"Valentine?" The pretty girl with her super long straight hair that cascaded over her shoulders stared at Zera. Her heart-shaped face and thin lips played in favor with the white top she was wearing.
On the V neckline, a checkered black and pink lace criss-crossed on the small holes intended for it, tying on a ribbon at the front. She tucked it in with a high waist skirt that flowed down her thigh. It stopped a few inches above her knee. Matching her white top, she paired it with white sneakers.
Zera nodded, extending her right hand towards Mysie Xavier's daughter. She met her mother a few times when her father tagged her along to get the trope of what he does from time to time.
She often heard her mentioning her daughter, but this was the first time she met the said daughter in person.
Compared to what she was wearing, Zera suddenly felt conscious. She never paid attention to what she wore before. For the freshmen orientation, she chose her favorite black jumper skirt with a pink rose embroidery on its front pocket by her chest.
Since it was the first time she would be liberating from her father's discriminating eyes, she went on to wear the black ankle boots she bought online a few days before she was to move to Zion for the opening of classes.
"Nice to meet you."
The pretty girl shook her hand, smiling.
"The pleasure is all mine. I'm Beatrix. And please don't start calling me Xavier. I already have a number of people doing that. It would be great if you don't belong to them."
Zera actually chuckled.
"Don't worry, I won't, as long as you don't start calling me Valentine, either. I don't want a constant reminder of who my father was."
Beatrix winked her way, pulling Zera's arm, interlocking it with hers.
"From now on, you and I are gonna be buddies."
–
Beatrix pointed one of her guns towards Zera's captor. The other had its tip resting on the forehead of a kid who looked like he was the long-lost son of Tarzan. Golden locks flowed freely over his shoulders.
His tan skin and elongated face resembled the cartoon version of it and Beatrix would have found it hilarious if only Zera's life wasn't in danger.
The son of Tarzan kneeled before her, his axe laid abandoned beside his feet. He had his hands raised in surrender.
Fleeting her gaze from the Tarzan boy to Zera's captor, who resembled a thug with his camouflage attire and the camouflage band tied over his head.
The slit of his eyes narrowed at each of them. His steady breathing let them know he was dead serious with his threat. But Beatrix shared the same sentiment. She was going to pull the trigger on both guns if he would put the knife closer to Zera's throat.
"I don't know about you, but I think my bullets will be faster than your knife. Don't you think?" Beatrix dared.
"You might want to hold that thought." A feminine voice purred somewhere on her right.
Turning in that direction, Beatrix found that the owner of the voice blended with what she was wearing, displaying a cat costume minus the tail.
In her hands, she was holding a bow and arrow. It was aimed at Beatrix. At the back of her mind, she thought it would have been better if the cat lady chose an amazon type of costume. That would have suited with the weapon of her choice.
It was only at that moment that she took a careful assessment of their surroundings.
Right before Zera, Astherielle had her daggers ready. A girl dressed in similar black and white sweatpants and camouflage top was in a fight stance in front of her. To her left, Jaspreth was keeping guard, securing the fifth player of the other team.
It was a muscular guy and with a few inches of height difference, Beatrix could only assume that if the other guy were to swing the hammer in his hands, he could dice Jaspreth with little effort.
Trying not to show her awe, Beatrix wondered where Nayowmi could be and if the other team actually noticed that there were just four of them present.
'Did she run?'
But that was ridiculous. She had nowhere to hide or run. At this, Beatrix tried to think of a possibility where Nayowmi was. She could be hiding and waiting for the perfect opportunity to spring forth.
Silently hoping that it was the case, in her mind, Beatrix crossed her fingers and thought about keeping the other group distracted, provided they had yet to ask where their fifth player was.
Scoffing, Beatrix let her forefinger hover on the triggers of both guns. She didn't know what Nayowmi had in mind. She surely should be watching the scene right now.
To add, she had a rifle. A long-range shot could be enough to tip the scale in their favor. But that was still dependent if their team would be quick enough to act and finish off their opponent before they were to face the big boss and advance to the next stage.
"I could still argue that my bullet would be faster than that arrow."
Smirking at the other team, Beatrix caught Zera's gaze. She was surprisingly calm. But that might have been because of the experiences she had. Her father was the governor. It was not a tremendous surprise if anyone would be pointing a knife at her throat or any form of weapon.
With their parents running the finances and other affairs that contribute to Hearth's well-balanced system, Beatrix had learned at a young age how to remain calm in dire situations.
It was no easy feat. But with her mother preparing her for the worst before she would be forced to pass her legacy on to Beatrix, Beatrix was able to master it. She had a better control of her emotions when faced with danger.
Her mother used to say that remaining calm allows her to be able to think straight and figure out her next move.
Panicking never helps.
Catching Zera's gaze for the second time, the look on her friend's face greatly confused her. She had her eyes open wide as she stared at the trees across from her.
The need to know instantly ate at her. It didn't take long for Beatrix to give whatever it was that Zera was staring at, a quick glance.
At that moment, she too had her eyes going animatedly wide at what she was seeing.