It was always said that to be the best, one must be able to withstand the worst. Max was one of those who had worked tirelessly throughout his youth and, at sixteen, had become the best fighter in his category.
He had won everything, from international tournaments to illegal competitions, which were his favorites.
But five months ago, he decided to retire. The world of contact sports had brought him more harm than good, and he had even spent a whole year training to maintain control over his own desires.
All that rage consuming him had been subdued thanks to his sensei, Chozen. From him, Max learned techniques to avoid destroying his opponents in official matches and to channel everything in illegal fights.
Even so, the negative reputation he had earned made him consider a more peaceful path after his last official tournament, where his opponents feared him.
"The one-eyed… What an unpleasant nickname..." Max, a sixteen-year-old, sat in the passenger seat of a car headed for West Valley High, where he would now be studying.
An older man with long hair beside him, appearing to be in his sixties but in good shape, looked at the young man, who kept his peculiar white eye hidden. "Are you worried someone might recognize you here?"
"Martial arts have been in decline, especially in this country. There are only a few dojos around." Max looked up at his uncle, Terry, who didn't want him to study here.
"I'm sure no one cares who you are. Normal kids your age spend their time playing video games or doing extracurricular activities." Terry had changed a lot from who he used to be, and for that very reason, he respected Max's decision to step away from competitions indefinitely.
Both he and Max had gone through difficult times, dedicating all their time to contact sports, where neither of them made the best choices.
Now that Max had a different mindset, he needed a place where martial arts were relatively unknown.
But recently, after some investigation into this place that held many memories for him, he learned that the famous tournament his student once won still existed here.
"Find yourself a girlfriend, someone to show your good side to. I don't like your decision to live here alone, but I'll come visit you when I return from my business trip." Terry smiled slightly, then handed him a wallet with cards and some cash.
Max took them with a calm look. He wasn't a kid who couldn't take care of himself, and it was no surprise that he was living here in a new place. Terry was usually away for business, so when Max went to a tournament, he was generally escorted by an assistant appointed by his uncle.
He was used to being alone, with only his mind and his own inner demons, which had until recently been making his decisions for him in tournaments.
"Alright, see you later, Uncle." Max got out of the vehicle, said goodbye, and walked around the school grounds, hoping to get familiar with the surroundings.
"I left some vehicles at the house; use them as you wish, just carefully, and don't forget to wear protection." Terry drove off without looking back, not wanting to spend more time in this place.
Both he and his nephew had their own demons, each dealing with their problems, some more serious than others.
"Still going on about that?" Max muttered as he walked across the grounds of the school where he would now be studying.
He didn't know if he would go to college, but he at least wanted to spend some time studying to connect with others and, hopefully, make a friend or two.
"Hi!"
Max, who had been wandering aimlessly for a while, heard a friendly greeting. When he turned, he met the gaze of a girl.
"Are you checking out the school?"
"Yeah, just now." Max usually only spoke with his sensei, uncle, and a few friends far away, so conversations with others were a bit uncomfortable.
But Max's discomfort didn't seem to bother the girl who called out to him. She said, "I'm Devon Lee. I'm here helping new students visiting the school before classes start. Want me to show you around?"
"I wouldn't mind, but... why are you doing it?" Max thought there would be no one here besides authorized staff.
Devon smiled a little and said, "It's kind of like an extracurricular activity. Well, sort of. The debate club I recently joined organized this to help guide new or exchange students."
"Isn't it boring?" Max wouldn't waste his time on something like this.
"Well, it is, but if we do it, we get free books of our choice, and since I don't plan on spending money on some books I want, I think it's a fair trade."
Max smiled. For the first time, someone wasn't criticizing his eye or staring at it for too long as if it were a piece of art.
"By the way, you haven't told me your name or what grade you'll be in." Devon walked alongside Max as he continued strolling.
"I'm Max Jones, sixteen, and I think I'll be in lower grades because I've neglected my studies a lot in recent years."
"That's a lot of nonsense, but it looks like you're from a wealthy family, so that should be the least of your worries." Devon looked at Max with a hint of envy but then shifted her thoughts.
With a calm gaze, Max asked, "So, will you tell me about the school?"
"Well, if that's what you want... West Valley High School is one of the largest high schools in San Fernando Valley, California. The mascot is the cougar, and the colors are orange and blue, which I hate.
Max listened with interest as Devon shared, and he soon realized this girl was nothing like the others. She spoke with clarity, was a bit grumpy, but was likable in her own way.