AFB High

The Fourth Battle: Best

A man appeared out of the shadows, “Assessments start, now.”

“But no one’s here,” I muttered to myself.

As if on cue, people started dropping from the ceiling, melting in from the shadows, jumping from corners; they came from everywhere! My jaw dropped in awe, how did these people do it?

“Okay, today’s assessments will be one-on-one battles. Wait for you names to be called.”

I looked around uneasily. Everybody here looked like they were pros of their own, and here I was, well, different. I saw Merele sitting on a ledge in the back, barely paying attention. Yet, she looked...concentrated.

“Student ID no. 1024 vs. Student ID no. 1001...”

HOLY! I’M NUMBER 1024!

“Please report to the ‘Greenhouse’.”

I ran out, I barely noticed who else was running. Let’s see, take a left, go outside, take a right, take a left, keep running...there it is!

Panting, I opened the door. Inside, I saw no one. I took a few steps forward, looking for my opponent. He’s probably hiding in the plants or something...

“About time.”

“Huh?”

I turned around and Nekoi jumped down from the ceiling. Hold up. NEKOI is my opponent?!?!

“Dang, girl, you look...”

I couldn’t tell a girl she looks slinky out loud, but what else could I say? She was wearing only black leather; Everything from the tube top to the skirt to the boots were leather, what’s up with that?

“Assessments have begun, boy, and you look unprepared,” she said coldly.

“OH REAL-“

I was cut off when her leg jabbed into my cheek, she smirked, and let her leg fall to the ground as the impact of the blast jutted my backwards until I hit the wall. I mean...DAMN!! THAT HURT!! Whoever knew something that short had so much power in her legs?

“That was dirty!”

“You were just unprepared.”

Then she disappeared, swaying slightly to the left, so I ran in that direction.

Thud!

An elbow jabbed into my back, Nekoi smirked before she dug it in harder. A howl of pain escaped my lips, and I heard something that sounded like a snicker. It seems like she jumped off my back, just as I crashed into some plants.

Hiss...

A...a...SNAKE?!?! DEAR LORD!!! Its evil yellow eyes glared at me, it opened its mouth, as if it was laughing at me. I moved back uneasily, I’m surrounded by enemies.

“It’s really a pity for you, no. 1024; you’re highly outmatched.”

“I...am...not...called...no. 1024!!” I stated with my teeth gritted, each word angrier, “My name is Ian! And Nekoi, YOU’RE GOING DOWN!”

Oddly, she laughed. It was such a fake laugh, like when people are pretending to be British, I don’t like that laugh at all...and I don’t like that snake either...

I whistled, trying to calm the snake, but it lunged for my lips! WHAT IS THIS, KUNG FU HUSTLE? As quickly as I could, I rolled on the ground, so it’s straight for the ground now, thank God.

Nekoi stopped her laugh and looked coldly at the snake. In a moment, she stepped on it, hard. I could hear it scream for salvation, but she drew her sword. Her sword is...beautiful. I don’t know what it is about it, but it resonates with such...attraction. She lifted the blade, hissed back at the snake, and slammed it into its brain.

“Well, now that that’s taken care of,” she said blankly as if she just finished her mid-term paper, “You are going to learn why you are outmatched.”

“Why, because you think I won’t fight because you’re a girl?”

She smirked, again! What is up with this girl and smirking?

“No, because I am the best.”

Boasters are always losers...right?

“Are you going to fight with your sword?”

“Is that a problem?” She said lazily.

I shook my head, “But-“

Cold steel was against my neck, and I could feel Nekoi holding me down.

“What was your name again? Oh yes, Ian. Meet the Satsujin-ken, the sword that gives death. Lovely, isn’t it?”

Even though I was afraid, I dared not gulp; what if I...died?

“Don’t worry,” she cooed in my ear, sending shivers down my spine, “I’m not allowed to kill in assessments.”

She released her sword and when I looked at her again, she still had that satisfied smirk on her face.

“Oh really?”

“I don’t tell lies. Now, please, give me more of a challenge. I’m not even using 10 of my power here.”

Clenching my fists, I glared at her; that was all I could do. I am horribly outmatched. I’m not sure if she is the best, but...I’m...ordinary. Compared to her, I’m nothing.

She examined her sword, holding it upwards, as if admiring herself in it. Then, she looked back down at me and smirked, again.

“Maybe I should spice up the fight here.”

“Or maybe I should cut in,” A voice said, walking into the greenhouse.

“Merele,” Nekoi greeted, bored.

“Nekoi,” Merele replied, “I see you’re stuck with a pushover as well.”

“Pity, isn’t it? Who did you get?”

“Ming, spent more time hitting on me then fighting me.”

“Um, EXCUSE ME?!” I shouted at them, “Aren’t Nekoi and I in the middle of a fight?”

Merele glanced at her watch, “It’s 9:00AM. Assessments are over. That’s what I meant to say when I cut in. You guys are the last team I have to tell. Come on, breakfast is going to get cold.”

Nekoi and I followed Merele in silence.

I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I thought I might have a chance because I’ve been in a few street fights, but she barely even fought me. I don’t think she did more then three attacks, and she’s already got me shaking like a dog. I have a huge bruise on my cheek, and probably another one on my back. I don’t even want to think about my neck. I took another look at Nekoi, I didn’t even attack her! I couldn’t attack her! I don’t think she even wrinkled her clothes! Am I really that remedial? Do I stand a chance? Is Merele right? Am I really going to...die?

“Yo, Ian!”

I looked up, it’s Matt, “Hey, Dude.”

“Got you breakfast.”

I was in such a daze, I barely realized I was in the cafeteria, “Thanks.”

“Dude, you’re totally out of it. Ouch! Wicked bruise, assessments?”

“You know it.”

“Sucks, I had to go against Elie. What about you?”

“Nekoi.”

“ARE YOU &(ING $!#ING ME?!?!”

“No, and better not say that when Merele gets here. She’ll wash your mouth with soap.”

“Woah, you’re like a newbie and they set you up with the best. She was probably given instructions to go easy. I sparred with her once, real tough chick.”

“I wish I knew that before I went to the fight.”

“Aw, chill man, there will be other chances.”

Right now, I don’t believe a single word Matt is saying to me. I don’t believe him at all. One minute he’s my homie, the next he’s cold, the next we’re cool again. Are all people here this two-faced?

“Mind if I sit down, boys?”

I looked up dazedly, but glared at the speaker.

“Sure, go ahead, Merele,” Matt said while taking a huge bite out of his waffle, letting the syrup ooze onto his left cheek. Merele looked disgusted for a minute, then softened into a smile.

Well, as Ms. Moody sat down, she looked at me curiously, “What’s with the glare, Ian?”

Matt stopped chewing and took the time to wipe his mouth to look at me, “Ian,” he whispered to me, “Did you get in a fight with your woman?”

“No, and she isn’t my woman,” I hissed back at him before I looked back up at Merele, “Nothing, just in a bad mood.”

“Aw, don’t feel bad about the assessments. Nekoi’s just really strong. I should know, we trained together. I got my butt whooped by her when we were younger. But,” she grinned, letting her perfect pearly whites show (she is soOo happy about getting her braces off), “I think now might be different.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Spar with me.”

Merele froze with her pancake halfway to her mouth, her jaw dropped. Matt was staring at me in shock, with the napkin still stuck to his face.

“Wh-what did you say, Ian?”

“Spar with me.”

“But...it’s...”

“I know it’s horridly uneven, but I don’t want to be the worst! Nekoi scared me to death already, and I’m not even dead! Please, Merele?”

She put her fork back down on her plate, “Fine, but I’m not going to be nice like Nekoi.”

I gulped. Merele was dangerous...and I know it...

Matt and I followed Merele outside. She just stopped in a grassy plain and looked directly at me.

As I walked to parallel myself from Merele, I heard Matt mutter underneath his breath, “Boy is going to get killed.”

I have to prove them wrong...

“So...what are the grounds for the fight?” Merele casually stated, as if she was positive the fight would be finish 5 seconds flat. She studied her right hand, as if she was thinking about getting a French manicure or something. I always said that girl was stuck up.

“Do you think I can land even one hit on you?”

Slowly, she looked up at me, her eyes cold, “No.”

I gritted my teeth, “Fine then...”

“So, what are the grounds?”

“For me to land one hit on you...you can hit me as much as you want.”

Merele smirked, what’s up with these girls smirking?

“Sure, except there’s a time limit. Five minutes.”

“Fine.”

“Bring it on, then. You’re the one who challenged me.”

I clenched my fist, hard. I leaned back, and charged myself at her, with my fist outstretched. I have to do this. I have to do this. I have to do this.

Merele’s still studying her nails! I have a chance, I have a-

Whoosh

As soon as I swung down, Merele disappeared.

“Behind you,” she said lazily.

“Arrg!!!”

I turned around and swung my leg at her, but she was gone again.

“Tsk, tsk, Ian. You have to be must faster then that before I stop playing with you.”

I looked upwards, and there was Merele, sitting in the tree.

“STOP TOYING WITH ME!”

Her lips curls into a smile...a twisted one.

“You asked for it.”

She reached into her sleeve, she was wearing one of those kimono-things, except this looked Chinese.

“You cannot hold me responsible for what I do after I take this out, Ian.”

“I won’t.”

“I expect you to hold to your word then,” she said, and then all I could see was red.

-

Author's Notes: DUN DUN DUN!!! Okay, this sucks. Gomen nasai -"