Chapter 14: First Challenge
It finally started…after a long boring speech, each team member was now warming up for an unexpected challenge to come.
"Man! I was really wondering what were the challenges are." While doing push-ups, Jose assumed.
"You're not the only one who's wondering. Why did Sir Scouts moved it?" Gustav started to raise his question.
"Yeah Lucy, why did your uncle do that…?" Jane followed…
"To be honest, I also don't know. He just said that it's for the best."
The other team members looked at her; one brow lifts as she said her statement.
"For the best of what…?" Mark asked while finishing his push-ups.
"I really don't know. I was also wondering. You know guys I think he was hiding something from us." Lucy couldn't take the condition anymore. If by any chance of help, she knew she could get it from her team.
As they were about to hear what was Lucy going to say, suddenly, the new event organizer, Milly, barge in and announced the official start of the survival challenge: "A pleasant day o everyone! I'm Milly Ashford, the new event organizer of this camp and I'm here to welcome you all for the starting day of the survival challenge!" Cheers and applause swayed the air, not sure if it was about the welcoming address or Milly's exposed figure as she wore a velvet fitting dress that made guys applauded loudly. "Okay settle down now…Well basically survival challenge's purpose is to train young people like you to control your geass. Challenges and designations were made depending on each of your geass ability. This will tell us what were your strengths and weaknesses. Now I wish each and every one of you a warm good luck."
Nerves were become tense, not sure if doing the famous 'running away' scene is an option. Audience saw Milly picking up something from a box that one of the staff was holding; they theorized that it will be the first designation to play first the challenge.
"Why does it have to be now…?" Ann nervously stated…
"Well now," Milly started to announced, "this seems to be interesting, the first designation to go is the Wind designation." Jade and Jose's eyes broadly opens as they heard their designation's been called. "Pairs, who were in this title, please step forward."
"You can do this Jade…" Lucy said a short inspirational phrase for them. Although it seems so lucky that they were not called, but still they were afraid for their teammates.
"People of the Wind Designation your challenge will be finding a little box. In that box there is a piece of paper that serves as a clue for you. Reminding you you're not to kill each other but you can use your geass on one another, let's see who'll be wise in using it." Villeta Nu gives a short summary about challenge but still, not an idea to what the real deal is.
The big screen inside the gym rapidly turns on projecting the full insider of the challenge. Different teams learned that each different challenge, they have to find a box that contains a paper—just like what Villeta recently said, and thus, it will lead them to unlock two treasures. After the full coverage, the screen also projected that people of the Wind Designation will be challenged from an open sea—there, they have to swim in order to find the box. Jade, all of a sudden, turns around with shaking hands making Jose and the other team members worried.
"Jade, is anything wrong?" Jose asked his frightened partner.
Jade looked him in the eyes with little tears indicating that she was about to cry. "You know I'm afraid swimming in a sea. I was traumatized."
"Then what are we going to do? You know we have no rights to replace ourselves with the other members."
Jade got tense and started to cry, remembering how she almost lost her life from drowning as she fell-off from their private yacht when she was still ten. Lucy, Gigi and Ann went to comfort her while the others stayed in their position.
"Jade…"Gigi called out, "Jade speak to us. Are you okay?" She was still crying. Jose hugged her trying to ease the trauma inside.
"Jade, I know you can do this." Lucy affirmed.
"Lucy's right. Jade you have to put in mind that we are counting on you." Still, Ann's words haven't made any changes to Jade.
"Any problems here…?" Eyes were on Villeta as she asked them in the middle of their 'team problem'. None of them speak; fearing if they told the truth, their team will be eliminated. "So no one would speak?"
"Well Ma'am, Jade um… she got…she had trauma about water when she was still young." Ann speaks in behalf. Villeta stared at Jade for a few minutes—she could see she was very scared.
"Jade, tell me what happened before?" Villeta asked her softly as she held her hands into Jade's shoulders.
"When I was ten…"tears still continue to form in her eyes, "I almost lost from life from drowning. Great thing my brother saved me."
Upon hearing her story, Lucy and Ann felt sorry for her—her situation was not that easy.
"You know the rules Jade. You have to treat or think the water is your prey." Jade listens to Villeta attentively. There's definitely no other person to help her but only herself…
"I think I need a little time to renew myself, will that be alright?" Jade asked as she heads back to their position. Villeta smiled knowing everything will be alright.
"Just stay with her in case. The game is about to start in a second" The Britannian woman reminded the others.
Bee was in awe at that moment, seeing Jade was still crying. "Uh, Jade, are you alright?" She asked as she stands right beside her.
"Sorry if I let you down…"
"So, this means you're quitting on us?"
"Guys…!" Gigi called out while running towards their assigned position, "Miss Villeta said the swimming challenge will start in a second—which is right about now!"
The sound of the siren signals every player to prepare. Jose was still worried for Jade, "What will happen now to our team?" He asked himself while trying to fit his head caps and goggles.
Jade stood up all of a sudden making her team marveled. "You know guys, I think you're right. It's pointless to care for yourself while there are people who were counting on you. I had to do this, for you guys." About what she had said, her team could finally breathe. Smiles were on their faces knowing Jade was keeping her strength within her despite what she had in the past.
"Jose, we're counting on you. We should…"
"Don't worry Lucy, I'm here now." Jade interrupts. Lucy made a big grin showing how happy she was for her—also she felt flabbergasted.
"Jade, I'm happy to know you're back." She hugged her tightly as if she was a teddy bear, "I'm really glad to know you conquered your fear."
"Great to have you back on the line Jade!" Jose cried out happily.
"Thanks, I need to prepare now guys."
"Okay…I wish the two of you good luck!"
"Thank Lucy!"
As the water touches Jade's skin, chills were on her spine making her tenser than ever. She tried to forget what happened in the past—making the water her prey. 'You can do this Jade; your team's counting on you. You're going deep to find that box.' Jose could see she tried but he knew she was still scared.
"Jade, let me get the box. I understand your situation." He reached out his concern to her. There was still a little tear in her eyes…
"Jose… but…"
"No buts, I don't want you to be in a saddle." She never replied to him but only her sweet smile.
The first challenge to them was intense; geass users fighting to seek one box—one box that might change anything. The water's current was delusional by the aggressiveness made by the players: punch, kick and worst they tried to drown one another into the open. Jade was not happy about the situation, too frightened to be threatened with her other competitors.
On another perspective…the teams watch on a very large projector what was happening under the sea level. They saw some of them struggling but one player caught everyone's attention—Jose. He was very keen on everyone's actions above and under the sea. They could see he is determined on winning this; he searched every coral, big boulders and rocks but still there was nothing. He tried to grab some oxygen then back to searching.
'This guy is one tough competition' Lelouch thought while watching Jose's every move being broadcast.
5 minutes 'till the challenge is over, it seems like all the staff is only playing tricks on them, no box to be found underwater. Some of the players were rushed to aid their medical attention—there were cuts, bruises and others were under the power of geass that was casted on them by their other competitors.
4 minutes—finally, one person got the box, it was the determined Jose. As some of the other players learned about his discovery, they rushed into him and beat him 'till he gave up the box he had in his hand, Jade could see her partner was struggling—in need of her help.
'No!' she shouted in her mind, still afraid to go down but Jose's in need now…desperately. 'Jade, this is not the time to think about your safety. Jose's in need and it's only you who could help him.'
While paddling around to save Jose from the hostile beat of their opponent. Lucy tries to go beyond the required line. "Hey Miss Kururugi, what are you doing?" A young guard asked her.
"I'm trying to enter and help my friends there!" She was pushing violently the heavy gate the separates the audience and the players. The young guard tried his best to stop her but she was a strong young lady just like her father. "Let me go!"
"Sorry Miss Kururugi, the order is not to let a none-player to enter." Lucy is very desperate to help her friends; the freaking opponents might kill them. She tried to get out from the heavy grip of the guard but no choice but to surrender from him.
"Fine, maybe I'll just watch how those angry mobs will kill my teammates."
"Sorry Miss Kururugi, I know you're worried but you know I'm just following orders."
"I understand…" As she heads back to their position, she made a quick glance to the large screen and saw Jade swimming towards Jose, 'Is she…?' That's right, Jade was trying her best to help Jose.
Some opponents kicked Jose so hard with the thought that he might let go of the box.
"I don't know what you are doing but I order you to stop!" Jade shouted. They all looked at her and thought, 'why it she's swimming? Isn't it she the weakest?'—they felt threatened already.
"And who gave you the rights to give us order Tan? I might as well use geass and…" Before the angry opponent could use his geass on her, Jade quickly activated hers, which paralyzed the others for 5 minutes.
Without having any second thoughts, she swims down under to help Jose back up to coast. The scene was very dramatic as what the audience considers.
1 minute before it ends…they are now finally on the shore. Jade was confused whether Jose got the box or did he drop it when he was been beaten badly. "Jose, did you have the box?"
Jose didn't reply on the spot because of the pain he had. He groaned so heavily making everyone anxious.
"Jose…Jose are you okay? Talk…!" Jade started to cry again.
"Don't you dare cry in front of me Jade...?" As he spoke, he raised the box that he had in his hand. Everyone was surprised, as well as his partner.
No words would come out from her mouth because of happiness. Everyone was touched by the time Jade hugged Jose just like how a couple would do.
As the siren makes its sound again, they finally announced the winners of the first challenge…
"Everyone, we had our first winners! And they are Jade and Jose!" Lucy, Bee, Gigi, and the others ran towards them giving Jose and Jade another hug—a 'group hug' to be exact.
"I knew you can do it." Gustav happily said to Jade.
"Thanks. If it wasn't for you all I wouldn't found my strength. Thank you again guys." They were touched by what she said. There were bright smiles on their faces making the other teams jealous.
There was this pair who is really keen in observing their actions. Sander could tell with their eyes they were eager to defeat not just their group but Lucy as well. They haven't noticed he was observing them as well. He examined them that they were observing Lucy's every action more than the others.
He stared at them for a minute but then…"Congratulations to you…" Lelouch came, "You were really brave out there Jade. And you too Jose, nice competition."
"It was nothing." Jose responded.
"Well thank you sir, I just did what was right." She gave a shy grin to him.
"OMG Lucy, your uncle is here." Ann whispered softly to Lucy. She's really into Lelouch…
"Seriously…? By the time you would definitely know him, you might regret you had a crush on him." She said plainly.
"Really…? I mean don't you see it? He's very handsome when he's serious."She lightly squealed making Lelouch wonder what they were talking about.
"I don't see that…"
Lucy was definitely amazed how on earth would they do this… a sea in a gym? Or is it gym in a sea? She was frantically wondering.
"So how was the challenge?" Lucy was surprised to see her uncle was already standing beside her. She was precisely lost with all the questions inside her head.
"Well…Honestly I was just…How did you manage to put a sea in a gym or gym in a sea or whatever?"
Lelouch gave a small chuckle to her question. She was serious—Lelouch then regain his composure. "Well Lucy, actually we made this gym advance. We are still inside of it."
"So you mean it's like an optical illusion?" She eventually asked.
He made a smile to her then replied, "Yes, by some means. Why do you have so many questions?"
At first she never gave her reply. She inhaled the scent of the sea breeze that touches her like a smooth sail. She was trying to scrip-out her answer because she, too, was not sure why she always asked. "Maybe, I just wanted to learn."