The shouting and the chanting rang throughout my ears along with the even breathing of my lungs and the steady thumping of my heart.
My opponent stood in front of me, his eyes as fierce as the crowds around us. His hands curled up into tight balls that were bigger than half of my face.
"There's no need to do this!" I could someone shout among the crowd.
There was a complete need to do this.
"Please!" I heard them plea.
There was no going back now.
~TWO HOURS EARLIER~
Throughout the entirety of my second day here, the conversation from last night's dinner ran through my head.
The term was so unfamiliar with me, the idea of it couldn't wrap around my head. It was all so weird but at the same time I wondered what other things about the world I didn't know. What other terms existed without my knowledge? What phrases would I not understand?
"Still not hungry?" Arianna's voice pulled me out of my train of thought, a concerned look was on her face.
I began to pick on today's fruit and shook my head.
"That's okay," she smiled, "just eat what you can."
The Red-head came by and dropped his plate on the table angrily, "Sorry I'm late, I was just talking to Azure and Garret."
Arianna raised an eyebrow and snorted. "Seems like arguing to me."
"We were not arguing!" He snapped. "We were just discussing our differences."
"Hmm." She hummed.
"Look," he began, "just because I suddenly 'stop eating with them' doesn't mean I don't want them as my friends anymore! They're being overly dramatic and it's seriously getting on my nerves!"
The corners of Arianna's lips curled up in amusement. "You did stop eating with them."
"Well yeah," he faltered, "but that doesn't mean I don't want to be their friend. I mean, we've been through so much together the fact that they even considered that I wouldn't want to be their friend annoys me. I didn't complain when they ditched me to go on dates."
"Parker." Arianna spoke softly. "You're perfectly right to be feeling the way you do, but at the same time look at it through their perspective. You suddenly disappear without a word and hang out with someone who is a complete stranger."
"They were babysitting and it's only been three days that I haven't eaten with them!" He grumbled.
"Which is something they've never experienced before." She explained. "They've never gone a day without you being there when they want it and now it feels strange to them."
"So what!" He exclaimed. "I can't branch out when I want to? Am I just a filler for them?!"
"Parker," her voice was low and warning him, "you're angry but don't say anything you'll regret."
The boy physically relaxed, his eyes were closed but his eyebrows were no longer furrowed. His shoulders and arms had come down slowly. "You're right. So what should I do?"
"Talk to them."
"Talk to them?"
"Tell them how you feel, but talk and don't shout." She smirked. "You'll convince no one like that."
He nodded. "Yeah. I'll do that."
I glanced at Arianna who's focus was back on her plate with amazement. She was able to handle that conversation so well, if it were me I'd probably already be punching someone. I looked at my hands as I curled my fist and uncurled them slowly. Then again, everyone I've meet so far would not be moved with words.
It's different here.
Then I felt it. A feeling I had not felt in many years. It ran through my body like a blanket and provided a sense of relief. It made me feel secure and safe. It felt... comforting.
Snap out of it.
I blinked. What was I just thinking? Sure. I might be happy here for a couple of days, months if I'm lucky, but then what?
I only bring death wherever I go.
"Are you excited about Film Night?" His sudden question brought my full attention to him. "I personally love this film."
"Ugh, don't even get me started." Arianna groaned and I pursed my lips.
After making sure everything was up and running, Arianna went on to work on other matters concerning the 'Film Night' that was going to happen tomorrow. She explained that every week consisted of a night in which everyone who wished to would participate in a large screening of a film. They would clear out the cafeteria and use one of its walls to display the film as snack would be available. The 'film' was chosen through a voting system and this week's film was chosen the day I arrived.
Despite her explanation I failed to understand how a 'Film Night' could ever possibly work when every single film was destroyed when the empire was taken over. The memory of clutching my favorite film in my hands as the sound of destruction played behind the wall was still vivid in my mind. Therefore, there was no possible way that these people had any films to show. The only thing that existed film wise were documentaries of the current Emperor and the Prime Ministers, not that they would be shown here.
"Have you ever seen Endless before?" Red-head suddenly directed his voice towards me.
The film didn't seem to ring a bell but I decided not to respond to his question.
"It has to do with space," he started, "it focuses on a couple that live in one of the stations that orbit earth. In the beginning they-"
"Do you plan on spoiling the entire film?" Arianna narrowed her eyes.
The Red-head quickly bit his tongue. "Sorry! Just know it has to do with a couple in space who encounter some trouble."
I took a bite of some lettuce quietly. I probably shouldn't even go.
"Please stop!"
A cry drew all of our attention to a small weak-looking kid who seemed to have today's spaghetti splattered all over his face.
"Or what?" Another voice mocked the boy and threw a meatball at the boy. "You'll go cry to grandma?"
My hands curled into a fist.
Since it was already late into dinner most of the audience was juvenile, which would explain why no one would move to do anything.
Arianna groaned. "It's Tristan again. That boy does not learn."
"I'll go." The Red-head sighed and began to get up from his chair but it was too late.
My hand was already wrapped around the collar of the bastard's sweater with my eyes blazing.
"What the-" He muttered in a dazed state.
Once recovering, his hand swiftly grabbed my wrist to remove my hand from his collar but my hand would not budge. I could feel his grasp tightening and my wrist began to sting but it was nothing to the anger that I felt. Instead the glare in my eyes bore holes into his head.
It wasn't until someone suddenly pulled me back that I let go of his collar, leaving wrinkled marks in my place.
Red-head pulled me behind his back, covering me with his body. "Tristan, let's calm down."
"Move Parker." He growled. "That wretch deserves a good teaching!"
"You're the one who needs a good teaching!" Arianna snapped.
"Look Tristan-" I interrupted the Red-head by pulling him aside forcefully and stepping forward.
The boy with the new sneakers was now standing, looming over me like a tower. I looked up unfazed at him. "Let's make a deal."
"You're not in a position to make a deal."
I slowly reached to the ground and picked up the ball of meat he had thrown earlier, its red sauce slipping through my fingers. I then proceeded to stare at his angry and confused expression. Any second now.
"What-"
In a flash, my hand hurled the meatball in his direction. I've trained in the essence of speed, so naturally the action was too quick for anyone to see and it was all too sudden to catch.
A few moments of silence flew through the crowed before a couple of mouths around us gasped, realizing what had occurred and others laughed while pointing at the boy.
His eyes were wide and his lips decorated with red tomato sauce. It looks almost like lip stick, I snickered internally. Between his lips was the meatball I had tossed his way; he looked like a dog who had just retrieved a ball.
Arianna gently grabbed my arm but I ignored her. "A deal." I repeated sternly.
My words sparked excitement between the crowd, as they began to chant loudly.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The boy's face twitched and his ears grew red.
"What is happening?!" A voiced boomed over the crowd, causing them to hush in an instant.
I glanced at the source and saw a man who looked like he was in his forties. His eyes seemed to look for answers but stopped when he saw me.
"Sir," Sneaker-boy breathed through gritted teeth, "I wish to declare an official fight."
My eyes when back to him and the corner of my lips twitched.
"Let's make a deal." He finally agreed. "If I win, you have to do anything I ask you to do. Anything."
"No way!" The Red-head spat.
I ignored him. "Likewise."
The man who interrupted gave a deep sigh. "Are you sure about this Tristan? Your opponent is a little-"
"Sir!" Sneaker Boy shouted. "I want to have an official fight!"
"Sir!" Arianna, who seemed shocked, finally regained her posture. "You can't let this happen! She could get hurt!"
"I'm afraid that's not up to you." The man responded and looked towards me. "Do you accept this official challenge?"
I nodded despite Arianna's tightening grip on my arm.
"Alright then, proceed to the fight square as I look for Mr. Vans."
While Arianna and the Red-head followed the man, begging him to stop the fight, I followed Sneaker Boy and the crowd to the area where we would have our fight.
"Tristan are you sure about this? She's an elementalist! An ice one at that!" His friend whispered by his side while stealing glances at me.
"I've taken the training, I know how to stop an elementalist."
Except I don't need my element to fight you, I scoffed.
"You've never trained against an ice elementalist though!" His friend hissed.
Sneaker-boy scoffed. "I'm sure she's no different."
Yes, I thought smugly, I'm no different.
It only took about ten minutes to obtain permission from the higher-ups, in which the man from earlier came running in.
"You're fight has been approved." He panted. "Once everyone is out of the way, I'll relay the rules to you both."
We watched as he ushered everyone to the sides of a large circle that was painted on the matted floor.
They even have mats? I nodded in amazement. What a cushy life.
"Please step inside the circle." The man started once everyone was properly outside of danger. "The rules are simple, no weapons and no killing. Once your opponent surrenders you must stop immediately. When someone steps out of the ring, the match will stop then restart inside the circle. These are the rules, do you agree to them?"
"Yeah." Sneaker-boy grinned while I nodded.
"Then please," he motioned towards the open area, "step inside the circle."
The shouting and the chanting rang throughout my ears along with the even breathing of my lungs and the steady thumping of my heart.
My opponent stood in front of me, his eyes as fierce as the crowds around us. His hands curled up into tight balls that were bigger than half of my face.
"There's no need to do this!" I could hear someone from the crowd.
Too late, I hummed.
"Please!" I heard them plea.
There's no going back now!
"Stop! You can't go in there!" A voice cried and I felt a presence about to grab my wrist.
I quickly turn my body, moving my wrist out of reach and looked at the perpetrator.
It was Red-head, who's eyes were wide and his forehead was sweaty. "Don't do this." He breathed.
I stared with furrowed eyebrows.
The crowd began to shout angrily at him. It had clearly been ages since they have witnessed a fight and this red headed boy was ruining it for him.
"Just why are you doing this?" He shouted angrily and unfazed. What is his problem? "I could have defended that kid without you budding in!"
So it was a matter of his pride.
I turned back to face my opponent. "Goodbye."
"What?"
What he didn't realize is that two people had snuck behind him in order to drag him out of the way. He shouted curses and angry remarks as they did so. The crowd all watched patiently until he was finally out of the circle, bursting into cheers when he joined them.
"Are we ready?"
We glanced at each other and then nodded.
As he slowly drew the whistle close to his mouth, Sneaker-boy had fallen into a somewhat sloppy formation. He was crouched way to low and his feet were too close together. I simply stood still and watched, my hands comfortable in my pockets.
This boy was very prideful. He became frustrated when they questioned whether he really wanted to fight. There's no question on whether or not he got angry when his own friend doubted him.
He's sloppy and prideful.
The corner of my lip curled.
A guy like him would make the mistake of blindly-
The whistle rang loudly and clearly, giving my opponent motive to run full speed towards me.
Charging forward.
His fist came blindly towards my face and I gracefully stepped to the side to avoid it.
The crowd began to scream and shout as he stumbled on his feet, still unaware if he had landed a hit or not.
Now the question is... do I want to finish this quickly?
"Watch out!"
I avoided his blind and forceful fist once more and looked to the crowd. Arianna's eyes held fear and worry, her eyebrows creased as much as they could. My heart twinged slightly in guilt when I realized I had caused that happy face to turn sour.
I probably should end this quickly, I concluded.
My attention went back to the boiling kid who was yet again charging at me with another fist. I avoided this one as well, stepping to the side so that he would stumble. I then proceeded to kick the back of his knees so that he would fall on all fours.
As I was about to slam my foot down on his back he managed to roll away.
Not bad, I mused.
He pounced once again but instead of simply avoiding it I curled my hand and made contact with his nose. The impact made a bone crunching noise, one in which was loud enough for the audience to hear and gasp.
He blinked in a dazed state and I quickly stomped on his back, making him fall face foreword on the ground.
I reached for his arms and anchored my foot on his back, making him officially unable to move.
Moments passed as he continued to struggle on the ground. The crowd grew quiet as he began to realize that no matter how much he struggled he was stuck.
"I- I give up." He panted angrily.
I quickly let go of his arms and stepped off his back.
The whistle indicating that fight was over rang, causing the crowd to go into a loud chaos.
"I'll leave that kid alone.." He grumbled from the ground.
I slowly brought myself to sit and cross my legs next to him. "I don't care about that."
His furrowed in confusion. "What?"
"A plate of food is not easily accessible to you as it is to others. Some have to go through many lengths just to obtain a measly string of pasta." I muttered. "So don't go throwing it around like dirt."
"You-" he seemed to struggle with his words. "Because of a plate of food?"
"No." My finger pointed at his feet. "I want your sneakers."