The courts were fully loaded with Welcome Workout matches being held in every corner. New students flooded into the Royal Academy since "rookie" students won both the singles and doubles championship: Ace and Clay. Most of the new students seemed to be here for just being in the same tennis school as the celebrities for that's what most of the conversations were about.

However, those working out off the courts were much more focused on training than anything. The coaches were working them to the bone, it seemed, as a few kids and teens were like mirrors to the afternoon lights. A couple started to drop, but apparent determination made them catch a second wind and stood up with fierce determination. "That's what we like to see!" one of the coaches said with pride.

Ace and Alex were watching the workout from above, keeping close eyes on the players that stood out. Most of those that did were playing tennis, showing either immense power or amazing speed. Ace was pretty impressed, but Alex had other things on his mind.

"What's up Alex?" Ace asked as she noticed the blank stare Alex was giving.

Alex shook his head and looked at her. "What's that?"

"You're spacing out on me. Something up?"

Alex shifted his gaze back out to the courts. "Maybe. I'm not too sure yet." Ace gave a hard sigh. "Have you heard from Mario recently?"

The current champ of the Island Open repeated Alex's question in her mind before whispering, "Why do you ask?"

"Well… Nevermind."

"Hey guys!" The two looked over to see a familiar boy coming over with three bottles of water. "I thought you may want these."

"I'll take one," Alex said as the boy tossed one to him. "Thanks, Clay."

"What about you, Ace?" Clay asked as he handed her a bottle.

She was hesitant, but took it. "Well, I am getting a little thirsty."

The three started taking a few drinks until cheers rang out from the courts behind them. They dashed to the opposite railing to see one court rounded with spectators as a match was being held. This was somewhat new for the Welcome Workout matches usually doesn't get this much attention.

"What's going on?" Clay asked.

Ace pushed herself off the railing and started walking to a set of stairs that led to the courts. "I don't know, but I'm gonna find out."

"Ace!" Alex exclaimed. "The courts are off limits to us right now. Only the new students can be in there."

"Headmaster asked us to keep an eye out for promising players, right?" Alex nodded. "That's what I am doing: Scouting."

Alex and Clay exchanged glances before following her down the steps. When she has a point, she has point.


"Keep it up!"

"You got this, girl!"

"Watch that spin!"

Ace, Clay, and Alex made it up to the court the crowd was gathered to find two new students playing each other. Clay glanced at the scoreboard to see each player with a game point and at a deuce for the next one. That must have meant that this game has been going on for a while now.

"What's going on here?" Alex asked a nearby spectator.

"I'm not exactly sure myself," they answered, "but as soon as that boy on the end right there started running really fast, people started gathering."

The trio looked at their right side of the court and found a boy with short spiky blue hair, a black T-shirt, red shorts and white tennis shoes running around his end of the court. However, it wasn't 'really fast' as the student said. Instead, his speed was about normal.

"Was it a power shot?" Clay asked.

"Not by what I saw," said someone behind him, "unless he can do it three times in a row."

"Three times?" the three repeated in surprise.

"No joke," a girl beside Ace assured. "I'm starting to wonder if he's even human."

Alex shook his head in disbelief. "No, that can't be! There must be a logical explanation for this."

Ace took her eyes off the boy and to the other player on the opposite side. There was a girl in a blue and yellow tank top with a black tennis skirt and white and red tennis shoes. However, the most bizarre thing Ace found was the girl's tintless white hair. "What about her?" She asked.

Alex turned to Ace. "Who?"

"Her." Ace pointed to the girl who just lunged to be able to hit the ball back. "Did she do anything strange like the boy?"

"No, she hasn't," someone nearby answered. Just then, the crowd shouted as the trio looked at the scoreboard again to see the girl having the advantage point.

"What happened?" Clay asked making Ace roll her eyes.

"She made a point. What do you think?" Ace replied. She then turned back to the girl and noticed her eyes. They were a dark brown and no depth seemed to have shown. This gave the impression that she was a shallow, and maybe cold, person. She then turned to the boy to see the exact opposite. His was a deep green that seemed to give a message that he was lively.

"Here comes the next serve," Alex said. Ace looked at him real quick before setter her eyes back on the girl who was about to serve the ball.

As she threw it up, there was a faint sound of a heartbeat that rang out and then she hit the ball. The yellow sphere almost disappeared from sight, but then the sound of a racket hitting it sharply emitted from the boy's direction. The yellow ball could then be seen from above for a moment until gravity took control and it started falling. The girl stood just underneath and smashed it back with the same immense power like the serve towards the opposite corner from the boy. Then he disappeared and seemed to have teleported to the ball just in time to give a decent hit. She hit it again and he did the exact same stunt as before.

Ace was amazed at this never-ending display of speed and power. She wasn't sure how long it lasted until the girl gave one final blow to the ball and flew past the boy, left a mark on the ground, barely missed the people sitting on the back benches, and dug into the wall. No one could breathe for a moment as they looked at the big finale that unfolded.

'Impossible,' Ace thought. 'Not even a power shot can do that.'

"Dang it," an exhausted voice was heard and all heads turned to the blue haired boy who was now on his hands and knees. "I wasn't… fast enough."

Just as he finished, a racket hit the ground and Ace turned in time to see the white haired girl fall and hit the ground. Ace then remembered herself fainting during the Welcome Workout and, feeling compelled to do so, ran over to her side. She turned the girl to her back and checked for breathing.

"Can I get a coach here?" Ace asked in a calm voice.

"What happened?" Like she asked, a female coach broke through the crowd and ran over. Ace knew her as her Senior coach: Emily.

"We have another fainter, Emily."

Emily sighed in relief. "Okay. I thought it was something more serious with everyone around here like this."

"We were having a small match." Both shifted their eyes at the boy who was jumping over the net. However, when he landed, he seemed to have winced in pain.

"During the Welcome Workout?" Emily asked.

"I asked Coach Mark if we could and he gave the 'okay' to." By then, he walked over to the girl and knelt down. "It seems we both have that skill."

"What skill?" Alex asked from afar.

"Well… I can't really explain it."

"Let's not worry about that," Emily interrupted. "For now, we need to get Jordan to the lodge." Ace looked at Emily for a moment. "This girl's name is Jordan. I talked with her before the workout started."

"Oh," Ace openly stated and then turned to the boy. "Hey, uh…"

"Call me Nick," he said.

"Okay. Nick, could you go get a nurse or someone? We'll need something to help us carry Jordan."