The Fated Choice
The next day, the academy buzzed with sharp whispers.
Near the Crescendo Cafetaria, two senior girls from higher tier band leaned close.
“Did you hear? Harmony and Sugarpetal went toe-to-toe with Evergarden yesterday.”
“Seriously? What are they trying to prove? They’re not in the same league.”
Outside the practice rooms, two girls spoke.
“The girl with short white hair? She looks fragile.”
“You really think she can last under Celestia’s pressure?” the other replied.
In the Sound Garden, a girl zipped up her violin case, muttering to her friend.
“Sugarpetal’s fun and all, but they’re not ready for this level.”
“And Harmony’s not even stable to begin with. Evergarden’s going to cook them aliv—”
Before the girl could finish her sentence, Catherine cut in.
“Cook who?” Her hand gripped the girl’s shoulder.
Just like that, the two gossiping girls fled without further word.
Cherry crossed her arms, frowning as she stared after them.
“Being a nobody is really frustrating,” she muttered.
“We only met Evergarden by chance yesterday. And we didn’t challenge them or anything.”
Evelyn smoothed her skirt, calm as always. Her voice remained gentle.
“Being underestimated is fairly common—until we prove them otherwise.”
Eluera remain quiet, her fingers curling slightly at her side.
Her thoughts lingered on one question—how could they truly prove themselves worthy in this academy?
—
Then—Cherry broke the brief silence with a sudden spark in her eyes.
She leaned in close to Harmony, a grin forming.
“I know how to prove them wrong. Let’s pair up for the Final Sonata and ascend together. That would shut their mouths for good.”
Her words caught the trio off guard.
“Pair up?” Catherine raised an eyebrow, arms folded.
“Did you forget we have to do a coin toss? There’s only a fifty-fifty chance we’ll be paired.”
“Yeah, I know,” Cherry said, a determined smile tugging at her lips.
“But we won’t know until we try.”
She met their eyes steadily, full of confidence.
Evelyn nodded thoughtfully, smoothing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Cherry’s right. There aren’t many options left to prove ourselves.
Plus, we’ve already tainted our reputation by accident.”
She glanced at Sugarpetal, her tone softening.
“However, there’s always the possibility we might end up facing each other.”
Fluffy bit her lip nervously.
“But... are we really going to risk it?”
“What if the coin lands on heads and only one of us can ascend?”
Fluffy’s words shut the whole group down; they were unsure whether this choice was the best for them.
—
Later that evening, Harmony and Sugarpetal returned to their dorm rooms. The atmosphere was heavy with thought.
The trio rested together on the living room couch, their minds still fixated on Cherry’s offer.
Eluera broke the silence first.
“Should we... choose Sugarpetal?”
Catherine glanced at her, then sighed.
“I mean, not to be rude, but we only met them a couple days ago.”
She shifted on the couch, crossing her arms as she leaned back.
“I know they’re nice friends. But at the end of the day...”
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“We—as students—are all strangers, brought to this academy for one purpose: to improve ourselves.”
“That’s why I don’t mind choosing Sugarpetal. Whether we end up competing or collaborating later, we’ll prove ourselves.”
Evelyn shared her thoughts, voice calm as ever.
“Yeah, but Sugarpetal was the first band we met in this academy, and they treated us kindly. The other bands either ignored our presence or didn’t care about our arrival.”
She closed her eyes, voice gentle.
“We ought to at least show them some respect.”
Eluera sort of understood both perspectives:
Catherine believed that caring friends too much could be a hindrance to their progress.
Meanwhile, Evelyn showed a more empathetic side, emphasizing the importance of camaraderie in this academy setting.
—
Amidst the tension, Sugarpetal found themselves in the same discussion.
Fluffy lay sprawled across the living room sofa, legs dangling midair as she hugged a cushion close.
“Cherry, are you sure we’ll choose Harmony?”
Cherry sat beside her, her legs crossed, arms resting on the sofa’s handle.
“Yeah. We don’t have anyone else. Harmony’s the only band we feel comfortable with.”
She leaned slightly forward, voice softer now.
“Are you... worried we might end up facing them?”
Fluffy answered with a slow nod, her gaze fixated on the ceiling.
She fell silent for a brief moment, then spoke again—this time, her tone more serious.
“But... I kinda don’t mind if only one of us can ascend.” she said, her hands resting on her lap.
“After all, we only formed Sugarpetal for fun. It was a miracle Aria Luna Academy even invited us.”
She leaned back, her gaze now fixed on Cherry with a serious expression.
“And in the worst-case scenario, if we fail to ascend...”
“We might have to disband Sugarpetal.”
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