"So how do we get to the Badlands guys?" Lars asked the group. The 5 of them were following B up a forest path far outside of the S.P.A grounds.
"As you guys probably know there's a huge barrier between us and the badlands" B said
"Exactly, so how are we going to get there?" Lance said.
"There's actually one part of the base that isn't shielded by The Barrier, its called Nautica Valley" B said.
"Nautica Valley?" Reggie said. "Isn't that where we do observatory classes?
"Yeh! It's also a secret hangout of alot of Cadets at night." B said. "Because the barrier is weak there the Checkpoints of the S.P.A are actually set up outside of the Area preventing people from the badlands to get into the valley, but technically speaking, it's not in S.P.A HQ, and it's not governed by anyone, so it's still Badlands" B said.
"Why isn't anyone in control of it? And why is there no barrier?" Lars asked
"Probably because of the wildlife here," Reggie said. "Alot of Scientists use this area to observe animals here that have been altered by the Shift, Alters they are called, apparently turning on the barrier would disrupt the population."
"Woah! How do you know all of that?" B said in complete shock.
"Heh I'm not number 3 in the class for no reason!" Reggie said scoffing.
"WHAT! YOUR NUMBER 3? Who is number 1?" 619 asked
"Lance?" Lars asked.
"Nope, believe it or not I'm number two… this is in overall scores of course, not combat or strength, we do not have a ranking for that here, that's decided in the exams." Lance said
"Then who is number one?" Lars asked
"Beats me?" (B)
"No clue" (Reggie)
Everyone looked at Lance waiting for his answer. Letting out a sigh he finally spoke.
"Lily Ringo" Lance said.
"Who?"
"I've never heard of her?"
"Yay! A new friend! And she's a girl! Too many guys in this group anyway!" 6 cheered
"Lily…" Lars thought
"Apparently she's so far ahead of us she's already passed all of her classes and tested out of school, she doesn't even need to come to class, no one has seen her in months" Lance said.
"Wow… she's gotta be like super smart" Reggie said. "Like Bolts of lightning teleport everywhere smart" Reggie said.
"What?" Everyone said looking back at Reggie.
"Yaknow… like Henriette O'brian" Reggie said laughing.
"Hahah just because she's smart doesn't make her a teleporting electric guy with glasses" B said. "She's probably just a normal girl."
"Probably…" Lars said
As the group came to the top of the hill Jeff and a group of students were gathered around a monument marked Fleetwood Memorial.
"What's this?" Lars asked
The monument was a large grey stone with the names of a few dozen people etched into its surface. Its large oval shape was angled down in a wedge towards the ground holding its collection of names. The stone rested beneath the shade of a tree in the forest with various flowers placed around it.
"This is going to be your final resting place." A voice in the crowd said.
Making his way through the crowd of students, Jeff appeared wearing a scowl on his face.
"Jeff" Lars grunted. He made his way to the center of the circle staring Jeff down.
"So… you decided to show up" Jeff said. "Took you long enough."
"Getting here wasn't easy… I see you brought a whole crowd with you." Lars said.
"That's right!" Jeff sneered. "Everyone's here to see you lose!"
"Yeh! Axel the dreamer!"
"Get Lost!"
"THis'll be over quick!"
"You got lucky!" He heard students in the crowd yell at him.
"This many people really come to see me lose?" Lars thought. "Is Jeff really that strong?"
"Don't worry Ax!" Reggie said placing his hand on his shoulder. "We're here for you."
Lars looked back at his group of friends, emotionally supported by their looks of confidence.
"Don't lose," Lance said from the back. As he spoke, his friends turned to him, amazed he was lending his support.
"I mean you can lose if you want but if you do consider that promise gone," Lance said defiantly
"I won't lose" Lars said. "I have to win... for my sisters sake"
Lars walked up to Jeff, coming within a few feet of him and sized up his opponent. Jeff seemed to be angry at Lars for some reason. Like Lars had wronged him.
"Doesn't he understand his predicament? It's him who was in the wrong here!" Lars thought
"Give me back my sisters bear!" Lars yelled.
"Not a chance, you'll have to fight me first! Loser!" Jeff growled.
"Is that what this is all about? You just wanted to fight me?" Lars asked.
"That's right! I told my little brother to grab this doll! I knew you wouldn't let me get away with it and now your here! Your here to fall the way you should have yesterday!"
"Why…. Why are you doing this?" Lars asked.
"The same reason you are," Jeff said "Pb is my friend... And you hurt him!"
"He's a ruthless bully who terrorizes everyone! Even children! How can you call someone like that your friend?" Lars asked
"When he's the only one who sticks up for me it isn't as hard as you think," Jeff said "Is it harder to believe that I think of him as a friend? Or that he thinks of me that way?"
Lars took a step back hesitating. Why was this happening? Pb was the one he wanted to fight not J.
"Take a look at PB!" Jeff shouted, bringing up an image on his holopad. A picture of PB bloodied and bruised appeared on the screen showing everyone in the forest his hospitalized state.
"It's that bad…" Lars thought "I'm the one who did that?"
"ALl of this of a lucky sucker punch! If Pb had seen it coming this would have never happened!"
"Yeh!" The crowd of students cheered behind J
"Right now you're nothing more than the man that hurt my friend! And we will have our revenge!" J said, raising his fists.
Lars fell back intimidated by Jeffs display. His thoughts started to get drowned out by the soun dof the roaring crowd.
"Bullshit!" Reggie said. "That wasn't a sucker punch at all! Pb had it comin yo!"
"Damn straight!" B said. "I woulda clocked him myself if I was there! What kind of monster picks on little girls!"
"Hmph, you people are pathetic," Lance said, taking center stage. "Yeh, Axels a dweeb, but your taking the side of someone who picks on 10 year old girls? Are you that much of a bunch of cowards that you'll cheer for anyone strong! Stop faking! I swear, the next person to cheer on PB or this assclown before the fight is over is going to get a kick in the head!"
After Lance spoke the crowd slowly died down as Lars and Jeff stared each other down in silence.
"Get em Ax!" 6 said giving Lars a thumbs up.
"Jeff, this is your last chance to squash this! Give me back the bear before anyone gets hurt!"
"It's too late for that now, Ax" Jeff said. " Pb is already hurt! And soon you will be too!"
"Your a fool!" Lars yelled
"I may be a fool but at least I'm not alone!" Jeff yelled back.
"I don't care what your reason is!" Lars screamed. He dug his feet into the ground dashing towards Jeff. "Nothing is worth my sisters tears!"
Down is section 4 Seymour finished bringing Miriya home.
"Where was your brother today?" Seymour asked.
"Brother said he was busy! He's going to beat Jeff up to get my bear!" Miriya said.
"He said what now?" Seymour exclaimed
"Hq!" Seymour said into his holopad. Give me the location of a Cadet named Axel."
"Currently displaying location in S.P.A observatory in Nautica Valley."
"Thank you" Seymour said nodding his head. "Seymour out."