The Arena
The crowd was STILL reeling. Still processing. Still trying to catch their breath.
"That was..."
"I can't..."
"My heart..."
People were holding their chests. Some were crying. Others just stared at the empty arena where Juli had stood moments ago.
The emotional weight. The speech. The dominance. The EVERYTHING.
It was too much. Too perfect. Too overwhelming.
Broadcast Booth
Jango leaned into his mic. His voice was different. Thicker. His accent MORE pronounced. Even HE was affected.
"That right there... that was somethin' I ain't NEVER seen before in all my years." He was speaking faster. More animated. "That boy DOMINATED. COMPLETELY. But it weren't just the power, ya hear? It was the HEART. The way he spoke to her. The way he honored her. THAT'S what separates good fighters from TRUE warriors."
He took a long sip of soda. His hand actually SHAKING slightly.
"I trained that boy. I KNOW what he's capable of. But seein' it like THIS? In front of the whole dang GALAXY?" He shook his head. "That's my student right there. That's MY boy. And he just showed EVERYONE what it means to be a HERO."
Larry was wiping tears. "Beautiful, Jango. Just... beautiful."
The Arena
Larry stood. Composed himself. Tried to anyway.
"AND NOW! THE MOMENT TO REVEAL! THE SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS! TOMORROW! FOUR WARRIORS! TWO MATCHES! WHO WILL ADVANCE TO THE FINALS?!"
The holographic display shifted.
SEMIFINALS:
MATCH 1: POLO ROSSI VS KADE THE FIFTH
MATCH 2: JULIAN WEIPER VS LYRIELLE XISTRITH
...
Raider Outpost
Silence.
Then WAILING.
"NOOOOOO!"
"HE'S FIGHTING SECOND?!"
"WE HAVE TO WAIT AGAIN?!"
"THIS IS TORTURE!"
"WHY DO THEY GATEKEEP OUR JOY LIKE THIS?!"
Several raiders were literally on their knees. Crying. Genuine tears.
"THE UNIVERSE HATES US!"
"WE'VE BEEN CURSED!"
The veteran raider just shook his head. "Drama queens. All of them."
Ragnar was AMUSED. His shoulders shaking with silent laughter. These beings were pathetic. Desperate. Addicted.
It was hilarious.
VIP Box
The captains leaned forward. Analyzing the matchups.
"Polo versus Kade," Goldberg said thoughtfully. "That'll be GOOD. Real good. Technical precision versus raw ferocity."
Sparta nodded. "Aye. The young Felinari shall test himself against cold calculation."
Fang grinned. "Should be entertaining."
Then the second matchup registered.
"Juli versus Lyrielle," Bianca said slowly.
Seraphina went PALE. A shiver ran down her spine. "Mine niece... against THAT?"
Saya's hand gripped her sword tighter. Her face already flushing.
Bianca's red hair seemed to catch fire. Her cheeks went RED.
They all wanted Juli FIRST. Not second. FIRST.
Goldberg noticed. "Oh no. Oh NO. I see those faces. Don't you DARE..."
Louis Vors Kiel made a sound. A quiet sound.
Everyone turned.
He was CHUCKLING. Actually chuckling. The statue. The emotionless warrior. Was LAUGHING.
"Did he just..." Andre stared. "Did Louis just LAUGH?"
"THIS IS MADNESS!" Goldberg threw all three arms up. "THE WORLD'S GONE INSANE!"
Andre tried to grab his brother. "Calm down! Just calm..."
"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! LOOK AT THEM!"
Bianca and Saya stood simultaneously.
They spoke. IN UNISON.
"We should ask Larry to switch the match order."
Silence.
Then everyone started talking at once.
"WHAT?!"
"You can't just..."
"That's not how..."
Goldberg was VIBRATING. "YOU'RE ADDICTED! YOU'RE ALL ADDICTED TO THE BLONDE BOY!"
Saya's proud, honorable tone cut through. "I shall recruit Julian Weiper for Virgo Squad. This is my declaration. My solemn vow as a warrior."
Samuel's LAUGH rang out. Unhinged. Psychotic. "AHAHAHA! THIS IS MAGNIFICENT! THE LADIES HAVE LOST THEIR MINDS!"
Olivier was trying not to laugh. Failing. "Zis is... how you say... magnifique."
Andre blinked. "Wait. Saya. Doesn't Virgo Squad only recruit FEMALE warriors? It's literally an all-female squad."
Saya's face went CRIMSON. "I... that is... the boy possesses exceptional qualities that transcend... gender is merely a construct when faced with such... the warrior spirit knows no..."
Her voice trailed off. Her face getting redder. Her explanations becoming more incoherent.
Goldberg did a FACEPALM. All three hands. Covering his entire face. "I CAN'T. I JUST CAN'T."
Samuel was DYING. His psychotic laughter echoing. "SHE'S TRYING SO HARD! LOOK AT HER!"
Seraphina was hiding her face behind her hands. Mortified. "We art... we art being unseemly..."
"UNSEEMLY?!" Goldberg's voice cracked. "YOU'RE ALL BEING CREEPS!"
While they argued, Bianca had quietly pulled out a communicator. Contacted Larry directly.
"Captain Rossi!" Larry's holographic face appeared. "What can I do for you?"
"Switch the match order. Put Julian's fight first."
"I..." Larry paused. Then his face LIT UP. "YES! ABSOLUTELY! THE PEOPLE WANT THE BLONDE BRAWLER FIRST! THIS IS GENIUS! RATINGS WILL BE INSANE!"
"Glad we agree."
"Consider it done!"
The hologram vanished.
Bianca sat back down. Satisfied.
Seraphina noticed. "Thou... thou already contacted him?"
"Efficiency is key," Bianca said smoothly. But her eyes kept drifting to Juli's image on the screen.
Seraphina composed herself. Spoke with elegant dignity. "It will be... challenging for mine niece. But this encounter was inevitable. The experience shall prove fruitful for her development."
Her mouth was literally WATERING as she said it. A small drop at the corner of her lips.
She was imagining Juli fighting first. Seeing him in action IMMEDIATELY.
It was adorable. And deeply concerning.
Olivier leaned back, observing the chaos. "You know... perhaps ze grueling work we endure as squad captains. Ze endless duty. Ze constant responsibility. It leaves one with little time for personal 'appiness. For connections. For... romance."
He gestured at the female captains.
"Perhaps zis... innate behavior... is simply ze result of years of suppression. Of sacrificing one's own needs for ze greater good."
Everyone stared at him.
"That's actually insightful," Andre admitted.
"OR," Goldberg interrupted, "THEY'RE JUST BEING WEIRD ABOUT A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD!"
"He won't be fourteen forever," Saya muttered.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"NOTHING!"
The Arena
Larry's voice boomed again. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! A CHANGE TO THE SCHEDULE!"
The crowd perked up.
"AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE SQUAD CAPTAINS, WE'VE DECIDED TO SWITCH THE MATCH ORDER!"
Murmurs. Confusion.
"TOMORROW'S SEMIFINALS WILL NOW BE:"
The holographic display changed.
SEMIFINALS (REVISED):
MATCH 1: JULIAN WEIPER VS LYRIELLE XISTRITH
MATCH 2: POLO ROSSI VS KADE THE FIFTH
Raider Outpost
Dead silence.
Every raider stared at the screen.
Processing.
Then one spoke. Quietly. "Are we... are we dreaming?"
Another pinched himself. "I don't know. I might be."
Then it hit them.
"JULI FIGHTS FIRST!"
"FIRST!"
"WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT!"
"THE MESSIAH BLESSES US TOMORROW IMMEDIATELY!"
They started DANCING. All of them. In unison. A spontaneous celebration.
"THANK YOU, UNIVERSE!"
"WE'VE BEEN SAVED!"
"I CAN DIE HAPPY NOW!"
Ragnar watched them dance. Shook his head. Smiled beneath his hood.
Pathetic. But entertaining.
Outer Rim Home
Pietro blinked at the screen. "Did they just... switch the matches?"
Mary looked equally confused. "Is that normal?"
"No. That's... that never happens. Squad captains must've requested it." Pietro's eyes narrowed. Then widened. "Wait. The FEMALE captains. They wanted to see Juli fight first."
"Why would..."
Pietro looked at her. Mary looked at him.
They both burst out laughing.
"Your son is TOO popular!" Mary managed between giggles.
"Apparently even squad captains aren't immune!" Pietro was wiping tears from his eyes. "This is INSANE!"
Juno looked between them. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, little star. Nothing."
...
The arena buzzed with excitement.
The change was unprecedented. Unusual. But WELCOME.
Everyone wanted to see Juli first. Even the officials. Even the captains. Even the GALAXY.
Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.
The semifinals awaited.
Juli versus Lyrielle would open.
And the blonde brawler would once again take center stage.
Where he belonged.