The Thirtieth Match

"The next match will be between Ganryu versus Makoto Kikuchi!"

"Finally!" Iori sighed. "You! You've been grieving like crazy and you haven't even fought yet, so—h-hey, where are you going? G-get back here! I'm not done with you!"

Makoto ignored her and went straight down into the arena. At this point, it didn't matter to her if whoever her opponent was killed her. A part of her was saying to just let them win. But the stronger part of her, the part that had started to take over more and more ever since Hibiki's death, was urging her to win, or at least to try, to set an example for those who watched her.

She would show them that she could do more than just sit there and grieve.

Her opponent was a large man wearing nothing but a loincloth, commonly known as a mawashi. Makoto noted that he was a sumo wrestler.

Strong. This guy is obviously really strong, but I'll bet he's slow. I'll just have to out-maneuver him.

Ganryu dipped his head for a moment and got himself into a ready pose. "I have a reason to win," he called. "Do you?"

Makoto laughed. "Not really," she admitted. "Aside from the fact that if I don't, a few very important people will be missing me."

"Fight well," Ganryu demanded. "That way, it will be that much more impressive when I defeat you. And then, my beloved Julia will be forced to notice me, don't you think?"

Makoto nodded. "Sure, perhaps she will. And when I win, maybe I'll finally be able to smile again. You think so?"

"Perhaps," Ganryu answered. "I would like to see a girl such as you defeat a strong wrestler such as I. We shall see!"

"Geez, I'm getting seen as a girl all over the place," Makoto squealed. "I like this tourna—wait, no. I hate this tournament. Well, the fact that I'm getting to fight now is kinda cool, but everyone is dying, and I hate that."

"Do not worry," Ganryu insisted. "I'll make sure you join them soon."

Makoto narrowed her eyes. "We'll see about that!" Alright, Makoto, this is it. This is the part where you prove your strength. After a quick deep breath, Makoto charged the large sumo wrestler, who stood still and watched her.

Ganryu watched her and lifted his hands to block her attack, but at the last second Makoto swerved and ran around to his back. She slammed her foot into the back of Ganryu's head, but the large man hardly seemed fazed. He turned just in time to notice that Makoto was already behind him again. This time, she sent her fist flying into his spine as hard as she could. If she listened, Makoto thought she heard a slight crack, but Ganryu seemed completely unhindered. He turned to face her and moved his hands as though he would shove them against her body and knock her against the wall, but Makoto quickly sprang into the air and back-flipped out of the way, landing only inches from the wall.

Too close. Dang it…I have to pay more attention…

Ganryu chased after her. Makoto dodged off to his left and kicked his head. Ganryu caught her leg over his shoulder and slammed her onto the ground over his back. Makoto let out a cry of surprise, but she quickly recovered and returned to her feet—or rather, her foot that wasn't locked in Ganryu's iron grip. The strong man yanked her leg up and Makoto slipped onto her back again. She winced.

Ganryu stared down at he and slowly started to advance, moving over to seat himself on her other leg and slowly shoving her toes to her face. "If you give up, I will kill you easily," he promised.

"Well, unfortunately for you, I'm pretty darn flexible," Makoto declared proudly. Her knee came even closer to her ribcage until the two were almost touching. She screamed. "Dangit, I'm flexible but I'm not a contortionist!"

"Then you will give up, or I'll break it," Ganryu threatened, holding her leg close to her body.

Makoto smirked. "Don't think so." Grunting with the effort, the girl rolled over, taking Ganryu with her, until the tables were turned and she was on top. She jumped up onto her now-freed foot and slammed the foot Ganryu held forwards against his face before wrenching it free. She fled to the other side of the arena to give herself time to relax her damaged bone while Ganryu slowly rose to his feet again.

"You are strong," the sumo wrestler called out to her.

"You too," Makoto returned.

"But strength alone will not win you this battle!"

"…seriously, man? Do you not realize that I'm like, ten times faster than you too?"

"I…what you say is true, but that alone will not win you the battle!"

"Than what will, exactly?" Makoto asked, rising from her knees. She put most of her weight on her left leg, the uninjured one, and watched her opponent come closer.

Think, Makoto, think. All you have as a weapon are your bare hands…and feet. And mouth. I could eat him but that would be gross. How else could I kill him without a weapon? She continued to mentally strategize, completely ignoring whatever answer Ganryu might have given to her question.

"Did you hear that?"

"Huh?" Makoto blinked.

"I said to you, the only way to win is by outsmarting your opponent," Ganryu repeated. "Do you understand now? You are no match for my—literally—killer strategy!"

Buy time. He likes banter, right? "I thought you were more the kinda guy who relied on strength."

Ganryu appeared amused. Makoto let herself relax a bit and focus on her strategy.

"When people see a sumo wrestler, they see a large man with big muscles and immense strength," Ganryu explained. "But my sport, and my style, involves a large amount of strategizing as well."

"Really?" Makoto piped. "What kinds of strategizing? I mean, you must know plenty of ways to kill someone with your bare hands, right?" That's it. I'll steal his idea.

Ganryu frowned. "Sumo is not about killing," he responded. "But for this match I thought of a few special moves." He made a few strides closer to her. Makoto prepared herself to run if he got too close.

"There has to be one you like the most, right?" she shouted. "What is it?"

Ganryu appeared oblivious to her scheme. "Why, if you snap one's neck, then one can no longer keep living. Correct?"

Makoto nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"Then all I must do is snap your skinny little neck, and I will be crowned champion, and my Julia will praise me without end!"

Snap his neck. How do I do that? It would be too obvious it I just tried twisting his head around with my hands. Maybe…

"Enough chatter," Ganryu suddenly declared. "Time to finish things."

"Couldn't agree more, bro. I couldn't agree more."

Ganryu only had time to take one step before Makoto's plan was in action. She darted over to the large man and slipped behind him. Ganryu started to turn, but it was too late. Makoto quickly dropped down onto her hands, leaving her legs up in the air, and hooked her feet on his neck. Ganryu growled slightly and reached for her feet. Makoto shoved one down and inwards to the left, the other up and inwards to the right, forcing Ganryu's neck to bend until she heard a loud crack. She dropped down and rolled out of the way, then stood quickly. Ganryu's neck was bleeding through a break in his skin where the tip of his cracked bone had penetrated it.

"That alone…will not—"

"Win this battle, I know!" Makoto cut in. "Then maybe a little more…"

"What…?"

Makoto darted up behind Ganryu again and jumped onto his back, wrapping her legs as far around the big man's stomach as they would go. She positioned her hands on his head and twisted again, trying desperately to just snap his neck in two. Ganryu screeched and stumbled backwards, slamming Makoto against the wall in the process. She gritted her teeth and twisted harder. Ganryu clutched at her hands, trying to pull her off.

Makoto gave up, snapped her hands around his throat, and squeezed, hoping to just suffocate him to death. The more Ganryu struggled, the harder Makoto squeezed his airway closed. They remained that way for at least four minutes before Ganryu finally fell to his knees, trying desperately to breathe, but Makoto wouldn't let him. Ganryu's hands dropped to his sides and his head rolled back. Makoto clung on for a moment longer before releasing him. Ganryu fell backwards. Makoto paused to check his pulse and make sure he was dead before nodding to herself and heading up to the waiting area.

The announcer announced the winner. Makoto walked proudly up to the waiting area, where she was instantly tackle-hugged by Yukiho and Mami. Leo patted her back proudly, smiling.

"You did it, Makoto-chan!" Yukiho gasped. "I-I'm so glad, and you don't look hurt at all…"

Makoto groaned and collapsed on the floor, rolling lazily onto her back. "…ow, my leg…"

"A-are you alright…?!"

"I'm fine, I think…" Makoto glanced down at her injured leg and winced. "It's bleeding, but if I was able to make it through the whole rest of the match and walk up all these stairs on it, I think I'll be OK."

Yukiho let out a breath of relief. "Th-thank goodness…"

"Nice strategy, Makoto," Leo praised. "Using your enemy's weaknesses against them."

"Actually, my strategy was just to go out there and live until I figured out my real strategy, which ended up being his strategy and I just used it against him because I couldn't think of anything else." Makoto smiled.

"…well, at least you're smiling again."

Makoto nodded and lay her head back down on the floor. "Yeah, I guess. I should just be grateful that I have all of you guys. Being depressed isn't helping you, and like Hibiki said…like Hibiki said, I need to be strong. I'll be alright. But I would like to rest."

"Of course," Yukiho agreed. "Sleep tight, Makoto-chan. Congratulations on your match."

"And try to rest your leg, OK?"

"Your mom."

"What ABOUT my mom?!"

"…I don't know…"

"Well, my mom is dead! And she was amazing, and she was perfect, and there was nothing wrong with that beautiful sweet woman! So don't you dare insult my mom!"

"…sorry?"

"…go to sleep, kid."