Geez, you guys... I made a mistake uploading the next chapter before this and no one could comment that I made the mistake? C'mon... do better guys.
Inside the sleek, metallic confines of the training room, Selena stood perfectly calm, effortlessly sidestepping every strike Mia and Katya launched toward her. Her eyes watched them with an analytical coolness, arms folded casually across her chest as her feet barely touched the ground. Each dodge was a blur, precision embodied in graceful movement. Mia twisted through the air, her fists missing by centimeters. Katya lunged swiftly, only to find empty air.
"Enough!" Katya finally gasped, chest heaving, beads of sweat rolling down her brow. Mia stood beside her, shoulders rising and falling heavily.
"You've gotten terrifyingly fast," Mia admitted breathlessly. "Almost frightening. Just after getting your ass beat?"
Selena's expression tightened subtly. Inside her mind, the reality was even more unsettling. To her, her movements hadn't improved that dramatically—no, it was Mia and Katya who had slowed down. She wasn't even at the average strength of a full-blooded Viltrumite yet, and still, her friends felt noticeably weaker. The revelation troubled her deeply, twisting her stoic expression into something harder, colder. Mia and Katya, misreading her mood, laughed awkwardly.
"Relax, Selena. It was just a spar," Mia chuckled nervously, flicking her red hair over shoulder, exchanging glances with Katya, who offered a strained smile.
Selena didn't respond immediately, instead floating silently with arms crossed, still processing this worrying realization. Her intimidating reputation had slipping these days, and the other half-bloods had taken notice. First she lost a simulation battle to Flora's group made the hold she had on her peers falter a bit but in the next round she defeated Flora's army with the remainder of hers, gaining some of hold back. News of her defeat by Anissa had spread like wildfire. Once feared, Selena was slowly becoming just another student.
Interrupting her thoughts, a familiar presence entered the training room without prior notification—Flora. Selena's eyes narrowed sharply. Such disrespect was unacceptable, reputation or not. If a training was being used the least you could do was send a warning notification. Without hesitation, Selena glided forward, meeting Flora halfway.
Flora hovered nervously, shifting slightly. "I—I wanted to train with you guys," she stammered, voice small yet determined.
"Geez, speak up girl. You are just giving everyone reason to call us halfbloods." Katya sighed, shaking her head. Flora was smart, yes. But if you met her outside you would never know she had Viltrumite blood in her given her shyness.
Selena's expression softened momentarily, a gentle, inviting smile spreading across her lips. "That's good, Flora. Strength is something we all should pursue. Come."
Flora visibly relaxed, nodding gratefully—but her relief was short-lived. Pain exploded in her side suddenly, a violent blow so swift and unexpected it launched her tumbling helplessly into the training room.
Mia and Katya smirked coldly, watching Flora gasp desperately, blood staining her lips, her vision blurred. Together they grabbed her, pulling her roughly upward but keeping her deliberately kneeling, forcing her before Selena.
Selena moved closer slowly, leaning forward till her lips grazed Flora's ear. "Did you think challenging me in class would go unnoticed? Hmm? Did you forget your place already?" she whispered harshly. "Did you forget what they did to our home planet, our families?"
Flora trembled, barely conscious. Selena's voice grew sharper, almost venomous. "Instead of training to fight back, you choose loyalty to them. Now—when they've foolishly culled their own numbers—this is our best chance. Yet you refuse it?"
"Yes we are weak. But we are almost half their numbers." Selena's tone was even lower now that Katya and Mia couldn't hear and Flora could barely make out what she said with her dazed state.
Selena abruptly pulled back, disgusted. "Forget it. You're not even worth it." She turned away coldly, floating out of the training room, leaving Flora to Mia and Katya's mercy.
Mia laughed mockingly, red hair falling gracefully over one shoulder. "Well, look at that. You upset the queen, Flora. Bad move."
Katya stepped forward, golden reptilian eyes slit dangerously, a gene of hers yet to be dominated by her Viltrumite side. "Perhaps you require some… re-education."
Gripping Flora firmly, Katya stood her upright. Flora's head rolled slightly, consciousness fading fast, making her want to curl up in a ball. Without hesitation, Mia launched into a ruthless assault, fists landing like gunfire against Flora's abdomen. Each punch echoed loudly in the training room, blood and tears splattering across the polished floor as the only words she could utter was 'ack' or 'oof'.
"Is that... all?" Flora choked out defiantly, her voice weak but daring. A bloodied grin revealed cracked, broken teeth.
"You're weak!" Mia spat venomously, leaning close—but Flora's defiant eyes sparked with sudden mischief. Her tongue launched two loosened teeth straight into Mia's face at breakneck speed, striking directly into her left eye.
Mia shrieked, pulling back instantly, clutching her face. "You little bitch! Fuck!"
As Katya recoiled in shock, loosening her grip, Flora reacted with startling speed, breaking free of her locked grip. She seized Mia's flowing red hair, wrapping it swiftly around her fist in a tight, unforgiving grip. She finally had a weapon to use against Katya.
Another Viltrumite.
She knew she wouldn't get lucky twice like she did with Mia and took the opportunities handed to her and with a fierce rotation, Flora hurled Mia violently toward Katya—weaponizing one enemy against another. She lacked the power needed in this altercation given that she had received a critical blow early on and the bones and body of another Viltrumite would serve well in this scene.
'Damn, my ribs.' Flora gritted her teeth through the pain as she aimed low on Katya's body.
The impact was brutal. Mia collided heavily into Katya, both girls crashing against the far wall, tumbling helplessly to the ground. Silence fell, broken only by Flora's ragged breathing as she stood, barely upright, bloodied but victorious.
She spat defiantly, eyes burning fiercely despite her battered form. "Weak? Maybe. But I'm still stronger than you."
Mia and Katya groaned, struggling weakly to their feet. Flora smiled bitterly, pain radiating through every muscle.
"The both of you apparently." Flora said spitting out blood from her mouth.
'Please don't get up… please don't get up.' Flora begged in thought, hoping her bluff was enough to see her through this. Her bucking horns with Selena like this wasn't something she had anticipated. She clearly knew that Selena was stronger than her and the halfbloods. She did everything she could to avoid being in this position. Perhaps what Selena said about them was right. Perhaps their true fight was only just beginning.