The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a golden glow over the streets. It was one of those rare days when The Revolutionary Stars weren't wrapped up in fights, gang politics, or intense training. Today, they were just a group of people enjoying life, sitting in a bustling cafeteria near the academy.
At the center of the group sat Mri, who was finally starting to feel a sense of belonging among these people. To his left, Ayang, the leader, stirred his cold coffee absentmindedly, while Rihan, the vice leader, leaned back in his chair, laughing at something ridiculous. Around them, the division captains and vice captains filled the space with loud chatter and banter.
Scene 1 – The Cafeteria Chaos
Tanuja (1st Div. Captain) leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "So, tell me why we're actually letting Mri sit with us now? Last week, this guy barely spoke to anyone."
Roman (1st Div. Vice Captain) smirked. "Yeah, man, I thought you were allergic to people."
Mri rolled his eyes. "I still might be."
Everyone laughed, and Sunil (2nd Div. Captain) nudged him. "Come on, you gotta admit—we're a fun bunch."
Deba (2nd Div. Vice Captain) took a sip of his juice before turning to Mri. "Okay, real talk. I heard a rumor… Were you really undefeated in Dibrugarh?"
The table went silent. Everyone turned to Mri with expectant eyes.
Mri smirked but said nothing.
Pankaj (6th Div. Vice Captain) raised an eyebrow. "Ohhh, come on. At least tell us a bit about your life when you were The General of The Three Souls."
Mri leaned back, crossing his arms. "There's not much to tell."
James (5th Div. Vice Captain) groaned. "Liar. You totally had a legendary life back there."
Omanso (3rd Div. Captain) sighed. "Dude's acting all mysterious like he's some anime protagonist."
Supong (3rd Div. Vice Captain) nodded. "Yeah, any moment now, we'll get the tragic backstory and power-up."
Everyone laughed, except Mri, who just shook his head, hiding a small smile.
Scene 2 – The Chaos Takes a Turn
Udit (4th Div. Captain) grinned. "Alright, forget Mri's past for now. Let's talk about something fun. Who do you think is the worst at fighting among us?"
Before anyone could answer, Khunjon (5th Div. Captain) pointed at Pankaj. "Definitely this guy."
Pankaj gasped dramatically. "Excuse me? Have you seen my moves?"
Alex (6th Div. Captain) chuckled. "Yeah, we've seen them. That's the problem."
The whole table erupted in laughter.
Girish (4th Div. Vice Captain) spoke up. "I still remember when Pankaj tried to fight Dipangkar. Man, you should've seen his face when Dipangkar unleashed his aura."
Pankaj groaned. "Why do you people never forget anything?"
James smirked. "Because we love seeing you suffer."
The teasing continued, and soon, even Mri found himself laughing. He wasn't used to this—just hanging out, talking nonsense, and feeling like he belonged.
Scene 3 – A Dangerous Topic
As the laughter settled, Tanuja suddenly grinned mischievously. "Alright, enough about fights. Let's talk about something even more interesting…"*
Mri raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
Tanuja smirked. "Your love life."
Mri choked on his drink. "What?"
Roman leaned in, interested. "Yeah, we've all been wondering—Mri, you got anyone special?"
Mri's eyes darted around. "No."
Deba wasn't convinced. "No way. A guy like you? There's gotta be someone."
Pankaj suddenly stood up, pointing dramatically at Mri. "I KNOW THE ANSWER! IT'S JASMINE!"
Silence.
Mri's face immediately turned red as everyone burst into laughter.
"Ohooo, our mysterious and undefeated Mri has a soft spot for Jasmine!" Sunil teased, nudging him.
Even Ayang smirked. "Didn't know you blushed so easily, man."
Mri groaned, rubbing his face. "You guys are impossible."
Omanso winked. "Come on, admit it. You like her, don't you?"
Mri didn't answer, but his blush deepened.
Rihan smirked. "That's a yes."
Tanuja giggled. "Jasmine is kinda badass, though. You two would make a killer couple."
Mri sighed, shaking his head, but he couldn't hide the small smile on his lips. Maybe… just maybe, they weren't wrong.
Scene 4 – A Quiet Reflection
As the laughter settled down, Ayang glanced at Mri. "You know, Mri… You should smile more often. It suits you."
Mri scoffed but didn't deny it. He looked around at the people around him—the first group of people he could
almost call friends.
Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as alone as he thought.
And for today, that was enough.
A Normal Day
The tension of the arena still lingered in the air, but life at the academy moved forward. Mri sat on the rooftop, staring at the endless sky above. The echoes of the fight with Dipangkar played in his mind, but for now, he allowed himself a rare moment of peace.
A soft breeze ruffled his hair as he leaned back against the railing. Below, the academy grounds were bustling with students training, laughing, and living their normal lives—something Mri felt he was slowly drifting away from.
"Hey, brooding hero, thinking too much again?"
Mri turned his head to see Ayang climbing up onto the rooftop, carrying two bottles of chilled soda.
Mri smirked. "What gave it away?"
Ayang tossed him a bottle before sitting beside him. "You always do that thing—staring at the sky like it's got all the answers."
Mri chuckled. "Maybe it does."
They clinked their bottles together before taking a sip, letting the coolness ease away the heat of the day.
A Normal Day… Almost
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Tanuja,Deba and Roman was watching a small sparring match between two students.r
Tanuja turned to watch as a familiar figure entered the courtyard—Lorin, the academy's top scholar.
Unlike the others, Lorin had no interest in fighting. Instead, he was always seen carrying books and analyzing battle strategies rather than participating in them.
"Ah, the two troublemakers," Lorin greeted with a smirk.
Tanuja rolled her eyes. "What do you want, nerd?"
Lorin adjusted his glasses. "You mean besides enjoying the sunshine? I came to deliver a message."
"A message?"
Lorin nodded. "From the headmaster. He's calling for a gathering. Something about… an important announcement."
Tanuja looked up to the rooftop.
Something about the way Lorin said it made it feel like this wasn't just another routine meeting.
Back on the Rooftop
Mri and Ayang had fallen into comfortable silence when Tanuja's voice rang out from below.
"Oi, rooftop idiot! Get down here!"
Mri sighed. "And here I was enjoying my peace."
Ayang chuckled. "Better move before she climbs up and drag us down."
Mri smirked and stood up, stretching before jumping down effortlessly.
Tanuja crossed her arms. "Headmaster's calling a meeting. Thought you'd want to know."
Mri's gaze darkened slightly. Something was coming.
Ayang joined them, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Guess we better see what this is about."
As they walked toward the assembly hall, the academy's usual lively energy seemed to shift.
A change was in the air.
And Mri could feel it.
The calm before the storm.