Chapter 8: Round One

The gang, minus Sam and Garrett, walked into the rec room looking for them. They noticed Sam standing at the end of one of the tables. They also noticed Theo, Sissi, Herve, Nicolas, and some other students at the table. They walked over and saw Garrett sitting at the table as well. He was concentrating on a hand of cards. Garrett was twiddling a coin between his fingers and staring at the cards on the table. There was also a pile of money on the table, off to the side.

"That's fifty dollars, Murdoch." Theo said. "You in or out?" Garrett looked up from the table, glanced at his hand, and was silent for a moment.

"Fifty… must be a peach of a deck." Garrett said. He looked at the gang and smirked. Aelita turned to Sam.

"How long has he been there?" she asked.

"Ten hours strait." Sam said. "I can't get him to leave." Ulrich walked over to Garrett.

"You sure about letting yourself go through with this, Doc?" He asked.

"Nonsense." Garrett responded. "I have not yet begun to defile myself."

"Come on, Murdoch." Nicolas said. "Are you in or not?" Garrett sighed.

"Well, I s'pose I'm deranged, but… I'm just gonna have to go in." he said.

"Don't think you're leaving me outta this." Dartz said. He sat down and took a deck out of his pocket. "Two on two. Doc and I versus Theo and Nicolas."

"Fine." Theo and Nicolas said in unison. They set up their playing fields. After about ten minutes the match was over. Dartz and Garrett had won in a landslide victory.

"They must have cheated somehow! I know it!" Nicolas yelled.

"No they didn't." Ulrich said.

"How would you know, Stern?" Herve asked.

"In case you didn't know, I'm a Chaotic player too." Ulrich said. "And I've played long enough to know the rules better than my own name. They played and won fair and square."

"Maybe Chaotic's just not your game, Nick. I know. Let's have a spelling contest." Garrett said. Nicholas and Theo stood up. They both looked very angry.

"Take the pot and get out. We are TIRED of listening to your lip!" Theo yelled. Dartz put his index fingers in his ears and walked over to the rest of the gang.

"Aren't you gonna help him?" Sharon asked.

"As if he needs help. Doc can handle this himself." Dartz said. Garrett took a sip of coffee.

"Why, Theo. You look like you're just about ready to burst." Garrett said.

"You don't scare us with the fact that you entered a high ranking tournament, or that you're skilled with a firearm. 'Cuz we know, deep down, you're just a skinny American SCHMUCK!" Theo yelled.

"Why, Theo, what an ugly thing to say. I abhor ugliness. Does this mean we're not friends anymore?" Garrett asked. He glanced at the pot. "You know, Theo. If I thought you weren't my friend, I just don't think I could bear it." The gang could make out a sarcastic air in his voice. Theo and Nicholas both tried to rush him, but he pulled out to airsoft pistols and pulled back the hammers. After a moment, he put the guns on safety and placed them on the table. "There. Now we can be friends again." Nicholas and Theo both rushed Garrett, but he knocked them both out easily. "Well, I calculate that's all of theirs. Would you like a helping or two, dawlin'?" He looked at Sissi. After a moment, she ran off to the dorm building. "Rouge, dawlin', if you'd be so kind." Rouge came in with a bag and scooped up the pot. "That was a definite bust. Come, ladies and gentlemen, let's seek our entertainment elsewhere." He walked over to the door and faced the players who had not yet left the table. "Well. Good evenin', then." The gang walked out the door.

"Good thing you left. In case you've forgotten, the first round of the tournament starts in half an hour." Dartz said. "We still need to get changed."

"Don't worry about it. The gym is only a five minute walk from here." Jeremy said.

"Yeah, well do you know how long it takes to change into our uniforms and gear?" Jeremy remained silent. "Didn't think so. It'll take at least twenty minutes to change, so we'll be pushing the limit."

"We'd better hurry, then." Sharon said. The gang ran to the gym as quickly as possible. Dartz and the other boys walked into the boys' locker room. Sharon, Yumi, and Sam went into the girls' locker room.

With the boys

"Hey, Ulrich. Didn't you say you were taking Yumi out after the tournament?" Odd asked.

"Yep. We're going to Chez Pierre's Café." Ulrich answered.

"I heard that place was pretty fancy." Riou said.

"It is." William said.

"How did you get reservations?" Duke asked.

"Ask Dartz. He got me the reservations." Ulrich said. He slipped on a black muscle shirt and black sweat pants.

"My ass of a father used to work there." Dartz said. "I guess his good cooking skills can come in handy every once in a while."

"You really had a problem with your dad, didn't you?" Ulrich asked.

"Dude, Dartz is the reason why is father is dead." Odd said.

"Say what?"

"He killed his father. It took us a while to believe it too." Duke said.

"When did Dahtz kill his fathuh?" Garrett asked.

"How about this. After the first round of the tournament, come by Riou and my room. I'll tell you what happened. Pass it on to Ulrich, Jeremy, and the girls too." Dartz said. He got his sword off the bench and walked out of the locker room.

"I'll see you guys later. Try not to knock anyone through the walls." Ulrich said. He walked through the door to the hallway and turned toward the girls' gym.

"We'd better get going too. The tournament should be starting soon." Odd said. He walked out after Ulrich. The remaining boys walked into the boys' gym.

Meanwhile with Sam and Sharon

"You excited, Shar?" Sam asked.

"Of course. I'm also really nervous. I know I'm as good as Dartz, but there are hundreds of competitors out there, all of which could be using a number of different martial arts techniques." Sharon said. "Hey, Yumi. Isn't Ulrich taking you somewhere after the first round?"

"Yep. I don't know where, but I'm sure Ulrich has something planned." Yumi said.

"I'll see you guys in a minute." Sam said as she walked out the door.

"Yumi, can I ask you something personal?" Sharon asked.

"Sure, Shar." Yumi answered. "What's on your mind?"

"How do you know when a guy loves you?" This took Yumi a second to comprehend.

"You're saying that you're in love and need some advice."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Shar, I was in love with Ulrich for three years before he confessed. I know when a girl is in love."

"So what do you suggest?"

"How long have you been in love?"

"I don't know… since I came here, I guess."

"Tell him." Yumi said simply before walking toward the door.

"Yumi, I can't just go out there and tell Dartz I love him! Oops."

"So, Dartz is the lucky man. He's perfect for you, Shar. I can tell you now that he loves you too."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me. Now go on. The first round is about to start."

"Thanks, Yumi."

"No problem." The girls went their separate ways, Yumi entering the girls' gym and Sharon walking out into the hallway to go to the boys' gym. Sharon and Ulrich passed each other in the hallway.

"Good luck, Shar." Ulrich said.

"You too." Sharon said.

"Why?"

"You've got Sissi and Theo in your class."

"Say what?!"

"See ya." Sharon walked into the boys' gym. The bleachers had been pulled out, but no one was in them yet. "What's going on?"

"The first round is starting half an hour late." Jeremy said. Three boys walked through the double doors.

"Look what we've got here. Our old friend Jeremy Belpois." The leader said.

"What are you three doing here?" Jeremy asked as he took a step back. Odd noticed Jeremy's nervousness.

"You know these three, Einstein?" he asked.

"Unfortunately. These three never left me alone back in Elementary school."

"I think I found myself a girlfriend." One of the boys said. He walked over to Aelita and smiled at her before pulling her into a kiss.

"The girl you're kissing is my cousin, lover boy." Dartz said. He kicked the boy in the stomach, causing him to hunch over. The boy then received a knee to the nose. He fell to the floor holding his nose. "Try that again and that pain will be quintupled."

"Don't mind my friend. He's always been a bit of an idiot." The leader said. "I'm Rigo. The one that's still standing is Mitch and the other one is Biff.

"Strange assortment of people." William said. The referee walked in with Jim.

"Dunbar! Dragonblade! Get this place set up!" Jim yelled.

"Yes sir." William and Dartz said in unison. They pulled three sets of mats off of the wall and set them up. They then got the kicking pads out and set them up in each corner of the room.

"Good. Now get stretched. The first round is about to start." Jim said. Dartz picked his sword up off the bleachers and placed it in the sheath on his belt. He sat near the middle set of mats. Garrett sat next to him while Rigo, Mitch, and Biff sat on the other side of the gym. Dartz smirked and chuckled.

"Something funny?" Garrett asked.

"We're facing the triple idiots. This will be fun." Dartz answered. "I want to legally kick that Biff guy's butt half way to China."

"More power to ya, Dartz."

"Thanks, Doc. I'll take that as inspiration coming from you." The referee stepped up once everyone had come in and taken their seats.

"Welcome, fans one and all to Martial Arts Clash 2008!" he shouted. "We'll be kicking off the tournament with the first round of each category tonight. Now, our first match in the expert category, we'll call out our first competitor, Biff Houston!" Biff walked onto the mats, earning a round of applause from everyone except the gang.

"Good luck, Doc. You got this idiot. Give him a good kicking for me." Dartz said.

"How do you know that?" Garrett asked.

"I'll tell you later. Just kick this idiot's butt."

"Will do, Dartz." Garrett walked over to the mats.

"Who am I up against?" Biff asked.

"I'm your huckleberry." Garrett said. Biff looked at him in disbelief. "Why, Biff, you look lak somebody jest walked ovuh yoh grave."

"So, it's you. The idiot from America."

"I beg to diffuh, suh. I'm not as much of an idiot as the ringleaduh of yoh gang."

"He made me an offer. If I can knock you out of the tournament-"

"You won't. I can puhsonally guarantee that, suh." Garrett interrupted.

"If I can knock you out, he'll keep homework off of me for the rest of the year, AND help me win over Aelita." Garrett chuckled.

"No offense to you, Mr. Houston, but you'd have moh of a chance at winning Pamela Anduhson over. Miss Aelita is puhfectly happy with the boy that she's got. And I can honestly tell you that they BOTH feel lucky to have one another. If you knew what kind of trouble they went through to get where they ah (are), you'd nevuh even DREAM of splittin' the two of them up."

"I like this guy." William said.

"Nice speech. I bet all three of you say that to yourselves right before you go to sleep at night." Biff smirked.

"And I sleep like a baby, too." Garrett said.

"Just start the match already!" Jim yelled.

"Alrighty, Mr. New Orleans. Let's do it." Biff said.

"Say when." Garrett smirked. They just stared at each other for a minute. Then, they both began thrashing at each other. After a few minutes, his opponent managed to pin Garrett to the ground.

"Garrett, WATCH OUT!" Lisa shouted.

"I've got you now, American DOG!" Biff shouted.

"You're a daisy if ya do." Garrett shot back.

"Kick his butt, Doc!" Dartz yelled. Garrett managed to roll Biff off of him before he could land the hook, and they started thrashing at each other again. The opponent landed a few punches on Garrett before he delivered a roundhouse to the back of the head that made Biff start convulsing.

"Come on. Come on!" Garrett yelled. He started making signs, as if signaling Biff to come closer, but his opponent just kept convulsing and making kind of a rasping sound. "Aw, Biff. Come on!" Biff kept convulsing, and started to fall to the mat. "You're no daisy! You're no daisy at all!" His opponent finally passed out, and Garrett ran over to him. "Poor soul. You were just too high-strung." Jim came up and dragged Biff off the mat. "I guess the strain was jest moh than he could beah.

"You MUST have CHEATED!" Herve yelled.

"Why, Huhve. Whatevuh do you mean?" Garrett asked.

"You beat him too easily. He must have thrown the match."

"Sure, Herve. You're just peeved that Doc is moving on to the next round." Riou said.

"The next match will now begin!" the referee shouted. "Dartz Dragonblade and Master Yahko, please come up!" Dartz and a man in his early twenties stepped onto the mats. Both were carrying a plastic sword.

"So, Dartz Dragonblade. I've heard a lot about you from Master Roberts." Yahko said.

"I'd hope so. I'm the only one who ever beat him in a sparring match." Dartz said.

"So I've heard. Now it's my turn to test your skills."

"Then bring it on."

"Let the match begin!" the referee shouted. Dartz and Yahko both rushed forward, swords drawn, and clashed. They seemed to be evenly matched in strength.

"It looks like you're pretty strong. But not strong enough." Yahko said.

"Haven't you noticed yet?" Dartz asked. "I'm only pushing with one hand." It was true. Dartz only had one hand on the sword's hilt. His left hand was resting at his side. Dartz placed his left hand on the hilt and pushed forward, easily pushing Yahko to the edge. Dartz then pulled back his sword and executed a lunge slash to Yahko's stomach. Yahko fell on his back and stayed still.

"The winner is Dartz Dragonblade!" the referee announced. Dartz held a hand out to Yahko.

"Nice try, Master Yahko." Yahko smiled and took Dartz's hand.

"I'm happy to have lost to such a strong young man." Yahko said. "Congratulations. I hope you do great in the next round, too."

"That I will, master. That I will." The rest of the first rounds of each category ended quickly. Each member of the gang moved on to the next round, and Ulrich and Yumi had ended class soon enough that they could watch Duke, Riou, William, and Sam's matches. Rigo and Mitch also moved on to the next round.

"You ready for that date I promised you, Yumi?" Ulrich asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Yumi said.

"Hey, Ulrich. Don't forget to come by my room after your date." Dartz said.

"Don't think I will." Ulrich replied. Dartz nodded and walked off to the dorms. Ulrich and Yumi walked off campus towards the center of town.

There's your new chapter. I hope everyone liked it. One review as usual. Review if you want the chapter.