Chapter 8
Pure Olympian wisdom
Many saw Theodore Roosevelt as a man of action, and when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Vice President Roosevelt was put in charge. His first term of office went rather well, even if many still had an evil eye on the man. But when he wanted to run again, he had to have the votes of the people. That's why Theodore Roosevelt gave speech after speech in all parts of the country.
In 1904, shortly before the election, President Roosevelt was visiting Little Rock. Surrounded by the crowd and standing on nothing more or less than a low wall, Roosevelt gave a powerful speech.
"The nation of America has a duty to give every worker fair and equal treatment. As President, it is my duty to keep this commitment. You didn't elect me, and yet I've been at the head of this country for the last few years. That's why, by choosing me for the next four years, I'm promising you even more results."
His gestures and booming voice didn't go unnoticed, and the crowd grew around him. But not everyone was happy about it.
"You're just a puppet, Roosevelt!" exclaimed a male voice in the crowd.
Of course, the president heard him, but paid no attention.
"I love America, I'll give anything to protect her and her citizens." continued Roosevelt.
"You're just repeating what someone told you to say!" the male voice said.
This time, TR wasn't going to let it go.
"Who said that? Come and tell me to my face!"
A man pushed his way through the crowd.
"I did say that."
President Roosevelt looked at the man before stepping down from the low wall to stand directly in front of him.
"And you are?" he asks to the man.
"John… John McTosh."
"Well, nice to meet you, John McTosh!" Roosevelt says cheerfully.
The man remained silent, looking almost contemptuously at the president.
"Tell me, Mr. McTosh, do you have children?"
"Only one, a girl who has just come of age."
"And I presume that despite her age you still see her as a little girl you want to protect at all costs."
John nods his head
"And that's exactly what I want for the people. Treat every man and woman equally, do them justice. I will consider every American as one of my children during my next four years at the head of this country!"
The crowd starts chanting Theodore Roosevelt's name as John McTosh begins to flash the president a smile.
And that's how, by winning the trust of the people, he was elected and truly felt like the President of the United States, the one the people had chosen.
"This is where the battle will end, so get ready!" Rhymus exclaims as Theodore Roosevelt approaches his opponent.
Teddy's entire body becomes covered in the blue aura of his American Spirit. No loopholes were visible, and he is ready to end it all. As for Baron Samedi, he gathered what little smoke he had left in his right hand.
"This is the end for you! RUSHMORE RUSHDOWN!"
Theodore Roosevelt leapt into the air, ready to land on the baron with the equivalent of all the power and weight of the famous monument to American presidents. Samedi seemed to be on the defensive, at least to the bare minimum. He seemed to be looking for an opening for a final attack. And he did.
In one swift, precise blow, his right hand perforates Roosevelt's aura with the smoke it had accumulated and this, before the president's attack hit him. Samedi's hand lodges in Teddy's chest. The stands fell silent.
"I dedicate this to you… dear Theodore. President's Deathbed."
Just as Samedi was about to rip out Roosevelt's heart, the latter grabbed the deity's shoulder with his right arm.
"You've been waiting for this for a while, haven't you?" the president says without much difficulty, despite his heart being firmly in his opponent's hand.
"I had no choice but to win, it came down to nothing."
TR began coughing up blood, realizing that there was nothing more he could do.
"If I could… I wouldn't ask mankind to forgive me… just my wife because of seeing me die a second time." said the president in a low voice.
"After the fight you put up, I'm sure she'll be able to forgive you." Samedi smiles slightly.
And so, Baron Samedi removed his hand from Theodore Roosevelt's chest, holding his heart in his hand. He looks at the president one last time before crushing his heart in his hand. The 26th President of the United States falls backwards, as if lying in a coffin. Despite the loss of his heart, Roosevelt found the strength to speak. Was it his will? No one will ever know.
"Deep down… you were nothing like a demon… I just wish we hadn't been forced… to fight."
And the President breathed his last, lying on his deathbed as he had done on Earth. His body crumbles in pure white light with a hint of blue.
Baron Samedi vs Theodore Roosevelt
Match Length: 19 minutes and 09 seconds
Deciding Move: President's Deathbed
Victor: Baron Samedi
"It's... It's all over! After an intense battle full of twists and turns, victory goes to Baron Samedi!" Rhymus shouts in his horn.
Samedi began to walk with great difficulty. His ribs are broken, his organs are severely damaged and he's probably suffering from numerous internal and external hemorrhages. Mama Brigitte notices and runs to join her lover in the arena. The Baron reached the corridor leading to the arena, the one he had used to enter. That's when he collapses with his back to the wall.
"Well... you were much stronger than I expected. Even in the face of death... you'll be the only man who's somehow… won."
Samedi collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach with one hand.
"Died in the light... surrounded by all and adored unlike me who will die in the shadows... alone. Bravo, Mr. President... Hope to see you where we're going."
And Baron Samedi's body turned to the same shiny dust as his opponent's, both of them unable to endure the fight, but no one will never know. Maman Brigitte arrived a few seconds later, looking for her man to nurse him back to health, but to no avail.
On the human side, no sound could be heard. Despite the tears of many, everyone was quietly aware of their third defeat in a row. And yet, in the midst of this heavy silence, sobbing from a woman could be heard.
"Teddy... why did you leave me... again..." Edith says crying, having outlived her husband not only once but twice now.
Druca and her little group had also fallen silent. And yet, Abraham Lincoln spoke.
"I couldn't have done better... nobody could have."
Selira clenched her teeth, so hard that she split her lip open and blood began to flow.
"Those gods... Those sons-of-bitches of gods!" she rushes against the barrier overlooking the arena, but a hand catches her.
"Please... calm down..." Phearl's gentle voice reached Selira's ears.
The dark-haired girl turns, trying to calm herself.
"It's not all over, we must keep hope alive for all these humans." she says in a small voice.
Selira manages to regain her composure, taking a deep breath. Druca approached the two girls and put a hand on their shoulders.
"It's with this mentality that we'll win, I can assure you." the goddess says smiling.
Druca's smile was followed by Phearl's and then Selira's.
"Well, I think I'll go back to my room. I hope you'll achieve your goal, Druca." Lincoln says respectfully.
"It has to be." replies the goddess.
On the gods' side, Athena was preparing for her imminent fight. As the first and only Greek fighter sent by Zeus himself, it's her duty to make Olympus shine for all to see. An owl suddenly lands on the goddess's shoulder.
"Are you ready to help me in this fight, Glaukopis?"
The owl answered with a determined hoot.
"Well then, let's show what it takes to defy the gods."
As she walks towards her room door, the latter opens, revealing Ares.
"How can a poor creature like you fight in this arena?"
"Your mind is too simple, half-brother. Fighting is not about violence, only strategy leads to victory."
Ares hit the wall hard, leaving a gaping hole, but Athena didn't flinch.
"Father should have sent me."
"He didn't do it for a reason, now let me pass before I make you regret it."
The god of war laughs behind his helmet.
"I would love to see you try."
Athena exhales.
"You're not my enemy, so please don't start a conflict between gods. Let's not give humanity this luxury."
Ares grunts but remains silent, letting Athena go by. The goddess wasted no time in moving towards the arena.
Selira runs at full speed down a corridor, almost falling. She arrives at Druca's quarters, and as the door begins to open automatically, she slips through before it opens completely. Out of breath, she still manages to speak.
"The next fighter... is Athena..."
Druca turns around, almost shocked.
"How do you know that?"
"I've seen her prepare for battle, there's no room for error." Selira had just recovered her breath.
Druca turned back to the screen showing the remaining fighters.
"Well, in this case, we'll send a woman against this goddess." she says with determination.
Selira looks at the screen before sporting a smirk.
"She's going to dominate her- I didn't mean it in a weird way though!" Selira says to justify herself, which makes Druca laugh.
"No matter, I would have accepted it."
The young girl smiled in return.
"Where is Phearl, though?"
"She needed a rest, so I let her go." replies Druca.
Selira's eyes widen.
"What's wrong with you? It will take us at least ten hours!" she immediately rushes into Phearl's room.
Once there, Selira throws herself onto the bed, but Phearl continues to sleep deeply. She shook it for a while until the sleepy head wakes up, opening her little blue eyes.
"The fight is about to begin, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm asleep... you can tell." Phearl replies not really awake.
"It was ironic, you know..." Selira says annoyed.
Selira nevertheless made an effort, no doubt a monumental one, to wake up.
"What's the next fight?" she asks, rubbing her eyes.
"Then count me out! You should have been awake, especially since I got to know the fighter of the gods ahead of time."
Despite her fatigue, the blonde girl understood this perfectly.
"Wait-what? Is that even possible?" Phearl asks surprised.
"Duh! Anything is possible with me!" Selira replies proudly.
Phearl leaves her bed, still in pink socks and without bothering to put on shoes.
"And so, who are the fighters?"
"If you really want to know, buy me the latest gacha game." Selira says, aiming to turn the situation to her advantage.
"The what? I don't even know what it is." Phearl replies clueless.
Selira exhales, realizing that she won't get anywhere.
"Never mind, forget it. We'll go to Druca."
The black-haired girl jumps out of bed and leaves Phearl's room to return to the goddess in the adjacent room.
"Did you manage to wake her up?" Druca asks, turning off the screen
"Of course, she'll be here any minute."
Phearl quickly emerges from her room and walked slowly up to the green-haired goddess.
"I'm ready!" she smiles.
The three girls set off for the stands. After a short while, Druca spotted a familiar silhouette. She lowered herself to whisper in the two girls' ears.
"Go to our usual place, I'll join you in a few minutes." she gives Selira and Phearl a gentle pat on the back.
They both leave, passing by the man. Selira looks at him and he smiles. Once the girls are at a safe distance, Druca moves closer.
"What do you want, Hermes?"
"Not much, just to warn you that after your defeat, Zeus informed me that he would kill you with his own hand. I thought you should know." replies the barely clothed god.
Druca smiles.
"Well, go back to Mount Olympus and tell Zeus he'll have to wait, I have every confidence in my fighters."
"We'll see if you still feel that way after the death of your next protegee at the hands of Athena."
Suddenly, Hermes began to run at breakneck speed and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"He'll never change... he could still dress up more, this pervert." Druca says to herself.
Selira and Phearl are waiting for Druca in the stands.
"Who was that guy?" Phearl asks.
"You didn't recognize him? It's that little brat Hermes. His face is so punchable I swear." replies Selira.
"I can't say you're wrong, Selira."
Druca had just arrived, to the surprise of both girls.
"What did he want from you?" Selira says turning to the goddess.
"I can't say he wanted anything; he just thinks we're going to lose like all the gods here." Druca says looking at the gods in the stands.
Selira chuckles.
"We're going to make them shut their big arrogant mouths!"
"Ehm- I don't agree with Selira's words, but I agree with the idea!" Phearl replies
"I know, Phearl, and what's more, it's a woman who's going to show everyone here just how deserving she is of a man's fight."
Phearl's eyes light up at the mention of these words.
"A- woman?"
"Yeah, I told you that you shouldn't have slept." Selira responds by putting her hands behind her head.
Phearl pouts before imagining what woman might be about to enter the arena.
"Is it Cleopatra? Or Tomoe Gozen? Oh no, no, I know! It's going to be Marie Curie!" Phearl exclaims, unable to stand still.
"This is the first time I've seen you so active, my little Phearl." Druca laughs, covering her mouth.
"Don't be so impatient, just wait like two minutes literally." Selira says pretending to be annoyed.
The arena was plunged into darkness until the sun illuminated it, revealing a Greek temple perched in the middle facing a grand staircase. Rhymus stands at the foot of the steps.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the fourth battle to define the fate of humanity is about to begin! After three consecutive defeats, humans can't afford to give the gods any more leeway, and the gods don't want to ruin their perfect score, which so far has been flawless!" he exclaims.
Everyone in the stands is holding their breath.
"But let's not waste time finding out who's going to fight in this fourth round!"