Smile Like Nothing Happened

Later that evening.

A stone corridor. Cold.

Cid stared at the black emblem in his hand.

Number: 7

He traced the carved digits with his thumb.

Behind him, footsteps.

Elias appeared. His own emblem in hand.

Number: 8

He smiled like always. 

"Looks like we are close."

Cid grunted.

Elias chuckled. "You don't talk much, huh?"

Silence.

They kept walking side by side toward the dorms.

A poster was nailed to the wall up ahead.

Trial Two - Combat Elimination

'Applicants will battle according to emblem numbers."

'If the principal, vice principal and one or more teachers raises their hands after your name is called you pass.'

Elias read it aloud, then turned to Cid.

"Guess we'll see each other in the arena."

He gave a small wave and walked off.

Cid watched him go.

"That power, he crushed those mannequins like it was made of dust."

Cid clenched his emblem.

If they did fight, it wouldn't be easy.

Next morning.

The arena again. But this time it was full of tiles.

This time, one on one matches.

Stands filled with upperclassmen, teachers, and some of the Table's informants.

The announcer:

"Defeat your opponent. But listen closely…"

"A win by manipulation or strategy is better than a win by brute force."

Yami leaned on a balcony above, watching silently.

The announcer's voice rang out.

"Match 1... Number 1 versus 2!"

Cheers.

Fighters entered, power flared and metal clashed.

Finally...

"Match Four. Number 7 versus Number 8.

Cid stepped out the dust.

Across him was Elias.

He waved but Cid didn't flinch.

The crowd hushed.

A bell rang.

FIGHT.

Cid immediately entered a cautious stance.

Neither one of them moved.

Cid stared at Elias.

Elias gave a calm smile, hands relaxed at his sides with no weapon.

"He crushed a mannequin with a gesture."

"If he can do that to me, i'm dead."

"I have to cut his hands off."

Cid suddenly dashed forward, fast, low.

Elias didn't flinch. He dodged and blocked every strike.

Cid pulled out a dagger and tossed it, not at Elias, but into the open air.

Elias blinked, confused.

Cid took a step back, smiling grimly.

"You think it's over?" Cid thought.

Then Elias closed in, kicking hard.

Cid slammed into the wall, coughing.

"You're strong," Elias said coldly. "But not enough."

Cid laughed, breath ragged.

"You forgot one thing."

The thrown dagger curved mid-air about to stab him on the head.

Elias tensed, ready to block.

But Cid's power bent the blade's path, it sliced toward Elias's hands.

The crowd gasped.

Elias squeezed his fists tight.

With a crunch, the dagger shattered.

Cid's smile faltered for a second.

"He crushed the dagger," Cid thought.

"He can't crush a human but only non-living things."

Cid stood and took some steps back.

The stone tiles underfoot were part of the arena system made to absorb damage. Thick, reinforced.

Cid pushed forward, to close in the distanced.

Crack!

The tile in front of him crushed and exploded blocking his path.

Cid dodged and was already close.

He feinted left, kicked a small stone loose from the floor.

Another tile exploded upwards in response, shielding Elias.

Cid eye's narrowed

"He is using the environment like armor."

"Good."

Cid took a stone and flung it at Elias's feet, not at him.

"He might change the direction, if i try dodging it."

"So.."

BOOM!

Dust clouded.

Cid blurred through it

"Invert!"

His eyes sharpened, sensing the invisible pull of his Invert power.

The dust reversed mid-air, blowing into Elias's face.

Elias winched.

Too late.

Cid was behind him now.

He tapped Elias's shoulder with a sharp piece of the shattered dagger.

The crowd blinked.

No blood spilled, yet the match was over.

The judges exchanged looks.

Then one hand went up.

Then two.

Then four.

The announcer's voice cut the tension:

"Number 7… passes by clean strategy."

Cheers burst from the stands.

Yami watched from the balcony. A small nod.

"And Number 8?" the judge asked.

Three hands went up.

"Pass."

After the match.

Elias stood beside Cid as they exited the arena.

Still smiling, but rubbing dust from his eyes.

"You used my own instincts against me," he said.

Cid didn't smile. Just replied:

"You're too strong to beat head-on."

Elias chuckled.

"I won't lose next time."

He turned and walked ahead.

Cid stared at his back.

"He isn't angry he lost."

"Guess he is not so bad after all."

Later that night,

The dorms were quiet.

Most students were boasting about their wins.

Cid sat on the upper bunk in his room. The room smelled of iron and sweat.

Outside, a faint voice echoed.

"...you embarrassed me."

Cid leaned closer to the window.

The voice again, now deeper. Controlled rage.

"...do you even know what's expected of you?"

Cid's eyes narrowed.

He moved silently toward the dorm balcony.

Below, in the stone courtyard behind the training wing, two figures stood in the dark.

One was Elias.

The other was a tall man in a stripped noble's uniform.

Face hidden in shadow.

The man slapped Elias. Hard.

Flashbacks hit Cid.

"You are always playing games and not going to school because you are bullied."

"Weakness isn't allowed. Not as my son."

Elias didn't flinch. But he didn't resist either.

Just stood still.

"I pulled every string to get you here. And you lose to a backwater brat."

Another slap.

"Do you think this is a game?"

Elias didn't speak, just lowered his head slightly.

"...it won't happen again," he said quietly.

The man's voice turned cold.

"It better not."

He walked away.

Elias remained still, alone under moonlight.

Then slowly... he smiled again.

Like nothing happened.

But from above, Cid saw his hand, trembling.

Back inside.

Cid sat back on the bed.

"Elias..."

"That smile… was a mask. Just like mine used to be."