Chapter 9: ARE YOU READY?
"The Name is..."
"Seth!"
We both turn around.
"Mom you are here. Finally."
"Right. Sorry, I was just... Seth who is this man?"
I look to my left
'Oh right this guy.'
"Um well funny story. I kind of panicked for a moment and I went up to him and asked him for a favor... But now that you're here it's all good now."
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...
"What have I told you about talking to strangers?"
"If they try anything, go for the knees?"
The man just looks at me surprised.
"Well, that's just on cal-"
"Excuse me are you entering or not?"
I turn back to the lady
oh right the sign-in.
"Yes! Um.. thank you for the help, sir."
"Yea, kid no problem." with that he just walks off.
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...
...
Weird guy. He almost looks like someone I've seen before, Weird? But man did he smells of alcohol.
"Seth?"
Right, I need to do this now.
Later that Night
There was a huge celebration for the opening day of the tournament.
Apparently, there were only a few teens competing in it. Most of the competitors were adults so that's where all of the attention was going too. Then again it is the return of this tournament so maybe not many wanted to enter and just wanted to watch it.
"This is something I did not expect."
"Really what were you expecting?"
I turn to my head and looked at Pyrrha.
After the sign-in, My mom and I found her in the streets of Mistral just looking at all the stores. Luckily her mother wasn't with her. So I told my mom that I was going to go say hi.
But for some reason, she gave me a thumbs up, and told me good luck. Said something about exploring Mistral with your friend. She also told me "Remember what I told you back home!"
I don't really remember what she said back home. But I had a feeling what she might be referring to.
But when I try to tell her something she was already gone.
Weird?
"I don't know maybe less crowded. Then again I was not expecting a bar at the school." Looking at the corner of the courtyard and seeing a man serving drinks.
It's true we are outside the school and yet It feels like more and more people are entering. and why was there alcohol in school?!
"Well it is a big event, Are you nerves?"
"Maybe I am. Then again I've never been a big fan of this many people around me before, you know."
"Yea, it's always been just the two of us." Pyrrha said smiling at me.
She has been happy ever since we meet up with each other I wonder why. Was she just happy to be in a new place or was it not being around her mom?
"Yea, I might just get a drink. Want something water, juice?"
"Water would be fine thank you, Seth."
I nod and leave
Walking past people I get to the bar stand. Again why was this here?!
"Hi, can I get two drinks of water please."
The man nods and walks away.
I look around the bar and see many adults just drinking and talking to each other.
'I swear I hope I never become like these people. Aren't they competing tomorrow? Yea, good luck with those hangovers guys real great move.'
I keep looking around the area until I saw.
"Huh? Is that the guy from earlier?"
I walk up to him
'ugh, Yep it's him still smelling of alcohol'
I tap his shoulder.
Nothing
I tap again.
Nothing
Again
Nothing
I jab him in his side.
"Wah, what?
Well, that got his attention.
"What do you? Oh, it's you kid. What you need another favor?"
Funny man I see.
"No. Here"
I hand him Five Lien
"What?"
"I said if you help me I would pay you, So here. Mom always said to keep your promise no matter how ridiculous it is. So I try to keep my word. Take it."
He looks at it and looks back at me.
"Only five?"
...
This guy!
"Well, I never said how much I would pay you so... Not my fault."
"Right well. Thanks kid Good luck in the tournament."
"Thanks, Mister."
I turn back to the bar and see the bartender putting two glasses of water in front of me. As soon as I pick both up, one of them slips and falls to the ground.
"Shit... Just my luck."
I hear the man next to me laugh at that.
'Yea laugh it up, old man.'
I need to ask my mom why is there a bar here!?
I take the remaining glass back to Pyrrha making sure this one doesn't slip.
"Here take it."
"You didn't get one?"
"Yeah, I got one but I drank it on the way here."
" Oh... Thank you. So you're ready for tomorrow there's a chance we might fight each other."
"Yeah, I'm ready. And if we do, don't hold back! I want to see you go all out, so you better win your matches."
"Deal! You better win as well."
With that, we shake hands. Knowing all too well that if we see each other in the ring.
It won't be as friends. But as Rivals.
I look at myself in the mirror fixing my hair and putting it to the side.
"..."
My outfit consisted of a black armor stylish gambeson high collar padded jacket, a pair of black gloves, dark combat pants, black combat boots, and my sunglasses.
'Man... I look like a guy who's going to join a black parade. Or one of those medieval knights my friends took me to see. You know now that I think about it, he might have taken me LARPing that one time. Oh well, that was my old life. This right now is real.
...
I think I need to add more color to my outfit.
I make sure everything is in check, The belts going up my side chest are tied up, yep. I Check my belt and I see two small dust grenades one Purple and the other Cyan color, that's good. I got one more, but I don't think I need it now. One last thing, my weapon, I grab it from the locker and put it on my back.
"Ok, I'm ready."
KNOCK! KNOCK!
The door opens and out comes my mom. Smiling at me.
"Well look at you, You look ready for battle."
"I look like a clown. Or a sad clown. I don't know take your pick."
"No... This is what you look like when you are trying to figure out what you going to be. Give it time and you will find your own style. I know I had to learn that way."
"Right, your old tsundere ways right." I smile to see her reaction.
"Yes. My old ways. But I change and people grow out of it. So when that happens, be ready for anything. And always keep smiling."
"I know. thanks, Mom."
KNOCK! KNOCK!
More people?
The doors open and I see the man who smells of alcohol entering. And by the smell of it, he still does.
"Hey, I just need to check your equipment before you go out there."
"umm why and how?"
"Right well let's say I'm one of the security people helping with the event. My boss told me to come here and keep an eye on things."
"Ok but why do you need to see my equipment?"
sigh.." Well, one of the competitors is using dust grenades and throwing them all around the arena at his opponent. He's calling it Dynamite Fu or something like that?"
...
...
...
My Mom and I both look at each other.
and look back at the man
"Is that even legal?" my mom asks worriedly.
"Not yet it's not. But since is the first tournament in a while they have to make a new rule soon. So for now it's fair game."
I really hope I don't fight that guy.
"So what do you got?"
I show him my two dust grenades
"I only got these two. I got one more but I won't be using it. One is gravity dust and the other is hard-light dust."
"Ok that's fine as long if it's not destructive you'll be fine. And your sword?"
I take it off my back and hand it to him.
"It's just a normal Iron sword, nothing really special about it."
He swings it around and asks.
"Did you make this?"
"Um no I just bought it. I was working on my real weapon. So this is just a placeholder for now."
"Yea I can tell; this material is really cheap, but I think it will hold off if you don't-"
SNAP
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...
And like that, my sword was broken in half. By this damn drunk!
...
"It's fine dear maybe we can go get you a new-"
"Can Mister Seth Sapphire and Mister Bolin Hori please report to the arena in three minutes!"
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...
...
"whoops sorry kid."
This damn drunk!
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...
"Just my fucking luck."
"Seth! Language!"
OK don't panic! I need to improvise.
I look around the room for anything I can use but nothing only lockers, benches, a TV, and some chairs.
..
..
Hold up chairs?
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A folding Chairs
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...
Well, Mom did say anything can be a weapon if you put your mind to it...You know what. I can work with that.
I walk up to one of the chairs.
"Sweet heart, what are you doing?"
"Kid you don't have time to take a break your need to go."
I grab one of the chairs
and swing it on my back
They both look at me surprised when I turn around.
"Okay. I'm Ready!"
..
"Kid that's school property you can't do that."
I reach into my pants pocket and pull out Five Lien and give it to him.
"Here. 'You' can put the rest."
I run past him and leave the room.
"Kid wait!"
Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something very very VERY important? Eh, it doesn't matter now.
I can hear the crowds erupt in cheers when my opponent came out first.
Huh, a home-court advantage must be nice.
From what I see my opponent only has a staff as a weapon. maybe some dust in it. I need to be careful with that.
"And his competitor From The City of Argus. Give it up for Seth Sapphire!"
Cheers erupt.
Ok, let's do this.
I walk out of the tunnel.
But the moment I step outside all the cheers seemed to stop.
And out came confusing noises from the crowd.
"What is he wearing?" "Is that a folding chair?" "Why is he wearing sunglasses indoors?" "Ha, what a loser!" I really hate that one person.
Ok, this is fine no need to get upset If anything this is just a bump in the road.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
"You got this Seth!"
I turn to my right and see Pyrrha cheering at me, and her mother clapping.
"YOU GOT THIS SWEET HEART!"
I turn to my left and I see my mother clapping harder than both of them combined.
"HEY! KEEP IT DOWN OVER THERE!"
Here we go again.
"YOU WANT TO START SOMETHING!"
Ok! We don't need this now.
I walk to the center where my opponent is and just smile
"Ehe... You know moms right?"
He nods "You have no idea brother."
My opponent turns his head and I turn mines to. Only to see what I believe to be his parents cheering at him.
'Aw, that's nice.'
I turn to look around the arena and see drones fly above us.
'Aw man, is being broadcasted live?'
"Let us begin this Match! Now remember that the only way to win is to make your opponent submit or break your opponent's Aura. Once that happens the winner will be sent to the next rounds of fight!"
Bolin nods his head
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...
I turn my head to the left and see my mom's reaction.
Yep! Me and her are both having the same realization. That our eyes are more widened than anyone in the room right now.
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WE BOTH FORGOT TO UNLOCK MY AURA!
A/N: Next chapter a fight! What are my experiences writing them? None. Am I going to try my best? I can only promise to try. So yea thank you for reading and I'll see you next time.