Chapter 3: Rematch
"The kid wants a rematch." Zurath walked up to Jareth. "What do you think? Is it worth
it? Just, uh… I wouldn't recommend killing him. It's really not worth it. He's just a little
kid."
"So?"
"You have no conscience, do you?"
"I have enough. I guess I'll let him live unless he makes me mad about something.
Maybe even if he doesn't. you know me that well, don't you?"
"So you'll do it, then?"
"What the hell." Jareth cracked her knuckles. "Sure. As if I'm not bored enough already.
I'll beat him again. Maybe that'll teach him humility."
Zurath led Jareth to the campsite that Genki's friends had set up and Jareth strode up to
them. "All right, kid. I'll give you a one-on-one rematch, just like you want it. Happy? I
hope so. I always think it's better to die happy, don't you?"
Genki said nothing, but readied himself to fight. Taking this as readiness, Jareth started
off the battle with a Shock. The thin bolts of electricity blasted Genki back into a rock.
Genki pulled himself to his feet and lunged for Jareth, swinging his fist to connect with
the side of her head. Jareth blinked and retaliated with a solid punch that landed in the
middle of Genki's chest, putting some distance between them.
Genki lunged forward again, but only to be blasted back by another Shock. Jareth
smirked as Genki fell to the ground.
"Sonic Blast!" Jareth snapped. The bolts of white light snapped forward from her fingers
at a blinding speed.
Genki said nothing, but wondered what it was like to die.
"NOOO!!" Holly screamed. She dove for Genki and tackled him out of the way, just as
the attack landed where he had been a split second ago.
Jareth turned to face Holly. "You keep out of this!" she spat, "You and your friends have
caused enough trouble for me already! Now get out of my way… this is strictly between
me and your friend there."
"Jareth, the boy would have been killed. I admire anyone who is so fiercely loyal to their
friends." Zurath's face was set in a scowl, but his tone was full of admiration. "Given the
situation, I would have done the same for you. The boy clearly means a great deal to her.
It just wouldn't be right to kill him."
"Very well then. Thanks to Zurath's request, I will spare your miserable lives. But don't
get me wrong—you mean nothing to me. You're just another group of idiots who dared
to challenge me."
"But we're not just another group of idiots." Tiger spoke up. His voice was calm, but his
eyes were angry. "I won't speak for my companions, but I honestly can't see how
Zurath—or anyone, for that matter—can stand you."
"I am not cruel to my friends. Only my enemies. You have not proven yourselves worthy
of my friendship, pup. Your brother, despite working for Moo, is far wiser than you are.
You should pay more attention to him… that is, when you aren't trying to kill each other.
How can you travel with those humans? They bring nothing but suffering… and leave
nothing but destruction in their wake."
"That's not true!!!" with Holly's support, Genki got to his feet. "Humans aren't just
plague-bringers… they're good creatures. Better than some can be. And you look pretty
human to me."
Jareth tossed aside her cloak and flexed her wings. "Do I now? I have never met a human
I could trust. Why should you be any different?" she looked toward Holly. "And you!
You're just… I don't even want to think about what you are, girl. You aren't just Moo's
spawn."
Holly was silent.
"I don't even know you, Holly. I've heard all about you, but I don't know you. And I
know enough to know that I hate you."
"Why do you hate me?"
"Because you are sweet. You're kind, understanding and gentle. You're peaceful and
quiet. You're tender-hearted and care deeply for others. And in this world, all of those
things are synonymous with weakness. I despise weakness, Holly. And so I despise you."
Holly ran from the campsite, Genki and Suezo at her heels and the others close behind
them.
"The kid wants a rematch." Zurath walked up to Jareth. "What do you think? Is it worth
it? Just, uh… I wouldn't recommend killing him. It's really not worth it. He's just a little
kid."
"So?"
"You have no conscience, do you?"
"I have enough. I guess I'll let him live unless he makes me mad about something.
Maybe even if he doesn't. you know me that well, don't you?"
"So you'll do it, then?"
"What the hell." Jareth cracked her knuckles. "Sure. As if I'm not bored enough already.
I'll beat him again. Maybe that'll teach him humility."
Zurath led Jareth to the campsite that Genki's friends had set up and Jareth strode up to
them. "All right, kid. I'll give you a one-on-one rematch, just like you want it. Happy? I
hope so. I always think it's better to die happy, don't you?"
Genki said nothing, but readied himself to fight. Taking this as readiness, Jareth started
off the battle with a Shock. The thin bolts of electricity blasted Genki back into a rock.
Genki pulled himself to his feet and lunged for Jareth, swinging his fist to connect with
the side of her head. Jareth blinked and retaliated with a solid punch that landed in the
middle of Genki's chest, putting some distance between them.
Genki lunged forward again, but only to be blasted back by another Shock. Jareth
smirked as Genki fell to the ground.
"Sonic Blast!" Jareth snapped. The bolts of white light snapped forward from her fingers
at a blinding speed.
Genki said nothing, but wondered what it was like to die.
"NOOO!!" Holly screamed. She dove for Genki and tackled him out of the way, just as
the attack landed where he had been a split second ago.
Jareth turned to face Holly. "You keep out of this!" she spat, "You and your friends have
caused enough trouble for me already! Now get out of my way… this is strictly between
me and your friend there."
"Jareth, the boy would have been killed. I admire anyone who is so fiercely loyal to their
friends." Zurath's face was set in a scowl, but his tone was full of admiration. "Given the
situation, I would have done the same for you. The boy clearly means a great deal to her.
It just wouldn't be right to kill him."
"Very well then. Thanks to Zurath's request, I will spare your miserable lives. But don't
get me wrong—you mean nothing to me. You're just another group of idiots who dared
to challenge me."
"But we're not just another group of idiots." Tiger spoke up. His voice was calm, but his
eyes were angry. "I won't speak for my companions, but I honestly can't see how
Zurath—or anyone, for that matter—can stand you."
"I am not cruel to my friends. Only my enemies. You have not proven yourselves worthy
of my friendship, pup. Your brother, despite working for Moo, is far wiser than you are.
You should pay more attention to him… that is, when you aren't trying to kill each other.
How can you travel with those humans? They bring nothing but suffering… and leave
nothing but destruction in their wake."
"That's not true!!!" with Holly's support, Genki got to his feet. "Humans aren't just
plague-bringers… they're good creatures. Better than some can be. And you look pretty
human to me."
Jareth tossed aside her cloak and flexed her wings. "Do I now? I have never met a human
I could trust. Why should you be any different?" she looked toward Holly. "And you!
You're just… I don't even want to think about what you are, girl. You aren't just Moo's
spawn."
Holly was silent.
"I don't even know you, Holly. I've heard all about you, but I don't know you. And I
know enough to know that I hate you."
"Why do you hate me?"
"Because you are sweet. You're kind, understanding and gentle. You're peaceful and
quiet. You're tender-hearted and care deeply for others. And in this world, all of those
things are synonymous with weakness. I despise weakness, Holly. And so I despise you."
Holly ran from the campsite, Genki and Suezo at her heels and the others close behind
them.
