C POV
Beep. Beep. Beep. The only thing I could hear was that damn machine with it's annoying sounds. It's bad enough I'm not allowed off this uncomfortable metal table, the least they could do is turn the thing off.
X: He's stable, for now.
E: What the hell happened?
Noth: Doesn't matter, but let's try to keep him calm.
C: I can hear you! Could you at least turn off this damn electrocardiogram?!
X: We want to make sure your heart doesn't stop on us again.
C: Then why not just have Twist monitor me?!
X: We're afraid that the lightning would actually do more harm then good, and in stressful situations he has a hard time controlling the output.
C: OKAY FINE, BUT AT LEAST MAKE THIS THING SHUT UP!!
Noth walks over and unplugs the machine.
Noth: What's the last thing you remember?
C: Kicking ass, why?
X: Your heart almost exploded. It couldn't take the strain of that much power output.
C:...
Noth: Until we have your body to a position that you can safely tap into your soul, you need to limit how much power you're releasing.
Suddenly the door opens and three more people step inside the room.
Zed: I told you he isn't built for this!
Siwang: He'll make a good addition.
Zed: He'll make us a laughing stock!
Vita: ENOUGH! He's staying, and that's final. You're outvoted.
With a glare at me, Zed leaves. The duo walk up to the four of us and sit down in the empty chairs at my bedside.
Vita: We need you to tell us what happened.
Siwang: So start whenever you're ready.
Flashback over
E: So before we begin this fight why don't we go over the last match.
X: Why not. The main advantage C had over Kiru was power and possibly sanity.
E: Kiru did have access to a plethora of weapons, but the more C got pissed the less of a chance he had.
X: On top of that, once Zentai was achieved Kiru couldn't do any lasting damage.
E: Yep...so FIGHTERS, ARE YOU READY?!
I nod.
Kai: I don't want to fight.
C: You aren't going to get much of a choice.
E: FIGHT!!
I rush in, but before I can do anything, Kai throws his hands up.
Kai: I forfeit!
I stop and look at the ground.
Ryuko POV
We all look on as C's eyes are covered by a shadow from his hair. The ends of it start rising as he clenches his fist.
C: You don't feel it?
Kai: Feel what?
C: The excitement. The rush. The adrenaline in your veins. The feeling of finally getting a good fight. I'm not one to really enjoy a melee, but I can't deny the fact that this right here, this is something I've been looking forward to. You see, not a lot of people know this, but I've got a little bit of a secret. The longer I can fight, the more hopeless your situation looks.
I tilt my head in confusion at his words.
Noth: He's telling the truth. The longer a fight goes on, or the more fights he's in consecutively, the more his own mental limiters will start to fade.
Ruby: Mental limiters?
C: It means that overtime I'll let loose more and more.
Kai: Meaning?
C: Those last two fights were warm ups. I can't control my output of power. I'm constantly stuck at a very low percentage. So when I start letting loose, shit starts to hit the fan. The only downside is if I run out of stamina or have to rest up my mindset starts to go back to the idea of preserving my enemies.
Ryuko: Wait. There are so many situations where you could have just one shot people if that was the case.
Noth: He purposely burns through stamina. He doesn't want to kill anyone if he doesn't have to. So the safest way is to burn himself out so that his limiters are reset.
Yang: So what's his maximum power?
Noth: In a word, unparalleled.
Kai: Okay, but what does this have to do with me.
C: Because I'm finally starting to really enjoy myself, so like it or not. YOU'RE GOING TO FIGHT ME!!
C is suddenly right in Kai's face. He cocks back his arm for a swing, but Kai blocks it. The attack sends Kai flying back into the arena wall.
Reiketsu: Let's kick their asses! I'll show them what happens when they touch you!
Kai: I guess we have to. LIFE FIBER COMMAND: KAMUI REIKETSU!!
Kai steps out of the dust in a suit of armor. He puts on a pair of black gloves as C smirks. He grabs Shiketsu's zipper and pulls it down.
C: LIFE FIBER FUSION: KAMUI SHIKETSU!!
They rush each other and exchange blows back and forth. Kai slams his fist into C's stomach making him fly back. C lands on his feet and looks down at his gut.
Shiketsu: Whatever his gloves are made of they're blocking my ability to heal you.
C: Alright, then we're going to have to improvise. Chikara!
Shiketsu's sleeves and pants legs roll up to C's elbows and knees. She tightens around his arms and legs eventuating his muscles. Finally a hood appears over C's head. He rushes in and swings at Kai. Kai swings back, but C ducks and then his fist connects to Kai's stomach. Kai doubles over and slides back as C lifts his hands calling his Scissors to him. He rushes in and swings, but Kai dodges. C lifts the blades to block, but the impact sends the Scissors flying out of his hands and into the arena wall.
C: SHIT! TOMERARENAI!
Shiketsu changes to her speed form and C dashes to his Scissors only for Kai to appear in front of him and hit him in the face. The mask on C's face is cracked and broken as he stands up with his nose shattered. He touches his face and feels the blood. He looks down at it before looking up at Kai with a glare.
C: Shiketsu.
Shiketsu: Yes?
C: Bring me out of Tomerarenai, and be on standby.
Shiketsu: Understood.
Shiketsu goes back to her normal fused form as C snaps his nose back in place. His time powers heals him up as he cracks his neck. He walks forward before teleporting behind Kai. Kai turns around quickly, but C isn't there. Instead a kick connects to the back of his head making him fall down. He rolls to the side as C stomps right where his head is. Kai pops back to his feet and swings. C pushes his fist down making him miss before headbutting him in the nose. Kai stumbles back before C sweeps his legs and grabs his foot. He spins around before tossing him into the air.
Kai: REIKETSU SHIPPU!
Angel wings spread from Reiketsu stopping Kai in midair. He dashes at C knocking him to the floor before lifting him up into the air and punching him back down.
C: SHIKETSU KUKI!!
Shiketsu changes to have boosters on her hands and feet stopping C in midair. He dashes towards Kai.
Kai: I told you engines would have been cooler than angel wings.
C: PAY ATTENTION DAMNIT!!
Kai: O_O
C uses the boosters on his feet to deliver a massive kick to the back of Kai's head. Kai spreads his wings right before he hits the ground stopping his fall. The wings flap making him shoot off into the air.
C: Max power to the thrusters!
Shiketsu: On it!
The thrusters shoot out bright red flames launching C at Kai at high speeds. He dashes across the arena hitting Kai multiple times. Kai turns and grabs C's leg before he can kick him again. He then spins and tosses C to the ground. C teleports above Kai and then lands on his back. He grabs the wings and plants his feet on Kai's back. He rips the wings off making Kai plummet to the ground. Kai faceplants before picking himself up. C lands right in front of him still holding the wings. The wings turn to threads that shoot into C's palms.
Reiketsu: Kai. I can't patch this up.
Kai: Reiketsu, get off. I can't go all out while wearing you.
C: Ditto, Shiketsu.
Shiketsu: You sure?
C simply nods and Shiketsu reverts back to her dormant form. She comes off of C and goes into her human form. She grabs Reiketsu and steps back making sure to get a safe distance away, but also be close enough to jump in if needed. Kai and C both slowly walk towards each other. They both rush in and swing. They trade blows back and forth as the arena around them cracks. Kai then slams his fist into C's face making him slide back. Kai then takes a deep breath and stomps his foot on the ground. The ground shakes from his stomp as he flexes his right arm. He brings it behind him and gets in a stance like he's going to throw a punch, but C is about fifteen feet away from him.
Kai: I'll show you what happens when I put some effort behind it.
Kai punches at C making a massive explosion of force. The ground craters and the very air itself is slammed into C with incredible destructive force. The attack sends C flying into the arena wall kicking up a ton of dust.
Matoi: Oh looks like the fight is over.
Ryuko & Yang: NOT YET!
They both look at each other and smirk.
Noth: He's survived worse.
Kai stands up straight before he gets back into a fighting stance. The dust is suddenly blown away as C stands there with blood coming out his mouth. He wipes it off with a thumb as he smirks at Kai.
C: Got another one in you.
Kai: How are you still standing? O_o
C: Enough talk.
C rushes in only to be hit again by Kai again. This time though C stops himself before he can hit the wall. The process continues as Matoi sits there with a smug smile.
Matoi: You were saying? He just keeps throwing himself at Kai over and over again. No way he wins this.
Noth: You don't understand. Pay attention.
Matoi: The only thing I see is him getting launched back over and over again.
Blake: He is not getting launched back as far everytime he gets hit.
Noth: Exactly. He's using Kai's predictable attacks to lessen his limiters safely.
Matoi: Yeah because being almost turned into ground beef seems safe.
C takes another hit from Kai only to plant his feet in the ground and not even slide back. He swings his fist at Kai as Kai swings at him. Their fists connect making a massive shockwave that pushes Shiketsu and Reiketsu back. The shockwave comes crashing back in like a collapsing star before exploding outwards again. They both start trading even more blows back and forth. Their fists connect over and over again making the cracks in the arena floor spread out to the walls and travel up them. They eventually get into a lock where they are trying to push the other back. The pushing from both of them makes even more cracks spread out as they glare at each other. They keep trying to get an advantage when C suddenly pulls away and full force slam both his fists into Kai's. The attack makes the gloves on Kai's hands explode as he looks in shock. C grabs Kai's hands and then squeezes them making them shatter. Kai pulls back and looks down at his hands.
Kai: O_O No way.
C then slams his fist into Kai's face then his stomach. He then knees Kai in the chin before grabbing his leg and pulling him back down. He headbutts him in the nose before cocking his arm back as he crouches down.
C: SHIT'S ABOUT TO HIT THE FAN!!
C throws an uppercut that connects with Kai's stomach and tracing up to his chin. The impact sends a massive shockwave straight up taking Kai along with it. He shoots straight up until he hits the barrier. He slams into it before he begins to fall back down. C stays right where he is and at the last second puts his arms out to catch Kai. The horn goes off signalling the end of the match.
E: C WINS!!
He sets the guy down before slapping him in the face. Kai immediately springs up.
Kai: I'M UP!
C: Hi Up, I'm C. And I just kicked your ass.
Kai: Oh ha ha.
Kai goes to point at C when he realizes his hands are effectively boneless.
Kai: O_O
C: Oh right. I got you.
C puts a hand on Kai's shoulder and heals him. He then grabs a piece of Kai's gloves and reverses time on it, fixing them. He then tosses the gloves to Kai.
Kai: How did you break them?
C: To put it simply, immense strength. Most likely helped by the fact they were between the both of us.
Kai: Well, that was interesting.
C: Oh yeah. It was a lot of fun. You're definitely a great opponent. Maybe even one of the strongest I've fought in a long time.
Kai: Thanks. You too.
C sticks his hand out and Kai shakes it before they go to their separate locker rooms. Once he gets to his, C sees Ryuko waiting for him. He walks up to her and hugs her. She hugs him back and then when they separate she looks up at him.
Ryuko: Still doubting yourself?
C: Not anymore.
Ryuko: Good.
She gets on her toes as he leans down and she kisses his cheek. Shiketsu walks in the locker room before turning back to her original look. C puts her on. They then walk out of the locker room.
Ryuko: So what now?
C: Tomorrow we'll start the tournament, so we're going to extend the event for three days instead of two.
Ryuko: So?
C: So let's enjoy the new company and fairgrounds.
(Author's Note: I'm so fuckin sorry about not getting this one out sooner. I rewrote this chapter about 3 separate times and the occasional writer's block didn't help at all. I'm going to do my best to update at least once a week, but I'll be trying to do it more than that if I can. Working has really been kicking my ass recently. )