- TOH SHIN DEN: To Challenge Fate -

a Battle Arena Toshinden fanfiction by Athena Asamiya and Kasumi Todoh


CHAPTER THREE: Watchers



Translations:
baka - stupid
onore - damn you
mina-san - everyone (polite)
kusou - shit


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Ellis marched into her cabin and flung her suitcase down angrily onto her bed. She watched it bounce a few times before settling, and then she plunked herself beside it, head in her hands.
"Nobody's going to tell me what to do," she muttered to herself sourly, "And I'm not too young. I'll show them. I'm going to kick ass in this tournament, and I'm going to find my father!" Ellis glared out the door. "So eat that, you machoistic spiky-haired jerk!" She sighed and shook her head, then checked the clock. There was supposed to be an announcement in about five minutes. Then she was to find who was fighting first, and when her turn to fight was. Ellis opened her suitcase and took out two double-edged knives known as Dirks, and left the cabin. Like Kayin and Eiji, she too failed to notice that her room had also been bugged.

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"Eiji-chan, you suck."
"Shut up."
"You suck hard-core."
"I said shut up."
"You suck hard-core big time."
"Shut up!!"
"You lost to a little girl! You, of all people!"
"I underestimated her, okay? So just get off my back about it, will you?"
"Damn straight, you underestimated her! And got humiliated in front of your rival, I may add."
"I suppose if I say please shut up, it's not going to help, is it?"
"Probably not."
"Onore."
"Attention, attention, all fighters participating in the Toshindaibukai, please listen to this announcement."
Eiji and Kayin glanced at each other, their argument a minute ago forgotten. Kayin shrugged. "Guess that means us, too."
Eiji nodded, and the two listened intently to the announcement that was being made over the intercom in their cabin.
"Welcome everyone, to the Toshindaibukai weaponry tournament. The first battle will be announced soon. But first we will explain the rules. Number one: Each fight will last approximately ninety-nine seconds. Number two: You win if you knock your opponent out in the alotted time, or if you manage to him or her out of the ring. We will now call the fighters competing, and if you would be so kind as to press the small red button on the intercom in your cabin to let us know you're here."
"Damn," Kayin muttered. "Better get back to mine. I'll just be a minute." Kayin left the cabin, Eiji watching after him. Wonder how he's going to handle this tourney... Eiji thought intently. He does have that baka temper of his, after all...
Eiji suddenly heard his name called over the announcement. He got up and pressed the red button in the lower-left corner of the speaker. It was acknowledged, and Eiji stood and listened to the other names. There was a pause between each, which could be guessed as when the other fighters checked in.
"Kayin Amoh."
"Sofia."
"Rungo Iron."
"Fo-Fai."
"Mondo."
"Duke B. Rambert."
"Ellis."
"Tracy."
Kayin sprinted back in. "Did I miss anything?"
Eiji shook his head. "Just the rest of the roll call."
Kayin sighed. "Ach, and I wanted to see if I knew any of them."
Eiji grinned. "That's way too obvious, Kayin-chan. You wanted to see if any of them are on your bounty-hunting list, didn't you?"
"Hey, just cuz I'm at a tourney doesn't mean I can't still make money."
Eiji sighed.
"Good luck to you all!" the announcer continued. "The first match is between Kayin Amoh vs. Fo-Fai. Spectators are welcome. Would these two fighters please meet in the tournament's main arena now."
"Oh, him!" Kayin groaned.
"You know this Fo character?" asked Eiji.
"He's an assassin and a deadly magician." Kayin though a second. "Maybe he killed my father."
"Well, looks like there's only one way to find out. Good luck, and knock him out!"
Kayin grinned and made a thumbs-up, then headed out the door.

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The main battle arena was not far away from the dorms, and could be likened to a coliseum of sorts. Spectators were already starting to gather, mostly the media and martial arts fans and wannabe fighters alike. Both Kayin and Fo were at opposite ends of the arena, warming up. There were quite a few young ladies screaming to Kayin, handsome blond that he was, and every so often Kayin would blow them a kiss. The girls soon had to be removed from the stadium by the tourney medics, due to them passing out. Kayin grinned to himself and praticed a few more quick kicks and slashes. A few minutes later, the announcer's voice rang out.
"Mina-san, welcome to the first battle of the Toshindaibukai!"
The crowd screamed in its excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your fighters for this battle! Please welcome KAYIN AMOH and FO-FAI!"
The crowd cheered even louder. Kayin acknowledged the crowd with a devilish grin, which had become quite a trademark of him. Cameras flashed in his face. The two opponents walked to the dividing line, and engaged in a little pre-fight conversation. (Trash-talking: the audience's favorite part)
Fo, a short man of 106 years old, with the spotlights gleaming off the iron claws attached to his arms, said cackling, "So this is the young man who's been sent here to fight me. Ah, young blood. My favorite type."
Kayin smirked. "Don't think I don't know all about you." He unsheathed his Excalibur, and pretended to admire it for a minute. "Fo-Fai, the great magician..." Kayin's eyes locked on his. "...And an even greater assassin."
"Me?" Fo laughed. "You must have me confused with someone else. I'm just a harmless old man."
"We'll see about that."
"Bout 1!" came the announcer's voice. "Fight!!"
Kayin started off with his Deadly Rays uppercut attack, but Fo brought him down with a quick Pagoda Kick. Kayin wasn't down for more than a few seconds before he jumped up and did a Rising Sun flip kick, hitting Fo in the face. He got up just as quickly as Kayin did, surprising for an old man. He suddenly shouted "Mystic Sphere!" and a giant ball of purple light appeared in front of him, hitting Kayin in the chest. Kayin grimaced for a second, then smiled.
"Not bad, old man," Kayin murmured, "but still not good enough to keep me down." The crowd roared its approval.
Deciding to try a different approach, Kayin launched a series of quick sword swipes, knocking Fo to the ground. He then decided to follow these up with Shoulder Crush, bringing his leg down on Fo's back as he lay on the arena floor. This resulted in K.O., and Kayin was declared winner of Bout 1.

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So. He is here. I suppose that means the other one is too. This shall not go unnoticed. Keeping a close watch on them may prove to be more than useful.

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Bout 2 started out pretty much the same way. Fo leapt straight up in the air and started another Mystic Sphere. This sphere moved - toward Kayin. He quickly rolled out of the way, but still caught a bit of it in the arm.
"Lay off with those things, would ya?" he shouted angrily. He gave Fo three more sharp kicks, and then shouted "Sonic Slash!" and sent a large fireball exploding out from his sword that knocked Fo over. When he started to get up, he was hit with another of the same.
Walking over to where Fo lay, Kayin asked, "Did you kill my father, Fo?"
Instead of answering, Fo leapt up and a long slash across Kayin's chest with his claws. Fortunately, Kayin leapt back in surprise just as he did this, and the claws only sliced through the thin cloth of Kayin's shirt.
"Hey!" yelled Kayin, mildly annoyed. "This was one of my best shirts!"
Kayin quickly retaliated with another Sonic Slash, followed by three-Shoulder Crush combo. This ended up with Fo lying face down on the arena floor again.
"I'll ask again," Kayin demanded as Fo lay on the ground. "Did you kill my father?"
"Of course not. I only like young blood," he replied.
"I see," Kayin said. "Well, you're on the bounty hunting list anyway, so I figure I better take you in, get my money, stuff like that." Kayin smugly smiled. Then, noticing that there was no fencing around the arena, an idea began to form. Slowly Kayin began backing towards the edge of the ring. When he was as close as he dared, he waited for Fo to make the next move. Fortunately, Fo did exactly what Kayin was hoping for: another Pagoda Kick. The kick came flying through the air, and just when it was about to connect, Kayin ducked, and Fo sailed over the edge. Kayin watched as he plunged downwards and landed on the mats below.
"Ring out. The winner - KAYIN AMOH!" the announcer's voice shouted, while the audience cheered.
"Yeah!" Kayin shouted, raising his sword in the air, flashbulbs going off in his face. Kayin then turned around, and yelled down into the crevice, "Hey, old man! I'll be back for ya someday, then you ain't never gonna get out of jail!" Laughing, Kayin returned to the dorms. Eiji was waiting for him when for he returned.
"I got the news," he said. "Way to go, Kayin-chan. I knew you could do it."
"Thanks. The only bad part about it was that Fo wasn't the one who killed my father." Kayin grinned.
"That's too bad. But I know you'll find him somewhere at this tournament."
"Well, all that ass-kicking sure worked up my appetite," Kayin said. "Why don't we go get something to eat?"
"Sure," Eiji agreed. On the way, they passed a bulletin board, and Eiji noticed that the next match had already been posted.
"I'm in the next match," he informed Kayin. "And I have to fight..." Eiji looked at the bulletin board again and groaned, "Kusou."
"Who is it?" asked Kayin.
"Duke. I have to fight Duke. Tomorrow morning." He sighed. "Just my luck."
"Too bad," Kayin said. "But you beat him once before. You can probably do it again."
"Let's hope so," Eiji replied. At least he wasn't fighting Ellis. Ever since their 'argument' earlier, she refused to even look at him. Once he looked at her, and she gave him a cold glare before walking away. Then again, he reminded himself, there were few things less humiliating than getting beat up by a girl. And if Ellis wanted to enter the tournament and risk getting herself killed, then that was her problem, not his.

***********

"Your computer was right about Kayin. He is a very formidable fighter," Uranus said to Gaia. They had both watched Kayin fight against Fo, thanks to more secret cameras hidden in the ring. "He shall make a fine fighter for our side!"
"I knew you'd like him," replied Gaia. "Shall we try and capture him now?"
"No. We must wait until the time is right. I want to see how Sho's brother does in his fights before we try anything."
"As you wish."

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