Despite Valeriana being against the idea of everyone fighting each other, everyone else seemed casual about it. Keelan, the twins, and the earth-girl actually shrieked in chorus, though. The others seemed not too shocked.

It was as if it wasn't that uncommon--like a ritual they had done a thousand times before. Although a bit confused, the girl decided to shut her mouth and remain in her seat. Perhaps it wasn't too strange? The looks they wore on their faces were casual and they didn't even move a millimeter in their seats.

She wasn't afraid of fighting one of the Twelve but fact was she did not know what to expect.

"That's not too much trouble." Answered Corvan. "Everyone else agrees."

"It's a surprise you did." Zander commented, exchanging glances with the first-ranker. "With the way some reacted, I expected disagreement."

"Nonsense." Charles huffed. "They are just not used to the idea. It's their first year to hold a title, it's expected."

"I did hear the Circle can fight amongst each other." Genevieve said. "I did not expect it to be this way."

"So, then . . ." Zevlin began, somewhat nervous. "We really have to go through this?"

His worries went unheard as the DevDept were more focused on the current topic at hand. Valeriana could only stare at him in sympathy.

"And you're going to use gears made by one of the best DevDept students, your victory will account greatly on theirs. The gears should withstand attacks well and be very efficient." Harley's fist slammed against his palms as his bright eyes further twinkled at the new idea. "Amazing!"

Coral and Harley were both celebrating at that point while everyone else were in deep thought about the possible outcomes of the plan, if not, the side-effects.

"Good." Elfre hammered the arm of her chair to add additional force behind her words. "Why don't we decide who we fight right now? So we can get to it immediately."

Keelan was looking back and forth between the speakers that he was starting to feel quite dizzy. In the end, he gave up and his shoulders slackened right afterwards. A small mutter of sadness escaped his lips.

"I hate this . . . I don't want to fight anybody."

"Personally, we have to decide on what the people might want to see. This show is supposed to be a crowd-pleaser, after all." Cail smirked at this, glancing between every member with a pair of mischievous eyes.

"What are you getting at?"

"Are you hinting on something?"

A chorus of voices came to question his intentions. He answered them straight.

"The friendship between you guys is undeniable. And it isn't a secret some of you are more tied to one another in terms of history than you would say." Cail was smiling at this, giving the Twelve a rush of trepidation. "Not to mention it'll be interesting to see a fight between those specific pairs."

"Wait a moment." Rowe stood up with a rare crease between his brows. "I do not like what you are getting at."

"Right." Aneeka agreed. "Although we give you a chance to suggest good ideas, you're crossing the line."

"Your ideas are honestly awful." Raziel made a face of disgust.

"Why is that?" Zander challenged. "Are you afraid this would disrupt the delicate balance you all put yourselves in?"

"Zander." Darcius warned sternly.

"Or are you just scared this would break off the agreement you all came to? Face it. Cowards."

Valeriana flinched as a gunshot went off. A bullet pierced the wall beside his head, but he did not as much as twitch. Mr. Purple gave only a glare to Aneeka, watching her with a poker-face as she cocked it for the second time.

"You know nothing." She said.

"Isn't it true?" He taunted, the purple shade of his eyes turning a bit darker. "You all give the impression you're fine with it but in fact, you all--"

"Shut it!" Tamara roared. "Stop talking like you know everything about us! We're like this because we respect each other! It's not because--"

"Respect is such a big word. Stop playing heroes." Zander, this time, erected his spine and lifted his chin. "There's another reason and you all know what I'm talking about."

"That's it." Charles decided to move, his aura as unsettled as others. "I think this meeting will end early, I will see you to the door."

"No need." He moved towards the exit without another word. "We can show ourselves out."

Coral seemed a bit disappointed at the outcome of the meeting that she pushed a piece of paper forward as she stood and began to leave with the others.

"I sincerely apologize for the rudeness of my member." Darcius told them. "I will see to it he receives proper punishment later."

"These are all the matches we decided on." Cail calmly nodded towards the paper. "We honestly did not mean anything rude. Zander just seems to like to brew trouble wherever he goes."

"He just . . . says whatever he wants to say all the time, so please forgive him." Coral pushed Cail out of the door. "Please think about it, though. We really mean no offence."

When the entirety of their group was gone, Tamara slumped back on her seat and simultaneously released a sigh like the others. Keelan was teary-eyed that he started sniffing. Valeriana, on the other hand, took the paper they left behind and looked down on the decided matches.

"What's written?"

The girl's heart-rate went off the roof at the revelation that she unwittingly released a sound of shock. These matches were beyond unreasonable. Why would they target to match off these people with one another? No wonder the Twelve seemed so shaken at the mere mention.

Valeriana fell back on her chair to try and calm herself down. She wondered if the Twelve would agree on these matches.

What would they do?

"Let me see that."

Zevlin took the initiative to take it off Valeriana's fingers. When he came to know who he would be fighting, his hands shook with pent up rage and his jaws clenched visibly. He threw the paper on the floor and attempted to destroy it with his foot if it weren't for Genevieve who came forward and snatched it off the ground before he could even do so.

"I'm going to murder those stupid DevDept people . . ."

"Stop it, Zev!" Genevieve cried, taking a brief glance over the written characters. "It isn't final yet! We haven't agreed on anything."

The scene was a very dramatic moment for each of them. The current atmosphere was full of tension, not to mention the smell of everyone's anxiety was very infectious. Twitching fingers and darting gazes--curious quirks and pursed lips.

The ninth then passed on the paper to Corvan, her heart heavy. Everyone closely watched a small twitch on Corvan's brow before his entire face went totally neutral.

"I'll announce the matches they suggested." He said.

They all leaned forward closely.

"Match One." His voice was monotone and his eyes were soulless. "Keelan versus Brindon."

The strawberry-blonde was instantly off his chair. "I need to fight Brindon? No way! Uh-uh!"

"No way." Brindon repeated.

Corvan acted as though he did not hear them and continued. "Match Two will be between Zevlin and Genevieve."

"That's nuts." Tamara exclaimed. "They're totally insane! Seriously--"

"Match Three is Elfre versus Raziel."

"Shut up." Elfre blanched. "This guy?"

"I should be the one saying that." Replied Raziel sourly.

"Match Four." The young lord made a short pause as his eyes met the second ranker's narrowed ones. "Aneeka versus Rowe."

"Ugh . . ." Aneeka threw her hands in the air as though it was the most ridiculous thing she ever heard. "You've got to be kidding. That will go against everything . . . I have ever done up until now."

"Match Five. Charles and Tamara."

The bomb went off.

"So it is you, after all." Tamara laughed sarcastically.

"Same goes to you."

"Match Six."

Their breaths were held. Eyes were wide.

"Valeriana and Corvan."

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