The rise of the unorthodox

The event had ended, and the once-bustling grounds were now filled with the quiet murmur of people heading home. The air was heavy with the lingering scent of mist and the faint hum of excitement still buzzing among the crowd.

Devin walked beside me, his hands shoved into his pockets. His mood, as usual, teetered between indifference and annoyance. He didn't say much as we made our way through the dimly lit park toward the dorms.

"Not gonna lie," he said, breaking the silence, "you were actually pretty good up there."

I stopped in my tracks, staring at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Did you just give me a compliment?"

He smirked. "Don't get used to it. I'm only saying it because Wyatt carried the performance."

And there it was. "You're insufferable, you know that?" I muttered, continuing ahead.

"Yeah, yeah. So what did he want with your number, anyway?" he asked, his tone sharper now.

I rolled my eyes. "Relax, Mr. Paranoia. He wants me to join him for training. Apparently, he thinks we'd make a good team for the competition."

Devin stopped walking. "Team? What kind of team?"

I turned to face him, crossing my arms. "A competitive one, obviously. You know, the military contest that we're gonna all be prepping for when we win the upcoming one? The ones where you're supposed to not embarrass yourself?"

Devin's eyes narrowed. "I don't trust him."

"You don't trust anyone," I shot back. "Besides, you're not the boss of me. I can make my own choices."

For a second, Devin didn't say anything. Then he let out a frustrated sigh and started walking again. "Just don't let him drag you into something you can't handle."

I didn't bother replying. Devin could sulk all he wanted; I wasn't about to let him dictate my decisions.

By the time we reached the dorms, the hallways were quieter than usual. Most students were probably still at the afterparty. Devin veered off toward his room without a word, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I headed to my room and flopped onto my bed. The night had been long, and I could feel the exhaustion setting in. But as I stared at the ceiling, Wyatt's words echoed in my mind.

"Your ability would be a perfect match for mine."

What did he mean by that? And why had he been so eager to partner up with me? There were plenty of others with flashy powers that would complement his. Why me?

Before I could think too much about it, my phone buzzed. I grabbed it from the bedside table and glanced at the screen. It was a text from Wyatt.

Wyatt: "Hey, great job tonight! Want to meet up tomorrow? I heard that you'll be participating in the first-year contest. Thought I could help you with some moves."

I stared at the message, unsure of how to respond. A part of me wanted to say yes. Wyatt had been friendly enough, and I couldn't deny that we worked well together. But another part of me hesitated. Devin's words echoed in my mind.

"Don't let him drag you into something you can't handle."

After a moment's thought, I typed out a reply.

Me: "Sure. What time?"

The next day, I met Wyatt at the training grounds. The area was mostly empty, save for a few students practicing their abilities. Wyatt was waiting near the center, his usual confident smile plastered across his face.

"Beatrix," he greeted. "Glad you could make it."

"Let's skip the pleasantries. What's this idea of yours?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Wyatt chuckled. "Straight to the point. I like it. Follow me."

He led me to a small clearing surrounded by tall, metal targets. He gestured toward them. "I want to see how precise you can be with your hair."

"Precision isn't exactly my strong suit," I admitted.

"Let's change that," Wyatt said. "Here's the plan: I'll create obstacles with my ability…abyss clones, and you'll use your hair to hit the targets without getting caught. Think of it as… dancing through darkness."

I raised an eyebrow. "Dancing? You do realize I'm not a ballerina, right?"

"Not yet," he replied with a wink. "But trust me, by the time we're done, you'll be unstoppable."

The first few attempts were disastrous. Wyatt's abyss clones were relentless, shifting and twisting unpredictably. My hair kept getting tangled or missing the targets entirely.

"Focus, Beatrix!" Wyatt called out. "Don't fight the clones; move with them."

Easier said than done. But after several tries, something clicked. I started to anticipate the movements of his abyss clones, weaving my hair around them with growing precision. When I finally hit all the targets in one fluid motion, Wyatt clapped.

"See? I knew you had it in you," he said, grinning.

I couldn't help but smile. "Alright, I'll admit, that was kind of fun."

"Kind of?" Wyatt teased. "You're a natural."

Before I could respond, a slow clap echoed from the edge of the clearing. I turned to see Devin leaning against a tree, his expression unreadable.

I had totally forgotten our training appointment today.

"Impressive," he said, pushing off the tree and walking toward us. "But don't forget, flashy moves aren't enough to defeat an enemy. You'll need strategy too."

"Good thing I've got that covered," Wyatt replied, his tone cool. "But thanks for the concern."

Devin ignored him and looked at me. "Ready to head back? You've had enough training for one day."

I hesitated, glancing between the two of them. Wyatt's smile didn't waver, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—amusement, maybe. Or was it a challenge?

"I'll catch up with you later," I said to Devin. "I'm not done here."

Devin's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. He gave Wyatt one last look before turning and walking away.

Wyatt watched him go, then turned back to me. "You've got an interesting friend there."

"He's not so bad once you get to know him," I said, though I wasn't sure why I was defending Devin.

Wyatt smirked. "I'll take your word for it. Now, shall we continue?"

What was this? A Romance novel? I just wanted to train.

I nodded, determined to prove that I could keep up with whatever Wyatt threw my way. Little did I know, this was just the beginning.