Standing at the control panel by the steps was a large, brown-haired boy, seemingly preparing to challenge Mr. Simons for his donut cart title. His cheeks were puffy with a few freckles here and there across his face. He wore a regular blue shirt with dark blue jeans, a keychain hanging out from one of his pockets, and a bracelet strapped to his arm.
"Alright! It's My Turn! I'll show you this sweeeet killer move I came up with! I can tell you right now this'll take us all the way to the nationals!" his voice boomed throughout the room. The pride and energy being exerted rivaled the amount of noise he was making. He moved forward, typing on the dashboard before stepping back.
"Destination. Set: Grasslands." an autonomous voice informed them as the dashboard screen glowed.
"As if your 'killer move' could even win a practice match. Pfft. Step aside, Roy! I call next!" a vibrantly cute voice blurted out from close by the dashboard. Jumping forward was a girl, seemingly younger than Alexandria herself; her reddish-orange hair and emerald green eyes, coupled with her cute facial features, were a sight to behold. She wore a plaid shirt with some blue jeans, complementing the boots she had on.
"Easy now, Heidi." another voice called out, "No need to let you hog all the fun. I'll take it from here," the voice went on to say.
Alexandria looked in the direction of this new voice, her gaze fixing on a Native American teen whose eyes seemed like they could easily read a person in one glance. Dressed in a plain white T-shirt and some black jeans, anyone could tell he was the most rational among the three just from his appearance alone. Looking closer, you could see that he had tattoos along his body, specifically around his arms and chest, resembling mostly animals, notably an eagle, a boar, a goat, and a deer, among others.
"Oh, come on, Cheveyo! Don't be like that!" Heidi retorted.
"You both have been at this for an hour now, It’s best you face someone more like myself." Cheveyo responded, an air of confidence surrounding him.
"Yeah! And if-" Roy started up again, "WHEN! I win against you. I'll take your spot on the team! Ahahaha!" Roy chuckled to himself, but as his voice was currently the loudest in the room.
"You're already on the team Roy... We're 'missing' members." Cheveyo said, running a hand through his hair.
"It's just four of us. If we wanna make it to at least the regionals, we need to start recruiting..." he said as he held up four fingers towards the boy.
"And fast too, winter's coming." he went on before his head turned to the side and noticed Alexandria.
"Oh, Hey Alexia, How long have you been standing there?" he asked her, folding his arms as he leaned against the machine, "I take it you're done with the make-up tests?"
"Gaaah! It was the w-o-r-s-t! But it's finally over!" she said in a sorrowful voice before perking up.
"I see you guys finally got a spot for that thing...but..." she stopped looking at the machine, then back at the door, then back at Cheveyo
. "How did you even get that through the door?" she pondered as her face showed her utter state of confusion.
"Oh, this ol' piece-a junk? We had to get it built inside, took about...." Chev said, gazing upwards and placing a finger to his chin, "About a month? This is like the only chance we got to even test it out, this hunk-a scrap isn't even the latest model..." he motioned as he gave it a light tap with the side of his shoe.
"I've seen way bigger than this; I think it even gets bigger at the nationals."
"Ah... The only ones I've actually used were the ones that you connect up with a V.R. headset and T.V. Though I've seen them online before."Alexia brightened up from her despair, having wholly washed away any thought of the tests she had just finished.
"Alexia! Wanna test it out with us?! We just got through a round. I won naturally. Wasn't even worth the sweat~!" Roy boasted as he stuck his chest and grinned widely, making sure he found every opportunity to milk out his previous victory over Heidi.
"You only won because of that new technique catching me off guard! Let's have a rematch, Roy! I'll knock you down a peg!" Heidi retorted, visible steam puff huffing out her ears. However, because of her appearance, she even looked cuter, all huffed up.
"See! I told you guys! My new move's gonna blow everyone's minds when they see it! I'll take us to the Nationals, no sweat! Ahahahaha!" Roy went on to boast, much to Cheveyo's dismay.
"Yeah, yeah... but first years like you won't even get far with just 'new techniques.' If you can't keep a level head...well..." Cheveyo replied as he looked at Roy.
At this point, Alexia was starting to feel like they'd totally forgotten about her. Faking a cough to get their attention, she placed both her hands behind her back.
"Ahem. As much as I'd Looovveee to participate, I'd rather not. You guys can go at it..." she said, making sure to stretch the love in that sentence to show her sarcasm as she declined their invitation.
"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Alexia! Just hang on! Can we just have ONE match?" Roy began to speak up.
"Just one match, one ten-minute match is all I need. Just ten minutes to wipe the floor with you, that is! Ahaha!" he declared as he puffed his chest out once more, though his taunts seemed to have hit the air as the blonde herself appeared to be distant.
Moving over to the dashboard, Cheveyo, who was interested in how this would play out, began setting up the match settings for Roy's supposed match, inserting the current date 'June 8, 2029'.
Seeing that Roy needed assistance convincing Alexandria, Heidi moved in to provide back up since she was now interested in also having a match.
"It won't take long! We promise! The matches blow by pretty fast." she assured her before smirking and looking into Alexia's steely blue gaze.
"Besides... you'd have to be pretty strong for matches to last longer anyways~" she went on, using her own taunt to get at the blonde and walking over to Cheveyo, who was now finished with the setup, with a twirl smiling warmly back at her.
"Besides, it's way more fun having Singularity Battles with more people!" An exhausted sigh left Alexia's mouth. It was safe to say that this girl knew exactly what to say to pull her out. She moved over to the opposite end of the platform, stepping up the stairs and onto the metallic panel.
"Fine! But I'll only participate in ONE match, got it?" she declared as she huffed and looked down at the metallic panel, noticing the edge reading, 'Staging Panel.'
"The things I get myself into... Let's just get this over with... No use in complaining now, to be honest..." she thought to herself as she mustered the courage, preparing herself for what was to come.
"Great! I'll go first naturally!" Roy declared, making his way onto the staging panel.
"Watch me win this one as well, Heidi!" he said, giving her a thumbs-up, causing the girl to roll her eyes in response. Cheveyo laughed slightly before pressing down on the green button on the dashboard.
The machine began to rattle like the sound of gears turning echoed throughout the room, settling down after a while. A blue hue shone out from the glass panels, the energy gathering around the different glass panels before materializing under the metallic panels. A transport portal opened up with an open field being displayed inside. Beneath the portal was a simulation of the entire map. They were about to transfer to, seemingly showcasing it for those not participating in the current match.
"Location. Set. Grasslands." the autonomous rang out once more.
"Fighters. Ready. Preparing Transport." the machine spoke as the blue aura began to envelop both the metallic panels, then the two standing onto them, causing both to phase in and out of reality, both their bracelets falling off in the process of transfer. Soon they were warped to the Grasslands map. On the showcase display, Cheveyo and Heidi could see both fighters and their remaining health and the remaining time.
"Well, this oughta be interesting..." Cheveyo said to himself, "This'll be a first..." he went on to say, unbeknownst to him, that Heidi had heard him.
"What do you mean?" she curiously asked, causing him to flinch.
"W-well..." he hesitated before folding his arms and looking at Alexia on display.
"This is the first time I've actually seen Alexia participate in a Singularity battle, albeit a forced battle... but still," he responded before going silent for a moment. Observing the blonde on the display screen intensely.
"She's not one to really stick out, to be honest... Well, that's what I've seen among our seniors..."
"W-wait...so you're saying..." Heidi looked at him. A new sense of worry filled her as she looked over at the Alexia on display.
"Do you mean she might not even be a Singularity user?! Oh no! Oh no, Oh no!" the girl began to panic as she tugged on Cheveyo's arm, "This is bad. Really bad. Right?!"
"Let's just hope she is....for her sake. If not, then..." Cheveyo went silent before looking at the dashboard, "Yea, this is probably as bad as you think it is...though I think I can get her outta there before anything major happens." he went on to assure her.
"If not, then maybe the professor can... if he's still around." searching for the eject button in case the worst came to pass, but he couldn't find it no matter how hard he looked.
"Damn it... I swear these old models really know how to....ugh," he sighed as he looked at the match display once more.
"H-He's still here, right..? The professor is at school, right, Cheveyo?"
"Of course he is..." Cheveyo finally said, no longer worried.
Whatever happens, happens at this point, he thought to himself as he looked at the portal. Within the field, Alexandria was somewhat conflicted, wondering what had just happened to her. This wasn't like the V.R. Set. This honestly was the first time she'd done this.
"Wait a minute! It can do this?!" Alexia stated as she looked around in a panicked manner, noticing a small pond of water nearby.
The grass beneath her feet was rather tall since she was five foot five, and the grass seemed around three feet, thankfully though Roy was around the same height... But was that really something to be thankful for right now?
"Ahahaha! Of course, it can! Now prepare yourself, Alexandria! You're about to witness my brilliance in this magnificent battle! In here, we can do WHATEVER we please till the timer runs out! NOW! Feast Your Eyes On This~!"
Roy, who had successfully closed the distance between them when they both teleported in at a reasonable starting distance, said as his body began to bulk up, his fat turning into muscle although his body wouldn't increase in height, it was now rather apparent that his physique had been completely altered, mirroring someone who hit the gym regularly.
This sight honestly caught Alexia in amazement, but it was just that amazement. She wasn't shocked as one would think seeing this power actually wasn't all that new in reality.
Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes before slowly opening it, her steely blue gaze locked onto the bulking male in front of her.
"Alright. Might as well enjoy this match..." she said, exhaling, the pond of water close to the two starting to shimmer as she prepared to tackle Roy until the match ended on the timer.
Without a moment's notice, Roy charged forward, sending out his right fist, which quickly connected to Alexia's face. The strength from the punch was enough to cause her to stumble backward in a state of shock. She wasn't prepared for such a direct attack, yet managed to catch her footing. Alexia started to run back now while still facing Roy, who was now continuing his assault. A small touch of blood would begin to run down from her mouth; the pain was there and throbbing across her face. Suddenly, Alexia stopped and swung forward with her left fist attempting to jab at Roy's face. It quickly fell short as she felt pressure on the side of her stomach, for the force sent her tumbling over towards the pond area. She had just been kicked with such quick precision. Mustering to her feet, Alexia looked to the pond near her, beginning to step back a bit, then dip her hands in the water.
"Oh yeah~! Feel the pain!" Roy shouted with vigor, clearly enjoying himself. Alexia, however, was trying to reel the pain in, quickly wiping the blood that was leaking from her mouth. How did she get here? Well, she knew how and why simply because she didn't stop herself from saying no. Yet deep down, there was something more to it as the water began to shimmer again.
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Roy, who was now looking up at the sky showing off his muscles for Heidi, would have water splashed on the side of his head. His attention soon turned back to Alexia.
"Thanks~! That was quite the refreshment." A hearty laugh was coming from him. Alexia knew she either had to stall for time or simply kick the bucket on Roy. The water continued to shimmer as she pulled her hand back out from it. When it was pulled out, the water was no longer running from her palm; it was being collected into a small ball of which she flung at Roy.
Immediately, Roy felt a deep-cutting sensation brush up against the side of his cheek. Reaching his hand upward to touch the side of his face, he noticed blood dripping down slightly. For a brief moment, Roy seemed to be a bit concerned as to what Alexia just did. Yet, it didn't wholly faze him as he lunged himself towards Alexia once more.
"What was that just now?" He thought to himself before interjecting his own thoughts with his left fist coming towards Alexia's head. To his confirmation, it connected, yet it was met with Alexia's arms, which halted it from directly hitting her face. The force of the punch would knock her into the pond.
"Haha! Another clean h-" He suddenly stopped looking down at his hand, noticing it was bleeding. When he looked towards Alexia, he saw a black substance along the arm she protected her head with. Carbon. An element that had quickly hardened around her arm.
"H-Hey… That's not really fair, you know. What sort of power do you have?" This wasn't the first time he had been injured like this, but something was off. Usually, only two people on his team could have hurt him. His body was quite durable. He bulked up after all, but it would always strain him if used for a long duration.
"Not fair?" Alexia began to sit up in the pond, which wasn't deep at all. Her eyes weren't fixated on Roy but instead on the sun beating down on them both.
"You could say that yeah. But, I can say that about anyone in our school. But I'll give you a hint." Roy was interested in the hint as he noticed Alexia pointed up towards the sun, then back down to the water.
"... I don't get it." He smiled, not really getting the hint. His body heated up. The water that was splashed on his face earlier was now beginning to turn into steam.
"Heh. Yeah, I know."
Outside of the virtual field, Heidi and Cheveyo would be watching closely.
"What's that black stuff on her arm?" Heidi questioned before looking over on the screen, noticing the health bars of both fighters. Alexia was in the yellow and missing half of her allocated health, while Roy was still in the green, only down by a tiny bit.
"... Isn't that graphite? Yeah…That's an odd singularity, but not uncommon. I've heard of some guy in Russia who can turn to stone or something bizarre." Cheveyo was observing until Alexia had pointed up to the sun, hearing of her singularity.
"Maybe it's more than just a carbon element." Thinking to himself was often what he had done, even in fights to gain the upper hand, to learn about his opponent through research and analytical thinking.
"By the way, earlier, didn't she throw water on Roy's face? Or is that just him sweating? I didn't know you put environmental temperatures on."
"... I didn't." Cheveyo replied. He was becoming more interested in Alexia as the match continued. It wasn't odd to find unique or exciting singularity users in this school. Still, one that had been there for all four years and did absolutely nothing was beyond him.
Tap. Tap.
The sound came from the door as both Heidi and Cheveyo turned around to see the club advisor. Mr.Reynolds, a new teacher at the academy who had just transferred over four months prior. His brown curly hair complimented his rugged beard; he wore a white shirt underneath a brown blazer with blue jeans. He looked to be in his early thirties. A serious tone could be felt just from glancing at the man. But, the seriousness suddenly lifted as he smiled, walking into the room.
"Alright, Time to go, kids. School hours are closing. Finish up your match." Informing Heidi and Cheveyo before noticing Roy was missing.
"Where's Roy?"
"Hello, Professor Rey." Heidi greeted the man before Cheveyo merely pointed towards the virtual field.
"He's fighting Alexia. He honestly might lose if what I assume is correct." Cheveyo was sure of it.
"Alexia? I haven't gotten all the students' names down yet. But, getting there. Let's take a look-see." Reynolds moved over to the machine and took note of the health bars.
"Oh~. Impressive. She managed to damage him. Why do you think he'll lose?"
"Because… If my hunch is right. Her singularity might counter his."
Reynolds looked towards the screen and merely began to examine Alexia. So far, the match was progressing nicely, with six minutes remaining on the timer. Something was off, and Reynolds could tell with a glance that the playing field was changing. The wind was shifting to a higher velocity, and the temperature readings coming off the machine were rising. This reading caught his eye, yet they could have set it to where the field could change as the match continued.
To Reynolds, it wasn't uncommon to take note of something that could alter the playing field. There was a devil that could do that non-stop for four consecutive years in America that many witnessed with their own eyes. But, abilities like that were rare. The match itself would be continuing as it usually would. However, Alexia wouldn't gain the upper hand, continually being knocked back by Roy quickly when she tried to attack. Her physical body wasn't even fit to fight, it seemed. She seemed light and not heavy at all; anyone could lift her and send her flying, but there was an odd sensation about this girl. Reynolds could tell at a glance she seemed to be enjoying the fight, yet it wasn't noticeable to the others. Only a brief smile could be seen after each attempt at her trying to get a hit in.
Reynolds looked over at Heidi and Cheveyo. "You said her name was Alexia, right?"
"Yeah. That's what most of the school calls her to shorten her long name." Cheveyo replied, still fixated on the match.
"We might have found our final recruit."
"Surely you're joking, teach. She doesn't even seem to carry a particular fighting style." Heidi interjected.
"You're right. It's pure instinct she's relying on at the moment. Still, with enough practice and maybe some boxing classes, she can turn into something serious before the regionals begin."
Reynolds took a step back from the machine to watch the fight, merely taking note of what was occurring.
The timer still ticking, with it now nearing three minutes. Alexia's health bar was in the red while Roy's was yellow. Both of them were away from the pond and positioned back in the open grass. Pulling back a few strands of her hair, sweat dripping from her forehead, Alexia began to catch her breath.
"You know…" She panted. "How about we call it… An even match?"
"No way! Having a match be a draw is undermining my efforts as a warrior. Besides…Despite all this, you seem to be enjoying yourself too. But, since the lady asked. It's only right for the gentleman to respond appropriately."
Roy proceeded to adjust his posture in a way that resembled him, posing for a picture. Veins started to pop out around his arms and legs as his muscles began to bulk up even more.
His body seemed to be taking a strain; however, from this as his face and body proceeded to turn red. He was like a red ogre at this point, minus the horns. "Alright! Time for my special move! Prepare to be wowed!" His voice got deeper. Suddenly, Roy stomped his feet on the ground then made a mad dash towards Alexia.
The large muscles slowed down his speed, but one thing was sure. It was going to hurt like hell if this incoming charge hit someone. A hot sensation began to vibrate through the field. The grass around Roy would start to die from the heat; in particular, the ones around both of them would burst into flames. A heatwave began to pass over the playing field as circular particles started to rise from the burning grass. They were all white in coloration, but it would burst into flames when these particles came into contact with an object. One of them managed to rise in front of Roy's face.
His face would catch on fire in an instant upon contact with the orb. He'd suddenly yelled out in pain, trying to put the flame out before stopping entirely in his tracks, then slamming his head down into the soil to put the fire down. He'd repeatedly hit it back and forth until the flames were extinguished.
Upon looking up, He noticed all the particles had converged into the palm of Alexia's right hand. It was like a little star radiating with such heat that it was ready to collapse upon its own energy in a matter of seconds.
"My turn!"
Her voice rang out in the back of her mind; she felt almost embarrassed, trying to come up with a name for this move. The situation felt appropriate. However, her mind still focused on the fight at hand, yet she even blurted it out.
"Stardust!"
She flung the little star towards Roy as the ground began to rupture and rip apart in a burst of flames as it hurtled towards him. It even knocked her back onto the field.
"W-Wai-" Roy held up his hand as his more bulky form was shrinking back down to normal now. But, before the star could hit him, a robotic voice rang out. "Time!" The field quickly eliminated all elements within it and ejected both fighters out and back into reality.
Alexia landed on her back upon reappearing on the staging panel. And Roy was situated on the other panel morphing back down to his standard form.
"Argh..! My muscles hurt.." His body was aching due to using his singularity. As for Alexia, she'd stand back up yet felt a bit dizzy from the fight. She rubbed her mouth and noticed it wasn't sore, nor was it bleeding from the earlier punches.
"Urgh… Never again.."
"You never know you seemed to be enjoying it, Ms.Winchester." Reynolds walked towards Alexia, looking up at her on the staging panel.
"Why not join the club? We could use someone like you. You gave Roy trouble overall."
"No, thanks. This wasn't what I had in mind, to begin with. I only fought because they forced me to."
"Did they?" His head turned slightly back towards the other three. It seemed that Heidi was poking Roy's muscles just to tease him with pain. Cheveyo approached Reynolds.
"We did… But she agreed to only a single match anyway. But, we could use someone like you even if you are a senior. With whatever you displayed, I'm sure you can garner a lot of attention."
Cheveyo crossed his arms, seemingly ready to persuade Alexandria to join the club.
"Oh? She's a senior: a shame, not many things you can experience in your final year at the academy. But, regardless. He is right. You could even win scholarships and prize money for doing well in the tournaments. Well, if you make it to the nationals." Reynolds added on.
Alexia's face suddenly brightened up a bit in almost a questionable fashion. Her mind was immediately recollecting the conversation from earlier with Professor Earl. A scholarship and prize money would easily allow her to have a promising future, even if it was short-term.
"P-Prize money? How much to be exact?"
"Ah… They only apply if you can get past the regionals in terms of individual or team matches. But…If I had to say how much. For example, New York's state champion Mahdri Ahuja recently got a scholarship for $30,000. She's also in her final years, I believe too." Reynolds placed his hand up to his chin and began to think for a moment.
"Geez. Let me guess she caught a lot of attention?"
"She's the most valued player currently and is expected to win the upcoming nationals in December. But we're hoping to change that. Especially with Deveron joining us this year." Cheyevo kept his arms crossed while continuing to explain.
"But, don't get it wrong. She's not the national champion."
"She's not?"
"No. That would go to the devil that won the championship four times in a row straight with a streak of 78 wins and 0 losses. The current title for the national champion is vacant."
"Oh...I think I recall who you're referring to." Alexia stood up, dusting herself off, beginning to walk off the platform after grabbing and applying her bracelet on her wrist. Holding the side of her head as the dizziness started to clear up.
"I don't think it's a good idea to talk about the devil. But, regardless. What do you say, Ms.Winchester, care to join the team?" Reynolds offered.
Alexia took a few seconds to think it over. The thought of achieving fame from participating in fights seemed like a pain at the end of the day. But, the future wealth that could come from it would quickly secure her path in life.
"Fine. I'll join it."
Cheveyo smiled, nodding his head before long. Heidi jumped down from the platform to hug Alexia.
"That was an excellent match, by the way! Also! Teach, does this mean we can register for the regionals?"
Heidi was brimming with energy; it seemed, despite the summer heat outside, capable of sapping said energy away in a heartbeat.
"Yeah, I can make arrangements. But, wait till school starts back up. Regionals begin in September. Until then, cancel all your summer plans."
"What? But why?!" Heidi wasn't onboard for having her summer plans canceled.
"Because we have to train." Cheveyo grinned as he looked towards Heidi in an annoyed manner. She merely rolled her eyes, looking back over to Roy, who was back onto his feet and standing on the machine.
"That's right. I shouldn't have to tell you anything new. You know how tough the regionals can be. Let alone the strength it takes to reach the nationals. So give it your all, please. I'll notify all your parents soon about the training. We'll meet up in a week. Also, don't worry. We aren't going to any place fancy; it's going to be held in the school."
Reynolds was reaching into his pocket, taking out a phone.
"Alexia, from what I saw from that match. You're indeed a special case singularity user. So what do you call it?"
"Call it? I've never called it anything."
"Oh! Let's call it Stardust!" Heidi added.
"Stardust?" Cheveyo didn't seem keen on that short name.
"Radiance!" Roy added on top.
"Sure.. let's go with that. Stardust Radiance." Alexia didn't seem too concerned about the names of singularities. Everyone in their mother who had one consistently named it something weird anyway.
"Right… But, what is your actual singularity is what I'm trying to get at." Reynolds began texting on his phone.
"Uh...You know the periodic table, right? It's that. Well, that's what I've found out throughout the years. At first, I was only able to control the elements that make up water. But, it only expanded as I continued using it."
"Totally, not fair." Roy crossed his arms, thinking.
"Yeah, I can agree to that." Cheveyo commented before Heidi interrupted them both.
"You're one to talk, Chev! Your ability is pretty unfair also." Heidi argued.
"It's not unfair when it's part of my peoples' tradition." Cheveyo chimed back.
"It totally is!"
"Alright! Enough!" Reynolds turned off his phone and put it up. He then let out a sigh trying to figure out Alexia even more. "So, You can control ALL the elements on the table?"
"No, not all. It's specific. Like, only recently, I was able to form stars. But, even then, it's pretty dangerous."
"You're telling me. How did the government let someone like you slip by?" Reynolds looked on since it wasn't uncommon for the American government to note every single U.S. citizen with a singularity. Other countries like China and Poland also did similar examinings at the end of the day. It was part of a new census.
"Because, when they examined me when I was a child, I could only form water."
"Hm… Anything else about your power that we should know?"
"... Perhaps only one other thing. I noticed my power tended to amplify during celestial events."
"Celestial events?"
"Yeah, like five years ago."
"Oh, the eclipse that passed America. I'll admit this isn't the most bizarre singularity I've encountered. But it's up there. Right, I'll keep all of that in mind. For now, you're all free to go home." Reynolds moved over to the singularity machine and shut it down.
Alexia would be the first to start walking towards the door. "Right, well, I'll be heading out first. See ya, guys."
"Bye, Alexi!" Heidi waved goodbye.
"Yeah, see ya." Roy also waved.
Cheveyo looked towards Reynold. "So. What did you think of her?"
"... From first glance, nothing special, but if she's not lying about her singularity. It might turn into something scary later on."
"As scary as the devil?"
"No...Not even close." With that, Reynolds proceeded to walk out of the room.