Chapter sixteen- worth it

8am

___________

It was early in the morning. I had yet to contact Kyutie and see if she was down for breakfast for breakfast ends at 11:45am.

We usually ate and hung out by the lake before talking about practice.

Out of the weeks I've been here, Kyutie has become my best friend. She and Markus. I didn't think it would happen. But it did. I wouldn't be as happy as I am without making friends with those two.

I slowly walk down the pathway.

The sun was bright today. No clouds in the sky. My Vans hit the gravel as I had my hands resting in my jacket.

I had on some sweatpants and a black baseball cap.

"I mean, putting just a tab bit of water around the route of the plant will help it grow much much better," I hear. Stopping in my tracks, I turn to my right to listen to the familiar voice.

"Can we also plant the watermelons?" I hear.

It was Natalie's voice. I was curious. Walking toward the entrance. I could see plants upon plants planted everywhere. Like a little backyard. A garden of sorts. It was gorgeous. From how quiet it was, I could only presume that there was little to no one else in there.

Stepping into the doorway, I look around at the beautiful plants.

"Hey. Kingsman?" I hear.

I grunt a little and then to my right to see King standing there. A smile on his face. In his hands was a pack of seeds.

"Here to learn plants, I presume?" King asked.

I put a hand up.

"Haha. No no, thank you. Just came to see what the problem was," I reply. King lifts his chin. Not too far behind him, popped Natalie's head from behind a plant counter. She had leaves in her hair. Behind her was a large tree that had purple and pink leaves falling from its branches.

King's wings sat gently on his back and fluttered just a bit when he moved and talked. Like a real angel.

"HEY! How are you, Mann?" Natalie screams.

Lifting her hand that was cloaked with a glove. She quickly gets to her feet and makes her way to me whilst taking her gloves off.

"Hey, Natalie!" I smile.

Natalie wraps her arms around me. I could smell her perfume as King nods with a smile at me.

"Haven't seen you since that battle with a your girlfriend," Natalie adds. I chuckle. "Kyutie?" I ask. Natalie gives a heavy nod. "Haha! She isn't my girlfriend. Only my best friend," I reply. Natalie lifted her chin.

"You two are always together." She says.

I nod.

"Yes, but only friends." I look at King.

"How have you two been?" I ask.

King smiles a bit.

"As well as you have. Been doing my own thing. Making it through the years," King answers. I nod and look at Natalie.

"What of you?" I say.

Natalie chuckles.

"Good." She looks away.

"You heard? God Academy, Menace Academy, and Jau Academy are all joining together for the people that make it to God Level during the tournament. So you'll be sharing a school with people from different countries if you make it into the luxury home," King informs.

My eyes fixed him.

There was more schools like this one out there.

It was hard for me to even think about that. There could potentially be people as strong as me out there.

"More Academies like this one?" I ask.

King nods lightly.

"Is students aren't the only ones that are powered. I mean, of course, there would be more. 7.6 billion people on this Earth. I mean there just can't be 200 thousand of us," Natalie interfered.

I nod a bit.

"Ready for breakfast?" I turn to see Kyutie walking up to me.

"Oh! Yeah." Turning back to Natalie and King, they both fists bump me as I go about my day with Kyutie.

She had her bottle of water in her hands and her sports clothes on to cool her off while she's in her training suit.

"What was going on with them?" Kyutie asked.

I sigh and look ahead of me.

The pathway filled with more and more students. Some relaxing in the sun. Other chasing each other or having a genuine conversation. The sound of people talking was peaceful.

"I just stopped by to chill with them for a moment. Haven't seen them in a while," I answer.

Kyutie nods as we enter the main building where the cafeteria was held. The smell of fresh bacon and pancakes soaked the halls. Teachers and guards nod as they went on with this amazing day. I felt great today.

"What about you? What did you do this morning?" I ask.

Kyutie shrugged.

"Drank some water. Slept in. That's all," she answered.

"That is a vibe."

"It is," she says.

_________

After breakfast, Kyutie and I had made our way to the stadium.

It was already packed and was about to turn 4pm.

I could make out Jason kissing Arianna as she was ready for her practice. Jason has signed up but he must've been practicing with the late-night crew. I've heard he's requested to fight his own girlfriend but that could just be a rumor until I ask her for myself.

"Ready?" Kyutie ask.

We walk into the hall that was surrounded by concrete.

The same man with the Afro stands just before the locker rooms with the clipboard in his hands. Brought back memories of the first fight Kyutie and I had done.

"Yeah. I'm more nervous the second time than the first," I add.

"Haha! Same, buddy," Kyutie says.

"The matches are in two months. You guys ready?" The guy says.

I shrug and sigh a bit.

"A lot of practicing to do," I answer.

I take the pen he held in his long fingers before signing off next to my name to indicate I was indeed the one fighting today.

"Kyutie? Right?" The guy with the Afro pints at Kyutie.

That's when I noticed how extremely tall he was or maybe I was tripping. His smile spreads wider across his face when he looked into her eyes. Kyutie nods a bit.

"Yes." Kyutie signs off next to her name.

"I like the way you fight. Impressive. You have a boyfriend?" He asked.

"No."

The guy nods.

"Just checking. You seem like the girl that would vibe with me. Maybe we could have dinner together sometime." He smiles. Kyutie politely declines.

He nods.

"It's alright. You guys know where the stadium is and you know the rules to the fight. Good luck and I'll see you on the battlefield," he says.

Kyutie and I walk past him without another word.