Chapter IV: A Cyborg's Compassion
The time of the day reaches afternoon and the blue sky is starting to get pushed out of the way by dark rain clouds. The Team are watching the current match.
The strange group of men wait quietly for their name to show up. The men and women around them converse. The loud noise disturbs all six of them. Their metal teeth grinds as the pitch of the voices ruptures their ears. Soon after attempting to control their sensors, the announcer calls for one of the men for the last of the First Round matches.
Announcer: "Now, the last of the First Round Matches are about to begin between Max and Ricoro! So sit back and enjoy!"
One of the guys from the evil group gets up from his seat, nods to them in a silent way and walks out of the room. He meets a woman at the exit, leading outside to the ring. She asks him if he was Ricoro. He validates his name and walks towards the ring. His purple hair sways as he walks. Max walks up to the ring with his coal black dreadlocks that touch his shoulders. He is wearing black martial arts wear with a blue belt. The two opponents arrive at the front of the ring. Ricoro stands still on his side of the ring. While Max stands on his side he notices something strange about Ricoro. Everything about him is disturbing, even the way he breathes. His breath sounds mechanical. Max gulps. "He's freaking me out, man."
Prince rubs his chin. "Hmmmm…Ricoro's a scary looking one." Natalie agrees. "Yeah, you wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley."
Announcer: "Now!"
The crowd goes wild, yelling and screaming. Ricoro closes his eyes and says in a deep voice, "this is going to be too easy." Max's legs are shaking with fear. Ricoro twitches his head to the right. Then, suddenly in a flash of a millisecond, time frees. The crowd stops. Max stops. The sky stops. The ocean stops. Everything on the face of the Earth has stopped moving. Ricoro grins eevily and walks up slowly to Max. He winds his arm and fist back and blows it forward. Max flies backwards, basically gliding in mid-air with the tip of his shoes two inches away from the ring floor. He flies off the ring and hits the ground and continues to fly backwards, while leaving a dirt trail behind. He stops twenty feet from the ring. Ricoro chuckles and steps back to where he was before. He twitches his head to the left and time flashes back again. The crowd takes a few seconds to notice that Max was already out of the ring. Everyone gasps in awe and disbelief. The Team's eyes are wide open.
"Wow, this is crazy. I didn't even see Ricoro move. Man, that's one super fast dude!", screams Prince.
Announcer: Man, Ricoro certainly is advancing.
Ricoro walks off the ring and into the room where all the fighters are. They all stop talking and their eyes lands on him in dark fear. He ignores their stares and goes back to his spot on the couch. His head turns to see the other men and nods.
The distant clouds are now almost over the tournament. The cool breeze from them can be felt throughout the crowd. The frigid breeze blows across everyone's skin and in and out of their clothes. Prince exhales in joy. "Ah, this feels good. I love cool weather, but not too cool." The ocean tides ravage over each other. The crowd is waiting during an intercession time before the next match.
Announcer: "We have gone through the First Round Matches! We've seen amazing battles, shocking fights, and strong warriors face off against each other, but now is the Finals of the First Round Matches. Between Electro-X, the amazing and quick woman in her prime of battle, and her opponent, the unbeaten beast Ricoro that is so quick, the human eye cannot catch his movements. The two will battle it out for the prize of being in the Last Finals. At this time, Electro-X and Ricoro please enter the ring for your match and good luck!"
Akasha clears her throat and hops up and down, trying to get the blood flowing in her body. "Remember, one advice that is most important! Ricoro can stop time, so what you do is attack him before he gets the chance!" yells Prince.
Ricoro walks towards the ring. He paces himself completely straight ahead, gazing at his opponent. His arms are crossed over his protruding chest, which moves up and down as he breathes. Akasha places her eyes on him and her stomach sinks. "You can do it Akasha. You can do it. You've gotten this far and you're NOT going to back down now."
The wind blows vigorously around the bowl. The rain clouds are now hovering closer to the tournament. The bright sun is now beginning to get covered up by the huge clouds. A shadow has now dimmed over the bowl, shading everyone and cooling them down.
Announcer: "Now! Is everybody ready?" The crowd screams.
Akasha remembers what Prince said and quickly looks up to see The Team teling her to go ahead and change. Her face gets smug and shouts "Power up!" The echoes of her shout travels through the bowl. The announcer pauses at the sight of Akasha producing a yellow glow over her. The yellow aura brightens as her costume becomes visible and the triangle with the bolt in it rises over her head.
Ricoro smirks when he sees her after her transformation. He spits again, burning a hole into the tournament floor. Akasha is like a candle in the darkness of the blanket of shade covering the whole bowl as the dark rain clouds come completely over the Bowl. Everyone looks up at them, surprised to see them.
Both Ricoro and Electro-X(Akasha) nod their heads. The aura around her burns brightly over her body as her stance is like a statue. Still. Ready to attack. Ricoro uncrosses his arms and spreads his legs ready to battle, also. The crowd can't stand the suspense.
Silence…
Announcer: GO!
Electro-X shouts and jumps back as a huge lightning bolt crackles towards Ricoro. It kind of takes him off guard because the titanic bolt strikes Ricoro, knocking him off the ground and into mid air. The lightning is so bright it shines through the shadows of the Bowl and the crowd covers their eyes with their arms. The Team even block their eyes from the blinding glow. Ricoro is caught in the electricity. Electro-X yells and jumps back more as she shoots more out into the bolt and tries not to put too much because it will kill him. She pushes the bolt forwards, pushing Ricoro closer and closer to the edge of the ring. She lets off the bolt severity and goes forwards some more. Ricoro is a step away from the edge. Ricoro reacts frantically and freezes time. The bolt freezes along with Electro-X.
He relieves himself from the frozen lightning bolt. His boots slam back onto the floor. He dusts himself off and walks towards Electro-X, then sprints, cocks his fist back and is about to launch a soaring punch, when he freezes in mid stance. "I cannot hurt her…" he utters in a mechanical voice. He drops his fist and unfreezes time. Electro-X awakens from her freeze and jumps back to notice he is before her. "Why aren't you attacking me?" shouts Electro-X. Ricoro answers, "I was going to. But I found myself backing off. I'm not going to lie, my mission was to destroy you. But, I cannot do so, I have no passion to kill now. I will not cheat this battle. You see, I am a cyborg…"
Electro-X gasps. "What?" Ricoro nods his head and says, "Half human, half machine. I am made of Ultimate Base Tritanium O3. I have a working heart, but it is an artificial one. I have blood, but it's not like the blood you have, my blood is a clear liquid called Quaritite. I may lack human feelings such as sadness and joy, but I do understand them. My brothers are the same way as I."
"So, you have brothers?" asks Electro-X.
"Yes. They came here with me. I have spoken too much. My circuits must have been altered whenever the electricity surged through my frame. I have failed my mission. I am a disgrace to my brothers now. Go on, finish me off."
"Why? I cannot do that on your command, it would be dishonest."
"Please."
Electro-X pauses. She gazes at the crowd who are apparently confused of their unknown conversation. "I can't do it. You're so gentle now. I'd be like battling one of my friends."
"I order you. Please, I deserve it."
Electro-X pushes her head down, grips her fists and responds, "I can't."