“We can’t all be workaholics,” Summer confesses.
“Like I’d ever take a page of anything from him.”
“Oh, look, they’re agreeing.”
“Well, actually, the startup to your last technique was similar to one of my own that I’ve been working on. I think they carry the same principles.”
“Tch. What are you trying to say, Cross?”
“He’s trying to say that you’ve been spying on him and stealing his techniques. Your goons at it again?”
“Summ—no that’s not what I’m saying!” I say as I frantically wave my hands in front of me. “I’m just saying that our powers are kind of similar so some of our techniques share the same traits. Can’t we all just calm down and watch the match?”
“Whatever... This whole conversation is a waste of time.” I sigh with a breath of relief, thankful that he dropped it. It’s like Tristen and Summer can’t be within five feet of each other without wanting to rip each other’s heads off. I mean, I get it. He’s a jerk, but now isn’t the time...or the place. We’re not here to fight each other. We’re supposed to be fighting them.
“Students, are you ready?” They both nod in unison, the air around them ripe with tension. “The match will begin once the buzzer sounds,” Mr. Hoover announces from the intercom.
As the timer ticks down, Clarissa and Nolan stare each other down. She subtly flexes her fingers and Nolan sinks into his battle stance. If I know anything about Clarissa, she’s already doing the mental math to determine which power her opponent has. Each of our suits are customized to fit our powers. There’s a standardization across the board, but each one has little nuances to better facilitate our differences.
The buzzer finally sounds, and they immediately begin their battle.
Clarissa rushes in, refraining from using her powers while Nolan does the same. Nolan throws the first punch, and Clarissa slips it with ease. He throws another, and she dodges just out of his reach and tries to grab his arm. Nolan torques his body in response with superhuman precision and fires a devastating sidekick from a nearly impossible, bizarre angle. Clarissa blocks the blow and stumbles back, while Nolan continues his offensive. He twists his body in a full rotation, using the momentum from his kick to shoot himself forward with a flying knee. Clarissa parries it, but before she can follow up, Nolan retreats by doing a mesmerizing series of back handsprings and other flips to safety, landing gracefully with his center of gravity lowered towards the earth.
“He’s fast...I’m not sure if she can keep up with someone like that,” Kaci says. “She’s been working on her speed, and she’s a quick thinker, but this guy clearly outpaces her. He definitely has enhanced strength and agility at a minimum.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that vibe too,” Summer comments. “Even the way he moves is sharp.”
“It’s because he’s like a cat,” Kaci remarks, her gaze still set on the stage and Clarissa’s battle. “That has to be his ability. He shares the same traits as felines. Flexible, strong, fast... Agile. She might as well be going against a jaguar.”
“Yeah...that makes sense. But if we’ve figured it out, that means that Clarissa already knows,” Summer replies. “So, that means she’s already thought of a way out of this.”
Summer’s right. Knowing Clarissa, she probably has thought of a way to win, but having a plan and executing it are two different things. Clarissa is at a huge disadvantage here, and it’s clear to see.
When it comes to conditioning, she’s always been a little bit behind because her combat style is primarily mid to long-range. She’s nimble and athletic, but fighting up-close brings a certain intensity that I can tell she’s not quite used to. I know Summer’s been working with her ever since they paired up, but this would be hard for anyone to manage. No one in our class moves like him, so this is probably her first encounter with this type of ability.
“Come on, Rissa, you can do it!” Summer bellows as the fight continues.
Clarissa bridges her hands in front of her and releases her reinforced, emerald threads in quick succession, alternating the pattern of her fingers in the process. A set of claws appear from the tips of Nolan’s gloves, and he gracefully swipes through them as they come while simultaneously rushing to close the distance that Clarissa had put between them. He takes another swipe at her, barely connecting, but his razor-sharp talons are enough for her to yelp in pain. Clarissa extends her hand and her fibers weave around Nolan’s arm, capitalizing on his failed attack. Once they’re entwined around him, she yanks him forward to rupture his balance. The strength of her wires almost causes him to faceplant, but he recovers by doing a forward handspring, bracing his fall with the help of Clarissa’s added momentum. From there, he grips her neck between his legs, and Clarissa holds them for support. He then whips her to the ground and ends up on top of her in one fluid motion, his hand raised with exposed claws as if he’s ready to take her life. “Looks like you lost this one. It was a good match, but I got you beat. Give up.”
“You’re right...it was a good match, so I’ll extend the same opportunity to you.”
“What are you talking about?” Clarissa torques her wrist, and Nolan yelps as his hand retracts away from Clarissa’s head.
“Try as hard as you can to move, but it won’t do you any good. It’s hopeless. I’ve won.”
“H-How? When?” he asks while he struggles against his restraints. Clarissa feeds her energy into her threads, making them expand and glow with a jade hue, revealing the layout of her wires. She twists her wrist again, and he falls to the side, completely at her mercy... His legs are bent at a ninety-degree angle from the knees and each one is bound by a network of strings connecting to their corresponding leg. From there, the wires loop around his torso and thighs in an intricate web.
“It’s quite simple, really.” She pumps more energy into her threads, and Nolan groans. “And I’m not going to give you time to escape, so don’t try anything. I’ve been thinking this through since the buzzer rang.” She adds her other hand into the equation, using more of her fibers to hinder his movement. “I led you on...read your movements from the start...and used your cockiness against you. It all started when I flexed my fingers at the start of the match—I had you looking at one hand the whole time. I kept my attack pattern simple, and undersold my ability.”
“Wow, she got him,” I muse. “That makes two for us.”
“Hmm...I wouldn’t be so sure,” Summer suggests. “It isn’t over yet. She’s taken a lot of damage, and magnifying the strength of her threads takes a lot of her energy... Not to mention, she’s been trying to keep up with this Nolan guy the whole time, which has for sure taken a toll on her stamina... I think she’s bluffing. While it’s true that Clarissa has a lot of energy at her disposal, look at how much she’s using for this, and think about why? This is the best she could manage against him. If he breaks free, it’s over for her.”
I look on at the battleground in a new light, every pulse of energy running through her wires representing her dwindling spirit. He’s resisting her, and he’s strong. It’s only a matter of time before she’s too drained to keep him contained.
“...I made the first use of my powers against you obvious so you couldn’t see what I was planning. I also knew there was a high chance that your vision would also be enhanced. Those in the feline family are known for having sharper vison than humans in certain context, so there was the possibility that you’d see my threads. To counteract that, I mixed them...the bright ones...the ones you saw when I first attacked you, with thinner, fine ones. The ones you could actually see were a direct threat—if you didn’t use your claws, they would restrain you, but if that failed, I was sneaking in bursts of my lower-grade threads to lay the framework for what you’re trapped in now, as well as test to see if you’d notice.”
“I-I won’t lose to y—ah!” Clarissa slowly brings in her fingers, almost bringing them into a complete fist.
“The more you fight it, th
e tighter they’ll constrict. If I wanted to, I’m pretty sure I could break your arm, even for someone as flexible as you. In a way, you set yourself up for this predicament. When you wrapped your legs around me, it gave me the perfect opportunity to weave my threads around you without you noticing. If you thought you had the advantage, you shouldn’t have showboated like that other guy. I would have lost if you were more aggressive,” she confesses. “You had me beat, offensively, but you were too afraid... Actually, no. You never had a chance. Call the match, Mr. Hoover. It’s over...or do you want me to throw him out of the ring, instead?” Clarissa brings her fingers in once more, and Nolan yelps. When she fought with Summer against Tristen and Kaci, she was able to use her threads to pick up Kaci and sling her while she was in a sphere of ice. For her to not be able to do that now really must mean that she’s nearing the limit that her body will allow while already fatigued. She just has to hold the ruse a little bit longer. “Give up.” Clarissa flexes her fingers, and Nolan writhes on the ground, desperate to break free.
“I...I won’t.”
“Fine, have it your way.” The glow of Clarissa’s threads magnifies, and she positions her hands adjacent to her head, as if winding up to throw.
“That’s the match! Clarissa is the winner.” Clarissa dissipates her threads, removes the cowl to her suit and blows the air out from her lungs.
“Man, that was an awesome match! You almost had me out there!” Clarissa smiles.
“Geez, it’s like night and day,” I say from the stands while shaking my head.
“Is she offering him a...handshake?” Kaci asks.
“That’s our Rissa! Always a ball of hellfire and sunshine. Go, Rissa!” Summer calls out.
“I had them cowering in fear, and now she’s shaking hands.” Tristen plants his face into his palm. “What is she going to do next? Bake him a cake?”
“Well, she might.” Kaci shrugs. “It’s Clarissa we’re talking about. Remember all the treats she sent to Aiden way back?”
“Ha. Yeah,” Summer answers in Tristen’s place. “She made so many sweets for Aiden that I had to pass them around to the infirmary staff while he was sleeping.”
“You make it sound like I’m a kid...”
“Whew, I’m so glad that’s over with,” Clarissa says once she finally makes it back to the bench from her fight. Her suit has noticeable slashes along the surface, and parts of the more breathable fabric are frayed.
“You did good out there, girlie!”
“Thanks. I hope he’s doing all right though. He left after Mr. Hoover healed him, just like that other guy, Dirk.”
“That’s because they keep on losing,” Tristen retorts. “I’d probably do the same if I was whooped by an underclassman.”
“Well, I wasn’t going to throw the match...” She frowns.
“Hey, if it makes you feel any better, your suit’s wrecked, and you look like you could sleep for a week, so I don’t think he did too bad.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, Summer. He was tough—I was just the better thinker.”
She’s always the better thinker...
“The way you gave that speech in the end was like you were a final boss or something.”
“Ha. It wasn’t that serious. I was trying to make him give up or have Mr. Hoover call the match. I didn’t really have anything left in the tank, as crazy as it sounds... He was strong. It took everything I had to not look like he could toss me around if I wasn’t careful.”
“Did you have enough juice to throw him out the ring?” Summer asks.
“No, but I was going to try. I’m glad Mr. Hoover called it when he did. If he didn’t, my next best option was to try to break an arm or something. I know Mr. Hoover can heal things like that super quick, but that would have been too cruel for something like this. I would have tried to make it as painless as possible, but—”
“You honestly should have,” Tristen cuts in. “It would have saved you the agony of pushing yourself too hard. The match would have ended, and you wouldn’t look as crummy as you do now.”
“True, but a win’s a win,” she responds with a smile. “and I’m happy with the way things turned out. Plus, doing something like that would leave him worse off than he is now. We’re always getting banged up in training and stuff, and I didn’t want to add insult to injury. He was already helpless, you know?”
“Maybe, but it would have given him something to remember next time he thinks about slacking off.”
“So, you wanted me to give him PTSD? That’s more up your alley.”
“Hmph, If that’s the case, then you’re not too far behind.”
“Am I really that bad, guys?”
“No...not entirely,” Kaci speaks up for the group. “You can be scary though. That’s for sure, but we all have our moments. This is a tough course.”
“Meh. I think it’s dope that you have a good heart but play no games when it comes to fighting. Nothing scary about that.” Summer shrugs. “That’s what it’s all about, right?”
“Thanks, Summer.”
“Okay, students. The next match will begin, shortly. Can Kaci and Marcella please report to the stage? Kaci and Marcella, please report to the center of the stage. Thank you.”
“Hmm... Looks like it’s my turn, now. Let’s get this over with.” Kaci stands up from the bench and makes her way to the stairs, calm and collected.
“Don’t get nervous and forget everything I taught you,” Tristen says as she leaves.
“Don’t worry. I won’t.”
Chapter 17
“Mr. Hoover designed these matches to be as fair as possible, right? I wonder what this chick can do...against Kaci of all people? She can move things with her mind,” Summer says.
“I don’t know, but check out the customization on her cowl. It’s not much, but it’s different around her mouth and ears,” I reply. “I bet it has something to do with that.”
“If she turns into a dragon or something, I’m gonna flip.” The buzzer sounds, and the two girls immediately put distance between each other. “That cat guy was nerve-wracking enough. At this rate I won’t have a chance to go up against anything cool.”
“Do you ever take anything serious?” Tristen scowls. “She should play to her advantage and overwhelm her from the start,” Tristen says. “If she puts herself far enough ahead of her opponent, it doesn’t matter what ability the other person has.”
“You of all people should know that her powers have limits,” Clarissa chimes in. “She’s telekinetic, but she’s not all powerful. Making a barrier is different than pushing someone a dozen yards. It’s just like how you may be able to lift a hundred pounds, but throwing it is a different matter, entirely. That’s why, up until recently, she’d been focusing on defense. Using her powers offensively takes a different set of skills. It’s a whole other ballgame.”
“Yeah, but it’s one that she has to master in order to be effective. We’re combat focused, right?” Tristen scoffs. “After Von went ballistic, she realized that. Defense alone can’t win battles.”
“But it can certainly save lives.”
Kaci rushes in and cuts her hand in front of her, causing Marcella to trip over an invisible force that sweeps under her legs. Marcella recovers by doing a cartwheel, and lets out a scream at the top of her lungs. Kaci extends both of her hands in front of her, but stammers back from the force behind Marcella’s scream. Even with us sitting dozens of feet away, it’s still loud enough to make us flinch. Well, all of us except for Tristen.
“Soundwaves...” Clarissa murmurs through her exhaustion. “That’s a tough one. They both can’t see each other’s attacks, but Kaci still has the advantage. Her ability should be more flexible.”
“That’s assuming that sound’s all that Marcella brings to the table,” Tristen replies. “Powers aren’t everything.” Marcella screams again, and Kaci’s barrier appears to hold. “Brainpower and physical attributes come into play too. For example, that gir
l’s scream was weaker because she was on the move. She needs her oxygen to produce a sound with her vocal cords. It’s a weakness I’m sure she’s tried to address, but it’s an obvious one that she won’t ever be able to get past, just like Kaci’s.”
“Yeah... In order for Kaci’s powers to work, she has to concentrate. That’s probably really hard for her with what she’s up against. That sound she’s producing is brutal.”
“Well, it comes with the territory. Either she wins or she loses.”
“Cold,” Summer says to Tristen.
“Only if you don’t think she can do it.”
We all watch on as the fight continues. With both of their powers being invisible, they stick to fighting from a distance, countering each other with their abilities while looking for an opening to end the match. They continue going back and forth, but slowly the fight begins to tilt in Marcella’s favor. I can tell that Kaci’s getting tired, plus the screams are beginning to wear her down. From where we are, they’re as bad as nails running down a chalkboard. I can’t even imagine how intense it is up close.
Kaci blocks another one of Marcella’s screams and then juts her hand forward in retaliation. Marcella falls back from the impact, and Kaci uses it as an opportunity to close the distance between them. She screams again, and Kaci takes a direct hit, launching her across the arena and landing on the edge on the battleground.
“Kaci’s getting weaker,” Tristen comments. “It’s her head, most likely. Look at her movements...they’re not as sharp. She gets headaches when she exerts herself too much, and those shrieks aren’t helping. It’s not only debilitating, but the concussive force behind them is impressive. You saw what it did to her, right? A couple more attacks like that, and she won’t be able to win.”
“Yeah,” Clarissa nods in agreement.
“She has the right idea. Trying to tire out Marcella is the way to go, but I don’t think she accounted for her own stamina as accurately as she should have. They’ve been going at it for too long, and if she wants to win, she needs to do it while she still can... It’d be a lot easier for her if she could get in closer, but Marcella’s keeping her away.”
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