. ⋅ ˚̣- : . ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕦𝕡 𝕓𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕣𝕜 . ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : - ⭒ ⊹ ⭒
Fifteen-year-old Ravlynne Glass is used to a life of darkness, armed with a bey that controls shadows and a secretive father running an under...
Ravlynne's boots scuffed the ground as she walked down the thin trail in the forest. It was a nice forest, really. Not too wild, but not as tame as the sculpted garden of her father's mansion back in New York.
The leaves and vines ran amok here, twisting and swinging from branch to branch. There were wild animals too; she swore she saw a white-spotted deer in the bushes the other day.
Free had clearly been using that path for a very long time. Faint footprints were pressed into the dirt and the earth was well-worn. A bird whistled somewhere in the tree-tops and Karaginn perked up.
"That was a blackbird. Very arrogant, but nice enough if you get to know them."
Ravlynne looked in the direction of the bird call. There was a flash of a wing between the leaves and a rustling as the bird took off.
"And you aren't arrogant?"
The abandoned bey arena came into view. It was cracked and ivy clung to the stone in parts, but the dish of the arena was mostly intact and smooth. The trees gave way in this part of the forest to reveal the still-dark sky, forming a small clearing. The grass here grew long and lush, and the sound of water trickling could be heard. There was probably a pond or a spring nearby.
It was otherwise silent in the clearing, but not the deathly or unsettling kind. More like a peaceful quietness. It didn't bother Ravlynne. The silence was soothing.
"Oh look. It's the dragon."
Karaginn exclaimed with false excitement, ignoring her blader's question. Free stepped into the clearing. The coffee seemed to have sharpened his senses, because his eyes were less bleary and he didn't look as tired. Fafnir grinned when he saw the raven.
"And good morning to you too, my dear raven. Miss me?"
Free glanced at Ravlynne and shrugged. He took out his bey from his pocket, settling into his launching position. The golden dragon bey yawned and stretched his great wings, walloping the air with them as he prepared for flight.
"You wish."
The raven spirit glared at Fafnir. She felt like scratching something and tearing it out. Preferably his hide. The dragon seemed unaffected, tossing her another lazy smirk before Free launched him. The blonde blader was using his launcher this time, which was rare enough that Ravlynne stayed behind to watch.
The launch was effortless, easy, so smooth it looked like Free could pull it off in his sleep. The blader caught his bey as it rocketed out of the arena. Fitting it into his launcher seamlessly, he yanked on the handle of the string and Fafnir soared into the arena yet again.
Launch, catch, click, launch again. Each action of the blading prodigy flowed into the next. There was a steady rhythm he built up, and even Karaginn was grudgingly impressed.
"Not bad. So he does train, but at odd hours. I bet we could do better, though."
Karaginn had to admit that Free's technique was impeccable. She did not, however, believe that it was better than Ravlynne's or her own.
Ravlynne stuffed her hands into her pockets and chose a direction away from the clearing at random. Maybe she should look for that pond. Besides, she didn't want Free to get the wrong idea from her gawking at him like a crazy fangirl.
Suddenly, something emerged from the foliage. Something large and brown. Ravlynne's hand flew to her launcher. Were there bears here in Spain?! This was still a forest-
"Oh. OH."
Ravlynne stumbled backwards. A deer with a set of antlers strutted proudly into the clearing, tossing his head. A small bird with gleaming black feathers was perched happily on its head.
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Ravlynne eased into a smile. The deer eyed her before trotting up to the girl and cautiously sniffing her hand. He seemed to decide that she was safe and affectionately butted its head against her side.
The bird ("Another blackbird. Tsk. Too bad there aren't ravens here." ) chirped and hopped from foot to foot on its friend. The deer raised his head so the blackbird was at Ravlynne's eye-level. The bird tittered and fluttered onto the girl's shoulder.
The blader stood still, afraid to startle the animals. She lifted a hand to cautiously stroke the deer.
"Why you little-You did not just call me that. I am NOT a crow. Sure, sure, we're related, but ravens are not crows. Almost everything is related? WELL yes which means even you little brat is related to me."
Karaginn seemed to be set on educating the little blackbird on the differences between a raven and a crow (there isn't actually much of a difference, ravens are just mostly bigger), while her owner just petted the deer's head and tried not to crack up at the conversation her bey was having with a bird.
The deer had a white splotches along his fur and his belly was almost completely white. He didn't look like one particular breed of deer, more like a mix of a couple. His antlers, were however, still impressive, velvety and branching out like a crown, and his eyes were a slightly darker shade of brown, large and expressive.
"C'mere, boy."
Free's voice floated over Ravlynne's shoulder. He was soft on his feet for a blader, especially with the atrocious shoes most of them wore. Free's boots were soundless on the grass in the clearing.
The deer extended its head and nuzzled Free. The boy scratched the deer's chin and his eyes softened to a warm chocolate brown. To think of it, they resembled the deer's eyes quite a bit.
"Do you know the deer?"
Ravlynne took a seat on the grass and the deer followed suit, folding its long legs to settle beside the girl. She looked up at Free, who hooked a thumb through the loop of his belt absent-mindedly.
"I guess so. He's been here since Jinbei Kuroda started the club. I haven't seen the bird before, though."
The blackbird flapped onto the deer's back and burst into song, as if he knew they were talking about him. Ravlynne tilted her head to listen. The tune was cheerful and carefree. It was, afterall, a bird who was singing.
The song and Free's words got her thinking. If Free had known the deer and Jinbei Kuroda, Kristina's grandfather, he must have been one of the first members in the club. Jinbei had founded BC Sol almost a decade ago, which meant Free had been here...forever.
"So this was your first club? That must be nice, staying in your childhood club."
Ravlynne thought out aloud. She had always known the name of The Raging Bulls, known that it was one of the best clubs in America and worldwide, but she never really felt any connection to it, to her father's team.
It felt different here, out in the forest of BC Sol. It felt...warmer. Friendlier. She could see why Free never transferred, despite teams literally tripping over one another to offer him a spot.
"Yeah. You could say that. It's nice here."
There was something tugging on Free's lips. It looked like a smile. Behind him, the sky was brightening. Birds were chirping in the treetops. The forest was slowly coming to life.
