Instructor Matthews explained to our class exactly how the event would go before we dispersed after the beach trip yesterday. The Cross Zone Finals will take place over the course of three days. Each day will have us compete against each other in a different way. Day one is called the “badge snatch day,” day two will be duos of trainees going up against other duos, and day three would be one on one fights. Points will go out to everyone depending on how well they perform in the day’s event. The only thing to worry about is the rankings. If you're below a certain place in the rankings, you’ll fail the finals and forfeit your ability to become a certified CT of this class.

“We can’t let that happen. No matter what.” I said as I did the last button of my uniform.

“We can’t let what happen?” Ori asked as she put on her boots.

“N-nothing…” I didn’t feel like explaining my entire inner monologue.

“Are you feeling okay? Because this would be a really bad time to get sick all of a sudden.”

“Yes. Can we just go already…”

It took quite a while since we were walking from one zone to another, but when we arrived at the meeting spot at zone three that the Instructor told us to go to, we saw an entire crowd of trainees. It’s amazing how each zone looks completely different from the others. Whereas zone two was farmland and wetlands as far as the eye could see, this one was like zone one, but with one glaring difference: the amount of factories and produce facilities here. They really don’t call this place the “Manufacturer's Zone” for nothing.

But in terms of these trainees, it was kind of surprising since I only see a collective of six trainees gathered in total most of the time. They were all chatting and mingling with each other while this weird guy was running around with some small item with a lightbulb on it that they’d point at people and flash. The weirdest part about it was that the people would smile at the guy and let him pretty much momentarily blind. When I asked Ori if she had any idea what was going on over there, she simply told me that it was a camera. That’s gonna lead into my next question in which I ask what exactly is a camera.

“Imagine someone paints a picture, but they do it instantaneously. That’s how the camera works.”

“Wow…technology really is amazing. How do they do that?”

“You see, they…uh…How do they do that?” Ori put her hand hip and tapped her foot as she watched the cameraman zip around. I managed to stump Ori on this one! Technology really is amazing.

While Ori was cycling through her thoughts, a familiar face approached us. It was none other than the reporter Nellie Ruth! She seemed to be much more relaxed than she was at the New Dawn Festival.

“Well, if it isn’t the talk of the country! Come here and let me shake your hand!” Despite her asking us to come her way, she wasted no time rushing over to us to give us a friendly handshake.

“You guys honestly helped a girl out when she was stumped in her career. Me. I’m the girl! I couldn’t thank you guys enough. That one interview has all eyes on Lexicon News as the country awaits the slightest update on the happenings of these finals!”

“Well I’m glad we were of help to you!” I gave a thumbs up and Ori nodded, saying, “Hopefully you’ll report the events with the least amount of bias as possible. After all, we would love for news outlets to paint us in the most accurate light possible.”

Ori mentioned it to me once. Although we’re funding for zone four to be a better place, we also have to gain the favor of the Holian people by showing them that we’re not as bad as they think we are. One way to do that is to expose ourselves to them slowly. The more they see or hear about us and our story, the more they’ll realize we’re just as human as them. That’s probably why Ori is so adamant on building rapport and riding the wave that this reporter is making.

“You can count on me, Mrs. Achebe!”

“M-m-m-mrs. Achebe?!”

“In a way, we’re helping each other reach our end goal! And as a token of my thanks, I’ll tell you everything I know about any two of the trainees participating this year! So take your pick!”

I don’t know how I feel about this…after all, it’s kinda like cheating, no? We’re getting information on people for a massive advantage whereas they probably don’t even know our names.

Ori must’ve picked up how contemplative I was being, because she just shook her head and said “If you think about it, these guys probably know way more about us than we do of them. After all, we’re the division that has the most experience in actual combat.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“I guess you’re right…” I was still a bit sad that we had to resort to these types of tactics, but Ori was right. All it took was maybe an hour of research to know all about the first zone’s stematas and fighting styles. Even less for me considering how I took center stage for those battles.

The real question is: who are we choosing to learn about?

“I guess we can go with the obvious first choice: Therese Cistra.” I said as I scanned the crowd for her. When I finally found her, our eyes met for a brief moment. She winked at me and I immediately turned away. Regardless of how nice she plays it on the surface, she’s my opponent. I have to beat her today.

“Good choice! It only makes sense. You guys are pretty much rivals at this point. So…where should I start?

Nellie began telling us everything she knew about Therese due to interviews and various other documents related to her made public. She was born Therese Cistra to her mother Melanie Cistra and father Frank Cistra. Her father was a stock trader that—

“Useless information,” Ori broke out.

“Oh…okay,” Nellie gave a resigned smile as she looked away from the both of us.

“Ori!”

“Oh, sorry. It’s just that we were expecting something along the lines of their stematas and fighting styles. Maybe even their personalities, you know?”

“Oh, I can do that!”

Nellie then explained that Therese was always known as a prideful person that reveled in others asking for her help. She always wants to be the center of attention in whatever room she walks in, and she soared in popularity in zone two after Nellie’s interview. So naturally, she gained the moniker “Zone Two’s CT.” She even got to have a chat with Lucien Shaw, zone two’s governor.

“What about her abilities?” Ori asked.

As for her stemata, Nellie tried through multiple interviews to get an idea of what it was, but she was always shut down Therese. At one point, she did a stakeout at zone two’s training facilities and caught a glimpse of it.

“It looked like a flora manipulation type. As in, she could grow different plants and trees.”

Well if that’s it, I could easily handle that. As long as I’m in the effective range, an overclock could easily take care of that. That kind of puts me more at ease. Although I’m still gonna have my guard up, with how she was talking I figured it was gonna be something crazy like “deletes whoever she’s looking at.”

I guess that just leaves one more person to look into…

I looked around the venue, but there were trainees of all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t help that their stematas are all different in one way or another. The general appearance of a stemata can’t really give you an estimation on someone’s power. A prime example after all would be Anna’s stemata.

“Do you have any suggestions?” Ori asked.

Nellie just smirked and pulled the both of us in real close. She then darted her eyes in the direction of one specific person and our eyes followed. The person was a tall woman with silky black hair and an outfit that was rather different from the corsets and suit vests that we usually see from Holian people.

“That right there is Tomi Shimamoto. She was the star model for domestic versions of Acupos’ automaton stemata. She was chosen based on her features that made anyone feel safe having a model of her automaton in their house. She herself though is a human that grows and learns just like the rest of us. After tens of thousands of her models were created and distributed throughout her country, she left the scene to retire here. Why she’d choose to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the world in some far off country is lost to me though.”

From scanning her face, I could tell that something was…missing in those eyes. I don’t know how to explain it, but it looked like she lost something of hers that outweighs even losing the people close to you. I didn’t even know that was possible…

“What about her stemata?” Ori asked.

“You see that palette fastened to her side? She uses that as well as a paintbrush to produce ‘works of art.’ Her words, not mine.” Ori and I looked over at the palette, but didn’t see a stem crystal on it. Does that mean that her brush itself is the stemata? I wonder…

“Why choose her out of everyone here?”

“It’s because…she is the only person to go toe to toe with the worst of the four disasters and live: Albion Walker.”

My eyes widened when I heard this. Albion Walker. Given the title “The Fallen One,” he was classified as such a dangerous threat to the country, it’s advised to run rather than fight him. The one so dangerous, he alone is classified as a disaster rather than any organization or group. Mr. Terrance’s former mentor…If such a strong person was fighting toe to toe with her, just how strong is she?

“Alright, it’s time for everyone to go into their rooms!” At the opposite end of the red square, was a lady on a podium. She had a white dress on with a leather corset and wide circular goggles with blue rims. The same crystal-like blue that stematas had. “My name is Mikan Archon. I’m a trainee just like you, but I’m in a rather different position. I was put in charge of setting up the venue for the Cross Zone Finals.”

“Welp. That’s my queue to leave. Good luck, you two!” Nellie waved as she walked away. Her walk became a fast jog that turned into a run. An entire stampede of journalists and non-participants followed suit at the hearing of the announcement. Why is there a sudden panic?!

“This is my life’s work! A completely modifiable, interactable zone! Witness a work of art that could go on par with even the Elizabeth. A prime height of Holian technology! I give you: Gaia.” Mikan Archon pushed a button and within an instant, everyone heard a large rumbling sound from beneath our feet.

What the hell is going on?!