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This update takes place After "May the Heart Never Fail Me" & Before "A New Dawning". The Narrative order will be listed at the end of this update.
The Graduation tournament will be in multiple parts, published in order and will be numbered in Roman Numerals for further clarification
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If the fight felt like forever, then the events after must have been eons.
Everything whipped by in a hazy blur around Ethan as medical staff checked on him, reporters asked questions, scouters talked of contracts, and many more people he didn't know.
It wasn't until he reached the medical ward that he was able to finally get a breather from the chaos and appreciate the pardon granted to miss those final statements, so he could rest.
Sitting on the cot, his mind slowly started to clear, till there were only 2 things he could think of that he believed with all of his heart.
Everything leading up to these moments was worth it. Every pain, heartache, trial, and tribulation was all worth making this dream into reality.
The second thing he knew was who he wanted by his side in the next step of his journey.
Ethan made his way through the medical ward, following the sounds of commotion, the staff, and just a lucky guess.
When the door swung open, Alexander did not acknowledge Ethan as his wounds were being mended by feminine prospects who showered him in flattery. They continued to appeal to the fighter's ego, taking note of his physique and strength, and very pointedly agreed that, relying more on skill and less on favoritism, Alexander should have won the victory.
It did sting quite a bit to hear, but Ethan couldn't deny that some of the things he did in the fight were a little less than appropriate for tournament rules and etiquette.
Alexander only acknowledged Ethan when his presence in the room approached closer without sway. In a slow turn, he tilted his chin up and asked over his shoulder, "And what does the winning champion need from a second-rate fighter such as myself?" he asked sarcastically, which made some of the onlookers scoff.
"Join me," Ethan said brightly in spite of the atmosphere.
Alexander snorted out a dismissal at the hollow proposition.
"There's no better person in the infinite worlds that I could think to ask to join me than you, old friend." He persisted forward still, reaching out his hand that was left suspended in Alexander's silence.
At this point, the reptile's wounds were either healed or bandaged. With Ethan overstaying his welcome, the rest of the room silently filtered out, making sure to avoid the specule on the way to the door.
"And what makes you think that?" Alexander asked, slowly turning to look Ethan in the eye.
Hope. That's all that he saw in them.
"We've gone to the same academy together." He started
"And so have all our other classmates." Alexander shut him down.
"We knew each other for years."
"We are not the only people we have known through those years," he stopped him again, wincing from a bandage too tight.
"Alexander-"
"Alexander, nothin runt. I don't need to be sticking around a wide-eyed fledgling like yourself. You have all the offers you ever wanted, your pick of any team you could dream of, so we don't need to see each other now that we've graduated. Besides, that'll make Papa Bear so proud. What would he think if I did stick around?" He chuckled through his scorn.
He went to leave, but Ethan was determined to see his ideal to the end. Winning the duel only proved that he could prevail through their clash of will.
"They'll be proud." Ethan spat out in a hurry, but the surprise did stop the gater.
"Proud, huh?" he repeated back.
"Yes. Everyone would be. It would be a waste if every year each of the best fighters split up to form their own teams, but if we could just work together- Sure, there's more to this class, academy, and world, but think about the message we would share if we joined each other."
Alexander wasn't phased by Ethan's ramblings and chose to make his own exit. He wasn't bothered before, so why would he be now?
Ethan turned slowly, watching him leave.
No. Not like this.
Sure, maybe they weren't always the closest during their studies, but watching him leave was more than he could handle.
"We don't always have to let our history decide what we do. Why should we limit ourselves? Don't you want to break free from the shackles of the past, too?"
Something in Alexander caused the tension in his body to stiffen up unnaturally, assuming a stillness about him that was new for Ethan. His shoulders were rounded forward as though they were relaxed, but they were tense, his breathing calm. He didn't seem lost in thought, but instead was overly present in that moment.
Ethan couldn't understand and was cautious to approach the towering figure. "What do you say? No more being just classmates or colleagues, but as partners." Ethan offered out his hand again, stiffly, and Alexander flinched, barely perceivable but true.
The taller cast a downward side-glance at the proposal offered. A smile cracked his lips, followed by a slow, accumulating laugh before he gripped the smaller hand. "I don't ever recall being colleagues before, but we won't be partners, just teammates," he said, finishing the rest of his laugh. With that, he slid his hands into his pockets, and he shrugged under his breath, "To hell with it".
Leaving the medical ward, Alexander now had a starry-eyed specule in tow.
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Narrative order:
- intro
- May the Heart Never Fail me
- The Graduation Tournament
- A New Dawning
- Mission Start
- Campfire