Another chapter to blast through. By the way, if I start writing more one-shots, it's because I can't think of anything for this. If I say I've run out of ideas, or if I make it blindly obvious, give me a PM if you like. Thanks. There isn't as much humour as the other chapters in this one. I decided to play with the whole Fritz/Liz thing. The song I chose was 'At My Most Beautiful' by REM which is a bizarre name seeing as they never say that. It took me fucking hours to think of a song to go with this chapter (mainly because I listen to some bizarre music). I hope that people like this chapter. It's a shame that I'm not writing it anymore, because I really liked the process of writing it. Still, there'll be more to write. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it:
--
I read bad poetry
Into your machine
I save your messages
Just to hear your voice
You always listen carefully
To awkward rhymes
You always say your name,
Like I wouldn't know it's you,
At your most beautiful
At My Most Beautiful - REM
--
Chapter 10 – Passionate Words Between Lovers (For No One Else To Hear)
The Next Day
12:41
Benni's POV
I was slowly pacing Fritz's room. I had broken in, and was now waiting for him to walk through, back from lunch. I looked to the clock. It would be a few minutes before he got here, so I sat down. I slowly flicked through the various channels.
"... Kenichi, there's going to be a spot of weather somewhere in this area."
"... fuck you, Bagpuss!"
"... and so we can clearly see a perfectly well formed..."
"... pair of balls. I'll repeat, in his last turn, Steve Davis potted a pair of balls. How's his opponent going to..."
"...impending nuclear war. And, in our top story, a panda has escaped from the zoo."
"...versus Alizee Julius..."
"... and dispose of the body. Next, add a pinch of cinnamon..."
I suddenly realised my sister's name had been said. I turned the channels back. There she was. My sister, and in the background, I could see Fritz. So that was why he wasn't here. He was at her match. I cursed myself for not thinking about that. Well, I needed to make full sure my plan worked, and for that, Liz would have to get to the next round. Xiaoyu's life depended on it.
Fritz's POV
The arena was certainly a bizarre choice. A river, hidden in the depths of an artificial jungle. No crowds, simply a small booth for the spectators to sit in. However, I hadn't been concentrating on the arena. My sights were on Liz. I had been gazing at her for what felt like a year, but had actually been less than three minutes. I hid my worries behind a mask of happiness. Not worried about the match, but about what I have to do. If she found out what I'm going to do, she'll leave me. If she doesn't, I'd slowly but surely fade away.
And if I fail, she dies, and I'd never forgive myself for letting that happen. It was a sick and strange world. Succeed to lose her, fail to kill her. The deceit was eating me up from the inside, I could feel it. My emotions were dwindling away, replacing bliss with despair, sweet with bitter, peace with pain. And it was for what? I destroy myself to no reward. Trust Mr Drive to think of something like that. He claims to like plans, yet he ruins them everyday. The slimy git. Sadism was an advantage to him, depression a form of entertainment. He loved to destroy lives. He was oblivious to shame. No mercy, no leniency, no pity, no sympathy. He was just cold, and I was becoming cold too. Like him. Like death.
I didn't even hear the bell. It was only Liz's movements that brought me back from the painful future to the violent present. She had drawn her blades, which shone like crystals, and pulled herself back onto the defensive. Her opponent missed her kick. A young girl of about eighteen, possibly older, with what appeared to be a... Red Indian fetish? It was something I had never seen before. I shrugged it off and continued watching the fight.
Liz's POV
Julia Chang, the girl I faced, was swift. I had only just avoided the whip from her leg. I expected that to be enough, a sort of warm up strike. Clearly not. I only just noticed the second strike ring around for my shin. The two legs collided. The pain raced up my leg. Before I could recover, or even scream, a third attack from the same leg crashed into my face. I fell onto my back.
"You're not ready to face me." Julia said. I didn't like pompous people, and that statement made me want to hurt her. Then I remembered. This was a fight. I could hurt her. I grabbed onto her belt and threw my under her legs. Before she even knew what was happening, I got up and brought my joint elbows into her back. She screamed in pain. I turned around and sent my left leg into her. As she fell to the floor, I shifted all my weight upon my feet, bending down so one of my knees touched the floor.
"Clearly, I'm not ready." I replied her sarcastically. The girl turned herself over. She slowly got into a crouch. She was just in distance of my face with her foot. She whipped it around. I only just blocked it, and my ducked position saved me from the leap-kick that fired her body over me. I tried to turn over in time, but she pulled me up, off my feet and to the floor on my back. The pain replaced all other feelings. I didn't even have the breath to scream. All that came out was a splutter. I rolled myself over immediately. I looked to her in anger.
"Don't make sarcasm if you can't fight." Julia said, before sending yet her right fist into my face. The blood rushed to my face in anger. I tried to kick her with my left leg, but it hurt. I mistimed the attack, and Julia replied it expertly with a double kick. I flew back. I wondered what it was that had made my leg hurt. Then I remembered.
The first strike.
Of course. It was a crippler, an attack solely purposed to take a limb out of action. Without another thought, I brought my good leg into her side. She blocked it, but I had pulled it back as it contacted, breaking the guard. She grabbed the defending forearm in pain, not noticing my next strike. I used my blade to slash a scar across her shoulder. She grabbed it. The mistakes were easy to take advantage of. Too easy, in fact. Instead of attacking again, I waited. She looked annoyed.
"Right." She said, balancing her weight all onto one foot. Her weight wasn't in the leg though. "Time to finish this." She snarled. The opportunity to strike looked fake, so I waited, which I regretted. An uppercut to the stomach came my way, and I didn't manage to block it. I fell to the floor. My body seemed to be on fire. My brain called to stop, and my body seemed to oblige. I slowly felt my eyes closing, when I noticed Fritz stand up. He was walking through the crowds to the arena. I smiled slowly. The love which he carried in his eyes was fuelled by anger and fear. I looked to Julia, who stood over me. She looked sympathetic. I didn't know what I could do to win. Then I remembered what had happened at Fritz's match.
Don't fight with morals.
I tightened the grip on the blade in the hand closest to Julia and sent it into the flesh of her leg. The screech was more of surprise and disgust than one of pain, but the next scream was of hurt, as I pulled her down onto the floor. The arena floor cracked underneath her weight. I swiftly got up, waiting for her to pull herself up. When she did, I kicked her back down again.
A wave of pleasure came over me, and I knew Fritz was looking at me. I turned to him. He had reached a break in the trees, but now his face was not of fear or anger but of smugness. I smiled to him. He then pointed to Julia. I turned to her, and avoided a deadly and strong elbow strike. I took the time to trap the arm. I forced the offensive hand down and punched her in the face with my hilt. I repeated the motion four times, getting closer. When I was close enough, I tripped her up with my leg. She fell to the floor, but I continued to punch her. I soon stopped. Julia's cheek was coated in bruises. I towered over her.
"I win." I said, before pushing my foot onto her cleavage and kicking her away. She tried to get up, but appeared to simply give in. I looked to Fritz. He leapt down. I tried to run over, but fell on my bad leg. He somehow managed to catch me. I looked to his face.
"Hello." He said. I smiled. We shared the embrace. It was passionate and uplifting. I felt myself melt away in his arms. The atmosphere around us, despite the blood on the floor and the dirt in the air, slowly grew warmer. The sun shone brighter than ever. The adrenaline turned to passion. I slowly leaned back, pulling him closer. He was careful not to place his weight on my left leg, the leg which hurt. He slowly toyed with the thread holding my fighting gi together. "Ich liebe dich." He said. The german phrase I had heard so many times before. He spoke to me in Italian or English all other times. It could only mean one thing if he was speaking his first language.
"Not here. People are watching." I whispered, though, in reality, I wanted nothing more. He looked to the booth. He then slowly rolled sideways, holding me close. We came into contact with the refreshing waters of the river. The booth was out of sight.
"How about now?" He asked. I pretended to disagree.
"Not in public." I said mockingly. Then he placed his mouth next to my ear.
"Ich will Sie. Sie und nur Sie." He said. The romantic words left me breathless, more so than the fight itself. Passionate words between lovers, for no one else to hear.
I want you. You and only you.
I smiled up to him, and slowly pulled my lips to his.
01:23
Fritz's POV
I reluctantly walked back to my hotel room. I so loved Liz, but apparently we couldn't do it while the cameras were there according to the officials. They said it be too 'pornographic' and 'distasteful'. So, we did it anyway, and I loved it. After a vigorous cut in my pay check from Heihachi, I was sent back to my hotel. I walked in and slumped across the bed. A cold hand pushed my head back up. I looked up.
"Interesting post-fight entertainment." Benni said mockingly. "I didn't even know Liz could even do that. Speaking of which, what exactly did Liz mean when she said..."
"None of your business." I growled. "What do you want?" Benni sighed.
"I know you don't want to kill Xiaoyu." He said. "And neither of us wants to see Liz die either. So here's my plan. I'm going to fight Liz. And win."
"How the hell will that help?" I asked. Then I realised. "You're not going to..." He nodded.
"If she's in the hospital, it'll give you a reason to not kill Xiaoyu. I go to kill her, say I failed, you can keep an eye on Liz, Xiaoyu's stays alive. Everyone's a winner." He said. It was far-fetched. Worse, it was stupid. But it was hope. My soul was being consumed bit by bit. I needed something to cling onto. Some supporting rope to save me from drowning. I looked to Benni.
"If you can beat her, do it." I said. "Though I don't like the idea." Then I thought of something. "Why are you doing this?"
"Well," Benni stuttered. He looked unnerved. "I just don't want to see anyone die when they don't have to."
"Is it something more?" I asked slowly.
"No." He said sternly. The eyes, though, gave away the fact that it was. However, I knew that he wouldn't say anymore on the subject, so I decided to say no more.
"This had better work." I stood up to leave.
"It will." Benni said. "It has to." He added quietly. I could only agree.
I've found a way to make you
I've found a way
A way to make you smile
At my most beautiful
I count your eyelashes, secretly
With every one, whisper I love you
I let you sleep
I know you're closed eye watching me,
Listening
I thought I saw a smile.
At My Most Beautiful - REM
Hey ho. I had quite a bit of trouble writing the fight scene. I hoped it would be to the same quality as the one in the last chapter. Might not be, I can't really say until I see the reaction. With thanks to Razer Athane and SeungSeiRan, who are the most ardent (ooh, look at me using fancy words) of my reviewers for this story. It would've been harder to write without them. Thumbs up to you both. By the way, about the lines, something's fucked up here, so I don't know how it works anymore. Oh well. 'til next time.