[A/N: I received a recommendation to use ProWritingAid to assist my story-writing process, if I find it useful. I might get the premium and check each of my chapters to improve what went wrong and what's not.]
They represent a wonderful and miraculous species, but destiny has already sealed their outcomes.
They can't do anything to change it, no matter how much they hate it.
Destiny simply guides it.
Just like a completely still ocean.
However,
What if?
What if!
A small drop of water fell.
A small drop of water enters that completely motionless ocean and causes a ripple so big that it can change their destined outcome.
A drop of water that doesn't have any destined outcome or inherited history from another world, a drop of water that is free from the rules.
. . .
We hope the ripple you cause will be large enough.
Our blessed Echo Eclipse.
…
..
.
Click. Clat. Clatter. Click. Click.
Humm… Humm.. Humm…
Click Click. Tap.
The nurse finished typing on her computer before she checked the scan and looked over the observation reports of Bizen Nishiki's left leg made over the last few days. Nishiki's trainer was leaning against the wall, staring firmly at the nurse.
"We have examined. We have checked Bizen Nishiki's leg, and it's still the same result." The nurse turned her head with a defeated and apologetic gaze toward the trainer.
"She will recover fully; however. Her left leg cannot reach the same speed as Bizen Nishiki reached prior to the accident." The nurse explained once again to the trainer, who accepted that Bizen Nishiki will never reach the same glory.
"Can't you…" She was going to ask the nurse to do it again, but she knew it was still going to lead to the same outcome.
'Goddamnit...' She recognised that her responsibility as a trainer included taking care of her trainees, even when they are going to retire.
"Never mind…" She shook her head and gave a professional smile toward the nurse before leaving. The nurse watches as the trainer walks away, their back slowly getting smaller and smaller until they disappear in the corner.
***
The trainer, Narumiya Akimitsu, enters the clubroom, which belongs to Team Meisei. The photograph of the current teams with all the trainees hung on the wall; among them are Gold Way and Bizen Nishiki.
Currently, only Bizen Nishiki is in the clubroom; the other teammates are out training.
"Bishiki Nishiki is moving up from the inside, challenging…"
"The stakes are high! Who will win this debut?"
As Akimitsu enters the room, commentary from the TV fills the room, and Bizen Nishiki, who is sitting on the sofa, is watching the recording. It was her in her debut race. Her parents got the camera and recorded everything. Her fumble in the middle, but later made up for it when duelling for number 1.
Her stubborn, bright smile when she ran.
Everything.
"Bizen Nishiki crossed the line first! By a head too!" The commentator remarked as the camera zoomed in on Bizen Nishiki's ecstatic expression, before fist-pumping the air toward the spectator seats.
Her eyes were burning so bright-
"Ahhh…" Bizen Nishiki let out a deep sigh as she leaned against the armrest of the sofa, her dull eyes reflecting the recording of her younger self.
"... Nishiki."
"Trainer-san…"
"..."
"Where did that me from the track go?" Nishiki asked before closing her eyes, before getting her crutches and lifting herself from the sofa.
"I know what you're going to say, Trainer-san."
"Nishiki…"
"I'm retiring."
"Wait, but…" Akimitsu wanted to say something first, to encourage her trainee not to give up. But could she do it? What if forcing Bizen Nishiki to continue having hope for the future that will never happen is actually more detrimental than retiring early?
Tap. Tap.
Nishiki moves toward the door with her crutches, and Narumiya Akimitsu steps aside. Akimitsu knows words will not help Bizen Nishiki anymore.
Nishiki opens the door and stops for a moment before turning her head back to her trainer.
"I'll be telling my friends first. Mind setting up a public interview for the public later this week?" Nishiki shows a bright grin, but it doesn't dispel the tension in the atmosphere.
"I… Mhm…" Her trainer could only nod in shame.
"Aaah… I had a wonderful career, Trainer-san!" Bizen Nishiki gave an exhale of relief before closing the door behind her, leaving behind her trainer in the clubroom.
Her trainer only stood in the empty clubroom; she bit her bottom lip in shame. She failed her trainee once again. Why? Why!
Why couldn't she be the trainer who can be there for them, to help them, push them up from their predicament? And yet, look at her. She couldn't do anything except be stubborn.
What a failure of a trainer she is.
***
"Everyone is here, right?" Bizen Nishiki spoke while showing the same easy-going smile in the classroom.
Everyone is here in the classroom because Bizen Nishiki has an announcement to make.
"Echo Eclipse, and Symboli Rudolf aren't here." Onward Cameroun replied while glancing out of the window.
"Of course, Rudolf wouldn't be here, but Echo too?" Bizen Nishiki tilted her head in surprise, and Gold Way only huffed because she knew what Echo Eclipse was going through. She had thoroughly observed and understood Echo Eclipse's personality.
"Ahem, I'll tell Echo when I see her." Nishiki hummed before going silent; the uncomfortable feeling she had in her chest had disappeared for a moment.
"Wha…" At that moment, someone burst through the classroom door. Revealing a sweating Echo Eclipse. And in the next instant. The uncomfortable feeling returned to her chest, this time even more intense. Like an ocean threatening to cover her body and drown her.
"I refuse!" Echo exclaimed, confusing everyone except for Bizen Nishiki.
"... mh?" Echo also tilted her head in confusion about why everyone was confused, before turning her head toward Suzu Mach, her partner in crime.
Suzu Mach was trying to stifle her giggle before whispering to Echo.
"She hasn't announced she was going to retire yet; you came too early."
"Eh?" Echo's ears perked up in shock, before she started blushing in embarrassment.
"Ah… A-anyway!" She ignores everyone's gaze and walks toward Bizen Nishiki.
Nishiki stared at Echo in fear, not because of Echo. But with each step she takes, the same uncomfortable feeling in her chest grows stronger and stronger.
"Nishiki!" Echo's voice shook Nishiki out of her fearful daze; she is now sweating and wheezing, while Echo is now breathing evenly and calmly.
"W-W-Wha-"
"Nishiki! Don't retire now." Echo stares straight at Bizen Nishiki's shaking eyes; her eyes burn brighter and more powerful than anything. It was the same eyes that Nishiki had once had.
Nishiki's legs gave out as she fell back onto the teacher's chair.
"Why…"
"You want a reason? Then come and watch my race in 3 days. I will give you my reason there."
Badump.
'Wha… What was that?'
The fire in her heart that disappeared along with her injury left behind ashes, and in those ashes. Heat still emanates.
She looked at her own chest before looking back at Echo Eclipse's now confident smirk.
"Bizen Nishiki, watch me run."