Fire Fox- Dang it, it is getting hard to come up with chapter tittles. I am running out of verbs dealing with mirrors. I think I will just have to use any word dealing with mirrors. Time to go buy a Thesaurus!
Raven- Shut up, no one wants to hear your stupid babblings. Besides 'Reflections' isn't a verb.
Fire Fox-*happily* Raaavvveeennnn!!! *jumps up and snuggles him*
Raven- Get off, you are choking me! Security, Van, anyone!
Fire Fox- ^__^
Raven- sigh, over protective/obsessed fan girls, you can't live with them, and you can't without them.
Disclaimer- We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART?
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Chapter Four: Mirroring Pasts
"As for week one of the tournament, the results are as follows: in first is the Ethereal Team with an amazing one loss, second is the BladeBreakers with only five losses, and in third place is the White Tigers with seven losses. We now head into the final week of the tournament.
Remember, it's not too late to move up or down the list. Considering there is still two weeks left in the tournament, anything can happen! So continue giving a hundred and ten percent! Remember to pick up the schedule of this week's match-ups!" yelled the announcer.
Allenbe only sighed. The Sirens had lost ten matches. She had lost two, Mariah three, Brittney five, and AntigonL was only listed as a substitute so she hadn't even fought yet. Really ten wasn't a bad at all. By now most teams had at least suffered twenty losses. The first week was always the toughest, because the matches were non-stop. The next two weeks contained about the same amount of battles, but they had various dances and mandatory activities spread throughout the weeks.
She quickly started to calculate what needed to happen for them to win. It was possible she decide. If things lined up correctly, which they will. She was a master at planning and having her plans work, whatever the cost.
Allenbe stuck her tongue out at the mention of the Ethereal Team. She didn't like that team. They were such idiots. All of them. They all deserved to be punished. By her. She smiled at the thought of punishing them.
She cringed when she heard that the BladeBreakers were doing better than the Sirens. She had watched them fight. And she automatically loathed them all. Allenbe was funny that way. She would decide in the five minutes when she became aware of your existence whether she loved or hated a person. It was that simple. And she never changed her mind.
Rei would have been okay in her mind if his bit-beast wasn't a tiger, Allenbe had decided at an early age she hated tigers. Kia was a decent battler, but she thought Dranzer was ugly. So that crossed Kia out. Max was to happy. It wasn't natural to be that happy. Drugs was the only solution in her mind to that constant happiness. And she just hated Tyson and his Dragoon.
'They should be punished along with the Ethereal Team' Allenbe happily thought. She started to smile. 'Yes, they NEED to be punished.' A strange, maniacal laugh erupted from Allenbe, "BWAHAHAHAHAH!!"
Mariah stared at her friend. Allenbe's laugh sound almost identical to her Hyena bit-beast. Mariah looked around as she noticed that the surrounding people had started to edge away from the pair.
"This is so embarrassing," Mariah said to herself. A large circle of people had gathered around to see what was going on. Mariah wished to be anywhere except with her deranged team-mate.
"Mwahahahahah!" Allenbe laughed, oblivious to all else except her 'plans'. "I'll gouge one's eyes out with a spork!…."
"At least Lee isn't here to see…." Mariah could have eaten her words as she saw Lee looking quizzically at her.
A sprig of hope grew in Mariah's heart as she saw Brittney, AntigonL, and Hy, trotting behind them in her doggy fashion, push their way to the front of the crowd. AntigonL was always curious enough to drag Brittney to the front of whatever crowd that happened to be gathered. Both had an armful of bags.
'Brittney and her sales,' Mariah sighed. But whatever hoped had blossomed in Mariah's heart about being rescued soon wilted away, as Brittney collapsed laughing and AntigonL seemed more intent on finishing her apple. Once she was done, she bent down to eye level with Hy, and muttered something. Lee turned his attention from the raving lunatic in the center of the crowd to the estranged child talking to animals besides him.
'My life is trash.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AntigonL watched the pair of girls with a bemused expression between bites. Both her and Brittney had been friends with Allenbe to know the feeling. But that didn't make it any less funny.
"I swear that girl is a few trees short of a forest," AntigonL sighed. "Stupid forest fires."
She continued eating on her apple, Brittney continued to laugh, Hy continued to be happy in her doggy way, and Mariah's face got as pink as her hair.
Lee looked over at the dog and girls beside him. Finally with only the apple core left, AntigonL got down on eye level with Hy. She looked the huge dog straight in the eye. 'That dog's head is as big as her head,' mused Lee.
She grabbed the dog's ears and swung the giant head to meet hers. Her face got serious as if performing some religious ceremony.
"Apple core," AntigonL said.
Lee couldn't help but smile, "Baltimore."
She continued to look at the dog as she said, "Who's your friend?"
At soon as she spoke this, the dog jerked its head away from her and looked at the laughing hyena in the center of the crowd. "BARK!" Hy bellowed while wagging her tail.
AntigonL nodded. What she did next surprised even Lee who use to play that prank on everyone when he was a child. She cocked her arm back and let loss of the remains of the apple.
Lee watched it arch through the air at an incredible speed. The arch was cut short by an object. Thunk. The apple core had hit its target. The laughing abruptly stopped.
"Now Brittney, we do the only thing we can do in a situation like this," stated AntigonL solemnly.
"Run and hide?" questioned Brittney.
"No, thought that would be a good solution. I'll remember that next time this happens," AntigonL mentally filed the idea away.
"You mean this has happened more than once?" Lee asked amazed.
"Sadly yes. Allenbe is freak," AntigonL nodded gravely. "Well, the only thing one can do in this situation is to act boastfully about something we should be ashamed of. That trick never seems to fail."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Okay girls," Allenbe sat staring at the roster back in the hotel room. AntigonL had wandered off in search of more food. It had taken Allenbe a while, but she finally figured out they could win. They were up against some pretty hard people. Now she just had to turn in the final list before AntigonL saw it. "I have the 'master' plan here. And it will be followed at all costs! Bwahahahah!"
Allenbe did a quick check to make sure AntigonL was gone, "Bwahahaha!"
Mariah looked at the list, "Errr, Allenbe why are you up against all the really hard people?"
"It's part of the plan," Allenbe replied.
"You remember what happened last time you tried this," Brittney warned.
"Tried what?" Mariah asked lost.
"Hehehe," Allenbe laughed nervously, "That was two years ago, and you can hardly see the scar anymore."
Mariah just stared at the girls.
Brittney noticed Mariah's confused state, "That was the last time Allenbe tried to trick AntigonL into battling again. She set herself up against all the hardest people and ever so conveniently got sick. And AntigonL being the substitute would have to battle."
"Just because it didn't work last time!" Allenbe drew imaginary circles on the bed with her finger.
"And she has a nice little scar that shows AntigonL's appreciation for her thoughts," Brittney smiled.
"It's the only way. Believe you me, I am not excited about using this plan again," Allenbe stated, "but it's the only way we can win."
"Is winning really so important?" asked Mariah.
"It's not just that," Allenbe said sullenly. "It's time AntigonL moved on. Yes, what happened long ago is partly her fault, but not all is. She has to fight again. She is best of us."
Mariah was taken back by Allenbe's serious mood. She had never seen the girl so passionate or sober before.
"What happened?" asked Mariah.
"Well, that is something you have to ask AntigonL," Brittney sadly smiled, "We would tell you, but we don't know all the details. No one does. Save AntigonL and a few others. But if you can get AntigonL to talk about it, remember memory is never entirely objective…Then come tell us what she said."
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'Now where in the world can AntigonL be? I swear that girl, you can never find her when you need to. I have looked all over the hotel. Well maybe she is in the lobby,' Mariah was lost in her own thoughts that she didn't see the guy in front of her till it was to late.
"I'm sorry," she said absent mindedly. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"I wasn't either," replied a to familiar voice, "I had a sack of towels….Mariah?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He hoped the hurt he felt at seeing her again didn't escape into his voice. Suddenly he remembered what the stranger had said, "It's a big city. You won't be able to avoid her." How right was his words where, he thought bitterly.
He looked at her on the floor. She didn't have her hair up in her trademark ponytail. She let it down. Right now it was everywhere. It was an explosion of dark pink in the dark hotel lobby. Somehow, he forgot about everything that happened before this moment. He forgot about all the hurt she had caused, the bitterness he had felt, the stranger, the tournament, and reality. Her being this near him after all these years seemed so right.
He heard her grumble something about a teammate hiding her ribbons. She still hadn't looked up at him yet. He steeled himself for what would happen when she realized it was him. Perhaps he should have talked to her about the e-mail, but his ego being so wounded it was all he could do to leave. But 'should have's' had no place in the present.
'You still look beautiful, Mariah, without a ponytail.' he had to catch himself before he said the words on the tip of his tongue. It seemed like such a natural thing to say. Probably because she IS beautiful,' he though, 'Come on boy, snap out of it. We've been down this road before! She was the one… His thoughts were stopped as a pair of amber eyes stared up at him.
"Rei…"
God her eyes can cut through anything. It seemed so natural to be staring down at her with towels strode about a hotel lobby.
"Yes?" Rei answered, wanting to say something more. He was lost in the amber orbs that had vanished from his life long ago.
He just couldn't stop staring at her. After all these years…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Yes?" he answered.
Mariah felt the blood rush to her cheeks as Rei just stared at her on the floor. She looked away so he wouldn't see her blushing.
'Why does he keep staring at me? Is there something wrong with my appearance?' Mariah nervously thought.
Finally deciding that Rei was just surprised to see her again after all these years, she managed to compose herself. Well at least try.
'Come on ole girl, remember what he did to you…'
"Here let me help you up," Rei said as he picked her up and checked for bruises.
Mariah blushed harder and looked away. She just couldn't bring herself to look Rei in the eyes. But if she had, she would have been surprised at their expression.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He couldn't help but smile at the reunion. 'Well, so much for all the dark angst he kept buried,' mused the stranger. 'I only wish our encounters could be so picturesque.'
He had watched the whole scene from the indoor café the hotel offered its guests. Actually he was somewhat jealous. Every time he meet with her, things always got rather messy. People said things they didn't mean, well, things he didn't mean. He had no idea if she meant the things she said or not. 'In fact, I have no idea if she even…no, better not go down that lane again. She would find out what I thought in my own mind.'
Suddenly, the boy looked over to where he was sitting. He grabbed the girl's arm, unconsciously, and stormed over to his table.
Undisturbed by the angry expression on the boy's face, the stranger kept drinking his drink.
"What are you doing here?" demanded the boy.
"My, my. What has your tail in a knot, Tiger?" he countered bemused.
"Don't expect me to believe that you just happened to be here!" hissed Rei.
"I know where I have seen you before," stated Mariah still in shock of the whole situation, "You were in the picture Allenbe burned after she…."
Mariah's voice trailed off as she tried to remember what all Allenbe had did to the picture before burning it.
"Well, now. Only burning? It seems Allenbe's hobbies had quieted down," the stranger smiled. "Now, let me formally introduce myself, I am Raven Zi."
"I know all about you, Raven," Rei was still furious, "NOW tell me how can you just happen to be here, at the very time I run into…her after all these years. When you were the one who said, 'It's a big city. You won't be able to avoid her'?"
Mariah's eyes flashed dangerously. Her? Rei made her sound like some kind of disease or something. How dare he use that tone of voice when she was present. He talked like she wasn't even here. After all, he was the one that broke it off. It was his fault too. No way was he going to try to blame the whole entire thing on her. The more she thought about the madder she got. 'Oh Reeeiii' Mariah thought in an all to angelic tone.
Before Raven could amply reply, another voice crawled out of the shadows.
"It's a big city, Raven, you didn't honestly think you could avoid me all this time without my knowing? Now, did you?" an low voice asked behind Raven, echoing his own words.
Mariah looked up and was surprised to see the object she had been in search of, AntigonL. What in the world?…
Raven appeared equally surprised as he choked on his drink. He no longer had a bemused expression, "Now why would I try to avoid you?"
"That's a good question. Why indeed?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"God, Raven! I can't believe you," AntigonL screamed at him. "Why must you continue to put your nose in things that don't concern you? I am most certainly not your concern!"
Once she had spotted him, they had decided to go to his room and talk things over. 'Though I wouldn't exactly describe this as 'talking things over'. More like…discussing for the hearing impaired' AntigonL thought as Raven yelled back at her.
Well, they had started off talking, but things progressed from there.
"I was only trying to help!" Raven 'loudly talked' though he doubted that would help the situation, "You aren't doing anything! Just like before."
'I can remember a time when we didn't fight…well at least we didn't fight every time we saw one another,' AntigonL thought back to the past with a feeling like regret surged through her. It seemed like every time they meet these days they always ended up yelling at one another now.
"I'm still trying to decide what business it is of yours! What I do is my decision. You may boss of your easy dates and bitches around. But I will not stand for it! Besides if I remember correctly, you were the one who left."
'Oh no, Raven, try as you might, but you are not going to make me feel guilty for this. It was your fault too.'
Raven's eyes glowed darkness at the last comment, "I see it was a mistake now. Everything about you is a mistake. You are just a waste."
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He smiled sardonically as his last comment hit the spot. He watched as she walked across the room silently and turned her face to him at the door.
Her voice was barely audible it was so low, "It figures, coming from you. I now know why you surround yourself with such bitches."
He raised an eyebrow at her last comment. Perhaps he misjudged.
She only shook her head in a pitying way. A small smile crossed her lips and her eyes danced. She looked wild and sympathetic.
Raven knew the expression well after all their recent meetings. Well he had always known that look, but until recently did he truly appreciate its meaning. 'I used to think she was beautiful when she looked liked that, like some kind of wild fox or leopard from a far. Not worrying about the teeth or claws, something dangerous and beautiful. But now all I know are the teeth and claws.'
"That's all you are. A dog without bone. Or a home," she said quietly and left. She shut the door behind her.
Once the door was shut, Raven slowly sat on the bed. He placed his head in his hands. He didn't know why he said those things to her. This time things had gone farther than usual. She had never touched on the subject so painful to him before.
'It used to be she would kill anyone who brought up the subject,'
It still hurt Raven to this day. Suddenly all he wanted to do was throw-up it hurt him so bad. It all hurt him so bad.
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Fire Fox- Well, I finally updated after a absences of seven months? Is the suspense building up? Actually I have been very busy. But since so many people told me to update or die0.o I decided to update!
Raven- One could only wish.
Fire Fox- Okay….tell me what you think!
Mystic Ice-I hoped this was enough to satisfy you for now^_^
Angel of a Tiger- Thanks for the compliment! I try. It's good to know some people *glares at Raven* like my writing.^_^
Zeroku- Tell Falcona to bring it on any day of the week. Except for Tuesdays at after six. That's Raven's and mine MVB time^__^
Vienna- Thanks. I'll try to review your story again….^_^U But it's been a while. I'll have to read the whole thing again.
Rayne-Neko-Punk - Thanks again^_^
Galux Kitty- Your wish is my command^_^ Well at least for the whole chapter updating thing.
NickeyWhite2 -Yes, I am the foreshadowing queen! Bwhahahahah^__^ To bad I have no idea what I am going to be foreshadowing^_^
