Guardians

Chapter 8: The Joke

It is Battle Class, Cynthia is looking at her notes.

“I must admit, you all are showing favor. Who knows, I might allow you to go into intern missions with other Guardians.” The teacher spoke.

“Pfft,” Crystal crosses her legs as leans back, putting her hands behind her head. “Might as well now for me.”

With annoyance, a student spoke out, “Oh please, like you could beat someone.”

“I Can whoop your butt and your little underlings 10x over.” Crystal smugs, making his group even more mad. Him and his friends stood up, ready to fight while Crystal was unfazed.

“WHAT YOU SAY YOU BI-” He gets interrupted.

“Enough!” They turned to Cynthia as she continued speaking. “If you want to fight, save it for the simulation!”

“In that case,” He turns to face Crystal and points to her, “We challenged you into a duel!”

“This is nonsense, I decline-” Crystal interrupted their teacher,

“I'm cool with this.” She said confidently.

“But this is an unfair match!” The rabbit told her.

“So, my brother does these all the time, so what's the difference?” The wolf smugs as she stated this.

“Is this for real…?” Mina thought. “There's no way she’ll let this happen…”

All Cynthia did was sigh, “Alright, get in your trainee outfits. Be ready and at the dome in 10 minutes.” As Crystal and the 4 guys go into the lockers, everyone is walking to the dome. Mina is with Violet.

“I know she is Dusk's sister, but why fight a team?” Mina wonders.

“Well, from what I gather from my research, it could go well for the group or be embarrassingly wrong.” Violet told her. It was time for the battle to be ready, the simulation activates as the 5 were sent into the simulation, which is a factory. The names, Mason Dirk, Bruno Mazito, Gastov Hills, Victor Beck, and Crystal Aurin appear on the screen.

“Ready,” The team ready their weapons. “Set,” Crystal just in a relaxing posture while smirking. “GO!” They charged in and Victor try to attack Crystal, but then she… disappear?

“What the..?” Gastov was confused as his team.

“You think I’ll just stand there?” They turned to see Crystal sitting on the rails of a control station, crossing her legs as giving a smug look. Mason growls and try to attack her with his spear, but Crystal vanish again.

Outside of the simulation, all besides Cynthia and Violet were confused.

“Is her aura is speed?” Mina asked herself, but Violet answers.

“Shadow.” All the students look at her. “My research told me that her aura is Shadow, which lets her harness the Darkness around her and use it to hide.”

“Come on, my kamas can go faster than that!” They see Crystal simply dodging, making the 4 a bit more mad.

“Just stand still!” Victor was able to hot Crystal, she spilt into two copies and laughs. Then, there's 4 of them.

All Crystal says, “This is fun! Catch me if you can!” The 4 disappeared into the shadows.

“Should we spilt up?” Gastov ask his team.

“You kidding me? You see our position?” Bruno told his friend.

“Like we got a choice. Bruno’s with me.” Mason told the groups as they spilt up. As they explore, Bruno and Mason heard a lot of noises coming from around them, but can't pinpoint where.

Then a voice spoke, “Hello there.” They slash at Crystal but she block them with her kamas. “Wow, hitting a lady first before talking, didn't your mothers teach you manners?”

Mad, Mason states, “You're the exception mutt!”

“Now that's offendable.” Gastov and Victor try to strike Crystal but she disappeared. The next thing they know, Crystal was holding something, “Hold this for this lovely lady.” She toss them a small bag which Mason instinctly caught. “Thank you good gentlemen.” Mason opens the bag to see bombs, but as it was too late, it exploded on them, K.Oing. Crystal sits on the crates, laughing hard as kicking her legs and jokes as did a finger gun and winks while smiling. “Now that's a explosive ending!” Bruno just appear from the smoke, jumping as try to attack her from above. But Crystal saw it and did a backflip off the crate that was smashed into pieces. Upset, Crystal spoke, “Come on, that was a good movie!” Bruno roars as keeps on attacking but Crystal keeps on dodging until reach the shadows and the wolf laughs echos.

“Are we a joke to you?!” Bruno snaps.

Hanging upside down from a pipe, “I don't know, are you?” Bruno attempt to swing but she's already gone and Crystal crackles. Bruno scans the area, finding Crystal. He then caught something and strike and Crystal block it.

“Finally got you!” Bruno pushes harder, which making Crystal struggle which making him smirk. “Game over!”

“....Okay.” She drops her kamas and his sword went through Crystal, puffing into smoke.

“A clone..?!” Before Bruno could think another thing, Crystal appear from behind.

“Boo.” Bruno was about to turn to strike but then Crystal did a spin flip, kicking him in the face, knocking him out. “A bad ending, but oh well.”

“Crystal wins the fight!” Cynthia said as they enter out of the simulation.

“That was fun! Maybe next time I could do more tricks!” Crystal smugs confidently as she left the 4. Mina and Violet watches her go.

“So she likes triggering people…” Violet thought, processing about the fight.

“She’s amazing..how she handles it without a worry.” Mina said. “I wonder why she isn't being trained by Dusk? She's a better advocate than me…”

Meanwhile, Crystal is in her previous outfit and left which notice her brother leaving the dome. Happily, she skips to him.

“Hey big broooo!” Crystal said happily.

“Hey.” Dusk said back.

“From what I see,” Crystal starts to act like a child. “Did you see my fight?!”

“Maybe.” The brother answered bluntly.

“I did good, right?!” Crystal asked.

“If you didn't have your Clone ability, you would’ve lost.” Dusk said.

Crystal frowns slightly, “Yeah… maybe you can train me to help…?”

“Hands are full right now.” Dusk said as he turns and walks.

“Oh….” Crystal looks up with hope. “Maybe next time..?” Dusk stopped for a bit

“.....Maybe…” He continue walking and left her. Crystal sigh and look down, thinking how she isn't training with he brother but the fox is.

“Someday… I’ll get you to fully acknowledge me.” She vowed.