Chapter 20-Noah vs Zippy, Part Two

"Do you remember my speed, Water Charger?" Zippy smirks as he enters his sprinter's stance again, his Charge Stance, and electric-yellow sparks of energy begin to burst and swirl around Zippy's body.

"And do you remember how well I countered it?" I smirk back as I also enter my Charge Stance, seafoam-green sparks of energy swirling and bursting around my body as well.

Zippy sneers at me, then shouts: "Thunder-Charge, Level One: Blitz Speed," and dashing towards me at blinding speeds.

Before I can finish E-Charging myself, Zippy jabs me in the gut with enough force to cause me to double over and spit up a glob of blood.

The strength of Zippy's speed then sends me flying backwards, and crashing into the iron wall behind me.

"Oww…" I groan as my back slides down the wall, "It's only been one day, but I already unadjusted to Zippy's speed…"

I reach up and wipe the blood out of my eyes, and the moment that I do so, Zippy is before me again, and slashes me with a kick from the blades attached to his ankles, causing me to spit up even more blood.

"FIGHT BACK, WATER CHARGER!" Zippy roars as he aims another lightning-fast punch towards my face, but before his attack can connect, I swiftly reach up and palm-thrust Zippy's elbow, changing the trajectory of his punch so that it misses, and causing Zippy to yelp in pain.

Before Zippy can attempt another strike, I reach behind his neck and hook the side of my hand there, using it to drag Zippy into a wrist jab that causes him to stumble backwards.

Zippy enters his Charge Stance, and I pop up to my feet and enter my Charge Stance as well.

"WATER CHARGE, LEVEL-" I begin to shout, but before I can attack Zippy, he dashes forwards at blinding speeds and slashes me with his ankle blades again.

"THUNDER CHARGE, LEVEL TWO: SONIC SLASH!"

Zippy and I enter our Charge Stances again.

"Water Charge, Level One: Bullet Rain!" I shout as I twist my hands through the air and make it rain needle-sharp droplets upon Zippy, but Zippy dodges by dashing to the side.

"Thunder Charge, Level One: Blitz Speed!"

Zippy and I resume our Charge Stances.

"Thunder Charge: Level One: Blitz Speed!" Zippy shouts as she dashed towards me, but before Zippy can strike me, water begins swirling around my hand. I swipe my hand towards Zippy, firing off a blade of water from each finger tip.

"WATER CHARGE, LEVEL TWO: RAPIDS CLAW!"

Before Zippy can attack me, my Rapids Claw slashes Zippy, sending him flying backwards, as blood erupts from his chest.

"No matter how fast you move, when I know which direction you're coming from, I can counter every time!" I smirk.

Zippy growls at me, before entering his Charge Stance.

"THUNDER CHARGE, LEVEL ONE: BLITZ SPEED!" Zippy roars as he dashes towards me.

I smirk at Zippy as I simply step to the side to dodge, and Zippy smashes face-first into the iron wall before him, blood spurting from his nose as he stumbles backwards. Zippy spins around to face me, and enters his Charge Stance.

"Thunder Charge, Level Two: Sonic Slash!" Zippy shouts as he dashes towards me again while swinging a bladed round-house kick towards me, but just as before, I step to the side to dodge, and Zippy's leg collides with the iron wall behind him, then simply bounces up. Zippy stumbles backwards, his entire body ricocheting from the impact.

"So even you can't break through the boss's iron walls?" I smirk.

Zippy spins to face me, and begins growling again, his face turning beat red from anger. Zippy resumes his Charge Stance again, and I flinch backwards, anticipating Zippy dashing towards me. But then, instead of dashing toward me, Zippy tilts his head to the sky and puffs his cheeks out, before swiftly jabbing his head towards me.

"Thunder Charge, Level Three…SCREEEEEEEEEEMM!!!"

Zippy opens his mouth up wide and screams at me at the sound of thunder, sending shockwaves of sound flying towards me.

I cry out in pain as I stumble backwards. I plug up my ears from Zippy's noise, but either way, Zippy's scream penetrates my ears and reverberates throughout my entire body. I feel a warm, sticky substance on my finger tips, and I can tell that my ears are bleeding from the sheer noise of Zippy's scream.

He's trying to shatter my ear drums.

After a moment of screaming, Zippy closes his mouth and drops down to one knee, then begins coughing up blood.

"I try not to use this spell often," Zippy coughs, "Because THIS is what happens."

I don't respond to Zippy.

Well…I don't HEAR Zippy, but I can see his mouth moving.

All I hear is a drowning ringing in my ears as I stumble backwards in a daze.

Zippy then resumes his Charge Stance, and although muffled, I can very faintly hear him shout: "Thunder Charge, Level One: Blitz Speed," and dashes towards me.

I attempt to bring my arms up to block, but I'm too discombobulated too, and so before I can block, Zippy's fist slams into me, sending me flying backwards, but not before Zippy coughs up another glob of blood.

Slowly, I push myself up to my feet, my ears still ringing.

Zippy stares down at me, blood trickling down his chin.

"Tell me, Water Charger, why do you fight?" Zippy calls me.

I don't answer. I just glare at Zippy.

"Don't be shy," Zippy coyly smirks.

"I CAN'T' HEAR, YOU IDIOT," I shout. Of course, since I can't hear anything, I don't know how loud to talk, but judging my Zippy's flinching reaction, I'm probably a bit too loud.

"YOU RUPTURED MY EARDRUMS," I finished.

"Oh, ah…that's right," Zippy replies.

"What did you say?" I sigh, as my hearing returns.

"I'm curious why you fight," Zippy smirks.

I pause for a moment.

"Are you serious?" I ask as I raise an eyebrow at Zippy.

"Hmm?" Zippy asks, "What's wrong?"

In response, I enter my Charge Stance.

"Oh?" Zippy smirks, "Don't what to talk?"

I glare past my readied fists at Zippy.

"What does it matter why I fight?" I growl, "I'll defeat you here either way."

Zippy's eyes widen.

"WATER CHARGE, LEVELTWO: RAPIDS CLAW!" I shout as water begins swirling around my hand.

In response, Zippy enters his Charge Stance and dashes towards me, aiming a bladed roundhouse at me.

"THUNDER CHARGE, LEVEL TWO: SONIC SLASH!"

I curl my fingers and swing my water-engulfed hand towards Zippy, just as Zippy swings his leg towards me, and our two spells collide.

"I thought that was a ranged spell?!" Zippy cries.

My slash of water collides against Zippy's ankle-blades, sending shockwaves of water and thunder flying everywhere from the impact.

"I'M TAKING YOU IN, WATER E-CHARGER!" Zippy roars.

"I WON'T LET YOU HURT MARY ANYMORE!" I roar back.

Our two spells struggle for dominance, taking turns as to who's pushing who back.

And then, with one final battle cry…my spell pushes bast Zippy's at least.

Zippy's eyes widen.

"H-he out-powered me…?!"

"YOUR STRENGTH LIES IN YOUR SPEED!" I roar as I re-enter my Charge Stance. And then, I curl my fingers back again as I slash my hand towards Zippy, my hand swirling with water.

"MY STRENGTH LIES IN MY WILL TO DISCOVER WHO I AM!"

"WATER CHARGE, LEVEL FOUR: TYPHOON!"

I slash my hand towards Zippy, sending the water that was swirling around my hand flying towards Zippy. My water then begins to spiral around Zippy, wrapping him up in a powerful typhoon. Zippy cires out as he's spun 'round and 'round in my typhoon. And then, in one final push, my typhoon slams Zippy into the ground before dissipating, sending waves of water splashing across the ground.

Zippy lets out a small goran as he lies on his back on the ground, in a daze.

I pant heavily as I stare down at Zippy.

But then, as I realize what happened…my eyes widen.

I won.

I won…

"I won…" I softly say.

"I won!" I gasp.

"YEAHHH!!!!!" I boom as I leap into the air and throw my fists into the night sky. I then land back on my feet, and peer down at Zippy.

"TAKE THAT, ZIPPY!" I cackle as I throw a fist towards him.

Zippy doesn't reply.

"Oh yeah?! Too ashamed to speak?!" I cry. "HAH!"

Zippy is silent again.

"Zippy…?" I ask.

I stroll over to Zippy, and once I'm before him, I nuge Zippy with my toes.

"Zippy?"

Nothing.

I kick Zippy in the ribs hard enough to force his body to roll over, yet again, I receive no such response. I then squat down next to ZIppy and poke his cheek.

Zippy lets out a small groan.

"I knocked him unconscious?" I gasp as my eyes widen.

A small smirk then spreads across my lips.

"COOL!"

I then stand up and peer around the maze.

"Alright…" I mutter to myself as I begin strolling away from Zippy's body, "Let's figure out how to get out of here…"