazer but this was Enrique's feat. How could he lose to him?
"You're being materialistic," she said.
I cast a sneaky glance back to see Enrique towering her, smiling at her as she continued glaring.
"How about I gift you the best flowers in all of Japan?"
"Ha, you're coming around on how to impress a girl!"
"So, are you free tonight?" Enrique's tone was the most casual one as she asked her out.
"Brooklyn said theres a stream... We are going to see it!"
I stiffled a grin as she lied efficiently. My team had a practice session tonight. And I knew she was coming. That's what she had told me last night.
"You're going out with that... That ginger!?" Now the blond was sputtering clearly.
I missed the rest of the conversation as the crowd thickened, but it must have been pretty heated. Soon enough had joined Hilary. "How dare he talk to me like that?!"
The rest of the day passed by in a blur until evening when we decided to have a match. It was important. She was going to use her beast against any of us for the first time. None of us had seen it, with the exception of Kenny. All I knew was it was a mythical beast. I didn't know what I was going to face, however I 'am' the runner up World Champion.
The gym was loosely packed at this hour and the rest of the team sat together huddled in a circle while we prepared our blades.
Our glares were fixed with no waver. No bets came in between here. My eyes were set on her blade.
"3." Ray counted standing beside the dish. "2."
My knuckles turned white as I prepared for the impact to come.
"1. LET IT RIP!"
"Go Dranzer/Cerberus!"
Our blades spun and clashed making loud sounds. Her blade was made of alloys and with the force of Dranzer left deep impacts on the dish. I tried a lot to knock it out with mere force. She did the same. Finally I knew I had to call my fire phoenix.
I waited as her top toppled ever so slightly. That was the moment I was waiting for.
"Dranzer!" Corners of my vision turned red and heat coursed through my body as my fire phoenix emerged and spread her majestic wings. "Throw her blade out."
Dranzer spinned around Cerberus, and then a huge beast with three heads - each covered with fire, ice and water respectively - rose from Nikita's blade. Honestly I used to think Majestics' blades were huge. This was humongous.
"Freeze Dranzer, Cerberus," she said. Her eyes glared daggers at me and I glared back.
A fire storm began from Dranzer blowing everything in the room and the ice head of Cerberus blew ice at Dranzer.
I closed my eyes at the scent and inhaled the smell of burnt plastic. When I opened my eyes again the steam was settling.
Finally only one blade remained in the dish - Dranzer.
Cerberus was lying lifeless in the centre and Dranzer was spinning - barely - around it. It was a close win. She could've won if I lost any control.
I looked at her as she smiled triumphantly and picked her blade. Her steps were wobbling and arms shaking. The fight had taken a lot out of her.
"Wow! You were spectacular out there!" Max patted her back and the crowd in the gym gathered closer around the both of us. She had attracted fans and enemies with her first fight.
She breathed ruggedly whilst taking all the appreciation easily like she was meant for it. She didn't cower under the States and compliments.
"You have to fight me too!" Tyson insisted again.
Nikita flashed a smile and launched her blade for the informal match - to give Tyson a taste.
Her blade spinned at a slower rate but still powerfully. Another blade crashed with hers. However it wasn't Dragoon. It was the blade I had had the longest history with.
It was Wolborg .
Tala Ivanov made his way to the centre of the crowd and sneered.
"Fight me." He demanded.
"Leave her alone," Ray said defiantly.
"Let ice fight ice Ray!" Nikita yelled standing up again, strong as ever.
I opened my mouth to intervene but she raised a hand to silence me. I looked at Tala, he didn't look like he wanted it to be a fair match. He didn't even want a match at all. He was testing her!
Now this was going to be interesting...
How are you all liking it?
By the way here is a pizza I baked!!! 🍕 🍕 🍕
It was tasty considering I made it.
Have a virtual slice all.
By the way does anyone think I should do a reveal? Like a face reveal? Name/age reveal?