Looking away quickly I fell onto the ground and shook, not of shock nor terror but of something else. I calmed my body and tried calming my mind–though soon a clear sound could be heard from the crowd–a mixture of awe and frustration lended its strength towards the booming voice. “Ladies and gentlemen–what a turn of events, ey? I’m sorry this wasn’t the result you’ve all expected–but aren’t unexpected results better than expected ones?” in a dire choice to lighten the mood–the sickening crowd cheers as if to agree. Alaine who watched the whole ‘show’ stood for a moment–almost expressionless. I looked at her with an unreadable eye and said, “Dax..i-is he-” but before I was to speak my mind; Alaine quickly cut me off, “Dax! H-He’s..fine, he only has a couple of cuts and bruises, but..he-he” unable to fully express her worries–she was also cut short of words before the door made an all too familiar “click”. Non-hesitantly opening the door with a swift yet soundless force, three women could be seen standing in front of us. All dark haired but hues of different colors, one brown–the other purple and the last blue. With a grin of an unfamiliar look the one in front exclaimed, “Hey-Hey! We’re here to pick up the newest girl on the block; sorry boys aren’t allowed” she smuggley sounded. “Although…” she walked closer–past Alaine and straight at me–brushing her hand across my chest she said, “I’m curious if the monster has on a leash” chills erupted from my spine towards the front of my face–giving my reaction into how this random woman just invaded my personal bubble. Just as shocked as I was–Alaine’s jaw dropped as she too wondered who the hell is this woman. “H-Hey! What’re you-!; Click” the flicking of a gun lock stood both of us still. “Please stop messing around, I don't want to do extra work–Nicole” the blue haired woman exclaimed with a cold yet threatening tone. Breathing a sigh of boredom, Nicole said, “Yeah, yeah–man you’re no fun at all!” pouting all the way out the door the rest followed along as well as Alaine. She looked at me worryingly as the door slowly slammed shut; leaving me alone in the room. With an estimated eighteen minutes passing by–I sat quietly, still counting the number of minutes passing; the door soon clung onto its hinges from the force of pushing on the other side. POW! The door finally opened and unleashed Dax from its ironing grip, “Getchur’ass in there! And make sure you don’t do anything that’ll getchu’ killed, hehehe” a man exclaimed. But before I was able to study their faces they quickly closed the door as fast as they'd opened it. “You alright?” reaching out my hand in support of my comrade he reached back, “Yeah..besides the cuts and beatings I’m fine”. Raising a question in my head–I said, “Beatings?” Dax nodded back with notation. “Well…they'd take you into a room with people, and give you two choices”. I hesitantly asked, “Like..what..?”. He paused before he said, “Either ‘fingers’ or ‘knees’ and if you don’t choose, they’ll choose for you” We both sat in silence as the conversation was mainly information and yet I had an unsettling feeling that there was something else happening then just breaking a bone or two. “Dax..” I quietly replied, “Do..you think they’ll do the same to…” but being unable to let out my thoughts in time; the roaring of the crowd overlaid their screams above my own. We both looked out of the small opening and saw that the fiery redhead was there. Making a face of concern, Dax said, “Is that the man?” I nodded in confirmation. “I mean you beat him before right? What’s the difference now?” I sighed with a breath, “We’ve barely managed to beat him–even with our gear” I exclaimed, “But I was the one who held Alaine back”. Daxs’ face lit up a bit, “So..what's the problem?” I looked up towards the sands and almost reading my thoughts Dax said, “You’re worried Alaine would have a slight chance to fail?”. Squinching parts of my face I nodded minutely as to limit my expression of anxiety. “Well, doubt is always a good thing but having a bit of hope on the side isn’t terrible; especially now”, trying to calm my nerves I replayed his words within my head and soon nodded, “Y-Yeah..I guess you’re right..”.
With a couple of minutes passing–Alaine soon came out of the opposite end at which she seemed scratched and pitted with dust. Her nose bled minutely but quickly ran dry as she wiped away the pain to continue her path forward towards the arena. The redhead–looked with an unfamiliar face before putting on a more sinister smile. “Well, well, well; if it ain’t the little missy who gave me these ‘hideous’ scars. I’ll tell you what–it was an underestimation that I was holding back and since you got your ass handed to ya by yours’ truly! I believe this won’t turn out well for you” the man proudly remarked. Alaine stared in silence for a couple of minutes before lifting an arm to pluck out a hidden hair tie. “Is that so?” with her hair tied up and flipping the length of her new ponytail within the air; she ruffed the front of her hair and said, “Well I think I’ve figured you out, and..man you’re boring” With an expression of arrogance, Alaine looked at the man and the man looked back with annoyance. “Ready! Get set!” along with the booming voice–they both readied themselves in fighting stances; signaling everyone the differences in styles and education gained from experience. “KILL!” With the man rushing head first–the cranking of his powered arm flashed Alaines’ left side; but as powerful as it might be its prediction was more potent. Gleaming with a bright light–Alaine swiftly ducks and successfully lands a lower jab onto the man's ribs. But almost unphased the man swifty turns and reaches his hand for a grab but only to grip the fleeting air. With another duck and a roll–Alaine’s swift build passes the man's hulking mass. Standing on her feet she gives the man a wave with her fingers facing up–taunting the man to come at her; and come at her he did. Gritting his teeth in a sarcastic smile he launches himself with a coiled arm and swings. Bringing his right hook into a left jab; though dodging every move as if she was foretold the future–Alaine’s quick feet successfully guides her into a roundhouse kick–hitting the mans’ ribs again spot on. With an audible “U-Ugh!” The mans’ collective saliva spilled from the corners of his mouth. With a rising annoyance the man unleashes a flurry of fastening burrages at Alaine; and yet with almost an unknowable and unseen eye–Alaine strides with perfect dodges. Counteracting each fist with a swiftening counter blow. With the fist of the man inches the face of Alaines’; she quickly grapples the arm of the man and kicks him squarely in the jaw. Soon dazzling away to gain some space–waiting for his next move. It was then unexpectedly the redhead chuckled to himself and spoke, “Hehehe..ay–how’abouta deal?” spurting the blood from his nose he kept on speaking, “You tell me how to turn on these gloves and I’ll only give ya cigarette burns”. With a silent stare, Alaine made her choice; “Fine…but don’t beg for mercy when I scorch your ass!”.
Rushing at her once again the man nics Alaine’s right arm–scraping it with the friction of his powerful force and yet she does not falter. Countering with another rib jab her perseverance this time made the man stand still until he raised his right arm high into the air. Breaking into almost a dance–Alaine pats the ground with a hand and lifts her body upward; kicking the sand and dust from her feet directly onto the man's face; beckoning a loud, Pow! With the fight now seemingly over–Alaine flips the man onto his back, “Was that it?” she drearley answered; with the same old sinister smirk the man said, “Hah! That’s easy for you to say..genius”. Glinting his eyes, a billowing of smoke rises from the core of his knuckles–he then quickly grabs Alaine's foot which stood atop of him–easily tossing her off with a single swing. Crashing onto the ground and dashing through sand–I quickly realized the turning of the tables. Out from the dust the man pounces; with his fist up high he swings down heavily, POOM! Barely scraping her face–her sight was forced by dust and sand; yet Alaine threw another punch at the man's face. Unluckley for her, his unphased glare only grew more impatient–with another swing of his hefty arm a sounding, WOOSH! could have been heard clearly. Though with her slim build–Alaine easily flips and dodges the man's undodgeable punch. With sweat dripping from her face I now realize the strengths’ between two talented fighters. “I-Is Alaine..gonna be alright..?” I worryingly asked; turning to Dax I looked with anxiety. “Honestly..I’m not sure–I’d be less worried if he didn’t turn on those gloves though…” Looking away for a moment to gather my thoughts I soon looked back at him–and strangely said, “Well…How’d those things work anyway..?”. Dax paused for a moment–looking at me then back at the arena, “Mm..well I don’t think Alaine would mind me telling her secret–since we’ve pretty much grown up together; but the way it works is that with each punch or friction created from each contact. The amount of energy is stored within the gloves heating system–sort of like trapping hot air; eventually it’ll all release randomly when it's at full capacity..but..” he haphazardly stated, “The real trigger is the blood within your adrenaline gland. If a certain threshold within your blood flow passes a certain limit–the gloves will activate no matter how much heat is stored up inside.” He then went on to say, “So it all really depends on how much heat is stored and this would give you an advantage within a fight–though it’ll last around six minutes at most.” I tried thinking to myself before looking back at the fight; but being unable to concentrate on a logical thought I could only watch as my comrades' life was at risk . The crowd kept cheering from each blazing blow the redhead threw; though missing each shot–the pressure of coiled muscle and bone sent the air twirling as if it were made of butter. “What’s wrong!? Don't have the stamina to dodge much more?” cockingly replying, Alaine’s face grew more irritated. Going in for a right coiling straight, the man unleashed his fist with sparkling furry; dodging once again Alaine’s counterattack was just about to strike until, FLOAM! a burning cinder across the right side of her shirt sizzled and blazed from the touch of the flaming gloves. Although with a vulnerable spot opening up; Alaine didn’t stop her movement as she used the momentum of her dodge straight ahead–quickly pulling out what seems to be a chain from the inside of her shirt. With bated breath–she strikes heavily, CRACK. The mans’ head reeled back in pain ,”ARGH!” he shouted; it was then as if the mans’ mind reformed itself into its primeval instincts. With a wild look the man raged and yelled, “AAAAARRRRRRGGGHHH!” and swung the mass of his left arm at Alaine. Dodging one more time, the carrying of her chained fist reached the mans’ face and before anyone knew what had happened, another; CRACK!
As if it were in slow motion, the man flew outward with blood gushing from the hidden expression he had; then the slumbering giant finally fell onto the ground. With a loud cheering the crowd screamed with neutrality. I stood still–unable to move nor decipher that my comrade defeated an opponent who outweighed her in every regard and yet; she still stands. It was then Dax sat down and silently chuckled; without a word he looked at me and I glinted at him before looking back at the arena. Spotting the motion in which Alaine stood I soon realized her attention was somewhere unreachable, undetectable to my clearance of vision. Her face filled with annoyance and irritation; she spoke loud but not enough for me to hear–until, “Isn't it obvious? I’m not going to kill this man”. I gained confusion–I stood and carefully paid attention to whom she argued with. “Can’t you all see that killing-is just wrong?” Speaking with confidence and righteousness her eyes gleamed ever bright towards the top. Only seconds later a second and unknowing voice grumbles itself, “It seems like..you don’t understand–Miss Sue” the voice paused for a moment before saying, “Because in this world..Only the strong have power..”. The sound of his voice quickly fainted and the look upon Alaine’s face churned into a smirking scoff. “Then you shouldn’t mind me talking”, with a while pause the sound of chuckling from the silent crowd could be heard. After a clear snap of fingers, two people in a green and purple hooded sweater came from where Alaine once entered the arena, on the other side–another set par came out the other end as well. Each holding weaponry.
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