The Test Of Love

By Father Hulk

OPENING WORDS: Greetings, my children! Welcome to my newest project! I'm sure that this will be most sensational! Okay, let's get going. Please refrain from speaking during the show, and fire exits are on your right and left hand sides. Here we go!

The stadium was dark, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was quiet within. The roar of the crowd could be heard from the manager's suite, perhaps even outside the stadium itself. It was almost time for the show, and the crowd, driven to a fever pitch by the promise of a "satisfying and spectacular show," screamed, threw popcorn, and stomped their feet as they anticipated the appearance of the combatants.

Behind the door at the south end of the arena, Ryu took a very deep breath. He didn't know what he was doing here. The girl in the fight was obviously not the thief he was looking for, so why did he feel so insistent on meeting her? Not only that, that prick Augus was going to try to kill her! He crossed himself as he recalled his conversation with the bulky man, Rand, a few minutes ago.

……………………

"What do I do, Rand?" Ryu cried. "This is pure bullshit!"

"Relax, son." Rand soothed. "We'll think of something." The Crust tribesman paced the floor for a few moments, then snapped his fingers. "You said it would be a poisoned needle, right?"

Ryu nodded. "Yup."

"Well then, why don't we go and buy some antidotes, and if you and the girl each take one, you can cast your fears away!"

Ryu fidgeted. "You make it sound so easy…"

"It is easy, kid. Now, lend me some cash, and I'll go get the goods."

Ryu passed Rand a ten-coin note, and waited anxiously while he went out to buy the antidotes. After a few minutes, he heard a very loud crash, and then Rand stumbled into the room rubbing his head.

"Never in my life have I met a girl more like a Biruburu than that girl… She wouldn't take it, kid. I don't know what we're gonna do now."

Rand resumed pacing the room. Finally, he turned to Ryu again. "Listen, this is what we're gonna do. Take both."

"What???"

"Right. Take both. Then when you fight, knock her over the head or something, and then push her out of the way when the poisoned needle is fired."

"She seems tough," Ryu said thoughtfully, "Will she let me do that?"

"She'll have to, or else she's dead."

A bell was rung from inside the arena.

"Quick!" Rand cried, "Take them, take them, take them!"

Ryu quickly gulped down the small tablets, then, with Rand's encouragement, stepped through the door into the arena.

Bottles were thrown at him. Insults were shouted at him. Ryu tried to close out the din as he stepped onto the wide log in the center of the room.

Then the crowd fell silent, and a spotlight was thrown on the door at the opposite end of the arena. And then, at the pinnacle of the drumroll, the girl appeared! She had the legs and tail of a cat, and the upper half of a woman. And she was gorgeous.

"What are you staring at?" she snarled at Ryu, who found himself staring dumbly at her as she approached. "Hey!"

Ryu quickly snapped out of it. "Um, listen… they're going to try to kill you." He whispered.

"What? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Just listen to me! They're going to shoot a poisoned needle at you! Remember the guy you knocked over the head before? He was trying to tell you to take an…"

"That's quite enough!" the girl roared. "Not only are you ugly, you're a liar to boot! I'll not have it! Prepare to meet your maker!"

"You mean Capcom?"

"Aaaaaargh!" the girl charged Ryu with her staff. Ryu quickly held his sword up to block, and roughly pushed her backwards.

"What's the matter?" she teased, "Don't you want to fight?"

Ryu's brows lowered. Fine. If she was going to be a bitch, he'd treat her like one.

"Damn right I want to fight!" he exclaimed, and rushed at her and swung his sword. The blade nipped her shoulder, and she cried out softly.

"Eat my staff!" she screamed, slamming him hard in the back with her weapon. Pain shot through Ryu's body. The damn thing had spikes!

"Bitch…" he growled, and he swung harder at her, slicing her leg.

As they continued to battle, Ryu found a moment to glance up to the manager's booth. He was horrified to see Augus gesturing to the soldiers on either side of the arena.

"Shit…" he muttered. It was now or never. He seized the girl in a headlock.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She screamed.

"You'll thank me later." He told her, and brought the base of his sword down hard on her head. As she went limp in his arms, he had just enough time to push her through the doorway behind them before there was a high whistle, and Ryu felt two very sharp pains in his back. The world went black and he saw no more.