𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁⮑ 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬

几丨几乇

LOST

CHAPTER NINE

(YOU REMIND ME OF SOMEONE I USED TO KNOW)

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The uniform was a bit revealing, and uncomfortable breezes kept wafting up his shorts, but he tried not to dwell on his insecurities as he stepped off of the bus. TJ was not a football player, but now, he was going to have to be.

Part of him wanted to tell Hope, but the other more dominating, more prideful part decided against it. TJ caught Hope catching the stare of Landon, and gulped, stepping up to her side to block Landon's view. He wanted so badly to beat Landon. Hopefully, the Phoenix wasn't too good at this American sport either.

"Let's just get this over with as fast as possible." TJ nodded in rapid agreement. "Works for me. I'm no more comfortable being here than you two are." TJ looked down to his ridiculously short shorts, and shook his head. "Doubt that."

"Ric!" TJ spun around to find a light skinned man in a Stallions uniform step up to them. If it wasn't for the nickname he used, TJ would've assumed this man to be an opponent. "There's something that you need to see." TJ instinctively followed the older man, wanting to see what this thing was, but Hope pulled him to the field.

"Come on," she muttered, dropping her bag, and stepping up to the opposing team. "What is this?" Hope gave him a curious look before explaining, "This is where we decided who gets ball first." TJ nodded turning to the brunette across from him. "Hi, I'm TJ."

The girl was clearly confused by his kind mannerisms, but replied with a smile nonetheless, "Josie." Once again, TJ nodded flashing a grin. A man who looked to be in at least his fifties stepped up to the four teens. "Let us being our annual rite of American access." TJ liked the man's accent. "But unlike last year, I expect no unseemly violence."

TJ glanced at Hope was smiling at Landon, the curly haired boy standing across from her. TJ rolled his eyes. There were some things he couldn't do. Stop Hope's love for Landon Kirby being one of them. TJ would give anything for it though. Even, if that meant that Hope would end up hating TJ. At least, she'd finally move on.

"Only, for each team to the fullest extent of their abilities. Understood?" The man said drawing TJ out of his own thoughts. He hoped he was the only one noticing the opposing teams smirks at his words. He was wrong. One glimpse to Hope, and he could tell she was thinking the same thing. Something was fishy. "Timberwolves, or Mystic Falls, you may, as I believe they say, call it in the air."

The man tossed a coin into the air. It took TJ a moment to realize what he referring to until he finally called out, "Heads." The golden coin landed in the grass on tails. "Darnet," the crazily powered boy pouted. Next time, Hope could call it. "Tails never fails."

"We'll take the ball," Josie declared with a smile. "So, it begins." The man was going to walk away, until he stopped. "Uh, shake hands." TJ stepped forward taking Josie's hand in his own. That's when the voices flooded in.

We'll win this year.

Play to the fullest extent of our abilities.

  Use our magic.

TJ pulled his hand away, Josie giving him a strange look. "Uh, sorry. I'm not good around pretty girls." Josie smiled, but Landon didn't look so impressed by the comment. TJ shook hands with said Phoenix before heading onto the other side of the field.

"TJ! Come look at this!" The crazily powered boy huffed, jogging back across the field to Hope. "They're using magic to cheat." TJ watched the head side on the coin morph into tails. "So, I'm not just bad at this!" Hope's eyebrows knit together, curiously. "Would now be a bad time to inform you suck?"

Hope let slip a giggle, "At football, or just in general?" TJ shrugged, "Both. It's tipping towards the football side right now though." Hope's ocean eyes scanned the field before grabbing onto TJ's hands. "If they're gonna use magic, so are we." TJ didn't know what the meant. His hand started glowing as Hope whispered, "Viribus."

"What'd you do?" Hope smiled softly, "I made you suck less." TJ didn't know if he should be offended by the comment seeing as he said the same thing, but it hit different when someone else said it. Nonetheless, he thanked Hope still deciding to stay long for his own personal security.

It didn't take long for Alaric return, and inform the children of what Dorian had shown him. "Dorian found the missing kid. Thank God he's okay. Be we definitely have another monster wandering around these woods. Dorian's digging into the research, but he thinks it's a Shunka."

"What's—"
"And before you ask what that is, it's a carnivorous creature that feeds only on werewolves." TJ shrugged, "Good thing it's not a full moon."

"Yea, expect Raf has been stuck in wolf form ever since Hope's been gone." The tribrid's eyes widened, as she slapped her palm onto her forehead. "Wait, Raf? I didn't even know he turned."

"Yeah. Happened fighting Triad. Hasn't been able to turn back since."   "Yeah, of course he can't turn back," Hope replied. "I'm the only one that can turn him back. I'm the one that gave him that crescent moon ring."

Hope glimpsed at TJ who didn't seem to quite understand what was happening. "Okay, look, I've gotta go find him. Before the Shunka finds him first." TJ nodded, scanning his surroundings. "Let me guess, you want me to stay?"

"They're using magic. It's not fair. You'd be the only advantage we've got."