It was now the time for the captain's to vote. Adrien took a deep breath and was sweating a little,and now,they voted ."Well,6 red flags.." Daniel announced and Adrien felt like the world just turned upside down,his friends were sad for him. "Well,Adrien I guess you gonna have to train harder and join next year..." Daniel said. Adrien was so disappointed in himself "I guess no matter how much I train to get stronger,I'll never be accepted,because of my dark magic...no one wants evil magic in their squad...I guess it's better to just go away,away from everyone" Adrien thought while frowning,he existed the stage and walked away but he heard a voice from behind him,"you boy" ...
Adrien's eyes widened as he turned to face Captain Raya. "C-captain?" he stuttered.
Captain Raya's piercing gaze held his. "Where do you think you're going, Adrien?"
Adrien shrugged, his voice laced with disappointment. "I wasn't voted for, so I'm going home."
Captain Krystal whispered to someone nearby, "What is she up to now?"
Captain Raya's eyes narrowed. "Oh, going home, I see? So, you're running away from your squad?"
Adrien looked down, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't have a squad."
Captain Raya's gaze drifted to Adrien's chest, where the badge she had given him years ago still shone. A hint of a smirk played on her lips. "This badge... isn't it mine?"
Adrien's eyes darted up, a mix of fear and respect in his voice. "It is, Captain. But you gave it to me when I was a kid... If you want it back, I can return it."
Captain Raya's expression turned stern, her arms folding across her chest. "When I give someone one of these badges... I consider them part of my squad."
Adrien's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "So, you mean...?"
Captain Raya's voice took on a hint of warmth. "When I met you as a kid, I saw the potential in you, the determination to become a champion. I knew right then that you belonged to the Spades. We're driven by the fire of persistence... and you, Adrien, are a part of my squad. You've been a Spade champion from the beginning."
Adrien's emotions overflowed, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. "Are you sure? Is this real? Thank you, Captain... This is the best day ever!"
The room erupted into chaos, with Kade and Lily clapping enthusiastically for Adrien. Captain Krystal looked on, bewildered. "What just happened?"
Raya led her new subordinates to the Pegasus rides. "You two, follow me!"
Adrien's eyes widened as he approached the majestic creatures. "Whoa, I've never ridden one of these before! They're like horses, but with wings... and an attitude!"
Raya smirked, climbing onto her Pegasus. "You'll get used to them. Follow me!"
Adrien's Pegasus, however, had other plans. The grumpy creature glared at him, refusing to let him mount. "Uh, can I have another Pegasus? I don't think this one likes me," Adrien asked, taking a step back as the Pegasus gave him a menacing stare.
Raya face-palmed. "It's okay, buddy... I think."
Just then, the Pegasus kicked Adrien, sending him tumbling backward. "Ouch! What's wrong with you?!" Adrien exclaimed.
Sachika watched the commotion, a hint of amusement on her face.
Adrien tried to feed the Pegasus some nearby grass. "Maybe you're just hangry? I get grumpy when I'm hungry too!"
Raya rolled her eyes. "They don't eat grass, idiot."
Adrien looked crestfallen. "But... but I thought Pegasus were vegetarians? Grass is like ice cream to them... right, horsey horsey?"
The Pegasus responded by biting Adrien's arm. "WHAT THE HECK?! It bites?!" Adrien yelped, backing away as the Pegasus charged toward him.
Raya intervened, catching Adrien and tossing him onto her own Pegasus. "Phew, thanks Captain! That crazy Pegasus could've killed me!"
Sachika chimed in, "You should always be gentle with animals."
Adrien rubbed his sore arm. "Gentle? I was being gentle, but that Pegasus just has beef with me for some reason... And wait, you can talk?"
Sachika raised an eyebrow. "Of course not."
Adrien chuckled. "Sarcasm... I like that. Looking forward to working with you, Sachika."
Sachika's expression remained stoic, but a hint of a smile played on her lips.
They arrived at Raya's mansion.
Adrien's jaw dropped. "Wow, this mansion is on a whole different level! I mean, I've seen smaller countries."
Raya smiled. "Consider it your new home. You'll be meeting the rest of the squad."
As they entered the house, Katie, one of the squad members, welcomed them with a bright smile. "Welcome back, Captain! Are these our new friends?"
Raya grinned mischievously. "Of course, Tiger! This is Spawnie – just a random kid I found on the street and decided to give my badge to because, why not?"
Adrien's eyes widened. "Hey, I'm Adrien, not Spawnie! And I thought you liked me?"
Raya chuckled. "And this other one... I have no idea what her name is. I forgot, so let's just say... Ninja Girl, because she was so fast, I didn't even see her coming. And I liked her sword, so I recruited her on the spot. I mean, who needs a background check when you've got a sweet sword, right?"
Katie handed them a welcome gift – a spider. Adrien and Sachika screamed in unison. "GET IT AWAYYYYY!!! Kill it, Sachika!" Adrien yelled.
Sachika drew her sword, ready to strike. "That monster! I'll slash it to oblivion!"
Katie giggled. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Relax... he's totally harmless."
Adrien backed away, still frantic. "No way, bro! That thing could kill me!"
Sachika raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a bit too young to be doing these things?"
Katie looked confused. "What things?"
Sachika smirked. "I mean, holding spiders, being a champion... you're like 7."
Katie's face lit up. "Excuse me! I'm 12!"
Sachika shrugged. "Meh, same thing."
As the commotion continued, a voice boomed from upstairs. "Can you people keep it down? Some of us are trying to recharge our awesomeness in peace!"
Logan Laurent, the vice captain, sauntered downstairs, his hair perfectly messy. "Whoa, who are these... less cool people?" He eyed Sachika and Adrien with a hint of amusement.
Katie beamed with excitement. "These are our new friends, Sachika and Adrien!"
Sachika corrected her, "We're not friends."
Katie's face fell, but she quickly recovered. "Well, this is our vice captain, Logan Laurent."
Raya chimed in, "More like the Sloth Captain."
Logan shot Raya a mock-offended look. "Hey, I resent that. I'm just conserving my energy for more important things... like being awesome."
He flashed a charming smile at Sachika and Adrien. "Welcome, newbies. I'll teach you the ways of awesomeness... but only if you can keep up."
"I'll pass,you not awesome " said Sachika
Logan puffed out his chest. "You dare say that? I'm the king of flair, the coolest guy you'll ever meet... I'm like a fine wine, I only get better with age!"
Sachika rolled her eyes. "More like a cheap beer – flat and annoying."
Logan's face turned bright red. "How dare you? I'm your superior!"
Sachika shrugged. "I don't care. Being too flashy and talking about aura just makes you boring and cringe. It's like you're trying to be a superhero, but you're really just a dude in tights."
Just then, Raya intervened, her voice firm. "Enough, you brats! Logan, stop trying to prove yourself. Sachika, stop teasing him. And Adrien, stop looking like you're about to faint... again."
Someone appeared behind Adrien
Liam, the introverted clean freak, spoke up, "I don't plan on staying here long, so can we just get this over and done with?"
Raya chuckled. "That's Liam, the clean freak. Don't worry, he's harmless... unless you're a germ."
Adrien extended his hand for a handshake, but Liam recoiled in horror. "Oh, I don't handshake. I don't know where your hand has been."
Adrien's face turned bright red. "Oh, come on, dude, are you gonna leave me hanging?"
Katie intervened, taking Adrien's hand in a firm handshake. "Don't worry, Adrien, I'll take the handshake."
Adrien sighed dramatically, a single tear rolling down his cheek. "You're so kind..."
Meanwhile, Liam was having a meltdown, staring at Sachika with wide eyes. "A ninja? She's breathtaking, even with her mask on... I can see she's a goddess underneath. And that attitude? It just makes her cuter..." He was sweating bullets, his face beet-red.
Sachika caught him staring and gave him a death glare. "Can you stop staring already? It's making me uncomfortable, and I might just have to kick your butt."
Liam's eyes widened further. "My apologies, my lady..." He thought to himself, "That was totally cringe..."
Sachika stepped closer, her serious face making Liam tremble. "Last warning."
Adrien intervened, "Oh, come on, you're not really going to beat him up just for looking at you?"
Sachika yelled, "Stay out of it!"
Raya intervened, "Well, I'm out. If you brats are done with your drama, Katie will show you to your rooms."
As Raya walked away, Liam made a quick exit, disappearing into thin air. Sachika asked, "Where did that scumbag go?"
Katie shrugged. "No one ever knows. He's like a ninja... but without the coolness or skills."
...
Lily's eyes sparkled as she stepped into the Hearts Headquarters. "Wow, Captain! Your house is amazing! I'm still pinching myself – I get to live with my idol!"
Melody chuckled, her smile warm and genuine. "Hehe, you're too kind, Lily. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. We'll have lots of fun together, I promise!"
Lily beamed, her enthusiasm infectious. "I'd love that, Captain... I mean, Mel!"
As they entered Lily's new room, Melody said, "Make yourself at home, Lily. If you need anything, just shout. I'm always here to help."
Lily's eyes widened as she took in her new surroundings. "It's perfect, thanks, Mel! You're the best captain ever!"
Melody smiled, her eyes twinkling. "I'm glad you like it, Lily. Now, take some rest and join me for tea later. We can chat more about our plans and get to know each other better."
Lily nodded, still grinning. "Sounds like a plan, Mel! Thanks again for everything!"
—-
In the grand hall of the Jacks Mansion, Kade stood tall before his captain, Ben. Ben's piercing gaze seemed to bore into Kade's very soul.
"Listen up, kid," Ben growled. "In this squad, we don't tolerate laziness. You'll train every day until your body screams in agony. You'll push yourself to the limit, and beyond. Because that's what it takes to be a champion."
Kade's eyes burned with determination. "I understand, Captain. I'll train harder than anyone. I'll make sure we become the number one squad, and I'll become the elite champion."
Ben's expression turned glacial. "Elite champion, huh? Then you'll have to train even harder than I do. You'll have to surpass me, and everyone else. Can you handle that, kid?"
—-
As they strolled down the hallway, Katie exclaimed, "Oh, this is such a relief! A girl in the squad, finally! We can have sleepovers and gossip about the guys!"
Sachika raised an eyebrow. "Isn't the captain a girl?"
Katie waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, Captain Raya is, like, ancient... pushing her late twenties! And you're almost my age, so we can be BFFs! I can show you my animal studies – I have a whole collection of bug specimens!"
Sachika's expression remained stoic. "Yeah, right..."
Katie squealed, "Yay! New bestie!"
But then her face fell as she realized, "Wait, was that sarcasm?"
Sachika's response was a masterclass in deadpan. "No."
Katie's eyes narrowed. "Is that sarcasm?"
Sachika just rolled her eyes. "Let's go, ankle biter."
Katie's face lit up with indignation. "Hey!! I'm not that short!"
...
Adrien's eyes widened. "So, how long have you been here?"
Katie thought for a moment. "Well, I'm 12 now, so I guess... 6 years?"
Adrien's jaw dropped. "You've been a Champion since you were 6?! That's insane!"
Katie giggled. "It's a loooong story. But yeah, I had to wait till I was 10 to officially join."
Sachika raised an eyebrow. "Still, you're so young... why would the captain recruit a kid? Seems irresponsible."
Katie's face lit up with excitement. "Hey! You wouldn't understand till you know the reason..."
Adrien's curiosity was piqued. "Oh? Do tell!"
But Katie just winked. "Maybe later. Here's your new room, Sachika... unless you'd wanna share my room with me!"
Sachika's expression turned horrified. "And sleep with spiders and bugs? Yeah, I'm gonna pass."
Katie pouted. "I'll..."
But Sachika was already gone, slamming the door behind her. Katie turned to Adrien. "Well, she's got issues."
Adrien chuckled. "Don't mind her."
—-
As they arrived at Adrien's room, Katie announced, "This is your room!"
Adrien's eyes scanned the space, taking in the worn furniture and faded walls. "Right. Thanks."
Katie smiled. "Call me if you need something!"
As Katie turned to leave, Adrien asked, "Hey, wait. How many members are actually in this squad?"
Katie thought for a moment. "I don't know... But from those you've met already, there are two left. They're probably out causing trouble somewhere."
Adrien chuckled. "Haha. I see. Well, since I have nothing to do... Can you show me around?"
Katie grinned. "Okay! But don't say I didn't warn you... This place can get pretty crazy!"
—-
Katie proudly declared, "And lastly, the bath... where all your deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed... and possibly traumatized."
But before she could finish, she let out a blood-curdling scream and covered her eyes. "AHHHHH!! IT'S A BIOHAZARD IN THERE!!"
Adrien's eyes widened in alarm. "What's wrong?! Did someone die in there?!"
Katie whispered, "It's worse... Nathaniel's in there... and he's been eating beans for lunch."
The door creaked open, and a disheveled figure emerged, looking like he'd just survived a war. "Oh, hey Kate! You wanna use the toilet? Well, you can wait for me right there... I just wanna... uh... drop off a bomb."
Katie interrupted with a fake smile, "No, no, take your time! I'll just... wait... outside... with a gas mask."
As soon as the door closed, Katie turned to Adrien and whispered, "Sorry about that. Nathaniel's a light magic user... but his farts are dark magic."
Adrien burst out laughing. "Who is that guy?!"
Katie rolled her eyes. "That's Nathaniel... our resident crazy person. Don't worry, you'll get used to him... or develop a strong sense of smell."
Adrien chuckled. "I think I'll choose the latter."
—-
As they strolled down the hallway, a wild-haired figure came crashing into them, broom in hand. "SORRY!" he shouted, as he stumbled backward.
Katie raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Gray? You're trying to fly a broom indoors... again."
Gray looked around nervously. "Shh, don't tell Raya! She thinks I've given up on my 'broom-flying-in-the-hallway' phase."
Adrien chuckled and extended his hand. "Hi, I'm Adrien. It's a pleasure to meet you, Gray."
Gray's face lit up with a charming smile. "Welcome! I'm Gray. I'm a wind magic user... and apparently, a menace to society."
Katie rolled her eyes. "You're going to give yourself a concussion one of these days."
Gray winked. "That's the beauty of it – I'm already concussed. It's a preemptive strike."
Adrien laughed. "Well, I think I'm going to enjoy having you around, Gray."
Gray grinned. "Likewise, Adrien! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take the flying outside... before I crash into anything else... or anyone else... again."
As Gray took off, broom in hand, Katie muttered, "I'm going to have to start selling hazard insurance to the rest of the squad."
Adrien chuckled. "Well, that was certainly an interesting introduction."
Katie shook her head. "Just wait until you meet the rest of the squad. We're a special bunch... and by special, I mean completely insane."
Gray's voice echoed from down the hallway. "WHEEEEEEE! FLYING IS FREEDOM!"
Katie facepalmed. "I'm going to have to get him a straitjacket."