Chapter 73 - Promise to a Friend

Thong sat in the medical room, Avi tending to his injuries and placing bandages all over his body. Li and Hugo stood around the corner of Thong's division of the room before Avi stepped back and turned to them.

Avi: Seems he's fine for now. None of his bleeding was too serious, but I'd recommend he takes his time until his next match to fully recover from his bruising and sore muscles.

Li: Thanks, Avi.

Avi: I'm just doing my job.

Avi walked away from the trio, Li and Hugo walking in until they both stood on either side of Thong's bed. Thong stayed silent, his eyes looking distant.

Li: Thong…

Hugo: Hey! What the hell was that out there?! Are you a sadist or something?

Li: C'mon, Hugo. Give him some time. He's recovering.

Thong: No, he's right… I've let this go on for too long… I can't keep control over myself…

Hugo: Too long? The match was only a few minutes, I doubt it's been that long.

Li: Hugo, I think I have a feeling as to what he's referring to. You've heard of multiple personality disorder, right?

Hugo: What? I mean, don't we all have multiple personalities?

Li: Well, here it's more of a psychological thing. My guess is that Thong suffers from it due to a traumatic experience in his past. That's usually the main cause of the disorder, though there have been several cases where it happens for more mundane reasons.

Hugo: If that's true… Are you even the Thong we know?

Hugo and Li stared at Thong, who only looked down at his hands. His eyes came to a close before he finally opened his mouth.

Thong: The person you saw out there wasn't me. I promise you… I wouldn't ever want to hurt Mike like that… He's my friend…

Li: I understand, Thong. But how come you never told us about this before?

Hugo: You said it was a disorder, so maybe he didn't even know he had it?

Li: You think he was too worried about scaring us off?

Hugo: You might be right. Good on you, student number two.

Li: I'm not your student.

As Hugo and Li spoke to one another, a maid entered the infirmary. Avi spoke to her before she came up to Thong's bed, Li and Hugo sharing glances at her.

Hugo: Oi, girly. I know my student is strong as hell, but that doesn't mean you can interrupt his healing time.

Veronica: I understand, but he has been requested by a member of the Imperium.

Li: The Imperium? Was it the King that summoned him?

Veronica: No, not at all. Rather, it was his opponent.

Thong's eyes twitched before he eventually looked up at Veronica, meeting her with a tired gaze. Veronica returned it with a gentle look before Thong took the blanket off of himself.

Hugo: Hey, what are you doing? You should be recovering right now.

Thong: I'm fine. I need to talk to Mike.

Li: Then at least put this on.

Thong looked at Li, who held a new clean mask in his hand. Thong put a hand onto him, seeing that he instinctively put on his bloody one after Avi had checked under it during the inspection. Thong nodded before grabbing the mask from Li's hand, taking off his old one to reveal the scars laid underneath it. He put on the new one, a clean black mask. Thong stood up before following Veronica out of the infirmary, Li and Hugo nodding to one another before following after them.

Thong, Veronica, Li, and Hugo eventually came before another infirmary. However, instead of having the usual staff that stood nearby, it had two soldiers that had embroidered emblems of the Virtus Imperium on their arms. Veronica nodded to them before opening the door to the four. Standing in the room were the other members of the Imperium. Remy, Gonzalez, Angel, Abraham, Daniel, Ziyad, Theodore, Carrie, and Theresa all stood around the one medical bed that laid against the far wall of the room. Veronica walked ahead of the trio, Hugo scratching his chin as Li looked at the people across from them.

Li's thoughts: So these are the Imperium. They're really an imposing force… Though, the queen sure is a sight for sore eyes…

A smile washed over Li's face as Thong walked past the two of them, walking up to the Imperium members before looking directly at the man that laid on the bed. Mike had wires and bandages covering all over his body.

Thong: Mike…

Remy: Oh god, the crazy himself is here!

Daniel: You hurt Mike! Daniel will kill you!

Theresa: Now now, Daniel. Their fight was a personal one. You are not allowed to intervene.

Daniel: .. Okay…

Mike put on a weak smile under his mask before looking at Thong. Thong felt a sharp pain in his chest as he saw Mike's weakened state. Mike was always standing strong and had a presence to him. Yet now, he seemed weak. Far from the man that saved him years ago.

Mike: Good, now that you're all here… I feel like I need to confess something to you all.

Theodore: So that's why you asked for all of us to be present.

Angel: Yeah, you do realize my match is next, right? I better not be late for it.

Carrie: Just shut up, Angel. Let a dying man say his final words.

Daniel: Mike die? No die, Mike!

Mike: I'm not dying, dumbass… I just want to tell you about the mistake I made a few days ago…

Everyone stood around Mike's bed, listening intently as they heard Mike speak. The deal with the Kaisuto Group and the danger he had placed both the Imperium and Thong in. Thong clenched his fists as his head dropped.

Mike: I just… wanted to say I'm sorry. I thought I was strong enough, but I couldn't even beat Thong. A friend I am, right?

Thong: Mike…

Mike: I know…

Thong: You did all that so that my family wouldn't be targeted? Did you plan to take on all that burden yourself?

Mike: This tournament is too dangerous for you to win. You may have beat me, but look at the other fighters around you right now. Winning is… impossible for us…

Theodore: So you relied on the Imperium's backing to support your friend. Your decision was foolish, Michael Taylor. I commend your desire to protect your friend, but making a deal like that is something you must come to me first about.

Mike: I know…

Remy: Hey hey hey. I know we have all this stuff to deal with, but what's up with this guy? He went crazy during the match!

Gonzalez: You referred to yourself as Minh, did you not? What is the reasoning for that?

Li: It's a long story, but don't cut off Mikey. He's telling us something that affects all of us.

Mike: So now unless the Imperium wins, they'll keep targeting you and your family, Thong. Your win here might have some people sponsor you, but they'll do anything they can to isolate you. I'm sorry…

Thong: Mike… It hurts me knowing you did this all for me… So trust me…

Everyone turned to look at Thong, who now had a new burning passion in his gaze as he clenched his fist tight enough that blood began to seep from between his fingers.

Thong: I plan on destroying the Kaisuto Group.

Gonzalez's thoughts: This guy seems to have some potential… It isn't easy to beat Mike. Even Remy had trouble when they had their own match. But if Thong has more to show than he has so far, he might be able to make it to Theodore in the quarterfinals.

Theodore: It seems our situation has been made more difficult by this news. Thong Tran, you may view us as your allies for this tournament. I would feel awful for you and your family if you become a target.

Carrie: Why don't ya just pay off his debts for him, King Terry?

Theresa: We can't go around spending our nation's funding as we wish.

Veronica: Perhaps we should deduct it from your pay if you plan to be that generous, Carrie.

Carrie: How did this backfire on me so quickly?!

Thong felt a fire burn in his heart, Mike staring at his friend weakly.

Mike's thoughts: You're strong, Thong. Trust the King, he'll help you out. He's a man of his word.

Mike closed his eyes, returning to sleep as Thong, Li, and Hugo left the Imperium's infirmary room.