The Eighth Match

"The next match will now begin!"

Takane smiled slightly. So far, the only idol that had been lost was Miki. But, then again, Miki and Iori were the only idols who had fought. She felt a pang of sadness at the memory of Miki's corpse lying lifeless on the ground. For a moment, she glanced at Hibiki. The black-haired idol was smiling, leaning forwards excitedly. She seemed to have recovered greatly from the experience with Miki.

The announcer cleared his throat into the microphone. "The first competitor is Chihaya Kisaragi!"

The blue-haired idol wandered out into the arena, seeming completely unfazed by the announcement. She waited.

"Her opponent shall be Takane Shijou!"

Takane blinked. Me? I'll be fighting Chihaya?

She stood and walked out into the arena. "Chihaya, dear, it is not my pleasure to be fighting against you, but unfortunately only one of us can win. You know that, do you not?"

"Yes, of course I understand, Shijou-san," Chihaya murmured. "Do you want to move on?"

"Chihaya, I cannot allow you to pass this match."

Chihaya closed her eyes. "Then it's settled." She opened them again, staring straight into Takane's own eyes. "I will win."

Before Takane could react, Chihaya was charging at her, a passion and a fury alight in her eyes. Startled, Takane was knocked to the ground. Grunting, she shoved the blue-haired Chihaya off of her and rolled onto her feet. Chihaya stood and ran at the silver-haired Takane, who backed against the wall. She certainly didn't want Chihaya to die; she was actually quite fond of the little sixteen-year-old songstress. But she wasn't about to lose. Chihaya seemed to see that; she read the emotion in Takane's eyes and concluded that she was not about to fail. Quickly, she veered away from the foreign girl and planted her feet firmly in the middle of the arena.

We owe this crowd a good performance, Takane thought to herself. She had been planning on just letting Chihaya run into the wall, but obviously the other girl had different plans. Takane sighed.

"Chihaya. It's time to settle this, don't you agree?" she murmured.

"Come at me, Shijou-san." Chihaya lifted her chin. "I dare you."

"As you wish."

Takane charged the younger girl, her hand balled into a fist. Chihaya leapt aside nimbly and circled around until she was behind Takane. Takane started to turn around, but before she had made a full rotation Chihaya ran up behind her and kicked her in the back. Takane stumbled and fell to her hands and knees. Chihaya looked as though she would try to kick her again, but Takane rolled out of the way and jumped to her feet, careful to face Chihaya at all times.

Slowly, she backed against the wall again. It is time to finish things. She watched Chihaya eye her cautiously; then the blue-haired idol ran at her again, bent forwards slightly as if she was expecting to slam her head against the wall. And when Takane dodged away at the last second, that was exactly what happened.

What neither of them realized was that Chihaya had been running with so much speed that the force with which she hit the ball smashed her skull right in.

She gasped, staggered, and fell back, breathing heavily. Takane stared, bewildered.

Did I…actually kill her?

Takane approached Chihaya's body and knelt beside it. Chihaya's eyes were frozen open, her mouth dropped slightly. Takane frowned.

"Chihaya…?"

Suddenly, Chihaya winked. If Takane had not been searching her face, she would have missed it. She smiled. Sensing that her eyes probably hurt from being so wide open, she reached out and closed them with her fingers. Upon close examination, Takane realized that Chihaya was still breathing. They were small breaths, so that it wouldn't be easy for the public to realize she was breathing, but Chihaya was definitely still alive. Takane stood and bowed to her body, then turned and walked out of the arena. The crowd cheered.

Takane stopped by a team of paramedics. "Please, would you care for my friend's body?" she asked. "I would like her to be comfortable in the next life. Please treat her as though she were still alive."

Thinking nothing of Takane's small request, the paramedics nodded and walked out to Chihaya, lifting her body onto a cot and rolling her away. Takane re-joined her friends up on the first floor of the arena.

Haruka ran to her and gripped her hand. "Takane-san! Is Chihaya-chan alright?"

"She is alive," Takane said quietly, so as not to let the other competitors know. "I had a team of paramedics care for her."

"Thank goodness!" Haruka sighed, relieved. "Takane-san, I was so scared…!"

"I know, but I assure you she is alive."

Haruka giggled and dragged Takane over to the rest of the idols, where she was immediately tackled by Hibiki.

"Ya did well!" the Okinawan girl praised. "Outwittin' Chihaya like that was genius, Takane!"

"Thank you," Takane said. "Now then, I suppose we wait, do we not?"

"Let's hope that I don't fight next," Yayoi responded. "I don't think I'm ready yet."

"Remember, Yayoi," Iori began, "you're small so you can outrun most of these people. Do like what Takane did; wait for them to charge you and then dodge. Just use your size as an advantage."

"U-uun!" Yayoi cheered. "Iori-chan, you give the best advice…!"

"A-and as for me," Yukiho whimpered. "…I swing around a shovel."

"Exactly," Makoto praised. "Relax, you two. Unless you fight someone beastly strong, you'll be fine."

"I will now announce the next match!" the announcer cried.

The idols shifted.

"The first competitor will be…Heihachi Mishima!"

"Again?!" Ritsuko moaned. "That's the third time this guy has fought in these rounds, and he's supposed to be dead, anyways!"

The spiky-grey-haired Heihachi wandered into the arena, cackling evilly and rubbing his hands. "Who is my next victim…excuse me, opponent?" he called to the announcer.

The announcer gulped. "His opponent shall be…"

Everyone was completely still.

"Yayoi Takatsuki!"