Chapter 37: Heat and Fire
It's 10am and above the skies in Korubia the sun is glowing an ominous dark red. The heat is horrendous so not many people are on the streets and the few that are on the streets shield themselves with umbrellas. Inside the rebel's building, Cammy is knocking on everyone's doors while shouting.
"OK EVERYONE, UP AN AT 'EM! OUR WARM UP SESSIONS START IN 5 MINUTES IN THE WORKOUT ROOM! LETS GOOOO!" she yells. "PICK UP THE UMBRELLAS I LEFT ON THE DOORS AS YOU LEAVE!" She hurries down the stairs. Minutes later, all the fighters end up in the workout room but only the rebels are a bit shocked to see Cammy. She is purple with orange eyes and blue hair. "Ok! Everyone drop and give me push-ups for half an hour then we head to the domes!" Everyone does as told.
In the Grand Dome, N is resting peacefully in the maid's bedroom when someone knocks on the door. Mia enters with a smile on her face.
"Mornin' everyone!" she says cheerfully. "Tomorrow we have very important visitors coming so we want everything nice and squeaky clean today, OK? Especially the mayor's office. Let's get to work people~!" The black jackal hurries out the room; slamming the door in the process.
"Important visitors?" N ponders sleepily.
Meanwhile, at the military base Mulaza is in the middle of a conversation which Eggman via screen phone.
"Yes, the visitors will arrive tomorrow, keep the Fight Domes fired up for them will you?" said Eggman heartily.
"I'll do my best, sir." the general replied. "Somehow I don't like the sound of this."
Back with the rebels, it is now 10:30AM. Cammy blows her whistle to signal everyone to stop working.
"Alright, good job most, some of you guys sucked but we'll deal with that later!" said the now purple coyote as she drinks a bit from her bottle of water. "Let's head on over to the domes! Up, up, UP!" Everyone gets up and follows the coach. Sonic begins to speak to Red but he hushes him.
"I know what you're about to say, we're all wondering the same thing." said Red. "It has something to do with the curse in this state I assume."
"A curse!?" shouts Sonic catching the attention of a few fighters. Red covers Sonic's mouth.
"Shut it, it's none of our concern." Red whispers harshly as Sonic release himself from Red's grip.
"Well I dunno about you, but I can't just let these people suffer!"
"We have our priorities; we should stick to them."
"I'll find my own way of dealing with it! Despite what the people said back in Station Square I sense something is wrong with them and something is wrong with this country. I plan on helping everyone out!" Red pauses for a moment then chuckles.
"Heh heh, well I doubt I can stop you on that. I ask that you at least keep our priorities in mind while you do so. Where do you start? By asking the coach why she's changed all of a sudden? It doesn't seem like something that can be discussed openly."
"Y'know, it couldn't hurt!"
"Yo coach!" shouts CK. "Why you changed all of a sud-AH!" Red punches CK in the stomach.
"Your ears are too sharp for your own damn good! I'm glad she didn't hear you!" growls Red.
"Ah, damn, take a joke man!" When everyone gets outside there is a rush of scorching heat and being in the sun is unbearable so everyone quickly opened their umbrellas. "Damn! It's like a thousand degrees out here!" Camels riding on taxi hover bikes arrive to take the group to the domes.
It is 11:15AM when the rebels reach the dome and there is a match in progress. Sezero's Vilé versus a purple female gorilla from Lieutenant Slash's Team Strength. Vilé is a worn out and damaged but isn't about to let up. The young wolf dashes towards his enormous opponent only to get smashed towards the other side of the arena by large fist. The gorilla smiles but is shocked when Vilé smashes into pieces of ice upon hitting the barrier.
"ICE CLAW!" shouts a voice under the gorilla. She looks down and SWOOSH! Vilé jumps up with a slash to her face, instantly freezing her entire head, next he follows with a swift roundhouse kick shattering her head completely. The win is announced and everyone is restored. Vilé shakes hands with his opponent and they walk off. The two coaches nods to each other and leave. Sezero glances at Cammy with a smirk but doesn't fully acknowledge her.
"He used an ice clone as a distraction." thought Red to himself, watching as the young wolf walks away.
"The coaches shared a friendly nod; they never did that with our coach." Shadow mumbles.
"I agree. I doubt it's due to ours being more of a rookie. I wonder what's the story behind that and if it has andthing to do with the curse." A mean-looking very muscular bison coach enters with his team.
"Hmph, this is a piece of cake." said Cammy with a grin. "You there, pink!" She points to Flare.
"I'm not pink, I'm light red." Flare said defensively.
"Yeah, whatever, go in and show your stuff!" Flare hops into the arena.
"I'm ready!"
"Heheheh!" laughed the bison coach as he takes out a device that fits on his temple and a red piece extracts from it. "A fire and lava element huh? Sheena, this is all you!" BOOM! An explosion occurs a few feet in front of Flare and when the smoke clears a light red female desert fox is standing in front of her, she wears the same green fighter style robe Flare is wearing and has the letter C on her headband. Flare gets into a combative stance as the mages surround the arena with a soothing sapphire blue barrier different from any she has seen so far.
"Flare, that's a water barrier!" Red warns. She returns a knowing nod then glances at the rule board which reads 'Freestyle'.
"Flare, huh? Cool name. I'm Sheena, nice to meet you." the desert fox says with a friendly smile as she extends her hand. Flare loosens up and shakes her hand with a friendly grin. GONG! The battle bell rings and the desert fox flings Flare over her shoulder and thrusts Flare's body across the arena. Flare however, lands on her feet.
"That was pretty cheap!" growls Flare. The fox lets out a light-hearted giggle.
"Well when the bell rings, the fight is supposed to start isn't it?"
"Dark Blade!" Flare shouts as she extend her right arm away from her body. A black wind swirls around it until it takes the form of a crescent, Flare throws it at her opponent who expertly dodges and lands behind her. Flare quickly ducks, narrowly dodging a heavy hay-maker and counters with an uppercut to Sheena's jaw. Flare runs at her opponent to continue her attack but suddenly BOOM! Sheena explodes and sends Flare reeling towards the other end of the arena. Flare, thinking quickly, grasps the ground to lose momentum and to keep from touching the barrier because to a fire element water is like acid or lava but non-corrosive. Flare glares at her opponent and breathes in deeply before exhaling a large ball of lava towards her. Sheena dodges but BOOM! The lava ball explodes and send her flying across the arena. She quickly gets on her feet fast enough to jump over Flare who comes at her with a spin dash. Flare uncurls and hurls a barrage fireballs. WOOSH! Sheena counters by releasing a wind current in Flares direction which dispels all the fireballs.
"Wind beats fire!" shouts Red. Flare grunts in frustration as the current begins weakening her and pushing her towards the barrier.
"There has to be a way I can turn this around." Flare thinks to herself. She reduces her traction by putting her weight down but the wind is still strong enough to push her. As she inches closer to the barrier she finally gets an idea. She builds up lava within herself and vomits lava on the floor.
"Eww!" is the audience's reaction but both teams watch intensively. Flare quickly crouches into a spin dash while releasing fire from her quills. This makes the wind current lift her up.
"Fire Drive!" called Flare as she bursts into a ball of fire.
"WOOT! YOU GO GIRL! That vomiting was nasty but it's all good!" shouts CK.
"What!?" shrieks Sheena in disbelief. Flare's body levitates upwards and the pressure around it pushes against the wind current and pulls Flare towards Sheen with extreme speed. BOOM! Sheena quickly explodes herself hoping to redirect Flare's attack but to no avail; she only powers it up and BAM! Flare collides head-on with the fox and sends her spinning wildly to the barrier wall on the other side of the arena. SPLASH! "AAAAH!" Sheena screams in agony before landing back on the arena floor. Her body lays motionless with steam rising from it.
"You used my move after only seeing it once. Nice work, kiddo." Cammy compliments.
"Is it…over?" Flare pants aloud.
"Ha! I doubt that! Team Crushers doesn't fall so easily."
"1...2...3...4..." the announcer begins to count. "Oh…" Sheena's tail wagged back and forth. "Looks like this match isn't over yet folks.
"What are you waiting for!?" Cammy shouts. "Finish her off!" Flare nods and attempts to move but can't lift her feet. She looks down and sees a small tornado engulfing her feet. Flare turns her attention back to Sheena but she's gone!
"Looking for me!?" asks Sheena, now behind Flare.
"How did you-?" Flare begins.
"TWISTER CRUSH!" WHOOSH! Sheena raises both arms high in the air and the tornado responds by enlarging itself to Flare's body size and lifts her up and BAM! BAM! BAM! begins bouncing around the arena floor while tearing up the ground with Sheena's arm movements.
"Aww damn!" CK groans. "She gettin' owned!"
"Not yet!" Sonic said with a grin. "Look!" CK looks at Sheena who has trouble controlling her own attack.
"Smart. She's letting off flames to take control of the tornado." said Red. The tornado suddenly turns around and heads towards Sheena.
"Oh hell no!" cries Sheena as she blocks with both arm across her face. BOOM! Flare collides and debris gets kicked up blocking everyone's view. Flare crouches on the ground, coughing from the dust. "I'm getting really sick of you using heat!"
"Heh, I knew that wouldn't knock you out. Did you at least hit the shield?" Flare asks.
"Almost!" WOOSH! Sheena uses a wind current to clear the dust. She is still blocking but is inches away from touching the barrier. "If you haven't figured it out I'm also a fire element! That's why your flame attacks don't do much damage."
"Oh? But your wounds tell a different story."
"Indeed." Sheena removes the top of her robe. "Let me show you how a skilled fighter uses flames. RAARGH!" WHOOSH! Sheena's body bursts into flames and the arena gets hazy with intense heat. Flare dashes at the fox but she lets out a high-pressured wind blast to keep the light red hedgehog at bay. Flare is hit with enough power to get sent flying backwards and hit the opposing barrier wall while screaming in agony as she gets flushed with water and bounces back to the ground.
"Damn! It burns a helluva lot more than I thought it would…" Flare looks up and gasps. The arena is now filled with fire and there are many Sheenas surrounding her.
"Hahaha! Good luck trying to find the real one, it's rare that anyone ever figured out my Heat Illusion technique!"
"What's she going on about? I don't see any illusions, in fact, I don't even see her..." said Sonic.
"Only the target can see the illusions." said Cammy with a grunt. Flare punches one of the Sheena clones but it vanishes into flames. Another comes from behind her and grabs her but she counters and throws that one over her shoulder. Wave after wave of clones come for her, all of them easily destroyed. Flare pants heavily but relieved that only one remains.
"Haaa…haa…now it's you and me…haa…" Flare pants.
"Are you sure? Come, I'll let you get a free hit!"
"Alright! DARK BLADE!" The shadowy attack slashes through the last remaining Sheena but that also disappears into flames. "Huh!?"
"Heheheh!" More clones appeared from nowhere and began attacking Flare. "I'll give you a funny little tip: we're ALL real!"
"…" Flare grunts angrily while fighting off the clones wearily with her last bit of strength.
"Well, let me end this by using one the most powerful fire attack on the planet: the NOVA DESTROYER!"
"Damn…" Red mumbles. "This won't end well…"