Story: Midnight Flight (chapter 6)

Authors: AnsticeVolk

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Chapter 6

Title: Competition Pt 1

[Author's notes: A.N. Oh yeah…new chapter…heh, it has been a while…sorry.  Um, did ya know that by feeding hens certain dyes they can be made to lay eggs with multi-colored yolksYeah!!  Also if Wal-Mart was classified as a country, it would be the 24th most productive country in the world.  I would live in Wal-Mart…yeah I would…okay now that I enlightened you with some facts you may not have knew…onward!
]

The best policy is to declare victory and leave.
-         George Aiken

 

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            “Okay just fill out the personal information at the top and stuff.  Then flip to the next page and read the liability note and sign it at the bottom.”

            Rikku looked up at the woman, “Liability?”

            “Yes ma’am, if something were to happen to you, by signing that it says you agree not to sue and that you are fighting in this competition at your own risk.”

            Rikku made a face and grabbed the papers to sit down to fill them out.  Paine sat beside her on the bench and wrote in the answers for the registration papers.  “Hey Dr. P…what did you put down for weight,” Rikku asked, leaning over to sneak a peek.

            Paine leaned away from the blonde and scoffed, “Mind your own business, Rikku.”

            “Oh come on!  Please Paine!  I’ll show you mine.”

            “I don’t want to know yours.  Now get back on your side.”

            Rikku was laid across Paine, reaching for the clipboard with the papers on it.  Paine was fending the girl off until a familiar voice made Rikku jump off of her.  At the registration counter were Tidus and Yuna getting their papers. ((Now who saw THAT coming?))  Tidus was complaining about having to fill everything out as Yuna just held onto his arm and tried to quiet him down.  She whispered something into his ear and he shut up almost instantly.  Rikku looked worriedly towards Paine who just nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and continued filling out her form.  Ah, man…this is just disasterrific.  I can’t believe they are here!  I never believed Yunie would want to fight in this competition…not to mention Tidus agreeing to it too.  Okay Rikku…pull it together.  You are Paine are just friends who wanted to compete in a competition to win some Gil and Moogle Coins.  Mmm Moogle Coins…OH…right…just friends.  Okay…calm down.

            Rikku exhaled and sat down next to the warrior who was done filling out the form.  Continuing where she left off she noticed her hand shaking.  Mentally telling herself to calm down again, she finished filling the info out and signed the liability note.  Paine and Rikku stood up and walked to the counter to turn in the papers.  “Okay then ladies, now just walk over to that green box over there, reach in and grab a number, then tell the man sitting next to it your number and he will write down the bracket you’re in.  Good luck!”

            Paine let Rikku pick the number and the piece of paper came out with the number five on it.  Handing it to the man, he took it and smiled sloppily towards the Al Bhed as an eyebrow raised.  “Well, that puts you against…Dvacka and Raztidow.  It will be the third battle so better start warming up.  The show starts in about an hour and a half,” said the grey haired man as he was checking out Rikku. 

Paine rolled her eyes as she grabbed Rikku by the hand.  Responding with a dark tone, “Thanks.”

“Wow, that guy was kinda creepy, ya know?”

“I thought he was going to pounce on you for a minute there.”

Rikku leaned up against Paine and placed her hands on the warrior’s hips, “No one will get close, as long as you’re here.”

A tint of pink covered Paine’s cheeks and she let out an exasperated sigh.  Tidus and Yuna were on their way towards the table so Paine quickly removed the thief’s hands from their position and stepped back whilst clearing her throat, nodding towards the couple.  Rikku pouted for a second but remembered she told herself they were just friends.  How it pained the thief to let that statement run through her head.  Just friends…  “Rikku?  Paine?  What’re you two doing here,” Yuna inquired with a perplexed look.

“We a,” Rikku swallowed, “we…we’re here to fight!”

Paine stepped up from behind the thief and stood next to her.  Yuna’s eyes opened really wide, “are-are you two dating?”

Rikku and the warrior looked at each other before Rikku cheerily answered, “Well, Yunie, what do YOU think?”

Unsure of what to say, Yuna just stood with a dumbfounded look on her face.  Tidus’ face was pretty red at this point so he quickly turned Yuna towards the table with the number drawing.  He guided his girlfriend to the table but before he talked to the guy he looked Rikku up and down with an odd grin.  “Perve.”

“Paine?!”

“He just checked you out…not to mention his face got redder than Ifrit’s backside when Yuna asked if we were going out.  That little grin of his obviously isn’t directed toward a non-vulgar way.”

Knowing that Paine was right, Rikku just grinned and nodded.  Turning back to Yuna and Tidus, she winked towards the boy and raised an eyebrow as she grabbed Paine’s hand and moved it around behind her tan back.  Snaking her own hand around Paine’s waist she led them to a dim, secluded place to begin warming up.

 

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            “Alright Ladies and Gents of Spira, today we hold the annual competition of the most vicious of couples!  For the next few hours there will be punches, kicks, badmouthing, and diiiirty fighting!  Now if you kill your opponent you will be disqualified but don’t let that stop you from winning!  Hah hah, just kidding folks, these battles will be refereed and any conduct thinking to be overly dangerous will result in disqualification.  There will be a total of fifteen battles today with thirty-two combatants and only one couple will win the grand prize.  Now, let’s introduce the competitors!  In the first round it will be Ara and Tal going against Cheryth and Dryden!  The second battle will involve Aidan and her lover Nuriel battling for the win against Nixie and Varon!  Rikku and Paine will duke it out against Raztodow and Dvacka for the third exciting battle and Ziv and Svetlana will compete against Harkyn and Melantha for the fourth battle.  Moving on to the frivolous fifth battle, Hania and Tait will fight against Keitoaro and Ceinwen!  Ailith and Raynor team up for the sixth struggle to take on Sage and Vivek!  Our former High Summoner and her beau, Tidus, will battle Atifa and Knud for the seventh battle!  Now last but surely not least, Ekon and Chasina will begin the eighth battle against Commander Lucil and Elma!  The first battle will begin in fifteen minutes!  Will Ara, Tal, Dryden, and Cheryth please come onto the fighting platform and we will begin shortly?”

            The crowd roared in excitement as the four first competitors walked up to the platform.  The stage was as big as a Blitz ball field and on it were a total of five stone, square structures placed strategically around the area.  Ara and Tal stood atop one square stretching out their arms and legs.  On the square directly across from the first couple were Dryden and Cheryth taking slow deep breaths whilst holding hands.  Red paint colored the box Ara and Tal stood on while Blue paint colored the box Dryden and Cheryth were on.

            “Hey Paine…those were a lot of fighters…ya think we can beat them all?”

            Paine turned around and looked Rikku square in the eye with an amused look.  Smirking, Paine whispers to the thief, “Don’t worry about it.  I’m sure if we don’t win then all of those tasty…chocolaty…melt in your mouth, year’s supply of Moogle Coins will find an owner more grateful to them.”

            Rikku’s mouth was agape with drool sliding off her chin.  She shook her head and raised a fist to the air, “Ah hah!  We’ll win this tournament!”

            “The time has arrived people and here is the show you’ve all been waiting for!  On the red box are Tal and Ara!  And on the blue box are Dryden and Cheryth!  To win a battle, both people in one couple must agree to giving up, one of you step out of bounds, serious injury will cause the team to forfeit, both combatants are unable to fight, or if you are overly dangerous, the ref will make the call, you’ll be disqualified!  Any questions?  If not, then let the FIGHT BEGIN!”

            Ara and Tal quickly jumped off their box and walked in an intimidating way towards the blue square.  Dryden and Cheryth stood emotionless, weapons in hand.  Dryden held two long swords in each of his huge fists.  Cheryth detained a rapier in her left hand.  Ara and Tal both held onto their double sided axes with such prestige that they looked as if one with the axes and each other.  Stopping in the middle of the stage, Ara and Tal stood ready for the other couple to move.  Dryden and Cheryth both seemed to look as if in a trace.  Their dark hair blew around their stern faces; they didn’t even blink when it slapped them.  Tal and Ara showed slight panic at the weird behavior shown by the other two fighters. 

            The crowd’s yelling was quieted down now at the lack of action going on between the four people.  Half of the viewers whispered to see what was going on at the moment and the other half hushed them in order to see outcome.

            Ara blinked and furrowed her eyebrows when she heard something she didn’t believe.  Cautiously, she padded her way to the blue box and around it, behind the couple.  Tal just stood, ready to charge if his lover was attacked.  Ara climbed up on the box and leaned her head in between the two.  She smirked and called for the referee.  The man in black and white stripes jogged over to where they stood and climbed the box.  “Yes ma’am?”

            “They…they must be narcoleptic.  See for yourself…they’re sleeping sir.”

            The ref laughed aloud and raised his hand after leaning in.  Speaking into his mike, “Since these two are obviously unable to fight, I declare Ara and Tal the winners!” 

            As if on cue, Dryden and Cheryth blinked their open eyes and raised their weapons to charge down at Tal.  Tal stood ready to beat some ass when the ref yelled into his intercom, “HEY!  YOU TWO ARE OUT!”

            The raven haired couple stopped mid step and looked back in disbelief.  The ref explained everything to them and they threw their weapons to the floor and stomped off, most utterly embarrassed.  “Well, take a look at that folks!  Seems Cheryth and Dryden both suffer from narcolepsy!  What a time for it to kick in!  Heh heh, what a shame!  Ara and Tal move up into the next bracket!  Next up for this tournament are…Aidan and Muriel versus Varon and Nixie!  Come on over you four!”

 

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A.N.  Yay, chapter done!  If any of you are narcoleptic I am NOT making fun of you.  I just felt like doing something off the wall for the first battle.  Also when reading the announcer’s voice…I kinda figured it to be like the guy’s from DBZ who did the Cell games.  Yeah…I feel dorkish for figuring his voice to be like that but…oh well.  Read and review please!

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