Golden Festival Day 43
Ina stood at the center of everybody, holding a single envelope. Not just any envelope. Elegant. Sealed. Heavy in a way that suggested importance without needing to say it out loud.
Everyone's attention was already locked onto it.
Kagura: "What is that. Looks important."
Diego: "That's a rich person envelope."
Nicholas: "It looks official."
Ina slid a finger beneath the seal and opened it cleanly, unfolding the contents with the same calm precision she brought to everything: "We've been invited." Ina held the card up slightly. "To the Hunter Ball."
Kagura: "THE HUNTER BALL?!"
Diego jumped to his feet: "WAIT WAIT WAIT—THE one that happens every five years?!"
Esmarie clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling: "That's huge!"
Marlon: "Oh, the food there is bound to be delicious."
Yuji: "…Sounds annoying."
Iris: "Is it really that big of a deal?"
Shinatsu: "Yes. Every big name Hunter will be there."
Caesar: "I like fancy events."
Chifuyu scratched the back of his head: "…A ball, huh."
Ariel: "What's wrong?"
Chifuyu: "I don't know, just sounds so formal."
Diego threw his arm around Chifuyu: "Oh trust me buddy, there's nothing formal about it. I've heard it's a crazy lit party."
Ariel: "I hope they have donuts."
Ina folded the invitation calmly: "It is one of the most prestigious gatherings of Hunters in Shioto. Every five years, the biggest figures attend. However, like Diego said, it does indeed turn into a party."
Odd Jobs had officially stepped onto a bigger stage. Everyone broke out into chatter.
Ina glanced toward Chifuyu. Then Ariel: "You two." She spoke quietly, just for them. "There will be Hunters there who know about you."
Chifuyu's expression didn't change.
Ariel's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ina: "And not all of them agree with the idea of vampires fighting alongside humans."
Silence settled between them.
Not heavy.
But real.
Chifuyu: "We'll be careful."
Ariel crossed her arms.
Ina: "Don't draw too much attention."
Chifuyu: "Got it."
Ariel: "Hmph. We won't go too crazy."
Ina: "Good. She began to walk away, "Enjoy it."
Then she stepped back toward the group. Chifuyu and Ariel looked at each other slightly surprised.
Ina: "There's one more thing."
Everyone looked at her.
Ina: "Dress appropriately."
Diego tilted his head: "Define appropriately."
Ina: "If you arrive in a regular dress shirt and jeans, you will be removed immediately."
Iris gasped: "This is serious…"
Esmarie: "We get to dress up!"
Marlon: "Fine by me, I get to put on my best fit."
Yuji: "…I don't own anything like that."
Nicholas: "We'll figure it out."
Beatrice: "Formal wear is not difficult to acquire."
Yuji: "Just never had to go to anything formal."
Shinatsu: "I already have something."
Ariel: "…I don't."
Chifuyu: "…Yeah, me neither."
Diego grinned: "I'll get you guys right, we'll go shopping later."
***
Later that night—
The cafe transformed.
Tables pushed aside.
A whiteboard with scribbled text: ODD JOBS FEUD LIVESTREAM
Shoyo stood at the front holding a microphone: "WELCOME EVERYONE—TO THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN ODD JOBS HISTORY."
Diego jumped onto a chair: "I'M READY."
Kagura: "WE'RE WINNING THIS."
Shoyo gestured dramatically: "LET'S INTRODUCE OUR TEAMS!"
He pointed to one side.
Shoyo: "TEAM ONE—CHAOS INCARNATE!"
Chifuyu: "That's fair."
Ariel waved: "Hi."
Esmarie smiled brightly: "Let's have fun!"
Diego: "We're dominating."
Kagura posed: "Team Chaos for the win!"
Caesar fixed his glasses: "I won't lose if it comes to trivia."
Shoyo spun dramatically.
Shoyo: "AND TEAM TWO—CONTROLLED DISASTER!"
Yuji crossed his arms: "We're winning."
Beatrice stood calmly: "If it comes to trivia, I won't lose."
Her and Caesar have a friendly stare-off.
Shinatsu: "I honestly don't think we can lose to those guys."
Marlon cracked his knuckles: "Let's go."
Iris blinked nervously: "…I'll try my best."
Nicholas smiled: "Let's have some fun."
Shoyo: "FIRST ROUND!"
Diego and Nicholas stepped forward.
They stood across from each other.
Shoyo raised his hand: "FIRST TO SIX CORRECT ANSWERS WINS. THREE STRIKES AND THE BALL GOES TO THE OTHER TEAM." He leaned in dramatically. "YOUR FIRST QUESTION… HOW MANY DISTRICTS ARE IN SHIOTO?"
BUZZ.
Diego slammed it instantly: "37."
Shoyo pointed: "CORRECT!"
Diego pumped his fist: "Let's go!"
Shoyo: "TEAM CHAOS TAKES CONTROL."
Shoyo went to the next person, Kagura: "NEXT QUESTION. WHAT WILL THE NEXT STORY ARC BE?"
Kagura: "YOUR BACKSTORY ARC!"
Shoyo: "CORRECT!"
Kagura jumped: "I KNEW IT."
Shinatsu: "Spoilers…"
Diego: "It's about time."
Shoyo turned to Caesar: "NAME A BLACK LEADER IN SHIOTO."
Caesar thought for a second: "Lebron."
Silence.
Every single person in the room slowly put their hand on their face.
Shoyo: "I'm sorry… that is incorrect."
Caesar: "Eh?"
Shoyo: "He is the goat. But not an actual leader here."
Shoyo turned to Chifuyu: "NAME SOMETHING PEOPLE LIE ABOUT ON A FIRST DATE."
Chifuyu froze.
Three seconds.
Nothing.
Shoyo: "Time."
Buzzer sound.
Chifuyu: "How am I supposed to know that? I've never been on a date."
Shoyo: "Then it's time to spread your wings and get out there."
Diego: "We're working on that."
Shoyo turned slowly.
Shoyo: "Ariel."
Ariel: "I'm ready."
Shoyo: "HOW MANY FINGERS ARE ON A HUMAN HAND."
Ariel lifted both hands in front of her face.
She stared at them.
Seriously.
Counting.
The other team tried to hold it in.
Yuji and Shinatsu turned away.
Nicholas covered his mouth.
Marlon looked down.
Beatrice and Iris put a hand on their mouths hiding their smile.
Three seconds passed.
Buzzer.
Shoyo burst out laughing: "TIME!"
Ariel immediately protested: "I was just making sure it was 10!"
Chifuyu stared at her: "You don't need to check if you have 10 fingers!"
Ariel gestured wildly: "You know that feeling when you know something is right but you have to check and make sure."
Kagura: "Ariel, is your brain okay?"
Ariel: "Hey, it totally is!!"
Shoyo wiped his eyes, still laughing: "We are switching sides." He cleared his throat. "TEAM TWO—YOUR TURN. YOU NEED FOUR CORRECT ANSWERS TO TAKE THE ROUND." Shoyo leaned in slightly towards Yuji, lowering his voice for dramatic effect, "Name the big 3 anime."
Yuji: "One Piece. Naruto. Bleach."
Shoyo: "CORRECT!"
The room reacted.
Kagura grabbed her head: "NO WAY."
Chifuyu: "WHY WASN'T I ASKED THAT."
Yuji: "Luck of the draw buddy."
Marlon: "Let's keep it going."
Shoyo spun on his heel, locking eyes with Shinatsu: "NEXT QUESTION."
Shinatsu rolled her eyes, unimpressed by his theatrics.
Shoyo: "WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU SMELL BEFORE YOU BUY?"
Shinatsu: "A candle."
Shoyo got in her face with a huge smile and yelled: "CORRECT!" He turned sharply toward Marlon, "NEXT QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU DO ON YOUR PHONE WHEN A PRETTY GIRL WALKS BY?"
Marlon knew exactly what he was about to say, because he had experience: "Open the weather app."
Esmarie: "That's actually kind of funny."
Shoyo: "CORRECT!"
Chifuyu: "Don't laugh because of the enemy, Esmarie! Laugh at him!"
Esmarie: "Oh, you're right. Ahem. Hahaha. He actually opens the weather app when a girl walks by, what a loser!"
Chifuyu: "I know right? How lame! Hahahaha!"
Ariel joins in: "Loser! Bwahahahaha!"
Shinatsu: "You guys are the losers…"
The pressure built.
Three correct answers in a row.
Momentum.
Control.
Shoyo slowly turned toward Beatrice: "THIS QUESTION DECIDES THE ROUND."
The room quieted slightly.
Shoyo: "WHAT HAS HANDS… BUT CAN'T CLAP?"
Beatrice: "A clock."
Shoyo froze for half a second.
Then—
He pointed with full force.
Shoyo: "CORRECT!"
The room erupted. Team chaos groaned while the other celebrated.
Nicholas clapped: "We got it!"
Yuji nodded once: "Expected."
Shinatsu: "Those guys are just morons."
Marlon: "We take those."
Iris: "I'm glad I didn't have to go."
Beatrice: "There's still the 2nd round, you're up next."
Iris nearly melts: "Uh oh."
On the other side—
Kagura collapsed onto the table: "WE GOT SWEPT."
Diego stared at the ceiling: "We didn't even get a chance to recover."
Esmarie laughed nervously: "They were really good…"
Caesar: "I won't make a mistake next time."
Ariel: "Can we get a few more seconds to answer?"
Chifuyu: "Think faster, Ariel…"
Ariel: "I DID."
Shoyo stepped forward, raising both hands dramatically: "AND JUST LIKE THAT—TEAM CONTROLLED DISASTER TAKES ROUND ONE!"
Diego: "We're coming back."
Kagura stood up: "You guys better be ready!"
Chifuyu: "We're not losing again."
Ariel: "Next round is ours."
Esmarie: "Let's do it!"
Caesar: "Team Chaos on 3! 1, 2, 3.."
"CHAOS!"
Shoyo grinned: "OH, WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED. ROUND TWO IS ABOUT TO BEGIN."
They fought hard.
Not really.
Team Chaos lost miserably.