Chapter 14: Sunset Red
Rue stepped backwards involuntarily. "Wha-at?! B-but gymnastics is a performance sport…"
"Not the way Mint 'performs' it," Tonia was actually smiling. It seemed like the gymnastics team manager (and probably the gymnastics coach as well) was all for the idea of having the team representatives fight it out for the slot in the Gamul games. "Captain Davis agrees. Point system, and you'll be the scorekeeper, Neil?"
Neil nodded. "One point for each time your weapon touches any part of the chest, back, head, thigh and upper arm regions of your opponent. Six points for disarmament. Fifteen minutes for the entire match. Since our combatants use two different fighting styles, anything else goes."
"Let's get it on, then." Mint was all set with her Dual Haloes. Everyone else in the room had moved to the sides, clearing a place for the combatants and eager to watch what promised to be a very unusual battle. Reluctantly, Rue took his position near the center of the training hall mats.
Mint noticed something, "Wait." She was eyeing his weapon, only once glancing pointedly at the black violin case that leaned against the far wall. But Rue shook his head.
"Not in school." And never against you.
"Fine, then." Mint lowered her Haloes. She promptly stomped over to her duffel, carefully laid her rings on the floor, and took out a pair of batons.
Rue watched her as she did so. "Mint, what…?"
"If you're not using your best weapon then neither am I." She stepped back to her place on the mats opposite him. Her next words were spoken with an air of command. "Ready!"
With a cue nod from Captain Davis, Neil raised one hand. Everyone turned silent. "Time starts, now."
Their weapons were up, and Rue was expecting her to make the first attack. But no, Mint chose to wait. She would let him lead the pace.
Rue realized this quickly enough, and the clock was ticking. With his boken held directly in front of himself, he rushed towards her. She jumped to the side, ducked his second swing, struck and hit his right thigh. First point to the gymnastics team.
She couldn't help but smirk at her opponent as it dawned on him that she could anticipate his movements. It promised to be an interesting match.
Very few people were at the arcade late that sunny afternoon, and Rod Bladestar was one of them. Not much of a surprise, considering that he owned the place. He was sitting at one of the side coffee tables, looking over the rows of machines that he called his living. But the video games weren't his true passion. At heart he was a still a blacksmith, a weapon maker and guild master. In fact, at the back of his place he had a small workshop where he still made short swords and hunting knives, and every so often he would sell the odd piece at the bladed weapons store downtown.
Rod Blade Star was a man of heart. He had been in Carona for six years now, and he had seen many faces come and gone. And although he remembered only a few people, they were those who had truly touched him in such a way that they deserved his remembrance.
Lucine was a woman who had heart. Raven-haired, beautiful and serene, she was the best mechatronics wizard in their hometown, always jealously guarded by her younger sibling who tried to emulate everything that the older sister did. He had been searching for her ever since she completely and mysteriously disappeared these eight years past.
Come to think of it, Lucine's younger sibling had heart too, and along with a companion was the first to come gunning after the white-haired man who took Lucine away. Offhand, he wondered if they ever had better luck than he did. His search for Lucine had led him to a dead end in Carona. He found no other choice but to settle down in the meantime, and to call a temporary halt to his quest to find his beloved. He didn't have anything then, so he made weapons from metal ores he scavenged himself, worked odd jobs and stayed in a meager one-room apartment in the seedier area of town. He only managed to set up his arcade after meticulously saving for two years.
In Carona was where he met Mint for the first time, when she first entered his arcade sixteen months ago. Mint was a girl who definitely had heart, and she looked so much like Lucine to boot. He wondered sometimes if they were actually related by blood, for the wine-red colored eyes of both women seemed to be too much of a coincidence.
He had often seen Mint playing the video games, but it took an entire year before he finally got the inkling to actually walk over and talk to her. That afternoon when he did turned out to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Never had he met a girl with such a passion for life as Mint has. Everything the redhead did she did wholeheartedly, she was determined to always be the best, no excuses, and when she fought she fought with every single fiber of her being. If that wasn't heart, then he didn't know what heart was.
They had taken quickly to each other—at first it was just the video games, but later on Rod started to play a more important part in the younger girl's life. She looked up to him as a close friend and an older brother, had called him on the phone every so often, and sometimes they'd even go out to lunch or dinner together (his treat, of course).
He had long known that she loved gallivanting in the Carona ruins, often alone, and once he had invited her to traverse some of the underground ruins with him—to go 'treasure hunting' like he used to do frequently when he had first come to the town. Mint accepted readily, and during the trip he had taught her to identify certain minerals and metal ores as Lucine had once taught him. Carona was rich in a certain type of rare earth metal that can be melted for forging or sold at an assessor at a negotiable price, and of course Mint was always eager at the mention of treasure. That trip was only the first time, and they were to go treasure hunting twice more in the past few months alone.
During the latest treasure hunt, Mint mentioned that she had seen a richer type of ore somewhere else before.
"What makes you think I'd tell you?!" she had joked when he asked her about it, but in the end she told him anyway. She had seen the purer ores during the time she went with Rue to the Underground Tunnels.
Rue. The white-haired boy had heart too, and he couldn't help but be slightly jealous whenever Mint mentioned their adventures together. But he knew that such feelings were pointless and unfounded.
He turned his thoughts back to the present. Mint was probably still mad at him for acting weirdly towards her last week in an uncalled-for fit of nostalgia about Lucine.
There was only one customer to be seen in the shop that day. No one else seemed to be in the arcade, so he walked over to the young boy. "Mind if I play against you?"
The boy turned towards him, surprised. "Wow, the Blade Star is challenging me!" He was gaping at the older man.
Rod wasn't used to such unashamed regard, and he found himself thinking that Mint would have said something along the lines of 'Prepare yourself for a major face-flop, you [expletive]!' But it was the boy who stood before him now. "So, shall we?"
The boy shook his head. "No, I don't think I'll stand a chance against your greatness. Where's the redhead you usually play against? She was here yesterday, and I don't think I'm even at her level… oh, she's better than you in some games, isn't she?"
He had seen her yesterday, too, but he didn't quite have the courage to talk to just her yet. Maybe today he could, to apologize at least. That is, if she passes by his place later, for somehow he didn't think he could call her over the phone about it.
"You'll never know if you can beat me if you don't try," Rod tried to persuade him, but the boy was adamant about it. Rod shrugged. He looked around the arcade and noticed that it was unusually empty. "Say, where is everybody?"
"At a live concert—Replica is performing at the Starlight Mall tonight. It was their grand opening this Wednesday." He glanced briefly at his watch. "I'm going there. I don't think anyone else is coming to the arcade today, so you can close shop early. Want to watch too? The concert's free."
"Nah. I don't go much for concerts." Besides, she might decide to pass by today. There was a certain ponytailed redhead who had ways of turning up when she was least expected.
"I guess I'm going now. Bye!" With a slight wave, the boy exited the shop.
In the meantime, I think I'll go wash my car. He'd be leaving the shop temporarily unattended, but Johnny Wolf would surely come barking if Mint ever entered the arcade anyway.
Rue didn't like to talk during a fight, preferring to concentrate on moving and watching his opponent. And although she could be more vocal depending on who the enemy was, Mint actually shared Rue's sentiments. It was pretty obvious that Mint was the faster of the two, sleek and quick in her attacks. But Rue made up for it in strength and grace, and he held his ground solidly.
Mint knew the kendo forms. She had learned much with Neil's help. She could predict Rue's movements. And she could use this knowledge to her advantage.
White, Green. There were six colors in the Carona High kendo tradition, each of them with their corresponding forms. Rue attacked, and she dodged every blow, now and then managing to strike through the gaps in his defense.
Yellow Lightning.
They were evenly matched. He couldn't make any headway with her, and the only reason she had hit him several times already was because she had prior knowledge of his movements. Their moved as if synchronized, as if they were dancing to silent music.
Black, Gravitation.
At this point, it was practically second nature to both of them. He would attack, she would block and take her turn. She knew his every move. Although she only needed to learn one color, Mint had learned all the kendo forms from Neil.
Phoenix Tail.
The Red and the Blue were supposedly the most powerful. Rue used the blue forms more often than he did the others, usually as his finishing strikes. It was the blue forms that Mint had chosen to use as well.
He was using Red now. She blocked, sidestepped and hit him again. She knew he will switch to Blue next.
The Scales.
She was ready. He stepped forward once, swinging his sword in a downward arc before bringing it up sideways. She dodged and struck, her eyes keen on the wooden blade and counting silently all the while. There. She saw the telltale sign that he was starting on the seventh form.
For a split-second she froze—the music stops with the seventh form!
And in her single moment of hesitation, Rue attacked. He hit her left arm, she moved—too late!—to block with her right, and he twisted his sword as their weapons connected. No! The baton flew out of her hands to land several meters behind Rue. He gave no pause and quickly struck again.
Mint's instincts took over. She dodged by somersaulting over his head, landing neatly with her back towards him. Both hands firmly on her remaining baton, she twirled, aiming sideways at his chest for one final blow.
"Time," Neil's voice called from the stands.
Mint's weapon halted in mid-swipe. But it wasn't the time over that made her stop so suddenly.
The edge of Rue's sword was pressed lightly against the top of her forehead.
Rue immediately lowered his weapon. He turned towards the side stands and asked, "Score?" Neil handed the score sheet to Captain Davis for verification. After looking it over twice, the upperclassman nodded and handed the paper back to Neil.
"Sorry, Rue. Even with the points added to your score for disarmament… Mint wins by four points. Congratulations." He grinned at the red-haired girl, and the entire room broke into applause. "The gymnastics club goes to Gamul!"
Mint sniffed, flipping her hair haughtily. "Of course. Dare you expect anything else?!"
The words were proud, but inwardly she was shaking. Could it be that… no, she pushed the thought away, being careful to keep her face impassive. She picked up her other baton before walking over to the side stands where her duffel lay. And for the first time that year, she found herself mobbed with enthusiastic people bent on congratulating her and patting her on the back.
"That was so great!" "Awesome fight, Vanguard!" "That has got to be the most spectacular match in the history of the kendo club!"
"Wow, Mint, that was so so so cool!! If only you had seen yourselves… It was as if you could read each other's minds! I've never seen anything like it before!"
"Thanks, Marco," she smiled at the younger boy's compliment. She grabbed her rings and her duffel and turned to leave, ignoring the rest of the crowd. Tonia frowned.
"Is something wrong, Mint?" Tonia grabbed her by the wrist, but Mint instantly pulled away.
"What makes you say that? Oh, and tell Annette that I'll just call her about our plans." She smiled again. "We're going shopping for a costume on Sunday. Well, see you!" and with brisk steps she started to walk away.
"Wait, Mint!" Rue called suddenly from the other end of the room, but Mint no longer heard him. She made her way outside the gym, keeping her eyes downcast. She could barely see where she was going, but she didn't care. I won, didn't I? I won, I won, I won.
So, why the hell am I blinking back tears?!
She was already halfway across the schoolyards when he caught up to her. "Mint, wait up!"
She purposely ignored him. Leave me alone, you [expletive]! I don't want to be with you today!
"Hey, today's Friday, and I thought I owed you an ice cream soda…?"
Suddenly she couldn't take it anymore. She broke into a run, leaving an astonished Rue behind. He watched confused as the girl with the sunset red hair disappeared from sight when she turned the street corner, but he made no further attempt to follow.
Mint did pass by the BladeStar arcade that afternoon. When Rod came back inside, she was at the Nightmare Altar machine, playing the game as if her life depended on it. He watched her from a distance, at the haphazard, careless and almost frustrated way she kept mashing the machine's buttons, and noticed that she was already at her fifth game. Strange, he didn't remember hearing Johnny Wolf barking at the girl's arrival. His pet doggie must've romped off outside again…
He almost started when he realized that Johnny Wolf was standing right there beside Mint, and that the dog was oddly keeping silent.
What do I tell her? She seemed very distracted, and he knew it was the wrong time to apologize about last week's incident. Gritting his teeth, he walked over beside the girl. "Mind if I challenge you?"
She sniffed. "Huh. Prepare yourself for major face-flopping, [expletive]. What took you so long, anyway?!"
Rod quietly sighed in relief. He took it as a sign that she had somehow forgiven him already. "Let's get it on, then."
Suffice to say that she beat him again. Twice at Nightmare Altar (but losing once). And then five times at Bonk-a-Bloop™ (but not losing at all).
"Hah! Of course I'd win. I've never lost to you yet (without saving face on the next match)!" She smiled cockily.
Rod kept his expression impassive, but he was frowning inwardly. The thought kept nagging at him—there was something different with Mint today. He saw it in her poise, the way she moved, the tone of her voice, her words. But for the life of him he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Mint grabbed her duffel. "Well, I'll be seeing you, Rod."
It was unlike her to be leaving this early, especially on a Friday. "Going home yet?" he asked, but somehow he already knew she wasn't.
She shook her head. "I think I want to visit some ruins today. You know, watch the sunset."
"Treasure hunting?" Rod always went with her on treasure hunts. In fact, he was the one who usually invited her before.
She was already halfway outside. "Nope."
"I'm coming anyway." He practically ran after the girl, locking the doors to the now empty BladeStar Arcade on his way out. Johnny Wolf could take care of the place while they were gone.
Mint pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I guess I won't mind it too much if you'll drive me."
"Sorry, but my car's currently down for maintenance. We can take a cab, though."
"Only if you're paying." She clasped her hands behind her back, looking both ways before she crossed the street and walked towards a small waiting shed. She grinned wickedly. "I want to ride a Fancy Taxi."
"What?! Mint, you're going to bankrupt me one of these days…!"
Hands on hips, she pouted angrily at him. "Hey, you're the one who said you wanted to go with me! And I haven't quite forgiven you for going mushy on me last Friday. It's the least you can do, you [expletive]."
He winced. So, she did remember the incident last week. Rod saw no other choice but to consent. "Fine. But just this once!"
The Tower of Eternal Sun was but one of the many famous ruins that were scattered across Carona. The white stone glittered orange in the dusk.
They climbed down the taxi after Rod paid the fare (and almost went completely broke). "Why here?" he asked. Mint just shrugged.
"This Winding Tower has many legends. My favorite is about the owl and the fish…" she laughed casually. "But the legend that made this tower so popular to the tourists was that if two people climb it and make a wish together, their wish would surely come true."
Rod raised an eyebrow quizzically. Are you asking me to climb it with you?
His expression didn't pass the girl by, and she rolled her eyes irritably at him. "I don't care about the legends! But I've always wanted to climb this ruin, ever since I came to Carona, and now seemed like as good a time as any. Are you coming with me or not?!"
They went inside, Mint boldly leading the way. Faint light filtered through the many windows to dimly illuminate their path, and they were halfway up the spiraling stairs when they came to the broken part of the tower.
The missing steps had left a really big gap. They had no rope, and even if they did, Rod could see no place to tie it. "I guess this is as far as we go."
"I can make it."
"What?!" Before he could move to stop her, she jumped.
Amazingly, she made it. Rod watched her openmouthed, and he could have sworn that she flew at least partway over the chasm. She landed neatly on the other side, and then turned and reached out one hand towards him. "Your turn."
"No way!!" The chasm was a full ten meters wide.
"Come on, O Rod the Blade Star. I promise you'll make it." If you can't, I can catch you with my magic. You've got to trust me. Show me the heart you're always talking about.
But Rod merely stood, sighed, and didn't even try. It was just too wide, and he knew that he simply couldn't do it. "I'll never make it across."
Mint bit her lip. Why, Rod? Why won't you trust me? But she couldn't blame him. No normal human being could conceivably cross the chasm unaided. Although they were close as friends, Rod remained unaware of her heritage. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't trust her in this.
She didn't feel like going up alone and leaving him right then, so instead she jumped over the chasm and back onto the lower stairs. "I guess I'm fine watching the sunset from here." She walked to the nearest window, smiling once at her companion.
It was only then that he finally noticed what seemed out of place. There was something very wrong with the way she smiled.
"Mint… what happened?"
The smile disappeared, and the calm expression faded like a fake mask that was abruptly taken away. It was replaced by a frown, and her look was suddenly full of doubt and uncertainty. "Am I that obvious?"
"Not at all," he assured her. Rod knew Mint better than anyone else did—at least, he liked to think so. He stepped closer towards her, and she leaned against him, turning slightly so she could hug him about the waist.
Her whisper was barely audible. "The points were only a technicality. I lost to him today." Her voice was breaking, and she buried her face onto his clothing. Hesitantly, Rod placed an arm comfortingly about her shoulders.
"Hey, it's okay, princess. Whatever it is, you've never failed yet, haven't you?" She didn't answer him. He patted her head affectionately. It was some time before Rod spoke again. "Mint, I know that this may not be the right time, but… I don't think I'll ever have another chance like this. Mint, I… I think I like you."
Still she said nothing. After a lengthy silence, she straightened. Brushing his arm off her shoulders, she turned to smile sweetly at him. "Of course you do, Rod. We're friends, aren't we?"
She stepped away from him then. Once more, she took a running jump and deftly leapt over the chasm. Without looking back, she told him, "I'm going up. Don't wait for me." She started to climb, disappearing from view as the staircase wound up and up.
But Rod had every intention of waiting. He turned his gaze out the window towards the sunset. The crimsons and oranges of the sky at dusk were exceptionally beautiful when seen from the Tower of Eternal Sun.
The sky turned dark as the evening shadows lengthened, but Mint didn't come. Rod sat down on the stone steps, preparing to wait all night if need be.
She still didn't come.
The sun was beginning to rise the next day when he realized that she truly wasn't coming down while he waited there for her. Slowly, reluctantly, and only once glancing up at the broken stairs of the Winding Tower, he made his way back to Carona alone.
Author's Notes
20 November 2002 Wow, I got quite a number reviews for the last chapter (to think I wasn't expecting more than a couple…). I guess more people read this story than I realize… and for some reason, that seriously incited me into writing again. Thank you very much to those who reviewed! ^_^;; See, reviews do help to get rid of the dreaded 'writer blocks'… ^_^.
The story's gotten weird. Yes, I know this chapter is more than a bit OoC for Rod and Mint, and the last chapter was definitely OoC for Rue, but he *was* provoked, sort of, and I promise, it's the only incident for Rue (at that level of OoC-ness) for the entire series!
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!! IT'LL TAKE YOU ONLY THIRTY SECONDS! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
This chapter is dedicated to KawaiiDoll. I apologize for not being able to give in to your wishes (about the Mint/Rue thing), but I sincerely hope you enjoy the story anyway.
Liol's been helping me loads with my fic. Thank you very much, Liol! That chapter I let you read in part (the one with Ruecian, and the one I'm gonna rewrite—thanks for pointing out the errors) is actually my fave in the entire series, and I'm dedicating that to ye! ^_^.
Ms. Cherry Lee, thou and thy flute-playing bunnies wilst have thy promised part when the ToF characters go singing again. Oh, and would the Crew of Light and the Guardianship of the Pokémon like cameos in the karaoke bar, too? XP XD It's gonna be an Open House, so everyone is invited (or it'll get too booooring)!
To anyone who didn't get to read the The Carona High Gang Goes Karaoke! chapter, this is the gist: I got (relatively) a lot of reviews for that, so it's gonna be a dedicated fic when I get around to it. Everyone is invited to the ToF Karaoke bar, especially the OCs (and I do mean EVERYONE!!).
The characters are going to sing popular songs spoofed by yours truly. Example: Mint and Maya will duet Heaven is a Place on Earth ("East Heaven's gonna conquer earth!"), Duke's song is Actor ("I'm just an actor, not a real star"), Doll Master has Livin' La Vida Loca (aka Livin' La Vida Valen), and Claire (Claire will sing! Not too badly, I hope, and hers is the only song I've completed spoofing in full to date) will sing Sk8er Boi ("He's a mysterious boy/ a very mysterious boy/ she is a very spunky girl…"). And that's not a third of the current list yet…
I'm accepting song requests (for spoofing), or guest appearances from OCs or other authors/readers. Just drop me a line through email (kireene@hotmail.com) or via the review button in the lower left-hand corner of this page. Guest OCs and authors, unless specified, will be made to sing as well, via request or if I can think up the appropriate song/s. ^_~.
–_–;;; I'm having such a hard time writing Carona High, in the sense that I have to keep the audience (you) interested in it. I've actually written parts of the ending chapters already. But I. Have. To. Set. Up. The. Story. Sorry guys, if it's starting to get boring… but please be patient with me a while longer. 'I'll beeh bahck!'