We stay on the common area and they start to put some music and make crazy dances and movements. I cheer on them and clap my hands at the rhythm of the song. Hades looks as if he were disinterested and I nudge him in the side a bit.
Ha-What?
-Go join them.
Ha-No way.
-Oh, come on. It will be fun. Guys, take him out.
All-Yeah, baby. Let the party be.
Ha-No, no, no. I will not......
Before he can finish that sentence he's pulled away by all the guys. I wave bye at him as I laugh at him. I watch as the trio of seniors look at him and I go to them and whisper something on the leader's ear. He looks at me and then at Hades and then he nods with a mischiveous smile on his face.

I take my leave and I prepare everything outside. I give a whistle and they appear at the ceiling a couple minutes later. They tie his hands to his back and I look as they put him on the edge.
-You have to come down from there.
Ha-That's easy enough.
-Without using your hands.
Ha-I stand corrected, it will be a bit harder.
I laugh at his comment and we begin the countdown.
All-One, go!
He stands on the edge and he let's himself fall backwards. He turns midair and lands on his feet gracefully.
-You were not supposed to go down like that.
Ha-You say go down without using my hands and I did. I didn't use my hands, did I?
-I guess not. Guys inside, he says he wants to play beer pong.
I turn to him and as I cut the ropes on his hands I whisper to him.
-Let them win, you drink everything and answer the questions and play along and nicely.
Ha-I'm a great player, when I want to be.
-And that's why I asked you just, don't let them get drunk, I know that you can't get drunk, being a god and all that but try to take all the drinks for yourself.
Ha-No one will get drunk under my watch. Tired, yes, but drunk, absolutely not.
After an evening in which Hades takes all the drinks everyone is exhausted except for him and me. They're complaining and drinking energy drinks.
Guy 1-How do you do it? I mean you did the same stuff we did plus drinking everything but you still have energy left. I can't even sit straight.
-We're accostumed to this stuff and harder. Our parties last longer than this, a lot longer.
Guy 2-Figures. Are you sure you're human? Because you have more stamina than any of us.
I nod at him and make a face before I turn to leave. I go to the locker room and start to change to my casual clothes, clean and fresh.
Ha-You know you still have to take the uniform with you home, right?
-Yeah, you don't need to remind me. Do you want to come tomorrow? I still have to practice more with Storm before the competition.
Ha-I would like that. When is the competition?
-In three days. Or more precisely two days, five hours and thirty five minutes with twelve seconds and counting.
Ha-Wow, you really have the time measured up.
-I like to be punctual.
I reach for the very corner of the locker making sure I'm not forgetting something when I feel something clicking hard on my hand. I lower my head a bit as I slowly take my hand out and I see that my fingers are stuck to a mouse trap.
-Oh, they're so dead. Take it off, please.
He takes off the mouse trap from my fingers and I let out a sigh of relief. I rub my fingers with a towel.
Ha-Does this happen often?
-They say that the first year is the worst and I think I get what they meant by that by now. And yes it does happen often. The first time they put a tarantula, fake breathing tarantula, on my jacket. I almost die from the scare I got.
Ha-You were never fond of insects. At least the gross ones because I remember that you like the butterflies a lot.
-Yeah, I used to play with Persephone's aura, was it?
Ha-Yeah. You were so close, until you became five and could talk, that you changed to me and I'm still your favorite.
-Is not my fault you're the best ever. Is easier to talk to you. Dad is almost never home, mom let's me do as I pleased, grandma is too boring and uncle Osiris is too irresponsible. I feel like I'm more like you than the others and that that's why I grew to be more open with you.
Ha-I'm so touched, oh look, I'm crying.
-Don't make fun of me. I'm being serious here.
Ha-I know.
-I think I have everything ready for tomorrow. Mental check mark, oh, Storm's apple, he must be waiting eagerly for it. Now that's it, let's go.
I clock out and go out to the field and I whistle for Storm to come. He doesn't come and I whistle again but again he doesn't come. I look around and I get a bad feeling from all this. I go into the stables and I whistle again, I hear a sound of hooves against wood and I whistle again and this time I find where the noise is coming from. I turn to see through the woods and I see that he's upside down with one of his back legs tied up to a post and his eyes are covered.
-Hades, help me break this down. But be careful, Storm is on the other side and he can't move freely.
He nods and I break the locks one by one with my aura as Hades holds them out for me. When Storm sees me he calms down somewhat but he's still a bit agitated.
I untie his leg and he starts to move frantically before I give him calming pats on the head and along the neck.
-Shh, shh, easy, there, calm down, I'm here.
He stops kicking but his breathing doesn't improves. I look at Hades and he looks at me unsure.
-I don't know how long he's been upside down but I need him to stand upright again. He's too agitated for me to do alone, help me get him up. Is too dangerous for him to be on this position for too long.
He nods and helps me get him to turn Storm straight. Storm puts his front legs in front of him but he's shaking a bit so I calm him down. I take his head on my arms and give him a comforting pat.
-Easy, slowly, don't rush.
He manages to stand but he's still shaking a bit.
-There we go, hold him for a moment.
I kneel behind him and I examine the rope that he was tied with. Is pretty unique and only one person in the whole academy that uses this kind of rope and is confirmed by the type of knot that it was used to tie Storm up. My jaw tightens in anger as I close my hand into a fist around the rope. I stand and I kick the bucket in frustration.
Ha-Tikvah? Are you okay?
I turn to see him and I give him an exhausted look. I get Storm to the open field and let him recover from his shock a bit.
I pull Hades with me to the dorms and I open the door to the room of the one who tied my horse to a killing position and I look at him with a devilish smile on my face. I turn to Hades and tell him what to do.
-You are going to charge him to the stables and wait for me there. I have to do something first.
He takes him on his arms and goes downstairs to the stables. I get back to the room and I replace his original bed with another one that makes noise and does stuff when is in use so if you are of those that moves a lot when asleep this is the best joke to do. I put it in place and deactivate it remotely and activate it again for testing. I leave it on and I go outside humming happily. When I get to the stables I find Hades waiting for me with the guy still on his arms and I get closer to him. I touch his face as he sleeps and shake my head.
-You took it too far, mess with me but don't mess with Storm. Poor thing, poor, poor thing, you'll regret involving Storm in this.
I shake my head as I smile at my thoughts.
-Put him here, besides the, horse poop.
He looks at me shockingly but as I look at him insistently he puts him besides the horses pile of poop carefully. I take a shovel and get a bit on it and put it on his hand. I put my camera on recording and I be careful that I don't appear on the screen. I signal Hades to get back and hide and when he does I take a stick and pass it through his nose insistently until he puts the poop on his face, I snap a picture of him and I give him one more nudge before he falls to the side waking up suddenly all covered in poop.
Meanie-What the fuck? Oh my god! This is poop! Who is responsible for this?
I laugh a bit behind the wall and I watch as he gets out of the stable and I go out behind him leaving a safe distance between us.
-How do you feel?
Meanie-You. You'll pay for this.
I stand straighter and he falls to the ground.
-Will I? Really? You think so? After what you did to Storm this should be the least of your worries. Right now, I'm doing it as a joke, payback but next time, next time I'll make sure you wish to never been born. Do you get it, you don't want me as an enemy, do it again and you will spend the rest of your life in a corner sucking your thumb, wearing diapers and watching Barbie on TV.
Meanie-You wouldn't.
-You'll sing sing along and dance the cha cha cha with either very old people or little kids. My aunt can do your hair.
Meanie-Ha, ha. I think I'll take a shower and head to bed.
-Yeah, do that oh, and be careful with the bed when you get in it.
I go to the field and call Storm to my side and I call Hades and we go home for the day.

The next two days pass in a blur and before I know it's the morning of the competition and I find myself playing with my breakfast and if feel as if the air is leaving me.
Ha-Tikvah, calm down, everything will be just fine.
-Yeah, I know, everything will be fine. I will not fail, I'll win this, I have to win, but what if I don't? What if I lose and make a fool of myself, in front of everyone there.
Ha-Hey, take it easy, breathe, deep, slow breaths. Are you calm? Are you better?
-Yes, I'm a bit better. I have to focus, I won't dissapoint the academy or you or anyone.
Ha-You will do fine, I saw you practice for three days, you got this. Is an easy win.
-But what if I get nervous during the competition.
Ha-Then you think of something that makes you feel relaxed. But I think you won't need to do that. Want to know why?
-Why?
Ha-Because I've seen how much you like this. And I know that once you enter the stage, all this that you're feeling now, the doubt, the fear and everything else, they will all go away and you'll be more concentrated in showing off than anything else there.
-Is it good to be a show off?
Ha-There are some exceptions. Like you for example. Now eat, you will need all your energy and you have to eat well.
-Okay, Storm is at the academy and I have a bit of time to practice before the actual competition.
Ha-Then shall we go?
-You made sure everyone is there? Mom, dad, uncle.
Ha-Yes, we have a special place only for us, including your uncles and aunts and your cousins as well. Your boyfriend will be there too, I made sure he has a seat.
-Then let's go.
We go and when we get to the academy I see that is packed until the last seat. I see a lot of riders from other academies and I look at them, checking my competition. I head to the stables and I see Storm as he jumps happily when he sees me. I go to him and I give him a sugar cube as I scratch his head.
-Hey big guy, are you ready to win? Who's the best horse ever? You are, yeah of course you are.
I jump when I hear someone talking behind me.
Rider 1-You talk to your horse? To your weapon, your transport, your pet?
-His name is Storm and he's not a pet or a weapon. He's my beloved friend and my partner. I trust him and he trusts me.
Rider 1-Ha, trust? They're animals and the only thing that makes them obey and understand who's boss is with the whip.
He slashes his whip at the door scaring the horses and I calm Storm down as I look at him.
-You better go. We obviously have very different ideas on how to do things.
He takes my face on his hands and I push him away and he goes away while throwing me a kiss at which I make a disgusted face. I roll my eyes and turn to pet Storm again when I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn without thinking slapping whoever it is hard not be face. When he gets and faces me again shocked I look in shock as I see I hit Hades.
-Oh my, I'm so sorry, I thought it was another person.
Ha-Clearly, you have a really heavy hand, my my you're quite strong.
-I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt you.
Ha-I came to tell you that the presentations are about to begin. You have to go there.
I nod and we go there and I wait patiently as they call us by name. I'm the last to enter as I'm the newbie, the rookie.
Referee-Now a round of applause for our contestants. Now, let's get a few words from them on how they feel. Let's hear it from them.
He comes around and ask a different question to each one and when he gets to me he stops and looks at me with an incredulous look before he speaks.
Referee-What is your name?
-Garcia, Tikvah Garcia.
Referee-I hear you are the child prodigee of your academy, how do you feel about that being this your first competition against more experienced people?
-I wouldn't say that I'm a prodigy but I am good and I feel good about this. It can be an opportunity to learn more. It will do me a great good for the future, still have a lot to learn.
Referee-So you're fine either way? Win or lose you'll fine with it.
-Oh no, I intend on winning even if you don't believe in me, because I know I have what it takes and I have all the support I need. As long as I believe it and don't give up, I still have a chance to win.
Referee-One more thing, I saw on the papers that you signed to compete in everything. Aren't you pushing it a bit too far?
-What can I say, I like to push myself and push to the limits.
Referee-Thank you for that, and ladies and gentlemen. Those are the words of our contestants. Now let's begin the competition, first, hand to hand combat. Welcome our contestants.
I go back to the hallway a bit overwhelmed and I get ready for the first event. The events pass and the matches are taking effect on me. I take a cold shower as the last and main event is going to happen in an hour and I need to be fresh as a daisy for it. I sigh as I hear a knock on the door.
-Yes?
Ha-Is me.
-What's going on?
Ha-They're going to announce the riders in fifteen minutes, Storm is ready to go, are you ready?
-Yes, just a minute.
I dress up as quickly as I can and get out and go to the stable and take Storm's laces and take him with me.
Ha-What are they qualyfing?
-Posture, obedience, strength, agility, teamwork, dancing, elegance among others. The horse team has a wide campus of competition range and each rider has to do each and every single one of them.
Ha-That sounds like a lot of work. Are you okay?
-Yes, I have my lucky charm with me. But it doesn't hurt that you give me your blessing anyways.
He gives me his blessing and we hug until they call me on stage. We separate and I hop on Storm's back and go to the entrance.
Referee-And last but not least important, we have the rookie that doesn't cease to amaze us, give a round of applause for Tikvah, our dearest, daring, fearless rookie. Give a round of applause for her, let me hear it. Louder, come on louder.
I go out with Storm and am greeted by a lot of cheers. I keep my eyes to the front and I take my place amongst the other riders.
Referee-Now, without further delays, let's start the competition. Everyone back away from the borders as we are about to let the beast loose right here.
He turns to the fence and he climbs to safety before he announces to everyone.
Referee-Now, let the beast, LOOSE!!!