2341 – Tigbar
Planet, Justich System
Three days had
passed since his strange conversation with the old Gladiator named Roo. Mike
had accepted Agent P’s proposal and now he was just starting to get to know
Tigbar better. This was just his second day on the planet, so everything was
brand new to him.
Today his concerns
over the loss of his friends, Laura Tex and Nurse Chapbel were over as they
supported totally his decision. And of course, the old nurse still gave him
long speeches about what he should do, but now they were restricted to phone
calls. But even they were restricted because he only had the right to make two
calls per day, and he used them to kill his saudades from both of them.
He actually was
enjoying the Academy, but there was one thing that he disliked. He had to share
his room with another wannabe Gladiator, and one that was a little punk that
thought that he was better than everyone. Even his name sounded elitist to
Mike, as the kid only wanted to be called Wildfire. But besides that, he even
liked the routine and the classes. Hey, that was something that he didn’t know
that a Gladiator had to have. But here they did, and he had classes from
various ancient Earth martial arts from Aikido to Karate and even some alien
ones. But more, as he had classes to learn to speak in public, acting classes, and everything else that a Gladiator might need.
. . .
The next morning, he
decided to explore Tigbar again, mostly because the planet was full of temples.
Everywhere he turned he could see little kids endeavoring a life dedicated to
the discipline of War. Of course, that in the Academy there were classes of all
the six disciplines, but War was the most focused. They were training men and
women to war and it didn’t matter where were their battlefields if it was in
an Arena or in deep space exploration.
Today he had a three-hour
class about the origins of the Ophidian Circuit, and the origins of
Gladiatorial Combat. But that was over, for now, so he went to call Nurse
Chapbel. When he finally reached her…
"Finally, old
rag! What have you been doing? I’m calling you for almost ten minutes."
"Mike, I do
work."
"I know that,
but I miss you."
"I miss you
too, but you’re only there for four days."
"Yeah, but I’m
bored. I like this, but this is so theoretical classes. I thought this was about
fighting, not studying. I’m too old for this."
"Nonsense my
boy, you are never too old to learn new things. Did you know that learning is
the greatest achievement of a human being? You only stop learning when you die,
end even that is subject to discussion."
"I really miss
that!"
"What?"
"Your way to
see the things, I really miss that."
"My silly boy,
soon you’ll forget about me."
"I’ll never do
that. Hey, you helped me in my darkest hour."
"Yes, I did,
but you will forget about me and about Laura. Cause when you start competing in
the League you will become a star."
"Old rag; you
know perfectly well why I’m here, don’t you?"
"I know, but
that’s now because you just competed in small leagues. But when you become a
star you will forget all about the small stuff."
"I don’t think
so, but I know that if a thing like that had to happen you will make me get
back and focus on my goal once again."
"That is my
job, taking care of you. And how're things there?"
"Well I’m
bored of studying; I was never good at that."
"Mike, you’ve
only been there for four days!"
"I know, but I
wanted action, not this!"
"That’s what
makes the difference in an Arena Mike. If you’re not smart enough to think
ahead of your opponent, you’re dead."
"I know
that."
"And your
roommate?"
"Well, the kid
is a plague! He’s at least ten years younger than me, but he thinks that he’s
the best of the best. And that really pisses me off."
"Why?"
"Mostly, his
attitude! He thinks that he is always right!"
"That reminds
me of someone."
"Who?"
"You Mike, in
the days after you awoke from the coma."
"Hey, I wasn’t
like that."
"Yes, you
were, and that is why the kid pisses you off, he reminds you of yourself."
"Probably."
And after a second of silence, "And how’s Laura?"
"She’s fine,
and she asks about you every day."
"Oh, I’ve got
to call her."
"Yes, you got,
but I’ve got to go now Mike, I’ve patients waiting for me. Take care of
yourself. Love you."
"Bye, and I
love you too."
After that he
walked to his room. Inside J. Finkle or better Wildfire was listening to music.
Or better, he was listening to noise; Mike couldn’t call that music because it
was almost unknown at the top volume of the radio. But he didn’t say a thing;
he just got straight to his bed and laid down.
Wildfire didn’t
expect that reaction, so he looked to Mike, and then turned off the radio, and
said, "Mike, are you ok?"
"Yes, I am,
why do you ask?"
"Well man,
usually, my roommates shout to me about the music."
"Why would I
say anything? We’re roommates whether we like it or not, so I think that we
have to customize with each other likes."
"Thanks."
"For
what?"
"Man, you’re
my first roommate that didn’t yell or try to get me to shut down the
radio."
"Hey, I will
never do that; I’m old enough for that."
"No, you’re
not! Hey man, what are you doing tonight? I’ve got a party; do you want to come
by? We’ve got cheerleaders!"
"Thanks, but
no Wildfire. I’ll have to study the Ophidian Circuit history."
"Please call
me Finkle."
"I thought
that you didn’t like to be called by your name?"
"I don’t like
that people call me for my name, but my friends can call me."
"That’s fine
by me."
"Hey, you’re
the first one here who listens to me without giving me orders or anything
alike, so I think that we can become friends."
"Yeah, I also
think alike, but there’s a thing that I dislike in you."
"What is it,
Mike?"
"Your
attitude! It reminds me of me when I was your age."
"That’s good
or bad?"
"Both I guess.
Sometimes it’s a good thing but others, it’s a real pain in the butt!"
And they continued
their conversation thought the night, so neither one had fulfilled their plans
for the evening. But that didn’t matter because on that night they became
friends.
* * * * *
The next morning
they arrived late for their first combat class…
"Do you know
what time it is cadets?" shouted their teacher General Edwards Kyroswolf.
"Sorry, Sir.
But we…" but before Wildfire could end the sentence his teacher
interrupted him…
"I do not want
to hear excuses Cadet! As that you two will have to make 100 laps around the
Arena."
"Sir, may I
speak?"
"Very well
Cadet Ferh, you may."
"It was my
fault, I delayed Cadet Finkle."
"Well, then
you will make 150 laps instead. NOW RUN!!!"
And they started
running around the Arena.
* * * * *
2344
Three years had
passed…
Kronnax &
Wildfire were now Level 0 Gladiators, and still best of friends. As that, when
one had a match the other was in the audience giving him support. Those years
in the Academy changed their minds, their fighting skills, and their techniques.
Wildfire was a War Gladiator that had fully embraced the use of all kinds of
weapons, and Kronnax reliable more on the art of war, strategy, and body combat.
They were a team in
and out of the arena, and that was noticed when they participated in
Two-Gladiators Matches. But today that’s not the case…
Today Wildfire is
facing the Ophidian Champion Prince of Gates in a 4 V.P. vs. Reinforcements
match. Kronnax had to stay out of this match because only one Gladiator per
discipline was allowed, so he stayed in the public.
The match was
looking good for the reinforcement’s team, as they had surrounded the Prince of
Gates and were striking him hard.
But when they
finally managed him to fall down, the Prince was able to portal four Royal
Guards that jumped to the BIO, Cybernetics, PSI, and Portal Gladiators, leaving
the War Gladiator free to know the wrath of the Prince of Gates.
As Wildfire is
trying to hit him with a Molten hammer, the Prince dodges and portals himself
right to Wildfire’s back. And grabs him by his neck, then he lifts him like a
piece of paper.
Then with both hands, he holds Wildfire’s body above his head, showing him to the crowd like he was
nothing. And violently throws Wildfire’s body against one of his legs, breaking
Wildfire’s back.
"NO!", shouts Mike. Without thinking and in
a mad rush, he surpasses the Ophidian security and enters the Arena. As he
reaches the Prince he notices that he was trying to assimilate Wildfire’s aura.
He throws himself in a double flying kick headed to the Prince of Gates’ head. And…
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