1.44: A fatal decision

The following day came as all the Elite Force members lined up outside the hospital. This day, all in their guild robes would decide if they got to keep them. 

"Jeez. All this feels like a graduation ceremony." Yuro said.

"I agree. I'm so nervous right now…what if Tedashii decides to let us go?" Adrian asked.

"He will let go of us if we keep our heads down. Cheer up, Elite Force! We are all going to make it." Makoto, the first leader of the Elite Force, encouraged everyone just like he always did.

The whole day, Franco has been quiet. He felt that he had the lowest chance of survival out of everyone. Tedashii finally knew everything; what was left to keep his killer on the team? Yuro and Leah both tried to cheer him up.

"Cheer up, Franco," Leah said.

"Yeah, she's right. No matter what, you are a rightful member of the Elite Force. So don't worry."

The others came by to cheer him up as well. Makoto just smiled at him, and he smiled back.

The doors finally opened as Gaiyato and Tedashii all came out. Tedashii, for the first time, wore the team cloak. Without a smile on either of their faces, this gave a chill in their spines. The four teenagers stopped, and Gaiyato walked forward to address the issues.

"I'm sure you know the consequences if you don't get picked."

They all nodded, but Genti was lost.

"Wait, consequences?"

They all looked at him, and only Gaiyato smiled.

"If you don't get picked, I'll end you here."

They already knew this, but hearing it from him made the statement even more frustrating. 

"…Wait, so…you'll kill us if we don't get picked..?" Genti asked.

"Yup!" Gaiyato answered.

"So…can Tedashii pick all of us?"

"Of course, he can. But don't forget, it's not about all being picked. It's about the first impressions you left off." Franco looked down. "And I don't think all of you left a good one."

They all looked at Tedashii, who didn't let off a single sign of happiness. After Gaiyato told him the truth, he had an entire point of view on all of them.

"Well, without further explanation…"

Gaiyato began charging up Spiritas.

~Hakuraa!

BWOOSH!!

His signature blue palm appeared before them, but now the other end of the portal was not visible. All they could see was all the spiritas flowing inside.

"This is how we'll work things out. You guys will all turn around, and Tedashii will call on each of you. If he accepted you, you'll fall through the other side of my palm. If not, you'll just be stuck in my void until death."

They were all shaking. Slowly, they turned their backs on Gaiyato. Then they heard the footsteps of Tedashii, who stood right next to him.

"Let us begin, Tedashii."

Tedashii opened his eyes and began looking at them one by one.

"Makoto."

Gaiyato swung his arm down, and he was gone. He found himself in the void, falling into an uncertain pattern.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" He kept on screaming, not knowing what his fate would be.

Everything went dark, and he kept his eyes shut. 

"You can open them now," Tedashii said.

He opened his eyes, and there he was on the other end.

"I…I'm in?" Makoto asked.

"You were the hardest to convince when it came to joining me. But you also are a fun person to be around. I still want you on my team." Tedashii said with a smile on his face.

Makoto grabbed his arm and stood up. He held his fist hard as he scrambled in his head. Tedashii just laughed, then turned back to the others.

"Leah and Adrian," Tedashii said.

Gaiyato swung his hand down, but surprisingly, they were already at the other end.

"For you two, it wasn't even hard to decide. Welcome."

She smiled and then took a deep breath. Adrian sat down on the ground and released some rainbows.

"Rin and Ado." 

They were both standing next to each other. They looked up, and in an instant, they were gone. They were found in the void, falling nonstop.

"AAAAHHHHHH!!! THIS IS NOT FAIIRRR!!" Ado scram out.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT AINT FAIR??!!! I HATE HEIGHTS!!!" Rin responded.

After a long fall, Tedashii helped them both up.

"Ado, I don't think I had a problem with you. So you were also fine with me." Tedashii said.

"As for you, Rin. I chose you to apologize for what I said." 

"What…you said?" Rin didn't know what he was talking about.

"When I fought for the captaincy, I said you were the easiest one to beat. And would you look at that! You proved me wrong there! Hahahaha!!"

Rin completely forgot about that. But to make it look like he did, he began rubbing under his nose and crossed his arms.

"OH!! I KNEW THAT! Yeah...no worries at all."

The others laughed at him.

"Yuro and Genti."

"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Genti began screaming his lungs out until he noticed they weren't taken at all. Yuro didn't open his eyes but realized he could still feel the ground. They both looked at each other and then looked at Tedashii. 

"You guys are fine. Genti, I owe you my life. And Yuro, you were the first to join my unofficial guild. So both of you are in."

"OHHH, YEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!" They both gave each other a high five and grabbed their hands.

"FIRST IMPRESSION!!!"

"FIRST IMPRESSION!!!!!"

They kept yelling that in each other's faces. Everyone could not stop laughing, but it faded when they noticed who was left. Franco was shaking to death, and sweat wouldn't stop running down his face. He then thought back on all the times he was with Tedashii. 

("We aren't friends, you calamity!")

("Atatatatatata! Don't get comfortable with me, Spike!")

("If I win, you leave!")

("Why are you helping me?")

("I'M GOING TO END YOU RIGHT HERE!!")

Not a good memory came through his mind; he was just persistent in pushing him away.

"Franco…"

Tedashii said the final name, but it was a little different this time. Gaiyato's palm turned red before he swung it down. Immediately, Franco dodged it.

SMASH!!

The ground that was beneath him got swallowed up.

"What's the meaning of this, Franco?" Gaiyato asked him.

"I…I'M NOT GOING DOWN HERE!! NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU WILL TRY, I CAN EASILY DODGE YOUR…palms-"

Franco looked down, and no solid was felt under his feet. He gazed upon everyone before he slowly dropped into the void. Tedashii glared at him with anger; then, he fell in.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" 

Franco kept falling inside, but it was a straight pattern this time. With such a surprise, he stopped falling. He began floating in the void without any control of his body.

"I'm…gonna die…"

***

The others kept their fingers crossed, glaring at the other end. But then the palm suddenly closed.

"…" A way to react was impermanent.

"W…why did the portal close?" Ado asked.

"He's…coming out, right?..." Rin asked.

Makoto grabbed Gaiyato's cloak with immense anger.

"Get Franco out of there, NOW!"

"Touch me, and you'll join him."

Gaiyato grabbed his arm and sent Makoto flying. 

THUD!

"UGH!! (What…I can't…move!)" Makoto said.

He didn't have any control of his body.

"Listen closely, Makoto," Gaiyato said. "What's done is done. The selection process is finally over. You guys either deal with it, or leave with it!"

They couldn't believe Franco was gone but didn't want to push Gaiyato any further. So they began walking back to the hospital. Makoto was the most hurt. He had lost his rival, but most importantly, his best friend.

"…huh?" Makoto stopped.

"aaaaaAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

THUD!!

"OUCH!!"

Makoto was hit by something hard from above. He held his head and opened his eyes.

"Franco??!!" Makoto yelled as everyone turned back.

"...What?" Franco couldn't comprehend what was going on.

Tedashii and Gaiyato both smiled at him. 

"Franco. Welcome to the Elite Force!"