I awoke from my slumber. It was not long, like the great elder turtles that roamed the land. Nor did it have any semblance of importance in this world we lived in. It was simply an afternoon nap with a peculiar dream, or rather, a nightmare. That is what I would have said if I had remembered any of it. To tell you the truth, my life feels like a constant dream; my memory is filled with small holes, like gaps in my knowledge.
Oh, my sincerest apologies for not introducing myself earlier. I feel that must have been quite uncomfortable. A random person rambling on and on about their life and you don't know something as simple as their name. Please forgive me. My name is Arashi Nakamura. I am 17, almost 18. My skin is this strange mix of white with a few spots turning darker along my body. I have grey eyes that seem to be devoid of colour, yet so full of life. I have hair so white that if you put it next to snow, it would be camouflaged. But my abnormal qualities are not what bother me. It is the fact that I have a scar running down my right eye, and my parents refuse to tell me how I got it. More so, they don't seem to know. Strange, indeed, but I have more pressing concerns at the moment. I'm late.
Late to a tournament that I was entered into against my will. Despite this, I didn't care one bit; it was something to take my mind off things. I grabbed my coat and headed downstairs to find that both my mother and father had already left and had placed a note on the table. It read, 'Arashi, once you wake up from your nap, please head over to Gilded Stadium, where your tournament will be held. Love you. I smile as I grab my coat and head out of the house. A plane flies overhead as I exit, temporarily blocking out the sun. I could have sworn I had seen someone watching me in that brief moment, but as soon as the sun reappeared, that feeling vanished as fast as prey when they see a predator. I have a feeling that wasn't far from the truth. I felt like an antelope when a cheetah was chasing them down, scared. But then I felt someone elbow me playfully from behind. Needless to say, I jumped out of my skin and turned around to find my friend of 12 years. A girl named Nova Rust. She was a light-skinned girl with long blond hair. She wore a casual purple shirt, the perfect harmony between red and blue, as well as black sweatpants that reflected the negativity of the soul.
"Arashi! You freaking scaredy cat," she teased.
"Cut it out already, Nova. It's getting old fast."
"Actions speak louder than words, and that little jump you did isn't doing you any favours," she replied with a light smile.
She had always been one to tease, and as time rolled on, I thought I knew the answer. Once, I tried to confront her about it. She promptly smacked me and laughed. Why? I thought so, too. So I asked her. She ended up smacking me again.
"Whatever, let's just get going," I said, eager to change the subject.
We walked alongside each other until we got to our destination, Gilded Stadium. A lively place, filled with combatants and workers alike. Getting prepared for the tournament. Just so we're on the same page here, this is not a football tournament, nor is it a basketball, hockey, or baseball tournament. It's a tournament for a sport that pushes the physical body to its absolute limits; it combines martial arts with special abilities we like to call Attributes. A kind of harmonic presence has taken host in each living being's body, soul and mind. We humans, have learned to channel that energy into whatever we can think of.
"Have you thought of a name for your Attribute, Arashi?" Nova prompted me.
She seemed to recall my latest struggle of naming the attribute I had recently manifested and started using. The problem was that it had electric properties that clashed with common sense. Strictly speaking, there was a legend that was told to me as a little kid. Now, I am not one for believing, but this was different. I did believe the legend of the six heroes. They are to be brought to this world a thousand years after the legend was first. One born of earth. Another wind. Fire, ice and water. But I had abilities that resembled the sixth hero. The living thunderbolt, they called him. And so, it would be very disrespectful to name my attribute after his: lightning.
"So, did you choose?" Nova brought my mind back to the question.
"Yes. I did."
"So then, out with it."
"I'm gonna call it… Thunder. It's similar enough to my power without raising any red flags." I smile, pleased with myself.
Nova just stares at me, then suddenly bursts out laughing. It takes a while for her to calm down. When she eventually does, I ask her why she was laughing.
"You think, thunder. Isn't gonna set off any red flags? It couldn't be more inconspicuous if you tried,"
"Fine. You have a good point. Then what should I call it instead if you're so smart?"
"Sorry if it doesn't sound cool or anything. But I think Spark should work well enough."
We approached the registration desk. The manager behind it seems nice enough that we wouldn't get into too much trouble. "Name and attribute, please."
Nova goes first. "Nova Rust. Attribute: fusion," she says.
"Arashi Nakamura. Attribute: spark"
The guy behind the desk, a man in his early 30s with dark hair streaked with bold highlights with a stoic and generic-looking face, nods and writes both of our names down without batting an eye.
"You're in group A," he says, referring to Nova. "And you're in group B."
Nova puffs her cheeks in frustration at us being put in two different groups
"Well, that's fine. Make sure you make it to the finals. Don't forget, I'm the only one who can wipe the floor with your face. Got it?" She holds out a fist for me.
I roll my eyes at her statement, but despite this, I smile.
"Hit 'em fast…" I bump her fist
"...And don't lose," she finishes.