– Chapter: Between Lightning and Brotherhood
Dome 3 – Thunder Plains (Post-Spar)
The sky had turned a deep indigo, dotted with stars. Most of the students had returned to their dorms, but the crackling energy of Dome 3 still lingered like a storm that didn't want to end.
Ashwajeet sat on a rock ledge near the edge of the arena, a cooling towel draped around his shoulders. His breath was calm, steady. Anay sat beside him, nursing a bottle of water, his gaze on the electric streaks running faintly across the dome floor.
Anay: "You know... for someone that fast, you're surprisingly chill."
Ashwajeet gave a small chuckle. "People expect lightning to be loud and wild. But real lightning? It's silent—until it strikes."
Anay grinned. "That's so Zoro of you."
Ashwajeet blinked. "Zoro?"
Anay: "You don't watch anime?"
Ashwajeet rubbed the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed. "Master at Outer Sanctum didn't allow much... but I did sneak a few episodes. Zoro was cool."
Anay: "Yeah, you give off that vibe. Strong, quiet, kinda scary—but with a soft heart."
Ashwajeet looked away, eyes narrowing gently at the distant sky. "Strong only because I had to be. Scary? Maybe… when I'm serious. But soft heart?" He smiled faintly. "I hope that part never changes."
Anay glanced at him, surprised by the honesty. "You're like Tanjiro too. You fight hard—but never forget why."
Ashwajeet paused. "I lost someone once. Before the Academy. I told myself... every time I move forward, it should be for something good. Not just power or pride. That's what keeps me grounded."
There was a moment of silence.
Then Anay spoke, voice low but steady. "I lost people too. I hide a lot… maybe too much. But with you? I don't feel the need to."
Ashwajeet turned toward him. "That's what brothers do."
Anay blinked.
Ashwajeet extended a fist.
Ashwajeet: "We sparred, we bled, we held back but still fought like hell. That's enough for me to call you that."
Anay smiled, fist-bumping him. "Then we're brothers now."
They sat in silence again, but it was no longer quiet. Something unspoken had passed between them—respect, kinship, and something deeper than either could put into words.
Then Ashwajeet stood.
Ashwajeet: "You've got insane instincts, Anay. You feel like someone who's lived through more than you let on."
Anay stood too. "You too. Like... a thunderstorm in human form. Controlled chaos."
Ashwajeet smirked. "I'll take that."
Anay: "So... what are you fighting for?"
Ashwajeet's gaze turned upward.
Ashwajeet: "For peace. For the day when no kid has to train in blood just to survive. I'll keep moving fast enough to outrun the past—and strong enough to shield those who can't."
Anay's expression softened. "You sound like a hero."
Ashwajeet shrugged. "I'm just a flash in the storm. But maybe, if I strike right… I can light someone's way."
A gust of wind blew through the dome, ruffling their hair.
Anay: "You know what? I'm glad you're in Class Wing A."
Ashwajeet: "Why's that?"
Anay (grinning): "Because if you were in Wing B, I'd probably have lost that match."
Ashwajeet burst out laughing. "And if you were in B, I'd have had a harder time staying undefeated."
Their laughter echoed across the dome—young, bright, full of life.
Then they started walking back toward the Academy side by side, lightning trailing faintly behind one, frost mist gently around the other.
Brothers not by blood—but by fire, ice, and storm.