Dance of the Damned

Challenge Accepted

"If either of us is even spotted by the people in the balcony, we will be disqualified," Clover said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Only one person is allowed to come from each division right?" Someone beside Heris whispered. "Which division is she?"

"I think the Fifth Division brought two people."

"Isn't that unfair?"

"She wasn't there on the first day, was she?"

"That is a proposition," Carvill said, scratching his mask. "But, if you are able to compete with her again, so should the others be allowed to."

"I don't mind that," Clover said, turning to Juliet. "Do you?"

"Not at all." She said, shoving her hands in her skirt pocket.

"I approve of this then, but I will need the other Division Masters to agree with me too." He said as everyone turned to where the Division Masters were seated.

"I approve!" Madam Lottie said immediately. "Let them have some fun."

"I second that," Teri said, looking over them with pride bursting from her voice.

One by one, the other masters agreed and then it was final. The last redo for this unknown position on Phase Three of Operation Eggs.

_____________________

They were given four minutes to take with their Division Masters for a quick pep talk and any strategizing they wish to do, or if they do not wish to compete again.

"What do you think?" Lian asked Dorit. "Wish to try again?"

"I am given one more chance, I think I should seize it," he said, beaming.

"Alright." She nodded at him and turned to Nepto. "Well?"

"We have both decided not to join the second time." He said turning from the man with a bandaged arm, he was talking to and faced Lian.

"Oh right, Boris got injured during his competition." She said, nodding. "It is best you sit this out."

"You will be the best, Worth." Angel squealed at the man in front of her. "Remember to show no mercy and just go for it."

"I will try my best once more!" The man answered, mirroring her enthusiasm.

"I will sit this out," Maud said to Soul. "If that is alright with you, Division Master."

"It is fine. You cannot expect entertainment without an audience." He said, voice booming.

"I will join." The young man in front of Ourd said, almost bubbling with excitement.

"Don't you want to sit this out?" Ourd asked, pulling the hood even more over his head. “You might lose twice, Key.”

"I want to try again." The man insisted, streaks of green in his hair bouncing. “Even if I lose. I want to try again.”

"Ok." Ourd sighed, giving up. “Just … have fun.”

“Ok!”

"And you, Lit?" Corey asked the woman beside her. "Are you joining again?"

"I would rather observe." She said, standing in attention. "I want to analyse that Juliet."

"Her speed and stealth are impressive." The woman nodded, turning to Madam Lottie who was talking to Juliet. "Where did she even find her?"

"I am sitting back too." The man beside Lotus said after hearing what Corey said. "Division Master?"

"No need to overexert yourself unnecessarily, Nil." The man said, fanning himself. "Just sitting back and observe is good as well."

"I wish to join." The woman beside Nameless said, looking at him intently. "And I will not take no for an answer."

"Go ahead and do as you wish, Main," Nameless said, leaning on the wall.

__________________

“Come with me.” Clover pulled Heris to the man at the front, checking around the warehouse. “Carvill.”

“Yes?” He asked, turning to the two.

“I took your advice.” She said beaming. “Now, I will make sure I do not disappoint you.”

“Advice?” Heris asked looking at the two.

“Yeah. He was the one that told me to challenge Juliet personally if I am unsatisfied with the result.” She shrugged. “I didn’t think it was possible. But, since I was given this opportunity, I will not fail you.”

“Only one of you are allowed to compete, you know that, right?” Carvill said, looking from Heris to Clover.

“I have no intention of joining again,” Heris said, holding his hands up in surrender. “This stealth thing is something I do not enjoy at all. But I can’t wait to see Clover in action.”

“I will not fail either of you.” She declared happily. “I promise!”

Carvill placed a hand on her head, patting her auburn hair gently, “Roshi was the one that told me to make this suggestion to you.”

“Roshi?” She asked, eyes widening. “But … why?”

“Who knows?” Carvill said, amused. “But he did tell me to say this, ‘Have fun. Winning or losing isn’t important when you know you have given your best’.”

“I will do my best!” She declared once again, Carvill nodding at her as he walked away. “Heris … am I dreaming?”

“Not at all.” The boy laughed. “I can’t believe Roshi even knows everything that happened even though he is not here.”

“Carvill must have reported to him,” Clover said, slightly dazed. “But for him to know exactly what was going on in my mind. To tell you the truth, Heris, I was ready to demand a rematch from Juliet personally but Carvill came to me and gave me this option. Do you know, he is the reason the poison wore of so early?”

“Really?!”

“Yes, he came with an antidote the night I got poisoned, almost like he knew that this was going to happen.” She looked at him sadly. “The poison … it was dangerous. If he was any later … I fear I would have died.”

“But … didn’t the Division Master tell me that it was mild?!” Heris asked, frowning. “That you were only bedridden for a while?”

Clover shook her head, “That is what I told everyone. But an hour after I ingested the poison, my entire throat closed up and I began to swell, turning purple. I thought, ‘this is it’.”

“How are you now then, should you even be walking around?” He asked, panic written all over his voice.

“I am almost well.” She honestly admitted. “Don’t worry about me, Heris. Oh look, there is Division Master Teri!”

As she took off, Heris turned from her to Carvill talking with someone else. Roshi … he certainly had something to do with that. Incredible.

I … I want to know about him more. When can I do that?

____________________________

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Teri asked looking at Clover, her purple eyes turning into a deeper colour. “You only just recovered from being poisoned.”

“I am sure,” Clover said, looking at her right in the eyes, her deep brown ones mirroring her purple ones. “I have only recovered and my body may still be a little weak. But I have recovered well enough to even be able to go against her.”

“Why are you so insistent on this?” Teri crossed her arms over her chest, the shawl she wrapped around her dress moving with her. “This is a position where no one even knows what they would be asked to do. So why?”

“I was the representative of the Fifth Division. But, due to my carelessness, I got poisoned even though I have the ability to tell when something is poisoned just from smelling it.” She turned to Heris. “He did a good job. But, even if he won, I would have come tonight and challenged him myself.

“I will not be able to rest easy if I do not do this. This will remain with me until the day I die.” Clover looked at Teri.

"Well, I cannot argue with that, now can I?" She sighed, placing her hand on her shoulders. "I wish you the very best."

"Thank you so much." Clover beamed at her as Carvill began to announce the commencement of the competition.

"We should go back to our place on the balcony," Teri said, turning to Heris. "Come."

"Good lunch, Clover!" he shouted, walking away with Teri as the girl waved at them.

___________________

“Well, I should have realised that my group would be the troublemakers after what happened during Phase One," Tier said, chuckling as she walked with Heris away from Gracie.

“That was entirely my fault,” Heris said sheepishly remembering how he fought the person Teri chose to accompany her for the spot.

They set the timer for one hour and the last person standing would get to go. Heris won, though he had trouble standing up on his own and he had to be in the meeting spot that night itself.

“When I heard that people heard that a fight coming from an abandoned building, I had to investigate. To see a boy from my division with the other boy I chose to accompany me ground …” She shook her head while a smile came on her face. “Well, whatever. You all always did whatever you wanted anyway.”

“I haven’t properly apologised for that,” Heris said sheepishly, bowing to Teri. “I have to talk to that guy as well.”

“I already did," Teri said softly. "He left the Division."

"Oh no. Was he that mad?" Heris asked, panicking. "I didn't mean-"

"He didn't mean it that way," Teri reassured him. "He said, 'If I cannot have the same dedication as Heris, I do not think I will feel comfortable here. Allow me to go and improve myself'."

She chuckled, "A little overdramatic but ... I think it is fine. He has gone to find if there is something more he can do with his life and I am glad for that."

"Right," Heris said as they reached the balcony and split.

He stared down at the few competing again, spotting Clover as a smile came on his face.

Well ... I guess I can remain in this Division for a little longer if I get to meet more people like this.