Chapter 9: The Week of the Tournament

Chapter 9: The Weeks Before the Tournament

            All seemed quiet at the school of St. Weatherby the battle between the two high ranked pilots was not forgotten.  But that wasn't the battle to look for in the next upcoming days.  It was another fight that took interest of the school and its students.  The fight to determine who would accompany Lisa and Clyde in the tournament.  However this fight wasn't between the students but the instructors who taught them how to fight.  They needed someone to keep watch on the students and also to help them increase their chances of winning.  The tournament rules allowed this seeming three pilot combination the students and their instructor fighting for the glory and total military supremacy.  The military would sure look at the school with the best pilots to recruit from, and of course they would receive more money depending on how many students were recruited.  That's right these battles between mobile suits were based on money, and money alone drove them to push their pilots to the limits.

           

"You won't win Fitz!" Came a cry from a communication signal on a standard mobile suit.

            "Hmph, that's what you think!"

            A clash of sabers erupted between two mobile suits, a pair of Soldati models fighting for a chance to ride a new model suit.  One different than the rest one that would ultimately mean "Victory."  When the sabers soon became a tiresome game they switched weapons and unloaded rounds of armor piercing bullets from their new machine guns.  A new and improved version of the 100mm rifle a new product courtesy of Mr. Weatherby himself.  Soon the pistols ran out of ammo, and of course the saber game began again.

            "Its time to finish this! I'm tired of this game."

            One of the Soldati's brought their saber from the clash and brought it down on the others hand and sliced it, the I-field breaking the neo titanium framing.  This soon ended the battle as the hand with the saber soon fell to the floor with a small rubble as it collided with the Earth below.

            "Enough!" A communication signal rang for both of the production suits.

            "The battle is over! Fitz you have won this match!"

            The suits stopped their functioning and revealed their pilots.  A rugged man came from the Soldati that was defeated.  With only one hand still functioning.  His fruitless battle had come to an end.  On the other side the cockpit opened to reveal a handsome young man with a few scrubs of dirt on his face.  Both slid down from the suit and congratulated each other on the fight well done.  Their "referee" went to look and see if they were doing well.  This young lady had much to care for, since one of these instructors became an interest for her, and the fact that she was one of the instructors didn't make it an easy way of expressing her feelings.  It was hard for her to express anything except her happiness when she saw the person she was waiting for was all right.

            "That was quite the battle you two."

            "But I'm glad no real harm was done."

            The two pilots shook hands and the second conceded his defeat.  However he warned him that next time he would be defeated that easily.  Fitz nodded and brought him the words "Bring it on my friend, I will be waiting."  So it was decided Instructor Michael Fitz would be the third in this new tournament.  The tournament that changed the view of life for everyone and was the signal for the upcoming new age of "war."

~~

            The next morning the crowd at St. Weatherby's was crowding around one piece of paper posted on the bulletin board.  This piece of paper listed the names of the pilots that would be participating in this tournament.  You know all three of them already but this paper differed from what I have already told you.  This piece of paper also listed the mobile suits they would be using in this upcoming tournament. 

            Thus began another grueling day for the young Matthews girl as she arrived at the school's gate.  Their waiting for her however was a familiar face.  Clyde Dalton stood on the gate leaning against it as he waited for her especially.

            "Bout time you got here Lisa, I have some news."

            "Well I'm a late riser what's up?"

            "I think it would be better to show you, follow me."

            "Ok then if you say so."

            Clyde got up from his leaning position on the gate and walked into the school.  Lisa followed him at every step trying to decipher the look on his face.  Was it anger, surprise, sadness?  She couldn't figure Clyde out, at first he was friendly as always, but she figured it must have been the news that must have changed him.  They continued walking until they reached the bulletin board that everyone else was crowding.  One person turned around and saw the two people on the list, and shouted to the others to let them through.  The crowd then with surprise and amazement that these two who looked like a couple would be together at the tournament.

            "Here Lisa look at this…" Clyde points to the message on the board.

            "What about it?"

            "Look at it closely anything familiar?"

            She looked closer at the paper and saw the names of three pilots.  Her own on the first spot, Clyde's on the second spot, and a familiar name on the third spot.  Next to the names was something different.  It became a spot for mobile suits, empty now but soon it would named with the suits they would participate with.

            "Instructor Fitz is on the list as well, your point?"

            "That's not what I meant, the mobile suit section is blank."

            "And?"

            "Well what do you think they have in store for us?"

            "Well…we'll find out won't we?"

            Lisa took another look at the list and thought about it for a little longer.  Instructor Fitz , Michael Fitz, same person?  She thought it must be, it was the same guy she met that first day on the Earth.  She didn't have much time to think since the bell rang and they were given orders to head to their first class.  However for Lisa and Clyde it was different, they were ordered to report for the Combat bus. 

The first training for the tournament was about to begin…