World of Glass
By: Fade to Black
Genre: Romance/drama
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers: All I own are Umi, Ki, Raven, and the plot. Plot? Is there a plot?
Summary: In a world of fragile peace and broken promises, can anything be permanent? Two people find themselves in a situation neither has experienced before…
Warning: Yaoi!!!!!!!!! Yaoi of the Hiroki/Spike kind; and language. Yay! Language. Durp!
Notes: Hiroki is known as Jake or Buzz in the English version of the game, Natsumi is Natalie, Charu is Casi (remember her? The green-haired chick from the original?), Hikaru (::sniggers:: What a femme name) is Jimmy, and Umi is… Umi is Umi.
Here is my piccy of Spike!
Chapter One: Nightmare Scenario
"Welcome to the Tenth Annual Arena Battle," a computer-generated girl with green hair and amethyst eyes announced for the large crowd at the stadium. Charu was now the official commentator for the gladiator-like battles after the original had been killed during a particularly violent match. Standing in a corridor beneath the stadium seats, four teenagers waited to be introduced. The team members, three boys and a girl, all in their late teens, were contestants in the Tenth Arena Battle. Charu's digitalized voice had been announcing individual teams as the teenagers stood patiently, and now she shouted a familiar name,
"…Now introducing the Shinotaro Team!"
Following their cue, the group filed out to join the preceding teams in the arena center. Charu gestured a CG hand towards a boy with red and blonde spiked hair.
"Welcome a newcomer to our sport, Spike! He wields the plasma sword."
Spike stepped forward with some hesitance before drawing a hilt from his belt loop and igniting its plasma blade.
"We have another newbie, Hikaru! He will sport a more traditional weapon."
A boy with mahogany hair stepped forward, joining Spike in the ranks as he pulled a long metal pole from behind his back.
"Step forward Umi, she's a returning vet in the Arena Battles! You all know her Black Death Wings."
A girl with violet braided hair sprung forward towards the others as black feathered wings sprouted from her back in mid leap.
"Hiroki completes the Shinotaro team as their captain and another popular vet! Everyone knows he prefers the shuriken."
The final team member, a slim boy with long blue hair tied back in a ponytail casually walked over to join his team, pulling out several shuriken in the process as the audience erupted into fanatic screams. The loudest applause came from the screaming fangirls.
Charu continued introducing teams and their members as the Shinotaro four moved to a more open space in the arena. Spike nervously kicked a pebble as he pondered what he had gotten himself into. Hiroki and Umi convinced him and his younger cousin, Hikaru, to give the gladiator-like Arena Battle a try; Hiroki said it would be fun, so naturally Spike agreed. He and Hiroki had similar ideas of what fun was. Now that he was here and processing the rules, however, that nagging feeling of doubt welled up inside of him. In Arena Battles, the rules are, put simply, survival of the fittest- the ones left standing conquer. Killing wasn't against the few existing rules, so generally the losers didn't live to drown in the humiliation.
Spike glanced over at his younger cousin, who was fidgeting nervously, shifting from one foot to the other. Judging by his restlessness, the youngest team member was nervous too. Determined not to let his cousin see his anxiety, Spike put on a calm surface; not letting his nerves break through his passive mask. He faced the world before, right? Why should this be any different?
Because these people are out for blood, you will be shown no mercy, and you have a choice, came the answer in a nagging little voice in the back of his head. Spike shuddered involuntarily at the answer before a comforting warmth of someone's hand descended upon his left shoulder. The redhead glanced over at a pair of golden-yellow eyes staring intently at him.
"You okay, man?" Hiroki asked. Spike nodded. That was all he needed, was for his best friend to know he was nervous. To be perfectly honest, Spike was a little humiliated that Hiroki was the leader this time. Spike was used to being the first at everything, knowing Hiroki beat him to something made the blue-eyed boy feel inferior. Back to Hiroki, the aforementioned hadn't removed his hand from Spike's shoulder yet. Generally this wouldn't bother Spike, but for some reason- maybe nerves- the contact made him uncomfortable and he could feel heat creeping up his face.
"No prob," the red-head chuckled meekly.
"Let the Tenth Annual Arena Battle begin! All teams to the pit, the first teams competing will be Mikino and Kanokino," Charu's digital voice echoed.
Spike followed his team to the pit, knowing well this could be his end. No one was forcing him to fight, it was his choice. This was a sport, he could drop out- no one would stop him. That wasn't the issue, though; it was a matter of pride. His dignity was at stake and facing Hiroki knowing the blue-haired boy was braver in such scenarios was not a pleasant proposition.
Spike seated himself between Hikaru and Umi, noting that his cousin had lost most of the colour in his face and Umi was trembling slightly- Spike smiled in spite of himself at this. Umi was a vet at this sport; as was Hiroki. He blue-haired boy certainly wasn't nervous and if he was, he was doing great at not showing it.
"Shushuku will be going on to Round Two. Will Shinotaro and Musune please enter the arena?"
Spike's heart was now racing, he could feel adrenaline pump through him as he tensed. He leaned over to Hikaru,
"What happened?"
Hikaru quirked an eyebrow curiously,
"Weren't you paying attention? We're the last two teams in round one."
Spike nodded, talking as little as possible due to the nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Once in the center of the arena the teams faced each other and bowed, signifying the start of their match.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"The final round will begin in five minutes, both remaining teams are on deck."
Hiroki noted Spike's growing anxiety at the start of the tournament, so by this point he realized the red-head's nerves had reached their peak. For being total newbies Hikaru and Spike fought impressively, Hikaru nearly lost his second battle but pulled through after near-impossible odds. For the whole of the tournament up to this point, Spike fought on pure adrenaline- tapping into a reserve that Hiroki didn't even know the red-head possessed- but know even that was running low fast as Spike showed visible signs of fatigue taking over.
Spike plopped unceremoniously onto a bench in the pit, trying as best he could to sit up. Hiroki ventured over and sat beside his tired friend.
"A little different from saving the world from monkeys, huh?" the blue-haired boy asked jokingly- which Spike was in no apparent mood for.
"Up yours, Hiroki. You're making fun of me," the red-head shot back irritably after flipping the grinning boy next to him off. The gesture only amused Hiroki further.
"We've only got one round left; nothing you can't handle," he stated as he elbowed the perturbed red-head.
"Ha friggin' ha," was the only response.
"Shushuku and Shinotaro please report to the center of the arena. Everyone please be seated, the final round will begin in one minute," Charu broadcasted.
"The rules for the final round are the same as all of the others, this will decide the winners," the green-haired woman stated, "Bow to your opponents and we will begin."
The teams complied, all but the captain on the Shushuku team who merely nodded in an arrogant fashion. As the two teams headed for the pit- sans Hikaru and a team member from Shushuku- Hiroki made sure to trip the smug team captain.
There was a reason Shushuku made it to the final round, no team member was a pushover in the least. Hiroki had told Spike about Shushuku, they had fought in the Arena Battles ever since he and Umi had started fighting. Each year the team claimed the winners title, they were notorious for leaving no survivors.
Hikaru was learning the extent of one of the member's skill the hard way. Time after time, he would be thrown face-first into the ground, only to jump back up and charge blindly at his opponent. The mahogany haired boy aimed several blows at the fighter before him with his pole- and made some damage of his own- only to have his trusted weapon snapped in two. Finally it seemed Hikaru had come to his end, when a light around him began to radiate. The Shushuku fighter charged in for the killing blow, only to be thrown back when in contact with Hikaru's strange light. The youngest Shinotaro member sprang to his feet effortlessly now and sent the Shushuku warrior towards the wall. Several seconds passed…five…eight...ten.
"Match one-nine belongs to Hikaru of Shinotaro."
The light around Hikaru had now vanished, and the effects of his fight became evident. He staggered back towards the pit, bloodied and bruised, but looking extremely pleased with himself. He looked over at his cousin and grinned proudly as he received a thumbs-up from Spike.
"I honestly didn't know I had it in me," the younger one told his cousin as he sat down.
Umi headed to the center of the arena now. The lavender-haired girl had Hiroki confusedly greatly; throughout the entire tournament she never used her wings once. It was highly uncharacteristic.
Umi faced another girl, one with short black hair highlighted red. The young woman's eyes glowed an unnatural red, Hiroki remembered this particular fighter. Her name was Raven Scarlett, aside from the team captain who held a vendetta against Hiroki- his name was Ki- Raven was Shushuku's most deadly team member.
The battle began with Raven making the first offensive. Half of the match passed by as Hiroki watched intently, wondering when his cousin would incorporate her Black Wings. At last, Raven had invoked Umi's fury by tangling the ebony-eyed girl in a vine-like structure. Umi struggled against the bonds, until finally they snapped as she screamed in rage. Her wings once again sprouted from her back and she took flight. Raven grinned maliciously at her new challenge and demonstrated a skill previously unseen as she levitated above the ground. The violet-haired young woman gave Raven no chance to act as her wings spread wide and a pure black shadow of Umi herself raced towards Raven and ran her through.
The dark-haired girl fell, Charu began the ten count.
"Another victory for Shinotaro, Umi is the victor of match two-nine."
The braided girl strode back to the pit and took her seat. Hiroki reached across Hikaru to give Umi a high five.
"The next match will be Spike versus Ki. Please enter the arena."
Hiroki and Umi exchanged infuriated glances.
"That's bullshit Charu! He can't fight Ki!" Hiroki protested.
The digitalized girl glanced over at the defiant Hiroki.
"I do not decide the opponents, I merely announce them."
"Charu, Spike doesn't know what to expect with Ki!" Umi argued. Both protesting teenagers were met by a cold CGI stare.
"Nothing you say will change the match. The judges have decided."
With that being settled, Spike walked to the center of the arena to meet what would surely be his doom.
To be continued…
A/N: Guess what? Umi isn't a Mary-Sue! Isn't that great? She'll never be paired with Hiroki seeing as he's her cousin, and this is a Spike/Hiroki fic so she's not getting Spike. And Hikaru annoys her for the most part. I didn't have Natsumi as a fighter because that doesn't seem her cup of tea.
