Chapter Sixteen: The Golden One

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Jupiter: Golden-Riven

A boy with rather long hair that flowed down his neck, kept his bright blue eyes on the timer while trying to spectate a figure. His thin and expressionless lips left no indication of his emotions.

The figure moved wonderfully. It was in the shape of a girl. Encased a black combat suit with white sleeves and golden trimmings. It moved with the precision of a laser knife. Cutting through its opponents as if they were butter.

"Time!" The boy announced. It was then the female figure stopped. The figure took off its helm: letting a plethora of golden locks fall to their shoulders. The intricate wavy hair framed a gorgeous face, equipped with a cutting edge jawline and eyes that could collapse planets with a single glare.

There was only one person in the galaxy with such features that could arouse a feeling within the boy. Soma Prime. It was then the figure became a person, bursting with unmatched vitality. She locked her gaze on the boy, his blue eyes radiated with admiration for her.

¨Thats 10 people in 2 minutes." A smile crept on his face as she walked to him. "2 seconds over the record." Soma stopped in her tracks and turned back to mats.

"That's not enough." She clenched her fists. "Again!" She demanded. After a moment of silence, she turned to the boy. "Did I stutter? Again Torren." In reaction, he reset the holograms and put to settings to hardest possible and set the timer to 2 minutes. With that Soma turned and launched in the group of holograms not bothering to put on her helmet.

The first of bunch swung first. Soma blocked with the fat of her left forearm then threw a devastating blow the face of the hologram with her right. The figure disappeared due to taking too much damage. Then Soma swept the feet of another and as it hit the ground she stomped on its chest, resulting in its disappearance. It was then Soma was jumping on the balls of her feet, cracking her neck and shaking her arms loose of any tightness. That's when it ended. The golden-haired girl exploded into the remaining holograms. She jumped to one and obliterated it with a single fist. She jumped to the other and gave a devastating kick to the head, as she landed, Soma recoiled her legs and sprang up with her first, uppercutting a hologram. It disappeared before hitting the ground.

Torren Ovis' blue eyes could only gaze in astonishment as she finished off the rest with 9 seconds to spare. This was insane: not only did Soma beat the record of 2 minutes and 2 seconds, but she also went overboard and demolished her own which is now 1 minute 51 seconds. 10 'people' down in that amount of time was godlike in the eyes if Torren.

A slow clap interrupted the moment.

"Wow, you beat up light! I'm shaking in my boots!" a girl with wild red hair that erupted from her head an spilled down to her lower back, stood in the doorway.

"What do you want Ren." Torren's dead tone filled the air. Any emotion he had earlier had evaporated when the girl had clapped. The girl named Ren moseyed into the room.

"I mean yeah you can beat up light refractions in a minute or whatever but who cares? Big deal!" She said.

"Spit it out already." Soma began losing patience.

"I'm saying you should fight the real deal. Someone like...Oh, I don't know...me!" Torren could feel an electric aura coming from the girl. Soma smirked.

"We have no time for your games Ren-"

"Bring it on!" Soma relished at the chance. The instructors weren't around and they both could feel the power radiating from each other. Ren had already jumped onto the mats.

"I knew you couldn't resist." She said as the two circled each other.

"Ren Chariot!" Soma said as if she was tasting the name of her opponent, hoping it would reveal some kind of weakness in the flavor. "When was the last time we fought?"

"A month ago," Ren said after a moment.

"Oh yes when I beat you senseless!" The golden-haired girl gloated.

"Wrong! I made you whimper." Ren snapped back

"In your dreams, worm!" Soma was ready to explode.

"Don't forget the 2 weeks before I beat the snot out of you. Everyone saw!" Ren almost laughed but wasn't letting down her guard especially around this opponent.

"Ah! But two times before that: I clobbered you!" It was then when Soma shifted her foot and it began.

The rivals met with an unparalleled force. Their fists meeting. Ren wasted no time in delivering a barrage: she started with a gut-wrenching punch, and then a blow to Soma's perfect face. As her opponent backed, Ren didn't stop, she executed a kick to Soma's side and then a barrage of punches. Torren Ovis could barely watch, as he felt the impact of Ren's punches, each hit forcing her opponent to jerk back. Soma caught Ren's fist and looked into the girl's dark eyes with malicious intent.

Soma's fist exploded into the center of her opponent's face. She kept repeating the motion, harder and harder every time not seeming to falter. Torren began to worry about Ren's safety. Ren dropped down swiped at Soma's feet. As the red-haired girl stood she wiped the blood from her face, she smirked.

"Enjoying those broken fingers?" She teased. Soma only responded with anger, in turn making her comeback sound childish and weak.

"Enjoying that broken face!" But her punch was nothing like her comeback. She threw a first in Ren's gut that sent vibrations through the girl's body.

"Okay, I see you're no longer holding back." Ren changed her posture.

"I'm gonna b-" Soma began but was interrupted by Ren's fist in her face. The force that was Ren Chariot sent Soma Prime flying onto her back. She sprang up and met fists with Ren. Then the two traded blows. There was no one else in the Gauntlet academy of Jupiter: Golden Riven that was more brutal, more devasting than Ren Chariot or Soma Prime.

"Hey!" a stern booming voice made the two powerhouses of destruction freeze in their place. Both Soma Prime and Ren Chariot straightened up, they no longer had the fury of 1000 suns. Torren Ovis turned to see a small group of combatants staring with a sense of exhilaration in their eyes. Someone must have told. Before Soma and Ren stood a tall well-built man with straight black hair that fell to his shoulders. "What did I say would happen if I caught you two fighting again?" His voice was so crisp it sliced through the air.

"I don't know," Soma replied first. "I guess it wasn't important enough for me to remember." Ren tried to hold back her laugh as she stated the consequence.

"We get expelled." She said.

"And that would be the right thing to do." the man replied. "But I can't afford to. Were there months away from the gauntlet and you two are some of my best."

"It was just a little fun," Soma smirked.

"Ren has a broken hand and you have a concussion! This academy values strength and teamwork. You have to work together not beat each other down! And Who do you think everyone is going to judge when they hear about this? Me!" the man stopped himself from finishing the lecture. He sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "As Jupiter Gauntlet Director, I have responsibility for you...ah forget it! Go to the infirmary then go to your dorms, you are both under heavy watch from now on."

"Yes, Director Bradley." The two girls responded and did as they were told.

[LATER]

Torren Ovis walked down to the infirmary after 3 hours had passed. The clack of his combat boots on the glossy, black floors of the Academy. His blue eyes gazed upon the trophies Jupiter had acquired over the past few years. It seemed that since Director Bradley came into position the Jupiter Gauntlet Academy, Golden-Riven had won consecutively for the past 5 years. He wondered who would carry the team to the championship this year. As he evaluated candidates in his head, he realized he had reached the infirmary.

Torren found his way to Soma through the maze of clean white hallways, past the doctor's office, and to the med bay.

"What do you want?" said the golden-haired girl after noticing his presence.

"Just making sure your okay." His soft voice sent a calming sensation through Soma.

"Well, I'm Perfect. You can go now." She crossed her arms. Soma was sitting on a hospital bed with a device strapped around her head. She had her own room with a window that displayed the city of Almush, a city that ran entirely on gas. The golden hues of the setting sun lit up Soma's hair. She looked beautiful in the eyes of Torren.

"So, how is the concussion." Torren was able to keep his emotionless expression. After begrudgingly understanding the fact that he would not leave, Soma responded.

"It's okay, I guess."

"Where's Ren?" The boy took a seat in the lounge chair next to the bed.

"How the heck would I know? We're probably being kept separated so she could be on the other side of Jupiter." Soma rolled her eyes. Torren let a bit of a smirk slip. "What?"

"Your attempt at exaggeration is funny." The entire time they had been talking soma refused to make eye contact, instead, she looked upon the grey walls or the pearl white floor. But Torren's comment granted him a glance.

"You think so?"

"Yes."

After a moment of silence, a doctor walked in. The two reassured him that he was not interrupting anything. The doctor then took the device off Soma's head and checked responsiveness and brain activity.

"Even though it was a minor concussion, you have had a few throughout your lifetime, this means you could experience headaches, an-"

"I'll be fine, doctor," Soma said as she stood from her bed, and walk toward the door with Torren.

"If any problems arise, stop what you're doing and report straight to me!" The doctor tried to notify her as she left through the door.

"You're going to your room right?" Torren questioned as the two made it out of the Med Bay.

"No."

"Why?" Torren could sense the golden-haired girl had a plan.

"I'm building my team," She said.

"For what?" Now the boy was confused.

"The Gauntlet, what else?" Her pace was quickening with the exhilarating feeling of her plan coming to completion. Soma stormed the halls of Golden Riven until she found two distinct characters that stood out from the rest. The identical twins Mator and Matoi Ui. They stood in a populated lounge. With 4 black tables with gold metal accents, and 4 chairs with the same decor that surrounded each table. Some stared and gossiped as Soma walked toward the twins.

"I have a proposition." She said to the two.

"You have my interest," Matoi said with a smile a strangely accurate amount of eye contact.

"She's probably here to start a fight. Not interested." Mator did not even look at Soma. The twins were the exact same hight and sported the exact same look, the two females had a skinny body type with some well-built muscle. Both of their platinum blond locks were cut to the shoulders. It did not help that they had to wear the same Academy-issued black glasses. It was almost impossible to tell them apart unless they were spoken to.

"I'm not here to fight." Soma clarified.

"That's a surprise." Mator rolled her eyes and leaned back against one of the tables while resting her arm on a chair.

"I'd like to hear your idea." Matoi's smile widened with enthusiasm.

"It simple, I'm forming a team of five. I want you two on it." Soma said directly.

"It's bold of you to assume 5 specific people will make the final team," Mator noted.

"I thought you weren't interested so shut it." Soma snapped.

"Actually..." Matoi included herself. "We're a package. You don't get one without the other."

"What if one of you makes it on the final team and the other doesn't?" Torren questioned.

"Whichever one of us makes it will forfeit," Mator explained.

"Sounds stupid to me." Soma crossed her arms. In reaction to the comment, Mator stood upright. Her face glinting with a tang of annoyance.

"Listen here." She said in a menacing tone. "I don't care about you and your stupid team, but if you're going to have the audacity to walk up to me and my sister and then call our ideals stupid." she came face to face with Soma. "Then you got another thing coming, golden brat."

"Hold on Mator." The girl's twin intervened. She stepped in-between the two. "Of all the combatants in this Academy why chose us?"

"That's also simple." The girl withdrew from her rage. "Your fighting style is unbeatable, I mean, separate: you guys are cakewalks but together: you both have an impenetrable defense with a blitz style offense that can't be stopped."

"Hmm...sure, why not." Matoi shrugged. Mator glared at her sister.

"Why?" the twin questioned. "She's an arrogant, little brat with no respect for anyone!"

"Because I don't see a downside and if we want to leave we don't even have to tell her, we can just stop talking to her." Matoi tried to make an argument but it didn't stick.

"Whatever." Mator walked away from the conversation.

"Don't worry, we're on board. I just need some time to convince my sister." Matoi clarified.

"Do whatever, just make the team," Soma said as she walked away with Torren by her side.

After about 5 minutes of walking throughout the building, the black floor with a white ceiling and grey walls started to blend. Soma began to feel a bit of thumping in her head.

"Soma." Torren's voice snapped the girl back into focus. He put his hand on her shoulder. She could feel his bright blue eyes examining her. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm perfect." She brushed off the boy's hand.

[LATER]

Ren siped her glass of water. She sat in the mess hall which was serving dinner, she had already finished hers. It was particularly hard due to her right-hand being in a clunky black healing cast. It illuminated a bright "15h" on it. Indicating the amount of time left before she had to take it off.

"Can't believe I punched her that hard."  The red-haired girl could not contain her excitement. She reveled in the idea of beating down Soma Prime. Nothing really interested her beside fighting powerful opponents. It gave her a rush of exhilaration that made vibrate with euphoria. "I wonder just how much of a challenge the gauntlet will be!"

"Ren." Soma's voice brought the red-haired girl back into reality.

"Oh! look who's back for more." Ren smirked.

"I'm not here to fight." Soma sat across from her rival. The setting sun beamed through the windows of the Jupiter Academy mess hall, hitting Soma perfectly. She seemed to glow in the light. But no one saw what Ren could.

"Then what are you planning." Ren took another sip of her water. "I know you don't make friends."

"I'm making a team of 5 and I want you on it."

"That makes no sense." Ren could not see the point. "There's gonna be a team of 10 headings to the gauntlet. So what's the point of forming some alliance?"

"Guaranteed victory," Soma said. "If we start team building with 5 five people, each of us with different strengths that compliment others team members weaknesses, we can not lose."

"I see." Ren pondered. "It would be beneficial to be on a team that knows your ins and outs and is able to make for your weakness. Sounds fun, I'm in!" She said without hesitation. The sun was now very low, giving piercing red rays, that illuminated Ren.

"Good." Soma stood and left the mess hall.

As Soma walked through the corridors with her room as her destination she was stopped by a voice.

"Prime. My office, now." Director Bradley demanded. He stood behind her. She had passed him and not noticed.

They proceeded to his office, which was massive. It was a perfect square. The wall with the door faced a wall made entirely of glass. In front of the glass wall was a rather large black desk. The office also held trophies on the left and right walls, each trophy with a hologram of a Golden-Riven champion performing their winning blow above it.

It was hard to stare at the visuals for Soma. She began to feel a straining sensation in her eyes. The girl shrugged it off.

The man sat in his grey chair. He was tall, always arching over and having to look down at others. He had straight midnight hair that fell down to his neck and a short beard that gave him a rather gruff look. He had a scare on his left cheek from his time in the gauntlet. This was the Director of Golden-Riven, King Bradley. Soma sat across from him.

"You are a powerful young woman. You have surpassed your instructor's lessons. You've clearly worked yourself tirelessly to get here, and I doubt you would ever allow yourself to lose easily-"

"I wouldn't allow myself to lose, period." She interrupted.

"See! Right there! you're brash and arrogant and just plain rude. You have trouble following directions." He took a breath. There was a worry in his kind eyes. "But I can't lose you. Not now. You're too valuable, and you know it. But all this acting out isn't convincing me you're worth the risk." After a pause, the director folded his hands and asked, "Tell me why I shouldn't expel you."

"You said it yourself: I'm too valuable," Soma said.

"Give me another reason." He wasn't fazed in the slightest. It seemed he really was on the verge of expelling her.

"I have a plan." Soma leaned forward in her seat. "We both know I am the best here. I've picked out a few others with potential that can get a victory with me at the top."

"You don't know who we will choose to go to the Gauntlet."

"Don't play dumb, you know most of this year's combatants lack real potential," Soma said. "I've seen it in the instructors' eyes: yes, they are strong but not game-changing."

"I see, so your not just some entitled brat." Bradly Leaned forward with interest. "Then let's hear this plan."

"Me, Torren Ovis, Ren Chariot, Mator and Matoi Ui. This is the team I've created. We will plan, practice and execute strategies that suit us, with interchangeable roles. And since we have about 6 months, it will be like instinct. If a plan goes wrong we adapt, we change without hesitation yet staying on the same page, like a hivemind."

"Why these people?" The Director questioned.

"No one else is better suited," Soma responded

"It's not bad." Bradley stroked the hairs of his closely shaved beard. "We could turn this into a marketable thing. An elite team within the 10 that goes to the Gauntlet."

"Really?" Soma liked where this was going.

"You need a name." Soma see could the man was beginning to have fun with himself. "I've got it!" He said after a moment of thinking.

"Really? What is it?" The golden-haired girl was curious.

"I'm going to reveal it at a press conference." He smirked. "How soon can you get them on board?"

"They already are...more or less," Soma responded.

"That's great!" Director Bradly was now convinced. "This is what I like to see!" The man stood and walked to the window, which yielded a grand view of the gas city of Almush. "You potential is boundless Soma Prime. But, your weakness is your arrogance. Your staying." The director said but was quick to add, "But if you let your arrogance consume you, I doubt you'll succeed." He turned to face her, revealing a look of sincerity in his kind eyes I believe you, please don't turn my belief into disappointment."

"I won't," Soma said blandly. The golden girl stood and left the room.

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