24 Chapter 24- The S-Tournament- Friend or Foe

The crowd whistled and cheered.

"For the final match for the day, Alice Bequin vs Deborah Suchel,"

Alice came from the west tunnel and Deborah came from the east tunnel, both carrying a briefcase.

"Who do you think got this one?" Reid asked Christian.

"This will be tighter than what most people think, I've fought both of them in a sparring match before. And if it comes to skill, they might be on par, but Alice would edge her out, just barely. But I got a feeling that skill isn't going to be a deciding factor here,"

"The one mentally and emotionally stronger will win,"

"3,"

"2,"

"1,"

"Fight,"

The two former friends stared into each others eyes

"You should quit now," Alice said.

"Is that really you?" Deborah asked. "Or is it just her puppet?"

"Puppet?" Alice laughed. "Know your place,"

"I guess I have to beat some sense to you," Deborah started to tie strings on her fingers.

"Hmm, Is that so,"

"Alice Buquin, I will not lose to you," Deborah claimed.

"Come at me," Alice smiled, tying strings on her fingers.

"Put her in her place," Mrs. Bequin screamed out.

They wiggled their fingers as puppets splurged out of their briefcases. Alice's puppets that red spray on them, while Deborah kept the original bamboo color.

The puppets clashed as the blades around them clashed at each other. They both kept angling and adjusted their fingers.

Alice smirked as darts came out from her puppets, targeting both Deborah and her puppets.

Deborah quickly tied strings around her tongue as her puppets shielder her from the incoming darts.

Alice tied more strings around her fingers and now her teeth.

More puppets splurged out.

"She's so good," Deborah thought. "Holding back against her isn't an option,"

Deborah knew she couldn't control puppets with her teeth.

"Alright then,"

She shoved dozens of nails into the ground. Alice caught on quickly. She knew she had to react quickly or she's done for.

Deborah tied strings around the nails, making loops than will undo themselves. Alice did the same.

They charged at each other as the puppets followed them like soldiers following their commander on the frontlines.

They both clasped their hands, and drew out a katana. The katanas clanged as they stared each into each others eyes.

"How they do that?" Reid asked Sandra.

"They sewn puppet buttons in their hands." She said. "They make or buy a katana. Then cover it with their orizambi. The Orizambi will merge with the katana after a few months. Then they break up the katana, sew it up with puppet strings, use the transformation arts to make it smaller, then sew different halves of the katana in different buttons, then they sew the buttons in their palms."

"Incredible,"

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"I see you've been training," Alice said.

"You're much better too" Deborah smiled.

"Of course," Alice smiled, kicking Deborah in the guts.

Deborah managed to dodge Alice's incoming swing, and countered her.

Deborah grabbed Alice's hands.

"I'll borrow this,"

She undid the strings on Alices fingers and relooped then.

"Aah," Alice screamed. Her own puppet cut her.

"Damnit,"

The puppets gathered around her.

"Give up, or they keep slicing you," Deborah said. "I've won,"

Alice took a deep breath.

"Very well then,"

She ripped the strings around her thumbs with her teeth.

"The hell?"

Smoke started to come out from the puppets.

"Lets see if we survive this," Alice laughed.

"BOOM!," All the puppets exploded.

She had a bomb in her puppet.

The force sent Deborah away flying.

"Let's dance shall we,"

"Orizambi secret art- Great Puppet Manifestation,"-Alice.

Dozen of puppets splurged out of the briefcase. They doubled, tripled, quadrupled in size and numbers.

Deborah was surrounded.

The crowd went nuts.

"I've won, give up or else they will attack you,"

"Finish her off," Mrs. Bequin screamed at Alice from the crowd.

"Don't write me off yet,"

"Orizambi Art- Great Puppet Manisfestation,"

Dozen of puppets splurged out of the briefcase. They doubled, tripled, quadrupled in size and numbers, just like Alice.

"How did you?" Alice stood shocked.

Deborah coughed as she fell to a knee. Her puppets shrunk and disappeared.

"Guess you're out of Orizambi," Alice said as she approached her. "You unbalanced my puppets from me, that's what ate all your Orizambi....You thought that was going to be the end, but you were dead wrong,"

Deborah tried to catch up to her breath.

"Oriz..."

She fell down.

"Did you ever think of me? " Deborah finally asked her. "Did you miss me? I'm asking the real Alice, not this puppet,"

Alice stood silent.

"I heard you cry on that day, you screamed and sobbed,"

"You did?"

"Of course I did," Deborah smiled. "I tried to talk to you, you just ignored me, pretending I never existed. Why didn't you talk to me?"

"BECAUSE I THREATENED THE ONLY PERSON WHO GAVE A DAMN ABOUT ME," Alice snapped, tearing down. "I should've stood up to her...I should've swallowed my own goddamn pride."

Deborah nodded swiftly.

"I was scared that you hate me, I was so lonely and terrible. They all kept away from me, and I pushed them even further. So why? Why don't you hate me? I said and did terrible things to you, yet you don't hate me."

"I'll never hate you. The moment you called me your best friend, you became a part of me," Deborah's vision started to blur out.

"Guess I lost huh," She said. "Some things still haven't changed."

Deborah fainted.

"5,"

"4,"

"3,"

"2,"

"1,"

"Alice Bequin wins,"

Mrs. Bequin looked down upon Alice.

"I'm sorry Debby, for everything" Alice mumbled. "But god I missed you,"

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The Firelords Throne Room.

"My lord," The guard bowed down do the man sitting on the throne on flames. "Prince Roman, he had been found,"

"Has he now?" The firelord smirked. "He's alive after all huh,"

"He was seen on television, at a Winston tournament,"

"Little Roman is playing school huh?"

"Should I inform Serenity?"

"no need to bother her into this," The firelord said. "I know someone who can deal with this easily for me,"

"Who my lord?"

"Bring me Tecton,"

The name frightened the guard.

"Yes...my lord," He gulped.

"You are dismissed,"

"Thank you, my lord,"

The guard ran outside the castle, far away from the firelord. He dialed a number on his cell phone.

"Princess Serenity, the prince has been spotted," he said.

"Has he now? Where is he?"

"Winston, in Liberty city,"

"Liberty huh, smart kid,"

"Now, please, conformation that my siblings are alive," The guard said.

"Do we have to do this everytime?" Serenity sounded annoyed. "Here, it's your brother."

"Hi big brother," The children screamed into the phone.

"Are you guys hurt? Hungry?"

"No, Sister Serenity has been really nice to us, she's always playing with us, she's a better cook than you big brother,"

The guard took a deep breath. "That's good to hear, I'll see you guys soon,"

"Best babysitter ever!!!"

"You happy now?" Serenity asked.

"yes, thank you,"

"Okay good, be sure to not get yourself killed, bye,"

"Wait, princess,"

"What,"

"Why doesn't the firelord want you to know about Roman's whereabouts?"

Serenity chuckled.

"He doesn't want me to kill him before he gets the chance," Serenity hung up. "Watch your back Roman, I'm coming. Let's see if playing school has helped you, little brother,"