"Welcome everyone to the 35th National Ice Skating Tournament! Today, we have a star-studded finals lineup!"
The announcer's voice boomed through the countless speakers installed around the arena.
"Let's introduce the main performers before we kick things off. From the left, we have Delilah Summers, appearing in her second ice skating finals in a row!"
The crowd erupted into applause as Delilah skated out, waving confidently to the audience.
"That's my daughter!!"
A woman suddenly stood up from the stands and screamed at the top of her lungs.
Several spectators turned toward her with visibly annoyed expressions.
"Mom, stop it. You're embarrassing yourself."
Michael buried his face in his hand as his mother reluctantly sat back down.
"What's so wrong with supporting my daughter, Michael? You don't have to be jealous. I share my love equally, even though you're not an ice skating finalist."
Michael slowly turned and gave her a side-eye.
"One, she's not your daughter, she's your stepdaughter. Two, there's nothing impressive about ice skating."
"Go, go Delilah!!"
His mother completely ignored him.
"Typical."
Michael let out a sigh.
"I can't believe I'm spending my Saturday like this, watching girls skate on ice. I should be scouting for potential prospects to hypnotize."
The announcer's voice rang out once again.
"And from the RIGHT!!"
His voice rose dramatically, causing the crowd to erupt before he could even announce the name.
"She always has to steal the show."
Delilah clicked her tongue, visibly irritated.
"Why is the whole stadium going insane?"
Michael looked around in confusion as thousands of people screamed in excitement.
The announcer continued.
"It's the High Flyer! The four-time National Champion! The All-Women Skating MVP! THE GERMAN EAGLE, FLEURE VAN SKYWALKER!!"
The arena practically shook from the roar of the crowd.
A girl with blonde and brown hair emerged from her section and immediately began skating around the rink. Her movements were smooth and effortless as she circled Delilah before stopping directly in front of her.
The two locked eyes.
Neither said a word.
The tension alone was enough.
After a few seconds, Fleure casually turned away and waved to the audience, causing another wave of cheers.
"Fleure Van Skywalker... damn, that's a pretty cool name."
Even Michael couldn't deny how effortlessly cool she looked.
"Both skaters, return to your sections and let the finals begin!!"
The referee's voice echoed across the arena.
Delilah went first.
The moment she stepped onto the ice, her entire demeanor changed.
She glided across the rink with seamless precision, each movement flowing naturally into the next. Spins, turns, and jumps blended together so smoothly that it looked less like a performance and more like a dance.
The audience applauded loudly.
"That's my girl! Skate on these bi—"
"Mom!"
Michael immediately cut her off.
"Sorry, just got excited."
She laughed awkwardly.
Delilah eventually finished her routine and returned to her section to another round of applause.
As she passed Fleure, she smirked.
"Beat that bitch."
Fleure didn't respond.
Her eyes remained focused on the rink ahead.
"Fleure Van Skywalker to the rink."
The referee called her forward.
Fleure pushed herself onto the ice and flashed a grin toward the audience.
"Thanks for watching the warm-up. Time for the real show!!"
The entire stadium exploded.
"Bitch!"
Delilah bit her nails in frustration.
Meanwhile, Fleure casually began her performance.
At first, she simply skated around the rink.
Then, without warning—
She planted one foot.
Flipped backward.
And landed perfectly on the same foot.
The crowd gasped.
Without losing momentum, she gracefully moved her arms before flowing directly into a perfect three-hundred-and-sixty-degree spin.
"She's doing it!!"
The announcer practically screamed.
"She's about to do the HIGH FLYER!!"
The audience instantly rose to their feet.
Fleure's spinning accelerated.
Faster.
And faster.
And faster.
Until suddenly—
She launched herself into the air.
The entire arena went silent.
Her body continued spinning high above the rink, the lights reflecting off her as she rotated endlessly in midair.
Thousands of spectators instinctively looked upward.
Their mouths hung open.
Their eyes widened.
"She's flying."
For the first time since arriving, Michael looked genuinely amazed.
Above the rink, Fleure continued to spin through the air, looking less like a skater and more like an eagle soaring through the sky.