Ryu's Awakening

Now it was the girl's turn to pace. When she had come to in the back of the arena, a horrific scene met her eyes. She heard the crowd booing like nobody's business; she saw Augus fuming and screaming as he stomped around the room, and to top it off, she saw Ryu collapsed before her.

A big man had come over to her. "Let me help you." He had said. He lifted the boy up and began walking down the hallway with him. She followed behind, dumbstruck.

"You're very lucky that you had a compassionate opponent," Rand told her as he set Ryu on a bed, "He saved your life. If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened."

"I'm sorry," she squeaked.

"It's not your fault. I'm going to have a talk with Augus, but you stay here, and when he wakes up, I want you to thank him. Got it?"

"Yes." She said, meekly.

That had been five minutes ago. Now she was still here, the boy out cold on the bed.

"Why?" she kept asking herself. Why did she have to be such a bitch to him? Sure, it would be a little fishy to hear that a fight was fixed, but then again, it's best to play it safe, isn't it? Her head started to pound with all the rationalizing and guilt she was going through.

And then there was the boy himself. He wasn't ugly like she had told him. He was decent enough, she thought. Not anything spectacular, and certainly not worthy of her.

"Mmmmm…" Ryu started to moan as his senses slowly came back to him. "Ouch… my back…" When he had enough feeling to move, he slowly sat up and looked around. He was back in his locker room, and the girl from the fight was standing there watching him.

He sniffed smugly and said, "Now do you believe me?"

She winced as he said this. "I… I'm sorry. I really am. I thought you were just being an asshole."

Ryu shrugged. "Hey, it would have been your life, not mine."

"Okay, okay! So you saved my life! Thank you! God…" she walked over to him. "You're crazy to be so nice in this world."

He stared at her.

She looked away. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. Thinking was never my strong suit." She laughed nervously, then looked up to see that he was still staring at her.

"Now what are you staring at?"

He smiled. "I don't believe I got your name."

She raised an eyebrow. "It's Katt."

"That's such a beautiful name."

Katt made a face. "Please don't look at me that way."

"Why not?"

"It makes me feel uncomfortable."

Ryu looked down. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."

Katt became enraged. She grabbed him by the chin and glared at him. "Listen, mister, just because we had a little incident and you saved my life, doesn't mean that we're fucking going to go out with each other! So you can stop with all your corny ass 'oh you're so beautiful' shit, okay?!"

Ryu grinned. "Whatever you say, ugly bitch."

"That's better."

"Rand was right. You ARE just like a Biruburu."

Katt sniffed. "I wish I was one. Then I could kill you quite easily. Now, I have a little score to settle with Augus. Are you coming with me?"

"Damn straight. He's the one that fucked me over in the first place."

"Then come."

When Ryu and Katt reached Augus's office, Rand was already there, holding the man against the wall.

"Well well," Augus said with a smile as the pair entered, "If it isn't the disgruntled actors themselves! I'm so sorry you didn't care for my scenario… it made our God quite angry!" With He-Man force, Augus pushed Rand away, and as they trio watched in horror, Augus's features slowly began to change into a two-headed snarling wolf.

"You are all fools." He growled, saliva dripping from his jaws. "If you had done as you were told, we could have put on a spectacular show!" He picked up a club. "It is a pity that this next fight is not a show. Our God would be most entertained!"

Augus charged at Ryu, but Ryu jumped aside and chopped at him as he ran past. Howling in pain, Augus reeled around and began to charge back. Rand smiled and stepped in front of him, fist outstretched. Augus slammed into it face first, and fell to the ground. Katt proceeded to thrust the pointy end of her staff into his stomach.

"Fool!" he screamed, standing and grabbing Katt by the waist. He held her up in the air and prepared to bite her in two.

"Oh no you don't!" Ryu cried, running up and in one swift motion, he cut Augus deeply straight across the chest. Blood began gushing from the wound, and Augus dropped Katt and collapsed.

"You… are even… bigger fools than before!" he wheezed. "My death… is the benefit of our God!"

Rand stepped forward. "I beg your pardon, asshole, but just WHAT the fuck are you talking about?"

"Ho ho ho ho! Our God will come forward and destroy your world! And there's jack shit you can do about it! Ugghh…"

As Augus exploded, Ryu took Katt's hand and helped her to her feet. She glared at him and yanked her hand away. "Thank you." She said curtly.

"Geez, what a prick." Rand muttered. "Well, we should get out of here."

"I've got a friend named Bow," Ryu offered, "And he's fixing a house down south of Mt. Fubi. He probably could use some help."

Rand scratched his head. "All right! That's where we'll go! I always wanted to be a handyman anyway."

"Um, excuse me!" said Katt from behind them, "But what about me?"

"You should go home." Rand told her.

"I don't have one. So I'll tag around with Ryu. But not because I like you, okay? It's just because I don't have anything else to do."

"Hey, it's your call, bitch." Ryu said, smiling.

"Don't lose that attitude." She snapped.

Rand chuckled as the group left Coursair. "Lovebirds if ever I saw them." He said to himself. And to Mt. Fubi and beyond they went!