Troy stood outside of the training ring in the Scorpion Frost Gym. The gym owner was preparing to host his first semi professional bout inspired by Troy and her associates, also known as, her team of friends.

Jasmine had called her with an idea earlier that day, and Troy didn’t believe it would work until this very moment.

“Your're going to need to move way back, young lady,” yelled Mr. Frost, seeing Troy stand beside the ring on his office cameras, he yelled at her to move all the way from the back room of the large gym.

Troy took a few steps back, only for the man to keep yelling at her until she was nearly by the front door of the now empty gym.

“That should be good, just didn’t want you getting smashed,” said Mr. Frost. Troy pursed her lips, shrugging to herself, until everything in the gym began to move all at once. The exercise equipment, mana weight dumbbell stands, and even the ring itself, either folded up and slid into the walls, descended into the floor, or was pulled into the ceiling.

Troy’s eyebrows rose, as the gym was momentarily empty, only for the room to change entirely before her very eyes once more. An even larger ring rose from the floor. Stands pushed themselves free of the walls, and even seven small viewing boxes spun free from the ceiling. Mr. Frost started to walk from his back office before the room was even done its transformation. Troy clapped in amazement and Mr. Frost looked around with wonder in his eyes.

“Wow, that was rather impressive, spent most of my life savings to have that feature installed and have never used it a single time,” said Mr. Frost.

“I don’t see why not, this place looks amazing, how do you even get into those private viewing boxes up there?”

“There is a private multidirectional elevator over there, instead of various floors, it raises patrons into the air, and drops them off at the door to each room,” answered Mr. Frost with a point toward a box that Troy hadn’t notice slide free of the wall next to one side of the stands that now lined the room.

“Wow.”

“Yeah, not bad if I say so myself. You're sure that your friends are going to be here to cook. I promised my guests and even some figure heads from some prominent fighting associations some rather good food, and even better fights,” said Mr. Frost looking for reassurance that he wasn’t about to get in over his head.

“It's a promise, they're already in route and should arrive long before the event starts,” responded Troy with a smile she couldn’t get off her face. She just wished Arson was here to see what he and his team's efforts were capable of achieving in such a short time.

Troy, unaware that being connected to Arson would come with a certain proclivity for grand inspiration, just assumed that all the motivation to consistently push forward regardless of the danger she and her friends encountered, or the oppressions brought on by living within even a free society, was a result of luck and their recent ability to earn credits. This sudden burst of inner drive was actually a trait brought on by the Ikarus bloodline, which none of them knew Arson’s family descended from, nor may they ever be able to figure out was a dynamic of their relationship with the boy, they’d come to form a bond with over time.

Before Troy knew what was happening, the stands were full, the gym was packed and the smell of food made with passion and love filled the air. Troy was waved over to the table Jasmine and a few of her team set up, and Jasmine began to speak excitedly, and Troy smiled as a rush of word vomit was sprayed at her.

“Yeah, I think I’m okay, but I may need more clothes brought over. Should I just ask Xani, or send a member of the delivery team with that Miranda girl? Two birds one stone, you know, she can fly and is on the head bodyguard team, or should I just—“

“Jazz, if you are wondering about this already, pull the trigger, no sense in ending up in a ugly situation if you can prevent it. Calm down, you got this. Without you, these past few days, none of us would even be this far,” Troy said cut in attempting to calm the young woman down.

“You're right, I’m just nervous... for whatever reason. One of the royal daughters of Armor Archon is here looking through our catalog, and a lot of high profile people are here, I think I even saw Seven and Mr. Kim…”

Troy looked around and only then realized the level of dress most of the individuals around them wore. From what Troy could discern, many individuals here seemed to be slumming it with the lowborn. She knew this situation couldn’t have arisen without reason, but was reticent to believe that her own feats were even a fraction of what caused the mighty to descend, from the peaks of higher sectors of Maelstrom to grace the Bronze.

She saw a few officials she’d seen on commercials running for public office. Local Keepers that ran their communities in and outside the purview of the law. As well as the previously mentioned princess, the beautiful young woman strutting through the racks of clothing Jasmine had set up, her eyes enthralled by the volume and lack of exorbitant prices one would normally find with such high quality items.

Are her earrings made of sparking SunStone….?

“Okay… so we are hosting princesses now? Are we in over our heads, or should we take a "fake it til we make it" perspective here?”

“I have no idea, but her attendants are holding enough clothing that if she follows through and buys all that, I’ve already made enough for us to count this entire event as an all-out win…” responded Jasmine, drawing Troy’s eyes toward the short train of attendants following one of the princesses of Maelstrom.

“Sparks…” said Troy astonished by the piles of clothing the young woman was throwing toward her helpers. The group of men and women so loaded up with clothing, that they seemed to be maneuvering each pile they held to be positioned underneath the articles of clothing flying toward them, rather than being able to snatch them from the air.

“Well, I’m proud of you. I do have to go get ready, so if you see everyone else tell them good luck for me,” said Troy, giving Jasmine her best smile even though her nerves were high because of how soon she’d be getting into the ring.

“Shouldn’t I be wishing you good luck? Get out of here and go do your thing. You're starting to remind me of Arson,” said Jasmine playfully rolling her eyes at Troy.

“Thanks. I’ll take that as a compliment. The little man is my closest friend,” said Troy, flicking Jasmine in the forehead as she stepped away surprising her friend.

“Ow, that hurt, you bully. You better not lose or I’m telling Arson to make Jade train you too when he wakes up, you brat!”

Troy tried not to freeze at the threat, but couldn’t help it, she’d seen the pair's training sessions and knew that as bad as she may actually want to learn from the professional fighting dungeon ball player, that Arson’s mother was not to be trifled with.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought!”

Troy continued on without looking back, only one thought on her mind.

Looks like I better not lose…

…

Cleo was one of the best fighters in her weight class. She’d fought Troy before and as she entered the ring, she stared down the heterochromatic young woman and laughed to herself, flipping her long pink braid behind her shoulder.

Today is not your day little girl…

Music played, and Cleo was surprised by how many people of note were both in the stands, and filled the viewing boxes above. She was used to higher quality fighting venues and arenas, but for a Bronze gym, the quality was rather impressive.

The rules were announced by the gym owner, and Cleo bounced on her feet across from the nervous looking Troy, and Cleo couldn’t help but shake her head, feeling pity for her opponent. This was her last fight before Cleo would be able to challenge the champion in multiple weight classes, and she had only one intention, and that was to knock the poser in front of her out as quickly and gracefully as possible.

“Sorry you had to fight me. If only they matched you up with someone else, maybe you would have had a chance!”

Cleo wasn’t petty, she honestly felt for the young woman, but knew the outcome of this fight the moment it was scheduled. Yet, when the fighter in front of her spoke in response to Cleo’s comment, not yelling as Cleo had to be heard above the roar of the crowd, a slight tingle went down her spine.

“I fight monsters as you sleep at night. I fight gangsters as you eat and enjoy life, I train when you train, and you believe yourself to be my equal? May the maiden forgive me for crushing your spirit…”

What in the bloody embers was that supposed to mean? I absolutely crushed you the last time we fought, you peasant.

Cleo heard the words spoken by Troy even as the gym owner yelled their introductions, over the celebration of violence that grew around the ring, and the wild beat of her own heart as an unfamiliar sensation thrummed through her mind; the statement replaying in her mind feeling louder than her own thoughts.

The bell rang, and Cleo immediately backflipped. She twirled through the air with a fanciful acrobatic showing, landing on the ropes before she used the ring’s perimeter as a trampoline, springing toward Troy like a rocket.

Cleo couldn’t help but smile as she soared toward Troy. Her sensory abilities were second to none; a trained ability gained from her connection to vibration and sound mana. So even as she descended toward her target, she spun. Her senses telling her that something was coming from above.

She twirled and screamed, a wave of vibrational mana bursting through the air in a silent cone of destruction. Though she had wailed as loud as she could, the sound was converted into raw vibrational power that shattered the hard light clone instantly.

That’s new, but won’t work on me li—

Cleo's thoughts cut off instantly by her senses warning her about two, no three incoming attacks.

Cleo continued to spin, trying to focus on the directions that she felt more clones coming from, not paying attention to Troy’s unmoving figure. So as Cleo sent out another wail, crushing another clone that came from both her left side and behind her, still spinning, she unintentionally fell directly into Troy’s open arms.

Troy was easily able to put Cleo in a full nelson, before she jumped and wrapped her legs around her. It wasn’t until Cleo heard the whispered words in her ear that she realized that she’d already been put in a well prepared trap.

“Can you scream without the ability to breathe….?"

Troy’s squeeze on her neck suddenly increased, and Cleo gasped for air as Troy’s back hit the ring below. The young woman had no intention of tapping out, but had the option taken from her immediately.

An entire half dozen clones were summoned all around her, and the worst beating Cleo had ever had in her entire professional career began in full.

What is happening… How could I have fallen for—

The trail of thoughts was cut off. Kicks raining down on Cleo from the clones made of hardened light, nearly unable to be blocked as her struggle for air increased.

I cannot give in!

Cleo flailed until she managed to slap the ground, the sound unheard, her power converting it into a vibrational wave that blew apart all the clones standing above her. Yet even before she had the briefest chance to celebrate,, another summoned hard light clone fell from the air above with a two leg stomp; the strike as direct as a military dive performed by a navy soldier trained to be dropped into oceans from high altitudes, aimed perfectly at her mid section.

Cleo would have curled up into a ball in that moment, but couldn’t. Troy’s dominance preventing any and all movement.

“It is me who should be sorry,” whispered Troy. The only one to hear her words Cleo, her eyes widening as the group of six returning to once more perform an assault no less deadly than being trampled by a parade of mana bulls.

Cleo began to turn purple. Her thoughts became heavy and even before she could think to tap before she was potentially stomped to death, her coach threw in the towel, rushing into the ring as the bell sounded and Troy finally let her go, allowing the woman who rushed into the ring to check on Cleo, rolling her body to the side, before she stood and the gym owner approached, reaching for her hand and raising it into the air.

“Victor!”

…

Troy sat in the locker room with a towel over her head. She wanted to return to Jade’s villa and go to sleep after the fight, but decided not to just in case any of her team needed her. It wasn’t that she was incredibly tired, or that she’d used an incredible amount of mana to achieve victory, but after her fights she always found herself drained mentally.

Should probably get some sleep anyway with the rematch scheduled for tomorrow.

Her opponent had looked at her differently after she’d managed to wake up, and under the influence of her coach had agreed to fight Troy again, the very next day. Troy knew she would have to come up with a new tactic to achieve victory, planning to talk with Jade if she had a chance before the match. Her win earlier had been inspired by Khalif, and Troy felt it to be a good idea to brainstorm another strategy before the rematch.

Her bravado during the match was something she was working on to form a reputation of confidence and fearlessness that she may not feel, yet knew would benefit her once her opponents began to share their experiences with her future opponents when they too decided to gather information on her before their own matches with her.

“One step at a time, Troy, one step at a time.”

“What is that your new mantra or something??”

Troy looked up to see a familiar face walk into the locker room. Seven’s brilliant smile one she hadn’t seen since the last time the young man had barged into the locker room of the Mana Well.

“Yo, Seven, what are you doing here?”

“What? You can’t guess? I have another offer for you…!”