The arena’s alcoves were roaring with cheers for the current race. Eniola, Iris, and Theo all watched from above the playing pit, making their way in the front.

Chase spoke up, his voice was giddier than ever. “Competing for the Championship qualifier, we have A-12 from Team Rogue. Although she has won a qualifier, doing it twice can gain you more points and the upper hand in the next qualifying race.” The spotlight then flashed onto Lucia, who pulled off her helmet to reveal her face, shaking her cropped black hair and smiling at the crowd. Eniola, Iris, and Theo all cheered especially loud.

“I love you, Lucia!” A deep-sounding voice snuck in at the end.

“Hey, hey, hey, watch yourself!” Theo turned around and warned whoever was talking.

“Our next competitor is a newcomer,” the mediator said. The light flashed onto him, a tall lanky guy with a black helmet that shielded his face. He was in a bomber jacket and strappy black pants. He didn’t do the typical thing and remove his helmet. Definitely a newcomer.

“KS, an independent.” She squinted at the board. His statistics were empty, and any information he would’ve had was nonexistent.

“Who is he?” Iris whispered down to her. She could only shrug.

“This qualifier will be inside the Island of Dragons,” Chase announced. “Competitors, step up to the platform.”

Lucia stepped into the playing pit and faced the mysterious newcomer. They were told to place their bets, and Eniola placed hers on Lucia. She was easily one of the fastest and best players of SCOPE. Whatever anonymous guy challenged her would soon regret even trying. The white padlock filled the board, which soon vanished into thin air. Lucia had gained the most bets. No surprise.

“On your marks. Get set,” Chase said. “Go!” The arena transformed back into the Island, as they broadcast the gameplay onto the screen. The skies were a deep shade of indigo, with two huge mountains reaching up into the clouds. On top of the mountains were nests that held eggs, but also had floating disks on top of them. The one KS had was a blank slate. Lucia and KS suddenly found themselves each riding the backs of large identical blue dragons. Lucia and KS were suddenly on one of them. Lucia dug out a sword and took off, riding her dragon right at KS’s.

Lucia zipped on the mountain easily maneuvering her dragon and she began speeding through. Suddenly a cloud of enormous bats swarmed Lucia and she quickly made a turn skidding above the island rock. A flaming sword appeared in her hand as she came right for KS who was also moving.

Her dragon hit him. He quickly dodged out of the way, before she came swooping under him again before running back. KS dodged away before getting away and Lucia came for him. He turned back swiftly before charging at her. She dodged and her dragon shot upwards dodging him.

“My, my,” Chase guffawed, sounding like he was close to fainting before saying something again Eniola didn’t register. Her dragon appeared below her again and she raced upwards. Suddenly KS dodged away from her before going quickly behind the mountain.

“That’s my girl!” Eniola yelled, as Lucia and her dragon spun around very fast looking for the newcomer.

Eniola noticed she hadn’t seen the newcomer in a while. She looked down, and a black speck on a red dragon was racing towards her. The newcomer pushed her to the edge, and Lucia pushed back, battling for dominance. Lucia began fumbling and wobbling in uncoordinated zig-zags.

“It seems like our usually fast A-12 is falling short!” The mediator mocked. “However, KS seems to be gaining speed over her!”

A deep rumbling emanated from the arena and as gigantic rocks began sliding down the mountain towards them, Lucia and KS began zig-zagging up the mountains. Suddenly, a huge boulder hit Lucia’s dragon and sent her tumbling forward. Her energy had taken a massive hit.

“Come on, Lucia, you can do this!” Theo loudly encouraged from the stands. Lucia pushed herself upright and began dodging the rocks as they came at her. KS was close to getting the disk, riding up the mountain.

Lucia, with a look of determination set on her face, lifted a large rock into her hands. She glared at KS and then hurled the rock at him.

Eniola expected an impact and for him to tumble the way Lucia did until he vanished. The arena gasped in shock.

Then it seemed like a zip of air whooshed past her and to the top of the mountain abnormally. KS rushed past her, fueled from behind with a lick of blue fire from the dragon. Lucia sped next to him, dodging the rocks. KS sped next to her and rammed his dragon into hers.

With one final wingbeat, KS took off spiralling up the track with Lucia close behind him, racing to the disk. He spiralled around the top, arms outstretched, and took the disk into his hands.

The arena transformed into itself again as the new player KS celebrated his victory. Lucia lost.

A wave of shock hit Eniola. Lucia? Losing? Those were two things that were never in the same sentence. The ka-ching sound vibrated through her phone, meaning money was lost. Eniola mentally cursed.

Lucia made it up into the watching area, a wave of disappointment flashing against her features.

“What happened out there?” Iris asked. Everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seats, waiting for this newcomer to reveal himself. Then he slipped off his helmet.

He shook out his hair that was matted under the helmet, revealing a jet black mop of curls that fell around his suntanned face. The newcomer looked like he was east Asian. His eyes were narrow figures covering dark swirls of hazel, projecting a serious gaze into the crowd.

Well until, he broke out into a beaming grin, revealing a bright smirk to the crowd. The audience screamed. He was attractive.

“I lost,” Lucia replied, snapping Eniola out of her tense trance.

Theo pulled her towards her. “Don’t worry, Lulu, you’re still a winner in my heart.” They locked passionate gazes for a second before their lips connected. For a very long while. Eniola grimaced in amusement.

“Ahh,” Iris said, sticking her hand in between them. “What do you not get about ‘get a room’?”

“You still did great,” Eniola reassured Lucia. “It was only an extra race. We’re still going to the qualifiers.”

“As long as we find another member,” Theo said, pulling her back to reality. Right.

“But anyway,” she moved on. “You know you’re great.”

“Thanks, girl,” She wavered.

“I know what will make us feel better!” Iris spoke up, and minutes later they found themselves inside the Puzzle. It wasn’t empty, but it wasn’t full either, with conversing groups peppered around the place. Theo once again went behind the desk and began fixing them drinks. They took their seats on the rotating chairs.

“Do you work shifts?” Eniola asked. “Every time we come you just come in and come out.”

“I prefer not to,” he joked.

“My, my, my, that was a race!” An eerily familiar voice echoed from the entrance. Eniola sharply swivelled on her chair, almost knocking herself off balance. KS, the newcomer. A girl who was so pretty she could make models weep was on his arm and her tippy toes, fingers tickling his black hair. Eniola looked back and even more trailed behind him like fangirls. Didn’t he just get here or something?

It was probably because he was attractive. Eniola would not fan herself and faint at the sight, but you couldn’t ignore that fact. When she looked at him, she noticed his features were almost symmetrical, and now she noticed a small mole above his nose and one above his lip. He had a way of staring at you that made you stop in your tracks and suddenly forget how to speak. Which seemingly happened to Eniola in that moment when they made eye contact suddenly across the room.

“Eniola!” Theo called from her, and Eniola zoned back into reality. “Milk tea right?” She nodded and Theo went back to the counter while Eniola went back to staring—observing.

He didn’t look older than 18 maybe, which Eniola didn’t notice because of his massive height, which she now realized was very immense when he had shown up here. He had to have been 6 feet at least. His smile appeared looking effervescent as ever, showing a pleasant set of teeth and gums to the blond girl on his arm. One girl who walked past the counter pretended not to be looking at him, then looked down and blushed with a smile when he winked at her.

The girl he had come in with seemed to chatter him into oblivion until his gaze swept over the room and met Eniola again. She coiled tensely and he half-smiled.

His gaze moved to Lucia. “I beat you tonight!”

“Like I didn’t know that before,” she concurred. “Good game?”

“Good game,” he said, reaching to shake hands abandoning the girl. Eniola swore she had heard his voice, but her mind wouldn’t connect the dots.

He slid his gaze over Lucia slowly and intently, “You’re very beautiful,” he said, winking. Eniola snorted. So he was some type of player, or player adjacent.

“Alright, alright,” Theo suddenly spoke up after being quiet for so long. “The game was excellent. My girlfriend played well tonight.” He made sure to especially emphasize the word girlfriend.

“I get it, I get it,” KS said, taking the signal.

“I feel you’re familiar,” Eniola told him. He cocked his head sideways and looked at her curiously as she became flustered.

“I just entered California a couple of days ago, saw this and thought it was interesting,” he explained. He reached over and grabbed an apple from the basket and crunched into it loudly.

“I thought that too,” Iris added, staring at him. “You do seem familiar.”

“Aren’t you guys Rogue?” he asked.

“Yes, we are,” Theo exclaimed proudly. “Circa 2053.”

KS barely acknowledged them suddenly after being so curious. “What does a guy need to do to get a drink around here?”

“Order and pay,” Theo mumbled.

Eniola leaned forward to observe. “I still feel like I know you from somewhere.”

He started and leaned forward to look at her, mimicking Eniola. “I’m not a mystery. I’m a book, you just need to open me,” he said nonchalantly.

Click.

The words clogged in her mouth all at once, all trying to cram themselves out, and she made a distinct choking sound.

Iris glanced over from the counter. “You good?”

“You’re not…” she stammered.

“I’m not what?” KS asked her back.

“What does KS stand for?” she asked him.

“Killswitch,” he said calmly. She exchanged confused glances with the rest of Rogue, all trying to decipher another by simply looking at one another.

“Ha!” Eniola yelled, making a loud echo through the restaurant.

“What?” he said.

“You’re that guy from our Discord,” she realized, almost accusing him. “You’re that guy who won’t leave.”

“I don’t leave where people want me,” he said with a smirk.

“Wait, a minute?” Theo said, squinting at him. “Jay?” The name was just like a sound in the air until she realized that must’ve been his name.

“That’s me,” he said smugly. “You guys are the Rogue I’ve been talking to online? What a coincidence?”

“It sure is,” Theo hopped from behind the counter and attacked him with a bro hug, ignoring his botched attempt to flirt with Lucia. “Is it you?”

“I guess,” he exclaimed. They pulled away and Jay eyed Eniola.

“That’s where I know you from,” Jay realized. “You’re the short one. theonewiththebraincell? Emily, right?”

Eniola shuddered in confusion. “First, my name is not Emily, it’s Eniola, and I’m not just the short one.”

“She’s the smart one,” Lucia corrected. Eniola smiled and nodded.

“You’ve always intrigued me, Eniola,” he admitted. Eniola looked down at the floor shyly, then furrowed her eyebrows. Why did she do that?

Jay’s gaze shifted to Lucia, “And I hear you’re the beautiful and smart one,” he said, smiling at her.

“Watch yourself, buddy,” Theo mumbled again from the counter.

“And I hear you’re the cyborg,” he said to Iris, who gave him a thumbs up with her cybernetic hand.

“And Theo is…” Jay began.

“The leader,” he said proudly.

“The weeb,” Eniola continued.

“The cute one,” Lucia gushed. Jay chuckled for a second before gazing around the room. “And your fifth member?”

Eniola sighed. “We don’t have a fifth member.”

“But it might just not be,” Theo said, lingering his gaze on Jay. “Which team do you play on?”

“None,” Jay revealed. “As I said, I just got here.” Theo looked at the rest of them, doing eye communication much to Jay’s confusion. He raised a curious eyebrow.

“Let me tell you all about Rogue,” Theo began. “How would you like to join?”

Jay’s eyes widened at the sudden offer. “I don’t-

“So soon,” Eniola mouthed to Theo, then back to Jay, who was looking at her again. “I mean, you’re good, but you just played one round.”

“Team, huddle,” Theo said, and like it was choreographed, they all side hug each other to form a huddle. “We need him on our team!” he whispered.

“I saw him firsthand, he was crazy good out there,” Lucia said. “And he’s already won a qualifier.”

“With what he can do, I say he’s a valuable asset. He’s clever on the track,” Iris said, whispering deeper. “And there’s no doubt about it, but he’s hot. People love him and it will give us more attention. And I don’t think he’s a Keone.”

Hopefully. The rest of the team looked to Eniola for the final verdict. “I don’t know.” She was still salty over him being annoying in the group chat. He seemed like a soft Keone, but anything that was remotely Keone she didn’t like.

“I don’t know about him,” Eniola said. “Is he right for the team? I mean, we barely know him!”

“We’ve been talking to him for three years,” Lucia said. “And in case you haven’t noticed, there are only four of us, and right there is a skilled player with no team who just won a qualifier. It’s a sign.”

Eniola huffed. “He seems like a Keone.” Eniola kept her guard.

“He seems nice,” Lucia corrected. “Come on, a perfectly good team member just falls into our lap and you’re unsure. The Championships are right around the corner. We know him. And this might be your last SCOPE championship with us. We have a chance with a new member.”

Eniola sucked in a breath and thought for a while. It was her last SCOPE championship with them if she couldn’t get through to her parents, which was likely. She peeped out of the huddle to see Jay curiously peering at her. Her eyes widened, and she went back down.

“Let’s do it,” Eniola grumbled. They disbanded the circle, smiles wide on their faces. Theo looked at Jay with hopeful eyes and maybe something else that wasn’t hopeful, with the way his gaze lingered on him. Even Theo was pulled in.

“We want you on our team,” Theo began. “What do you think?”

He stared intently for a second, before smiling widely. “I think I want to do it.”

“Welcome to Rogue!” he exclaimed.