It started with a kick.
Fourth grade gym class. A hundred screaming kids in oversized uniforms running in random directions. Most of them were chasing a basketball. I spotted an old soccer ball deflated and abandoned by the edge of the court. It looked like it hadn't been used in years. I picked it up.
[New Quest Unlocked: First Impression] Objective: Show your skill.
Reward: +1 Ball Control, Unlock chance for mentorship
I dropped the ball and gave it a soft tap with the inside of my foot. It wobbled, but the feel was familiar. My body might be young, but my instincts were forged in fire.
"You gonna kick that, or marry it?" someone sneered.
I looked up. A boy with a buzz cut and oversized ego stepped forward. Randy. I remembered him. He used to bully the kids who played football. Always called it a 'girl sport.'
"Why don't you try taking it from me," I said.
He didn't wait. Charged like a rhino. But I was ready.
I shifted the ball behind my left foot, flicked it across my right, and let muscle memory take over. A perfect Maradona spin. He slid past air and crashed into a bench. The class gasped. Even the basketball kids paused.
I didn't smile. I didn't taunt. I just turned and started juggling the ball, one foot to the other, keeping it in the air.
Quest Completed: First Impression
+1 Ball Control
+1 Respect (Local Schoolyard)
Mentorship Opportunity: Coach Erwin (PE Teacher) - Unlocked
Coach Erwin was watching. He approached, arms crossed, brow raised.
"Where'd you learn that?" he asked.
I looked him in the eye.
"In another life."