Anynomous Review: I did correct ice chest and I did spell shish kabob correctly. It can be spelled in three different ways. The one you suggested, the one I wrote, and even "shish kabab." It's like how mom can also be spelled "mum" or color can also be spelled "colour" and still be correct. I don't mind you correcting my grammar and spelling, reviewers here do that all the time, but you don't have to be ignorant about it, especially since you were wrong about shish kabob being spelled wrong. By the way, I did have to spell check "shish kabob" and what you're seeing is the result of it. I actually went to google to check the spelling of it, which is what I do to words that I'm not sure if I spelled correctly or not. If you don't believe me, you can google "shish kabob" by that exact spelling and you're going to get the same results and see it spelled the same way.
As for Jaylin explaining her past being cliche. Yes, it is. Yes, her character is cliche. I even mentioned that in my forums. Cliche characters don't make bad characters.
Here's the next chapter. I'm sorry for taking a while. I was working on the next chapter of To the Unknown 2. I might run into long delays once a month, because of this, so I apologize, if this happens again. Anyways, enjoy this next chapter. Review please!
School was let out and Jaylin's friends were training up to face Nightshroud, who would probably possess another student. The only issue was that Jaylin was nowhere with them. Despite this, everyone started without her. Mr. Banner was coaching Ronda, teaching her how to control her powers, while everyone else were learning how to handle playing a Shadow Game or working out. At this moment, Alexis was playing the Shadow Game and had her Ka, which looked like a giant polar bear with razor sharp teeth and claws that looked like ice crystals.
Both the giant bear and Alchemy Beast brawled on the ground, Alexis and Mr. Banner giving their Ka's commands. Ronda was nearby, practicing making invisible sound waves with dark matter. Though, eventually, the polar bear Ka was defeated and Alexis cringed slightly.
"You seem to be doing good, Miss Rhodes," Mr. Banner complimented.
"Thanks," Alexis replied, wiping the spit from her lips with the back of her hand.
"Hey guys!" Everyone heard Jaylin call out as she zoomed right in front of them faster than a bullet. "Sorry for being late, but I felt some strong energy and I went to check it out. I found this big ass Colosseum!" She pointed toward the direction between the school and the volcano. Everyone stared at her with blinking eyes. "Yeah... I had the same reaction, but seriously, I think it's Nightshroud."
"Strange that he would want to build a Colosseum for the next Shadow Game," Mr. Banner commented with furrowed eyebrows.
"That's what I was thinking," Zane agreed.
"Either way, we need to go out an investigate, then kick Nightshroud's ass before he gets to the Academy!" Alexis pointed out.
"Then, are you guys going to just stand there?" Jaylin asked rhetorically. "Co'mon!"
Jaylin was the first to run back to the Colosseum between the school and the volcano. Everyone else followed with haste, and eventually made it to the enormous large dome building that literally looked like an exact replica of the Roman Colosseum. Zane and Syrus stared up at the building with questionable looks.
"How the hell did he even build that thing?" Syrus wondered with furrowed eyebrows.
"Maybe he possessed the students and teachers somehow to build the Colosseum for him to prepare for our duel," Jaylin smirked as everyone gave her bored looks. "Makes more sense than anything else I can think up."
The double doors instantly opened on their own and Jaylin furrowed her eyebrows. Mr. Banner was the one to lead the students inside the building cautiously. Once inside, everyone gasped and saw a rather large and built woman with dark skin and two scars across her right eye, wearing some sort of warrior outfit and a ponytail. She was lying on a white tiger with black stripes.
"About time you came," the woman said, getting up on her feet. Jaylin was almost taken aback.
"You're not Nightshroud," Jaylin realized.
"Of course I'm not! He has limitations! He can't control someone, who is already a spirit. I work on my own turf. Night-in-Shining-Armor has me battle one of you guys in exchange for a husband."
"A husband?" Jaylin asked with a bored look on her face.
"Of course! He says I can have any of you fine boys as my new husband! By the way, my name is Tania the Amazon Warrior!"
"Isn't that a huge stretch? For one, the guys around here are probably not going to want you, especially if he's dating or into someone else. I know there are arranged marriages, but I don't count pinning a guy in a tux to be your husband is considered an arranged marriage as much as a forced one. I'm pretty sure being married doesn't include choosing your personal sex slave."
"Not if it's true love and. If I win this duel, it will only prove that our love was meant to be!"
"... rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrright. I'm just gonna guess that the one you want to challenge is a guy, am I correct?" Jaylin asked, rubbing her forehead.
"Of course! It's a husband I want! Hm... now which one will be perfect as my husband?" Tania wondered.
"Already married," Mr. Banner replied.
"Whatever, let's just get this over with," Zane said boredly. He didn't care if he was chosen or not; having woman flaunt over him was as common as walking.
"I challenge that one!" Tania declared, pointing at Bastion, who almost jumped.
"Me?" Bastion asked, eyes widened.
"Yes, you seem like a fighter. All of you boys do, but this one seems like a master by that hot muscle tone and abs," Tania said in the most flirtatious manner, which made Bastion's face turn pale. Alexis sighed, rubbing her temples.
"At least it's not Daddy she's talking about," Jaylin whispered to herself.
"Listen, you're a nice... woman... warrior and all, but I'm already into... another girl," Bastion said, trying not to hint that he was talking about Alexis, since he didn't want drama.
"And who would this other girl be?" Tania asked jealously.
"S-Someone I've known for a really long time. We were already planning on a marriage of our own, you know... kids and all. You're... going to have to find someone else," Bastion partly lied, which everyone could already tell.
"You're bluffing! I can see it in your eyes, though seemed to be telling the truth about being into another girl. I don't care who this girl is! I won't let her take my Tuddy Wuddy away from me! We battle here and now and win your hand in marriage," Tania smirked as Jaylin snorted.
"Wow, and I thought Belowski's nickname for me was corny," Jaylin smirked.
"Jaylin, not helping!" Alexis glared as Jaylin rolled her eyes.
"What was Belowski's nickname for you?" Syrus asked curiously.
"Power Puff. I thought it was cute," Jaylin replied.
"Actually, I like that," Zane smirked as Jaylin shot him a glare.
Bastion took off his Ra Yellow jacket, showing the black T-Shirt underneath. He handed it to Jaylin, just in case Tania might assume she was 'the girl he liked' and would end up challenging her, if Bastion lost. It took every ounce of strength to not give Alexis a glance. He had to prevent Tania from attacking her, due to jealousy. Bastion noticed Tania looking at his direction with a smirk, but also looking at Jaylin's direction. It seems that Tania did assume Jaylin was probably the girl he had a crush on.
Bastion placed his fists in front of him like a marshal artist, growing slightly nervous, since he never got himself into a real fight before. Tania smiled, placing herself in position as darkness flowed through her and her eyes began glowing a red-black color. Bastion felt more than ready to fight this woman, despite his nervousness.
Tania was the first to attack, Bastion ducking from the punch. He then blocked another attack, this time with his arms, before landing a punch directly on the forehead. Tania was almost knocked down, trying to keep her balance, before landing a few punches on Bastion shoulders, then tried banging her head against his. Fortunetly, Tania missed by Bastion kneeling down and kicking her legs. She instantly caught herself with her arms, both backing up.
"You're good," Tania smirked, licking her lips. "I've never met such a warrior with such skills."
"It's called Tiquando," Bastion said like it was obvious.
"You even have names for your skills. What a man!"
"I think I'm getting a migraine from all her lustful babbles," Alexis muttered.
"Guess Tania's not the only jealous type, huh?" Jaylin teased as Alexis shot a pair of dagger eyes at her with a reddened face.
Tania continued her fight against Bastion, who was defending himself with his arms and legs. At the same time, he didn't hesitate to land several punches on Tania, who tried her hardest to defend herself. Sweat began pouring and the intensity pressured against her. She wasn't willing to give up no matter how hard she was being pushed. Bastion felt the same way. There was no way he was going to lose to someone, who was going to force a ring on his finger. There was only one girl in his life and it wasn't this Amazonian.
Finally, Tania was able to land a punch against Bastion's stomach as he backed away to prevent anymore injuries. Bastion wiped the liquid from his lips, which ended up being blood. That didn't matter to him. He had to win this no matter what. He got himself back into his fighting position.
"Tell me. What is it about this so called girl that makes her more special than me?" Tania asked with glaring eyes.
"Besides being alive and not a spirit, she's smart and funny and I like her, shouldn't that be enough?" Bastion asked.
"But I am also smart and funny as well and, even if I'm technically older than my age, I still have the body and maturity of a 17-year-old girl. If you die young, you stay young for all eternity as a spirit."
"Slightly creepy, but I don't know that you're funny or smart. I've only met you just now. I've known this girl for four months, which is longer in comparison."
"Shouldn't time not matter when it comes to love?"
"What do you mean love? Do you even know anything about love? You have no reason to be in love with me, besides my body! That shouldn't count! You don't know who I am or what I like!"
"Of course I know what love is! It's something unexplained and unbreakable, something that you feel inside toward someone you care about."
"Tania, I might not know much, but I know love isn't anything like that. That's only in fairytales!"
"What do you know? You've never been married or in love!"
"Neither have you."
Bastion and Tania began their fight once more. Tania bringing out everything she had to defeat Bastion and claim as her own. She wasn't going to let those words persuade her otherwise. Bastion probably just didn't understand love, because he never felt it with anyone, or so Tania assumed. Though, the harder Tania fought, the harder Bastion fought as well. It seemed to be neck in neck with the both of them.
Bastion finally was able to topple Tania a bit as she began trying to back up a bit, though Bastion pushed forward. He first landed a punch on the chest below the neck before making a high kick to right under the chin. Tania was instantly knocked down, wiping the blood off her mouth.
"It's over," Bastion stated before darkness began covering the entire Colosseum and began taking a dark shadowy form.
"No... please, I'm sorry, I-" Tania pleaded before this figure created a black blast, throwing it toward Tania before her tiger leaped and pushed her out of the way. She glared, then a black sword appeared from her hand and began defending herself from the second attack. "Nobody betrays me!" Then, a black mist circled around her and trapped her in some sort of prison. "You..."
"Let her go, Nightshroud!" Jaylin cried out, her eyes glowing gold as she sent out an invisible sound wave that was so loud, it could burst any eardrum, at Nightshroud. His mist-like figure burst, then reformed again. Just then, it headed straight for Jaylin, fazing right inside her.
"NO! GET OUT OF HER!" Zane cried out frantically, running and tripping onto the ground. He clutched onto the loose sand in his hands until they dug into his fingernails. "You monster."
"Wait look!" Syrus cried out, pointing at Jaylin. Zane lifted his eyes and noticed Jaylin, whose eyes were glowing gold and a dark and sinister chuckle was heard from her voice, her grin seemingly blood-lusting.
"You're such a coward, Nightshroud," Jaylin said as dark energy left her and her body fell to the ground unconscious, but that was not the most shocking part. What was more shocking was the figure beside her, who was a perfect replica of Jaylin, only seemed to be in her mid 30's, in a black leather warrior outfit that seemed to be something from 1000 B.C, only the outfit was fitting for a woman. She also wore thick leather boots and black skin-tight gloves. Nightshroud's mist form appeared outside of Jaylin's body, then an invisible barrier began weakening it. This made the Jaylin look-alike laugh. "Look at you struggling, cowering, you pathetic demon. You always were the underdog of the group, but what else should I expect from you? You wonder why my husband left Atem to deal with you alone. Of course, even my husband and I could take you out on our own single-handedly. I only pity your comrades for having you in their group, the cowardly underdog."
"You... BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!" Nightshroud shouted bursting into dark flames before shooting toward her like a lightning bolt. The Jaylin look-alike took out her black sword and deflected the attack back at Nightshroud, striking him to the ground. The Jaylin look-alike aimed the sharp edge of her sword at the black mist that was Nightshroud.
"You can tell your lackies that I'm angry and, when you make me angry, you make my husband angry; and when you make my husband angry, you make Atem angry; and when Atem, Yubel and I are angry... well, you've got yourself a problem."
"Are you going to threaten me to not touch your stupid bitch?"
"No, I'm daring you to. I'd like to see you three idiots tremble on your feet begging for her mercy. I will be enjoying every waking moment of it. So, go ahead, touch my bitch, I DARE YOU, YOU MONSTROSITY!"
"I WILL!" Nightshroud replied, taking his leave, but not before the Jaylin look-alike shot an invisible attack, making a black and gold glove with the Eye of Horus on the palm of the glove fall onto the dusty ground. She ran over and picked it up as Nightshroud looked back. "I didn't need it anyways. Enjoy your lucky charms, while they're still good." He left with that.
"Who are you? Why did you save me?" Tania asked baffled, looking down at the ground.
"Because you're not the real enemy. If anything, you were just a pawn of that bastard. Simple as that," the Jaylin look-alike replied. She sighed. "I have a husband to rant to about a certain idiot, who tried to possess my master like the dumbass he is. Though, before I leave, let me explain to you about... love. I heard from my master's mind, since the Shadow Game was getting interesting. Both you and yellow boy over there seem young and naive about what true love really is. You are right that getting to know someone through time doesn't create love and he is right that loving someone by first sight isn't love either. It's a promise and a devotion. I was arranged to marry Yubel 3000 years ago. I had only known him, because we were used as sacrifices to those three bastards. I only remembered his cries for help and screaming in pain. Despite that, I loved him dearly, because I made a promise that I would, that I would spend the rest of my life with him, that I would care for him when sick, that I would care for our home, that I would raise our children. Love is what yellow boy did by giving his coat to my master to protect his mate from being harassed by you. It's action, not emotion." Tania's eyes widened as the Jaylin look-alike sighed, chuckling slightly while rolling her eyes to the side. "Kids." She instantly disappeared into mist, which flowed into Jaylin's body.
"Jaylin... girl?" Carl asked fearfully as the corner of Jaylin's mouth and fingers began to twitch.
Zane was the first to help Jaylin on her feet as she rubbed her eyes. She looked at Tania, who stared down at the ground with eyes that were turning watery. She looked at the young teen-woman with worry. Tania slowly shook her head.
"I was such a fool. I wanted a man to love so bad that I was forcing one to love me against his will. I... I thought..." Tania muttered.
"I don't think it was completely your fault. For one, you probably were never taught any of this stuff and, if you were, you were taught wrong. I don't think anyone can know what love really is until that person has experienced it for himself," Jaylin concluded as Tania nodded.
"I think you're right. That other you seemed to know more about it, because she has a spouse to love," Tania said, picking herself up from the ground. She looked at Bastion. "I'm sorry for forcing you into this."
"Apology accepted. I'm sure you'll find the right one. It does hurt, when the person you like doesn't feel the same, but I've learned that there's more to life than finding love. You're a tough warrior with amazing skills in combat. On top of that, you have extraordinary powers. Enjoy the life you have of being an Amazon Warrior. I'm sure that must be more enjoyable than finding a husband," Bastion suggested.
"Besides, dating someone will also include drama, and it's also wise to be careful, because, no offense to anyone, but guys can be dogs," Jaylin said.
"Have you ran into any?" Tania asked.
"Yeah. Tried to get me laid and... let's just say I accidentally snapped his Twinkie," Jayin smirked darkly as the guys moved one step away from her. She looked at them. "I said it was an accident! I was actually going to hit him with a baseball bat."
"Thank you and I'm sorry... again," Tania said before her and her wounded tiger disappeared into mist.
"So... what do you think should be done about this Colosseum?" Jaylin wondered, looking around.
"I'm sure we'll think of something," Mr. Banner replied.
"Anyways, I'm hungry!" Carl stated.
"Same here! Let's get some grub!" Jaylin decided as her and everyone else left the Colosseum, except Bastion, who was on his way out.
Alexis ran back to the Colosseum, crying out, "Bastion!"
"Yes?" Bastion asked. Alexis wrapped her arms around Bastion and kissed him on his lips.
"You were great and thanks for what you did with giving your coat to Jaylin," Alexis thanked.
"Th-Thanks. Are you sure you didn't feel jealous or abandoned when I..." Bastion asked as Alexis shook her head.
"No. I mean I guess I was a little jealous, but I don't like any girl messing with you."
Bastion smiled, saying," I thought it was cute."
"Really?"
"Really."
Bastion and Alexis kissed once more, Bastion gently brushing the tips of his fingers through Alexis' hair behind her ears. They finished their kiss and stared at each other's eyes, smiling all the while. Then, Alexis rested her head on Bastion's chest, wrapping her arms around Bastion's waist. Bastion looked up at the sky, placing one hand on Alexis' head. He wanted to enjoy every drop of this moment that he had at this time. At the same time, something also came to his mind.
"That's a good question. How the hell did Tania build this Colosseum?" Bastion wondered.