Note: More and more characters this time around. Vytal has sixty-four different Huntsmen vying for the top prize, and yes, we will be covering them all in some capacity.
Nebula Violette took in a deep breath through her nose. The scents of Li Caccia: freshly baked bread. Peaches and a summer day. It was so rich in culture and history, filling her with a tremendous appreciation for the old ways. She stewed in the old world, the integrity of an enriched, Huntsmen culture, and it made her so oh my god could these idiotic fucks not walk in the middle of the goddamn road?
Nebula gripped the steering wheel tightly, white gloves folding around her knuckles. Take a drive through the city, she had thought. Ah, yes. A fantastic idea. She certainly had the transport. Daddy was generous enough to buy her a McIntyre Luxo 12, the most luxurious, stylish, and expensive convertible on the market. Actually, scratch that, it wasn't on the market at the time. As a gift for her 20th, Daddy pulled some strings from the manufacturer. He even got it painted purple, her favorite color. Daddy was so kind, and what better way to show off Daddy's kindness than by driving her precious baby around Vytal, so that the locals could stare in envy at her belongings? What could go wrong?
What Nebula failed to consider were two things. First: the locals of Li Caccia may have been somewhat refined, but they did not make up a majority of the town's current population. No, those would be the tourists, detestable creatures that shambled aimlessly about in their khaki shorts and sandal-sock combos, polluting every town's air they visited with piña colada-stained breath and the awful noise of Ooh, let's take a selfie of that historic landmark. The tourist overwhelmed the native populations, sucking out the life and authenticity like a parasitic eel. They moved in obese masses, usually while looking at their Scrolls or following in groups with some tour guide grifting them for three hundred Lien an hour to spout historically inaccurate anecdotes of their personal lives.
And the second thing… actually, that was the second thing. She hated tourists… and they were everywhere.
Nebula slammed her palm against her horn, but that did little to stem the flood. It was late morning, primetime for new arrivals to see the Festival, and the peaceful cobblestone streets of Li Caccia had become infested with a zombie horde. No, of course, they didn't stick to the sidewalks, nor did they follow any basic traffic procedure. There were police on horseback attempting to maintain some kind of order, but they didn't do much good when twenty-something ingrates just crossed the street without looking. Nebula inched forward, resisting the temptation to just plow through the crowds and do the world's gene pool a favor.
She was better than that. She needed to have patience. Patience was a Violette Virtue, after all.
"Ugggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
For her teammates, not so much.
Dew rode shotgun, leaning over the open window with her chin resting upon her arms. She had let out the groan of infinite boredom, just as she had been doing for the past half-hour. She would look at her Scroll, except the constant lurching made her carsick. The others were handling slightly better. Octavia sat behind Dew, and aside from the sneer that seemed to be a permanent feature on her face, she remained calm. Gwen, sitting behind Nebula, simply sat up straight with perfect posture and a light, unflinching smile. No matter how many times the car suddenly started or stopped, she never once complained—nor did she ever seem to be affected by its momentum, which Nebula thought was disconcerting but not exactly urgent. It had been a very long trip from Vacuo, and they were allowed to process it in whatever way they desired. Nebula just wished some of them wouldn't process it so loud.
"Nebula, can we just go to the cabins?" Dew whined. "This is ridiculous."
"I promised you lunch at Ignacio's, and you know how hard it is to get a reservation," Nebula argued.
"Uh, actually, I don't know that," said Dew, "because you are always the one who makes reservations."
"Because you would get them wrong."
"I mean, it's like… just asking for a table or something," Dew muttered into her forearm. "And then they usually make you, like, wait twenty minutes for a table anyway. It's so dumb."
"Dew. Stop complaining," Octavia's words were short but sufficiently harsh.
"But I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bored."
"You are in Vytal. Be grateful," Octavia warned her. Dew just rolled her eyes.
"Ugggggghhhhh, whatever."
"Dew, I promise you," Nebula said passionately. "This lunch will be exquisite. Their seafood pasta is rumored to have the depth and complexity of the ocean itself. It will astonish your tastebuds and—get the hell out of the way, you reprobates!"
Nebula slammed her fist into the car horn, and the two children in front of the car were quickly ushered out of the way by their parents.
"Seriously, are these police not going to establish some kind of order?" Nebula questioned. "We are the top contenders from Shade. At the very least, they could have offered us some sort of escort."
"They seem overburdened," Octavia assessed. "The expected attendance is eighty-thousand. This city was not built for such a large crowd."
"That's why they should have priced people out of the market. We deserve a better class of spectator," Nebula explained. "I mean, they are even letting Faunus in. If you invite animals, no wonder you end up with a zoo."
Nebula hadn't actually seen any Faunus yet. The seat offerings were selective and inferior, only around two thousand, and those who chose to attend usually were wise enough to keep their heads down. It took a special kind of Faunus to willingly surround themselves with so many Huntsmen, and Nebula didn't know why they bothered. If they actually cared about their culture, they would have done the responsible thing and stayed home where they belonged.
"Hey, Neb," Dew said lazily. She pointed her finger. "Is that the stupid pasta place?"
Nebula's eyes lit up. It took a moment to read the old-fashioned wooden signs, but yes! It was indeed the famous pasta place, just a block away. Now all she had to do was make it there. Parking was limited. Goddamn walkable cities… authentic walkable cities, she meant. So rich and authentic. Most of the available space on the side of the road was taken. She was going to have to make a few loops to find a place to rest her precious baby. The car inched forward through the crowd, Nebula occasionally revving the engine to startle the stupid tourists out of the way. She pressed onward, hands clenched tightly on the wheel, saliva starting to pool in her mouth. She could practically taste the clams, the scallops, and the marinated octopus.
Thirty feet. A little more.
Twenty feet. Getting there.
Fifteen feet. Almost.
Still fifteen feet. Traffic got dense.
Still fifteen feet. Come on… come on…
And then… wait, what was that, right out front? A parking spot! Wedged between two cars, there was just enough room to park her precious baby. Parallel parking wasn't her greatest skill, but for a talented, generational Huntress such as herself, she had no fear.
The crowd faded away. She saw her chance. She stepped on the pedal and pressed forward. The restaurant was directly next to her, and so was the empty spot. She knew exactly what to do. She pulled forward, past the spot, until she was directly in line with the car in front of it. The first step of parallel parking: reversing into the spot. Child's play. She turned around to get a better look, threw the car into reverse, and gently pressed the pedal.
And then out of nowhere, she saw a silver motorcycle weave through the crowd behind them. It did not show any hesitation as it pulled directly into the only available parking spot, cutting them off completely.
"No!" Nebula screamed in rage. She slammed on the breaks, and Octavia and Dew were jolted. Her spot! Her perfect spot! Stolen by some… some silver-clad hooligan! The biker kicked down his brakes and slowly got off his bike, taking his sweet, sweet time. His head was concealed with his helmet, but he didn't seem to acknowledge them at all. Yet, Nebula was certain he was mocking them. "You asshole!" she shouted at him. "I was parking there."
The gentleman, still not acknowledging her, removed his helmet and placed it over one of the bike handles. He ran his fingers through short, silver locks, taking in the smells of the city. Eventually, he noticed them… and gave them little more than a sly shrug.
"Sorry, ladies. You gotta be quicker on the draw."
"Don't you have any idea how this works?" Nebula sneered. "We were quite obviously parking there!"
"Really? Didn't see your name on it. Also, you should probably get out of the road. You're blocking traffic."
Another car had appeared behind them, though Nebula did not give one iota of attention to it. If this man thought he would disrespect them, he had another thing coming. She would make this man regret the day he was born. Still, something about him looked oddly familiar.
"Nebula, let's find another spot," Octavia suggested. "Don't waste your energy on him."
"Energy is never wasted when it is spent dignifying oneself," Nebula countered promptly. She spoke back to the man. "Listen. I don't intend to make a scene. But if you do not do the proper thing and return my spot, I am going to file a report against you for reckless driving."
"Damn. How intense," he said dryly. "I mean, how would a parking ticket look on my record?"
"Precisely," Nebula said, the meaning sailing over her head like a ball in one of those sports she refused to watch. "So how about you take that disgusting bicycle of yours and move out of our way? Oh, and an apology is very much in order."
The man considered it for about half a second, and then just laughed.
"Nah, I'm good."
Nebula sneered. "What did you—"
"You have fun with that police report though."
"I will…"
"Sorry, would love to stay and chat," the man said, stepping casually onto the sidewalk. He tossed his keys into the air and caught them again before shoving them into the pocket of his jacket. "You ladies have fun though—"
He turned to leave when a terrible, high-pitched screech tore through the air. It passed over the crowds, piercing everyone's ears like a horrible banshee's cry, evoking not a human voice, but a cosmic horror unfathomable to the human mind. Nebula was nearly forced to cover her ears to save herself from the madness.
And it came from the only source such a cry could come from: a teenage girl.
"Oh my frickin god, it's Mercury Black!"
More screeches erupted. Every tourist whose age ended with a teen and assigned female at birth swarmed the area like a swarm of hornets. A crowd of jumping, squealing girls quickly formed around the silver-streaked spot-stealer, and as he tried his best to placate them, Nebula suddenly remembered where she had seen him before. Mercury Black—breakout member of Team MNSS. He was one of the Mistrans, the kind who valued his celebrity more than his integrity as a Huntsman. He was a pompous, blustering fool who made women of low taste swoon. He made their entire profession look like a boy band, and judging by how he grinned at those girls, he was probably some kind of pervert as well. Or maybe he was just playing to his fans. Or maybe he was a pervert.
And he had stolen her parking spot.
Nebula's blood boiled. Her grip turned to diamond and the steering wheel became intended under its force. Okay, screw a ticket. She was going to run him over. She didn't care how many of those teenage girls she had to kill to get to him. She was taking that boy out before he ever stepped foot in Amity Arena.
"Oh my gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood, can we just park somewhere else already? I'm staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarving."
Dew's voice cut through Nebula's inner darkness.
"Dew, I…" Nebula tried to think of a way to placate her, but the words didn't come out. Octavia reached into the front seat, resting her sturdy hand on Nebula's shoulder.
"Let it go," she said coldly. "He will get what is coming to him. They all will."
Nebula growled, but she forced away her worst urges. She would never forgive Mercury for stealing her spot, or for what he made her do to her precious baby's steering wheel, but this battle was beneath her. In the war that was to come over the next few days, she would demonstrate their superiority over Huntsmen like him. She took another deep breath. In through the nose. Out through the mouth.
Mercury gently pushed his way through the crowd of excited girls, heading toward the restaurant. He turned them down gently, and in his effort to get his point across, he spoke loudly enough that Team NDGO could still hear him despite their best efforts.
"I'll see you all soon, ladies," he smirked. "I gotta go eat now. I hear this place has some good pasta. I don't have a reservation, but let's face it… they usually just give me a seat anyway."
Mercury slipped inside the restaurant, and the girls continued to crowd outside the restaurant, screaming at him until he disappeared totally from view. Nebula rotted in her frustrations as she stared at the restaurant and the slowly dissipating gaggle of teenagers. In through the nose, and out through the mouth. The dark thoughts did not nearly fade as much as she hoped.
Then, Gwen suddenly replied, her frail voice barely carrying past the car. "Enjoy your meal."
Dew groaned. "Um, Gwen, we, like, really need to work on your social skills."
"Never mind that," Nebula said sharply. "Come. We need to find new parking."
"Pretty sure that guy just stole our table as well as our spot," Dew muttered.
"Then we will steal it back," Nebula said. She looked straight ahead with a new righteous determination. This Festival was her chance to prove that she wasn't just some snobby elite, but it was also a chance to celebrate four excellent years of dominance at Shade Academy. Her teammates had been with her through some very dark times, and she was going to reward them whether they wanted it or not. She would park. She would feast. She would thrive. In. Out. Foot on the pedal.
Unfortunately, Nebula forgot that her car was in reverse, so was surprised to suddenly move backward—and feel a body crumple behind her vehicle.
"Ahh!" Dew screeched.
"The hell?" Octavia grumbled.
"Oh no!" Nebula cried. She quickly slammed on the break and turned around. She could not see the body lying on the ground behind her baby, but she knew it was there from the shocked and scared gasps of the crowds around her. She totally just ran someone over. Possibly a child. That was a lawsuit, or at the very least, a spike in her insurance premiums. Dew and Octavia nervously looked at each other, wondering how much they could be blamed as accomplices. However, before they could deeply concern themselves with the victim's wellbeing, they heard a pained groan. A figure, brushing off assistance from the crowd, rose behind the car. Nebula took one look at them, with their spiky green hair and trashy, washed purple hoodie, and a flash of recognition washed over her… followed by the revelation that she should have hit the pedal harder.
"Well, look who it is… the little Reese stain herself," Nebula scoffed. The young woman brushed the rubbish off her hoodie and laughed off Nebula's pathetic attempt at an insult.
"Well, if it ain't Nebula Violette and the Prissy Bitch Crew. Figures… hearing you speak does feel like getting hit by a car."
Nebula pouted, and four sets of eyes narrowed at their classmate—well, three sets, since Gwen just stared straight ahead like nothing happened.
Reese Chloris. Sophomore at Shade Academy. The little runt of Team ABRN. Nebula squinted at her rugged face and stupid outfit. What were those, jean shorts over black tights? God, she could smell that hoodie from here. She had her hoverboard tucked under her arm, the same as she usually did around campus, and Nebula sneered.
"Are you seriously skating around this historical landmark? Do you have no decorum?"
"You mean like parking in the middle of the road, blocking traffic?" Reese gestured behind her, where three cars were piled up behind the precious baby. The crowds too were getting restless, with NDGO's antics causing a mass of bodies to huddle around the scene of the crime. Nebula scorned Reese's words and her awful behavior. They wouldn't be parked if Reese hadn't mindlessly skated behind their car, of course. How many accidents would that dumb woman cause before she got herself booked in a clinic?
Her mere presence reminded her of why she detested her Academy. Of course, another reminder would soon show up. Weaving effortlessly through the crowd, a young, shirtless man hurried to Reese's side. His wild black hair was messily tied in a ponytail and all of the girls who had thirsted after Mercury began to ogle him. He either did not notice or did not care; his smile belied no hidden stresses no matter the circumstances, not even the wellbeing of his teammate.
"That looked nasty, Reese," Bolin Hori said smoothly. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah. Not the first time I got hit by a car," Reese sighed. "Where'd your shirt go?"
"It felt like shirtless weather," Bolin shrugged. "If someone complains, I'll put it back on."
Dew eyed him carefully up and down. "I mean… it's not bad. Like, it's not my thing, but…"
Bolin shrugged again. "Hey, everyone here should take their shirts off. The breeze is great."
"Wait, what—"
"Also, hey! Look who it is. Team NDGO," Bolin smiled at them. "Ready for Vytal? Gonna get some good fightin' in."
They did not answer the question.
"How about you show some decency to the children?" Octavia grumbled.
"How about you take that stick out of your ass and break your hymen with it," Reese countered.
Octavia blinked at the vulgarity. "That doesn't even make sense."
"Eh, bite me."
The teenage girls waved at Bolin, though he did not acknowledge them, lost in his own thoughts. The rest of the crowd seemed to return to its normal bustle after realizing Reese was all right. Nebula
"Why are you two even here?" Nebula asked, frustrated.
"Uh… pretty sure we earned it," Bolin said, though he wasn't super certain of the actual process behind Shade's team selections. Unlike Beacon and Haven, Shade did not necessarily select the top teams from every year. Theodore's process was secretive, kept hidden from even the other headmasters. Of course, Team ABRN was the best team in their grade. But they didn't have to be, and that made Bolin's imagination soar.
"No, the monk earned it," Nebula argued back. "Speaking of which, where is that pious little princess? I assume she had to take a hang glider to reach the island?"
Reese crossed her arms. "Arslan is allowed to take boats, y'know. She just has to avoid using technology as much as reasonably possible." Her gaze shifted to the floor and she mumbled under her breath. "Really wish she would suck it up and use a Scroll though…"
"Yes, yes, and I'm sure that will work out so well for her when everyone is shooting at her face," Nebula taunted. "And where is the last member of your little outcast club? The pink-haired one?"
"Nadir?" Reese said awkwardly. "He's uh…"
"What? This is my real ID. I'm a Huntsman in Vytal."
"Nadir? Fake name if I've ever heard one. And with that hair?"
"I just want to drop off my bags at the cabin."
"Sir, if you attempt to trespass into the Champions' Village, I will have to taze you."
"You can't do this to me! I'm a real—"
"Sir, step aside."
"But I—"
"Sir!"
"Don't you dare—agghhhh!"
Reese gritted her teeth. "…hospitalized?"
Nebula scoffed. "I don't suppose it really doesn't matter. Let's face it: Altan is the only talented one among you, and even that requires an asterisk. You might have been entered into the tournament in teams, but you two don't have a chance in hell of beating any of us."
Reese stuck out her tongue. "Yeah, we'll see about that, Nebula. Do you have any idea how many people have underestimated us before?"
"Your mother when you survived being thrown in that dumpster as a baby?" Octavia grimaced.
Reese did well to hide her fury behind a grin. "Haha. Hilarious. You are so funny, Octavia. Get a career in stand-up."
Gwen nodded swiftly. "I could probably do standup."
Dew moaned. "Gwen, do you even know what that is?"
"Yes."
"Oh… okay, I guess. Wait a second—"
Reese spontaneously climbed onto the trunk of the car, her dreadfully ugly knees scoffing up the paint. She threw her hoverboard over her shoulder and flashed a cocky grin.
"Listen up. You may have gotten away with being a bag of cunts back at Shade, but here, we're all equals. Professor Theo can't give you any more advantages. We're your equals here, so you should show us some respect. Right, Bolin?"
Her hot, shirtless partner just shrugged again. "Eh, let's face it. I'm probably wiping out first round."
Reese stammered. "B-Bolin, the hell?"
"It'll be fun though," he admitted. He stuck out his thumbs and pinkies and shook his hands. "I get to be on television. Pretty sweet, right?"
Reese rolled her eyes. Goddammit, Bolin. Team NDGO just stared at him like the idiot he was, and Reese tried her best to muster up some confidence again.
"Okay, so… ignoring that," she said, pointing to herself. "This kid is gonna go all the way to the finals, and I'm going to do it by stomping on every one of your smug, arrogant asses. I am going to win Vytal, and then…" Reese pointed off to the distance, where Amity Colosseum hovered just beyond the town's skyline. "I'm going to jump off of that."
Nebula's head cocked to its side. "You… you're going to jump off Amity Colosseum?"
"Yep," Reese said eagerly.
"Why?"
"Because I want to," Reese explained. She looked off toward Amity, the highest peak she could find, and grinned. "I really want to."
"Well, I must apologize then for the concussion I just gave you," Nebula said smugly. "And if you do decide to do something as stupid as jumping off Amity for some stunt, might I suggest not activating your Semblance before you hit the ground? It would do us all a huge favor."
"Leave the insults to Octavia," Reese sneered.
"I'll leave my boot up your butt!"
"I'll shit it out on your face!"
"That's disgusting!"
"You're disgusting!"
Dew smashed her head into the dashboard. "I am, like, so confused by everything that's happening right now."
Dew's confusion would not end anytime soon. Team NDGO had their brief encounter with Mercury Black, and Reese and Bolin were currently being abject pains in their life. Yet, even these slight inconveniences could not in any way prepare them for the absolute firestorm of inanity that came next. Such a storm could only arrive in one way: a gigantic party bus, rolling down the cobblestone streets, blaring music out its sides that made Nebula's ears bleed.
The traffic slowed to a standstill. The crowds, drawn by the music, began to leave the scene of Reese's wreck and swarm to the new attraction. The awful sound pounded.
0h baby, yeah,
0h yeah, baby, yeah, baby…
He runnin' scared
He runnin', runnin' scared, baby…
The lyrics quickly became drowned out beneath a sea of violent, fangirling screams. Only unlike with Mercury, it wasn't just the teenage girls screaming. It seemed to be everyone, regardless of age, united in their lack of intelligence and fawning over this stupid bus. Scrolls were held up in the air, videos recording, as everyone tried to capture the moment for prosperity. The crowd of dozens turned to well over a hundred, eager to surround the bus, and Reese stood up on the back of Nebula's car to avoid getting swept away or trampled. Bolin gently swayed as the pulsing rhythm came over him.
I'm y0ur fave, s0 say,
Y0ur masquerade,
Aint f00ling n0 0ne,
Any day,
Y0u sw00n in secret,
D0n't y0u play,
Y0u'd l0ve t0 l0ve me
Anyway.
The door to the bus opened with a hiss. Before Nebula had time to process the awful lyrics, a horrid shriek broke through the fog.
"Oh, my frickin' god, it's Ne0N Katt!"
A figure emerged from the bus—though not the one anyone expected. He was a large, demure man in a black, stylish turtleneck, square-jawed and blue-haired. He held out his armor-covered arms and forced away some of the crowd, pushing them from the door.
"Okay, make way, everyone. I know you are excited, but make way!"
He was surprisingly calm despite the girls clawing to get past him. Years of Huntsmen training had given Kobalt Koffine the tools to survive such intense crowds. Aura. Strength. Space control. A few months of being Ne0N's bodyguard taught him how to keep his teammate safe while still giving the audience what they wanted.
And what they really wanted was who came out of the bus next. She stepped into the light, and Nebula, Dew, Octavia, and Gwen were forced to lay eyes upon one of the most hideous outfits they had ever seen. Half orange, half turquoise hair tied into a giant, swirling bun atop a pale head. Dark sunglasses with two different-shaped lenses: a square on the left and a circle on the right. A vibrant green cropped tank top with spaghetti strings, barely covering a violet bra: the tank top was adorned with three buttons: a smiley face, a frowny face, and a scaredy face. High-waisted pink shorts with seams covered in glowing yellow strips. Red arm and leg warmers and white-heeled sandals. She wore a necklace with a golden kitty cat face, and a random pink band around her left thigh, and there was a small heart tattoo high on her right cheek, and honestly, it was so goddamn much and clashed so goddamn hard that Nebula nearly had an aneurysm.
But Ne0N didn't care what Nebula thought, because Ne0N couldn't hear her over the bazillions of adoring fans.
"What's up, my Kitty Katts!" The pop star raised her arms and shouted into the crowd. They lost their minds as she descended to their level. Trailing Kobalt as he carved through the sea of bodies, she flashed innocent waves to her devoted following. "Thanks for stopping by! Thank you! Thank you! No, thank you!"
"I love you, Ne0N!"
"OMG! I love you two, bae!" Ne0N shouted back.
"Sign my chest!"
"No autos 'til after lunch. I'm suuuper hangry, but we will totes meet up after, 'kay, 'kay?"
"Marry me!"
"Lol! Don't get uber clingy!"
Of course, she had someone else clinging to her. Almost as soon as she left the bus, another man had slipped behind her. A young man with silver hair leaned in close, muttering things directly into her ear. As she waved to her fans, she carefully picked up his every subtle word.
"Your lunch has been cut back to forty-five minutes," Ivori said succinctly. "We meet with Professor Leo at two fifteen. Your appearance at Molly's is at three. We have rehearsal for the ceremony at five. I could not negotiate one of your songsinstead of the Mistran Anthem for our walkout."
Ne0N's perfectly plastered smile didn't budge. She muttered under her breath. "Why?"
"Nationalism."
"Ugh. Lame."
"And they said your choice was inappropriate."
"Pink Folds is not inappropriate. It's about the hashtag girlpower."
"They don't see it that way."
"Dammit. What about Amity?"
"The stage is secure," Ivori assured her. "You easily won the votes."
"Duh. But what about the selection?"
"Flynt is working on it. He'll have it ready."
"He better. I swear to Bejuuvius, Ivori, I didn't come all this way for… OMG, is that my T-shirt? You look adorbs, like true-true."
Actually, that reminded her of something. She pushed her hand against Kobalt's back, guiding him to the sidewalk. He cleared a path to a stop sign, which, while plain by Ne0N standards, would serve her purposes well. Once it was within reach, she wrapped her hand around it and ascended to its very top. She stood on her tiptoes on the sign's thin top, swaying with the breeze but never falling. Kobalt and Ivori, the twin brain and muscle of Team FNKI, guarded her position as she summoned the audience toward her.
"Everyone! Can I have your attention?" she shouted excitedly. "I just wanted to make sure everyone knows about our limited edition, Vytal-exclusive, super ultra mega cute and stylish custom teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees! Featuring Y0ur Fave in all her glory, with five brand-new, fantasta-freakin'-amazing special designs, it is the perfect way to show off your support! They can be found either on my website—linked in all my socials, obs—or in specialty stands around the fairgrounds run by my crew! Now… who is ready to see me whoop some Huntsmen cake in the tourney?"
The crowd roared in approval. Ne0N pressed her hand to her ear.
"Come on, let me hear ya get loud!"
The crowd screamed as loud as they could. Too loud, actually. Li Caccia, despite the hullabaloo of the Festival, was still a rather quaint place. It was not a circus, and it was certainly no place for this utter clown. From her car, the leader of Team NDGO seethed. She had heard stories of Ne0N—the Huntress-turned-pop-star-turned-ever-present-radio-ruiner. If Mercury sullied the name of Huntsmen, Ne0N took the name, crumpled it into a ball, vomited rainbows all over it, and then set the damn thing on fire. And, of course, just like that piece of shit Mercury, she was blocking all traffic and stopping her from getting to her lunch reservation! Did no one from Haven learn a thing about how to act like a normal Human?
Actually, wait, was that rainbow-colored harlot walking their way?
Did she also have a reservation at Ignacio's? Did every Huntsmen in the world eat pasta at the same time?
Ne0N slowly worked her way to the crowd, escorted by her bodyguard and her closest advisor. However, she did not make it to the restaurant before she was intercepted. Reese, taking notice of Ne0N's garishness, decided to say hello. Did she care for Ne0N's music? Hell no. That preppy pop shit was like nails on a chalkboard. But Reese was eager to check out her competition, and what could be a better time than in front of a giant crowd of people? They could all see her do something stupid. That was the dream, after all. Reese used her hoverboard to force her way through the audience, blasting aside obnoxious teens and obsessive grown men, until she was within arm's reach of the pop celebrity. Ne0N was looking the other way when Reese extended her arm.
"Yo, Ne0N, nice to meet you! I'm—"
Reese was knocked back by a fist to the chest. She sailed into three fans and they all collapsed into a heap together, startling the nearby crowd. Kobalt retracted his hand, proud at having kept his teammate safe. Ne0N gave a slight smirk at the display—until she noticed all of the Scrolls that had been recording her. She immediately let out a shocked and horrified gasp.
"Dude, Kobalt, the heck?" Ne0N cried. "That was for real cray cray!"
"She was coming at you with a weapon!" Kobalt said, ready to strike again. The crowd murmured as Reese sat up and rubbed her head. Damn, what a punch…
"Uh, bro? She wasn't hurting anyone?" Ne0N shook her head and reached down, offering Reese a hand. "Ugh, I am sooooo sorry. He can be, like, defensive AF."
Reese brushed aside the assistance, picking herself off the ground like she had done many times before. "Thanks for that. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm—"
"All right. She's all right, everyone!" Ne0N said as loud as possible. She nudged Kobalt, and he grudgingly helped up the other fans. Ne0N, meanwhile, grabbed Reese's hands and stared at her behind her strangely-shaped sunglasses. "It's so nice to meet you, girlfriendo. Your struggle is extra relatable, and I love your passion. Unfortunately, I don't carry any money around with me."
"Uh, money?" asked Reese.
"But I want to help you in a different way," Ne0N said passionately. "I'm going to give you free tickets to one of my upcoming shows! You'll get an amazing VIP treatment. The very best. Anything for a fan, especially one down on their luck."
Reese stared at her awkwardly, taking a few seconds before it clicked in her head. "I'm… I'm not homeless."
Ne0N paused. "What?"
"I'm in Vytal. Like, the tournament," Reese clarified. "Reese Chloris. I just wanted to say hi to my competition."
Ne0N stood silent, looking the raggedy student up and down and up and down. The eyes of her fans were still upon her, clinging to her every word. She cleared her throat.
"That's… not what I meant at all! Obviously not. Nice to… well, it's great to meet a fellow Huntress. Totally. Especially one who is a fan."
"Yeah, thanks. I mean, I'm not actually a—"
"Would you like a selfie?"
"What?"
"Selfie! Let's selfie it up, by-att!"
Before Reese could react, Ne0N wrapped her arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close. Ivori slipped a Scroll into the starlet's hand without prompting, and before Reese knew what was happening, she was being bombarded by flashes and kissy faces. Her face would be posted across social media soon after, and in a heartbeat, she would receive more views than every single one of her skateboarding home movies combined. Reese didn't even have time to process it. Before she knew it, Ne0N was pushing her way through the crowd, leaving Reese alone in the swarm. Even the fellow victims of Kobalt's assault were soon screaming after Ne0N as if nothing ever happened.
"See you in Vytal, bae! You slay in that hoodie!" Ne0N shouted over her shoulder. She tried to keep up a smile. Well… that happened. But like, whatever. She'd manage. Right now: she had a date with this supposedly famous pasta place, although she couldn't actually eat any pasta because it made her bloated. But maybe they had like, a piece of grilled salmon? She could totes manage that. She passed by some more adoring fans, complimenting them as she went as fast as her little legs could carry her. She passed by a shirtless dude who was cute but not like in any special way, and there was this purple car that was really ugly where she thought she could see people glaring at her but again like super whatever.
But then… salmon. Oooh, the salmon. She would take so many pictures of it.
Kobalt opened up the door to the restaurant. She turned around one last time to say goodbye to her fans.
"Love you all so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, soooooooooooooooo much! Remember to—"
And then, she heard the blaring of a car horn, and harsh words flew over the crowd.
"Hey! Move your bus, you stupid, talentless bitch!"
Ne0N's smile dropped like a stone. The crowd became quiet and uneased. From the precious baby stuck in the middle of the road outside the restaurant, Nebula sneered. It was really quite absurd that it had to come to this. She just wanted to take her teammates to a nice lunch. She was being polite. But all of these miscreants just kept getting in her way. Literally. All of the traffic had now come to a stop because Ne0N's gaudy bus was in the center of the road. Who did that? Really? Who in the world would literally do something so selfish? Not her. She obeyed all traffic laws at literally all times because she was perfect. And, as much as her teammates were giving her the come-now-Nebula-don't-start-shit look, she ignored them. After all… she didn't start any of this.
The crowd parted naturally. The starlet turned around, her sightline to the car clear.
"Excuse me… what did you say?" Ne0N asked carefully.
"I said," Nebula spoke through her hatred. "Move your bus, or I will run you over… you stupid, talentless bitch."
Ne0N slowly removed her sunglasses. Green eyes narrowed at the team of older Huntresses. They were Huntresses, of course. Unlike Reese, Ne0N could see their status immediately.
"I'm sorry. And you are?"
"Team NDGO," Nebula announced. "We are your elders from Shade Academy, and you are currently interfering with our drive and stopping us from getting lunch."
"How?"
"With that," Nebula said, pointing at the party bus left parked in the middle of the road. Ne0N took one look at her vehicle and then pursed her lips.
"I see. And so you think it's appropriate then to not just honk at me, but also to call me nasty insults?"
"You are lucky that's the worst we do to you," Nebula warned her.
Dew planted her face in her palm. "Nebula, you are embarrassing us in front of literally the whole world."
"Not now, Dew," Nebula warned her quickly before turning back to Ne0N. "You need to go back to your bus, turn off that awful music, and get the hell out of our way. This town is supposed to be a peaceful place where talented Huntresses can enjoy themselves, not an avenue for you to whore yourself! I swear, if you do not stop degrading our profession, you are going to be subject to the wrath of a senior Huntress team far beyond your abilities."
Truthfully: Ne0N didn't hear a single thing past awful music. Her face went numb and her cheeks turned a red brighter than her leg warmers. Her hand slowly curled into a fist at her side. Her music wasn't awful. Did this purple-haired bitch really want a fight? Well…
Too bad.
Ne0N Katt didn't fight.
Ne0N Katt put on shows.
A cold smile crossed her crimson lips. "Since you asked so nicely…" She raised her arms and raised her voice. "Hey, everyone! You wanna see The Hypest Huntress do something really cool?"
The crowd didn't know what to make of any of this. Two tense situations with fellow Huntsmen back-to-back. Ne0N was always a source of excellent drama, but even this felt a little staged. Yet, no one there was going to throw out accusations, and they were quite curious to see what their queen would serve them. So, they nodded along unsurely, and Ne0N took that as a sign to go ahead, despite Ivori whispering in her ear.
"Ne0N, this is hardly the time for—"
"It'll take one second," she promised him. "I got this."
"Got what?" Nebula taunted. "Are you going to complain to your manager? Do you even possess a weapon?"
Ne0N's smile grew colder. "I'll tell you what, sis. Why don't you honk that horn at me again?"
"Huh?"
"You heard me," Ne0N stated. "Honk your horn again. Really show me how mad you are."
Nebula didn't understand the game, and yet, she had no problem playing along if it meant drowning out those terrible rhymes. She slammed her palm against the steering wheel, and the car horn blared for two seconds before she let it fade. Ne0N shook her head.
"Come on, babe, you can do better than that! Honk the horn!"
Nebula grimaced. Octavia grabbed onto her shoulder. "Nebula, whatever she is asking you—"
The car horn blared again, lasting a few seconds louder. Still, Ne0N was unsatisfied.
"I think we need to hear that one more time!" Ne0N shouted, hyping up the crowd. "Everyone, cheer her on! Honk that horn! Honk that horn! Honk that horn!"
Her fans were just as confused as Team NDGO, and yet, they went along with their idol's game. Because why not? When Ne0N Katt gets a chant going, one must participate. They clapped their hands in rhythm, and Ne0N's smile grew wider. Nebula's rage increased in turn.
Okay.
This bitch wanted a honk.
She'd give her a damn honk.
Nebula pulled back her hand, and slammed it forward with all her might—and that was her greatest mistake. The moment the sound began to erupt from her vehicle, Ne0N triggered her Semblance. The car horn blared for a fraction of a second before distorting, the sound breaking apart like a crashing wave. It converted into pure energy, and for one split-second, became so loud it threatened to burst Nebula's eardrums. It passed through the car, rushing through every frame and panel. Then, it exploded outward. The engine burst into flame and black smoke billowed from the hood. The headlights and taillights blew out. The windshield cracked from the intense pressure. The wheels flew off their axles, and the body of the car smashed into the cobblestone. Nebula felt the impact shoot through her bones, but before she had time to realize the extent of the damage, an airbag erupted from the steering wheel and struck her in the face. Dew unfortunately met the same fate next to her, and Octavia was left reeling from the damage. Gwen's eyes widened slightly, though that was the extent of her reaction.
The precious baby lay in ruin. Nebula and Dew sat face first in pillowy white, their faces bruised but otherwise physically unharmed. Their egos and reputations? Damaged beyond repair. Somewhere in the crowd, Reese began to crack up. The rest of the crowd followed her lead, laughing and cheering at Team NDGO's semi-deserved misery. Ne0N took in the adulation from her adoring fans, bowing like at the end of one of her concerts.
"Now that… that's music to my ears." Ne0N put her sunglasses back on her face, and Kobalt opened the door to the restaurant for her once more. She gave one final wave before stepping inside. Before the door closed, she gasped. "Lol, what? Is that Mercury Black? Come here, king!"
Nebula sat face-first in the airbag. She did not move. She did not want to move.
She did not want to think or exist.
Octavia asked if she was all right. She said nothing.
Dew, also unmoved from the airbag, groaned. "Nebula… can we please just skip lunch and go back to the cabins?"
Nebula considered the request before giving a muffled response. "Yes… let's just do that."