"Do it again Kitsu."
I've done it twenty times just this morning."
I stood up, out of breath and sweaty. Man this training stuff was hard work. Almost as bad as the streets, except at least here I got food and a semi-decent place to sleep.
I was learning to fight using a double edged sword and some minor hand-to-hand combat for when things got desperate. My first Black Spade match was in two weeks. No pressure.
I went through the exercise again.
Suddenly I get dizzy and have to sit down.
"What the hell are you doing?" Solo asks me.
"I'm taking a break. I've been at this all morning." I snap at him. Me and my big mouth.
Solo's face turned a strange shade of red as he started beating me for snapping at him.
Over the next two weeks, my training became more intense and my mouth became less wise. Insults didn't fly out of it as often, which meant fewer beatings for me.
The day of the match arrived, and what do I do? Get shoved into the back of some white van and shipped of to Black Spade like some type of merchandise. Hell I practically am.
I closed my eyes, going over each move in my head. I had to win Black Spade, anything to get my freedom back.
The back door opened.
"We're here. Get out." Solo barks at me.
He's always so damn short with me, it's annoying.
I silently climb out. I had a hunch that Solo wouldn't beat me right before a match, but he wasn't the brightest human in the world, so I don't take my chances.
Solo lead me around the building.
"Alright Kitsu, I got a lot of money running on you, so don't screw this up."
Thanks for the encouragement man.
He put me in some large room and told me to wait. God the tension was thick.
~Balcony Over the Arena~
Young millionaire, Quatre Raberba Winner, waited for his friend at a table above the arena with his pet Feilios, Trowa. Quatre's other friend, Treize, waited too with his own Feilios, Wu Fei.
"He's late." Treize said.
Quatre nodded.
"It's not like him." he said.
Treize looked over the arena.
"Who does he have his eye on this time?"
"Solo's new Kitsu."
Treize sighed and shook his head.
A young man with chocolate brown hair and cold blue eyes took a seat at the table.
Quatre smirked.
"Ah, Heero you're here."
"Finally." Treize added.
Heero nodded slightly and took his seat. His eyes scanned the arena.
"So. Heero, tell us about this new Animus you're looking at." said Treize.
"Solo's new Kitsu. He's small but fast. I've arranged for him to go against Zech's Feilios in the first round."
Treize and Quatre stared.
"But Heero…Zech's Feilios is the second strongest Animus in the tournament, you'll kill him." Treize said in disbelief.
"Oh Heero, why must you test them like this? Just buy them at the market like everyone else." Quatre said.
Heero continued searching the arena.
"First they must prove their worth. Unlike you two, I think of Animus as servants and workers, not lovers."
Trowa and Wu Fei tensed, glaring slightly, but saying nothing.
"Shhh!" hissed Quatre, "Do you want us to be killed? For God's sake Heero, keep it down."
Heero smirked.
"Don't worry about it Quatre. Almost every member in this club sleeps with their Animus, not just the two of you. And the government won't do a thing about it, because they're afraid to challenge us. We have more power than they do."
Quatre glared.
"At least we treat them with some respect." he whispered harshly as the lights dimmed.
~The Arena~
I had been waiting for what seemed like eternity, but in reality was 15 minutes.
Suddenly someone shoved a sword into my hands and pushed me into the arena.
The lights lit up around me and everything was quiet.
"To start things off! Match one! Zech's Feilios against newcomer Solo's Kitsu! Odds are 1 out of 100 for this little Kitsu! No very good for Solo." The announcer went on saying some statistics that made my confidence plummet.
The door at the end of the arena opened. A large, well muscled Feilios, a good foot taller than me came stalked in carrying a large battle ax.
"Holy shit! He's twice my size!"
Panicking, my eyes darted in every direction, looking for an escape. Something caught my eyes in the balcony above. A young man with cold eyes…
"It's him! That guy from the auction! What the hell is he doing here?"
A large, swinging metal object interrupted my thoughts.
The Feilios charged, I jumped back.
He charged again and I ducked, barley missing the ax.
This continued for a while, he charged, I dodged. I was hoping to wear him down, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.
His ax slammed into the arena wall right as I jumped up. The Feilios pulled, trying to free his weapon.
"Ha! This is just the opening I need!"
I took a good swing at his side. A large gash came from where my sword hit. My opponent howled, then got his ax free. He jumped on me, and nailed me to the floor.
"Oh no! Looks like the Kitsu has been pinned! This really is not going well for the newcomer." The announcer says with mock enthusiasm. Then I heard the last thing I expected. Laughter. They thought my situation was funny. I'm about to be hacked into a million pieces and they find it amusing.
I struggled to get an arm free, but the Feilios had both my arms pinned down. He lifted his ax and it slammed into my shoulder. I screamed. I looked over, if my arm was gone, there was no way I could win.
It was my lucky day, half of the as had missed, producing only an ugly rip in my left shoulder.
I struggled more, dodging another blow to the head by a hair. I swung my legs up, and hit him in the back of the head, slightly throwing him off. In that time I freed my good arm and took a nasty swipe at his chest.
He rolled off me and jumped back up, charging again. I ducked and held out my sword. I didn't hear a scream that time. The Feilios rolled off my blade and hit the ground with a bloody thunk.
Cheers from above erupted. I had won. I had just killed someone, but I had one. I stared at the dead Feilios.
"I'm sorry…"
Something compelled me to look up. The man with cold eyes was looking right at me, slightly smiling. We stared at each other for a bit, then I broke eye contact and headed back inside.
"Amazing! Simply amazing Duo!" Solo tells me.
"Now you choose to use my name. After I make you rich."
He claps me on the shoulder, my bad one.
I wince, but it goes unnoticed.
"That Feilios was the second best in the tournament. Ha, I knew you were a winner all along."
I stare at the floor, still ashamed of what I had done. But it was him or me. I found myself wondering if dying would have been a better option.
"Excuse me, are you Solo?" a voice asks.
I look up. I can't believe my eyes. It was the man with the eyes, beautiful eyes too.
"Yeah, I'm him. What's it to ya?" Solo asks.
The man extends his hand.
"My name is Heero Yuy. I'm interested in that new Kitsu of yours." he says quietly.
Solo laughed.
"You ain't gettin' him. He's my ticket to the million bucks for winning this damn tournament."
"What if I offer you more?"
"More?"
Heero nods.
"How much we talking'?" asks Solo, interested.
"I'll double the prize money. Two million for the Kitsu."
Solo looks like he is having a heart attack.
"Two million?"
Heero nods again.
Solo shook Heero's hand vigorously.
"Sir you gotta deal!"
Heero gives a small, business-like smile.
"I'm glad we understand each other."
He looks at me coldly.
"Come with me."
I get up. Heero is even shorter with me than Solo is.
We walk out of the building to Heero's limo. Heero gets in. I stood there, unsure of what to do.
Heero looks at me, annoyed.
"Get in."
Hesitantly, I take a seat in the back, amazed at how comfortable the car was.
"Listen Kitsu, you're working for me now. I expect you to do good work, if not there are severe consequences."
I cut him off.
"My name is Duo."
Heero gave me a blank stare.
"I don't give a shit about the work you're gonna make me do. But I have a name. It's Duo. Got it?"
I readied myself for another beating, surely this guy was just like Solo.
"You're shoulder is still bleeding. We'll have to fix that." He says quietly.
To Be Continued…
~*Author's Notes:*~
Hi! I'm sorry for hurting precious, sweet, Duo!! Please don't hurt me!! I'm sorry, I didn't want to do it!! Err…well, I didn't mean to make it seem so mean. Things will get better! This is a 1x2 story!! It'll get better!! Oh yeah, and sorry for making solo an asshole, but I was too lazy to make up some random character. Chances are I would name him Bob, and that's just too lame. Anyways, see ya next chapter! Review too! Byes!
