Chapter 2 : The Matador

Summary :

It's not what he expected for his first job, but a homeless alien can't be too picky. As Rito struggles to learn more about the planet he is stranded on and the people who inhabit it, his new 'friend' is quick to set him on a path towards danger and proffit in equal shares. The plan sounds simple enough. What could possibly happen to complicate it?

Start :

The day AFTER, the day Rito left Earth was nothing like any other day of his highschool life.

"Riieefftuglrobbeluuooo!" For one thing, the creature calling him downstairs to the breakfast table looked nothing like Mikan.

Rito wasn't sure what it was trying to say, or even how it managed to make noises at all, seeing as how it had no visible mouth. It looked like what he would imagine a one eyed octopus would, were it on land instead of in the ocean. Octopus was what came to mind, but he couldn't actually count the number of tentacles the thing had. It almost seemed to produce however many it needed for the task at hand. It's current task seemed to be setting out a meal for Rito and Dregu, while cleaning the kitchen area at the same time. Dregu merely chuckles at Rito when he asks what it's name is.

"Something neither one of us would have any hope of pronouncing." He says. "I just call him Flumph." Dregu scratches Flumph above his solitary eye, eliciting a strange purring sound that would be far less disturbing coming from just about any other creature.

Rito sits at the table and immediately one of the tentacles places a bowl before him, filled with some sort of porridge. "Safe to eat, I assure you." Dregu says. "Though I'm afraid the taste will leave much to be desired. Can't expect too much from a cook who is incapable of tasting anything for himself."

Flumph, either not understanding the complaint or simply not caring, returns to his cleaning duties.

"Later on I will show you the rest of the city." Dregu says. "There are many places you can go to find a good meal." He furrows his brow for a moment, considering his own words. "Though I would be careful eating too much right away. I have heard that some of our foods cause unexpected side-effects in others."

"Most of the people I met yesterday didn't seem too interested in talking to me." Rito says, doubtfully, spooning some of the food into his mouth. It doesn't really have any taste at all, but he doesn't mind. It's the first meal he's had since leaving earth. "Besides, I still don't have any money, remember?"

"Nonsense." Dregu says. "We Devilukians are a mostly friendly bunch. You must consider it from our perspective. You are an alien who was slinking about the spaceport in a strange looking outfit, and at a time when many strange and dangerous aliens have gathered here for the upcoming tournament." He leans backwards in his chair, calling over his shoulder to Flumph again. "See if you can find some of my old clothes that would fit our young guest here, would you?" He turns back to Rito. "We'll have you fitting right in in no time."

Dregu stands up and stretches, motioning Rito to follow. "As for the money." He says, rubbing his hands together. "That all depends on your answer to the offer I made yesterday. Have you considered it?"

Rito follows the man as he leaves the room and enters a long hallway. Soon they have left the section of the building that seems to comprise Dregu's living quarters. Rito was surprised to find that the man actually lived inside the colosseum itself. Once they enter the main building he again sees staff hard at work cleaning and placing decorations.

"I just can't believe that you think I would be able to do that." Rito says. "From what I've seen, everyone on this planet is stronger than me. A LOT stronger. How am I supposed to beat anyone in a fight?"

"Bah." Dregu balks. "First of all, stop thinking about it simply as fighting. Competitions here are as much about entertaining the crowd as they are about defeating your opponent." As he continues to talk, he leads Rito further into the depths of the colosseum. Soon they find themselves in a large hallway that slopes down towards the centre of the building.

Dregu stops walking suddenly and turns around, squaring up to Rito and looking him over. "I've been doing this for many years. Too many it feels like, some days. I know how to spot talent." He pauses, considering something. "You were abducted from your planet by a violent and cruel race, but you survived and are now free. That alone tells me you are either very smart, or very lucky. We can use both of those skills to make you a success." He turns and starts walking again.

"If I was smart and lucky, then why did I get abducted in the first place?" Rito thinks, but doesn't say. They are approaching a large set of double doors that stand open at the end of the hallway.

When they pass through the doors, Rito has to blink several times to clear his vision. The bright sun beats down on the arena floor, which is mostly comprised of white sand. The floor itself is a nearly perfect circle, two hundred feet across. A twenty foot high wall separates the floor from the stands, which extend up from there for many rows. Rito tries to imagine what the place would look like filled with people, all of them cheering and calling for blood. His blood.

"Your decision?" Dregu stands in the centre of the arena, his arms crossed over his chest, staring hard at Rito.

"This will get me home?" Rito finally asks, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

"I guarantee it." Dregu says, extending one hand to Rito. "Within a month you will have earned enough to get yourself home. Stick with me until the end of the tournament, and you'll never have to worry about money again."

Rito looks at the offered hand hesitantly. "I'm doing this to get home." He says again, reaching out with his own hand. "I don't care about the money." Before he can change his mind the old man grasps Rito's hand in both of his, shaking it vigorously.

"Excellent!" Dregu says, clapping his hands excitedly. "We have much to do, young Rito. Much to do and very little time to do it." He quickly starts walking back the way they came in. "The games start in only four days. We must prepare you for your qualification bout."

"I can't simply teach you to be a great warrior in less than a week." Dregu says as he watches Rito carry another of the heavy crates down one of the long hallways of the colosseum. Rito wasn't sure yet if this was supposed to be part of his training, or if he was just being used to do some of Dregu's manual labour. "We need to find a way to use your existing skills."

As Rito places the crate on the floor to catch his breath, Dregu leaps up and sits on top of it, scratching his short beard and thinking. "What other skills do you have, Rito?" He asks. "Come on now, don't be shy."

"I'm a good runner." Rito offers. "I always do well on the track team at school." He frowns, his thoughts returning to his friends and family. "Did well, I mean."

Dregu nods and looks expectantly at Rito, waiting for more. When Rito simply shrugs, he sighs. "Well, running is good. We can use that." He thinks for a few moments longer and then jumps back up, an excited look on his face. "Yes! I have just the opponent for you."

"Wait, you get to choose my opponent for me?" Rito asks.

"Of course I do. I AM the master of the colosseum after all."

"But… isn't that cheating?"

Dregu laughs, slapping him on the back. "It's an advantage, Rito, and you would be wise to take any advantage offered." His face turns grim. "Everyone you will face in the arena will have many of their own advantages over you, and your inexperience is only the first."

"Enough of this though." Dregu says. "Let's work on that running." He indicates a hallway just ahead of them that intersects the one they are currently walking. "That hallway circles the entire building. If you can return to this spot in less than ten minutes, I'll treat you to dinner."

"And if I don't?"

"I'll have Flumph prepare one of his specialties." Dregu says with a chuckle.

As the next few days fly by, Rito settles into his new routine, with Dregu spending just as much time teaching him about the politics behind the tournament as he does training him physically.

"Only a small number of the opponents you will face are outsiders like yourself." Dregu explains as he swings another blow at the side of Rito's head. Unlike the last three times this happened, Rito is prepared and manages to get his weapon up in time to block. "Most of them represent one of the many noble families that help the Devilukes rule this galaxy." He nods his approval and as soon as Rito lets his guard down to smile in response, he smacks him on the opposite side of the head as a reminder. "A few of them are even rulers themselves."

"The advantages you were telling me about before?" Rito asks, rubbing the side of his head where yet another bruise is quickly forming.

Dregu nods. "The rules for the tournament are loose, and those with influence and money tend to stretch them as far as they can. Only primitive weapons are allowed, but the rules for what constitutes a 'weapon' are vague at best."

Rito looks down at the small mace he is holding, a weapon given to him by Dregu. His skills have been improving, but he still doubts he could ever use it against anyone in anger. "You'll do fine, Yuuki Rito."

"You'll do fine, Yuuki Rito."

Rito thinks back on the parting words that had become a sort of mantra over the past week. The old man had spoken them again before leaving him here in the dark hallway, awaiting his turn in the arena.

"I'll do fine." He tells himself, and nearly jumps out of his skin when the doors before him begin to open. He begins to walk slowly forward, aware that any chance to change his mind has long since passed.

As the large doors close behind him with a low rumble, Rito takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Whatever I've gotten myself into this time…" He thinks. "There's no turning back now."

The arena looks very different this time. Although the sun is riding low in the sky by now, a number of large spotlights high above shine enough light onto the grounds to make it seem like the sun is directly overhead. The biggest difference, however, is the noise. Rito can't even begin to estimate how many people are here. Far more than he would have imagined could fit, though if the crowd is uncomfortable, they don't show it. Thousands of smiling, cheering faces stare down at him from all sides. As Rito moves closer to the centre of the arena he sees Dregu, standing on a platform in front of the crowd. The platform extends slightly over the arena floor, so the man is standing high above, looking down at him. He holds his hands up high, motioning for the crowd to quiet down. Just before he begins speaking, he looks down and gives Rito a quick wink.

"As promised. We have one last show for you tonight. A late arrival to the tournament, from a mysterious and dangerous planet." He pauses for dramatic effect. "An earthling, so violent and dangerous that he was exiled from his own homeworld, forced to travel the stars in search of victims to sate his bloodlust."

Rito stares at Dregu with a mixed look of confusion and horror. The Games Master looks back at him and simply shrugs, holding his hands out towards the crowd as if to say "All part of the show."

"I present to you, the terror of Earth, the nomad with no remorse, Yuuki Rito!" At this, the crowd, which Rito had expected would laugh at him, begins to cheer wildly. He even hears a handful of voices shouting his name. There is a flurry of activity in the area directly behind where Dregu stands as a number of people waving handfuls of money appear to be placing last minute bets.

"He sure knows what he's doing." Rito thinks, looking at Dregu again as he tries to calm the crowd back down. "Maybe he's right about me then too." Rito stands up straight and holds the small mace high above his head, drawing another round of cheers. "Maybe I CAN do this."

"Now, just because he's a first timer, we can't go easy on him. His opponent tonight should be well known to all of you." Dregu points to the opposite end of the arena where another set of double doors is slowly opening. "A creature practically built for fighting!" He cups his hand to the side of his mouth, as if letting the crowd in on a secret. "And little else I would expect." A round of laughter from the crowd but also a great roar of approval as many seem to know who he is speaking about. "The horned wonder from the planet Minos. Buru!"

Rito's jaw drops nearly as fast as his confidence as a massive figure steps out of the doorway across from him. Two thoughts cross his mind at the exact same time: "That's a minotaur" and "I'm a dead man".

'Buru' stands at least 7 feet tall, and if any one of his limbs weighs less than Rito's entire body, he would be surprised. He grasps a long chain in both hands, the links of which appear to be thicker than Rito's arms. On his head is a massive steel helmet, open at the temple on both sides to make room for his large horns.

"How am I supposed to fight that thing?!" Rito calls up to Dregu. Unsurprisingly, his voice is lost in the noise of the crowd.

Dregu extends a hand up high again. "Your Majesty." He says, and at this the crowd suddenly falls silent. Dregu turns to face directly across the arena and for the first time, Rito takes note of the second platform. A massive throne has been placed upon it and a figure sits there, propped up even higher on a number of pillows. "We await your signal."

"That's their King?" Rito thinks, surprised by what he sees. The man sitting on the throne seems to be no more than 3 feet tall. He is dressed in lavish robes and sits with his head resting on one palm, as if bored.

Rito's attention is then drawn to another figure standing next to the throne. She wears a large cloak, making it difficult to get a clear look at her, but as she leans forward to get a better look at the combatants her hood drops part way down, revealing her face and bright pink hair.

As Rito watches, she turns her gaze on him and a puzzled look comes over her face. "Jeez, even she realizes I don't belong here. Why doesn't everyone else?" Rito realizes he has been staring at her for some time and quickly looks away, blushing slightly.

The man sitting on the throne, who must be the 'King Deviluke' that Dregu had told him about, waves his hand. Rito barely has time to register the motion as the ground begins to shake. He looks across at his opponent, who is charging full speed, head down and horns leveled with Rito's chest. With little time to think, Rito quickly steps to his right, behind one of several pillars that stand about the arena. His quick thinking saves him, as Buru slows, unable to charge a clear path to his target. Instead, he hefts the large chain and begins to swing it in circles above his head.

Rito takes a few moments to consider his surroundings. The excitement of the crowd is far behind him now. He's in survival mode. He considers the pillars, the only real landmark within the arena. Only the ones directly below the two platforms for the throne and Dregu's perch actually hold anything up. The rest appear to have been placed intentionally as barriers for the combatants to use to their advantage. "I need to keep these between us." Rito tells himself, considering the speed with which Buru covered the distance. "I can't let him charge me."

He continues to circle to his right as his opponent stalks him, the large chain spinning in lazy circles above them. "That thing will take my head off if it hits me." Rito notices two pillars close to the centre of the arena, spaced several feet apart that looks like a good place to make a stand. He makes a break for them.

Rito has almost reached the first pillar when a gasp from the crowd alerts him to danger. Without even thinking he drops to his knees. A rush of air tells him it was the correct move as the length of chain passes through the spot where his head had been just a moment ago. He doesn't escape completely though. As the chain wraps around both pillars the large weighted iron ball on the end of it comes about and strikes him in the side. It's a glancing blow, but still enough to launch him several feet.

The entire world seems to spin before his eyes. Rito's mind screams at him to get up before a giant boot squashes the life out of him, but his body doesn't want to listen. He finally manages to pull himself back up, shaking his head to get the sand and dust out of his hair and hopefully clear his thoughts.

Buru abandons his chain, now tangled hopelessly about the two central pillars. He looks at the badly shaken Rito and then smiles.

At first, Rito is surprised that Buru isn't upon him already, beating him senseless, but as he looks around he realizes three things in quick order. First, Buru has backed off and now stands nearly at the other end of the arena from him. Second, he is unarmed, his mace left in the dirt back where the chain nearly decapitated him. And third, but most importantly, he has made a terrible mistake.

A sudden hush falls over the crowd and King Deviluke leans forward in his throne, trying to get a better look at the doomed individual below. The young girl standing beside him covers her mouth with her hand, a look of shock on her face. "They all know it too." Rito thinks.

Nothing but clear ground separates Rito from his opponent, and there are no pillars in this corner of the arena for him to hide behind. Buru grins, an almost apologetic look coming into his eyes. Then he lowers his head and charges.

Seeing no other options and thinking his luck has finally run out, Rito begins to backpedal, even though he knows the only thing behind him is a blank and unyielding wall. As Buru bears down on him, he closes his eyes and throws his arms up. Then his heel strikes a large stone and suddenly he is falling. As he strikes the ground, an idea occurs to him. He begins to roll to his right, then quickly switches and rolls left, hoping he has judged his opponent correctly.

As Buru tramples through the ground where Rito was laying moments ago, he stops one foot down to the right, unaware that the tiny earthling has switched directions. He grunts as his foot comes down on nothing but sand. Distracted by his attempt to trample his foe, Buru has no time to slow his charge.

A loud crash is heard throughout the arena and Rito can feel the ground shake as the minotaur crashes into the wall at full speed. When the dust cloud created by the impact clears, he can't believe that the creature is still standing.

Buru turns to regard Rito. His head is ringing loudly, but besides his ruined helmet, he does not appear to have been affected by the collision. He tears the helmet from his head, tossing it to the ground and howling in rage.

"Oh, good." Rito thinks, turning to flee as Buru sets his feet for another charge. "Now he's angry."

A few seconds head start is all Rito gets, as he soon hears the stomping feet of his opponent behind him. As he approaches the centre of the arena he sees his discarded mace sitting on the ground to his left, next to one of the pillars. He considers making a grab for it, but changes his mind, another desperate plan coming to him. Instead, he dashes to the right, passing between the two pillars and leaping high.

Buru grins again as he sees his victim leap, ducking his head low in hopes of skewering him as he comes down. He doesn't realize his mistake until it is too late, as his horns and then his entire head become entangled in the chain running between the pillars.

Rito hears another loud crash and turns just in time to see the large stone pillars topple as the strong chain is pulled tight, felling them like trees. Both strike Buru in the head as they fall, before burying him under a pile of rubble.

Complete silence falls over the crowd. When there is no movement from the pile of crushed stone, all eyes turn towards King Deviluke, awaiting the official decision. He regards Rito with a curious look, obviously surprised by the outcome. The hint of a smile crosses his face for only an instant, before he merely shrugs and waves a hand towards Dregu.

"I give you your victor, and the final addition to our grand tournament." Dregu announces, trying to hide his obvious excitement and relief. "Yuuki Rito!"

Once more Rito is nearly deafened by the roar of the crowd, many of them shouting his name this time. He's too tired to take much notice though, holding his side and hoping none of his ribs are broken. He feels like he is about to fall over when he suddenly finds Dregu standing beside him. "Just lean on me." He whispers, wrapping one arm around Rito's back. "Fainting after your match won't help much with your reputation." He turns back towards the crowd calling for quiet again.

"Our great King, Gid Lucion Deviluke, has one final announcement to make before tonight's games are at an end." Dregu says. All heads turn to regard the throne as the diminutive ruler stands up. He climbs onto one of the arm rests so he can stand as tall as possible. The sight nearly draws a laugh from Rito, but he manages to stop himself.

"Loyal subjects." Gid says, his deep voice resonating throughout the arena. "This will be the eighth year of our grand tournament. While being crowned 'champion of the galaxy' is a great honor in itself, the winner of this year's tournament will be awarded something far greater than just riches and titles." As he speaks, he extends a hand towards the girl who shares the platform with him, a hand that she pointedly ignores.

"As many of you know, my lovely daughter Lala has been searching for a proper suitor. A task that has proven… difficult." A movement catches Rito's attention and he notices that 'Lala' is making a rude face at her father's back. This draws a round of laughter from some in the crowd, though a quick glare from their King silences them quickly.

"In the interest of securing a successor to the Deviluke throne." Gid growls, glaring over his shoulder at his stubborn daughter. "It has been decided that this year's champion, or whichever noble family the champion serves, will have Lala's hand in marriage." This last statement is made with such a tone of finality that even Lala is shocked into silence. When her father holds his hand out again, this time she steps forward and takes it, lowering the hood on her cloak so the crowd can clearly see her.

Another great round of applause rolls through the crowd, accompanied by a number of cheers for 'Princess Lala'. Gid allows it to continue for a few moments, then raises a hand for silence again. "Good luck to all of our champions." He says. Rito is unsure, but he could swear the man is now staring directly at him. "You'll need it."

End.