Conscious, Conscientious

The audience murmured with confusion.

“OH—What’s this??” Soot commentated. “An unexpected change-up?!”

“Very, very interesting decision by Skrili here,” Talonvorp evaluated. “Pitting Pang against Kotono seems like the obvious choice, but something made her rethink their strategy…”

Deon ripped off the nail he’d been chewing away at subconsciously as his eyes remained locked on the fighting platform. He wished he could read Skrili’s mind, or borrow Lammy’s analytical prowess to decipher what Skrili was thinking.

They had never discussed this during the training yesterday, yet Skrili seemed so certain.

“Did she find a new weakness?” Phillip wondered beside him.

Skrili squinted against the warm wind rushing past her from Kotono. She slowly shifted into her fighting stance.

Kotono stared on intensely, her crooked smile twitching as it began to lose its strength. She couldn’t keep the guise up much longer, despite the incessant support pouring in from most of the audience.

Testing the waters, Skrili took a step towards her. Immediately, the golden energy around Kotono intensified in brightness and size, shoving a stronger gust in all directions.

Skrili took another step, to the same effect. She faintly heard Kotono let out a whimper, while forcing herself to maintain her positive composure.

But it was too clear now:

She’s terrified, Skrili concluded. No wonder she always has a never-ending surge of power: she’s horrified of fighting. Her fear literally gives her the energy to win, and she’s been hiding it all along.

Skrili took a cautious step back.

If we want any shot at weakening her powers, she thought, I need to ease her mind.

Taking a deep sigh, Skrili relinquished her fighting stance and instead stood quietly.

Only a few steps away, Pang faced the opposite direction, glaring at Hiroko.

“You better know what you’re doing, Skrili,” she muttered under her breath, brushing away the hair that kept flapping in front of her face in the wind.

Hiroko’s eyes shifted between Pang and Kotono with a hint of concern. But she refocused, waiting for Pang with an unintimidated, icy gaze.

Pang analyzed Hiroko, sensing for her powers. It was only moments before she identified and locked onto her Predictor abilities. Imaginary arrows appeared in Pang’s vision going in all directions, carrying transparent outlines of Hiroko: these were all of her possible next movements.

Two of the arrows were bolder, depicting Hiroko either running straight at Pang or jumping back and cutting to the right in a flank.

“Your powers really give you an edge, huh?” Pang commented, observing the invisible predictions.

“That’s what everyone assumes, but no,” dismissed Hiroko. “It’s about what you do with the predictions.”

Pang laughed. “Don’t train your opponent in the middle of a fight.”

They both shot forward. In Pang’s predictor-vision, the flank attack and several others faded, leaving the head-on possibility and a move where Hiroko would curve to the left. Literally thinking on her toes, she prepared for the head-on attack.

Thankfully, she predicted correctly: the two fighters met in the middle and blocked each other’s initial punches. This immediately erupted into a bombardment of rapid close-range attacks.

Gritting her teeth, Pang struggled to keep pace. The predictions appeared and vanished so swiftly that she couldn’t keep track enough to use them.

But then, came an opening: Hiroko briefly checked past her, over to her teammate. Pang seized the opportunity like she’d never get it again, launching a fist into Hiroko’s stomach. The crowd let out a collective “ooh,” practically feeling the pain themselves, as Hiroko crouched over.

Pang was quick to follow this with a kick to her head—but somehow, her foot met Hiroko’s firm palm: she had already managed to recover, her toned arm bringing Pang’s kick to an instant halt like it was a mere nudge.

Hiroko spun back and returned to her feet gracefully, her expression oddly somber and urgent.

“Listen, Pang,” she started. “I may have to ask you and Skrili to evacuate the arena. If I do, I need you to listen to me.”

“What?!” exclaimed Pang in utter protest. “Like heck I will!”

“It’s for your safety,” Hiroko insisted, unwavering. “If I say the word, you need to listen. We can test our strength another day.”

“Do you know how much I have riding on this fight? And how much you do, too? This is everything!” countered Pang.

Something in Pang’s tone warmed Hiroko’s hard expression. She sighed. “Let’s continue for now,” she decided, “but it may get too dangerous soon.”

Skrili tried hard to soften her demeanor, standing unguarded only paces from her opponent. So far, her new strategy was working: the wind had died down a bit.

Kotono’s eyes barely left her, though they occasionally darted to the side in nervous uncertainty. Her golden glow was beginning to dull.

Skrili took a breath in. “Kotono, I want to resolve this without hurting you,” she said softly.

After standing frozen for a moment, Kotono’s eyebrows furrowed weakly. “Wh—why?” she uttered.

“In all your fights I’ve seen, your powers never let your opponent even get close to you,” shared Skrili. “You’re scared of fighting, aren’t you?”

“N—no!” Kotono stammered. “This is my career!”

“You’re scared of being hurt,” Skrili pressed on gently.

“I’m NOT!” shouted Kotono, shaking her head as if to ward off Skrili’s voice. Her golden energy once again blasted all around her, the force almost knocking Skrili off her feet.

But Skrili stood her ground, still not putting up a defense or fighting stance.

“I can tell,” she said simply. “I know what it looks like.”

“Y—you’re…you’re…” Kotono tried, the brilliant energy echoing her voice. Then, tears welled up and trickled down her blushing cheeks. “I’m…I’m scared…of hurting you, too…” she finally admitted. “I don’t like hurting people…”

Skrili did her best to give a calm smile. “Then let’s find a way to settle this without a fight,” she offered. “No violence, no powers…but still fair. We can figure something out.”

Stretching out her hand, Skrili took one more step forward. Kotono’s energy began weakening once more, and soon, the light and wind gusts died down almost entirely.

This is really gonna work, Skrili realized. I can take her powers out of the equation, and give her peace of mind. This could actually end without a fight, and give us a chance.

Two simple phrases murdered her hope.

“SHE’S TRICKING YOU, KOTONO!!!” screamed a fan from the seating.

“YOU HAVE TO TAKE HER DOWN!! SHE’S GONNA ATTACK!!” warned another.

A jarring golden light exploded around Kotono, singeing the air around her. Skrili was blinded and deafened for a moment.

When she recovered, she knew her chances were over: Kotono’s red eyes blazed like fire.

Her fear had returned even stronger than before, and with it, her storm.

“I…I can’t…afford to trust you…” Kotono shared chokingly. “I want to, but…everyone’s counting on me. I need to save Hiroko’s people…I need to protect my friend. I promised.”

Skrili squinted, barely able to see through Kotono’s illumination. Her heart sunk.

“Skrili, y—you’re right about me,” continued Kotono. “I’m horrified of fighting. I hate it. I don’t want anyone to hit me, but because of that, my powers hurt them instead. It’s what makes me strong, and it all terrifies me…But the thing that scares me the most is…”

Somehow, Skrili already knew exactly what she would say:

“...failing everyone who needs me.”

Just as Kotono’s tears intensified, her golden energy erupted even further outward, almost reaching Skrili. The entire crowd gasped, and the blast launched Skrili to the ground.

“Holy Horsefish!!” cried Soot. “Kotono’s powers are skyrocketing!!”

“We’re receiving word that our broadcasting systems have been knocked out,” said Talonvorp. “This is about to be substantial…I’m grateful our healers are standing by.”

Skrili tried to stand back up, but the energy’s sheer force quickly tossed her back over.

Kotono’s breath fell unsteady and shallow, turning more into involuntary gasps. “Oh no…” she uttered. “Skrili…please run! I can’t…”

After a vicious flash, thunder boomed from Kotono, shaking the platform. Another gust shot Skrili even further back.

“KOTONO!” she heard shouted from behind. Skrili struggled to turn and see Hiroko barely able to hold her ground, on all-fours against the wind. Pang was lying flat beside her, gripping the arena floor with all of her might.

“Kotono, that’s enough!” Hiroko urged. “You’ve done great! Remember what we promised: you can quit if it’s too much! I’ll handle this!”

“No! You need me! Everyone needs me!!” cried Kotono.

“All I need you to do is keep our promise!” exclaimed Hiroko, her usually pointed, raspy voice now breaking up. “We’ll find a way, but right now it’s too dangerous!”

Kotono tensed in a vain effort to regain control of herself. She let out a sob. “I can’t! I’m too scared!! It’s too late—I –I CAN’T CONTROL IT!!” she screamed. “HIROKO, HELP ME!!!”

Hiroko’s eyes widened. “Oh my Gods…” she uttered. “Pang…Skrili: run.”

An agonized scream rose from Kotono and echoed across Gloat Stadium. Countless golden flashes glistened, accompanied by monstrous bangs of thunder.

Hiroko struggled to lift her head to the sky. “EVERYONE! GET OUT OF HERE!!” she demanded.

Several light beams shot out haphazardly from Kotono, exploding against the arena walls and leaving behind nothing but rubble. One of them collided directly into an ad featuring a smiling, perfect Kotono. Her smile obscured as the magically fueled ad melted into the air and vanished.

One of the beams shot upward, bursting right through the ceiling and leaving an enormous hole behind. The building filled with screams.

All around Deon and Phillip, spectators jumped out of their seats and made a break for the exits, many using levitation bracelets to fly over the rows as the wind tossed them around.

Deon clutched the seat in front of him, the hot gusts pounding against him. A golden hue covered everything. He peaked over to Phillip, who stood beside him shielding his eyes with his arm.

“You heard Hiroko, right?!” Deon exclaimed. “Get out of here!”

“I don’t see you moving,” retorted Phillip.

“As long as they’re down there in that mess, I’m not going anywhere!” shouted Deon decidedly.

“Well neither am I!”

The floor rumbled incessantly. Deon noticed a few small cracks beginning to spread near his feet. All the while, the wind locked them in place. Deon knew no matter how badly he and Phillip wanted to go down there and help, there was nothing they could do.

If he tried to intervene with an imagining move, he knew it would get tossed aside in the sheer force of Kotono’s storm. She was more powerful than anyone he’d ever seen.

Even from his view, Kotono’s shining, fiery eyes were perfectly visible through the spectacular destruction all around her. Somehow, he knew what that heat in her face felt like. It looked familiar…

…Just like the orange glow he saw in his own reflection during his training in the Hotel of Champions pond, when he briefly awoke his anger-fueled power-up.

He thought once again of how badly he had beaten Pang. Twice now, because of this power-up, he could have killed her.

Why is Kotono’s type so much like my power-up? Deon wondered.

“We’ve received official word: all audience members and non-healing personnel, please evacuate immediately,” ordered Talonvorp.

“Get to safety, everyone!” emphasized Soot. “It’s about to get—”

The sound cut off.

Lammy and Zayza clutched the railing at the edge of the highest balcony, huddled close.

“You heard the men, let’s get out of here!!” Rob shouted.

“Come on, guys! We have to go!” they heard Peter urge, his voice fading as the father and son retreated towards the exits.

“Go on, Lammy,” Zayza said. “If these are my friends, I can’t leave them behind.”

“Well…by that logic, I can’t leave you behind,” Lammy replied. “I’m sta—”

A metal railing came loose below, flinging straight for them. Terror arose in Lammy, and he felt a faint heat in his eyes.

Wait…USE IT! he thought to himself hastily.

Welcoming the heat, he felt his eyes light up. Then, focusing on the incoming rail, he imagined an invisible barrier around Zayza and himself.

Wait, what am I thinking?! he thought despairingly. My imagining moves hardly ever—

CLUNK!

The railing bounced off his barrier and went swinging in another direction.

Huh? I did it?!

“I—Impressive!” stammered Zayza, beside herself for a moment.

Lammy blushed, his heart still racing. “Well…uh…I try, I guess…?”

Despite the stiff, anxious sensation, Lammy held onto this feeling: it was sustaining his increase in imagining ability, allowing him to keep the protective barrier around them.

“EVERYONE, YOUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER!!” Hiroko yelled once more. “PLEASE RUN!!”

Beside her, Pang forcefully lifted her head against the wind, flinching when a beam shot right past them.

“I don’t see you going anywhere!” she pointed out.

Hiroko turned and looked at her intensely. “I’m the only one who can calm her down!” she explained.

Another brutal gust came, knocking Hiroko onto her back.

“Oh, sure. And just how do you plan on doing that?” pressed Pang.

Hiroko grit her teeth and looked away, unable to give an answer.

Across from them, Skrili looked around the stadium. Many people had fled, but countless others either stayed out of curiosity, or their paths of escape had been destroyed and cut off. There were still hundreds remaining, and they were all in harm’s way.

The situation grew even direr when she spotted Deon and Phillip in the distance, still watching loyally.

Those idiots! They’ll get killed! she thought. She glanced over to the hurricane that was Kotono, and then back to Pang and Hiroko, who by now, were sitting ducks. Nobody else could stop Kotono.

The surge of Power Rebound strength continued to escalate throughout Skrili’s body. It had been since the onset of the fight. She knew:

She had to be the one to try.

Searching back into the stands, she caught Deon’s eyes. He fought against the gusts and flashes, refusing to budge from his seat.

Immediately, their conversation last night replayed in her mind. She remembered Deon’s words, and knew what she had to do.

Peering with a great deal of effort, Deon noticed Skrili’s faraway gaze. Somehow, he could see the decisiveness in her eyes. Skrili fought against the wind to stand up, and then faced Kotono.

“What is she doing?!” wondered Phillip. “At this point, getting any closer is suicide!”

Deon felt his hope deplete. “She’s…going for it,” he realized. “She’s gonna try to save everyone.”

Her mind was made. Even if he could somehow make it down there, he knew he couldn’t talk her out of it.

She needed this more than anything.

~

The night before…

“Can…can I tell you something?” uttered Skrili. “I can’t stop thinking about it, and I just…need someone else to know.”

Deon’s eyes reopened. He had almost drifted back to sleep, lying comfortably in his soft hotel bed across from Skrili’s.

“Huh? Yeah, of course.”

Skrili struggled to speak, shifting in her sheets. Finally, she laboriously let it out:

“It’s my fault my brother is dead.”

Her abrupt, fragile words made Deon’s heart skip. Silence filled the air, tormenting them both, because he had no idea what to say.

Eventually, Skrili stirred again. “I’m…sorry…I just—”

“Don’t be,” said Deon. But still, he couldn’t find any more words.

“I…I always promised I’d protect him,” she continued. “I used to whisper a song to him every night to make him feel safe…but when it mattered, I couldn’t back up the words. And it’s because I wasn’t strong enough.”

Deon sat up, regretting his inability to fill the silent void with comforting words.

“Is that making you worry about tomorrow?” he decided to ask.

Skrili’s silhouette nodded slowly in the darkness.

“If…I can’t save Phillip either…if I fail again for the same reason I lost my brother…” she started, “How will I live with myself? What kind of person does that make me?”

Suddenly, Skrili shifted, turning away in her sheets. “I’m sorry…I don’t know why I told you all of that.”

“We’re teammates,” Deon said. “That’s how it works, right?”

Skrili said nothing.

Deon wished he could find something—anything—to ease her mind even in the slightest. To him, not being strong enough didn’t make it her fault, but he knew saying that wouldn’t accomplish anything. He couldn’t fathom the darkness and shame shrouding her thoughts.

But then, the right words felt obvious. He took a deep sigh, and for the first time since setting foot outside Tailpiece, felt a bit homesick.

“My mom had this thing she used to say all the time,” he shared. “It never really mattered to me because nothing bad really happens in Tailpiece, so I wasn’t sure why she bothered. But…all the sudden, it makes sense…”

~

Standing before Kotono, surrounded by her uncontrollable destruction, Skrili heard Deon’s words from last night over and over in her mind:

“A good person fights when they know they can save someone. But a loving person fights even when they know they can’t.”

Skrili took a deep breath, and allowed her Power Rebound to unleash.

She looked up one more time at Deon, his figure obscured by wavy heat. Then, she turned and glanced at Pang, who watched in sheer confusion.

Skrili turned back to Kotono.

With everything she had, she forced herself forward against the pounding wind and heat. Light beams burst past her, one so close it scorched the very edge of her shirt.

“SKRILI, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!” Pang screamed. “DON’T BE AN IDIOT!”

“YOU HAVE TO STOP! YOU’LL DIE!!” Hiroko shouted.

But she pressed forward, tapping further into her Power Rebound. Her eyes watered and her skin stung in protest. As the pain transferred into more energy, she relied even more on her increasing power boost.

Soon she entered the frantic spiral of golden light, steps away from Kotono. The energy zapped through her countless times, shooting searing pain through her whole body until it felt endless.

Skrili bit her lip hard, and continued forward.

Through her foggy vision, she could see Kotono’s glowing red eyes staring back at her in sheer shock. Kotono recoiled, tucking away in fear.

“N—no…please…” she muttered, her voice echoing.

“Kotono, I’m…gonna try to help you,” Skrili struggled to let out.

“Skrili, please stop! My powers are killing you! I can’t stop it!”

Finally, Skrili was face-to-face with Kotono. Now was her only chance. She channeled more Power Rebound strength for one final move—the only technique she knew might make a difference…

Skrili leaned forward, and embraced Kotono in a hug.

She held on with all of her might, but as tenderly as possible. Skrili smiled—even now, with Kotono’s deadly energy ripping at her, embracing one of her heroes like this felt surreal.

Now that she was in direct contact with Kotono, the power was truly immense. The pain was so high that her whole body went numb.

But then, the intensity decreased a bit.

“H—huh?” uttered Kotono.

“It’s okay,” said Skrili softly. “It’s okay. You don’t have to fight anymore.”

“Skrili…stop, you’ll—you’ll die…”

“I’m okay…and you’re okay, too…you’re doing great. You’ll save the people you care about.”

The energy weakened once more.

“But…I can’t stop it…” Kotono whimpered.

Skrili closed her eyes, leaning her head against Kotono’s shoulder. She knew didn’t have much left. Opening her mouth, she whispered a song into Kotono’s ear:

“Even in the night,

The sun will hear your cries,

For now, just stay with me

One day we’ll close our eyes,

And feel the warmth of life

For now, you’re safe with me

Forever safe with me”

Kotono’s tears dripped onto Skrili’s cheek, and it was the only thing she could feel anymore.

The wind hushed, lulled to rest. The golden storm ceased, leaving a dull afterglow.

At last, Kotono sighed.

Skrili weakly opened her eyes, but everything was too hazy. She managed to smile one more time.

I hope you saw that, Akri, she thought. Now…maybe we can still finish this and save…

Her thoughts slipped away into nothing.

Kotono gasped as Skrili’s arms dropped. She wrapped her own arms around Skrili as she fell against her, limp. The sudden deadweight pulled Kotono down to her knees.

The entire stadium was still.

In his seat, Deon watched unblinkingly and breathlessly, as his teammate lay lifeless in Kotono’s arms.