by WOTNOPOLIS 19. A
Q dodged Bano’s slash. “Do you think I don‘t know your fighting style?” Q asked as he landed a few feet away from Bano. “This isn’t the first time we’ve fought, after all. Although you are much more aggressive this time.”
Q watched Bano’s feet kick off the ground. Q side stepped to the left as a jab moved past him. Bano swung out his right arm and Q slipped past it. Q threw a kick to Bano’s head that was effectively blocked by Bano’s elbow. Q kicked off from Bano’s elbow and retreated a few steps.
“I don’t normally like playing the retreat,” Q groaned. He had fought with Bano before, though. In a contest of close range speed Q would lose. He had to keep a distance so that Bano didn’t box him in.
“It’s unlike you, Q,” Bano smiled as he dashed in and swung his kama. “But that’s why you’re unfit to lead. You‘re afraid to attack, but I‘m not.”
Q carefully ducked the slash and punched out. Bano sidestepped and smiled. “Oh, nice try. But it’s going to take more than that, Q. After what you said about Clair don’t think I’ll hold back,” Bano snarled.
The street had been emptied out at this point. Most people were already on their way homes for the night and people knew better than to get close to a gang fight. The notoriety of the Eagle gang in the neighborhood, along with the battles already seen in the past, and people were not fool enough to get close to what was going on. A few brave people watched it and taped it from windows but no one wanted to be close to the scene unfolding before them.
The only other people outside were the two standing directly in front of the bar. One clutched her sword and sighed loudly. “This is a complete waste. Men are so stupid,” she complained. “I really should just cut them both down.”
Knssquad smiled a little. Though she knew how serious the situation was, it wasn’t often she saw Yoyo worried. She reached out and patted Yoyo on the shoulder. “You should,” Knssquad encouraged. “By the way, thanks for saving me back there with Kotaro.”
Yoyo nodded slightly. “Don’t mention it. It‘s what we do.”
“So, what is going to happen now?” Knssquad asked Yoyo. She didn’t want Yoyo to worry more, but she needed to know.
Yoyo licked her lips but remained silent for a moment as she surveyed the scene. “Well, if Bano wins then Q might gracefully step down as leader, but it doesn’t seem likely. Q may not be a genius, but I don’t think he’d fit any other role than leader. So Q will probably separate from the Eagle gang. Or Bano will have to kill Q. If Bano loses, then he may still well leave the Eagle gang himself. His fury is somewhat understandable, though not completely rational. But you have to wonder if the person who’s known Q the longest is this fed up with him, maybe he’s onto something. But honestly, I think Bano’s just angry. And this anger is being funneled at Q. Sadly, unless Q truly beats Bano into submission, it won’t likely subside.”
“So there’s no hope for the gang?” Knssquad asked after listening. “I mean, what becomes of us?”
“I don’t know. It’s not that there’s no hope for the gang. There is a chance of them reconciling. Our best bet is if they just stop fighting on their own, but I don’t see that. Bano is truly ready to kill Q. And Q is upset that his best friend is so mad. Neither are going to just talk this out. If Q wins he might be able to keep Bano under him. And if Bano wins he might be able to convince Q to step down. Q hasn’t been a perfect leader. Under his care lots of people have been kidnapped, and challenging TFK at the Tower wasn’t a great decision. But,” Yoyo said as she gripped the handle of her sword. “Even then, this is all way too far. Because we’ve all managed to stay safe, haven’t we? I mean, isn‘t this just how our gang works?”
Knssquad listened to Yoyo as she watched the two. So far neither had managed to strike the other. “They’re both holding back, aren’t they?” Knssquad asked. “I know for sure Q’s much stronger than that.”
“They are,” Yoyo said. “And if we’re lucky, maybe once they get tired they’ll just stop. But, men aren’t like that. Especially not after the stress of the past few days. Soon their friendship will be tossed aside as each one starts to get more serious.”
Q felt the blade slice across his cheek. “And it begins,” Bano beamed as he saw he’d made the first strike. Bano didn’t hold back as he began slicing at Q wildly. Q jumped into the air and kicked downward at Bano. Bano blocked the kick with the handles of his kama then sliced upwards.
Bano stepped back as he watched Q hit the ground with a thud. Q hadn’t yelled out but the expression on his face showed one of pain as he looked down at his leg. The shin had been split open by one Kama and the tendon by the other. Bano smirked, “And you wanted to lead the gang?”
Q leaned on his good leg. “I am the leader of the Eagle gang,” Q said. “Don’t forget it.”
“It may be over with that,” Yoyo said. She eased her grip on her sword and leaned back against the bar.
“Q‘s fought with worse than that?” Knssquad asked.
“Yeah, but these two know how each other fight. They’re also very evenly matched. Both are close rang fighters. Q relies on his power and Bano on his speed and tactics,” Yoyo explained. “But due to how similar and how well they know each other, one small disadvantage could end the entire fight. And Q just lost a leg. And he kicks a lot.”
Knssquad watched as Q got back into a fighting stance. “Maybe, but I have a feeling that it won’t be a fight like that. Instead these two are probably going to go down in a much more brutal way.”
Yoyo shrugged. “Even if you’re right, in the end, a small disadvantage like that might have been all that stood between victory and defeat.”
Q panted as he watched Bano. The exhaustion from the early fights was starting to set in. Even keeping his concentration on Bano was becoming difficult. “Shoot, I need to end this fast,” Q said.
Bano kicked off the ground and swung his kama towards Q. Q sidestepped to his left and grabbed Bano’s arm. Q twisted his shoulders as he swung Bano’s body into the ground. Q’s leg twitched from the pressure he put on it but he stood through it.
Bano jumped to his hands and swept his legs out. Q jumped back and watched as Bano landed on his feet. “You seem tired, Bano?” Q taunted.
“Shut up,” Bano said. Smoke poured out of his kama and Q felt himself losing sight as the area filled with white smoke. Q closed his eyes and listened. He jolted his head back as he sensed a kama cutting through the air in front of him. A moment later Q yanked his arm back.
“That hurt!” Q yelled as he felt the gash across his arm. Blood dripped down his arm and onto the pavement. Several strikes started to come at Q from the smoke.
“I know where you are now,” Bano shouted as he sliced where Q had yelled. Q jumped back and blocked the blows.
“I can’t fight in this freaking smoke,” Q yelled and punched into the ground. Bano pulled back as he felt the ground around him cracking and rocks flying into the air.
“Shoot,” Bano said as he dashed out of the smoke. The smoke parted and Bano caught sight of a figure. The pavement was splintered in every direction away from the spot Q stood.
Q pulled his blood drenched hand out of the road and glared at Bano. “That freaking smoke is annoying,” Q said.
“So is your stupid ground explosion thing,” Bano answered.
Q smiled at that. “Good.”
Q punched the ground again and Bano felt himself losing his balance as the ground shifted below him. “Freaking vibrations,” Bano grumbled as he jumped back to his feet.
Bano felt like his body had crashed into a stone wall. Q’s fist had knocked Bano back onto the ground with. Bano winced as he looked up at Q. “Good one,” Bano wheezed as he rolled over and back onto his feet.
Bano glared at Q as he caught his breath. “Uhoh,” Yoyo said. “That’s not good for Bano.”
“He can’t take that?” Knssquad asked.
“It’s not that Q’s punches are so out of Bano’s league, although they are incredible. He’s got the power of trucks behind him. I’m sure you’ve seen it before,” Yoyo said. Knssquad nodded as she remembered Q stopping a tank at the zoo. “But in Bano’s current state, the effects of Q’s attacks are even worse than they would be normally.”
“But Q’s bleeding from the arm and his left foot has been badly damaged?” Knssquad asked.
“Well, I don’t know,” Yoyo stuttered. “It’s hard to guess these things.”
Bano’s kama lit on fire in both hands. “You know, I’ve set these things on fire, but I haven’t actually demonstrated their full effect,” Bano spoke calmly.
Q waited for Bano’s next attack. Bano crossed the burning kama and the flames exploded outward. “Oh, shoot,” Q said.
Bano pulled his kama apart and dashed across the street. Q dodged Bano’s swing but felt the heat burn his skin. “Ow!” Q yelled as the flame seared the side of his arm.
Bano didn’t relent as he swung his kama out again. Q felt a pain in his side as he fell backward. Q hit the ground and grabbed his side. “Shoot,” Q thought. He rolled away as Bano slammed his kama into the pavement.
Q felt a kick in his side and screamed out. “That hurt,” Q cried as Bano buried his foot into Q’s injury.
“I’d give up,” Bano warned. “I am not screwing with you here, Q.”
Q groaned. His side was spilling blood, along with his leg. “Shut up,” Q said as he punched at Bano’s leg. Bano stepped back and shook his head.
Q could see Bano was still talking but couldn’t hear him as he crashed his fist into Bano’s stomach. Bano landed in the ground and gasped. A second later Bano was back up and swung a kama into Q’s arm. Q yelled as the kama seared into his left arm. Bano felt himself crashing into the ground as Q’s foot had slammed into his chest.
Q still couldn’t hear as he ripped the flaming kama out of his arm and threw it away from him. Bano slowly pulled himself up. Blood was dripping out of his mouth as he scowled at Q. He began speaking but Q couldn’t hear anything said. Bano kicked off the ground and Q side stepped the attack.
Bano created another smoke field around Q. Bano’s smile was the last thing he saw as a white field encircled the area. “Shoot! Why can’t I hear?” Q thought. He looked around desperately but didn’t see anything.
Q started running. He knew if he stayed in one spot and Bano caught up with him in the smoke he’d be done for. He couldn’t even hear Bano coming up on him in this stupid smoke now. Q screamed in pain and held his hands to his face. He had run directly into a brick wall. He stepped back and ignored it. The pain in his side was a lot worse anyway. Q panicked as he raced further into the clouds trying to not run into anything this time. He knew that Bano had probably heard him when he hit that wall.
Q stumbled out of the cloud and felt light assault his eyes. Q’s joy twisted as he felt an eruption of pain explode across his back. “It’s over,” Bano said.
Bano’s kama had scorched Q’s back. From the top of his shoulder down to his side where the other injury was already. “That burn probably effected your organs, Q,” Bano said as he stumbled forward. “I’d not move too much. You’re in bad shape.”
Q ignored Bano and got to his feet. “You’re not exactly doing great either,” Q smirked as he watched Bano stumble. The pain Q was feeling was making it hard for him to speak. “And you don’t give me orders,”
“Not yet,” Bano corrected as he felt himself now moving with several broken bones. “But if you want me to keep beating you.”
Q stood up and got into a fighting stance. “Whatever,” Q winced as he tried to concentrate on Bano.
Yoyo shook her head as she watched the two get ready to fight again. “I really want to stop them. I think one of them is going to die at this rate,” she whispered.
Knssquad shook her head. “I don’t think so. Everyone in our gang is really strong. And those two are the strongest.”
“Yeah, but you’re forgetting one of them is going to leave the gang after this, it looks like,” Yoyo’s voice shook. “Plus, Clair’s not here to heal anyone.”
Yoyo put a hand to her head. “We’re falling apart here and can’t do anything about it.”
Q smiled. “You don’t look like you’re in such great shape,” he laughed. “I vote, the next one to fall loses. This could keep going on until we’re both dead, otherwise.”
Bano nodded. He didn’t want to admit it but the blows he had taken earlier had nearly knocked him down for good. But he knew Q had several open gashes so he could do this if he just aimed for Q’s weak leg.
Q charged toward Bano and opened with a front kick. Bano ducked and sliced his kama into Q’s leg. “Got you,” Bano said as he yanked back his kama and pulled back on Q’s weak leg.
Q stood strong as the kama sliced through a chunk of Q’s leg. He crushed his fist into Bano’s chest and heard the sound of Bano’s ribs snapping. Bano’s face went blank as he felt his knees starting to weaken.
“No!” Bano said as he focused. “I refuse to lose.”
Q smiled. “I know the feeling.”
Bano smiled back a little. “I think if just one of us could poke the other we’d win, but we’re both too freaking weak.”
Bano’s smile froze and his eyes widened. Q heard someone yelling stop from behind him. At the bar he saw Yoyo and Knssquad were racing towards something behind him. Q turned around to see who had yelled stop and what was going on.
Q’s heart froze in his chest when he turned around. “No,” Q whispered.
Last edited by quater on Sun May 15, 2011 1:40 am; edited 1 time in total
