Ah, youth. Such a wonderful period in life, isn't it? We learn to forget old things, and we learn to know no things. It is easily the best time in life to gain experience and break off from old, bad things.
There is immaturity too, sometimes, you just have to love the gifts of immaturity, whether it be good or bad.
What if one can't let go of the past? What if it becomes the deal breaker in personal relationships? Like friendships?
Like–what if we have this girl who found out that a friend of hers is part of the family that she hates? What will happen?
What am I supposed to do with this girl..? Adina pondered as she followed Deleena, stomping and frowning.
"Can't you believe it, Adina!? We've been friends with a Doren all these months!" She hugged herself, cringing. "It's a cardinal sin."
Is she serious..? Adina frowned. "What's with you and the Dorens anyway!? Why do you hate them so much!?" She raised her voice, clearly annoyed.
Deleena turned back at her with a look of disbelief. "Why do I hate them..?
I HATE THEM FOR EVERYTHING!" She raised her voice back at her.
"Everything!? What do you mean everything!?" Try as she might, Adina could not understand Deleena's reasoning.
But Deleena did not explain, she just turned around, hastily walking away.
The short-tempered Deleena was outright furious, it doesn't seem like she'd spend time listening to what other people say right now.. But for what? Why is she so angry?
As Adina continued to follow Deleena, she tried her best to come up with any theory. But naturally, nothing came up.
...
The sound of a swooshing sword came again and again, so fast that you would think it's not a human. But it was, and the one wielding the sword was the ever-elegant; The Second Undefeated–The Best-err.. Minerva Grosvenor.
The students passing by watched her in awe, but not as much as they should be, after all..
"As expected of Ms. Grosvenor!" A guy exclaimed.
Minerva could hear them all too clearly, so she stopped and cast her gaze at everyone in front of her. She wore a soft smile, waving..
A girl tightly clutched her hands in her chest. "I..I think I'm falling in love!!" She exclaimed, her face burned red, and it was as if she could faint anytime soon.
The crowd went bonkers, perhaps even more than the girl.
They're going bonkers again, what's new? Behind that soft charming smile of hers, hid a frown. But nobody will know, right? After all.. They only see me for what I am on the outside.
Minerva turned around and walked away–even that had elegance, but everyone did not go as bonkers as earlier, it was more like an 'aw' from them. For that type of walk has been used by Minerva countless times, indicating she doesn't want to be around them. Not like I show them who I really am anyways.
When she got out of everyone's sight, she let out a long sigh. Anyways, where's Zephyr? I haven't seen her since her duel.
She leaned on the pillar, sheathing her cutlass. What do I feel about her defeat? She stared at the ground, seemingly thinking about it. I guess I was disappointed. After all, she told me she'd give me a good show. She tilted her head. That said, I did say seeing her try her best would be enough. Her head tilted to the other side. That said, I did say I want to see her win.
It's like all she said kind of contradicted each other, so what did she really lean to? What did she really think?
Shrugging, she just wore a smile. "It's fine. I'll just say it's all good, then everything's back to normal!" She nodded. "Yeah, yeah! That's all I need to do." MInerva seemed very convinced by her thoughts, and so she walked away, beginning her journey to find her student.
Where could she be? She tapped her chin, thinking. Ah–if I know anything about her, she's either with Sanguinex, or maybe her friends.. Or maybe even Sévir! Yeah! You're right, Minerva! Who could've thought!? Wait, that seems so obvious. She blushed slightly out of whatever embarrassment she held after thinking that. After all, she did say it was pretty obvious, nothing out of the box.
She would get stares here and there from students as she walked around, she felt the need, or perhaps even the instinct to wave back and smile at them. Damn, that seems draining. At least for me.
Sigh.. It sure is tiring smiling here and there, all the time. She crossed her arms. I could just ignore them, really. Then she shook her head and frowned. I'm not like Noelle though. I'll never be like her, after all.. She's so-
"Oh, Minerva!" A girl from her right appeared, she couldn't do much but just smile and reply.
"Ms. Trysta." She faced her, standing straight. "You did amazing on your duel by the way."
Noelle smiled back, waving it off with a blush. "You need not flatter me. He wasn't an outstanding one anyway, just a weakling." She chuckled. "My, where's my manners? I shan't talk about someone like that behind them."
Minerva shook her head. "You're all clear, Ms. Trysta. It's only you and me here after all."
"Say, you have yet to duel someone, right?"
Minerva nodded. "Indeed, I wonder who I'll be fighting for my first duel today."
"When is it?"
"Around.. One hour."
She put a hand over Minerva's shoulder, staring straight at her with expectant eyes. "I expect a flawless victory from The Second Undefeated. Will my expectations be realized?"
Minerva nodded again. "Of course. The only one who can beat me is you, after all. It's been nobody but you."
Noelle hid a chuckle behind her hand. "My, have you forgotten about Ms. Scriver?" She shook her head in disapproval. "You mustn't forget who're the people you've fought, Minerva. That's just rude to them."
Look who's talking! I bet 10 Zinarius you don't remember 10 of any of your opponents' names.
Minerva had the urge to scowl at her, but her mask just couldn't come off now–it shouldn't.
She let go of Minerva's shoulder. "Moving on, I'd like to inquire about your reconnaissance on Sévir van Doren."
Ah–that one.. I forgot about that. She shook her head. "I'm afraid I have no special information, he has not shown any signs of difference after all."
"So that's the case. I see." Noelle walked past her and clasped her hands behind her back, walking away.. Or so it seemed. "By the way.."
Minerva turned around, facing Noelle's back. "What is it?"
"Zephyr."
Minerva was a little taken aback. Why did Noelle suddenly mention Zephyr after all? She's never mentioned her before.
"She looks similar to Sévir van Doren. Investigate her." There was a hint of sternness in her voice, after all, it was a command, not a request.. Though, out of all the times, why now?
"I've noticed you two from afar a few times now, you two seem close, am I wrong?"
Minerva narrowed her eyes. "..You're correct."
"Have you ever seen what she does when nobody's in sight?"
She shook her head. "I have not. I have only seen things she does when people are around her." I apologize, Noelle. But I'm not going to reveal information about Zephyr.. That said, I'm not exactly lying either.
From Noelle's hand, a small ray of light, curved around until it reached Minerva's neck–like a leash or rope of some sort. "You know I don't like liars.."
Giggling, she slowly tightenened it around Minerva's neck, it really was something like a rope, but hotter. "So do make sure you aren't lying~"
Finally, she let go, walking away. Minerva could only watch her disappear while she felt her neck.
From her sight, a small mark of blood stained her finger, she frowned. You didn't have to do that.
Without any reason to stay, she too, turned around and walked away.
...
The long hours passed by, the day was reaching its end, with the sunken sun and the rising moon as evidence. However, there were no signs of the tournament ending just yet,
The Undefeated Octet have uneventfully sweeped over all their opponents, keeping their titles intact.
But our boy, Sévir, has yet to engage in his second duel. Will he win? Lose? Die? Survive?
As for our girl, Zephyr, what will become of her and her relationship with Deleena and Adina, now that they have discovered the true identity of their friend?
...
It had been a while since Zephyr had seen Deleena and Adina, she had taken it upon herself to search for them with one goal.
I want to apologize to them for what I said earlier, but how exactly will I apologize? The girl pondered, walking around the quiet, labyrinth-like link of hallways.
Voices echoed from the distance, and they were familiar voices. She beamed up, it's as if the gods have heard her.
Her footsteps grew faster and louder, she was running towards them. I have to apologize now! There was desperation, after all, what would happen if she didn't apologize today? Would it have gotten worse?
"DELEENA! ADINA!" They turned around to the familiar voice; it was a girl, panting. "I.. I'm sorry!"
The sudden apology took them aback, but Deleena was quick to furrow her brows.
Will they forgive me? If they don't..
...
Don't think about that now.
"I'm sorry.."
Just apologize. "I'm sorry for offending you guys earlier, I didn't mean it!" Do I seem desparate? "I was just upset.. So I couldn't take what you said earlier." It doesn't matter. I just want to apologize and fix things with them.
Deleena waved it off, taking a step forward. "Yeah, I'm over that."
Zephyr looked at her with those hopeful eyes. "R-Really!?"
"Tell me, Zephyr.. Just who are you?"
..Who am I? Zephyr stood clueless, unable to follow.
"You don't know who you are? Zephyr van Doren?" Her voice was edged with anger and disappointment.
Zephyr recoiled at the revelation, horror painted across her face as she absorbed the weight of Deleena's words. Doren.. Doren!?
"Don't smooth talk your way outta here. I.. WE saw you with Sévir van Doren by the fountain earlier."
"I-I..." Zephyr couldn't mutter a proper word. No.. WHY!?
"Just by a glance, i could already tell what your relationship was with him."
She gave no response.
"I thought you were a goodhearted and honest person, Zephyr, but clearly, my judgement was mistaken. You're nothing but a liar."
Those words cut deep in her heart, it was painful to hear, for it was like her heart getting stabbed again and again. "That's.." That's not true!
Deleena buried her face in one hand, her shoulders weakly trembled, face flushed red.
She's tearing up.. W-Was keeping this a secret really much to make her cry..? Zephyr slowly extended her arm, reaching out to Deleena. "H-Hey, don't cry..-"
She slapped her arm away. "WHY THE HELL WOULD I NOT SHED TEARS!?" She yelled while her tears flowed down endlessly like a river. "I never knew how dumb I was by not realizing that YOU'RE A DOREN! A FAMILY OF VILLAINS! IT'S RIDICULOUS!" The yell was filled with pain, beneath the pain, a burning rage grew inside her; not only for Zephyr, but for herself.
"What did my family even do to you!?"
Just as she asked, it's as if a key twisted a lock open inside of Deleena. She grabbed Zephyr by the collar, pulling her closer. "YOUR FAMILY TOOK MY FATHER AWAY FROM ME!!"
A brief silence engulfed their surroundings, until.. "When.. When that other monster took over, he declared a genocide against us Dorevilleans.. Just because we were labeled as supporters to YOUR family one way or another..!"
This whole thing was news to Zephyr, and even to Adina. "It wasn't right.. Why the hell did we–the innocent bear the sins of your family!?" Her grip over Zephyr's collar tightened, so much, her hands were shaking, as if she wanted to rip it off.
"My father volunteered, just because he couldn't leave the innocent Dorevilleans alone.. And what was he repaid with for his heroism?" She let go of Zephyr, pushing her off. "DEATH!"
A heavy sigh came out of Deleena's mouth. "Honestly, I don't get what the higher ups were thinking, allowing scums like you two in this prestigious academy." What she said earlier was enough to take Zephyr aback, she no longer needed to say more about her past.
Deleena wiped her tears off, flashing a tough, yet angry face. "I gotta say, your brother is worse though."
...
What did she just say?
"That guy has a special ability to make all of us uncomfortable when he's around." She suppressed a chuckle. "He always looks sooo unreadable, so quiet, so tense, it makes me wonder if he does shady things behind the scenes."
The frown on Deleena's face got replaced by a smug smile so fast, it wouldn't be wrong to assume she was just faking it.
What..? This was about my family's actions that killed her father.. What is she talking about now?
Deleena leaned closer. "Maybe he violates women? Or maybe.. He even sells drugs!?" She gasped mockingly. Her mocking smile and outrageous claims kept fuelling Zephyr more and more. Shut up, you're getting off-topic..
Zephyr clenched her teeth. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. "My, my! If your brother can do those things, then what about you–" SHUT UP!!!
The echo of a slap reverberated through the dimly lit hallway, Adina could only stare, terrified, even the passerby birds were thrown so off-guard; 'What the hell!? What's that girl thinking!?' is probably what the birds were thinking. Chirp chirp.
Amidst the already heated atmosphere, Zephyr stood firm, her hand still mid-air, while Deleena's left cheek stung and burned red.
Zephyr!? Why did you do that!? Adina exclaimed inside.. Deleena was short-tempered and pretty wild, what would happen, now that Zephyr hurt her? Should Adina step in? What Zephyr had done was so unlike her after all–it was wrong; it was outright illegal, for it was unbecoming of the Zephyr they–everybody knew.. But did Zephyr care for all that? Perhaps not.
"Talk bad about me as much as you want..." She glared at Deleena, whose stunned expression mirrored the shock in the air "BUT NEVER MY BROTHER! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!" Zephyr yelled and pushed Deleena back.
Perhaps it was the fact that she felt an immediate instinct to shut Deleena up from talking bad about her family, moreso, her brother. Maybe it was because of her love for him, she did not want to entertain Deleena's wild mouth–that she didn't want to hear everything society had labeled Sévir van Doren, as she had been an eyewitness her whole life.
But either way, the fact she had gone over the line and slapped Deleena hard in the face was there. Anyone would feel very upset after being slapped, right?
Her heart raced in anger; the crumbling bridge she'd hoped to rebuild with Deleena just got destroyed.. But at this point, did it really matter? To her, there was something more important than that, and it was just there.
Adina stepped in, nudging the two away from each other. "That's enough! You two didn't have to go that far!"
Her words fell on deaf ears, it won't work on Zephyr and Deleena.
Deleena turned on her heels, her gaze piercing Zephyr's. In a voice edged with resentment, she uttered, "Remember this, Zephyr van Doren..
Starting today..
I no longer know you." Those words hung heavy in the air, it was a declaration, a declaration of severed ties, and it was resolute.
Zephyr remained firm, her burning gaze still lingered, it was as if her heart could stop anytime from all this anger boiling inside of her.
Adina walked away. "H-Hey! Deleena!" Her voice wavered with hesitation, torn between conflicting loyalties. Still, she followed Deleena, stealing a quick glance back at Zephyr before disappearing from sight..
Fine, then so be it.
Zephyr was not going to plead; she stood her ground the whole time. If fate had destined for their friendship to end, then so be it. After all, what type of friend doesn't accept you for who you really are?
That very hour, a flame ignited within Zephyr's heart.