~*~Aftershocks: Chapter Six- The Battle Begins~*~
~Silverium~
Disclaimer: You all know it by now, the fic is mine, OMF 2097 is not.
Jean-Paul woke up to sky that seemed all to alien for him to really appreciate. He ran a hand through his unkempt crimson hair and blinked away his drowsy sleep. The fight was today, he could barely remember what had taken place in the last week, all the practices, the feeling of being the Shadow again, watching Crystal destruct bot after bot-it was all a mindless blur inside him.
He got up and had breakfast at the hotel's massive restaurant, quietly looking to see if Crystal was there as well, and almost disappointed that she wasn't. The digital clock on the wall glowed five am on the dot, meaning Jean-Paul still had time. He walked steadily down the halls in a brisk fashion towards the tower where his Shadow was standing, staring hollowing into oblivion.
Inside the elevator Jean-Paul nearly walked straight into Crystal. She glanced at him and then took a detailed scan of him, which he returned. He had on a black button-down, and loose black pants, she wore a blue tank top and dark jeans that clung to her shapely form. So they were both going casual that day.
"I hope you're ready," She said with a small smile,
Jean Paul coolly gazed at her, almost prompting her to continue, "You know, this would all be over if you just told me about my parents, I could resign, and we'd both win," She said softly,
"No,"
"But it would be so easy for you!" Crystal snarled, all rage now, "What's wrong with you?"
"I want to win." Jean-Paul looked down at her.
For once Crystal faltered and her eyes flickered over with a second's amount of doubt. She then smirked at him, folding her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrows,
"I'm glad to hear that."
The door slid open, but not at the top floor where they wanted to go. It revealed Milano and his usual bodyguards and they stepped in quietly. Jean-Paul noticed that Milano was looking calm and collected, though his eyes betrayed his eager anticipation.
"Are my two fighters ready?" He asked lightly,
"I'll never be your fighter, after I win I'm getting my information and then getting the hell out!" Crystal said angrily,
"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed again, Crystal? Bad habit," Milano smiled humourlessly,
"When the bed's against the wall you don't have a choice, Mr. Angston." Crystal retorted.
Jean-Paul ignored the exchange, as did the bodyguards. The elevator soon opened again and the three groups split up. Jean-Paul headed for the room that would allow him to get jacked into his Shadow, and Crystal to one opposite to get into her Jaguar. Milano stood at the large window in the main room and watched grimly as the two bots started to move and look round, flexing their 'muscles'.
The Shadow turned and looked straight at Milano, it seemed to gaze right through the President and he found it hard to hold the solid look. Was it right to throw his friend into this? Was it right to offer his life on the line? Yes, because he had agreed to it all.
Across from the shadow the Jaguar also turned its gaze to Milano, and he could feel the heat from it. A sudden noise made him turn around and he nodded as Ibrahim walked in,
"Mr. Angston," Ibrahim said clearly,
"Ibrahim, here to see the fight from the best view?" Milano asked,
The old man ignored the question, "What are the terms to this fight?"
"Crystal will know the truth of her parents if she wins, Jean-Paul keeps his job." Milano said easily,
"But Jean-Paul would always have his job, you can't let men like him." Ibrahim stared at Milano, "You don't mean-"
"Yes," Milano grated savagely,
Ibrahim rushed to the glass and stared at the Shadow standing stoically in front of him, now looking at the Jaguar across from him.
"You know what she's done right?" Ibrahim asked, shooting Milano a look,
"Destroyed a different bot for every day of the week," Milano tossed a glare towards the door that held the woman in it,
"She has enhancements on that bot that Jean-Paul doesn't know about. I've studied his fighting, he could be at a serious disadvantage!" Ibrahim cried,
"What did she do?" Milano asked, sounding amused,
"She has equipped herself with three concussion cannons of a higher power, he might miss one, but the next two." Ibrahim trailed off again,
"I hope he finds out what she's done then," Milano smiled, but it was a false smile.
Guilt was getting to him, and gnawing a hole in his stomach.
~*~R/R~*~
Jean-Paul woke up to sky that seemed all to alien for him to really appreciate. He ran a hand through his unkempt crimson hair and blinked away his drowsy sleep. The fight was today, he could barely remember what had taken place in the last week, all the practices, the feeling of being the Shadow again, watching Crystal destruct bot after bot-it was all a mindless blur inside him.
He got up and had breakfast at the hotel's massive restaurant, quietly looking to see if Crystal was there as well, and almost disappointed that she wasn't. The digital clock on the wall glowed five am on the dot, meaning Jean-Paul still had time. He walked steadily down the halls in a brisk fashion towards the tower where his Shadow was standing, staring hollowing into oblivion.
Inside the elevator Jean-Paul nearly walked straight into Crystal. She glanced at him and then took a detailed scan of him, which he returned. He had on a black button-down, and loose black pants, she wore a blue tank top and dark jeans that clung to her shapely form. So they were both going casual that day.
"I hope you're ready," She said with a small smile,
Jean Paul coolly gazed at her, almost prompting her to continue, "You know, this would all be over if you just told me about my parents, I could resign, and we'd both win," She said softly,
"No,"
"But it would be so easy for you!" Crystal snarled, all rage now, "What's wrong with you?"
"I want to win." Jean-Paul looked down at her.
For once Crystal faltered and her eyes flickered over with a second's amount of doubt. She then smirked at him, folding her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrows,
"I'm glad to hear that."
The door slid open, but not at the top floor where they wanted to go. It revealed Milano and his usual bodyguards and they stepped in quietly. Jean-Paul noticed that Milano was looking calm and collected, though his eyes betrayed his eager anticipation.
"Are my two fighters ready?" He asked lightly,
"I'll never be your fighter, after I win I'm getting my information and then getting the hell out!" Crystal said angrily,
"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed again, Crystal? Bad habit," Milano smiled humourlessly,
"When the bed's against the wall you don't have a choice, Mr. Angston." Crystal retorted.
Jean-Paul ignored the exchange, as did the bodyguards. The elevator soon opened again and the three groups split up. Jean-Paul headed for the room that would allow him to get jacked into his Shadow, and Crystal to one opposite to get into her Jaguar. Milano stood at the large window in the main room and watched grimly as the two bots started to move and look round, flexing their 'muscles'.
The Shadow turned and looked straight at Milano, it seemed to gaze right through the President and he found it hard to hold the solid look. Was it right to throw his friend into this? Was it right to offer his life on the line? Yes, because he had agreed to it all.
Across from the shadow the Jaguar also turned its gaze to Milano, and he could feel the heat from it. A sudden noise made him turn around and he nodded as Ibrahim walked in,
"Mr. Angston," Ibrahim said clearly,
"Ibrahim, here to see the fight from the best view?" Milano asked,
The old man ignored the question, "What are the terms to this fight?"
"Crystal will know the truth of her parents if she wins, Jean-Paul keeps his job." Milano said easily,
"But Jean-Paul would always have his job, you can't let men like him." Ibrahim stared at Milano, "You don't mean-"
"Yes," Milano grated savagely,
Ibrahim rushed to the glass and stared at the Shadow standing stoically in front of him, now looking at the Jaguar across from him.
"You know what she's done right?" Ibrahim asked, shooting Milano a look,
"Destroyed a different bot for every day of the week," Milano tossed a glare towards the door that held the woman in it,
"She has enhancements on that bot that Jean-Paul doesn't know about. I've studied his fighting, he could be at a serious disadvantage!" Ibrahim cried,
"What did she do?" Milano asked, sounding amused,
"She has equipped herself with three concussion cannons of a higher power, he might miss one, but the next two." Ibrahim trailed off again,
"I hope he finds out what she's done then," Milano smiled, but it was a false smile.
Guilt was getting to him, and gnawing a hole in his stomach.
~*~R/R~*~
