I decided I needed to post this chapter
I decided I needed to post this chapter. I realized I forgot about how the tournament ended, so I'm posting one last chapter to clear it up. Also, I'll be placing a preview for the sequel at the bottom of the chapter since I got my two reviews in chapter 16.
Chapter 17: Back to Normal
Garrett dodged another strike from Mitch. He countered by sweeping his legs out from under him. The beginner and intermediate rounds were over. William had won the beginner tournament and Sam won the intermediate tournament. Both Dartz and Garrett had made it to the semifinals, along with Rigo and Mitch. Both Garrett and Mitch were dodging every attack their opponent threw. The match had been going on for about 5 minutes.
"Looks like you're getting a bit tired, Mitch." Garrett said with a slight smirk.
"I'm just getting warmed up." Mitch said between pants as he got back up.
"Sure you are." Dartz mumbled. Ulrich tore his attention from the ongoing battle to take a glance at Dartz. Ulrich and Yumi had decided to end class early so that they could watch the semifinals.
"Something wrong?" Dartz asked.
"N-no." Ulrich stammered as he returned his attention to the match. Garrett had finally pinned Mitch, who was out of breath due to a knee in the gut.
"One!" the referee counted down the seconds. "Two! Three! Garrett Murdoch makes it to the final match!" The crowd cheered. Garrett walked off the mat and sat down next Lisa, who gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing a blush to develop on his cheeks.
"Great job, Doc." Aelita congratulated.
"It was nothin'." Garrett said. "These guys are too easy. Ah didn't even break a sweat."
"Will Dartz Dragonblade and Rigo Horocrus please come to the mats for the second semifinal match?" The referee shouted into his microphone. Dartz got up and walked over to the mat. He stood in front of Rigo, who looked at him like he was walking on a cane.
"I have to fight Dragonblade? This'll be too easy." Rigo said.
"We'll see about that." Dartz said as he got in a fighting stance.
"Begin!" the ref shouted. Rigo sent a high kick to Dartz's head, but he ducked under it, grabbed his shoulders, and threw him to the ground.
"One!" the ref counted again. "Two! Three! Well, that's it, folks! The fastest match we've seen in a decade!" Dartz walked off the stage after receiving applause from his friends, but from no one else. He sat back in his seat.
"Wow, Dartz. I didn't know you were that strong." Yumi said in an awed voice. Dartz shrugged and walked back over to that mat so that the ref could begin the final round.
"It all comes down to this, folks! The final match of the expert category of the Martial Arts Clash 2008! Dartz Dragonblade, the rogue warrior with unlimited potential, versus Garrett Murdoch, the free shooter extraordinaire!"
"You ready for this, Dartz?" Garrett asked.
"Yep." Dartz said. "Ready as I'll ever be."
"Begin!" the ref called one last time. Dartz threw a kick to Garrett's head, but the free shooter ducked and hit Dartz with an uppercut. Dartz backed up a few steps and massaged his jaw.
"I think you broke my jaw that time."
"Yeah, right." Garrett said as he threw a kick for Dartz's stomach. Dartz grabbed his leg and swept his other leg from under him, sending him crashing to the mat. Garrett quickly recovered and did the same to Dartz. Dartz saw the sweep coming and jumped over it. Garrett got up and aimed a punch for his head. Dartz blocked the punch and returned the favor. Garrett fell to the mat again. He tried to get up, but was too tired to push himself off the ground. Dartz panted heavily, sweat running down his face. He too fell to the mat from exhaustion.
"One! Two! Three! And it's over!" the ref shouted. He pulled the two boys off the ground. "For the first time in Martial Arts Clash history, we have a tie for the championship! Therefore, the two finalists will split the prize and share the title!" The crowd let up in a roar of cheer that died down after a particularly loud whistle from Jim.
"Quiet down! You remind me of the time I worked as a professional soccer player." Jim said.
"You used to be a professional soccer player, Jim?" Odd asked.
"Yes, but I'd rather not talk about it." A few minutes later the gang was outside talking about the match.
"You both did a great job." Lisa said.
"Thanks, guys. Really." Garrett said. Dartz smiled and leaned against the wall.
"So our lives will go back to normal now?" Jeremy asked. Dartz nodded.
"As normal as our lives get fighting an artificial intelligence that's trying to destroy the world." He said.
"It seems you've gotten over- umph!" Odd was interrupted by Sam putting her hand over his mouth.
"I'm getting there, Odd."
"Hey, you guys have to hear one of Dartz's new songs." Riou said suddenly.
"Since when does Dartz write songs?" Ulrich asked.
"Since fourth grade." Duke said. "He's pretty good, too."
"Come on, Dartz. Grace us with your wonderful singing skills." Odd begged.
"Fine. One song." Dartz said. He grabbed the portable CD player Riou had brought with him, pulled a CD out of his pocket, and placed it in the player.
Sugar Rush
Dream Street
Whoa, whoa
Yeah.
I get a high whenever you're around.
Sweeping from my head to my toes.
I, I gotta get my feet back on the ground
'Cause you make me go
Out of my way, crossing the line
Making me say what I have in mindnd I might be too obvious
But I, I can't help myself from what I do
You make me so excited
And I don't wanna fight it
I start to blush
You are my sugar rush
Ain't nothing better, baby
Is it for real or maybe?
I'm losing touch
You are my sugar rush
I got a sweet tooth
And a taste for you
A
'Cause you make me go out of my way
Crossing the line
Making me say what I have in mind, wo-oh, oh-oh-oh
You make me so excited
And I don't' wanna fight it
I start to blush
You are my sugar rush
Ain't' nothin better, baby
Is it for real or maybe?
I'm losing touch
You are my sugar rush
Baby you're my sugar rush
I get weak and talk too much
You're the sweetest thing I ever tasted
Baby you're my sugar rush
I get weak and talk too much
'Cause you make me go out of my way,
Crossing the line
Making me say what I have in mind
You make me so excited
And I don't wanna fight it
I start to blush
You are my sugar rush
Ain't' nothing better, baby
Is it for real or maybe?
I'm losing touch
You are my sugar rush
Baby you're my sugar rush
I get weak and talk too much
You're the sweetest thing I ever tasted
Baby you're my sugar rush
I get weak and talk too much
You're the sweetest thing I ever tasted
Baby you're my sugar rush
I get weak and talk too much
You are my sugar rush
The gang looked at Dartz wide- eyed.
"You wrote that?" Yumi asked.
"Yeah." Dartz said. "I was thinking maybe we could use some of these songs at the prom performance." He threw Jeremy a folder he kept his songs in. Jeremy opened the folder and browsed through them.
"I Say Yeah, This Time, It Happens Every Time, Matter of Time," Jeremy listed. "These all sound great."
"I thought you'd like them." Riou said.
"Well who's gonna sing?" William asked.
"Dartz, of course." Odd said. "He's the one who wrote the songs."
"But all of these call for five vocalists." Jeremy said.
"I'll be glad to help out." Odd said.
"Of course I'm in." Garrett said.
"Why not." Ulrich said. "I'll help, too.
"We still need one more vocalist." Jeremy said.
"Actually," Dartz cut in. "I was sort of hoping you could do the part, Jeremy."
"W-what?!" Jeremy asked.
"You're always behind the scenes, so I thought I'd give you some limelight for once."
"Actually, I'd prefer to remain behind the scenes. Singing isn't my thing."
"Oh, come on, Einstein." Odd said. "Don't be such a party pooper."
"Sorry, guys. I just can't do it."
"Fine." Dartz said. Then he started to sing. Jeremy looked back at him.
They Don't Understand
Dream Street
Oh, they don't understand,
no-oh, mmm mmm uh-oh
They say, we're just playin' games
That it isn't real...
but its what we feel, oh yeah
And they say, it doesn't make sense
That we're just wastin' time
And they wonder why, yeah
You know we got, our own special language That only we can speak,
ooh...oh yea
And no one else knows what it means,
oh no...
They don't understand,
how we communicate
Oh so many things,
that we do and say
They don't really get,
what its all about
No they never can understand
Oh, oh oh, oh-oh-oh
I can't explain,
if they don't know why
this is serious, we're not delirious,
why can't they see
that all of its true
just goes to prove
They don't have a clue,
no no...
Ya know we got our own world to live in, yeah
And we're so far apart,
oh yes we are
To make it clear I don't know
where to start, oh no
They don't understand
how we communicate
Oh so many things,
that we do and say
They don't really get,
what its all about
No they never can understand
No, understand, oh, ooh-ooh, yeah yeah yeah
Ya know we got,
our own special language
That only we can speak
oh yes, yeah yeah yeah
And only we know what it means
What it means...
They don't understand,
how we communicate
Oh so many things,
that we do and say
They don't really get,
what its all about
No they never can understand They don't understand,
how we communicate
Oh so many things, that we do and say
They don't really get,
what its all about
No they never can understand
"Alright, I'm in." Jeremy said.
"Glad to hear it." Garrett said.
"Well, we'd better start practicing. Prom is only three months away." The gang walked to the dorms to start practicing.
That's the end of the chapter. The sequel will pick up a week after this leaves off. Here's the preview I promised.
The once unbreakable friendship broken.
I expected more from my best friends!
Their worst nightmare turned to reality.
Anax is back!
He cut them out when they needed him most.
You should've thought of that before you kicked me off the team!
The broken team must be restored in order to stop the growing threat.
You must find him and bring him back.
An unlikely alliance must be formed.
I need your help.
An exchange brought him back.
Perfect. I get to go back to France.
The fate of the world relies on one girl
It's up to you to get him back.
His true heritage will come to light.
I am Prince Arias. The true heir to the throne.
He must stop a new threat from invading the kingdom.
His army will be here by nightfall.
When victory seems impossible.
There's too many of them!
He will turn the tide.
I won't allow you to do any more harm to this sacred kingdom!
Coming Soon: Prince's Return
