"What do I do? If I launch an attack, I might hurt Ron… But if I do nothing, that thing will finish off everyone else," Alita murmured in anguish, her mind torn between fear and responsibility.
"Come on, Alita. Focus," Nakia said, hovering before her with a firm but reassuring voice. "You didn't train so hard for nothing. It's time to show a little of your power, my young student."
"But, Master… I don't think I'm ready," Alita replied, doubting herself as she clenched her fists.
At that moment, memories of her past began flooding her mind. From as far back as she could remember, her parents had drilled into her the importance of studying without distractions, devouring books as if it were her sole mission in life. One day, when she was little, she ran into a wall at school. She'd been having trouble seeing, but her parents dismissed it, thinking it was just a childish phase. However, the problem persisted, and soon she could no longer make out the chalkboard or read her books clearly. Finally, after much insistence, her strict parents took her to the doctor. The tests revealed it was a vision problem. If they had taken her earlier, it could have been resolved with simple eye drops. But now, she will need glasses for the rest of her life. It was all due to the constant pressure her parents exerted on her—both physically and mentally. They wanted her to be one of the best in the realm, grooming her for a future filled with success.
Years passed, and at the tender age of seven, Alita earned a scholarship to attend a prestigious private school. Though excited about this new chapter, there was always something inside her that kept her from being truly happy. Her parents, on the other hand, were overjoyed. "Come on, Alita. As the eldest sister, you must set an example for your two younger siblings. Just like you, they'll also attend this great school, which is exclusive to the wealthy and privileged. Feel proud of this achievement, my girl," they told her, beaming with pride.
On her first day of school, Alita arrived wearing her large glasses, her tool for seeing the world. However, it wasn't long before some children began mocking her for wearing them. Others, aware of her family's modest economic status, looked down on her because she came from a middle-class family—an unacceptable trait in a place meant for the richest and most privileged. They called her "the scholarship kid," always with a tone dripping with disdain.
Because of this, Alita simply ignored their comments and focused on her studies. She distanced herself from everyone, avoiding any social interaction. She had always been smarter than the rest, driven by her parents' relentless demands. Her mother owned a small bakery, and her father worked as a professor at a public university in the realm, but their income barely covered the family's needs, let alone the cost of such a prestigious school. With three children to care for, every sacrifice mattered.
One day, as Alita walked through the school hallways, a group of girls began to glare at her with disdain, whispering that phrase that followed her everywhere: "There goes the scholarship kid." "Which one? The four-eyes?" others added, laughing among themselves. Alita appeared calm on the outside, but inside, she was a whirlwind of emotions. The weight of their words overwhelmed her, and unable to bear it any longer, she ran off, accidentally colliding with someone. She fell to the ground, rubbing her head with a grimace of pain.
"Hey, see where you're going! That hurt!" said a young voice, laced with irritation.
Alita looked up, but she couldn't see anything. Her glasses had fallen off during the impact, leaving her practically blind. She began groping the floor desperately, searching for them without success.
"Are these glasses yours?" the same voice asked, now calmer. Before Alita could respond, she felt someone place the glasses back onto her face.
As they settled into place, her vision cleared immediately. In front of her stood a boy with spiky green hair, observing her curiously. His eyes sparkled with a mix of intrigue and amusement as he assessed her from head to toe.
"Oh, it's you, the girl who always sits in the corner and doesn't talk much," he remarked, crossing his arms. Still dazed, Alita could only manage a weak, "Ouch!" It was all that would come out of her mouth.
The boy smiled faintly. "I see you're shy and don't say much. Well, I'll help you." He extended his hand and helped her to her feet. At first, Alita didn't want anyone touching her, but she felt an unusual warmth in the contact that made her blush involuntarily.
"Wow, you need to be more careful. Those fools over there were probably bothering you and saying mean things, right?" the boy continued. "Don't worry, I'm also a scholarship student, but I have a good friend I hang out with all the time. Though he's a lost cause—he's always distracted. Maybe you'll like him." He paused before adding, "By the way, my name is…"
Before he could finish, a voice interrupted from behind: "Ah! There you are, Ron. What are you doing to touch a girl? Ew! Do you like her?" said a golden-skinned boy, looking at him with a mix of disgust and mockery typical of children their age.
"No, nothing like that," Ron quickly replied, releasing Alita's hand. The girl, visibly uncomfortable, tried to defend herself: "No, no, we're nothing!" But her face flushed a deep crimson, which only made the situation worse.
"So why are you blushing?" the newcomer asked with a mischievous smile.
"No, nothing! Mind your own business!" Alita shouted, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Ron, trembling slightly, leaned closer to her and whispered, "If I were you, I wouldn't talk to him like that… He's the prince."
"This… I…" Alita stammered, mortified at having yelled at the heir to the kingdom. Her mind began to spin: "And now what do I do? If I mess this up, they'll kick me out of this school, and my parents will never speak to me again… Or worse, they'll disown me."
The golden-skinned boy approached her and, with a mischievous smile, gave her a small tap on the forehead with his index finger and thumb.
"Ouch!" Alita exclaimed, bringing a hand to the spot where the prince had touched her.
"You don't have to be so formal," he said in a friendly tone. "I'm Paltio, and you must be Alita, the new girl, right?"
"No… I couldn't just call you Paltio. I should say 'Prince,'" she quickly replied, trying to maintain protocol while her mind raced with possible consequences of a misstep.
"Well, I give you permission to call me that—it's how my grandfather taught me," Paltio responded casually. Then, his smile widened until it seemed to light up the entire hallway. "And from today on, I want you to be our friend."
Alita looked at him, bewildered. "Is this an order?" she thought to herself, fearing that rejecting the invitation might bring repercussions for her family.
"Take it however you want, but from today you can hang out with us," Paltio added, without giving her time to respond. He turned around and called out to his friend Ron. Both began walking away, but before they got too far, the prince turned back toward her.
"And aren't you coming, Alita?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
From that day forward, something has changed. An unconventional alliance was formed—a friendship that transcended social barriers and prejudices. After that, no one dared to bother Alita again. In fact, they began treating her as an equal. Something inside her blossomed, something she had always lacked: the understanding that not everything in life was about studying tirelessly, as her parents had always drilled into her. There was also room for meeting people, having fun, and finding a balance between duty and happiness.
Back to the Present
After recalling that anecdote from her past, Alita took a deep breath. "I'm here on this journey of my own accord," she told herself with renewed determination. "I want to be useful to my friends."
She turned her attention back to Nakia, who was still hovering in front of her, trying to snap her out of her thoughts.
"You're right, Nakia," Alita affirmed, finally emerging from her reflections. "I'm going to save Ron and protect everyone. I guess Paltio has rubbed off on me with his nonsense." A small smile appeared on her face as she spoke those last words.
"Come on, Alita! No rush, but if you're going to do something, do it soon because my armor is starting to crack," Ron shouted from the beast's pincer, struggling to hold on.
"All right, I'll do it my way. Here I go!" Alita exclaimed with determination, preparing to face the creature.