Chapter Text
Chapter 1
My name is Kazuya Matsuo and I am a fire-bender. Simply put, I have the rare ability to manipulate and create fire right from my very own palms. I have been enrolled in the Elements Academy in Tokyo since I was 8 years old, learning how to control and utilize this rare and dangerous gift. Many different types of element benders exist in the modern world, just not many people know it. Earth, wind, water, fire, the list goes on. Fire-benders are the most notorious of the bunch, and also the most hated, mostly due to the common arrogance and ego found among most of us. I mean, we have the most overpowered and amazing talent, and even better, we are being taught how to use it. Fire never surrenders. If it cannot burn through, it burns around. Block its path and it sends sparks through the air, to begin the blaze anew somewhere else. Fire always finds a way. Water and wind benders are no match for us. I mean, you’d be egotistical too.
The training at the academy was ruthless, and I liked it that way. Set way up in the Northern Alps, just within the boundaries of Chubu Sangaku National Park, we had to endure hours of intense physical activity including professional fight training and learning how to defeat any enemy that stood in our way. Training began every day in the wee hours of the morning, continuing to finish in the early hours of the evening. It was all I ever knew. Despite the rough schedule. I really felt at peace up there, learning how to control this gift I have been bestowed with. The feeling of the hot flames spurting from my palms, the looks of amazement from bystanders as the flames grow taller and hotter, wilder and more untamed. And then, just as the fire feels it may leap from my pams and devour my surroundings in one gulp, I snap my fingers and it vanishes as quickly as it appeared. I am the girl who can control fire, and no one messes with me.
I barely remember my life before the academy. My parents were more of the distant type, enveloped too much in their own lives and studies to care much about me. That’s why I liked the academy. They gave me not only the physical training and attention I needed but also the emotional care and attention I needed. They listened to my concerns about controlling my powers and offered me solutions and guidance that my life beforehand would have never been able to offer.
Fast forward to the here and now. At the ripe age of 18 years old I have just successfully graduated from the Elements Academy, packing my bags and leaving my only known home forever. I had acquired an ‘internship’ of sorts, working in central Toyko through recommendations from my Sensei. All was well, that was until one strange day…
I have no idea how I got here. I was just minding my own business, strolling around Tokyo, orientating myself, until I had the sudden urge to use the bathroom. Luckily, there was a public one nearby, but after walking in and… relieving myself, the lights had gone out, right as I was drying my hands.
Weird.
And what do I see as I head out the door? Nothing. No people. Nada, nope, zilch, nothing.
That is the problem I am facing right now.
Tokyo isn’t exactly known for its silence and lack of crowds, you see. As my eyes scan the area, I chew on my lip, deep in thought. What the hell is going on?
Naturally, I did what a good deal of people would do; you bring out your phone, preparing to make a call. But…
The phone didn’t work. It wouldn't turn on.
What the fuck?
I practically smack the screen as I silently beg for it to turn on, but nothing comes. Nothing. Nada, nope, zilch, nothing.
Well, this is fun.
I begin to shake my head as I tuck the phone away into my tunic pocket and try to assess the situation.
“Okay…. My phone won’t turn on, I don’t know where anyone is…. So….” I think hard, trying to understand the matter at hand, but nothing comes to mind.
I think of what they taught me at the academy about how panicking in a situation gets you nowhere.
“I guess it’s my fault for walking around Tokyo in the late evening, huh?” I chuckle, “Weird shit probably goes down at this time in areas like these.”
I’ve always been known for my unbothered and unsettlingly calm demeanour. I mean, as a fire-bender, near to nothing can touch me anyways. But this, this felt wrong.
Suddenly, a blaring red light comes out of nowhere in the distance. Blinking in shock, I stare at it quietly. Billboards and screens in the surrounding area suddenly light up. I rub my tired eyes and start to read the neat, black words.
Welcome, players. The game will commence in a moment.
Huh.
I look back and forth between the screen and the red light. Screen and red light. Screen and red light. Back and forth and back and forth until I finally snap out of it.
Pull yourself together, Kazuya. I turn to give the red light my full attention. That probably has something to do with these ‘games’. But… I don’t have a good feeling about this.
“However,” I say to the open, crisp air. “Lights mean people. People mean… answers.”
And that is how I started running towards the red light.
This has to be a dream.
Before I know it, a huge, lit-up apartment building looms into view. My neck makes a cracking sound as I look all the way up, my long white-blonde hair draping down my back like a blonde coat.
The sign reads, Toei Sendagaya Apartment . I take some time to properly observe the building from my view.
I stare down at my black rubber gloves. A fairly common clothing piece of a fire-bender like yourself, I wear them almost constantly.
I can control my power extremely well, but after an incident that happened many years ago, I decided you can never be too careful.
Clenching my hands into fists I nonchalantly stride into the glowing building without another thought. Anxiety and second-guessing will get me nowhere. Another thing I learnt from the academy. I hear a sharp zipping noise near my ear, but think nothing of it.
I emerge into a plain room and I try not to show the relief on my face as I notice a group of other people residing there. Although, I still cannot help but notice the way their voices subside when they see me. I understand though, I’ve always been a bit of a sight.
My long white-blonde hair is pulled back into my usual high ponytail with wispy curtain bangs arranged in front. It is constantly dishevelled, whether that be because I am always messing up in my battle practices, or because I can't be bothered enough with my appearance to make it look good in the first place. My face smooth is like a blade or a flicker of light: delicate and fierce, a permanent scowl resting there. I’m fairly muscular, and definitely not weedy-looking… I have been described as having an air of hidden strength about me, a graceful strength that showed in my balance, the way I hold myself, the way I walk. I know all this well, of course.
All that paired with my constantly dark expression and sharp tongue has never made me seem very approachable.
I am wearing my usual academy-provided outfit, baggy black combat trousers tucked into calf-high polished brown boots, paired (of course) with my perfectly fitted rubber gloves. However, the real eye-catcher of my look is my impressive thigh-length red hooded tunic with large bright orange flames licking up the back. They almost look like they could pop out of the jacket and burn you with one look. The rouge material is thick, yet breathable, fastened loosely with a brown waistband. The shoulders are clean-cut and sharp, matching my abilities, and attached is a loose hood that can be used to mask a face if desired.
I stride straight to a corner without bothering to observe my surroundings and lean nonchalantly on the cold wall with my arms crossed, picking lint off my clothing.
“Hey- uh you need one of these to enter” I hear a voice call.
I lift my head and see a young gangly boy with messy hair handing something out to me. A phone to be exact.
“Oh, right.” I sing, pretending I knew exactly what he was talking about. Showing you are a newbie is a weakness, it’s practically asking people to take advantage of you.
Only after this interaction do I notice the sign saying “please take one” above a table piled with phones.
I am such an idiot.
Luckily I kept my face passive and unbothered throughout all of this.
Everyone else looks like they’re about to shit themselves. I wonder what these games are all about.
I decide to discreetly observe the other individuals in the room with me. Who knows, they could be of use to me in the game, along with figuring out how to get the hell out of here.
The first people I observed were the boy with messy hair who handed me the phone and his tall blonde friend. The messy-haired boy carried a worried look about him. I could see it in his eyes. Piercing, yet intelligent. His friend had more of that hard-edged aura that I’m used to, his eyes twitching rapidly across the room, filled with distrust. They seem to be engaged in an intense conversation and, to be honest, I could not care less what they were talking about. They seemed nice enough, maybe even naive enough to trust someone like me. They could be useful.
Next to them was an older man with a bowler hat and simple clothes. The way he stood a little too close to the messy-haired boy told me he was trying to listen in to what they were debating about. I hated the way he gave a slight grin when he saw me watching, his eyes dragging over my body. I will stay away from him for sure.
Next to those three were a couple of brutes taking up half the bloody room. They wore tight black singlets paired with camouflage pants and brown boots like mine. They stood in silence, eyebrows furrowed, and arms crossed. The bald one in the front looked like the leader of the group, as I observed the way the other two men watched his every move, like puppies eager to please.
My eyes then travelled to a cluster of young girls hovering in the furthest corner of the room. My hard gaze softened as I saw how underprepared they were, sporting super-high heels and clutching tiny handbags. I had no idea what these games were about, but guessing on what everyone else was wearing, paired with their terrified expressions, it probably required something more than mini skirts.
Next to them was another girl, but I could tell she wasn’t a part of their group. Her short plain hair was tied back into a low ponytail and she wore simple but practical clothes paired with basic running shoes. Her face was pulled down into a worried expression, lines forming in between her dark eyebrows. The way she was stretching and warming up her toned body told me physical activity-based games would be her strength.
The final individual in the room caught my interest more than the rest. He was the only other person who looked as bored as I am, standing calmly but confidently, slouched up against the wall. He wore a thin white hoodie that covered most of his face with strands of long, white-blonde hair similar to mine peeking out. Behind him, I could see what looked like a vintage music player plugged into a power port.
Curious.
I realised he saw me studying him, one dark eyebrow raised in a question. I gave a lazy one-sided smirk before averting my eyes, pretending I didn’t feel my heart start to race when his deep brown eyes met mine.
"Attention players, today’s game will commence in one minute."
Alright. looks like it’s go time.