Trickster of the Butterfly

Chapter 23- Showdown at Bocobo

"RAAAHHH!" the hooded man lunged at Michael.

"Woah!" Michael jumped over the monobloc chairs to avoid the blade.

"Bag ko!" the man's sword tore up his bag that he left on the seat. The man lifted up with the blade what's left of the bag then threw it away. Michael looked around for a moment and noticed a few professors and students were still in the complex.

Black mist began to thicken around the man and totally encased him. With a loud bang, the smoky shell exploded and blew Michael 10 feet away along with the rest of the monobloc chairs. Michael sprawled on the floor. As the mist disappeared, he saw the man running toward him. He rolled to the side to dodge a sword slash then swiped his leg across the floor, causing the man to trip and drop to the floor. Michael got up and was about to smack the guy on the head with Cause, but he got whipped away by a smoke tendril from the man's hand.

"Ouucchh!" he lay lying on the floor again.

"Ano bang kailangan mo sakin?!" Michael shouted. He tried to think about slowing time but it wasn't working.

The man gave no reply. He ran toward Michael with his sword ready to stab him. Michael threw his dagger at him but he dodged it. Michael rolled to dodge the stab, then dodged another, and another. Michael rushed to get up and was able to baton-whack the man hard behind his neck. Underneath that black mask, he knew the guy was making a mad face.

The man rammed Michael with his shoulder then hit his stomach with the pommel of his sword and kicked him in the chest, knocking Michael back to the floor. Michael was getting really tired of his butt scraping the floor. The man was about to bring down another sword slash. Michael concentrated power on his left hand. He swiped his hand at the man and an iridescent tendril whipped the sword out of his hands. Michael got up and tackled the man to the ground.

Michael was strongly against violence but right now his primal defensive nature got the best of him. As he kneeled on top of the man, he swung Cause at the man's head, hitting his face left, right, left until the mask moved slighlty, revealing his chin.

"Get off," the man blasted Michael with black mist and sent him to the floor 5 feet away. Michael was beginning to realize the battle wasn't going well for him. He picked himself up for another round. As the man was getting up, Michael noticed the black smoke around his hands were much thinner and he was breathing heavily now. Michael was hopeful he was already wearing him out.

The man readjusted his mask. "MICHAEEEEELLLLL!" he roared as he began charging toward Michael.

"Wha- Ugh!" the man grabbed Michael around his waist and carried him across the complex like he was a a sack of rice being rushed for delivery, hitting chairs along the way and causing Michael to drop his baton.

"GRRRR!!! I'LL KILL YOU!" the man said furiously as he ran with Michael in tow in the direction of the nearest exit, a few spectators went out of their way.

The man slammed Michael against the exit door and caused it to open. He threw Michael down to the floor.

People were all around the plaza outside the sports complex looking surprised at the two.

The man stooped down and put his hands around Michael's neck then began to strangle him.

Michael was already badly beaten up. He didn't seem to have the strength left to fight back. His bright aura faded and his baton had rolled away somewhere. He couldn't do anything but stare into the man's round, jet black mask as he was being choked to death.

"Die, Rande--" in a blur, the man was picked up then thrown to the ground, judo-style. Michael coughed and was able to breath again. He lifted his neck and saw,

"Alo--ra," Michael managed to say. He was overjoyed to see her come to his rescue so epicly.

She turned to Michael, with tears in her eyes. "Okay ka lang?"

Michael just gave her a thumbs up.

The man got up and pulled Alora by the hair, smashed her against the door then threw her like a doll back into the complex. He turned his attention back to his target only to see Michael glowing intensely bright with 7 shifting colors.

The crowd surrounding the scene backed away. The man also realized he had to do the same. Michael was now really angry...

Michael picked himself up, literally, with a light tentacle. Time suddenly stopped in the whole plaza and complex, except for the man and him.

Michael blasted the man back into the complex with a huge column of rainbow energy. He entered after and closed the door. He approached the man who was now lying on the floor in the very center of the complex. Michael was ready to let him know the pain of a broken skull.

He pulled away the man's round black mask revealing black bandages covered all over his head, leaving only his eyes, nose and mouth visible. Michael didn't mind if he was wearing those because of injuries or simply to disguise him, he willed a tentacle from his back to lift him up and slam his head to the floor. He lifted him once more, then smashed him down again. Michael saw the man smirking and Michael wondered in anger why.

The man snapped his fingers and Alora began to move.

Michael was shocked at that. The few people still in the complex were still frozen, though.

"T-t-time powers?" Michael said. The man laughed at Michael's reaction, while his head was still down on the floor.

That revelation enraged Michael. He lifted him one more time but he somehow broke away from the tendril then ran toward Alora and picked her up and put his arms around her neck in a headlock.

"You saw how strong I am. I can break this girl's neck in an instant," the man said.

"Mike... Michael," Alora said fearfully. Michael grit his teeth. He was extremely furious now.

"WAG MONG GAGAWI--" Michael's body shook for a second.

"The Butterfly's true form is exposed, a perfect time for my parting gift. Di kita mapapatay ngayon, ito muna uunahin ko," the man said.

"WAAAAGGGG!!!" a huge iridescent arc of light exploded from Michael and toward the man.

The man disappeared into thin air right before the shockwave reached him, but his gray denim hoodie and pants were left to take the blast.

Alora was hit directly and sent flying away.

THUD!

Alora slammed very hard on the wall 30 feet away then fell to the ground. Michael heard bones crack.