Chapter 34
The first few matches were rather uneventful compared to the sample matches, it seemed most of the participants from Starfall Academy were much less skilled than those from Kamino Academy, given each victory for the Kamino Academy battle team was almost effortless. With eleven fighters each, it was unfortunate that the Starfall team was already down to five. That being Pyre, Rai, Shadow, Blade, and Nagi. If not for participating in the sample matches both teams would have had 12 fighters total.
"I just, wow six losses back to back." Blade frowned, looking around nervously.
"Do not be intimidated, you saw the fights, they were rather short. But that is because they were put against the stronger opponents first." Shadow gently patted Blade on his back, comforting him.
"Next, round seven. Contestant Blade, will be facing off against Contestant Mystic. Combatants take the field!" Blade stood up and hesitantly stepped onto the field, opposite him was a meowstic. "Begin!"
Blade watched carefully as he felt something tugging at his mind. 'Step out of the ring.' He heard the words fill his mind, but just as quickly they faded away. The sneasel shook his head and rushed forward getting close and raising his claw the meowstic stumbled back and fell, throwing a psychic attack out. But as a dual dark/ice type, Blade was unaffected. The sneasel advanced grabbing the meowstic who just failed throwing psychic attacks around until Blade rather casually tossed him out of the battlefield.
It wasn't the most intense fight, but Blade found himself smiling with pride as he returned to his seat.
"Now onto round eight!" next was Rai, against a dottler, which passed almost as quickly as the previous match, if not faster. The remaining three rounds passed in a blur, neither Shadow nor Pyre seemed to waste time in sending their opponents out of the battlefield. The final round with Nagi was no different, she showed a surprising proficiency despite her lack of proper training. If Blade had to guess, it was something she picked up from trying not to get hurt too badly by Cleave.
"And that concludes the preliminary rounds! The next few rounds will begin in a few minutes as lots will be drawn again to determine opponents, unfortunately due to the uneven numbers one participant from Kamino Academy will be guaranteed a position in the semifinals." Loudred called out, stepping away to draw names. After a few minutes he returned. "The second bracket is about to begin! First round Contestant Blade will be facing off against Contestant Galahad. Combatants take the field!"
Blade stood up with a groan clutching his stomach.
"Blade, are you alright?" Shadow stood up, but Blade stepped away.
"Yeah, just a small ache, I'm fine." Blade stepped onto the field.
"Shadow, I don't think he should do this…" Pyre stated having noticed that faint pink aura within Blade, "What about your…"
"If Blade says he's fine, then I trust him." Shadow was visibly nervous.
The gallade stood across from Blade, eyeing him up and down. "Begin!"
Blade had a small amount of confidence, he knew he wouldn't be harmed by any psychic attacks, but Galahad was also a fighting type.
Before Blade could react, the gallade had kicked his legs, sweeping him off his feet. In the same motion Galahad slammed his fist into Blade's stomach sending the sneasel sliding across the ground. Blade slowly stood up, only to his left leg kicked again, causing him to stumble, only for Galahad to step behind him and knee him in the back.
Blade lashed out, managing to slash the gallade across his face. Galahad scowled as he rushed over grabbing Blade by the wrist and slamming his knee into Blade's right arm with a noticeable snap. The poor sneasel stumbled back, only to feel his left leg kicked again, once more with an audible snap. But before Blade could hit the ground Galahad slammed his elbow into the sneasel's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and with a noticeable cracking sound. The gallade stepped back. "Give up?" Blade couldn't breathe let alone speak. "Guess not."
Pyre had a shocked, almost panicked look in his eyes as he waved to the referee for a time out. Upon hearing the call, the match was stopped and both Pyre and Shadow rushed onto the field to check Blade. But he was promptly taken away on a stretcher.
"Contestant Blade is no longer able to battle the match goes to Contestant Galahad."
Shadow ignored the call, as he and the others followed Blade into the stadium's infirmary. As the on band doctors tended to Blade, Pyre pulled Shadow away. "Hey, please keep your cool, I know you're probably angry, but…"
"No, I am just worried, what if he does not recover completely, what if his bones do not set properly…" Shadow looked genuinely worried.
"I didn't mean about Blade…I meant ya know…the egg."
"Egg? What egg?" Shadow was genuinely confused.
"I…I thought cause you kept ignoring when I tried to bring it up…I thought you knew…" Pyre covered his mouth getting choked up. "I noticed it before we went to Icekey…there's been a small pink aura forming and growing in Blade's belly."
Shadow sat stunned in silence. Pyre could see the way his aura was shifting, blood red, black, both swirling. "Tell them I forfeit."
"Shadow…"
"If I go back out there I am going to paint the field with his blood. Blade...and our egg…need me, so tell them I forfeit."
Pyre turned to leave Shadow alone, only to see Rai and Nagi standing there listening. Pyre could see it, their auras swirling with rage, just like Shadow. "Guys please calm…"
They didn't let him finish, walking away abruptly. Pyre chased after them as they returned to their seats, waiting for the next round.
"Before the tournament continues, Contestant Shadow has forfeited from the tournament. Next round two will see Contestant Rai, face off against Contestant Shoto. Combatants take the field."
Rai had his head down as he stepped onto the battlefield. Opposite him stood an Armarouge with a discolored white and red head.
"Begin!"
The fight ended in a split second. Electricity crackled around Rai and he vanished, shoving the armarouge out of the ring instantly and standing at the edge on the side of the Kamino team. Shoto stood stunned and motionless at the edge staring down at Rai. But the raichu paid him no mind. There was an almost maniacal look in the electric mouse's eyes as he stared at Galahad, as if fighting every bone in his body not to attack the gallade then and there.
Rai turned back walking silently across the battlefield.
"Contestant Rai wins by ring out! As his opponent forfeited, Contestant Bran moves on to the semi finals. Now round three, Contestant Nagi will battle Contestant…nevermind, Contestant Nagi moves on to the semifinals as her opponent has chosen to forfeit." Loudred sighed. "So round three will be fought by Contestant Pyre, and Contestant Rain. Combatants take the field!"
Pyre stepped out onto the field, too distracted by the worrisome state of his friends to focus.
"Begin!"
Before Pyre could react Rain had slammed him with a water shuriken. The frogadier let loose a flurry of attacks that hit Pyre directly, but he couldn't focus, his friends were dangerously upset.
"Too heartbroken over the little cunt to fight."
Pyre all but snapped grabbing Rain by his face and headbutting him. As the frogadier stumbled back, Pyre stepped forward, cocking his head back and headbutting him again. Rain stumbled back and nearly fell but Pyre grabbed him to hold him steady. Then he jumped up and swung his head down, slamming it into the frogadier one last time knocking him out. "Hurt me all you want, but you will not insult my friend."
"Round three goes to Contestant Pyre. The semifinals will begin in just a few moments. Names have already been drawn. The first Semifinal round will have Contestant Bran battle Contestant Nagi. Combatants, take the field."
The hisuian zorua stood across from the weavile.
"Begin."
Nagi stepped forward but Bran held up a paw. "You're a good sister, you remind me of my sister. She'd do horrible things to the people who hurt our family. But she nearly died for revenge." The zorua turned around stepping slowly back to his team's side of the battlefield. "I won't fight you, but for your sake. Don't let your anger consume you." And he stepped out of bounds.
"Contestant Nagi wi.."
"I forfeit as well." Nagi rushed away, she was being selfish, Blade needed her.
"Any others looking to forfeit? No? In that case, onto the second round of the semifinals. Contestant Rai versus Contestant Galahad. Combatants take the field."
"Rai, please don't go too…"
The raichu ignored him, all but sprinting onto the field to meet the gallade.
"Begin."
Rai stood completely still, his head tilted to the ground.
"Scared to attack? I would be too, I'd hate to end up like that dumb sneasel. What kind of idiot takes part in a tournament when they're carrying an egg."
Rai felt his eye twitching. "You must be a glutton for punishment. I'll give you one chance, forfeit, because if you don't," he lifted his head, his eyes wide as can be, staring a hole through the gallade. "I'm going to humiliate you for everyone to see."
Galahad raised his hand sending forth a wave of psychic energy. "Just step out of the ring before you get hurt."
With another crackle of electricity Rai bolted forward slamming his fist into the gallade's face sending him to the ground.
Galahad shot to his feet kicking toward Rai.h He held his leg their not feeling any connection until he felt the raichu land on his leg. "I'm done giving warnings." Rai slapped Galahad paralyzing him jaw and tongue. Then he kicked the gallade to the ground, before rushing by punching him in the face, then his back, then each arm and leg, each strike hitting harder than the last. He stopped and grabbed the gallade's face making eye contact. "The next time you open your mouth, it will be to beg for mercy." Rai let go, and Galahd shot to his feet sprinting for the edge of the battlefield. Electricity swirled around Rai as he rushed over and stopped in front of Galahad. "You leave this arena, when I let you."
The raichu drop kicked Galahad sending him across the battlefield. The gallade scrambled on all fours toward the edge of the battlefield, but again Rai moved like lightning to block his path. The electric type shoved Galahad to his feet and dashed back and forth, punching and kicking him with each pass. His speed and momentum managed to knock the gallade off his feet and juggle him in the air.
Finally Rai descended, both knees extended, landing square on Galahad's back. And he rolled away, standing up as the gallade began to crawl. But Rai had no room for mercy with this arrogant bastard. He walked slowly, approaching with almost murderous intent. "I hear suffering grants wisdom, and I'm about to make you the wisest thing around."
That is, until he felt someone grab his arm. Looking back, it was Pyre, and he looked horrified. "That's enough Rai…you already won."
Rai tried to pull away, but seeing Pyre's expression he let up. "You're right…" He pulled away, and tossed Galahad out of the arena. "I took it too far. I should be disqualified."
"As should Galahad. I heard what happened. With your friend." Top, the machoke stood before them. "Galahad did not act in the interest of justice. You have my sincerest apologies."
Rai sighed. "And you have mine." Rai returned to his seat.
"Contestant Rai and Contestant Galahad are hereby disqualified For breaking the, no maiming rule. Which means we now move to the finals. The final round, Contestant Top and Contestant Pyre will face off for the victory! Combatants take the field!"
The two stood tall.
"Begin!"
Top made the first move grabbing Pyre and throwing him to the ground hard. Pyre rolled to his feet just as the machoke slammed his fist down. The charmander slammed his tail into the fighting type's leg. But the machoke stood strong.
Top grabbed Pyre and tossed him into the air. Pyre twisted in mid-air igniting himself, and hitting back with a flare blitz, knocking the taller mon down.
"Not bad at all, give this fight everything you've got!"
Pyre nodded, taking a deep breath and focusing. "Only if you promise to do the same. Let's get this depressing mood gone and give these people a radical show!" Pyre held his fists at his waist. "Haaaaa" flames swirled around him bursting up around him the flames flickered orange, then blue, and when they died down, the flame on his tail was a brilliant amethyst color. "Show me what you've got!"
Top began to flex his muscles, at first as if to show off, but his body began to change, a second pair of arms emerged from his back, the machoke had evolved to a machamp. "Yes, let us show a true spectacle!"
Pyre rushed forward slamming his entire body into the newly evolved mon. Top used that momentum to flip and slam Pyre to the ground, only for the charmander to kick upward shoving him off.
The two locked eyes and closed their distance letting loose a flurry of punches at each other. Even as the both took several punches they did not deter from their attacks, only striking faster and harder. "That such a small charmander can match my raw strength, you are to be commended Pyre!"
"I could say the same!" Top suddenly seized Pyre by his arms and legs and headbutted him. But Pyre, never one to turn down a challenge, responded in kind causing Top to drop him.
Again they closed the distance this time both landing a single punch to the others face's sending each other flying, but Pyre being more lightweight passed over the edge and was thus rung out.
"Contestant Top wins by…hold on. "Loudred rushed to the machamp. "He's out cold folks!"
Within a few minutes the machamp managed to awaken. "What happened?"
"You were knocked out, but you managed to send your opponent out of the ring. You won."
"That can't be. I lost consciousness almost as soon as his fist pushed me back."
"And you realize admitting that is giving the win to your opponent?"
"I do, but victory was never the point. This was meant to be a way to grow stronger and closer to new people."
"Hey, thanks." Pyre held out his hand, and Top shook it. "Next time, let's spar with no rules!"
"You are an eccentric one, but I will gladly fight you again." Top lifted Pyre onto his shoulders.
"Contestant Pyre is the champion of today's tournament!" There was an uproarious cheer from the crowd as Pyre threw his arms up in victory.