Back at the academy, Jelo and Atlas were walking through the corridors together, the sterile white walls and bright overhead lights a stark contrast to the desolate wasteland they'd just left. The silence between them was still somewhat strained after their earlier conversation, but it was gradually easing as they put more distance between themselves and the portal.
Then they ran into Ken.
He was leaning casually against one of the walls near an intersection, his green hair catching the light as he looked up and spotted them. A wide, easy smile spread across his face as he pushed off the wall and walked toward them.
"Hey!" Ken called out cheerfully. "How was the tour? See anything cool out there?"
Jelo managed a tired smile. "The tour was nice," he said, though his voice lacked enthusiasm. "But I actually wasn't available for more than half of it."
Ken's smile faltered slightly, his eyebrows rising in curiosity. "Why weren't you available? What happened?"
Jelo hesitated for just a moment before answering. "I just had a problem and had to deal with it," he said simply, keeping his tone casual and hoping Ken wouldn't press for details.
Ken frowned, clearly sensing there was more to the story. He glanced over at Atlas, who was walking beside Jelo with his arms crossed and his expression carefully neutral. The two of them shared a look—Ken confused and curious, Atlas knowing but clearly not willing to share.
After a moment, Ken seemed to realize he wasn't going to get more information. He shrugged and let it drop, his easy-going nature winning out over his curiosity. "Alright, man. Fair enough."
Then something seemed to occur to him, and his expression shifted to concern. "Oh, hey—how's your headache? You looked really rough this morning. Like, seriously about to collapse rough."
Jelo blinked, having almost forgotten about the headache that had been plaguing him all morning. "Oh, that," he said. "It's gone now."
Ken's eyes widened in surprise. "Gone? Completely? But it seemed so serious this morning. You could barely walk straight."
"Yeah, I'm surprised too," Jelo admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe it was just the change of environment that helped. You know, getting out of the academy, breathing different air, seeing something new."
Ken nodded slowly, though he still looked a bit skeptical. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better," he said genuinely. "That's good news at least."
"Thanks," Jelo said.
Atlas had been quiet during this exchange, but now he spoke up, his voice carrying a subtle edge that Jelo didn't quite catch. "Yes, it could be the change of environment," Atlas said slowly. Then he paused, and his tone shifted to something more pointed. "Or it could be Jelo's new friend."
Ken's head whipped around to look at Atlas, his expression shifting to sudden interest.
Atlas turned to Ken, his expression perfectly innocent. "Jelo now has a girlfriend."
"What?" Ken's voice practically exploded with excitement. He immediately spun to face Jelo, his eyes wide and gleaming with barely contained enthusiasm. "Is this true? You got a girlfriend? When did this happen?"
"It's not true," Jelo said quickly, his face already starting to flush. "It's just Mira, and we're just friends. That's it. Nothing more."
Ken's grin didn't fade even slightly. "Just friends, huh? Is that why you two came back from the wasteland looking like you'd been through a tornado together?"
"We weren't—" Jelo started, but Ken was already laughing.
"I'm just messing with you, man," Ken said, clapping Jelo on the shoulder. "But seriously, Mira? That's impressive. She's not exactly the easiest person to get close to."
"We're not close," Jelo insisted, his embarrassment growing. "We just… talked. That's all."
Atlas made a small sound that might have been a scoff, but when Jelo glanced at him, his roommate's expression was unreadable.
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The next class was weapons training, and the three of them—Jelo, Atlas, and Ken—made their way there together through the academy's maze of corridors. The earlier tension had mostly dissipated, replaced by Ken's characteristic good humor and easy conversation.
They were discussing the different weapons they hoped to try out when two boys suddenly stepped directly in front of them, blocking their path.
Jelo recognized them vaguely—they were in his year, though he didn't know their names. Both were taller than him, with the kind of confident posture that came from knowing they were stronger than most of their peers. Their badges clearly displayed rank E.
The one on the left, a stocky boy with short brown hair and a permanent sneer, crossed his arms and looked Jelo up and down with obvious disdain. "Well, well," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Look who thinks he's a hotshot now."
The second boy, lankier with sharp features and cold eyes, smirked. "Yeah, walking around with Mira like you own the place. Think you're special or something?"
Jelo felt his jaw tighten, but he kept his expression neutral. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb," the stocky one snapped, stepping closer. "Everyone saw you two coming back together from the wasteland. Everyone's talking about it."
The lankier boy leaned in, his voice dropping to something more threatening. "Here's some friendly advice, rank F. Stay away from Mira. She's spoken for. Back off before there are consequences."
Jelo didn't feel particularly threatened. Both of them were rank E—stronger than him according to the academy's official rankings, sure, but not by much. And after everything he'd been through today, after fighting that Dabba and surviving, two rank E students trying to intimidate him felt almost laughable.
"It's none of your business," Jelo said flatly, meeting the stocky boy's glare without flinching.
The two boys clearly hadn't expected that response. Their expressions darkened immediately, surprise giving way to anger.
"What did you just say to me?" the stocky one growled, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
"You heard him," Atlas said quietly, stepping up beside Jelo. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made both boys glance at him warily.
The lankier boy's eyes narrowed. "You think you're tough because you've got friends? You're still just a puny rank F. You and your little buddies here should learn your place."
"We'll give you one more chance," the stocky one added, jabbing a finger at Jelo's chest. "Stay away from Mira, or you and your friends will pay for this. Got it?"
Ken had been quiet throughout this exchange, but now he stepped forward slightly, positioning himself beside Jelo and Atlas. His usual friendly smile was gone, replaced by something harder, more serious.
The lankier boy's eyes flicked to Ken's badge, and his expression changed instantly. The letter D glowed there, clearly visible.
The boy straightened up slightly, his aggressive posture faltering. He elbowed his companion, who also looked at Ken's badge and immediately took half a step back.
"Uh," the stocky one said, his tone shifting to something less confident. "I mean… only you and Atlas will pay. Not your friend here."
The lankier boy nodded quickly in agreement. "Yeah. Just you two."