22: Karma

In Ashmire, Sector J was a sector for businessmen and regular service workers. Level 1 and 2's frequented Sector J as they had no reason to remain in the upper sectors, and for low ability users, had all the necessary tools that weren't needed by higher levelled ability users. It was the ideal place for people to live quiet lives. But then 9 years ago, a kid, orphaned, was sent to sector J, being 10 with no family. Sector J was filled with loving people, accepting and happy, and they took in an orphaned 10-year-old and raised them, no matter if they presented with high-level abilities or none at all.

***

"Karma, you ok?" Tito asked. Noticing her rage increase, he gulped and sat down beside her. She looked up and watched the playback.

"No. I'm not OK. How the fuck did they get by?" She yelled and her handler explained. "Rocco is a level 4.5. Teleporter. That's it. Luck." She spat venomously and looked to the level 3 besides Rocco who didn't show any indication of strength. Strength was needed in these situations.

She looked at the screen. Rocco. "And his partner?"

"Nobody level 3. Karma. Don't get distracted. You're on the path to becoming a level 5.5, even beating Mira Hogwood. You're both at a level 5.1, just... don't lose focus."

"I don't care about that privileged bitch," Karma cursed, "I want to just show everyone that even nobody can be strong."

That is what irked her about Rocco. He was a fucking nobody too.

***

"How the hell did you do that?" Jo yelled and Machi wasn't even shocked they knew he was here. "Actually I didn't," Machi revealed.

"It's a trick Machi used to help me teleport way back when. I use it now a lot in my missions and... this. Condition is I need a map." Rocco explained how the walk allowed him to extrapolate the size and the scale factor and then use that against the coordinates on the map...

"You did that in 9.8 seconds?!"

"Actually 8, it took a second to teleport," Machi revealed. He showed how he channelled ki through Rocco to increase his powers. "It's not cheating. I said no ice powers. Ki is still on the table." Machi argued and Zac sighed. Dawson walked in and looked at the crowd.

"I spoke to Ever," they all went silent and Machi looked away, "kid look, we all know you don't have bad intentions but the higher-ups are shaky," Dawson revealed, not revealing how he scolded her for the behaviour she's shown recently.

"Hey. As far as I know, Jisa is happy with the settlement. And she's agreed to wear the limiters which I'm also wearing for different reasons."

They looked to Machi and he sighed. "One day, and I don't want it to come but one day she'll die. She said it would either be by my hands, Freed, or someone even stronger than her. She's accepted that that is her fate but isn't willing to go without helping turn the tide even by a little in this war we are in. And that day… the day she dies… that day is coming and if my mother decides to not utilise her, even though she's willing... well in the infamous words of well... me, humanity is fucked."

And though they didn't want to admit it, the ice user was right. "I'm stronger than everyone here, but even still I wouldn't want to fight anyone here. Powers don't play a massive part when you have someone who copies them."

-

Day 1 came to a close and Ruth was doing autographs when he was dragged by Astra. "You're keeping an eye on Lady Harkness. Remember that." Ruth walked off and saw Karma, the solo Ashmire competitor, and then he saw Rocco. "Two monsters." Ruth chuckled and met up with Mira to discuss day 2 arrangements.

"How come you decided to host?" Ruth asked as they finalised the people for day 2.

"I just didn't want to participate this year," Mira answered honestly. She looked at reports of a disturbance in the city nearby and Ruth had asked one of the lookouts from Ashmire to see if it was worth being on guard for.

"Between you and me," Ruth smiled, "who do you think would win this year?"

Mira looked at the names and shrugged. "Rocco seems like he could win but that level 3 could drag him down. Karma could very well win on her own too but she seems hotheaded."

Ruth looked at the names and chuckled. "You know, day 5 will be interesting."

*

As they woke for day 2, Machi was woken by cries. So somehow he was sharing a room - a room not just a hotel - with Zac and Harper. Zac was asleep and Machi went to pick Harper up and soothe her back to sleep. Since Zac and company weren't really supposed to be here (and refused to partake in politics), they booked their own rooms. And participants were all in the same hotel as them.

Rocking Harper, Machi noticed a necklace around her neck and it was a crystal. Touching it, Machi realised he was putting his own power into it and he was shocked.

'Your subconscious wants to keep her safe.'

'Here I thought you decided to stay quiet.' Machi chuckled. Knowing Carbine, he was analysing. Trivial things didn't matter to him.

Only Machi's well-being and how fucked the world was.

'You're not wrong. I was going over some numbers. But anyway. You've given your sister some of your ice powers. Like how you have your father's powers. The crystal will just hold the power unlike you, however. You're able to use it.'

Zac woke when he sensed a coldness in the room and rubbed his eyes. "She's too young for you to experiment on her."

"I-" Machi threw a pillow at him and he laughed. "What's the crystal around her neck?" Machi asked as she played with his hair. Zac yawned and wondered what he was talking about. "Oh. Dawson gave it to her. A way to protect her. But Ever hasn't stored her power in there yet-- wait did you do something to it?"

Machi shook his head. He didn't want to casually expose himself just in case it was something difficult. "Just summoned a snowflake to make her quiet."

"I-"

Rocco busted the door open and came bearing breakfast. "Day 2!"

***

Rocco's mother was in the crowd and watched back on day 1. She was shocked. Her son was this strong. She knew Machi's death made him different. Hungry for power. But that scared her and she knew it wasn't good for him to hold such an attachment to someone.

But seeing Rocco with such a smile on day 2, she didn't know if she could ever see him the same again. She turned her head and saw the elites of her City holding a banner saying "Go, Rocco!"

"The elites of Academy City seem to be cheering for home," Ruth chuckled as he was in the box today, "their hopes lie in their strongest contender this year." Astra and Kay also cheered for Rocco and Evermore looked to the scores.

"As per usual, all of the lowest ranked teams have been eliminated," Mira revealed, "leaving three teams from Seraph Haven, three teams from Academy City and 3 teams from Ashmire."

Team Rocco, Team Nysa and Team Hayden from Academy City.

Team Mira, Team Solo, Team Hyuse from Seraph Haven.

Karma, Team Peter, Team Sera from Ashmire.

"The next three days is fight day," Ruth smiled, "the ending it with day 4 with all the teams fighting everyone in a Grand Slam!" Machi had never witnessed a Tournament day and he had a lot of research to do. "And day 5 is Roulette day!"

Everyone cheered.

"Today we will be fighting one on one."

Machi looked at the screen and was shocked. Everyone was shocked.

Machi Harkness vs Karma.

"Your son is here?" Hellyer asked and Hogwood looked to Evermore who was even shocked too.