The day of The Trials had arrived, and the city’s central square pulsed with life. Garlands of ivy, laurel, and vibrant flowers were strung across the streets, twisting around the columns of elaborate buildings. Colourful banners bearing the kingdom’s symbol fluttered in the gentle breeze, while the marble statues of famous figures gleamed in the sunlight. To complement the festive décor, rich scents of warm baked goods, fresh herbs, and fragrant floral perfumes filled the air. The roads were packed with melons of every kind—some in elegant togas and others in simple tunics. Yet, despite all the festivities and bustling energy, the melons of the kingdom continued with their daily routines, seemingly unfazed by the grand display surrounding them.

The Trials were held at the Grand Stadium, a well-known venue for creating champions. Although the stadium’s seats were empty, the hustle of guards rushing to their stations and the film crew attending to their sets helped fill the silent void. Furna, Sky, and Terrain waited in the prep room for The Trials to begin.

Furna fiddled with her shiny new badge. Her fingers traced its edges, feeling the etched indentations of the royal insignia. Lost in thought, her badge slipped from her grasp and propelled into the air.

With a flicker, it clanged against the wooden lockers and tumbled drunkenly next to Terrain's feet.

Terrain shifted his attention to the fallen badge. As he picked it up, he noticed Furna still fiddling with her fingers as if nothing had happened.

“You good?” he asked, holding her badge out to her.

Furna broke away from her trance and gave a subtle smile. “Yeh, just butterflies.”

Terrain sat beside her, placing the shiny medallion back onto the sash of her utility belt.

“I thought you were excited for The Trials,” Terrain said, securing the badge with a click.

Furna's eyes drooped as she let out a weary sigh. “I was…but.”

“But?”

“But I watched some old takes of The Trials, and it looked intense.” Furna shuddered at the thought.

“What if I can’t make it to the end in time?” she finally admitted with a hint of panic in her voice.

Terrain placed a reassuring hand on Furna's shoulder. “Well, for starters, those videos are heavily edited”.

“But if you get stuck", Terrain continued ", I promise to help you out.”

“You’re not doing it on your own after all.”

Furna's body relaxed as the realisation struck her. “Yeah, that’s true.”

Terrain smiled and gave her a hug. “Just try to have some fun, okay?”

Furna returned the smile. “Don’t worry, I will.”

Crash!

Terrain and Furna shot up as freckles of fluff rained down from the sky.  They turned to see Sky standing apologetically with a tattered punching bag slopped against the wall.

“Sorry, I-”

A thunderous knock came from the door, gathering their attention.

Before anyone could respond, Tempest barged in, appearing a little less put together than the day before.

“The Trials are about to start.  I need you all to head to the entrance”.

Furna, Terrain, and Sky looked at each other, confused.

"Uh... Pip’s not here," Sky finally responded. 

“What?” Tempest said bluntly as she gripped her clipboard so tight you could hear the wood bending.

 “Maybe he’s just running late,” Furna quickly chimed in, hoping to de-escalate the situation. 

Tempest glared at her in disbelief. “Late? On trial day?”

Regretting her intrusion, Furna stepped back behind Terrain.

Tempest sighed before regaining her composure. “I guess we’ll have to start without him. You guys focus on The Trials. I’ll try to contact him.”

At that, Tempest left, leaving the Elemelons to sort themselves out.

 “I guess that’s our cue,” Sky said, getting one last stretch in. “Let’s get out there and win this thing”.

Furna leaned towards Terrain and whispered, “Should we remind her this isn’t a competition?”