"Which squad would you like to join?" The announcer asked, his gaze fixed expectantly on her, his voice echoing in the hushed arena.
Stella's heart raced, the question hanging in the air like a storm cloud ready to burst. Anxiety surged through her, and she glanced frantically between the four captains, their eyes piercing her with unspoken expectations. The moment felt surreal—a whirlwind of faces and voices, with a few candidates impatiently urging her to make a choice, their whispers barely registering in her overwhelmed mind.
Clenching the soft fabric of her grey robe, she fought against the rising tide of nerves. Her thoughts immediately turned to Asta and the Black Bulls. That was the squad she truly wanted to join, especially since joining the Golden Dawn alongside Yuno was off the table.
Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the cool air that filled her lungs, steadying herself against the anxiety that threatened to swallow her whole. "The Black Bulls," she declared, her voice steady and unwavering, a small fire igniting within her.
A ripple of surprise washed through the crowd; she was willingly joining the notorious Black Bulls. Whispers erupted among the onlookers—how could she choose that squad?
"Of course the runt from before joined the Black Bulls, but he didn't have any options to spare," one scoffed, shrugging dismissively. "Yet she had four options for her to choose from and opted for the worst of the worst among the Magic Knight squads. Typical for someone from the boonies."
"Compared to the other guy she came with, who at least had the sense to join the Golden Dawn," another chimed in, their tone dripping with condescension.
"Yeah, but he has the legendary four-leaf clover," one voice sneered, eyes narrowing in disdain. "Meanwhile, there's nothing remarkable about her grimoire at all. Did you see it while she was fighting? It was just plain white, like a blank piece of paper."
"True," another added, a hint of curiosity sparking in her eyes. "But her magic was kind of interesting."
As the murmurs swirled, a voice broke through the cacophony. "Ah man, she would've been perfect for our squad," Finral sighed, disappointment etched across his features. His expression morphed from dismay to disbelief as he processed her decision. "Wait, did she just say yes to joining our squad?"
"Someone willingly chose to join the Black Bulls?" he blurted out, incredulity coloring his words.
A hearty laugh erupted from Yami as he lit another cigarette, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Looks like we sure got lucky today," he said, his tone light and cheerful. He had hoped that she would pick his squad.
"Looks like we made a lot of new friends today," Gordon mumbled to himself, a shy smile spreading across his face. "Hopefully, we can become the best of friends."
Basking in the warmth of her decision and ignoring the scattered comments from those around her, Stella made her way back to Asta and Yuno, a spring in her step.
"Yeah, all right! Looks like we're going to be squad mates!" Asta exclaimed, joyfully high-fiving Stella as she joined him.
"Yep!" she replied, returning the high five with enthusiasm.
While part of her choice to join the squad was undoubtedly influenced by Asta's infectious energy and also not wanting to be on a squad all by herself, another, deeper urge pushed her forward. She wanted to ask her new captain about what he had almost asked her earlier. If it turned out to be nothing, it wouldn't matter, but the idea of leaving that question unanswered tugged at her.
...
Eventually, the last number echoed through the arena: 512. Silence hung heavy as no hands were raised.
"Thank you, everyone. This concludes the exam," the announcer called out. Just like that, the Magic Knights exam was over. The candidates who hadn't been chosen shuffled away, heads down, while those selected stood waiting, anticipation coursing through their veins as they prepared to join their newly assigned squads.
Nightfall had enveloped the sky by the time everything had settled. Stella stood beside Yuno as they spotted Asta and made their way toward him.
"You're Golden Dawn, and we're Black Bulls," Asta declared with a grin, his spirit just as wild as his messy hair.
"Yep," Stella replied, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, and we'll see who—" Yuno began, but his words were abruptly interrupted by a loud rumble from Asta's stomach. With wide eyes, Asta suddenly bolted in the opposite direction, yelling, "Gotta go
"Um... I hope he'll be okay. Now I'm really glad I didn't eat that purple violet snake," Stella said, a nervous laugh escaping her lips, though it felt more like a bubble of anxiety than joy.
"Didn't Asta also eat the one you had?" Yuno pointed out, arching an eyebrow, his tone teasing yet concerned.
"Oh right, I gave it to him instead. That sucks; now I feel really bad," she admitted, her laughter fading as a wave of guilt washed over her. "Hopefully, he doesn't take too long. The two of us need to meet up with Captain Yami, and he's already intimidating enough." A flicker of joy sparked within her at the thought of being with Asta, but it was quickly overshadowed by the shadow of sadness creeping in at the prospect of being separated from Yuno.
"Hey, are you alright? You seem a bit down," Yuno asked gently, his brow furrowing with genuine concern.
Stella turned her gaze away, biting her lip as her heart ached. "I will admit, I'm a bit heartbroken that I won't be with you—especially after we came all this way together." The tremor in her voice betrayed her vulnerability. "It means we won't get to see each other as often anymore."
Yuno's smile softened the moment's gravity. "You'll be alright. Besides, we'll cross paths on missions; I'm sure of it."
Stella forced a smile, a flicker of hope igniting within her heart. "I guess you're right..."
Just as she was about to express her thoughts further, a boisterous voice broke through her musings. "Hey, newbie! It's time to go! Captain Yami's waiting for us!" It was Finral Roulacase, the charismatic member of Captain Yami's squad.
"I'll be right there!" she called, turning back to face Yuno. "So, I suppose this is goodbye for now, until next time." She met his gaze, her bittersweet smile hiding the turmoil beneath.
"I'll look forward to it," Yuno replied earnestly.
"I really hope Asta finishes soon," she said, worry etching lines on her forehead. "But I'm going to meet up with my squad now."
"Alright, I think I'm just going to check up on Asta," Yuno said, a resolve flickering in his eyes.
"Sounds good. Goodbye," she told him, her heart racing as she walked toward Finral, each step feeling heavier with the weight of their parting.
...
Once she joined Finral, they made their way to where Captain Yami and another Black Bull member were waiting.
"Hey, Pipsqueak! Looks like you're here on time," Captain Yami greeted her, smoke curling lazily from the cigarette between his lips.
"Hello, Captain," she responded, meeting his gaze with a respectful nod, though her heart raced.
"Where's the kid? We ain't got all night to wait for him," he asked, his tone sharp, slicing through the air.
"He's stuck in the bathroom," Stella replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"Huh. Well, he better hurry up. If he makes me wait any longer, I'm gonna ring his neck," Captain Yami threatened, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
Stella's heart raced at his words. He really is scary. Did I make the right decision joining this squad? Anxiety gnawed at her insides, and she swallowed hard.
"Since we have to wait, I guess we should introduce ourselves," Finral chimed in, trying to ease the high tension.
"Name's Finral Roulacase. This over here is Gordon Agrippa," he introduced himself and gestured toward Gordon, who stood awkwardly to the side.
Gordon mumbled a greeting, barely audible. "It's very nice to meet you... hope we can become friends," he muttered, his words lost in the air.
Stella blinked in confusion but managed a warm smile. "I'm Stella. I'm happy to be part of the Black Bulls," she said, projecting enthusiasm despite her unease.
"Glad to have you," Finral replied, his grin brightening the atmosphere. "And of course, you already know our captain, Yami Sukehiro."
"Yes, of course," Stella said, her eyes drifting back to Yami, sensing the impatience simmering just beneath the surface, an ominous shadow gracing his features.
...
After what felt like an eternity, Asta finally came from the bathroom, a sigh of relief. He rushed to join his fellow magic knights, the weight of their collective gaze heavy on his shoulders. because of how long he took, they were the last squad to leave the arena.
"Hey, it's Asta! Looks like he's finally done!" Stella exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she spotted him sprinting toward them.
"Looks like I'm finally here! Sorry, I kinda got stuck on the toilet," he admitted sheepishly, his eyes darting nervously as he stood before Captain Yami. The captain's gaze bore down on him like a heavy weight pressing against his chest.
"You've got a lot of nerve making me wait like that, newbie!" Captain Yami scolded, his tone emitting his clear annoyance.
"Just how long was that dump you took anyway?" he questioned, eyebrows raised skeptically.
Asta, clearly oblivious to what Captain Yami was asking him, launched into an enthusiastic recounting of his bathroom escapade. "Well, you see, It was long, like really long you have no-"
With an exasperated sigh, Captain Yami grabbed Asta by the head, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. "That is not what I meant when I asked how long it was!" he scolded fiercely. "Like I want to stand here talking about your turds, you moron!"
"Yeah, I'm not going to interfere like last time," Stella chimed in, standing next to Finral and Gordon. Concern knitted her brows as she watched Asta's plight.
"Go on," Yami directed, glancing at Finral, who clutched his grimoire tightly.
"Okay!" Finral replied, steeling himself. He swiftly opened what appeared to be a shimmering portal. Both Asta and Stella watched in awe, but Stella, standing closer, noticed the beads of sweat forming on Finral's brow as he struggled to maintain it.
"Oh cool, what is that?" Asta asked, still dangling in Captain Yami's firm grip.
"Obviously, you can't fly on a broom, so you'll have to learn a movement spell to get around. Oh right, you don't have any magic power!" Yami laughed heartily, half-amused, half-sarcastic, as Asta winced in response.
Stella felt her concern bubbling beneath the surface. She didn't want Asta to lose any more brain cells than he had the first time this happened.
"Um, Captain, would it be okay if you let go of Asta now?" she asked hesitantly, her voice gentle but shaky.
"Huh?" Yami shot her a sidelong glance. "Who exactly are you talking to, pipsqueak?" His scolding was gruff. "You should be thankful my wheels are here, Bella. Otherwise, you'd have to fly your broom all the way to our hideout. Got it?"
A shiver ran through Stella, and she blurted, "I'm sorry!" But under her breath, she muttered, "My name is Stella, by the way."
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Yami asked, tilting his head.
"Nothing," she replied quickly, shaking her head.
"Don't make me actually consider sending you to find our hideout on your own," he warned, his voice low and teasing.
"I'm sorry, Captain!" she responded, her heart racing under the weight of his command.
Finral then piped up, urgency lacing his tone. "Um... excuse me, Yami, this is a pretty sizable gate to keep open for so long. Could we hurry up and go through already?"
"It almost sounded like you were telling me what to do," Yami retorted. "Suck it up, dig deep, and push past your limits!"
Finral began to whine, trembling slightly at the captain's fierce demeanor. In a swift, decisive motion, Yami tightedned his grip on Asta hair and hurled him through the portal.
Asta landed face-first, skidding painfully across the ground. Yami then seized Stella by the hood of her gray robe, propelling her into the portal after him. not knowing, a tear in her bag had opened, and as Yami lifted her, her bracelet slipped from her grasp, clattering softly to the ground behind her.
As Stella tumbled through the swirling portal, she landed squarely on top of Asta, her unexpected weight knocking the breath from him. Moments later, Captain Yami, Finral, and Gordon stepped through the shimmering gateway,
...
"I'm so sorry!" Stella exclaimed, scrambling off Asta, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she tried to regain her composure.
"Jeez, that hurt!" Asta replied, wincing as he squinted up at the sky, pain evident on his face. He rubbed the back of his head, his eyes widening as he looked up and Stella turned to take in the building looming before them.
"Wow, the Black Bulls' hideout," Asta said, still sprawled on the ground. His voice was in awe.
"It looks so cool!" Stella marveled, her eyes sparkling with wonder. The structure towered over them, its asymmetrical silhouette casting a long shadow. The rugged stone and brick, having mutilpe windows and a wooden door as the entrance.
"Nice, huh? This place is pretty snazzy ," Yami remarked, stepping up beside them, his casual confidence radiating.
"Hmph, crumbling bricks and all," Finral chimed in, while Asta finally picked himself up off the ground. brushing dirt from his clothes.
"As of today, this is going to be our place too!" Asta declared, determination igniting in his voice, the thrill of belonging coursing through him.
"This is going to be our new home," Stella echoed, her enthusiasm infectious as she stood proudly beside him, a hint of nervousness sparkling in her eyes. She felt a surge of hope, imagining the missions they would be going on.
With that, Asta eagerly sprinted toward the entrance. "Alright!" he shouted, throwing open the door. "I'm the newest member of this squad, fresh from Hage Village—" But before he could finish his introduction, a massive explosion erupted from inside the building. A blast of heat and debris sent Asta soaring through the air, landing headfirst into the dirt.
"Asta!" Stella cried out in horror, her heart racing as flames flickered and danced within the doorway. Without a second thought, she dashed toward him, her hands glowing with healing magic as she knelt beside him, her breath hitching with worry.
"This is us," Captain Yami said, turning with a broad grin, his cigarette hanging loosely from his fingers. "The worst of the worst magic knight squads. Welcome to the Black Bulls." His dark eyes sparkled with mischief,
Stella glanced between Yami and Asta, her heart pounding—not just from the explosion but from the thrill of knowing they were stepping into a new chapter of their lives, From here on out, their Magic Knight journey began.