Estrea's Sandbox [6/4 - Treat]

[ringo-hime]

cool fighting scenes...

a traitor..i wonder why..

[takagakifan]

i think this has something to do with risa because wht else would eri wanna kill her
the description of ai and the abscense if emotion in her eyes  was scarry
 

loved it though please contunie 

[Estrea]

Thanks for reading, here's the next part! Haha.

========================================

The Reason We Fight

"I could have beaten her." Reina insisted stubbornly, nursing her sore ego in the corner of the med bay. She had been forcibly dragged there by an irate Eri, who had finally managed to break down her door after some effort and had found Reina sitting by the steps of the closed arena, staring blankly at the ground. A thorough check up at the med bay had revealed no injuries, not even a scratch. As usual, Ai had been nothing if not professional; she had only gone for the rose, her sole target, and left the rest of Reina intact.

Except Reina's bruised pride, but that wasn't something conventional first aid could treat, and injury to that was rather inevitable in the first place. Reina scowled again, glaring poisonously at her sword, which lay carelessly discarded against the far wall. Had Ai been there, Reina would probably have gotten another tongue-lashing about how she was treating her weapon.

Respect your sword! Reina snorted. Her ill discipline and her deliberate disrespect for her weapon was in a way, a kind of subtle rebellion against the example their former leader had set. Ai had insisted on high standards, but Reina figured that now that she was gone, betrayed them for the other side, she had no reason to follow the rules she set. It was a little petty, but Reina was like that sometimes.

"No you wouldn't have, neither of us can." Eri growled back, also in a foul mood. Normally, the happy-go-lucky turtle was far more even-tempered, but recent events had served to taint her carefree aura. Now she was moody and on a short fuse, although far better when compared to Reina, who never had a fuse to begin with. That girl exploded on contact, and sometimes even without.

Eri sat by a bed, cradling the hand of her best friend who lay comatose there. Eri's face was tired, as if the anger that was there only moments ago had dissipated, leaving only wearied lines on the shadowy planes of her face. She was tired of fighting, of being angry, but yet she couldn't just let things go. She couldn't. Not with Sayu still unconscious like this, Gaki-san nowhere to be found...and Reina too angry to function normally.

"I just don't understand why Ai-chan is doing this. Why would she go over to the other side?"

It was a question that had plagued Eri, and indeed, the rest of their group. Reina, for her part, scowled harder from her corner.

"She's sold her soul to that devil in the Tower for power, that's why!" Reina's voice was thick with disgust, yet Eri could sense the underlying hurt in her good friend's tone. It had hit Reina very hard, Ai's apparent desertion. Gaki-san had been devastated as well, Eri knew, and with good reason. But where Risa had sought to understand Ai's motives, Reina had rejected their former comrade, too upset to want to know why, turning dark, vengeful. Eri had been in agreement with Risa, wanting to know why Ai did what she did, but her confidence in Ai had been shaken ever since Risa vanished after entering the Arena to meet Ai in battle.

It was never supposed to become like this. Even though odd things had been happening, awful, unexplainable things, there had still been some glimmer of hope that they'd beat this thing. But ever since Ai suddenly left in the middle of the night to investigate the strange tower that had appeared in the forests on the east side of the academy, things had flown apart.

The mysterious challenges for duels had been drawing off isolated members of the academy, usually the moderately talented to the outright mediocre, never the more outstanding members of each fighting discipline. It was as if whoever was initiating these encounters was deliberately eliminating the unworthy, testing the waters, seeing if any would respond and rise to the challenge.

There had been several who did, strong ones, like Reina and Eri. And of course, Ai had been one. They had attempted to enter the Tower, only to receive the rose signet for their efforts, the key to the Arena that was the final bastion before being granted entry into the Tower. Fighting the shades had been a terrifying experience, Eri recalled, since there had been so many, and the shadows had sapped at her strength, but she had overcome her fear and mastered them. The signet ring on her hand flashed, gleaming in response to her thoughts. Yes, this had been her reward, but also her curse, her burden to bear.

Meanwhile, more people had been attacked and defeated, knocked into a state of unconsciousness that was not quite a coma, yet those people just didn't wake up. It was as if they were merely sleeping and dreaming, just without end. Eri gritted her teeth, squeezing Sayu's hand. The bunny had been one of these. It was because of her that Eri had challenged the shades to begin with, since she felt for the first time the acute need to stop more people being hurt by whatever malevolent force that had descended upon their once peaceful academy.

"Bah I don't care. Gonna head to the training room now." Reina stood up suddenly, storming over to the wall and grabbing her sword. Eri guessed that the badass girl was about to take out her fury on several innocent training dummies, and possibly even more innocent living dummies who would be stupid enough to appear in the training room when Reina was in a foul mood. Eri made a mental note to let the word out to the rest of the students to avoid the training hall for the time being. No point in sacrificing them to Reina's wrath.

Eri gripped Sayumi's hand more firmly, her jaw set in a firm line. No more wavering, no more weaknesses. For Gaki-san, for Sayu, Eri would be strong.

And for Reina's sake too. Eri patted Sayu's hand comfortingly, drawing strength from that still, immobile hand, her own resolve tightening as she stood, gently placing Sayu's hand back on the bed.

Then she turned, shoulders set, ring flashing as she collected her rapier by the door, eyes narrowing dangerously as she looked out of one of the many wide windows in the corridor.

The Tower stood like a blemish against their pristine landscape, and Kamei Eri had every intention of erasing it from their lands.

Ai-chan...I don't understand why you've betrayed our trust...but I can't let you do this anymore.

With that, another warrior set out to offer herself as one more soul onto the altar of sacrifice.

==================================

The plot thickens. Heh. There's more to come!

[ringo-hime]

wow!
cool.
explained alot,
kinda...
Aichan..
i cnt wait..
now Kamei is going to battle..cool!
i wish nothing bad happens to Kamei..
where the hell is Gaki-san?!!!!!
and SAYU..OMG..

ganbare~

[strawb3rrykream]

I really like this story! So Ai-chan betrayed the rest of them for this tower thing..... So did she put Sayu in the coma? This takes so much thinking! But keep it up!

[JFC]

Duelist's Pride

When I saw the title, I first thought it was going to be an off-shoot chapter for AA involving Risa. 

"I've come to challenge you, Ai-chan." An equally quiet voice, almost subdued, yet those eyes simmered with anger and hurt of betrayal. An identical rose signet adorned her left hand, and those small hands grasped a shortsword, the weapon perfectly balanced even though the grip was excessively tight, knuckles white with suppressed fury.

"I can see that." Ai made no move to draw her own katana, leaving it sheathed by her side, although she spread her hands before her, watching with cold disapproval her challenger. "Always one to let your emotions rule you, Reina." Her voice was cool, calculating.

Edo-jidai? The girls are ninjas or something? 

"Why are you here? I expected Eri to come before you." Ai sounded almost friendly, but her voice was hollow, and her eyes revealed nothing, not even compassion or even subtle interest. It was as if someone had removed her soul and left a marionette in its place.

Aichan's become stone-cold? No longer caring for the people around her?

"She would have, but I locked her in her room and came first." Reina glared at Ai

Sounds like something Reina would do.

"I came first because she would have wanted to kill you, and I can't have that."

Holy shit, what did Aichan do?

Ai continued to look at her with that damnably impassive gaze, as if she were some insect that she had some vague interest in, at least, not enough for her to squash. Reina ground her teeth together, setting her shoulders into a more offensive stance, but still not attacking. Reina knew full well that a foolhardy rush would cost her dearly, and had to curb her temper significantly for this.

"Strange that you would wish to preserve my life. We were never really close before, were we?" Ai reflected emptily, still unmoving, although her body was supple and relaxed, ready for instantaneous motion. Reina shifted her feet, watching carefully, hidden anxiety that there was some kind of trick to this, but seeing none.

Sounds like Aichan's the "master", while Reina's the "apprentice"?

"Eri can have what's left, after I defeat you." Her breathing grew ragged as she fought to keep from lunging at the calm woman standing before her. "I will not stand in your shadow anymore...TRAITOR!"

Traitor???

Unable to hold back her anger anymore, Reina quickly closed the distance between them, her shortsword flickering out like a flash of lightning, aiming straight for the exposed, unprotected neck...that was suddenly not there. Recovering quickly, Reina turned her forward motion into a sweeping back slash, the blade's movement fluid. It would have struck where Ai was standing, had the older not sidestepped again quickly, the tip coming dangerously close to her nose.

"You've improved." Ai noted, her hands still empty as she dodged yet another thrust. "But you're still flailing around too much." Another swing narrowly missed her shoulder. "You use too much force, it leaves you open to counters when I dodge."

I'm guessing that Reina's movements are too, well..."large". In a swordfight, this is a no-no because, as Aichan said, it leaves you open to attack on the backend of your swings/strikes. You want efficient strikes, with minimal wasted/unwanted motion to be considered adept at handling a sword.

"You aren't even aiming properly for the target." As she said that, she tapped at the red rose tucked in the front chest pocket of her outer coat.

For a sec I read that as "the red NOSE tucked in her front chest pocket".

"Fuck the rules, you aren't even fighting back!" Reina spat, thrumming with righteous fury and indignation that the other was treating her like a child. Her own blue rose was tucked securely in her coat pocket

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, I see. The different coloured roses symbolize the 2 different/opposing sides of the conflict. Aichan's rose is now a different colour than Reina's, which shows that she's switched sides.  No wonder Reina's pissed.

Her feet were moving before she knew it, some deep instinct telling her that this was the time to strike. Moving faster than she had ever recalled moving, Reina found herself suddenly right next to Ai, the wind whistling in her ears at the force of her passage, and the damn woman still hadn't moved! Her sword came up even as she stepped around with a finesse her instructor would have approved of, even as the wind around her stilled ominously and abruptly, as if it had been cut off. In a wink of an eye, her own blade was held level at Ai 's neck, caressing the skin in a deadly embrace, but not deep enough to draw blood...yet.

Reina couldn't recall the last time they had been in such intimate, deadly proximity. Probably back when they still trained as a team, back when Ai was still her beloved, respected senpai, and not, not what she was now. Even back then, Ai had never hurt her, never hurt anyone, except possibly their ego as she disarmed them and showed them what they were doing wrong.

Damn, it must have hurt the others a LOT to make Reina (and Eri, even though she's not here ATM) react this strongly.

Reina stared uncomprehendingly for a moment, frozen by the petals dancing around her, before slowly looking down. The blue rose was no longer in her pocket.

"Rule of the Duels, once a Duelist's rose has been taken, the Duel ends with victory going to the Duelist with the intact rose." Ai recited mechanically with a dull satisfaction. "Where were you aiming, Reina?" Ai's own blood red rose rested in perfect condition against her chest.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...Aichan never drew/needed to draw her sword because it was never her intention to actually attack Reina, instead she used Reina's own attacks against her, and waited for the right opportunity when Reina's rose would be exposed enough that she could take it from her. That was slick.

Ai did not even deign to look back, even as she vanished into the portal doorway that was the right of the champion Duelist. The doorway that had captured her.

...

Raising her head, Reina howled as the wind picked up around her, sending the remnants of battle far into the grounds below.

Don't know why, but reading this part (especially the last sentence) automatically made me picture the story in a setting like "The Pit" from the Mortal Kombat video games.

The Reason We Fight

"I could have beaten her." Reina insisted stubbornly, nursing her sore ego in the corner of the med bay. She had been forcibly dragged there by an irate Eri, who had finally managed to break down her door after some effort and had found Reina sitting by the steps of the closed arena, staring blankly at the ground. A thorough check up at the med bay had revealed no injuries, not even a scratch.

And THIS makes me think that the story is set in some post-apocalyptic future or that they were duelling in a holodeck like on Star Trek.

Had Ai been there, Reina would probably have gotten another tongue-lashing about how she was treating her weapon.

Respect your sword! Reina snorted. Her ill discipline and her deliberate disrespect for her weapon was in a way, a kind of subtle rebellion against the example their former leader had set. Ai had insisted on high standards, but Reina figured that now that she was gone, betrayed them for the other side, she had no reason to follow the rules she set. It was a little petty, but Reina was like that sometimes.

Even if she has betrayed them and joined the enemy, Aichan's words are still true.  A warrior's weapon is his/her life. If you don't respect it, you won't ever be able to use it to it's absolute full potential.  You'll be fighting against it, while at the same time fighting your opponent.

"I just don't understand why Ai-chan is doing this. Why would she go over to the other side?"

It was a question that had plagued Eri, and indeed, the rest of their group. Reina, for her part, scowled harder from her corner.

"She's sold her soul to that devil in the Tower for power, that's why!" Reina's voice was thick with disgust, yet Eri could sense the underlying hurt in her good friend's tone. It had hit Reina very hard, Ai's apparent desertion.

Wow, now all of a sudden I'm thinking Star Wars, and that Aichan has gone "to the Dark Side". 

Question is then...who is it that's in this Tower that Reina mentions, and just how did he/she get connected to Aichan?

Gaki-san had been devastated as well, Eri knew, and with good reason. But where Risa had sought to understand Ai's motives, Reina had rejected their former comrade, too upset to want to know why, turning dark, vengeful. Eri had been in agreement with Risa, wanting to know why Ai did what she did, but her confidence in Ai had been shaken ever since Risa vanished after entering the Arena to meet Ai in battle.

Risa?!??!? 

It was never supposed to become like this. Even though odd things had been happening, awful, unexplainable things, there had still been some glimmer of hope that they'd beat this thing. But ever since Ai suddenly left in the middle of the night to investigate the strange tower that had appeared in the forests on the east side of the academy, things had flown apart.

So Aichan's betrayal came rather suddenly then? One day she sets out to investigate this Tower, and the next she's joined the other side?

There's more to this than we're currently aware of.

Meanwhile, more people had been attacked and defeated, knocked into a state of unconsciousness that was not quite a coma, yet those people just didn't wake up. It was as if they were merely sleeping and dreaming, just without end. Eri gritted her teeth, squeezing Sayu's hand. The bunny had been one of these. It was because of her that Eri had challenged the shades to begin with, since she felt for the first time the acute need to stop more people being hurt by whatever malevolent force that had descended upon their once peaceful academy.

Oh crap, Sayu...

Eri gripped Sayumi's hand more firmly, her jaw set in a firm line. No more wavering, no more weaknesses. For Gaki-san, for Sayu, Eri would be strong.

And for Reina's sake too. Eri patted Sayu's hand comfortingly, drawing strength from that still, immobile hand, her own resolve tightening as she stood, gently placing Sayu's hand back on the bed.

Then she turned, shoulders set, ring flashing as she collected her rapier by the door, eyes narrowing dangerously as she looked out of one of the many wide windows in the corridor.

So like, what's with the flashing ring? Is it a source of power for the wearers? Or is it being used as a sort of summons, telling the one who wears it that they're being challenged?

The Tower stood like a blemish against their pristine landscape, and Kamei Eri had every intention of erasing it from their lands.

Ai-chan...I don't understand why you've betrayed our trust...but I can't let you do this anymore.

With that, another warrior set out to offer herself as one more soul onto the altar of sacrifice.

Be careful Eri...

The plot thickens. Heh. There's more to come!

You should just make a new thread for this one then. From what you've given us so far it looks like it's gonna be epic.


...


Not as epic as AA has been, mind you (BTW, anytime you want to continue on with AA, please feel free to do so ), but still pretty epic in it's own right.

[Estrea]

What am I doing, I'm not even done packing for the trip! Oh well. Part 3!

@JFC: I only planned 4 parts for this cycle. Dunno if I should turn this into a full fledged story. If more people really wanted it, I might, but eh. We'll see.

==================================

Will to Battle

Crack. A sharp, precise hit to the wooden practice dummy, the clack of wood on wood echoing throughout the empty training hall. The practice area had cleared almost immediately before the current user had even stepped in, the previous occupants knowing well enough what that thundercloud expression on one Tanaka Reina's face boded for anyone foolish enough to stay behind.

That said, Reina was currently almost inhumanely focused on her training exercises, her breathing deep and controlled, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead and soaking her carelessly tied back hair. She ignored the rivulets of sweat making their way down the sides of her face, the only thing reflected in her eyes being her practice sword and the training dummy that was rather badly worn down by her repeated attacks.

Crack. Another lightning fast strike, heavy yet controlled, swift and precise. It was an accomplishment she should have been proud of.

But she wasn't. She couldn't be proud of something like that, because it simply wasn't enough.

Not fast enough. Reina clenched her teeth tightly together, adjusting her sweaty grip on the hilt, her feet shifting to a more comfortable pose. Her arms ached from the constant swinging of the sword, her heavy-hitting style and drive to perfect it fast taking a toll on her strength. Reina had considerable stamina, but to launch so soon into such an exhaustive exercise after her defeat against Ai earlier...

NO! Reina thought savagely, her corresponding strike heavier, but clumsier at the same time. She shattered the wooden sword, the blade cracking and splintering. She stared uncomprehendingly at it for a moment, before shaking her head impotently to clear it, lowering the broken blade as she did so.

Ch. She discarded the useless sword at the stack she had rapidly accumulated. An angry Reina had a tendency to go through whole racks of practice equipment at a disturbingly rapid rate. If the fees of the academy hadn't been so high as to offset all of these additional costs, Reina would probably have to pay a lot extra to replace everything she broke whenever she got ticked off. Then again, Reina already had to pay "supplementary" fees every semester as it was. The girl figured that if she were paying extra, she might as well make sure she got her money's worth.

Striding over to the weapons rack, she allowed herself a moment to wipe the sweat from her face with her sleeve. She should have used a towel but she had neglected bring one along, but at the moment, she had more things to worry about than something so trivial. That done, she reached out with one hand to select one of the practice swords, but froze as a memory struck her.

"Reina, you broke another sword?" Ai's voice was disapproving, although her eyes lit with amusement. A much younger-looking Reina, possibly 2 or 3 years younger than her current self, scowled defensively as she replied.

"All these toys don't hold up to my strength." Reina scoffed, reaching out for another weapon off the rack. A hand grabbed her wrist, halting her movement.

"Strength isn't everything, Reina. You need to learn control." Ai eyed her speculatively, before half-turning and grabbing a steel blade, handing it hilt-first to the astonished young yankii.

"Get used to that sword, you'll be sparring with me. 10 minutes, Reina." Ai let go of Reina's wrist, walking off to her circle of friends. Reina looked down at the polished steel shortsword that she held, feeling its perfectly balanced weight in her hands.

"Shit..." Reina muttered, her outstretched hand clenching into a fist. Her other hand had also balled into a fist, trembling with suppressed energy. There were too many things in this place reminding her of that...that...traitor. She hated it. Hated her.

"Fuck!" Reina stumbled forward, unable to halt her own momentum as she struck empty air. Someone grabbed the back of her collar and hauled her upright before she hit the floor face-first.

"Don't be so hard on the kouhais, Ai-chan." Risa laughed, letting go of Reina after making sure that the yankii was fine. Ai smiled, shaking her head.

"I think you're too soft on them, Gaki-san. Our own senpais were tough on us too, remember?" To Reina, Ai took on a more serious tone.

"Don't ever think that your opponent is restricted to parrying, Reina. If you commit too much into a strike, you'll be left a lot more exposed if they dodge." Then her features rearranged into a more gentle expression.

"Are you ready for another round?"

"Damn it." Reina brushed at her face angrily, sitting down with her back to a wall, hugging her knees to herself. She hated remembering. Hated knowing how much things had changed. And it didn't help that the room was empty...too empty.

She remembered when there had been so many of them, laughing, training, sparring and joking with each other, more like a family than anything else. Mistakes were made, laughed over, and corrected. Senpais paired off with kouhais to train and spar, learning from each other, strengthening their bonds. Eating together, changing together, training together...

Yet so many of them were gone. Some lost to the duels, trapped in that dreamless sleep, some leaving the academy entirely. And then there was that ultimate betrayal, in Reina's eyes.

Ai. Always practicing. Always pushing herself to the limits. She trained like a demon possessed, compensating for her lacking physical strength with technical skill. Reina might have had the upper hand when it came to raw power, but Ai always beat her with skill, her ironically yet fittingly named 'gentle sword' style countering Reina's all-out offensive movements. Reina had always wanted to beat her, just once, just to prove her own worth.

And so it was a horrific thing to find out that Ai had entered the Tower on her own...and had come out entirely different. The random challenges on weaker members of their club stopped, and those with the duelist rings were summoned to fight, to challenge the champion duelist...Ai. The winner would get a reward, one wish, anything that chose, no matter what it was.

But no one had gotten past Ai yet. She stood like a silent sentinel at the gates of the Tower, presiding over the Arena and meeting the Duelists as they came against her, defeating them and disappearing back into the Tower until the next challenger came. Reina had concluded that Ai wanted the power of the Tower for herself, although Risa had never agreed, saying that Ai must have had her reasons for doing so.

Niigaki Risa, you fool... Reina thought bitterly. Risa had gone alone to the Arena, wanting to speak with Ai, find out what was going on, and maybe bring her back. That soft, sentimental, well-meaning idiot. Risa had never come back from the Arena. Not even when Eri went to the grounds, seeking her favorite senpai and good friend, without result. She hadn't even seen Ai when she went to the Arena, the place silent and deserted. All except for splatters of blood...and Risa's discarded blade next to it.

Eri had gotten really angry then, cradling Risa's weapon, tears in her eyes and swearing to take revenge. Reina had been shocked to the core too. She had not expected that Ai would have gone as far as to injure Risa. Those two had been close, even inseparable. Reina had always had suspicions about just how close they were, but was thus far inconclusive.

Still, it was inexcusable. Unforgivable. Reina had had to lock Eri into her own room to prevent her turtle friend from rushing straight to the Arena and demanding to fight Ai. In her frenzied state, Eri would have been no match for Ai. Of course, Reina hadn't heeded her own advice, seeking her former senpai out herself in her own angered state.

Ai...how could you... Reina trembled, remembering the soulless stare Ai had given her, like she was some worthless insect not worth her attention. Where had those kind eyes gone? Reina had so desperately wanted to smash that facade, break that fake puppet that was masquerading as Ai, tear that mask off and find the real Ai, her senpai that she respected so very much...even if she did spend most of her time thinking of how to defeat her even before the betrayal.

She had let her emotions overtake her earlier. Reina closed her eyes, angry at herself, at Ai, at the whole situation. It was all going to madness, and Reina suddenly felt very tired, very alone. She wanted to close her eyes and wish it all away, or just fall asleep and never wake up...

What was she thinking?! Reina suddenly raised her head, furious with herself for that moment of weakness. How could she even think of giving up like that? She couldn't let those who had fallen down like this. And if nothing else, her pride would not allow it.

I'll defeat you, Ai...somehow, someday, somewhere. Reina reached out, finding her own shortsword, pulling it slightly out its sheath, staring into the gleaming blade.

With this sword you have given me, I will... A liquid drop splattered on the shiny surface, distorting her reflection in it, and Reina blinked, shocked by her own...tears?

Gritting her teeth, she shoved the blade back into her sheath, biting her lip and lowering her head, trying to hold back the angry, helpless sobs threatening to spill out from her. All the sadness, masked previously by her anger, was threatening to engulf her all at once, but she resisted, stubbornly and futilely, even as tears rolled down her cheeks silently, making a puddle on the ground as her fists clenched against the floor.

"What are you doing, Reina? Stop sulking over there and join us!"

Her voice, ringing in Reina's head. Too real, almost as if it were occurring right there and then. But it rang true, even if it was merely an echo from her memory. Reina stared into the little puddle of her tears, seeing her own face, all desperate and angry and wounded.

I won't stay like this. Reina promised herself. I'll get stronger, and bring you back.

Straightening up, Reina picked up her sword and stood, fresh resolve evident on her face. She would not give in, she could not.

I am Tanaka Reina, and I'm strong! Reina smirked at her own youthful pronouncement, years ago. Well, she would just have to live up to that, wouldn't she?

Just you wait, I'll make you proud of me one day.

============================================

And that was Reina's take. One more part and I'll be done.

[strawb3rrykream]

Wow, angry Reina is not to be messed with. I feel bad for her, hearing Ai's voice constantly pointing out her flaws. And Ai hurt Risa?  I hope Ai like cut herself or something to make it look like she hurt her but she really just took Risa back with her.
Only 4 parts? That's ok, but do we get to find out anything about why Ai betrayed them?

[Estrea]

^Well I can't answer the speculations yet, but there are some things I can confirm.

1) Reason for Aichan's betrayal will be revealed
2) Risa's fate will also be revealed
3) Also, something big will happen
4) Prepare for heartbreaking scene

Unfortunately, since I'm flying to Taiwan tomorrow morning, I won't be able to finish part 4 in time. MM concert, here I come! Haha. Sorry for the delay, but it will be worth the wait. I'll probably like, write it on a notebook or something, and type it out when I get back. Plus I might get inspired to write something about the concert, so look forward to that too. ^_^

Be back next week.

[takagakifan]

  Nooo! whats going on Ai did something to Risa... possibly i hope not its takagaki ai wouldn't hurt Risa would she geuss i have to what till you get back MM concert lucky

[strawb3rrykream]

NEXT WEEK!?!?!  Oh well, it's a great story so I can wait that long. OOOO, you're going to the Taiwan concert? LUCKY!!!!  One of my dreams in life is to see Momusu in concert. (Preferably before 5 and 6 gen leave) Have fun and I wanna hear about it!! 

[Liv]

Yay! New chapters! and a nice, new, mysterious plot 
Calm, cool Ai is a sexy Ai    Reina's yankee power can't keep up! More training

I really like this evil(?) Ai. I don't think I've seen this kind of portrayal before. There must be a big reason behind why she's a "traitor"..hm.... can't wait! [Ahhh....what happened to Sayu  wake up!]

Have fun at the concert!

[JFC]

What am I doing, I'm not even done packing for the trip! Oh well. Part 3!

Trip? 

@JFC: I only planned 4 parts for this cycle. Dunno if I should turn this into a full fledged story. If more people really wanted it, I might, but eh. We'll see.

Oh, okay. Nevermind then. 

Crack. Another lightning fast strike, heavy yet controlled, swift and precise. It was an accomplishment she should have been proud of.

But she wasn't. She couldn't be proud of something like that, because it simply wasn't enough.

Not fast enough. Reina clenched her teeth tightly together, adjusting her sweaty grip on the hilt, her feet shifting to a more comfortable pose. Her arms ached from the constant swinging of the sword, her heavy-hitting style and drive to perfect it fast taking a toll on her strength.

To try and achieve speed with, as is described here, a "heavy-hitting style", is going to be tremendously difficult to say the least. Each of the two are almost counter-productive to the other.  One needs time to build/gather the strength for heavy, powerful moves, and conversely they usually sacrifice it for improved speed and agility.  It's difficult to achieve a balance between the two, which is something that Reina will definitely need if she's to have any chance of beating Aichan.

"Don't ever think that your opponent is restricted to parrying, Reina. If you commit too much into a strike, you'll be left a lot more exposed if they dodge."

Aichan's definitely correct here. One mustn't assume that he/she knows what an opponent will do. Do think that way will limit your own thought process, and thus handicap you in the fight. You have to be ready for anything and everything.

Ai. Always practicing. Always pushing herself to the limits. She trained like a demon possessed, compensating for her lacking physical strength with technical skill. Reina might have had the upper hand when it came to raw power, but Ai always beat her with skill, her ironically yet fittingly named 'gentle sword' style countering Reina's all-out offensive movements. Reina had always wanted to beat her, just once, just to prove her own worth.

It's usually true that being the most physically strong does NOT guarantee victory.  Skill, speed and finesse can manipulate power and use it against itself. 

Reina probably wouldn't admit it, but it's pretty obvious that she really looked up to Aichan and wanted to be as good and as proficient of a fighter as her. If she didn't she wouldn't be so hurt over what's happened.

And so it was a horrific thing to find out that Ai had entered the Tower on her own...and had come out entirely different.

Aichan must not have told anyone that she was going there.  The question then is...did she go there because she saw that the others were losing, and she decided to switch sides thinking that it would make her a better fighter? Or did something unexpected happen that changed her while she was there? 

[bgcolor=#000000]What if the being within the tower saw just how strong Aichan was, and is now somehow possessing her?!?!? O_O[/bgcolor]

The random challenges on weaker members of their club stopped, and those with the duelist rings were summoned to fight, to challenge the champion duelist...Ai. The winner would get a reward, one wish, anything that chose, no matter what it was.

A wish? For anything they want?

...

Shit, now we've got some type of sorcery involved, which only strengthens the above hypothesis which I made and which I've coloured for spoilers.

Risa had gone alone to the Arena, wanting to speak with Ai, find out what was going on, and maybe bring her back. That soft, sentimental, well-meaning idiot. Risa had never come back from the Arena. Not even when Eri went to the grounds, seeking her favorite senpai and good friend, without result. She hadn't even seen Ai when she went to the Arena, the place silent and deserted. All except for splatters of blood...and Risa's discarded blade next to it.

RISA NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Gritting her teeth, she shoved the blade back into her sheath, biting her lip and lowering her head, trying to hold back the angry, helpless sobs threatening to spill out from her. All the sadness, masked previously by her anger, was threatening to engulf her all at once, but she resisted, stubbornly and futilely, even as tears rolled down her cheeks silently, making a puddle on the ground as her fists clenched against the floor.

"What are you doing, Reina? Stop sulking over there and join us!"

Her voice, ringing in Reina's head. Too real, almost as if it were occurring right there and then. But it rang true, even if it was merely an echo from her memory. Reina stared into the little puddle of her tears, seeing her own face, all desperate and angry and wounded.

I won't stay like this. Reina promised herself. I'll get stronger, and bring you back.

Here it sounds like Reina might also be thinking the same crazy, blacked-out hypothesis that I came up with. It just seems unfathomable that Aichan would so easily, and willingly turn her back on all that she knew and cared about.

And that was Reina's take. One more part and I'll be done.

Damn, something tells me it's going to be one hell of a doozy. 

4) Prepare for heartbreaking scene

Is that in a good way or a bad way?

Unfortunately, since I'm flying to Taiwan tomorrow morning, I won't be able to finish part 4 in time. MM concert, here I come!

Three-part response to this:

a) Taiwan?

b) Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. 

c) OMGASS HAVE FUN!!! TAKE PICTURES AND PHONE VIDS IF YOU CAN, THEN POST THEM HERE! 

[Sukoshi]

1) Reason for Aichan's betrayal will be revealed
2) Risa's fate will also be revealed
3) Also, something big will happen
4) Prepare for heartbreaking scene

Now that I see that you are back from Taiwan...at least I think you are...time for me to commento!  OH! but you MUST tell us how Taiwan went...somewhere!  I'm dying to know...there's so little comments about it

I'm gonna take some random guesses (I know I'm probably so off but )

1) I think Ai chan betrayed them for the greater good!  I think she has faith in say Reina beating her in the end and asking for things to return to normal...maybe Ai chan tried defeating the tower but she couldn't quite pull it off so she made a deal with them to stop the random challenges in order to protect the weak
2) As for Risa...I can't see Ai chan hurting her, instead I think it's the reverse.  I think Ai chan couldn't bare to hurt Risa despite everything but Risa accidently hurt Ai chan, not seriously though...but Risa finds out what's really going on and entered the tower to stay with Ai chan...hence no ones seen her after that.

as for 3 and 4 

I can't wait to see how this ends...I'm sure it's going epic ! =D

[Estrea]

Sorry it took so long, I ran into a slump. Anyway, after a long delay, here is part 4 of the saga!

=========================

Devil's Deal

Ai was kneeling, her hands hanging limply by her sides, head bowed in apparent supplication to the living flame dancing on the altar before her. Shadows danced around her form, eerie and flickering, like little ghostly sprites at play. Ai's breathing was subdued, even labored, and sweat beaded her forehead, her short hair clinging mattedly against her skull.

The flame on the altar grew, rising high to illuminate even the shadows of the vaulted ceiling, glowing brilliantly white-hot for an instant, and Ai gasped, her breath hitching as she was thrown forward, hunching over as she wheezed painfully. Her limbs felt weak and rubbery, and her head spun. She felt utterly drained, emptied of all energy, thought and even emotion. Her eyes lidded heavily, her consciousness swimming in and out of focus.

Fist clenching as she dragged it across cold stone, supporting the rest of her body as she pushed herself up, panting hard. Her eyes remained empty, but something flickered inside those dark orbs, the beginnings of a return to conscious thought.

"I feel..." Her lips were dry, her voice hoarse. A tongue flicked out to wet her lips lightly. "...violated."

You are. A soundless, sourceless voice reverbrated across the chamber, resonating deep within the recesses of her mind. Ai chuckled, choked, and coughed scratchily, settling back into a kneeling position, her hands on her lap.

"How very candid of you." Ai sounded uncharacteristically sardonic, staring stoically at the carvings on the altar as she regained herself, her eyes burning with a fierce pride and passion that had been absent during her fights outside. She had no need to hide anything in here, not to a being that had delved so deeply into her soul.

We have no need for lies. A pause. Unlike you humans.

Ai sighed. "I suppose not." Then she looked up, directly into the bright light where the spirit communicating to her was gathered. "How ironic though. That demons would have more cause to be honest."

A measured pause, as if the spirit were gathering its thoughts. We are who we are. There is no need for obscurities. That is something humans lack that we do not. Then, in an almost reminiscing tone, it continued. Demon, you say? You humans are so inconsistent. Once, we were gods to your kind, and now you would call us demons. A soundless chuckle. How amusing.

Ai shrugged. "Well, I still don't really know your exact species, except that you're definitely not human." She smiled grimly. "You may be powerful, but you are no god. The only thing I could come up with was demon, so live with it."

A long silence followed, as if the spirit was considering her words. Ai showed no fear, even though her soul trembled with trepidation. A lesser person would have wilted under the powerful presence emanating from that inhuman spirit burning atop the altar, but Ai had adapted to it by sheer force of will. Her teeth ground together, and she bowed her head again, waiting.

You are an interesting human. The voice echoed at last. There was a note of curiosity edging its words. You are afraid, as is fitting for one in your situation. Yet your fear does not grip you, nor do you give in to despair. The voice appeared to be struggling to find the correct description. You are...resigned.

"Would you have it any other way?" A rhetorical question if there was one. Ai sighed again, once again looking straight at the burning spirit. "I know the rules and what is at stake, and I have accepted the deal." Ai gritted her teeth, eyes flashing with hidden pain. "I refuse to regret it."

The resonant voice sounded almost sympathetic, rather than dispassionate as before. You bear a heavy burden, human. You have our respect for this, if nothing else. An awkward pause. You humans baffle us sometimes. Some are strong, yet still others are weak and cowardly. The voice mused. There are those who are reckless, and those who waver. Physically weak, humans, but so fascinating nevertheless.

Ai raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to compliment me or insulting my entire species?" She paused for a moment. "Or both at the same time." She sighed. "What does it matter? It will soon be all over anyway."

Yes. The time for the ceremony is almost at hand. The spirit flickered around on the altar, as if excited by the idea, although its voice remained dispassionate. You have been the perfect specimen. Strong, intelligent, an excellent warrior. Even better, a virgin, which is rare in this day and age. Perfect for our purposes.

A hint of curiosity rising in her, Ai couldn't help but ask. "If I hadn't been one, would you have repelled me as you had the rest?"

That is unlikely. Firmly. There may have been many strong ones in this place, but few with pure hearts. Among those, how many would have listened to what we have had to say?

Ai nodded, understanding. "They...would not have listened." She agreed reluctantly, then smirked ironically to herself. "Me and my curiosity, I guess. I just had to ask." She shook her head in quiet amusement. "And the contract has to be made willingly, that was what you said."

A contract has to be willingly made, yes. A strange reluctance. However, we could have forcibly chosen you as our vessel had the need been great enough...

Ai stared disbelievingly at the spirit, then snorted. "So much for not lying. What else have you failed to tell me about, oh mighty ones?" She shook her head. "But well, I made the contract of my own free will anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter even if you didn't tell me then, huh?"

However, a contract freely made is far stronger than any bind we could have made on you, against your will. The energy we harvest is...purer, this way. The voice hesitated a moment. We must credit your suggestion in this endeavor. Your idea has made for a very successful carnival. The ceremony will be a success due to your efforts.

"It wasn't too difficult." Ai shrugged modestly. "If human faith is strong enough to create gods, it speaks of the strength of human emotions." She smiled sadly. "In the end, it had to be me, after all." She looked at her hands, continuing to explain her own logic in that passive tone. "To get what was needed in that time frame specified...we needed an amplifier, a focus."

And you are the Vessel. There is no better way. The voice agreed. Though it has caused you no small amount of pain in doing this. We regret your loss.

Ai actually laughed, hollowly though. "No you don't." Then more strongly, she added. "What would you know of emotions, when you are not human?" She shook her head again, more firmly. "No, you do not understand what I have lost."

Perhaps not. The voice acceded smoothly. And yet, you still cling on to past loyalties. What of the girl you brought into the Tower?

Ai winced, flinching back slightly. "I...I could not just leave her in the arena." Then, accusingly, she added. "She should not have fainted after her rose was taken. Why has she not woken up yet?" Her face was defiant, fists clenched as she stared straight into the center of the flame.

That is simple, human. Too much energy was drawn from her in that instant. A contemplative pause. That human must have felt very strongly about you to provoke such a reaction. That burst was...unexpected.

Ai smiled mirthlessly. "Of course...of course...despite everything, she still believed..." An expression of pain contorted her face, and she clutched at her shoulder, the pain from where Risa had stabbed her flaring up again. She had provoked the girl, deliberately, she would freely admit now, knowing that she had a duty to perform. Gaki-san had been crying as they fought, and Ai admitted to herself that she had deliberately toyed with the other then, prolonging the fight for no good reason.

And then as an unspoken apology, she had walked right onto Risa's sword before taking her rose. The look of shock on Risa's face...so, even then, Risa had felt so much for her. Ai felt tears pricking at her eyes, but refused to let them fall. She had not wished to hurt any of her friends, least of all her Gaki-san. But it had to be done.

You have done well, human. More than we have expected. Again the voice hesitated, as if unsure what to say. We will remember you.

"Thanks, I guess." Ai started to get up, brushing herself off as she straightened. "One last question, before the ceremony on the new moon tomorrow night."

We will hear it.

"How long will this last? Before the next ceremony, I mean." Ai asked, folding her arms.

A long, calculating pause. That depends on how much we harvest, but usually, at least five hundred years as you humans reckon time. Given your generous contribution this time, perhaps a little longer than average.

"Good." She meant it. It meant that no one would have to suffer her fate for a good long time. It was worth it then, her sacrifice. "I trust that you will uphold your end of the deal, then."

We will keep faith, human, Vessel. Have we not stopped our attacks on the weaker warriors by your request? We are as much bound to the terms of the contract as you are.

"Then I shall take my leave. The next challenger is coming, I sense it." Ai bowed deeply, one hand over her heart.

"I will not shirk from the path I chose freely, if that was what concerned you before." Ai added, about to turn and leave. "I do not break my promises."

The voice that interrupted her was not that of the spirit.

"Ai-chan? You...you chose this?" A weak voice, wavering like a leaf on the wind. Ai whipped around, pain shooting up her shoulder at the sudden movement.

"Risa..." She whispered, one hand reaching out towards her friend, who was leaning, pale and weak, against the columned doorway of the chamber. "You...heard?"

Risa had a mixture of expressions on her face. Hurt, betrayal, disappointment, anger...Ai flinched back, her hand withdrawing towards her own body.

"I didn't believe that you would have turned on us, you know." Risa started. "Not even when I was fighting you. I knew you had a good reason...you had to have one. You never did anything without having a reason for it." She stared at Ai, who could not bring herself to meet her best friend's eyes. "I trusted you, Ai-chan. I believed in you. I tried to come up with excuses for you. That you were being threatened. That you were forced to do it. That it wasn't really you who wanted this."

Ai wanted to retort, wanted to explain, wanted to run forward and hug her Gaki-san, tell her everything, cry out to her...but her oath made her stay her tongue, her eyes burning with things unsaid, which was why she kept them directed at the floor. She could feel the weight of her promise bearing down on her, threatening to crush all life out of her should she even breathe a single word at the moment. She could feel the spirits watching her, feel the overwhelming presence lurking behind her...

So she kept silent, holding her pain in, holding everything in. She had made the deal. She had known what was at stake. She knew what she was doing. It had to be done.

And if not her, who else would she send onto the altar of sacrifice? How could she send anyone where she herself would not go? No, it had to be done, and it had to be her.

Risa continued, her eyes filling with tears. "But you said...you said...you chose this path. Freely." The tears started to fall, unbidden. "How could you, Ai-chan? How could you walk away from us like this? How could you do this to me, to us?" Risa clenched her fists, biting her lip.

"I can't look at you anymore, Ai-chan. I...I just...can't..." Risa was obviously struggling with her emotions now, and Ai suppressed the urge to go over and hug the other girl. She knew what could be coming next, but it still hit her like a ton of bricks when it came.

SLAP

"I...I...I hate you, Ai-chan! I HATE YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME!" Risa yelled, stared at Ai for a long, tear-filled moment, then turned and ran blindly from the place. Ai stood there, head flung to the side where Risa had slapped her, her entire body rigid.

Are you...alright? Ai wanted to laugh at the question. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She did none of those.

"Take it." Her voice was inhumanely controlled. "I know you felt that. Take it. Take it all." Emotionless, empty.

"Oh, and let her go." Her voice was bitter. "I don't suppose I need to fight the next challenger too, do I? We have enough already, do we not?"

Indeed. You should rest. The voice almost sounded concerned. Ai straightened up, touching her cheek gently.

"I know you can take it. Take away this pain." Ai intoned lowly, her voice cracking ever so slightly. "There is power in it, is there not?"

Yes. Demons could not lie. If that is your wish, we can.

"Take it then. TAKE IT!" Ai burst out, eyes flashing with pain and anger. Then as swiftly as it had come, it vanished, and she calmed down again.

"After all, what else have you not taken already?" She intoned humorlessly, already beginning to walk out.

"I will return for the ceremony, when it is time. Do not worry, I will not break the contract."

She left. The spirits continued burning on the altar, waiting, preparing.

Time until the New Moon - 24:32:59

=====================

Ok, so actually there should be another part to it, but I decided to split it. It felt right to end here, so I did. So there's another bit, the finale.

Hope this answered some questions though.

[poets]

Daaayyummmm that was such a gooooooooood part! Demon thingy = win!!! Ai screaming for it to take the pain away gave chills, i really got into it.  And good idea at ending it there.

[strawb3rrykream]

I have chills now, even though it's 81 degrees! That was scary. The demon thing was a good addition. Not really what I had expected at all. But then again, I didn't expect that Ai-chan would have willingly accepted whatever contract was binding her. I totally thought like Gaki-san, that something was preventing her from coming back and that she had no choice. Poor Gaki-san. When Ai was telling the demon to take away the pain, I could picture it. Can't wait to hear the rest!

[JFC]

Ai was kneeling, her hands hanging limply by her sides, head bowed in apparent supplication to the living flame dancing on the altar before her. Shadows danced around her form, eerie and flickering, like little ghostly sprites at play. Ai's breathing was subdued, even labored, and sweat beaded her forehead, her short hair clinging mattedly against her skull.

Ohsnap, was I actually correct in that guess that I made and then blacked out for spoilers?

Ai gasped, her breath hitching as she was thrown forward, hunching over as she wheezed painfully. Her limbs felt weak and rubbery, and her head spun. She felt utterly drained, emptied of all energy, thought and even emotion. Her eyes lidded heavily, her consciousness swimming in and out of focus.

Call me crazy, but this is a totally different image than the one that we've been getting previously. Before Aichan was portrayed as being absolutely dominant. Here, she's just...so tired.

"How ironic though. That demons would have more cause to be honest."

HOLY FRAK I CALLED IT!!!

"I know the rules and what is at stake, and I have accepted the deal." Ai gritted her teeth, eyes flashing with hidden pain. "I refuse to regret it."

Deal? What deal? Waht made Aichan agree to this???

"It wasn't too difficult." Ai shrugged modestly. "If human faith is strong enough to create gods, it speaks of the strength of human emotions." She smiled sadly. "In the end, it had to be me, after all." She looked at her hands, continuing to explain her own logic in that passive tone. "To get what was needed in that time frame specified...we needed an amplifier, a focus."

So Aichan knew that she would probably have to face her former kouhai like this?

And yet, you still cling on to past loyalties. What of the girl you brought into the Tower?

Ai winced, flinching back slightly. "I...I could not just leave her in the arena." Then, accusingly, she added. "She should not have fainted after her rose was taken. Why has she not woken up yet?" Her face was defiant, fists clenched as she stared straight into the center of the flame.

Omgass, Risa's alive?!?!? 

"One last question, before the ceremony on the new moon tomorrow night."

We will hear it.

"How long will this last? Before the next ceremony, I mean." Ai asked, folding her arms.

A long, calculating pause. That depends on how much we harvest, but usually, at least five hundred years as you humans reckon time. Given your generous contribution this time, perhaps a little longer than average.

"Good." She meant it. It meant that no one would have to suffer her fate for a good long time. It was worth it then, her sacrifice.

A-ha, I think I see now.  The purpose of the duels is basically to act as "feeding time" for whatever these beings are, isn't it? For some reason they select a human as their fighter, who then goes and gets into these duels which, during the process, gathers the energy needed by these beings to survive. They then must go away somewhere, leaving humanity alone until they need to feed again.
 

"Then I shall take my leave. The next challenger is coming, I sense it." Ai bowed deeply, one hand over her heart.

"I will not shirk from the path I chose freely, if that was what concerned you before." Ai added, about to turn and leave. "I do not break my promises."

The voice that interrupted her was not that of the spirit.

"Ai-chan? You...you chose this?" A weak voice, wavering like a leaf on the wind. Ai whipped around, pain shooting up her shoulder at the sudden movement.

"Risa..." She whispered, one hand reaching out towards her friend, who was leaning, pale and weak, against the columned doorway of the chamber. "You...heard?"

Oh shit.

Ai wanted to retort, wanted to explain, wanted to run forward and hug her Gaki-san, tell her everything, cry out to her...but her oath made her stay her tongue, her eyes burning with things unsaid, which was why she kept them directed at the floor. She could feel the weight of her promise bearing down on her, threatening to crush all life out of her should she even breathe a single word at the moment. She could feel the spirits watching her, feel the overwhelming presence lurking behind her...

The beings must realize that if humanity knew teh true nature and purpose of these duels, they'd no longer participate/do their bidding.

she kept silent, holding her pain in, holding everything in. She had made the deal. She had known what was at stake. She knew what she was doing. It had to be done.

And if not her, who else would she send onto the altar of sacrifice? How could she send anyone where she herself would not go? No, it had to be done, and it had to be her.

Oh fuck, don't tell me that the end of this whole mess invovles Aichan having to give up her own life to pass on the energy she has gathered to these beings?

"I can't look at you anymore, Ai-chan. I...I just...can't..." Risa was obviously struggling with her emotions now, and Ai suppressed the urge to go over and hug the other girl. She knew what could be coming next, but it still hit her like a ton of bricks when it came.

SLAP

"I...I...I hate you, Ai-chan! I HATE YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME!" Risa yelled, stared at Ai for a long, tear-filled moment, then turned and ran blindly from the place. Ai stood there, head flung to the side where Risa had slapped her, her entire body rigid.

Still though, can't exactly blame Risa for feeling this way.

"I know you can take it. Take away this pain." Ai intoned lowly, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

Aichan just wants it to be over, doesn't she? She just wants to end things the way they are, if for no other reason than to make sure that she doesn't get made/forced to fight her friends.

[stefy]

DAMNIT I got tricked!

Anyways, what were the demons gonna do if Ai didn't sacrifice herself? And I'm guessing by the time the rest knows what Ai really did.. it'll be too late huh?
-tries to imagine Reina in a pony tail-
..... can't get the image into my mind.

hehe, your fic is THAT hard to read (this time round) XDD
I hope it wouldn't be a long wait for the next chapter!!

[lil_hamz]

^ Me too! I was like, where did you end it there?!?!??! It isn't even ended yet~~~!!! I know the answer to that but I ain't telling It's sad just thinking about it though *sniff*

TakaGaki....*sigh*

Anyway, I love Reina here. Her character is awesome and the bits where she shows her vulnerable side? Perfect. Eri was hmmmm, how do you say this? Kinda attractive in a way? How she's always by Sayumi's side and an obvious loyal friend to Gaki. Ai-chan written by you can't be anything but the best. You are great in portraying her every single time. And Risa....well what can I say. I adore her. In this fic too. I just wish she wouldn't leave Ai at this juncture. She's gonna regret it. Oops, did I just say too much?