Hate Fight

"Are we really going to keep doing this?" (Yaku)

Sin walked up to the boxing ring. She climbed over the roped ring. She walked up to the chained up Tom.

He stared at her, his face moving back and forth, his mouth-watering, trying to speak through the gag.

Sin released him from his cuffs and chains. He fell forward, his body exhausted from trying to break free. He slowly turned to Yaku and Vlad, their staring faces, unknowing of the future ahead.

"You two..." (Tom)

"What? Is this about Jack? About Toby? Are you still mad?" (Yaku)

Tom turned to the soft, solemn look of Sin. Her blank eyes emotionless, lifeless, soulless.

"I... I want to apologize. And I want to set things straight. No more killing. No more hate. I am simply a messenger of Sin, and I will uphold her honor..." (Tom)

"What are you getting at?" (Yaku)

Yaku already had a feeling of what Tom was going to say next, but he still had to hear it from him.

"I want to fight you, Yaku... I want to settle my hatred and anger by vetting in a fight. A one v one, no magic, only fists." (Tom)

"Deal." (Yaku)

---

They jumped in the ring. The audience of four watched in a row. Vlad, Jillian, Micheal, and Sin, all watching from the edge, anticipating a bloody fight.

"The rules are the same in the MMA. Knockout, or tap out. No in-between, no out of bounds, but we should try to stay in bounds." (Tom)

"Yup. Got it down. I've watched a bit of MMA in my time in the US. I know my way around a fight. No need to go easy on me." (Yaku)

"Good, cause I wasn't gonna go easy on you in the first place." (Tom)

They stood six feet apart from each other. Their heads leading in, fists to their sides, bare-knuckled and ready to be ripped apart.

Tom: Little does this guy know, but I've trained in four different martial arts. And his fighting style, it's that of an amatuer. He doesn't have the right footing, and he's wide open on his right side. I could quickly go in for a swing there, but that would be too easy. I gotta give it a good show or else his friend over there might be thinking that I lured him into this just to beat his ass... Though I did... But that's besides the-

Yaku swung, his fist wide across the open air as Tom quickly stepped back, his head ducked. He then quickly stepped in his body under Yaku's extended fist. He went straight for the uppercut.

Tom: Oh I forgot... I can't overdo it.

He quickly switched up his attack, going straight for a punch to the chest.

Smack!

Yaku got pushed back a bit, his through scratchy and rough, he felt his heartbeat, shake, his legs turn.

Yaku: That punch... He could have gone for my chin and end it right there, but he didn't? What is this guy's goal...? I'll just have to keep pretending to be bad, then hopefully he'll let his guard down.

Yaku regained his strength and stepped back into battle. His fists were more bent than before, his back was more relaxed, his feet were more spread apart, widened to accompany his new stance.

Tom: What is this guy's deal? Is he starting to copy me? Is he trying to play me? Or is he literally learning on the spot? Anyway, it doesn't matter if he's copying me or not, his legs are wide open now.

Tom slowly inched closer as Yaku inched back.

Yaku: Just a little closer...

He was against the ropes. His back facing Vlad. He started to lean on its springiness. Tom inched closer. Waiting for Yaku to swing, to attack, but he didn't...

Tom: Why won't this guy attack? He's obviously trying to bate me, but he's also up against the ropes. Ahhh... Fuck it! I'm so mad right now I just wanna punch this guy. I'm going for it.

Tom went for it.

Yaku: Idiot.

Yaku jumped up as Tom swiped for the legs. He bounced against the rope, propelling him forward, his knee in the air, he slammed Tom right in the nose.

Slam!

Right into the mat. Blood everywhere.

It was an instant knockout.

---

"Hi, Jack..." (Toby)

Jack was alone in the hospital room. Emma and Chil had already headed back to the gymnasium as Toby walked in, his hands in his black-uniformed pockets, his red flower pin shining in the open windowed sunlight.

He sat down in a chair next to Jack's bed.

"I have a question?" (Toby)

"Yeah... What's the question?" (Jack)

Toby leaned in close.

"Are you dating Emma?" (Toby)

Jack leaned back stunned.

"You..." (Jack)

He immediately got the wrong idea.

"You're after Emma! You like her... Well, yes I am dating her so she's off-limit-" (Jack)

Toby quickly pulled out his phone.

"No-no-no. Wrong idea bud." (Toby)

He held out his phone, showing a picture of his beautiful girlfriend.

"This is my girlfriend. I'm not telling you her name, but she is my girlfriend." (Toby)

"Why are you telling me this?" (Jack)

Toby leaned closer. His elbows on the bed, his hands holding up his head, his glasses. He turned a soft serious sad tone.

"I want to warn you, Jack. I wanted to explain this to Yaku as well, but he already seemed capable of comprehending it, but you... As your new Captain, I want to go over something, something that not many can grasp or understand." (Toby)

Jack listened.

"In the Magic Force there will come a time when everyone will die and you will survive. it doesn't matter how or when, but it will happen. And you will lose Emma or your friends." (Toby)

"Toby, what are you saying?" (Jack)

"I'm saying the facts. Emma is another Sorcerer, and in this line of business, she will die. It is inevitable. You might not have seen a lot of personal death yet, but it will happen. It will..." (Toby)

Jack couldn't comprehend what Toby was saying. He couldn't fathom a world where Emma was dead, where his friends were dead. But then again... The memories kept flashing. His friends. His mother. Sofia...

"I! I..." (Jack)

He couldn't understand it. His lost memories. He could remember them, but then couldn't. Like a forgotten dream. Only able to be seen in the moment.

Toby looked at Jack's odd expressions, his curled-up eyebrows, and wrinkles.

"Are you remembering something? I heard from Diana, Colt, and Vlad. You have lost memories am I correct?" (Toby)

"Yes..." (Jack)

"And it has to do with Frankenstein right?" (Toby)

"Yes..." (Jack)

They sat quietly for a while. The silence increasing until Jack couldn't take it anymore.

"Toby!" (Jack)

"Yahaa." (Toby)

"How come you were lecturing me on having a girlfriend when you have a girlfriend?" (Jack)

Toby smirked.

"Well, you see... She doesn't work in the Magic Force and... We'll it's not like I'm gonna die anytime soon, since... Oh yeah, I haven't revealed my magic yet... Oh well... I guess nows a good time... I'm immortal." (Toby)