The Practice Tournament Begins Part One

Night One Hundred And Twenty Six

Age 1991

The Red Nation...

Rafflesia City...

"Man I can't believe they just left us here..." Kitsune sighed. "This is so boring."

"Hmm..." Light hummed. He didn't really care what was going on if Big Brother Hero was here.

Kitsune let out another sigh as he leaned back. "What are you doing Irene."

"I'm reading a book..." Irene said flatly.

"Boring..."

"Go watch your cartoons Kitsune..." Irene sighed.

"I finished all the seasons!" Kitsune whined.

Irene let out another sigh and reached up pinching the bridge of her nose. "And that's my fault how?" She asked. "Honestly I'm trying to read. We've been bored all week. Ever since those Squad Nine guys showed up they've been handling most of the problems in this city, and what isn't handle by them, you and Hero have been solving using those weird Aura things you guys can do. What the hell is that anyways."

"Oh that's called Mantra." Light shrugged. "It's pretty cool. I remember it when I was someone else. Every living creature has Mantra in them. It's what provides us warmth. Some people have more than others though. Those with more are the people who can use Equations. the way it works is both users share their dreams, hope, souls, and power throwing them back and forth between each other and rapidly strengthening one another. There are two kinds. Rivals Bond and Lovers Bond. Rivals bond can be preformed with anyone you trust as a good friend and teammate trusting they have your back. While like that both people are around ten times stronger and you get that bright green aura. Lovers Bond is different though. It can only be done on the person you trust the most, and they you. The person you love more than anything in the world. Your soul mate, and they have to feel the same. It's much stronger and has a bright pink aura, but way harder to do, as it means giving your all to the person, and they give their all to you. But the power more than makes up for it. Only a handful of people have ever been known to do this. Katrina and Jackson can do it with each other. There was also kind of one more called Multi Bond. Captain Okami did it. He was able to bond with all of his Squad Mates at once, and had a white aura, but I don't remember how that's done, and he died so only he knew the secrets to that."

"Yeah, yeah, multi bond whatever. What was that about a Lovers Bond?" Irene asked.

Light let out another sigh rolling his eyes. "Bright pink aura, like a twenty times power up, it's this whole thing. You have to preform a ritual to do it. Usually involves you promising yourself to your lover, and they you, and you kiss, and souls forever become intertwine. It's pretty lame. Kind of like marriage. I'm not into the whole labels. Ya know I say just sit down and whatever happens happens. Just have a few drinks and see where it leads."

Kitsune let out a hum. "So the Lovers Bond involves a kiss?" Kitsune hummed. "Weird. Rivals Bond me and Hero just had to beat the ever loving crap out of one another, than cut our palms open and announce that we accept each other as Blood Brothers. It was lame."

Irene tapped her remaining fingers together as a light blushed seemed to cover her face. "So if I preform the Lovers Bond with Hero, we'd pretty much be married." She hummed. "I see... I know what I must do!"

"Oh no..."

"Speaking of knowing what you must do!" The voice of Hannah announced as she phased through the floor holding two machine guns. "I'm still getting paid to sneak attack you!"

"Oh no!"

***

Oleander City...

"What did you want to talk about?" Hero asked casually.

Currently him and North were standing behind the group out of ear shot talking quietly. There was only a few minuets before the practice game would begin though, so they didn't have much time. North was silent as he let out a small hum.

"I just... I wanted to thank you and check in on you." He said holding his right hand out for a shake. Hero stared at it for a few seconds. It was covered up by a thick black glove. North took notice and let out a small laugh. "I get it." He said pulling the gloved hand away. "Wondering how I still have all my fingers despite my Sissy losing hers right?" He reached up pulling the glove off of his hand and showing off his right hand. All but his thumb were gone. Instead he just had ice fingers that jutted out of his palm awkwardly bending and twisting like how a normal finger would be but still slightly off.

"What... What is that power you use..." Hero asked folding his arms up as North slipped the glove back on.

"Honestly I'm not to sure." North chuckled. He gave a half hearted shrug. "I know it's the reason Irene wasn't allowed in the Enforcers though."

"What?"

"Oh you didn't know." North folded his arms up and pressed his back to the wall. "That power is dangerous. Master Storm wanted to study it which is why he sent only a single letter to me. All my siblings are strong, and all of them have what it takes to be an Enforcer, Irene especially... But the good Master was scared. Afraid of what my power can do. He doesn't like things he doesn't understand. But he's also not normal himself. Let me walk around and be an Enforcer. I had to show off that I could control this power. You know for the first year I had someone following me ready to take me out at a moments notice. But I showed him I could control it. And I pleaded with him to let my sister join. She's strong. Stronger than even me. Now that he finally sees that not only can I manage the power, but Irene as well, he may start letting the others actually get a letter. I hope Snow joins. She's cool."

"I see..." Hero nodded letting out a hum. "Someone tracking you ready to take you out at a moments notice huh..." He shivered slightly shaking his head. "That's a scary thought isn't it..." He hissed slightly. "Luckily that's not happening to me... Right?" His eyes darted back and forth as he looked around. "Right?"

"Ah relax kid. If they sent who I think they did, after you, than you'll be dead before you can figure out what's going on."

"Oh thanks for that!" Hero said with wide eyes. "Asshole!"

North laughed as he rubbed his left arm in a sheepish manner. "I just wanted to warn you." He nodded moving his arm back and forth.

"Hey is your arm okay?"

"Oh yeah why?" North let out a snort and patted Hero's head. "Anyways. I just wanted to thank you for taking care of my big Sissy. She's strong but even she needs someone to help her."

"Oh don't mention it-"

"And if you ever hurt I swear to the Great One, you'll wish a Bestia Macht was killing you." North said still in his kind tone as he walked away from a shivering Hero whose head now had a block of ice on it.

"N... N... Noted..." Hero shivered as the block of ice shattered into water. Seconds later there was a loud whistle as Hero hurried back over to the main group shaking the water out of his hair and reaching into it pulling out the small golden drone. "Captain Katrina we aren't allowed to have anything extra on us when we go in so can you hold onto-"

"I'll take that my boy." An amused voice said as a hand fired out grabbing the drone. Standing in front of Hero Law now was Master Storm of the Enforcers followed closely by Angel whose wings kept her in the air. "I'll hold onto Droney for you. Now run along to the rest of your group. The games starting soon."

"Right..." Hero said awkwardly moving away from the weird old man.

Master Storm placed the Drone in his beard as he turned to look at Angel. "Well... Get to it."

"Yes Master!" Her wings flapped out as she took flight flying high among the six recruits on the ground. She spun around in the air pulling out a large microphone as she gave a smirk. "Alright right!" She announced loudly her voice echoing out. "Today three Squads have come together to have a friendly little competition. Squad Six, Squad Seven, and of course the top dogs themselves, Squad One! Six recruits in total two on each time. The rules are simple. The tower you see is filled with many traps. At the very top of it in the final floor, lies a large black flag. Which ever Squad can get their hands on it and successfully brings it down to the bottom and touches the ground with it wins! Other than that there are no rules. Anything goes even attacking fellow Enforcer Recruits. Oh and remember that HR is watching and inspecting these games so please all do your best! When I give the signal you may begin!"

Hero looked back and forth from Ken, Emma, Lucy, Shelly, and all the way over to Max. 'So Ken's on my team... Shelly and Max are the biggest threat, but I'm like 90% sure Ken's gonna fight Shelly... Which leaves Max to me... I can't beat him... The moment he goes level two it's all over... Plus by some miracle if I did have some way to fight him, Emma, and Lucy could run to the flag... Wait... I don't need to fight them... I just need to get to the flag... All we have to do is get the flag... Fighting is just a waste of time and energy-'

"You're going down!" Ken announced glaring at the four other recruits.

'Something my teammate hasn't realized herself...' Hero thought letting out a sigh as he shook his head. 'Alright. I might not be able to beat Max in a fight, but I can still win this for Squad Six!' Hero announced punching his open palm with his right arm as he gave a large smile.

Over with Katrina, Sif, and the Squad One Vice Captain the three girls all let out hums. "What do you think Jian?" Katrina asked poking the wooden mask wearing girl. "Who do you think will win."

The girl in the wooden mask let out an annoyed sigh. "Squad One of course. We win every year we've done this."

"Yes but." Katrina smirked. "This is the first time we've done it with recruits. Plus you don't know how strong either of mine are."

"Yeah I don't care." Jian said flatly. "If either of my two lose than that just means they weren't fit for Squad One."

Sif let out a yawn and closed her eyes drifting to sleep while Katrina and the Squad One Vice Captain broke out into a mini fight.

Up in the air Angel gave a large smirk as she pulled her flare gun out. "And begin!" She announced blasting a loud shot out.

Instantly five recruits took off. Max was immediately in the lead riding on a tidal wave of lava, followed by Shelly who was using her flames to blast her self forward, and Ken who had dropped to all fours like a cat and was firing forward catching up to the two with incredible speed. Behind her Emma and Lucy, were hurrying along, and behind them Hero was still standing still deep in thought as he looked up at the castle.

"No that wouldn't work... I'd need something to kick off of-" He stopped when he saw Angel still just floating in the air as a grin came back onto his face.

Over with Katrina she was in a choke hold from the Vice Captain who stopped choking the Squad Six Captain when she looked up. "Hey uh your recruit isn't doing anything."

"God damn it Hero go!" Katrina yelled.

Over with Jackson, Dawson, Eins, and North, they were all to busy cheering on Ken, and Shelly to care, though Dawson did take the time to hurl a cup of soda at the back of Hero's head which splashed onto the teen. By this point the others had reached the entrance.

"Armatures..." Hero sighed rolling his eyes. He slammed his right arm down which turned into his massive gun form using it to blast the ground and the recoil sent him flying into the air at a fast speed. As he flew he gave a grin as he spun his body around reaching the spot where Angel was. "Hey." He said flying past her for a moment before gravity kicked back in and he began to fall. "Sorry for this." As he fell he spun his body around and slammed his foot into her head kicking off of her and getting even higher as he reached the tower, his arm changing into his drill mode which he used to ram the roof of the tower breaking past it. "God I'm so cool..." Hero smirked as his arm shifted back and he fell into the tower.

Angel meanwhile smacked onto the ground with a loud sigh. "That hurt-"

"He's cheating." The Vice Captain said.

"Oh screw you! My so- My recruit isn't cheating!" Katrina said smacking the woman over the head.

Back up in the tower Hero crashed down into a large stone room that was nearly pitch black. As he landed he looked around a large frown on his face. "What the hell?" He asked the only lightning being from the hole in the roof which allowed the artificial light to cast down its warm glows into the mostly empty room. "There's no flag in here!" Hero yelled with wide eyes. "I was cheated out of an awesome victory! Not fair-"

"Actually..." A voice said letting out a small hiss. Hero turned just in time to see a bit of lightning reflecting off of metal as a figured landed down in front of him. "There is a flag." The person said ramming the metal pole of the flag they held down into the foot of Hero making him scream out in pain when it stabbed through his foot and came out the other end. Hero fell back from the shock and pain but was stopped when the figures other hand came out and wrapped around his face squeezing it tightly. "I wanted to talk." The figure said.

He was in a simple black business suit, and wore a simple black helmet that had green mist seeping out of it as his hand squeezed down around Hero's face harder and harder his black glove digging into the boys face.

"Hello. You can call me... The Mystery. And Hero Law... I came to have a bit of a talk with Row."

'Hero...' The voice of Row said echoing through the teens mind as Hero stared at this new man in fear and shock. 'We need to run.'