The crowds began to funnel out of the arena as all the staff and students were on the stage. Circles of conversation formed among them as the hostility ceased altogether.
"Oy! Don't push your luck, Calvas. I'm not shaking hands with any of these chumps." Keleman crossed his arms and shook his head. "Fuck em."
"If you're going to be like that...then fine. I won't force it. But do show some bit of respect." Calvas rubbed his temples.
"Pf. Y'all are...not trash." Keleman rolled his eyes.
"I'll take it." Lylas shrugged. He then pointed at Vrela. "So, tell me. When did ya think to try and cheat?"
"Hmm?..." Calvas looked at Vrela for a moment...then looked back at Lylas. "She saw the black arm guy walk up to you and whisper something. So, she decided to lend me her ability."
"Ah...okay. He lent me his ability too...so...it's all even..." Lylas grinned as he looked over at Avures.
"I didn't even know you could do that." Olicia shook her head. "I don't suppose I could do that with my sigil..."
"Maybe?..." Calvas tilted his head. He grabbed at his own sigil. "I don't really see a reason or way to do so..."
"I dunno. You could probably cut it off and graft it onto your skin." Keleman shrugged with a goofy smile on his face. He then turned away. "Alright! I'm gonna talk to someone else. See ya."
"Strange guy." Ventrix raised an eyebrow. He then watched as Malia approached their group. "And we traded him for a strange gal."
"Hiya! I had fun with our fight, Ventrix." Malia walked up to Ventrix's side.
"Vrela also said she enjoyed battling you, Lylas." Calvas smiled slightly. He then turned towards Vrela with a confused look. "Tell him that yourself. I don't deliver love letters."
"Aw...that's so cute..." Olicia's face grew a wide smile as she watched Vrela's face turn red.
"Huh?...ya, I mean. Ya could just link to me like earlier and tell me it." Lylas scratched the back of his head. "I can deliver love letters. Who's it to? Ventrix? Muscle-brain?..."
"You're so clueless...anyways, why don't you talk aloud?" Olicia tilted her head as she looked at Vrela.
"She's a mute. She doesn't say why, but she uses her power to communicate so..." Calvas shrugged. "She typically only uses it to talk to me. Rarely, she'll use it for other people. She must really like something about you if she talked to you."
"Aw...my heart is melting." Olicia pouted her lips and put her hand over her heart.
"This is the most serious I've ever seen you when reacting to anything." Ventrix glared at Olicia.
"It's cute! Come on!" Olicia stomped her foot on the ground. "Rael would agree!"
"You know...you make my heart melt." Malia sported a wide smile as she lightly touched Ventrix's hand.
"That's not cute." Olicia went deadpan as she stepped in front of Lylas and over to Ventrix's side. She stared daggers at Malia.
"Why do you say that?..." Malia pouted as she stared back.
"Because you literally just met him today." Olicia would not break her gaze.
"But they just met today..." Malia pointed to Lylas and Vrela.
"Yeah, but they're different, and I'm biased." Olicia shook her head.
"Hmm...oh...oh! I get it!" Malia raised her finger. "You like him too!"
"Absolutely not." Olicia didn't break eye contact or raise her voice. She was completely deadpan with the same tone. "You're just creepy."
"Eh...fine...you win this time." Malia giggled as she pulled away from Ventrix. She started to walk away, stepping backwards but still facing them. She waved...
"Ah...alright then. Sorry about her." Calvas sighed and rolled his eyes.
"No worries." Ventrix sighed as well. "She's certainly not the strangest person I know..."
"Hey..." Olicia's and Ventrix's eyes met. "You're not talking about me, are you?"
"...no..." Ventrix looked around, averting her eyes. He started to turn away. "Anyways, this has been a great time. I hope we have more opportunities to talk and such in the future. Take care."
"Goodbye, Felsta." Calvas waived as he watched him walk away. Olicia went with him as well, though without any words.
"I suppose I should get going too." Calvas turned away. "Maybe it was all the drumming up our teacher did...but, Lylas...I apologize for how we acted towards you. I hope I see you again."
"Same here. After all, there's no reason we should hate each other." Lylas waived. Calvas smiled as he walked off. This left only him and Vrela. Vrela looked at him. As Lylas looked back, she cast her gaze downwards.
"Huh?..." Lylas tilted his head. "...sure, there's actually a spot I got..."
----------------------------------------
"See, here's the thing, right?...I would kick your ass." Bif gesticulated with his hands carefully and slowly to Feren. "But, you'd probably roll over Avures."
"You talk a lot." Feren rolled his eyes. "You saw me out there. I'm too fast."
"But the red-head girl beat you." Malia put her hand daintily over her lips as she giggled. "And all she did was swing around a big ax."
"To be fair...Rael is a psycho." Bif nodded his head slightly. "I dunno what gets her going in a fight, but she's always got a smile out there...just like me...does that make me a psycho?"
"I think you're more like a lunatic." Malia shrugged.
"Is there a difference?" Bif scratched his head.
"Yes...there is..." Avures very plainly looked at Bif.
"Man, you gotta teach me that then." Bif shook his head.
"Rael isn't a psycho..." Avures sighed.
"Anyways!...you have to fight without magic too. Cou-" Feren was interrupted.
"Ha!...please!...I've been doing that for like...most of my life." Bif rolled his eyes as he grinned.
"Not to mention, your whole "Anti-Magic" seems a bit on the weak-side." Avures rubbed his chin.
"You guys are boring." Malia rolled her eyes and walked away from the group. "I'm gonna bother Calvas and them."
"Okay. Anyways, it's powerful in it's own right. it's just..." Feren sighed. "Takes a lot of work."
"Mhm mhm...all I'm hearing is that I would make some easy money on bets if I fought you." Bif nodded as he crossed his arms. "What do you think, Avures?"
"Hmm...I think Bif would probably win. Biased or not. And if we fought..." Avures stared into Feren's eyes. "Probably you."
"That's a humble take." Feren nodded his head in agreement.
"He just lacks confidence sometimes..." Bif elbowed Avures in the chest lightly. "Besides, he doesn't just have magic..."
"Mhm. That's right. I-..." Avures was reaching for his sword when Bif interrupted him.
"He has a shade too." Bif smiled.
"Eh?..." Avures looked at Bif wide-eyed.
"A shade?...already?..." Feren looked confused.
"Yeah. He's pretty talented when it comes to learning and trying new things. I dunno what his shade does, but I know he has it." Bif closed his eyes out of sheer smugness.
"Okay, listen...I...I made it to keep up, alright?" Avures sighed in shame. "There's several intricacies to it...but that's because I kind of modeled it after what I saw from George. Something that does one thing, but has multiple components to that one thing...which is basically converting Flow to Mana."
"Oh wow...I didn't expect it to be that...direct." Bif opened his eyes and looked at Avures in confusion.
"That is odd...you know, you can use Flow for like anything. And you chose to...make more mana with it?" Feren tilted his head.
"Oh oh! Did you name it?" Bif started shaking Avures, grabbing him by the shoulder and pushing and pulling him.
"Ah! No!" Avures pulled Bif's hands off of him.
"Name it! C'mon! A shade has to have a name!" Bif grinned ear to ear.
"It literally doesn't. But, it is definitely stylish that way." Feren shrugged, looking to Avures with curiosity as well.
"Hmm...how about?..." Avures scratched the side of his head. "Omega Arcane."
"...what does omega mean?" Bif looked bored.
"End." Avures sighed. "Haven't you ever read a holy book-you haven't read at all."
"Oh I get it. So it's like, End of Mana. As in, you're out of mana, so now you use the shade." Feren nodded his head slowly.
"Exactly." Avures snapped his fingers.
"Kinda sounds...cool." Bif nodded his head as well. "But then you remember all it does is turn Flow into Mana."
"When you put it like that..." Feren frowned awkwardly at Avures.
"Anywho...I'm going to head out and meet the others. Avures, let's hang out later." Bif walked away from the two of them.
"Okay. See you, Bif." Avures gave a single wave before turning his attention to Feren. However, Avures felt himself compelled to look around. Particularly, at Rael. He didn't know why...and he wish he hadn't. As he looked over, he saw Keleman talking to her. She was smiling. Laughing. Avures wasn't quite sure why, but he felt his heart drop as if it were sinking to the bottom of a lake...no, he knew why. But, if this was how things were going to be...
"Hey, hey..." Feren waved his hand in front of Avures's face.
"Huh?...I'm sorry."
"You're alright. And uh, don't worry about that." Feren nodded his head towards Keleman and Rael. "I'm going now, though. Goodbye."
"Bye..." Avures waved the boy off. Avures turned back to look at Rael. Keleman walked away from her. She and Avures both then gazed at each other...
----------------------------------------
"You talked a big game, Fraythorn. Look at ya now!" Grula chuckled as she crossed her arms.
"Yeah yeah, laugh it up, talk it up." Fraythorn rolled his eyes. "Some of us got a little overzealous."
"Oh yeah, you did! You were counting Bif out, and then he flattened your student there." Grula pointed at Iola.
"Now now, it's not like a teacher to make fun of a student." Zen shook his head. But, he then lifted a large and hefty leather bag up. "However, I will make fun of Fraythorn cause that money is ours!"
"To be honest, Iola. You could use some more humility." Fraythorn patted his student on the shoulder.
"Yes, sir." Iola shamefully held her gaze to the floor.
"Your girl over there fought pretty well. She's kind of a maniac, smiling like that in a fight." Fraythorn looked to Rael with a smile on his face.
"She's my favorite, what can I say? I know the good ones when I see em." Grula smirked and shrugged.
"Yeah, their fight reminded me of ours all the way back when we learned under Miss Lola. Man...that was fun." Fraythorn smiled and looked up to the sky as he reminisced in his head.
"Back when it was all one class too." Grula nodded as she thought back on it too.
"It used to be one class?" Rael tilted her head and looked at the three teachers.
"Oh yeah...used to..." Fraythorn sighed.
"Basically, one of the classes-way before you got here-had some difficulties getting along." Zen shook his head and sighed. "Names versus names, ideals versus ideals...the usual sort of stuff that tends to start fights. Except, a couple of students ended up murdering each other. Since then, we split all incoming students into two different classes. That way, we can get them acclimated to their current classmates, and then later have them meet others. So that, hopefully, they're mature enough not to rip each other to shreds on little things alone. Also, smaller groups are easier to manage."
"Once you are all past the second year, the lines on classes start to blur. You all will be able to hang out and work together more often." Grula said.
"Oh, so we can't do that as second years?" Rael asked.
"You can...we just have to recommend that you don't." Zen shrugged.
"That's the problem with these kids nowadays...all sorts of troublemakers." Fraythorn shook his head slowly.
"Ew. Don't say it like that. You're implying I'm old." Grula looked offended.
"We are old. What are you talking about? Who are you fooling?" Fraythorn chuckled.
"Miss Grula, how old a-" Rael smiled slightly as she asked, but was interrupted.
"Ah! No!" Grula put her hand in front of Rael's face.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"Thirty-two." Fraythorn smugly declared.
"You asshole! Feeling nostalgic over our fight? I'll fucking remind you of it right now!" Grula started to crack her knuckles.
"Thirty-two isn't that old...is it?..." Rael whispered to herself.
"Hey hey now, the girly asked." Fraythorn laughed and put his hands up.
"Thirty-two...so is that girl like...your daughter?" Rael pointed over to where Vrela was standing.
"Huh?...no, she's my sister." Grula shook her head, the anger flowing away.
"Speaking of which...I don't think you congratulated her on winning." Fraythorn jabbed at her verbally.
"Well..." Grula looked over to her sister. She was standing with the group of students over there. Grula sighed. "She knows..."
"Hmm...anyways. We're meeting up at this tavern called Gargobah's Grog. Best drinks around, I swear. See you all later tonight!" Fraythorn and Iola walked away from them...
"You know...when I was close to the edge, I was really considering the whole tripping and falling thing...*cough cough*..." Rael widely grinned and held her hand out.
"Hey!...you'll get your share, don't worry. If anyone earned it...it was definitely you." Grula patted her student on the head. "We'll be at the end of the tunnel like we said before."
"Meet us there..." Zen and Grula both walked off as well, leaving only Rael. For whatever reason, Rael felt herself compelled to look at Avures. As she glanced over, she saw him talking with both Bif and Feren. Whatever conversation they were having...they seemed pretty into it. Rael smiled.
"Oy-oy, I wasn't kidding by the way." Keleman walked up to Rael. "Why not hang out with me tonight, cutie? We'll watch the fireworks together."
"Hmm...I don't know..." Rael looked at Keleman with an eyebrow raised.
"I mean, I'm a whole lot better than that loser over there, eh?" Keleman pointed his thumb back at Avures. "Well, when following the rules at least."
"You're not very convincing..." Rael's lips went wide and plain as she listened to him.
"Oy...come on. I was thinking like...oh, I make a whole show outta the fight, after promising a night to the girl, and uh, then the girl is really impressed, ya know?" Keleman started to gesture his words as he said them with a dumb grin on his face. "It's just like in those books."
"Those...books?...which ones?..." Rael grinned slightly at the absurdity of the explanation.
"Oh...ya know...the ones...okay, I'm being a little silly." Keleman exaggeratedly shrugged, throwing his hands up.
"Ha-ha...you are." Rael smiled and laughed.
"If you don't wanna...that's fine. I-uh...figured I'd try..." Keleman sighed, he then turned to walk away. "Well, see ya..."
"Bye..." Rael smiled as the lanky boy walked away from her. As she finished waving, she felt like she was being watched. Rael instinctively turned to Avures once more. He was just standing there, staring at her...but it didn't feel the same...
----------------------------------------
After both classes fully cleared out of the coliseum, the groundskeepers were left to clean up. Both classes took separate carriages back to the Academy. Small talk was had, but nothing too great. With the tournament fully over, the full festivities of the New Age Festival kicked off. For a whole week, the capital of Palmenae, Tumae, would be in full celebration. Culturally, the festival was separated into three parts. The first day was an outright celebration. The next two days were dedicated to the heroes and legends of old. The following two days were then for the current heroes and legends, as far as those who could be regarded as such. And then the two final days were dedicated to looking forward to the new days ahead. It is within these final two days that the reward for winning the tournament would come.
Unsurprisingly, most of the students had absolutely nothing planned ahead of time. As the carriage pulled to the gate of the Academy, the students went into the building and changed out of their torn up training attire. After changing into their casual clothes, they came back out. Among the six of them, they all agreed that hanging out in the capital was something they wanted to do. And so, they went back into the carriage with their teachers and rode back into the capital. After being taken to the center of Tumae, they were all let out of the carriage.
"Let's see...and...okay." Zen was looking through and counting up gold. "Everyone take a bag."
"Woo-hoo!" Rael grabbed a brown bag, the jingling of coin was like music to her ears. Everyone else grabbed a bag as well.
"Think of this as what's in store for you as a Lancer...and definitely not us remorsefully paying you because of Zen fucking up and spilling the beans." Grula sighed with a smile on her face.
"A thousand gold each should reasonably last you all...like, probably two or three months. The majority of this bonus is ours though. We need it to keep living." Zen held the rest of the gold in the same big bag.
"Yeah, but ya get paid to teach...don't ya?" Lylas jiggled his bag back and forth.
"Duh...but..." Grula scratched her head and looked away. "Frankly, it's not enough to deal with you shits."
"She's kidding, of course." Zen nervously smiled.
"Am I?..." Grula sighed and looked at Zen. A long pause ensued. "I am. Truthfully, you all have made me proud today."
"I can honestly say the same as well...now, you kids all go enjoy your week off. We're gonna get going. Goodbye!" Zen turned away and waved with his free hand. Grula walked alongside him and waved as well. The students waved back. Once they were out of earshot...
"Boys night out!" Bif shook his arm up and down violently.
"Huh?" Olicia raised an eyebrow.
"Not you, girl. Boys night out!" Bif shook his arms again even more violently.
"I agree completely! Boys night out!" Lylas copied Bif's exact movements, being just as violent as him.
"What does-" Ventrix was about to ask a question.
"Boys night out!" Lylas and Bif were in complete sync, shaking their arms up and down as they spoke.
"...okay?...Let me try again." Ventrix cleared his throat. "What does, "Boys night out" entail?"
"Dude...he doesn't know..." Lylas leaned towards Bif, almost pretend whispering.
"Bro...he actually doesn't know..." Bif leaned in as well, doing the same.
"I actually don't know either." Avures slowly and carefully raised his hand, as to not disturb the hive-mind.
"Mm..."
"Mhm..."
"Hmm..."
"Hmm..."
"I don't think I'd even want to be a part of this if I were a dude." Olicia leaned in towards Rael and whispered. Rael shrugged in response.
"Okay okay. Basically...we just go out and fuck around." Bif shrugged with a dumb grin on his face.
"Yeah yeah. We just go out there and take it all in...sometimes we also mix in a lil' bit of spice too." Lylas darted his eyes around in a real sarcastic manner.
"That's incredibly vague." Ventrix crossed his arms. "Why not? It's not like I had any plans."
"I think I might as well too..." Avures shrugged and nodded.
"Wait. Avures. Don't you want to meet up with George?" Rael looked to him.
"Uh..." Avures looked at Rael...he felt a little sore. He knew why he did...going to meet up with George alongside her wouldn't change anything anyways. "I'll pass..."
"Oh...okay..." Rael looked away.
"I'll come, if that's okay?" Olicia placed her hand on Rael's shoulder. "I really don't have anywhere else to go otherwise."
"Ah, sure." Rael peaked up a bit. "Let's go."
Both Rael and Olicia walked away, not bothering to talk to the four boys any longer.
"Alright, but before we go...you gotta chant with us." Bif pointed to both Ventrix and Avures.
"Is that really necessary?" Ventrix raised an eyebrow and slightly leaned back.
"Yes." Both Bif and Lylas answered.
"Okay...so uh..." Avures clenched his fists like they had been doing.
"Follow our lead." Lylas's face became exaggerated and full of life. "Boys night out!"
"Boys night out!" Bif and Lylas got into it, moving their arms slightly up and down.
"Boys night out...?" Avures slowly followed their lead.
"Yes. Yes!...Boys night out!" The two boys cheered on Avures as he joined them. Ventrix sighed, and chuckled, letting his temperament go as he also joined in the chant.
"Boys night out!..."
----------------------------------------
"So it'll be fine, right?...me coming along?" Olicia stepped side by side with Rael.
"Yeah, of course! George likes any friends of mine...I'm also kinda glad you came with me." Rael lowered her gaze to her feet as the two kept walking.
"Hmm?...what's up?" Olicia looked over at her friend. "Wait...don't tell me, it has to do with Avures."
"Huh?-yeah. How did you-"
"It's practically written all over you. Plus, it seems like he's your obsession anyways..." Olicia shrugged while looking at Rael.
"Agh!...I'm not obsessed!..." Rael's face grew red, matching her hair. "It's just...he's the longest friend I've had."
"Friend?...is that what you really think of him?...you two went on a date." Olicia looked deadpan at Rael.
"But-mm...okay it was a date, and maybe...maybe I think he's more than a friend. But I don't think he sees it like that."
"If he didn't see it like that...I don't think he'd go out of his way to ask for my help late at night to help you get changed out of that dress." Olicia rolled her eyes, remembering how odd that late night request was.
"I-I guess. And I guess I know I'm wrong anyways..." Rael thought back on the fight hours ago. That realization she had come to felt more real than anything else she had ever experienced. "Okay, let me just call it straight..."
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I...I messed up, and I think he's done with me...or just ignoring me...and I don't know how to fix it..."
"Rael...you'll have to be a little more...clear? Like that's too vague."
"Rael! And uh, Olicia!...I think it was?..." George held his arms out as he spotted the two girls.
"Oh! Georgie!..." Rael sprinted over to the man and embraced him tightly...
The three of them convened and picked a restaurant to have lunch at. As they sat down and ordered food, they watched as common folk, higher class people, and guards alike all paraded in the streets.
"Lemme just say...Rael, sweetheart, ya had a real good showing out there. I'm proud of you." George looked over at the girl he considered his daughter and smiled.
"Aw...Georgie..." Rael smiled as her eyes lit up.
"And you...ya had a good showing too, at least I feel ya did." George looked at Olicia.
"Eh..." Olicia rolled her eyes. "I got a little zealous..."
"Happens to the best of us, dearie..." George tapped the table with his finger. "Avures only looked good after the rule drop...speaking of...where is the lad?"
"He passed on coming." Rael sighed as the light left her eyes again.
"Mm...he prolly' was afraid of what I had to say." George shook his head.
"No...actually, I think it's my fault." Rael sat her crossed arms on the table and rested her head on them.
"What makes ya say that, sweetheart?" George looked over to Rael.
"I..." Rael needed to find the right words to explain how she felt and possibly how Avures felt. With her realizing that Avures had held her in such high regard too...her words and actions most likely hurt him as much as his own hurt her. But, Rael had no idea Avures looked up to her. Calling him childish, selfish...breaking the necklace...Rael cringed just thinking about it. She made a mistake, and she went too far.
"Spit it out." George crossed his arms. "Ya did something bad, didn't ya?"
"I-uh...I did. And I'm not sure if I can fix it..." Rael sighed and buried her face in her arms.
"Well...if you don't wanna tell me anything more, that's fine. But if ya don't try...ya might never get em back." George sighed as he uncrossed his arms.
"Erh..." Rael slowly and lightly picked her head up and thumped it against her arms.
----------------------------------------
Boys night out commenced. And with their new-gained wealth, the four boys were in for a fun time. What fun ensued? The four of them walked around the capital, spending money on whatever their hearts desired. Food, shiny things, clothes, etc...and eventually, they found themselves at a gambler's table. More specifically, a simple cup game.
What initially caught their attention was the sight of a man getting very irate about losing. So, with his own bravado surpassing him, Bif had decided that he would win this game. With his friends following behind him, Bif sat himself at the table in front of the man. The shady, cloaked man peered at the young boy. He tapped the table. Bif scoffed and nodded his head, dropping a single gold coin on the table.
"You're not gonna go big? I see the coin you're carrying..." The man rested his chin over his hands.
"Nah. Saving that stuff for later. I came here to win at your game." Bif leaned back in the chair and grinned.
"Mm...fair enough. No magic be the only rule. Watch closely..." The man slid the gold coin underneath a single cup. There were three cups in total. Then, the man's hands slid them all around the table. The speed of which the man did this was quite impressive. All four of the boys watched as the man skillfully mixed all of the cups around. After a few more seconds, he stopped and gestured for Bif to pick one.
"Easy. It's up your sleeve." Bif pointed to the man's right arm sleeve.
"Ha!...okay, ye got me." The man cupped his left hand below the sleeve and shook his arm. The coin slid right out and into his palm. The man placed it on the table and slid it over to Bif along with another coin.
"I've seen the tricks before. I ain't like the last guy." Bif's thumb curled and directed the man's attention to himself. "I'm different."
"Alright alright...then no more tricks, eh?" The man reached under his desk and placed three more cups on the table, making six. "Wanna go again?"
"Bet." Bif placed two more coins on the table and slid the three back over. The man took two of them and put them off to the side. He left the one, and placed it under a cup. The man interlocked his fingers, and pushed out. A harmony of crackling sounds rang out as the man cracked every joint in both of his hands. He then started rearranging the cups at a blinding speed. The boys watched on in amazement as the man was shifting and sliding the cups around with such proficiency. Bif watched intently, resting his hand on his chin. He dared not blink. Then, suddenly, the man stopped and gestured to the cups. All six of them were lined up evenly.
"And no tricks...see?" The man grabbed the sleeves of his cloak and shook them, then rolling them up. No jingle, no coins, nothing.
"Uh..." Bif started waving his finger around, seemingly trying to pick out a cup. The other three classmates looked to each other with confused expressions.
"Hey, muscle-brain, did ya not pay attention?" Lylas placed his hand on Bif's shoulder.
"He went really fast..." Bif started rubbing his chin as he kept waving his finger around.
"Oh my god..." Lylas tried to hide his laughter, but found it hard. He pulled himself away from Bif.
"Uhh...that one." Bif smiled and pointed to the cup all the way on the left. The man's smile could be seen in return as he lifted the cup. An empty space greeted Bif. The man lifted up the center-right cup, and revealed the coin.
"Better luck next time, kid." The cloaked man took hold of the coins and pocketed them within his cloak.
"How about, we go again?" Bif slammed down five more coins on the table. Bif was no longer smiling, and in fact, it seemed as if he was slightly annoyed.
"Hm...sure." The man took the coins and did as he had done before. Although, this time, he took two cups off the table. "Let me make it a lil' easier for ye."
"Mock me, huh?" Bif muttered under his breath as the man started to do his ritualistic setup once again. With only four cups, his odds of winning increased...but, the other three boys knew deep down that Bif would still likely struggle. A few more seconds of shuffling around the cups...and he was done.
"Go ahead..." The man gestured to the cups.
"You must take me for an idiot...it's that one..." Bif confidently pointed to the center-left cup. The man picked the cup up and...nothing. "Huh-"
"Right here, buddy." The man picked up the cup on the far left, revealing the coin. He then pocketed all the coins once again. He then slyly looked to Bif. "Third times the charm?"
"Damn right it is!..." Bif slammed down ten more gold coins.
"Bif, maybe you should stop." Ventrix looked at his friend with a worried expression.
"Shut it, blue-blood. Imma bout to win it all back." Bif waved his friend away. The three boys watched as Bif leaned forward in the chair to closely watch the man.
"Here...let me make it a bit easier." The man took two more cups off the table, leaving only two cups in total. Bif had nothing to say, his face was expressionless. His full attention was on the cups. "You boys can even help him if you wish..."
"Huh?...it can only be one of two though..." Avures scratched his head at the man's words. Did he have some other trick he was pulling that the four of them were unaware of?...The man shuffled around the cups. He even did a slight of hand trick where he slid the coin back and forth underneath the cups at a high speed. All four of them watched closely...then...he was finished and gestured to the two cups.
"Hmm..." Bif looked between the two cups with his face only inches away from them.
"You're not serious." Ventrix looked at the blue-haired boy in shock. He put his hands up to the side of his head, holding them there as his eyes widened at the boy. "You are not serious!...Do you even look at the cups while he's shuffling them?"
"Well...yeah...but no...I...I get dizzy if I stare for too long." Bif shrugged as he turned to face Ventrix. The man leaned back in his seat as the boy discussed with his friend. "Plus, this is gambling anyways. Doesn't it defeat the purpose to look?"
"No, dumbass! That's the point!" Lylas slapped his hand against his face and let out a long sigh. "The goal is to keep track of em! His goal is to mix em up so fast ya get tied up in em and mess up!"
"It's still fifty-fifty though...I win or I don't." Bif ignorantly smiled and shrugged back at his friends. "Besides, what are you getting all worked up about my game for?"
"You're the one who wants to win!" Ventrix gestured to the boy.
"What are we gettin worked up for?-the fact that it is your game and ya aren't gonna fuckin get it! God!" Lylas shook his head and turned away from his friend.
"Look. Bif. It's literally this one right here." Avures walked to the side of Bif and pointed to the right cup. "This is the cup right here."
"...okay but what if it's the left?" Bif pointed to the other one.
"Wha-what do you mean what if it's the other one?" Avures's gaze locked with Bif's own as he was dazzled by what was the boy's stupidity or hard-headed nature. "It's literally this one right here. I'm telling you this. You got dizzy, but I watched. It's this one."
"Bif, please..." Ventrix's voice sounded utterly defeated.
"The worst part is he's gonna bitch about losing." Lylas turned back and stood to the side of Ventrix.
"You make a convincing and compelling argument Avures...but-" Bif started to explain to his friend, but was cut off.
"What do you mean "but"?! I'm literally-!..." Avures's voice started to raise. "You didn't even know the meaning of the word "compelling" a month ago and now you want to act like you know better?"
"That's quite a venomous tone and scathing comment you've made towards me." Bif lightly shook his head in disappointment at his friend.
"You-I-...pick the left one." Avures threw up his arms in defeat.
"See, I knew you'd see my side and reasoning!" Bif pointed to the left cup with a triumphant attitude. "This one!"
"It's empty." The man quickly lifted it up, revealing the plain wood of the table below it.
"Fuck!..."
----------------------------------------
"Well hey, I only lost...like twenty gold. So it's okay." Bif shrugged as he and his other three friends walked along.
"The mental anguish it caused us all was not okay." Ventrix sighed with a certain exasperation.
"It was kinda funny..." Lylas chuckled thinking about how stupid his friend was. Lylas started to double over in laughter as he remembered the events of ten minutes ago. "Ha-ha-ha!...holy shit, you're so stupid! Ha!"
"Alright alright, laugh it up..." Bif turned towards his other three friends and crossed his arms. As mad as losing made him, he enjoyed the fact that it was making someone laugh. Bif smiled and giggled as well.
"Ventrix sounded so defeated too...like-" Lylas's laughing was reignited as he leaned up against a nearby building to support himself.
"I-..." Ventrix grinned and lost his composure as well. He bowed his head as he started to giggle uncontrollably.
"It was really funny." Avures looked at the rest of his friends smile and laugh. Although he couldn't show it, Avures had fun as well. He felt that unfamiliar feeling of happiness bubble up inside of him, but his face wouldn't show it. It was strange for him. This was the first time he felt like this hanging out with someone other than Rael...though it wasn't in his best interests to think of her at the moment, it was the only comparison he had. He felt free, lifted from his burdens, even if only for a short moment, he hoped that his lack of showing didn't off-put the three of them from him. Avures looked to the sky. The sun was starting to set...he didn't realize just how much time they spent together today doing random things...all random and meaningless things...but that wasn't bad. At least Avures didn't think so.
"Ah...oh man...there's still one last thing...we need to do." Lylas struggled to catch his breath as his laughing fit ended. "Muscle-brain and I...we got something special for the two of ya..."
Avures and Ventrix looked to each other as the two other boys gestured for them to follow along...