Chapter 39: This Celebrity Enlightens People Easily
"Alright. We're here. Finally." I said as we reached the door at night. Surprisingly.
*DING* *DONG*
"You know, something tells me, Kaze." Blue said while looking puzzled.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Remember when that Alexis girl told me she was a Pure Lunar Brawler?"
"Right…"
"I never got the chance to ask the others about their build. Although they prefer to keep it personal."
"Maybe some other time we'll tell them. I haven't asked either about their build. But I'm sure, during the long stretch, they'll be a huge help."
"Are they really that… reliable?"
"I can't just do all of this by myself, can't I? They were the missing puzzle piece to this mystery. Not that I expected it. So I'm really sure they are reliable."
"I see."
"Although this Sci-Fi stuff is not usually our thing, we need to at least give it a whirl. Yes, we are still novices, but we can still do this."
"I know that. But I'm just concerned about their health because that's what I'm more worried about. It's really tough to survive during battles so I have to make sure they are ready first before proceeding."
"Well… yeah I am worried about their health too. And we can't proceed without them if they die. But we have to put in our best effort. We got all of us to help each other out. I even got you."
"Well…"
"It's about time someone has returned." Mom with an annoyed look as she opened the door.
"S-Sorry, mom. We were expecting to come back since we didn't have anything else to do." I said.
"I believe you. I just… I need you to be aware of the time so that I know we're settled." Mom said.
"All right. I'll keep that in mind."
"But anyway, how was Hyperdrive City? Did you two find more information about the dimensions and/or stones?"
"Not yet, but…"
…
Hopefully she can accept this. I may not be sure.
"…we actually became HGUs. So now we have newer ways to fight."
…
"You became… HGUs?" Mom asked.
"Are you mad?"
"No no, I'm not mad at you. It's just… did Lunia send you two to become HGUs?"
"Well, she wanted to make it better for the both of us because we are only new to the engagement in fighting. We were also given elements and weapons and all that stuff, but she wanted us to pick them because she wanted to see what we are most comfortable with."
"Ok. I think that is fair. I can see why she did this in the first place because… the strategy of getting those stones is difficult for you two. You might need to know to defeat evil in one fell swoop. Not in Puyo Puyo, because you stopped doing that several days ago. But honestly… I'm concerned."
"Concerned?"
"Are you sure you want to become HGUs? Because I want to make sure you can REALLY take being an HGU seriously because… they are not to be used for play fighting. All these people including the police and the government are gonna see you two as savage threats. But with… the ability to transform as HGUs. Girls… I need you to sit down."
…
"O-Ok."
We then sat on the couch with Mom, trying to tell us something important. I know being an HGU is very exciting, but with Mom being concerned about our HGU forms is making me concerned. But she still isn't mad that I'm gonna be a HGU. I don't know what she is going to say, but at least hearing her out would help my reputation a little. Maybe she might be thinking the same way I'm actually thinking.
"I'm sorry to drag you into this, Blue, but your parents might actually be worried about you too, you know? I really need you to hear me out on this."
"G-Go ahead. I'm listening." Blue said.
"So. Do you know that you are still teenagers?" Mom asked.
"Yeah. Is it bad?" I asked.
"No no. It's just… I want you two to act like normal human beings here. The ones who don't use magic here. Not until you get to the dimensions. Just one mistake could spell trouble for either one of you. So if anyone gets you pissed off, don't… activate your powers. Just walk away. Call me. I'll handle the situation perfectly."
…
…
…
"M-Mom. Well, sure we'll take what you said about people messing with us, but that's what we were thinking."
"Uhh… Kaze. That's not what I actually thought the first time." Blue said to me.
"Well… At least you are now getting this from Mom." I said.
"I know. But I hadn't put that in my thought bubble all that time. You were actually mentioning me saying that I thought about it but I didn't."
"Well, now I taught you something Blue. So I want you to keep that in mind. Your parents cherish you. I cherish… Well, I only cherish Kaze because she's my daughter. But I care about you too. If I allow you to use your powers right away, then I might be a horrible adult because you girls wreaking havoc is going to be a strong example of the government and law enforcements going after me for giving you the green light on you girls mishandling your powers. Not only that… they're gonna ask to remove your powers immediately and also ask how you are able to get those powers."
I then saw Blue with a worried look on her face. Probably because making one big error could mean sacrificing her ability to do something that she has been dying to do. I feel for her since this is not going to be easy.
"I-I understand." She said.
"You don't need to feel upset, Blue. I'm just trying to make sure your dream doesn't get turned upside down. Same goes for you, Kaze. I just want you girls to be aware of what you are doing because you don't want to be in a bad situation. I just want you to obey me for this one time."
"Ok, mom. We'll keep our powers under control. But just the two of us isn't going to cut it for Lunia." I said.
"What do you mean "isn't going to cut it for her"?''
"She wants us to grab three more people so that we can all fit the elemental puzzle." Blue said. "But it's going to be a toughie because we were planning on recruiting people who have the potential to develop in real battles."
"I see. Why don't you recruit your friends?" Mom suggested.
…
"I would recruit them, but they are the ones that are gonna be doing all the work, especially Xavier since he knows games so we'll. And I'm not gonna be able to match his strength that way. I was thinking about people that we can really communicate with. Some people that have the ability to gather some ideas. People that can really give us a chance to do something while we're in battle."
"Hm… you do have a point. You can't be the only two girls being inactive the whole ride if you're HGUs…" Mom said.
…
"It really is hard to knock out when you don't know someone you can really trust." I said. "It's gonna be quite a while, but I think it's best if we hustle and find our perfect characters."
"I don't think we have time to do it now, sweetie. It's getting late." Mom said.
"I know. I should be washing up after all that." I said.
"And I should get home. My sister's worried about me so I have to head back now." Blue said.
"Ok. I'll drop you off in a minute." Mom said. "It was nice of you to hang out with us. It was much appreciated."
"Thank you. That's "true friend" recruiting for you." Blue said with a thumbs up.
"You seem really honorable about it." I said with a sweatdrop.
"Well your description reminds me of an anime character a little bit. So I had a feeling I wanted to get along with you more, but you managed to do it by yourself and gained respect from me."
"All of this feels like I'm in class being taught about love or something." I said with a sweatdrop.
"I-It isn't love, Kaze. It's just… you managed to make a friend all by yourself. You followed the process of what you did back in Primp Town where you first started befriending four friends." Mom said.
"I know."
I really do miss Amitie, Raffina, Arle and Ringo. It's been several days since I've last seen them.
"Not only that, Xavier and Lucas are also the ones you befriended. Although they were the ones that got to you first." Blue said.
Now this is sounding like I'm remaking friends. But these are my seven primary friends. It's like I'm creating records or something.
"That sure is something I can remember truly. This is a new era for me." I said.
"Yeah. I'm sure this new era will be a breeze for the four of us."
"Alright. We should get going, Blue. I don't want you to stay outside for too long as your family might get worried about you." Mom said. "Are you tagging along, Kaze?"
…
"I'd rather stay here and take a shower. I really want to go, but I just got back and really want to do it now." I said.
"Oh…" Blue had a sweatdrop.
"S-Sorry, Blue."
"Sorry's nothing, really. I have other things to take care of anyway, so I didn't expect you to come."
"Didn't expect her? She's your friend." Mom said.
"I know. It's just… I have things on my end that are similar to taking a shower like Kaze said. But I don't think I have time to do all of that because it's getting late."
"Understandable. Alright, I'll be back, Kaze." Mom said as she and Blue were heading out.
"See you later, Kaze." Blue said to me.
"Bye, Blue." I said.
The two exited the house which left me alone inside the house. It's been a while since I've been alone here.
This scene reminded me of how I was alone at my old home in Primp Town. I know I brought up Primp Town numerous times, but it was just… memories. Everything about it is like I remembered every second of what happened. Talking to them, spending time with them, puyo battling them (especially Schezo of course)… I really wish I could see them again. I can actually visualize them right in front of me. It would be so surprising to say the least because they were the only ones who entertained me. Raffina entertained me. Right from the very start. And I never thought she would keep me company. Her fiery heart and elegance. Her teasing… well… that's Raffina for you. The one who likes to make a British friend annoyed. But I still like her as a friend. Her trying to help me out alongside Amitie and the others from magic school made me feel happy on the inside. I needed someone to talk to anyway so that the environment doesn't end up uninspiring.
…
…
…
Speaking of environment, both my United Kingdom and Primp Town really do have different tastes. Not to mention Hyperdrive City since the people talk like they are from the United States (No offense. Please don't get me wrong.). It's like being in the middle of a seesaw. I have friends in three dimensions now and I wouldn't be surprised if I had a lot more in the other because I'm just really nice and quiet.
And speaking of being nice, I went on my phone and went through my photos to take a look at my first four friends (although Ringo and Arle do not count). They were really kind to me. I wish there were more people like them. Not that I interact that much since I'm basically quiet. I like being quiet after all. But those two had me entertained and that's what I like about them. Especially Amitie with her facial reactions every time she gets a say in something. But she's really dependable regardless. Especially Ringo and Arle.
…
You know, I could've asked them how they knew each other. That would've been better to figure out how their bond altogether was like that from the very start. Starting with Amitie since she was the first person that I've seen in Primp Town first.
…
Don't worry, you four. You all will see me again soon. Just try not to forget about me, ok?
I looked at the photo once more, then stopped afterwards. Mainly because I should be in the shower after a long day.
I really do feel tired.
*THE NEXT DAY*
"Hey, mom. What are you doing?" I asked as I entered the living room on a sunny morning.
"Oh, Kaze. I'm just watching these World Cup highlights. I haven't paid attention to this in years." Mom said.
"Oh ok."
"I'm still freaking upset about what happened in the Final." Mom said in a threatening tone.
"Yeah… wait, what happened again?" I asked while looking confused as I forgot about what happened in the Final.
"One Belgium player bypassed a few of our defenders while going out of bounds and the refs didn't see it. This damn straight should've been a throw-in. It infuriated me big-time."
"Oh, right."
…
"But this is just showing Iran facing Brazil." I said, still with a confused look.
"That's the point of watching the World Cup highlights. It's not just England facing Belgium. It's every match of the World Cup."
"Oh ok. I got lost in thought for a second."
"But on behalf of that bullshit game, this was very fun to watch."
"D-Did you really have to say that, Mom? Not that I want to judge too much." I asked, while trying not to laugh.
"I mean, what do you expect?! A title was on the line. We saw the light. We were right there. We smelled that title. Until the refs blew it all up! Every piece!"
…
…
"I believed in my team because they were really good right from the start. They never played terribly. But in the Final, Belgium gave us trouble. But our team got situated until the final minutes. It was the refs. Doing their jobs like this was their first time being a ref when this was an important moment for me and this country. I wanted that title so bad until it shattered my mind when I saw that moment. I saw that play. And I knew what I saw. And not only was I alone, every fan of this country saw that too. And got on the same wavelength as me and started booing the refs. It was complete chaos in the last minutes as it was heartbreaking for our country. We needed that so bad. We really did."
"How angry were the fans?" I asked mom.
"A couple of bottles were thrown, lots of bad words were used towards the refs for not seeing the controversy. I think that was it."
"Oh… now that really must've hurt the players in a big way." I said after hearing what happened.
…
…
"You know, that team could've been on the same wavelength as Ringo's hometown."
"Huh?"
"Her city, Suzaran. She told me that her city went bonkers after winning their first title in 91 years. They won the title playing hockey by scoring in the fifth overtime."
"That's a lie." Mom said with a priceless look on her.
"I-It's the truth. Remember when I was at the beach party in Suzuran with Arle, Ringo, Amitie, Raffina and the others? It was proof that they won it. I'm pretty sure Ringo didn't have time to put that in the equation."
"91 years?! Ok one, that should've been us celebrating the same way because we deserved the title. Two, for a city that is not even real in this world, I'm pretty sure your friends and all others that attended the party had a very good time and not me. We would've been celebrating together."
"I guess that is fair. But it's impossible to reverse things now." I said.
"I agree. I'm just giving my opinion on this."
Still… I have a feeling that she and Raffina are going to tease me. I can strongly tell.
…
"So what's on your agenda for today?" Mom asked me.
"You know, talking about sports makes me wanna do tennis." I said after thinking about it.
"Tennis. You love to go back to that tennis court?" Mom asked.
"I really do miss it. Albeit there isn't anyone to play with."
"True. But hopefully you can run into one person. Likely someone you know of."
…
…
…
"I… I don't know if it's likely, but I think I can also practice on my skills. Just so that I don't diminish my performance."
"Hmm… just like how you did in basketball when you were in middle school." Mom teased.
"Tch! That was very nice of you to bring that up." I said looking annoyed.
"*giggle* I can't believe you lost your footing playing defense. I mean, I was still glad you were alright, but that was so funny."
What mom was referring to was correct… but I'm still furi… no pissed the hell off… at what happened at a middle school basketball game. But it wasn't a season of basketball. I didn't sign up to play basketball. My middle school was holding a fun five versus five basketball game. And ten students were picked from the principal's mystery box. And… I was one of them that participated in that game. And we won that game, 29 to 23. But what I didn't like… what mom applied… I lost my footing playing defense and everyone else found that very funny.
*FLASHBACK*
"1:28 left in the 2nd quarter! Team B is up 5!"
The announcer said on the mic.
I was on Team A for this one and my team was losing 13 to 8 left in the second quarter. I was playing defense and was guarding a boy named Courtland (I forgot his last name). What happened was I was defending him and I was waiting for him to make his move.
My team needed to do something that game and I was staying focused the whole time. So I was staying focused.
"Kaze is looking very determined! Can she make a big play on defense while Courtland looks to add more points for Team B?! We are gonna find out!"
There were some students trying to cheer me on and
some students cheering for Courtland.
"Ok, Kaze. You can relax now. Please." Courtland said as I was playing hard defense.
"I'm sorry. It's for my own good." I said while trying to play good defense.
"For your own— you know what…" I heard Courtland say.
Then that was when the worst happened inside the court.
After Courtland stopped talking, he somehow went by me going towards the hoop but I went after him with great speed to stop him in his tracks but then somehow he stopped and stepped back and then…
*SLIP*
I was turning around to get back to playing how I was before but lost my footing, falling backwards.
"WOAH!" Then the crowd saw what happened and went wild after seeing me slip. There were tons of laughing, mockery and shock on peoples faces. Even Mom was in attendance for that, but I didn't know how she reacted.
But the crowd still went wild after Courtland made his shot after me falling down. It was the most embarrassing play I have ever experienced. It embarrassed me. And I was irritated on the inside. But I played it off like it was nothing.
The rest of the way through, however, was my team creating a lot of teamwork to win. We took our time making shots, getting open, staying on our person on defense. I helped out on some occasions, but it was other guys doing the work. I was glad we won because that embarrassing play really made me mad and I wanted to respond back with that win.
*PRESENT TIME*
"Not to me. I wasn't feeling that." I said to my mom.
"Well… at least your team won now that I remember so I can let that go. But seeing you fall was kinda funny to me. I couldn't resist!" Mom said, holding in her laugh.
"I was playing good defense though. Just because I'm so-so at basketball doesn't mean I'm a bad defender playing like that. I just lost my balance."
"I know. And I'm proud of your effort on that game you played last night. Think of it as revenge from a play that is really shocking."
"Hopefully this doesn't happen again in the future." I said with a facepalm. "Now this sort of reminds me of how England lost to Belgium in that Final."
"H-How?" Mom asked, looking confused.
"You were mad at the referees for not calling a play out of bounds. And I'm mad that I lost my footing after a stepback from a boy named Courtland. We are both 50-50 on this."
"But you still won aside from that. I would've had your rage carry over to that Final. It would've had my prayer answered at that time."
"It doesn't work like that though." I said.
"Yes, it doesn't work, but still, any event that occurs during play time causes a team to win often, like comebacks, incidents, etc."
…
"Well… causes a team to excel at doing, to put it differently."
"Right…"
I'm not sure what she means by that.
"Anyway… aside from that annoyance of a basketball game, I got a tennis court to go to. Hopefully I can find somebody to play with."
"Ok. Just make sure you are on point with me so that I know you are alright."
"I will."
Several minutes after changing my pajamas to my actual tennis uniform (which was a black tank top with a black skirt and purple sneakers) and bringing my tennis racket and ball, I was entering the tennis court with no one inside.
While being inside, I was bouncing the tennis ball around a court with my racket. It has been a long while since I stepped foot on the court. I mean when I was seven, I did say that I stopped doing tennis, but I got back to doing this because I never wanted to turn my back on it. Besides, it's the only way to keep me active all the time.
Normally it would be me just practicing tennis all by myself, but there were a couple of people I've faced back then. Normally because they just want to showcase their skills or they are looking for an opponent to face. And I just accept no matter what. But I win most of my matches probably because I'm really good at it.
…
I-It's the truth. I really win most of my games. You just didn't see most of my performances against them. They were really good from start to finish.
But this is one of the things I normally do outside of reading (although I haven't mentioned that a long time ago). This could be one of my "to-do" things while I wait for preparations for finding the other stones as well as finding Thanos' location.
I really wish to know where that guy is so that I can stop him already. He can run with the stone but he can't hide from me. I have a feeling he has got something to do with these stones scattered all over the world. It depends. I just don't know.
…
…
…
I'll think about that later. It's tennis time.
I placed my bag (Yes, I carry a bag with me every time I want to go outside to play tennis. It has my phone and my water bottle.) near a bench as I went to work on my
skills.
Normally I would work on my serving because it sets up the rest of my game and it helps build my groove the rest of the way. If I wasn't a good server, then I would've been a total mess because I can hit a tennis ball but I also need to have really good serving too.
So… yeah, hopefully this doesn't kill most of my energy.
*HALF AN HOUR LATER*
"Whew, I'm gassed. It's a bit hot outside." I said to myself as I went to the bench for a quick break.
It was a good workout for me as I did lots of excellent work on the court. I, Uh… felt like I was playing against a dummy or something. Not that there is a dummy in the court. *giggle* But… I still did good in my opinion so I still believe I deserve a quick break.
I drank lots of water as I was on my phone to keep me company. Right now I'm currently texting my mom to see if she's still watching the highlights from the World Cup.
But surprisingly, she beat me to it.
"Are you ok over there, Kaze?" She texted.
W-Wow… what a surprise move.
"Yeah. Way to beat me into texting you first." I replied.
*BZZZT*
"I knew I would beat you. Somehow."
"Whatever. Are you still watching the highlights or are you finished?"
*BZZZT*
"I'm watching them for the second time. This was really good, it made me wanna watch it again and again. It was one of the most entertaining tournaments yet. People were talking about it on social media."
"I see. Classic Jordyn of course. ;)" I responded. It made me giggle a little.
*BZZZT*
"Be quiet. That's why you couldn't compete in that basketball game."
"Ok fine… you got me." I replied with a sweatdrop.
*BZZZT*
"Have you been practicing on your tennis skills yet?" Mom replied.
*BZZZT*
"Or rather, did you find anyone to play with yet?"
"Not yet. All I ever did was work on my tennis skills and I did lots of hard work so I decided to take a quick break."
*BZZZT*
"Just look at you, pumpkin. I don't know why you haven't become a star at tennis yet."
"No no, that isn't what I want. Yes, tennis is my favorite sport, but I don't want to lose focus on reading books. It's my favorite thing to do. Although everything is holding me back at this rate."
*BZZZT*
"Yeah. You're a book lover. I get it. Anyway, just keep doing you while I get back to watching this. Just be back by afternoon."
"Alright. I'll be home by then."
"*yawn* Alright. Back to doing me." I said as I put my phone and my water in my bag and went back to the tennis court.
Keeping up my impressive performance in my training, I managed to get a lot of good serving in. My serving in fact was superior. I literally took my time in most of my serves and created multiple power serves. I surprised myself with that.
And while I was training, my performance in serving carried over to here, but… there was one minor error that occurred.
As I was making my serve, I was about to throw my ball up in the air, but then…
"Ah crap!"
I threw the ball up in the air and it was going backwards rapidly and then there was a person (with another bag) that went soaring through the air and caught the ball with ease. I didn't think that person would do that.
What in the world?
"*giggle* Here ya go!" This girl said as she gave me my back.
"Uhh… Th-Thanks. That was sudden." I said as I took the ball from her.
"It's not sudden. I really have good athleticism. It's almost like I can reach the clouds with such crazy hops."
"Right…"
*gasp* Wait a second! This girl looks familiar! Although she's wearing a ponytail.
"W-What, something on my face?" The girl asked me.
"No no. It was just… your description seemed really familiar. I was just…"
I have to admit it. But I can't spread the rumors to anyone.
"I was looking something online a few days ago and you looked very familiar. Probably looked like someone that participated in this event called Royal Rally. It was this long blonde haired girl, blue eyes…"
"Oh that! *giggle* Well, duh, you know who you're looking at!" She said with a grin.
For her description, (I know I was very late on this.) She had long blonde hair that was tied into a ponytail and a white visor on her head as well as her pretty blue eyes, a yellow tennis dress with three stars in the middle and white trims on the sleeves and to top it off, she was wearing yellow sneakers. That might be her favorite color.
Is this really… who I think it is? Not that I don't know her.
"You must be… Gemma January, I assume." I said.
"Yup! Right on the nose! I figured you would recognize me with my hair and clothes." This girl said.
First I ran into Candace… and now Gemma January is who I am looking at right now.
"But hey… you remind me of someone, though. You heard of Candace Maxey?"
"Y-Yeah… What about her?"
"Oh nothing at all. It's just… you look different in terms of hairstyle. And the color looks really nice. I think you pretty much might be trying out for the Royal Rally."
"Oh no. No, it's not because of that." I said, trying to be frank with her. "It's just that I like myself that way. Nothing personal."
"Oh really? That's odd. I was hoping there were going to be new competitors. *sigh* Looks like I get another date with Candace of course."
"A-A date?! Like a romantic date?!" I asked, looking shocked.
"Uhh… no no. I mean another round with Candace. I'm sorry if I mistook you."
…
"O-Oh. Ok. That really shocked me. Big time."
"You know, it seems like you are new to this Royal Rally stuff, aren't you?" The girl named Gemma asked me.
"Y-Yeah. A friend told me all about it. You know, the rules and all of that. I haven't gotten a chance to see what it was like in real life."
"Oh ok. Well I'm glad you got to know me. The greatest and hottest woman of all time." Gemma said with pride.
"Yeah, I can see why after what you did for me." I said. "Are you normally like this?"
"Mhm. I'm not always that mean… well sometimes I can be mean, but everyone in the whole wide world loves me. They think I'm cute, nice, helpful… I'm all of the above! But I'll tell you more about me later. Right now, it looks like you need an opponent. Mind if I challenge you?"
"Are you sure? You didn't come here to practice on your skills?" I asked, looking concerned.
"I'm always game. I told you I'm athletic and competitive so there's no way I'm resisting a challenge."
…
"Alright. Whatever floats your boat. You can take that side." I said as I pointed towards the other end of the court.
"Kay-Kay. Finally I can start something new for once. This feels like Wii Sports a little bit."
Uhh… Wii Sports?
As Gemma went towards the other side, I was ready to take on a celebrity. If she is a celebrity. This is a chance to prove my reputation. I might take a liking to both her and Candace. Although they both are rivals.
I knew Gemma was going to be this friendly, but me winning here would be sensational.
"Alright. Best-of-3. I hope you're ready." I said as I was bouncing my tennis ball.
"Readiness is my middle name!" Gemma said as she was preparing her racket.
*MATCH POINT LATER*
I'm really about to beat Gemma. I'm shocked.
"Wow… I'm surprised you are actually beating me." Gemma said, looking exhausted.
"I am really good after all. I've been doing this for a while." I said.
As I was making my serve, I was a point away from achieving victory against Gemma. I already won the first game easily. The second game is 40-15 so I'm nearly close to succeeding.
I threw the ball in the air and smashed it on the other end of the court.
Then Gemma returns the ball with ease.
And then, we just went back and forth until…
"Woah!" Gemma swung the ball but started to stumble backwards.
She stumbled! Now's my chance!
Once the ball came towards me, I landed a drop shot so that she wouldn't get it.
"No!" Gemma was hustling to keep the rally going, but it was too late.
"That was a good effort though. But it looks like I won."
"Geez… I have never seen anyone this tough before." She said. "You are really good, I gotta hand it to you."
"Thank you, but… were you really trying to go easy on me? Because it felt way too easy for me." I asked.
"No no. It's just… I don't play tennis in real life often. I just wanted to try something new. I'm still athletic and competitive though."
"I see."
"*yawn* I'm fatigued. Alright, since I did say that I'll tell you more about me after we do battle, I guess I can take a break and do it right now."
"Are you sure? You don't have to. No one's forcing you." I asked her.
"Hey, I don't find you annoying, right? You are talking to a celebrity. You gotta know who I really am, just in case you seek interest in something that I do."
…
"Alright. I'm fine with that."
I need to figure out her feud with Candace, anyway. She seems like a nice person, but maybe something has gotten Candace to detest her. More importantly, the Royal Rally begins in a few days so I have to see how everyone turning their attention towards Gemma in that event disgusted Candace in a way and how their rivalry started heating up.
"Whew. That was fun." Gemma said as we sat on the bench together drinking our water.
"You know, you look like you have really high energy. I really see why you have so many friends."
"It's because I do. While being mature, I have a vast amount of friends that I can talk to. They are my fans after all so I never break up relationships with them."
"I see…"
Unlike myself. Well… I might have done this myself since I didn't want to have friends before then.
"Did you have friends before?" Gemma asked me.
…
"How should I put it… I just recently made friends. I had no friends all 16 years of my life until then."
"You had no friends? That's kinda sad."
"To be honest, it wasn't sad. I just… have my reasons for not making friends in the first place."
"But… doesn't it make you feel lonely? You're just here all by yourself with no one to talk to."
"It didn't make me feel lonely. Well… a little bit. But that's just the way it was. But the good news is that right now I've changed since then and now I'm just accompanying some people. I would never turn my back on people who just want to talk to me. It's not who I am."
"That's nice. What made you want to do that all of the sudden?" Gemma asked me.
…
"It was just a person that I knew from another country that I went to for vacation over the past few days."
I really have to take Raffina out of the equation. Gemma might not know who that is.
"Oh really? What country did you go to?"
"Japan."
"Wow. That's really wicked. Did you ever get a chance to speak Japanese?"
"N-No, not really. All I ever did was just enjoy my time over there."
"Oh ok. So you really went to Japan and made friends? I can tell, you are making a name for yourself."
"I-It was no need. I just thought… I'm 16 and now I need to start relying on some people just in case I'm in trouble and I need someone to aid me."
"I understand. Most of my friends do that all the time. I am the core to them so they must have my back at all times."
"I see."
Ok, now's the time to talk about it.
"So, Gemma. About your rivalry with Candace…"
"Rivalry? Well… I guess that is one way to put it, but what about it?"
"I'm just trying to figure out your conflict with her. Are you just trying to stand in her way by becoming the hottest girl in the United Kingdom?"
"No! I would never stand in her way! It was just everyone recommended that I try out for the Royal Rally because it's gonna help me prove to everyone that I'm really the woman they are gonna want to see. I mean just look at me. And the Royal Rally looked really fun to me so I wasted no time doing just that."
"I see… but according to Candace, it seems you're trying to steal all of her reputation."
"Oh, so she said that… but no, that's not what I'm trying to do. It's just… that's just how I am. I'm only giving the people what they want. They just think I'm entertaining. I would never steal or ruin her reputation. It's not like me at all."
"Are you sure? I saw the look on Candace's face. She sure looked like she wasn't having it with you."
"W-Wait. You MET Candace?! In person?!" Gemma asked in shock.
"She randomly came up to me and my friend. But only to talk to my friend since she and Candace know each other."
"Know each… ohhh, I think I know that person… and it's a she… I think she might be talking to Blue."
"Blue?!"
"Y-Yeah. I don't know her last name. I haven't paid much attention to her recently. Did you?"
"Y-Yeah. I-It was almost as if you saw right through me."
"Oh? Did I?" Gemma said, looking confused.
…
"Did she have light blue hair?"
…
"Y-Yeah. Why?"
Oh, she MIGHT'VE seen right through me.
"Remember when I said I had no friends at all? That person was the first friend I've made recently."
"Wait, really?!"
"Yeah. I met her at the library and at the park before this happened. At the library, it was a minor incident that happened so we cleaned that up and then unexpectedly ran into each other again and that was when our friendship began. We both like books and magic so it does make sense for the both of us."
"Crazy! Then you also must have ran into Xavier, Lucas, Wendell, Aidan, Cheyenne, Emily and Juniper."
…
"E-Except the last five. I don't know those five." I said with a sweatdrop.
"Oh. Just Xavier and Lucas. Well, Blue has been with those two more often."
"She sure has. I found it unlikely at first, but I'm sure it's the truth."
"Man… I'm surprised you and Blue ran into Candace. Did she say anything about me?"
"No, she was only talking about us attending the Royal Rally. She kinda forced Blue and I to go there."
"Wow, so your in the event too? That's amazing! I'm sure you're gonna like it! It's so much to do and fun to watch."
"Well, this is my first time after all. I'm sure it's gonna be fun. If many people don't swarm into me like I'm a celebrity." I said the last part in annoyance.
"*giggle* Do people get on your nerves?"
"No, not at all. It was just… There were rare occurrences where people would look at me like I'm cute. I didn't want to show my cute face to anyone because… I feel embarrassed doing that."
"Embarrassed? They like you like that." Gemma said.
"I know, but… still. It's embarrassing."
"Speaking of which, I never even got your name. I feel like we're started to get acquainted due to us having conversations. I wonder what your name is."
"Um… About that… My name sounds Japanese. Even though I was born in Liverpool."
"You have a Japanese name? Holy Guacamole!"
"*giggle* Yeah. You're not alone. I honestly never expected that in the first place while others have American names like yourself. But I get used to it."
"That's crazy. What's your name? I wanna know badly?"
…
"Kaze Matsuzaki."
"Kaze Matsuzaki… that's a mouthful. But also cool at the same time."
"I-Is it really? You can just call me Kaze. It's better that way." I asked, looking worried.
"Alright, Kaze. You know… I think you're really special and easygoing."
"Th-Thank you. Although, there was no need. It's really who I am. Nothing more to add."
"I think we should get in contact with each other. You met with a celebrity and I think you might have another friend to talk to. Just to make things more interesting for you."
"B-But… you're a celebrity. I don't think I would want to get in contact with you since we both just met."
"I know. But I think I gotta kick in another gear to your friend collection."
"I-It's fine. Really. I don't think getting in contact with people I don't know is a good idea anyway."
"Oh. Ok. If you say so." She said in a sad tone. Knowing that she wants to get along with me so much.
*gasp* Wait a minute! What am I doing?! I could get her to do something for me! I'm about to regret it if I don't.
"On second thought… I'll take back what I said." I said.
"R-Really? You changed your mind?"
"You are nice after all. You kept me quite company so I was hoping you'd do just that. I don't like being bored so I guess there's no point in trying to forget about you now."
"Wow, ok!"
We both pulled out our phones and started sending our phone numbers. It may be crazy to get in contact with a celebrity but she's trying to help entertain me in any way. It would be necessary and Mom wants me to start making friends nowadays.
"I have to do my best to not forget about you, Kaze. You are not only important to me but for this Royal Rally too. I hope we see how this goes." Gemma said.
"Well, take your time. I just hope I don't get dragged into crazy situations."
"You'll be fine. I'll make sure people don't push your buttons. In the meantime, I just gotta make sure this friendship never breaks."
"Ok. It's safe to say that I'll always be there for you."
Hopefully Candace doesn't take it the wrong way. It might be painful if she does.
"I was wondering, Gemma. How did you even get here?" I asked.
"Oh that… *giggle* I drove."
"Oh you drove…"
"Well, I mean you were focused on playing tennis right? You could've seen me from behind."
I looked from behind as there was one yellow and black car that looked like a sports race car. I had no idea she was driving that thing.
(Little Note: It's actually an Audi R8 LMS GT2. I just wrote how I want it to look in terms of color. Although there aren't that many in real life with that color combination.)
"THIS is your car?!" I asked as I was shocked she was driving that machine.
"Pretty cool, huh? I forgot to tell you that I'm actually rich as well. So I buy stuff like this. I'm just super
rich. What I'm saying is actually the truth."
"Really?!"
"Really."
Uh oh, Raffina. Looks like I've got you a bitter rival.
"W-Wow… I didn't expect that. Not that I wanted you to tell me how you were rich or anything."
"That's me doing gem things after all!" She said with a grin.
"Gem things?" I asked with confusion.
"Oh… I also forgot to tell you people call me "Gem" for short. I liked that nickname on the spot so people would call me that nowadays."
"I-Is it ok if I call you that?" I asked.
"I'm fine with you calling me that. We are friends after all so you have my approval. If you want to call me that. I don't really care."
"I'll do both. Just sticking with Gem feels kinda odd to me."
"Well… whatever makes your boat float."
"Alright. I had my fun today. So I'm gonna take my stuff and head back." I said as I took my belongings with me.
"Oh. Ok, well… I'm so happy I've kept you company, Kaze. I hope we can do it again someday."
"Yeah. I hope we can. You did quite enough to make me feel comfortable."
"Anytime! See you around!"
"See you later."
We both parted ways as I went straight back to my house. That whole talk with Gemma really makes me comfortable. It's like talking to Amitie in a way in which. She may be cheerful but she's also mature. But… coming from the both of us, it sort of feels like a light person talking to a dark person. Or rather… Gemma was like an angel and I'm more of a demon in a way. Think of light and dark hating each other. I thought we were both known to be frenemies, but talking with Gemma signaled that we both took a liking to each other.
But I wonder how Candace is gonna take this though. With me befriending Gemma. Not to mention, Blue, Xavier and Lucas. I wish to know their opinions on this.
…
…
…
Holy crap! And I forgot to tell Gemma about Thanos's appearance! I should probably text her on my phone during the long way back.
Author's Note: These long delays are killing me man… but I finally got it to go through.
Now… Kaze and Gemma meet for the first time, they form a relationship with each other, but the question is, "Is this going to affect Candace in a way?". We may not know yet, but we'll see in the next few chapters.
We are now 15 chapters in the United Kingdom era. It's crazy. It feels like we're progressing really fast. Although these DELAYS are on my ass again. Next chapter is about to be my 40th chapter. 40th. Chapter. It's a huge milestone for me. After 39 chapters, I don't know what to say, it's crazy. All I can say is… let's just how far this story can reach. It's going to be really long so brace yourselves.
Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Nothing else to say. If COVID is on you, make sure you knock that out by washing your hands at all times with your masks up. If you enjoyed this story, make sure you follow/favorite/review this story, and I'll see you guys in my next chapter.