Did you know that in Japanese, 'Four' is 'Shi', and 'Death' is also 'Shi'?

That's why 4 is considered an unlucky number, like 13.

But I like to think of them as lucky numbers :)

Chapter IV

"Fi!" 108 skidded to a halt, having ran all the way to Fi's usual spot.

"Ghirahim! You're a bit early; you shouldn't announce your attack," Fi jokingly started, but 108 cut her off.

"My clan... They're..." 108 stopped as he started to pant heavily, "they're..."

"Calm down; deep breaths-"

"They're searching for you!" 108 forced himself to say it.

"... Me?" Fi repeated, seemingly unconcerned.

"Yes... You..." 108 slowly caught his breath, and began to talk normally again, "they think I've 'changed', and they're looking for anything, or anyone who may be the cause...!"

"Indeed we are...!"

"What...!?" 108 spun around to see Shivra, Regdar, and 20 Drow troops behind him.

"And you..." Shivra menacingly drew her longsword, "... Led us straight to her."
The Drow troops formed a circle around 108 and Fi, trapping them as Shivra took slow, deliberate steps towards Fi.

"Now then... Who should I kill first?"

Think... Think...!
Just as 108 attempted to think of a plan...

"Ha... Hahaha..." Someone started to laugh... "Hahahahaha!"

"Fi... What's wrong with you...?" 108 asked uncertainly as Fi continued to laugh insanely.
And finally... She stopped.

"... Found you..." She whispered, almost inaudibly, looking at Shivra.

"Me?... No, I believe we found you." Shivra replied, slightly confused.

"That..." Fi pulled a rolled up sheet of parchment out of her pouch, "... Is where you're wrong."
Fi unrolled the parchment for all to see:

SHIVRA the STORM
Leader of DO'ZBARETHO
4 ASTRAL DIAMONDS

"Oh... I see..." Shivra chuckled to herself as Fi grinned at her, "so those fools have finally put a bounty on my head, have they?" Shivra flourished her weapon and sneered, "A bounty poster... How quaint, I had no idea anyone still even used those."

"That's right," Fi confirmed her bounty, ignoring her comment on the poster, all traces of her former friendly personality had disappeared, "I borrowed your tool over here to get to you, and it worked out perfectly; my apologies, but he won't be released unless I die." 108 flinched upon hearing her call him a 'tool', was she really the Fi he knew?

"Oh... You've enchanted my property...? Now I see why he has been acting so irrationally."
108's head hurt; they were talking about things he did not understand.

"En-... -chanted...?" The words slipped out of his mouth as he clutched his head and fell to his knees.

"Listen to me, Number 108!" Shivra suddenly called out, "this woman has deceived you; she has placed an enchantment on you, and pretended to be your 'friend'. That is the reason for these 'feelings' you are experiencing."

"What...!?" 108 murmured, in shock; it wasn't true, it couldn't be true, "Fi...?" 108 looked up at Fi as a single tear fell from his eye; he needed to know that it wasn't true...

"Sorry, '108'." Fi gave 108 a chilling smile, "everything she said is true."

"No..."

"I used you."

"No... No...!" 108 started to yell; he didn't want to hear her.

"I was never your friend...!" Fi shouted gleefully over 108.

Drip...

Drip...

The sky turned black as rain started to fall; tears slowly rolled down 108's face, almost imperceptible beneath the rain.

"... Better luck next time." Fi laughed.

"... You're dead." Hatred rose up within 108, a tidal wave of emotion growing taller and taller... And then it crashed down.

"AAGGHH!" 108 let out a guttural cry, and ripped his blade out of its sheath as he charged towards Fi.

Clang!

Whoosh!

Crash!

108 smashed his blade against Fi's, not caring about the condition of his weapon.
He didn't care about anything anymore.

"Yes, yes!" Shivra laughed maniacally, "kill her, 108! Kill her, and release yourself from her control!"

Fi ducked past 108's sword strike and grabbed 108's neck, slamming him into a tree.

"I told you!" Fi taunted, "you'll never beat me if you hold back!"

"Shut up!" 108 screamed and kicked Fi back as hard as he could.

They fought for what seemed like hours, but while 108's fury refused to allow his body to tire, Fi seemed to be slowing down; finally, 108 drove his blade through Fi's armour, it fell to the ground, broken in two, and she escaped with a minor wound.
But it was too easy... Was she letting him win?

"Fight back!" 108 roared, "Fight back, you coward!"
108 stepped forward and swung his blade down, extending it to compensate for the distance between them.

"Heh..." Fi's eyes flashed as she looked up, triumphantly, "you let your guard down!"
Fi swung her longsword horizontally, aiming to sever 108's right arm as his vertical slash came down upon her, "say 'goodbye' to your sword arm!"
Unexpectedly, 108 released his blade, and pulled his arm back; Fi's counterattack passed harmlessly through the air leaving her open, however, 108 was equally vulnerable, as his weapon was now falling to the ground.

"Wh-..." Fi uttered in confusion, "... -at...?" Then, right before 108's blade fell out of reach, he used his left hand to catch it midair, using the momentum to deal a deep slash across Fi's body.

"Ah..." Fi let out a short sound, as her blood spurted violently from her chest.
And then... She fell.

"... That wasn't my sword arm."

...